| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08311806B2 |
Data detection in a sequence of tokens using decision tree reductions
An apparatus for processing a sequence of tokens to detect predetermined data, wherein each said token has a token type, and the predetermined data has a structure that comprises a predetermined sequence of token types, including at least one optional token type. The apparatus comprises a processor arranged to: provide a tree for detecting the predetermined data, the tree comprising a plurality of states, each said state being linked with at least one other state by a respective condition, the arrangement of linked states forming a plurality of paths; and compare the token types of the sequence of tokens to respective conditions in the tree to match the sequence of tokens to one or more paths in the tree, wherein the predetermined data can be detected without using an epsilon reduction to take account of said at least one optional token type. |
| US08311805B2 |
Automatic dynamic contextual data entry completion system
A method, performed in a character entry system, for interrelating character strings so that an incomplete input character string can be completed by selection of a presented character string involves computing relationship scores for individual character strings in the system from documents present in the character entry system, in response to inputting of a string of individual characters that exceeds a specified threshold, identifying at least one selectable character string from among contextual associations that can complete the input character string in context based upon an overall ranking score computed as a function of at least two other scores, and providing the identified at least one selectable character string to a user for selection. |
| US08311802B2 |
Text creating and editing method and computer-readable storage medium with dynamic data loading
Embodiments consistent with the invention include a method of creating a document on a computing device and a computer-readable storage medium. The method includes: receiving input text in the computing device to initiate a document creation process, the computing device including a first portion of font data for a first language, the first portion including less than all of the font data for the first language; based on the input text, determining whether the first portion is sufficient to create the document on the computing device; loading a second portion of the font data to the computing device from a data storage location if the first portion is not sufficient; and creating the document using at least one of the first portion and the second portion. |
| US08311801B2 |
Technology for supporting modification of messages displayed by program
A method, system and computer program product for improving the efficiency of changing or modifying a message displayed by a program. A memory unit stores a message read and displayed by the execution of a program, associating it with a language in which the message is written. An execution unit reads from the memory unit and displays the message corresponding to a language set by a user by executing the program. An editing unit edits the message stored in the memory unit and stores the edited message into the memory unit, associating it with a different language from that of the unedited message. A setting unit changes the language of the message displayed by the execution unit, where the execution unit reads from the memory unit and displays the message corresponding to the language changed by the setting unit thereby displaying the edited message instead of the unedited message. |
| US08311797B2 |
Viewing system that supports multiple electronic document types
A method of interpreting electronic documents, e.g., an interactive technical manual, provides an interpreter responsive to at least one global navigational input data of a client user in order to generate a displayable output. The displayable output is generated from informational input and a contextual status. The method of interpretation includes a base semantics module and any number of extended semantics modules, a symbol table, and an output module. A plurality of global navigational data are received at the interpreter, which associates and processes the informational data received with the contextual status and outputs displayable data which is renderable by the display system into a current view. A system and computer medium are also disclosed. |
| US08311783B2 |
Method for the generation of a set of conflicts for model-based system diagnostics, and corresponding diagnostic method
A method for the generation of a set of conflicts for model-based system diagnostics is described, with which system a plurality of sensors is associated for the observation of variables indicative of operation conditions.The method starts from generating a complete set of Analytical Redundancy Relations (ARRs) in implicit form and, for each diagnosis instance: it performs a system simulation, computing the expected values for a first subset of Analytical Redundancy Relations (D-ARRs) including the relations involving only one system observation variable; it compares the expected and observed values of the system observation variables to identify the inconsistent variables, i.e. the unsatisfied redundancy relations, indicating a fault in at least one system component; and, when discrepancies are detected, it checks the consistency of each relation belonging to a second subset of Analytical Redundancy Relations (I-ARR), comprising relations involving a plurality of system observation variables, at least one of which exhibits discrepancies between expected and observed values; therefore identifying the support set of the unsatisfied Redundancy Relations as set of system conflicts. |
| US08311781B2 |
Selectively reducing the number of cell evaluations in a hardware simulation
An electrical circuit comprising a plurality of cells can be simulated to produce simulation results by sorting cells between active status cells and inactive status cells and reducing the processing of simulation results from inactive cells to thereby save simulation time. |
| US08311779B2 |
Multipoint geostatistics method using branch runlength compression and local grid transformation
A multipoint geostatistics computer-implemented method for modeling of discrete properties, comprising acquiring by a computer software program a training image made from at least one dimensional array of discrete property values, the values depicting the spatial relationship and variability considered to be typical of a n-dimensional surface to be modeled; constructing a search tree, the tree representing the probability of occurrence of combinations of values of a discrete property value, the construction being performed by counting these occurrences in the training image. The non-branching sequences of the search tree are compressed to what essentially amounts to a single node, by keeping only the relevant information the sequences contain. |
| US08311778B2 |
Industrial process control transmitter with multiple sensors
An industrial process control transmitter includes a first input configured to couple to a first sensor, and a second input configured to couple to a second sensor. Measurement circuitry is configured to couple to the first and second sensors and provide an output related to a sensed process variable. A multiplexer is configured to selectively couple the first and second sensors to the measurement circuitry. An equalizer circuit is coupled to the first and second sensors and configured to equalize a voltage potential between the first sensor and the measurement circuitry. |
| US08311777B2 |
Coke oven wall surface evaluation apparatus, coke oven wall surface repair supporting apparatus, coke oven wall surface evaluation method, coke oven wall surface repair supporting method and computer program
An oven wall three-dimensional profile data (701) representing concave and convex amounts on all over oven walls (14R, 14L) at a right side and left side of a coking chamber (11) is generated by using image signals obtained by a wall surface observation apparatus (200). A resistance index “k” in which a resistance received by pushed coke (15) resulting from a rising gradient existing on the oven wall (14) is indexed is asked by using the oven wall three-dimensional profile data (701). It can be verified that there is a correlation between this resistance index “k” and a pushing load. Accordingly, it is possible to quantitatively evaluate a state of the oven wall (14) affecting on the pushing load. |
| US08311771B2 |
Inspection method of SOI wafer
An inspection method of an SOI wafer in which profiles P1 and P2 are calculated in the SOI wafer to be inspected and in an SOI wafer having a film thickness of the SOI layer thicker or thinner than that of the SOI wafer to be inspected, respectively; a profile P3 of a difference between P1 and P2, or a profile P4 of a change ratio of P1 and P2 is calculated; light having the wavelength band selected on the basis of a maximum peak wavelength within the calculated profiles P3 or P4 is irradiated to the surface of the SOI wafer to be inspected, to detect the reflected-light from the SOI wafer; and a place of a peak generated by an increase in reflection intensity of the detected reflected-light is found, as the defect caused by the change in the film thickness of the SOI layer. |
| US08311770B2 |
Portable monitoring devices and methods of operating same
An activity monitoring system, in one aspect, comprises a portable activity monitoring device comprising a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the user's body; a motion sensor, disposed in the housing, to detect motion of a user and to generate data representative thereof; an altitude sensor, disposed in the housing, to detect a change in altitude of the user and to generate data which is representative thereof; and processing circuitry, disposed in the housing, to calculate a number of stairs or flights of stairs traversed by the user using the motion data and change in altitude data. The system also includes a display to output data of a badge and/or metric wherein such badge and/or metric describes the number of stairs or flights of stairs traversed by the user. |
| US08311764B1 |
System and method for approximating ambient temperature
A method and computer program product for determining an internal temperature of a computing device, a power consumption factor for the computing device, and an airflow factor for the computing device. An approximated ambient air temperature is generated based upon the internal temperature, power consumption factor, and the airflow factor. |
| US08311763B2 |
System and method of compensating for device mounting and thermal transfer errors
A method of compensating a temperature measurement of a thermal device in a user environment as a function of a thermal transfer of the thermal device in a temperature measurement system. The method includes inputting thermal transfer parameters associated with heat transfer characteristics of the thermal device stored by a thermal transfer indicia. The method further includes measuring a signal of the thermal device during the temperature measurement and compensating the measured thermal device signal as a function of the thermal transfer function based on one of a plurality of predetermined specific thermal environments and one of a plurality of predetermined specific thermal errors associated with the thermal device. |
| US08311760B2 |
Method for determining, section after section, a parameter-dependent correction value approximation course and sensor arrangement
An embodiment of a method for a determination, section after section, of a parameter-dependent correction value approximation course includes determining a first measurement signal value with a first parameter value associated with a sensor arrangement when the first parameter value fullfils a predetermined condition or a trigger condition is fulfilled, changing the first parameter value to obtain a second parameter value, determining a second signal value with the second parameter value and determining a second partial section of the correction value approximation course for a second parameter range based on a functional connection describing the second partial section, the first parameter value, the second parameter value, the first measurement signal value, the second measurement signal value and an initial correction value. |
| US08311757B2 |
Miniaturized smart self-calibration electronic pointing method and system
An innovative configuration of Miniaturized Smart Self-calibration EPD for mortar applications, as the azimuth/heading and elevation measurement device. This innovative EPD configuration uses only two FOGs or DTG and accelerometers and it is self-contained. This leads to a new EPD implementation that produces a small and light device with lower cost and adequate accuracy for the small dismounted mortar applications. |
| US08311754B2 |
Power monitoring and analysis system for identifying and tracking individual electrical devices
Methods and mechanisms for processing a plurality of electrical parameters of a common alternating current service that supplies power for multiple electrical devices. In an embodiment, an instance data structure is identified based on a data set which is generated from samples of an alternating current service, the instance data structure corresponding to an on-off cycle of an electrical device. Based on the instance data structure, a contribution by the on-off cycle is subtracted from the data set to determine a residual data set. In another embodiment, the residual data set is processed to determine whether the residual data set includes a contribution by an on-off cycle of another electrical device. |
| US08311752B1 |
Method and apparatus to quantify mast clamp current probe effective loss on pole-mast antenna
A method for quantifying the effective loss of a mast-clamp-current-probe (MCCP) antenna comprising the following steps: providing a vector network analyzer (VNA) having first and second ports (Ports 1 and 2 respectively); coupling a transmit monopole antenna to Port 1 via a first transmission line; coupling a receive antenna to Port 2 via a second transmission line; determining the S-parameters of the two coupled antennas; calculating the power at the receive antenna (Pr); converting the transmit antenna to the MCCP antenna by shorting the transmit antenna to ground and clamping a current probe around the transmit antenna; determining the S′-parameters of the MCCP antenna and the receive antenna; calculating the power at the receive antenna (Pr′) when coupled to the MCCP antenna; and quantifying the effective loss of the MCCP antenna as the difference Pr−Pr′. |
| US08311750B2 |
Method and system for patient-specific modeling of blood flow
Embodiments include a system for providing patient-specific cardiovascular information using a web site. The system may include at least one computer system configured to allow a remote user to access a web site, receive patient-specific data regarding at least a portion of a geometry of an anatomical structure of the patient, and create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the anatomical structure of the patient based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to determine information regarding a blood flow characteristic within the anatomical structure of the patient based on the three-dimensional model and a physiological condition of the patient, and communicate display information regarding a first three-dimensional simulation of at least the portion of the anatomical structure of the patient to the remote user using the web site. The three-dimensional simulation may include the determined information. |
| US08311749B2 |
Transcutaneous analyte sensor
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for measuring an analyte in a host. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for transcutaneous measurement of glucose in a host. |
| US08311744B2 |
Use of chemically and geologically consistent constraints for obtaining elemental chemistry downhole
A method for estimating a lithotype of an earth formation, the method includes: obtaining at least two different energy spectra of radiation received from the earth formation using the logging tool, each energy spectrum having at least one of a natural gamma-ray spectrum, a fast neutron-induced inelastic spectrum, and a thermal neutron induced capture spectrum; establishing at least one geochemically-based constraint related to elemental spectral yields to be determined; determining the elemental spectral yields from the at least two different energy spectra by decomposing the at least two different energy spectra over weighted sum of monoelemental standards wherein at least one weight is constrained by the at least one geochemically-based constraint and each weight represents a proportion of one monoelemental standard; converting the elemental spectral yields to elemental concentrations; and using a classifier to receive the elemental concentrations as input and to provide a lithotype as output. |
| US08311742B2 |
Estimating photospheric velocities for space-weather prediction
A computer-implemented method for accurately estimating plasma velocities on the photosphere based on magnetic field data from vector magnetograms. Spatial and temporal derivatives of the magnetic field components are computed and a structure tensor containing terms that specifically include the horizontal magnetic field components is constructed. The structure tensor is convolved with a window function and a least-squares solution based on the convolved structure tensor is found. The solution includes the plasma velocities in the horizontal and vertical directions at the center of the window. |
| US08311738B2 |
Boom-mounted machine locating system
A locating system for a machine having a boom is disclosed. The locating system has a first GPS unit and a second GPS unit. The first GPS unit is located on the boom. |
| US08311737B2 |
Automated prioritization of map objects
Automatic map generation is enabled by assigning priorities to each city in a list of cities under consideration for display on a map. A mapping engine determines a reference count for each city, indicating how frequently the city appears in one or more corpora of documents. Based on the reference count, and optionally upon other data such as population and political importance, a priority score is assigned to each city. Each city is then assigned to one of a plurality of categories according to the city's priority score. A map is then generated including cities from a specified highest number of categories. In one embodiment, cities from a higher-scored category are presented in a more significant way, e.g., in capital letters, bold type, etc., than are those in the next-highest scored category. |
| US08311733B2 |
Interactive key frame image mapping system and method
Provided is a computer system and method for providing key frame image mapping. A method includes collecting one or more images of a predetermined area on the map of a physical location; and organizing the one or more images on the map as a function of a time, location, and/or image history parameter. A computer system includes a mapping module including a data store configurable to organize one or more images according to locations on a map and a table. The table can associate metadata for images with a time line, an image history and/or a location. The association can enable an instantiation of a time-related image from images at locations of the map. The mapping module enables a personalized iconographic map of a physical location illustrating icons associated with a catalog of images that are incorporated with the time line. The time line can be associated with a trip taken to an area in a map such that scrolling the time line automatically causes images associated with that time appear as well as the location on the map wherein the picture was taken. |
| US08311732B2 |
Navigation communication with self-identifying elements
A navigation device includes a communication subsystem and a navigation subsystem. The communication subsystem communicates with a remote navigation database via a gateway using variable-size data payloads. Each variable-size data payload is accompanied by a content-identifier and a size-identifier. The navigation subsystem determines a current position of the navigation device and encodes the current position of the navigation device as one or more position payloads that are sent from the communication subsystem to the remote navigation database via the gateway. Each position payload is sent with an accompanying content-identifier and size-identifier. |
| US08311723B2 |
Pressure energy conversion systems
The present disclosure relates generally a fuel injector configured to inject fuel into a combustion chamber. The fuel injector includes a body having a base portion opposite a nozzle portion, wherein the base portion is configured to receive the fuel into the body, and the nozzle portion is configured to be positioned adjacent to the combustion chamber. The fuel injector also includes a valve assembly carried by the base portion of the body. The valve assembly may have a first valve coupled to a first actuator and a second valve coupled to a second actuator. The fuel injector further includes an igniter carried by the nozzle portion of the body and configured to ignite the fuel in the combustion chamber. |
| US08311722B2 |
Driver-based control system and method to improve fuel economy
The technology described herein provides an active driver control system. Additionally, in various example embodiments, this technology provides methods for optimizing fuel economy (or energy consumption) through active compensation of driver controlled inputs. The active compensation functionality is used to moderate ‘sweet spot’ vehicle response with driver desired performance. In particular, the active compensation functionality can be used to smooth the vehicle response and attenuate undesired frequency content from the driver input. One of the benefits to this technology is that it assists all drivers in achieving better fuel economy in real world driving. Another benefit is that active compensation of driver controlled inputs can mitigate some of the negative effects of more aggressive driving styles. In addition to active compensation functionality, the technology described herein is also capable of generating a Green Driver Index which is derived by quantifying the driver's control ability and normalizing the result against desired fuel economy and performance targets. |
| US08311720B2 |
Lost target function for adaptive cruise control
An adaptive cruise control including a lost target function. The adaptive cruise control is operable in at least one of three modes: a normal mode, a following mode, and a lost target mode. In the normal mode, a user-set speed is maintained by the user vehicle. In the following mode, the adaptive cruise control detects a slower moving target vehicle and maintains a particular distance behind the target vehicle. In the lost target mode, the adaptive cruise control recognizes that a target vehicle is no longer detected and zeroes the acceleration of the user vehicle for a particular delay time. After expiration of the delay time, driver override, or detecting a target vehicle again, the cruise control exits the lost target mode. |
| US08311718B2 |
Negative wheel slip control systems and methods
An engine control system comprises a derivative module and a slip remediation module. The derivative module determines a mathematical derivative of a driven wheel speed of a vehicle. The slip remediation module, when the mathematical derivative is more negative than a predetermined deceleration, at least one of disables regenerative braking being performed by one or more electric motors, increases an axle torque request, and unlocks a torque converter. |
| US08311717B2 |
Drive line operation method
A method of operating a vehicle drive train, whereby the drive train comprises a drive unit, a transmission, and an all-wheel splitter having an automatically operating clutch, positioned between the transmission and the output. The clutch is operated in a continuous slip mode and in such a way that the all-wheel splitter splits the transmission output torque for variable torque distribution to driven axles. The splitting of the output torque to the driven axles is performed by a control unit, implemented into the all-wheel drive strategy, so that the output torque, less a predetermined nominal torque, is transferred to a first axle, and the nominal torque is transferred to a second axle. When defined operating conditions are met, a limiting of the torque, set by the drive unit, and/or the nominal torque, set by the all-wheel strategy, occurs to avoid a thermal overloading of the clutch of the all-wheel splitter. |
| US08311716B2 |
Control apparatus for shift range changeover device
A control apparatus for a shift range changeover device determines temporary abnormality, when a detection output of a rotation position of a motor continues to be abnormal for a first abnormality determination period. The control apparatus further determines persistent abnormality and performs predetermined failsafe processing, when the detection output further continues to be abnormal for a second abnormality period following the first abnormality period. If the temporary abnormality is determined within a feedback control permission period, motor feedback control is prohibited to control the shift range to the neutral range. If the temporary abnormality is determined after the feedback control permission period, the same control operation as before the temporary abnormality is performed. |
| US08311712B2 |
Method for the operation of a drivetrain
A method of operating of a drivetrain, having at least a drive motor and an automatic transmission with at least five shift elements, to improve a shift speed such that during a first upshift or a first downshift, at least one required shift element is prepared such that, when a synchronization point is reached, the successive upshift or the successive downshift can be immediately carried out. The method comprises the steps of requiring, at most, two of the at least five shift elements be disengaged and a remainder of the shift elements be disengaged for each gear for transferring one of torque and force; and one of increasing and decreasing a torque of the drive motor, relative to a torque of the drive motor derived from a driver's wish, during one of the first upshift or downshift and the successive upshift or downshift to assist with an overlapped implementation of the successive upshifts or the successive downshifts. |
| US08311709B2 |
Implement initiated control of tractor power take-off (PTO)
A control system for managing the operation of a tractor PTO using input conditions occurring in a connected baler. Baler conditions such as tailgate position, crop pickup position, bale wrapper status, and driveline torque are sensed in the baler, and communicated to an implement-mounted controller whereupon control signals are initiated and communicated to a tractor-mounted controller to manage operation of the tractor's PTO. Safety may be maintained through the use of operator acknowledgements in order to prevent unexpected engagement of the PTO and a manual override capability allows an operator to suspend automated operation at any time. |
| US08311702B2 |
Health state management device and health state management system
A health state management device manages information on a state of health of a driver of transportation equipment. An authentication portion authenticates the driver, and a health state judgment portion measures blood component data of the driver authenticated by the authentication portion. The health state judgment portion judges the state of health of the driver using the blood component data. A decision portion decides whether or not to permit operation of the transportation equipment based on a judgment result of the health state judgment portion, and a storage portion stores the judgment result of the health state judgment portion and a decision result of the decision portion in association with driver identification information of the driver. |
| US08311700B2 |
Control apparatus for vehicle
In a microcomputer, a signal processing device computes a control signal, such as an accelerator position, a throttle position, based on a sensor output signal, such as an output signal of an accelerator position sensor, an output signal of a throttle position sensor. A torque control device executes a torque control operation to coincide an actual torque with a requested torque based on the control signal. Furthermore, a torque monitor device determines whether a torque increase abnormality exists based on the control signal. A signal abnormality diagnosis device determines whether an operational abnormality of the signal processing device exists based on a relationship between the sensor output signal and the control signal. A monitor IC monitors operational states of the torque monitor device and of the signal abnormality diagnosis device and determines whether an operational abnormality of the torque monitor device or of the signal abnormality diagnosis device exists. |
| US08311697B2 |
Impact assessment system and method for determining emergent criticality
An impact assessment system and method for determining emerging criticality in a complex system is provided. The impact assessment system includes a component dependency model and an emergent criticality analyzer. The component dependency model describes the relationships between components in the system and their underlying dependency and criticality relationships. The impact assessment system receives component failure data from the complex system and uses the component dependency model and emergent criticality analyzer to determine the impact of the component failure on the criticality of remaining components in the system. The impact assessment system is thus able to determine how component failures in the complex system can impact the criticality of remaining components in the complex system and thus can assist in determining how those components may or may not be safely used in further operational activities. |
| US08311696B2 |
Optical tracking vehicle control system and method
An optical tracking vehicle control system includes a controller adapted for computing vehicle guidance signals and a guidance subsystem adapted for receiving the guidance signals from the controller and for guiding the vehicle. An optical movement sensor is mounted on the vehicle in optical contact with a travel surface being traversed by the vehicle. The optical movement sensor is connected to the controller and provides vehicle movement signals thereto for use by the controller in computing vehicle position. The optical movement sensor can be either mounted on a gimbal for movement independent of the vehicle, or, alternatively, multiple optical movement sensors can be provided for detecting yaw movements. GNSS and inertial vehicle position tracking subsystems are also provided. Still further, a method of tracking a vehicle with an optical movement sensor is provided. |
| US08311690B2 |
Charging system for vehicles
A charging system provided for vehicles prevents theft of a charging cable, insertion of foreign matter into a vehicle-side receptacle, or tampering when an onboard battery usable for running power is charged from a household power supply. A cable connector of the charging cable is opposed to the vehicle-side receptacle in a connecting part to prepare for charging. When a PHV is exited, a switching command switching from an unlocked state of a door locking mechanism to a locked state is inputted to a PHV ECU responsive to an inputting manipulation performed on a key or door key sensor. The PHV ECU allows the door locking mechanism to switch from the unlocked state to the locked state. The PHV ECU allows locking mechanisms to switch from the unlocked states to the locked states in the manner interlocked with the switching action of the door locking mechanism. |
| US08311688B2 |
Method for run-time incorporation of domain data configuration changes
A method and apparatus for implementing a run-time configuration change for domain data in a database for an information systems where the domain data defines entities which are acted upon by the information system and where the reconfiguration of the domain data can take place without taking the information system offline and making it inaccessible to users. |
| US08311687B2 |
Method and system for vertical navigation using time-of-arrival control
A method and systems for controlling an aircraft during descent are provided. The control system includes an input device configured to receive a speed margin for the vehicle and a processor communicatively coupled to the input device wherein the processor is programmed to automatically determine a flight path of the vehicle that is shallower than an idle flight path for the vehicle and generate a flight control surface control signal configured to maintain the determined flight path using the received speed margin. The control system further includes an output device communicatively coupled to the processor. The output device is configured to transmit the flight control surface control signal to a flight control system of the vehicle. |
| US08311684B2 |
Output flow control in load compressor
A system and a method useful for determining and controlling flow in an engine load compressor 102 having an inlet 104 and an outlet 106. Means 108 are provided for measuring static pressure at one or more locations within the load compressor inlet 104. Means 108 are also provided for measuring static pressure at one or more locations within the load compressor outlet 106. The system further comprises means 112 for measuring temperature at at least one location within the compressor, and one or more processors 114 adapted for calculating ratios relating compressor outlet and inlet pressures, optionally normalizing the calculated pressure ratios according to any one or more of reference temperatures, inlet guide vane positions, and compressor speeds, and for determining, using the optionally normalized pressure ratios, desired load compressor output flow rates Q. |
| US08311683B2 |
Processor cooling management
Illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, a data processing system, and a computer program product for adjusting cooling settings. The computer implemented method comprises analyzing a set of instructions of an application to determine a number of degrees by which a set of instructions will raise a temperature of at least one processor core. The computer implemented method further calculates a cooling setting for at least one cooling system for the at least one processor core. The computer implemented method adjusts the at least one cooling system based on the cooling setting. The step of analyzing the set of instructions is performed before the set of instructions is executed on the at least one processor core. The step of adjusting the at least one cooling system is performed before the set of instructions is executed on the at least one processor core. |
| US08311682B2 |
Systems, program product, and methods for synthesizing heat exchanger networks that account for future higher levels of disturbances and uncertainty, and identifying optimal topology for future retrofit
A system, methods, and user-friendly program product to optimize energy recovery for a process or cluster of processes under all possible combinations of given process changes and stream-specific minimum temperature approach values without enumeration, are provided. The systems, methods, and program product can include steps/operations to identify a set of common-structure heat exchanger network designs which allow for construction of a physically exchanger network easily retrofittable to accommodate time-dependent new operating modes, disturbances, and uncertainty schemes. |
| US08311679B2 |
Matrix converters for wind energy conversion systems
The invention is an efficient matrix converter for wind energy conversion systems (WECS) using permanent magnet DC generators, incorporating control algorithms integrated with rotor aerodynamics, generator dynamics and the wind environment. Using a complete model of the system enables the design of an integrated control scheme for the WECS that improves the overall system efficiency. Estimates of wind velocity and rotor speed measurements are fed forward to the matrix converter subsystem for efficient switching. |
| US08311678B2 |
Method for adjusting concrete rheology based upon nominal dose-response profile
The invention relates to a method for adjusting concrete rheology requiring only that load size and target rheology value be selected initially rather than requiring inputs into and consultation of a lookup table of parameters such as water and hydration levels, mix components, temperature, humidity, aggregate components, and others. Dosage of particular rheology-modifying agent or combination of rheology-modifying agents is calculated based on a percentage of a nominal dose calculated with reference to a nominal dose response (“NDR”) curve or profile. The NDR profile is based on a correlation between a rheology value (e.g., slump, slump flow, yield stress) and the rheology-modifying agent(s) dose required to change rheology value by one unit (e.g., slump change from 2 to 3 inches) such that exemplary methods can employ corrective dosing based on the NDR and the measured deviation by the system. |
| US08311675B2 |
Method of controlling an autonomous device
The invention describes a method of controlling an autonomous device (1), which autonomous device records ambient data and optionally transmits the recorded ambient data, which method comprises positioning an indicator (S1, S2, S3, S4) at a boundary (B) between a private area (P) and a non-private area (N) to optically distinguish the private area (P) from the non-private area (N) for a user of the autonomous device (1). The indicator (S1, S2, S3, S4) is detected by the autonomous device (1) and interpreted to determine whether the autonomous device (1) is in a private area (P) or a non-private area (N). Subsequently, recording or transmission of ambient data is restricted while the autonomous device (1) is within the private area (P). The invention also describes a system ( ) for controlling an autonomous device (1), an autonomous device (1), and an indicator (S3, S4) for placement at a boundary between a private area (P) and a non-private area (N), to optically distinguish the private area (P) from the non-private area (N) for a user (2), comprising a number of electronically detectable components (23, 24). |
| US08311674B2 |
Robotic vacuum cleaner
An Autonomous robot, that is for example, suitable for operations such as vacuuming and surface cleaning includes a payload configured for vacuum cleaning, a drive system including a steering system, a navigation system, and a control system for integrating operations of the aforementioned systems. |
| US08311669B2 |
Tank-locking device, system for managing liquid supply and method using the same
A system for managing liquid supply suitable for a process equipment with a liquid tank is disclosed. The system includes a host, a data-reading tool, a system controller and a tank-locking device. The host stores a built-in liquid database. The data-reading tool used for reading data related to the liquid tank is electrically connected to the host. The host receives the data related to the liquid tank from the data-reading tool, and the received data mapped with the liquid database. The system controller drives the tank-locking device according to the signal from the host to whether or not allow replacement of the liquid tank. |
| US08311668B2 |
Automatic feeder control setup based on client mailstream
Systems, methods, and an article of manufacture for automatically configuring a feeder system of a mail sorting system are shown and described. The feeder system is configured in accordance with a customer's mailing parameters. This improves the performance of the mail sorting system. In various examples, customer information associated with a processing job is received. A feeder profile is also received. The feeder system is automatically configured according to parameters of one or more of the customer information and feeder profile. |
| US08311664B2 |
Tray supply apparatus
A tray supply apparatus includes a tray magazine, a sub magazine, a supply station, and a lifting and lowering mechanism. The tray magazine can store a tray on each of a plurality of stages. The tray stores components. The sub magazine includes a plurality of conveyance mechanisms having a plurality of stages. The sub magazine is adjacent to the tray magazine and capable of taking out the tray from the tray magazine. The supply station includes a plurality of placement portions having a plurality of stages, on each of which the tray is placed, and a stage that lifts and lowers the tray between the plurality of placement portions. The supply station is disposed at a position where the components are picked up. The lifting and lowering mechanism lifts and lowers the sub magazine to convey the tray between the tray magazine and the supply station through the sub magazine. |
| US08311659B1 |
Identifying non-randomness in integrated circuit product yield
A method of analyzing integrated circuit (IC) product yield can include storing, within a memory of a system comprising a processor, parametric data from a manufacturing process of an IC and determining a measure of non-random variation for at least one parameter of the parametric data using a pattern detection technique. The processor can compare the measure of non-random variation to a randomness criteria and selectively output a notification indicating that variation in the parameter is non-random according to the comparison of the measure of non-random variation to the randomness criteria. |
| US08311656B2 |
Music and audio playback system
A music and audio playback system is implemented on a computer with a playback engine that enables the operator, typically a disk jockey, to apply a variety of effects. The system may store one or more snapshots, or a combination of settings for a plurality of controls that are applied by the playback engine. The settings that may be stored in a snapshot may be for effects, deck controls and/or mix settings. These snapshots allow for changes to settings for effects, mixing and playback to be made quickly, some of which would normally be difficult to perform. A sampler module permits a user to specify one or more samples that may be triggered for playback. The most frequently used samples may be designated as scratching files that may be quickly activated through the push of a button (or other control). A waveform display represents a window of audio samples around a current playback time. When two tracks are being played, only half of each waveform is shown. In particular, the bottom half of the waveform at the top, and the top half of the waveform at the bottom are shown. Certain effects that affect the playback of a current audio file, such as a reverse, repeat or brake effect, are performed as insert effects. As a result, the current play position in the current audio file continues to advance while the effect is performed, even thought the effect is applied to the audio data in the current audio file. The waveform display continues to update based on the continually updated current play position in the audio file. |
| US08311654B2 |
Content reproducing apparatus, audio reproducing apparatus and content reproducing method
A content reproducing apparatus is disclosed which includes: a sensor; a discrimination circuit configured to discriminate whether a movement of a user is a first movement or a second movement based on a detection output from the sensor; a storage configured to store contents; a reproduction circuit configured to reproduce the contents; and a control circuit configured to supply the reproduction circuit with contents retrieved from the storage in accordance with a discrimination output from the discrimination circuit. |
| US08311651B2 |
Process automation system for determining, monitoring and/or influencing different process variables and/or state variables
A process automation system for determining, monitoring and/or influencing different process variables and/or state variables in at least one manufacturing or analytical process. Included is: at least one control station; and a plurality of field devices; wherein in each field device at least one sensor is provided for ascertaining a measured value of a process variable and/or state variable and/or an actuator is provided for influencing a process variable and/or state variable by means of an actuating value. Each field device makes available its cyclically or acyclically ascertained, measuring-device-specific, measured values and/or actuating values of the process variable and/or state variable to every other field device of the process automation system as information, and the current information of all ascertained measured values and/or actuating values of the process variables and/or state variables is available to each field device as a current process-state-vector. |
| US08311646B2 |
Mechanism for, and method of, attaching a lead conductor cable to a lead electrode
A cardio electrotherapy lead is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the lead includes a tubular body, a conductor cable and an electrode. The conductor cable longitudinally extends through the tubular body and includes a distal end. The electrode is located on the tubular body and includes an attachment mechanism mechanically coupling the lead distal end to the electrode. |
| US08311645B2 |
Obstructive sleep apnea treatment devices, systems and methods
A lead system may include a cuff electrode configured to be implanted on a nerve and including a cylindrical cuff body having a plurality of electrode contacts. The cylindrical cuff body may include a first side with a first longitudinal edge and a second side with a second longitudinal edge. The cylindrical cuff body may also have a proximalmost end surface and a distalmost end surface, wherein the first longitudinal edge includes a proximalmost end and a distalmost end, and the second longitudinal edge includes a proximalmost end and a distalmost end. The lead system may also include first and second lead portions having generally serpentine configurations and a first anchor interposed between the first and second lead portions and configured to be secured relative to a non-nerve body structure. The lead system may also include a connector extending proximally from the second lead portion and configured to electrically connect to an implantable pulse generator. |
| US08311644B2 |
Short duration pre-pulsing to reduce stimulation-evoked side-effects
A method and neurostimulation system of providing therapy to a patient is provided. At least one electrode is place in contact with tissue of a patient. A sub-threshold, hyperpolarizing, conditioning pre-pulse (e.g., an anodic pulse) is conveyed from the electrode(s) to render a first region of the tissue (e.g., dorsal root fibers) less excitable to stimulation, and a depolarizing stimulation pulse (e.g., a cathodic pulse) is conveyed from the electrode(s) to stimulate a second different region of the tissue (e.g., dorsal column fibers). The conditioning pre-pulse has a relatively short duration (e.g., less than 200 μs). |
| US08311643B2 |
Spinal cord stimulation lead anchor
Disclosed is an implantable anchor for anchoring a catheter, including (by way of non-limiting example) an implantable lead, such as may be used for spinal cord stimulation, to the body of a patient, along with a method for its use. The anchor comprises an elongate body have a central lumen extending through the body from its proximal end to its distal end, which central lumen is configured to snugly receive the catheter body. In addition to the central lumen, a second lumen is provided in the proximal end of the anchor and is configured to receive an injector so that adhesive may be injected into the anchor surrounding at least a portion of the catheter body. In doing so, the anchor may be fixed to the catheter body, such that when the anchor is sutured in place within the patient's body, migration of the catheter may be avoided. |
| US08311640B2 |
Variable impedance bypass pathway for a tissue stimulating prosthesis
A method and apparatus for neural stimulation are disclosed. The principle is that a conventional current path is used to deliver the stimulus to neural structures, but an alternative current path is provided to bypass the neural structures during the opposite polarity part of the current flow. As a consequence, charge balance can be provided at the tissue/electrode interface, while delivering stimuli which are not charge balanced to the neural structures. |
| US08311637B2 |
Magnetic core flux canceling of ferrites in MRI
A magnetic core flux canceling device according to embodiments of the present invention includes a magnetic field sensor adapted for placement at a ferrite material core in an implantable medical device, the magnetic field sensor adapted to transmit a signal corresponding to a magnitude of a first magnetic field. Such a device may also include a coil disposed around the ferrite material core and a driver circuit configured to receive the signal and to vary a voltage applied across the coil based on the signal, the voltage applied across the coil creating a second magnetic field at least partially in a direction opposite the first magnetic field. According to some embodiments of the present invention, multiple coils may be used to cancel magnetic fields in multiple directions. A voltage applied across the coil varies in magnitude and/or direction to cancel or weaken an MRI-related magnetic field. |
| US08311636B2 |
Tree-based electrical stimulator programming
