| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08346856B2 |
Client environment creation system, client environment creation method, client environment creation program and storage medium
A client environment creation system which creates a client environment to which a user connects is provided. A user information management server which stores user information on a user and a management server which creates a client environment associated with the user based on the user information are included. |
| US08346850B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing a session
A method and Domain Name System (DNS) server for establishing a communication session in an Internet Protocol (IP)-based communication network. The DNS server receives a query containing a DNS name of a destination terminal as a search key, and determines whether an IP address for the DNS name is registered with the DNS server. If so, the DNS server returns the registered IP address to the sender of the query. If not, the DNS server sends a wake-up message to the destination terminal which, in response, establishes an IP data session with the communication network. The DNS server then receives an IP address for the destination terminal from an access server or from a Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) server, and returns the received IP address to the sender of the query. |
| US08346849B2 |
Security and support for flexible conferencing topologies spanning proxies, firewalls and gateways
A method and system for setting up and managing secure data/audio/video conferences with a wide range of topologies is described. The disclosed method and system allow extending the range of topologies possible with the H.323 conferencing standards while overcoming T.120 negotiating constraints. Security in such conferences may be based on a trusted node system or on more complex security procedures. Furthermore, the taught conference topologies fully utilize the T.120 standards while also permitting the reach of the conferences to the extent enabled by the H.323 standards by implementing additional modules to manage the setting up and tearing down of one or more conference connections. In addition, the method and system allow for dynamically adjusting conference connections to improve bandwidth usage and utilize H.323 support for gatekeepers. |
| US08346848B2 |
System and method for maintaining statefulness during client-server interactions
The present invention provides systems and methods for maintaining stateful interactions between clients and servers. Furthermore, the invention provides systems and methods for maintaining stateful interactions between clients and load balancers. In one embodiment, the present invention provides systems and methods for maintaining statefulness without the need for the server to query and/or store information on the client. |
| US08346845B2 |
Distributed solutions for large-scale resource assignment tasks
Distributed data processing of problems representing resource assignment tasks. The problems are modeled as programs, and the programs are partitioned into sub-instances. Those sub-instances are executed in a distributed computing environment. The partitioning reduces communication costs between sub-instances and convergence time for the optimization program. |
| US08346843B2 |
System and method for scalable data distribution
A system having a resource manager, a plurality of masters, and a plurality of slaves, interconnected by a communications network. To distribute data, a master determined that a destination slave of the plurality slaves requires data. The master then generates a list of slaves from which to transfer the data to the destination slave. The master transmits the list to the resource manager. The resource manager is configured to select a source slave from the list based on available system resources. Once a source is selected by the resource manager, the master receives an instruction from the resource manager to initiate a transfer of the data from the source slave to the destination slave. The master then transmits an instruction to commence the transfer. |
| US08346838B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficient integer transform
A method and apparatus for including in a processor instructions for performing integer transforms including multiply-add operations and horizontal-add operations on packed data. In one embodiment, a processor is coupled to a memory that stores a first packed byte data and a second packed byte data. The processor performs operations on said first packed byte data and said second packed byte data to generate a third packed data in response to receiving a multiply-add instruction. A plurality of the 16-bit data elements in this third packed data storing the result of performing multiply-add operations on data elements in the first and second packed byte data. The processor adds together at least a first and a second 16-bit data element of the third packed data in response to receiving an horizontal-add instruction to generate a 16-bit result as one of a plurality of data elements of a fourth packed data. |
| US08346837B2 |
Coordinate transformation for presentation in display systems
A system and method for displaying data provided by a sensor in Polar coordinates on a raster scan device operating in Cartesian coordinates. Cartesian coordinates for display points on said raster scan device are converted to corresponding Polar coordinates, and sensor data values for said Polar coordinates are fetched for display on said raster scan device. The coordinates are converted by differentiating the equations mapping Polar coordinates to Cartesian coordinates, and solving the differential relationships using a suitable integration method. Preferable the integration method is a Midpoint method. In order to avoid divisions and speed up the conversion process, synthetic division in Newton-Ralphson iteration is used instead. |
| US08346834B2 |
Information processing device and information processing method
An information processing device for processing reception signals converted into digital signals, includes: a first conversion unit for executing sampling rate conversion of each of the digital signals to be computed with each tap coefficient of a K'th-order FIR filter; a filter computing unit for executing computation processing of the K'th order FIR filter on K digital signals each of which have been subjected to sampling rate conversion by the first conversion unit; and a control unit for controlling sampling rate conversion of the digital signals by the first conversion unit, and the computation processing of the K'th order FIR filter by the filter computing unit. |
| US08346833B2 |
Filter and method for filtering
A filter and method of filtering modifies the computation order to accommodate horizontal symmetric filtering, and modifies the source operands while modifying the single instruction multiple data (SIMD) computation, so as to eliminate such heavy overhead of transposing a pixel matrix. The filter and method of filtering reformats the equations involved in the prior art to the following equations, thereby acquiring the interpolation results by reducing the required clock cycles to three cycles: acc=a0*(|p0+p5|p1+p6|p2+p7|p3+p8|) acc=a1*(|p1+p4|p2+p5|p3+p6|p4+p7|)+acc acc=a2*(|P2+P3|P3+P4|P4+P5|P5+P6|)+acc. |
| US08346832B2 |
Random number generator
A circuit for generating a random output value is disclosed that comprises: a bistable circuit having two stable states in which a 0 or a 1 is output and having a balanced metastable state in which a floating value between 0 and 1 is output, said bistable circuit resolving from said metastable state to one of said stable states on being switched on, said state depending on a voltage level at a port on said bistable circuit; a voltage level control circuit for controlling a voltage level at said port on said bistable circuit; a time measuring circuit for measuring a switching time taken for said bistable circuit to switch from said metastable state to one of said stable states following switch on; and control logic for controlling said time measuring circuit, said voltage level control circuit and a switching off and on of said bistable circuit, said control logic being adapted to perform a following sequence: control said voltage level control circuit to set a predetermined voltage level at said port on said bistable circuit, switch said bistable circuit on, detect a measured switching time, and turn said bistable circuit off and if said measured switching time is longer than a predetermined value, output said resolved stable state of said bistable circuit as said random output value. |
| US08346831B1 |
Systems and methods for computing mathematical functions
Mathematical functions are computed using a single hardware pipeline that performs polynomial approximation of second degree or higher. The single hardware pipeline includes multiple stages. Several data tables are used on the computations. The data tables are associated with a reciprocal, square root, exponential, or logarithm function. The data tables include data associated with implementing the associated function. The single hardware pipeline computes at least one of the functions associated with the data tables. |
| US08346820B2 |
Asynchronous distributed garbage collection for replicated storage clusters
A method may be performed by a device of a group of devices in a distributed data replication system. The method may include storing objects in a data store, at least one or more of the objects being replicated with the distributed data replication system, and conducting a scan of the objects in the data store. The method may further include identifying one of the objects as not having a reference pointing to the object, storing a delete negotiation message as metadata associated with the one of the objects, and replicating the metadata with the delete negotiation message to one or more other devices of the group of devices. |
| US08346807B1 |
Method and system for registering and activating content
A method and system for registering and activating content are described. Ownership of instances of content is registered in a registry of accounts associated with various users. Responsive to a user selecting an instance of content from a content distributor, the user's account is updated by adding therein an identifier uniquely associated therewith. Responsive to the user requesting access to an instance of content, the identity of the user is authenticated. The request conveys a unique identifier of the instance of content and a key for activating the content. The content activating key is compared with the registry to identify the user's ownership level in the instance of content. Upon associating the user identity with the user's ownership level, the instance of content is activated to allow the user to access the instance of content according to the corresponding ownership level. |
| US08346802B2 |
Deriving a hierarchical event based database optimized for pharmaceutical analysis
A computer implemented method for inferring a probability of a first inference absent from a database at which a query regarding the inference is received. Each datum of the database is conformed to the dimensions of the database. Each datum of the plurality of data has associated metadata and an associated key. The associated metadata includes data regarding cohorts associated with the corresponding datum, data regarding hierarchies associated with the corresponding datum, data regarding a corresponding source of the datum, and data regarding probabilities associated with integrity, reliability, and importance of each associated datum. The query is used as a frame of reference for the search. The database returns a probability of the correctness of the first inference based on the query and on the data. |
| US08346801B2 |
Context based video finder
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for video retrieval by providing a first audio video file, determining a first identifier of a first piece of music in the first audio video file, looking up for the first identifier first meta data in a music database, in which said first meta data are associated with said first identifier, providing second meta data of a second piece of music from the music database. The second piece of music is included in a second audio video file. Further the method is conducted by determining a similarity measure by comparing the first and second meta data, and providing the second audio video file or an identifier thereof depending on the similarity measure. Further embodiments relate to a server, a user device and a system and a computer program product for video retrieval. |
| US08346800B2 |
Content-based information retrieval
Content-based information retrieval is described. In an example, a query item such as an image, document, email or other item is presented and items with similar content are retrieved from a database of items. In an example, each time a query is presented, a classifier is formed based on that query and using a training set of items. For example, the classifier is formed in real-time and is formed in such a way that a limit on the proportion of the items in the database that will be retrieved is set. In an embodiment, the query item is analyzed to identify tokens in that item and subsets of those tokens are selected to form the classifier. For example, the subsets of tokens are combined using Boolean operators in a manner which is efficient for searching on particular types of database. |
| US08346798B2 |
Method for sharing and searching playlists
The present disclosure provides a method for making a playlist available to the public. In another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method for creating a playlist comprising user-defined descriptor information. In another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method for searching for such public playlists. |
| US08346795B2 |
System and method for guiding entity-based searching
A system and method are provided for refining a user's query. An entity index, generated from a corpus of text documents, is provided. The entity index includes a set of entity structures, each including a plurality of terms. Each of the terms of an entity structure is a feature of the same entity. Entity structures can be retrieved from the entity index which match at least a portion of the user's query. Clusters of the retrieved entity structures are identified which have at least one of their terms in common. A cluster hierarchy is generated from the identified clusters in which nodes of the hierarchy are defined by one or more of the terms of the retrieved entity structures. At least a portion of the cluster hierarchy is presented to the user for facilitating refinement of the user's query through user selection of a node which, when formulated as a search, retrieves one or more responsive documents from the corpus of documents. |
| US08346794B2 |
Method and apparatus for querying target databases using reference database records by applying a set of reference-based mapping rules for matching input data queries from one of the plurality of sources
Input data queries directed at a plurality of target databases and originating from any of a plurality of sources are first converted to validated canonical forms, which are then used to query the target databases. Specifically, upon receiving an input data query, a relatively accurate reference database is selected based on the type of the input data. This reference is then queried for the input data with the intent of finding an exact matching record or a near-matching record that can be considered an exact match and thereby validating the input data. Otherwise, the requesting source is instructed to provide a new query. Once having a validated record, it is converted to a canonical form, which is then used to query the target databases intended to be searched. In a further embodiment, multiple reference databases are queried to determine a canonical form of the data or to determine multiple canonical forms of the data. |
| US08346791B1 |
Search augmentation
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating or using augmentation queries. In one aspect, augmentation queries are identified from user interactions or are machine generated. The augmentation queries can be stored in an augmentation query data store. When a user submits a search query to a search engine, the terms of the query, and optionally additional information, such as the geographic location from which the query is received or the language of the query, can be used to identify stored augmentation queries and select one or more similar augmentation queries. The selected augmentation queries, in turn, can be used by the search engine perform an augmented search operation. |
| US08346790B2 |
Data integration method and system
A computer implemented method for ensuring the quality of processed corporate entity data, the method comprising: sequentially processing the corporate entity data through a series of serially connected drivers, the serially connected drivers comprise a data collection driver, an entity matching driver, an identification number driver, a corporate linkage driver, and a predictive indicator driver; and conducting a quality assurance of the corporate entity data as it is processed in each of the driver, wherein the quality assurance comprises: (i) sampling the corporate entity data from each the driver periodically, thereby generating sample data; (ii) evaluating the sample data; and (iii) adjusting the processing based upon the evaluation, thereby producing high quality data. |
| US08346782B2 |
Method and system of information matching in electronic commerce website
The present disclosure describes an information matching method and information system. The method collects characteristic data of category plurality of categories of network behavior of a plurality of network users; groups the network users into a plurality of clusters based on the characteristic data; sets weight of the characteristic data; receives a search request from one of the plurality of network users; obtains search results according to the search request; inquires a historical record of clicking operation on at least some of the search results made by at least some of the network users in one of the clusters which contains the one of the plurality of network users; calculates a respective rank value of each of the at least some of the search results based on the historical record of clicking operation of at least some of the network users and the weight of the characteristic data; sorts of the search results to arrange the search results according to the rank values of the search results in a descending order from high rank to low rank; and causes the sorted search results to be displayed. |
| US08346776B2 |
Generating a taxonomy for documents from tag data
A method and system for generating a taxonomy for documents from tag data are provided. The method includes obtaining tag data in the form of tags on documents with tag weightings for a document and clustering the tags using the tag weightings for documents, wherein each cluster is an identified subject. The documents are associated with each identified subject and the subjects are compared to identifying relationships between subjects to build a taxonomy of subjects. A tag weighting for a document is the number of times the tag is applied to the document with a user rating of the relevance of the tag to the document. The steps are carried out automatically without user intervention. |
| US08346774B1 |
Protecting network entity data while preserving network properties
In one exemplary embodiment, a storage medium embodying a program of instructions for performing operations including: storing raw information for primary properties of primary nodes within a primary network; in response to receiving a query, transforming the raw information into transformed information using key(s) and based on the query, the query is in relation to a queried property, the transformed information is transformed data for the queried property, the transformed information represents a surrogate network having surrogate nodes corresponding to a portion of the primary nodes, the transformed information enables performance of operation(s) without specific knowledge of and without revealing the entirety, the transformed information further enables one having the key(s) to relate an output of the operation to the raw information; and generating a solution that relates a transformed query to the transformed information, the transformed query is a transformed representation of the query obtained by using the key(s). |
| US08346772B2 |
Systems and methods for interactive clustering
Systems and associated methods provide a cluster-level semi-supervision model for inter-active clustering. Embodiments accept user provided semi-supervision for updating cluster descriptions and assignment of data items to clusters. Assignment feedback re-assigns data items among existing clusters, while cluster description feedback helps to position existing cluster centers more meaningfully. The feedback can continue until the user is satisfied with the clustering achieved or one or more predetermined stopping criteria have been reached. |
| US08346769B2 |
System, method and program to manage alternate bookmarks
System, method and program for managing bookmarks. A user hovers a cursor over a primary bookmark displayed on a client computer. In response, the client computer automatically sends a request to a server corresponding to the primary bookmark to identify one or more alternate bookmarks that correspond to the primary bookmark. In response to receipt of the identification of the one or more alternate bookmarks from the server, the client computer displays the one or more alternate bookmarks adjacent to the primary bookmark. If a user selects one of the alternate bookmarks which is displayed, the client computer sends a request to a web server corresponding to the selected alternate bookmark for a web page corresponding to the selected alternate bookmark. |
| US08346766B2 |
Efficient calculation of node proximity on graphs with side information
In a computerized data mining context, user input relating to positive and negative information is incorporated into node proximity measurements on a weighted, directed graph. Random walk results are updated without a full matrix inversion by using selective update to a low rank approximation and to inversion results. |
| US08346764B1 |
Information retrieval systems, methods, and software with content-relevancy enhancements
The present inventors devised, among other things, systems, methods, and software for enhancing the relevancy of content presented to users in response to queries in an online information retrieval system. One exemplary system refines a user input query by making suggestions of alternatives queries. A switchboard module converts the refined query, administers one or more searches, and collects search results from one or more search engines based on the refined query. And, a post-processor module refines the collected search results by, for example, modifying the order of the results, removing inappropriate or undesirable content from the results, and/or applying historical performance analysis, based for example on social feedback. |
| US08346763B2 |
Ranking method using hyperlinks in blogs
A method for static ranking of web documents is disclosed. Search engines are typically configured such that search results having a higher PageRank® score are listed first. A modified scoring technique is provided whereby the score includes a reset vector that is biased toward web pages linked to blogs. This requires identifying web pages as either blogs or non-blogs. |
| US08346759B2 |
Searching documents for ranges of numeric values
Provided are a system and article of manufacture for searching documents for ranges of numeric values. A number of posting lists is generated, wherein each posting list is associated with a range of consecutive values within the set of values and includes document identifiers for documents including at least one value within the range of consecutive values associated with the posting list, and wherein each document identifier is associated with one value in the set of values included in the document identified by the document identifier. The generated posting lists are stored. A query on a query range of values within the set of values is received and a determination is made of a minimum number of posting lists associated with consecutive values that together include the query range of values. The determined posting lists are merged. |
| US08346754B2 |
Generating succinct titles for web URLs
Methods, computer programs, and systems for generating a link title for a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) within a context webpage to be shown as a web result are provided. The method evaluates generation parameters for a plurality of sources for picking words from the link title. Further, the method generates candidates for the link title, and a likelihood is computed for each candidate. When computing the likelihood, the generation parameters, the context webpage and the words are considered. In addition, the method selects a candidate with the highest likelihood from all the computed likelihoods, and presents the URL with the selected candidate as the title. |
| US08346752B2 |
Software title discovery
In a computer system that has no single place to discover all installed software applications, a software title discovery technique uses a combination of techniques to discover installed software. One of the combined techniques is an operating system predefined interface for obtaining information about installed software application; other techniques that may be employed include searching a repository of uninstall information, searching for executable files in a portion of a filesystem for the computer, and searching for executable files pointed to by other files in the filesystem of the computer system. A client/server configuration may be employed to allow collection of the software application information across a network of computers in an enterprise by a server computer system, allowing the server system to provide reports regard installed software applications. |
| US08346751B1 |
Hierarchial category index navigational system
A map-based search application for map-based category navigation includes geographic data, category data, and categorized data comprising at least one item, wherein each item is associated with each of the geographic data and the category data. Accordingly, a user is enabled to search for categorized data that satisfies at least one condition related to the geographic data and at least one condition related to the category data. The invention further comprises a display for displaying a list of results from a search, wherein the list comprises the at least one item. |
| US08346749B2 |
Balancing the costs of sharing private data with the utility of enhanced personalization of online services
Described herein is a method that includes determining a utility to a user of sharing a set of attributes for use in connection with personalized searching or other online services. The method further includes determining a cost to the user of sharing the set of attributes. The method also includes outputting an indication of a net benefit to the user of sharing the set of attributes based at least in part upon the determined utility and the determined cost. |
| US08346748B1 |
Environment classification and service analysis
Discovering environment objects for information management in a networked environment. Information management provides services such as data protection, backup, retention, compliance, etc., by classifying the objects and/or infrastructure of an entity according to its value to the entity. Information management begins by discovering the data in a network and by discovering the servers and services operating in a network. The servers and services are discovered using adapters that can collect information regarding the environment objects. This information can then by used by information management systems to assign or orchestrate various services. |
| US08346745B2 |
Information retrieval method, computer readable medium and information retrieval apparatus
According to an aspect of the invention, a computer readable medium stores a program causing a computer to execute a process for retrieving information. The process includes an extracting process, an executing process, a first creating process, a second creating process, a determining process. The extracting process extracts, from a first composition that is an object to be searched for and that includes first sentence elements and a second composition that indicates a retrieval condition and that includes second sentence elements, the first sentence elements, the second sentence elements, and sentence element relations indicating relations between the first sentence elements and relations between the second sentence elements. |
| US08346742B1 |
Remote verification of file protections for cloud data storage
A client device or other processing device comprises a file processing module, with the file processing module being operative to request proof from a file system that a file having a first format is stored by the file system in a second format different than the first format, to receive the proof from the file system, and to verify that the file is stored in the second format using the proof provided by the file system responsive to the request. The proof is based at least in part on application of a function to the file in the second format, and the function imposes a minimum resource requirement on generation of the proof. The file system may comprise one or more servers associated with a cloud storage provider. Advantageously, one or more illustrative embodiments allow a client device to verify that its files are stored by a cloud storage provider in encrypted form or with other appropriate protections. |
| US08346741B2 |
Media mediator system and method for managing contents of various formats
Provided is a system and method that may encode various formats of contents to a single format and thereby manage the contents, and may transform the contents to a format corresponding to a request of a third party or an end user to distribute the content. A media mediator system of managing various formats of contents may include: a service manager to receive a content and metadata of the content from a content provider; a metadata manager to register the content using the metadata, and to store the metadata of the registered content; a database manager to store and manage information associated with the content; and an encoding manager to schedule an encoding sequence of the content, and to sequentially encode the content based on a scheduling result. |
| US08346739B1 |
Segmenting documents among multiple data repositories
Techniques for storing electronic documents include defining multiple logical storage locations, with each logical storage location corresponding to a respective first set of data parameters, and storing electronic documents in the logical storage locations. Each electronic document is stored in a logical storage location having a particular corresponding first set of data parameters. The particular corresponding first set of data parameters is associated with the electronic document, and the electronic document is indexed within the logical storage location based on a second set of data parameters. |
| US08346737B2 |
Encoding of hierarchically organized data for efficient storage and processing
A compact binary encoding technique for information that is logically hierarchically structured, such as XML data, maintains all of the features of XML data in a useable form, such as the hierarchical structure underlying the data. Hence, data encoded in this format can undergo XML-based processing on-the-fly as it is being received or fetched, as if the data was being processed linearly in its textual character-based format. Processing of data encoded in this format can begin without having to wait for and decode the entire data set. The overhead due to XML tags is significantly minimized. The encoded data can be processed more efficiently because the data is pre-parsed. Values may be stored in their native type formats and, therefore, processing of the encoded data avoids costly type conversions. Further, any available structural constraint information can be effectively exploited. |
| US08346733B2 |
Systems and methods of media management, such as management of media to and from a media storage library
A system and method for determining media to be exported out of a media library is described. In some examples, the system determines a media component to be exported, determines the media component is in the media library for a specific process, and exports the media component after the process is completed. |
| US08346732B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing high availability of a database
A method and apparatus for providing high availability of a database. A first front end server is coupled to a first back end server, and a second front end server is coupled to a second back end server. The second front end server provides redundancy to the first front end server and the second back end server provides redundancy to the first back end server. The front end servers function as a gateway into the database and comprise protocol services for processing input/output requests to the gateway. The back end servers comprise database protocol services and interface directly to the gateway to retrieve information requested by the processed database requests received from the front end servers. |
| US08346723B2 |
Consolidation of patch transformations for database replication
Embodiments of the invention provide for applying modifications to database instances in a way that allows some of instances to be modified without requiring that all of the instances be modified. Patching less than all of a plurality of replicated database instances can comprise applying a patch to a first version of a table in a first database instance. The first version of the table may be replicated in a corresponding first version of the table in a second database instance. Applying the patch to the first version of the table in the first database instance can result in a second version of the table in the first database instance. Transformations caused by applying the patch to the first version of the table in the first database instance can be consolidated based on differences between the first version of the table and the second version of the table. |
| US08346721B2 |
Apparatus and method to replicate remote virtual volumes to local physical volumes
An automated method to replicate remote virtual files to local physical files is presented, wherein the method provides a replication algorithm comprising computer readable program code that can be used by a programmable computer processor to replicate the (N) remote virtual volumes to (N) local physical volumes, such that a computing device integral with those (N) local physical volumes can read data from, and write data to, each of the locally replicated virtual volumes without modifying volume assignments and without reconfiguring the computing device to communicate with the (N) local physical volumes. |
| US08346718B2 |
Synchronizing recurring events
A system and method for synchronizing records stored in differing formats in a shared data environment. One aspect of the invention involves distinguishing a record without regard to its format. Once a record is introduced into the environment, it is detected. A record file is generated and associated with the event. A record file typically includes a record tag uniquely identifying a given record in the shared data environment and a record type indicating information such as whether or not the record represents a recurring event as well as the format of the record. A record file also contains data indicating the status of the particular event, that is, whether it is new, unchanged, modified, or deleted. When synchronizing, only those records with equivalent record tags are compared. The record type and status are then used to guide the synchronization of equivalent records. |
| US08346717B1 |
Managing file systems
A path request is generated by a secondary platform application, such as a word processor, and is received by invention. The path request may contain the location of a library required for the application to function, or a document saved previously by a user. The path request comprises a complete path for the requested file. The complete path is formatted for a file system and file structure for expected by the application. The elements of the path request, such as directories, disks, filenames, file types, etc. are analyzed by the invention in order to provide another complete path. The path provided by the invention is formatted for a different file system and file structure. The file pointed to by the path provided for the invention enables the secondary platform application to find and use the requested file. |
| US08346713B2 |
Method and system for recognizing power consumption behaviors of electric appliances in a loop
A method and a system for recognizing power consumption behaviors of electric appliances in a loop are provided. When a variation value of a power consumption information of the loop exceeds a threshold, a current value of the power consumption information is served as a main loop factor value of the loop, and a similar combinative factor value close to the main loop factor value is looked up in a behavior-factor mapping table. If the similar combinative factor value is not found, the main loop factor value corresponding to a new power consumption behavior is obtained according to the variation value of the power consumption information to reconstruct the behavior-factor mapping table. After obtaining the similar combinative factor value from the behavior-factor mapping table, a current electric appliance power consumption behavior of the loop is determined according to a power consumption behavior combination corresponding to the similar combinative factor value. |
| US08346709B2 |
Determining conversion probability using session metrics
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for determining a probability that a traffic conversion of a content item associated with a content source (e.g., website) will occur based on past traffic patterns for that content source. A traffic conversion defines, for example, minimum traffic interactions of one or more associated user sessions with a content source. The minimum traffic interactions can be based on, for example, the duration of the one or more user sessions on the content source, or a quantity of pages associated with the content source navigated in the one or more associated user sessions. |
| US08346698B2 |
System and method for optimizing development, implementation and management of orders
A system and method is provided for developing, implementing and managing orders whereby a raw order set can be resolved into a canonical order set to identify at least one order within the one raw order set. A commonality analysis can be performed by comparing one canonical order set with another canonical order set to determine at least one common order subset. The canonical order sets sharing at least one common order subset can then be restructured into a hierarchical structure, and prioritized to minimize downstream processing. |
| US08346696B2 |
Computationally efficient signal classifier
Methods provided by this description may include receiving input signals for classification, and deriving specified signal parameters from the input signals. These methods may also compare the specified signal parameter to signal parameters derived from training signals, with the training signals being associated with predefined signal classes. These methods may also classify the input signals based on this comparison of the signal parameters, as derived respectively from the input signals in the training signals. |
| US08346693B2 |
Method for hammerstein modeling of steam generator plant
The method for Hammerstein modeling of a steam generator plant includes modeling of the linear dynamic part of a Hammerstein model with a state-space model, and modeling the nonlinear part of the Hammerstein model with a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN). Particle swarm optimization (PSO), typically known for its heuristic search capabilities, is used for estimating the parameters of the RBFNN. Parameters of the linear part are estimated using a numerical algorithm for subspace state-space system identification (N4SID). |
| US08346692B2 |
Spatio-temporal pattern recognition using a spiking neural network and processing thereof on a portable and/or distributed computer
A spiking neural network has a layer of connected neurons exchanging signals. Each neuron is connected to at least one other neuron. A neuron is active if it spikes at least once during a time interval. Time-varying synaptic weights are computed between each neuron and at least one other neuron connected thereto. These weights are computed according to a number of active neurons that are connected to the neuron. The weights are also computed according to an activity of the spiking neural network during the time interval. Spiking of each neuron is synchronized according to a number of active neurons connected to the neuron and according to the weights. A pattern is submitted to the spiking neural network for generating sequences of spikes, which are modulated over time by the spiking synchronization. The pattern is characterized according to the sequences of spikes generated in the spiking neural network. |
| US08346691B1 |
Computer-implemented semi-supervised learning systems and methods
Computer-implemented systems and methods for determining a subset of unknown targets to investigate. For example, a method can be configured to receive a target data set, wherein the target data set includes known targets and unknown targets. A supervised model such as a neural network model is generated using the known targets. The unknown targets are used with the neural network model to generate values for the unknown targets. Analysis with an unsupervised model is performed using the target data set in order to determine which of the unknown targets are outliers. A comparison of list of outlier unknown targets is performed with the values for the unknown targets that were generated by the neural network model. The subset of unknown targets to investigate is determined based upon the comparison. |
| US08346684B2 |
Pattern classification method
For assigning a test pattern to a class chosen from a predefined set of classes, the class membership probability for the test pattern is calculated as well as the confidence interval for the class membership probability based upon a number of training patterns in a neighborhood of the test pattern in the feature space. The number of training patterns in the neighborhood of the test pattern is obtained from computing a convolution of a density function of the training patterns with a Gaussian smoothing function centered on the test pattern, where the density function of the training patterns is represented as a mixture of Gaussian functions. The convolution of the smoothing function and the mixture of Gaussian functions can be expressed analytically. |
| US08346682B2 |
Information assisted visual interface, system, and method for identifying and quantifying multivariate associations
Systems and methods are presented in which interactive parallel coordinates capabilities are combined with automated correlation and regression tools providing advanced visual user interface utilities to facilitate identification of associations in multivariate data. |
| US08346679B2 |
Modular geothermal measurement system
A modular geothermal measurement system that provides for the pumping of a heat transfer fluid. The modular unit simplifies on-site installation time by reducing the number of distinct components to be installed and allows for the optional incorporating of additional heat sources or sinks, whereby the length of ground loop can be reduced, further reducing installation costs. The modular measurement system further allows for the growth of the system over time by adding modules, increasing the ground loop pumping power while providing energy transfer data specific to each thermal load. A controller having an energy control module provides energy control points. Such a system allows the beneficiary of a geothermal investment to be billed for their benefit, enabling the investor to capture the economic benefit of the investment. |
| US08346673B2 |
System and method for provisioning audiovisual works
A method for provisioning audiovisual works to a client includes maintaining categorization information specifying, for each of multiple audiovisual works, one or more of multiple categories. One or more of the categories are associated with each of multiple delivery slots in response to input from a client. For each of the delivery slots, a first audiovisual work from one of the categories associated with the respective delivery slot is provisioned for delivery to a location associated with the client. |
| US08346671B2 |
System and method for point-to-point encryption with adjunct terminal
A system for point-to-point encryption is provided. A card reader system reads unencrypted card data stored on a magnetic stripe of a card and encrypts the card data, the card reader system being contained in a first housing. A point of sale device coupled to the card reader system and contained in a second housing separate from the first housing has a user interface for obtaining a transaction amount. A transaction request system transmits the transaction amount and the encrypted card data to an authorization gateway, wherein the unencrypted card data is prevented from being processed by the point of sale device. |
| US08346669B2 |
Method of requesting a customized instance of an object using information contained within an existing instance
A method and system for reselling an object in a client-server environment is disclosed. The method and system also enables a user using a client device can order an object, order a customized object, order a composite object, and order a customized composite object. The system includes an object order form handler, an object order handler, a view objects handler, a reseller form handler, a reseller handler, a reseller permission handler, an add object handler and a server database. |
| US08346666B2 |
Token based transaction authentication
A token based transaction authentication system is disclosed. Issuer, merchants, and a payment processing network generate unique tokens or keys to authenticate messages between themselves and to authenticate a sending entity or consumer as they are redirected between entities. The tokens are also used to identify the particular authentication thread a message or sending entity is associated with. The sending entity authentication occurs over a web-based channel or a mobile based channel. |
| US08346663B2 |
Method and system of contactless interfacing for smart card banking
A method and system of smart card banking utilizes a contactless communication interface, such as infrared or a wireless or radio frequency interface, including, for example, a proximity interface. A contactless communication is initiated for a smart card user between a smart card application and the on-line system of a financial institution, such as a bank, the system verifies authorization for the communication, the information is communicated for the user to the on-line system. The contactless communication is initiated, and the information is communicated, for example, between a contactless interface transceiver of a personal data assistant, into which the smart card is inserted, and the contactless interface transceiver of an on-line terminal. Alternatively, the contactless communication is initiated, and the information is communicated between a contactless interface transceiver of the smart card and the contactless interface transceiver of the terminal. |
| US08346660B2 |
System and method for two-way transfer of funds and electronic content between summa account users with gathering of behavioral metrics and management of multiple currencies and escrow accounts
A method and system for creating a pre-defined electronic transactions is disclosed. the system comprises a server in communication with a database and a computer network, and the server is configured to: (1) receive a request to create a pre-defined electronic transaction from a client computer via the computer network, (2) receive input from the client computer comprising information that at least partially defines the pre-defined electronic transaction, and (3) store the received information in the database. |
| US08346654B2 |
Indexed payment stream system and method
Provided is a computer-implemented method for providing a common index securities fund that provides liquidity in a plurality of small business borrowers in a defined class. The method comprises providing a pool of cash from a lender to the fund; generating loans from the fund to borrowers; depositing the loans in interest-bearing accounts; providing interest from the interest bearing accounts to the lender and the borrowers; and, upon withdrawal of the loans from the interest-bearing accounts, repaying the loans to the lender and commencing a payment stream by each borrower to the fund, including adjusting one or more payments in the payment stream using an index having a value relationship to the class. |
| US08346652B2 |
Hybrid trading system for concurrently trading securities or derivatives through both electronic and open-outcry trading mechanisms
A system and method of allocating orders in an exchange configured for trading by a combination of electronic and open-outcry trading mechanisms is provided. One method includes permitting multiple quotes to be disseminated to the market, but limiting market making to only those entities having a physical presence on the floor of the exchange. Methods of enhancing the hybrid electronic and open-outcry exchange also include automatically eliminating crossed quotes and locked quotes while permitting certain orders to trade against locked quotes. |
| US08346646B2 |
Financial market replicator and simulator
A financial market replicator, simulator, and trainer/annotator (FMRS) intermixes and records data streams of real time financial market data from a variety of sources. The FMRS replays such recorded data to simulate the real time financial market(s) in a manner that represents substantially the entirety of information relating to the financial market(s) such that an observer would have difficulty differentiating between the simulator playback of the data and real time data. A user may employ the playback of the recorded market data stream as a research and training tool for developing and executing trading strategies. For example, a user may input simulated trades of securities to test a trading strategy. The simulator would apply those trades to the recorded data to generate simulated trades and simulated profit and loss results. A user may then determine if the trading strategy would have been successful. In addition, a user may alter the recording and playback parameters to provide various opportunities for studying market activity and/or altering the level of challenge of the simulation. A user may also freeze the simulator playback in order to explore the interactive and collective behaviors of the market's participants and the securities they trade. |
