Document Document Title
US08352612B2 Device-service affiliation via internet video link (IVL)
A registration request message for affiliation with a service provider using an Internet video link (IVL) communication feature hosted by an Internet video link (IVL) server is received from an IVL device by the IVL server, where the IVL communication feature utilizes an IVL communication module to provide a communication interface with the service provider. The IVL device is registered with the IVL communication feature. A registration response message is sent to the IVL device acknowledging the affiliation with the service provider using the IVL communication feature. IVL communication feature messages are processed between the registered IVL device and the service provider. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08352611B2 Allocating computer resources in a cloud environment
A method, data processing system, and computer program product for managing resources. A request for resources in the network data processing system is received. The request comprises requested values for a plurality of attributes for the resources in the network data processing system. In response to receiving the request, potential resources in the network data processing system are identified. The request is evaluated using a function configured to generate identified values for the plurality of attributes from the requested values in the request based on proximity scores for the plurality of attributes in the potential resources relative to an ideal allocation of the potential resources and resource weights for the plurality of attributes in the potential resources.
US08352608B1 System and method for automated configuration of hosting resources
Some embodiments provide a method for automated configuration of a set of resources for hosting a virtual machine at a particular node in a hosting system. The hosting system includes several nodes for hosting several virtual machines. The method, at a first virtual machine operating using a first set of resources of the particular node, receives a configuration for a second virtual machine to be hosted on a second set of resources of the particular node. The method, from the first virtual machine, accesses the second set of resources to partition a file system for storing the second virtual machine. The method modifies the file system to configure the second virtual machine as specified by the configuration.
US08352604B2 Distributed propagation of data in a wireless communication network
A technique for distributed propagation of data in a wireless communication network includes providing 600 a unique host identifier for each peer network entity in the wireless communication network, each host identifier having a length of B bits. A next step includes requesting 602 data from peer network entities using a request having a host identifier of the requesting network entity. A next step includes, if a peer network entity is hosting the requested data, comparing 608 the host identifiers of the requesting network entity and the peer network entity receiving the request to determine a match. A next step includes responding 610 to the request if a match is determined.
US08352601B2 System and process for limiting distribution of information on a communication network based on geographic location
A communications system includes a plurality of recipient processors located at geographically remote locations with respect to each other and connected for communication with an information provider processor, over the communications network. The provider and recipient processors may comprise respective computers coupled for communication on the Internet or WWW. The provider processor is capable of providing information from any suitable source, by communicating such information over a communication network. However, access to the information by the recipient processors is controlled, based geographic location or region of the recipient processors and time information and, for some systems, a set of rules relating to a further condition.
US08352598B2 Method of providing completely automated public turing test to tell computer and human apart based on image
Disclosed is a method of providing a completely automated public turing test to tell a computer and a human apart (CAPTCHA) based on image. The method comprises the steps of: storing a plurality of randomly-selected images by session when a request for a web page is received from a user client; providing the web page and a session ID to the user client; generating a test image by mixing the plurality of images when a request for a test image corresponding to the session ID is received from the user client; transmitting the generated test image to the user client; receiving at least one of first identification information inputted by the user about the test image from the user client; and comparing the first identification information with second identification information included in Meta information of the test image.
US08352597B1 Method and system for distributing requests for content
A method and system for caching content, such as content requested from a server on the World Wide Web. Requests for dynamic content are forwarded directly to a content server to avoid caching data that might only be used once. Requests for static content are forwarded to a hot or a regular cache depending on the frequency at which the content is requested. When a hot cache does not contain the content, it forwards the request to the forwarder which then forwards the request to a regular cache. When the regular cache does not contain the content, it requests the content from the forwarder which then forwards the request to a content server. There may be more than two layers of cache.
US08352596B2 Method, apparatus, and computer program for processing information
A switcher, residing in a memory, detects a connectable network when a terminal is powered on. When a network is detected, a communication unit issues a message to a processor. The processor detects whether the terminal has ever been connected to the detected network and whether the profile of the network is registered. If the processor determines that the profile of the network is registered, a connection to the network is established in accordance with the profile. If the processor determines that no profile of the network is registered, a new profile of the network is produced, and then registered. The present invention is applicable to personal computers.
US08352592B2 Controlling emission of events from managed systems to external management systems
In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises one or more processors and a computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform generating relationship information based on relationships between one or more events that are generated by one or more managed systems. The computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions which, when executed, cause sending the relationship information to the managed systems, wherein the relationship information allows the managed systems to determine whether reporting of the events, by the managed systems, should be suppressed; and receiving, from one or more managed systems, a report about an event when reporting of the event cannot be suppressed.
US08352590B2 Method and system for network management using wire tapping
A method and a system for collecting information in a network. A wiretap tunnel interface is initialized between a wire-tapping device and a network device. The wire-tapping device receives information related to routing protocol traffic from the network device through the wiretap tunnel interface. The wire-tapping device collates the received information about the routing protocol traffic. This collated information is used by the network administrator to manage the network.
US08352588B2 Systems and methods for collecting data regarding network service operation
Disclosed are systems and methods for collecting data regarding network service operation. In one embodiment, a system and a method pertain to intercepting a message directed to a network service, storing information about the message, and transmitting the message to a destination network service.
US08352586B2 System and method for storage discovery in a storage area network using device domains under control of a storage device
A storage area network (SAN) includes a management server, a storage device, and a management station coupled to a fabric. The management server implements device domains on the SAN. The storage device instructs the management server to add new device domains on the SAN. The management station defines the new device domains to include the storage device and an initiator coupled to the fabric, and directs the storage device to instruct the management server to add the new device domains. A method includes coupling a management server to a SAN fabric, implementing device domains in the management server, defining a new device domain that includes a storage device and an initiator coupled to the SAN, and coupling a storage device to the SAN fabric, the storage device being operable to instruct the management server to add the new device domain.
US08352581B2 Data transmission apparatus indicating transmission status, transmission control method indicating transmission status, and program thereof
A data transmission apparatus which transmits data includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire information including a transmission destination of the data from an information providing apparatus on a network, a transmission unit configured to transmit the data to the transmission destination based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit, and a request unit configured to request the information providing apparatus to update the information during transmission of the data by the transmission unit.
US08352576B2 Media file access
A server system stores media library associated with a user. The media library includes at least one media file. The server system determines whether the media file is stored on a second computing device that is able to send the media file to the first computing device across a local network connecting the first computing device and the second computing device. If the determination indicates that the media file is stored on a second computing device that is able to send the stored media file to the first computing device across a local network connecting the first computing device and the second computing device, the server system sends causes the second computing device to send the media file to the first computing device across the local network such that the first computing device is able to output the media file to the user.
US08352575B2 System and method for a server-based files and tasks brokerage
A server-based files and tasks brokerage system and method are disclosed. In response to receiving a request from a requesting computing device, the server posts the request to a request queue. The request is for a requested mobile telephonic device to perform a task. The server posts a first notification to a first notification queue, in response to receiving the request. The server pushes the first notification to the requested device upon confirming a connection. Upon detecting a first condition of the task being for the requested device to receive a file, the server transfers the file from a file repository. Upon detecting a second condition of the task being for the requested device to send a file, the server transfers the file to the file repository. In response to confirming task completion, the server posts a second notification to a second notification queue associated with the requesting device.
US08352571B2 Apparatus and method for data transmission
Local concentration of accessing loads on a data buffer during data cell reading is reduced. Also, by providing sufficient time for a data cell reading operation with respect to data cell transmission timing, transmission rate fluctuation of CBR data cells in a transmitting side is reduced. When transmission of a new data stream is added, controller in a cell control unit refers to a transmitted data cell count of VC information processed through a slot immediately before. The controller determines whether a data cell transmitted through the slot immediately before is a head portion of a packet or not. If the data cell transmitted through the slot immediately before is the head portion of the packet, the controller only adds the VC information of the data stream to a shaper link list, and withholds transmission of the data cell. On the other hand, if the data cell transmitted through the slot immediately before is not the head portion of the packet, then the controller adds the VC information of the data stream, and transmits the data cell.
US08352564B1 System and method for data collection and update utilizing surrogate e-mail addresses using a server
A system and method for data collection and update utilizing surrogate e-mail addresses using a server. An e-mail client generates an e-mail message comprising a surrogate e-mail address and data elements conveyed within standard fields of the e-mail message. The surrogate e-mail address also comprises data and instructions directed to a specialized software program. A message server parses the surrogate e-mail address and the e-mail content. Information relating to a specialized software program is extracted and translated into instructions and data elements. The specialized software program operates on the data elements based on the instructions obtained from the e-mail message.
US08352562B2 Event notifications of program landscape alterations
A first computer system is monitored for alterations of a program landscape which includes multiple applications configured to operate on the first computer system. An alteration of the program landscape is detected and aspects of the alteration of the program landscape are determined. A catalog of additional computer systems which are associated with the first computer system is accessed. That a second computer system of the accessed catalog of additional computer systems should receive an event notification is determined. An event notification including information corresponding to the determined aspects of the alteration of the program landscape is generated. The event notification including the event information is sent from the first computer system to the second computer system.
US08352560B2 Controlling location and time preferences for messages
A system and method for controlling preferences for messages that includes receiving a message from a sender to a recipient, determining if the message will be received by the recipient based on message policies for the recipient, and notifying the sender that the message will not be received by the recipient and when it will be received responsive to the determination that the message will not be received by the recipient.
US08352559B1 Method and apparatus for managing temporary E-mail addresses
Method and apparatus for managing temporary e-mail addresses is described. All e-mail sent to a temporary e-mail address is initially forwarded to an actual e-mail address. In some examples, the temporary e-mail address is automatically deactivated in response to an event such that no e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is forwarded to the actual e-mail address. A notification e-mail is sent to the actual e-mail address, the notification e-mail indicating that the temporary e-mail address has been deactivated and including one or more uniform resource locators (URLs) configured to manage the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address.
US08352550B2 Wireless communication systems
Apparatus and methods for wireless systems provide a mechanism to enhance the communication capabilities of wireless users. In an embodiment, a system includes a wireless server communicatively operable with a set of mobile wireless clients, where the wireless server has a share agent configured to control dissemination of information from a database on a shared basis responsive to a determination of a privacy state of the information. In an embodiment, a mobile wireless device has an integrated management system operable with a controller. The management system is configured to manage the mobile wireless device operable as a multiple-mode wireless client to each wireless server of a set of wireless servers such that information may be shared among the mobile wireless device and the set of wireless servers.
US08352547B1 System and method for record and playback of collaborative web browsing session
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for recording and replaying a web browsing session. A presenter client presents a web browsing session to an attendee client via a network. The web browsing session is viewed at the attendee client and recorded by the presenter client. A control server that is connected to the presenter client and the attendee client via the network enables the presenter client to control the web browsing session at the attendee client, and a playback client that is connected to the control server via the network requests playback of the recorded web browsing session from the control server. The recorded web browsing session is then replayed at the playback client.
US08352545B2 Client device and associated methodology of accessing networked services
A system makes it possible to use services offered by a plurality of servers different from one another is realized with the use of a common API. The system includes a plurality of service-offering servers, a client that uses services offered by the plurality of service-offering servers, and an interchange server that performs intermediary processing when the client uses a service. The client performs communication with the interchange server while using a common API when using any service among a plurality of services offered by the plurality of service-offering servers. The interchange server uses a unique API, which is unique to the service-offering server that offers the service selected by the client, to execute a processing sequence that is unique to the service-offering server. The client may use any service among services offered by the plurality of service-offering servers with the use of a common API without any need to use a unique API, which is unique to each of the plurality of service-offering servers.
US08352543B2 Distributed control for a continuous play background music system
A continuous play broadcast system includes a distributed communications system and a playback control device that is connected to the distributed communications system. The playback control device includes an output device, memory that stores digital media files and a continuous play program, and a controller that outputs the digital media files to the output device according to the continuous play program. The media files include at least one of audio, video and announcements. A computer is connected to the distributed communications system. A web server is connected to the distributed communications system and to a master library of the digital media files. The computer accesses the web server via the distributed communications system to alter the continuous play program for the playback control device. The computer includes a browser module for accessing the web server and the web server transmits executable files to the computer for creating the continuous play program. The executable files are at least one of Active-X® components, Java Applets® and Java Script®. The continuous play broadcast system can also deliver video files and announcement files using the continuous play program. The computer and the playback control device can be integrated.
US08352541B2 Identifying relevant data from unstructured feeds
A system and method of providing data to a mashup application may involve receiving a request from a mashup application and supplying first data to the mashup application in response to the request. Mashup information can be received from the mashup application, wherein the mashup information indicates an inclusion of the first data with second data in the execution of the mashup application. The mashup information may be stored and analyzed to identify relationships between previously unrelated data.
US08352539B2 Content distributing system and content receiving and reproducing device
A technology that makes a program line-up related to contents distributed to a user side, depending on various conditions, preferences, and communication environments of the user side that views and listens to the content is disclosed. According to the technology, an on-board device (content receiving and reproducing device) 1 receives, from a service server 5, potential content list information of contents that can be distributed from a content server 7. The on-board device 1 sorts appropriate content from among the contents in the potential content list information and decide on a reproducing order of the contents, based on conditions of the user side, such as user preferences and vehicle conditions, conditions related to an environment on the user side, such as the communication environment, and conditions related to the contents, such as the genre of the content. The on-board device 1 creates program table information (timetable) and transmits the program table information to the content server. As a result, reception and reproduction of the contents from the content server can be performed in adherence to the program table information.
US08352535B2 Method and system for managing confidential information
A method and a system for information management and control is presented, based on modular and abstract description of the information. Identifiers are used to identify features of interest in the information and information use policies are assigned directly or indirectly on the basis of the identifiers, allowing for flexible and efficient policy management and enforcement, in that a policy can be defined with a direct relationship to the actual information content of digital data items. The information content can be of various kinds: e.g., textual documents, numerical spreadsheets, audio and video files, pictures and images, drawings etc. The system can provide protection against information policy breaches such as information misuse, unauthorized distribution and leakage, and for information tracking.
US08352534B2 Integer division circuit with allowable error
An integer division circuit with allowable error is described, what a signal processing apparatus includes a pointer, a first left shifter, a second left shifter, a subtractor, a multiplier, and a right shifter. The pointer searches for a most significant non-zero bit of a divisor and outputs a most significant byte value. The first left shifter performs a shift operation according to the most significant byte value, so as to generate a first exponential coefficient. The second left shifter performs a shift operation according to the most significant byte value, so as to generate a second exponential coefficient. The subtractor calculates a multiplier factor according to the divisor, the first exponential coefficient, and the second exponential coefficient and outputs the multiplier factor to the multiplier. The multiplier multiplies an input value with the multiplier factor and outputs a result to the right shifter. The right shifter outputs a calculation result.
US08352528B2 Apparatus for efficient DCT calculations in a SIMD programmable processor
The present invention relates to a efficient implementation of integer and fractional 8-length or 4-length, or 8×8 or 4×4 DCT in a SIMD processor as part of MPEG and other video compression standards.
US08352526B1 Direct digital synthesis with reduced jitter
A direct digital synthesis is provided with added circuitry to reduce jitter in an IC so that a programmable frequency output can be provided near the limits of the IC system clock with minimal jitter. The system derives the quotient Q as a remainder R in an accumulator at the instant of an overflow, divided by a programmable input N. The quotient Q is subjected to conversion logic that can be provided by a fast parallel to serial converter such as, for example a multi-gigabit transceiver (MGT) of an FPGA. As an alternative to an MGT, a series of delay devices such as found in a carry chain can be used if calibration is performed to assure the accuracy of delays.
US08352525B2 Generating a number based on a bitset constraint
Generating a number based on a bitset constraints. For example, a method of generating a pseudo random number satisfying a bitset constraint may include determining a number of possible solutions satisfying the bitset constraint; selecting an index representing a solution of the possible solutions; and generating the pseudo-random number based on the index. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08352520B2 Configurable offline data store
A method and apparatus for a configurable offline data store are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request for a first set of one or more records from a client application, wherein the first set is remotely stored. The method further includes determining a second set of one or more records that is associated with the first set, wherein the second set is remotely stored. The method further includes fetching over a network the first set and the second set from a server data store unit; storing the first set and the second set in a client data store unit and providing access to the first set and the second set when the network is not operational.
US08352518B2 Mechanism for handling file level and block level remote file accesses using the same server
A file level (NAS) server receives NAS protocol data access requests and stores a new NAS data to the storage layer in the data blocks, and stores pointers in indirect blocks to identify the new NAS data. A block level (SAN) server receives SAN block based data access requests and stores a new SAN data to the storage layer in the data blocks and stores pointers in indirect blocks to identify the new SAN data. A management layer performs management operations on both the NAS data and the SAN data by using the plurality of indirect blocks. The plurality of indirect blocks provide same management operations for the NAS data and the SAN data.
US08352513B2 Methods and systems for managing data
Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
US08352512B2 XML schema collection objects and corresponding systems and methods
The present invention provides “XML Schema Collections” and methods and systems for using the same. XML data is typically stored as an XML instance, each of which should conform to a “schema” according to a desired goal. An XML schema provides identification and organization for the data supplied by an XML instance. XML Schema Collections are collections of one or more XML schema namespaces. An storage location designated for storage of XML data, such as an XML column in a relational database, can be “typed” with an XML Schema Collection object, allowing that storage location to store XML instances that conform to more than one XML schema. XML Schema Collections provide increased data storage versatility, and facilitation of data searches.
US08352511B2 Systems and methods for providing a confidence-based ranking algorithm
A method for using a confidence based ranking algorithm is described. At least one search parameter is received. The at least one search parameter is used to identify at least one data record with confidence values. A results list with one or more data records is created. The results list is ordered according to the confidence values within the data records. The results list is sent.
US08352507B2 Retrieval and storage of localized instances of data objects
A method includes receiving, at a first computing device, a request to retrieve a localized instance of a data object. The request is received from a second computing device and includes an object name. A locale applicable to the request is identified, and the localized instance of the data object is retrieved based on the object name and the identified locale. The localized instance includes a plurality of data elements specific to the identified locale. The method includes transmitting the localized instance to the second computing device.
US08352505B1 Identification of resource sharing patterns through isomorphic subtree enumeration
Embodiments relate to a system and method for identifying common patterns of use of resources. The resource usage patterns may be specified using a tree structure, and identifying common resource use patterns may involve identifying isomorphic subtrees between two or more trees. Isomorphic subtree identification may be accomplished by converting trees into key-based representation and analyzing the key-based representation to identify common patterns within the key-based representation.
US08352504B2 Method, system and program product for managing a workload on a plurality of heterogeneous computing systems
Under the present invention, a work request is received on one of the systems put into an application queue that corresponds to a process needed to fulfill the work request. Thereafter, an index enque queue is attempted to be allocated to the work request. If no such queue can be allocated in a predetermined amount of time, the work request can be re-routed to another system. If, however, the index enque queue is allocated within the predetermined amount of time, information relating to the work request is stored in a base enque queue, and a working directory with an output subdirectory is created. Data from the work request is stored in the working directory, and the process needed to fulfill the work request is selected and launched. Results of the fulfillment are stored in the output subdirectory for subsequent transfer back to system that originally sent the work request.
US08352500B2 Centralized multimedia access
An embodiment is a technique to perform centralized multimedia access. A playlist is created in a single document, the playlist including a plurality of items. Each of the items specifies an access parameter to a multimedia file and a play parameter. The playlist is stored in a central location. The multimedia file as pointed to by the playlist is retrieved or accessed in the central location using the access parameter to play the multimedia file according to the play parameter.A storage element contains a pointer to point to a playlist in a single document. The playlist includes a plurality of items. Each of the items specifies an access parameter to a multimedia file and a play parameter. A compiler compiles the playlist to determine the access parameter, the play parameter, and a plug-in associated with the multimedia file. The plug-in plays the multimedia file according to the play parameter.
US08352495B2 Distributed platform for network analysis
The present disclosure describes an apparatus and methods for performing data analysis, in particular network analysis. Specifically it provides a framework and user interface whereby raw data may be imported into a data model with entities, attributes, and relationships between the entities and multiple data analysis algorithms may be pipelined into a larger data analysis model and applied to the data model. Offline and online data visualization and data exploration techniques, may be applied to the results of the data analysis enabling real-time and near real-time interactive online analysis. Extensibility models and market transaction models are also provided.
US08352494B1 Distributed image search
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for distributed nearest-neighbor search for image retrieval are disclosed. An example distributed image retrieval system includes a root server and a plurality of leaf servers. The root server controls the clustering of images in the image corpus, and determines the assignment of image clusters to a collection of leaf servers. Each leaf server is independently configured to perform a two-stage nearest-neighbor search in a locality-sensitive hash space for a received query image within the leaf server's assigned images clusters. Thus, the distributed image retrieval system is modular and amendable to tuning, modifications, duplication, and replacement on a per-server basis. In addition, the design of the image retrieval system allows flexible load balancing among the leaf servers.
US08352493B2 Searchable health events directory
Searchable directories of health events are described. In many embodiments, a health event directory platform is provided that enables health providers to upload events to database of health events. The health event directory platform captures data from the health provider in a structured way that facilitates the searching of the database of health events. In addition, the health event directory platform uses knowledge of previous searches to suggest additional information to associate with a health event in order to increase the likelihood that the health event will appear in the results of a relevant search query. Users can provide requests for information to the health event directory platform, which uses the request to query the health events database and retrieve information concerning relevant health events within a particular geographic area. In many embodiments, the user can register for an event and/or pay using the health event directory platform.
US08352491B2 Service oriented architecture (SOA) service registry system with enhanced search capability
A system and associated method for searching a web service registry system by use of a search module. A first embodiment of the search module has a search controller, a name parser, a dictionary, and a name composer. The first embodiment of the search module automatically searches a service registry program product with a service name through a first application programming interface (API). If a service description matching the service name does not exist within the service registry program product, then the first embodiment of the search module generates a candidate service name within the search module. A second embodiment of the search module consists of the search controller, the name parser, and the name composer. The second embodiment utilizes a separate dictionary program product through a second API in generating the candidate service name for a second search of the service registry program product.
US08352488B2 Methods, systems and computer program products for providing a distributed associative memory base
Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for a distributed associative memory base. Such methods may include providing a distributed memory base that includes a network of networks of associative memory networks. The memory base may include a network of associative memory networks, a respective associative memory network comprising associations among a respective observer entity and a plurality of observed entities that are observed by the respective observer entity. Ones of the associative memory networks are physically and/or logically independent from other ones of the associative memory networks. Methods include imagining associations from the associative memory base using a plurality of streaming queues that correspond to ones of a plurality of rows of ones of the associative memory networks.
US08352487B2 Identifier vocabulary data access method and system
A method of organizing, managing, and providing interactive access to data in a database is disclosed, along with a program and a system for implementing the method. Associations between each data Item and at least one ItemSelector are established and stored. A predefined (but modifiable) Vocabulary of ItemSelectors sufficient to describe each Item of the database is created. Presently selected Items are described by a combination of associations defined by an appropriate Boolean combination of each ItemSelector in a presently selected set of ItemSelectors. A user controls the presently selected set by adding an ItemSelector from a presented group, or by removing a previously selected ItemSelector. The system ideally makes available to the user all relevant ItemSelectors—those which, if added to the presently selected set, would result in a set that describes at least one extant data Item. The system ideally makes all presently selected Items available to the user.
US08352485B2 Systems and methods of displaying document chunks in response to a search request
A computer displays a portion of a document to a user. Upon receiving a user-specified text string that includes multiple search keywords, the computer identifies a chunk within the document that satisfies the search keywords and displays the identified chunk to the user, wherein terms in the identified chunk that match the search keywords are either ordered differently from the search keywords in the user-specified text string or separated from one another by at least one term not matching any of the search keywords.
US08352474B2 System and method for retrieving information using a query based index
A search system generates a plurality of pseudo-documents for a set of documents. Each pseudo-document includes a representation one or more documents from the set of documents that would be retrieved in response to executing a respective basis query over the set of documents. The search system generates an index of the plurality of pseudo-documents. The index provides an indication, for a plurality of respective documents from the set of documents, of the pseudo-documents that include a representation of the respective document. After generating the index, the search system receives a document-query that includes a representation of a first document; and in response to receiving the document-query, the search system identifies one or more pseudo-documents that include representations of at least one document having a predefined relationship to the first document; and generates a result that is based on the first set of one or more pseudo-documents.
US08352471B2 Photograph grouping device, photograph grouping method and photograph grouping program
The proximate data selecting unit (photographing time distance base proximate data selecting unit) selects, as a proximate photograph, a photograph having a photographing time satisfying constraint on a time distance from a determination time determined in each adjacent photographs block as a time block sandwiched by photographing times of two photographs adjacent to each other in a group of photographs aligned in the order of photographing based on time series photographing time information and outputs proximate data designation information for designating photographing time data of the proximate photograph. The group boundary determining unit detects a change of a photographing disposition in each adjacent photographs block by using photographing time data of a proximate photograph at a determination time in each adjacent photographs block which is designated by the proximate data designation information, thereby determining whether there exists a boundary of a group in each adjacent photographs block.
US08352470B2 Adaptive aggregation: improving the performance of grouping and duplicate elimination by avoiding unnecessary disk access
A method for use with an aggregation operation (e.g., on a relational database table) includes a sorting pass and a merging pass. The sorting pass includes: (a) reading blocks of the table from a storage medium into a memory using an aggregation method until the memory is substantially full or until all the data have been read into the memory; (b) determining a number k of blocks to write back to the storage medium from the memory; (c) selecting k blocks from memory, sorting the k blocks, and then writing the k blocks back to the storage medium as a new sublist; and (d) repeating steps (a), (b), and (c) for any unprocessed tuples in the database table. The merging pass includes: merging all the sublists to form an aggregation result using a merge-sort algorithm.
US08352464B2 System and method for ranking documents through human assistance
Embodiments of system and method are provided for ranking contents of one or more documents through human assistance. The system includes one or more search engines configured to provide one or more documents based on a search query sent by a user. Further, the system includes a client application configured to capture the query sent by the user and the document tags provided by the document author or inbound links. The client application monitors one or more interactions of the user with the one or more documents for one or more events and provides a relevance measure to the one or more documents based on the captured query or tags, and the one or more events.
US08352460B2 Multiple candidate selection in an entity resolution system
Techniques are disclosed for matching an inbound identity record to existing entities. Entity resolution (ER) candidate-building keys are determined for a received identity record. A query is generated from the ER candidate-building keys. When executing the query, a generic key is identified. Execution of the query is aborted upon a condition involving the generic key being satisfied.
US08352458B2 Techniques for transforming and loading data into a fact table in a data warehouse
Techniques for transforming records prior to loading the records into a data warehouse in an efficient manner. In one embodiment, instead of using lookup transformations, a database operation such as an outer join operation is used to transform records stored in a fact staging table to add foreign keys to the records corresponding to the dimension tables that are associated with a fact table in a data warehouse to which the records are to be loaded. Since the outer join operation is memory intensive, a determination is made as to which dimension tables from the multiple dimension tables associated with the fact table are suitable, from a performance perspective, for the outer join operation. Only those suitable dimension tables are outer joined to the fact staging table to add the foreign keys for the outer joined dimension tables to the fact staging table records. Lookup transformations may be used to add foreign keys to the fact staging table records for the non-suitable dimension tables. The transformed fact records with the foreign keys may then be loaded into the fact table in the data warehouse.
US08352453B2 Plan-based compliance score computation for composite targets/systems
A method and apparatus for plan-based compliance score computation is provided. Compliance-specific target results are stored. The compliance results include, for each target, a subset of target-specific compliance results for a rule subset of compliance rules. Each target-specific compliance result of the result subset includes a compliance value. The compliance value represents compliance to a compliance rule of the rule subset. An execution plan is generated. The execution plan generates data that measures compliance to a first compliance standard. For each target-specific compliance result, an execution plan step is generated for computing the compliance value of the respective compliance rule of the respective target.
US08352448B2 Securely deleting data in a transactionally consistent manner
A process is disclosed by which data is securely deleted in a transactionally consistent manner. This may be accomplished by committing a preparation transaction for a data object within a system managing the data object in order to return the system to an initial condition if necessary, attempting to commit an execution transaction with the data object only after committing the preparation transaction, and securely deleting any portion of the data object necessary to return the system to the initial condition if committing the execution transaction fails and to change the system to a completed condition only if committing the execution transaction succeeds. In a delete or move transaction an existing backup object may be assigned a new logically deleted state such that if the delete or move transaction fails, the data will be made accessible again.
US08352447B2 Method and apparatus to align and deduplicate objects
In deduplicating data including objects, the system obtains information of the location of the objects and uses the information in calculating the hash value. The hash value calculation program divides data from the boundary location to chunks to match the boundary location of the objects subject to deduplication and the hash value is calculated from each chunk.
US08352445B2 Development environment integration with version history tools
Instructions within an instruction set (such as source code for a software application) may be documented within many separate tools, such as a development environment, a version control system, and a bug report database. However, it may be inefficient to search for such information in many locations and through many interfaces while investigating the version history of an instruction. Instead, the development environment may be configured to retrieve relevant information (such as bug reports, versioning, and version release notes) and to display the version history information for a selected instruction together within the development environment.
US08352442B2 Determination of an updated data source from disparate data sources
A method and system for determining an updated data source from first and second disparate data sources. A first and second data list is received from the first and second data sources, respectively. The data elements in the first data list matching data elements in the second data list are written to a first aggregation data list. The data elements in the first data list not matching data elements in the second data list are written to an additions data list. The data elements in the second data list not matching data elements in the first data list are written to a first deletions data list. All data elements in the first aggregation data list and the additions data list are written into a second aggregation data list. All data elements matching the data elements in the first deletions data list are written into a second deletions data list.
US08352438B1 Systems and methods for contextual evaluation of files for use in file restoration
A method for contextual evaluation of files for use in file restoration. The method may include receiving a request to replace a damaged file on a computing system with a clean instance of the damaged file and identifying a clean file that corresponds to the damaged file. The method may also include identifying at least one file set that includes the clean file. The method may further include evaluating the suitability of the clean file for use as a replacement for the damaged file by: 1) determining whether the computing system includes an instance of each file in the file set and 2) deciding, based on the determination of whether the computing system includes an instance of each file in the file set, whether to replace the damaged file with the clean file. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08352435B1 Continuous data reduction for highly available synchronous mirrors
In a synchronous remote mirroring system, as a host computer writes data to primary storage in a primary data storage system, remote copy data is transferred from the primary data storage system to a secondary storage system in which secondary storage is maintained as a remote mirror of the primary storage. The primary data storage system performs data reduction upon the remote copy data prior to transmitting the remote copy data in a reduced to the secondary data storage system. The secondary data storage system returns an acknowledgement of receipt of the remote copy data upon receipt of the remote copy data in the reduced form, and later reverses the data reduction upon the remote copy data in the reduced form to produce data written to the secondary storage to maintain the secondary storage as the remote mirror of the primary storage.
US08352430B1 File storage system to support high data rates
A method of creating a backup copy of a plurality of files is provided. A block of memory having a predetermined memory size is allocated at a first device. A first header including an identifier of a file of the plurality of files received from a second device is defined. The first header is written to the allocated block of memory. A second header including the identifier of the file is defined. The second header and the file are written to the allocated block of memory. The process of defining the second header and writing the second header and the file to the allocated block of memory is repeated for each file of the plurality of files. The allocated block of memory is copied to a third device after processing each of the plurality of files.
US08352429B1 Systems and methods for managing portions of files in multi-tier storage systems
The present disclosure presents a method for managing portions of files in multi-tier storage systems. The method may include identifying a file that is managed by an application and stored in a multi-tier storage system. The method may also include determining how the application stores data in the file by identifying data-management information associated with the application. The method may further include using the data-management information to identify a first portion of the file, identifying a data-placement policy, and implementing the data-placement policy by moving the first portion of the file from a first tier of the multi-tier storage system to a second tier of the multi-tier storage system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08352427B2 System integration architecture
The inter-system communications techniques include a system, and/or a method. In some embodiments of these techniques, the method includes receiving data from a first system. The method further includes storing the received data in an in-memory database. The method further includes determining a second system to inform of the received data using a system assignment table. The system assignment table includes a source system identifier, a target system identifier, a first field, and a first field value. The method further includes informing the second system of the received data when the first field value matches a value associated with the first field of the received data.This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules. 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.
US08352423B2 Apparatus and method for providing streaming data
A Java based server is disclosed for providing streaming data. Streaming data is received in a publisher interface and processed to generate Java messages describing real time updated. One application of the Java based server is to provide streaming data for business process.
US08352419B2 Online marketplace for automatically extracted data
A system for automatically locating and data-typing information originating from many Web pages, and then collecting that information in a database. The database is then made available via an online data marketplace which allows users from different organizations to buy and sell related data, associated advertisements, and access to the communities of end-users who may also view advertisements and make purchases.
US08352418B2 Client side locking
A collaborative authoring application provides an authoring environment in which two or more users can edit a document concurrently. Each user edits a copy of the document, sends updates to a master copy of the document, and receives updates from the master copy of the document. The authoring environment generally inhibits the users from providing conflicting editing instructions to the master copy of the document. For example, each user can generate a content lock about one or more data units within the document. The authoring environment may synchronize content locks automatically and content only at the request of the user.
US08352414B2 System for discovering business processes from noisy activities logs
A system for discovering business processes from noisy activities logs from various activities performed during the execution of the process. Activities are observed from the noisy activity logs that may include text from manually entered activity logs, chat scripts, emails, voice transcripts, desktop captures, and tool logs, wherein the noisy activity logs are received from multiple person/tool actors with each of the actors performing one or more activities related to one/more business tasks. Extracting information from the noisy activity logs to capture activity based information, and then analyzing similar activities and finding possible paths in the similar activities. The results are used to build a process graph based on the similar activities and the possible paths in the similar activities.
US08352413B2 System and method for providing controlled access to a funds dispensing device from external processors
Systems and methods for providing controlled access to value dispensing devices are described and in certain examples, systems including those for providing controlled access to a postage meter from multiple programs executing on an external collocated processor are described.
US08352410B2 Method and system for estimating vegetation growth relative to an object of interest
A method for estimating vegetation growth relative to an object of interest is disclosed. A target vegetation is identified from a second sensing dataset. A corresponding target vegetation is identified in a first sensing dataset, the first sensing dataset collected at a time before the second sensing dataset. A first statistic is attributed to the corresponding target vegetation based on a distance of one or more points of the corresponding target vegetation in the first sensing dataset relative to the object of interest. A second statistic is attributed to the target vegetation based on a distance of one or more points of the target vegetation in the second sensing dataset relative to the object of interest. An encroachment rate is determined from a comparison of the first statistic and the second statistic.