The disclosure describes an implantable stimulation system that guides programming with a therapeutic tree. All possible stimulation parameters are arranged on the therapeutic tree, with each level of the therapeutic tree containing a different stimulation parameter type. Each level includes nodes that are connected to nodes of adjacent levels. A program path is created by moving through nodes of lower levels. The stimulation parameter types are arranged so that coarse adjustments occur at higher levels of the tree and fine adjustments occur at lower levels of the tree. The nodes of the program path define the stimulation parameters of the delivered stimulation therapy. The user may provide information such as efficacy input and/or medication dosage information to the system for identifying the most efficacious program path in treating pain of the patient. Additionally or alternatively, efficacy feedback may be received from physiological parameter sensors. |
| US08311632B2 |
Devices, methods, and systems for harvesting energy in the body
In some embodiments, the power generator for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy is described may include a compressible element adapted and configured to be placed in an environment having a variable compressive force such as varying ambient pressures. The compressible element may be compressed by a force applied by the variable pressure to the compressible element. The power generator may further include a transducer that may be coupled to the compressible element and that may convert mechanical energy from the compression of the compressible element to electrical energy. In some embodiments, the power generator may be adapted to be an implantable power generator for converting mechanical energy from a patient to electrical energy, such that the compressible element adapted and configured to be placed between two adjacent tissue layers of the patient and to be compressed by a force applied from the two adjacent tissue layers to the compressible element. |
| US08311630B2 |
Reduction of AV delay for treatment of cardiac disease
An implantable pacing device for delivering ventricular pacing may be configured to intermittently reduce the AVD interval for beneficial effect in patients with compromised ventricular function (e.g., HF patients and post-MI patients). The AVD interval may be reduced in an AVD reduction mode, by shortening the AVD in an atrial triggered ventricular pacing mode or by switching to a non-atrial triggered ventricular pacing mode (e.g., VVI) and delivering paces at a rate above the intrinsic rate. The physiological effects of AVD reduction may be either positive or negative on cardiac output, depending upon the individual patient. |
| US08311627B2 |
Method and apparatus for a small power source for an implantable device
One example includes a battery that includes a stack of at least one substantially planar anode and at least one substantially planar cathode, wherein the stack defines a contoured exterior, and a battery housing enclosing the stack, the battery housing defining a battery housing exterior, wherein the contoured exterior of the stack is shaped to conform to a contoured interior of the battery housing that approximately conforms to the battery housing exterior, the battery produced by the process of modeling, using fluid dynamics, an exterior of a biocompatible housing and shaping the battery housing to conform to at least some of the exterior of the biocompatible housing. |
| US08311626B2 |
Robotically controlled intravascular tissue injection system
A robotic catheter system includes a controller including a master input device and instrument driver in communication with the controller. An elongate flexible guide instrument is operatively coupled to the instrument driver. A fluid injection needle may be advanced from, or retracted into, a distal portion of the guide instrument. |
| US08311624B2 |
Apparatus and method for delivering a therapeutic agent to ocular tissue
An apparatus for delivering at least one therapeutic agent to an ocular tissue of a subject includes at least one electrode, a medicament layer including the at least one therapeutic agent, an electrical signal source, and logic configured to control the electrical signal source. The at least one electrode has oppositely disposed, dome-shaped first and second major surfaces. The first major surface is curved such that the first major surface substantially conforms to a contour of the ocular tissue when placed in contact with the ocular tissue. The medicament layer is disposed on at least a portion of the second major surface. The electrical signal source provides a signal having certain characteristics and is electrically connected to the at least one electrode. The certain characteristics comprise at least one orienting frequency and at least one motivating frequency sufficient to motivate the at least one therapeutic agent into the ocular tissue. |
| US08311621B2 |
Device for judging degree of awakening and method for judging degree of awakening
A device for judging a degree of awakening and a method for judging a degree of awakening which can more reliably detect weak sleepiness of people in action. The device for judging a degree of awakening in accordance with the present invention comprises a heartbeat sensor for acquiring a heartbeat signal from a driver and an ECU for detecting sleepiness of the driver by processing the heartbeat signal. In the ECU, a heartbeat signal preprocessing section for acquiring a heartbeat period time series from the heartbeat signal, a feature amount extracting section for acquiring a heartbeat fluctuation low frequency component power from the heartbeat period time series, a sleepiness detecting section for judging whether sleepiness occurs in the driver or not according the heartbeat fluctuation low frequency component power, a stimulus timing setting section for setting a timing for imparting a stimulus for removing sleepiness to the driver according to the heartbeat fluctuation low frequency component power, and a sleepiness removing stimulus output section for imparting the stimulus to the driver at thus set timing. |
| US08311618B2 |
Method and apparatus for quantitative assessment of cardiac electrical events
Method and apparatus for computer enabled analysis of ECG (electro cardiographic) data by exploiting computerized three-dimensional spatial presentation of the measured data using vectors. A three-dimensional presentation of the human heart may be correlated with waveforms specific for standard ECG or derived ECG signals based on the dipole approximation of the heart electrical activity. Additional tools for analyzing ECG data are also provided which may be used to determine the time of cardiac electrical events, to select specific beats for automated cardiac interval determination, and to flag ECGs that have been evaluated by automated means but may benefit by human reading. |
| US08311617B2 |
Opposed view and dual head detector apparatus for diagnosis and biopsy with image processing method
The invention relates generally to biopsy needle guidance which employs an x-ray/gamma image spatial co-registration methodology. A gamma camera is configured to mount on a biopsy needle gun platform to obtain a gamma image. More particular, the spatially co-registered x-ray and physiological images may be employed for needle guidance during biopsy. Moreover, functional images may be obtained from a gamma camera at various angles relative to a target site. Further, the invention also generally relates to a breast lesion localization method using opposed gamma camera images or dual opposed images. This dual head methodology may be used to compare the lesion signal in two opposed detector images and to calculate the Z coordinate (distance from one or both of the detectors) of the lesion. |
| US08311613B2 |
Electrode catheter positioning system
A system for determining a position of a catheter is provided. An electrode is on a catheter. A plurality of reference electrodes are provided. Each of the plurality of reference electrodes are configured to transmit or receive a signal to or from the electrode, respectively. A processor is operable to determine a position of the catheter as a function of an electrical characteristic based on the signals. The plurality of reference electrodes are not positioned on or in a body surface along three mutually orthogonal axes. |
| US08311612B2 |
Dark blood delayed enhancement magnetic resonance viability imaging techniques for assessing subendocardial infarcts
The technology herein provides a dark blood delayed enhancement technique that improves the visualization of subendocardial infarcts that may otherwise be disguised by the bright blood pool. The timed combination of a slice-selective and a non-selective preparation improves the infarct/blood contrast by decoupling their relaxation curves thereby nulling both the blood and the non-infarcted myocardium. This causes the infarct to be imaged bright and the blood and non-infarct to both be imaged dark. The slice-selective preparation occurs early enough in the cardiac cycle so that fresh blood can enter the imaged slice. |
| US08311610B2 |
Biopsy tissue marker
A biopsy site marker is disclosed. The biopsy site marker includes a first marker element and a second marker element. The first marker element is configured for detection by a first imaging modality. The second marker element is configured for detection by a second imaging modality different from the first imaging modality. The second marker element may be a non-absorbable wire having a predetermined shape and is substantially engaged with the first marker element. |
| US08311608B2 |
Continuous vessel-selective spin labeling
The invention relates to a method for the MRT representation of a blood vessel (A) and/or of the territory supplied by the blood vessel (A) by labeling the blood, which is guided by this blood vessel (A), by means of continuous arterial spin labeling (CASL), in a specified labeling plane (E). The position of the labeling plan (E) is varied with the provision that a specified location of the blood vessel (A) remains in the labeling plane (E). This enables, for example, a selective labeling of a blood vessel of interest to be saturated by varying the position of the labeling plane. |
| US08311606B2 |
Conductive polymer patterned electrode for pacing
The present invention is an apparatus and method for making a polymer patterned electrode for cardiac pacing and sensing. The electrode surface includes a polymer overlayed on an electrode. The polymer layer is patterned to form an electrode surface consisting of a polymer and a conductive metal surface. The electrode can be made of a high or low impedance electrode by changing the conductivity of the polymer. Furthermore, the electrode surface texture can be optimized with a micro pattern that may enhance the biocompatibility. The polymer may be conductive or insulative. |
| US08311605B2 |
Biosensor with pressure compensation
A biosensor is described which can obtain physiological data from an individual. The biosensor may collect electrodermal activity, skin temperature, and other information. The biosensor may be attached to the body through the use of a garment which may be fastened in multiple locations on the human body. The biosensor includes compensation for electrodermal activity measurements based on the amount of pressure applied to the electrodes that are in contact with the skin. As pressure is increased the electrodermal activity values typically increase. By compensating for the influence that pressure changes have on electrodermal activity, more accurate analysis of physiology and therefore mental state analysis may be performed. |
| US08311597B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device including shared voice coil to provide hearing aid compatibility and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device is for use with a hearing aid including a hearing aid compatible (HAC) coil. The device may include a portable housing and a wireless receiver carried by the portable housing. The device may also include at least one image capture component and a positioning coil associated therewith and carried by the portable housing. A controller may also be carried by the portable housing for selectively operating the positioning coil for image capture, and for inductively coupling received signals from the wireless receiver to the HAC coil. |
| US08311594B2 |
Wireless device battery conservation method and system
Generally, the present invention provides a method for detecting poor RF conditions, and entering different sleep mode levels or phases in accordance with the RF conditions to save battery power. Mobile device battery life can be conserved when the mobile device detects poor RF conditions and enters a deep sleep mode of operation. In this deep sleep mode of operation the mobile device periodically samples the RF conditions and gradually increases the period between samples when the RF conditions do not improve. Because mobility can change the RF condition for wireless devices even in areas of good RF coverage, the mobile device operating in the deep sleep mode can detect this mobility and thus enhance the probability of entering an idle state, or alternatively, entering a longer power save mode. When the RF condition improves, the mobile device exits from the deep sleep mode and returns to the idle state. |
| US08311593B2 |
Method and apparatus for adjusting an on duration in a discontinuous receive transmission mode
A method and an apparatus that includes establishing a link (106) between a first node (102) and a second node (104) in a wireless communication network (100). The method continues by setting a discontinuous receive (DRX) transmission mode cycle for the link wherein the DRX cycle includes an on duration (202) followed by an off cycle (204). The duration of the on duration on a downlink is adjusted (610) based on a function of the availability of a channel quality indicator (CQI) channel used on the link. |
| US08311592B2 |
Portable terminal having external module and method for displaying charged status thereof
A portable terminal is provided having an external module that is capable of easily charging a battery of the external module, such as a bluetooth, and of easily checking the charged status thereof. The charged status of a second battery of the external module may be displayed through a terminal body as well as the charged status of a first battery, thereby being capable of easily recognizing when the external module is required to be charged. |
| US08311586B2 |
Method of processing information inputted while a mobile communication terminal is in an active communications state
A method of processing information inputted while a mobile communication terminal is in an active communications state is provided. The method of processing information inputted while a mobile communication terminal is in an active communications state includes receiving information inputted while the mobile communication terminal is in an active communications state; displaying, if the active communications state is terminated before processing the inputted information, the unprocessed inputted information that exists; and processing the unprocessed inputted information. The inputted information can be input using various input modes such as a numeral, Korean character, English character, and special character input modes. |
| US08311582B2 |
Asymmetrical beams for spectrum efficiency
A method and apparatus for increasing capacity and performance of a base station for a sectorized cellular wireless network is disclosed in which one of the sector antennas is replaced or supplanted by a novel sub-sector antenna that generates a plurality of asymmetrical sub-sector coverage areas that collectively substantially cover the coverage area of the replaced sector antenna. The use of asymmetrical coverage areas permits the total coverage area to closely approximate the symmetrical sector coverage area without creating excessively large sub-sector handover zones or introducing severe degradation in the network performance. This in turn permits the selective replacement of a single sector antenna rather than the wholesale replacement of all sector antennas in a region, leading to lower transitional costs and the ability to provide a focused approach to capacity planning. |
| US08311580B2 |
Temporally limited mobile device contact information
Archiving mobile device contact information as a function of occurrence of one or more temporal conditions is provided herein. By way of example, contact information stored in an active contact list of a mobile device can be associated with a temporal condition, such as frequency of use, or location of the mobile device, or the like. If the temporal condition is met, the contact information is archived at remote data store and/or passive portion of mobile device memory. Once the temporal condition is no longer met, the contact information can be re-downloaded into active memory and incorporated into the active contact list. As a result, aspects of the claimed subject matter provide for organizing a mobile device contact list according to temporal condition(s) to provide added efficiency and to manage such information according to a determinable situational context. |
| US08311577B2 |
Proactive control of mobile communications devices
At least one embodiment of the invention addresses the problem of accidental user operation (e.g., dialing) of a mobile communication device such as a mobile telephone. In this regard, embodiments of the invention provide a proactive solution for preventing unintended operation of a mobile device based on various types of input data of the device, most notably sensory data. |
| US08311576B2 |
Method and apparatus for network scanning based on neighbor information
A wireless device receives neighbor information broadcasted by a current serving network. The neighbor information includes frequency information of neighbors and overlay RAT (radio access technology). According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the wireless device avoids various frequency blocks when scanning for a RAT when it is known from the neighbor information that those frequency blocks are used for a different RAT. Those frequency blocks can either be skipped altogether or scanned only after other frequency blocks are scanned. Therefore, the amount of network scanning can be reduced. |
| US08311572B2 |
Communication mode controlling method, mobile communication system, radio network controller, base station, and mobile communication terminal
A communication mode which should be set to a mobile communication terminal having a function of switching between an autonomous mode and a scheduling mode is determined based on an amount of interference in each of the communication modes in the cell of a base station, and/or communication characteristics of each of the communication modes, and a signal indicating an amount of communication data notified from the mobile communication terminal. The base station then notifies the determined communication mode to the mobile communication terminal. |
| US08311571B2 |
Transmission level control method and transceiver apparatus in wireless local loop system
A transmission level control method in a wireless local loop system capable of suppressing occurrence of an unnecessarily high transmission level, comprises a step of generating a required reception level corresponding to a classification of data, a step of detecting the reception level of data at a receiver side transceiver apparatus, a step of finding a level difference between the detected reception level and the required reception level corresponding to the classification of the related received data, and a step of controlling a change of the transmission level at a transmitter side transceiver apparatus according to this level difference. |
| US08311570B2 |
Method and system of setting transmitter power levels
The invention relates to a method and system of setting transmitter power levels, particularly in a Local Network Node transmitter, providing a pico cell for private use. A User Equipment (UE) is used to make measurements of the transmission link properties, such as downlink power and round trip time. Based on the measurements made at one or a plurality of locations, the power of the Local Network Node can be determined such that interference is minimized with any overlying cells of a macro-network. Call handovers between the UE and the cell of a macro network can also be arranged based on properties measure by the UE. |
| US08311568B2 |
Enhancing uplink link budget in OFDMA communication systems
Methods and apparatus to enhance uplink link budget in Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) communication systems are described. In one embodiment, a wireless device may increase its transmit power and/or perform subchannel repetition (e.g., in a WiMAX environment) based on at least one indication by an access point. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08311567B2 |
Method for managing pre-established session, PoC system and PoC user equipment for implementing the same
Disclosed is a method for enabling a terminating-side Push-To-Talk (PTT) over Cellular (PoC) client to open a PoC session by using a pre-established session, and to maintain the pre-established session when the terminating-side PoC client terminates the open PoC session, and a PoC system and a PoC User Equipment (UE) for implementing the same. To this end, a REFER BYE message is used to terminate the PoC session while keeping the pre-established session maintained. The REFER BYE message must include information, such as pre-established session parameter information, a session IDentifier (ID), etc. Also, the REFER BYE message is transmitted from the PoC client to the PoC server, and the PoC server receives the REFER BYE message, checks the contents of a header in the received message, and terminates the PoC session while keeping the pre-established session maintained when a specified condition is satisfied. |
| US08311566B2 |
Communication apparatus, server apparatus, and communication control method
A communication apparatus capable of reporting that there is group communication for which a start notice has been received, but no response has been sent and facilitating checking of whether the group communication is in progress and its communication control method is provided. When a communication unit receives a start notice of PTT (push to talk) communication, an operation reporting the reception of the start notice is performed. If no instruction to participate in the PTT communication is input from a key input unit with respect to this report operation, a message indicating that the PTT communication is in progress is displayed on the display unit until an end notice of PTT communication is received at the communication unit. |
| US08311562B2 |
Differentiating a portion of a text message shown in a listing on a handheld communication device using an icon
A handheld wireless communication device includes features to send and receive text messages. The handheld wireless communication device is further equipped with a microprocessor configured to run software programs on the device such as text message management program. The text message management program displays a listing of a plurality of received text messages on a display screen and differentiates at least a portion of the display-listed plurality of received text messages using an icon associated with at least one text message and wherein said icon corresponds to a domain address of the associated text message. |
| US08311561B2 |
Method of location positioning and verification of an AP, system, and home register
A method of location positioning of a Radio Access Point (AP) is provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The method includes: querying the Connectivity Session Location and Repository Function (CLF) according to the IP address of the AP to obtain the Access Line Location Identifier (ALLI) of the AP to access a network. The ALLI is configured to identify the line location of the AP. The location of the AP is determined on the basis of the ALLI. A method of location verification of an AP is provided herein in an embodiment of the present invention. The method includes: the CLF is queried according to the IP address of the AP to obtain the ALLI of the AP; the location of the AP is not changed if the obtained ALLI of the AP is the same as the stored ALLI of the AP. A home register and a system are also provided herein to accurately locate and verify the location of the AP, thus checking the validity of the AP location. |
| US08311558B2 |
Real-time network node location system and method
A real-time location system and method for a wireless network includes, in one embodiment: (a) obtaining received signal-strength indicator measurements between stationary routers and mobile devices; (b) determining the relative angles of mobile devices from stationary routers using directional antenna systems; and (c) using signal strength and angle information to calculate the location of mobile devices. |
| US08311557B2 |
Facility for selecting a mobile device location determination technique
A facility for selecting a location determination technique from multiple available location determination techniques in order to determine the location of a mobile device in a cost or resource efficient manner. In order to select the location determination technique, the facility may consider various criteria such as the cost of employing the techniques, quality of service (QoS) criteria, the capabilities and/or resources of given mobile devices and/or networks, and/or the like. To select the location determination technique, the facility may rank the multiple location determination techniques according to weighted criteria and select the location determination technique according to the ranking. The criteria may be weighted according to the relative importance of each criterion to a requesting location-based service. |
| US08311556B2 |
Method and system for managing images and geographic location data in a mobile device
A method and system for managing images and associated geographic location data in a mobile device uses an integrated camera to generate one or more images. After generating an image, the system determines a geographic location associated with the image. The system then stores the image, the associated geographic location data, and a record of the association in the mobile device's storage component. The system may also associate supplemental information, such as telephone number, category, and street address, with the image. The system provides one or more display modes for displaying the image and the associated information. The display modes may include a list mode for displaying multiple images and portions of the associated data and a detail mode for displaying a selected image and the full set of associated data. The system may also provide a map display mode for displaying locations associated with one or more images on a map of a geographical area. |
| US08311552B1 |
Dynamic allocation of host IP addresses
The present invention facilitates dynamic allocation of home IP addresses for a mobile node, when it is roaming away from a home network and supported by a foreign network. After the mobile node obtains a care-of address from the foreign network, a stateful or stateless configuration process is used to dynamically allocate a home IP address for the mobile node. In the stateful approach, a binding update message is used to request a home IP address for the mobile node from its home agent. In a stateless embodiment, the mobile node will create a home IP address, which is sent to the home agent for verification via the binding update message. The home agent will receive the home IP address in the binding update message, verify the home IP address, and send acknowledgement of the verification, assuming the home IP address is verified, to the mobile node. |
| US08311551B1 |
System and method for adaptive route updating for access terminals based on mobility and channel loading
Wireless access terminals operating in a radio access network (RAN) may move from one coverage area to another coverage area formed by base stations within the RAN. The RAN tracks the location of the access terminals so that RAN can efficiently route communications, such as page messages, to a base station serving the access terminals. From time-to-time, the access terminals can send route-update messages to inform the RAN of their locations. Sending the route-update messages can increase the loading on base station channels that carry the messages. Methods, systems, and devices for delaying transmission of the route-update messages are described. Delaying or not delaying transmission of the route-update messages may be dependent on occupancy of access channels of a base station and whether the access terminals are mobile at the time the route-update messages are to be sent. |
| US08311549B2 |
Wireless microphone system and method of signal synchronization thereof
The present invention discloses a wireless microphone system and a method of signal synchronization thereof, which comprises the following steps: receiving or transmitting a first channel wireless signal to at least one first wireless microphone through a first base station; receiving or transmitting a second channel wireless signal to at least one second wireless microphone through a second base station; and controlling a slave base station through a master base station, such that the first and the second channel wireless signals are synchronously received or transmitted. When any one of the base stations is not received a beacon for a duration of time, the base stations automatically switch to be the master base station and start to transmit the beacon. When other base stations receive the beacon, they switch back to be the slave base stations and use the received beacon as the basis of synchronization time correction. |
| US08311544B2 |
De-registration method, home NodeB (HNB), and home NodeB gateway (HNB GW)
The present invention relates to the field of communication technology, and a de-registration method, a Home NodeB (HNB) and a Home NodeB Gateway (HNB GW) are disclosed. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a de-registration method, comprising: initiating, by an HNB GW, release of pre-registration resources corresponding to user equipment (UE) after the HNB GW receives indication information indicating that the UE moves to another cell from a source HNB. Applying the embodiment of the present invention can release pre-registration resources in time and reduce waste of resources. |
| US08311541B2 |
Mobile communication system for low power consumption, call control server and access gateway
It is provided a mobile communication system comprising base stations, call control servers and access gateways. The call control servers cause a mobile terminal accommodated in one of the control server to transmit the location registration request so that the mobile terminal accommodates in another control server according to a processing amount of control signals. The base station selects a second call control server into which the one of the mobile terminals is to be newly accommodated. The one of the call control server switches to a power-saving state after the mobile terminal is accommodated into the another call control server. |
| US08311536B1 |
Peer-to-peer redirection of a roaming wireless communication device to a nearby home base station
A method, apparatus, and system in which a wireless communication device that is registered for service with a roaming carrier network engages in peer-to-peer communication, via the roaming carrier network, with a home carrier server to notify the home carrier server of the device's roaming status and location, and the device then receives in response from the home carrier server a directive to register with and be served by a nearby home carrier base station instead. |
| US08311535B2 |
Method for controlling information trace and core network element
A method for controlling information trace, wherein MSISDN number information is converted to IMSI and/or IMEI number information automatically in a core network element, therefore only MSISDN needs to be provided when a user requires to be performed information trace. Moreover, during information trace, no information needs to be recorded and converted according to MSISDN in advance. |
| US08311533B1 |
Terrestrial based high speed data communications mesh network
A network for providing high speed data communications may include multiple terrestrial transmission stations that are located within overlapping communications range and a mobile receiver station. The terrestrial transmission stations provide a continuous and uninterrupted high speed data communications link with the mobile receiver station employing a wireless radio access network protocol. |
| US08311524B1 |
System and method for managing mobile communications
A device to automatically provide differing information levels according to a predetermined social hierarchy includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores social templates corresponding to unique social signatures and being selectable to provide, for each level of the predetermined social hierarchy, a corresponding differing amount of information to each member of the predetermined social hierarchy and/or a social networking service. The processor receives sensor data from a sensor set which detects sensor data related to an environment of a communication device, creates a detected social signature from the received sensor data, determines which of the social signatures of the social templates has the greatest correspondence with the created social signature, retrieves from the memory the determined one social template having the greatest correspondence, and provides only as much information as allowed in the retrieved social template. |
| US08311523B1 |
System and method for managing mobile communications
A device to automatically provide differing information levels according to a predetermined social hierarchy includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores social templates corresponding to unique social signatures and being selectable to provide, for each level of the predetermined social hierarchy, a corresponding differing amount of information to each member of the predetermined social hierarchy and/or a social networking service. The processor receives sensor data from a sensor set which detects sensor data related to an environment of a communication device, creates a detected social signature from the received sensor data, determines which of the social signatures of the social templates has the greatest correspondence with the created social signature, retrieves from the memory the determined one social template having the greatest correspondence, and provides only as much information as allowed in the retrieved social template. |
| US08311520B2 |
System and method for providing user-customized mobile advertising service
A method for a user to receive an advertisement directly reflecting the user's liking. When a client registers event information set by a user into a server, the server provides a corresponding advertisement by retrieving if there exist advertisements corresponding to the event information registered into that server. Also, the client registers both event information and preference information into the server considering the liking of the user. By doing this, the user can receive an advertisement directly reflecting his liking. Also, the user information can be protected by only outputting the information into a mobile terminal. |
| US08311519B2 |
Mobile communication terminal having a direct dial function using call history and method for performing the function
A mobile communication terminal call history displays call distinguishing icons representing the types of calls performed with counterparts. The call types include sent and received voice calls, video calls, and messages. If a user selects one call distinguishing icon displayed on a mobile communication terminal's display unit, a voice call or a video call is sent to the counterpart or a screen on which a message can be written to the counterpart is displayed, according to the call type of the selected call distinguishing icon. The user can directly select a counterpart and the call type to be sent to the counterpart by selecting one of the call distinguishing icons displayed on the display unit. A desired call distinguishing icon can be selected by entering a command on a touch screen, a keypad, or by voice command. |
| US08311516B2 |
System for maintaining the broadcasting information in USIM unlock environment and method thereof
Disclosed is a system and a method for maintaining broadcasting chip information regardless of device replacement in a USIM unlock environment where broadcast information can be automatically modified in response to device replacement. The method includes: transmitting terminal information on the second terminal and subscriber information corresponding to the first USIM card to a mobile communication information management server; when the terminal information is different from terminal information corresponding to the subscriber information, determining that there has been device replacement, and then providing the terminal information and the subscriber information to a broadcast information management server, by the mobile communication information management server; transmitting a request for modification of broadcasting chip information from the mobile communication information management server to a Conditional Access System (CAS), and extracting, by the CAS, broadcast information on the first broadcasting chip based on the subscriber information in response to the request; generating EMM information based on the broadcast information on the first broadcasting chip, and providing the generated EMM information to the second terminal corresponding to the terminal information; and modifying the information on the second broadcasting chip of the second terminal to information of the first broadcasting chip. |
| US08311515B1 |
System, method, and device for intelligence gathering and position tracking
A mobile communication device that may be used by an investigator to secretly record a suspect and track the investigator's location includes a microphone for detecting sounds, a communication component for transmitting signals or data representative of the sounds to one of the portable computers via the wireless communication network, a display for displaying information related to operation of the device, a computing device, and a computer program implemented by the computing device. The computer program is operable to place the device in a stealth mode in which the display is turned off or otherwise deactivated to make the entire device appear to be turned off while the microphone continues to detect sounds and the communication component continues to transmit signals or data representative of the sounds to a surveillance or support team operating one of the portable computers. |
| US08311513B1 |
Automated mobile system
An automated mobile assistant system provides automated, proactive and anticipatory services for the user of the system. A scheduling system for a mobile device is described and can include a memory to store calendar events and a scheduler to automatically organize the events based on at least one of temporal, geographical, contextual availability, user-preference, past activities, usage pattern, proximity to other users or events, or combinations thereof. In an example, a customizable personal mobile device for communication and organization can include a core engine and a plurality of modules coupled to the core engine to perform a different one of a plurality of classes of functionality of the mobile device, where each said module includes a processing element and memory dedicated for use by said module. A time-based intelligence system provides robust storage, access, and processing of information on a mobile device. |
| US08311512B2 |
Security activation in wireless communications networks
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate security activation within a specified security activation time. Thus, where handover occurs or is initiated within the activation time, security keys can be activated in such a way as to not be substantially affected by the handover. In one example, a handover time can be set to occur beyond the security activation time to ensure the security activation happens first. Additionally, a handover command can comprise security keys that can be activated upon handover in another example. Moreover, in non-real-time contexts, dummy packets can be transmitted to allow timer operability with packet sequence numbering, or security activation times can be substantially ignored by utilizing a verification process. |
| US08311511B2 |
Data privacy on wireless communication terminal
A wireless communication terminal in which items are stored that have been generated or received during use of the terminal is provided with a system for restricting access to private or sensitive information by unauthorized users in a user-friendly way that does not require entry of a password. |
| US08311506B2 |
RFID receiver front end with phase cancellation and methods for use therewith
An radio frequency identification (RFID) receiver front end includes an antenna module coupled to generate a plurality of millimeter wave RFID signals from a remote RFID device. A plurality of a phase adjusters generate a plurality of phase adjusted signals from the plurality of millimeter wave RFID signals, based on a plurality of control signals. A combining module combines the plurality of phase adjusted signals to generate a received signal. A signal strength module generates a signal strength of the received signal. A control module generates the plurality of control signals to reduce the signal strength of the received signal. |
| US08311501B2 |
Wireless transceiver and wireless transmission method
A DC offset of a VGA is measured by selecting a ground contact of a switch. Then, the gain of the VGA is set at an appropriate value, monitoring contacts of the switch are successively selected, and the output values of an ADC for the respective cases are measured with the input to a DAC set at zero. Then, the DC offset of the VGA is removed, the DC offset value of each circuit block, such as DAC, in a transmitting part is calculated, and parameters are set so that the DC offset value of each circuit block is minimized. |
| US08311499B2 |
System and method for providing automatic tuning of a radio receiver and for providing automatic control of a CD/tape player
A sound system with a radio receiver having the ability to automatically tune to a new radio station if (a) the current radio station is broadcasting a song, program or other content that the user dislikes and/or (b) one of one or more predetermined radio stations is broadcasting content that the listener likes. In one embodiment, the sound system includes a tuner for tuning to a frequency of a radio station and for converting a radio signal transmitted by the radio station to an audio signal; a memory unit for storing a first set of templates, wherein the first set of templates correspond to a to a set of songs, programs, commercials, or other content disliked by the user of the sound system; and a recognition processor, coupled to the tuner and to the memory unit, for receiving the audio signal, generating templates from the audio signal, and comparing the generated templates to at least one of the templates within the first set of templates. If one of the generated templates matches one of the templates within the first set of templates, the tuner is automatically tuned to a new radio station. In this manner, the sound system automatically tunes to a new radio station when the current radio station broadcasts content that the user of the sound system has indicated a dislike thereof. |
| US08311497B2 |
Method and system for scanning frequencies in no-service area field
A method and a system for scanning frequencies in an electronic device include storing one or more frequencies, performing a scan based on the stored frequencies for a predetermined time interval, and establishing a connection based on the scan. The system includes an acquisition database for scanning frequencies in an electronic device, a timer module for setting a predetermined time interval as the scanning interval, and a frequency identification module for identifying one or more frequencies of a normal scan and a limited scan. |
| US08311494B2 |
Test unit for testing the frequency characteristic of a transmitter
A test unit for testing the frequency characteristics of one or more components of a transmitter of modulated signals. The test unit includes a data source for generating a test pattern of data. A test unit output is connected to the data source and connectable to an input of one or more of the components, for inputting the test pattern of data to the one or more components. The test unit includes a memory in which a first predetermined data sequence and a second predetermined data sequence are stored. The data source is connected with an data input to the memory, and the data source is arranged to generating the test pattern of data including the predetermined data sequences. When a modulated signal is generated in accordance with the test pattern of data will include a first signal part with a first frequency spectrum caused by the first predetermined data sequence and a second signal part after the first signal part, which second signal part has a second frequency spectrum caused by the second predetermined data sequence. |
| US08311489B2 |
Closed-loop multiple-input-multiple-output scheme for wireless communication based on hierarchical feedback
The present invention provides methods implemented in a base station having a plurality of antennas and one or more user terminals. One embodiment of the method includes receiving feedback from at least one user in response to transmitting a first frame to said at least one user. The first frame is formed by pre-coding at least one symbol using at least one first code word selected from at least one first code book associated with the at least one user. The method also includes transmitting at least one second frame to the user(s). The second frame(s) are pre-coded using at least one second codeword selected from at least one second codebook. The second codebook(s) determined based on the feedback and the first codeword(s). |
| US08311484B2 |
Method and system for interference suppression using information from non-listened base stations
Aspects of a method and system for interference suppression using information from non-listened base stations are provided. In this regard, one or more circuits in a wireless communication device may be operable to receive a raw signal comprising one or more desired signals from one or more serving base transceiver stations (BTSs) and comprising one or more undesired signals from one or more non-listened BTSs. The one or more circuits may be operable to generate first estimate signals that estimate the one or more undesired signals as transmitted by the one or more non-listened BTSs, generate an interference suppressed version of the raw signal based on the first estimate signals, and recover the one or more desired signals from the interference suppressed version of the raw signal. The non-listened BTSs may comprise one or more BTSs that are not serving the wireless communication device and are not involved in a handoff of the wireless communication device. |
| US08311477B2 |
High-frequency switching circuit and radio communication device
According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a high-frequency switching circuit including a first differential line and third line. The differential line includes a first line configured to have one end and an other end, a second line configured to have one end and an other end and a first switch configured to switch electrical connection between the one ends of the first and second lines. The differential line receives or outputs differential signals by the other ends of the first and second lines. The third line is configured to be electromagnetically coupled with the first differential line when the first switch is turned on. The first switch is arranged at a position where an electrical length from the other end of the first line and an electrical length from the other end of the second line are approximately equal. |
| US08311476B2 |
Transponder and method for operating a transponder
A transponder and method for operating a transponder, which has a capacitor (Cbuf) for storing power transmitted via an air interface and an arithmetic logic unit (10) that can be supplied with the stored power, in which a capacitor voltage (VC) of the capacitor (Cbuf) is compared with a first threshold (V1), in which the capacitor voltage (VC) is compared with a second threshold (V2), whereby the first threshold (V1) and the second threshold (V2) are different, in which in a first operating mode (M1), when the capacitor voltage (VC) is above the first threshold (V1), the arithmetic logic unit (10) performs a number of routines with a different priority, in which in a second operating mode (M2), when the capacitor voltage (VC) is between the first threshold (V1) and the second threshold (V2), a number of low-priority routines are stopped and a number of high-priority routines are continued. |
| US08311463B2 |
Method and system to reduce high-frequency banding for electrophotographic development stations
A method for reducing high-frequency banding in an electrophotographic development station having a rotating shell and a photoconductor is disclosed. A rotating speed of the rotating shell is adjusted relative to a photoconductor such that a banding reduction ratio is not a ratio of differing low whole numbers. Another method for reducing high-frequency banding in an electrophotographic development station having a rotating shell and a rotating magnetic core is also disclosed. A rotating speed of the rotating shell is adjusted relative to a rotating speed of the rotating magnetic core such that from the point of view of a spot on a dielectric support member (DSM) in a nip region of the DSM, a similar point on the rotating shell is substantially in alignment with the DSM spot in the nip region when a pole flip occurs. |
