Document Document Title
US08336110B2 Authentication of content download
According to the invention, a method for authenticating download of a number of digital content files ordered from a web site is disclosed. In one step, a selection of the digital content files is received with the web site. Download manager software, media information, the digital content files, and first codes for each of the digital content files are sent to the client computer. The media information indicates a location of each of the number of digital content files. A first code is calculated for each of the digital content files. If the client computer determines that the first code doesn't match a second code for a particular digital content file, it is resent.
US08336106B2 Method to control the access to conditional access audio/video content
The present invention aims at solving the financial revenue loss due to the presence of digital video recorders that allow skipping the commercial breaks.The solution is based on a method to control the access to conditional access audio/video content comprising at least one advertisement section, said content being played on a digital video recorder associated with a security module (SM) and being formed by at least an advertisement section and a main content section, this method comprising the steps of: defining a control information associated with the audio/video content, said control information being stored in the security module, updating the control information in the security module with condition information included in an Control Message relating to the advertisement section of the audio/video content, receiving by the security module of an Control Message relating to the main content section of said audio/video content and containing a condition information in relation with the stored control information, verifying that the condition information contained in the Control Message relating to the main content section match with the stored control information, and in the positive event, returning to the digital video recorder an authorization signal allowing the access the main content section of the audio/video content.
US08336104B2 Generation and use of digital contents
Provided are the generation and the use of user generated contents (UGC) to which a creative commons license (CCL) is applied. In a method of generating digital contents, a user interface window including a clause for managing digital contents copyright information and displaying the user interface window is generated, and digital contents including copyright information selected from the displayed user interface window is generated.
US08336100B1 Systems and methods for using reputation data to detect packed malware
A computer-implemented method for using reputation data to detect packed malware may include: 1) identifying a file downloaded from a portal, 2) determining that the file has been packed, 3) obtaining community-based reputation data for the file, 4) determining, by analyzing the reputation data, that instances of the file have been encountered infrequently (or have never been encountered) within the community, and then 5) performing a security operation on the file (by, for example, quarantining or deleting the file).
US08336095B2 User space virtualization system
A user-space virtualization (USV) program to allow legacy applications in embedded systems to share resources without modification without compromising security is provided. A computer-implemented USV program may be characterized by a method in a user-space including retrieving a native code of an application, and identifying an instruction sequence. Further, identifying the instruction sequence includes, first, determining if executing the instruction sequence to perform processing is a possible security risk. If it is a possible security risk, then confirming that there is an execute authority for an active application. Execute authority may be confirmed by a security manager or a processor. If it is confirmed by the security manager that the active application has the execute authority for processing, then executing the instruction sequence with a processor. If the active application has no execute authority for processing, then not executing the instruction sequence. On the other hand, if executing the instruction sequence to perform processing is not a possible security risk, then executing the instruction sequence with the processor.
US08336093B2 Abnormal IPSec packet control system using IPSec configuration and session data, and method thereof
An abnormal Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) packet control system and method utilizes IPSec configuration and session data to detect whether or not packets encrypted by an extended header are abnormal. The IPSec packet control system can include an extended header processing unit that receives an IPSec packet and extracts the data to be used in traffic control; check units for checking the packets in the stages of IPSec configuration and IPSec communication that receive the extracted data to determine whether or not the IPSec packet has passed; and a control unit that allows the IPSec to pass or to be blocked according to a determination result from the check units for checking the IPSec configuration and communication packets, where abnormal IPSec packets are blocked using the IPSec configuration and session tables without requiring them to be decrypted and encrypted.
US08336092B2 Communication control device and communication control system
The present invention provides a technique for improving the security of access to contents.A virus/phishing site list contains a list of URLs of phishing sites, which masquerade as valid websites and are provided with an attempt to acquire private information including card numbers, PIN numbers and passwords, from users illegally. When a communication control unit receives, via a network, a packet that contains communication data for requesting access to a content, a search circuit compares the URL of the content to be accessed included in the communication data, with URLs of phishing sites included in the virus/phishing site list. If the address of the content to be accessed matches a URL of a phishing site, a process execution circuit will prohibit the access to the content.
US08336088B2 Alias management and value transfer claim processing
An alias management and value transfer claim processing system is disclosed. A sending entity initiates value transfer identifying a recipient entity using an alias that is unregistered with the system. The value transfer is authorized, but not settled until the recipient entity registers with the system and claims the value transfer. The registered alias can be used for subsequent value transfers.
US08336086B2 Authentication method using icon password
A method of authenticating a user of a terminal operating a server and connected to the terminal through a communication network, in which a password needed for authentication is inputted as icons, rather than numerals or characters, thereby preventing leakage or theft of the password. Through the present invention, security is improved in processing a password in an information processing device or a communication network, and furthermore, leakage of the password is fundamentally prevented in the process of inputting the password by a user. Therefore, an effect of securing reliability of the overall authentication process may be obtained.
US08336078B2 Role-based access in a multi-customer computing environment
An actor is associated with a role, a policy type is associated with the role, and a role scope is associated with the role. One or more values are received for one or more corresponding context parameters associated with the actor. A request for access to a resource is received from the actor. A policy instance is determined based on the policy type and the one or more values for the one or more corresponding context parameters associated with the actor. One or more actor-role scope values are determined based on the role scope and the one or more values for the one or more corresponding context parameters associated with the actor. A response to the request is determined based on the policy instance and the actor-role scope values.
US08336077B2 System and method for internet access to a personal television service
A communication system and a family of methods for remote access to personal television service are disclosed. According to this invention, a remote personal TV service center provides centralized program guide information. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a digital video recorder which is connected to the personal TV service center via telephone modem or a network server. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a remote computer terminal or a personal digital assistant which is connected to a computer network. The user selects program events and programs the digital video recorder by using a graphical user interface installed in the front panel of the digital video recorder in case of local programming, or using a similar GUI which is incorporated into the Web pages presented to remote users by a Web server in case of remote programming. The media stream stored in one digital video recorder may be transferred to another digital video recorder. For data security protection during data transfer, all communication are authenticated and encrypted.
US08336072B2 Television receiver device
A television receiver device including first and second tuners for receiving first and second multiplexes of channels, each multiplex including at least one channel carrying a succession of programs, actual event information providing information relating to channels in the respective multiplex and other event information providing information relating to channels of other multiplexes. A program is scheduled to be broadcast at the same time in different first and second formats respectively in the first and second multiplexes. The device further includes a user interface configured to allow selection of a channel of said first multiplex; a controller configured to tune said first tuner to said first multiplex and to select said channel of said first multiplex; wherein the controller is configured to be responsive to the channel selected by the user interface carrying said program to tune said second tuner to said second multiplex. The device further includes an event unit configured to acquire from said second multiplex actual event information for said program.
US08336071B2 System and method for modifying advertisement responsive to EPG information
A system and method for utilizing data stored in an EPG database for modifying advertisement information. In this way, a service provider and/or an advertiser can transmit a single advertisement to all the television stations regardless of their geographic location and other user specific information, and need not re-transmit the advertisement even if there is a change in the show's program description. When the advertisement is displayed, the correct updated information is retrieved from the EPG database and inserted into the advertisement.In one aspect, the present invention describes a method for modifying an advertisement in an EPG comprising the steps of: storing television schedule information in a first database; storing advertisement information in a second database; incorporating a portion of the television schedule information into a portion of the advertisement information to form a modified advertisement; and displaying the modified advertisement on a screen.
US08336070B2 Digital photo frame with television function and method thereof
A method used in a digital photo frame (DPF) with television function is provided. The DPF has a DPF mode for playing multimedia files stored in a storage and a television (TV) mode for playing TV programs received by a TV receiving module. The method includes: fetching TV program information from a TV program schedule when the DPF is in the DPF mode; detecting whether at least one TV program is airing soon or currently aired at the current time; displaying a TV listing menu prompt containing information on the at least one “airing soon” or “currently aired” TV program; receiving a mode switching signal and changing the operational mode of the DPF to the TV mode; and receiving and playing one of the “airing soon” or “currently aired” TV programs.
US08336069B1 Method and system for adaptive electronic programming guide
This invention provides a television schedule system and process that allows an electronic programming guide designer to add a capability to change program listing appearance adaptively, based on a signal from a user or broadcaster.
US08336068B2 Broadcast signal processing apparatus and channel tuning method
A broadcast signal processing apparatus and channel tuning method are provided. The method comprises a host including Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP) middleware for communication with an application program provided from a broadcasting station, and a memory for storing programs and data. The method further includes: transferring the input channel tuning key signal to the application program and a service context portion in the OCAP middleware; creating a virtual inner channel map in the service context portion, and obtaining channel information from the virtual inner channel map; performing channel tuning in advance using the obtained channel information; searching the channel information by the application program; requesting channel tuning to the OCAP middleware with the searched channel information; judging whether the searched channel information is identical to the obtained channel information; and completing channel tuning by taking the advance tuning if both channel information are identical to each other.
US08336066B2 Communication apparatus and event processing method of the same
An intercom notifies a television connected via a network of an occurrence of an event. The intercom includes an event message generating unit that generates an event message indicating the occurrence of the event and including media information indicating media of event information that is obtainable by the television and that is associated with the event, and a communication unit that transmits the event message to the television via the network.
US08336060B2 Information processing apparatus and control method thereof
An apparatus having an OS to perform exclusive control among programs that are based on a predetermined API on a channel for communicating with a peripheral, a first driver for the peripheral to startup based on a request that is based on the predetermined API and communicate with the peripheral via the channel, a second driver for the peripheral to startup based on a request that is not based on the predetermined API and communicate with the peripheral via the channel, a program to communicate with the peripheral via the channel, and a controller to, when the second driver is started up based on a request that is not based on the predetermined API, if the program is using the channel, close the channel that the program is using based on exclusive control by the OS by starting the first driver.
US08336059B2 Access right checking system, access right checking method, and access right checking program
An access right checking method conducts an access right check on a request destination OS (Operating System) according to a right of a subject executed on a requestor OS when the subject issues an access request to access the object, the subject being an access main body on the requestor OS. A first step causes the request destination OS to execute the access request from the requestor OS on the request destination OS by proxy. A second step causes the request destination OS to acquire the subject information on the subject executed on the requestor OS. A third step causes the request destination OS to convert the subject information to be allocated to access request proxy means. A fourth step causes the request destination OS to check whether the access request at the second step has a right to access the object.
US08336058B1 Balancing a load on a multiple consumer queue
Disclosed are various embodiments for balancing a load on a queue among multiple consumers. A target polling hit rate is derived for at least one queue from a consumer load. The consumer load dictates a read rate of the at least one queue. The consumer load on the at least one queue is adjusted responsive to a difference between the target polling hit rate and an observed polling hit rate for the at least one queue.
US08336054B2 System and method for allocating capacity of shared resources to a workload
A method comprises defining a scheduler parameter for a maximum allocation of capacity of a shared resource to a consumer for a scheduling interval. Utilization of an allocated capacity of the shared resource by the consumer during a given scheduling interval is measured, and when the allocated capacity of the shared resource is completely utilized by the consumer during the given scheduling interval, the scheduler increases the allocated capacity of the shared resource to the defined maximum allocation for the consumer for a next scheduling interval. Thus, rather than gradually increasing the allocation of capacity over many intervals, the scheduler immediately increases the allocation to a predefined maximum amount in response to an allocated amount of capacity being completely utilized during a scheduling interval.
US08336043B2 Dynamic deployment of custom code
A method and system for dynamically downloading custom code for execution within a host application is provided. A deployment system augments the manifest used for deploying managed applications to include information describing how the host application is to use the custom code, referred to as host manifest information. The deployment system reports the progress of the downloading of the manifest and the custom code to the host application. The host application can then perform appropriate host-specific processing. The host application may provide to the deployment system an interface for verifying the trust of the custom code. The deployment system also allows the host application to control the uninstalling of the custom code.
US08336041B2 Compiler and compiling method
A compiler allocates an unroll_group_number conferred based on a sequence in which a loop body is replicated by loop unrolling to each loop body during loop unrolling based on the optimized number of loop unrolling. The allocated unroll_group_number is added to each instruction included in each loop body. A priority of an instruction is adjusted based on the allocated unroll_group_number during instruction scheduling.
US08336038B2 System and method for parallel execution of a program
A computer system for executing a computer program on parallel processors, the system having a compiler for identifying within a computer program concurrency markers that indicate that code between them can be executed in parallel and should be executed with delayed side-effects; and an execution system that is operable to execute the code identified by the concurrency markers to generate a queue of side-effects and after execution of that code is completed, sequentially execute the queue of side-effects.
US08336031B2 Method and system of performing thread scheduling
A method and system of performing thread scheduling. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are computer-readable mediums storing a program that, when executed by a processor of a host system, causes the processor to instantiate a CPU object that represents a processor abstraction, create a CPU context object that represents a thread abstraction (wherein the CPU context object is associated to a method, and wherein the CPU context object is mapped onto the CPU object), and execute the method within the CPU object.
US08336030B1 System and method for coding standard testing
A system facilitates verification of computer code. The system receives multiple versions of the computer code. A code verification engine checks the received code against one or more metrics, such as coding standard violations. A code differencing compares the received versions of computer code, and identifies the differences between them. An interactive presentation unit presents one or more analysis reports regarding coding violations located in the received versions. An analysis report includes a plurality of entries hierarchically organized in conformance with the entities of the received code. The analysis report indicates the number of coding violations identified for the entities of the received code in a side-by-side, comparative arrangement. A user can thus compare the number of coding violations present in the received versions.
US08336026B2 Supporting a work packet request with a specifically tailored IDE
A method, system, and computer-readable medium for aiding a user who is servicing a work packet request in a software factory. A full work packet-aware Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is created and sent to the user. This full work packet-aware IDE provides specifically tailored access to all hardware, software, licenses, normative guidance and other resources that are needed by the user to service the work packet request.
US08336025B1 Pattern modeling methods and systems
In a computer-implemented method, models are designed with a design tool. A selected construct is determined. A selected computing environment, into which the selected construct is being placed, is identified, the computing environment being selected from at least one textual and at least one graphical computing environments. A template based on the selected computing environment is selected. The selected template is inserted into the selected computing environment.
US08336023B2 Extensible code visualization
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing extensible code visualization are presented. Program code is received. A model is generated relating to the program code. The model is mapped to a user interface (UI) to produce a UI reflecting the program code. Changes made to the program code are reflected in the UI and changes made to the UI are reflected in the program code via the model.
US08336020B2 Computing device and method for inspecting layout of printed circuit board
In a method for inspecting the layout of a printed circuit board (PCB), a component to be checked is determined from an electronic layout diagram of the PCB, and a power transmission line which may be serving that component is selected. The layout diagram is checked to determine whether the component is connected to the power transmission line, and further checked to determine whether more than one ground pins of the component is connected to the power transmission line. Vias that are shared by two or more ground pins of the component are determined if more than one ground pin is connected to the power transmission line. Shared vias are marked on the layout diagram.
US08336018B2 Power grid optimization
A global power distribution network in an integrated circuit comprising a first layer of conductive material and a second layer of conductive material. The first layer of conductive material may be (i) coupled to one or more power supplies and (ii) configured to form a plurality of first rails of a mesh. The first rails may (a) supply power to one or more components of a core logic of the integrated circuit, (b) be aligned with a first axis of the integrated circuit, and (c) have one or more parameters configured such that the mesh has a uniform voltage gradient from a perimeter of the integrated circuit to a center of the integrated circuit along the first axis. The second layer of conductive material may be (i) coupled to the one or more power supplies and (ii) configured to form a plurality of second rails of the mesh. The second rails may (a) supply power to one or more components of the core logic, (b) be aligned with a second axis of the integrated circuit, and (c) have one or more parameters configured such that the mesh comprises a uniform voltage gradient from the perimeter of the integrated circuit to the center of the integrated circuit along the second axis.
US08336017B2 Architecture optimizer
Systems and methods are disclosed to automatically generate a custom integrated circuit (IC) described by a computer readable code or model. The IC has one or more timing and hardware constraints. The system extracts parameters defining the processor architecture from a static profile and a dynamic profile of the computer readable code; iteratively optimizes the processor architecture by changing one or more parameters of the architecture in a hierarchical manner until all timing and hardware constraints expressed as a cost function are met using an architecture optimizer (AO); and synthesizes the generated processor architecture into a computer readable description of the custom integrated circuit for semiconductor fabrication.
US08336011B2 Methods for fabricating an electrically correct integrated circuit
A method for fabricating an integrated circuit is disclosed that includes, in accordance with an embodiment, providing a logical design for the semiconductor device and comparing an element in the logical design to a library of element patterns. The library of element patterns is derived by identifying layout patterns having electrical properties that deviate from modeled properties; the library also includes a quantitative measure of deviation from the modeled properties. In response to the comparing and with consideration of the quantitative measure, a determination is made as to whether the element is acceptable in the logical design. A mask set is generated that implements the logical design using either the element or a modified element if the element is not acceptable, and the mask set is employed to implement the logical design in and on a semiconductor substrate.
US08336010B1 Design-specific on chip variation de-rating factors for static timing analysis of integrated circuits
In one embodiment of the invention, a method of analysis of a circuit design with respect to within-die process variation is disclosed to generate a design-specific on chip variation (DS-OCV) de-rating factor. The method includes executing a static timing analysis (STA) in an on-chip variation mode using a process corner library. Collecting timing information of the top N critical timing paths. Executing a statistical static timing analysis (SSTA) on the N critical timing paths using timing models characterized for SSTA with sensitivities of delays to process variables. Compare the two timing results and deriving DS-OCV de-rating factors for the clock/data paths to be used in a STA OCV timing analysis to correctly account for the effects of process variations. A user may select to specify DS-OCV de-rating factors for paths or groups of paths and achieve an accurate timing analysis report in a reduced amount of run-time.
US08336009B2 Method and apparatus for electronic system function verification at two levels
A method for verifying functionality of a system-on-chip (SoC) comprises modeling a system block in first and second models at a first level and a second level lower than the first level, respectively. A stimulus transaction is generated at a first testbench at the first level. The stimulus transaction is transmitted from the first testbench to a second testbench at the second level. The stimulus transaction is transformed into a first response transaction, using the first model, at the first level. The stimulus transaction received at the second testbench is transformed into a second response transaction, using the second model, at the second level. The first and second response transactions are stored in first and second response queues, respectively. Functionality of the SoC at the first and second levels is verified based on a comparison at the first testbench between head entries of the first and second response queues.
US08336008B2 Characterization of long range variability
Mechanisms are provided for characterizing long range variability in integrated circuit manufacturing. A model derivation component tests one or more density pattern samples, which are a fabricated integrated circuits having predetermined pattern densities and careful placement of current-voltage (I-V) sensors. The model derivation component generates one or more empirical models to establish range of influence of long range variability effects in the density pattern sample. A variability analysis component receives an integrated circuit design and, using the one or more empirical models, analyzes the integrated circuit design to isolate possible long range variability effects in the integrated circuit design.
US08336006B2 Mask-layout creating method, apparatus therefor, and computer program product
According to one embodiment, a design layout highly likely to be a dangerous point in a lithography process is set, a coherence map kernel for generating the mask layout is set with respect to the set design layout, the coherence map is created based on the set coherence map kernel and the set design layout, the auxiliary pattern is extracted from the created coherence map and shaped to generate the mask layout, a cost function COST for evaluating an optimization degree of the mask layout is defined, the generated mask layout is evaluated using the cost function, and at least one of parameters of the coherence map kernel and parameters in extracting and shaping the auxiliary pattern from the coherence map are changed until the mask layout evaluated using the cost function is optimized.
US08336000B2 Method for determining position of auxiliary pattern, method for manufacturing photomask, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for determining position of an auxiliary pattern on a photomask. The method can include generating a first set for each of three or more imaging positions of an exposure optical system. The method can include generating a second set for each of the three or more imaging positions by inverse Fourier transforming each of the first set. The method can include calculating a second order differential with respect to the imaging position of an index indicating amplitude of light belonging to the second set. In addition, the method can include extracting a position where the second order differential assumes an extremal value on an imaging plane of the exposure optical system. At least part of positions on the photomask each corresponding to the position assuming the extremal value on the imaging plane is used as a formation position of the auxiliary pattern.
US08335999B2 System and method for optical shearing
A method of exposing a pattern on a light sensitive surface comprises forming a spatially modulated light beam including a rectangular matrix pattern of rows and columns of image data over a surface, wherein the spatially modulated light beam is operable to expose contiguous sub-exposure areas of the surface, each sub-exposure area associated with a datum of the image data, aligning one of the rows or columns of the spatially modulated light beam with a scan direction and the other one of the rows and columns of the spatially modulated light beam with a cross-scan direction for exposing the surface, shearing at least one portion of the modulated light beam with respect to a second portion of the modulated light beam in a cross scan direction by an amount less than a center to center distance between two sub-exposure areas in a cross scan direction, exposing the surface in the scan direction with the sheared spatially modulated light beam, and overlapping exposed sub-areas in the cross scan direction as a result of the scanning.
US08335997B2 Electronic device and method for sorting menu options of a program menu in the electronic device
A method for sorting menu options in a program menu of an electronic device creates an order parameter, a basic count parameter, and a carry count parameter to each menu option. The basic count parameters, the carry count parameters, and the order parameters are recalculated in response to a user-selected menu option, a user-added menu option, or a user-deleted menu option. The menu options are displayed according to the order parameters.
US08335996B2 Methods of interfacing with multi-input devices and multi-input display systems employing interfacing techniques
Methods and systems for interfacing with multi-input devices employ various techniques for controlling the window framing of images. Such techniques provide control, including moving, sizing, and orientating, of one or more displayed window frames in which one or more images are displayed.
US08335994B2 Method and apparatus for providing content to a computing device
Methods and systems for providing content (e.g., such as web content) to a computing device are disclosed. An example method for providing web content includes receiving, from a first computing device, a request for the web content and determining a device type of the first computing device. The example method further includes retrieving the web content and modifying the web content based on the device type. The example method still further includes providing the modified web content to the first computing device for display on the first computing device.
US08335987B2 Interactive product configurator
A product configurator is based on a constraint network having a plurality of nodes. The product configurator, when it receives a user choice, determines which nodes in the constraint network are affected by the user choice. For each affected node, the product configurator stores the prior domain state of the node and associates the stored prior domain state with the user choice. Therefore, the nodes can be restored to their prior state if the user choice is later removed for any reason.
US08335982B1 System and method for binding a document object model through JavaScript callbacks
A system and method for binding a form through a JavaScript callback is disclosed herein. During a first session, inputted information in a form is bound with a plurality of JavaScript callbacks. When the session is closed and again reopened, the inputted form is called containing the information inputted from the first session.
US08335980B2 Device and method for managing electronic bookmarks, corresponding storage means
A device for managing electronic bookmarks. The device includes an element implementing a main function of managing electronic bookmarks, activated at start-up and at determined instants, except when the device switches to a stand-by mode. The element implementing the main function includes: a transmitter, allowing transmission to a server a request to obtain a preconfigured list of bookmarks, wherein the request includes a log-in of the device; a receiver, allowing the preconfigured list transmitted by the server in response to the request to be received; a display, allowing the preconfigured list to be displayed; and an element allowing a user to use the bookmarks of the preconfigured list displayed. The device does not include an element that helps in initial construction of the preconfigured list on the server nor an element that helps to add to the preconfigured list at least one additional bookmark not previously proposed by the server.
US08335972B2 Soft decision device and soft decision method
A soft decision device and method for obtaining a soft decision value as a value expressing a probability as near the actual probability as possible by simple processing. The soft decision device and method are used to output a soft decision value for each bit of each symbol used for decoding the each symbol as a value corresponding to the function value obtained by applying a predetermined function for each bit to the sampled value of the each symbol according to the demodulated signal such that the probability distribution of the sampled value in each symbol point is the Gauss distribution. The function for each bit is approximated to a curve expressing the probability that each bit is 1 or 0 for the sampled value of each symbol of the demodulated signal and defined by using a quadratic function.
US08335971B2 Application of a meta-viterbi algorithm for communication systems without intersymbol interference
Herein described is a system and a method of detecting and correcting data bit errors using a sequence of one or more codewords transmitted through a communication channel without intersymbol interference. Each of the one or more codewords incorporates or encodes one or more parity bits. The codewords are processed by a Non-ISI Meta-Viterbi detector that utilizes a Meta-Viterbi algorithm. The Non-ISI Meta-Viterbi detector comprises an event weight processor, a computational circuitry, a parity syndrome calculator, and an error correction circuitry. The Non-ISI Meta-Viterbi detector receives an output generated from a symbol detector and processes the received output using a trellis having 2t states. In a representative embodiment, the Non-ISI Meta-Viterbi detector performs χ+2t2t add, compare, and select operations.
US08335966B1 Dual parity RAID wherein no more than N+1 data symbols contribute to any parity symbol
An efficient RAID-6 double parity erasure code scheme. Efficiency is provided by the addition of a single term to a diagonal parity equation. For example, in a five-wide layout (having five physical storage devices) the RAID-6 “parity diagonals” end up with six terms, which are the actual diagonal plus one more data block. As a result, no one data symbol contributes to the erasure code determined from the data symbols, such that no more than n+1 data symbols contribute to any one parity symbol.
US08335963B2 Method for constructing checking matrix of LDPC code and coding amd decoding apparatus utilizing the method
The present invention relates to a method for constructing LPDC code check matrix and encoding and decoding devices using the same. The present invention constructs the LDPC code check matrix using an algebraic structure, obtaining the LDPC code with stable performance.
US08335961B2 Facilitating probabilistic error detection and correction after a memory component failure
A system that provides error detection and correction for a memory that has a specific failed memory component accesses a block of data from the memory. Each block of data includes an array of bits logically organized into rows and columns, including a column including row-checkbits, a column including inner checkbits and data bits, and columns containing data bits. Each column is stored in a different memory component and the checkbits are generated from the data bits. Next, the system attempts to correct a column of the block by using the checkbits and the data bits to produce a corrected column. The system then regenerates row-parity bits and the inner checkbits for the block of data, wherein the block includes the corrected column, and compares the regenerated row-parity bits and inner checkbits with existing row-parity bits and inner checkbits. If the comparison indicates that there remains a double-bit error with both erroneous bits in the same row and one in the column associated with the failed component, the system flips the erroneous bits to correct the double-bit error.
US08335960B2 Method and system for detecting and correcting errors while accessing memory devices in microprocessor systems
Systems and methods for ensuring data integrity in a data processing system are disclosed. The method may include monitoring when data for a specified device is available for error correction code generation. A new error correction code may be generated in hardware for the data, based on the indicated size of the data. Detected errors may be corrected in software, based on the generated new error correction code. A first indication of the specified device, a second indication of the data and a third indication of a size of the data may be received during the monitoring. The method may also include indicating when the generating of the new error correction code for a specified number of accesses for at least a portion of the data is complete, and enabling or disabling the error correction code generation. The enabling and/or the disabling may be accomplished via an enable signal.
US08335959B2 Signaling reserved hybrid automatic repeat request information for downlink semi-persistent scheduling
A method is provided for reuse of one of a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) Process ID. The method includes receiving signaling used to associate at least one of the plurality of HARQ Process IDs with semi-persistent scheduling. The method further includes determining an activation of a semi-persistent resource. The method further includes associating the at least one of the plurality of HARQ Process IDs with the semi-persistent resource. The method further includes receiving a non-semi-persistent data communication utilizing the at least one of a plurality of HARQ Process IDs.
US08335948B2 Tail extrapolator and method
A method is provided for quantizing an input signal. The number of equal quantized values during a period of time is counted thereby obtaining said number of counts. The counts exceeding a count threshold being defined as reliable counts, the counts lower than or equal to the count threshold being defined as unreliable counts. Two unreliable counts are calculated using a lower and a higher value for a first parameter in an extrapolating function. The first parameter is considered equivalent to the lower value if the two unreliable counts differ less than or equal to a count difference. The invention further discloses a corresponding tail extrapolator.
US08335944B2 Automatic testing apparatus
The present invention relates to an automatic testing apparatus, which comprises a device under test and a testing module. The device under test has a testing program and includes a plurality of functional modules. The testing module is coupled to the device under test. The device under test executes a testing program and communicates with the testing module so that the testing module can test the plurality of functional modules of the device under test. By adopting automatic testing, no tester is needed for performing testing. Thereby, the personnel cost can be reduced and the total testing time can be shortened.
US08335942B2 Hang recovery in software applications
Various embodiments provide a guard mechanism that is configured to prevent transmission of synchronous function calls to hung application components. In at least some embodiments, a hang resistance application layer intercepts a synchronous function call that is intended for an application component. Before permitting the synchronous function call to be transmitted to the application component, the hang resistance application layer determines whether the application component is hung by transmitting a message other than the synchronous function call to the application component that requests that a response be received before transmission of the synchronous function call to the application component is permitted. Responsive to determining that the component is hung, a hung component recovery process is initiated.
US08335941B2 Method for reducing power consumption of a computer system in the working state
A method for reducing power consumption of a computer system in a working state is provided. The computer system comprises a processor, a memory and a chipset, and the processor is connected with the chipset through a processor bus. The method comprises classifying the power saving level of the computer system into a predetermined number of power saving modes, checking at least one power saving mode transition condition to determine whether to automatically raise the power saving mode of the computer system, and raising the power saving mode of the computer system by lowering a first voltage supply level of the chipset and a second voltage supply level of the memory and decreasing a first working frequency of the processor bus and a second working frequency of the memory. The power consumption of the computer system is further reduced in comparison with a normal working state when the power saving mode of the computer system is further raised.
US08335938B2 Method and device for activation of components
A method and electronic device for activating components based on predicted device activity. The method and device include maintaining a set of device activity information storing data collected from components in the device. The device activity information may be maintained over a predetermined time period and may include times associated with the collected component data. The device activity information may include data regarding scheduled events. Device activity and the appropriate activation state of a component on the device may be predicted based on the current time, current data collected from components in the device and data in the device activity information.
US08335937B2 Method and system for discoverability of power saving P2P devices
In a method and system, a first wireless device may be periodically cycled between an available state and a power saving state. While in the available state, the first wireless device may receive a probe request sent from a second wireless device operating in a discovery state. The first wireless device may transmit a probe response to the second wireless device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08335934B2 Assessing conditions of power consumption in computer network
A network system forms a computer network, and includes: a collecting unit; a calculating unit; and a display unit. The collecting unit collects power consumption information from a connecting device. The power consumption information shows power consumption of the connecting device. The calculating unit calculates power consumption of the computer network based on the collected power consumption information. The calculated power consumption is itemized into constituent units based on a configuration of the computer network. The display unit displays the calculated power consumption.
US08335932B2 Local trusted services manager for a contactless smart card
Systems, methods, computer programs, and devices are disclosed herein for deploying a local trusted service manager within a secure element of a contactless smart card device. The secure element is a component of a contactless smart card incorporated into a contactless smart card device. An asymmetric cryptography algorithm is used to generate public-private key pairs. The private keys are stored in the secure element and are accessible by a trusted service manager (TSM) software application or a control software application in the secure element. A non-TSM computer with access to the public key encrypts and then transmits encrypted application data or software applications to the secure element, where the TSM software application decrypts and installs the software application to the secure element for transaction purposes.
US08335929B2 Communication across domains
Communication across domains is described. In at least one implementation, a determination is made that an amount of data to be communicated via an Iframe exceeds a threshold amount. The data is divided into a plurality of portions that do not exceed the threshold amount. A plurality of messages is formed to communicate the divided data across domains.
US08335928B2 Information providing system and method and storage medium
An information providing system and method and a storage medium which provide information services to each client apparatus on which a browser for browsing content and at least one object operate, through the cooperation with the operation of the object. A server apparatus has a view server for providing content to the browser, a communication server for making communication with the object, and an application sever for making the view server and the application server cooperate with each other. When a read operation from the object is performed, the communication server notifies the application server of a result of the read operation, thereby providing synchronization between the communication server and the view server.
US08335924B2 Systems and methods for watermarking software and other media
Systems and methods are disclosed for embedding information in software and/or other electronic content such that the information is difficult for an unauthorized party to detect, remove, insert, forge, and/or corrupt. The embedded information can be used to protect electronic content by identifying the content's source, thus enabling unauthorized copies or derivatives to be reliably traced, and thus facilitating effective legal recourse by the content owner. Systems and methods are also disclosed for protecting, detecting, removing, and decoding information embedded in electronic content, and for using the embedded information to protect software or other media from unauthorized analysis, attack, and/or modification.
US08335921B2 Writing application data to a secure element
Systems, methods, computer programs, and devices are disclosed herein for partitioning the namespace of a secure element in contactless smart card devices and for writing application data in the secure element using requests from a software application outside the secure element. The secure element is a component of a contactless smart card incorporated into a contactless smart card device. A control software application resident in the same or a different secure element provides access types and access bits, for each access memory block of the secure element namespace, thereby portioning the namespace into different access types. Further, a software application outside the secure element manages the control software application by passing commands using a secure channel to the secure element, thereby enabling an end-user of the contactless smart card device or a remote computer to control the partitioning and use of software applications within the secure element.
US08335919B2 Mechanism for efficient private bulk messaging
Secure bulk messaging mechanism in which, roughly described, a sender first encrypts a message once. The message can be decrypted with a message decryption key. These can be symmetric or asymmetric keys. For each recipient, the sender then encrypts the message decryption key with the recipient's public key. The sender then sends the encrypted message and the encrypted message decryption keys to a store-and-forward server. Subsequently, one or more recipients connect to the server and retrieve the encrypted message and the message encryption key that has been encrypted with the recipient's public key. Alternatively, the server can forward these items to each individual recipient. The recipient then decrypts the encrypted message decryption key with the recipient's private key, resulting in an un-encrypted message decryption key. The recipient then decrypts the message using the un-encrypted message decryption key.