US08352409B1 Systems and methods for improving the effectiveness of decision trees
Systems and methods for improving the effectiveness of decision trees are disclosed. In one example, an exemplary method for performing such a task may include: 1) receiving, from at least one computing device, a) a sample, b) a classification assigned to the sample by a decision tree employed by the computing device, and c) identification information for a branch configuration that resulted in the classification, 2) determining that the decision tree incorrectly classified the sample, and then 3) excluding the offending branch configuration from future decision trees. An exemplary method for dynamically adjusting the confidence of decision-tree classifications based on community-supplied data, along with corresponding systems and computer-readable media, are also described.
US08352408B2 System and methods for providing integrated wellness assessment
A system for generating measurable indexes for providing a total wellness assessment of an individual is provided. The system can include a communications interface for accessing databases of population data derived from samplings of populations. The system further can include an integration and synthesis engine for generating weighting factors based upon a combination of the data, each weighting factor corresponding to a body region of the individual or to a health condition associated with the individual and based upon the population data. The system also can include a conditions capture engine for capturing individual-specific data corresponding to predetermined health conditions. The system can further include a modeling tool for combining the weighting factors with the individual-specific data. Moreover, the system can include a quotient generator for generating an overall health score corresponding to the individual based on the combining of weighting factors, population data, and individual-specific data.
US08352407B2 Systems and methods for modeling consequences of events
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for decision making under uncertainty. A causality framework is provided to define relationships between an alternative (Ai) of a set of alternatives and at least one performance indicator of a set of performance indicators. A k-concurrent lottery (Li) associated with the alternative (Ai) is conducted, the alternative (Ai) having consequences over k ones of the set of performance indicators. The k-concurrent lottery (Li) is homogenized over the set of performance indicators if the k ones is less than a number of the set of performance indicators. An expected utility of the k-concurrent lottery (Li) for each one of the set of alternatives is computed. One alternative is selected from the set of alternatives, the selection occurring in accordance with a selection criteria based on the expected utility.
US08352406B2 Methods and systems for predicting job seeking behavior
Embodiments of the present invention analyze information available from social-media websites to predict the likelihood that a prospective candidate will become an active recruitement candidate.
US08352404B2 Container vessel stowage planning
A computer-implemented method of determining an allocation plan for a cargo stowage problem of allocating a set of cargo items to a set of cargo item positions of a vessel, each cargo item position being suitable for receiving a cargo item. The method comprises constructing an expression indicative of one or more constraints to be satisfied by said allocation plan, constructing a cost function indicative of a cost of an updated allocation plan relative to a current allocation plan of said cargo stowage problem, iteratively updating a current allocation plan from an initial allocation plan to an updated allocation plan so as to decrease said cost function under said one or more constraints.
US08352394B2 Validation of laboratory test data based on predicted values of property-of-interest
The present invention provides novel techniques for validating laboratory data values for properties of interest of products produced by a process system. In particular, samples of the product may be sent to a laboratory testing facility, where laboratory testing procedures may be used to obtain the laboratory data values for the property of interest. The laboratory data values may be sent to a control system which includes a laboratory data validation module. The laboratory data validation module may be capable of validating the laboratory data values of the property of interest by comparing the laboratory data values of the property of interest with predicted values generated by a model. The model may be created using inputs such as laboratory and measured data values of the property of interest as well as laboratory and measured data values of other properties of the product. In particular, the laboratory data validation module may, in certain embodiments, include a laboratory data validation model, which may aid the validation of the laboratory data values of the property of interest.
US08352390B2 Method, program, and apparatus for generating two-class classification/prediction model
A two-class classification/prediction model is generated in a simple operation by performing two-class classification with a classification rate substantially close to 100%. The two-class classification/prediction model is generated by a) obtaining a discriminant function for classifying a training sample set into two predetermined classes on the basis of an explanatory variable generated for each sample contained in the training sample set, b) calculating a discriminant score for each training sample by using the obtained discriminant function, c) determining, based on the calculated discriminant score, whether the training sample is correctly classified or not, d) determining a misclassified-sample region based on maximum and minimum discriminant scores taken from among misclassified samples in the training sample set, e) constructing a new training sample set by extracting the training samples contained in the misclassified-sample region, and f) repeating a) to e) for the new training sample set.
US08352384B2 Combinational stochastic logic
Circuits that solve stochastic problems and techniques for operating them. These natively stochastic circuits may produce samples from probability distributions of interest for particular stochastic problems, and may be combined together in any suitable way to yield potential solutions to stochastic problems. In some implementations, the stochastic circuits may generate samples from conditional probability distributions conditioned on input data provided to the stochastic circuits. The circuits may be constructed from multiple interconnected stochastic subcircuits such that a circuit may produce a sample from a joint probability distribution, or from a marginal distribution of a joint distribution. These circuits may be used to implement stochastic sampling algorithms to solve stochastic processes, and may include stochastic subcircuits that operate concurrently.
US08352383B2 Systems and methods for altering mail routing, mail processing, and/or mode of delivery
The present invention provides systems, methods, and computer program products for altering delivery of a piece by altering either the delivery address, mode of processing, and/or the mode of delivery. The invention provide an indicia associated with the piece of mail including instructions that are at least one of a different delivery address, mode of processing, or a mode of delivery than that originally designated for the piece of mail. During mail sorting and processing, the indicia associated with the piece of mail are analyzed. Either the delivery address, mode of processing, and/or mode of delivery currently associated with the piece of mail are altered to conform with the delivery address, mode of processing, and/or mode of delivery indicated by the indicia. In some embodiments, the indicia is altered by on a business parameter, such as a monetary value associated with the contents of the piece of mail.
US08352378B2 Virtual account based new digital cash protocols with combined blind digital signature and pseudonym authentication
Virtual account based digital cash protocols use a combination of blind digital signatures and pseudonym authentication with at least two pairs of public and private keys. A user is provided with one master pair of private and public keys and as many pseudonym pairs of private and public keys as desired. The resulting virtual account based hybrid protocols combine the advantages of blind digital signature and pseudonym authentication. Blind digital signatures based on the master pair of keys are used to withdraw digital cash from the user's bank account under the user's real identity. A pseudonym pair of keys is used for converting digital cash into virtual account based digital cash by a digital cash issuer. All pseudonyms can be used for spending the virtual account based digital cash. These protocols ensure anonymity when withdrawing digital cash from the user's account under the user's real identity in addition to providing pseudonym authentication when spending virtual cash based digital cash under a pseudonym.
US08352377B2 System and method for electronic payment
An electronic payment method and system between a seller and a buyer to purchase a good providing a dynamic allocation to the seller of predefined SMS numbers and predefined SMS messages is provided. Furthermore, an associated system to carry out an electronic payment over a public network between a seller and a buyer is also provided.
US08352373B2 Data copyright management system
A data copyright management system comprises a database for storing original data, a key control center for managing crypt keys, copyright management center for managing data copyrights, and a communication network for connecting these sections. Data supplied from the database to users is encrypted and distributed. The users decrypts the encrypted data by crypt keys obtained from the key control center or copyright management center. To supply data to users, there are the following two methods: a one-way supplying of encrypted data to users by means of broadcasting or the like; and two-way supplying of encrypted data to users corresponding to users' requests. A crypt key system used for encrypting data uses a secret-key cryptosystem, a public-key cryptosystem or a cryptosystem combining a secret-key and a public-key and further uses a copyright control program to control data copyrights. When a user stores, copies, or transfers data, the data is encrypted by a crypt key different from a crypt key used for supplying the data. The former crypt key is supplied from the key control center or from the copyright management center, or generated by the copyright control program. The present invention can be applied to a data copyright management system for using not only single data but also a plurality of data supplied from a single database or a plurality of data supplied from a plurality of databases. Further, an apparatus to be used by the user to perform data copyright management is proposed.
US08352369B2 System and method for pre-verifying commercial transactions
A system and method is disclosed for verifying a commercial transaction between a card-holder, a merchant, and a credit card company. The card-holder makes a purchase with the merchant using a full credit card number. The merchant submits a transaction approval request for approval with the credit card company. The credit card company executes conventional credit approval of the transaction approval request, as well as verifies the transaction approval request with the card-holder. An approval is sent to the merchant only after the transaction approval request is both conventionally approved by the credit card company and verified by the card-holder. The card-holder, or the credit card company, may initiate verification of the transaction approval request. The transaction approval request can also be automatically verified if one or many pre-verification criteria is/are satisfied by data contained in the transaction approval request. The pre-verification criteria can be initially determined and/or modified by the card-holder.
US08352367B2 System and method for facilitating large scale payment transactions
A system and method of payment of an end-user account with a service provider includes a computer system that makes payments to service providers on behalf of end-users and that is operable to exchange information with a terminal at the point of sale or a web-enabled computer system operated by the end-user and with the computer system of the service provider. In one embodiment, the computer system of an intermediary receives and fulfills a request to make a payment on an end user's account with a service provider. In another preferred embodiment, a payment router together with an issuing/sponsoring bank and a processor, as implemented by their computer systems, facilitate payment transactions in which the router transacts at least thousands of payments for at least hundreds of payors with at least dozens of payees using at least one open system card association network, preferably in a day.
US08352364B2 Financial transaction system with integrated electronic messaging, control of marketing data, and user defined charges for receiving messages
A method of performing financial transactions between users of Summa accounts, each Summa account including an electronic messaging system that provides for crediting and debiting at least one financial account associated with each Summa account. The invention also allows each user to define a schedule of receipt charges associated with the identities of other users to be charged as compensation for accepting delivery of their messages. With the user's permission, a record of purchases made from the Summa account may be maintained in a marketing database, increasing the value of use's market identity and the corresponding value of receipt charges they user may collect. Major benefits of the invention include, but are not limited to: (1) electronic financial transactions are completed in a more secure manner with appropriate tracking and verification, (2) message recipients receive income from the value of their market identities, and (3) commercial enterprises can more readily identify individuals interested in receiving their commercial offers.
US08352362B2 Secure authentication and payment system
A transaction and payment and processing system securely conducts transactions over the public telephone network. The transactions may be between and among entities of any type such as individuals, merchants, utilities, banks, etc. Nothing more than access to a telephone is required after initial registration of a user.
US08352360B2 Method and system for secured transactions over a wireless network
A method and system are disclosed for booking and paying a retailer having a POS, which can be a low cost thin client computer system, connected to a transaction server storing confidential user information including a retailer identification, a user code and a user wireless device phone number, said method comprising the steps of receiving at the transaction server, from the user wireless device which can be a common cellphone, an SMS containing a retailer identification, reading at the transaction server the phone number of the wireless device communicated by the carrier transporting the SMS, authentifying said phone number and retailer identification with the stored confidential user information and sending the user confidential information to the retailer POS, the user entering on the POS the user code and the POS reading and authentifying the user code with the user confidential information received from the transaction server, the retailer entering the payment information on the POS and sending it with user information to the transaction server.
US08352357B2 Method and system for improved online auction
Methods and systems for improving auction-based online commerce are provided, including methods and systems for facilitating advance, rapid, accurate estimation of shipping costs between a seller and the winner of an online auction. Methods and systems include an application for facilitating seller estimation of shipping costs, including various components of shipping costs, and for providing to the buyer a shipping estimate based on the circumstances of the buyer and the auction.
US08352349B2 System and method for optimizing a target date fund
A method, article of manufacture, and computer program product are presented for generating a glide path for a target date fund comprising a growth asset and a reserve asset, where the glide path is a distribution of the growth and reserve assets over an interval. The method includes identifying an acceptable risk level for the target date fund determining, using the identified acceptable risk level, an inflection interval and calculating the percentages of the target date fund comprising the growth asset and the reserve asset at the inflection date. Finally, the method includes determining the glide path for the target date fund, where at the end of the interval the reserve asset comprises one hundred percent of the target date fund.
US08352347B2 Investment classification and tracking system using diamond ratings
The present invention is directed to an asset classification system based on investment strategy. The system determines a number for performance measures and strategy classifications. These measures indicate, in one configuration, an extent to which a security or manager is outperforming or attempting to outperform a benchmark and how successful the security or manager has been based on historic performance data.
US08352344B2 System and method for coalescing market data at a network device
A network device coalesces data received from an exchange, and provides a user with the opportunity to receive fewer, but up-to-date, data updates from an exchange when duplicate prices become available or a large volume of prices becomes available suddenly. Accordingly, the trader can be assured of receiving non-duplicated prices that are fed at a rate that is cohesive with that trader's connection speed. The present invention is designed to conserve on bandwidth thereby increasing the likelihood that bandwidth will be available to receive desirable market information.
US08352337B2 Automatic loaner part replacement to prevent system callback
A system for automatically replacing loaner parts within a loaner system to prevent loaner system callback. In response to selecting a loaner system within loaner inventory data, it is determined whether the selected loaner system is required to be returned based on a target return date for the selected loaner system. In response to determining that the selected loaner system is not required to be returned, a notification is automatically generated and sent to a customer to return expiring loaner parts within the selected loaner system based on loaner part rules. A part replacement order is automatically generated for replacement loaner parts for each of the expiring loaner parts. Then, the replacement loaner parts are automatically shipped to the customer to replace the expiring loaner parts to prevent callback of the selected loaner system.
US08352336B2 System and method for allocating manufactured products to sellers using profitable order promising
A system and method is disclosed for allocating products to one or more sellers. The system includes a database operable to store data associated with one or more enterprises. The system further includes an order promising system coupled with the database and operable to model the flow of the products through the one or more enterprises and allocate resources to the one or more sellers based on the modeled flow of the products.
US08352332B2 Method and apparatus for ordering paint using a portable self-contained tool
A method and a system for ordering paint to cover a surface includes, retrieving a color value from a machine-readable memory to a processor. The processor retrieves a paint quantity from a machine-readable memory. The processor compiles an order for paint including the paint quantity and color value and then transmits the order from the processor to a vendor for formulating the paint quantity having the color value when painted upon the surface and allowed to dry.
US08352330B2 Method, medium, and system for returning cash points to a user in response to a purchase request
Methods and systems for electronic commerce are provided in which a buyer requests a merchandise estimate by selecting estimate items registered by a seller, selects one of various estimates suggested by the seller in response to the request, and performs payment for the merchandise. One method for providing electronic commerce includes receiving, from a buyer terminal, an estimate request selecting at least one of a plurality of items from estimate request information registered by a seller terminal, providing at least one estimate to a buyer according to an estimate response from the seller terminal, and receiving an estimate rejection or a purchase request in response to the at least one estimate from the buyer terminal and performing a corresponding process.
US08352328B2 Methods and systems for searching for goods in a virtual marketplace
A method and apparatus for creating a computerized market for used and collectible goods by use of a plurality of low cost posting terminals and a market maker computer in a legal framework that establishes a bailee relationship and consignment contract with a purchaser of a good at the market maker computer that allows the purchaser to change the price of the good once the purchaser has purchased the good thereby to allow the purchaser to speculate on the price of collectibles in an electronic market for used goods while assuring the safe and trusted physical possession of a good with a vetted bailee.
US08352321B2 In-text embedded advertising
Computer program products, devices, and methods for generating in-text embedded advertising are described. Embedded advertising is “hidden” or embedded into a message by matching an advertisement to the message and identifying a place in the message to insert the advertisement. For textual messages, statistical analysis of individual sentences is performed to determine where it would be most natural to insert an advertisement. Statistical rules of grammar derived from a language model may be used choose a natural and grammatical place in the sentence for inserting the advertisement. Insertion of the advertisement creates a modified sentence without degrading a meaning of the original sentence, yet also includes the advertisement as a part of a new sentence.
US08352314B2 Method and system for providing internet advertisement
Provided is a method for providing Internet advertisement. The method provides a plurality of individual Internet advertisements included in an advertisement pool which is configured with a plurality of advertisement groups ‘G1’ to ‘Gm’ having a predetermined advertisement number rate ‘Ni’, a predetermined exposure frequency setting value ‘Ci’ and a correction coefficient ‘Ki’. An advertisement providing server, which provides one or more Internet advertisements to a web page providing server providing a web page including an Internet advertisement, calculates a CTR to the number of times the individual Internet advertisements are exposed.
US08352311B2 Internet based achievement and skills management process and method
An Internet Based Achievement Management Process & Method of use thereof which generally comprises computer software, including internet web page based code, and methods of applications that allows a user to mange, track, and record events and or achievements which pertain to professional, educational, and or personal goals as well as the ability to measure or compare the events and or achievements against their peers by means of an impartial third party review and assessment process.
US08352308B1 Assessing value added by associating an entity with a project
When deciding whether to fund a project, such as a movie, investors consider information such as what is often referred to as the “bankability” of people or entities attached to the project, such as the top-billed actors, the director, the producer, and/or the screenwriter. A system can collect information about people or entities and prior projects associated with those people or entities and use that information to calculate the bankability of those people or entities. Project developers can use the calculated bankability of the people or entities when deciding which people or entities to attach to in-development projects to increase the chance that the project will attract funding.
US08352303B2 Computer implemented method for integrating services in a calendar application via meeting request e-mails
The invention relates to a method for integrating services in a calendar application via the meeting request functionality of calendar programs comprising: initiating one or multiple services, wherein the initiation may involve the transmission of calendar event information from the calendar application to the service, the service requests being sent as meeting request e-mails to one or more service e-mail addresses, each service e-mail address representing a service, receiving the update requests generated by the one or multiple services, the update requests being meeting request response e-mails or one or multiple second meeting request e-mails processing the received update requests, and updating the calendar application.
US08352300B2 System, computer program and method for implementing and managing a value chain network
A system, computer program product and method for implementing and managing a value chain network. The computer program product includes allowing a first company having one or more clusters of retail stores and a second company in a value chain network to access to a shared database, having first and second plurality of fields in the shared database are uniquely associated with each respective first and second company, on a service provider computer over a network; linking the first company with one or more of the second plurality of fields; linking the second company with one or more of the first plurality of fields; periodically receiving sales information and events, including a demand event and a supply event, on the value network within at least one of the one or more clusters of retail stores; and updating one or more of the first plurality of fields that are linked to the second company upon receipt of at least one selected from the group consisting of the sales information, the demand event and the supply event. The first and second company are linked and provided limited access to the one or more of the respective second and first plurality of fields without creating a copy. The one or more updated first plurality of fields are immediately accessible to the first and second company.
US08352298B2 Systems and methods to detect models and accounts with anomalous revenue from color impressions
Methods and systems for identifying device models or accounts exhibiting outlying behavior are disclosed. For a method of identifying a device model exhibiting outlying behavior, a processor may receive a color impression count, a monochrome impression count and either a device model for each of a plurality of devices. A proportion of color revenue may be determined for each device based on the color impression count and the monochrome impression count. The processor may determine, for each device model, a distribution of the proportion of color revenue for the one or more devices having the device model and may automatically identify one or more distributions of the proportion of color revenue exhibiting outlying behavior. Each distribution is associated with a device model.
US08352296B2 Managing real time meeting room status
Presence information within a meeting room is detected and published to users for managing room availability and real time status. Various means such as motion detectors, card readers, log-in mechanisms associated with in-room computers, and the like, are used to detect presence information. Different status indicators are assigned to each room and published through a communication application or hosted service providing useful and real time information to users.
US08352295B1 Insurance premium gap analysis
A method and apparatus for determining the amount of premium, policies, or quotations needed to improve market share in various geographic locations based on user selected criteria. The method comprises calculating a total estimated expenditure on insurance by zip code, an estimated market share for an insurance provider by zip code, a year-to-date sale-to-quote ratio by zip code, and finally the amount of premiums, policies, or quotations needed to achieve a market share in a zip code. The method and apparatus will also display or output demographic data, market data, insurance provider information, and calculated amounts of premiums, policies, or quotations needed to achieve a market share in a given zip code.
US08352293B2 Independent annuity placement system and method
A system and method for facilitating annuity transactions between annuity purchasers and providers via an annuities placement program accessible to the purchasers and providers. Purchasers enter quote solicitation information used by the annuity providers to establish a quote for an annuity. Annuity providers enter a quote in response to the quote solicitation information, and the quote is provided to the purchaser via the annuities placement program. The quote is customized to the annuity purchaser's quote solicitation information. Multiple quotes from multiple providers may be presented to the purchaser for ease of quote comparison. To facilitate such transactions, a discretionary group is established to be a contract holder for each participating annuity provider. A master group contract is established for each of the participating providers, each of which is written by a respective one of the participating annuity providers to the discretionary group to allow the discretionary group to be the contract holder for annuities purchased by the annuity purchasers. In response to an annuity purchase, a certificate of participation is issued to the purchaser from the provider under the terms of the master group contract of that annuity provider, which reflects annuity terms customized to the annuity purchaser.
US08352289B2 Systems and methods for providing and maintaining electronic medical records
A customizable and dynamic electronic patient form and information system is provided having features whereby a healthcare provider may select and record various values corresponding to patient categories, the values being recorded as discrete data points at locations on a display that are reliable and predictive, and that are simultaneously displayed as selections on the patient form and as entries on a data logger or patient summary sheet. Further changes or modifications to the value are recorded as discrete data points and simultaneously displayed on the patient form and in the patient summary sheet. The patient form further includes features to permit a user to modify the form as desired to suit the needs of the patient and/or the healthcare provider's field of practice.
US08352287B2 Method for proving a user with a service for accessing and collecting personal health records
A method for providing a user with a service to access and collect personal health records associated with the user in a private manner through use of a user account may include assigning a destination address associated with the user account of the user for receiving private communications from at least one health care provider, associating access information with the user account of the user, providing authorization to the health care provider to send personal health records to the destination address, receiving a private communication from one of the at least one health care providers at the web site, storing the personal health record such that the personal health record is accessible through the web site. The method may further include receiving authorization from the user to send to the web site and sending a personal health record to the web site.
US08352286B1 Health service delivery tables system and method
A computerized system and method for generating CMS-compliant health services delivery (HSD) tables. A database stores health care service provider data. A remote computer user interacts with a server that provides access to the health care service provider data. A user can view health care service provider data that meets selected search parameters. The data is displayed in an interactive worksheet. The user may further cause amendments to be made to the data stored in the database. The user may issue a request to generate an HSD table in “final file format” which conforms to CMS requirements. The server checks for errors in the file and notifies the user of errors that are identified. The server optionally checks for adequacy of the network associated with a plurality of health care service providers. The user may approve the final files for filing with CMS.
US08352285B2 Dynamically adjusting triage classification levels
An initial triage level classification for a latest patient to arrive at an emergency department (ED) is received. Availability levels of resources needed to treat the latest patient are electronically collected, along with triage level classifications for all other patients currently in the ED. The initial triage level classification of the latest patient is adjusted upward or downward based on the availability levels of resources needed to treat the latest patient and based on the triage level classifications for the patients in the ED. The triage level classifications for all patients currently in the ED are summed up. If a sum of all triage level classifications exceeds a first predetermined threshold, other resources are reallocated in order to provide the resources needed to treat the latest patient to arrive at the ED. If the sum of all triage level classifications exceeds a second predetermined threshold, then a disaster plan is implemented.
US08352283B2 Methods and systems for minimizing costs of drug purchases
Drug purchases are evaluated according to available offers from drug manufacturers, based on the equivalent dosage regimens for similar drugs. Equivalent doses among drugs are calculated. Purchasing amounts of equivalent doses of drugs are reviewed. The costs of the equivalent doses of the drugs are compared, taking into account contractual price adjustments, such as discounts and rebates. Subsequent purchasing amounts of the drugs are determined, using results from the comparisons. The new purchasing amounts of the equivalent doses of the drugs are produced.
US08352272B2 Systems and methods for text to speech synthesis
Algorithms for synthesizing speech used to identify media assets are provided. Speech may be selectively synthesized form text strings associated with media assets. A text string may be normalized and its native language determined for obtaining a target phoneme for providing human-sounding speech in a language (e.g., dialect or accent) that is familiar to a user. The algorithms may be implemented on a system including several dedicated render engines. The system may be part of a back end coupled to a front end including storage for media assets and associated synthesized speech, and a request processor for receiving and processing requests that result in providing the synthesized speech. The front end may communicate media assets and associated synthesized speech content over a network to host devices coupled to portable electronic devices on which the media assets and synthesized speech are played back.
US08352269B2 Systems and methods for processing indicia for document narration
Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices. Further disclosed are techniques and systems for processing indicia in a document to determine a portion of words and associating a particular a voice model with the portion of words based on the indicia. During a readback process, an audible output corresponding to the words in the portion of words is generated using the voice model associated with the portion of words.
US08352266B2 System and methods for improving accuracy of speech recognition utilizing concept to keyword mapping
The invention provides a system and method for improving speech recognition. A computer software system is provided for implementing the system and method. A user of the computer software system may speak to the system directly and the system may respond, in spoken language, with an appropriate response. Grammar rules may be generated automatically from sample utterances when implementing the system for a particular application. Dynamic grammar rules may also be generated during interaction between the user and the system. In addition to arranging searching order of grammar files based on a predetermined hierarchy, a dynamically generated searching order based on history of contexts of a single conversation may be provided for further improved speech recognition. Dialogue between the system and the user of the system may be recorded and extracted for use by a speech recognition engine to refine or create language models so that accuracy of speech recognition relevant to a particular knowledge area may be improved.
US08352255B2 Method for speech coding, method for speech decoding and their apparatuses
A high quality speech is reproduced with a small data amount in speech coding and decoding for performing compression coding and decoding of a speech signal to a digital signal. In speech coding method according to a code-excited linear prediction (CELP) speech coding, a noise level of a speech in a concerning coding period is evaluated by using a code or coding result of at least one of spectrum information, power information, and pitch information, and various excitation codebooks are used based on an evaluation result.
US08352251B2 Audio signal processing circuit
An audio signal processing circuit is provided which comprises an ADC which samples an audio signal at a predetermined sampling frequency, a high-band compensation processor which compensates a signal sampled by the ADC to a frequency band which is higher than a signal band sampled by the sampling frequency, and an encoding unit which encodes a signal processed by the high-band compensation processor.
US08352249B2 Encoding device, decoding device, and method thereof
An encoding device improves the sound quality of a stereo signal while maintaining a low bit rate. The encoding device includes: an LP inverse filter which LP-inverse-filters a left signal L(n) by using an inverse quantization linear prediction coefficient AdM(z) of a monaural signal; a T/F conversion unit which converts the left sound source signal Le(n) from a temporal region to a frequency region; an inverse quantizer which inverse-quantizes encoded information Mqe; spectrum division units which divide a high-frequency component of the sound source signal Mde(f) and the left signal Le(f) into a plurality of bands; and scale factor calculation units which calculate scale factors ai and ssi by using a monaural sound source signal Mdeh,i(f), a left sound source signal Leh,i(f), Mdeh,i(f), and right sound source signal Reh,i(f) of each divided band.
US08352248B2 Speech compression method and apparatus
A system for encoding speech includes a speech encoder (106, FIG. 1), a speech recognizer (110), and a difference encoder (108). When the speech recognizer (110) recognizes a word, phoneme or feature within an input speech signal (122), the difference encoder (108) calculates the differences between speech parameters (140, 142) derived by the speech encoder (106) and speech parameters (146, 148) derived by the speech recognizer (110). The difference encoder (108) quantizes the differences (128), which replace corresponding encoder-derived parameters to be transmitted over a channel (130). In one embodiment, the difference encoder representation (128) of the speech parameters consumes fewer bits than the encoder-derived representation (124). Accordingly, the resulting bandwidth consumed by a single channel can be decreased.
US08352244B2 Active learning systems and methods for rapid porting of machine translation systems to new language pairs or new domains
Systems and methods for active learning of statistical machine translation systems through dynamic creation and updating of parallel corpus. The systems and methods provided create accurate parallel corpus entries from a test set of sentences, words, phrases, etc. by calculating confidence scores for particular translations. Translations with high confidence scores are added directly to the corpus and the translations with low confidence scores are presented to human translations for corrections.
US08352243B2 Multi-language translator for specific fields of knowledge
The present invention relates to techniques for translating documents characteristic for a specific field of knowledge from a source language in a target language. Elements causing translation errors in exemplary documents translated by a machine translator (e.g., Internet-based translator, etc.) are used to compile databases of such elements or untranslatable symbols thereof and their equivalent constructs in the source and target languages. Then, using the databases, the elements causing translation errors are substituted in the being translated documents with the corresponding equivalent constructs.
US08352239B2 Emulator interface device and method thereof
An interface device for an emulator is disclosed. The interface device includes a connection unit, a transmission unit, and an interface unit. The connection unit receives data, to be used to emulate a logic, from a host computer, and transmits result data, output from the logic, to the host computer. The transmission unit receives the data from the connection unit and stores (writes) the data in the first area of a register array. If the result data is stored in the second area of the register array, the transmission unit reads the result data and transmits the result data to the connection unit. The interface unit includes at least one register array, outputs a clock, set using the data stored in the first area, to the logic, and stores the result data, output from the logic, in the second area.
US08352238B2 Method and device for integrating a RF GPS emulator in a simulation environment
A method for integration of a GPS emulator in a simulation environment includes operating a computer adapted for using a simulation timer and configured to receive a signal of x_PPS type. For each pulse detected on the x_PPS signal, a counter is updated with a number of detected pulses and a value of the simulation timer is stored. A given simulation time moment is evaluated according to the detected and counted number of pulses, a current value of the simulation timer, and the stored value of the simulation timer. A related device and computer readable medium are also disclosed.
US08352237B2 System and method for system integration test (SIT) planning
A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The programming instructions are operable to receive a system architecture model of a system and receive trigger coverage rules. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to determine system integration test (SIT) coverage for each connection and interface of the system architecture model and select a set of use cases execution scenarios to satisfy the SIT coverage.
US08352236B2 Fault tree analysis system for the instrument control process for nuclear power plant with advanced boiling water reactor background
The invention relates to the fault tree analysis system for a nuclear power plant with advanced boiling water reactor. The full digital instrument control system uses six different modes to simulate the transmission of the digital signals and the analog signals from the detection units. It is to develop the fault tree for various signal transmission modes to support the nuclear power plant in probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and meet requirements for simulated signal detection, transmission, logic operation and equipment actuation. Thus, the digital instrument control flow process can fit into PRA model and properly reflect its importance in risk assessment.
US08352233B2 Electromagnetic field simulation apparatus
An electromagnetic field simulation apparatus disclosed herein replaces a predetermined region in printed circuit board CAD data to be subjected to electromagnetic field simulation with measurement data measured by a near-field measurement device and generates new printed circuit board CAD data. Subsequently, regarding a measurement data portion in the new printed circuit board CAD data generated by the data generating unit, the electromagnetic field simulation apparatus generates analysis model data by setting, as a wave source, an electric field or a magnetic field measured by the near-field measurement device. Then, the electromagnetic field simulation apparatus executes electromagnetic field simulation with respect to the analysis model data having a set wave source.
US08352226B2 Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for real-time oil and gas field production optimization using a proxy simulator
Methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for real-time oil and gas field production optimization using a proxy simulator. A base model of a reservoir, well, pipeline network, or processing system is established in one or more physical simulators. A decision management system is used to define control parameters, such as valve settings, for matching with observed data. A proxy model is used to fit the control parameters to outputs of the physical simulators, determine sensitivities of the control parameters, and compute correlations between the control parameters and output data from the simulators. Control parameters for which the sensitivities are below a threshold are eliminated. The decision management system validates control parameters which are output from the proxy model in the simulators. The proxy model may be used for predicting future control settings for the control parameters.
US08352223B1 Network communications testbed
The different advantageous embodiments provide a system for network communication testing comprising a communication effects server, a number of radio emulators, a number of radios, and a wireless link simulator. The communication effects computer is configured to provide a number of communication network effects. The number of radio emulators have a number of Ethernet signal-in-space emulators configured to output a number of Ethernet packets to the communication effects server. The number of radios is configured to transmit and receive messages over a radio frequency. The wireless link simulator is configured to provide simulated distance between the number of radios using real-time changes in a simulation running on a number of platforms.
US08352220B2 Automated solar collector installation design including ability to define heterogeneous design preferences
Embodiments may include systems and methods to create and edit a representation of a worksite, to create various data objects, to classify such objects as various types of pre-defined “features” with attendant properties and layout constraints. As part of or in addition to classification, an embodiment may include systems and methods to create, associate, and edit intrinsic and extrinsic properties to these objects. A design engine may apply of design rules to the features described above to generate one or more solar collectors installation design alternatives, including generation of on-screen and/or paper representations of the physical layout or arrangement of the one or more design alternatives. Embodiments may also include definition of one or more design apertures, each of which may correspond to boundaries in which solar collector layouts should comply with distinct sets of user-defined design preferences. Distinct apertures may provide heterogeneous regions of collector layout according to the user-defined design preferences.
US08352219B2 Numerical structure-analysis calculation system
The object is to enable the calculation of load transfer paths in case of distributed load applied to the structure with the numerical structure-analysis calculation system. The value of the parameter U** at each point is calculated according to the ratio of the complementary strain energy U at the application of load without fixing the point in the structure and the complementary strain energy U′ at the application of load with fixing one point in the structure. In the actual calculation, according to the complementary strain energy U, and the flexibility matrix CAC with respect to the loading point A and one point C in the structure, and the inverse matrix CCC−1 of the flexibility matrix with respect to point C, and the load pA at the loading point A, the value of the parameter U** (CACCCC−1CCApA·pA/(2U)) at point C is calculated. Or, from the complementary strain energy U, and the inverse matrix CCC−1, and the displacement dC at point C, the value of the parameter U**(dC·CCC−1dC/(2U)) at point C is calculated.
US08352218B2 Active building information modeling apparatus and method
An apparatus for coordinating building including a data memory for storing a three dimensional building model, the three dimensional building model having a plurality of elements, each element having a plurality of attributes. An element ownership processor for assigning ownership of each of the plurality of elements to one of a plurality of users, wherein each of the plurality of users has ownership of a subset of the plurality of elements. A model modification processor for receiving the three dimensional building model and for allowing a user to modify only elements that they have ownership of. A model synchronization processor for receiving only modified elements from the model modification processor and updating the three dimensional building model to include the modified elements.
US08352215B2 Computer-implemented distributed iteratively reweighted least squares system and method
Systems and methods are provided for performing an estimation using an iteratively reweighted least squares technique on a scenario defined by a design matrix, a response variable vector, and a parameter to be estimated. A system and method can be configured to include a root data processor, where a least squares estimate is calculated by the root data processor during each of a plurality of processing iterations. A plurality of node data processors can also be configured to: update values of a weight matrix according to a current state of the least squares estimate, determine a first intermediate value based on the design matrix and the weight matrix, determine a second intermediate value based on the design and weight matrices and the response variable vector. The root data processor calculates an updated least squares estimate based on the intermediate values.
US08352214B2 Belt image zero tracking system
A belt weighing system, including a belt passing over a weigh frame able to measure the weight of conveyed material, and at least one memory to store a zero image for the belt. At least one processor able to determine differences between a measured belt weight and a stored zero image for corresponding points or sections of the belt, and to determine if the differences are constant for different sections of the belt. A condition for an empty belt state can be detected where the instantaneous difference between the stored zero image and the measured belt weight for corresponding belt points or sections is equal to an average difference for different belt points or sections.