| US08346644B2 |
Method and system for reconciling equity hedge funds
A method and system for tracking the compliance of a portfolio account used to finance benefit obligations containing a plurality of assets distributed among at least one fund category, containing at least one investment vehicle such as cash, stocks, bonds, insurance policies, is disclosed. The method monitors the balance of assets included in selected investment vehicles, e.g., stocks, equities and relates them to new or modified liability allocations. The method identifies a liability balance associated with selected ones of the investment vehicles within each of the fund categories, identifies an asset balance associated with the value of equities in the account and divests a portion of selected investment vehicles when the asset balance is in violation of a known regulation with regard to the liability balance. The method further provides an indication for reporting when the asset balance is within the known relation to the liability balance as required by appropriate regulations. |
| US08346634B2 |
Method and apparatus for management of electronic receipts on portable devices
A system for managing electronic receipts is provided. According to one aspect, the system includes a portable device, a base device, a user device and an electronic receipts administration system. The electronic receipts administration system provides the base device with the appropriate data to allow the base device to generate, store and manage electronic receipts accordingly. A user uses the portable device to conduct a transaction with the base device. The base device uses a variety of information to generate an electronic receipt for the transaction. Such information includes, for example, information stored on the portable device, information stored locally on the base device and information stored on another device such as an electronic cash register. The electronic receipt is then stored on the portable device. The user device allows the user to subsequently retrieve the electronic receipt for management purposes. |
| US08346630B1 |
Method and apparatus to efficiently verify inventory
A method and apparatus to efficiently verify inventory includes a process for verifying inventory in sub-sets using trigger parameters whereby priority status triggers are defined which indicate that an inventory item is particularly susceptible to inaccuracies/discrepancies between physical inventory and inventory as calculated by a computing system implemented financial management system. In one embodiment, transactions and/or events associated with units of the inventory item, or inventory item class, are then monitored for occurrence of any of the priority status triggers. In one embodiment, if one or more priority status triggers occur associated with the given inventory item, or inventory item class, the inventory item, or inventory item class, is given priority verify status indicating that the inventory item, or inventory item class, should be physically inventoried on a priority basis. |
| US08346628B2 |
Searcher call back request system and method
A search based call back request system enables a user to request a follow up contact from a seller. The system provides search functionality and stores seller information such that when search results appear for sellers that have requested to offer call back service to a buyer, the system formats the search results screen to include a call back request indicator for the seller. The system includes functionality for the user to enter custom call back data. |
| US08346624B2 |
Systems and methods for recommending third party products and services
Systems and methods for recommending third party products and services. The method includes the steps of ranking the third party products and services based on one or more factors, and generating a user profile based on one or more user-related factors. Next, the method determined appropriate third party products and services based on the user's geographical location and filters the third party products and services based on the user profile and the user's geographical location. These filtered results are dynamically ranked based on the user profile, and personalization of the third party products and services. Finally, the method provides the ranked results pertinent to the end user's preferences, and the geographical location. |
| US08346619B2 |
System for mediating transaction information and device in the system
The present invention provides an intermediation system of transaction that has purchasing indicators to show purchase intent of buyers in transaction through a network. The intermediation system includes first user terminals for requesting the acquisition of information about predetermined products or services, second several user terminals for providing information on products or services which they offer, and an intermediation device for mediating the information between the first user terminals and the second user terminals. The first and second user terminals and the intermediation device are interconnected over a network. |
| US08346613B2 |
Zero integration model for e-commerce merchants
Solutions for e-commerce merchants that allow such merchants to interact with buyers in foreign jurisdictions are disclosed. More specifically, solutions are presented that provide an intermediation service that operates to provide variants of e-commerce (or other) Web sites in a local language of a visitor to such site, such variants including facilities to accept payments for goods or services in the currencies and/or payment forms of the foreign jurisdiction and to provide the e-commerce merchant with required shipment documents to assist in order fulfillment. |
| US08346612B2 |
Business models for immersive environments
In one embodiment, the invention provides a method for a viewspace provider. The method comprises providing a viewspace at a location; and engaging in a transaction with an entity for a monetary amount associated with the provision of the viewspace. |
| US08346610B2 |
Automated document processing system using full image scanning
A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full image scanner and a discrimination unit. An output receptacle receives the documents from the transport mechanism after being transported past the full image scanner and the discrimination unit. The full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism. |
| US08346609B2 |
Method and software for displaying advertisements on a web page
Some embodiments disclosed herein are a method and a system for displaying an advertisement on a web page in which advertisement data displayed on the same web page from among different advertisement data can check mutual existence of the displayed advertisement data, thereby displaying another advertisement data different from the displayed advertisement data. The method for displaying another advertisement data includes recording and maintaining advertisement data including respective identification numbers in an advertisement database, loading the advertisement data from the advertisement database to a local computer memory of a user connected with a web page, identifying advertisement data having an identification number among the advertisement data loaded to the local computer memory, identifying predetermined option which may comprise predetermined display advertisement data from the advertisement database when the advertisement data having the identification number exists, and displaying the display advertisement data on the web page. |
| US08346608B2 |
Method of compensating for enhancing emails with targeted ads
A computer method and device for intercepting contracting client's sent electronic messages, scanning the message body content for key words, sending the key words to a remote central computer server which analyses the key words and enhances the message by attaching a relevant, contextual advertising tag line or image/banner/words/HTML/Flash, etc. to the electronic message, and transmitting the enhanced message to a receiver. |
| US08346606B2 |
Data collection and dissemination system with terminal having literature distribution
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system for collecting and disseminating customer data and for distributing real estate marketing literature. The system includes a customer terminal, which is in communication with a data center, which, in turn, is in communication with a business terminal. The customer terminal includes a device for inputting customer data and a device for distributing relevant marketing literature. The customer data is sent to the data center, where it is stored for subsequent retrieval by a sales person using the business terminal. |
| US08346605B2 |
Management of shared media content
A media device allows users to watch and capture portions from a media broadcast. Users may then share the captured media content items with other users, for example, by uploading the items to a community website. Before providing requested media content items to other users, the website may combine advertisements with the media content items. The website may receive advertising revenue from advertisers and may share the advertising revenue with owners of the media content items in exchange for their permission to provide the media content items. The advertisers may provide restrictions on how the advertisements are combined with the media content items, and the content owners may provide restrictions on how the media content items are provided to the users. |
| US08346600B2 |
Method and system for redeeming product marketing rebates
A method for processing a rebate claim. The method comprises providing a web site accessible by the consumer and integrated with a processing system accessible by the retailer. The processing system receives an identifier of a qualified transaction and/or of the consumer, and receives information from which it can be determined if the qualified transaction at least partially satisfies a rebate offer. Information from the consumer is received on the web site sufficient to match identifying information about the consumer to the information from the retailer and/or sufficient to satisfy conditions for making a rebate claim. The rebate claim is validated and the value of the rebate offer is transferred to the consumer. Embodiments are discussed relating to transactions on a computer network, making rebate claims via a wireless communications device, and use by membership clubs or in conjunction with loyalty cards or other designated cards. |
| US08346599B2 |
Wireless subscriber loyalty system and method
A system and method are disclosed for providing a complete architectural and procedural solution to wireless subscriber loyalty issues. A flexible promotion creation environment allows mobile phone operators to rapidly create and deploy various incentive programs and other such loyalty schemes; together with a data mining and profiling method for tracking, monitoring and analysing subscriber (or aggregate) usage information associated with given promotions. The proposed data mining and profiling method purposely incents specific subscriber behaviors by triggering a point-based reward scheme based on the dynamic screening of event records which are correlated with incented behaviors. Wherein a threshold is assigned based on usage information for a particular promotion; upon realization of which, the subscriber is, immediately notified of the reward through a plurality of means including e-mail, voice notification and by way of Short Message Service (SMS) at their wireless handset. |
| US08346598B2 |
Apparatus for the personalization and registration of vehicle devices
Apparatus for personalization and registration of vehicle devices of different types in a road toll system, comprising: for each type of vehicle device, a respective personalization module that is configured to write personalization data into a vehicle device of this type and generate the associated registration data, which contains the personalization data, an interface module common to all personalization modules that is configured to receive their registration data and, following a release request, send it to a registration database of the road toll system, and a testing unit that reads out the personalization data of a personalized but not yet registered vehicle device, checks the registration data generated by the responsible personalization module for agreement of the personalization data contained therein with the read-out personalization data, and if it agrees, sends a release request with respect to this registration data to the interface module. |
| US08346595B2 |
Carbon management for sourcing and logistics
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for carbon management for sourcing and logistics. In one embodiment, the method comprises using a computer for quantifying both a cost and a carbon impact of one or more logistics policies relating to a manufacturing process; and minimizing the cost and carbon impact using a defined equation including a first component representing a transportation cost, and a second component representing a carbon cost. In an embodiment of the invention, the quantifying includes using an analytics engine to quantify the cost and carbon impact. The analytics engine may include a shipment analysis module to calculate an optimal transportation policy, a sourcing analysis module for testing alternate sourcing options, a scenario analysis module to find an optimal order frequency, and a sensitivity analysis module to test the impact of various changes. |
| US08346591B2 |
Automating responses by grid providers to bid requests indicating criteria for a grid job
A method, system, and program for automating responses by grid providers to bid request indicating criteria for a grid job are provided. A bid controller grid service of a grid provider receives a job request from a client for processing a job within a grid environment of the grid provider, wherein the job request specifies at a least one criteria required for the grid provider to handle a particular grid job. The grid service determines whether the grid environment includes the hardware platform class, software platform class, and network bandwidth required by the job request. If the grid service determines that the grid environment includes a sufficient hardware platform class, software platform class, and network bandwidth, then a total required workload for the job request is calculated. Next, a total cost for the total required workload is estimated and the grid service automatically returns a bid response to the client system, where the bid response includes an identifier for the grid provider and the total cost for the job request.In addition, the bid response may include a total time for performance of the grid job described by the job request. |
| US08346588B2 |
Dynamic resource availability process
A computational network system that permits service a group of technicians access to the manufacturer network to provide their work capacity and availability for a specific area. A customer contacts the manufacturer via the computational network system, requesting a service call. Service call request processing results in assigning a service request/demand to a technician based on their qualifications, availability, and proximity. When a service technician is assigned, their availability is decremented. Cancellation of a service call yields an increment in the affected service provider's availability. This information is stored in a in an on-line database residing in the network system. Updates are dynamically reflected as they occur resulting in automated schedule administration of a customer's service requests/demands. |
| US08346587B2 |
Models and methods for reducing visual complexity and search effort via ideal information abstraction, hiding, and sequencing
The present invention relates to a system and methodology for controlling and presenting information to users in an automated manner. Sets of information items accessible by users from computer workspaces (e.g., from within and/or outside an application) are automatically hidden or reduced from view in order to facilitate user processing of a determined and/or reduced subset of information. The reduced subset is created from decision-theoretic considerations of the expected costs and benefits of hiding or mitigating information items from view or presentation while leaving more likely items or objects exposed for efficient access by users. The display of the ideal set of items takes into consideration controls that allow for the access of views that reveal sets of less likely items through one or more gestures. The control of the optimization may be facilitated by preference-assessment interfaces that allow a designer and/or a user to assess preferences about the costs of reviewing sets of items of different lengths and about the costs of gestures to reveal additional items. |
| US08346584B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining design modification effects on a computerized engineering model
An engineering simulation tool uses boundary regions of proposed design modifications to a finite design element to assess the impact of those proposed design modifications. This tool allows a designer to incorporate a new design feature into a proposed model and generate simulated performance results for the proposed design without re-execution of finite element method. |
| US08346583B2 |
Economic opportunity pursuit management and presentation generation
A common manner for disclosing information is through a presentation. A presentation is generated automatically to pursue a financial opportunity, such as to disclose to a potential client rationale to purchase a product. In addition, auxiliary tasks that relate to the presentation can be handled automatically, such as sending notices and assigning individuals to disclose the presentation. |
| US08346582B1 |
System for facilitating a project between contractors and owners
A system for facilitating a project between owners and contractors. The system includes a program for receiving owner, project and contractor data. The program determines a contractor rating for each of a plurality of contractors and a project rating for at least one project. The program then identifies contractors having a contractor rating that is compatible with the project rating. The program may further provide notifications, bid letting support, project finance support, project scheduling assistance, construction support and/or bond acquisition support. |
| US08346581B2 |
Project timeline visualization methods and systems
Methods, systems, and computer readable storage mediums for presenting project information are disclosed. Project information may be presented by receiving electronic planning information associated with a project, where the received electronic planning information includes at least one milestone associated with two or more phases of the project and occurring during the two or more phases. The received electronic planning information is then transformed into a graphical representation of the received electronic planning information for visual presentation to a user and presented for perception by the user. The presented graphical representation includes two or more bars corresponding to the two or more phases and a connection between the two or more bars corresponding to a time at which the milestone occurs. |
| US08346578B1 |
Systems and methods for using unmanned aerial vehicles
Systems and methods to process overhead imagery received from overhead image sources are described herein. Examples include accessing an aerial image including a property, determining an owner of the property, determining whether the owner of the property is eligible to be a member of a financial institution, determining whether the owner of the property has property insurance with the financial institution for the property type of the property in the aerial image, and presenting an offer for insurance to insure the property in the aerial image when the owner is determined to be eligible for the financial institution and does not already have insurance with the financial institution. Examples include accessing an aerial image of properties, determining damage estimates, and reserving resources to repair the properties based on the damage estimates. Examples include receiving information describing property damage, determining a cause, and based on the cause, conditionally deploying a unmanned aerial vehicle to perform insurance adjustment activities. |
| US08346573B2 |
Quantification of responses received during medical triage
A method of determining a medical triage disposition for a person includes providing to a triage operator through a graphical user interface (GUI) of the computer: (i) a plurality of triage categories each including yes/no questions grouped into tiers that are ranked according to urgency and corresponding to a triage disposition; (ii) a selection of a relevant triage category based on a medical condition of the person; (iii) a quantification tool including follow-up questions related to symptoms, observations, and/or injury mechanisms, to enable the triage operator to quantify a level of severity of a symptom or injury related to yes/no questions of a subjective nature; wherein the triage operator determines a triage disposition for the person by providing triage to the person including: (i) asking, sequentially, the yes/no questions for the relevant triage category as displayed in the GUI; and (ii) asking follow-up questions from the quantification tool to determine whether a response to a yes/no question is properly considered “yes” or “no,” as stated in a response by the person. |
| US08346571B2 |
Method for competitive prescription drug and/or bidding service provider selection
Unfilled prescriptions are submitted to a registry comprising pre-qualified pharmacies for a “reverse auction” in which the pharmacies bid for the opportunity to fill the prescription. The pharmacies are allowed to bid based on price and/or offering ancillary services. The auction may also be used to bid on supplying specified pharmaceutical cognitive services. The method may also include obtaining cost comparisons with generic substitutes or similar alternative pharmaceutical products. The system may further comprise automatically requesting a review by the prescriber for a list of similar substitutes or prior-authorization for third-party payers. The winner of the reverse auction is selected by the customer. |
| US08346568B1 |
Method and system for predictive bill estimation based on financial data from similar users
A system and method for predictive bill estimation includes a process for predictive bill estimation whereby financial data associated with one or more “contributing consumers” is obtained from one or more sources. The financial data obtained from the one or more contributing consumers is then aggregated, analyzed, and/or categorized, according to one or more criteria/parameters associated with the financial transaction data and/or the contributing consumer. The aggregated and/or categorized financial data is then stored. A user consumer then initiates a request for cost/bill data associated with a given area and/or event. The aggregated and/or categorized financial data obtained from one or more contributing consumers is then searched based on one or more search parameters and results data representing multiple financial transactions and/or purchases associated the specified area and/or event is obtained. The results data obtained is then presented to the user consumer in any one of various data and/or report formats, and the user consumer may be notified/alerted to predicted fluctuations in his or her bills automatically well in advance of the expected fluctuation in order to provide the user consumer the opportunity to budget for the predicted fluctuations. |
| US08346565B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating an ambient signal from an audio signal, apparatus and method for deriving a multi-channel audio signal from an audio signal and computer program
An apparatus for generating an ambient signal from an audio signal includes a compressor for lossy compression of a representation of the audio signal so as to obtain a compressed representation of the audio signal describing a compressed audio signal. The apparatus for generating the ambient signal further includes a calculator for calculating a difference between the compressed representation of the audio signal and the representation of the audio signal so as to obtain a discrimination representation. The apparatus further includes a provider for providing the ambient signal using the discrimination representation. An apparatus for deriving a multi-channel audio signal from an audio signal includes an apparatus for generating an ambient signal from an audio signal, an apparatus for providing the audio signal as a front-loudspeaker signal and an apparatus for providing the ambient signal as a back-loudspeaker signal. |
| US08346564B2 |
Multi-channel audio coding
A multi-channel audio encoder (10) for encoding a multi-channel audio signal (101), e.g. a 5.1 channel audio signal, into a spatial down-mix (102), e.g. a stereo signal, and associated parameters (104, 105). The encoder (10) comprises first and second units (110, 120). The first unit (110) encodes the multi-channel audio signal (101) into the spatial down-mix (102) and parameters (104). These parameters (104) enable a multi-channel decoder (20) to reconstruct the multi-channel audio signal (203) from the spatial down-mix (102). The second unit (120) generates, from the spatial down-mix (102), parameters (105) that enable the decoder to reconstruct the spatial down-mix (202) from an alternative down-mix (103), e.g. a so-called artistic down-mix that has been manually mixed in a sound studio. In this way, the decoder (20) can efficiently deal with a situation in which an alternative down-mix (103) is received instead of the regular spatial, down-mix (102). In the decoder (20), first the spatial down-mix (202) is reconstructed from the alternative down-mix (103) and the parameters (105). Next, the spatial down-mix (202) is decoded into the multi-channel audio signal (203). |
| US08346561B2 |
Voice activatable system for providing the correct spelling of a spoken word
A voice activatable system for providing the correct spelling of a spoken word is disposed in an elongated body of a writing instrument such as a ball point pen. The system includes a microphone the output of which is fed to an amplifier analog to a digital converter and from there to a speech recognition program, the output of the speech recognition program is fed to a computer, namely a word processor/controller that includes a data base. The output of the speech recognition is compared with the digital library of words and when a match is found, it is amplified and fed to digital to analog connector. The output of the digital/analog computer is fed to a speaker that repeats the word with the correct pronunciation followed by a correct spelling of the word. The system includes a battery for powering the system as well as an on/off switch and a repeat button for repeating information from the system. |
| US08346558B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method and program
An information processing apparatus which allows a user to select programs that are interesting to the user and are current topics of conversation.The information processing apparatus includes: a first setting section for extracting a keyword from article information described in an RSS format and being delivered to the user, and giving a ranking to the extracted keyword; and a second setting section for acquiring at least one of program information on a program being received and program information on a recorded program, and giving a ranking to the program including, in the program information, the same keyword as a keyword having as far as a predetermined ranking among the keywords having rankings given by the first setting section. |
| US08346556B2 |
Systems and methods for automatically determining culture-based behavior in customer service interactions
Systems and methods are provided to automatically determine culture-based behavioral tendencies and preferences of individuals in the context of customer service interactions. For example, systems and methods are provided to process natural language dialog input of an individual to detect linguistic features indicative of individualistic and collectivistic behavioral tendencies and predict whether such individual will be cooperative or uncooperative with automated customer service. |
| US08346554B2 |
Speech recognition using channel verification
A method for automatic speech recognition includes determining for an input signal a plurality scores representative of certainties that the input signal is associated with corresponding states of a speech recognition model, using the speech recognition model and the determined scores to compute an average signal, computing a difference value representative of a difference between the input signal and the average signal, and processing the input signal in accordance with the difference value. |
| US08346553B2 |
Speech recognition system and method for speech recognition
A recognition result extraction unit and an agreement determination unit are provided. The recognition result extraction unit extracts, from a recognition result storage unit, N best solutions A and B obtained by an utterance B. The utterance B follows an utterance A corresponding to the N best solutions A and made by a speaker b who is different from a speaker of the utterance A. In a case where a repeat utterance determination unit determines that the N best solutions B are N best solutions obtained by a repeat utterance B according to the utterance A corresponding to the N best solutions A, when the best solution A and B are different each other, the agreement determination unit determines that some or all of the N best solutions A can be replaced with some or all of the N best solutions B. |
| US08346552B2 |
Storage medium storing pronunciation evaluating program, pronunciation evaluating apparatus and pronunciation evaluating method
A game apparatus includes a CPU, and the CPU evaluates a pronunciation of a user with respect to an original sentence (ES). First, envelops as to a volume of a voice of the original sentence (ES) and a volume of a voice of the user are taken, and the average values of the volumes are made uniform. When the volumes are made uniform to each other, a degree of similarity (scoreA) of distributions of local solutions when the volumes are equal to or more than the average values, a degree of similarity (scoreB) of distributions (timing of concaves/convexes of the waveform) of values of the high or low level indicating whether or not the volume is equal to or more than a value multiplying the average value by a predetermined value, and a degree of similarity (scoreC) of dispersion values (dispersion of concaves/convexes of the waveform) of the envelopes are evaluated by utilizing the respective envelopes. On the basis of these degree of similarities (scoreA, scoreB, scoreC), the rhythm of the pronunciation by the user is evaluate. |
| US08346551B2 |
Method for adapting a codebook for speech recognition
A method for adapting a codebook for speech recognition, wherein the codebook is from a set of codebooks comprising a speaker-independent codebook and at least one speaker dependent codebook. A speech input is received and a feature vector based on the received speech input is determined. For each of the Gaussian densities, a first mean vector is estimated using an expectation process and taking into account the determined feature vector. For each of the Gaussian densities, a second mean vector using an Eigenvoice adaptation is determined taking into account the determined feature vector. For each of the Gaussian densities, the mean vector is set to a convex combination of the first and the second mean vector. Thus, this process allows for adaptation during operation and does not require a lengthy training phase. |
| US08346546B2 |
Packet loss concealment based on forced waveform alignment after packet loss
A packet loss concealment method and system is described that attempts to reduce or eliminate destructive interference that can occur when an extrapolated waveform representing a lost segment of a speech or audio signal is merged with a good segment after a packet loss. This is achieved by guiding a waveform extrapolation that is performed to replace the bad segment using a waveform available in the first good segment or segments after the packet loss. In another aspect of the invention, a selection is made between a packet loss concealment method that performs the aforementioned guided waveform extrapolation and one that does not. The selection may be made responsive to determining whether the first good segment or segments after the packet loss are available and also to whether a segment preceding the lost segment and the first good segment following the lost segment are deemed voiced. |
| US08346543B2 |
Operating method for voice activity detection/silence suppression system
A VAD/SS system is connected to a channel of a transmission pipe. The channel provides a pathway for the transmission of energy. A method for operating a VAD/SS system includes detecting the energy on the channel, and activating or suppressing activation of the VAD/SS system depending upon the nature of the energy detected on the channel. |
| US08346541B2 |
Method for constructing Chinese dictionary and apparatus and storage media using the same
A method for constructing a Chinese dictionary is disclosed, including determining a probability for nominalization of a Chinese term with a given collocation term according to a determination rule and the correlation between the Chinese term and its corresponding collocations, wherein the Chinese term is determined to be a verb part-of-speech. The method further includes modifying the verb part-of-speech of the Chinese term with the given collocation term to an appropriate part-of-speech when the probability for nominalization of the Chinese term with the given collocation term is higher than a predetermined value, and storing the correlation between the Chinese term, the given collocation term and the appropriate part-of-speech in a storage device. |
| US08346540B2 |
Deep tag cloud associated with streaming media
In some embodiments, a method for providing access to media segments using a tag cloud comprises receiving a request to play streaming media, identifying deep tags associated with the streaming media, and determining preferences of a user based on information provided by the user. The method can also comprise selecting a group of the deep tags based on the information provided by the user and displaying the group of the deep tags in a tag cloud, wherein the deep tags hyperlink to segments within the streaming media. The method can also include presenting, in response to activation of a deep tag in the group, one of the segments within the streaming media. |
| US08346538B2 |
Methods and systems for reducing angular velocity using a gyroscope array
Methods and systems are provided for reducing angular velocity of a vehicle using a gyroscope array. A method comprises dithering a gyroscope of the gyroscope array, obtaining current through a gimbal motor of the gyroscope while dithering the gyroscope, determining a gimbal rate command to reduce angular velocity of the vehicle based on the current through the gimbal motor obtained while dithering the gyroscope, and operating the gimbal motor of the gyroscope based on the gimbal rate command. |
| US08346531B2 |
Handling mutex locks in a dynamic binary translation across heterogeneous computer systems
A method for executing non-native binaries on a host computer architecture comprises receiving a guest executable binary encoded on a computer readable medium. The guest executable binary is executable on a first computer architecture. Moreover, the guest executable binary includes a mutex lock encoded instructions for implementing a mutex lock. The guest executable binary is then executed on the host computer architecture by first translating the guest executable binary to a translated executable binary. The encoded instructions for implementing a mutex lock are translated by mapping the mutex lock to an instance of a compound mutex lock data structure. A computer system implementing methods for executing non-native binaries on a host computer architecture is also provided. |
| US08346529B2 |
Delta retiming in logic simulation
Aspects of the present invention are directed to improving the speed of event-driven simulation by manipulating delta delays in a system model to reduce delta cycle executions. The manipulation is performed in a manner that preserves delta cycle accurate timing on selected signals of the system, which may be of interest to a designer. Methods and systems are provided for identifying the signals of interest, and for determining portions of the design that may have delta delays retimed. Preserving the timing on the signals of interest ensures that race conditions and glitches present in the design on the signals of interest are still viewable by the designer. To reduce simulation time, delta delays may be moved from high activity signals to low activity signals, the total number of delta delays may be reduced, or a number of processes executed may be reduced. |
| US08346523B2 |
Indirect-error-based, dynamic upscaling of multi-phase flow in porous media
Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for an upscaling approach based on dynamic simulation of a given model. A system and method can be configured such that the accuracy of the upscaled model is continuously monitored via indirect error measures. If the indirect error measures are bigger than a specified tolerance, the upscaled model is dynamically updated with approximate fine-scale information that is reconstructed by a multi-scale finite volume method. Upscaling of multi-phase flow can include flow information in the underlying fine-scale. Adaptive prolongation and restriction operators are applied for flow and transport equations in constructing an approximate fine-scale solution. |
| US08346522B2 |
Computer simulation of physical processes
Simulating a physical process includes storing, in a computer-accessible memory, state vectors for voxels, where the state vectors correspond to a model and include entries that correspond to particular momentum states of possible momentum states at a voxel. Interaction operations are performed on the state vectors. The interaction operations model interactions between elements of different momentum states according to the model. Move operations performed on the state vectors reflect movement of elements to new voxels according to the model. The model is adapted to simulate a high-Knudsen number flow that has a Knudsen number greater than 0.1. |
| US08346521B2 |
Method of determining the feasibility of a proposed structure analysis process
A method of determining the feasibility of a proposed structure analysis process is disclosed. The process involved the electron beam excitation of x-rays from a multi-layered structure. The method comprises generating predicted x-ray data represents the x-ray excitation response of the multi-layered structure according to one or more sets of process conditions. The x-ray data are generated using structure data defining the structure and composition of the layers. The effects upon the x-ray data of changes to the structure data are then analyzed in accordance with one or more predetermined feasibility criteria, so as to determine the feasibility of performing the proposed structure analysis process upon the multi-layered structure. |
| US08346517B2 |
Method and a system for validating an inertial unit of a moving body
A method implements hybrid type simulation serving to validate an inertial unit of a moving body on board an angular movement simulator by comparing a trajectory of the moving body as calculated in a real navigation environment with at least one reference trajectory. |
| US08346512B2 |
Collision avoidance for electric mining shovels
Systems and methods for reducing the probability of a collision between a first object, whose trajectory is substantially controlled by an operator input command, and a second object. In one embodiment such a method includes receiving an operator input command indicative of first control data; generating model data indicative of a virtual construct of the physical environment proximal to the first object; processing the first control data to predict future dynamics of the first object in the environment; determining whether, on the basis of the predicted dynamics and the model data, the first object is predicted to collide with a second object in the environment; defining second control data for which the first object is not predicted to collide with the second object in the environment; and providing the second control data to a controller coupled to the first object such that the first object is controlled in accordance with the second control data for substantially avoiding the collision of the first object with the second object. |
| US08346510B2 |
Continuously-arranged sensor system, network unit, and sensor unit
A continuously-arranged sensor system is provided that can recognize a time of a determination signal provided by each sensor unit so that a host control apparatus can use the time to perform timing control. The continuously-arranged sensor system includes a network unit and a plurality of sensor units, which are connected by a serial transmission line. In accordance with a command sent from the network unit, each sensor unit transmits the determination signal to the network unit via the serial transmission line. The network unit stores the time information and the determination information to a table memory. |
| US08346505B2 |
Method and apparatus for analyzing time series data
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining which one or more time series parameters of a plurality of time series parameters relating to operation of a system are correlated with a first operation state of the system. According to the invention, the method comprises providing time series data including data relating to a time series of each of the plurality of time series parameters; determining at least two first time periods, wherein the system is in the first operation state during the at least two first time periods; determining at least one second time period, wherein the system is in a second operation state during the at least one second time period; determining, for each respective time series parameter of the plurality of time series parameters, a first characteristic parameter relating to a first characteristic of the time series of the respective time series parameter for each of the at least two first time periods and the at least one second time period; and determining which one or more time series parameters of the plurality of time series parameters relating to the operation of the system are correlated with the first operation state of the system by determining, for each respective time series parameter of the plurality of time series parameters, whether or not the respective time series parameter is correlated with the first operation state of the system based on the first characteristic parameters of the respective time series parameter determined for each of the at least two first time periods and the at least one second time period. |
| US08346503B2 |
System and method for equalizing multiple moving web velocity measurements in a double reflex printing registration system
A method enables linear web velocities generated with reference to angular velocity signals generated by encoders at different rollers in a double reflex printing registration system to be equalized. The method includes identifying a low frequency component of a first linear velocity of a moving web, identifying a high frequency component of a second linear velocity of the moving web, and computing a linear velocity for the moving web at a roller in a print zone with reference to the identified high frequency component of the second linear velocity and the identified low frequency component of the first linear velocity. |
| US08346499B2 |
Semiconductor device and its testing method
A semiconductor device 100 including an internal circuit 4 that operates based on an input pattern includes a clock driver 25 that generates an internal clock 7 based on a generated clock 6, a counter 23 that generates count data 28 by counting the generated clock 6, a nonvolatile storage device 22 that stores storage data 27 used in an IDDQ test, a comparator 24 that stops the generation of the internal clock 7 by the clock driver 25 when the count data 28 and the storage data 27 match each other, and a pseudo random number generation circuit 3 that supplies a pseudo random number 8 to the internal circuit 4 in synchronization with the internal clock 7. |
| US08346496B1 |
Apparatus and method for multi-channel materials assaying
A system for assaying electronic or electrochemically active materials or devices made therefrom includes a microcontroller, a main digital-to-analog converter (DAC), current and voltage sensing modules, a reference voltage DAC, and a power switch. The reference voltage DAC applies a calibrated voltage across the materials/devices, and the switch disconnects the main DAC to generate an open-circuit voltage. The microcontroller assays the materials/devices using the measured voltage, measured current, reference voltage, and/or open-circuit voltage. The main DAC may include coarse and fine DACs. A method of assaying the materials/devices includes measuring an electrical current in and a voltage across the materials/devices using the respective current and voltage sensing modules, applying a reference voltage across the materials/devices using the reference voltage DAC, activating the switch to disconnect the DAC to generate the open-circuit voltage across the materials, and using the microcontroller to assay the materials/devices as noted above. |
| US08346495B2 |
Systems, methods and computer-readable media to model kinetic performance of rechargeable electrochemical devices
A system includes an electrochemical cell, monitoring hardware, and a computing system. The monitoring hardware samples performance characteristics of the electrochemical cell. The computing system determines cell information from the performance characteristics. The computing system also analyzes the cell information of the electrochemical cell with a Butler-Volmer (BV) expression modified to determine exchange current density of the electrochemical cell by including kinetic performance information related to pulse-time dependence, electrode surface availability, or a combination thereof. A set of sigmoid-based expressions may be included with the modified-BV expression to determine kinetic performance as a function of pulse time. The determined exchange current density may be used with the modified-BV expression, with or without the sigmoid expressions, to analyze other characteristics of the electrochemical cell. Model parameters can be defined in terms of cell aging, making the overall kinetics model amenable to predictive estimates of cell kinetic performance along the aging timeline. |
| US08346488B2 |
Devices for measuring a force, monitoring a machining tool, and compensating for a deflection
A device (1) for measuring a force acting between a machining tool (4) and a work piece in a processing machine is disclosed. It comprises an arrangement of at least two hydrostatic pads (7), wherein the at least two hydrostatic pads are designed to receive and support a mounting part (10) of the machining tool (4), and each hydrostatic pad of the at least two hydrostatic pads (7) presenting a pressure sensor (13), a calculation unit (16) for —reading hydrostatic pad pressure related to the pressure sensors (13) and a constant based on characteristics of each one of the at least two hydrostatic pads (7), —calculating the force by calculating a difference between the products of, for each hydrostatic pad of the at least two hydrostatic pads (7), the hydrostatic pad pressure and the constant, and —indicating the force. Also, a device for monitoring a machining tool and a device for compensating for a deflection of a machining tool when machining a work piece comprising the device are disclosed. |
| US08346487B2 |
Methods of automated spectral peak detection and quantification without user input
There is provided a method of automatically identifying and characterizing spectral peaks of a spectrum generated by an analytical apparatus and reporting information relating to the spectral peaks to a user, comprising the steps of receiving the spectrum generated by the analytical apparatus; automatically subtracting a baseline from the spectrum so as to generate a baseline-corrected spectrum; automatically detecting and characterizing the spectral peaks in the baseline-corrected spectrum; and reporting at least one item of information relating to each detected and characterized spectral peak to a user. In embodiments, baseline model curve parameters or peak model curve parameters are neither input by nor exposed to the user prior to the reporting step. |
| US08346486B2 |
Determining the quality of biomolecule samples
Disclosed is a method for determining the quality, expressed in terms of a quality value, of an biomolecule sample, based on measured data of the biomolecule sample, by extracting a number of prescribed features from the measured data using data analysis, and determining the quality value from the extracted features using a quality algorithm. |
| US08346484B2 |
Selective resonance of chemical structures
Chemical compositions may be selectively or preferentially excited by the application of scores comprising a series of energy inputs. A method of characterizing such compositions includes identifying a group of resonant structures where one structure has a resonant frequency that is shiftable by exciting another resonant frequency, determining the necessary frequencies to shift the resonant structure, and applying the set of frequencies to the environment of the target composition. |
| US08346483B2 |
Interactive and automated tissue image analysis with global training database and variable-abstraction processing in cytological specimen classification and laser capture microdissection applications
