| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08375414B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for dynamic bandwidth management in an IP-network
The present invention refers to a method, an apparatus and a computer program product for dynamic bandwidth management in an IP-network, wherein a channel identifier indicating a channel for a program content is detected (S0), a state identifier indicating a high bandwidth permission for a terminal equipment is checked (S1), a high bandwidth IP address for said detected channel identifier is determined (S2), and in case a high bandwidth permission exists a joining (S3) is realized to said high bandwidth IP address to receive a high bandwidth content of said channel, or a high bandwidth permission is requested (S10) in case no high bandwidth permission exists. |
| US08375413B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data in a digital broadcasting system
A digital broadcasting system and a data processing method are disclosed. A receiving system of the digital broadcasting system includes a baseband processor, an IP network stack, and a handler. The baseband processor receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data and main service data. Herein, the mobile service data configures a Reed-Solomon (RS) frame, and the RS frame includes mobile service data and an internet protocol (IP) signaling channel having pre-decided IP access information included therein. The IP network stack accesses the IP signaling channel from the RS frame using the IP access information, thereby collecting signaling table information received through the IP signaling channel. And, the handler identifies and parses the collected signaling table information based upon a table identifier of each signaling table received through the IP signaling channel, thereby storing the parsed result. |
| US08375408B2 |
System and method of providing media content
A system for providing content to a user, comprising a transmitter 502 for transmitting to a user's receiver/decoder 2000 guide data relating to a plurality of items of content, and each of said items of content to which said guide data relates, prior to commencement of a period of availability of said items of content to the user; and a receiver/decoder 2100 comprising means 2016 for receiving said guide data and said items of content, means 3120 for generating a display of said guide data to enable a user to select at least one of said items of content for storage, means 2100 for storing the selected at least one item of content upon receipt thereof, and means 3120 for enabling the user to access the stored at least one item of content upon request following commencement of said period. |
| US08375391B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method of controlling image processing apparatus with emulation function when external storage device is attached, manages processing of jobs and sub jobs, and recording medium
Whether a job execution instruction has been issued or not is determined. When it is determined that the job execution instruction has been issued, a job ID is issued. Contents of the job in accordance with the job execution instruction are checked. Then, whether the job is a Scan to USB memory job in an emulation mode or not is determined. When it is determined that the job is the Scan to USB memory job in the emulation mode, a sub job ID brought in correspondence with the issued job ID is issued. |
| US08375390B2 |
Scheduling method and scheduling apparatus
Thread information is retained in a main memory. The thread information includes a bit string and last executed information. Each bit of the bit string is allocated to a thread, and the number and the value of the bit indicate the number of the thread and whether or not the thread is in an executable state, respectively. The last executed information is the number of a last executed thread. A processor rotates the bit string so that a bit indicating the last executed thread comes to the end of the bit string. It searches the rotated bit string for a bit corresponding to a thread in the executable state in succession from the top, and selects the number of the first obtained bit as the number of the next thread to be executed. Then, the thread information is updated by changing the value of the bit of this number to indicate not being executable, and setting the last executed information to the number of this bit. This operation is performed by using an atomic command. |
| US08375388B2 |
Combining print jobs when the current and the next job are generated by a specific application and each job having one copy
In a host-base printing system, it is intended to execute a continuous page printing of continuous print jobs with a maximum printing speed specific to a printing engine in a printing apparatus, without a loss in the printing speed. There is provided a host computer system in which a data generation unit generates a print job based on a drawing command entered from an application software, and transfers the generated print job for example to a printer, characterized in that a plurality of print jobs generated in succession are spooled in a system spooling unit, and a print control unit combines plural print jobs entered from the system pooling unit and transfers them as a single print job for example to a printer. |
| US08375387B2 |
Product independent orchestration tool
A self-replicating machine includes a virtualization tool, a provisioning tool, and a configuration tool, stored in a distributable self-contained repository of the machine. The machine is able to automatically rebuild itself solely from the tools stored in the distributable self-contained repository. The virtualization tool is configured to build one or more virtual machines on the machine. Each virtual machine has a corresponding operating system and environment. The provisioning tool is configured to provision the one or more virtual machines. The configuration tool is to configure the one or more provisioned virtual machines. A custom configuration management tool further customize and configure the physical machine for specific users. A configuration management tool is configured to orchestrate and automate a deployment process, and to interface with an underlying product having a corresponding functionality. |
| US08375376B2 |
Description processing device, description processing method, and recording medium
A description processing device has: a receiving unit which receives a behavior level description; a label-name generating unit which generates a label name; a label disposing unit which disposes a top label statement; an extracting unit which extracts an extracted label statement, a variable-name generating unit which generates a variable name; a replacing unit which replaces a statement immediately below the top label statement to the extracted label statement by a column of a conditional executable statement and an operation/assignment statement and replaces a jump statement for jumping to the extracted label statement by a column of an operation/assignment statement and a jump statement for jumping to the top label; a control unit which repeats the extraction, the generation of a new variable name, and the replacement; an inserting unit which inserts an operation/assignment statement; and an output unit which outputs the behavior level description. |
| US08375375B2 |
Auto parallelization of zero-trip loops through the induction variable substitution
A method and system of auto parallelization of zero-trip loops that substitutes a nested basic linear induction variable by exploiting a parallelizing compiler is provided. Provided is a use of a max{0,N} variable for loop iterations in case of no information is known about the value of N, for a typical loop iterating from 1 to N, in which N is the loop invariant. For the nested basic induction variables, an induction variable substitution process is applied to the nested loops starting from the innermost loop to the outermost one. Then a removal of the max operator afterwards through a copy propagation pass of the IBM compiler is provided. In doing so, the loop dependency on the induction variable is eliminated and an opportunity for a parallelizing compiler to parallel the outermost loop is provided. |
| US08375365B2 |
Customization verification
Results of an execution of a function including customizable steps, may be verified. Multiple of steps of the function, may be determined and may the customizable steps that have been customized. Results may be determined based on an execution of the function, wherein the execution uses values provided as inputs to the function. A result view for verifying the one or more results may be provided, the result view may include the steps of the function, the values corresponding to the inputs, and the results. |
| US08375364B2 |
Size and effort estimation in testing applications
Size of a software application testing project is determined, and person/hours required for the testing project is estimated. The software application is sized by counting the number of different parameter types that occur within testing activities associated with the application. The parameter type numbers are then divided by a scaling weight to arrive at a Testing Unit number, which is then divided by a Testing Unit rate, e.g., person hours associated with each testing unit, to arrive at an estimated testing project effort. Some embodiments include an uncertainty calculation that potentially increases testing time based on clarity of the project requirements, the tester familiarity with the application area and the tester familiarity with the domain. Some embodiments calculate separate testing project times for different phases of the testing project. |
| US08375363B2 |
Mechanism to change firmware in a high availability single processor system
A “high availability” system comprises multiple switches under the control of a control processor (“CP”). The firmware executing on the processor can be changed when desired. Consistent with the high availability nature of the system (i.e., minimal down time), a single CP system implements a firmware change by loading new firmware onto the system, saving state information pertaining to the old firmware, preventing the old firmware from communicating with the switches, bringing the new firmware to an active state and applying the saved state information to the new firmware. |
| US08375362B1 |
Wizard for web service search adapter
Generating a search web services adapter is disclosed. An indication is received that an input parameter associated with an operation associated with the web service corresponds to a search query parameter. An indication is received that an output parameter associated with the operation corresponds to a search result parameter. Adapter code is automatically generated that is configured to translate a query into a form required by the web service to perform the operation, including by mapping a received input value for the search query parameter to the input parameter, and to translate a result of the operation, including by mapping a received output value for the output parameter to the search result parameter. |
| US08375352B2 |
Terms management system (TMS)
A method for managing technical terms and data items associated with a product design and its features and requirements. A terms management process and software tool are described which build a repository of technical terms with definitions, data items with attributes, and acronyms with meanings. The central repository can be used by anyone who needs to use or contribute to the data, thus preventing ambiguity and misunderstanding in the use of data items and terms. The process and software tool integrate with a requirements development method and tool, which ensures that all data items and terms are reviewed and approved before being used. |
| US08375351B2 |
Extensible rapid application development for disparate data sources
Embodiments of the invention provide an IDE tool that provides rapid application development features for a variety of disparate data sources. Further, developers may customize and extend the rapid application development features to suit their development needs in a particular case. In a particular embodiment, the rapid application development template may be configured to generate a set of configuration files localized used to deploy a “lightweight” application, such as a web-service, to a particular application server. |
| US08375349B2 |
Method for constant power density scaling
A method for constant power density scaling in MOSFETs is provided. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit includes computing fixed scaling factors for a first fabrication process based on a second fabrication process, computing settable scaling factors for the integrated circuit to be fabricated using the first fabrication process, determining parameters of the integrated circuit based on the settable scaling factors, and manufacturing the integrated circuit using the determined parameters. The first fabrication process creates devices having a smaller device dimension than the second fabrication process and the settable scaling factors are set based on the fixed scaling factors. |
| US08375347B2 |
Driven metal critical dimension (CD) biasing
A method of designing an integrated circuit (“IC”) is provided that includes placing an IC design, where the IC design includes a first element, a second element, and a path coupling the first and second elements, and routing the IC design. Further, the method includes obtaining at least one of resistivity data and capacitance data related to the path, and obtaining timing data related to the path. The method also includes using at least one of the resistivity data, the capacitance data, and the timing data to determine a critical dimension (“CD”) bias to be applied to the path, and modifying the IC design, where modifying includes applying the CD bias to the path. |
| US08375346B2 |
Method and apparatus for laying out power wiring of semiconductor
An aspect of the present invention is a method for laying out a power wiring of a semiconductor device. The method includes: modeling the power wiring as an analysis model including a plurality of nodes and a plurality of element resistors provided between the plurality of nodes neighboring each other; obtaining voltage values of the plurality of nodes by a circuit simulation; searching a path of a current flowing into a node of the plurality of nodes when an IR drop violation exists in the voltage values, the node having a maximum value of the IR drop violation; selecting a bottleneck element resistor from among the plurality of element resistors included in the path; and changing a resistance value of the bottleneck element resistor. |
| US08375343B1 |
Methods and apparatus for waveform based variational static timing analysis
A system and method are disclosed for waveform based variational static timing analysis. A circuit is divided into its linear circuit parts and non-linear circuit parts and modeled together, by a combination of linear modeling techniques, into linear equations that may be represented by matrices. The linear equations in matrix form may be readily solved by a computer such that an input waveform to an input pin of the circuit can be sequentially “pushed” through the various interconnects and logic networks of the circuit to an output pin. Output voltage waveforms are obtained at each stage of the waveform pushing and may be used to perform static timing analysis. |
| US08375341B2 |
Method for improving the radio frequency linearity of silicon-on-insulator MOSFET circuits
A method for improving the radio frequency linearity of SOI MOSFET circuits is disclosed. In particular, a method for determining output conductance transition-free body resistances (“Rbody”) for SOI MOSFETs used in SOI MOSFET circuits to eliminate their output conductance transition in the radio frequency range is disclosed. The Rbody of the SOI MOSFETs can be adjusted by changing the number of fingers, i.e., gates, in an SOI MOSFET and/or varying other layout parameters, such as finger width. The transition-free SOI MOSFETs result in improved linearity of mixed-signal, radio-frequency, analog integrated circuits, where body-contacted SOI MOSFETs are preferred because a high degree of device matching is required. |
| US08375339B2 |
Converting a synchronous circuit design into an asynchronous design
Methods and systems for converting synchronous circuit designs to asynchronous circuit designs are described. A method may include converting a synchronous circuit design to an asynchronous dataflow design. Functional characteristics of the synchronous circuit design may be determined. The synchronous circuit design may include multiple synchronous logic blocks and a number of connection boxes. Each synchronous logic block may be converted, based on functional characteristics, to corresponding asynchronous dataflow logic blocks. The corresponding asynchronous dataflow logic blocks may provide corresponding asynchronous dataflow logic functions that may use protocol signals. Each connection box, based on the functional characteristics, may be converted to programmable switch points and programmable switches. |
| US08375331B1 |
Social computing personas for protecting identity in online social interactions
A system and method for generating a plurality of personas for an account of a user is disclosed. The present invention uses an account engine to receive information for the plurality of personas and to associate the information for the plurality of personas to the account. The information for each of the plurality of personas includes a visibility level. A persona engine receives a selection from the user and transmits the selected persona to the user based on the selection. An authority engine determines an appearance of the selected persona based on the visibility level. |
| US08375329B2 |
Method of providing a graphical user interface using a concentric menu
In a graphical user interface a display is animated by activation with an input device with a first concentric menu comprising a first grouping of menu items having a subset of one or more items from a set of menu items. Then, after selecting one menu item out of the first grouping of menu items, the display is animated with at least one additional grouping of menu items that are each concentrically in a pie sliced shape. The graphical user interface can be activated by a user at any position on the display area via the input device. |
| US08375327B2 |
Iconic communication
A method of sending a message on a mobile communication network, including, activating an icon entering interface on a mobile device, said interface including at least 50 icons, at least 25 of which include an associated name stored on said mobile device; entering a message including at least three consecutive icons, using said activated interface; and transmitting said message to a remote communication device. |
| US08375325B2 |
Customizable, multi-function button
A device includes a toolbar. The toolbar includes a button whose function changes based on context and whose visual interface changes based on the function the button is performing. |
| US08375318B2 |
File management apparatus and image display apparatus
A file management apparatus includes the following elements: a representative image storage device storing representative image data of each of a plurality of content files in association with a creation time of the content file; a rendering unit rendering the representative image data at a position corresponding to the creation time with a calendar continuous over days, months, and years serving as a background; a display state maintaining unit maintaining, as a display state, a time-axis range of the calendar being displayed and a position thereof; an operation receiving unit receiving a change operation to change the display state, the change operation commonly being a scrolling operation in a time-series direction in any time-axis range; and a controller controlling, in response to the change operation, the rendering means to render the representative image data on the calendar on the basis of the display state. |
| US08375309B2 |
Integration of collaboration systems in an instant messaging application
A user of an instant messaging application may interact with instant messaging contacts in other collaboration applications (e.g., e-mail, calendar applications, etc.). IM conversations may relate to information in the collaboration applications. For example, an employee may send an e-mail containing marketing data to his manager and wishes to discuss the data further. The employee sends an IM to the manager referencing the data. The manager should read the e-mail before responding, but the manager may not know that she received the e-mail. Information from a plurality of collaboration applications can be integrated into an instant messaging application. A collaboration integration unit can collect and associate information from the collaboration applications with instant messaging contacts and provide suggestions based on the information. In the previous example, the manager's instant messaging application collects information from an e-mail application and indicates that she has an unread e-mail from the employee. |
| US08375307B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for managing e-mail thereof
A method for controlling a mobile terminal, and which includes executing, via a controller on the mobile terminal, an e-mail function; displaying, via a display on the mobile terminal, a e-mail account list including at least first and second e-mail accounts, in which the first e-mail account uses a first e-mail service for processing e-mails and the second e-mail account uses a second e-mail service for processing e-mails that is different than the first e-mail account service; providing, via the controller, an e-mail service of the selected first e-mail account, when the first e-mail account on the e-mail account list is selected; receiving, via an input unit, an account changing request for changing from the first e-mail account to the second e-mail account while information within the first e-mail account is currently being displayed; changing, via the controller, from the first e-mail account to the second e-mail account according to the account changing request; and providing, via the controller, the second e-mail service for the second e-mail account. |
| US08375303B2 |
System and method for generating a work of communication with supplemental context
A system for selecting, managing, sharing and displaying content data files in a manner that takes into the account the contextual significance of said content data files to a narrative, an author(s) and an audience. A system that is able to place an absolute and relative value upon the significance of a media object is able to assist in stimulating the recollection of the author and audience, thus making every aspect more memorable and enhancing by improving the ease of use and the quality of the final result of the use of the system of this invention. |
| US08375302B2 |
Example based video editing
Enabling creation of a user-specific storyboard style based on a storyboard edited by a user. Metadata defined by analyzing the editing decisions made by the user and the media content associated with the storyboard represents the user-specific style. The user-specific style may be applied to other media content to produce a fully edited storyboard that matches the style of the example storyboard from which the user-specific style was created. The produced storyboard is combined with the other media content to produce audio/video data for consumption by the user. |
| US08375293B2 |
Method and apparatus for defining documents
Some embodiments provide a method for storing a document. The document is created by using a set of template pages. The method, in a data storage structure, creates a first prototype section for storing information for the template pages. The method also, in the data storage structure, creates a second section for storing a set of content for the document. In some embodiments, the template pages are provided by a word-processing application. In some embodiments, the information for the template pages includes text information, image information, and thumbnail information. In some embodiments, a word-processing application utilizes the stored thumbnails in the prototypes section to generate a visual representation of a template page contents to a user to assist the user in creating a document. In some embodiments, the template pages further include stylesheet information, headers information, and footers information. |
| US08375288B1 |
Method and system for user input facilitation, organization, and presentation
User input can be organized and presented using a multi-dimensional board comprising a plurality of cells where unique messages are displayed in individual cells in the board. In some cases the messages may be accompanied by path indicators indicating which messages on the board are responsive to which other messages. The messages can include text, video, audio, and/or various types of interactive media such as games or applets. |
| US08375286B2 |
Systems and methods for displaying statistical information on a web page
A method for displaying information on a display screen of a user computer comprises sending a computer readable document from a server computer to the user computer for display on the display screen. The computer readable document includes links that are viewable on the display screen and are selectable to cause subsequent documents to be rendered on the display screen. The computer readable document further includes viewable information regarding selection of the links over a certain time. |
| US08375285B2 |
Enabling access to data files unsupported by a computing device
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing access to data files. A first computer device sends a data file to a web server which hosts the data file. Responsive to sending the data file to the web server, the first computer device receives from the web server a web page link to the data file hosted at the web server. The first computer device creates, in a web browser application in the first computer device, a bookmark associated with the web page link. The first computer device then synchronizes the bookmarks in its web browser application with the bookmarks in the web browser application of a second computer device to allow a bookmark associated with the web page link to also be created in the web browser application of the second computer device. |
| US08375283B2 |
System, device, method, and computer program product for annotating media files
A system, device, method, and computer program product are provided for allowing a user of the device to more easily annotate data files and/or images received by or created by the electronic device or system. For example, according to one embodiment, when a user takes a digital picture using a camera-equipped mobile phone, annotation data may be automatically presented to the user when a preview of the image is first displayed on the electronic display. The annotation data may be presented to the user as a list that semi-transparently overlays the preview of the image. The annotation list and/or the individual annotations that make up the list may be customizable. The annotation choices in the list may correspond to keys on the electronic device. Annotation data may be stored with the image or file as embedded metadata. The selected annotation data may also be used to create file folders in a memory device and/or store the image or file in a particular file folder in the memory device. |
| US08375281B2 |
Method and apparatus for storing survivor paths in a viterbi detector using systematic pointer exchange
A survivor path memory is provided for a Viterbi detector. The survivor path memory comprises a plurality of columns, each associated with a different time step, and an input processor. Each column comprises a flip flop for storing one bit or portion of a bit sequence associated with a Viterbi state; and a multiplexer for each state controlled by a case signal indicating a time step, the multiplexer selecting a state from a previous time step, wherein an output of the multiplexer of a given state is connected to at least one data input of a flip flop of the given state. The input processor generates a control signal that exchanges one or more pointers based on a trellis structure, wherein each of the pointers points to one of the flip flops. |
| US08375279B2 |
Receiving device and receiving method
To provide a receiving device and a receiving method which achieve iterative decoding regarding concatenated codes containing a convolutional code while suppressing increase in circuit scale, a decoder and an error correcting part iteratively perform decoding and error correction corresponding to a convolutional code on soft-decision inputs corresponding to the received signal sequence. Depending on whether a decoding result matches error corrected decoded data obtained in previous processing or not, penalties are calculated corresponding to branches transiting with the respective decoded results, and a branch metric is calculated by reflecting the calculated penalties as to decrease likelihood ratio of each of the branches to which the penalties are to be added. The obtained branch metric is input to a decoder, thereby reflecting the penalty corresponding to the decoding result. |
| US08375278B2 |
Compact decoding of punctured block codes
k input bits are encoded according to a code with which is associated a m×n=m+k parity check matrix H. The resulting codeword is punctured, with n′ |
| US08375276B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding data
The embodiments of the present invention provide a data coding method. In this data coding method, a synchronization header is added to the data that has undergone line coding and FEC coding, and then the data is framed and sent out. The embodiments of the present invention also provide the corresponding data decoding method, data coding apparatus, and data decoding apparatus. Because the redundant information for synchronization is added, the synchronization performance of the transmission system is ensured effectively even if the algorithm selected in the line coding provides low redundancy; moreover, the added synchronization header does not participate in the FEC coding calculation, thus preventing impact on the FEC coding gain. |
| US08375273B2 |
Semiconductor device including a NAND flash memory
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a NAND flash memory, an input/output unit, a switch, and a controller. The input/output unit includes an ECC unit configured to perform an ECC process on data input to the NAND flash memory, and/or data output from the NAND flash memory, and an interface configured to exchange data with an external apparatus, and controls input/output of data between the NAND flash memory and the external apparatus. The switch is connected to the NAND flash memory and the input/output unit. The controller controls the NAND flash memory and the input/output unit, and switches a connection between the NAND flash memory and the ECC unit, and a connection between the NAND flash memory and the interface via the switch. |
| US08375268B2 |
Receiving apparatus, receiving method, computer program, and receiving system
A receiving apparatus includes: a first decoding means for performing, every time frame data in which an inner code and an outer code are used as error correction codes is transmitted thereto, decoding processing employing the inner code and outputting decoded data; a storing means for storing the decoded data; a second decoding means for applying decoding processing employing the outer code to the decoded data; and a control means for controlling storage and output of the decoded data in and from the storing means to suspend, while the control means causes the storing means to output first decoded data as the decoded data of a decoding result of first frame data to the second decoding means, when the first decoding means starts output of second decoded data as the decoded data of a decoding result of second frame data following the first frame data, the output of the first decoded data to the second decoding means and cause the storing means to store the second decoded data and, when the storage of the second decoded data ends, cause the storing means to resume the output of the first decoded data to the second decoding means. |
| US08375264B2 |
Tap interface select circuit with AUX1/02-TMS and TMS/RCK-RCK leads
This disclosure describes a reduced pin bus that can be used on integrated circuits or embedded cores within integrated circuits. The bus may be used for serial access to circuits where the availability of pins on ICs or terminals on cores is limited. The bus may be used for a variety of serial communication operations such as, but not limited to, serial communication related test, emulation, debug, and/or trace operations of an IC or core design. Other aspects of the disclosure include the use of reduced pin buses for emulation, debug, and trace operations and for functional operations. In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, an interface select circuit, FIGS. 41-49, provides for selectively using either the 5 signal interface of FIG. 41 or the 3 signal interface of FIG. 8. |
| US08375255B2 |
Device and method for detecting and diagnosing correlated network anomalies
A device detects and diagnoses correlated anomalies of a network. The device includes an anomaly detection module receiving a first data stream including an event-series related to the network. The anomaly detection module executes at least one algorithm to detect a potential anomaly in the event-series. The device further includes a correlating module receiving a second data stream including other event-series related to the network. The correlating module determines whether the potential anomaly is false and determines whether the potential anomaly is a true anomaly. |
| US08375238B2 |
Memory system
A memory controller takes in the first to (N−1)th pieces of data respectively in synchronization with the second to Nth return read clocks. The memory controller takes in the Nth piece of data from stop of output of the Nth read clock and before a first predetermined time. The memory controller sets an output period of the Nth read clock to be longer than an output period of each of the first to (N−1)th read clocks. |
| US08375237B2 |
Systems and methods for synchronization of an external control system with fieldbus devices
Systems and methods for synchronization of an external control system with Fieldbus devices are described. A message including timing information for at least one Fieldbus device in direct or indirect communication with a controller may be received by the controller. Based upon information included in the received message, the controller may determine a start time for a current operation cycle of the at least one Fieldbus device. The controller may then utilize the start time and a duration of the current operation cycle to determine a specific time at which the controller will execute control functionality for the at least one Fieldbus device such that a control message output by the controller will be received by the at least one Fieldbus device within the current operation cycle. |
| US08375235B2 |
Storage system
A storage system including: a storage apparatus including a plurality of storage devices on which a plurality of logical units is configured and a first controller that controls accesses to the plurality of logical units; and a file server coupled to said storage apparatus and including a second controller and a memory storing management information which indicates relationships between each of the plurality of logical units and each of a plurality of indicators; wherein the first controller, in response to a request to create a first folder with a first indicator, creates the folder on one or more first logical units included in the plurality of logical units, the one or more first logical units related to the first indicator. |
| US08375234B2 |
Wakeup of a non-powered universal serial bus
Universal serial bus wakeup when the bus is not powered. In one embodiment, a method of waking up a universal serial bus (USB) from a non-powered state, comprises: upon detection of a wakeup condition, a wakeup generation module associated with a USB device generating a wakeup signal on a power line of a USB bus coupled to the USB device, or on a single-wire sideband; and a host wakeup module detecting the wakeup signal and causing the USB bus that is coupled to the USB device to be supplied with power. |
| US08375229B2 |
Apparatus for controlling supply of electric power and apparatus for controlling electric power
A power supply control apparatus communicates with a power control apparatus which controls use of electric power of an electronic apparatus. A receiver unit receives a change request to change a power supply-distribution capacity supplied to one electronic apparatus from the power control apparatus controlling use of electric power of the one electronic apparatus. A calculation unit calculates a sum of the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus in response to the received change request and power supply-distribution capacities supplied to the other electronic apparatuses except the one electronic apparatus. A comparison unit compares the maximum power supply-distribution capacity to the sum of the calculated power supply-distribution capacities. A determination unit determines whether or not a change in the power supply-distribution capacity supplied to the one electronic apparatus is allowable based on a result of the comparison. |
| US08375228B2 |
Multiple-node system power utilization management
A multiple-node system having a number of nodes has its power utilization managed. A node power cap of a node specifies a maximum power that the node is individually able to utilize. A system-wide power cap specifies a maximum power that the multiple-node system is able to utilize overall. In response to determining that a node power cap of a selected node is to be increased, where a total of the node power caps of all the nodes is equal to the system-wide power cap, the node power caps of one or more nodes are reduced so that the total of the node power caps of all the nodes is less than the system-wide power cap. The node power cap of the selected node is then increased such that the total of the node power caps of all the nodes is equal to or less than the system-wide power cap. |
| US08375226B1 |
System and method for selectively isolating a computer from a computer network
A system and method for providing a firewall system that prevents a computer from being accessed by an unauthorized user via a computer network. The system includes a switch assembly that connects and disconnects the computer from a computer network. The switch assembly is controlled by the types of data transmissions generated by the computer. If the computer generates a data transmission addressed to the computer network, the switch assembly automatically interconnects the computer to the computer network. If the data transmission generated by the computer includes a data request from some point on the computer network, the interconnection with the computer network is held open until the requested data is received. Once the requested data is received, the switch assembly disconnects the computer from the computer network. |
| US08375224B2 |
Data masking with an encrypted seed
A method and apparatus is provided for generating a masked value from a cryptographically transformed value by using the cryptographically transformed value as a random seed, without decrypting the cryptographically transformed value. A query is evaluated against a set of data to produce a result. The result may be cryptographically transformed or unencrypted. If the result is unencrypted, the result may be cryptographically transformed to produce a random seed. If the result is already cryptographically transformed, then the result is used as the random seed. The random seed is used to generate a masked value, without decrypting the cryptographically transformed random seed value. The masked value conforms to a particular data characteristic such as a data format or a data type, which may be determined from metadata stored in a database, received with a query, or gleaned from unencrypted data. The masked value is returned as a result of the query. |
| US08375219B2 |
Program and operation verification
A security module may be used to verify integrity of an executable program and may also be used to verify execution of the executable program on a computer. The security module may directly read a computer memory by asserting bus master control of a system bus. The executable program may be directly verified by calculating a hash or may be indirectly verified by an intermediate program that calculates the hash and passes it to the security module. To verify operation, the executable program may cause an interrupt to be generated when the executable program is in a known state. An interrupt service routine may trigger the security module to read registers in the computer processor via a debug port. If either the verification of the executable program fails or the register values are inconsistent with operation of the executable program, the security module may interrupt operation of the computer. |
| US08375218B2 |
Pre-processing biometric parameters before encoding and decoding
Biometric parameters acquired from human faces, voices, fingerprints, and irises are used for user authentication and access control. Because the biometric parameters are continuous and vary from one reading to the next, syndrome codes are applied to determine biometric syndrome vectors. The biometric syndrome vectors can be stored securely, while tolerating an inherent variability of biometric data. The stored biometric syndrome vector is decoded during user authentication using biometric parameters acquired at that time. The syndrome codes can also be used to encrypt and decrypt data. The biometric parameters can be pre-processed to form a binary representation, in which the binary representation has a set of predetermined statistical properties enforced imposed by a set of binary logical conditions. |
| US08375216B2 |
Document verification apparatus and method
Determination is executed as to whether an electronic document has been edited after addition of a second signature added after addition of a first signature. When it is determined that editing is made after the addition of the second signature, a verification result of the electronic document is output without determining whether editing is made after the addition of the first signature. If it is determined that editing is not made after the addition of the second signature, determination is executed as to whether editing is made after the addition of the first signature and the verification result of the electronic document is output based on an obtained determination result. |
| US08375210B2 |
Automatic configuration of devices upon introduction into a networked environment
Automatic configuration of devices upon introduction into a networked environment, can be implemented, for example, by having a device randomly generate a series of letters and/or numbers, e.g., generate a PIN (Personal Identification Number) that encodes temporary credentials that, in addition to proving ownership and/or control over the device by virtue of having access to the PIN, also allows creating a temporary secure communication channel based on the PIN over which permanent security credentials may be transferred to the device to facilitate provisioning it to securely communicate in the networked environment. In a wireless scenario, a unique SSID and encryption key (WEP or WPA) may be determined as a function of the PIN, where both the device and its access point utilize the PIN to establish a temporary secure communication channel. Various techniques may be used to establish ownership and/or control over the device to prevent inadvertent association of the device with a wrong networked environment. |
| US08375207B2 |
Method and apparatus for authenticating a network device
A trust center for a wireless personal area network is arranged to perform authentication of communication devices joining the network. The trust center is operatively coupled to a security server, which is arranged to store communication device keys. The trust center is further arranged, upon a new communication device joining the network, to request from the security server a communication device key of the joining communication device for the purpose of authenticating the joining communication device. |
| US08375197B2 |
Performing an allreduce operation on a plurality of compute nodes of a parallel computer
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for performing an allreduce operation on a plurality of compute nodes of a parallel computer, each node including at least two processing cores, that include: performing, for each node, a local reduction operation using allreduce contribution data for the cores of that node, yielding, for each node, a local reduction result for one or more representative cores for that node; establishing one or more logical rings among the nodes, each logical ring including only one of the representative cores from each node; performing, for each logical ring, a global allreduce operation using the local reduction result for the representative cores included in that logical ring, yielding a global allreduce result for each representative core included in that logical ring; and performing, for each node, a local broadcast operation using the global allreduce results for each representative core on that node. |
| US08375195B2 |
Accessing memory locations for paged memory objects in an object-addressed memory system
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that accesses memory locations in an object-addressed memory system. During a memory access in the object-addressed memory system, the system receives an object identifier and an address. The system then uses the object identifier to identify a paged memory object associated with the memory access. Next, the system uses the address and a page table associated with the paged memory object to identify a memory page associated with the memory access. After determining the memory page, the system uses the address to access a memory location in the memory page. |
| US08375191B2 |
Non-volatile memory, page dynamic allocation apparatus and page mapping apparatus therefor, and page dynamic allocation method and page mapping method therefor
Disclosed are a non-volatile memory and page dynamic allocation and mapping technology thereof. According to the page dynamic allocation and mapping technology, by variable memory allocation, fragmentation may be prevented and page faults may be minimized in response to pages being loaded through page mapping of the non-volatile memory. |
| US08375185B1 |
Permissions of objects in hosted storage
A data object is stored in a hosted storage system and includes an access control list specifying access permissions for data object stored in the hosted storage system. The hosted storage system provides hosted storage to a plurality of clients that are coupled to the hosted storage system. A request to store a second data object is received. The request includes an indicator that the first data object stored in the hosted storage system should be used as an access control list for the second data object. The second data object is stored in the hosted storage system. The first data object is assigned as an access control list for the second data object stored in the hosted storage system. |
| US08375183B1 |
Method and apparatus for archiving de-duplicated data maintained by an intelligent backup appliance
Method and apparatus for archiving de-duplicated data maintained by an intelligent backup appliance are described. In some examples, backup data managed by a backup appliance in a computer system is archived. A request to archive selected backup images of a plurality of backup images maintained by the backup appliance is received. The selected backup images are compared with a pool of de-duplicated data for the plurality of backup images maintained by the backup appliance to identify common data among the selected backup images and unique data in each of the selected backup images. A core backup is stored on first archive storage media, the core backup including at least a portion of the common data. A unique backup is stored on second archive storage media, the unique backup including the unique data a reference to the core backup stored on the first archive storage media. |
| US08375180B2 |
Storage application performance matching
Input/output (I/O) activity in the multiple tier storage system is monitored to collect statistical information. The statistical information is recurrently transformed into an exponential moving average (EMA) of the I/O activity having a predefined smoothing factor. Data portions in the multiple tier storage system are sorted into buckets of varying temperatures corresponding to the EMA. At least one data migration plan is recurrently generated for matching the sorted data portions to at least one of an available plurality of storage device classes. One data portion sorted into a higher temperature bucket is matched with a higher performance storage device class of the available plurality of storage device classes than another data portion sorted into a lower temperature bucket. |
| US08375176B2 |
Lock mechanism to enable atomic updates to shared memory
A system and method for locking and unlocking access to a shared memory for atomic operations provides immediate feedback indicating whether or not the lock was successful. Read data is returned to the requestor with the lock status. The lock status may be changed concurrently when locking during a read or unlocking during a write. Therefore, it is not necessary to check the lock status as a separate transaction prior to or during a read-modify-write operation. Additionally, a lock or unlock may be explicitly specified for each atomic memory operation. Therefore, lock operations are not performed for operations that do not modify the contents of a memory location. |
