| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08379680B1 |
Direct cooling of thin disk lasers
The present embodiment provides a thin disk laser disk element having improved direct cooling through the use of a barrier material directly attached to the high reflectivity layer of the thin disk element. This barrier is needed due to noticeable degradation of the reflectivity of the thin disk element without the barrier material. A barrier material of sapphire (crystalline Al2O3) is preferable, given a desire to have adequate thermal conductivity through the barrier material, proper matching of the coefficient of thermal expansion with the other components of the thin disk, and to save monetary costs. In another preferred embodiment, an intermediate layer is interposed between the thin disk element and the barrier material to provide improved adhesion between the barrier material and the thin disk element. Preferred crystallographic orientations for sapphire barrier material are provided as well. |
| US08379676B1 |
Injecting in-band control messages without impacting a data rate
This document describes tools useful in relaying a data stream from a data device to a network tunnel, such as by injecting in-band control messages without impacting a data rate. For example, the tools may receive data packets on a first link and then relay the data packets to a data device on a second link. While doing so, the tools may periodically free an amount of link time by reducing the length of the relayed data packets by reducing the length of a header of each data packet. The tools may then consume the freed link time by sending a control message on the second link to the data device. |
| US08379674B2 |
Timestamp conversion
A target time stamp on a target time-base is obtained from a originating time stamp on an originating time-base of an audio video transport system by first taking samples simultaneously from transport streams having the originating time-base and target timebase, respectively. A current sample and an immediately preceding sample for the originating time-base and target time-base are stored, respectively. A first difference is determined between the current sample and an immediately preceding sample for the originating time-base and a second difference is determined between the current sample and an immediately preceding sample for the target time-base, respectively. The first difference is added to the current sample of the originating time base and the second difference is added to the current sample of the target time-base if the current sample is less than the originating time-stamp and the first difference is subtracted from the current sample of the originating time base and the second difference is subtracted from the current sample of the target time-base if the current sample is greater than the originating timestamp. The first difference and the second difference are halved and the addition or subtraction and halving iterated until the first difference or the second difference is negligibly small. The iterated current sample of the target time-base is output as the target time-stamp. |
| US08379672B2 |
Apparatus and method for coding an information signal into a data stream, converting the data stream and decoding the data stream
More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit. The consecutive access units may correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream between data stream source and decoder without incorporating any hints into the datastream. Therefore, decoders surely detect the access unit beginnings and endings and are not liable to buffer overflow. |
| US08379667B2 |
Service executing apparatus
A broadcast receiving terminal, which implements a service executing method, includes a receiver operable to receive an application, a recording medium, and a service executer operable to execute a service that uses one or more resources in a service execution environment intended for the service. The terminal also includes an associater operable to associate the service execution environment with resource set information indicating the one or more resources used by the service, when the application requests the service executer to execute the service, and a storager operable to store, into the recording medium, a plurality of service execution environments together with the associated resource set information that are associated by the associater. The terminal further includes a resource manager operable to provide, to a selected service, one or more resources indicated in the resource set information in the associated service execution environment, in the recording medium, stored by the storager. |
| US08379664B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic bandwidth management
A wireless communication device, a wireless communication system and a method of allocating a time slot during peer to peer communication over a millimeter wave wireless channel. The allocation of the time slot is done by truncating a channel time allocated time slot and releasing a truncated channel time allocation time slot for communication without a piconet network controller intervention and dynamically allocating a contention access period utilizing the released channel time of the allocated time. |
| US08379662B2 |
Radio transmitting apparatus and radio transmitting method
A radio transmitting apparatus and a radio transmitting method wherein the throughput is improved and a fast initial access processing including an RA burst is accomplished. According to these apparatus and method, a signature table storing part (101) has a plurality of signature groups generated from a plurality of different Zadoff-Chu sequences with a set of signatures generated from one Zadoff-Chu sequence being one signature group. A signature sequence assignment control part (102) switches signature groups to be assigned to a UE for each of paging transmissions, thereby assigning a signature sequence, which is to be used for an initial RA, from the same signature group. A paging information generating part (104) causes the ID of the assigned signature sequence to be included into paging information, which is then transmitted to the UE. |
| US08379659B2 |
Performance and traffic aware heterogeneous interconnection network
In one embodiment, a method includes comparing an occupancy level of a buffer of a port of a router to a threshold, and controlling the port to operate at a first voltage and frequency based at least in part on the comparison, and at least one other port of the router is controlled to operate at a second voltage and frequency. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08379657B2 |
Method and apparatus for setting up uplink common bearer in wireless communication network
A method and apparatus for setting up an UpLink common bearer shared by a plurality of User Equipments (UEs) in a wireless communication network is provided. The apparatus includes a Serving GateWay (S-GW) for receiving a group identifier of a UE from a Mobility Management Entity (MME), sending a create bearer request message including the group identifier to a Packet Data Network (PDN) GateWay (P-GW), receiving a create bearer response message including UL common S5 bearer information (UL common S5 info) for a group corresponding to the group identifier from the P-GW, and sending a create bearer response message including UL common S1 bearer information (UL common S1 info) to the MME, and the P-GW for receiving the create bearer request message from the S-GW, and generating and sending the create bearer response message including the UL common S5 info. |
| US08379655B2 |
Data network and method for executing forking
A data network comprises proxy-call session control functions (P-CSCFs) serving user equipments. Each P-CSCF can request resource reservation from an associated policy manager. A serving-call session control function receives a first call session setup message and determines a set of terminating user equipments associated with a terminating user identity of the setup message. It then transmits a call session initialization message to each identified terminating user equipment via an associated P-CSCF. This message includes a session identity indication and a forking indication which indicates if the first call session is a forked call session. The P-CSCFs and/or the policy managers then restrict the resource reservation for two or more user equipments having the same session identity and forking indications indicative of a forked call session setup to the resource requirement for only one of the user equipments. This may reduce resource usage for forked call sessions. |
| US08379652B2 |
Methods, apparatus and computer readable medium for conveying virtual local area network (VLAN) policies from designated to roamed network
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing policy inheritance between Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) is presented. The systems disclosed herein are able to convey, from a designated (i.e., first) VLAN to a roaming (i.e., second) VLAN, mobility VLAN policies enabled at the designated VLAN that are not provided at the roaming VLAN. In operation, example embodiments of the present invention detect a roaming mobile unit in the roaming VLAN. VLAN policies for the mobile unit are then requested from a VLAN server mobility switch in the designated VLAN. VLAN policies are then received and applied in the roaming VLAN. |
| US08379648B1 |
Method and system for automatic mapping of data flow
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for automatically mapping data flow is provided. The method includes receiving, over a path and at a digital subscriber line access multiplexer, a data cell from a party. The digital subscriber line access multiplexer has a database. The method also includes identifying the path and the party from the data cell. The method also includes determining that the database does not correlate the path and the party. The method also includes correlating the party with the path in the database in response to determining that the database does not correlate the path and the party. |
| US08379647B1 |
Sequencing packets from multiple threads
A device may reserve a slot for a received packet in a packet ordering queue (POQ), convey the packet to one of a plurality of threads for processing, obtain the packet from the one of the plurality of threads after the packet has been processed, organize the packet in the POQ in accordance with a position of the reserved slot, and release the packet from the POQ if the reserved slot is a head of the POQ. |
| US08379642B2 |
Multicasting using a multitiered distributed virtual bridge hierarchy
Systems and methods to multicast data frames are provided. A particular apparatus includes a plurality of computing nodes and a distributed virtual bridge. The distributed virtual bridge includes a plurality of bridge elements coupled to the plurality of computing nodes. The plurality of bridge elements are configured to forward a copy of a multicast data frame to the plurality of computing nodes using group member information associated with addresses of the plurality of server computers. A controlling bridge coupled to the plurality of bridge elements is configured to communicate the group member information to the plurality of bridge elements. |
| US08379640B2 |
Internetwork device
An internetwork device comprises a receiving module, an inter-device packet transfer interface, an inter-device packet transfer controller, an address translation module, and a transmission module. The receiving module receives a packet from a first network. The inter-device packet transfer interface carries out inter-device packet transfer involving transfer of a packet to or from another internetwork device. The inter-device packet transfer controller controls the inter-device packet transfers such that multiple fragmented packets created from a same original packet are collected by the same internetwork device, the fragmented packets being packets created by dividing a single original packet into multiple parts. The address translation module translates between a local address used within a specific network and a global address used across multiple networks, for at least one of a source address and a destination address of a packet. The transmission module transmits an address-translated packet to a second network. |
| US08379639B2 |
Packet classification
Apparatuses, methods, and other embodiments associated with packet identification are described. One example apparatus includes a packet selection logic to identify packets associated with a data stream. The example apparatus may also include a set of packet classification logics. A packet classification logic may generate a signal as a function of whether an attribute associated with the packet matches an attribute associated with packets generated by a tested application. |
| US08379636B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for establishing M3UA linksets and routes
Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for establishing M3UA linksets and routes. The method includes generating, at a signaling gateway, a linkset that includes a plurality of M3UA links between two or more IP hosts on the signaling gateway and a single IP host on a signal transfer point. The method also includes configuring, at the signaling gateway, a route based on the linkset to direct messages from the signaling gateway to a single destination node. |
| US08379630B2 |
Methods and apparatus related to controlling access to communications resources
Various methods and apparatus relate to controlling access to communications resources in a wireless communications system. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited for use in a peer to peer network in which resource access control is implemented in a distributed manner and wireless terminals compete for communications resources, e.g., compete for a peer to peer traffic segment. A wireless terminal generates QoS tokens within said wireless terminal at a rate which is a function of a QoS level associated with the wireless terminal and uses a generated token to control access to a communications resource. Generated tokens within the wireless terminal may be shared among the applications of the wireless terminal. |
| US08379627B2 |
Wireless communication device, integrated circuit and method of timing synchronisation
A wireless communication device comprises a first sub-system arranged to pass data to a second sub-system comprising timing synchronization logic operably coupled to a counter, such that data is sampled by the timing synchronization logic when passed to the second sub-system from the first sub-system wherein the wireless communication device is characterized in that the timing synchronization logic is arranged to determine a position of a first data frame and in response thereto initiate a counting process of the counter and determine a position of a second data frame and in response thereto determine a count value from the counting process of the counter and in response to the count value determine whether to initiate a timing advance or timing retard operation on the data being passed to the second sub-system. In this manner, the inventive concept provides the wireless communication device with a mechanism to achieve timing synchronization. In particular, the inventive concept may allow a radio frequency integrated circuit to implement timing synchronization by advancing or retarding an ‘actual’ signal sent from digital baseband circuits in a 3G DigRF wireless communication device. |
| US08379623B2 |
Combining mobile VPN and internet protocol
A method (200, 300, 400) of communicating an IPv6 packet (120) over an IPv4 based network (102). The method can include receiving the IPv6 packet to be communicated to a remote unit (104), encapsulating the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 transition packet (122), and communicating the IPv4 transition packet to an IPv4 MVPN (114) server configured to communicate the packet to the remote unit via infrastructure of an IPv4 radio access network. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of processing an IPv6 packet received over an IPv4 based network. The method can include receiving from an MVPN server an IPv4 formatted packet that is being communicated to a remote unit, and removing from the packet at least one IPv4 header to result in the packet being formatted in accordance with IPv6. |
| US08379621B2 |
Method for address assignment in ad-hoc network
In general, an Internet gateway assigns an address to a node of an ad-hoc network on receipt of request for an address assignment. However, a load exerted to the Internet gateway increases. Accordingly, one (proxy node) of the nodes of an ad-hoc network can serve as a proxy node to perform an address assignment function of the Internet gateway. That is, if a node of the ad-hoc node does not receive an advertisement message, it requests the Internet gateway for address assignment to perform the proxy node function. The node is assigned with at least two addresses from the Internet gateway, and then assigns the address to the requesting node. Accordingly, a load exerted to the Internet gateway can be reduced. |
| US08379620B2 |
Transmission apparatus and transmission method using a plurality of divided frequency bands in a communication band
A radio communication apparatus capable of alleviating a burden in setting a transmission format and suppressing increases in the scale of the apparatus. In this apparatus, space multiplexing adaptability detection section (108) detects space multiplexing transmission adaptability for divided bands (DB-1 to DB-Nd) obtained by dividing a communication band to which Ns subcarrier signals belong in multicarrier transmission and to which a plurality of subcarrier signals belong, and outputs the detection results (#1 to #Nd). Transmission format setting section (110) sets a transmission format when carrying out radio transmission based on the detection results (#1 to #Nd) from space multiplexing adaptability detection section (108). |
| US08379616B2 |
Bit calculation method and apparatus for PDSCH transmission
Provided is a bit calculation method, which accurately and easily calculates how many bits are transmitted by codeword per PDSCH in advance before a modulator performs modulation by TTI unit on a PCH or a DL-SCH transferred by a TrCH encoder, in a base-station modulator applied to an LTE-advanced system. Accordingly, the bit calculation method enables smooth data transmission, and easily checks data transmission error. |
| US08379614B2 |
Method of determining transmission rate of control response frame for acknowledging data receipt in wireless LAN
A method is provided for determining a transmission rate of a control response frame for acknowledging data receipt in a wireless local area network. The method includes obtaining transmission parameters of a transmitting station from a data transmission frame received from the transmitting station, searching a receiving station for transmission parameters which correspond to the transmission parameters of the transmitting station, determining the transmission rate of the control response frame according to transmission parameters of the receiving station if the transmission parameters corresponding to the transmission parameters of the transmitting station are found in the receiving station, and determining a maximum rate among a set of basic transmission rates to be the transmission rate of the control response frame if the transmission parameters corresponding to the transmission parameters of the transmitting station are not found in the receiving station. |
| US08379613B2 |
Layer-2 connectivity from switch to access node/gateway
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network, are described. A system includes a satellite configured to transmit data packets. The system further includes a non-autonomous gateway in communication with the satellite. The non-autonomous gateway is configured to receive the data packets from the satellite at layer-1 (L1) of the OSI-model, generate a plurality of virtual tagging tuples within the layer-2 packet headers of the plurality of data packets. The non-autonomous gateway is further configured to transmit, at layer-2 (L2) of the OSI-model, the virtually tagged data packets. Each of the packets including a virtual tagging tuple and an entity destination. The system further includes a L2 switch in communication with the non-autonomous gateway. The L2 switch configured to receive the data packets and transmit the data packets to the entity based on the virtual tuples associated with each of the data packets. |
| US08379612B2 |
Method and device for transmitting and receiving data in wireless network
A method for transmitting data in a transmitting device of a wireless network comprises transmitting one or more data packets to a receiving device via a reserved region comprising channel resources allocated by a coordinator, and transmitting channel time extension information for requesting channel time extension to the receiving device, in order to transmit the data packets on an unreserved region in which the coordinator does not allocate channel resources to any devices. |
| US08379611B2 |
Method of communication between a source node and a destination node both belonging to a vehicular network
A method of communication between a source node in motion and a destination node. The method includes the following steps implemented by the destination node: receiving a packet sent by the source node, said packet including current mobility information relating to the source node; and, for routing at least one response packet intended for the source node: predicting a location geographical area of the source node from the current mobility information relating to the source node contained in said packet received therefrom beforehand, the geographical area thus predicted purportedly being a destination geographical area; at least one step of sending to the destination geographical zone another packet containing said response packet and the destination geographical zone and, if appropriate, passing in transit through at least one intermediate node of a vehicular network. |
| US08379605B2 |
Method and apparatus for maximizing the use of available capacity in a communication system
A method and apparatus for maximizing the use of available capacity in a communication system. The forward link in the mobile radio system includes a plurality of traffic streams sent on at least one channel from the base station to the mobile stations. A first output power level associated with simultaneously transmitting a first set of traffic streams from the base station to the mobile stations on the forward link is initially determined. Next, the first output power level is compared to the maximum power ceiling. In response to the comparing step, at least one time frame in the forward link having available capacity for transmitting a portion of at least one further traffic stream is identified. The first set of traffic streams and the portion of the at least one further traffic stream are then transmitted simultaneously during the at least one frame on the forward link. |
| US08379604B2 |
Device, system and method of wireless communication
Briefly, according to embodiments of the invention, there is provided a wireless communication system and a method to receive by a base station from a first mobile station a first chain of data symbols transmitted by at least two antennas and having a first transmit diversity, to receive from a second mobile station a second chain of data symbols transmitted by at least two antennas and having a second transmit diversity. Both first and second chains of data symbols are transmitted from the first and second mobile stations at the same time, modulated according to an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) scheme and encoded by a space time block codes scheme. |
| US08379599B2 |
Local mobility anchor relocation and route optimization during handover of a mobile node to another network area
The invention relates to a method for managing the mobility of a mobile node that moves to a different network, but keeps the same IP address. It is proposed to perform route optimization by a Proxy MIP agent on behalf of the MN, thereby shortening the data-path while allowing network-based mobility. At session setup with a correspondent node, the PCC system in the home network derides whether route optimization is to be performed for the communication session. The PMIPa requests relevant information for the route optimization, including the decision for route optimization and the addresses of MN and CN, from the PCC system in the home network, when the MN attaches to the new network area. Accordingly, route optimization is performed by using the Return Routability Procedure according to MIPv6, thereby applying the MN's IP address as Home Address, and the PMIPa's address as Care-of Address of the MN. |
| US08379598B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for transferring an active call between wireless communication networks
An active voice call with an access terminal is transferred from an originating wireless network to a destination wireless network in response to a call continuation message transmitted by the access terminal to a destination network switch of the destination wireless network. The call continuation message includes a connected number indicator identifying the voice call and a call continuation indicator indicating the voice call should be routed through the destination network switch. In some circumstances, an originating network switch of the originating wireless network identifies the voice call to the network switch of the first wireless network to facilitate the transfer. |
| US08379590B2 |
Method, apparatuses, system, and related computer program product for resource allocation
Respective demodulation reference signals (DM RS) of a user bandwidth can be cyclically shifted with respect to each other. An uplink scheduling grant may include an index for a DM RS resource having a cyclic shift and an orthogonal cover code or interleaved frequency division multiple comb. A usage orthogonal cover or interleaved frequency division multiple comb may be configured using radio resource control message and may optionally be tied statically into DM RS resources. At least some of respective demodulation reference signals of the at least two user bandwidths may be mutually orthogonal. |
| US08379588B2 |
Method for transmitting uplink signals
A method of transmitting uplink signals is disclosed. The method includes transmitting, by a user equipment, periodic control information on a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) at a predetermined period, dropping the periodic control information and multiplexing uplink signals except the periodic control information when the user equipment is operating in subframe bundling transmission mode where the uplink signals are transmitted in a plurality of consecutive subframes, and transmitting the multiplexed uplink signals on a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH). |
| US08379586B2 |
Method and apparatus for radio coexistence
Described herein are methods and apparatus for a communications system of radio coexistence on Television White Spaces band in which a radio coexistence enabler associated with a Television Band Device in a Television Band Device Network mastered by a radio coexistence enabler of a master type, sending a request as a client to a radio coexistence manager to receive information of at least one locally available radio resources, available device-to-device connections and nearby access networks from the coexistence manager to establish a connection based on the devices availability and which received information is without control of the coexistence enabler of a master type. |
| US08379585B2 |
Method of transmitting semi-persistent scheduling data in multiple component carrier system
A method of receiving semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) data performed by a user equipment (UE) in a multi-carrier system is provided. The method includes receiving, on a first carrier, information on a second carrier for second SPS data, the second carrier different from the first carrier, and receiving the second SPS data on the second carrier. The network can implicitly reconfigure the SPS from one CC to another CC without releasing the old SPS configuration in the one CC and setting up a new SPS configuration for the another CC, so that the complexity of SPS reconfiguration procedure is simplified and clarified. |
| US08379583B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiplexing legacy long term evolution user equipment with advanced long term evolution user equipment
Aspects are disclosed for multiplexing disparate wireless terminals. Resource blocks are mapped according to a hopping pattern. A first and second pair of physical resource blocks are allocated such that the first pair is associated with a first hopping index pair, whereas the second pair is associated with a second hopping index pair. For this embodiment, the first and second hopping index pairs are inversely symmetrical to each other. A pair of distributed resource blocks is also allocated. An assignment is then scheduled that includes a physical resource allocation and a virtual resource allocation. Aspects for operating a wireless terminal are also disclosed. Here, a communication that includes a resource allocation and a reference signal is received. A minimum resource allocation granularity is ascertained from the communication, and a joint channel estimation is based on the reference signal and is a function of the minimum resource allocation granularity. |
| US08379582B2 |
Communication systems
A path selection method for use in a communication system is provided. The system includes at least three communication apparatuses, a particular one of said apparatuses being operable to transmit and/or receive a communication signal along at least two different communication paths, each said path being either a single-link path extending from the particular apparatus to another said apparatus directly over a single communication link therebetween, or being a multi-link path extending from the particular apparatus to said other or another said apparatus indirectly via one or more intermediate said apparatuses over a plurality of consecutive such links link-by-link along the path, and at least one said path being such a multi-link path. The method includes, for each link along at least the or one of the multi-link paths, obtaining link-suitability information indicative of the suitability of the link concerned for transmission and/or reception. The method also includes, for at least the or said one of the multi-link paths, combining the link-suitability information for each link of the path concerned so as to generate path-suitability information indicative of the suitability of the path concerned for transmission and/or reception. Furthermore, the method includes selecting one of said paths for transmission and/or reception in dependence upon said path-suitability information. |
| US08379580B2 |
Radio communication system, radio communication method, base station and radio terminal
A radio terminal 10 transmits, to a base station 100, uplink scheduling information including at least a transmission power ratio (UPH) indicating a ratio of a maximum transmission power to a transmission power of a DPCCH. The base station 100 transmits, to the radio terminal 10, transmission rate decrease data that instructs a decrease of a transmission rate assigned to the radio terminal 10, when the transmission power ratio included in the uplink scheduling information is below a first threshold. |
| US08379577B2 |
Wireless resource assigning apparatus and wireless resource assigning method
A wireless resource assigning apparatus for assigning wireless resources to transmission data of a plurality of users is disclosed. The wireless resource assigning apparatus includes a scheduling part configured to start scheduling for all users from a first wireless resource among a plurality of wireless resources prioritized according to a predetermined criterion, and repeat scheduling up to the last wireless resource for users except for users to whom any wireless resource has been assigned. |
| US08379575B2 |
Cognitive flow control based on channel quality conditions
A system and method which improve the performance of a wireless transmission system by intelligent use of the control of the flow of data between a radio network controller (RNC) and a Node B. The system monitors certain criteria and, if necessary, adaptively increases or decreases the data flow between the RNC and the Node B. This improves the performance of the transmission system by allowing retransmitted data, signaling procedures and other data to be successfully received at a faster rate, by minimizing the amount of data buffered in the Node B. Flow control is exerted to reduce buffering in the Node B upon degradation of channel qualities, and prior to a High Speed Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH) handover. |
| US08379571B2 |
Method and apparatus for provisioning dual mode wireless client devices in a telecommunications system
Method and apparatus for provisioning a wireless multi-modal client device in a telecommunications system includes determining a provisioning environment within and a provisioning condition under which the client device is operating, determining a state of a configuration file of the client device and obtaining an updated configuration file based on the provisioning environment and provisioning conditions. The provisioning environment is determined by detecting one or more wireless networks accessible by the client device such as an IP-based network and a PSTN-based network. Connection to the IP-based network is made via WiFi and to the PSTN-based network via GSM/GPRS. The wireless networks defining the provisioning environment have characteristic timing intervals for configuration file updating. There is also an incremental timer that determines the elapsed time for each characteristic timing interval and switches between characteristic timing intervals depending upon the provisioning environment that the client device is operating within. |
| US08379570B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing discontinuous reception operation by connected mode user equipment in a mobile communication system
A method for performing a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) operation by a connected mode User Equipment (UE) in a mobile communication system. The method includes waking up at a wake-up timing, and determining whether an incoming data indication is received from a Node B; reestablishing uplink synchronization upon receipt of the incoming data indication; and waking up after sleeping for a time from the incoming data indication reception timing, receiving a transmission resource allocation message from the Node B, and receiving downlink data over allocated transmission resources. |
| US08379568B2 |
Method and system for decoding control channels using partial combining with weighted SNR
A method and system for decoding SACCH control channels in GSM-based systems with partial combining using weighted SNR may comprise combining least one weighted bit of a GSM slow associated control channel (SACCH) frame with at least one weighted bit of a subsequent GSM SACCH block based on burst signal to noise ratios (SNRs) of the GSM SACCH block and the subsequent GSM SACCH block. The burst SNR may be determined from a mid-amble of the GSM SACCH block and its subsequent GSM SACCH block. The burst SNRs of the GSM SACCH block may be translated to a corresponding plurality of scaling factors. At least a first weighting factor may be determined from the corresponding plurality of scaling factors. At least one weighted bit of the GSM SACCH block is determined utilizing the determined first weighting factor. |
| US08379563B2 |
Highly integrated very small aperture terminal (VSAT) apparatus and method
A method, and a VSAT capable of being configured for such a method, of configuring a VSAT, the steps of which are setting, while an outdoor unit of the VSAT is at a configuration location, a maximum value of the adjustable gain of the up-converting device and transmitting, from an operating location that is separate from the configuration location, transmission signals to the satellite at the transmission frequency and with a gain value of at most the maximum value of the adjustable gain set at the configuration location. |
| US08379562B2 |
Paging relay controller and methods thereof
The present application generally relates to a public address system, and more particularly, to a paging relay controller within the public address system and methods thereof. In an illustrative embodiment, the paging relay is configured through a dynamic host configuration protocol server. After configuration, the paging relay can process incoming network streams. The paging relay can receive an incoming network stream from a source typically in the form of a unicast stream. The stream can be transported over a wide area network that commonly does not support multicast transmissions. After receiving the unicast stream, the paging relay converts the unicast stream into a multicast stream. The paging relay then rebroadcasts the multicast stream over a local area network to local subscribing devices. In one embodiment, the paging relay can also convert the unicast stream to line level audio for transmission to an analog system via the RCA phono port. |
| US08379559B2 |
Wireless multicast proxy
Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer programs comprise: an input circuit adapted to receive a first packet of data, wherein the first packet has an Internet Protocol (IP) multicast destination address; a controller adapted to identify one or more wireless clients based on the IP multicast destination address and unicast media access control (MAC) addresses of the one or more wireless clients; a packet circuit adapted to generate one or more second packets of the data, wherein each of the second packets has one of the unicast MAC addresses as a MAC destination address; and a wireless output circuit adapted to wirelessly transmit the one or more second packets of the data. |
| US08379558B2 |
Sending an identifier of a wireless local area network to enable handoff of a mobile station to the wireless local area network
In a wireless communications network, the presence of a wireless local area network in a cell segment is determined. An identifier of the wireless local area network in the cell segment is sent to at least one mobile station in the cell segment to enable the at least one mobile station to hand off to the wireless local area network. Optionally, information identifying geographic boundaries of cell segments and the wireless local area network can be sent to the at least one mobile station. |
| US08379547B2 |
Resource selection for transmission of multiple ACK/NACK on PUCCH channel
In a method of operating a communication network (20) a time division duplex (TDD) frame (F) of information is communicated over a radio interface (32) between a wireless terminal (30) and a base station node (28). The method comprises the wireless terminal (30) receiving plural downlink (DL) subframes of the frame and, in response thereto, configuring a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) channel to comprise up to four acknowledgements by using only two PUCCH channel resources and using PUCCH format 1a or PUCCH format 1b. In an example embodiment a PUCCH channel resource is specified by a sequence utilized for transmission of at least part of the PUCCH channel and a cyclical shift applied to the sequence. The two sequences of the respective two PUCCH resources are orthogonal, and the cyclical shift of the two PUCCH resources can be in a frequency domain, a time domain, or both the frequency domain and the time domain. |
| US08379546B2 |
Methods and apparatus to communicatively couple a portable device to process control devices in a process control system
Example methods and apparatus to communicatively couple a portable device to process control devices in a process control system are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving via a wireless module a selection of an I/O channel from a portable device, determining a process control device associated with the selected I/O channel, initiating a pass-through session from the wireless module to the determined process control device via the I/O channel, and enabling communication between the portable device and the process control device via the pass-through session to communicatively couple the portable device to the process control device. |
| US08379543B2 |
Facility management platform for a hybrid coaxial/twisted pair local loop network service architecture
The present invention provides a facility management platform to monitor and view the status of a plurality of individually addressable downstream devices including, but not limited to, addressable terminals, IRG's, settops, cable modems, taps, nodes, and/or hubs at a network control center. The FMP may display problems at these downstream devices, for example, power loss, and/or may automatically notify the appropriate companies and/or personnel to correct the problem. |
| US08379539B2 |
Methods and systems for providing multiple access within a network
Methods and systems for media access control allow master and slave nodes of a network to communicate using the same carrier while avoiding collisions of transmissions. At least one slave node is an implantable device. Master nodes initiate all data exchange sequences, and slave nodes are responsive to the data exchange sequences. The exchange sequences begin by master nodes contending for use of the carrier through a countdown procedure. A set order of communications occurs between a master node who won the contention and a slave node being communicated with by the master node to transfer a data frame. Contention is then repeated to determine the next master node that is allowed to transfer a data frame. New master nodes entering the network employ a discovery process to poll for existing devices in the network. |
| US08379538B2 |
Model-driven monitoring architecture
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises providing a machine-readable monitoring model that maintains configuration of a monitoring environment. An element of the monitoring environment reads the machine-readable monitoring model and adapts its operation to the configuration defined thereby. |
| US08379535B2 |
Optimization of streaming data throughput in unreliable networks
Multiple TRFC connections transport streaming data through a wireless channel, and the difference between measured round trip times of packets and minimum round trip time is used to adjust the number of TFRC connections to fully utilize bandwidth through the wireless channel. |
| US08379532B2 |
Web server and method for hosting a web page for presenting location based user quality data related to a communication network
A web-server communicates wireless networking performance data that reflects the true user experience of a mobile device operating in a particular location and operating on a particular wireless network. |
| US08379530B2 |
Method for indicating lost segments
An application encoder generates independently accessible symbols and these symbols are aggregated by symbol aggregation means into a packet payload. The aggregated symbols in the packet payload are transported in a defined packet structure. These packets are transported over a channel by a packet transmitter that segments the packets into different segments by segmentation means. A segment receiver included in a first entity has the ability to detect whether a certain segment is lost and also knows the length of the lost segment. The segments are aggregated in the first entity to form at least one packet conforming to the packet stream. A symbol parser entity recovers the symbols and passes the individual symbols to an application decoder. The symbol parser in the second entity recovers, from the recovered non-lost information of each received packet, individual symbols. |
| US08379526B2 |
Automatic detection and processing of asynchronous data for bandwidth reduction
The present invention relates to methods, apparatuses, and systems for relaying data involving obtaining a data stream from a data source, forwarding the obtained data stream over a network, while forwarding the obtained data stream over the network, monitoring the obtained data stream to detect a data transfer mode associated with inclusion of synchronization characters in the obtained data stream, and if the data transfer mode is detected, removing a plurality of synchronization characters from the obtained data stream to produce a bandwidth-reduced data stream and forwarding the bandwidth-reduced data stream instead of the obtained data stream over the network. Synchronization characters may comprise start bits, stop bits, and idle bits. The data transfer mode may be an asynchronous data transfer mode based on a V.14 standard. Also, the asynchronous data transfer mode may be detected by decoding a predetermined number of valid V.14 frames from the obtained data stream. |
| US08379516B2 |
Grid routing apparatus and method
A grid router for routing packets and a network containing the same. The router comprises ingress units (IE), mailbox units (MU), and egress units (EU) connected in a structure of succeeding layers, said layered structure being segregated such that units in a given layer are connected only to a subset of units in a succeeding layer, wherein said grid router comprises a hashing unit for using a hashing function to direct incoming packets through said layers, and wherein said hashing function is configured to reinforce said segregation by directing packets arriving at a given unit in one layer only to units of a corresponding subset in said succeeding layer. |
| US08379515B1 |
TCP throughput control by imposing temporal delay
A system, apparatus, and method are directed towards managing traffic over a network by imposing temporal delays in acknowledgments (ACKs). A Traffic Management Device (TMD), interposed between two network session end-points monitors a buffer of relayed packets. If the contents of the buffer exceed a threshold value, delays are imposed on sending of acknowledgements. If the buffer contents exceed the threshold, and the buffer's contents are increasing, the delays may be increased. If the buffer's contents are about at steady state, the acknowledgement delays may be decreased, or maintained at a current delay status. In one embodiment, if the sender is sending packets at a rate above a receiver's ability to receive the packets, and the sender appears not to be decreasing its rate of transmission, an explicit congestion notification echo (ECE) may be sent to the sender. |
| US08379514B2 |
Route reflector for a communication system
A method, system and apparatus for routing of data transmitted from a mobile electronic device to a first host of a plurality of hosts in a communication network using a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is provided. It is determined, at a network element having a same address as a first host of a plurality of network hosts, that the first host has failed via receipt of BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) rerouted data, the BGP rerouted data originally transmitted to the first host from a communication device. A negative acknowledgement (NACK), identifiable as having been transmitted by the network element, is transmitted to the communication device to trigger the communication device to transmit data that was to be transmitted to the first host to another of the plurality of network hosts. |
| US08379511B2 |
System for securing the access to a destination in a virtual private network
A system for securing the access to a destination of a virtual private network (VPNA) connected to a nominal access router (PE3) includes at least one core router (P2) adapted to: detect a failure affecting communication with the nominal access router (PE3); and switch the traffic to a protector access router (PE6) in a back-up tunnel bypassing the nominal access router (PE3). The protector access router (PE6) is adapted: to replace, in an MPLS packet, a nominal VPN label specific to the nominal access router (PE3) by a back-up VPN label specific to a back-up access router (PE4) connected to that destination; and to redirect said packet to the back-up access router (PE4) in a tunnel bypassing the nominal access router (PE3). |