US08335918B2 MAC frame provision method and apparatus capable of establishing security in IEEE 802.15.4 network
A medium access control (MAC) frame provision method establishes security in an IEEE 802.15.4 network. A MAC frame is generated, which includes a MAC header, a payload field, and a frame check sequence (FCS) field, the payload field including relevant main data according to a frame type defined in the MAC header. A disguised decoy data sequence number (DSN) is generated and inserted into the MAC header. A real DSN, which is a corresponding transmission sequence number of the MAC frame, is generated and inserted into the payload field. The MAC frame is transmitted, including the encrypted payload field, to a counterpart node. A MAC ACK frame acknowledges reception of the transmitted MAC frame; and a DSN is compared in the received MAC ACK frame with the real DSN. An authentication of the counterpart node is performed when the received MAC ACK frame is equal to the real DSN.
US08335917B2 System for binding a device to a gateway to regulate service theft through cloning
In one example, a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) combines a value identifying itself with a cable modem Media Access Control (MAC) address stored in a provisioning request. The CMTS then relays the modified provisioning request to a provisioning server, which analyzes the value to identify a CMTS associated with the cable modem MAC address. Then, to regulate cable modem cloning or for other reasons, the provisioning server selects provisioning information for the cable modem according to the identified CMTS-MAC address association.
US08335910B2 Early release of cache data with start/end marks when instructions are only partially present
An apparatus extracts instructions from a stream of undifferentiated instruction bytes in a microprocessor having an instruction set architecture in which the instructions are variable length. Decoders generate an associated start/end mark for each instruction byte of a line from a first queue of entries each storing a line of instruction bytes. A second queue has entries each storing a line received from the first queue along with the associated start/end marks. Control logic detects a condition where the length of an instruction whose initial portion within a first line in the first queue is yet undeterminable because the instruction's remainder resides in a second line yet to be loaded into the first queue from the instruction cache; loads the first line and corresponding start/end marks into the second queue and refrains from shifting the first line out of the first queue, in response to detecting the condition; and extracts instructions from the first line in the second queue based on the corresponding start/end marks. The instructions exclude the yet undeterminable length instruction.
US08335906B2 Perform frame management function instruction for clearing blocks of main storage
What is disclosed is a frame management function defined for a machine architecture of a computer system. In one embodiment, a machine instruction is obtained containing an opcode for a frame management instruction identifying a first and second general register. Clear frame information is obtained from the first general register having a frame size field indicating whether a storage frame is a small or large block of data. The second general register contains an operand address of a storage frame. If the storage frame is a small block, all bytes of the small block of data are set to zero. If the storage frame is a large block of data, an operand address of an initial first block of data within the large block is obtained from the second general register. All data of all blocks within the large block are cleared starting from the initial first block.
US08335905B2 Computing system including processor and memory which generates wait signal when accessing deteriorated memory area
A computing system includes; a memory having first and second storage areas, and a processor sending a memory control signal to the memory to define a data access period during which data is accessed, and a read source control signal indicating whether the first storage area or the second storage area is to be accessed during the data access period. The memory activates a wait signal in response to the memory access signal and the read source control signal, and the processor is further configured to adjust the duration of the data access period in response to the wait signal.
US08335903B2 Method and system for processing access to disk block
Provided are a method and a system for processing an access to a disk block. The system receives a disk block access request from an OS domain, determines whether the OS domain is permitted to access a disk block with reference to a predetermined block table and processes disk block access of the OS domain according to the determination result. Accordingly, OS domains can share caches without having data copy through memory access control in a virtual machine monitor environment. Furthermore, a device domain controls access to a disk drive so that data corruption can be prevented.
US08335901B2 Information processing apparatus and data restoration method
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a main memory, a first storage, a second storage, a first writing module, and a second writing module. A first storage is configured to store a file for executing an operating system. A first writing module is configured to write writing position information which indicates a writing position of data written in the second storage and is written to a predetermined position to the second storage, to the main memory. The second writing module is configured to write, to the first storage, the writing position information in the main memory to a predetermined write area in the first storage in a case of a crash of the operating system. The third writing module is configured to write the writing position information to the predetermined position in the second storage.
US08335899B1 Active/active remote synchronous mirroring
An active/active remote mirroring system, for example an active/active SRDF system, provides for remote mirroring between multiple storage volumes, e.g., a first storage device and a second storage device, in which the storage devices may both be active. A plurality of hosts may be coupled to either the first storage device, the second storage device, or both to conduct read and write operations from and to the storage devices, for example to nearest device. The hosts may be part of an application cluster. The first storage device and the second storage device may be connected via a link, such as an SRDF link, for providing remote mirroring capabilities between the storage volumes. In various embodiments the first and second storage devices may be separate devices, volumes, or portions thereof, and/or may be different portions of the same storage device.
US08335897B2 Data storage management in heterogeneous memory systems
A data storage management system is provided, which includes multiple storage entities with differing storage characteristics. A controller is communicatively coupled to each of the multiple storage entities. The controller is configured to associate one or more storage attributes of a received object with one or more of the different storage characteristics, and to store the received object in one or more of the multiple storage entities based on the association of the one or more of the storage attributes of the received object with the one or more of the different storage characteristics.
US08335896B1 Digital locked loop on channel tagged memory requests for memory optimization
A method and system for performing memory optimization is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving from a processor a plurality of read/write requests, wherein at least a portion of the read/write requests are related. Arrival times of the read/write requests that are related are measured and predicted arrival times are determined of future read/write requests that are related. The method creates a real-time schedule of memory requests using the arrival times of the read/write requests and the predicted arrival times of the future read/write requests. The real-time schedule is then used to pre-determine time periods. The method performs opportunistic functions in the memory during the pre-determined time periods, including performing at least one of garbage collection or translation cache pre-fetch.
US08335893B2 Storage device, system, and method that determines a physical address of a memory unit allocated to a logical address or allocates a logical address to a physical address of a memory unit, based on access speed information of the logical address
A memory management device which is capable of allocating a memory unit accessible at a higher speed to data which is stored in a storage device having memory units different in access speed, without being limited in an storage area. The storage device comprises a BLC flash memory accessible at a predetermined access speed, an MLC flash memory accessible at a lower access speed than the predetermined access speed, a controller, and a RAM. The controller manages the BLC flash memory and the BLC flash memory in units each formed by a plurality of physical pages, and writes data in the physical pages, and the RAM holds page allocation information in which logical pages designated when writing data and the physical pages are associated with each other.
US08335892B1 Cache arbitration between multiple clients
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for arbitrating requests received by an L1 cache from multiple clients. The L1 cache outputs bubble requests to a first one of the multiple clients that cause the first one of the multiple clients to insert bubbles into the request stream, where a bubble is the absence of a request. The bubbles allow the L1 cache to grant access to another one of the multiple clients without stalling the first one of the multiple clients. The L1 cache services multiple clients with diverse latency and bandwidth requirements and may be reconfigured to provide memory spaces for clients executing multiple parallel threads, where the memory spaces each have a different scope.
US08335889B2 Content addressable storage systems and methods employing searchable blocks
In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a content addressable data structure system may include directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) of data content that are addressed using both a user-defined search key and content of data blocks. Internal keys of retention roots of the DAGs may be derived from the user-defined search key while the remaining blocks may be content addressed. As opposed to using a content address, the user may provide the search key when retrieving and deleting DAGs retaining the data content. In addition, the internal keys may be implemented using internal content addressable storage operations, such as applying a hash function and employing a distributed hash table.
US08335884B2 Multi-processor architecture implementing a serial switch and method of operating same
A multi-processor architecture for a network device that includes a plurality of barrel cards, each including: a plurality of processors, a PCIe switch coupled to each of the plurality of processors, and packet processing logic coupled to the PCIe switch. The PCIe switch on each barrel card provides high speed flexible data paths for the transmission of incoming/outgoing packets to/from the processors on the barrel card. An external PCIe switch is commonly coupled to the PCIe switches on the barrel cards, as well as to a management processor, thereby providing high speed connections between processors on separate barrel cards, and between the management processor and the processors on the barrel cards.
US08335883B2 Data processing device and data processing system
To provide a data processing device in which a plurality of CPUs can individually and independently communicate with different functions of a USB device using a single communication path. The data processing device is configured so that a USB host module to be coupled to a plurality of central processing units has a plurality of pipes to communicate with an arbitrary end point of a USB device coupled from the outside of the data processing device, the data processing device also includes an access control register to specify which central processing unit should have a right to control the pipe and specify to which extent a range of the content of setting of a function for the pipe should be allowed, and a USB host interface is controlled in accordance with the content of setting of the access control register.
US08335877B2 Hardware acceleration of commonality factoring on removable media
Systems and methods for commonality factoring for storing data on removable storage media that may allow for highly compressed data to be stored efficiently on portable memory devices. The methods include breaking data into unique chunks and calculating identifiers, e.g., hash identifiers, based on the unique chunks. Redundant chunks can be identified by comparing identifiers of other chunks to the identifiers of unique chunks. When a redundant chunk is identified, a reference to the existing unique chunk is generated such that the chunk can be reconstituted in relation to other chunks in order to recreate the original data. One or more of the unique chunks, the identifiers, and/or the references may be stored on the portable memory device. Hardware and/or software for the chunking and/or hashing functions can reside in a host computer, a removable storage device or cartridge, and/or a removable cartridge holder.
US08335871B2 Memory system and method of driving the same
Provided are a memory system and a method of driving the same. The method includes setting microcodes in a top control sequencer and multiple channel control sequencers, and executing the microcode set in the top control sequencer. The method may further include checking execution results of the microcode.
US08335862B2 Programmatic management of software resources in a content framework environment
Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for dynamically integrating software resources (such as web services and other back-end software resources) using the services of a content framework (such as a portal platform). A portlet model is leveraged to allow programmatic portlets to serve as proxies for web services, thereby extending portlets beyond their traditional visual role. A deployment interface and a system interface are described for these portlet proxies. The deployment interface is used for composing new web services, and a composition tool is described. The system interface allows for run-time management of the web services by the portal platform. The service provider for a particular function may be bound to the portlet proxy at development time or at run-time.
US08335860B2 Filtering application services
There is disclosed a method and apparatus for filtering information provided from an application server to an application client, comprising applying filtering rules at an intermediary element in a communication path between said application server and said application client.
US08335859B2 Apparatus, system, and method for efficient use of mirrored storage clouds
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for distributing data requests between data centers. A request module receives a data operation request from a client. The data operation request corresponds to mirrored data stored at a plurality of data centers. A metadata module maintains a set of data center cooling efficiency factors for each of the plurality of data centers. Each data center cooling efficiency factor comprises data relating to operational costs of a data center. A cost reduction module compares sets of data center cooling efficiency factors for each of the plurality of data centers to select the most efficient data center from the plurality of data centers. A response module sends the data operation request to the selected data center.
US08335858B2 Transparent auto-discovery of network devices logically located between a client and server
Discovery of intermediate network devices is performed using a technique that piggybacks upon the existing standard TCP (Transport Control Protocol) “SACK” (Selective Acknowledgment) option in a SYN/ACK packet so that discovery information may be shared between pair-wise-deployed peer intermediate devices when a TCP/IP connection (Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is first established between network endpoints using a conventional three-way handshake. Use of the SACK option is combined with another technique which comprises modifying the original 16-bit value of the TCP receive window size to a special arbitrary value to mark a SYN packet as being generated by a first peer device. The marked SYN when received by the second peer device triggers that device's discovery information to be piggybacked in the SACK option of the SYN/ACK packet. The first device then piggybacks its discovery information in the SACK option of the ACK packet which completes the three-way handshake.
US08335855B2 System and method for portal infrastructure tracking
A method and system for collecting and transmitting data across or through a firewall using HTTP and/or XML between computer systems that do not otherwise grant access to each other. A method and system for preparing data reports using data and report generation modules using HTTP and/or XML between computer systems.
US08335854B2 Performing services on behalf of low-power devices
Techniques are generally described that relate to a computer-implemented method of using a virtual device operating in a first computer network to perform a service on behalf of a low-power device operating in a second computer network includes receiving, by the virtual device, device data reports and a device descriptor from the low-power device. The virtual device may be adapted to store the device data reports and/or the device descriptor in computer-readable memory coupled to the virtual device. The virtual device may also be adapted to receive a low-power device service request from a requesting device operating in a third computer network and may determine that the device descriptor indicates that the low-power device is unavailable to respond to the low-power device service request. A response to the low-power device service request may be generated by the virtual device based on the device data reports.
US08335853B2 Transparent recovery of transport connections using packet translation techniques
Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for transparent recovery of transport connections. The method includes collecting a state associated with a first connection between a first server and a remote server via a first network socket and transmitting the state from a first networking module to a second networking module. The method includes storing the state, opening a second network socket based on failure of the first networking module, intercepting outbound packets associated with a request to initiate a second connection between the first server and the remote server via the second socket, modifying the intercepted packets based on the state, and transmitting the modified packets to the remote server to elicit an acknowledgement to maintain the first connection. The method includes receiving packets associated with the acknowledgment from the remote server, and modifying the received packets to acknowledge the request to initiate the second connection.
US08335850B2 Method and apparatus for role-based access control
Methods and devices are provided for role-based access control of network devices. The network devices may constitute the fabric of a storage area network (“SAN”) that has been logically partitioned into virtual storage area networks (“VSANs”) that are allocated to various administrators. Roles assigned according to preferred aspects of the invention do not need to be hierarchical, but are customized according to administrators' needs.
US08335849B2 Communication system, terminal apparatus, recording medium which records program of terminal apparatus and content information acquiring method
When acquisition processing of content information starts, a terminal apparatus executes acquisition permission determination processing of content information where permission probability is increased along with a lapse of time from starting of the acquisition processing of the content information for every predetermined period. When a result of the determination processing allows the acquisition of the content information, the terminal apparatus acquires the content information from another terminal apparatus.
US08335846B2 Authentication system, multifunctional peripheral and authentication server
The multi-functional peripheral judges whether or not the last display screen at the time of logout is usable as the initial display screen at the time of next login. Then, when the last display screen at the time of logout is not usable as the initial display screen at the time of next login, not information to specify the last display screen at the time of logout but a predetermined screen information is set to be transmitted to an authentication server. The authentication server manages information to specify the last display screen given from a multi-functional peripheral, and notifies the multi-functional peripheral of the last display screen information of the user to display the screen on the multi-functional peripheral when a user logs in the multi-functional peripheral next time.
US08335844B2 System and method of providing quality of service-enabled contents in peer-to-peer networks
A system and method of providing quality of service (QoS)-enabled digital content in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks are provided. The QoS-enabled service system on the P2P network includes: a service provider capable of providing digital content; one or more user nodes receiving digital content from the service provider; one or more donor nodes lending resources for providing digital content; and a supernode receiving information on user nodes and donor nodes, and a copy of digital content from the service provider, allowing the exchange of digital content among the user nodes through P2P networking, and when at least one user node experiences a P2P networking error during the exchange of the digital content, arranging for a predetermined number of donor nodes from among the one or more donor nodes to join the P2P networking. According to the system and method, even when the function of a peer does not normally work on a P2P network, a donor as a replacement of the peer is utilized, thereby providing QoS-enabled digital content to a user requesting the digital content.
US08335841B2 Logical networks
An invention is provided for creating logical network abstractions of physical networks, and deploying computer services to physical networks based on a specified logical network. In an embodiment, a physical network is divided into one or more logical networks. Upon receiving an indication to deploy a computer service to a logical network, a mapping from that logical network to a sub-network of the physical network is determined, the service is configured to execute on the sub-network of the physical network, and an indication of this configuration of the service is stored.
US08335837B2 Transferring data between applications
In one embodiment, a method for transferring web browser data between web browsers includes collecting browser data pertaining to a first web browser, packaging the browser data into an intermediate format, and storing the packaged data for a subsequent import into a second web browser.
US08335836B2 System and method for generating a consistent user name-space on networked devices
Implementing a consistent user name-space on networked computing devices includes various components and methods. When a network connection between a local or host computing device and one or more remote computing devices is present, remote items are represented using the same methodology as items located on the host computing device. To the user, remote and local items are indistinguishable. When the network connection is lost or items located on a remote computer are otherwise unavailable, the unavailable items remain represented on the host computing device. Unavailable items are represented in a way that informs the user that the items may not be fully accessed.
US08335835B2 Optimizing scheduling of client applications in diskless environments
Methods and arrangements where clients, in a diskless environment involving a storage area network, communicate to more optimally distribute the amount of disk input/output the individual clients are creating for the shared disk array.
US08335829B1 Facilitating presentation by mobile device of additional content for a word or phrase upon utterance thereof
A method for presenting additional content for a word that is part of a message, and that is presented by a mobile communication device, includes the steps of: presenting the message, including emphasizing one or more words for which respective additional content is available for presenting by the mobile communication device; receiving an utterance that includes an emphasized word for which additional content is available for presenting by the mobile communication device; and presenting the additional content for the emphasized word included in the utterance received by the mobile communication device. These steps are performed by the mobile communication device.
US08335820B1 Techniques for persistence of connections
Described are techniques for preserving connections. First code is executed on a server. The server communicates with a client over one or more connections and the first code uses one or more control structures describing a state of the one or more connections. An operation is performed on the server. First processing is performed in response to the operation. The first processing includes loading second code for execution on the server. The second code replaces the first code and uses the one or more control structures previously used by the first code.
US08335818B2 Method for detection of the activity of a device in a network of distributed stations, as well as a network station for carrying out the method
The invention relates to the technical field of local data transmission networks, in particular domestic networks. In networks such as these, the network stations log on in connection to the network. On disconnection, the network station which is leaving the network logs off in an appropriate manner. In the situation in which the user disconnects a network station simply by pulling out the network cable from the network, it is physically impossible to transmit the logging-off message. The invention is now concerned with the problem of how reliably an inactive network station can be identified, also taking account of the disconnection of the network station simply by pulling out the network plug. The invention solves the problem by regular transmission of a search request to the stations in the network. If a search request remains unanswered by one network station, an HTTP access is additionally attempted to, for example, the device description of the network station in question, or a control request. The network station is identified as being inactive only if this access/control request also fails. In the case of a UPnP network, the search request is made using the unprotected SSDP protocol, so that the lack of any response to the search request does not in its own right reliably indicate that the network station has logged off. The supposition that the network station which did not respond to the search request is inactive is confirmed by means of the HTTP access, which takes place on an error-protected basis.
US08335799B2 Automatic website generator
A system and method for the automatic generation of a website. The website is created upon a user request, where the user provides identification information that is used to search an information database. The information will provide a reference to a code that relates to a template that is used to specify the layout, style and content of the website that is to be generated, and the website is then generated in accordance with the structure of the template, based on content contained in the information database. The user may engage the system and method by means of e-mail or a dedicated website or other such suitable means.
US08335798B2 System and method for employing social networks for information discovery
Systems and methods are provided that enable searches of social networks by acting as a “compass” that assists users in navigating the social network. Individual user participation is not required in response to queries from other users. The systems and methods offer navigational assistance or information as opposed to a traditional search which returns requested information, thus currently acceptable social mechanisms for arbitrating trust can be exploited. As a result, users do not make their personal information publicly searchable, while at the same time, they are protected from potential misrepresentations of facts.
US08335795B2 Data storing system and data processing method of informational household appliance
A data storing system and data processing method of the informational household appliance are provided. The system includes: one or plurality of home database server of informational household appliance which connected with each other, one or plurality of household gateway server, and one or plurality of data managing server of informational household appliance. The data processing method includes: the data processing method of the informational household appliance on-lining, off-lining and status data updating thereof, and the current status of informational household appliance in real-time reflects to the data managing server of informational household appliance through the household gateway server by this data processing method. The data of the informational household appliance can be stored separately from the informational household appliance, and the data of the informational household appliance can be unitedly managed by the system and method.
US08335793B2 System and method for optimized filtered data feeds to capture data and send to multiple destinations
There is provided a system and method for optimized filtered data feeds to capture data and send to multiple destinations. There is provided a system comprising a memory and a processor. The memory has a database associating data feed patterns to one or more of a plurality of destinations. The processor captures data from a data feed having a data feed destination, stores the data in the memory, compares the data feed with the data feed patterns in the database to determine matched patterns, retrieves one or more destinations associated with the matched patterns, and sends the data to the data feed destination and the retrieved destinations. There is also provided a system comprising data feed sources, destinations, a network connected to the data feed sources and the destinations, and a server configured to intercept and route network traffic on the network, the server including a memory and a processor.
US08335787B2 Topic word generation method and system
A method of, and system for, extracting topic words from a collection of documents across multiple and potentially very large number of domains. Documents are selected and ranked based on similarity with at least one seed word, which defines a topic. Seed words may be entered directly by a user or provided by another application. Keywords are extracted from documents determined to be a sufficiently good match to the topic and may be displayed to the user or used as input into word prediction or word analysis and display software. Documents are determined to be a sufficiently good match to the topic using an iterative algorithm starting with the best match and selecting documents containing keywords sufficiently similar to the previously selected documents.
US08335783B2 Collection of statistics for spatial columns or R-tree indexes
Techniques for collecting statistics of column data or R-Tree indexes are provided. A distributed database system includes a plurality of processing nodes controlling portions of spatial data. The nodes are instructed to create minimum bounding rectangles (MBR's) for their spatial data or R-Trees. The individual MBR's are merged and reformatted into a grid of equally sized cells. Each processing node is provided a copy of the grid to update based on statistics of each processing node's spatial data for a target table. The updated grids are then merged into a single grid and used by an optimizer to evaluate queries before the queries are executed.
US08335780B2 Scalable high speed relational processor for databases and networks
A relational processor (RP) to create, maintain and query a relational database by assigning, storing and retrieving a unique associate for each instance of a relation for one or more relations and a plurality of instances of a relation. The associate may contain one or more semantic tokens. The RP comprises an input for receiving and processing relations, relation instances and queries, at least one associate processor (AP) for storing the associate and retrieving associate sets by domain, at least one set processor (SP) for performing set operations on associate sets to satisfy a query, and output which outputs the associates responsive to a query. The RP further includes an associate array manager (AAM) for managing the APs, and the SPs (which are arranged in the sieve architecture) and a response collector (RC) that collects the associate sets that satisfy a query. An alternative architecture uses an associate switch (AS), which routs associates from the APs to the SPs based on associate value.
US08335776B2 Distributed indexing system for data storage
A distributed indexing system spreads out the load on an index of stored data in a data storage system. Rather than maintain a single index, the distributed indexing system maintains an index in each media agent of a federated data storage system and a master index that points to the index in each media agent. In some embodiments, the distributed indexing system includes an index server (or group of servers) that handles indexing requests and forwards the requests to the appropriate distributed systems. Thus, the distributed indexing system, among other things, increases the availability and fault tolerance of a data storage index.
US08335775B1 Versioning in internet file system
Techniques are provided for managing file versions. In one technique, versions of directories are created responsive to creation of versions of files descendant from the directories. Directory versions are associated with times. Interfile links are maintained so file versions descendant from a directory version reflect the directory version's time. In another technique, a mechanism is provided for tagging file versions that shouldn't be overwritten. Responsive to a first file version's update, it is determined whether that version is tagged. If so, a second version is stored while retaining the first version. Otherwise, the first version is deleted responsive to the second version's storage. In another technique, responsive to a first file version's change, it is determined whether first criteria are satisfied. If so, a second version is created while retaining the first version, and versions of the file's ancestor files that satisfy second criteria are created.
US08335773B2 Stable linking and patchability of business processes through hierarchical versioning
A system, method and computer program product is presented for versioning a business process model. The business process model is decomposed into a number of artifacts. A hierarchical dependency graph is generated for the number of artifacts to produce, for each artifact, a set of referencing artifacts and a set of referenced artifacts. The set of referenced artifacts are compiled by creating a runtime format and computing a unique version identifier for each referenced artifacts, and the unique version identifier for each referenced artifact is incorporated into a version identifier of each associated referencing artifact from the set of referencing artifacts. At least one of the referenced artifacts is modified to produce a new version of the associated referencing artifact.
US08335772B1 Optimizing DML statement execution for a temporal database
A method, system, and computer program for optimizing execution of a DML statement on a temporal database are disclosed. A first execution package is provided to an execution engine. The first execution package includes a plurality of operations to be executed if the contents of a row in a table in the temporal database indicate the row has a first temporal condition. A second execution package is provided to the execution engine. The second execution package includes a plurality of operations to be executed if the contents of the row in the table in the temporal database indicate the row has a second temporal condition. The execution engine is run to produce a result. The result is saved.
US08335771B1 Storage array snapshots for logged access replication in a continuous data protection system
Methods and apparatus for a continuous data protection system having a protection agent and at least one data protection appliance that enables, in an image access mode, a rolling back of volumes in a highly available storage array on the target side so that the volumes contain data for a selected point in time, creation of a storage array snapshot of the volumes for the point in time, and user access to the storage array snapshot in the storage array.
US08335769B2 Executing replication requests for objects in a distributed storage system
A system and method for executing replication requests for objects in a distributed database is provided. A plurality of replication requests for objects in a distributed storage system is received. The replication requests are partitioned into one or more replication queues. A respective replication queue includes replication requests that have a respective replication key. The respective replication key includes information related to at least a respective source storage device at which a respective object is located and a respective destination storage device to which the respective object is to be replicated. For each respective replication queue, the replication requests in the replication queue are sorted based on priorities of the replication requests. Commands to execute a highest priority request are issued in each respective replication queue. When a respective replication request is completed, the respective replication request is deleted from the replication queue.
US08335767B2 Maintaining and utilizing SQL execution plan histories
Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for maintaining a history of query plans executed for a database command, along with information related to each query plan. A database server receives a request to execute a particular command. The database server determines a plan for executing the particular command. The database server adds first information to a plan history associated with the particular command. The plan history comprises information related to a plurality of plans that have been generated for the particular command. The first information may include, for example, properties of the plan (including an outline of the plan) as well as statistics collected during execution of the plan. The database server may implement techniques for periodically refreshing information in a plan history. The database server may also implement techniques for purging old or less important plans.
US08335766B2 Flash-copying within asynchronous mirroring environment
A first command is sent from a primary host system to a primary storage controller device, specifying that a first primary volume is to be flash-copied to a second primary volume. Flash-copying provides for completion of copying the first primary volume to the second primary volume to be signaled prior to data on the first primary volume being physically copied to the second primary volume. A first state of the first primary volume and the second primary volume is verified by the primary storage controller device to determine whether the first state permits flash-copying of the first primary volume to the second primary volume. A first query is sent from the primary storage controller device to a secondary host system, requesting whether a first secondary volume can be flash-copied to a second secondary volume. The first and second secondary volumes asynchronously mirror the first and second primary volumes, respectively.
US08335762B2 Resource tracking
Clients may subscribe to resources for the purpose of receiving notifications of changes in the resource (e.g., a file is added to a shared folder). Storing subscriptions within persistent storage provides data security in the event of a service failure, at the cost of high latency in accessing subscription data. An efficient method for tracking a resource is provided herein. A subscription service creates subscriptions and monitors resources for a client. Upon a subscribed resource change, a notification service stores a notification of the change into a queue associated with the client. Efficient resource tracking is achieved because notification and subscription data is stored in low latency soft memory. The notification service is configured to detect a failure in the notification service and/or subscription service. In the event a service fails, the client provides a recovery mechanism by resubscribing to resources the client is interested in.
US08335761B1 Replicating in a multi-copy environment
In one aspect, a method, includes changing a production site from a first node to a second node, recording a point in time, Pi, of the production site fail over from the first node to the second node and replicating data from the second node to a third node. The replicating includes determining a latest common point in time, Px, that metadata changes were received between the second node and the third node, adding metadata changes between the time, Px, and a latest point in time that metadata was received at the third node to a delta marking stream on the third node, determining an earliest time, PL, between the time, Pi, and the time, Px, and adding metadata changes from the time, PL, to the latest point in time that metadata was received at the second node to a delta marking stream on the second node.
US08335759B2 Work analysis device and recording medium recording work analysis program
A device analyzes a flow of a computer system by identifying transition relations each representing a relation between two of data sets that have been updated, based upon workflow information. Transition information indicate a number of occurrences of each transition relation, with respect to each analysis unit period. Change information indicates a change in the number of occurrences of each transition relation, by comparing the transition information for each analysis unit period between adjacent ones of the analysis unit periods.
US08335757B2 Extracting patterns from sequential data
Described is a technology in which sequential data, such as application program command sequences, are processed into patterns, such as for use in analyzing program usage. In one aspect, sequential data may be first transformed via state machines that remove repeated data, group similar data into sub-sequences, and/or remove noisy data. The transformed data is then segmented into units. A pattern extraction mechanism extracts patterns from the units into a pattern set, by calculating a stability score (e.g., a mutual information score) between succeeding units, selecting the pair of units having the most stability (e.g., the highest score), and adding corresponding information for that pair into the pattern set. Pattern extraction is iteratively repeated until a stopping criterion is met, e.g., the pattern set reaches a defined size, or when the stability score is smaller than a pre-set threshold.
US08335753B2 Domain knowledge-assisted information processing
A modeling system enriched with information from a single source (or multiple sources) that allows for the intelligent extension, formulation or reformulation of a request into various processes including but not limited to transmission, discovery, notification, searching, filtering and storing processes is provided. The innovation builds a network of connected information in a specific domain (or group of domains). Additionally, the system enhances the quality and specificity of the results for queries made in various systems including, but not limited to, search engines.
US08335752B2 Method and device for realizing an associative memory based on inhibitory neural networks
A method for forming an associative computer memory comprises the step of forming an inhibitory memory matrix A′=−(Ap−A). According to the Wilshaw model constructed from a given set of address patterns and content patterns' and random matrix structure.
US08335749B2 Generating a set of atoms
An automated method comprises receiving training data representing an initial data set including text representing at least one concept embodied by the data set, using the training data in order to generate a set of atoms, each atom comprising at least one word that represents one or more concepts of the initial data set, wherein generating a set of atoms comprises minimizing a cost function using an iterative process to identify one or more atoms.
US08335746B2 Computerized transaction bargaining system and method
A method and system for automated bargaining is disclosed. The method and system are used in testing non-equal values in normal rounds for satisfaction of a condition. If the condition is not satisfied in the normal rounds, power round values are tested for satisfaction of a power round condition. If the power round condition is satisfied, a binding bargained payment is calculated. Additional options involve an automated facilitator, windfalls to initiators, automatic payment initiation, multiparty aggregation and automatic agreement document generation.
US08335745B2 Method and system for processing micropayment transactions
Methods and systems for performing micropayment transactions over communication networks is provided. These methods and systems enable ubiquitous micropayments by providing a seamless payment solution in which micropayment is one of a plurality of payments facilitated. In an embodiment, the transaction value may be compared to a predefined threshold, and processed as a micropayment if said value is less than said threshold, and otherwise processed using a second processing system. In another embodiment, the transaction may be processed as a micropayment if the payee has previously been verified by the micropayment processing system. In a third embodiment, the transaction takes place using the payee's website.
US08335742B2 Method, system, and computer program product for electronic messaging
A browser-based simulator may be used to create and send test messages to one or more transaction processing facilities (TPFs) to determine the response of the TPF system. It allows a user or plurality of users to create ISO 8583 messages, send the messages to the TPF systems, receive a response, and display the results to the users. Messages created by the simulator are stored within an ANSI queryable SQL database to make test selection simple. The TPF test messages and results are thus available worldwide. Further, the simulator is server-based, so desktop licenses are not required. The simulator allows a user to either select a preformatted message or derive a new message by selecting the data of interest.
US08335740B2 Method, system, and computer-readable medium for managing and collecting receivables
A method, system, and computer-readable medium for managing and collecting receivables are disclosed. Such a method includes providing at least one pre-existing account with first account information, the first account information having first account party data and providing at least one new account, each new account comprising new account information, the new account information having new account party data. The method also includes determining whether the first account party data of the pre-existing account matches the new account party data of the at least one new account and if so, tying the at least one new account with the matching pre-existing account to create a tied account. The method further includes calculating a score for any unmatched new account and any tied account based on at least one financial parameter and applying one or more collection strategies.
US08335738B2 System and method for a hybrid clock and proxy auction
This invention defines a computer system for conducting an auction of a plurality of items including receiving bids and determining an allocation of at least one of the items, the auction including a dynamic auction phase followed by a later phase.
US08335737B2 Price improvement in electronic trading system
Price improvement in credit screened trading systems is achieved by entering a maximum price improvement (MPI) amount with a maker quote. The system prepares separate quote queues for each trading floor including only quotes where bilateral credit exists. Quotes are arranged using Price, MPI, time priority. When a quote is dealt, a dealable price improvement is calculated as the amount of the MPI required to improve the dealt quote's position in the queue.
US08335735B1 Computer implemented risk managed indices
Computer based systems and program controlled methods reduce investors' exposure to the variability of an asset class's short-term volatility using rules-based long-only investments in various asset classes in which portfolio weights are dynamically rebalanced on a regular basis to a desired target volatility. This is achieved, in part, by constructing an index that represents a portfolio of liquid futures contracts, rebalanced as often as daily with the objective of maintaining the portfolio's volatility at a given level, typically the long-term average risk of that asset class.
US08335731B1 Method of establishing a profitability model related to the establishment of a wind power plant
A method of establishing a profitability model for use in the establishment of a wind power plant, the method including the steps of: establishing wind power plant-related data related to a scenario; calculating the profitability of the wind power plant by using a data processing system, by making use of the wind power-related data such as solution parameters and financing parameters, in relation to at least one scenario; and presenting a profitability model related to establishing a wind power plant based on the scenario and the calculated profitability using data processing system. Benefits of this profitability model minimizes risk and improves the basis for decision regarding the establishment of a wind power plant.
US08335730B2 Scorecard reporting system
A data processing system generates a scorecard analysis that displays multiple scorecard windows, each directed to a specific different perspective on a particular business function. Each perspective may have at least one corresponding objective, and each objective may have at least one corresponding key performance indicator. Each scorecard may include drill down capability from a top level analysis to more detailed information on a perspective, objective, or key performance indicator.