| US08375175B2 |
Fast and efficient reacquisition of locks for transactional memory systems
A system and method is disclosed for fast lock acquisition and release in a lock-based software transactional memory system. The method includes determining that a group of shared memory areas are likely to be accessed together in one or more atomic memory transactions executed by one or more threads of a computer program in a transactional memory system. In response to determining this, the system associates the group of memory areas with a single software lock that is usable by the transactional memory system to coordinate concurrent transactional access to the group of memory areas by the threads of the computer program. Subsequently, a thread of the program may gain access to a plurality of the memory areas of the group by acquiring the single software lock. |
| US08375174B1 |
Techniques for use with memory partitioning and management
Described are techniques for partitioning memory. A plurality of boards is provided. Each of the plurality of boards includes a physical memory portion and a set of one or more processor. The physical memory portion in each of said plurality of boards is partitioned into a plurality of logical partitions including a global memory partition accessible by any processor on any of the plurality of boards and one or more other memory partitions configured for use by one or more processors of said each board. Each of the one or more other memory partitions not being accessible to a processor on a board other than said each board. |
| US08375172B2 |
Preventing fast read before write in static random access memory arrays
A mechanism is provided for enabling a proper write through during a write-through operation. Responsive to determining the memory access as a write-through operation, first circuitry determines whether a data input signal is in a first state or a second state. Responsive to the data input signal being in the second state, the first circuitry outputs a global write line signal in the first state. Responsive to the global write line signal being in the first state, second circuitry outputs a column select signal in the second state. Responsive to the column select signal being in the second state, third circuitry keeps a downstream read path of the cache access memory at the first state such that data output by the cache memory array is in the first state. |
| US08375171B2 |
System and method for providing L2 cache conflict avoidance
A system provides a cache memory coherency mechanism within a multi-processor computing system utilizing a shared memory space across the multiple processors. The system possesses a store address list for storing cache line addresses corresponding to a cache line write request issued by one of the multiple processors, a fetch address list for storing cache line addresses corresponding to a cache line fetch request issued by one of the multiple processors, a priority and pipeline module, a request tracker module and a read/write address list. The store address list and the fetch address list are queues containing result in cache lookup requests being done by the priority and pipeline module; and each entry in the store address list and the fetch address list possess status bits which indicate the state of the request. |
| US08375166B2 |
Methods and structure for limiting storage device write caching
Methods and structures for limiting the write portion of a local cache memory in one or more disk drives of a storage system such that a storage controller coupled to each may mirror the content and structure of the write portion of each disk drive. The size of the write portion of the local cache memory in a disk drive controller may be controlled by the storage controller or other host device. The size of the write portion may be controlled by switch settings to select among a plurality of predefined sizes or may be programmed by the storage controller or other host device. Programming such a size value may be by setting parameter values in a configuration page of a SCSI disk drive's local memory or may be by a vendor unique command sent by a host device to the disk drive. |
| US08375163B1 |
Supporting late DRAM bank hits
One embodiment of the invention sets forth a mechanism to transmit commands received from an L2 cache to a bank page within the DRAM. An arbiter unit determines which commands from a command sorter to transmit to a command queue. An activate command associated with the bank page related to the commands is also transmitted to an activate queue. The last command in the command queue is marked as “last.” An interlock counter stores a count of “last” commands in the read/write command queue. A DRAM controller transmits activate and commands from the activate queue and the command queue to the DRAM. Each time a command marked as “last” is encountered, the DRAM controller decrements the interlock counter. If the count in the interlock counter is zero, then the command marked as “last” is marked as “auto-precharge.” The “auto-precharge” command, when processed, causes the bank page to be closed. |
| US08375162B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing write cycles in NAND-based flash memory devices
A NAND-based flash memory device and a method of its operation that extends the life of the device by reducing the number of unnecessary write cycles to the device. The memory device includes blocks, pages contained by each of the blocks, and a page abstraction layer containing a look-up table for translating logical page numbers into physical page numbers. A certain number of the pages in at least one of the blocks is preferably reserved so as not to be used in default data storage mode but instead used to shuffle data within the at least one block using a dynamic page address scheme, whereby data are dynamically moved from one page to an empty page in the same block using dynamic page mapping. |
| US08375161B2 |
Flash memory hash table
Implementations and techniques for flash memory-type hash tables are generally disclosed. |
| US08375160B2 |
Memory controller, nonvolatile storage module, access module and nonvolatile storage system
When a write command is issued, new data is written into a free physical block of a nonvolatile memory (110). Here, if data of the same logical block has been written already, the block is erased and a recording state is judged by a recording state judgment unit (126). A physical block is swapped according to the number of write processes performed. Thus, it is possible to effectively perform a swap without increasing the number of write processes in a particular area, thereby increasing the lifetime of a nonvolatile storage module. |
| US08375159B2 |
Electronic storage device and control method thereof
An electronic storage device (320) for connecting with a host system (100) includes a storage unit (360) including at least one memory segment which has at least one physical block, a memory unit (350) receiving access commands sent from the host system, and a control unit (340) connecting with said memory unit. Each of the access commands contains at least a logical address which corresponds to a physical block. The control unit determines the command execution order of the access commands according to adjacent extent of the physical blocks in said memory segment to which the logical addresses of said access commands correspond. A control method of the electronic storage device is also disclosed in the present invention. |
| US08375158B2 |
Memory system and block merge method
In one embodiment, the invention provides a memory system including a flash memory device including a plurality of memory blocks implementing a plurality of data blocks, a plurality of log blocks, and a plurality of free blocks. The memory system further includes a flash translation layer maintaining the number of the free blocks to be at least equal to a reference number by converting selected memory blocks among the data and log blocks into free blocks via at least one merge operation during a background period. Additionally, the flash translation layer converts selected ones of the free blocks into data and log blocks, respectively. |
| US08375156B2 |
Intelligent PCI-express transaction tagging
Systems and methods of routing data units such as data packets or data frames that provide improved system performance and more efficient use of system resources. The disclosed systems and methods employ memory mapping approaches in conjunction with transaction ID tag fields from the respective data units to assign each tag value, or at least one range of tag values, to a specified address, or at least one range of specified addresses, for locations in internal memory that store corresponding transaction parameters. The disclosed systems and methods can also apply selected bits from the transaction ID tag fields to selector inputs of one or more multiplexor components for selecting corresponding transaction parameters at data inputs to the multiplexor components. The disclosed systems and methods may be employed in memory-read data transfer transactions to recover the transaction parameters necessary to determine destination addresses for memory locations where the memory-read data are to be transmitted. |
| US08375155B2 |
Managing concurrent serialized interrupt broadcast commands in a multi-node, symmetric multiprocessing computer
Managing concurrent serialized interrupt broadcast commands in a multi-node, symmetric multiprocessing computer including receiving, by a communications adapter in a compute node, a plurality of serialized interrupt broadcast commands; receiving, by the communications adapter, a plurality of interrupt tags for the plurality of serialized interrupt broadcast commands, each interrupt tag including an identification of an interrupt service order for a serialized interrupt broadcast command; assigning, by the communications adapter, to each serialized interrupt broadcast command its interrupt tag; and if an interrupt tag assigned to a serialized interrupt broadcast command has an interrupt service order that matches a value of a current operation tag that identifies the next serialized interrupt broadcast command to be exposed to the one or more processors, exposing, by the communications adapter, the serialized interrupt broadcast command to the one or more processors on the compute node to be serviced. |
| US08375151B1 |
Command portal for securely communicating and executing non-standard storage subsystem commands
A command portal enables a host system to send non-standard or “vendor-specific” storage subsystem commands to a storage subsystem using an operating system (OS) device driver that does not support or recognize such non-standard commands. The architecture thereby reduces or eliminates the need to develop custom device drivers that support the storage subsystem's non-standard commands. To execute non-standard commands using the command portal, the host system embeds the non-standard commands in blocks of write data, and writes these data blocks to the storage subsystem using standard write commands supported by standard OS device drivers. The storage subsystem extracts and executes the non-standard commands. The non-standard commands may alternatively be implied by the particular target addresses used. The host system may retrieve execution results of the non-standard commands using standard read commands. The host-side functionality of the command portal may be embodied in an API that is made available to application developers. |
| US08375149B2 |
Memory controller connected to plural volatile memories and data saving control method of the same
A memory controller that controls data transfer between a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory, wherein data being held in a plurality of volatile memories each having a refresh operation mode and a self-refresh operation mode is transferred to the non-volatile memory. When readout of data from at least one volatile memory has been finished, the volatile memory is shifted from the refresh operation mode to the self-refresh operation mode. Then, control is performed so as to return the volatile memory from the self-refresh operation mode depending on the progress of writing of data to the non-volatile memory. |
| US08375148B2 |
Computer system, device sharing method, and device sharing program
In a storage system provided with a plurality of storage modules, the rated power consumption can be reduced. The storage system is provided with a charge control unit. The charge control unit stops, when detecting that a predetermined number of a plurality of battery modules are during battery charging, the battery charging in the remaining battery modules. |
| US08375145B2 |
Doorbell handling with priority processing function
A network interface adapter provides a host processor with two complementary modes of submitting descriptors to be executed by the adapter: a normal mode, in which the host writes descriptors to a system memory and rings an assigned doorbell to notify the adapter; and a priority mode, in which the host writes the descriptor itself to a doorbell address of the adapter. In the priority mode, the adapter is relieved of the need to read the descriptor from the memory, and can thus begin execution as soon as it has resources available to do so. |
| US08375144B2 |
System for connecting applications to legacy and next generation networks
A system is disclosed. The system includes a first network module communicatively coupled to a plurality of services associated with a first network utilizing a first protocol. The system also includes a second network module communicatively coupled to a plurality of services associated with a second network utilizing a second protocol, the second protocol being different than the first protocol. The system also includes a service determination module coupled to the first and second network modules, the service determination module operable to receive a request from the first network module to access at least one service from the plurality of services associated with the second network. The service determination module determines the at least one requested service and sends the request to the at least one requested service associated with the second network through the second network module utilizing the second protocol. |
| US08375143B2 |
Method of transcoding content, transcoder unit, and UPnP network system
A method of transcoding a content stored on a first server (OS) is provided. The first server (OS) is arranged within an UPnP network comprising at least one first server (OS), at least one UPnP renderer (UR) and at least one UPnP control point (CP). The content directory services (CDS) of the at least one first server (OS) are browsed to determine the available content and the available encodings of the content. The rendering capabilities of the at least one renderer (UR) are determined. The rendering capabilities of the at least one renderer (UR) are compared with the available content and the available encoding of the content according to the content directory service of the at least one server (OS). The content directory service (CDS) of the at least one server (OS) is updated. |
| US08375138B2 |
Computer system with true video signals
A computer system where a computer sends out video signal signals in true video format directly to a standard monitor type display device (see DEFINITIONS section) through either a network (wired or wireless or both), or over a wireless connection. In network embodiments, the network may be a local area network (“LAN”) a wide area network (“WAN”) or a combination of these types. Preferably, the true video signal is in one of the following formats: conventional television type broadcast signal, VGA, xVGA, D-sub 15, RGBHV video signal with DDC2 digital clock and data. Preferably, the true signal sent from the computer to the standard monitor type display device is in analog form. |
| US08375134B2 |
Determining an efficient keep-alive interval for a network connection
Systems and methods for use in communication between a client and a server, via a networking device, are provided. The method may include sending a request to establish a data connection from the client to the server via the networking device, setting a data connection keep-alive interval for the data connection to a predetermined safe value, and sending a request to establish a test connection between the client and the server. The method may further include determining an efficient keep-alive interval for communication between the client and server via the networking device, using the test connection, setting the data connection keep-alive interval to the efficient keep-alive interval determined using the test connection, and uploading the efficient keep-alive interval from the client to the server in an efficient keep-alive interval notification message, for communication to other clients connected to the server. |
| US08375132B2 |
Schedulable transport for contribution services
In one embodiment a method includes receiving a request to schedule an audiovisual data streaming session, the request including an identifier of an encoder, a session time and an identifier of an invitee, generating a command configured to cause the encoder to begin encoding audiovisual content at the session time, and to stream encoded audiovisual content via the network, receiving an indication that the invitee has joined the audiovisual data streaming session, and generating a command configured to cause an audiovisual decoder designated by the invitee to begin decoding the encoded audiovisual content upon receipt of the encoded audiovisual content. |
| US08375131B2 |
Media toolbar and aggregated/distributed media ecosystem
A method and network architecture through which user-specific media profile data can be made available to third parties. A browser is optionally enhanced to facilitate playback and control of one or more media players, thereby allowing the user to play content via the browser. As the user plays content in the browser or any of the media players, information is collected about the content and stored in a database. By monitoring all media-related interactions made by the user within the browser, the collected content information can encompass information from a wide range of sources. User-specific profile data is then determined based on the collected data and such user-specific profile data is made available to third parties. The user-specific profile data can be used, for example, for social networking purposes, and may also be used to drive advertisements or other content to the user. |
| US08375129B2 |
Method for dynamically adjusting resource nodes in a peer-to-peer network for delivering time-sensitive content
A method for dynamically adjusting resource nodes in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network including allocating an initial number of resource nodes to provide the time-sensitive content to a consumer node, each of the allocated resource nodes provides a portion of the time-sensitive content to the consumer node; checking if there is a need to receive at least an additional portion of the time-sensitive content from at least one reliable node of the P2P network, and if so, receiving the at least additional portion of the time-sensitive content from the at least one reliable node; and requesting an additional number of resource nodes to provide the at least portion of the time-sensitive content when an access to the at least one reliable node occurs more frequently than a first predetermined threshold value, thereby the number of resource nodes allocated to the consumer node is dynamically adjusted. |
| US08375122B2 |
Web service information management in service-oriented architecture applications
Web server information management in a service-oriented architecture application comprises intercepting a service request message issued by a Web service requester for a Web service in response to executing the service-oriented architecture application on the Web service requester side, adding a tracing header in the service request message for requesting the detailed runtime information of the Web service and sending the message to the Web service provider side, intercepting the service request message coming from the Web service requester on the Web service provider side, tracing detailed runtime information based on the tracing header for requesting the detailed runtime information in the message during the execution of the Web service with respect of the service request message, and adding an acknowledgement tracing header containing the traced detailed runtime information into the response message to be returned to the Web service requester by the Web service provider and returning the message to the Web service requester. |
| US08375120B2 |
Domain name system security network
In one embodiment, a DNS security network includes several DNS appliances and a security operations center (SOC) server computer. The SOC server computer may receive telemetry data from the DNS appliances, the telemetry data comprising information about DNS client queries received in the respective DNS appliances. From the telemetry data, the SOC server computer may generate security policies for distribution to the DNS appliances. The security policies may be used by the DNS appliances to determine whether a DNS client query is originated by a client computer performing a prohibited activity (e.g., sending spam, communicating with a zombie control computer, navigating to a prohibited website, etc.). An answer to a client query may be replaced or discarded altogether in cases where the originator is performing a prohibited activity. |
| US08375119B2 |
Methods, systems, devices, and products for providing alerts for communications
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing an alert to a called party's communications device. One method processes a communication initiated by a calling party and terminating at the called party's communications device. An alert accompanying the communication is also processed. The alert is selected by the calling party for playing on the called party's communications device, and the alert announces the incoming communication request. This method thus allows the calling party to specify the alert to be played on the called party's communications device. |
| US08375117B2 |
Using endpoint host checking to classify unmanaged devices in a network and to improve network location awareness
A device receives, from a managed device, endpoint information associated with an unmanaged device connected to the managed device in a network. The device also receives unmanaged device information that partially identifies the unmanaged device, and completely identifies the unmanaged device based on the endpoint information and the unmanaged device information. |
| US08375116B2 |
Registry for trading partners using documents for commerce in trading partner networks
A market making node in a network routes machine readable documents to connect businesses with customers, suppliers and trading partners. The self defining electronic documents, such as XML based documents, can be easily understood amongst the partners. Definitions of these electronic business documents, called business interface definitions, are posted on the Internet, or otherwise communicated to members of the network. The business interface definitions tell potential trading partners the services the company offers and the documents to use when communicating with such services. Thus, a typical business interface definition allows a customer to place an order by submitting a purchase order or a supplier checks availability by downloading an inventory status report. Also, the registration at a market maker node of a specification of the input and output documents, coupled with interpretation information in a common business library, enables participants in a trading partner network to execute the transaction in a way which closely parallels the way in which paper based businesses operate. |
| US08375112B2 |
Synchronization methods and systems
Systems, methods and computer readable media for synchronization of electronic message accounts. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving information to establish an electronic message account on a first data processing system, the electronic message account being defined by setup information, and synchronizing the setup information onto a store on a second data processing system. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving information to establish an electronic message account, defined by first setup information, on a host and synchronizing the first setup information onto a device when the device is coupled to the host for synchronization. Systems, other methods and computer readable media are also described. |
| US08375103B2 |
System and method for file access and sharing
The present invention is to provide a system including at least one storage device for storing at least one file each having a file name, a home gateway having a routing identification code and connected to the storage device, and a server connected to the home gateway via the Internet for receiving the routing identification code and the file name uploaded by the home gateway. The server stores a user's registration information corresponding to the routing identification code. When a terminal device connected to the server via the Internet uses the registration information to pass the server's verification and thus log in the server, the server transmits the file name to the terminal device and, when receiving a request instruction from the terminal device, then retrieves the file from the storage device by way of the home gateway and then sends the file to the terminal device as requested. |
| US08375102B2 |
Random linear coding approach to distributed data storage
A method and computer program product for providing a random linear coding approach to distributed data storage is presented. A file is broken into a plurality of pieces. For every peer (peer means storage-location with limited storage space), the number of coded-pieces the peer can store is determined. Each of the coded-piece is determined by taking random linear combination of all the pieces of the entire file. The associate code-vector is stored for every coded-piece. The file is retrieved by collecting code-vectors and the coded-pieces from the peers and viewing the collected code-vectors as a matrix. When a dimension of the matrix is equal to the number of pieces of the file, the file is recovered using the collection of code vectors in the matrix. |
| US08375098B2 |
Method, system and program product for verifying an attachment file within an e-mail
System, method and program product for managing a file attached to an e-mail. The attached file's file name is obtained. A voice message file address is received and encoded into a modified address to comply with file naming rules of a recipient computer. A composite file name results from inserting the modified address into the attached file's file name and is displayed in the e-mail. The recipient computer extracts the modified address from the composite file name in the e-mail and decodes the modified address to obtain the voice message file address. Using the voice message file address, the recipient computer requests and receives the voice message file. The voice message is analyzed and verified prior to accessing the attached file. Verifying the voice message includes comparing a voice of the voice message to a voice signature. |
| US08375094B2 |
Creating a message readable by a plurality of heterogeneous recipients
Transforming an original message from an application executed by a physical computing device to create a message readable by a plurality of heterogeneous recipients includes: creating with the physical computing device a first sub-message having data from the original message that is readable by each of the heterogeneous recipients; creating with the physical computing device a second sub-message having data from the original message that is not readable by each of the heterogeneous recipients; and generating with the physical computing device a composite message including both the first sub-message and the second sub-message. |
| US08375092B2 |
System and method for immediate and delayed real-time communication activities using availability data from communication through an external instant messaging system
A system and method for immediate and delayed real-time communication activities using availability data from and communications through an external instant messaging system, that operates to obtain aggregated user online presence information through its own client software, through interception of client-server communications between an external instant messaging client and server, and through other available interfaces to user account information on such external instant messaging systems. The system operates to gather user online presence information in part by intercepting communications between an instant messaging client and the Internet. The aggregate presence data, as well as other information describing the availability of a user, is used to intelligently route real-time communications, such as instant messages and phone calls. The disclosed system further implements a technique for waiting for changes in a user's availability status, and for performing actions on a user's behalf in response to such changes in availability status. |
| US08375085B2 |
System and method of enhanced collaboration through teleportation
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a system and method enhanced collaboration through teleportation. In one or more embodiments, there is provided a system for moderating an enhanced collaboration environment for at least a set of participants, comprising a server for facilitating a 2-D federated collaboration environment for the at least one set of participants; a server for facilitating a 3-D virtual collaboration environment for the at least one set of participants; and a gateway server for facilitating teleportation of at least two participants of the at least one set of participants from the 2-D federated collaboration environment to form a teleported collaboration group in the 3-D virtual collaboration environment. |
| US08375083B2 |
Name resolution in email
An email recipient input name is received. It is determined if the email recipient input name is ambiguous. If the email recipient input name is ambiguous, one or more employee attributes of a plurality of possible intended email recipients are compared with one or more employee attributes of an email sender to determine a probable intended email recipient. |
| US08375079B2 |
Coordinated operation method, and communication terminal device
An application load unit of a host unit loads an application main body of an engine application which has been acquired to an engine unit. Subsequently, when an execution command for the application main body is issued by the user, an execution decision means within an application execution control unit of the host unit refers to application management information, and decides whether or not it is possible to execute the application main body. If the result of this decision is affirmative, an execution command transmission means within the application execution control unit sends an execution command for the application main body to the engine unit. As a result, processing related to the engine application is apportioned between the host unit and the engine unit in an appropriate manner. |
| US08375075B2 |
High-speed discrete fourier transform apparatus and method thereof
Provided are a high-speed Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) apparatus and a method thereof. The high-speed DFT apparatus includes a zero padding unit, a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) unit, and a preamble index decision unit. The zero padding unit receives a first input signal having a length of a prime number and changes the first input signal into a second input signal having a length of an exponentiation of 2. The FFT unit performs a FFT on the second input signal outputted from the zero padding unit. The preamble index decision unit detects a preamble index from an output signal from the FFT unit. |
| US08375070B2 |
Collective operations in a file system based execution model
A mechanism is provided for group communications using a MULTI-PIPE synthetic file system. A master application creates a multi-pipe synthetic file in the MULTI-PIPE synthetic file system, the master application indicating a multi-pipe operation to be performed. The master application then writes a header-control block of the multi-pipe synthetic file specifying at least one of a multi-pipe synthetic file system name, a message type, a message size, a specific destination, or a specification of the multi-pipe operation. Any other application participating in the group communications then opens the same multi-pipe synthetic file. A MULTI-PIPE file system module then implements the multi-pipe operation as identified by the master application. The master application and the other applications then either read or write operation messages to the multi-pipe synthetic file and the MULTI-PIPE synthetic file system module performs appropriate actions. |
| US08375067B2 |
Intelligent job matching system and method including negative filtration
A job searching and matching system and method is disclosed that gathers job seeker information in the form of job seeker parameters from one or more job seekers, gathers job information in the form of job parameters from prospective employers and/or recruiters, correlates the information with past job seeker behavior, parameters and behavior from other job seekers, and job parameters and, in response to a job seeker's query, provides matching job results based on common parameters between the job seeker and jobs along with suggested alternative jobs based on the co-relationships and based on ratings and preferences provided by the job seeker and provides negative filtration of undesirable jobs based on job seeker input and in response to queries from the system in order to efficiently and accurately accommodate job seeker perception. In addition, the system correlates employer/recruiter behavior information with past employer/recruiter behavior, parameters and information concerning other job seekers, which are candidates to the employer, and resume parameters, and, in response to a Employer's query, provides matching job seeker results based on common parameters between the job seeker resumes and jobs along with suggested alternative job seeker candidates based on the identified co-relationships and specifies job seekers to be eliminated from displayed results. |
| US08375066B2 |
Generating unique identifiers
A method, a system, and a computer program product for creating a set of identifiers are disclosed. A first set of identifiers is generated by a first randomization of a partition. Identifiers of the first set of identifiers are selected to generate a third set of identifiers. A second set of identifiers comprising a pre-defined number of identifiers is generated by a second randomization of the third set of identifiers. |
| US08375065B2 |
Method for cataloging and storing data in a control system
A method includes receiving a data input file, the data input file defining a first set of data fields to be included in a database and including a set of data elements to be included in the database. The method also includes identifying a second set of data fields in the data input file that are designated to contain a Boolean element, said second set of data fields being a subset of the first set of data fields. The method further includes defining at least one new data field, each new data field collectively storing a plurality of the Boolean elements. The first set of data fields are modified to eliminate the second set of data fields. The method also includes storing in a catalog data that defines an arrangement of the first set of data fields, wherein the arrangement includes the at least one new data field for collectively storing the Boolean elements. |
| US08375064B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for read back verification of stored data
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for read back verification of stored data. A file CRC module calculates a first file CRC for a data file. A segmentation module segments the data file into a plurality of data blocks that comprise a copy of the data file. A block CRC module calculates a data block CRC for each data block. An aggregated CRC module calculates a second file CRC from the data block CRCs. In addition, the aggregated CRC module verifies copy of the data file if the second file CRC is substantially equivalent to the first file CRC. |
| US08375055B2 |
Method of operation for a computer implementing different handling of protected and unprotected files
A storage area can be accessed by a computer. Files are stored in the storage area, in which application-related files are stored. Each of the files stored in the storage area is alternatively stored as protected or unprotected file. In at least one embodiment, as a function of commands, which are prespecified by a user to the computer within the scope of running an application, the protected files and/or the unprotected files are read out of the storage area by the computer. Furthermore, in at least one embodiment, as a function of commands which are prespecified by the user to the computer within the scope of running the application, the unprotected files stored in the storage area are changed, deleted and/or converted into protected files and/or new files are determined on the basis of files stored in the storage area and are stored as unprotected files in the storage area. Irrespective of the command prespecified by the user to the computer within the scope of running the application, the computer does not cause the files stored in the storage area to be changed, deleted or converted into unprotected files. |
| US08375054B2 |
Findings navigator
Provided is a method for accessing medical information. The medical information is distributed across data files. The method includes receiving data files relevant to the medical information, selecting a current layout from a plurality of layouts for making the data files accessible, providing previous layout information, referring to a previous layout in which the data file has been acquired, the previous layout information is usable for automatically adapting the current layout to the previous layout, detecting markers associated with the received data files, the markers referring to a location of interest within one of the received data files, adapting the markers of the previous layout to the current layout to mark the same location of interest, and providing access to the medical information in the selected current layout to make browsable the data files and the markers within the data files. |
| US08375045B2 |
Translating a binary data stream using binary markup language (BML) schema
In one aspect, a method includes defining a schema using binary markup language (BML) and storing the schema on a non-transitory machine readable medium and translating a binary data stream using the schema. In another aspect, an article includes a non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores executable instructions. The instructions cause a machine to define a schema using the BML, store the schema on a non-transitory machine readable medium and translate a binary data stream using the schema. In a further aspect, an apparatus includes circuitry to define a schema using the BML, store the schema on a non-transitory machine readable medium and translate a binary data stream using the schema. |
| US08375043B2 |
Techniques for providing XQuery access using web services
An XQuery access API is described, for providing access to XML data from a data source, using the XQuery language. A requestor can request, from a server, performance of an operation on XML data, wherein request messages and response messages conform to the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). Request and response messages can be transmitted using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS). The format of the request and response messages is specified in a definition of a Web service, where the definition conforms to the Web Service Description Language (WSDL). |
| US08375041B2 |
Processing queries against combinations of data sources
The invention includes a computer readable medium with executable instructions to receive a query based on nested semantic abstractions for corresponding data sources. Data source specific queries are constructed based on the query by executing the query against the nested semantic abstractions. Each data source specific query is associated with an underlying data source described by a nested semantic abstraction. The data source specific queries are executed to produce results and the results are returned. |
| US08375040B2 |
Content explaining apparatus and method
A content explaining apparatus and method computes the degrees of similarity between a specified content and the other contents than the specified content of multiple contents based on content information stored in content information database means, computes a user realization degree for each of the other contents based on user information stored in user management database means or the content information stored in the content information database means, computes an explanation accuracy degree of each of the other contents for the specified content from the similarity degree and user realization degree of said each of the other contents, and presents content explaining information for the specified content according to the explanation accuracy degrees. |
| US08375039B2 |
Topic centric media sharing
Topic-centric-media sharing allows a user to search for and share media objects related to a topic. The user can select media objects stored on a client computing device to share with other users. The client computing device contains software that, in operation, searches for a set of media objects related to the same topic as the selected media objects. If such a set is located, the software on the client computing device can associate the selected media objects with the set. If no such set is located, the user can create a new set to share with other users. |
| US08375034B2 |
Automatically schedule and re-schedule meetings using reschedule factors for conflicting calendar events
A method for scheduling calendar events includes receiving a search request with a plurality of constraints, searching the calendaring system databases to obtain a set of candidate calendar events that meet at least some of the constraints, calculating event reschedule factors for each candidate calendar event for which at least one participant has a conflicting calendar event, ranking the set of candidate calendar events based in part of the event reschedule factors, and preparing them for presentation. In various embodiments and circumstances, event reschedule factors correspond to one or more of: the ease of rescheduling a conflicting calendar event, an ease of overwriting a conflicting calendar event, the response status of the participants, the number of participants in the conflicting calendar event. |
| US08375030B2 |
Differentially private aggregate classifier for multiple databases
Embodiments of the invention disclose a system and a method for determining a differentially private aggregate classifier for a set of databases, wherein each database in the set of databases is associated with a classifier and a noise value, wherein the classifier and the noise value are determined locally for each database, such that a combination of the classifier and the noise value ensure a differential data privacy of the database, and wherein the differentially private aggregate classifier preserves the differential data privacy of each database. The differentially private aggregate classifier is a combination of the classifiers of the set of databases modified with the noise value corresponding to a smallest database in the set of databases. |
| US08375024B2 |
Modeling social networks using analytic measurements of online social media content
Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for generating a social network graph to model one or more social networks of related authors of online social media and their corresponding posts of online social media conversations relevant to subject matter of interest in a category. Embodiments are configured to harvest and aggregate posts of online social media conversations from one or more online social media sources; to perform content scraping on the posts of online social media conversations to obtain raw data that includes user-profile information of a social media author corresponding to each individual post of online social media conversations; and performing social network analysis processing on the raw data to obtain the social network graph. |
| US08375022B2 |
Keyword determination based on a weight of meaningfulness
Example embodiments relate to keyword determination based on a weight of meaningfulness. In example embodiments, a computing device may determine a number of occurrences of a word in a particular document and may then determine a weight of meaningfulness for the word based on the number of occurrences. The computing device may then add the word to a set of keywords for the document based on the weight of meaningfulness. |
| US08375021B2 |
Search engine data structure
A search engine database may a segmented structure that preserves individual document references and allows updating as well as scalability. A set of segment managers may receive new, updated, or deleted documents and update a set of term matrices from which a published search matrix may be generated. The database may have a very large term dictionary and may use a hash function to create term identifiers without having to look up terms in the dictionary. The database may be maintained by many systems operating in parallel for high scalability. |
| US08375019B2 |
Methods and systems of content mobilization, mobile search, and video editing through a web interface
This invention relates to computer implemented methods and systems for content mobilization, and in particular, methods and systems for mobilization of video, music, photos and other media, including processes for application in mobile search, mobile messaging, mobile editing of media, and combinations thereof. Upon a user of a mobile device selecting a web content item corresponding to a media file, the media file is dynamically transcoded based on the mobile device to receive the media and sent to the mobile device. |
| US08375017B1 |
Automated keyword analysis system and method
An automatic keyword analysis for content illumination and document fragmentation for internet search queries. Initially, the invention obtains keywords from a document. The taxonomy then expands the obtained words from the document. The keywords are further refined using keyword demand data. The keyword demand data includes words where too few or too many searches would hamper the user's search. After refinement, the keyword final set is placed onto the appropriate web page. Consequently, internet search engines “hit” the web page because the automatic keyword analysis added optimal and efficient keywords. |
| US08375015B2 |
Retrieval of searchable and non-searchable attributes
Retrieving stored data is disclosed. A retrieval request is received for an object. A retrieval response is generated that includes: 1) a first set of searchable attributes associated with the object, wherein an attribute of the first set of attributes is stored in a database in a manner that enables a database query to be performed against the attribute of the first set of attributes; and 2) a second set of non-searchable attributes associated with the object, wherein an attribute of the second set of attributes is stored in the database in a manner that does not enable a database query to be performed against the attribute of the second set of attributes. |
| US08375012B1 |
Computer indexes with multiple representations
The present application is directed to an indexing system. In one example, the indexing system includes one or more processors, one or more electronic memories that provide random access memory, one or more mass storage devices that provide persistent data storage, and one or more indexing routines, executed by the one or more processors, that create and manage an index data structure comprising nodes that include key-values/reference pairs, the index data structure additionally including a sibling reference for each index-data-structure node stored in the one or more electronic memories, the one or more indexing routines removing, from the index data structure, the sibling references for index-data-structure nodes when transferring the index-data-structure nodes from the one or more electronic memories to the one or more mass storage devices. |
| US08375008B1 |
Method and system for enterprise-wide retention of digital or electronic data
A method and system for managing data can be used to provide a comprehensive solution to retaining electronic data within an enterprise. Data may come from backup tapes or a network. Email files may be separated from other files on the backup tape. Data from the email files may be extracted and fed to a collective database. The other files (from the file backup tapes) and data from the network are processed by a de-duplication engine to remove duplicates of the content while keeping metadata from each copy of the content. The content and metadata are forwarded to the collective database. Filters or other rules may be applied to the collective database to identify compliant or targeted data. Many different operations can then be performed on the compliant and targeted data. |
| US08375007B2 |
Status tool to expose metadata read and write queues