| US08379510B2 |
Decoding apparatus and method in a broadband wireless access communication system
A decoding apparatus and method in a BWA communication system are provided, in which an ID-based decoder controller detects an ID from a data block by partially decoding the data block, and if the ID indicates that the data block is not for the receiver, outputs a control signal commanding non-decoding for the data block, a bitmap table controller indicates the data block as a non-decoding data block in a bitmap table according to the control signal, and a decoder distinguishes data blocks to be decoded from non-decoding data blocks based on the bitmap table, decodes the data blocks to be decoded and outputs the decoded data blocks, and simply outputs the non-decoding data blocks without decoding. |
| US08379509B2 |
Electronic device protection systems and methods
Protection systems and methods for electronic devices including at least one communication line interface are disclosed. A switch connected to each interface and a working communication path in an electronic device is adapted for connection to a protection communication path and controllable to connect each interface to either the working communication path or the protection communication path. Inter-device messaging provides for switch control by a protection device connected to the protection communication path, monitoring of devices in a protection group, protection communication path monitoring, and automatic configuration of a protection group. |
| US08379508B1 |
Systems and methods for computing a relative path delay between multiple transmission sources
Systems and methods are provided for computing a relative path delay between multiple transmitting source to select a source that is closest to a receiving device. Preamble sequences unique to each source are received by a receiving device. The receiving devices determines based on a channel estimation or differential algorithm which transmitting source is closer to the receiving device. The channel estimation algorithm computes the path delay based on a channel estimation correlation at different preamble sequence indices. The differential algorithm computes the path delay based on a correlation between the received and transmitted preamble sequences at different preamble sequence indices. The receiving device selects the closer of the multiple sources to be the source from which to extract data. |
| US08379506B2 |
Multi-band OFDM communications system
System and method for providing multiple access in a multi-band, orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (multi-band-OFDM) communications system. A preferred embodiment comprises determining a transmission bandwidth to support a performance requirement and configuring transmission bands in the multi-band-OFDM communications system based upon the transmission bandwidth, wherein the transmission bands may be made up of smaller transmission bands bonded together. Further comprising initializing communications with the configured transmission bands. The use of bonded transmission bands can provide increased data rates and/or increased range performance. |
| US08379498B2 |
Systems and methods for track to track phase alignment
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. As an example, a data processing circuit is discussed that includes: a data buffer, an inter-track interference response circuit, an inter-track interference signal estimator circuit, and a sync mark detector circuit. The data buffer is operable to store a previous track data set that includes a first sync pattern. The inter-track interference response circuit is operable to estimate an inter-track interference response from the previous track data set based at least in part on the previous track data set and a current track data set. The current track data set includes a second sync pattern. The inter-track interference signal estimator circuit is operable to calculate an inter-track interference from the previous track data set based at least in part on the previous track data set and the inter-track interference response from the previous track data set. The sync mark detector circuit operable to identify the first sync pattern in the inter-track interference from the previous track data set in the current track data set. |
| US08379490B2 |
Time information-acquiring apparatus and radio wave timepiece
A time information-acquiring apparatus comprises a receiver receiving a standard time radio wave, an input waveform generator sampling a signal output from the receiver and to generating input waveform data with one or more unit time lengths, the input waveform data at each sampling point having a first value indicating a low level or a second value, the input waveform data within a first characteristic section having a predetermined value unique to codes forming a time code included in the standard time radio wave, an accumulator accumulating the value of the input waveform data during the first characteristic section, a calculator multiplying the accumulated value by characteristic values, and calculating correlation values between the input waveform data and the codes based on multiplied values. |
| US08379482B1 |
Using seismic attributes for data alignment and seismic inversion in joint PP/PS seismic analysis
Method for aligning converted wave seismic reflection data (PS data) with conventional PP seismic reflection data so that both data types may be used to more accurately image the subsurface for hydrocarbon exploration or field development. Amplitude vs. angle (AVA) or amplitude vs. offset (AVO) attributes of PP and PS seismic data are identified and defined, which attributes are theoretically expected to be in phase and optimize seismic resolution in the data. In one embodiment of the invention, such attributes are calculated (310), then the same horizons are identified in a series of PP attributes and in a series of PS attributes, then the second series is aligned with the first at the horizon locations (316, 320), then a time transfer function is generated and applied to the PS mode data (322), and the aligned joint-mode data are inverted (326) using, for example, AVA attributes. |
| US08379481B2 |
3D deghosting of multicomponent or over/under streamer recordings using cross-line wavenumber spectra of hydrophone data
A technique includes obtaining pressure data that was acquired by seismic sensors towed as part of a three-dimensional spread of streamers and obtaining particle motion data, which are indicative of particle motion at locations of the sensors. The technique includes estimating cross-line spectra of the pressure data based at least in part on the pressure data, and the technique includes deghosting the particle motion data based at least in part on the estimated cross-line spectra. |
| US08379479B2 |
System with controller and memory
According to the system of the present invention, data (DQ) signals are outputted/received between a controller 100 and a memory 200 based on a data strobe signal sent out from the controller 100. The data strobe signal is independently and completely separated from a clock signal. The data strobe signal has a frequency different from a clock signal. Therefore, the memory 200 is not required to generate a read data strobe signal from the clock signal nor to send the read data strobe signal in synchronization with the clock signal. |
| US08379478B2 |
Synchronous global controller for enhanced pipelining
The present invention relates to a system and method for adjusting timing of memory access operations to a memory block. In one embodiment, a controller may be in communication with a memory block. The controller may be adapted to adjust timing of a memory access operation to the memory block by extending a portion of a clock pulse to compensate for delay associated with the memory block. The delay may correspond to a predecoder delay or a global decoder delay. The clock pulse may be a read clock pulse or a write clock pulse. In one embodiment, the controller may be adapted to adjust timing of a read clock pulse differently from a write clock pulse. |
| US08379476B2 |
Semiconductor memory device for reducing ripple noise of back-bias voltage and method of driving semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device for reducing ripple noise of a back-bias voltage, and a method of driving the semiconductor memory device include a word line driving circuit and a delay logic circuit. The word line driving circuit enables a sub-word line connected to a selected memory cell to a first voltage, and disables the sub-word line of a non-selected memory cell to a second voltage and a third voltage, in response to a sub-word line enable signal, a first word line driving signal, and a second word line driving signal. The delay logic circuit controls the semiconductor memory device so that an amount of charge of the sub-word line that is introduced to the third voltage is greater than an amount of charge of the sub-word line that is introduced to the second voltage by changing a transition point of time of the sub-word line enable signal with respect to a transition point of time of the first word line driving signal, during the disabling of the sub-word line. |
| US08379474B2 |
Word line selection circuit and row decoder
A first exemplary aspect of the present invention is a word line selection circuit where address decode signals composed of a power supply voltage and a first voltage lower than a ground voltage are input, and that a word line selection signal composed of the first voltage and a second voltage higher than the power supply voltage is output not via a level shift circuit according to the address decode signals. |
| US08379466B2 |
Integrated circuit having an embedded memory and method for testing the memory
A memory system has a first memory having an array of memory cells that includes a redundant column. The redundant column substitutes for a first column in the array. The first column includes a test memory cell. The array receives a power supply voltage. The test memory cell becomes non-functional at a higher power supply voltage than the memory cells of the array. A memory controller is coupled to the first memory and is for determining if the test memory cell is functional at a first value for the power supply voltage. This is useful in making decisions concerning the value of the power supply voltage applied to the array. |
| US08379460B2 |
Trim circuit and semiconductor memory device comprising same
A trim circuit comprises a trim code storage unit, a global latch unit and a local latch unit. The trim code storage unit stores a plurality of trim codes and outputs a sensing code in response to an address signal. The global latch unit latches a calibrated code or the sensing code to generate a global output signal. The calibrated code is generated by performing a calibration on the sensing code. The local latch unit repeatedly latches the global output signal in response to the address signal to generate a plurality of trim output signals. |
| US08379458B1 |
Semiconductor device and structure
A method of performing a holding operation to a semiconductor memory array having rows and columns of memory cells by applying an electrical signal to collector regions of multiplicity of said memory cells in parallel, wherein said collector region of said memory cells in a row of said memory array is connected to a common control line, wherein each of said memory cells comprises a floating body region defining at least a portion of a surface of the memory cell, the floating body region having a first conductivity type; and wherein at least one of said memory cells further comprises another memory cell on top thereof; and wherein said holding operation maintains charges stored in said floating body region of multiplicity of memory cells connected to said common control line. |
| US08379452B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array in which a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells are arrayed, and a program voltage generator that switches current supply amount based on the number of memory cells that are programmed at the same time, among the plurality of memory cells. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device further includes a selection circuit that selects, among the plurality of memory cells, one or more memory cells that are programmed, to flow a current outputted by the program voltage generator. |
| US08379450B2 |
Non-volatile memory device having configurable page size
A flash memory device having at least one bank, where the each bank has an independently configurable page size. Each bank includes at least two memory planes having corresponding page buffers, where any number and combination of the memory planes are selectively accessed at the same time in response to configuration data and address data. The configuration data can be loaded into the memory device upon power up for a static page configuration of the bank, or the configuration data can be received with each command to allow for dynamic page configuration of the bank. By selectively adjusting a page size the memory bank, the block size is correspondingly adjusted. |
| US08379449B2 |
Three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory
A three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to an example of the present invention includes a memory cell array comprised of first and second blocks. The first block has a first cell unit which includes a memory cell to be programmed and a second cell unit which does not include a memory cell to be programmed, and programming is executed by applying a program potential or a transfer potential to word lines in the first block after the initial potential of channels of the memory cells in the first and second cell units is set to a plus potential. In the programming, the program potential and the transfer potential are not applied to word lines in the second block. |
| US08379446B2 |
Memory controller self-calibration for removing systemic influence
Self-calibration for a memory controller is performed by writing a voltage to a selected cell. Adjacent cells around the selected cell are programmed. After each of the adjacent programming operations, the voltage on the selected cell is read to determine any change in voltage caused by systemic offsets such as, for example, floating gate-to-floating gate coupling. These changes are averaged and stored in a table as an offset for use in adjusting a programming voltage or a read voltage in a particular area of memory represented by the offset. Self calibration method for temperature is determined by writing cells at different temperatures and reading at different temperatures to generate temperature offset tables for the write path and read path. These offset tables are used to adjust for systematic temperature related offsets during programming and during read. |
| US08379443B2 |
Charge retention for flash memory by manipulating the program data methodology
A method, system and apparatus for determining whether any un-programmed cell is affected by charge disturb by comparing the voltage threshold of the un-programmed cells against a reference voltage. If the voltage threshold for the un-programmed cell exceeds the reference voltage, the failed or defective un-programmed cell will be then be programmed. This will change the defective un-programmed cell to a new programmed value. To account for the location of the failing memory cell, address syndrome bits are used to identify the location of the defective memory cell. |
| US08379441B2 |
Variable resistance memory and memory system including the same
A variable resistance memory array includes at least one variable resistance memory cell, wherein each variable resistance memory cell includes a well having a first type; and a cell structure on the well, the cell structure including a structure having a second type different from the first type and a variable resistance layer on the structure. |
| US08379434B2 |
SRAM cell for single sided write
A first integrated circuit containing a single sided write SRAM cell array, each SRAM cell having a bit passgate and an auxiliary bit-bar driver transistor. A process of operating the first integrated circuit including a single sided read operation in which source nodes of the auxiliary drivers in both addressed cells and half-addressed cells are floated. A second integrated circuit containing an SRAM cell array, in which each SRAM cell includes a bit-side write passgate, a bit-bar-side read passgate and a bit-bar auxiliary driver transistor. A process of operating the second integrated circuit including a single sided read operation in which source nodes of the auxiliary drivers in both addressed cells and half-addressed cells are biased to a low bias voltage. |
| US08379432B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage device and data writing method therefor
A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device includes first and second intersecting wires; a electrically rewritable memory cell disposed at each intersection of the first second wires, including a variable resistor for memorizing a resistance value as data in a nonvolatile manner and a rectifying device are connected in series; and a control circuit which applies a voltage necessary for writing of data to the first and second wires. The control circuit precharges a non-selected second wire to a standby voltage larger than a reference voltage prior to programming a variable resistor connected to selected first and second wires by supplying the reference voltage to a non-selected first wire and the selected second wire, applying to the selected first wire a program voltage for programming of the selected variable resistor and applying to the non-selected second wire a control voltage which prevents the rectifying device from turning ON. |
| US08379429B2 |
Domain wall motion element and magnetic random access memory
A domain wall motion element has a magnetic recording layer 10 that is formed of a ferromagnetic film and has a domain wall DW. The magnetic recording layer 10 has: a pair of end regions 11-1 and 11-2 whose magnetization directions are fixed; and a center region 12 sandwiched between the pair of end regions 11-1 and 11-2, in which the domain wall. DW moves. A first trapping site TS1 by which the domain wall DW is trapped is formed at a boundary between the end region 11-1, 11-2 and the center region 12. Furthermore, at least one second trapping site TS2 by which the domain wall DW is trapped is formed within the center region 12. |
| US08379428B2 |
Semiconductor storage device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor storage device includes: memory cells including a transistor and a capacitor; bit lines; word lines; and sense amplifiers including first and second sense amplifiers, wherein the memory cells includes: a first memory cell group sharing a first auxiliary word line; and a second memory cell group sharing a second auxiliary word line, wherein the word lines includes a first word line coupled to the first auxiliary word line and a second word line coupled to the second auxiliary word line, the first word line is coupled to the first auxiliary word line in a first word line contact region, the second word line is coupled to the second auxiliary word line in a second word line contact region, the bit lines includes first and second bit lines coupled to the first sense amplifier on both sides of the first word line contact region. |
| US08379427B2 |
Semiconductor device
According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a connector, a volatile semiconductor memory element, multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory elements, and a controller. A wiring pattern includes a signal line that is formed between the connector and the controller and that connects the connector to the controller. On the opposite side of the controller to the signal line, the multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory elements are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the substrate. |
| US08379424B2 |
Method and system for managing the temperature in a speed controller
A method for managing the temperature implemented in a speed controller that includes several modules, each including a case containing a power semiconductor that provides a pulsed voltage to an electrical load, each module being characterized by a junction temperature, a heat sink, and a temperature sensor mounted on the heat sink. The method for a module includes estimating a case temperature based on a predetermined thermal model of the sink, a temperature measured by the sensor and average power losses that the module undergoes, the predetermined thermal model of the sink integrating the thermal transfer impedances representing the thermal influence of one module on another and vice versa; determining a junction-case temperature based on the case temperature of the module and a limiting value of the junction temperature; and limiting the junction-case temperature obtained to a predetermined limiting value of the junction-case temperature. |
| US08379422B2 |
Circuit arrangement comprising a voltage transformer and associated method
A method for operating a circuit arrangement is provided. The method may include coupling a second connection of a control device to a connection that provides an alternating signal during operation of the circuit arrangement; in the control device: generating a trigger signal for the control electrode of the mode switch that is correlated with the sum signal from the signal at the connection for providing an alternating signal and the control signal; and providing the trigger signal at the output of the control device. |
| US08379421B2 |
Power factor correction converter with parallel-connected converter sections
When a commercial power supply E operates normally, converter sections PFC1, PFC2 connected in parallel to each other can operate to approximate the input current from the commercial power supply E to the waveform and phase of the input voltage to correct a power factor while supplying stabilized output voltages Vo1, Vo2 to a load. When the voltage of the commercial power supply E drops, the smoothing capacitor Co1 operates as an input power supply to power the converter section PFC2, which allows the smoothing capacitor Co2 to supply the stabilized output voltage Vo2 to the load. |
| US08379419B2 |
Soft-stop overvoltage protection circuit for power factor correction type switching power supply unit
A soft-stop overvoltage protection circuit, into which a soft-stop overvoltage detection voltage proportional to a direct current output voltage is input, reduces the output of a multiplier in accordance with the soft-stop overvoltage detection voltage when the soft-stop overvoltage detection voltage exceeds a first threshold value. An overvoltage protection circuit, a second threshold value higher than the first threshold value being set, compulsorily turns off a switching element by outputting an overvoltage detection signal when the soft-stop overvoltage detection voltage exceeds the second threshold value. The soft-stop overvoltage protection circuit compulsorily increases the output of a voltage error amplifier circuit on the output voltage decreasing. When the output of the voltage error amplifier circuit increases suddenly, and the output voltage rises excessively, the soft-stop overvoltage protection circuit decreases the output of the multiplier, thus curbing the rise of the output voltage. |
| US08379417B2 |
Power converter and integrated DC choke therefor
A power conversion system and a DC link choke therefore are presented, in which a continuous core structure is provided with first and second legs around which four or more windings are located, with one or more shunt structures providing a magnetic flux path between intermediate portions of the first and second legs. |
| US08379416B1 |
Power conversion system and method
A power conversion system includes a power transformer for receiving AC power at a first voltage from an input side and for delivering AC power at a second voltage to an output side. A power converter is also included in the power conversion system wherein the power converter includes an input side converter on the input side and an output side converter on the output side coupled through a plurality of DC links. A converter controller in the power converter provides control signals to the input side converter and the output side converter for regulating an active power and a reactive power flow through the power converter. Each of the input side converters and the output side converters includes at least two power converter transformers coupled between respective power converter bridges coupled to the plurality of DC links and the input side or to the plurality of DC links and the output side. |
| US08379415B2 |
Systems and methods for reducing EMI in switch mode converter systems
Switch mode power converter system and method thereof. The system includes one or more isolation boxes including at least a first isolation box, an input primary winding for receiving an input signal for the switch mode power converter system, and an output secondary winding for generating an output signal for the switch mode power converter system. The switch mode power converter system is configured to convert the input signal to the output signal. One of the input primary winding and the output secondary winding is substantially enclosed in the first isolation box, and the other of the input primary winding and the output secondary winding is not enclosed in the first isolation box. The first isolation box is conductively connected to a constant-voltage source. |
| US08379414B2 |
Power transistor chip with built-in enhancement mode metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor and application circuit thereof
A power transistor chip with built-in enhancement mode metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor and application circuit thereof provides an enhancement mode metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor in association with two series connected resistors to act as a start-up circuit for the AC/DC voltage converter. The start-up circuit can be shut off after the pulse width modulation circuit of the AC/DC voltage converter circuit works normally and still capable of offering a function of brown out detection for the pulse width modulation circuit as well. Besides, the enhancement mode metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor is built in the power transistor chip without additional masks and processes during the power transistor chip being fabricated such that the entire manufacturing process is simplified substantively with the economical production cost. |
| US08379413B2 |
Circuits and methods for controlling power converters including transformers
A power converter includes a transformer operated in multiple switching cycles. At least one switching cycle includes a charging period, a discharging period, and an adjusting period. The transformer has a primary winding coupled to a power source and a secondary winding coupled to a load. During the charging period the transformer is powered by the power source and a current flowing through the primary winding increases. During the discharging period the transformer discharges to power the load and a current flowing through the secondary winding decreases. A ratio of a duration of the discharging period to a total duration of the charging period, the discharging period and the adjusting period is constant. |
| US08379412B2 |
Converter and converter control method
Techniques are generally described for a converter including a PLL and a pulse deleting circuit. The pulse deleting circuit is configured to delete a pulse from one of the inputs to the PLL when a filtered output in the PLL falls below a first reference level and an unlocked state of the PLL is detected in response to a phase lag of one of the first and second pulse inputs with respect to the other. The pulse deleting circuit may also be configured to delete one pulse of the other of the first and second pulse inputs when the filtered output exceeds a second reference level and the unlocked state of the PLL is detected in response to a phase lead of the one of the first and second pulse inputs with respect to the other. |
| US08379401B2 |
Wiring board, method of manufacturing the same, and semiconductor device having wiring board
There is provided a wiring board. The wiring board includes: a plurality of laminated insulating layers including a first insulating layer, the first insulating layer being either one of an uppermost layer or a lowermost layer; wiring patterns formed in the plurality of insulating layers; external connection pads provided on the first insulating layer; external connection terminals provided on the external connection pads; and a molding resin provided on a surface of the first insulating layer on which the external connection pads are provided, the molding resin having openings from which the external connection pads are exposed. A thickness of the molding resin is set such that the molding resin does not protrude above the external connection terminals. |
| US08379399B2 |
Mounting apparatus for expansion card
A mounting apparatus includes a chassis, a mounting tray accommodated in the chassis, a base portion configured for being attached to an expansion card, and a securing member. The mounting tray includes a front panel, the front panel defines a expansion slot. A supporting piece is located on the front panel and adjacent to the expansion slot, and a clasping piece is positioned on the front panel, near to the supporting piece. A flange is located on the base portion, for abutting the supporting piece. The securing member is located between the flange and the clasping piece. Wherein the securing member is mounted to the clasping piece and the flange is located between the securing member and the supporting piece. |
| US08379398B2 |
DIN rail mountable base for process fieldbus redundant power conditioner
A modular DIN rail mounted base includes a two-part body made of plastic shells and a unitary circuit board assembly having two vertically spaced circuit boards. The edges of the circuit boards fit into interior grooves formed the interior surfaces of the shells to locate the assembly vertically in the shell. An alignment rib provided in a groove in a shell extends into a recess formed in a circuit board edge in the groove to locate the assembly longitudinally along the groove in the body. |
| US08379388B2 |
Server
A server including a rack, at least one chassis, a plurality of electronic modules, and a cable module is provided. The rack has an opening. The chassis is movably disposed in the rack along a first axis, and moves in and out the rack through the opening. The electronic modules are vertically and detachably disposed in the chassis. A plurality of channels parallel to a second axis and each of the channels is disposed between two adjacent electronic modules, and the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis. The cable module is disposed at a side of the chassis. The cable module is connected to at least one of the electronic modules. When the chassis is moved out from the rack, the electronic module connected to the cable module is next to the opening of the rack. |
| US08379387B2 |
Fan fixing apparatus
An apparatus for fixing a fan on a specific surface is disclosed, which comprises: a bracket, formed with a hollow section; a plurality of side panels, disposed on the specific surface as an array while enabling each side panel to be disposed perpendicular to the specific surface and the bracket; a first clamping piece; and a second clamping piece. The fan is sandwiched between any two neighboring side panels while enabling an end of the fan module where the first clamping piece is mounted to face toward the hollow section. The first clamping piece is configured with a spring that is capable of moving relatively to the fan so as to enable a first protrusion formed on the spring to inset into the hollow section when the spring is moved to a first position, and detach from the hollow section when the spring is move to a second position. |
| US08379385B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An optical disc reproduction apparatus as electronic apparatus comprises a lock lever for keeping a battery pack attached to a case. The lock lever comprises a lever body and a tongue portion extending from the lever body in a length direction of the lever body. A tongue portion of the lock lever is inserted into the case through an operation opening of the case. The tongue portion is allowed to temporarily escape to a tongue portion escape section of the case, and the entire lever body is housed in the case through the operation opening, so as to assemble the lock lever to the case. This prevents ends of the lever body from being exposed to the operation opening in any position of the lock lever assembled to the case, making it possible to easily assemble the lock lever, and preventing the assembled lock lever from easily falling off. |
| US08379384B2 |
Cooling structure for electronic device, and a method
This disclosure relates to a cooling structure for an electronic device including an inlet for conveying a flow in a first flow direction towards a first component and an outlet for conveying the flow further. To deter dirt particles from proceeding to electronic components, the cooling structure can include a second flow channel, which starts from a port oriented transversely to the first flow direction or away therefrom and receives part of the flow from the inlet, and which conveys the part of the flow to an electronic component located in the second flow channel. |
| US08379381B1 |
Rugged solid state hard drive with silicone gel damping
A rugged hard drive includes a PC board mounted in an enclosure in a plane that is between, and parallel to two enclosure walls with the PC board being free to flex within the enclosure along an axis of the board when the hard drive is subjected to shock, or vibration, and with the enclosure including gaps, between the board and the inner surfaces of the enclosure, filled with silicone gel to cover electrical components on the board. |
| US08379380B2 |
Electronic device with access structure for handling hard disc drive
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a main body, a HDD, a frame, and two latch members. The main body defines an opening. The main body includes a first casing portion and a second casing portion defining at least one slot. The frame is capable of securing the HDD and capable of being moved into and out of the main body through the opening. Two first positioning posts protrude from the frame. Two latch members are rotatably connected to first casing portion and capable of being rotated into and out from the main body through slots. Each latch member defines a first recessed portion. Each first recessed portion accommodates a part of one first positioning post to latch the frame to the electronic device. |
| US08379376B2 |
Heat management and reduction of high temperatures exposure to components inside energy meter
Electronic components of an energy meter are mounted in an encapsulated compartment within a sealed outer enclosure of the meter. The encapsulated compartment is advantageously positioned to form air channels between the encapsulated compartment and the sealed outer enclosure to deliver thermal air circulation there-between to promote sufficient heat transfer through an outer skin of the sealed outer enclosure for maintaining acceptable thermal conditions for the encapsulated electronic components. |
| US08379372B2 |
Housing configuration for a solid electrolytic capacitor
A capacitor assembly that is stable under extreme conditions is provided. More particularly, the assembly includes a capacitor element that is positioned within an interior cavity of a housing. The housing includes a base to which the capacitor element is connected. The housing also includes a lid that contains an outer wall from which extends a sidewall. An end of the sidewall is defined by a lip extending at an angle relative to the longitudinal direction and having a peripheral edge located beyond a periphery of the sidewall. The lip is hermetically sealed to the base. In some cases, the peripheral edge of the lip is also coplanar with an edge of the base. The use of such a lip can enable a more stable connection between the components and improve the seal and mechanical stability of the capacitor assembly, thereby allowing it to better function under extreme conditions. |
| US08379366B2 |
Water-based electrolyte for electric double layer capacitor and electric double layer capacitor having the same
Disclosed herein is a water-based electrolyte for an electric double layer capacitor. The water-based electrolyte includes a solution having a first salt and a second salt. The cation of the first salt may be Li+, Na+ or K+, whereas the cation of the second salt may be Cl−, SO42−, PO43− or NO3−, whereas the anion of the second salt is OH−. |
| US08379364B2 |
Construction system for a capacitive sensor
A construction system for a capacitive sensor comprises a source electrode (210), a screening element (220) with partition (221) which forms a first and a second screened chamber (220.a, 220.b), a field sensor (230), a circuit (250), a spacing member (260) with a through-duct, and a screw (270). The partition (221) is provided with a hole (224) and said spacing member (260) is positioned inside the first chamber (220.a) with the axis (260.y) of the duct arranged coaxial with the axis (224-y) of said hole (224). The same spacing member (260) is positioned between the proximal face (223) of the partition (221) and the distal face (232) of the field sensor (230) and said field sensor (230) is provided with a threaded hole (233). The head (271) of the screw (270) is arranged inside the second chamber (220.b) and its shank (272) is arranged passing axially through said hole (224) and across said through-duct of said spacing member (260) with its end portion which mates with the threaded hole (233) of said field sensor (230). |
| US08379361B2 |
Power supply system and method
A power supply system S comprising a power processor 1, having a power input 2 and an AC power output 3 with a nominal voltage VN and a nominal current IN, and a power supply safety circuit 6 connected in parallel to said power processor 1 between said power input 2 and said AC power output 3. The purpose of the power supply safety circuit 6 is to provide an additional current in case of a short circuit condition downstream of the AC power output 3, so as to trigger the opening of an individual circuit breaker 4 connected to the short circuited load 5. For this purpose the power supply safety circuit 6 comprises a bidirectional switch 7, control means 12 for closing said bidirectional switch 7 after detecting a short circuit condition downstream of the AC power output 3 and a current limiter 9, preferably an impedance, connected in series to said bidirectional switch 7 to limit the current that can flow through the power backup circuit 6 to a maximum current of αINout wherein α has a value between 5 and 20, preferably between 7 and 13, and most preferably about 10. The invention also comprises a method of operation of said power supply system S. |
| US08379359B2 |
Uninterruptible power supply
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system includes an AC power input configured to receive AC power from a single-phase AC power source or a multi-phase AC power source, a DC power source, an output circuit including a power output, a controllable switch configured to selectively couple at least one of the AC power input and the DC power source to the output circuit, and a processor coupled and configured to affect operation of the output circuit depending upon which of single-phase and multi-phase operation of the UPS is indicated. |
| US08379356B2 |
Overvoltage protection device and its fabrication
An overvoltage protection device made by: employing a machining technique to make a through hole through opposing top and bottom walls of a substrate, and then filling an overvoltage protection material in the through hole of the substrate, and then curing the overvoltage protection material, and then coating a flat electrode on each of the top and bottom walls of the substrate over and in connection with top and bottom sides of the overvoltage protection material. |
| US08379355B2 |
System and method for detecting the presence of an unsafe line condition in a disconnected power meter
A method of detecting the presence of an unsafe line condition at a power metering device is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of determining if a disconnect switch is in the open position, and measuring a first voltage at a first load contact. The method measures a second voltage at a second load contact and determines if the first voltage is greater than a first voltage threshold or less than a second voltage threshold. The method further determines if the second voltage is greater than the first voltage threshold or less than the second voltage threshold. The method indicates that an unsafe condition exists if either the first voltage is greater than the first voltage threshold, or first voltage is less than the second voltage threshold or the second voltage is greater than the first voltage threshold or the second voltage is less than the second voltage threshold, when the disconnect switch is in the open position. |
| US08379354B2 |
ESD protection circuitry with multi-finger SCRS
Self-triggered Multi-finger SCRs used in ESD protection circuitry capable of turning on all SCR fingers of the multi-finger SCRs include a first source, a second source, N SCR units, (N−1) diodes, and N resistors. Each of the N SCR units includes a first node, a second node coupled to the second source, and a trigger node. An nth diode of the (N−1) diodes is coupled between a first node of an nth SCR unit and a trigger node of an (n+1)th SCR unit. An nth resistor is coupled between the first node of the nth SCR unit and the first source, wherein n and N are integers. The (N−1) diodes can be replaced by directly coupled the first node of the nth SCR unit to the trigger node of the (n+1)th SCR unit when a trigger pulse is applied at the trigger node of a first SCR unit. |
| US08379349B1 |
Trace jumpers for disc drive suspensions
Jumper constructions for an integrated lead flexure for a disk drive head suspension include a conductive base layer, an insulating layer over the base layer, a plurality of traces arranged on the insulating layer, and an isolated conductor layer arranged under the insulating layer. The plurality of traces include a first trace and a second trace and the isolated conductor layer is electrically isolated from the conductive base layer and electrically connects the first and second traces. |
| US08379346B1 |
Method of forming metal to a concave portion of a substrate, method of manufacturing a magnetic head and a magnetic head
The present invention relates to a method of forming a metal in a concave portion of a substrate. The method includes a step of preparing a substrate having a concave portion; a step of applying a liquid coating member on the substrate and filling in and solidifying the concave portion with the coating member; a step of covering the coating member with a resist; a step of forming a penetrating hole that penetrates the resist in a position of the concave portion of the substrate; a step of removing the coating member within the concave portion; and a step of filling a metal into a portion where the coating member has been removed. |
| US08379344B2 |
Airflow dispersion system
A hard disk drive includes a base, a disk to record and store data, a head stack assembly provided in the base to read out data from the disk which rotates about a pivot shaft, and an air force dispersion unit positioned adjacent to the head stack assembly to disperse an air force generated during a rotation of the disk. |
| US08379340B2 |
Circuit and method for detecting the phase of a servo signal
A detector recovers servo data from a servo signal generated by a read-write head, and determines the head-connection polarity from the recovered servo data. Such a detector allows a servo circuit to compensate for a reversed-connected read-write head, and thus allows a manufacturer to forego time-consuming and costly testing to determine whether the head is correctly connected to the servo circuit. |
| US08379338B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for performing metrology on patterned media disks with test pattern areas
Techniques for performing metrology on magnetic media disk formations that are arranged in curvilinear patterns are disclosed. Small integrated test patterns having rectangular periodicity are integrated among the concentric circles of patterned media formations. The test patterns cover only very small areas of the disk so as to not significantly affect disk capacity. The periodicity of the test patterns allows their formations to be more readily measured by metrology technology than those having a curvilinear periodicity. |
| US08379337B2 |
Lens drive device
A lens drive device may include a front side spring member which is connected between a movable body having a lens and a support body. The front side spring member includes a support body side connecting part, a movable body side connecting part and a arm part connected between the support body side connecting part and the movable body side connecting part. The support body includes a yoke having a yoke front plate part and the yoke front plate part is formed with a yoke opening part which is overlapped with at least a part of the front side spring member. Damper material having viscoelasticity is provided, for example, on a portion extending over the movable body side connecting part and the arm part and overlapped with the yoke opening part in the lens optical axis direction. Therefore, the damper material can be applied to the front side spring member through the yoke opening part in the final stage of assembling steps. |
| US08379335B2 |
Exhausting structure for lens
The present invention provides an exhausting structure for lens. The exhausting structure is used for being disposed and fixed between a lens and an optical apparatus. The exhausting structure is formed with an air channel. The air channel has a first opening and a second opening. A projecting outline of the first opening in a projecting direction is separated from a projecting outline of the second opening in the projecting direction. Thereby, the air channel allows air to flow therethrough. Further, an air pressure caused by the change of the temperature in the exhausting structure can be released so as to prevent the air from pressing the lens or apparatus. The exhausting structure can also prevent a light from entering into the base through the air channel. |
| US08379334B2 |
Lens driving device and camera unit
A biasing spring is interposed between a coupling plate and a covering section while being compressed from its natural length. The biasing spring biases, by its resilient force, a lens unit toward a −Z side to bring a surface of the lens unit at the −Z side into contact with an abutment portion of a fixing frame section. When a temperature of an actuator is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, a biasing force of the biasing spring surpasses a force generated in the actuator, and thus the lens unit is not moved. When the actuator is heated up to a temperature equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the lens unit is continuously moved in the +Z direction. Thereby, movement of a lens due to a change of an environmental temperature can be prevented. |
| US08379333B2 |
Imaging module
An imaging module includes a front case which is configured to mount a lens unit on a subject side, a rear case which is mounted to the front case and configured to seal an imaging substrate in an interior space between the rear case and the front case, and a bracket mounted to the rear case. The rear case is mounted to the front case with first screws which is screwed into screw fastening holes and first screw fastening through-holes, and the bracket is mounted to the rear case with second screws, which are screwed into the first screw fastening through-holes and second screw fastening through-holes and have a diameter larger than that of the first screws. |