US08335726B1 Distinguishing search results associated with an electronic payment system
A search engine communicates with a broker to identify search result content associated with merchants that support purchases through an electronic commerce system provided by the broker. The results of a search can include some content associated with merchants that support purchases through the broker, some content associated with merchants that do not support purchases through the broker, and some content not associated with any merchant. The search engine visually distinguishes content in the search results associated with merchants that support purchases through the broker by displaying a badge, such as a graphical icon, with the content. The search engine can use different types of badges to indicate different characteristics of the merchants.
US08335721B2 Placement identification and reservation
A reservation system receives placement inventory data from publishers that define placements that the publishers are offering for reservation. Placement queries that include targeting criteria for advertisements are received from an advertiser. Available placements that satisfy the target query from the placements defined in the placement inventory data are identified as target placements. The advertiser can reserve the placements from the publisher, and modify the reservation during a reservation period. Advertisements belonging to a campaign of the advertiser can be provided to the publisher either by the advertiser directly in response to publisher requests to serve an advertisement for the reservation, or can be provided to the publisher by the reservation system or an advertising server in communication with the reservation system. Discrepancies of reported performance of advertisements in the placements reported by the advertisers and the publishers can be reconciled and attributed to either the advertiser or the publisher.
US08335719B1 Generating advertisement sets based on keywords extracted from data feeds
A method and system for generating advertisement sets for keywords automatically extracted from data feeds is provided. An advertisement system receives various data feeds. The advertisement system may on a periodic or an ad hoc basis request a feed server to provide the latest feed having feed items. Each feed item may include a title, a description, and a link to an associated web site. To generate an advertisement set, which includes an advertisement, a keyword, and a link to a landing page, the advertisement system extracts a keyword from a feed item, identifies a category for advertising using the extracted keyword, generates an advertisement (or “creative”) for advertising that category, and generates a landing page link associated with the category. The advertisement system then submits the advertisement set to an advertisement placement service for placement along with content that is somehow related to the keyword.
US08335715B2 Advertisement exchange using neuro-response data
An advertisement exchange determines characteristics associated with advertisement slots such as slots in a commercial pod, locations on a printed page, banners in a video, billboards, etc. Characteristics may include demographic information, advertisement type, and neuro-response characteristics such as priming, attention, engagement, and retention. Advertisement slots are matched with advertisements and may be selected, purchased, exchanged, and analyzed by advertisers, individuals, corporations, and firms. In some examples, bids and offers are made for advertisement slots based on advertisement slot characteristics. Advertisement slot characteristics may be changed in real-time as placement of advertisements in surrounding slots changes the characteristics of a particular slot.
US08335712B1 Minimizing ad production costs for print advertisers
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for minimizing ad production costs for print advertisers. In one aspect, a method includes receiving parameters associated with one or more publications; receiving input defining one or more ads; grouping the one or more publications based on the received parameters to form a plurality of groups, wherein a quantity of groups in the plurality of groups is based on the received input; determining an optimal ad space size for each of the plurality of groups; and generating the one or more ads, wherein each ad is defined by the optimal ad space size of one or more of the plurality of groups.
US08335708B1 System, method, and computer program product for simulating a scenario based on information associated with a new campaign and stored event information
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for simulating a scenario based on information associated with a new campaign and stored event information. In operation, event information associated with one or more events is stored. The stored information may be related to the event parameters and the optional matches it provided. Additionally, an index is generated utilizing the stored event information. Furthermore, information associated with a new campaign is mapped to the stored event information utilizing the index. The mapping process may go beyond the exact match mechanism and expands the campaign parameters in a similar way to the actual search behavior. Still yet, a scenario is simulated based on the mapped information associated with the new campaign and the stored event information.
US08335700B2 Licensed professional scoring system and method
A quantitative system and method that utilizes data sources external to a company, and when available, traditional data sources, e.g., internal company information, to (i) provide for matching criteria such as, for example, demographic needs, to a database that can provide a number of potential recruits or customers and that can also be used to screen both current and prospective company employees matching the criteria, and (ii) generate a statistical model that can be used to predict future profitability and productivity of licensed professionals.
US08335699B2 Method of financing unfunded liabilities
A method is disclosed of financing the liabilities of sovereign governmental entities, their political subunits, and like entities (e.g., school boards, etc.), and private business entities through the use of insurance products. In one embodiment, the method may include: receiving a population data set, generating a plurality of mortality data sets, generating a financial target data set, transmitting the financial target data set to a plurality of life insurance vendors, receiving from each of at least two life insurance vendors a rate table, generating a proportional rating for each insurance vendor, generating a final rate table having a per member life insurance premium rate for each mortality data set.
US08335698B2 Optimizing cluster based cohorts to support advanced analytics
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product is provided for selecting subjects for treatment study cohorts. A set of selected dimensions for optimizing selection of subjects for a treatment cohort group and a control cohort group associated with a treatment study is identified. Attribute data associated with subjects in the pool of available subjects is clustered at the atomic level to form clustered cohort data. A set of optimized subjects from a pool of available subjects is selected using the clustered cohort data and the set of selected dimensions. Subjects in the set of optimized subjects are optimized across the set of selected dimensions. Each subject in the set of optimized subjects is assigned to the treatment cohort group or the control cohort group.
US08335695B2 Pharmaceutical pricing method
This invention provides for innovative methods of pricing generic drugs. In a preferred embodiment, wholesale acquisition costs of identified comparable brand drugs for the generic drugs to be priced according to the invention are identified as comparable brand drug values. The comparable brand drug values are averaged to calculate a stable, predictable benchmark value to be used to determine the price of the generic drug, according to methods of this invention.
US08335693B2 System and method of identifying shipping anomalies
Systems and method of identifying shipping anomalies are provided. One anomaly detection module is configured to access data related to items in a delivery environment and determine the occurrence of anomalies based on the accessed data. The detected anomalies are evaluated with other accessed data to identify source, destination or routing errors and to correct same.
US08335687B1 Performing speech recognition over a network and using speech recognition results
Systems, methods and apparatus for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. The speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability. Voice dialing, telephone control and/or other services are provided by the speech processing facility in response to speech recognition results.
US08335680B2 Electronic apparatus with dictionary function background
An electronic apparatus comprises a display device, an input unit, a storage, and a processor. The processor accepts the input of a reading in the second language via the input unit, reads a kanji character in the second language corresponding to the input reading in the second language from the reading-kanji correspondence information stored in the storage, reads a kanji character in the first language corresponding to the read kanji character in the second language from the kanji correspondence information stored in the storage and performs display control of the read kanji character on the display device, and reads explanatory information that uses a character string including the kanji character in the first language subjected to display control as an entry word from dictionary information stored in the storage and performs display control of the explanatory information on the display device.
US08335678B2 Network stimulation engine
Methods, devices, and systems are disclosed for simulating a large, realistic computer network. Virtual actors statistically emulate the behaviors of humans using networked devices or responses and automatic functions of networked equipment, and their stochastic actions are queued in buffer pools by a behavioral engine. An abstract machine engine creates the minimal interfaces needed for each actor, and the interfaces then communicate persistently over a network with each other and real and virtual network resources to form realistic network traffic. The network can respond to outside stimuli, such as a network mapping application, by responding with false views of the network in order to spoof hackers, and the actors can respond by altering a software defined network upon which they operate.
US08335677B2 Method for history matching and uncertainty quantification assisted by global optimization techniques utilizing proxies
A method for forecasting production from a hydrocarbon producing reservoir, the method includes defining an objective function and characteristics of a history-matched model of a reservoir and acceptable error E. At least one geological realization of the reservoir is created representing a probable geological setting. For each geological realization, a global optimization technique is used to perform history matching in a series of iterative steps to obtain acceptable models. Production of the reservoir is forecasted based upon simulation runs of the respective models.
US08335669B2 Golf ball and mechanical analysis of the same
The accuracy or computation speed of mechanical analysis of a golf ball using the finite element method is increased. In the mechanical analysis, a model representing the golf ball is prepared on a computer, and computation is made by the finite element method using elements and nodes. At this time, the elements are made solid elements of hexahedron, the aspect ratio of the shape of each element is set so as to be not lower than 1.0 and not substantially higher than 6.5, and nodes are provided on the sides and at the vertexes of the hexahedron of element.
US08335668B2 Systems and methods for finite element based topology optimization
A method is disclosed of providing an optimal minimum mass topology for a structure based on a set of design criteria including at least one support point and at least one force to be applied to the structure. The method includes the steps of: identifying a plurality of nodes within a structure design domain, and assigning an initial density value to said plurality of nodes; conducting a finite element analysis on the nodes; determining one of a stress intensity or strain energy values for each node; ranking the nodes by relative stress intensity or strain energy values; adjusting the density value for each node; and repeating the steps of conducting a finite element analysis on said nodes, wherein the step of adjusting each density value for each node is performed according to a family of statistical distribution functions that gradually transition to a bimodal distribution wherein nodes are either fully dense or effectively void thereby providing an optimal topology.
US08335667B2 Method and apparatus for importing data into program code
The present invention relates to a method for designing a system. This method includes obtaining a visual representation of one or more components of the ventilation system. One or more property values are assigned to each of the components of the system, which may be achieved using first program code. Geometrical information representing the visual representation and the property values of each component are exported to a data file using the first program code. Standards information relating to the property values are stored. The data file is then imported into a second software application and the data tile and the standards information is used to generate a final design using the second software application.
US08335665B2 Apparatus and method for high resolution measurements for downhole tools
An apparatus and a method for reducing phase noise in measurement signals from a sensor are provided. The apparatus and method, in one aspect, may use a multiphase counter to obtain a count for each sensor signals time cycle and a filter to reduce noise from the obtained counts. A suitable reference frequency, including the reference frequency of the sensor, may be utilized by the multiphase counter.
US08335662B2 Sample analyzer and error information displaying method
The invention provides a sample analyzer by which a position of any error status in the sample analyzer can be easily found by a user to allow the user to carry out an error recovery operation in an accurate and prompt manner. The sample analyzer 1 comprises a sensor for detecting a status of a measurement unit 2 including an error status; a display section 400b; and a controller 400a for controlling the display section 400b so as to display recovery information for recovering the measurement unit 2 from the error status and an error-occurring place image regarding a place where an error has occurred, when the sensor detects the error status of the measurement unit 2.
US08335660B2 Method and system of confidence interval methodology for ratio means
A method and system for determining whether the number of samples taken from a population of units where the distribution of X and Y variables are unknown by evaluating ratio mean measurements on a computer to determine a confidence interval. The method comprising: inputting samples from the total population with each unit sample having at least two variables X and Y; redefining the multivariate data that comprises the two variables X and Y; estimating the mean; computing the standard error; using a bootstrapping method, generating boot strap samples, computing a Z distribution based upon the bootstrap samples; and computing the confidence interval. The system comprises a processor for performing the steps of the method.
US08335657B2 Compressor sensor module
A sensor module for a compressor, having an electric motor operating at a first voltage, the sensor module operating at a second voltage, is provided. The sensor module includes a plurality of inputs connected to a plurality of sensors that generate a plurality of operating signals associated with operating conditions of the compressor. A processor is connected to the plurality of inputs and records multiple operating condition measurements from the plurality of operating signals. A communication port is connected to the processor for communicating said operating condition measurements to a control module that controls the compressor. The processor is disposed within an electrical enclosure of the compressor, the electrical enclosure being configured to house electrical terminals for connecting a power supply to the electric motor. The second voltage is less than said first voltage.
US08335649B1 Computer-implemented system and method for estimating photovoltaic power generation for use in photovoltaic fleet operation
A computer-implemented system and method for estimating photovoltaic power generation for use in photovoltaic fleet operation is provided. A set of sky clearness indexes is generated as a ratio of each irradiance observation in a set of irradiance observations that has been regularly measured for a plurality of locations, which are each within a geographic region suitable for operation of a photovoltaic fleet, and clear sky irradiance. A time series of the set of the sky clearness indexes is formed for all of the locations within the geographic region. Fleet irradiance statistics for the photovoltaic fleet are generated through statistical evaluation of the time series of the set of the sky clearness indexes. Power statistics for the photovoltaic fleet are built as a function of the fleet irradiance statistics and an overall power rating of the photovoltaic fleet.
US08335646B2 Presenting a travel route
Techniques are provided for presenting a route using a route presentation that provides both a context map and one or more detail route maps. Narrative instructions for the route also may be presented. The presentation of the context map and the one or more detail route maps may be interactive. The route presentation also may be user controllable such that a user may control the portions of a route that are printed. The route presentation also may include a re-routing feature that allows a user to request that a new route be identified that avoids a particular maneuver or maneuvers in a route.
US08335645B2 Map display system, map display, and map display method
Navigation-related information such as a road name or guidance is allowed to be dynamically displayed along a road on a map displayed on the display screen and the road displayed on the display screen, its road name, and the moving direction are also allowed to be made easy visual identification. A map display system for displaying the road name or the navigation-related information together with the road on a display means according to map data including data on the road and data on the road name comprises a display area determining means, a display direction determining means for determining the direction in which the display of a text displayed on a road image moves, a road-name extracting means, and a text data display control means. The road-name extracting means extracts the road and its road name which are to be displayed from the road data to display the road image in the display area determined by the display area determining means. The text data display control means moves the road name on to the road image at predetermined intervals to display it according to the display direction determined by the display direction determining means.
US08335644B2 Navigation apparatus and guide route search method for changing a search condition of a user-selected road selection
A traffic jam guide image showing traffic jam conditions of a plurality of road sections ahead of a current location of a vehicle is displayed together with a map image during a guidance of a guide route from the current location to a destination. Based on a user operation performed on a touch screen, an object road section in which a search condition is to be changed and the search condition in the object road section are set. A second guide route from the current location to the destination is searched for based on the search condition set for the object road section such that the user has only to perform a simple operation through a touch screen to automatically change the search condition and set the road section to which the changed search condition is applied.
US08335640B2 Navigation system, method for guidance along guide route, and route guidance program
A navigation system for a vehicle includes an input unit configured to receive an input corresponding to a destination, a determining unit configured to determine if the input destination corresponds to a route that includes a ferry route or a rail-based route, a modifying unit configured to modify the input destination to a modified destination that corresponds to a termination of a road linked to the route or in the vicinity of a terminal of the route, when it is determined that the input destination corresponds to a location on the route. A route guidance unit is configured to search for a guide route to the modified destination and perform guidance along the guide route, wherein when the navigation system in the vehicle arrives at the termination of the road or in the vicinity thereof, or when the vehicle is positioned in the vicinity of the terminal, and the navigation system is turned off, and the route guidance unit determines that the vehicle has arrived at the destination.
US08335637B2 Navigation device and method providing a traffic message channel resource
A method and a navigation device are disclosed for sharing at least one location message with at least one other device. The navigation device includes a receiver to determine a signal strength of a traffic message channel at a location, a memory to store information representing the signal strength of a traffic message channel, and at least one processor to correlate the information stored in memory to compile a traffic message channel resource and select a traffic message channel based on the traffic message channel resource and a location associated with a navigation device. The method includes determining a signal strength of a traffic message channel at a location, storing information representing the signal strength of a traffic message channel, correlating the information stored in memory to compile a traffic message channel resource, and selecting a traffic message channel based on the traffic message channel resource and a location associated with a navigation device.
US08335633B2 Driving control system for personal watercraft
A driving control system includes a controller which is configured to, in response to a command for starting an auto-cruise mode generated by the operation of an input device, control an engine speed or a vehicle speed so that a value detected by a speed detector falls within a cruising speed range, when the value detected by the speed detector is outside the cruising speed range; and to then cause the watercraft to cruise at a constant engine speed or at a constant vehicle speed.
US08335625B2 Slip control device and method for a vehicle
A method and apparatus for rapidly causing a slip of a driving wheel to converge regardless of the change in vehicle conditions when the driving wheel is in a slip state. When a slip occurs on a driving wheel, a second driving force command value is calculated from a driving force control value controlled by driving force control means and an angular acceleration. The second driving force command value is calculated so that torque capable of being transmitted to a road surface by the driving wheel takes the maximum value. Therefore, even if the friction coefficient of road surface or the wheel load changes, the driving torque of driving wheel can be commanded properly, so that the slip can be converged rapidly. The occurrence of slip at the time of re-acceleration after slip convergence can be avoided.
US08335624B2 Clutch connection control apparatus and vehicle including the same
A pressure sensor detects the change in pressure within a cylinder in a clutch master cylinder in a case where a clutch shifts from a connected state to a disconnected state. The pressure within the cylinder is detected at a time point where a rate of the pressure increase is changed. The position of a rod in this case or the rotation angle of a motor in an actuator is detected as a touch point preparation position. The touch point preparation position is a stage preceding power generated by an engine being transmitted to the clutch. The actuator moves the rod at high speed until the position of the rod reaches the position corresponding to the touch point preparation position.
US08335621B2 Vehicle control apparatus
When downshift control is performed during fuel cut control (when coast-down gearshift control is performed), fuel cut reset revolutions are lowered and set to revolutions Ndwn that are lower than fuel cut reset revolutions Nnor for normal control. By such a setting, it becomes possible to maintain fuel cut control and deceleration lockup slippage control even when engine revolutions NE temporarily drop during execution of coast-down gearshift control, so an improvement in fuel consumption can be achieved. Moreover, it becomes unnecessary to set a downshift gearshift line to a higher vehicle speed side, so fuel cut can be maintained while suppressing the occurrence of a gearshift shock.
US08335620B2 Gear clash logic
A system and method for selectively engaging and disengaging auxiliary equipment to avoid gear clash in a vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a transmission, a transfer case, and a transmission controller. The transmission has a plurality of gears and the transfer case is coupled to the transmission by an output shaft. The controller includes control logic for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the auxiliary equipment. The control logic has a first control logic for determining whether an operator has actuated a selector switch, a second control logic for actuating a torque transmitting device to engage or disengage the auxiliary equipment and avoid gear clash, a third logic for monitoring the engagement or disengagement of the auxiliary equipment, and a fourth control logic determining whether the auxiliary equipment has been engaged or disengaged.
US08335612B2 Falling prevention controlling device and computer program
A falling prevention controlling device includes a wheel, and a main body arranged to swing in a pitch direction and a roll direction above the wheel, an advance/retreat command receiving unit arranged to receive an advance or a retreat command of the wheel, a target pitch angle calculating unit arranged to calculate a target pitch angle based on the received command and a rotation velocity deviation in the pitch direction derived from the detected rotation angle, a pitch inclined angle estimating unit arranged to estimate a pitch inclined angle with respect to a balanced state, from the detected pitch angular velocity and a pitch torque command generated based on the target pitch angle, and a pitch torque command generating unit arranged to generate the pitch torque command based on the target pitch angle and the pitch inclined angle.
US08335610B2 Self-contained ride level control system for a motor vehicle
In a self-contained ride level control system for a motor vehicle, the accumulator pressure is controlled as follows: determination of the current pressure Ps(current) of the compressed air accumulator (4); definition of at least one level whereto the vehicle can be lifted or lowered; determination os the air volume required for lifting or lowering the motor vehicle from the current level and bringing it to a given level; determination of the subsequent accumulator pressure Ps(later) for reducing the current accumulator pressure Ps(current) if the motor vehicle is lifted from its current level up to the given level or determination of the subsequent accumulator pressure Ps(later) for increasing the current accumulator pressure Ps(current) if the motor vehicle has been lowered from the current level to the given level; filling the compressed air accumulator (4) with compressed air if the subsequent pressure Ps(later) is below a lower threshold value Ps (U) and emptying the compressed air accumulator if the subsequent pressure Ps(later) is higher than an upper threshold value (0).
US08335606B2 Thermal imaging-based vehicle analysis
Analysis of a vehicle is performed using multi-dimensional infrared image data acquired for the vehicle. A component of the vehicle can be identified within the infrared image data, and the infrared image data for the component can be analyzed to determine whether any condition(s) are present on the vehicle. One or more actions can be initiated in response to a determination that a particular condition is present. Additionally, visible image data can be used to supplement the infrared image data. Still further, infrared image data for similar components imaged concurrently with the component can be used to identify whether any condition(s) are present on the vehicle. Unlike prior art approaches in the rail industry, the analysis can be performed on rail vehicles within a classification yard.
US08335605B2 Mountain compensation for hybrid vehicles
A method for adjusting a preset desired state of charge of an electric energy accumulator of a vehicle, in particular a hybrid vehicle, while traveling uphill and downhill, determines whether the condition for a vehicle traveling uphill or downhill is met according to a preset decision logic. It also determines whether an actual state of charge of the energy accumulator lies within a preset range of the state of charge, and adjusts the desired state of charge according to a preset adjustment logic, if the condition for a vehicle traveling uphill or downhill is met, and the actual state of charge of the energy accumulator lies within the preset range of the state of charge.
US08335604B2 Control system and method for oxygen sensor heater control in a hybrid engine system
A control system for a hybrid engine system includes a torque management module and an engine control module. The torque management module operates an electric machine of the hybrid engine system for a period prior to starting an engine of the hybrid engine system for a first time during a current run cycle of the hybrid engine system. The engine control module selectively activates a heater for an oxygen sensor of an exhaust system of the engine during the period. The engine control module may selectively activate the heater prior to the period when an ignition switch for the hybrid engine system moves from an off state into an on state. The engine control module may increase the temperature of the oxygen sensor to a predetermined temperature based on one of a thermal shock temperature and a sensitivity temperature of the oxygen sensor. A related method is also provided.
US08335599B2 System and method for detecting radio frequency signals and controlling vehicle operations in response thereto
In at least one embodiment, a system for determining the location of a wireless device with respect to a vehicle is provided. The system comprises a plurality of antennas positioned about the vehicle for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from the wireless device. The RF signal corresponds to at least one of a command and status related to a predetermined vehicle operation. The system further comprises a controller operably coupled to each antenna. The controller is configured to generate a location signal indicative of the location of the wireless device based on the arrival time of the RF signal at one or more antennas of the plurality of antennas and to control the operation of the predetermined vehicle operation based on the location signal.
US08335596B2 Remote energy management using persistent smart grid network context
A server device includes a storage device to store policies that govern the manner in which a curtailment operation or a replenish operation are performed. The policies include a threshold associated with a quantity of power consumption permitted by smart grid devices or another threshold associated with a minimum quantity of power to be supplied by a smart grid device. The server device also includes a processor to obtain, via a web service enabled by a tunneling protocol, a quantity of power consumed by the smart grid devices and another quantity of power to be supplied by the smart grid device; compare the threshold with the quantity of power; send an instruction to perform the curtailment operation when the quantity of power exceeds the threshold; compare the other threshold with the other quantity of power, when the quantity of power is less than the threshold; and send another instruction to perform the replenish operation when the other quantity of power is less than the other threshold.
US08335595B2 System and method for adaptive islanding for stored/distributed energy devices
When a fault occurs in an energy distribution network, adaptive islanding is initiated to supply energy to customers who are disconnected from the primary source of energy on the network. The customers are selectively connected to secondary energy resources that are distributed within the network. The selected customers are chosen in accordance with a profile that takes into account the amount of energy available from the distributed resources, the expected length of time to repair the fault, the recent energy demands of the customers, and levels of priority that are assigned to respective customers. These factors are monitored, and the selected customers who are connected to the distributed resources are dynamically adjusted during the time that the fault exists.
US08335587B2 Frozen confection machine
An edible item is prepared by identifying a number of edible items; associating a predetermined portion of confection with each of the edible items; associating an item identifier with each of the edible items and with the predetermined portion of confection; providing a supply of confection; presenting a selection of item identifiers on a visual display; selecting a single item identifier from the product identifiers presented on the visual display; and dispensing the predetermined portion of confection associated with the edible item associated with the item identifier. Data can be collected related to one of the selection of the single item identifier and the predetermined portion of confection dispensed; and the data can be stored for recall, display, output, and/or transmission. Information about the supply of confection, including supply amount available for dispensing, temperature, consistency, and other characteristics can be stored, displayed, or transmitted.
US08335584B2 Embroidery data generating apparatus and computer-readable medium storing embroidery data generating program
An embroidery data generating apparatus includes a thread color acquisition device that acquires available thread colors for an embroidery pattern, a line segment data generating device that generates line segment data, a dividing device that divides a whole area of an image into divided areas, a determining device that determines a representative color for each of the divided areas, an area thread color allocating device that allocates to the divided area at least one area thread color satisfying a predetermined condition, an associating device that associates the line segment data and the divided area, an embroidery thread color allocating device that allocates, from among the at least one area thread color, an embroidery thread color to each piece of the line segment data, a connecting line segment data generating device that generates connecting line segment data, and an embroidery data generating device that generates embroidery data.
US08335579B2 Restoring corrupted audio signals
A method of restoring a corrupted audio signal includes the steps of inputting the corrupted audio signal in a first channel, inputting one or more further correlated audio signals in one or more further channels, and restoring the corrupted audio signal using a Multi-Channel Autoregressive (AR) Model that models the corrupted signal as a linear combination of scaled time shifted portions of the further signal(s) and the corrupted signal. Embodiments are described in which the method is used to improve received audio signals in DAB receivers and mobile telephones.
US08335575B2 Control system for executing manufacturing processes
A control node has a sequence table and subscribers, with the sequence table having data records each having an identification for an action of a manufacturing sequence associated with the control node, an identification for a subscriber carrying out the action and an identification of a parameter set associated with the action, and wherein each subscriber has a sequence interpreter which is designed to read and to interpret the sequence table, and to initiate the actions associated with the subscriber.
US08335572B2 Medical device lead including a flared conductive coil
An implantable medical device lead includes an insulative lead body, an outer conductive coil extending through the lead body, and an inner conductive coil extending coaxially with the outer conductive coil. The outer conductive coil, which is coupled to a proximal electrode at a distal end of the outer conductive coil, has a first outer conductive coil diameter. The inner conductive coil is coupled to a distal electrode at a distal end of the inner conductive coil. The inner conductive coil includes a filar having a filar diameter and a coil pitch that is about one to one and a half times the filar diameter. The inner conductive coil transitions from a first inner conductive coil diameter to a larger second inner conductive coil diameter between the proximal electrode and the distal electrode.
US08335571B2 Inductive element for intravascular implantable devices
An inductive element adapted for use in implantable intravascular devices (IIDs) having an elongate form factor with a cross-section. The inductive element includes a core that has an outer surface contour that corresponds to the form factor. A set of elongate, or oblong, windings are situated lengthwise along the major length dimension of the inductive element. The windings are also situated to direct a magnetic field along a radial direction in relation to the elongate form factor. In one embodiment the form factor is generally cylindrical and the cross-section is generally round.
US08335567B2 Multimode device and method for controlling breathing
A device and method is provided for therapeutic stimulating, augmenting, manipulating and/or controlling breathing, in combination with stimulation of auxiliary respiratory nerves or muscles including the upper airway tract, chest wall muscles or abdominal muscles. Stimulation may be provided, for example, to augment breathing or to prevent closing of the upper airway during therapeutic stimulation. Stimulation may be also provided to the Hypoglossal nerve during exhalation.
US08335564B2 Ventricle pacing during atrial fibrillation episodes
An adaptive cardiac resynchronization therapy system delivers biventricular stimulation to the heart with dynamic AV delay and VV interval. The stimulation is modified continuously in correlation with the hemodynamic performance of the heart. The system uses a spiking neural network comprising spike controller (42) that learns to associate the VA interval based on hemodynamic sensor temporal patterns. The associated VA interval replaces the sensed atrial event signal during atrial fibrillation episodes.
US08335563B2 MRI detector for implantable medical device
An implantable medical device with an inductive switching regulator having an inductor with a ferromagnetic core is described. The device incorporates a core saturation detector for detecting saturation in the inductor core indicating the presence of a magnetic field such as produced by an MRI scan. The device is configured to alter its behavior when core saturation is detected such as by entering an MRI mode that may include cessation of therapy, fixed-rate bradycardia pacing, and/or disablement of tachyarrhythmia therapy.
US08335559B2 ECG rhythm advisory method
A method of automatically determining which type of treatment is most appropriate for a cardiac arrest victim, the method comprising transforming one or more time domain electrocardiogram (ECG) signals into a frequency domain representation comprising a plurality of discrete frequency bands, combining the discrete frequency bands into a plurality of analysis bands, wherein there are fewer analysis bands than discrete frequency bands, determining the content of the analysis bands, and determining the type of treatment based on the content of the analysis bands.
US08335558B2 Method and apparatus for detecting, characterizing, and sampling tissue via a lumen
An apparatus for diagnosing a patient includes a catheter having a tip. The apparatus includes a bioptome disposed in proximity to the tip to obtain a tissue sample of the patient. The apparatus includes a radiodetector disposed in proximity to the tip to detect radiation in the patient. A method for diagnosing a patient includes the steps of moving a tip of a catheter to a desired location in a blood vessel of the patient determined by radiation detected by a radiodetector disposed in proximity to the tip. There is the step of obtaining a tissue sample of the patient with a bioptome disposed in proximity to the tip.
US08335554B2 Method and device for obtaining information about a mammalian body
This invention relates to a device for retrieving information about one or more states of a mammalian body comprising: (a) a magnetic resonance imaging device comprising a first set of one or more radio-frequency coils for measuring the body temperature Ti at a selected location of a mammalian body, (b) a local heating means including a second set of one or more radio-frequency coils, said second set comprising at least two channels for delivering focused radio frequency energy to said selected location of said mammalian body and raising the temperature Ti thereof, and (c) means for modulating said radio-frequency energy delivered by said second set of coils as a function of said temperature Ti in order to reach and maintain a predefined temperature Tp above the normal mammalian body temperature Tb.
US08335553B2 CT-free spinal surgical imaging system
A system and method for generating three dimensional CT-type information from a conventional C-arm fluoroscope imaging system. A small number of fluoroscope images are used, taken from angles whose pose is determined by means of a three-dimensional target attached to the region of interest, aided by the participation of the surgeon or an image processing routine to pinpoint known anatomical features in the region of interest of the patient. This procedure enables the reconstruction of virtual images in any desired plane, even in planes other than those accessible by the C-arm imaging process, such as the axial plane of a vertebra. Use of this system and method of marking of the feature to be treated in a small number of angularly dissimilar images, enables the generation of CT-type information which can be used to accurately align a robotically guided surgical tool with the anatomical feature.
US08335548B2 Communication apparatus and method of controlling same
When a communication apparatus is operating as a control station on a network, control is exercised so as to handover the control station when it is recognized that the status of the power supply of another communication apparatus participating in this network is indicative of commercial power. Recognition is performed by receiving information, which requests handover of the control station, from the other communication apparatus whose power-supply status is indicative of commercial power.
US08335537B2 Method of managing an application embedded in a telecom device
The invention is a method of managing an application embedded in a telecom device. The telecom device comprises a SIM card and a Push Registry as defined by the Mobile Information Device Profile® specifications. The application is intended to be registered in the Push Registry by defining a specific inbound connection associated to the application. The SIM card requires a local connection on the specific inbound connection for activating the application and for establishing a local communication channel between the SIM card and the application.
US08335536B2 Method and system for message transmission and reception
Wireless devices may contain multiple radio transceivers, each conforming to different communication protocols. A first transceiver conforming to a first communication protocol in a first wireless device may be able to receive, detect, and/or decode messages transmitted by a second transceiver in a second wireless device conforming to a second communication protocol. The first transceiver may communicate received, detected, and/or decoded information to a different transceiver in the same first wireless device, thus enabling the collocated transceivers to work in concert efficiently. A wideband transceiver using a set of multiple sub-channels in parallel may receive, detect, and/or decode messages transmitted by a narrowband transceiver using a set of multiple channels serially, thereby reducing scan time and power consumption.
US08335534B2 Distributed inter-cell interference mitigation in OFDMA multi-carrier wireless data networks
Systems and methods are disclosed for transmission with a plurality of base stations (BSs) in a wireless cellular data network where one BS communicates with neighboring BSs by determining a binary or discrete new power level on each subchannel to determine a weighted sum modified rates of a BS and in-neighbor BSs; and resolving concurrent power update in each BS in a distributed manner.
US08335531B2 Wireless communication device, wireless communication method, and computer program
An own-group storage area in which beacon information concerning a group of the own device is stored and an other-groups storage area in which beacon information concerning other groups different from the group of the own device is stored are allocated to a memory area of a wireless communication device in a network. The wireless communication device includes storage means for storing the beacon information concerning the other groups in the own-group storage area and the other-groups storage area in the same structure as that of the beacon information concerning the group of the own device.
US08335525B2 Mobile telephony presence
Systems and methods for reporting of presence information associated with use of a mobile telephone are presented. In one example, a headset that is paired with a cellular mobile phone relays presence information to a presence application running on a computer.
US08335521B2 System and method of wireless proximity awareness
The present application provides a system for proximity awareness for mobile data communication on an electronic communication device comprising a client application on an electronic communication device communicating across a wireless network, and an awareness server that includes a plurality of server objects that monitor multiple devices on a wireless communication network. In addition, the client application on the electronic communication device comprises a plurality of software objects. The client application periodically broadcasts the current wireless tower that the device is communicating on to the awareness server. The awareness server tracks the location of other Tower IDs of other users in the individual's contact list. If there is a match in Tower IDs, an alert is sent to both users that they are in proximity to each other.
US08335519B2 System and method for providing a community of mobile devices
In a community of mobile devices, a non-participating device can be joined to the community if the non-participating device meets location dependent criteria. The device's location can be determined, e.g. be an onboard GPS, from which it can be determined if the device is within a geospatial boundary of the community. The geospatial boundary may be calculated from the locations of community member devices. Only devices that meet the location dependent criteria will be eligible for participation in the community.
US08335516B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting data in wireless network
A data transmission method and apparatus encodes data to be transmitted over a wireless network on a unit basis, and provides the transmission data with information for allowing the transmission data to recover from an error being added thereto, transmits the transmission data to the wireless network, calculates a transfer success ratio depending on whether the transmission data have been successfully transmitted, and controls the transmission of the transmission data depending on whether the transfer success ratio is higher than a threshold value.