A method to expose status information is provided. The status information is associated with metadata extracted from multimedia files and stored in a metadata database. The metadata information that is extracted from the multimedia files is stored in a read queue to allow a background thread to process the metadata and populate the metadata database. Additionally, the metadata database may be updated to include user-define metadata, which is written back to the multimedia files. The user-defined metadata is included in a write queue and is written to the multimedia files associated with the user-defined metadata. The status of the read and write queues are exposed to a user through a graphical user interface. The status may include the list of multimedia files included in the read and write queues, the priorities of each multimedia file, and the number of remaining multimedia files. |
| US08375002B2 |
Storage system, NAS server and snapshot acquisition method
A storage where one NAS server makes snapshot management information including global paths of snapshots based on snapshot identifiers and global paths of file systems corresponding to the snapshots, so that global paths of both the file systems and snapshots are configured on the same global namespace simultaneously, with a directory configuration of the snapshots being the same in configuration layout as a directory configuration of the file systems; the one NAS server informs other NAS servers of the snapshot management information; memory in each of the NAS servers stores the snapshot management information; the snapshot management information includes the snapshot identifier, local path and global path for each of snapshots obtained by each NAS server at each point in time; and the computer obtains the snapshot management information from at least one of the NAS servers and displays at least a part of the snapshot management information. |
| US08374995B2 |
Efficient data backflow processing for data warehouse
Processing backflow data includes obtaining backflow data from a data warehouse, determining, according to a backflow rule for the backflow data, a respective destination table in a production system for each data item in the backflow data, and sending the data item according to the determined respective destination table in the production system. |
| US08374988B2 |
Complex alert rules for a medical personnel alert system
A method, a system, and a computer-readable medium are provided for generating a complex alert. Values of a plurality of physiological characteristics of a patient are received. The received values are compared to a complex alert rule associated with a medical condition. The complex alert rule includes a plurality of alert rules, wherein each alert rule includes an indicator of a physiological characteristic of a patient associated with the alert rule and a condition priority associated with an urgency of the alert rule. The complex alert rule also includes a trigger rule. The trigger rule includes a plurality of rules wherein each rule includes a number of satisfied alert rules for each value of the condition priority. A number of alert rules of the plurality of alert rules that are satisfied is determined for each condition priority of the complex alert rule based on the comparison. A complex alert is generated if the determined number of alert rules for a condition priority satisfies the trigger rule of the complex alert rule. |
| US08374984B2 |
Suggesting a time for live communications among a largest possible subset of users based on previous content-consumption behavior
Disclosed is a method for making media consumption more social by suggesting a time when users in a group may engage in live communications while consuming media. First, media-consumption activities of the users in the group are monitored. (For example, the set-top boxes of a cable television system monitor when and what each user watches.) Then, from this and possibly from other information, times when each user will be available for live communications are predicted. Finally, the individual predictions are correlated and, if possible, a future time is suggested when a largest possible number of the users in the group will be available for live communications. Some embodiments use other information, such as electronic calendars, to predict when users may be available. The suggested time may be shown on an electronic program guide for a user watching television and may be added to each user's electronic calendar. |
| US08374983B1 |
Distributed object classification
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for classifying objects. Object (e.g., Website) classification can be performed using multiple models that are implemented in a distributed processing environment. In response to receiving a request to classify an object based on attribute values that characterize the object models that are configured to classify objects based on the attribute values are identified and the attribute values are provided to the identified models. Based on classification data received from selected models is used to generate a final classification for the object. The final classification can specify or correspond to a presentation availability status of the object that can be used to control availability of the object. For example, a Website having a final classification of “blacklisted” can be made unavailable for presentation based on the classification result. |
| US08374975B1 |
Clustering to spread comments to other documents
A server device receives a comment associated with a first document, where the comment provides an opinion of, or remarks upon, a content of the first document. The server device obtains document clustering information which indicates that the first document is clustered with one or more second documents and stores, in a memory associated with the server device, the comment in association with the first document and the one or more second documents. The server device presents the comment in connection with the first document or one of the one or more second documents when the first document or the one of the one or more second documents is accessed by a user. |
| US08374973B2 |
Reputation system
Reputation systems have been used to promote trust between participants in activities including online activities such as online market places. Existing online market places provide a reputation system which is a simple cumulative registry of user ratings on a given market place member. However, this simple system is open to abuse in situations where, for example, many positive ratings are given in a fraudulent manner. By modeling both reputation of participants and required reputation of participants an improved reputation system is provided. The required reputation may be thought of as a threshold, referred to herein as a required threshold, which may be used in determining how to update an indication of the reputation of a participant in the activity. The reputation system is able to learn information about required reputation and reputation of participants using an update process which is robust to participants who consistently give feedback of a particular type. |
| US08374971B2 |
System and method for management and delivery of content and rules
A system and methods for management and delivery of content and rules is disclosed. An exemplary method may comprise managing, for an organization, a plurality of data and a plurality of content in separate database entities, wherein the plurality of content is associated with the plurality of data based on a plurality of rules; packaging the plurality of rules with the plurality of content in a carrier that is independent from one or more presentation channels, wherein at least part of the plurality of content is integrated with at least part of the plurality of data; delivering the plurality of data and the carrier to the one or more presentation channels; integrating, at the one or more presentation channels, the plurality of data with the plurality of content based on the plurality of rules; and distributing the integrated data and content through the one or more presentation channels. |
| US08374969B2 |
Computer systems manufacturing method and apparatus
The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for distributing digital information, such as software applications, to application users. By providing the digital information on unused memory space of a computer system, and providing a process for authorizing access to the information, the information can be efficiently and cost effectively transferred to users. Traditional inventory and distribution channel difficulties are avoided. |
| US08374968B2 |
License auditing for distributed applications
The provided software application includes a module that determines a machine fingerprint of a client device at an appropriate time, such as during initial software load on the client. The fingerprint may comprise various machine-determinable measures of system configuration for the client. Each application copy may be associated with a serial number. A license host may collect serial number, fingerprint and/or IP address information from clients on which the application is installed. The host may generate a map of application installations, including geographic locations of installations and number of unique serial numbers per client in specified regions. |
| US08374965B2 |
System and method for verifying the contents of a filled, capped pharmaceutical prescription
A method of verifying the identity of a dispensed pharmaceutical includes the steps of: reading identifying indicia on a pharmaceutical vial containing a dispensed pharmaceutical; determining the identity of a prescribed pharmaceutical called for by the identifying indicia; acquiring an image of the dispensed pharmaceutical through the vial; comparing the image of the dispensed pharmaceutical to data storage comprising image data associated with pharmaceuticals; acquiring spectral data for the dispensed pharmaceutical through the vial; comparing the spectral data of the dispensed pharmaceutical to data storage comprising spectral data associated with pharmaceuticals; and automatically determining whether the image and the spectral data of the dispensed pharmaceutical confirm that the dispensed pharmaceutical matches the prescribed pharmaceutical. |
| US08374964B1 |
Methods and systems for processing stranded payments and lockbox payments at the same designated payment location
Embodiments of the invention describe an electronic method for processing stranded payments and lockbox payments at the same designated payment location. The method includes receiving a stranded payment at a non-designated payment location, and electronically scanning the stranded payment at the non-designated payment location. The scanned information is transmitted, in a secure manner, to a designated payment location remote from the non-designated payment location. The stranded payment and a lockbox payment are cleared, in the same electronic workflow, the transmitted information is used in the clearing process. Embodiments of the invention also include updating, for each stranded and lockbox payment, the accounts receivable system of the customer receiving the stranded or lockbox payment, and transmitting a response indicating the final status of the clearing of the stranded payment to the non-designated payment location. |
| US08374961B2 |
On-line payments facility
A computer system implements a counterparty management module and a payment module for processing employee direct payroll deposits. The counterparty management module permits an employer to add employee bank accounts to a funds transfer system provided by a banking institution. The employee bank accounts are respectively associated with different employees of the employer. The employer has a bank account at the banking institution. The counterparty management module is accessible to the employer by way of an online banking area of a website of the banking institution. The counterparty management module also permits the employer to specify a payroll-related pay group that includes the employee bank accounts and to specify characteristics of the transferring of funds to the pay group as a whole. The payment module generates payment instructions for transferring funds from the employer bank account to the employee bank accounts. |
| US08374955B1 |
Methods and systems related to trading engines
At least one other exemplary aspect comprises a method comprising: (a) receiving electronic data describing a trading order; (b) receiving data describing a selection of one or more first trading algorithms from available stored algorithms for execution of the trading order; (c) commencing execution of the trading order via the one or more first trading algorithms; (d) evaluating, during the execution, execution performance of the trading order via the first trading algorithms; (e) comparing the evaluated execution performance to one or more pre-defined conditions; and (f) if the evaluated execution performance fails to satisfy the pre-defined conditions, switching execution of the trading order to one or more second trading algorithms. In an exemplary embodiment, data describing at least one of the pre-defined conditions is received in connection with the electronic data describing a trading order. Related systems and software are comprised in other aspects. |
| US08374949B2 |
Integration of open advertisements with e-commerce activities
A method is disclosed for integration of open advertisements with targeted websites, including enabling a seller to place a product on auction through an auction website, wherein an auction server creates an auction listing for the product together with a first software code affiliated with the auction listing; marking the first software code to function with a targeted website in response to the seller requesting an open advertisement of the auction listing; receiving a call of the software code from a targeted website server; generating a second software code with the first software code, wherein the second software code includes a product identification to provide access to the auction server; and sending the second software code to the targeted website server, the second software code configured to create the open advertisement that displays specific information related to the auction listing to be served to an advertisement position of the targeted website. |
| US08374947B2 |
Derivatives trading methods that use a variable order price and a hedge transaction
Systems and methods are provided for executing a hedge transaction in connection with the execution of a derivative product order in which the price of the derivative product is defined by one or more variables. The hedge transaction may be executed at an exchange or match engine that is different from the exchange or match engine executing the derivative product order. The execution of derivative product transaction may be contingent on the existence of an appropriate hedge transaction. Alternatively, a best efforts approach may be used to fill the hedge transaction order after executing the derivative product transaction. |
| US08374929B1 |
System and method for billing for hosted services
Some embodiments provide a system and method for projecting billing of a specified server configuration. In some embodiments, the projected billing is determined by identifying a set of allocated resources for the server configuration. In some embodiments, the set of resources include an amount of allocated RAM, network bandwidth, disk storage, processing power, etc. The set of resources are then projected over a billing period. Some embodiments determine a projection for the configuration as each component of the configuration is specified within a graphical user interface. Additionally, some embodiments determine a projection for the configuration after the entire configuration is specified within the graphical user interface. |
| US08374928B2 |
Data center power cost accounting system
A data center power cost accounting system uses server and storage and cooling power consumption models and device maps, together with runtime application maps, to estimate the equipment power consumption and cooling power consumption of individual applications. An approximation of the cooling cost over a period of time, for any given application, can be pieced together by adding up the equipment utilized by the application and applying the cooling estimates obtained from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The cooling estimates can further account for changes or variability in resource usage over time since the cooling estimates are based directly on utilization. The per application power consumption costs are obtained without having to install or depend on power measurement instruments or other hardware in the datacenters. |
| US08374924B2 |
Targeted product distribution system and method
A targeted product distribution system is described herein with respect to an exemplary management of product flow through a distribution center. Specifically, the system and method described herein is directed to the management and display of direct and easily-understood instructions, such that average individuals, as well as those with mental disabilities, will be able to contribute equally to the overall process. |
| US08374922B1 |
Fulfillment network with customer-transparent costs
Methods and systems for customer-transparent inventory fulfillment costs. A method may include an enterprise detecting a customer's selection of a given one of a number of inventory items, and in response to detecting the selection, the enterprise generating a display and instructing that the display be displayed to the customer. The display may include fulfillment options for the given item, where each of the options includes an indication of a corresponding fulfillment entity within a fulfillment network and an indication of a corresponding price. The price may be determined dependent upon fulfillment costs of completing order fulfillment of the given item for the customer from the corresponding fulfillment entity. The method may further include the enterprise detecting placement by the customer of an order specifying the given inventory item and a particular fulfillment option, and the enterprise conveying fulfillment instructions to the fulfillment entity corresponding to the particular fulfillment option. |
| US08374912B2 |
System and method for managing and optimizing advertising campaigns managed on the internet
The system of the present invention is used to optimize the returns of advertising campaigns on the internet. The system allows to create portfolios of keywords and to optimize these portfolios. Moreover, the system allows to classify the keywords in the portfolios according to their past data and to agitate the keywords which held a stagnant position over a pre-set period of time.The system support different implementations of the keyword classification in portfolios, different implementations of keyword bids agitation and different implementations of optimization. The various implementations can meet the specific aspects of different industries and/or the distinctive optimization approach of different agencies.The system can leverage the cloud computing whereby shared data, process and information are provided to computers and other devices on-demand. The delivery model involves the provision of dynamically scalable and virtualized resources as a service over the Internet. Some or all of the system components can be executed in the cloud through an on-demand instantiation of the resources required to perform the task. |
| US08374898B2 |
Bulk material ship routing and inventory management schedule optimization
The present invention is a computational system to generate feasible marine transportation schedules given a proposed bulk material supply chain. The decision support tool will fulfill the objectives and scope defined above. The technology employed will require (a) the use of mathematical programming modeling techniques (mixed integer linear programming) to mathematically formulate the business problem, and (b) advanced proprietary solution methods to produce solutions satisfying all constraints of the mathematical model while optimizing an objective function. The decision support tool has the following capabilities: Read input data, Generate feasible bulk material ship Schedule, Evaluate bulk material ship Schedule with User-defined Objective Function, Allow Case comparison, Graphical user interface (GUI) for specifying input data and displaying results. |
| US08374893B2 |
System and method having a hierarchical model with override capability for generating a flexible insurance plan
A system and method for implementing an insurance plan to coordinate an adjudication of a submitted claim corresponding to the plan. The plan includes a people model and a benefit model, such as hierarchical trees combined by a plurality of policies. The system and method comprise assigning a first predefined inheritance of global attributes to coupled elements of the people tree and assigning a second predefined inheritance of global attributes to coupled elements of the benefits tree. The system and method also assigning a local administration rule for at least one local attribute of the trees, the assignment between a selected people element of the people tree and a selected benefit element of the benefits tree. The local administration rule overrides the corresponding global attributes of the selected elements, such that resolution of the global attributes with the local attributes for the selected elements provides a rule set for adjudication of the submitted claim. |
| US08374888B2 |
Behavior monitoring and reinforcement system and method
A system, method and computer software that provides for a computer implemented system and method for comprehensive reinforcement of human behavior by capturing environmental information for participants and reinforcing their daily choices in their environments. Unique applications of technology are used to record, reinforce and document the desired behavior activities of participants in order to track, promote, encourage and further reward the desired behavior. |
| US08374885B2 |
People engine optimization
Some embodiments promote website credibility and the optimization of websites for people by automatedly quantifying various elements of a website into component credibility scores. In some embodiments, a set of encoded credibility scoring rules are used to compute each of the component credibility scores, wherein the credibility scoring rules are derived based on factors that have been identified by a grouping of people that preferably represent a primary demographic of users that consume the content of a particular classified type of website. In some such embodiments, the credibility scoring rules are derived from commonality that is identified from a sample set of known credible and/or non-credible websites of a particular classification. Once the credibility scoring rules are defined, the system applies the rules to other websites having the same classification as those from which the rules are derived to automatically generate credibility scores for the other websites. |
| US08374882B2 |
Parametric stereophonic audio decoding for coefficient correction by distortion detection
An audio decoding method includes: acquiring, from encoded audio data, a reception audio signal and first auxiliary decoded audio information; calculating coefficient information from the first auxiliary decoded audio information; generating a decoded output audio signal based on the coefficient information and the reception audio signal; decoding to result in a decoded audio signal based on the first auxiliary decoded audio signal and the reception audio signal; calculating, from the decoded audio signal, second auxiliary decoded audio information corresponding to the first auxiliary decoded audio information; detecting a distortion caused in a decoding operation of the decoded audio signal by comparing the second auxiliary decoded audio information with the first auxiliary decoded audio information; correcting the coefficient information in response to the detected distortion; and supplying the corrected coefficient information as the coefficient information when generating the decoded output audio signal. |
| US08374879B2 |
Systems and methods for managing interactions from multiple speech-enabled applications
Systems and methods are described for speech systems that utilize an interaction manager to manage interactions—also known as dialogues—from one or more applications. The interactions are managed properly even if multiple applications use different grammars. The interaction manager maintains an interaction list. An application wishing to utilize the speech system submits one or more interactions to the interaction manager. Interactions are normally processed in the order in which they are received. An exception to this rule is an interaction that is configured by an application to be processed immediately, which causes the interaction manager to place the interaction at the front of the interaction list of interactions. If an application has designated an interaction to interrupt a currently processing interaction, then the newly submitted application will interrupt any interaction currently being processed and, therefore, it will be processed immediately. |
| US08374878B2 |
Audio envelopes
Audio or sound envelopes contain or are combined with a sound module for generating and playing prerecorded sound tracks upon the opening of the envelope or removal of its contents. Operation of the sound module may be activated by the opening of the envelope flap, or by removal of the envelope contents. The flap is configured with a removable strip which protects the sound module from damage before and after opening. The sound module can be replayed by repeated operation of the flap. Alternate embodiments of the audio envelopes have other structural or operational features which work in concert with the sound module. |
| US08374877B2 |
Hearing aid and hearing-aid processing method
A hearing aid for improving diminished hearing caused by reduced temporal resolution includes: a speech input unit which receives a speech signal from outside; a speech analysis unit which detects a sound segment and a segment acoustically regarded as soundless from the speech signal received by the speech input unit and detects a consonant segment and a vowel segment within the detected sound segment; and a signal processing unit which temporally increments the consonant segment detected by the speech analysis unit and temporally decrements at least one of the vowel segment and the segment acoustically regarded as soundless detected by the speech analysis unit. |
| US08374865B1 |
Sampling training data for an automatic speech recognition system based on a benchmark classification distribution
A set of benchmark text strings may be classified to provide a set of benchmark classifications. The benchmark text strings in the set may correspond to a benchmark corpus of benchmark utterances in a particular language. A benchmark classification distribution of the set of benchmark classifications may be determined. A respective classification for each text string in a corpus of text strings may also be determined. Text strings from the corpus of text strings may be sampled to form a training corpus of training text strings such that the classifications of the training text strings have a training text string classification distribution that is based on the benchmark classification distribution. The training corpus of training text strings may be used to train an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system. |
| US08374854B2 |
Spatio-temporal speech enhancement technique based on generalized eigenvalue decomposition
The present invention describes a speech enhancement method using microphone arrays and a new iterative technique for enhancing noisy speech signals under low signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) environments. A first embodiment involves the processing of the observed noisy speech both in the spatial- and the temporal-domains to enhance the desired signal component speech and an iterative technique to compute the generalized eigenvectors of the multichannel data derived from the microphone array. The entire processing is done on the spatio-temporal correlation coefficient sequence of the observed data in order to avoid large matrix-vector multiplications. A further embodiment relates to a speech enhancement system that is composed of two stages. In the first stage, the noise component of the observed signal is whitened, and in the second stage a spatio-temporal power method is used to extract the most dominant speech component. In both the stages, the filters are adapted using the multichannel spatio-temporal correlation coefficients of the data and hence avoid large matrix vector multiplications. |
| US08374850B2 |
Device incorporating improved text input mechanism
A device including a display screen for displaying m-words of data, a text entry device for entering data, a processor receiving data from the text entry device and causing it to be displayed on the display screen. Upon activation the processor initializes a precursor to a predefined value. The device further includes a non-volatile memory storing a dictionary containing a plurality of entries, each entry including an index, a candidate word, and a score. The processor selects a list of n-number of candidate words from the dictionary whose index matches the precursor, and causes m-number of candidate words from the list of candidate words to be displayed on the display screen. The processor causes the display to prompt the user to select one of the displayed candidate words or enter a desired word using the text entry device. |
| US08374847B2 |
Error-detecting apparatus and methods for a Chinese article
The invention discloses an error-detecting method for a Chinese article, handling a Chinese sentence including a first erroneous Chinese character string in a first location. The method includes subdividing the first erroneous Chinese character string into a plurality of first subgroups, wherein each of the first subgroups consists of two consecutive and non-consecutive Chinese characters out of the first erroneous Chinese character string. The method further includes providing a database containing a plurality of first correct Chinese character strings and a plurality of corresponding first correct indices, wherein the first correct indices consist of two consecutive and non-consecutive Chinese characters out of the first correct Chinese character strings. The method further includes acquiring one of the first correct indices according to the first subgroup, and one of the first correct Chinese character strings according to the acquired first correct index. The method further includes generating a best candidate sentence according to the acquired first correct Chinese character string, and showing the Chinese sentence and the best candidate sentence on a display device. |
| US08374846B2 |
Text input device and method
The present invention relates to a text input device and a method for inputting text, and a computer program for performing the method. A text input device (200) is provided that comprises: a text prediction component for predicting candidate words in accordance with a current text context; a display screen (210) for displaying the predicted candidate words; a data entry device (220) having a navigation means (240) for selecting a direction to move a cursor on the display screen (210); and a processor receiving data from the data entry device (220) upon actuation of the navigation means (240). The processor arranges the candidate words on the display screen (210) in a spatial arrangement that reflects the selectable directions of the navigation means (240). The processor maps the currently displayed candidate words to the corresponding directions and selects a candidate word upon selection of a direction. |
| US08374844B2 |
Hybrid system for named entity resolution
A method for named entity resolution includes parsing an input text string to identify a context in which an identified named entity of the input text string is used. The identified context is compared with at least one stored context in which the named entity in the stored context is associated with a class of named entity, the named entity class being selected from a plurality of classes, at least one of the plurality of classes corresponding to a metonymic use of a respective named entity. A named entity class is assigned to the identified named entity from the plurality of named entity classes, based on at least one of the identified context and the comparison. |
| US08374839B2 |
System for creating parameter information, system for estimating yields, program and recording medium
The simulation information creating part 111 generates random numbers corresponding to the correlation coefficient data between the simulation model parameters, and also creates the simulation model library having correlated model parameters with variations, and the simulation net list for the objective characteristic, by Monte Carlo method using the typical simulation model library, the standard deviations for the plural simulation model parameters and the simulation net list for the typical objective characteristic. The simulation part 112 obtains samples having the objective characteristics with variations. The yield estimation part 120, estimates the yields by determining whether the samples satisfy the predetermined specification or not (Pass or Fail), wherein by repeating the determination by making the simulations again only for the samples on which the filter having the function of learning the boundary for decision of Pass or Fail did not determine as Pass. |
| US08374835B2 |
Method and apparatus to improve design, manufacture, performance and/or use of well tools
Methods and systems are provided to improve design, manufacture and performance of oilfield equipment and well tools using three dimensional (3D) scanning technology and one or more feedback loops. Manufacturing processes and techniques associated with a well tool may be evaluated based on comparing “as built” 3D data with a design data file for the well tool. Based on differences between “as built” 3D data and the design data file, one or more changes in associated manufacturing procedures and/or technique may be made. Computational fluid dynamic applications may be used to simulate fluid flow characteristics of a well tool using associated design data file, “as built” 3D data and/or after use 3D data. The associated design data file, manufacturing procedures and/or procedures for use of the well tool may be modified based on comparing simulated fluid flow data with desired fluid flow characteristics for the well tool. |
| US08374833B2 |
Hybrid element enabling solid/SPH coupling effect
Hybrid elements that enable coupling effects between SPH particles and FEM solid are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, hybrid elements are configured to facilitate coupling effect of solid element based on finite element method (FEM) and one or more corresponding particles based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). Hybrid elements are defined in a computer aided engineering (CAE) grid model as a buffer or interface between the SPH particles and FEM solids. For example, a portion of the grid model comprises SPH particles because the likelihood of enduring large deformation, while the rest of the model comprises FEM solid elements. Hybrid elements are placed between the solids and the particles. Each hybrid element comprises two layers: solid layer and particle layer. |
| US08374830B2 |
Grid transparency and grid hole pattern control for ion beam uniformity
A design process for varying hole locations or sizes or both in an ion beam grid includes identifying a control grid to be modified; obtaining a change factor for the grid pattern; and using the change factor to generate a new grid pattern. The change factor is one or both of a hole location change factor or a hole diameter change factor. Also included is an ion beam grid having the characteristic of hole locations or sizes or both defined by a change factor modification of control grid hole locations or sizes or both. |
| US08374824B2 |
Wireless data transmission of a refrigerated container unit
A system and method for monitoring data associated with a temperature controlled container with a Reefer Unit. The monitored data retrieved from the Reefer Unit is wirelessly transmitted to an evaluation unit via at least one transponder. The transponder is connected via a wireless interface of an antenna with a reader/transmitter. The wireless interface transmits the monitored data via a bus from the reader/transmitter to a converter which then transmits the converted monitored data via a communication interface to the evaluation unit. Aside from retrieving monitored data remotely, the system can also issue remote forward commands to provide full automation and control of such containers. |
| US08374821B2 |
Thermal powerline rating and clearance analysis using thermal imaging technology
A method and apparatus are provided to acquire direct thermal measurements, for example, from a LiDAR collecting vehicle or air vessel, of an overhead electrical conductor substantially simultaneous with collection of 3-dimensional location data of the conductor, and utilize temperature information derived from the direct thermal measurements in line modeling, line rating, thermal line analysis, clearance analysis, and/or vegetation management. |
| US08374816B2 |
Automatic data collection algorithm for 3D magnetic field calibration with reduced memory requirements
A magnetic compass comprising a magnetometer for taking readings of a magnetic field and a processing unit that calibrates the magnetic compass is provided. The processing unit is configured to validate a predetermined number of magnetic field samples and calculate calibration coefficients from the validated magnetic field samples. Each validated magnetic field sample is at least a minimum separation angle apart from every other validated magnetic field sample. |
| US08374815B2 |
Self-calibrating test system
A test system may include multiple test stations. Electronic devices may be tested using the test system. Each test station may include a test unit such as a radio-frequency tester that can make wireless and wired radio-frequency signal measurements on devices under test. The test stations may be configured to perform pass-fail testing on devices under test during manufacturing. One or more selected devices under test that have passed the pass-fail tests may be retested using the test stations. Multiple tests may be performed at a given test station using the same selected device under test. Gathered test data may be analyzed to determine whether the test stations have sufficient accuracy and precision or need to be recalibrated or taken offline. |
| US08374813B2 |
Sampling apparatus, sampling method and recording medium
Provided is a sampling apparatus that samples a signal under measurement, including a sampling section that samples the signal under measurement with a plurality of sampling phases at non-uniform intervals for each sampling repetition cycle; and an inverting section that cancels out a replica that is not an observation target, from among the replicas in a sampling band of the signal under measurement and the replicas in the sampling band of a frequency component of the signal under measurement, by inverting signs of values of the signal under measurement sampled with at least one sampling phase from among the plurality of sampling phases. |
| US08374811B2 |
High waveform throughput with a large acquisition memory
A waveform display apparatus and method displays one or more waveforms of a signal under test at high throughput while acquiring digital data of the signal under test in a large acquisition memory. A user sets a time interval of user's interest when viewing a signal under test and sets trigger criteria through a user interface. An ADC converts the signal under test into digital data that is stored in a large acquisition memory. A trigger unit detects and produces trigger events, based on a trigger, as trigger event information during one acquisition process. A trigger event eliminator may discard some of the trigger events based on pre-trigger and post-conditions set through the interface by a user. The trigger events are recorded in a trigger list as the trigger event information. A control unit locates the digital data in the acquisition memory corresponding to the trigger events in the trigger list and displays a waveform associated with the trigger event for the time interval on a display device. |
| US08374809B2 |
Systems for monitoring data from points along voltage transmission lines
A transceiver module for monitoring a voltage distribution network that includes a voltage carrying power line and a transmitter along the voltage carrying power line for transmitting a first monitoring signal that includes information related to the condition of the voltage distribution network. The transceiver module comprises a receiver located along the voltage carrying power line at a distance from the transmitter, the receiver configured to receive the first monitoring signal; a sensor that monitors a condition of the voltage distribution network and produces a sensor signal that contains information related to the condition being monitored; and a monitor in communication with the receiver and the sensor thereby receiving the first monitoring signal and the sensor signal, the monitor configured to provide a second monitoring signal that includes the information contained in the first monitoring signal and the sensor signal. |
| US08374797B2 |
System for improving antibiotic use in acute care hospitals
The present invention provides systems and methods for improving the administration and usage of antibiotic/antimicrobial regimens. The method and system of the invention includes (a) establishing a multidisciplinary antimicrobial treatment team; (b) obtaining patient data; (c) reviewing patient data for sub-optimal antibiotic regimens and when necessary, conferring if MATT members regarding regimen recommendations; (d) generating reports with recommendations for optimal antibiotic regimens based on the review of the patient data. |
| US08374796B2 |
Integrated biosensor and simulation system for diagnosis and therapy
BioMEMS/NEMS appliance biologically monitors an individual, using biosensors to detect cellular components. Data is simulated or analyzed using systems-biology software, which provides diagnostic or therapeutic guidance. |
| US08374792B2 |
System and method for multi-resolution routing
A system, method and computer program product for efficiently generating on- and off-road travel routes using multi-resolution maps including a map generator (108), map database (106), route generator (100), heuristic generator (102), and search envelope factor generator (104). The map generator (108) converts input raster and vector map data into output multi-resolution raster map data suitable for routing and stores it in the map database (106). The route generator (100) uses the map database (106) to produce a route at a coarse zoom level and then regenerate the route at progressively higher zoom levels. The heuristic generator (102) penalizes high resolution routes that deviate too far from one or more low resolution routes. The search envelope factor generator (104) computes this penalty based on the distance from a given search graph node to the low resolution routes. |
| US08374788B2 |
Tightly-coupled GNSS/IMU integration filter speed scale-factor and heading bias calibration
Embodiments of the invention provide methods to calibrate a tightly-coupled integration filter for inertial sensor-assisted GNSS (global navigation satellite system) receiver. The inertial measurement unit (IMU) contains inertial sensors such as accelerometer, magnetometer, and/or gyroscopes. Embodiments include creating a coordinate transformation matrix using a latest position fix (latitude and longitude). Transforming state variables to a local navigation coordinate using coordinate transformation matrix. The state variables of the integration filter which include speed scale-factor and/or heading bias are estimated. A blended calibrated position fix is outputted. |
| US08374786B2 |
GNSS method and receiver with camera aid
A method of computing navigation information in a portable device comprising a GNSS receiver arranged to receive navigation signals from a plurality of navigation satellites, and a GNSS processor to extract a GNSS position information from said navigation signals. The GNSS receiver is also arranged to obtain image data from a camera module. The method comprises the steps of: deriving a set of position information from the camera module; providing the camera-derived position information to a navigation processor; using said set of camera-derived position information and said navigation signals, to generate a position fix of the GNSS receiver; computing navigation information based on said generated position fix. |
| US08374785B2 |
Tightly coupled GPS and dead-reckoning vehicle navigation
A tightly coupled GPS and dead-reckoning system collects wheel speed transducer data over a vehicle's network to compute vehicle range and direction. The dead-reckoning bridges over gaps in navigation solutions that would otherwise occur when GPS signal transmission is lost in tunnels, parking garages, and other common situations. Continual calibration of the wheel radii and compensation for speed effects are calculated from GPS position fixes, and such improves the performance and accuracy of dead-reckoning during long outages of GPS signal reception. When the GPS signals are restored, the dead-reckoning solutions provide a high quality starting place for the GPS receiver to search around. |
| US08374779B2 |
Navigation device and image management method
A navigation device which stores a captured image of an area ahead of user in a moving direction after turning at an intersection and displays the captured image before turning at the intersection, includes: a first storage unit (HDD recording/playback unit 14) storing a map; a display unit (display unit 18); and a control unit (control unit 10) displaying the map on the display unit, and the navigation device further includes a second storage unit (HDD recording/playback unit 14) storing a captured image of an area to be entered after a turn is made at an intersection, and the control unit displays the captured image stored in the second storage unit on the display unit before a mobile body reaches the intersection. |
| US08374777B2 |
GPS equipped devices that utilize geographical navigation bundles
A method for providing and utilizing navigation data can include identifying a grid that includes a plurality of geographical regions. Each geographical region can have an associated navigation data set which includes street level mapping data. Linking references for each geographical region can be defined. Geographical navigation bundles can be identified that conform to an OSGi compliant framework. Each bundle can correspond to one of the geographical regions and can include a navigation data set and a manifest file. The manifest file can include a version, date, and the linking references. A GPS equipped device can dynamically install and activate the geographical navigation bundles. The GPS equipped device can perform at least one navigation process based upon the navigation data set. The GPS device can predict when new navigation data is needed and can automatically acquire suitable geographical navigation bundles in response to these predictions. |
| US08374776B2 |
Methods and apparatus for indicating a relative altitude in one or more directions
A method for indicating a relative altitude of a vehicle includes obtaining, from at least one navigation instrument, a current geographic position and a current altitude of the vehicle. One or more geographic areas substantially surrounding the current geographic position is defined. A minimum safe altitude (MSA) is determined for each geographic area based at least in part on a minimum clearance height and a maximum terrain elevation or a maximum obstruction elevation within the geographic area. A relative altitude representing the current altitude of the vehicle relative to the MSA for each geographic area is determined. A relative altitude indicator is displayed via a presentation device for each geographic area based at least in part on the corresponding relative altitude. A relative altitude indicator corresponding to an MSA below the current altitude is graphically distinguished from a relative altitude indicator corresponding to an MSA above the current altitude. |
| US08374765B1 |
Controlled vehicle acceleration method using user-responsive feedback
A method includes selecting, from a data table containing a plurality of weighted independent variable columns and rows, where each of the columns represents an independent input variable feature and each row represents a set of stored independent input variables and a corresponding stored dependent variable, a row that best matches received sensor independent input variable data from at least one vehicle sensor, causing a vehicle accelerator to gradually accelerate a vehicle to a vehicle acceleration level corresponding to the stored dependent variable of the selected best match row, and modifying a weight of the weighted independent variable columns based upon received user feedback to the vehicle acceleration level. The weights may then be normalized and the received sensor independent input variable data may be stored within a new row of the data table if the weight modification produces a net overall improvement in the data table dependency mapping. |
| US08374764B2 |
Braking system architecture for an aircraft fitted with electromechanical brakes