| US08379332B2 |
Screw component and image capturing device
A screw component including lens holder and lens barrel component engaged with each other, and protruding portions respectively provided on each of both flanks of screw thread of lens holder. When lens holder is engaged with the lens barrel component, screw thread of lens holder is brought into contact with both flanks of a screw thread of the lens barrel component, it is possible to prevent lens holder and the lens barrel component from being displaced from each other. |
| US08379329B2 |
Imaging optical system, camera and personal digital assistant
An imaging optical system includes an aperture stop, a first lens group disposed on an object side of the aperture stop, a second lens group disposed on an image side of the aperture stop and a plate-like ND filter disposed close to a position of the aperture stop in an optical axis direction of the first and second lens groups, and the second lens group includes positive refracting power as a whole, the ND filter is configured to be retractable from the optical axis, and to attenuate a passing light amount. |
| US08379323B2 |
Optical image capturing lens assembly
An optical image capturing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element, and a sixth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface. The object-side surface and the image-side surface of the fifth lens element are aspheric and at least one of the object-side surface and the image-side surface has at least one inflection point formed thereon. The sixth lens element with negative refractive power has a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, wherein the object-side surface and the image-side surface of the sixth lens element are aspheric. |
| US08379318B2 |
Zoom lens, optical apparatus and method of manufacturing zoom lens
A zoom lens having, in order from an object, a first lens group G1 having negative refractive power, a second lens group G2 having positive refractive power, and a third lens group GH3 having positive refractive power, wherein the second lens group G2 is constituted only by three or more cemented lenses. |
| US08379315B2 |
Teleconverter lens system and photographing apparatus including the same
A teleconverter lens system is attachable to or detachable from an object side of a main lens system and facilitates performing telephotographing. A photographing apparatus includes the teleconverter lens system. The teleconverter lens system includes: a first lens having a negative refractive power; a second lens having a positive refractive power; a third lens having a negative refractive power; and a fourth lens having a positive refractive power, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth lenses are sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side of the teleconverter lens system. The first and second lenses are cemented together, and the second lens has a meniscus shape in which a convex surface is formed on the object side of the second lens. |
| US08379313B2 |
Optical scanning apparatus
An image scanning apparatus includes a beam splitter disposed between a deflection surface and surfaces to be scanned. The beam splitter is formed of reflective surfaces and transmissive surfaces. One transmissive surface is disposed between the reflective surfaces in the sub-scanning direction, and an optical path of light beams reaching surfaces to be scanned that are physically closer to the deflection surface than a surface to be scanned located at the position physically farthest from the deflection surface between the reflective surfaces intersects with an optical path of a light beam reaching the surface to be scanned located at a position physically farthest from the deflection surface between the deflection surface and the transmissive surface in a sub-scanning cross section in the beam splitter. |
| US08379311B2 |
Method for fabricating micro-lens, and micro-lens array including the micro-lens
A micro-lens array and a method for fabricating a micro-lens includes forming a first lens formation material layer on and/or over a micro-lens formation area of a semiconductor substrate, and then forming a portion of the lens formation material layer as a first micro-lens using a first mask. A second lens formation material layer is formed adjacent to the first micro-lens on and/or over the micro-lens formation area. The second lens formation material layer is also formed as a second micro-lens using a second mask which is a different type from that of the first mask. |
| US08379307B2 |
Dual mode reflex and telescopic sight combination
A combined reflex/telescopic sight that includes a telescopic optical element train and a view window, offset from the optical element train. A transition assembly is positioned to receive light from the optical element train and the view window and has an image display, a collimating lens-set positioned to transmit light to the image display and a luminous reticle. This assembly may be placed in a first mode wherein light from the optical train travels through the collimating lenses to the image display and light from the view window is blocked. In a second mode light from the optical train is blocked and light from the luminous reticle travels through the collimating lens set and is combined with light from the view window and a resulting combined image appears at the image display. Finally an actuation assembly is adapted to permit a user to switch the transition assembly between modes. |
| US08379301B2 |
System and method for optical communication using polarization filtering
An optical circuit is described which may include an SOA-MZI circuit providing an output signal; and a polarization filtering device (PFD) configured to receive the output signal of the SOA-MZI and to provide at least one signal at the output of the PFD. |
| US08379296B2 |
Nonlinear optical CdSiP2 crystal and producing method and devices therefrom
CdSiP2 crystals with sizes and optical quality suitable for use as nonlinear optical devices are disclosed, as well as NLO devices based thereupon. A method of growing the crystals by directional solidification from a stoichiometric melt is also disclosed. The disclosed NLO crystals have a higher nonlinear coefficient than prior art crystals that can be pumped by solid state lasers, and are particularly useful for frequency shifting 1.06 μm, 1.55 μm, and 2 μm lasers to wavelengths between 2 μm and 10 μm. Due to the high thermal conductivity and low losses of the claimed CdSiP2 crystals, average output power can exceed 10 W without severe thermal lensing. A 6.45 μm laser source for use as a medical laser scalpel is also disclosed, in which a CdSiP2 crystal is configured for non-critical phase matching, pumped by a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser, and temperature-tuned to produce output at 6.45 μm. |
| US08379295B2 |
Optical differential phase-shift keyed signal demodulator
A phase-shift keyed signal demodulator is disclosed including a filter positioned to receive an input beam, a first photodiode positioned to receive light reflected from the filter, and a second photodiode positioned to receive light transmitted through the filter. A difference between outputs of the first and second photodiodes is interpreted to determine a data value encoded in the input beam. In another embodiment N filters receive inputs from a splitter and include transmission functions offset from one another. N pairs of photo diodes receive the transmitted and reflected beams from each filter and a decoder converts the outputs of the pairs of photodiodes to one or more data symbols. |
| US08379294B2 |
Display sheet, display device, electronic apparatus, and method for producing display sheets
A display sheet includes a light-transmissive substrate, an electrode layer formed on a surface of the substrate, and a display layer that is provided on a surface of the electrode layer opposite the substrate and has a plurality of reservoirs containing at least one kind of electrophoretic particles. The electrode layer has a light-transmissive membrane electrode and a conductive portion electrically connected with the electrode. The conductive portion has a plurality of wires that are provided so as to overlap with the display layer in plan view of the display layer. The conductive portion is formed of a material with a lower electrical resistance than that of a material forming the electrode. |
| US08379291B2 |
Resonator system
The designed resonator system comprises a light source generating device for outputting a light source and a resonating cavity device. The resonating cavity device includes: a first waveguide with an input end for receiving the light source; a first resonator disposed adjacent to the first waveguide for receiving the light source coupled from the first waveguide in order to generate a resonating light source; a second waveguide having one end disposed adjacent to the first resonator, an adapting end for receiving the resonating light source coupled from the first resonator, and an output end; and an electro-optic modulator disposed adjacent to the other end of the second waveguide for receiving the resonating light source coupled from the second waveguide and generating an optical modulating signal by an electrical modulating signal, and the optical modulating signal is outputted from the output end of the second waveguide. |
| US08379290B2 |
Active matrix electrochromic device array and method of manufacturing the same
An active matrix electrochromic device array and a method of manufacturing the active matrix electrochromic device array may include a first substrate including a pixel electrode corresponding to each of the pixels, and an electrochromic layer; a second substrate including a counter electrode and a reflective layer arranged on the counter electrode, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are coupled to each other having a distance therebetween by a partition wall supporting the first substrate and the second substrate; and the partition wall isolates a space between the first substrate and the second substrate with respect to each of the pixels, thereby preventing or reducing an electrolyte filled in the space from being diffused toward a neighboring space. |
| US08379288B2 |
Transparent electroactive system
The invention relates to a transparent electroactive system that includes two electrodes (2, 3) juxtaposed on the same side of a closed space (12) containing electroactive substances. The two electrodes are separated by a distance of less than 250 μm, and a barrier (1) extending towards the inside of the closed space is placed between the electrodes. The separation between the electrodes is thus not visible, and a mutual neutralization between the electroactive substances is prevented. Advantageously, the electroactive substances are contained in cells (5) separated from each other within the closed space. The barrier (1) can thus be distinct from separation walls (4) between the cells, or can be assimilated with some intercellular walls. |
| US08379287B2 |
Surface plasmon polariton modulator
A surface plasmon polariton modulator capable of locally varying a physical property of a dielectric material to control a surface plasmon polariton. The surface plasmon polariton modulator includes a dielectric layer, including first and second dielectric portions, which is interposed between two metal layers. The second dielectric portion has a refractive index which varies with an electric field, a magnetic field, heat, a sound wave, or a chemical and/or biological operation applied thereto. The surface plasmon polariton modulator is configured to control one of an advancing direction, an intensity, a phase, or the like of a surface plasmon using an electric signal. The surface plasmon polariton modulator can operate as a surface plasmon polariton multiplexer or a surface plasmon polariton demultiplexer. |
| US08379286B2 |
Integrated angle of arrival sensing and duplex communication with cats-eye multiple quantum well modulating retroreflector
A modulating retroreflector system includes a modulating retroreflector having a plurality of multiple quantum well modulator pixels and at least one transimpedance amplifier. The transimpedance amplifier receives a photocurrent generated by at least one of the plurality of modulator pixels. Each pixel is capacitively coupled to a current driver, which applies a high frequency digital electrical signal to the pixel when the voltage at the output of the transimpedance amplifier exceeds a threshold value. The modulated output of the retroreflector is reflected toward the source of the received optical beam. The system activates high frequency current drivers for only the illuminated pixels, eliminating the need for a separate angle of incidence sensor and reducing power requirements. A low frequency FSK signal can be superimposed on the DC optical interrogation beam and recovered as the unfiltered output of the transimpedance amplifier, to provide simultaneous bidirectional communication without a half-duplex communication protocol. |
| US08379284B2 |
Micro shutter device and method of manufacturing the same
A micro shutter device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. A barrier is provided to define a unit pixel. Film actuators are formed within the unit pixel. The film actuators are configured to be bent in opposite directions to each other from a substrate so that light passing through the substrate from an external light source is blocked in a voltage non-applied state, and to be straightened perpendicularly to the substrate so that the light is transmitted upon voltage application. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the aperture ratio and thus improve the light efficiency. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce voltage necessary to drive the film actuators and thus increase the drive speed. |
| US08379283B2 |
Micromechanical element and sensor for monitoring a micromechanical element
A micromechanical element includes a movable functional element, a first retaining element, a second retaining element, a third retaining element, and a fourth retaining element. The first retaining element and the functional element are connected at a first junction, the second retaining element and the functional element are connected at a second junction, the third retaining element and the functional element are connected at a third junction, and the fourth retaining element and the functional element are connected at a fourth junction. In addition, the first retaining element and the second retaining element each include a piezoelectric driving element, the driving element of the first retaining element and the driving element of the second retaining element being configured to move the functional element in accordance with electric excitation. |
| US08379282B2 |
Light scanning unit and method of detecting scanning synchronization signal
Disclosed are a light scanning unit and a method of synchronizing the scanning operation of such light scanning unit. The light scanning unit includes a deflection mirror that is driven to oscillate so as to deflect and scan a light beam in a bidirectional scanning path. The synchronization of a scanning operation may be made at least in part in consideration of the direction of flow of the current that is supplied to drive the deflection mirror to oscillate. |
| US08379281B2 |
Hologram judging apparatus
A hologram judging apparatus includes a housing and first and second light sources attached to the housing and emitting reconstruction illumination light. In the hologram judging apparatus, the first and second light sources each include a wavelength component with a wavelength λ meeting the reconstruction condition of a Lippmann hologram, and any one of the first and second light sources is a light source making the reconstruction illumination light enter a hologram at an angle θref which is identical to another angle θref with respect to the normal in a plane of incidence, the other angle θref meeting the reconstruction condition of a Lippmann method. |
| US08379280B2 |
Image processing device and system for generating coded image data
An image processing device to generate coded image data, which represents an image to be printed in a printing apparatus, is provided. The image processing device includes a data generator to downscale tone values of pixels included in the image, the tone values of pixels being included in a predetermined scale range, and assign a plurality of types of codes having different lengths to the downscaled tone values to generate image data, and a data transmitter configured to transmit the coded image data to the printing apparatus. The data generator downscales the tone values of pixels by classifying each tone value of pixels into one of segments, which are unevenly delimited by predetermined thresholds within the predetermined scale range and include a larger segment and a smaller segment, and assigning a code with a shorter bit length to the tone value classified into the larger segment. |
| US08379278B2 |
Multi-function apparatus
An multi-function apparatus includes a body, an openable image reading unit and an openable document cover. The image reading unit includes a locking member including a first engaging portion capable of engaging the body and a second engaging portion capable of engaging the document cover. The locking member is configured to be movable between a first position and a second position. When the locking member is moved to the first position, the first engaging portion engages the body and the image reading unit is locked to the closed position. When the locking member is moved to the second position, the second engaging portion engages the document cover, and the document cover is locked to the closed position. The multi-function apparatus further comprises a first urging member which urges the locking member at the second position when the image reading unit is in the opened position and a second urging member which urges the locking member at the first position when the document cover is in the opened position. |
| US08379276B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image reading method
A method for controlling an image reading apparatus that scans an image from a document, includes (a) acquiring read position data indicating a reference position where the image reading apparatus performs scanning operations, and (b) setting a reading region that defines, based on the acquired read position data, a range that is used when the image reading apparatus scans an image. |
| US08379275B2 |
Scanner module and image scanning apparatus employing the same
A scanner module and an image scanning apparatus includes an illuminator that includes a light source, a light guide extending in a main scanning direction to change a direction of the light from the light source, a guide holder recessed with a light guide mounting portion in which the light guide is mounted, and at least one supporting protrusion protruding from an entrance of the light guide mounting portion into the light guide mounting portion to support the light guide received in the light guide mounting portion. As the light guide is supported by the supporting protrusion formed at the entrance of the light guide mounting portion, it is possible to reduce deformation of the light guide and/or to prevent the light guide from being falling out of the light guide mounting portion when subjected to, e.g., a shock. |
| US08379271B2 |
Image processing device and printing apparatus for performing bidirectional printing
A printing apparatus performs printing on a print medium. The printing apparatus includes: a dot data generator that performs a halftone process on image data, wherein the print image is formed by mutually combining print pixels belonging to each of a plurality of pixel position groups for which a physical difference is assumed at a formation of dots by the print image generator, in a common print area, and the halftone process is configured to determine the status of dot formation on each of the print pixels on an assumption of the physical difference. |
| US08379270B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling printing
An order in which to delete bands is defined in advance according to a table of importance levels of bands. If the free storage space of a hard disk becomes equal to or lower than a threshold value after a new printer command of a band is stored, printer commands stored in the hard disk are deleted in units of bands in accordance with the defined importance levels of bands. If the free storage space of the hard disk becomes greater than the threshold value, new printer commands are stored in units of bands on the hard disk. In the controlling of the printing for second and following ones of the plurality of copies, printer commands stored on the hard disk are transmitted to a printer. However, printer commands that are not stored on the hard disk are again produced. |
| US08379265B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus employing the image reading apparatus
Disclosed are an image reading apparatus including a guiding unit disposed on a platen glass, and guiding a document transferred by a document transfer device to allow an image of a document to be read by an image sensor disposed at a stationary location. The guiding unit includes: a contacting surface that contacts the platen glass; a reading surface spaced apart upward from the contacting surface and having a flat reading portion corresponding to at least a reading reference location of the image sensor; an access guiding surface guiding the document to the reading surface, tilted downward toward the reading surface, and having an access terminal that is stepped with respect to the reading surface; and a discharge guiding surface guiding the document after the document has passed along the reading surface, and tilting upward from the reading surface without a step. |
| US08379260B2 |
Laser oscillating mirror support for color printer
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for pre-rendering image data for a plurality of scanning paths are described here. The method includes receiving image data including a plurality of scan lines for a top portion of an image page, pre-rendering the data for a first scanning path to generate a first data set, pre-rendering the data for a second scanning path to generate a second data set, determining an initial scanning direction, and selecting the first data set or the second data set responsive to said determining. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08379259B2 |
Image forming system, device managing method thereof, and program therefor
An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a controlling apparatus connected to each other through a network and having different addresses. Information, indicating that the image forming apparatus and the controlling apparatus are connected to each other also by a communication medium that is different from the network, is registered in at least one of the image forming apparatus and the controlling apparatus. A search request for searching an apparatus connected to the network is received. The information registered by the registering unit is provided as a response to the search request. Based on the response, it is displayed that the image forming apparatus and the controlling apparatus are connected to each other by the communication medium. |
| US08379253B2 |
Structured document conversion apparatus, structured document conversion method, and storage medium
A structured document conversion apparatus is configured to convert structured document data that contains document data in a plurality of nodes in a tree structure and can associate a print attribute with each of the plurality of nodes. The structured document conversion apparatus reflects a print attribute of a lower node in other portions. The structured document conversion apparatus deletes the lower layer print attribute. The structured document conversion apparatus generates structured document data in which the print attribute is associated with a highest hierarchical layer in the tree structure. |
| US08379249B2 |
Forwarding print job and driver information from a first image forming apparatus to a second image forming apparatus
An information-processing apparatus includes a print-job-transmission unit operable to transmit a print job to a first image-processing apparatus, and a driver-information-transmission unit configured to transmit at least one driver-information item including a driver list which is the list of at least one driver existing on the information-processing apparatus to the first image-processing apparatus upon receiving cancellation information indicating that the transmitted print job is cancelled by the first image-processing apparatus. |
| US08379247B2 |
Method, system and test sheet image bitmap for carrying out a scanner-and-processor based image-to-paper registration setup
A method and system for carrying out an image-to-paper printer registration setup includes: using a printer undergoing registration setup, printing a test pattern on a sheet having reference targets within a printable region of the sheet; using a scanner, scanning the printed sheet to generate an image bitmap of the test pattern-bearing sheet larger than the sheet itself so that the image bitmap contains the sheet edges and measuring in numbers of pixels the distances between the reference targets and/or sheet edges using multiple swaths of the image bitmap itself as the measuring tool; and, using a processor and based on the measured distances, calculating error-associated adjustment values in millimeters to use to correct errors in the registration setup of the image-to-paper in the printer and transferring the error-associated adjustment values to the printer to perform adjustment of its setup actuators. |
| US08379245B2 |
System for managing flexible copying with information leakage prevented and/or detected
In a copy management system, an output device generates a print image, and list information including identification information identifying a person authorized for printing. The list information is converted to a specific code, which is in turn embedded in a print image. The code-embedded print image is output by a printer on a printing medium. The code-embedded print image on the printing medium is received by a copying device of the system. The copying device also receives and accepts copier identification information identifying a copying person. The list information is acquired from the code-embedded print image. The identification information in the list information acquired is compared to the copier identification information accepted. Allowance/non-allowance of copying is determined based on whether or not the above information coincides with each other. The copying device outputs a printed copy subject to decision for allowance of copying. |
| US08379238B2 |
Apparatus for preventing unnecessary image formation
In order to provide an image forming apparatus which controls unnecessary image formation without reducing productivity, at the time of automatic sheet selection, the number of image sheets M which can be present from the writing position of images using the image writing section to the transfer position of the transfer section and the number of sheet N which can be present from the sensors which detect the no-paper state in each of the plurality of sheet feeding sections to the transfer position of the transfer section are obtained, and then the sheet feeding section which satisfies M |
| US08379237B2 |
Printing system and method for controlling a printing system that determines whether to start printing only after completion of developing all print data
Confidentiality of a job that requires authentication processing prior to printing is maintained as much as possible. A method for controlling a printing system is provided that is capable of receiving a plurality of types of print jobs including a first type print job that requires authentication processing prior to printing and a second type print job that does not require authentication processing prior to printing, comprising the steps of allowing the printing system to execute a specific operation for allowing the printing system to start printing of a target job in case where resources required to complete printing of the target job are present in the printing system and causing the printing system to execute the specific operation in case where the target job is the first type job. |
| US08379235B2 |
Method for providing copy jobs with or without banner sheets
A method for creating and inserting a banner sheet in an output bin of a multi-function device for copy jobs. Thus, the user can leave the copy job in progress, safe in the knowledge that the copy will be recognized and filed along with other print jobs. |
| US08379233B2 |
Printing device with media path flushing
A printing device for use with a peripheral media-handling device defining a peripheral media path with a first sensor therealong including a print engine coupled with the peripheral media-handling device to accommodate conveyance of media therebetween, the print engine defining an engine media path between an inlet and an outlet thereof, and including a second sensor therealong, and a processor configured to calculate a greatest distance collectively along the media paths that media can travel without reaching one of the sensors, the processor being further configured to command substantially simultaneous flushing of the peripheral media-handling device and the print engine to advance media the calculated greatest distance. |
| US08379232B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and image processing program
An image processing device includes a memory portion for storing an ejection amount conversion table showing a relationship between image data serving as reference and a fluid ejected from a fluid ejecting head for a predetermined number of pixels, and an ejection amount estimation unit which estimates an ejection amount of the fluid from input image data on the basis of the ejection amount conversion table stored in the memory portion. |
| US08379229B2 |
Simulation of a printed dot-pattern bitmap
Embodiments of the present invention enable generation of a simulated reference bitmap image that corresponds to a dot-pattern image. Certain applications of the present invention are its use in various embodiments of a system for inspection of a printed circuit board (“PCB”) substrate. In embodiments, a dot-pattern image and user-input configuration parameters are used to create an initialized simulated reference bitmap, and the dot pattern is mapped onto the reference bitmap using a scaling factor. In embodiments, reference bitmaps of individual sections of a dot-pattern image may be generated separately. |
| US08379227B2 |
Optical metrology on textured samples
One or more parameters of a sample that includes a textured substrate and one or more overlying films is determined using, e.g., an optical metrology device to direct light to be incident on the sample and detecting light after the incident light interacts with the sample. The acquired data is normalized using reference data that is produced using a textured reference sample. The normalized data is then fit to simulated data that is associated with a model having an untextured substrate and one or more variable parameters. The value(s) of the one or more variable parameters from the model associated with the simulated data having the best fit is reported as measurement result. |
| US08379223B2 |
Integrated monolithic interference detection device
The invention relates to a device (10,20) for detecting a phase difference between two light beams (8A, 8B), said device including: a diffraction grating (2) which can generate an interference field between the two light beams; and a photodiode (1,5) which is arranged to receive the interference field, said diffraction grating being integrated to the photodiode. The invention is characterized in that the diffraction grating is an amplitude grating (2). |
| US08379217B2 |
System and method for optical sensor interrogation
An optical sensor interrogation system comprises: a multi-frequency optical source configured to generate an optical interrogation signal, at least one optical sensor configured to filter light at a wavelength corresponding to a value of a sensed parameter and generate an optical sensor data signal, a photodetector configured to detect a reference signal and the optical sensor data signal and generate an electrical difference frequency signal corresponding to a wavelength difference between the reference signal and the optical sensor data signal, and an electrical frequency measurement module configured to measure the electrical difference frequency. |
| US08379206B2 |
Method and apparatus for the photo-acoustic identification and quantification of analyte species in a gaseous or liquid medium
A method and apparatus for the photo-acoustic identification and quantification of one or more analyte species present in a gaseous or liquid medium in low concentration utilizing a laser and a resonant optical cavity containing the medium and having within the cavity at least two partially transparent mirrors, one of which is a cavity coupling mirror and one of which is moveably mounted on an assembly responsive to an input signal. |
| US08379203B2 |
Spectrometers with aberration-corrected concave diffraction gratings and transmissive aberration correctors
The invention generally relates to spectrometers and optical systems useful therein. More particularly, the invention generally relates to optical systems and systems having improved functionalities, flexibilities, and design options. For example, optical systems of the invention employ an aberration-corrected concave grating along with one or more transmissive aberration correctors. |
| US08379202B2 |
Method for detecting contaminants
A method for the detection of contaminants in an optical measuring cuvette of a spectrophotometer, typically an oximeter for determining hemoglobin derivatives, is provided, in which measuring cuvette, in addition to at least one sample measurement to obtain a sample spectrum I(λ), at least one reference measurement is performed using a reference liquid to obtain a reference spectrum I0(λ). The reference spectrum I0(λ) is compared to a known target spectrum I0soll(λ), which is associated with the measuring cuvette, comparison parameters being obtained, it being decided automatically whether a contamination of the measuring cuvette exists as a function of predefined threshold values of the comparison parameters. |
| US08379199B2 |
Self-contained multivariate optical computing and analysis system
An optical analysis system for measuring compositions of a sample includes a light source radiating a first light. A modulator disposed in a ray path of the light modulates the light to a desired frequency. A spectral element filters the light for a spectral range of interest of the sample. An optical filter receives a first light beam split from the light reflecting from the sample and optically filters data carried by the first light beam into at least one orthogonal component of the first light beam. A first detector measures a property of the orthogonal component. A second detector receives a second light beam split from the light reflecting from the sample for comparison of the property of the orthogonal component to the second light beam. An accelerometer senses when to acquire data from the sample. |
| US08379196B2 |
Method for judging whether semiconductor wafer is non-defective wafer by using laser scattering method
A semiconductor wafer whose number of LPDs per wafer is equal to or smaller than a predetermined number is sorted out, and a judgment as to whether a semiconductor wafer is a non-defective wafer is made visually based on a haze map of the semiconductor wafer subjected to the sorting. Moreover, a semiconductor wafer whose number of LPDs per wafer is equal to or smaller than a predetermined number is sorted out. Then, from the semiconductor wafers subjected to the sorting, a semiconductor wafer whose in-plane standard deviation and in-plane average value of the haze signals in a wafer plane have a specific relationship is sorted out, and this semiconductor wafer is judged to be a non-defective wafer. In this way, a method for judging whether a semiconductor wafer is a non-defective wafer or a defective wafer, the method that can make a judgment more uniform and accurate without dependence on the difference in the S/N ratio between inspection apparatuses using a laser scattering method, is provided. |
| US08379193B2 |
SWIR targeted agile raman (STAR) system for on-the-move detection of emplace explosives
The present disclosure provides for a system and method for detecting explosives and other materials in a sample scene. First interacted photons are produced from a target area wherein the first interacted photons are generated via solar radiation. The first interacted photons are assessed to thereby generate a SWIR hyperspectral image. The SWIR hyperspectral image is analyzed to identify an area of interest likely of comprising an explosive material. The area of interest is illuminated using laser light illumination to generate second interacted photons from the area of interest. These second interacted photons are assessed to determine whether it not an explosive material is present in the area of interest. The system and method may be configured in standoff, OTM, static and UGV configurations. |
| US08379192B2 |
Apparatus for optical measurement of substance concentrations
An apparatus for optical measurement of substance concentrations has at least one transmitter arranged in or on a housing and at least one receiver for optical radiation, and a deflection device, which is at a distance from the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver and is arranged within the substance when the apparatus is being used correctly, for deflection of the optical radiation from the at least one transmitter to the at least one receiver. The distance between the deflection device and the at least one transmitter and/or the at least one receiver can be varied by means of an adjusting device. |
| US08379188B2 |
Optical system
The disclosure provides an optical system having an optical axis, where the optical system includes a polarization manipulator which includes first and second subelements. The first subelement has a non-planar, optically effective surface. For light passing through the first subelement, the first subelement causes a change in the polarization state. A maximum effective retardation introduced by the first subelement along the optical axis is less than a quarter of the working wavelength of the optical system. The first subelement and the second subelement have mutually facing surfaces which are mutually complementary. The optical system also includes a position manipulator to manipulate the relative position of the first and second subelements. |
| US08379180B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and manufacturing method of opposite substrate thereof
A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel including a color filter on array (COA) substrate, an opposite substrate, and a liquid crystal layer is provided. The opposite substrate has a common electrode, a plurality of main spacers, a plurality of spacer stages disposed on the common electrode and protruding toward the COA substrate, and a plurality of sub-spacers disposed on the common electrode. The main spacers are disposed on the spacer stages to maintain a cell gap between the COA substrate and the opposite substrate. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the COA substrate and the opposite substrate. The above-mentioned LCD panel is an LCD panel with hybrid spacers having the main spacers and the sub-spacers. |
| US08379178B2 |
Image display device with pixel sections arrayed in a matrix
In an image display device where a lenticular lens, a display panel, and a light source are provided in order from a viewer side, when cylindrical lenses of the lenticular lens are arrayed in a horizontal direction, in first-viewpoint pixels and second-viewpoint pixels of the display panel, openings whose sides which intersect with straight lines in the horizontal direction are not parallel to a vertical direction are formed. And, a shape of the openings of a pair of pixels mutually adjacent in the vertical direction is made line-symmetric with respect to edges of the pixels extending in the horizontal direction as an axis. |
| US08379176B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate including a pixel area, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and including liquid crystal molecules, a first electrode, a second electrode including a minute slit pattern, disposed on the first substrate and an insulating layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a third electrode disposed on the second substrate. The pixel area includes a first region having a double-electrode structure wherein the first electrode and the second electrode overlap, and a second region having a single electrode structure including the second electrode. |
| US08379174B2 |
Structure for reflective liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display structure includes a first substrate panel, a second substrate panel, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate panel and the second substrate panel. Pixel portions are formed by respective electrodes for applying a voltage to the liquid crystal layer. The pixel portions include a transparent substrate panel, an organic insulating layer, a patterned reflective layer, a dielectric layer, a transparent conductive layer and a thin film transistor. The organic insulating layer is formed over the transparent substrate panel. The patterned reflective layer is formed over the organic insulating layer exposing a portion of the organic insulating layer. The dielectric layer is formed over the patterned reflective layer. The dielectric layer has a smooth upper surface. The transparent conductive layer is over the dielectric layer. The transparent conductive layer is connected to the thin film transistor so that the thin film transistor can drive the transparent conductive electrode. |
| US08379172B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device has: a light source, a light guide plate for causing light from the light source to enter from a side surface of the light guide plate and exit as illuminating light from one principal surface thereof; a liquid crystal panel which includes a reflective color filter having wavelength selectivity in transmittance and reflectance and a polarizing plate disposed on a side that is closer to the light guide plate than the reflective color filter, and which is disposed on a light path of the illuminating light; and a recycle part for reflecting the illuminating light that has been reflected by the reflective color filter toward the reflective color filter once again, wherein the light from the light source is configured to enter the light guide plate as approximately linear polarization, and the polarizing plate of the liquid crystal panel is configured so exhibit transmittance of 90% or higher. |
| US08379168B2 |
Liquid crystal display element and liquid crystal display device having particular light collecting elements
An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device where there are fewer moiré effects between lenticular lenses and the backlight. The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device where the arrangement or form of lenticular lenses 1 varies in waveform so that the center line of the lenses, the width of the lenses, and the height of the lenses vary in the case where light emitted from a backlight 59 is collected into openings 15 for transmitting light by means of lenticular lenses 1. |
| US08379165B2 |
Optical plate, backlight assembly and display device having the optical plate
An optical plate includes a planar base and a plurality of rounded prisms formed on the planar base. The rounded prisms improve a uniformity of the light passing through the planar base and then irradiate the light having the improved uniformity. A concave peak formed in each of the plurality of rounded prisms of the optical plate scatters the light provided into a rear face of the optical plate so that dark lines and bright lines are not generated on the optical plate. As a result, the optical plate has improved light efficiency. |
| US08379164B2 |
Casing structure for electronic devices
The invention provides a casing structure for an electronic apparatus that achieves a thin size and light weight. The casing structure is capable of accommodating a display module, and comprises a sidewall and a bottom surface in which a conductive resin region and a nonconductive resin region are butt joined in a curved line. The casing structure of the electronic apparatus does not become thick due to the butt joining even when the joint portions are in a projection area of the display module. Furthermore, on the display side of the casing structure, there is no need to have special frame members for securing strength in addition to the display casing. The display casing accommodates and protects the display module from an external pressing force and also has a design function that the outer surface of the casing resembles that of an outer surface of a conventional notebook PC. |
| US08379155B2 |
Operation terminal communicating with an information processing apparatus using electric power of the information processing apparatus
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a reception section for receiving a trigger packet, which is a packet smaller than a command packet including a command for designating processing to be executed by the information processing apparatus, from an operation terminal via a wireless signal, a trigger packet acquisition section for acquiring the trigger packet from the wireless signal received by the reception section, an electric power-supply packet generation section for generating an electric power-supply packet for supplying electric power, when the trigger packet is acquired by the trigger packet acquisition section, and a transmission section for transmitting the electric power-supply packet generated by the electric power-supply packet generation section to the operation terminal via a wireless signal. |
| US08379152B2 |
Systems and methods for increasing the temporal resolution of video data
A method for multi-scale spatio-temporal steering kernel regression may include repeatedly spatially downsampling input video data, thereby obtaining spatially downsampled video data at a coarsest spatial resolution scale. The spatially downsampled video data at the coarsest spatial resolution scale may be temporally upscaled to generate an estimate of temporally upscaled video data at the coarsest spatial resolution scale. The temporal upscaling may be achieved using spatio-temporal steering kernel regression. Estimates of the temporally upscaled video data may be repeatedly spatially upscaled to generate an estimate of the temporally upscaled video data at the original spatial resolution. The spatial upscaling may be achieved using spatio-temporal steering kernel regression. |
| US08379150B2 |
Data transmission method and audio/video system capable of splitting and synchronizing audio/video data
Data transmission first initializes a transmitter system and a receiver system. The transmitter system processes audio/video data, and transmits the processed audio/video data based on information received from the receiver system. The receiver system receives and processes the audio/video data sent by the transmitter system for generating corresponding audio output data and video output data. The receiver system sends the audio output data and the video output data to an audio output apparatus and a video output apparatus, respectively. |
| US08379149B2 |
Display apparatus and control method thereof