US08352213B2 Probe monitoring system for riverbed elevation monitoring at bridge piers
A probe monitoring system for riverbed elevation monitoring at bridge piers is revealed. The system includes a housing, a measuring rod, a moving member, a control module, a photographic unit and a sensing unit. The housing is fixed on the pier. Both the moving member for driving the measuring rod and the control module for control of the moving member are mounted in the housing. When the control module drives the measuring rod to move downward and the sensing unit on the bottom of the measuring rod approaches the riverbed, a sensing signal is sent to the control module. Thus the moving member stops moving the measuring rod and the photographic unit takes pictures of the measuring rod to generate an image. Then the riverbed elevation is obtained according to the image or the movement of the moving member and is sent to a remote monitor unit for real-time monitoring.
US08352208B2 Method for evaluating tree production capacity, image capture device for evaluating tree production capacity, and program for evaluating tree production capacity
Evaluation of tree production capacity by a non-destructive method using a tree crown structure measurement device or using an image capture device with a fisheye lens mounted, for isolated trees or for trees existing at intervals, is enabled without requiring a large amount of time.A semi-spheroid of revolution model is established as a representation of the outer shape of a tree, an optical tree structure measurement device is placed at a position apart from the main trunk by a prescribed distance, the intensity of light passing through tree leaves and the intensity of light not passing through tree leaves are measured, the optical path length of light incident on the tree is calculated using the semi-spheroid model and the total tree leaf area is determined from the measured light intensities and optical path length. The total tree leaf area is also determined by placing an image capture device with a fisheye lens mounted in place of an optical tree structure measurement device and performing data processing of image data acquired by image capturing.
US08352203B2 Digital implementation of a tracking filter
Methods and systems for tracking an electronic signal corresponding to an operating frequency of an electronic component are provided. A method may include sampling the signal to determine previous and current time samples of the signal. A frequency of interest in the signal may also be pre-warped to decrease adverse warping effects resulting from processing signals having relatively higher operating frequencies. The previous and current time samples of the signals, along with the pre-warped frequency of interest, may be input into a digital tracking filter. The digital tracking filter may be configured to execute one or more algorithms on the previous and current time samples and the pre-warped frequency of interest to estimate a current operating frequency.
US08352198B2 Sensing sensor and concentration measuring device
A user, when measuring a sensing target substance in fluid using a crystal sensor (sensing sensor) using a crystal vibrator whose natural frequency is varied by an absorption of the sending target, is able to easily and accurately grasp information peculiar to the crystal sensor, for instance, information regarding a quality thereof. An IC chip in which the information peculiar to the crystal sensor is stored is provided to the crystal sensor, and the peculiar information is read out at a side of a concentration measuring device when the crystal sensor is inserted into the concentration measuring device, and then displayed.
US08352196B2 Assessment method to process a glucose concentration signal and devices thereof
Embodiments of an assessment method for processing a signal corresponding to a glucose concentration and performing a retrospective analysis includes the steps of: a) initiating a first trigger, wherein the first trigger defines the beginning of a segment of a continuous measurement of glucose concentration or define the first of a series of spot measurements of glucose concentration; b) collecting data of the continuous measurement or the series of spot measurements of glucose concentration to be analyzed, wherein the collected data relates to a glucose concentration excursion corresponding to a reaction to a relevant event such as a meal or physical activity; c) analyzing the collected data initiated by a second trigger, wherein the second trigger defines the end of the collected data to be analyzed, wherein a measure for a grading of the excursion is determined from the collected data, and d) displaying the result of the analysis.
US08352192B2 Method for performing constrained polarization filtering
An exemplary method for filtering multi-component seismic data is provided. One or more characteristics of the seismic data corresponding to a relative manifestation of surface wave noise on the different components, such as polarization attributes, are identified. A time-frequency boundary in the seismic data is also identified in the time-frequency transform domain, the time-frequency boundary delineating portions of the seismic data estimated to contain surface wave noise (302). Finally, filtered seismic data are created (306) by removing portions of the seismic data that correspond to the identified characteristics of surface waves and that are within the time-frequency boundary (303).
US08352189B2 Method for generating high resolution surface topology map using surface profiling and surveying instrumentation
A method for generating a high-resolution surface topology map of a surface using surface profiling data combined with data collected from a surveying instrument. The system and method involve collecting a plurality of survey sample points and collecting a plurality of profile sample points of the surface. The profile sample points are then correlated with the survey sample points in the Z direction. Once the correlation is performed, the correlated profile sample points are merged or “filled-in” between the survey sample points. The high-resolution surface topology map is generated from the merging of the survey and profile sample points. In various embodiments, the survey data may be generated using an inertial profiler, an inclinometer based walking device, or a rolling-reference type profile device.
US08352185B2 Method, navigation device, and server for determining a location in a digital map database
A method is described for locating a destination in a digital map database using a query. If the query does not find the destination, the method queries a second, more recently updated, database for the destination. If a destination is found in second database, then the location of the destination that was found is used to find a destination in the original database that is nearby to the location of the destination found in second database.
US08352177B2 Navigation apparatus
A navigation apparatus dynamically sets a frequency of updating a guide arrow in accordance with certain circumstances. The navigation apparatus performs the route guidance by displaying the photographed image and includes a searching section for searching a route from a current position to a destination; and a drawing section for displaying the guide arrow which indicates the route searched by the searching section such that the guide arrow is superimposed on the photographed image, wherein the drawing section dynamically sets a frequency of updating a display of the guide arrow based on a predetermined condition.
US08352176B2 System and method for navigating a facility
Systems and methods are described for enabling the monitoring and navigation of a complex of known rooms or facilities having known objects, attributes and/or people associated therewith, wherein different locations of the objects, attributes and/or people within the facilities are related and accessible over known, well-defined alternate paths. Sensor information may be used to facilitate the monitoring and navigation of the facility. At least some systems and methods may be used to enable the navigation of a building or a set of buildings by displaying an interactive graphical map of the building on a display device carried by a user.
US08352175B2 Generating optimal itineraries based on network connectivity
A method and system for generating optimal itineraries based on network connectivity. A computer receives a first message from which a current position of a vehicle on a trip, destination, service(s) being provided to mobile device(s) in the vehicle, service provider(s) and network(s) are extracted. Optimal itineraries are generated by generating sets of optimal parameters that include paths for which connectivity measures satisfy predefined criteria and hops that indicate positions associated with connectivity changes. A response to the first message indicates the optimal itineraries and the associated sets of optimal parameters and is sent to a vehicle-based device. Sending the response results in the mobile device(s) making the connectivity changes when the vehicle is detected at the hops.
US08352174B2 Targeted marching
A method of finding a path from a start point to a target point, in multi-dimensional space, including: (a) determining a plurality of points in a physical space, including a start point and an target point; (b) computing, using a cost function, for said points an accumulated path cost from the start point to a point; representing a minimal cost path from the start point to the point with respect to an optimization criteria; (c) computing for at least some of said points an estimated-cost-to-target from a point to the target point; and (d) after computing said costs, determining at least one of a minimal path or a minimal path cost of a path from the start point to the target point in the physical space, wherein the determination is based on said accumulated path costs, and is minimal with respect to the optimization criteria.
US08352173B2 Two-level grouping of principals for a collision warning system
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that hierarchically groups principals to facilitate collision warning. During operation, the system obtains information on a number of principals and constructs one or more first-level groups of principals. Within a first-level group, the system constructs one or more second-level groups, thereby facilitating an assessment of probability of collision between a second-level group and a primary principal.
US08352172B2 Incident command post
Provided are systems and methods for tracking resources at a site and initiating audio and video communication with tracked resources using multiple input and output modalities. The systems include a location tracking system, including a positioning engine and a presentation engine, an environmental tracking system, location and environmental sensors, either permanently installed or temporarily deployed, and portable devices such as mobile phones or personal digital assistants carried by the tracked resources and users. The methods include tracking such resources at a site, displaying their locations on a portable device using a visual map display, and providing the ability to initiate bidirectional audio and video communications with one of more of the tracked resources.
US08352168B2 Method and system for reducing runway incursion at airports
The present invention relates to a system and method for minimizing or preventing runway incursion at airports by utilizing data packets of information transmitted over the voice communication channel used by pilots at the airport. The data packets of information contain the latitudinal and longitudinal position of the aircraft provided by an on board GPS receiver and a unique identifier for the aircraft, such as the tail number, which is then received by other aircraft on the same ground frequency, and the tower, and displayed on a geo-referenced map display of the airport provided to the pilots and the tower ground controller. The information may be updated by polling the various aircraft In this manner, information received from all active aircraft within an airport can be displayed on an electronic map of the airport which can be viewable by the pilots on the ground as well as the ground controller.
US08352166B2 Fuel-based injection control
Systems and methods of operating an engine, the engine including an injector configured to directly inject fuel into an engine cylinder. One example method comprises, during an engine cold start, performing compression direct fuel injection, and retarding a timing of the compression injection as a fuel alcohol content of the fuel increases.
US08352165B2 Method and system for operating a combustion engine brake
A method and system for operating a combustion engine brake especially for a heavy vehicle like a truck or a bus is disclosed. By detecting a brake torque value which is delivered by the combustion engine brake for braking the vehicle, and, if the amount of the difference between a demanded brake torque value and the delivered brake torque value exceeds a predetermined first limit value, by operating the combustion engine brake by means of at least one additional or alternative second operating parameter which is selected in order to create a corrected brake torque value, a considerably improved accuracy, efficiency and/or reliability of the combustion engine brake can be obtained.
US08352162B2 Method and system for controlling fuel usage
Methods and systems are provided for improving fuel usage while addressing knock by adjusting the use of spark retard and direct injection of a fluid based on engine operating conditions and the composition of the injected fluid. One or more engine parameters, such as EGR, VCT, boost, throttle position, are coordinated with the direct injection to reduce torque and EGR transients.
US08352160B2 Reformate control via accelerometer
Engine surge includes oscillations in engine torque resulting in bucking or jerking motion of a vehicle that may degrade driver experience. The present application relates to increasing reformate entering an example engine cylinder in response to engine surge.
US08352157B2 Spark ignition type internal combustion engine
In an internal combustion engine, a variable compression ratio mechanism able to change a mechanical compression ratio and a variable valve timing mechanism able to control the closing timing of an intake valve are provided. The mechanical compression ratio is held at a maximum mechanical compression ratio at the engine low load operation side and gradually made to decrease as the engine load increases at the engine high load operation side. The actual compression ratio is held nearly constant at the engine high load operation side and is made to decrease as the engine load decreases at the engine low load operation side.
US08352148B2 System for controlling input profiles of combined cycle power generation system
A control system for a combined cycle power generation system including a gas turbine engine (GT), a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), and a steam turbine (ST) includes a display wherein an operator may observe information about predicted operating parameters; a user interface wherein an operator may provide additional operating constraints; and a controller configured to generate input profiles of the GT, the HRSG, and the ST that satisfy the nominal constraints and any additional constraints and to generate the information about the predicted operating parameters. The controller may be configured to detect a stage transition of power generation system operation and update the input profiles. The controller may be configured to generate alternative operating scenarios by mapping alternative control actions to an operating constraint of at least one of the system components.
US08352147B2 Vehicle control device
To provide a vehicle control device that improves the accuracy of an automatic follow-up control in an inverted pendulum vehicle, a vehicle control device according to the present invention performs an automatic follow-up running control in an inverted pendulum vehicle so as to automatically follow a preceding vehicle. The vehicle control device is characterized by including: a communication unit that receives running condition data from the preceding vehicle regarding a vehicle speed and a joystick operation amount of the preceding vehicle; an inter-vehicle distance sensor that measures an inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle; and a main control ECU that computes an acceleration command value for following the preceding vehicle, wherein the main control ECU sets one of a first acceleration command value, which is computed based on the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle acquired through the communication unit and the inter-vehicle distance measured by the inter-vehicle distance sensor, and a second acceleration command value, which is computed based on the joystick operation amount acquired through the communication unit, as a target acceleration command value.
US08352146B2 Engine response adjustment based on traffic conditions
A method for controlling an engine of a vehicle in response to an operator input, comprising, during a first non-cruise control condition and at first distance to a forward vehicle, adjusting engine output in response to said operator input with a first relationship; and during a second non-cruise control condition and at a second, greater, distance to a forward vehicle, adjusting engine output in response to said operator input with a second relationship different from said first.
US08352145B2 Traction control device
A traction control device includes: rotation speed detectors provided to wheels; a control-start determiner that determines whether or not to control a braking mechanism and a differential adjusting mechanism based on rotation speeds; a braking mechanism controller that controls the braking mechanism based on a result of the determination of the control-start determiner; and a differential adjusting mechanism controller that controls the differential adjusting mechanism based on the result of the determination of the control-start determiner, in which the control-start determiner includes: a right-left-wheel rotation speed difference calculating section; a front-rear-wheel rotation speed difference calculating section; and a control-start determining section that determines whether or not to start controlling at least one of the braking mechanism and the differential adjusting mechanism when one of rotation speed differences reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US08352143B2 Integrated vehicle control system using dynamically determined vehicle conditions
A vehicle includes a control system that is used to control a vehicle system. The control system determines a roll condition in response to a yaw rate sensor and a pitch rate sensor without having to use a roll rate sensor. A relative roll angle, relative pitch angle, global roll angle, and global pitch angle may also be determined. A safety system may be controlled in response to the roll condition, roll angle, or the pitch angles individually or in combination.
US08352142B2 Brake control apparatus and brake control method
A brake control apparatus includes: a master cylinder; a wheel cylinder; a hydraulic pressure source; a control valve arranged to increase or reduce the pressure of the wheel cylinder; an outside gate valve arranged to connect or disconnect between the master cylinder and the wheel cylinder; a brake operation sensing section configured to sense a driver's brake operation; and a control unit configured to control the hydraulic pressure source, the control valve, and the outside gate valve, to perform an automatic-brake pressure-increasing control to control the outside gate valve in a valve closing direction, to drive the hydraulic pressure source, and thereby to increase the pressure of the wheel cylinder in accordance with a vehicle condition, and to increase a driving quantity of the hydraulic pressure source when the brake operation is sensed during the automatic-brake pressure-increasing control.
US08352128B2 Dynamic protective envelope for crane suspended loads
A system and method for using a gantry crane to efficiently and safely transport loads such as containers and ship hatch covers from one location to another along a known path while avoiding collisions between the loads and obstructing objects which may be situated in the known path. A transceiver emitting laser beams may be used to establish both the position of the spreader and its load and the profile of the known path. Continuous comparisons are made by computer between the location of a dynamic digital protective envelope constructed around the crane spreader and its load, if any, and a digital representation of the profile of the known path to be traveled by the spreader and its load, if any. In the event, the comparison indicates intersection of the protective envelope and the path profile, a speed limit is imposed on the motor controlling the movement in the X axis of the trolley or in the Z axis of the spreader, as required to prevent a collision.
US08352125B2 Determination of a force acting on a steering mechanism
Provided is a way of using an estimator to determine a force (Fz), which acts from the outside on a steering gear of a steering device in a vehicle by way of a steering linkage, wherein a motor for generating a steering torque is assigned to the steering device. This is achieved by estimating the force (Fz) acting from the outside as a function of an effective motor torque (tor_RAeff), wherein the effective motor torque (tor_RAeff) is determined as a function of a motor torque and an efficiency, the efficiency being determined as a function of the estimated force (Fz).
US08352124B2 Steering control device
A steering control device for a vehicle includes a steering characteristic setting unit setting the range of a steering manipulation angle corresponding to a tire angle in a predetermined range (near an induction target tire angle for guiding to a target locus), which is determined on the basis of the target locus upon vehicle traveling, to be wider than the range of a steering manipulation angle corresponding to a tire angle outside of the predetermined range. A reduction gear ratio of a steering mechanism in the predetermined range increases.
US08352120B2 System and method for stability control using GPS data
A system and method for stability control of a vehicle using GPS data. The system and method can receive GPS data and optionally vehicle operating data or signals and define one of a brake-based stability control subsystem and a torque management-based stability control subsystem as the dominant stability control system. Based on the stability control subsystem defined as the dominant stability control system, the system and method provide stability control for the vehicle. The system and method also defines the dominant stability control system based on weather data.
US08352119B2 Vehicle gradient estimating device and vehicle traveling control device
A vehicle gradient estimating device includes: a vehicle speed sensor which detects a traveling speed of a subject vehicle; an acceleration calculating unit which calculates an acceleration of the subject vehicle on the basis of the traveling speed; an engine load deceleration calculating unit which calculates a deceleration due to an engine load of the subject vehicle; an acceleration correcting unit which corrects the acceleration by using the deceleration; a brake fluid pressure detecting unit which detects a brake fluid pressure of the subject vehicle; and a first gradient estimating unit which estimates a gradient of a road being traveled of the subject vehicle, wherein the first gradient estimating unit estimates the gradient on the basis of a ratio between the brake fluid pressure and the acceleration corrected by the acceleration correcting unit.
US08352112B2 Autonomous vehicle management
A method for controlling a vehicle upon a roadway includes monitoring a trajectory of a host vehicle based upon a global positioning device within the host vehicle, monitoring a first wireless communication between the host vehicle and a plurality of target vehicles, the first wireless communication including a respective trajectory of each of the target vehicles based upon a respective global positioning device within each of the target vehicles, determining navigational commands for the host vehicle based upon the trajectory of the host vehicle and the trajectory of each of the target vehicles, and operating the host vehicle based upon the navigational commands.
US08352111B2 Platoon vehicle management
A method for controlling a plurality of vehicles to operate the plurality of vehicles in a platoon includes, within a leader vehicle selected from the plurality of vehicles: monitoring through a vehicle-to-vehicle communication a respective actual position of each of the plurality of vehicles that is not the leader vehicle based upon data from a respective global positioning device within each of the plurality of vehicles that is not the leader vehicle, determining distances to operate the plurality of vehicles in the platoon based upon the respective actual positions of each of the plurality of vehicles, and selecting a respective commanded vehicle position including a respective global positioning coordinate for each of the plurality of vehicles based upon the determined distances. Each respective commanded vehicle position is transmitted to the respective one of the plurality vehicles that is not the leader vehicle, and each respective one of the plurality of vehicles that is not the leader vehicle is operated based upon the respective commanded vehicle position.
US08352108B2 Method and apparatus for controlling mechanical power input from an internal combustion engine coupled to a hybrid transmission
A method for controlling operation of a hybrid powertrain includes monitoring input speed from the engine to the hybrid transmission, calculating an input speed error between the monitored input speed and a preferred input speed, monitoring operating parameters associated with a plurality of torque actuators wherein the torque actuators include the internal combustion engine, the electric torque machine and the output member, selecting one of the torque actuators, and modifying a state of a control parameter associated with the selected one of the torque actuators in response to the input speed error.
US08352107B2 Vehicle system for varied compliance benefits
Exemplary methods, systems and components enable selective control of an operational mode for a vehicle that is subject to an administrative standard. In some instances a qualified person or entity may attain a possible consequential result related to a user-selected vehicle operation mode that may involve a vehicle operation paradigm and/or a vehicle travel route and/or a vehicle travel destination. In some embodiments, implementation of the selected vehicle operation mode may modify a conformity status of the vehicle relative to the administrative standard. Various accessible records may be maintained regarding administrative compliance states and their respective benefits, as well as regarding certification of preferable consequential results available to qualified recipients based on a correlated vehicle operational mode.
US08352101B2 Algorithm for simultaneous attitude maneuver and momentum dumping
A system and method are disclosed for simultaneous attitude maneuver and momentum dumping. The attitude maneuver is performed using nominal wheel control to minimize propellant usage, while applying a momentum management command to the thruster control loop in order for the wheels to accomplish the desired spacecraft maneuver while simultaneously being reset to a de-saturated target state. The system and method involve a wheel system comprised of reaction wheels and/or a control moment gyroscope (CMG), at least one thruster, and control logic that is in communication with the wheel system and thruster(s). If a spacecraft maneuver is in progress, the control logic biases an error input signal to a thruster control loop to track the wheel maneuver to prevent unnecessary propellant consumption. The control logic is further operable to output thruster torque commands and wheel torque commands that accomplish the maneuver while achieving the desired final momentum target.
US08352094B2 Technique for aggregating loads with time-varying operating cycles
Embodiments of a system, a method, and a computer-program product (e.g., software) for aggregating an energy service from a group of loads with time-varying operating cycles are described. This aggregation may be performed by an aggregator, which provides the energy service to a power-system operator. In particular, for a desired demand response, a demand-response mechanism may modify a demand response of a given load by mapping an initial operating cycle of the load before a demand-response event to a final operating cycle. In addition, the demand-response mechanism may transition the given load to a new operating cycle associated with the demand-response event using a temporal set-point trajectory. This aggregation technique may ensure that a distribution of phases of the group of loads is, on average, uncorrelated with each other, either by preserving or modifying the distribution of phases prior to the demand-response event.
US08352089B2 Remotely controlled fluid dispenser
A network of fluid dispensers is configured such that a Host controller may exchange information with local dispensers, and where local dispensers may exchange information with each other. The information may be dispensing processes, information regarding quality and reliability, problems and/or helpful information, and applications. The information may be exchanged in real time during fluid dispensing where any issues may be shared and resolved quickly even in remote locales. The applications may be developed at a local dispenser or at the Host and then shared throughout the network. The operating systems may include application software development tools, and the applications may include: monitoring deliver schedules and materials inventories; automatic issuing of purchase orders; training broadcasts; implementing industry standards for validation and approval.
US08352087B2 Control method and control system for a flow control valve
A method and system for controlling a flow control valve, comprising measuring a flow at a suitable point of a flow process and calculating a pressure drop across the valve from a Cv curve of the valve, a measured valve opening αm, and the measured flow (Qm). From this calculated pressure drop, a flow set point (Qsp), and an inverse Cv curve of the valve, a new valve opening (αc) providing the desired flow is calculated. The control is thus adapted to each operating point and its prevailing flow gain and linearizes the dependence between flow control and flow.
US08352086B2 Combined motion sensor for use in feedback control systems for vibration isolation
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a vibration isolation system, and an active vibration isolation system for vibration-isolated support of lithographic devices, wafer handling systems, and/or scanning microscopes. For this purpose the following are provided: a number of vibration transducers for supplying sensor signals which are representative of vibrations; a number of actuators for vibration compensation which may be controlled by supplying actuator control signals; a control device which is designed for processing the supplied sensor signals to form the actuator control signals, wherein the vibration transducers have at least one geophone sensor as a first acceleration sensor for detecting vibrations in a first frequency range, and at least one second acceleration sensor, which is different from the first acceleration sensor, for detecting vibrations in a second frequency range which extends the first frequency range.
US08352083B2 System and method for establishing local control of a space conditioning load during a direct load control event
A system for establishing local control of a space conditioning load includes a switch for controlling a flow of energy for a space conditioning load. Control logic is operatively coupled to the switch, for receiving control parameters associated with a direct load control event from a utility provider. The control logic may also measure room temperature based on received temperature signals and determine if a room temperature is greater a comfort temperature range. The control logic may eliminate operation of a direct load control program if the room temperature is greater than or equal to the comfort temperature range. The control logic may log and signal back to the utility provider that the comfort temperature range is exceeded. The control logic may then restore local control of the switch and initiate a temperature setback control to a thermostat for the remainder of the control period.
US08352081B2 Communication protocol system and method for a distributed-architecture heating, ventilation and air conditioning network
The disclosure provides an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing the same. In an embodiment, the network includes a demand unit and a subnet controller. The demand unit is coupled to a data bus and configured to provide a primary service having a maximum service capacity. The subnet controller is configured to send a demand message to the demand unit via the data bus instructing the demand unit to provide a portion of the maximum.
US08352077B2 Inertia shaping for humanoid fall direction change
A system and method is disclosed for controlling a robot that is falling down from an upright posture. Inertia shaping is performed on the robot to avoid an object during the fall. A desired overall toppling angular velocity of the robot is determined. The direction of this velocity is based on the direction from the center of pressure of the robot to the object. A desired composite rigid body inertia of the robot is determined based on the desired overall toppling angular velocity. A desired joint velocity of the robot is determined based on the desired composite rigid body inertia. The desired joint velocity is also determined based on a composite rigid body inertia Jacobian of the robot. An actuator at a joint of the robot is then controlled to implement the desired joint velocity.
US08352072B2 System for extending the observation, surveillance, and navigational capabilities of a robot
The invention is a system that is integrated with an existing robotic system in order to extend its observation, surveillance, and navigational capabilities. The system comprises: a sensor module comprising imaging and other types of sensors that is attached to the robotic device of the robotic system and a system control station comprising a communication link to the robot control station of the existing robotic system. Both the system control station and the sensor module comprise processing units that are configured to work in complete harmony. These processing units are each supplied with software that enables using information supplied by the sensors and other components in the sensor module to provide the robotic systems with many advanced capabilities that could not be achieves prior to attachment of the sensor module to the robot.
US08352061B2 Semi-quantitative thickness determination
While a substrate is polished, it is also irradiated with light from a light source. A current spectrum of the light reflected from the surface of the substrate is measured. A selected peak, having a first parameter value, is identified in the current spectrum. A value of a second parameter associated with the first parameter is determined from a lookup table using a processor. Depending on the value of the second parameter, the polishing of the substrate is changed. An initial spectrum of light reflected from the substrate before the polishing of the substrate can be measured and a wavelength corresponding to a selected peak of the initial spectrum can be determined.
US08352058B2 Office automation device for preloading content on memory cards and processing method thereof
An OA device for preloading content on memory cards is disclosed. A handler control module of a control unit performs a preloading process which comprises a preload check, preloading content based on digital content stored in buffers, and a preloaded content comparison, wherein memory cards at the initial column of a tray are checked, preloaded, and compared with the preloaded digital content using probes of a probe module. When the preloading content for the memory cards at the initial column of the tray is complete, the tray module or the probe module is moved by a stepper module by a predetermined distance, or the moving arm moves the probe module with a predetermined distance, to enable the memory cards at the next column of the tray to be checked, preloaded, and compared with the preloaded digital content using the probes while a sorting module picks up failed memory cards from the previous column based on records and instructions from the handler control module of the control unit.
US08352057B2 Method for optimising the life cycle of measurement data based on the retroaction during assembling processes whilst being produced
A method for feedback-based optimization of a measurement data life cycle in joining processes during production, comprising the following steps: 1) analysing and simulating production on the basis of assumptions, in particular on the basis of production data, in order to prepare an initial production strategy and/or inspection strategy, 2) preparing and/or adapting a production and/or inspection order, 3) checking the production and/or inspection order for consistency, 4) exporting and storing the production and/or inspection order, 5) aligning and/or joining a component made of at least two sub-assemblies in an assembly zone, 6) analysing and simulating production on the basis of actual measurement results and feedback of an optimized production and/or inspection order into method step 2), and 7) at least one repetition of method steps 2) to 6). The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method.
US08352056B2 Surgical implant guide and method of manufacturing the same
The present invention illustrates a method of manufacturing a surgical implant guide to increase the precision, safety and reliability of the surgery. First the present invention plans an invasive position for implanting an implant, and then, plans an invasive path for the implant to invade from the invasive position of an affected tissue, and finally, produces an implant guide based on the invasive position, the invasive path, and the shapes of the implant and the affected tissue. The surgical implant guide includes a coupling portion matching the shape the affected tissue, and a guiding portion matching the shape of the implant, the invasive position, and the invasive path. When the coupling portion is disposed on the affected tissue, the guiding portion is aligned with the invasive position, so that the implant is implanted in the affected tissue under guidance of the invasive path.
US08352054B2 Method and apparatus for processing digital audio signal
There is a sequence of samples having values representative of a waveform. Samples corresponding to extrema including maximums and minimums in the waveform are detected. A decision is made as to whether values of successive samples between every two extremum-corresponding samples are in an upward slope or a downward slope. The number of these successive samples is detected. One is selected from coefficients in response to the detected sample number. A first group has one or more samples adjacently preceding a maximum-corresponding sample. A second group has one or more samples adjacently following the maximum-corresponding sample. A third group has one or more samples adjacently preceding a minimum-corresponding sample. A fourth group has one or more samples adjacently following the minimum-corresponding sample. Each of specified samples among the samples in the first to fourth groups is corrected in response to the slope decision result and the selected coefficient.
US08352053B2 Audio signal processing system
An audio signal-processing system has signal-processing units connectable to a transmission line. Each signal-processing unit has channels for applying a signal process to input audio signals. A control unit is connectable to the transmission line for operating a target channel belonging to one of the signal-processing units. The control unit has color pallets different from each other and previously selected in correspondence to the signal-processing units. When the control unit detects an instruction to display an operation screen of the target channel, the control unit renders the operation screen of the target channel using the color pallet corresponding to the signal-processing unit to which the target channel belongs, so that a background color of the operation screen of the target channel displayed on a display part of the control unit is different from a background color of an operation screen of another channel belonging to another signal-processing unit.
US08352052B1 Adjusting audio volume
Systems, methods, and computer program products for editing audio data. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes receiving digital audio data and receiving a first input to a volume control to increase a volume of the audio data. The method further includes amplifying the audio data in response to the first user input without clipping the audio data and receiving one or more subsequent user inputs to the volume control, where in response to each subsequent user input performing compression and amplification of the audio data.
US08352051B2 Method and apparatus for driving a load
An output module for an Industrial Process Control System that drives a load in a failsafe manner. The output module drives a load in response to a driving signal and includes a controller that generates a command signal and a drive enable signal in response to said driving signal. A keep alive circuit generates an active keep alive signal unless the drive enable signal is inactive. The output module includes a driver circuit that generates a drive signal in accordance with the command signal when the keep alive signal is active such that the load can be driven with a channel failsafe switch in response to the drive signal. The output module can be integrated into any of a number of industrial process control systems to enhance the operability of such systems.
US08352050B2 System and method for displaying status of field devices
The invention is a system for monitoring the status of a field device having data including a data acquisition module, a first and a second diagnosis engine, and a client having a user input element for receiving user input status.
US08352049B2 Temporary expanding integrated monitoring network
A system for monitoring an industrial process and taking action based on the results of process monitoring. Actions taken may include process control, paging, voicemail, and input for e-enterprise systems. The system includes an input module for receiving a plurality of parameters from a process for manufacture of a substance or object. The system also includes a library module. The library module includes a plurality of computer aided processes. Any one of the computer aided processes is capable of using each of the plurality of parameters to compare at least two of the plurality of parameters against a training set of parameters. The training set of parameters is generally predetermined. The computer aided process is also capable of determining if the at least two of the plurality of parameters are within a predetermined range of the training set of parameters. Additionally, the system includes an output module for outputting a result based upon the training set and the plurality of parameters.
US08352043B2 Method for clock management for an implantable medical device
An implantable medical device is capable of delivering the therapeutic output to the patient. A controller, programmable by a medical professional, is operatively coupled to the implantable medical device to, in part, program the therapeutic output to be delivered to the patient. The controller has an interface allowing the medical professional to select an amount of the therapeutic output to be delivered to the patient in at least one of the series of discrete timer intervals. However, the therapeutic output deliver to the patient is dependant upon the clock time to which the infusion device. In certain situations the infusion device clock time may have inaccuracies that grow over time. The clock time can be reset by the infusion programmer but a method must be in place to determine and account for resetting the infusion device clock time that controls when the therapy will be delivered.
US08352039B2 Programming therapy delivered by implantable medical device
This disclosure describes techniques for programming stimulation therapy programs according to therapy targets (e.g., symptoms or areas of pain) in a patient to which they are applied. Several programs can be programmed for each therapy target, stored on an implantable medical device, and retrieved later by a programmer to modify, edit, delete, create, and/or select a therapy program for each of the therapy targets. Each therapy target is independent from the other therapy targets, and a user can select or change a program under one therapy target without affecting programs under the other therapy targets. During programming, a user can specify parameters for each program applicable to only that program, and can specify parameters for each therapy target applicable to every program associated with that therapy target. The organization of programs into slots and the selection of a program in each slot may be manual or automated.
US08352035B2 Connector assemblies for implantable stimulators
Exemplary systems include a stimulator configured to be implanted within a patient, the stimulator having a body defined by at least one side surface disposed in between distal and proximal end surfaces, and a connector assembly configured to be coupled to the stimulator and extend parallel to the at least one side surface of the stimulator. The connector assembly is further configured to facilitate removable coupling of a lead having one or more electrodes disposed thereon to the stimulator.
US08352033B2 Apparatus and methods for measuring defibrillation lead impedance via a high magnitude, short duration current pulse
Methods and apparatus for accurately and painlessly measuring the impedance between defibrillation electrodes implanted in a patient utilize a high current test pulse delivered with a sufficiently high current to produce an accurate measurement of the defibrillation electrode impedance while limiting the duration of the test pulse such that the pain sensing cells in the patient do not perceive the test pulse. In one embodiment, the test pulse is generated from the high voltage transformer without storing energy in the high voltage capacitors and is delivered to the defibrillation electrodes in the patient utilizing the high voltage switching circuitry.
US08352030B2 Capacitive interface circuit for low power sensor system
A capacitive interface circuit for a low power system is described. The capacitive interface circuit is configured to achieve very low noise sensing of capacitance-based transducers, such as a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS)-based sensor, with high resolution and low power. The capacitive interface circuit uses a differential amplifier and correlated triple sampling (CTS) to substantially eliminate, or at least reduce, kT/C noise, as well as amplifier offset and flicker (1/f) noise, from the output of the amplifier. The capacitive interface circuit may further include an output stage that reduces glitching, i.e., clock transients, in the output signal by allowing transients in the amplifier output to settle. In this manner, the circuit can be used in a low power system to produce a stable, low-noise output.
US08352027B2 Implantable cardiac rhythm management system having multiple therapy modalities
A cardiac rhythm management system for providing a plurality of therapy modalities. For example, the system may include a cardiac resynchronization therapy module for providing cardiac resynchronization therapy and a pacemaker module for providing bradycardia therapy, as well as a selector module coupled to the cardiac resynchronization therapy module and the bradycardia module. The selector module may select an operating mode from among a plurality of operating modes including the cardiac resynchronization therapy module and the pacemaker module. Various manual and automatic methods may be used to select the operating mode. In addition, a reversion management system may be included to assist the cardiac rhythm management system to recover in case of a disruption to the system.
US08352022B2 Measurement of neural functionality using phase sensitive optical coherence reflectometry
Optical methods, devices, and systems for noninvasively detecting transient surface displacements in a neuron are disclosed. Methods, devices, and systems provided may employ a phase-sensitive optical low coherence reflectometer. In addition, surface displacements due to action potential propagation in neural tissues may be detected in some embodiments using back-reflected light. According to some embodiments, exogenous chemicals or reflect ion coatings are not required. Transient neural surface displacement of less then 1 nm in amplitude and 1 ms in duration may be detected and may be generally coincident with action potential arrival to the optical measurement site. The systems and methods may be used for noninvasive detection of various neuropathies such as retinal neuropathies. They may also be useful in detecting the effects of various pharmacological agents.