| US08311460B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A visible image forming device is provided with an image carrier and a developing device that develops a latent image on the image carrier surface to form a visible image includes, a developer container that contains developer therein, a developer carrier carries the developer on a surface of the developer carrier and rotates oppositely to the image carrier, a first stirring member that is rotatably supported to be adjacent to the developer carrier inside the developer container and conveys the developer to be supplied to the developer carrier while stirring the developer, and a second stirring member that is rotatably supported to be adjacent to the first stirring member inside the developer container and circulates the developer by conveying the developer in the developer container oppositely to a conveyance direction of the first stirring member. |
| US08311458B2 |
Image forming apparatus having mechanism for preventing mixing of scattered toner between adjacent developing units
In an image forming apparatus having a developing rotary, when a positive direction refers to a circumferential direction of the developing rotary in which the portion of the developing rotary facing a photosensitive drum moves in the same direction as the movement of the circumference of the photosensitive drum, a clear developing unit is farther from the developing unit positioned in the negative direction relative to the clear developing unit than from the developing unit positioned in the positive direction relative to the clear developing unit. |
| US08311457B2 |
Constant velocity joint and image forming apparatus
A constant velocity joint includes a first rotation body and a second rotation body. The first rotation body includes a cup unit, a shaft, and ribs that project from the cup unit and connect the cup unit to the shaft. One of the first rotation body and the second rotation body transmits a rotational driving force to other one of the first rotation body and the second rotation body through balls. The first rotation body is so formed that the cup unit and the shaft are formed into one piece using resin material. Moreover, the rib is so formed into one piece with the cup unit and the shaft using resin material. |
| US08311455B2 |
Driving force member
A driving force member for receiving rotational driving force includes a base portion, a projection portion including three planar surfaces, the three planar surfaces arranged such that if they were extended and viewed in cross section perpendicular to the axis of the projection, they would intersect at 120 degrees in the form of an equilateral triangle, the three planar surfaces corresponding to a partial length of each side of the triangle respectively and offset from the center of each respective side of the triangle, and three joining portions joining each of the three planar surfaces, the three joining portions lying entirely within the equilateral triangle. |
| US08311454B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus, having: an image forming section to form a toner image on a sheet; a fixing device to fix the tone image on the sheet at a nip section having a pair of fixing members pressing each other to form the nip section and a heat source disposed on at least one of the fixing members to heat the fixing member; a swing section to swing the pair of the fixing members so that the fixing members displace relatively with respect to the sheet in a width direction which is perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction, and a heat source support section to support the heat source in a way that a position of the heat source is maintained constantly with respect to the sheet in the width direction. |
| US08311451B2 |
Component movement mechanism for an image forming apparatus
There is provided an image forming apparatus including: a photosensitive member; a plurality of developing devices each including a developing roller; a support member detachably supporting the plurality of developing devices; and a developing device move mechanism that moves each of the developing devices to a close position and a distant position. Each of the developing devices includes a cover member that is movable between a cover position and an exposure position. The image forming apparatus further includes a cover member move mechanism, which moves the cover member from the cover position to the exposure position in association with movement of the developing roller from the distant position to the close position, and which moves the cover member from the exposure position to the cover position in association with movement of the developing roller from the close position to the distant position. |
| US08311450B2 |
End cover part, method of producing the same, image carrier, image forming assembly, and image forming apparatus
An end cover part which is used to close an end of a cylindrical body, and transmits a driving force of a rotatable driving shaft to the cylindrical body, includes a cover member having a tubular portion into which the driving shaft is to be fitted, and a to-be-fitted portion which is disposed in a flange-like manner in a periphery of the tubular portion, and which is to be fitted into an end portion of the cylindrical body; cut surfaces which are disposed respectively on an inner circumference of the tubular portion of the cover member and an outer circumference of the to-be-fitted portion and concentrically about a common reference central axis; and a recess as defined herein. |
| US08311449B2 |
Process cartridge, supporting member, process cartridge assembling method, and process cartridge disassembling method
A process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a developer carrying member for carrying a developer to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a development frame member rotatably supporting first and second longitudinal ends of the developer carrying member; a photosensitive member frame member rotatably supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive member at the first end and swingably supporting the development frame member at the first end; and a supporting member mounted to the photosensitive member frame member at the second end, the supporting member rotatably supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive member at the second end and swingably supporting the development frame member at the second end. |
| US08311448B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus main body, a drawer, an image carrier, a developing unit which is provided to be movable with respect to the drawer, a contacting and spacing mechanism which is provided to at least one of the apparatus main body and the drawer, and which is configured to move the developing unit between a contacting position and a spacing position, a driving unit which is configured to drive the contacting and spacing mechanism, a cover, an interlocking mechanism which is configured to interlock with opening of the cover, wherein when the cover is opened, the interlocking mechanism performs a first operation of releasing the coupled state between the driving unit and the contacting and spacing mechanism, and a second operation of moving the developing unit to a drawn position while interlocking with the first operation. |
| US08311447B2 |
Toner container and manufacturing method for toner container
A toner container includes a cylindrical container body, having a first opening in a first end thereof and a notch in a circumferential surface thereof continuous with the first opening in the first end, a flange member to engage the first opening and the notch in the container body and having a toner outlet therein through which toner in the container body is discharged, a shutter member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the container body, a conveyance member, rotatably installed inside the container body to convey the toner from a second end of the container body opposite the first end to the toner outlet in the flange member, and a recessed portion in the container body that projects inward into the interior of the toner container 5 mm or less from an inner surface of the container body. |
| US08311430B2 |
Transfer device and image forming apparatus
A transfer device comprising: a transfer section which forms a nip portion between the transfer section and an image carrier and transfers a toner image on an image carrier onto a sheet passing through the nip portion; an application section which applies a voltage to the transfer section; a determining section which determines a timing of applying voltage from the application section to the transfer section, wherein the control section controls the application section to apply a voltage having an opposite polarity to a transfer polarity to the transfer section until the timing determined by the determination section in a period since a leading edge of the sheet in a conveyance direction advances into the nip portion until a predetermined non image area of the sheet has passed through the nip portion, and then, at a timing determined, switch to apply a voltage having the transfer polarity. |
| US08311426B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier and a detection unit. The image carrier is stretched around a plurality of rolls. The detection unit detects a density of a toner image formed on the image carrier, based on an amount of regularly reflected light from a surface of the image carrier. A detection length where the detection unit performs the detection in a movement direction of the image carrier is longer than a length, in the movement direction of the image carrier, of a deformation area where a deformation of the image carrier is caused. |
| US08311418B2 |
Optical communication apparatus and optical communication method
An optical communication apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive an optical signal transmitted from an optical transmitting apparatus; a detector configured to detect a predetermined pattern signal included in the optical signal; a calculator configured to calculate, based on a waveform of the predetermined pattern signal, an amount of dispersion of the predetermined pattern signal; and a compensator configured to compensate for dispersion according to the amount of dispersion. |
| US08311416B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating optical duo binary signals with frequency chirp
This present disclosure provides an optical transmission method and system. The system includes a pre-coder for pre-coding an input signal into a first pre-coded signal, an encoder/separator coupled to the first pre-coded signal and arranged to encode the first and second pre-coded signals into a first encoded signal with 0 degree phase shift and a second encoded signal with 180 degree phase shift, and an optical modulator for providing optical modulation to the first and second encoded signals with a light source such that the intensity of an output optical duo-binary (ODB) signal with frequency chirp has identical logic sequence as the input signal. |
| US08311414B2 |
Optical space transfer apparatus using image sensor
A transmission device includes a first light emission unit having a light source for emitting one optical signal. A reception unit includes an X-Y address system image sensor, having a pixel region including a plurality of pixels, for receiving the optical signal by the pixel region; a classification unit for creating classification information representing a pixel group including pixels, among the plurality of pixels, which are irradiated with the optical signal; and a control unit for controlling the X-Y address system image sensor in accordance with the classification information to simultaneously read signals of the pixels belonging to the pixel group. |
| US08311406B2 |
Focusing device, image pick-up apparatus, and control method
A focusing device includes a first focus-position determining unit configured to determine a focus position based on a change in a radio-frequency component in an image signal obtained with movement of a focusing lens, a second focus-position determining unit configured to determine a focus position by using a different process from a process performed by the first focus-position determining unit, a mode setting unit configured to select at least a first mode which uses a result with the first focusing-position determining unit together with the second focusing-position determining unit or a second mode which uses a result with the first focus-position determining unit without the second focus-position determining unit, and a control unit configured to control driving of the focusing lens according to selection by the mode setting unit such that the focusing lens is driven in the first mode at a higher speed than in the second mode. |
| US08311405B2 |
Image capture device with zoom lens
An image capture device of the present invention includes: a zoom lens being caused by the operation of the zoom mechanism to move along the optical axis; an information acquisition part which acquires information about the amount of movement determined by the amount of movement of the zoom lens; a power supply part which supplies power to the information acquisition part; a controller which controls power supply; and a state detection part which detects a specific halt state in which the zoom mechanism stops the movement of the zoom lens when the zoom mechanism is in a predetermined operating position, the predetermined operating position being such that the zoom lens hardly changes its position despite the action of external force. The controller stops power supply from the power supply part to the information acquisition part when the state detection part detects the specific halt state. |
| US08311404B2 |
Image blur correction apparatus and imaging apparatus
An image blur correction apparatus includes: a fixed member; a first driven unit pivotally supported by the fixed member around a first support shaft extending in a direction parallel to an optical axis direction; a second driven unit holding a lens or an imaging device and pivotally supported by the first driven unit around a second support shaft extending in the direction parallel to the optical axis direction; a first actuator that produces a thrust force for pivoting the first and second driven units around the first support shaft; and a second actuator that produces a thrust force for pivoting the second driven unit around the second support shaft, wherein the first and second actuators are configured to produce the thrust forces in the same direction. |
| US08311403B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes an optical system, an image pickup device, an image blur correction mechanism, and a holding mechanism having a holding member and a state capable of being switched between a holding state where the holding member is engaged with the image blur correction mechanism so as to mechanically hold the image pickup device and a released state where the engagement of the holding member with the image blur correction mechanism is released, the holding mechanism being set to the holding state when the image blur correction mechanism is not operated. The holding mechanism has a positioning mechanism having an elastic member configured to bias the holding member to position the image pickup device from a held position where the image pickup device is held in the holding state to an original position where the image pickup device is to be electrically held by the image blur correction mechanism. A deviation eliminating operation in which the holding mechanism is set to the released state when the holding mechanism is set to the holding state is executed. |
| US08311400B2 |
Content reproduction apparatus and content reproduction method
A content reproduction apparatus (100), connected to a display and speakers, includes: a content display control unit (200) which can cause a first window (1101) and a second window (1201) to be displayed on the display; a sound output control unit (110) which can cause at least one speaker assigned for outputting sound of first content to output the sound of the first content, and can cause at least one speaker assigned for outputting sound of second content to output the sound of the second content; a viewable range calculation unit (150) which calculates, by calculation, a viewable range in which the first viewer is located and which is included in a predetermined range where the first viewer can hear the sound of the first content with a predetermined acoustic effect; and a display control unit which outputs, to provide to the first viewer, information based on the viewable range. |
| US08311394B2 |
Video abstraction
Video data defining a series of images is processed to define a first series of nodes in a first multidimensional space, each of the first series of nodes corresponding to an image of the series of images and its location in the first space defined in dependence on features of the respective image. A transformation function maps each of the nodes in the first multidimensional space onto a respective node in a second lower dimensionality multidimensional space while maintaining neighborhood relationships between nodes. A second series of nodes in the second multidimensional space is defined in accordance with the transformation function and a clustering analysis is performed in dependence on the nodes of the second multidimensional space. |
| US08311389B2 |
Digital information recording apparatus, reproducing apparatus and transmitting apparatus
A digital information recording apparatus includes a recording circuit for recording information of a retention period included in the digital information and indicating a period for permitting the digital information to be held in the recording medium, starting with a time at which the digital information is recorded on the recording medium; and information of a playback permission period included in the digital information and indicating a period for permitting the digital information to be played back starting with a time at which the information is reproduced initially following recording of the digital information on the recording medium, permitting temporary recording or copying for the information permitted for “copy never” or “copy one generation.” |
| US08311382B1 |
Recording and publishing content on social media websites
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for recording and publishing content on social networking websites and other websites include providing an imbedded link on a social networking webpage to media recorder software stored on an external server system, invoking the media recorder software within a displayed instance of the social networking webpage through an application programming interface for the social networking webpage, receiving a video stream defining video captured using the media recorder software at the external video management server system, generating and storing a video file using the received video stream at the external server system, selecting the stored video file for distribution via one or more communication networks, and providing the stored video file for display within displayed instances of webpages hosted on external web server systems. |
| US08311379B2 |
Fiber optic cable and furcation module
An optical fiber cable assembly comprising an optical fiber slidably enclosed within a hollow tubing, both the fiber and the tubing having corresponding first and second ends. The cable is terminated with the first and second ends of the tubing and the fiber constrained with respect to each other such that fiber and the tubing are approximately the same length when the cable is at a first temperature. The tubing is made of a material which contracts more than the optical fiber when the cable is exposed to temperatures below the first temperature, such that the fiber is longer than the tubing and excess fiber length is formed. An intermediate portion of the tubing permits the excess fiber length to accumulate without bending in a radius smaller than a minimum bend radius. |
| US08311378B2 |
Optical fiber cable equipped with optical connector, method for introducing optical fiber cable, towing tool used in introducing method, and optical connector
There is provided an optical-connector-equipped optical fiber cable introducing method, according to which an introducing operation through an existing electrical wiring conduit or the like can be implemented, without damaging an optical fiber cable to be introduced, and with a small towing force. When inserting into a conduit 39 an optical-connector-equipped optical fiber cable 31 in which a grip 19 having a function of engaging with and disengaging from an adaptor is fitted onto a plug frame 9 that covers a ferrule, an introducing operation of the optical-connector-equipped optical fiber cable is implemented by towing and inserting the optical-connector-equipped optical fiber cable 31, from which at least the grip 19 is detached, through the conduit 39 and, thereafter, the grip 19 is attached to the plug frame 9. |
| US08311377B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting multiple optical wave lengths
Optical gratings that perform a number of functions at various wavelengths are formed by various methods that preserve spectral information within a wavelength band, the functions including: coupling radiation from one waveguide (7a3) to another (7a2), controllable gratings that operate on different wavelengths in response to external control signals. |
| US08311376B1 |
Optical devices based on connected and optically coupled optical whispering-gallery-mode resonators formed on a rod
Devices having whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) resonators configured to meet requirements of various applications and facilitate fabrication of such devices. |
| US08311373B1 |
Capillary electrophoresis chemical sensor
A detector is provided for sampling and identifying a material, such as a medium in which the detector is disposed. The detector includes an annular photonic crystal fiber, first and second electrodes, an electrical power supply, an illumination source and an analyzer. The fiber has opposite longitudinal ends, surrounds a center core tube and includes fused capillary tubes. The electrodes are disposed between the fiber's longitudinal ends. The electrical power supply connects between the electrodes. The illumination source emits light into the core tube from one of the opposite ends. The analyzer for compares an emission pattern from light transverse to the fiber against an established pattern, and indicates match in response to correspondence between the patterns. The annular structure has a two-dimensional optical photonic band-gap. The analyzer monitors the emission pattern by optical frequency domain reflectometry or optical time domain reflectometry. |
| US08311368B2 |
Image-processing apparatus and image-processing method
When retrieving an image from an archive of stored images that is similar to an inputted image, an image-processing apparatus (200) extracts more than one characteristic point from the inputted image (S504), computes a characteristic amount for the characteristic points thus extracted (S505), and evaluates the fluctuation in the characteristic amount when a prescribed alteration is applied to the inputted image (S506). The image-processing apparatus selects a characteristic point from among the characteristic points thus extracted from the inputted image, and retrieves (S508) a stored image that is similar to the inputted image, in accordance with the characteristic amount of the characteristic point thus selected. |
| US08311358B2 |
Method and system for image extraction and identification
The present invention provides a method for extracting an image texture signal, a method for identifying image and a system for identifying an image. The method for extracting an image texture signal comprises the following steps: extracting a first image signal; employing a first operation procedure to the first image signal to obtain a second image signal; employing a second operation procedure to the second image signal to obtain a third image signal; employing a third operation procedure to the third image signal to obtain a fourth image signal; outputting the fourth image signal. Therefore, the first image signal is transformed to the fourth image signal via the method for extracting an image texture signal. |
| US08311357B2 |
Visual processing device, display device, visual processing method, program, and integrated circuit
A visual processing device, display device, visual processing method, program, and integrated circuit that change a strength of visual processing of an image in real-time. A spatial processing portion (2) creates an unsharp signal US from an input signal IS. A target level setting portion (4) sets a predetermined target level value L for setting a range according to which the strength of the visual processing is adjusted. An effect adjustment portion (5) creates a synthesized signal MUS by synthesizing the predetermined target level value L and the unsharp signal US in accordance with an effect adjustment signal MOD that has been set externally. A visual processing portion (3) outputs an output signal OS in accordance with the input signal IS and the synthesized signal MUS, making it possible to change the strength of the visual processing. |
| US08311355B2 |
Skin tone aware color boost for cameras
Increasing color saturation and contrast in images generally leads to more pleasing images; however, doing so uniformly to all colors in the image can make skin tones appear with an overly red tint. One embodiment of an improved method of skin tone aware color boosting identifies areas of the image which look like skin tones and areas that do not look like skin tones. A blurred “skin tone mask” can then be created over the image. One large boost operation and one small boost operation can be applied to the image. A final version of the image may then be created, applying the pixel values resulting from the small boosting operation to the skin tone regions and applying the pixel values resulting from the large boosting operation to the non-skin tone regions, using the blurred mask to provide a smooth transition between the skin tone and non-skin tone regions. |
| US08311354B2 |
DCT-based technique with rhombus scanning for image compression
A DCT-based technique with rhombus scanning for image compression. A flipped-kernel discrete cosine transform is applied to an eight by eight pixel sub-block of the sixteen by sixteen pixel block. A visually insignificant information is removed from the eight by eight pixel sub-block. A quantization method is used to remove the visually insignificant information. A quantized discrete cosine transform coefficient is scanned of the sixteen by sixteen pixel block. The quantized discrete cosine transform coefficient is scanned according to a rhomboid pattern. A portion of a digital image may be divided into a sixteen by sixteen pixel block. |
| US08311353B2 |
Prediction-based image processing
A pixel block (300) is compressed by selecting a start depth value and a restart depth value based on the multiple depth values of the pixels (310-318) in the block (300). A respective plane representation (430) indicative of which plane of a start or restart depth value plane is determined for the pixels (311-318). These representations (430) are employed for selecting a pixel set comprising at least one other pixel (312, 314-317) in the block (300) for a pixel (318) to be encoded. The depth value(s) of the pixel(s) (312, 314-317) in the set are used for determining a prediction of the depth value of the pixel (318). The depth value and the prediction are employed for calculating a prediction error, which is encoded. The compressed pixel block (400) comprises the encoded prediction errors (460), a start value representation (420), a restart value representation (430) and the plane representations (440). |
| US08311348B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding image by using large transformation unit
Disclosed are an image encoding method and apparatus for encoding an image by grouping a plurality of adjacent prediction units into a transformation unit and transforming the plurality of adjacent prediction into a frequency domain, and an image decoding method and apparatus for decoding an image encoded by using the image encoding method and apparatus. |
| US08311347B2 |
Image compression based on parameter-assisted inpainting
Systems and methods provide image compression based on parameter-assisted inpainting. In one implementation of an encoder, an image is partitioned into blocks and the blocks classified as smooth or unsmooth, based on the degree of visual edge content and chromatic variation in each block. Image content of the unsmooth blocks is compressed, while image content of the smooth blocks is summarized by parameters, but not compressed. The parameters, once obtained, may also be compressed. At a decoder, the compressed image content of the unsmooth blocks and the compressed parameters of the smooth blocks are each decompressed. Each smooth block is then reconstructed by inpainting, guided by the parameters in order to impart visual detail from the original image that cannot be implied from the image content of neighboring blocks that have been decoded. |
| US08311344B2 |
Systems and methods for semantically classifying shots in video
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for classifying videos based on video content. For a given video file including a plurality of frames, a subset of frames is extracted for processing. Frames that are too dark, blurry, or otherwise poor classification candidates are discarded from the subset. Generally, material classification scores that describe type of material content likely included in each frame are calculated for the remaining frames in the subset. The material classification scores are used to generate material arrangement vectors that represent the spatial arrangement of material content in each frame. The material arrangement vectors are subsequently classified to generate a scene classification score vector for each frame. The scene classification results are averaged (or otherwise processed) across all frames in the subset to associate the video file with one or more predefined scene categories related to overall types of scene content of the video file. |
| US08311340B2 |
Document processing device, document processing system, computer readable medium, and document processing method
A document processing device includes: an extraction unit that extracts a first image of an element from a read image of a medium to which the element is affixed; an accepting unit that accepts first information for specifying processing to be performed to a document, the first information being to be associated with the first image of the element; a determination unit that determines whether an image of an element identical to or similar to the first image of the element has been registered in a memory, or not; and a registration unit that registers the first image of the element and the first information for specifying the processing in association with each other in the memory when the determination unit determines that the image of the element identical to or similar to the first image of the element has not been registered in the memory. |
| US08311336B2 |
Compositional analysis method, image apparatus having compositional analysis function, compositional analysis program, and computer-readable recording medium
A technology is disclosed for easily executing a compositional analysis to obtain a preferred composition. Image data is acquired, the image data is analyzed, and a plurality of composition lines expressing the feature of the image data on the composition are acquired. On the composition formed of the plurality of acquired composition lines, the ratio of lengths of two sides selected from the plurality of sides in the region partitioned by the plurality of composition lines is detected to be a specified value (for example, the golden ratio). |
| US08311335B2 |
Model-based comparative measure for vector sequences and word spotting using same
An object comparison method comprises: generating a first ordered vector sequence representation of a first object; generating a second ordered vector sequence representation of a second object; representing the first object by a first ordered sequence of model parameters generated by modeling the first ordered vector sequence representation using a semi-continuous hidden Markov model employing a universal basis; representing the second object by a second ordered sequence of model parameters generated by modeling the second ordered vector sequence representation using a semi-continuous hidden Markov model employing the universal basis; and comparing the first and second ordered sequences of model parameters to generate a quantitative comparison measure. |
| US08311331B2 |
Resolution adjustment of an image that includes text undergoing an OCR process
An optical character recognition process characterizes text lines in a textual image by their base-line, mean-line and x-height. The base-line for at least one text line in the image is determined by finding a parametric curve that maximizes a first fitness function that depends on the values of pixels through which the parametric curve passes and pixels below the parametric curve. The base-line corresponds to the parametric curve for which the first fitness function is maximized. The first fitness function is designed so that it increases with increasing lightless or brightness of pixels immediately below the parametric curve while also increasing with decreasing lightness of pixels through which the parametric curve passes. The mean-line is determined by incrementally shifting the base-line upward by predetermined amounts (e.g., a single pixel) until a second fitness function for the shifted base-line is maximized. The second fitness function is essentially the inverse of the first fitness function. Specifically, the second fitness function increases with increasing lightless of pixels immediately above the shifted base-line while also increasing with decreasing lightness of pixels through which the shifted base-line passes. The x-height is equal to the sum of the predetermined amounts by which the base-line is shifted upward in order to maximize the second fitness function. In some cases different groups of text-lines in the textual image may be characterized differently from one another. For example, each group may be characterized by a most probable x-height for that group. |
| US08311329B2 |
Relative threshold and use of edges in optical character recognition process
Converting images to binary image representations is part of an Optical Character Recognition program in a computer system. The method and system is using a relative threshold level to convert the image to its binary image representation. |
| US08311328B2 |
Electronic vision aid and electronic vision aid method
An electronic visual aid is provided that includes an evaluating unit, which is supplied with a recording of an information carrier on which information standing out visibly from the background is displayed. The evaluating unit determines a brightness distribution of the recording and derives from the brightness distribution a brightness threshold value lying in the transition zone between a zone of the brightness distribution associated with the background and a zone of the brightness distribution associated with the information. The visual aid also includes an image processing unit which generates from the recording a binary image having only two different, predetermined brightness values, by respectively assigning to the pixels of the binary image the first of the two brightness values when the brightness of the corresponding pixel of the recording is below the brightness threshold value, and otherwise assigning the second brightness value. Also included is a display unit which displays the binary image and is provided as an HMD device. |
| US08311327B2 |
System and method for backlit image detection
The subject application is directed to a system and method for detecting backlit images. Encoded color image data is first received into a computer having a processor and associated data storage. Histogram data is then calculated from the received encoded color image data, and a mid-tone range in normalized histogram data is then detected. A zone of normalized pixel counts within the mid-tone range is then selected. Data representing an entry point and an exit point of the normalized histogram data relative to the selected zone is then generated. A plateau area is detected in the histogram data in the selected zone between the entry point and the exit point. Thereafter, a backlit image detection signal is generated indicating whether a backlit image portion is present in the color image data according to the plateau detection. |
| US08311325B2 |
Method of detecting and rectifying red-eyes automatically when taking photos
The present invention discloses a method for automatically detecting and correcting red eye in a photo taking process. The method utilizes a preview function which all of the current digital cameras have. When flash light is needed during the photo taking process, an image which is closest to the shutter pressing time is read from a preview image sequence and this image is stored. Then, red eye detection is performed according to various related information (e.g., chroma information) of this image and the image actually taken. A correction process is conducted on the detected red eye area. The corrected image is stored as a resulting image in a storage unit in the camera. Therefore, the red eye is removed rapidly and accurately during a single normal exposure process and the image without red eye is thus obtained. |
| US08311324B2 |
Performing spectral gamut mapping for reproducing an image
Spectral gamut mapping is performed for reproducing an image comprising a plurality of pixels using a device. Sample data is generated to span a spectral gamut of the device, the sample data is divided into plural subdivisions based on colorimetry of the sample data, a local interim connection space (ICS) is constructed for each of the plural subdivisions, and a sub-gamut is constructed corresponding to each of the local ICS's. For each of the plurality of pixels, a sub-gamut which corresponds to the pixel is selected from the constructed sub-gamuts, and spectral gamut mapping is performed for the pixel using the selected sub-gamut in the local ICS. |
| US08311323B2 |
Image processor for converting image by using image retrieved based on keyword
An image processor includes a keyword inputting unit, a first image acquiring unit, a first characteristic quantity determining unit, a second image inputting unit, a second characteristic quantity determining unit and an image correcting unit. The keyword inputting unit inputs a keyword. The first image acquiring unit acquires at least one first image related to the keyword inputted by the keyword inputting unit. The first characteristic quantity determining unit determines first characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of at least one of the at least one first image acquired by the first image acquiring unit. The second image inputting unit inputs a second image. The second characteristic quantity determining unit determines second characteristic quantity data expressing a characteristic of the second image inputted by the second image inputting unit. The image correcting unit performs an image correction process on the second image to adjust characteristic of the second image represented by the second characteristic quantity data close to the first characteristic quantity data. |
| US08311320B2 |
Computer readable recording medium storing difference emphasizing program, difference emphasizing method, and difference emphasizing apparatus
A difference emphasizing apparatus aligns a first three-dimensional model and a second three-dimensional model in orientation and position in accordance with a predetermined rule, and gets data of respective apices of the first three-dimensional model and the second three-dimensional model. Based on the gotten data, the apparatus finds a corresponding point on the first three-dimensional model, which corresponds to the apex of the second three-dimensional model in a direction of a particular axis. When the corresponding point is detected, the apparatus calculates a difference between the first three-dimensional model and the second three-dimensional model in the direction of the particular axis based on the corresponding point and the apex of the second three-dimensional model. The apparatus enlarges the difference in the direction of the particular axis, and calculates a position of the apex of the second three-dimensional model after the enlargement. |
| US08311318B2 |
System for generating images of multi-views
The present invention provides a system for generating images of multi-views. The system includes a processing unit; an image range calculating module coupled to the processing unit to calculate the ranges of a background image and a main body image of a 2D original image of an article; a depth model generating module coupled to the processing unit to generate a depth model according to an equation; an image cutting module coupled to the processing unit to cut the 2D original image of the article or the depth model to generate a cut 2D image of the article or a depth model with a main body image outline; a pixel shifting module coupled to the processing unit to shift every pixel in the main body image of the 2D original image of the article according to the depth model with the main body image outline to obtain shifted main body images of multi-views; and an image synthesizing module coupled to the processing unit to synthesize the shifted main body images of multi-views and background figures of multi-views to obtain final images of multi-views for 3D image reconstruction. |
| US08311312B1 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for accepting or rejecting a manufactured medical device
A inspection system for medical devices includes an inspection station, a workstation and a database. The inspection system collects images of the medical device. Analysis of the images reveals whether there is a defect in the medical device. If there is a defect, then a comparison analysis is performed between the defect and information in the database. The comparison analysis produces an indication of whether the medical device should be rejected in view of the defect or accepted in spite of the defect. |
| US08311310B2 |
Methods and apparatus to integrate systematic data scaling into genetic algorithm-based feature subset selection
Methods and apparatus for training a system for developing a process of data mining, false positive reduction, computer-aided detection, computer-aided diagnosis and artificial intelligence are provided. A method includes choosing a training set from a set of training cases using systematic data scaling and creating a classifier based on the training set using a classification method. The classifier yields fewer false positives. The method is suitable for use with a variety of data mining techniques including support vector machines, neural networks and decision trees. |
| US08311305B2 |
X-ray diagnostic apparatus, image processing apparatus, and method of calculating filter coefficients used for image formation processing in x-ray diagnostic apparatus and the like
A tomosynthesis image is generated by applying preprocessing to each image obtained by capturing a plurality of X-ray images at a plurality of X-ray tube positions and then performing filtering processing and backprojection. At this time, a proper filter coefficient used filtering is determined for each scan track, each image frame, and each pixel position in an image. |
| US08311298B2 |
Method and system for processing visual images of digestive system
The present invention provides a method and system for processing visual images of a digestive system. The method comprises: detecting visual images of a digestive system; storing the detected visual images; analyzing the stored visual images to identify corresponding event frames; and displaying the identified event frames quantitatively with respect to at least one reference. With the method and system, visual images of a digestive system can be processed more accurately, efficiently and conveniently for diagnostic purposes. |
| US08311297B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing Doppler scan conversion
A method for Doppler scan conversion includes storing coded envelope values together with spectrum data in a memory out of a logic device with a large capacity, which increases the number of envelopes stored, reduces the use of the restricted embedded memory resources, and can also achieve the envelope switching more flexibly. If the number of envelopes is not greater than the difference between the bit width of the memory and that of the spectrum data, the increase in the number of envelopes will not increase significantly the logic resources or affect the efficiency of the system. |
| US08311296B2 |
Voting in mammography processing
Methods and systems are disclosed to aid in the detection of areas of interest in an image. Multiple image recognition processes analyze the image and identify areas of interest. The identified areas of interest are compared to determine confidence values for each identified area of interest using a voting process. The confidence values may be used in determining areas of increased interest which are highlighted on the image. In embodiments, identified areas of interest meeting a certain threshold requirement are selected as areas of increased interest. In other embodiments, new areas of increased interest are created by combining areas of interest. Embodiments of the disclosed methods and system may be used to aid in the detection of cancer in mammogram images. |
| US08311294B2 |
Image classification and information retrieval over wireless digital networks and the internet
A method and system for matching an unknown facial image of an individual with an image of a celebrity using facial recognition techniques and human perception is disclosed herein. The invention provides a internet hosted system to find, compare, contrast and identify similar characteristics among two or more individuals using a digital camera, cellular telephone camera, wireless device for the purpose of returning information regarding similar faces to the user The system features classification of unknown facial images from a variety of internet accessible sources, including mobile phones, wireless camera-enabled devices, images obtained from digital cameras or scanners that are uploaded from PCs, third-party applications and databases. Once classified, the matching person's name, image and associated meta-data is sent back to the user. The method and system uses human perception techniques to weight the feature vectors. |
| US08311293B2 |
Image processing apparatus and associated methodology for facial recognition
An image processing apparatus includes: a subject information storage unit configured to store feature quantities and attributes relating to a plurality of subjects; a subject detecting unit configured to detect a subject included in an image; an attribute determining unit configured to determine the attributes of the detected subject; a feature quantity extracting unit configured to extract a feature quantity relating to the detected subject; and a similarity calculating unit configured to select one or a plurality of feature quantities from feature quantities relating to a plurality of subjects stored in the subject information storage unit based on the determined attributes to calculate similarity between a subject according to the selected feature quantities, and the detected subject, based on the selected feature quantities and the extracted feature quantity. |
| US08311289B2 |
Computer-implemented method for performing similarity searches
A similarity search may be performed on the image of a person, using visual characteristics and information that is known about the person. The search identifies images of other persons that are similar in appearance to the person in the image. |
| US08311288B2 |
Biometric data encryption
A printmaking device, a method, and a system for securely handling a set of documents are provided herein. The printmaking device includes a printing module capable of printing the set of documents, and a processor operatively connected to the printing module to facilitate providing the set of documents to said printing module. The processor is configured to receive an initial biometric sample; encrypt a set of documents using said initial biometric sample; transmit the set of documents to another device; and delete said initial biometric sample from the device after the set of documents are encrypted. |
| US08311274B2 |
Image recognition system
Methods, devices and systems for recognizing an object in an image are provided, in which the object is recognized by evaluation of both image data and digital map information that corresponds to an area represented by the image. Evaluation of the image data and the digital map information may involve various methods of evaluation including cross-checking, in which the digital map information is utilized to verify correct object recognition in the image data; prediction, in which digital map information is utilized to predict a feature of an object to facilitate object recognition in the image data; or modeling in which a generic model of an object is compared with the image data. |
| US08311264B2 |
Ultra-thin speaker
An ultra-thin speaker includes a metal upper casing, and a metal lower casing corresponding to the metal upper casing and capable of covering a vibrating membrane, a support frame, a magnet and a yoke between two corresponding internal surfaces of the metal upper and lower casings and forming a contact surface with the yoke, such that after the yoke conducts heat of a heat source to the metal lower casing, the heat is conducted to the metal upper casing through a connection and a contact of the metal upper and lower casings to increase a heat dissipating area, so as to overcome the heat dissipation problem and minimize the overall thickness of the speaker. |
| US08311252B2 |
Hearing device
The present invention generally relates to a hearing device with a main housing (10) to be worn behind the ear, a secondary housing (20) separated thereof and to be arranged partly or completely within the ear and a speaker, and a connecting element (30) being arranged between the main housing (10). The secondary housing (20), includes at least an electrical and/or an acoustical connection between the speaker and the main housing (10). According to the present invention, at least one damping element (44) is arranged between the main housing (10) and the secondary housing (20). The damping element (44) reduces or prevents the transfer of vibrations between the microphone (15) and the speaker. |