A display apparatus includes a signal input unit through which an image signal is input, the image signal comprising a synchronization signal and an active signal; an adjustment signal generating unit that generates an adjustment signal; a signal processing unit that receives the adjustment signal and adjusts the image signal based on the received adjustment signal; and a controller which analyzes the input signal and controls the adjustment signal generating unit to change characteristics of the adjustment signal if the adjustment signal does not lie within a blanking interval between the synchronization signal and the active signal. With this configuration, even when an image signal having a reduced blanking interval between the synchronization signal and the active signal is input, the adjustment signal can be generated within the blanking interval of the image signal, not within the active signal interval. |
| US08379148B2 |
Digital broadcasting transmitter, digital broadcasting receiver, and methods thereof
A digital broadcasting transmitter, digital broadcasting transmission method, digital broadcasting receiver, and digital broadcasting reception method are provided. The digital broadcasting transmitter includes: an input unit to receive corresponding audio data and video data; and a signal processing unit to individually construct a first type stream having the audio and the video data, and a second type stream having the audio data different in broadcast time from the audio and the video data in the first type stream, and to output the first type stream and the second type stream. Therefore, it is possible to reduce user inconvenience caused by a broadcast being disconnected. |
| US08379147B2 |
Adaptive video processing circuitry and techniques
Video processing circuitry to adaptively process input video data which corresponds to a plurality of video frames of a selected channel which is one of a plurality of channels of a broadcast spectrum. In one aspect, the video processing circuitry includes spatial adaptation circuitry to generate and output spatially adapted video data corresponding to the plurality of video frames, temporal adaptation circuitry to generate and output temporally adapted video data corresponding to the plurality of video frames, and video manipulation circuitry, coupled to the spatial adaptation circuitry and the temporal adaptation circuitry, to generate output video data corresponding to the plurality of video frames, using the input video data, the spatially adapted video data and the temporally adapted video data. Methods of adaptively processing input video data which corresponds to a plurality of video frames of a selected channel which is one of a plurality of channels of a broadcast spectrum are also disclosed. |
| US08379146B2 |
Deinterlacing method and apparatus for digital motion picture
A deinterlacing method for a digital motion picture is provided. The method includes determining if a predicted pixel lies in an artificial horizontal line or not according to the relationship among a first pixel value, a second pixel value, a first threshold value and a second threshold value; and estimating the predicted pixel value in a still image manner if the predicted pixel is determined to lie in an artificial horizontal line. The present invention also includes an apparatus implementing the deinterlacing method. |
| US08379145B2 |
Conversion and processing of deep color video in a single clock domain
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to conversion and processing of deep color video in a single clock domain. An embodiment of a method includes receiving one or more video data streams, the one or more video data streams including a first video data stream, the first video data stream being clocked at a frequency of a link clock signal. The method further includes converting the first video data stream into a converted video data stream having a modified data format, wherein the modified data format includes transfer of a single pixel of data in one cycle of the link clock signal and the insertion of null data to fill empty cycles of the converted video data stream, and generation of a valid data signal to distinguish between valid video data and the null data in the converted video data stream. The method further includes processing the converted video data stream according to the frequency of the link clock signal to generate a processed data stream from the converted video data stream, wherein processing includes using the valid data signal to identify valid video data. |
| US08379143B2 |
Electronic device having a camera and method of controlling a flash
A method of controlling a flash output for capturing an image in a portable electronic device having a digital camera includes receiving light at an image sensor, determining a flash output adjusted for color and brightness based on the light received at the image sensor, providing the flash output, and capturing a resultant image at a digital image processor. |
| US08379142B2 |
Apparatus and method for balancing color of flashed image using depth estimation
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for balancing the color of a flashed image using depth estimation. The apparatus includes a depth value measurement unit, a region identification unit, a color impression estimation unit, and a color balancing unit. The depth value measurement unit measures the depth values of the respective regions of an image to be captured using a camera preview image. The region identification unit identifies the regions of the preview image as a region influenced by camera flash or a region not influenced by camera flash using the depth values measured by the depth value measurement unit. The color impression estimation unit estimates the color impression of actual illumination in the region not influenced by camera flash. The color balancing unit corrects the color of the region influenced by camera flash. |
| US08379141B2 |
Method of dynamically changing a parameter of a frame
A method of dynamically changing a parameter of a frame is disclosed. An input frame is determined as a special scene or a general scene. A subsequent frame is predicted by changing the parameter of the subsequent frame according to a special-scene operation when the input frame is the special scene, and by changing the parameter of the subsequent frame according to a general-scene operation when the input frame is not the special scene. The predicted frame is determined whether to be a special scene. Accordingly, the parameter of the input frame is changed according to the special-scene operation when both the input frame and the predicted frame are the special scenes; the parameter of the input frame is changed according to the general-scene operation when both the input frame and the predicted frame are not the special scenes; and the parameter of the input frame is maintained without change when only one of the input frame and the predicted frame is the special scene. |
| US08379137B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to photoelectrically convert an object image projected on an imaging region and to output a photoelectrically converted electrical signal starting with a selected one of a plurality of predetermined reading start positions; an electronic zooming processing unit configured to perform an electronic zooming process based on an electrical signal output from the imaging unit; a focus adjustment processing unit configured to detect a signal for focus adjustment based on an electrical signal output from the imaging unit at timing different from that of outputting of the electrical signal used in the electronic zooming process; and a control unit configured to set at least one of the plurality of predetermined reading start positions as a reading start position common to the electrical signal used in the electronic zooming process and the electrical signal used in the focus adjustment. |
| US08379134B2 |
Object detection and selection using gesture recognition
Object detection and selection for use in a device having digital camera functionality is described. The mechanism detects the occurrence of a gesture by a pointing member in an image frame captured by an IR image sensor. The gesture is then recognized and an object pointed to is detected. The object detected is then selected as a result of the gesture recognition. |
| US08379130B2 |
Apparatus and method of processing images based on an adjusted value of an image processing parameter
An apparatus and method of processing images is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a selection of a first image from a plurality of images stored at a memory device and displaying the first image. The method also includes receiving image modification data to modify processing of the first image displayed and providing an adjusted value of an image processing parameter to an image processor. The adjusted value of the image processing parameter is determined based at least in part on the image modification data. |
| US08379128B2 |
Sensor apparatus
The present invention relates to a sensor apparatus having a structure capable of obtaining digital values of signal components with a high accuracy using an A/D conversing circuit with the outputted digital value thereof having a small number of expressive bits. In the sensor apparatus, a voltage value corresponding to the amount of incident light to a photodiode is held by a holding circuit through an integrating circuit and a CDS circuit. Meanwhile, a voltage value corresponding to the amount of incident light to an adjacent photodiode is held by another holding circuit through an integrating circuit and a CDS circuit. The voltage values held by the respective different holding circuits are inputted to a subtracting circuit through different paths. The subtracting circuit outputs a voltage value corresponding to the difference between the two inputted voltage values. In an A/D converting section, the difference voltage outputted from the subtracting circuit is converted into a digital value. |
| US08379127B2 |
Pixel sensor array including comparator and image sensor including the same
Provided are a pixel sensor array and a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor including the same. The pixel sensor array includes a photoelectric transformation element configured to generate electric charges in response to incident light. A signal transmitting circuit is configured to output the electric charges accumulated in the photoelectric transformation element to a first node based on a first control signal, change an electric potential of the first node to an electric potential of a second signal line based on a second control signal, and output a signal sensed in the first node to a first signal line based on a third control signal. A switch element is configured to connect a supply power terminal to the second signal line based on a fourth control signal. A comparator connected to the first signal line and the second signal line and configured to compare a voltage of the signal and a voltage of a reference signal. |
| US08379126B2 |
Image-sensing apparatus
When the brightness of a subject detected by a detecting device 4 is higher than a predetermined value, for example 700 [cd/m2], a switching judgment circuit 5 judges that an area sensor (solid-state image-sensing device) 3 should perform logarithmic conversion. In response to this judgment by the switching judgment circuit 5, a switching signal generating circuit 6 outputs a switching signal to instruct the area sensor 3 to perform logarithmic conversion. When the brightness of the subject detected by the detecting device 4 is lower than the predetermined value, for example 700 [cd/m2], a switching judgment circuit 5 judges that the area sensor 3 should perform linear conversion. In response to this judgment by the switching judgment circuit 5, the switching signal generating circuit 6 outputs a switching signal to instruct the area sensor 3 to perform linear conversion. |
| US08379125B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, method for driving solid-state imaging device and camera system
A solid-state imaging device includes an imaging section having multiple pixels laid out in a matrix form for performing photoelectric conversion and multiple vertical transfer sections that vertically transfer signal charges of the multiple pixels in columns, a control section that controls the transfer, hold and addition of signal charges transferred from each of the vertical transfer sections, at least two horizontal transfer sections that horizontally transfer signal charges output from the control section, and a horizontal-horizontal transfer section that transfers the signal charges of one horizontal transfer section that has received the signal charges transferred from the control section to the other horizontal transfer section. |
| US08379121B2 |
Image-capturing device and imaging apparatus
An image-capturing device includes: a first image sensor equipped with first and second image-capturing pixels and first focus detection pixels, each of which receives one of light fluxes formed by splitting subject light having passed through an optical system, the first and the second image-capturing pixels generating first and second color signals respectively and the first focus detection pixels outputting focus detection signals indicating a state of focus detection pertaining to the optical system; and a second image sensor equipped with third image-capturing pixels and second focus detection pixels, each of which receives another light flux, the third image-capturing pixels generating third color signals and the second focus detection pixels outputting focus detection signals, wherein: when n represents a quantity of the first image-capturing pixels, quantities of the second and the third image-capturing pixels, and the first and the second focus detection pixels are n, 2n, 2n and 2n respectively. |
| US08379117B2 |
Detecting red eye filter and apparatus using meta-data
A method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from an acquired digital image including a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes of the image, includes analyzing meta-data information, determining one or more regions within the digital image suspected as including red eye artifact, and determining, based at least in part on the meta-data analysis, whether the regions are actual red eye artifact. The meta-data information may include information describing conditions under which the image was acquired, captured and/or digitized, acquisition device-specific information, and film information. |
| US08379111B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method recording medium, and program
An image acquisition unit acquires multiple image data sets of pixels in array, having subject distortion due to focal plane shutter effects, corresponding to images taken at continuous exposure timings; a coefficient storage unit stores coefficients, determined by which number-in-order of multiple images that the image data set corresponds to, and by each pixel position in the image; a multiplying unit multiplies a pixel value of a predetermined pixel in the image data sets, by the coefficient stored in the coefficient storage means; and an adding unit adds each pixel value of a predetermined number of the image data sets. The coefficients include a coefficient wherein, at the earliest image data set, pixels exposed earlier are weighted less and pixels exposed later are weighted more, and a coefficient wherein, at the latest image data set, pixels exposed earlier are weighted more and pixels exposed later are weighted less. |
| US08379109B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes a reproduction condition generator configured to generate a reproduction condition of an image file, a reproduction condition recording unit configured to record the reproduction condition to a management file which is different from the image file while associating the reproduction condition with the image file, and a reproduction unit for reproducing an image file while controlling a reproduction method of the image file based on the reproduction condition associated with the image file. The reproduction condition is information representing at least one of image quality adjustment, volume adjustment, display magnification rate, and reproduction speed adjustment. |
| US08379108B2 |
Electronic camera that detects and extracts faces
An electronic camera including an imaging device photoelectrically converting a formed image of a subject to generate an image signal, a manipulation section accepting an input instructing a release, a face detecting section detecting a face area in a shooting image plane based on the image signal during a standby period for the release, a controlling section photographing the subject in response to the release to generate shooting image data from the image signal, a face recognizing data generating section which extracts a feature point of a person's face corresponding to the face area based on the image signal and generates face recognizing data of the photographed person based on the feature point when the release takes place while the face area is detected, and a recording section recording the face recognizing data. |
| US08379106B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method and program product
An image processing device that reproduces under a second observation condition an appearance of a color of a subject as perceived under a first observation condition, includes: a characteristic quantity calculation unit that calculates a characteristic quantity related to a state of visual perception adaptation under an observation condition that is at least one observation condition of the first observation condition and the second observation condition, by taking into consideration information related to an illuminating light source used under another observation condition in addition to information related to an illuminating light source used under the one observation condition; and a color conversion unit that executes color conversion to convert the first image data to second image data to be used to reproduce, under the second observation condition, the appearance of the color of the subject as perceived under the first observation condition, based upon the characteristic quantity having been calculated. |
| US08379103B2 |
Digital camera that uses object detection information at the time of shooting for processing image data after acquisition of an image
A digital camera includes an object detecting unit which analyzes an analysis target image including a through image data taken in from an image pickup device to compose a shot of an object, a shot image, or a reduced image, based on a feature appearing in an image representing a subject of shooting, and detects at least one main object captured in the analysis target image, a subject information extracting unit which extracts, for each image of object detected by the object detecting unit, subject information including a position in a screen corresponding to the analysis target image and its expansion, and a tag data writing unit which writes the subject information, as a part of tag data corresponding to the shot image, to a storage medium, thereby enabling use of the information acquired by object detection at the time of shooting, also after the acquisition of the image. |
| US08379102B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method for generating high dynamic range images
An image processing synthesizing a plurality of pieces of images photographing an identical scene and having different exposure amounts to generate a high-contrast image expanding a dynamic range and having a wide tonal range, includes a selecting unit selecting a reference image based on information of brightness components of the pieces of images, a gain calculating unit calculating brightness ratios of remaining images among the pieces of images to the reference images excluding the reference image as gains based on the information of the brightness components of the pieces of images, a weight calculating unit calculating weights to be applied to the remaining images based on the gains and information of a brightness component of the reference image, and a generating unit performing weighting synthesis between the reference image and the remaining images by using the weights, to obtain a high-contrast image with fine image quality. |
| US08379101B2 |
Environment and/or target segmentation
A depth image of a scene may be observed or captured by a capture device. The depth image may include a human target and an environment. One or more pixels of the depth image may be analyzed to determine whether the pixels in the depth image are associated with the environment of the depth image. The one or more pixels associated with the environment may then be discarded to isolate the human target and the depth image with the isolated human target may be processed. |
| US08379099B2 |
Image capturing device, image generating device, moving picture generating method and computer-readable recording medium
An image capturing unit outputs an image data signal. A first moving picture data generating unit generates first moving picture data based on the image signal from the image capturing unit. A trigger signal generating unit causes a trigger signal to be generated, every time a predetermined trigger condition is met, while the first moving picture data generating unit is in process of generating the first moving picture data. A second moving picture data generating unit causes, every time the trigger signal is generated, generation of moving picture data corresponding to an image signal of the predetermined period of time based on the point of time the trigger signal has been generated. A recording unit effects recording of the first moving picture data and the second moving picture data. |
| US08379095B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining presence of user's hand tremor or intentional motion
A method is provided for determining presence of a user's hand tremor or intentional motion during recognition of an image through photographing. Image sample blocks of a previous frame are detected by using an edge detecting method. A block distance between the detected image sample block of the previous frame and an estimated image sample block of a current frame is calculated. The calculated block distance is compared with a first threshold. The calculated block distance is compared with a second threshold when the calculated block distance is less than the first threshold. |
| US08379092B2 |
System and method for providing application service using image data
There is provided a system and method for providing an application service using image data. One image data processing server collects images (for example, still images and moving images) captured by various kinds of image capturing apparatuses, such as CCTV systems and processes the collected images into data required to provide application services. A plurality of application service servers only provide processed data of the image data processing server without requiring an additional process to a display device of a user. Accordingly, the configuration of each of the application service servers is simplified to thereby reduce manufacturing costs. |
| US08379091B2 |
Infrared camera and method for observing a scene
The invention relates to an infrared camera comprising an optical zoom, characterized in that it comprises: —a matrix detector (5) comprising a cooled screen, a matrix able to detect infrared radiation; —a module (123) for modifying the focal length of the camera, the modifying module being able to vary the focal length of the camera so as to ensure the optical zoom function of the camera; and —an imager module (L4) able to ensure, for all the values of focal length of the camera: on the one hand the focusing of the infrared radiation on the matrix of the detector, and on the other hand the conjugation of the pupil of the camera on the cooled screen of the detector. The invention also relates to a method of observing a scene with the camera according to the invention. |
| US08379090B1 |
Virtual visits
A collaborative video touring method may allow local personnel of a facility and users who are located remotely from the facility to interactively participate in a virtual visit of the facility, during which the local personnel and the remote users may tour a number of different areas of the facility. In some implementations, the visited facility may have a video monitoring system with one or more adjustable video cameras, each of which may be directed at different areas of the facility, and the video captured by the various cameras may be displayed concurrently to the local personnel and to the remote users. Such concurrent display may, in some embodiments, allow the users at the different locations to interactively discuss the video being displayed, similar to if the remote users were physically touring the facility with the local personnel. |
| US08379089B2 |
Support device for camera modules
A support device for camera modules is disclosed. The support device is capable of panning or spinning a camera module without separating an outer casing that surrounds the camera module. The support device includes a body, a second middle support unit, a rear cover, and a rotary support unit. The body includes a camera module therein. The second middle support unit is rotatably fitted to a side surface of the body, and has on an outer surface of the second middle support unit two opposing wheels to be fitted into coupling bosses of the rotary support unit. The rear cover is coupled to the second middle support unit, and has on an inner surface thereof a seating step so that the body is rotatably seated thereon. The rotary support unit has the two coupling bosses to support the two wheels of the second middle support unit. |
| US08379087B1 |
Attitude estimation using ground imagery
Vehicle attitude is estimated relative to a ground surface over which the vehicle is traveling. An actual image of the ground surface over which the vehicle is traveling is compared with stored or predicted model images of the ground surface. The model images have corresponding known vehicle attitudes associated therewith. For one of the model images that most closely matches the actual image, the known vehicle attitude associated therewith is an estimate of an actual vehicle attitude relative to the ground surface over which the vehicle is traveling. |
| US08379084B2 |
Image pickup
An image pickup including a light emission portion that irradiates an object with near infrared; and an image pickup portion that receives a reflection light image of the object by the near infrared. The image pickup portion includes a lens array containing a substrate on which multiple lenses to respectively receive the reflection light image of the object by the near infrared are arranged; a light shield spacer that shields beams of light that have passed through the lens array from each other; a color filter separated into areas according to beams of light that pass through the light shield spacer, each of which transmits only particular beams of near infrared depending on the wavelengths thereof; and an image pickup element that simultaneously obtains multiple images of the object which are formed of each of the particular beams of near infrared having independent wavelengths that have passed through each of the areas of the color filter. |
| US08379083B1 |
Simultaneous viewing and reliable recording of multimedia content over a network
A video surveillance system has an encoder receiving a video signal from a camera and generating real-time sequenced packets for streaming to a remote monitoring location. A transmit buffer is coupled to the encoder for buffering the sequenced packets. A transmit controller transmits an original packet stream comprising the sequenced packets. The transmit controller is responsive to retransmission requests to transmit sequenced packets from the transmit buffer as a retransmission stream. A receive controller is provided at the monitoring location for receiving the original packet stream and detecting missing packets from the original packet stream to transmit corresponding retransmission requests to the transmit controller for the missing packets. A decoder is responsive to the original packet stream to generate a reproduced video signal for viewing at the monitoring location. A recorder stores recorded video responsive to the original packet stream and the retransmission stream. The retransmission stream includes sequenced packets that are received too late to be used by the decoder for live reproduction, so that the recorded video provides a higher quality reproduced video signal than the reproduced video signal viewed in real-time at the monitoring location. |
| US08379080B2 |
Method for reducing stereoscopic phase-lag distortion under motion in a 3-dimensional video display
According to various illustrative embodiments, a device, system, and method for reducing stereoscopic phase-lag distortion under motion in a 3-dimensional video display are described. In one aspect, a method comprises reducing a phase difference between a first image and a second image in a portion of a frame time of the 3-dimensional video display. The method also comprises redistributing respective bit sequences of at least portions of the first image and the second image by respective amounts arranged to effect the reduction of the phase difference between the first image and the second image. The method also comprises displaying the redistributed respective bit sequences of the portions of the first image and the second image during the frame time of the 3-dimensional video display. |
| US08379078B2 |
Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and program
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device that images an object image through an optical system; an image signal processing section having a function of combining a plurality of imaged images into a combined image piece, the imaged images being obtained while the imaging apparatus is swept; a position sensor capable of obtaining position information of the imaging apparatus; and a controller that processes information of the position sensor, wherein the controller sends a notification of an appropriate value of a sweeping angular velocity based on the detection information of the position sensor and outputs a warning signal when the sweeping angular velocity exceeds an appropriate range. |
| US08379077B2 |
Automatic layout and speaker selection in a continuous presence video conference
Techniques are provided for managing display layouts for a continuous presence video conference. Each display layout has a fixed number of positions, and one of the display layouts has a maximum number of positions for display to participants in the video conference. The display layouts comprise video display positions for participants in a video conference. When the number of participants is greater than a threshold, one of the positions in that layout is used as a shared position assigned to a video stream of participants not assigned to fixed positions in that layout. The shared position is used in a scanning manner such that video streams of participants not assigned to fixed positions in the layouts are classified as scanning streams and are displayed in the non-fixed (shared) position over a predetermined time interval. |
| US08379074B2 |
Method and system of tracking and stabilizing an image transmitted using video telephony
Herein described is a system and method that tracks the face of a person engaged in a videophone conversation. In addition to performing facial tracking, the invention provides stabilization of facial images that are transmitted during the videophone conversation. The face is tracked by employing one or more algorithms that correlate videophone captured facial images against a stored facial image. The face may be better identified by way of employing one or more voice recognition algorithms. The one or more voice recognition algorithms may correlate utterances of the person engaged in a conversation to one or more stored utterances. The identified utterances are subsequently mapped to a stored facial image. In a representative embodiment, the system used for performing facial tracking and image stabilization comprises an image sensor, a lens, an actuator, and a controller/processor. |
| US08379068B2 |
Method of forming image using heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet having a lenticular lens
A method of forming an image, having the steps of: superposing a heat-sensitive transfer sheet on a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet having a lenticular lens and at least one receptor layer on a transparent support; and applying thermal energy in accordance with image signals from a thermal head, wherein the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet has a subbing layer which contains a resin that is identical with at least one resin constituting the lenticular lens, on the side of the transparent support opposite to the side on which the lenticular lens is provided, wherein the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet has the receptor layer containing a latex polymer on the subbing layer and a spherical indenter hardness after the subbing layer and the receptor layer are provided is less than that of the transparent support itself, and wherein the thermal head has a specific length. |
| US08379067B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus includes a transport part which includes a transport belt to transport a printing medium, an image forming part which transfers a toner to form a color image, and a controller which controls the image forming part to form a test image for color registration of the image forming part on the transport belt while an image is formed for a plurality of printing media. Thus, both a test image and a plurality of printed media are formed during a single printing process. |
| US08379066B2 |
Method and apparatus for scaling an image to produce a scaled image
According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, and apparatus for scaling an image to produce a scaled image is described, the image comprising an array of image pixels, and the scaled image comprising an array of scaled pixels. In a first step a map is created between the array of scaled pixels and the array of image pixels. In a second step, an energy parameter of each image pixel in the array of image pixels is determined. In a third step, a fraction of a given image pixel which overlaps a given scaled pixel in the array of scaled pixels is determined for each image pixel, in the array of image pixels. In a final step the energy parameter of the given image pixel is distributed between scaled pixels which overlap the given image pixel, the distributing based on the fraction, such that the energy parameter is conserved. |
| US08379065B2 |
Method for displaying high resolution picture in mobile communication terminal, mobile communication terminal and system for converting picture file format therefor
The present invention discloses a method for displaying a high resolution picture in a mobile communication terminal having a low resolution display means, the mobile communication terminal and a system for converting a picture file format therefor. The method for displaying the high resolution picture in the mobile communication terminal includes the steps of: dividing picture data into a plurality of unit blocks, and converting the picture data into a picture file format including the plurality of unit block picture data and indexes for access to each of the block picture data; extracting minimum unit block picture data composing a partial picture which will be initially outputted to a display unit from the picture file by using the index information of the picture file format, and outputting the initial picture; and extracting the corresponding unit block picture data from the picture file in the movement direction by using the index information of the picture file format in accordance with generation of scroll action during the display of the picture, and outputting the position-moved picture. |
| US08379057B2 |
Dynamic perspective video window
Systems and methods are disclosed for generating an image for a user based on an image captured by a scene-facing camera or detector. The user's position relative to a component of the system is determined, and the image captured by the scene-facing detector is modified based on the user's position. The resulting image represents the scene as seen from the perspective of the user. The resulting image may be further modified by augmenting the image with additional images, graphics, or other data. |
| US08379053B1 |
Identification of areas of interest on a web page
Interest mapping systems and/or methods determine areas of interest on a web page or other information resource based on the time a user spends in various scroll positions on the page. The system identifies scroll positions on a web page that are maintained for at least a predetermined period of time. The system may further generate one or more interest maps for web page or other information resource indicative of those areas of the web page which seem to be of relatively more or less interest to users. The system may further generate trend data for the web page based on the scroll position data over time. |
| US08379052B2 |
Two-dimensional code display system, two-dimensional code display method, and program
A two-dimensional code display system has a display unit which can display a two-dimensional code representing predetermined information by plural cells arrange in a matrix, and a control unit which changes the display form of the two-dimensional code. For example, after 0.5 second has elapsed since the display unit starts displaying the image of a logo mark, the control unit controls the display unit to change the display from the image of the logo mark to a two-dimensional code. After 2.0 seconds has elapsed since the display unit starts displaying the two-dimensional code, the control unit controls the display unit to change the display from the two-dimensional code to the image of the logo mark. By repeating such control, the control unit can control the display unit to display alternately the image of the logo mark and the two-dimensional code. |
| US08379046B2 |
Method and apparatus for rendering
A rendering method and apparatus capable of allowing power to be efficiently used and rendering to be quickly completed. The rendering method includes: performing texture mapping of a transparency value of a fragment; testing whether or not the fragment can be expressed as a pixel after the performing of the texture mapping; and selectively performing texture mapping of the color value of the fragment according to the test result. |
| US08379044B2 |
Method, system and software product for color image encoding
The present invention relates to the compression of color image data. A combination of hard decision pixel mapping and soft decision pixel mapping is used to jointly address both quantization distortion and compression rate while maintaining low computational complexity and compatibility with standard decoders, such as, for example, the GIF/PNG decoder. |
| US08379041B2 |
Method for extending duration of a display apparatus having brightness compensation and apparatus realizing the same
For improving the drawback of brightness decay of a display due to aging, a memory can be used to store the usage time of each pixel of the display, then based upon the usage time the brightness decay of each pixel of the display can be compensated and accordingly the value for the compensation can be stored in a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. However, the usage of the non-volatile memory is limited. Hence, the present invention discloses a new approach for storing the data so as to decrease write-in sequence per unit area for the non-volatile memory rather than increasing its storing capacity proportionally. |
| US08379039B2 |
Reformatting content with proper color-region conversion
Some embodiments of the invention provide several novel methods for distributing image content (e.g., picture content, video content, etc.). In some embodiments, the method tags the content with data that specifies an initial target color-region for the content. Some embodiments tag the data when the content is being created, while other embodiments tag the data when the content is being edited. The method uses the tag data to reformat the content for one or more different targets for the content. For instance, during the reformatting, some embodiments use the tags to perform proper color region conversion on the content. In some embodiments, this conversion converts the colors of each pixel in the content from the initial target color region to a subsequent target color region. |
| US08379037B1 |
Multi-resolution texture aggregation
Systems and methods for aggregation of textures at multiple resolution levels are described herein. An embodiment includes a preprocessing system that aggregates textures associated with objects of interest at multiple resolution levels. Individual textures may have a “pyramid” of resolution levels, and aggregated textures may be combined into a “tree” or a “forest”. Additionally, a texture forest may also be organized spatially and in resolution using the nodes of a quadtree, based on the 3D coordinates of the geometric primitives using each texture. A client identifies a resolution level for each object of interest in an image frame, groups objects based on resolution levels. The client may then test one texture coordinate per object at the beginning of a texture tree, recursively towards each child node of the tree, accumulating texture replacement transforms as a texture matrix. The client may then draw all the textures with the appropriate transform. |
| US08379036B2 |
Mesh transfer
Mesh data and other proximity information from the mesh of one model can be transferred to the mesh of another model, even with different topology and geometry. A correspondence can be created for transferring or sharing information between points of a source mesh and points of a destination mesh. Information can be “pushed through” the correspondence to share or otherwise transfer data from one mesh to its designated location at another mesh. Correspondences can be authored on a source mesh by drawing or placing one or more geometric primitives (e.g., points, lines, curves, volumes, etc.) at the source mesh and corresponding geometric primitives at the destination mesh. A collection of “feature curves” may be placed to partition the source and destination meshes into a collection of “feature regions” resulting in partitions or “feature curve networks” for constructing correspondences between all points of one mesh and all points of another mesh. |
| US08379027B2 |
Rendering engine test system
A system to compare a reference image of a text character, word or phrase with another image of the character, word or phrase that was rendered by a text rendering engine. Differences between the reference image and the rendered image may be recorded for subsequent analysis. Performance of a text rendering engine producing text according to typographical rules applicable to a natural language can be evaluated by one with no knowledge or ability to read the natural language. |
| US08379026B2 |
Multiresolution ray intersection
According to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, computer program code and means are provided to interpolate from a first portion of a digital object having a first level of detail to a second portion of the digital object having a second level of detail, create a third portion of the digital object having a third level of detail based on the interpolating, and intersect a ray at the third portion. |
| US08379024B2 |
Modular shader architecture and method for computerized image rendering
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique rendering an image pixel within a graphics image with multiple shaders in a single rendering phase using a modular shader architecture. A user specifies how geometric objects, light sources, and various types of rendering operations in a graphics scene are associated. A rendering application provides computational infrastructure for rendering operations that includes finding an intersected object for each pixel of a target graphics image. The modular shader architecture includes a means for efficiently developing and incorporating custom shader modules for use by the rendering application. |
| US08379023B2 |
Calculating graphical vertices
A lighting equation for showing the lighting effects on a graphics logic may be solved more efficiently by grouping a plurality of vertices that represent the object to form groups of vertices. Spherical harmonic coefficients can be only calculated for the center of the group. The other coefficients within the group may be determined by interpolating the spherical harmonic coefficients across the group. |
| US08379011B2 |
Driving device, display apparatus having the same and method of driving the display apparatus
A driving device includes an output timing controller which controls an output timing of a first driving voltage and a second driving voltage respectively generated from a first voltage generator and a second voltage generator. A third driving voltage output from the output timing controller is provided to a first data driver and a second data driver, and also provided to a gamma voltage generator to generate a plurality of gamma voltages. Accordingly, a reverse electric potential between the third driving voltage and the gamma voltages is prevented from being generated in the first and second data drivers, therefore, preventing the first and second data drivers from being damaged. |
| US08379010B2 |
Image display apparatus
An image display apparatus includes a first power source line and a second power source line, which are connected to a plurality of pixel circuits, each of which includes a light-emitting device and a drive device that drives the light-emitting device; an image signal line that applies an image data potential depending on an emission brightness of the light-emitting device to the drive device; and a drive control unit (timing controller, X driver, Y driver) that controls a magnitude and an output timing of a potential applied to the image signal line, and controls a magnitude and an output timing of a potential applied to the first power source line and the second power source line, in order to perform an emission control to the respective pixel circuits all at once in all pixel circuits. The drive control unit gradually changes an image data potential of the image signal line from a first potential serving as a reference potential to a second potential serving as a constant potential so as to start the emission of the light-emitting device. |
| US08379006B1 |
Adaptive graphical interface
An adaptive graphical interface may include determining a first visual characteristic of a background portion, selecting a second visual characteristic contrasting with the first visual characteristic, and presenting a graphical feature portion, the graphical feature portion being presented over the background portion, and the graphical feature portion having the second visual characteristic. |
| US08379005B2 |
Liquid crystal display device utilizing a photosensor
A liquid crystal display device 1 having a liquid crystal display panel and an illuminating means controlled according to the output of the light sensing component. The light sensing component is deployed at the periphery of the TFT substrate's display area DA and uses a thin film transistor as photosensor. A capacitor C is connected between source and drain electrodes SL, DL for such TFT photosensor. One of the capacitor's terminals is connected to a standard voltage source VS via a switch element SW, and the other to the common electrode 26. Voltage that is always lower than the voltage applied to the common electrode by an amount corresponding to a reverse bias voltage is applied to the gate electrode GL for the TFT photosensor. The capacitor's voltage a certain time after the switch element turns off is output. |
| US08379004B2 |
Pixel and organic light emitting display device using the same
A pixel for an organic light emitting diode display is disclosed. The pixel includes an organic light emitting diode, a dummy organic light emitting diode, and a compensator configured to change the current received by the organic light emitting diode according to the difference in threshold voltages of the organic light emitting diode and the dummy organic light emitting diode. |
