Document | Document Title |
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US08320952B2 |
Method and apparatus to facilitate download scheduling
A mobile station (201) receives (301) a transmission from a remote source (such as, but not limited to, a reference server (206)) comprising information regarding downloadable content. This information can comprise, in a preferred approach, addresses that can be used to download corresponding selections of downloadable content. This information can further comprise, in a preferred approach, characterizing information regarding at least some of the downloadable content selections identified via such addresses. In a preferred approach, such a mobile station can then also access (302) locally developed information regarding downloading constraints of interest and then make determinations (303) regarding when to automatically download at least a portion of at least one of the selections of downloadable content as a function, at least in part, of both the characterizing information as was received via the aforementioned transmission and the locally developed information regarding relevant downloading constraints. |
US08320949B2 |
Wireless load balancing across bands
A technique for wireless load balancing involves providing a wireless infrastructure that creates a target band option and helps push clients toward that band. An example of a method according to the technique involves, by way of example but not limitation, responding only to probe requests on a first band when a client is detected on the first band and a second band. For example, using the techniques described herein, a platform that is both 802.11a and 802.11b/g compliant may attempt to connect preferentially to the 802.11b/g band of a wireless network, and be migrated toward the 802.11a band instead. |
US08320948B2 |
System and method for probability-based resource allocation in a wireless communications system
A system and method for probability-based resource allocation in a wireless communications system is provided. A method for centralized resource allocation includes coordinating spectrum sensing information with a set of cognitive radio (CR) user pairs, computing probability-based information for CR user pairs in the set of CR user pairs, computing adjustment values for each channel available for allocation, assigning a CR user pair to an unassigned channel in a set of channels available for allocation, the assigning based on the probability-based information, updating the adjustment values, repeating the assigning a CR user pair and the updating the adjustment values if the adjustment values have not converged, and transmitting a message to the set of CR user pairs, wherein the message comprises information regarding CR user pair to channel assignments. |
US08320942B2 |
Wireless device with directional antennas for use in millimeter-wave peer-to-peer networks and methods for adaptive beam steering
Embodiments of wireless device and method for communicating in a wireless network are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments, a wireless device establishes a link using a directional antenna in an initially selected direction with another wireless device. If the link in the initially selected direction deteriorates, the link may be reestablished in a previously identified alternate direction. In some embodiments, the initially selected direction and the alternate direction are jointly selected by both the first and second wireless devices. |
US08320940B2 |
Method and system for providing mobile wireless access points
A mobile access point is disclosed. The mobile access point includes a terminal module configured to provide one or more terminal functions for use by a user, the one or more terminal functions including a voice or data communications application, and a gateway module configured to provide one or more gateway functions for use by at least one client device, the one or more gateway functions including providing the at least one client device access to a computer network, and a processor configured to execute the terminal module and the gateway module to effectuate their corresponding functions. |
US08320935B2 |
System and method for monitoring the location of individuals via the world wide web using a wireless communications network
A system is described for monitoring the geographical location of a subscriber's mobile cellular telephone, and for providing the location information to an authorized user through the world wide web. The geographical location of the subscriber's mobile cellular telephone is tracked using registration signals transmitted over the control channel by the cellular telephone. This information is supplied to a geographical location coordinator system, which determines the geographical coordinates for the cellular telephone. A database stores the geographical location information along with a subscriber's telephone number and account code. The database is updated to track the movement of the cellular telephone user across a geographical area. |
US08320931B2 |
Geo-fencing in a wireless location system
Method and systems are employed by a wireless location system (WLS) for locating a wireless device operating in a geographic area served by a wireless communications system. An exemplary method includes defining a geo-fenced area. The method then includes monitoring a set of predefined signaling links of the wireless communications system, and detecting that a mobile device has performed any of the following acts with respect to the geo-fenced area: (1) entered the geo-fenced area, (2) exited the geo-fenced area, and (3) come within a predefined degree of proximity near the geo-fenced area. A high-accuracy location function may then be triggered in order to determine the geographic location of the mobile device. |
US08320927B2 |
Devices, methods, and computer-readable media for providing broad quality of service optimization using policy-based selective quality degradation
Devices, methods and computer-readable media for providing broad quality of service optimization using policy-based selective quality degradation. Data associated with a quality of service for customers and QoS policy rules are stored. Customers are grouped for potential degradation. Levels of degradation are defined for each type of user device. Degradation for the group of customers is optimized using policy rules. Degradation is adjusted to account for variations in user treatment within the group. The adjusted degradation is then implemented. |
US08320924B2 |
Interference control in a communication system
A method of allocating resources to cells of a cellular communication system comprising the steps of determining a load in at least one of the cells; selecting a resource reuse pattern from a set of resource reuse patterns based on the determined load; allocating resources in accordance with the selected resource reuse pattern. |
US08320921B2 |
Method and apparatus for cell selection in flexible spectrum use radio system
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a transceiver configured to receive beacons from a plurality of access points; a processor configured to estimate an expected bit-rate for the plurality of access points based at least in part on a frequency spectrum use resourcing, select an access point from the plurality of access points based at least in part on a target expected bit-rate and cause the transceiver to connect to the selected access point. |
US08320920B1 |
Method for decommissioning wireless transmission sites
Methods for decommissioning wireless transmission sites include calculating coverage radii for wireless transmission stations, and representing the wireless transmission stations as a two-dimensional grid. In one embodiment, the virtual cells that comprise the grid having a virtual cell size that is based on the coverage radii. Virtual grid cells having excess wireless transmission stations are identified. Particular excess wireless transmissions stations are then selected for decommissioning based on a predetermined factor. |
US08320918B2 |
Method for reselecting a cell and detecting whether a terminal is stationary in mobile telecommunications system
Disclosed is a method for determining, by a terminal, its mobility and deciding a time to select another cell in a mobile communication system, in which the terminal determines the mobility by using variation information in signal characteristic values of measurable specific cells, thereby appropriately controlling a size of a time restriction (e.g., Treselection) for a cell re-selection and preventing frequent occurrence of cell selection such as a ping-pong situation, thus to reduce an unnecessary service delay due to the cell re-selection and maximize a service quality for a user. |
US08320915B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing cell reselection in wireless communication system
An apparatus and method of performing cell reselection in a wireless communication system is provided. A mobile station determines whether first priority information for the first RAT is provided by the serving cell, and receives second priority information of a second RAT from the serving cell. The mobile station performs inter-RAT cell reselection based on the first and second priority information if the first priority information for the first RAT is provided. The mobile station performs cell reselection toward the second RAT based on measured values of cells of the second RAT without considering the second priority information if the first priority information for the first RAT is not provided. |
US08320913B2 |
Optimizing the connection between a mobile communication terminal and a signaling server through an address translation device
A mobile communication terminal (T) comprising connection means (MCN) for connecting to access networks (N1, N2) and registration means (MREG) for periodically transmitting registration messages to a signaling server (SS) located within a public communication network (PUB) connected to these access networks. It is characterized by a memory (MMEM) capable of associating a validity period with at least some of the access networks, and in that the registration means (MREG) are provided for transmitting registration messages with a periodicity equal to the validity period associated with the access network (N1, N2) to which the terminal (T) is connected. |
US08320911B2 |
Cellular communications system providing mobile cellular device battery saving features while accommodating user access requests and related methods
A cellular communications system may include at least one base station and at least one mobile cellular communications device. More particularly, the at least one mobile cellular communications device may include a controller, at least one user input device connected to the controller, and a wireless transceiver cooperating with the controller for attempting to establish a wireless communications link with at least one base station, and if the wireless communications link cannot be established, then continuing to attempt to establish the wireless communications link at a first attempt rate. Moreover, if a user provides a request to access the at least one base station via the at least one user input device, then the controller may continue to attempt to establish the wireless communications link based upon a second attempt rate greater than the first attempt rate. |
US08320904B1 |
Method and system for remotely accessing and troubleshooting cellular wireless communication devices
A method and system for remote troubleshooting of a wireless communication device, such as a cell phone. The cell phone is programmed with server logic, such as a Telnet server application and an FTP server application. A computer at a customer service center for instance is programmed with client logic, such as a Telnet client application and an FTP client application. When a customer service representative receives a call reporting trouble with the cell phone, the representative may conveniently operate the client logic on the computer to log into the cell phone server logic, via a packet-switched network such as the Internet and via a wireless access network (and thus an air interface) serving the cell phone. Through that connection, the customer service representative can thereby cause the cell phone to perform various performance evaluations and can download the evaluation results to conveniently facilitate troubleshooting of the cell phone trouble. |
US08320903B2 |
Method and system for calibrating multiple types of base stations in a wireless network
A method of calibrating multiple types of base stations is provided. The method includes selecting one of a plurality of technology types for the wireless base station. The wireless base station has an adaptive antenna array. A calibration is performed for the wireless base station based on the selected technology type. |
US08320901B2 |
Smart phone as remote control device
A communication device such as a smart phone is enabled for remotely controlling set-top boxes (STBs) over Internet protocol networks using an applet running on the communication device. Authentication from within a multimedia content distribution network may be achieved by verifying that a network identifier associated with the communication device is associated with an account that has granted access to the smart phone and that is associated with the controlled STB. A viewing pane on the communication device permits a user to remotely view content received on or available to the controlled STB. |
US08320898B2 |
Systems and methods for optimizing the configuration of a set of performance scaling algorithms
Systems and methods for optimizing performance scaling algorithms designated for operation on a mobile device are disclosed. A system memory includes program, use case, and results stores in addition to test logic. The program store contains a set of programs defined by the combination of a performance scaling algorithm and a set of parameters. The use case store contains information that identifies expected tasks to be performed by end users of the mobile device over time. The results store organizes a respective merit value determined after each of the set of programs has been executed for tasks defined by each use case. When executed, the test logic adjusts the mobile device and associates a select program for each of the use cases in response to the stored merit values. The merit values are determined as a function of a performance metric and a power metric. |
US08320897B2 |
Method and device for programming inter-(sub) system interface identity data at a unit or individual subscriber
A method and device enables programming inter-subsystem interface (ISSI) identity data, which identifies at least one of units or groups operating in a communication network, into at least one unit associated with a first radio frequency subsystem. The method includes receiving the ISSI identity data at the first radio frequency subsystem from an ISSI communication node, wherein the ISSI identity data identifies at least one of unit information or group information associated with a second radio frequency subsystem operating in the communication network. At least a portion of the ISSI identity data is then programmed into the at least one unit associated with the first radio frequency subsystem. |
US08320892B2 |
Method and system for providing linkage service of address book data between telematics and mobile terminal
The present invention relates to a method for providing a linkage service of address book data between telematics and a mobile terminal by interworking with a mobile communication network. According to the present invention, an address book data link service providing method of a call transfer service providing system between telematics and a mobile terminal that interworks with a mobile communication network, comprises (a) receiving a call transfer service request information from a telematics device mounted in a vehicle and distinguishing a subscriber of the telematics device; (b) searching a service registration information of the subscriber and checking information about the telematics device and the mobile terminal of the subscriber; and (c) transferring an address book data of the mobile terminal of the subscriber to the telematics device. |
US08320889B2 |
Method for automatic presentation of information before connection
When a communications system initiates a connection, adaptive information can be presented to a user while waiting for that connection to be finalized. The adaptive information that is presented can be selected based on predetermined criteria which can be configured by a user. Moreover, the adaptive information that is presented can be selected based on a characteristic of the connection. For example, adaptive information can be selected which corresponds to the connection endpoint (e.g., the person or place a user is attempting to contact). A system can also delay finalizing a connection in order to present more adaptive information to a user. The delay can last until after all of the adaptive information has been presented or until a unit of adaptive information has been presented. |
US08320886B2 |
Integrating mobile device based communication session recordings
Mobile device based communication sessions are recorded and communicated via a receiver to a session data manager. The session data manager processes received representations of the communication sessions in response to metadata generated on the mobile device. In some embodiments, the session data manager is coupled to a data store that indexes the representations. A server identifies and forwards a stored representation in response to a request from a requester with appropriate access privileges. |
US08320880B2 |
Apparatus and methods for secure architectures in wireless networks
Apparatus, methods, computer readable media and processors may provide a secure architecture within which a client application on a wireless device may, in some aspects, exchange information securely with resident device resources, and in other aspects, with a remote server over a wireless network. |
US08320876B2 |
Queuing and routing telephone calls
A method and system to process communications in an automatic communication distributor is described. The method may comprise receiving a communication and identifying an originating location from which the communication originates. Thereafter, a determination is made when the originating location corresponds to a predefined high priority geographical area and a priority to the communication is assigned based on the originating location. The call may be assigned a higher priority when the originating location corresponds to the high priority geographical area than when the originating location does not correspond with the high priority geographical area. The communication is queued based on the assigned priority. A method is also provided to assign an agent using an automated call distributor based on a distance between the originating location of the communication and the determined geographical locations of the potential respondents. |
US08320875B2 |
Emergency communication recognition
Emergency communication initiated from an internet protocol enabled device may be recognized and established. An address representative of a designated recipient with which communication is to be established may be provided to a first communication service operating on the internet protocol enabled device, such as a wireless mobile device. The communication may be a non-voice communication or a voice communication. The communication may be determined to be indicative of an emergency. The communication may be established with a recipient associated with the designated recipient address via a second communication service operating on the internet protocol enabled device and a predetermined network upon the communication being indicative of an emergency. The predetermined network may provide the communication between the internet protocol enabled device and the recipient securely. |
US08320872B2 |
Apparatus and method for broadcasting the detection of RF jammer presence
The jamming of a radio frequency (RF) transmission after the vehicle is parked is detected. When the jamming is detected, an emergency message is broadcast on a first random access channel (RACH) associated with the vehicle according to a last known broadcast channel (BCH). When the jamming is detected, at least one last known neighbor serving cell from a stored data structure is determined, and the emergency message is broadcast on one or more second RACHs associated with each of the at least one last known neighbor serving cells. |
US08320870B2 |
Sport event transducer
A sport event transducer having an output element that can emit a perceivable output in response to an event that relates to a sport team, such as for example by emitting an audio-visual output when a particular football team scores a touchdown. The transducer can be removable attached to a sport garment such as a cap or jersey, or can be an integral part of the garment. A transmission system remotely controls such transducers in response to sport team events by broadcasting an RF signal carrying team event messages, such as for example by transmitting an FM radio-data broadcast that carries a team event message embedded in the FM signal as RDS data. The sport event transducer receives and decodes such RF broadcast signals. If the transducer receives a team event message that relates to the transducer's affiliated team, the transducer's output element emits an audio and/or visual output signal in response to the message. |
US08320866B2 |
Integrated circuits, communication units and methods of cancellation of intermodulation distortion
A wireless communication unit includes a transmitter, a receiver, a selectivity element and a baseband processing module. The receiver has at least one summation module arranged to add a cancellation signal to the quadrature baseband receive signal. a baseband processing module arranged to: receive the quadrature baseband transmit signal and quadrature baseband receive signal; apply independent gain and phase adjustments to quadrature portions of the quadrature baseband transmit signal, based on at least one signal component of the quadrature baseband receive signal, to form independent cancellation signals; and apply the independent cancellation signals to the at least one summation module. |
US08320864B2 |
Method and system for multiple tuner application using a low noise broadband distribution amplifier
An active splitter circuit arrangement includes a first amplification module having a number of first input ports and first output ports. The first amplification module is configured to provide first stage amplification to a received input signal and produce from the amplified input signal a number of output signals, each substantially matching the input signal. Also included is a first gain control device having a number of gain input ports respectively coupled to the first output ports and a gain output port coupled to at least one of the first input ports. The first gain control device is configured to control a gain of the first amplification module. Next, a number of second amplification modules corresponding to the number of output signals has a number of second input ports respectively coupled to the first output ports. Each second amplification module is configured to receive a control signal from the second gain control device, provide second stage amplification to a corresponding one of the number of output signals based upon the control signal and produce an amplified output signal. |
US08320862B2 |
Receiver and receiving system
When the first switching circuit outputs the output signal of the first selection filter, the receiver switches the output signal of the second switching circuit to the output signal of the delay compensator, and when the first switching circuit outputs the output signal of the second selection filter, the receiver switches the output signal of the second switching circuit to the output signal of the third selection filter. |
US08320856B2 |
Method and system for a leaky wave antenna as a load on a power amplifier
Methods and systems for utilizing a leaky wave antenna as a load on a power amplifier are disclosed and may include configuring one or more leaky wave antennas as a load for one or more power amplifiers (PAs) in a wireless device. RF signals may be transmitted via the leaky wave antennas which may be integrated on the chip, a package to which the chip is affixed, or on a printed circuit board to which the chip is affixed. The antennas may include an inductive load and/or a balun for the one or more PAs. The leaky wave antennas may be impedance matched to the PAs. The PAs may amplify a signal to be transmitted, and an output power of the PAs may be configured by controlling a bias voltage for the PAs. |
US08320855B2 |
Probability optimized power amplifier module and transmitter
A power amplifier module includes a first power amplifier, a second power amplifier, and a controlling module. The first power amplifier has an amplification set for optimal efficiency in accordance with most probable transmit power level settings within a transmit power level range. The second power amplifier has an amplification set for optimal efficiency in accordance with the most probable transmit power level settings within the transmit power level range. The controlling module is coupled to: enable one of the first and second power amplifiers to amplify an outbound radio frequency (RF) signal in accordance with a power setting when the power setting is not within the most probable transmit power level settings; and enable at least one of the first and second power amplifiers to amplify the outbound RF signal in accordance with the power setting when the power setting is within the most probable transmit power level settings. |
US08320851B2 |
Wireless communication device, wireless communication method, and computer program
A wireless commutation device includes: an antenna unit including antennas transmitting and receiving wireless signals; an analog processing unit including transmitting analog circuits and receiving analog circuits processing analog transmitting and received signals; a digital processing unit processing digital transmitting and received signals; an inter-antenna propagation loss determination unit determining propagation losses between the antennas; a loopback transfer function gain acquisition unit acquiring, through loopback of a calibration signal between the antennas, gains of loopback transfer functions between antenna branches; a loopback transfer function gain correction unit correcting the gains by using the propagation losses; a correction coefficient determination unit determining the respective gain ratios among the receiving analog circuits and the transmitting analog circuits by using the corrected gains, and determining correction coefficients by using the gain ratios; and a gain calibration processing unit performing gain calibration on the digital transmitting and received signals by using the correction coefficients. |
US08320850B1 |
Power control loop using a tunable antenna matching circuit
The present disclosure relates to combining tunable antenna matching circuit adjustments and RF power amplifier output power adjustments of a first RF terminal in response to output power adjustment commands received from a second RF terminal. The output power adjustment commands may be part of an output power control loop between the first RF terminal and the second RF terminal to control the output power from the first RF terminal. The first RF terminal may include an RF receiver, an RF power amplifier, and a tunable antenna matching circuit coupled between an output of the RF power amplifier and an antenna. The tunable antenna matching circuit adjustments may be impedance adjustments of the tunable antenna matching circuit and the RF power amplifier output power adjustments may result from adjustments to one or more input signals to the RF power amplifier. |
US08320843B2 |
Radio-frequency switch circuit
A radio-frequency switch circuit of the invention includes: n-stage through FETs (field effect transistors) connected in series between the antenna terminal and each of the radio-frequency terminals, where n is a natural number; a radio-frequency leakage prevention resistor connected to a gate of the through FETs; a control signal line commonly connected to the gates of the n-stage through FETs connected to the same radio-frequency terminal; and a resistor connected to each of at least two of the control signal lines and connected to the radio-frequency leakage prevention resistor in series The two control signal lines are capacitively coupled between the resistor and the through FETs. |
US08320839B2 |
Method for testing a mobile-radio device
A method for testing a mobile-radio device is provided. The method includes determination of information regarding at least one real mobile-radio network using a measuring device, and additionally and independently using a mobile-radio device. The method further includes analysis of the information, received through the measuring device and through the mobile-radio device, regarding the mobile-radio network using an analysis device, analysis of all signals incoming to and respectively outgoing from the mobile-radio device using an analysis device, conversion of the information into an instruction sequence, and simulation of the real mobile-radio network through the implementation of at least a part of the instruction sequence by the test device. |
US08320834B2 |
Inter-cell interference mitigation signalling methods and apparatus
An inter-cell interference mitigation signaling method for controlling the use of a plurality of inter-cell interference mitigation methods during wireless communications between a first wireless communications apparatus and a second wireless communications apparatus, the method comprising performing a system configuration procedure to select one or more of the inter-cell interference mitigation methods for use during the wireless communications between the first wireless communications apparatus and the second wireless communications apparatus; performing an initiation procedure to start the use of the one or more selected inter-cell interference mitigation methods in response to the meeting of the predetermined initiation criteria; and performing a termination procedure to end the use of the one or more selected inter-cell interference mitigation methods in response to the meeting of predetermined termination criteria. |
US08320833B2 |
Transmission apparatus, reception apparatus, transmission system which combines these, and transmission and reception method thereof
A transmission apparatus, a reception apparatus, a transmission system which combines these, and a transmission and reception method thereof are provided. The transmission apparatus includes a first transmission unit which transmits data via a channel in a first band, a second transmission unit which transmits data via a channel in a second band, and a transmission control unit which controls the first transmission unit to stop transmitting the data via the channel in the first band if interference is sensed in the channel in the first band. Accordingly, data can be provided without data interruption in a wireless environment where there is interference. |
US08320830B2 |
Tape-form communication sheet and information processing device using the tape-form communication sheet
It is an object to provide a transmission system that is more suitable for transmission of a large volume of data than a cable or an optical fiber is and capable of coupling a transmission path and an electronic device easily without using a connector. A tape-form communication sheet is configured by a sheet body, plural coupling nodes regularly arranged in line and fitted in the sheet body, and a signal transmission wiring, wherein an interface of a computer having the interface similar to this coupling node is connected to the coupling node of the tape-form communication sheet for transmitting a signal. The coupling nodes are configured by an arrayed antenna and a communication circuit unit including a signal In/Out unit, a memory, a signal reception/output unit, and a CPU connected to the signal In/Out unit, the memory, and the signal reception/output unit, wherein the signal transmission wiring is connected to the signal In/Out unit of the respective coupling nodes. |
US08320829B1 |
Enabling on-demand inter-spacecraft resource sharing and coordination
A system and method for enabling on-demand inter-spacecraft resource sharing and coordination are disclosed involving at least one wireless device and a payload. At least one wireless device transmits and receives communications to at least one access point and at least one user. In one or more embodiments, spacecrafts are employed for the access points and/or the users. The payload comprises at least one transponder and at least one processor. At least one transponder transmits and receives the communications to at least one access point and at least one user. The processor provides channelized communication and regenerative communication to at least one user. Also, the processor monitors signal quality of the communications received from at least one user. In one or more embodiments, the wireless device is a radio frequency (RF) omni-directional antenna. In some embodiments, the wireless device is a diffuse optical emitter and receiver. |
US08320828B2 |
Radio communication system, radio communication apparatus, and retransmission control method
In a multiuser MIMO system, entire system throughput achieved during retransmission is significantly enhanced. When an interference signal addressed to another user equipment (UE2) 200b has been demodulated successfully, a user equipment (UE1) 200a holds the demodulated data pertaining to the interference signal, and feeds back ACK information about the UE2 and CQI information achieved after elimination of the interference signal to a radio base station (BS) 100. When the UE2 performs retransmission after ended in a receiving failure and when the UE1 has demodulated the interference signal addressed to the UE2 successfully, the BS changes the distribution of communication resources in such a way that communication resources for the UE2 become larger than those for the UE1. At the time of retransmission, the UE1 eliminates the interference signal from a newly-received signal by use of previously-held demodulated data pertaining to the interference signal, and the UE2 combines data pertaining to the desired signal held during previous receiving failure with data pertaining to the retransmitted signal by means of soft combining. |
US08320826B2 |
Power control at a relay station in a wireless network
A wireless network includes a base station and a relay station for extending wireless coverage of the base station. Downlink data is sent by the base station and relayed through the relay station to a mobile station, where the downlink data is associated with a preamble that is sent directly from the base station to the mobile station. A transmit power of the relay station is adjusted for transmitting the downlink data from the relay station to the mobile station to reduce a difference between a first power level of the preamble received at the mobile station and a second power level of the downlink data received at the mobile station. The uplink transmit power of the mobile station for the data sent to the relay station is adjusted to compensate for the difference in path loss from mobile station to base station and mobile station to relay station and to compensate for the difference in noise_plus_interference level at relay station compared to that of the base station. |
US08320820B2 |
Self-contained data communication system nodes as stand-alone pods or embedded in concrete walkways and in walls at public venues including sports and entertainment venues
A system supports communications of video and data to hand held devices located within a public venue (e.g., sports stadium). At least one pod includes wireless communications electronics and an integrated antennae deployed as a communications node within the public venue and provides data including video through a data network from at least one server to hand held wireless devices located in the public venue. The pod can include a rechargeable power source sustaining self-contained operation of the wireless communication electronics. An optional solar cell can provide electrical power to charge the rechargeable power source. A pod can be embedded in the wall or floor surface of said public venue and can be provided in the form of a core hole plug. |
US08320818B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus which determines a print region for a book composed of quires
An image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus are supplied capable of adjusting binding margins per quire included in a quire book. In the image processing apparatus that has a setting section sets a quire page number of each quire; a size obtaining section obtains medium size information of the print mediums; an assigning and obtaining section assigns respective page numbers to each page of inputted image data and obtains an image page number; a page calculating section calculates an all page number of the quire book on the basis of the quire page number and the image page number; a determining section respectively determines a print region corresponding to the respective page number on the basis of the quire page number, the medium size information and the all page number; and a changing section respectively changes the image data to change image data within the determined print region. |
US08320816B2 |
Pass through inverter
An improved architecture for use in a tightly integrated serial or parallel printer includes an inverter module that comprises a straight pass-through media path, as well as, an invert path. This auxiliary ‘pass-through’ media path of the inverter allows a sheet to enter the inverter ‘backwards’ through the traditional duplex exit path and continue straight out the inverter into the media path of a downstream engine to receive an image thereon. |
US08320813B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming system, image forming method and computer readable medium storing program
An image forming apparatus includes: a paper feeding device that supplies paper; a reception unit that receives a print instruction including output control information in which a paper type is designated by page; a setting unit that sets a priority in paper change by paper type based on the output control information included in the print instruction received by the reception unit; an instruction unit that issues a paper change instruction based on the priority set by the setting unit; and a printing device that performs printing on paper of a type designated by the instruction unit. |
US08320812B2 |
Image forming apparatus for adding gloss to image formed on recording paper
Provided is an image forming apparatus that includes a paper feeding unit configured to feed recording paper, a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image to the recording paper fed by the paper feeding unit, a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image transferred to the recording paper by the transfer unit on the recording paper, a thermal head having a plurality of heating units arrayed in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the recording paper, and configured to add gloss by heating an arbitrary area of the recording paper on which the toner image has been fixed by the fixing unit for each line, a setting unit configured to set a gloss addition area in the recording paper to which the gloss is added by the thermal head, a correction unit configured to correct the gloss addition area set by the setting unit so that numbers of heating units driven when the recording paper is heated by the thermal head are approximately equal in each line, and a control unit configured to control driving of the plurality of heating units based on the gloss addition area corrected by the correction unit. |
US08320811B2 |
Image recording medium, image recording medium reusing apparatus, image forming apparatus using the same and image recording medium reusing method
An image recording medium that can be repeatedly used by removing the toner image has a three-layered structure formed of a heat-resistant resin sheet and a pair of releasing and light absorptive layers coated on both sides of the heat-resistant resin sheet. The releasing and light absorptive layer generates heat by absorbing laser so as to fuse and fix the toner image formed on the special sheet surface at the time of image forming, and assures pertinent releasing performance at the time of image removal so as to facilitate removal of the re-fused toner image. Each releasing and light absorptive layer may be split into a light absorptive layer and a releasing layer. The heat-resistant resin sheet may be produced by adding an infrared absorbent to a heat-resistant resin sheet to serve as a heat-resistant sheet and a light absorptive layer. |
US08320804B2 |
Image forming apparatus, control apparatus, computer readable medium and control method to mitigate color shift
The image forming apparatus is provided with: a toner image carrying member that moves while carrying a toner image; a transferring member that transfers, on a recording medium, the toner image that the toner image carrying member carries; a transporting unit that transports the recording medium along a transport path that passes through a transfer region where the transferring member transfers the toner image onto the recording medium; and a controller that controls a movement speed of the toner image carrying member. The controller changes the movement speed of the toner image carrying member in accordance with a position, on the transport path, of the recording medium that the transporting unit transports. |
US08320803B2 |
Developing device and cartridge
A developing device includes a developing container for accommodating a developer; a developer carrying member, provided rotatably in the developing container, for carrying and feeding the developer to develop an electrostatic image; a developer feeding member, including an elastic feeding portion and being rotatably provided in the developing container, for feeding the developer in the developing container toward the developer carrying member; and a circulation changing member for changing circulation of the developer in the neighborhood of the developer carrying member. In a plane perpendicular to a rotational axis of the developer carrying member, the circulation changing member is provided in a maximum rotation area of the developer feeding member so as to create a gap between itself and an entire inner surface of the developing container and a gap between itself and the developer carrying member. |
US08320797B2 |
Developer storing vessel and image forming apparatus
A developer storing vessel includes a supplied developer storing portion including: a first supply storing portion which is stored a developer to be supplied to a developer unit; a second supply storing portion which is provided under the first supply storing portion and formed with a horizontal width narrower than that of the first supply storing portion; and a supply outlet from which the developer stored in the second supply storing portion flows out; and a recovered developer storing portion including: a recovery inlet which is disposed above the supply outlet in a direction of gravity, in a position displaced therefrom horizontally and within the horizontal width of the first supply storing portion, and from which recovered developer flows in, and a recovery storing portion which is provided under the recovery inlet and in which the developer flowing from the recovery inlet is stored. |
US08320796B2 |
Image forming apparatus
Disclosed herein is an image forming apparatus including a main body; a developing unit detachably mounted on the main body and having a photoconductive medium; and a cover pivotably mounted on the main body to cover and support an outer end of the developing unit. The cover may comprises a latch engaged with the main body by one end thereof so that the cover supports the developing unit. A member that supports a shaft of the photoconductive medium may also be included. Because the member operates in association with the latch, opening and closing of the cover may be facilitated, accordingly also facilitating separation of the developing unit from the main body. |
US08320790B2 |
Cleaning member, charging device, transfer device, assembly, and image forming apparatus
The cleaning member of the present invention includes a rotatably supported core; and a foam body that is disposed in a spiral shape on the core, and has at least one edge in a cross-section orthogonal to the length direction of the foam body that projects out further in the core radial direction than a central portion of the foam body. |
US08320786B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that prints an image on a recording paper, and is provided with an ion generating means that is attached at an outer side of the image forming apparatus main unit, and generates and emits ions, and an emission direction varying means that varies an emission direction of ions from the ion generating means in response to whether the image forming apparatus is operating or in standby. |
US08320780B2 |
Image forming device and detachable process unit
An image forming device has a main casing and a cartridge accommodating portion in which a combined unit of first and second cartridges can be loaded. The first cartridge includes a pressing member movable between a first position in which the second cartridge is removed from the first cartridge and a second position in which the second cartridge is combined with the first cartridge. A moving member supported on the main casing is movable between a third position in which the combined unit is unloaded from the main casing and a fourth position in which the combined unit is loaded in the main casing. The pressing member disposed in the second position presses the moving member to move to the fourth position. A determination unit does not start image forming operations until a position detector provided on the main casing detects that the moving member is in the fourth position. |
US08320776B2 |
Infrared transmitter
An infrared transmitter transmits a signal via an infrared ray. The infrared transmitter includes: a signal converter for converting the signal into an infrared signal; an oscillator for oscillating a carrier frequency of the infrared signal; a controller for adjusting a cutoff frequency of a filter according to the carrier frequency; and the filter provided between the oscillator and the signal converter to reduce a spurious signal of a carrier wave. The cutoff frequency of the filter is adjusted by the controller. |
US08320775B2 |
Method and device for bias control of a laser MZ modulator
The present invention discloses a method and device for the bias control of an MZ modulator. The method comprises: during startup of an MZ modulator, inputting a linearly changing bias control voltage to the bias electrode of the MZ modulator and obtaining the output optical power of the MZ modulator so as to determine a bias control voltage corresponding to a preset operating point; then enabling a communication electrical signal to be input to the radio frequency electrode of the MZ modulator, carrying out an amplitude modulation on the communication electrical signal by a low-frequency sinusoidal pilot signal, and inputting the determined bias control voltage to the bias electrode simultaneously; and sampling the output optical signals of the MZ modulator, comparing the sampled optical signal with the pilot signal, and adjusting the bias control voltage input to the bias electrode according to the result of the comparison. |
US08320774B2 |
Apparatus and method for adjustment of interference contrast in an interferometric quantum cryptography apparatus by tuning emitter wavelength
An apparatus and method are disclosed for maximizing interference contrast in an interferometric quantum cryptography system to detect eavesdropping by utilizing a tunable emitter station in communications with a receiver station via a quantum communications channel and a “public” communications channel. The tunable emitter station tracks and compensates for interferometer drifts by adjusting the interference contrast of the QC system to minimize or eliminate inherent perturbations induced into key bit transmissions. Tuning of the photo emitter's output wavelength is accomplishable using temperature and/or drive current adjustment of the emitter's tunable optical subsystem. |
US08320773B2 |
Reducing cross-modulation in multichannel modulated optical systems
A modulated optical system with cross-modulation compensation reduces or corrects cross-modulation that might occur at a target frequency range in a multichannel RF signal that modulates a laser. The system detects the cross-modulation, for example, by detecting an envelope of the RF signal or by detecting RF power fluctuations, generates a cross-modulation detection signal, filters the cross-modulation detection signal at the target frequency range, and imparts a compensating cross-modulation to the RF signal in response to the filtered cross-modulation detection signal. |
US08320764B2 |
Combined phase and polarization modulation for optical communication
The invention relates to a modulation scheme for optical communication, in particular for fiber optics communication. According to invention, an optical signal is generated, both phase and polarization of which modulated in dependency of the data to be transmitted. Preferably, the generated optical signal comprises a sequence of symbols (22a-22k) and each symbol (22a-22k) has one of two different phase states and one of two different orthogonal polarization states. Bits of the data stream to be transmitted are encoded both in the phase state of a symbol (or in the phase state difference between subsequent symbols) and in the polarization state of the symbol (or in the polarization state difference between the subsequent symbols). |