A system and method for performing tissue image analysis and region of interest identification for further processing applications such as laser capture microdissection is provided. The invention provides three-stage processing with flexible state transition that allows image recognition to be performed at an appropriate level of abstraction. The three stages include processing at one or more than one of the pixel, subimage and object levels of processing. Also, the invention provides both an interactive mode and a high-throughput batch mode which employs training files generated automatically. |
| US08346481B2 |
Method and system of determining a value indicative of gas saturation of a formation
Determining a value indicative of gas saturation of a formation. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including obtaining an inelastic count rate and a capture count rate of a gamma detector for a particular borehole depth, calculating a ratio of an inelastic count rate to a capture count rate for the particular borehole depth, determining a value indicative of gas saturation based on the ratio of the inelastic count rate to the capture count rate for the particular borehole depth, repeating the obtaining, calculating and determining for a plurality of borehole depths, and producing a plot of the value indicative of gas saturation of the formation as a function of borehole depth. |
| US08346480B2 |
Navigation and control system for autonomous vehicles
A navigation and control system including a sensor configured to locate objects in a predetermined field of view from a vehicle. The sensor has an emitter configured to repeatedly scan a beam into a two-dimensional sector of a plane defined with respect to a first predetermined axis of the vehicle, and a detector configured to detect a reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects. The sensor includes a panning mechanism configured to pan the plane in which the beam is scanned about a second predetermined axis to produce a three dimensional field of view. The navigation and control system includes a processor configured to determine the existence and location of the objects in the three dimensional field of view based on a position of the vehicle and a time between an emittance of the beam and a reception of the reflection of the emitted beam from one of the objects. |
| US08346478B2 |
Location and mobile-adaptation of wireless access-points using map-based navigation
A system and method for populating a map database for a vehicle navigation system with the location and type of wireless access points that can be used to update or service wireless systems on the vehicle. The map database can be initially populated with the known wireless access points at the time of manufacture of the vehicle, and then the vehicle communications system can detect new wireless access points as the vehicle travels, which can be stored on the map database. By storing the location and type of the access points in the map database, the vehicle will know the direction of the access point relative to the vehicle, and can compensate for the Doppler shift as a result of the relative movement of the vehicle to the access point. |
| US08346474B2 |
Method of route retrieval
A method of route retrieval is provided comprising initializing a first weighted graph, converting a blueprint of an area into a weighted graph, updating the weighted graph in real time, and calculating an optimal route in the area. |
| US08346470B2 |
Providing access to a collection of content items
In a collection(2) of content items, each content item is represented by at least one signal for rendering in a perceptible form on a rendering system(5,6;25,26,27,28,29), and each content item is linked to data (8,10) specifying at least one geographical location for each content item. A method of providing access to the content items in the collection includes obtaining geographical data defining a route and assembling a signal for use by a 5 rendering system(5,6;25,26,27,28,29), the signal being representative of a succession of signals representing a sequence of content items, so as to progress along the route as the signals representing the sequence of content items are rendered. The content items in the sequence are selected by applying at locations along the route a selection criterion based on the location along the route and the data specifying at least one geographical location for 10 each content item. The signal for use by the rendering system, when rendered, causes a speed of progression along the route to vary according to how many content items are obtained for each next location along the route by applying the selection criterion, and according to the lengths of signals representing them. |
| US08346469B2 |
Method and device for determining protection levels for satellite navigation systems
A method and apparatus for determining protection levels in a satellite navigation system includes the following steps: (1) determining an integrity risk at the alert limit for a plurality of application situations—for example, starting from approaches in category I (Category I precision approach) up to the operation “oceanic enroute;” (2) determining an interval of the alert limits between the largest set of alert limits which produces too high an integrity risk, and the smallest set of alert limits which produces an acceptable integrity risk; and (3) carrying out an interval nesting for the interval of the alert limits that was determined in the previous step, the integrity risk between the horizontal and the vertical being divided in the same way as it is obtained from the relationship between these integrity risks in the largest set of alert limits. |
| US08346468B2 |
Method and apparatus for collision avoidance
A method and apparatus for avoiding collisions of moving vehicles in an environment that utilizes a position and rotational orientation system to track vehicle locations within a preconfigured operational zone, the method comprising using position tracking data to calculate a predicted trajectory and safety zone of each vehicle for a predetermined prediction time period and determining potential areas of intersection with vehicles to predict collisions. |
| US08346458B2 |
Compensating for random catalyst behavior
A method for calibrating an engine control module includes sampling a first signal from a first oxygen sensor located upstream from a catalyst. The first signal indicates an oxygen content of exhaust gas produced by an engine. The method further includes predicting a response of a second oxygen sensor located downstream from the catalyst using a model of the catalyst and the first signal and sampling a second signal from the second oxygen sensor. The method further includes determining a component of the second signal based on a difference between samples of the second signal and the predicted response. The component is due to gases other than oxygen. Additionally, the method includes calibrating the engine control module based on the component of the second signal. The engine control module controls an amount of fuel injected into the engine. |
| US08346457B2 |
Method for controlling an automatic shutdown and start-up process of a drive unit in a motor vehicle
A method controls an automatic shutdown and start-up process of a drive unit in a motor vehicle by way of a start and stop device, by which the drive unit is automatically shut down when the motor vehicle comes to a halt if predefined shutdown conditions are met, and by which a drive unit, which has been automatically shut down, is automatically started up if at least one start request is made. Before the initiation of an automatic shutdown process of the drive unit, a possible stop duration of the drive unit is predicted, taking into consideration the present operating variables of the vehicle, the state variables, and/or other parameters. Depending on the predicted stop duration, an automatic shutdown process is initiated when all other shutdown conditions are met. |
| US08346455B2 |
Method and device for communicating true runway braking performance using data from the flight data management systems of landed aircraft
A method and apparatus for calculating a standardized value for the actual runway braking coefficient of friction of one or more arriving aircraft using data from each aircraft's flight data recorder or flight data management system, standardizing the calculated information to provide redundancy and to make it usable by subsequently arriving aircraft, and reporting the calculated standardized value information to individuals and agencies including air traffic control, airport operations and maintenance, and aircraft pilots and ground crews; andA method and apparatus for calculating the actual runway braking coefficient of friction of an aircraft using data from the aircraft's flight data recorder or flight data management system, transmitting the data in real-time to an off-aircraft high-power computing system, calculating off-aircraft the landing aircraft's actual runway braking coefficient of friction, and reporting the calculated information to individuals and agencies including air traffic control, airport operations and maintenance, and aircraft pilots and ground crews. |
| US08346453B2 |
Braking force control device for vehicles that corrects a reducing amount of required braking force
A braking force control device for a vehicle comprises a controller that includes an automatic-brake selective-actuation section configured to compare a manual braking force created by a manual brake device with a required braking force for an automatic brake device and to selectively actuate the automatic brake device when the required braking force exceeds the manual braking force; a braking-force-difference time-rate-of-change calculation section configured to calculate a braking-force-difference time-rate-of-change corresponding to a rate of change per unit time in a difference, which difference is obtained by subtracting the required braking force from the manual braking force; and a required braking force control section configured to correct the required braking force to reduce the required braking force when selectively actuating the automatic brake device and to correct a reducing amount of the required braking force to decrease the reducing amount of the required braking force as the braking-force-difference time-rate-of-change increases. |
| US08346451B2 |
Realtime estimation of clutch piston position
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for estimating the realtime position of a clutch piston during the fill cycle using noisy pressure measurements which ensures proper and desired clutch operation. Pressures on both sides of a flow controlling orifice, at the fluid control actuator and the clutch cylinder are measured and these measurements in conjunction with other system parameters such as orifice size, clutch volume and return spring characteristics are used to solve nonlinear dynamic equations (algorithms) which reside in a microprocessor. The microprocessor provides outputs corresponding to an estimate of the current position of the clutch piston, an estimate of the current speed of the piston and an estimate of the current hydraulic pressure. The method can also be utilized to detect clutch wear. |
| US08346440B2 |
Occupant detection system and method of controlling the system
A capacitance sensor outputs a signal indicating one of an occupant-seated state, a CRS-mounted state and a vacancy state. A load sensor is ON when a predetermined load applied to the load sensor through the seat, and is OFF when the predetermined load is not applied. A controller turns off both of an on-light indicating airbag inflation allowance and an off-light indicating airbag inflation prohibition, when the signal indicates the vacancy state, and when the load sensor is OFF. The controller turns on the off-light, when the signal indicates the vacancy state, and when the load sensor is ON. |
| US08346435B2 |
Motor-driven power steering control device
Provided is an electric power steering control device capable of performing damping control without current detection to perform stable damping control even when a target current and an actual current value differ from each other. The electric power steering control device includes steering torque detection means for detecting a steering torque, a torque controller for computing an assist torque current, a motor for generating a torque for assisting the steering torque, rotation speed estimation means for estimating a rotation speed of the motor, and a damping controller for computing a damping current by using an estimated value of the rotation speed of the motor. The rotation speed estimating means includes steering component removing means for steering torque, for removing a component due to steering from an output of the steering torque detection means, rotation angle corresponding value computing means for multiplying an output of the steering component removing means for steering torque by an inverse number of a rigidity of a torsion bar and −1 to compute a value corresponding to a rotation angle, and a rotation angle differentiator for differentiating an output of the rotation angle corresponding value computing means to compute a value corresponding to a rotation angular velocity. |
| US08346432B2 |
System and method for remotely controlling vehicle components from a nomadic communication device or computer
A method for remotely controlling one or more vehicle components includes receiving over a telecommunications network signals originating from a remote terminal. The signals include remote operation instructions for remotely operating a vehicle entertainment system component. The remote operation instructions are executed. Operation status identifiers transmitted over a vehicle data bus are received from the vehicle entertainment system component. Based on the operation status identifiers, an operating status of the vehicle entertainment system component is determined. A return signal including an operation status message and an instruction for displaying the operation status message at the remote terminal is generated. The signal is transmitted to the remote terminal for display. |
| US08346431B2 |
Electrical system of a vehicle, provided for the towing away of the same
A suitable electrical system for a motor vehicle is provided, which system requires a voltage supply during a possible towing-away operation. A voltage-supply control device recognizes the provision of an external voltage supply, in particular by way of a towing vehicle for the motor vehicle, and controls the voltage supply in the motor vehicle in such a manner that only one or more subsystems of the entire electrical system of the motor vehicle are supplied with voltage. |
| US08346428B2 |
Electronic stability program for a land vehicle
The invention concerns an electronic vehicle dynamics regulation system for a land vehicle, which system is set up for steering and braking intervention, and with which a sensor arrangement is associated, which sensor arrangement, for a steering intervention device and for a braking system which builds up braking forces independently of or in addition to the driver, captures the yaw angular velocity and/or the transverse acceleration and feeds them to the steering intervention device and braking system. |
| US08346425B2 |
Surface inspecting device
A modular surface inspecting device is provided. A modular surface inspecting device comprises a computing layer having a processing unit in which a modular service-oriented software is installed; a detecting layer having a plurality of sensors obtaining a plurality of surrounding information; and a dynamic layer carrying the computing layer and the detecting layer and controlled by a controlling command generated by the computing layer according to the plurality of surrounding information. |
| US08346423B2 |
Plug-in electric vehicle interlock
To prevent damage of a cord set used to charge a plug-in electric vehicle when the vehicle is driven away while the cord set is attached, an interlock can be provided to disable the vehicle. Such interlock may be based on a protective door over the charging receptacle being open or detection that a cord set is plugged in. However, in the event that the vehicle is in an activated state, the interlock is prevented from disabling the vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosure. That is, undesirable disabling of the vehicle is prevented when either there is no indication of a cord set being coupled to the vehicle or the vehicle is in an activated state. |
| US08346422B2 |
Hybrid electric vehicle thermal management system
The present disclosure relates to thermal management systems and methods for operating a vehicle, such as a hybrid electric vehicle. The systems determine a sunload and set calibrated thresholds and modified temperatures for deriving conditions for sending engine climate commands according to the sunload readings. The calibrations and modifications are designed to yield better vehicle fuel economy. |
| US08346420B2 |
System and method for predicting vehicle energy consumption
A method is provided for generating projected vehicle energy consumption information for a second vehicle using statistical information describing a driving history of a driver of a first vehicle. Statistical information is determined from collected vehicle performance values while the driver operates the first vehicle, and is archived in at least one memory location. The archived statistical information is correlated with a vehicle specification describing a performance capability of the second vehicle. A message is processed that includes the projected vehicle energy consumption information for the second vehicle. A vehicle is provided for generating the projected vehicle energy consumption information, and includes at least one memory location, sensors for measuring vehicle performance values of the vehicle describing a driver history of the first vehicle, and a controller adapted for automatically determining the statistical information. A controller is also provided adapted for executing the method. |
| US08346417B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling motor for skid mode of electric vehicle
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for controlling a motor for an electric vehicle. The method and apparatus calculates the current acceleration α of the motor according to the detected rotor position values in real-time, and if the current acceleration α is greater than a predetermined forward acceleration α0, the output torque of the motor is decreased. If the acceleration α is less than a predetermined backward acceleration α1, then the output torque of the motor is decreased. Thus, when the vehicle travels from a normal road surface to a smooth road surface, the decrease or increase output torque may suppress the abrupt speed variations. |
| US08346416B2 |
Method, apparatus, signals and media, for selecting operating conditions of a genset
A method and apparatus for selecting optimal operating conditions of a genset is disclosed. The genset includes an engine coupled to an electrical power generator, the genset having a plurality of operating points each including an engine speed value and a generator electrical power output value, and having a plurality of cost values associated with operating the genset at respective operating points. The method involves selecting a set of operating points from the plurality of operating points such that a sum of cost values associated with operating points in the set is minimized and such that the engine speed and generator electrical power output values of the operating points in the set increase or decrease monotonically. |
| US08346415B1 |
Autonomous underwater navigation
Systems and methods for autonomous underwater navigation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for autonomous underwater navigation comprises an underwater communication network, at least one master controller node coupled to the underwater communication network, at least one network docking node coupled to the underwater communication network, and at least one submersible vehicle for underwater mapping at least a portion of a floor of a body of water. The submersible vehicle comprises a geolocation module to establish a geographic reference for at least one location in the underwater geographic region and an image collection module to collect images of an underwater geographic region proximate the geographic reference. |
| US08346413B2 |
Wireless display unit for ECP transition system
The present interface system includes a controller monitoring pressure on a locomotive brake pipe port, controlling pressure on a train brake pipe port in response to the pressure on a locomotive brake pipe port, providing ECP commands on an ECP trainline via a train electrical terminal in response to the pressure on the locomotive brake pipe port, and providing electrical power on the ECP trainline via an train electrical trainline terminal from the locomotive electrical trainline terminal. A transceiver is connected to the controller for wireless communication with the controller. A wireless display unit communicates via the transceiver with the controller and displays information from the controller to the operator remote from the interface system and provides inputs from the operator to the controller. The system also includes a three position change over valve. An event recorder and a GPS system may be connected to the controller. |
| US08346409B2 |
Variable speed flap retraction and notification
The present invention provides systems and methods for controlling the speed of flap retraction on aircraft, and alerts to the pilot of potentially unsafe flap position. The invention accepts direction from a pilot and senses operation of the aircraft to determine appropriate flap position and flap retraction speed. |
| US08346407B2 |
Method and device for assigning a first automobile to a second automobile
A method for assigning a first motor vehicle to a second motor vehicle by exchanging electromagnetic signals. The electromagnetic signals are transmitted from the first motor vehicle in a predetermined temporal signal pattern and received by the second motor vehicle, where they are compared as to whether the received electromagnetic signals correspond to a signal pattern stored in the second motor vehicle. The first motor vehicle then is assigned as a function of the comparison. This method is particularly suited to assigning trailers to a towing vehicle. |
| US08346402B2 |
Islanding detection in an electrical power delivery system
An intelligent electronic device is operable to use a signal derived from an electrical power delivery system to effectively detect an islanding condition. The intelligent electronic device is configured to compare a frequency deviation (from nominal frequency) and a rate-of-change of frequency of the electrical power delivery system to a protection characteristic of the intelligent electronic device to quickly and securely detect islanding conditions thereby enhancing power protection, automation, control, and monitoring performance. The intelligent electronic device uses local measurements of the electrical power deliver system to provide reliable and economical means to properly separate a generation site from the remainder of the electrical power delivery system. Such may be useful to prevent reclosing out of synchronism. |
| US08346397B2 |
Airflow adjustment user interfaces
Controllers for controlling heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and cooling (HVAC) systems are provided. The controllers include graphical user interfaces for user adjustment of system settings. The graphical user interfaces also may be designed to present information that facilitates user understanding of system operations. In certain embodiments, the controllers may allow users to adjust airflow values within a wide range of values. In these embodiments, the graphical user interfaces may include slide bars for adjusting the airflow values. |
| US08346391B1 |
Methods and systems for an autonomous robotic platform
A system and method can provide a command and control paradigm for integrating robotic assets into human teams. By integrating sensor to detect human interaction, movement, physiology, and location, a net-centric system can permit command of a robotic platform without an OCU. By eliminating the OCU and maintaining the advantages of a robotic platform, a robot can be used in the place of a human without fatigue, being immune to physiological effects, capable of non-humanoid tactics, a longer potential of hours per day on-station, capable of rapid and structured information transfer, has a personality-free response, can operate in contaminated areas, and is line-replaceable with identical responses. A system for controlling a robotic platform can comprise at least one perceiver for collecting information from a human or the environment; a reasoner for processing the information from the at least one perceiver and providing a directive; and at least one behavior for executing the directive of the reasoner. |
| US08346390B2 |
Single wheel robot system and its control method
This invention relates to a single wheel robot system and its control method. The robot is an intelligent self-control and thus self-balancing unicycle riding robot. The control method is the balance control method of the static imbalance unicycle robot. The single wheel robot includes mechanical body and control system; the body contains a single wheel in the substructure which can rotate around for balance; the control system comprises state sensors, motion controller, servo-driven controllers, and a power system. Among them, the motion controller receive signals from the state sensors, in accordance with control procedures for processing of the received signal, thereby issuing control instructions. The servo drive controller receives the control instructions and controls the motors of the robot to adjust posture to be balanced. |
| US08346387B2 |
Dedicated self-service return terminal and method of operating a dedicated self-service return terminal for receiving returned media on which entertainment data is stored
A dedicated self-service return terminal is provided for receiving returned media on which entertainment data is stored. The dedicated self-service return terminal comprises a media transporter having a media return slot through which returned media can be received from a customer returning the media, a removable media storage bin for storing returned media which has been received through the slot, a container having a chamber in which the media storage bin is installed when the media storage bin is in use, a sliding mechanism arranged to support the container for vertical sliding movement between a top position in which the media storage bin can receive returned media received through the slot and a bottom position in which the media storage bin can be removed from the container, and a controller arranged to control the sliding mechanism to effect movement of the container between the top and bottom positions during operation of the dedicated self-service return terminal. |
| US08346384B2 |
Cutting machine, control unit and recording medium
A cutting machine of the present invention for cutting a material to be cut, which is placed on a table, with a rotating saw blade, includes an imaging device, a determination device and a stopping device. The imaging device takes a video image of an area on the table and outputs the video image. The determination device makes a determination on whether or not a number of pixels of a specific color, which is previously set, exceeds a predetermined threshold in one frame of image constituting the video image outputted from the imaging device. The stopping device stops rotation of the saw blade when it is determined by the determination device that the number of pixels of the specific color exceeds the predetermined threshold. |
| US08346380B2 |
Method and an apparatus for processing a signal
A method of processing a signal is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving (a) downmix signal being generated from plural-channel signal and (b) spatial information indicating attribute of the plural-channel signal in order to upmix the downmix signal and including phase shift flag indicating whether phase of a frame of at least one channel of the plural-channel signal is shifted; obtaining inter-channel phase difference (IPD) coding flag indicating whether IPD value is used to the spatial information from a header of the spatial information; obtaining IPD mode flag indicating whether the IPD value is used to frame of the spatial information from the frame based on the IPD coding flag; obtaining the IPD value of parameter band in the frame, based on the IPD mode flag; upmixing plural-channel signal by applying the IPD value to the downmix signal; and shifting the phase of the frame of the at least one channel of the plural-channel signal based on the phase shift flag. |
| US08346379B2 |
Method and an apparatus for processing a signal
A method of processing a signal is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving a downmix signal generated from plural channel signal and spatial information indicating attribute of the plural channel signal to upmix the downmix signal; obtaining inter-channel phase difference (IPD) coding flag indicating whether IPD value is used to the spatial information from header of the spatial information; obtaining IPD mode flag based on the IPD coding flag from the frame of the spatial information, the IPD mode flag indicating whether the IPD value is used to a frame of the spatial information; obtaining the IPD value of parameter band of parameter time slot in the frame, based on the IPD mode flag; smoothing the IPD value by modifying the IPD value by using IPD value of previous parameter time slot; and generating plural channel signal by applying the smoothed IPD value to the downmix signal. |
| US08346378B2 |
Programmable controller
The value of fixed cycle time is adjusted to an optimum value in a short period of time. In a second operational mode (MON) of a PLC, a series of a plurality of system processes are repeatedly performed with a change to a user program in a peripheral service process being allowed. A change to fixed cycle time to be compared with actual cycle time is prohibited in a first operational mode (RUN) but is allowed in the second operational mode (MON) and a non-operational mode (PRG). |
| US08346377B2 |
Electronic control apparatus
An electronic control apparatus 100A is configured in such a way that a CPU 110A reads the conduction current of an opening/closing device 140n in an IPM 190A, by way of serial-parallel converters 114a and 114b and a second multi-channel A/D converter 116b; the opening/closing device 140n is opening/closing-controlled through a serial control signal SRn or a parallel control signal PWMn; and a reading timing control circuit 170n adjusts the reading timing in such a way that, regardless of the kind of the control signal, reading is performed during the period in which the opening/closing device 140n is driven to be closed. As a result, the serial-parallel converter can reduce the number of wiring leads between the IPM and the microprocessor, and the digital conversion value is accurately read, by adjusting the error between the serial-signal timing and the parallel-signal timing. |
| US08346374B2 |
Laminate distal lead seal with tissue ingrowth feature
An implantable lead may include a housing and a laminate distal seal disposed across a distal end of the housing. A coupler and a fixation helix secured to the coupler may be disposed within the housing. The fixation helix may have a retracted position in which the fixation helix does not penetrate the laminate distal seal and an extended position in which the fixation helix has pierced the laminate distal seal and extends therethrough. |
| US08346372B2 |
Motion-based optimization for placement of cardiac stimulation electrodes
An exemplary method includes use of a multielectrode device that can help position a cardiac stimulation lead to an optimal site in the heart based at least in part on cardiac motion information acquired via the multielectrode device and one or more pairs of current delivery electrodes that establish potential fields (e.g., for use as a coordinate system). An exemplary mutlielectrode device may be a multielectrode catheter or a multifilar, electrode-bearing guidewire. Various other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08346366B2 |
Spinal cord implant systems and methods
A system for transferring spinal cord signals comprises a superior electrode and an inferior electrode. The superior electrode interfaces with a first portion of a spinal cord of a human body; and the inferior electrode interfaces with a second portion of the spinal cord. The superior electrode has at least one superior contact for receiving signals from the first portion of the spinal cord to transmit to the inferior electrode; and the inferior electrode has at least one inferior contact for transmitting signals received from the superior electrode to the second portion of the spinal cord. |
| US08346362B2 |
Molded header connected to a medical device by lateral deformation of a sleeve/feedthrough pin sub-assembly
A header assembly for connecting an implantable medical device to at least one conductor lead terminating within a patient intended to be assisted by the medical device is provided. The implantable medical device is comprised of numerous feedthrough wires in a dense, non-linear, scattered format extending from the control circuitry and through a wall of the housing. The header assembly is comprised of an insulative body that is mountable on the housing of the medical device. The insulative body supports at least one conductor subassembly comprising a terminal that is directly connectable to the conductor lead, an intermediate conductor wire comprising a distal end connected to the terminal and a proximal end connected to a connector sleeve. Methods for making the header assembly and for connecting the header assembly to the implantable medical device are also disclosed. |
| US08346354B2 |
Determining a neuromodulation treatment regimen in response to contactlessly acquired information
Described embodiments include a system, an apparatus, and a method. A described system includes a sensor device configured to sense a property of a mammal without physically contacting the mammal. The system also includes a signal generator configured to generate a signal indicative of the sensed property of the mammal. The system further includes a treatment decision device configured to determine in response to the signal indicative of the sensed property of the mammal a neuromodulation treatment regimen for administration to a nervous system component of the mammal. The system also includes a computer-readable medium configured to maintain and to provide access to information corresponding to the determined neuromodulation treatment regimen. |
| US08346353B2 |
Implantable medical system for detecting incipient edema
An implantable medical system for detecting incipient edema has an implantable medical lead including an optical sensor having a light source and a light detector. The medical system further has an edema detection circuit that activates the light source to emit light, the light being directed into lung tissue of a patient and that obtains a light intensity value corresponding to an intensity of light received by the light detector, and that evaluates the light intensity value to detect a consistency with incipient edema. |
| US08346349B2 |
Method and apparatus for predicting patient outcomes from a physiological segmentable patient signal
A method and apparatus for predicting patient outcome from a physiological segmentable signal of a patient. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of obtaining the physiological segmentable signal of the patient; segmenting the physiological segmentable signal into a plurality of separate segmentable components; calculating a time series of the morphological distance between adjacent separate segmentable components of the plurality of separate segmentable components; and predicting patient outcome in response to the time series of the morphological distance. In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for extracting information from physiological signals for one or more subjects including the steps of partitioning the physiological signal into a plurality of components, grouping the components into a plurality of information classes, assigning a unique symbol to each information class, mapping each component to the assigned symbol, and examining one or more such sequences for clinical significance. |
| US08346345B2 |
Methods for assessing a physiological state of a mammalian retina
In one aspect the present invention provides methods for assessing a physiological state of a mammalian retina in vivo, the methods of this aspect of the invention each include the steps of (a) irradiating a portion of a mammalian retina, in vivo, with light having a wavelength in the range of from 600 nm to 1000 nm at an intensity sufficient to stimulate two-photon-induced fluorescence in the retina; and (b) assessing a physiological state of the retina by analyzing the fluorescence. |
| US08346344B2 |
Device localization and guidance
An apparatus and method is described for determining the location of a object inside a patient. Three dimensional image data of the patient is obtained by an imaging modality such as a C-arm X-ray device. The same or another imaging modality may be used to obtain projection radiographic images, having a coordinate system that can be registered with respect to that of the three dimensional image. The location of one or more features of a medical treatment device such as a needle or a catheter introduced into the imaging filed of view is determined either by an operator or by image analysis, in at least two projection radiographic images, and the position of the feature located in the three-dimensional volume. The projection on a radiographic image of a vector joining a first and a second position is used to assist in guiding the medical treatment device inside of the patient. |
| US08346337B2 |
Analyte monitoring device and methods of use
In aspects of the present disclosure, a multi compatible or universal blood glucose monitoring unit including a calibration unit is integrated with one or more components of an analyte monitoring system to provide compatibility with in vitro test strip that require calibration code and test strips that do not require calibration code. Also disclosed are methods, systems, devices and kits for providing the same. |
| US08346332B2 |
Absolute calibrated tissue oxygen saturation and total hemoglobin volume fraction
A medical device for monitoring a patient condition includes a first combination of a light source and a light detector to emit light into a volume of tissue, detect light scattered by the volume of tissue, and provide a first output signal corresponding to an intensity of the detected light. A control module is coupled to the light source to control the light source to emit light at least four spaced-apart light wavelengths, and a monitoring module is coupled to the light detector to receive the output signal, compute a measure of tissue oxygenation in response to the light detector output signal, and detect tissue hypoxia using the measure of tissue oxygenation. |
| US08346330B2 |
Reflection-detector sensor position indicator
A reflection-detector sensor position indicator comprises emitters that transmit light having a plurality of wavelengths. A detector outputs a sensor signal. At least one reflection detector outputs at least one sensor position signal. An attachment assembly attaches the emitters, the detector and the reflection detector onto a tissue site. A sensor-on condition indicates that the attachment assembly has positioned the emitters generally centered over a fingernail, the detector on a fingertip opposite the fingernail and the reflection detector over the fingernail. The sensor signal, in the sensor-on condition, is at least substantially responsive to the emitter transmitted light after attenuation by pulsatile blood flow perfused within a fingernail bed underneath the fingernail. The sensor position signal, in the sensor-on condition, is at least substantially responsive to the emitter transmitted light after reflection off of the fingernail. |
| US08346327B2 |
Method for identification of sensor site by local skin spectrum data
A method is provided for determining the location of the sensor. The method comprises determining a physiological parameter based on detected light and determining the location of the sensor based on the physiological parameter. In addition, a method is provided for operating a sensor that includes calibrating a sensor based on a patient-specific physiological parameter, in which the patient-specific physiological parameter is skin color, age, gender, pooled blood, venous blood pulsation, or abnormal tissue. |
| US08346325B2 |
Systems and devices for electrical filters
Adaptations and improvements to tubular metal powder filters include employing non-circular cross sectional geometries, aligning the inner conductor off-axis, replacing the inner conductive wire with a conductive trace carried on a printed circuit board, combining multiple filters within a single common outer conductive housing, and employing meandering and other non-parallel signal paths. The various adaptations and improvements are designed to accommodate single-ended and differential signaling, as well as superconducting and non-superconducting applications. |
| US08346321B2 |
Handheld type electronic device
A handheld type electronic device includes a main device body, a screen body, and first and second limiting mechanisms provided between the main device body and the screen body. The main device body includes a depression. The screen body is provided between left and right inner walls of the depression. The first limiting mechanism includes a pair of first protrusions and a pair of second recesses. The first protrusions extend resiliently and respectively into the first recesses to limit the screen body at a flipped-up state. The second limiting mechanism includes at least one second protrusion, and a second recess. The second protrusion is disposed to extend into the second recess to limit the screen body at a folded state. The second protrusion is subjectable to a force to withdraw from the second recess to enable the screen body to be flipped upward relative to the depression. |
| US08346319B2 |
Providing a converted document to multimedia messaging service (MMS) messages
Providing a mobile personal computer to send multimedia content in a multimedia document via a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message over a wireless network is disclosed. Multimedia content compatible for sending via the MMS is sent with assembling information to reassemble the multimedia document with the multimedia content. |
| US08346318B2 |
Cover
A user replaceable cover for attachment to and detachment from an apparatus including a first lateral part extending in a first direction, a second lateral part disposed opposite the first lateral part and extending in the first direction, a posterior part extending substantially in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and joining the first lateral part and the second lateral part and an upper part having extremities and joining at the extremities the first lateral part, the second lateral part and the posterior part, wherein each of the first lateral part, the second lateral part, the posterior part and the upper part has an interior surface and an exterior surface, the user replaceable cover further including a plurality of sidewalls defined by the first lateral part, the second lateral part and the posterior part, wherein the sidewalls terminate at a lower edge for abutment with the apparatus; a face defined by the exterior surface of the upper part; an anterior edge defined at where the first lateral part, the second lateral part and the upper part terminate for abutment with the apparatus; a first posterior tenon extending from the interior surface of the posterior part; a second posterior tenon extending from the interior surface of the posterior part; and an anterior tenon extending from the anterior edge of the first lateral part. |
| US08346315B2 |
Power-aware selection of radio access technology
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for operating a multi-mode wireless communications device to select a radio access technology (RAT) requiring the lowest energy consumption by the device for a desired operating mode. An exemplary method comprises scanning a plurality of frequency bands to determine a set of available radio access technologies that support the desired operating mode, and evaluating, for each available RAT, RAT-specific system parameters and RAT-specific operating conditions. Based on the evaluation, the RAT requiring the lowest energy consumption by the wireless device for the desired operating mode is selected. |
| US08346314B2 |
Mobile communications network slot cycle
The slot cycle index is currently negotiated by a mobile handset and a base station. However, if the slot cycle index could be selected dynamically a mobile handset that operates more efficiently for the user would result. Talk time could be maximized when the battery, or other mobile power source is low, while connect time for a mobile call could be minimized when the battery is near fully charged or at times when the user is likely to make a mobile call. Additionally, location could be used to determine the likelihood that the user will make a mobile call. However, current network usage would typically need to be considered when determining if the slot cycle index should be changed. Mobile handset users could also charged for quicker response times, or mobile handset users on more expensive plans could be given typically faster response times. Many different things can be considered in determining when to adjust slot cycle index, such as, for example, battery power, time of day, or system loading. Additionally, combinations of factors can be considered to determine when to adjust slot cycle index. |
| US08346311B2 |
Audio signal processing apparatus, audio signal processing method, and communication terminal
An audio signal processing apparatus includes a band signal component extraction unit for extracting signal components in a predetermined frequency band from an audio signal input by an audio collection unit for collecting at least an outgoing call audio upon an audio phone call, a stationary signal component extraction unit for extracting a stationary signal component from the signal components, a signal adjustment unit having a level adjustment function of adjusting an output signal level with respect to an input signal level and an input and output characteristics change function of changing input and output characteristics upon level adjustment in the level adjustment function through a control signal and configured to set an incoming call audio signal upon the audio phone call as the input signal, and a control signal generation unit for generating the control signal for changing the input and output characteristics by using the stationary signal component. |
| US08346300B2 |
Communication terminal
A communication terminal optimally switches between the use of multicast reception and unicast reception, in consideration of the mobile radio environment of each terminal. For example, received signal strength indicator information is acquired at a received signal strength indicator information acquisition time calculated using a content reception time. Either multicast reception or unicast reception is selected according to the acquired received signal strength indicator information and content reception is performed. An optimal reception system can be selected and reception failure can be reduced. In addition, by performing a dynamic switching of reception methods as such, the base station-end can perform multicast delivery rather than unicast delivery when possible to communication terminals in favorable mobile radio environments, thereby significantly reducing the traffic load placed on communication paths. |
| US08346296B2 |
Portable telephone
A user enters a numeric string on a standby screen of a cellular telephone, and then presses a predetermined function key, the numeric string obtained by numerical conversion of a piece of registration information, in accordance with an assignment relationship indicated on numerical keys of the cellular telephone. A database in which numeric data obtained by the numerical conversion of a piece of registration information in accordance with the above-mentioned assignment relationship and the piece of registration information are associated with each other is previously held in the cellular telephone. The database is searched by using the entered numeric string as a search key, so that pieces of registration information associated with numeric data containing the numeric string are extracted. An exactly matching one of the extracted pieces of registration information is sorted in a high rank and displayed. |
| US08346288B2 |
Method and apparatus for transient frequency distortion compensation
Transient distortion is compensated for by multiplying an exponentially-decaying phase shift onto the distorted waveform. The exponentially decaying phase shift waveform is patterned after the transient which typically takes the form of an exponential and occurs upon introduction of power to a circuit or circuit component. A digital circuit produces an appropriate exponentially-decaying waveform which is used as the input for a look up table whose output is a complex sinusoidal waveform capable of compensating for the distortion. The complex sinusoid is multiplied onto the transmitted waveform. The decaying exponential is biased so that it crosses a threshold at which point the compensating circuitry is turned off. |
| US08346285B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a message responsive to detection of wireless communications activity within a predetermined area
A system and method is disclosed for detecting the presence and level of wireless communications activity within a predetermined area, without disclosing the identity of the wireless users, and for generating a message to certain information and communications devices in response to the detection of a predetermined level of wireless communications activity within the predetermined area. The information detected also may Include information relating to the general direction and rate of movement of detected wireless devices. The message generated in response to the detection of wireless communications activity may include wireless messages, including Short Message Service (SMS) messages, to persons desiring or needing to receive such information; messages to public officials and other interested persons; and automatic signals to devices such as computers, computer networks (including the internet and wireless networks), facsimile machines, signs, lights, loudspeakers, and other devices providing Information through other communication and Information media. |
| US08346283B2 |
Method for location determinating