| US08378998B2 |
Electronic device, control method thereof and electronic control system including the same
An electronic device which receives an external control signal from an external control device to perform a corresponding operation includes at least one control device to perform the corresponding operation according to the external control signal, a switching part to apply the external control signal to the control device selectively, and a control part to determine which of the at least one control device corresponds to a control target of the external control signal based on the external control signal, and to control an operation of the switching part to apply the external control signal to the determined control device that corresponds to the control target. |
| US08378997B2 |
Information processing method and device for presenting haptics received from a virtual object
At the time of using a haptic device to present to a user haptics which a first virtual object superimposed on the haptic device receives from a second virtual object superimposed on a real object, the user is enabled to touch within the second virtual object, regardless of the real object. Accordingly, the haptics received from the second virtual object is obtained using a first haptic event model of the first virtual object and a second haptic event model of the second virtual object, and while the first haptic event model corresponds to computer graphics information of the first virtual object, the shape of the first virtual object differs from that of the haptic device, such that instructions can be made regarding the inside of the real object, using the first virtual object. |
| US08378996B2 |
Touch panel display apparatus and detection method for use in the same
Embodiments described herein are to provide a touch panel display apparatus which includes a horizontal row of light-emitting elements and a horizontal row of light-receiving elements arranged on horizontal sides of a display unit. The touch panel display apparatus further include a vertical row of light-emitting elements and a vertical row of light-receiving elements arranged on vertical sides of the display unit. The touch panel display apparatus further include a control unit which activates a first set of the light-emitting elements and the corresponding light-receiving elements when the touch pattern is disposed between the light-emitting elements and the corresponding light-receiving elements, and inactivate a second set of the light-emitting elements and the corresponding light-receiving elements when the touch pattern is not disposed between the light-emitting elements and the corresponding light-receiving elements. |
| US08378994B2 |
Touch screen device and production method thereof
A touch screen device includes a surface board on which a touch surface is provided. A plurality of first electrodes, extending parallel to each other, are provided on a surface of the surface board opposite to the touch surface. A plurality of second electrodes, extending parallel to each other, are provided such that the first electrodes and the second electrodes are arranged in a grid pattern. First and second protectors respectively protect the first electrodes and the second electrodes. The first protector is provided on a portion of the surface of the surface board on which the first electrodes are provided such that a space is provided between the first electrodes. |
| US08378990B2 |
Display apparatus and touch detection method for the same
An exemplary display apparatus includes a plurality of pixel units, a plurality of gate lines, a readout line and a plurality of touch control units. The gate lines are for deciding whether to enable the pixel units. Each of the touch control units is electrically coupled to the readout line and a corresponding one of the gate lines and includes a switching element. When one of the touch control units is touched, the switching element of the touched touch control unit is turned on, and thereby a waveform on the gate line corresponding to the touched touch control unit is coupled to the readout line and a position of the touched touch control unit is determined according to a timing sequence of a waveform on the readout line. The present invention also provides a touch detection method adapted to be implemented on the above-mentioned display apparatus. |
| US08378984B2 |
Pressure operating apparatus and operating method thereof
A pressure operating apparatus is used for controlling the movement of an operation object. One user can press down an insulating element to make a conductive element dispose below the insulating element to turn on at least one of switching elements. The turned on switching elements transmits a conductive signal respectively to a processing module. Finally, the processing module controls the movement of the operation object according to the conductive signal received simultaneously. |
| US08378981B2 |
Capacitive sensing with high-frequency noise reduction
A method and apparatus for sensing the presence of a body from a change in an amount of charge present on a capacitively charged key includes performing a measurement burst which generates a plurality of signal sample values from a plurality of measurement cycles. Each of the measurement cycle includes inducing charge onto the key during a drive part of the measurement cycle, measuring during a signal measurement part of the measurement cycle the charge induced on the key during the drive part of the measurement cycle, and generating a signal sample value to represent of the charge measured from the key during the signal measurement part of the measurement cycle. The method includes comparing the value of the plurality of the signal sample values of the measurement burst with a determined range of accepted values between a determined maximum and a determined minimum value, and processing any of the plurality of signal sample values, which are outside the determined accepted range to the effect that the presence of the body can be determined only from a change in the value of one or more of the plurality of signal samples which are within the determined accepted range. By removing the effects of signal sample values, which are outside the determined accepted range of values, then the effects of noise, such as rectangular noise, which might otherwise cause a body to be erroneously detected can be substantially reduced. |
| US08378980B2 |
Input method using a touchscreen of an electronic device
An input method using a touchscreen of an electronic device includes enabling the touchscreen to display thereon a writing track and to open a window that also shows the writing track when the touchscreen detects the writing track thereon, and enabling the touchscreen to close the window when the touchscreen does not detect another writing track thereon within a predetermined time period. An electronic device for performing the input method is also disclosed. |
| US08378978B2 |
Input/output apparatus
An input/output apparatus includes a main body and a display. The main body includes a power supply, a driver and a controller connected to the power supply. The driver is used for sending drive signals. The display module is fixed to the main body and connected to the power supply. The display module is driven by the driver to display information. The display module includes a display and a sensor. The display is used for displaying information according to the drive signals. The display is E-paper type. The sensor is attached to the display, and is capable of sensing external operations and generating corresponding sensor signals. The controller is connected to the sensor and used for receiving the sensor signals and controlling the sensor. |
| US08378973B2 |
Method for scroll bar control on a touchpad
In a method for scroll bar control on a touchpad, the fingers touching on the touchpad are detected to start up and terminate a scroll bar control function. In the scroll bar control function, the movement of the finger or fingers touching on the touchpad is detected for scrolling on a window, and the vertical distance and the horizontal distance of the movement are evaluated for determining the scrolling amount of a vertical scroll bar or a horizontal scroll bar of the window. |
| US08378971B2 |
Wireless mouse
A wireless mouse includes a switch unit arranged between a circuit board and a lower cover of the wireless mouse. The circuit board defines two electrical connection contacts which can control to provide power for the wireless mouse. The switch unit can make the electrical connection contacts be connected to each other in response to the wireless mouse is pressed by a user. The switch unit also can make the electrical connection contacts be not connected to each other in response to the wireless mouse is not pressed by a user. |
| US08378970B2 |
Manipulation input device which detects human hand manipulations from captured motion images
When a vehicle navigation system is manipulated by taking pictures of a user hand motion and gesture with a camera, as the number of apparatuses and operational objects increases, the associated hand shapes and hand motions increase, thus causing a complex manipulation for a user. Furthermore, in detecting a hand with the camera, when the image of a face having color tone information similar to that of a hand appears in an image taken with a camera, or outside light rays such as sun rays or illumination rays vary, detection accuracy is reduced. To overcome such problems, a manipulation input device is provided that includes a limited hand manipulation determination unit and a menu representation unit, whereby a simple manipulation can be achieved and manipulation can accurately be determined. In addition, detection accuracy can be improved by a unit that selects a single result from results determined by a plurality of determination units, based on images taken with a plurality of cameras. |
| US08378968B2 |
Method, apparatus, and article for force feedback based on tension control and tracking through cables
A haptic interface system includes a cable based haptic interface device and a controller. The controller receives information related to movement of a grip in real-space and generates a stereoscopic output for a display device. The stereoscopic output includes images of a virtual reality tool whose motions mimic motions of the real-space grip. |
| US08378964B2 |
System and method for automatically producing haptic events from a digital audio signal
In an embodiment, a system and method for automatically converting a plurality of events in a plurality of channels in a structured representation sequence into haptic events. The method comprises calculating an event score for each event of the sequence in one or more channels. The method also comprises calculating a cumulative score based on the event scores in the one or more channels. The method includes selectively designating haptic events to the events based on the event scores in one or more selected channels, wherein the haptic events are output by a haptic actuator. |
| US08378959B2 |
Method of dimming light sources, light source apparatus for performing the method, and display apparatus having the light source apparatus
A light source panel according to an embodiment includes a plurality of light-emitting parts having a plurality of light-emitting substances to be divided into a predetermined number of partial areas. A light source driving part provides each of the light-emitting substances with a current. An adaptive dimming control part receives an image signal from an external device and sets the light-emitting parts into a first dimming block corresponding to a first color class of the first image signal or a second dimming block corresponding to a second color class of the first image signal to control the backlight assembly, in order to prevent color artifacts from being generated at a boundary area between the first dimming block and the second dimming block, the adaptive dimming control part controlling the backlight assembly, so that the first dimming block performs a second dimming operation. |
| US08378958B2 |
White point control in backlights
Systems, methods, and devices are provided for maintaining a target white point on a light emitting diode based backlight. In one embodiment, the backlight may include two or more strings of light emitting diodes, each driven at a respective driving strength. Each string may include light emitting diodes from a different color bin, and the respective driving strengths may be adjusted, for example, through pulse width modulation or amplitude modulation, to maintain the target white point. In certain embodiments, the driving strengths may be adjusted to compensate for shifts in the white point that may occur due to temperature or aging. A controller may adjust the driving strengths based on feedback from a temperature sensor, from an optical sensor, from a user input, or from calibration data included within the backlight or system. |
| US08378955B2 |
Liquid crystal display backlight with filtering
A display is backlit by a source having spatially modulated luminance to attenuate illumination of dark areas of images and increase the dynamic range of the display. |
| US08378949B2 |
Driving apparatus for liquid crystal display
A driving apparatus for a liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided. The driving apparatus includes a plurality of data driving ICs and a control board. The data driving ICs are used for receiving and transmitting a clock signal, a plurality of data signals and a first reference voltage from the 1st data driving IC to the last data driving IC in series. The control board is used for providing the clock signal, the data signals and the first reference voltage, and changing the first reference voltage received by each data driving IC according to a variation of the clock signal and the data signals transmitted between the data driving ICs, so that the operation frequency of the data driving ICs is unrestricted. |
| US08378947B2 |
Systems and methods for temporal subpixel rendering of image data
Methods are disclosed to render image data over time. In one embodiment, a mapping from image data values to first and second sets of subpixels in a plurality of output frames uses brightness versus viewing angle performance measures to reduce color error when the image is viewed on the display panel at an off-normal viewing angle. In another embodiment, temporal subpixel rendering is used to improve the viewing angle in LCD displays or to improve subpixel rendering in other display technologies. |
| US08378942B2 |
Source driver, electro-optical device, projection-type display device, and electronic instrument
A source driver that drives a source line of an electro-optical device based on (j+k)-bit (j and k are natural numbers) grayscale data includes 2j grayscale signal lines, a grayscale voltage select circuit that outputs two grayscale voltages among 2j grayscale voltages supplied through the 2j grayscale signal lines, and a source line driver circuit that outputs a grayscale voltage corresponding to lower-order k-bit data of the grayscale data from the source line driver circuit to the source line, the grayscale voltage output to the source line being a voltage among voltages between the low-potential-side grayscale voltage and the high-potential-side grayscale voltage output from the grayscale voltage select circuit to the source line driver circuit. |
| US08378933B2 |
Pixel and organic light emitting display device using the same
A pixel includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED) having a cathode electrode coupled to a second power source, a second transistor coupled to a data line and a first scan line, a first transistor coupled between a second electrode of the second transistor and an anode electrode of the OLED, a third transistor coupled between a gate electrode and a second electrode of the first transistor, a fourth transistor coupled between the gate electrode of the first transistor and an initialization power source, a fifth transistor coupled between a first electrode of the first transistor and a first power source, a first capacitor coupled between the gate electrode of the first transistor and the first power source, and a second capacitor coupled between the gate electrode and the first electrode of the first transistor. |
| US08378932B2 |
Foldable portable display
Techniques are generally described for a system, method and apparatus that provides a foldable portable display, such as may be used in conjunction with a handheld or other portable electronic device. The display screen may be folded and/or retracted into a smaller form factor for easy concealment and/or stowage. When in use, the display may be extended into a larger size and shape than the case for the device. |
| US08378928B2 |
Display panel and display apparatus
The present invention provides an irregularly-shaped display panel having a display region with a contour section having a good appearance, which is easily designed and produced. The present invention is a display panel comprising a display region including: an array of a plurality of pixels each constituted by a plurality of sub-pixels; and a plurality of wirings provided along boundaries of the plurality of sub-pixels, wherein a plurality of pixels include a pixel for a contour located in a contour section of the display region; the sub-pixels constituting the pixel for a contour have aperture regions having similar aperture areas to one another and contour lines each running in parallel with a drawing direction of one of the wirings at least on the side of a frame region; and the aperture area of the pixel for a contour is smaller than an aperture area of a pixel located at an inner side of the contour section of the display region. |
| US08378917B2 |
Proximity antenna and wireless communication device
A proximity antenna includes a wiring pattern wound in a predetermined direction in a horizontal plane from a signal end to a ground end and a wiring pattern wound in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction in a horizontal plane from a signal end to a ground end, in which the wiring pattern and the wiring pattern are apposed in a vertical direction. The characteristics of a spiral coil having several turns can be thus obtained by a one-turn wiring width, and an installation space for other components, larger than a conventional installation space, can be therefore secured. |
| US08378913B2 |
Dual-band antenna unit
A dual-band antenna unit, comprising: a first radiation unit; a second radiation unit; a first signal feed-in unit electrically connected to the first radiation unit; and a second signal feed-in unit, electrically connected to the second radiation unit; wherein the first radiation unit, the second radiation unit, the first signal feed-in unit and the second signal feed-in unit are disposed in the dual-band antenna unit. Therefore, the number of antennas can be reduced to achieve lower cost while remaining the signal transmission quality. |
| US08378908B2 |
Array antenna for measurement-while-drilling
An electromagnetic antenna for Measurement-While-Drilling (MWD) applications is disclosed. The antenna can include several array elements that can act alone or together in various measurement modes. The antenna elements can be disposed in tool body recesses to be protected from damage. The antenna elements can include a ferrite plate crossed or looped by independent current carrying conductors in two or more directions forming a bi-directional or crossed magnetic dipole. Although disclosed as a MWD system conveyed by a drill string, basic concepts of the system are applicable to other types of borehole conveyance. |
| US08378906B2 |
Electrical connection structure and antenna apparatus
An electrical connection structure including: a first terminal attached to an edge portion of a circuit board, and composed of a first nipping portion, a connecting portion, a second nipping portion and a leaf spring portion each formed integrally in order as a single member, wherein the connecting portion exists along a side face of the edge portion, the first and second nipping portion and the connecting portion hold the edge portion therebetween and the leaf spring portion extends from an opposite side to the side of the connecting portion of the second nipping portion so that an interior angle formed by the second nipping portion and the leaf spring portion to be an acute; and a second terminal to be electrically connected to the leaf spring portion, wherein the second terminal is pressed to the leaf spring portion into a direction of widening the interior angle. |
| US08378905B2 |
Airship mounted array
A space-fed conformal array for a high altitude airship includes a primary array lens assembly adapted for conformal mounting to a non-planar airship surface. The lens assembly includes a first set of radiator elements and a second set of radiator elements, the first set and the second set spaced apart by a spacing distance. The first set of radiators faces outwardly from the airship surface to provide a radiating aperture. The second set of radiators faces inwardly toward an inner space of the airship, for illumination by a feed array spaced from the second set of radiators. |
| US08378898B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device with selective antenna load switching and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device may include at least two antennas having a different structure. The device may also include wireless transceivers, a load(s), signal processing circuitry, and a controller. The controller may be for selectively switching the signal processing circuitry to a desired one of the wireless transceivers, selectively switching a desired one of the antennas to the desired one of the wireless transceivers, and selectively switching a different one of the antennas to at least one of the loads. |
| US08378897B2 |
Planar multi-band antenna
A planar multi-band antenna includes a substrate and a metal pattern. The metal pattern includes a first metal wire, a second metal wire, a third metal wire and a fourth metal wire. The second metal wire is disposed opposite to the first metal wire and has a grounding point. Two ends of the third metal wire are connected to the first metal wire and second metal wire, respectively, and the first metal wire is divided into a first radiation portion and a second radiation portion. The fourth metal wire is partially located between the second radiation portion and the second metal wire and forms multiple bends, and has a first impedance matching portion and a feed point, and part of the fourth metal wire coincides with the second radiation portion in a projection direction. By the activation of the feeding point and the grounding point associates with the impedance matching portion, the antenna has plural bands. |
| US08378895B2 |
Coupled electron shuttle providing electrical rectification
A nanoscale electron shuttle with two elastically mounted conductors positioned within a gap between conductors produces asymmetrical electron conduction between the conductors when the conductors receive an AC signal to provide for rectification, detection and/or power harvesting. |
| US08378894B2 |
Antenna device
A planar antenna device includes a dielectric layer and two conductor layers vertically sandwiching the dielectric layer. The lower conductor layer is used as a ground, and the upper conductor layer forms a radiating element having a structure in which four or more radiating element pieces of different sizes are connected to a feeder line. |
| US08378884B2 |
Vehicular traffic surveillance doppler radar system
A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom. |
| US08378881B2 |
Systems and methods for collision avoidance in unmanned aerial vehicles
Systems and methods for collision avoidance in unmanned aerial vehicles are provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for collision avoidance system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method including scanning for objects within a preselected range of the UAV using a plurality of phased array radar sensors, receiving scan information from each of the plurality of phased array radar sensors, wherein the scan information includes information indicative of objects detected within the preselected range of the UAV, determining maneuver information including whether to change a flight path of the UAV based on the scan information, and sending the maneuver information to a flight control circuitry of the UAV. |
| US08378873B2 |
Analog to digital converter and digital to analog converter
To decrease the burden of digital processing, provided is an AD conversion apparatus comprising a pattern generating section that, for each target bit specified one bit at a time moving downward in the output data, generates a pattern signal having a pulse width or number of pulses corresponding to a weighting of the target bit; an integrating section that integrates the pattern signals according to a judgment value for judging a value of the target bit each time a pattern signal is generated, and outputs a reference signal obtained by accumulating the integrated value of each pattern signal; a comparing section that, each time generation of a pattern signal is finished, compares the input signal to the reference signal; and an output section that outputs the output data to have values corresponding to the comparison results obtained after each generation of a pattern signal corresponding to a bit is finished. |
| US08378871B1 |
Data directed scrambling to improve signal-to-noise ratio
Provided are methods and systems for performing binary data conversion in digital-to-analog converters (DACs) having sigma-delta modulators and involving data directed scrambling (DDS) algorithms to effectively shape the element mismatch errors to first-order shaped wideband noise. An example method may commence with receiving binary data, which comprises positive binary data and negative binary data. The method may further comprise converting, by a DDS unit, the binary data into binary thermometer code data. The conversion is performed by selectively assigning one or more logic ones in a data array from a current location of a positive (negative) pointer when positive (negative) binary data is received. A number of the one or more logic ones may be associated with the binary data. The method may further comprise circularly shifting the positive (negative) pointer to a new location within the array by the number of the one or more logic ones. |
| US08378869B2 |
Fast data weighted average circuit and method
A method and apparatus are provided for Fast Data Weighted Average (DWA) double-sampling modulators with minimal loop delay supporting improved stability. Quantization and DEM are accomplished within non-overlap time. By this reduction in time delay, power can be saved for analog integrators. The DC signal of partitioned DWA is removed by alternating reference voltages, and there is no additional delay as the alternation is performed at the comparator inputs. Embodiments employ an oversampling ratio (OSR) of 8 and a 15-level quantizer. |
| US08378866B2 |
Controller to control electrical power of load in constant
A heater controller for controlling a heater precisely in the equi-power mode is disclosed. The controller includes a current source, a voltage monitor to detect a voltage drop caused in the heater, and a controller. The voltage drop may be converted to the digital form as refereeing to the first reference, while, the heater current is converted from the digital form as referring to the second reference. The second reference shows substantial temperature dependence, while, the first reference has lesser temperature dependence. The control corrects the temperature dependence of the second reference as referring to the first reference. |
| US08378865B2 |
Method of testing digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters
A method of testing a digital-to-analog or analog-to-digital converter including coarse and fine voltage dividers corresponding respectively to more and less significant bits of the digital signal. Reference input signals are applied corresponding to a first selection of the fine resistor elements with each selection of the coarse resistor elements in succession, corresponding output signals of the converter are measured, and differential non-linearity values and integral non-linearity values for these selections of fine and coarse resistor elements are calculated. Similar measurements and calculations are made for a first selection of the coarse resistor elements with each of the selections of the fine resistor elements in succession. Differential non-linearity values and integral non-linearity values for other combinations of the coarse resistor elements with the fine resistor elements are then calculated using combinations of the calculated differential non-linearity values and the calculated integral non-linearity values. |
| US08378863B2 |
Analog-to-digital converter and correction method thereof
An analog-to-digital (AD) converter device, includes: a capacitive digital-to-analog converter (DAC) including a reference capacitor group having capacitors which are weighted with a ratio, one terminal of each of the capacitors being coupled to a common signal line, the other terminal of each of the capacitors being coupled to one of reference power supplies via one of switches; a comparator to compare a voltage of the common signal line with a reference voltage; a successive approximation routine circuit to control the switches based on a comparison result of the comparator; an offset correction circuit to correct an offset of the comparator; and a DAC correction circuit to correct an error in a voltage change of the common signal line, the offset correction circuit and the DAC correction circuit performing a correction so that a residual offset of the comparator and a residual error of the capacitive DAC cancel. |
| US08378862B2 |
Method and device for compression of binary sequences by grouping multiple symbols
A method for encoding an input sequence of symbols to produce a bitstream and a method of decoding the bitstream to generate a reconstructed binary sequence. Encoding employs 2L-ary encoding trees having codewords associated with leaf nodes. A context model is used to select an encoding tree corresponding to an estimated probability at the encoder. The same context model is used by the decoder to select a decoding tree. The decoder interleaves bits from decoded sequences of length-L strings associated with different estimated probabilities, based on the context model. |
| US08378861B2 |
Storage of probability values for contexts used in arithmetic coding
Arithmetic coding utilizes probability values associated with contexts and context indexed values. The probability values are stored within a random access memory 6 from where they are fetched to a cache memory 8 before being supplied to an arithmetic encoder and decoder 4. The context indexed values used are mapped to the plurality of contexts employed such that context indexed values used to process data values close by in a position within the stream of data values being processed have a greater statistical likelihood of sharing a group of contexts than context values used to process data values far away in position within the stream of data values. Thus, a group of contexts for which the probability values are fetched together into the cache memory 8 will have an increased statistical likelihood of being used together in close proximity in processing the stream of data values. This reduces the number of cache flush operations and cache line fill operations. |
| US08378858B2 |
Rotationally-operated input device
A rotationally-operated input device includes the following elements: (a) a magnetized cylindrical rotary magnet; (b) an operating shaft having the rotary magnet inserted and held thereon; (c) an upper case and a lower case for sandwiching the operating shaft therebetween rotatably; (d) an insulating substrate for fixing and holding the lower case; (e) a detection element mounted on the insulating substrate, for detecting rotation of the rotary magnet in a non-contact manner; and (f) a fixed magnet for generating an attractive and repulsive force between the fixed magnet and the rotary magnet. This structure allows detection of a rotation state of the operating shaft and provides click-feeling at rotating operation, in a non-contact manner. Thus a long-life small rotationally-operated input device can be provided. |
| US08378853B2 |
Intelligent crew alerting system and method for aircraft and other vehicle applications
A method of managing alerts associated with the operation of an aircraft is provided. The method maintains an alert model database that correlates root causes to alerts associated with onboard aircraft subsystems. During operation of the aircraft, the method receives first alert data indicative of at least one alert of a first onboard aircraft subsystem, and traverses the alert model database to determine a root cause of the first alert data. The root cause (or some indicia thereof) can then be displayed on a display element. |
| US08378849B2 |
Enabling driver communication
Techniques for generating driving information based on one or more driver inputs are provided. The techniques include receiving information about one or more triggering factors from at least one of one or more internal entities and one or more external entities, using the information to generate a message about the one or more triggering factors, and sending the message to one or more additional drivers. |
| US08378846B2 |
Mobile network back-up for fixed meter reading networks
A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing a metering site transceiver (12 or 15) with the ability to operate in a mobile back-up network (26) to signal utility consumption data that would otherwise be transmitted to a fixed receiver (30) in a fixed network AMR system. A mobile collection back-up capability allows a vehicle collection system (26, 27) to be used to read the remote meters (11, 14) in the fixed network, when a gateway (30) is detected as not communicating with the site transceiver (12 or 15). |
| US08378843B2 |
System and method to provide value added services in an asset network
A telematics system in an asset network is provided. The telematics system includes one or more sensors configured to acquire data from multiple assets at different locations in the asset network. The telematics system also includes a transceiver configured to receive the data acquired from the one or more sensors. The telematics system further includes a data analysis system. The data analysis system includes a central data server configured to receive the data transmitted from the transceiver. The data analysis system also includes a processing circuitry configured to combine data, analyze combined data to detect trends, generate value added services based on the detected trends and distribute the value added services to multiple end users. |
| US08378838B1 |
Optical drive emptiness indicator
In one embodiment, an optical drive emptiness indicator including a base and a flag output partially extends outside of an optical drive into which it is loaded to provide a load status of the optical drive. |
| US08378837B2 |
Occlusion detection system
A method of monitoring pressure inside a fluid line and a system for implementing the method. The method is applicable to syringe pump systems. The method includes the steps of measuring a force value caused by a pressure inside the fluid line; collecting the measured force values during at least two consecutive moving time windows; calculating a slope of a best-fit line within each time window; calculating a slope difference of the slopes of the best-fit lines; comparing the slope difference with a pre-determined threshold gradient value; defining a baseline force as the detected force value when the slope difference is equal to the threshold gradient value; determining a relative force value by subtracting the baseline force from the detected force value; and, triggering an alarm if the relative force is greater than a pre-defined threshold force. |
| US08378835B2 |
Refrigerator and control method thereof
A refrigerator and a control method of the refrigerator are discussed. According to an embodiment, a control method of a refrigerator connected to an electric power management network comprises steps of receiving power-rate information via the electric power management network; setting an over-cooling period and a power-saving period based on the received power-rate information; controlling at east one storage chamber to be over-cooled by over-cooling cold air during the over-cooling period; and controlling the other storage chamber to be over-cooled by the over-cooled cold air during the power-saving period. According to the present invention, the functions of the refrigerator are provided with minimal use of electricity and/or with reduced electricity charges. |
| US08378829B2 |
Method for monitoring and/or controlling a transport device, transport device for carrying out said method and clamp for detachably holding and transporting
The invention relates to a method for monitoring and/or controlling a transport device (10) wherein a plurality of similar products (17), in particular printed products, such as newspapers, magazines or similar are held in a detachable manner by means of individual clamps (12) that are arranged in a row, one behind the other, and are transported in sequence along a transport path (19). Improved operational reliability and controllability is characterized in that a contract-free read-in or read-out tag (T1-T5, Tn) is provided on the clamps (12), and that a reading-in/reading-out device (30) is disposed in the vicinity of the respective clamp for reading-in or reading-out data in the tags of a clamp (12), and is displaced with the respective clamp (12) over a selected section of the transport path (19). |
| US08378824B2 |
Image-forming system
An image-forming system includes a data-reading unit, a data-writing unit, and a restricting unit. The data-reading unit reads additional data from a first storing member of an original document. The data-writing unit writes the read additional data to a second storing member of a recording medium. The restricting unit gives a restriction to the additional data stored in the first storing member after the additional data is read, in order to prevent the additional data stored in the first storing member from being read subsequently. |
| US08378823B2 |
Transmit-only electronic article surveillance system and method
An anti-theft security system that utilizes an electronic article surveillance (EAS) beacon that emits an electromagnetic field that a corresponding security tag transponder detects in determining whether to set off onboard transponder alarms or to remain dormant. The EAS beacon is a self-contained beacon that can be easily installed at any desired location and can utilize local utility power or revert to battery power. Among other things, this avoids the large installation, calibration and maintenance costs and tasks of conventional EAS pedestals. The EAS beacon includes coil panels that are secured to an elongated housing that can be flexed to avoid or minimize damage should something or someone come into contact with the panels. An audible/visible alarm is activated when such flexing or tampering occurs. A passive infrared detector is provided to reduce power consumption when the EAS beacon is operating on battery power. The EAS beacon may also be used in existing EAS and RFID anti-theft security systems wherein the associated security transponder also includes passive EAS and/or RFID security elements. A wireless disable key can also be used to shut off an alarming transponder. |
| US08378818B2 |
Device for detecting the passage of objects with a RFID label, method and system using such device
A device for the detection of the passage of objects, people or animals bearing a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, including at least one mobile support which, when at rest, forms a barrier to the passage of the objects, people or animals and which, when in contact with the latter, is capable of moving towards a withdrawn position, this mobile support bearing an antenna connected electrically to an RFID tag reader. |
| US08378814B2 |
Allocating method of moving area list of user equipment and corresponding apparatus
A method of allocating the moving area list of user equipment which relating to wireless communication technology. Interacting signaling between network and UE is reduced. The utilization efficiency of network resource is enhanced. The method includes, receiving the area ID which is pre-defined from UE, acquiring the history information of the last allocated moving area list from the mobility management entity (MME) which allocated the last moving area list, allocating new moving area list according to the history information and the received area ID. Accordingly, a MME and UE are disclosed. |
| US08378811B2 |
Mobile wireless customizable health and condition monitor
A wearable sensor may be provided. The wearable sensor may include a timing mechanism; a plurality of sensor pairs coupled to the timing mechanism wherein each sensor pair comprises an emitter and a detector; and a microcontroller coupled in communication to the timing mechanism and the plurality of sensor pairs. |
| US08378807B2 |
Bluetooth communication method and system
A Bluetooth connection establishment method and system is provided for facilitating establishment of a communication channel between a master device and a target slave device. The method has the steps of broadcasting an inquiry signal for discovering a slave device and transmitting an inquiry response signal. The inquiry response signal is communicated from the slave device to a master device and the inquiry response signal indicates that the inquiry signal has been received by the slave device. The method requests at the master device that the at least one slave device transmits identification information. A slave device list is displayed. An alarm is transmitted by the at least one slave device that received the inquiry signal and a second alarm is transmitted by a target slave device selected from the slave device list in response to an alarm trigger signal transmitted by the master device. |
| US08378800B2 |
Security system and method for operating the same
A security system is disclosed with a digital processor-based wireless remote controller that sends command to perform system operations and receive confirmation of various aspects of the system. The security system monitors environmental and vehicle system parameters and automatically provides commands or prohibits issuance of commands to operate vehicles systems based on preset environmental and vehicle system conditions. The system reports command and response status to users through the remote controller. |
| US08378796B2 |
Portable terminal
A portable terminal and method of providing tactile sensation responsive to user touching at the portable terminal is provided. The portable terminal includes a housing disposed beneath a touch screen display, such that the housing is configured to impact the touch screen display in response to a user input impressed by touch on at least a portion of the touch screen display, the housing including at least one magnetic device configured to collide with the housing. The portable terminal further including a magnetic actuator disposed relative to the at least one magnetic device, such that the magnetic actuator controls a first magnetism that displaces the least one magnetic device having a second magnetism thereby creating the impact between the at least one magnetic device and the housing. |
| US08378788B2 |
Variable frequency tag
An antenna assembly is operative for receiving interrogating radiation at a variable frequency tag and generating a corresponding received signal, and for receiving a signature signal and radiating corresponding response radiation. A logic unit is operative for receiving the received signal and outputting the signature signal in response, the signature signal including a signature code for use in identifying the tag. A voltage controlled oscillator is operative for controlling a rate at which the signature code is output; and a power supply is operative for providing an electrical potential difference for energizing the tag. The voltage controlled oscillator is operable to output the signature code at a rate which is governed by the magnitude of the received signal. |
| US08378787B2 |
Method and apparatus for disabling a data tag device
The present invention discloses a data tag device (100) which initially operates in either an active mode or a semi-active mode (604). The data tag device includes tag circuitry including a interface element (104), a controller element (102), and a memory (106) in which tag data (116) is stored. A battery is provided which is initially coupled to the tag circuitry. A decoupling feature (402) is used to destructively decouple the battery from the tag circuitry when it is desired to disable the data tag device and reduce the ability of third parties to obtain the tag data. The data tag device is configured to detect the destructive decoupling (606, 608), and disable the data tag in response. |
| US08378786B2 |
Security provision in standards-compliant RFID systems
Enhanced security is provided in an RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID devices and at least one reader which communicates with one or more of the devices. In one aspect of the invention, a first command is transmitted from the reader to write a first data unit to a memory of given one of the RFID devices. A reply is received in the reader from the given RFID device indicating that a second data unit determined based on contents of the first data unit is available in the memory to be accessed by the reader. A second command is transmitted from the reader to the given RFID device to allow the reader to read the memory to thereby obtain the second data unit. The first and second data units comprise information exchanged as part of a cryptographic protocol carried out between the reader and the given RFID device. In an illustrative embodiment, the cryptographic protocol may comprise a challenge-response authentication protocol. |
| US08378781B1 |
Animated light string system
A system for controlling a string of lights, where each light or group of lights has a microcontroller for controlling their brightness and color. The light's microcontrollers are connected with serial data communication lines in a daisy chain fashion. Unique identification numbers are automatically assigned sequentially to each of the lights so brightness or color information transmitted on the serial data line is directed to a particular light. A plurality of brightness and color settings are stored on each light, and the string of lights synchronously switches between them on command from the serial line, or smoothly fades between them on command from the serial line. |
| US08378777B2 |
Magnetic electrical device
A magnetic component and a method for manufacturing a low profile, magnetic component. The method comprises the steps of providing at least one sheet, coupling at least a portion of at least one winding to the at least one sheet, and laminating the at least one sheet with at least a portion of the at least one winding. The magnetic component comprises at least one sheet and at least a portion of at least one winding coupled to the at least one sheet, wherein the at least one sheet is laminated to at least a portion of the at least one winding. The winding may comprise a clip, a preformed coil, a stamped conductive foil, or an etched trace using chemical or laser etching. The sheet may comprise any material capable of being laminated and/or rolled, including, but not limited to, flexible magnetic powder sheets. |
| US08378774B2 |
Coil unit and electronic apparatus using the same
A coil unit includes a coil including a coil wire, a magnetic substance for receiving magnetic force lines generated by the coil, a first substrate, and a temperature detection element disposed on the first substrate. |
| US08378772B2 |
Inductor with thermally stable resistance