US08335510B2 Cellular communication system and a method of operation therefor
A cellular communication system is supported by first physical layer processes, second layer user plane control processes and third layer control plane control processes. The first layer process is executed in a base station (101). A distribution controller (113) allocates the layer processes such that the second layer process is executed in a different network element than the third layer process. The second and/or third layer process may furthermore be allocated to a different network element than the base station (101) executing the first layer process. The second and/or third layer process may be allocated to base stations (103, 105). This allows improved load balancing and/or may reduce RNC relocations in a system having base station RNC functionality.
US08335507B1 Dynamic selection of PRL depending on whether subscriber is new or existing
A method and system for provisioning a wireless communication device with a PRL by making a determination of whether the device is being provisioned under an existing subscriber account or rather under a new subscriber account. Based at least in part on the determination, a PRL is selected and the device is provisioned with the selected PRL. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention may enable a wireless carrier to (i) provision a new subscriber's device with a PRL that defines a preference for voice-over-IP (VoIP) service over legacy voice service and/or (ii) provision an existing subscriber's device with a PRL that defines a preference for legacy voice service over VoIP service.
US08335506B2 Method of updating a roaming list in a mobile device
A method of updating a roaming list in a mobile device is disclosed herein. The method involves detecting an occurrence of an event via a processor at a back-end system, generating a trigger in response to the detecting of the occurrence of the event, and recognizing, by the processor, the trigger as a roaming list update trigger. The method further includes identifying the mobile device, via the processor, as requiring a roaming list update based on the recognizing of the roaming list update trigger, and transmitting, via a wireless connection, the updated roaming list from the back-end system to the identified mobile device.
US08335502B2 Method for controlling mobile communications
A method for controlling mobile communications involves identifying an operator of the mobile vehicle, where the operator is associated with the mobile communications device. The method further includes recognizing, via a telematics unit in the mobile vehicle, a first in-vehicle trigger to initiate a vehicle data upload event with a telematics service center. The vehicle data for the vehicle data upload event includes information of the mobile vehicle and of the operator of the mobile vehicle. Upon receiving the vehicle data at the telematics service center, transmitting a request from the service center to a mobile communications service provider to disable at least one of an incoming communication for the mobile communications device or an outgoing communication from the mobile communications device. The method further involves disabling the incoming and/or outgoing communication.
US08335493B2 System and method for service selection in a portable device
A portable device for use of a service provided by a remote service system comprises a communication system and a service selection application. The communication system receives a service message from the remote service system. The service message comprises at least one service descriptor. Each of the at least one service descriptors identifies a one of at least one service provided by the remote service system. The service selection application applies at least one context rule to the at least one service descriptor to determine a selected one of the services provided by the remote service system. Applying the at least one context rule may comprise: i) identifying current context factors of the portable device; and ii) identifying a selected one of the services by identifying which of the at least one service descriptors are associated with the current context factors of the portable device. The service application then drives the communication system to exchange data with the remote service system to initiate use of the selected one of the services provided by the remote service system.
US08335492B2 System and method for quick note messaging
A system and method for quick note messaging on a wireless device. A message prompt is issued indicating a caller may leave a quick note message during a ring back period. A recording alert is played in response to receiving a caller selection to record the quick note message. The quick note message is recorded. An indication is given to the wireless device indicating that the quick note message has been received.
US08335487B2 Method for authenticating user terminal in IP multimedia sub-system
A method for authenticating user terminal in IMS network, the method includes: with regard to user request, Service-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) entity creates the authentication challenge utilizing Digest Authentication Algorithm, and sends the authentication challenge to user terminal through Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) entity; the user terminal creates the authentication response utilizing Digest Authentication Algorithm according to the user key and associated parameters with said authentication challenge, and sends the authentication response to S-CSCF entity through S-CSCF entity; S-CSCF entity authenticates said authentication response utilizing Digest Authentication Algorithm according to HAI and associated parameters, if the authentication passes, determines that the user terminal is authenticated successfully, otherwise, determines that the user terminal is authenticated failure.
US08335485B2 Call routing
Embodiments provide a method and apparatus wherein a proxy control function may forward an emergency session to a serving control function, the serving control function forwarding the session to a default emergency control function. The default emergency control function may return an address or identity of an emergency control function or may forward the session to an emergency control function.
US08335479B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit, RF module using the same, and radio communication terminal device using the same
One high-frequency switch Qm supplied with transmit and receive signals to ON, and another high-frequency switch Qn supplied with a signal of another system to OFF are controlled. In the other high-frequency switch Qn, to set V-I characteristics of near-I/O gate resistances Rg1n-Rg3n of a near-I/O FET Qn1 near to a common input/output terminal I/O connected with an antenna are set to be higher in linearity than V-I characteristics of middle-portion gate resistances Rg3n and Rg4n of middle-portion FETs Qn3 and Qn4. Thus, even in case that an uneven RF leak signal is supplied to near-I/O gate resistances Rg1n-Rg3n, and middle-portion gate resistances Rg3n and Rg4n, the distortion of current flowing through the near-I/O gate resistances Rg1n-Rg3n near to the input/output terminal I/O can be reduced.
US08335476B2 Communication system and maintenance method
A maintenance method and system is provided. The method includes providing a device comprising a thru state switch and condition circuits. The device is permanently connected between a feed system and an antenna. The device receives a first control signal and disables a connection between the analyzer and the antenna. The device receives additional control signals and enables conditions. The device generates altered responses of the feed system. The altered responses are associated with the conditions. The altered responses are used to normalize an analyzer and the feed system or troubleshoot a communication system.
US08335473B2 Social interaction tracking
A device may include a communication interface configured to transmit and receive communications from a second device. The device may further include logic configured to determine whether a user of the device is in a social interaction with a user of the second device, obtain identification information associated with the second device when the user of the device is in a social interaction with the user of the second device, and store the obtained identification information associated with the second device to track the social interaction with the user of the second device.
US08335469B2 Communications system
An underwater communications system is provided that transmits electromagnetic and/or magnetic signals to a remote receiver. The transmitter includes a data input. A digital data compressor compresses data to be transmitted. A modulator modulates compressed data onto a carrier signal. An electrically insulated, magnetic coupled antenna transmits the compressed, modulated signals. The receiver that has an electrically insulated, magnetic coupled antenna for receiving a compressed, modulated signal. A demodulator is provided for demodulating the signal to reveal compressed data. A de-compressor de-compresses the data. An appropriate human interface is provided to present transmitted data into text/audio/visible form. Similarly, the transmit system comprises appropriate audio/visual/text entry mechanisms.
US08335468B2 Short-periodicity carrier acquisition for SATCOM interference cancellation
A technique for interference cancellation in a satellite communication system involves an autocorrelation on the hub signal to detect a periodicity in the hub signal, determining a search range for a delay in the hub echo signal in accordance with the periodicity, locating the delay in the hub echo signal, and performing the interference cancellation in accordance with the delay. In the case of periodicity, a delay is acquired (either true or false) that provides cancellation (provided that the period does not change). When the period changes, cancellation is discovered to be poor, and another delay (that may be true or false) is acquired that provides good cancellation and so on.
US08335463B2 Cleaning device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A cleaning device including a first blade contacting a surface of an image carrier and a second blade separate from the first blade to contact the surface of the image carrier at a position downstream from the first blade in a direction of rotation of the image carrier relative to a transfer position on the surface of the image carrier. A leading end of the second blade facing up is positioned upstream from a trailing end of the second blade relative to the direction of rotation of the image carrier. A first edge of the leading end of the second blade contacts the surface of the image carrier at a point on the surface of the image carrier below a second edge of the leading end of the second blade.
US08335458B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes first and second drums subjected to image formation by exposure to light at exposure positions to form latent images and then transferring toner images, formed by developing the latent images with toner, onto a transfer material at transfer positions; first and second gears provided coaxially and integrally with the drums; a driving source for rotationally driving the drums; and a branch gear, meshable with the first and second gears at first and second mesh points, for transmitting a driving force from the driving source to the first and second gears. A sum of a time of movement of a portion of the branch gear located at the first mesh point to the second mesh point and a time of integer-time rotation of the branch gear is equal to a time of movement of the transfer material from the transfer position of the first drum to that of the second drum.
US08335457B2 Methods, systems and apparatus for synchronizing two photoreceptors without effecting image on image quality
Disclosed are image processing methods and systems to control the synchronization of two or more photoreceptor belts associated with an image processing system. According to one exemplary method, the phase error of a slave printing engine photoreceptor belt is controlled by modifying the speed of the slave printing engine photoreceptor belt by an increment which is a function of a predetermined image on image registration tolerance associated with the slave printing engine. Notable, the phase error is controlled while the slave printing engine develops an image on its respective photoreceptor belt.
US08335455B2 Toner supplying device and image forming apparatus
A toner supplying device is provided with a container body formed with a toner replenishment opening and adapted to contain toner, a shutter for opening and closing the toner replenishment opening, and an opening/closing structure for causing the shutter to perform opening and closing operations as the container body is mounted into and detached from the apparatus body. The opening/closing structure includes an arm projecting from the shutter in a mounting direction of the container body into the apparatus body and a locking portion attached to the arm. The locking portion includes a first locking claw engageable with and disengageable from a first engageable portion for locking formed at the guiding portion and a second locking claw engageable with and disengageable from a second engageable portion for locking formed at the container body.
US08335451B2 Developing device to prevent toner leakage and image forming apparatus including the same
A developing device includes a housing containing toner having an opening at a side thereof, a developing roller supplying the toner supplied through the opening to a photoconductive drum, and a regulator contacting the outer circumference of the developing roller to regulate the amount of the toner supplied to the photoconductive drum. The housing also includes a lower frame having both side portions and a lower end portion respectively forming both edges and a lower edge of the opening in a lengthwise direction, and an upper frame welded and coupled to the lower frame and including a leading end portion forming an upper edge of the opening and a recess portion recessed from the leading end portion at both end portions of the leading end portion in the lengthwise direction. Both side portions of the lower frame includes a first surface contacting the recess portion to prevent the upper frame from being pushed toward the developing roller when the upper frame is welded and coupled to the lower frame.
US08335446B2 Image forming apparatus, and method and computer program product for image forming
An image forming apparatus includes an encoder that detects a first pulse signal relevant to a conveyance velocity of an intermediate transfer belt, an encoder that detects a second pulse signal relevant to a conveyance velocity of a transfer-paper conveying belt, a print control unit that performs feedback control by using a count value of the first pulse signal per unit time and a target conveyance velocity value common between the conveyance velocity of the intermediate transfer belt and that of the transfer-paper conveying belt so that the conveyance velocity of the intermediate transfer belt attains the target value and also performs feedback-control by using a count value of the second pulse signal per unit time and the target value so that the conveyance velocity of the transfer-paper conveying belt attains the target value.
US08335440B2 Method, system, and apparatus for blind equalization of BPSK signals
A system, method, and apparatus is disclosed for enabling a constant modulus algorithm (CMA) to be reliably used for blind equalization training of an equalizer. According to one embodiment, received signals in a binary phase shift keying (BPSK) format are converted to a quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) format, to which CMA processing can be reliably applied for equalization. According to another aspect of this embodiment, the equalized QPSK signals are rotated to convert the signals to an equalized BPSK format for output.
US08335439B2 Method of ethernet frame forward error correction initialization and auto-negotiation
A method of managing forward error correction (FEC) initialization and auto-negotiation in ethernet passive optical networks includes receiving FEC data from an optical network unit (ONU), and the optical line terminal (OLT) responds to the ONU with FEC data. Upon receiving data not forward error corrected from an ONU, the OLT responds with data not coded for FEC. Similarly, upon receiving forward error corrected data from the OLT, the ONU responds with forward error corrected data; and upon receiving data not forward error corrected from the OLT, the ONU responds with data not forward error corrected. The communications quality from the ONU is monitored, if the communications quality is not sufficient, the OLT transmits forward error corrected data to the ONU; otherwise, the OLT transmits non-FEC data to the ONU. Similarly, the method includes monitoring communications quality from the OLT by the ONU; if the communications quality is insufficient, the ONU transmits FEC data to the OLT; otherwise, the ONU transmits data not forward error corrected to the OLT.
US08335437B2 Time synchronization method and device in passive optical network and passive optical network
A time synchronization method and a time synchronization device in a passive optical network (PON), and a PON are provided. The method includes receiving a synchronization packet sent after time synchronization of an optical line terminal (OLT) with a master clock (MC) is achieved, wherein the synchronization packet carries a timestamp TMt1i determined after the time synchronization of the OLT is achieved, adjusting a local clock according to the timestamp to achieve time synchronization of an optical network unit/optical network terminal (ONU/ONT) with the OLT, and after the time synchronization of the OLT is achieved, instructing an slave clock (SC) to perform time synchronization. A time synchronization device and a time synchronization system for implementing the method in a PON are further provided.
US08335431B2 Upgraded bandwidth map for ten gigabit passive optical network
An apparatus comprising an optical line terminal (OLT) configured to transmit a bandwidth map (BWmap) for a plurality of burst signals to be transmitted by a plurality of optical network units (ONUs), wherein the BWmap comprises a plurality of allocations, and wherein each allocation comprises a start time for the allocation, a grant size for the allocation, and a header error correction (HEC) for the allocation.
US08335424B2 Recording medium, playback apparatus, method and program
A plurality of video streams and STN_table are recorded in the local storage 200. Each of the plurality of video streams is a secondary video stream to be played together with a primary video stream, and includes picture data representing a child image to be displayed in Picture in Picture that is composed of a parent image and the child image. In the STN_table, entries of secondary video streams that are permitted to be played are described in the order of priority.
US08335423B2 Image display apparatus, image interpretation support system and computer-readable recording medium
An image display apparatus includes an image playback unit that plays a group of a series of images in chronological order; an operating unit that is used to input an operation when an image that is being played in the image playback unit is subjected to image interpretation; an image interpretation operation recording unit that records an operation content which is input from the operating unit in an order with respect to the image that is being played in the image playback unit; an image interpretation operation image creating unit that creates, using the operation content recorded in the image interpretation operation recording unit, a series of images according to the order; and an image interpretation operation image display unit that displays the image created by the image interpretation operation image creating unit.
US08335421B2 Optical transmission system and multi-core optical fiber
An optical transmission system includes an optical transmitting unit that outputs at least one optical signal having a wavelength included in an operation wavelength band and a holey fiber that is connected to the optical transmitting unit. The holey fiber includes a core and a cladding formed around the core. The cladding includes a plurality of holes formed around the core in a triangular lattice shape. The holey fiber transmits the optical signal in a single mode. A bending loss of the holey fiber is equal to or less than 5 dB/m at a wavelength within the operation wavelength band when the holey fiber is wound at a diameter of 20 millimeters.
US08335416B2 Connector assembly including a floatable light pipe assembly
A connector assembly configured to be positioned relative to a light-emitting element. The connector assembly includes a receptacle connector that has a member cavity and a base. The connector assembly also includes a light pipe (LP) structure that has input and output ends. The input end is configured to capture light emitted from the light-emitting element. The connector assembly also includes an alignment member that is received within the member cavity of the receptacle connector and is coupled to the LP structure. The alignment member is sized to float within the member cavity to control a relative position of the input end of the LP structure with respect to the base.
US08335413B2 Optical switch
An optical fiber switch (16) for alternatively redirecting an input beam (14) comprises a redirector (18) and a redirector mover (20). The redirector (18) redirects the input beam (14) so that a redirected beam (46) alternatively launches from the redirector (18) (i) along a first redirected axis (354) that is spaced apart from a directed axis (344A) when the redirector (18) is positioned at a first position (348), and (ii) along a second redirected axis (356) that is spaced apart from the directed axis (344A) when the redirector (18) is positioned at a second position (350) that is different from the first position (348). The redirector mover (20) moves the redirector (18) about a movement axis (366) between the first position (348) and the second position (350).
US08335412B2 Optical fiber coupler
An optical fiber coupler includes a receiving interface and two lenses. The receiving interface is configured for matching and connecting to an external optical fiber of a particular diameter within a range of 62.5 μm to 100 μm, and for receiving optical signals from the external optical fiber. The two lenses are configured for coupling the received optical signals. A distance between the two lenses falls within a range from 0.5 mm to 0.95 mm. A curvature radius of each of the two lenses falls within a range from 0.3579 mm to 0.3898 mm.
US08335411B2 Fiber optic bi-directional coupling lens
A component for coupling light bi-directionally between optical waveguides and optoelectronic devices is described. This component can be inexpensively manufactured and fits within the existing form-factor of fiber optic transceivers or transmitters, and has features for efficiently coupling laser light to a waveguide and light from the same waveguide to a detector. The described components can be formed as an array to operate within system that operation over parallel optical fibers. Applicability for these components is for optical time domain reflectometry, bi-directional optical communications, remote fiber sensing, and optical range finders.
US08335409B2 Optical rotary joint with active movement compensation
An optical rotary joint includes a first collimator arrangement for coupling on first light-waveguides, and a second collimator arrangement for coupling on second light-waveguides, with the second collimator arrangement being supported to be rotatable relative to the first collimator arrangement about a rotation axis. The collimator arrangements include collimators with an actuator that is adjustable along two axes. A control unit controls the actuators so that mechanical tolerances are compensated, and optical transmission loss between the collimator arrangements is minimal.
US08335406B2 Temperature sensor using an optical fiber
A temperature sensor that has an elongated sensing element having a length of at least 10 m, measured at a temperature of 20° C. The elongated sensing element includes an elongated jacket and an optical fiber mounted in the jacket and having an EFL of at least 0.35%, wherein the elongated sensing element has an average temperature error of less than 2° C.
US08335405B2 Method and apparatus for measuring fiber twist by polarization tracking
An apparatus and accompanying method to measure fiber twist. The method includes independent determination of fiber bending by measuring strain sensing in outer cores of the same fiber. The apparatus includes a multi-core optical fiber comprising a center core and a plurality of peripheral cores at a distance radially from the center core and running parallel to the center core. The center core includes at least one fiber Bragg grating with polarization-dependent reflectivity. The fiber Bragg grating reflects the launched light as reflected light. The apparatus includes a multi-core optical fiber bend sensing system operable to communicate with the multi-core optical fiber. The multi-core optical fiber bend sensing system is operable to sense a bend in the multi-core optical fiber. The apparatus includes a processor operable to communicate with the polarization controller. The apparatus includes a polarization vector analyzer operable to communicate electronically with the processor, and optically with a portion of the light launched into the central core of the optical fiber. The polarization vector analyzer is operable to measure the state of polarization of the launched light. The polarization controller is operable to align the polarization of the launched light with the minor axis or the major axis of birefringence of the FBG. The processor is operable, after the polarization controller aligns the polarization of the launched light, to determine a twist in the multi-core optical fiber based on the polarization of the launched light and the bend in the multi-core optical fiber.
US08335404B2 Dynamically varying classified image display system
A dynamically varying image display system including an electromagnetic radiation emitting display, a thematic based sorting algorithm processor, and a display processor. The electromagnetic radiation display is configured to sequentially display a plurality of thematically classified images and the thematic based sorting algorithm processor relies on various recognition systems.
US08335403B2 Soft edge smoothness prior and application on alpha channel super resolution
Systems and methods are disclosed for processing a low resolution image by performing a high resolution edge segment extraction on the low resolution image; performing an image super resolution on each edge segment; performing reconstruction constraint reinforcement; and generating a high quality image from the low quality image.
US08335401B2 Blind blocking artifact measurement approaches for digital imagery
Systems and methods of performing quantitative measurements of blocking artifacts in digital images and digital image sequences that are computationally efficient, and that employ no reference information in the measurement process. At least one normalized gradient image array is calculated, with reference to at least one specified gradient direction, from image pixel data contained in an image pixel array derived from a given digital image. The calculated results are accumulated into at least one profile array, and the data contained in the respective profile array is analyzed in the frequency domain to obtain a quantitative measurement of blockiness in the given digital image.
US08335398B2 Zoom lens distortion correcting apparatus
A distortion correcting apparatus includes a buffer circuit which writes image data having horizontal pixels of a first number and a vertical-distortion different depending on a horizontal pixel position, into an SDRAM. The written image data is read-out for each units of horizontal pixels, which include a reference horizontal pixel and indicates a second number smaller than the first number, in a vertical pixel direction. A buffer control circuit in the vertical-distortion correcting circuit determines a second number in such a manner as to indicate a larger numerical value as a vertical-distortion corresponding to the reference horizontal pixel is smaller so as to start the buffer circuit. Also, the buffer control circuit changes a position of the reference horizontal pixel to a position corresponding to the second number at a timing based on a correction amount of the vertical-distortion correcting circuit so as to start the above-described determining process.
US08335396B2 Image output apparatus, edge enhancement method, and recording medium
An image output apparatus includes an addition amount calculation unit that calculates, based on a target pixel and each of adjacent pixels before and after the target pixel in an input image, an edge enhancement addition amount to be added to a pixel value of the target pixel; a variation calculation unit that calculates a linear variation in accordance with a shape of an edge gradient formed by the target pixel and each of the adjacent pixels; a weight processing unit that assigns a weight to the edge enhancement addition amount in accordance with the linear variation; and an addition amount addition unit that adds the weighted edge enhancement addition amount to the pixel value of the target pixel and outputs the added pixel value.
US08335394B2 Image processing method for boundary resolution enhancement
An image processing method for boundary resolution enhancement is disclosed. Firstly, an image is transferred into an image layer. Noise of the image layer is removed by a bilateral filter and crisp edges are retained at the same time. Moreover, the image layer is interpolated by an interpolation filter for resolution enhancement. The image processing method of the present invention can lower the image blur degree substantially, enhance the image resolution and be widely implemented in all sorts of image/video processing hardware devices.
US08335392B2 Method for reducing image artifacts
A method for reducing image artifacts in an image that includes a number of pixels each of which includes at least one video information value, includes generating a plurality of filter coefficients for at least some of the pixels of the image, on the basis of which the video information values of the pixels can be reconstructed. Artifact detection is performed to detect artifact regions within the image. At least some filter coefficients of those pixels that lie within the artifact regions are modified to generate modified filter coefficients. The video information values are synthesized using the filter coefficients, the modified filter coefficients being employed for the synthesis for pixels lying within the artifact regions.
US08335387B2 Streak compensation in compressed image paths
In accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a method for performing streak compensation on compressed digital image data. The method comprises generating the compressed digital image data using a compression method employing a discrete cosine transform (DCT) and recovering a zero frequency component (DC coefficient) of the discrete cosine transform (DCT) for each of a plurality of compressed unit blocks of image data wherein each unit block includes N pixel columns. The method further comprises applying spatially varying compensating tone reproduction curves (TRC) to the DC coefficients of each of the plurality of unit blocks on a block-column basis wherein each block-column receives compensation from a given TRC, re-compressing the compensated image data, and subsequently decompressing all of the compensated units to produce decompressed compensated image data.
US08335386B2 Image encoding device and image decoding device
An image encoding device includes: an image division section for dividing one frame of image into a plurality of image fragments, grouping the plurality of image fragments into N sets (N: an integer of 2 or more), and outputting the N sets of image fragments as N partial images; an image swapping section for swapping at least one image fragment with another between the N partial images to thereby output N partial images each having shuffled image fragments; and an encoding section for encoding the N partial images output from the image swapping section.
US08335383B1 Image filtering systems and methods
In some embodiments, image spam is identified by comparing color histograms of suspected spam images with color histograms of reference (known) images. The histogram comparison includes comparing a first color content in a query image with a range of similar color contents in the reference image. For example, a pixel count for a given color in the query image may be compared to pixel counts for a range of similar colors in the reference image. A histogram distance between two images may be determined according to a computed pixel count difference between the given query histogram color and a selected color in the range of similar reference histogram colors.
US08335382B2 Method and system for applying silhouette tracking to determine attitude of partially occluded objects
A method and system for increasing the certainty of a silhouette matching process, where the process is being used for attitude determination of an object of interest, for example an aircraft. The method involves using one or more mask images that include structure or features that may or may not always be associated with the object of interest, and overlaying the mask image(s) onto a library image of the aircraft. Each pixel of the library image is compared against corresponding pixels of the mask image(s) to determine which pixels represent ambiguous areas of the library image. Those pixels are eliminated from consideration in determining a Fit score, where the Fit score represents a percentage value indicative of a certainty of the matching process in identifying the attitude of the aircraft. The method and system is applicable to a wide ranging variety of object detection applications.
US08335375B2 Image processing apparatus and control method thereof
In order to implement color-reduction processing more suitable, an image processing apparatus includes a reduced-scale image generation unit configured to generate a reduced-scale image of first image data; a color space division unit configured to determine a plurality of bins by dividing predetermined color space; a first frequency distribution generation unit configured to generate a first frequency distribution for all pixels; a detection unit configured to detect an edge region from the first image data; a second frequency distribution generation unit configured to generate a second frequency distribution for pixels included in the edge region; a determination unit configured to select N bins, and to determine N types of pixel values respectively corresponding to the selected N bins; and a substitution unit configured to substitute each of pixels included in the first image data using the determined N types of pixel values.
US08335374B2 Image segmentation
A method for classifying pixels in an image, e.g. a microscopy image, as being associated with a feature of interest has been described. A color brightfield microscopy image represented by color values for an array of pixels is conventionally obtained. The image is over-segmented based on the color values to provide a plurality of groups of contiguous pixels with related color values, whereby a typical feature of interest will be represented by multiple segments. A list of pairs of segments which are adjacent to one another in the image is generated, and a difference in average color value between the segments comprising each pair is determined. Pairs of adjacent segments are then selectively joined together to form a joined segment to replace the corresponding pair of segments in the list if pre-defined joining criteria are met. The pairs are considered for joining in an order based on their respective differences in average color value. Pixels are then classified as being associated with the feature of interest based on the segments following the selective joining. Segmentation information indicating the pixels classified as being associated with the feature of interest is thus provided.
US08335373B2 Image processing apparatus and control method thereof
In order to implement color-reduction processing more suitable, an image processing apparatus includes: a reference pixel determination unit configured to determine a reference pixel by scanning first image data; a color space division unit configured to set a plurality of regions in a hue circle and a plurality of luminance levels, and to determine a plurality of bins; a frequency distribution generation unit configured to generate a frequency distribution; a determination unit configured to select N bins based on the generated frequency distribution and to determine N types of pixel values respectively corresponding to the selected N bins; and a substitution unit configured to substitute each of pixels included in the first image data using the determined N types of pixel values.
US08335371B2 Method for vision field computing
A method for vision field computing may comprise the following steps of: forming a sampling system for a multi-view dynamic scene; controlling cameras in the sampling system for the multi-view dynamic scene to perform spatial interleaved sampling, temporal interleaved exposure sampling and exposure-variant sampling; performing spatial intersection to the sampling information in the view subspace of the dynamic scene and temporal intersection to the sampling information in the time subspace of the dynamic scene to reconstruct a dynamic scene geometry model; performing silhouette back projection based on the dynamic scene geometry model to obtain silhouette motion constraints for the view angles of the cameras; performing temporal decoupling for motion de-blurring with the silhouette motion constraints; and reconstructing a dynamic scene 3D model with a resolution larger than nominal resolution of each camera by a 3D reconstructing algorithm.
US08335370B2 Device and method for evaluation of a calibration element used in a colour penetration method
The invention relates to an apparatus rating a monitoring element to which is or was applied a dye penetrant procedure and which is fitted with at least one artificial defect in the form of at least one indentation, the apparatus including an image recorder generating an image of at least parts of the monitoring element, said parts comprising at least portions of the minimum of one artificial defect, said apparatus including an image analyzer rating the image generated by the image recorder, and to a corresponding method.
US08335366B2 Automatic aortic detection and segmentation in three-dimensional image data
A method including searching image data corresponding to a series of axial image slices with a processor, searching axial image slices from a starting image slice and calculating a confidence score that an image slice includes a cross-section image of an aorta, identifying an image slice containing at least one seed disk, including an ascending aorta seed disk, from candidate image slices identified according to the confidence score, and growing a 3D segmentation of the ascending aorta by stacking ascending aorta image disks included in consecutive image slices beginning from the ascending aorta seed disk.
US08335361B2 Medical image processing apparatus and medical image processing method
A medical image processing apparatus which performs image processing on a medical input image, includes: a pixel extraction portion for extracting an inappropriate pixel satisfying a predetermined condition in the input image, a replacing pixel information calculation portion for calculating replacing information with which pixel information of the inappropriate pixel is to be replaced, based on pixel information of a predetermined region including the extracted inappropriate pixel or adjacent to the extracted inappropriate pixel and a replaced image generation portion for replacing the pixel information of the inappropriate pixel in the input image with the replacing information and generating a replaced image.
US08335358B2 Method and system for reconstructing a medical image of an object
A method for reconstructing a medical image of an object in a reconstruction process, where image data is achieved by a medical imaging system by collecting a real measured projection image data of said object, in which method an antipriori component is deter-mined for modelling artifacts caused by the imaging system and/or reconstruction method. The antipriori component is used for attenuating said artifacts from the medical image of said object to be reconstructed in said reconstruction process.
US08335355B2 Method and component for image recognition
A method and system for image recognition in a collection of digital images includes training image classifiers and retrieving a sub-set of images from the collection. For each image in the collection, any regions within the image that correspond to a face are identified. For each face region and any associated peripheral region, feature vectors are determined for each of the image classifiers. The feature vectors are stored in association with data relating to the associated face region. At least one reference region including a face to be recognized is/are selected from an image. At least one classifier on which said retrieval is to be based is/are selected from the image classifiers. A respective feature vector for each selected classifier is determined for the reference region. The sub-set of images is retrieved from within the image collection in accordance with the distance between the feature vectors determined for the reference region and the feature vectors for face regions of the image collection.
US08335354B2 Apparatus for registering face identification features, method for registering the same, program for registering the same, and recording medium
The apparatus for registering face identification features can eliminate time and effort for manually retrieving and preparing face images by being provided with a face image retrieving portion 11 for retrieving a face image of a person via a network using the person's name as a keyword, a face feature extracting portion 12 for extracting features, which greatly influence identification of a person, from the face images retrieved by the face image retrieving portion 11, and a celebrity name, face image and feature database 13 for registering the face images retrieved by the face image retrieving portion 11 and the face features extracted by the face feature extracting portion 12 in a state where they are associated with the person's names.
US08335352B2 Method and apparatus for detecting lane
A method and an apparatus for detecting a lane are disclosed. The lane detecting apparatus includes: a region of ID setup setting a region of ID including a road region of a current lane in an acquired image; a road sign verifier verifying existence of a road sign within the set region of ID; an ROI setup calculating a difference value between a lane prediction result and previous lane information when there exists a road sign and setting an ROI based on the calculated difference value; and a lane detector detecting a lane by extracting lane markings based on the set ROI. Accordingly, a lane can be more accurately detected even in a road environment including a road sign by removing the road sign to extract only necessary lane markings.
US08335345B2 Tracking an object with multiple asynchronous cameras
The path and/or position of an object is tracked using two or more cameras which run asynchronously so there is need to provide a common timing signal to each camera. Captured images are analyzed to detect a position of the object in the image. Equations of motion for the object are then solved based on the detected positions and a transformation which relates the detected positions to a desired coordinate system in which the path is to be described. The position of an object can also be determined from a position which meets a distance metric relative to lines of position from three or more images. The images can be enhanced to depict the path and/or position of the object as a graphical element. Further, statistics such as maximum object speed and distance traveled can be obtained. Applications include tracking the position of a game object at a sports event.
US08335343B2 Method for characterizing powder in a rotating cylindrical container by image analysis
A method is provided for characterizing powders and powder behavior in a rotating cylindrical container by image analysis techniques. Powder is placed in a generally cylindrical container with transparent ends. The container is then placed in front of an imaging device and illuminated with a light source so the device can capture images of the powder over time. The container is then rotated at various speeds and the camera captures images of the powder at fixed time intervals. Image analysis algorithms are then used to isolate the powder information in the images and this data is used to calculate several parameters of the powder including the potential energy of the powder, the curvature of the powder, and volume of the powder. From these calculations, the average potential energy level of the powder, the potential energy level at which the powder yields or avalanches, the change in the potential energy before and after an avalanche, the powder surface curvature, and powder volume can be determined as a function of container rotation speed.
US08335342B2 Protecting printed items intended for public exchange with information embedded in blank document borders
A method for embedding coded information in a coupon with a face value denomination includes encoding that face value denomination value as a plurality of data carrying dot pair patterns where each dot is too small to be visually noticeable. For each page of a document to be rendered, the method includes determining whether the border area is blank. If found not blank the border area is cleared. Each of the plurality of data carrying dot patterns is embedded in the blank border area of the document page. The document page with the embedded data carrying dot patterns is then rendered, where each data carrying dot is too small to be visually noticeable.
US08335337B2 Loudspeaker with replaceable motor assembly
A loudspeaker is provided in which precise alignment is obtained between the frame and motor assembly before they are connected to one another so that a voice coil coupled to the frame may be properly radially and vertically positioned with respect to a magnetic gap in the motor assembly while allowing the motor assembly and frame to be easily and quickly separated from one another to perform repairs or complete replacement of the motor assembly.
US08335332B2 Fully learning classification system and method for hearing aids
A method for operating a hearing aid in a hearing aid system where the hearing aid is continuously learnable for the particular user. A sound environment classification system is provided for tracking and defining sound environment classes relevant to the user. In an ongoing learning process, the classes are redefined based on new environments to which the hearing aid is subjected by the user.
US08335324B2 Method and apparatus for automatic volume adjustment
The invention provides an apparatus capable of automatic volume adjustment. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a speaker, an array microphone located in the vicinity of the speaker, a beamforming module, a signal-to-noise ratio calculation module, and a volume adjustment module. The speaker first broadcasts a first audio signal. The array microphone converts a sound into a plurality of second audio signals. The beamforming module derives a speaker sound signal and an ambient noise signal from the second audio signals, wherein the speaker sound signal mainly comprises speaker sound components generated by the speaker and the ambient noise signal mainly comprises noises other than the speaker sound components. The signal-to-noise ratio calculation module calculates a ratio of a first power of the speaker sound signal to a second power of the ambient noise signal to obtain a signal-to-noise ratio. The volume adjustment module then adjusts a volume of the first audio signal according to the signal-to-noise ratio before the first audio signal is delivered to the speaker.