The invention relates to a braking system architecture for an aircraft fitted with electromechanical brakes including at least one electromechanical actuator. In accordance with the invention, the architecture comprises at least one proximity unit disposed in the proximity of the brakes at the bottom of the undercarriage and including input/output means for collecting and calibrating at least signals coming from sensors associated with the brakes, and for transmitting the signals as processed in this way to control members for controlling the actuators by means of a communications bus running along the undercarriage, the proximity unit further including control means for controlling the blocking members of the actuators. |
| US08374758B2 |
Method for developing a trip cost structure to understand input speed trip for a hybrid powertrain system
A powertrain system includes an engine mechanically coupled to an electro-mechanical transmission selectively operative in one of a plurality of transmission operating range states and one of a plurality of engine states. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes determining a current transmission operating range state and engine state, determining at least one potential transmission operating range state and engine state, determining preferability factors associated with the current and potential transmission operating range state and the engine state wherein the preferability factors associated with potential transmission operating range states include transmission input speed trip preferability factors, preferentially weighting the preferability factors for the current transmission operating range state and engine state, and selectively commanding changing the present transmission operating range state and engine state based upon the preferability factors. |
| US08374756B2 |
Control device for automatic transmission
A control device for an automatic transmission includes a speed change controller configured to generate a speed change instruction. A temperature calculator is configured to calculate a temperature of at least one frictional engagement element among frictional engagement elements. A rotation difference calculator is configured to calculate a rotation difference between an input and an output of the at least one frictional engagement element. A determining unit is configured to determine whether the frictional engagement element is engageable or non-engageable based on the temperature and the rotation difference of the frictional engagement element and a pattern of the speed change instruction. The delay unit is configured to delay engagement until the determining unit determines that the frictional engagement element is engageable, if the determining unit determines that the frictional engagement element is non-engageable when the speed change controller generates the speed change instruction. |
| US08374746B2 |
Memory management in event recording systems
A vehicle event recorder is provided that includes a camera for capturing a video as discrete image frames, and that further includes a managed loop memory and a management system for generating a virtual ‘timeline dilation’ effect. To overcome size limits in the buffer memory of the video event recorder, the maximum time extension of a video series is increased by enabling a reduction in temporal resolution in exchange for an increase in the temporal extension. Memory cells are overwritten in an ‘interleaved’ fashion to produce a reduced frame rate for the recording of certain time periods connected to an event moment. In time periods furthest from the event moment, the resulting frame rate is minimized while in time periods closest to the event moment, the resulting frame rate is maximized. |
| US08374739B2 |
Train control device having a target speed calculation function
A train control device includes a first acquisition unit for acquiring a change history of open block numbers as the number of blocks existing between a present train and a leading train, a setting unit for setting a brake pattern having a starting point coinciding with an end point of a block existing just behind a block occupied by the leading train, and a calculating unit for calculating a time taken for the leading train to come out from the block existing just behind the block occupied by the leading train and for calculating, as a target speed, the highest speed available within a range not conflicting with the brake pattern. |
| US08374738B2 |
Method for controlling vehicle operation incorporating quick clearing function
A method for operating a train includes: (a) using a processor carried by the train, creating a trip profile which is computed at so as to substantially optimize an operating parameter of the train which depends on multiple operating variables; (b) operating the train along a route at speeds determined by the trip profile; (c) identifying a target location ahead of the train which cannot be cleared in a desired time if the train operates in accordance with the trip profile; and (d) operating the train at a clearing speed substantially faster than determined by the trip profile until the target location is cleared. A computer program product is provided for carrying out the method. |
| US08374731B1 |
Cooling system
A cooling system includes at least three fan units. A control unit operates each one of the at least three fan units, The control unit (a) operates only a selected two of the fan units, one of the at least three fan units being unselected and being inhibited from operation; (b) monitors operation of said selected two of fan units for a failure; and (c) upon detection of a failure in one of said selected two fan units, inhibits operation of the failed one of fan units and operating the unselected one of the at least three fan units. |
| US08374730B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for dynamic thermal control
Methods and apparatuses for dynamically budgeting power usage to control temperatures in a data processing system. In one aspect, a data processing system includes: a first sensor to determine an ambient temperature of an environment in which the data processing system is; and a controller (e.g., a microcontroller or a microprocessor) coupled to the sensor to control operations of the data processing system according to the ambient temperature. In one example, the data processing system further includes a second sensor to determine an actual temperature of a component of the data processing system. In one example, a controller is coupled to the temperature sensors to determine an operating setting of the data processing system based on a prediction of a temperature of the data processing system which is a function of the plurality of actual temperatures and the operating setting of the data processing system. |
| US08374728B2 |
Power management apparatus for controlling consumption power and method of operating the same
An aspect of the present invention relates to a power management apparatus, including a communication unit communicating with a power management network and a control unit determining a restricted power amount, determining a restricted power amount for an electronic device connected to the power management network, transmitting a power restriction request, including the restricted power amount, to the electronic device, receiving a response to the power restriction request, and controlling power consumed by the power management network on the basis of the received response. |
| US08374727B2 |
Establishing switchyard zones of a high or medium voltage switchyard
The disclosure relates to minimizing the potential damage caused by the failure of a single central Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) responsible for calculating, assigning and storing information about switchyard zones of a high or medium voltage switchyard comprising switchyard elements interconnected by lines, and wherein the switchyard is operated by means of a Substation Automation system including a plurality of Intelligent Electronic Devices. For example, a distributed switchyard zone management is disclosed, comprising a distributed storage of the knowledge about the switchyard zones. Assignments of individual switchyard elements or components, such as switches and connectivity nodes, to the various switchyard zones are stored on several IEDs. If one of these IEDs fails, the services or applications based on switchyard zones thus are not necessarily doomed, as would be the case if the entire knowledge about switchyard zones were stored on one single central IED. |
| US08374726B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling irrigation
The invention comprises devices and methods for providing operational power to a solar-powered irrigation control system. In one aspect, a method includes producing electrical energy from light, storing the electrical energy in a capacitive module, and operating an irrigation controller using the stored electrical energy independent of another power source. In another aspect, a device includes a control system comprising a computer having a programmed irrigation schedule which operates at least one irrigation device, a photovoltaic power module, and a capacitive module connected to said photovoltaic power module to store the electrical energy provided by the photovoltaic power module, where the capacitive module provides power for the control system to operate the at least one irrigation device independent of another power source. |
| US08374724B2 |
Computing environment that produces realistic motions for an animatronic figure
A system for producing motions for an animatronic figure is disclosed. The system is configured to produce different types of motions in real-time and in a life-like manner. The motion software module forms a composite motion by combining the user-inputted motion with user-selected fixed sequences and/or with algorithmically calculated motion. The motions of the animatronic figure can further be filtered to produce motions that are life-like. Combined motions are formed by superimposing, modulating, or modifying component motions. Motions are filtered based on user-inputted commands and commands determined from a stimulus and filtered to create a life-like motion. |
| US08374723B2 |
Obtaining force information in a minimally invasive surgical procedure
Methods of and a system for providing force information for a robotic surgical system. The method includes storing first kinematic position information and first actual position information for a first position of an end effector; moving the end effector via the robotic surgical system from the first position to a second position; storing second kinematic position information and second actual position information for the second position; and providing force information regarding force applied to the end effector at the second position utilizing the first actual position information, the second actual position information, the first kinematic position information, and the second kinematic position information. Visual force feedback is also provided via superimposing an estimated position of an end effector without force over an image of the actual position of the end effector. Similarly, tissue elasticity visual displays may be shown. |
| US08374719B2 |
Article processing facility and its control method
An article processing facility includes an article carrier movable along a track and having an article gripper, and a pair of article racks for temporarily supporting articles. Each of the article racks is configured to be shiftable between an extended position and a retracted position. When an article for loading gripped by the article gripper is to be delivered to an article loading and unloading station but an article for unloading is present at the article loading and unloading station, the article for loading is stored temporarily on one of the article racks, and thereafter the article for unloading at the article loading and unloading station is temporarily stored on the other article rack. |
| US08374717B2 |
Vibration suppressing method and vibration suppressing device for machine tool
A vibration suppressing method and a vibration suppressing device are disclosed. After a tool is attached to a main spindle, a modal parameter of the tool or a workpiece is computed. Thereafter, a relation between chatter frequency and phase difference is calculated as an approximation formula based on the obtained modal parameter and machining conditions. If chatter vibration occurs after initiation of the machining, a chatter frequency corresponding to a target phase difference is obtained using the approximation formula, and based on the obtained chatter frequency, the number of tool flutes and the main spindle rotation speed, the optimum rotation speed is calculated. The rotation speed of the main spindle is then changed in accordance with the obtained optimum rotation speed. |
| US08374715B2 |
Mode based metal strip stabilizer
A method for vibration damping and shape control of a suspended metal strip during continuous transport in a processing facility in a steel rolling line or surface treating line in a steel mill, where the method comprises the steps: measuring distance to the strip by a plurality of non-contact sensors; and generating a strip profile from distance measurements; decomposing the strip profile to a combination of mode shapes; determining coefficients for the contribution from each mode shape to the total strip profile; and controlling the strip profile by a plurality of non-contact actuators based on a combination of mode shapes. |
| US08374712B2 |
Gapless audio playback
Various embodiments related to the performance of gapless audio playback of two or more audio tracks are provided. One disclosed embodiment provides a method of performing gapless audio playback comprising rendering a plurality of samples of a current audio track via a current filter graph, and notifying an end-of-stream soon event via a current filter graph. Upon detecting the end-of-stream soon event, a next filter graph corresponding to a next audio track is pre-rolled and then paused. An end-of-stream event is notified at the current filter graph signaling an end of the current audio track. Then, upon detecting an end-of-stream event, the next filter graph is signaled to begin rendering samples of the next audio track. |
| US08374710B2 |
Vehicle for recording and reproducing digital data
An apparatus comprising a vehicle and a media player/recorder physically connected with the vehicle, the media player/recorder comprising a wireless receiver to receive a signal representing encoded media data; a storage device to store the encoded media data; a processor comprising a storage controller to retrieve the encoded media data from the storage device, and a digital signal processor to decode the encoded media data retrieved by the storage controller; and an output circuit to output the decoded media data from the processor. |
| US08374708B2 |
Control apparatus for a system of monitoring and controlling a plant including simulated data mass setting and cancelling means
A control apparatus for a plant system has data input/output units for inputting measured data obtained from a plant and a control command for the plant, a data transmission unit for transmission of data between a control unit and a plant monitor unit which are coupled to each other through a network, and a stimulated data mass setting and cancelling unit for performing mass setting of data handled by the data input/output unit and/or data handled by the data transmission unit to simulated data managed in the form of a list table by means of a maintenance tool and performing mass cancelling of the stimulated data set in the list table. |
| US08374703B2 |
Method and apparatus for the detection of aberrant neural-electric activity
Embodiments provide an apparatus and method for detection of aberrant neural-electric activity (ANEA) in the brain causing an epileptic seizure or other neurologic condition. One embodiment provides an apparatus for detection of ANEA comprising an introducer having at least one lumen. The introducer is introduced into brain tissue through an opening in the skull. A reference electrode is positioned at an introducer distal portion. A plurality of electrode members are advanceable within the at least one lumen with each member having an insulated portion and an exposed distal portion. The members have a non-deployed state in the introducer and a deployed state when outwardly advanced out of the introducer. In the deployed state, the members are substantially orthogonal to each other with the exposed distal portions defining a detection volume capable of determining an electric field vector produced by the ANEA and the direction of a foci of the ANEA. |
| US08374698B2 |
Package for an implantable neural stimulation device
The present invention is an improved hermetic package for implantation in the human body. The implantable device includes an electrically non-conductive substrate with electrically conductive vias. A flip-chip circuit is attached to the substrate using conductive bumps and electrically connected to a first subset of the vias. The flip-chip circuit can contain one or more stacks or a folded stack. A wire-bonded circuit is also attached to the substrate and electrically connected to a second subset of the vias. A cover is bonded to the substrate. The cover, substrate, and vias form an improved hermetic package for implantation. |
| US08374697B2 |
Electrical dental screw implant
Stimulation of bone growth to facilitate healing of a dental implant utilizing a interiorly threaded dental screw of nonconductive material in conjunction with a healing cap abutment whereby electrical stimulation facilitates healing of the surgical site. The device is powered by a battery for the purpose of creating an electrical-magnetic field to promote bone healing and bone formation. The electric magnetic field is directed to the bone around the device through a battery of a rechargeable type. A constant current is generated in a preferred range of about 5 μA to about 20 μA to stimulate bone healing and bone formation. |
| US08374694B2 |
Handling improper device data in implantable devices
A system and method for handling data received from an implantable medical device (IMD) is provided. The method includes communicating a device parameter value of an IMD device parameter from the IMD to an external device and determining, at the external device, that the communicated device parameter value is at an improper value. Additionally, in response to the determining that the communicated device parameter value is at an improper value, automatically performing at least one of re-programming the IMD device parameter with a selected substitute device parameter value, ignoring, or purging non-programmable data. |
| US08374693B2 |
Systems and methods for timing-based communication between implantable medical devices
A method carried out by an implantable medical device (IMD) for coordinating performance of one or more designated functions includes waiting in a low-power state for a predetermined event, detecting the predetermined event, and, responsive to detecting the predetermined event, searching for a wake-up command from a coordinating device implanted in the human body. The method further includes, receiving the wake-up command, and responsive to receiving the wake-up command, performing the one or more designated functions, and returning to the low-power state. A system includes a network of one or more implantable medical devices (IMDs) implanted in a human body. The system includes a satellite IMD operable to change between a plurality of power states, search for a wake-up command, and transmit an identification signal. The system may include a primary unit operable to receive the signal and coordinate a wake-up time based on the signal. |
| US08374684B2 |
Portable optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices and related systems
Portable optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices including at least one mirror configured to scan at least two directions are provided. The portable OCT devices are configured to provide a portable interface to a sample that can be aligned to the sample without repositioning the sample. Related systems are also provided. |
| US08374680B2 |
Needleless catheters and methods for true lumen re-entry in treatment of chronic total occlusions and other disorders
A catheter system comprising a) an elongate flexible catheter; b) a lumen that extends from a proximal insertion port to a side outlet opening; c) a penetrating guidewire insertable into the proximal insertion port and thereafter advanceable through the lumen and out of the side outlet opening; and d) an orientation element useable to provide an indication of the trajectory on which the penetrating guidewire will advance from the catheter body. Also disclosed are methods for using such catheter to direct the penetrating guidewire out of the side opening and into the true lumen of a blood vessel when bypassing an obstruction in the blood vessel such as a chronic total occlusion (CTO) of an artery. |
| US08374673B2 |
Integrated surgical navigational and neuromonitoring system having automated surgical assistance and control
The invention relates to an integrated surgical navigational and neuromonitoring system having automated surgical assistance and control. The integrated system provides real-time introperative assistance to a surgeon or other user. The integrated system can also automatically control neuromonitoring based on a position of a neuromonitoring probe. |
| US08374666B2 |
Retinopathy of prematurity determination and alarm system
Methods and system for determining a likelihood of possible retinopathy of prematurity and alerting a caregiver of such likelihood may employ oxygen saturation measurements. According to certain embodiments, an apparatus for determining a risk of retinopathy of prematurity in a patient may include a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to determine whether an oxygen saturation level of the patient extends beyond an oxygen saturation threshold, determine an extent that the oxygen saturation level of the patient extends beyond the oxygen saturation threshold, and trigger an alarm when the extent that the oxygen saturation level of the patient extends beyond the oxygen saturation threshold exceeds a threshold at which the patient may be at risk of developing retinopathy of prematurity. The apparatus may also include a display unit configured to present the alarm in response to the trigger from the processing unit. |
| US08374664B2 |
Container for superconducting apparatus and superconducting apparatus
The invention offers a container for a superconducting apparatus and a superconducting apparatus. The container mounts in it a superconducting coil as a member including a superconductor. The container is provided with a vacuum insulated container 20 as a housing case made of resin and provided with an opening, a lead electrode 50 as a metal member positioned such that it passes through the opening, and a combination of connecting members 63 and 65 that covers the opening, that connects the lead electrode 50 to the vacuum insulated container 20, and that is provided with a curved portion as a thermal-stress-alleviating portion. Having the foregoing structure, the container can suppress the development of separation and cracks at the portion where the metal member passes though and is fixed to the wall of the container that mounts in it a superconductor such as a superconducting coil. |
| US08374663B2 |
Cooling system and method for cooling superconducting magnet devices
A cooling system and method for cooling superconducting magnet coils are provided. One magnet system for a superconducting magnet device includes a cooling system having at least one coil support shell, a plurality of superconducting magnet coils supported by the at least one coil support shell and a plurality of cooling tubes thermally coupled to the at least one coil support shell. The magnet system also includes a cryorefrigerator system fluidly coupled with the plurality of cooling tubes forming a closed circulation cooling system. |
| US08374662B2 |
Particle trap employing a high temperature superconductor and an associated method of trapping particles
A particle trap and an associated method of trapping particles are provided. The particle trap includes a body formed of a high temperature superconductor (HTS). The body defines a cavity therethrough. The particle trap also includes first and second HTS end plates or first and second electrodes positioned at opposite ends of the cavity. At least one of the end plates or at least one of the electrodes defines at least one opening into the cavity to permit charged particles to enter and exit the cavity. |
| US08374658B2 |
Method and apparatus for flat and tilt slide mechanism
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first housing section, a second housing section, and a connection mechanism between the housing sections. The connection mechanism includes a first hinge member, a slide plate, second hinge member, a first hinge arm, and a second hinge arm. The first hinge member includes an elongated opening. The slide plate is attached to the second housing section. The second hinge member is connected to the slide plate. The first end of the first hinge arm is connected to the first housing section. The second end of the first hinge arm is connected to the second hinge member. The first end of the second hinge arm is connected to the first hinge member at the elongated opening. The second end of the second hinge arm is connected to the second hinge member. |
| US08374656B2 |
Mobile communication device and method for controlling the same
A mobile communication device is provided. The mobile communication device includes a first body including a display, a second body foldably connected to the first body, a slider body slidably connected to the second body, the slider body having at least one key that is exposed when the slider body is moved into an open position, and a camera arranged at the second body, the camera being exposed when the slider body is moved into the open position. A method for controlling the same is also provided. The method includes executing a first mode when the first body and second body foldably connected to each other are unfolded, and executing a second mode other than the first mode when a slider body slidably coupled to the second body is moved. |
| US08374645B2 |
Hybrid communications link
A hybrid communications link includes a slow, reliable communications link and a fast unreliable communications link. Communication via the hybrid communications link selectively uses both the slow, reliable communications link and the fast, unreliable communications link. |
| US08374644B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing a call connection based on a communication system condition desired by a calling party
An origination terminal in accordance with the present invention is provided with a control unit for controlling, when receiving information indicating that a destination terminal uses a network different from a network desired by an originator, so as to transmit a call enable notification request requesting the destination terminal, when the destination terminal can connect to the network desired by the originator, to transmit a call enable notification notifying the originator accordingly. The destination terminal in accordance with the present invention is provided with a control unit for controlling, when receiving the call enable notification request from the origination terminal, so as to transmit the call enable notification when the destination terminal can connect to the network desired by the originator. |
| US08374640B2 |
Controlling a communication system
In a communication system, a plurality of communication entities can establish a plurality of communication links that can potentially interfere with each other. A control of the communication system involves repetitively carrying out a probabilistic parameter setting step for respective communication links. In such a probabilistic parameter setting step, a parameter setting to be applied to a communication link is randomly determined according to a probability distribution. This probability distribution is such that a probability that a particular parameter setting is applied decreases with, on the one hand, a relative level of interference that the communication link is expected to experience from other communication links if the particular parameter setting is applied and, on the other hand, a relative level of interference that other communication links are expected to experience if the particular parameter setting is applied. |
| US08374639B2 |
System and method for providing mobile device services using SMS communications
An enhanced services platform the platform includes an interface for receiving a communication from a user requesting a desired data. A response module parses the communication and retries the desired data. The platform arranges the desired data into a response message that is sent to the user. A user identifier database module stores information about the users in a user profile that including at least a preferences field and a preference value field identifying relative values of user preferences stored in the preference field, where when a preference having a higher ranking in the preference value field is non available, a second preference having a lower ranking in the preference value field is utilized. |
| US08374636B2 |
System and method for enhanced communications via small data rate communication systems
A system and method for interacting with an interactive communication system include processing a profile associated with an interactive communication system; generating a user interface based on the processing of the profile to solicit a user response correlating to a response required by the interactive communication system; receiving the user response via the user interface; updating the user interface using the profile based on the user response; and sending a signal to the interactive communication system based on one or more user responses. |
| US08374634B2 |
System and method for automated analysis comparing a wireless device location with another geographic location
A system and method for automatically comparing obtained wireless device location information from a wireless network and comparing that location with another independent source geographic location is provided. Location information is derived from two or more sources in a multiplicity of ways and a comparison is made within a Location Comparison Engine. The Location Comparison Engine makes use of databases that assist in resolving obtained raw positioning information and converting that positioning information into one or more formats for adequate location comparison. Results of the location comparison are deduced to determine if the wireless device is in some proximity to some other activity source location. Other location information used for comparison may be obtained from a multiplicity of sources, such as another network based on some activity of the wireless device user, another wireless device via a wireless network, or any system capable of providing location information to the Location Comparison Engine. |
| US08374630B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining the location of a wireless client device on a wireless network
The rate at which a particular wireless client may be PINGed may depend on many factors, including the accuracy with which the location of the wireless client is required to be known, how accurate the system has historically been able to locate other previous clients in the same general area; the speed with which the client is moving, the amount of other data being transmitted by the client, the needs of other clients being serviced by the access point that will need to PING the client, the current battery life of the client, and the priority of obtaining an accurate location for a particular wireless user verses other uses of the network bandwidth. Based on the multiple factors considered by the system, the rate at which the client will be PINGed is adjusted to optimize the amount of bandwidth used to determine the client's location. |
| US08374629B2 |
Mobility management method, relevant devices, and communication system
A mobility management method includes: receiving a first location update request sent by a Mobile Agent (MA); and determining, according to the first location update request and a binding relation between an MA context and a UE context, that a User Equipment (UE) moves together with the MA. A mobility management apparatus includes: a location update request receiving unit, configured to receive a first location update request sent by the MA; and a location moving determining unit, configured to determine, according to the first location update request and a binding relation between the MA context and the UE context, that the UE moves together with the MA. |
| US08374626B2 |
System and method for providing location information service using mobile code
An apparatus and method for providing a location information service using a mobile code in a Mobile Station (MS). The method includes scanning, by an input device of the MS, a mobile code; analyzing identifier information of the scanned mobile code; determining whether the identifier information corresponds to other information stored in the MS; if the identifier information corresponds to other information stored in the MS, acquiring location information, to be matched on a first cyber map in the MS, corresponding to the identifier information; matching the acquired location information on the first cyber map and displaying the matched first cyber map on an output device of the MS; and calculating a moving distance and a path using at least one location corresponding to the acquired location information. |
| US08374625B2 |
Neighborhood paging group design for wireless networks
Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to an example embodiment, a technique may include storing, by a mobile station while in an active state, a neighborhood paging list, transitioning from active state to idle state, receiving a paging group ID from a local base station, determining that the paging group ID received from the local base station does not match any of the paging group IDs on the mobile station's neighborhood paging list, performing location update, updating the neighborhood paging list based on information received from the local base station, the updated neighborhood paging list including a paging group ID (PGID) identifying a local paging area corresponding to the local base station and a list of neighbor paging group IDs identifying one or more paging areas that are neighbors to the local paging area. |
| US08374623B2 |
Location based, software control of mobile devices
Methods are disclosed for controlling mobile computing devices such as laptops, PDAs and cellular telephones, based on their location. A mobile computing device may include a software-rendered map of defined geographic regions, location handlers for defining behavior of a mobile device in a given geographic region, and a location handling engine for determining when a new geographic zone has been entered and exited, and for executing and terminating location handlers accordingly. |
| US08374621B2 |
Methods and apparatus for reducing the likelihood of deadlock in a wireless communication system
In accordance with a method for reducing the likelihood of deadlock in a wireless communication system, user equipment may determine that user equipment has data to transmit. The data may correspond to a scheduled flow. The user equipment may determine that a scheduled grant corresponding to the scheduled flow is insufficient to transmit at least one protocol data unit. An insufficiency indicator may be transmitted to a scheduler at least once. The insufficiency indicator may include an indication that the scheduled grant is insufficient to transmit at least one protocol data unit. |
| US08374620B2 |
Frequency allocation method in wireless base station apparatus and wireless base station apparatus
A frequency allocation method in a base station communicating wirelessly with a terminal, for dividing a cell into six areas in a clockwise direction, and allocating a frequency to each of the divided sectors, including: dividing the cell into an outer circle and an inner circle; allocating to a first terminal positioned in the outer circle of the sector, a frequency different from a frequency allocated to a second terminal positioned in an adjacent sector of the same cell, and the frequency different from a frequency allocated to a third terminal positioned in the outer circle of an adjacent sector of the adjacent cell; and allocating the frequency allocated to the first terminal to fourth and fifth terminal positioned in the inner circle of two sectors respectively arranged two sectors away from the sector in which the first terminal is positioned. |
| US08374610B2 |
Systems and methods for independent setting of cell change network control mode and notification of cell change mode for uncontrolled cells
Systems and Methods for Independent Setting of Cell Change Network Control Mode and Notification of Cell Change Mode for Uncontrolled Cells are provided. In some cases, separate behavior is specified for mobile stations in respect of uncontrolled cells. In some cases, behavior is signaled by the signaling used for normal cells, but different meaning is attributed to the signaling. In some cases, at least one further criterion is combined with the signaling for controlled cells to determine the behavior for controlled cells. In some cases, additional signaling is employed. |
| US08374606B2 |
Wireless communication terminal and handoff determination method
A wireless communication terminal includes a measurement section that measures quality of a signal transmitted from a base station, a determination section that determines whether or not handoff is to be performed based on a measurement result of the measurement section and a criterion of the determination of the handoff, and handoff section that performs the handoff based on a determination result of the determination section, wherein the determination section changes the criterion of the determination of the handoff when the handoff section performs the handoff in a predetermined repetition pattern. |
| US08374604B2 |
System and methods for performing multiple registrations across different radio access technologies
Disclosed are systems, methods and computer program products for performing multiple registrations across different radio access technologies (RATs). In one aspect, the registration procedure provisions a mobile device to register with a primary RAT and pre-register with at least one non-primary RAT using its air interface, which is different from the primary RAT. The pre-registration procedure includes setting up a radio session context and a packet data network (PDN) context with the non-primary RAT. The procedure further includes setting up a pseudo-binding with an external PDN gateway and obtaining binding state information for the mobile device from the PDN gateway without transferring binding state from the primary RAT to the non-primary RAT. The binding state information may be added to the PDN context. The mobile device may then perform handoff from the primary RAN to non-primary RAN using the preset contexts. |
| US08374600B2 |
Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system
The present invention comprises a method and an arrangement for priority handling between a measurement gap procedure and an uplink data transmission procedure in an evolved UTRAN. The user equipment (UE) detects an active measurement gap. When the UE receives data into the transmission buffer the received data triggers an uplink data transmission procedure such as a scheduling request procedure or a random access procedure. An evaluation on characteristics information associated with the received data is performed and based on the performed evaluation the UE proceeds with the uplink data transmission procedure or the measurement gap procedure. In case the characteristics information associated with the received data is of high priority, the UE proceeds with the uplink data transmission procedure and cancels the measurement gap procedure. However, if the characteristics information associated with the received data is of low priority, it proceeds with the measurement gap procedure and postpones the uplink data transmission procedure to a later occasion. |
| US08374594B2 |
Method and system for radio communications using mobile terminal moving route prediction
In a radio communication system formed by a plurality of radio base stations having respective service areas and a mobile radio terminal configured to transmit a data transmission request through one radio base station and receive requested data through at least one radio base stations, a radio control station is provided to predict a moving route of the mobile radio terminal according to a terminal location information obtained from the mobile radio terminal upon receiving the data transmission request from the mobile radio terminal through the one radio base station, select those radio base stations which have service areas containing at least a part of the predicted moving route, and deliver requested data to the selected radio base stations. |
| US08374589B2 |
Controlling supplementary subscriber services in overlayed IMS-based telecommunications network
A method, arrangement and network entities for controlling supplementary subscriber services in first (1) and second (12) operatively connected, overlayed telecommunications networks. Supplementary subscriber services available to a subscriber (4) in the first telecommunications network (1) may be executed in the second telecommunications network (12). These supplementary subscriber services are controlled by the subscriber (4) from the first telecommunications network (1). The first telecommunications network (1) is provided with a supplementary subscriber services handling indicator (20), indicating in which one of the first (1) and second (12) telecommunications network a supplementary subscriber service of a subscriber (4) is to be executed. Based on this supplementary subscriber services handling indicator (20), while maintaining a user control interface in the first telecommunications network (1), supplementary subscriber services control messages are processed in the respective network (1; 12) in which a particular supplementary service is to be executed. |
| US08374588B2 |
Method and system for sending marketing messages to mobile-device users from a mobile-commerce platform
Methods and systems for sending marketing messages to mobile-device users from a mobile-commerce platform are described. In various illustrative embodiments, a marketing message is transmitted to a mobile-device user before, during, or after a transaction between the mobile-device user's mobile device and the mobile-commerce platform. The marketing message can be generated and timed based on rules input to the mobile-commerce platform by a merchant and can be based on historical transaction data associated with the mobile-device user, transaction parameters associated with a current or a most-recently-completed transaction involving the mobile-device user, a transaction type of a current or a most-recently-completed transaction involving the mobile-device user, or a combination thereof, depending on the particular embodiment. |
| US08374580B2 |
Service in WLAN inter-working, address management system, and method
An address management method is provided, for use when a mobile terminal accesses a service from a WLAN access network, wherein the service is provided in a 3GPP network or in a service provider network via the 3GPP network. First, the mobile terminal connects to the WLAN access network. Second, the mobile terminal sends a tunnel setup request message from the WLAN access network to a network entity located in the 3GPP network, wherein the tunnel setup request message includes a service request identifier for accessing a requested service and a mobile terminal identifier. Third, the network entity receives the tunnel setup request message, and allocates an address for use by the mobile terminal to access the requested service based on the service request identifier and the mobile terminal identifier. |
| US08374578B2 |
Methods and apparatus for charging a subscriber roaming in a mobile communication network
The invention relates to a solution for charging a subscriber roaming in a mobile communication network. In the invention, a temporary user subscription is created for the roaming subscriber and an account balance is set for the temporary user subscription allowing the subscriber to use services attached to the temporary user subscription while roaming in the packet data based mobile communication network. |
| US08374577B2 |
Parallel coordinated operations in private domains
First and second users subscribe to respectively first and second mobile telecommunications services provided by first and second operator respectively. Respective user trusts the operator to perform operations in a private user domain such as a payment account. In response to first operator receiving from first user a message ordering execution of specified transaction, e.g. an SMS.message, the message is intercepted and forwarded to analysis unit. First and second operations are determined and intercepted message is amended and forwarded to second user who returns, to second operator, a response message indicating, e.g., acceptance of indicated operations. First and second operators, mutually trusted, exchange control information over a secure channel to prepare for execution of first and second operations in respective private domains. In response to second operator receiving an acceptance message from the second user, the first and second operations are executed in respective private domain. Confirmation of executed operations is sent to first and second user. Various embodiments are described including payment for merchandise. |
| US08374575B2 |
Systems and methods for locating cellular phones and security measures for the same
Systems and methods for locating a cellular phone are provided. More particularly, systems and methods for providing the location of a requested user's cellular phone from a requesting user's device (e.g., a second cellular phone) based on access rights defined by the requested user. Location descriptions may be provided at a multitude of levels. For example, if a cellular phone, or an identity associated to (e.g., logged into) a cellular phone, has been given access rights to a cell phone's exact location for an indefinite amount of time, that cell phone can receive, on command, the exact location of the approved cell phone. Other levels of location information that can be granted include, for example, proximities, states, and countries. |
| US08374574B1 |
Method and apparatus for storing a message for playback during a user-initiated emergency telephone call from a wireless device
A wireless device such as a cellular phone is disclosed. The cellular phone is adapted to store a voice message picked-up by a microphone and store voice data representing the voice message in a memory. The cellular phone is further adapted to initiate a call such as an emergency 911 call in response to a turbo-dial or speed-dial key stroke initiated by the user. The cellular phone transmits the stored voice message, along with position data obtained by an onboard geolocation receiver, when the call is established. |
| US08374573B1 |
AVI system with improved receiver signal processing
An automatic vehicle identification (AVI) system signal processing technique which provides improved performance and reliability and which substantially eliminates the adverse effect of ambient noise signals on the detection of permissible code sequences by an AVI receiver. Input signals to an AVI receiver are filtered to strip off all frequency components except those at the carrier frequency. The filtered signals are subjected to variable gain amplification over a substantially linear operating range with the maximum amplitude of the amplified signals limited to a maximum value below the supply voltage and within the linear range of the variable gain amplifier. The amplified signals are converted to a binary pulse train signifying the temporal length of each active carrier period and the temporal length of each quiescent carrier period. The binary pulse train is decoded and a valid vehicle signal is generated if the decoded binary pulse train matches a permissible code sequence. |
| US08374571B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit and operating method thereof
An integrated circuit is equipped with a reception mixer and a signal generator. A multistage delay circuit generates a plurality of clock pulses in response to a reception carrier signal. A phase detection unit detects differences between a voltage level of a specific clock pulse and voltage levels of a predetermined number of clock pulses generated prior to the specific clock pulse to thereby detect a predetermined phase of the specific clock pulse. A selector of a clock generation unit outputs a plurality of selection clock pulse signals respectively having a plurality of phases from the clock pulse signals. A first signal synthetic logic circuit performs logical operations on the selection clock pulses to thereby generate local signals supplied to the reception mixer. |
| US08374568B2 |
Harmonic reject receiver architecture and mixer
Receiver architectures and methods of processing harmonic rich input signals employing harmonic suppression mixers are disclosed herein. The disclosed receivers, mixers, and methods enable a receiver to achieve the advantages of switching mixers while greatly reducing the mixer response to the undesired harmonics. A harmonic mixer can include a plurality of mixers coupled to an input signal. A plurality of phases of a local oscillator signal can be generated from a single local oscillator output. Each of the phases can be used to drive an input of one of the mixers. The mixer outputs can be combined to generate a frequency converted output that has harmonic rejection. |
| US08374567B2 |