A method for measuring a position includes: allocating a first ranging code and a first ranging region for a mobile station; receiving a second ranging code and allocation information on a second ranging region of the mobile station from a neighboring base station; transmitting the first ranging code and the second ranging code to the mobile station; receiving the first ranging code from the mobile station in the first ranging region; calculating a received timing adjustment value of the first ranging code; receiving a received timing adjustment value of the second ranging code from the neighboring base station; and measuring the position of the mobile station according to the received timing adjustment value of the first ranging code and the received timing adjustment value of the second ranging code. Therefore, the cost and efficiency can be improved by measuring the position of the mobile station by changing the ranging method used in the conventional system. |
| US08346277B2 |
Terminal having function for managing position information and program recorded medium
A wireless communication terminal having a wireless communication unit and a display is able to receive location information about the position of the terminal, remote terminal s, and at least one third location. The terminal obtains route information from the terminal to the at least one third location, from the terminal to the remote terminals, and from the remote terminals to the at least one third location, and displays travel routes between the locations. The terminal also obtains travel information comprising speed, estimated travel time, and travel direction from the terminal and the remote terminals, and displays travel progress of the terminal and the remote terminals. |
| US08346276B2 |
Device and method of collecting and distributing reporting service measurement data in a wireless communications system
A local radio network controller (RNC) includes one or more stage buffers, with each stage buffer including a database configured to receive and index service measurement data, and a plurality of service measurement data (SM) buffers configured to store the service measurement according to the index of the database, and to send at least one of the stored service measurement data to a next stage of processing at least one of during the receiving of the service measurement data by the stage buffer and before the stage buffer has completed receiving the service measurement data. A depth and number of the SM buffers and a buffer serving time are allocated such that the one or more stage buffers are scalable to support a service node of increasing size by supporting a diverse number of service measurement pegging and appearing virtually infinite in size to applications pegging the service measurement data. |
| US08346272B2 |
Adaptive sensitivity in wireless communication
A method of accommodating aberrant behavior in wireless devices in a wireless network includes the steps of establishing communication with at least one wireless device, monitoring signals received from the at least one wireless device, determining characteristics of the at least one wireless device based on the monitored signals, comparing the determined characteristics with prescribed characteristics for wireless devices exhibiting aberrant behavior and altering settings to accommodate the at least one wireless device, when the determined characteristics match the prescribed characteristics. |
| US08346267B2 |
Method and system for controlling data distribution via cellular communications utilizing an integrated femtocell and set-top-box device
Aspects of a method and system for controlling data distribution via cellular communications with an integrated femtocell and set-top-box (IFSTB) device are provided. In this regard, a cellular enabled communication device may detect when it is within cellular communication range of a femtocell. Upon detection of the femtocell, the cellular enabled communication device may communicate instructions to a content source instructing the content source to deliver multimedia content to the femtocell. In instances that multimedia content is already being delivered to the cellular enabled communication device prior to the detection, the instructions from the cellular enabled communication device may instruct the content source to redirect the multimedia content to the femtocell. In this regard, the multimedia content may be delivered from the content source to the cellular enabled communication device via the femtocell. The femtocell may deliver at least a portion of the multimedia content to other communication devices. |
| US08346259B2 |
Method for hand-over of terminal, network element, base station, and communication system
The invention provides a method for hand-over of a terminal from a first base station to a second base station, radio network element, terminal, base station and a communication system. The method for hand-over of a terminal from a first base station to a second base station, wherein said first base station is EV-DO enabled in an access network and said second base station is not EV-DO enabled, said method comprising: transmitting an EV-DO pilot signal from said second base station to said terminal; sending a route update message including an EV-DO pilot strength from said terminal if said EV-DO pilot strength is above a predetermined threshold; calculating a CDMA pilot strength based on said EV-DO pilot strength; and performing the hand-over of said terminal to said second base station when CDMA pilot strength is above the hand-over threshold. |
| US08346257B2 |
Selecting a cell associated with a radio access technology
Method in a user equipment for selecting a cell associated with a radio access technology. The method comprises the steps of obtaining an instruction to select a cell to be used among cells using a radio access technology being associated with a specific service class. Also comprising receiving a broadcast, which broadcast uses a radio access technology being associated with a respective service class and being associated with a respective priority level within that service class. Also comprising selecting a cell, which cell is using a radio access technology being associated with the specific service class in accordance with the obtained instruction and which cell is associated with the highest priority level. An arrangement in a user equipment, a method in a base station, an arrangement in a base station, a method in a core network node and an arrangement in a core network node is also provided. |
| US08346256B2 |
Method of multicast service provisioning
A method of provisioning multicast services is provided. In an example, the method includes forming a plurality of multicast groups, each of the plurality of multicast groups associated with one of a plurality of first channel quality ranges. A request for a multicast service and an indicator (e.g., a channel quality indicator (CQI)) indicating a channel quality of a mobile unit are received from the mobile unit. The mobile unit is assigned to one of the plurality of multicast groups based on the indicated channel quality and the plurality of first channel quality ranges. |
| US08346247B2 |
Soliciting first party in communication session to maintain call when degradation of connection to second party is anticipated
A system and method are provided for monitoring the quality of a communication session with a mobile device. Should the communication session degrade, rather than dropping the communication session the user of a device communicating with the mobile device is prompted to wait while an attempt is made to improve the quality of the communication session. Similarly if the user of the mobile device moves out of a coverage area, rather than dropping the communication session the user of the device communicating with the mobile device is prompted to wait until a new communication session can be established. |
| US08346246B2 |
Mobile radio terminal
A location registration control unit stores PSC used in a roaming prohibition cell in a prohibition cell list storage area. After that, if the reselection of cells is required for the reason that the receiving conditions become worse or other reasons, a reselection control unit detects PSC of neighbor cells, creates a list of the detected PSC regarded as candidates, stores the list in a candidate cell list storage area, receives notification information from the cell using the PSC other than the roaming prohibition cell in the list, and executes reselection. |
| US08346240B2 |
Method and system for completing a zone related call
A method and system, for completing a call to a mobile subscriber having one or more zones defined, where the calling party is presented options for call completion based on the distance and direction of the called mobile subscriber in relation to his zones and presence inside a perimeter around his zone. The call completion comprising; call back, notification by SMS or notification by voice message on entry or exit of the area enclosed by the perimeter, or connect with additional charges for the calling party. |
| US08346233B2 |
Devices, methods, and computer-readable media for providing sevices based upon identification of decision makers and owners associated with communication services
Devices, methods and computer-readable media for providing services based upon identification of decision makers and owners associated with communication services. Data for providing communication services based upon identification of decision makers associated with communication services is stored, wherein the data including a user profile and default template identifying a default decision maker for a service. Policy rules and the stored data are analyzed. A new decision maker for a particular service is identified based upon the analysis of the policy rules and the stored data. The communication services are provided to the identified new decision maker. |
| US08346231B1 |
Method and apparatus for establishing a conference call session with a wireless device
A method and system of establishing a conference call between end users provides initiating a request for at least one invitee to participate in the conference call. The request message is received on a first device prior to time the conference call is scheduled to begin. The message includes a hyperlink which may be activated to autonomously dial a number through the wireless device and connect with a conference call service provider. The conference call may be further accessed by satisfying one or more parameters necessary to enter the conference call. A communication link may be established between the at least one wireless device and the conference call service provider to begin the conference call via one or more autonomous conference call access operations. |
| US08346230B2 |
System and method for delivering geographically restricted content, such as over-air broadcast programming, to a recipient over a network, namely the internet
A system and method for delivering geographically restricted content, including but not limited to over-air broadcast programming, to a recipient over a computer network, namely the Internet. The content is only delivered over the computer network if the recipient's computer or network device requesting the content over the network is verified to be located in the geographically restricted area. A conventional tuner is employed by the recipient's computer to receive one or more over-air signals having a broadcast range deemed to be synonymous with the geographically restricted area for the requested content. If the tuner is able to receive such over-air signal(s), the requested content is delivered over the network to the recipient's computer. This is because the recipient is known to be physically located in the geographically restricted area by the ability of the tuner to receive the over-air signal(s). |
| US08346229B2 |
Scheduling and delivering ad meetings
A system and method for scheduling advertisement viewing sessions (“ad meetings”) and delivering those advertisements to a willing user. An ad meeting is scheduled by a user by creating and storing an ad meeting calendar item and sending a notification to an advertising agent. The advertising agent may select advertisements to send to the user based on the user's specified preferences, location, the time of the meeting, the time of the shopping trip, and/or other criteria. Alternatively, the advertising agent may invite users to an ad meeting by sending an invitation containing an ad meeting calendar item, or alternatively a user may share advertisements with other users by forwarding advertisements or inviting other users to an ad meeting. As an incentive to view advertisements, the user may have credits applied to their communications service provider account based on their advertisement viewing and sharing activity. |
| US08346228B2 |
System and method for providing interactive services using a mobile device
A method of and system for providing interactive services to a mobile device, comprising transmitting programming on-air to a first mobile device by a first facility in communication with a service provider and receiving by a second facility in communication with the service provider information based on the programming, wherein the first information comprises information relayed from the first device to the second facility after being processed by a second mobile device, is provided. |
| US08346225B2 |
Quality of service for device assisted services
Quality of Service (QoS) for Device Assisted Services (DAS) are provided. In some embodiments, QoS for DAS includes providing a wireless communications device configures to determine a QoS request for a service over a wireless network; and verifying the QoS request for the service over the wireless network using one or more verification techniques. |
| US08346224B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating a rating system for mobile subscribers based on wireless subscriber specific credentials
An improved system and method for rating subscribers based on wireless subscriber specific credentials. A wireless network operator, or a content/application provider assigns to a subscriber a unique username. For purposes of providing rating or feedback information, the assigned username acts uniquely to identify the subscriber, whose actual identity therefore remains anonymous. The subscriber uses his or her mobile phone to access a mobile telephony network. Evaluators may offer feedback or ratings of the subscriber using the internet. |
| US08346222B2 |
Alternate voicemail deposit notification for roaming mobile devices
Systems and methods allow a roaming mobile device to communicate with a visual voicemail (VVM) system to inform the VVM system of its roaming status. The VVM system then suspends VVM service for the voicemail account associated with the roaming mobile device and instructs a notification server to notify the roaming mobile device if a voicemail message is deposited into a voicemail box associated with the voicemail account. |
| US08346219B1 |
Method and system for delivering calling party notifications
A method and system are provided for delivering calling party notifications. An artificial intelligence software application located on an Intelligence Rules Server is operable to infer why a first call to a mobile station is not connected and predict when a second call to a mobile station is likely to be connected. The application communicates the inference and the prediction to a voice messaging system. The voice messaging system delivers a message to a calling party based on the inference and/or the prediction. |
| US08346217B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatus for controlling access to mobile devices
Systems, apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture provide for controlling access to one or more functions of a mobile device, or other computing device, based on information about activities of a user. |
| US08346216B2 |
System, method, and computer-readable medium for abbreviated-code dialing in a network system
A system, method, and computer readable medium for abbreviated dialing in a femtocell network is provided. A user having authorized access to the femtocell network may dial another authorized user using an abbreviated code. On receipt of the call request, a femtocell system may evaluate the destination number to determine if it is an abbreviated code. If the dialed number is not an abbreviated code, the femtocell system may direct the call request to the telecommunication core network for processing thereby. If the dialed number is evaluated by the femtocell system as an abbreviated code, the femtocell system may direct the call request to an on-site PBX for call handling. If the abbreviated code is a valid code and the dialed user equipment is currently in the femtocell network service area, the PBX may then complete the call setup within the femtocell network. |
| US08346214B2 |
Self provisioning of wireless terminals in wireless networks
A method of acquiring telecommunications service is disclosed. The method comprises listening to a wireless signal from a wireless network and decoding a country code from the wireless signal. The method further comprises selecting a subscriber identity based at least in part on the country code of the wireless signal and acquiring wireless service from the wireless network. |
| US08346209B2 |
Remote meter reading using the existing mobile network
A system and method remotely monitor a plurality of meters in a non-wireless service network using a wireless system transmitting short message service messages separate from the non-wireless service network. The system includes a query computer for generating a query message including a command to a selected meter of the plurality of meters, for processing a reply message from the selected meter, with the reply message including a response to the command from the selected meter, and for storing the response in a memory; and a wireless telecommunications network for transmitting completely wirelessly the query message and for transmitting the reply message completely wirelessly from the selected meter to the query computer, for remotely and wirelessly monitoring at least the selected meter in the non-wireless service network. The response in the reply message includes data in a SMS message in a Global System for Mobile Communications format. |
| US08346207B2 |
Fault location and control system for distribution lines
A location and control system automatically locates, identifies, and corrects faults on a distribution system. The fault location and control system includes a central computer connected at one end of the distribution network and one casing installed at various locations along the distribution network. Each casing encloses a radio transceiver, plus an amplitude modulation detector connected to the radio transceiver. Each casing is installed at a predetermined distance from each other. When a fault is produced in the distribution line, each of the amplitude modulation detectors adjacent to a place where the fault is produced emits a signal that is detected by the central computer. The central computer detects and compares the location of the place where the fault is produced by comparing the time of arrival of the signals. The central computer may then automatically or manually disconnect any part of the distribution network in order to extinguish the fault arc. |
| US08346203B2 |
Power management techniques for buffering and playback of audio broadcast data
Various techniques that relate to prolonging the battery life on a portable electronic device during the buffering and playback of audio broadcast data are provided. In accordance with disclosed embodiments, upon detecting a low power state, the device may implement one or more low power actions, including starting, continuing, or stopping one or more audio broadcast functions, such as buffering or playing back audio broadcast data, to reduce overall power consumption, and thus prolong battery life. In one embodiment, a user may specify one or more low power actions that are to be implemented during a low power state by configuring user settings stored on the device. In another embodiment, the device, upon detecting a low power state, may prompt the user to make a selection from a listing of selectable low power action options and perform the selected low power action. |
| US08346198B2 |
Low noise amplifier for a radio receiver
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an amplifier having a transistor stage coupled between a supply voltage and a bias current. The transistor stage has an input to receive a radio frequency (RF) input signal obtained from an antenna. The amplifier has an input impedance that is unmatched to a source impedance of the antenna. In some embodiments, this unmatched input impedance may be substantially greater than the source impedance, and may further be controlled based on a strength of the RF input signal. |
| US08346197B2 |
Method of dynamically compensating a relative movement of a communicating entity
A method of dynamically compensating a movement of a source communicating entity relative to a destination communicating entity comprising a set of destination antennas, an antenna data signal transmitted by a source antenna of the source communicating entity being pre-equalized by time reversing an estimated propagation channel between said source antenna and a reference destination antenna at a current time, the method comprising the iterative steps of the destination communicating entity estimating a current focus, estimating movement of the current focus, and selecting, for the next time period, a reference destination antenna for estimating the propagation channel and a target destination antenna for receiving said data signal. |
| US08346196B2 |
Method and system for coexistence in a multiband, multistandard communication system utilizing a plurality of phase locked loops
Methods and systems for coexistence in a multiband, multistandard communication system utilizing a plurality of phase locked loops (PLLs) are disclosed. Aspects may include determining one or more desired frequencies of operation of a transceiver, determining a frequency of unwanted signals such as spurs, intermodulation, and/or mixing product signals, and configuring the PLLs to operate at a multiple of the desired frequencies while avoiding the unwanted signals. The desired frequencies may be generated utilizing integer, which may include multi-modulus dividers. The wireless standards may include LTE, GSM, EDGE, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, and/or WCDMA, for example. The frequencies may be configured to mitigate interference. PLLs may be shared when operating in TDD mode, and used separately operating in FDD mode. One or more digital interface signals, zero exceptions on a transmitter spur emission mask, and sampling clocks for ADCs and/or DACs in the transceiver may be generated utilizing the PLLs. |
| US08346189B2 |
Power amplifier architectures
Implementations and examples of power amplifier devices, systems and techniques for amplifying RF signals, including power amplifier systems based on Composite Right and Left Handed (CRLH) metamaterial (MTM) structures. |
| US08346180B2 |
Transceiver
A transceiver includes an oscillator and a plurality of communication blocks. Each of the communication blocks includes frequency dividers and mixers. Frequency dividing number of the frequency divider included in one communication block is set to an even-numbered integer, and transmission local signals supplied from the frequency dividers to the mixer become quadrature signals having a phase difference of 90 degrees. The frequency dividing number of another frequency divider in the another communication block is set to a non-integer, and communication local signals supplied from the frequency divider to the mixers become non-quadrature signals having a phase difference at a predetermined offset angle from 90 degrees. The transceiver further includes a converting unit for giving a compensation offset amount having almost the same absolute value and having a polarity opposite to that of the offset angle to communication analog signals related to the mixer of the another communication block. |
| US08346177B2 |
Methods and arrangements for memory-efficient estimation of noise floor
A method for noise rise estimation in a wireless communications system is presented, which comprises measuring of samples of at least received total wideband power. From the measured samples of at least received total wideband power, a probability distribution for a first power quantity is estimated. This first power quantity can be the received total wideband power itself. The probability distribution for the first power quantity is used for computing a conditional probability distribution of a noise floor measure. This computing is performed recursively. A value of a noise rise measure is finally calculated based on the conditional probability distribution for the noise floor measure. A node of a wireless communications system having the above functionality is also presented. Typically, the node is a RNC. |
| US08346175B2 |
Wireless signal detection using a transformed lattice boundary
In at least some embodiments, a wireless communication system includes a transmitter that transmits a signal over a communication channel. The system also includes a receiver that receives the signal as an output of the communication channel. The receiver establishes a boundary for a transformed lattice and eliminates candidates outside the established boundary. |
| US08346171B1 |
Reducing interference between wireless networks
Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with reducing interference between wireless networks are described. In one embodiment, a method negotiates wirelessly between a first device and a second device for a quiet interval. The first device and the second device communicate wirelessly via a first network according to a first wireless protocol. The first and second devices are within a wireless area of a second network that communicates with a second wireless protocol. The method controls wireless transmission of data from at least one device on the first network by prohibiting transmissions during the quiet interval. Prohibiting transmissions during the quiet interval creates a reduced interference time period for wireless communications from the second network. |
| US08346170B2 |
Method and apparatus for communicating push-to-talk state to a communication device
Apparatus, which has a multilayer protocol stack for processing incoming messages, determines PTT state from messages received from a peripheral over a wireless serial communication channel. The apparatus: receives (902), from the peripheral, a sequence of messages comprising a plurality of data messages (e.g., RFCOMM messages), wherein each of the data messages provides an indication of a PTT state for the apparatus, and wherein the sequence of data messages is received over a short range wireless data path for exchanging priority data that comprises a wireless serial communication channel and that is different from a short range wireless data path for exchanging non-priority data. A pattern detector in the apparatus performs (904) a pattern matching process, within the first two layers of the multilayer protocol stack, to determine the PTT state indicated by each of the data messages and sets (906) the apparatus to have the determined PTT states. |
| US08346169B2 |
Enhanced wireless handset, including direct handset-to-handset communication mode
A wireless handset is provided with enhanced features and capabilities. The wireless handset may be embodied as a full-featured handset that is capable of operating either within a wireless network (such as a cellular or PCS network) or in a direct handset-to-handset communication mode that is independent of the wireless network. Alternatively, the wireless handset may be embodied as a special purpose handset, that is capable of simply operating in a direct handset-to-handset communication mode. The wireless handset may additionally include features for supporting and enhancing direct communication between handsets. Such features may include a find feature that permits a user to determine which objects, including other wireless handset users, are located within a predetermined operating range of the wireless handset. A memorize feature may also be provided to permit handsets and other objects exchange information by wireless transmission. |
| US08346164B2 |
Underwater communication 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. |
| US08346160B2 |
System and method for detecting and measuring uplink traffic in signal repeating systems
A signal repeating system for a wireless network includes an antenna configured for transceiving signals between a base station and a user equipment device. Repeating circuitry is coupled to the antenna and defines an uplink path for signals from the user equipment device to the base station and a downlink path for signals from the base station to the user equipment device. The repeating circuitry includes gain circuitry and gain control circuitry that is coupled to the gain circuitry. The gain control circuitry is operable for varying the gain of the repeating circuitry according to a waveform. Measurement circuitry measures the receive power in the uplink path over time from the user equipment device. Processing circuitry cross-correlates the inverted gain variation waveform with the measured receive power for determining the existence of traffic from user equipment devices in the uplink path. |
| US08346159B2 |
Configuration of base station repeater
Configuring a cellular telecommunications network base station repeater for use at a particular location includes performing data collection activity at the location to obtain an indication of the transmit frequency of a nearby base station of the cellular telecommunications network. The repeater is then set to amplify received signals at that frequency. By only amplifying this particular frequency, the repeater can provide cellular telecommunications coverage at a location (for example a basement) where coverage might not otherwise be available by amplifying only the relevant frequency. This is in contrast to amplifying indiscriminately a wide range of frequencies, which can interfere with other radio transmissions. |
| US08346158B2 |
Repeater system for strong signal environments
A repeater system combines co-located antennas, an intentional imbalance in signal amplification between downlink and uplink, stability management and an amplification indicator to create a user-installed solution to co-channel interference within cellular systems, in strong signal environments such as elevated locations or high-rise building. The invention may be particularly relevant to cellular systems, such as CDMA, that allow limited imbalance between uplink and downlink path losses, thus enabling the design of an inexpensive repeater with a weaker or non-existent uplink, and which creates moderate signal amplification for selected line-of-sight signals, defeating co-channel interference over a small area. The difference in signal amplification on the downlink and uplink is maintained at a level below the capacity of the system to support imbalance, guaranteeing reliable cellular calls. |
| US08346156B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a bookbinding apparatus attachable thereto wherein a heater of the bookbinding apparatus is controlled based on a detection result of a temperature detection section and an input section
A bookbinding apparatus, which is capable of being attached to an image forming apparatus, and bookbinding by adhering a cover sheet onto a spine of a sheet bundle formed by a plurality of sheets on each of which an image has been formed by the image forming apparatus, the bookbinding apparatus including: a coating section for coating adhesive onto the spine of the sheet bundle; a heater for heating the adhesive; a temperature detection section for detecting temperature of the adhesive; an input section for receiving input from a user; and a heater control section for controlling the heater based on a detection result of the temperature detection section based on the input from the input section so that temperature of the adhesive becomes a predetermined control temperature, and changing a control condition of the heater. |
| US08346153B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including an image carrier carrying a developer image to form an image by transferring the developer image onto a recording sheet at an image forming position, a recording sheet accommodating unit, a feeding path, a conveyance roller provided in the feeding path for conveying the recording sheet to the image forming position, a discharge path that guides the recording sheet to an outside, a discharge roller being rotatable normally and reversely and discharging the recording sheet to the outside by rotating normally, and a reverse feeding path, by which the recording sheet is guided when the discharge roller reversely rotates, and which reverses the recording sheet so as to guide the recording sheet to be joined again with the feeding path. The reverse feeding path is joined with the feeding path between the image carrier and the conveyance roller. |
| US08346151B2 |
Image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming sections and a plurality of discharging pipes
An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of image forming sections respectively including developing portions and first removing portions as defined herein; a plurality discharging pipes as defined herein; and a delivery pipe as defined herein, the delivery pipe includes a changing portion in which a direction of delivering the coloring materials is changed to an upper side, and, among the discharging pipes, a discharging pipe that is downward extended from one of the first removing portions that is placed on a most downstream side in the oblique direction is disposed downstream from the changing portion of the delivery pipe in the delivering direction, and has a length shorter than lengths of the other discharging pipes. |
| US08346149B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A fixing device includes a first member and a second member. The first member extends along a first longitudinal axis, and has a first elastic layer whose thickness varies along the first longitudinal axis to define at least one first convex portion and at least one first concave portion. The second member extends along a second longitudinal axis parallel to the first longitudinal axis, and has a second elastic layer whose thickness varies along the second longitudinal axis to define at least one second convex portion and at least one second concave portion. At least one of the first and second members is heated, and at least one of the first and second members is pressed against the other, with the first convex portion engaging the second concave portion and the first concave portion engaging the second convex portion, to define a fixing nip therebetween. |
| US08346148B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device thermally fixes an unfixed image on a recording sheet by passing the recording sheet through a fixing nip. The fixing device has: a heat-generating endless belt; a first pressure member inside a running path of the endless belt; a second pressure member pressing the endless belt against the first pressure member from outside the running path to form the fixing nip, and a pair of power feeders. The endless belt includes: a circumferential resistive heat layer that generates heat upon receiving electric current; and a first electrode and a second electrode flanking a sheet passing area of the circumferential surface of the endless belt. Each electrode is composed of a pair of electrode layers, one on the inner and another on the outer circumferential surface of the resistive heat layer. Each power feeder is in contact with both the electrode layers of a different electrode. |
| US08346133B2 |
Image-forming device having mechanism for separating developing rollers from photosensitive drums
A laser printer includes a contact/separation mechanism that linearly moves developing cartridges between contact positions where the developing cartridges contact corresponding photosensitive drums and separating positions where the developing cartridges separate from the photosensitive drums. The contact/separation mechanism includes a pair of contact/separation members and a synchronous moving mechanism. The contact/separation members are disposed one on one side of the developing cartridges and another on another side of the developing cartridges. The synchronous moving mechanism is for linearly moving the contact/separation members in synchronization with each other. |
| US08346130B2 |
Image forming apparatus and a method of cleaning photosensitive drum surface
An image forming apparatus is configured to execute the steps including: a step of controlling a photosensitive drum and a developing roller such that the developing roller rotates in a predetermined direction and the photosensitive drum rotates in a reverse direction; and a step of controlling the photosensitive drum and the developing roller such that the developing roller stops and the photosensitive drum rotates in the reverse direction, so as to reduce toner filming. |
| US08346129B2 |
Image forming device having a mechanism for driving a fixing roller
An image forming device, configured to form an image on a sheet in an electrophotographic method, includes a fixing roller thermally fixing a developer image on the sheet, a driving unit generating a driving force, a first rotating body configured to be driven by the driving force and rotate the fixing roller, a clutch mechanism provided on a power transmission route to transmit the driving force from the driving unit to the first rotating body, the clutch mechanism switching between a state to transmit the driving force to the first rotating body and a state to block transmission of the driving force to the first rotating body, a second rotating body provided at a downstream side relative to the clutch mechanism on the power transmission route so as to rotate in conjunction with the first rotating body, a detecting unit detecting whether the second rotating body is rotating. |
| US08346127B2 |
Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge comprises a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. A coupling member is provided adjacent to one axial end of the developing roller. The coupling member includes a driven portion, and an intermediary portion configured and positioned to engage with the driven portion. The intermediary portion is also configured to be movable relative to the driven portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the driven portion. The coupling member further includes a driving portion configured and positioned to receive a driving force for rotating the developing roller. The driving portion is also configured to engage with the intermediary portion, and to be movable relative to the intermediary portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the intermediary portion. |
| US08346126B2 |
Image forming apparatus and developing cartridge
An image forming apparatus includes a drum unit which holds plural photosensitive drums, a developing cartridge which is provided for each photosensitive drum, a translation member which is provided to be movable linearly, and a movable member for each developing cartridge. The movable member includes a main body rotatably supported by the supporting shaft at one end portion thereof, an input portion provided at the other end portion thereof and to which a pressing force is input by the translation member with the linear movement thereof; an abutting portion which is provided between the one and other end portions of the main body, and abuts the drum unit while the movable member rotates about the supporting shaft; and an operating portion which applies to the supporting shaft a force for moving the developing cartridge as the movable member is rotated with the middle portion as a fulcrum. |
| US08346125B2 |
Process cartridge and developing cartridge
A process cartridge includes a photosensitive cartridge that has a photosensitive drum and a developing cartridge that is detachably mounted on the photosensitive cartridge. The developing cartridge includes a developing roller, an input gear, and a transmission gear. The developing gear supplies toner to the photosensitive drum. The input gear includes a contact portion that is in contact with a coupling member to receive the driving force and a gear portion. The input gear rotates about a rotational axis defining an axial direction when the contact portion receives the driving force. The transmission gear is meshingly engaged with the gear portion to transmit the driving force from the input gear to the developing roller. The gear portion has a pitch circle defined by being meshingly engaged with the transmission gear. The pitch circle of the gear portion is arranged to overlap with the contact portion in the axial direction of the input gear. |
| US08346124B2 |
Image-forming device and process cartridge configured to be installed in and removed therefrom
An image forming device includes a casing having a guide and a drawer configured to be movable between an inner position in which the drawer is located at an inner side of the casing and an outer position in which the drawer is located at an outer side of the casing. The drawer may include a plurality of photosensitive drums and a support disposed closer to a rear edge of the drawer than a front edge of the drawer. The guide may include a main guiding surface and one or more inclined surfaces. An engagement of the support with the one or more inclined surfaces of the guide regulates movement of the drawer upward or downward during movement of the drawer between the inner position and the outer position. |
| US08346122B2 |
Image forming device including lock member that locks cover member with respect to casing
An image forming device includes a casing, a cover member pivotable with respect to the casing between an open position and a closed position, a lock member that selectively locks and unlocks the cover member in the closed position, and a knob movable from an original position toward the open position of the cover member. The lock member is moved to an unlocking position as the knob is moved from the original position toward the open position. |
| US08346121B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming structure
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming apparatus main body; and an image forming structure attached to and removed from the image forming apparatus main body. In a state where the image forming structure is attached in the image forming apparatus main body, a concave part is formed in a position opposite to another concave part formed in an adjacent image forming structure. |
| US08346120B2 |
Image forming apparatus that includes a medium conveyance unit, an image recording unit, and recording unit support portions
An image forming apparatus includes: a medium conveyance unit; an image recording unit; and recording unit support portions. The image recording unit is supported by the medium conveyance unit in an undetachable manner for a user who uses the image forming apparatus. The recording unit support portions have a first support portion and a second support portion which are disposed in the image recording unit on a side of an outlet and are spaced from each other in a width direction of a medium conveyed, and a third support portion which is disposed in the image recording unit on an opposite side to the outlet. At least the first support portion and the second support portion are supported on the side of the outlet of the medium conveyance unit. |
| US08346116B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a charging member; a blast port that is provided in almost parallel with a longitudinal direction of the charging member; an air inlet that is provided on one of end sides in the longitudinal direction of the charging member; and a guiding passage that guides, to the blast port, the outside air taken in through the air inlet. A first guiding member is provided in the closest position to an air inlet side of the guiding passage. A second guiding member is provided in almost parallel with the longitudinal direction of the charging member in the guiding passage. A third guiding member is provided on the blast port side from the second guiding member in almost parallel with the longitudinal direction of the charging member in the guiding passage. |
| US08346114B2 |
Image forming apparatus and high voltage output power source
A power source includes a voltage setting unit configured to set an output voltage, a voltage generation unit configured to output the set voltage to a load, a feedback unit configured to detect the output voltage and feed back the detected voltage to the voltage setting unit, a current detection unit configured to detect a current value which is a sum of a current value flowing in the feedback unit and a current value flowing in the load when the set voltage is output to the load, and a control unit configured to switch between a constant current control which controls the set voltage so that the detected current value becomes a constant current, and a constant voltage control which controls the set voltage so that the voltage output to the load becomes a constant voltage based on the voltage value that is fed back by the feedback unit. |
| US08346113B2 |
Image forming apparatus including a cleaning member having a bias voltage
An image forming apparatus comprises: a rotatable image carrier operable to carry a toner image on a surface thereof; a transfer part operable to electrostatically transfer the toner image carried on the surface of the image carrier, onto a transfer material; a cleaning member that is in contact with the surface of the image carrier and that is operable to clean toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after transfer by the transfer part; and a voltage supplier operable to apply, to the cleaning member, a bias voltage that is for cleaning the surface of the image carrier and that has a polarity opposite to a normal charging polarity of the toner. Here, application of the bias voltage by the voltage supplier starts before rotation of the image carrier starts, and when Vr>0, 0 |
| US08346107B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit to form an image, a user switch unit to output a user operation signal to switch between a power-on state and a power-off state of the image forming apparatus, a main controller to control the image forming unit and to output a power control signal based on the user operation signal, a power switching unit to selectively supply operation power to the main controller based on the user operation signal and the power control signal, and an auxiliary controller to control the power switching unit such that the operation power is not supplied to the main controller when the power control signal is changed in a power-off state. |
| US08346106B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus using same having a second heater outside the recording medium passing area
A fixing device includes a fixing member including a recording medium passing area inside thereof through which the recording medium passes, a first heater disposed in the fixing member to heat the fixing member, a first pressing member disposed opposite the fixing member to press against and rotate the fixing member to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording medium, a second heater disposed outside the recording medium passing area and inside the fixing member to heat the fixing member cyclically in a given cycle of heating, a temperature detector to detect a change in the temperature of the fixing member when the fixing member is cyclically heated by the second heater, and a determination unit to evaluate a condition of rotation of the fixing member based on the cycle of heating by the second heater and the cycle of change in the temperature detected by the temperature detector. |
| US08346099B2 |
Optical reception device and optical reception method
The present invention converts each of the optical differential signals from DPSK demodulator from an optical signal into an electrical signal by using optical-electrical signal converters. Thereafter, each electrical signal is subjected to amplification adjustment at an appropriate amplification factor by variable amplifier, and an appropriate delay amount is added to each electrical signal by variable delay line, and thereafter data discrimination is performed by discriminator. Since two differential signals after DPSK demodulation are subjected to amplitude and delay adjustments, the need for optical parts is obviated enabling the use of electric circuits which can be integrated. Thus, the cost of the optical reception device will be reduced. Moreover, the since electric signals whose phases and amplitudes are equalized are inputted to discriminator, erroneous determination of data at discriminator will be reduced. |
| US08346097B1 |
Light source for a passive optical network
A method comprises: receiving an RF signal; providing an RF signal level; setting a DC optical power level at one of at least two levels depending on whether the RF signal level is above or below an RF threshold; and modulating with the RF signal optical output power about the DC optical power level. An apparatus comprises: a light source; an RF detector arranged to receive the RF signal and to provide the RF signal level; an optical power control circuit coupled to the RF detector and to the light source that includes a comparator and is arranged to set the DC optical power level according to the RF signal level; and an optical modulator coupled to the light source and arranged to receive the RF signal and to modulate therewith optical output power about the DC set point. |
| US08346094B2 |
Optical transmission system and electronic device using the same
A light transmission system has a light transmission module having a light transmission path that transmits a data signal as an optical signal, wherein the light transmission module converts the optical signal transmitted through the light transmission path to an electrical signal and outputs the converted optical signal as a binarization signal, an electrical transmission path that outputs a clock signal as a binarization signal, a reception processing unit that performs a reception process on each of the data signal and the clock signal, and a first delay unit that delays a rise start time of the clock signal with respect to a rise start time of the data signal for the binarization signal. A delay amount of the clock signal by the first delay unit is a time less than or equal to a maximum value of a data dependency jitter (DDJ). |
| US08346093B2 |
Receiver of multimedia data