US08320762B2 |
Methods and systems for bandwidths doubling in an ethernet passive optical network
Systems and methods for bandwidth doubling in an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) enable an optical line terminal (OLT) to transmit downlink to at least one double rate optical network unit (ONU). The double rate transmission is preferably facilitated by use of single rate devices (OLT and ONU) functionally connected to provide the double rate capability. The methods include packet-by-packet multiplexing, bit-by-bit line code interleaving, doubling an inter-packet gap (IPG) length, defining windows of transmission for different transmission rates, using the 8B/10B code, removing the 8B/10B code from just the downlink transmission and symbol-by-symbol multiplexing is downlink transmissions from the double rate OLT. |
US08320759B2 |
Methods and apparatus for reconfigurable add drop multiplexers
Optical networks are increasingly employing optical network nodes having multiple interfaces to allow a node to direct optical signals received at any interface to any other interface connected to the node. Constructing a larger wavelength selective switching (WSS) module used in such a node can be complex and expensive. A method an apparatus for constructing a large WSS using parallelism is provided. In example embodiments, a larger WSS may include multiple parallel non-cascaded smaller WSSs and an optical coupler configured to optically couple the multiple parallel, non-cascaded smaller WSSs. This technique may be used to construct both N×1 and 1×N WSSs. Because the technique employs multiple parallel, non-cascaded WSSs, all inputs of a larger N×1 WSS and all outputs of a larger 1×N WSS are available receive or transmit external signals rather than being rather than being unavailable due to, for example, cascading smaller WSS devices together. |
US08320758B2 |
Channel monitor and method for estimating optical power
A method for estimating optical power in an optical channel includes determining a tunable filter full-width, FWF, by measuring a response of the tunable filter to a known signal and mapping the response to frequency. A portion of an optical channel is coupled to an input of the tunable optical filter. A peak power response, PR, and a full width tunable filter response, FWR, to the optical channel are determined by measuring a response of the tunable filter to the optical channel and mapping the response to frequency. A signal power, PS, is then calculated from the peak power response, PR, and a ratio of the full width tunable filter response, FWR, to the tunable filter full-width, FWF. |
US08320754B2 |
Electronic camera
An electronic camera includes an imager. The imager includes an imaging surface capturing an object scene image through a zoom lens and a focus lens. When accepting a zoom instruction, a first changer changes a distance from the zoom lens to the imaging surface. With reference to a tracking curve, a second changer executes a process for changing the distance from the focus lens to the imaging surface, in parallel with the change process executed by the first changer. A limiter limits the change process of the second changer when a change manner by the first changer satisfies a predetermined condition. |
US08320752B1 |
Drain attachment for a water heater
An attachment tool for draining water from a water heater during replacement of the heating element includes an annular mounting member that has an elongate channel attached thereto. The channel has a pair of aligned notches formed proximate a distal end of channel for supporting a bucket or other container. The mounting member is disposed peripherally about the tapping of a heating element receptacle. When the heating element is removed from the receptacle, water drains from the receptacle and through the channel into the bucket supported thereon. |
US08320750B2 |
Method for improving cooling capacity of a power station direct air-cooling system and the cooling system thereof
The present invention belongs to power generation field. It relates to a method for improving cooling capacity of a power station direct air-cooling system and the cooling system thereof. According to the present invention, a transformer in a cooling system is connected to a voltage of the power grid and outputs a voltage to an electric motor, so that its working voltage reaches 380-390V; a frequency of 40-47 HZ is output from a frequency converter in the cooling system to the electric motor; a fan is driven by the electric motor working under 380-390V and 40-47 HZ to rotate according to a set velocity ratio with the aid of a speed reducer, and cooling wind is delivered by the rotating fan head-on to a heat radiator. The present invention can be widely applied in rebuilding of existing direct air-cooling units, or designing of new power station direct air-cooling systems. |
US08320747B2 |
Video quality estimation apparatus, video quality estimation method, frame type determination method, and recording medium
A frame type determination unit (15B) counts, as the frame data amount of each frame, the number of TS packets included in the frame based on a frame start position included in an input TS packet of video communication, and determines a frame type based on the large/small relationships between the frame data amounts of the frames. A video quality estimation unit (15C) estimates the video quality of the video communication based on the frame type of each frame obtained by the frame type determination unit (15B), the frame structure (14A) of an elementary stream read out from a storage unit (14), and a TS packet loss state detected from the TS packets of the video communication. |
US08320746B2 |
Recorded programs ranked based on social networks
Recorded programs ranked based on social networks is described. In embodiment(s), a content distributor maintains recorded on-demand assets that can be requested by client devices to render as television media content for viewing. For a Network Digital Video Recording (nDVR) system, the recorded on-demand assets are recorded when initially distributed to the client devices as scheduled television media content. The content distributor can form a social network of members based on association(s) of viewers that correspond to one or more of the client devices, and can determine recommended on-demand assets from different ones of the recorded on-demand assets for the members of the social network. The content distributor can then communicate a recommended on-demand asset to a client device that corresponds to a member of the social network where the recommended on-demand asset is communicated for viewing without receiving a viewer selection of the recommended on-demand asset. |
US08320742B2 |
Method and apparatus for playing data between external device and TV set
An apparatus for recording/reproducing external device data in a broadcast receiver and method thereof are disclosed, by which a broadcast receiver allowed by a certification key is enabled to access a corresponding external device only. The present invention includes a connection checking step of checking a state of a physical connection between an external device and the broadcast receiver, a certification key registration deciding step of deciding whether a reserved certification key is registered, an access allowance deciding step of if the certification key is registered, deciding whether to allow an access to the connected external device by verifying the certification key, and an access allowing step of if the access is allowed, recording/reproducing corresponding data by accessing the connected external device. |
US08320740B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method, program, and record medium
To improve the convenience of a record medium and allow a reproduction process to be more easily performed than before. When a reproduction process 123 that reproduces material data recorded on a disc 32 is executed, a disc information file management section 63 references a reproduction history of a disc information file held in a disc information file hold section 52 and starts reproducing material data from a position according to the reproduction history. When the reproduction process is completed, the disc information file management section 63 updates the reproduction history of the disc information file held in the disc information file hold section 52. A disc information file record control section 82 records the updated disc information file on the disc 32. |
US08320736B2 |
Reproduction device, reproduction method, and reproduction program
To provide a playback device that plays back a content recorded in an optical disc in conjunction with execution of an application supplied by a server. The playback device includes a disc region code detection unit operable to detect a region code from the optical disc; an application region code estimation unit operable to estimate a region code assigned to the application based on an address of the server; a restriction unit operable, if a region code assigned to the playback device, the region code detected from the optical disc, and the estimated region code assigned to the application do not match each other, to restrict the playback of the content in conjunction with the execution of the application. |
US08320735B2 |
Reproducing apparatus
A playback device generates a virtual package in response to a construction request made by an application. After the virtual package is thus generated, a virtual file system 23 allows a file recorded on a removable medium in an 8.3 format to be accessed with use of an alias in a Long File Name format, based on a merge management information file that indicates a correspondence between a file path in the 8.3 format and a file path in the Long File Name format. |
US08320734B2 |
Recording medium having a data structure for managing graphic information and recording and reproducing methods and apparatuses
In one embodiment, the data structure includes at least one graphic information of first type graphic information and second type graphic information. The first type graphic information is for always on display and the second type graphic information is for display in response to user request. |
US08320733B2 |
Method of preparing DVD-video formatted data, method for reconstructing DVD-video data and DVD-video data structure
For converting a first representation of a media content into a second representation of the media content, a data entity builder is used, which generates a data entity being the second representation of the media content. The data entity builder generates a second representation indicator, at least one regenerated media file and a payload data schedule, the payload data schedule having schedule information indicating, for each regenerated media file, the start of the payload information of the media file. The regenerated media file represents the same media content as represented by the original media file in the first representation. |
US08320731B2 |
Information reproducing device and method, and computer program
An information reproducing apparatus (200) is provided with: a displaying device (353) for displaying a main picture and a sub-picture of a first type whose display can be started at a desired reproduction time point; a storing device (355, 360) for storing an identification number of the sub-picture; a first controlling device (354, 359) for destroying the identification number of the sub-picture, if a current reproduction time point of the main picture is beyond a range of reproduction time points in which the sub-picture is to be displayed; and a second controlling device (354, 359) for continuing to store the identification number of the sub-picture, if the current reproduction time point of the main picture is not beyond the range of reproduction time points in which the sub-picture is to be displayed. |
US08320721B2 |
Optical mode transformer, in particular for coupling an optical fiber and a high-index contrast waveguide
An optical mode transformer comprises a first waveguide including a first core, a first cladding and an end facet configured to be coupled to an optical fiber. The transformer further includes a second waveguide comprising a second core, a second cladding and an end directly coupled to an end of the first waveguide. A third waveguide comprises a third core and a third cladding, and is arranged with respect to the second waveguide so as to realize an evanescent optical coupling with the second waveguide. The third core includes a tapered region wherein evanescent coupling takes place, and wherein a refractive index contrast of the first waveguide is less than a refractive index contrast of the second waveguide, the refractive index contrast of the second waveguide is less than a refractive index contrast of the third waveguide, and the refractive index contrast of the third waveguide is not less than 18%. |
US08320720B2 |
Advanced modulation formats for silicon-based optical modulators
A silicon-based optical modulator is configured as a multi-segment device that utilizes a modified electrical data input signal format to address phase modulation nonlinearity and attenuation problems associated with free-carrier dispersion-based modulation. The modulator is formed to include M separate segments and a digital signal encoder is utilized to convert an N bit input data signal into a plurality of M drive signals for the M modulator segments, where M≧2N/2. The lengths of the modulator segments may also be adjusted to address the nonlinearity and attenuation problems. Additional phase adjustments may be utilized at the output of the modulator (beyond the combining waveguide). |
US08320717B2 |
Image processor
An image processor includes a storing unit, an image determining unit, and an output unit. The storing unit stores a selecting condition. The image determining unit determines whether the image corresponding to the set of the image data satisfies the selecting condition. The output unit outputs an image list including either one of the image that is determined to satisfy the selecting condition by the image determining unit and a resized image resized from the image that is determined to satisfy the selecting condition by the image determining unit. |
US08320711B2 |
Anatomical modeling from a 3-D image and a surface mapping
A method of medical imaging includes creating an anatomical map of an inner wall of a cavity in a body of a subject by inserting a probe into the body and collecting data using the probe. A three dimensional (3-D) contour is delineated in a 3-D image of the cavity based on the map. |
US08320705B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
The image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a recording section that stores an image to be processed and a past image corresponding to the image to be processed, a pixel extraction section that extracts a first predetermined region including a target pixel in the image to be processed and a second predetermined region of the past image corresponding to the target pixel, a noise amount estimation section that estimates an amount of noise corresponding to the target pixel, a similitude calculating section that calculates a first similitude between the target pixel in the first predetermined region and pixels peripheral thereto and a second similitude between the target pixel in the first predetermined region and a pixel in the second predetermined region, a similitude feature value calculating section that calculates a feature value according to the similitude, a similitude correcting section that corrects the similitude based on the feature value, a filter coefficient calculating section that calculates a filter coefficient based on the corrected similitude, and a noise reduction section that reduces noise of the target pixel based on the filter coefficient. |
US08320703B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus
An image processing method executes image processing to correct a non-uniform perceived resolution caused by image distortion correction, thereby achieving a uniform perceived resolution over an entire displayed image. The image processing method includes the step of adjusting an aperture compensation signal using distortion correcting data to correct a non-uniform perceived resolution caused in an image through partial conversion of magnification ratio by image distortion correction, thereby achieving a uniform perceived resolution. |
US08320700B2 |
Apparatus and method of estimating scale ratio and noise strength of encoded image
An apparatus and method for estimating scale ratio and noise strength of an encoded image includes an edge detection unit, a projection histogram calculation unit, a distance histogram calculation unit, a scale ratio estimation unit, a block boundary determination unit, and a noise strength estimation unit. Compressed noise, such as a block effect, included in an image can be efficiently reduced without prior information about the image. |
US08320698B2 |
System and method for denoising using signal dependent adaptive weights
A system and method for denoising using signal dependent adaptive weights includes an imaging device that captures image data corresponding to a photographic target. A denoising manager identifies similar pixels from said image data that are located within a pre-defined processing window around the pixel to be denoised. The denoising manager computes signal-dependent weighting values that correspond to respective ones of the similar pixels. The denoising manager then calculates the denoised pixel value by utilizing the weighting values in conjunction with raw pixel values of the similar pixel set. In this manner all pixels in the image are denoised. |
US08320692B2 |
Image encoding method and device implementing an improved prediction, corresponding decoding method and device, signal and computer programs
Techniques are provided for encoding and decoding image data. The techniques implement a prediction of data of a current block based on at least one already encoded block or reference block, wherein said prediction step takes into account a set of encoded blocks adjacent to said current block and including blocks that have not yet been considered according to said writing path order. Encoding includes the steps of: generating a dependence tree associating a current block with at least one reference block from which the predicted block associated with the current block has been predetermined; and inserting information representative of said dependence tree into said set of data associated with each block. |
US08320691B2 |
Image coding apparatus, image decoding apparatus, and image decoding method
An image coding apparatus includes a particular region detecting unit configured to detect from an input picture a particular region including a particular picture, the particular region detected as a region within the input picture which has a hue within a predetermined range corresponding to an average hue of the particular picture and which has an amount of movement between different frames which is equal to or larger than a threshold. A coding unit generates a coded stream by performing coding processing that is intra-frame coding or interframe coding on the input picture, and performs with respect to the particular region a processing of embedding initial conditions into the coded stream, instead of performing the interframe coding. |
US08320686B2 |
Detailed description of the invention
Whether or not underflow is being occurred or underflow is highly likely to occur is judged based on an image encoded data amount in a reception buffer at a time of the judgment or a change in the image encoded data amount with time. When the judgment is affirmative, a composite image data piece corresponding to one frame is generated by extracting an image data piece in the frame memory, decoding part of an image encoded data piece in the reception buffer and replacing part of the extracted the image data piece with the decoded part of the image encoded data piece. Composite image data pieces are repeatedly generated such that an occupancy ratio of replaced part of the image data piece increases each time a piece of the composite image data is newly generated, and the composite image data pieces are outputted in order of generation. |
US08320682B2 |
Evaluation of edge direction information
A physically demarcated body part is recognized and located using only a relatively small amount of computation, but with a sufficient degree of recognition accuracy. For this purpose a procedure is proposed for detecting physically demarcated body parts (face, hand, leg) of a person's image (5) if a body part (2) as depicted in front of a background (3). Borderlines (5d, 5e) in the image are only evaluated along line directions (5a′, 4a′, 4b′, 5c′) to determine, by comparing with model (30), whether the body part image corresponds to a type of body part given by the model. In addition, line directions (5d′, 5e′) inside a body part image and borderline directions (5a) of a physically demarcated body part are used to locate and store its position. |
US08320678B2 |
Coding pattern comprising tags with X and Y coordinate data divided into respective halves of each tag
A substrate having a coding pattern disposed on a surface thereof. The coding pattern comprises a plurality of contiguous tags, each tag comprising x-coordinate data and y-coordinate data. A y-axis is nominally defined as north-south and an x-axis is nominally defined as east-west. A plurality of data elements are contained in each tag. The x-coordinate data is represented by a respective set of data elements and the y-coordinate data is represented by a respective set of data elements. The x-coordinate data has two replications within a respective tag, a first replication in a western half of the tag and a second replication in an eastern half of the tag. The y-coordinate data has two replications within a respective tag, a first replication in a northern half of the tag and a second replication in a southern half of the tag. Fragments of the coordinate data are arranged such that any tag-sized portion of the coding pattern is guaranteed to contain the x-coordinate data and the y-coordinate data for a tag irrespective of whether a whole tag is contained in the portion. |
US08320677B2 |
Method for processing optical character recognition (OCR) output data, wherein the output data comprises double printed character images
The present invention is related to a method of processing of output data from an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system, wherein the output data comprises images of double printed characters. The method identifies the respective members of a suspected double printed character image by first providing a set of single character template images from images of characters identified in the text being processed by the OCR system, then combining the single character templates providing candidate models for the suspected double printed character image. Correlation between each respective candidate model and the suspected double printed character image provides an indication of which pair of modelled single template character images that most probable are the correct identification of the respective character images in the double printed character image. |
US08320676B2 |
Method for configuring camera-equipped electronic devices using an encoded mark
A wide range of digital devices either have or are provided with imaging devices which are capable of imaging externally provided information in the form of special codes that contain setup and/or configuration information. Processors within these devices, which include cell phones, cameras, PDAs and personal computers, to name just a few, recognize the image and convert it to the desired configuration and/or setup information. |
US08320675B1 |
Method for fast, robust, multi-dimensional pattern recognition
Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurality of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image. |
US08320673B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and computer-readable medium
An image processing apparatus includes a binarization unit, a determination unit and a pixel value calculating unit. The binarization unit binarizes image data. The determination unit determines as to whether or not each pixel of the image data binarized by the binarization unit forms a peripheral portion of a pixel block. The pixel value calculating unit calculates a corrected pixel value of the pixel block based on (i) pixel values of pixels which are determined by the determination unit not to form the peripheral portion of the pixel block and (ii) pixel values of pixels forming the pixel block. |
US08320671B1 |
Method for ranking image similarity and system for use therewith
A system for use by a user and with a plurality of stored images. A retrieval facility for accessing said plurality of stored images; a display facility for displaying images from said plurality to said user; a response facility for permitting interaction between the user and the system; a selection facility for determining an image that is of interest to said user based on said interaction between said user and said system; and a comparison facility for carrying out a similarity analysis between the image determined to be of interest and each of at least a subset of said plurality of stored images, the similarity analysis involving a calculation based on one or more of a measurement of color similarity, texture similarity and shape similarity. The retrieval, display and response facility can be defined by a web browser. |
US08320664B2 |
Methods of representing and analysing images
A method of representing at least one image comprises deriving at least one descriptor based on color information and color interrelation information for at least one region of the image, the descriptor having at least one descriptor element, derived using values of pixels in said region, wherein at least one descriptor element for a region is derived using a non-wavelet transform. The representations may be used for image comparisons. |
US08320663B2 |
Method for collecting data for color measurements from a digital electronic image capturing device or system
A method for providing an intensity or brightness measurement using a digital image-capturing device comprising: selecting a target area within a field of view of the image-capturing device, the target area containing pixels; determining the brightness of pixels in the target area; accumulating the brightness values of the pixels in the target area; and determining a pixel value representative of the pixels in the target area. A device for making color measurements comprising an image-capture device, a processor or logic device, and a memory location for accumulating color data, and the processor or logic device is programmed to perform color measurements by accumulating the data for pixels located in the target area in memory, and determining a representative color value. |
US08320661B2 |
Apparatus and method for extracting information from electromagnetic energy including target 3D structure and materials
An apparatus for information extraction from electromagnetic energy via multi-characteristic spatial geometry processing to determine three-dimensional aspects. Structure receives the electromagnetic energy, which has a plurality of spatial phase characteristics. Structure separates the plurality of spatial phase characteristics of the received electromagnetic energy. Structure identifies spatially segregated portions of each of the plurality of spatial phase characteristics, with each spatially segregated portion corresponding in a point to point relationship to a spatially segregated portion for each of the other of the plurality of spatial phase characteristics in a group. Structure quantifies each segregated portion to provide a spatial phase metric of each segregated portion for providing a data map of the spatial phase metric of each separated spatial phase characteristic of the plurality of spatial phase characteristics. Structure processes the spatial phase metrics to determine surface contour information for each segregated portion of the data map. |
US08320647B2 |
Method and system for processing multiple series of biological images obtained from a patient
A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable program code stored thereon which, when interpreted by a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to implement an image processing tool for processing a plurality of biological images arranged in a plurality of image series wherein certain biological images across different image series have a predefined correspondence with one another. The computer-readable program code comprises computer-readable program code for causing the computing apparatus to: be attentive to receipt of an indication of a selected biological image from the plurality of biological images and belonging to a first one of the image series; be attentive to receipt of an indication of a segmentation mask created based on the selected biological image; apply the segmentation mask to a second biological image from the plurality of biological images, the second biological image belonging to a second one of the image series that is different from the first one of the image series, the second biological image having a predefined correspondence with the selected biological image; and display the second biological image after application of the segmentation mask. |
US08320645B2 |
High performance multi-mode palmprint and fingerprint scanning device and system
Systems, devices and methods for providing rolled fingerprint capture and palm capture capability in a device having reduced size are provided. In certain embodiments, the systems and methods provide capture of rolled fingerprints, slap fingerprints and palm prints in one continuous workflow in a compact device. In certain embodiments, moisture discriminating optics and/or enhanced definition image formation previously achieved only in devices designed for capturing only fingerprints are provided. In certain embodiments, the systems employ a single scanning device to capture 500 ppi and/or 1000 ppi palm and fingerprint images. |
US08320641B2 |
Method and apparatus for red-eye detection using preview or other reference images
A method for red-eye detection in an acquired digital image acquiring one or more preview or other reference images without a flash. Any red regions that exist within the one or more reference images are determined. A main image is acquired with a flash of approximately a same scene as the one or more reference images. The main image is analyzed to determine any candidate red eye defect regions that exist within the main image. Any red regions determined to exist within the one or more reference images are compared with any candidate red eye defect regions determined to exist within the main image. Any candidate red eye defect regions within the main image corresponding to red regions determined also to exist within the one or more reference images are removed as candidate red eye defect regions. |
US08320639B2 |
Vein pattern management system, vein pattern registration apparatus, vein pattern authentication apparatus, vein pattern registration method, vein pattern authentication method, program, and vein data configuration
An imaging unit capturing an image of a body surface with near-infrared light and generating near-infrared light imaging data, a vein pattern extraction unit extracting multiple kinds of near-infrared light vein patterns from one piece of the near-infrared light imaging data by applying a differential filter outputting a large value for a pixel having a large difference between the pixel and its surrounding pixel to multiple pixels constituting the near-infrared light imaging data and changing a parameter changing an output property of the differential filter, and a pseudo-vein pattern determination unit determining presence of a pseudo-vein pattern intentionally formed on a part of the captured body surface based on the extracted vein pattern are provided. |
US08320637B2 |
System and method for hyperspectral imaging of treated fingerprints
The present disclosure provides for a method for analyzing treated fingerprints on a document. A sample document is provided. A digital image of the sample document is obtained. The sample document is treated with a reagent and a hyperspectral image of the document is obtained. The hyperspectral image of the document is analyzed to determine a region of interest and a hyperspectal image is obtained of the region of interest. The present disclosure also provides for a system comprising a carrier frame, an imaging station for obtaining a digital image of the sample document, a first processing station for treating the document and a second processing station for developing the treated document, a second imaging station for obtaining a hyperspectral image of at least one of the document and a region of interest of the document, and a robotic subsystem for transporting the document through the system. |
US08320635B2 |
Method and system to centrally monitor the quality of images of financial documents
Method and system to centrally monitor the quality of images of financial documents. Embodiments of the present invention can provide a way to monitor and evaluate the quality of images of financial documents stored for remote access by financial institutions. In some embodiments, a standard quality analysis of at least some of the images is performed, and, based on the quality analysis, suspect images are identified to a responsible entity. For at least some of the images, a decisioning result from the responsible entity is recorded in association with information identifying the images. The quality analysis can be applied based on exclusion criteria such as an amount threshold, certain routing information, etc. The suspect images can be identified by sending a quality results file to the responsible entity, and a decisioning result can be received in a decisioning results file. |
US08320627B2 |
Machine control system utilizing stereo disparity density
A control system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The control system may have a first sensor mounted on the mobile machine and configured to capture a first image of a region near the mobile machine, a second sensor mounted on the mobile machine and configured to capture a second image of the region, and a controller in communication with the first and second sensors. The controller may be configured to generate a stereo image from the first and second images, compute a disparity map of the stereo image, and generate an output to affect operation of the machine when a density of the disparity map is less than a threshold density. |
US08320625B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting motion of image in optical navigator
A system and method for determining a motion vector uses both a main block from an image and at least one ancillary block relating to the main block from the image. The main block and ancillary block are then tracked from image to image to provide a motion vector. The use of a composite tracking unit allows for more accurate correlation and identification of a motion vector. |
US08320623B2 |
Systems and methods for 3-D target location
A target is imaged in a three-dimensional real space using two or more video cameras. A three-dimensional image space combined from two video cameras of the two or more video cameras is displayed to a user using a stereoscopic display. A right eye and a left eye of the user are imaged as the user is observing the target in the stereoscopic video display, a right gaze line of the right eye and a left gaze line of the left eye are calculated in the three-dimensional image space, and a gazepoint in the three-dimensional image space is calculated as the intersection of the right gaze line and the left gaze line using a binocular eyetracker. A real target location is determined by translating the gazepoint in the three-dimensional image space to the real target location in the three-dimensional real space from the locations and the positions of the two video cameras using a processor. |
US08320622B2 |
Color gradient object tracking
A system and method are provided for color gradient object tracking. A tracking area is illuminated with a chromatic light source. A color value is measured, defined by at least three attributes, reflected from an object in the tracking area, and analyzed with respect to chromatic light source characteristics. A lookup table (LUT) is accessed that cross-references color values to positions in the tracking area, and in response to accessing the LUT, the object position in the tracking area is determined. The LUT is initially built by illuminating the tracking area with the light source. A test object is inserted into the tracking area in a plurality of determined positions, and the reflected color value is measured at each determined position. The color value measurements are correlated to determined positions. As a result, a color gradient can be measured between a first determined position and a second determined position. |
US08320620B1 |
Methods and apparatus for robust rigid and non-rigid motion tracking
Methods and apparatus for robust rigid and non-rigid motion tracking. An image, a next image, and a mask corresponding to an area in the image may be obtained. The area includes a plurality of points; each point indicates a location of the point in a position space and a color of the point in a color space. An iterative closest point algorithm may be applied that iteratively computes correspondences from a transformation and computes a new transformation from the correspondences. The algorithm tracks motion of the area in the image between the image and the next image. The algorithm matches points indicated by the mask to points in the next image in both position space and color space. An indication of an area in the next image that corresponds to the area in the image as tracked by the algorithm is generated. |
US08320619B2 |
Systems and methods for tracking a model
An image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device and a model of a user in the depth image may be generated. The background of a received depth image may be removed to isolate a human target in the received depth image. A model may then be adjusted to fit with in the isolated human target in the received depth image. To adjust the model, a joint or a bone may be magnetized to the closest pixel of the isolated human target. The joint or the bone may then be refined such that the joint or the bone may be further adjusted to a pixels equidistant between two edges the body part of the isolated human target where the joint or bone may have been magnetized. |
US08320616B2 |
Image-based system and methods for vehicle guidance and navigation
A method of estimating position and orientation of a vehicle using image data is provided. The method includes capturing an image of a region external to the vehicle using a camera mounted to the vehicle, and identifying in the image a set of feature points of the region. The method further includes subsequently capturing another image of the region from a different orientation of the camera, and identifying in the image the same set of feature points. A pose estimation of the vehicle is generated based upon the identified set of feature points and corresponding to the region. Each of the steps are repeated at with respect to a different region at least once so as to generate at least one succeeding pose estimation of the vehicle. The pose estimations are then propagated over a time interval by chaining the pose estimation and each succeeding pose estimation one with another according to a sequence in which each was generated. |
US08320614B2 |
Scene switching point detector, scene switching point detecting method, recording apparatus, event generator, event generating method, reproducing apparatus, and computer program
A scene switching point detector includes: a feature-information generating unit that generates feature information indicating a feature of each of target frames; a backward-similarity calculating unit that sets each of the target frames as a similarity calculation frame in order and calculates backward similarity on the basis of the feature information of the similarity calculation frame and the feature information of the target frames temporally located before the similarity calculation frame; a forward-similarity calculating unit that sets each of the target frames as a similarity calculation frame in order and calculates forward similarity on the basis of the feature information of the similarity calculation frame and the feature information of the target frames temporally located after the similarity calculation frame; and a scene switching point detector that detects the target frame forming a scene switching point on the basis of the backward similarity and the forward similarity. |
US08320611B2 |
Watermarking electronic text documents
A text watermarking method embeds an auxiliary message in an original electronic text document to form a watermarked text document. The method applies a spreading function to message symbols to spread the symbols over a carrier, which forms a modulated carrier. It maps elements of the modulated carrier to corresponding inter-word spaces in the electronic text document, and applies an embedding function to modify the corresponding inter-word spaces according to elements of the modulated carrier signal such that the modified inter-word spaces hide the modulated carrier signal in the watermarked text document. The message symbols are automatically decodable from the watermarked document without the original electronic text document. A compatible decoder extracts the auxiliary message from a printed or electronic watermarked text document. The decoder automatically measures inter-word spaces in the watermarked text document. It estimates elements of a modulated carrier signal embedded in the inter-word spaces to form an estimated modulated carrier signal, and applies a de-spreading function to the estimated modulated carrier signal to extract message symbols. |
US08320610B2 |
Client-side watermarking using hybrid I-frames
A system and method for client-side watermarking of digital content using hybrid Intra-Frames (I-Frames) are provided. In general, a content source provides a compressed video stream and a hybrid I-Frame stream to a client device via a network. The hybrid I-Frame stream includes a number of low-loss I-Frames corresponding to select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream to be used for client-side watermarking. The client device watermarks the I-Frames in the hybrid I-Frame stream, optionally compresses the watermarked I-Frames, and replaces the select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream with the watermarked and optionally compressed I-Frames to provide a watermarked version of the compressed video stream. |
US08320608B2 |
Electronic seal apparatus, electronic seal system, and method for controlling the electronic seal apparatus
An electronic seal apparatus causing an image displaying/reading apparatus to display an electronic document. The electronic seal apparatus includes (i) a storage section for storing a first identification information of a user's first digit and an associated user's first seal image, (ii) a digit identifying section for determining whether a digit indicated on a subject image is the user's first digit, and (iii) a sealing section for sealing onto the electronic document, when the digit indicated on the subject image is the user's first digit, a seal image associated with the first identification information. Thereby, a seal image can be electronically sealed after finger authentication is performed even if a finger authentication scanner solely dedicated for reading an image from a digit is not provided. |
US08320603B2 |
Earphone ear loop
An ear loop, and an assembly of an ear loop and ear bud, wherein the ear loop retains the shaft of the ear bud such that the position and angle of the ear bud relative to the ear loop can be adjusted axially and rotationally. |
US08320600B2 |
Method and apparatus to enhance communication in the operating room
A communication system is provided for a patient featuring a cushion with an opening for receiving the face of the patient. The cushion includes a microphone for receiving audible signals from the patient and one or more speakers for delivering audible signals to the patient. The microphone and speaker(s) are integrated with the cushion to avoid interfering with the comfort of the patient. In one embodiment, the audible signals are delivered to and from the patient via a communication port. In another embodiment, the system includes a display device, so the patient may view parts of the patient's body on the device and then communicate with system operators through the microphone and speaker(s). |
US08320598B2 |
Apparatus and method
An apparatus and method of providing an apparatus, the apparatus including: a loudspeaker configured to convert an electrical input signal into an acoustic output signal; and carbon nanohorn material wherein the carbon nanohorn material is positioned so as to be exposed to the acoustic output signal. |
US08320596B2 |
Array speaker system and array microphone system
A plurality of speakers are linked in the present invention. The linked position of each speaker can be detected. Audio signal is input to any one of the master speakers. The master speaker synchronizes the other linked speakers, and supplies audio signals to other speakers. It also controls the delay quantity of the speaker unit of each speaker. For a single speaker, the apparent width of this array speaker system becomes twice the width, and the speaker unit spacing becomes one third the spacing. Consequently, the frequency band at which direction is controllable becomes enhanced.Additionally, a plurality of microphone devices are linked at the top, bottom, left and right sides in the present invention. The linked position of each microphone device can be detected. Audio data is output from each microphone device to the master microphone device. The master microphone device synchronizes with other linked microphone devices, treats them as array microphones in the entire linked array microphone system, and controls the delay quantity of the microphone unit of the microphone device. For a single microphone device, the apparent width of this array microphone system becomes twice the width, and the microphone unit spacing becomes one-third the spacing. Consequently, the frequency band at which direction is controllable becomes enhanced. |
US08320588B2 |
Microphone mover
A system and a method for moving a microphone 100 in relation to a sound source 160 including: a microphone 140; moving the microphone in a dimension X-Y axis 110 or adding a third dimension 190; and an input system 150 operationally attached for adjusting the microphone in relation to the sound source and returning to desired locations. Features may further include: computer driven movement in the two or three dimension fields; a computer system 200 may retain locations and when requested return the microphone 140 to retained locations; the input system for control movement may be remote; and wherein the computer system 200 may position the microphone 140 for desired tones and effects. |
US08320583B2 |
Noise reducing device and noise determining method
A noise reducing device includes: a sound-signal input unit that inputs a sound signal; a time-to-frequency converting unit that converts the input sound signal obtained by being input by the sound-signal input unit into a frequency signal; a patterning unit that calculates, for each of divided frequencies of the frequency signal, an nth order polynomial (n is a natural number) as a polynomial for interpolating sampling points and acquires a coefficient pattern including a set of values of coefficients of respective orders of the polynomial; a matching-data storing unit that stores, in association with the divided frequencies, matching data indicating a matching range as a range of a coefficient pattern regarded as noise; and a noise determining unit that determines, on the basis of a result obtained by comparing the coefficient pattern acquired by the patterning unit and the matching range indicated by the matching data, at least presence or absence of noise occurrence at a divided frequency corresponding to data of the compared coefficient pattern. |
US08320578B2 |
Headset
A method or apparatus to provide an improved headset. The headset includes at least one sensor. The headset further includes a configuration logic to configure the headset based on the position of the headset on the user's head. |
US08320569B2 |
Generating unique aliases for keys used with tape libraries
Unique key aliases are generated for tape libraries. According to one embodiment, a first library identifier associated with a first tape library, which does not conflict with a second library identifier associated with a second tape library, is generated. One library identifier is associated with each of the tape libraries. A unique key alias, which does not conflict with any key aliases associated with the first tape library and does not conflict with any key aliases associated with the second tape library, is generated based on the first library identifier. Tape data is encrypted based on a data key that is identified with the unique key alias as a part of writing the tape data to the first tape library. |
US08320567B2 |
Efficient data path encapsulation between access point and access switch