High speed serial link with power spectral density frequency response suppression
This disclosure relates to noise suppression in data transfers in transceivers of wireless devices. |
| US08374566B2 |
Integrated wideband RF tracking filter for RF front end with parallel band switched tuned amplifiers
A wideband RF tracking filter having a set of parallel tuned resonator amplifier stages with a de-Q resistor for each subband is disclosed. The resonant amplifier contains programmable tuned LC tank impedance and an array of parallel voltage to current converters (V2I) for each subband. The de-Q resistor together with the array of V2I converters provides a flat gain over each subband and each of the other subbands covering different frequencies. |
| US08374563B2 |
Gain control circuit of the wireless receiver
A gain control circuit of the wireless receiver comprises a plurality of stages-amplifier, an analog gain control circuit, and a digital gain control circuit, wherein the analog gain control circuit generates an analog controlling voltage for regulating the gain of the post-amplifier by an analog gain controlling process, and the digital gain control circuit is used for determining a plurality of gain curves for the pre-amplifier, and the gain curves are all operating between the first default voltage and second default voltage. While the analog controlling voltage is over the first default voltage or second default voltage, the gain curve will be switched, thereby, the analog gain controlling process can be with the digital gain controlling process therein for improving the linearity of the gain regulation and reducing the transient response during the gain switching process. |
| US08374558B2 |
Antenna array with flexible interconnect for a mobile wireless device
An antenna array can be mounted on a flexible substrate and connected by a flexible interconnect to an integrated circuit such as a radio frequency front end. The antenna array can be mounted in a device housing that includes radio frequency interference (RFI) shielding. The antenna array is aligned with and next to an area of the housing that is not shielded against RFI. |
| US08374556B2 |
Method for determining audio broadcast transmission signal coverage
Computer implemented methods and systems for the prediction of the reception of a desired in-band on-channel digital audio broadcast signal (IBOC DAB) are described. A method includes computing a first ratio of a weaker undesired adjacent broadcast signal to a stronger undesired adjacent broadcast signal; computing a second ratio of the desired IBOC DAB signal to the stronger undesired adjacent roadcast signal. The method also includes computing a minimum allowable reception ratio based on the second ratio and the slope and intercept of a line, wherein the slope and intercept of the line is based on both (i) a plurality of ratios of a weaker adjacent broadcast signal to a stronger adjacent broadcast signal and (ii) a plurality of ratios of a desired IBOC DAB signal to a stronger adjacent broadcast signal. Reception is predicted when the computed minimum allowable reception ratio is less than the first ratio. |
| US08374553B1 |
Method and system for improving a communication range and reliability of a soil sensor antenna
A wireless sub-surface soil sensor having a switchable configuration antenna that can be optimized for various soils is disclosed herein. The wireless sub-surface sensor also measures the moisture and salinity of a material. The wireless sub-surface sensor preferably includes a cover for protecting circuitry of the sensor. The wireless soil sensor is designed to be buried underground and to transmit to above ground receivers, which provide feedback for configuring the switchable antenna. |
| US08374549B2 |
Method for altering communication mode and mobile communication terminal using the same
A method is disclosed that alters a communication mode in a mobile communication terminal. The method includes: if the mobile communication terminal receives a connection signal for an external device, determining whether the communication mode is set to a bidirectional mode; if the communication mode is not a bidirectional mode, determining whether the communication mode is set to a unidirectional mode; and if the communication mode is a unidirectional mode, paging with the external device. The mobile communication terminal can reduce its power consumption and thus extends its remaining run time. |
| US08374545B2 |
De-tuning in wireless power reception
Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A receiver with a receive antenna couples with near field radiation in a coupling-mode region. The receiver generates an RF signal at a resonant frequency responsive to the near field radiation. A de-tuning circuit generates a variable impedance responsive to a control signal to modify the RF signal to a smaller amplitude or to a different resonant frequency. A rectifier converts the modified RF signal to a DC signal. A comparator creates a feedback loop by generating the control signal responsive to comparing the DC signal to a reference voltage. The de-tuning circuit may operate in digital mode or in linear mode with the feedback. An impedance element may be coupled to the de-tuning circuit to generate a voltage proportional to a current through the de-tuning circuit. The proportional voltage is rectified to a receive signal with information sent from a transmitter. |
| US08374542B2 |
Data transmission system for forwarding data using a plurality of antennas
A data transmission system transmitting data using a relay is provided. The relay selects a transmission terminal from a plurality of terminals connected to a base station. During a first time slot, the base station transmits base station data to the relay and the transmission terminal transmits terminal data to the relay. The relay transmits the terminal data to the base station and transmits the base station data to the transmission terminal during a second time slot. |
| US08374540B2 |
Consolidated on-line assessment system
A Consolidated Online Assessment System (COLA System) that creates, manipulates, and distributes an objected-oriented paradigm that represents the scoring and related activities as a unified and integrated family of loosely coupled objects, most notably a “Case” representing a state-machine that replaces the constructed response from the test taker as the unit of work. The Scoring Model and associated Properties that encapsulate the business rules associated with what actions are appropriate or required for a unit of work and the Responses to the unit of work which represent the test-taker-contributed content (e.g., essays or other text-based responses, audio responses, digitized video responses, scanned images, diagrams, lessons plans, etc.) and ties that content to its creator are linked to a Distinct Scorable Unit (DSU) which represents a tree-based mechanism that connects and provides inheritability for the other primary system objects. The abstraction of the DSU allows the system to distinguish between the constructed response as test-taker contributed content and the constructed response as the carrier of state or status information as it passes through the assessment process. |
| US08374527B2 |
Developer storing body having a movable outlet shutter member, image forming unit and image forming apparatus
A developer storing body is detachably attached to an image forming unit main body of an image forming unit. The developer storing body includes a cartridge main body for storing a developer. The cartridge main body has a developer outlet opening through which the developer is ejected. The developer storing body includes an outlet shutter member movable with respect to the cartridge main body so as to open and close the developer outlet opening. A movable direction of the outlet shutter member is substantially the same as a direction in which the developer storing body is attached to or detached from the image forming unit main body. |
| US08374525B2 |
Image forming apparatus having pivoting member
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a drum unit which holds photosensitive drums in parallel, a developing cartridge which is detachably mounted in the drum unit, a translation member which is provided in the apparatus body to be movable linearly, a shaft which is provided on the tandem photosensitive drum unit for each developing cartridge; and a pivoting member which is rotatably supported by the shaft. The pivoting member includes an abutting portion which is provided on one side to abut the translation member, a pressing portion which is provided on the other side, and is configured to press a predetermined portion of the developing cartridge in a direction in which the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum; and a spring portion which applies a biasing force in a direction in which the pressing portion is separated from the predetermined portion. |
| US08374524B2 |
Retaining clip for printer cartridge
There is provided a retaining clip apparatus and method for securing a toner feeder gear housing to a toner hopper of a toner printer cartridge. The apparatus comprises a first end configured to engage a protruding edge of the toner hopper. The apparatus further comprises a second end having a first surface configured to engage a portion of the toner feeder gear housing and having a second surface configured to engage a portion of the top cover housing, such that the second end is positioned within a space between the top cover housing and the toner feeder gear housing. The apparatus further comprises an elongated body portion connecting the first end to the second end. |
| US08374520B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrying unit; a charging unit; a transfer unit transferring an developed image to a recording medium in accordance with application of a transfer voltage; an application unit generating the transfer voltage and applying the transfer voltage to the transfer unit; a voltage detection unit detecting the transfer voltage; an inflow current detection unit detecting an inflow current flowing from the image carrying unit charged by the charging unit into the application unit; a transfer current detection unit detecting a transfer current flowing when the transfer voltage is applied to the transfer unit; a determination unit determining an initiating voltage which induces the inflow current; a calculation unit calculating load resistance of the application unit based on the transfer voltage, the transfer current, and the initiating voltage; and an adjustment unit that adjusts the transfer current in accordance with the load resistance. |
| US08374516B2 |
Image forming apparatus which informs a user that toner does not exist in an exchangeable developer accommodating section
An image forming apparatus is supplied capable of informing user just after developer in an accommodating section is exhausted. In the apparatus, a developing section is used for forming and developing an electrostatic latent image through developer; an accommodating section accommodates the developer; a supplying section makes the accommodating section be installed exchangeably and supplies the developer to the developing section; a space amount obtaining section obtains a space amount of the supplying section before exchanging the accommodating section; an initial amount calculating section calculates an initial amount of developer in the accommodating section after exchanged on the basis of the space amount and an accommodating amount of the accommodating section; a use amount calculating section calculates a use amount of the developer used by the developing section; a judging section judges an existence/inexistence of the developer in the accommodating section on the basis of the initial amount and the use amount; and an informing section informs user of a judgment result when the judging section judges that the toner does not exist. |
| US08374515B2 |
Image forming system, image forming apparatus, and computer readable medium
An image forming system includes image forming apparatuses that communicate with each other via a network. Each of the image forming apparatuses includes a network computer, a power saving controller for applying a power saving control in a first power saving mode in which a supply of power to a printing function portion that forms an image on a sheet is stopped and a power is fed to the network controller when the apparatus acts as a main apparatus, and applying a power saving control in a second power saving mode in which a supply of power to the printing function portion and the network controller is stopped when the apparatus acts as subordinate apparatus, and a main apparatus deciding unit for deciding the image forming apparatus out of the plurality of image forming apparatuses based on a calculation of power consumption of the plurality of image forming apparatuses. |
| US08374512B2 |
Frequency offset monitoring device and optical coherent receiver
The present invention provides a frequency offset monitoring device and an optical coherent receiver. A low speed frequency offset monitoring device comprises a signal speed lowering section, for lowering the speed of an inputted signal and outputting the speed lowered signal, and a frequency offset monitor, for monitoring frequency offset of the speed lowered signal outputted by the signal speed lowering section. |
| US08374510B2 |
Method and apparatus for polarization stabilization in optical receivers with complex modulation formats
High optical communication rates are making their way into networks initially designed for 10 Gigabits per seconds (Gbps). These higher rates of 40 Gbps and higher have shorter signaling periods and are more susceptible to differential group delay (DGD). A method and corresponding apparatus in an example embodiment of the present invention compensates for polarization state sensitivity of a receiver by determining a performance metric relating to an error rate due to transmission and reception of a modulated optical signal in a medium introducing DGD. Based on the performance metric, a control vector is determined to control a polarization state of the modulated optical signal. The control vector is applied to a polarization effecting device to compensate for the DGD and the polarization state sensitivity of the receiver. Communication rates of 40 Gbps and higher can be used in transmission mediums that introduce DGD through use of embodiments presented. |
| US08374508B2 |
Augmenting passive optical networks
Passive optical networks have optical budget loss limitations that affect the ability of a Service Provider to serve a limited number of clients over a limited range. The deployment of passive optical networks is constrained by potential physical rights of way issues. A method and system for augmenting communication links of a passive optical network are disclosed which utilize radio frequency communication enabling an increase in the number of clients on the network as well as increasing the reach or range of the network while potentially eliminating physical rights of way issues. |
| US08374505B2 |
Apparatus and method for quantum cryptography communication
A quantum cryptography communication apparatus performs quantum cryptography communication between a transmitter and a receiver. The quantum cryptography communication apparatus includes first communicating unit transmitting and receiving a communication signal including relatively strong pulse light between the transmitter and the receiver, and second communicating unit transmitting and receiving a relatively weak quantum cryptography signal between the transmitter and the receiver in a period in which the communication signal is off and the attitude axis for the receiver can be adjusted to that for the transmitter by the second communicating unit. |
| US08374501B2 |
Optical line terminal and optical line transmission and reception system
An optical line terminal includes an optical network interface having an optical receiver unit to convert an optical signal received from an optical network unit into an electrical signal and output a direct current bias monitoring signal and an error code detector to detect an error code in the electrical signal to output an error code indication signal, a storage to store therein a direct current bias table indicating a direct current bias corresponding to a direct current bias control parameter of the optical network units and a dynamic band allocation information table indicating communication time slot information allotted to each optical network unit and a control unit to receive the direct current bias monitoring signal and the error code indication signal and supply the direct current bias control signal to the optical receiver unit to thereby form one feedback circuit together with the optical network interface. |
| US08374500B2 |
SONET/SDH transmission apparatus
A SONET/SDH transmission apparatus comprises a plurality of interface units that accommodate a plurality of lines, and mesh wiring that interconnects the interface units in a mesh pattern. Each of the interface units includes a time slot interchange (TSI) unit to output a signal selected from among a plurality of signals through the TSI processing of a plurality of signals on the lines accommodated at all the interface units, a detection unit to detect alarm information on the lines accommodated at all the interface units, and a control unit to provide the TSI unit with control data reflecting protective switching operation calculated by computation of a logic circuit which virtually executes the protective switching operation to be as for the plurality of lines. |
| US08374497B2 |
Autofocusing zoom lens
In an autofocusing zoom lens, a depth of focus ε is obtained based on an aperture value Fno of a variable diaphragm and a diameter of a permissible circle of confusion δ. A focal position variation amount Δsk for a predetermined positional displacement amount ΔFp0 of a focusing lens unit is obtained according to a position Fp of the focusing lens unit and a variable magnification state Zp. If a predetermined variation amount ΔFp of the focusing lens unit satisfies a first condition, the focusing lens unit is not driven. If the first condition is not satisfied and a second condition is satisfied, the focusing lens unit is driven based on a second autofocusing unit, and if the second condition is not satisfied, the focusing lens unit is driven based on a first autofocusing unit. |
| US08374496B2 |
Camera system and camera body
The camera system is constituted by the camera main body and the interchangeable lens, which is removably attachable to the camera main body. The camera main body has an imaging unit, a main body shake detector, a main body image blur corrector, and a body microcomputer configured to control the imaging unit, the shake detector, and the image blur corrector. The interchangeable lens has a shake detector, an image blur corrector, and a lens microcomputer configured to control the shake detector and the image blur corrector. The body microcomputer selects either the main body or lens shake detector, activates the selected shake detector, and stops the other shake detector. |
| US08374494B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes an image pickup circuit having a plurality of photographic modes, such as television standards, a compression processing circuit for performing compression processing of an image pickup signal outputted from the image pickup circuit, the compression circuit having a plurality of compression modes, and a selecting circuit for selecting one of the compression modes of the compression processing circuit in accordance with a selected one of the photographic modes of the image pickup circuit. |
| US08374493B2 |
Playback apparatus
The present invention provides a playback apparatus for up-converting a video signal without magnifying film grains. An up-converter 5 performs up-conversion on a frame image in a video signal. A film grain detection circuit 6 detects film grains from the video signal. A frequency converter 7 converts spatial frequencies of the detected film grains on the video signal after the resolution conversion to high frequencies. |
| US08374490B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving metadata, EPG, or IPG signals in an integrated circuit for control purposes
An integrated circuit or system receives a bit pattern from a metadata, IPG, and or EPG signal. This bit pattern is then coupled to a circuit to provide a content control command to a recorder or to a processing circuit to generate a content control signal. In particular the bit pattern may be utilized in a manner to program, enable, or disable the generated control signal. Furthermore this content control signal provides resistance to a circumvention device. For example, the circumvention device is unable to remove sufficiently the content control signal, and content control is maintained. |
| US08374489B2 |
Method and apparatus for inducing and or reducing geometric distortions in a display via positive going pulses
In certain flat screen TV sets, such as LCD monitors, geometric errors can be induced in a video signal by positive going pulses. That is, a shift in a display is provided when one or more positive going pulse is added to the video signal following one or more sync pulse. To illustrate, AGC pulses, generally used for content control and or copy protection in the last lines of an active video field, cause a shift (horizontal displacement) in the picture for these last lines in the active field. Alternatively, turning off or attenuating such positive going pulses in the last lines of the active field, eliminates or reduces the picture shift. |
| US08374488B2 |
Universal multimedia optic disc player and its application for revocable copy protection
The media player employs an operating system that supports a virtual machine into which auto-run playback programs may be loaded and run. The auto run playback program is stored on the media containing the program content, such as on an optical disc medium. When the medium is inserted in the player, the auto run playback program automatically launches and is thereafter used to access playback the media content. Support for legacy media is provided to allow the player to playback compact discs and DVD discs that were manufactured without the auto run playback program. |
| US08374484B2 |
Information recording apparatus and method, information reproducing apparatus and method, information recording medium, program storage medium, and program
In an information recording apparatus and method, information reproducing apparatus and method, information recording medium, program storage medium, and program, the titles of contents can be read out rapidly to be displayed. Allocation class is provided as attribute information relating to the attributes of files to be recorded on an optical disc, and files with the class of Gathered File are collectively recorded in a Gathered File area which is formed at a prescribed position on the optical disc. File 1 to File 3 including the titles of the contents are recorded in this Gathered File area. The recording area between A1 and A2 for FSD (File System Descriptor) is fixed but the recording area between A3 and A4 of the Gathered File area can be changed if necessary. |
| US08374483B2 |
Apparatus and method for testing signal channels of DVR
An apparatus and method can test multiple signal channels of a digital video recorder (DVR). Image data are obtained from a storage device and converted the image data to a video signal. The DVR sends the video signal to an image distributor, and generates a selection command to a controller for controlling the image distributor to select a signal channel to be tested. After the video signal is received from the DVR, the image distributor sends the video signal to the selected signal channel. An ID number of the selected signal channel is displayed on a display device when the DVR does not receive the video signal from the selected video channel. |
| US08374481B2 |
Digital video recorder and managing method
An electronic device and a corresponding managing method include arranging a plurality of cameras into two camera groups, and setting a switch interval. A plurality of analog to digital converters (ADCs) in the electronic device uses first channels to acquire a first image and a second image from each camera from a first camera group. If the second image matches the corresponding first image of each camera in the first camera group and the switch interval elapses, the first channels of the ADCs are switched to second channels to acquire images from each camera in a second camera group. |
| US08374475B2 |
Optical waveguide assembly, storage device, and method for installing an optical waveguide
An optical waveguide assembly is described that comprises a storage device having a housing (7) and a rotatable reel (2), configured for storing a flexible optical waveguide, wherein the reel (2) is coupled to a flexible optical waveguide unit (1) having an external diameter (D1) of at most 2 mm for winding and/or unwinding the waveguide unit (1). |
| US08374471B2 |
Cable, and a network and the use of such a cable
A cable, comprising a cylindrical cable wall (2) surrounding a hollow cable inner space (3), wherein the cable (1) is provided with at least one signal conductor (5), for instance glass fiber and/or glass fiber bundle, wherein, in a first position, the signal conductor (5) extends substantially in the cable inner space (3) and over a particular distance along the cable wall (2), along an at least partly curved path, such that a length of the signal conductor (5) is larger than a length of the cable wall (2). |
| US08374470B2 |
Structure comprising opto-electric hybrid board and opto-electric package
A structure which stably achieves electrical coupling, and is capable of efficient optical coupling is provided. Optical coupling is achieved with the lower surface of an opto-electric package and the upper surface of an opto-electric hybrid board. On the other hand, electrical connection is achieved by means of contact between electrodes on the side surfaces of the opto-electric package and electrodes on the inner-wall side surfaces of a socket mounted on the opto-electric hybrid board. The electrodes are in electrical contact with electrical wiring. |
| US08374468B2 |
Highly rare-earth doped fiber array
An all-fiber Faraday rotator array comprising a plurality of Faraday rotating fibers, each having a doping concentration of 55%-85% (wt./wt.) of a rare-earth oxide, and a magnetic tube surrounding the plurality of Faraday rotating fibers is presented. The rare-earth oxide is selected from the group comprising: Pr2O3, Nd2O3, Pm2O3, Sm2O3, Eu2O3, Gd2O3, Tb2O3, Dy2O3, Ho2O3; Er2O3, Tm2O3, Yb2O3, La2O3, Ga2O3, Ce2O3, and Lu2O3. Additionally, an all-fiber isolator using highly rare-earth oxide doped fibers is disclosed. |
| US08374466B2 |
Methods of storing image files
A method and apparatus for organizing digital images that contain a persons face is disclosed. A database of known faces allows the faces in the images to be identified. The names of the people identified in the image are used in naming the image files and in naming the path to the image files. |
| US08374465B2 |
Method and apparatus for field rate up-conversion
The interpolation unit comprises: a fetching unit for fetching a first value of a first original pixel of a first input image, based on a first motion vector applicable to the new pixel; a projection unit for projecting a second value of a second original pixel of a second input image, based on a second motion vector applicable to the second original pixel; and a selection unit for assigning the value of the new pixel by means of comparing the first value with the second value. |
| US08374463B1 |
Method for partitioning a digital image using two or more defined regions
Method for partitioning a digital image into multiple regions where each of the multiple regions is defined using a portion of the digital image and is specified using a width and a height, in unit of pixel. In addition, neighboring pixels for each of the multiple regions are defined as margins and may contain pixels that are part of the digital image and/or newly generated pixels by using various techniques such as on the fly or using a predetermined data information. Each of the multiple regions is combined with its margin pixels to create a new quadrilateral digital image that is completely processed and/or scaled so that the appropriate portion of the processed quadrilateral digital image can be displayed using an electronic display panel, or monitor, with multiple display regions. The concatenation of the images displayed using each region of the display faithfully reproduce the digital image. |
| US08374462B2 |
Content-aware image and video resizing by anchor point sampling and mapping
Aspects of the present invention include systems and methods for resizing a set of images, which may comprises one or more images, while preserving the important content. In embodiments, the saliency of pixels in the set of images is determined using one or more image features. A small number of pixels, called anchor points, are selected from the set of images by saliency-based sampling. The corresponding positions of these anchor points in the set of target images are obtained using pixel mapping. In embodiments, to prevent mis-ordering of pixel mapping, an iterative approach is used to constrain the mapped pixels to be within the boundaries of the target image/video. In embodiments, based on the mapping of neighboring anchor points, other pixels in the target are inpainted by back-projection and interpolation. The combination of sampling and mapping greatly reduces the computational cost yet leads to a global solution to content-aware image/video resizing. |
| US08374460B2 |
Image processing unit, noise reduction method, program and storage medium
An image processing unit is disclosed that smoothens a notice pixel of input image data with pixel values of pixels around the notice pixel to reduce noise in the image data. The image processing unit includes an edge extraction unit that extracts an edge based on the pixel values of the image data; a region determination unit that determines a region to be processed where a sum of edge intensities of the pixels including the notice pixel becomes greater than or equal to a threshold; and a smoothening unit that changes a smoothening intensity in accordance with a size of the region to be processed to smoothen the notice pixel corresponding to the region to be processed. |
| US08374459B2 |
Dynamic image compression method for human face detection
A dynamic image compression method for human face detection includes the following steps. An original image is acquired. The image is divided into a plurality of blocks. A first brightness and a plurality of gradient values of each block are calculated. A second brightness of each block is calculated according to a brightness transformation function and the first brightness. A reconstruction image is generated according to the second brightness and the plurality of gradient values of each block. Human face detection is performed according to the reconstruction image. Therefore, gradient values within an original square are. When the human face detection process is performed through gradient direction information, a success rate of detection is greatly increased. |
| US08374458B2 |
Tone correcting method, tone correcting apparatus, tone correcting program, and image equipment
A face detecting unit detects presence/non-presence of a face and its position from an input image or its reduced image. A parameter calculation control unit calculates a correction parameter according to the presence/non-presence of the face. When the face is detected, a face area correction parameter calculating unit calculates a correction parameter having characteristics such that as a representative luminance value is larger, the image becomes darker, and as smaller, the image becomes brighter based on a boundary luminance level. When a face is not detected, a standard correction parameter calculating unit 4 calculates the correction parameter based on image data of the input image or its reduced image regardless of image contents. An image converting unit converts a pixel value of the input image using the obtained correction parameter so as to correct tone. |
| US08374446B2 |
Encoding and decoding of digital signals based on compression of hierarchical pyramid
The invention relates to systems for a transmission of images via channels of communication with a limited capacity by means of application of compression of the images. The technical result consists in an increase of the compression degree upon encoding, and it allows to fulfill the transmission of such encoded images via the channel of communication with the limited capacity, therewith a high degree of the compression is provided without of increase of computational power of encoding device and without of distortions upon decoding. The result is obtained by the usage of more effective method of interpolation of restored subsamples, in this method there is used an adaptive and applicative set of samples, which restore a quantized signal, and this set of the samples allows to improve an accuracy of the interpolation with a number of the subsamples, which is necessary for the right interpolation that is simultaneously decreased one. |
| US08374440B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus
A method (100) is disclosed of classifying elements in a region within a frame (410). The method (100) creates (145) a background model (150) of at least said region based on a statistical function applied to features of elements of said region in a set of frames. A mapping (130) of features to labels is also received. A difference measure comprising a plurality of difference values is then calculated based on features of elements in the region and features of the background model (150). The method (100) then classifies (180) elements based upon the difference measure and the mapping (130). |
| US08374437B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, image identifying apparatus, image identifying method, and program
An information processing apparatus includes a model image obtaining unit configured to obtain a plurality of model images; a model image feature quantity extracting unit configured to extract feature quantities of the model images obtained by the model image obtaining unit; a matching unit configured to perform matching on the feature quantities of the model images extracted by the model image feature quantity extracting unit; and an identifying feature point extracting unit configured to extract, as a result of the matching performed by the matching unit, feature points having a low correlation with a predetermined model image in similar model images that are the model images having a predetermined number or more of the feature quantities that match feature quantities of the predetermined model image, the extracted feature points being regarded as identifying feature points used for identification of the respective similar model images. |
| US08374431B2 |
Method and apparatus for direct detection, location, analysis, identification, and reporting of vegetation clearance violations
A method and system for processing digital image data taken from a three-dimensional topographic area including terrain and a right of way including a first and a second object to establish a clearance surface to define clearance violations within a boundary area. Waypoints are located to define a centerline and the boundary area to be analyzed. Vegetation coordinate points in the scene are determined from the digital image data. Ground coordinate points are determined from the digital image data. A clearance surface segment is constructed within the boundary area between the first and second object. The clearance surface is determined from the location of the first and second object and clearance criteria. The clearance surface is used to define a violation region. |
| US08374429B2 |
Image processing method, apparatus and memory medium therefor
Correction for color fog is securely achieved with limited load of processing. The RGB image data are converted into the luminance and the chromaticity values C1, C2, then a highlight point and a shadow point are determined and are connected to define the axis of the color solid. The color solid is rotated so as that the axis becomes parallel to the luminance axis Y and is so translated in parallel manner that the pixel of the minimum luminance coincides with the original point of the color space. |
| US08374428B2 |
Color balancing for partially overlapping images
When photographs are to be combined into a single image, haze correction and/or color balancing may be performed. The photographs may be analyzed and left-clipped in order to darken the photographs and to increase the density of pixels in the low-luminosity region, thereby decreasing the perception of haze. When the photographs are combined into one continuous image, tie points are selected that lie in regions where the photographs overlap. The tie points may be selected based on visual similarity of the photographs in the region around the tie point, using a variety of algorithms. Functions are then chosen to generate saturation and luminosity values that minimize, at the tie points, the cost of using the generated values as opposed to the actual saturation and luminosity values. These functions are then used to generate saturation and luminosity values for the full image. |
| US08374423B2 |
Motion detection using depth images
A sensor system creates a sequence of depth images that are used to detect and track motion of objects within range of the sensor system. A reference image is created and updated based on a moving average (or other function) of a set of depth images. A new depth images is compared to the reference image to create a motion image, which is an image file (or other data structure) with data representing motion. The new depth image is also used to update the reference image. The data in the motion image is grouped and associated with one or more objects being tracked. The tracking of the objects is updated by the grouped data in the motion image. The new positions of the objects are used to update an application. |
| US08374422B2 |
Face expressions identification
In the last few years, face expression measurement has been receiving significant attention mainly due to advancements in areas such as face detection, face tracking and face recognition. For face recognition systems, detecting the locations in two-dimension (2D) images where faces are present is a first step to be performed before face expressions can be measured. However, face detection from a 2D image is a challenging task because of variability in imaging conditions, image orientation, pose, presence/absence of facial artefacts facial expression and occlusion. Existing efforts to address the shortcomings of existing face recognition systems deal with technologies for creation of three-dimensional (3D) models of a human subject's face based on a digital photograph of the human subject. However, such technologies are computationally intensive nature and susceptible to errors and hence might not be suitable for deployment. An embodiment of the invention describes a method for identifying face expressions of image objects. |
| US08374420B2 |
Learning device and learning method for article transport facility
A learning control device performs a positioning process, a first image capturing process, and a first deviation amount calculating process in which a reference position deviation amount in the horizontal direction between the imaging reference position and a detection mark is derived based on image information captured in the first image capturing process to derive a position adjustment amount from the derived reference position deviation amount, and the learning control device further includes a positioning correcting process in which the position adjustment device is operated to adjust a position of the second learn assist member based on the derived movement adjustment amount when the reference position deviation amount derived in the first deviation amount calculating process falls outside a set tolerance range. A second image capturing process, and a second deviation amount calculating process may be further provided. |
| US08374419B2 |
Registering device, checking device, program, and data structure
A registering device, a collating device, and a program which are capable of improving authentication accuracy and a data configuration of identification data capable of improving reliability are proposed. Parameters representing shapes of partial lines obtained by dividing a blood vessel line appearing in an image by setting end points and branch points of the blood vessel line as reference points are extracted and data including the parameters of the partial lines and positions of points of opposite ends of the partial lines is generated as data identifying a live body. |
| US08374418B2 |
Method and apparatus relating to sample card punching
The invention relates to method and apparatus for determining from a sample carrier containing an impregnated biological sample a sample region to be removed. The method comprises optically imaging the sample carrier into a digital matrix form, where the optical brightness of each physical location of the sample is represented by elements of the matrix; determining a first threshold value at least partly on the basis of the elements of the matrix; and calculating coordinates corresponding to the sample region to be removed from the sample carrier, the coordinates being such that the sample region contains only areas of the sample carrier having an optical brightness lower than or equal to said first threshold value. The invention allows for more efficient use of samples in sample cards. |
| US08374414B2 |
Method and system for detecting ischemic stroke
A method for assisting diagnosis of stroke by image analysis, the method comprising obtaining a scanned brain image of a patient, transforming the scanned brain image into a digitized brain image, removing bone and other artifacts from the digitized brain image, generating at least one circular adaptive region of interest on one side of the brain image, generating a binary mask of the circular adaptive region of interest, calculating the percentage of zeros from the binary mask within the circular adaptive region of interest, locating at least one corresponding circular adaptive region of interest on the other side of the brain image, and comparing the circular adaptive region of interest with the corresponding circular adaptive region on interest of the other side of the brain based on a plurality of texture attributes. |
| US08374411B2 |
Motion tracking system for real time adaptive imaging and spectroscopy
This invention relates to a system that adaptively compensates for subject motion in real-time in an imaging system. An object orientation marker, preferably a retro-grate reflector (RGR), is placed on an organ of interest of a patient during a scan, such as an MRI scan. The marker allows measuring the six degrees of freedom or “pose” required to track motion of the organ of interest. A detector, preferably a camera, observes the marker and continuously extracts its pose. The pose from the camera is sent to the scanner via an RGR processing computer and a scanner control and processing computer, allowing for continuous correction of scan planes and position (in real-time) for motion of the patient. This invention also provides for internal calibration and for co-registration over time of the scanner's and tracking system's reference frames to compensate for drift and other inaccuracies that may arise over time. |
| US08374410B2 |
Medical image display device and image displaying method
A reference landmark extracting and pairing unit extracts reference landmarks from each of two three-dimensional medical images and forms reference landmark pairs, while a general landmark extracting unit extracts general landmarks. The landmark pair forming unit forms general landmark pairs using of a distance between each of the reference landmarks and the general landmarks, and also forms general landmark pairs from the remaining general landmarks using the distances from the general landmarks included in the general landmark pairs. A coordinate transformation parameter calculating unit calculates coordinate transformation parameters, based on the positional information of the reference landmark pairs and the general landmark pairs. A corresponding sectional view creating unit creates corresponding sectional views for the two three-dimensional medical images based on the coordinate transformation parameters, and by the display controlling unit the two corresponding sectional views are displayed on a displaying unit. |
| US08374403B2 |
Methods and apparatus for efficient, automated red eye detection
Various methods and apparatus to detect red eye in a digital image are described. In an embodiment, a method identifies one or more red eye candidate zones within an identified skin region in a digital image. A first red eye candidate zone includes connected regions of pixels of a different color in the digital image than their natural color and exceeds a minimum size. The first red eye candidate zone is determined to be an actual red eye by comparing a red eye candidate score to a detection threshold value. |
| US08374399B1 |
Apparatus for authenticating standardized documents
An apparatus for authenticating a standardized document is provided. The apparatus includes: (a) a detector operable to detect the presence of the standardized document when the standardized document is being received by the apparatus; (b) a source operable to illuminate the standardized document; and (c) an imaging device operable to capture for authentication an image of the standardized document, wherein the apparatus is operable to determine its location. The apparatus may include a communications module operable to transmit a communication containing information selected from the group consisting of: an indication of time, an indication of location, an indication of the presence of the standardized document, a digital representation of the image, an identification of the standardized document, an indication whether the standardized document has been authenticated, and an indication of a parameter of the apparatus. |
| US08374391B1 |
Model of visibility of targets
A method and apparatus for identifying visibility of targets. A first function is selected to indicate whether locations in an environment are at a surface for objects in the environment, outside the surface, or inside the surface. First volumes are formed for the environment. Each volume in the first volumes has a size selected such that a difference between first interpolated values for each volume and first values generated using the first function for each volume is within a threshold. Second volumes are formed for the environment. Each of the second volumes has a size selected such that a difference between second interpolated values for each volume and second values generated using a second function for each volume is within a threshold. The second values are minimum values along lines from each volume in the second number of volumes to a target in the environment. |
| US08374388B2 |
Real-time tracking of non-rigid objects in image sequences for which the background may be changing
A method and apparatus is disclosed for tracking an arbitrarily moving object in a sequence of images where the background may be changing. The tracking is based on visual features, such as color or texture, where regions of images (such as those which represent the object being tracked or the background) can be characterized by statistical distributions of feature values. The method improves on the prior art by incorporating a means whereby characterizations of the background can be rapidly re-learned for each successive image frame. This makes the method robust against the scene changes that occur when the image capturing device moves. It also provides robustness in difficult tracking situations, such as when the tracked object passes in front of backgrounds with which it shares similar colors or other features. Furthermore, a method is disclosed for automatically detecting and correcting certain kinds of errors which may occur when employing this or other tracking methods. |
| US08374382B2 |
Device for processing video images, video projection system and signal intended for use by the projection system
The present invention relates to a processing device of a sequence of video images intended to be displayed by a digital cinema projection system, a projection system for the digital cinema and a video signal designed to be used by such a system. The use of an anti-camcorder method against copying films is generally carried out entirely in the digital cinema projection system. However, this method requires complex video processing and costly means in the projection system. According to the invention, it is proposed to carry out part of the video processing at the level of the post-production of the video sequence and to save the result of this “pre-processing” in the form of metadata. The remaining part of the video processing is carried out from this metadata in the video projection system. |
| US08374380B2 |
Speaker voice coil structure having at least three coils
An improved speaker voice coil structure, the structure including: a bobbin; a first voice coil, wound around the bobbin and having a first terminal and a second terminal; a second voice coil, wound around the first voice coil and having a third terminal and a fourth terminal; and a third voice coil, wound around the second voice coil and having a fifth terminal and a sixth terminal. The improved voice coil structure thereby provides multiple optional connection terminals—from different layers with different values of impedance—for an input signal. |
| US08374379B2 |
Loudspeaker with replaceable motor assembly