An inductor includes an inductor body having a top surface and a first and second opposite end surfaces. There is a void through the inductor body between the first and second opposite end surfaces. A thermally stable resistive element positioned through the void and turned toward the top surface to forms surface mount terminals which can be used for Kelvin type sensing. Where the inductor body is formed of a ferrite, the inductor body includes a slot. The resistive element may be formed of a punched resistive strip and provide for a partial turn or multiple turns. The inductor may be formed of a distributed gap magnetic material formed around the resistive element. A method for manufacturing the inductor includes positioning an inductor body around a thermally stable resistive element such that terminals of the thermally stable resistive element extend from the inductor body. |
| US08378771B2 |
Rotary transformer
Described herein are rotary transformers for coupling signals between components that rotate relative to one another. In an exemplary embodiment, a rotary transformer comprises a rotary shaft, a first magnetic core on the rotary shaft, and a first winding wound around the first magnetic core. The rotary transformer further comprises a hollow second magnetic core, and a second winding wound along the inner wall of the second magnetic core. During operation, the first winding on the rotary shaft rotates within the second winding with the magnetic cores magnetically coupling signals between the two windings. Also, the first and second windings are closely spaced to provide capacitive coupling between the windings that extends the frequency response of the transformer. In one embodiment, the windings comprises substantially flat conductors wound in the shape of the windings. In another embodiment, each of the windings comprises circular loops connected by jogs. |
| US08378768B2 |
Radial and linear magnetic axial alignment chamber
The invention is a processing component used in electrophoresic conversion of coal fired flue gas carbon dioxide and nitrogen emissions into useful products in lieu of the more costly geosequestration of pollutant by-products produced in the electrical generating and transportation sectors of the economy. Carbon dioxide and facility stack nitrogen imbalance of coal-fired furnace emissions are chemically reacted with electric vehicle fuel cell spent electrolyte in the commercial production of plastic carbon polymers and nitrogen fertilizers. |
| US08378764B2 |
Leaky coaxial cable
Provided is a leaky coaxial cable in which a plurality of slots 1 for forming a leak electromagnetic field are arranged in a string shape in an outer conductor of the coaxial cable. The pitch interval of the slots 1 is periodically changed in the axial direction. The periodical change of the pitch interval of a slot portion changes according to a sinusoidal function, a quadratic function, or other functions. |
| US08378763B2 |
Layered bandpass filter
A bandpass filter includes three resonators of which adjacent two are electromagnetically coupled to each other, and two coupling paths connected in parallel for forming capacitive coupling between non-adjacent two of the resonators. Each of the two coupling paths includes at least one capacitor and an inductor connected in series. The two coupling paths function to form an attenuation pole at a frequency lower than the passband frequencies in the pass attenuation characteristics of the bandpass filter. |
| US08378761B2 |
Radio frequency filter and filtering unit thereof
Parameters of a radio frequency filter can be changed by changing structure of each component of the filter. Material of each component, diameters of each of magnetic cylinders, density of each of conductive coils, thickness of a dielectric layer, and thickness of an insulation tube can be changed. When any component needs to be replaced, each cover is rotated, with connection partitions move to two slots of an insulation portion, to detach the filter. |
| US08378760B2 |
Duplexer, communication module, and communication device
A duplexer includes an unbalanced transmitting filter; a balanced receiving filter; a transmitting port connected to the transmitting filter; and a first receiving port and a second receiving port connected to the receiving filter. The duplexer also includes an electromagnetic coupling portion connected between the transmitting port and the first receiving port and between the transmitting port and the second receiving port. The electromagnetic coupling portion adjusts the phase between electric power that flows from the transmitting port to the first receiving port and electric power that flows from the transmitting port to the second receiving port. |
| US08378759B2 |
First and second coplanar microstrip lines separated by rows of vias for reducing cross-talk there between
An apparatus for reducing crosstalk including a substrate having a bottom surface and a top surface defining a horizontal plane, a ground plane coupled to the bottom surface of the substrate, first and second microstrip lines formed on the top surface of the substrate, the first and second microstrip lines formed on the top surface of the substrate and spaced apart from one another, and a first plurality of vias traveling through the substrate from the top surface of the substrate to the ground plane and positioned between the first and second microstrip lines for reducing crosstalk between the first and second microstrip lines. |
| US08378754B2 |
Ring oscillator
Multiple multi-stage delay circuits each have n (n is an integer) output terminals. The multi-stage delay circuits each apply delay times to a corresponding input signal, and output, via n output terminals, n delayed signals to which different delay times have been applied. Multiple inverters invert the respective input signals. The multiple multi-stage delay circuits and multiple inverters are alternately connected in the form of a ring. |
| US08378751B2 |
Frequency synthesizer with multiple tuning loops
A frequency synthesizer with multiple tuning loops, e.g., a fine tuning loop and a coarse tuning loop, is described. The fine tuning loop may operate over a limited tuning range and may have fine frequency resolution. The coarse tuning loop may operate over a wide tuning range and may have coarse frequency resolution. The fine tuning loop may receive a reference signal at a reference frequency and generate a fine tuning signal at a first frequency adjustable in fine steps. The coarse tuning loop may receive the reference signal, generate an output signal at an output frequency, and generate a coarse tuning signal at a second frequency based on the output signal and the fine tuning signal. The second frequency may be adjustable in coarse steps, e.g., in integer multiples of the reference frequency. The output frequency may be determined based on the first frequency and the second frequency. |
| US08378746B2 |
Voltage-mode line driving circuit having adaptive impedance matching
A voltage-mode line driving circuit is provided. The voltage-mode line driving circuit includes a driving circuit, the driving circuit receiving, as an input signal, a feedback signal, and outputting an output signal. The voltage-mode line driving signal also includes an adaptive tuning circuit coupled to the driving circuit, the adaptive tuning circuit receiving as input signals the feedback signal and the output signal and adaptively outputting a modifying signal to the driving circuit which modifies the feedback signal. |
| US08378734B2 |
Method and system for reduction of off-current in field effect transistors
A method for reducing an off-current of a field effect transistor in which two electrodes of the field effect transistor have fixed voltage values and the rest electrode has an alternating voltage value by an AC voltage pulse generator to form an off-stress near source and drain junctions in turn. |
| US08378730B2 |
Clock generating circuit and clock generating method
A clock generation circuit is provided, having a bandgap reference circuit, a frequency controlled resistor, a comparison circuit and a voltage controlled oscillator. The bandgap reference circuit generates a first voltage. The frequency controlled resistor is coupled to a first node to provide a second voltage. The comparison circuit generates a first current according to a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. The voltage controlled oscillator outputs first, second and third output clocks according to a third voltage on a second node, wherein the third voltage is generated according to the first current, and the second and third output clocks are fed back to the frequency controlled resistor such that the frequency controlled resistor converts the first current into the second voltage according to the second and third output clocks. |
| US08378729B2 |
Signal control device
A signal control device controls the period of a three-phase signal used to control a three-phase high-voltage converter. An arithmetic unit of the signal control device determines a timing for changing the period for each phase so that the period of the signal for a V phase or a W phase is changed at the point when the phase difference between a U phase and the V or W phase reaches a prescribed phase difference after the period of the signal for the U phase has been changed. A control unit performs control such that the signal period for each phase is changed at the timing determined by the arithmetic unit. |
| US08378725B2 |
Adaptive bandwidth phase-locked loop
A phase-locked loop (PLL) generates an oscillator signal based on an input reference signal. A voltage-to-current converter converts a control voltage to a first current. A current-controlled oscillator generates the oscillator signal based on the first current. A dual charge pump circuit generates first and second charge pump currents having a predetermined ratio, based on a second current generated by a current mirror circuit and an error (feedback) signal. An active loop filter generates the control voltage based on the first and second charge pump currents. The active loop filter includes an input capacitance that varies with a variation in the predetermined ratio of the charge pump currents. The active loop filter also includes a transconductance stage having a transconductance that varies based on a third current generated by a current mirror circuit. The PLL bandwidth is independent of PVT variations and dependent only on the frequency of the input reference signal. In addition, the size of the input capacitor is relatively small so that the circuit requires very little space. |
| US08378723B1 |
Voltage-controlled-oscillator circuitry with power supply noise rejection
Integrated circuits with phase-locked loops are provided. A phase-locked loop may include voltage-controlled-oscillator (VCO) circuitry. The VCO circuitry may include multiple VCO circuits that receive power supply signals from a positive power supply terminal and a ground power supply terminal. Low-pass filters may be connected to the positive and ground power supply terminals to suppress high frequency noise that may be injected through the power supply terminals. The VCO circuitry may be operable in multiple modes. In a given mode, a selected one of the multiple VCO circuits is enabled while disabling the remaining VCO circuits. Switch circuits formed from transmission gates with pull-down transistors may be used to select which VCO circuit is active. |
| US08378722B2 |
Clock generator, semiconductor device, and clock generating method
There is provided a clock generator for generating a modulation waveform which is high in the effect of suppressing a spectrum and making a circuit scale smaller than a modulation system using the Hershey-kiss waveform. More specifically, a modulation waveform generation unit generates a tangent waveform or a tangent+triangular waveform as an SSCG modulation waveform and provides an oscillator with a signal in which the SSCG modulation waveform is combined with the output of a low pass filter of a PLL loop. |
| US08378719B1 |
Programmable high-speed frequency divider
A programmable high-speed frequency divider architecture is provided to provide a substantially 50% duty cycle signal output regardless of whether the division ratio is odd or even. The programmable frequency divider circuit receives an input clock signal having a first period and outputs and output clock signal that has a second clock signal period that is a programmable multiple, A, of the first period. The frequency divider includes a shift register that receives the input clock signal and produces a first output signal. The frequency divider also includes a duty cycle compensation circuit that accepts the first output signal and produces an output clock signal that has a duty cycle that is substantially 50%. |
| US08378716B2 |
Bulk-driven current-sense amplifier and operating method thereof
A bulk-driven current-sense amplifier and an amplifier operating method are disclosed. The bulk-driven current-sense amplifier includes a differential amplifier, a first driver, and a second driver. The first driver is coupled to the differential amplifier, and a first node is formed at a connectivity segment of the first driver. The second drive is coupled to the differential amplifier, and a second node is formed at a connectivity segment of the second driver. When a first switch of the first driver and a second switch of the second driver are turned on, the differential amplifier charges the first node and the second node. When the charging is completed, the first node and the second node respectively have a different stabilized potential according to currents separately flowing through a first memory unit of the first driver and a second memory unit of the second drive, and the differential amplifier generates a voltage. |
| US08378711B2 |
Detection of single bit upset at dynamic logic due to soft error in real time
A circuit for detecting a single bit upset in a dynamic logic circuit includes a latch circuit having an input for receiving a reset signal, and an output for providing a flag output signal, the latch circuit being clocked by a first clock signal, a first transistor having a drain coupled to the output of the latch circuit, a gate for receiving a second clock signal, and a source, and a second transistor having a drain coupled to the source of the first transistor, a gate for receiving a third clock signal, and a source coupled to ground. |
| US08378710B1 |
Secure device anti-tampering circuit
Various embodiments relate to an anti-tampering circuit for a secure device including: a signal delay detector; a clock delay detector; a clock duty cycle detector; and a protection unit that receives an error indication from the signal delay detector, clock delay detector, and the clock duty cycle detector, wherein the protection unit indicates tampering to a secure device upon receiving the error indication. |
| US08378709B2 |
Direct current regulated power supply
A direct current regulated power supply includes a switch power supply, a power connector, and a control switch. The switch power supply is configured for receiving a main power and converting the received main power into direct current power to supply an electronic device. The power connector is electrically coupled to the switch power supply, and includes an enable pin. The control switch includes an input electrically coupled to the enable pin of the power connector, and an output that is grounded. |
| US08378707B2 |
Evaluation of an output signal of a device under test
The present invention relates to a method for evaluating an output signal of a Device Under Test, wherein said Device Under Test outputs said output signal in response to an input signal provided by an Automated Test Equipment, said method including the steps of: generating a difference signal representing the difference between said output signal of said Device Under Test and a reference signal, integrating said difference signal during a clock period respectively, resulting in an integrated difference signal, and evaluating said integrated difference signal with regard to a bit level to be assigned to said output signal of said Device Under Test during the respective clock period. |
| US08378705B2 |
Wiring substrate and probe card
A wiring substrate that allows wiring at a fine pitch and has a coefficient of thermal expansion close to the coefficient of thermal expansion of silicone, and a probe card that includes the wiring substrate are provided. To this end, there are provided a wiring substrate that includes a ceramic substrate having a coefficient of thermal expansion of 3×10−6 to 5×10−6/° C. and one or more thin-film wiring sheets stacked on one surface of the ceramic substrate, and a probe head on which a plurality of conductive proves are arranged in accordance with wiring on the thin-film wiring sheet, which holds individual probes while preventing the probes from coming off and allowing both ends of each probe to be exposed, and which is stacked on the wiring substrate while one end of each probe is brought into contact with the thin-film wiring sheet. |
| US08378704B2 |
Substrate for a probe card assembly
A substrate is provided for a probe card assembly. The substrate includes an interconnection layer including a first surface having a first electrode set and a second surface having a second electrode set electrically connected to the first electrode set. The substrate further includes a base layer including a first surface having a third electrode set electrically connected to the second electrode set and a second surface having a plurality of contact terminals electrically connected to the third electrode set. And the substrate further includes a resin layer including a plurality of sublayers made of different materials. The resin layer is attached to the first surface of the base layer and the second surface of the interconnection layer. |
| US08378700B2 |
Wafer unit for testing semiconductor chips and test system
Provided is a test wafer unit for testing a plurality of semiconductor chips formed on a semiconductor wafer, the test wafer unit including: a test wafer having a shape corresponding to a shape of the semiconductor wafer; and a plurality of test circuits formed on the test wafer, each test circuit provided to correspond to two or more of the plurality of semiconductor chips and testing the two or more semiconductor chips. The test wafer unit may include a plurality of connection terminals formed on the test wafer in one to one relation with test terminals of the plurality of semiconductor chips, where each of the plurality of connection terminals is connected to a corresponding one of the test terminals. |
| US08378697B2 |
Method for providing alignment of a probe
A method for aligning a probe relative to a supporting substrate defining a first planar surface, an edge, and a first crystal plane includes the steps of masking the surface of the substrate to define an exposed area on the first surface at the edge; and etching, using an etch reagent, a recess in the exposed area, the recess defining first and second opposed sidewalls, an end wall remote from the edge, and a bottom wall. The method further includes the step of providing a probe substrate defining a second planar surface and a second crystal plane identical to the first crystal plane, and positioning the probe substrate so that the first and the second crystal planes are positioned identically when forming a probe from the probe substrate using the etch reagent, wherein the probe defines congruent surfaces to the first and second sidewalls. |
| US08378694B2 |
Organic chemical sensor comprising plasma-deposited microporous layer, and method of making and using
Applicant discloses a sensing element for sensing an organic chemical analyte, comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, and a microporous, hydrophobic, analyte-responsive dielectric material disposed at least in proximity to the first and second electrodes. The analyte-responsive dielectric material may be an amorphous random covalent network comprising a mean pore size of less than about 10 nm and a porosity of at least about 20%. An electrical property of the sensing element, such as capacitance, can be monitored in order to sense an organic chemical analyte. |
| US08378691B2 |
Self-guiding instrument carrier for in-situ operation in a generator
Removal of the rotor of a large electrical machine is costly and time consuming, and in particular the outage time of a power plant, which is needed for the removal of a generator rotor, is very expensive and should be minimized. To avoid opening of the generator for inspection and maintenance instrument carriages can be used. A method allows the reliable guidance for an in-situ instrument carrier inside the annular gap of a generator and a corresponding instrument carrier. The method avoids the use of sensors and active control systems for the guidance of the instrument carrier. A passively self-guiding system and method takes advantage of the internal structure of a generator and uses the passive centering properties of magnets to guide the instrument carrier through the annular gap of a generator. |
| US08378683B2 |
Hall effect current sensor
Example systems, apparatus, circuits, and so on described herein concern a Hall effect current sensor that includes a planar portion of a conductor that is oriented perpendicular to a base magnetic field in which it is located. In the presence of the magnetic field, a differential voltage is produced across the planar portion that is proportional to a strength of the magnetic field and the amount of current flowing through the conductor. |
| US08378682B2 |
Field image tomography for magnetic resonance imaging
Field Image Tomography (FIT) is a fundamental new theory for determining the three-dimensional (3D) spatial density distribution of field emitting sources. The field can be the intensity of any type of field including (i) Radio Frequency (RF) waves in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), (ii) Gamma radiation in SPECT/PET, and (iii) gravitational field of earth, moon, etc. FIT exploits the property that field intensity decreases with increasing radial distance from the field source and the field intensity distribution measured in an extended 3D volume space can be used to determine the 3D spatial density distribution of the emitting source elements. A method and apparatus are disclosed for MRI of target objects based on FIT. Spinning atomic nuclei of a target object in a magnetic field are excited by beaming a suitable Radio Frequency (RF) pulse. These excited nuclei emit RF radiation while returning to their normal state. The intensity or amplitude distribution of the RF emission field g is measured in a 3D volume space that may extend substantially along the radial direction around the emission source. g is related to the 3D tomography f through a system matrix H that depends on the MRI apparatus, and noise n through the vector equation g=Hf+n. This equation is solved to obtain the tomographic image f of the target object by a method that reduces the effect of noise. |
| US08378680B2 |
System for concurrent acquisition of MR anatomical brain images and MR angiograms without contrast-injection
An MR imaging system without the use of a contrast agent, in a first repetition time interval, generates a non-selective magnetization preparation pulse for magnetizing an anatomical volume encompassing blood flowing into a selected slab within the volume for blood signal suppression, generates RF excitation pulses and acquires a first MR imaging dataset of the selected slab within the volume with a suppressed blood signal. The system in a second repetition time interval succeeding the first repetition time interval, generates a selected slab magnetization preparation pulse for magnetizing the selected slab, generates RF excitation pulses and acquires a second MR imaging dataset of the selected slab within the volume. An image data processor substantially subtracts imaging data of the first MR imaging dataset from the second MR imaging dataset to provide an image enhancing a vessel structure in the selected slab and also substantially averages imaging data to provide an MR anatomical image. |
| US08378677B2 |
Thermally stabilized pet detector for hybrid PET-MR system
In a hybrid PET-MR system, PET detector elements (30) are added in the bore (14), in close proximity to the gradient coils (16). Fluid coolant is supplied to transfer heat from the PET detector elements (30). Thermal insulation (80) insulates the fluid coolant and the PET detector elements (30) from the gradient coils (16). In some embodiments, a first coolant path (90) is in thermal communication with the electronics, a second coolant path (92) is in thermal communication with the light detectors, and a thermal barrier (94, 96) is arranged between the first and second coolant paths such that the first and second coolant paths can be at different temperatures (Te, Td). In some embodiments a sealed heat pipe (110) is in thermal communication with a heat sink such that working fluid in the heat pipe undergoes vaporization/condensation cycling to transfer heat from the detector elements to the heat sink. |
| US08378675B2 |
Current sensor, current measuring module and method for measuring current
A current sensor for measuring a current in a conductor includes two magnetic field sensors located adjacent to the conductor. The magnetic field sensors are at least two-dimensional magnetic field sensors having two measuring directions, thereby facilitating compensation for an inhomogeneous interference field. |
| US08378674B2 |
Magnetic field detection device
A magnetic field detection device including a magnetic body (magnetic flux guide) provided for adjusting a magnetic field to be applied to a magneto-resistance element. A shape of an on-substrate magnetic body in plan view is a tapered shape on one end portion side and a substantially funnel shape on another end portion side opposite the one end portion, the another end portion being larger in width than the one end portion, and a magneto-resistance element is disposed in front of an output-side end portion. In the on-substrate magnetic body, a contour of a tapered portion is not linear like a funnel, but has a curved shape in which a first curved portion protruding outward with a gentle curvature and a second curved portion protruding inward with a curvature similar to that of the first curved portion are continuously formed. |
| US08378669B2 |
Frequency-shift CMOS magnetic biosensor array with single bead sensitivity and no external magnet
According to one aspect, an integrated magnetic particle measurement device for detecting a presence or absence of magnetic particles in a sample volume includes at least one sensor cell having a differential sensor pair. An active sensor oscillator frequency is responsive to one or more magnetic particles situated within a sample volume. The sensor cell is configured to be operative in the absence of an externally applied magnetic field. A frequency measurement circuit provides as a time-multiplexed output a first count representative of the active sensor oscillator frequency and a second count representative of the reference sensor oscillator frequency. A calculated difference between the first count and the second count is indicative of a presence or an absence of one or more magnetic particles within the sample volume. An integrated magnetic particle measurement system array and a method for detecting one or more magnetic particles are also described. |
| US08378668B2 |
Method for non-destructive testing of composite systems
A method of non-destructive testing that employs composite systems that include a curable resin and detectable particles that have a property that can be distinguished from a property of the resin is disclosed. Array probes useful in the method also are disclosed. |
| US08378665B2 |
Rotation sensor-equipped bearing device for wheel
A rotation sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly detects rotational speed and rotational direction, in which a high resolution rotation signal is utilized in various vehicle controls with a suppressed size. The bearing assembly includes a plurality of rows of rolling elements between rolling surfaces in outer and inner members. A magnetic field generating element having anisotropy about a bearing center axis is provided in the outer member in alignment with the axis. The inner member is provided with a sensor for sensing the magnetic field of the magnetic field generating element oriented axially. The sensor detects the angle of rotation of the magnetic field generating element and is in the form of magnetic sensor arrays or elements for detecting the orientation of the magnetic field with a two-dimensional vector sensor to detect rotation of the magnetic field generating element. |
| US08378664B2 |
Arrangement comprising a magnetic-field-dependent angle sensor
In order to reduce the dimensions of the mechanical components and the number and size of the sensory and electronic components in an arrangement comprising a magnetic-field-dependent angle sensor which is effectively connected to a magnetic transmitter which is arranged such that it can rotate with respect to the angle sensor, while maintaining or improving the resolution of the output signal, the angle sensor is formed by at least one magnetoelectric converter, the electrical properties of which are dependent on the magnetic field strength but independent of the polarity of the magnetic field acting on the at least one converter. The magnetic field strength is selected such that the at least one converter is controlled in saturation. |
| US08378663B2 |
Current measurement signal device with electrical isolation, electronic trip unit, and circuit breaker comprising one such device
The current measurement device with electrical isolation comprises an input signal connected to an electrical shunt, an output of an output signal, and signal transfer means with electrical isolation receiving the input signal and supplying said output signal. The transfer means comprise at least one signal transformer having at least one primary winding to receive a primary signal representative of said input signal, switching means to switch the input signal and supply the latter to said primary winding, and electrically isolated control means of the switching means comprising a control input receiving control signals during switching periods. A trip unit and an electrical circuit breaker comprises one such current measurement device and a processing unit processing electrical protection functions. |
| US08378653B2 |
HDMI driver tail current transistors with current mirror controlled leads
A HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) transmitter component may be operated solely on power that is scavenged and converted from termination tail current received while the HDMI transmitter component is coupled to an HDMI compliant sink connector on a HDMI receiver component. The termination tail current is received at the transmitter component from a plurality of differential HDMI signals from terminators on a receiver component. A portion of the received tail current is converted to form a supply voltage Vdd source. Function logic on the transmitter component is operated using the Vdd voltage, and the function logic is configured to control the plurality of differential signals. |
| US08378652B2 |
Load transient response time of LDOs with NMOS outputs with a voltage controlled current source
A voltage controlled current source circuit is utilized to clamp the internal compensation node of a low dropout (LDO) regulator with an NMOS output during load transients. The circuit senses a voltage drop of the internal node and mirrors its current to the internal node to hold the internal node voltage when the voltage starts to drop low enough to turn off the output transistor. |
| US08378646B2 |
Bidirectional dc-dc converter and control method thereof
Disclosed is a small-size, high-efficiency, isolated, bidirectional DC-DC converter. The bidirectional DC-DC converter includes a transformer in which windings are magnetically coupled, switching circuits, a diode which is connected in parallel with a switch, smoothing capacitors, and a control section. First and second DC power supplies, which are connected in parallel with the smoothing capacitors, respectively, provide bidirectional electrical power transfer. When electrical power is to be transferred from the first DC power supply to the second DC power supply, the switch is maintained in the ON state. When, on the other hand, electrical power is to be transferred from the second DC power supply to the first DC power supply, the switch is maintained in the OFF state to prevent a reverse electrical power flow from the first DC power supply. |
| US08378639B2 |
Method and charging device for charging rechargeable lithium accumulators
A method and a charging device serve for charging rechargeable lithium accumulators. A charging current is injected into the accumulator, and the voltage is monitored on the accumulator during the injection process. Additionally, the variation in time of at least one state variable characteristic of the accumulator is monitored and injection of the charging current into the accumulator is continued until the variation in time of the state variable exceeds a predefined limit value. |
| US08378638B2 |
Battery status detecting method and battery status detecting apparatus
A battery status detecting method for detecting a battery status of a secondary battery is disclosed. The method includes: an open circuit voltage correcting step of obtaining a temperature-corrected value of the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery according to the temperature of the secondary battery, based on first open circuit voltage characteristics indicating the relationship between the open circuit voltage and the temperature of the secondary battery; and a charge rate correcting step of obtaining a temperature-corrected value of the charge rate of the secondary battery according to the temperature-corrected value of the open circuit voltage obtained in the open circuit voltage correcting step, based on second open circuit voltage characteristics indicating the relationship between the open circuit voltage and the charge rate of the secondary battery. |
| US08378637B2 |
Self-discharge circuit for secondary battery, and secondary battery including the same
A self-discharge circuit for a secondary battery having a bare cell includes a self-discharge unit, both ends of which are connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the bare cell. The self-discharge unit includes a switching device and a zener diode that are connected serially with respect to each other, and the zener diode is in an opposite direction to a discharge direction of the bare cell. A secondary battery including the self-discharge circuit is also provided. |
| US08378632B2 |
Circuit arrangement with multiple batteries
Disclosed is a circuit arrangement. The circuit arrangement includes a plurality of rechargeable batteries each having at least one rechargeable electrochemical cell, and current-carrying members connecting the plurality of batteries such that when the plurality of batteries are charging the plurality of batteries are in a series electrical circuit arrangement and when the plurality of batteries are discharging the plurality of batteries are in a parallel electrical circuit arrangement. |
| US08378631B2 |
Battery charger with sensor-activated light source
A battery charger for an electronic device, including a cable that connects to a source of power at one end, and to an electronic device at the other end, a light emitter connected to the cable, and a sensor connected to the cable and to the light emitter, for activating the light emitter when the sensor detects one or more vicinity light requirements indicating a need for light in the environment of the sensor. |
| US08378626B2 |
Management device for charging circuit and wireless terminal
The present disclosure provides a management device for a charging circuit and a wireless terminal, which belong to the technical field of management control of a linear charging circuit. The device includes a power supply management module (5), a buck switching voltage converter (1) and a linear charging circuit (2). The power supply management module (5) includes an adjustable Low Dropout (LDO) linear regulator (6) and an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) (4), wherein the output terminal of the adjustable LDO linear regulator (6) is connected with the feedback terminal of the buck switching voltage converter (1) through a first preset resistor (R62). The input terminal of the ADC (4) is connected with the anode of a battery (3). The control terminal of the power supply management module (5) is connected with the control terminal of the linear charging circuit (2). The output terminal of the buck switching voltage converter (1) is connected with the input terminal of the linear charging circuit (2). The output terminal of the linear charging circuit (2) is connected with the anode of the battery (3). With the device, the energy loss can be reduced and the whole power loss can be reduced. |
| US08378624B2 |
Battery charger
An energy-efficient and compact multi-port battery charger. The battery charger includes, among other things, a power supply module, a battery charger control module or controller, a power switching module, one or more power control safety modules, a plurality of battery charger switches, and a plurality of indicators. The controller, the power switching module, the power control safety modules, and the battery charger switches work in conjunction with each other to control the operation of the battery charger. The controller is configured to execute a charging control process which detects the insertion of a battery pack into a charging port, selects a charging port for charging, controls the power output from the power switching module, and controls the illumination or display of the indicators. The power switching module uses control signals from the controller to switch the power received from the power supply module such that a charging current is applied to a single charging port. Each of the power control safety modules includes a power control safety circuit that is configured to prevent the charging current and/or the charging voltage from damaging the battery charger or battery pack during a malfunction. |
| US08378623B2 |
Apparatus and method for charging an electric vehicle
An energy management system (ESMS) includes energy storage devices coupled to a vehicle drivetrain and configured to store DC energy, a power electronic conversion system having energy ports, the power electronic conversion system comprising a DC electrical converters, each DC electrical converter configured to step up and to step down a DC voltage, wherein each of the energy ports is coupleable to each of the energy storage devices and each of the energy ports is coupleable to an electrical charging system. The EV includes a controller configured to determine a voltage of each energy port having either an energy storage device or a DC electrical charging system coupled thereto, and electrically connect a first energy port to a second energy port such that at least one of the DC electrical converters either steps up or steps down an input DC voltage based on the determined voltage of each energy port. |
| US08378620B2 |
Solar charged mobile working stations
A medical work station having a solar charging system. The medical work station includes a cart that carries a computer for providing access to and keeping track of medical information. The solar charging system is operatively connected to the computer to provide a solar power input. This solar input provides a constant replenishing of power to the computer as long as there is a source of UV light, such as through inside lighting or through sunlight. |
| US08378617B2 |
Method of controlling current of high-speed switched reluctance motor
Disclosed herein is a method of controlling the current of a high-speed Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) using an inverter circuit including a first switching element, a second switching element, a first diode, a second diode and a reactor, wherein the first switching element and the first diode, the second diode and the second switching element are connected to a bridge circuit, and one end of the reactor is connected to the junction of the first switching element and the first diode, and the remaining end of the reactor is connected to the junction of the second diode and the second switching element; and excitation mode, free-wheeling mode-1, the excitation mode, and free-wheeling mode-2 are sequentially performed in a unit period T, and, when the control is terminated, demagnetization is performed. |
| US08378609B2 |
Safety device for an actuating system for roller shutters or sliding barriers
Motor-driven actuating system for roller shutters or sliding barriers or the like, provided with an obstacle-sensing safety device for acquiring samples (ζ(φn)) of at least one main physical parameter (ζ) relating to operation of the actuating system, preferably the torque supplied by the motor, sampled in a set of positions (φn) of the roller shutter along its travel path; for generating from the samples the points of a memorized reference profile (M; W); processor able to calculate the deviation between the profile (M; W) and values subsequently acquired in real time (ζ(φk)) for the same main parameter (ζ) and able to modify the movement of the roller shutter depending on the deviation, wherein the device is designed to analyze and/or process the result of one or more arithmetic logic operations which have as the operand at least the value (Ψ(φk)) of a variable (Ψ) acquired in real time, and, depending on the result, modify the points of the profile (M; W) with operations based on previously memorized values. |
| US08378608B2 |
Systems, devices, and/or methods for managing drive power
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, and/or user interface adapted for, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise, via a predetermined information device, for a predetermined excavating machine comprising a plurality of Active Front Ends, each Active Front End electrically coupled to an AC power supply network of said predetermined excavating machine, each Active Front End adapted to provide DC power to a DC bus, said DC bus electrically coupled to a plurality of inverters, each inverter adapted to supply AC power to at least one operating motor, independently controlling a reactive power produced by each Active Front End. |
| US08378604B2 |
DC brushless motor drive circuit with current variable-voltage
For the present invention, under various running speeds statuses, the voltage supplied to the DC brushless motor is relatively increased or decreased on the basis of the internal setting of the motor drive control device with the increased or decreased load current, to prevent the shortcoming of too much change of the input impedance caused by the inductive reactance of the winding accordingly changed when the speed of the DC brushless motor is changed with the change of the load, specifically, to prevent the shortcoming of unable to produce required torque resulting from the increased inductive reactance of the winding caused by increasing the rotational speed which makes the current value become too low when input by the original working voltage. |
| US08378601B2 |
Control apparatus for permanent magnet synchronous motor
A control apparatus for a permanent magnet synchronous motor capable of performing highly accurate torque control not only during low-speed operation and medium-speed operation but also during high-speed operation without increasing a burden on a product CPU irrespective of whether the permanent magnet synchronous motor is an SPM motor or an IPM motor. The control apparatus includes a torque correction circuit that generate a torque correction command from a current phase of current correction commands on a d-axis and a q-axis and a torque command and supplies the torque correction command to a d/q-axis current command generator instead of the torque command. |
| US08378599B2 |
Power transducer
The performance of a power transducer is improved while efficiently using a power semiconductor also by managing the permissible duty factor of the power semiconductor in the regenerative braking circuit provided in the power transducer. The user is allowed to set, through an operation panel provided on the power transducer, the resistance value of the regenerative braking resistor for thermally consuming the rotational energy generated during motor deceleration. The power transducer performs the steps of: calculating the current which flows in the regenerative braking circuit from the resistance value setting; obtaining the generation loss of the power semiconductor in the regenerative braking circuit with the calculated current value; and determining the permissible duty factor of the power semiconductor from the obtained generation loss. |
| US08378598B2 |
Motor control apparatus and motor control method
In a polyphase electric motor, a voltage is sequentially applied to a plurality of windings on a phase-by-phase basis. Then, there is sensed a rotational speed of a rotor, which is rotated by a rotating magnetic field that is generated by sequentially flowing an electric current in the windings on the phase-by-phase basis upon the sequential application of the voltage to the windings. Then, an oscillation frequency of a periodic oscillation, which is generated in the motor at the sensed rotational speed of the rotor, is obtained. Thereafter, it is determined whether the obtained oscillation frequency is a predetermined resonance frequency. Next, the voltage to be applied to the windings is corrected in a manner that reduces a resonance generated in the motor when a result of the determination indicates that the obtained oscillation frequency is the predetermined resonance frequency. |
| US08378597B2 |
Induction activated cover assembly for container
A cover assembly of a container includes a first part and a second part mounted on an open top of the container, the first part includes an opening and the second part includes a through hole which is located corresponding to the opening. The second part including two sidewalls and each sidewall has a plurality of guide slots such that a plurality of plates are respectively and slidably engaged with the guide slots between the two sidewalls to open the through hole or to close the through hole. A driving unit is located on the second part and driving the plates to move along the guide slots. An induction unit is connected to a front end of the first part and includes an induction member which activates the driving unit. |
| US08378596B2 |
Momentary night light assembly
This invention relates to assemblies used as night lights and contains certain embodiments that improve, add features, and/or lower the cost of the type of momentary night light defined by U.S. Pat. No. 7,253,570. The words ‘momentary night light assembly’ as used in this invention means a light that remains lit for only a short fixed period of time following a transition from light to dark of the local ambient light. It then turns itself off after a short time period until another light to dark transition occurs. The words ‘night light’ as used herein means a light that remains on while the local ambient light is dark following a light to dark transition. |
| US08378595B2 |
Aircraft LED washlight system and method for controlling same
A modular area washlight illumination system and method for operating are providing that comprises an intelligent light module group that has: one or more light modules, each of which comprises a plurality of discrete illumination sources; a power supply; and an intelligent module group controller comprising: a) circuitry that controls the illumination levels of the illumination sources; and b) an interface for receiving and sending information. The system further comprises a system controller that comprises: a) an attendant control panel serving as a user interface; and b) a system controller interface that is connected to the module group controller interface. |
| US08378593B2 |
Dimmer jitter correction