US08352019B2 Systems and methods for modeling both unobstructed and obstructed portions of a catheter
Electrical mapping system and methods are disclosed for modeling both unobstructed and obstructed portions of a catheter. An exemplary system includes a catheter body comprising a distal portion and a proximal portion, the catheter body supporting a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to an output device. The system also includes a rendering component operatively associated with the output device. The rendering component receives raw data from the plurality of electrodes and generates a plurality of images based on the raw data. Then the rendering component overlays the plurality of data images on one another to generate a three-dimensional image representing both the internal tissue and a visible portion of the catheter body. The system also includes an enhancement component which retrieves positional data for the catheter body and overlays a silhouette of at least one obstructed portion of the catheter body.
US08352015B2 Location tracking of a metallic object in a living body using a radar detector and guiding an ultrasound probe to direct ultrasound waves at the location
A method and apparatus are provided for determining and tracking location of a metallic object in a living body, and then directing a second modality such as ultrasound waves to the determined location. The metal detector may be a radar detector adapted to operate on a living body. The adaption may include disposing a transfer material having electromagnetic properties similar to the body between the radar detector and the living body, ECG gating the radar detector, and/or employing an optimal estimator with a model of expected stent movement in a living body. Applications include determination of extent of in-stent restenosis, performing therapeutic thrombolysis, or determining operational features of a metallic implant.
US08352012B2 Biomedical electrode for detecting localized electrical signals and providing electrical stimulation
A biomedical electrode is disclosed that includes at least first and second electrical nodes for connection to medical equipment. The biomedical electrode includes a first electrical node including a disc of conductive material having a diameter d1, and a second electrical node including a ring of conductive material. The ring is concentric with the disc and has a diameter d2 that is larger than d1 and having a ring thickness t2 such that (4≦d1/t2≦6).
US08352010B2 Folding medical sensor and technique for using the same
A sensor assembly is provided that includes a frame upon which electrical and optical components may be disposed and a covering, such as an overmold coating, provided about the frame. The frame may be moved between an open and a closed configuration, such as during the manufacture of the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a retaining component configured to hold the sensor in the closed configuration when engaged. In one embodiment, the sensor may be placed on a patient's finger, toe, ear, and so forth to obtain pulse oximetry or other physiological measurements.
US08352001B2 Portable electronic device
An electronic portable device includes two housings 10 and 20 and a connecting mechanism which connects housings 10 and 20 so as to allow housings 10 and 20 to be shifted from one state to another state by a rotating operation, wherein the connecting mechanism has first guide groove 31 and second guide groove 32 formed in housing 10, third guide groove 33 and fourth guide groove 34 formed in housing 20, first shaft pin 41 penetrating guide grooves 31 and 33, and second shaft pin 42 penetrating guide grooves 32 and 34, wherein the guide grooves 31 to 34 form a circular arc, the guide grooves 31 and 32 are line-symmetric with respect to the center line of first housing 10 in the closed state; the guide grooves 33 and 34 are line-symmetric with respect to the center line of first housing 10 in the first open state.
US08351996B2 Power management of a radio data transceiver
Methods and apparatuses for operating a wireless mobile station configured to communicate with a wireless access point are described. A first awake timer may be started in response to receiving a beacon signal from the wireless access point. The beacon signal may indicate that data is available or pending for the wireless mobile station. A second awake timer may be started in response to data received from the wireless access point. When the second awake timer expires, the wireless mobile station may return to the sleep state. In one embodiment, the first awake timer counts for a first period of time and the second awake timer counts for a second period of time which is shorter than the first period of time. The RF radio may be in a higher power state when the first and/or the second awake timers are counting. In one embodiment, the wireless mobile station and the wireless access points may be synchronized using target beacon transmission times of the beacon signal.
US08351994B2 Wireless terminal device with user interaction system
A wireless terminal device having network access is disclosed. Selection of menus is simplified by allowing selection of more than one input such as direct touching of the screen, virtual keyboards or roller buttons. A focus marker in the form of a border around a field may be used to limit the area of selection. An object menu icon is visible without needing a right click of a mouse to make selection of the menu easier. The selection of options is localized and parsed at the network server before a response to the user selection is sent back to the terminal.
US08351992B2 Portable electronic apparatus, and a method of controlling a user interface thereof
A portable electronic apparatus (300) has a display (320) and a keypad (340) with a plurality of keys (342), the keys being distributed within a keypad area (341) in at least a first plane, and the keys being arranged for key-pressing user actuation transversally to the first plane so as to provide a first type of user input. The apparatus also has sensor means (430, 450, 348) positioned to sense navigating user actuation at the keypad area in or coincident with said first plane so as to provide a second type of user input, and a controller (301) configured to control a focus position (323) on the display (320) in response to user input of the second type. The controller (301) is configured to associate a plurality of display subareas (321) of the display with respective keys (342) of the keypad (340) and to accept, for user input of the second type, a key-pressing user actuation of an actuated key among said keys as a selection of a selectable item presented at the focus position (323) in a particular display subarea (321d) associated with the actuated key.
US08351989B2 Method of displaying menu in a mobile communication terminal
A method of displaying a menu in a mobile communication terminal and a mobile communication terminal are provided. The method of displaying a menu in a mobile communication terminal comprises displaying a standby screen in a display of the mobile communication terminal, selecting one of a plurality of specific directions through an input device of the mobile communication terminal, and displaying each menu corresponding to the selected specific direction on the standby screen.
US08351986B2 Method of precoding with a codebook for a wireless system
A quantized multi-rank beamforming scheme for multiple-antenna systems such as a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless downlink. User equipment (UE) estimates downlink channel and transmit power and determines rank and power allocations. A quantized beamforming matrix is then determined by the UE using successive beamforming. The UE also determines channel quality indices (CQI) which it feeds-back to the wireless downlink base station along with the index of the quantized beamforming matrix. The base station uses the CQI information to select a UE for scheduling of downlink transmission and the quantized beamforming matrix index received from the selected UE to beamform the downlink transmission to the UE. Base station overhead and is minimized while providing near-optimal performance given the constraints of a limited feed-back channel and computational complexity of the UE.
US08351977B2 Method for performing downlink/uplink handover
A method for performing a handover in a mobile communication system, which is capable of independently performing an uplink handover and a downlink handover, is disclosed. An uplink channel status of a base station is checked and the uplink handover to a base station having a good uplink channel status is performed. A downlink channel status of a base station is checked and the downlink handover to a base station having a good downlink channel status is performed. Accordingly, an uplink base station and a downlink base station may be different from each other. Transmission/reception efficiency can be improved by independently performing the handover.
US08351975B2 Method and arrangement for power control
A method for setting a power control level (600) in a wireless communication system. The method includes the steps of obtaining (620) transmission information from a wireless subscriber unit, and modifying a power control level and/or a communication channel format (660) in response to said transmission information. Preferably, the transmission information is re-transmission requests from a wireless subscriber unit, which are transmitted frequently. In this manner, rapid adjustment of power control can be attained utilizing an optimal selection of the available communication channel format, followed by a fine-tuning power control operation.
US08351973B2 Short message service (SMS) over service access point identifier 0 (SAPI-0)
A mobile station receives data for sending to a destination device and determines whether to send the data to the destination device via either short message service (SMS) over service access point identifier 0 (SAPI-0) or SMS over SAPI-3, where SAPI-0 and SAPI-3 comprise different service access points associated with a data link layer of a mobile network. The mobile station selectively sends the location information to the destination device via either SMS over SAPI-0, or via SMS over SAPI-3, based on the determination.
US08351971B2 Global positioning system (GPS)-based communication filter
A device includes a memory to store a plurality of instructions and a processor to execute instructions in the memory to determine a location of a mobile communication device, determine a direction of movement of the mobile communication device, identify other mobile communication devices within a particular distance of the mobile communication device, identify other mobile communication devices moving in a particular direction with respect to the mobile communication device, and store, in the memory, a list of the identified other mobile communication devices.
US08351970B2 Method for extending a push to talk communication service
The invention relates to a method and system for extending a known push to talk service in such a way that novel application capabilities are obtained. According to said invention, the use of said push to talk techniques is carried out by adding a functionality making it possible to transmit other forms of data besides speech.
US08351964B2 Message delivery over LTE networks
Communication networks and methods are disclosed for delivering messages over LTE networks. One embodiment comprises a universal message center operable to deliver messages over an LTE network. The universal message center receives a message intended for a destination mobile device, and determines if the destination mobile device is LTE enabled. If the destination mobile device is LTE enabled, then the universal message center identifies a mobile IP address assigned to the destination mobile device in the LTE network. The universal message center then attempts to forward the message to the destination mobile device over the LTE network based on the mobile IP address. If the destination mobile device is not LTE enabled, then the universal message center identifies a store-and-forward (SFD) message center for an originator of the message, and forwards the message to the SFD message center for store-and-forward processing.
US08351963B2 System, method, and computer-readable medium for short message service termination processing by a femtocell system
A system, method, and computer readable medium for processing short message service terminations in a communication system featuring an IP-based femtocell system are provided. The femtocell system includes a base transceiver station and a Session Initiation Protocol to Internet Operating System adapter. The femtocell system receives message content from a core network over a packet interface that is to be delivered to a user equipment serviced by the femtocell system and depacketizes the message content. The Session Initiation Protocol to Internet Operating System adapter conveys the depacketized message content to the base transceiver station which transmits the message content to the user equipment via a data burst.
US08351957B2 Device and method for controlling overload
An overload control device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes a load measuring unit configured to measure the load of a radio network controller, wherein the network controller is in data communication with a plurality of base stations and an overload determining unit configured to determine whether an overload has occurred in the network controller based, at least in part, on the comparison of the measured load and a predetermined load. The device may further include a call connection controller configured to limit a new call connection setting of at least one base station which has a total transmission output greater than an allowed transmission output. The total transmission output indicates a power output of the base station for transmitting at least one call during a predetermined period. The allowed transmission output may vary according to the determined overload.
US08351954B2 Personal independent basic service set cluster resource sharing
In a PBSS cluster environment, the beacon interval is allocated such that each PBSS in a PBSS cluster possesses its own master sub-beacon interval. Moreover, each member of the PBSS cluster can share unoccupied sub-beacon intervals. When a master PBSS fails to use its own master sub-beacon interval or the beacon intervals which are unoccupied, the available idle time within the beacon interval can be utilized by other member PBSSs in the PBSS cluster. As available or idle beacon interval time is allocated, each master PBSS retains the highest priority to its own master sub-beacon interval thus providing immediate access to a beacon interval when necessary.
US08351952B1 Seamless inter-network handoff
A method, system, and medium are provided for increasing the robustness of communications sessions between mobile devices and communications networks through handoff diversity. Separating the handoff times through handoff diversity provides for continuous transmission of data and decreases the likelihood of dropped calls and lost data. In a communications session capable of communicating data through multiple channels, handoff diversity is implemented by ensuring that at least one communication channel's handoff is complete and transferring data prior to initiating a handoff within another channel. In one illustrative embodiment, the present invention configures the physical propagation environment of the channels to create diversity in channel-handoff occurrences. In another illustrative embodiment, the communications network or mobile device is configured to force channel-handoff diversity by delaying a handoff for one or more communication channels.
US08351946B2 Method for seamless communications between a communication device and wireless access points
A system and methods (300, 400) are disclosed for seamless communications between a communication device and wireless access points. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a multimode communication device (MCD) (106) having a controller (214) to manage operations of a global position (GPS) receiver (212), and a multimode wireless transceiver (202). The controller can be programmed to authenticate (304) the MCD with a first wireless access point, request and receive (306) a first IP address, establish (308) communications with a network management system (NMS) (100) according to the first IP address, transmit (310) to the NMS a location of the MCD, receive (320) a second IP address from the NMS in response to the NMS determining that the MCD is near a second wireless access point, and establish (330) communications over the second wireless access point according to the second IP address. Embodiments for the NMS are also disclosed.
US08351945B2 Performing association during handover in wireless access system
A method of associating a mobile station to a base station in a wireless communication system comprises transmitting to a serving base station a scanning request message comprising an association indicator. The method also comprises receiving from the serving base station a scanning response message comprising a rendezvous time associated with a neighboring base station for initiating ranging with the neighboring base station, wherein the serving base station communicates an association notification to the neighboring base station, the association notification comprising the rendezvous time. The method also comprises associating with the neighboring base neighboring base station by transmitting a ranging request after passing of the rendezvous time determined from a transmission time of the scanning response message from the neighboring base station, wherein the rendezvous time is associated with a time the neighboring base station is expected to provide a non-contention based ranging opportunity for the mobile station.
US08351941B2 Method of switching bearers and a device used therefor
Communication quality of bearers towards a 3G system having a PoC server and a proxy server connected thereto, and towards a wireless LAN system is monitored by a 3G bearer IF and a wireless LAN bearer IF of a mobile terminal device. Upon being requested for reference by an application of the mobile terminal device, a routing table of the mobile terminal device is referred. A bearer is selected based on the communication lines (bearers) to a destination, and priority corresponded to the communication quality obtained by the monitoring.
US08351938B1 System and method for dynamic route-update-radius parameters
System and methods for generating and transmitting dynamic route-update-radius parameters are described. The parameters are dynamic in that the parameters may be modified from time-to-time. Modification of the parameters may be triggered by a radio access network (RAN) determining that a coverage area formed by the RAN is handling more than a threshold amount of communications to and/or from access terminals operating in the coverage area. The RAN may transmit the dynamic route-update-radius parameters so as to prevent some access terminals from registering with the coverage area while the coverage area is handling more than the threshold amount of communications. While the coverage area is handling a reduced amount of communications, such as less than a threshold amount of communications, the access network may transmit default route-update-radius parameters to coverage areas remote from that coverage area. The route-update-radius parameters may include a route-update-radius, a modified route-update-radius, and a route-update-radius offset.
US08351937B2 Mobile terminal and method for displaying wireless devices thereof
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with wireless devices to be connected with the mobile terminal, a display unit configured to display information about the wireless devices, an input unit configured to input search information including at least one of a distance range to search for the wireless devices and a type of the wireless devices, and a controller configured to control the wireless communication unit to search for the wireless devices based on the input search information and to control the display unit to display responding wireless devices that responded to the search by the wireless communication unit according to the input search information.
US08351935B2 Apparatus and method for using motion sensor data to select full band scans
An apparatus and method for determining whether to perform a full band scan by using motion sensor data comprising determining if a user equipment has been stationary since the full band scan was last performed; determining if the user equipment has skipped full band scans more times than a skipped threshold; and if the user equipment has skipped full band scans more times than the skipped threshold, performing a full band scan, or if the user equipment has not skipped full band scans more times than the skipped threshold, performing a partial band scan or performing no scan.
US08351934B1 Over the air passive downloads
A computer-implemented method, computer-readable media, and wireless system that passively provisions wireless devices over the air are provided. The wireless system includes a database, handset configuration manager, and radio network controller. The database stores updates for the wireless devices and indications of which wireless devices received the updates. The handset configuration manager provides updates for wireless devices available in the database. The wireless devices connect to a communication network associated with a network service provider that implements the handset configuration manager. The radio network controller communicates with wireless devices by establishing a slot 0 communication session with the wireless devices after receiving a registration notification from the wireless devices.
US08351929B2 Mobile station and wireless communication method
A mobile station is provided. The mobile station includes: a wireless communication unit which establishes wireless communication with a base station; a storage unit which stores a roaming list used when roaming to a mobile communication network other than a specific mobile communication network; a communication network selecting unit which selects a mobile communication network with which the mobile station is capable of communicating wirelessly, by using the roaming list; and an update unit which requests update of the roaming list through the wireless communication unit at a time of starting the mobile station, and updates the roaming list stored in the storage unit if changed.
US08351927B2 Wireless ground link-based aircraft data communication system with roaming feature
A flight information communication system has a plurality of RF direct sequence spread spectrum ground data links that link respective aircraft-resident subsystems, in each of which a copy of its flight performance data is stored, with airport-located subsystems. The airport-located subsystems are coupled by way communication paths, such as land line telephone links, to a remote flight operations control center. At the flight operations control center, flight performance data downlinked from plural aircraft parked at different airports is analyzed. In addition, the flight control center may be employed to direct the uploading of in-flight data files, such as audio, video and navigation files from the airport-located subsystems to the aircraft.
US08351926B1 Wireless ground link-based aircraft data communication system with roaming feature
A flight information communication system has a plurality of RF direct sequence spread spectrum ground data links that link respective aircraft-resident subsystems, in each of which a copy of its flight performance data is stored, with airport-located subsystems. The airport-located subsystems are coupled by way communication paths, such as land line telephone links, to a remote flight operations control center. At the flight operations control center, flight performance data downlinked from plural aircraft parked at different airports is analyzed. In addition, the flight control center may be employed to direct the uploading of in-flight data files, such as audio, video and navigation files from the airport-located subsystems to the aircraft.
US08351925B2 Digital television (TV), ship and other water based interactive communication methods
A digital television (TV) signal, received from a satellite, in a transceiver of a ship and of other water based communication devices, is demodulated and processed into a baseband TV signal and further processed and modulated into a CDMA or TDMA or OFDM modulated signal and transmitted to a mobile device. The mobile device in interactive communication with the transceiver controls the transceiver transmitted and received signal to and from the mobile device.
US08351920B2 System and method for femtocell management
The present invention provides a method of operating a femtocell control module in control of a femtocell, comprising transmitting a request to operate the femtocell to an external control system; receiving a response from the external control system, where the response comprises an operational constraint on the femtocell; and causing the femtocell to conduct cellular communications according to the operational constraint.
US08351918B2 Mobile terminal for performing data communication in a data communication range
A mobile terminal includes a first communication module, a second communication module, a state management module configured to make an out-of-range notification when a communication state of the first communication module moves out of a communication range, a notification module configured to send a user notification as a notification indicating that the first communication module is disconnected to a user when the out-of-range notification is received, a determination module configured to determine whether or not a given process for the user notification is completed, a setting module configured to perform setting indicating that the process for the user notification is completed to the state management module when the determination module determines that the process is completed, and a communication prohibition module for prohibiting the data communication by the second communication module until the setting indicating that the process is completed is performed after the communication state of the first communication module moves out of the communication range.
US08351913B2 Merging call notifications in cross ringing systems
Multiple instances of an incoming call in an integrated system capable of communicating through multiple networks are associated such that the called party is provided a single (merged) notification along with options to select among available call types. The call is established using a selected network and end device registered to the called user. Association of the instances is accomplished by comparing caller identity derived from a variety of information associated with the calling party. Conversation or correlation IDs are used to associate the instances as being for the same call and with other related communications such as a related instant messaging session.
US08351912B2 System and method for providing traffic notifications to mobile devices
A system and method for providing traffic notifications to mobile devices is provided. The system obtains device data from a plurality of mobile devices within a similar area, gathered using, e.g., a GPS system. According to the speed that the mobile devices are travelling and the location of the similar area, traffic events can be identified and other mobile devices notified to provide dynamic updates as traffic situations change. Follow up notifications can be provided to update the user regarding the progress of traffic congestion, detours can be suggested, and various alerts provided. The mobile device may be connected to or part of a vehicle and leverage the notification system to provide different types of alerts and to notify users using various mechanisms.
US08351911B1 Providing digital content usability for a mobile device user
A method, system, and medium are provided for ensuring usability of digital content on a mobile device. In exemplary aspects, digital content on a mobile device is rendered unusable, such as where a download is interrupted. The usability of the digital content is automatically restored to the mobile device without user intervention. In situations in which the mobile device is unavailable, digital content might be restored to an alternative mobile device and an advisory notification might be communicated.
US08351909B2 Method and system to automatically park a voice call for data transfer
A system and method to automatically park a voice call on a mobile electronic device so that the device can receive data, comprising a switch for establishing a voice call at the at least one caller device, a database for storing at least one call processing rule, and an enterprise data server for receiving a data message, comparing contents of the data message with at least one rule in the database, and in the event that the contents match the rule then parking the call, switching the mobile electronic device to a data mode of operation, downloading the data message to the device and un-parking the call.
US08351907B2 Retrieving a document using a print medium having encoded print medium identifier
A method of performing an action is disclosed. The method starts by sensing a print medium to obtain data encoded on a surface of the print medium. The data encodes at least a print media identifier. The print medium has a representation of a document printed thereon. The print media identifier is determined from the data and a digital copy of the document corresponding to the representation is retrieved. The digital copy is associated with the print media identifier and includes one or more hyperlinks. The digital copy of the document is displayed and a selection of one of the hyperlinks is received from a user. A predefined action designated by the selected hyperlink is then performed.
US08351905B1 Visual voicemail privacy protection
Visual voicemail privacy protection is implemented by requiring a credential from a user or a user device before providing voicemail data to the user. The credential may be a user name and password combination, a digital certificate, or the like. The user may enable or disable this privacy protection feature at will. A first device being used for visual voicemail services may detect a second device within a defined area around the first device and either enable or disable privacy protection features based on whether the second device is determined to be an authorized or unauthorized device. Privacy protection features may be implemented locally or remotely.
US08351904B2 Mobile terminal and communication history providing method using the same
A mobile terminal including a communication unit configured to provide a communication function including at least one of an outgoing communication function and an incoming communication function, a controller configured to acquire surrounding data including at least one of image data or sound data corresponding to a surrounding of where the communication function is performed, and to match the acquired surrounding data with communication information indicating a first party of the outgoing function or a second party of the incoming communication function, and a display unit configured to display a communication history including the communication information matched with the surrounding data. In addition, the controller is further configured to acquire the surrounding data selectively based on a) a manual operation of the terminal or b) automatically without user intervention.
US08351900B2 Man-in-the-middle detector and a method using it
A method receives signaling messages by a mobile apparatus at least from one base station of a cellular network, interprets a received signaling message, searches for an anomaly with at least one signaling parameter of the received signaling message from a first base station to a known comparison signaling parameter, gives an alert if the comparison gives an unequal result concerning at least one signaling parameter.
US08351899B2 Generation of charging information in group communications system
The present invention relates to a method for collecting inter-operator charging information in a group communications system comprising a first group communications network element and a second group communications network element. An intermediate charging information collection unit is provided in an interface between the group communication network elements. The charging information collection unit examines a group communications message received from the first group communications network element or the second group communications network elements. A charging information unit is generated based on at least a portion of the message and the charging information unit is applied for inter-network charging to charge for use of inter-network resources.
US08351898B2 Verifiable device assisted service usage billing with integrated accounting, mediation accounting, and multi-account
Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a communications device implements a service policy for assisting billing for the communications device use of a service on a network; and monitors use of the service based on the service policy, in which a local service usage is synchronized with a network based service usage.
US08351891B2 Wideband distributed mixers
A wideband distributed mixer capable of operation over a wide range of frequencies is provided. The mixer can include a plurality of N mixer stages and monolithic transmission lines integrated together on a common semiconductor substrate. The length of each transmission line between adjacent stages can be predetermined such that an IF signal output from each stage is in-phase with the IF signal output from any preceding stage, allowing the mixer to output a mixed IF signal that is a constructive sum of the IF output signals from each constituent stage. The number of mixer stages as well as the design architectures and topologies for each stage can be varied according to the needs of the application.
US08351881B2 Addition circuit, power amplifier circuit using same, and transmission device and communication device using the power amplifier circuit
Disclosed are an addition circuit that makes it possible to add two vector signals in a high-frequency region, a power amplifier circuit using the same, and a transmission device and communication device using the power amplifier circuit. Disclosed is an addition circuit, wherein first through fourth multipliers (11-14) multiply first and second high-frequency input signals (Si1, Si2) and first and second reference signals (Ref1, Ref2) and output first through fourth direct current output signals (Sd1-Sd4), first and second adders (21, 22) add in-phase signals of these to one another and output fifth and sixth direct current output signals (Sd5, Sd6), fifth and sixth multipliers (15, 16) multiply these and the first and second reference signals (Ref1, Ref2) and output first and second high-frequency output signals (So1, So2), which are then combined, whereby a third high-frequency output signal (So3), in which the first and second high-frequency input signals (Si1, Si2) have been vector added, is output from an output terminal (44). The addition circuit can be used in a high-frequency region.
US08351873B2 Low noise RF driver
A low noise RF driver circuit including at least two series-coupled driver stages which receive a frequency modulated signal and an amplitude modulated signal that is applied to the supply voltage input of the driver stages, and provide a combined output signal. The RF driver circuit can be implemented in CMOS technology and integrated with other components of an RF communication subsystem, such as an RF transceiver circuit and power amplifier. Each driver stage includes a complementary pair of transistors with source degeneration resistors for linearity and gain control.
US08351872B2 System and method for communicating using an in-vehicle system
A system and method to be used with first and second devices where the first and second devices are capable of communicating using a subset of different modulation schemes wherein the subset includes at least first and second different modulation schemes, the method for optimizing transmission of data from the first device to the second device, the method comprising the acts of at the first device, when data is to be transmitted from the first device to the second device, receiving at least a portion of a trigger signal from the second device wherein the transmitted trigger signal includes data transmitted using a sequence of at least two of the modulation schemes from the subset, the portion of the trigger signal received being a received trigger signal, analyzing the received trigger signal to identify one of the modulation schemes from the subset as a function of the received trigger signal as an initial modulation scheme to be used to transmit data to the second device and transmitting the data from the first device to the second device using the initial modulation scheme.
US08351870B2 Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including cartesian 4-branch embodiments
Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion.
US08351866B2 Method, apparatus and system for providing feedback to a transmit diversity device
A method and system for improving closed loop feedback in transmit diversity communication. In one embodiment of the invention, a predetermined variation of one or more transmit diversity parameters is performed at the transmit diversity transmitter. The receiver compares the transmit diversity parameter values of the received signals to the predetermined variation and transmits to the transmitter a value of a transmit diversity correction parameter. The transmitter may use this correction value to modify the transmit diversity parameter in a subsequent transmission.
US08351860B2 Method and apparatus for communicating using expansion of communication range
Provided are a communication method and apparatus for communicating between remote devices, in which a first device determines whether a second device is located within a second distance in which the second device can communicate with the first device via a third device and a fourth device which are remote devices relaying communication between the first and second devices, and then communicates with the second device according to the determination result.
US08351855B2 Proximity coupling without Ohmic contact and applications thereof
Disclosed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing a proximity coupling without Ohmic contact. Such a system includes a plurality of wireless-enabled components (WECs) that are wirelessly coupled to each other. Each WEC includes a metal-based element, a substrate, and a semiconductor layer that separates the metal-based element from the substrate. A signal is configured to be transmitted via a proximity coupling (e.g., a magnetic coupling, an electric coupling, and/or an electromagnetic coupling) between the metal-based element and the substrate without an Ohmic contact between the metal-based element and the substrate. In an example, a first subset of the plurality of the WECs is co-located on a first chip, and a second subset of the plurality of the WECs is co-located on a second chip. The first chip and the second chip may be located in a single device or in separate devices.
US08351854B2 Mobile wireless communications device having touch activated near field communications (NFC) circuit
A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and a circuit board carried by the housing and including Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor carried by the housing and operative with each other. A Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit is positioned on the circuit board and operative with the processor for communicating in accordance with the NFC communication protocol. A touch activated sensor is supported by the housing and operative for enabling operation of the NFC circuit when touched to establish NFC communications from the communications device.
US08351852B2 Method for transmitting object between devices having multi-radio interface
A method for transmitting, by a mobile device, a data object, is provided, and includes estimating expected transmission times required for transmitting an object between devices by an acoustic communication link and supported radio interfaces, based on a size of the object, transmitting the object through an acoustic communication channel when the link is estimated to provide a shortest expected transmission time, and determining rankings of the radio interfaces according to the expected transmission times when the acoustic communication link does not provide a shortest expected transmission time, transmitting rankings information and configuration information on the supported radio interfaces through the acoustic communication channel by a configuration container, and transmitting the object through a radio interface through which a response is received.
US08351851B2 System and method for feedback cancellation in repeaters
An apparatus for repeating signals includes a receive antenna for receiving input signals, processing circuitry for processing the input signals to form repeated signals, and a transmit antenna for transmitting the repeated signals. The processing circuitry includes an adaptive digital filter configured to generate cancellation signals that are added to the input signals to cancel unwanted feedback signals from the input signals. A frequency shifting circuit adds a frequency shift to the input signals, after the addition of the cancellation signals, to form repeated signals that are frequency shifted from the input signals. A digital signal processor is coupled to the adaptive digital filter for digitally adapting the filter. The digital signal processor utilizes the frequency shift of the transmission signals to adapt the adaptive digital filter.
US08351850B2 Apparatus for emitting and receiving radio-frequency signals, comprising a circuit to cancel interferences
An apparatus for emitting and receiving radio-frequency signals includes a circuit to cancel interference. The apparatus transmits and receives signals using an antenna, and isolates the transmission and receiving circuitry. The circuit taps a first part of a signal to be transmitted, and controls the amplitude and phase of this signal. The circuit then introduces the first part of the signal into the receiver after the first part of the signal has been amplified and phase-shifted, so as to cancel in the receiver interference due to portions of the signal that have undesirably entered the receiver.
US08351846B2 Method and apparatus for managing connection identifiers in a multi-hop relay wireless access communication system
A CID management method and apparatus in a multi-hop relay BWA communication system are provided. A BS combines data destined for an RS and data to be relayed to an MS via the RS in a payload, distinguishing the data by CIDs, attaches a relay CID to the payload, and sends the payload with the relay CID to the RS. Among the data of the payload, the RS processes its data and relays to the MS the data destined for the MS by distinguishing them by the CIDs.
US08351844B2 System and method for reliably communicating information without explicit acknowledgements
A system and method communicates commands from a command originator to receiving devices, yet the receiving devices do not confirm receipt of the command. The most current command (e.g. the one with the highest sequence number) is rebroadcast by the command originator and the receiving devices, tending to be more frequent upon detection of an event indicating that the most current command was not received by at least one other device, and less frequently upon detection of an event indicating that the most current command was provided with sufficient duplication that if another device could receive it, the device likely did receive it, subject to a maximum and minimum rate.
US08351842B2 Filtering circuit with jammer generator
A filtering circuit with a jammer generator cancels a jammer in wireless signals with little degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The filtering circuit may include a jammer generator which acquires information of period and phase of a sinusoidal jammer signal in a composite input sinusoidal signal, which includes the jammer signal and a desired signal, and outputs a pseudo sine-wave with a period and phase corresponding with the period and phase of the jammer signal acquired, and an adder which outputs a difference between the input and output signals of the jammer generator as the desired signal.
US08351838B2 Image bearing member-protecting agent, protecting agent supplying device, process cartridge, image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image bearing member-protecting agent which is supplied to an image bearing member for protecting the image bearing member, the image bearing member-protecting agent including a fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant, wherein the image bearing member-protecting agent is formed by compression molding of powder containing at least the fatty acid metal salt and the inorganic lubricant, and wherein the image bearing member-protecting agent satisfies the relation 1.0
US08351835B2 Tube and method for manufacturing the same
There is provided a tube having fine irregularities formed on the outer peripheral face or inner peripheral face. The tube has a hollow tube body made of metal with uniform wall thickness of 20 to 50 μm. The tube is obtained by plastic working through spinning, in which a metallic ring-shaped metal original body (6) is rotated together with a rotation support body (3) about the center axis of the metal original body (6), while being pressed by a top or tops (5) disposed on the outer periphery of the metal original body (6). Fine irregularities (12) are formed on the outer peripheral face or the inner peripheral face of the metal tube at a substantially fixed interval. Both ends of the metal original body (6) worked by spinning are cut to yield a tube (11).
US08351834B2 Conveying device including a pressing member, fixing device including the conveying device, and image forming apparatus including the conveying device
A conveying device includes: a rotating roll; a conveying belt that rotates, nipping a conveyed member between the conveying belt and the rotating roll; and a pressing member that is disposed at the inner periphery of the conveying belt and pressing the conveying belt towards the rotating roll. The pressing member includes an opposing face formed with a pressure point where the pressing force of the conveying belt towards the rotating roll is greatest, and an inclined face that is formed at the belt rotation direction upstream side relative to the pressure point. The inclined face inclines at an angle relative to a parallel line such that the inclined face separates away from the rotating roll, and the parallel line being parallel to a tangent to the rotating roll outer peripheral surface and passing through the pressure point.
US08351833B2 Image heating apparatus
An image heating apparatus includes an excitation coil; an image heating member for heating an image on a recording material by heat generated by a magnetic flux of the excitation coil; a core disposed opposed to the coil; a moving device for moving the core between a first position in which the core is opposed to the excitation coil and a second position in which the core is remoter from the excitation coil than the first position; and an air blower for blowing air into a space between the core and the excitation coil, the space being provided by moving the core to the second position.
US08351831B2 Displacement correcting device, intermediate transfer device, transfer device, and image forming apparatus
An displacement correcting device is provided and includes: a rotation supporting member having a rotation shaft and rotating to support the endless belt-shaped member; a shaft supporting frame supporting a one-end supporting portion of the rotation shaft movably relative to an opposite-end supporting portion and supporting one end of the rotation shaft to be tilted about the other end; and a shaft displacing member having a rotation center disposed closer to one end portion in the axial direction than a rotation shaft supporting body and intersected by the axial direction and a rotation shaft contact portion contacting with the one end of the rotation shaft. The shaft displacing member allows the rotation shaft contact portion to rotate about the rotation center to tilt the rotation shaft when a movement sensing member detects the movement of the endless belt-shaped member to the one end of the rotation shaft.
US08351830B2 Belt conveying device and image forming apparatus
A belt conveying device includes an endless belt stretched by a plurality of rollers; a drive unit that is connected to one of the plurality of rollers and drives the roller; a plurality of belt velocity detectors that are arranged at a plurality of locations along a belt width direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the endless belt and detect conveyance velocities of the endless belt; and a belt-inclination calculating unit that calculates an inclination of the endless belt in the moving direction from a difference between conveyance velocities of the endless belt detected by the plurality of belt velocity detectors.
US08351827B2 Powder supply device and image forming apparatus
A powder supply device includes: first and second storage sections that store powder, first and second stirring sections arranged inside the first and second storage sections, a drive section that produces a forward direction rotational force and a reverse direction rotational force to apply a drive force to the first and second stirring sections, first and second transmission shafts that transmit the drive force to the first and second stirring sections, and a transmission switching section that transmits the drive force produced by the forward direction rotational force of the drive section to the first transmission shaft, and that transmits the drive force produced by the reverse direction rotational force of the drive section to the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft.
US08351823B2 Image forming apparatus, image bearing member, and method of manufacturing image bearing member
An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member having a photosensitive layer and the surface including concave portions having a concave diameter of from 5 to 200 μm, an irradiation device that irradiates the surface of the image bearing member with light to form a latent electrostatic image thereon, a development device that develops the latent electrostatic image with a development agent containing toner to obtain a visualized image, a transfer device that transfers the visualized image to a transfer medium, a first cleaning brush to which a bias is applied with a polarity reverse to that of the toner remaining on the surface of the image bearing member after the visualized image is transferred, and a second cleaning brush to which a bias is applied with the same polarity as that of the toner remaining on the surface of the image bearing member.