In one embodiment, a method for processing encrypted wireless station data at a network device includes receiving from an access point, one or more frames comprising wireless station data fragmented into a plurality of encrypted protocol data units. The frames are configured to identify the encrypted protocol units associated with the wireless station data. The method further includes decrypting the encrypted protocol data units and forwarding the wireless station data. An apparatus for processing encrypted wireless station data, a method for transmitting encrypted multicast data for a wireless client, and a method for processing encrypted wireless station data at an access point are also disclosed. |
US08320566B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing constellation scrambling in a multimedia home network
Systems and methods are provided that allow multiple transmitting network devices to transmit under an orthogonal frequency divisional multiple access (OFDMA) mode to a receiving network device. The multiple transmitting network devices may be configured to perform constellation scrambling on the symbols they will be transmitting using a predetermined scrambling sequence. They may be further configured to synchronize their use of the sequence, for example, by advancing the sequence for each available subcarrier, such that the receiving device may view the payload as if it were sent by a single transmitter. Accordingly, these multiple transmissions may be descrambled using only one instance of a sequence generator. |
US08320563B2 |
Service card adapter
An interface adapter device consistent with certain embodiments has a first electrical connector adapted to connect to a conditional access service card to receive encrypted television signals therefrom. A second electrical connector is adapted to connect to a television receiver device in order to provide the encrypted television signals to the television receiver device. An interface circuit receives the encrypted television signals from the first electrical connector and adapts the signals for transmission to a television receiver device over the second electrical connector. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
US08320561B2 |
Key identifier in packet data convergence protocol header
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate identifying a plurality of keysets utilized in a communications network. The keysets can include ciphering keys that provide data encryption and decryption and integrity keys that provide data integrity protection. A key identifier can be included in a packet data convergence protocol header that indicates a keyset employed in connection with data in a protocol data unit. In addition, a route indicator can be provided in a radio link control header that distinguishes a source cell and a target cell in networks configured without RLC reset. |
US08320557B2 |
Cryptographic system including a mixed radix number generator with chosen statistical artifacts
A cryptographic system (1000) is provided. The cryptographic system includes a data stream receiving means (DSRM), a number generator (NG), a mixed radix accumulator (MRA) and an encryptor. The DSRM (1002) receives a data stream (DS). The NG (702) generates a first number sequence (FNS) contained within a Galois Field GF[M]. The MRA (750) is configured to perform a first modification to a first number (FN) in FNS. The first modification involves summing the FN with a result of a modulo P operation performed on a second number in FNS that proceeds FN. The MRA is also configured to perform a second modification to FN utilizing a modulo P operation. The MRA is further configured to repeat the first and second modification for numbers in FNS to generate a second number sequence (SNS). The encryptor (1004) is configured to generate a modified data stream by combining SNS and DS. |
US08320550B2 |
Method and system for assigning tasks to workers
A method and system for assigning tasks can receive requested tasks, keep a requested-task queue, keep one or more worker statuses associated with respective workers, and assign the requested tasks from the requested-task queue to selected ones of the workers. In one embodiment, the requested tasks are telephone calls received by a network based contact center, and the workers are telephone agents associated with the network based contact center. |
US08320548B2 |
Method for processing the busyness of flexible alert group with multi-user type
A method for processing the busyness of flexible alert group with multi-user type, the method comprises: a caller dials a guiding number of Flexible Alert (FA), and the calling is connected to an application server, the application server acquires member numbers of the FA group based on the guiding number, and establishes the callings to each member in the FA group; when one member in the FA group returns a busyness message, if the FA is of the multi-user type, the application server continues waiting for the response from other members in the FA group; and if one member in the FA group hooks off and answers, the application server establishes a session from the caller to the member that hooks off and answers, and releases all the callings to the other members in the FA group; if all the members in the FA group return busyness messages, the application server returns FA group being busy to the caller. In the present invention, the processing of busyness of FA group with multi-user type is achieved by means of AS, the interaction and the process flow are simplified, and the efficiency for processing the busyness of FA group with multi-user type is increased, thus the user's experience is improved. |
US08320547B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing incoming and outgoing call information in a mobile communication terminal
An apparatus and method for providing incoming and outgoing call information in a mobile communication terminal. A display unit displays detailed incoming/outgoing call information integrated for a particular phone number. A memory stores an incoming/outgoing call list according to an incoming/outgoing event. A controller controls an operation for adding the detailed incoming/outgoing call information to an associated phone number item of the incoming/outgoing call list when the incoming/outgoing call event occurs, and controls an operation for displaying the detailed incoming/outgoing call information integrated for the particular phone number selected from among phone numbers of the incoming/outgoing call list. The detailed incoming/outgoing call information mapped to the same phone number can be viewed at one time by integrating and providing the incoming/outgoing call information. |
US08320546B2 |
Communicaton system
A data store associates a first identity recognizable in a first network with a second identity recognizable in a second network for both a user and a calling entity. Both identities for the calling entity are provided to the receiving device via the second network. A node receives the communication event with the second identity for the calling entity, the communication event being addressed with the second identity of the user. The data store is queried with the second identities of the calling entity and user to determine the first identities of the calling entity and user. The receiving device receives the communication event with the first identity for the calling entity via the first network, the communication event being addressed with the first identity of the user. The receiving device determines the second identity of the calling entity using the first identity of the calling entity. |
US08320545B2 |
System, method, and logic for determining presence status according to the location of endpoints
Determining presence status associated with a user includes receiving presence statuses of endpoints associated with a first user. It is determined whether an endpoint exhibits significant activity. If an endpoint exhibits significant activity, it is determined whether any other endpoint is co-located with that endpoint. An aggregate presence status is generated from the presence status of the at least one endpoint and presence status of the other endpoint. |
US08320542B2 |
Method and system for telephone numbers linking callers with greater functionality
Methods and systems provided telephone accessible services to callers which are responsive to information about the caller obtained during the call. A telephone service point located anywhere within the telephone network receives a telephone call to particular numbers referred to as hypernumbers and provides services specified for the dialed number. The service point may request data from the caller's communication device and provide services or route the call in response to caller-specific information received from the communication device. Caller communication devices may be configured with software to communicate with the service point, including gathering requested caller information and transmitting the information to the service point. The service point may be configured to send information to the caller's communication device. The service point may be configured to send caller data to a server of the hypernumber owner and route the call to particular destinations based upon the caller data. |
US08320538B2 |
System and method for identifying billing errors
A system, method, apparatus, and computer program code for identifying billing discrepancies includes receiving billing data from a billing entity, the billing data including an assessed fee and call details associated with each of a plurality of calls made by a customer, identifying, based at least in part on the call details received from the billing data, rate information associated with the customer, generating an expected fee for each of the plurality of calls, and comparing, for each of the plurality of calls, the expected fee with the assessed fee to identify discrepancies. |
US08320537B1 |
Techniques for telephony-based voting
A telephone network voting system receives telephone ballots cast by voters by dialing a telephone number. The telephone number is dialed by voters spread over a large geographic area. The voting calls are routed to points of presence local to or otherwise identified with the caller by using the caller's ANI or other originating number identification. The points of presence then accumulate votes and periodically forward tallies to a centralized location over a data network. Instructions may be transmitted from the centralized location to the points of presence. |
US08320535B2 |
Selectable greeting messages
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed to provide selectable greetings or responses to a request to initiate a communication. In one embodiment, a method of providing selectable greetings in response to a request to initiate a communication can comprise receiving the request to initiate a communication from an initiating device. The request can identify an intended recipient device. A greeting can be selected from a set of pre-determined greetings in user profile information from a user of the recipient device. A response message to the initiating device can be generated where the response message indicates the selected greeting. The response message can be sent to the initiating device. |
US08320533B2 |
System and method for replying to voice messages left by callers
An exemplary system and associated method for a communications system allowing responses to messages in an electronic environment are disclosed. The communications need not be based on the same platform or carrier. The system comprises a processing center to couple to a telephony network where the processing center provides a sender, not subscribed to the system, with messaging capabilities. The processing center includes a voice mail server to record a message from the sender and retrieve the message for a recipient that is subscribed to the system. A call processing logic module is arranged to access a database to determine whether a telephony device used by the sender has non-voice capabilities. The call processing logic module can notify the recipient of the message and informs the recipient of the capabilities of the sender to allow various response modalities (e.g., by voice mail, e-mail, or text message). |
US08320532B1 |
Method and system for providing voice dialing service in a SIP-based network
A system and method may include establishing a processing data session over a data network based on a processing data session request from a remote communication device, identifying a dialing directory based on the processing data session request, the dialing directory including multiple complete addresses, and receiving address information over the data network via the processing data session. The system and method may further include processing the address information to determine whether the address information corresponds to one of the plurality of complete addresses, and providing the corresponding one of the plurality of complete addresses over the data network to the remote communication device. |
US08320531B2 |
Template-based electronic message generation using sound input
A unified messaging system enables a subscriber to log into the system remotely and compose and send text messages, such as email messages, using predefined templates and sound input. The sound input may be DTMF or speech. After the subscriber selects an appropriate template, the system confirms the template, and asks the subscriber to provide values for prompted variables, such as dates and times. The system then generates an email message as defined by the selected template and the values of the prompted variables provided by the subscriber. The email message may also include automatic variables, such as the subscriber's name, and company name. The generated email message may be a new message, a reply message, or a forwarding message. The reply and forwarding messages may be generated in response to received email, or in response to other received messages, such as voice mail messages and facsimiles. |
US08320529B2 |
Sending urgent messages to multiple recipients via a single call
A first call is received at a reserved address and is forwarded based on the reserved address. A second call is placed to a designated address, and a message is played to the designated address. |
US08320520B2 |
X-ray CT apparatus and method of controlling thereof
In an X-ray Computed Tomography apparatus according to an embodiment, an angle determining unit determines an angle indicating a position of an X-ray radiation unit in a circular orbit at a moment to start radiation after a return of reciprocation, based on a time from a moment of completion of radiation in a movement to a certain direction until a moment to start radiation in a movement after the return, which is a time calculated from scanning conditions. A radiation control unit controls radiation by the X-ray radiation unit so as to start in accordance with the angle determined by the angle determining unit. |
US08320519B2 |
Multi-source encoded x-ray imaging
A tomographic apparatus (10) includes at least two x-ray sources (16) that are concurrently driven with different switching patterns to generate uniquely encoded radiation. The tomographic apparatus (10) further includes at least two detectors (20) that each detect primary radiation emitted by its corresponding one of the at least two x-ray sources (16) and cross scatter radiation from at least one of the other at least two x-ray sources (16). Each of the at least two detectors (20) produces an aggregate signal representative of the detected primary and cross scatter radiation. The tomographic apparatus (10) further includes a decoupler (30) which, based on the different switching patterns, identifies at least one signal corresponding to at least one of the at least two x-ray sources (16) within the aggregate signal and associates the identified signal with its corresponding x-ray source (16). |
US08320518B2 |
Methods, apparatus, and computer-program products for increasing accuracy in cone-beam computed tomography
Portions of the radiation source are obscured so that the radiation only passes through the specific areas of the patient related to the regions-of-interest to the doctor. Scattered radiation received by detector pixels that are obscured by direct-line of sight radiation are used to estimate the scattered radiation in the un-obscured portion, which can be used to increase the accuracy of the image taken through the un-obscured portion. |
US08320513B2 |
Nuclear fission reactor, flow control assembly, methods therefor and a flow control assembly system
A nuclear fission reactor, flow control assembly, methods therefor and a flow control assembly system. The flow control assembly is coupled to a nuclear fission module capable of producing a traveling burn wave at a location relative to the nuclear fission module. The flow control assembly controls flow of a fluid in response to the location relative to the nuclear fission module. The flow control assembly comprises a flow regulator subassembly configured to be operated according to an operating parameter associated with the nuclear fission module. In addition, the flow regulator subassembly is reconfigurable according to a predetermined input to the flow regulator subassembly. Moreover, the flow control assembly comprises a carriage subassembly coupled to the flow regulator subassembly for adjusting the flow regulator subassembly to vary fluid flow into the nuclear fission module. |
US08320510B2 |
MMSE MIMO decoder using QR decomposition
Aspects of the disclosure provide unbiased channel equalization applied in a MIMO OFDM system with spatial multiplexing. According to certain embodiments, a MMSE receiver can be implemented with the QR decomposition (QRMMSE detection) instead of direct inversion of channel matrix by exploiting an augmented channel matrix. A simple and efficient bias removal technique is presented herein, whereby unbiased QRMMSE equalization may provide identical detection accuracy as a conventional unbiased MMSE approach. For certain embodiments, multiple access interference may be further reduced if the VBLAST version of the unbiased QRMMSE detection is applied. |
US08320508B1 |
Joint estimation of channel and preamble sequence for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems
A system including an estimation module, a processing module, and a control module. The estimation module is configured to generate a first set of channel estimates for a plurality of subcarriers of a received signal. The processing module is configured to generate a second set of channel estimates for the plurality of subcarriers, in which the second set of channel estimates are generated based on the first set of channel estimates. The control module is configured to estimate a preamble sequence in the received signal based on each of (i) the first set of channel estimates and (ii) the second set of channel estimates. |
US08320504B2 |
Fully compensated adaptive interference cancellation system
A system for removing interference comprising a receive decimation filter that accepts a composite received baseband signal and generates filtered sampled data at a decimation rate, a transmit decimation filter that accepts a digitally converted replica of an interfering signal and generates filtered sampled data at a decimation rate, an integer sample delay control (ISDC) that provides multiple sample delay control for the replica and stores an estimated delay value, an adaptive filter that provides fractional sample delay control for the replica of the interfering signal and optimizes cancellation of the interfering signal, a digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) programmed with a known frequency offset of the interfering signal that tracks a phase and frequency of the replica of the interfering signal, an automatic gain control (AGC) that maintains near full scale operation of adaptive filtering and the DPLL, and a slicer, mixer, and delay unit forming an error estimator. |
US08320501B2 |
Digital broadcast transmitter/receiver having an improved receiving performance and signal processing method thereof
A digital broadcast transmitting/receiving system, and a signal processing method thereof, includes a randomizer for randomizing a transport stream into a specified position of which stuff bytes are inserted, a stuff-byte exchanger for replacing the stuff bytes included in data output from the randomizer with specified known data, an RS encoder for performing an RS-encoding of data output from the stuff-byte exchanger, an interleaver for interleaving data output from the RS encoder, a trellis encoder for performing a trellis encoding of data output from the interleaver, an RS parity generator for generating a parity by performing an RS encoding of data output from the RS encoder, and outputting the generated parity to the trellis encoder, and a modulator/RF converter for modulating data output from the trellis encoder and performing an RF up-converting of the modulated data. The digital broadcast receiving performance can be improved even in an inferior multi-path channel by detecting the known data from the received signal and using the known data for synchronization and equalization in a digital broadcast receiver. |
US08320498B2 |
Digital television transmitting system and receiving system and method of processing broadcast data
A digital television receiving system includes a first known data detector, a second known data detector, and a selector. The first known data detector detects a location of a first known data sequence in a broadcast signal by calculating a first correlation value between the broadcast signal and a first reference known data sequence. Similarly, the second known data detector detects a location of a second known data sequence in the broadcast signal by calculating a second correlation value between the broadcast signal and a second reference known data sequence. The selector selects the location information detected by one of the first and second known data detectors with a greater correlation value. |
US08320497B2 |
Real and complex spectral shaping for spectral masks improvements
An integrated circuit radio transceiver and method therefor includes an integrated circuit radio transceiver operable to provide specified gain levels and transmit path filter responses to correspond with a selected power spectral density mask. Changes in gain may be provided solely digital gain changes or may include analog gain module gain changes. A transmitter selects from one of at least three masks to reduce or eliminate spectral regrowth out of band to satisfy EVM requirements. Non-symmetric masks may also be selected for special circumstances to prevent out of band spectral regrowth. Additionally, pre-distortion settings are applied to in-band frequencies to correspond to the selected PSD mask. |
US08320496B2 |
Encoding method and apparatus
An encoding method and apparatus are provided. In the encoding method: encoding input information bits with an encoding matrix G and a linear combination formula. The encoding matrix G is an encoding matrix obtained by performing row permutation on an encoding matrix H having a plurality of successive zeroes in one or more columns of the encoding matrix H. Encoding control information with the encoding matrix provided by aspects of the present disclosure, each bit of the control information is distributed on all encoded output bits as uniformly as possible. Thereby, the bits of the control information obtain sufficient frequency diversity and time diversity after channel mapping, so as to improve transmission performance of the control information effectively. |
US08320493B2 |
Wireless communication system
Improvement of transmission efficiency is sought by stopping transmission of unnecessary MLI data.A transmitting circuit 111 in a base station apparatus 110 has an MLI modulation part 248 composed of an MLI generating circuit 238, a symbol modulation circuit 239, and an IFFT circuit 240, a user data modulation part 249 composed of an encoder circuit 234, a symbol modulation circuit 235, a transmission power control circuit 236, and an IFFT circuit 237, and a transmission operation control circuit 113. The transmission operation control circuit 113 controls operation timing of the MLI modulation part 248, the user datamodulationpart 249, and a multiplexer 243 based on a signal to notify that ACK input from a receiving circuit 112 has been received so that slots containing no MLI data are generated. |
US08320491B2 |
Method and system for encoding a data matrix and method and system for decoding an encoded data matrix
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for encoding a data matrix having at least a first component and a second component is provided wherein the value of the first component is determined, the number of bits to be used for encoding the second component is selected based on the value of the first component, the second component is encoded using the selected number of bits, and the first component is encoded. |
US08320485B2 |
VSB transmission system
A vestigial sideband (VSB) modulation transmission system and a method for encoding an input signal in the system are disclosed. According to the present invention, the VSB transmission system includes a convolutional encoder for encoding an input signal, a trellis-coded modulation (TCM) encoder for encoding the convolutionally encoded signal, and a signal mapper mapping the trellis-coded signal to generate a corresponding output signal. Different types of the convolutional encoders are explored, and the experimental results showing the performances of the VSB systems incorporating each type of encoders reveals that a reliable data transmission can be achieved even at a lower input signal to noise ratio when a convolutional encoder is used as an error-correcting encoder in a VSB system. |
US08320481B2 |
Synchronization method and apparatus for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system
A synchronization method used in a receiving terminal of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system is illustrated. The synchronization method includes following steps: (a) receiving an OFDM training symbol at the receiving terminal, wherein the OFDM training symbol includes many sample points; (b) calculating first function values according to the sample points by using a first function; (c) selecting D timing points from many timing points corresponding to the first function values, wherein D first function values of the D timing points are larger than a first threshold value; (d) calculating D second function values of the D timing points by using a second function; and (e) selecting a first timing point from the D timing points, and setting the first timing point as a timing synchronization point, wherein the second function value of the first timing point is a first one greater than a second threshold value. |
US08320477B2 |
Method for inter-carrier interference cancellation and equalization method, apparatus, and OFDM receiver using the method
An inter-carrier interference ICI cancellation method of a kth sub-carrier of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM receiving signal (k is a natural number greater than 1 and less than or equal to n, n is a number of sub-carriers) includes canceling an inter-carrier interference element produced by at least one sub-carrier among inter-carrier interference elements of the kth sub-carrier by a decision feedback equalization DFE method, and canceling another inter-carrier interference element produced by at least another sub-carrier among inter-carrier interference elements of the kth sub-carrier by a linear minimum mean square error equalization LMMSE method. |
US08320470B2 |
Method for spatial error concealment
A method for performing spatial error concealment is provided. The method includes the following steps: detecting a damaged macroblock; obtaining coding information of neighboring macroblocks of the damaged macroblock; determining edge feature of the damaged macroblock based on the coding information; and according to the edge feature, selecting a bilinear interpolation algorithm or a directional interpolation algorithm to conceal errors within the damaged macroblock. |
US08320466B2 |
Mixed video delivering apparatus and method, and computer storage medium
There is provided with a mixed video delivering apparatus, including: a video receiving unit receiving first to Nth encoded video data from first to Nth terminals; a decoding unit decoding the first to Nth encoded video data; a video mixing unit mixing first to Nth decoded video data to obtain mixed video data to be transmitted to a terminal “A” out of the first to Nth terminals; an encoding parameter storage storing first to Nth encoding parameters which are used for encoding the first to Nth videos by the first to Nth terminals; an encoding parameter selecting unit selecting an encoding parameter which is used by any one of terminals other than the terminal A; an encoding unit encoding the mixed video data with a selected encoding parameter to obtain encoded mixed video data; and a video transmitting unit transmitting the encoded mixed video data to the terminal A. |
US08320465B2 |
Error concealment of plural processed representations of a single video signal received in a video program
In one embodiment, a method that includes receiving a single video stream, wherein the video stream includes plural processed representations of a single video signal, wherein each of the plural processed representations of the video signal (PPROTVS) includes a respective sequence of compressed latticed pictures, wherein each compressed latticed picture of each of the PPROTVS represents a corresponding respective picture of the video signal, wherein each respective picture of the video signal is represented by at most one compressed latticed picture from each of the PPROTVS, wherein corresponding segments of the PPROTVS are ordered and time shifted relative to each other to facilitate error concealment, the time-shift imposed by interspersing of non-corresponding segments between each of the corresponding segments; and providing error concealment on the received video stream. |
US08320461B2 |
Remote resource access interface apparatus
A remote resource access interface apparatus is provided. A key input unit has keys for generating input key values. A communication unit transmits a connection establishment request message including screen resolution information to, and receives a connection establishment response message including supportable key information from, a portable device. The communication unit transmits input key information to and receives video information from the portable device after establishing the connection. A pixel information processing unit converts the video information to pixel signals for a video output unit to display as a visual image. A key advisor unit extracts supportable key information from the response message and outputs the supportable key information to the video output unit. The video information is video data adjusted in resolution based on the screen resolution information, and the input key value is mapped to one of key values indicated by the key information of the portable device. |
US08320460B2 |
Dyadic spatial re-sampling filters for inter-layer texture predictions in scalable image processing
A dyadic spatial down sampling filter having tap values configured according to a Kaiser window function a beta factor of approximately 2.5, having approximately 1.5 side lobes, and having a down sampling ratio of approximately 1.9. The dyadic spatial down sampling filter may have tap values [−1, 17, 32, 17, −1]/64. A dyadic spatial up sampling filter having tap values configured according to a Kaiser window function having a beta factor of approximately 1.5, having approximately 2 side lobes, and having an up sampling ratio of approximately 2. The dyadic spatial up sampling filter may have tap values [−5.44, 0, 20.71, 33.46, 20.71, 0, −5.44]/64.0, or tap values [−5, 0, 21, 32, 21, 0, −5]/64, or tap values [−5, 21, 21, −5]/32. |
US08320454B2 |
Fast sub-pixel motion estimation
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system and method for sub-pixel motion estimation for video encoding. The method includes providing a best match between a source frame and a reference frame by generating a plurality of non linear building surfaces, generating, in real time, an estimated matching criteria surface representing a matching criteria between the source frame and the reference frame based on the building surfaces and a plurality of sample points of an actual matching criteria surface and selecting, in real time, a position on the estimated matching criteria surface. |
US08320452B2 |
Imaging apparatus with motion vector detecting function
When frame data is acquired to a digital camera, a block split section splits the frame data into a plurality of correlation detection blocks, an average value calculation section calculates an average pixel value of each of the correlation detection blocks, and an activity calculation section calculates a block activity value of each of the correlation detection blocks from the calculated average pixel value of each of the correlation detection blocks. Next, a group allocation section allocates the individual correlation detection blocks to two groups on the basis of the calculated block activity value, and a motion vector for each group is calculated using the representative point matching method. Next, the motion vector calculation section calculates the entire motion vector from the motion vectors for each group in accordance with the ratio between the numbers of calculation detection blocks in each group. |
US08320450B2 |
System and method for transcoding between scalable and non-scalable video codecs
Systems and methods are provided for performing transcoding in video communication system that use scalable video coding. The systems and methods can be used to transcode or convert input signals having certain characteristics into desired output signals having different characteristics requirements. The systems and methods are based on compressed domain processing, partial decoding-reencoding, or full decoding-reencoding with side information, depending on the specific characteristics of the input and desired output signals. |
US08320449B2 |
Method for controlling video frame stream
A method for controlling video frame stream at a transmitting end of video phone is provided. The method predetermines whether receiving the current frame will cause delay based on a situation of transmitting and compression of the previous video frames. If the result of the predetermination is yes, the current video frame is skipped; if the result of the predetermination is no, the follow-up compression, multiplexing and transmitting of the current video frame are performed. |
US08320447B2 |
Encoding apparatus and encoding method, and decoding apparatus and decoding method
An encoding apparatus includes a receiving section receiving syntax information defined by an encoding standard, a first encoding section encoding the received syntax information to generate encoded information, a transferring section transferring transmission encoded information based on the encoded information generated by the first encoding section, a second encoding section encoding reproduced encoded information reproduced from the transferred transmission encoded information, a conversion section converting the encoded information encoded by the first encoding section into redefined encoded information, to generate the transmission encoded information in accordance with the transfer capacity of the transferring section and the processing speed of encoding in each of the first encoding section and the second encoding section so as not to cause delay in encoding in the first encoding section or the second encoding section, and an inverse conversion section inversely converting the converted redefined encoded information to generate the reproduced encoded information. |
US08320438B2 |
Evaluation device for providing a transceiver system with performance information thereof
An evaluation device is adapted for providing a transceiver system with performance information thereof. The transceiver system includes a transmitter and at least one receiver, and models a channel between the transmitter and the receiver using Nakagami distribution with a fading parameter. The evaluation device includes a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) setting module, an error rate computing module, and an output module. The SNR setting module is operable to set an average SNR for the channel between the transmitter and the receiver of the transceiver system. The error rate computing module is operable, based upon the fading parameter, the average SNR and a number of the receiver, to compute a bit error rate over the channel between the transmitter and the receiver. The output module is operable to provide the transceiver system with the average SNR and the bit error rate as the performance information of the transceiver system. |
US08320437B2 |
Method and device for decoding a signal
In a method and a device for decoding a signal, the signal is transmitted via at least one connecting line of a data transmission system, in a user of the data transmission system receiving the signal. It is provided to measure the interval of a change—provided compulsorily in a transmission protocol used in the data transmission system—of the signal from rising to falling or from falling to rising edge. A tendency for an asymmetrical delay of the signal can be ascertained from the measured interval. The sampling of the bits of the received signal can be improved as a function of the interval or of the asymmetrical delay, for example, by setting the sampling instant in variable fashion. Alternatively, the interval or the asymmetrical delay can be utilized for diagnostic purposes. |
US08320435B2 |
Low power state for DSL system and devices
Described herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods relating to a power-saving state or power-saving mode to facilitate clock synchronization between the two transceiver units and/or updating of DSL operation parameters during the power-saving state. |
US08320426B2 |
Apparatus for selectively distributing energy from a laser beam
An assembly for distributing laser energy is provided that is formed using a compact rigid housing with a sealed beam path contained therein. The assembly employs a monolithic housing with modular collimator and mirror switching components installed therein to reduce its size while maintaining a sealed beam path thereby reducing the possibility of contamination of the beam path. Other than the optics and mirror, there are no elements of the distribution device contained within the beam path. In one embodiment, the assembly distributes incoming energy from a single source to one or more outputs. In another embodiment, the assembly operates as a beam combiner to direct energy from one or more sources to a single output. |
US08320421B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting device
A semiconductor light-emitting device configured to decrease a leakage current in a current-blocking layer and including a light-emitting portion composed of a first compound semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a second layer having a second conductivity type, and a current-blocking layer in contact with the side of the light-emitting portion and composed of a third layer having the first conductivity type and a fourth layer having the second conductivity type. |
US08320418B2 |
Multiple wavelength optical systems
Optical systems operable to emit multiple frequency-converted spectral peaks are provided. In one embodiment, an optical system includes an optical source and a wavelength conversion device. The optical source may include a laser configured to emit a pump beam having at least two fundamental spectral peaks. The wavelength conversion device may include a non-linear optical medium configured to phase match the second harmonic generation of each of the at least two fundamental spectral peaks and sum-frequency generation of the at least two fundamental spectral peaks such that an output beam comprising at least three frequency-converted spectral peaks having approximately equal power is emitted from an output facet of the wavelength conversion device when the pump beam of the optical source is incident on an input facet of the wavelength conversion device. |
US08320415B2 |
High-power multi-port circulator
A high power (HP) fiber circulator is configured with a case enclosing a plurality of optical components which are arranged so as to define multiple ports. The fiber circulator further includes a plurality of launching and receiving fiber components each of which has spliced delivery and pigtailed passive fibers selectively coupling a HP input signal into and receiving a HP output signal from respective input and output ports. The passive fibers of each fiber component have respective protective coatings spaced from one another and each covering the cladding of the fibers. A light stripper, extending between the protective coatings, is operative to substantially remove cladding-supported light from one of the passive fibers before it reaches the protective coating of the other passive fiber. At least one of the ports includes a wavelength selective component configured to direct the HP input light beam along the desired path between the ports and including a fiber Bragg grating, volume Bragg grating or a combination of these. |
US08320411B1 |
Fast retraining for transceivers in communication systems
Fast retraining of communication parameters for a transceiver in a communication network. In one aspect, it is determined that the transceiver has lost the communication link for data communication, and the transceiver receives a signal providing a fast retraining sequence that updates transceiver parameters in order to reacquire the link for the data communication. The fast retraining sequence is performed in a reduced time relative to a full training sequence used for initializing the parameters for data communication by the transceiver. |
US08320402B2 |
Base station for allocating sub-channels to mobile station
A base station for allocating one or more sub-channels to a mobile station to perform uplink wireless communication with the mobile station through the one or more sub-channels, including an estimation unit to estimate a propagation environment for radio waves from the mobile station to the base station; a calculation unit to calculate an interference amount based on a reception power at the base station apparatus; and a determination unit to determine a modulation method, an encoding ratio, and a number of sub-channels, which are to be used by the mobile station for transmission to the base station, based on the propagation environment, the interference amount, and specification conditions of the mobile station, to notify the mobile station of the modulation method, the encoding ratio, and the number of sub-channels. |
US08320400B1 |
Media and speed independent interface
A system including a first module configured to receive first data at an adaptable rate over a first electrical interface. The system further includes a nibble replicator module configured to generate second data in response to the first data by selectively expanding each nibble of the first data into a byte of the second data. The system also includes a repeater module configured to generate third data in response to the second data by selectively outputting each block of the second data multiple times in the third data. The system further includes a delimiter injection module configured to generate output data on a plurality of lanes in response to the third data by outputting delimiter symbols on a predetermined one of the plurality of lanes. The system also includes a second module configured to transmit the output data at a predetermined cumulative rate over a second electrical interface. |
US08320397B2 |
Backoff adjustment method for MAC system
In some examples, a method includes transmitting frames over a wireless channel after a first backoff period has elapsed. The method also includes estimating a channel condition of the wireless channel over a plurality of time slots. The method also includes determining, in case of an unsuccessful transmission of the frames, whether the unsuccessful transmission is attributed to a frame collision. The method also includes determining a second backoff period based on at least the estimated channel condition if the unsuccessful transmission is not attributed to a frame collision. |
US08320396B2 |
Subcarrier group based power control for OFDMA systems
A system and method of wireless communication power control is provided which allows for adjusting power levels without requiring high bandwidth for control. Embodiments allocate subcarriers into unequal power groups, each group having a consistent subcarrier power level. Using interference parameter information from a user, a subcarrier is assigned from a group having adequate power to maintain the user's required power level. In general, users with higher power requirements, such as those near cell boundaries, will be assigned subcarriers from a group having a higher power level. A cell may use a different allocation than a neighbor, so that subcarriers with the highest power level in one cell may not also have the highest power level in a neighboring cell. Such diversity may reduce inter-cell interference of the subcarriers near a cell boundary, since no two subcarriers are transmitted with highest power simultaneously by neighboring base stations. |
US08320388B2 |
Autonomic network node system
An autonomic network node system for providing at least one virtual router (VR) for providing on demand virtual routing service, the autonomic network node system includes a plurality of autonomic router components (ARCs) comprising at least one autonomic control component (ACC) and at least one autonomic forwarding component (AFC), physical resources comprising a plurality of logical resource partitions (LRPs), at least one database for storing information relating to the plurality of ARCs and LRPs, and a autonomic framework configured for receiving at least one request of on demand virtual routing service, accessing at the at least one database, allocating at least one LRP to perform at least one ARC to be installed in the autonomic network node system, installing the at least one ARC in the autonomic network node system, allocating the installed ARC and, updating the at least one database. |
US08320387B2 |
Ring type ethernet system, ring type switch, ring connection control circuit, ring type ethernet system control method, ring type switch control method and ring connection control method
Ring type switches 10X, 10Y that connect to two sub-rings 51, 52 are provided to maintain Ethernet communications between sub-rings even when a fault occurs in a ring type switch. By carrying out redundant control processing based on the operating status of itself and the companion in these ring type switches 10X, 10Y, one operates as the currently used system and carries out relay connections between the sub-rings 51, 52 and the other operates as a standby system and stops relay connections between the sub-rings 51, 52. |
US08320386B2 |
Aggregating ports while allowing access to singleton ports
Disclosed is a method for aggregating parallel data links connecting two end-point devices into a logical link. If one of the parallel data links is a multi-point link, then an end-point device can still access that link to route traffic to an end station on the link (that is, to a device other than the other end-point device of the logical data link). In the terminology of this disclosure, the logical aggregated link is accessed through an “aggregated port” on an end-point device, while the constituent multi-point link is accessed directly through a “singleton port.” By assigning a smaller cost to the aggregated port than to the singleton port, embodiments avoid creating routing loops. In some embodiments, the aggregation is performed at Layer 2 of the Open System Interconnection seven-layer protocol model. Then, the methods of the present invention work well with existing IEEE 802.1 bridging architectures and protocols. |
US08320384B2 |
Packet forwarding apparatus suitable for real time packets
In a packet forwarding apparatus including first line interfaces accommodating user terminals, a second line interface connected to a communication node on a session management apparatus side, and a protocol processing unit for updating a connection management table and a header information table when a specific session control packet is received from one of the first line interfaces. Upon receiving a real-time packet from one of the first line interfaces, if a table entry corresponding to the header information of the received packet has been registered in the connection management table, the control unit routes the received packet to one of the first line interfaces after rewriting its header information based on the header information table, and if the table entry has not been registered, the control unit routes the received packet as it is to the second line interface. |
US08320382B2 |
Mobile communication system, a mobile station, a base station and communication control method
A mobile station includes: a QoS (quality of service) requirement determination unit configured to determine a QoS requirement for a data packet; a downlink channel condition estimation unit configured to estimate a downlink channel condition; an identification number extracting unit configured to extract an identification number for the mobile station; and a notification unit configured to notify a base station of the QoS requirement, the identification number for the mobile station, and the downlink channel condition by means of a reservation packet. A base station includes: an uplink channel condition estimation unit configured to estimate an uplink channel condition by means of a reservation packet; a radio parameter control unit configured to determine and control a radio parameter based on the reservation packet and the uplink channel condition. |
US08320380B2 |
Under-assigning resources to video in triple-play virtual topologies to protect data-class traffic