Disclosed is a multimedia data receiver using an optical cable that can receive multimedia data such as an image, voice and control signal whose media are different from each other through an optical transmission medium such as plastic or glass optical cables in a short or long distance area. The multimedia data receiver includes: an optical driver, amplifying a received signal of a single transmission format that is optical-to-electrical converted by an optical module connected to an optical cable, converting a serial data for transmission into an analog signal, performing optical transmission through the optical module; an interface control logic, extracting a control signal from the signal received through the optical driver, interfacing control data; and a digital signal processing logic, converting the signal received through the optical driver into data of the original transmission format through converting the signal into a digital signal and decoding the digital signal, deserializing a serial image data, transmitting the data to a display device connected thereto. |
| US08346091B2 |
Distributed antenna system for wireless network systems
A distributed antenna system is provided for communicating with a plurality of base stations. The distributed antenna system includes a system controller and a master unit communicating with at least one of the plurality of base stations. A remote unit communicates over a high data rate media with the master unit and/or a downstream remote unit. Alternatively, the distributed antenna system includes a controller and a digital time/space crosspoint switch controlled by the controller. A digitizing transceiver is in communication with the digital time/space crosspoint switch. The crosspoint switch is configured to transmit and receive digital data through the digitizing transceiver. |
| US08346090B2 |
Infrared communication system, movable object, supply facility, and method for infrared communication in the same
A supply facility supplies fluid to a movable object through a feed pipe connected with a connection port of the movable object. A feed connector of the feed pipe is rotatable around its axis when the feed pipe is connected with the connection port. At least one of the feed pipe of the supply facility and the movable object has multiple infrared communication elements. When the feed connector of the feed pipe is connected with the connection port of the movable object, at least one of the infrared communication elements is communicable with an infrared communication device on the other side via an infrared communication, regardless of the rotation phase. |
| US08346087B2 |
Wavelength-division multiplexing for use in multi-chip systems
Embodiments of a system that includes an array of chip modules (CMs) is described. In this system, a given CM in the array includes a semiconductor die that is configured to communicate data signals with one or more adjacent CMs through electromagnetic proximity communication using proximity connectors. Note that the proximity connectors are proximate to a surface of the semiconductor die. Moreover, the given CM is configured to communicate optical signals with other CMs through an optical signal path using optical communication, and the optical signals are encoded using wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM). |
| US08346084B2 |
Optical device with stable optical configuration
An optical device for a wavelength division multiplexing system has a telecentric lens system and a signal-processing optical element, where the signal-processing optical element performs switching, attenuation, or other optical signal processing for the optical device. The telecentric lens system acts as a self-compensating optical system to minimize sensitivity of the optical device to unwanted displacement of an input image from the optical axis of the optical device. The optical device may include multiple telecentric lens systems, in which case the optical device is also less sensitive to precise alignment between the telecentric lens systems. |
| US08346082B2 |
Method of saving power in optical access network
According to a method of reducing power in an optical access network, upon the application of power, an optical network terminal (ONT) operates normally in an activation mode. The ONT then determines whether the requirements for switching from activation mode to power-saving mode are satisfied. If the requirements are satisfied, the ONT transmits a sleep signal to an optical line terminal (OLT), which is a message notifying that the ONT will soon switch to power-saving mode. Thereafter, the ONT switches to power-saving mode and cuts off power for all functions except for power for monitoring and controlling external inputs. The ONT then determines whether the requirements for switching from power-saving mode to activation mode are satisfied. If the requirements are satisfied, the ONT transmits a wake-up signal to the OLT and switches to the activation mode for normal operation. |
| US08346081B2 |
Smart RF over glass (RFoG) CPE unit with seamless PON upgrade capability
Methods and apparatus are described for “Smart” RF over Glass (RFoG) CPE Unit with Seamless PON Upgrade Capability. A method includes operating a customer premises equipment device including transporting upstream cable return services with a laser; and switching a drive source for the upstream laser from an analog driver to a digital driver by using a managed electrical switch to reuse a wavelength of the laser. An apparatus includes a customer premises equipment device including a laser for transporting upstream cable return services; and a managed electrical switch coupled to the laser that is used to switch a drive source for the upstream laser to reuse a wavelength of the laser. |
| US08346080B2 |
Optical network system and memory access method
A system and method for handling accesses by nodes connected to a ring network, using time division multiplexing (TDM). The system includes: nodes capable of receiving only an optical signal of a wavelength or positional space allocated to the node, and of transmitting optical signals of wavelengths allocated to other nodes; and a ring network that performs TDM transmission of optical signals. The ring network has slots for transmitting optical signals of individual wavelengths. Information indicates whether an optical signal to be transmitted exists in each of the slots. Nodes include means for updating the information indicating that the optical signal exists and determining means for updating the information and determining, on the basis of the information, whether to transmit the optical signal. |
| US08346079B2 |
Path computation element protocol (PCEP) operations to support wavelength switched optical network routing, wavelength assignment, and impairment validation
An apparatus comprising a path computation element (PCE) configured for at least partial impairment aware routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) and to communicate with a path computation client (PCC) based on a PCE protocol (PCEP) that supports path routing, wavelength assignment (WA), and impairment validation (IV). The PCEP comprises at least one operation selected from the group consisting of a new RWA path request operation and a path re-optimization request operation. Also disclosed is a network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising establishing a PCEP session with a PCC, receiving path computation information comprising RWA information and constraints from the PCC, and establishing impairment aware RWA (IA-RWA) based on the path computation information and a private impairment information for a vendor's equipment. |
| US08346078B2 |
Optical network equipment and optical network
A position in which an optical signal characteristic is compensated in an optical network can be chosen. An optical network equipment measures an optical signal characteristic for each wavelength, and notifies an optical network equipment on a communication path of an optical signal characteristic index and control necessity determination threshold. In an upstream portion of the communication path, the optical network equipment (a start point or the like of the communication path) that can compensate the optical signal characteristic for each wavelength determines the necessity to eliminate a deviation between wavelengths and the position to eliminate it, using the optical signal characteristic index and the control necessity determination threshold. The equipment determines a compensator to be controlled, and a compensation amount, based on the result, and commands an optical network equipment including the compensator to control the compensator, using a communication path establishment control protocol such as GMPLS-extended RSVP-TE. |
| US08346074B2 |
Autofocus camera systems and methods
In an example embodiment, a method for focusing a miniature camera includes applying a signal to an actuator in the camera, moving a MEMS stage movably supported by one or more flexures in response to the application of the signal, moving a lens in response to the moving of the MEMS stage, and limiting movement of the MEMS stage to substantially one degree of freedom corresponding to an optical axis of the lens. |
| US08346070B2 |
Device for supporting a camera in a helicopter
A device for supporting a camera to facilitate capturing stable images from a moving and vibrating platform, such as a helicopter includes a base plate and a vertical post attached to the base plate and extending upwardly from the base plate. A swing arm is fixed to the top of the vertical post in a manner that allows the swing arm to pivot around a vertical axis of the vertical post. A handle is attached to the swing arm and extends upwardly from the swing arm Suspended from the handle below the swing arm is a fixture for supporting the camera. The fixture supporting the camera includes that reduce the transmission of vibrations and shocks to the camera. The device for supporting a camera can be secured in place inside a helicopter without altering the structural integrity of the helicopter. |
| US08346067B2 |
System and method for distributed trick play resolution using user preferences
A media system and method for distributed trick play resolution using user preferences. The method of distributed trick play resolution in a distributed media group network, includes: determining trick play preferences at each of a plurality of peer nodes in the distributed media group network with respect to a media item; and resolving conflicting trick play preferences between the peer nodes based on the determined trick play preferences. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08346066B2 |
Moving image reproducing apparatus and moving image shooting apparatus
An image pick-up apparatus is provided, which is provided with a recording medium, a image processing unit, a display, and a controlling unit. The recording medium stores plural continuous image frames of one scene. The image processing unit adds and combines a predetermined number of image frames among the plural image frames stored in the recording medium to successively produce image frames H for reproduction. The display switches the image frames for reproduction at a reproducing frame rate to reproduce a moving image. The controlling unit sets the number of image frames to be added and combined by the image processing unit in accordance with a reproducing speed of the moving image, whereby the moving image is reproduced with noises reduced at various reproducing speeds. |
| US08346063B2 |
Recording device and method of operation
An exemplary method of operating a recording device comprises acquiring a title of a recorded program when a recording operation begins. The exemplary method further comprises determining, at a first specific time period after a next-occurring hour of the clock or after a next-occurring half hour of the clock during the recording operation, whichever occurs first, whether the recording operation started within a second specific time period, the second specific time period being between the first specific time period and thirty minutes, storing as the title of the recorded program the title acquired when the recording operation began if the recording operation was not started within the second specific time period, and reacquiring the title of the recorded program if the recording operation was started within the second specific time period. |
| US08346050B2 |
Recording medium, method, and apparatus for reproducing text subtitle streams
A recording medium includes a data area storing at least one text subtitle stream, each text subtitle stream including a style segment defining a group of region styles and a plurality of presentation segments, at least one of the plurality of presentation segments containing first and second regions of text which are linked to first and second region styles selected from the group of region styles, respectively, wherein the first and second region styles define a same text flow. |
| US08346049B2 |
Captioned video playback apparatus and recording medium
Disclosed is a captioned video playback apparatus comprising a storage unit that stores a caption signal defining a plurality of caption lines and a video signal defining a plurality of video images in association with a playback timing; a caption select unit that selects one of the plurality of caption lines defined by the caption signal stored in the storage unit; a caption playback unit that plays back the caption line selected by the caption select unit; a video playback unit that plays back the video signal stored in the storage unit; and a mode changeover unit that changes between a caption view mode for playing back a caption line selected by the caption select unit and a video image corresponding to the caption line using the caption playback unit and the video playback unit, and a normal view mode for playing back a video image using the video playback unit. |
| US08346047B2 |
Fiber management component
A fiber management component includes a housing having an interior, a floor in the interior and a first wall having an aperture communicating with the interior. A platform is connected to the housing, which platform has a first portion with a bore that has a first end facing the aperture and a second portion forming a channel extending toward the bore. The channel is configured to releasably secure a spring push of a fiber optic connector to the platform and the bore is configured to slidably support a ferrule of a fiber optic connector. |
| US08346046B2 |
Release latch for pre-terminated cassette
A release latch for a pre-terminated cassette is described. The pre-terminated cassette includes a release latch to allow removal of the pre-terminated cassette from a patch panel, where the patch panel includes a retaining feature for retaining the pre-terminated cassette. The release latch includes a cantilever beam located on the sidewall of the pre-terminated cassette. The cantilever beam has a hinge point that allows the beam to deflect with respect to the sidewall. The release latch further includes a depressing tab provided at the distal end of the cantilever beam and a latch tab protruding from the surface of the cantilever beam between the hinge point and the depressing tab. The latch tab is capable of engagement with the retaining feature of the patch panel when the cassette is installed in the patch panel. |
| US08346040B2 |
Buffered optical fiber
A buffered optical fiber structure includes an optical fiber, a mechanical reinforcement member extending along the optical fiber, a protective sheath having a cavity containing the optical fiber and the mechanical reinforcement member, and an intermediate material contacting the protective sheath and surrounding the optical fiber and the mechanical reinforcement member. |
| US08346029B2 |
Highly rare-earth doped fiber
A multicomponent glass fiber having a doping concentration of 55%-85% (wt./wt.) of a rare-earth oxide is presented. The rare-earth oxide is selected from the group comprising: Pr2O3, Nd2O3, Pm2O3, Sm2O3, Eu2O3, Gd2O3, Tb2O3, Dy2O3, Ho2O3; Er2O3, Tm2O3, Yb2O3, La2O3, Ga2O3, Ce2O3, and Lu2O3. Additionally, an all-fiber isolator using highly rare-earth oxide doped fibers is disclosed. |
| US08346027B2 |
Electro-optic device
Provided is an electro-optic device. The electro-optic device includes an input Y-branch comprising a first input branch and a second input branch, an output Y-branch comprising a first output branch and a second output branch, a first optical modulator and a second optical modulator connected in series between the first input branch and the first output branch, and a third optical modulator connecting the second input branch to the second output branch. The first optical modulator comprises a PIN diode, and each of the second optical modulator and the third optical modulator comprises a PN diode. |
| US08346026B2 |
Photoelectric device using PN diode and silicon integrated circuit (IC) including the photoelectric device
Provided are a photoelectric device using a PN diode and a silicon integrated circuit (IC) including the photoelectric device. The photoelectric device includes: a substrate; and an optical waveguide formed as a PN diode on the substrate, wherein a junction interface of the PN diode is formed in a direction in which light advances; and an electrode applying a reverse voltage to the PN diode, wherein N-type and P-type semiconductors of the PN diode are doped at high concentrations and the doping concentration of the N-type semiconductor is higher than or equal to that of the P-type semiconductor. |
| US08346024B2 |
Method of initiating requested action via substrate printed with naphthalocyanine dye
A method of initiating a requested action in a computer system via a printed substrate. The substrate has human-readable information and machine-readable coded data printed thereon. The coded data is indicative of a substrate identity and of a plurality of locations on the substrate. The method comprises the steps of: (a) interacting with the substrate using an optically imaging sensing device; (b) imaging the coded data; (c) generating indicating data in the sensing device using the imaged coded data, the indicating data identifying the substrate identity and a position of the sensing device relative to the substrate; and communicating the indicating data to the computer system so that the computer system can initiate the requested action. The coded data is printed with an ink comprising an IR-absorbing naphthalocyanine dye. |
| US08346022B2 |
System and method for generating an intrinsic image using tone mapping and log chromaticity
In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing an image file depicting an image in an array of pixels, in a computer memory, performing a tone mapping method on the image, performing a log chromaticity method on the image and calculating a color value for each pixel as a function of information relevant to the tone mapping method and the log chromaticity method. |
| US08346018B2 |
Hot folder determining rotation angle of image
An image processing apparatus obtains registration information associated with an information processing apparatus at a transmission destination to which an image read by an image reader is to be transmitted. Based on the registration information, the image processing apparatus determines whether the information processing apparatus requires executing image rotation at the image processing apparatus. |
| US08346016B1 |
Large-scale image processing using mass parallelization techniques
Assets of raw geo-located imagery can be divided into tiles and coverage masks can be generated for each tile. For each tile, fragments of pixels from coverage masks of neighboring tiles can be extracted and tagged. The fragments can be sorted and stored in a data structure so that fragments having the same tag can be grouped together in the data structure. The fragments can be used to feather the coverage mask of the tile to produce a blend mask. Multi-resolution imagery and mask pyramids can be generated by extracting fragments from tiles and minified (e.g., down-sampled). The minified fragments can be tagged (e.g., by ancestor tile name), sorted and stored in a data structure, so that fragments having like tags can be stored together in the data structure. The fragments can be assembled into fully minified tiles for each level in the pyramid. Input tiles in a first projection are re-projected into a second projection using techniques that minimize distortion in the re-projected imagery. |
| US08346013B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
An image processing apparatus includes a defined binary image generating unit configured to generate a defined binary image associated with a level image, which is associated with an input image, the level image having pixel values of pixels represented using a first value, by regarding a pixel as a defined or undefined region pixel and setting the pixel to have a predetermined second or third value; and an estimated foreground color image generation unit configured to generate an estimated foreground color image associated with the input image, by setting the pixel values of the pixels regarded as the undefined region pixels in the defined binary image to pixel values of pixels in the input image corresponding to pixels for which distances each obtained from an integrated value of the amounts of change in continuity information are shortest from among the pixels that are regarded as the defined region pixels. |
| US08346010B2 |
Image processing device, imaging device, evaluation device, image processing method, and optical system evaluation method
An image processing device that can highly precisely correct an image with a degraded image quality due to the unnecessary diffracted light generated in the optical system including the diffractive optical element is provided. The image processing device includes an evaluation area setting unit (111) which detects a saturated pixel having a saturated luminance value, from among pixels included in the image and to set an area in the image including the detected saturated pixel as an evaluation area, a pixel count calculating unit (112) which calculates a pixel count for each of luminance values of pixels included in the set evaluation area, a first luminance value determining unit (113) which determines a first luminance value indicating a maximum luminance of an image of the unnecessary diffracted light, based on a transition of calculated pixel counts arranged in order of luminance value, a second luminance value determining unit (114) which determines a second luminance value which is a luminance value corresponding to a background of the image, and a correction unit (116) which corrects a luminance value of a pixel of luminance lower than luminance of the first luminance value and higher than luminance of the second luminance value from among the pixels included in the evaluation area so as to lower the luminance of the pixel. |
| US08346005B2 |
System and method for “Bokeh-Aji” shot detection and region of interest isolation
A “Bokeh-Aji” image is one in which the region of interest is in focus and the background is out of focus. Detection of “Bokeh-Aji” type images and then isolation to the region of interest area in a low complexity way without any human intervention is beneficial. A set of tools for performing this task include SAD and high pass filtering based in-focus/out-of-focus area separation, in-focus/out-of-focus block distribution based “Bokeh-Aji” shot detection and region of interest isolation. By effectively integrating these tools together, the “Bokeh-Aji” images are successfully identified, and the region of interest area is successfully isolated. |
| US08346003B2 |
Image processing for reducing blur
An image processing device for converting an input image into an output image whose blur is reduced. The image processing device includes a first image extracting section that extracts a plurality of pixels composed of a pixel of the input image corresponding to a pixel of interest in the output image and predetermined pixels surrounding the pixel of the input image. A first feature quantity calculating section calculates a first feature quantity from the plurality of pixels extracted by the first image extracting section. A second pixel extracting section extracts a plurality of pixels composed of the pixel of interest and predetermined pixels surrounding the pixel of interest from the input image. A predicting section then generates a pixel value of the pixel of interest. |
| US08346002B2 |
High dynamic range image hallucination
An apparatus and method provide for providing an output image from an input image. The input image may contain at least one portion that does not display certain desired information of the image, such as texture information. The desired information may be obtained from a second portion of the input image and applied to the at least one portion that does not contain the texture information or contains a diminished amount of the texture information. Also, at least one characteristic of the second portion of the input image may not be applied to the at least one portion such as illumination information. In another example, the input image may be decomposed into multiple parts such as a high frequency and a low frequency component. Each component may be hallucinated individually or independently and combined to form the output image. |
| US08345995B2 |
Image coding method and apparatus using spatial predictive coding of chrominance and image decoding method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for coding a chrominance component of an intra-image using spatial predictive coding and a method and apparatus for decoding the coded chrominance component are provided. The coding apparatus includes a variation calculator, which calculates a vertical variation and a horizontal variation with respect to a current block to be predictively coded among blocks having a predetermined size, into which a chrominance component of an input image is divided, using pixel values in an upper reference block adjacent to the current block and pixel values in a side reference block adjacent to the current block; a hybrid predictor, which divides the current block into a predetermined number of regions according to the vertical and horizontal variations and generates a prediction value of each pixel in each region using a pixel value in the upper reference block or a pixel value in the side reference block; a differential value generator, which generates a differential value between the prediction value and a corresponding real pixel value in the current block and codes the differential value using a predetermined coding method. |
| US08345994B2 |
Image data transmission
A method for transmitting image data sets via a communication network is provided. Image data are processed for dividing the image into a plurality of image sub regions and for determining for each of the plurality of the image sub regions a hash code in dependence upon pixel data of pixels located in the respective image sub region. The hash codes are transmitted together with location data of the respective image sub regions if the hash code exists in an associative dataset and the pixel data are transmitted together with location data of the respective image sub regions if the hash code does not exist in the associative dataset. Upon receipt of at least one of the hash codes and the pixel data together with the location data, image data are generated by performing at least one of: retrieving the pixel data from the associative dataset in dependence upon the received hash codes and placing the retrieved pixel data in the image in dependence upon the location data; and, placing the received pixel data in the image in dependence upon the location data. |
| US08345993B1 |
Electronic coding system for security of identification
A multi-level data encoding system is provided that is operable on a computer. The encoding system includes a data input device adapted to input a data set and store the data set in a database. The system further includes an encoder adapted to encode the data set and separate the encoded data set into two files, wherein each character of the data set comprises a unique electronic footprint. Additionally, the system includes a data field adapted to organize the encoded data set for proper decoding, a master file comprising one file of the encoded data set and an overlay file comprising the other file of the encoded data set. The system also includes a decoder adapted to align the overlay file onto the master file to decode the encoded data set. |
| US08345989B1 |
Illumination station for use in pharmaceutical identification system and methods therefor
A method of determining the identity of pharmaceutical tablets contained within a pharmaceutical vial includes the steps of: obtaining a first image of the vial as it is illuminated with colored light; obtaining a second image of the vial as it is illuminated with infrared radiation; processing the first and second images to obtain comprehensive image data; comparing the comprehensive image data to image data of a known pharmaceutical expected to be contained in the vial; and determining whether the pharmaceutical in the vial is the expected pharmaceutical based on the comparing step. The use of images obtained under both colored and IR illumination can assist in producing an accurate comprehensive image data. |
| US08345985B2 |
Electronic device and method for matching images
In an electronic device and method of matching an image A and an image B, grayscale centers of the image A and the image B are computed. The image A is divided into n equal parts Dk(k=1˜n) according to the grayscale center, and a grayscale density Vk of each part Dk is computed, to acquire n grayscale densities Vk(k=1˜n) which are regarded as feature data u of the image A. Feature data v of the image B is extracted in the similar way. A similarity of a grayscale density Vak selected from the feature data u and the grayscale density Vbk selected from the feature data V, is computed. Thus, n similarities are computed. A similarity β(n, u, v) of the image A and the image B is computed according to the n similarities. |
| US08345982B2 |
System and method for search portions of objects in images and features thereof
Embodiments enable searching of portions of objects in images, including programmatically analyzing each image in a collection in order to determine image data that, for individual images in the collection, represents one or more visual characteristics of a portion of an object shown in that image. A user is enabled to specify one or more search criteria that includes image data, and a search result may be determined based on one or more images in the collection that show a corresponding object that has a portion that satisfies a threshold. The threshold is defined at least in part by the one or more search criteria. |
| US08345979B2 |
Methods for finding and characterizing a deformed pattern in an image
A method is disclosed for finding a deformed pattern in an image using a plurality of sub-patterns. By advantageously restricting sub-pattern search ranges, search speed is improved, and the incidence of spurious matches is reduced. The method also quickly decides which sub-pattern result, of several potential candidates, is most likely to be the correct match for a deformed sub-pattern. Also, a method is provided for characterizing a deformed pattern in an image by using results from feature-based search tools to create a mapping that models the deformation of the pattern. A transform, selectable by a user, is fit to the results from the search tools to create a global deformation mapping. This transformation is fit only to feature points derived from matches resulting from successful sub-pattern search, without including data from areas of the pattern that were blank, not matched, or otherwise didn't contain information about the pattern's distorted location. |
| US08345961B2 |
Image stitching method and apparatus
The present invention relates to an image processing technology, and discloses an image stitching method and apparatus to solve the problem of severe ghosting of an image stitched in the prior art. In the embodiments of the present invention, the overlap region of two images is found, a depth image of the overlap region is obtained, and the two images are stitched together according to the depth image. In the stitching process, the 3-dimensional information of the images is obtained by using the depth image to deghost the image. The method and apparatus under the present invention are applicable to multi-scene videoconferences and the occasions of making wide-view images or videos. |
| US08345960B2 |
Method for the three-dimensional synthetic reconstruction of objects exposed to an electromagnetic and/or elastic wave
A method for synthetic reconstruction of objects includes: extracting criteria from a knowledge base; extracting, from sensed signals filtered by the criteria, weak signals; extracting, from the weak signals, weak signals of interest; removing noise from and amplifying the weak signals of interest and obtaining useful weak signals; identifying useful direct information, from useful weak signals filtered by the criteria and supplying optimum criteria; reconstructing, using the useful direct information, information of interest; reconstructing, using the information of interest, useful information and supplying optimum criteria; reconstructing, based on the useful information, three-dimensional information, supplying a recognition state file and supplying the optimum criteria; and updating the criteria with the optimum criteria. |
| US08345948B2 |
Automated turnout inspection
A method of inspecting a turnout of a track includes the steps of: capturing images of the components of the turnout; converting each image into a set of coordinates that traces the transverse cross-section of a rail profile; analyzing the rail profile to determine if the rail profile is a profile of arunning rail portion or a component. Upon determination that the image represents a component, taking measurements of the rail profile and applying virtual gauges to the rail profile to check for potentially dangerous conditions of the component; and generating a summary of each cross-section of the rail profile of the component indicating problem areas. The method is used for identifying certain classes of switch or turnout rail conditions which can lead to derailments, and for enhancing the turnout inspection approach currently used. The use of this method as an integrated part of the rail profile monitoring program will reduce reliance on field measurements and will also allow more frequent, comprehensive, and convenient analysis of turnout condition. |
| US08345946B2 |
Determining orientation of cilia in connective tissue
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for determining an orientation of a cilium relative to a characteristic of the shape of the cell from which the cilium projects. Three-dimensional microscopy data may be used to determine an orientation of a cilium relative to a specified axis, which is determined from a profile for each cell. Such orientation may be used to forecast alter, or otherwise study the growth process of chondrocytes. Results indicate that the shape of chondrocytes, the position of the ciliary basal body, the incidence of cilia, and the orientation of cilium, are not random through the growth plate. |
| US08345937B2 |
Image processing apparatus and control method for same
A person is detected as a subject from an image obtained by image capture, and information, for example, the number of such subjects, is obtained as subject-related information. Then, the greater the number of subjects, the more a setting of a condition that the subjects should satisfy is relaxed. As a result, in an image processing apparatus having a function that identifies a subject state, the usability of that function that identifies the subjects can be improved even in a case in which multiple subjects are present. |
| US08345935B2 |
Detecting behavioral deviations by measuring eye movements
Detecting behavioral deviations in members of a cohort group is provided. A member of a cohort group is identified. Each member of the cohort group shares a common characteristic. Ocular metadata associated with the member of the cohort group is generated in real-time. The ocular metadata describes movements of an eye of the member of the cohort group. The ocular metadata is analyzed to identify patterns of ocular movements. In response to the patterns of ocular movements indicating behavioral deviations in the member of the cohort group, the member of the cohort group is identified as a person of interest. A person of interest may be subjected to an increased level of monitoring and/or other security measures. |
| US08345934B2 |
Method for automatic storytelling for photo albums using social network context
A method for automatically selecting and organizing a subset of photos from a set of photos provided by a user, who has an account on at least one social network providing some context, for creating a summarized photo album with a storytelling structure. The method comprises: arranging the set of photos into a three level hierarchy, acts, scenes and shots; checking whether photos are photos with people or not; obtaining an aesthetic measure of the photos; creating and ranking face clusters; selecting the most aesthetic photo of each face cluster; selecting photos with people until complete a predefined number of photos of the summarized album picking the ones which optimize the function: Of(C,C*,S,CSN)=αfAf(S)−γfd(HCharacter(S)HCharacter(C∪CSN)−δfd(HAct(S),HAct(C*)); and then selecting non-people photos which minimize the following function Oa: Oa(C*,S)=d(HAct,(S),HAct(C*)); ordering all the selected photos in chronological order; and finally discarding all the photos which have not been selected. |
| US08345931B2 |
Biometric based authorization systems for electronic fund transfers
A money transfer authorization method that includes the step of providing transferor biometric information to a party verification processor that verifies an identity of the transferor by comparing the transferor biometric information with previously registered biometric information from the transferor, where the transferor provides transfer identity information to receive the money. The method also includes confirming that the verified transferor has sufficient funds or credit for the money transfer, and providing transferee biometric identification to the party verification processor that verifies the transferee by comparing the transferee biometric information with previously registered biometric information from the transferee. The transferee has to provide transfer identity information before the money is given to the transferee. |
| US08345929B2 |
Method for visualizing and comparing images or volumes of data of physical quantities
Method for visualizing and comparing two images or volumes of data of physical quantities or information referable to the same, recorded by means of suitable equipment, comprising the following steps: —defining which of the two quantities will be represented as color variations, and which as brightness variations; —defining a chromatic representation system based on three color coordinates, in which one coordinate represents the brightness and the other two coordinates represent appropriate color attributes; —applying a suitable transformation to the values of the physical quantities to be represented, so that the values of the physical quantities to be visualized are transformed from the original coordinates into the preselected chromatic coordinates; —transforming the values of the quantities to be visualized from the system of pre-selected coordinates into the chromatic coordinates typical of the pre-selected visualization system; —visualizing the image/volume containing the combination of the two quantities. |
| US08345925B2 |
Image processing device, object selection method and program
There is provided an image processing device including: a data storage unit that stores object identification data for identifying an object operable by a user and feature data indicating a feature of appearance of each object; an environment map storage unit that stores an environment map representing a position of one or more objects existing in a real space and generated based on an input image obtained by imaging the real space using an imaging device and the feature data stored in the data storage unit; and a selecting unit that selects at least one object recognized as being operable based on the object identification data, out of the objects included in the environment map stored in the environment map storage unit, as a candidate object being a possible operation target by a user. |
| US08345923B2 |
System for automated screening of security cameras
The present invention involves a system for automatically screening closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras for large and small scale security systems, as used for example in parking garages. The system includes six primary software elements, each of which performs a unique function within the operation of the security system to provide intelligent camera selection for operators, resulting in a marked decrease of operator fatigue in a CCTV system. Real-time image analysis of video data is performed wherein a single pass of a video frame produces a terrain map which contains parameters indicating the content of the video. Based on the parameters of the terrain map, the system is able to make decisions about which camera an operator should view based on the presence and activity of vehicles and pedestrians, furthermore, discriminating vehicle traffic from pedestrian traffic. The system is compatible with existing CCTV (closed circuit television) systems and is comprised of modular elements to facilitate integration and upgrades. |
| US08345922B2 |
Apparatus for detecting a pupil, program for the same, and method for detecting a pupil
A pupil detecting apparatus detects an edge of a pupil in an image of a face. An outline of an upper eyelid is also detected. The apparatus selects an effective edge extending along the pupil by removing a part of edge extending along the upper eyelid from the edges detected. Then, the apparatus applies the circle Hough transformation to the effective edge in order to obtain a center of the pupil and a radius of the pupil. Thereby, it is possible to detect the pupil accurately even if a part of the pupil is covered. |
| US08345921B1 |
Object detection with false positive filtering
Embodiments of this invention relate to detecting and blurring images. In an embodiment, a system detects objects in a photographic image. The system includes an object detector module configured to detect regions of the photographic image that include objects of a particular type at least based on the content of the photographic image. The system further includes a false positive detector module configured to determine whether each region detected by the object detector module includes an object of the particular type at least based on information about the context in which the photographic image was taken. |
| US08345917B2 |
Image processing system and viewership effect measuring method
There is provided an information processing system, comprising: a viewing apparatus equipped with a content reproduction unit that reproduces content containing video data or audio data; a radio communication apparatus equipped with a storage unit in which user data correlated to a user to whom said radio communication apparatus belongs are stored and a data transmitting unit that transmits viewer data that include part of or all of said user data stored in said storage unit; and an information processing apparatus equipped with an analyzing unit that analyzes, based upon the user data, a viewership effect of the content reproduced by said viewing apparatus and a content distribution unit that distributes content data to be used to reproduce the content to said viewing apparatus. |
| US08345916B2 |
Electroacoustic sound transducer, receiver and microphone
There is provided a dynamic sound transducer having a diaphragm with a ridge. First and second grooves (20, 30) are arranged on a first side of the ridge in such a way that the first and second grooves cross each other. |
| US08345911B2 |
Compact sound-filtering monitor and microphone stand
The present disclosure comprises a compact, sound recording equipment stand, which further comprises a support base, a microphone, a monitor, a sound filter, speakers, a tactile input and lighting source. The stand may additionally comprise a hydraulic pump for raising and lowering various pieces of attached components. In the preferred embodiment, the monitor is built inside a transparent sound filter, placed slightly above head level of an artist. The other components of the stand may similarly be covered in material to maximize sound absorption. |
| US08345908B2 |
High output loudspeaker
A loudspeaker system includes a speaker enclosure having an opening in a front wall, and a speaker manifold mounted within the speaker enclosure and communicating with the opening. The speaker manifold includes a pair of substantially parallel side walls, a back wall, and top and bottom walls, defining a manifold chamber. The wall opposite the back wall is substantially open to define a manifold opening and to permit the communicating. The manifold opening is substantially in alignment with the front wall opening. A woofer is mounted on a first wall of the speaker manifold. An acoustic vent is mounted on a second wall of the manifold, such that the woofer and the acoustic vent face each other at one of about a 180 degree angle or about a 90 degree angle. |
| US08345907B2 |
Hearing device with mechanical adjustment of sound properties
A hearing device that is worn in the ear has a hearing aid and a support device with a runner. The support device remains stationarily inserted in the auditory canal, while the hearing aid is moveably connected to the runner and moveably arranged along the runner. This provides for a hearing device that allows a simple, intuitively understandable modification of the volume and/or sound properties. |
| US08345905B2 |
Hearing aid
An arc-shaped waterproof wall is provided around a shaft to which a hearing aid main body case and a battery case are rotatably attached, and waterproof ribs are provided to the outer periphery of the installation face of the battery case and the hearing aid main body case, which improves the ability to prevent the penetration of moisture while also keep the cost low. |
| US08345900B2 |
Method and system for providing hearing assistance to a user
There is provided a method for providing hearing assistance to a user (101, 301), comprising: capturing audio signals by a microphone arrangement (26) comprising at least two spaced apart microphones (M1, M2); estimating the total energy contained in the voice spectrum of the audio signals captured at least one of the microphones; estimating the value of the direction of arrival of the captured audio signals by comparing the audio signals captured by at least two of the spaced apart microphones; judging whether a voice is present close to microphone arrangement by taking into account the estimated total energy contained in the voice spectrum of the captured audio signals and the estimated value of the direction of arrival of the captured audio signals; outputting a signal representative of said judgement; processing said captured audio signals according to said signal representative of said judgement; and stimulating the user's hearing, by stimulating means worn at or in at least one of the user's ears (39), according to the processed audio signals. |
| US08345899B2 |
Phase-amplitude matrixed surround decoder
A frequency domain method for phase-amplitude matrixed surround decoding of 2-channel stereo recordings and soundtracks, based on spatial analysis of 2-D or 3-D directional cues in the recording and re-synthesis of these cues for reproduction on any headphone or loudspeaker playback system. |
| US08345895B2 |
Diaphragm of MEMS electroacoustic transducer
A diaphragm of an MEMS electroacoustic transducer including a first axis-symmetrical pattern layer is provided. Because the layout of the first axis-symmetrical pattern layer can match the pattern of the sound wave, the vibration uniformity of the diaphragm can be improved. |
| US08345893B2 |
Sound volume controller
A sound volume controller includes a level adjustment section that adjusts a level of an input audio signal and outputs the adjusted input audio signal as an output audio signal, a level detection section that detects the level of the input audio signal, a volume value detection section that detects a volume value set by a user, a coefficient table storage section that stores a coefficient table which describes a relation between levels of the output audio signal and levels of the input audio signal, a coefficient table change section that changes the coefficient table stored in the coefficient table storage section in accordance with the volume value detected by the volume value detection section, and a setting section that sets an amount of level adjustment of the level adjustment section in accordance with the level of the input audio signal detected by the level detection section and the coefficient table. |
| US08345891B2 |
Intelligent selective system mute
An approach is provided that receives a sound request from a requesting process. A selective mute setting is identified that corresponds to user enablement actions. If the selective mute setting is disabled the sound request is played at an audio output in response. However, if the selective mute setting being enabled, then steps are performed to determine whether to play the sound request. These steps include determining whether the sound request corresponds to one or more user sound request actions. If it is determined that the sound request corresponds to at least one of the user sound request actions then the sound request is audibly played at the audio output. However, if the sound request does not correspond to at least one of the user sound request actions, then the audio request is suppressed and not played at the audio output. |
| US08345889B2 |
Wireless transmission-AV system of outdoor furniture
A wireless transmission-AV system for an outdoor furniture includes a speaker unit built-in with a furniture frame and a wireless control electrically connected to the speaker unit for wirelessly linking an AV player with the speaker unit, wherein the wireless control has a wireless range covering an area of the furniture frame in such a manner that the speaker unit is adapted for generating an audio signal wirelessly transmitted from the AV player through the wireless control when the AV player is located within the wireless range. Therefore, the user is able to wirelessly link his own AV player to the wireless transmission-AV system to listen to his own music. |
| US08345888B2 |
Digital high frequency phase compensation
In an ANR circuit of a personal ANR device, a digital filter is structured to introduce one or more zeros to add gain to introduce positive phase in the provision of feedback-based ANR, wherein the gain follows a frequency-dependent “ski-slope” gain curve with little gain added at lower audible frequencies, with increasing gain that increases with frequency added at higher audible frequencies, and with the increasing gain flattening at frequencies above audible frequencies. |