US08351822B2 Cover unit and printer
One end of the cover unit of a printer is supported freely rotatably on the device case, and a rotating shaft is disposed with both ends supported freely rotatably on the distal end. A right pressure lever and an operating lever are supported on the right end of the rotating shaft, and a left pressure lever is supported on the left end. When the operating lever rotates, the right and left pressure lever rotate in the same direction through an intervening rotation transfer member extending widthwise to the device. When the operating lever rotates when the cover is closed, the left pressure lever contacts the device case before the right pressure lever . The right and left pressure lever are set so that their rotational positions are the same when the cover starts to rise due to deformation of the rotation transfer member.
US08351821B2 Image forming apparatus, control method, and program
The invention provides a mechanism which allows a common device driver to obtain identification information of a USB device desired by an application that controls a USB device via a common device driver. Furthermore, the invention includes two types of common device drivers to be registered in an OS to have different priorities, and provides a common interface that does not allow the application to recognize their difference.
US08351818B2 Image forming apparatus and method of controlling image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a belt having a carrying surface that carries a recording sheet; a photosensitive body disposed opposite to the carrying surface of the belt; a transferring member which is disposed opposite to the photosensitive body such that the carrying surface of the belt is disposed between the transferring member and the photosensitive body, and a transferring bias is applied to the transferring member; a cleaning member arranged adjacent to an outer peripheral surface of the belt; and a control unit for controlling a voltage that is applied to the cleaning member. The control unit causes a first voltage to be applied to the cleaning member during a first mode. The control unit causes a second voltage, different from the first voltage, to be applied to the cleaning member during a second mode.
US08351807B2 Fixing unit including heating area adjustor and image forming apparatus using same
A fixing unit includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a heating device, a sheet width detector, and a heating area adjustor. The pressing member faces the fixing member to form a fixing nip between the fixing member. An un-fixed toner image is fixed on a recording medium when the recording medium passes through the fixing nip. The heating device heats the fixing member while maintaining a non-contact condition with the fixing member. The sheet width detector detects sheet width of the recording medium. The heating area adjustor changes a heating area of the fixing member, heatable by the heating device, based on the sheet width detected by the sheet width detector. The heating area adjustor is moveable in a space between the fixing member and the heating device along a sheet width direction to change a size of the heating area.
US08351806B2 Image forming apparatus with density detection
An image forming apparatus includes: a developer image carrier movably disposed; a developer image forming device configured to form a developer image; a detector configured to detect a density of the developer image formed on the developer image carrier; a controller configured to control an operation of forming of the developer image by the developer image forming device; an image forming unit configured to control the developer image forming device to form a density detection pattern including the same developer images at at least a first point and a second point with a predetermined distance therebetween; a density detector configured to obtain the density of the first point and the density of the second point of the density detection pattern via the detector; and a calculator configured to calculate a density difference between the first point and the second point based on the densities obtained by the density detector.
US08351805B2 Power saving processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and computer readable medium that are adaptable to abnormalities
A power saving processing apparatus that includes a processing unit, an output unit and a transition unit is provided. The processing unit is configured to transition from a first state where power is supplied to a second state where power supply is restricted, executes a first process required for such transition before transition from the first state to the second state, and executes a second process to output a first signal after executing the first process. The output unit outputs a second signal after receiving the first signal output from the processing unit, and outputs the second signal when not receiving the first signal output from the processing unit within a predetermined time period after a predetermined time after the first process starts. The transition unit transitions the processing unit to the second state after receiving the second signal output from the output unit.
US08351800B2 Optical receiver and clock generation method
An optical receiver includes a dispersion mitigator configured to mitigate a wavelength dispersion value in an optical signal by using a set dispersion value, a phase difference signal generator configured to generate a phase difference signal by calculating the phase difference between a first clock signal included in an optical signal mitigated by the dispersion mitigator, and a second clock signal, a dispersion value adjuster configured to adjust the set dispersion value set in the mitigator, a controller configured to control fluctuations appearing in a phase difference signal generated by the phase difference signal generator when the dispersion value is adjusted by the dispersion value adjuster, and a clock generator configured to generate the second clock follow up the phase of the first clock, being based on the phase difference signal controlled by the controller.
US08351796B2 Optical low-noise block downconverter, multiple dwelling unit, and related satellite television system
A low-noise block downconverter includes a first down-converting circuit for down-converting and filtering a first polarization signal for outputting a first intermediate-frequency signal, a second down-converting circuit for down-converting and filtering a second polarization signal for outputting a second intermediate-frequency signal, wherein a frequency band of the first intermediate-frequency signal is the same as that of the second intermediate-frequency signal, an oscillator for generating an oscillating signal, outputted to the first down-converting circuit and the second down-converting circuit, a first optical transmitter coupled to the first down-converting circuit for converting the first intermediate-frequency signal into a first optical signal, and a second optical transmitter coupled to the second down-converting circuit for converting the second intermediate-frequency signal into a second optical signal.
US08351787B2 Field framing with built-in information
An apparatus comprising a frame alignment processor coupled to a receiver, wherein the frame alignment processor is configured to align a first frame and a second frame in the receiver by matching a first synchronization (sync) pattern predicted using a first sync field in the first frame with a second sync pattern obtained from a second sync field in the second frame. Included is an apparatus comprising at least one component configured to implement a method comprising receiving a first frame, subsequently receiving a second frame that was transmitted after the first frame, predicting a first sync pattern from a first sync field in the first frame, obtaining a second sync pattern from a second sync field in the second frame, and determining that the first frame and the second frame are aligned when the first sync pattern matches the second sync pattern.
US08351786B2 Maximizing capacity of wavelength division multiplexing passive optical networks
Technologies are generally described for substantially maximizing capacity in a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) passive optical network (PON). An “achievable rate region” may be defined as a set containing admissible traffic rates of a given WDM PON system such that a volume of an achievable rate region is proportional to a capacity of the network. Deriving the achievable rate region for a particular network, decisions may be made whether incoming traffic rate can or cannot be achieved for that network. Moreover, the achievable rate region may be used to construct a WDM PON utilizing a minimum number of wavelengths, a minimum number of lasers with narrowest tuning ranges, and a minimum number of receivers, thereby reducing a capital expenditure in building the PON system.
US08351785B2 Gigabit passive optical network transmission convergence extension for next generation access
An apparatus comprising a data framer configured to frame a data stream into a plurality of frames each comprising a plurality of fields sized to align the frames with a word boundary greater than or equal to about four bytes long, and an optical transmitter coupled to the data framer and configured to transmit the frames. Included is an apparatus comprising at least one component configured to implement a method comprising encapsulating a data stream with at least one Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) Encapsulation Method (GEM) payload aligned with a word boundary at least about four bytes long, encapsulating the GEM payload with a GPON Transmission Convergence (GTC) frame aligned with the word boundary, and transmitting the GTC frame.
US08351779B2 Image pickup apparatus using light emitting device and method of controlling the same
An image pickup apparatus which is capable of reducing possibility of missing a good moment to take a photo and reducing electric power wasted for strobe shooting. The image pickup apparatus is capable of shooting using a strobe. A motion detector detects an amount of motion of an object of which an image is to be picked up. A camera controller sets a target charge voltage level of a main capacitor based on the detected amount of motion of the object.
US08351777B2 Image pickup apparatus having focusing function and its control method
An image pickup apparatus includes a focus detector that utilizes a phase detection method, an image pickup device, an optical path switch configured to switch a path of light from an object between a first optical path used to lead the light to the focus detector and a second optical path used to lead the light to the image pickup device, a face detector configured to detect a face of the object from the image data, and a controller configured to provide such a control that the optical path switch can set the second optical path after the optical path switch sets the first optical path and the focus detector detects the on-focus state using the phase difference method, and allows the face detector to detect the face of the object after the optical path switch can set the second optical path.
US08351772B2 Shake correction apparatus and control method thereof
A shake correction apparatus comprises a shake detection unit which detects a shake of an image capture apparatus, a calculation unit which calculates a shake correction amount for correcting an image blur based on an output from the shake detection unit, a shake correction unit which corrects the image blur based on the shake correction amount, a shake level determination unit which determines a shake level of the image capture apparatus based on an output from the shake detection unit, an offset determination unit which determines an offset value based on the shake correction amount and the shake level, and a subtraction unit which subtracts the offset value from the output from the shake detection unit.
US08351764B2 Network system, terminal apparatus, recording apparatus, method of displaying record scheduling state, computer program for terminal apparatus, computer program for recording apparatus
A network system includes a terminal apparatus, a recording apparatus, and a network. The recording apparatus includes a record-scheduling-state storing section that stores data of a record scheduling state of a program and a record-scheduling-state providing section that transmits the data of the record scheduling state stored in the record-scheduling-state storing section through the network. The terminal apparatus includes a record-scheduling-state acquiring section that acquires the data of the record scheduling state of the recording apparatus through the network, an EPG data acquiring section that acquires EPG data, a record-scheduling-state-display processing section that creates, on the basis of the data of the record scheduling state acquired by the record-scheduling-state acquiring section and the EPG data acquired by the EPG data acquiring section, EPG display data that reflects the record scheduling state, and a display unit that displays the EPG display data created by the record-scheduling-state-display processing section.
US08351763B2 Television program recording with user preference determination
A system for recording television programs for subsequent viewing by a user includes a preference determination module which is responsive to attribute information associated with television programs viewed by the user. The preference determination module categorizes the attribute information in accordance with categorization parameters to generate recordation preference information, indicative of television program viewing preferences of the user. The system also includes a recordation module which is responsive to the recordation preference information, for causing recordation on a storage medium of subsequently transmitted television programs, having attribute information corresponding to the recordation preference information.
US08351761B2 Commercial skipping standalone device
Specified video segments within a video stream are identified. The identified video can represent commercials or can represent portions within the program information. The user can identify these undesired portions of the video. A signature generation unit produces a signature that indicates information about the undesirable video. The signatures are stored. Current video is compared with the signatures to identify portions of the video that correspond to the specified video segments. The identified portions are handled in a different way, for example, they can be played less prominently, or skipped. The signal indicative of the video stream can be produced at a different time than the signature generation. In addition, the signature generation can use biometric techniques.
US08351759B2 Power outage DVR back up system
Embodiments of the disclosed invention include a system and method for recording television content in the event of a power loss. For example, in one embodiment, an optical network terminal associated with providing video service to the digital video recorder is utilized to backup and store a scheduled television program that occurs during the duration of a power outage affecting the digital video recorder.
US08351757B2 Television broadcast receiving device
Even when a communication state between a tuner device and a display device is deteriorated, a television broadcast receiving device enables a user to view broadcast. The television broadcast receiving device of the present invention has a tuner section that receives a digital broadcast signal, selects the digital broadcast signal to decode the digital broadcast signal, generates video data including a video signal and an audio signal, and converts the video data into processed video data suitable for wireless communication, and a display section that receives the processed video data from the tuner section through wireless communication, and displays a video based on the processed video data. The tuner section has a recording/playback section that records and reads the video data in and from a predetermined recording section according to a change in state of the communication with the display section.
US08351756B2 Reproduction device
An up-converter (7) performs up-conversion on frame images in a video signal. A pseudo-noise generation circuit (9) generates a pseudo-noise signal, and an adder (10) composites the pseudo-noise signal with the up-converted video signal. As a result, noise having the same resolution as the up-converted frame images (1920 vertical pixels by 1080 horizontal lines) is distributed in the composited frame images, and each piece of noise has a characteristic approximating a characteristic (crest value, amount, or frequency) of noise included in the pre-conversion video signal.
US08351755B2 Optical waveguide feedthrough assembly
An optical fiber feedthrough assembly includes a glass plug disposed in a recess of a feedthrough housing. The glass plug may define a large-diameter, cane-based, waveguide sealed within the recess in the housing and providing optical communication through the housing. Sealing occurs with respect to the housing at or around the glass plug of an optical waveguide element passing through the housing by braze sealing to the glass plug and/or embedding the glass plug in a polymer bonded with the plug to form a molded body that is sealed in the housing by, for example, compression mounting of the molded body or providing a sealing element around the molded body.
US08351751B2 Optical waveguide and method of manufacturing the same, and optical waveguide mounted board
A first clad layer is formed on a first substrate, and further first cores extending in parallel to each other in one direction are formed on the first clad layer. Separately from this, a second clad layer is formed on a second substrate, and further second cores extending in parallel to each other in a direction parallel to the first cores are formed on the second clad layer. Next, the first substrate and the second substrate are integrated with a third clad layer interposed therebetween in such a manner that a surface of the first substrate having the first cores formed thereon faces a surface of the second substrate having the second cores formed thereon, to thereby form an optical waveguide.
US08351745B2 2-to-1 plastic optical fiber (POF) optical coupler, a bi-directional optical communications link that employs the 2-to-1 POF optical coupler, and a method for performing 2-to-1 optical coupling
A 2-to-1 POF optical coupler, a bi-directional link that employs the coupler, and methods for performing 2-to-1 optical coupling are provided, wherein the 2-to-1 POF optical coupler is configured to provide a carefully-selected amount of cross-sectional overlap at the interface between the end face of a main POF or POF pigtail and the end face of the coupler. The amount of overlap is selected to ensure that optical coupling losses are reduced and optical efficiency is increased in both directions in a bi-directional optical communications links. Consequently, signal integrity is improved, limitations on link length are relaxed, and overall link performance is improved while, at the same time, overall link costs are reduced.
US08351742B2 Systems and methods for sensing properties of a workpiece and embedding a photonic sensor in metal
Systems and methods for sensing properties of a workpiece and embedding a photonic sensor in metal are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, systems for sensing properties of a workpiece include an optical input, a photonic device, an optical detector, and a digital processing device. The optical input provides an optical signal at an output of the optical input. The photonic device is coupled to the workpiece and to the output of the optical input. The photonic device generates an output signal in response to the optical signal, wherein at least one of an intensity of the output signal and a wavelength of the output signal depends on at least one of thermal characteristics and mechanical characteristics of the workpiece. The optical detector receives the output signal from the photonic device and is configured to generate a corresponding electronic signal. The digital processing device is coupled to the optical detector and determines at least one of the thermal characteristics and mechanical the characteristics of the workpiece based on the electronic signal.
US08351740B2 Correlatability analysis for sparse alignment
Disclosed herein is a method of estimating a geometrical relationship between a first image (101) and a second image (102), wherein the second image (102) includes a noise component. The method determines a location and size of each one of a plurality of image patches (201), based on the noise component included in the second image (102) and correlation information derived from the first image (101). The method then identifies a plurality of first image areas in the first image and a corresponding plurality of second image areas in the second image, based on the location and size of each one of the plurality of image patches. Each first image area of the first image (101) corresponds to a related second image area of the second image (102). The method then determines a geometrical relationship between the first and second images (101, 102) by comparing, for each one of the first image areas, information located within the first image area with information located within the corresponding related second image area.
US08351736B2 Automatic dust removal in digital images
Methods and a processing device are provided for restoring pixels damaged by artifacts caused by dust, or other particles, entering a digital image capturing device. A user interface may be provided for a user to indicate an approximate location of an artifact appearing in a digital image. Dust attenuation may be estimated and an inverse transformation, based on the estimated dust attenuation, may be applied to damaged pixels in order to recover an estimate of the underlying digital image. One or many candidate source patch may be selected based on having smallest pixel distances, with respect to a target patch area. The damaged pixels included in the target patch area may be considered when calculating the pixel distance with respect to candidate source patches. RGB values of corresponding pixels of source patches may be used to restore the damaged pixels included in the target patch area.
US08351735B2 Image processing system, method and computer program for contrast enhancement of images
The present invention relates to an image processing system, method and computer program for contrast enhancement of images, and more specifically to an improvement of multi-scale adaptive gain control of images. An image processing system (1) for contrast enhancement of an input image is proposed comprising an input module (2) for receiving the input image to be processed, a filtering module (4) operable to locally process the input image by filters of different scales k, whereby for each of the different scales k a locally processed image data and at least one statistic value LSD corresponding to the locally filtered image data is generated, a combining module (5) operable to locally combine the processed image data of the different scales k using a gain function G, thereby generating a contrast enhanced image o, wherein the gain function G is dependent on the statistic value LSD corresponding to the locally processed image data of the respective scale k, and an output module (3) for outputting the contrast enhanced image whereby the gain function G comprises at least one further local dependent correction term a; b; c; d in order to suppress artefacts in the contrast enhanced image.
US08351733B2 Image sharpening processing device, method, and software
Provided is an image sharpening processing device capable of performing image sharpening processing by changing only luminance without changing a hue. The image sharpening processing device includes: a smoothing means for smoothing luminance of an input image and thus obtaining a smoothed image; a subtraction means for subtracting the smoothed image from the luminance of the input image and thus obtaining a difference image; a luminance-linked gain calculation means for calculating a luminance-linked gain from the input image; a first multiplication means for multiplying the difference image by the luminance-linked gain and thus obtaining a multiplication result; an addition means for adding the multiplication result to the luminance of the input image and thus obtaining luminance of an output image; a color difference gain calculation means for calculating a color difference gain from a color difference of the input image and the luminance-linked gain; and a second multiplication means for multiplying the color difference of the input image by the color difference gain and thus obtaining a color difference of the output image.
US08351728B2 Digital image filter processing
Filter processing is performed on an image, in which a filter kernel having coefficients corresponding to positions of pixels is applied at a target pixel position and to sample pixels positioned in the neighborhood of the target pixel position. A bin is assigned to each unique coefficient of the filter kernel. A mask having respective positions corresponding to the positions of the filter kernel is created. Each respective position of the mask indexes to the bin for the coefficient corresponding to that position. The mask is positioned at the target pixel position, and the respective pixel value of each sample pixel is accumulated in the bin corresponding to the position of the sample pixel in the mask. The accumulated pixel values in each respective bin are multiplied by the coefficient corresponding to the bin. The resultant products are summed to determine a filtered pixel value at the target pixel position.
US08351727B2 Image signal processing apparatus for generating bright signal of high reproducibility
An image signal processing apparatus and method for processing an image signal input from an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in a pixel-by-pixel basis and generating a bright signal corresponding to chrominance signals comprise a low pass filter (LPF), an subtractor, an adder, and a bright signal controller. The LPF cancels a high frequency component of the chrominance signals contained in the input image signal. The subtractor generates a high frequency component signal by subtracting an output signal of the LPF from the input image signal. The adder generates the bright signal by adding the high frequency component signal generated by the subtractor to the output signal of the LPF. The bright signal controller increases the high frequency component signal generated by the subtractor if a pixel position of the input image signal is within an object range, and decreases the high frequency component signal generated by the subtractor if a pixel position of the input image signal is out of the object range.
US08351723B2 Methods and apparatus for generating and using visual error weights
A low complexity visual masking method used as part of an image encoding process is described. The method is suitable for use in JPEG2000 image compression systems. Control weights used for rate allocation are generated based on integer order moments of wavelet transformed coefficients corresponding to a codeblock. The novel rate allocation weight generation method can, and in some embodiments is, combined with an apriori rate allocation algorithm, where allocation of bits to different portions of images is controlled as a function of one or more generated weights. The methods and apparatus of the present invention have the effect of increasing errors in busy areas of an image where they tend to be less noticeable and allocating a higher number of bits to less busy areas than some other systems, e.g., systems which attempt to minimize a mean squared error under a constraint of a user selected output rate.
US08351720B2 Method and system providing edge enhanced image binarization
A method and imaging systems that process images employ image binarization. An image processing system includes a processor, a memory and a computer program stored in the memory and executed by the processor. A scanning system includes a scanner that scans an image source to produce a grayscale image and an image processor that includes a computer program. The respective computer programs include instructions that implement image binarization. The method of image binarization includes generating a solid fills binary image from a grayscale image and generating an edge enhanced binary image from the grayscale image. The method further includes combining the generated binary images to produce a composite binary image and providing the composite binary image as an output binary image.
US08351719B2 Image decoding apparatus, image decoding method, and printing apparatus
An image decoding apparatus which decodes externally received encoded image information includes a storage unit which stores the image information. The image decoding apparatus includes a first decoding unit which receives, from the storage unit, image data to be decoded and reference data, and decodes the target image data. The image decoding apparatus includes a second decoding unit which receives the image data decoded by the first decoding unit, receives, from the storage unit, image data to be decoded based on the decoded image data, and decodes the image data received from the storage unit. The image decoding apparatus includes a decoding control unit which controls the first and second decoding units to repetitively execute decoding of image data in parallel.
US08351715B1 Systems and processes for translating, compressing and storing solid-state model data
Systems and processes for compressing, translating and storing solid-state model data for a plurality of parts that form a solid-state model is provided. Compressing, translating and storing solid-state model data includes extracting the solid-state model data. Compressing, translating and storing solid-state model data also includes translating the sorted solid-state model data into one or more assembly components, a plurality of part components and a plurality of surface components. The process further requires storing each of the one or more assembly components, each of the plurality of part components and each of the plurality of surface components into a single file.
US08351714B2 Image processing apparatus and computer readable medium storing program therefor
An image processing apparatus includes: a reference-based coding unit that encodes image information for an image partition having a predefined size by referring to image information for another image partition; an independently coding unit that encodes the image information for the image partition independently of any other image partition; and a bounds defining unit that defines bounds of reference to be made by the reference-based coding unit.
US08351711B2 Face categorizing method, face categorizing apparatus, categorization map, face categorizing program, and computer-readable medium storing program
A face categorizing apparatus for categorizing contours of a face of an examined subject is disclosed that includes image capturing means for capturing a face image of the face of the examined subject; control means for controlling operations for categorizing the face of the captured face image into one of at least four predetermined types of categories based on at least two indices including facial space and facial depth/bone structure/fleshiness; and indication means for indicating a categorization result of categorizing the face by the control means on a map having the four predetermined types of categories positioned at corresponding quadrants of a plane coordinate system.
US08351709B2 Projection height measuring method, projection height measuring apparatus and program
A projection height measuring method measures the height of a projection having a conical shape, formed on the surface of a workpiece. The area having the projection is imaged at an angle of depression. A projection area is extracted by classifying an area in the image into a bright area, a dark area and an intermediate area. From these, an area composed of the bright area and the dark area indicates the projection area, and the intermediate area indicates the work area. The length of the bottom surface diameter the length of a generatrix of the projection area are determined. The height of the projection is calculated based on the two lengths and the angle of depression.
US08351706B2 Document extracting method and document extracting apparatus
Document data corresponding to each page included in a document is stored, and furthermore, feature data indicative of a feature of the document data and a document index indicating the document are associated with the document data. A document extracting apparatus obtains input document data, calculates feature data from the input document data, judges similarity between the input document data and the document data based on the feature data, obtains a document index associated with document data similar to the input document data, and extracts a plurality of pieces of document data associated with the document index. Thus, document data concerning the document including a page corresponding to the document data similar to the input document data is extracted for a plurality of pages.
US08351705B2 Defining image features and using features to monitor image transformations
For monitoring an image transformation such as aspect ratio conversion, an image feature is defined by identifying a position in the image having a local spatial maximum value and then identifying four other positions in the image having local spatial minimum values such that the four minimum value positions surround the position of the maximum, a first pair of the minimums lie on a first line passing through maximum and a second pair of the minimums lie on a second line passing through the maximum.
US08351704B2 Method of capturing linear features along a reference-line across a surface for use in a map database
A method of producing linear features along a reference-line across a surface for use in a map database is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes generating, from reference-line data representative of coordinates of the reference-line in a geographic coordinate reference system and source images of the surface adjacent to the reference-line and associated position and orientation data in the geographic coordinate reference system, a reference-line referenced data set, wherein the reference-line referenced data set includes a plurality of sets of image data and associated data defining a reference-line' across a surface in the geographic coordinate reference system, the sets of image data including pixels wherein a set of image data corresponds to an orthorectified view representation of a line section of the surface in the geographic coordinate reference system, each set of image data includes a reference pixel being associated with a position on the reference-line, wherein each pixel represents a surface having a position at a distance from the position of the reference pixel along the line section, and wherein the line section perpendicularly crosses the reference-line at the position associated with the reference pixel; and, post processing the reference-line referenced data set to produce linear features along the reference-line and associated locations in the geographic coordinate reference system for use in a map database.
US08351702B2 Handwriting compound system
A handwriting compound system is provided. The system includes a handwriting recognition module that receives a proper number of letters from a user, detects a distance between phonemes/syllables, and shapes and locations of the phonemes/syllables, and recognizes the user's handwriting. The system also includes a point designating module, a reference point setting module and a handwriting transforming module. The point designating module designates a particular one of the subdivided positions in each phoneme recognized by the handwriting recognition module. The reference point setting module sets a reference point, serving as reference for the alteration of a phoneme/syllable, inside or outside the user's input phoneme/syllable recognized by the handwriting recognition module. The handwriting transforming module designates x and y coordinates of a first point with respect to the reference point. The handwriting transforming module sets x and y coordinates of the next points following the first point, based on the distances between a previous and the next point in the x- and y-axes, to determine a relative coordinate of each point. The handwriting transforming module alters a relative coordinate of a particular phoneme/syllable or a particular point. The handwriting transforming module transforms the position, distance, and shape of handwriting.
US08351698B2 Image processing apparatus and control method thereof
An image processing apparatus generates, for an image, partial histograms by dividing a luminance histogram at downward convex parts of a frequency distribution of the luminance histogram. The image processing apparatus calculates, for a partial histogram selected from the partial histograms, a difference between a maximum frequency in each of all the partial histograms located on the first side of the selected partial histogram, and a minimum frequency within a luminance range from a luminance level of the maximum frequency to that of a maximum frequency in the selected partial histogram as a drop, and sets a maximum one of the drops calculated for the respective partial histograms as a drop. The image processing apparatus sets a weight, which becomes smaller as this drop is larger, for the selected partial histogram, and calculates a weighted average of the luminance histogram, thereby acquiring a luminance value for the tone correction.
US08351694B2 Adaptive compression of multi-level images
The invention facilitates adaptive compression of multi-level images, such as captured digital images of a whiteboard, etc., encoding a bitstream comprising a color image component and a black-and-white image component. Either or both of a color and a black-and-white image can be output to a user based on user desires, receiving device capabilities, etc.
US08351693B2 Image compression apparatus and computer-readable recording medium recorded with image compression program
A pattern data storage stores a plurality of different pattern data having the same data size as bit planes. An image compressing/decoding unit calculates code amounts of the respective encoded bit planes and successively adds the code amounts of the respective bit planes in decreasing order from that of the bit plane of the most significant bit to such an extent that the sum does not exceed a limited code amount. Then, the image compressing/decoding unit selects the bit planes with highest degrees of coincidence by comparing the bit planes other those whose code amounts were added to such an extent that the sum does not exceed the limited code amount and the respective pattern data stored in the pattern data storage and replaces the bit planes by the selected pattern data.
US08351691B2 Object extraction in colour compound documents
A method of text extraction in color compound documents is described. The method connects similarly colored pixels of an image of a color compound document into connected components (CCs); classifies each CC as either text or non-text; refines the text CC classification for each text CC using global color context statistics; groups text CCs into text blocks; recovers misclassified non-text CCs into a nearby text block; and removes extraneous CCs from each text block using local color context statistics to thereby provide the extracted text in the text blocks. Also described is a method of locating graphics objects in a color compound document image.
US08351690B2 System and method for detecting black bars in electronic image
A testing method includes following steps. An electronic image is captured by an electronic device. A test device detect whether the image has any black bar. If the image has a black bar, pixel values in the black bar are extracted. If the pixel values in the black bar are all the same, a test result of imaging software error is presented. If the pixel values in the black bar are different from each other, a test result of mechanism error is presented. A test system associated with the testing method is also disclosed.
US08351689B2 Apparatus and method for removing ink lines and segmentation of color regions of a 2-D image for converting 2-D images into stereoscopic 3-D images
Implementations of the present invention involve methods and systems for converting a 2-D image to a stereoscopic 3-D image by segmenting one or more portions of the 2-D image based on one or more pixel color ranges. Further, a matte may be created that takes the shape of the segmented region such that several stereoscopic effects may be applied to the segmented region. In addition, ink lines that are contained within the segmented region may be removed to further define the corresponding matte. Implementations of the present disclosure also include a interface that provides the above functionality to a user for ease of segmentation and region selection. By utilizing the segmentation process, a 2-D image may be converted to a corresponding stereoscopic 3-D image with a perceived depth. Further, this process may be applied to each image of an animated feature film to convert the film from 2-D to 3-D.
US08351686B2 Methods and systems for determining angles and locations of points
An apparatus for determining an azimuth of a target point is provided. The apparatus includes a support structure and an imaging device coupled to the support structure and configured to provide image data. The apparatus also includes a position measuring device coupled to the support structure and configured to determine position information and a processor in electrical communication with the imaging device and the position measuring device. The processor is configured to receive the image data from the imaging device, receive the position information from the position measuring device, determine a baseline between a first position and a second position, determine an orientation between overlapping images, and compute the azimuth of the target point relative to the baseline.
US08351681B2 Structure for recognizing article to be collected, and collection information recognition apparatus and collection processing apparatus that use the structure
A structure for recognizing an article to be collected includes a recognition reference plane that is provided in a part of a holding base which holds the article to be collected with a predetermined positional relationship and that serves as a reference used for recognizing layout information about a position and an attitude of the holding base. The structure also includes a recognition indicator element which is placed on the recognition reference plane in such a way that an imaging tool captures an image of the recognition indicator element and which has four or more unit pattern marks at a predetermined positional relationship, in which each of the unit pattern marks is formed such that a density pattern sequentially changes with an increasing distance from a center position toward a periphery of the mark.
US08351679B2 Exclusion of recognized parts from inspection of a cylindrical object
A surface inspection apparatus, which includes a detecting device of scanning a surface of an inspection object with an inspection light and outputting a signal corresponding to a light amount of refection light from the surface, generates a two-dimensional image of the surface of the inspection object on the basis of the output signal of the detecting device (S1), classifies pixels contained in the two-dimensional image into a first group of pixels having tones corresponding to defects on the surface of the inspection object and a second group of pixels having tones not corresponding to the defects, extracts the first group of pixels as a defect candidate part for each region surrounded by second groups of pixels (S3 to S5), discriminates a defect candidate part larger than a prescribed size as a defect (S6), inspects the two-dimensional image for each specific inspection region, and identifies an inspection region as a defect region, in which density of defect candidate parts that are smaller than the prescribed size is equal to or more than a prescribed level (S7, S8).
US08351678B1 Duplicate check detection
Images from checks may be compared with each other to detect a twice-deposited or represented check. An image of a check may be parsed into regions or tiles, for example. In an implementation, values for regions or tiles over a predetermined area (e.g., an area from a character in the magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line at the bottom of the check to the dollar sign symbol) may be compared. In an implementation, a virtual overlay of two check images may be performed and a correlation may be determined.
US08351675B2 Systems and methods for volumetric tissue scanning microscopy
In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention, a method for imaging tissue, for example, includes the steps of mounting the tissue on a computer controlled stage of a microscope, determining volumetric imaging parameters, directing at least two photons into a region of interest, scanning the region of interest across a portion of the tissue, imaging a plurality of layers of the tissue in a plurality of volumes of the tissue in the region of interest, sectioning the portion of the tissue and imaging a second plurality of layers of the tissue in a second plurality of volumes of the tissue in the region of interest, detecting a fluorescence image of the tissue due to said excitation light; and processing three-dimensional data that is collected to create a three-dimensional image of the region of interest.
US08351670B2 Region data editing apparatus, region data editing method, and recording medium
A region data editing apparatus includes a contour deforming section for receiving a contour deforming operation in which a contour of a region in a three-dimensional image is deformed, a boundary surface deforming section for deforming a boundary surface ∂D between inside and outside of region D in such a manner that the boundary surface ∂D follows the contour deformed by the contour deforming operation, and a region data updating section for updating region data in such a manner that the region data thus updated represents an inside of the boundary surface which has been deformed by the boundary surface deforming section.
US08351669B2 Method, apparatus, and system for retinal image analysis
Disclosed embodiments include a method for retinal image analysis implemented in a medical system with one or more processors comprising the method steps of: (a) locating an optical disk on the retinal images and establishing a plurality of circumferences centered at the disk; (b) detecting a plurality of vessels within a region defined by said circumferences' radii using a crease-based algorithm; (c) extracting a plurality of vessel segments based on a deformable models (snakes) algorithm; (d) measuring a plurality of vessel calibers; (e) classifying each vessel as a vein and an artery; and (f) computing an arteriolar-to-venular ratio.
US08351668B2 System and method for automated particle imaging analysis
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for automatically identifying and characterizing particles within an image. In particular, the systems and methods disclosed herein may be utilized to identify particles that overlap or form agglomerations of particles. Agglomerates may be identified using a variety of techniques. Perimeters of individual particles within an agglomerate may be estimated. According to several embodiments, objects may be characterized using a variety of characteristics, including the particle size, shape, Stokes diameter, aerodynamic diameter, convexity, circularity, and the like. In some instances, these characteristics may allow additional information to be calculated or determined, such as the composition of a particle. These characteristics may also be utilized to determine physical properties of particles, such as flowability, abrasive efficiency, bioactivity, solubility, catalytic activity, and other properties.
US08351667B2 Methods of contrast enhancement for images having blood vessel structures
A method of contrast enhancement for improved visualization of diagnostically important tissue structures, such as blood vessels. A texture analysis algorithm is applied to identify regions with a high likelihood of disease. Mathematical morphology operations are applied to identify areas of high and low brightness (intensity). The low intensity areas are then subtracted, and controllably variable amounts of the high intensity areas are added, controlled by a selectable tuning parameter, to produce an image with controllably variable visualization enhancement.
US08351663B2 Dot templates for object detection in images
Dot templates are used for detecting objects within images. A computer-implemented method is performed for each of a number of dot templates corresponding to the object to be detected within an image. Each dot template is defined as a collection of points. At each position within the image, a value of the image is determined at each point of the dot template. The dot template is effectively overlaid at the given position within the image. A score of the dot template at this position is determined, based on the values of the image determined at the points of the dot template. Where the score is greater than a predetermined threshold, it can be concluded that the object is at least potentially located within the image at the position in question at which the dot template has been effectively overlaid.
US08351659B2 Eye detection system
An eye detection system, method, and apparatus are disclosed. The eye detection apparatus includes illuminator, receiver, processor, and memory elements. The illuminator emits radiation at predetermined wavelengths from the eye detection apparatus toward an area of interest. Radiation from the area of interest is detected at the receiver which, in turn, provides sensor data to the processor. The processor is coupled to the illuminator and receiver and controls their respective operations. The processor detects a pattern representative of a human eye in the sensor data and determines coordinates of an object corresponding to the pattern. The memory stores the coordinates of the object. Optionally, the eye detection apparatus communicates the coordinates of the object to a wireless device and directs countermeasures to the object's coordinates in response to commands from the wireless device.