US08335322B2 Mute control circuit and electronic device using same
An electronic device includes an amplifier, an output unit, a processing unit, and a mute control circuit. The amplifier is for amplifying audio signals and generating amplified audio signals accordingly. The amplifier includes an output port to output the amplified audio signals. The output unit is for emitting sounds corresponding to the amplified audio signals. The processing unit is for generating a mute control signal. The mute control circuit includes a main circuit and an auxiliary circuit. The main circuit is for responding to the mute control signal, and for driving the amplifier to change between a mute state and a play state accordingly. The auxiliary circuit is for enabling the output port of the amplifier to be electrically grounded at the moment of supplying power to the electronic device.
US08335321B2 Audio signal processing apparatus, audio signal processing method and imaging apparatus
An audio signal processing apparatus generates an audio signal having an omni-directivity in the whole circumferential direction, generates an audio signal having a directivity in the right-left direction, generates an audio signal having a directivity in the front-back direction, adds the audio signal resulting from the multiplication of the audio signal having a directivity in the whole circumferential direction by a predetermined coefficient, the audio signal resulting from the multiplication of the audio signal having a directivity in the right-left direction by a predetermined coefficient, and the audio signal resulting from the multiplication of the audio signal having a directivity in the front-back direction by a predetermined coefficient, and generates a unidirectional audio signal.
US08335319B2 Double talk detection method based on spectral acoustic properties
A method of detecting double talk condition in hands free communication devices is disclosed. In general, the method in accordance with the teachings of this invention detects double talk conditions based on inherent frequency response differences between the transducers used and acoustical effect on the spectrum of the returned echo signal. An input signal from a far-end talker and an input signal from the output from an echo canceler are received by the detector. K spectral subbands are created for each input signal. From this K subbands q subbands are selected based on inherent frequency differences between the far-end transducer and a near-end transducer. The spectral echo residual power is estimated at each subband. The estimated spectral echo power and the output signal from the echo canceler for a selected subband are compared to a predetermined threshold. Based on this comparison, it is determined whether double talk conditions exist based on the comparison.
US08335317B2 Secure interface for versatile key derivation function support
Improper re-use of a static Diffie-Hellman (DH) private key may leak information about the key. The leakage is prevented by a key derivation function (KDF), but standards do not agree on key derivation functions. The module for performing a DH private key operation must somehow support multiple different KDF standards. The present invention provides an intermediate approach that neither attempts to implement all possible KDF operations, nor provide unprotected access to the raw DH private key operation. Instead, the module performs parts of the KDF operation, as indicated by the application using the module. This saves the module from implementing the entire KDF for each KDF needed. Instead, the module implements only re-usable parts that are common to most KDFs. Furthermore, when new KDFs are required, the module may be able to support them if they built on the parts that the module has implemented.
US08335313B2 Encryption device, encryption method and storage medium storing its program
When processing a data conversion function of a MISTY structure, such as the FO function of MISTY1, the logical calculation result t3 of the exclusive OR 614 of the process result of the FI function 602 of the MISTY structure in the second stage and a logical calculation result t1 of an exclusive OR 612 of the MISTY structure in the first stage is not stored in a register. The logical calculation result t3 and the logical calculation result of respective exclusive OR 642 and 643 are subject to a direct exclusive OR with the respective exclusive OR 642 and 643.
US08335308B2 Method, system, and apparatus for attenuating dual-tone multiple frequency confirmation tones in a telephone set
A method, system, and apparatus for attenuating a dialing confirmation tone includes receiving an enable signal from a tactile user input device, generating at least one dual-tone multiple frequency (DTMF) tone, and communicating the at least one DTMF tone to a telephone line. The method further includes attenuating a signal level of the at least one DTMF tone by a predetermined amount to produce at least one attenuated dialing confirmation tone in response to receiving the enable signal, and communicating the at least one attenuated dialing confirmation tone to an audio output device.
US08335306B1 Customer controlled hotline
A call processing system for handling calls in a communication network operated by a communication carrier comprising and interface and a processing system. The interface is configured to receive a hotline instruction from a customer of the communication carrier to enable a plurality of hotline features for a plurality of devices associated with the customer to route a plurality of calls from the plurality of devices to a plurality of hotline destinations, and receiving a first call request for a first call to a first intended destination from a first device of the plurality of devices. The processing system is configured to process the first call request to determine if a first hotline feature for the first device is enabled, and process the first call request to route the first call to a first hotline destination of the plurality of hotline destinations if the first hotline feature is enabled.
US08335304B2 Multi-function general purpose transceivers and devices
The present invention is generally directed to a system and associated method for communicating information. In some embodiments, the invention is directed to a general purpose transceiver having a receiver for receiving an information signal and a transmitter configured to transmit an outgoing signal to a central station. A portion of the information signal can include an instruction code, which may be decoded and acted upon accordingly. Other embodiments and features are also claimed and described.
US08335297B2 System and method for a telephone panic button
Methods for implementing emergency services on a telephony network are presented. A server receives an indication from a telephone handset that a “panic” button has been selected. A call connection is determined and a call is connected based on instructions associated with the emergency call connection. Telecommunication devices for implementing emergency services are also presented. A handset, associated with a location identifier, includes a “panic” button and predetermined emergency call connection instructions are sent/received when the panic button is selected. The telecommunications device may include a database to store information associated with different handsets, a call processor to determine and make emergency call connections over the network when the panic button is selected, and panic logic to store preferences that control how the panic button is implemented on the system.
US08335295B1 Image intensifier
A chromium oxide film is formed so as to continuously connect an anode and a grid electrode, and an insulating member for insulating those electrodes. A chromium oxide film is formed so as to continuously connect a grid electrode and a grid electrode, and an insulating member for insulating those electrodes. With use of the chromium oxide films, no intermittent discharge phenomenon occurs between the insulating member and the anode, and between the insulating member and the grid electrodes.
US08335287B2 Communication apparatus and signal processing method
A communication apparatus includes a signal detector that detects incoming (i.e., receives) information from a signal received wirelessly. The signal detector includes a wave detector, an equalizer, and a detector. The wave detector accepts an incoming signal wherein information is modulated onto a carrier signal, analyzes the envelope variation of the incoming signal, and generates a detection signal containing the incoming information. The equalizer corrects the detection signal and outputs a corrected detection signal. The detector then detects the incoming information from the corrected detection signal.
US08335284B1 System and method for inter-channel interference reduction
An apparatus and method in a multiple sub-carrier digital communication receiver for reducing inter-channel interference (ICI) includes a channel estimation block for calculating channel estimates, an interpolation block for calculating interpolated channel estimates, and an ICI reduction block for calculating ICI reduced receive symbols. Channel estimates are calculated based on receive symbols or ICI reduced receive symbols using pre-determined transmit symbols. Interpolated channel estimates are calculated by Wiener filter interpolation of a set of channel estimates. ICI estimates are calculated based on a set of interpolated channel estimates and either receive symbols or ICI reduced receive symbols. ICI reduced receive symbols are generated by subtracting ICI estimates from receive symbols.
US08335282B2 Method for implementing an equalizer of an OFDM baseband receiver
A method for implementing an equalizer of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) baseband receiver is provided. The OFDM baseband receiver includes a channel estimation and tracking module for estimating a channel impulse response of an input signal of the equalizer. A conjugate of the channel impulse response is first calculated. The input signal and the conjugate of the channel impulse response are then multiplied to generate a product signal. The product signal is then taken as the output signal of the equalizer without dividing the product signal by a channel state information, wherein the channel state information represents a square of an absolute value of the channel impulse response.
US08335281B2 Diversity receiving apparatus and diversity receiving method
There is provided a diversity receiving apparatus (1) that comprises: a receiving unit (4) for receiving a frequency-division multiplexing signal on which a carrier group is multiplexed; a first demodulating unit (5) for outputting a first data carrier and a first transmission control carrier; a second demodulating unit (6) for outputting a second data carrier and a second transmission control carrier; a timing adjusting unit (7) for synchronizing processing timing of the first demodulating unit (5) and the second demodulating unit (6); a first combining/selecting unit (60) for combining or selecting a first transmission control carrier and a second transmission control carrier; a second combining/selecting unit (8) for combining or selecting a first data carrier and a second data carrier; a decoding unit (13) for decoding a transmission control signal using the transmission control carrier selected by the first combining/selecting unit (60); and a detecting unit (14) for detecting frame synchronization.
US08335280B2 Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data in digital broadcasting system
A digital broadcasting system and a data processing method are disclosed. The receiving system of the digital broadcasting system includes a baseband processor, a first handler, a second handler, and a storage unit. The baseband processor receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data and main service data. Herein, the mobile service data may configure an RS frame, and the RS frame may include the mobile service data and first signaling information of a first data type on the mobile service data. The first handler parses the first signaling information received from the RS frame, converts parsed data elements of the first data type to a second data type, and merges multiple identification information of the parsed first data type, thereby generating identification information of the second data type. The second handler receives second signaling information of the second data type on the mobile service data, the second signaling information including at least one fragment, uses the identification information of the second data type included in the first handler to search at least one fragment within the second signaling information, and maps data elements received through the searched fragment with the data elements converted to the second data type.
US08335273B2 Control apparatus for and control method of equalizer, and wireless terminal having that control apparatus
For the first wireless base station, a first correlation value based on a calculation result on channel estimation values having an identical signal timing and a calculation result on channel estimation values having different signal timings, and determines, for the second wireless base station, a second correlation value based on a calculation result on channel estimation values having an identical signal timing, and controls the weighting-adding at the equalizer based on these correlation values.
US08335268B2 Signal transmission system using multiple antenna and signal transmission method thereof
The present invention relates to a multiple antenna transmission system and a signal transmission method In the signal transmission method using multiple antennas, a plurality of subcarrier symbols are grouped as a plurality of groups including first and second tiles that are basic resource management units including two or more subcarriers included in a set frequency domain, phases of subcarrier symbols included in a first tile are shifted to be a first phase shifting value, and phases of subcarrier symbols included in a second tile are shifted to be a second phase shifting value that is different from the first phase shifting value.
US08335264B2 Image information transmission apparatus
A stream transmitting section outputs encoded stream data. A division instructing section generates dividing point information that designates a dividing point of the encoded stream data. A parallel stream transmitting section divides stream data that is output by the stream transmitting section and side information necessary for decoding from halfway along the stream that is extracted based on the stream data into a predetermined number of parts at dividing points designated by the dividing point information, performs parallelization thereof, and transmits data obtained as a result thereof to a stream decoding section on a receiving side.
US08335263B2 Method of processing a current field macroblock
In one embodiment, the method includes determining reference picture index numbers in a reference picture list. The reference picture index numbers increase for reference pictures having a decreasing display order with respect to a picture including the macroblock. The reference picture numbers increase for reference pictures having an increasing display order with respect to the picture including the macroblock, and the reference picture index numbers of the reference pictures have a decreasing display order are greater than the reference picture index numbers of the reference pictures having an increasing display order. Motion vector information is obtained for the current field macroblock. A field reference picture index associated with the current field macroblock is obtained. A frame reference picture is selected based on the frame reference picture index and the reference picture index number. A field reference picture is selected having a parity different from a parity of the field macroblock if the field reference picture index is an odd value, and the current field macroblock is decoded based on the motion vector information and the selected field reference picture.
US08335259B2 System and method for reformatting digital broadcast multimedia for a mobile device
A system and a method reformat digital broadcast multimedia for a mobile device. The system and the method reformat and/or repackage audiovisual content into a format that may be rendered on the mobile device without the need for additional custom software on the mobile device. The system and the method reformat incoming mobile broadcast audiovisual content into 3GPP Progressive Download format in real time while simultaneously delivering a resulting 3GPP Progressive Download file to the mobile device for rendering.
US08335257B2 Vector selection decision for pixel interpolation
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for determining motion vectors to be used for interpolation of intermediary frames in a digital video sequence are disclosed. A first image frame including several image patches is received. A second image frame including one or more image patches corresponding to the image patches in the first image frame is received. For each image patch that occurs in both frames, the following operations occur: forward and backward motion vectors are determined for the image patch in the first image frame, forward and backward motion vectors are determined for the image patch in the second image frame, one motion vector from the first image frame and one motion vector from the second frame are selected and the selected motion vectors are used to establish an intermediary position of the image patch in an interpolated frame between the frames.
US08335252B2 Method and apparatus for encoding groups of pictures of a video sequence, each of said groups including an intra encoded picture and more than two encoded pictures
In known video coding standards there are basically three types of pictures: I, P and B. Video sequences are usually coded in a group of picture structure wherein several P or B pictures are coded following one I picture. However, this GOP structure has some disadvantages with respect to error resilience and storage medium recording. If a P picture is lost e.g. due to transmission channel error, then the subsequent P pictures can not be reconstructed correctly, and the error will propagate temporally and cause unpleasing artifacts. This GOP structure is designed for forward play only and makes complicated a reverse play operation. According to the invention, a reversible GOP structure is used for the video encoding and decoding. The RGOP structure contains both, a forward encoding chain and a backward encoding chain. Each picture in the RGOP structure is assigned to only one of these chains and the video pictures of adjacent RGOP chains are interleaved.
US08335251B2 Video signature extraction device
A video signature extraction device includes an each-picture feature extraction unit which extracts a feature of each picture, which is a frame or a field, as an each-picture visual feature from an input video; a time axial direction change region extraction unit which analyzes an image change in a time direction with respect to predetermined regions in a picture from the video, obtains a region having a large image change, and generates change region information which is information designating the region; an each-region feature extraction unit which extracts a feature of the region corresponding to the change region information as an each-region visual feature from the video; and a multiplexing unit which multiplexes the each-picture visual feature, the each-region visual feature, and the change region information, and generates a video signature.
US08335249B1 Receiver equalizer circuitry with offset voltage compensation for use on integrated circuits
Equalizer circuitry on an integrated circuit (“IC”) includes first, second, and third continuous time, equalizer stages connected in series. Each stage includes peaking inductor circuitry. The equalizer circuitry may further include controllably variable, static, DC mode offset voltage compensation circuitry and/or dynamic, continuous mode, offset voltage compensation circuitry for respectively reducing DC voltage offset and/or time-varying, continuous mode voltage offset between an output of the third equalizer stage and utilization circuitry to which that output is applied. The first equalizer stage may be preceded by termination circuitry having controllably variable impedance. Differential circuitry and signalling may be used for various circuit components. The equalizer circuitry is particularly useful for fabrication as part of a programmable IC, using 28 nm CMOS technology, and as a receiver equalizer for a high-speed serial data signal having a bit rate of 20-25 Gbps.
US08335247B2 Method and apparatus for measuring signal phase shifts
A method and an apparatus for measuring a phase shift between a first and a second signal, comprising the steps of shifting the first signal in frequency by an offset frequency, superposing the frequency-shifted first signal and the second signal, determining an envelope signal of the superposed signal, and measuring a phase shift of the envelope signal at the offset frequency, or a multiple thereof, with respect to the phase of the offset frequency, wherein the phase shift is measured by determining a Fourier coefficient of the envelope signal at the offset frequency and extracting its phase. The invention further relates to an apparatus implementing the method.
US08335243B2 Optoelectronic semiconductor body and method for producing an optoelectronic semiconductor body
An optoelectronic semiconductor body comprises a substrate (10), which has on a first main area (12) an epitaxial semiconductor layer sequence (20), suitable for generating electromagnetic radiation, in a first region (14) and a first trench (24) in a second region (22) adjacent to the first region (14), and at least one second trench (30) arranged outside the first region (14). The invention also relates to an optoelectronic semiconductor body and a method for producing an optoelectronic semiconductor body.
US08335241B2 System and method for operating a bus system
A bus system for the real-time communication of a superordinate unit with one or more subordinate units is used for exchanging address and data information via a bus. For the rapid exchange of messages, further fields are provided between the fields for the address and data information.
US08335240B2 Methods and apparatus for aligning a communications frame to a predetermined phase
Erroneous data due to faults are prevented from propagating through a distributed network node having diversely routed communications links by using a fault masking technique that eliminates the 60 ms of error propagation time associated with SONET networks. The fault masking technique can also prevent random bit errors from propagating through the distributed network node. A frame alignment technique used in the network node is scalable for very wide words (e.g., 128 bits) for use with high speed optical communications protocols, such as OC-192.
US08335228B2 Dual mode map messages in G.HN
A method for a central coordinator of a network includes transmitting an active media access plan (MAP) using at least a regional mask and a bit allocation table (BAT) associated with the regional mask and transmitting a default MAP using only a permanent mask and a BAT associated with the permanent mask. The default MAP includes at least regional mask information.
US08335227B2 Fast session setup extensions to H.324
A multimedia device configured to support video in a session of a call includes one or more media providing devices and one or more computer codes directed to performing an initialization process for the one or more media providing devices. The initialization process may be performed at an initialization time prior to or substantially equal to a first time prior to or substantially equal to a reception time associated with receiving an indication of call acceptance from a called device, or second time prior to or substantially equal to an acceptance time associated with call acceptance by the multimedia device. The multimedia device also includes one or more computer codes directed to transmitting one or more preferences for the session according to a session setup procedure, one or more media processors coupled to the one or more media providing devices, and one or more computer codes directed to transmitting media on one or more media channels associated with the session.
US08335225B2 OFDM communication system and method having a reduced peak-to-average power ratio
An OFDM system embeds sequence information in the transmitted signal that reduces peak average power ratio (PAP) with minimal impact on the overall system efficiency. A marker is embedded onto the transmitted information that is used to identify the combining (inversion) sequence at the receiver. In one embodiment, selected tones in a cluster are rotated when the corresponding phase factor rotates the cluster.
US08335213B2 Methods and apparatus related to low latency within a data center
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a switch core that has a multi-stage switch fabric. The multi-stage switch fabric has a set of ingress ports and a set of egress ports. The switch core can be configured to be coupled to a set of edge devices via the set of ingress ports and the set of egress ports. The switch core can be configured to receive a packet from an ingress port from the set of ingress ports. The switch core can be configured to send a set of cells associated with the packet from the ingress port to an egress port from the set of egress ports without a store-and-forward delay associated with a zero-load latency for the switch core.
US08335212B2 System and method for providing least-cost routing of voice connections between home and foreign networks using voice-over-IP infrastructure
A system and method are described for providing least-cost call routing for mobile wireless devices having access to voice-over-IP (VoIP) infrastructure, such as may be operated by an enterprise having global presence. Using a local wireless connection, such as a wireless local area network (WLAN), a software agent on the mobile wireless device registers with a common, enterprise-wide registrar, which, in turn, informs a VoIP gateway in the device's home region of the device's new location. The home region VoIP gateway will then re-route incoming calls for the device to a VoIP gateway serving the region in which the device is currently located. The local VoIP gateway will then route the call to the device via the WLAN. Seamless routing occurs even when the wireless device obtains a local phone number in a foreign network. Outgoing calls from the device can be routed via the VoIP infrastructure or the foreign network based on availability of service and/or cost.
US08335211B2 Communication system and control server
When an IP terminal on the Internet side transmits a name resolution request, which requests to resolve the FQDN of a public server connected to a router, to a SIP/DNS server in which SIP and DNS cooperate to manage the status of the data line of the router and when the data communication line status of the router is a disconnect status, a data communication line connection request instruction is transmitted to the router. The router connects the data communication line and notifies the SIP/DNS server about the result. The SIP/DNS server transmits the IP address of the router to the IP terminal as a response.
US08335208B2 Method, system and traffic node for measuring a load capacity in a management system
A method for measuring a load capacity in a management system comprises: receiving an indication of a number of data connections through an input; and computing a current load capacity by multiplying the number of data connections with a time period during which the current load capacity is to be computed. A system for carrying out the method comprises an input for receiving the indication and a processor for computing the current load capacity by multiplying the number of data connections with the time period.
US08335205B2 Pre-bundling of RLC SDUs in the RLC layer
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a technique for pre-bundling the received service data units (SDU) into an SDU bundle in a first communication layer before receiving a scheduling information from a second communication layer and adjusting the SDU bundle when the scheduling information is received.
US08335203B2 Systems and methods for polling for dynamic slot reservation
Embodiments include systems and methods for allocating time to a plurality of devices in the network of a piconet controller. Embodiments comprise selectively directing a steerable antenna beam of the piconet controller to a plurality of devices in succession during a polling process to receive time allocation requests from one or more of the devices. Subsequent to the polling process, a grant procedure is performed wherein a device is granted permission to transmit in a subsequent time interval. Also during the grant process, one or more devices are instructed to receive from the device granted permission to transmit. The polling process and the grant process occur in the same superframe.
US08335201B2 Call control method, communication system, and relevant devices
A call control method, a communication system, and relevant devices are provided so that communications can be implemented under different network conditions based on the same number. The method includes: receiving a call request of a calling terminal, where the call request carries a called terminal number; querying a Home Location Register (HLR) of a called terminal according to the called terminal number; obtaining a Supplementary Service Code (SS_Code) from the HLR, where the SS_Code carries a Mobile Station International ISDN Number (MSISDN)-based IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service identifier; and triggering an Application Server (AS) to implement an MSISDN-based IMS service according to the MSISDN-based IMS service identifier. A communication system and relevant devices are also provided.
US08335200B2 Device and method for separation/conversion of multiband signal
Provided are a method and device for separating and converting multiband signals. The device includes a photoelectric converter for converting an externally received optical signal into an electrical signal, a first switch for separating the converted electrical signal into signals according to frequency bands, a first mobile communication band-pass amplifier for amplifying a mobile communication network signal of the signals separated by the first switch, a broadband up-converter for up-converting a baseband signal of the signals separated by the first switch into a broadband signal, a first broadband amplifier for amplifying the broadband signal output from the broadband up-converter, and a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the signals amplified by the first mobile communication band-pass amplifier and the first broadband amplifier.
US08335198B2 Variable short interframe space
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for transmitting data frames over data networks with varying Interframe Space (IFS) times are disclosed. A system embodiment may comprise a mobile computing device with an integrated wireless networking card. The card may receive a transmission of several data frames. While receiving the several data frames, the networking card may determine that a response will need to be transmitted back to the sending station after the sending station sends the last frame of data. After a short period of delay following the end of the last transmitted frame the card may immediately begin transmitting a preamble of the response, while still demodulating and processing data of the transmitted frames. Upon finishing data processing of the remaining frames, the card may generate the content for the rest of the response, such as a block acknowledgment.
US08335197B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting SIP data of idle mode UE in a mobile communication system
A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message by a User Equipment (UE) in an idle mode in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) system. The UE transmits one combined message of an AS control message and a NAS control message including information indicating transmission of an SIP message, thereby having an effect on an upper node to reduce a delay due to message processing.
US08335195B2 Communication system allowing node identification
A communication system is provided that enables a node to be identified by a controller. To establish a communication link from the node an alignment signal is received from the controller. Upon receiving the controller alignment information, the node sends a response including information the node randomly generated. The controller then responds by sending back at least a portion of the information the node randomly generated indicating that the node has been recognized by the controller.
US08335194B2 Method for transmitting data in multiple antenna system
A method of transmitting data in a multiple antenna system includes transmitting a precoding matrix index (PMI) of a first user through a control channel for the first user, and transmitting the PMI of the first user and a PMI of a second user through a data channel for the first user. Effective data decoding is possible regardless of whether radio resources to be allocated to multiple users are partially or entirely allocated to the users.
US08335193B2 Threshold-less mobile-driven handoff method for cellular systems using unlicensed spectrum
In wireless networks where multiple base stations are deployed, handsets may handoff from one base station to the other while in a voice call. In this disclosure a layer-2 hand-off mechanism for cellular systems designed to operate in unlicensed spectrum is described. More specifically a proposed method that does not use any pre-determined thresholds to initiate the hand-offs is disclosed.
US08335192B2 Selectively transitioning between physical-layer networks during a streaming communication session within a wireless communications system
Embodiments are directed to a network-connection report is received at a server (e.g., a presence server) from a first user equipment (UE) that identifies a type of physical-layer network to which the first UE is connected. In response to a determination that the first UE is engaged in a communication session with a second UE, the server sends a notification message to the second UE that indicates the type of physical-layer network to which the first UE is connected. The second UE receives the notification message and determines a target physical-layer network for supporting the second UE's participation in the communication session based at least in part on the type of physical-layer network to which the first UE is connected. The second UE selectively transitions to the target network based on the determination.
US08335191B2 Access network handover for a mobile television system
A method and apparatus are described for content delivery, including receiving content from a first network, moving into a coverage area of a second network, performing a handover, receiving content from the second network and dropping any duplicate content packets. Also described are a method and apparatus for content delivery including receiving content from a first network, performing a handover, receiving content from a second network, determining if any content is missing and requesting the missing content.
US08335190B2 Methods and apparatus for extending the resource retain time in a handover
A mobile station may send a first handover indication message to a serving base station. The first handover indication message may include a first resource retain time. The mobile station may start a resource retaining timer using the first resource retain time. The mobile station may perform handover procedures. The mobile station may determine whether the resource retaining timer is within a threshold of expiring. The mobile station may send a second handover indication message to the serving base station if the resource retaining timer is within the threshold of expiring.
US08335181B2 Method of releasing an access restriction at high interference cell in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and UE providing wireless communication services, and a method of transmitting and receiving data between a terminal and a base station in an evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) that has evolved from a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, or a LTE-A (LTE-Advanced) system, and more particularly, to a method of releasing an access restriction at high interference cell, such that an effect of the interference can be minimized.
US08335179B2 Control device, terminal device, and communication system and communication method, using the same
A terminal device, used in communication system conducting communication by periodically switching frequency channels in a predefined sequence, communicates with a control device using a predefined channel. The terminal device includes: an antenna; a reception section receiving, from the control device, via the antenna, data and a beacon containing control information indicating the sequence and its timing; a transmission section transmitting data to the control device via the antenna; a data volume determining section determining whether a transmission can be completed within a predefined period; and a control section controlling, within the period, the reception section to receive the data and the beacon, and the transmission section to transmit the data, and when the data volume determining section determines that the transmission cannot be completed, further controlling the transmission section to, determine a next-to-be-used channel based on the control information, switch to the channel after the period, and continue the transmission.
US08335177B2 Communication system
A virtual node ID control unit controls a virtual node ID that specifies a plurality of nodes as a single group. A status control unit controls node statuses that include information indicating the operating statuses of each individual node belonging to the group, and selects an operating mode that is either a priority mode. The local mode operates as an active node, or a standby mode, and the local mode operates as a standby node. A transmission/reception control unit controls the operation of the local node in accordance with the operating mode selected by the status control unit.
US08335176B2 Transmission of overhead channels with timing offset and blanking
Techniques for mitigating interference in a wireless network are described. In an aspect, interference on overhead channels may be mitigated by (i) sending the overhead channels from different base stations in non-overlapping time intervals and (ii) having each interfering base station reduce its transmit power during time intervals in which the overhead channels are sent by neighbor base stations. In one design, a first base station may send an overhead channel in a first time interval, and a second base station may send the overhead channel in a second time interval that is non-overlapping with the first time interval. The base stations may have different frame timing, which may be offset by an integer number of subframes and/or an integer number of symbol periods. Alternatively, the base stations may have the same frame timing, and the first and second time intervals may cover non-overlapping symbol periods with different indices.
US08335175B2 Systems and methods for page delivery to a wireless client device in idle state
Proxy devices simultaneously support multiple modes of client device operation. Embodiments facilitate continued support of idle mode, proxy state operation of one or more client devices by a proxy device that is serving an active connected mode proxied client device. Paging message delivery from the proxy device to an idle mode proxied client device is facilitated by the proxy device monitoring a channel associated with the active connected mode proxied client device for a message (e.g., paging message) associated with the idle mode proxied client device.
US08335172B2 Switchable conference multicast streaming with dynamic asymmetry
Techniques are provided herein to add multicast media streams to teleconferencing sessions without the unwanted side effects that occur when a speaker's own media is echoed back to the speaker. Multicast and unicast media streams are generated by a network device, e.g., a conference bridge, and distributed to any number of endpoints, e.g., conference endpoints. A media selector is provided that selects the appropriate multicast or unicast media stream for forwarding to an associated network endpoint.
US08335167B1 Refining beamforming techniques for phased-array antennas
Refining beamforming techniques for use in a communication system. In one embodiment, a method for beamforming in a communication system includes generating multiple training signals to be transmitted via multiple antennas over a communication channel, including applying a different antenna weight vector (AWV) to each of the multiple training signals. The method further includes receiving feedback generated using the multiple training signals, where the feedback includes a transmitter AWV for use with the multiple antennas and/or channel state information (CSI) descriptive of the communication channel.
US08335164B2 Method for determining a route in a wireless mesh network using a metric based on radio and traffic load
A method and apparatus for calculating a routing metric for a wireless network including retrieving configured system parameters, selecting a form of a first weight factor based on channel load/utilization and parameters of the first weight factor, selecting a form of a second weight factor based on frame/packet error rate and parameters of the second weight factor, retrieving estimated link bit rate, measuring a channel/link busy time, estimating a channel/link load, estimating a packet/frame error rate of the link and calculating the metric are described. A method and system for determining a route/path between two nodes of a wireless network including calculating a weighted radio and load aware metric by each node in the wireless network, storing the metric and using the metric to select the route/path for communication between two nodes of the wireless network based on a sum of the metrics calculated by each node of the wireless network are also described.
US08335163B2 Quality of service (QOS) based systems, networks, and advisors
Techniques and technologies for routing communications based on Quality of Service (QOS) related information. More particularly, this document discloses techniques and technologies for selecting communications paths which partially overlap other communication paths for which QOS related information has been measured. The techniques and technologies include determining, performance levels for path segments within the communication paths from the measured QOS information.
US08335162B2 Methods and apparatus to control traffic in a packet-switched network
Methods and apparatus to control traffic in a packet-switched network are disclosed. An example circuit manager comprises a probe interface to collect data representative of actual utilization of a network, a usage analyzer to estimate a utilization of the network for a future time interval based on the collected data, and a rebalancer to detect a trigger event based on the estimated utilization, and to automatically identify a future virtual circuit path through the network for the future time interval based on the estimated utilization when the trigger event is detected; wherein the probe interface, the usage analyzer and the rebalancer operate repetitively to route data in the network in response to actual data transmissions.
US08335158B2 Systems and methods for dropping data using a drop profile
A system selectively drops data from queues. The system includes a drop table that stores drop probabilities. The system selects one of the queues to examine and generates an index into the drop table to identify one of the drop probabilities for the examined queue. The system then determines whether to drop data from the examined queue based on the identified drop probability.
US08335157B2 Adaptive queue-management
In one embodiment, a method includes storing in a QoS-enabled communication system a data structure that has a multi-level hierarchy including a physical level, a logical level, and a class level; receiving a first request for M number of services provided by the QoS-enabled communication system; in response to the first request, modifying an allocation of the logical-level nodes by mapping M class-level nodes to a first one of the logical-level nodes according to a first mapping mode of the data structure; receiving a second request for P services provided by the QoS-enabled communication system, with P being greater than M; and, in response to the second request, modifying an allocation of the logical-level nodes by mapping P class-level nodes to a second one of the logical-level nodes according to a second mapping mode of the data structure.
US08335154B2 Method and system for providing fault detection and notification for composite transport groups
An approach is provided for fault detection and notification for a composite transport group (CTG). A component link of a CTG associated with a label switched path (LSP) is monitored. A fault is detected in the component link. It is determined whether traffic of the LSP can be transparently rerouted to another component link of the CTG based on resource availability of the other component link. The traffic is transparently rerouted to the other component link if resources are available. An upstream label switched node is notified if resources are unavailable.
US08335153B2 Orthogonal frequency division multiplex modem circuit
To provide an orthogonal frequency division multiplex modem circuit which can multiplex signals, whose bit rates and QoS are different from one another, and can transmit the signals via one OFDM line. A serial/parallel converter converts input signals into a complex parallel signal respectively, and a sub carrier and a modulation system are assigned every communication channel. A randomizer changes the alignment sequence of the signal, a discrete inverse Fourier transformer processes the signal, a parallel/serial converter converts the signal into a serial signal, and a transmitter performs the orthogonal modulation of the signal to output the signal from an antenna. A receiver performs orthogonal demodulation of the signal received with an antenna, a serial/parallel converter converts the signal into a parallel signal, and a discrete Fourier transformer processes the parallel signal. In addition, a de-randomizer restores the alignment sequence of the subcarriers into the original condition, and a parallel/serial converter decodes and outputs the signal.
US08335152B2 Method and transmission unit for adaptive coding, modulation and transmission of data words in a wireless communication system
When transmitting data from a transmission unit to a reception unit over a channel in a wireless communication system, it has been observed that there are inherent losses in throughput, especially for a channel experiencing high channel quality variations over its frequency range. To improve the throughput over such a channel, it is proposed to: estimate the quality of each subchannel of a channel. classify the subchannels into a number of quality groups based on the estimated quality, and select a code rate per quality group. This selected code rate per quality group is then used when a data word to be transmitted is coded. Simulations have shown that by grouping the subchannels into a limited number of groups, for example one to four groups depending on the channel quality variation, a high throughput could be achieved with a minimum of signaling cost in the form of extra overhead.
US08335150B2 Optical information recording medium, and substrate and manufacturing method for the optical information recording medium
In an optical disk including at least a rewritable phase change material and comprising a recording layer having a reflectivity of more than 15%, an address output value as an address pit signal component occupying in a reproduced signal in a non recording state is prescribed to be 0.18 though 0.27 or a numerical aperture of an address pit signal occupying in a reproduced signal in a non recording state is prescribed to be more than 0.3.
US08335149B2 BCA recording device for optical disc, optical disc reproducing device, and recordable optical disc
A method for recording information which cannot be easily copied on a BCA is provided so as to prevent pirated copies from being made. The BCA recording device for optical discs records, on the BCA on an optical disc, identifying information unique to the optical disc. The BCA recording device is provided with: a BCA data generating section which generates BCA mark signals and BCA code signals which indicate the identifying information; a BCA mark generating section which, based on the BCA mark signals, generates BCA marks by recording marks on the recording film in the BCA on the optical disc, thereby partially changing the reflectance of the recording film; and a BCA code generating section which, based on the BCA code signals, generates BCA codes by partially removing the recording film on the BCA.