A loudspeaker is provided in which precise alignment is obtained between the frame and motor assembly before they are connected to one another so that a voice coil coupled to the frame may be properly radially and vertically positioned with respect to a magnetic gap in the motor assembly while allowing the motor assembly and frame to be easily and quickly separated from one another to perform repairs or complete replacement of the motor assembly. |
| US08374378B2 |
Portable computer speaker grill structures
Portable computer structures are provided. The portable computer structures may include speaker grill structures. A speaker grill structure may be formed by creating an array of small holes (perforations) in a portable computer housing structure such as a planar housing wall. A speaker may be mounted adjacent to the array of holes. The planar housing wall may be formed in a block of milled aluminum and may have a thickness of less than 1 mm. The speaker holes may have with small diameters without overly attenuating sound from a speaker. |
| US08374376B2 |
Microphone unit
There is provided a microphone unit comprising a hoop (10) with a first and second end (11, 12), a microphone capsule (20) at the first end (11) and a connection plug (30) at the second end (12) of the hoop (10). The hoop (10) has a flexible or bendable tubular hoop and is bent or is bendable to form a loop. |
| US08374371B2 |
Miniature non-directional microphone
A miniature microphone comprising a diaphragm compliantly suspended over an enclosed air volume having a vent port is provided, wherein an effective stiffness of the diaphragm with respect to displacement by acoustic vibrations is controlled principally by the enclosed air volume and the port. The microphone may be formed using silicon microfabrication techniques and has sensitivity to sound pressure substantially unrelated to the size of the diaphragm over a broad range of realistic sizes. The diaphragm is rotatively suspend for movement through an arc in response to acoustic vibrations, for example by beams or tabs, and has a surrounding perimeter slit separating the diaphragm from its support structure. The air volume behind the diaphragm provides a restoring spring force for the diaphragm. The microphone's sensitivity is related to the air volume, perimeter slit, and stiffness of the diaphragm and its mechanical supports, and not the area of the diaphragm. |
| US08374370B2 |
Real ear measurement adaptor with internal sound conduit
Methods and apparatus for a hearing assistance device housing for use in real ear measurements. The methods and apparatus for configuration of a hearing assistance device using an apparatus including an opening to receive a sound tube for real ear measurements and providing an opening for connection of a sound hook to a housing of the hearing assistance device. |
| US08374368B2 |
Hearing aid device with a volume control
A hearing aid is described. The hearing aid includes a control surface and a control element. The hearing aid further includes a plurality of components in addition to the control surface and the control element. A portion of the control surface is configured to engage a portion of the control element. The control surface at least partially circumscribes at least one of the plurality of components. |
| US08374363B2 |
Amplifier circuit of capacitor microphone
In an amplifier circuit of a capacitor microphone, when a too high input signal from the capacitor microphone is inputted, the levels of output signals of the amplifier circuit are limited. A first feedback capacitor of an operational amplifier is formed using a changeable capacitance type MOS capacitor element, and has a characteristic of increasing the capacitance value CAf1 according to the amplitude of an input signal generated by a capacitor increases. Therefore, CAf (=CAf1+CAF2) increases according to the amplitude of the input signal increases, and accordingly the gain of the operational amplifier decreases, thereby limiting the output signals of the operational amplifier. This realizes the appropriate limitation of the output signals of the operational amplifier, even when the amplitude of the input signal becomes too high. |
| US08374361B2 |
Method and an apparatus for processing an audio signal
An apparatus for controlling a volume of an audio signal and method thereof are disclosed, by which a volume of an input signal can be controlled by using a non-linear gain curve and a target volume of the input signal. The present invention includes receiving an input signal and reference information controlling a volume of the input signal; and adjusting a volume of the input signal with the reference information, wherein the reference information comprises at least one of metadata indicating characteristics of the input signal, output environment information indicating characteristics of an environment in proximity to the apparatus and stored reference information being transmitted from memory.Therefore, the present invention is able to control a volume of an input signal adaptively by using reference information, for example metadata, outside environment information and stored reference information. |
| US08374360B2 |
Sound setting apparatus and sound setting method
A sound setting apparatus includes: a manipulating unit capable of making an input manipulation in upward, downward, left, right, and rotation directions; a band setting unit that sets each of individual frequency bands corresponding to low, midrange, and high frequencies in controlling an equalizer, in response to an input manipulation to the manipulating unit in the left and right directions; a level setting unit that sets an output level of each of the bands set by the band setting unit, in response to an input manipulation in the upward and downward directions; a center frequency setting unit that sets a center frequency of each of the bands set by the band setting unit, in response to an input manipulation in the rotation directions; and a display unit that collectively displays setting images to set the band, the output level, and the center frequency on a screen on the same layer. |
| US08374359B2 |
Kick gate
Feedback is reduced by routing an input signal through a kick gate that opens for a predetermined time period then closes. The gate may be kept closed for a predetermined minimum time period before being allowed to open again. The gate is triggered open based on the input signal and may include a plurality of triggering conditions. |
| US08374358B2 |
Method for determining a noise reference signal for noise compensation and/or noise reduction
The invention provides a method for determining a noise reference signal for noise compensation and/or noise reduction. A first audio signal on a first signal path and a second audio signal on a second signal path are received. The first audio signal is filtered using a first adaptive filter to obtain a first filtered audio signal. The second audio signal is filtered using a second adaptive filter to obtain a second filtered audio signal. The first and the second filtered audio signal are combined to obtain the noise reference signal. The first and the second adaptive filter are adapted such as to minimize a wanted signal component in the noise reference signal. |
| US08374355B2 |
Robust and efficient frequency-domain decorrelation method
An audio signal is processed by transforming the signal into a frequency domain representation having a plurality of frequency subbands. A decorrelated signal is derived from the frequency domain representation using a phase rotation. |
| US08374348B2 |
Device for secure transmission recording and visualisation of audiovisual programmes
A method of distributing video sequences according to a nominal flow format including a succession of frames each including at least one I block corresponding to a complete digital I image and at least one N block corresponding to differences between a digital N image and at least one other image including analyzing the flow of sequences to generate a first modified flow having a format of a nominal flow and having modified N blocks and a second flow of any format including digital information required to reconstruct the modified blocks; and transmitting the first and second flows from a server to destination equipment, and calculating on the destination equipment a synthesis of a flow in a nominal format as a function of the first flow and the second flow. |
| US08374345B2 |
Data processing system and data processing method
A technique for efficient encryption for use with devices such as smartcards restricted in memory resource, including a calculation unit for reconstructing a large number of small primes, a sieving unit for checking the divisibility of an integer by small primes, a recoding unit for changing the representation of an integer, and a primality testing unit. The sieving unit eliminates “bad” candidates by checking their divisibility by small primes reconstructed by the calculation unit. The primality of the remaining candidates is tested using the primality testing unit. The primality testing unit uses the recoding unit to change the representation of prime candidates. The primality testing unit performs a primality test using the representation after change. |
| US08374342B2 |
Scalar multiplier and scalar multiplication program
Provided are a scalar multiplier and a scalar multiplication program for performing a scalar multiplication at a high speed. In computing a scalar multiplication [s]P of a rational point P of an additive group E(Fp) including rational points on an elliptic curve where a characteristic p, an order r, and a trace t of a Frobenius endomorphism at an embedding degree k=12 using an integer variable χ are given by: p(χ)=36χ4−36χ3+24χ2−6χ+1, r(χ)=36χ4−36χ3+18χ2−6χ+1=p(χ)+1−t(χ), t(χ)=6χ2+1, the scalar multiplication [s]P is computed as: [s]P=([A]φ′2+[B])P, using a Frobenius map φ′2 given by: [p2]P=φ′2(P) assuming that a twist degree d is 6 and a positive integer e is 2 where k=d×e. |
| US08374340B2 |
Method for secure transmission of data
A system and method concerns a secure transmission of a file fragmentable into a plurality of fragments, and comprises (a) initially fixing a global encryption key; (b) encrypting the fragmentable file based on said global key to form a first encrypted file; (c) encrypting the global key by means of an asymmetric encryption algorithm using a public key to obtain a global encrypted key; (d) inserting values representing the global encrypted key among the fragments of said encrypted file to form a second encrypted file; and (e) transmitting the second encrypted file. |
| US08374339B2 |
Security setting method of wireless communication network, wireless communication network system, client device and recording medium
Method, program, network system and client device each has a structure of being given encryption information different from given present encryption information by use of the given present encryption information and being given different encryption information in incremental steps, to one or a plurality of the connection destinations (client device CLm), for security setting of wireless communication network (wireless LAN device 2) to one or a plurality of connection destinations. |
| US08374337B2 |
Slide unit mechanism
The present invention relates to a thin slide mechanism that can be incorporated in a portable electronic device. A slide unit mechanism having: a plate 1 of a quadrangular shape in a plane view in which a protruding portion A is formed in a sliding direction in the center of the rear surface and receding portions B are formed in two locations respectively to the left and to the right of the protruding portion; two sliding members 2 slidably joined to both ends of the plate; and a linking member 22 that integrally links the two sliding members on the front surface side of the plate and has a width substantially equal to or less than a longitudinal width of the sliding member in the sliding direction, wherein the entire portion or a part of the rear surface portion of the folded sliding member, when folded to the rear surface, is extended to serve as stopper portions 3, a torsion spring is arranged in each of the left and right receding portions of the plate, one end of each torsion spring is locked to the substantially central portion, in the sliding direction, of the side surface of the protruding portion formed on the plate, the other end of each torsion spring is locked to the stopper portions of the sliding members, connection members for connection to a housing are formed at the approximately four corners of the plate, and sliding ends are formed when the connection members and the stopper portions of the sliding members abut on each other. |
| US08374335B2 |
Method and system for an intelligent telephone prefix dialer
Method and system for an Intelligent Prefix Dialer eliminates the necessity for manually dialing an area code as a prefix to a call in telephone systems in which such action is a requirement. The Intelligent Prefix Dialer can be resident in a service provider's Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) and is capable of analyzing the dialing sequence from the caller's Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) to determine when the caller wishes to dial seven digits. In the event that the caller has dialed seven digits or less, the present invention can append the abbreviated digits the caller has dialed to a caller defined default prefix, in order to form a complete telephone number to be used by the telephone network to establish the connection to a called party. |
| US08374334B2 |
System and method for interactive customer service
A method is implemented by one or more server devices associated with a network. The method includes receiving information relating to a customer service request, where the information includes data to identify a category of the customer service request. The method also includes receiving a request to speak with a customer service agent, and placing a service call request in a calling queue associated with the category of the customer service request. The method further includes monitoring availability of customer service agents associated with the calling queue, and sending a call initiation message to the access terminal when a customer service agent associated with the calling queue is available. Based on the call initiation message, the access terminal may automatically initiate a voice session with an available customer service agent. |
| US08374330B2 |
Call control
A method of call control in which a first communications network, detecting calls directed to a destination in the first network; redirects at least some of the calls to a destination in a second network (e.g. on no answer from the destination in the first network). The first network then operates in two phases. In a first phase, for a group of calls redirected to the second network, the time delay before the call is answered in the second network is recorded. When a number of time delays have been recorded, a delay period is set to a value less than the maximum value of the recorded time delays. In a second phase, for a second group of calls redirected to the second network subsequent to the calls of the first group, when a call of the second group is not answered in the second network within the delay period, the call is redirected to a message service associated with the first network. |
| US08374329B2 |
Device and method for energy-saving operation of a communication terminal
During establishing a communication or power characteristics, an idle state is activated such that a communication terminal is at least temporarily unattainable. The idle state results in reducing electric power consumption in the communication terminal for which switchings off such as Always-on-Device are not provided. |
| US08374327B2 |
Management of call handling treatments
The provision of call handling treatments to callers interacting with an automated call-handling system is managed by, for each of a plurality of callers, providing a sequence of call handling treatments to the caller in accordance with workflows; monitoring a measurable performance indicator associated with that caller's behavior; determining an association between the performance indicator and the call handling treatments provided to the caller; and recording the association. Then, based on the recorded associations, the system determines a pattern of deviation in the performance indicator attributable to the call handling treatments; and alters the workflow in response to the deviation by making a change in the workflow selected from promoting a call handling treatment to an earlier point in the workflow; demoting a call handling treatment to a later point in the workflow; adding a call handling treatment to the workflow; and removing a call handling treatment from the workflow. |
| US08374322B2 |
Telephone communications system increasing a reception count twofold
A telephone communications system includes a quantizing device quantizing a multifrequency signal at a sampling frequency which is twice or more as larger as a sampling frequency necessary for sampling the multifrequency signal to produce quantized data, a low-pass filter low-pass filtering the quantized data at a cutoff frequency higher than a maximum frequency of the multifrequency signal to produce low-pass filtered data, and a multifrequency signal receiver alternately performing an odd-numbered receiver processing and an even-numbered receiver processing on the low-pass filtered data. |
| US08374321B2 |
Bit rate matching system and method
This relates to a method for determining a receive bit rate over a data link. The method includes setting a receive bit rate to an initial bit rate. A bit pattern over the data link is detected using the initial bit rate. A determination is made as to whether the detected bit pattern matches one of a plurality of known bit patterns corresponding to fractional bit rates. If the detected bit pattern does not match one of the plurality of known bit patterns, then a determination is made as to whether the received data includes a framing error. If it does, then the receive bit rate is lowered to a low detection bit rate that is lower than the fractional bit rates corresponding to the plurality of known bit patterns. |
| US08374317B2 |
Interactive voice response (IVR) system call interruption handling
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to interactive voice response (IVR) system session management and provide a method, system and computer program product for call interruption handling in an IVR data processing system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for call interruption handling in an IVR data processing system can include detecting a call interruption of a telephone call between a caller and an IVR system during an established IVR session for the caller. The method also can include saving state information for the established IVR session in connection with the caller in response to detecting the call interruption. The method further can include determining a call back number for the caller and initiating a call back of the caller from the IVR system using the call back number of the caller thereby re-establishing an IVR session for the caller. Finally, the method can include restoring the saved state information for the re-established IVR session for the caller. |
| US08374316B2 |
System for recording spoken phone numbers during a voice call
A method, system and computer program product for employing speech recognition technology to recognize a number spoken during a telephone call and a voicemail message. A speech recognition and transcription (SRT) utility within a communication device (e.g., a telephone) detects spoken numbers (and spoken phrases which may be associated with telephone numbers), and transcribes the numbers into text. The SRT utility then determines whether a sequence of the transcribed spoken numbers is a telephone number. If the transcribed sequence of numbers is a telephone number, the SRT utility records the telephone number in a pre-specified “events” list (in the telephone) of the intended listener. Consequently, the recipient has the option of retrieving the recorded events (numbers) and communicating with other parties via the retrieved numbers. For example, these phone numbers may then be dialed, saved as contacts, and text messaged. |
| US08374315B2 |
X-ray tube
An x-ray tube has an anode and a thermionic emitter with multiple emitter regions spaced from one another that generate, between the emitter and the anode, an electron beam composed of multiple partial beams generated by the respective emitter regions. Between the emitter and the anode is at least one control electrode arrangement that generates a variable electrical field and that has a number of passages to control the respective partial beams. Thus control electrode arrangement has a number of control electrode layers. The individual emitter regions and the control electrodes are arranged and controlled relative to one another to cause substantially the entirety of each partial beam generated by the respective emitter regions to proceed through a passage respectively associated with that partial beam. |
| US08374313B2 |
Apparatus and methods for radiation treatment of tissue surfaces
A device, system and method for administering radiation therapy to a tissue surface of a patient utilizes an applicator capable of controlled movement and repositioning over a selected area of tissue, under the control of a computer or controller. A servo-controlled manipulator can effect a raster scan of the desired area, such as an area of the skin, and this can be in any desired pattern such as serpentine, spiral, parallel but unidirectional, or irregular patterns. Preferably a third direction of control is included, i.e. a depth direction, with an appropriate form of depth sensor, a signal from which can be used to adjust the radiation source so that radiation of the tissue surface is consistent over varied contoured. |
| US08374312B2 |
Prone patient positioning devices and methods
A radiotherapy couch top includes a cantilevered section adapted to support at least a portion of a prone patient's upper body. The cantilevered section may be provided with an opening configured to allow at least a portion of the body portion to extend into from above and to allow a radiation beam to pass through from below. |
| US08374305B2 |
Clock recovery circuit and data recovery circuit
A serial input signal is sampled in synchronization with a plurality of first clock signals to obtain a plurality of sampling data pieces. A phase comparison circuit outputs a serial phase information signal based on the sampling data pieces. A serial-parallel conversion circuit performs a serial-to-parallel conversion on the serial phase information signal in synchronization with a second clock signal having a lower frequency, to output a parallel phase information signal. A digital filtering circuit calculates phase deviation and phase advance-delay signals based on the parallel phase information signal in synchronization with the second clock signal. By these signals, a phase control amount processing circuit generates a phase control signal. The phase control signal is in synchronization with third clock signals having a higher frequency. A phase interpolation circuit adjusts the phases of the third clock signals based on the phase control signal to output the first clock signals. |
| US08374299B2 |
Serial cancellation receiver design for a coded signal processing engine
An interference cancelling receiver combines data from multiple paths after aligning to transmitter timing, and uses either an equalizer or a Rake receiver to compute symbol estimates. Interference estimates are generated from the symbol estimates, and multiple interference estimates are combined after re-aligning the interference estimates to receiver timing. At least two segments of symbol estimates are computed for each segment of interference cancelled data.Various techniques may be employed for controlling the latency and sequencing of these operations, and the subsystems within the canceller may use different processing clock speeds. |
| US08374298B2 |
Receiving apparatus and method
Disclosed is a MIMO receiving apparatus in which a residual interference calculation unit (17) inputs noise-suppressed frequency domain channel estimation values, output from FFT units (12-1-1 to 12-M-N), equalizing weights calculated by a weight calculating unit (13), equalized signals from equalization processing by an equalization filter (14) and reference signals generated by reference signal generating units (16-1 to 16-M) to calculate a residual interference, and the likelihood correction units (18-1 to 18-M) receive time domain equalized signal from the IDFT units (15-1 to 15-M) and the residual interference calculated by the residual interference calculation unit (17) to correct the likelihood of the equalized signal (FIG.1). |
| US08374294B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatic gain control
An apparatus and an associated method for automatic gain control (AGC) are provided to improve the ability to lock effective signal power when interference exists, thereby upgrading the receiver performance of a communication system. The apparatus includes a variable-gain circuit for adjusting the power level of an input signal. The apparatus also includes a gain adjustment circuit and a target value adjustment circuit. The gain adjustment circuit is for adjusting the gain of the variable-gain circuit according to the adjusted input signal and a target value, while the target value adjustment is for dynamically adjusting the target value according to the strength of the adjusted input signal. |
| US08374292B2 |
System and method for decoding automatic identification system signals
Various embodiments are described herein for a system and method of detecting Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals in space and decoding these signals. In one aspect, a system for performing this function is described which includes a receiver configured to receive the plurality of AIS signals and pre-process the plurality of AIS signals to produce digital input data, and a processing unit configured to process the digital input data to identify one or more candidate AIS message signals based on Doppler offsets associated with the digital input data, determine corresponding Doppler offset estimates and time estimates of the one or more candidate AIS message signals, decode the one or more candidate AIS message signals to obtain corresponding message segments and validate the decoded message segments for proper AIS formatting. |
| US08374290B2 |
Demodulating apparatus and demodulating method
This invention relates to a demodulating apparatus and a demodulating method for demodulating an input signal more quickly than before when the channels of the input signal are inverted.A correlator 152 calculates a correlation value indicative of the correlation between a known delayed detection sequence made of symbols of correct delayed detection values of a known sequence inserted in the input signal and a received delayed detection sequence obtained through delay detection of the input signal. If the imaginary part of the correlation value is less than zero, a channel control section 132 switches the channels of the input signal before feeding the signal to a frame synchronization circuit 122. This invention can be applied illustratively to a satellite broadcast receiving apparatus. |
| US08374287B2 |
FM detector, signal interpolation method, and related program
A received FM wave signal is subjected to quadrature detection to generate baseband I and Q signals. The baseband I and Q signals are converted into a sequence of samples of phase information. An FM-detection-result signal is generated in response to a variation between two successive samples of the phase information. A power of the baseband I and Q signals is computed. A decision is made as to whether the baseband I and Q signals are valid or invalid by referring to the computed power and at least one threshold value. Signal interpolation is implemented with respect to the FM-detection-result signal in cases where it is decided that the baseband I and Q signals are invalid. |
| US08374280B2 |
Ultra wide band pulse generator provided with an integrated function for digital filtering emulation, and transmission method
An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for transmission by ultra-wide-band pulses of digital data formed with a flow of information elements, this method comprising at least one operation including sequentially encoding the information elements by modulating an oscillating signal In order to avoid the use of a bandpass filter, the oscillating signal is modulated in amplitude depending on the identity or dissimilarity of each information element relative to the preceding information element. |
| US08374278B2 |
Transmission method, transmitter, and receiver for multi antenna wireless communication system
A transmitter includes first generator to generate pilot source signal by modulating pilot sequence, second generator to generate data source signal with time length longer than that of pilot source signal by modulating data sequence, first cyclic shifter to perform cyclic shift of first shift amount to pilot source signal to generate first pilot signal, second cyclic shifter to performs cyclic shift of second shift amount to data source signal to generate first data signal, third cyclic shifter to perform cyclic shift of third shift amount to pilot source signal to generate second pilot signal, fourth cyclic shifter to perform cyclic shift of fourth shift amount to data source signal to generate second data signal, first transmit antenna to transmit first pilot signal and first data signal, and second transmit antenna to transmit second pilot signal and second data signal. |
| US08374277B2 |
Wireless communication mobile station device and method for using precoding matrix
Provided is a wireless communication mobile station device capable of suppressing an increase in an SRS resource even when the mobile station is provided with a plurality of antennas. In the device, a weighting section (115) weights transmission data inputted from an IFFT section (111) and an SRS inputted from an IFFT section (114) by using a precoding matrix (φ) and a precoding matrix (φinv) orthogonal to the precoding matrix (φ). A control unit (106) controls the interval for using the precoding matrix (φinv) independently of the interval for using the precoding matrix (φ). |
| US08374274B2 |
Methods and systems using norm approximation for maximum likelihood MIMO decoding
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for approximate computation of l2 norms as a part of the maximum likelihood (ML) detection: tri-maxmin, maxsum and sortsum algorithms. The proposed approximation schemes show better accuracy than conventional approximation schemes—the abssum and maxmin algorithms, while the computational complexity is very similar. The error rate performance of the ML detection that utilizes proposed norm-approximation techniques are very close to the reference ML detection with exact calculation of l2 norms, while the computational complexity is significantly smaller. |
| US08374271B2 |
Method and system for resizing a MIMO channel
The present invention discloses a method for generating a signal stream in a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) channel of a wireless communications system. The method comprises encoding at least one transmitting message into a first signal sequence, transforming the first signal sequence into a second and a third signal sequence by a first and a second predetermined rule, respectively, coupling the second signal sequence to a first antenna, coupling the third signal sequence to a second antenna, transmitting a signal stream comprising the first and second signal sequences to a mobile station. |
| US08374270B2 |
Constellation detection in a multi-mode QAM communications system
Systems and methods for determining an unknown QPSK or QAM constellation from a set of possible received constellations are described. One method utilizes a histogram of the power of the signal after inter-symbol-interference has been minimized with a modified constant modulus algorithm equalizer. The constellation may be determined before carrier frequency and phase has been fully recovered. An unknown QPSK or QAM constellation may be identified before or after equalization using disclosed methods for analyzing an output power histogram. |
| US08374264B2 |
Signal processing apparatus and method
Disclosed herein is a signal processing apparatus, including: a computation device operable to perform transform computation adapted to Fourier-transform a time domain OFDM i.e., Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing signal into a frequency domain OFDM signal; a processing device operable to perform carrier frequency offset detection adapted to detect an estimated carrier frequency offset that is an error of a carrier used for demodulation of the OFDM signal; and a carrier frequency offset correction device operable to perform carrier frequency offset correction adapted to correct the carrier frequency offset of the frequency domain OFDM signal in accordance with the estimated carrier frequency offset. |
| US08374263B2 |
OFDM communication with multi-dimensional rate adaptation
A method for performing rate adaptation of millimeter wave transmissions in a substantially line-of-sight OFDM outdoor system over a radio frequency (RF) channel includes the following. First a channel quality estimator indicative of a quality of an outdoor millimeter-wave RF channel is received. A sequence of parameter changes is defined to dynamically adjust transmission quality for the rate adaptation. The rate adaptation includes dynamic adaptation of bandwidth and at least one other parameter. The sequence is stored as a table of vectors, each vector comprising a combination of parameters where one of parameters is bandwidth. The parameter vectors in the table are dynamically worked through in response to the channel quality estimator. |
| US08374261B2 |
Method and apparatus for Doppler estimation in orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)
A method and apparatus for estimating Doppler channel in an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexor. The method includes selecting a continuation pilot, generating a channel estimation, filtering the continual pilot with at least one channel estimator, computing the error between the channel estimation and the filtered channel estimates, averaging the error across continual pilot carriers and over time, estimating noise variance, corrects average error utilizing the estimated noise variance to generate an estimate of the overall channel estimator error, and setting the filter cutoff to minimum estimation error. |
| US08374257B2 |
System and method for superposition coding and interference cancellation in a MIMO system
The present disclosure relates generally to a system and method for superposition coding and interference cancellation in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system. In one example, the method includes demultiplexing a signal of a user into at least first and second signal portions and demultiplexing a signal of another user into at least third and fourth signal portions. Superposition coding is performed on the first and third signal portions to form a first composite signal and performed on the second and fourth signal portions to form a second composite signal. The first composite signal is transmitted via at least one antenna of a MIMO system and the second composite signal is transmitted via at least another antenna of the MIMO system. |
| US08374256B2 |
Communication apparatus and communication method
A communication system includes a synchronizing signal generator that generates a synchronizing signal based on a timing of an alternating waveform in a power line, a data communicating circuit that performs the data communication, and a communication controller that controls to acquire a transmitting right utilizing a timing of the synchronizing signal and to control the communication circuit in accordance with whether or not the communication apparatus acquires the transmitting right. |
| US08374250B2 |
Image coding apparatus and method
An image coding apparatus includes: a division unit configured to divide a coding target picture included in an input video signal into a plurality of slices each including one or more data blocks; a coding unit configured to code the video signal in a unit of the slice divided by the division unit; and a setting unit configured to set at least one of a division position of the slice and a number of divisions of the slice, to the division unit. In the image coding apparatus, the setting unit sets at least one of the division position of the slice and the number of divisions of the slice so that slice boundaries differ from each other between adjacent pictures. |
| US08374249B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and data processing method
A method for transmitting a broadcast signal is presented. The method includes. Building a Reed-Solomon (RS) frame corresponding to an ensemble of a service of mobile data, the RS frame being a 2-dimensional data frame through which the mobile data belonging to the ensemble are Reed Solomon-cyclic redundancy check (RS-CRC) encoded, dividing the RS frame into a plurality of portions, encoding signaling information, wherein the signaling information includes fast information channel (FIC) data and transmission parameter channel (TPC) data wherein the FIC data includes cross layer information between a physical layer and an upper layer, mapping data in one portion of the plurality of portions to data groups, formatting data packets having data in the data groups, and transmitting a transmission frame having a parade of the data groups, wherein the TPC data includes an identifier of the parade and version information of the FIC data. |
| US08374248B2 |
Video encoding/decoding apparatus and method
Provided are a resolution varying video encoding/decoding apparatus and method are provided. The video encoding apparatus comprises a resolution varying encoder to perform an encoding operation using motion estimation and compensation on a current image having a first resolution and a current image having a second resolution according to a resolution control signal to generate a bitstream, and a controller to generate the resolution control signal for varying a resolution to the first resolution or the second resolution at a predetermined interval. The video decoding apparatus comprises an analyzer to analyze a bitstream composed of encoded data having a first resolution or a second resolution and to generate a resolution control signal corresponding to a resolution flag included in the bitstream, and a resolution varying decoder to perform a decoding operation using motion compensation on encoded data having the first resolution and encoded data having the second resolution according to the resolution control signal to generate a reconstructed image. |
| US08374244B2 |
Motion compensation method and apparatus that sequentially use global motion compensation and local motion compensation, decoding method, video encoder, and video decoder
A motion compensation method and apparatus that sequentially use global motion compensation and local motion compensation, a video decoding method, a video encoder, and a video decoder are provided. The motion compensation method includes extracting global motion information of a reference block, performing global motion compensation by applying the extracted global motion information to the reference block, extracting local motion information of the global motion-compensated reference block, and performing local motion compensation by applying the local motion information to the global motion-compensated reference block. |
| US08374237B2 |
High precision encoding and decoding of video images
Methods, systems, and computer programs for improved quality video compression. Image quality from MPEG-style video coding may be improved by preserving a higher number of bits during intermediate encoding and decoding processing steps. Problems of inverse discrete cosine transform (IDCT) mismatch can be eliminated by exactly matching the IDCT function numerical algorithm of the decoder to the IDCT function numerical algorithm used for the decoding portion of the encoder. Also included is an application of high precision compression to wide dynamic range images by extending the range of the “quantization parameter” or “QP”. The extension of QP may be accomplished either by increasing the range of QP directly, or indirectly through a non-linear transformation. Also included is an application of extended intermediate processing precision and an extended QP range to reduced contrast regions of an image to extend the precision with which the low-contrast portions are compression coded. |
| US08374230B2 |
Apparatus and methods for displaying signal characteristics
A receiver 31 receives a wireless signal of, for example, an RFID system that conducts communication with a wireless signal based on reflection modulation. A demodulation block 33 demodulates the received signal obtained at the receiver 31 with orthogonal demodulation. A display block 36 provides signal points derived from the orthogonal demodulation onto an orthogonal coordinate display to display characteristics of the reflection modulation concerning an RF tag that conducts the reflection modulation of the wireless signal. The display of the signal points may have vector display or at least numerical values indicating magnitudes of the vectors. The processed results may be stored and signal points based on the stored results may be displayed on the orthogonal coordinate to compare sets of the characteristics of the reflection modulations on the display. |
| US08374229B2 |
Method for the detection and generation of a useful signal and associated devices and communications system
A method for the generation of a signal including a minimum of disturbances and noise is provided. A method for the detection of a signal including a minimum of disturbances and noise is also provided. An element of the signal is functionally dependent on at least one further element of the signal. |
| US08374224B2 |
Interleaver apparatus and method
One embodiment of the invention relates to a method of data processing. In the method, an initial data stream is received. A series of bytes having a total byte length is selected from the initial data stream, the series of bytes having a span in the initial data stream that is greater than the total byte length. At least one redundancy byte is calculated based on the series of bytes. An output data stream is transmitted over a transmission medium, where the output data stream includes the initial data stream with the at least one redundancy byte therein, and where consecutive bytes in the output data stream have an order that corresponds to an order of consecutive bytes in the initial data stream. Other devices and methods are also described. |
| US08374221B2 |
Apparatus and method for hybrid diversity combining and adaptive beam forming in industrial control and automation systems
An apparatus includes a plurality of antennas, where each antenna is configured to receive wireless signals transmitted using adaptive beam forming. The apparatus also includes a plurality of wireless radios, where each wireless radio is configured to output signals representing the wireless signals received by one of the antennas. The apparatus further includes a plurality of first diversity combiner units, where each first diversity combiner unit is configured to perform spread spectrum diversity combining using the signals output by one of the wireless radios. In addition, the apparatus includes a second diversity combiner unit configured to perform antenna diversity combining using signals output by the first diversity combiner units, where the second diversity combiner unit is configured to output recovered wireless signals. |
| US08374219B2 |
Blind spreading factor detection for wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA)
In a blind spreading factor detecting receiver, the amplitude of a desired signal term is decoupled from the spreading factor hypothesis for that signal. Furthermore, the amplitude of the desired signal and the variance of an associated impairment term are estimated, and the estimates used to form a spreading factor hypothesis. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, a suboptimal detector does not rely on estimates of the amplitude of the desired signal or variance of the impairment term. Rather, the detector relies on scaled values that are partially despread using an initial spreading factor not greater than the smallest possible spreading factor used by the signal of interest, and combined using combining weights from a Rake or G-Rake processor, wherein the scaling factor is chosen to yield a unity ratio between the signal amplitude and noise variance after scaling. |
| US08374217B2 |
Permission-based multiple access communications systems
Systems (100) and methods (400) for selectively controlling access to multiple data streams which are communicated using a shared frequency spectrum and shared spreading codes. The methods involve generating a first product signal (FPS) by spreading first symbols of a first amplitude modulated (AM) signal using a first spreading code (SC). The methods also involve generating a second product signal (SPS) by spreading second symbols of a complimentary AM signal using a second SC. The FPS (124) and SPS 126 are combined to form a protected data communication signal (PDCS) including first data recoverable by a receiver (106). A global data communication signal (GDCS) is combined with PDCS (128) to form an output signal (140) having a spread spectrum format. The GDCS is generated using a digital modulation process and includes second data recoverable by a plurality of receivers (106, 108). |
| US08374214B2 |
Frequency-hopping scheme
A method comprises generating, by logic, a random number. The method also comprises determining a next frequency in said sequence using the random number and one or more of a minimum separation, a channel number, and a number of channels. The method further comprises hopping to the next frequency. |
| US08374208B2 |
Quantum cascade laser
A quantum cascade laser is configured so as to include a semiconductor substrate and an active layer which is provided on the substrate and has a cascade structure including multistage-laminated unit laminate structures each including a quantum well emission layer and an injection layer. Moreover, the unit laminate structure has, in its subband level structure, an emission upper level, a lower level, and an injection level 4 of higher energy than the upper level, and light hν is generated by intersubband transition of electrons from the level to the level in the emission layer, and electrons after emission transition are injected into the injection level 4 of the subsequent stage via the injection layer. In addition, the emission layer includes two or more well layers, and the first well layer closest to the injection layer of the preceding stage is used as a well layer for injection level formation. |
| US08374205B2 |
Vertical cavity surface emitting laser and image forming apparatus
Provided is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser that includes a plurality of laminated semiconductor layers including an active layer and that oscillates at a wavelength λ1, wherein a resonator is formed by upper and lower multilayer reflecting mirrors has a structure that generates a longitudinal multimode, and the first active layer is arranged at a position shifted from a standing wave loop of the first longitudinal mode. According to the vertical cavity surface emitting laser capable of suppressing oscillation of the second longitudinal mode with a large gain and capable of single longitudinal mode oscillation based on the first longitudinal mode, the longitudinal mode spacing is narrowed by increasing the length of the resonator for single transverse mode oscillation at a high output, and the single longitudinal mode oscillation is possible even if longitudinal multimode oscillation occurs. |
| US08374203B2 |
Apparatus and method to achieve a constant sample rate for multiplexed signals with frame boundaries
Given a hardware platform capable of capturing framed data in a multiplexed fashion from multiple sources, a method and apparatus are shown for providing a constant frame rate for each logical stream. |
| US08374195B2 |
Data transmission apparatus and method, data receiving apparatus and method, and data transmission and reception system and method
The protection of data against illicit transfer with respect to specific data can be ensured. An integrated receiver decoder determines whether or not ATRAC (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding) data requiring authentication is contained in selected piece-of-music data in accordance with determination data added into transmitted data. When ATRAC data requiring authentication is contained, the integrated receiver decoder performs an authentication process between it and a storage which is a transfer destination of the ATRAC data, and performs downloading of the ATRAC data after confirming that the storage is a valid apparatus to which the downloading may be performed. |
| US08374193B2 |
Communication method and communication device
A communication method for performing a communication among a plurality of communication devices sharing a communication band, includes a first step of transmitting notification signal during a first period to notify information for arbitrating the communication device capable of performing data transmission during a second period subsequent to the first period, and a second step of transmitting data from the communication device, capable of performing the data transmission during the second period based on the notification signal transmitted during the first period, in specific period in the second period allocated to the data transmitted from the communication device. |
| US08374191B2 |
Allocation of a communications channel to a data transfer session