| US08345886B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting malfunctioning speaker
A method and apparatus for detecting a malfunctioning speaker are provided. The apparatus detects a speaker abnormality by identifying the state of the speaker when turning the power on or off, switching from standby mode to play mode, or performing testing. The apparatus generates an audio signal having a frequency higher than a particular frequency, outputs the audio signal to the speaker, and determines that the speaker is malfunctioning if the level of a fed-back frequency signal is lower than a reference level. If the speaker is determined to be malfunctioning, the power supply is cut and the danger of a fire starting is accordingly reduced. |
| US08345884B2 |
Signal separation reproduction device and signal separation reproduction method
A first matrix (W(k)) indicating frequency characteristics of a separation filter is calculated from input signals of a plurality of channels. A second matrix (Ws(k)) is calculated by using the restriction coefficients (Ci(k)) for restricting the separation filter and the first matrix, and separation filter coefficients (wsij(s)) are calculated by using the second matrix. With use of the separation filter coefficients, separation signals (ysi(t)) are then calculated from the input signals. A third matrix (Ws−1(k)) is then calculated by transforming the second matrix into an inverse matrix at each frequency, and reproduction filter coefficients (a′I1(s), a′I2(s)) are calculated by using the third matrix. With use of the reproduction filter coefficients, the synthesized signal of each channel is calculated by using the separation signals. The restriction coefficients are calculated so that the reproduction filter coefficients indicate filter coefficients which perform a sound source localization on the separation signals. |
| US08345883B2 |
Audio playback method and apparatus using line array speaker unit
A multi-channel audio system is constituted using at least one line array speaker unit, in which plural speakers are arrayed in line, wherein the same audio signal is supplied with a prescribed delay time to each of the speakers, thus forming plural sound beams. The plural sound beams are reflected on a wall surface and a ceiling of a room so as to form plural virtual sound sources surrounding a listening position, and emission directions and intensities of the sound beams are controlled so as to localize a phantom at a prescribed position based on the plural virtual sound sources. By appropriately arranging plural line array speaker units horizontally, vertically, and slantingly in such a way that each line array speaker unit forms sound beams distributed and spread in a sectorial form, it is possible to realize a surround audio system having a high degree of freedom with regard to setup positions for forming virtual sound sources. |
| US08345881B2 |
Communication system, information processing apparatus, method and computer program
The present invention aims at granting easy and prompt start of wireless communications in which security is ensured without incurring addition of hardware. If a connection button provided on a surface of a PDA 1 is operated, a connection request is broadcast from the PDA 1. If the PDA 1 and a portable phone 2 are in proximity to each other, and a reception intensity of the connection request from the PDA 1 is equal to or higher than a threshold value, a request of the PDA 1 is granted by the portable phone 2. Then, an encryption key is newly generated by the portable phone 2, and is transmitted to the PDA 1 together with a communication parameter. An encryption key and the communication parameter transmitted from the portable phone 2 are acquired. Encrypted communications using the encryption key generated by the portable phone 2 are established with the portable phones 2 based on the communication parameter. The present invention is applicable to information processing apparatuses, such as the PDA and the portable phone or a notebook personal computer. |
| US08345871B2 |
Fast authentication over slow channels
A method of providing secure communications over a network includes receiving, at a receiving computer, a public key of a sending computer, and a hash of a sending random number over a first communication channel, transmitting, from the receiving computer, a public key of the receiving computer and a receiving random number provided by the receiving computer over the first communication channel, and receiving, at the receiving computer, the sending random number provided by the sending computer over the first communication channel. |
| US08345869B2 |
Method and apparatus for file sharing of missing content between a group of user devices in a peer-to-peer network
A communication system 100 includes a group of user devices, a first device separate from the group of user devices, a first satellite, a peer-to-peer network 130 in communication with the user devices and the satellite 106 and a content delivery network 120 in communication with the user devices. The content delivery network encrypts the content in response to a first encryption-decryption information and communicates the content to the plurality of user devices through a satellite. At each of the plurality of the group of user devices the content is encrypted in response to a second encryption-decryption information. A first user device communicates a content request to the group of user devices. At least one of the group of user devices communicates the content to the first user device through the peer-to-peer network. The first user device requests the encryption-decryption information from a content delivery network through a terrestrial network. The content delivery network 120 communicates the encryption-decryption information to the first user device through the terrestrial network. The first user device decrypts the content in response to the encryption-decryption information. |
| US08345863B2 |
Method of countering side-channel attacks on elliptic curve cryptosystem
A method of countering side-channel attacks on an elliptic curve cryptosystem (ECC) is provided. The method comprises extending a definition field of an elliptic curve of the ECC to an extension ring in a first field; generating a temporary ciphertext in the extension ring and countering attacks on the ECC; and generating a final ciphertext for the first field if a fault injection attack on the ECC is not detected. The countering of attacks on the ECC may comprise countering a power attack on the ECC. Checking if there is a fault injection attack on the ECC may be performed by determining if the temporary ciphertext satisfies a second elliptic curve equation. The fault detection algorithms takes place in a small subring of the extension ring, not in the original field, to minimize the computational overhead. The method can improve the stability of the ECC and reduce computational overhead of the ECC. |
| US08345861B2 |
Sharing a secret using polynomial division over GF(Q)
A method and system for distributing a secret are described. In one embodiment, the secret is represented by a secret polynomial of degree d over GF(q) constructed with a prime or a power of a prime. The secret polynomial is then embedded into an extension polynomial of degree m that is greater than d. The extension polynomial is divided by n coprime divisor polynomials over GF(q), using arithmetic defined for polynomials over GF(q), to generate n shares of the secret. Each share includes one of the divisor polynomials and a corresponding remainder. These n shares are distributed among a plurality of cooperating entities for secret sharing. |
| US08345839B2 |
System and method for providing awareness of and context for phone conversations across multiple personal devices
Disclosed are embodiments of a system and method for automating the exchange of information between the multiple personal computerized devices of an entity so as to provide context for communications, such as incoming and/or outgoing telephone calls, with other entities. The system and method associate one entity with multiple devices. Communications over a device (e.g., one of the various types of telephones) are tracked. Then, for a given communication, an identifier (e.g., a caller ID from an incoming telephone call) is communicated to at least one other device. The other device performs a local and/or internet search for information associated with that particular identifier. The retrieved information is then displayed so as to provide the entity with essentially instantaneous context for the given communication. The system can be implemented using client-server network technology or, alternatively, using point-to-point communication technology. |
| US08345831B2 |
Automatic contextual media recording and processing utilizing speech analytics
Embodiments are provided for the automatic real-time recording and processing of media in a communications network based on the context of the media. In one embodiment, a media stream is received in an analysis module in a service platform in the communications network. The media stream may represent a communication session between a calling party and a call center in the network. The incoming media steam is analyzed to identify words comprising a context of the communication session. A determination is then made as to whether the context of the communication session is related to a set of business rules associated with the service platform which may automatically trigger the retention of a recording of the communication session. If the context of the communication session is related to the set of business rules, the retention of the communication session is automatically triggered in real-time at a recording module. |
| US08345828B2 |
System and method for pooled IP recording
Embodiments of the present invention provides systems and methods for pooled IP recording. An exemplary method of the present invention comprises monitoring a user's logon, associating a communication device to the user, assigning an interface to a recorder associated with the communication device, and recording data from the communication device sent over the interface. Another exemplary method of the present invention comprises detecting a recorder failure and dynamically routing an interface associated with the failed recorder to at least one other recorder. |
| US08345815B2 |
Fuel assembly for a pressurized-water nuclear reactor
A fuel assembly for a pressurized water nuclear reactor contains a multiplicity of fuel rods which are guided in a plurality of axially spaced spacers which in each case form a square grid, composed of grid webs, with a multiplicity of cells arranged in rows and columns. In each case one control rod guide tube is guided through a number of these cells. At least one spacer is configured to be mechanically stronger in a first partial region than in a second partial region. In this second partial region, the spacer is provided with at least one resisting element which protrudes into a flow sub-channel formed between the fuel rods and increases the flow resistance. The resisting element counteracts a reduction associated with the mechanically weaker configuration, in the flow resistance in the second partial region and in this manner effects a homogenization of the hydraulic behavior of a spacer which is mechanically inhomogeneous on account of the varying mechanical configuration. |
| US08345814B2 |
Jet pump and nuclear reactor
A jet pump comprising: a nozzle apparatus having a header portion including, inside, a first pipe member forming a suction fluid passage for introducing suction fluid and the header portion surrounding the first pipe member, for introducing driving fluid, and a nozzle portion connected to the header portion, surrounding the first pipe member and forming an annular ejection outlet for ejecting the driving fluid; a jet pump body for mixing the driving fluid and the suction fluid sucked by the ejection of the driving fluid, and discharging the mixed fluid; and a second pipe member having one end connected to the nozzle apparatus, for introducing the driving fluid to the header portion, wherein the first pipe member is disposed through the one end inside a driving fluid passage formed in the second pipe member, and forms an opening portion of the suction fluid passage opened to the outside of the second pipe member; and the driving fluid passage is formed so that the driving fluid flowing toward the one end hits the first pipe member diagonally to the axial direction of the first pipe member. |
| US08345812B2 |
Distinguishing between classes of fissionable material
A first pulsed beam of charged particles from a particle accelerator is accelerated toward a first target that is configured to emit a fast neutron beam in response to being struck by an accelerated particle such that the fast neutron beam is directed toward a physical region. The last neutron beam includes a neutron having an energy sufficient to cause fission in a fissionable material. Data from a sensor configured to detect radiation of a fission product is accessed, and before accelerating a second pulsed beam of charged particles, whether the physical region includes a fissionable material based on the data from the sensor is determined. |
| US08345810B2 |
Equalizer based receiver operation method and apparatus in a mobile communication system
An equalizer based receiver operation method and apparatus in a mobile communication system are provided. The method includes estimating a channel for a multi path receive signal, analyzing a delay profile of a multi path channel, and selecting a tap position from a plurality of tap positions of an equalizer depending on the analyzed delay profile. |
| US08345808B2 |
Methods and apparatus for narrow band interference detection and suppression in ultra-wideband systems
An exemplary method is disclosed to accurately estimate the center frequency of a narrow-band interference (NBI). The exemplary method uses multi-stage autocorrelation-function (ACF) to estimate an NBI frequency. The exemplary method allows an accurate estimation of the center frequency of NBI in an Ultra-Wideband system. A narrow band interference (NBI) estimator based on such a method allows a low complexity hardware implementation. The exemplary method estimates the frequency in multiple stages. Each stage performs an ACF operation on the received signals. The first stage gives an initial estimation and the following stages refine the estimation. The results of all stages are combined to produce the final estimation. An apparatus based on such a multi-stage narrow band interference frequency detector is also disclosed to improve the accuracy by combining various filters with the detector. |
| US08345803B2 |
Optimized finger assignment for improved multicarrier throughput
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate dynamically allocating demodulation resources of a wideband receiver to provide improved demodulation of simultaneously received signals. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and/or packet error rate (PER) can be measured for the plurality of carriers to determine which demodulators related to the carriers require more resources than others to demodulate signals at a specified signal quality. Where the SNR of a related carrier is high and/or PER is low, the demodulator can require fewer resources than where the SNR of a related carrier is low and/or PER is high. In this regard, the resources are dynamically allocated among the demodulators and reallocated where SNR/PER changes and/or additional resources are made available. |
| US08345802B2 |
Receiver for digital modulated signal and receiving method for the same
A receiver for a digital modulated signal which receives a multi-carrier modulated signal and demodulates a receiving signal by converting it from a time region into a frequency region by Fourier transform is provided. The receiver comprises a Fourier transformer which performs Fourier transform of the receiving signal and an interference removing circuit which reduces an inter-symbol interference or an inter-carrier interference of the receiving signal. The removing circuit is disposed in a front stage of the Fourier transformer. |
| US08345801B2 |
Apparatus and method for signal mismatch compensation in a wireless receiver
A system and method for signal mismatch compensation in a wireless receiver is disclosed. The method includes receiving an in-phase (I) signal and a quadrature (Q) signal corresponding to the I signal, the Q signal having an ideal phase offset of 90 degrees from the I signal, where there is a phase and gain mismatch between the I signal and Q signal. The method adjusts the phase offset between the I signal and the Q signal to minimize the IQ power, where the IQ power is the average-time power of a digital baseband in-phase (DB-I) signal and a digital baseband quadrature (DB-Q) signal, corresponding to the I signal and Q signal, respectively. The method adjusts the gain of the Q signal to minimize the IQ power, whereby the phase and gain mismatch between the I signal and Q signal is minimized. |
| US08345800B2 |
Receiver apparatus and reception method
A receiver includes a sample and hold circuit that receives a signal (continuous time signal) that has been subject to frequency division multiplexing modulation, converts the signal to a discrete time signal, and outputs the discrete time signal, a discrete time filter that receives the signal output from the sample and hold circuit and attenuates a frequency component of a subcarrier different from a specified subcarrier, and a demodulation unit that extracts a digital baseband from a signal that has passed through the discrete time filter to complete a demodulation operation within one data symbol reception period. |
| US08345798B2 |
Channel stacking system and method of operation
A channel stacking system includes first and second downconverting stages, first and second analog to digital converters, and a digital switching and signal processor. The first downconverting stage includes a first downconverter circuit having an input for receiving a first RF input signal which includes a multitude of first channels. The first downconverter circuit frequency downconverts the first RF input signal to a first IF signal which includes the multitude of first channels. The first analog-to-digital converter converts the first IF signal to a first digital IF signal. The second downconverter stage includes a second downconverter circuit having an input for receiving a second RF input signal which includes a multitude of second channels. The second downconverter circuit frequency downconverts the second RF input signal to a second IF signal including said multitude of second channels. |
| US08345797B1 |
Method and apparatus for generating steering matrices for beamforming
In a method for generating steering matrices for beamforming, one or more subsets of one or more maximum transmit steering matrices are selected, where the maximum transmit steering matrices correspond to a maximum number of spatial streams able to be transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver. The subsets correspond to an actual number of spatial streams to be transmitted, and the subsets are applied to spatial streams to be transmitted. In an apparatus for generating steering matrices, a steering matrix calculator is configured to determine, from maximum transmit steering matrices, a plurality of steering coefficients corresponding to an actual number of spatial streams. |
| US08345793B2 |
Compensation of diagonal ISI in OFDM signals
A method and apparatus for compensating for ISI is described herein. A transmitter and receiver work together to develop pulse shaped OFDM symbols with reduced inter-channel ISI between pulse-shaped OFDM symbols transmitted on different sub-carriers at the same time, and inter-block ISI between pulse-shaped OFDM symbols transmitted on the same sub-carrier at different times. In addition, a pre-compensation element in the transmitter and/or a post-compensation element in the receiver compensate for diagonal ISI occurring between pulse-shaped OFDM symbols transmitted on different sub-carriers at different times. |
| US08345791B2 |
Methods for transmitting and receiving a multicarrier signal comprising isolated pilots, corresponding devices and computer program products
A method is provided for receiving a received signal corresponding to a multicarrier signal transmitted by at least one transmitter via a transmission channel, the multicarrier signal being formed by a temporal succession of symbols including of a set of data elements with real values, including informative data elements, and reference data elements called pilots for at least some of the symbols. The reception method includes step of first estimation of the transmission channel. Due to at least one of the pilots being an isolated pilot in transmission, the reception method further includes a step of extracting the isolated pilot, and a step of locally refining the first estimation. |
| US08345788B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting signal
In a method for detecting a signal in a multi-input multi-output wireless communication system that receives signals transmitted through a plurality of transmission antennas by using a plurality of reception antennas, a detection order for detecting the transmission signals received through the reception antennas is determined on the basis of a cofactor determinant of components constituting a channel matrix representing characteristics of channels between the transmission antennas and the reception antennas. In addition, the transmission signal is detected from the signals received through the reception antennas in accordance with the determined detection order. |
| US08345780B2 |
Wireless communication system compensating for interference and related methods
A wireless communication system may include first and second wireless communications devices communicating with one another via a wireless communications link having a settable link characteristic. The first and second wireless communications devices may include respective first and second wireless transceivers and respective first and second controllers coupled thereto. The first controller may be for detecting received interference, for determining a type of the interference from among interference types comprising wideband interference and narrowband interference, and for setting the settable link characteristic to compensate for the interference based upon the interference type. |
| US08345779B2 |
Pulse transformer driver
Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing a communication system for handling pulse information. Embodiments of the invention provide a pulse shaping unit operable to avoid saturation of the pulse transformer, while being easily incorporated into IC processes. Some embodiments of the pulse shaping unit provide a two-to-three level driver unit for converting a two-level input voltage signal to a three-level driver signal for driving a pulse transformer. Other embodiments of the pulse shaping unit provide components configured to differentially drive a pulse transformer, effectively converting a two-level input voltage signal to a three-level driver signal. |
| US08345774B2 |
Hypothetical reference decoder
Disclosed is a system and method of controlling a video decoder, including a reviewing channel data representing coded video data generated by an encoder to identify parameters of a hypothetical reference decoder (HRD) used by the encoder during coding operations. A parameter representing an exit data rate requirement of a coded picture buffer (CPB) of the HRD is compared against exit rate performance of the video decoder. If the exit rate performance of the video coder matches the exit rate requirement of the HRD, the coded video data is decoded, otherwise, a certain decoding degradation scheme can be applied, including disabling decoder from decoding the coded video data. |
| US08345773B2 |
Image coding and decoding method and apparatus considering human visual characteristics
An image coding method and apparatus considering human visual characteristics are provided. The image coding method comprises (a) modeling image quality distribution of an input image in units of scenes such that the quality of an image input in units of scenes is gradually lowered from a region of interest to a background region, (b) determining a quantization parameter of each region constituting one scene according to the result of modeling of image quality distribution, (c) quantizing image data in accordance with the quantization parameter, and (d) coding entropy of the quantized image data. |
| US08345772B2 |
Image coding and decoding method and apparatus considering human visual characteristics
An image coding method and apparatus considering human visual characteristics are provided. The image coding method comprises (a) modeling image quality distribution of an input image in units of scenes such that the quality of an image input in units of scenes is gradually lowered from a region of interest to a background region, (b) determining a quantization parameter of each region constituting one scene according to the result of modeling of image quality distribution, (c) quantizing image data in accordance with the quantization parameter, and (d) coding entropy of the quantized image data. |
| US08345769B1 |
Real-time video segmentation on a GPU for scene and take indexing
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique that enables a user to reverse through video content based on scene transitions. By employing a graphics processing unit to compute one or more frame-to-frame correlation coefficients that measure the consistency of sequential images and a central processing unit to analyze the one or more correlation coefficients, a list of scene transitions may be generated in real-time. The list of scene transitions forms the basis for a content-based reverse user control within the playback application. The content-based reverse user control enables a more natural mechanism for reversing through video content, providing the user with a superior overall viewing experience. |
| US08345768B1 |
Progressive block encoding using region analysis
The present invention provides a method of encoding and transmitting a block of visual data within a visual data stream. First, image information updates are acquired for the block of visual data that includes pixel data and is associated with a change history of pixel data. Next, stored block information is retrieved for the block of visual data, including a recent change history for the block of visual data. Next, a determination is made from the retrieved block information and the image information updates that the block of visual data is a video image type. Available network bandwidth is then determined. Encoding parameters for the block of visual data from the retrieved block information, the image information updates and the available network bandwidth are determined. The block of visual data is encoded and transmitted across a computer network. |
| US08345766B2 |
Bandwidth adaptive stream selection
An apparatus and corresponding method are provided for selecting one of several alternate input streams for transmission, the method including determining bandwidth requirements for each of the alternate input streams, measuring bandwidth currently available for transmission, and selecting for transmission one of the alternate input streams that has the highest determined bandwidth requirement less than or equal to the measured bandwidth currently available for transmission. |
| US08345765B2 |
Image coding distortion reduction apparatus and method
According to one embodiment, the apparatus of the embodiment of the invention has following modules. A decoder decodes a coded moving image signal to obtain a decoded moving image signal. A coding implementation information acquisition module acquires coding implementation information used when the coding is carried out. A motion detector obtains a motion detection output indicating a motion of an image. A coding distortion reduction module has a plurality of kinds of distortion reducing characteristics which reduce a plurality of kinds of coding distortions included in the decoded moving image signal. A coding distortion reduction controller controls the plurality of kinds of distortion reducing characteristics in accordance with the output of the coding implementation information and the motion detection output. |
| US08345758B2 |
Method of deriving a motion vector of a bi-predictive block based on a motion vector of a co-located block in a reference picture
In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a list 0 motion vector of the co-located block in a first reference picture if the co-located block has the list 0 motion vector and a list 1 motion vector. The first reference picture is a type of reference picture permitted to be located temporally before or after the current picture, and the selected list 0 motion vector points to a second reference picture which is a reference picture of the first reference picture. The method further includes deriving the list 0 and list 1 motion vectors of the bi-predictive block based on the selected list 0 motion vector of the co-located block. The deriving includes deriving a first temporal distance from a difference between the current picture and the first reference picture, deriving a second temporal distance from a difference between the first reference picture and the second reference picture, and scaling the selected list 0 motion vector of the co-located block based on the first and second temporal distances. |
| US08345756B2 |
Method and system for parallel intra-prediction decoding of video data
Embodiments of a method and system for intra-prediction in decoding video data are described herein. In various embodiments, a high-compression-ratio codec (such as H.264) is part of the encoding scheme for the video data. Embodiments pre-process control maps that were generated from encoded video data, and generating intermediate control maps comprising information regarding decoding the video data. The control maps indicate which units of video data in a frame are to be processed using an intra-prediction operation. In an embodiment, intra-prediction is performed on a frame basis such that intra-prediction is performed on an entire frame at one time. In other embodiments, processing of different frames is interleaved. Embodiments increase the efficiency of the intra-prediction such as to allow decoding of high-compression-ratio encoded video data on personal computers or comparable equipment without special, additional decoding hardware. |
| US08345749B2 |
Method and system for transcoding regions of interests in video surveillance
A method and a system for spatial scalable region of interest transcoding of JPEG2000 coded video frames for video surveillance systems. Based on a user defined ROI, the method transcodes HD frames into images in moderate resolution with a ROI in HD resolution. The transcoder extracts all packets belonging to the ROI or the lower resolution levels of the background from the JPEG2000 bitstream. Non-ROI packets of higher resolution levels are replaced by empty packets. The ROI is tracked using a mean shift algorithm to guarantee that always the correct image details are extracted in high resolution. Since the transcoding is performed by extracting and replacing packets of the codestream, an expensive re-encoding of the code-stream is not required. Thus, the transcoding technique is of low complexity and shows a short processing time. Combining the transcoding technique with mean shift tracking leads to a powerful video transcoding technique. |
| US08345744B2 |
Image compression system with coding quantity control
An apparatus and method to preferentially select code quantity from DPCM path in a manner to satisfy the target code quantity thereby preventing deterioration of image quality. Code quantities obtained by a first compression system of quantizing an input image signal by quantization steps different from each other, or code quantities obtained by a second compression system which has compression factor and loss which are lower than those of the first compression system are added on an encoding system selection basis to calculate a total code quantity of equi-length unit. A calculated total code quantity and a target code quantity in the equi-length unit are compared to determine quantization step in the first compression system in accordance with the comparison result to select, on the encoding system selection basis, the first compression system or the second compression system of performing quantization by the determined quantization step. |
| US08345743B2 |
Systems and methods for channel switching
Techniques for video encoding and decoding channel switch frames (CSF) to enable acquisition and re/synchronization of the video stream while preserving compression efficiency is provided. Systems and methods to process multimedia data enabling channel switching are presented. The systems generate a CSF with one or more network adaptation layer (NAL) units as a random access point (RAP) frame. Back-to-back frames are transmitted which include the CSF and a non-RAP frame, each having the same frame ID number. |
| US08345741B2 |
Receiving apparatus and receiving method for reducing a waiting period upon switching a program
A receiving apparatus is disclosed. A digital tuner section selects a modulation signal having a predetermined frequency from a radio wave of a digital television broadcast, demodulates the modulation signal, and outputs a resultant transport stream. A separation section separates the transport stream into a video stream and an additional stream. A decoder decodes the video stream and outputs a picture signal. The picture processing section performs a predetermined picture process for the picture signal. A control section obtains program information containing information about a picture signal type of a program that is broadcast from the additional data and creates a program information database based on the program information. A storage section stores the program information database. The control section controls the picture process based on the picture signal type obtained with reference to the program information database in parallel with processes of the digital tuner section and the separation section. |
| US08345738B2 |
Partial response receiver and related method
A multi-phase partial response equalizer circuit includes sampler circuits that sample an input signal to generate sampled signals in response to sampling clock signals having different phases. A first multiplexer circuit selects one of the sampled signals as a first sampled bit to represent the input signal. A first storage circuit coupled to an output of the first multiplexer circuit stores the first sampled bit in response to a first clock signal. A second multiplexer circuit selects one of the sampled signals as a second sampled bit to represent the input signal based on the first sampled bit. A second storage circuit stores a sampled bit selected from the sampled signals in response to a second clock signal. A time period between the second storage circuit storing a sampled bit and the first storage circuit storing the first sampled bit is substantially greater than a unit interval in the input signal. |
| US08345728B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving high speed data using code division multiple access channels
The present invention describes a spread spectrum communication system wherein the frequency of carriers and the code channels of the carriers or both for transmission to a given remote station user vary in time. This provides for a direct sequence spectrum communications system which changes frequency or code channel according to a predetermined pattern. The code channels and frequencies can be determined in accordance with a deterministic function or based upon a subset of the data to be transmitted. A receiver structure is also described for receiving the same. |
| US08345727B2 |
Communication system, apparatus, and methods
A system, method and apparatus for wireless communications are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, frequency components present in a short duration modulated complex pulse is used to represent data to be sent. In other embodiments, the complex pulse is created, modulated, then modified to have desirable frequency characteristics. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. |
| US08345724B2 |
Laser beam interleaving
A laser system includes a first source and a second source for generating a first laser beam and a second laser beam, respectively, and a mirror arrangement including a first interleaving laser mirror with a high reflecting area configured to reflect the first laser beam and a first high transmitting area configured to transmit the second laser beam. |
| US08345717B2 |
Continuous-wave laser
A continuous wave Raman laser for producing visible laser output comprising: a resonator cavity; at least a first reflector and a second reflector said first and second reflectors being located at opposite ends of the resonator cavity; a laser gain medium located in the resonator cavity for generating a continuous wave fundamental beam which resonates within the resonator cavity when pumped by a pump beam from a pump source external to the resonator cavity; a solid Raman-active medium positioned in the resonator cavity for Raman shifting the fundamental beam to produce a continuous wave Raman beam which resonates within the resonator cavity; and a non-linear medium positioned in the resonator cavity for frequency converting the continuous wave Raman beam to a converted wavelength to produce a continuous wave converted beam. |
| US08345715B2 |
Time varying signal quality reporting
A radio station (100) receives a data packet (D1, D2) and transmits an acknowledgement (ACK, N). It also transmits an indication of received signal quality (CQI). The time at which the indication of received signal quality (CQI) is transmitted is dependent on the type of acknowledgement transmitted, such as a positive acknowledgement (ACK) or negative acknowledgement (N). |
| US08345714B2 |
Cell search method and apparatus for asynchronous mobile communication system
A cell search method and apparatus for an asynchronous mobile communication system are provided. A Secondary Synchronization Code (SSC) correlator despreads a signal at every slot boundary in accordance with a z-sequence to output a SSC correlation value. The signal is received over a first symbol duration. A Primary Synchronization Code (PSC) correlator despreads the received signal in accordance with a PSC to output a PSC correlation value. A dot product calculator performs dot product calculation between the SSC correlation value and the PSC correlation value to output a correlation result of the SSC. A frame synchronization detector extracts frame synchronization information from the correlation result. |
| US08345713B2 |
Methods and apparatus for content scrambling in a communications system
Methods and apparatus for improved scrambling and/or descrambling of packets in a communications network are described, e.g., improved scrambling/descrambling of MPEG-2 transport stream packets over an Internet Protocol network. Advance Encryption Standard (AES) under cipher block chaining is utilized in scrambling some transport stream packets. Methods and apparatus for computing an initialization vector or vectors used by the AES are also described. The initialization vector can be set to either a constant or a programmable random number. Scrambling methods and apparatus directed to scrambling solitary termination blocks with a reduced size packet payload e.g., less than 128 bits in an MPEG-2 transport stream packet, are also described. Various features are useful for and can be implemented in set-top boxes and IPTV scramblers in the headsets. |
| US08345709B2 |
Bit stream conversion system
A bit-stream converter capable of converting a first synchronous compressed bit-stream of data at a first sampling rate to second synchronous compressed bit-stream frame of data at a second sampling rate is disclosed. The bit-stream converter architecture may include a payload length detector and a zero stuffing unit in signal communication with the payload length detector. The zero stuffing unit is capable of zero stuffing section responsive to the payload length detector detecting the payload length. |
| US08345706B2 |
Base station and method
A base station (eNodeB) performing a radio communication with a user equipment (UE) includes: a transmission format determining unit (16) configured to determine a transmission format of a downlink data channel not to be associated by a control channel, based on a downlink reception signal quality measured by the user equipment; a notification unit (18) configured to notify, to the user equipment, the transmission format determined by the transmission format determining unit; a transmission power controlling unit (19) configured to control a transmission power of the downlink data channel; and a transmitting unit (18) configured to transmit downlink data to the user equipment via the downlink data channel, by using the transmission format determined by the transmission format determining unit. |
| US08345703B2 |
Method and apparatus for reconfiguring IC architectures
A reconfigurable hardware architecture, in the form of a System-on-Chip 1, includes an ASIC (19) and an embedded FPGA (18) which define static and reconfigurable parts of an IC architecture (15) respectively. Incoming Ethernet, or other format, packets are applied to a packet filter (14), which detects those packets containing reconfiguration data. The reconfiguration data is used to update the FPGA (18). |
| US08345696B2 |
Router and packet discarding method
A router controlling a route of packets. The router includes a counter counting an amount of received control packets on a user-identifier-by-user-identifier basis, the control packets being used for managing a network, a discard determining unit comparing a counter value of the counter with a threshold value, and a control packet discarding unit discarding a control packet including a user identifier for which the discard determining unit determines that the counter value exceeds the threshold value. |
| US08345692B2 |
Virtual switching overlay for cloud computing
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving data at a virtual switch located at a network device in a cloud network. The data is received from an external network and destined for one or more virtual machines located in the cloud network and associated with the external network. The method further includes transmitting the data from the virtual switch to the virtual machines. The virtual switch operates as an access layer switch for the external network and creates a virtual switching overlay for secure communication between the virtual machines and the external network. Logic and an apparatus are also disclosed. |
| US08345686B2 |
Software architecture system and method for communication with, and management of, components within an appliance utilizing functionality identifiers
A network system comprising a system of devices having a plurality of nodes defining a communications network. At least one identifier from a pre-determined group of identifiers is associated with each of the nodes and identifies the functionalities that are applicable to that node or device associated with that node. In one embodiment, at least one of the nodes can transmit the at least one identifier by a message sent over the communications network for receipt by at least one of the nodes to thereby publish the functionalities over the communications network. |
| US08345683B1 |
Data plane independent assert election
A data plane independent assert election is disclosed. A join message directed to a peer is received. An election procedure to avoid duplicative forwarding of multicast traffic is initiated based at least in part on a determination that the join message would result in duplicative forwarding of multicast traffic. |
| US08345682B2 |
Data path processing information included in the pseudowire layer of packets
Data path processing information is included in the pseudowire layer of pseudowire packets in order to provide information for use in the data path processing of data (e.g., a packet), typically, but not always, included in the payload of the pseudowire packet itself. The pseudowire packet typically includes in corresponding fields: a pseudowire label for identifying a pseudowire type; a pseudowire control word; and payload data. The pseudowire type identifies the structure of the pseudowire control word field and the payload field, including the location of data path meta data, such as in the pseudowire control word field or payload field. This data path meta data identifies one or more attributes for use in processing the payload data. |
| US08345681B2 |
Method and system for wireless communication of audio in wireless networks
A method and system for audio transmission in a wireless communication system which transmits digital video and digital audio in High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) format. Position information of audio packets within the HDMI frame is obtained. Digital audio information including the position information is transmitted from a data source device to a data sink device via a wireless communication medium. At the data sink device, an HDMI frame is reconstructed by inserting received audio packets into horizontal and vertical blanking periods of the HDMI frame. |
| US08345672B2 |
Optical signal multiplexer card having front panel access to electrical and optical connectors for use in compact enclosure for optical signal multiplexer cards
A reduced size multiplexer and, in particular, a reduced size optical signal multiplexer module is provided for use in a reduced size enclosure. The optical signal multiplexer module has electrical and optical connectors on its faceplate to provide ease in access without having to remove the optical signal multiplexer from the enclosure. The optical signal multiplexer circuit is configured in a standard Type 400 mechanics circuit board arrangement. The optical signal multiplexer module therefore can be inserted into an enclosure in a direction opposite to that in which the DS1 or DS3 connector projects from the face plate, so that the DS1 or DS3 connector remains freely accessible outside of the enclosure when the optical signal multiplexer module is fully loaded into the enclosure. DS1 and DS3 cables and optical fibers can thus be easily coupled to the DS1 and DS3 and optical connectors, respectively, when the SONET multiplexer circuit is fully loaded into the enclosure. |
| US08345669B1 |
System and method for call transfer within an internet protocol communications network
In accordance with a non-limiting example, the system and method places a call from a first call device used by a party A to a second call device such as used by a party B by routing the call from the first call device into a communications server that establishes an internet protocol (IP) call between the communications server and the second call device. A third call device such as used by a party C monitors the second call device. A first SIP invite command is sent from the third call device to the communications server as a pick-up call instruction for the call to the second call device when it has not answered the call from the first call device. A second SIP invite command is sent between the third call device and communications server and the call is transferred from the second call device to the third call device to establish a communications session between first and third call entities. |
| US08345668B2 |
Video delivering system, video delivering device, and synchronization correcting device
The video receiving device delivers reproducible video streams by synchronizing video images. The video delivering device determines the delivery time for each RTP packet based on the time information for plural video streams corresponding to plural contents, adds the determined delivery time (timestamp) to each RTP packet, and delivers RTP packets by using the counter common among plural contents. The video relaying device corrects the transfer timing for RTP packets based on the counter common among plural contents and the delivery time (timestamp) and sends them to the video receiving device. The video receiving device plays back the video images from the received RTP packets. |
| US08345667B2 |
Methods, systems, and devices for providing voice-call services responsive to a dialed sequence
A connection is established in a communications network responsive to receiving a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signal at a port having an assigned sequence associated therewith. A dialed sequence corresponding to the received DTMF signal is identified. If the dialed sequence is associated with a request for a specified service, first and second fields of a packet-switched signaling protocol message are populated with the assigned sequence associated with the port. The populated packet-switched signaling protocol message is transmitted over a packet-switched network to request the specified service, and a connection is established to provide the specified service through the port. Related systems and devices are also discussed. |
| US08345666B2 |
Redirecting a call by a circuit switched network to an internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) network
A device receives a call for a user device associated with an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) network, where the call includes a mobile directory number (MDN) associated with the user device, and retrieves, from a home location register (HLR), an address of a wireless intelligent network (WIN) termination trigger service control point (SCP). The device sends, to the WIN termination trigger SCP, a first message that includes the MDN, receives, from the WIN termination trigger SCP, a second message that includes steering digits as a prefix to the MDN, and generates a third message that includes a called party number set to the MDN and omits the steering digits. The device also routes, based on the steering digits, the third message to a media gateway control function/media gateway (MGCF/MGW) of the IMS network, where the MGCF/MGW further processes the call. |
| US08345664B2 |
IP communication apparatus
An IP communication apparatus employed in a telephone voice/moving picture recording system is comprised of: an IP packet transmitting/receiving I/F for transmitting/receiving an IP packet; an IP address acquiring unit of acquiring an IP address corresponding to a transmission source of the IP packet; a signal judging unit for performing a signal judging operation by employing data contained in an IP packet; a recording unit for recording the data in relation to the IP address based upon a judgment result made by the signal judging unit; and a recording control unit for controlling the recording unit. |
| US08345662B2 |
Method, mobile terminal, system and computer program product for real time content attributing