A controller and a method for controlling lamp drivers such as e.g. LED drivers for lamps having a fast response behavior such as e.g. LED lamps are proposed. They enable to substantially reduce or prevent a visible luminance flicker at such lamps when dimming the lamps with a conventional dimmer such as e.g. a phase cut dimmer. This can be achieved by switching off the lamp driver prematurely in such a way that a time jitter of a dimmer switching does not influence an on-time of the lamp driver. No bulky or expensive filters or capacitors are needed. Thus, a space-switch saving and/or inexpensive construction is enabled. |
| US08378589B2 |
Driving circuit with dimming controller for driving light sources
A dimming controller for controlling dimming of a light-emitting diode (LED) light source includes a monitoring terminal and a control terminal. The monitoring terminal receives a switch monitoring signal indicative of an operation of a power switch which transfers power from an AC power source to a bridge rectifier when the power switch is on. A power converter receives input power from the bridge rectifier and provides output power to the LED light source. The control terminal generates a control signal to adjust the output power according to the switch monitoring signal so as to control dimming of the LED light source. |
| US08378586B2 |
Distributed architecture voltage controlled backlight driver
A backlight system for light emitting diodes (LEDs), the backlight system constituted of: a controllable power source; a plurality of LED based luminaires arranged to receive power in parallel from the controllable power source; a plurality of driving circuitries, each of the plurality of driving circuitries arranged to control the light output of at least two of the plurality of LED based luminaires and further arranged to output information regarding the voltage drop of at least one of the at least two LED based luminaires controlled thereby, wherein the controllable power source is arranged to output a voltage whose value is responsive to the output information. |
| US08378585B2 |
High frequency integrated HID lamp with run-up current
A high frequency ballast for a metal halide lamp comprises a controller, a switch, and an oscillator. The ballast is rated at a higher power than the steady state operating power of the lamp. The controller ignites the lamp at a frequency which is less than the steady state operating frequency of the lamp and ignites the lamp at a current which is greater than the steady state operating current of the lamp. |
| US08378570B2 |
Light emitting element, light emitting device, and electronic apparatus having first and second composite layers with different metal concentrations
It is an object of the present invention to provide a light emitting element with a low driving voltage. In a light emitting element, a first electrode; and a first composite layer, a second composite layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transporting layer, an electron injecting layer, and a second electrode, which are stacked over the first electrode, are included. The first composite layer and the second composite layer each include metal oxide and an organic compound. A concentration of metal oxide in the first composite layer is higher than a concentration of metal oxide in the second composite layer, whereby a light emitting element with a low driving voltage can be obtained. Further, the composite layer is not limited to a two-layer structure. A multi-layer structure can be employed. However, a concentration of metal oxide in the composite layer is gradually higher from the light emitting layer to first electrode side. |
| US08378569B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display having improved strength by preventing the exfoliation of a sealant
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display. The OLED display includes a first substrate member, a first conductive wire having a contact region and formed over the first substrate member, an insulating layer including a plurality of wire contact holes exposing a part of the contact region of the first conductive wire and formed over the first conductive wire, a second conductive wire formed over the first conductive wire and connected to the first conductive wire through the plurality of wire contact holes of the insulating layer, a sealant formed over the second conductive wire, a sealing member formed over the sealant, and a fill-up layer disposed above or under the contact region of the first conductive wire. |
| US08378567B2 |
Light-polarizing structure
A light-emitting device comprises a substrate, at least one light-emitting structure configured to emit light beams and positioned on the substrate, and a ring-shaped photonic crystal structure positioned in the light-emitting structure. The ring-shaped photonic crystal structure includes a plurality of pillars positioned in the light-emitting structure and a plurality of ring-shaped openings surrounding the pillars. The distance between the ring-shaped openings is preferably between 0.2λ and 10λ, and λ represents the wavelength of the light beam. |
| US08378564B2 |
Positioning of auxiliary amalgam
A compact fluorescent lamp includes a discharge tube such as a spiral discharge tube having a wall forming a discharge chamber between cathodes at first and second ends thereof. At least one auxiliary amalgam assembly is disposed in the discharge chamber at an intermediate region disposed between the first and second ends. The auxiliary amalgam assembly is secured at a location spaced from the inner wall of the discharge chamber. |
| US08378560B2 |
Spark plug
An ignition part (80) of a ground electrode (30) includes a fused part (85) in which construction materials of a base portion (82) and a noble metal member (81) are fused and mixed by performing laser welding on the two. In the fused part (85), an average ratio P of components originated from the noble metal member (81) at points K1, L1, and M1 is equal to or greater than 80%, and an average ratio Q of components originated from the base portion at points K3, L3, and M3 is equal to or higher than 20%, and P+Q is equal to or higher than 160%. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain joining strength in the parts in the ignition part (80), thereby sufficiently preventing the generation of cracks, separation, and the like due to thermal stress. |
| US08378557B2 |
Thermal transfer and acoustic matching layers for ultrasound transducer
Ultrasound transducers and methods of making ultrasound transducers with improved thermal characteristics are provided. An ultrasound transducer includes a piezoelectric element defining a front side and a back side. The ultrasound transducer includes a lens connected to the front side of the piezoelectric element, a heat sink connected to the back side of the piezoelectric element, and a backside matching layer disposed between the piezoelectric element and the heat sink. The backside matching layer is thermally connected to the piezoelectric element and the heat sink, and the backside matching layer is configured to conduct heat from the piezoelectric element to the heat sink. |
| US08378552B2 |
Electrochemical actuator
The present invention provides systems, devices, and related methods, involving electrochemical actuation. In some cases, application of a voltage or current to a system or device of the invention may generate a volumetric or dimensional change, which may produce mechanical work. For example, at least a portion of the system may be constructed and arranged to be displaced from a first orientation to a second orientation. Systems such as these may be useful in various applications, including pumps (e.g., infusion pumps) and drug delivery devices, for example. |
| US08378550B2 |
Electric machine including a stator having a stator sleeve and method of cooling a stator
An electric machine including a housing, and a stator mounted relative to the housing. The stator includes a body including a first end portion that extends to a second end portion and a plurality of stator windings that extend between the first and second end portions. A sleeve member is mounted to the stator and covers a portion of the stator windings at one of the first and second end portions. The sleeve member is configured and disposed to guide a coolant over the portion of the stator windings to remove heat from the stator. |
| US08378549B2 |
Electric motor
Each of a plurality of brushes is tilted relative to an imaginary plane that is perpendicular to a rotational axis of an armature and is placed on one axial side of a brush holder, at which an interior of a yoke housing is located. A radial inner end part of each brush has a slide contact surface, which is generally parallel to the rotational axis of the armature and slidably contacts an outer peripheral surface of a commutator. At least a portion of the slide contact surface of each brush is axially disposed outside of an opening of the yoke housing. |
| US08378547B2 |
Electric motor
In an electric motor, magnets (4) have two pairs of poles, the number of teeth (9) is 18, and the number of segments (14) of a commutator is 18. Winding wires (12, 25) for forming an armature coil (7) are formed by a first conductive wire (110) or a second conductive wire (120). The winding wire (25) has a first coil winding wire (7A) and a second coil winding wire (7B). The coil winding wires are each wound around four teeth (9) adjacent to each other. An end (31) of the second coil winding wire is connected to a segment (14) adjacent to a segment arranged at a position which is point symmetric with respect to a segment to which an end (30) of the first coil winding wire is connected. According to the invention, in the electric motor capable of changing the rotational speed of the armature by switching application of an electric current among three brushes, vibration and operating noise can be reduced, and mounting of the connecting wires and the winding wires can be facilitated. |
| US08378545B2 |
Electrical rotary machine assembly with stator core sections
An electrical rotary machine is provided comprising a first stator core section being substantially circular and including a plurality of teeth, a second stator core section being substantially circular and including a plurality of teeth, a coil arranged between the first and second circular stator core sections, and a rotor including a plurality of permanent magnets. The first stator core section, the second stator core section, the coil and the rotor are encircling a common geometric axis, and the plurality of teeth of the first stator core section and the second stator core section are arranged to protrude towards the rotor. Additionally, the teeth of the second stator core section are circumferentially displaced in relation to the teeth of the first stator core section, and the permanent magnets in the rotor are separated in the circumferential direction from each other by axially extending pole sections made from soft magnetic material. |
| US08378544B2 |
Permanent magnet arrangement for an electrical machine
A permanent magnet arrangement for an electrical machine comprises a support structure for carrying magnetic flux and a pole assembly fixed to the support structure. The pole assembly comprises a magnet pole comprising at least one piece of permanent magnet material and a magnet carrier on which the magnet pole is mounted and which provides a magnetic flux path between the magnet pole and the support structure. The permanent magnet arrangement further comprises a sleeve containing the magnet pole and at least part of the magnet carrier. The magnet carrier is secured to the support structure to fix the pole assembly to the support structure and the sleeve is clamped to the support structure by the magnet carrier. A method for assembling the permanent magnet arrangement is also described. |
| US08378543B2 |
Generating electromagnetic forces in large air gaps
An electromagnetic actuator generates electromagnetic forces across large radial gaps to support a body. The actuator has an actuator target having a rotational axis, and a target magnetic element arranged circumferentially around the rotational axis that has inner and outer magnetic poles. A cylindrical soft-magnetic target pole is magnetically coupled to the outer cylindrical magnetic pole of the target magnetic element. An actuator base includes radial poles arranged circumferentially around and radially spaced apart from the cylindrical soft-magnetic target pole. The radial poles and the cylindrical soft-magnetic target pole are magnetically coupled and define a plurality of magnetic control circuits. Control coils around the radial poles are configured to produce magnetic fluxes in the magnetic control circuits. The target magnetic element, the cylindrical soft-magnetic target pole, and the radial poles are magnetically coupled and define a magnetic bias circuit, the magnetic element producing magnetic flux in the magnetic bias circuit. |
| US08378538B2 |
DC motor with a leadthrough capacitor
The invention relates to a DC motor, particularly for a fan device of a motor vehicle, having a stator and a metal grounding plate arranged on the stator, for receiving at least one leadthrough capacitor of an interference suppressor device. The capacitor being arranged in a connection line of the motor. According to the invention, the leadthrough capacitor includes a metal housing with at least one contact section for contacting the stator and/or the metal grounding plate. Thus, a compact interference suppressor device, which can be produced in a cost-effective way and is easy to install, is achieved. |
| US08378537B2 |
Superconducting electrical machine
A superconducting electrical machine includes a rotor and a stator. The stator includes a stator having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending teeth and a plurality of superconducting electric coils. Each superconducting electric coil is positioned around a respective one of the teeth. A thermally conducting member surrounds and contacts the stator. A cooler is arranged to cool the thermally conducting member. A vacuum enclosure encloses the thermally conducting member, the stator and the superconducting electric coils and a pump is arranged to evacuate the vacuum enclosure. The superconducting electrical coils include magnesium diboride. |
| US08378535B2 |
Scavenging filter system for hydrogen-cooled dynamoelectric machines
A filter system is provided for a hydrogen cooled dynamoelectric machine, and includes a float trap fluidly connected to a component of the dynamoelectric machine via a first conduit, a filter fluidly connected to the float trap via a second conduit, and a flow switch fluidly connected to the filter via a third conduit. The third conduit is fluidly connected to a hydrogen control assembly. |
| US08378530B1 |
Power distribution system with rack power distribution unit
A power distribution system for a data center includes a transformer that transforms three-phase source power to three-phase operating power. The phase-to-neutral operating voltage for each phase is at least about 260 volts. Power distribution units are coupled to the transformer. The power distribution units supply operating power from the transformer to computer systems in the data center. |
| US08378526B2 |
Electronic security for a power supply
A security circuit for a power supply feeding a DC system is provided. The security circuit is disposed on an outlet of the power supply. A switch element is disposed between a positive power supply clamp and a positive output clamp towards the DC system. A choke coil is disposed between the switch element and the positive output clamp. The choke coil is connected to an output capacitor on a side connected to the positive output clamp, and a side of the choke coil that is connected to the switch element is connected to a cathode side of a diode that is connected in parallel to the output capacitor. The security circuit also includes a control for the switch element, connecting the switch element in accordance with the power measured in the security circuit. |
| US08378524B2 |
Non-contact power transmission device
An electromagnetic resonance non-contact power transmission device includes a transmitter including a transmitter resonance element having a mechanism for discretely or continuously varying a resonant frequency, a transmitter excitation element coupled to the transmitter resonance element by electromagnetic induction, and an alternating current source for applying an alternating current at the same frequency as the resonant frequency to the transmitter excitation element, and a plurality of receivers each including a receiver resonance element having a specific resonant frequency, a receiver excitation element coupled to the receiver resonance element by electromagnetic induction, and an output circuit for outputting an electric current induced by the receiver excitation element. Electric power is transmitted selectively from the transmitter to any of the receivers having different specific resonant frequencies by changing the resonant frequency of the transmitter. |
| US08378523B2 |
Transmitters and receivers for wireless energy transfer
Techniques for wireless power transmission. An antenna has a part that amplifies a flux to make the antenna have a larger effective size than its actual size. |
| US08378519B2 |
Redundant power system switch for backup power switching without power interruption
A redundant power system may include a first switch that connects between a redundant power source and a first remote system, a second switch that connects between the redundant power source and a second remote system, and a control circuit. The control circuit may apply a first control signal to the first switch to cause the redundant power source to connect through the first switch to the first remote system via a switched connection. The control circuit may determine if the second remote system requires power, and may apply a second control signal to the first switch to open the switched connection when the high priority remote system requires power. The control circuit may apply a third control signal to the second switch, upon an expiration of a delay timer, to cause the redundant power source to connect through the second switch to the second remote system. |
| US08378518B2 |
Wind power generator system, apparatus, and methods
A wind generator turbine apparatus includes a base for supporting the apparatus. A base mount is mounted on the base and a permanent magnet generator (PMG) is seated on the base mount. The PMG has an aligned shaft extending along an elongated axis defined by the shaft and is adapted to generate electricity when caused to spin circularly. The apparatus includes a wind turbine having a housing mounted over and around the shaft of the PMG about the axis. A plurality of blades is circumferentially arranged about the axis defined by the shaft of the housing between a first linkage member mounted on a first end of the housing and a second linkage member mounted on a second end of the housing. A linkage cap is mounted on the first linkage member and the first end of the housing. The shaft is caused to spin about the axis when wind force is applied to the blades to generate electricity. The apparatus can be used in airports, roadways, or rail systems to generate electricity in the presence of man made air. Systems and methods for harnessing aircraft wind energy also are disclosed. |
| US08378512B2 |
Wave energy harvester with improved performance
An apparatus for harvesting electrical power from hydrodynamic energy, the apparatus including a buoy or other water flotation device connected to an anchor by a tether and a magnetostrictive component having an internal pre-stressed magnetostrictive core that experiences at least a part of load changes experienced by the tether. The magnetic property of the magnetostrictive core is configured to change with changes in stress within the magnetostrictive core along at least one direction within the magnetostrictive component. The hydrodynamic energy acting on the buoy or other water flotation device results in changes in force within the tether, which in turn changes the stress within the magnetostrictive core and consequently changes a magnetic property. The magnetostrictive component is also configured such that the change in the magnetic property will result in a change in magnetic flux, which change can be used to generate electrical power. |
| US08378511B2 |
Devices and methods for converting wave energy into electricity
A device that converts kinetic energy of waves of a body of water into electricity comprising a structure responsive to the kinetic energy, a rod extending through the structure; and an electromagnet positioned in the structure, and at least partially surrounding a portion of the rod. The electricity is generated in the rod when the electromagnet rises and falls along the rod in response to the kinetic energy. A magnetic field generated by the electromagnet has a varying strength that is modified according to the amount of kinetic energy to maximize the electricity generated. |
| US08378510B2 |
Starting and generating apparatus for engine
The invention is a starting and generating apparatus for an engine, including: a rotator configured to be used as a generator driven by an engine as well as used as a starter motor for starting the engine; a power transmission mechanism configured to connect the engine with the rotator; a starter drive unit configured to supply an electricity to the rotator to drive the rotator as the starter motor when the engine is to be started; a clutch mechanism configured to shut off a power transmission from the engine to the power transmission mechanism when the engine is to be started; and a clutch control unit configured to bring the clutch mechanism into a connected state when a rotational speed of the rotator has reached a given rotational speed at which the engine can be started. |
| US08378509B2 |
Multiphase material generator vehicle
Systems and methods are disclosed relating to a vehicle driven by an air driven generator that employs multiphase materials and compressed air. |
| US08378507B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of bonding wires between semiconductor chip and wiring substrate
A wiring substrate and a semiconductor chip mounted on the wiring substrate are connected together via a bonding wire. The distance from each end of the semiconductor chip to a wire bond pad provided on the wiring substrate is smaller than the height of the semiconductor chip. |
| US08378504B2 |
Microelectronic package with self-heating interconnect
A microelectronic package is provided. The microelectronic package includes a substrate having a plurality of solder bumps disposed on a top side of the substrate and a die disposed adjacent to the top side of the substrate. The die includes a plurality of glassy metal bumps disposed on a bottom side of the die wherein the plurality of glassy metal bumps are to melt the plurality of solder bumps to form a liquid solder layer. The liquid solder layer is to attach the die with the substrate. |
| US08378503B2 |
Apparatus for thermal control of semiconductor chip assembly and underfill
Apparatus for assembling a semiconductor device has a plate with body and a surface heatable to a controlled a temperature profile from location to location across the plate. Mesas at same temperature of plate protrude from the surface are configured to support a portion of the substrate. Movable capillaries have openings for blowing cooled gas onto selected locations of the assembly. At least one movable syringe movable has an opening for dispensing a polymer precursor. |
| US08378500B2 |
Stacked semiconductor device including a serial path
A stacked semiconductor device and a method of forming a serial path of the stacked semiconductor device are provided. The stacked semiconductor device includes a plurality of chips each having a first internal circuit for receiving an input signal, performing a designated operation and outputting an output signal. Each of the chips includes a serial bump disposed at the same position on one surface of each of the chips, receiving the input signal and transferring the input signal to the first internal circuit, and a serial through-silicon via (TSV) disposed at a position symmetrical to the serial bump with respect to a center of the chip to penetrate the chip, and receiving and transferring the output signal. Here, the chips are alternately rotated and stacked, so that the serial TSV and the serial bumps of adjacent chips contact each other. According to the stacked semiconductor device and method, a plurality of chips having the same pattern are rotated about the center of the chips and stacked, so that a parallel path and a serial path can be formed. |
| US08378498B2 |
Chip assembly with a coreless substrate employing a patterned adhesive layer
A patterned adhesive layer including holes is employed to attach a coreless substrate layer to a stiffner. The patterned adhesive layer is confined to kerf regions, which are subsequently removed during singulation. Each hole in the patterned adhesive layer has an area that is greater than the area of a bottomside interconnect footprint of the coreless substrate. The patterned adhesive layer may include a permanent adhesive that is thermally curable or ultraviolet-curable. The composition of the stiffner can be tailored so that the thermal coefficient of expansion of the stiffner provides tensile stress to the coreless substrate layer at room temperature and at the bonding temperature. The tensile stress applied to the coreless substrate layer prevents or reduces warpage of the coreless substrate layer during bonding. Upon dicing, bonded stacks of a semiconductor chip and a coreless substrate can be provided without adhesive thereupon. |
| US08378496B2 |
Semiconductor substrate with interlayer connection and method for production of a semiconductor substrate with interlayer connection
The interlayer connection of the substrate is formed by a contact-hole filling (4) of a semiconductor layer (11) and metallization (17) of a recess (16) in a reverse-side semiconductor layer (13), wherein the semiconductor layers are separated from each other by a buried insulation layer (12), at whose layer position the contact-hole filling or the metallization ends. |
| US08378492B2 |
Semiconductor package
There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package. The method includes: (a) providing a semiconductor chip having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein a pad is formed on the first surface; (b) disposing the semiconductor chip on a supporting substrate such that the first surface is directed upward; (c) forming an encapsulation resin layer on the supporting substrate so as to cover the semiconductor chip; and (d) polishing the encapsulation resin layer to expose a top surface of the pad. |
| US08378491B2 |
Integrated circuit including interconnect levels
An integrated circuit as described herein includes an upper interconnect level including a continuous upper interconnect area, the continuous upper interconnect area including a plurality of upper contact openings. The integrated circuit further includes a lower interconnect level including a continuous lower interconnect area, the continuous lower interconnect area including a plurality of lower contact openings. First contacts extend through the lower contact openings to the upper interconnect area and second contact openings extend through the upper contact openings to the lower interconnect area. |
| US08378485B2 |
Solder interconnect by addition of copper
A method of forming an electronic device provides an electronic device substrate having a solder bump pad located thereover. A nickel-containing layer is located over the solder bump pad. A copper-containing layer is formed on the nickel-containing layer prior to subjecting the electronic device to a reflow process. |
| US08378479B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating semiconductor device
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device, including a semiconductor chip including a first electrode and a second electrode of a semiconductor element, the first electrode and the second electrode being configured on a first surface and a second surface of the semiconductor chip, an encapsulating material encapsulating the semiconductor chip, the surface portion being other than regions, each of the regions connecting with the first second electrodes, each of inner electrodes being connected with the first or the second electrodes, a thickness of the inner electrode from the first surface or the second surface being the same thickness as the encapsulating material from the first surface or the second surface, respectively, outer electrodes, each of the outer electrodes being formed on the encapsulating material and connected with the inner electrode, a width of the outer electrode being at least wider than a width of the semiconductor chip, and outer plating materials, each of the outer plating materials covering five surfaces of the outer electrode other than one surface of the outer electrode being connected with the inner electrode. |
| US08378475B1 |
Optoelectronic chip carriers
Carriers enabling multichip driving of optoelectronic interconnects are disclosed. In one instance, the carriers provide a substantially perpendicular interface between the host circuit board and the optoelectronic die. |
| US08378474B2 |
Devices with faraday cages and internal flexibility sipes
A computer or microchip comprising an outer chamber and at least one inner chamber inside the outer chamber. The outer chamber and the inner chamber being separated at least in part by an internal sipe, and at least a portion of a surface of the outer chamber forming at least a portion of a surface of the internal sipe. The internal sipe has opposing surfaces that are separate from each other and therefore can move relative to each other, and at least a portion of the opposing surfaces are in contact with each other in a unloaded condition. The outer chamber including a Faraday Cage. A computer, comprising a semiconductor wafer having a multitude of microchips. The multitude of microchips forming a plurality of independently functioning computers, each computer having independent communication capabilities. |
| US08378473B2 |
Semiconductor device having semiconductor chip within multilayer substrate
In inlets used for ID tags and the like, a defective connection between an integrated circuit part and an antenna is suppressed by improvement of tolerance for a bending or a pressing pressure. The integrated circuit part includes a semiconductor chip and a multilayer substrate having a concave portion. The semiconductor chip is mounted on the bottom of the concave portion. The multilayer substrate includes a connection electrode at the top surface and a connection electrode connected to the semiconductor chip on the bottom of the concave portion. The connection electrode on the bottom of the concave portion is connected to the connection electrode at the top surface by a penetration electrode inside a multilayer substrate. By such a configuration, the semiconductor chip is connected to the antenna. |
| US08378472B2 |
Mounting structure for semiconductor element with underfill resin
In order to easily inject underfill resin and perform molding with reliability, groove sections are formed on a surface of a circuit board such that the ends of the groove sections extend to semiconductor elements. Low-viscosity underfill resin applied dropwise is guided by the groove sections and flows between the circuit board and the semiconductor elements. The underfill resin hardly expands to regions outside the semiconductor elements. |
| US08378463B2 |
Orientation of electronic devices on mis-cut substrates
A microelectronic assembly in which a semiconductor device structure is directionally positioned on an off-axis substrate. In an illustrative implementation, a laser diode is oriented on a GaN substrate wherein the GaN substrate includes a GaN (0001) surface off-cut from the <0001>direction predominantly towards either the <11 20> or the <1 100> family of directions. For a <11 20> off-cut substrate, a laser diode cavity may be oriented along the <1 100> direction parallel to lattice surface steps of the substrate in order to have a cleaved laser facet that is orthogonal to the surface lattice steps. For a <1 100> off-cut substrate, the laser diode cavity may be oriented along the <1 100> direction orthogonal to lattice surface steps of the substrate in order to provide a cleaved laser facet that is aligned with the surface lattice steps. |
| US08378462B2 |
Semiconductor device having through substrate vias
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a first surface serving as an element formation surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a through-via penetrating the semiconductor substrate; an insulating via coating film formed between a sidewall of the through-via and the semiconductor substrate; and an insulating protective film formed on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate. The via coating film and the protective film are different insulating films from each other. |
| US08378461B2 |
Light-emitting devices having an active region with electrical contacts coupled to opposing surfaces thereof
A light-emitting device comprises a substrate that has a contact plug extending therethrough between first and second opposing surfaces. An active region is on the first surface, a first electrical contact is on the active region, and a second electrical contact is adjacent to the second surface of the substrate. The contact plug couples the second electrical contact to the active region. Such a configuration may allow electrical contacts to be on opposing sides of a chip, which may increase the number of devices that may be formed on a wafer. |
| US08378459B2 |
Semiconductor device, semiconductor wafer and manufacturing method of the same
In a state where an adhesive tape is attached onto a main surface of a semiconductor wafer, a trench is formed in a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer. For forming the trench in the rear surface of the semiconductor wafer, after coating a resist film on the rear surface of the semiconductor wafer, the resist film is patterned by using the photolithography technology. The patterning of the resist film is performed so as not to leave the resist film in the region where the trench is to be formed. Then, the trench is formed in a predetermined region of the semiconductor wafer by the dry etching technology using the patterned resist film as a mask. Specifically, the trench is formed in the region near the dicing line. |
| US08378458B2 |
Semiconductor chip with a rounded corner
Various semiconductor chips and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes providing a semiconductor wafer that has plural semiconductor chips. Each of the plural semiconductor chips includes a first principal side and a second and opposite principal side. Material is removed from the semiconductor wafer to define at least one rounded corner of the first principal side of at least one of the plural semiconductor chips. |
| US08378457B2 |
Silicon-germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor
A SiGe HBT formed on a silicon substrate is disclosed. An active area is isolated by field oxide regions; a collector region is formed in the active area and extends into the bottom of the field oxide regions; pseudo buried layers are formed at the bottom of the field oxide regions, wherein each pseudo buried layer is separated by a lateral distance from the active area and connected to a lateral extension part of the collector region; first deep hole contacts are formed on top of the pseudo buried layers in the field oxide regions to pick up collector electrodes; a plurality of second deep hole contacts with a floating structure, are formed in the field oxide region on top of a lateral extension part of the collector region, wherein N-type implantation regions are formed at the bottom of the second deep hole contacts. |
| US08378455B2 |
Electronic component arrangement comprising a varistor and a semiconductor component
An electric component arrangement is described, comprising a semiconductor component (1) and a varistor body (2), which is contact-connected to the semiconductor component in order to protect the latter against electrostatic discharges. The semiconductor component and the varistor body are arranged on a common carrier (3) containing a highly thermally conductive ceramic. |
| US08378449B2 |
Circuit arrangement for the power supply of an integrated circuit
In a circuit arrangement (1) it is provided for supplying an integrated circuit (4) with electrical energy in a reliable and low-emission manner that a first ground connection (14) of the integrated circuit (4) is connected to a circuit carrier ground (3) and that an external buffer capacitor (17) is connected to a supply connection (5) and a second ground connection (18) of the integrated circuit (4). The arrangement is further equipped with a supply unit (15), which has a current source behavior, at least at a clock frequency of the integrated circuit (4). The buffer capacitor (17) reduces load-related voltage fluctuations, the current source behavior of the supply unit (15) causing a decoupling of the frequency between the charging and discharging process of the buffer capacitor (17). The high-frequency discharging currents are tightly restricted in the circuit arrangement (1), thus preventing significant emission. |
| US08378447B2 |
Electrically programmable fuse and fabrication method
An electrically programmable fuse includes an anode, a cathode, and a fuse link conductively connecting the cathode with the anode, which is programmable by applying a programming current. The anode and the fuse link each include a polysilicon layer and a silicide layer formed on the polysilicon layer, and the cathode includes the polysilicon layer and a partial silicide layer formed on a predetermined portion of the polysilicon layer of the cathode located adjacent to a cathode junction where the cathode and the fuse link meet. |
| US08378438B2 |
Method and system for providing magnetic elements having enhanced magnetic anisotropy and memories using such magnetic elements
A method and system for providing a magnetic element are described. The magnetic element includes pinned and free layers, a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the free and pinned layers, and a stability structure. The free layer is between the spacer layer and the stability structure. The free layer has a free layer magnetization, at least one free layer easy axis, and at least one hard axis. The stability structure includes magnetic layers and is configured to decrease a first magnetic energy corresponding to the free layer magnetization being aligned with the at least one easy axis without decreasing a second magnetic energy corresponding to the free layer magnetization being aligned with the at least one hard axis. The magnetic element is configured to allow the free layer magnetization to be switched to between states when a write current is passed through the magnetic element. |
| US08378437B2 |
Magnetoresistive effect element and magnetic random access memory
A magnetoresistive effect element includes a reference layer, a recording layer, and a nonmagnetic layer. The reference layer is made of a magnetic material, has an invariable magnetization which is perpendicular to a film surface. The recording layer is made of a magnetic material, has a variable magnetization which is perpendicular to the film surface. The nonmagnetic layer is arranged between the reference layer and the recording layer. A critical diameter which is determined by magnetic anisotropy, saturation magnetization, and switched connection of the recording layer and has a single-domain state as a unique stable state or a critical diameter which has a single-domain state as a unique stable state and is inverted while keeping the single-domain state in an inverting process is larger than an element diameter of the magnetoresistive effect element. |
| US08378435B2 |
Pressure sensor and method of assembling same
A method of packaging a pressure sensing die includes providing a lead frame with lead fingers and attaching the pressure sensing die to the lead fingers such that bond pads of the die are electrically coupled to the lead fingers and a void is formed between the die and the lead fingers. A gel material is dispensed via an underside of the lead frame into the void such that the gel material substantially fills the void. The gel material is then cured and the die and the lead frame are encapsulated with a mold compound. The finished package does not include a metal lid. |
| US08378434B2 |
Tilting actuator with close-gap electrodes
An electromechanical tilting device including a first and a second electrode structures, shaped, positioned and oriented to define at least partially interdigitated electrodes, and a suspension defining a tilt-containing motion path for the second structure with respect to the first structure. The motion path is selected to cause changes in overlapping regions and overlapping regions' gaps of the interdigitated electrodes. The device is configured such that an increase in one or more voltage bias applied to interdigitated driving electrodes makes a decrease in a total area of overlapping regions of the driving electrodes electrically energetically favorable. |
| US08378432B2 |
Maintaining integrity of a high-K gate stack by an offset spacer used to determine an offset of a strain-inducing semiconductor alloy
In sophisticated transistor elements including a high-k gate metal stack, the integrity of the sensitive gate materials may be ensured by a spacer element that may be concurrently used as an offset spacer for defining a lateral offset of a strain-inducing semiconductor alloy. The cap material of the sophisticated gate stack may be removed without compromising integrity of the offset spacer by providing a sacrificial spacer element. Consequently, an efficient strain-inducing mechanism may be obtained in combination with the provision of a sophisticated gate stack with the required material integrity, while reducing overall process complexity compared to conventional strategies. |
| US08378430B2 |
Transistors having argon gate implants and methods of forming the same
Transistors are provided including first and second source/drain regions, a channel region and a gate stack having a first gate dielectric over a substrate, the first gate dielectric having a dielectric constant higher than a dielectric constant of silicon dioxide, and a metal material in contact with the first gate dielectric, the metal material being doped with an inert element. Integrated circuits including the transistors and methods of forming the transistors are also provided. |
| US08378429B2 |
Selective floating body SRAM cell
A memory cell has N≧16 transistors, in which two are access transistors, at least one pair [say (N-2)/2] are pull-up transistors, and at least another pair [say (N-2)/2] are pull-down transistors. The pull-up and pull-down transistors are all coupled between the two access transistors. Each of the access transistors and the pull-up transistors are the same type, p-type or n-type. Each of the pull-down transistors is the other type, p-type or n-type. The access transistors are floating body devices. The pull-down transistors are non-floating body devices. The pull-up transistors may be floating or non-floating body devices. Various specific implementations and methods of making the memory cell are also detailed. |
| US08378427B2 |
High speed IGBT
An IGBT with almost no tail during turning-off is formed by connection of both the base and the emitter of the BJT of the IGBT at the bottom of the chip to two regions in an area of the top surface of the chip. The two regions keep non-depleted even under a maximum voltage being applied across the collector and the base of the BJT. The current through the two regions can be controlled by a gate voltage of a place close to the active region of the MISFET of the IGBT through a surface voltage-sustaining region. The injection efficiency of minorities of the IGBT can thus be controlled. |
| US08378425B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
It is intended to achieve a sufficiently-small SRAM cell area and a stable operation margin in a CMOS 6T-SRAM comprising a vertical transistor SGT. In a static type memory cell made up using six MOS transistors, each of the MOS transistor constituting the memory cell is formed on a planar silicon layer formed on a buried oxide film, to have a structure where a drain, a gate and a source are arranged in a vertical direction, wherein the gate is formed to surround a pillar-shaped semiconductor layer. The planar silicon layer comprises a first active region having a first conductive type, and a second active region having a second conductive type. The first and second active regions are connected to each other through a silicide layer formed in a surface of the planar silicon layer to achieve an SRAM cell having a sufficiently-small area. |
| US08378422B2 |
Electrostatic discharge protection device comprising a plurality of highly doped areas within a well
Embodiments of the invention relate to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device and method for forming an ESD device. An embodiment is an ESD protection device comprising a p well disposed in a substrate, an n well disposed in the substrate, a high voltage n well (HVNW) disposed between the p well and the n well in the substrate, a source n+ region disposed in the p well, and a plurality of drain n+ regions disposed in the n well. |
| US08378418B2 |
Semiconductor device, battery protection circuit and battery pack
A bidirectional Trench Lateral Power MOSFET (TLPM) can achieve a high breakdown voltage and a low on-resistance. A plurality of straight-shaped islands having circular portions at both ends are surrounded by a trench arrangement. The islands provide first n source regions and a second n source region is formed on the outside of the islands. With such a pattern, the breakdown voltage in the case where the first n source regions are at a high potential can be higher than the breakdown voltage in the case where the second n source region is at a high potential. Alternatively, in the case of not changing the breakdown voltage, the on-resistance can be reduced. |
| US08378414B2 |
Low leakage FINFETs
By aligning the primary flat of a wafer with a (100) plane rather than a (110) plane, devices can be formed with primary currents flowing along the (100) plane. In this case, the device will intersect the (111) plane at approximately 54.7 degrees. This intersect angle significantly reduces stress propagation/relief along the (111) direction and consequently reduces defects as well as leakage and parasitic currents. The leakage current reduction is a direct consequence of the change in the dislocation length required to short the source-drain junction. By using this technique the leakage current is reduced by up to two orders of magnitude for an N-channel CMOS device. |
| US08378413B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
Described is a method for fabricating a semiconductor device having an FET of a trench-gate structure obtained by disposing a conductive layer, which will be a gate, in a trench extended in the main surface of a semiconductor substrate, wherein the upper surface of the trench-gate conductive layer is formed equal to or higher than the main surface of the semiconductor substrate. In addition, the conductive layer of the trench gate is formed to have a substantially flat or concave upper surface and the upper surface is formed equal to or higher than the main surface of the semiconductor substrate. Moreover, after etching of the semiconductor substrate to form the upper surface of the conductive layer of the trench gate equal to or higher than the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, a channel region and a source region are formed by ion implantation. The semiconductor device thus fabricated according to the present invention is free from occurrence of a source offset. |
| US08378412B2 |
Memory arrays where a distance between adjacent memory cells at one end of a substantially vertical portion is greater than a distance between adjacent memory cells at an opposing end of the substantially vertical portion and formation thereof