| US08311246B2 |
Microphone
A microphone includes: a needle-like electrode; an opposite electrode facing the needle-like electrode; a discharge section formed between the needle-like electrode and the opposite electrode; a high-frequency oscillating circuit including the discharge section and producing a high-frequency discharge at the discharge section; a sound wave introduction section through which a sound wave is introduced to the discharge section; and a modulated signal extracting unit that extracts a signal modulated, according to the sound wave oscillated by the high-frequency oscillating circuit and introduced to the discharge section. The high-frequency discharge is produced at the discharge section as the high-frequency oscillating circuit performs high-frequency oscillation with the discharge section between the needle-like electrode and the opposite electrode as a return path, and a frequency modulation is performed as an equivalent impedance of the discharge section changes according to the sound wave. |
| US08311241B1 |
Microphone circuit
An infrared light emitting diode circuit and related methods are disclosed. Exemplary features of embodiments comprise circuitry for controlling the voltage delivered to infrared light emitting diodes and for reducing the power consumption of the circuitry in the absence of audio signals to be transmitted. |
| US08311240B2 |
Audio signal processing apparatus and audio signal processing method
An audio signal processing apparatus includes a high-frequency components extraction means for extracting high-frequency components higher than a predetermined cutoff frequency from the input audio signal and supplying them to satellite speakers by way of a predetermined high frequency range amplifier, a low-frequency components extraction means for extracting low-frequency components lower than a predetermined cutoff frequency from the input audio signal, a correlation reducing means for reducing the correlation of the high-frequency components and the low-frequency components of the input audio signal and a delay means for delaying the low-frequency components and supplying them to a subwoofer by way of a predetermined low frequency range amplifier. |
| US08311238B2 |
Audio signal processing apparatus, and audio signal processing method
An audio signal processing apparatus includes: a dividing section dividing each of audio signals of a plurality of channels into a plurality of frequency bands; a phase difference calculating section calculating a phase difference between the audio signals of the plurality of channels, for each of the plurality of frequency bands divided by the dividing section; a level ratio calculating section calculating a level ratio between the audio signals of the plurality of channels, for each of the plurality of frequency bands divided by the dividing section; and an audio signal processing section performing output gain setting with respect to divided signals obtained by the dividing section, on the basis of the phase difference and the level ratio for each of the plurality of frequency bands calculated by the phase difference calculating section and the level ratio calculating section. |
| US08311232B2 |
Method for predicting loudspeaker preference
A general model is provided for predicting a loudspeaker preference rating, where the model's predicted loudspeaker preference rating is calculated based upon the sum of a plurality of weighted independent variables that statistically quantify amplitude deviations in a loudspeaker frequency response. The independent variables selected may be independent variables determined as maximizing the ability of a loudspeaker preference variable to predict a loudspeaker preference rating. A multiple regression analysis is performed to determine respective weights for the selected independent variables. The weighted independent variables are arranged into a linear relationship on which the loudspeaker preference variable depends. |
| US08311229B2 |
Reduction of clicking sounds in audio data stream
Disclosed is a method of reducing clicking sounds in an audio data stream. The samples of the audio data are delayed by a predetermined amount in a sliding window containing a predetermined number of samples. The presence of a clicking sound in the delayed data within said sliding window is detected and the corresponding audio data replaced by substitute data derived from the audio data stream. |
| US08311228B2 |
Ear input sound pressure level monitoring system
Systems and methods for monitoring a sound pressure level dose at an ear are provided. A system includes an audio transducer which outputs a sound signal is placed within an ear to receive sound at the ear. A sound level threshold detector determines whether a sound pressure level of the sound signal is at a minimum level and outputs a sound pressure level signal corresponding to the sound pressure level when the sound pressure level is not at the minimum level. A time period is calculated during which the sound pressure level is not at the minimum threshold level. A listening fatigue calculator determines whether a cumulative effect of exposure to the sound signal at the ear over the time period will cause harm to the ear. At least a portion of the system is disposed in situ at the ear. |
| US08311219B2 |
Reproducing apparatus, recording apparatus and display apparatus
An authentication method for use in sending/receiving data between a coded data output apparatus for outputting coded data having a water mark, and a recording apparatus for recording data onto a recording medium, the method including: deciding a type of the recording medium used by the recording apparatus; based on a result of the deciding, selecting, from a plurality of authentication methods, an authentication method corresponding to the type of the recording medium, and conducting authentication between the coded data output apparatus and the recording apparatus, using the authentication method; sending/receiving data between the coded data output apparatus and the recording apparatus after conducting the authentication; and in a case where the coded data has the water mark, detecting the water mark by the coded data output apparatus, wherein the data exchanged between the coded data output apparatus and the recording apparatus is scrambled by a scrambling method corresponding to the type the recording medium. |
| US08311214B2 |
Method for elliptic curve public key cryptographic validation
Communication and validation of information transfer from a transmitter to a receiver is achieved by generating a cipher (400) from a message m (410) using parameters of an elliptic curve, a generator point P (406) on the elliptic curve and a public key Q (416) of the receiver. The cipher includes a first element that is the product kP of a random number k (404) with the generator point P and a second element that is the product of m and the x-coordinate of the product kQ. The message m is generated from two mathematically independent representations of the information and, optionally, a random number. The cipher is communicated to the receiver and decoded to recover a message m′ (502). A validation token (500) is generated by the receiver and passed to the transmitter, which validates communication of the information to the receiver if the product mkQ is equal to the validation token. |
| US08311207B2 |
Efficient and cost-effective distribution call admission control
A distributed call control system is provided that can allot bandwidth amongst several call controllers. The distributed call control system includes one or more servers that execute two or more instances of call processing servers that administer call control. The call processing servers form a cluster or group. The cluster members negotiate and determine bandwidth allocation amongst the members. If a member requires more bandwidth, the call processing server, of that member, assesses its own needs and requests more bandwidth from other members. The negotiation and requests for bandwidth are accomplished with a set of dynamic and static bandwidth data that regiment the control of the bandwidth. |
| US08311206B1 |
Facilitating communications for voicemail services in a system that uses disparate signaling systems
A method and system for performing signaling between a private branch exchange (“PBX”) and a voicemail server external to the PBX (“VM server”) to facilitate serving voicemail services to a subscriber of the PBX and the voicemail services is provided. The method includes: exchanging, between a first gateway and the PBX, a first signaling message formed in accordance with a first signaling protocol of a digital private network signaling system; exchanging, between the first gateway and a second gateway, a second signaling message formed in accordance with a second signaling protocol for serving voice over internet-protocol services; exchanging, between the second gateway and the VM server, a third signaling message form in accordance with a terminal-control protocol for an internet-protocol network, converting between the first and second signaling messages, at the first gateway; and converting between the second and third signaling messages, at the second gateway. |
| US08311201B2 |
Method and system for controlling a conference
A conference control method includes: an Application Server (AS) sets a digit collection template for the conference session; a Media Resource Server (MRS) detects and collects dialing operations of participants on the conference session according to the digit collection template set by the AS, and reports the digit collection result to the AS; the AS controls the conference according to the received digit collection result. A conference control system includes an AS and an MRS, where the AS is adapted to set a digit collection template for the conference session and send the set digit collection template information to the MRS, and adapted to receive the digit collection result from the MRS and control a conference according to the received digit collection result; the MRS is adapted to detect and collect dialing operations of participants on the conference session according to the digit collection template set by the AS, and send the digit collection result to the AS. The present disclosure provides a flexible conference control method without imposing any special requirement on the user terminal. |
| US08311199B2 |
Methods and systems for configuring and providing conference calls with customized caller id information
Methods and systems for automatically providing conference calls are disclosed. In one aspect, methods and systems detect a conference call event that was previously configured by a subscriber user and identify participant users associated with the conference call event. In another aspect, when configuring a conference call event, a subscriber user may enter, select or otherwise designate conference information that the user wishes to be displayed in the caller identification fields that are sent out when a bridge dials the participant users associated with the conference call. Once identified, each participant user is contacted and a response is received from each of the users. Based on the received responses, a conference call is established between the participant users and the subscriber user. |
| US08311198B2 |
Method for processing telephone call
A method for processing telephone call includes: access number configuration information corresponding to a called number is stored in an access number configuration equipment in a communication system; the calling party requests for the pre-call registration in the communication system, the communication system adds a corresponding pre-call registration record into a pre-call registration list according to the access number configuration information; the calling party initiates the call to the called party, after the communication system receives the call request of the calling party and before calling the called party, the communication system determines whether the calling party has been registered in the pre-call registration list, if the calling party has been registered, connects the call request and initiates the call to the called party; otherwise, refuses to initiate the call to the called party. In the method for processing telephone call according to the present invention, it is ensured that a called party would not miss important incoming calls when he does not want to be disturbed. A calling party can request for the pre-call registration by means of short message or Internet so as to call the called party. |
| US08311193B2 |
Charging method and control device for group main line service
A charging method for group main line, GML, service is disclosed. For an outgoing call from an extension of the GML, the initiated call is identified by adding a prefix for group service before the called number. When an intelligent network, IN, finds that there is the prefix for group service before the called number, the call is processed as collectively paid by the GML. A service control point, SCP, generates a call record for the call and places a special identification code in the call record. An incoming call redirected through the GML is also processed as collectively paid by the GML. The SCP generates a call record for the call and places a special identification code in the call record. The present invention also discloses a service control device. |
| US08311187B2 |
Magnetron powered linear accelerator for interleaved multi-energy operation
The disclosure relates to systems and methods for interleaving operation of a linear accelerator that use a magnetron as the source of electromagnetic waves for use in accelerating electrons to at least two different ranges of energies. The accelerated electrons can be used to generate x-rays of at least two different energy ranges. In certain embodiments, the accelerated electrons can be used to generate x-rays of at least two different energy ranges. The systems and methods are applicable to traveling wave linear accelerators. |
| US08311185B2 |
Multi-energy x-ray source
A system for generating image data includes a voltage supply configured for applying a first voltage to generate radiation at a first energy level, and for applying a second voltage to generate radiation at a second energy level, an imager for generating a first set of image data based at least in part on the radiation at the first energy level, and for generating a second set of image data based at least in part on the radiation at the second energy level, and a processor for creating composite image data using the first and the second sets of image data. |
| US08311184B2 |
Fan-shaped X-ray beam imaging systems employing graded multilayer optic devices
An X-ray imaging system that produces one or more fan-shaped beams is described. The system includes a target for emitting X rays that includes at least one target focal spot, and one or more graded multilayer optic devices in optical communication with the target. The optics transmits at least a portion of the source X rays to produce the one or more fan-shaped beams. The graded multilayer optic devices include at least a first graded multilayer section for redirecting and transmitting X rays through total internal reflection. The graded multilayer section includes a high-index layer of material having a first complex refractive index n1, a low-index layer of material having a second complex refractive index n2, and a grading zone disposed between the high-index and low-index layers of material. The grading zone includes a grading layer having a third complex refractive index n3 such that Re(n1)>Re(n2)>Re(n3). |
| US08311182B2 |
System and method of notch filtration for dual energy CT
An imaging system includes an x-ray source that emits a beam of x-rays toward an object to be imaged, a detector that receives the x-rays attenuated by the object, a spectral notch filter positioned between the x-ray source and the object, a data acquisition system (DAS) operably connected to the detector, and a computer operably connected to the DAS and programmed to acquire a first image dataset at a first kVp, acquire a second image dataset at a second kVp that is greater than the first kVp, and generate an image of the object using the first image dataset and the second image dataset. |
| US08311181B2 |
Apparatus and method of visualizing multi-energy imaging data
An imaging system includes an x-ray source configured to emit a beam of x-rays toward an object to be imaged, a detector configured to receive x-rays that are attenuated by the object, a data acquisition system (DAS) operably coupled to the detector, and a computer operably coupled to the DAS and programmed to obtain scan data with two or more incident energy spectra, decompose the obtained scan data into at least three basis materials, generate an image of one of the at least three basis materials using the decomposed scan data, and replace at least one pixel in the image using decomposed data of another of the at least three basis materials. |
| US08311180B2 |
Fuel assembly
A fuel assembly, comprising: a plurality of first fuel rods including uranium and not including a burnable poison; a plurality of second fuel rods including said uranium and said burnable poison; and a water rod; wherein said second fuel rods are placed at corners of an outermost layer of a fuel rod array; other second fuel rods are placed, in said outermost layer, adjacent to said second fuel rods placed at said corners; and other second fuel rods are placed adjacent to said water rod. |
| US08311179B2 |
Methods for stabilizing a steam dryer assembly in a nuclear reactor pressure vessel
A device and method for stabilizing a dryer assembly in a reactor pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor including a spring assembly dimensioned and positioned within the reactor pressure vessel for applying a stabilizing force to the dryer assembly relative to the reactor pressure vessel. |
| US08311178B2 |
pH adjusting apparatus
A pH adjusting apparatus arranged above a water pit for refueling disposed in a reactor container that stores a nuclear reactor includes a pH adjuster, a basket 50 that contains the pH adjuster, and a basket housing container 51 that houses the basket 50 therein and has formed therein an inlet through which a solvent for dissolving or diluting the pH adjuster flows in and an overflow pipe 52 through which a pH-adjusted solution generated by dissolving or mixing the pH adjuster in the solvent flows out to the water pit for refueling. Consequently, even if it is difficult to dispose the basket 50 on a floor of the water pit for refueling, it is possible to suitably perform pH adjustment in the reactor container. |
| US08311173B2 |
Frame pulse signal latch circuit and phase adjustment method
While a phase of an output clock signal is varied, an input frame pulse is latched based on the output clock signal. Then, by using an output frame pulse, which is a result of the latching, generation of a racing state, which is caused by the phase relation between the output clock signal and the output frame pulse, is detected. Next, a phase adjustment amount is determined so that the phase of the output clock signal of the moment when the racing state is generated is shifted by a period corresponding to half a cycle of the output clock signal. |
| US08311172B2 |
Synchronizing high data-rate radio transceivers
A method is disclosed of synchronizing a first high data-rate radio transceiver and a second high data-rate radio transceiver. The first high data-rate radio transceiver is associated to a first lower data-rate radio transceiver and the second high data-rate radio transceiver is associated to a second lower data-rate radio transceiver. The method comprises time synchronizing the first and second lower data-rate radio transceivers, determining a timing information concerning operation of the first high data-rate radio transceiver relative to operation of the first lower data-rate radio transceiver, transmitting the timing information to the second lower data-rate radio transceiver, and time synchronizing the first and second high data-rate radio transceivers using the transmitted timing information. |
| US08311167B2 |
Ultra wide band device for detection and avoidance of ultra wide band signal
Example embodiments are directed to a method for detection and avoidance (DAA) of an ultra wide band (UWB) signal and a UWB terminal. The method includes: shifting a data signal by a desired frequency in a first direction; filtering the shifted data signal through a notch filter; and shifting the filtered data signal by the desired frequency in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction. The UWB terminal comprises an encoder for encoding data signals; a tone nulling unit for changing at least one tone of the plurality of tones into a null tone; an inverted fast Fourier transformer; a low pass filter for filtering the inverted fast Fourier transformed data signals; a filter circuit for attenuating an intensity of the low pass filtered signal; and a radio frequency (RF) circuit for transmitting the filtered signal. |
| US08311166B2 |
Active antenna array and method for calibration of the active antenna array
The disclosure relates to an active antenna array for a mobile communication system which comprises a plurality of receive paths, a sounding signal generator generating a sounding signal, and a coupler for coupling the sounding signal into at least one of a plurality of receive paths. A sounding signal extractor substantially removes the sounding signal from digitized ones of the receive signals to form a wanted signal. The disclosure also provides a method for the calibration of the receive path of the active antenna array. |
| US08311165B2 |
Interference suppression method and interference suppression device
A reception station 1b compares its BSSID with BSSID included in a signal that has arrived thereat. As BSSIDs included in signals transmitted by interfering stations 1c and 1d both match BSSID of the reception station 1b, the reception station 1b identifies each of the interfering stations 1c and 1d as a non-suppression target transmission source. As neither of BSSIDs included in signals transmitted by interfering stations 2a and 2b matches BSSID of the reception station 1b, the reception station 1b identifies each of the interfering stations 2a and 2b as a suppression target transmission source. The reception station 1b uses characteristic amounts of signals that are associated with the interfering stations (i.e., suppression target transmission sources) 2a and 2b and that have been measured in the past as characteristic amounts of interfering signals that are used to suppress the interfering signals from a received signal. |
| US08311163B2 |
Time-frequency synchronization and frame number detection for DMB-T systems
A DMB-T receiver supports a single carrier (SC) form of modulation and a multi-carrier form of modulation such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). Upon receiving a broadcast signal, the DMB-T receiver downconverts the received broadcast signal to a received base-band signal and determines a frame number for each frame by correlating groups of the received symbols in adjacent signal frames. In particular, the receiver determines a maximum right-shift correlation value and a maximum left-shift correlation value. If the magnitude of the maximum right-shift correlation value is greater than, or equal to, the magnitude of the maximum left-shift correlation value, then the maximum right shift correlation value is used to retrieve a frame number from a look-up table. Otherwise, the negative value of the maximum left-shift correlation value is used to retrieve a frame number from the look-up table. |
| US08311158B2 |
Receiver circuit, reception method, and communication system
A receiver circuit includes an LPF configured to remove an interference signal and/or a noise from a received signal, an ADC configured to digitize a signal output from the LPF, an FIR filter configured to further remove an interference signal and/or a noise from the signal output from the ADC and compensate imperfection in in-band characteristics caused in the LPF, a delay circuit configured to delay the signal output from the ADC by a predetermined time period, and a control circuit configured to control a destination of the signal output from the ADC, wherein the control circuit switches the destination of the signal output from the ADC to one of the FIR filter and the delay circuit according to a predetermined condition. |
| US08311156B2 |
Hybrid receiver architecture using upconversion followed by direct downconversion
A receiver configured to selectively receive an RF signal from an operating band having a plurality of RF channels. The receiver is configured to upconvert the desired RF channel to an intermediate frequency (IF) greater than the RF channel frequencies. The upconverted RF channel is downconverted to baseband or a low IF. The receiver can perform channel selection by filtering the baseband or low IF signal. The baseband or low IF signal can be upconverted to a programmable output IF. |
| US08311151B2 |
Pulse radio transmission apparatus and transceiver
A radio transmission apparatus has a first duty adjustment circuit which changes a duty ratio of a clock signal, a second duty adjustment circuit which changes the duty ratio of the clock signal to a duty ratio different from the duty ratio of the clock signal changed by the first duty adjustment circuit, a first AND circuit which takes a logical product between a data signal and the clock signal having passed through the first duty adjustment circuit, and a second AND circuit which takes a logical product between an output signal of the first AND circuit and the clock signal having passed through inversion of the output of the second duty adjustment circuit to generate a pulse signal. |
| US08311149B2 |
Method and apparatus for distorting input signal of digital predistortion (DPD) power amplifier in wireless communication system
A predistortion apparatus of a Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD) power amplifier in a wireless communication system is provided. A method for predistorting an input signal at the predistortion apparatus of the DPD power amplifier includes dividing one or more bits constituting the input signal into upper bits and lower bits; generating two successive address values using the upper bits; generating distortion values of the upper bits corresponding to the address values; calculating a distortion value of the lower bits; and calculating a distortion signal value corresponding to the input signal using the distortion values of the upper bits and the distortion bit of the lower bits. Hence, the time taken to update the LUT can be shortened, the cost can be lowered by the reduced memory capacity, and the power consumption can be decreased. |
| US08311148B2 |
Transmission signal generating apparatus, method, and program
Data multiplexing subcarrier identification signal generating means generates a data multiplexing subcarrier identification signal that identifies subcarriers with which data signals are to be multiplexed. Transmission signal generating means generates transmission signals by multiplexing data signals with subcarriers according to the data multiplexing subcarrier identification signal. Peak reducing transmission signal generating means generates peak reducing transmission signals by reducing peak power of the transmission signals according to peak reducing signals in a combination of a first peak reducing process in which subcarriers with which the data signals are not multiplexed are used for the peak reducing signals and subcarriers with which the data signals are multiplexed are not used for the peak reducing signals, and a second peak reducing process in which both subcarriers with which the data signals are not multiplexed and the subcarriers with which the data signals are multiplexed are used for the peak reducing signals. |
| US08311146B2 |
Radio communication system
A transmission device (10) includes: a series/parallel converter (11); an MSK modulator (31) for modulating a signal on a channel basis; a D/A converter (13); a frequency converter (14a) for conversion into different carrier frequencies; a synchronization circuit (32); an amplifier (15); a multiplexer (16) for multiplexing amplification signals; and an antenna (19). A reception device (20) includes: an antenna (21); a demultiplexer (22); a frequency converter (23) for converting signal demultiplexed on a channel basis into a baseband frequency; a low-pass filter (33) for removing a higher-harmonic component of the signal; an A/D converter (24); a digital filter (36) for extracting a main wave component from the digital signal; a sampling point detection circuit (35a) for detecting a sampling point from the main wave component; an MSK demodulator (34a) for reproducing and demodulating a symbol point based on detection information by an interpolation process; and a parallel/series converter (26) for restoring an original signal from the demodulated signal. |
| US08311144B1 |
Systems and methods for efficient codebook searches
Methods and systems are provided for searching for a codeword from a plurality of codewords in a codebook for use in precoding, for example, as used in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission system. Tree search and recursive algorithm techniques may be utilized to reduce the complexity and enhance the efficiency of the codebook search. Distance values may be determined between an optimal codeword and codewords in a codebook. The distance values may be accumulated for a group of the k-best codewords. Additionally or alternatively, a codeword from the codebook may be removed from consideration if the codeword meets a stop rule condition. A codeword may be selected from the codebook based on a minimum distance value from the optimal codeword. |
| US08311140B2 |
Infrared, CDMA and OFDM signal transmission methods
Methods for, processing, modulating and transmitting one or more signals, in a mobile unit, used in an infrared (IR) system, in a cellular system and in a Wi-Fi wireless network. Receiving, demodulating and processing a modulated signal for generating a position finder signal, including Global Positioning System (GPS) signal. Method for generating and processing cross-correlated, TDMA, CDMA and OFDM signals. Selection of TDMA, CDMA and OFDM signals and transmission of TDMA, CDMA, OFDM or IR signal. Processing methods for providing cross-correlated spread spectrum, or cross-correlated Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) baseband signals to quadrature modulators for modulation and transmission. Method for multiple input multiple output (MIMO)transmission-reception. Method for processing touch-screen generated signals into touch screen generated control signals for control of selection of transmission of one or more of TDMA or CDMA or OFDM or IR signal. |
| US08311135B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus
A wireless communication device including a sending data amount determination unit, a data sending unit, a monitor function unit, a transmission control data producing unit, a transmission control data sending unit, a data reception unit, and an application I/F (interface) unit. The transmission control data sending unit includes a transmission control data separation unit, a transmission control data replication unit, and a data mapping unit. |
| US08311134B2 |
Method for transmitting scattered pilot signals in multi-carrier system
A method for transmitting scattered pilot signals in a multi-carrier system is disclosed. The method includes: in each time slot, in time dimension, putting each 4 OFDM symbols into a group according to the order of the OFDM symbols; in each group of OFDM symbols, in frequency dimension, selecting, for each OFDM symbol, a plurality of valid sub-carriers to transmit scattered pilots, wherein for a same OFDM symbol, between each 2 valid sub-carriers selected, there are 7 valid sub-carriers; for different OFDM symbols in a same group, the valid sub-carriers selected are interleaving in frequency domain; and transmitting scattered pilot signals on the valid sub-carriers selected. The solution helps the multi-carrier system to handle multi-path channel with large delay spread, to obtain more accurate channel estimation and to achieve better receiving performance. |
| US08311133B2 |
Method and apparatus for sensing signaling parameters in a wireless communications network
A new channel is added to FLO networks that carries embedded signaling parameter information. The design is such that regardless of the actual values of the signaling parameters conveyed, a receiver will be able to demodulate this new channel. Moreover, the addition of the new channel does not render a FLO network that has been so configured to not be backwards-compatible with existing devices. |
| US08311130B2 |
Block distortion detection method, block distortion detection apparatus, block distortion removal method, and block distortion removal apparatus
A video decoder is connected with a block distortion detector for specifying the boundary of blocks where block boundary occurs, using decoded image data and information of motion vectors, which are supplied from the video decoder; and a block distortion remover for subjecting pixels in the vicinity of the block boundary of the decoded image to filtering on the basis of the result of detection from the block distortion detector, thereby removing the block distortion. Therefore, block distortion is accurately detected when a compressed and coded image is decoded, and the detected block distortion is removed while minimizing the blurriness of the image. |
| US08311126B2 |
Method and system for transmitting or receiving N-bit video data over a serial link
A system including a receiver, a TMDS link (or other serial link), and a transmitter configured to transmit K-bit video words (typically, encoded 8-bit video words) over the link. In typical embodiments, the transmitter is configured to pack a sequence of N-bit video words, where N≠K (e.g., N=10, 12, or 16, when K=8) into a sequence of K-bit fragments, encode the fragments, and transmit the encoded fragments. The transmitted data are indicative of a sequence of M-fragment groups, and the transmitter is typically configured also to transmit over the link packing phase data indicative of the phase of the most recently transmitted fragment. Other aspects are transmitters and receivers for use in such a system and methods implemented by any such transmitter, receiver, or system. |
| US08311125B2 |
Process and device for the protection and display of video streams
A process for distributing video streams to a plurality of addressees, comprising a marking step comprising adding at least one visual element to a video stream, which marking step applied to an original video stream common to all the addressees and which is personalized for each addressee by addition of a visual element specific to the addressee that allows rapid visual identification of the addressee, wherein the added visual element replaces part of the original video stream that is stored in complementary information on a multimedia server. |
| US08311116B2 |
Method and apparatus for periodic structure handling for motion compensation
A motion compensated picture rate converter for determining a dominant motion vector for a block appearing in two images includes a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter, transform calculators responsive to the filters for performing transforms on at least two images to produce a frequency-domain representation of the images, estimating calculators for estimating a plurality of motion vectors based on the frequency-domain representations, and a periodic structure detection and elimination module responsive to the transform calculators and the estimating calculators for identifying a period based on the frequency-domain representation of the images and for selecting a dominant motion vector based on the estimated motion vectors and the identified period. A method of operation is also disclosed. |
| US08311112B2 |
System and method for video compression using predictive coding
A system and method for video compression performs predictive coding on a macroblock of a video frame such that a set of pixels of the macroblock is coded using some of the pixels from the same video frame as reference pixels and the rest of the macroblock is coded using reference pixels from at least one other video frame. |
| US08311111B2 |
System and method for decoding using parallel processing
Decoding a stream of encoded video data involves partitions that have been compressed using lossless encoding. Each partition includes rows that have also been encoded using intra-frame or inter-frame encoding. During the decoding process, two or more of the partitions are entropy decoded on two or more processors in parallel, except that partitions containing adjacent rows in the frame are decoded with an offset so that at least a portion of the output of the entropy decoding of one partition can be used as input in the entropy and intra/inter-frame decoding of the other. |
| US08311110B2 |
Image encoding method and device, and decoding method and device therefor
A video encoding method and apparatus and a video decoding method and apparatus. In the video encoding method, a first predicted coding unit of a current coding unit that is to be encoded is produced, a second predicted coding unit is produced by changing a value of each pixel of the first predicted coding unit by using each pixel of the first predicted coding unit and at least one neighboring pixel of each pixel, and the difference between the current coding unit and the second predicted coding unit is encoded, thereby improving video prediction efficiency. |
| US08311108B2 |
Multi-view image coding apparatus and method
A multi-view image coding apparatus and method are provided. The multi-view image coding apparatus may extract geometric information from a plurality of cameras, may construct a spatial prediction structure to enable a correlation of each view to be maximum using the geometric information, and thereby may code and transmit a multi-view image. |
| US08311105B2 |
Information-processing apparatus, information-processsing method, recording medium and program
Disclosed herein is an information-processing apparatus for splicing an encoded stream at a splicing point set on the encoded stream, the information-processing apparatus including, a decoding unit configured to decode a part included in a re-encoding section as a part including the splicing point in order to generate a base band signal, an encoding unit configured to encode an edited signal obtained as a result of splicing the base band signal, which are generated by the decoding unit, at the splicing points in order to generate a re-encoded stream, and a control unit configured to add a predetermined section, which is included in the encoded stream as a section immediately lagging behind the re-encoding section, to the re-encoding section as a re-encoding extension of the re-encoding section in case continuity between the occupancy of the end point of the re-encoded stream generated by the encoding unit and the occupancy of a portion included in the encoded stream as a portion corresponding to the end point is not sustained. |
| US08311100B2 |
Information handling method for mapping information items to respective nodes
An information handling method in which information items are mapped to respective nodes in an array of nodes by mutual similarity of the information items, such that similar information items map to nodes at similar positions in the array of nodes; a mapping relationship being defined between feature data relating to an information item and nodes in the array of nodes comprises the steps of: (a) for each of a group of information items: detecting feature data representing each of a set of properties of that information item; (b) for the ensemble of feature data corresponding to the group of information items: detecting more significant and less significant properties within the ensemble; discarding feature data relating to less significant properties, the remaining non-discarded feature data being associated so as to generate a reduced feature vector for each information item; (c) defining a mapping between the reduced feature vectors and nodes in the array of nodes. |
| US08311097B2 |
Image processing method for adaptive spatial-temporal resolution frame
An image processing method for RDO based adaptive spatial-temporal resolution frame is provided for significantly reducing distortion of the decoded video image, which is resulted from over-compression or over-quantization by the encoder in a low code rate. By employing such image processing method, when the encoder detects that the allocated code rate is below the critical point, most appropriated temporal resolution and spatial resolution in an allocated specific code rate are found automatically based on the principle of rate distortion optimization, then after the decoding of the decoder, the resolution of the input image is recovered according to a certain algorithm. |
| US08311094B2 |
Buffer underflow prevention
A video stream is digitally encoded such that the rate at which individual segments of data are encoded varies according to the amount of data required to generate each segment. Frames are selectively omitted from transmission (32) such that the cumulative frame rate does not fall below a predetermined value. This process can be used to ensure that the next frame to be displayed is always available in the buffer store 6 associated with the decoder (2). The decoder (2) is arranged to identify where frames have been omitted from the decoded transmission, and to perform a resynchronisation (7) on the decoded stream by comparison between time stamps in the video stream and a corresponding audio stream. Resynchronisation may be performed by extending the durations of individual frames, or by repeating frames. |
| US08311091B1 |
Cache optimization for video codecs and video filters or color converters
Cache usage optimization is disclosed. At runtime, a number of blocks of video data to be processed as a batch is determined based at least in part on a performance metric. A group of blocks that includes the determined number of blocks is processed as a batch. |
| US08311088B2 |
Method and system for image processing in a microprocessor for portable video communication devices
Methods and systems for processing video data are provided herein. Aspects of the method may comprise receiving on a chip, a plurality of video frames and storing a portion of the received video frames in a memory on the chip. A first portion of the stored video frames may be decoded on the chip and a second portion of the stored video frames may be encoded on the chip during the decoding. A third portion of the stored video frames may be converted from an input video format to a YUV video format. A reference frame corresponding to the converted third portion may be identified from the stored video frames. After conversion, the converted third portion of the received video frames may be utilized as the reference frame for estimating/encoding, or compensating/decoding temporal motion of the subsequently received video frames. |
| US08311087B2 |
Methods and apparatus for monitoring voice quality on a wireless communication device
Methods and apparatus for providing monitoring of voice quality and diagnostic data related to voice quality on a wireless device. Monitoring thresholds can be implemented that allow for additional precautionary measures and/or further monitoring to occur if a threshold level of voice quality performance is experienced. The results of the voice and diagnostic monitoring can be communicated to the service provider who can then collect, analyze and generate reports to assess and determine quality-related problems experienced by the communication network. |
| US08311082B2 |
Wideband digital radio with transmit modulation cancellation
A microwave radio assembly is described including a directional antenna wherein the installation and aiming is simplified. The assembly is attached to the wall-mount fix via gimbals mechanism with one rotation axis for azimuth and one for elevation and the assembly preferably includes a sight mechanism including a pair of visual apertures is located in the radio assembly in a line parallel to the radio antenna radiation direction. The radio assembly further includes a modulation cancellation scheme in full duplex mode. |
| US08311077B2 |
Modulator, filter, method of controlling gain of filter, and code modulating method
A modulator being made small in size, low in costs, low in power consumption, small in heat generation and spurious signals. The modulator includes multipliers (101, 102) for code-modulating received transmission data (D(n), C(n)), and outputting the modulated data, a control channel gain factor signal generator (106) for generating a gain control signal, a control channel gain factor signal generator (107), and weighting coefficient setting signal generators (108, 109) for receiving the output of the complex-number computing section (120) and controlling the gains of the raised cosine filters (110 to 113). |
| US08311075B2 |
Method for decoding digital data in a frequency hopping communication system
An improved method is provided for decoding data in a frequency hopping communications system. The method includes: monitoring transition points between data bits in a demodulated data stream, where the data bits are transmitted to a receiver over different transmission frequencies; determining a frequency over which data bits are transmitted to the receiver; determining a reliability metric for each frequency over which data bits were received, where the reliability metric is based on transition points of data bits transmitted over a given frequency; and performing a decoding operation using the reliability metric for each frequency over which data bits were received. |
| US08311073B2 |
Semiconductor laser, semiconductor laser device, and fabrication method of semiconductor laser
A semiconductor laser that includes: a substrate; a first semiconductor multilayer reflector of a first conductive type formed on the substrate; an active region formed on the first semiconductor multilayer reflector; a second semiconductor multilayer reflector of a second conductive type formed on the active region; and an intermediate semiconductor layer of a first conductive type or a second conductive type formed under the first semiconductor multilayer reflector or above the second semiconductor multilayer reflector. An oxidized region formed by oxidizing a part of the intermediate semiconductor layer and an un-oxidized region contacting with the oxidized region are formed in the intermediate semiconductor layer, the un-oxidized region is electrically connected to the first or second semiconductor multilayer reflector, and a beam generated in the active region is reflected at a boundary between the oxidized region and the un-oxidized region to a direction parallel to a principal surface of the substrate, and is emitted from a side surface of the intermediate semiconductor layer. |
| US08311070B2 |
Nitride semiconductor laser device
A nitride semiconductor laser device includes an n-type AlGaN clad layer, a GaN layer, a first InGaN light guide layer, a light-emitting layer, a second InGaN light guide layer, a nitride semiconductor inter mediate layer, a p-type AlGaN layer, and a p-type AlGaN clad layer stacked in this order on a nitride semiconductor substrate, wherein the n-type AlGaN clad layer has an Al composition ratio of 3-5% and a thickness of 1.8-2.5 μm; the first and second InGaN light guide layers have an In composition ratio of 3-6%; the first light guide layer has a thickness of 120-160 nm and greater than that of the second light guide layer; and the p-type AlGaN layer is in contact with the p-type clad layer and has an Al composition ratio of 10-35% and greater than that of the p-type clad layer. |
| US08311066B2 |
Laser apparatus and extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus
A laser apparatus comprises an amplifier including at least one of a MOPA and a MOPO each of which amplifies a single-longitudinal or multiple-longitudinal mode laser light, an amplifiable agent of the amplifier being a molecular gas, a master oscillator constructed from a semiconductor laser being able to oscillate a single-longitudinal or multiple-longitudinal mode laser light of which wavelength is within one or more amplification lines of the amplifier; and a controller executing a wave shape control adjusting a pulse shape and/or a pulse output timing of a single-longitudinal or multiple-longitudinal mode laser light outputted from the master oscillator. |
| US08311063B2 |
Updating routing and outage information in a communications network
After power is restored to a node in a utility network, that node employs one or more of its neighboring nodes as proxies to route a message to a central control facility of the utility. The message contains information about the restored node, and possibly one or more of its neighbor nodes. This information may include reboot counters, the amount of time that the node was down, momentary outages or power fluctuations, and/or the time of power restoration. The node that creates and initially sends the message can be the restored node itself, or another node that recognizes when a restored node has recently come back online. |
| US08311062B2 |
Method and arrangement for alignment of protocol data units in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a method and arrangement for communicating a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) between a transmitter unit and a receiver unit in a wireless communication network. Said PDU comprising protocol headers associated with at least a first and a second protocol layers involved in the communication and a payload to be communicated. The method comprises the step of interacting between the at least first and second protocol layers, such that the sum of the bits of the protocol headers is n-bit aligned such as octet aligned independently of non-alignment of at least one of the protocol headers comprised in the PDU. |