A method of allocating a communications channel to a data transfer session, the method including during the data transfer session: sending a first data transfer session packet via the communications channel then sending an additional packet or packets, that are not a part of the data transfer session, via the communications channel to hold the communications channel for the data transfer session. |
| US08374186B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for transmitting and receiving client signals
The present invention provides a method, apparatus and system for transmitting and receiving a client signal. The method for transmitting a client signal includes, at the transmitting end, mapping a client signal to be transmitted to a corresponding low-order Optical Channel Data Unit (ODU) in a low-order ODU set, wherein low-order ODUs in the low-order ODU set having rates increased in order, and having rate correspondence relations with the client signals; mapping the low-order ODU to a timeslot of a high-order Optical Channel Payload Unit (OPU) in a high-order OPU set; and adding overheads to the high-order OPU to form an Optical Channel Transport Unit (OTU), and transferring the OTU to an Optical Transport Network (OTN) for transmission. |
| US08374180B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data in digital broadcasting system
A method is provided for controlling a management server that is connected to a DTV through an IP connection, wherein the DTV is located in one independent space among a plurality of independent spaces physically separated from one another. The method including generating a message file including an Application Programming Interfaces (API) command and a parameter related to a display condition, accessing an IP address of a DTV serving as a destination of the generated message file, transmitting, if the accessing is successfully achieved, the generated message file to the DTV having the accessed IP address and receiving information for identifying whether the message file is successfully processed from the DTV. |
| US08374179B2 |
Method for managing a communication group of communication devices
A first communication device managing a communication group of communication devices in a communication network is disclosed. The first communication device sends one or more data objects to the communication group and receives an affiliation request from a second communication device. The first communication device determines the one or more data objects that have not been received by a user of the second communication device and provides the data objects to the second communication device by establishing a communication session between the second communication device and the first communication device. |
| US08374176B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing internet protocol datacasting (IPDC) service, and method and apparatus for processing IPDC service
Provided are a method and apparatus for providing an Internet Protocol Datacasting (IPDC) service. The IPDC service providing apparatus includes a data input unit generating an IP packet and signaling information of the IP packet; a packet generation control unit determining a type of an Internet Protocol Data Group (IPDG) packet that is to be generated by encapsulating the IP packet, on the basis of characteristics of the IPDC service; an IPDG packet generation unit generating an IPDG packet according to a data type of the IP packet, and generating an IPDG packet for the signaling information of the IP packet; a transfer stream packet generation unit generating the IPDG packet as a transfer stream packet; and a transfer unit transmitting the transfer stream packet. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an IPDC service while efficiently using a bandwidth, in a Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) system. |
| US08374174B2 |
Method and apparatus for operation of a communication device
A method of operation of a communication device. A first communication module is operatively coupled to a second communication module within the communication device. The second communication module is designed for carrier sensing. An instruction is communicated from the first communication module to the second communication module to begin sensing a channel on behalf of the first communication module. Next, the first communication module is informed of channel activity status by the second communication module. Thereafter, the first communication module transmits on the channel when no activity is detected on the channel. |
| US08374173B2 |
Packet switched to circuit switched access handovers in an IMS architecture
A method of enabling the management of handovers of voice calls from a Packet Switched, PS, access to a Circuit Switched, CS, access where the voice calls are established using an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, network. The method comprises performing a first IMS registration of a user via said PS access including setting for the user in a Home Subscriber Server, HSS, of the user's home network, an identifier of a first access transfer control function, which access transfer control function is responsible for anchoring user media sessions in an access transfer gateway of a serving network, and notifying a mobility function within said service network of the set identifier. A second or further IMS registration of the same user is then performed via said PS access, it being determined that said first IMS registration exists. As a consequence, the setting of an identifier of a second or further access transfer control function in the HSS for the user is prevented, while either the setting of the identifier of the first access transfer control function is maintained, or is replaced with an identifier of a service centralization and continuity application server. The mobility function is notified of any change to the set identifier. In the event of a requirement to handover an ongoing voice call associated with said second or further IMS registration from said PS to said CS access, the identifier currently set in the HSS and identified to the mobility function is used to manage the handover. |
| US08374170B2 |
Power management systems and methods for electronic devices
Power management systems and methods for use in an electronic device are provided. The system comprises a baseband processing unit, a wireless communication module, and an application processing unit. The baseband processing unit connects to a base station via a communication network, thereby enabling the electronic device equipped with a communication capability. The wireless communication module receives a data packet via an Internet, and determines whether the data packet conforms to a packet pattern. If so, the wireless communication module transmits a wake-up signal to the application processing unit. In response to the wake-up signal, the application processing unit enters a normal state from a sleep state, and performs an application operation in the normal state according to the data packet. |
| US08374169B2 |
System and method for transition of association between communication devices
A system and method of providing an assignable registration between a device and a user for IP telephony, wireless telephony and other forms of collaborative systems is provided wherein loss of association is detected and a policy language is used to capture and execute user preferences in the event of such loss. A method and system are also provided for utilizing coupling between a thin client and a telephone to provide for device association. |
| US08374168B2 |
Telephone communication
A telephone connection is established between a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal is presumed to be associated with a subscription in a first home telephone network in which the terminal is identified by a first network identity. Correspondingly, the second terminal is presumed to be associated with a subscription in a second home telephone network in which the second terminal is identified by a second network identity. A host resource routes a call from the first terminal to the second terminal based on a combination of the first network identity and a first common telephone number in the first home telephone network dialed by the first terminal. The first common telephone number is selected such that it is unique and is adapted to be shared among a group of users in the first home telephone network. |
| US08374167B2 |
Voice over internet protocol real time protocol routing
A method for call signaling and media flow in a network including receiving call signaling information from an originating Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) endpoint relaying the call signaling information to a destination VoIP endpoint, directing the originating VoIP endpoint to use a RTP media proxy and receiving a stream of media to the RTP media proxy from the originating VoIP endpoint. |
| US08374163B2 |
Synchronization of wireless nodes
A first wireless node may synchronize its timeslots with the timeslots of a second wireless node that was previously transmitting and receiving data in an asynchronous manner with respect to the timeslots of the first wireless node. By synchronizing timeslots, the wireless nodes may avoid interference that may otherwise occur if the wireless nodes operate in an asynchronous manner. A wireless node shares its timing information with other wireless nodes by repeatedly transmitting timing reference signals in conjunction with a synchronization metric that defines the relative priority of the timing reference. In the event a wireless node does not receive a GPS-based timing reference, the wireless node may synchronize to a timing reference based on the parameters of the synchronization metric of that timing reference. In the event a wireless node does not receive any timing references, the wireless node may define and advertise it's a timing reference and associated synchronization metric. To avoid synchronization race conditions, the synchronization metrics may be defined such that wireless nodes that have different timing references will advertise different synchronization metrics. |
| US08374162B2 |
Transmission device and transmission method
A disclosed transmission device includes a frequency scheduling unit configured to allocate, to each user, either frequency blocks that are consecutive frequency subcarrier blocks obtained by dividing a system bandwidth or distributed frequency blocks that are frequency subcarrier blocks discretely distributed in the system bandwidth; and a mapping unit configured to assign transmission data to the frequency blocks or the distributed frequency blocks according to the allocation result. The frequency scheduling unit is configured to allocate the distributed frequency blocks using the frequency blocks as units and to allocate sub-blocks obtained by dividing the respective distributed frequency blocks. |
| US08374159B2 |
Wireless network host in silent mode
An access point that implements operating modes in which beacons may be selectively disabled. Beacons may be disabled when no device is actively associated through the access point. Beacons may be enabled in response to one or more triggers, which may include events such as a client forming an association through the access point following a probe request message identifying the access point. In addition, active beaconing may be triggered by user input or may occur during periodic brief intervals that allow client devices to discover the network identifier for the access point. Selective control of beaconing may lead to more effective wireless communication, particularly in areas where users congregate with computers implementing soft APs for personal networks. |
| US08374154B2 |
Device, system and method of simultaneously communicating with a group of wireless communication devices
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of simultaneously communicating with a group of wireless communication devices. For example, a device may include a wireless communication unit to transmit at least one beamforming-training initiation frame to a group of a plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the wireless communication unit is to receive two or more feedback frames from two or more of the wireless communication devices, wherein the wireless communication unit is to determine two or more beamforming schemes based on the two or more feedback frames, and wherein the wireless communication unit is to simultaneously transmit two or more different wireless communication transmissions to the two or more wireless communication devices, respectively, using the two or more beamforming schemes, respectively. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08374151B2 |
Method and system for acquiring continuous packet connectivity technology support capability information
A method and system for acquiring continuous packet connectivity technology support capability information. The method comprises the following steps: sending a radio link establishing request message or a radio link adding request message to a drift radio network controller when it is monitored that a UE needs to establish or add a radio link with a cell dominated by the drift radio network controller, by means of a serving radio network controller; adding a continuous packet connectivity technology support capability information of an adjacent cell into a radio link establishing response message or a radio link adding response message after the radio link establishing request message or the radio link adding request message is received, and returning the radio link establishing response message or the radio link adding response message to the serving radio network controller, by means of the drift radio network controller; acquiring the continuous packet connectivity technology support capability information of the adjacent cell from the radio link establishing response message or the radio link adding response message, after the radio link establishing response message or the radio link adding response message is received, by means of the serving radio network controller. |
| US08374149B2 |
Method of controlling HMIPV6 network-based handover, and access router and mobile node therefor
Disclosed herein are a method of controlling Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (HMIPv6) network-based handover and an Access Router (AR) and Mobile Node (MN) therefor. The method include the steps of a first AR, to which a MN is connected, receiving an L3 handover initiation message, including a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the MN and the ID of a target Base Station (BS); the first AR creating a Local Care-of Address (LCoA) based on the MAC address of the MN and the ID of the target BS, and performing Binding Update (BU) on a Mobility Anchor Point (MAP) using the created LCoA; when an L2 handover completion message is received from the target BS of the MN, a second AR creating a second LCoA and transmitting the second LCoA to the MN; and the MN receiving the second LCoA from the second AR and configuring the received second LCoA as its own LCoA. |
| US08374148B2 |
Handoff method in wireless LAN, and access point and mobile station performing handoff method
A handoff method for a mobile station in a wireless local area network, the handoff method includes outputting a handoff alert message to a present access point, receiving a response message from the present access point, the response message including channel information on access point in an extended service set, and scanning channels by using the channel information to select a new access point. |
| US08374144B2 |
Method for processing NDI in random access procedure and a method for transmitting and receiving a signal using the same
A method for a user equipment (UE) to receive a downlink signal, the method including receiving a first downlink control channel identified by a temporary cell identifier (Temporary C-RNTI) from a base station, the first downlink control channel including a first downlink assignment signal having a new data indicator (NDI) with a first value; receiving a second downlink control channel identified by a cell identifier (C-RNTI) from the base station, the second downlink control channel including a second downlink assignment signal having the NDI with a second value; and determining if the NDI has been toggled compared to the NDI previously received from the base station. Further, the UE ignores the NDI with the first value received through the first downlink control channel identified by the temporary cell identifier (Temporary C-RNTI). The method also includes receiving the downlink signal based on the determining. |
| US08374141B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating channel bandwidth in wireless internet protocol television systems
A method and apparatus for allocating channel bandwidths in a wireless IPTV system is provided. The method includes measuring, if an additional service offering request is received in a saturation channel state, remaining execution times until a service of each terminal that is currently receiving a service is terminated, and setting a minimum of the measured remaining execution times to a unit time; calculating a securable channel bandwidth per the unit time with respect to each terminal that is currently receiving a service; and allocating, if the summation of the securable channel bandwidths per the unit time is equal to or greater than a channel bandwidth required to provide the additional service, the requested channel bandwidth in order to provide the additional service. |
| US08374137B2 |
System and method of resource allocation and scheduling among base stations
This invention pertains to wireless communications, specifically, methodology and algorithm to management resources and schedule users in a coordinated way among a group of base stations, such as Femtocells, Picocells, self-organized Basestations, Access Points (APs) or mesh network nodes, or among the basestations in a two tiered networks, to improve the performance for individual user, individual Basestation (BTS), the overall systems or all of above. |
| US08374135B2 |
Methods and systems for location-based allocation of macro cell resources
Methods and systems for reusing macro cell resources in femto cell base stations or relay stations in a non-collaborative manner are disclosed. In addition, orthogonal resource allocation between a macro cell base station and femto cell base stations/relay stations may be dynamically adjusted by considering user-population variance. Moreover, an additional level of spatial reuse by femto cell base stations or relay stations can be provided by employing macro cell user location information. |
| US08374133B2 |
Shared Uplink Notification Bursts (SUNB)
A mobile station (MS) operating within a radio network includes a processing unit having an active mode and an inactive mode. The mobile station includes a transmitter in communication with the processing unit. The mobile station includes a memory in communication with the processing unit for storing uplink payload. The mobile station includes a radio interface in communication with the radio network and the transmitter; when there is uplink payload to transmit when the processing unit is in the inactive mode, the transmitter transmitting an activity indication to a base station over the radio interface, the processing unit changing to active mode, and the transmitter transmitting the uplink payload to the base station over the radio interface. A method for a mobile station operating within a radio network. A method for a base station operating within a radio network. |
| US08374131B2 |
Frequency planning method for wireless LANs
A method may include allocating channels of a wireless local area network (WLAN) including a plurality of access points to the plurality of access points based on a load of each access point. The load of each access point may include a user load and/or an interference load. The user load may be generated by each user of the access point. The interference load may be based on interference caused by transmissions between the remainder of the plurality of access points and users of the remainder of the plurality of access points. |
| US08374130B2 |
Orthogonal frequency division multiple access with carrier sense
A communication system in which an access point and one or more devices communicating through the access point adaptively apply Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA). The access point may assign orthogonal subcarriers to devices as in conventional OFDMA, but the access point senses activity on the subcarriers and selects subcarriers without activity for assignment. In an alternative approach, a device that is configured for OFDMA communication may receive a channel assignment from a device that does not support OFDMA. The OFDMA-capable device may use only a portion of the subcarriers in the assigned channel, which may be communicated to the non-OFDMA device. During the non-OFDMA device may then ignore unused subcarriers in error detection and correction to avoid incorrectly classifying communications as erroneous. Information about OFDMA capabilities, subcarrier assignments and subcarriers in use may be communicated as information elements in network control communications, such as beacons and probe messages. |
| US08374127B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data in digital broadcasting system
A method is provided for controlling a mobile device capable of accessing an AP card of a DTV located in one independent space among a plurality of independent spaces physically separated from one another. The method includes accessing a management server using the AP card, downloading an in-room control application from the management server, requesting a unique access code from the management server using the AP card if the downloaded in-room control application is executed, wherein the unique access code is mapped to both an ID of the AP card and an available term assigned to a current guest staying in the independent space, receiving the unique access code from the management server, and transmitting a command signal for changing a status of a controllable device contained in the independent space and the received unique access code to the AP card of the DTV. |
| US08374125B2 |
Wireless-aware network switch
An application-specific integrated circuit and related network switch are disclosed. The integrated circuit includes switch circuitry for receiving a 802.11 wireless data frame and forwarding it to a predetermined port. Inspection circuitry is provided for inspecting attributes of the data frame. Decision circuitry is provided for instructing the switch circuitry to forward the data frame based on the attributes, both 802.3 wired and 802.11 wireless. |
| US08374113B2 |
Distributed gateway for reliable multicast wireless video
Techniques are provided to reduce or restrict the bandwidth consumed by multicast video streams on wireless links, such as wireless IEEE 802.11 links. At a central multicast video transcoder apparatus configured to communicate with one or more access point devices operating in a wireless local area network, one or more multicast video streams are re-encoded the one or more multicast video streams to produce a corresponding one or more wireless-friendly multicast video streams that have a reduced bandwidth from a bandwidth of the received multicast video streams. The one or more wireless-friendly multicast video streams are thus adapted for wireless transmission by access point devices to wireless client devices in the wireless local area network. The one or more access point devices receive the one or more wireless-friendly multicast video streams and process the one or more wireless-friendly multicast video streams depending on conditions in a radio channel used by the access point device. The access point devices then wirelessly transmit the one or more wireless-friendly multicast video streams to one or more client devices in a corresponding multicast group. |
| US08374109B2 |
Methods of sending control information for users sharing the same resource
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for sending control information to multiple user terminals that share the same resources in a Spatial Division Multiple Access (SDMA) wireless system. The control information can be transmitted from an access point over a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) that is common for a plurality of user terminals. The overall PDCCH overhead can thus be reduced due to a smaller number of required PDCCH in the SDMA wireless system. |
| US08374108B2 |
Mobile communication system, and mobile unit, base station unit and method therefore
In mobile communication system having a plurality of mobile traits and a plurality of base station units, the system of the present invention is characterized in that the base station unit has a gap period length setting section for setting the length of the gap period for the mobile unit depending on the type of the radio access technology to be monitored by the mobile unit. |
| US08374106B2 |
Method and apparatus for group calling in an IP-based communication system
Method and system for group calling in an IP-based communication system includes receiving an administrator identifier, receiving one or more invitee identifiers, initiating a first connection from a central location and initiating at least one or more second connections from the central location to join an administrator and at least one invitee. The administrator identifier and one or more invitee identifiers can be a telephone number or other identifiers associated with the communication system. To establish the group call, the administrator identifier and one or more invitee identifiers are received from the administrator. The first connection initiation is to the administrator and the second or more connection initiations are to the at least one invitee. System for making a group call includes a user interface adapted for use by the administrator, a database manager, a database, a load balancer and a group calling pool adapted for SIP-based group call setup. |
| US08374105B1 |
High data rate wireless bridging
A specialized preamble is provided to facilitate matrix channel estimation of a MIMO channel. In a particular implementation, a channel training preamble provided by the IEEE 802.11a standard is modified to facilitate MIMO channel estimation. |
| US08374104B2 |
Simple installation of devices on a network
One embodiment of the invention employs techniques for the self-installation of network devices using fire-and-forget principles. These devices modify their own network configuration data, but do not modify the network configuration data of other devices. Utilizing fire-and-forget principles, the need for a central database and central authority on the network is not required but may still be used. |
| US08374103B2 |
Method and system for computing multicast traffic matrices
A system and method for receiving, from one or more ingress routers, a first set of records including data corresponding to network traffic, receiving, from one or more egress routers, a second set of records including data corresponding to network traffic and creating a multicast traffic matrix using at least a portion of the data included in the first and second sets of records. |
| US08374101B2 |
Multicast with joint layer resource allocation in broadband wireless networks
Methods and systems for allocating resources and modulation and coding schemes to transmit layers of a data stream are described. Embodiments provide efficient utilization of resources by collectively allocating resource slots to layers assigned a common modulation and coding scheme. Modulation and coding schemes are assigned based on a maximal utility that is modeled on the collective resource allocation. |
| US08374098B2 |
Check data encoding using parallel lane encoders
An encoder for generating check data to accompaning payload data uses parallel lane encoders each using a common encoder matrix. Mask circuitry applies mask values to the lane check data generated by the lane encoders. The mask circuitry generates check data for the K-bits of payload data. The mask values applied by the mask circuitry may be selected so as to bring about a re-ordering of the M-bit words. |
| US08374089B2 |
Performing rate limiting within a network
Methods and systems for performing rate limiting are provided. According to one embodiment, multiple paths are provided between each pair of multi-path load balancing (MPLB) components within a Layer 2 network by establishing overlapping loop-free topologies in which each MPLB component is reachable by any other via each overlapping topology. A first MPLB component receives packets associated with a flow sent by a source component at a particular rate. The first MPLB component forwards the packets to a second MPLB component along a particular path in a network. A congestion metric for the particular path is determined. Based upon the congestion metric for the particular path, it is determined whether the particular path has reached a congestion threshold. In response to an affirmative determination, the source component is instructed to limit the rate at which it sends packets associated with the flow. |
| US08374086B2 |
Adaptive DHT node relay policies
In a distributed hash table overlay network, messages directed to a message ID are relayed to one or more nodes that have published interest in that message ID. Messages are distributed, processed, and/or cached in accordance with relay policies, which enable a wide variety of different applications. Nodes specify relay policies on a per-node, per-message, and/or per-message ID basis. Relay policies can specify any behavior associated with messages, including: message caching, distribution, and processing as well as migration of relay policies when nodes join or leave the network. Intermediate nodes can perform any arbitrary processing of messages based on relay policies. Intermediate nodes can offload processing to other nodes, either by forwarding messages to a different message ID or by enlisting the help of nodes subscribed to the message ID. Messages can include one or more subfields specifying commands and/or data to be evaluated by the intermediate node. |
| US08374085B2 |
Method and apparatus for achieving broadband matching of narrow-band resonator filter impedances to loads and sources
A method (400) for managing a data stream (30) encoded according to a digital transmission protocol and configured for broadcasting to a consumer network device (14) within a broadband communications network (10). A message relating to the data stream is encapsulated (402) within a transport layer data packet (502). The packet has a destination port number field. A value associated with a predetermined parameter of the digital transmission protocol is created (404) within the field. Based on the value, the packet is forwarded (406) to the consumer network device according to a network layer protocol. When the forwarded message is received by the consumer network device, the consumer network device processes the data stream based on the message, and establishes an application layer communication socket based on the destination port number value. The socket is usable to receive further messages associated with the predetermined parameter of the digital transmission protocol. |
| US08374084B2 |
Packet scheduling
A method of scheduling packets in a mobile communication system includes, in each time period, assigning to each bearer of a terminal, a credit. In each time period for which resources are available, accepting data packets from a bearer in accordance with predefined constraints of priority, buffer content and credit. An accepted data packet size may exceed the available credit by an amount in a predefined range. |
| US08374082B2 |
Advanced bandwidth management
An advanced bandwidth manager (ABM) comprises a session/call admission controller (S/CAC) to manage network ingress traffic when a packet-switched network nears or exceeds its capacity due to changes in the network, e.g., component failures or incremental growth. Ever-changing network topology information is gathered from remote listeners about how traffic is being routed through various parts of the network. These reports are harmonized to build a single view of the network topology, and the point-to-point connections are abstracted into path tables. Autonomous policy enforcement points (PEP's) provide short-term, application-aware controls on their own that are applied to the corresponding network ingress traffic. The S/CAC uses the path tables constructed to calculate whether the PEP's can admit more or should shed sessions/calls to keep service up for all existing application traffic. Long-term controls are periodically downloaded as admission tables from the S/CAC to the PEP's. |
| US08374080B2 |
High throughput features in 11S mesh networks
The addition of high throughput capability elements to beacon frames and peer link action frames in wireless mesh networks enable the utilization of desirable features without further modifications to the network. Rules can be established for high throughput mesh point protection in a mesh network, Space-time Block Code (STBC) operations and 20/40 MHz operation selections. However, features such as PSMP (power save multi-poll) and PCO (phased coexistence operations) are barred from implementation to prevent collisions. |
| US08374079B2 |
Proxy server, communication system, communication method and program
A proxy server in an SIP network includes the common SIP proxy server function 11, the function of determining whether an SIP request and an SIP response received by the proxy server 10 belong to a call flow encountering a failure of the working SIP server 30, and the function of, when determination is made that they belong to a call flow encountering a failure, referring to the contents of the received SIP request and SIP response to specify a destination to which the SIP request and the SIP response are to be transmitted next. |
| US08374075B2 |
Phase and frequency recovery techniques
Phase and frequency recovery techniques comprising; a software controlled clock synthesizer (SCCS) for high accuracy phase & frequency synthesis producing synchronized low jitter clock from external time referencing signals or time referencing messages wherein SCCS includes a hybrid PLL (HPLL) enabling 1-50,000 frequency multiplication with very low output jitter independent of reference clock quality, and receiver synchronization techniques (RST) enabling by one order more accurate synchronization of receiver clock to OFDM composite frame combined with much faster acquisition time and better stability of receivers oscillator. |
| US08374073B2 |
Data modulation in a communication system
A modulator and a modulation method for a communication device are disclosed. The modulator is configured to multiplex control symbols and data symbols for transmission in a signal based on information of the distance between the positions of at least two control symbols in a representation of symbol positions in the signal. |
| US08374072B2 |
Efficient zadoff-chu sequence generation
Efficient apparatus and method for Zadoff-Chu (“Chu”) sequence generation avoids additional processing and hardware complexity of conventional quadratic generating formula followed by Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) with a reference signal generator that produces both a Zadoff-Chu sequence and its DFT. In the wireless communication system (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) system), Chu sequences are extensively used, especially in the uplink (UL). Because of the single carrier operating mode, transmitting a Chu sequence in principle involves a succession of generating that sequence, performing a DFT operation and then an IFFT operation. Assuming that the sequence length is N, the initial sequence generation requires 2N multiplications and the DFT requires more than N log 2(N) multiplications. Given the frequent processing of Chu sequences, this would represent a complexity burden. The invention makes it possible to perform the sequence generation and DFT steps without any multiplication operation, except for possibly calculating certain initial parameters. |
| US08374070B2 |
Magnetic recording medium having piezoelectric material and apparatus for recording information data into such magnetic medium
Disclosed is a magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate, a magnetic recording layer formed on the substrate to record magnetic information, and a piezoelectric material disposed adjacent to the magnetic recording layer and capable of contracting and expanding. Preferably, piezoelectric members made of the piezoelectric material are formed in such a manner as to be spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other on the substrate in a direction crossing a track on the magnetic recording layer, and the magnetic recording layer is formed between the piezoelectric members. When subjected to laser light or ultraviolet radiation, the piezoelectric material contracts or expands at least in the direction crossing the track. The piezoelectric material is selected from the group consisting of lead lanthanum zirconate titanate, barium titanate, and potassium niobate. |
| US08374068B2 |
Focusing and imaging compatible objective lenses for pixel-based and/or bit-based optical data recording and retrieval
A low cost and lightweight interchangeable lens system is provided. The lens system includes two aspheric elements that is usable both for page-based and bit-based data storage systems. The lens system has a large field of view up to ±50 degrees and a high numerical aperture up to 0.8. The invention reduces cost and weight of the objective lenses and is usable with the servoing technology. The invention provides a long working distance of 20% of the focal length and provides sufficient physical space to accommodate media and aberration corrections, which enable a media interchangeable and compatible system among the both optical recording formats. |
| US08374067B2 |
Method and apparatus for recording interference fringe pattern
In order to record an interference fringe pattern in a recording layer of a medium, a plurality of laser beams are caused to interfere so as to form interference fringes in the recording layer; and during a time period over which the plurality of laser beams are caused to interfere, the following steps are continuously performed: (1) producing a signal varying according to a shift of a specific position in the recording layer; and (2) shifting a fringe-forming position in the recording layer by changing a phase of at least one of the laser beams or moving the recording layer based upon the signal produced in the step (1). |
| US08374064B2 |
Method and devices for copy protection, copy protected record carrier
A method for copy protection includes providing audiovisual or audio data stored in sectors of a record carrier having a file system, and providing additional data to be stored in further sectors. The method includes generating first and second files referencing respective first and second parts of the sectors and respective further first and second parts of the further sectors, so when the first and second files are completely rendered by a playback device, respective first and second parts of the data and respective further first and second parts of the additional data are reproduced. The method also includes determining program instructions, which when executed by the playback device, control switching between reading the first file and the second file, and when the record carrier is an original, switching is controlled so only the sectors and none of the further sectors are read such that no additional data is reproduced. |
| US08374061B2 |
Thermally-assisted magnetic recording head capable of reducing the number of binding wires
A slider has a slider substrate, an electromagnetic transducer, a waveguide for receiving light from a surface on the side opposite from a medium-opposing surface and guiding the light to the medium-opposing surface side, and a device electrode electrically connected to the electromagnetic transducer. A light source unit includes a light source supporting substrate, a light source, and a lead extending from the slider side to the side opposite from the slider and having both end parts exposed at a surface of the light source unit. The device electrode of the slider is exposed at the surface of the slider on the side opposite from the medium-opposing surface without being covered with the light source unit. An end part on the slider side of the lead of the light source unit is soldered to the device electrode of the slider. |
| US08374059B2 |
Heat-assisted magnetic write head, head gimbals assembly, head arm assembly, and magnetic disk device
A heat-assisted magnetic write head includes a magnetic pole having an end surface exposed at an air bearing surface, a waveguide extending toward the air bearing surface to propagate light, a first pair of clads made of a first dielectric material having a refractive index lower than that of the waveguide, and sandwiching the waveguide in a track width direction, and a second pair of clads made of a second dielectric material having a refractive index lower than that of the first dielectric material, and sandwiching the waveguide in a thickness direction orthogonal to the track width direction. Further, the heat-assisted magnetic write head may include, between the magnetic pole and the waveguide, a plasmon generator generating near-field light from the air bearing surface, based on light propagating through the waveguide. |
| US08374057B2 |
Minute-repeater timepiece
The escapement racks for the hour (11), for the quarter-hour (10) and for the minutes (9) on the minute-repeater are mounted such that the same pivot about a common axis (14), with the escapement racks for the hour and the quarter-hour on one side, and the racks for the quarter-hour and for the minutes on the other side connected by a unidirectional drive connection having a ratchet (15, 17), a toothed pawl (10a, 9a) engaging with the ratchet, a banking pin (10b, 9b) and a cam (16b, 18b) to enable selective engagement of the ratchet with the pawl teeth. The end of the motor spring is kinetically secured to the two separate sets of activating pawl teeth (13a, 13b) for the first chime lift (21), with the first set of teeth (13a) for the hour chime, and the second set of teeth (13b) for chiming quarter-hours and minutes. |
| US08374056B2 |
Direct digital speaker apparatus having a desired directivity pattern
Direct digital speaker apparatus receiving a digital input signal and generating sound accordingly, the apparatus comprising an array of pressure-producing elements and a controller operative to compute a timing pattern determining if and when each pressure-producing element is actuated so as to achieve a desired directivity pattern. |
| US08374053B2 |
Seismic streamer shape estimation
A seismic streamer system and associated methods for estimating the shape of a laterally steered seismic streamer. The streamer is divided into a series of contiguous streamer segments by lateral-steering devices. Heading sensors positioned in forward and aft portions of each segment produce heading readings. Each segment is modeled as having a linear shape in the forward portion and a curved shape in the aft portion. The shape of the segment is estimated according to the model from the heading readings on the segment. |
| US08374044B2 |
Semiconductor device having hierarchically structured bit lines and system including the same
A semiconductor device includes a global bit line, a dummy global bit line that is shorter than the global bit line, a sense amplifier that amplifies a potential difference between the global bit line and the dummy global bit line, a plurality of memory blocks each including a hierarchy switch and a local bit line that is connected to the global bit line via the hierarchy switch, a dummy memory block that includes a dummy hierarchy switch and a dummy local bit line that is connected to the dummy global bit line via the dummy hierarchy switch, and a control circuit that activates any one of hierarchy switches and the dummy hierarchy switch. With this configuration, it is possible to obtain the same memory capacity between a memory mat located at an edge and the other memory mat. |
| US08374043B2 |
Sense amplifier and semiconductor memory device using it
A sense amplifier having a pre-amplifier and a main-amplifier is disclosed. The pre-amplifier is connected to paired data line, senses and amplifies data on the paired data line using voltage mode and outputting a pair of differential signal. The main-amplifier is connected to the paired data line, senses and amplifies data on the paired data line using current mode and generating a first amplified signal, senses and amplifies the first amplified signal using voltage mode in response to the pair of differential signal, and outputting an amplified data. |
| US08374042B2 |
Command decoder and a semiconductor memory device including the same
A command decoder includes a snoop read control signal generation unit that generates a snoop read control signal from a internal chip select signal according to a level of a transmission mode control signal, and an internal snoop read command generation unit that generates an internal snoop read command by driving a first node in response to an internal command and the snoop read control signal. |
| US08374041B2 |
Transfer circuit, nonvolatile semiconductor device using the same, and transfer method of the same
According to one embodiment, a transfer circuit includes a first inverter, a second inverter, a first line, a second line, a first holder, and a second holder. The first inverter inverts data at a first node and transfers the inverted data to a second node. The second inverter inverts the data at the second node and transfers the inverted data to the first node. The first line connected to the first node. The second line connected to the second node. The first holder may output data to the first node. The second holder may output data to the second node. When the first holder outputs the data to the first line, the first and second inverters are turned off. When the second holder outputs the data to the first line through the second node, the first inverter is turned off. |
| US08374038B2 |
Erase process for use in semiconductor memory device
A method of erasing memory cells of a memory device includes programming memory cells if the erasing procedure is suspended. The erasing procedure can include pre-programming, erasing, and soft-programming of memory cells in a selected memory unit. If a suspend command is received, for example to allow for a read operation of memory cells of another unit of memory, the erasing procedure stops the pre-programming, erasing, or soft-programming, and proceeds with programming one or more memory cells of the memory unit that was being erased. |
| US08374037B2 |
Method for programming a semiconductor magnetic memory integrating a magnetic tunneling junction above a floating-gate memory cell
A semiconductor magnetic memory device has a magnetic tunneling junction formed over a memory cell. The memory cell has a control gate surrounded by a floating gate. The floating gate is coupled to the magnetic tunneling junction through a pinning layer that maintains the magnetic orientation of the lower magnetic layer of the junction. A current through a selected word line, coupled to the control gate, generates a first magnetic field. A current through a cell select line generates a second magnetic field that is orthogonal to the first magnetic field. This changes the magnetic orientation of the upper magnetic layer of the junction to lower its resistance, thus allowing a write/erase voltage on a program/erase line to program/erase the floating gate. |
| US08374035B2 |
Non-volatile memory device, method of operating the same, and electronic device having the same
In one embodiment, the method includes receiving an operation command, detecting a noise level of a common source line, and adjusting a number of times to perform an operation on a memory cell in response to the operation command based on the detected noise level. |
| US08374034B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and read method thereof
A nonvolatile memory device comprises includes a program unit configured to generate program data, information about the number of program data, and digital sum value information (hereinafter referred to as ‘DSVi’) of the program data, a memory unit configured to store or read the program data, the information about the number of program data, and the DSVi the program data, and a data read control circuit configured to read program data programmed into the memory unit, generate digital sum value information (hereinafter referred to as ‘DSVo’) of the read program data, and generate a read voltage control signal using the DSVi of the program data, the DSVo of the read program data, and the information about the number of program data. |
| US08374033B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a memory unit; and a control unit. The memory unit includes a multilayer structure including electrode films and inter-electrode insulating films alternately stacked in a first direction; a semiconductor pillar piercing the multilayer structure in the first direction; a memory layer provided between the semiconductor pillar and the electrode films; a inner insulating film provided between the memory layer and the semiconductor pillar; a outer insulating film provided between the memory layer and the electrode films; and a wiring electrically connected to the first semiconductor pillar. In erasing operation, the control unit sets the first wiring at a first potential and sets the electrode film at a second potential lower than the first potential, and then sets the first wiring at a third potential and sets the electrode film at a fourth potential higher than the third potential. |
| US08374019B2 |
Phase change memory with fast write characteristics