US08351654B2 Image processing using geodesic forests
Image processing using geodesic forests is described. In an example, a geodesic forest engine determines geodesic shortest-path distances between each image element and a seed region specified in the image in order to form a geodesic forest data structure. The geodesic distances take into account gradients in the image of a given image modality such as intensity, color, or other modality. In some embodiments, a 1D processing engine carries out 1D processing along the branches of trees in the geodesic forest data structure to form a processed image. For example, effects such as ink painting, edge-aware texture flattening, contrast-aware image editing, forming animations using geodesic forests and other effects are achieved using the geodesic forest data structure. In some embodiments the geodesic forest engine uses a four-part raster scan process to achieve real-time processing speeds and parallelization is possible in many of the embodiments.
US08351650B2 Foreground action estimating apparatus and foreground action estimating method
The present invention provides a foreground action estimating apparatus and a foreground action estimating method, wherein the foreground action estimating apparatus includes: a training image inputting means for inputting a foreground image, a background image and an image having the foreground and background images as training images; a basis matrix calculating means for calculating a foreground basis matrix and a background basis matrix by respectively extracting a foreground feature and a background feature from the foreground image and the background image, respectively, and combining the foreground basis matrix and the background basis matrix to obtain a combined basis matrix; a feature suppressing means for calculating the feature coefficients of the training images in accordance with the combined basis matrix obtained by the basis matrix calculating means so as to obtain image features of the background-feature-suppressed training images; and a foreground action information acquiring means for estimating foreground action information in accordance with a feature mapping matrix from the image feature to an action information set, by using the background-feature-suppressed image features.
US08351648B2 Apparatus for controlling direction of light from on-vehicle headlights
An apparatus is provided to control an angle of a light axis of light from headlights mounted on a vehicle. In the apparatus, images of a field of view in front of the vehicle are captured, and the captured images are used to detect taillights of a preceding vehicle. A illumination target position is set by using, as a positional reference, a position of the detected taillights in the captured images, and the angle of the light axis so that the light axis is directed to the illumination target position. The command is provided to an angle changing device, where the provided command depends on the angle calculated. The angle changing device changes the direction of the light axis of the light at an angle commanded by the command.
US08351647B2 Automatic detection and aggregation of demographics and behavior of people
The present invention is a system and framework for automatically measuring and correlating visual characteristics of people and accumulating the data for the purpose of demographic and behavior analysis. The demographic and behavior characteristics of people are extracted from a sequence of images using techniques from computer vision. The demographic and behavior characteristics are combined with a timestamp and a location marker to provide a feature vector of a person at a particular time at a particular location. These feature vectors are then accumulated and aggregated automatically in order to generate a data set that can be statistically analyzed, data mined and/or queried.
US08351644B2 Image data processing systems for hiding secret information and data hiding methods using the same
A system for hiding secret data in halftone images is disclosed. The system includes an image input module, a halftoning processing module and an image output module. The image input module reads an original image data and a secret image data. The halftoning processing module is coupled to the image input module and receives the original image data and the secret image data, performs a first error diffusion process to the original image to generate a first halftone image and performs a second error diffusion process to the original image data and the secret image data to generate a second halftone image. The image output image module is coupled to the halftoning processing module and outputs the first halftone image and the second halftone image, wherein the second error diffusion process comprises adding or subtracting a variable noise strength to or from each pixel of the secret image.
US08351643B2 Media fingerprints that reliably correspond to media content
Quantized energy values are accessed to initially represent a temporally related group of content elements in a media sequence. The values are accessed over a matrix of regions into which the initial representation is partitioned. The initial representation may be downsampled and/or cropped from the content. A basis vector set is estimated in a dimensional space from the values. The initial representation is transformed into a subsequent representation, which is in another dimensional space. The subsequent representation projects the initial representation, based on the basis vectors. The subsequent representation reliably corresponds to the media content portion over a change in a geometric orientation thereof. Repeated for other media content portions of the group, subsequent representations of the first and other portions are averaged or transformed over time. The averaged/transformed values reliably correspond to the content portion over speed changes. The initial representation may include spatial or transform related information.
US08351642B2 Speaker
In a speaker, a first space enclosed by the surface of a second edge close to a magnetic circuit body, a suspension holder, the outer circumferential surface of a voice coil body, the magnetic circuit body, and a frame is airtight to the atmosphere outside the speaker, to make a first space function as an air suspension. The voice coil body is supported with a first edge and a second edge, and with the aid of the springiness of gas inside a first space. Hence, an equivalent, low Young's modulus can be set to the first edge and the second. Consequently, deformation of the diaphragm connected to the first edge is reduced during sound reproduction, thereby reducing disturbance in frequency response in the middle and high ranges.
US08351639B2 Multi-directional sound emission system
A multi-directional sound emission system comprises a speaker body and sound emission devices coupled to both ends of the speaker body. The sound emission devices each include a sound emission means for directionally emitting sound towards multiple directions. The sound emission means includes a plurality of hollow mechanical sound conducting elements. Each hollow mechanical sound conducting element has an inner opening end and an exterior opening end opposite to the inner opening end. The exterior opening ends of the sound conducting elements are directed towards desired multiple directions, respectively. The sound emission means is configured for receiving sound signals from the speaker body and emitting sound along the desired multiple directions through the sound conducting elements.
US08351636B2 Glasses frame comprising an integrated acoustic communication system for communication with a mobile radio appliance, and corresponding method
A system and method for acoustical communication, in which an eyeglass frame includes at least one directionally dependent microphone for capturing voice signals of a user and a communication device for signal transmission to external electronic devices, so that the directional dependence of the at least one microphone is user-specifically adjustable in an adaptive way. The directionally dependent microphones can be implemented as microphone arrays and/or in MEMS technology, and contact microphones can be used.
US08351628B2 Signal processing for cochlear implants
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for cochlear implants. One method embodiment for cochlear implant signal processing includes processing a differential analog audio signal using amplitude modulation and pulse-width modulation. The method includes driving a transmission coil on an external unit of the cochlear implant with the pulse-width and amplitude modulated signal. The method also includes driving a reception coil on an internal unit of the cochlear implant with an output of the transmission coil.
US08351623B2 Audio mixing apparatus
Each of level meter block images 21 to 2m arranged on a touch panel display 1 displays, as a bar graph, respective signal levels of channels of a corresponding one of m blocks into which a plurality of channels are divided. The level meter block images 21 to 2m also serve as assignment selection buttons of an assignment selection portion 2. For each level meter block image, an image generation portion 8 generates not only an image of a bar graph but also an image which indicates respective color indicators of the respective channels such that, when a signal type of a channel indicates that there is a signal correlation between the channel and its neighboring channel, the channel has a color indicator of a connected shape shared with the neighboring channel, and synthesizes these images to output the synthesized image to an image display control circuit 3.
US08351614B2 Digital reverberations for audio signals
The present disclosure provides a digital audio signal processing system that comprises a set of delay lines, allpass and lowpass filters to achieve the reverberation effect. The present disclosure further provides a method for generating and controlling digital reverberations for audio signals. The reverberation generated will have an increasing echo density in the time domain and a faster decay of high frequency signals than low frequency signals. The controlling mechanism of reverberation generation is realized through the extraction of the real environment characteristics.
US08351612B2 Apparatus for generating and playing object based audio contents
Disclosed is an object based audio contents generating/playing apparatus. The object based audio contents generating/playing apparatus may include an object audio signal obtaining unit to obtain a plurality of object audio signals by recording a plurality of sound source signals, a recording space information obtaining unit to obtain recording space information with respect to a recording space of the plurality of sound source signals, a sound source location information obtaining unit to obtain sound location information of the plurality of sound source signals, and an encoding unit to generate object based audio contents by encoding at least one of the plurality of object audio signals, the recording space information, and the sound source location information, thereby enabling the object based audio contents to be played using at least one of a WFS scheme and a multi-channel surround scheme regardless of a reproducing environment of the audience.
US08351609B2 Method for managing keys and/or rights objects
One or more rights objects (RO) files may be used for storing RO's preferably in the protected area available only to authenticated users. A RO navigation file is stored preferably in an unprotected public area containing status bits, where each status bit identifies whether a location in a RO file contains a valid RO or not. Preferably, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the location for a RO in a RO file and a location in the RO navigation file for the status bit which identifies whether its corresponding location in the RO file contains a valid RO or not. Whether a particular location in a RO file contains a valid RO or not can be found by checking its corresponding status bit in the RO navigation file. By finding out whether a particular location in a RO file contains a valid RO or not in this manner, it is possible to delete ROs without having to go through an authentication process. The process of finding an empty slot in the RO file for storing a new RO is also simplified. This greatly increases the efficiency of RO management. A similar system may be used for management of content encryption/encryption keys for protecting content files.
US08351605B2 Stealth message transmission in a network
Embodiments of the invention include methods of transmitting a hidden message within a secured primary data transmission. In one embodiment, a method involves transmitting a primary data transmission over a computer network from a source host to a receiving host. Intentionally-corrupted packets are introduced within the primary data transmission in a manner providing a hidden message. For example, a pattern of intentionally-corrupted packets may be used to encode the hidden message. Alternatively, the hidden message may be embedded within the data area of the intentionally-corrupted packets. The intentionally-corrupted packets are received and interpreted at the receiving host to determine the hidden message.
US08351604B2 Coding method, decoding method, codec and data storage medium for holographic storage
In a coding method for the encryption of information worth protecting on a holographic data storage medium, an item of information (I; I1, I2) to be encrypted is converted into a graphic data image (D1, D2), which is in turn converted into a hologram in order to write the holographic data storage medium (4) therewith. The invention provides for the hologram to be changed graphically before the writing of the holographic data storage medium (4). As a result of the manner in which the hologram is changed graphically, encryption which is less susceptible to faults is achieved in a simple way, which presents increased resistance to a parallelized brute force attack.
US08351602B2 Dual-mode wireless sensor network system and key establishing method and event processing method thereof
A dual-mode wireless sensor network system including a local wireless sensor, a local event processing device, and a remote event processing device is provided. The local wireless sensor detects and announces an abnormal event. The local event processing device and the remote event processing device receive the abnormal event announcement. When the local wireless sensor detects the abnormal event, the local wireless sensor encrypts an abnormal event message related to the abnormal event with a regular mode key and transmits the encrypted abnormal event message to the local event processing device. When the local wireless sensor does not receive a response message from the local event processing device, the local wireless sensor encrypts the abnormal event message with a special mode key and transmits the encrypted abnormal event message to the remote event processing device. Thereby, the abnormal event can be successfully announced even with highly protected privacy.
US08351600B2 Distributed storage network and method for encrypting and decrypting data using hash functions
A distributed storage network received a data segment. The data segment is partitioned into two or more portions. A first portion hash is calculated from the first portion of data and used to encrypt the second portion of data. A hash of the encrypted second portion of data is then used to either encrypt the next portion of data (in this case, a third portion of data) or to circle back to the beginning and encrypt the first portion of the data if the second portion of data is the last in data segment. This iterative process continues until all portions of the data segment are encrypted in a sequence. In essence, the data portions of the segment are sequentially processed in some order to encrypt the various portions in that progressing order. A reverse order is used to derive the hash values and decrypt the encrypted data portions into decrypted original data to recreate the data segment.
US08351597B2 Electronic device, echo canceling method thereof, non-transitory computer readable medium, circuit substrate, and portable telephone terminal device
The present invention relates to an electronic device that can output received voice and input transmitted voice at the same time and enhances a suppression function for echo due to the received voice sneaking into the transmitted voice. An electronic device (e.g., portable telephone terminal device) outputs the received voice from a voice output unit (speaker), inputs the transmitted voice through a voice input unit (microphone), and includes an echo canceller unit that subtracts a pseudo echo signal for the received voice from the transmitted voice to suppress an echo component in the transmitted voice and a controlling unit that changes an echo suppression amount of the echo canceller unit in accordance with the received voice volume.
US08351596B2 Method and system for call to role
Methods and systems are provided for routing incoming customer service requests directly to the most appropriate destination within a call center without requiring customer knowledge of a specific telephone number or extension to call and without requiring the customer to select from a series of menus. The receiving location or inbound call center accepts a voice call from a customer. The incoming voice call includes an associated data stream. This data stream is processed by the inbound call center and is used to route the call to the appropriate destination or customer service representative, for example a specific person, a department, a subsidiary, an individual either working within a facility or working outside the facility, a subcontractor and combinations thereof. Additional functionality is provided by including additional data, e.g. data in addition to routing data, along with voice data.
US08351594B2 System for indicating priority levels for transaction and task engagement in a call center
A call center system has a computerized server executing software (SW) from a machine-readable medium, a data collection function of the SW enabled for collecting data regarding incoming transactions, a data processing function coupled to the data collection engine and enabled for processing the data collected against a set of business rules, the data processing function determining a priority level for individual ones of the incoming transactions, and a distribution function enabled for distributing a priority indication determined by the data processing function to one or more presentation interfaces accessible to agents, at or near the time the associated transaction is engaged by the agent.
US08351586B2 Method and application for arranging a conference call in a cellular network and a mobile terminal operating in a cellular network
The invention relates to a method for arranging a conference call with mobile terminals operating in a cellular network. At first, a group of the participants of the conference call is formed either by selecting the participants from a list saved in the memory of the mobile terminal in by inputting the contract information of the participants manually. In the next step, a summons to the conference call is drawn up in standard form. An application loaded into the memory of the convener's mobile terminal forms the summons, and sends the summons to the particulars via the cellular network. When a participant wants to join a conference call, he/she makes a call with the mobile terminal to the telephone number mentioned in the summons. An application in the mobile terminal of the convener receives the incoming calls and joins them to the conference call automatically.
US08351578B2 System for installation testing of telephone line terminations
A wiring verification system is disclosed for testing the correct pairing of a plurality of subscriber lines between an existing line termination system and a replacement line termination system to assist in the transfer of the subscriber line terminations from the existing line termination system to the replacement system. The wiring verification system comprising a controller and two testheads, one of which places test calls from the line under test to a designated test line that is terminated by the second testhead. The electrical qualities of the wye splices between lines associated with new line termination system and those of the existing line termination system are analyzed for correctness and possible hazardous conditions. The directory number of the line under test can be verified by decoding the calling line ID. Automated test strategies provide details related to which splices require attention and suggestions for remediation.
US08351575B2 Multiple energy X-ray source
A source (19) for multiple energy X-ray generation in particular by field emitting carbon nanotubes (1, 2) is presented. In order to achieve a spatial overlap of the trajectories of the X-ray beams coming from different emitters, a focusing unit (7, 9) is supplied to the emitted electrons (28, 29). A fast switching between the emission of the different carbon nanotubes allows multiple kilovolt imaging. Independent determination of multiple focal spot parameters by the focusing unit leads to the possibilities of fast switching between different spot geometries and spatial resolutions. This might be seen in FIG. 1.
US08351572B1 Method and system to reconstruct treatment dose to a patient from integrated exit-transit images of radiation fields taken during treatment
A method and system to compute the dose to a patient (2) given a captured integrated exit-transit image (5) of the radiation rays (4) traveling from the source of x-rays (1) through the patient (2) to the imaging device (3) to product the exit-transit image (5). Each radiation field image (5) is transformed (6,8,10,12) to multiple images (7,9,11,13) for each phantom thickness (26) that was measured with the imaging device (3) for a range of field sizes (21). Given the water equivalent path (22) through the patient for a ray (4) reaching a pixel (15, 16), the final pixel value (19) is interpolated from the images (9, 11) that bracket the water equivalent path through the patient (22).
US08351571B2 Motion estimation in treatment planning
An apparatus includes a scanner (102, 104) and a scanning motion monitor (100). A motion modeler (116) uses data from the scanning motion monitor (100) and the scanner (102, 104) to generate a motion model which describes motion of a region of interest of an object. A treatment planner (112) uses image data from the scanner (102, 104) to establish a treatment plan for the object. A treatment device 114, which operates in conjunction with a treatment motion monitor (108), uses the motion model to compensate for motion of the object during application of the treatment.
US08351566B2 PET device
A gantry has a cylindrical shape and rotates around a subject on a top panel about the body axis. An X-ray irradiating part is arranged inside the gantry and emits an X-ray. An X-ray detector is arranged at a position facing the X-ray irradiating part and detects the X-ray transmitted through the subject. PET detectors are arranged in two separate regions facing the rotation center and detect γ-rays emitted from the positron-emitting nuclides. A moving mechanism moves the top panel and the gantry relatively to each other. An X-ray CT image generator generates an X-ray CT image of the subject based on the result of detection by the X-ray detector. A PET image generator generates a PET image of the subject based on the γ-rays detected by the PET detectors on the circumference in accordance with rotation of the gantry.
US08351564B2 Method for displaying image data of a large intestine of a patient on the basis of tomographic examination data
A method is disclosed for displaying image data of a large intestine of a patient on the basis of tomographic examination data. In at least one embodiment, the method includes scanning of the patient, after ingestion of a contrast agent, in at least two differently aligned positions using a tomography system and generating a tomographic image data record for each position; segmenting the large intestine in the tomographic data records; detecting and marking regions of the segmented large intestine with adjacent remaining stool in the intestine (covered regions); registering the segmented large intestine in the at least two tomographic image data records; displaying a tomographic display of the segmented large intestine including markings of the covered regions; and displaying a selection menu in which tomographic displays of the segmented large intestine in the at least two differently aligned positions of the patient, including a marking of the covered regions, can be selected alternatively.
US08351558B2 Multiphase direct RF frequency to digital converter and related method
The disclosure provides an effective means for fine-resolution determination of the frequency content of an RF signal using low speed digital circuits. The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for decomposing a high frequency RF signal into several low frequency signals or data streams without loss of any information and without the use of extraneous circuit components such as local oscillators, mixers or offset phase-locked loops. Single or multiple phase oscillator outputs are fed directly to a single or multiple direct RF frequency-to-digital (DrfDC) circuits. The front end of the DrfDC circuit decomposes a high frequency signal into several low frequency signals without loss of any information. The low frequency signals are processed by the back-end of the DrfDC and converted into digital data streams. The digital data streams are then combined and averaged to represent the frequency of the input RF signal.
US08351557B2 Circuit for detecting clock and apparatus for providing clock
A circuit for detecting a clock has a plurality of first transmission elements, a plurality of first exclusive OR gates and a first AND gate. Each first transmission element is coupled to a last first transmission element for receiving output data, and the data received by each first transmission element is transmitted to an input terminal of a next first transmission element. In addition, the input of a first transmission element is coupled to a clock source for receiving a predetermined clock signal of which a frequency is less than a frequency of a local clock signal. Furthermore, the first and second input terminals of a kth exclusive OR gate are coupled to output terminals of a kth and a (k+1)th first transmission elements, wherein k is an integer greater than 0 smaller than a total number of the first transmission elements.
US08351555B2 Apparatus and method for SINR estimation HSDPA MIMO receiver
In an example embodiment a method comprises receiving at least one data stream from at least two transmitter antennas, wherein the at least one data stream is pre-coded by a set of weighting coefficients; receiving a pilot channel from each of the at least two transmitter antennas; processing the received at least one data stream by an equalizer with a set of equalizer filter coefficients; calculating for each of the at least one data stream following: a signal power and an interference power from other stream, if there is any intererence, at least in part based on a set of post equalizer channel coefficients and the set of weighting coefficients; a noise power at least in part based on the received pilot channels and the set of weighting coefficients; and a signal to interference and noise ratio based on the corresponding calculated signal power, interference power and noise power.
US08351549B1 Multi-stream demodulation scheme using multiple detectors
The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for demodulating a signal transmitted via a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication channel. In one embodiment, a method of demodulating a signal transmitted via a MIMO communication channel includes receiving a data symbol vector including multiple data symbols that are received at substantially the same time. The received data symbol vector corresponds to a transmitted data symbol vector. The method further includes generating multiple candidate vectors for the transmitted data symbol vector. The multiple candidate vectors are less than all possible vectors for the transmitted data symbol vector. The method further includes selecting one candidate vector from the multiple candidate vectors using a maximum-likelihood (ML) technique.
US08351548B2 Signal processing system and method thereof
A signal processing system is provided. The system includes a calculating apparatus, for calculating a phase error of a received signal and generating a weight according to the phase error; a signal adjusting apparatus, coupled to the calculating apparatus, for generating a plurality of soft values according to the weight and the received signal; and a decoder, coupled to the signal adjusting apparatus, for decoding the soft values to generate data.
US08351546B2 Sensing device orientation in wireless networks
Sensing installed orientation of an antenna or access node in a wireless digital network. According to one aspect of the invention, an orientation sensor such as a 2 or 3 axis accelerometer is provided in the access node. The orientation sensor may be attached to the access node housing, directly or through a substrate, attached to the main logic board of the access node, or may be mounted to an antenna. The orientation sensor may be mounted to the same substrate as is used to form an antenna, or may be mounted on a separate substrate. When associated with an antenna, such as the orientation sensor on the same substrate as the antenna, or co-located with the antenna such as inside the same package, the orientation of the antenna may be sensed. Orientation data on the access node and/or antenna may be transmitted to the controller for the access node, and/or to clients of the access node. This orientation information may be used for example to verify or validate installation and positioning, for example comparing the actual orientation to the desired orientation as stored in a database. The orientation information may be used in modeling and/or displaying access node coverage. In access nodes with selectable antennas, the orientation information may be used to switch antennas.
US08351544B2 Method and apparatus for codebook-based feedback in a closed loop wireless communication system
A method and apparatus are provided for feedback for closed-loop transmitting with multiple transmit antenna elements and multiple receive antenna elements. A base station includes a codebook containing sets of weightings for the multiple transmit antenna elements, with each set of weightings identified by an index and the codebook known to the base station and a served mobile station (MS). The base station pre-codes pilot signals using a precoding matrix, preferably a unitary matrix, to produce pre-coded pilot signals, which precoding matrix may or may not be known to the MS and which precoding matrix may or may not be included in the codebook. The base station then transmits the pre-coded pilot signals to the MS via the multiple transmit antenna elements and, in response, receives an index to a set of weightings in the codebook for use in a subsequent transmission of a data stream.
US08351543B2 Active antenna array with modulator-based pre-distortion
An active antenna array comprises a plurality of transmission paths, a predistortion modulation signal generator, and a predistortion modulation signal distribution structure. At least two of the plurality of transmission paths comprise a predistortion modulator for modulating a transmission path signal with a predistortion modulation signal generated by the predistortion modulation signal generator and distributed by predistortion modulation signal distribution structure to the at least two of the plurality of transmission paths. A method for predistorting at least two of a plurality of transmission path signals in an active antenna array and computer program products for manufacture and method execution are also claimed.
US08351534B2 Distributed maximal ratio combining receiver architecture
A wireless communication system in which each receiver is configured synchronize to a received waveform using only its local received signal without requiring any information about other receivers in the system. The local receiver is configured to remove frequency and/or phase error based on information encoded in the received waveform. In some examples, the local receiver uses channel probe information embedded in the received waveform to provide channel estimates for each communication channel over which the signals are received and, based on the estimates, adjusts the received signals for phase shift and amplitude scaling caused by the channel. Signal acquisition (in time and frequency), as well as partial demodulation (for channel estimation), is done independently for each channel. Signals from each channel are combined using a maximal ratio combiner.
US08351531B2 Apparatus and method for canceling interference in wireless communication system
An apparatus and a method for canceling interference using a space-frequency block coding in a multi-antenna system. The method includes confirming a code for coding to minimize a Pairwise Error Probability (PEP) of a transmit signal of which the PEP is maximized according to a time variation; and coding the transmit signal with the code and transmitting the coded signal via at least two antennas. Accordingly, the interference cancellation can be accomplished while lowering the complexity of the receiver without degrading the spectral efficiency.
US08351528B2 8K mode interleaver with odd interleaving only and per OFDM symbol permutation code change in a digital video broadcasting (DVB) standard
A data processing apparatus maps input symbols to be communicated onto a predetermined number of sub-carrier signals of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbol. The data processor includes an interleaver memory which reads-in the predetermined number of data symbols for mapping onto the OFDM sub-carrier signals. The interleaver memory reads-out the data symbols on to the OFDM sub-carriers to effect the mapping, the read-out being in a different order than the read-in, the order being determined from a set of addresses, with the effect that the data symbols are interleaved on to the sub-carrier signals. The set of addresses are generated from an address generator which comprises a linear feedback shift register and a permutation circuit.
US08351525B2 Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing transmitting and receiving device
An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) receiving apparatus, including a receiving unit, a subcarrier demodulation unit and a signal output processing unit, is provided. The receiving unit is for receiving an RF signal to generate a set of discrete signals. The subcarrier demodulation unit is coupled to the receiving unit, and used for demodulating a set of discrete signals to obtain a complex signal. The signal output processing unit is coupled to the subcarrier demodulation unit, and used for capturing and outputting real parts of the complex signal.
US08351524B2 MIMO-OFDM communication system and communication method of same
A MIMO-OFDM communication method for transmitting and receiving data using MIMO-OFDM communication has, on the transmitting side, a step of performing precoding processing of transmission data using a prescribed precoding method, and a step of performing OFDM modulation of the precoding-processed data and transmitting the data from a plurality of transmission antennas, and has, on the receiving side, a step of performing MIMO decoding processing of reception signals received by a plurality of reception antennas according to a ZF decoding algorithm or an MMSE decoding algorithm, and outputting the data as a transmission data stream, a step of calculating weighting coefficients according to the precoding method, and a step of performing weighted decoding processing of the transmission data obtained by the MIMO decoding processing, by multiplying path metric of the decoding processing by the weighting coefficients.
US08351519B2 Embedding information in an 802.11 signal field
Techniques and apparatus for embedding one or more bits of 802.11 Very High Throughput (VHT) information in existing IEEE 802.11 preamble fields are provided. As will be described herein, because different combinations of modulation techniques, coding schemes, and transmission lengths result in the same transmit time (e.g., in terms of symbol length), a clever choice of modulation, coding, and length may allow some extra information to be embedded in a legacy field for use by VHT stations. In this manner, the total VHT preamble transmission time may potentially be reduced, thereby increasing the efficiency of the physical layer (PHY). Moreover, the embedded bits may most likely be invisible to legacy stations, since the transmission time that such stations compute will be independent of these bits by design.
US08351511B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method
Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus, including, a local motion vector detection section, a global motion vector acquisition section, an index value calculation section, a motion compensation section, an addition ratio calculation section, and an addition section.
US08351503B2 Method of deriving a motion vector of a bi-predictive block based on temporal distances associated with a co-located block in a reference picture
In one embodiment, the method includes selecting one motion vector of the co-located block in a first reference picture as the motion vector for deriving the motion vector of the bi-predictive block. A first temporal distance is derived from a difference between a current picture and a first reference picture. The current picture includes the bi-predictive block. A second temporal distance is derived from a difference between the first reference picture and a second reference picture. The selected motion vector is scaled based on the first and second temporal distances, and the motion vector of the bi-predictive block is derived based on the scaled motion vector.
US08351502B2 Method and apparatus for adaptively selecting context model for entropy coding
A method and apparatus for adaptively selecting a context model for entropy coding and a video decoder are provided. A method of coding a residual prediction flag indicating whether residual data for an enhancement layer block of a multi-layered video signal is predicted from residual data for a lower layer block corresponding to the residual data for the enhancement layer block includes the steps of calculating the energy of the residual data for the lower layer block, determining a coding method for the residual prediction flag according to the energy, and coding the residual prediction flag using the determined coding method.
US08351500B2 Entropy encoder, video coding apparatus, video coding method and video coding program
An entropy encoder, a video coding apparatus, a video coding method and a video coding program can cope with the adverse effects that arise as a result of a local increase of overhead code quantity. The quantization parameter output form the code quantity control unit of a video coding apparatus is input to a third arithmetic unit before being input to the context initializer in an entropy encoder and a quantization parameter offset value is subtracted from it there. The discrepancy relating the generation probability of a symbol where significant coefficients exist can be improved by initializing an arithmetic coding context by using the quantization parameter obtained by subtracting a predetermined value form the quantization parameter defined by a rate control unit.
US08351498B2 Transcoding video data
A transcoding procedure is shown for decoding coded video data and re-coding the video data. An input device (201) receives coded video data and a distribution device (304) supplies a copy of the input data to each of a plurality of transcoding processors. A control processor (305) is configured to instruct each transcoding processor to transcode a time-based segment of the input data and to combine the transcoded segments to produce transcoded output video data
US08351496B2 Apparatus for filtering signals
An integrated circuit having a filter apparatus for filtering a first symbol sequence is disclosed. The first symbol sequence has a predetermined symbol duration. The apparatus includes at least one delay device which is clocked in accordance with a clock, and configured to delay the first symbol sequence by a delay time. A relationship between the delay time of the delay device and a clock duration of the clocked delay device has a predetermined value which is not equal to the one.
US08351494B2 Channel equalization and carrier recovery method and receiver in high speed wireless communication system
Provided are a channel equalization and carrier recovery method and a receiving apparatus thereof. In the method, a receiver of the high speed wireless communication system obtains an initial value of a channel equalization coefficient through non-causal channel estimation in a frequency domain during a preamble transmission section of a packet. High-order QAM signal correction for updating the channel equalization coefficient in a time domain is performed during a data transmission section of the packet. when a payload section starts in the data transmission section of the packet, channel equalization coefficient tracking is performed on the basis of frequency domain decision, and a hard decision of a correction value by the high-order QAM signal correction in the time domain is made to correct carrier phase errors, so that the channel equalization coefficient is updated.
US08351493B2 Folding sequential adaptive equalizer
A folding adaptive equalizer is provided. The equalizer comprises an equalizer core and an automatic gain control loop. The equalizing transfer function of the equalizer core is modulated by one or more gain control signals generated by the automatic gain control loop and by a folding signal generated by the automatic gain control loop. When the folding signal is inactive, an increase in the gain control signals produces an increase in the high-frequency, high-bandwidth gain of the transfer function of the equalizer core. When the folding signal is active, further gain can be applied by decreasing the gain control signals, which produces a frequency-shift in the transfer function of the equalizer core toward lower bandwidth and an increase in the high-frequency, low-bandwidth gain of the transfer function of the equalizer core.
US08351491B2 Method and multi-carrier transceiver with stored application profiles for supporting multiple applications
A system and method for supporting multiple applications are described. A digital subscriber line system includes two transceivers in communication over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation. Application profiles are defined for characterizing transmission of information over the communication channel. Each application profile is a parameter set that is associated with a unique set of one or more applications that may become active between the transceivers and specifies the transmission requirements for such applications. Each transceiver stores the application profiles and transmits information over the communication channel according to the one of the stored application profiles. When a change in a number of applications active between the transceivers occurs, a second one of the application profiles is retrieved. The transceivers then transition to transmitting information over the communication channel according to the second application profile. The transitioning can occur without interrupting communication between the transceivers in order to retrain the transceivers. One of the transceivers transmits a message the other transceiver that specifies the second application profile and requests a transition to that second application profile. In one embodiment, the transceiver transmitting the request receives an inverted sync symbol from the other transceiver to synchronize use of the second application profile.
US08351488B2 Diversity receiver
A receiver, includes a plurality of antennas to receive radio signals from a plurality of transmission paths, and a plurality of sets of RAKE fingers to generate first signals. Each set of RAKE fingers is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of antennas, and a weighting factor generator generates weighting factors for weighting the first signals, wherein the weighting factor for one of the first signals is generated by using first signals generated by at least two of the plurality of sets of RAKE fingers. Further, at least two of the first signals used to generate the weighting factor are received from the same transmission path.
US08351486B2 Parallel correlator implementation using hybrid correlation in spread-spectrum communication
An apparatus for processing spread spectrum signals is disclosed. The apparatus includes an intermediate frequency (IF) signal preprocessing unit, which includes a first set of multiply-accumulator (MAC) units and a second set of MAC units. The IF signal preprocessing unit generates a first and a second set of data streams using a digitized signal and a first and second local reference signals respectively. Each data stream is generated every predetermined time period, and each data stream includes pre-integration results generated at a predetermined rate.
US08351485B2 Time-frequency code spreading method and apparatus in OFDMA system
The present invention provides a time-frequency code spreading method in an OFDMA system. The method includes: converting a transmission message into one or more modulating signal vectors, and each bit of the transmission message is spread onto all vector elements of a modulating signal vector; mapping one or more modulating signal vectors to a set of time-frequency grids, wherein in an OFDMA time-frequency plane, two time-frequency grids to which any two vector elements in each modulating signal vector are mapped do not have the same frequency location or time location. In addition, the present invention also provides a time-frequency code spreading apparatus in an OFDMA system.
US08351475B2 Laser device
Disclosed is a laser device. The laser device includes a pulse generator which irradiates a laser beam between a high reflector mirror and an output coupler mirror to amplify and resonate the laser beam, a pulse output section which receives a laser beam pulse amplified and resonated through the output coupler mirror to output the laser beam pulse, and a Q switch which moves backward or forward in a direction perpendicular to a path of the laser beam formed between the pulse generator and the high reflector mirror. The output coupler mirror includes first and second mirrors provided on a base plate. Positions of the first and second mirrors are selectively changed as the Q switch moves backward or forward.
US08351467B2 Methods and systems for providing MBMS data to subscriber stations
A subscriber station may receive a WiMAX connection identifier (CID) scheduling message from a 2G/3G network. The WiMAX CID scheduling message may include scheduling information that indicates when Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) data for the subscriber station will be transmitted from a WiMAX network. The subscriber station may receive the MBMS data from the WiMAX network in accordance with the scheduling information.
US08351461B2 Method and apparatus for network based fixed mobile convergence
A method and apparatus for providing a network based Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) service are disclosed. For example, the method receives a NB-FMC call request originating from a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) NB-FMC endpoint device or a non-SIP NB-FMC endpoint device, and processes the NB-FMC call request using a single hosted NB-FMC Application Server (AS).
US08351459B2 Communication node, and token issuing method and token-ring communication method in ring communication system
A communication node includes a token-start-right acquisition processor that issues a token-start-right acquisition frame containing specific information, determines a priority based on predetermined reference using specific information for other communication node and the specific information for the own communication node upon reception of a token-start-right acquisition frame from the other communication node, issues the token-start-right acquisition frame at a predetermined time interval when the own communication node has a higher priority than the other communication node, and stops issuing the token-start-right acquisition frame when the own communication node has a lower priority than the other communication node, to forward the token-start-right acquisition frame of the other communication node, and also includes a token start processor that passes the token frame to the ring upon reception of the token-start-right acquisition frame which is issued by the token-start-right acquisition processor and circulates around the ring.
US08351452B2 Media transport protocol selection
A method and network node for distributing media across an IP network, the network node having multicast and peer-to-peer ingress interfaces, and unicast and peer-to-peer egress interfaces. For each of a plurality of contents, the network node selects an ingress interface and receives media packets representing the content at the selected interface. For each media packet received, the network node determines from information conveyed in the media packet whether that media packet can be cached at the network node and caches the media packet if permitted. When the network node receives a request from a further network node for a given content, the network node selects an egress interface and forwards media packets representing the given content to the further network node over that selected interface. If media packets representing the given content were cached, the cached media packets are forwarded to the further network node.