A method of providing content attributing during an ongoing conversation includes receiving an assignment of an attribute to a selected portion of content from the ongoing conversation, and asynchronously delivering the selected portion to selected recipients based on the attribute. |
| US08345658B2 |
Mobile communication terminal with GPS function, positioning system, operation control method, and program
The present invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal with a GPS function capable of further varying the positioning performance of each positioning mode preinstalled in the terminal. A GPS positioning section of the mobile communication terminal with the GPS function can perform positioning in a plurality of positioning modes using the A-GPS system. When a GPS control section of the mobile communication terminal with the GPS function causes the GPS positioning section to perform positioning, the GPS control section sets a positioning mode in the GPS positioning section, varies an allowable error of a communication synchronizing clock established between the terminal and a base station as a parameter relating to the positioning performance of GPS positioning based on the A-GPS system in which a fixed value has been conventionally used, and sets the allowable error in GPS positioning means. |
| US08345652B2 |
Coexistence system and method for wireless network devices
A network interface includes a radio frequency system and a media access controller. The media access controller includes first and second client modules and a control module. Each of the client modules wirelessly communicates with a network via the radio frequency system and the antenna. Each of the client modules is controllable to be in an active state or a sleep state. The control module determines priority levels of the first client module and the second client module. The control module also, based on the priority levels, (i) controls the first client module to be in the active state to permit communication between the first client module and the radio frequency system, and (ii) controls the second client module to be in the sleep state to prevent communication between the second client module and the radio frequency system. |
| US08345651B2 |
Methods and apparatus for overlapping MIMO antenna physical sectors
MIMO systems communicate with wireless devices. MIMO systems include directional antennas that are oriented so that the physical sectors of the antennas overlap to form areas of overlap. The areas of overlap are oriented in unique directions. Radios are selectively coupled to the portion of the antennas to communicate with the wireless devices. The physical sectors of the antennas that are selectively coupled to the radios overlap. The radios use the antennas to communicate with the wireless devices. The antennas operate as a MIMO antenna. |
| US08345648B2 |
Wireless base station, wireless communication terminal, and wireless communication system
A wireless communication system transmits information requested by a wireless communication terminal to the wireless communication terminal moving through a spot wireless area. In a wireless base station, an external information communication control section controls communication with a server. A contents memory stores at least a part of contents received from the server. A wireless communication section communicates with the communication terminal using a predetermined communication method. A control section establishes connection with the communication terminal using a first connection which does not require an authentication procedure, or using a second connection which requires the authentication procedure. An access control (restriction) section permits access from the communication terminal to the contents memory and prohibits access to the server when a type of connection is the first connection, and permits access from the communication terminal to the contents memory and to the server in the case of the second connection. |
| US08345643B1 |
Exception processing for wireless roaming
A client device detects when it roams between subnets and signals to a device in the subnet being entered. The client may detect roaming by monitoring subnet identifiers included in beacon signals transmitted by access points. When the client detects a beacon with a new subnet identifier and at the same time no longer detects a beacon with the original subnet identifier then roaming is indicated. When roaming is indicated the client responds by setting a tag, such as an IEEE 802.1q VLAN tag, in packets transmitted by the client. The tagged packets provide an indication to devices in the new subnet that the client has roamed into that new subnet. Devices in the new subnet, such as access points and switches, recognize the tagged packets and establish a path to the original subnet in response. For example, the tagged packets transmitted by the client may be encapsulated pursuant to a Layer 3 protocol and tunneled from a switch associated with the subnet being entered to a switch in the original subnet. If the client roams to other subnets the path is established from the new subnet to the original subnet, rather than an intermediate subnet. |
| US08345641B2 |
Radio communication system using multi-antenna transmission technique, and multi-user scheduler therefor
In a radio system performing scheduled transmission to a plurality of receiving stations from a transmitting station having a plurality of antennas, a transmitting station obtains reception quality information estimated from feedback information obtained from the plurality of receiving stations, determines whether a transmission system performs beamforming, which transmits data of an identical stream by weighting each of the plurality of antennas based on the obtained reception quality information, or performs MIMO multiplexing, which transmits data of different streams respectively from the plurality of antennas, and transmits information to identify the determined transmission system by adding to a scheduler management channel. |
| US08345637B2 |
Wireless communications system that supports multiple modes of operation
A wireless communications adapts its mode of operation between spatial multiplexing and non-spatial multiplexing in response to transmission-specific variables. An embodiment of a wireless communications system for transmitting information between a base transceiver station and a subscriber unit includes mode determination logic. The mode determination logic is in communication with the base transceiver station and the subscriber unit. The mode determination logic determines, in response to a received signal, if a subscriber data stream should be transmitted between the base transceiver station and the subscriber unit utilizing spatial multiplexing or non-spatial multiplexing. |
| US08345635B2 |
Access control method, access control apparatus and communication system
An access control method, an access control apparatus and a communication system are disclosed, and a mechanism for processing Emergency Call (EMC) services is disclosed, and such mechanism ensures continuity of the EMC service while implementing the access control under a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) mechanism. The access control method includes: obtaining CSG area information of a target area; and controlling the access of a User Equipment (UE) to the target area according to the CSG area information of the target area and/or whether an EMC service exists on the UE. The present invention is applicable to the scenario in which the UE accesses a network. |
| US08345634B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting co-located coexistence mode
A method and apparatus for reducing interference between systems when a plurality of wireless access systems are co-located are disclosed. To support CLC mode, an MS in the CRC mode transmits a handover request message to a first Base Station (BS) to initiate a handover process, receives a handover command message acknowledging the handover request message from the first BS, transmits a ranging request message to second BS at network reentry after handover, and receives from the second BS a ranging response message including CRC start time information that set by the second BS. |
| US08345627B2 |
Fast synchronised transparent handover method and system
A mobile communications system (100), comprising at least one mobile terminal (200), a plurality of base stations (300a-300e), at least one central entity (400) adapted to manage said plurality of base stations, adapted to perform a handover, wherein: —said mobile terminal (200) is adapted to transmit a handover request message in a pre-defined slot requesting a new point of attachment; —said plurality of base stations (300a-300e) are adapted to receive said handover request message and further adapted to determine which one of said plurality of base stations (300a-300e) is to become said new point of attachment; —a base station (300a) arranged to become said new point of attachment is further adapted to transmit a handover response message to said mobile terminal (200); —said mobile terminal (200) is adapted to receive said handover response message and to change its point of attachment. |
| US08345619B2 |
Mobile station apparatus and communication method
Provided is a base station capable of suppressing increase of overhead of allocation result report in frequency scheduling in multi-carrier communication and obtaining a sufficient frequency diversity effect. In the base station, encoding units (101-1 to 101-n) encode data (#1 to #n) to mobile stations (#1 to #n), modulation units (102-1 to 102-n) modulate the encoded data so as to generate a data symbol, a scheduler (103) performs frequency scheduling according to a CQI from each mobile station so as to uniformly allocate data to the respective mobile stations for a part of RB extracted from a plurality of RB, and an SCCH generation unit (105) generates control information (SCCH information) to report the allocation result in the scheduler (103) to the respective mobile stations. |
| US08345616B2 |
Scheduling communications in a mobile device
A method scheduling outgoing communication in a mobile device is provided. The method includes receiving a signal quality profile for an area in which the device is located. The method further includes receiving a signal from a user application stored on the device that requests the mobile device to make the outgoing communication. Additionally, the method includes determining a current location, a speed, a direction, and a signal quality associated with the device and determining whether the signal quality is above a certain threshold. If not, the method includes predicting a future time at which the signal quality will be above the threshold based at least on the current location, the speed, the direction, the signal quality, and the signal quality profile. Finally, the method includes scheduling the outgoing communication from the mobile device at the future time. |
| US08345614B2 |
Single channelization code HARQ feedback for DC-HSDPA +MIMO
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which a single channelization code may be utilized on an uplink channel for providing a HARQ ACK/NACK response corresponding to DC-HSDPA+MIMO. Here, the set of channelization codes includes four codeword groups, each codeword group corresponding to a scenario wherein a node B schedules a single transport block or dual transport blocks on each of the two downlink carriers. Thereby, each of the four codeword groups may be designed to have an improved distance property in comparison to the utilization of a single codeword group for all HARQ ACK/NACK hypotheses, reducing errors. |
| US08345609B2 |
System, apparatus and method for proactively re-assessing the availability and quality of surrounding channels for infrastructure operation in wireless mesh nodes
An embodiment of the invention involves a method for selecting an infrastructure mode wireless channel for a tier-2 wireless node of a plurality of wireless nodes forming a wireless mesh network. The method comprises a first operation of receiving information from at least one neighboring node. Then, the first wireless node determines if a collision has occurred with the at least one neighboring node, where the collision is an overlapping of wireless channels selected by the first node and the at least one neighboring node. If a collision has occurred, the first wireless node compares its network degree, iterative count, and MAC address (progressively in that order) with that of its neighboring node to determine which of the first wireless node or the at least one neighboring node is responsible for re-selecting a different wireless channel from a set of non-overlapping wireless channels that are available to the wireless mesh network. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08345607B2 |
Coexistence and collocation of remote network and local network radios
A coexistent communication system of a first network device includes a remote network radio. The remote network radio has a remote transmission distance, operates based on remote network protocols, and communicates with a base station using a first communication link corresponding to a first frequency band. A local network radio has a local transmission distance and is collocated with the remote network radio. The local network radio operates based on local network protocols that are different than the remote network protocols and communicates with a second network device using a second communication link corresponding to a second frequency band. A control module at least one of schedules communication on the first communication link and the second communication link and adjusts a transmission parameter of one of the remote network radio and the local network radio. Transmission distance of the remote network radio is greater than transmission distance of the local network radio. |
| US08345601B2 |
Method for creating a peer-to-peer immediate messaging solution without using an instant messaging server
A messaging method in a system including a wireless network, a routing server, and a plurality of mobile stations. A first mobile station has first communications applications and a first PIN and a second mobile station has second communications applications and a second PIN. The method includes sending an invitation including the first PIN from the first mobile station to the second mobile station using one of the first communications applications, and sending an acceptance including the second PIN from the second mobile station to the first mobile station using one of the second communications applications. The method further includes creating first messages including the second PIN and sending them to the second mobile station through the wireless network, and creating second messages including the first PIN and sending them to the first mobile station through the wireless network. The routing server routes the messages based on the PINs. |
| US08345597B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting spread spectrum signals in an area of interest
Systems and methods are provided for detecting and geo-locating a target transmitting a CDMA or other spread-spectrum signal within an area of interest. Targets are identified by spatially-dividing the area of interest into a number of cells. First and second receiving beams are sequentially directed toward each of the cells from two or more different intercept sites. The presence of the spread-spectrum signal within each cell is identified from the signals received at each directional beam, and if the spread-spectrum signal is present in both the first and the second receiving beams, then the target can be indicated to be present within the cell. |
| US08345593B2 |
Dynamic discovery of home agent with specific binding
The invention relates to a method for obtaining a home node address in a packet switched network comprising nodes. The method comprises the steps of a first node sending to a first home node of a home network a request containing information about a home address of a mobile node to determine whether a binding with said home address indicating a registration of said mobile node at the first home node exists; the first home node receiving the request, said first home node comprising a stored binding table; determining whether the binding with said home address exists in any home node of the home network; and if the home address of the mobile node is in the binding table of any of the home nodes in the home network, the first node receiving a reply comprising the address of the home node with said binding. |
| US08345587B2 |
Relay station, base station and method for extending a coverage area of a base station in a radio network
A method for extending a coverage of a base station in a wireless communication network is disclosed, characterized in that a relay station transfers control information and communication related information between the base station and the mobile station according to an indication of the base station. |
| US08345585B2 |
Method for optimizing the allocation of resources in a cellular network using a shared radio transmission link, network and network adapters thereof
A method is provided for optimizing allocation of transmission resources in a mobile radio communication cellular network. The network has at least one base station controlled by a base station controller, and a connecting network connecting the base stations(s) with the base station controller, wherein setting up, maintaining and terminating a communications channel between a mobile station located in the cellular network are implemented by exchanges of signalling messages. The connecting network includes at least one radio link with shared resources between the base station(s) and the base station controller. Such a method includes: analysing content of all or a portion of the signalling messages, including searching for and detecting in the content of the signalling messages data indicating a traffic activity; and allocating or not allocating a resource channel in the radio link with shared resources according to data indicating a traffic activity. |
| US08345581B2 |
Communication system
A method is provided of authorizing a user of a communication system to be added to a group communication event. The method comprises: selecting a group of users of the communication system; initiating from a host node the group communication event with the group of users; responsive to receiving a group communication acceptance from at least a first user in the group, establishing the group communication event with the first user in the group; receiving at the host node a communication set up request from another user of the communication system; analyzing the communication set up request to determine if said communication set up request is associated with said group communication event initiated by the host node; and adding said other user to the group communication event if it is determined that the communication set up request is associated with said group communication event. |
| US08345571B2 |
Method for transmitting channel information and mobile communication terminal
A method for transmitting channel information and a mobile communication terminal are disclosed. The method for transmitting channel information includes requesting, by a mobile station (MS) through a random access channel (RACH), a base station (BS) to allocate a resource for transmitting channel information, if it is determined that transmission of a channel status of a downlink channel is necessary as a result of monitoring the channel status, and transmitting, from the MS through the RACH to the BS, the channel information which is updated according to the channel status if the resource allocation is completed. Therefore an existing control channel can be efficiently used, without adding a new control channel for channel quality identifier (CQI) transmission by a mobile station or modifying the configuration of a transmitting stage. Further, signal interference for the existing channels can be prevented when generating a scheduling request. |
| US08345565B2 |
Method and system for operating a wireless access point in the presence of bursty interference
A method and system for operating a wireless access point is disclosed. In an embodiment, a wireless access point determines whether bursty interference is present within the operating range of the wireless access point and then adapts a transmission characteristic in response to the determination. In an embodiment, the wireless access point determines whether bursty interference is present by changing at least one transmission characteristic and monitoring the resulting error rates. The presence of bursty interference can be detected if a lowering of the transmission rate causes an increase in the error rate. The increase in the error rate is a result of the lower transmission rate and corresponding longer transmission time for each frame, which in turn increases the likelihood that a frame will overlap with bursty interference. |
| US08345563B2 |
Wireless communication system, data transmission method for uplink thereof, base station device, and mobile station device
A wireless base station sends transmission parameters that specify a control signal coding rate and a data signal coding rate which satisfy a BLER (Block Error Rate) required for a control signal and a data signal in a TTI (Transmit Time Interval) scheduled in response to a transmission request from a mobile station. In the specified TTI, the mobile station applies the coding rates, included in the transmission parameters and specified for the control signal and the data signal, to the control signal and the data signal, time-division multiplexes the coded control signal and coded data signal to generate constant transmission-power transmission data, and sends the generated transmission data to a wireless base station via PUSCH. |
| US08345559B2 |
MPLS diagnostics tool
A method, system and diagnostic tool for diagnosing a problem in CSPF and non-CSPF MPLS networks, including problems with LDP tunnels. This includes one or more of the following: hopping from network element to network element; determining whether an LSP between elements is operational; determining whether the hop was strict or loose; evaluating whether there is an existing path between the elements; finding and remembering an IGP link between the elements; recognizing whether the LSP is an FRR LSP; diagnosing a cause of the LSP between the elements being down; and altering a display of a topology map of the network to indicate the cause of the problem. |
| US08345558B2 |
Packet-based memory test of a network device
A router may be tested using a packet-based testing technique in which the test packets are generated by the router. In one implementation, a forwarding plane in a router may include a first component to process header information of packets to determine forwarding information, and a memory component to store payload data for the packets. A control plane of the router may generate test packets, insert the test packets into the forwarding plane, receive a second set of packets from the forwarding plane, analyze the second set of packets to determine whether the second set of packets correspond to the inserted plurality of test packets, and output, based on the analysis, test results, relating to the operation of the routing device. |
| US08345557B2 |
Automated monitoring of a network
A spare receiver in a CMTS is used to determine the connectivity status of the receivers of the CMTS in the network. Load balancing and Spectrum Groups may also be determined according to the connectivity status of the receivers. The spare receiver is configured to have the communication protocols of a first selected receiver of the CMTS and is switched to be connected to the signal lines of another receiver of the CMTS. A transmitter sends a request for a response to a modem registered with the first receiver. If the spare receiver, which is configured to have the same communication protocols as the first receiver of the CMTS, receives the response from the modem, the other receiver under test is determined to be physically wired with the first receiver. The other receiver is also determined to be in the same Load Balancing Group and the same Spectrum Group as the first receiver of the CMTS. The selected first receiver is analyzed against all of the other receivers in the CMTS by selectively switching the spare receiver to be connected to other receivers. Each receiver on the CMTS is analyzed in the same manner as the selected first receiver. |
| US08345555B2 |
Method for routing ad-hoc signals
An ad-hoc network is a typically a dynamic collection of nodes capable of communicating therebetween without the aid of pre-established infrastructure. Ad-hoc networks differ from traditional networks in that the topology of interconnections between nodes is inherently dynamic and not fixed. Generally, the routing protocols belong to two groups: proactive and reactive. Proactive protocols attempt to maintain correct and up-to-date routing information at every node. Reactive protocols, in turn, collect necessary routing information only if a pair of nodes are to establish a communication. In accordance with embodiments of the invention a reactive ad-hoc network protocol is disclosed that uses controlled flooding to broadcast packets of information within the ad-hoc network. Furthermore, the ad-hoc network protocol does not maintain up-to-date routing information at every node in an ad-hoc network and does not utilize specific control messages to assure that packets within the ad-hoc network follow optimal paths. |
| US08345552B2 |
Virtual connection route selection apparatus and techniques
Virtual connection route selection apparatus and techniques are disclosed. At a communication traffic routing apparatus, metric information associated with multiple different routes for a virtual connection, such as a PseudoWire, toward a destination is collected. The metric information may be collected from one or more remote route computation elements capable of computing routes for virtual connections between the routing apparatus and other routing apparatus over an underlying communication system, or during actual establishment of the virtual connections, for example. An initial or re-optimized route for a virtual connection can then be selected at the routing apparatus based on the collected metric information. In some embodiments, although the virtual connection routes are paths computed by Path Computation Elements (PCEs), actual path selection decisions are distributed to routers. |
| US08345550B2 |
Coaxial network communication node and methods for communicating within a MoCA network with reduced-length cyclic prefixes
A coaxial network communication node receives multimedia content with one or more other nodes in a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA®) coaxial network. The node determines a delay-spread of a coaxial channel based on a probe received from a transmitting node during a link-maintenance operation (LMO) cycle. The probe is stored and reused during the LMO until the channel-shortening TEQ filter converges. The node configures a channel-shortening time-domain equalizer (TEQ) filter to effectively shorten the channel and instructs the transmitting node to shorten a length of a cyclic prefix for subsequent packet-based transmissions. |
| US08345548B2 |
Method of switching fabric for counteracting a saturation tree occurring in a network with nodes
An example of a method comprises the steps of generating at a local node where a congestion emerges a first congestion information; sending the first congestion information to at least one upstream node; responsive to one received first congestion information comparing the content of the received first congestion information with a present local status based on a set of predefined rules in order to identify at least one packet stream causing the congestion, and generating a second congestion information comprising the identified at least one packet stream causing the congestion; and sending the second congestion information to at least one further upstream node from where the identified at least one packet stream was received. |
| US08345545B2 |
Methods and systems for rate matching and rate shaping in a wireless network
Rate matching and rate shaping methods and systems for managing data traffic on wireless channels are disclosed. Rate matching embodiments dynamically determine downlink video data transmission rates based on frame decoding deadlines and frame sizes. In addition, if the channel capacity cannot support the video data transmission rate, the rate matcher can adjust the video stream accordingly so that it is supportable by the channel capacity. In turn, rate shaping implementations can tailor the transmission rate shaping based on the state of the wireless data channel. Shaper operations can be specifically adapted to a saturated state of the wireless channel, to an unsaturated state of the wireless channel and to transitions between the unsaturated and saturated states. |
| US08345543B2 |
Methods and systems for automatically rerouting logical circuit data
Methods and systems are provided to automatically reroute logical circuit data. In accordance with an example method, a failure of a dedicated logical circuit in a packet-based network is identified. The dedicated logical circuit has a first logical circuit identifier assigned prior to identifying the failure. The dedicated logical circuit connects a host device to a remote device to communicate data that originates and terminates only at the host device and the remote device. A logical failover circuit comprising an alternate communication path for communicating the data is selected. When the first logical circuit identifier of the dedicated logical circuit does not match a second logical circuit identifier of the logical failover circuit, the second logical circuit identifier is renamed to match the first logical circuit identifier. The data is rerouted to the logical failover circuit without manual intervention. |
| US08345537B2 |
Methods and systems for automatically rerouting logical circuit data from a logical circuit failure to a dedicated backup circuit in a data network
A method and system are provided for automatically rerouting logical circuit data from a physical circuit failure in a data network. When a failure in a logical circuit is detected, a label or services name associated with the logical circuit is automatically associated with a logical circuit identifier utilized for identifying the logical circuit in the 10 data network. Once the logical circuit is associated with the logical circuit identifier, the logical circuit data may be automatically rerouted to a “failover network,” thereby minimizing lost data until the failure in the logical circuit is resolved. The logical failover circuit may be an already existing logical circuit provisioned over a dedicated backup physical circuit in the data network. |
| US08345536B1 |
Multicast high availability enhancements for non-stop forwarding
A distributed-forwarding router platform contains a master and a standby route processing manager (RPM). The master RPM uses dynamic internal routing codes to facilitate the replication of multicast packets within the router. As internal routing codes are assigned, the assignments are shared with the standby RPM. Should the standby RPM have to take over as the master RPM, the new master consults the internal routing codes assigned by the previous master as the new master builds multicast state, insuring that the internal routing codes the new master assigns are consistent with those used by the prior master. This allows the multicast forwarding plane to remain available during RPM failover, without a shutdown or unstable period while the new master RPM propagates internal routing codes. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08345532B2 |
Transmitting device and method for transmitting signals in a wireless communication system, receiving device and method for receiving signals in a wireless communication system
A transmitting device for transmitting signals in a wireless communication system, includes at least two beam antennas, each beam antenna having a main beaming direction at a different angle and generating means for generating a number of signal streams to be transmitted within the wireless communication system, whereby the signal to be transmitted is split into these different streams and said number of signal streams corresponds to the number of beam antennas, whereby each signal stream is transmitted via a different beam antenna. Transmitting device for transmitting signals in a wireless communication system, comprising at least two beam antennas, each beam antenna having a main beaming direction at a different angle and generating means for generating a number of signal streams to be transmitted within the wireless communication system, whereby each of these signal streams comprises a different version of the data, and said number of signal streams corresponds to the number of beam antennas, whereby each signal stream is transmitted via a different beam antenna. |
| US08345530B2 |
Objective lens and optical pickup apparatus using the same
Disclosed is an objective lens that favorably focuses multiple laser beams having different wavelengths on information recording layers of optical discs, and an optical pickup apparatus including the lens. The objective lens of the invention is provided with a first region for focusing laser beams of the BD, DVD and CD standards. The first region is provided with an annular zone step having a height calculated on the basis of a wavelength of the laser beam of the BD standard, and thus causes chromatic aberration of the laser beam of the DVD standard. This chromatic aberration corrects spherical aberration occurring due to a difference in thickness between coating layers of optical discs. In the invention, the curve surface shape of the first region is adjusted so that the BD and DVD standards can share the aberration for reducing the aberration of the laser beam of the DVD standard. |
| US08345528B2 |
Optical pickup device
An optical pickup device includes an objective lens portion which converges laser light at a first focal point and a second focal point; an actuator which positions the first focal point or the second focal point on a recording layer in a disc; an astigmatism element which sets a first focal line position and a second focal line position of the laser light reflected on the disc away from each other in a propagating direction of the laser light; a spectral element which disperses four light fluxes obtained by dividing the laser light reflected on the disc in four from each other; and a photodetector having a sensor group which receives the four light fluxes dispersed by the spectral element. |
| US08345519B1 |
Method and system for providing a suspension head bond pad design
A method and system for providing a head gimbal assembly (HGA) for an energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) disk drive including media is described. The HGA includes a slider, a laser assembly, and a flexure. The slider has a front side, a back side, and at least one EAMR transducer residing in proximity to the front side. The front side corresponds to an air-bearing surface (ABS) that resides in proximity to the media during use. The laser assembly includes a laser for providing energy to the EAMR transducer and is mounted on the back side of the slider. The flexure has at least one laser lead and a through-hole therein. The through-hole is configured to accommodate the laser assembly. A portion of the at least one laser lead extends over the through-hole and electrically connects the at least one laser lead with the laser. |
| US08345516B2 |
Magneto-optical switching device and method for switching a magnetizable medium
The invention relates to a magneto-optical switching device for switching magnetization in a medium, comprising a magnetizable medium. According to the invention, a radiation system suited for imparting angular momentum to the magnetic spin system of said magnetizable medium, so as to selectively orient the magnetization of said medium. In addition, the invention relates to a method of switching a magnetizable medium, comprising providing a magnetizable medium; providing a radiation beam of a selectively chosen angular momentum; and targeting said radiation beam to said medium so as to transfer said angular momentum to a magnetic spin system of said magnetizable medium. Accordingly, spin states in magnetic materials can be manipulated using radiation of a suitable angular momentum. An effective magnetic field is generated for orienting the magnetization of the domains and can simultaneously be used to locally heat the material. |
| US08345515B2 |
Deflection optical element, optical recording head and optical recording apparatus
Disclosed is a deflection optical element, which makes it possible to deflect an incident light so as to couple the incident light to an optical element disposed in the later stage without deteriorating the optical efficiency. The deflection optical element, which deflects an incident light coming along a first optical axis at a deflection surface and emits an emission light propagating along a second optical axis so as to couple the emission light to either a diffraction grating or a refracting optical system, comprises at least one diffracting surface and at least one reflecting surface, wherein the angle θn, an angle θt derived as a total diffraction angle caused by the at least one diffracting surface, and an angle θa, which is formed at a second intersection of the first optical axis and the second optical axis, fulfill a conditional relationship of: 0≦θn<θa<θt. |
| US08345514B2 |
Radio-controlled timepiece and method of assembling the same
A radio-controlled timepiece in which its reception sensitivity is further enhanced. The radio-controlled timepiece includes: an antenna core 11 made of a magnetic material and formed as a single integrated body including a coiled portion (11a) wound with a coil 19 and extension portions 11b and 11c which are located respectively on the end-portion sides; additional cores 15 and 16 made of a magnetic material; magnetism-collection members 17 and 18 made of a magnetic material; a main plate 31 (timepiece substrate) made of a non-magnetic material; a guide member 33 made of a non-magnetic material; and a liquid-crystal-panel supporting frame 32 (magnetism-collection-member supporting members, pressing member) made of a non-magnetic material and having protrusions 32a and 32b (pressing members) formed thereon. When the main plate 31, the guide member 33, and the liquid-crystal-panel supporting frame 32 are assembled together, the protrusions 32a and 32b press the magnetism-collection members, respectively. Thus, the magnetism-collection members 17 and 18 come into contact respectively with the additional cores 15 and 16, and, at the same time, the additional cores 15 and 16 come into contact respectively with the extension portions 11b and 11c of the antenna core 11. Accordingly an antenna-core body with a large single body is formed, which enhances the reception performance. |
| US08345511B1 |
Blazed array for broadband transmission/reception
A broadband blazed array has a plurality of elements. The elements are arranged side-by-side in a non-parallel spaced apart fashion with center-to-center spacing between adjacent elements being identical along cross-sections of the array that are aligned with the array's endfire directions. |
| US08345510B2 |
Method for aquiring and processing marine seismic data to extract and constructively use the up-going and down-going wave-fields emitted by the source(s)
A method for acquisition and processing of marine seismic signals to extract up-going and down-going wave-fields from a seismic energy source includes deploying at least two marine seismic energy sources at different depths in a body of water. These seismic energy sources are actuated with known time delays that are varied from shot record to shot record. Seismic signals from sources deployed at different depths are recorded simultaneously. Seismic energy corresponding to each of the sources is extracted from the recorded seismic signals. Up-going and down-going wave-fields are extracted from the sources deployed at different depths using the extracted seismic energy therefrom. A method includes the separated up-going and down-going wave-fields are propagated to a water surface or a common reference, the up-going or the down-going wave-field is 180 degree phase shifted, and the signals from these modified up-going and down-going wave-fields are summed. |
| US08345507B2 |
Storage device, substrate, liquid container, system and control method of storage device
A storage device includes a nonvolatile storage section; and a control section that controls the nonvolatile storage section, wherein the control section includes an access control section that outputs a clock for access control for performing access control of a read/write of the nonvolatile storage section, and performs access control of the read/write to the nonvolatile storage section, and a masking process section that performs the masking process of a reset signal on the basis of the clock for access control from the access control section, and supplies the reset signal after the masking process to the access control section. |
| US08345505B2 |
Method and apparatus of addressing a memory integrated circuit
A memory integrated circuit has control circuitry that accesses memory cells of the memory integrated circuit. The control circuitry is responsive to commands including a first command and a second command. The first command specifies a high order set of address bits. The second command specifies a low order set of address bits. The high order set of address bits and the low order set of address bits constitute a complete access address of the memory integrated circuit. The first command and the second command have different in command codes. |
| US08345504B2 |
Data-aware dynamic supply random access memory
A Random Access Memory (RAM) with a plurality of cells is provided. In an embodiment, the cells of a same column are coupled to a same pair of bit-lines and are associated to a same power controller. Each cell has two inverters; the power controller has two power-switches. For the cells of the same column, the two power-switches respectively perform independent supply voltage controls for the two inverters in each cell according to data-in voltages of the bit-lines during Write operation. |
| US08345502B2 |
Internal voltage generating circuit of phase change random access memory device and method thereof
An internal voltage generating circuit includes a divided voltage generator configured to generate a divided voltage by dividing a feedback internal voltage level at a division ratio corresponding to an operation mode control signal, a voltage detector configured to detect a level of the divided voltage based on a reference voltage level, an internal voltage generator configured to receive a supply voltage as power source and generate the internal voltage in response to an output signal of the voltage detector, and an under-driving unit configured to under-drive an internal voltage terminal to a supply voltage in an under-driving operation region that is determined in response to the operation mode control signal. |
| US08345498B2 |
Sense amplifier
A sense amplifier includes a first PMOS transistor, a second PMOS transistor, a third PMOS transistor, a fourth PMOS transistor, a first NMOS transistor, a second NMOS transistor, a third NMOS transistor, and a fourth NMOS transistor. The first PMOS transistor, the second PMOS transistor, the first NMOS transistor, and the second NMOS transistor form cross coupled sensing pairs. The third PMOS and the fourth PMOS transistors serve as compensation transistors. The third NMOS and the fourth NMOS transistors serve as sensing enabling transistors. |
| US08345496B2 |
Memory test apparatus and testing method
A refresh control circuit receives an interrupt signal, which is a request to refresh DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and which is asserted at predetermined timings. The refresh control circuit counts the number of times the interrupt signal is asserted, and asserts an interrupt subroutine start signal, which is an instruction to refresh the DRAM, in an idle state in which the DRAM is accessible from an external circuit, for a number of times that is equal to the number of times thus counted. When the interrupt subroutine start signal is asserted, a refresh circuit executes a predetermined interrupt subroutine, and supplies a refresh pattern to the DRAM. |
| US08345495B2 |
Test circuit, nonvolatile semiconductor memory appratus using the same, and test method
A test circuit of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory apparatus includes a first switching unit, a second switching unit, and a third switching unit. The first switching unit is configured to selectively interrupt application of a pumping voltage for a sense amplifier to a sense amplifier input node. The second switching unit is configured to selectively decouple the sense amplifier input node and a sub input/output node. The sub input/output node is coupled with a data storage region. The third switching unit is configured to selectively connect a voltage applying pad and the sense amplifier input node. |
| US08345492B2 |
Memory controller for detecting read latency, memory system and test system having the same
A memory controller includes an I/O circuit, a read latency detector and a clock domain synchronizer. The I/O circuit transmits a first signal to a semiconductor memory device, receives a reflected signal returned from the semiconductor memory device, and delays the reflected signal in response to a delay selection signal to generate a second signal. The reflected signal is provided by reflection of the first signal from the semiconductor memory device. The read latency detector generates the first signal in response to a system clock signal, and generates a read latency signal in response to the system clock signal, a hold signal, and the second signal. The clock domain synchronizer generates the delay selection signal and the hold signal in response to the system clock signal and the second signal. |
| US08345490B2 |
Split voltage level restore and evaluate clock signals for memory address decoding
A method of implementing voltage level shifting for a memory device includes coupling one or more evaluation clock signals to a memory address decode circuit, the one or more evaluation clock signals operating at a first voltage supply level; and coupling a restore clock signal to the memory address decode circuit, the restore clock signal operating at a second voltage supply level that is higher than the first voltage supply level; wherein one or more outputs of the memory address decode circuit operate at the second voltage supply level. |
| US08345489B2 |
Caching scheme synergy for extent migration between tiers of a storage system
A storage system according to one embodiment includes logic adapted for determining to move an extent from a source-tier in a storage system to a destination-tier in the storage system, wherein a set of tracks of the extent is presently being accessed; logic adapted for determining whether any track from the set of tracks is presently being written to; logic adapted for designating to a write-stack associated with the source-tier each track that is presently being written to and designating to a read-stack associated with the source-tier remaining tracks from the set of tracks; logic adapted for removing oldest tracks from the read-stack and the write-stack until the read-stack and the write-stack have been depleted of tracks; logic adapted for populating a destination-tier cache with the tracks as they are removed from the read-stack and the write-stack using a predetermined read-to-write ratio when a parameter of the extent exceeds a migration threshold; logic adapted for removing any tracks from a source-tier cache that were removed from the read-stack and the write-stack; and logic adapted for migrating the extent from the source-tier to the destination-tier. |
| US08345487B2 |
Method of setting read voltage minimizing read data errors
A method setting a read voltage to minimize data read errors in a semiconductor memory device including multi-bit memory cells. In the method, a read voltage associated with a minimal number of read data error is set based on a statistic value of a voltage distribution corresponding to each one of a plurality of voltage states. |
| US08345480B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device for driving liquid crystal display
The present invention realizes a semiconductor integrated circuit device for driving liquid crystal (liquid crystal control driver IC) capable of easily setting drive conditions and the like according to specifications of a liquid crystal display to be used. An electrically-programmable nonvolatile memory circuit (EPROM) or an electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory circuit (EEPROM) is provided in a semiconductor integrated circuit device for driving a liquid crystal display, and setting information is stored in the memory circuit. The memory circuit is constructed by a normal device which can be formed in the same process as a semiconductor manufacturing process of forming devices of other circuits. |
| US08345479B2 |
Three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory
A three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to an example of the present invention includes a memory cell array comprised of first and second blocks disposed side by side in a first direction, and a driver disposed on one end of the memory cell array in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. First select gate lines in the first block and first select gate lines in the second block are connected to the driver after they are commonly connected in one end in the second direction of the memory cell array in a relation of one to one. |
| US08345478B2 |
Use of emerging non-volatile memory elements with flash memory
Memory devices and methods of operating memory devices are provided, such as those that involve a memory architecture that replaces typical static and/or dynamic components with emerging non-volatile memory (NV) elements. The emerging NV memory elements can replace conventional latches, can serve as a high speed interface between a flash memory array and external devices and can also be used as high performance cache memory for a flash memory array. |
| US08345476B2 |
Multi-level cell programming speed improvement through program level exchange
A method of storing data in a multi-level charge-trapping memory array is described. An incidence-of-occurrence (i.e., frequency) analysis is performed on data to be programmed to identify data words combining a high programming voltage with a high frequency of occurrence. Those words are reassigned in order to reduce programming time. |
| US08345475B2 |
Non volatile cell and architecture with single bit random access read, program and erase