A method for video-on-demand (VoD) admission control at a network edge assigns to a triple-play network virtual topology lesser resources than there exists in a corresponding underlying physical link bandwidth. This prevents video-on-demand (VoD) starvation of data-class traffic. At least one policy enforcement point (PEP) is attached to an edge of the network, providing for autonomous short-term, application-aware controls to be applied to corresponding network ingress traffic, and also providing for long-term controls on corresponding network ingress traffic. The network ingress traffic to the network comes under management when the traffic nears or exceeds network capacity. It is enabled to do so by computations of current network routing topology and bandwidth reservations. Path tables are used to calculate if a PEP may admit more, or must shed, sessions/calls to maintain service for other existing application traffic. The PEP and a session/call admission controller (S/CAC) may be independently located within the topology of the network, and together implement admission controls that differentiate between triple-play video, voice, and data traffic classes. |
US08320379B2 |
Arbiter circuit and method of carrying out arbitration
A method of carrying out arbitration in a packet exchanger including an input buffer temporarily storing a packet having arrived at an input port, and a packet switch which switches a packet between a specific input port and a specific output port, includes the steps of (a) concurrently carrying out a first plurality of sequences in each of the sequences basic processes for at least one of the input buffer and the output port are carried out in a predetermined order, and (b) making an allowance in each of the sequences for packets to be output through output through output ports at different times from one another. |
US08320378B2 |
Method and apparatus for advertising update messages to peers and peer groups in a border gateway protocol process
A method is disclosed for advertising update messages to peers and peer entities. In an embodiment, all update messages that are to be advertised to a specific peer entity are formatted and enqueued to a peer associated with that peer entity before update messages are formatted for another peer entity. In an aspect, the method advertises update messages to peer entities in a communication network comprises, among a quantity of update messages, formatting one or more of the update messages to establish a quantity of formatted update messages for a peer entity, wherein said peer entity is one of a peer group and a peer, wherein the quantity of the formatted update messages is less than or equal to the quantity of update messages, and among the formatted update messages, enqueueing to a queue, one or more formatted update messages, to establish a quantity of enqueued formatted update messages, wherein the quantity of enqueued formatted update messages is less or equal to the quantity of formatted update messages, and wherein at least one of the quantity of formatted update messages and the quantity of the enqueued formatted update messages is a programmable quantity. |
US08320374B2 |
Method and apparatus for improved multicast routing
The invention includes a method and apparatus for transmitting packets in a network comprising a plurality of nodes. A method includes encapsulating a packet intended for at least one of the nodes where the packet is encapsulated using a bit set, comparing the bit set of the packet and a bit mask of an interface, and forwarding the packet over the interface in response to a determination that the comparison of the bit set and the bit mask indicates that one of the nodes for which the packet is intended is the same as one of the nodes available from the interface. The bit set and bit mask each include bit positions associated with the respective plurality of nodes. The bit positions of the bit set and bit mask identify each of the at least one of the nodes for which the packet is intended and each of the nodes available from the interface, respectively. |
US08320369B1 |
Systems and methods for implementing virtual switch planes in a physical switch fabric
A switching device includes multiple interfaces and a switch fabric. The switch fabric includes switch integrated circuits arranged in a number of stages. Multiple virtual switch planes may be implemented in the switch fabric. Data traffic received at the interfaces is selectively assigned to different ones of the virtual switch planes. |
US08320365B2 |
Presence based telephony
A device is provided including a processor and a display configured to list more than one presence enabled contact. A user agent is configured to indicate an availability status of the device to a presence server. The user agent is at least partially executed by the processor. Moreover, at least one input is configured to enable a device user to request a communications session with at least one of the plurality of presence enabled contacts. The request is initiated by the user agent when the requested presence enabled contact is available. |
US08320363B2 |
Implementation method, system and device of IMS interception
The embodiment of the present invention discloses an implementation method of IMS interception, a system and a device thereof. The method includes allocating media anchor points to communication parties; and copying communication content to complete interception of the communication content when the communication parties communicate through the media anchor points. In the present invention, the interception of the communication content can be implemented on the media anchor points instead of the existing media access equipment, thus implementing centralized interception of a media on an IMS network, and ensuring that users accessing the IMS network in various modes can implement the centralized interception of the media on an IMS core without requirement for access side equipment or an extended private interface between the IMS core and the access side equipment. |
US08320360B2 |
Method and apparatus for fast cell search
A method and apparatus for transmitting a primary and secondary synchronization channel is provided herein. During operation a transmitter will transmit a primary synchronization channel (P-SCH) in a subframe and a secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH) in the subframe. The S-SCH is modulated by a complex exponential wave and scrambled with a scrambling code. In certain embodiments of the present invention the P-SCH comprises a GCL sequence or a Zadoff-Chu sequence and the scrambling code is based on the GCL sequence index of the P-SCH. |
US08320358B2 |
Method and apparatus for resolving blinded-node problems in wireless networks
Techniques for resolving blinded-node problems are described herein. One aspect operates on the physical (PHY) layer only, which a second layer operates on the medium access control (MAC) layer. Both aspects involve having a node stop processing a data packet that is not destined for it so as to be able to reserve its resources to detect control and other packets. An apparatus for implementing the techniques are also disclosed. |
US08320352B2 |
Robust transmission scheme for wireless networks
Systems and methods are described that facilitate assigning a predefined manner in which interfering transmissions may be fully or partially orthogonalized, as well as transmission time periods during which the orthogonalization protocol(s) may be employed. Depending on interference conditions, flexible resource reuse may be implemented to mitigate interference without unduly taxing resources. The subject of the innovation may be employed in, for instance, an ad hoc or unplanned/semi-planned wireless communication environment. |
US08320345B2 |
Radio communication method and radio communication device
Provided is a radio communication method which can reduce the power consumption as compared to the conventional technique while realizing coexistence of a plurality of radio communication methods and can perform synchronization with a super frame of other radio communication device. The super frame has life confirmation slots (2820, 2830) through which radio communication devices of various modulation types should transmit tone signals. A radio communication device has a chance to judge whether one or more radio communication devices using a different modulation type exist or no such device exists in the vicinity. If no such device exists, the slot to be used by the radio communication device of the modulation method is reported as a time that can be used by a radio communication group of other modulation method.Thus, by confirming existence of an object in the vicinity by other radio communication device with which communication cannot be performed, communication can be performed by sharing the super frame. |
US08320344B2 |
System and method for provisioning telecommunications services between an access point and a telecommunications network and providing a missing information notification
A method and system for selectively provisioning connections between an access point, which supports telecommunications services over an IP network, and a carrier network includes a network connection and a telephone connector suitable for connecting to a landline telephone, a cordless telephone, or a mobile device. The access point sends a provisioning request, which includes identifying information such as a subscriber identifier and a MAC address, to a network controller. The network controller attempts to find a geographic, street, or other address associated with the connection to be provisioned. If an address is not found, the network controller rejects the connection and sends a missing information notification to the access point. After receiving the missing information notification, the access point controls a user indicator to provide error information. |
US08320341B2 |
Re-transmission capability in semi-persistent transmission
One or more hybrid automatic repeat request process identifications are configured for scheduling without associated control signaling. A particular HARQ process ID to be assumed for a given subframe is determined based on at least one of: a) system frame number; b) number of hybrid automatic repeat request processes that are allocated for semi-persistent scheduling; and c) periodicity for semi-persistent scheduling. In various embodiments: a) is broadcast and b) and c) are sent via RRC signaling; and the assumed particular HARQ process ID is determined as a function of [Current TTI/SP_Period] mod Num_SP_HARQ:wherein Current TTI is a number for the given subframe derived from the system frame number and the term [Current TTI/SP_Period] is rounded to an integer prior to the modulo operation; SP_Period is the periodicity of the semi-persistent scheduling; and Num_SP_HARQ is the number of hybrid automatic repeat request processes that are allocated for semi-persistent scheduling. |
US08320340B2 |
Distributed wireless medium access control protocol for ad-hoc networks
A distributed wireless medium access control protocol is disclosed. According to the disclosed wireless medium access control protocol the medium access time is partitioned into equal sized slots, and a predetermined number of the slots forming a superframe. The protocol defines beaconing devices and passive devices. Each beaconing device designates one of the slots in the superframe as its beacon medium access slot, and broadcasts during that beacon medium access slot a beacon frame to other devices in wireless range of that beaconing device. A beacon frame collision detection and resolution procedure, and a procedure for reserving access time for communication between devices are also disclosed. |
US08320339B2 |
Orthogonal resource reuse with SDMA beams
A wireless communication system can implement beamforming across multiple omni-directional antennas to create beams at different spatial directions. The communication system can arrange the beams in sets, with each set arranged to provide substantially complete coverage over a predetermined coverage area. The communication system can arrange the multiple SDMA beam sets to support substantially complementary coverage areas, such that a main beam from a first set provides coverage to a weak coverage area of the second beam set. The wireless communication system assigns or otherwise allocates substantially orthogonal resources to each of the beam sets. The wireless communication system allocates resources to a communication link using a combination of beam sets and substantially orthogonal resources in order to provide improved coverage without a corresponding increase in interference. |
US08320333B2 |
Method and apparatus for secure handover in a communication network
In at least one embodiment taught herein, the point in a packet transmission sequence space at which hyper frame numbers are incremented is changed at least temporarily as part of handover processing, where a mobile station (12) is handed over from a source cell to a target cell. More particularly, in at least one embodiment, changing the triggering point, e.g., changing the transmission sequence number at which HFNs are incremented, is done in a manner that delays a next incrementing of the HFN for a radio bearer that was handed over, therefore giving additional time for the mobile station (12) and the handover target base station (16) to ensure synchronization in the face of possible packet losses in the source and/or target cells arising during the handover event. |
US08320324B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating time-frequency patterns for reference signal in an OFDM wireless communication system
In one embodiment, a method for a wireless communication includes generating a first time-frequency reference signal pattern at a first base station. The first time-frequency reference signal pattern includes a modified version of a mother pattern of time-frequency of a fixed size. The method further includes transmitting a first reference signal using the first time-frequency reference signal pattern. |
US08320323B2 |
Method for allocating time and frequency resource for resource request indicator, method for transmitting resource request indicator and device thereof
A method for allocating a time and frequency resource of a resource request indicator (RRI), a method for transmitting an RRI, and a device thereof are provided, which relate to a wireless communication technique and reduce the overhead of the time and frequency resource. The method for allocating a time and frequency resource of an RRI includes: allocating codes for an RRI and other uplink control signaling; and multiplexing the RRI and other uplink control signaling in the same time and frequency resource in a code division manner. |
US08320316B2 |
Method for accelerating terminal of wireless communication system accessing network
A method for accelerating network accessing of a terminal in a wireless communication system, comprises: a wireless terminal receiving system parameter information, and after obtaining system information of a base station identifier (BS ID) and a network access provider identifier (NAP ID), immediately judging validity of the NAP ID, or validity of both the NAP ID and the BS ID; if a result of the judgment is “valid”, the terminal proceeding to a subsequent procedure of the network discovery and selection according to information stored in the terminal, otherwise, carrying out a new procedure of network discovery and selection. The method avoids continuing to perform processes such as message receiving and decoding in the case that a NAP ID or a BS ID is invalid according to a procedure in the current protocol, thereby increasing the speed of network accessing of a terminal. |
US08320312B2 |
Edge continued evolution, improved channel request method and system
The present invention is a method and system adapted to facilitate, between a mobile station (MS) and network, an indication of support for reduced time transmission interval (RTTI). The MS can provide a base station system (BSS) with an indication of its multislot capability within an access burst sent at the start of a contention based access. In another aspect, the MS can indicate support for a new Immediate Assignment message as the conventional Immediate Assignment message can only assign single timeslots. The present invention enables the Radio Access Network (RAN) to assign RTTI and more than one timeslot for GPRS/EDGE temporary block flows (TBFs) during an Access Grant Channel (AGCH) assignment. The method of the present invention can be implemented in a computer program product or distributed software adapted to be loaded into at least one or a plurality of memory locations and executed by at least one or a plurality of respective computer processors. |
US08320308B2 |
Parallel data services and spectrum sensing with cognitive channel switching in a wireless area network
Data service transmission interruption is minimized by initially setting up a cluster of channels to transmit data services. As the need arises to switch channels due to the detection of an incumbent signal, the data services can be switched with substantially no delay. A group of channels from those available in a wireless network are chosen to form a cluster of channels. Each channel within the cluster is set up to convey data services with channel parameters being stored. A first operating channel is chosen from among the cluster of channels to transmit the data services. While the data services are being transmitted on the first operating channel, out-of-band spectrum sensing occurs on the other channels. Upon predetermined criteria a channel switch occurs. As each channel has already been set up the necessary channel parameters are retrieved from storage and restored without data service interruption. |
US08320304B2 |
Method and access point for allocating whitespace spectrum
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for allocating a whitespace spectrum associated with a plurality of access points. The method includes reporting a signal strength associated with each of a plurality of other access points to a central controller. The method includes aggregating a plurality of demands to produce an aggregate demand. Each of the plurality of demands is associated with one of a plurality of users. The method includes reporting the aggregated demand to the central controller. The method includes associating one of the plurality of users with the access point based on a user setting or associating one of the plurality of users based on an allocation by the central controller. The allocation from the central controller is based on the signal strength and the aggregated demand. The allocation indicates a frequency band from the set of frequency bands to be allocated by the access point to the user. |
US08320301B2 |
MIMO WLAN system
A multiple-access MIMO WLAN system that employs MIMO, OFDM, and TDD. The system (1) uses a channel structure with a number of configurable transport channels, (2) supports multiple rates and transmission modes, which are configurable based on channel conditions and user terminal capabilities, (3) employs a pilot structure with several types of pilot (e.g., beacon, MIMO, steered reference, and carrier pilots) for different functions, (4) implements rate, timing, and power control loops for proper system operation, and (5) employs random access for system access by the user terminals, fast acknowledgment, and quick resource assignments. Calibration may be performed to account for differences in the frequency responses of transmit/receive chains at the access point and user terminals. The spatial processing may then be simplified by taking advantage of the reciprocal nature of the downlink and uplink and the calibration. |
US08320299B2 |
Broadband satellite system and method
Implementations of broadband satellite systems may comprise systems implementing embodiments of one, two or all of the aspects of distributed leadership, distributed bandwidth allocation and distributed timing. In systems implementing distributed leadership aspects, the control and administration of the network can be effectively performed by any site. In systems implementing distributed bandwidth allocation aspects, all remote sites may act in concert by running the same algorithm on the information they have received, arriving at a harmonious conclusion. In systems implementing distributed timing aspects, time division multiple access (“TMDA”) bursts within timeslots may not require a central timing reference, a distributed high stability timing reference or a timing leader. |
US08320298B2 |
Techniques for reducing overhead in a communications system
Parallel demodulators are provided in field units. Forward and reverse channel allocation information may be broadcast to the field units in the same epoch as traffic data but on first and second channels, such as paging and traffic channels. This assures that all field units are able to receive forward and reverse channel allocation information every epoch. By having parallel demodulators in the field unit, switching between the first and second channels is avoided and channel allocation information is not lost. |
US08320288B2 |
Communication system, communication apparatus and communication method, and computer program
To suitably suppress distribution delay at the time of multi-hop communication or broadcast transfer while including a communication station in a power-saving state.First, STA-A immediately transmits broadcast data to STA-B which is running in an active mode, and subsequently, executes transmission of a beacon at a TBTT when STA-C operates a receiver, and then transmits the broadcast data to the STA-C. Thus, the broadcast data can be distributed to the STA-B which is running in the active mode with the minimum delay, and on the other hand, the broadcast data is distributed to the STA-C which is running in a sleep mode in a sure manner while generating a delay quantity of only T0. |
US08320286B2 |
Infrastructure offload wake on wireless LAN (WOWL)
Aspects of an infrastructure offload wake on wireless LAN (WOWL) are described. An aspect of the system may include a networked device, or station, which may communicate one or more filters to an infrastructure networking device. The infrastructure networking device may utilize the filters to perform pattern matching operations on frames or packets received from the network for delivery to at least the station while the station is in an inactive, or low-power, state. When pattern matching operations performed at the infrastructure networking device indicate receipt of a frame or packet on behalf of the inactive station, which matches at least one of the filters, the infrastructure networking device may store an indication value. The indication value may denote receipt of at least one frame or packet that matched at least one of the filters, which were communicated to the infrastructure networking device by the station. |
US08320285B2 |
Communication terminal and recording medium
A communication terminal has a plurality of wireless communication units. An access control unit determines whether or not a selected wireless interface is in a state where a connection request is possible based on communication state information on the wireless interface selected beforehand in the plurality of wireless interfaces. When determining that a connection request using the selected wireless interface is not possible, the access control unit determines whether or not to change over the wireless interface used for a communication based on a changeover availability information table set beforehand. When determining that a changeover of the wireless interface is not possible, the access control unit idles without performing a connection request to establish a communication until it is determined that a connection request through the selected wireless interface becomes possible. |
US08320284B2 |
Apparatus and method for channel reciprocity in a wireless network
Disclosed herein is a method comprising using a first frequency for communication in a first direction with an infrastructure node and a second frequency for communication in a second direction with the infrastructure node during a normal operation phase in a wireless network. The method may further comprise reversing the frequencies used for the communication in the first and second directions with the infrastructure node during a link reversal phase. |
US08320278B2 |
Communication device, system and method to form communication route
There is provided a communication device including a score information storage unit to store score information indicating a score as an evaluated value of a communication path; a receiver unit to receive a route connection notice including current score information; a routing unit to acquire the score information stored in the score information storage unit, and select the communication path next to the communication path based on the acquired score information of the communication path; a score updating unit to add a score of the communication path selected by the routing unit to the current score of the partial communication route indicated by the current score information, and update the current score information to the added score as a new current score; and a transmission unit to transmit the route connection notice including the current score information. |
US08320274B2 |
Distributed method for equitable bandwidth allocation for content distribution in a network
A distributed method is presented for determining equitable bandwidth allocations in a content distribution tree network, where the root of the tree has a server that broadcasts multiple programs throughout the tree. The intensive computations in the distributed method are done at each of the nodes independently while only minimal information is exchanged among the nodes. Each network link has limited capacity. The allocation problem is formulated as an equitable resource allocation problem with a lexicographic maximin objective function that provides equitable service performance for all requested programs at the various nodes. The constraints include link capacity constraints and tree-like ordering constraints imposed on each of the programs. The distributed method converges to the equitable solution in a finite number of iterations. The distributed method can be applied to a network comprised of multiple trees. |
US08320272B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling access technology selection
A method and system for selecting at a terminal at least one of a plurality of available access networks for use with a wireless application invoked at the terminal according preferences associated with the wireless application, the network service provider, the subscriber, the subscriber subscription and application content provider. The selection may be constrained by an Application Policy received from a network service provider. |
US08320268B2 |
Communication control apparatus, radio communication apparatus, communication control method and radio communication method
A communication control apparatus calculates a bandwidth ratio Ri based on a received number of IP packets received from a radio communication apparatus within a window T2. The bandwidth ratio Ri indicates a ratio of the bandwidth of a radio IP network 10A to be used for receiving IP packets within a window T3 following the window T2, to the bandwidth of a radio IP network 10B to be used for receiving IP packets within the window T3. The communication control apparatus then transmits, to the radio communication apparatus, a complementary bandwidth amount notification message from which the calculated bandwidth ratio Ri is recognizable. |
US08320260B2 |
Method of monitoring cells in wireless communication systems
A wireless communication network automatically tests itself for sleeping cells. This is done by designing the base stations to regularly act as a terminal, contact its neighboring base stations and as a mobile perform a set of typical traffic cases. From the outcome of the traffic cases the probing base station detects neighboring base stations that cannot carry traffic. The information about sleeping cells is subsequently communicated from the base station to the operation and maintenance system. |
US08320259B2 |
Access circuit test for transfer engineering
A test system for testing a pair of telecommunications access networks, e.g. as part of transfer engineering. The system comprises a test head for connection, via an access arrangement, to first and second access networks. In a first phase, the access arrangement is arranged to connect the test head to the first access network for sending a first request from the tester to, for example, a CLI server via the first access network. The first request comprises a parameter associated with a user line. The tester is arranged to receive in response to the first request a first identifier from the server. In a second phase, the access arrangement is arranged to connect the test head to the second access network for sending a second request from the test head through the second access network to, for example, a CLI server. The second request also comprises the parameter. The tester is arranged to receive, in response to the second request, a second identifier from the target server and is arranged to carry out a comparison operation involving the first and second identifiers received in response to the two requests. A mismatch can indicate a fault or misconnection in either access network or a problem with network configuration data. |
US08320258B2 |
Method and device for recognizing a synchronization message from a wireless telecommunication device
A method of recognizing a synchronization message from a wireless telecommunications device comprising the steps of: dividing a series of known identification codes into a plurality of sections; processing and storing the sections of the known identification codes; dividing a signal received from the wireless telecommunications device into a plurality of sections; processing the sections of the received signal; and comparing the sections of the received signal with the sections of the known identification codes. |
US08320257B2 |
Automatic testing of scheduled telepresence meetings
Equipment and network resources are automatically tested in advance of scheduled telepresence meetings in order to discover problems before the actual telepresence meeting. When a meeting between telepresence sites is scheduled, a test time is automatically scheduled for performing a test in advance of a scheduled time of the telepresence meeting. At the test time, performing the test to determine whether equipment functions at telepresence sites involved in the telepresence meeting and network resource availability are sufficient to support the telepresence meeting. |
US08320256B2 |
Method, computer program product and system for managing usage of marginal capacity of computer resources
Utilization of at least one resource is managed in a computer system by monitoring usage of capacity of the computer resource, including monitoring usage of base capacity of the computer resource and marginal capacity of the computer resource exceeding the base capacity and determining whether usage of the computer resource exceeds a predetermined threshold. The determination may be based on an average usage of multiple computer resources over the predetermined time period. If usage of the computer resource exceeds the predetermined threshold, a charge for the usage of the computer resources is adjusted by an amount based on the usage of the computer resources exceeding the threshold. |
US08320255B2 |
Inter-domain path computation technique
A technique computes a traffic engineering (TE) label switched path (LSP) that spans multiple domains of a computer network from a head-end node of a local domain to a tail-end node of a remote domain. The novel inter-domain TE-LSP computation technique comprises a computation algorithm executed by the head-end node, which utilizes Path Computation Elements (PCEs) located within the remote domains (i.e., other than the local domain). Specifically, the head-end node requests path segments from a PCE in each of the remote domains, in which the path segments represent paths between all entry border routers to either all exit border routers of the particular remote domain (i.e., through the domain), or to the tail-end node. Upon receiving path segments from each remote domain, the head-end node combines the path segments with local domain information, and performs a forward path computation from the head-end node to the tail-end node to find the best (i.e., “shortest”) path. |
US08320254B2 |
Method and system for efficient management and transport of traffic over a network
Method and apparatus for efficient management and transport of traffic over a network. The available bandwidth capacity of paths in a network may be stored in a first router. A request may be received at the first router from a network node of a second network for a signaled path through the network to a destination node. Paths may be examined by the first router and the signaled path assigned to a path from the first router to the destination node using an existing path through the network. Further, all traffic from a subnet to a given destination network may be handled by one or more mobile agents at the subnet. One or more mobile agents may be assigned to all or some of the traffic based on current path loading. |
US08320251B2 |
Method and device for transmitting data packets
In order to simplify the management of packets to be transmitted, we implement: a writing to a first register of at least one descriptor of packets to be transmitted, each descriptor of packets to be transmitted comprising information representative of a status of each packet belonging to the set, the status of each packet indicating whether the packet is or is not to be transmitted; determination of the first packet of data to be transmitted on the basis of the content of the first register and recording of an identifier of the first packet of data to be transmitted in a second register; and transmission of a set of data packets. |
US08320250B2 |
Method and arrangement for TCP flow control
A communication entity is located at one end of a high latency communication link to support Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) communications between a first transceiver entity and a second transceiver entity. The communication entity comprises proxy logic arranged to inspect a received segment and, in response to identifying that the received segment does not contain data, the proxy logic transparently allows a plurality of synchronizing segments to pass between the first transceiver entity and the second transceiver entity through the proxy logic such that the proxy logic generates locally at least one acknowledgement message based on the synchronizing segments and the inspected received segment. |
US08320249B2 |
Method and system for controlling network access on a per-flow basis
Aspects of a method and system for controlling network access on a per-flow basis may comprise controlling access to a network by regulating at least one flow comprising one or more ingress packets based on a flow identifier associated with said one or more packets and based on an establishment of flows in said network. The flow identifier may comprise a source IP address, a destination IP address, a source MAC address, a destination MAC address, a network protocol, a source port number, and/or a destination port number. The number of flows permitted for a source and/or a rate at which a source is allowed to establish new flows may be limited. Flows that exceed one or more of these limits may be marked for further processing. Access to the network for the marked flows may be determined based on past and/or present network statistics. Flows received when a node is at capacity may also be marked for processing. |
US08320246B2 |
Adaptive window size for network fair usage controls
Systems and methods for providing adaptive fine-grained fair usage controls are provided. Rather than providing a fixed fair usage threshold having time and data volume for all subscribers in the network, a quota manager at the policy controller defines an initial fair usage window having a longer period of time and higher data volume. When a subscriber exceeds the initial window, the quota manager provides a smaller time period and lower data volume. The quota manager continues to adapt the fair usage window in this way until a violation of the fair usage threshold is detected. The adaptive fair usage windows may be based on subscriber profile information, subscriber session information, and/or prior subscriber usage history. |
US08320239B1 |
Receiver-driven layered multicast rate control protocol
A receiver-driven layered multicast rate control protocol technique includes receiving an information flow consisting of a group of different layers and detecting traffic congestion and cessation of traffic congestion. One or more of the group of different layers are dropped upon the detection of traffic congestion and one or more of the group of different layers are added upon the detection of cessation of traffic congestion. The dropping consists of forwarding a pause message to an upstream multicast router to instruct the upstream multicast router to discard packets and the adding consists of forwarding a resume message to the upstream multicast router to instruct the upstream multicast router to transmit packets. The adding and dropping may be performed by a local receiver downstream of the multicast router and one or more of the group of different layers may be added or dropped simultaneously in a single operation. |
US08320238B2 |
Communication device with a path protection function, and network system using the communication device
Provided is a network system including a start device and multiple end devices. A point-to-point (P-to-P) logical path is set to be used for unicast communication between the start device and each of the end devices. A first point-to-multipoint (P-to-M) logical path and a second P-to-M logical path are set to be used for multicast communication from the start device to the multiple end devices. The start device transmits data over the first P-to-M logical path. When one of the end devices detects a defect along the first P-to-M logical path, the end device that has detected the defect transmits a switch request over the P-to-P logical path set between this end device and the start device. The start device receives the switch request and transmits data over the second P-to-M logical path. |
US08320237B2 |
Optimized bandwidth allocation for guaranteed bandwidth services
A method for minimizing bandwidth allocation for alternative routes within a network provides a management system for managing routes of services, provides a plurality of guaranteed bandwidth (GWB) services, assigns to each GBW-service a traffic class (TC), and calculates for each GBW-service of a protected TC an active route and an alternative route. The active route is a planned route in case of absence of a respective network failure and the alternative route is the route which guarantees that, in case of a network failure with respect to the active route, the GBW-service is protected. Further, a first optimized protection mode is provided to be assigned to all the GBW-services belonging to a given protected TC. The first optimized protection mode has a first optimization step including reserving bandwidth for each GBW-service only once for each network resource employed by the active and/or the alternative route of each GBW-service. |
US08320236B2 |
Method for processing ethernet ring message and an ethernet ring protection system using the method
A method for processing Ethernet ring messages and a corresponding Ethernet ring protection system are provided. The method comprises distinguishing a message to be processed by processors of transit nodes from that not to be processed by the processors of the transit nodes, and setting a distinguishing identifier when constituting a message; after receiving the message, the transit node forwarding the message not to be processed by the processor thereof to other nodes, or sending the message to be processed by the processor of the transit node to other nodes and meanwhile reporting the message to its processor depending on the distinguishing identifier; the system comprises a master node and transit nodes which generates messages with the distinguishing identifier and performs different process for these messages according to the distinguishing identifier. |
US08320235B2 |
Self-repair system and method for providing resource failure tolerance
A self-repair system provides resource failure tolerance using an interconnection network that provides interconnection information identifying connections between system resources, redundant resources and ports that are connectable to consumers of the system resources. A controller identifies both defective system resources and the affected sinks connected to the defective system resources from the interconnection network. The controller further identifies compatible resources from the system resources and redundant resources that are capable of replacing the defective system resources for each of the affected sinks from the interconnection network. The controller determines a respective cost associated with each of the compatible resources, and in response to the determined costs, selects at least one of the compatible resources as a replacement resource for each of the defective system resources. The controller further configures the interconnection network to connect the replacement resources to the affected ports instead of the defective system resources. |
US08320234B2 |
Method of generating and detecting synchronization signals
A synchronization signal is generated by performing a circular time shift on a centrally symmetric signal, and the circular time shift is performed so that the synchronization signal is centrally asymmetric. The detection of the synchronization signal is then performed by utilizing the symmetries of the synchronization signal to reduce computation complexity of the detection. |
US08320229B2 |
Variable mirror actuator and optical disc drive
A pickup and a drive, in a small size, having a spherical aberration correction device capable of correcting various spherical aberration, and coma aberration and/or astigmatism with a low power consumption. A variable-focus lens actuator can correct spherical aberration such that a transparent deformation film warps into a parabolic shape when a magnetic field is applied thereto, thereby changing the light intensity distribution of transmitted light. Further, the variable-focus lens actuator can correct coma aberration and/or astigmatism by arbitrarily tilting the transparent film to change the proceeding direction of the transmitted light. |
US08320227B2 |
Objective lens unit, optical pickup, and optical information apparatus
An objective lens unit according to the present invention includes a first objective lens 41; and a first lens holder 2 for supporting the first objective lens 41. The first lens holder 2 is formed of a material which transmits ultraviolet. Preferably, the first lens holder 2 includes a through-hole, having first and second openings 2a and 2b, through which light incident on the first objective lens 41 passes, and an opening limiting section 3 provided along a circumferential direction of the through-hole and projecting toward a central axis of the through-hole. The first objective lens 41 is supported so as to block the first opening 2b. The opening limiting section 3 guides light incident thereon from the second opening 2a in a direction away from an optical axis of the first objective lens. |
US08320226B2 |
Optical element having three or more sub-wavelength convexo-concave structures
A disclosed optical element includes three or more sub-wavelength convexo-concave structures having pitches less than a wavelength of an incident light incident to the optical element and having groove depths equal to each other and a periodic structure having the three or more sub-wavelength convexo-concave structures, the pitch of the periodic structure greater than the wavelength of the incident light, in which a predetermined polarization direction of the incident light is diffracted mainly into a specific order. |
US08320225B2 |
Reproduction-only recording medium, reproducing apparatus, reproducing method, and disk manufacturing method
A ROM disk having a block data format provided with linking areas as with a rewritable disk. Main data recorded in a main data area and linking data recorded in a linking area in each block are scrambled by identical scrambling data. The scrambling data is generated by a random sequence using address information of the block as an initial value. |
US08320223B2 |
Optical storage apparatus and method for eliminating write power transient thereof
An optical storage apparatus and a method for eliminating a write power transient thereof are provided. The method includes following steps. First, a target voltage level of a write voltage when next time the optical storage apparatus writes data is obtained. Then, a command value is updated by using the target voltage level according to a relationship between the command value and the write voltage. Next, the write voltage of the optical storage apparatus is pre-charged to the target voltage level according to the updated command value. Thereby, the write power transient of the optical storage apparatus can be eliminated. |
US08320217B1 |
Systems and methods for disambiguating shooter locations with shockwave-only location
The systems and methods described herein relate to an airborne shooter detection system having a plurality of sensors coupled to the body of an aircraft such as a helicopter. The sensors are arranged to receive shockwave-only signals. The received signals are analyzed to determine an unambiguous shooter location. The analysis may include measuring the arrival times of the shockwaves of projectiles at each of the sensors, determining the differences in the arrival times among sensors, computing a set of ambiguous solutions corresponding to a shooter, and clustering this set of solutions to determine the unambiguous shooter location. The systems and methods described herein may also be used to determine if multiple shooters are present, and subsequently determine the shooter locations for each of the multiple shooters. |
US08320215B2 |
Steering system and method for use in seismic survey applications
A technique facilitates the steering of seismic survey related devices during seismic survey applications. A steering device is provided with a wing pivotably mounted to a body via a pivot member. As the steering device is moved through a liquid, the liquid acts against the wing and creates a torque about the pivot member which varies according to the angle of attack of the steering device. The steering device further comprises at least one feature designed to change the torque that would otherwise act on the pivot member. |
US08320204B2 |
Memory interface control circuit
A memory interface control circuit includes an input/output circuit 10 which transmits and receives a data strobe signal DQS to and from a memory, a read control circuit 20 which determines that the data strobe signal DQS associated with a memory read, received from the input/output circuit has repeated a predetermined number of times of transitions based on information on the number of data reads and sets a mask signal MS to a mask state, and a write control circuit 30 which controls a transmission timing of outputting the data strobe signal DQS associated with a memory write from the input/output circuit 10 based on a temporal positional relationship between a data strobe output request signal DQOEN associated with the memory write and the mask signal MS. |
US08320202B2 |
Clocked memory system with termination component
A memory system having first and second memory devices and a termination component. A first signal line is coupled to the first memory device to provide first data, associated with a write command, to the first memory device, and a second signal line coupled to the second memory device to provide second data, associated with the write command, to the second memory device. A control signal path is coupled to the first and second memory devices and the termination component such that the write command propagating on the control signal path propagates past the first memory device and the second memory device before reaching the termination component. A third signal line is provided to convey a clock signal that indicates when the write command propagating on the control signal path is to be sampled by the first and second memory devices. |
US08320201B2 |
Method of reading memory cell
A method for reading a memory cell (20) of a semiconductor memory (10) includes initiating a precharge or predischarge operation on a bit line (24) prior to arrival of a triggering edge of a clock signal (32) that initiates a read operation. A word line (22) is activated responsive to the triggering edge of the clock signal (32), and data is read from the memory cell (20). |
US08320200B2 |
Semiconductor storage device and method of reading data therefrom
A semiconductor memory device includes a first memory cell array having a first plane which is composed of a plurality of blocks each having a plurality of memory cells, a sense circuit which reads data the memory cells, a sequencer which receives control signals from outside, a first address register, and a second address register which receives an output address from the first address register and outputs an address signal in response to an address control signal from the sequencer. In reading from the memory cells, the sequencer reads a page n in accordance with the address stored in the second address register, then transfers an address stored in the first address register to the second address register concurrently with outputting data read from the page n to outside and reads data from an arbitrary page m in accordance with the address transferred to the second address register. |