US08335148B2 Polymerizable compound, polymerizable composition, optical material, optical element and optical head device
A polymerizable compound represented by the following formula (1): wherein A is a hydrogen atom or a group selected from the following formulae (2) to (5): VwH(3-W)C—  (2) PhxY(3-x)Si—  (3) J-(CH2)m1—CHl(CH3)(2-l)—  (4) J-(CH2)n1—SiPhp1(CH3)(2-p1)—  (5); B is a group selected from the following formulae (6) and (7): J-(CH2)m2—CHk(CH3)(2-k)—  (6) J-(CH2)n2—SiPhp2(CH3)(2-p2)—  (7).
US08335147B2 Reproduction apparatus and reproduction method
In case of reproducing a hologram recorded on an optical information recording medium, adjusting beam with the amplitude distribution and phase distribution at least partially the same as those of a signal beam upon recording is radiated to the optical information recording medium which records information. The diffracting beam diffracted by the hologram is detected by a photodetector. Based on the detected information, an incident angle of the reference beam to the optical information recording medium is appropriately controlled.
US08335145B2 Method of generating memory disc in optical disc drive
A method of generating a memory disc in an optical disc drive is provided. A request for a change of an optical disc inserted in the optical disc drive into a memory disc is confirmed by detecting if a button included in the optical disc drive is operated. When the request is confirmed, the format of the optical disc may be changed. When an eject button is pushed in a predetermined pattern, for example, when the eject button is pushed for longer than a first reference time or pushed more than twice within a second reference time, the optical disc is initialized into a blank disc, file system data corresponding to the memory disc is recorded in a specific region of the blank disc according to ISO image generating program stored in a non-volatile memory included in the optical disc drive, and the blank disc is formatted.
US08335141B2 Optical disc discrimination method, optical disc device and integrated circuit
Provided are an optical disc discrimination method, an optical disc device and an integrated circuit that enable to accurately discriminate the type of an optical disc. The optical disc discrimination method comprises a first seeking step (S3) of performing a seek operation to a predetermined reference address in a user data area; a second seeking step (S5) of performing a seek operation from the reference address sought in the first seeking step (S3) to a predetermined target address in a physical information area, an address reading step (S7) of reading a current address at a position sought in the second seeking step (S5), and an optical disc type determination step (S8 through S10) of determining the type of the optical disc loaded in the optical disc device, based on the current address read in the address reading step (S7).
US08335132B2 System and method for determining local time at an electronic device
A system and method for determining local time at an electronic device is disclosed. The system may include an input configured to receive home information for an electronic device. The system may also include a calibration module configured to calibrate the electronic device to a home time zone corresponding to the home information. Calibrating the electronic device may include determining a threshold time value for messages to be transmitted to and received from a home location associated with the home information and generating a time zone database based on the home time zone, and labeling each time zone in the time zone database with a label based on an offset in time from the home time zone. A time value corresponding to time of message transmission to and from the home location may also be determined. The system may also include a processor module configured to determine that the electronic device is within the home time zone in the event the time value is equal to or lesser than the threshold time value, determine that the electronic device is in a new time zone in the event the time value is greater than the threshold value. The new time zone may be calculated based on the time value and the time zone database.
US08335131B2 Acoustic transducer array element having a plurality of acoustically coupled transducer assemblies
An acoustic transducer array element includes a plurality of individual or transducer assemblies or “drivers” which are combined in a closely spaced geometry to form the array element. The respective transducer assemblies within each array element are acoustically coupled with each other. The invention utilizes such mutual coupling between the closely spaced transducers assemblies to provide improved acoustic performance.
US08335130B1 Acoustic energy array and system
An integrated acoustically generator-based system having a substrate, a plurality of micro generators (conversion apparatus) disposed on the substrate, the micro generators each generating a voltage output in response to acoustic vibrational energy received from the acoustic source, and at least one power processor disposed on the substrate, and the power processor being electrically coupled to outputs of the plurality of micro generators.
US08335125B2 Semiconductor memory device with a stacked gate including a charge storage layer and a control gate and method of controlling the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a transfer circuit and a control circuit. The transfer circuit which includes a p-type MOS transistor with a source to which is applied a first voltage and an n-type MOS transistor to whose gate the drain of the p-type MOS transistor is connected and the first voltage is transferred, to whose source a second voltage is applied, and whose drain is connected to a load. The control circuit which turns the p-type MOS transistor on and off and which turns the p-type MOS transistor on to make the p-type MOS transistor transfer the second voltage to the load and, during the transfer, turns the p-type MOS transistor off to make the gate of the n-type MOS transistor float at the first voltage.
US08335124B2 External signal input circuit of semiconductor memory
In one embodiment, an external signal input circuit of a semiconductor memory may include: an input block configured to receive a plurality of external signals and to generate a plurality of internal signals; and a control block configured to output one or more internal signals of the plurality of internal signals that correspond to a rank configuration of the semiconductor memory and to block output of one or more internal signals of the plurality of internal signals that do not correspond to the rank configuration.
US08335123B2 Power management of memory systems
A memory system that includes a memory array and a memory controller manages power consumption by maintaining a variable credit value that reflects the amount of power available to the memory system. The variable credit value may be increased periodically up to a limit. When a power-consuming operation is performed, the variable credit value is reduced to reflect the power used.
US08335110B2 Semiconductor memory, system, and method of controlling semiconductor memory
A semiconductor memory includes: a non-volatile memory cell including a floating gate and a memory transistor; a state machine that generates a normal program signal for performing a normal program operation and a verify signal for performing a verify operation and generates a soft program signal for performing a soft program operation when detecting a fail in the verify operation after the normal program operation, whether a threshold voltage of the memory transistor reaches a value being checked in the verify operation; a voltage generating circuit that generates a normal program voltage and a verify voltage based on the normal program signal and the verify signal and generates a soft program voltage based on the soft program signal; and a determination circuit that detects a pass when the threshold voltage reaches the value and detects the fail when the threshold voltage does not reach the value.
US08335109B2 Nonvolatile memory device and method for operating the same
Disclosed is a nonvolatile memory device which includes a plurality of cell array layers stacked on a semiconductor substrate. Each of the plurality of cell array layers includes a plurality of strings. Each of the plurality of strings has string and ground select transistors and a plurality of memory cells connected in series between the string and ground select transistors. A common source line is on each of the plurality of cell array layers. Each common source line is connected with first sides of the plurality of strings on a corresponding cell array layer. A plurality of bit lines is connected with second sides of the plurality of strings disposed on the cell array layers and arranged in the vertical direction to the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of word lines is connected with the plurality of memory cells.
US08335105B2 Magnetic memory cell
By inserting a spin polarizing layer (typically pure iron) within the free layer of a MTJ or GMR memory cell, dR/R can be improved without significantly affecting other free layer properties such as Hc. Additional performance improvements can be achieved by also inserting a surfactant layer (typically oxygen) within the free layer.
US08335103B2 Integrated circuit with memory cells comprising a programmable resistor and method for addressing memory cells comprising a programmable resistor
A module comprises a bus invert encoder (24) for determining whether a set of data bits should be inverted prior to transmission over a communication bus. The bus invert encoder (24) produces a bus invert signal BI which controls a selective inversion means (28), for example a multiplexer. A partial fault detection encoder (32) determines one or more temporary check bits from the set of data bits, substantially in parallel with the bus invert encoder (24). Thus, the one or more temporary check bits are determined based on the assumption that the set of data bits are to be transmitted without inversion from the selective inversion means (28). A logic unit (34) is provided for correcting the one or more temporary check bits, if necessary, based on the bus invert signal produced by the bus invert encoder (24). The module has the e advantage of enabling the temporary check bits to be determined in parallel with the bus invert encoding, thereby reducing latency, with the logic unit being used to correct the check bits, if necessary, prior to transmission over the communication bus.
US08335102B2 Resistance change memory
A memory includes memory cells each includes a resistance change element and a diode. The diode comprises areas which is provided in order of a first semiconductor area with a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor area with the first conductivity type, and a third semiconductor area with a second conductivity type, from the column lines to the row lines. An atom density of impurities with the first conductivity type in the second semiconductor area is lower than that in the first semiconductor area. The diode comprises a fourth semiconductor area with the first conductivity type at an end portion in a third direction of the second semiconductor area, the third direction is perpendicular to a direction from the column lines to the row lines, and an atom density of impurities with the first conductivity type in the fourth semiconductor area is higher than that in the second semiconductor area.
US08335101B2 Resistance-based memory with reduced voltage input/output device
A resistance-based memory with a reduced voltage I/O device is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a circuit includes a data path including a first resistive memory cell and a first load transistor. A reference path includes a second resistive memory cell and a second load transistor. The first load transistor and the second load transistor are input and output (I/O) transistors adapted to operate at a load supply voltage similar to a core supply voltage of a core transistor within the circuit.
US08335096B2 Rectifier less bidirectional AC to DC converter
A split supply DC to DC converter is coupled through a low resistance path to a secondary coil of an ac line transformer, and is used as a high efficiency bidirectional AC to DC convertor. A small sense resistor is placed in series with the secondary in order to measure secondary current. The duty cycle of the DC to DC converter, which defines the voltage of what is normally treated as an output node, is modulated by the monitored secondary current. By coupling such an output node across the secondary coil, a voltage to current relationship is defined across the secondary to be that of a simulated resistor. Such a resistor will absorb power from the AC line and transfer it efficiently to the split supplies. The power transfer direction is reversed with the same efficiency by defining the current to voltage relationship to be one of a negative resistor.
US08335095B2 One cycle control method for power factor correction
A one cycle control method for power factor correction based on a boost circuit and a main control chip of system comprises the steps of: (1) Determining whether soft-start ends or not; if the soft-start ends, processing step (2) directly, if not, increasing reference value Uref of output voltage and then processing step (2); (2) Reading sampling output voltage Uo, and sampling inductive current ig according to A/D sampling triggering instant; (3) Calculating duty ratio of PWM signal for driving the switch transistor; (4) Outputting PWM signal; (5) Calculating the next A/D sampling triggering instant according to the duty ratio of PWM signal; (6) Returning to step (2). The present invention can implement the function of power factor correction by integrating the software of the method into the main control chip of the existing system and cooperating with the simple boost circuit, without using the traditional circuit for power factor correction and the specific one cycle control chip for PFC, which reduces the cost of the system. Also the present invention ensures the sampling data true and correct, and the stable operation of system, by simple processing of the sampling triggering instant.
US08335094B2 Power frequency converter
A current control circuit (active element) is provided that is connected between a rectifier of a DC power source and a smoothing capacitor in a power frequency converter and that controls a variation in the rectified current caused by a variation in the instantaneous power consumption of the load device. When the rectified current increases, the current control circuit limits the current to have a reference current value or lower and, when the rectified current decreases, the current control circuit increases the current to have a value close to the reference current to thereby suppress the rectified current from the rectifier to a substantially-constant value. This consequently mitigates the influence on the primary power source by the variation in the instantaneous power consumption of the load device, thus clearing the Load Demand Variation specification required for the power source to be used in an aircraft.
US08335092B2 Isolated switching power supply apparatus
In an ON/OFF type isolated DC-DC converter that stores electromagnetic energy in a main transformer during an ON period of a power switch and releases the electromagnetic energy to an output during an OFF period of the power switch, high-speed, highly stable output voltage control without the need for a photocoupler, for which the allowable temperature range is relatively narrow and the current transfer ratio changes over time, is performed. An integrating circuit including a resistor and a capacitor generates a ramp wave, and the ramp wave is superposed on a reference voltage of a reference voltage source Vref through a capacitor. A comparator compares a voltage Vo that is proportional to an output voltage of a converter with the reference voltage on which the ramp wave has been superposed, and transmits an inversion timing signal through a pulse transformer. During an ON period of a power switch, when the voltage Vo that is proportional to the output voltage exceeds the reference voltage on which the ramp wave has been superposed, the comparator is inverted and the power switch is turned OFF.
US08335091B2 Asymmetric zero-voltage switching full-bridge power converters
Disclosed are full-bridge power converters providing DC output power at increased conversion efficiencies, and methods of operating full-bridge power converters providing DC output power at increased conversion efficiencies. In disclosed embodiments, the switches of the full-bridge are operated to reduce conduction losses and to provide for zero-voltage switching.
US08335090B2 Low cost high efficiency high power solar power conversion system circuit and solar power supply system
A solar power supply system includes at least one solar power conversion circuit and an inverter circuit. Each solar power conversion circuit comprises a solar module and a direct current (DC) module. The solar module converts the solar power into the DC signals. The DC module with two-stage conversion comprises a DC transformer circuit and a maximum power point tracking circuit, to boost the DC signals and adjust output power of the solar module to a maximum value. The inverter circuit converts the boosted DC signals output from the solar power conversion circuits into AC signals and combines the AC signals into the AC utility network.
US08335089B2 Display apparatus
A display apparatus has an image display panel accommodated in a housing, a circuit board which controls operation of the image display panel, and an installation plate arranged on a rear side of the image display panel. Here, the circuit board is installed on the installation plate, and the installation plate is rotatable with respect to the housing.
US08335086B2 Semiconductor module
A top panel, which is disposed to face a module board with an electronic component therebetween, includes a resin layer and a metal layer, and has an insulating characteristic. The metal layer includes a metal layer formed at a front side of the resin layer and a metal layer formed at a rear side of the resin layer. With this structure, in reflow soldering performed in mounting a semiconductor module on a main board, warp which is caused, under temperature change, in the top panel due to difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the resin layer and the metal layer formed at the front side of the resin layer is cancelled by warp which is caused, under temperature change, in the top panel due to difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the resin layer and the metal layer formed at the rear side of the resin layer, whereby warp of the top panel is eliminated. This helps prevent the electronic component adhered to the top panel with adhesive from being pressed down to or pulled up from the module board due to warp of the top panel.
US08335082B2 Heat dissipating apparatus
A heat dissipating apparatus comprises a cooler, an air duct, and a cooling fan. a cooler secured to a circuit board of a host; the cooler is secured to a circuit board of a host; the air duct, covers the cooler, comprises a side tray that is substantially perpendicular to the circuit board; the cooling fan is secured to the cooler and located on a side of the cooler, and adjacent to the side tray; a gap is defined between the side tray and the cooler, an air guiding board is located in the gap and extends towards a VRM that is secured to the circuit board, and the air guiding board is configured to direct air flowing towards the VRM.
US08335081B2 Heat sink cooling arrangement for multiple power electronic circuits
The present invention relates generally to tuning the flow of cooling air across converter and inverter heat sinks in a motor drive system. More specifically, present techniques relate to motor drive duct systems including heat sinks with separate, sequential heat sink fin sections disposed in a common cooling air path and having different geometries to optimize the flow of cooling air across and between fins of the separate heat sink fin sections. For example, the heat sink fin sections may have different fin lengths, fin heights, fin counts, fin pitch (e.g., distance between adjacent fins), and so forth. Each of these different geometric characteristics may be tuned to ensure that temperatures and temperature gradients across the heat sinks are maintained within acceptable ranges.
US08335078B2 Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device including a first body, a second body, a sliding module, a flexible electrical member, and a first seal member is provided. The first body has a first opening. The sliding module is disposed between the first and the second bodies. The sliding module has a second opening. The flexible electrical member passes through the first and the second openings, and is connected between the first and the second bodies. The first seal member is disposed between the sliding module and the first body and surrounds the first opening.
US08335077B2 Insulating aperture in printed circuit boards
A system contains a temperature sensitive device and a printed circuit board. The temperature sensitive device is coupled to the printed circuit board. An aperture is cut out of the printed circuit board between the temperature sensitive device and a heat generating device to act as an insulator for the temperature sensitive device.
US08335075B2 Cable arranging module
A cable arranging module suitable for an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a chassis and an electronic module disposed pluggably to the chassis. The cable arranging module includes a cable set, a fixed frame and a chain structure. The cable set is connected to the electronic module. The fixed frame is fixed in the chassis. The chain structure is connected between the fixed frame and the electronic module. The fixed frame and the chain structure form a chamber for containing the cable set. When the electronic module is located in the chassis, the chain structure is bended and contained in the chassis. When the electronic module is pulled out from the chassis, the chain structure drives the cable set to be curved and move. When the electronic module is pulled out entirely, the chain structure is extended and at least partially located out of the chassis.
US08335073B2 Dielectric ceramic composition and ceramic electronic component
A dielectric ceramic composition includes, as a main component, a compound having perovskite type crystal structure shown by a general formula ABO3, as subcomponents, in terms of respective element with respect to 100 moles of the compound, and 0.6 to 2.0 moles of an oxide of Mg, 0.010 to 0.6 mole of oxide of Mn and/or Cr, 0.010 to 0.2 mole of an oxide of at least one selected from V, Mo and W, 0.10 to 1.0 mole of an oxide of R1 (R1 is at least one selected from Y, Yb, Er and Ho), 0.10 to 1.0 mole of an oxide of R2 (R2 is at least one selected from Dy, Gd and Tb) and 0.2 to 1.5 moles of a component consisting of an oxide of Ba and/or oxide of Ca and an oxide of Si. According to the present invention, even when a dielectric layer is made thinner, a dielectric ceramic composition having good characteristics can be provided.
US08335065B2 Overvoltage protection in a power supply
A method for protecting against over voltage in a power supply comprises monitoring current amplitude and direction on an output connection of a power source that combines power from a plurality of power sources, and determining occurrence of a fault condition of the monitored power source based on the current amplitude and direction. In a fault condition of the monitored power source, operation of the monitored power source subject to the fault condition is terminated while continuing operation of the plurality of power sources exclusive of the monitored power source.
US08335059B2 Tunneling magnetoresistive effect element and spin MOS field-effect
A magnetoresistive effect element includes a first ferromagnetic layer, Cr layer, Heusler alloy layer, barrier layer, and second ferromagnetic layer. The first ferromagnetic layer has the body-centered cubic lattice structure. The Cr layer is formed on the first ferromagnetic layer and has the body-centered cubic lattice structure. The Heusler alloy layer is formed on the Cr layer. The barrier layer is formed on the Heusler alloy layer. The second ferromagnetic layer is formed on the barrier layer.
US08335051B2 Perpendicular magnetic recording head having a magnetic layer overhanging a trailing side of a main pole and method of manufacture thereof
A recording head having a narrowed track has a high recording magnetic field strength and a high recording magnetic field gradient has certain problems which may be difficult to overcome. In one embodiment, a magnetic film, which overhangs from a track width, is provided on a trailing side of a. region retracted from an ABS of a main pole facing a recording medium. Thereby, a magnetic field strength on the trailing side is increased so that a difference in distribution of magnetic field strength defined by a geometrical bevel angle given to the main pole is increased. Consequently, writing performance of the main pole is improved while forming a large magnetic clearance angle with respect to an adjacent track and suppresses writing into an adjacent track when skew occurs. Other systems and methods are also disclosed regarding a head with a high recording magnetic field using an overhanging magnetic film.
US08335049B1 Disk drive detecting crack in microactuator
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a first disk surface, a first head coupled to a distal end of an actuator arm, and a voice coil motor (VCM) and a first microactuator operable to actuate the first head over the first disk surface. A servo loop for servoing the head in response to the servo sectors is disabled, and after disabling the servo loop, the first microactuator is excited with a control signal at a test frequency in order to accentuate a crack in the first microactuator. After exciting the first microactuator, the servo loop is enabled, and after enabling the servo loop, the first microactuator is evaluated to detect the crack in the first microactuator.
US08335048B2 Method of managing defect and apparatuses using the same
A method of managing a defect of a hard disk drive includes calculating a number of ECC symbols of every sector which becomes an object of a defect scan and setting a defect reference value based on results of the calculation. The hard disk drive sets a sector as a defect sector having the number of ECC symbols greater than a set defect reference value.
US08335047B2 Patterned media with offset PES servo segments with length encoded track position
Patterned discrete track magnetic media compatible with the constraints imposed by the use of self-assembly technology are described in which the PES servo portion of each servo sector has at least one offset segment used for the position error signal (PES). The downtrack length of the PES offset segment systematically varies according to the track position to encode information about the track position usable by the servo system. The downtrack length of the offset segment and, therefore, the time between the corresponding signal shifts is systematically varied from the inner diameter (ID) to the outer diameter (OD) according to the track position to provide coarse information to the servo system even if part of the track ID code cannot be read. Alternative embodiments include a preamble timing mark formed by another offset segment. A self-servo writing method is described using the preamble timing marks.
US08335044B1 Medicine container data illumination and magnification system
A housing has a handle section and an operational section. The handle section has front and rear faces, parallel upper and lower edges, and interior and exterior edges. The rear face is open to form a chamber. The chamber has a cover. A small aperture is provided in the handle section. The operational section has a front face and a rear face. The operational section has arcuate concentric upper and lower edges and interior and exterior edges. The interior edge of the operational section is coupled to the interior edge of the handle section. The operational section is formed with a large aperture. A transparent, partially-cylindrical magnifying glass is located within and fills the large aperture.
US08335043B2 Image taking optical system
An image taking optical system, sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side along an optical axis comprising: a front lens group, a stop and a rear lens group. The front lens group comprises at least a meniscus front-group first lens element with a convex object-side surface. The rear lens group comprises at least three lens elements. Through the means of field adjustments that result in desirable distorted images, the image taking optical system may shorten the total length while enhancing the ability to create a larger field of view for panorama usages in compact cameras and mobile phones.
US08335042B2 Optical-deflection accelerating device
An optical-deflection accelerating device is provided. The device comprises an incident light source for generating an incident light-beam with a deflection speed, an emergent-light capturing device for capturing an emergent light-beam, and a reflective device which is a curved-surface reflective mirror for reflecting the incident light-beam to the emergent-light capturing device. When the incident light-beam enters to a reflective point on the curved-surface reflective mirror in sequence, an incident angle and a reflective angle are altered with locations of the reflective point on the curved-surface reflective mirror, and are increased with an increased curvature of the reflective point. When the incident light-beam is deflected with a tiny initial deflection angle, the reflective light-beam is deflected therewith and the deflection angle is enlarged. The curvature of the curved-surface reflective mirror can be adjusted to obtain different accelerated deflections.
US08335041B2 Head mounted display
A head mounted display includes a display unit, a concave mirror, an optical unit that is arranged between the display unit and the concave mirror, transmits a part of incident light from the display unit and reflects the other part of the incident light from the display unit, a first optical system that guides light reflected by the concave mirror to the left eye, and a second optical system that guides light reflected by the optical unit to the right eye. In the head mounted display, on the concave mirror, a right end is closer to the display unit in comparison with a left end. Further, the curvature of the concave mirror at the right end is larger than the curvature of the concave mirror at the left end.
US08335038B2 Apparatus for measuring aerial image of EUV mask
An apparatus for measuring an image of a pattern to be formed on a semiconductor by scanning the pattern using a scanner, the apparatus including an EUV mask including the pattern, a zoneplate lens on a first side of the EUV mask and adapted to focus EUV light on a portion of the EUV mask at a same angle as an angle at which the scanner will be disposed with respect to a normal line of the EUV mask, and a detector arranged on another side of the EUV mask and adapted to sense energy of the EUV light from the EUV mask, wherein NAzoneplate=NAscanner/n and NAdetector=NAscanner/n*σ, where NAzoneplate denotes a NA of the zoneplate lens, NAdetector denotes a NA of the detector, and NAscanner denotes a NA of the scanner, σ denotes an off-axis degree of the scanner, and n denotes a reduction magnification of the scanner.
US08335036B2 Illumination optical system for microscope, and microscope
An illumination optical system includes, in order from a light source side a collector lens, a field stop, a field lens having positive power, an aperture stop, and a collective lens having positive power. The illumination optical system is a substantially both-side telecentric optical system between the field stop and a sample surface, and satisfies the following conditional expressions where DFS indicates a diameter of the field stop, β indicates a magnification from the sample surface to the field stop, and NA indicates a numerical aperture on the sample surface side of the illumination optical system. 15≧DFS/β≧9  (1) 0.85≧NA≧0.5  (2)
US08335035B2 Multi color display panel and method for manufacturing the same
One embodiment of the present invention is a multi-color display panel, including: a transparent substrate, a color filter layer, a transparent electrode layer, a microcapsule layer, an adhesive layer, a rear electrode plate, wherein the transparent substrate, the color filter layer, the transparent electrode layer, the microcapsule layer the adhesive layer and the rear electrode plate are arranged in this order, the microcapsule layer is directly formed on the transparent electrode layer, the microcapsule layer has a structure in which microcapsules are dispersed in a binder resin, a dispersion liquid in which an electrophoresis particle is dispersed in a transparent dispersion medium is enclosed in the microcapsule, and an optical reflection property of the microcapsule changes according to a change of electric field by application of a voltage, and wherein the electrode plate has a rear substrate with a pixel electrode.
US08335032B2 Reflective mirror assembly
An interior rearview mirror reflective element includes a front substrate connected with a rear substrate via a perimeter seal, whereby, when so connected, at least a portion of a circumferential outer edge of the rear substrate is inward of a circumferential outer edge of the front substrate and no portion of the rear substrate protrudes beyond the front substrate. A first electrical connection establishes electrical connection at the front substrate and a second electrical connection may establish electrical connection at the rear substrate. An electrically conductive perimeter hiding band is disposed around a border region of the front substrate and substantially hides the seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver normally operating the vehicle and viewing the reflective element when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.
US08335030B2 Light controlling apparatus, control unit of light controlling apparatus, and method of driving light controlling apparatus
A method of driving light controlling apparatus which includes a substrate, which has an aperture, a plurality of incident-light controlling unit which are displaced on the substrate, a plurality of driving unit which exert on the incident-light controlling unit, an aperture-displacing driving force which displaces the incident-light controlling unit to an aperture position, and a retracting-displacement driving force which displaces the incident-light controlling unit to a retracted position which is different from the aperture position, and in which, the incident-light controlling unit is displaced by the driving unit to the aperture position and the retracted position alternately, and incident light passing through the aperture is adjusted, and the displacement of each incident-light controlling unit to the aperture position is exclusive for the other incident-light controlling unit, includes a step of displacing the incident-light controlling unit, which includes a step of displacing a first incident-light controlling unit disposed at the aperture position, to the retracted position, and a step of displacing a second incident-light controlling unit disposed at the retracted position, to the aperture position, after completion of the step of displacing the first incident-light controlling unit to the retracted position.
US08335029B2 Micromirror arrays having self aligned features
Methods, arrays, and systems for the optical analysis of multiple chemical, biological, or biochemical reactions are provided. The invention includes methods for producing arrays of micromirrors on transparent substrates, each micromirror comprising a nanostructure or optical confinement on its top. The arrays are produced by a process in which lateral dimensions of both the nanostructures and micromirrors are defined in a single step, allowing for control of the relative placement of the features on the substrate, minimizing the process-related defects, allowing for improved optical performance and consistency. In some aspects, the invention provides methods of selectively etching large features on a substrate while not concurrently etching small features. In some aspects, the invention provides methods of etching large features on a substrate using hard mask materials.
US08335025B2 Method and apparatus for contact image scanning
A contact image scanner comprises a light source, pixel sensors generating a signal, a lens focusing reflected light onto the pixel sensors, a color matrix filter filtering the reflected light, and a signal processing circuit generating a digital image. The method provides pixel sensors for generating a signal in response to incident light, projects light from a light source onto a document in a sequential fashion, reflects the light onto the pixel sensors, filters the reflected light with a color matrix filter, and processes the signal to generate the digital image. With the method and apparatus, each scan line of the document is illuminated with white light only once. The pixel sensors corresponding to red, green, and blue colors of each pixel of the scan line read the pixel of the scan line substantially at the same time in a substantially overlapping manner in a scan line direction without overlapping in an orthogonal direction.
US08335024B2 Multiple feeding preventing apparatus and image forming device including the same and image forming method
An image scanning method of an image scanning device, the method including: feeding multiply fed documents in a first path and scanning, by a scanning unit of the image scanning device, a first document of the multiply fed documents; outputting the first document through an exit unit; reversely driving the exit unit after the first document is output to reversely feed a second document of the multiply fed documents in a second path, and scanning the second document; and forming images of the first document and the second document, wherein the second path is used to reversely feed the second document to an upstream side of the scanning unit, in view of a feeding direction of the multiply fed documents.
US08335023B2 Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus
An image reading apparatus has a plurality of emitters that emit light onto a manuscript surface in a light quantity that is the synthesized light quantity of light emitted from the plurality of emitters. In the image reading apparatus, determination on the abnormality of a reference white data level value at the time of turning on a power supply is carried out through comparison between the reference white data level value with a predetermined absolute value. A normal reference white data level value is stored in a first storing unit, while a comparison white data level value detected at the time of manuscript reading operation is stored in a second storing unit. Then, a differential between the level values stored in the first and second storing units is calculated, and an abnormality determining unit compares the differential with a predetermined threshold to detect the abnormality of an emitter.
US08335022B2 Automatic address field identification
A method for automatically determining a position of an address field on a document comprising: scanning a face of the envelope provided with the window so as to obtain scan-data representing an image of the scanned face of the envelope; comparing the scan-data with characteristics indicative of a human-readable address; selecting a subset of the scan-data meeting characteristics of human-readable address; determining the position of markings represented by the selected subset of the scan-data; and calculating the position of an address field on the document from data representing at least the position of the selected subset of the scan-data on the envelope face and a clearance or clearance range between the document and the envelope.
US08335015B2 Systems and methods for building a color lookup table for a printer
Color separation systems and methods improve color constancy and smoothness of a color lookup table (LUT) for a printer. A plurality of nodes of the LUT may be defined in colorimetric space, and the nodes out of the printer gamut may be mapped to the printer gamut surface. A set of possible colorant combinations are then determined that produce each node in the LUT in a device independent color space using a non-linear minimization algorithm, such as, for example, a conjugate gradient algorithm. Next, a colorant combination may be determined for each and every node in the LUT based on an image quality metric. In some implementations, a smoothing filter may be used to smooth the lookup table.
US08335011B2 Printing control apparatus having a plurality of box areas and printing control method
Provided are a printing control apparatus and method in which the storage capacity of a hard disk in an information processor is not exploited unnecessarily because identical data that has been distributed to a plurality of users is not stored in a plurality of personal boxes within the information processor, and in which output of such data by the users who manage respective ones of the personal boxes can be managed appropriately by the original distributor of the data. A control unit receives a job instructing storage of prescribed data upon designating one or a plurality box areas in an image input/output system equipped with a personal box function and having a plurality of box areas capable of storing data. Based upon the job, the control unit stores the image data in a prescribed box area and outputs the image data from the prescribed box area. If a job for which storage of the image data in a plurality of box areas has been instructed is received, the control unit stores the image data in a common box area with which the image input/output system has been further provided for the purpose of storing common image data and stores linking information, which provides a link to this image data, in the plurality of box areas.
US08335010B2 Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium
An image processing apparatus includes: a reliability determining section which determines, with respect to each of the plurality of document images, reliability of coincidences of respective predetermined directions with a first reference direction, the first reference direction being a predetermined direction which points on a basis of an upward direction of or a downward direction of the information image; and a display control section (i) which divides the plurality of document images into groups so that document images, having a same direction whose reliability value is the highest, belong to a same group, and (ii) which causes a display device to display preview images for the respective groups, each of the preview images indicating at least one document image in each of the groups. In a case where one group contains a plurality of document images, a preview image containing the plurality of document images is displayed.
US08335006B2 Document management system
This disclosure discloses a document management system comprising: a scan apparatus provided with an optical reading device configured to optically read a paper medium to be processed and to create image data corresponding to said paper medium; a radio frequency identification (RFID) label producing apparatus configured to produce an RFID label to be affixed onto said paper medium, having a tag communication device that carries out radio communication to an RFID tag circuit element provided with an IC circuit part storing information and a tag antenna that transmits and receives information in reading by said optical reading device; and a database configured to store said image data corresponding to said paper medium and tag identification information of said RFID tag circuit element provided at said RFID label corresponding to said paper medium in association with each other, provided inside said scan apparatus or separately from said scan apparatus.
US08335004B2 Printing system
A printing system includes a plurality of printing apparatus; a plurality of host devices sharing the printing apparatus; and an administrative server for administrating the printing apparatus and the host devices. In the printing system, the printing apparatus, the host devices, and the administrative server are connected to with each other through a network. The printing apparatus are operated one of a plurality of operation modes. The administrative server instructs the printing apparatus to operate one of the operation modes according to mode setting information.
US08335000B2 Job processing system to transmit job tracking information to archiving server apparatus
An information processing apparatus transmits photographic data of a job operator and identification information of the job operator to a server apparatus. The server apparatus calculates a matching rate for each piece of identification information based on a comparison between photographic data registered beforehand in a storage device and the received photographic data. Then, the server apparatus transfers the calculated matching rate to the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus performs processing based on the matching rate to reduce the data amount of the photographic data of the job operator.
US08334999B2 Method and system for augmenting imaging device with non-native job settings
A method and system for augmenting an imaging device with non-native job settings without unduly complicating the processing of imaging jobs that utilize only native job settings is disclosed. In one aspect, an imaging device comprises a processor, a user interface communicatively coupled with the processor and a network interface communicatively coupled with the processor, wherein under control of the processor in response to job settings selected on the user interface for an imaging job the imaging device selectively invokes via the network interface an external process to process the imaging job per at least one selected job setting based on a determination of whether at least one selected job setting is non-native to the imaging device.