| US08311061B2 |
System and method for multi-user multiplexing
A relay node which includes a processor configured to multiplex a plurality of medium access control layer (MAC) packet data units (PDUs) that correspond to a plurality of user agents to form a Super-MAC PDU. The Super-MAC PDU includes a header. The header includes a plurality of Super-MAC PDU subheaders related to the MAC PDUs. |
| US08311060B2 |
Method and system for transmitting IP message, negotiating bandwidth saving capability and saving network bandwidth
The present disclosure discloses a method for transmitting an IP message, negotiating a bandwidth saving capability and saving network bandwidth. The method for transmitting an IP message includes: sending more than one bandwidth saving capability supported by a sender to a receiver; receiving one bandwidth saving capability selected by the receiver; obtaining a type of an IP message for transmitting data according to the bandwidth saving capability selected by the receiver; and sending the IP message to the receiver after constructing the IP message, wherein the one bandwidth saving capability is selected from the more than one bandwidth saving capability and is supported by the receiver. By applying the methods provided by the present disclosure, the bandwidth and resources of an IP bearer network in a communication system are saved. |
| US08311057B1 |
Managing formatting of packets of a communication protocol
A circuit manages input and output formats of the packets of a communication protocol. The circuit includes representation blocks and distribution and gather blocks coupled to the representation blocks. Each representation block is associated with a respective descriptor of the input and output formats. Each representation block processes a value of the respective descriptor. One or more of the representation blocks is adapted to modify the value of the respective descriptor. For each packet input in the input format, the distribution block distributes the value of each descriptor for the packet to the representation block associated with the descriptor. For each packet output in the output format, the gather block gathers the value of each descriptor for the packet from the representation block associated with the descriptor. The input format is changed to the output format in response to representation blocks modifying the value of the respective descriptor. |
| US08311051B2 |
Use of hardware to manage dependencies between groups of network data packets
A task obtained by a communications processor is decomposed into one or more requests that form a request group. The requests of the request group are sent to main memory and responses to those requests are expected. There may be requests for a plurality of request groups being processed concurrently. However, responses to the request groups are to be returned to the communications processor in the order in which the request groups were sent from the communications processor. To ensure this ordering, dependencies between the request groups are tracked by hardware coupled to the communications processor. |
| US08311049B2 |
Method and device for scheduling packets for routing in a network with implicit determination of packets to be treated as priority
A method of ordonnancing packets belonging to different flows comprises: a step (E58) of queuing each packet in a queue associated with the flow of said packet; and for each of said queues processed cyclically, a step of sending packets contained in said queue up to a quota for said cycle; said method being characterized in that it further includes: a step (E40, E54) of determining the priority of said packet before said step (E58, E56, E48) of queuing, the priority packets being, firstly, the first packets of the inactive flows, namely the flows for which no packet has been received in said cycle, and, secondly, the packets of the active flows for which the volume of packets received in the cycle is less than the quota; and a step of sending with priority in said cycle packets determined to have priority during said determination step (E40, E54). |
| US08311046B2 |
Method for the delivery of messages in a communication system
The invention relates to a method in which a message is received to a communication server from a node. The communication server obtains user information with recipient information in the message. The user information comprises user entity state and user entity protocol information. A first protocol is determined to become a preferred protocol based on the user entity protocol information. The delivery of said message is attempted with a delivery mechanism of the preferred protocol. A second protocol is determined to become the preferred protocol with said user entity protocol information upon a failure to deliver said message with said first protocol. The attempting of the delivery of said message is repeated with a delivery mechanism of the preferred protocol. |
| US08311041B1 |
Systems and methods for automatically adjusting messaging quota
Certain embodiments of the disclosed technology may include systems and methods for automatically adjusting messaging quota. According to an implementation of the disclosed technology, a computer-implemented method is provided for determining a first user base size; determining a first push message volume corresponding to the first user base size; setting a push message quota based at least in part on the first push message volume; determining a second user base size; determining an estimated push message volume based at least in part on the second user base size and the first push message volume; determining a second push message volume corresponding to the second user base size; comparing the estimated push message volume to the second push message volume; and adjusting the push message quota based at least in part on the comparison of the estimated push message volume to the second push message volume. |
| US08311036B2 |
Device based emergency services for cross cluster extension mobility
A system is disclosed. The system has a call data receiver arranged to receive call data comprising number data indicative of a telephone number associated with a call connection request. The system also has a translator arranged to translate the received number data to obtain translated number data indicative of another telephone number. There is also a number data associator for associating the call connection request with the translated number data. |
| US08311035B2 |
Methods and apparatus for communicating internet protocol based control signaling through a communications system
An embodiment of a method for communicating call control signaling information in a communications system that includes a user equipment (UE) and a base includes the UE formatting the call control signaling information, transmitting the call control signaling information over a first logical channel that is mapped to a first transport channel, and transmitting user traffic over a second logical channel that is mapped to a second transport channel. In an embodiment, the base receives the call control signaling information from the UE over the first logical channel, receives the user traffic from the UE over the second logical channel, and transmits the call control signaling information to a core network. In an embodiment, the communication system is an IP network in which information is exchanged between the UE and the base using a W-CDMA transmission protocol. The base may form a portion of a satellite-based radio network. |
| US08311032B2 |
Dynamically provisioning virtual machines
Method and computer program for managing the network response times experienced by virtual machines. Traffic is routed within an Ethernet network through a network switch according to IP addresses identified within Ethernet frames. A plurality of compute nodes are each coupled to the network switch via a separate Ethernet link. A response time is determined for each virtual machine running on the compute nodes, wherein the response time for a particular virtual machine is the difference between a time stamp in a TCP/IP Request message and a time stamp in a TCP/IP Response message for an IP address assigned to the particular virtual machine. The particular virtual machine may then be migrated to a target compute node in response to a particular one of the virtual machines on a particular one of the compute nodes having a response time that exceeds a response time setpoint. |
| US08311028B2 |
Radio communication apparatus and radio communication method
To provide a radio communication apparatus and a radio communication method in which change in the transmission rate is taken into consideration at the time of making transmission reservation. The present invention provides a radio communication apparatus for receiving the transmission reservation request with a radio transmitting/receiving unit and transmitting the reservation acknowledgement from the same radio transmitting/receiving unit. This radio communication apparatus is characterized in comprising a control unit for transmitting, from the radio transmitting/receiving unit, a plurality of reservation acknowledgments in different contents for a transmission reservation request in different timings. |
| US08311020B2 |
Communication system allowing network nodes to efficiently establish communications with a controller
A communication system is provided that includes a controller and a system to allow efficient transmission of information with a plurality of nodes. The information includes an alignment signal provided from the controller to enable the nodes to align their response signals. The information further includes node identification information. Once alignment and identification occur, nodes can then transmit packet data to the controller. |
| US08311015B2 |
Method for supporting continuous reception of evolved broadcast and multicast service data
The method for supporting continuous reception of enhanced broadcast service data comprising steps of: an MCE receiving an “MBMS Session Start Request” message from a core network; after the MCE receives the message, transmitting a response message to the core network; MCE transmitting an “MBMS Session Start Request” message to an ENB, the message including information of adjacent cells; and the ENB broadcasting the information of adjacent cells on a current cells. With the scheme of present invention, if a user wants to move to a common cell when he/she receives MBMS service in an SFN edge cell, he/she can enter the active mode and switch into the common cell so as to reduce MBMS data loss. When a UE moves from a cell with SC-PTM transmission mode into a cell with SC-PTM transmission mode, data loss can also be reduced. |
| US08311012B2 |
Mobile communication system, mobile communication method, access device, and gateway information storage device
A gateway information storage device (60) includes a gateway information storage unit (61) which stores gateway information indicating a gateway (GW) to which a mobile terminal (10) is being connected. An access device (20) includes: a gateway information acquiring unit (23) which acquires the gateway information from the gateway information storage device (60) in response to a connection request in handover that is received from the mobile terminal (10); and a connection processor unit (22) which establishes a connection between the mobile terminal (10) and a gateway (GW20B) identified by the gateway information acquired from the gateway information storage device (60). |
| US08311011B2 |
Method of performing procedures for initial network entry and handover in a broadband wireless access system
Disclosed is a method of performing procedures for network entry of a mobile station in a broadband wireless access system. The method includes being allocated with transmission parameters from a base station, at least one time performing a request of an uplink band for transmission of an uplink management message to the base station, and receiving a downlink message for next procedure from the base station if the uplink band is not allocated even after the lapse of a preset time period. |
| US08311008B2 |
Method for scheduling distributed virtual resource blocks
A method for efficiently scheduling virtual resource blocks to physical resource blocks is disclosed. In a wireless mobile communication system that supports a resource block group (RBG) allocation scheme, when consecutively allocated virtual resource blocks are distributively mapped to physical resource blocks, a gap for the distribution is determined to be a multiple of a square of the number of consecutive physical resource blocks constituting an RBG. |
| US08311007B2 |
Radio resource management
A wireless communication unit (101) for a radio communication system comprises a device token controller (403) which receives at least a first geographical radio resource token allocated to the wireless communication unit (101) by a radio resource token controller (117) of a network of the radio communication system. The first geographical radio resource token provides a first radio resource right allocation to the wireless communication unit (101) for a first geographical area. A radio resource manager (407) then determines a radio resource usage parameter in response to the first radio resource right allocation. Specifically, the radio resource manager (407) may only determine the radio resource usage parameter in response to the first radio resource right allocation if the location estimate is within the first geographical area. The radio communication system may be a heterogeneous communication system. The invention may allow effective overall centralized radio resource management while allowing distributed radio resource management procedures and techniques to be used. |
| US08311006B2 |
Resource fairness policies for allocation of resources in a satellite communications system
Novel satellite communications systems, methods, and related devices are described. In some embodiments, a satellite communications system is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth to terminals. Such a system may be made up of a satellite in communication with terminals (e.g., user terminals or gateways). The satellite or a Network Control Center (NCC) may receive and compile bandwidth request data from the terminals. In each of a series of one or more epochs, and according to the bandwidth requests, the satellite and/or NCC may allocate carrier group resources to particular traffic classes. The assignment of allocated resources to particular terminals is also described. |
| US08311004B2 |
Mobile communication system, base station apparatus, and mobile station apparatus
A mobile communication system in which a mobile station apparatus transmits, to abase station apparatus, uplink data using a physical uplink shared channel assigned by an uplink data transmission permission signal, wherein the base station apparatus: transmits, to the mobile station apparatus, a radio resource control signal including information for specifying a physical format in transmitting reception quality information together with uplink data; and transmits, to the mobile station apparatus, the uplink data transmission permission signal including a transmission instruction of reception quality information, and wherein the mobile station apparatus transmits, to the base station apparatus, reception quality information together with uplink data using the physical uplink shared channel according to information for specifying the physical format in case that a transmission instruction of the reception quality information is included in the uplink data transmission permission signal. |
| US08311002B2 |
Scheduling of users on a shared radio resource using a combination of link quality and traffic information
The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for optimizing radio resource utilizations when scheduling data transmissions between a radio base station (15) and one or more user equipments (18) on a radio channel over a radio interface in a communication network comprising a plurality of said radio base stations (15) serving cells between which said user equipments (18) are moving. Firstly information on channel quality of said radio channel is obtained. Also, information on the traffic per user within the cell is obtained. Then, the information on channel quality and said traffic information are combined and the data transmission is scheduled based on the combination. |
| US08310995B2 |
Systems and methods for wireless communication using SDMA
In a wireless communication system for communicating with a plurality of stations at the same point of time with the same frequency using a Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA), wireless resources are allocated by a first decision unit which evaluates performance of each station obtained when the SDMA is used and which determines periods of time to be allocated to groups of stations formed according to the SDMA technique. Using a first evaluation unit and a second evaluation unit to evaluate performance required by each station and each application, the first decision unit allocates the wireless resources to the stations. It is therefore possible that the wireless resources are efficiently allocated to the stations while preventing an event in which the wireless resources are excessive or insufficient for required quality of service. |
| US08310994B2 |
Method for configuring and managing channels in a wireless communication system using AMC channels and diversity channels, transmission/reception apparatus thereof, and system thereof
Provided is a method for configuring and managing a channel in a wireless communication system that divides a full frequency band into a plurality of sub-bands. The method comprises selecting at least one sub-band from the plurality of sub-bands and allocating each of a plurality of Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) channels using the selected at least one sub-band; puncturing sub-carriers of at least one of the plurality of AMC channels according to a predetermined pattern; and allocating a diversity channel using the punctured sub-carriers. |
| US08310991B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program for controlling coexistence between wireless networks
Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed for independent wireless resource sharing on a fair basis to enable selecting the most suitable coexistence between wireless networks. Example embodiments of the invention include a method comprising receiving, at a network controller, a coexistence management service request allowing one or more network controllers to make decisions concerning operational parameters of a wireless network originating the request; determining whether control of the wireless network is to be shared with one or more network controllers serving one or more wireless networks neighboring the wireless network originating the request; and in response to determining that control of the wireless network is not to be shared with the one or more network controllers serving the one or more wireless networks neighboring the wireless network originating the request, notifying the one or more network controllers serving the one or more wireless networks neighboring the wireless network originating the request that the wireless network has requested a coexistence information service. |
| US08310989B2 |
Wireless communications node used in AD HOC network and method thereof
A wireless communications node, being included in a multi-hop route starting from a source node and terminating at a destination node, has a receiving part configured to receive signals including transmission data prepared by the source node and transferring the received signals to a succeeding node, a preparing part configured to prepare source node data including at least identification data of the source node based on a predetermined portion of the transmission data, and a reporting part configured to report the source node data and relay data to a management node that manages cost data of plural nodes included in an ad hoc network. The relay data include the cost data and station data including at least identification data of the wireless communications node. |
| US08310987B2 |
Apparatus and method for notifying change of system control information in a broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for notifying a change of system control information in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes, changing a Group Configuration Change Counter (GCCC) and upon change of a Secondary-Super Frame Header/Sub-Packet1 (S-SFH/SP1) whose transmission period is changeable within a range of one or more super frames, changing the GCCC and information representing the change of the common control message upon change of at least one common control message, and transmitting the GCCC and the information representing the change of the at least one common control message. |
| US08310984B2 |
Controller, mobile station, mobile communications system and control method
A disclosed control apparatus performs packet communications with a mobile station and divides a coverage area into plural sectors so as to control the communications. The control apparatus comprises a transmission allocation portion that selects at least two transmission sectors to perform transmission to the mobile station in accordance with reception quality imparted from the mobile station so as to perform a transmission allocation for the mobile station; and a transmission portion that uses an identical scramble code for sector identification so as to perform transmission to the mobile station. |
| US08310979B2 |
Message repeater and method of operation
A method is provided for operating a distributed power repeater for a train system. The method includes: (a) monitoring all radio traffic on a wireless communications channel used by the repeater to relay distributed power commands between a plurality of transmitters and receivers disposed on a plurality of trains for distributed power control of the trains; (b) determining the level of channel loading on the communications channel; (c) comparing the channel loading to a predetermined limit; (d) if the channel loading is less than the predetermined limit, relaying messages over the wireless communications channel at a first activity level; and (e) if the channel loading exceeds the predetermined limit, relaying messages over the wireless communications channel at a second activity level less than the first activity level. |
| US08310976B2 |
Transmitting/receiving system and method of processing broadcasting signal in transmitting/receiving system
A transmitting system, a receiving system, and a method of processing a broadcast signal are disclosed herein. The receiving system include a tuner, a demodulator, a block decoder, an RS frame decoder, and a service manager. The tuner receives a broadcast signal. Herein the broadcast signal includes mobile service data, a service map table signaling access information of the mobile service data, and a plurality of known data sequences. The mobile service data and the service map table are packetized to an RS frame. The demodulator demodulates the received broadcast signal. The block decoder turbo-decodes the mobile service data and the service map table included in the demodulated broadcast signal in block units. The RS frame decoder forming an RS frame including the turbo-decoded mobile service data and service map table, performs primary first cyclic redundancy check (CRC)-decoding and RS-decoding, and performs secondary CRC-decoding on the primarily CRC-decoded and RS-decoded RS frame. The service manager acquires source IP address information of IP datagrams of the RS frame-decoded mobile service data from the service map table. |
| US08310968B2 |
Access point, wireless communication station, wireless communication system and wireless communication method
The present invention implements an intermittent reception method with which a portable station that does not receive a multicast service does not enter the Awake state unnecessarily. A packet buffer portion buffers a received packet in such a memory as RAM and recording device, and judges whether the buffered packet is a multicast packet. When the packet buffer unit judges that the packet buffered by the packet buffer unit is a multicast packet, a DTIM beacon generation unit generates a DTIM beacon in which multicast notification data indicating that the multicast packet is buffered is set. A packet transmission unit transmits the DTIM beacon generated by the DTIM beacon generation unit to wireless communication stations or the like. |
| US08310966B2 |
Wireless communication system, wireless base station, transmission rate determining method, and program for wireless communication system
By more flexibly controlling connection for each transmission rate in the wireless base station, the connection is established using possibly a higher transmission rate so long as the connection capacity of the wireless base station has a margin while efficiently determining the transmission rate according to the wave intensity from a wireless communication terminal. If the connection capacity of the base station has a margin after additionally connecting one wireless communication terminal, i.e., if the communication traffic is equal to or less than a predetermined margin threshold value, the rate decision threshold value to determine the transmission rate for connection is lowered by a predetermined value to determine a transmission rate so that the connection is established using a transmission rate higher than that determined by the rate decision threshold value as the default value (initial value) to thereafter establish the connection. |
| US08310965B1 |
Buffered audio system with synchronizing bus controller
An audio system includes an audio client device and an access point. The audio client device includes a buffer, a clock generator, a bus controller, a bus receiver, and a control module. The buffer is configured to receive a stream of samples of audio data. The clock generator is configured to generate a first clock signal. The bus controller is configured to read samples from the buffer for transmission across a bus using the first clock signal. The bus receiver is configured to receive samples from the bus controller and output a sampling clock along with each sample. The control module is configured to analyze activity of the buffer and modify operation of the bus controller to synchronize the sampling clock with a remote sampling clock. The access point includes an audio content module, a decoding module, and a network interface that wirelessly transmits the stream of samples. |
| US08310963B2 |
System and method for synchronized time-division duplex signal switching
A system comprises a first unit and a second unit communicatively coupled to the first unit. The first unit is operable to receive a first original radio frequency signal and the second unit is operable to receive a second original radio frequency signal. The first and second original radio frequency signals are originally transmitted on a radio frequency channel using time division duplexing. The first unit communicates a control signal to the second unit, the first unit generating the control signal based at least in part on detecting when the first original radio frequency signal is being received at the first unit. The second unit uses the control signal to determine when to output a first reproduced radio frequency signal in accordance with the time division duplexing used to originally transmit the first and second original radio frequency signals on the radio frequency channel. The first reproduced radio frequency signal is derived from the first original radio frequency signal. |
| US08310962B2 |
United AFEC and method thereof, and TDD radio repeater apparatus using the same
Provided is a united Adaptive Forward Error Correction (U-AFEC), including: an automatic gain control unit for controlling a gain of forward/backward relay signals; a switching unit for switching the forward/backward relay signals; a forward feedback signal detecting unit for detecting and updating a phase and a size of a feedback signal; a backward feedback signal detecting unit for detecting and updating the phase and the size of the feedback signal; a reverse feedback signal synthesizing unit for generating a reverse feedback signal based on the phase and the size of the feedback signal; a feedback signal removing unit for removing the feedback signal in the forward/backward relay signals and transmitting the forward/backward relay signals to the automatic gain control unit; and a control unit for removing the feedback signal in the forward/backward relay signals and controlling each constituent element. |
| US08310958B2 |
Routing calls in a network
A method includes receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) invite message and identifying a particular service associated with the SIP invite message. The method may also include identifying a destination for the SIP invite message using status information associated with a number of servers and forwarding the SIP invite message to the destination. The method may also further include identifying a first application server based on the SIP invite message and allocation information associated with allocating traffic among a number of application servers. |
| US08310955B1 |
Automated discovery of access points in wireless computer networks
As part of a wireless access point configuration process, a computer network is probed and each previously unprogrammed wireless access point on the network is programmed by transmitting wireless network configuration parameters thereto using a software agent residing on a node of the computer network. |
| US08310954B2 |
Apparatus and method for identifying network connection status in portable terminal
An apparatus and method for decreasing the number of bearer connections by transmitting a data packet in order to determine a network connection status at a time of bearer connection necessarily performed by a portable terminal together with a location registration message. Reduced battery consumption in the portable terminal is achieved because of the reduced number of bearer connections. The apparatus includes a transmission time determination unit for reconfiguring a data packet transmission time to a time of bearer connection necessarily performed by the portable terminal when a data packet is transmitted to determine the network connection status, and a controller for providing control to transmit the data packet is transmitted while connecting the bearer at the reconfigured data packet transmission time, wherein the reconfigured data packet transmission time may be advanced or delayed of the initial transmission time. |
| US08310953B2 |
Method and apparatus for enabling an adapter in a network device to discover the name of another adapter of another network device in a network system
A network system supports multiple network communication protocols. In one embodiment, network device driver software provides a “Fiber Channel over Ethernet” communication capability and methodology. Device driver software manages a Fiber Channel to Ethernet and Ethernet to Fiber Channel address translation in real time for data packet communications in the network system. Different embodiments of the disclosed network system include multiple name servers and network device driver software that together provide multiple adapter name discovery methodologies. In one embodiment, the adapter name discovery methodologies include port name discovery and adapter attributes discovery. |
| US08310949B2 |
System and method for enhanced physical layer device autonegotiation
A system and method for enhanced physical layer device autonegotiation. The autonegotiation process typically identifies the highest common denominator amongst various standardized modes of operation. Enhanced autonegotiation can be used to select a mode of operation that is not the highest common denominator. Enhanced autonegotiation can also identify a non-standardized mode of operation using next page messaging, additional physical signaling, or Layer 2 messaging. |
| US08310946B2 |
Cell selection and reselection for closed subscriber group cells
A method for applying a priority of a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell, including receiving priority information for each of a plurality of communication frequencies over which the CSG cell can communicate; storing the priority information at a wireless transmit/receive unit; and applying the priority information to at least one of: taking measurements on a communication frequency, selecting to a CSG cell in the communication frequency, or reselecting to a CSG cell in the communication frequency. |
| US08310943B2 |
Method and system for transmission-based billing applications
Computer- and network-based methods and systems for transmission-based billing are provided. Example embodiments provide a Packet-Based Billing System (“PBBS”), which enables application providers, such as carriers and content providers, to bill subscribers for the use of content on mobile subscriber devices, such as wireless devices, on a per-application, per-user basis based upon the extent of the usage. Embodiments of the present invention can also be used to bill subscribers for the use of content on a per-application, per-user basis for wired subscriber devices as well, using the same techniques. In operation, the PBBS provides modified content by inserting billing and tracking code into content returned to a requesting device. The modified content, when executed, tracks the amount of data sent and received between the content and a network and posts the accumulated data to a proxy/billing server according to business rules for an interval/frequency to post such data. The proxy/billing server stores the raw billing data and an accounting program retrieves the billing data to generate customer (call) data records. Business rules that specific different charges for different content or users can be incorporated into the system. |
| US08310941B2 |
Data driven connection fault management (DDCFM) in CFM maintenance points
A Connection Fault Management (CFM) maintenance point and method for providing Data Driven Connection Fault Management (DDCFM) in CFM maintenance points in a communication network. A Reflection Responder, an RFM Receiver, and a Decapsulator Responder are implemented in existing CFM maintenance points. The Reflection Responder selects frames to be reflected, mirrors the selected frames if a Continuation option is set, and encapsulates the selected frames with Return Frame Message (RFM) OpCode. The RFM Receiver sends received RFM frames to an analyzer if addressed to the maintenance point and otherwise to a passive multiplexer. The Decapsulator Responder decapsulates Send Frame Message (SFM) frames and sends decapsulated frames toward the destination specified in each frame. |
| US08310939B2 |
Method, system, and device for configuring operation, administration and maintenance properties
A method for configuring operation, administration and maintenance (OAM) properties, a system for configuring OAM properties, and a node device are provided. The method includes: delivering a message carrying OAM property configuration indicating information; and flowing through a plurality of nodes to be configured in the process of delivering the message, and configuring, by each of the nodes to be configured, an OAM property of the present node according to the OAM property configuration indicating information in the message flowing through the present node. |
| US08310935B1 |
Communications failure recovery in data packet networks based on fast determination of alternate routes
Data communications system for handling IP packets have a route evaluation mechanism for determining a least cost route for delivery a packet to a destination, and an alternate route evaluation mechanism for evaluating possible routes for packet delivery having cost different from the cost of the least cost route. In response to evaluation performed by the alternate route evaluation mechanism, an alternate route table generator produces an alternate route table containing alternate routes for delivery of the packet to the destination. A fast failure recovery algorithm is carried out to determine entries in the alternate route table. |
| US08310933B2 |
Method and a device for reporting the number of correctly decoded transport blocks in a wireless system
A method and a device for reporting the number of correctly decoded transport blocks in a wireless system. The maximum number of correctly decoded transport blocks within a reporting period is determined. Then the actual number of correctly decoded transport blocks is determined and cultivated into an indication thereof on the basis of the maximum number. The indication is sent to a network element capable of decoding it for analysis. |
| US08310928B2 |
Flow control system architecture
One or more flow control modules, implemented on various types of network topologies, provide a number of functionalities for controlling the flow of IP packets (such as TCP/IP packets) over a network connection. The flow control modules may be implemented within a sender and/or receiver or may be deployed into a network as a separate device without requiring significant additional resources. |
| US08310916B2 |
Data transmission apparatus and a data transmission method
A data transmission apparatus of this invention includes a first transmitting unit, a second transmitting unit, and a switching unit. The first transmitting unit generates a first error correction information, outputs the first data and the first error correction information to the switching unit and transmits a timing information of the first data and a first specified information to specify the first data to the second transmitting unit. The second transmitting unit compares a second specified information to specify the second data and the first specified information and transmitting the a first comparison result of the second specified information and the first specified information to the switching unit. The switching unit transmits the first data and the first error correction information when the first comparison result is not indicating a match of the second specified information and the first specified information. |
| US08310915B2 |
Method of transmitting OFDM signal and transmitter and receiver thereof
An OFDM transmitter includes, an allocation unit configured to allocate a first pilot signal and a first data signal respectively to at least one first pilot subcarrier and first data subcarriers within a subcarrier group that is identical among transmitters, and to allocate a second pilot signal and a second data signal respectively to at least one second pilot subcarrier and second data subcarriers outside the subcarrier group, a multiplier to multiply the first pilot signal and the first data signal by complex numbers set for the subcarriers, a modulator to subject the first pilot signal and the first data signal multiplied by the complex numbers and the second pilot signal and the second data signal to OFDM modulation in order to generate an OFDM signal, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the generated OFDM signal. |
| US08310911B2 |
Optical pickup apparatus
In an optical pickup apparatus, a major part of an optical path of a laser beam emitted from a first semiconductor laser device and an optical path of a laser beam emitted from a second semiconductor laser device 3 are shared. The first laser beam is transmitted through a quarter wavelength plate and a second reflecting mirror and is reflected by a first reflecting mirror. With this structure, the number of parts of optical systems disposed in the optical pickup apparatus is reduced, an attachment operation of the parts becomes easier, and a time required for adjusting an optical axis is reduced. Thus, an operational efficiency is greatly improved. |
| US08310909B2 |
Objective lens, optical pickup apparatus, and optical information recording reproducing apparatus
An objective lens relating to the present invention includes a first optical path difference providing structure in which a first basic structure and a second basic structure are overlapped with each other. The first basic structure is a blaze-type structure which emits a Xth-order diffracted light flux, when the first light flux passes through the first basic structure, where the value of X is an odd integer. At least a part of the first basic structure arranged around an optical axis includes a step facing an opposite direction to the optical axis. The second basic structure is a blaze-type structure which emits a Lth-order diffracted light flux, when the first light flux passes through the second basic structure, where the value of L is an even integer. At least a part of the second basic structure arranged around the optical axis includes a step facing the optical axis. |
| US08310903B1 |
Thermally-assisted magnetic recording head, head gimbals assembly, head arm assembly, and magnetic disk device, and method of manufacturing thermally-assisted magnetic recording head
A method of manufacturing a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes: providing bar including, arranged in a first direction, a plurality of thermally-assisted magnetic recording head sections each including a waveguide, and a plurality of light source units each including a substrate with a light source mounted on a first surface of the substrate; bonding a second surface of the substrate to the bar with a bonding layer while allowing a light emitting position of the light source to be in opposition to the waveguide and allowing the first surface to be parallel to the first direction; and separating the bar for each of the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head sections. The substrate is bonded to the bar by radiating each laser beam from a dead angle direction where the first surface on which the light source units are provided is hidden from view. |
| US08310900B2 |
Time information obtaining device and radio clock
Disclosed is a time information obtaining device comprising: a reception section to receive a standard time radio wave; an input waveform data generation section to generate input waveform data, based on data having the unit of time length; an estimated waveform data generation section to generate estimated waveform data, wherein the estimated waveform data comprises the value in which each sample point is described by the plurality of bits, and has the same time length as the input waveform data, and comprises at least one code which configures the time code, and a waveform of the estimated waveform data is sequentially shifted by a predetermined sample; a correlation value calculation section to calculate a correlation value; a correlation value comparison section to compare the correlation value to calculate an optimal value; and a control section to specify a beginning position of a second in the time code. |
| US08310899B2 |
Multiple receiver line deployment and recovery
Embodiments described herein relate to an apparatus and method of transferring seismic equipment to and from a marine vessel and subsurface location. In one embodiment, the method includes deploying at least one remotely operated vehicle from a vessel operating in a first direction, and operating the at least one remotely operated vehicle in a pattern relative to the direction of the vessel to form at least two receiver lines. |
| US08310895B2 |
Layout of memory cells and input/output circuitry in a semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array divided into a plurality of subarrays arranged in matrix form, the plurality of subarrays making up a plurality of subarray columns, an address pad column formed outside the memory cell array, the address pad column comprising a plurality of address pads that are arranged to be substantially parallel to the subarray columns, a data I/O pad column formed in a middle section of the memory cell array, the data I/O pad column comprising data I/O pads that are arranged to be substantially parallel to the subarray columns, an address input circuit arranged in the middle section of the memory cell array, and a pad input address line formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the subarray columns on the memory cell array, the pad input address line directly connecting the address pad and the address input circuit. |
| US08310893B2 |
Techniques for reducing impact of array disturbs in a semiconductor memory device
Techniques for reducing impact of array disturbs in a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for reducing impact of array disturbs in a semiconductor memory device by increasing the refresh rate to the semiconductor memory device based at least in part on a frequency of active operations. The method may comprise receiving a first refresh command including a first subarray address to perform a first refresh operation to a first logical subarray of memory cells associated with the first subarray address. The method may also comprise receiving a second refresh command including a second subarray address to perform a second refresh operation to a second logical subarray of memory cells associated with the second subarray address, wherein the second refresh command is received after a time period from the reception of the first refresh command. The method may further comprise performing a number of concurrent refresh operations during the time period. |
| US08310890B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of testing the same
A device and a method controlling the device are provided. A first command is supplied to the device in synchronization with a clock signal of a first frequency. The first command is to have the device perform a first operation. The frequency of the clock signal is changed from the first frequency to a second frequency higher than the first frequency. The device performs the first operation in synchronization with the clock signal of the second frequency following changing the frequency of the clock signal. |
| US08310889B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix pattern, a write amplifier which writes write data to the memory cell in synchronization with a clock, a sense amplifier which reads out the write data written in the memory cell in synchronization with the clock, a plurality of column select switches which connect the plurality of the memory cells with the sense amplifier and the write amplifier, a column address decoder which makes the column select switch corresponding to one column among the plurality of the memory cells a conductive state based on a column address, a row address decoder which activates the memory cell of one row based on a row address, and a test write circuit which writes data corresponding to a logical level of a test signal to the memory cell based on a test mode signal. |
| US08310885B2 |
Measuring SDRAM control signal timing
Measuring control signal timing for synchronous dynamic random access memory (‘SDRAM’), including combining into a trigger signal for an oscilloscope display control signals of an SDRAM under test, the control signals derived only from a single type of memory operations; and driving, continually during both READ and WRITE operations to and from the SDRAM under test, the oscilloscope display with a memory bus data signal (‘DQ’) and a memory bus clock signal (‘DQS’) from the SDRAM under test. |
| US08310882B2 |
Package apparatus and method of operating the same
A package apparatus includes at least one memory chip, a voltage detection circuit configured to make a determination of whether a voltage supplied to the memory chip is a specific voltage or higher, and a controller configured to control an operation of the memory chip based on a result of the determination. |
| US08310877B2 |
Read conditions for a non-volatile memory (NVM)
A method and memory are provided for determining a read reference level for a plurality of non-volatile memory cells. The method includes: performing a program operation of the plurality of non-volatile memory cells; determining a program level of a least programmed memory cell of the plurality of memory cells; performing an erase operation of the plurality of non-volatile memory cells; determining an erase level of a least erased memory cell of the plurality of memory cells; determining an operating window between the program level and the erase level; and setting the read reference level to be a predetermined offset from the erase level if the operating window is determined to compare favorably to a predetermined value. The memory includes registers for storing the program level and the erase level. |
| US08310874B2 |
Non-volatile memory device
A non-volatile memory device includes a cell array configured to read or write data, a local column switch configured to selectively connect a bit line of the cell array to a global bit line in response to a column selection signal, a global column switch configured to selectively connect the global bit line to a sense-amp in response to an enable signal, and a switching unit configured to selectively connect or sever a current path of the global column switch in response to a control signal corresponding to a bank active operation. |
| US08310873B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor memory device
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a non-volatile memory having a plurality of blocks each including a plurality of memory cells, a bit line electrically connected to one end of a current path of the memory cell, a source line electrically connected to the other end of the current path of the memory cell, a word line electrically connected to the gate electrode, a sense amplifier circuit electrically connected to the bit line and configured to read data from the memory cell, a row decoder electrically connected to the word line and configured to apply a read voltage at which the memory cell is set to an ON state to the word line, and a controller configured to measure a cell current flowing through the memory cell in the ON state to judge whether the memory cell has been degraded. |
| US08310869B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device, system, and programming method