US08320199B2 |
Data output circuit for semiconductor memory device
A data output circuit for a semiconductor memory device includes a first driver configured to output a first drive control signal in response to a data signal, a drive controller configured to compare a voltage level of the first drive control signal with a reference voltage and output a second drive control signal, and a second driver configured to drive an output terminal in response to the first drive control signal and additionally drive the output terminal in response to the second drive control signal. |
US08320198B2 |
SRAM memory cell with double gate transistors provided means to improve the write margin
A random access memory cell including: two double-gate access transistors respectively arranged between a first bit line and a first storage node and between a second bit line and a second storage node, a word line, a first double-gate load transistor and a second double-gate load transistor, a first double-gate driver transistor and a second double-gate driver transistor, a mechanism to apply a given potential to at least one electrode of each of the load or driver transistors, and a mechanism to cause the given potential to vary. |
US08320196B2 |
Semiconductor memory with improved block switching
A non-volatile memory core comprises one or more memory bays. Each memory bay comprises one or more memory blocks that include a grouping of non-volatile storage elements. In one embodiment, memory blocks in a particular memory bay share a group of read/write circuits. During a memory operation, memory blocks are transitioned into active and inactive states. The process of transitioning blocks from an inactive state to an active state includes enabling charge sharing between a memory block entering the active state and another memory block that was previously in the active state. This charge sharing improves performance and/or reduces energy consumption for the memory system. |
US08320194B2 |
Semiconductor memory device for increasing test efficiency by reducing the number of data pins used for a test
A semiconductor memory device includes a first data input circuit configured to align data inputted to a first data pad in parallel for transferring the aligned data to a first global bus and for transferring the aligned data to a second global bus in a test mode; and a second data input circuit configured to align data inputted to a second data pad in parallel for transferring the aligned data to the second global bus and to not receive data in the test mode. |
US08320193B2 |
Method of flash memory design with differential cell for better endurance
A flash memory system includes a first flash memory cell having a first floating gate, a first source region, and a first control gate. The first control gate is connected to a word line. The first flash memory cell includes a first oxide layer separating the first control gate from the first floating gate and a first drain region connecting to a first bit line. The flash memory system also includes a second flash memory cell having a second floating gate, a second source region, and a second control gate. The second control gate is connected to the word line. The second flash memory cell includes a second oxide layer separating the second control gate from the second floating gate and a second drain region connecting to a second bit line. A comparator processes a first and second input signals received from the respective first and second bit lines. |
US08320187B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory and control method thereof
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes memory cells storing data of multi-level, a bit scan circuit to scan the number of to-be-written memory cells and the number of memory cells that have passed the verify, a processing unit to perform an operation process based on a scan result of the bit scan circuit, and a control circuit to control an operation of writing data according to a first mode in which a voltage used for an upper-data writing is calculated during a lower-data writing and a second mode used a voltage based on setting information. The bit scan circuit scans the number of to-be-written memory cells before starting writing and the processing unit compares the number of to-be-written memory cells with a criterion and determines one of the first and second modes for the writing based on a result of comparison. |
US08320185B2 |
Lifetime markers for memory devices
The present disclosure includes lifetime markers for memory devices. One or more embodiments include determining a read disturb value, a quantity of erase pulses, and/or a quantity of soft program pulses associated with a number of memory cells, and providing an indicator of an advance and/or retreat of the read disturb value, the quantity of erase pulses, and/or the quantity of soft program pulses relative to a lifetime marker associated with the memory cells. |
US08320184B2 |
Method of programming nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A method of programming a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device using a negative bias voltage. The method includes turning ON the string selection transistors connected to selected bit lines and turning OFF the string selection transistors connected to unselected bit lines in the same memory block, in a program mode. This can be achieved by applying a negative bias voltage to a bulk substrate and applying a voltage having a voltage level higher than the threshold voltage of string selection transistors connected to selected bit lines and lower than the threshold voltage of string selection transistors connected to unselected bit lines. The method may reduce programming disturbance between a selected cell string and an unselected cell string. |
US08320183B2 |
Controlling a memory device responsive to degradation
Embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein include devices, systems and methods, such as those directed to non-volatile memory devices and systems capable of determining a degradation parameter associated with one or more memory cells. Disclosed devices and systems according to embodiments of the present invention include those that utilize the degradation parameter to adjust control signals coupled to the memory cells. |
US08320181B2 |
3D memory devices decoding and routing systems and methods
3D memory devices are disclosed, such as those that include multiple two-dimensional tiers of memory cells. Each tier may be fully or partially formed over a previous tier to form a memory device having two or more tiers. Each tier may include strings of memory cells where each of the strings are coupled between a source select gate and a drain select gate such that each tier is decoded using the source/drain select gates. Additionally, the device can include a wordline decoder for each tier that is only coupled to the wordlines for that tier. |
US08320174B2 |
Electromechanical switch, storage device comprising such an electromechanical switch and method for operating the same
An electromechanical switch is described, which comprises a conductive body and a plurality of carbon nanotubes being separate to each other, each of the carbon nanotubes being connected to at least one common terminal electrode with at least one of its ends, wherein in an open state of the switch each of the carbon nanotubes substantially projects along a surface of the conductive body and keeps up a gap to said surface, and wherein in a closed state of the switch at least one carbon nanotube is bend in a direction of the surface to close an electrical contact between said terminal electrode and the conductive body. The size of the gap between the respective carbon nanotube and the surface is different for each one of the plurality of carbon nanotubes. |
US08320170B2 |
Multi-bit phase change memory devices
A multi-bit phase change memory device including a phase change material having a plurality of crystalline phases. A non-volatile multi-bit phase change memory device may include a phase change material in a storage node, wherein the phase change material includes a binary or ternary compound sequentially having at least three crystalline phases having different resistance values according to an increase of temperature of the phase change material. |
US08320169B2 |
Asymmetric write current compensation
An apparatus and method for compensating for asymmetric write current in a non-volatile unit cell. The unit cell comprises a switching device and an asymmetric resistive sense element (RSE), such as an asymmetric resistive random access memory (RRAM) element or an asymmetric spin-torque transfer random access memory (STRAM) element. The RSE is physically oriented within the unit cell relative to the switching device such that a hard direction for programming the RSE is aligned with an easy direction of programming the unit cell, and an easy direction for programming the RSE is aligned with a hard direction for programming the unit cell. |
US08320168B2 |
Phase change random access memory device and related methods of operation
A method of operating a phase change random access memory (PRAM) device includes performing a program operation to store data in selected PRAM cells of the device, wherein the program operation comprises a plurality of sequential program loops. The method further comprises suspending the program operation in the middle of the program operation, and after suspending the program operation, resuming the program operation in response to a resume command. |
US08320167B2 |
Programmable write driver for STT-MRAM
A non-volatile memory structure comprises programmable write drivers for controlling drive strengths of write operations to storage elements. The memory structure comprises a storage element coupled to a bit line, a switching element coupled to the storage element, a source line and a word line, wherein the switching element is configured to change a logic state of the storage element. A first and a second write driver with programmable drive strengths are coupled to the bit line and source line respectively to enable control of drive strengths of write operations to the storage element. |
US08320160B2 |
NAND architecture having a resistive memory cell connected to a control gate of a field-effect transistor
A non-volatile memory device includes a first select transistor, a second select transistor, and a first string of first memory cells provided between the first and second select transistors. Each first memory cell has a first resistive memory cell and a first transistor. The first resistive memory cell is in series with a gate of the first transistor. The non-volatile memory device further includes a first bit line coupled to a drain of the first select transistor and a plurality of word lines. Each word line is coupled to one of the first memory cells. |
US08320156B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of first wirings; a plurality of second wirings; a plurality of memory cells positioned at respective intersections of the first wirings and the second wirings, each of the memory cells having a variable resistance element and a selective element connected to the variable resistance element in series; a first selection portion selecting the first wiring; a second selection portion selecting the second wiring; and a power source portion applying predetermined selected-wiring-voltages to a selected first wiring being selected by the first selection portion and a selected second wiring being selected by the second selection portion, respectively, and applying predetermined unselected-wiring-voltages to unselected first wirings other than the selected first wiring and unselected second wirings other than the selected second wiring, respectively. A resistance element having a predetermined resistance value is provided between the power source portion and the unselected first and second wirings. |
US08320153B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for making same
Embodiments relate to a semiconductor device, including a channel area; a gate line extending along the channel area so that the channel area can be set into a conductive state by activating the gate line; a plurality of terminals including an electrical connection to the channel area, so that the plurality of terminals is connectable to a predetermined voltage by activating the gate line. |
US08320152B2 |
Information storage devices using magnetic domain wall movement and methods of operating the same
An information storage device includes a storage node, a write unit configured to write information to a first magnetic domain region of the storage node, and a read unit configured to read information from a second magnetic domain region of the storage node. The information storage device further includes a temporary storage unit configured to temporarily store information read by the read unit, and a write control unit electrically connected to the temporary storage unit and configured to control current supplied to the write unit. The information read from the second magnetic domain region is stored in the temporary storage unit and written to the first magnetic domain region. |
US08320151B2 |
Memory modules having daisy chain wiring configurations and filters
Examples described include memory units coupled to a controller using a daisy chain wiring configuration. A filter located between a first memory unit and the controller attenuates a particular frequency, which may improve ringback in a signal received at the memory units. In some examples, a quarter-wavelength stub is used to implement the filter. In some examples, signal components at 800 MHz may be attenuated by a stub, which may improve ringback. |
US08320149B2 |
Multi-chip module with master-slave analog signal transmission function
The present invention discloses a multi-chip module with master-slave analog signal transmission function. The multi-chip module comprises: a master chip having a first setting input pin for receiving an analog setting signal to generate an analog setting in the master chip, and the master chip duplicating the analog setting to output a first analog output; and a first slave chip for receiving the first analog output from the master chip to generate an internal setting of the first slave chip. |
US08320145B2 |
Switching power source device and drive method thereof
A switching power source device includes current control pulse generating means configured of a target value setting module, which outputs a changeable value which is a predetermined target value relating to a control of an output current, a computing module, which carries out a computing process relating to the control of the output current based on the target value, and outputs a computation result, and a pulse generating module, which generates a current control pulse voltage for controlling the output current based on the computation result. The switching power source device includes a current detecting circuit, which detects the output current or a current flowing in a switching element TR1, and a current limit signal generating circuit which, when the detected current exceeds a reference value set based on the output of the current control pulse generating means, outputs a current limit signal for limiting the current. A drive pulse generating circuit, on the current limit signal being output, operates in such a way that an on-duty of a drive pulse stops widening, or becomes narrower. |
US08320143B2 |
Bridge synchronous rectifier
A current-triggered synchro-rectifier comprising an electronic switch configured to be in its ON setting when the current flowing through its cathode exceeds a predetermined threshold. The electronic switch may include a half-wave rectifier wired to the source terminal and the drain terminal of a MOSFET device, and a current monitor configured to monitor the drain-current flowing through the drain terminal. The current monitor sends a gate signal to the gate terminal such that the MOSFET is switched to its ON state when the drain-current exceeds a first threshold current and the MOSFET is switched to its OFF state when the drain-current falls below a second threshold current. Usefully, the synchro-rectifier may be incorporated into a full-wave rectifier. |
US08320142B2 |
Low output voltage converter utilizing distributed secondary circuits
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a low-output voltage converter, delivering voltage power less than 1 VDC, utilizing distributed secondary circuits. In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a voltage converter comprises a primary circuit for receiving an input voltage, comprising a plurality of primary windings arranged in series, a plurality of secondary circuits, each comprising a secondary winding for aligning with a primary winding to form a transformer, and each of the secondary circuits arranged in parallel, and an output for providing an output voltage down to, or less than 1 VDC. |
US08320139B2 |
Switching regulator with frequency limitation and method thereof
A switching regulator with frequency limitation comprises a switch, a current sensing circuit, a voltage feedback circuit, a control circuit and a frequency limitation circuit. The current sensing circuit senses the current flowing through the switch and generating a current sensing signal representative of it. The voltage feedback circuit senses the output signal of the switching regulator and generates a feedback signal accordingly. The control circuit compares the current sensing signal with the feedback signal and turns off the switch based on the comparison result. The frequency limitation circuit is electrically coupled to the control circuit to limit the switching frequency of the switch. |
US08320138B2 |
DC converter
A DC converter includes: a transformer (T1) including a primary winding (P1) and a secondary winding (S1); a series resonant circuit in which a current resonant reactor (Lr), the primary winding (P1) of the transformer, and a current resonant capacitor (Cri) are connected in series; conversion circuits (Q1, Q2) for converting a DC voltage of a DC power supply (Vin) into a rectangular-wave voltage, so as to output the rectangular-wave voltage to the series resonant circuit; and a rectifier smoothing circuit (D3, D4, Co) for rectifying and smoothing a voltage generated at the secondary winding (S1) of the transformer, so as to output a DC output voltage to a load, wherein a capacitive element (Cr) including a capacitive component corresponding to a floating capacitance (Cp) equivalently present between the primary winding of the transformer was connected to the current resonant reactor (Lr) in parallel. |
US08320133B1 |
Rigid/flexible circuit board
According to one embodiment, a circuit board comprises an anisotropic film disposed outwardly from a first flexible dielectric layer, and a second flexible dielectric layer disposed outwardly from the anisotropic film. The first and second flexible dielectric layers each have at least one conductive trace conductively coupled to a pad. The anisotropic film forms a via region that conductively couples the pad of the first flexible dielectric layer to the pad of the second flexible dielectric layer, and electrically isolates the conductive trace of the first flexible dielectric layer from the conductive trace of the second flexible dielectric layer. |
US08320127B2 |
Electronics unit with cooling fins
The invention concerns a unit with electronic components, which, when in operation, generate heat. The unit comprises a carrier plate, upon the first section of which a first group of electronic components is placed. Upon a second section thereof is installed a plurality of cooling ribs for the removal of heat produced by the electronic components. The cooling ribs are designed to be curved to a predetermined extent along their longitudinal axis and to lie in a plane parallel to the said carrier plate. |
US08320124B2 |
Temperature control for an information handling system rack
A system for controlling the temperature of a rack includes a connecting plenum configured to receive incoming cooling air from outside a rack for cooling the rack; a front plenum connected to the connecting plenum and configured to receive cooling air from the connecting plenum and deliver the cooling air to the rack, the cooling air being warmed by powered electrical components as it passes through the rack; at least one ventilator for recycling warmed cooling air from the rack back to the connecting plenum to be mixed with incoming cooling air; a sensor for sensing temperature of air in the rack; and a controller for controlling the at least one ventilator based at least on the sensed temperature. |
US08320120B1 |
Reversible air flow fan system
A reversible air flow fan system is described. A fan tray assembly is coupled with a chassis and a removable fan and bracket assembly that is oriented in a first direction. This removable fan and bracket assembly is configured to be removable from the fan tray assembly and being recoupled with the fan tray assembly in a second direction opposite the first direction. An air duct is coupled with and enables the exchange of air between the removable fan and bracket assembly and a first surface of the chassis. A sensor coupled with the fan tray assembly is configured for coupling with at least one bracket of the removable fan and bracket assembly when the removable fan and bracket assembly is oriented in the first direction. |
US08320119B2 |
Image display
For improving a cooling efficiency of a display panel in a flat-type image display, various substrates and an image display element are disposed within a thin-sized housing thereof, including: a display panel; a chassis supporting the display panel from a rear surface side thereof; a front surface-side cover on a front side of the display panel; a rear surface-side cover on a rear side of the display panel; an image display element connected to the display panel; a display driver substrate connected to the display panel, and on a surface thereof opposite to the chassis are provided circuit parts; a power source substrate, supplying driving power to the display driver substrate and the image display element, and on a surface thereof opposite to the chassis are provided circuit parts thereof; and a first insulator board opposite to the display driver substrates and the power source substrate of the chassis. |
US08320114B2 |
Mounting apparatus for data storage device
A mounting apparatus for a data storage device includes a bracket, a position member slidably accommodated in the bracket, a support member pivotably mounted to the position member, and a locking member. The locking member includes a fixing pole, a first pivoting portion extending from a first end of the fixing pole, and a second pivoting portion extending from a second end of the fixing pole. A hook extends from the second pivoting portion. The first and second pivoting portions are pivotably mounted to opposite ends of the support member. The support member is operable to be drawn out of the bracket together with the position member, and then, is operable to rotate to be perpendicular to the bracket. When the data storage device is mounted to the support member, the fixing pole resists against the date storage device, and the hook is latched with the support member. |
US08320112B2 |
Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a host, a display unit pivotably connected to the host, and a projecting unit received in the display unit. The projecting unit is configured for receiving video signals from the host and projecting corresponding image on the display unit. |
US08320110B2 |
Notebook computer storage and charging cart
A notebook computer storage and charging cart includes a cart having mobile racks arranged in stacks for carrying notebook computers, a power system having electrical power connectors connectable to an external power source and battery charges connected to the electrical power connectors and controllable by a power management device to charge the notebook computers subject to a predetermined charging time, and a network unit having a network connection apparatus installed in the cart and first and second network lines respectively connected between first and second ports network connection apparatus and the notebook computers for the transmission of network signals for real-time online data update and download. |
US08320108B2 |
Power supply
A power supply includes a direct current (DC) voltage converter, a display, a voltage output interface, and a main controller. The DC voltage converter is connected to a voltage terminal of a peripheral interface. The display displays an input interface to allow a voltage value to be inputted therein. The main controller includes a voltage obtaining module and a control module. The voltage obtaining module is used to obtain the inputted voltage value, and output the inputted voltage value. The control module is used to output a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to the DC voltage converter according to a proportion relationship between the inputted voltage value and the value of a predetermined voltage value. The DC voltage converter is used to convert the first voltage into a second voltage according to the PWM signal, and outputs the second voltage through the voltage output interface. |
US08320100B2 |
Varactor element and electronic device
A varactor element, includes: a dielectric layer; a pair of signal electrodes, each disposed on one face of the dielectric layer and facing each other; and a pair of control electrodes, each disposed on another face of the dielectric layer and facing each other parallel to a direction intersecting a direction of the pair of signal electrodes facing each other. |
US08320098B2 |
Electronic weaponry with manifold for electrode launch matching
An electronic weapon with an installed deployment unit, from which at least one wire-tethered electrode is launched, provides a stimulus current through a target to inhibit locomotion by the target. A manifold, according to various aspects of the present invention, directs a pressurized gas to two or more electrodes to launch the electrodes from the cartridge and toward a target. A matching portion of the manifold increases a correspondence between an exit velocity and/or a time of exit of the two or more electrodes. An increased correspondence between an exit velocity and/or a time of exit increases an accuracy of delivery of the electrodes to a target. |
US08320089B1 |
Apparatus, method, and system for integrating ground fault circuit interrupters in equipment-grounded high voltage systems
An apparatus, method, and system for providing ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)-type functionality for electrical systems that may experience leakage current, such as those used in outdoor sports lighting applications, and may benefit from mitigation of electrical shock hazards. The resulting system is such that an equipment-grounded electrical system, where the grounding system is actively monitored, in conjunction with the envisioned GFCI functionality, may comprise an electrical protection system whereby personal injury is minimized. |
US08320081B2 |
Magnetic recording head, head gimbal assembly, and disk drive unit with the same
A magnetic recording head includes a trailing surface and a plurality of bonding pads arranged on the trailing surface and in a row adapted for both bonding and testing. Each of the bonding pads has at least one side portion being coated with electrically conductive solder nonwettable coat to prevent short circuit between the adjacent bonding pads. The invention also discloses a head gimbal assembly with the magnetic recording head and a disk drive unit having such head gimbal assembly. |
US08320078B1 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording write head with antiparallel-coupled laminated main pole having a tapered trailing edge
A perpendicular magnetic recording write head has an improved antiparallel-coupled laminated main pole (MP) with a tapered trailing edge. The laminated MP has three ferromagnetic layers and two non-magnetic antiparallel-coupling (APC) layers. A first ferromagnetic layer (FM1) has a thickness T1 and a planar end face at the air-bearing surface (ABS). A second ferromagnetic layer (FM2) has a total thickness T2 and includes a first portion with a thickness T4 that has an end face coplanar with the end face of FM1 and a second portion with a tapered end face. A first APC layer separates FM1 and FM2. A third ferromagnetic layer (FM3) has a thickness T3 and a tapered end face that is coplanar with the tapered end face of FM2. A second APC layer separates FM2 and FM3. The net flux is minimized at both the ABS and at MP cross-sections recessed from the ABS. |
US08320073B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording head and method for producing the same
According to one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main pole, wherein a thickness in a down-track direction of the main pole increases moving away from an air bearing surface of the magnetic pole, and wherein a center position in a thickness direction of a portion of the main pole which is exposed at the air bearing surface (the ABS portion) is positioned toward a trailing side of the main pole with respect to a center position in a thickness direction of a portion of the magnetic pole having a greatest cross-sectional area and which is set back from the air bearing surface (the set-back portion). Further embodiments of this magnetic recording head, along with systems thereof and methods of producing magnetic recording heads are also described, according to more embodiments. |
US08320062B1 |
Lockable eyepiece holder
A holder for at least one eyepiece is described. The holder includes an upper plate having at least two upper apertures therethrough, a top surface, and a bottom surface, and a lower plate having at least two lower apertures therethrough, a top surface, and a bottom surface. Each lower aperture corresponds to one of the upper apertures of the upper plate. When the upper and lower plates are mutually aligned, the at least one eyepiece may be inserted through corresponding upper and lower apertures. Furthermore, when one of the plates is selectively slid with respect to the other plate, the upper and lower apertures become misaligned to bind the at least one eyepiece to retain the eyepiece in the holder. |
US08320057B2 |
Lens unit and image capturing device
A lens unit includes a first lens having positive power, an aperture stop, a meniscal second lens having negative power, a meniscal third lens having positive power, and a fourth lens including an object side surface and an image side surface, each being aspherical and including at least one inflection point. The image side surface is concave at an image side. The first lens, the aperture stop, the second lens, the third lens, and the fourth lens are arranged in order from an object side toward the image side. The first lens includes an image side surface that is convex at the image side. The second lens includes an object side surface that is convex at the object side. |
US08320054B2 |
Zoom projection lens system
A zoom projection lens system includes a first lens group with negative refraction power and a second lens group with positive refraction power. The first lens group includes a first lens with negative refraction power. The second lens group includes a second lens with positive refraction power, a third lens with positive refraction power, a fourth lens with negative refraction power, and a fifth lens with positive refraction power. The zoom projection lens system satisfies the following formulas: 1.9<|F1/Fw|<2.1, 0.5<|f4/Fw|<0.8, 0.95<|f5/Fw|<1.2, where “F1”, “f4” and “f5” are respectively the effective focal lengths of the first lens group, the fourth lens and the fifth lens, “Fw” is the effective focal lengths of the zoom projection lens system in the wide angle state. |
US08320052B2 |
Image forming optical system and image pick up apparatus using the same
An image forming optical system includes in order from an object side, a first lens group having a negative refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, which includes an aperture stop, a third lens group having a negative refractive power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power. The first lens group, in order from the object side, includes a negative sub-group and a positive sub-group. The third lens group is a focusing group which includes only a cemented lens having a convex surface directed toward the object side, of a negative lens and a positive meniscus lens, in order from the object side. |
US08320031B1 |
Method for real time holographic fringe blazing by determining adjacent fringe minima and blazing intermediate the minima
Blazing of real time holographic fringes employs an interferometer with a focal plane array (FPA) to receive interference fringes. An FPA frame is read into a fringe processor. For each row, minima are identified and a pixel value is saved and its position in the row recorded. The minima determination is repeated for each column in the row until all pixels in the row have been recorded. A blazed fringe for the single row is then created. The blazed fringe row is then transferred to a spatial light modulator (SLM). The minima determination and fringe blazing processes are repeated until all rows in the FPA array are read and transferred to the SLM. The next FPA frame is then read into the fringe processor. |
US08320028B2 |
Optical scanning apparatus
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical scanning apparatus including a light source, an optical unit, a first controller and a second controller. The light source emits a predetermined number of laser beams, the laser beams to be arranged in a sub-scanning direction on a recording medium. The optical unit simultaneously scans the laser beams in parallel on the recording medium. The first controller changes a dot size of the laser beams in a main scanning direction. The second controller changes the predetermined number. |
US08320027B2 |
Image processing apparatus, data processing method executed by image processing apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium storing program for causing computer to execute data processing method
An image processing apparatus capable of checking whether information is recorded in a predetermined region of a document and not recorded in another predetermined region, includes a first and second registration unit, an input unit configured to input image data obtained by reading an image of the document, an identification unit configured to identify a region corresponding to position information registered by the first registration unit or position information registered by the second registration unit from the image data input by the input unit, a determination unit configured to determine whether information is recorded in the region identified by the identification unit, and an output unit configured to output a result indicating that information is recorded in the first region or information is not recorded in the second region according to the determination by the determination unit. |
US08320022B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus which forms a halftone image on a print medium (200) using multipass processing of scanning a single area on the print medium (200) by a printhead (220) N times and forming dots every scan operation includes a pass division table (410) used to set the print density ratio of each scan operation, a print data generation unit (370) which generates print data of each scan operation, a printer engine (180) which prints a halftone image on the print medium (200) on the basis of the generated print data, and a sensor (340) which detects the state of printing on the print medium (200) by the printer engine (180). The print data generation unit (370) corrects print data in synchronism with printing by the printer engine (180) on the basis of the set print density ratio and the detected printing state. |
US08320018B2 |
Method and means for converting image data in encoded format
An output device which outputs pixel data corresponding to a color material used by a printing unit to the printing unit includes an image buffer which stores image data, a generation unit which generates density data corresponding to the color material based on image data read out from the image buffer, a print buffer which stores density data generated by the generation unit, and a conversion unit which converts density data read out from the print buffer into pixel data corresponding to the resolution of the printing unit synchronously with the printing unit. |
US08320017B2 |
Colorimetric method, colorimetric apparatus, and recording medium
A first color patch printed on a first printing material and a second color patch printed on a second printing material, which match each other in appearance in a desired environment, are acquired. The calorimetric values of a color patch to be measured which is printed on the first printing material are corrected using the calorimetric values of the first and second color patches and a spectrophotometric calorimeter for obtaining calorimetric values in a desired environment, thereby generating effective calorimetric values. |
US08320013B2 |
Synchronization of variation within components to reduce perceptible image quality defects
A method and system for synchronizing variations in components or subsystems in an image printing system is provided. The method includes identifying a plurality of image quality defects printed by the image printing system by a controller, said image quality defects each occurring with an associated frequency and each being associated with a component or subsystem of the image printing system; determining a phase difference of the image quality defects by the controller; and adjusting operation of each component or subsystem associated with the image quality defects, such that image quality defects are in phase. |
US08320011B2 |
Image forming device and method for laying out and printing pages from multiple files
An image forming device includes a printing unit configured to print images on a recording sheet, a page number acquiring unit configured to acquire a common page number which is common among a plurality of files subject to be printed, a page extracting unit configured to extract a page of image from page data contained in each of the plurality of files based on the common page number acquired by the page number acquiring unit, and a print control unit configured to control the printing unit to print a plurality of images respectively extracted from the plurality of files, which are extracted by the page extracting unit, on a page of a recording sheet. |
US08320008B2 |
Establishing job ticket values of a print job in a print shop architecture
The systems and methods presented herein provide correction of job tickets by replacing impermissible missing values with default values or null values when needed. For example, certain components within a printing system described herein may determine whether a job ticket is allowed to have a missing value within one of the printing parameters. If not, the printing system replaces with missing value with a null value and a database of the printing system updates all other necessary components within the printing system (e.g., print server components, such as a printer object, a scheduler, etc.) with the updated job ticket. |
US08320002B2 |
Printing system, information processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, information processing method, and processing method capable of implementing 2-path printing
This invention provides a flexible method capable of appropriately determining whether 2-path printing can proceed especially to second-path processing, in order to apply a conventional upper limit management mechanism to a 2-path printing system. According to this invention, when executing 2-path printing, the printing system performs upper limit management based on the sheet count of use for a user. When executing second-path print processing, even if the count of sheets used by the user in first-path print processing has reached an upper limit value, print processing is permitted in second-path print processing. |
US08320000B2 |
Image forming system, image transmitting apparatus, image data processing method, program, and storage medium
An image forming system includes an image transmitting apparatus which transmits generated image data to a designated transmission destination, and an image receiving apparatus which executes processing for the received image data. The image transmitting apparatus includes a designation unit which accepts designation of an image receiving apparatus serving as a transmission destination, and designation of a transmission mode which specifies the contents of processing in the image receiving apparatus, an acquisition unit which acquires transmission destination information representing the operating state of the image receiving apparatus by communication with the image receiving apparatus, a generation unit which generates image data to be processed in the image receiving apparatus on the basis of the designated transmission mode and acquired transmission destination information, and a transmitting unit which transmits the transmission mode and image data to the image receiving apparatus. |
US08319997B2 |
Information processing apparatus to display information about progress of print processing, information processing method, and storage medium
An information processing apparatus displays printing progress information about a document that has been instructed to be printed by a user through an application. The information processing apparatus has a display unit configured to display the progress of print processing using information regarding the document structure and the number of pages of the document. The information processing apparatus also has an updating unit configured to update the displayed information in accordance with the progress of print processing of the document. |
US08319996B2 |
Method for controlling the production of a print product
The invention discloses a method for controlling the production of printed matter using a Management Information System (MIS), where first of all the MIS uses a request formulated by a customer to create an offer for producing the printed matter and transmits MIS order data to a print input stage system, and the print input stage system then uses an order formulated by the customer to create print input stage order data for at least one system which produces the printed matter. To simplify the handling of discrepancies between the order and the offer, it is proposed that the print input stage system transmit the print input stage order data to the MIS and that the MIS use the print input stage order data to control production of the printed matter. |
US08319985B2 |
Printing even though image data from a server cannot be acquired for printing
The present invention provides an image formation apparatus that reconstructs and prints a document based on document data written in a markup language. The image formation apparatus arranges, by using browser software, text data included in the document data within a page of the document, and acquires image data from servers and arranges the image data within the page of the document. If the image formation apparatus fails to acquire one or more pieces of the image data, it judges whether each of the pieces of image data is important or not according to the attribute information of the image data. If judged negatively, the image formation apparatus executes printing of the document reconstructed based on the text data and/or the acquired pieces of image data. If judged affirmatively, the image formation apparatus cancels the printing of the reconstructed document. |
US08319983B2 |
Image forming device, image forming device terminal, image forming system, and program for confidential documents
The present invention provides an image forming device capable of maintaining a security level of a document constant, and an image forming device terminal. The image forming device capable of executing an authentication print printing includes a storage unit for storing a document data file and setting data of the authentication print printing of the document data file; a communication interface for receiving instruction data containing instruction of a process related to the document data file; an authentication print setting determination unit for determining whether to execute as the authentication print printing based on setting data stored in the storage unit; an authentication unit; a user authentication unit for outputting the result of the user authentication; a job executing unit for executing the job; and an authentication print setting registration unit for editing the setting data stored in the storage unit based on the instruction data. |
US08319981B2 |
Image forming apparatus and data saving method for an image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus comprising: a storage unit for saving administrator data and user data therein; and a user data setting unit for saving a portion of the user data that is different from the administrator data, as the user data in the storage unit. |
US08319980B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing method that allows printing using a hot folder
This invention enables to change the settings of each hot folder when the configuration of a printer has changed. In order to achieve the object, this invention provides a client for transmitting electronic data to a printer via a hot folder which sets attribute information. The client includes an unit which detects a change in processing contents executable by the printer, an unit which holds information about an operation of the client upon detection in association with the hot folder, an unit which determines whether the printer can execute output processing complying with the attribute information by comparing the changed processing contents with the attribute information set in the hot folder, and an unit which controls the operation of the client based on the information about the operation held in association with the hot folder which sets the attribute information determined not to allow the execution. |
US08319979B2 |
Single laser beam measurement system
A single laser beam measurement system employing retro-reflective striped targets is disclosed having an error correction mechanism which compensates for errors arising from the target not being square to a laser scanning beam. |
US08319977B2 |
3D image measuring apparatus and method thereof
A 3D measuring apparatus includes a stage, a projection portion, and an imaging portion. The projection portion includes first and second lights, first and second lattices, and first and second projection lenses. The imaging portion includes an imaging lens and a camera. The projection portion further includes a movement instrument which control the first and the second lattice simultaneously with predetermined n times. |
US08319972B2 |
Passive reflective tracking media compositions and methods for covertly tracking objects
A passive reflective tracking media includes a plurality of multi-layer particles including at least one layer of a high refractive index material and at least one layer of a low refractive index material. The particles are configured to reflect ambient electromagnetic radiation at one or more signature wavelengths. Methods of applying the tracking media to a target object, detecting the tracking media, and fabrication the tracking media are also described. |
US08319968B2 |
Imprint lithography
A method of determining a position of a substrate relative to an imprint template is described, wherein the imprint template has at least three gratings and the substrate has at least three gratings positioned such that each imprint template grating forms a composite grating with an associated substrate grating, the at least three imprint template gratings and associated substrate gratings having offsets relative to one another. The method includes detecting an intensity of radiation which is reflected by the three composite gratings, and using the detected intensities to determine displacement of the substrate or imprint template from a position. |
US08319963B2 |
Compact sensor system
A compact sensor system comprising: an analysis cell configured for photon-matter interaction, where photons are received from a light source; and an integrated-optical spectral analyzer configured for identifying a set of frequencies, the integrated-optical spectral analyzer comprising: a waveguide coupled with the analysis cell, the waveguide configured for propagating a set of frequencies through the waveguide; one or more ring resonators coupled with the waveguide, the one or more ring resonators comprising a predetermined bandwidth and configured for capturing the set of frequencies corresponding to frequencies within the predetermined bandwidth; and one or more frequency detectors coupled with the one or more tunable ring resonators, the one or more frequency detectors configured for generating electrical signals that identify each of the set of frequencies. |
US08319961B2 |
Apparatus to perform a non-contact test of a semiconductor package
An apparatus to test a semiconductor package includes a vertical illuminator to supply vertical illumination in the same axial direction as a measurement target and a vertical image unit to capture a vertical image of the measurement target so that a testing apparatus may 2-dimensionally determine information on the shape, size, or position of a solder ball. An inclined illuminator may supply inclined illumination in a different axial direction from the measurement target, and an inclined image capture unit may capture a side image of the measurement target so that the testing apparatus may 3-dimensionally determine information on a state of contact of the solder ball with the ball land. The inclined image capture unit may include a color camera using color information, thereby markedly increasing test reliability and yield. |