US08334998B2 Image processing system, information processing apparatus, image processing apparatus, control method therefor, and computer program
An information processing apparatus acquires communication setting information for communicating with an image processing apparatus by a second communication unit via a first communication unit. In accordance with the acquired communication setting information, communication by the second communication unit is established to execute, via the second communication unit, an image processing service provided by the image processing apparatus. When establishment of communication is detected, an operation window display request for executing the image processing service is transmitted via the second communication unit. The image processing apparatus receives the operation window display request from the information processing apparatus via the second communication unit. In accordance with the received operation window display request, an operation window for executing the image processing service is displayed. Image processing for input image data is executed on the basis of the settings set via the displayed operation window.
US08334996B2 Automated e-mail address book update system and method for document output devices
A method for adding a user's e-mail address to the address book of a networked document output device includes receiving an electronic message from a user, automatically extracting the sender's electronic address, and automatically adding the electronic address to an address book used by the document output device. A networked document output device includes memory for storing document data, means for sending document to users on a network, means for receiving electronic communications from a networked user, and a controller for practicing a method that includes extracting an electronic address from a received e-mail, and adding the user's address to a local address book.
US08334991B2 Apparatus and method for restricting file operations
An information processing apparatus determines whether a particular operation on a first file, for example, is restricted or not. The information processing apparatus also restricts the particular operation on a second file related to the first file if the particular operation on the first file is restricted.
US08334990B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program and computer readable recording medium
In an information processing apparatus having a service mode for a service person to carry out maintenance of the apparatus enters for carrying out the maintenance, a registration page is provided for registering the service person as a service person in charge of the maintenance of the apparatus, and an input page is provided for inputting authentication information required for the service person that is registered in the registration page as a person in charge of the maintenance of the apparatus to enter the service mode.
US08334986B2 Methods and apparatus for the measurement of film thickness
Methods and apparatus for measuring thickness of a thin film include: obtaining a high-speed thickness measurement of a thin film using a laser projection system and detector array, obtaining thickness measurements of the thin film at one or more locations using a single-point measurement apparatus and determining the accuracy of the high-speed measurement values by comparing them to one or more of the absolute thickness values of the film as measured by the single-point measurement apparatus.
US08334984B2 Single wafer fabrication process for wavelength dependent reflectance for linear optical serialization of accelerometers
A plurality of Fabry-Perot interferometric sensors are optically coupled in series with each other to form an ordered optical series. Each Fabry-Perot interferometric sensor has a unique signalband and a passband. Each Fabry-Perot interferometric sensor has its unique signalband within the passbands of all of the next higher ordered Fabry-Perot interferometric sensors in the optical series so that a corresponding unique fringe signal from each of the Fabry-Perot interferometric sensors is a multiplexed output from the optical series.
US08334980B2 Integrated embedded processor based laser spectroscopic sensor
A novel low-power and compact laser spectroscopic sensor is described herein. Embodiments of the disclosed sensor utilize state-of-the-art microprocessors and digital processing techniques to reduce power consumption and integrate functions into a small device. In particular, novel software methods are disclosed which allow the use of low-power microprocessors which draw no more than about 0.02 W of power. Such low-power enables long battery life and allows embodiments of the sensor to be used in portable applications. In addition, the system architecture and methods described in this disclosure allow a single integrated embedded processor to control all the subsystems necessary for a laser spectroscopic sensor further reducing sensor size and power consumption. In addition, a power efficient method of calibrating a photoacoustic laser spectroscopic sensor is disclosed.
US08334977B2 Evaluation device and evaluation method
In an evaluation device an analyzer is rotated so that the azimuth of the transmission axis of the analyzer has an inclination angle of 90 degrees±3 degrees with respect to the transmission axis of a polarizer. An imaging camera captures a regularly reflected image of a wafer under each condition, and an image processing unit evaluates the shape of a repeating pattern and detects dose defects and focus defects on the basis of the two images of the wafer captured by the imaging camera.
US08334974B2 Method and apparatus for detecting polarizing direction of electromagnetic wave
A method for detecting polarizing direction of electromagnetic wave includes disposing a carbon nanotube structure in a vacuum environment, irradiating a surface of the carbon nanotube structure by an electromagnetic wave with a polarizing direction while rotating the carbon nanotube structure, and determining the polarizing direction of the electromagnetic wave according to change of the visible light emitted from the carbon nanotube structure. The carbon nanotube structure includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes arranged along a substantially same direction. The carbon nanotube structure can absorb the electromagnetic wave and emit a visible light. The rotating axis is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the carbon nanotube structure irradiated by the electromagnetic wave.
US08334965B2 Substrate for liquid crystal display panel
A substrate for a liquid crystal display panel includes a first projection structure and a second projection structure and/or a depression structure, the substrate for the liquid crystal display panel includes a specific structure at a part of or near the first projection structure, the specific structure having at least one of a planar shape different from a planar shape of the second projection structure and/or the depression structure and a planar area of ⅔ times or less or 1.5 times or more than a planar area of the second projection structure and/or the depression structure.
US08334956B2 Liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal device includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on a side of the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer; and a color filter and an electrostatic shielding layer disposed on a side of the second substrate facing the liquid crystal layer, the color filter including coloring layers of at least three different colors, the electrostatic shielding layer having an aperture formed therein corresponding to the coloring layer of at least one of the three different colors.
US08334953B2 Display device integral with protection plate, and display apparatus using the same
A display device includes a display panel to display an image, a protection plate that is arranged on an observation side of the display panel with a predetermined gap with respect to the display panel, spacer that is arranged between the display panel and the protection plate to surround a region that corresponds to a screen area of the display panel, and a filler layer filling the region that is surrounded by the spacer of a gap between the display panel and the protection plate. The spacer includes at least one missing portion to connect an inside and an outside of the region to each other. The filler layer has been polymerized by irradiation of light and heating.
US08334950B2 Illumination apparatus and liquid crystal display apparatus
An illumination apparatus is disclosed. The illumination apparatus includes a polarization plate, a light source, and a light transmission film. The light transmission film is disposed between the polarization plate and the light source and includes a plurality of prisms formed on a surface thereof, the plurality of prisms each having a ridge line in a first direction and being continuously arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In the illumination apparatus, the light transmission film is disposed such that a ridge line direction of the plurality of prisms is one of a perpendicular direction and an approximately perpendicular direction to a transmission axis of the polarization plate.
US08334948B2 Backlight assembly and display device having the same
A backlight assembly includes; a plurality of light guide blocks disposed substantially in parallel with each other along a first direction, each of the plurality of light guide blocks including; a light guide plate (“LGP”) having a wedge-shape decreasing in thickness from a first side thereof to a second side thereof, and a light source unit disposed facing a side surface of the LGP, and a light source driving unit which individually controls the light source units of the plurality of light guide blocks to emit light via a local dimming method.
US08334944B2 Display apparatus and method of manufacturing optical sheet for the same
A display apparatus includes a display panel and a backlight unit for an embodiment. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels and the backlight unit supplies light to the display panel. The backlight unit includes a light source, which generates the light, and an optical sheet. The optical sheet includes a plurality of prism patterns formed on a surface of the optical sheet facing the display panel. The prism patterns include a plurality of peaks and a plurality of valleys to change the path of the light, and a plurality of diffusion patterns arranged at the peaks and valleys.
US08334943B2 Lighting device, display device and television receiver
A backlight unit 12 includes LEDs 16, a first light guide plate 18A, a second light guide plate 18B and a fitting structure. Each of the first light guide plate 18A and the second light guide plate 18B has a light entrance surface 34 and a light exit surface 36. The light entrance surface 34 faces the corresponding LED 16 and light from the LED 16 enters through the light entrance surface 34. The light exit surface 36 through which light exits is arranged along an arrangement direction in which the LED 16 and the light entrance surface 34 are arranged. The light guide plates 18 are arranged in a parallel layout in the arrangement direction and partially overlap in a direction perpendicular to the light exit surface 36. A light exit portion 31 is an overlapping area OA that is provided on the first light guide plate 18A on a relatively light output side. A fitting structure restricts relative movement of the light exit portion 31 toward the light output side with respect to the second light guide plate 18B provided on a side relatively opposite to the light output side. Accordingly, uneven brightness is less likely to occur.
US08334942B2 Backlight device and liquid crystal display
A backlight device and a liquid crystal display are provided. A liquid crystal display apparatus including a direct backlight device which has an LED assembled into a light-guiding plate and in which an brightness uniformity is controlled or improved is provided by controlling or improving the brightness uniformity.A backlight device 10 includes a light emitting diode 21 as a light source assembled into a light-guiding plate 30, in which an edge portion 32 on the bottom surface 30B side of a concave portion 31 in a light-guiding plate 30, where the light emitting diode 21 is assembled, is formed at to have the shape of an inclined or curved surface that has an angle except a right angle with respect to the bottom surface 30B.
US08334938B2 Laminated thin film, phase plate, and reflective liquid crystal display apparatus
Provided is a phase plate having high phase compensation effect with low manufacturing cost, which is a device including a substrate and a thin film including laminated thin films of two or more types having different refractive indexes. The device performs phase compensation for an oblique incident polarized light ray, by using interference due to a high refractive index thin film and a low refractive index thin film.
US08334935B2 High resolution DMD projection system
A high resolution projection system has a light source for generating and emitting light and a plurality of digital micromirror device imagers configured to receive and reflect the light.
US08334934B2 Image display device and image display method
Technology for carrying out a luminance range expansion process is provided. In the technology, the luminance range expansion process is carried out in a manner appropriate to the luminance histogram of image data. Using the white peak value WP which represents the maximum value of luminance and the APL which represents the mean value thereof in the luminance histogram of image data, an expansion coefficient for use in the luminance range expansion process is derived by referring to an expansion coefficient lookup table 210. On the basis of the expansion coefficient, the luminance range expansion process is performed on the image data.
US08334924B2 Exposure control for an imaging system
A device that analyzes an image. The device includes a circuit that receives an image that includes a plurality of pixels. The circuit creates a histogram of the image and analyzes the histogram to determine an acceptable exposure of the image. The histogram may include a plurality of bins versus a population of pixels associated with each bin. By way of example, the bins may be associated with an intensity of light. The images and histograms may include data defined by low dynamic range number of bits and/or an extended dynamic range number of bits. Certain features and criteria of the image may be determined and analyzed to determine whether the image has an acceptable exposure. If the image is unacceptable, an exposure characteristic can be changed and the process can be repeated until an acceptable image is obtained.
US08334923B2 Interchangeable lens unit, camera main body, focus controlling device, and focus controlling method
A digital camera has an optical system, an image capturing unit, an aperture adjuster, a focal point adjuster, and a body microcomputer. The aperture adjuster has an aperture included in the optical system and is capable of adjusting the state of the aperture. The focal point adjuster has a focus lens included in the optical system and is capable adjusting the focal state of the optical system by using the focus lens by contrast detection method. The body microcomputer controls the operation of the aperture adjuster so that the aperture value of the optical system will be at or below a set aperture value before the focal state is adjusted by the focal point adjuster.
US08334921B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
An image processing apparatus includes an image-effect determination unit configured to determine, on the basis of an environmental information item at a time of capture of an image data item, the environmental information item being associated with the image data item, a dynamic image effect in which, when the image data item is displayed, a visual change is generated for the displayed image data item; and a display control unit configured to control, for display of the image data item, a display operation so that the dynamic image effect which has been determined by the image-effect determination unit is applied.
US08334918B2 Solid-state imaging element
A solid-state image pickup device 1 includes: a plurality of photoelectric converters 2 which are aligned in a predetermined direction and have a potential made higher toward one side of a direction crossing the predetermined direction; a transferring section 6 which is provided on one side of the photoelectric converters 2 in the direction crossing the predetermined direction and transfers charges generated in the photoelectric converters 2 in the predetermined direction; an unnecessary charge discharging drain 7 which is provided adjacent to the photoelectric converter 2 along the direction crossing the predetermined direction and discharges unnecessary charges generated in the photoelectric converter 2 from the photoelectric converter 2; and an unnecessary charge discharging gate 8 which is provided between the photoelectric converter 2 and the unnecessary charge discharging drain 7 and selectively performs cutting-off and release of the flow of unnecessary charges from the photoelectric converter 2 to the unnecessary charge discharging drain 7.
US08334916B2 Solid-state image sensor with reduced signal noise
A solid-state image sensor includes a semiconductor layer having a first conductive type, diffusion layers which are arranged in the semiconductor layer, each having a second conductive type, and each includes a pixel, a pixel transistor disposed on the semiconductor layer, and an insulating layer which is disposed under the pixel transistor and which is not disposed under the diffusion layers. The pixel transistor is disposed between the other pixels different from the pixel being electrically connected to the pixel transistor.
US08334913B2 Analog-to-digital converter circuit and solid-state imaging device
Certain embodiments provide an ADC includes a comparator, a binary counter and a control circuit. The comparator compares a first analog signal voltage with a first reference voltage, and compares a second analog signal voltage with a second reference voltage. The binary counter counts up the clock signal for a first period until the first reference voltage becomes equal to the first analog signal after the comparator starts to compare the first reference voltage with the first analog signal voltage, and inverts a logic level of the count output having a plurality of bits after the first period elapses. The binary counter counts up the clock signal for a second period until the second reference voltage becomes equal to a second analog signal after the comparator starts to compare the second reference voltage with the second analog signal voltage.
US08334902B2 System and method for facilitating the use of whiteboards
Systems and methods for facilitating use of non-electronic whiteboards and other large displays. Images of whiteboard are input to a computer device to provide automatic detection of a collaborative portion of content on the board created during a collaborative session and distribution to relevant collaborators alone while personal content of board is not distributed. Modification history of writings are preserved and displayed as change histograms to assist a user locate content that may have been erased. User finds the content by inspecting regions of board that correspond to user's memory of approximate location and time of modifying the content and are shown on the histogram as having been modified. Persistent reminder notes that clutter board space are detected and stored based on their location on the board and duration of persisting on the board so that they may be erased.
US08334894B2 Method and device for optical scanning of three-dimensional objects by means of a dental 3D camera using a triangulation method
A dental 3D camera for optically scanning a three-dimensional object, and a method for operating a dental 3D camera. The camera operates in accordance with a triangulation procedure to acquire a plurality of images of the object. The method comprises forming at least one comparative signal based on at least two images of the object acquired by the camera while at least one pattern is projected on the object, and determining at least one camera shake index based on the at least one comparative signal.
US08334884B2 Method of calculating correction value and display device
A method of calculating a correction value used when signal value correction is performed with respect to an image signal supplied to a display panel includes setting a target luminance value, which is not uniform in an overall surface of the display panel, as a target luminance value of one image signal value such that at least a portion of a distribution of target luminance values at each plane position of the display panel becomes a curved distribution, and calculating a correction value at each plane position of the display panel using luminance observed at each plane position of the display panel when one image signal value is given to the overall surface of the display panel and the target luminance value at each plane position of the display panel.
US08334879B2 Video with map overlay
A system and method for placing reference locators on a streaming video image taken from a camera mounted on a vehicle. Sensors monitoring the camera field of view and direction of the optical axis along with sensors monitoring the vehicle's position are used to generate a video overlay having various indicia. The calculated positions of the indicia may be compared to the position of landmarks taken from the video image to compensate for any inaccuracies in the calculated position taken from the various sensors.
US08334877B2 Digital composition of a mosaic motion picture
A mosaic movie resembling a target movie is composed of movies from a data base. The target movie is divided into tile regions of a specified size and shape, and the individual movies from the data base are compared to each region to find the best matching tile. The comparison is performed by calculating a figure of visual difference between each tile and each region. The data base of tile images is created from raw source movie using digital image processing, whereby multiple instances of each individual raw source movie are produced. Tile matching is performed such that all raw source movies are represented in the final mosaic. The digital image processing involves the adjustment of colour, brightness and contrast of tile movies, as well as cropping. A movie description index locates each movie in the final mosaic.
US08334876B2 Signal processing device and projection display apparatus
A signal processing device including: a color coordinate adjuster performing color coordinate adjustment processing for adjusting color coordinates of an image input signal according to a color reproduction range of a display device; a brightness adjuster performing brightness adjustment processing for adjusting a brightness component of the image input signal; and a coefficient controller controlling a color coordinate adjustment coefficient and a brightness adjustment coefficient. The coefficient controller controls the brightness adjustment coefficient so as to decrease the brightness component of the image input signal, when saturation of a pixel having a first hue is high, controls the brightness adjustment coefficient so as to increase the brightness component of the image input signal, when saturation of a pixel having a second hue is high, and decreases the brightness adjustment coefficient when increasing the color coordinate adjustment coefficient.
US08334874B2 Apparatus and method for processing data
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for processing data, capable of controlling the use of a graphic controller based on data usage in a memory, a variation speed of a memory data value, and/or operating states/conditions of a system.
US08334872B2 Inverse kinematics for motion-capture characters
A method for a computer system comprising receiving a displacement for a first object model surface from a user determined in response to a first physical motion captured pose, determining a weighted combination of a first displacement group and a second displacement group from the displacement, wherein the first displacement group is determined from displacements between the first object model surface and a second object model surface, wherein the second object model surface is determined from displacements between a second physical motion captured pose, wherein the second displacement group is determined from displacements between the first object model surface and a third object model surface, wherein the third object model surface is determined from a third physical motion captured pose, determining a fourth object model surface from the first object model surface and the weighted combination, and displaying the fourth object model surface to the user on a display.
US08334870B2 Methods for obtaining a three-band intrinsic image from a single input image
Various embodiments of the present invention related to methods for obtaining shadow invariant and shadow-shading invariant images from a single camera image taken with a narrow-band camera sensor and assuming Plankian illuminating conditions.
US08334866B2 Methods, systems, devices and components for reducing power consumption in an LCD backlit by LEDs
Disclosed are various embodiments of methods, systems, devices and components for reducing power consumption in an LCD display that is backlit by LEDs. The various embodiments typically require the use of an array of backlighting LEDs disposed beneath and configured to emit light in the direction of an overlying LCD or LCD panel. In such an array, some LEDs are operated or driven at a first brightness, while other LEDs are operated or driven at a second brightness that is different from the first brightness, or at no brightness at all (i.e., such LEDs are turned off). LED brightnesses and therefore backlighting brightnesses over different portions of display or screen are varied and determined in accordance with the portion of display or screen that a user or processor has selected for viewing (“the area of interest”).
US08334865B2 Method and related apparatus for improving image quality of liquid crystal display device
A method for improving an image quality of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes receiving an input image, generating a plurality of consecutive pictures of a predefined period number according to the input image, wherein a gray level of the input image is greater than a gray level of the plurality of contiguous pictures, setting a number of pixels required for adding a value among the plurality of contiguous pictures for every display element according to a least significant bits (LSB) of a pixel of the input image, and enforcing the number of add-value pixels of a positive polarity closes the number of add-value pixels of a negative polarity according to the number of add-value pixels in each of the plurality of consecutive pictures and the polarity of the corresponding display element.
US08334862B2 Display panel drive technique for reducing power consumption
A method is provided for operating a display apparatus in which one source output of a source driver is connected with first to N-th data lines through first to N-th time division switches, which method includes: driving a first pixel positioned in a first horizontal line and connected with one of the first to N-th data lines, by feeding a first drive voltage to the one of the first to N-th data lines from the one source output with associated one of the first to N-th time division switches; and driving a second pixel positioned in a second horizontal line next to the first horizontal line and connected with the one of the first to N-th data lines, by feeding a second drive voltage to the one of the first to N-th data lines from the source output with associated one of the first to N-th time division switches. The associated one time division switch is kept turned on during a time period from a start time of the driving the first pixel to a start time of the driving the second pixel.
US08334855B2 Electronic pen for detecting touch location and method and apparatus for detecting touch location
An electronic pen for detecting a touch location on a display panel by detecting infrared rays generated by the display panel, the electronic pen including an infrared sensor that detects the infrared rays and generates a detection signal; an amplifying unit that amplifies the detection signal; a low pass filter that filters high-frequency elements from the amplified detection signal; and a location detecting unit that detects the location on the display panel touched by the electronic pen based on the filtered detection signal.
US08334852B2 Position detecting device
A selector switch is provided which always connects a receiving side electrode to one of a positive electrode input terminal and a negative electrode input terminal of a differential amplifier section. This selector switch is controlled so as to form a positive electrode region in which a plurality of electrode elements connected to the positive electrode input terminal are arranged, a negative electrode region in which a plurality of electrode elements connected to the negative electrode input terminal are arranged, and an insensitive region in which electrode elements are alternately connected to the positive electrode input terminal and the negative electrode input terminal.
US08334850B2 Multi-touch controlled apparatus and method thereof
The present invention discloses a multi-touch controlled apparatus and the method thereof. The method of multi-touch control includes the steps of: touching a resistive touch display interface to generate a first position signal and a pressure signal; determining whether or not the pressure signal is greater than a predetermined pressure threshold; recording a first position signal and a second position signal if the pressure signal is greater than the predetermined pressure threshold; determining whether or not a moving direction from the first position signal towards the second position signal is the predetermined moving direction; and issuing an instruction to execute a predetermined action, if the moving direction from the first position signal towards the second position signal is the predetermined moving direction.
US08334845B2 Thwarting screen logging of keypad in a web-based form
Characters on an on-screen keypad are hidden once a cursor is placed over the keypad. This prevents any spyware from screen logging the key selection as the characters on the keypad are not visible at the moment a key is selected. The keys of the keypad are optionally color-coded to help a user remember the location of the key with the desired character once the cursor is over the keypad.
US08334841B2 Virtual user interface method and system thereof
A virtual user interface (VUI) is provided. The VUI (120) can include a touchless sensing unit (110) for identifying and tracking at least one object in a touchless sensory field, a processor (130) communicatively coupled to the sensing unit for capturing a movement of the object within the touchless sensory field, and a driver (132) for converting the movement to a coordinate object (133). In one aspect, the VUI can implement an applications program interface (134) for receiving the coordinate object and providing the coordinate object to the virtual user interface (VUI). An object movement within the sensory field of the VUI can activate user components in a User Interface (150).
US08334840B2 System and method of screen manipulation using haptic enable controller
An interface system and a method for manipulating a display are disclosed. The interface system includes a display having a scroll area and a cursor presented thereon, a controller for manipulating a position of the cursor on the display, and a haptic device for generating a plurality of tactile feedbacks to a user through the controller, wherein a movement of the cursor across a peripheral edge of the scroll area of the display results in the haptic device generating a first tactile feedback of the plurality of tactile feedbacks representing a scroll mode, and wherein a movement of the cursor while the cursor is positioned within the scroll area of the display results in the haptic device generating a second tactile feedback of the plurality of tactile feedbacks representing a scroll rate of a visual feedback presented on the display.
US08334835B2 Liquid crystal display panel with touch panel function
A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel provides touch panel function. When the LCD panel is contacted, one or more internal piezoelectric elements respond to the pressure via one or more corresponding photo spacers and generate electrical signals.
US08334832B2 Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
A driving method of an LCD device driving a liquid crystal display device including the steps of deriving a frame detection signal from a data enable signal by detecting a blank interval between frames deriving a start signal from the frame detection signal deriving a first gate clock signal from the start signal deriving a second gate signal from the first gate clock signal wherein a rising time of the first gate clock signal is in a range between a falling time of the start signal and a rising time of the second gate clock signal.
US08334827B2 Organic light emitting diode display driven in a digital driving
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. The OLED display includes a display panel, a gate drive circuit, a data converter that divides video data corresponding to 1 frame into a plurality of bit-planes each having a different bitrate, maps bit-planes having a relatively large value of assigned time to first subfields, and maps bit-planes having a relatively small value of assigned time to second subfields arranged between the first subfields, so that time assigned values of successively arranged subfields have a zigzag pattern and a last subfield of the successively arranged subfields has a maximum time assigned value, and a data drive circuit.
US08334825B2 Organic light emitting display for suppressing images sticking and compensating a threshold voltage
An organic light emitting display includes a first switching element including a control electrode electrically coupled to a scan line and between a data line and a first voltage line, a driving transistor electrically coupled between the first voltage line and a second voltage line, a second switching element including a control electrode electrically coupled to a light emission control line and between the first voltage line and the driving transistor, a third switching element including a control electrode electrically coupled to the scan line and between the second switching element and the driving transistor, a first storage capacitor that is electrically coupled between the first voltage line and the control electrode of the driving transistor, a second storage capacitor that is electrically coupled between the first storage capacitor and the second switching element, and an OLED electrically coupled between the driving transistor and the second voltage line.
US08334821B2 Plasma display and driving method thereof
In a plasma display device, a first transistor is connected between an electrode and a power source supplying a first voltage, and a second transistor is connected to a control terminal of the first transistor. A first gate driver supplies a first control signal to the control terminal of the first transistor and is connected to the control terminal of the first transistor. A second gate driver supplies a second control signal to the second transistor, and is connected to the control terminal of the second transistor. Further, a diode is connected between an output terminal of the second gate driver and the control terminal of the first transistor.
US08334819B2 Superimposed displays
Various embodiments of methods and systems for constructing and configuring displays constructed from superimposed display subunits are disclosed. A display may be formed by superimposing two display subunits including multiple display elements or pixels which emit or otherwise modulate light. Display subunits may be optically superimposed with an optical system such that a light emitting element in the first subunit is superimposed with a corresponding light emitting element in the second subunit that emits light in a like wavelength band. A method of producing a display may include superimposing first and second display subunits to form a superimposed display area, controlling the first display subunit to produce a first light pattern; and controlling the second display subunit to produce a second light pattern that when superimposed with the first light pattern produces a desired light pattern.
US08334818B2 Display unit, method of display and recording medium for this method
This display unit comprises screens (4, 6, 8, 10) positioned in parallel to a plane of display between a retracted position in which at least two screens overlap to reduce a cumulated display surface and a fully deployed position in which the overlapping of the screens is reduced or eliminated to increase the cumulated display surface, and a computer (12) capable of commanding the display of a complete image on the totality of the cumulated display surface both in the retracted position and in the fully deployed position.
US08334817B2 Image display system, image display method, image display program, recording medium, data processing device, and image display device utilizing a virtual screen
An image display system includes a data processing device and an image display device. The data processing device includes a display item detection unit that detects display items running on a display screen, a display/non-display selection unit that selects whether or not to display the display items detected by the display item detection unit on the image display device. The image display device includes a display image data forming unit that forms display image data on the basis of the image data of the display items selected by the display/non-display selection unit to be displayed on the image display device among the image data received by a receiving unit, and an image display unit that displays an image on the basis of the display image data formed by the display image data forming unit.
US08334809B2 Active electronically scanned array antenna for satellite communications
An electronically scanned array antenna. The novel antenna includes a first planar array of antenna elements and one or more side planar arrays of antenna elements, each side array adjacent to the first array and tilted at a predetermined angle relative to the first array. In an illustrative embodiment, the antenna also includes a plurality of transmit/receive modules, each module coupled to one antenna element. Each transmit/receive module includes phase shifters for varying the relative phases of the antenna elements to form a desired overall beam pattern, and a low noise amplifier and high power amplifier for amplifying signals received and transmitted by the antenna element, respectively. In an illustrative embodiment, a processor provides individual phase and channel enable control signals for independently controlling the phase shifters and amplifiers, respectively, of each module.
US08334800B2 On-vehicle radar device
A radar device includes: a frequency modulating unit for modulating a frequency of a transmission signal by a triangular wave; a transmitting unit for pulsing the frequency modulated transmission signal to transmit the pulsed transmission signal as a transmission pulse; a receiving unit for generating a beat signal based on a frequency difference between a frequency modulated transmission signal and a reflected received pulse; a range gate setting unit for setting a range gate that determines a sampling timing of the received pulse based on a transmitting timing of the transmission pulse; a sampling unit for sampling the beat signal in each of range gates; a distance and relative velocity calculating unit for calculating a distance to a target and a relative velocity based on the sampled beat signal; and a control unit for controlling a transmission pulse width and a range gate width depending on a subject vehicle velocity.
US08334797B1 Wideband high resolution time-stretched photonic analog-to-digital converter
A method of performing analog to digital conversation of an analog signal Vin(t), the method including the steps of: utilizing both of the complementary arms of an electro-optic modulator to recover the analog input signal Vin(t), while using only one time-stretch element and one λ-demultiplexer after the electro-optic modulator. The single time-stretch element and one λ-demultiplexer serve to stretch and demultiplex the signals from both of the complementary output arms of the electro-optic modulator thereby improving and simplifying post-processing algorithms used to correct for static distortions and nonlinearities that originate from imperfect photonic hardware. Double-balanced photoreceivers are preferably coupled to outputs of the single λ-demultiplexer. The single time-stretch element is preferably implemented by a chirped fiber grating. Apparatus for carrying out the method is described.
US08334796B2 Hardware efficient on-chip digital temperature coefficient voltage generator and method
An on-chip DC voltage generator and hardware efficient method provide for generating linear DC voltages with a programmable negative temperature coefficient. A temperature-dependent DC voltage is digitally derived from an on-chip temperature readout, a programmable digital word to control the temperature coefficient and a programmable digital word to adjust the digital level. The digital result is applied to a resistor string digital to analog converter (DAC) to generate an analog DC voltage with a negative temperature slope. Additionally, another programmable digital word for trimming allows convergence at a given temperature of voltages having a common level but different temperature coefficients. These voltages can be applied to the word line in the flash memory and track the threshold voltage of the memory cell, which has a negative temperature coefficient, such that the difference between the gate voltage and the threshold voltage is constant over temperature.
US08334794B2 Input device and keyboard device having illumination function
An input device includes a plurality of manipulation portions; an input function portion manipulated by the manipulation portions to perform an input function; a light guiding sheet facing the rear side of the plurality of manipulation portions; and a light source applying light into the light guiding sheet, wherein a rear surface opposite to a front surface of the light guiding sheet facing the manipulation portions is provided with a plurality of concave portions which is depressed to the inside of the light guiding sheet, wherein each concave portion has a circular opening and an inner surface which is a smooth concave curve surface, and wherein light propagated through the inside of the light guiding sheet is reflected by the inner surface toward the inside of the light guiding sheet, and the light is applied from the front surface of the light guiding sheet to the manipulation portions.
US08334793B2 Systems and methods for indexing media files using brainwave signals
A method may include selecting a media file and determining if the selected media file has been indexed. If the media file has not been indexed, the method may include playing the selected media file on a media device while simultaneously measure a brainwave signal of a user with a sensor, where the brainwave signal indicates an attention level of the user. Next, the method may include indexing the media file by correlating the measured brainwave signal to the media file and storing the media file and the measured brainwave signal in storage device.
US08334792B2 Parking place confirmation system and method thereof
Disclosed is a system and method for checking a parking position that enables a parking lot user to conveniently check a position of a vehicle that he/she has parked using his/her mobile communication terminal. When a customer with a mobile communication terminal having a built-in Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) reader chip moves his/her vehicle close to an RFID tag for checking a parking position installed at a parking stall, the position information regarding the parking stall stored in the RFID tag is transmitted to a parking management server, and the parking management server transmits it again to the mobile communication terminal in text or graphic format.
US08334790B2 System and method for providing real-time traffic information
A device and method for providing traffic information. In one embodiment, the device comprises a traffic component, a computing device coupled with the traffic component, and a display coupled with the computing device. The traffic component is operable to identify an upcoming traffic event expected to be first encountered by the device and select an icon corresponding to the identified category. The display is operable to present an indication of the selected icon.
US08334787B2 Gas meter having ultra-sensitive magnetic material retrofitted onto meter dial and method for performing meter retrofit
Device, structure and method for retrofitting a utility meter such as a gas meter with a retrofit module or for new installations to conventional meters so that it can be read remotely and so that retrofit may be accomplished simply by unskilled workers and without damage or alteration of meter. The method for retrofitting a meter of the type having shaft driven dial with dial index pointer and index cover involves removing the meter index cover to access the meter index dial pointer; attaching a magnet to the pointer so that it is carried in orbit around the pointer shaft to which the pointer is attached; and mounting a sensor to the meter adapted to sense the passage of the pointer-mounted magnet and to detect the orbit of index pointer; the attaching of the magnet and the mounting of the sensor being performed without removing the meter dial index assembly.
US08334786B2 Down-hole wireless communication system
Apparatus for the wireless transmission of data, and preferably also of power, across a space between a length of production tubing and a surrounding casing in a petrochemical well, includes a pair of inductively-coupled coils, a first of which is located on the exterior of the production tubing generally coaxially therewith, and the second of which is located on the interior of the casing generally coaxially therewith. This may be used in particular as part of a system for transmitting power and data to/from a sensor monitoring the pressure and/or other environmental conditions within the “B” annulus B of a sub-sea well.
US08334783B2 Projection display device
A projection display device includes: a dustproof filter that removes dust and a foreign material from drawn air; an air guide path that guides, to a liquid crystal panel, the cooling air blown by a suction fan; an air velocity detector that is arranged in the air guide path and detects the velocity of the cooling air that flows in the air guide path; and a CPU that determines, on the basis of the value detected by the air velocity detector, whether or not the dustproof filter is clogged. The air velocity detector detects the velocity of the cooling air by measuring the temperature of the air in the vicinity of the heat generating element that will be increased due to heat transfer generated by the heat generating element. This configuration improves accuracy in determining whether or not the dustproof filter is clogged.
US08334780B1 Beverage sleeve with temperature gauge
An insulated holder with an integral electronic temperature gauge that is intended for use with beverage containers such as glasses, cans or bottles is herein disclosed. A digital readout and pushbutton are provided on the side of the holder. When the pushbutton is pressed, the display exhibits an array of colors and/or text indicating the temperature of the drink. Temperature sensing is provided by a thermocouple located on the inside surface of the insulating container. A user replaceable battery provides a power supply thereto the holder.
US08334775B2 RFID-based asset security and tracking system, apparatus and method
Systems and methods are disclosed for tracking an item using a RFID surveillance system. In some embodiments, a security controller is connected to a point of sale system with at least one RFID tag reader. In these embodiments, the RFID tag reader is associated with an area that is observable through a video camera. If the tag reader does not recognize information obtained from a RFID tag, the tag reader may activate the video camera. When the video camera is activated, the video camera may capture images and send them to a recording device.