US08351449B1 Scheduling data communication for mobile communication devices with multiple wireless network interfaces associated with differing costs
A mobile communication device has both an (expensive) long-range wireless network interface and an intermittently available less expensive network interface. Requests are received to communicate data items to and from remote computing devices. Each data item is associated with a transmission deadline and an urgency rating. A transmission schedule is created by assigning data items to specific times for transmission over the long-range wireless network interface, based on their deadlines and urgency ratings. When the lower cost network interface is not available, data items are transmitted according to the transmission schedule. When the lower cost network interface is available, data items are transmitted over the lower cost network interface, based on their positions in the transmission schedule, until it is no longer available.
US08351447B2 Data communication system, cradle apparatus, server apparatus, data communication method and data communication program
A data communication system includes a portable electronic apparatus, a server apparatus, a cradle apparatus, and a home apparatus. The portable electronic apparatus includes a communication section, a reception control section, a storage section, and a utilization control section. The cradle apparatus includes a first communication section, a second communication section, a connection detection section, a notification control section, and a relaying control section. The server apparatus includes a first communication section, a second communication section, a first transmission control section, and a relaying control section. The home apparatus includes a communication section, a preparation section, and a transmission control section.
US08351446B2 Device, method and system for wireless communication and uses thereof
Provided herein are an electronic device, method and system for wireless communication over a wireless network. The device comprises an addressable point in network (Pin) which listens for all available wireless signals and creates and relays wireless signals containing destination address(es) for message(s) to other Pin(s). Wireless signal(s) are relayed from the Pin device(s) to other Pins over the network. Destination, receiving and originator Pin addresses and message flags within received messages are compared with message flags in a device memory trace queue to determine if the receiving Pin is the destination and/or origin of the message and whether the received message is retained and/or relayed or dropped. The system includes the Pin(s), a wireless communication network over which the message(s) are relayed to and from the Pin(s) and an enterprise provider information system (PIS) with an application stack configured to wirelessly transmit product and services information to the Pin(s).
US08351443B2 Information transmission and service integration system and method thereof
An information transmission and service integration system for transmitting a message between at least one information transmission device and at least one service providing terminal is provided. The information transmission and service integration system includes an interface registry repository, a device gateway, and a service gateway. The interface registry repository stores device interface meta-data (DIMD) of the information transmission device and service interface meta-data (SIMD) of the service providing terminal. The device gateway detects and adapts the information transmission device according to the DIMD information. The service gateway transforms and transmits the message between the information transmission device and the service providing terminal according to the DIMD information and the SIMD information. Thereby, the information transmission and service integration system can automatically establish an information transmission channel between the information transmission device and the server-providing terminal.
US08351440B2 Relay device, communication system, communication method, and computer program
An IP address and a MAC address of each of communication devices connected to a plurality of communication ports provided in a switching hub device are associated in an ARP table. Also, priority information representing the communication priority of each communication device is received, and the received priority information is associated with the MAC address of the communication device. When no IP address of a transmission source included in a data packet received at each communication port exists in the ARP table, the IP address and the MAC address of the transmission source are added to the ARP table and priority information is attached to the ARP table.
US08351437B2 Stereo bit clock tuning
A source communication device includes a source network clock to control timing of communicating with other devices in a network, a source streaming clock associated with processing of audio or video data, a time stamp generator to generate a time stamp that includes a source network clock value and a source streaming clock value, and a time stamp insertion mechanism that incorporates the time stamp into a data unit that is to be transmitted to one of the other devices in the network. A sink communication device includes a sink network clock synchronized with the source network clock, a sink streaming clock associated with processing of audio or video data, and a sink time stamp mechanism to compare a sink streaming clock value with the source streaming clock value, and adjust the sink streaming clock based on the comparison.
US08351434B1 Methods and systems for data communication over wireless communication channels
Systems and methods for improving network performance. A method of transmitting packet data across a network includes a transmitting network device establishing a reservation to transmit traffic to a plurality of wireless receiving network devices across a network; the transmitting network device transmitting a sequence of packets across the network, wherein a packet of the sequence of packets includes data requesting the receivers acknowledge receipt of the packet; the transmitting network device waiting for a predetermined time to receive acknowledgement of receipt of the packet from the wireless receiving network devices; the transmitting network device retransmitting a packet across the network only if it does not receive an acknowledgement for that packet from any of the wireless receiving network devices within the predetermined time.
US08351432B2 Encapsulation of data
An encapsulation apparatus for encapsulating data includes an input to receive the data, a machine to generate information related to the encapsulation of data and a logic coupled to the machine. A processing machine is coupled to the input and the logic.
US08351429B2 Method and apparatus for providing fast reroute of a packet that may be forwarded on one of a plurality of equal cost multipath routes through a network
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing fast reroute of a packet that may be forwarded on one of a plurality of Equal Cost Multi Path (ECMP) routes through a network is presented. A packet is received by a Forwarding Data Unit (FDU) in a data plane of a network element. The unicast packet is routed at L3, and ECMP is enabled for a next hop for the unicast packet. An ECMP route is selected for forwarding the packet to a destination port. A lookup is performed in a port state table maintained by the FDU to determine an available local port for said ECMP route that is in an UP state for the destination, and if no local port is UP, then a lookup is performed in the port state table to determine an available remote port that is in an UP state for the selected ECMP route.
US08351427B2 Home gateway device for providing multiple services to customer devices
A telecommunication node such as a home gateway and a method of routing data packets received from customer premises devices connected to the node. The node includes an operator-configurable service profile table for storing service profiles and a user-configurable customer devices table for storing the source addresses of the customer premises devices and associations between each source address and at least one of the service profiles. The operator controls service provisioning while the user can freely allocate the customer premises devices to different service profiles and can access a plurality of services from the same device.
US08351424B2 Method, device, and system for transferring service control signalling path
A method, device, and system for transferring a Service Control Signalling Path are provided. The method for transferring a Service Control Signalling Path includes: establishing a connection with an opposite end by a User Equipment (UE), where the UE uses a Circuit Switched (CS) bearer in a CS network and a Service Control Signalling Path in a first Packet Switched (PS) network; sending a transfer request via a second PS network, to instruct a network side to transfer the Service Control Signalling Path according to the transfer request. Thus, the UE can replace a current Gm reference point with a Gm reference point of a new and available PS network when the PS network where the current Gm reference point is located is unavailable, so as to ensure smooth data transmission.
US08351419B2 Local access to a mobile network
A method for billing a subscriber to a cellular telephone service for a VoIP call made by the subscriber, the method including determining when a subscriber to a cellular telephone service places a telephone call to a remote device using a local device associated with the subscription, where the telephone call has at least one VoIP call leg, capturing session information related to the telephone call, including information identifying the subscriber, and providing the information to a provider of the cellular telephone service, thereby enabling the cellular telephone service provider to bill the subscriber for the VoIP call.
US08351416B2 Method and a module for re-generating ATSC-MH broadcasting signal, an ATSC-MH broadcast receiver, and a storage medium
The present invention relates to a re-generating method and module for an ATSC-MH broadcasting signal, an ATSC-MH broadcast receiver, and a storage medium. The ATSC-MH broadcast receiver includes: a main stream data generating module for receiving an ATSC-MH RF signal, and outputting main stream data including MHE packets; an ATSC-MH broadcasting signal re-generating module for extracting the MHE packets from the main stream data generated by the main stream data generating module, thereby re-configuring data of MPH Group format after data interleaver; and a mobile stream generating module for outputting the mobile stream data from the interleaved MPH group format data re-configured by the ATSC-MH broadcasting signal re-generating module.
US08351415B2 Dynamic time interleaving method and an associated device
The present invention relates to a time interleaving method (1) and a time interleaver (ETS) for data. The data is intended to be transmitted sequentially by a baseband carrier of a single-carrier transmitter (EM). The method consists in interleaving a block of successive data items according to a particular interleaving law variable in time for a given transmission mode of the transmitter.
US08351409B2 Timing synchronization in wireless mesh networks
A system for synchronizing time amongst a plurality of wireless network devices in a wireless network is provided, where a message is exchanged between a transmitting wireless device and a receiving wireless device. Such a system includes: a controller that inserts synchronized time information in the message, prior to transmitting the message, the synchronized time information comprising a current time value and a synchronization time value; and a processor that determines a local elapsed time value since last receiving a last synchronized time.
US08351408B2 Data packet generator for generating passcodes
A data packet generator periodically generates a data packet including a passcode comprising a plurality of characters. The data packet is sent to a server or a computing device for validation. If validated, the data packet is used, for example, to identify the location of a user or device. Additional systems and methods involving such a data packet generator are also disclosed.
US08351404B2 Method and apparatus for multiple accesses to a communications channel
A method and apparatus for increasing user capacity in a multi-user communication system. The method comprises transmitting a signal multiple times in the communication system with a predetermined delay between each retransmission. A receiver receives the signals and makes multiple delayed copies of the signal which are then summed. A second signal is then transmitted multiple times in the communication system with a different delay time between each retransmission than the first signal, and then received by a receiver which makes multiple delayed copies of this second signal which are then summed and decoded. This process is then used on subsequent signals in the communication system.
US08351395B2 WLAN roaming and selection using managed WLAN handover process
A method for providing information to a first terminal system and/or a second terminal system which connected to each other through a network and are subject to a potential or actual handover, provides convenience information about the execution of the potential or actual handover to at least one of the first and the second terminal systems, prior to or with the start of the handover, and provides in addition to at least one of the first and the second terminal systems a commercial communication relating to a commercial measure, whereby the commercial communication is provided in correlation with the provision of the convenience information.
US08351382B2 Channel quality signaling for persistent/semi-persistent radio resource allocations
A persistent or a semi-persistent uplink resource allocation also includes an indication for a user equipment UE to send channel quality reports. The format for the channel quality report is determined (based on a transmission mode for which the UE receives a downlink shared channel). In at least first transmissions of user data for instances of the persistently allocated uplink resource the UE sends user data and a channel quality report according to the determined format. For the case that a NACK is received in reply to one of those sent user data with channel quality reports, four options are detailed: re-send the NACK'd user data on a next instance of the persistently allocated UL resource with or without a channel quality report, and re-send the NACK'd user data on a dynamically allocated uplink resource with or without a channel quality report.
US08351381B1 System and method for switching from a first radio link to a second radio link for sending or receiving a message via the second radio link
A method and system for determining that a given channel defined by a first protocol radio link is overloaded, transmitting a first type of message to a wireless communication device operating on the first protocol radio link, and thereafter transmitting a message of a second type to the wireless communication device via a second protocol radio link. The message of the first type is encoded to cause the wireless communication device to switch from operating on the first protocol radio link to operating on the second protocol radio link and to cause the wireless communication device to switch back to operating on the first protocol radio link upon receipt of the message of the second type. The wireless communication device may present the message of the second type to a user of the wireless communication device.
US08351380B2 Method and apparatus for layer 2 ARQ for packets
An Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) method in a communication system having a protocol layer structure, in which a Layer 2 (L2) transmitter for generating an upper layer packet in a size suitable for transmission over a radio channel and transmitting the upper layer packet to a lower layer, transmits, to a receiver, polling information representative of an indicator for ordering the generation of a status report, and performs packet ARQ according to whether the status report is received within a predetermined time. The method includes determining whether there is a possibility that upper layer data contained in a packet data unit to be transmitted along with the polling information will cause an upper layer message in the opposite direction; and when there is a possibility that the upper layer data will cause an upper layer message, generating polling information ordering a receiver to wait for a predetermined time after receipt of a packet and to transmit an upper layer packet generated for the waiting time along with a status report, including the polling information in the packet data unit, and delivering the packet data unit to the lower layer.
US08351377B2 Apparatus and method for controlling Dual Band Dual Modem
Disclosed is an apparatus for controlling DBDM including a first modem that performs an EVDO (Evolution-Data Optimized) or a HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) communication, and the second modem that performs a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) communication, and a method for controlling DBDM, wherein one of the modems selected from the two (first and second) modems that is used for data communication of a user terminal generates a wake up signal to wake up the other modem that is not selected, and the other woken-up modem receives and analyzes communication data, and transmits a data of analysis result to the user terminal and the UART via the one modem performing the data communication.
US08351374B2 Method for minimizing expenditures associated with optimized backhaul networks
The invention includes a method for determining an expenditure associated with a network. A method includes obtaining network information associated with a portion of a network, categorizing each of a respective plurality of cells as one of an aggregated cell and a non-aggregated cell, determining an aggregating node configuration for at least one aggregating node associated with at least one base station associated with an aggregated cell, determining a deaggregating node configuration for at least one deaggregating node associated with at least one of the at least one aggregating node, and determining the expenditure according to at least one of the aggregating node configuration and the deaggregating node configuration. The categorization of cells is performed using the network information.
US08351371B2 Method and apparatus for minimizing redundant enhanced uplink allocation requests and fault-isolating enhanced uplink transmission failures
A method and apparatus for minimizing redundant enhanced uplink (EU) allocation requests and fault-isolating EU transmission failures that occur between a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and a Node-B. The WTRU transmits an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) allocation request to the Node-B over an uplink (UL) EU channel. In one embodiment, if E-DCH allocation cannot be provided within a predetermined time period, the Node-B sends an acknowledgement message to the WTRU via a downlink (DL) EU signaling channel without sending E-DCH allocation information. The request is queued in the Node-B and the WTRU refrains from transmitting the same request until after the time period expires or resources become available. In another embodiment, appropriate actions are taken to correct EU transmission failures by determining whether an E-DCH allocation request was unsuccessfully delivered via the UL EU channel or whether channel allocation information was unsuccessfully delivered via the DL EU signaling channel.
US08351368B2 Method for extended rate/range communication over a communication network
A technique for communicating multimedia data between nodes over coaxial cable, wherein the nodes are connected via a coaxial cable network, is disclosed. In an embodiment, the technique involves establishing a primary channel for communicating between first and second nodes of the coaxial cable network, establishing a secondary channel for communicating between the first and second nodes of the coaxial cable network, wherein the primary and secondary channels are in different frequency bands and wherein the primary channel is used for communicating media access control frames, and communicating a time series of data frames between the first and second nodes using both the primary channel and the secondary channel.
US08351367B2 Signaling of unused resources
A user device on a wireless network includes a receiver, a noise detector and a noise determiner. The receiver receives downlink data communications from a base station that indicates an allocation of time/frequency resource blocks at least to user devices that are communicating with the base station. The noise detector measures noise in a time/frequency resource block, comprising plural time/frequency bins, that is not allocated to one of the user devices. The noise determiner determines a level of interfering noise based on noise in the resource block that is not allocated to one of the user devices.
US08351362B2 Methods and systems for broadcasting alert and synchronization
Methods and apparatus for waking a mobile station (MS) from a power saving mode to receive a media access control (MAC) management message (e.g., DCD/UCD, MOB_NBR-ADV, and SII-ADV) the MS has not yet received. The MS may wake from the power saving mode after detecting a mismatch between a set of media access control (MAC) management message parameters last received by the MS and the information found in an enhanced broadcast control pointer information element (BCP-IE) transmitted in a downlink map (DL-MAP). In this manner, the MS may be prevented from waking up unnecessarily, thereby providing high power efficiency.
US08351351B2 Method and apparatus for generating multimedia data having decoding level, and method and apparatus for reconstructing multimedia data by using the decoding level
Provided is a multimedia data generation method which includes allocating one or more pieces of image object information to each of a plurality of nodes, generating a scene tree by linking nodes according to correlation between the object information allocated to each node, and adding an event execution level attribute to each node, wherein the event execution level attribute determines whether to execute an event by using the image object information allocated to each node, thereby generating multimedia data in which the added event execution level attribute is represented with a scene description language and recorded on an area of a scene descriptor.
US08351349B2 Method and system for realizing location management of multihomed terminals in universal network
In Universal Network, there is disclosed a method and system for realizing location management of multihomed terminals, the system comprises home domains and foreign domains, in which the home domains of a multihomed terminal refer to the domains managing the multihomed terminal; the other domains are the foreign domains of the multihomed terminal; each domain includes at least one Identifier Mapping Server and one Accessing-Switching Router; the Identifier Mapping Server memorizes and manages the mapping information; and the Accessing-Switching Router allocates the mapping information for multihomed terminals. This invention facilitates the implement of multihoming in the Internet and makes the network resources be used efficiently. Especially, the Internet service providers can manage the multihomed terminals easily and efficiently.
US08351348B2 Value-adoption and value-translation for automatic provisioning of port parameters
A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a message comprising a node's data value from the node, determining whether a local data value has been assigned, and adopting the node's data value as the local data value when the local data value has not been assigned. Also disclosed is a network component comprising a plurality of ports each configured to couple to a node via a link, a memory configured to store a port data value associated with at least some of the ports, and a processor coupled to the memory and the ports, wherein the processor is configured to access a node's data value in a message and adopt the node's data value as the port data value.
US08351347B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting sounding reference signal in radio communication system
Disclosed is a method for transmitting a sounding reference signal from to a base station in a radio communication system. More specifically, the method comprises the steps of: transmitting a periodic sounding reference signal to a base station; receiving a transmission instruction for an additional sounding reference signal from the base station; multiplexing said periodic sounding reference signal and said additional sounding reference signal along a frequency axis or a time axis; and transmitting said multiplexed periodic sounding reference signal and said additional sounding reference signal to said base station. Said multiplexing step is characterized by multiplexing said periodic sounding reference signal and said additional sounding reference signal along a frequency axis or a time axis.
US08351346B2 Communication device
A communication device capable of improving power saving is provided. A communication device (1) includes a communication port (10); communication monitoring sections (18, 22) for controlling information communication using the communication port, a status indicating section (12) having one or more status indicators, a status indicator driving section (20) for controlling a drive signal which detects a communication status from the communication monitoring sections and is supplied to the status indicating section on the basis of the communication status, and a lighting control section (24) for detecting the communication status from the communication monitoring sections and outputting a control signal to the status indicator driving section if the communication status changes from a first status to a second status. The status indicator driving section controls the drive signal so as to turn off the status indicators when the control signal is outputted from the lighting control section.
US08351345B2 Base station apparatus, uplink SINR measuring method, uplink scheduling method, and reception-quality measuring method
A base station apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives a control signal having predetermined patterns for performing communication control processing at the base station; and a measuring unit that measures SINR of reception data that is obtained from the control signal received by the receiving unit.
US08351344B2 System and method for measurement of VoIP QoE and compensation method
Provided are a system and a method for measurement voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) quality of experience (QoE), and a compensation method, a method for measuring QoE for a VoIP telephone service in real time, and claiming after-treatment on the basis of the measurement quality. The present invention measures subjective or objective quality for an actually generated call, and allows the subjective or objective quality to be linked with after-treatment such as compensation.
US08351337B2 Tools that facilitate diagnostics for mobile backhaul networks
A diagnostic tool is provided for calculating the availability of multi-segment pseudowires within an internet protocol (IP)-based mobile backhaul network. A control message is transmitted from an originating node towards a destination node within the IP-based mobile backhaul network over a primary multi-segment pseudowire and a secondary multi-segment pseudowire. From the response messages received from intermediate nodes positioned between the network node and the destination node along the primary multi-segment pseudowire and the secondary multi-segment psuedowire, the originating node determines the identities of each of the intermediate nodes, and calculates a respective individual availability of the primary multi-segment pseudowire and the secondary multi-segment pseudowire.
US08351334B2 Quality-based data scheduling
The present invention relates to quality-based scheduling of data in wireless networks. In this scheduling, quality information representing the degree of decodability of previously transmitted but not correctly received and not successfully decoded data packets is estimated in receiving communications nodes. This quality information is reported back to the node that transmitted the packet. The quality information will be used by the transmitting node when scheduling subsequent data transmissions. In this scheduling process, at least one of selection of: i) receiving node(s), to which a second data packet is to be forwarded; ii) a type of the data in the second packet; and/or iii) a data flow, to which the second packet belongs, is performed based on the quality information.
US08351333B2 Systems and methods for communicating a lossy protocol via a lossless protocol using false acknowledgements
The present invention is generally directed towards a remote access architecture for providing peer-to-peer communications and remote access connectivity. In one embodiment, the remote access architecture of the present provides a method for establishing a direct connection between peer computing devices via a third computing device, such as a gateway. Additionally, the present invention provides the following techniques to optimize peer-to-peer communications: 1) false acknowledgement of receipt of network packets allowing communications via a lossless protocol of packets constructed for transmission via a lossy protocol, 2) payload shifting of network packets allowing communications via a lossless protocol of packets constructed for transmission via a lossy protocol, 3) reduction of packet fragmentation by adjusting the maximum transmission unit (MTU) parameter, accounting for overhead due to encryption, 4) application-aware prioritization of client-side network communications, and 5) network disruption shielding for reliable and persistent network connectivity and access.
US08351330B2 System and method for traffic prioritization
A method for management of Internet Protocol (IP) traffic comprises (a) receiving an uplink data packet associated with a connection of a plurality of connections; (b) assigning a weight to the uplink data packet; (c) updating a debt associated with the connection based on the weight assigned to the uplink data packet; (d) prioritizing the connections based on the debt associated with each of the one or more connections; and (e) processing packets in the one or more connections based on the prioritizing.
US08351329B2 Universal load-balancing tunnel encapsulation
In one embodiment, packets received at head-end nodes in a computer network may have a payload and protocol ID of an original protocol of the packet. To allow load balancing across the network, the head-end node may convert the protocol ID to indicate a UDP packet, and may insert a UDP shim header into the packet having a load balance ID, at least one port ID of a destination tail-end node of the packet, and an indication of the original protocol ID. The head-end node may transmit the converted UDP packet toward the tail-end node as part of a load-balanced UDP flow based on the load balance ID. Tail-end nodes may receive UDP packets, and determine whether they are converted UDP packets. If so, the original protocol of the packet may be determined, the UDP header may be removed, and the packet may be processed according to the original protocol.
US08351326B2 Network backhaul systems and methods
An exemplary system includes a first mobile telephone switching office subsystem configured to receive and forward network traffic, a second mobile telephone switching office subsystem configured to receive and forward network traffic, and a hub router communicatively connected to the first and second mobile telephone switching office subsystems via at least one network backhaul connection. The hub router configured to establish at least one communication tunnel from the hub router to the first mobile telephone switching office subsystem and establish at least one backup communication tunnel from the hub router to the second mobile telephone switching office subsystem, wherein the at least one backup communication tunnel is pre-signaled as a backup to the at least one communication tunnel. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.
US08351320B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting pilot in wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for transmitting a pilot in a wireless communication system is provided. A pilot generating unit generates the pilot. A transmission circuitry transmits the pilot and a radio signal. A a processor assigns a first index and a second index to each of a plurality of pilot patterns, determines a selection pilot pattern having a first selection index and a second selection index calculated based on a cell ID, which are respectively identical with the first index and the second index, from among the plurality of pilot patterns, and maps the generated pilot to a resource element based on the selection pilot pattern.
US08351319B2 Information on reference signal structure for neighboring cell measurements
The present invention relates to cellular radio communication and in particular to providing information on neighbor cells to enable terminals to perform neighbor cell measurements. In the prior art the terminal attempts to make neighbor cell measurements in a reference signal structure that is the same in the neighbor cell as in the cell the terminal camps in. The present invention is based on the insight that the reference signal structure may differ between neighboring cell for example in the situation of an MBSFN area that is restricted to a region of all cells of a radio network, or in the situation of TDD mode being applied there may be different regions with different allocation of sub-frames for transmission in the uplink and downlink directions. The present invention solves the problem by broadcast information in a cell indicative of the reference signal structure in neighbor cells.
US08351318B2 Method and apparatus for converging voltages of optical recording medium
An apparatus for converging voltages of an optical recording medium may include a first converging unit, a second converging unit, and/or a switching unit. The first converging unit may be configured to converge a voltage level of a first input signal to a reference voltage. The second converging unit may be configured to converge a voltage level of a second input signal to the reference voltage. The switching unit may be configured to determine whether to short-circuit output terminals of the first and second converging units during a period when the voltage levels of the first and second input signals are being converged to the reference voltage.
US08351315B2 Recording medium with a linking area including a synch pattern thereon and apparatus and methods for forming, recording, and reproducing the recording medium
A recording medium, such as a high-density and/or read-only recording medium including a data area including at least two data sections and a linking area to link neighboring data sections, the linking area including at least two frame sync signals, where values of the at least two frame sync signals maintain uniqueness, and to methods and apparatuses for forming, recording, and reproducing the recording medium.
US08351312B2 Optical disc recording apparatus, optical disc recording circuit and optical disc
An optical disc recording apparatus (10) is provided with a tracking servo (13) for tracking a spiral track of concave and convex marks, an analog signal processor (14) for extracting a reproduction signal corresponding to the concave and convex marks, a digital signal processor (15) for extracting a channel clock synchronized with a channel bit length of the concave and convex marks, and a sub-information recording section (30) for recording sub-information by irradiating laser light based on the tracking to the spiral track. The sub-information recording section (30) records all the sub-information by repeating a process of recording a part of the sub-information by discretely irradiating laser light at a specified interval and with a specified frequency in synchronism with a channel clock by one tracking to form recordable marks on a reflective film a plurality of times. By this construction, a tracking control to the concave and convex marks can be stably executed and the sub-information can be stably recorded.
US08351310B2 Method and apparatus for determining an optimal focus bias and spherical aberration compensating value in an optical disc drive
A method for determining an optimal combination of focus bias and spherical aberration compensating value (SA value) in an optical disc drive is provided. Firstly, a first focus bias is set, the SA values are adjusted and the corresponding tracking error signal values are measured. Second-order-approximation is performed to obtain a first maximum value of tracking error signal. Secondly, a second focus bias is set, the SA values are adjusted and the corresponding tracking error signal values are measured. Second-order-approximation is performed to obtain a second maximum value of tracking error signal. Thirdly, a third focus bias is set, the SA values are adjusted and the corresponding tracking error signal values are measured. Second-order-approximation is performed to obtain a third maximum value of the tracking error signal. The three maximum values are compared to obtain the optimal combination of focus bias and SA compensating value in the optical disc drive.
US08351306B2 Near field optical head and information recording and reproducing device
A near field optical head includes a slider 20, a main magnetic pole 32 and an auxiliary magnetic pole 30 and is provided with a recording element 21 fixed on a top end surface of the slider. The near field optical head is provided with a light flux transmission element 22. The light flux transmission element 22 is fixed adjacently to the main magnetic pole and formed from a flat surface 40a and a curved surface 40b into the shape of a half column. The light flux transmission element 22 includes a core 40 for transmitting a light flux L introduced from one end to the other end and a cladding 41 for confining therein the core. The near field optical head includes a metal film 23, which is formed on a curved surface in the vicinity of the other end of the core for generating near filed light R from a light flux to localize the near field light on a field surface between the metal film and the curved surface, and a light flux introducing means 4 for introducing the light flux having a polarization direction adjusted into a straight direction substantially perpendicular to the flat surface from one end into the core. A top end of the main magnetic pole 32 is bent toward the core and embedded in the core while being exposed to the other end.
US08351305B2 Notched pole design for HAMR recording
A magnetic writer comprises a write pole and a near field transducer. The write pole has a leading edge, a trailing edge and a notch at the leading edge of the write pole. The near field transducer produces near field radiation. The near field transducer positioned in front of or at least partially within the notch.
US08351304B2 Near-field optical head and information recording/reproducing device
A near-field optical head includes: a near-field light generating element, formed on a counter surface of a slider facing the surface of a magnetic recording medium and having two or more side surfaces each of which are in contact with the counter surface at a certain angle with the counter surface, for generating the near-field light; at least one lower wiring formed on at least one of the side surfaces of the near-field light generating element; a thin-film-like magnetic pole disposed to a position covering the lower wiring; at least one upper wiring disposed on one of the two sides of the magnetic pole, opposite to the side on which the lower wiring is disposed; at least one side surface wiring connecting the lower wiring and the upper wiring; insulating layers insulating each of the lower wiring, the magnetic pole, and the upper wiring from the others; and a coil wound around the magnetic pole by connecting the lower wiring and the upper wiring alternately and serially using the side surface wiring.
US08351303B2 Stepping motor controller and analog electronic timepiece
An invention allows a stepping motor to be reliably driven to rotate when initializing the driving and allows power consumption of the stepping motor to be reduced. The controller, when initializing the driving (for example, replacing a battery), controls a main drive pulse generator to drive a stepping motor using a main drive pulse having a maximum energy and sets the generation cycle of a pulse down control signal of a pulse down counter for pulsing down the main drive pulse to a first cycle to drive the stepping motor, and when pulsing down the main drive pulse to that having a predetermined energy, changes the generation cycle of the pulse down control signal of the pulse down counter to a second cycle.
US08351302B2 Power supply for clock
A line current power supply delivers operating current to a clock designed to be powered by a conventional electrochemical cell disposed in a power source compartment within the clock housing, and at the same time supplies recharging current to a rechargeable electrochemical cell for powering the clock in the absence of an external power supply. The rechargeable cell is contained within a cylindrical enclosure having a shape such that it can fit into the power source compartment of the clock, and having contacts allowing it to be substituted for the conventional electrochemical power source.
US08351301B2 Electronic timepiece and control method for an electronic timepiece
An electronic timepiece includes a reception unit that receives satellite signals transmitted from positioning information satellites; a time information generating unit that generates an internal time; an automatic reception processing unit that activates the reception unit when predefined conditions are met to perform automatic reception processing, and performs simple time correction processing including acquiring time information from satellite signals received from one of the satellites, and, based thereon, correcting the internal time; and a manual reception processing unit that activates the reception unit via operation of an external member to perform manual reception processing, and performs simple time or high precision correction processing to correct the internal time, the high precision time correction processing including acquiring time and satellite orbit information from satellite signals received from two or more of the satellites, calculating a position of the timepiece, and correcting the internal time using the time information and the position.
US08351300B2 Radio controlled timepiece
A radio controlled timepiece includes a housing and an antenna structure encased within the housing. The antenna structure includes a bar shaped core and a coil wound around the core, for receiving radio waves to set a current time. The housing includes a short hollow cylindrical metal case and a metal back cover engaged with one end of the case for closing. The housing further includes a housing fixing structure provided only on one of two parts of the housing divided by an axis of the bar shaped core.
US08351299B2 Apparatus and method for providing condition-based vibrotactile feedback
Systems and methods for monitoring motion parameters of an object are described in the present disclosure. In one embodiment among many, a sensor, coupled to a housing, senses motion associated with the housing and provides a sensor output based on the sensed motion. A processing device receives the sensor output, accumulates counts associated with the sensor output, and provides an output once a threshold associated with the accumulated counts is reached. A vibrotactile device, that receives the output from the processing device, provides a haptic output in response to the output from the processing device. In one embodiment among many, a toothbrush is described as a monitoring mechanism for monitoring a plurality of brush strokes that a user executes with the toothbrush. The monitoring mechanism is incorporated in the handle of the toothbrush. The monitoring mechanism may be used to provide an alert once a sufficient number of brush strokes is achieved.
US08351298B2 Rotational motion compensated seismic sensors and methods of use in seismic data acquisition
Apparatus and methods for acquiring seismic data using a seabed seismic data cable positioned on a seabed are described, including correcting for the effect of one or more sensor non-linear motions, which improves accuracy of seismic data. One or multiple non-linear movements of the sensor may be corrected for. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract, which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).
US08351291B2 Electrically programmable fuse module in semiconductor device
A semiconductor device has an e-fuse module and a programming current generator. The e-fuse module includes an array of electrically programmable e-fuse elements. The programming current generator has a set of reference transistor elements, a selector for actuating the reference transistor elements to generate a selected reference current, and a current mirror for applying a programming current that is a function of the selected reference current to a selected e-fuse element of the array to program the resistance of the e-fuse element.
US08351290B1 Erased page detection
A memory device and method, such as a flash memory device and method, includes a memory having a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells for storing stored values of user data. The memory device and method includes a memory controller for controlling the memory. The memory controller includes an encoder for encoding user write data for storage of code values as the stored values in the memory. The encoder includes an inserter for insertion of an indicator as part of the stored values for use in determining when the stored values are or are not in an erased state. The memory controller includes a decoder for reading the stored values from the memory to form user read data values when the stored values are not in the erased state.
US08351288B2 Flash storage device and data protection method thereof
A flash storage device comprises: a memory module, for storing data; a control unit, electrically connected to the memory module, for accessing the data in the memory module; and a detecting unit, electrically connected to the control unit, for passing a temperature detecting result to the control unit, and the control unit determining whether a data protection operation is activated according to the temperature detecting result.
US08351287B1 Bitline floating circuit for memory power reduction
Techniques are provided which may be used to reduce power consumed by memory circuits. In one example, a memory circuit includes a static random access memory (SRAM) cell. A pair of bitlines are connected to the SRAM cell. A precharge circuit is connected to the bitlines. The precharge circuit is adapted to precharge the bitlines immediately prior to read and write operations performed on the SRAM cell and float relative to the bitlines at other times.
US08351285B2 Systems, memories, and methods for repair in open digit memory architectures
Memories, systems, and methods for repairing are provided. A memory with extra digit lines in end arrays with an open digit architecture, which can use the extra digit lines to form repair cells. In one example, folded digit sense amplifiers are connected to an end array with an open digit architecture such that each sense amplifier corresponds to a group of four adjacent digit lines. Two digit lines of the group connect to two open digit sense amplifiers and the other two digit lines connect to the corresponding folded digit sense amplifier. To repair memories including folded digit end arrays, a row in a core array that includes a replaceable IO is activated and a row in an end array is activated. The repair cells in the end array can be sensed by the folded digit sense amplifiers to generate a replacement IO, which is selected rather than the replaceable IO.
US08351282B2 Semiconductor memory apparatus
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a data input enable signal generation block configured to sequentially delay a data strobe signal to generate a first delayed data strobe signal, a second delayed data strobe signal, a third delayed data strobe signal and a fourth delayed data strobe signal, and generate a data strobe enable signal in response to a CAS write signal, a CAS write latency signal and the first to fourth delayed data strobe signals, a latch control signal generation block configured to output the data strobe signal as a latch control signal during an enable period of the data strobe enable signal, and a data latch block configured to latch data in response to the latch control signal and output latched data.
US08351281B2 Early read after write operation memory device, system and method
A memory device, system and method for allowing an early read operation after one or more write operations is provided according to an embodiment of the present invention. The memory device comprises an interface for providing a first write address, a first write data, and a read address. A memory core is coupled to the interface and includes a first memory section having a first data path and a first address path and a second memory section having a second data path and a second address path. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first data and first address path is independent of the second data and second address path. The first write data is provided on the first data path responsive to the first write address being provided on the first address path while a read data is provided on the second data path responsive to the read address being provided on the second address path.