US08319960B2 |
Defect inspection system
A defect inspection system can suppress an effect of light from a sample rough surface or a regular circuit pattern and increasing a gain of light from a defect such as a foreign material to detect the defect on the sample surface with high sensitivity. When a lens with a large NA value is used, the outer diameter of the lens is 10a, and an angle between the sample surface and a traveling direction of the light from a defect is α1. An oblique detection optics system receives the light from the defect at a reduced elevation angle α2 with respect to the sample surface to reduce light from the sample rough surface, an oxide film rough bottom surface, and a circuit pattern, and to increase the amount of the light from the defect and detected. The diameter 10a of a lens is smaller than the diameter 10b, resulting in a reduction in the ability to focus the scattered light. When a lens with an outer diameter 10c is used to improve the focus ability, the lens interferes with the sample. To avoid the interference, a portion of the lens interfering with the sample is removed. The lens has an aperture larger than the diameter 10b while the lens receives the light scattered at the elevation angle α2, making it possible to improve the ability to detect defects and lens performance simultaneously. |
US08319949B2 |
Method for detecting objects with visible light
A method for detecting an object using visible light comprises providing a visible-light source having a function of illuminating an environment. The visible-light source is driven to emit visible light in a predetermined mode, with visible light in the predetermined mode being emitted such that the light source maintains said function of illuminating an environment. A reflection/backscatter of the emitted visible light is received from an object. The reflection/backscatter is filtered over a selected wavelength range as a function of a desired range of detection from the light source to obtain a light input. The presence or position of the object is identified with the desired range of detection as a function of the light input and of the predetermined mode. |
US08319943B2 |
Exposure apparatus, light source apparatus and method of manufacturing device
An apparatus exposes a substrate via a pattern of a reticle using pulsed light generated by a light source, and includes a controller configured to control the light source so that the oscillation frequency of the light source changes periodically while the apparatus exposes the substrate. The oscillation frequency is the number of times of emission of the light source per unit time. |
US08319941B2 |
Exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
A lithographic projection apparatus includes an illumination system that conditions a radiation beam, a support structure that holds a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern. A substrate table that holds a substrate, and a projection system that projects the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. In addition, a liquid supply system provides a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate, the liquid supply system having a member. A liquid seal device forms a liquid seal between the member and the substrate. |
US08319940B2 |
Position measurement system and lithographic apparatus
A measurement system includes a sensor arranged to co-operate with a first pattern arranged on a structure of the measurement system to determine a first position quantity of the sensor relative to the structure, and arranged to co-operate with a second pattern arranged on the structure to determine a second position quantity of the sensor relative to the structure, wherein the first and second patterns are arranged on different surfaces of the structure. |
US08319939B2 |
Immersion lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method detecting residual liquid
In immersion lithography after exposure of a substrate is complete, a detector is used to detect any residual liquid remaining on the substrate and/or substrate table. |
US08319933B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel
A liquid crystal display panel has a display region and a peripheral region defined thereon. The peripheral region is disposed at an outside of the display region, and the peripheral region includes a bridge circuit region. The liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a first conductive layer, a second substrate, a second conductive layer and a spacer. The first conductive layer is disposed on the first substrate in the bridge circuit region. The second substrate is disposed in parallel to a side of the first substrate, and the second conductive layer is disposed on the second substrate in the peripheral region. The spacer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer in the bridge circuit region, and the spacer electrically isolates the first conductive layer from the second conductive layer. |
US08319932B2 |
Wiring board and liquid crystal display device
A wiring board of the present invention (1) is arranged so that: pads (30) arranged in a plurality of rows include: first-row pads (30a) connected to first metal wires (10a) among metal wires (10); and second-row pads (30b) connected to second metal wires (10b) among the metal wires (10), the first metal wires (10a) being longer than the second metal wires (10b); each of the first metal wires (10a) is formed so as to be separated from a corresponding one of the second-row pads (30b) by at least an insulating layer, and so as to have a widthwise center in a lower region below the corresponding second-row pad (30b); and each of the first metal wires (10a) has widthwise edges provided, in a plan view, beyond widthwise edges of a corresponding one of the second-row pads (30b) in a region in which the first metal wire (10a) overlaps with the corresponding second-row pad (30b). |
US08319931B2 |
Structure of gate driver
Certain embodiment of the invention discloses a new gate driver structure suitable for TFT (Thin Film Transistor) display apparatuses, comprising a gate driver having at least one channel for outputting voltage signals; a switch circuit for controlling the outputted voltage signals from the gate driver; and a TFT substrate wherein the gate driver and the switch circuit are positioned on the substrate. |
US08319930B2 |
Liquid-crystal display apparatus comprising display pixels and vision-angle control pixels having a vision-angle control circuit
A liquid-crystal display apparatus includes: display pixels each located at an intersection of a scan line and a data line and each provided with a display-pixel switching device, a display pixel electrode, and a liquid-crystal layer; vision-angle control pixels each located at an intersection of the scan line and a vision-angle control line and each provided with a vision-angle control pixel switching device, a vision-angle control pixel electrode, and a transmittance exhibited for a vision angle to serve as a transmittance with a characteristic different from that of the transmittance of the display pixel or a reflectance exhibited for a vision angle to serve as a reflectance with a characteristic different from that of the reflectance of the display pixel; a scan-line driving circuit; and a vision-angle control circuit. |
US08319929B2 |
Liquid crystal display including a variable width spacer element and method for fabricating the same
A liquid crystal display with two insulating substrates. A first insulating substrate has crossing signal lines, a pixel electrode, and a drain electrode electrically connected to the pixel electrode through a contact hole. A spacer is formed on the first signal line of the first insulating substrate, and is wider at a first portion close to the first insulating substrate than at a second portion close to the second insulating substrate, and the drain electrode comprises a first portion and a second portion extending in a different direction with respect to the first portion. |
US08319927B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
An orientation controller which divides a pixel into a plurality of different priority alignment regions and an additional orientation controller are provided in a pixel. The additional orientation controller is provided at least at an end of a pixel of a long-side alignment region formed along the long side of the pixel among the divided alignment regions, for example, around a center position of the long side of the pixel. The additional orientation controller can be realized, for example, by forming a cutout pattern in a side of a first electrode (pixel electrode) forming a part of the pixel. Because the alignment direction is also controlled by the additional orientation controller, the alignment of liquid crystal in this region is stabilized. |
US08319926B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
In the liquid crystal display device of the present invention, each pixel region includes first, second and third subpixel electrodes 111a, 111b1 and 111b2, a vertical alignment liquid crystal layer, a counter electrode 121, and an alignment film. The second and third subpixel electrodes are arranged to interpose the first subpixel electrode. Each pixel region is comprised of first, second and third regions associated with the first, second and third subpixel electrodes, respectively. Each pixel region includes eight liquid crystal domains in total, consisting of two sets of four liquid crystal domains A, B, C and D of first, second, third and fourth types, in which an angle formed between any two tilt directions is approximately equal to an integral multiple of 90 degrees. The first region has four liquid crystal domains of the first, second, third and fourth types, respectively, while each of the second and third regions has two liquid crystal domains selected from the four other liquid crystal domains of the first, second, third and fourth types, whereby the display quality of a VA mode LCD is improved. |
US08319923B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having two discotic liquid crystal compensating films and two retardation films
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal layer which is arranged between first and second aligning films formed on inner sides of first and second substrates, has liquid crystal molecules twist-aligned in a direction from the first aligning film toward the second aligning film when an electric field is not applied between first and second electrodes, and generates retardation of substantially λ/2 with respect to transmitted light. First and second polarizing plates are arranged on outer sides of the first and second substrates. A transmission axis or an absorption axis of the first polarizing plate is substantially matched with a direction along which the liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of the first aligning film are aligned when a sufficiently intensive electric field is applied. |
US08319922B2 |
Liquid crystal display and electronic apparatus
In a transflective liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal layer has horizontal alignment, and a polarizing plate having a transmission axis parallel with or orthogonal to an alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer is provided on a side opposite to the liquid crystal layer of an element substrate, and a polarizing plate having a transmission axis orthogonal to that of the polarizing plate is provided on a side opposite to the liquid crystal layer of a counter substrate. A resin layer having a first resin layer and a second resin layer being λ/2 retardation films is provided on the liquid crystal layer side of the counter substrate, and a slow axis of the first resin layer is disposed so as to be parallel with or orthogonal to the transmission axis of the polarizing plate, and a slow axis of the second resin layer crosses the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer. A step portion is provided between the element substrate and the resin layer, and an end of the step is formed into a slope portion having a continuously changing thickness, and the slope portion is disposed in a transmissive display region. |
US08319913B2 |
Resin-type lightguide plate composition, backlight unit including lightguide plate formed using the composition, and liquid crystal display including the backlight unit
A resin-type light guide plate composition, a backlight unit including the light guide plate formed using the composition and a liquid crystal display including the backlight unit. The resin-type light guide plate composition includes urethane-(meth)acrylate oligomer prepared by reacting a reaction product of a compound prepared by reacting divalent polyol and divalent isocyanate with (meth)acrylate monomer including hydroxyl group, hydrogen bond type (meth)acrylate including hydroxyl group or carboxyl group, acrylic monomer having a maximum shrinkage rate of 15% or less, represented by the equation (1): Maximum shrinkage rate (%)=−2.58+3000*[number of (meth)acryl functional groups/molecular weight of acrylic monomer], and a photoinitiator. |
US08319911B2 |
Attachment frame for a display module and portable electronic device using the same
An attachment frame for a display module includes a bezel at a periphery of the display module, and at least one pair of tabs positioned in a plurality of inner sides of the bezel. Each tab includes a fixing portion welded to the bezel and a mounting portion fixed to the display module. The fixing portion forms two positioning posts, and the bezel defines two corresponding positioning holes, and the tabs are positioned relative to the bezel via the engagement of the positioning posts and the corresponding positioning holes. |
US08319910B2 |
Backlight unit and display device having the same
A backlight unit and a display device having a backlight unit that comprises a panel guide mold, a bottom cover, and a light supply unit, where the panel guide mold and the bottom cover are configured to provide sufficient stiffness and structural stability so that the width of the bezel is very small. The panel guide mold comprises a plurality of first mold units and a plurality of second mold units, where each of the plurality of second mold units is disposed between two of the first mold units, and the plurality of first mold units are offset in an outward direction relative to the plurality of second mold units. The bottom cover comprises a plurality of first sidewalls, each being aligned with a corresponding first mold unit, and a plurality of second sidewalls, where each is disposed between two of the first sidewalls and coupled to a corresponding second mold unit. |
US08319908B2 |
Electro-optical devices using dynamic reconfiguration of effective electrode structures
Variable liquid crystal devices for controlling the propagation of light through a liquid crystal layer use a frequency dependent material to dynamically reconfigure effective electrode structures in the device. The frequency of a drive signal that generates an electric field in the device may be varied, and the frequency dependent material has different charge mobilities for the different frequencies. At a low charge mobility, the frequency dependent material has little effect on the existing electrode structures. However, at a high charge mobility, the frequency dependent material appears as an extension of the fixed electrodes, and may be used to change the effective electrode structure and, thereby, the spatial profile of the electric field. This, in turn, changes the optical properties of the liquid crystal, thus allowing the optical device to be frequency controllable. |
US08319905B2 |
Display substrate having quantum well for improved electron mobility and display device including the same
Provided are a display substrate and a display device including the same. The display substrate includes: gate wiring; a first semiconductor pattern formed on the gate wiring and having a first energy bandgap; a second semiconductor pattern formed on the first semiconductor pattern and having a second energy bandgap which is greater than the first energy bandgap; data wiring formed on the first semiconductor pattern; and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the data wiring. Because the second energy bandgap is larger than the first energy bandgap, a quantum well is formed in the first semiconductor pattern, enhancing electron mobility therein. |
US08319899B2 |
Front-end circuit, tuner, and television broadcasting receiver
A front-end circuit according to the present invention includes a VCO which oscillates a local signal, a mixer which converts an RF signal Frf into a baseband signal, a DC offset cancel circuit which detects a DC offset contained in the baseband signal and then eliminates the DC offset, and a local frequency control circuit which controls a frequency of the local signal. In a case where the RF signal is an analog television signal, the local frequency control circuit controls the frequency of the local signal so that a frequency of the baseband signal differs from each frequency spectrum of a luminance signal contained in a video signal which is generated by demodulating the baseband signal. This makes it possible to provide the front-end circuit which can prevent video distortion caused when a frequency spectrum is eliminated from the luminance signal. |
US08319897B2 |
Noise reduction method, noise reduction program, recording medium having noise reduction program recorded thereon, and noise reduction apparatus
A noise reduction method for reducing noise in an input video signal to output an output video signal includes the steps of generating a motion-compensated reference video signal from the output video signal; delaying the output video signal to generate a non-motion-compensated reference video signal; mixing the motion-compensated reference video signal with the non-motion-compensated reference video signal to generate a reference video signal; subtracting the generated reference video signal from the input video signal to generate a differential signal; compensating the differential signal to generate a noise reduction signal; and subtracting the noise reduction signal from the input video signal. |
US08319895B2 |
Signal detection method
A signal detection method is provided. The signal detection method for an electronic device having a plurality of terminals to receive signals from a plurality of sources corresponding to the terminals, includes the following steps: providing a sequence index for each terminal; providing a plurality of weighting numbers for the electronic device; comparing the sequence indexes of the terminals to determine a terminal detection sequence when the electronic device is turned on or the signal source changes; detecting the terminals according to the detection sequence; adding one of the weighting number to the sequence index of the terminal with signal traffic. The detection sequence begins at the terminal with a largest sequence index and ends at the terminal with a smallest sequence index. |
US08319893B2 |
Video display control device for determining compatibility between the device and an externally connected instrument
According to one embodiment, a video display device has a connection unit configured to connect to a plurality of external instruments via a network, a receiving unit configured to receive, from the plurality of external instrument connected to the video display device via the connection unit, standard compatibility information indicating that the external instrument meets the mutual controllability standards, a display unit configured to display video information output by one of the plurality of external instruments and a selection unit configured to select one of the plurality of external instruments, corresponded to information based on the standard compatibility information, connected to the connection unit as an output source of video information to be displayed on the display unit. |
US08319891B2 |
Video display device displaying input videos in various screen modes and/or aspect ratios
A video display device is provided with a video conversion circuit for extending an inputted video signal in horizontal and/or vertical directions, and a display unit including a display screen whose aspect ratio is longer in the horizontal direction than 16:9 and adapted to display the video extended by the video conversion circuit. The video conversion circuit includes a mode for extending the inputted video at a scaling factor of A, which is equal to or larger than 1, in the horizontal direction and at a scaling factor of B, which is equal to or larger than 1, in the vertical direction, so that videos effectively utilizing the aspect ratio of the video display device can be displayed while reducing incongruous feeling caused by the extension in the horizontal direction. Thus, an increase in the number of screen modes can be minimized, and modes capable of giving a remarkable sense of presence and modes capable of displaying right circles can be provided in the video display device with an aspect ratio of, e.g. 10:3. |
US08319888B2 |
Method of determining field dominance in a sequence of video frames
A method of determining field dominance in a sequence of video frames, the method comprising: generating from a first video frame a top field and a bottom field; interpolating the top and bottom fields to produce an interpolated top field frame and an interpolated bottom field frame respectively; correlating each of the interpolated top field frame and interpolated bottom field frame with a second video frame occurring immediately previous to the first video frame in the sequence of video frames and with a third video frame occurring immediately subsequent to the first video frame in the sequence of video frames; and determining from the outcome of the correlation the field dominance of the sequence of video frames. |
US08319887B2 |
Frame rate conversion apparatus for video signal and display apparatus
Provided is a frame rate conversion apparatus for inputting a video signal and inserting an interpolation frame into the video signal so as to convert a frame rate of the video signal. The apparatus includes: an input unit for inputting the video signal; a video interpolation unit for generating an interpolation frame and performing an interpolation process of the video signal; and a control unit for controlling the generation process of the interpolation frame by the video interpolation unit. The video interpolation unit performs the interpolation frame generation process by using a plurality of methods, and the control unit controls switching between the plurality of interpolation frame generating methods. |
US08319886B1 |
Voice coil motor and related image capturing module
A voice coil motor includes a movable receiving cylinder having protrusions formed at an end; a wire coil surrounding the receiving cylinder; a hollow fixing frame receiving the receiving cylinder and the wire coil; magnetic members fixedly received in the fixing frame, top and bottom elastic members. The top elastic member includes a peripheral portion and a resilient central portion, the central portion having a central opening and cutouts. The protrusions of the receiving cylinder are engaged in the cutouts. The peripheral portion is fixed at a lower position than the central portion, thereby forming an elastic force applied to the receiving cylinder when no current is applied to the wire coil. The bottom elastic member is connected to the receiving cylinder and the fixing frame, and is in an undeformed state when no current is applied to the wire coil. |
US08319884B2 |
System and apparatus for increasing quality and efficiency of film capture and methods of use thereof
A system, apparatus, or method is provided for imaging and for capturing visuals to provide image manipulation options for increasing resolution of subject images. A system, apparatus or method for increasing resolution of subject images using a camera to deliver unexposed photographic emulsion or a digital image and to generate images of greater resolution by modifying digital images or modifying digital and emulsion images. |
US08319881B2 |
Image capture system with adjustment mechanism
An image capture system comprises a lens module, a ball joint, and a location element. The ball joint has a spherical joint seat and a hollow socket. The top of the spherical joint seat is coupled to the lens module, and the bottom of the spherical joint seat is coupled to the hollow socket. The location element comprises a bolt, a contact plate and a threaded retainer. The location element is set in the ball joint. Through the cooperation of the threaded retainer and the bolt, the contact plate presses the spherical joint seat and the hollow socket together, thus fixing the position of the lens module. The lens module can be adjusted and rotate about multiple axes with the ball joint. |
US08319880B2 |
Dual beam optic with dichroic filter
An apparatus and method for generating co-registerable images for processing is disclosed. The apparatus includes a dichroic filter that splits an electro-magnetic beam into first and second split beams, and a mirror that reflects the second split beam. The dichroic filter and the first and second split beams are arranged to direct the first and second split beams, respectively, along substantially parallel but non overlapping paths. |
US08319879B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An apparatus includes a display unit including a display screen, an exterior member mounted on the display unit and having an opening for exposing the display screen, a first flexible board having a check pad formed thereon, and a second flexible board located on a surface opposite the display screen and having an insulating portion formed thereon. Before the display unit is mounted on the exterior member, the check pad is exposed from the opening, and the first flexible board is disposed on the exterior member so that the check pad faces the insulating portion after the display unit is mounted on the exterior member. |
US08319872B2 |
Solid image pickup device, image pickup system and method of driving solid image pickup device
The solid image pickup device of the present invention comprises a photoelectric conversion part, a charge-voltage conversion part for converting electric charges from the photoelectric conversion part to voltage signals, a signal amplifier for amplifying the voltage signals generated in the charge-voltage conversion part, charge transfer means for transferring photo-electric charges from the photoelectric conversion part to the charge-voltage conversion part, and means for applying a certain voltage to a charge-voltage conversion part, wherein at least two readout operations for reading out the photo-electric charges accumulated during a period of accumulating photo-electric charges in the photoelectric conversion part via a signal amplifier. |
US08319868B2 |
Solid-state imaging apparatus, imaging system and driving method for solid-state imaging apparatus
A solid-state imaging apparatus, an imaging system and a driving method for the solid-state imaging apparatus that can reduce jaggy while increasing speed of operation for reading out signals are provided. The driving method includes a first step of storing one or more signals from the plurality of pixels in each of the plurality of first holding units; a second step of adding the signals from the plurality of pixels stored in the plurality of first holding units; and a third step of outputting the signal stored in the second holding unit, such that at least a part of a period of the first step is overlapped with a period of the third step. |
US08319861B2 |
Compensation for black level changes
A technique for applying black level compensation to image data is provided. In one embodiment, an image processing system includes a first image processing pipeline configured to receive frames of image data generated by an image sensor and to alter the frames of image data to compensate for black level shift. The image processing system may also include a feed-forward loop having a second image processing pipeline configured to receive at least one of the frames of image data, to process the at least one frame, and to adjust a black level compensation parameter of the first image processing pipeline. Additional methods, systems, and devices relating to black level compensation are also disclosed. |
US08319858B2 |
Electronic apparatus and method for receiving sounds with auxiliary information from camera system
The invention provides an electronic apparatus. In one embodiment, the electronic apparatus comprises a video camera, a video processing module, an array microphone, and an audio processing module. The video camera adjusts a focal length according to a zoom-in/out control signal and captures an image of a plurality of target objects according to the focal length to generate a raw video signal. The video processing module generates the zoom-in/out control signal to adjust the focal length of the video camera. The array microphone comprises a plurality of microphones converting sounds of the target objects into a plurality of raw audio signals. The audio processing module adjusts a beamwidth for beamforming according to the zoom-in/out control signal, and performs a beamforming process according to the beamwidth on the raw audio signals to generate a first audio signal comprising mainly voice components of the target objects. |
US08319854B2 |
Shadow removal in an image captured by a vehicle based camera using a non-linear illumination-invariant kernel
A method is provided for removing an illumination generated shadow in a captured image. An image is captured by an image capture device. Each pixel of the captured image is represented by a respective color value in a logarithmic graph. A non-linear illumination-invariant kernel is determined. An illumination direction for each respective color set is determined in the logarithmic graph that is orthogonal to the non-linear illumination-invariant kernel. A log-chromaticity value of each plotted pixel is projected on the non-linear illumination-invariant kernel. Edges are identified in the input image. Edges are identified in the illumination-invariant image domain. The identified edges are compared. A determination is made whether a shadow is present in response to an edge identified in the input image and an absence of a correlating edge in the illumination-invariant image domain. A shadow-reduced image is generated for scene analysis by a vehicle vision-based system. |
US08319853B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer program
An image processing apparatus includes an extraction unit configured to extract a plurality of luminance low frequency components different in frequency band from a luminance component of image data, and a color adjustment unit configured to execute color adjustment of the image data using the image data or the luminance component of the image data and the plurality of luminance low frequency components, wherein, when an effect of color adjustment based on the luminance low frequency component having a relatively low frequency is larger than an effect of color adjustment based on the luminance low frequency component having a relatively high frequency among the plurality of luminance low frequency components, the color adjustment unit reduces the effect of color adjustment based on the luminance low frequency component having the relatively low frequency. |
US08319851B2 |
Image capturing apparatus, face area detecting method and program recording medium
In an image capture mode of a camera, a face area is detected from each of live-view images of a subject captured periodically (step S2). Information on the detected face area is stored in a detection result storage area (131) (step S4). When a shutter button is fully depressed (YES in step S5), a full-size image is acquired (step S6). Then, it is determined whether face area information is stored in the area 131 (step S7). If so (YES in step S7), information on an angle through which the camera is rotated to obtain a face area with the highest selection priority is selected from the face area information stored (step S8). Then, the face area detecting process is performed on the full-size image, using characteristic data on the face area involving the selected angle information (step S9). |
US08319850B2 |
Imaging element with signal holding section, drive method for imaging element with signal holding period, and camera with imaging element and signal holding section
An imaging element includes: a pixel section in which a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion element are arranged in a matrix; a signal line to which a signal read from the pixels is transmitted; a holding section for holding the read signal during a holding period; a processing section for performing signal processing on the read signal after being held by the holding section; and a control section for controlling supply of the read signal to the holding section. The control section supplies the read signal to the holding section to cause it to hold the read signal during the holding period, and stops supplying the read signal to the holding section to cause the processing section to perform the signal processing on the read signal and to cause a signal to be read from the pixels and output to the signal line after the holding. |
US08319838B2 |
Method for enabling auto-focus function, electronic device thereof, recording medium thereof, and computer program product using the method
A method for enabling an auto-focus function, an electronic device thereof, a recording medium thereof, and a computer program product using the method are provided for the electronic device having a function of capturing images. In the present method, whether the electronic device is in a static state is first detected. If the electronic device is remained in the static state for a first time period, an auto-focus function is enabled and the electronic device is switched to the focusing mode. As a result, a user no longer needs to start the auto-focus function manually, and convenience and fluency of capturing images can be increased substantially. |
US08319833B2 |
Video surveillance system
A surveillance system (10) that can be used covertly or overtly for observing a remote location (A) and providing information about events occurring at that location. Sensor (100-208) are used to obtain real time information about events at the location. The sensors include imaging devices, audio equipment and sensor detecting the presence of explosives or NBC materials. A transmitter (14) converts outputs from the sensors into a secure format and the resultant information is transmitted from the remote location to another location (B) distant from the location under surveillance. At this distant location, the information is converted into a video display format and is displayed, in real time, to one or more users of the system. This enables the users to be able to immediately respond to what is happening, or not happening, at the remote location and to undertake appropriate action in response to the immediate situation at the remote location. |
US08319831B2 |
Component manipulating method, component extracting method, component assembling method, component manipulating apparatus, component extracting apparatus, and component assembling apparatus
A component manipulating method includes recognizing, computing, and manipulating. The recognizing is a process in which a position and an attitude of a measured object is recognized by taking an image of a light spot group of the measured object with a camera, the measured object having the light spot group including a plurality of light spots, based on a light image expressing light spots constituting the light spot group on an image taken with the camera. The computing is a process in which a position and an attitude of the component are computed based on the position and the attitude of the recognized measured object and also on geometric arrangement positions of the measured object and the component. The manipulating is a process in which a robot being used to perform operations on the component is manipulated based on the computed position and the attitude. |
US08319829B2 |
Method and system for controlling the position of a microscope lens
A method for controlling the position of a microscope lens comprising receiving a reference signal corresponding to a reference position of the microscope lens; receiving a measurement signal corresponding to an actual position of the microscope lens; receiving a deviation signal characteristic of a predetermined positional deviation from the reference position; and using the measurement signal, the deviation signal and the reference signal to generate a positional control signal for use in setting the position of the microscope lens. |
US08319825B1 |
Re-utilization of render assets for video compression
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to using viewport state data objects (VSDO) to render a series of video frames according to render instructions to achieve video compression. In a particular implementation, the video compression format exposes the VSDO and render instructions to a video render client, allowing the video render client to finish rendering a sequence of video frames from different spatial locations and view transform parameters. Implementations of this video compression format further allow any arbitrary client with enough graphics processing power and bandwidth to retransmit novel, completely rendered viewports to thin clients without taxing the root remote render devices. |
US08319824B2 |
Method for the autostereoscopic presentation of image information with adaptation to suit changes in the head position of the observer
For continuous tracking without noticeable skips during physical changes in head position, the intensities of all subpixels of the matrix screen are reduced in order to form intensity focuses for subpixel groups behind barrier elements, which comprise a number n of subpixels, including a subpixel reserve, in the image lines. In the case of parallel alterations, these intensity focuses are then displaced by a constant absolute value continuously through directly adjacent subpixels and also through subpixel group boundaries with different stereo image views. Distance changes involve the intensity focuses being increasingly widened or compressed relative to the screen edges. The intensities of the individual subpixels can be altered by means of simple multiplication by standardized constant or variable intensity factors which can be ascertained as a function of motion. |
US08319821B2 |
Polarization-based shadow detection
In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for determining an illumination flux condition in a scene. The method comprises the steps of generating and storing a sequence of images of the scene, each one of the sequence of images comprising an array of pixels and corresponding to the scene photographed in a preselected polarization direction, different from the polarization direction of other ones of the sequence of images, determining a polarization sequence vector for at least one pixel in the array, as a function of color information for the pixel in the array, among the sequence of images; and utilizing the polarization sequence vector to determine one of a shadowed and lit illumination condition for the at least one pixel. |
US08319814B2 |
Video conferencing system which allows endpoints to perform continuous presence layout selection
In various embodiments, a Multipoint Control Unit (MCU) or another video conferencing device (e.g., an endpoint) may generate a video frame that includes video images of two or more video conferencing endpoints. The video frame may then be sent to another video conferencing device that may receive the video frame and separate the two or more video images into separate video images. In some embodiments, the video frame may be separated into its separate images using, for example, metadata sent along with the video frame. The metadata may include video image identifiers and location information (e.g., coordinates in the video frame) of the video images. In some embodiments, the separated video images may be provided to a compositor that may composite the separated video images, for example, into a new layout. |
US08319813B2 |
Mounting assembly for reflection mirror in laser scanning unit
A mounting assembly, for mounting a reflection mirror within a laser scanning unit, includes a mounting structure, and a pair of urging members. The mounting structure includes a base member, and a first pair of support protrusions and a second pair of support protrusions configured on the base member. Each of the first pair of support protrusions and the second pair of support protrusions includes a first support protrusion having a first top surface, and a second support protrusion having a second top surface. The first support protrusion is capable of supporting an end portion of the reflection mirror on the first top surface. Each urging member of the pair of urging members is adapted to be secured over the second top surface of the second support protrusion for urging the end portion of the reflection mirror on the first support protrusion. |
US08319810B2 |
Method and device for rotational marking
The invention provides a method and device for rotary marking or machining of cylindrical materials, preferably natural cork stoppers, agglomerated cork or synthetic materials used to close wine bottles and the like. The device includes at least one feeder system of cylindrical elements, preferably natural and synthetic cork stoppers; means of sensing the presence of such cylindrical elements, a laser system, means to produce the rotation of the cylindrical elements on its axis of revolution, at a variable speed, in a tangential movement compared to the focal plane of the laser system, means of measuring the instantaneous velocity tangential to its surface and direction of rotation, optical correction and focusing means, microprocessor control based means, and means for extracting the cylindrical elements. The laser system comprises means of generating at least one laser beam; means of temporal modulation and switching for the laser beam, and means of spatial modulation of each of the laser beams in a synchronized manner with the instant tangential speed on the surface of the cylindrical element. |
US08319809B2 |
Recording head and recording device
A recording head applicable to a recording device is disclosed. The recording head comprises a substrate, a conductive pattern layer, and an electric resistor layer. The conductive pattern layer is formed on the substrate and comprises a first conductive portion, a second conductive portion, and an insulating portion. The second conductive portion is paired with the first conductive portion. The insulating portion insulates the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion. The electrical resistance layer: is formed on the conductive pattern layer; is connected to the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion; and comprises a heat-generating region between the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion. |
US08319807B2 |
Electrophotographic image forming apparatus
Provided is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using a novel array light source to replace the LED array light sources, which enables provision of a reduced image formation spot diameter on a photoreceptor as well as a reduced spot pitch. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a light source, and an electrophotographic photoreceptor to be exposed by the light source, the light source for exposing the electrophotographic photoreceptor including: a plurality of surface plasmon waveguides for forming a potential distribution on the electrophotographic photoreceptor using near-field light generated at tips thereof, the surface plasmon waveguides being arrayed: and an excitation mechanism for exciting a surface plasmon on each of the plurality of surface plasmon waveguides. |
US08319791B2 |
Display
A display device has a pixel that is defined by a plurality of sub-pixels. The sub-pixels include a red sub-pixel representing red, a green sub-pixel representing green, a blue sub-pixel representing blue and a yellow sub-pixel representing yellow. When the pixel represents white, the luminance of the red sub-pixel is lower than its luminance corresponding to the highest gray scale level. In one embodiment, when the pixel represents white, the luminance of the red sub-pixel is preferably in the range of 25% to 96% of its luminance corresponding to the highest gray scale level. Also, the color temperature of white represented by the pixel is preferably higher than 4200 K, more preferably higher than 5000 K. |
US08319789B2 |
Image generation device and image generation method
A calculation unit (58) references texture data (62) in a storage unit (60) and acquires texel information of index color formal An integral look-up table (64) has a structure containing a plurality of color look-up tables based on the detail degree (LOD) of the area to be plotted A look-up table reference unit (70) selectively references the color look-up table based on the LOD stored in the integral look-up table (64) according to the LOD value of the texel obtained by the LOD calculation unit (68), acquires color information corresponding to the index value of the texel, and outputs it to the calculation unit (58). The calculation unit (58) performs filter processing such as bi-linear interpolation according to the texel color information and outputs the texel information after the processing. |
US08319787B2 |
Image projection apparatus and image output apparatus
An image projection apparatus includes an item selection unit which selects one of items to be image-adjusted, a first image generation unit which generates a plurality of images acquired by subjecting a target to be projected to image adjustment, in different adjusting levels, the image adjustment corresponding to an item selected by the item selection unit, a first image projection unit which projects said plurality of images generated by the first image generation unit, an image selection unit which selects any one of said plurality of images projected by the image projection unit, and a second image projection unit which projects an image selected by the image selection unit. |
US08319778B2 |
Variable motion blur associated with animation variables
Variable motion blur is created by varying the evaluation time used to determine the poses of objects according to motion blur parameters when evaluating a blur frame. A blur parameter can be associated with one or more objects, portions of objects, or animation variables. The animation system modifies the time of the blur frame by a function including the blur parameter to determine poses of objects or portions thereof associated with the blur parameter in a blur frame. The animation system determines the values of animation variables at their modified times, rather than at the time of the blur frame, and poses objects or portions thereof accordingly. Multiple blur parameters can be used to evaluate the poses of different portions of a scene at different times for a blur frame. Portions of an object can be associated with different blur parameters, enabling motion blur to be varied within an object. |
US08319776B2 |
Information transfer system, a transmitter, a receiver and a record carrier for use in the system
A record carrier stores information readable by a processor, where the information includes main data and sub data. The sub data includes coded text lines having a plurality of character codes, where the coded text lines includes control codes for controlling the processor to display characters representing the coded text lines on a display unit configured to display at least one line of characters. The at least one line has a predetermined number character positions which is less than a number of characters in the coded text lines. A selected number of the character codes are displayable at the predetermined number of character positions of the at least one line. |
US08319775B2 |
Method and apparatus for shaping a linear segment
A method and apparatus for shaping a linear segment is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of selecting a dynamic bend point, determining a primary snap point based on the location of the dynamic bend point in one of four predetermined regions and snapping the dynamic bend point to the primary snap point. A secondary snap point is also determined and the dynamic bend point is snapped either to the primary snap point or to the secondary snap point, depending on the location of the dynamic bend point inside or outside a predetermined secondary snap region. |
US08319774B2 |
Constant buffering for a computational core of a programmable graphics processing unit
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to graphics processing systems, comprising: a plurality of execution units, wherein one of the execution units is configurable to process a thread corresponding to a rendering context, wherein the rendering context comprises a plurality of constants with a priority level; a constant buffer configurable to store the constants of the rendering context into a plurality of slot in a physical storage space; and an execution unit control unit configurable to assign the thread to one of the execution units; a constant buffer control unit providing a translation table for the rendering context to map the corresponding constants into the slots of the physical storage space. Comparable methods are also disclosed. |
US08319772B2 |
3D layering of map metadata
Techniques and tools are described for rendering views of a map in which map metadata elements are layered in 3D space through which a viewer navigates. Layering of metadata elements such as text labels in 3D space facilitates parallax and smooth motion effects for zoom-in, zoom-out and scrolling operations during map navigation. A computing device can determine a viewer position that is associated with a view altitude in 3D space, then render for display a map view based upon the viewer position and metadata elements layered at different metadata altitudes in 3D space. For example, the computing device places text labels in 3D space above features associated with the respective labels, at the metadata altitudes indicated for the respective labels. The computing device creates a map view from points of the placed labels and points of a surface layer of the map that are visible from the viewer position. |