One embodiment is a non-volatile memory cell with random access read, program, and erase. The memory cell includes a cell transistor that includes a source region, a drain region, a first insulating spacer, and a second insulating spacer. The memory cell also includes a source-side transistor, a drain-side transistor, a source-side multiplexer, a drain-side multiplexer, a source-side sense amplifier, and a drain-side write driver. A first binary value is stored in a first bit in the memory cell by trapping or releasing a first electric charge in the first insulating spacer. The first bit is read by sensing the resistive change in the cell transistor or by sensing the threshold voltage change in the cell transistor. |
| US08345474B2 |
Magnetic memory devices including magnetic layers having different products of saturated magnetization and thickness and related methods
A magnetic memory device may include a tunnel barrier, a reference layer on a first side of the tunnel barrier, and a free layer on a second side of the tunnel barrier so that the tunnel barrier is between the reference and free layers. The free layer may include a first magnetic layer adjacent the tunnel barrier, a nonmagnetic layer on the first magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer on the nonmagnetic layer. More particularly, the nonmagnetic layer may be between the first and second magnetic layers, and the first magnetic layer may be between the tunnel barrier and the second magnetic layer. A product of a saturated magnetization of the first magnetic layer and a thickness of the first magnetic layer may be less than a product of a saturated magnetization of the second magnetic layer and a thickness of the second magnetic layer. Related methods are also discussed. |
| US08345470B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A control circuit supplies a word line drive voltage to one of m word lines which corresponds to a memory cell to which data is to be written, during a word line drive period including a first period and a second period following the first period, to decrease current capabilities of first and second load transistors included in the memory cell during the first period, and increase the current capabilities of the first and second load transistors during the second period. |
| US08345467B2 |
Resistive memory devices including selected reference memory cells operating responsive to read operations
A Resistance based Random Access Memory (ReRAM) can include a sense amplifier circuit that includes a first input coupled to a bit line of a reference cell in a first block of the ReRAM responsive to a read operation to a second block. |
| US08345466B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device adjusting voltage of lines in a memory cell array
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes a memory cell array including: a plurality of first lines; a plurality of second lines intersecting the first lines; and a plurality of memory cells each including a variable resistance element disposed at the intersection of the first and second lines and configured to store an electrically rewritable resistance value as data in a nonvolatile manner, and a control unit configured to detect an amount of a current flowing through the first line when a memory cell is accessed, and adjust the voltage of the first or second line based on the amount of the current. |
| US08345460B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
The memory cell array has memory cells each positioned at respective intersections between a plurality of first wirings and a plurality of second wirings. Each of the memory cells has a rectifier element and a variable resistance element connected in series. The resistance element may have at least a first resistance value and a second resistance value higher than the first resistance value. The contact arrangement portion is formed to arrange a plurality of contacts on a plane. The contacts are connected to the first wirings or the second wirings. The probe can move along the plane to electrically contact with either of the contacts. |
| US08345455B2 |
Device and method for controlling high voltage inverter by using neutral point
The present invention relates to a control device and a control method of a high voltage inverter capable of automatically and accurately setting up neutral point information at a master controller and a plurality of cell controllers of the high voltage inverter, wherein a master controller determines information of neutral point set up to itself and performs a communication with the cell controllers each disposed at each of a plurality of U phase unit cells, a plurality of V phase unit cells and a plurality of W phase unit cells to determine the neutral point information preset on the cell controllers and to detect a cell controller set up with neutral point information different from that of the master controller, and to correct the neutral point information of the detected relevant cell controller using the neutral point information set up in the master controller, thereby operating the high voltage inverter. |
| US08345453B2 |
Power conversion apparatus for electric vehicle
The object is to effectively reduce the resonant current flowing inside a converter unit and an inverter unit in a power conversion apparatus for an electric vehicle. The power conversion apparatus includes a converter unit that converts an alternating-current power into a direct-current power, an inverter unit that converts the direct-current power into an intended alternating-current power and supplies the intended alternating-current power to an electric motor that drives an electric vehicle, a housing that accommodates the converter unit and the inverter unit and a part of which is connected to ground, and a magnetic core that is disposed inside the housing and that suppresses the resonant current flowing between the converter unit and the inverter unit. |
| US08345452B2 |
Universal power converter with bidirectional switching devices
Methods and systems for transforming electric power between two or more portals. Any or all portals can be DC, single phase AC, or multi-phase AC. Conversion is accomplished by a plurality of bi-directional conducting and blocking semiconductor switches which alternately connect an inductor and parallel capacitor between said portals, such that energy is transferred into the inductor from one or more input portals and/or phases, then the energy is transferred out of the inductor to one or more output portals and/or phases, with said parallel capacitor facilitating “soft” turn-off, and with any excess inductor energy being returned back to the input. Soft turn-on and reverse recovery is also facilitated. Said bi-directional switches allow for two power transfers per inductor/capacitor cycle, thereby maximizing inductor/capacitor utilization as well as providing for optimum converter operation with high input/output voltage ratios. Control means coordinate the switches to accomplish the desired power transfers. |
| US08345449B2 |
Cable-based mounting system
A mounting system for the display of an audio/visual product. A cable-based mounting system for an audio/visual product includes at least one hanging cable and at least one attachment mechanism. The at least one attachment mechanism is configured to operatively engage with a plurality of various mounting patterns located on the rear of the audio/visual product. The cable-based mounting system allows for the relatively inexpensive and uncomplicated mounting of the audio/visual product on a display region. |
| US08345432B2 |
Electronic device with slim button
An electronic device includes a base, a cover attached to the base and defining at least one receiving hole and at least one button movably received in one of the at least one receiving hole. The electronic device further includes a printed circuit board fixed to the base, at least one switch and a resilient plate. The at least one switch is arranged on the printed circuit board, each corresponding to one of the at least one receiving hole. The resilient plate cantilevered on the printed circuit board, and includes at least one suspended end abutting against the inner surface of the cover and being under the receiving hole. When being pressed, the at least one button moves inward to urge the suspended end to move downward to actuate the switch. |
| US08345427B2 |
Module having at least two surfaces and at least one thermally conductive layer therebetween
A module is electrically connectable to a computer system. The module includes a first surface and a first plurality of circuit packages coupled to the first surface. The module further includes a second surface and a second plurality of circuit packages coupled to the second surface. The second surface faces the first surface. The module further includes at least one thermal conduit positioned between the first surface and the second surface. The at least one thermal conduit is in thermal communication with the first plurality of circuit packages and the second plurality of circuit packages. |
| US08345425B2 |
Cooling system and electronic apparatus applying the same therein
A cooling system for cooling a CPU 200 mounted on a printed circuit board 100 within a housing thereof, has a heat-receiving jacket 310, being thermally connected with a surface of the CPU generating heat therein, and for evaporating liquid refrigerant stored in a pressure-reduced inner space with heat generation thereof. A condenser 320 receives refrigerant vapor from the heat-receiving jacket for condensing the refrigerant vapor into a liquid by transferring the heat into an outside of the apparatus. A thermo siphon is used for circulating the refrigerant due to phase change thereof, and the condenser has fine grooves on an inner wall surface thereof along a direction of flow of the refrigerant, and is also formed flat in a cross-section thereof, for cooling the refrigerant vapor from the heat-receiving jacket on the inner wall surface thereof, efficiently. |
| US08345423B2 |
Interleaved, immersion-cooling apparatuses and methods for cooling electronic subsystems
Cooling apparatuses and methods are provided for immersion-cooling of an electronic subsystem of an electronics rack. The cooling apparatuses include a housing at least partially surrounding and forming a sealed compartment about the electronic subsystem and a dielectric fluid disposed within the sealed compartment, with the electronic subsystem being immersed within the dielectric fluid. A liquid-cooled vapor condenser is provided which includes a plurality of thermally conductive condenser fins extending within the sealed compartment. The condenser fins facilitate cooling and condensing of dielectric fluid vapor generated within the sealed compartment. Within the sealed compartment, multiple thermally conductive condenser fins are interleaved with multiple fluid-boiling fins of a heat spreader coupled to one or more of the electronic components immersed within the dielectric fluid. The interleaved fins facilitate localized cooling and condensing of dielectric fluid vapor within the sealed compartment. |
| US08345420B2 |
Battery assembly for battery powered portable devices
A battery assembly includes at least a plurality of battery cells that includes at least a first and a second battery cell each attached to a distributed battery monitoring unit, the second battery cell being associated with an external circuit, the second battery cell connected to a battery management unit (BMU) by way of a pre-formed battery contact shaped to accommodate the external circuit. The plurality of battery cells are electrically connected to at least the BMU such that each of the plurality of battery cells are substantially aligned with each other thereby preserving a battery profile corresponding to unconnected battery cells. |
| US08345413B2 |
Apparatus for controlling inclination of organic light emitting display panel
An apparatus to control an inclination of an organic light emitting display panel, the apparatus including: a rotation pin having a body formed to be angulated; a support including an arm coupled to the rotation pin to support the rotation pin, the arm including a connection hole to support the rotation pin and a stopper provided to protrude under the connection hole; and a rotation part into which the rotation pin is settled in, the rotation part including an adhesion groove corresponding to the stopper and a hooking groove formed on the adhesion groove to control a rotation of the rotation part around the rotation pin, wherein the rotation of the rotation part is limited by a contact between the hooking groove and the stopper. |
| US08345411B2 |
Information handling system support member
A support member includes a plate and an engaging member formed to the plate. The extends laterally and is defined by an upper surface, a lower surface and a rail that extends downward from the lower surface proximate an outer edge of the plate. The engaging member is formed to the lower surface of the plate and around a portion of the rail. The engaging member includes a surface engaging shoulder extending downward from a lower surface of the engaging member and formed around an outer surface of the engaging member. The surface engaging shoulder extends outside of and below the rail. The engaging member includes an upper shoulder formed above the surface engaging shoulder. The engaging member is configured so that the surface engaging shoulder and the upper shoulder flex upward when a force is applied downward to the upper surface of the plate. |
| US08345409B2 |
Solid electrolytic capacitor
Provided is a high-voltage solid electrolytic capacitor having a rated voltage of several hundreds of volts. After an anodic oxide film layer is formed on a roughened surface of an aluminum foil by way of a first conversion treatment, a hydrated film is formed by way of boiling water immersion; the hydrated film is provided with a second conversion treatment at a formation voltage lower than that of the first conversion treatment such that an anodic foil is formed; and a conductive polymeric layer is formed on a surface of the anodic foil. |
| US08345406B2 |
Electric double layer capacitor
An electric double layer capacitor that contains at least one electrochemical cell is provided. The cell contains electrodes (e.g., two electrodes) that each contain a porous matrix of electrochemically-active particles (e.g., carbon). An aqueous-based electrolyte is disposed in contact with the porous matrix. In accordance with the present invention, the electrolyte is provided with an anionic polymer that serves as binding agent for the electrochemically active particles and thus reduces electrolyte loss, especially at higher temperatures. Because the polymer is anionic in nature, it is generally hydrophilic and thus can retain its binding properties in the presence of water. The anionic nature of the polymer also allows it to remain stable in the presence of a corrosive polyprotic acid, which is employed in the electrolyte to enhance charge density. Thus, as a result of the present invention, a capacitor may be formed that is capable of exhibiting good electrical performance (e.g., high capacitance and low ESR), even at high temperatures (e.g., 70° C. and above). |
| US08345400B2 |
Surge suppression circuit for a load control device
A surge suppression circuit for a load control device allows the load control device to pass hipot testing, while providing improved protection of the load control device during surge events. The load control device comprises a load control circuit and a filter circuit for preventing noise generated by the load control circuit from being provided to an AC power source. The surge suppression circuit comprises a clamping device adapted to be electrically coupled across the AC power source, and first and second spark gaps coupled across the filter circuit for limiting the magnitude of the voltage generated by inductive components of the filter circuit. The filter circuit may comprise a common-mode choke, and two series-connected capacitor having their junction connected to earth ground. Alternatively, the filter circuit may additionally comprise a differential-mode choke. |
| US08345391B2 |
DC/DC converter overcurrent protection
A DC/DC converter and a method protect a MOSFET driven by the converter from overcurrent conditions. No extra pins are required to sense the current, which saves IC package area and cost. |
| US08345388B2 |
Perpendicular recording device having reduced sensitivity to external fields
In a read-write head, the shields can serve as magnetic flux conductors for external fields, so that they direct a certain amount of flux into the recording medium. This problem has been overcome by the addition to the shields of a pair of tabs located at the edges closest to the ABS. These tabs serve to prevent flux concentrating at the edges so that horizontal fields at these edges are significantly reduced. Said tabs need to have aspect ratios of at least 2 and may be either triangular or rectangular in shape. Alternatively, the tabs may be omitted and, instead, outer portions of the shield's lower edge may be shaped so as to slope upwards away from the ABS. |
| US08345385B2 |
Shield with continuously concave inner sidewall
A write element for magnetic recording includes a main pole and a shield. The main pole has first and second sides with respect to a down-track direction. The shield at least partially surrounds the main pole with a continuously concave inner sidewall. The angle between the inner sidewall of the shield and the direction of motion of the write element is greater than the angle between the sides of the main pole and the direction of motion. |
| US08345374B2 |
Patterned media for heat assisted magnetic recording
A patterned magnetic recording medium for use in heat assisted magnetic recording comprises an electrically conductive heat sink layer and a plurality of discrete magnetic recording elements positioned adjacent to a first surface of the heat sink layer. Disc drives that include the patterned medium and a method of magnetic recording using the patterned media are also included. |
| US08345373B2 |
Systems and methods for phase offset based spectral aliasing compensation
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for phase offset based spectral aliasing compensation. For example, a circuit for spectral aliasing reduction is disclosed that includes a phase shift circuit operable to phase shift an analog input signal and to provide a phase shifted analog signal; a first analog to digital converter circuit operable to provide a first series of digital samples corresponding to the analog input signal at a sampling frequency; a second analog to digital converter circuit operable to provide a second series of digital samples corresponding to the phase shifted analog signal at the sampling frequency; and an averaging circuit operable to average the first series of digital samples with the second series of digital samples to yield an average output. |
| US08345370B2 |
Magnetic disk drive and refresh method for the same
According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive includes a grouping module and a refresh controller. The grouping module partitions a set of tracks on a disk into a plurality of groups. Each of the plurality of groups includes a plurality of tracks including at least two tracks with nonconsecutive physical positions. The refresh controller controls refresh process for each of the plurality of groups. |
| US08345368B2 |
Bipolar position error bursts with unipolar servo fields
A storage medium has a first servo field having magnetic lands separated by nonmagnetic areas, the magnetic lands of the first servo field having a unipolar pattern. The medium further includes a second servo field having magnetic lands separated by nonmagnetic areas, the magnetic lands of the second servo field having a bipolar pattern. |
| US08345357B2 |
Optical system, image projection apparatus including the same and an image pickup device
Provided is an optical system (PS) which is used in a wavelength range including a near ultraviolet light range having a wavelength longer than approximately 350 nm and a visible light range. The optical system includes at least two first positive lenses which satisfies a predetermined conditional expression concerning anomalous dispersion characteristic and a rate of change of the refractive index with respect to temperature, and is disposed closer to a contraction side than an aperture stop (ST), and at least one second positive lens which satisfies a predetermined conditional expression concerning anomalous dispersion characteristic and a rate of change of the refractive index with respect to temperature. |
| US08345355B2 |
Lens and method for manufacturing same
A lens including a lens portion having two opposite oblong surfaces at least one of which is a curved lens surface having a refractive power is disclosed. At both ends in a longitudinal direction of the lens portion, first and second flange portions are provided each of which tapers toward the lens portion and has a slant surface slanting with respect to the longitudinal direction of the lens portion and connected with one of the oblong surfaces. An angle of the slant surface of the first flange portion with respect to the longitudinal direction of the lens portion is different from an angle of the slant surface of the second flange portion with respect to the longitudinal direction of the lens portion. |
| US08345351B2 |
Portable microscope system with an independent control unit
A microscope system which can improve the ease of use and the observation environment when a sample is observed using a microscope formed of a stand and a main body which is removable from the stand. A microscope is formed of a main body and a stand, and the main body is removable from the stand. The main body includes an objective lens, an image optical system, a CCD, a compact monitor and a battery, so that the main body, when removed from the stand, can function independently as a microscope. If the main body is mechanically connected to the stand, the main body and the stand are electrically connected via connectors, and an observation image captured by the CCD is supplied from the main body to the stand via the connectors, and is displayed on a monitor. |
| US08345350B2 |
Chromatically corrected objective with specifically structured and arranged dioptric optical elements and projection exposure apparatus including the same
An objective having a plurality of optical elements arranged to image a pattern from an object field to an image field at an image-side numerical aperture NA>0.8 with electromagnetic radiation from a wavelength band around a wavelength λ includes a number N of dioptric optical elements, each dioptric optical element i made from a transparent material having a normalized optical dispersion Δni=ni(λ0)−ni(λ0+1 pm) for a wavelength variation of 1 pm from a wavelength λ0. The objective satisfies the relation ∑ i = 1 N Δ n i ( s i - d i ) λ 0 NA 4 ≤ A for any ray of an axial ray bundle originating from a field point on an optical axis in the object field, where si is a geometrical path length of a ray in an ith dioptric optical element having axial thickness di and the sum extends on all dioptric optical elements of the objective. Where A=0.2 or below, spherochromatism is sufficiently corrected. |
| US08345349B2 |
Compact optical resonators
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to compact, sub-wavelength optical resonators. In one aspect, an optical resonator comprises two approximately parallel reflective structures positioned and configured to form a resonant cavity. The resonator also includes a fishnet structure disposed within the cavity and oriented approximately parallel to the reflective structures. The resonant cavity is configured with a cavity length that can support resonance with electromagnetic radiation having a fundamental wavelength that is more than twice the cavity length. |
| US08345347B2 |
Electrophoretic display device and electronic device
Provided is an electrophoretic display device that includes a display region including an electrophoretic element interposed between a first substrate and a second substrate that is flexible; and a conductive member that is located between the first substrate and the second substrate and at a position outside the display region and that electrically connects the substrates, the conductive member having a different thickness from that of the electrophoretic element; wherein the second substrate includes a slit formed at a position between the display region and the conductive member. |
| US08345346B2 |
Electrophoretic display
An electrophoretic display includes first electrodes, a second electrode placed opposite the first electrodes, and a microcapsule layer placed between the first electrodes and the second electrode. The microcapsule layer contains microcapsules containing a dispersion medium and electrophoretic particles and a binder for retaining the microcapsules between the first electrodes and the second electrode. The electrophoretic particles are sealed in each microcapsule in such a state that the electrophoretic particles are dispersed in the dispersion medium. The following inequality is satisfied: (ρ2·∈2)/(ρ1·∈1)<1 (α) where ρ1 is the resistivity of the dispersion medium, ∈1 is the dielectric constant of the dispersion medium, ρ2 is the resistivity of the binder, and ∈2 is the dielectric constant of the binder. |
| US08345345B2 |
Electrochromic device having an improved fill port plug
An electrochromic device including: (a) a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; (b) a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; (c) an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which includes: (1) a solvent; (2) an anodic material; and (3) a cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic; (d) wherein a seal member, the first substrate, the second substrate, and/or the chamber includes a plug associated with a fill port; and (e) wherein the plug is at least partially cured with an antimonate photo initiator and/or is a one- or two-part plug which comprises a resin or mixture of resins that are substantially insoluble and/or substantially immiscible with an associated electrochromic medium while in the uncured state. |
| US08345340B2 |
Method of adjusting a resonance frequency of an optical scanning device
A method of adjusting a resonance frequency in an optical scanning device containing: providing the optical scanning device having a substrate composed of a substrate main body and two cantilever beam portions, a drive source, a mirror portion, and a supporting component for fixing the substrate main body at a fixed end; and reducing an area of the substrate which protrudes from the fixed end to an outside of the supporting component, thereby to increase the resonance frequency; or alternatively, increasing the area of the substrate which protrudes from the fixed end to the outside of the supporting component, thereby to reduce the resonance frequency. |
| US08345339B2 |
Optical deflector
The optical deflector includes a deflector, a vibration detector, a driving signal generator, a modulation timing signal generator, and a deflection detector. The deflector has a vibrational system having a movable body with a light deflecting member, and deflects light from a light source by the movable body. The vibration detector detects the vibration condition of the vibrational system of the deflector. The driving signal generator generates a driving signal for driving the vibrational system of the deflector. The modulation timing signal generator generates a modulation timing signal as the reference time for regulating the amount of light from the light source. The deflection detector detects the deflection condition of light deflected by the deflector. The driving signal generator generates the driving signal based on information of the vibration condition detected by the vibration detector, and the modulation timing signal generator generates the modulation timing signal based on information of the deflection condition detected by the deflection detector. |
| US08345332B2 |
Image processing system, image processing apparatus, and image processing method
To provide an image processing system, an image processing apparatus, and an image processing method capable of realizing the optimum color matching between apparatuses according to various situations (the use case or the type of image) in printing one job in a plurality of image forming apparatuses. In the present invention, MFP101 acquires a color reproduction range for each of MFP102 and LBP103 (Step S903), and computes logical AND of the plurality of acquired color reproduction ranges (Step S904). Next, in accordance with the use case and the attribute of an image, MFP101 determines whether the color reproduction range in printing the image is set to the logical AND of the color reproduction ranges or to an expanded area of the logical AND of the color reproduction ranges (steps S905 to S908). Then, MFP101 adds the determined color reproduction range to the image and transmits this to MFP102, LBP103 (S909). |
| US08345331B2 |
Image reading apparatus, multifunction printer apparatus, and image processing method
This invention is directed to an image reading apparatus. In the apparatus, reading an original by irradiating it with light of three primary colors, respectively, and by receiving the reflected light is performed as follows. More specifically, an operation mode is designated, and conditions used to perform image reading are set in accordance with the designated mode. Under the set conditions, the image reading is performed according to a method of irradiating an original sequentially with beams of the three primary colors and reading the beams reflected by the original. Alternatively, under the set conditions, image reading is performed according to a method of irradiating an original simultaneously with beams of two primary colors in each of three different combinations of the three primary colors and reading the beams reflected by the original. Instead, image reading is executed twice according to these two methods. |
| US08345327B2 |
Image reading apparatus
An image reading apparatus, which reads an image on an original, including: a light source extending along a main scanning direction to illuminate the original; a plurality of line sensors configured to receive light reflected from the original and to output light intensity signals; a storage unit configured to store reference data; and a determination unit configured to obtain determination data regarding hue based on a light intensity signal output from one of the plurality of line sensors that receive light reflected from a reflective reference member illuminated by the light source and a light intensity signal output from another of the plurality of line sensors that receive light reflected from the reflective reference member illuminated by the light source and to determine a hue balance of the light source based on the determination data and the reference data stored in the storage unit. |
| US08345326B2 |
Bill processing machine
A bill processing machine according to the present invention includes an element array portion and a light guiding member. The element array portion is arranged so as to face one side of a conveyance path of a bill, and includes a light receiving element group, a light emitting element and an other side light receiving element. The light receiving element group includes a plurality of light receiving elements, and an arrangement direction of the light receiving elements is perpendicular to a conveyance direction of a bill. The light emitting element is arranged on one side of the arrangement direction of the light receiving elements. The other side light receiving element is arranged on an other side of the arrangement direction of the light receiving elements. The light guiding member is arranged opposite to the element array portion with respect to the conveyance path so that the light guiding member and the element array portion sandwiches the conveyance path therebetween. The light guiding member includes a first refracting portion, a second refracting portion and a main body portion. The first refracting portion refracts irradiated light of the light emitting element in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction. The second refracting portion refracting the irradiated light refracted by the first refracting portion toward the other side light receiving element The main body portion diffuses in an approximately uniform manner the irradiated light refracted by the first refracting portion toward the light receiving element group. |
| US08345324B2 |
Image reading device
An image reading device includes: an original table having a stationary original reading area and a moving original reading area on its top surface; an image reading unit provided inside the original table and moving the reading line in the direction of the width of the stationary original reading area and to the moving original reading area with the direction of the length of the stationary original reading area as the reading line; an original cover openably and closably provided on the original table so as to cover at least the stationary original reading area; and an ADF having an original conveyance path leading from an original tray by way of the moving original reading area to an original output tray. The image reading device reads originals of sizes larger than the readable stationary original size without any size increase of the device. |
| US08345319B2 |
Image reading apparatus
An image reading apparatus includes: an original reading unit that includes a plurality of first and second image sensor chips each arranged at a predetermined interval in a row along a main-scanning direction, wherein the two rows are arranged so that the first chips overlap the second chips in a zigzag manner in a sub-scanning direction; an image-data generating unit that generates first image data by correcting image data with a first correction coefficient, and generates a plurality of pieces of second image data by correcting image data with a plurality of types of second correction coefficients; a comparing unit that compares image data in an overlapping portion between the first image data and each of the plurality of pieces of second image data; and an image-data selecting unit that selects a piece of second image data based on a comparison result. |
| US08345313B2 |
Image forming apparatus, method and control program, for enabling image formation of a valid print object while disabling image formation of an invalid print object on a page including a plurality of print objects
There is described an image forming apparatus, which make it possible to appropriately print each of a valid print object and an invalid print object. The apparatus includes: a printing section to conduct a printing operation based on the print data, so as to create the print product; and a control section to determine whether the digital signature is valid or invalid so as to control the printing operation, based on the determined result. When the plurality of print objects includes both a valid print object for which the digital signature is determined as valid and an invalid print object for which the digital signature is determined as invalid, the control section controls the printing operation, so as to enable the valid print object to be printed, based on the print data, while disable the invalid print object to be printed, based on the print data. |
| US08345312B2 |
Method of printing a text with an apparatus using channels
A method of printing a text with an apparatus using channels is provided. The method includes determining whether print data corresponds to a specified text by determining similarities between channels of print data, and determining a degree of flatness of one of the channels, searching for a boundary area in the print data if the print data is determined to correspond to the specified text, and reducing some of the channels at the boundary area, and compensating for the one of the channels by a density of the reduced channels if the print data is determined to correspond to the specified text. |
| US08345310B2 |
Halftone frequency determination method and printing apparatus
An image processing apparatus is provided with a halftone frequency determining section for determining a halftone frequency of an input image data including a plurality of color components. The halftone frequency determining section includes: a threshold value setting section for setting a threshold value for a segment block that is consisting of a plurality of pixels, the threshold value being for use in binarization; a threshold value adjusting section for adjusting the threshold value according to input image data in order to remove an influence of an unnecessary color component; a maximum transition number averaging section for averaging maximum transition numbers of the binary data according to the adjusted threshold value in order to obtain a maximum transition number average; and a halftone frequency estimating section for estimating the halftone frequency from the maximum transition number average. With this, it is possible to determine the halftone frequency accurately. |
| US08345307B2 |
Image stitching for a multi-head printer
Techniques are disclosed for stitching images printed by a multi-head printer in a manner that is relatively insensitive to misregistration of the image segments. When a pair of overlapping print heads print a pair of adjacent image segments which meet in a stitching region, printing at each location in the stitching region is accomplished by both print heads with a weighting that depends on the location being printed within the stitching region. In one embodiment, for example, the output of each print head is weighted by a linear function of horizontal pixel position. Techniques are also disclosed for selecting screening patterns for use when stitching is performed with variable-dot printers. Such screening patterns are selected to minimize variations in density that may arise as the result of cross-web and/or down-web misregistration. |
| US08345301B2 |
Orthogonality correction employing substituted image data
A method for forming an image in a skewed recording apparatus comprising a recording head comprising a plurality of recording channels, the method includes providing an image data file comprising a plurality of image data columns; assigning different portions of each image data column to different recording channels; substituting first image data from a first image data column assigned to a first recording channel with second image data from a second image data column assigned to a second recording channel; and operating the recording head to form the image. |
| US08345295B2 |
Device and method for controlling initialization of image forming apparatus using NAND flash memory
A device and method for controlling the initiation of an image forming apparatus are provided using a NAND flash memory. The device for controlling initiation of an image forming apparatus includes: a NAND flash memory for storing a boot program and system control programs for initiating the image forming apparatus; a random-access-memory (RAM) for temporarily storing an execution program and data; and a driving unit arranged to first read the boot program and an engine control program among the system control programs from the NAND flash memory, execute the boot program and the engine control program, then read remaining system control programs from the NAND flash memory and store the remaining system control programs in the RAM when the boot program and the engine control program are being executed. Since the remaining system control programs and data that have not been read during printing preparation are read by driving a driving unit of the image forming apparatus, the preparation time for the image forming apparatus to begin printing operation can be greatly shortened. |
| US08345293B2 |
Print system and printer device facilitating reuse of print data
A print system includes a communication path, a client device which transmits print data to said communication path, a host device connected to said communication path, and a printer device which prints the print data after receiving the print data from said client device via said communication path, and automatically sends the print data together with printer output information to said host device via said communication path, said printer output information including keywords for identifying said print data. |
| US08345287B2 |
Image scanning apparatus and image scanning method
An image scanning apparatus includes an input unit configured to input a scanning job, a scanning unit configured to scan a document according to the scanning job and generate image data of the document, and a storing unit configured to store the scanning job. The scanning unit performs scanning according to the scanning job inputted by the input unit and, thereafter, performs scanning according to the scanning job stored in the storing unit. |
| US08345286B2 |
Printing system and information processing apparatus includes a first printer driver and a printer driver acquisition unit acquiring the second printer driver
A printing system includes an information processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a printer driver storage device. The information processing includes a first printer driver to operate during preparation of general print data, the image forming apparatus prints based on print data, and the printer driver storage device stores a second printer driver to operate during preparation of specific print data having an instruction specialized for the image forming apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a printer driver acquisition unit acquiring the second printer driver, a printer connection detection unit, and a print data preparation unit preparing the print data using one of the printer drivers. The printer connection detection unit allows a user to select whether to acquire the second printer driver, allows the printer driver acquisition unit to acquire the second printer driver, and allows one of the printer drivers to correspond to the image forming apparatus. |
| US08345285B2 |
Displaying jobs in priority order with elapsed time on information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus including: an operation display section for displaying a screen to set processing conditions relating to a job and for receiving an operation to set the processing conditions relating to the job; a generation section for generating a job under the processing conditions set by the operation with the operation display section; a storage section for storing job information comprising the processing conditions relating to the job generated by the generation section; a measuring section for measuring an elapsed time from a time when the job is generated by the generation section; and a control section which displays a plurality of previously generated jobs in a predetermined order using the job information on the operation display section, and replaces an order of the plurality of the jobs based on contents of the operation display section when the processing conditions is set and the elapsed time during displaying. |
| US08345283B2 |
Communication system and communication device
A communication system may be provided with a first communication device and a second communication device. The first communication device may send the identification information stored in a first storage device to the second communication device. The first communication device may output status information included in combination information sent from the first communication device, and update the stored contents of the first storage device such that identification information included in the combination information is stored in the first storage device. The second communication device may obtain status information concerning a status of the second communication device, and update the stored contents of a second storage device such that the latest combination data including the latest status information and new identification information is stored in the second storage device. The second communication device may send the latest combination information to the first communication device in a case where the received identification information is not identical to the identification information included in the latest combination information, and prohibit the sending of combination information to the first communication device in a case where the received identification information is identical to the identification information included in the latest combination information. |
| US08345281B2 |
Image processing device setting conflict determination
An image processing device, having plural functions and executing at least any one of the plural functions based on a request from an application program, includes: a storage to store, from among plural setting information selectable to one of the plural functions, simultaneous use possible/impossible information being information concerning a combination of settings usable simultaneously or a combination of settings non-usable simultaneously; a selector to select any one of the plural setting information to at least any one of the plural functions based on the request from the application program; a discriminator to discriminate, by referring to the simultaneous use possible/impossible information, whether or not competitive setting information being the setting information non-usable simultaneously with the setting information selected by the selector exists; and a notification unit to notify the application program of information concerning the competitive setting information, when the discriminator discriminates that the competitive setting information exists. |
| US08345278B2 |
Job processing system, job processing apparatus, and control method thereof
In a job processing system, usage restriction information is managed for restricting user usage of functions of a job processing apparatus. An information processing apparatus acquires usage restriction information corresponding to a first operator instructing generation of job data, and writes the usage restriction information into job data to be transmitted to the job processing apparatus. The job processing apparatus checks whether or not the usage restriction information is written in the job data received from the information processing apparatus, and when the usage restriction information is confirmed, processes the job data in accordance with the usage restriction information, and when the usage restriction information is not confirmed, processes the job data in accordance with usage restriction information of a second operator instructing execution of a job in the job processing apparatus. |
| US08345277B2 |
Print-item setting server apparatus, print-item setting method, and computer program product
A print server receives a transmission request and a printer ID from a client device, acquires print function information corresponding to the printer ID from print-function information DBs, and acquires function restriction information from a function-restriction information DB of a printer control server. The print server then generates setting screen information based on the print function information and the function restriction information, and transmits the setting screen information to the client device. The client device receives the setting screen information, and creates and displays a setting screen by using the setting screen information. |
| US08345255B2 |
Solar concentrator testing
A system (and corresponding methodology) for testing, evaluating and diagnosing quality of solar concentrator optics is provided. The innovation discloses mechanisms for evaluating the performance and quality of a solar collector via emission of modulated laser radiation upon (or near) a position of photovoltaic (PV) cells. The innovation discloses positioning two receivers at two distances from the source (e.g., solar collector or dish). These receivers are employed to collect modulated light which can be compared to standards or other thresholds thereby diagnosing quality of the collectors. |
| US08345254B2 |
Multiple pass imaging spectroscopy
A method of imaging an optically thin sample is described wherein a collimated beam is directed through the sample and then reflected back through the sample one or more times. The beam is then directed toward a detector which collects and analyzes the spatial and spectral composition of the beam. In some embodiments, the detector is a focal plane array with a large number of detector elements. In other embodiments the relative position of a single detector or a small detector array and the sample is altered and the process is repeated, thereby tracing out a large virtual detector array. In either case, the spectral information received by the detector elements can be related, by methods which are elaborated below, to information about the spatial distribution of absorption in the sample. |
| US08345253B2 |
System and method for surface plasmon resonance based detection of molecules
A system and method for molecule detection uses a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) system with detection spots having fixed nanostructures. An SPR assembly may be combined with a digital microfluidic control system such as an electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) chip. The microfluidic system individually directs sample droplets to different detection spots of the SPR assembly, thus allowing the SPR examination of different samples or sample reactions on the same surface. The nanostructures at the detection spots enhance the sensitivity of the SPR signals. |
| US08345251B2 |
Thin-layer porous optical sensors for gases and other fluids
A gas sensor uses optical interferents in a porous thin film cell to measure the refractive index of the pore medium. As the medium within the pores changes, spectral variations can be detected. For example, as the pores are filled with a solution, the characteristic peaks exhibit a spectral shift in one direction. Conversely, when tiny amounts of gas are produced, the peaks shift in the opposite direction. This can be used to measure gas evolution, humidity and for applications for other interferometric-based sensing devices. |
| US08345249B2 |
Liquid sample analyzing method
Provided is a liquid sample analyzing method for analyzing an analyte in a liquid sample by using a test piece (1) on which overflow blocking lines (7) are formed to prevent the liquid sample from flowing to the outside from a passage region (3a) of an extended layer (3). In a state in which the liquid sample is not extended in the passage region (3a) of the extended region (3), the test piece (1) is measured so as to cross the passage region (3a) of the extended layer (3) and the overflow blocking lines (7). Thus in a state in which a difference in brightness is large between the passage region (3a) of the extended region (3) and the overflow blocking lines (7), it is possible to properly recognize the boundary portions between the passage region (3a) of the extended region (3) and the overflow blocking lines (7). |