US08334774B2 Book product with concealed security device
A book product with a pair of cover boards attached to an outer liner in spaced-relation to define a spine, with a security device positioned on a laydown area on one of the cover boards, an inner liner attached in overlying relation to the one of the cover boards, with the inner liner, the security device, the one of the cover boards, and the outer liner laminated to sandwich the security device concealingly there between, and an interior body cooperatively supported within the book product.
US08334771B2 Home network, area network using the same, program for computer to execute operation in home network, and computer-readable recording medium storing the program
Slaves are respectively provided corresponding to electric devices, measure, in real time, power usage states and disposed positions of the electric devices to transmit to a master. The master detects operational states of electric devices on operation based on power usage states received from the slaves, and detects a positional relation between electric devices on operation based on disposed positions of the electric devices. Then, the master estimates the number of residents in the house by determining achievability of operational states of electric devices based on the detected operational states and positional relation of electric devices.
US08334765B2 Wireless network apparatus and method for lock indication
An apparatus for tracking the status of a lock, comprising: at least one lock tracking device for tracking a status of a lock; and at least one wireless key unit; wherein each of said at least one wireless key unit is connected to one of said at least one lock tracking device, and wherein said at least one wireless key unit includes a transceiver unit for transmitting information obtained from the at least one lock tracking device regarding the status of the lock.
US08334762B2 Communications assembly adapted for use with a helmet
A communications assembly is adapted for use with a helmet worn by a person riding a vehicle with a light indication system. The communication assembly includes a control circuit fixedly secured to the helmet. An illumination display is operatively connected to the control circuit and fixedly secured to a back surface of the helmet. The illumination display emits light rearward of the helmet. A transmitter is electrically connected to the light indication system of the vehicle for transmitting signals as a function of a status of the light indication system. A receiver is electrically connected to the control circuit for receiving the signals transmitted by the transmitter. The receiver forwards the signals onto the control circuit such that the control circuit operates the illumination display in concert with the light indication system of the vehicle. The communication assembly also includes an indicator electrically connected to the control circuit to indicate to the person of the operation of the illumination display.
US08334759B2 Semiconductor device, method of manufacturing thereof, signal transmission/reception method using such semiconductor device, and tester apparatus
A semiconductor device (100) includes: a substrate (102); a bonding pad (110) provided above the substrate (102); and an inductor (112) provided above the substrate (102) and below the bonding pad (110) for carrying out signal transmission/reception to/from the external in a non-contact manner by electromagnetic induction.
US08334758B2 LIN BUS remote control system
A local interconnect network BUS remote control system, including a printed circuit board antenna for receiving wireless communications signals and transmitting them to at least one radio frequency module, the printed circuit board antenna including a digital layer; a power layer; a ground layer; a radio frequency layer; at least one radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, the at least one frequency module in communication with the printed circuit board antenna for demodulating the wireless communication signals into local interconnect network signals; a local interconnect network BUS in communication with the at least one frequency module for receiving the local interconnect network signals; and a local interconnect network controller in communication with the local interconnect network BUS for receiving the local interconnect network signals.
US08334754B2 Tag communication device and tag communication method
To improve communication between tags by causing a mobile object having a RFID tag attached to transmit an interrogating wave only when moving in a communication range to reduce power consumption and prevent occurrence of tag confusion. By acquiring two Doppler signals from 2-frequency transmission waves (CW) with different frequencies and respective reflected waves and detecting phase difference from the Doppler signals, a cargo (21A) is detected to be moving in the communication range (A). Only when the movement is detected, a reader-writer (1A) transmits the interrogating wave (RW).
US08334752B2 Wireless tag, wireless tag communication system, wireless tag access device, method of detecting corresponding wireless tags and computer readable medium
A wireless tag includes at least one of a signal radiation unit that radiates a first linking signal based on an instruction from a wireless tag access device, and a signal detection unit that detects a second linking signal that has been radiated and provides the second linking signal to the wireless tag access device.
US08334747B2 Coil-integrated switching power supply module
A coil-integrated switching power supply module that provides an improved heat radiation effect to keep the temperature of the entire coil-integrated switching power supply module to a lower value includes a thermal diffusion conductor pattern arranged around a hole through which a magnetic core extends on a layer. The thermal diffusion conductor pattern continuously extends in areas where coil conductor patterns are located on other layers and outside areas where the coil conductor patterns are located on the other layers. In addition, the thermal diffusion conductor pattern includes slits at portions thereof and does not define a closed loop around the hole through which the magnetic core extends.
US08334745B2 Transformer having leakage inductance
A transformer includes a bobbin assembly, a primary winding coil, a first secondary winding coil, a second secondary winding coil, and a magnetic core assembly. The bobbin assembly includes a primary winding part, a first secondary winding part, a second secondary winding part and a channel. A first opening is formed in a bottom surface of the bobbin assembly and communicates with the channel. The primary winding coil is wound around the primary winding part. The first secondary winding coil is wound around the first secondary winding part. The second secondary winding coil is wound around the second secondary winding part. The magnetic core assembly is partially embedded into the channel of the bobbin assembly, and includes a first magnetic part and a second magnetic part. The second magnetic part includes a first extension post, and the first extension post is inserted into the first opening of the bobbin assembly.
US08334744B1 Tether cable with increased thermal dissipation and method of tethering an underwater vehicle
A tether system for an underwater vehicle, including: a drum including a substantially cylindrical spooling segment, the spooling segment including: an axially aligned first portion with an outer circumference including a first opening; and a second portion at an axial end of the first portion and including a second opening. The system also includes a tether cable connected to the storage drum. The first and second openings form a portion of a passage from an exterior of the drum through the first portion to the outer circumference of the first portion. A tether cable for an underwater vehicle, including: a core including conductive wire or optical fiber and a buoyant jacket surrounding the core of conductive material. The buoyant jacket includes a plurality of first portions with a first outside diameter and a plurality of second portions having respective second outside diameters less than the first outside diameter.
US08334740B2 Contactor assembly with arc steering system
A contactor assembly includes a stationary contact, an arc contact, an arc arrestor, and a magnetic intensifier. The magnetic intensifier is constructed to be secured in generally close proximity to the stationary contact. During communication of power through the contactor assembly, the magnetic intensifier accentuates a magnetic field associated with the stationary contact and increases the magnitude of a magnetic force directed to the arc arrestor. A pair of arc guides extend along the magnetic intensifier and, cooperatively with the magnetic force, ensure efficient, repeatable, and expedient transfer of a circuit termination arc to the arc arrestor. Such a construction increases the operable range and lifecycle of the contactor by reducing the damage associated with propagation of the circuit termination arc.
US08334736B2 Micromechanical resonator
The invention relates to design of micromechanical resonators and, more precisely, to the design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators. The invention provides an improved design structure for a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator including a movable mass structure and a spring structure. The spring structure includes a spring element. The spring element is anchored from one end and connected to a plurality of electrode fingers on another end. The plurality of electrode fingers are operatively connected together at the other end of the spring element. The improved structure is frequency robust to manufacturing variations and enables reliable frequency referencing with good performance, particularly in small size solutions.
US08334733B2 Left-handed filter for use in mobile phone provided with wide band and improved propagation characteristics
A left-handed filter of the present invention includes an interstage coupling element connected to a first capacitor and a ground, a second capacitor connected to the interstage coupling element, a third capacitor connected to the second capacitor, a first inductor connected to the connection point of a fourth capacitor and the second capacitor, and the ground, a second inductor connected to a fifth capacitor and the ground, a first input and output coupling element connected to a sixth capacitor, and a second input and output coupling element connected to the third capacitor. The first and second capacitors, the third and sixth capacitors, the first and second inductors, and third and fourth inductors are respectively arranged in symmetrical positions with respect to an interstage coupling element.
US08334732B2 Method and system for generating quadrature signals utilizing an on-chip transformer
Aspects of a method and system for generating quadrature signals utilizing an on-chip transformer are provided. In this regard, a pair of phase-quadrature signals may be generated from a single-phase signal via a transformer, one or more variable capacitors, and one or more variable resistors integrated on-chip. The transformer may comprise a plurality of loops fabricated in a plurality of metal layers in the chip. Each of the one or more variable capacitors may comprise a configurable capacitor bank and each of the one or more variable resistors may comprise a configurable resistor bank. The one or more capacitor banks may be programmatically configured on-chip, based on a frequency of the single-phase signal. The one or more resistor banks may be programmatically configured on-chip, based on a frequency of said single-phase signal.
US08334727B2 Microwave cavity sensor
Apparatus comprising: a radio frequency (RF) Robinson oscillator comprising: a resonator comprising a sensor rhumbatron, the sensor rhumbatron comprising a cavity member, the cavity member having a re-entrant boss member, the re-entrant boss member being arranged to project into a cavity portion of the cavity member; a feedback element arranged to provide positive radio frequency (RF) feedback to the cavity member thereby to increase a quality factor Q of the cavity member, the feedback element having first and second terminals coupled to the cavity member, the apparatus being operable to cause the oscillator to oscillate at a resonant frequency; and an output arranged to provide a signal that varies according to a value of at least one electrical parameter of the oscillator, said at least one electrical parameter being selected from amongst an electromagnetic loss and a resonant frequency.
US08334726B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit
The semiconductor integrated circuit incorporates a PLL circuit including a phase-frequency comparator 1, first and second charge pumps 2 and 3, a loop filter 4, a voltage-control oscillator 5 and a divider 6. The operation mode of the PLL circuit includes a standby state where locking is stopped, a lock response operation where locking is started and a steady lock operation where the locking started by the lock response operation is continued. In the steady lock operation, setting is made so that the second charge pump 3 is smaller in charge/discharge current than the first charge pump 2. The first and second charge pumps 2 and 3 charge and discharge the loop filter 4 in response to outputs of the phase-frequency comparator 1 in reverse to each other in phase. In the lock response operation where locking is started, the second charge pump 3 is stopped from charging and discharging in reverse in phase.
US08334725B2 Circuit and method for controlling mixed mode controlled oscillator and CDR circuit using the same
A circuit for controlling a mixed mode controlled oscillator. The circuit comprises a charge pump, and a digital loop filter. The charge pump is coupled to the mixed mode controlled oscillator. The charge pump receives an up/down signal and sends a current signal to the mixed mode controlled oscillator. The digital loop filter receives the up/down signal and generates a digital code signal to the mixed mode controlled oscillator. An output frequency of the mixed mode controlled oscillator is controlled by the current signal and the digital code signal.
US08334722B2 Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation and amplification
Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion.
US08334719B2 Semiconductor device having function of thyristor
An object is to provide a semiconductor device that can realize a function of a thyristor without complication of the process. A semiconductor device including a memory circuit that stores a predetermined potential by reset operation and initialization operation is provided with a circuit that rewrite data in the memory circuit in accordance with supply of a trigger signal. The semiconductor device has a structure in which a current flowing through the semiconductor device is supplied to a load by rewriting data in the memory circuit, and thus can function as a thyristor.
US08334718B2 Variable attenuator having stacked transistors
In one embodiment, a variable attenuator is disclosed having an attenuation circuit and a control circuit. The attenuation circuit may include a first series connected attenuation circuit segment and a shunt connected attenuation circuit segment, as well as additional attenuation circuit segments. Each attenuation circuit segment includes a stack of transistors that are coupled to provide the attenuation circuit segment with a variable impedance level having a continuous impedance range. In this manner, the control circuit may be operably associated with the stack of transistors in each attenuation circuit segment to control the variable attenuation level of the variable attenuator.
US08334717B2 Dynamic comparator based comparison system
A comparison system including a dynamic comparator, a background offset calibration circuit, and an asynchronous reset timing control circuit is presented. The background offset calibration circuit is coupled to the dynamic comparator, and generates calibration signals in response to reference switching control signals. Where calibration signals are used to calibrate the input refer offset of the dynamic comparator. The asynchronous reset timing control circuit is coupled to the dynamic comparator and the background offset calibration circuit, and generates a control clock signal and the reference switching control signals in response to the output signals of the dynamic comparator and a plurality of basic clock signals. During each clock cycle of the first basic clock signal, the control clock signal is used to control the dynamic comparator to perform two data comparison, one for the input refer offset and the other for a differential input signal.
US08334715B1 Method to achieve constant slew rate (over process corners) for an output buffer
An apparatus comprising a first circuit, a state machine, a compare circuit and a calibration circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate a slew rate control signal and a calibration signal in response to (i) a plurality of control bits and (ii) an operation signal. The state machine may be configured to generate the operation signal and a plurality of intermediate control signals in response to (i) a compare signal and (ii) clock signal. The compare circuit may be configured to generate the compare signal in response to (i) a reference voltage and (ii) a capacitance signal. The calibration circuit may be configured to generate the capacitance signal in response to (i) the calibration signal and (ii) the plurality of intermediate control signals.
US08334714B2 Clock signal generators having a reduced power feedback clock path and methods for generating clocks
Memories, clock generators and methods for providing an output clock signal are disclosed. One such method includes delaying a buffered clock signal by a adjustable delay to provide an output clock signal, providing a feedback clock signal from the output clock signal, and adjusting a duty cycle of the buffered clock signal based at least in part on the feedback clock signal. An example clock generator includes a forward clock path configured to provide a delayed output clock signal from a clock driver circuit, and further includes a feedback clock path configured to provide a feedback clock signal based at least in part on the delayed output clock signal, for example, frequency dividing the delayed output clock signal. The feedback clock path further configured to control adjustment a duty cycle of the buffered input clock signal based at least in part on the feedback clock signal.
US08334713B2 Charge pumping circuit and clock generator
A charge pumping circuit comprises: a charging pump capacitance; a charging unit; a discharging unit; a detection resistor having one terminal and the other terminal, the one terminal being connected between a first node and a second node in a second mode; a voltage source for supplying a reference voltage to the other terminal of the detection resistor; a correction unit for correcting a charging current output from the charging unit and a discharging current that is to be sunk by the discharging unit to equalize the charging current and the discharging current in the second mode, based on a difference between a voltage of the one terminal of the detection resistor and the reference voltage when the charging unit outputs the charging current to the one terminal of the detection resistor and the discharging unit sinks the discharging current from the one terminal of the detection resistor.
US08334712B2 High speed latch circuit with metastability trap and filter
A synchronizer constituted of a first and second set of three serially coupled latches coupled to a common clocking signal, the first and the ultimate latch of the first set responsive to a first edge of a common clocking signal and the penultimate latch responsive to an opposing edge of the common clocking signal, the second set being respectively responsive to the respective complementary edges of the clocking signal; an input lead arranged to receive a signal to be synchronized, the input lead coupled to the input of the first latch of the first set and to the input of the first latch of the second set; and a filter arranged to pass the output of each of the first set and the second set responsive to the penultimate latch of the set exhibiting a consistent output for two consecutive opposing edges.
US08334711B2 Control circuit, control device, control method, and image forming apparatus
A control circuit comprising an input-output unit that is connected to a signal line, which is connected to an external apparatus, and which is connected to a resistor that is one of a pull-up resistor and a pull-down resistor; a switching unit that switches a mode of the input-output unit to one of an input mode and an output mode, wherein the output mode includes an on-voltage output mode and an off-voltage output mode; an acquisition unit that acquires information regarding whether the resistor connected to the signal line is the pull-up resistor or the pull-down resistor, when the input-output unit is in the input mode; and a control unit that controls the input-output unit to switch to one of the on-voltage output mode and the off-voltage output mode based on the acquisition information acquired by the acquisition unit, when the input-output unit is in the output mode.
US08334701B2 Repairing defects
Methods and systems for defect repair are disclosed. The methods include: (a) identifying a defect causing an absence of an electrical connection between a first circuit element and a second circuit element, the first and second circuit elements being positioned in or on a substrate and the defect being positioned in the substrate; (b) removing a portion of the substrate to expose the defect, and depositing a conductive material to electrically connect the first and second circuit elements; and (c) verifying that the defect caused the absence of an electrical connection between the first and second circuit elements.
US08334700B2 Arc detection
An arc detection system for a plasma generation system includes a radio frequency (RF) sensor that generates first and second signals based on a respective electrical properties of (RF) power that is in communication with a plasma chamber. A correlation module generates an arc detect signal based on the first and second signals. The arc detect signal indicates whether an arc is occurring in the plasma chamber and is employed to vary an aspect of the RF power to extinguish the arc.
US08334699B2 Battery internal short-circuit detection apparatus and method, and battery pack
A battery internal short-circuit detection apparatus includes: a voltage detection unit for detecting a terminal voltage of the battery; a current detection unit for detecting a discharging current of the battery; a voltage drop and recovery detection unit for detecting a momentary voltage drop of the battery and a recovery from the voltage drop, in response to a result of detection performed by the voltage detection unit; and a determination unit for determining that an internal short circuit has occurred, when a maximum value of the discharging current detected by the current detection unit between the voltage drop and the recovery is equal to or lower than a threshold current.
US08334697B2 Split gradient coil and PET/MRI hybrid system using the same
A generally cylindrical set of coil windings (10, 30, 80) includes primary coil windings (12, 32, 82) and shield coil windings (14, 34, 84) at a larger radial position than the primary coil windings, and an arcuate or annular central gap (16, 36, 86) that is free of coil windings, has an axial extent (W) of at least ten centimeters, and spans at least a 180° angular interval. Connecting conductors (24, 44, 94) disposed at each edge of the central gap electrically connect selected primary and secondary coil windings. In a scanner setting, a main magnet (62, 64) is disposed outside of the generally cylindrical set of coil windings. In a hybrid scanner setting, an annular ring of positron emission tomography (PET) detectors (66) is disposed in the central gap of the generally cylindrical set of coil windings.
US08334696B2 Method for magnetic resonance imaging with parallel and localized spatial encoding magnetic fields
A method for producing an image of a subject with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is provided. In particular, spatial encoding of signals received from the subject is performed by spatial encoding magnetic fields (SEMs) produced by driving a parallel array of local gradient coils with current weightings that define a mode of the coil array. A set of globally orthogonal modes are determined using a singular value decomposition and two modes that produce SEMs with desired magnetic field variance characteristics are selected for spatial encoding. The spatially encoding signals are received by a parallel array of radio frequency receiver coil elements in order to resolve ambiguities in spatial encoding caused by the SEMs. Images are subsequently reconstructed using, for example, an iterative time domain reconstruction method.
US08334694B2 System and method for embedded self-calibration within an inversion recovery pulse sequence
An improved self-calibration method for accelerated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using inversion recovery pulse sequences allows calibration data for determining coil sensitivity profiles to be acquired by employing a calibration pulse sequence within the delay time of an inversion recovery pulse sequence. The calibration pulse sequence includes a constrained number of calibration pulses having small flip angles so that acceptable longitudinal magnetization recovery is provided.
US08334691B2 Ultra fast magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus for non-contrast agent MR angiography using electrocardiograph or pulse triggered half fourier turbo spin echo-based acquisition with variable flip angle evolution and high resolution
In a magnetic resonance imaging method for non-contrast imaging of blood at a region in the subject's body, a first 3D MR image is acquired represented by a first 3D volume data set of the region at a first trigger delay time. The first 3D image is acquired using a substantially 90° excitation pulse followed by a plurality of variable flip angle refocus pulses forming an echo train where the refocus pulses are smaller than or equal to 180°. To form the first 3D MR image, multiple MR slices are acquired related to the first trigger delay time to speed up the acquisition of the first image. A second 3D MR image is acquired represented by a second 3D volume data set at the same region using the same steps for acquiring the first 3D MR image except that a second trigger delay time is used which is different than the first trigger delay time. The first 3D volume data set and the second 3D volume data set are subtracted to create a third 3D volume data set. From the third 3D volume data set a 2D substantially maximum intensity projection data set is created which may then be displayed to show the blood at the region.
US08334687B2 Systems and methods for measuring rotational speed and position of a rotating device
A system includes a transceiver module and a rotating device. The transceiver module generates an electromagnetic (EM) field using an antenna. The rotating device includes N transponders arranged such that each of the N transponders passes through the EM field during one revolution of the rotating device. Each of the N transponders damps the EM field when passing through the EM field. The transceiver module determines a rotational speed of the rotating device based on a number of times the EM field is damped during a period. N is an integer greater than or equal to 1.
US08334685B2 Signal detector and signal detection method
A signal detector and a signal detection method adapted for detecting a voltage signal are provided. According to a digital signal converted from a low voltage full wave or half wave signal and/or a mains AC signal inputted thereto, the signal detector and the signal detection method are capable of detecting a voltage level, and/or a frequency, and/or a zero point, and/or a phase of the low voltage full wave or half wave signal and/or the mains AC signal inputted thereto, and determining whether the detected factor is abnormal, and is further capable of outputting an interrupt signal for subsequent processing.
US08334683B2 System and method for current limiting a DC-DC converter
A DC-DC voltage converter has a pair of switching transistors to provide an output voltage and are alternately switched in a boost mode of operation responsive to control signals. An inductor is connected to the pair of switching transistor and has an inductor current flowing there through. A current sensor monitors an input current and generates a current sense signal responsive thereto. Control circuitry generates the control signals to the second pair of switching transistors responsive to the current sense signal, the output voltage and a current limit signal, wherein when the current limit signal indicates the inductor current exceeds a current limit the control signals configure the pair of switching transistors to decrease the inductor current.
US08334682B2 Buck converter with internal ripple compensation
A buck converter with internal ripple compensation includes a comparator for generating a comparison result, a constant-on-time trigger coupled to the comparator for generating a trigger control signal according to the comparison result, a pre-driver coupled to the constant-on-time trigger for controlling a high side switch and a low side switch, an output module coupled to a first node and a signal output end, and a ripple compensation circuit coupled to the high side switch, the low side switch, the first node, and the comparator for generating a compensation signal outputted to the comparator.
US08334675B2 Method of charging battery based on calcualtion of an ion concentration of a solid active material and battery charging control system
A controller in a charging control system controls a charger to heat a battery at a low temperature by pulse charging and discharging up to a desired temperature and then moves to a normal charging mode. The controller calculates an ion concentration of an active material at electrode portions of the battery on the basis of the temperature data and the electric current data obtained, switch the pulse charging and discharging between a charging mode and a discharging mode on the basis of a pulse width when the ion concentration reaches a threshold.
US08334674B2 Hybrid battery and its charging/discharging method
A hybrid battery and its charging/discharging method automatically charges/discharges batteries having different capacities. The hybrid battery includes a plurality of rechargeable batteries; switching elements which are electrically connected to the plurality of rechargeable batteries having high current paths for electrically connecting to one of the high current paths; and a hybrid battery protection circuit electrically connected to the plurality of rechargeable batteries and driven by power supplied by one of the plurality of rechargeable batteries, the hybrid battery protection circuit charging/discharging the plurality of rechargeable batteries in sequence by transmitting an on/off signal to the switching element.
US08334672B2 Charging circuit with ability to identify power source
A charging circuit used to identify a power source connected to a portable electronic device includes a connector, an identifying circuit, and a central processing unit. The connector includes a voltage bus contact, a ground contact, a positive data contact and a negative data contact. The identifying circuit is connected to the positive data contact or the negative data contact to identify the power source and generates a configuration signal. The central processing unit receives the configuration signal and operates a corresponding charging mode.
US08334664B2 Light emitting diode illuminating system and control method thereof
A light emitting diode (LED) illuminating system includes a LED illuminating circuitry, which includes a plurality of LEDs connected in parallel, and an actuator connected to the LED illuminating circuitry to actuate the plurality of LEDs. The actuator includes a sensor and a control circuitry, which includes a controller connected to the actuator. The sensor is configured to detect an output signal of the actuator and to output the detected data value to the controller. The controller is configured to compare the detected data value with a predetermined data value, and to output a scan signal to the actuator when a LED is found to be malfunctioning. The actuator is configured to scan each LED and to output a location parameter of the malfunctioning LED to the controller based on the scan signal. A method for controlling the LED lighting system is also provided.
US08334663B2 Power supply for a load control device
A load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the load includes a power supply having an energy storage capacitor and a charge pump circuit adapted to conduct an input charging current through the load and to conduct an output charging current through the energy storage capacitor to thus generate a DC supply voltage across the energy storage capacitor, where the output charging current has a magnitude greater than the input charging current. The charge pump circuit includes a switched capacitor operable to charge through the load during a first half-cycle, and to discharge into the energy storage capacitor in a second, subsequent half-cycle. The charge pump circuit operates at line frequency and the magnitude of the input charging current is substantially small so as to avoid generating noise in a noise-sensitive circuit of the load control device.
US08334659B2 Electronic driver dimming control using ramped pulsed modulation for large area solid-state OLEDs
An electronic driver apparatus and methods are disclosed for driving power an organic LED or other large area solid state light source, in which a switch mode DC current source provides DC current to drive the light source according to a control input and a controller provides a ramped pulse modulated control input to the current source for at least some values of a dimming setpoint signal or value to mitigate damaging current spikes by controlling di/dt of the drive current.
US08334657B2 RF matching network of a vacuum processing chamber and corresponding configuration methods
A RF matching network is described, and which includes a 1st to nth RF generators, and wherein each RF generator has a different frequency, and wherein the frequencies of the 1st to the nth RF input ports decline in sequence, and wherein between the ith frequency RF input port, and the output port is a ith circuit, which has a high impedance at the output port to all RF generator frequencies other than the ith frequency; and wherein the ith circuit, when connected to a RF generator with the ith frequency, and wherein measuring from the output port to the ith circuit, the ith circuit has a first impedance at the ith frequency; and when measuring from the output port in the opposite direction to the ith circuit, the ith circuit has a second impedance at the ith frequency; and wherein the first impedance is a substantial conjugate match of the second impedance.
US08334656B2 Replaceable lighting unit with adjustable output intensity and optional capability for reporting usage information, and method of operating same
A lighting unit includes a power supply, a light source, a controller, and an output intensity adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism is configured to allow a user to set an output intensity of a plurality of non-zero intensities generatable by the light source. The controller is operable to control a supply of electrical power from the power supply to the light source such that the light source illuminates in accordance with the intensity set by the user. The lighting unit is also operable to optionally report usage information for the lighting unit (e.g., cumulative on time) using the light source to produce a visually undetectable information signal. The controller is further optionally operable to adjust (e.g., increase) the electrical power supplied to the light source when the cumulative on time for the light source corresponds to a point on a lumen depreciation curve indicating a reduction in light source intensity.
US08334655B2 Lamp device and light source module with coil connecting tube
A lamp device and a light source module are provided. The lamp device includes a lamp body and a coil connecting tube. The lamp body has an end portion and a lead wire extends from the end portion. The coil connecting tube is disposed corresponding to the end portion of the lamp body and electrically connecting to the lead wire for power supply purpose. The coil connecting tube winds about an axial direction of the lamp body and is capable of stretching or compressing along the axial direction. The light source module includes the lamp device and a lamp connector which has a power source portion being coupled to the coil connecting tube for power supply.
US08334648B2 Organic electroluminescence device and organic light emitting medium
An organic electroluminescence device having a layer of an organic light emitting medium which comprises (A) a specific arylamine compound and (B) at least one compound selected from specific anthracene derivatives, spirofluorene derivatives, compounds having condensed rings and metal complex compounds and is disposed between a pair of electrodes and an organic light emitting medium comprising the above components (A) and (B) are provided. The organic electroluminescence device exhibits a high purity of color, has excellent heat resistance and a long life and efficiently emits bluish to yellowish light. The organic light emitting medium can be advantageously used for the organic electroluminescence device.
US08334647B2 Organic EL device and an organic EL device producing method
A technology is provided, which obtains an organic EL device free from any reduction in the luminescent efficiency, even if an electrode layer is formed on a surface of a charge injection layer by a sputtering method. An organic EL device of the present invention includes a first charge injection layer, a first organic layer, and a second charge injection layer. The second charge injection layer is formed as a mixed layer in which a matrix organic material and a charge injectable metallic material are mixed. Even when the electrode layer is formed on a surface of this second charge injection layer by the sputtering method, the luminescent efficiency does not decrease.
US08334646B2 LED wavelength-coverting plate with microlenses in multiple layers
A wavelength-converting plate for a wavelength-converted light emitting diode (LED) assembly. The wavelength-converting plate includes multiple layers of microlenses deposited thereon. The microlenses may have an index of refraction different from an index of refraction of the wavelength-converting plate.
US08334645B2 Light emitting device emitting four specific colors
It is an object of the invention to provide a light emitting device in which burden on a light emitting element having low luminous efficiency is relieved, and the deterioration of a light emitting element, the reduction in color reproduction due to the deteriorated light emitting element, and increase in electric power consumption can be suppressed. A light emitting device according to the invention has light emitting elements each of which emits one of colors corresponding to three primary colors. Further, one feature of the light emitting device according to the invention has a light emitting element which emits a neutral color. The light emitting device according to the invention has a structure in which a plurality of pixels having light emitting elements each of which emits one of colors corresponding to three primary colors, and a light emitting element which emits a neutral color as one group, are arranged.
US08334643B2 LED lamp, in particular for internal lighting of an electric household appliance
A lamp for internal lighting of an electric household appliance includes an LED, a printed circuit for supporting and powering the LED, and a supporting body made of an electrically non-conductive material and provided, at a first end thereof, with a reflecting/diffusing element for light emitted from the LED. The LED is carried on a flat face of the printed circuit, at a first end of the printed circuit. The supporting body has a tubular shape and the printed circuit being supported inside the supporting body, with the flat face arranged substantially coplanar with an optical axis of the reflecting/diffusing element and the first end of the printed circuit overhangingly protruding from the first end of the supporting body, so that the reflecting/diffusing element collects at least a part of the light emitted from the LED. The printed circuit extends over an entire length of the supporting body.
US08334641B2 Lighting device
A lighting device includes a bottom housing, a middle housing, a top housing, and a lamp head. Specifically, the bottom housing has a bottom surface capable of supporting a lighting module. The middle housing is coupled to the top side of the bottom housing. The top housing is coupled to the top side of the middle housing, such that the middle housing is disposed between the bottom housing and the top housing. The lamp head covers the sidewall of the top housing.
US08334640B2 Turbulent flow cooling for electronic ballast
An apparatus for heat dissipation for a luminaire comprises an active heat transfer device and a thermally-conductive housing. The active heat transfer device causes turbulence in an ambient fluid. The thermally-conductive housing includes a cavity and a first end. The cavity is structured for an electronic ballast of the luminaire to be housed therein and thermally attached to an interior surface of the housing to allow the housing to absorb at least a portion of heat generated by the electronic ballast. The first end is structured for the active heat transfer device to be mountable to the first end of the housing. The housing further includes at least one thermally-conductive protrusion extending from an exterior surface of the housing and exposed to the turbulence in the ambient fluid to transfer at least a portion of the heat absorbed by the housing to the ambient fluid.
US08334635B2 Transducer arrangements for ultrasonic surgical instruments
In one general aspect, various embodiments are directed to an ultrasonic surgical instrument that comprises a transducer configured to produce vibrations along a longitudinal axis at a predetermined frequency. In various embodiments, an ultrasonic blade extends along the longitudinal axis and is coupled to the transducer. In various embodiments, the ultrasonic blade includes a body having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end is movable relative to the longitudinal axis by the vibrations produced by the transducer.
US08334633B2 Dynamoelectric machine
The present invention provides a dynamoelectric machine that enables heat that is generated in a permanent magnet to be transmitted to a fan and be radiated from the fan effectively, that suppresses occurrences of damage to the fan that result from centrifugal forces that act on the permanent magnet, and that also enables the fan to be prepared easily and inexpensively.In a dynamoelectric machine according to the present invention, a magnet holder (30, 35) that is made of a magnetic material is disposed so as to span over a trough portion (26, 27), an interfitting groove (31, 36) that has a groove direction in an axial direction is formed on the magnet holder (30, 35) so as to open radially outward, and so as to lead inward from an axially outer side, and a permanent magnet (32, 37) is held by the magnet holder (30, 35) by being fitted into the interfitting groove (31, 36) and is disposed so as to face an inner circumferential surface near a tip end of claw-shaped magnetic pole portions (24, 20) and have a predetermined clearance. In addition, a metal fan (40A, 40B) is fixed to an end surface of a pole core body (17, 21), a thermally conductive plate (43) is disposed so as to extend from a base portion (41) axially inward, and a leading end portion thereof is press-fitted between a lower surface of the permanent magnet (32, 37) and a bottom surface of the interfitting groove (31, 36).
US08334621B2 Electronic equipment and power supply state control method for electronic equipment
An electronic equipment includes: a data transmission unit that transmits or receives content data to or from an external equipment; a power supply turned-on information acquisition unit that acquires power supply turned-on information concerning the external equipment; an information-on-manipulation acquisition unit that acquires information on a power supply turning-on manipulation; and a power supply state control unit that controls a power supply state into any of an off state, a standby state, and an on state, wherein when the power supply turned-on information concerning the external equipment with the power supply state set to the off state is acquired, the power supply state control unit changes the power supply state to the standby state; and when the information on the power supply turning-on manipulation with the power supply state set to the standby state is acquired, the power supply state control unit changes the power supply state to the on state.
US08334620B2 Load impedance decision device, wireless power transmission device, and wireless power transmission method
A load impedance decision device, a wireless power transmission device, and a wireless power transmission method are provided. At least one of a distance and an angle between two resonators may be measured. A load impedance may be determined based on at least one of the measured distance and the measured angle. When the distance between the two resonators changes, a high power transfer efficiency may be maintained without using a separate matching circuit. Where the load impedance is determined, a test power may be transmitted. Depending on a power transfer efficiency of the test power, the load impedance may be controlled and power may be wirelessly transmitted from the source resonator to the target resonator.
US08334618B2 Method and area electric power system detecting islanding by employing controlled reactive power injection by a number of inverters
An area electric power system includes a number of direct current power sources, and a number of inverters operatively associated with the number of direct current power sources. Each of the number of inverters is structured to provide real power and controlled reactive power injection to detect islanding. An output is powered by the number of inverters. A number of electrical switching apparatus are structured to electrically connect the number of inverters to and electrically disconnect the number of inverters from a utility grid. A number of devices are structured to detect islanding with respect to the utility grid responsive to a number of changes of alternating current frequency or voltage of the output.