US08319771B2 |
Computer modelled environment
A computer-readable storage medium that includes a computer program and corresponding method, the program comprising code which will: generate a computer-modelled environment comprising a three-dimensional computer-modelled space and one or more three-dimensional computer-modelled objects within that space; and generate a map of values of a kinetic parameter over the object's surface, the kinetic parameter parameterizing a kinetic activity to be modelled to occur within the computer-modelled space in relation to that surface. |
US08319766B2 |
Spatially masked update for electronic paper displays
Electronic Paper Displays can suffer from “ghosting” or previous images remaining partially visible after the display has updated to show a new image. A pseudo-random noise intermediate image is used to make the ghosting less visible to human observers. Further, other intermediate images can be used to convey visible information or to convey secret information, e.g. a watermark. A control signal for driving the bi-stable display from the current optical state to an intermediate state, then to a final optical state is also determined. In some embodiments, the intermediate state for each pixel is determined in a pseudo-random manner. The pseudo-random noise values are applied to the bi-stable display to remove noise and other artifacts from the end resulting images. The determined control signal is applied to the bi-stable display to drive the bi-stable to the intermediate state, then to the final optical state. |
US08319763B2 |
Display apparatus and manufacturing method therefor, and active matrix substrate
A display panel includes a plurality of display lines provided in each of blocks and extending in parallel with each other, a plurality of drive circuits provided outside a display region and connected to the display lines in the respective blocks, a plurality of first lines provided outside the display region and intersecting end portions closer to the drive circuits of the display lines in the respective blocks, the first lines being insulated from the display lines, and a second line provided outside the display region and intersecting end portions farther from the drive circuits of the display lines of all the blocks, the second line being insulated from the display lines. The second line is configured to intersect the first lines while being insulated from the first lines, and be supplied with a display signal from each of the drive circuits via an amplifier circuit. |
US08319761B2 |
Organic light emitting display and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting display configured to be driven using a frame divided into a plurality of sub-frames includes a data driver configured to supply a plurality of data signals to output lines during a first period of one horizontal period of the sub-frame, a scan driver configured to sequentially supply a scan signal to scan lines during a second period of the one horizontal period of the sub-frame, a demultiplexer coupled to each output line, the demultiplexer being configured to supply the data signals to a plurality of data lines, buffers configured to supply buffers supplying signals from the demultiplexers to the data lines, the buffers including PMOS transistors, and pixels disposed at intersections of the scan lines and the data lines, the pixels being configured to display images corresponding to the data signals. |
US08319760B2 |
Display device, driving method of the same and electronic equipment incorporating the same
Disclosed herein is a display device including: a pixel section having pixel circuits arranged to form a matrix with at least a plurality of columns, pixel data being written to each of the pixel circuits via a switching element; at least one scan line disposed to be associated with rows of the pixel circuits and adapted to control the conduction of the switching elements; a plurality of signal lines disposed to be associated with columns of the pixel circuits and adapted to convey the pixel data; and a horizontal driving circuit having a plurality of signal drivers, the plurality of signal drivers being associated with a plurality of groups into which the signal lines are divided, and being adapted to convey the image data supplied to the signal lines. |
US08319759B2 |
Electrowetting displays
The performance of electro-wetting displays can be improved by: (a) providing a concealment member (112) which conceals the moving fluid (108) when that fluid (108) is confined to a small area; (b) using the moving fluid to cover one or more sections of a filter or reflector having differently-colored sections; (c) moving the moving fluid between the rear surface and a side surface of a microcell; (d) using as a substrate for a moving fluid a substrate resistant to wetting by the fluid but pierced by multiple conductive vias capped with a material wetted by the fluid; and (e) coloring the moving fluid with pigments or nanoparticles. |
US08319757B2 |
Display apparatus and control method thereof
A display apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The display apparatus is coupled to a video signal supply source through at least one connector. The display apparatus includes: a main storage unit which stores extended display identification data (EDID) therein corresponding to the at least one connector; a temporary storage unit which loads the EDID thereto from the main storage unit; and a controller which loads the EDID stored in the main storage unit to the temporary storage unit if power is supplied, and controls to transmit the EDID corresponding to an EDID requesting signal, among the EDID loaded to the temporary storage unit, through the at least one connector if the EDID requesting signal is received through the at least one connector. |
US08319754B2 |
Touch screen pen for capacitive type touch screen
The screen touch pen used for inputting commands to a capacitive type touch screen, comprising a pen-tip having a first portion and a second portion along an axial direction, the first portion of the pen-tip being exposed for inputting commands to the capacitive type touch screen, wherein a portion of the pen-tip contacting with the capacitive type touch screen is made of an electrically-conductive fabric. |
US08319753B2 |
Optical pen and optical touch system with same
An optical pen is disclosed. The handwriting input pen includes a housing, a light source module received in the housing, an optical lens, a pen tip. The light source module is configured for emitting light. The optical lens is configured for converging light emitted from the light source module, the optical lens comprising an optical portion and a supporting portion around the optical portion. The pen tip is positioned at an end of the housing and is configured for guiding light out of the housing to project. The shielding member is around the optical portion attached to the optical lens and covering the supporting portion of the optical lens, and is configured for stopping the light passing through the supporting portion from entering into the pen tips. |
US08319751B2 |
Apparatus, method, and system for touch and gesture detection
An apparatus, method and system are disclosed for touch and gesture detection. A light source array comprises a plurality of light sources. Each light source of the light source array transmits a light beam across a face of a display in response to being activated. A light sensor array comprises a plurality of light sensors. Each light sensor of the light sensor array detects an intensity of each light beam transmitted across the face of the display in response to being activated. A controller concurrently activates each light source of the light source array with each light sensor of the light sensor array as a source/sensor pair during a detection cycle while other light sources of the light source array and other light sensors of the light sensor array are inactive. The controller further determines a location of a pointer relative to the display from a pattern of light beam intensities for each source/sensor pair. |
US08319743B2 |
Touch screen display
A touch screen display includes; a first substrate, a lower sensor electrode disposed on the first substrate, a second substrate disposed substantially opposite to the first substrate, a sensor spacer disposed on the second substrate and aligned with the lower sensor electrode, a common electrode disposed on the second substrate, an upper sensor electrode disposed on the sensor spacer and connected to the common electrode, and a cutout disposed at an edge of the upper sensor electrode, wherein when touch pressure is applied to the first or second substrate, a change in capacitance is generated due to a change in a distance between the lower sensor electrode and the upper sensor electrode at a touch position, such that the touch position is detected on the basis of the change in capacitance. |
US08319739B2 |
Force-sensing modules for light sensitive screens
A light sensitive screen includes at least one sensing element each being configured to detect a force applied to a position of the light sensitive screen and generate an electrical signal when a force is detected, and a sensor module configured to receive and process the electrical signal from the at least one sensing element. The sensor module may amplify the electrical signal from one of the at least one sensing element and generate an amplified signal, compare the amplified signal with a threshold and generate a comparing result, and generate a digital signal based on the comparing result, the digital signal including information as to whether the position of the light sensitive screen is touched. |
US08319738B2 |
Touchscreen module
A touchscreen module comprises a display for presenting information to a user of the touchscreen module; a touch panel mounted in overlapping relationship with the display; a touch panel controller coupled to the touch panel for detecting a point on the touch panel touched by the user; and non-volatile memory associated with the display. The non-volatile memory includes a first memory portion for storing information relating to the display, and a second memory portion for storing calibration data relating to the touch panel, thereby enabling calibration data to be retrieved from the touchscreen module when the touchscreen module is installed in a terminal. |
US08319736B2 |
Touch sensitive computing device and method
Touch sensitive computing systems and methods are provided. The touch sensitive computing device may include a touch sensitive display configured to receive a touch input. A gesture recognition module may be coupled with the touch sensitive display, and may be configured to receive the touch input. The gesture recognition module may also be configured to determine, based on the touch input, and by selecting from a plurality of different predefined gestures, a recognized gesture that corresponds to the touch input. The touch sensitive computing device may also include a personal information management (PIM) module including a PIM database. The PIM module may be configured to apply a selected item shown on the touch sensitive display to a selected one of a plurality of different PIM schemas of the PIM database. The selected one of the PIM schemas may be selected based on the recognized gesture. |
US08319729B2 |
Display device
A display device capable of simplifying the structure and improving the reliability is disclosed. The display device includes an LCD module having a top case formed of metal, a glass substrate arranged on the LCD module, an infrared ray emitting module arranged to face three side surfaces of the LCD module and having a first magnet for first fixing to the top case, and a pair of infrared ray detection units arranged at corner ends of a side surface of the LCD module where the infrared ray emitting module is not arranged and having a second magnet for the first fixing to the top case. |
US08319725B2 |
Display device
The display device includes: a flexible display panel including a display portion in which scanning lines and signal lines cross each other; a supporting portion for supporting an end portion of the flexible display panel; a signal line driver circuit for outputting a signal to the signal line, which is provided for the supporting portion; and a scanning line driver circuit for outputting a signal to the scanning line, which is provided for a flexible surface of the display panel in a direction which is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the supporting portion. |
US08319718B2 |
Module for determining the driving signal timing and a method for driving a liquid crystal display panel
Disclosed is a gate printed circuit board, a connector-free liquid crystal display (LCD) panel assembly, a driving-signal timing module included in the liquid crystal display (LCD) panel assembly, and a method of driving the liquid crystal display (LCD) panel assembly. According to the present invention, since a separate connector and a gate printed circuit board of a conventional LCD panel is not required for applying a gate-driving signal generated from an external information processing device, a thickness and the number of parts of the LCD device is reduced. Further, when the gate-driving signal is transmitted through the TFT substrate, the voltage Voff for maintaining a thin-film transistor (TFT) in a turned-off state is modified so that users may not recognize the imbalance in brightness. |
US08319714B2 |
Display device, and method of operation thereof
It is an object of the invention to provide a display device which performs high grayscale display in accordance with display contents and a game machine with an improved realistic sensation. The invention is a display device characterized by including a pixel portion which performs display based on a video signal and a driver circuit portion inputted with the video signal, wherein the driver circuit portion has a unit for controlling a grayscale in accordance with display of the pixel portion. In a liquid crystal display device, luminance of a lighting unit is controlled based on a signal from the unit for controlling a grayscale whereas a current supplied to a light emitting element is controlled in a light emitting device. By applying such a display device to a game machine, a realistic sensation can be improved. |
US08319707B2 |
Organic light emitting display and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting display capable of displaying an image with uniform luminance regardless of deterioration of an organic light emitting diode and threshold voltage and/or mobility of a drive transistor is disclosed. The organic light emitting display senses deterioration of the organic light emitting diode and threshold voltage and/or mobility of a drive transistor and modifies the data supplied to the pixel according to the sensed parameters. |
US08319699B2 |
Multiple display channel system with high dynamic range
A multi-channel display system comprises a plurality of display devices, each display device having a non-pixel addressable light output part, e.g. a backlight, and a pixel addressable light output part, e.g. an LCD panel, in an optical path. The non-pixel addressable light output part and the pixel addressable light output part are arranged to both have a temporal modulation, so that a perceivable optical output of the display device is a combination of the outputs of the temporal modulation of the pixel addressable light output part and the temporal modulation of the non pixel addressable light output part. At least two of the display devices are arranged for displaying adjacent image parts. The display system furthermore comprises a linking means for linking the driving of the non pixel addressable light output part of at least the two display devices being arranged for displaying adjacent image parts. |
US08319698B2 |
Reflector array and antenna comprising such a reflector array
A reflector array comprises a plurality of individual radiating elements forming a reflecting surface with no abrupt transitions wherein each radiating element of the reflecting surface is selected from a set of predetermined consecutive radiating elements, called the pattern, the first and last elements of the pattern correspond to one and the same phase, modulo 360°, and are identical, and the radiating elements of the pattern have a radiating structure, of metal patch type and/or of radiating aperture type, that progressively changes from one radiating element to another adjacent radiating element, the change in the radiating structure comprising a succession of progressive growths of at least one metal patch and/or at least one aperture and appearances of at least one metal patch in an aperture and/or at least one aperture in a metal patch. |
US08319697B2 |
Semi-permanent portable satellite antenna system
A semi-permanent portable satellite antenna system having a portable mount for deploying a portable satellite antenna. The portable satellite antenna assembles for deployment using releasable connectors. The portable mount can be mounted to a post, a tripod, or a non-penetrating mount. The non-penetrating mount uses a pivoting pair of support wings that pivots upwardly for transportation and downwardly when deployed on a surface. When deployed, ballast is placed on the support wings to stabilize the semi-permanent portable satellite antenna system. |
US08319695B2 |
Adjustable integrated circuit antenna structure
An adjustable integrated circuit antenna structure includes an antenna, a ground plane, a plurality of transmission line circuit elements and a coupling circuit. The coupling circuit is operable to couple at least one of the plurality of transmission line circuit elements into a transmission line circuit based on a transmission line characteristic signal. The transmission line circuit has at least one of a bandwidth, an impedance, a quality factor, and a frequency band in accordance with the transmission line circuit characteristic signal. |
US08319694B2 |
Compact dual-mode UHF RFID reader antenna systems and methods
The present disclosure relates to compact, dual-mode ultra high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) reader antenna systems and methods capable of supporting both long range and short range applications. The present invention includes a dual-mode antenna design, a dual-mode RFID reader utilizing the dual-mode antenna design, and an associated usage method. The dual-mode antenna design may include a patch operating mode for long range applications and a slot operating mode for short range applications. Additionally, the dual-mode antenna design may include mechanisms to improve the patch operating mode bandwidth, circular polarization in the patch operating mode, and dual polarization in the slot operation mode. |
US08319691B2 |
Multi-band antenna
A multi-band antenna includes a ground section, a feed-in section, a first conductor arm, and a second conductor arm. The feed-in section has a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a feed-in point for feeding in radio frequency signals. The first end of the feed-in section is connected electrically to the ground section. The first conductor arm has a connecting section that extends from the second end of the feed-in section, and an extending section that extends from the connecting section, that is distal from the ground section, and that has a first end portion. The second conductor arm extends from the second end of the feed-in section, and has a second end portion that is adjacent to the first end portion of the extending section. |
US08319685B2 |
Mobile device battery management
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products. Data representing a plurality of power management profiles for a battery-operated wireless computing device are stored on the device. The power management profiles correspond to different power consumption levels. Each power management profile defines a feature for determining a geographic location of the device from among a plurality of features that are available for determining the geographic location of the device, and a frequency for employing the feature to determine the geographic location of the device. A first battery level of the device is determined. If the determined battery level is lower than a first predetermined amount, the device switches from a first power management profile having a first consumption level to a second power management profile having a second consumption level that is lower than the first consumption level. |
US08319684B2 |
Method and apparatus for position determination with extended SPS orbit information
A method and system for assisting mobile stations to locate a satellite use an efficient messaging format. A server computes a correction between coarse orbit data of a satellite and precise orbit data of the satellite. A coordinate system is chosen such that variation of the correction is substantially smooth over time. The server further approximates the correction with mathematical functions to reduce the number of bits necessary for transmission to a mobile station. The mobile station, upon receiving the coefficients, evaluates the mathematical functions using the coefficients and a time of applicability (e.g., the current time), converts the evaluated result to a standard coordinate system, and applies the conversion result to the coarse orbit data to obtain the precise orbit data. |
US08319683B2 |
Base data extrapolator to operate with a navigation receiver in real-time kinematic (RTK) and differential global positioning system ( DGPS) modes
Base data received at a rover receiver is extrapolated to a rover measurement time referenced to a clock in the rover receiver. The base data comprises a plurality of base parameters, such as pseudo-ranges and full phases, calculated at base epochs from data received from navigation satellites. Base data is decomposed into a computed component, a common component, and an information component. Only the information component is extrapolated, thereby increasing the extrapolation time interval (during which base data are missing) over which an acceptable accuracy in determination of rover coordinates may be provided. The extrapolated base data is calculated by adding the computed component updated to the rover measurement time, the information component extrapolated to the rover measurement time, and the common component. A second-order recursive digital filter is used to generate the extrapolation function. |
US08319682B2 |
Method and apparatus for examining an object using electromagnetic millimeter-wave signal illumination
A method examining an object using millimeter-wave signals includes: (a) providing at least two millimeter-wave signal sources; (b) transmitting at least two millimeter-wave signals having at least two different frequencies from the signal sources illuminate the object; (c) in no particular order: (1) determining whether a return reflected signal is above a threshold level; [a] if yes, processing the return signal to identify object shape; [b] if not, processing another return signal; and (2) determining whether a return intermodulation product or harmonic signal is detected; [a] if yes, processing the return signal to identify object nature; [b] if not, processing another return signal; (d) determining whether checked all return signals; (1) if not, processing another return signal; (2) if yes, proceeding to step (e); (e) determining whether results are satisfactory; (1) if not, changing frequency of at least one of the wave signals; (2) if yes, terminating the method. |
US08319681B2 |
Radar sensor having a shielded signal stabilizer
A radar sensor having a transmission module and a signal stabilizer, which are situated on a shared circuit board, a casing, which accommodates the signal stabilizer and forms a shield against high frequency radiation of the signal stabilizer together with a conductive layer of the circuit board, and having a connection line, which crosses through the shield, to connect the signal stabilizer to the transmission module, in which the connection line is embedded in the circuit board in insulated fashion. |
US08319679B2 |
Systems and methods for predicting locations of weather relative to an aircraft
Systems and methods for predicting when a weather anomaly (e.g., convective cell) will intersect with an aircraft. Direction of movement and velocity information for at least one weather anomaly are received at a processor from a radar system. An intercept point for the at least one weather anomaly is determined based on the received location, direction of movement and velocity information and location and current speed information for the aircraft. Then, a first indicator based on the intercept point is displayed on a display device. |
US08319678B2 |
System and method for imaging objects
An active imaging system for imaging a target is described. The system includes a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, an antenna arrangement coupled to the transmitting unit and/or the receiving unit via a front end unit, and an image processing unit coupled to the receiving unit. The system also includes a control system coupled to the transmitting unit, the receiving unit and/or the image processing unit for controlling operation thereof. The antenna arrangement includes at least one rotating antenna synthetically forming a circular antenna. The image processing unit is configured for creating an image of the object by employing a synthetic aperture radar imaging algorithm. |
US08319671B2 |
Keypad structure
A keypad structure comprises a plurality of dome switches. Each of the plurality of dome switches provides a first tactile feedback to a user when pressed. At least one vibratory element is electrically connected to the dome switches to actuate when one of the plurality of dome switches is pressed. The at least one vibratory element provides a second tactile feedback to the user. |
US08319670B2 |
Input arrangement
The invention provides an input device of an electric apparatus and a method of manufacturing an input device, wherein the input device comprises: a key member for receiving an input from a user, the key member comprising a plurality of circumferentially arranged touch-sensitive sensor segments and having at least one degree of freedom with respect to the body of the electric apparatus; and a feedback unit coupled to the key member and configured to generate feedback to the key member in the direction of the at least one degree of freedom as a response to the input. |
US08319669B2 |
Text entry device with radial keypad layout
A text entry device is provided. The device includes a concentric and at least four groupings of letters located around the concentric. The groupings may include at least three keys that are each located at a different radial distance from the concentric. The first grouping may include the letters A, B, C and D; the second grouping may include the letters E, F, G and H; the third grouping may include the letters I, J, K and L; and the fourth grouping may include the letters O, M, N and P. |
US08319667B2 |
Missed approach procedure display system and method
A system and method of conveying missed approach procedures to a pilot are provided. The system and method include rendering a graphic representation of at least one leg of the missed approach procedure on a display. A determination is made as to whether the aircraft is at least substantially flying the at least one leg of the missed approach procedure. At least one visual characteristic of the rendered graphic is selectively varied based on the determination of whether the aircraft is at least substantially flying the at least one leg of the missed approach procedure. |
US08319666B2 |
Optical image monitoring system and method for vehicles
A system and method of acquiring information from an image of a vehicle in real time wherein at least one imaging device with advanced light metering capabilities is placed aboard a vehicle, a computer processor means is provided to control the imaging device and the advanced light metering capabilities, the advanced light metering capabilities are used to capture an image of at least a portion of the vehicle, and image recognition algorithms are used to identify the current state or position of the corresponding portion of the vehicle. |
US08319665B2 |
Adaptive instrument and operator control recognition
A system and method of acquiring information from an image of an instrument panel of a vehicle in real time wherein at least one imaging device with advanced light metering capabilities is placed aboard a vehicle, a computer processor means is provided to control the imaging device and the advanced light metering capabilities, the advanced light metering capabilities are used to capture an image of at least a portion of the instrument panel, such as a gauge or operator control, and image recognition algorithms are used to identify the current state of the imaged portion of the instrument panel. |
US08319662B1 |
Ultra portable traffic management system
A portable traffic control unit for temporary use is disclosed that is capable of both automatic and manual operation. The unit is modular and is small enough and light enough that it is easily carried in a police, emergency or other vehicle and can be set up and programmed for use by one person. The unit has a bright LED display typically having red, orange, green lights, and flashing white strobe LEDs that are microprocessor controlled. The unit has a radio receiver that receives RF signals used to control the operation of the unit, and the signals are received from a handheld RF transmitter used at the site of the unit, or are received from an RF transmitter at a remote control site. Various sensors may be attached to the unit to provide information that is transmitted to the handheld remote control and/or to the remote control site using an RF transmitter that is part of the unit. Multiple traffic control units operating at a common site can communicate with each other to facilitate operations. |
US08319658B2 |
Process, device and system for mapping transformers to meters and locating non-technical line losses
A process, device and system for mapping usage data from a plurality of utility usage nodes, such as electricity usage meters, to one or more utility distribution nodes, such as a transformer, in which utility usage data collected at a collection device from the plurality of utility usage nodes at predetermined intervals is received, and utility distribution data collected at the collection device from the utility distribution node at the predetermined intervals is likewise received. Aggregate usage data from one or more of the plurality of utility usage nodes is compared to distribution data from the utility distribution node during one or more of the same predetermined intervals to determine, using a computer, which of the plurality of utility usage nodes is connected to the utility distribution node. |
US08319654B2 |
Apparatus having electrolysis cell and indicator light illuminating through liquid
An apparatus is provided, which includes an electrolysis cell, a liquid flow path that passes through the electrolysis cell, and an indicator light. The indicator light is illuminated as a function of an operating characteristic of the electrolysis cell and luminous flux radiated from the light illuminates liquid along at least a portion of the flow path. |
US08319653B2 |
Meter for vehicle
A meter for vehicle capable of improving design and visibility in an after-meter of single face type is provided. The meter for vehicle includes a transmitting ring-shaped member 4 placed to surround an analog display portion 1 between a case body 2 and a cover member 3, a first light source 5 emitting first illumination light L1, and a second light source 6 emitting second illumination light L2. The meter for vehicle also includes a light-guide member 7 placed between the display plate 12 and the first light source 5 and having an entrance portion 72 into which the first illumination light L1 enters, a first exit portion 73 from which the first illumination light L1 exits toward the pointer 11, a first reflecting portion 74 which reflects the first illumination light L1 in a direction in parallel with the display plate 12, a second reflecting portion 75 which reflects the first illumination light L1, reflected by the first reflecting portion 74, in a direction perpendicular to the display plate 12, and a second exit portion 76 from which the first illumination light L1 reflected by the second reflecting portion 75 exits toward the ring-shaped member 4. |
US08319652B2 |
Image notification on security panel for protected assets
A method and apparatus for use with a security system. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of sensors within the security system where each sensor of the plurality of sensors is associated with an asset, detecting activation of a sensor of the plurality of sensors and displaying an image of the asset associated with the activated sensor. |
US08319649B1 |
Insect electrocution device with counter
An electronic insect electrocution device with an integral display and counting means that displays the number of discharges, or “zapped” insects is herein disclosed. The device comprises a lamp enclosed within an enclosure comprising series of alternating grids energized by a voltage increasing device, which electrocutes any insects that fly towards the lamp. A numeric digital display is provided on the top of the enclosure and reflects the current number of discharges or killed insects. The counter is provided with an input signal that detects the voltage fluctuation of the grid every time an insect is killed. This detection circuit drives a counting circuit which interfaces with the counter. It is reset every time the unit is unplugged. |
US08319647B2 |
RFID-based electric seal
An electric seal includes an antenna device engaged in a lock member and having a contact located in the lock member, a lock shaft engageable into the lock member and having a circuit board engaged in the bore of the lock shaft and having an RFID chip coupled to an electric circuit, the electric circuit includes a contact for electrically engaging with the contact of the antenna member when the lock shaft is engaged into the compartment of the lock member for identifying the RFID-based electric seal, the RFID chip do not generate and emit the signal to identify the electric seal when the lock shaft is disengaged from the lock member or when the circuit board is disengaged from the antenna member. |
US08319644B2 |
RFID system and RFID tag reading method
Tag data stored in a specific RFID tag is stored in a specific-data storing unit. Tag data is read from an RFID tag present in a communication area by an RFID reader through radio communication according to detection of a specific object by a sensor for detecting the object. When tag data same as the tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit is not included in the tag data read by the RFID reader, the read tag data is transmitted to a host apparatus. |
US08319643B2 |
Method and apparatus for tracking and monitoring containers
A tag can communicate according to a cellular telephone network communication protocol, and includes one of: passive circuitry, semi-passive circuitry, or circuitry capable of communicating according to a radio frequency identification communication protocol or a satellite communication protocol. According to a different aspect, a tag can receive satellite signals containing positioning information, and can transmit according to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol. According to yet another aspect, a tag can transmit according to each of first and second communication protocols that are each one of a radio frequency identification communication protocol, a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol. |
US08319640B2 |
Method for maintaining a shipping container manifest
A system, method, and apparatus for monitoring and detecting movement of components of a shipping container latch. A latch monitor may embody an electromagnetic sensing unit and a nearby magnet or light emitter for measuring and characterizing the profile of a nearby electromagnetic field. The field profile is monitored to detect a change in the profile, log the change, and report any abnormal disturbance to the electromagnetic field, indicating a breach of the integrity of a latching mechanism on a shipping container. An alert of a breach event may be sent via a communication network to an authority for response. The invention can distinguish authorized, incidental, and tampering events, and also store and upload an electronic manifest for a shipping container. |
US08319638B2 |
Motion detector for detecting tampering and method for detecting tampering
A motion detector and a method for detecting a tampering of the motion detector. The tampering can include a spraying or brushing of a lens of the motion detector. The motion detector comprises a lens, a single sensing section for detecting infrared signals within a protected area, and detecting vibrations on the lens in the form of acoustic signals, the vibrations and the infrared signal causing a voltage change in the single sensing section, a first and second amplifier for amplifying the voltage change for processing for tampering and motion, respectively, first and second filter for filtering the voltage change for processing for tampering and motion, respectively, a microcontroller for determining if the detected voltage change is consistent with a pattern that is indicative of tampering or motion and alarm generating section for generating a tamper alarm or a motion alarm based upon the determination by the microprocessor. |
US08319635B2 |
Wireless tracking system and method utilizing variable location algorithms
The present invention provides a solution to mistaken location calculations based on multipath effects. The present invention utilizes tags attached to objects that transmit signals at various power levels for reception by sensors stationed throughout a facility. Sensor readings at the various power levels are utilized to determine the location of the tagged object. |
US08319632B1 |
System and method for monitoring external portable medical devices
External portable medical devices, such as portable external defibrillators (PEDs), have long standby times and may be required to indicate their operational status to a user while conserving battery power. Frequently, numerous PEDs are scattered throughout one or more large facility, which may make identifying a PED that is indicating an operational status that requires attention more difficult. To conserve power and provide more effective notice, a PED may use a broadcast transmitter, which minimizes power usage, to communicate the PED's status to a remote monitor that is connected to a relatively unlimited power supply. The remote monitor may then provide a wide variety of sensory alerts to indicate the status of the PED without concern for the power consumption associated with the sensory alert. |
US08319624B2 |
System and method for disclosing unauthorized removal of articles from secured premises
A system and method for securing premises by distinguishing between authorized and unauthorized removal of articles from the premises via an approach within the premises to an exit door (38). Each article is secured by a passive security device (50) which in an article-securing state will be detected upon the article entering the approach and in a non-securing state will not be wirelessly detected upon the article entering the approach. A detector (40), having a detection transmitter and a receiver, wirelessly detects attempted unauthorized removal of a secured article. A register (36) registers authorized removal of a secured article. An unsecuring transmitter (52) is controlled by the register to wirelessly transmit to a passive security device of a secured article whose authorized removal has been registered in the register, an unsecuring signal which unsecures the secured article by changing the passive security device from the article-securing state to the non-securing state. |
US08319618B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium
An image processing apparatus, includes: a state information unit obtaining state information that indicates a state of driving operation of the vehicle; an image storage storing a two-dimensional image data obtained from imaging devices whose viewing fields partly overlap; a specifying unit compositing the data into a shape of a three-dimensional projection plane, and then specifying, in correspondence to the state information, a compositing method overlapping portions of viewing fields to be used for transformation from a three-dimensional image into a projection image viewed from a viewpoint along a line-of-sight; and an image transformation unit transforming the data into projection image data viewed from the viewpoint along the line-of-sight direction using the compositing method. |
US08319613B2 |
Smart cap with communication function
A smart cap for a medical container for the containment of solid medications having unique indicia. The cap is provided with an optical scanner configured with at least one locally contained or external data base having general medication identification data and optionally patient-specific information to scan and identify the medication (and optionally the dosage, specific formulations, manufacturing source, etc.) and to record and correlate information regarding patient medication usage (scanning of a medication is generally considered indicative of actual patient taking of the medication). The cap further comprises communication elements configured to transmit/receive “usage” through scanning of a unit dosage of the medication, to an external data base such as the patient's cell phone and or computer (such as with blue tooth or RF communication) or via a telephone call or internet transmission to a data base of a pharmacy or physician or other health care provider. |
US08319610B2 |
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna, tags and communications systems using the same
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag antenna, tags and communications systems using the same are presented. The RFID tag antenna includes a patterned conductive loop having a plurality of longitudinal conductive sections and a pair of transverse conductive sections connecting to each end of the longitudinal conductive sections to serve as a matching network. A pair of extended conductive arms is electrically connected to the patterned conductive loop via two nodes. A bonding pad with an RFID chip disposed thereon is arranged at the central area of the pair of extended conductive arms. |
US08319602B2 |
Apparatus having a transponder enabled moveable component and method for control thereof
In the field of medical devices, for instance patient tables, it is known to block the movement of moveable components of a respective apparatus using blocking means and to release these only after actuating a switch. To be able to dispense with the foot switch, an authorized operator is equipped with a radio frequency identification tag and interrogation means for interrogating the radio frequency identification tag are provided on the apparatus. Once the operator initiates a movement by exerting a force, a sensor detects this force and activates the interrogation means. If the interrogation means identify that the radio frequency identification tag is sufficiently close thereto, it is concluded that the authorized operator would like to initiate the movement and the moveable part is released. |
US08319599B2 |
Electrical appliance, in particular an electrical household appliance, a corresponding optional auxiliary device, and a system comprising said appliance and device
An electrical appliance (100) comprises a digital control system (SC), configured for enabling the performance of a plurality of pre-determined basic functions, and an auxiliary device (200) comprises means (PM, 230-231) for acquiring and/or processing auxiliary information. The electrical appliance (100) and the auxiliary device (200) moreover comprise respective communication means (270), for setting up between them a bi-directional communication of data. The control system (SC) of the electrical appliance (100) is provided for enabling execution of additional functions with respect to the basic functions and for sending to the auxiliary device (200), via the communication means (270), requests for auxiliary information, necessary for the performance of said additional functions. The auxiliary device (200) is pre-arranged for communicating to the control system (SC) of the electrical appliance (100), via the communication means (270), the auxiliary piece or pieces of information requested, as processed and/or acquired by the device itself. |
US08319592B2 |
Variable inductor
A variable inductor includes: a first coil; a second coil which emanates a magnetic flux in a cancelling direction with respect to the magnetic flux generated in the first coil; a plate-shaped movable core positioned between the first coil and the second coil for carrying out opening & closing operation; and first and second magnetic cores, having a closed magnetic-path structure which involves the first coil, the second coil and the movable core. The first magnetic core includes a first center-core portion around which the first coil is wound and the second magnetic core includes a second center-core portion around which the second coil is wound. |
US08319589B2 |
Position sensor for mechanically latching solenoid
A magnetically latching solenoid and method of determining a position of a plunger contained therein. The solenoid includes a frame, a plunger configured to move through the frame between a first stable position and a second stable position, and at least one magnet mounted near the center of the frame such that a first and second magnetic fields are produced by the magnet through the frame and the plunger, wherein each of the first and second magnetic fields drive a separate portion of the frame into magnetic saturation depending on the position of the plunger. The solenoid also includes a first and second sensors mounted on the frame at different locations configured to detect and measure the first and second magnetic fields. The detected and measured magnetic fields are then used to determine the position of the plunger in the solenoid. |
US08319586B2 |
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit comprising: a substrate; a first transmission line arranged on the substrate, the first transmission line having a first termination; a die having a first surface on the substrate and an opposed second surface, the die being spaced from the first termination; a second transmission line arranged on the second surface of the die, the second transmission line having a second termination; and a bond wire connected between the first termination and the second termination configured to have a length half the wavelength of the signal central frequency. |
US08319584B2 |
Contour-mode piezoelectric micromechanical resonators
A contour mode micromechanical piezoelectric resonator. The resonator has a bottom electrode; a top electrode; and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The piezoelectric resonator has a planar surface with a cantilevered periphery, dimensioned to undergo in-plane lateral displacement at the periphery. The resonator also includes means for applying an alternating electric field across the thickness of the piezoelectric resonator. The electric field is configured to cause the resonator to have a contour mode in-plane lateral displacement that is substantially in the plane of the planar surface of the resonator, wherein the fundamental frequency for the displacement of the piezoelectric resonator is set in part lithographically by the planar dimension of the bottom electrode, the top electrode or the piezoelectric layer. |
US08319583B2 |
Multi-layer radial power divider/combiner
An N-way multi-layer radial power combiner/divider comprises an RF layer including N planar RF transmission lines radiating from a common port to N ports. An isolation layer substantially parallel to the RF layer comprises a star resistor having N resistive arms radiating from a common junction and N planar isolation transmission lines coupled in series to respective resistive arms. Each series pair of a resistive arm and an isolation transmission line is ideally a half-wavelength in electrical length. N vertical interconnects between the RF layer and the isolation layer connect the ends of the N isolation transmission lines to the ends of the N RF transmission lines at the N individual ports, respectively. Any path from one individual port through the common junction of the star resistor to another individual port is approximately a full wavelength λc or multiple thereof so that the phase angle through the isolation network is approximately zero degrees. This approach can achieve better isolation and power handling than the Wilkinson design while employing the benefits of planar metallization technology. |
US08319579B2 |
Passive filter and AC coupler receiver interface
An apparatus includes a capacitor coupled between a first node responsive to receive an input signal and a second node. The apparatus includes a first circuit coupled to the second node and a third node. The first circuit is selectively operable to separately configure at least one of a low-frequency gain of an equalizer and a pole of the equalizer. The equalizer includes the first circuit and the capacitor. The second node is responsive to receive an equalized version of an AC signal of the input signal in a first mode of the apparatus. The second node is responsive to receive a non-equalized version of the AC signal of the input signal in a second mode of the apparatus. The equalized version of the AC signal of the input signal may be a level-shifted and equalized version of the AC signal in the first mode of the apparatus. |