A nonvolatile memory device stores program data in a first address area, determines whether the first address area is a most significant address area and whether the program data is reliable data, and upon determining that the first address area is not a most significant address area and that the program data is reliable data, additionally stores the program data in a second address area. |
| US08310867B2 |
Nonvolatile solid state magnetic memory and recording method thereof
A nonvolatile solid state magnetic memory with a ultra-low power consumption and a recording method thereof, the memory including a magnetic material having a magnetic anisotropy that can be changed by increasing or decreasing a carrier concentration, wherein a direction of an easy axis of magnetization, in which the magnetization is oriented easily, is controlled by increasing or decreasing the carrier concentration. The nonvolatile solid state magnetic memory including a recording layer of a magnetic material, and a recording method thereof, in which a carrier (electron or hole) concentration in the recording layer is increased and/or decreased, whereby the magnetization is rotated or reversed and the recording operation is performed. |
| US08310865B2 |
Semiconductor memory device having diode cell structure
A semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell, first and second voltage generating circuits generating first and second voltages, and a control circuit. A memory element and a diode included in the memory cell are connected in series between first and second lines. The first voltage has no temperature dependence, and the second voltage has a temperature dependence opposite to that of a forward voltage of the diode. The control circuit detects a resistance state of the memory element in accordance with a change in current flowing in the memory cell in a state where the first/second voltage is applied to the first/second in a read operation of the memory cell. |
| US08310863B2 |
Spin-current switchable magnetic memory element and method of fabricating the memory element
A method of fabricating a magnetic memory element includes forming a plurality of magnetic layers having a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy component, in which the plurality of magnetic layers includes a first magnetic layer having an alloy of a rare-earth metal and a transition metal, and a second magnetic layer. |
| US08310861B2 |
STT-MRAM cell structure incorporating piezoelectric stress material
A magnetic memory cell including a piezoelectric material, and methods of operating the memory cell are provided. The memory cell includes a stack, and the piezoelectric material may be formed as a layer in the stack or adjacent the layers of the cell stack. The piezoelectric material may be used to induce a transient stress during programming of the memory cell to reduce the critical switching current of the memory cell. |
| US08310860B1 |
SRAM strap row double well contact
An integrated circuit containing an SRAM array having a strap row. The strap row has a well tap active area that partially overlaps adjacent first polarity wells and a second polarity well that is located between the adjacent first polarity wells. A well contact plug is disposed on a top surface of a tap layer located within the well tap active area. |
| US08310857B2 |
Method for manufacturing a resistive switching memory cell comprising a nickel oxide layer operable at low-power and memory cells obtained thereof
A resistive switching non-volatile memory element is disclosed comprising a resistive switching metal-oxide layer sandwiched between and in contact with a top electrode and a bottom electrode, the resistive switching metal oxide layer having a substantial isotropic non-stoichiometric metal-to-oxygen ratio. For example, the memory element may comprise a nickel oxide resistive switching layer sandwiched between and in contact with a nickel top electrode and a nickel bottom electrode whereby the ratio oxygen-to-nickel of the nickel oxide layer is between 0 and 0.85. |
| US08310854B2 |
Identifying and accessing individual memory devices in a memory channel
In one embodiment of the invention, a memory integrated circuit is provided including a memory array, a register, and control logic coupled to the register. The memory array in the memory integrated circuit stores data. The register includes one or more bit storage circuits to store one or more identity bits of an identity value. The control logic provides independent sub-channel memory access into the memory integrated circuit in response to the one or more identity bits stored in the register. |
| US08310851B2 |
Method for operating an inverter having a step-up device connected upstream
The invention relates to a method for operating an inverter comprising a step-up device which is upstream-connected by means of an intermediate circuit and is connectable to a direct-current source with a variable reference sampling current wherein said inverter and the step-up device are provided with an efficiency optimizing working area, respectively. When the variable reference sampling current is raised and the step-up device approaches a pulse duty factor value, the intermediate circuit voltage is reduced and the variable reference sampling current is stabilized, said intermediate circuit voltage is re-raised. When the direct-current source is in a permanent operational state, the inverter and the step-up device operate in the efficiency optimizing working area thereof, respectively. |
| US08310850B2 |
Method and apparatus for varying current limit to limit an output power of a power supply
A power supply controller is disclosed. An example power supply controller includes an input voltage sense input coupled to sense an input voltage sense signal representative of an input voltage of a power supply. An output voltage sense input is coupled to sense an output voltage sense signal representative of an output voltage of the power supply. A current limit circuit is coupled to generate a current limit signal. The current limit signal is varied relative to a first ratio representative of a ratio of a product of the input voltage and a scaled output voltage of the power supply, to a sum of the input voltage and the scaled output voltage of the power supply. A drive signal generator is coupled to generate a drive signal in response to the current limit signal to drive the power switch of the power supply to limit an output power of the power supply in response to the input voltage. |
| US08310848B2 |
Direct AC power converting apparatus
A control section controls a current-source converter simultaneously with or prior to conduction of a power supply switch to connect a clamp capacitor and capacitors between a first input line on which a resistor is provided and any one of second and third input lines in parallel with each other. Accordingly, current is transmitted to the clamp capacitor via the resistor when the power supply switch is brought into conduction, which prevents inrush current from flowing to the clamp capacitor. In addition, for example, the capacitors are not charged prior to the clamp capacitor, whereby it is possible to prevent the inrush current from flowing from the capacitors to the clamp capacitor when they are connected in parallel with each other. |
| US08310842B1 |
Height reduction in portable devices
Components within a portable device are arranged around a perimeter of a display component to reduce the height of the portable device. Components such as a battery, a main logic board, a wireless networking interface, and so forth may be distributed around a display component such as an electrophoretic display. Distribution of components around the perimeter of the display component rather than behind the display component reduces the height. Furthermore, the placement of components in the perimeter provides a structure for a user to grip the portable device or for placement of user actuable controls. |
| US08310841B2 |
Integrated circuit die stacks having initially identical dies personalized with switches and methods of making the same
Integrated circuit die stacks having a first die mounted upon a substrate, the first die manufactured to be initially identical to a second die with a plurality of through silicon vias (‘TSVs’), the first die personalized by opening switches on the first die, converting the TSVs previously connected through the open switches into pass-through vias (‘PTVs’), each PTV implementing a conductive pathway through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and the second die, manufactured to be initially identical to the first die and later personalized by opening switches on the second die, the second die mounted upon the first die so that the PTVs in the first die connect signal lines from the substrate through the first die to TSVs in the second die. |
| US08310839B2 |
Capacitive touch switch and domestic appliance provided with such switch
A capacitive touch switch having a printed circuit board and a capacitive electrode connected to the circuit board is disclosed. The printed circuit board is transparent and is interposed between a planar light guide provided with a light source and a non-conductive transparent cover, the electrode being icon-shaped and supported by the printed circuit board. |
| US08310835B2 |
Systems and methods for providing vias through a modular component
This relates to systems and methods for providing one or more vias through a module of an electrical system. For example, in some embodiments, the module can include one or more passive and/or active elements of the electrical system around which a packaging has been plastic molded. The module can be stacked under another component of the electrical system. Vias can then be provided that extend through the module. The vias can include, for example, electrically conductive pathways. In this manner, the vias can provide electrical pathways for coupling the component stacked on top of the module to other entities of an electronic device including the electrical system. For example, the component can be coupled to other entities such as other components, other modules, printed circuit boards, other electrical systems, or to any other suitable entity. |
| US08310834B2 |
Module with housing for mounting rail
A module and tensioning means for mounting the module to a mounting rail are provided. The tensioning means are rotatably disposed about a pivot point disposed on a housing, wherein the tensioning means interact with anchoring means such that, by rotation of the tensioning means, the anchoring means are latched to a second clamping means of the mounting rail. |
| US08310833B2 |
Electronic circuit device and electronic key transceiver
A method of making an electronic circuit device includes placing a circuit board in a cavity of a mold such that one side of the circuit board is held in close contact with an inner surface of the cavity, and encapsulating the circuit board in a casing by filling the cavity with a resin material. The one side of the circuit board is exposed to one side of an outer surface of the casing to define part of the one side of the outer surface of the casing. The method further includes thinning the casing by machining the entire one side of the outer surface of the casing. |
| US08310830B2 |
Electronic device and frequency converter of motor
A frequency converter for driving a motor, includes a circuit board, having at least one first heat-generating element mounted thereon; a heat sink, connected to the at least one first heat-generating element; a fan, facing the heat sink; and a bracket, for positioning the at least one heat-generating element relative to the heat sink and the circuit board. The frequency converter includes a separating member for separating at least one portion of at least one second heat-generating element from the circuit board to prevent the cooling air guided to the at least one second heat-generating element from flowing to the circuit board. The frequency converter includes an airflow guiding member for guiding the cooling air from the fan to the heat sink and the at least one second heat-generating element and a flow guiding gate dispensing more airflow to the region corresponding to the at least one first heat-generating element. |
| US08310827B2 |
Strap mechanism for drawing an electronic device from a cage
A strap mechanism for drawing an electronic device from a cage in a first direction is disclosed. The strap mechanism includes a first rail. The first rail includes a first locking part for connecting with a lateral surface of the electronic device and disposed inside the cage in a slidable manner, and a first handle part connected to an end of the first locking part. A first slot is formed on the first handle part. The strap mechanism further includes a strap. A first end of the elastic strap is inserted inside the first slot. The strap is for contacting against the first handle part so as to provide a component force in the first direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to the first handle part when a deformation of the elastic strap is generated by being pulled in the first direction. |
| US08310823B2 |
Portable digital computer
The invention relates to a portable digital computer having a housing on which a keyboard, a detachable mouse and a swivelling monitor are disposed. The housing (10, 11) is configured in two parts and contains the accumulators only. The two housing parts can be swivelled by another hinge (12, 13) parallel to the first, and the keyboard (15) can be detached from the housing. A CD-ROM player (30) and the data processor are accommodated behind the monitor (14). The two housing parts (10, 11) can be laid one upon the other and serve as a support structure for the monitor. |
| US08310816B2 |
Solid electrolytic capacitors with improved reliability
A capacitor with an anode, a dielectric on the anode and a cathode on the dielectric. A transition layer is on the cathode wherein the transition layer has a blocking layer. A plated layer is on the transition layer. The cathode is electrically connected to a cathode termination through the transition layer. |
| US08310808B2 |
Multilayer capacitor
A multilayer capacitor includes a dielectric body formed by a plurality of dielectric layers, a first conductor layer, a second conductor layer, a first terminal electrode, and a second terminal electrode formed on a first side face of side faces of the dielectric body in parallel to a stacking direction Z. The first and second conductor layers respectively include first and second lead portions connected to the first and second terminal electrodes. A relation (a+c)/(b×n)≦0.035 is formed between a length “a” between the first and second lead portions in a vertical direction to the stacking direction Z, a length “b” between conductor layers positioned at both ends of the dielectric body in the stacking direction, a space length “c” between the first side face and the first conductor layer, a total number “n” of the conductor layers. |
| US08310807B2 |
Capacitors having dielectric regions that include multiple metal oxide-comprising materials
Capacitors and methods of forming capacitors are disclosed, and which include an inner conductive metal capacitor electrode and an outer conductive metal capacitor electrode. A capacitor dielectric region is received between the inner and the outer conductive metal capacitor electrodes and has a thickness no greater than 150 Angstroms. Various combinations of materials of thicknesses and relationships relative one another are disclosed which enables and results in the dielectric region having a dielectric constant k of at least 35 yet leakage current no greater than 1×10−7 amps/cm2 at from −1.1V to +1.1V. |
| US08310802B2 |
Metallization film capacitor having divided electrode with fuse
A metallization film capacitor that achieves both high heat resistance and high withstand voltage at the same time. A metal-deposited electrode is formed on a PEN film in each of a pair of metalized films. These metalized films are wound such that the metal-deposited electrodes face each other via the dielectric film in between. A metalized contact electrode is formed on both end faces of these wound metalized films to configure the metallization film capacitor. A divisional electrode is provided on the metal-deposited electrode. In addition, a fuse is coupled to this divisional electrode for providing a self-maintaining function. Pass rate a/b of a deposition pattern is set to 4.0 or smaller, where ‘a’ is the fuse width, and ‘b’ is the length of the divisional electrode in a lengthwise direction of the metalized films. |
| US08310801B2 |
Flame sensing voltage dependent on application
A system for operating a flame sensing device to obtain readings of increased accuracy without degrading the life of the sensor. There may be levels of a flame requiring a precise measurement. One improvement of accuracy uses higher voltage on the sensor, but this degrades the sensor and thus shortens it life. Further improvement may be achieved by limiting the time that the sensor is operated at a higher voltage. Readings, as if the sensor were operated at a higher voltage, may be inferred from actual readings of the sensor operated at a lower voltage. |
| US08310799B2 |
Transient voltage protection device, material, and manufacturing methods
A transient voltage suppression device includes a dielectric layer defining a receptacle for a variable impedance material proximate a gapped electrode. Methods for manufacturing the device and for formulating a variable voltage material at lower cost and with higher manufacturing yields is also provided. |
| US08310797B2 |
Short circuit protection circuit, short circuit protection method and power supply device thereof
A short circuit protection circuit for a power supply device includes a driving transistor, for controlling to output an input voltage to a load according to a first control voltage; a shutdown transistor, coupled with the driving transistor, for controlling a level of the first control voltage according to a second control voltage; and an energy storage module, coupled with the shutdown transistor, for storing energy of the input voltage, to output a specific voltage as the second control voltage in a specific interval after short-circuit occurs. |
| US08310794B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for electric power supply
The aim of the invention is to reduce the frequency change of a electric network in fault situations so that there is no need for protection operations during relatively short imbalances between electricity production and demand thereof. The aim is achieved by means of an apparatus, system and method for electric power supply according to main claims for directing electric power to the electric motor (7). The apparatus according to the invention monitors the frequency of the network (1). In case the frequency of the network changes sufficiently, the apparatus reacts by changing the amount of electric power directed to the electric motor (7). The electric supply network (1) is provided with an opportunity to change the amount of produced electric energy in a controlled way so that the electric supply network is continuously in operation. |
| US08310792B2 |
Magneto-resistive element for a magneto-resistive device and method of manufacturing thereof
A magnetoresistive element (MR element) for reading a change in a magnetic field of a magnetic recording medium includes first and second electrode layers for providing a sensing current, which are perpendicular to an air bearing surface (ABS) facing the magnetic recording medium, first and second free layers which have a magnetization direction which changes in accordance with an external magnetic field, and a spacer layer composed of non-magnetic material. A ratio of a representative width and a representative length of each of the first and second free layers is at least 2 to 1, to thereby provide initial magnetizations along a direction of the representative length of each of the first and second free layers. |
| US08310782B2 |
Dedicated ID-OD writer with beveled pole tips and method of manufacture
A transducing head for use with a storage medium rotatable about an axis includes first and second writers for writing to the storage medium. The first writer is configured for dedicated writing to a first radial region of the storage medium, and the second writer is configured for dedicated writing to a second radial region of the storage medium. The second radial region is located radially outward from the first radial region. |
| US08310779B2 |
Head assembly having a sensing element
A head or slider having a sensor element to detect changes in head-media spacing is disclosed. In illustrated embodiments the sensor element includes a piezoelectric sensor layer or similar layer that provides acoustic emission or vibration responsive to changes in head-media spacing. In illustrated embodiments, the sensor element is located proximate to the close point of the head and slider. In embodiments described in the specification, output from the sensor element is utilized to energize a heating element or microactuator to control pole tip protrusion or actuation of transducer elements responsive to changes in head-media spacing. |
| US08310777B2 |
Systems and methods for reducing crosstalk between adjacent writers
In one general embodiment, a recording system controller includes a controller controlling a timing of flux switching of adjacent pairs of writers such that the writers in a given pair do not switch substantially concurrently, and reducing a current of one of the writers in the pair while the adjacent writer is writing a transition. In another general embodiment, a recording system controller includes a controller controlling a timing of pulse writing of adjacent pairs of writers such that the writers in a given pair do not pulse substantially concurrently. In yet another general embodiment, a method includes controlling a timing of pulse writing or flux switching of adjacent pairs of writers such that the writers in a given pair do not pulse or switch substantially concurrently. |
| US08310776B2 |
High speed writer
An apparatus comprising a control circuit, a driver circuit and a write head. The control circuit may be configured to generate a plurality of control signals in response to a data input signal. The driver circuit may be configured to generate a differential write control signal in response to the plurality of control signals. The driver circuit may receive the plurality of control signals through a flexible bus. The driver circuit may be located remotely from the control circuit. The write head may be configured to write information by physically moving above one of a plurality of tracks on a disk in response to the write control signal. The driver circuit may be configured to move along with the write head. |
| US08310766B2 |
Two-dimensional lensing arrangment for optical beam collimation and beam orientation
An arrangement for collimating and turning an optical beam utilizing a pair of two-dimensional lenses to separate the collimation into separate one-dimensional operations, while using one of the two-dimensional lenses to also perform the turning operation. A first two-dimensional lensing surface is disposed at the endface of a launching waveguide. This first two-dimensional lensing surface provides collimation along one axis of the system (for example, the X axis). A second two-dimensional lensing surface is provided by introducing a defined curvature to a turning mirror in the system. The curvature of the turning mirror is designed to create collimation (or focusing, if desired) in the orthogonal beamfront (in this case, the Y axis beamfront), while also re-directing the propagating signal into the desired orientation. |
| US08310765B2 |
Color separating optical system
A color separating optical system including first to third prisms for separating incident light from an objective lens into three primary color light components, so as to project three color-separated images of a subject onto first to third image sensors, respectively. In order to prevent ghosts from being superposed on a center area of an image frame, the color separating optical system satisfies the condition: α≈(βm+βm+1)/2, wherein “α” represents a tilt angle of a second dichroic film on the second prism to a perpendicular plane to an optical axis of the objective lens, and “βm” a diffraction angle of the second light component diffractively reflected from the second image sensor and reentering the second prism. |
| US08310764B2 |
Image display device and head mount display
Provided are an image display device and HMD, which can make an observer observe an image with reduced luminance nonuniformity and reduced color nonuniformity, while making the image bright by reducing the degree of diffusion with a constitution employing a means which diffuses incident light in one direction. In the image display device, light from a light source is diffused in one direction with the diffusing means and is guided to a display element, and image light emitted from the display element is guided to an optical pupil through a lens. The image display device with the constitution satisfies the expression Hw/f≦tan 1′Kw/(f+δ), wherein Hw is the aperture width of pixels of the display element in the diffusing direction of the diffusing means, Kw is the maximum pitch of recesses and protrusions in the diffusing direction of the diffusing means, f is the focal length of the lens, and δ is the distance between the display surface of the display element and the diffusing surface of the diffusing means. |
| US08310763B2 |
Informative eyeglasses
The invention relates to informative eyeglasses (500) comprising: —an optical guide (514) forming an eyeglass lens (500) and exhibiting an injection section (504) and an extraction section (508), —a catadioptric collimator (150) comprising: —a refractive entrance surface (202), a first reflecting surface (204), a second reflecting surface (206) and a refractive exit surface (208), each surface (202, 204, 206, 208) constituting a surface of revolution with the same axis of revolution, said axis of revolution constituting the optical axis (102) of the collimator (150), —an illumination source (104) generating an incident light beam (108) illuminating the refractive entrance surface (202), and the axis of which is shifted with respect to said optical axis (102) and which is substantially in the focal plane of said catadioptric collimator (150). |
| US08310757B2 |
Wire grid polarizers in window shading applications and varying thickness wave retarders
A light transmissive panel comprising a first sheet and a second sheet, wherein each sheet is made up of a non-birefringent substrate and a wire grid polarizer pattern of continuously varying absorption axis orientation formed on the non-birefringent substrate. The wire grid polarizer patterns on each of the first and second sheet are mechanically translatable relative to each other, wherein the mechanical translation controls transmission of light through the light transmissive panel. Light transmissive panels wherein each sheet of the panel is made of a wire grid polarizer that is laminated with a continuous variable thickness wave plate retarder, wherein the continuous variable thickness wave plate retarder rotates input light by an amount determined by the thickness of the wave plate retarder. |
| US08310749B2 |
Ultra-short high-power light pulse source
An ultra-short high-power light pulse source including a first laser pump source (1), a mode-locked laser oscillator (2), a second laser pump source (4), a waveguide (6) capable of inserting spectral phases into the light pulses, and a compressor (8) capable of generating predetermined spectral phases into the light pulses. The waveguide (6) includes an element capable of compensating the predetermined spectral phases generated at least by the compressor (8), the second laser pump source (4) being capable of delivering a second pump light flow (5) having a power PL such that the spectral phases generated by the wave guide (6) are opposed or quasi opposed to the predetermined spectral phases generated by the compressor (8) in order to generate compressed ultra-short light pulses (9) at the output of the compressor (8) with a planar or quasi planar spectral phase. |
| US08310746B2 |
Method and an apparatus for displaying three-dimensional image using a hologram optical element
The image display device including a lighting unit having a plurality of light source units, a hologram optical unit, which reproduces light to form a plurality of screen images spatially apart from each other when light is incident from the lighting unit, and a display panel, which modulates light reproduced by the hologram optical unit according to image signals. |
| US08310743B2 |
Image forming apparatus and density unevenness correction method therein
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: an image forming section to form an image on paper based on image data according to an image forming condition to output the image on the paper; a storage section to store a plurality of correction values corresponding to setting conditions of the image forming condition, the correction values used for correction of density unevenness in a main scanning direction of the image; a density correction section to perform correction of density of each pixel of the image data based on the correction value; and a control section to read out the correction value according to a set condition in the image forming condition from the storage section and to allow the density correction section to perform the correction of the density of each pixel of the image data based on the read out correction value. |
| US08310742B2 |
Image reading apparatus
An apparatus includes: a reading unit performing a reading operation whenever a line start signal is input thereto; a transport unit transporting anyone of the reading unit and the reading target document; an encoder outputting an encoder signal whenever a transport target is moved by a predetermined distance; a control unit transmitting the line start signal to the reading unit; a time measuring unit measuring a time elapsed from a time point when the line start signal was last transmitted; a cycle measuring unit measuring an output time interval of the encoder signal, as an encoder cycle; and a storage unit storing the latest encoder cycle, wherein the control unit transmits the line start signal to the reading unit whenever the elapsed time is equal to or greater than a time obtained by multiplying a value of the encoder cycle by a correction coefficient determined by a ratio R2/R1. |
| US08310738B2 |
Scanning optical device, image forming device and jitter correction method
A scanning optical device includes a rotating polygonal mirror having a plurality of reflecting faces. A first light source emits a first light beam from one section obtained by sectioning the scanning optical device with a plane passing through the rotation axis of the rotating polygonal mirror. A second light source emits a second light beam from the other section. The first calculation unit calculates scan time of the first light source. The second calculation unit calculates scan time of the second light source. The jitter correction unit corrects jitter by controlling a pixel clock supplied to the first light source according to the scan time of the second light source. The jitter correction unit also corrects jitter by controlling a pixel clock supplied to the second light source according to the scan time of the first light source. |
| US08310737B2 |
Image reading apparatus
An image reading apparatus of the present invention includes a first light source, a first light guide, a second light source, a second light guide, light receiving elements and a lens unit. The first light source emits first light. The first light guide directs the first light from the first light source toward an image-carrying object as first linear light extending in a primary scanning direction. The second light source emits second light of a wavelength different from that of the first light. The second light guide directs the second light from the second light source toward the image-carrying object as second linear light extending in the primary scanning direction. The light receiving elements are arranged in the primary scanning direction. The first and second linear lights are reflected by the image-carrying object, and the reflected lights are guided by the lens unit toward the light receiving elements. |
| US08310726B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, image processing program, and printing apparatus
An image processing apparatus including a specific image detection unit detecting an area including at least a part of a specific image in an input image, a representative color calculation unit calculating a representative color of the specific image on the basis of pixels belonging to the area detected by the specific image detection unit, plural correction curve acquisition units which acquire plural correction curves resulting in gradation correction for every element color on the basis of the gradation value for every element color constituting the representative color after correction, and plural correction units which correct the gradation value for every element color in each pixel constituting the input image based on the obtained plural correction curves. |
| US08310725B1 |
Print processing device and control method with registration of unregistered language required to perform function
A print processing device including a printing unit to print an image on a sheet, a reading unit to read a sheet, an operation unit including keys to be operated by a user, a print control unit to cause the printing unit to print either a first sheet for selecting an image from a plurality of images stored in a storage medium or a second sheet for selecting a language to be used in the first sheet, and an analyzing unit configured to analyze an image read by the reading unit. If a language is not registered, when the image corresponding to the second sheet is detected as an analysis result by the analyzing unit, the first sheet is printed using a language associated with the detected image and when the image corresponding to the second sheet is not detected, the second sheet is printed. |
| US08310724B2 |
Apparatus and method for shift invariant differential (SID) image data interpolation in fully populated shift invariant matrix
An image processing system for interpolating image data is comprised of a shift invariant point determining device, an illumination averager, a second order differentiator, and color data calculator. The shift invariant point determining device ascertains shift invariant points within the mosaic color element array pattern. The illumination averager determines average illumination values of clusters of a plurality of pixels. The second order differentiator determines a second order derivative of the average illumination values of the clusters of the plurality of pixels. The color data calculator determines color data for each of the plurality of pixels from the image data and second order derivative. A second order derivative scaler multiplies the second order derivative by a scaling factor for selectively smoothing and sharpening the second order derivative. A color data averager averages color data values of adjacent pixels to a resolution of the image data. |
| US08310723B2 |
Image processing apparatus, printing apparatus, and image processing method
In an image processing for printing a monochrome image, color deviation can be suppressed to print a favorable monochrome image. Specifically, the printing of a monochrome image is performed by using black ink in all of a color reproduction region (color gamut) including a gray axis and regions other than the gray axis. This avoids the use of C, M, and Y for the expression of the monochrome image to suppress the color deviation due to slight imbalance among amounts of three colors of inks. |
| US08310716B2 |
Systems and methods for designing a set of black generation transfer curves
A method for designing a black generation transfer curve is described. A table is produced to convert a first signal in a first signal space to a second signal in a second signal space. Color measurement data of a device is obtained. The color measurement data relates to a signal-to-color response of the device. A black generation transfer curve is designed constrained by the color measurement data of the device. |
| US08310715B2 |
Mechanism for verifying variable print data
A printing system is disclosed. The printing system includes a first printer to print to a medium a first type of data and a shadow image of variable data to be printed on the medium, and a second printer to print the variable data to the medium based on the barcode over the shadow image. |
| US08310709B2 |
Color printing system
In a color printing system the printer driver automatically obtains local characteristic information, such as countries, cities, languages, etc., stored in the OS of the host computer. The printer driver or the image forming apparatus color-converts the input data into output data, which reflects the color preference of the specific region where the image forming apparatus is installed, by using the look-up table corresponding to the local characteristic information obtained by the printer driver. Accordingly, the color preference of the specific region, in which the image forming apparatus is installed, is set more quickly and easily without requiring a complicated structure. The system includes a host computer to store local characteristic information of a region where an apparatus is installed, a printer driver to store look-up tables according to the local characteristic information, to select a look-up table corresponding to the local characteristic information obtained from the host computer, and to convert input data into output data representing a color corresponding to a color preference of a specific region by using the selected look-up table, and an image forming apparatus which is connected to the host computer so as to receive and print the output data, which is color-converted by the printer driver. |
| US08310703B2 |
Printing and scanning with cloud storage
Methods and system for printing a print job with cloud storage are disclosed. A web print server is provided for accessing a cloud storage server. The web print server is operable to download a print job from the cloud storage server to the web print server. The web print server downloads the print job based on an identification (of the print job) that is received from a web client remotely over a network. Subsequently, the print web server sends the print job to a printer for the print job to be printed from the printer. In one embodiment, the printer may comprise the web client. |
| US08310698B2 |
Image forming apparatus and activating method thereof
An image forming apparatus includes a memory interface configured to receive an external memory, an internal memory, a reading unit, a writing unit, and an activating unit. The activating unit activates the image forming apparatus when an external memory is connected to the memory interface and model data read from the external memory by the reading unit is the same as model data about the image forming apparatus stored in the internal memory. |
| US08310695B2 |
Integrated adaptable accounting system for a print job
A system for accounting for a print job includes a print device having a database, and a server having a database. The print device and the server communicate via a network. The print device and/or the server have means for dynamically updating accounting information for the print job that communicates with the print device and the server via the network. The accounting information resides in the database of the print device and/or the database of the server. A method for accounting for a print job includes providing at least one print device having at least one database and at least one server having at least one database. The method includes communicating between the print devices and the servers via a network for dynamically updating accounting information for the print job stored on the databases of the print devices and/or the databases of the servers. |
| US08310690B2 |
Image reading apparatus
The presence or absence of outside light is individually decided with respect to each of the time of executing AFE adjusted value acquiring processing, the time of executing LED adjusted value acquiring processing and the time of executing black correction data acquiring processing. In the case of deciding that the outside light is present, a parameter in the case of deciding that the outside light is present is modified to a predetermined value or a reacquired value. As a result of this, even when an incident state of outside light changes at the time of acquiring each of the parameters, it can properly be switched whether or not their parameters are replaced with the predetermined value or the reacquired value. |
| US08310688B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and image forming program storage medium
A set value output circuit includes a first output unit and a second output unit. The first output unit outputs a signal input to a first input when a first timing signal is input to a second input, and continues to output the signal until a next first timing signal is input. The second output unit outputs the signal input to a third input when the second timing signal is input to a fourth input, and continues to output the signal until a next second timing signal is input. A selection unit inputs a selected timing signal as the second timing signal to the fourth input. A control unit inputs the first timing signal to the second input, so that a set value for an image to be formed next is output during image formation using the signal output from the second output. |
| US08310687B2 |
Device, system, and computer-readable record medium storing program for using information associated with images
In an image information storage device, a registration information storage unit stores registration information while associating it with first image data stored in an image data storage unit, while storing registration information for area information representing one of areas set in a drawing area of first image data stored in the image data storage unit. When an input specifying an area represented by area information is made while an image represented by first image data stored in the image data storage unit is displayed on a display screen, a search unit searches for second image data associated with registration information that has been associated with the area information in the registration information storage unit. An output control unit controls output of image/information to the display screen while outputting an image represented by the second image data search by the search unit to the display screen. |
| US08310686B2 |
Method for measuring the thickness or curvature of thin films
A method and means for determining the thickness, or curvature, of a thin film or stack of thin films disposed on the surface of a substrate having a curvature comprising generating a beam of radiation, focusing the beam through the one or more films onto a surface of the substrate, measuring the intensity across the reflected beam as a function of the angle of incidence of a plurality of rays derived from the focussed beam, determining the path of each of the plurality of rays and determining the thickness, or curvature of the film, or films, from the angular dependent intensity measurement. |
| US08310680B2 |
Plasmon tomography
Plasmon energy is produced by exciting a plasmon resonance at least one excitation position on a first surface of a first material, and the plasmon energy is detected at at least one measurement position on the first surface after the plasmon energy has propagated from the at least one excitation position to the at least one measurement position. An attenuation of plasmon energy is determined along a plurality of paths between the at least one excitation position and the at least one measurement position, and relative distances between the first surface and a second surface of a second material are determined at a plurality of points on at least one of the surfaces based on the determined attenuation of plasmon energy along the plurality of paths. |
| US08310678B2 |
Analyzing device and analyzing method
Provided is a device in which light from a sample 7 fixed in a test piece 1 is captured by an image sensor 5 through an optical system made up of a lens 3, a diaphragm 4, and so on and concentration information is obtained, wherein a wide-band light source 12 for illuminating the test piece 1 is combined with an optical filter 13 for optionally selecting a wavelength of the light captured by the image sensor. Thus it is possible to reduce a measurement error caused by a change of the light quantity distribution of the light source 12. |
| US08310675B2 |
System and process for analyzing a sample
A system and process for analyzing a sample includes an excitation section and an analyze section, said excitation section including a light source emitting an incident measurement luminous beam, a polarization state generator (PSG), first optics, and said analyze section includes a polarization state analyzer (PSA), a detection system and second optics. The excitation section includes an illumination source emitting an incident visualization luminous beam, superposition optics that direct the incident visualization luminous beam toward the sample surface along an optical axis which is identical to the optical axis of the incident measurement luminous beam and the analyze section includes separation optics that transmit a part of the reflected or transmitted visualization luminous beam and a part of the reflected or transmitted measurement luminous beam towards a visualization direction. |
| US08310673B2 |
Light source
To provide a light source which realizes accurate determination of the particle density of a plasma atmosphere without disturbing the state of the plasma atmosphere.The light source of the invention includes a tubular casing 12; a cooling medium passage 30 for causing a cooling medium to flow therethrough, the passage being provided along the inner wall of the casing; a lens 50 provided at a tip end of the casing; a first electrode 44 and a second electrode 45 which are provided in the casing and before the lens so as to be vertical to the axis of the casing and parallel to each other; and an insulating spacer 46 provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The light source further includes a hole 47 axially penetrating the center portions of the first electrode, the insulating spacer, and the second electrode; and an electric discharge gas passage for introducing an electric discharge gas, along the inner wall of the cooling medium passage, to the back surface of the lens so that the electric discharge gas is reflected by thepslens and flows through the hole. |
| US08310669B2 |
Spectroscopic imaging method and system for exploring the surface of a sample
A spectroscopic imaging system includes a microscopic or macroscopic device including an objective, a housing including a spectroscope, and scanning means disposed between the objective and the spectroscope. During the scanning of the excitation beam on a scanned area on the sample surface, the energy of the emitted light beam is integrated on the pixels of the detection means, generating average spectral data for each line of pixels. Storage means are connected to the detection means, including a memory able to store average spectral data of M lines of pixels. An imaging device is connected to the storage means, and the average spectral data of M lines of pixels are sent simultaneously toward the imaging device in order to obtain an average spectroscopic image of the scanned area. |
| US08310647B2 |
Image display device and manufacturing method of the same
Disorder in the initial orientation (pretilt angle) and active orientation of liquid crystal molecules associated with higher resolution can be reduced to achieve high image quality displays. A layer having a drive element is bonded into an adhesive layer above color filters provided on the inner surface of a rear panel. The layer with the drive element, a drive electrode (pixel electrode), and a counter electrode are buried in the adhesive layer, so that the surface on the liquid crystal layer side is smooth. An orientation film is formed on the smooth surface to have a liquid crystal orientation control capability (orientation capability). A front panel includes a transparent substrate formed of glass or resin, with a smooth surface on the liquid crystal layer side. An orientation film is formed on the smooth surface of the front panel also to have liquid crystal orientation control capability (orientation capability). |
| US08310645B2 |
Wiring board and liquid crystal display device
A wiring board of the present invention has pads disposed in a plurality of rows including: first row pads each being connected to a respective one of the connection wires that is long in length; and second row pads (30b) each being connected to a respective one of the connection wires that is shorter in length than that of first connection wires (10a) connected to the first row pads, each of the first connection wires (10a) being provided not in a region between adjacent ones of the second row pads (30b) but in a lower layer region of the second row pads (30b), in such a manner that at least a first insulating layer (20a) is sandwiched between the second row pads (30b) and the first connection wires (10a), and 0.8≦W1/W2≦1, where W1 is a line width of the first connection wires (10a) in the lower layer region of the second row pads (30b), and W2 is a width of the second row pads (30b). |
| US08310635B2 |
Electro-optic device, electronic instrument, and projection display
The invention provides, an electro-optic device that can include a pair of substrates sandwiching an electro-optic substance therebetween. The electro-optic device can further include a coating member including an antistatic material and being disposed on a surface not opposing the electro-optic substance of at least one of the pair of substrates. Accordingly, problems of dust adhesion on the surface of the electro-optic device and dust projection can be solved so as to enable images with high quality to be displayed. |