A memory device including programmable resistance memory cells, including electrically pre-stressed target memory cells. The pre-stressed target memory cells have one of a lower voltage transition threshold, a shorter duration set interval and a longer reset state retention characteristic. Biasing circuitry is included on the device configured to control the pre-stressing operations, and to apply read, set and reset operations that can be modified for the pre-stressed memory cells. |
| US08374016B2 |
Method for leakage reduction in memory circuits
An apparatus includes a bit cell of a programmable memory circuit. The bit cell includes a programmable device. The bit cell includes a first device having a first type. The first device is configured to conduct a first current between a first node and a second node in response to a first value of a signal on the word line and a signal on a bit line. The programmable device is configured to be programmed in response to a first level of the first current. The bit cell includes a circuit coupled to the second node. The circuit is configured to reduce a leakage current through the first device in response to a second value of the signal on the word line and based on a feedback signal. In at least one embodiment of the apparatus, the feedback signal is based on a signal on the bit line. |
| US08374014B2 |
Rejuvenation of analog memory cells
A method for data storage in a memory that includes multiple analog memory cells fabricated using respective physical media, includes identifying a group of the memory cells whose physical media have deteriorated over time below a given storage quality level. A rejuvenation process, which causes the physical media of the memory cells in the group to meet the given storage quality level, is applied to the identified group. Data is stored in the rejuvenated group of the memory cells. |
| US08374013B2 |
Power supply with an interface for AC and DC signals
A power supply includes an AC-to-DC circuit, a DC-to-DC circuit, an interface used by both of the AC-to-DC circuit and the DC-to-DC circuit, and a control circuit for controlling the interface. The interface includes an ACL/DC+ input terminal, an ACN/DC− input terminal and a ground. The control circuit includes an AC/DC detecting circuit for determining whether an input voltage is AC or DC, an AC/DC converting circuit for selectively conducting AC or DC, and a conversion-controlling circuit for controlling the direction of the input voltage based on the determination in the AC/DC detecting circuit. |
| US08374007B2 |
Supplying power with maintaining its output power signal with the assistance of another power apply and method therefor
A power supply apparatus and a method for supplying power are provided. The apparatus, for use in a system having a first power signal, includes an assistance unit and a power supply device. The assistance unit outputs at least one maintaining signal according to the first power signal selectively. The power supply device outputs a second power signal, wherein the power supply device maintains the second power signal according to the at least one maintaining signal, for example, in an inactive state, such as an idle or standby state or other suitable timing. |
| US08374003B2 |
Isolated switching power supply apparatus
A control IC including a full-bridge circuit is disposed on a primary side and a secondary side. Bidirectional communication is performed between the primary side and the secondary side in a state in which they are isolated. A control signal output from the primary side or the secondary side earlier is preferentially processed. As a result, the authority to control a switching element can be freely given to a primary-side control IC or a secondary-side control IC, and any control processing can be performed with software. |
| US08374002B2 |
Isolated switching power supply apparatus
An isolated switching power supply apparatus includes a direct-current input power supply, a power transmission transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding, at least one main switching element configured to perform switching control on a direct-current voltage applied to the primary winding of the power transmission transformer, a rectification circuit that includes at least one rectification switching element and is connected to the secondary winding of the power transmission transformer, a smoothing circuit connected to the secondary winding of the power transmission transformer, a power conversion circuit configured to obtain an output voltage from the smoothing circuit, and a control circuit configured to control an operation of the power conversion circuit. |
| US08373993B2 |
Hinge assembly and portale electronic device using the same
A hinge assembly includes an axle portion having first and second ends, a first hinged portion, a second hinged portion, and at least one conductive member. The first hinged portion is inserted into one end of the axle portion. The other end of the axle portion is received the second hinged portion. The conductive member is positioned between the axle portion and one of the first hinged portion and the second hinged portion. |
| US08373992B2 |
Transmission/reception optical module
A transmission/reception optical module has an optical transmission subassembly 182, an optical reception subassembly 183, and a circuit board 1 wherein the circuit board 1 is formed into one member by a rigid/flexible substrate. Circuit board main bodies 2a, 2b, and an optical reception subassembly fixation region 4 are formed by rigid regions 5A, 5b, and 5P. An area provided between the circuit board main body 2a and the optical reception subassembly 4 is composed of a flexible region 6P. A part of the circuit board main body 2 is composed of a flexible region 6. |
| US08373987B2 |
Air conditioning system of portable data center
An air conditioning system of a portable data center includes a shipping container, plural data-processing devices and plural airflow-driving devices. The shipping container includes a partition plate and a bottom plate. The partition plate has plural hollow portions. The data-processing devices are disposed on the partition plate. The airflow-driving devices are disposed under the partition plate and aligned with respective hollow portions for driving and guiding airflow to cool the data processing devices. Each of the airflow-driving devices includes at least one fan and an airflow-blocking structure. The airflow-blocking structure is arranged in an airflow path of a corresponding airflow-driving device. If one of the airflow-driving devices is disabled, the airflow-blocking structure of the disabled airflow-driving device is automatically closed to hinder the airflow path. |
| US08373980B2 |
System for mounting a display to a computer
A computer includes various features that improve its functionality and/or ease of use. A modular electronics cartridge that includes a piston seal and opposed-direction latches removably engages a cartridge bay of the computer. A high intensity touch-screen display and a high power processor are disposed in a sealed compartment of the computer, and a remote heat exchanger is used to cool the sealed compartment. An interface converter/adapter converts a standard mini-PCI Express slot into a specialized mini-PCI Express slot with voice capabilities. SIM and microSD card slots mount to a pivoting door on the computer such that opening the door provides easier access to the card slots. |
| US08373979B2 |
Electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a first housing, a battery including a projection and configured to be attached to the first housing, a second housing including a display device and an end portion including a recess configured to correspond to the projection, a hinge configured to attach the second housing to the first housing rotatably between a first position in which a display screen of the display device is covered with the first housing and a second position in which the display screen is exposed, and a plurality of cables in the end portion of the second housing, the plurality of cables being arranged in a direction crossing a thickness direction of the second housing. |
| US08373976B2 |
All-in-one computer with height adjustable display
A novel integrated computer includes a support base, a computer component pivotally coupled to the support base, and a display component slidably coupled to the computer component. The pivotal connection between the support base and the computer component facilitates adjustment of the tilt of the display. The slidable connection between the computer component and the display component facilitates height adjustment of the display, without affecting the tilt of the display. A biasing member prevents unwanted movement of the display, while allowing adjustment of the display. A method for manufacturing the integrated computer is also disclosed. |
| US08373973B2 |
Stackable capacitor structure
A capacitor includes a main body, a first seat, and a second seat. The main body includes a first end surface and a second end surface opposite to the first end surface. Two first pins extend upward from the first end surface. Two second pins extend downward from the second end surface. The first pins electrically connect the second pins. The first seat includes a first substrate and two first pads, the first seat is positioned on the second end surface of the main body and the first pads are electrically connected to the second pins. The second seat includes a second substrate and two second pads, the second seat is positioned on the first end surface of the main body and the second pads are electrically connected to the first pins. |
| US08373970B2 |
Sideways conduction cooled high-power capacitor
A capacitor consisting of two essentially parallel planar L-shaped or C-shaped metal brackets, formed from a thermally and electrically conductive metal and arranged in such a way as to face inwards, between which two or more capacitor elements are connected electrically and thermally, each containing one or more holes for allowing fixing the capacitor to a heat-sink by a mounting bolt. Each of the brackets may have one or more holes drilled in their parallel members. |
| US08373963B2 |
Ion/ozone wind generation device and method
An ion/ozone wind generation device includes an electrode pair including a needle-shaped electrode and an opposite electrode, and generates ions and ion/ozone wind using corona discharge by generating a potential difference between the needle-shaped electrode and the opposite electrode, wherein the opposite electrode includes a plane-shaped main ring-shaped opposite electrode and a plane-shaped sub ring-shaped opposite electrode surrounding the plane-shaped main ring-shaped opposite electrode, and the longest distance between a tip of the needle-shaped electrode and the main ring-shaped opposite electrode is shorter than the shortest distance between the tip of the needle-shaped electrode and the sub ring-shaped opposite electrode. |
| US08373960B2 |
Driving circuit for AC contactor
Disclosed is driving circuit for AC contactor for driving a AC contactor, including a first switch connected in series with a winding of the AC contactor, a first diode reversely connected in parallel with the winding of the AC contactor for providing a discharging path for the winding, a DC startup holding unit having an output terminal connected in series with the first switch and a detection terminal connected to a first contact switch of the AC contactor. The DC startup holding unit is configured to selectively convert a DC driving voltage into a first DC voltage or a second DC voltage. When the AC contactor is not magnetized, the DC startup holding unit outputs the first DC voltage. When the AC contactor is magnetized, the DC startup holding unit outputs the second DC voltage. |
| US08373956B2 |
Low leakage electrostatic discharge protection circuit
A circuit and method for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. The ESD protection circuit includes: a silicon control rectifier (SCR) connected between a first voltage rail and a second voltage rail; one or more diodes connected in series in a forward conduction direction between the first voltage rail and a source of a p-channel field effect transistor (PFET); a drain of the PFET connected to the SCR and connected to ground through a current trigger device; and a control circuit connected to the gate of the PFET. |
| US08373955B2 |
Electrostatic discharge protection devices
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit having first and second transistors and an ESD clamp circuit. The first and second transistors are coupled in series between first and second voltage input pins of a chip. The ESD clamp circuit is coupled between the first and second voltage input pins. The drains of the first and second transistors are coupled to an I/O pin of the chip. The doping regions of the first and second transistors are of distinct doping concentrations. The first transistor comprises four doping regions, and has a source formed by the first and third doping regions, and has a drain formed by the second and the fourth doping regions. The first doping region is within the third doping region. The second doping region is within the fourth doping region. The doping concentration of the fourth doping region is less than that of the third doping concentration. |
| US08373948B2 |
Tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) structures with MGO barrier and methods of making same
A method in one embodiment includes forming a first layer of magnesium above at least one of a free layer and a reference layer; exposing the first layer of magnesium to an oxidizing environment for causing oxidation of the first layer of magnesium; forming a second layer of magnesium above the oxidized first layer of magnesium; and exposing the second layer of magnesium to the oxidizing environment for causing oxidation of the second layer of magnesium. A system in one embodiment includes a free layer; and a tunnel barrier layer having microstructure and composition characteristic of in situ natural oxidation of magnesium. Additional systems and methods are also presented. |
| US08373936B2 |
Image sensing lens and image sensing module
To provide an image sensing lens and an image sensing module each of which includes four lenses and each of which corrects aberrations well and has a great resolving power and a reduced height, an image sensing lens includes (i) a third lens which has a surface facing an image surface, the surface being an aspheric surface and (ii) a fourth lens which has a surface facing an object and a surface facing the image surface, the surfaces being each an aspheric surface. The image sensing lens satisfies the following Formulae (1) through (3): 0.51 |
| US08373932B2 |
Auto-focusing lens module
An auto-focusing lens module includes an object lens, a liquid zooming unit, and an image lens group. The object lens and the liquid zooming unit receive an object image in front and condense the image into a first-stage output light. A zoom quantity is determined by an external control on the liquid zooming unit. The image lens group including a first and second lens receives the first-stage output light to transmit a second-stage output light. The first lens has a first and second surface, in which the second surface is farther than the first surface to the liquid zooming unit and has a convex curving surface protruding toward an image sensor. The second lens has a first and second surface, in which the first surface has a concave curving surface indenting toward the image sensor to adapt at least a portion of the convex curving surface of the first lens. |
| US08373931B2 |
Liquid lens and apparatus incorporating the same
A liquid lens includes a vessel having an inner wall and configured to contain liquid, an electrolyte liquid and a non-electrolyte liquid forming an interface therebetween and being contained in the vessel, and a voltage applying unit which applies a voltage to the electrolyte liquid. A shape of the interface between the electrolyte liquid and the non-electrolyte liquid is changed by application of the voltage. The inner wall of the vessel has varying affinity with the non-electrolyte liquid depending on a position on the inner wall where an end of the interface contacts the inner wall; and the affinity on the side of the inner wall where the non-electrolyte liquid is situated is lower than the affinity on the side of the inner wall where the electrolyte liquid is situated. |
| US08373929B2 |
Low absorption optical coating apparatus and related methods using ThF4/BaF2 combination
A very low energy-absorption coating and related methods for use with high power CO2 lasers includes at least a thin layer of ThF4 (16) used as a water/moisture barrier, in combination with BaF2 (14), for various optical elements. When used in connection with a ZnSe substrate (12) or any other suitable material (such as for a focusing lens), the coating (10) extends the useful life by helping prevent moisture adsorption that otherwise may occur within 2-3 days of contact with air. The coating (10) may comprise (1) a BaF2 layer (14) of approximately optical quarter wave thickness, (2) a thin 200-300 Angstrom layer of ThF4 (16) used as a water barrier (3) a thin 1000-2000 Angstrom layer of ZnSe (18), and (4) an optional ZnSe layer (20) of optical half wave thickness. Among other applications, the coating (10) provides very low energy absorption for a 10.6 um CO2 laser at a value<0.15%, and provides longer lifetimes as compared to conventional coated lenses without the combination of BaF2 (14) and ThF4 (16). The specific and relative thicknesses of the various coating layers can be modified substantially and still provide many benefits. |
| US08373925B2 |
Compact photonic crystal fiber source
A system is provided for amplification of laser light, the system having: a plurality of non-silica optical fibers, each the non-silica optical fiber disposed within a sheath; each the non-silica optical fiber being doped with a dopant such that the non-silica fiber has a low non-linear effect; a light source, directing a light beam into a first the non-silica optical fiber; heat dissipating components disposed about the plurality of non-silica optical fibers forming a package; and the package being not greater than 100 cm3. |
| US08373924B2 |
Frequency-tripled fiber MOPA
Fundamental-wavelength pulses from a fiber a laser are divided into three or more pulse portions and the three or more portions are separately amplified. Two or more of the amplified fundamental-wavelength pulse-portions are combined and frequency-doubled. The frequency doubled portion is sum-frequency mixed with one or more of the other amplified fundamental wavelength pulse-portions to provide third-harmonic radiation pulses. |
| US08373922B2 |
Window having a light transmittance-adjusting layer
A window includes a plurality of transparent substrates spaced apart from each other in a thickness direction; a light transmittance-adjusting layer on a surface of at least one transparent substrate of the plurality of transparent substrates and having a thermochromic or thermotropic characteristic; and an air circulator configured to circulate a heat transfer medium in a space between the plurality of transparent substrates for changing a light transmittance of the light transmittance-adjusting layer. |
| US08373920B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a pair of insulating substrates facing each other, electrochromic elements, and an electrolyte layer. A plurality of electrodes constituting the electrochromic elements are disposed on an inner surface of one of the insulating substrates so as to be spaced from each other. One of the insulating substrates is formed of a flexible member whose outer surface is an input operation surface. A pair of counter electrodes of an input element are disposed between the pair of insulating substrates, the counter electrodes being spaced from the electrodes of the electrochromic elements when viewed in plan. An input operation is performed by bringing the counter electrodes close to each other or bringing the counter electrodes into contact with each other through pressing of the input operation surface. |
| US08373918B2 |
Electrochromic organic component
An organically based electrochromic component, e.g. for the production of displays and/or state indicators produces at least two colors. For the first time, two colors can be switched according to the voltage by using a dye system of 4,4′-bipyridinium salts. |
| US08373916B2 |
Optical scanner and image forming apparatus
An optical scanner, including a frame member; a pair of connection members near a coupling end with the frame member; a pair of elastic members connected with the frame member by the connection members; a mirror substrate supported by the pair of elastic members, the mirror substrate having a bending rigidity outward from the rotational axis for each area in accordance with a bending moment caused by oscillation, the mirror substrate having a slit at both connection ends with the pair of elastic members; and a piezoelectric element provided on each of the connection members, the piezoelectric element generating a torque for driving the mirror substrate oscillatable back and forth around the pair of elastic members as a torsion rotational axis. |
| US08373909B2 |
Scanner device for a franking system
A mailpiece scanner device in a module of a franking system, said mailpiece scanner device comprising: a contact image sensor or “CIS” disposed in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction in which the mailpieces are conveyed through the module; and a support to which said sensor is fastened and which is mounted firstly to move vertically under the action of at least one drive lever and secondly to pivot about a longitudinal hinge pin; the device further comprising guide means secured to a stationary portion of the module for the purpose of limiting firstly the vertical movement of the image sensor support and secondly pivoting of said support about the longitudinal hinge pin. |
| US08373906B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
This invention has as its object to generate image data having a desired resolution by a small footprint upon execution of resolution conversion processing in an image processing apparatus having an area image sensor. This invention is an image processing method for processing a plurality of image data which have phase shifts in the main scanning direction and sub scanning direction, including a step of inputting a target resolution, a step of executing super-resolution processing for respective positions using image data, corresponding to each position of the document in the sub scanning direction, of the plurality of image data, and a step of further executing variable-magnification processing of the image data which has undergone the super-resolution processing at that position when the resolution of the image data executed super-resolution processing is lower than the target resolution. |
| US08373903B2 |
Efficient implementation of raster operations flow
According to one aspect, a printer supports transparency operations by generating mask data at interpretation stage which indicates whether each bit of a page content would be determined by the result of a raster operation or a prior destination value. The mask data can be used to complete quickly rendering of a page image once the rendering starts. Another aspect enables color fills of objects to be performed efficiently. A raster operations engine may determine whether all the points (pixels) of the object would have the same value if the raster operation is performed. If all pixels would have the same value, the value for only one pixel is computed and used for multiple pixels of the object. According to another aspect, when a pattern is to be tiled on an entire image portion, the pattern data is stored in a memory and provided as an input to rendering operation multiple times. |
| US08373898B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program for transforming digital color images
A general framework for adaptive gamut mapping is presented in which the image is first decomposed in two bands, one containing the local means, the other the local variations. Two spatial and color adaptive gamut mapping algorithms are introduced. Based on spatial color bilateral filtering, they take into account the color properties of the neighborhood of each pixel. Their goal is to preserve both the color values of the pixels and their relations between neighbors. |
| US08373894B2 |
System and method for selecting a proof printer for a given production printer
A method for selecting a printing device for printing a proof is provided. The method entails providing a production printer and a plurality of remote proof printers and computing a native color gamut covered by the production printer and the plurality of remote proof printers. The method includes calculating a gamut intersection volume between the production printer and the plurality of remote proof printers and comparing the gamut intersection volume between the production printer and the plurality of remote proof printers. The method further include presenting a rating of the plurality of proof printers, the rating configured to provide data pertaining to the gamut intersection volume difference between each of the plurality of proof printers and the production printer. |
| US08373878B2 |
Cooperative job flow creating apparatus, cooperative job flow creating method, service processing apparatus, service processing method, management server, flow conversion method, job flow execution method, program, and storage medium
To create a job flow having machine type dependence and commonly usable among different types of devices, a CPU of a client PC displays first task information relating to tasks usable in a first print processing device and creates a first task cooperative job flow executable in the first print processing device. Then, the CPU of the client PC creates definition information of the first task cooperative job flow based on an edit instruction entered using the first task information. Furthermore, the CPU of the client PC produces definition information of a second task cooperative job flow executable in a second task processing device based on the definition information of the created first cooperative job flow as well as based on second task information relating to tasks usable in the second print processing device. |
| US08373876B2 |
Document management system and method for controlling a document print operation
A document management system and method of efficiently controlling a document print operation that entails storing specifying information pertaining to identification information of document data for a printing apparatus, determining whether or not the document data corresponding to the identification information has been updated after a prior printing of the document, and transmitting to the printing apparatus either the document data or the specifying information depending on the results of the determination. |
| US08373872B2 |
Method and system for the automatic transmission of printing data and particularly for mirroring printing orders
In a method or system for reception from a sender of a print data with a print job by a print server of a first printing system from a sender, with the print server of the first printing system acknowledging to the sender correct receipt of a predetermined data unit of print data according to a predetermined protocol. With the print server of the first printing system copying the print data to a mirror print server of a second printing system separate from the print server of the first printing system before execution of the respective acknowledgement for the predetermined data unit, and automatically using as a print server for continued execution of the print job given problems in storage of the print data on the print server of the first printing system, said mirror print server of the second printing system. |
| US08373871B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a scanning device and a printing device. The scanning device and the printing device are configured to be separately arranged when the image forming apparatus is in use. The printing device includes a control unit that transmits and receives signals to and from a plurality of units included in the scanning device, and a power supplying unit that supplies electric power to the units. The scanning device includes a first relay substrate that receives electric power from the power supplying unit and distributes the electric power to the units, and relays signals between each of the units and the control unit. |
| US08373870B2 |
Information processing apparatus and control method thereof
An information processing apparatus having multiple operating systems is disclosed. Among the multiple operating systems, a first operating system, the startup time of which is short, controls a particular device, and a second operating system, the startup time of which is longer than that of the first operating system, controls the emulated particular device. |
| US08373869B2 |
Charging system, charging method, recording medium, and image forming apparatus for performing charging process with improved user convenience
A charging management server is informed of an ID number stored in an IC card, and a user charging table of the charging management server is read. A new user charging list is transmitted to an MFP. In the case where the MFP receives a cooperative job to be executed by a cooperative server, a sub charging list is generated. The generated new sub charging list is transmitted together with image data to the cooperative server. The cooperative server executes the job on the basis of charging a fee for the job. As the job is executed on the basis of charging, the sub charging list is updated. In parallel with the execution of the cooperative job by the cooperative server, the MFP can perform a normal job according to the charging list. |
| US08373868B2 |
System and method to allow the removal and addition of functions on a multi-function printer
A method and device for invoking a set of services corresponding to a plug-in application installed on an image handling device. The method including launching a host application of an image handling device, accessing a configuration file of the image handling device, launching the at least one plug-in based on the information regarding the activation of each service and presenting a graphical interface that includes a graphical indicia of each activated service corresponding to each activated plug-in. |
| US08373863B2 |
Stitched waveguide for use in a fiber-optic gyroscope
Methods and systems for improved fiber optic gyroscopes for operation in non-atmospheric environments are provided. In one embodiment, an integrated optical circuit for an interferometer subject to non-atmospheric conditions comprises: a first section of waveguide within a Lithium crystalline structure that is exposed to an electrical field, the first section of waveguide being a Titanium-diffused waveguide region; a second section of waveguide within the Lithium crystalline structure that is not within the first section of the waveguide, the second section of waveguide being a proton-exchange waveguide region; a stitch coupling the first section of waveguide to the second section of waveguide; and a third section of waveguide configured to combine reciprocal light beams to produce an interference pattern, wherein at least one of the reciprocal light beams pass through the first section of waveguide and the second section of waveguide prior to producing the interference pattern. |
| US08373857B2 |
Miniaturized system and method for measuring optical characteristics
A miniaturized spectrometer/spectrophotometer system and methods are disclosed. A probe tip including one or more light sources and a plurality of light receivers is provided. A first spectrometer system receives light from a first set of the plurality of light receivers. A second spectrometer system receives light from a second set of the plurality of light receivers. A processor, wherein the processor receives data generated by the first spectrometer system and the second spectrometer system, wherein an optical measurement of a sample under test is produced based on the data generated by the first and second spectrometer systems. |
| US08373856B2 |
Optical beam spectrometer with movable lens
A spectroscopic system is described that provides at least one of focus of an excitation beam onto a sample, automatic focus of an optical system of the spectroscopic system for collecting a spectroscopic signal, and/or averaging of excitation intensity over a surface area of the sample. |
| US08373855B2 |
Compact Raman analyzer for recording dissolved gases in liquids with high sensitivity and spectral resolution
A Raman head is provided capable of operating at high surrounding pressures. The Raman head has housing having a first, sealed chamber filled with an incompressible liquid and a second chamber that is open to the surrounding environment. At least one bellows can be used to equalize pressure between the first sealed chamber and the surrounding environment. A planar side of a pair of plano-concave lens is positioned within the first chamber and the concave side of each plano-concave lens is positioned within the second chamber of the Raman head. Light emitted as a result of a laser beam in communication with the pair of plano-concave lens can be analyzed by a Raman analyzer. |
| US08373848B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and lorentz actuator
A lithographic apparatus includes an actuator for producing a force in a first direction between a first and a second part including a first magnet assembly and a second magnet assembly each attached opposite to each other to the first part of the apparatus, the first magnet assembly including a first main magnet system and a first subsidiary magnet system, and the second magnet assembly including a second main magnet system and a second subsidiary magnet system, the first and second main magnet system defining a space between them in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The actuator includes a coil attached to the second part. The distance between at least a part of the first subsidiary magnet system and at least a part of the second subsidiary magnet system is smaller than the minimum distance between the first main magnet system and the second main magnet system. |
| US08373846B2 |
Radiation source, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A radiation source is configured to produce extreme ultraviolet radiation. The radiation source includes a chamber in which, in use, a plasma is generated, and an evaporation surface configured to evaporate a material formed as a by-product from the plasma and that is emitted to the evaporation surface. A method for removing a by-product material in or from a plasma radiation source of a lithographic apparatus includes evaporating a material which, in use, is emitted to that surface from the plasma. |
| US08373840B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display module includes an observation region to allow a visual inspection be performed after bonding of the substrates for inspecting the sealant that may be otherwise blocked by the common voltage line. An embodiment of a liquid crystal display device includes a first electrode on a first substrate, a second electrode and a third electrode on a second substrate, the second electrode electrically contacting the first electrode at a first portion and the third electrode at a second portion, and including a transparent conductive material, a sealant attaching the first and second substrates together in a sealant region, the sealant between the first and second electrodes and the sealant including a plurality of conductive balls for electrically connecting the first and second electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer between the attached first and second substrates and within the sealant. |
| US08373839B2 |
Process for producing liquid crystal display device and liquid crystal display device
A process for producing a liquid crystal display device enabling to produce with simple process, and such a liquid crystal display device, are provided, the process comprising: a step of forming transparent electrodes (41, 42) on first and second substrates (11, 12); a step of applying an uncured raw seal material; a step of dropping a first functional material; a step of dropping a second functional material; a step of sandwiching the raw seal material (13a, 14a), the first functional material (32a) and the second functional material (31a) between the first and second substrates under a predetermined reduced pressure atmosphere, and thereby forming a sealed product wherein the first functional material is isolated from the second functional material by the raw seal material and sealed between the first and the second substrates; a step of exposing the sealed product to a normal atmospheric pressure; and a step of curing at least the raw seal material. |
| US08373838B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a substrate, a daisy chain, a driving circuit, and a conductive portion. The substrate has an electrode line. The daisy chain includes a first conducting wire separated from the electrode line. The first conducting wire has a first terminal and a second terminal. The conductive portion is disposed on the substrate. The first terminal is electrically connected to the electrode line and the second terminal is separated from the driving circuit. |
| US08373837B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel of line-on glass type to prevent signal interference between line-on glass signal lines and method of fabricating the same
A line-on glass type liquid crystal display panel that is adapted to prevent signal interference and electromagnetic interference between line-on glass type signal lines. The liquid crystal display panel of the invention includes a picture display part with a matrix of liquid crystal cells, multiple line-on glass type signal lines located in an outer area of the picture display part for applying drive signals to drive the liquid crystal cells, and a dummy line formed between the line-on glass type signal lines with at least a layer of insulating film therebetween. |
| US08373833B2 |
Array substrate for fringe field switching mode liquid crystal display device and fringe field switching mode liquid crystal display device including the same
An array substrate for a fringe field switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate lines on a substrate; a gate insulating layer on the plurality of gate lines; a plurality of data lines crossing the plurality of gate lines to define a plurality of pixel regions; a thin film transistor electrically connected to the gate and data lines in each pixel region; a pixel electrode having a plate shape in each pixel region, and connected to a portion of the thin film transistor; a first passivation layer on the pixel electrode and over the thin film transistor; and a common electrode on the first passivation layer and having a plurality of openings of a bar shape in each pixel region, wherein a center portion of each opening overlaps the pixel electrode, and both ends along a major axis of each opening protrude beyond the pixel electrode. |
| US08373832B2 |
Wiring layer, semiconductor device, and liquid crystal display device using semiconductor device
An electrode film, which is not peeled off from an oxide thin film and in which a copper atom does not diffuse into the oxide thin film, is provided. A wiring layer is composed of a high-adhesion barrier film 37, which is a thin film of Cu—Mg—Al and a copper thin film 38; and the high-adhesion barrier film 37 is brought into contact with the oxide thin film. When a total number of atoms of copper, magnesium, and aluminum is set to 100 at %, if the high-adhesion barrier film 37 contains magnesium in a range of between 0.5 at % and 5 at and aluminum in a range of between 5 at % and 15 at %, then wiring layers 50a, 50b, can be obtained, whereby the adhesion and the barrier property are compatible with each other, adherence is strong, and a copper atom does not diffuse. |
| US08373831B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of driving liquid crystal display device
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, scanning lines, signal lines, pixel switches, first electrodes, a scanning line drive circuit, a second electrode, a voltage supply wiring, a control mechanism, a first switching mechanism, a second switching mechanism, and an output timing switching mechanism. The output timing switching mechanism is configured to simultaneously output a second scanning signal of switching the pixel switch into conductive state to the scanning lines, based on the control signal. |
| US08373830B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device including a first substrate, a second substrate facing and spaced away from the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and second substrates, a switching device formed on the first substrate, a first electrically insulating film randomly patterned on the first substrate, a second electrically insulating film covering the first electrically insulating film therewith, and having a wavy surface, and a reflection electrode formed on the second electrically insulating film, and electrically connected to an electrode of the switching device, wherein a light passing through the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer is reflected at the reflection electrode, and the second electrically insulating film extends outwardly from the first electrically insulating film by a certain length at an end of a display region in which images are to be displayed, such that a step formed by the first and second electrically insulating films in the vicinity of the end of the display region is smoothed. |
| US08373828B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a display-controlling substrate and an opposite substrate facing the display-controlling substrate. The display-controlling substrate includes a base substrate portion and has a display area and a peripheral area surrounding the display area with pixel units being formed in the display area of the display-controlling substrate. Each pixel unit includes a gate line segment extending in a first direction and having a respective first width (W1), a data line segment, a color filter, a pixel electrode, and a storage electrode segment having a second width and extending in a direction different from that of the gate line segment. Spaces between adjacent pixel electrodes, where uncontrolled light might leak out are overlapped by one or the other of the first and second width segments where the widths of the opaque segments are wider than the overlapped space. |
| US08373827B2 |
System for displaying images having a conductive layer formed on the inner surface of a color filter substrate
A system for displaying images is provided and includes a liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate having a plurality of orthogonal data lines and scan lines thereon. A first transparent electrode layer is disposed over the data lines and a second transparent electrode layer is disposed over the first transparent electrode layer. A second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate and has an inner surface. A conductive layer is disposed over the inner surface of the second substrate. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. |
| US08373817B2 |
Backlight unit having a light guide plate with a cut out and a back case with a concave drawing portion and liquid crystal display device using the same
A backlight unit includes a rectangular light guide plate including a first edge and a second edge orthogonally crossing each other. A light source arranged on a flexible substrate emits light to the first edge of the light guide plate and then the light emitted from the light source is emitted to outside from an upper surface of the light guide plate. A connection flexible substrate is connected to the flexible substrate and arranged along the second edge of the light guide plate to outside of the backlight unit. The second edge of the light guide plate facing the connection flexible substrate is cut out at an acute angle to the first edge of the light guide plate to pass around the connection flexible substrate. |
| US08373810B2 |
Optical vortex retarder micro-array
A micro-array of optical vortex retarders is provided by forming an alignment layer having a plurality of discrete alignment patches with different orientations. A layer of birefringent material, including one of a liquid crystal and a liquid crystal polymer precursor material, is provided adjacent to the alignment layer. The aligning orientation and position of each discrete alignment patch in the plurality of discrete alignment patches is selected to induce the layer of birefringent material to form at least one optical vortex retarder adjacent to a substantially non-oriented region of the alignment layer. |
| US08373808B2 |
Liquid crystal parallax barrier, display device and liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal parallax barrier panel has the structure formed by stacking an electrode substrate, a liquid crystal layer and a sealing substrate in order. The electrode substrate includes a glass substrate, a first electrode which is branched in plural stages, a second electrode which is arranged on the same layer as the first electrode and is branched in plural stages, and an alignment film. Out of the first electrode and the second electrode, twig portions which include distal ends of branched portions of one electrode and twig portions which include distal ends of branched portions of another electrode are alternately arranged such that the twig portion which includes the distal end of the branched portion of one electrode enters between two twig portions which include the distal ends of branched portions of another electrode. In a state where slits are not formed in a parallax barrier, the first electrode and the second electrode have the same voltage, while the slits are formed in the parallax barrier when a predetermined voltage is applied to the first electrode. |
| US08373804B2 |
Tuner for cable, satellite and broadcast applications
A tuner includes, in part, one or mixers, one or more filters, one or more variable gain stages, one or more analog to digital converters, and a baseband processor. Each filter is responsive to an associated mixer's output signal. Each variable gain stage is responsive to an associated filter's output. Each analog-to-digital converter is adapted to convert the output signal of an associated variable gain stage to a digital signal. The baseband processor is responsive to the digital signal supplied by the analog-to-digital converter(s). The baseband processor is further configured to supply a signal to be demodulated by a processing unit external to the integrated circuit. The baseband processor performs no or a fraction of the required demodulation functions. The processing unit may be a central processing unit or a graphical processing unit. |
| US08373803B2 |
Multistandard receiver circuit for analogue and digital broadcasting
The invention relates to a multistandard receiver circuit for analogue and digital broadcasting, particularly analogue and digital television broadcasting, having a demodulator arrangement with an input for applying digital or digitized values (d) for both analogue and digital broadcasting signals from a tuner (1) and with components and/or an algorithm for processing the values (d). Emphasis should be given to an embodiment and/or controller for processing the values (d) for all processing steps which are to be performed in the field of intermediate-frequency processing with shared components. |
| US08373800B2 |
Method and apparatus for composition of subtitles
Embodiments of the invention include a subtitling format encompassing elements of enhanced syntax and semantic to provide improved animation capabilities. The disclosed elements improve subtitle performance without stressing the available subtitle bitrate. This will become essential for authoring content of high-end HDTV subtitles in pre-recorded format, which can be broadcast or stored on high capacity optical media, e.g. the Blue-ray Disc. Embodiments of the invention include abilities for improved authoring possibilities for the content production to animate subtitles. For subtitles that are separate from AV material, a method includes using one or more superimposed subtitle layers, and displaying only a selected part of the transferred subtitles at a time. Further, colors of a selected part of the displayed subtitles may be modified, e.g. highlighted. |
| US08373799B2 |
Visual effects for video calls
An apparatus including a display, an input unit and a processor connected to the display and input unit, the processor being configured to recognize an input and embed at least one effect, in response to the input, into a video feed transmitted from the apparatus. |
| US08373797B2 |
Image display apparatus, signal processing apparatus, image display method, and computer program product
An image display apparatus includes an active-period interlaced-to-progressive (IP) converter configured to convert active periods (video periods) included in interlaced signals into progressive signals; a blanking-period IP converter configured to convert blanking periods included in the interlaced signals into progressive signals; a multiplexer configured to generate and output display data including both the progressive signals associated with the active periods and the progressive signals associated with the blanking periods; and a display unit configured to display the data output from the multiplexer. The blanking-period IP converter is configured to generate the progressive signals associated with the blanking periods by executing IP conversion in which values copied from data included in the interlaced signals or values corresponding to black pixels are set as pixel values of an interpolated field not included in field data of the interlaced signals. |