US08319578B2 |
Method and system for configurable differential or single-ended signaling in an integrated circuit
Aspects of a method and system for configurable differential or single-ended signaling in an integrated circuit. In this regard, a balun comprising one or more loops fabricated in a plurality of metal layers in an integrated circuit may enable conversion between unbalanced and balanced signals. In this regard, balanced signal output by a power amplifier may be converted to a balanced signal for transmission via an antenna. Similarly, an unbalanced signal received by an antenna may be converted to a balanced signal for amplification by an amplifier with a balanced input. The loops may be fabricated in transmission line media such as microstrip and/or stripline. The loops may comprise ferromagnetic material which may be deposited on and/or within the IC. Signals converted via the balun may be in the 61 GHz-61.5 GHz ISM band. |
US08319577B2 |
Thin film balun
To provide a thin film balun that can improve balance characteristics while maintaining miniaturization. In a thin film balun to which an embodiment relates, an auxiliary coil portion is disposed at a predetermined position so as to face any one of an unbalanced transmission line and a balanced transmission line. |
US08319573B2 |
Signal transmission arrangement
A signal transmission arrangement includes input terminals for receiving an input signal and output terminals for providing an output signal. A first transformer has a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being coupled to the input terminals. A second transformer has a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being coupled to the secondary winding of the first transformer, and the secondary winding being coupled to the output terminals. |
US08319571B2 |
Waveguide distortion mitigation devices with reduced group delay ripple
Disclosed are waveguide distortion mitigation devices that produce reduced group delay ripple in communication systems in which they are used. The devices comprise a first and second tapered waveguide sections, a first coupling device coupled to the first tapered waveguide section, and a second coupling device coupled to the second tapered waveguide section and the first waveguide coupling device. A waveguide isolator may optionally be coupled between the first and second waveguide coupling devices. The first and second coupling devices may comprise waveguide circulators or waveguide-hybrid couplers. The tapered waveguide sections may embody a single transition comprising a single waveguide wall, a single transition comprising two waveguide walls, or a plurality of transitions comprising a plurality of waveguide walls. |
US08319569B2 |
Quadrature amplitude modulator and quadrature amplitude modulation method
A quadrature amplitude modulator is provided. An oscillator generates an in-phase carrier signal having a rectangular wave, a trapezoidal wave or a waveform similar to these, and a quadrature carrier signal, the phase of which is shifted by ¼ cycle relative to the in-phase carrier signal. A multi-level driver generates an in-phase modulated signal by amplitude modulating the in-phase carrier signal with an analog in-phase baseband signal having a discrete voltage level or current level in accordance with the in-phase baseband data. Likewise, the multi-level driver generates a quadrature modulated signal by amplitude modulating the quadrature carrier signal with an analog quadrature baseband signal having a discrete voltage level or current level in accordance with the quadrature baseband data The multi-level driver generates a modulated signal, the amplitude of which takes a discrete level, by combining the modulated signals together. |
US08319568B2 |
Method of compensating an oscillation frequency and PLL
A method for compensating an oscillation frequency, a device, and a phase locked loop (PLL) is applied in the LC oscillating loop, including: sending voltage control signals to one end of a variable capacitor of an LC oscillating loop to generate oscillating signals in the LC oscillating loop through the voltage control signals; obtaining variable bias voltage that reflects changes of external parameters; and sending the variable bias voltage to the other end of the variable capacitor to compensate changes to the oscillation frequency of oscillation signals generated in the LC oscillating loop. This disclosure compensates the changes to the oscillation frequency of the circuit that contains the LC oscillating loop and improves the stability of the circuit oscillation frequency by sending bias voltage to one end of the variable capacitor of the LC oscillating loop. |
US08319566B2 |
Methods and apparatus for tuning devices having mechanical resonators
Methods and apparatus for tuning devices having mechanical resonators are described. In one implementation, a mechanical resonator and a phase shifter are configured in a feedback loop, so that the phase shifter shifts the phase of the resonator output signal. The amount of phase shift induced by the phase shifter may be variable. In another implementation, an LC tuning subcircuit is coupled to a mechanical resonator. In some implementations, the LC tuning subcircuit has a variable capacitance. One or more of the apparatus described herein may be implemented as part, or all, of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS). |
US08319562B2 |
System and method for amplifying a signal using multiple amplification stages sharing a common bias current
An apparatus including cascaded amplification stages adapted to be biased by a common DC current to generate an amplified output signal from an input signal. A first amplification stage includes a routing network to substantially double an input voltage signal, and a first transconductance gain stage to generate a first current signal from the input voltage signal. A second amplification stage includes a resonator to convert the first current signal into a second voltage signal, and a second transconductance gain stage to generate a second current signal from the first current signal. A third amplification stage includes a current gain stage to generate a third current signal from the second current signal, and a load through which the third current signal flows to generate the output signal. |
US08319559B2 |
Active bias control circuit for an amplifier and method of power up sequencing the same
An active bias control circuit for an amplifier includes a low dropout regulator for providing a regulated voltage to provide an input current to the amplifier, and a current sense circuit responsive to the low dropout regulator for sensing a scaled down replica of the input current to the amplifier. An amplifier control circuit adjusts a control voltage to the amplifier in response to the sensed, scaled down replica of the input current to regulate the input current to the amplifier. A method for power up sequencing an amplifier for an active bias control circuit for the amplifier is also disclosed. |
US08319554B1 |
Amplifier with start-up common mode feedback
An amplifier with a cascode device contains a common mode feedback circuit to ensure correct operating point in the amplifier. Common mode feedback is provided to the amplifier to maintain the common mode operating point during active operation. Additional common mode feedback is provided to the cascode devices to ensure correct start-up by forcing the node voltages to go to their desired voltage levels. |
US08319548B2 |
Integrated circuit having low power mode voltage regulator
A voltage regulator regulates voltage at a node and has circuitry coupled to the node for providing a current to the node. A regulating transistor coupled between the node and a first power supply voltage terminal has a disabling transistor coupled in parallel and is selectively disabled by directly connecting the first power supply voltage terminal to the node. An inverting stage has an output connected to the regulating transistor. A load transistor has a first current electrode coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal, and a control electrode and second current electrode connected together and coupled to an input of the inverting stage. A sensing transistor has a first current electrode coupled to the second current electrode of the load transistor, a control electrode connected directly to the node and a second current electrode coupled to the first power supply voltage terminal. |
US08319542B2 |
Integrated circuit including bypass signal path
An integrated circuit includes a bypass signal path exchanging, between transceivers which are included in the integrated circuit, a signal transmitted/received between a transceiver of the transceivers and an internal logic circuit which processes data being input/output by transceiver with bypassing the internal logic circuit, a switch switching a pathway of the bypass signal path, and a switch changeover controller transferring a switch control signal that performs a changeover of the switch. |
US08319541B2 |
Electrically tunable continuous-time circuit and method for compensating a polynomial voltage-dependent characteristic of capacitance
A capacitance compensation circuit includes an input terminal, a plurality of switches coupled to the input terminal, a plurality of varactors coupled to the plurality of switches, and a plurality of blocking capacitors coupled between the plurality of switches and the plurality of varactors. The capacitance compensation circuit further includes a plurality of adjustable biasing circuits to precisely compensate for linear and parabolic voltage dependent components of an input or other capacitor. Two such circuits can be used with a single input terminal to compensate for both increasing and decreasing voltage dependent characteristics of a target capacitor. |
US08319539B2 |
In-rush/out-rush current limiting circuit and devices containing same
An in-rush or out-rush current limiting circuit employs a low number of components to effect in-rush current limiting and may be employed in dongles or on-chip (in the case of serving as an out-rush current limiting circuit). The in-rush current limiting circuit may be employed, for example, in USB dongles, Display Port (DP) dongles, or any other suitable connector as desired. Alternatively, the circuit may be integrated onto a circuit board or within an integrated circuit as desired. Among other advantages, a lower cost, low complexity solution may be provided. In addition, bulk capacitance can be increased such as by employing a trickle resistor or other suitable limiting structure. |
US08319537B2 |
Modulation profile generator and spread spectrum clock generator including the same
There is provided a modulation profile generator and spread spectrum clock generator including the modulation profile generator. The modulation profile generator includes an input signal generator that generates an input signal; a function calculator that outputs a function calculation result in the form of a square root graph by using the input signal as an input of a function; and a profile generator that generates a non-linear modulation profile based on the function calculation result. As a result, it is possible to effectively reduce electromagnetic interference. |
US08319533B2 |
System for detecting a reset condition in an electronic circuit
There is disclosed a system for detecting the assertion of a reset signal. A plurality of circuit elements is configurable by a reset signal to output a string of data values in a predetermined pattern. A comparator receives the string of data values and determines whether the string of data values matches the predetermined pattern. If so, the comparator generates an output signal indicative of a reset. In one embodiment, the output signal of the comparator can be used to automatically trigger a reset if the reset signal has not been asserted. |
US08319532B2 |
Frequency divider with phase selection functionality
A frequency divider comprises a phase selector and a timing circuit. The phase selector is arranged to receive a plurality of input signals and a plurality of control signals and output a plurality of output signals according to the control signals, wherein a predetermined reference voltage and the input signals are selectively chosen to generate the output signals according to the control signals, and the input signals are of a same frequency but different phases. The timing circuit is arranged to receive the output signals and generate the control signals according to the output signals. |
US08319531B2 |
Multi-phase clock divider circuit
A divider circuit for dividing the frequency of a multi-phase clock signal, which can ensure a sufficient data latch time even if the multi-phase clock signal has a high frequency, includes a main latch circuit which generates an inverted data signal using, for example, two of eight clock signals of an eight-phase clock signal, and a sub-latch circuit which uses the eight clock signals as a trigger to receive the inverted data signal as a common data signal. |
US08319530B2 |
Power efficient push-pull buffer circuit, system, and method for high frequency signals
A buffer circuit includes a biasing circuit operable to generate first and second biasing signals. A capacitive network includes an input adapted to receive an input signal and the capacitive network is operable responsive to the input signal to generate first and second bootstrapped signals. A push-pull stage includes first and second control inputs and an output. The push-pull stage is coupled to the biasing circuit to receive the first and second biasing signals on the first and second control inputs, respectively, and is coupled to the capacitive network to receive the first and second bootstrapped signals on the first and second control inputs, respectively. The push-pull stage is operable to generate a buffered output signal on the output responsive to the first and second bootstrapped signals. |
US08319525B2 |
Flip-flop circuit and leakage current suppression circuit utilized in a flip-flop circuit
A flip-flop circuit includes a D flip-flop and a leakage current suppression circuit. The D flip-flop receives an input signal and a clock signal, and outputs a voltage of the input signal at a rising or falling edge of the clock signal as an output signal. The leakage current suppression circuit detects an output error caused by the leakage current flowing through at least a floating node of the D flip-flop and compensates for the leakage current to correct the output error. The leakage current suppression circuit includes a detection circuit and a compensation circuit. The detection circuit receives the output signal and clock signal and detects whether the output error has occurred to generate a detection result. The compensation circuit compensates for the leakage current according to the detection result to correct the output error. |
US08319523B2 |
Chip interface
In one aspect, an integrated circuit (IC) system includes a receiver IC configured to receive a first clock signal and includes a feedback circuit to provide a feedback signal to a driver IC. The system also includes the driver IC configured to receive a second clock signal and includes a phase selection circuit configured to provide a phase selection signal to the receiver IC based on the feedback signal. The phase selection signal controls the data received by the receiver IC by adjusting the first clock signal. |
US08319521B1 |
Safe programming of key information into non-volatile memory for a programmable logic device
A programmable logic device (PLD) is disclosed that includes a non-volatile memory; a shadow register; and a data shift register (DSR) configurable to receive control information from an external programming tool, wherein the DSR is configured to shift the control information into the shadow register if the PLD is in a first programming mode, the PLD being configurable to operate in the first programming mode using the control information stored in the shadow register without the control information being stored in the non-volatile memory. |
US08319516B2 |
Circuit for testing inrush current
A circuit is configured for testing an inrush current of a power supply. The circuit includes a capacitor module, a voltage meter, a semiconductor switch, and a current meter. The capacitor module is connected to an power source for storing electric charge. The voltage meter is connected to the capacitor module for measuring a voltage across the capacitor module. The semiconductor switch is capable of connecting the capacitor module to the power supply and being closed when the voltage across the capacitor module reaches a predetermined value. The current meter is capable of measuring the inrush current at the time the power supply is powered on. |
US08319515B2 |
Systems and methods for adjusting threshold voltage
Systems and methods for adjusting threshold voltage. A threshold voltage of a transistor of an integrated circuit is measured. A bias voltage, which when applied to a body well of the transistor corrects a difference between the threshold voltage and a desired threshold voltage for the transistor, is determined. The bias voltage is encoded into non-volatile storage on the integrated circuit. The non-volatile storage can be digital and/or analog. |
US08319511B2 |
Probe device having a structure for being prevented from deforming
A reinforcing member is formed at a top surface side of a probe card including a support plate for supporting a contactor and a circuit board. A plurality of long guide holes are formed in an outer peripheral portion of the reinforcing member. Fixing members fixed to a holding member and collars formed around outer circumferences of the fixing members are formed in the guide holes. A length in a longitudinal direction of each of the guide holes is greater than a diameter of each of the collars, and a central line in the longitudinal direction of each of the guide holes passes through a center of the reinforcing member. Due to the guide holes, horizontal expansion of the reinforcing member itself is allowed. |
US08319510B2 |
Pre-alignment method of semiconductor wafer and computer-readable recording medium having pre-alignment program recorded thereon
Disclosed is a pre-alignment method and a computer-readable medium storing a pre-alignment program capable of reducing pre-alignment time and transfer time of a semiconductor wafer. The pre-alignment method includes steps of rotating the semiconductor wafer transferred from a receiving unit onto a rotating body of a pre-alignment mechanism by a transfer mechanism, calculating and storing an eccentric value between a shaft center of the rotating body and a center of the semiconductor wafer detected by a sensor of the pre-alignment mechanism, correcting a positional deviation of the semiconductor wafer on the rotating body by the transfer mechanism according to the calculated eccentric value, when the calculated eccentric value exceeds a predetermined value, and estimating the eccentric value when conducting the pre-alignment operation for a succeeding semiconductor wafer, based on the eccentric value accumulated during the pre-alignment operation conducted for semiconductor wafers prior to the succeeding semiconductor wafer. |
US08319503B2 |
Test apparatus for measuring a characteristic of a device under test
A flicker noise test system includes a guarded signal path and an unguarded signal path selectively connectable to respective terminals of a device under test. The selected signal path is connectable a terminal without disconnecting cables or changing probes. |
US08319501B2 |
Optical component identifier
A circuit board including a plurality of components; a plurality of light sources aligned along at least one axis; and a controller configured to activate the light sources to identify at least one of the components. The components on the circuit board can be identified by the light sources in response to a variety of conditions. |
US08319500B2 |
Proximity sensor with health monitoring
A proximity sensor includes a relatively simple health monitoring circuit. The proximity sensor includes a variable gain oscillator, a feedback circuit, and a proximity determination circuit. The variable gain oscillator has a gain that varies with the proximity of a target to a sensor coil, generates an oscillating electrical signal having a substantially constant amplitude magnitude, and generates an energy signal representative of the electrical energy needed to sustain oscillations. The feedback circuit supplies feedback to the oscillator, and the proximity determination circuit, based on the energy signal, supplies a proximity signal representative of target proximity to the sensor coil. The health monitor circuit also receives the oscillating electrical signal and supplies a health status signal representative of proximity sensor health. |
US08319495B1 |
Multi-port RF systems and methods for MRI
Optimizing RF coil currents' magnitude/phase relationship, temporal modulation and spatial distribution is crucial to MR imaging performance. One key aspect for the optimization is the knowledge of B1 spatial distribution and RF power deposition associated with a coil current pattern or a source configuration, and the use of the knowledge in the optimization. Another key aspect for the optimization is a hardware infrastructure that facilitates the optimization, with, specifically, a coil structure that supports flexible current path control. The present invention relates to calibration methods and multi-channel parallel RF transmit/receive coil assemblies that improve the performance of MR imaging by addressing both aspects. |
US08319493B2 |
Rotation detecting device and bearing assembly equipped with such rotation detecting device
A rotation detecting device includes a plurality of magnetic encoders disposed coaxially and having respective numbers of magnetic poles different from each other and a plurality of magnetic sensors for detecting respective magnetic fields emanating from those magnetic encoders. Each of the magnetic sensors is in a ring form and obtains the position information within the magnetic poles of the associated magnetic encoder. A phase difference detector determines the difference in phase between magnetic field signals detected respectively by the magnetic sensors. An angle calculator is provided, which is operable on the basis of the difference in phase so detected to calculate an absolute angle of each of the magnetic encoders. A corrector corrects the initial phase difference occurring in the magnetic field signals, detected respectively by the magnetic sensors, as a result of the fitting position of the magnetic encoders. |
US08319490B2 |
Method in connection with frequency converter
A method of determining a rotational state of a three-phase alternating voltage supply which is connected to a converter and rotating in an uncontrolled manner, wherein the converter is connected to an intermediate voltage circuit and comprises phase-specific upper and lower controllable switches, which are connected in series between the intermediate voltage circuit, free-wheeling diodes connected in parallel with each of the controllable switches, and resistive circuits connected in parallel with the lower controllable switches. The method comprises the steps of selecting a voltage limit, comparing the voltages of the alternating voltage supply in the resistive circuits with the voltage limit, determining a first time instant when any of the voltages of the resistive circuits crosses the voltage limit, determining a second time instant when any of the voltages of the resistive circuits subsequently crosses the voltage limit, determining the phase sequence of the converter output phases from the phases that crossed the voltage limit at the first and second time instants, determining the frequency of the alternating voltage source from the determined time instants, the method being applicable when the voltage of the intermediate circuit is equal to or higher than the voltage of the alternating voltage source. |
US08319484B2 |
Voltage regulator system and method for efficiency optimization using duty cycle measurements
A method and system control the adding or dropping of phases in a multiphase voltage regulator. The regulator has an efficiency and this efficiency of the regulator is calculated for a given number of phases being activated from an output voltage, input voltage, output current, and duty cycle of the regulator. The efficiency of the regulator is also calculated if a phase is added using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. The efficiency of the regulator is further calculated if a phase is dropped using the derivative of the duty cycle as a function of the output current. From these operations of calculating, a phase is either added, dropped, or the phase is maintained at its current value to thereby optimize the efficiency of the regulator. |
US08319482B2 |
Power supply and power control device
A power supply includes a first switch and a second switch coupled in series between an input voltage terminal to which an input voltage is applied and a reference voltage terminal to which a reference voltage lower than the input voltage is applied, an inductor disposed between a junction coupling the first and second switches and an output terminal from which an output voltage is output, and a controller controlling the first and second switches to be alternately switched at a given switching cycle depending on an error of the output voltage with respect to a target voltage, wherein the controller changes the switching cycle from a first cycle to a second cycle longer than the first cycle, depending on a voltage at the junction when the second switch is in a turned-on state. |
US08319479B2 |
Method of estimating battery recharge time and related device
A smart battery device includes an adapter, a switch electrically connected to the adapter, a battery pack electrically connected the switch, a sense resistor electrically connected to the battery pack and the adapter, an analog preprocessing circuit electrically connected to the battery pack and the sense resistor for digitizing analog signals measured at the battery pack and the sense resistor to form digital signals, and an adaptive control circuit electrically connected to the analog preprocessing circuit for receiving the digital signals, and electrically connected to the switch for selectively turning the switch on or off according to the digital signals. |
US08319478B2 |
Dual-charger system
A dual-charger system operable to facilitate charging a battery with energy regulated by two chargers connected in parallel to the battery where one charger operates according to a voltage regulation mode and the other of the two chargers operates according to a current regulation mode. |
US08319477B2 |
Battery control method for hybrid vehicles
A hybrid control module comprises a vehicle load module and a hybrid battery discharge module. The vehicle load module determines a first power based on power delivered to an accessory power module (APM). The hybrid battery discharge module determines a discharge power based on the first power and selectively controls power consumed by an inverter based on the discharge power when a state of charge of a hybrid battery is less than a first threshold and greater than a second threshold. The inverter and the APM selectively receive power from the hybrid battery. |
US08319473B2 |
Wireless energy transmission structure
Disclosed herein is a wireless energy transmission structure, which includes a printed circuit board, a disk section, and a wire section. The printed circuit board is formed in a ring type, the disk section is constituted by a first conductive plate and a second conductive plate formed on portions of the printed circuit board corresponding to each other to be spaced by a predetermined gap and a dielectric material inserted between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate, and the wire section is constituted by a plurality of meta cells having a meta material structure, which are repetitively formed to surround the exterior and interior of the printed circuit board and a transmission line connected to each of the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate and surround the plurality of meta cells. |
US08319469B2 |
Brushless electric machine
The brushless electric machine includes a first drive member (30U) having a plurality of permanent magnets (32U); a second drive member (10) having a plurality of electromagnetic coils and capable of movement relative to the first drive member (30U); and a third drive member (30L) disposed at the opposite side from the first drive member (30U) with the second drive member (10) therebetween. The second drive member (10) has magnetic sensors (40A, 40B) for detecting the relative position of the first and second drive members. The third drive member (30L) has at locations facing the permanent magnets of the first drive member (30U) a plurality of magnetic field strengthening members (32L) for strengthening the magnetic field at the location of the second drive member (10) in conjunction with the permanent magnets. |
US08319463B2 |
Inverter apparatus, inverter control system, motor control system, and method of controlling inverter apparatus
An inverter apparatus according to the invention includes a heat sink, an inverter that includes a semiconductor device and that is attached to the heat sink, detectors that detect the temperature of the inverter, an estimator that calculates estimated values of the thermal resistance and the thermal capacity of the heat sink on the basis of the temperature detected by the detectors, and a controller that controls driving of the inverter on the basis of the estimated values. |
US08319458B2 |
Vehicular electrical system and method for controlling an inverter during motor deceleration
Methods and systems for operating an inverter coupled to an electric motor are provided. The inverter has a plurality of high switches and a plurality of low switches coupled to the electric motor. An event indicative of deceleration of the electric motor is detected. The inverter is alternated between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation during the deceleration of the electric motor. In the first mode of operation, each of the plurality of high switches is activated and each of the plurality of low switches is deactivated. In the second mode of operation, each of the plurality of low switches is activated and each of the plurality of high switches is deactivated. |
US08319455B2 |
Colorizer and method of operating the same
Systems and methods for controlling the output of a plurality of light sources. The system can include four or more light sources (e.g. light emitting diodes (“LEDs”)) and a controller. The light sources are included in, for example, a luminaire. The respective outputs of the plurality of light sources are controlled using a hue and purity (“HP”) control technique. The HP technique includes selecting a dominant hue (e.g., green, blue, red, etc.). The purity of the selected hue is then modified to include or remove wavelengths of light adjacent to the selected hue. For example, if the selected hue is green, gradually reducing the purity of the selected hue gradually increases the presence of cyan and amber in the output of the luminaire. As the purity is reduced further, additional wavelengths of light are included, but the output of the luminaire remains, in essence, green. |
US08319452B1 |
Dimming protocol detection for a light fixture
In some examples, a dimming protocol detection technology includes methods and apparatuses. In other examples, the technology includes a dimmer configured to transmit a dimming input signal. The dimming input signal is in a dimming protocol. The technology further includes a light fixture. The light fixture includes a plurality of lights and a dimming protocol detection module configured to detect the dimming protocol received in the dimming input signal. The dimming protocol is detected from a plurality of dimming protocols. The light fixture further includes a light dimming control module configured to control the plurality of lights based on the detected dimming protocol. |
US08319450B2 |
Method for igniting and starting high-pressure discharge lamps
A method for igniting and for starting high-pressure discharge lamps is provided. The method may include applying a takeover voltage to the lamp for a predetermined time of a burst; superimposing ignition pulses on the takeover voltage in such a way that the voltage of the ignition pulses and the takeover voltage are added up and an interruption being provided between two bursts; and changing the ignition pulses from burst to burst or within a burst from the positive half-cycle of the takeover voltage to the negative half-cycle of the takeover voltage, and vice versa. |
US08319449B2 |
Controlled voltage source for LED drivers
The present invention relates to an electronic device for driving a light emitting semiconductor device, which includes controlling means (CNTL) being adapted for controlling a switch mode power supply for supplying the light emitting semiconductor device in response to a sensing value received by the controlling means which is indicative of a voltage across a current source for determining a current through the light emitting semiconductor device, wherein the switch-mode power supply is controlled such that the voltage across the current source is minimum. |
US08319446B2 |
Circuit for controlling a fluorescent lamp, method for operating the circuit, and system comprising the circuit
In various embodiments, a circuit for driving a fluorescent lamp is provided. The circuit may include a half bridge including a first switch and a second switch; a drive unit for driving the first switch and the second switch, it being possible for a predetermined state to be established using the drive unit, and it being possible for the driving of the first and the second switch to be modulated as a result of the predetermined state using the drive unit. |
US08319444B2 |
Tail-less LED control circuit
The present invention discloses a tail-less LED control circuit, which includes: a power supply stage having an output terminal which provides electrical power to an LED circuit; an output capacitor coupled to the output terminal; an LED driver circuit coupled to the power supply stage for controlling the power supply stage to provide the electrical power to the LED circuit, the LED driver circuit receiving a PWM dimming signal for adjusting brightness of the LED circuit; and a MOSFET switch coupled to the output capacitor in series, the MOSFET switch switching synchronously with the PWM dimming signal to alleviate LED afterglow, wherein the MOSFET switch includes a body diode having an anode-cathode direction against the discharge direction of the output capacitor. |
US08319440B2 |
Direction controllable lighting unit
A direction controllable lighting unit (10) and use thereof in a lighting system (40) are described. A lighting unit (10) has means (16) for directing the light emission (22) into different directions. A plurality of light sources (20a, 20b) are mounted on a common body (14). The light sources (20a, 20b) are disposed to emit directed light into different directions. The light is modulated to contain identification codes ‘A’, ‘B’, which are unique. Within the lighting system (40), an optical sensor (46) is arranged in a region illuminated by the lighting unit (10). The optical sensor (46) demodulates the received light according to the identification code. A control unit (44) is connected to the optical sensor (46) and to the lighting unit (10) to control the direction of the lighting unit (10) based on information from the optical sensor (46). |
US08319438B2 |
Circuit for detecting computer states
A circuit that can detect computer states. When the computer in a S3 state, a S3 state pin of the computer is at low level, and a S4 state pin of the computer is at high level. A first light emitting diode is turned on and emits light, indicating that the computer is in the S3 state. The circuit also detects an S4 state, a network state, a hard disk state, a network awakening state, a network booting state, a low power state, and a management engine state of the computer according to seven other light emitting diodes. |
US08319437B2 |
Modular LED lighting system
According to various embodiments of the invention, an LED lighting system is providing having a replaceable driver module. In some embodiments, the replaceable driver module comprises a component that is physically attachable to an LED illumination module, whereby the attached components have a combined physical profile dimensioned for installation in a pre-existing light fixture. In further embodiments, the combined system's dimensions allow it to be installed in pre-existing fluorescent fixtures without requiring rewiring of the fixtures. In some embodiments, the LED driver module may be configured to condition power received from a fluorescent light ballast to drive the LEDs such that a pre-existing fluorescent ballast does not need to be removed. In other embodiments, the LED driver may be configured to condition main power such that a pre-existing fluorescent ballast may be removed. |
US08319434B2 |
OLED illumination device with integrated proximity sensor
The invention concerns an OLED device with a cathode 1, an anode 2 and an active stack 3, wherein the anode 1 is segmented into a plurality of anode segments 8 each defining an OLED segment 4. Further, a capacitance measuring unit 12 is provided which is arranged for measuring a plurality of capacitance coefficients between two anode segments 8 and/or between an anode segment 8 and surrounding earth, respectively. This way, an OLED device for illumination purposes with a reliable proximity sensing function is achieved. |
US08319431B2 |
Ceramic arc tube for a discharge lamp and method of making same
A High Intensity Discharge lamp and method of making same having an arc tube defining a discharge chamber with opposite ends of the tube each receiving an electrode extending into the discharge chamber and define an axial gap therebetween. A thermal shield extends from each opposite end of the arc tube and defines a radial gap with the tube. The thermal shields in some embodiments extend from end plugs in the arc tube; and, in another embodiment use formed, integrally with one arc tube sections and the tube sections joined. |
US08319430B2 |
Plasma display panel and method of manufacturing plasma display panel
A plasma display panel includes a front plate, a rear plate facing the front plate, and a phosphor layer formed on the rear plate. The phosphor layer includes a green phosphor layer containing Zn2SiO4:Mn and (Y1-X, GdX)3Al5O12:Ce, where 0≦X≦1. In Zn2SiO4:Mn, the amount of Mn is no less than 8 at. % to no more than 10 at. % relative to the total amount of Zn and Mn, and the total amount of Zn and Mn is no less than 197 at. % to no more than 202 at. % relative to the amount of Si. The amount of (Y1-X, GdX)3Al5O12:Ce is no less than 20 wt. % to no more than 50 wt. % relative to the total amount of Zn2SiO4:Mn and (Y1-X, GdX)3Al5O12:Ce. |
US08319429B2 |
Light emitting diode module having a ground lead
A light emitting diode (LED) module including a circuit board and at least one LED package is provided. The circuit board has a plurality of driving signal wirings and at least one ground wiring. The LED package is disposed on the circuit board and is electrically connected to the driving signal wirings. The LED package includes at least one LED chip, a plurality of signal leads, and at least one ground lead. The signal leads are electrically connected to the LED chip. The ground lead is electrically insulated from the signal lead and is electrically connected to the ground wiring. The ground lead is electrically insulated from the LED chip and has favorable electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection performance. |
US08319422B2 |
Electroluminescent element and light-emitting device
An electroluminescent element which can easily control the balance of color in white emission (white balance) is provided according to the present invention. The electroluminescent element comprises a first light-emitting layer containing one kind or two or more kinds of light-emitting materials, and a second light-emitting layer containing two kinds of light-emitting materials (a host material and a phosphorescent material) in which the phosphorescent material is doped at a concentration of from 10 to 40 wt %, preferably, from 12.5 to 20 wt %. Consequently, blue emission can be obtained from the first light-emitting layer and green and red (or orange) emission can be obtained from the second light-emitting layer. An electroluminescent element having such device configuration can easily control white balance since emission peak intensity changes at the same rate in case of increasing a current density. |
US08319419B2 |
Organic EL display apparatus
A display apparatus comprises a display unit which has a plurality of organic EL elements two-dimensionally arranged to define pixels. Each organic EL element comprises a first electrode, an organic EL layer, and a second electrode laminated in order on an optically transparent substrate. One of the first electrode and second electrode is an optically transparent electrode, while the other is a non-optically transparent electrode. The non-optically transparent electrode is disposed to exist only in part of each pixel, as viewed from vertically above (for example, the width of the electrode is made smaller than the width of a pixel). In this way, the display unit can transmit light through portions of the pixels in which the non-optically transparent electrodes are not disposed. Preferably, the non-optically transparent electrode includes a mirror surface opposite to the organic EL layer. |
US08319418B2 |
Organic electro-luminescence display device and method for fabricating the same
The present invention relates to an organic electro-luminescence display device and a method for fabricating the same, in which damage to a pad portion is prevented for improving yield.The organic electro-luminescence display device includes a thin film transistor array unit formed on a front surface of a lower substrate and a pad portion extended from the thin film transistor array unit, an organic EL array unit on the thin film transistor array unit having a matrix of organic EL cells, and a protective member for protecting the organic EL array unit and the thin film transistor array unit and exposing the pad portion to an outside, wherein the lower substrate has a thickness of a first region overlapped with the pad portion thicker than a thickness of a second region overlapped with the thin film transistor array unit. |
US08319414B2 |
Image display apparatus with low-potential electrode set
An image display apparatus includes a face plate including a low-potential electrode and a plate-like spacer including a longitudinal-direction end. The low-potential electrode is set at a lower potential than that of a resistive anode and is disposed between the resistive anode and a feed electrode. The longitudinal-direction end of the plate-like spacer is disposed between the resistive anode and the feed electrode so as to overlap the low-potential electrode. |
US08319411B2 |
Lamp assembly with snap-in capsule clip
A lamp (10) has a light source (12) with a distal portion (14) and a proximal portion (16), the proximal portion (16) comprising a press seal (17) having a given cross-section. A lamp envelope (18) receives the light source (12), the envelope (18) being arrayed about a longitudinal axis (20) and having a base (22) generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis (20). A clip-receiving aperture (24) is formed in the base (22), and at least one clip locator surface (26, 52, 54) is formed in the base (22) adjacent the clip-receiving aperture (24). A clip (28) is positioned in the clip-receiving aperture (24), the clip having a passage (29) shaped and formed to receive the press seal (17) of the light source (12) therein. The clip (28) has at least one first retainer (32) and at least one second retainer (33), the at least one first retainer (32) being shaped and formed to engage the at least one clip locator surface (26, 52, 54), whereby the clip (28) is located within the clip-receiving aperture (24). The at least one second retainer (33) is shaped and formed to secure the clip (28) to the base (22), and at least one third retainer (34) is shaped and formed to secure the press seal (17) of the light source (12) within the clip (28). |
US08319408B1 |
LED lamp with simplified structure
A lamp includes a housing, a cooling module and a light emitting diode. The housing has an assembling opening and an electrical connection member on two ends of the housing, wherein an inner surface of the housing defines a receiving room, and a part of the inner surface of the housing adjacent to the assembling opening is an air-guiding wall. The cooling module is disposed at the assembling opening of the housing to form at least one air channel between the cooling module and the air-guiding wall, wherein the cooling module has an air-guiding passage communicating with the receiving room of the housing. The light emitting diode is coupled with the cooling module. Therefore, there is no air inlet or outlet formed on the housing of the LED lamp, so as to provide a simplified structure and to maintain the exterior integrity of the LED lamp. |
US08319406B2 |
Lighting device and method of cooling a lighting device
The invention relates to a light device comprising a light source (2), a ventilation unit (3) and a sealed transparent casing (4) sealing the inside (5) of the casing from the outside of the casing (4). The light source (2) and the ventilation unit (3) are located within the casing (4) and the ventilation unit (3) is adapted for generating a gas flow (6, 7) for transporting heat generated by the light source (2) to an inner surface (8) of the casing (4). |
US08319404B2 |
Surface-mountable quartz-crystal devices and methods for manufacturing same
In an exemplary method for making crystal vibrating devices, four wafers are provided: a crystal wafer, a base wafer, a first-lid wafer, and a second-lid wafer. The crystal wafer defines multiple crystal vibrating pieces including respective frames and respective electrodes formed on both main surfaces thereof. The base wafer defines multiple base plates bondable to one main surface of respective frames. The first-lid wafer defines multiple first lids bondable to the other main surface of the respective frames. Each first lid defines a void registrable with respective electrodes. The second-lid wafer is sized similarly to and bondable to the first-lid wafer so as to sealably close the voids. In a first bonding step the crystal wafer is bonded to the base wafer and first-lid wafer. In a subsequent adjustment step the thickness of at least one electrode per each crystal vibrating piece is adjusted to adjust the vibrational frequency of the respective vibrating portion. Thickness adjustment occurs through the respective voids. In a second bonding step, the second-lid wafer is bonded to the first-lid wafer. The resulting wafer sandwich is cut up into individual quartz crystal devices. |
US08319394B2 |
Acoustic wave device and method for manufacturing the same
Provided are an acoustic wave device and a method for manufacturing the same, the acoustic wave device being effectively prevented from expanding and contracting due to temperature change and having a small frequency shift. The acoustic wave device of the present invention has a piezoelectric substrate (1) having an IDT (2) formed on one principal surface of the piezoelectric substrate (1), and a thermal spray film (3) formed on an opposite principal surface (1b) of the piezoelectric substrate (1), the thermal spray film being of a material having a smaller linear thermal expansion coefficient than the piezoelectric substrate (1) and having grain boundaries and pores (4), at least a part of which is filled with a filling material (5). |
US08319393B2 |
Reduced voltage MEMS electrostatic actuation methods
Cantilever beam electrostatic actuators are disclosed. A cantilever beam electrostatic actuator in accordance with the present invention comprises an actuator beam having a first width at a support anchor point and a second width at a distal end of the actuator, wherein the first width is narrower than the second width. Another actuator in accordance with the present invention comprises an actuator region, having a first width, a beam, having a second width, coupled between an edge of the actuator region and a pivot point, the beam being approximately centered on the actuator region, wherein the second width is narrower than the first width, and at least one auxiliary actuator flap, coupled to the actuator region, the at least one auxiliary actuator flap coupled to the actuator region along the edge of the actuator region, the at least one auxiliary actuator flap being farther away from a centerline of the actuator than the beam. |
US08319392B2 |
Motor
A motor may include a stator provided with a yoke having a plurality of pole teeth and an exciting coil and a rotor disposed in a circular space surrounded by the pole teeth. A portion where a difference between an inner side area of the pole tooth facing the rotor and an outer side area of the pole tooth facing the exciting coil is larger than a difference between the inner side area and the outer side area of the pole tooth where both circumferential direction faces of the pole tooth are formed in faces coincided with normal lines may be provided on a root part of the pole tooth. Further, circumferential direction faces of at least a root part of the pole tooth are formed so as to face the rotor in an inclined manner. |