| US08310634B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising a first optical compensating member between the liquid crystal layer and one of the first and second polarizing layers
A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates with first and second polarizing layers, a liquid-crystal layer, a matrix-driven electrode group; and a rear-illuminating device. Between the first polarizing layer and the liquid-crystal layer, a first optical compensating member is disposed without a birefringent medium sandwiched between the liquid-crystal layer and the first optical compensating member, and the first optical compensating member is constructed so that when a refractive index thereof in a slow-axis direction in a plane parallel to the substrate is taken as n1, a refractive index in a fast-axis direction in the plane parallel to the substrate is taken as n2, and a refractive index in a thickness direction is taken as n3, the first optical compensating member satisfies n1≈n3>n2, and a slow axis thereof in the plane parallel to the substrate is substantially vertical to an optical axis of the liquid-crystal layer. |
| US08310631B2 |
Reflective polarizer with micro-beads and blue colorant
In this disclosure, a blue colorant is added in the adhesion layer of a reflective polarizer to compensate the chromaticity difference caused by the reflective polarizer itself and large horizontal viewing angle. The chromaticity difference can be further reduced by adding beads in the adhesion layer and/or forming light-gathering microstructures on the outer surface of the quarter wave plate of the reflective polarizer. |
| US08310628B2 |
Production method of color filter substrate, production method of liquid crystal display device, color filter substrate, and liquid crystal display device
The present invention provides a production method of a color filter substrate that can efficiently produce a color filter substrate including a multi-layer spacer. The production method of the color filter of the present invention is a production method of a color filter substrate including a colored layer, an electrode, a light-shielding layer, and a multi-layer spacer on a substrate, the production method including the steps of: forming the colored layer and a base colored layer of the multi-layer spacer, forming the electrode, and forming the light-shielding layer and a top layer of the multi-layer spacer. |
| US08310627B2 |
Display device and television receiver apparatus
In a display device 10 according to the present invention, a display panel 11 and an optical sheet 15 are adjacent to each other without any other members therebetween. A chassis 14 housing a light source 17 has a sheet supporting portion 21b for supporting the optical sheet 15 at an outer-edge part thereof. A panel supporting member 250 for supporting the display panel 11 is arranged on the sheet supporting portion 21b. The optical sheet 15 has a cutout 151 and a tab 152 at an outer-edge part thereof. The tab 152 is supported by the sheet supporting portion 21b. The panel supporting member 250 is inserted in the cutout 151 and supports the display panel 11. |
| US08310618B2 |
Image display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same with a slim thickness
Disclosed are an image display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same. The image display apparatus includes a display panel displaying an image, a light supplying sheet provided under the display panel and supplying light to the display panel, an attaching unit attaching the light supplying sheet on the display panel, and a reflective layer under the light supplying sheet. The light supplying sheet includes a support member, a transparent conductive layer on the support member, and a plurality of light emitting devices on the transparent conductive layer. |
| US08310617B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes: a liquid crystal display panel having a liquid crystal layer disposed between substrates facing each other; and a supporting frame holding the liquid crystal display panel and capable of being attached to backlight means, wherein an optical sheet disposed on the backlight means side of the liquid crystal display panel is provided, the supporting frame includes an upper frame, a mold frame, and a lower frame, the upper frame and the mold frame sandwiching the liquid crystal display panel therebetween, the mold frame and the lower frame sandwiching the optical sheet therebetween, and first fixing means (including a screw) for fixedly coupling the upper frame, the mold frame, and the lower frame with one another and second fixing means (including a screw) for fixedly coupling only the lower frame with the backlight means are separately disposed. |
| US08310615B2 |
Backlight module for preventing films from waving or curving
A backlight module which includes a frame and a first prism film is provided. The frame includes sidewall which encloses an inner space. The first prism film is disposed within the inner space and has a plurality of prisms on it. The prisms are in parallel and adjacent to each other, and the prisms extend along a first extending direction. The first prism film has a surrounding edge, which includes a first edge and a second edge. The prisms include a center prism being substantially located in a center position of all prisms. The center prism insects the surrounding edge at two intersection points; a first distance D1 is between the intersection point and the sidewall. The surrounding edge further has an end point being located farthest from the center prism. A second distance D2 is between the end point and the sidewall. The first distance D1 is larger than the second distance D2. |
| US08310614B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having a curved shape comprising positive and negative curvatures
A liquid crystal display device preventing a liquid crystal display panel from damage by bending of a light-transmissive substrate and capable of curving a display surface of the panel is provided. The liquid crystal display device comprising: a liquid crystal display panel having a liquid crystal layer sealed between a pair of light-transmissive substrates having pixel formation electrodes on inner surfaces thereof, and formed by assembling positive and negative curved surfaces with respect to one direction; a backlight mounted on a rear surface of the panel along a curved shape of the panel and having at least one light emission device irradiating illumination light toward the rear surface; and a resin member held in a space between peripheral portions where the panel is opposed to the backlight, and fixing and holding a curved state, is provided. Distortion of the light transmissive glass substrates by bending of the panel is eased. |
| US08310605B2 |
Liquid-crystal display apparatus
A liquid crystal display apparatus comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer and a plurality of pixels. The second substrate is arranged opposite to the first substrate with a gap. The liquid crystal layer is held between the first substrate and the second substrate. The pixels are provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. Each pixel has a first pixel part including a switching element and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the switching element, and a second pixel part including a switching element and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the switching element. The first liquid crystal molecules lying on the first pixel part of each pixel are oriented independently of second liquid crystal molecules lying on the second pixel part of the pixel. |
| US08310602B2 |
Interactive remote control
A remote control that includes buttons on the side or bottom may be used to control television viewing provided through a set-top box. In one particular implementation, a method may include receiving, by the set-top box, a signal from the remote control indicating entry to an interactive input mode and receiving another signal from the remote control indicating motion of the remote control. The set-top box may identify an intended command based on the second signal and control television programming in response to the command. |
| US08310595B2 |
Phase determination for resampling video
A method, and apparatus, and logic encoded in one or more computer-readable media to carry out a method. The method is to sample analog video at a sample clock rate and at a phase selected from a set of phases based on a quality measure determined from the sampled video. The quality measure is based on statistics of pixel to pixel differences in a coordinate of the generated digital video that have a magnitude exceeding a pre-determined threshold. |
| US08310589B2 |
Digital still camera including shooting control device and method of controlling same
Disclosed is a digital still camera in which amount of exposure is decided appropriately even when there is a changeover from one shooting scene to another. When a shooting mode is set, a first shooting scene discrimination is performed before a shutter-release button is half-pushed. A first amount of exposure is calculated using a program diagram suited to the shooting scene that has been discriminated by the first shooting scene discrimination. Shooting for focusing control is performed at an exposure corresponding to the first amount of exposure, whereby image data is obtained. Focusing control is carried out based upon the image data obtained, and shooting is performed again. Second shooting scene discrimination is performed based upon the image data obtained by shooting. A second amount of exposure is calculated using a program diagram suited to the shooting scene that has been discriminated by the second shooting scene discrimination. Shooting for recording purposes is performed at the exposure corresponding to the second amount of exposure and the image data obtained is recorded. |
| US08310584B2 |
Image sensing device having thin thickness
An image sensing device includes an image sensing chip, an optical module and a protecting element. The image sensing chip has a front surface defining an image sensing region thereon. The optical module includes a barrel and at least one transparent element. The barrel is directly disposed on the front surface and around the image sensing region. The transparent element is disposed in the barrel and faces to the image sensing region. The protecting element covers an area of the front surface outside the optical module and surrounds the barrel. The image sensing device has a thin thickness. |
| US08310578B2 |
Image sensors and methods with column readout circuits
An image sensor includes a pixel array, a plurality of column readout lines, and a plurality of column readout circuits. The pixel array includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. Each of the plurality of column readout lines is connected to a corresponding at least two pixels of the plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of column readout circuits is connected to a corresponding column readout line of the plurality of column readout lines and includes an amplifier, a first capacitor connected between the corresponding column readout line and an input of the amplifier, and a second capacitor connected between the corresponding column readout line and the input of the amplifier. |
| US08310576B2 |
Imaging system and driving method thereof with image output based on signal amplification
An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging system capable of improving S/N ratio and increasing dynamic range and a method of driving the imaging system suited to the improvement and increase. An imaging system includes: a solid-state imaging device having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, column amplifiers each corresponding to each of columns of the pixels and an output portion for outputting an image signal based on an amplification by the column amplifier; and a signal processing portion receiving the image signal, wherein the column amplifier amplifies a signal output from the pixel by a gain q larger than 1, and the signal processing portion multiplies, by a factor less than 1, the image signal based on the signal amplified by the gain q. |
| US08310573B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, signal processing method thereof and image capturing apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes a color filter array based on a checkered pattern array and in which two pixels adjacent to each other in at least one of upper/lower and right/left directions have the same color. The color filter array is a color filter array in which a spatial sampling point (x, y) is approximately arranged in at least one of (x=3*(2n−1+oe)+1±2 and y=3m−2 (n and m are an integer, oe has a value of 0 when m is an odd number and 1 when m is an even number)) and (x=3*(2n−1+oe)+1 and y=3m−2±2 (n and m denote an integer, and oe has a value of 0 when m is an odd number and 1 when m is an even number)). |
| US08310569B2 |
Suppression of row-wise noise in CMOS image sensors
Embodiments of circuits and methods for suppressing row-wise noise in the analog domain in an image sensing device. In one embodiment, a pixel sampling circuit includes a readout circuit that is connected to a plurality of pixels to receive analog signals from the pixels. The pixel sampling circuit also includes a noise correction circuit that provides a reference signal to remove at least a portion of the noise in the analog signals received from the pixels before the analog signals are converted into digital signals. |
| US08310564B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An apparatus includes a control unit which switches between a first display mode and a second display mode based on whether a zoom state is equal to or greater than a predetermined zoom magnification. The imaging apparatus, in a zoom state where a part of an imaging area is clipped and recorded, switches between the first display mode, which displays on a display unit a clipped recording area, and the second display mode, which displays on the display unit an area which is wider than the clipped recording area. |
| US08310556B2 |
Offloading processing of images from a portable digital camera
Images are offloaded from a portable camera automatically to a network server at the time the images are taken, transparently to a user of the camera. The server executes processing functions on the images and returns the output of the processing over the network to the camera and/or other user-defined destination device to thereby relieve the camera processor of potentially complex processing chores. |
| US08310549B2 |
Method of automatically calibrating a visual parameter for an imaging device
A method of automatically calibrating a visual parameter, such as luminance or contrast, for an imaging device is disclosed. A ratio of visual parameter difference to lens position difference between two predetermined lens positions is pre-determined for a predetermined focal length. A target visual parameter is then obtained according to the pre-determined ratio, a current visual parameter and lens position difference between a current lens position and a target lens position. Finally, the current visual parameter is updated by the target visual parameter in an automatic mode. |
| US08310546B2 |
Image processing apparatus adapted to recognize object in acquired image
An image processing apparatus communicates with an image acquisition apparatus provided with an image acquisition region comprising light-shielded pixels and effective pixels. Data of an image are acquired based on output signals from the effective pixels. An edge of an object is extracted in the acquired image data using a preset edge threshold, and the object is recognized based on the extracted edge. Output signals are acquired from the light-shielded pixels and a degree of variations in noise contained in the output signals from the effective pixels is estimated based on the output signals acquired. The edge threshold is set based on the degree of variations in noise which is estimated, such that the noise having a level which exceeds the edge threshold occurs at a probability lower than a preset value. |
| US08310544B2 |
Hand-held inspection tool and method
The hand-held inspection tool enhances the ability of an on-site inspector to detect and communicate the presence of contamination on an object or in an area. An on-site inspector directs an excitation light in the sensing head of the tool into an area of interest. If the targeted contamination is present, the excitation light causes the contamination to emit fluorescence. The emitted fluorescent light passes through a narrow spectral band-pass video camera filter and is detected by a video camera mounted in the tool sensing head. The video camera transmits the image to a display visible to the on-site inspector. The invention also includes a means of recording, documenting, and wirelessly communicating the inspection process so that remotely located personnel can view the inspection, and respond to the inspection findings in real time. |
| US08310543B2 |
Movable recognition apparatus for a movable target
A movable recognition apparatus and a method thereof, which identify an activity configuration of at least a movable target, provide a plurality of distance measuring devices arranged as a two-dimensional matrix on a plane of a specific space to detect and obtain a plurality of vertical distance values between the movable target and the plane. Then, an analyzing device is applied to establish a contour graph corresponding to the movable target by means of referencing the vertical distance values and to identify the activity configuration in accordance with the shape change of the contour graph. Therefore, the movable recognition apparatus can perform the identification task conveniently with privacy requirement in addition to accuracy of the identified activity configuration. |
| US08310542B2 |
Segmenting time based on the geographic distribution of activity in sensor data
The invention segments detector input according to the time and the level of activity in different geographic regions of a locality. In one embodiment of the invention the detector input is comprised of video stream from one or more cameras to identify activity in the video. In one embodiment of the invention the detector input is comprised of sensor outputs such as RFID, pressure plates, etc. Various embodiments of the invention include identifying boundaries based on the level of activity. In embodiments of the invention, the boundaries can be used to select time dimensions. In one embodiment, by recognizing time dimensions with distinctive activity patterns, systems can better present overviews of activity over time. |
| US08310541B2 |
System and method for monitoring a printing system using a camera
A monitoring system and method for monitoring a printing system includes a printing system module and a camera. The printing system module is configured to interface with a primary printing-medium path of the printing system and includes a housing with at least one printing-medium path disposed therein. The at least one printing-medium path is a sub-printing-medium path of the primary printing-medium path. The camera is positioned to capture at least one frame of the inside of the printing system module and can be disposed therein. |
| US08310540B2 |
Loop recording with book marking
A methods in which a camera can store discrete segments of imaged data, using a sensor in the camera to capture image data, using multiple portions of a memory as a loop in which to record the segments in approximately real time, and protecting the multiple portions from being overwritten by subsequent recording in the loop. Recorder continues to record the image data immediately after ending at least one of the segments or immediately after protecting at least one of the segments. Protected data or segments can be wirelessly transmitting a first one of the segments to a memory, and releasing a corresponding one of the multiple portions of memory from protection. Recorder and signal switch are located or as part of an accessory, such as a pair of glasses. |
| US08310539B2 |
Calibration method and calibration device
The calibration device 1 is set up in a machine tool 50 and provides: a image capture subject material 10 having a calibration pattern 14 that includes one feature point and being attached to the spindle 55, two-dimensional coordinate calculation parts 22, 23 that calculate the two-dimensional coordinates of feature points based on the two-dimensional image data that is created from the images of the calibration pattern 14 that were captured at multiple movement positions of the spindle 55 by the CCD camera 58; a three-dimensional coordinate calculation part 24 that calculates the three-dimensional coordinates of the feature points that correspond to each movement position of the spindle 55; and a parameter calculation part 26 that calculates the intrinsic parameters and extrinsic parameters of the CCD camera 58 based on the two-dimensional coordinates and three-dimensional coordinates at each movement position of the spindle 55. |
| US08310538B2 |
Imaging apparatus, method, program, and recording medium used in the program
According to the present invention, a cut-out size with a predetermined aspect ratio common to a plurality of images acquired from each of a plurality of imaging units is determined based on a minimum size among sizes of possible areas around an initial optical axis center, and an image for output is cut out from each of the plurality of images in the common cut-out size determined by a size determination unit based on the initial optical axis center before each vibration correction of the plurality of imaging units. Alternatively, according to the present invention, a cut-out size with a predetermined aspect ratio common to images from each of a plurality of imaging units is determined based on a minimum value of sizes of possible cut-out areas independent of vibration correction corresponding to the plurality of imaging units, and an image for output is cut out from each of the plurality of imaging units in the common cut-out size determined by the size determination unit based on the initial optical axis center before each vibration correction of the plurality of imaging units. As a result, output images, in which the optical axis center position is maintained before and after the camera shake correction, can be obtained, and stereoscopic vision is possible using the images for output. |
| US08310537B2 |
Detecting ego-motion on a mobile device displaying three-dimensional content
A method of measuring ego-motion speed of a mobile device is described. The linear motion of the device is measured using an image sensor component, thereby creating linear motion data. The rotational or angular motion of the device is measured using an inertial sensor component, thereby creating rotational motion data. The rotational and linear motion data of the device are used to calculate the ego-motion speed of the mobile device. This ego-motion speed can then be used to control a virtual camera control module for adjusting the view of 3D content viewed by the user on the mobile device as the user moves the device, changing the position of the virtual camera. |
| US08310536B2 |
Shape measurement apparatus and shape measurement method
An apparatus and method are provided for measuring the end surface of a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer based on its projection image, without the influence of contaminants on the end surface. A rotation supporting mechanism supports a wafer between a first supporting position rotated by +δrelative to a predetermined reference position and a second supporting position rotated by −δdegrees at two or more supporting positions. An image sensor picks up a projection image of the wafer's end surface. An index value for the end surface is calculated for each of a plurality of obtained projection images. One representative value of the calculated index values or an aggregate value is obtained, and a shape measurement of the wafer's end surface corresponding to the reference supporting position is derived. When the wafer's radius and a chamfer width are set as r and k, δ≧cos−1 ((r-k)/r) is satisfied. |
| US08310532B2 |
System and method for producing an optically sectioned image using both structured and uniform illumination
A first image data set of the real-world object is received at a processor where the real-world object was illuminated with substantially uniform illumination. A second image data set of the real-world object is received at the processor where the real-world object was illuminated with substantially structured illumination. A high pass filter is applied to the first-image data set to remove out-of-focus content and retrieve high-frequency in-focus content. The local contrast of the second-image data set is determined producing a low resolution local contrast data set. The local contrast provides a low resolution estimate of the in-focus content in the first-image data set. A low pass filter is applied to the estimated low resolution in-focus data set, thus making its frequency information complementary to the high-frequency in-focus data set. The low and high frequency in-focus data sets are combined to produce an optically-sectioned data set of the real-world object. |
| US08310531B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for processing fluorescence images
A method for generating a fluorescence microscopy image of a sample. The method comprises a step of obtaining a series of fluorescence microscopy images of the sample for a plurality of different focal plane depths in the sample and different exposure times. The images may be obtained directly from a microscope, or from a library of images. Images comprising the series of fluorescence microscopy images are combined to form a single resultant fluorescence microscopy image of the sample. The single resultant image may then be analyzed as if it were a conventional fluorescence microscopy image, e.g. by visual inspection or numerical processing. However, because the resultant image is based on images from a range of focal plane depths and exposure times, different structures that appear under only certain conditions (i.e. in only certain ones of the original series of fluorescence microscopy images) can appear together in a single image, thus simplifying visualization, interpretation and analysis of the sample. |
| US08310529B2 |
System and method for automatic processing of endoscopic images
A system and method for automatically configuring a display device for an endoscopic procedure. The system includes: a video processing device for receiving image signals of an object from an endoscope device. A first converting device converts the image signals provided by a standard definition endoscope device into first resolution video image signals for display on a display device; or, converts image signals provided by a high definition endoscope device into second higher resolution video image signals for display. A second converting device converts the second higher resolution video image signals into first resolution video image signals image signals. A processing node receives: the first resolution video image signals from either the first converter means, or from the second converter means. An image capture means at the processing node captures still images of the first resolution video image signals received. The processing node further routes back to the video processing device the first resolution video image signals from the image capture card. A switching device receives the first resolution video image signals from the image capture card and routes the first resolution video image signals to the first display device or, alternately, receives the video image signals from the first converting means for routing to the first display device. |
| US08310528B2 |
Image display apparatus and method
An image display apparatus for displaying a 3D video signal using a liquid crystal device such as an HTPS or LCOS device comprises a frame rate converter (3) that converts the input video signal to a doubled frame rate, a signal format converter (4) that converts the pixel sequence of the video signal, a light source controller (7) that outputs a light source control signal for turning the light source used for image display on and off, and a 3D glasses controller (8) that generates a glasses control signal (c3) for shutters (64R, 64L) that switch the transmission of the light to the right and left eyes of 3D glasses (64). The risk of crosstalk between the right and left images, due to device response speed is reduced, without requiring a large number of frame memories. |
| US08310520B2 |
Flexible decomposition and recomposition of multimedia conferencing streams using real-time control information
A multimedia conferencing system is presented that can modify the composite multimedia stream into separate multimedia streams. Two or more video conference participants send multimedia streams, capturing and encoding the conference at the participant's location, to a multimedia server. The multimedia server includes a multipoint control unit that creates a composite multimedia display, which includes video regions corresponding to at least two of the multimedia streams from the participants. A composite multimedia stream describes the composite multimedia display. The ancillary server receives the composite multimedia stream from the multipoint control unit together with static and dynamic control information, which describes the format and layout of the composite multimedia display and the composite multimedia stream. Using the dynamic and static control information, the ancillary server decomposes the composite multimedia stream into two or more constituent streams. The two or more constituent streams may then be separately processed. |
| US08310516B2 |
Light scanning apparatus, light scanning method, image forming apparatus, color image forming apparatus, and recording medium having program
A light scanning apparatus having plural light sources includes a light source control unit configured to control the light sources to form L (L≧2) light beam arrays aligned in a sub scanning direction each of which L light beam arrays are formed by causing M ((N−1)≧M≧1) light sources out of N (N≧2) light sources assigned to each of the L light beam arrays to emit light as M light emitting sources, wherein each of the L light beam arrays forms a pixel and a total of L pixels aligned in the sub scanning direction are formed. |
| US08310513B2 |
Light-source driving device, optical scanning device, and image forming apparatus
In a light-source driving device, a high-frequency clock generating circuit generates two high-frequency clock signals having mutually different phases, an image-data creating circuit creates a plurality of image data corresponding to a plurality of light-emitting units according to image information, and a write control circuit creates a plurality of modulated data corresponding to the light-emitting units from the plurality of image data and separately controls output timings of the plurality of modulated data by using a time, as a unit, corresponding to a phase difference between the two high-frequency clock signals. The write control circuit includes two data switching circuits that set a correspondence relation between image data and PWM data based on one of a relation between an array of the light-emitting units and an array of a plurality of light spots and a relation between a surface to be scanned and a main scanning direction. |
| US08310510B2 |
Printer
A printer including a containing unit, first and second heads, a separation member, a cutting member, and a collecting unit. The containing unit is configured to contain a printing medium separable into front and rear surfaces. The first head is configured to print first data on the front surface of the printing medium. The second head is configured to print second data on the rear surface of the printing medium. The separation member is configured to separate the front surface from the printing medium passing through the first and second heads. The cutting member is configured to cut a printed portion of the front surface separated by the separation member. The collecting unit is configured to collect the printing medium of the rear surface remaining after the front surface is separated in order to preserve the rear surface. |
| US08310506B2 |
Optical disk device
This output device includes a read means which reads in image data of a first aspect ratio from an input port or from a medium. Moreover, this output device includes an image synthesis means which creates combined image data of a second aspect ratio by adding mask bands at the sides of, or above and below, an image which is based upon the image data of said first aspect ratio. Furthermore, this output device includes an output means which outputs this combined image data at said second aspect ratio. And the output means is connected to a display device which processes said combined image data which has been outputted at said second output ratio, and displays the result upon a screen. Moreover, the image synthesis means changes the color of said mask bands to a different color at a predetermined timing during a predetermined time period. |
| US08310505B2 |
Method for playing dynamic english graphics of english sentences for speed reading
The present invention is characterized in that a computer recognizes inputted English sentences, divides the inputted English sentences into individual meaningful language elements and meaningful spaces surrounding the individual meaningful language elements, overlaps additional static graphics expressed as proper geometrical symbols suitable for the principles of merge, piping, and moving on original static data located in each region of the elements and the spaces, and outputs the overlapped graphic data or outputs new dynamic graphics including distinctive motion information which are designed to involve the principles of merge, piping, and moving by deforming the original static graphic data in the regions. The dynamic sentence data displayed on the screen is converted to a character graphic model having animated images for substantially expressing a semantic cohesion structure of a sentence therein according to Universal Grammar to intentionally stimulate the sense of sight and brain of a user. |
| US08310504B2 |
System and method for panning and selecting on large displays using mobile devices without client software
System and method that utilizes light sources, for example projectors embedded in mobile camera phones, to allow users to interact with documents on large displays without requiring users to install any third-party software. With this approach, multiple users can select interactors on the large display by displaying different images via their projector. |
| US08310501B2 |
Analyzing alpha values for flicker filtering
A flicker filter is adjusted according to degree of alpha blending performed on a display signal. For some weakly showing graphics images, a lower flicker filter level may be implemented or the flicker filter may be turned off. A threshold for turning off the flicker filter may be programmable. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08310499B2 |
Balancing luminance disparity in a display by multiple projectors
In an example embodiment, a system for creating a display from multiple projectors receives as an input a source pixel derived from an image to be displayed. The system generates a scalar-adjusted pixel by applying a scalar for an adjustment range to each channel value in the source pixel, where the scalar depends on whether the source pixel is gray or color. The system modifies each channel value in the scalar-adjusted pixel according to a luminance adjustment curve for a projector, where the luminance adjustment curve depends on whether the source pixel is gray or color. The system generates the luminance adjustment curve from captured calibration images by: (1) creating an interpolated response curve; and (2) generating and inverting a median difference curve based on the interpolated response curve for the projector and the interpolated response curves for the other projectors in the system. |
| US08310496B2 |
Image display device and image display method
An image display device includes: an image input unit configured to input an image; a content categorizer configured to determine a content category of the image; a database configured to store adjustment items corresponding to each of a plurality of content categories, the adjustment items being related to sensibility words each representing an impression for images; an adjustment item display configured to display the adjustment items corresponding to the content category, the adjustment item being selectable by a user; a receiver configured to receive set values of the adjustment items selected from the user; an image quality parameter calculator configured to calculate image quality parameters in accordance with the set values of the adjustment items; an image processor configured to perform image processing on the image in accordance with the image quality parameters; and an image display configured to display the processed image. |
| US08310494B2 |
Method for reducing graphics rendering failures
A method and electronic device employing the method of processing a frame of graphics for display is provided that includes developing a frame in a first software frame processing stage following a first vertical blanking (VBL) heartbeat, issuing a command indicating the first stage is complete, and performing a final software frame processing stage without waiting for a subsequent VBL heartbeat. The method may alternatively include performing the final software frame processing stage regardless as to whether a target framebuffer is available, performing all but final hardware frame processing stages regardless as to whether the target framebuffer is in use, and performing the final hardware processing stage if the target framebuffer is not in use. |
| US08310493B1 |
Method and system for application broadcast
Methods and apparatuses are described for application broadcasting. For one embodiment, pixel data being broadcast from a moderator to one or more participants is divided into tiles. Display data is generated for each tile. Each display data segment (segment) contains the pixel data for the tile, and also contains a tile identifier. The segments are periodically evaluated. If the pixel data has changed, the segment is replaced with the most recent segment corresponding to that tile. A time indicator is also included within each segment for each tile indicating the time at which the segment was updated. A participant DPS requests data from the server and provides the time indicator for the last segment it received. The server then transmits the current segment for each tile that has been updated subsequently. This allows presentation at the participant's DPS of the most current version of the moderator's display screen. |
| US08310492B2 |
Hardware-based scheduling of GPU work
An apparatus and methods for scheduling and executing commands issued by a first processor, such as a CPU, on a second processor, such as a GPU, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of executing processes on a graphics processing unit (GPU) includes monitoring one or more buffers in a memory, selecting a first subset from the one or more buffers for execution on the GPU based on a workload profile of the GPU, and executing the first subset on the GPU. The GPU may also receive a priority ordering of the one or more buffers, where the selecting is further based on the received priority ordering. By performing prioritization and scheduling of commands in the GPU, system performance is enhanced. |
| US08310489B2 |
Method and apparatus for rendering video
Multiple Video Graphic Adapters (VGAs) are used to render video data to a common port. In one embodiment, each VGA will render an entire frame of video and provide it to the output port through a switch. The next adjacent frame will be calculated by a separate VGA and provided to an output port through the switch. A voltage adjustment is made to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) of at least one of the VGAs in order to correlate the video-out voltages being provided by the VGAs. This correlation assures that the color being viewed on the screen is uniform regardless of which VGA is providing the signal. A dummy switch receives the video-output from each of the VGAs. When a VGA is not providing information to the output port, the dummy switch can be selected to provide the video-output of the selected VGA a resistance path which matches the resistance at the video port. This allows the video graphics controller to maintain a constant thermal state. |
| US08310479B2 |
Display panel drive apparatus and display panel drive method
A display panel drive apparatus includes a source driver that drives each unit dot in accordance with a time-divisional clock, and a booster circuit that generates a supply voltage to be supplied to the source driver based on a clock having a rising edge and a falling edge each coinciding with an off-period of the time-divisional clock. The display panel drive apparatus performs a time-divisional driving operation during one horizontal period. |
| US08310478B2 |
Integrated circuit device and electronic instrument
An integrated circuit device includes first and second transistors NTr1 and PTr1 push-pull connected between first and second power supply lines and outputting a voltage of one of the first and second power supply lines to a connection node ND by a charge-pump operation, and a pad PD electrically connected with the connection node ND and electrically connected with a flying capacitor, to which a given voltage is applied at one end, at the other end of the flying capacitor. The pad PD is disposed in an upper layer of at least one of the first and second transistors NTr1 and PTr1 so that the pad PD overlaps part or the entirety of at least one of the first and second transistors NTr1 and PTr1. |
| US08310475B2 |
Display apparatus
For the purpose of providing a display apparatus capable of improving display quality by expanding the light-emission area of pixels by improving the layout of pixels and common power-feed lines formed on a substrate, pixels (7A, 7B) including a light-emission element (40), such as an electroluminescence element or an LED element, are arranged on both sides of common power-feed lines (com) so that the number of common power-feed lines (com) is reduced. Further, the polarity of a driving current flowing between the pixels (7A, 7B) and the light-emission element (40) is inverted so that the amount of current flowing through the common power-supply lines “com” is reduced. |
| US08310474B2 |
Display device
When semi-amorphous TFTs are used for forming a signal line driver circuit and a pixel, a large amplitude is required for driving the pixel, and a large power supply voltage is thus needed. On the other hand, when a shift register is made up of transistors having a single conductivity, a bootstrap circuit is required, and a voltage over a power supply is applied to a specific element. Therefore, not both the driving amplitude and the reliability can be achieved with a single power supply. According to the invention, a level shifter having a single conductivity is provided to solve such a problem. |
| US08310472B2 |
Channel scan logic
A device that can autonomously scan a sensor panel is disclosed. Autonomous scanning can be performed by implementing channel scan logic. In one embodiment, channel scan logic carries out many of the functions that a processor would normally undertake, including generating timing sequences and obtaining result data; comparing scan result data against a threshold value (e.g., in an auto-scan mode); generating row count; selecting one or more scanning frequency bands; power management control; and performing an auto-scan routine in a low power mode. |
| US08310471B2 |
Display apparatus and method for driving the same
A display apparatus includes a first scanning line disposed in a first direction, a second scanning line disposed to accompany the first scanning line, and a first signal line crossing the first and second scanning lines. The display apparatus also includes a first pixel electrode connected to the first signal line via a first switching element having a terminal that is connected to the first scanning line so that the first pixel electrode is applied with a gray scale signal under control of the first switching element, and a second pixel electrode connected to the first pixel electrode via a second switching element having a terminal that is connected to the second scanning line so that the second pixel electrode is applied with a gray scale signal through the first pixel electrode under control of the first switching element and the second switching element. |
| US08310470B2 |
Display apparatus and electronic equipment
Disclosed herein is a display apparatus including: an available pixel section; a plurality of scan lines; a plurality of capacitor lines; a plurality of signal lines; a driving circuit; a monitor circuit having a first monitor pixel section and a second monitor pixel section; at least two of following three correction systems of a capacitor-signal correction system, a video-signal correction system and the second monitor pixel section, and a common-voltage correction system; and a switch for selectively supplying pixel electric potentials detected by the first monitor pixel section and the second monitor pixel section to a desired one of the two or three correction systems. |
| US08310467B2 |
Optical-emission-signal output apparatus
There is provided an optical-emission-signal output apparatus for outputting an optical-emission signal specifying an optical-emission timing to an optical-emission unit for outputting light to an optical-scan unit for scanning incident light by resonance. The optical-emission-signal output apparatus comprises a frequency divider for dividing a master clock output at predetermined intervals, a delay-time setting unit for specifying one of a plurality of delay times, and a signal output unit for outputting the optical-emission signal in accordance with a result of division by the frequency divider and a delay time specified by the delay-time setting unit. |
| US08310465B2 |
Touch panel and electronic device including touch panel
A resistive film type touch panel includes first and second resistive films respectively provided on the inner surfaces of a pair of substrates on the touch side and the opposite side, protruding contacts which are provided on the first resistive film so as to protrude to a predetermined height, and come into contact with the second resistive film upon bending/deformation of the touch-side substrate by a touch to electrically connect the touch-side substrate to the second resistive film, insulating spacers which are arranged between the substrates except the positions of the protruding contacts, and define the space between the substrates to a height higher than that of protruding contacts, and a liquid or liquid crystal sealed in the space between the substrates. This arrangement reduces the bending/deformation amount of the touch-side substrate and the refraction of transmitted light at a portion bent/deformed by a touch on the touch-side substrate. |
| US08310459B2 |
Touch detection
An apparatus with a first and second touch screen, where the first touch screen has a plurality of first touch sensors formed as a first grid of rows and columns and the second touch screen has a plurality of second touch sensors formed as a second grid of rows and columns. A first processor detects touch areas by scanning through the first touch sensors in a predetermined order along the rows and columns. A second processor detects touch areas by scanning through the second touch sensors in a predetermined order along the rows and columns. A controller causes that the first and second processors scan the first and second grids synchronized such that when the first and second touch screens are arranged side by side, neighboring first and second touch sensors are scanned substantially simultaneously. |
| US08310457B2 |
Portable electronic device including tactile touch-sensitive input device and method of protecting same
A portable electronic device includes a housing with a base. A touch-sensitive input assembly is spaced from and moveable relative to the base and a stopping arrangement limits movement of the touch-sensitive input assembly in the direction of the base. An actuating arrangement including a piezoelectric actuator is disposed between the touch-sensitive input assembly and the base for selectively receiving an applied voltage to thereby apply a force to the touch-sensitive input assembly. An accelerometer and functional components are housed within the housing. The functional components include a memory and a processor operably connected to the memory, the touch-sensitive input assembly, the piezoelectric actuator, and the accelerometer to execute a program stored in the memory to monitor signals from the accelerometer and, if a fall is detected based on the signals from the accelerometer, apply a negative voltage to the piezoelectric actuator causing reverse bending of the piezoelectric actuator to permit the stopping arrangement to limit movement of the touch-sensitive input assembly and thereby limit force exerted on the piezoelectric actuator between the touch-sensitive input assembly and the base. |
| US08310452B2 |
Touch panel display apparatus, electronic device having touch panel display apparatus, and camera having touch panel display apparatus
Disclosed herein is a touch panel display apparatus including: a display panel; a movable panel unit including a touch panel and being flat plate-like in shape; a movable support section for supporting the movable panel unit on a support structure so as to permit the movable panel unit to be moved along a plane parallel to the panel surface of the movable panel unit; an actuator configured to drive the movable panel unit to vibrate; an actuator drive control section for outputting an actuator drive signal to drivingly control the actuator; an acoustic pressure generating member configured to generate an acoustic pressure by being driven by the actuator to vibrate; and a superposing section for superposing an acoustic signal on the actuator drive signal outputted by the actuator drive control section. |