US08351275B2 Programming method for flash memory device
Provided is a programming method that increases writing performance of a flash memory device. The programming method for a flash memory device that includes a plurality of banks including a plurality of memory cells for storing multi-bit data includes the following: programming a most significant bit (MSB) page with respect to banks of a first bank group; programming a least significant bit (LSB) page with respect to banks of a second bank group; programming the MSB page with respect to the banks of the second bank group; and programming the LSB page with respect to the banks of the first bank group.
US08351274B2 Semiconductor memory device and method of precharging the same with a first and second precharge voltage simultaneously applied to a bit line
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory string coupled between a common source line and a bit line, a page buffer configured to supply a first precharge voltage to the bit line and to latch data corresponding to a threshold voltage level of a memory cell of the memory string, wherein the data is detected according to a shift in a voltage of the bit line, in a precharge operation, a precharge circuit configured to supply a second precharge voltage to the common source line in the precharge operation, and a voltage supply circuit configured to generate operating voltages for turning on the memory string in the precharge operation. While the first precharge voltage is supplied from the page buffer to the bit line, the second precharge voltage is supplied to the bit line through the memory string.
US08351272B2 Apparatuses and methods to reduce power consumption in digital circuits
An apparatus and method for reducing power consumption in digital circuits, particularly circuits including a charge pump. A driver may selectively drive a signal line, such as a memory device wordline, between a first voltage, which may be a voltage generated by the charge pump, and a different second voltage. A coupling circuit may be coupled between the signal line and the charge pump to selectively couple the signal line to the charge pump responsive to the signal line being driven from the first voltage to the second voltage. For example, the first voltage may be a voltage generated by the charge pump, and the second voltage may be a voltage having a lesser magnitude. As a result, the voltage on the signal line may be discharged into the charge pump when the voltage of the signal line transitions from the first voltage to the second voltage.
US08351271B2 Semiconductor storage apparatus including a pump circuit for the active mode and the standby mode
A semiconductor storage apparatus has a control circuit. The control circuit deactivates the first and second amplifier circuits, turns off the first, second, fourth and fifth switch circuits, and turns on the third and sixth switch circuits in response to an external signal based on reduction of current dissipation of a power supply which supplies the power supply voltage.
US08351270B2 Nonvolatile memory device and method of programming the device
A nonvolatile memory device and a method of programming the device includes storing first data in first main and sub-registers and storing second data in second main and sub-registers, performing first program and verification operations on first memory cells based on the first data stored in the first main register, storing a result of the first verification operation in the first main register, performing a second program operation on second memory cells based on the second data stored in the second main register, changing the result of the first verification operation, stored in the first main register, into the first data stored in the first sub-register, performing an additional verification operation on the first memory cells on which the first verification operation has been completed, storing a result of the additional verification operation in the first main register, and performing a second verification operation on the second memory cells.
US08351269B2 Method for non-volatile memory with background data latch caching during read operations
Part of the latency from memory read or write operations is for data to be input to or output from the data latches of the memory via an I/O bus. Methods and circuitry are present for improving performance in non-volatile memory devices by allowing the memory to perform some of these data caching and transfer operations in the background while the memory core is busy with a read operation. A read caching scheme is implemented for memory cells where more than one bit is sensed together, such as sensing all of the n bits of each memory cell of a physical page together. The n-bit physical page of memory cells sensed correspond to n logical binary pages, one for each of the n-bits. Each of the binary logical pages is being output in each cycle, while the multi-bit sensing of the physical page is performed every nth cycles.
US08351266B2 Techniques for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device
Techniques for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device comprising applying a first voltage potential to a first region via a bit line, applying a second voltage potential to a second region of the memory device via a source line, applying a control voltage potential to a body region of the memory device via a word line that is spaced apart and capacitively coupled to the body region, and applying a third voltage potential to a third region of the memory device via a carrier injection line in order to bias at least one of the first region, the second region, the third region, and the body region to perform one or more operations.
US08351264B2 High voltage switching circuitry for a cross-point array
Circuitry for generating voltage levels operative to perform data operations on non-volatile re-writeable memory arrays are disclosed. In some embodiments an integrated circuit includes a substrate and a base layer formed on the substrate to include active devices configured to operate within a first voltage range. Further, the integrated circuit can include a cross-point memory array formed above the base layer and including re-writable two-terminal memory cells that are configured to operate, for example, within a second voltage range that is greater than the first voltage range. Conductive array lines in the cross-point memory array are electrically coupled with the active devices in the base layer. The integrated circuit also can include X-line decoders and Y-line decoders that include devices that operate in the first voltage range. The active devices can include other active circuitry such as sense amps for reading data from the memory cells, for example.
US08351250B2 Programmable resistance memory
A memory includes a programmable resistance array and unipolar MOS peripheral circuitry. The peripheral circuitry includes address decoding circuitry. Because unipolar MOS circuitry is employed, the number of mask steps and, concomitantly, the cost of the programmable resistance memory may be minimized.
US08351248B1 CMOS SRAM memory cell with improved N/P current ratio
A memory cell in an integrated circuit has a first PMOS transistor formed in N-type semiconductor material and a first NMOS transistor formed in P-type semiconductor material. A well bias line coupled to the N-type semiconductor material or to the P-type semiconductor material provides a well bias voltage not equal to the PMOS bias voltage or to the NMOS bias voltage to reverse body-bias the PMOS transistor or to forward body-bias the NMOS transistor.
US08351247B2 Semiconductor device including memory cell having capacitor
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells formed on the semiconductor substrate and arranged in a matrix in a first direction and a second direction on the surface of the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of sense amplifiers formed on the semiconductor substrate and including a first sense amplifier and a second sense amplifier; and a plurality of bit lines extending along the first direction above the memory cell array, and arranged side by side in the second direction, wherein the plurality of bit lines include a first bit line pair formed in a first wiring layer and a second bit line pair formed in a second wiring layer located above the first wiring layer.
US08351246B2 Memory cell
Methods, and circuits, are disclosed for operating a programmable memory device. One method embodiment includes storing a value as a state in a first memory cell and as a complementary state in a second memory cell. Such a method further includes determining the state of the first memory cell using a first self-biased sensing circuit and the complementary state of the second memory cell using a second self-biased sensing circuit, and comparing in a differential manner an indication of the state of the first memory cell to a reference indication of the complementary state of the second memory cell to determine the value.
US08351238B2 Low-complexity electronic circuits and methods of forming the same
An electronic circuit such as a latch or a sequencer includes a plurality of transistors, all of the transistors being either NMOS transistors or PMOS transistors, and dissipates less than or approximately the same amount of power as an equivalent CMOS circuit.
US08351237B2 Ferroelectric random access memory and memory system
Certain embodiments provide a ferroelectric random access memory comprising a first buffer, a second buffer, a third buffer, a first controlling unit, a second controlling unit, a memory cell array, a sense amplifier circuit, and a third controlling unit. The first buffer outputs a first signal changed from a first value to a second value based on notification of power-down. The second buffer stops supply of inner clock signal with the change of the first signal from the first value to the second value. The third buffer receives an address signal corresponding to data to be read or written. The first controlling unit receives a command signal. The second controlling unit generates a basic signal that has a third value when the command signal indicates a bank active command and has a fourth value when the command signal indicates a precharge command and the first signal has the second value. The sense amplifier circuit reads data via a pair of bit lines from the memory cell corresponding to the address signal. The third controlling unit controls write back to the memory cell from which the data are read so as to be performed after an elapse of a predetermined time from the time the basic signal has the third value and when the basic signal has the fourth value.
US08351227B2 Switching controller for power converters
A switching controller for power converter comprises a current-sense circuit and a PWM circuit. The current-sense circuit receives high-voltage signal across a first switch to generate a current-sense signal. The PWM circuit generates a switching signal to control the first switch in response to the current-sense signal. The switching controller further comprises a delay circuit. The delay circuit receives the switching signal to generate a delayed switching signal. The current-sense signal and the high-voltage signal ramp up with the same slope during the delayed switching signal is enabled. The current-sense signal will be pulled down to a level of a ground reference during the delayed switching signal is disabled. A delay time provided by the delay circuit avoids the high-voltage signal at the instance which the first switch is being turned off being conducted to a first comparator and a second comparator via a second switch.
US08351226B2 Rectifier circuit, semiconductor device using the rectifier circuit, and driving method thereof
An object of the present invention is to provide a rectifier circuit which can suppress loss of power due to parasitic capacitance or parasitic inductance of a semiconductor element. The rectifier circuit matches or mismatches impedance between a circuit of a previous stage and the rectifier circuit in accordance with the amplitude of an input AC voltage. When an AC voltage to be input has a smaller amplitude than a predetermined voltage, impedance is matched and the AC voltage is applied as is to the rectifier circuit. Conversely, when an AC voltage to be input has a larger amplitude than a predetermined voltage, impedance is mismatched, and the amplitude of the AC voltage is decreased by reflection and then the AC voltage is applied to the rectifier circuit.
US08351223B2 Temperature compensation in output feedback of a flyback power converter
A secondary circuit of a flyback power converter has a resistor network to monitor the output current of the flyback power converter, so as to generate a voltage to apply to a base of a bipolar junction transistor to thereby provide a collector signal for output feedback. The resistor network has a temperature-dependent resistance to compensate the temperature dependence of the base-emitter voltage imparted to the output current and thereby stable the output current.
US08351222B2 Package carrier for enclosing at least one microelectronic device
A package enclosing at least one microelectronic element (60) such as a sensor die and having electrically conductive connection pads (31) for electric connection of the package to another device is manufactured by providing a sacrificial carrier; applying an electrically conductive pattern (30) to one side of the carrier; bending the carrier in order to create a shape of the carrier in which the carrier has an elevated portion and recessed portions; forming a body member (45) on the carrier at the side where the electrically conductive pattern (30) is present; removing the sacrificial carrier; and placing a microelectronic element (60) in a recess (47) which has been created in the body member (45) at the position where the elevated portion of the carrier has been, and connecting the microelectronic element (60) to the electrically conductive pattern (30). Furthermore, a hole (41) is arranged in the package for providing access to a sensitive surface of the microelectronic element (60).
US08351221B2 Stacked shield compartments for electronic components
The present disclosure is related to an electronic assembly in a stacked configuration. Electronic components are formed on substrates at each level of the stacked configuration. Electromagnetic shield compartments may be provided which substantially encapsulate the electronic components. Conductive vias are formed within the substrates on each level of the stacked configuration and coupled to one another so that the electromagnetic shields at each level of the stack can couple to a common node.
US08351219B2 Electronic assembly for an image sensing device
An electronic assembly for an image sensing device is disclosed, comprising an image sensing element, a lens set comprising a feet enclosing a cavity to receive the image sensing element and an opaque conductive layer disposed on at least a portion of a top side, a sidewall and a bottom side of the lens set, wherein the opaque conductive layer is electrically connected to a grounding layer to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) to the image sensing element.
US08351218B2 Multi-tier mass interconnect device
An interface receiver having multiple tiers such that a first tier in the receiver houses a module having its longest dimension in a first direction and a second tier houses a module having its longest dimension in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The receiver has three or more cams on each of two parallel sides. The receiver is capable of being mated with “legacy” test adapters having two pairs of parallel sides with each side in one of the pairs having two locator elements for engaging with the cams of the receiver and new test adapters of the present invention having an odd number of locator elements on each side.
US08351217B2 Wiring board
A wiring board of the present invention comprises a plurality of device formation areas each for mounting a semiconductor chip thereon, and two or more slits formed in an area which comes into contact with a molding die when the wiring board is placed in a cavity of the molding die for forming a sealant to collectively cover the plurality of device formation areas.
US08351216B2 Layered structure connection and assembly
The present invention relates to a layered structure assembly (1) for a DC to AC inverter comprising: a first layered structure (10) with first (12) and second (13) conductive layers, a second layered structure (14) with third (16) and fourth (17) conductive layers, and at least one connector (21) providing a low resistance/inductance interconnection between layered structures (10, 14), the connecter (21) comprising a rod (23) inside a sleeve (26).
US08351208B2 Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus
An electro-optical device may include: an electro-optical panel, a holding member that includes a main body part arranged to surround the periphery of the electro-optical panel, and a holding part protruded from the main body part and holding the electro-optical panel, and a heat radiating member that is disposed opposing the electro-optical panel through an opening of the holding member from the opposite side of the light incident plane of the electro-optical panel.
US08351207B2 Heat pipe capable of transforming dynamic energy into electric energy and related heat-dissipating module
A heat pipe includes a conductive hollow case, a conductive capillary layer, a piezoelectric component, and a flexible component. The conductive hollow case has a first end and a second end. The first end is connected to a heat-generating component. The second end is a heat-dissipating end. The conductive capillary layer is formed on an inner wall of the conductive hollow case. A liquid stored in the conductive capillary layer can be heated to evaporate by the heat-generating component and then move toward the second end. The piezoelectric component is connected to the conductive capillary layer. The flexible component is disposed at a side of the piezoelectric component for being driven by the evaporated liquid so as to exert force upon the piezoelectric component. Thus, the piezoelectric component can generate electric energy, which can be transmitted from the conductive capillary layer to the conductive hollow case.
US08351204B2 Modular data processing components and systems
Data processing modules including a housing and optical interfaces associated with the exterior of the housing, and systems including the same.
US08351202B2 Container data center
A container data center includes a mobile container and a number of server systems. The mobile container includes a bottom wall, an inner container portion and an outer container portion. The inner container portion includes a first top wall opposite to the bottom wall, and a number of first sidewalls connected between the first top wall and the bottom wall. The outer container portion includes a second top wall facing the bottom wall, and a number of second sidewalls connected between the second top wall and the bottom wall. The second sidewalls surround the inner container portion. A passage is formed between the first and second top walls and between the first and second sidewalls. The second top wall and the second sidewalls define a number of through holes. The server systems are installed in the inner container portion.
US08351199B2 Computer case with dehumidification
An exemplary computer case includes an external shell, a circuit board received in the external shell, and a dehumidification device. The circuit board includes a PCI socket providing an auxiliary power supply when the computer shuts down but the computer case retains electrical connection with an external AC power source. The dehumidification device includes a dehumidification card received in the PCI socket for obtaining the auxiliary power supply therefrom and a remote device. The dehumidification card includes a fan for generating airflow to remove moisture from the computer case and a sensor detecting a humidity inside the computer case. The remote device includes a display unit for displaying the result. When the humidity exceeds a predetermined value, the computer is not powered up until the fan evacuates the excess moisture from the computer case and the humidity falls below the predetermined value.
US08351197B2 Holding device for hard disk drive
A holding device for holding a HDD includes two elastic members and two frame members. The HDD includes a first end and a second end. The two elastic members are configured for respectively encasing the first end and the second end. Each frame member includes a base portion, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and at least one pair of clamping portions. The base portion includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first and second sidewalls extend from two opposite ends of the base portion. The first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the first surface cooperatively define a groove for receiving a corresponding one of the two elastic members. The clamping portions in each pair of clamping portion extends out from the first sidewall and the second sidewall and configured for engaging with a corresponding pair of clamping portions of another frame member.
US08351196B2 Hard disk drive bracket
A hard disk drive (HDD) bracket for fixing a HDD includes an arm, a frame pivotably connected to the arm, a handle mounted to the frame, and a fixing member slidably attached to the arm and capable of engaging with both of the handle and the arm.
US08351189B2 Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a body, a casing, and a resilient element. The casing accommodates the body such that the body can slide within the casing. The casing has an opening through which an electrical connection unit connected to the body protracts out of, or retracts into, the casing. The resilient element has an end connected to the casing and another end abutting against the body. The resilient element exerts a resilient restoring force upon the body in response to the sliding of the body. The casing has a stop structure configured to operate in conjunction with an engagement structure of the body and thereby limit the range of the sliding of the body. The engagement structure can be disengaged from the stop structure to separate the body from the casing. Accordingly, the portable electronic device has multiple uses, namely quick maintenance, easy assembly, body protection, and automatic accommodation.
US08351188B2 Solid electrolytic capacitor having first and second lead frames connected via a conductive member
A first lead frame has a cathode connection portion connected via a first electrically conductive member to a cathode portion, and a first connection portion having a first connection surface, and is at least partially, externally exposed. A second lead frame has a supporting connection portion connected via a second electrically conductive member to the cathode portion, and a second connection portion having a second connection surface facing the first connection surface. A third electrically conductive member interconnects the first and second connection portions. A solid electrolytic capacitor that can achieve low cost and high production yield can thus be provided.
US08351187B2 Solid capacitor
A solid capacitor according to an aspect of the invention may include: a capacitor device having an anode lead wire extending from one side thereof; a case molding the capacitor device and exposing the anode lead wire to the outside thereof; cathode and anode lead frames exposed on the outside the case and electrically connected to the capacitor device; a reinforcement interposed in the case between the anode lead wire and the anode lead frame so as to support the capacitor device and electrically connecting the anode lead wire and the anode lead frame; and a resin shielding part applied to the exposed portion of the anode lead wire to prevent the infiltration of foreign substances through the anode lead wire.
US08351186B2 Electrode foil for capacitor, manufacturing method therefor, and solid electrolytic capacitor using the electrode foil
An electrode foil for capacitor includes a substrate made of a valve metal foil, a first rough surface layer made of a valve metal formed on the first surface of the substrate by vapor deposition, and a second rough surface layer made of a valve metal formed on the second surface of the substrate by vapor deposition. The mode of diameters of pores of the first and second rough surface layers ranges from 0.02 μm to 0.10 μm. The thickness of the first rough surface layer is larger than the thickness of the second rough surface layer. The electrode foil has the rough surface layers formed by vapor deposition fabricated stably so that a solid electrolytic capacitor with high capacitance can be obtained using the foil.
US08351185B2 Electronic component and manufacturing method thereof
The invention provides an electronic component and a manufacturing method thereof that can achieve an improved adhesion strength when the electronic component is solder-mounted onto an external substrate and can thereby obtain considerably improved electric properties and reliabilities, etc. An electronic component, which is a capacitor 1, has: a circuit element 5a formed on a substrate 2; an electrode layer 5b connected to the circuit element 5a; passivation layers 6 and 8 that cover the electrode layer 5b; and terminal electrodes 9a and 9b connected to the electrode layer 5b via via-conductors Va and Vb formed through the passivation layers 6 and 8, the terminal electrodes 9a and 9b being formed to cover the side wall of the passivation layers 6 and 8. Since the pad electrodes 9a and 9b are formed so as to cover the passivation layers 6 and 8 across their uppermost surfaces and side walls, the area of contact between the pad electrodes 9a and 9b and the solder for solder-mounting increases, and the capacitor 1 can consequently exhibit an improved adhesion strength.
US08351182B2 Electric double layer capacitor
An electric double layer capacitor includes a first collector, a first polarizable electrode layer provided on the first collector, a second collector, a second polarizable electrode layer provided on the second collector and facing the first polarizable electrode layer, a separator having an insulating property and provided between the first polarizable electrode layer and the second polarizable electrode layer, and a driving electrolyte impregnated in the first polarizable electrode layer and the second polarizable electrode layer. The polarizable electrode layers mainly contain activated carbon made from phenol resin, have a surface roughness not larger than 0.6 μm, and have an electrode density ranging from 0.5 g/cm3 to 0.7 g/cm3. This electric double layer capacitor has characteristics deteriorating little even at low temperatures, thus having a reliability for a long time.
US08351180B1 Multilayer ceramic capacitor
There is provided a multilayer ceramic capacitor, including: a multilayer body in which a plurality of dielectric layers are stacked in a thickness direction; and inner electrode layers formed within the multilayer body and including first and second inner electrodes disposed to be opposed to each other; wherein a ratio (MA1/CA1) of MA1 to CA1 is between 0.07 and 0.20, wherein CA1 represents an area of the multilayer body in a cross section of the multilayer body taken in a length and thickness direction, and MA1 represents an area of a first margin part in the cross section of the multilayer body taken in the length and thickness direction, the first margin part being a portion of the multilayer body, other than a first capacitance forming part thereof in which the first and second inner electrodes overlap in the thickness direction.
US08351179B2 Solar generator with concentrator of primary electric arcs
A (GS) for an equipment (EQ) including an electrical reference (ME) and including an area provided with at least two photoelectric cells (C) electrically connected and each covered by a protective window that can become electrostatically charged. This solar generator further includes, on the one hand, at at least one chosen place (EC) of the area, intensification means (MI) responsible for locally intensifying the electrostatic charge so as to force the generation of primary electrical arcs at that chosen place, and, on the other hand, discharging means (EL, LM) adapted to couple the intensification means (MI) to the electrical reference (ME) of the equipment (EQ) so as to evacuate to that electrical reference (ME) discharge currents induced by the primary electrical arcs.
US08351173B2 Power supply circuit
A power supply circuit includes an energy-consuming component including an input terminal, an input over-voltage protection circuit connected to the input terminal, and a feed back circuit. The feedback circuit is connected to the input over-voltage protection circuit and the input terminal of the energy-consuming component. The feedback circuit monitors the voltage on the input terminal, compares the voltage on the input terminal with a reference voltage, and turns off the input over-voltage protection circuit to cut off voltage provided to the input terminal of the energy-consuming component when the voltage on the input terminal is larger than the reference voltage.
US08351172B2 Power supply control apparatus
A power supply control apparatus includes an output transistor coupled between a first power supply line and an output terminal, the output terminal being configured to be coupled with a load, a discharge transistor coupled between a gate of the output transistor and the output terminal, and rendered conductive when the output transistor is brought into a non-conduction state, a negative voltage control unit coupled between the first power supply line and the gate of the output transistor, and bringing the output transistor into a conduction state when the counter electromotive voltage applied to the output terminal from the load exceeds a predetermined value, a diode having a cathode coupled with the first power supply line, and an anode, a third resistor provided between the anode of the diode and a second power supply line, and a compensation transistor coupled between the second power supply line and the output terminal.
US08351170B2 Impedance compensated electrostatic discharge circuit for protection of high-speed interfaces and method of using the same
The embodiments of the apparatus and method described herein provide an integrated ESD/EOS protection solution which simplifies system PCB design for signal integrity compliance. As part of providing this solution, it is also desired to implement improved ESD/EOS protection and improved PCB routing.
US08351169B2 System and method for preventing, protecting OLTC from fire and/or transformer from explosion
The present invention relates to a system and method for preventing, protecting OLTC from fire and/or preventing, protecting and/or detecting explosion and/or resulting fire of electrical transformer (30) in advance before decomposition of combustible coolant fluid (11)/dielectric oil.
US08351168B2 Open circuit detector and method therefore
A circuit comprises a switch, a driver circuit, and an open circuit detector. The switch has a first current electrode coupled to a power supply terminal, a second current electrode coupled to supply a current to a load, and a control electrode. The driver circuit has an input for receiving a control signal, and an output coupled to the control electrode of the switch. The open circuit detector has a first terminal coupled to receive a voltage from a bootstrap capacitor, a second terminal coupled to the power supply terminal, and a control terminal coupled to the driver circuit. The open circuit detector detects an open circuit, and in response, provides a signal at the control terminal for causing the driver circuit to open the switch.
US08351166B2 Leakage sensor and switch device for deep-trench capacitor array
A high-density deep trench capacitor array with a plurality of leakage sensors and switch devices. Each capacitor array further comprises a plurality of sub-arrays, wherein the leakage in each sub-array is independently controlled by a sensor and switch unit. The leakage sensor comprises a current mirror, a transimpedance amplifier, a voltage comparator, and a timer. If excessive leakage current is detected, the switch unit will automatically disconnect the leaky capacitor module to reduce stand-by power and improve yield. An optional solid-state resistor can be formed on top of the deep trench capacitor array to increase the temperature and speed up the leakage screening process.
US08351164B2 Magnetoresistive element having free and/or pinned layer magnetic compound expressed by M1M2O
An example magnetoresistive element includes a first magnetic layer whose magnetization direction is substantially pinned toward one direction; a second magnetic layer whose magnetization direction is changed in response to an external magnetic field; and a spacer layer. At least one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer includes a magnetic compound layer including a magnetic compound that is expressed by M1aM2bOc (where 5≦a≦68, 10≦b≦73, and 22≦c≦85). M1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, and Ni. M2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, and Cr.
US08351162B2 Magnetic head with electro lapping guide
Embodiments of the invention reduce the throat height of a single pole type head with high accuracy. In one embodiment, a head with an electro lapping guide for controlling a write head's throat height during air bearing surface processing is made. Air bearing surface processing is performed using the electro lapping guide. For a read head, processing is performed using the read head itself or an electro lapping guide for the read head so that both the throat height of write head and the element height of read head are controlled.
US08351156B2 Perpendicular magnetic recording head having a main pole and first and second magnetic films peripheral to the main pole and having different depths from an air bearing surface
A perpendicular magnetic recording head according to one embodiment includes a main pole; first magnetic films arranged on both sides of the main pole in a track width direction via nonmagnetic films; and a second magnetic film arranged on a trailing side of the main pole via a nonmagnetic film; wherein the depths of the first magnetic films from an air bearing surface are smaller than the depth of the second magnetic film from the air bearing surface at least at a periphery of the main pole. A perpendicular magnetic recording head according to another embodiment includes a main pole; first magnetic films arranged on both sides of the main pole in a track width direction via nonmagnetic films; and a second magnetic film arranged on a trailing side of the main pole via a nonmagnetic film; wherein the main pole and the first magnetic films have respective tapered portions whose thicknesses become larger toward the side opposite to an air bearing surface, and the tapered portions are in contact with the second magnetic film. Additional embodiments are also presented.
US08351155B2 Perpendicular magnetic recording system with spin torque oscillator and control circuitry for fast switching of write pole magnetization
A perpendicular magnetic recording hard disk drive includes a write head with a write pole and an electrically conductive coil coupled to the write pole, a write driver for supplying electrical write current to the coil to generate magnetic flux in the write pole, a spin torque oscillator (STO) that injects auxiliary magnetic flux to the write pole to facilitate magnetization switching of the write pole, and STO control circuitry. Direct electrical current to the STO induces rotation of the magnetization of a free ferromagnetic layer in the STO, which generates the auxiliary magnetic flux. The STO control circuitry may be coupled to the STO via the electrical lines that connect the write driver to the write head, the lines that connect the read amplifier to the read head, or, if the disk drive is one with thermal fly-height control (TFC), the lines that connect the TFC circuitry with the heater.
US08351154B2 Perpendicular recording magnetic head with a varying interval between the main pole and the shield, and methods of manufacturing thereof
A perpendicular recording magnetic head is provided, according to one embodiment, in which even if a thickness of a main pole is reduced corresponding to a reduction in a recording track width, recording performance is not degraded. A magnetic-field auxiliary pole and a nonmagnetic layer are stacked on a main pole, and a nonmagnetic portion is provided on each side face on a flying surface side of the magnetic-field auxiliary pole and the nonmagnetic layer, in one approach. In all regions except for a region near a flying surface, an interval between the main pole and a shield is increased by the nonmagnetic portion and the nonmagnetic layer, so that magnetic field loss is prevented, and consequently magnetic field strength and a magnetic field gradient are increased. Other systems and methods are also disclosed for retaining magnetic recording performance while reducing a thickness of a main pole.
US08351145B2 Method retaining a moveable head assembly with an anti-rotation guide for a transducer
A transducer positioning apparatus is provided that supports a read/write head on a data storage machine and biases the head against rotation. The transducer positioning apparatus may comprise a base that includes a linear drive motor and a support frame to which the read/write head is secured. The support frame is reciprocally driven by the linear drive motor relative to the base. A magnetic coupling is provided between the base and the support frame that resists movement of the frame other than the reciprocal movement of the support frame relative to the base. A method is also disclosed for magnetically biasing a movable head of a transducer against rotation.
US08351144B2 Thermally assisted magnetic recording head, recording system, and recording method
Embodiments of the present invention help to suppress the effects of thermal fluctuation in a thermally assisted magnetic field recording, and improve recording density. According to one embodiment, a recording area of a magnetic disk is heated and the full width at half maximum of an optical power distribution of a near field light generator is controlled to be 100 nm or less. Thereby, the cooling time of the magnetic disk is made 2 nm or less and the effects of thermal fluctuation are suppressed. Moreover, although an incomplete area of the magnetization reversal at the rear end of the magnetic domain is created with rapid cooling, by creating an overshoot at the rising end of the magnetic field waveform of the magnetic recording head, the incomplete area of the magnetization reversal can be overwritten, which is created at the rear end of the magnetic domain previously recorded by the overshoot magnetic field. Therefore, the expansion of the magnetic transition width can be suppressed, resulting in the recording density being improved.
US08351143B2 Color filter substrate and manufacturing method thereof
A method of manufacturing a color filter substrate, performed by: preparing a color mask including a cyan transparent layer, a fuchsine transparent layer and a yellow transparent layer; preparing a color sensitive material substrate including a red sensitive emulsion cyan layer, a green sensitive emulsion fuchsine layer and a blue sensitive emulsion yellow layer; exposing the color sensitive material substrate using the color mask; and performing processes of development, bleaching, fixation and stabilization on the color sensitive material substrate.
US08351141B2 Drive device
A drive device includes a setting unit 12 for setting a control value using a control value-displacement characteristic at a predetermined reference temperature showing a relationship between a control value used to position a movable unit 5 and a displacement of the movable unit 5; a drive unit 20 for supplying drive power corresponding to the control value set by the setting unit 12 to a shape-memory alloy 1 and causing the shape-memory alloy 1 to expand or contract, thereby positioning the movable unit 5; and a correction unit 13 for correcting the control value so as to correct a position shift of the movable unit 5 from a target position resulting from a difference between a control value-displacement characteristic at an ambient temperature and a control value-displacement characteristic at the reference temperature based on the ambient temperature detected by a temperature detection unit 11.
US08351135B2 Imaging lens and imaging apparatus
An imaging lens includes: a first lens with a meniscus shape having a concave surface facing an object side; a second positive lens; a third negative lens with a meniscus shape having a convex surface facing an image side; and a fourth negative lens. The first to fourth lenses are arranged in this order from the object side. The imaging lens is configured such that a normal line of an object-side surface of the fourth lens at a point where the outermost light beam of an on-axis light flux passes intersects the optical axis on the image side of the object-side surface.
US08351132B2 Image pickup optical system and image pickup apparatus using the same
An image pickup optical system having five lenses includes in order from an object side, a first lens having a biconvex shape, and a positive refractive power, a second lens having a negative refractive power, a third lens having a meniscus shape with a concave surface thereof directed toward the object side, and a negative refractive power, a fourth lens having a meniscus shape with a concave surface thereof directed toward the object side, and a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens having a negative refractive power. The third lens and the fourth lens are cemented, and the negative refractive power at a central portion of the third lens increases gradually toward a peripheral portion thereof, and the positive refractive power at a central portion of the fourth lens decreases gradually toward a peripheral portion thereof. A cemented surface of the third lens and the fourth lens is an aspheric surface, and the cemented surface becomes a concave surface all the time with respect to the object side, at the central portion and the peripheral portion.
US08351126B2 Meta-material slab with anisotropic permittivity
In a particular embodiment, a meta-material slab is formed from multiple layers of at least two different compositions. The meta-material slab is adapted to propagate an evanescent wave in a direction parallel to an axis to form a cone-shaped wave along the axis.
US08351125B2 Directional light distributed optical element and directional light distributed optical assembly
A directional light distributing optical element includes a light incident surface and a light emission curved surface. The light incident surface receives a light emitted by a light source. The light emission curved surface and a first plane are intersected to form a first curve. The first curve has a plurality of first curve segments, and each first curve segment includes at least three first tangent points. After passing each first tangent point along a connecting line of the light source and each first tangent point, the light exits along a first axis, and an included angle formed between the first axis and an optic axis is greater than −15° and smaller than 15°. Thus, the light after passing the directional light distributing optical element forms a one-dimensional directional light.
US08351112B2 Optical amplifier
An optical amplifier includes a first amplification medium to receive light obtained by combining signal light input into an input port and the excitation light generated by a light source; a second amplification medium disposed between the first amplification medium and an output port; a loss medium to receive the signal light separated from light output from the first amplification medium; a variable optical attenuator that is disposed on a path that bypasses the loss medium, and to receive the excitation light separated from the light output from the first amplification medium; a first photodetector to detect power of light separated from the signal light transmitted from the second amplification medium; and a controller to control the amount of attenuation for the variable optical attenuator or output power of the light source so that signal light power per wavelength of the signal light becomes closer to a target value.
US08351108B2 Wavelength conversion laser and image display device
A wavelength conversion laser has: an exciting LD1, a solid state laser including a resonator, and a wavelength conversion element 7 disposed in the resonator. The solid state laser includes a first laser medium and a second laser medium as at least two types of laser media, and is configured to oscillate the solid state laser beams of the first emission wavelength and the second emission wavelength in the resonator as a result of the excitation light entering a region 3 configured from the first laser medium, thereafter entering a region 4 configured from the second laser medium, and subsequently entering a region 5 configured from the first laser medium. The wavelength conversion element 7 simultaneously generates a second harmonic and a sum frequency of the first emission wavelength and the second emission wavelength.
US08351106B2 Elastomeric device for tunable imaging
An optical micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) structure is provided. The structure includes an elastomer membrane, a plurality of polymer fibers attached to the elastomer membrane, an array of detectors operatively connected to the plurality of polymer fibers at a first end of the plurality of polymer fibers, and a microlens array operatively connected to the plurality of polymer fibers at a second end of the plurality of polymer fibers. A method of manufacturing an optical MEMS structure is provided. The method includes forming a hollow PDMS chamber in which PDMS fibers extend from top to bottom using a lost wax molding process.
US08351105B2 Color tone variable film, method of manufacturing the same, and electrochromic element obtained by the manufacturing method
The present invention provides a color tone variable film which is formed by a reaction of a cationic polymer containing a structural unit containing a positive ionic group in a side chain and a compound containing an acid group and a partial structure which can change color tone as a result of energy application, which can be formed by a wet method, which has flexibility and strength in practical use, and which changes color tone with high sensitivity as a result of energy application, a simple manufacturing method thereof, and an electrochromic element obtained by the manufacturing method.
US08351104B2 Controllably coupled piezoelectric motors
A mirror system comprising: a mirror; at least one piezoelectric motor having a coupling surface for coupling the motor to a moveable body; at least one spherical contact surface coupled to the mirror; and a motor mounting frame that holds a piezoelectric motor of the at least one piezoelectric motor and presses the piezoelectric motor coupling surface to a contact surface of the spherical contact surface; wherein the motor is controllable to apply force to the contact surface that rotates the mirror.
US08351103B2 Method and device for reducing speckle
A method for reducing speckle patterns of a three-dimensional holographic reconstruction is disclosed. A controllable light modulator into which a three-dimensional scene is coded is illuminated by coherent light, a reconstruction means projects the modulated light close to an eye position into a space of observation and a control means controls the illumination. This provides a holographic reproduction device in which the speckle patterns occurring during reconstruction of a three-dimensional scene are reduced. Also provided is a next-to-real time method using a carrier medium of conventional image refresh rate.