| US08310449B1 |
Touch interface device, system, and method
A touch interface that includes a plurality of push-buttons, each of which has a first stage portion and a second stage portion. A display screen displays a plurality of display items each of which is associated with a corresponding one of the push-buttons. Activation of the first stage portion of one of the push-buttons causes the corresponding display item on the screen to highlight thereby indicating to the user that the push-button associated with that display item is being pressed, without launching a function associated with the display item. This allows the user to determine whether or not he is pressing the correct push-button prior to activating a function without taking his eyes off of the display screen. If the user is satisfied that he is contacting the correct push-button, the user can then activate the second stage portion and thereby launch the function. |
| US08310447B2 |
Pointing device housed in a writing device
A method for controlling a pointing icon in a computer, including the steps of (A) establishing a wireless connection between a pointing device and the computer, (B) generating directional information through one or more three dimensional movements of the pointing device, (C) transmitting the directional information from the pointing device to the computer and (D) translating the directional information into movements of the pointing icon on a screen of the computer using a device driver program stored on the computer. |
| US08310440B2 |
Method of driving electrophoretic display device, electrophoretic display device, and electronic apparatus
There is provided a method of driving an electrophoretic display device including a display unit that has a plurality of pixels and an electrophoretic element disposed between substrates forming one pair. The method includes setting an area that at least includes a pixel forming an image component that is formed to have a first gray scale and a pixel that is disposed to be adjacent to the pixel forming the contour of the image component and represents a second gray scale as an image removing area and selectively changing the pixels that constitute the image removing area to have the second gray scale. |
| US08310438B2 |
Image display device with gain calculator and overdrive unit
An image display device includes a gain calculator, a multiplier and an overdrive unit. The gain calculator calculates a ratio “Gmax0/Gmax1” as gain, with respect to each segmented region of liquid crystal panel. The symbol “Gmax1” represents a maximum gradation in one frame period of an image signal to be supplied to each segmented region. The symbol “Gmax0” represents a maximum gradation to be determined depending on the number of bits in the image signal. The multiplier multiplies an image signal subjected to frame frequency conversion in a frame frequency conversion unit by the gain to generate an image signal subjected to the area control processing, with respect to each segmented region. The overdrive unit emphasizes the image signal subjected to the area control processing, using an image signal generated by delaying the image signal subjected to the area control processing for one frame period. |
| US08310437B2 |
Backlight device and display device
The backlight device includes: a backlight including a plurality of light sources; and a backlight control part. The backlight includes a plurality of divided areas, and light sources disposed in each of the plurality of divided areas are chain-connected. The backlight control part includes at least one backlight control unit for controlling turning on and off of the backlight which includes the plurality of divided areas, with respect to the each divided area. The backlight control unit includes a selection unit for selecting one of divided areas, at least one backlight drive path. The selection unit selects the one of divided areas in a time division manner, and the light sources of the one of divided areas are driven by sharing the at least one backlight drive path in common. |
| US08310436B2 |
Power supply controller for multiple lighting components
A power supply controller for a plurality of lighting components in a battery-powered apparatus. The power supply controller comprises a current source common to the lighting components, and a sequencer for coupling the current source sequentially to each of the lighting components with a repetition rate substantially faster than the flicker perception rate. Each of the lighting components comprises a respective array of lighting elements connected in series to receive the same current as the other lighting elements of the same lighting component. |
| US08310433B2 |
Display device and electronic apparatus
The invention provides a display device and an electronic apparatus which can reduce power consumption in the case of being driven by using a digital time grayscale method. According to the invention, a row in which all the pixels display black is focused on in a plurality of pixels arranged in matrix, and sampling of data which is to be inputted to the pixels arranged in the row is not performed. Then, in a period during which the data sampling is not performed, the operation of a shift register in a source driver and, sampling operation of a video signal in a first latch circuit are stopped. The invention which has the aforementioned characteristics can temporally stop operation of the source driver to reduce power consumption. In particular, the invention can stop operation of the source driver which consumes much power in the display device, leading to dramatic reduction in power consumption. |
| US08310431B2 |
Image display apparatus and frequency adjustment method thereof
A format of an inputted video signal is estimated to be based on the total number of vertical lines, and a frequency dividing ratio of a PLL unit is provisionally set at a predetermined value corresponding to the estimated format. Next, the frequency dividing ratio is calculated so that a measured value of a horizontal display width that is measured by a video detecting unit matches a capture width which is the horizontal display width capturable by a frame memory, and the calculated frequency dividing ratio is converted to a multiple of 4. A phase adjustment of the regenerative dot clock is performed against the video signal based on the converted frequency dividing ratio by using the regenerative dot clock generated by the PLL unit. Furthermore, the frequency dividing ratio is recalculated so that the measured value of the horizontal display width that is measured by the video detecting unit matches the capture width by using the regenerative dot clock after finishing the phase adjustment, and the calculated frequency dividing ratio is reset to the PLL unit. |
| US08310427B2 |
Liquid crystal display having common voltage regenerator and driving method thereof
An exemplary liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel, a common voltage generator, and a common voltage regenerator. The liquid crystal panel includes liquid crystal capacitors and storage capacitors. Each liquid crystal capacitor includes a common electrode. Each storage capacitor includes a storage electrode. The common voltage generator is configured to provide a common voltage to the storage electrode. The common voltage regenerator is configured to receive a common feedback voltage from the storage electrode, generate a common regenerative voltage according to the common feedback voltage, and provide the common regenerative voltage to the common electrode. |
| US08310426B2 |
Apparatus and method for driving liquid crystal display panel with data driver including gamma correction circuitry and drive circuitry
A liquid crystal display device is provided with a liquid crystal display panel, and a data driver IC that drives the liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel is provided with a gate line, first and second data lines, and a pixel that includes a first sub-pixel connected to the gate line and the first data line and a second sub-pixel connected to the gate line and the second data line. The data driver IC is provided with a gamma correction circuitry and a drive circuitry. The gamma correction circuitry generates first gamma-corrected data by performing gamma correction on externally received image data in accordance with a first gamma curve, and generates second gamma-corrected data by performing gamma correction on the image data in accordance with a second gamma curve. The drive circuitry drives the first data line in response to the first gamma-corrected data and drives the second data line in response to the second gamma-corrected data. |
| US08310424B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus and method for driving the same
A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes an LCD panel 10 including a liquid crystal layer, electrodes for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer, and a pixel, of which the luminance varies according to a display signal voltage supplied through a transistor. The pixel includes a first subpixel to have a first luminance and a second subpixel to have a second luminance, which is different from the first luminance, in response to at least one display signal voltage supplied. The device further includes: a source driver 40 for supplying the display signal voltage to a source bus line connected to the source of the transistor; a gate driver 30 for supplying a scan signal voltage to a gate bus line connected to the gate of the transistor; and luminance switching circuitry 60 for switching a first mode, in which the first luminance is higher than the second luminance, into a second mode, in which the first luminance is lower than the second luminance, or vice versa, thereby increasing the reliability of a liquid crystal display device with a pixel division structure. |
| US08310423B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and head-up display
A liquid crystal display device includes pixels each including a liquid crystal and a pixel electrode and a common electrode that are used for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal, a display unit in which a plurality of the pixels is disposed in a matrix shape, and even light sources. The pixels are driven in accordance with sequential light emission of the even light sources, and the application direction of a voltage for driving the liquid crystal is changed for each of vertical scanning periods corresponding to the number of the even light sources. |
| US08310422B2 |
Operational amplifier circuit and display apparatus using the same
An operational amplifier circuit includes: an input differential stage circuit supplied with power supply voltages in a first voltage range; and an output stage circuit supplied with power supply voltages in a second voltage range which is different from the first voltage range. The operational amplifier circuit amplifies a signal supplied to the input differential stage circuit and outputs the amplified signal from the output stage circuit to drive a load. |
| US08310421B2 |
Display drive switch configuration
An apparatus and method for driving a display a display. Two switches for each common line are used to couple the common line to a respective first and second hold voltage supply lines. A third switch for each common line is used to couple the common line to a drive line. A waveform generator is used to generate the driving waveform on the drive line. |
| US08310420B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device capable of stabilizing the output of an external condition detection sensor is disclosed. The organic light emitting display device has an external condition detection sensor configured to sense an external condition and to output a detection signal to be used for adjusting the display parameters according to the external condition. The display device also has a sensor output stabilizing unit coupled to an output line of the external condition detection sensor, which is configured to compensate for parasitic coupling of signals onto the detection signal. |
| US08310414B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing information, recording medium, and computer program
An information processing apparatus includes a self-luminous type display, a current value predicting unit for predicting, based on a pixel value of a next image, the value of a current required by the display that displays the next image, and a controller for controlling luminance of the display based on the predicted current value. |
| US08310413B2 |
Electroluminescent display devices
An active matrix display device comprises an array of display pixels, with each pixel comprising an EL display element, a light-dependent device for detecting the brightness of the display element and a drive transistor circuit for driving a current through the display element. The drive transistor is controlled in response to the light-dependent device output so that ageing compensation can be implemented. The light-dependent device is located laterally of the area of light emitting material of the EL display element. In this way, the light-dependent device does not cause step coverage problems and can be integrated into the pixel layout without affecting the pixel aperture. Furthermore, the light dependent device can extend alongside the full length of the area of light emitting material so that it receives light input from a large part of the display element area. |
| US08310411B2 |
Plasma display and driving method thereof
A plasma display includes a plurality of discharge cells, and is driven with one frame divided into a plurality of subfields having respective weight values. Light emitting cells are selected through address discharge during an address period of each subfield, and sustain discharge is performed on the light emitting cells for a number of times corresponding to a weight value of the corresponding subfield during a sustain period of each subfield to display images. The plasma display provides a sensing period for identifying an external contact with the plasma display prior to the address period in at least one subfield of the plurality of subfields, and discharges the plurality of discharge cells during a sensing period. The plasma display identifies the external contact based on light generated from the discharge cells during the sensing period. |
| US08310409B2 |
Display device and display method
The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a display method that enable multiple users to view high resolution moving images from various viewing points of the users. A light-control screen 25 is rotated, and projectors 211 to 21N irradiate the screen 25 from various directions with light rays corresponding to image data captured from those directions. In this case, when the forward direction of the light-control screen 25 is aligned with the projecting direction of one of the projectors 21n, an image corresponding to light rays emitted from the projector 21n is displayed on the light-control screen 25. The present invention may be applied to a display apparatus for displaying images. |
| US08310408B1 |
System and method for graphical user interface and display among different aspect ratio video display devices
A first presenting display device of a first aspect ratio includes a predefined pixel region for a display area, such as displaying video image content from one or more video input devices, and a graphical user control interface within a predefined pixel area representing the pixel area difference between the first display device and the predefined pixel region for the display area. A second display device has an aspect ratio matching the pixel region for the display area of the first device. Content from the display area of the first device is simultaneously displayed on the full display of the second device without the graphical user control interface. |
| US08310407B2 |
Emergency provision when using a large display
A large display is provided for the representation of medical images. The large display comprises at least a first and a second zone which can be controlled and operated independently of each other. Furthermore, an image configuration is provided which describes the representation on the large display during normal operation. Also provided is an emergency image configuration which describes the representation in the second zone of the large display in the event of failure or fault of the representation in the first zone. In the event of a fault, provision is made for switching over to an emergency operating mode in which the representation in the second zone is determined by the emergency configuration. The present embodiments have the advantage of providing protection against a failure of the large display, failure of which would disrupt medical operation. |
| US08310403B2 |
Antenna attachment scheme for mounting an antenna to a meter
An antenna attachment scheme is provided, according to one aspect of the invention, for mounting an antenna to a meter. The antenna attachment scheme comprises a housing mountable to a meter. The housing comprises a top surface; an open-end; and a side surface. The side surface of the housing comprising a mounting surface for the antennae to the housing. |
| US08310402B2 |
Compact multi-element antenna with phase shift
A phased array antenna system includes a first radiation element that is made of a material and has a length selected to resonate at a desired frequency. A phase-shift element is coupled to one end of the first radiation element. A second radiation element is coupled to the end of the phase-shift element opposite the first radiation element, so that a radio signal passes through the first radiation element through the phase-shift element and through the second radiation element, the second radiation element is made of a material and has a length selected to resonate such that the first and second radiation elements cooperate to form a desired beam pattern from the antenna system. |
| US08310396B2 |
Assisted satellite signal based positioning
For assisting a satellite based positioning, parameters are received for at least one satellite. Redundant information is removed from these parameters at large. Parameters with reduced redundancy are then provided as assistance data for the satellite signal based positioning. Such parameters with reduced redundancy can be received on the other hand as assistance data for a satellite signal based positioning. The original parameters are then reconstructed by adding the removed redundant information to the received parameters. The reconstructed original parameters are used in an assisted satellite signal based positioning. |
| US08310395B2 |
Method of amending navigation data of a global navigation system
For amending navigation data of a global navigation system, navigation signals are received from a space vehicle, and a predicted clock phase offset of the clock signal sent from the space vehicle is estimated and stored in a memory. The clock phase offset difference between the current estimated clock phase offset and a previously estimated clock phase offset times (T1) is then computed and stored. An earlier computed phase offset difference between a previously estimated clock phase offset and a further previous estimation for said clock phase offset is obtained, wherein the time interval between the current measurement epoch and second earlier epoch is at least T1. The difference between the computed clock phase offset differences is derived, and compared with a given threshold value. If the latter difference is greater than the given threshold value, an integrity risk signal is generated and transmitted to other devices for position determination. |
| US08310393B2 |
Method and system for maintaining a GNSS receiver in a hot-start state
A GNSS receiver in a wake up state during a standby mode may acquire ephemeris from received GNSS signals such as GPS signals and/or GLONASS signals. When subsequently transitioning from the standby mode to a normal mode operating at a high frequency clock, the acquired ephemeris may be utilized to generate a navigation solution for the GNSS receiver. The GNSS receiver in the wake up state during the standby mode may be switched to operate at the high frequency clock in order to receive GNSS signals. The GNSS receiver may extract complete ephemeris from the received GNSS signals, and may subsequently transition from the wake up state to a sleep state during the standby mode to save power. Radio frequency front-end components of the GNSS receiver may only be turned on to receive the GNSS signals. The GNSS receiver may transition between the standby mode and the normal mode. |
| US08310392B2 |
Radar device and echo data processing device
A radar device includes an antenna, from which a detection signal is transmitted while the antenna being rotated and by which a reflective wave of the transmitted detection signal is received to detect echo data, wherein image data is generated based on the detected echo data, a continuity detecting module for detecting a planar continuity of the currently detected echo data with respect to a pixel concerned in the image data, a behavior data generating module for generating behavior data indicative of a behavior of the echo data for a predetermined number of scans of the past in the pixel concerned based on behavior determination data, and an echo kind determining module for determining a kind of the echo data of the pixel concerned based on the planar continuity and the behavior data. |
| US08310391B2 |
Electronic device, remote control system, signal processing method, control program and recording medium
An electronic device (1) constitutes a remote control system (100) together with a remote control device (3) and at least one controlled device (2/2′), and the electronic device (1) includes: a first reception section (20) that receives, from the remote control device, a direct command signal (7/7′) broadcasted to the electronic device and the controlled device; a second reception section (23) that receives, from the controlled device, an indirect command signal (8) having been generated by the controlled device according to the direct command signal having been received from the remote control device; and a control section (10) including signal selecting means (31) that selects one intended command signal to which a response is needed from a signal group according to a predetermined rule, the signal group consisting of the direct command signal having been received by the first reception section and the indirect command signal having been received by the second reception section. This makes it possible to properly select and process a signal to be followed in the electronic device where a plurality of command signals are redundantly supplied with respect to one command signal from the remote control device. |
| US08310390B2 |
A/D conversion circuit and solid state imaging device
A clock generating circuit in which a plurality of stages of inverting circuits are connected, a start signal that causes start of clock generation and an output signal from the inverting circuit of a predetermined stage are input to one of the inverting circuits, an element having impedance that changes in accordance with a magnitude of an object analog signal that is an object of conversion to a digital signal is provided between the adjacent inverting circuits, generates a clock of a frequency in accordance with the magnitude of the object analog signal. A counter counts the number of clocks generated by the clock generating circuit and outputs a count value. |
| US08310389B1 |
Hysteretic inductive switching regulator with power supply compensation
A system including is plurality of resistors, a plurality of comparators, and a decoder module. The resistors are connected in series between a supply voltage and a common voltage. A first input of each comparator is connected to a reference voltage. A second input of each comparator is respectively connected to one of a plurality of nodes between the resistors. The decoder module is configured to receive an output from each comparator and to output a plurality of bits based on the output of each comparator. Each of the plurality of bits indicates a different one of a plurality of voltage ranges. A present value of the supply voltage lies in one of the plurality of voltage ranges. |
| US08310383B2 |
Generating a jittered digital signal using a serializer device
A serializer device is used for generation, from a parallel digital signal, of a clock signal or a serial binary data signal having a pre-determined amount of jitter. A binary number having consecutive groups of ones and zeroes, when serialized by the serializer device, produces a clock signal. By varying the number of ones and zeroes on the binary number, a pre-determined amount of jitter can be generated. Use of sigma-delta modulation in combination with a phase-locked loop circuitry allows one to obtain a smoothly varying jitter of the output signal. |
| US08310382B2 |
Semiconductor device having plural semiconductor chips laminated to each other
In a stacked semiconductor device in which a plurality of through silicon vias used for data transfer are shared among a plurality of semiconductor chips, a first semiconductor chip included in the semiconductor chips holds through silicon via switching information for specifying a through silicon via among the through silicon vias to be used for data transfer, and transfers the through silicon via switching information to a second semiconductor chip included in the semiconductor chips. According to the present invention, because the through silicon via switching information is transferred from the first semiconductor chip to the second semiconductor chip, a circuit for storing the through silicon via switching information in a nonvolatile manner is not required in the second semiconductor chip. With this arrangement, a chip area of the second semiconductor chip can be reduced. |
| US08310381B2 |
Capacitive key touch sensing using analog inputs and digital outputs
A pulse is applied through a capacitive touch key sensor to a sampling capacitor of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The voltage charge arriving at the sampling capacitor will be maximum when there is substantially no shunt capacitance between the capacitive touch key sensor and the sampling capacitor. However, a object such as an operator's finger when in close proximity to the capacitive touch key sensor will create a capacitive shunt to ground that diverts some of the charge that is supposed to go to the sampling capacitor and thereby reduces the voltage charge on the sampling capacitor. This change in charge voltage when the capacitive touch key sensor is activated (touched) may be easily detected with the ADC. In addition, light emitting diodes (LEDs) may be integrated with the capacitive touch key sensors and use the same connections on an integrated circuit device in a time division multiplexed manor. |
| US08310380B2 |
Selectable communication interface configurations for motion sensing device
Selectable communication interface configurations for motion sensing devices. In one aspect, a module for a motion sensing device includes a motion processor connected to a device component and a first motion sensor, and a multiplexer having first and second positions. Only one of the multiplexer positions is selectable at a time, where the first position selectively couples the first motion sensor and the device component using a first bus, and the second position selectively couples the first motion sensor and the motion processor using a second bus, wherein communication of information over the second bus does not influence a communication bandwidth of the first bus. |
| US08310374B2 |
Telemetry system and method
A telemetry system is disclosed herein. The telemetry system includes a transmitter/monitor configured to provide tracking data and monitoring data, and a receiver adapted to define a coverage area. The receiver is configured to receive the tracking data and the monitoring data from the transmitter/monitor when the transmitter/monitor is within the coverage area. The telemetry system also includes a processor configured to receive the tracking data and the monitoring data from the receiver, analyze the tracking data and the monitoring data, and identify an alarm condition based on the analysis of the tracking data and the monitoring data. |
| US08310371B2 |
Power supply protection device
A power supply protection device for an electric appliance includes a switching circuit for establishing an electrical connection to receive an external voltage from the external power supply and output the external voltage to the electric appliance, a detecting circuit for disabling the switch circuit to break the electrical connection when determining the external voltage is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and an alert circuit for generating an alert signal when the electrical connection is broken and outputting the alert signal to a user. |
| US08310367B1 |
Methods of implanting electronics in objects and objects with implanted electronics
Systems and methods including implanting RFID tags into metal-containing objects. The RFID tags are coated in a heat resistant coating. The surface of the metal-containing object could be heated and the coated RFID tag could be injected into the metal-containing object by allowing less heat to be transferred to the RFID electronics than an amount of heat to destroy the RFID electronics. The metal-containing objects can be monitored and tracked. Apparatus with implanted metal-containing objects can be remotely monitored and controlled. |
| US08310365B2 |
Control system, security system, and method of monitoring a location
A control system for a security system having a plurality of sensors includes a sensor communication device configured to communicatively couple to the plurality of sensors and to receive a plurality of sensor notifications from the plurality of sensors. Each sensor notification of the plurality of sensor notifications includes at least one of a detection type, a detection location, and a detection duration. The control system also includes a processor configured to receive the plurality of sensor notifications from the sensor communication device, associate a plurality of detection states with the plurality of sensor notifications such that at least one detection state of the plurality of detection states is entered upon receiving at least one combination of sensor notifications of the plurality of sensor notifications, and associate at least one detection response with each detection state of the plurality of detection states. |
| US08310360B2 |
Physical security device
A security device paired with a user's cell phone is operable by either a trigger or an accelerometer. The device includes visual and audio alarms, a prerecorded message and an audio recording of the ambient noise. Depression of the trigger will spray mace onto an attacker, activate the alarms and alternately send the message and recording to 9-1-1 or other security monitor. Alternatively, the accelerometer will so activate the device. The alarms and transmissions are synchronized so as to not interfere one with the other. Direct communication with 9-1-1 via the Bluetooth®/cell phone interface is immediately established either by a push-to-talk button or at the termination of a predetermined alarm and message transmission period. |
| US08310356B2 |
Wireless brake electronic wear sensors
Devices and methods for sensing wear of a component are described. A wear-sensing device has a wear component and a wireless sensor disposed within the wear component. The sensor generates a signal, detectable by a detector, for confirming the presence of the sensor. Further, the claimed invention includes a positioner for precisely positioning the sensor within the wear component. Also, an authentication module is present for authenticating the sensor. |
| US08310352B2 |
Relay apparatus, communication system, and communication method
While ECUs are connected with a distribution apparatus via a communication line, each of the ECUs sends status notification representing own status to the distribution apparatus. The distribution apparatus creates status information representing status of the ECUs in accordance with status notifications received from the ECUs connected with the distribution apparatus. This status information is sent to other distribution apparatuses together with data for synchronizing a database. The other ECUs perform similar operations to those of the ECUs, while the other distribution apparatuses perform similar operations to those of the distribution apparatus. Therefore, each of the distribution apparatuses can recognize the status of all the ECUs. |
| US08310351B2 |
Apparatuses, methods, and systems for an electronic device with a detachable user input attachment
An electronic device (100) is configured to be operable with the user input attachment (102) so as to provide a user with the option of using a touch sensitive display (101) alone, or in conjunction with the control device or keypad having physical keys to enhance the tactile user experience. The electronic device (100) includes a touch sensitive display (101) and the controller (104) it is operable with a touch sensitive display (101). When the user input attachment (102) is coupled to the touch sensitive display (101), and identification module (106) is configured to identify the user input attachment (102) by way of a temporal signature signal (110). Once identified, and adaptation module (107) is configured to reconfigure the electronic device (100) in response to the user input attachment (102) being attached. |
| US08310345B2 |
Receiving apparatus
In contactless communication in which a carrier wave transmitted from a first antenna of a host is received via a second antenna of a terminal and the carrier wave is amplitude-modulated on the terminal to transmit data to the host, a carrier wave detected from the first antenna is amplitude-demodulated to obtain a first demodulated output, and phase information included in the carrier wave detected from the first antenna is extracted and the extracted phase information is decoded to obtain a second demodulated output. Then, either of the first and second demodulated outputs is selected and output. Even when a null is caused by an antenna distance between a PCD and a PICC, demodulated data is reliably obtained by utilizing demodulation processing that uses phase information. |
| US08310344B2 |
Long range radio frequency identification system
A method, apparatus and system for radio frequency identification provides an on-off keyed amplitude-modulated illumination signal containing a sequence of bits configured to illuminate a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, The illumination signal is received at the RFID tag, rectified to generate a wake signal for waking a processor which is subsequently powered by a battery. The received illumination signal is sampled and subjected to a thresholding process. Mobile telephone band interference is countered by correlating the sampled illumination signal to determine its bit sequence and then correlating the bit sequence against a predetermined key. An identification signal from the RFID tag is sent in response to a match. |
| US08310342B2 |
Identification anti-collision method and radio frequency identification system using the same
An anti-collision method is provided for a radio frequency identification (RFID) system including a reader, and two or more tags each having an ID. The anti-collision method includes transmitting an ID request value from the reader to the respective tags, the ID request value containing one or more of the codes forming the ID, receiving the ID from at least one of the tags which contain the ID request value, when a plurality of IDs collide, requesting the tags for a value representing a position of collision, and receiving the value representing the position of collision from the tags and identifying the IDs of the tags. Because collision pattern of the bits of respective IDs is recognized, and a plurality of IDs are recognized, the number of transmissions between the reader and the tags can be reduced. |
| US08310341B2 |
Endpoint classification and command processing
Packet formats and related infrastructure for improved messaging and processing of commands in an AMR system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for identifying the features of an endpoint based on data encoded in a standard meter reading is provided. In this regard, the method includes receiving a standard meter reading having an endpoint type and subtype classification, wherein the subtype classification corresponds to a feature of the endpoint that may be re-configured. Once received, the standard metering reading is decoded. Then, the method identifies the classification of the endpoint with regard to type and subtype and determines whether the endpoint is capable of implementing a particular command. |
| US08310336B2 |
Systems and methods for storing, analyzing, retrieving and displaying streaming medical data
A method of storing streaming physiological information obtained from a medical patient in a multi-patient monitoring environment includes receiving identification information, retrieving parameter descriptors, creating a round-robin database file, receiving a data stream, and using a predetermined data rate to map the data stream to locations in the round-robin database file. |
| US08310335B2 |
Network-based access and control of home automation systems
A device may include a memory to store a home automation graphical application and a processor to operate based on the home automation graphical application to establish via a network a communication link with a home automation system, and provide a graphical user interface to permit a user to view state information of home devices or modify home automation configuration data to control home devices. |
| US08310330B2 |
Dry-type transformer
A dry-type transformer includes at least one high-voltage winding and one low-voltage winding. The windings are operatively connected to one another by an electromagnetic field, and each winding is constructed from winding conductors, wherein the high-voltage winding and the low-voltage winding have a defined distance from one another, and spacers are arranged between the windings and maintain the defined distance. |
| US08310329B1 |
Interleaved common mode transformer with common mode capacitors
The interleaved common mode transformer is a transformer particularly well suited for providing low voltage, high current dc outputs. Improving the efficiency of low voltage, high current transformer circuits requires a multi-faceted approach. Ac terminations and ac currents in connecting circuitry are particularly troublesome, so the input and output terminations of the transformer are dc. To utilize the winding fully, a common-mode push-pull configuration with common mode capacitors is used. Stray capacitance is less of a concern than leakage inductance at low voltages, so the windings are highly interleaved. Separate parallel secondary windings are used, an ac winding primarily for the ac currents, and a dc winding primarily for dc currents and heat sinking. The ac windings are thin; approximately two times the penetration depth. The dc windings are substantial, for low voltage drop and good heat sinking. For economical construction with minimum height, plated circuit board fabrication methods and materials are used for the windings. 100 percent duty-ratio switching is preferred to minimize core losses and reduce filtering requirements, as the filters are lossy. |
| US08310328B2 |
Planar coil and method of making the same
A method of making a planar coil is disclosed in the present invention. First, a substrate having a trench is provided. Then, a barrier and a seed layer are formed on the substrate in sequence. An isolative layer is used for guiding a conductive material to flow into a lower portion of the trench such that accumulation of the conductive material at opening of the trench is prevented before the lower portion of the trench is completely filled up, thereby avoiding gap formation in the trench. |
| US08310327B2 |
Low-profile transformer
The present invention provides an improved transformer (20), which broadly includes: a substrate (21) having first and second surfaces (22, 23); a first board (24) mounted on the substrate first surface; a second board (25) mounted on the substrate second surface; the boards being identical to one another and being mounted on the respective proximate substrate surfaces as mirror images of one another; each of the boards having a plurality of dielectric layers with electrically-conductive sheet windings (35, 36, 37, 38) embedded therein; and an assembled core (26, 28) operatively arranged to provide a path for magnetic flux attributable to a current in some of the windings. Third and fourth boards (71, 72) may be piggy-backed onto the first and second boards, respectively, to selectively vary the properties of the transformer. |
| US08310325B2 |
Permanent magnet device
A magnet arrangement for creating a magnetic field. The magnet arrangement includes a first magnet having a first surface defining a first pole and a second surface defining a second pole opposite the first pole, and a second magnet having a third surface defining a third pole and a fourth surface defining a fourth pole opposite the third pole. The second surface has a higher magnetic flux density than the first surface. The third surface has a higher magnetic flux density than the fourth surface. The second magnet is spaced from the first magnet to define a first gap between the second surface and the third surface. Magnetic field lines of the magnetic field run from the first surface to the second surface, from the second surface to the third surface through the first gap, and from the third surface to the fourth surface. |
| US08310324B2 |
Releasable guide and methods for using same
Apparatus and methods for guiding one or more tools are provided. In at least one specific embodiment, the apparatus for guiding one or more tools can include an elongated member. The elongated member can have one or more switchable magnets disposed thereon. |
| US08310304B1 |
Power amplifier control system with gain calibration
A digital power amplifier is disclosed. The digital power amplifier may comprise an amplifying stage configured for applying a first level of attenuation to an RF input signal in response to a desired output power level of the digital power amplifier; a reference loop configured for determining an average power of a sample of the RF input signal and providing a reference value at least partially based upon the average power of the sample of the RF input signal; a feedback loop configured for applying a second level of attenuation to a sample of an output of the amplifying stage and providing a feedback value indicating an average power of the attenuated sample of the output; and an error amplifier configured for providing a gain control adjustment signal to the amplifying stage, the gain control adjustment signal being determined based upon the reference value and the feedback value. |
| US08310301B2 |
Fully featured control pin powered analog switch
An apparatus comprises at least one input connection, at least one output connection, at least one control connection, a voltage converter circuit having an input coupled to the control connection and an output, wherein the voltage converter circuit is configured to provide a voltage at its output that is greater than a voltage present at its input, and at least one switch circuit coupled to the input connection, the output connection, and the output of the voltage converter circuit. The switch circuit passes a signal received at the input to the output when the switch circuit is activated by the voltage converter output. Power to the voltage converter circuit is provided via the control connection, and power to the switch circuit is provided via the output of the voltage converter circuit. |
| US08310299B2 |
Charge pump regulator and method of producing a regulated voltage
A charge pump regulator has a charge pump to establish a charge path and a discharge path alternately, so as to produce a regulated voltage on an output terminal. The charge pump has at least a current control element on the charge path or the discharge path to control the current flowing therethrough according to an output-dependent feedback signal. |
| US08310297B2 |
Semiconductor device
Disclosed is a semiconductor device including a mode control circuit that, when a standby control signal is in an activated state, based on a timer output signal from a timer circuit, generates a MODE control output signal that changes a logic state of a functional circuit part at every prescribed time interval, and an output control circuit that receives an output signal of the functional circuit part and controls output of the output signal; based on a delay output signal generated by delaying a MODE control output signal by a delay circuit. While the functional circuit part is changing the logic state by the MODE control output signal, the output control circuit does not transfer the functional circuit part output signal to output, but holds and outputs a functional circuit part output signal immediately before the functional circuit part changes the logic state by the MODE control output signal. |
| US08310294B2 |
Low-power clock generation and distribution circuitry
A communication IC includes a power-efficient clock-distribution system. A control loop monitors and adjusts the peak and trough voltages of a clock signal. The clock signal can be adaptively adjusted to center the peak and trough voltages about the switching threshold voltage of a clock buffer. The voltage swing of the clock signal can thus be made small and, as a consequence, power efficient. The control loop can monitor and control more than one clock signal. |
| US08310290B2 |
ADC having improved sample clock jitter performance
In conventional analog-to-digital converter (ADC) systems, jitter can be a problem because of delay circuits within the sample signal path. Here, an ADC system is provided with a modified delay locked loop (DLL), namely having a variable delay and a fixed delay. The modification to the delay line of DLL enables the removal of delay circuits from the sample path, improve the overall signal to noise ration (SNR). |
| US08310282B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing multi-mode clock signals
Apparatus and methods for providing multi-mode clock signals are disclosed. In some embodiments, a multi-mode driver configured to receive a first clock signal, and to selectively output a different clock signal in response to one or more signals from a controller is provided. The driver can include an H-bridge circuit without substantial increases in the size of the design area. Advantageously, lower jitter and improved impedance matching can be accomplished. |
| US08310277B2 |
High linear fast peak detector
A high linear fast peak detector having a variable bias current and/or a variable bias voltage is described. In an exemplary design, the peak detector includes a transistor, a variable current source, a capacitor, and a feedback circuit. The transistor receives the input signal and provides a source current. The variable current source receives the input signal, provides high bias current when the input signal is low, and provides low bias current when the input signal is high. The capacitor is charged by the source current when the input signal is high and is discharged by the high bias current when the input signal is low. The feedback circuit receives a detected signal from the capacitor and provides higher bias voltage for the transistor when the input signal is high, which results in higher source current from the transistor. |
| US08310265B2 |
IC testing methods and apparatus
An integrated circuit comprises a device under test and embedded test circuitry. The embedded test circuitry comprises a plurality of process monitoring sensors, a threshold circuit for comparing the sensor signals with a threshold window having an upper and a lower limit and a digital interface for outputting the threshold circuit signal. The process monitoring sensors comprise circuitry based on the circuit elements of the device under test. This arrangement enables monitoring of circuit element performance, such as transistor properties, using process monitoring sensors which are embedded with the device under test, so that the same process parameter variations apply to the sensors as to the device under test. The sensors preferably match the physical layout of the device under test. |
| US08310264B2 |
Method for configuring combinational switching matrix and testing system for semiconductor devices using the same
A method for configuring a combinational switching matrix comprises the steps of setting a first switching module and a second switching module, coupling at least one of the output ports of the first switching module with at least one of the input ports of the second switching module to form the combinational switching matrix, building a connection mapping table based on the coupling relationship between the output port of the first switching module and the input port of the second switching module, and displaying a channel switching interface showing the input terminals, the output terminals, and the on/off states of the virtual switching devices of the combinational switching matrix. |
| US08310260B2 |
Connecting device
A connecting device for connecting pins of a DIP chip to a test device comprises two each of half frames, columns of testing pins, connecting screws, fixing screws, and four holding plates. The two columns of testing pins are arranged respectively on the two half frames parallel to the lengthways direction of the half frame. The distance between two adjacent testing pins in the same column is equal to that between the two adjacent pins in the same column of the DIP chip. The two connecting screws screw into the half frames perpendicular to the lengthways direction of the half frame. Two of the holding plates extend down from each of the half frames and are aligned with short sides of the corresponding half frame. The fixing screws fix the two holding plates on the same half frame along a direction parallel to the lengthways direction of the half frame. |