Memory arrays and their formation are disclosed. One such memory array has a string of series-coupled memory cells with a substantially vertical portion. A distance between adjacent memory cells at one end of the substantially vertical portion is greater than a distance between adjacent memory cells at an opposing end of the substantially vertical portion. For other embodiments, thicknesses of respective control gates of the memory cells and/or thicknesses of the dielectrics between successively adjacent control gates may increase as the distances of the respective control gates/dielectrics from the opposing end of the substantially vertical portion increase. |
| US08378410B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device having a non-volatile memory and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a base material and a stack structure. The stack structure disposed on the base material at least includes a tunneling layer, a trapping layer and a dielectric layer. The trapping layer is disposed on the tunneling layer. The dielectric layer has a dielectric constant and is disposed on the trapping layer. The dielectric layer is transformed from a first solid state to a second solid state when the dielectric layer undergoes a process. |
| US08378408B2 |
Memory devices
A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a first control gate, a second control gate, a plurality of first charge storage elements, a plurality of second charge storage elements and a semiconductor. The plurality of first charge storage elements is beside the first control gate, and each of the first charge storage elements is located on the different side of the first control gate. The plurality of second charge storage elements is beside the second control gate. The semiconductor is located between the first and second control gates. |
| US08378401B2 |
Solid state imaging apparatus, method for driving the same and camera using the same
A solid state imaging apparatus includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells each including a plurality of photoelectric sections arranged in an array of at least two rows and two columns; a plurality of floating diffusion sections each being connected to each of ones of the photoelectric sections which are included in the same row of each said photoelectric conversion cell via each of a plurality of transfer transistors, and being shared by said ones of the photoelectric sections; a plurality of read-out lines each being selectively connected to at least two of the transfer transistors; and a plurality of pixel amplifier transistors each detecting and outputting the potential of each said the floating diffusion section. Charges of the photoelectric conversion sections each being connected to one of the read-out lines and being read out by the transfer transistors are read out by different floating diffusion sections. |
| US08378397B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, process of making solid state imaging device, digital still camera, digital video camera, mobile phone, and endoscope
A solid-state imaging device includes an array of pixels, each pixel includes: a pixel electrode; an organic layer; a counter electrode; a sealing layer; a color filter; a readout circuit; and a light-collecting unit as defined herein, the photoelectric layer contains an organic p type semiconductor and an organic n type semiconductor, the organic layer further includes a charge blocking layer as defined herein, an ionization potential of the charge blocking layer and an electron affinity of the organic n type semiconductor in the photoelectric layer has a difference of at least 1 eV, and the sealing layer includes a first sealing sublayer formed by atomic layer deposition and a second sealing sublayer formed by physical vapor deposition and containing one of a metal oxide, a metal nitride, and a metal oxynitride. |
| US08378395B2 |
Methods of fabricating field effect transistors having protruded active regions
Provided are a field effect transistor, a method of manufacturing the same, and an electronic device including the field effect transistor. The field effect transistor may have a structure in which a double gate field effect transistor and a recess channel array transistor are formed in a single transistor in order to improve a short channel effect which occurs as field effect transistors become more highly integrated, a method of manufacturing the same, and an electronic device including the field effect transistor. The field effect transistor can exhibit stable device characteristics even when more highly integrated in such a manner that both the length and width of a channel increase and particularly the channel can be significantly long, and can be manufactured simply. |
| US08378394B2 |
Method for forming and structure of a recessed source/drain strap for a MUGFET
A method and semiconductor structure includes an insulator layer on a substrate, a plurality of parallel fins above the insulator layer, relative to a bottom of the structure. Each of the fins comprises a central semiconductor portion and conductive end portions. At least one conductive strap may be positioned within the insulator layer below the fins, relative to the bottom of the structure. The conductive strap can be perpendicular to the fins and contact the fins. The conductive strap further includes recessed portions disposed within the insulator layer, below the plurality of fins, relative to the bottom of the structure, and between each of the plurality of fins, and projected portions disposed above the insulator layer, collinear with each of the plurality of fins, relative to the bottom of the structure. The conductive strap is disposed in at least one of a source and a drain region of the semiconductor structure. A gate insulator contacts and covers the central semiconductor portion of the fins, and a gate conductor covers and contacts the gate insulator. |
| US08378391B2 |
Semiconductor device including image sensor
A solid-state image sensor which holds a potential for a long time and includes a thin film transistor with stable electrical characteristics is provided. When the off-state current of a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer is set to 1×10−13 A or less and the thin film transistor is used as a reset transistor and a transfer transistor of the solid-state image sensor, the potential of the signal charge storage portion is kept constant, so that a dynamic range can be improved. When a silicon semiconductor which can be used for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor is used for a peripheral circuit, a high-speed semiconductor device with low power consumption can be manufactured. |
| US08378390B2 |
Silicon carbide bipolar junction transistor (BJT) having a surface electrode disposed on top of a dielectric layer formed at a region between emitter contact and base contact
The present disclosure relates to a silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT), where the surface region between the emitter and base contacts (1, 2) on the transistor is given a negative electric surface potential with respect to the potential in the bulk SiC. The present disclosure also relates to a method for increasing the current gain in a silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) by the reduction of the surface recombination at the SiC surface between the emitter and base contacts (1, 2) of the transistor. |
| US08378389B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same
A semiconductor device includes: a compound semiconductor substrate; an n-channel field-effect transistor region formed on the compound semiconductor substrate, and that includes a first channel layer; an n-type first barrier layer that forms a heterojunction with the first channel layer, and supplies an n-type charge to the first channel layer; and a p-type gate region that has a pn junction-type potential barrier against the n-type first barrier layer; and a p-channel field-effect transistor region formed on the compound semiconductor substrate, and that includes a p-type second channel layer, and an n-type gate region that has a pn junction-type potential barrier against the p-type second channel layer. |
| US08378388B2 |
Semiconductor device having a GaN-based semiconductor layer doped with Fe
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor layer made of Fe-doped GaN; a first buffer layer that is provided on the semiconductor layer so as to contact an upper surface of the semiconductor layer and is made of AlN or AlxGa1-xN (0.4 |
| US08378380B2 |
Nitride semiconductor light-emitting device and method for manufacturing the same
Provided are a nitride semiconductor light-emitting device and a method for manufacturing the same, capable of improving light emitting efficiency by forming a reflection layer on a lateral side of an LED chip. An embodiment provides a nitride semiconductor light-emitting device includes a light-emitting device chip and a reflection layer. The reflection layer is formed on a lateral side of the light-emitting device chip. |
| US08378378B2 |
Light emitting diode package and method of fabricating the same
A light emitting diode package includes a base having a first surface, an electrode portion attached to the base, a pair of inner electrodes disposed on the first surface, a pair of outer electrodes, a pair of conductive pillars, a light emitting diode die, and a cap layer. Each outer electrode includes an end surface section and a side surface section. The end surface sections are disposed, corresponding to the inner electrodes, on the second surface. Each side surface section extends onto the side surface of the electrode portion. The conductive pillar penetrates between the inner electrode and the outer electrode. The light emitting diode die is on the first surface, electrically connecting the inner electrode. The cap layer covers the light emitting diode die. |
| US08378373B2 |
Light-emitting device
A light-emitting device includes a substrate; a stacked structure including a first type semiconductor layer positioned on the substrate, a light-emitting structure positioned on the first type semiconductor layer, and a second type semiconductor layer positioned on the light-emitting structure, wherein the stacked structure includes a depression exposing the first type semiconductor layer; a first electrode positioned on the first type semiconductor layer in the depression, the first electrode including at least one first pad and at least one first extending wire with one end connected to the first pad; a second electrode positioned on the second type semiconductor layer, the second electrode including at least one second pad and at least one second extending wire with one end connected to the second pad; wherein the distance between the first pad and the second pad is greater than 70% of the width of the light-emitting device. |
| US08378363B2 |
Self-illuminating display having light emitting nanowires and method for making same
A self-illuminating display includes a substrate, and a number of light emitting units. The light emitting units are formed on the substrate in an array fashion. Each of the light emitting units includes a first electrode, a second electrode formed on the substrate and a number of light emitting nanowires. The first electrode includes a number of first arms, and the second electrode includes a number of second arms. Each of the first arms opposes a corresponding second arm. Each of light emitting nanowires interconnects the first arm and the corresponding second arm. Each of the light emitting nanowires has a p-n junction. |
| US08378361B2 |
Light-emitter, and light emitting device including a metal-oxide charge injection layer
A light-emitter includes a first electrode and a layered body over the first electrode. The layered body includes a charge injection layer and a light-emitting layer. A bank defines a position of the light-emitting layer of the layered body, and a second electrode is over the layered body. The charge injection layer is formed by oxidation of an upper portion of a metal. The first electrode includes a metal layer that is a lower portion of the metal. An inner portion of the charge injection layer is depressed to define a recess. A portion of the bank is on an outer portion of the charge injection layer. |
| US08378357B2 |
Multilayered structures and methods of making multilayered structures
The present invention relates to a multilayered structure including at least one diamond layer and methods of making the multilayered structures. The multilayered structure includes a diamond layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, and when desired at least one metal filled via in the diamond layer, a first thin adhesion layer on the top surface, a second thin adhesion layer on the bottom surface, a first metal layer having a thermal conductivity greater than 200 W/m-K and a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than 12 ppm/K, wherein the first metal layer is deposited on the first thin adhesion layer, and a second metal layer having a thermal conductivity greater than 200 W/m-K and a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than 12 ppm/K, wherein the second metal layer is deposited on the second thin adhesion layer. |
| US08378353B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display device and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting diode display device and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The organic light emitting diode display device comprises: a substrate; an active layer disposed on the substrate; a first insulating layer disposed on the active layer; a gate electrode disposed on the first insulating layer; a pixel electrode disposed on the first insulating layer; source and drain electrodes electrically insulated from the gate electrode and electrically connected to the active layer; an intermediate layer disposed on the pixel electrode, wherein the intermediate layer comprises an organic emission layer; and an opposite electrode disposed on the intermediate layer, wherein the pixel electrode is connected to the source electrode or the drain electrode, wherein the gate electrode comprises a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a third conductive layer, and a fourth conductive layer that are sequentially stacked, and wherein the second and third conductive layers comprises a first oxidation-reduction potential difference therebetween, and the first and third conductive layers comprises a second oxidation-reduction potential difference therebetween, and the first oxidation-reduction potential difference is less than the second oxidation-reduction potential difference. |
| US08378350B2 |
Display device
Provided is a display device including first and second gate interconnections; a first pixel circuit disposed at one side of the first gate interconnection, the first pixel circuit including a first transistor, a gate electrode of the first transistor electrically connected to the first gate interconnection, a source electrode of the first transistor formed in a source layer, the source electrode including a first source electrode facing portion overlapping with the gate electrode; and a second pixel circuit disposed at the other side of the second gate interconnection, the second pixel circuit including a second transistor, a gate electrode of the second transistor electrically connected to the second gate interconnection, a source electrode of the second transistor formed in the source layer, the source electrode including a second source electrode facing portion overlapping with the gate electrode and stretched along the first source electrode facing portion. |
| US08378349B2 |
Organic light emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same. The display apparatus includes first, second, and third sub-pixels formed on a substrate. The first sub-pixel includes a first pixel electrode, a first transmissive conductive layer formed on the first pixel electrode, a second transmissive conductive layer formed on the first transmissive conductive layer, a first organic light emitting layer formed on the second transmissive conductive layer, and a counter electrode formed on the first organic light emitting layer. The second sub-pixel includes a second pixel electrode, the first transmissive conductive layer formed on the second pixel electrode, a first protector covering an edge of the first transmissive conductive layer, a second organic light emitting layer electrically connected to the first transmissive conductive layer, and the counter electrode formed on the second organic light emitting layer. The third sub-pixel includes a third pixel electrode, a second protector covering an outer edge of the third pixel electrode, a third protector formed on the second protector, a third organic light emitting layer electrically connected to the third pixel electrode, and the counter electrode formed on the third organic light emitting layer. |
| US08378345B2 |
Heterojunction oxide non-volatile memory device
A memory device includes a first metal layer and a first metal oxide layer coupled to the first metal layer. The memory device includes a second metal oxide layer coupled to the first metal oxide layer and a second metal layer coupled to the second metal oxide layer. The formation of the first metal oxide layer has a Gibbs free energy that is lower than the Gibbs free energy for the formation of the second metal oxide layer. |
| US08378339B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device, production method thereof, photosensor, imaging device and their drive methods
A photoelectric conversion device comprising a transparent electrically conductive film, a photoelectric conversion film and an electrically conductive film in this order, wherein the photoelectric conversion film comprises a photoelectric conversion layer, and an electron blocking layer, wherein the electron blocking layer contains a compound represented by the specific formula. |
| US08378334B2 |
Low power floating body memory cell based on low-bandgap-material quantum well
Embodiments of the invention relate to apparatus, system and method for use of a memory cell having improved power consumption characteristics, using a low-bandgap material quantum well structure together with a floating body cell. |
| US08378333B2 |
Lateral two-terminal nanotube devices and method for their formation
An apparatus, system, and method are provided for a lateral two-terminal nanotube device configured to capture and generate energy, to store electrical energy, and to integrate these functions with power management circuitry. The lateral nanotube device can include a substrate, an anodic oxide material disposed on the substrate, and a column disposed in the anodic oxide material extending from one distal end of the anodic oxide material to another end of the anodic oxide material. The lateral nanotube device further can include a first material disposed within the column, and a second material disposed within the column. The first material fills a distal end of the column and gradiently decreases towards another distal end of the column along inner walls of the column. The second material fills the another distal end of the column and gradiently decreases towards the distal end of the column within the first material. |
| US08378332B2 |
Nanowires
An apparatus and a method of manufacturing the apparatus. The apparatus includes a main nanowire and branch nanowires emanating from the main nanowire. The main nanowire may have a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may have a first carrier concentration and the second portion may have a second carrier concentration, different to the first carrier concentration. Each branch nanowire may emanate from the first portion of the main nanowire. Each branch nanowire may emanate from the main nanowire at a substantially fixed distance along a length of the main nanowire. |
| US08378331B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
This nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array including memory cells arranged therein. Each of the memory cells is located at respective intersections between first wirings and second wirings and includes a variable resistance element. The variable resistance element comprises a thin film including carbon (C). The thin film includes a side surface along a direction of a current flowing in the memory cell. The side surface includes carbon nitride (CNx). |
| US08378330B2 |
Capping layer for a magnetic tunnel junction device to enhance dR/R and a method of making the same
An MTJ in an MRAM array or TMR read head is disclosed in which a low magnetization capping layer is a composite having a NiFeHf inner layer formed on a NiFe or CoFeB/NiFe free layer, a Ta middle layer, and a Ru outer layer on the Ta layer. For example, a low magnetization NiFeHf layer is achieved by co-sputtering NiFe and Hf targets with a forward power of 400 W and 200 W, respectively. A higher Hf content increases the oxygen gettering power of the NiFeHf layer and the thickness is modified to change dR/R, RA, and magnetostriction values. A so-called dead layer between the free layer and capping layer is restored by incorporating a NiFeHf layer on the free layer to improve lattice matching. The Fe content in the NiFe target used to make the NiFeHf layer is preferably the same as in the NiFe free layer. |
| US08378329B2 |
Nanodevices for spintronics and methods of using same
Graphene magnet multilayers (GMMs) are employed to facilitate development of spintronic devices. The GMMs can include a sheet of monolayer (ML) or few-layer (FL) graphene in contact with a magnetic material, such as a ferromagnetic (FM) or an antiferromagnetic material. Electrode terminals can be disposed on the GMMs to be in electrical contact with the graphene. A magnetic field effect is induced in the graphene sheet based on an exchange magnetic field resulting from a magnetization of the magnetic material which is in contact with graphene. Electrical characteristics of the graphene can be manipulated based on the magnetization of the magnetic material in the GMM. |
| US08378327B2 |
Combination computed and direct radiography system and method
A scanning apparatus that can operate as both a computed and direct style radiography device. In the computed radiography mode, an internal imaging plate is removed or maintained inwardly within the housing assembly to allow a cassette handling mechanism holding a removable imaging plate to pass adjacent the scanning head. In the direct radiography mode, the cassette handling mechanism is retracted and the internal imaging plate is moved outward from the within the housing such that it is located adjacent the reading slot of the scan head assembly. In both modes of operation, the imaging plate being used is maintained adjacent the scan head while the scan head and imaging plate surface are moved relative to each other allowing the scanning and acquisition of the image data stored on the plate. |
| US08378326B2 |
X-ray shield
An X-ray shield for a horizontal X-ray procedure table includes a horizontal support bar for attachment thereto a first depending X-ray opaque curtain and a second support bar, the second support bar being moveably attached to the horizontal support bar to enable movement of the second support bar in both horizontal and vertical directions. |
| US08378322B2 |
Micro-channel-cooled high heat load light emitting device
Micro-channel-cooled UV curing systems and components thereof are provided. According to one embodiment, a lamp head module includes an optical macro-reflector, an array of LEDs and a micro-channel cooler assembly. The array is positioned within the reflector and has a high fill factor and a high aspect ratio. The array provides a high irradiance output beam pattern having a peak irradiance of greater than 25 W/cm2 at a work piece surface at least 1 mm away from an outer surface of a window of the reflector. The micro-channel cooler assembly maintains a substantially isothermal state among p-n junctions of the LEDs at less than or equal to 80° Celsius. The micro-channel cooler assembly also provides a common anode substrate for the array. A thermally efficient electrical connection is formed between the array and the common anode substrate by mounting the array to the micro-channel cooler assembly. |
| US08378317B1 |
Ion implant apparatus and method of ion implantation
An apparatus and a method of ion implantation using a rotary scan assembly having an axis of rotation and a periphery. A plurality of substrate holders is distributed about the periphery, and the substrate holders are arranged to hold respective planar substrates. Each planar substrate has a respective geometric center on the periphery. A beam line assembly provides a beam of ions for implantation in the planar substrates on the holders. The beam line assembly is arranged to direct said beam along a final beam path. |
| US08378316B2 |
Wafer temperature correction system for ion implantation device
To provide an ion implantation device capable of correcting the temperature of the wafer. The ion implantation device of the present invention has: an irradiation means that radiates ions; a retention means that includes a disk 112 that retains at least one wafer W; a thermopile 122 that detects, in a noncontact manner, temperature information for a wafer W retained on disk 112; a cooling medium supply unit that enables heat exchange for a wafer W retained on disk 112; and a control unit that calculates the surface temperature of a wafer W retained on disk 112 based on the temperature information detected by thermopile 122 and that determines whether the calculated surface temperature for the wafer is within a permissible temperature range. |
| US08378315B2 |
Windshield repair device and method for repairing windshield
A windshield repair device includes a bridge, an injector attached to the bridge and at least one UV, e.g., light emitting diode (LED), light source attached to the bridge or integrated into bridge or the injector to provide UV light within or around the injector. The UV, e.g., LED, light source can also be attached to an existing windshield repair device having a bridge and an injector attached to the bridge, so as to retrofit an existing windshield repair device to provide UV light within or around the injector. A method for curing resin provided in a crack in a windshield can be carried out by exposing the resin to UV light from at least one UV LED light source. |
| US08378314B2 |
Device and method for the evanescent illumination of a sample
A device for the evanescent illumination of a sample, including an optical illumination element with an optical corrective element and an objective arranged downstream from the corrective element, to evanescently illuminate the sample with a supplied ray beam containing optical radiation with at least two different wavelengths. The corrective optical element has a transverse chromatic aberration which, during the illumination, leads to the optical radiation penetrating the pupil of the objective at different heights relative to the optical axis varying according to the wavelength. The corrective optical element is selected in such a way that the wavelength-related difference of the penetration depths of the radiation into the sample is reduced during the evanescent illumination. |
| US08378308B2 |
Charged particle detectors with active detector surface for partial energy deposition of the charged particles and related methods
A radiation detector is disclosed. The radiation detector comprises an active detector surface configured to generate charge carriers in response to charged particles associated with incident radiation. The active detector surface is further configured with a sufficient thickness for a partial energy deposition of the charged particles to occur and permit the charged particles to pass through the active detector surface. The radiation detector further comprises a plurality of voltage leads coupled to the active detector surface. The plurality of voltage leads is configured to couple to a voltage source to generate a voltage drop across the active detector surface and to separate the charge carriers into a plurality of electrons and holes for detection. The active detector surface may comprise one or more graphene layers. Timing data between active detector surfaces may be used to determine energy of the incident radiation. Other apparatuses and methods are disclosed herein. |
| US08378307B2 |
Spectral imaging
An imaging system includes a scintillator array (202) and a digital photomultiplier array (204). A photon counting channel (212), an integrating channel (210), and a moment generating channel (214) process the output signal of the digital photomultiplier array (204). A reconstructor (122) spectrally resolves the first, the second and the third output signals. In one embodiment, a controller (232) activates the photon counting channel (212) to process the digital signal only if a radiation flux is below a predetermined threshold. An imaging system includes at least one direct conversion layer (302) and at least two scintillator layers (304) and corresponding photosensors (306). A photon counting channel (212) processes an output of the at least one direct conversion layer (302), and an integrating channel (210) and a moment generating channel (214) process respective outputs of the photosensors (306). A reconstructor (122) spectrally resolves the first, the second and the third output signals. |
| US08378306B2 |
Dual amplifier for MR-PET hybrid imaging system
PET signals are amplified in a hybrid PET/MR system. An amplifier structure is provided for operation in the magnetic field of the MR magnets. By filtering to remove signals at the MR frequency (e.g., about 123 MHz) as part of the amplification circuit, the amplification circuit may be positioned within the RF cabin, within the magnetic field, and even within a same housing as the MR magnets. MR interference may be reduced by staged amplification. The filtering may be bi-directional, such as using parallel and series traps. Digitization of the PET signals may be provided within the magnetic field with no or little interference with MR operation. |
| US08378305B2 |
Modular multi-geometry PET system
When performing positron emission tomography (PET) scanning and image reconstruction, a primary PET system (10) with a primary PET detector array (12) is used to image a patient or subject, and a secondary PET detector array (14) is coupled to the system at specific input points to mitigate unnecessary duplication of system components. The primary system (10) provides PET data processing and reconstruction for the secondary array (14), in addition to the first array (12). An adjustable array (120) includes radially movable detectors (122) and stationary detectors (124) with different crystal resolutions. The movable detectors (122) are alternately positioned with the stationary detectors (124) at a first radius to form a large detector ring, or are positioned at a second, smaller radius without the stationary detectors (124) to form a small detector ring. |
| US08378304B2 |
Continuous referencing for increasing measurement precision in time-domain spectroscopy
An apparatus for incorporation into time-domain spectroscopy systems that creates a continuous reference whereby a sample pulses' phase and amplitude can be tracked and corrected employs a beam splitter to generate sample and reference pulses. A detector is positioned for receiving the reference radiation pulses that do not interact with the sample. The same detector is also positioned for receiving the sample radiation pulses that emerge from the sample. The apparatus can be readily implemented by being configured between the emitter and detector of a terahertz time-domain spectrometer. The reference pulse is used to trace the changes in time and amplitude of the sample pulse. Since any changes in the reference pulse will most likely manifest in the sample pulse, the reference pulse is monitored and used to correct the sample pulse and thereby reduce the effects of jitter. |
| US08378303B2 |
Infrared spectrophotometer and auxiliary device therefor
An infrared spectrophotometer, which is capable of preventing measurement data measured from being adversely affected by moisture vapor. An internal space of an attachment receiving therein an optical element is sealed and isolated from ambient air by providing a tube and others, and a dehumidifier is provided in the internal space of the attachment for an optical path. Thus, the dehumidifier is disposed in a relatively narrow space, so that the internal space of the attachment can be efficiently dehumidified within a short period of time so as to reduce humidity in the internal space to suppress absorption of moisture vapor which would otherwise occur on the optical path in the internal space of the attachment. This makes it possible to prevent a negative influence of moisture vapor on measurement data, while reducing a standby time due to the dehumidification. |
| US08378300B2 |
Near-infrared imaging sensor
A near-infrared imaging sensor according to the present invention includes a photodiode array sensitive to light with a wavelength of 1.2 to 3 μm and a multiplexer including a signal readout circuit. The near-infrared imaging sensor is contained in a housing and is vacuum-sealed. The housing includes a main body section and a lid covering the main body section. The lid is made of a material transparent to light with a wavelength of 1.2 to 3 μm. |
| US08378296B1 |
Enhancement of concentration range of chromatographically detectable components with array detector mass spectrometry
Methods and instruments for high dynamic range analysis of sample components are described. A sample is subjected to time-dependent separation, ionized, and the ions dispersed with a constant integration time across an array of detectors according to the ions m/z values. Each of the detectors in the array has a dynamically adjustable gain or a logarithmic response function, producing an instrument capable of detecting a ratio of responses or 4 or more orders of magnitude. |
| US08378292B1 |
Neutron porosity measurement devices with semiconductor neutron detection cells and methods
A neutron porosity measurement device adapted to receive a neutron source configured to emit neutrons having a first energy includes a segmented semiconductor detector located at a predetermined distance from the neutron source. The segmented semiconductor detector includes a plurality of semiconductor neutron detection cells configured to detect neutrons having a second energy smaller than the first energy. The cells are arranged in subsets located between a first distance and a second distance from the neutron source, each subset including semiconductor neutron detection cells surrounding an axis and being disposed in opposite sectors defined relative to the axis at substantially same distance from the neutron source. One or more of the neutron detection cells are configured to acquire data related to detected neutrons independently from one or more other of the neutron detected cells. A method of manufacturing the neutron porosity measurement device is also provided. |
| US08378286B2 |
Acoustic enhancement for photo detecting devices
Provided are improvements to photo detecting devices and methods for enhancing the sensitivity of photo detecting devices. A photo detecting device generates an electronic signal in response to a received light pulse. An electro-mechanical acoustic resonator, electrically coupled to the photo detecting device, damps the electronic signal and increases the signal noise ratio (SNR) of the electronic signal. Increased photo detector standoff distances and sensitivities will result. |
| US08378285B2 |
Photoelectric conversion apparatus
Provided is a photoelectric conversion apparatus for detecting focus, which provides an increased number of ranging points while suppressing a chip-area increase. In a first mode, signals from a first line sensor L1 group are written in a first line memory L1 group while signals from a second line sensor L2 group are written in a second line memory L2 group. In a second mode, signals from the second line sensor L2 group are written in the first line memory L1 group while signals from the first line sensor L1 group are written in the second line memory L2 group, so that even one and the same line sensor can select different ranging point regions, enabling provision of an increased number of ranging points while suppressing a chip-area increase. |
| US08378283B1 |
Photoelectric switch control circuit
A photoelectric switch control circuit includes a first resistance; a first capacitance; and a photoelectric switch having a plurality of contacts which comprise a first to a fourth contacts. The first contact is grounded, one end of the first resistance, the second and the third contacts of the photoelectric switch and one end of the first capacitance connects at node A, the fourth contact is connected with the processing unit and grounded via a second resistance, the other end of the first resistance is connected with a voltage source, the other end of the first capacitance is grounded. |
| US08378282B2 |
Device for increasing the luminous flux per unit area with the ability to reduce the light-taking distance in respect to the opposite light source
A device for increasing the luminous flux per unit area with the ability to reduce the light-taking distance in respect to the opposite light source of the present invention mainly comprises a front lens part, a rear lens part, an axial mutually-perpendicular bi-axial support, a movable support, a fixed base, dampers for automatically limiting tilt speed, tilt gravity generators and photoelectric conversion array, etc. Based on the principle of light group field effect, the device can increase the luminous flux and light intensity per unit area of excident light by use of lens array group so that the photoelectric conversion system is able to get more light energy. The device is able to automatically keep pace with the motion of the sun in two dimensions without measuring sensors. The device is mainly applied in solar energy photovoltaic generating technology and recycling of different light energies. |
| US08378279B2 |
Portable integrated laser optical target tracker
A portable integrated laser optical target tracker and designator (PILOTT device) in a single housing is provided having a laser designator assembly to produce a focused laser beam that is projected from the housing. A laser energy detector is located in the housing that detects reflected laser energy from any designation source (ground or airborne based), provides steering information, decodes the laser's frequency, and is used as a range finding receiver. The location of the laser energy provides automatic field alignment of the laser designator. An optical magnification scope is mounted in the housing and has an optical field of view that is parallel to and aligned with a beam path defined by the laser beam focusing optics. Any night scope can be added to the system to provide night situational awareness by being shown in the display. A visual electronic display is overlaid with the optical field of view. A main controller communicates with the controller of the laser energy detector and the visual electronic display, as well as a user input in order to control the PILOTT device. This allows the laser designation location to be displayed in the optical field of view, along with other data, for spotting, ranging and/or marking a designated target. |
| US08378278B2 |
Foldable and deployable panel
A foldable deployable panel device (12) attached to a body (16) of an object is disclosed. The device includes a panel pivotally attached to the body by a first pivot element (40/42) at a first pivot position and a second pivot element (29) at a second pivot position. The first pivot element (40/42) is disengageable from the first pivot position, when the panel (12) is aligned in a predetermined orientation. The second pivot element (29) is fixed at the second pivot position, when the first pivot element (40/42) is engaged at the first pivot position. The panel (12) is urged by an energy storing element (28), when the first pivot element (40/42) is disengaged from the first pivot position, to move into a deployed position. |
| US08378273B2 |
Ceramic heater and glow plug
A ceramic heater (12) includes a substrate (60) and a resistor element (30) buried in the substrate (60). The resistor element (30) includes a heat-generating portion (33), lead portions (31), and intermediate portions (40) located between the heat-generating portions (33) and the lead portions (31). The intermediate portions (40) are formed such that, when cross sections at arbitrary two points P1 and P2 along the axis XA direction are compared, both the diameter CL of an imaginary circumscribed circle CG containing cross sections of the resistor element 30 and the total cross sectional area HS of the cross sections become small in the front end side cross section as compared with those in the rear end side cross section. |
| US08378270B2 |
Ceramic hob
A ceramic hob includes a cooking surface for positioning a cooking pot, a housing, an electronic circuit carrier mounted in the housing beneath the cooking surface, and a positioning element on a lower side of the cooking element engaging a recess of the electronic circuit carrier. |
| US08378269B2 |
Wafer thermometer, temperature measuring device, heat treatment device and method for measuring temperature of heat treatment unit
A wafer thermometer includes a wafer, a plurality of temperature sensors, a converter, a wafer data transmitter, and a photoelectric conversion element. The wafer has an upper surface divided to a plurality of regions. The plurality of temperature sensors are arranged at the plurality of regions, respectively. The converter is provided on the wafer and configured to convert signals output from the plurality of temperature sensors to temperature data. The wafer data transmitter is provided on the wafer and configured to transmit the temperature data converted by the converter. The photoelectric conversion element is provided on the wafer and configured to supply a current to the converter and the wafer data transmitter in response to light with which the photoelectric conversion element is irradiated. |
| US08378266B2 |
Smart layered heater surfaces
A heater system and related methods of heating a surface are provided by the present disclosure that includes, in one form, a substrate defining a heating surface and a layered heater formed on the heating surface. A plurality of nodes are disposed along the heating surface and are in electrical contact with a resistive heating layer of the layered heater, along with a plurality of lead wires connected to the plurality of nodes. In one form, a multiplexer is in communication with the plurality of nodes through the plurality of lead wires, and a controller is in communication with the multiplexer, wherein the multiplexer sequences and transmits resistances from the plurality of nodes to the controller, and the controller controls an amount of power provided to each of the plurality of nodes based on the differences in resistances between the nodes. |
| US08378265B2 |
Convection oven
A convection oven having a vapor collection system; water injection system; easily accessible electrical components; and a variable-speed, reversible blower is disclosed. The vapor collection system collects vapor from the cooking chamber during a cooking event, condenses the vapor, and drains the condensed vapor. The water injection system injects water for impact against a blower wheel for dispersion into the air circulating through the cooking chamber. The electrical components are housed within a housing that in a closed position conceals the components and in a closed position exposes the components for easy access. The rotational speed and direction of the variable-speed, reversible blower is controlled during a cooking event according to predetermined speed curves which may include one or more reversal events to achieve more uniform cooking of food. A main controller is programmable via an operator input (e.g., liquid crystal display touch screen) to control operating parameters of the oven. |
| US08378262B2 |
Defogging device with carbon nanotube film
A defogging device for reducing fog on a surface of a substrate, which comprises a power unit and a heating element. The heating element is attached to the substrate, which comprises at least one carbon nanotube film comprising carbon nanotubes arranged substantially parallel to each other. The heating element transforms electricity into heat to vaporize fog of the first surface of the substrate when the heating element is connected to the power unit. |
| US08378255B2 |
Laser beam irradiation apparatus
[Problems]A laser beam irradiation apparatus which can accurately perform a linear welding with a uniform width on an irradiation portion even if the overlap ratio is lowered is provided.[Means for Solving the Problems]A laser beam irradiation apparatus includes laser beam generation means for emitting a laser beam, an optical fiber for transmitting the laser beam incident on an input side face to an output side face, an incident optical unit for introducing the laser beam emitted from the laser beam generation means to the input side face of the optical fiber, and an emission optical unit for applying the laser beam emitted from the output side face of the optical fiber to an irradiation portion, wherein the core cross section of the optical fiber is formed to be rectangular, preferably oblong, throughout the optical fiber or in a range at a predetermined distance from the output side face, and the length of the range where the core cross section is rectangular is preferably set to 3 m or above. |
| US08378254B2 |
Adaptive vehicle manufacturing system and method
An adaptive vehicle manufacturing system and method for reducing vibrations and/or improving interior sound performance includes optionally measuring vibration sensitivity of at least one body-in-white vehicle component. The body-in-white vehicle body is assembled at a weld station and includes the at least one body-in-white vehicle component. Optionally, vibration sensitivity of the assembled body-in-white vehicle body is measured. The body-in-white vehicle body is painted at a paint station. An optimal damping package for the body-in-white vehicle body is determined based on the measured vibration sensitivity of the at least one body-in-white vehicle component and/or the measured vibration sensitivity of the body-in-white vehicle body. Damping corresponding to the optimal damping package is applied to the body-in-white vehicle body after painting thereof at a damping station, which can include melt sheet robots for applying the damping package. |
| US08378252B2 |
Method and apparatus for hybrid resolution feedback of a motion stage
A method and apparatus is presented for obtaining high resolution positional feedback from motion stages 52 in indexing systems 10 without incurring the costs associated with providing high resolution positional feedback from the entire range of motion by combining low resolution/low cost feedback devices 72 with high resolution/high cost feedback devices 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88. |
| US08378250B2 |
Bevel head attachment for plasma and oxy fuel cutting machines
A bevel head attachment comprises a rotation axis normal to a cutting plane and a rotary assembly having cylindrical inner and outer barrels and a bevel arm. The bevel arm carries a tilt arm having a torch clamp. The tilt arm rotates about a tilt axis forming an acute angle with the rotation axis. A rotation drive motor operable to rotate the bevel arm about the rotation axis and a tilt drive motor operable to rotate the tilt arm about the tilt axis are located remotely from the torch clamp. The tilt drive motor is connected to the tilt arm through the outer barrel. The motors are commanded according to only two transformation equations to rotate a torch held by the tilt arm about the rotation and tilt axes to achieve planer tilt adjustment. The lightweight attachment provides unlimited rotation, and locates sensitive electronic elements away from the torch. |
| US08378247B2 |
Composite wire for electrical discharge machining
The invention relates to a wire (1) which comprises a copper or pinchbeck core (2) surrounded by a pinchbeck coating consisting of a continuous pinchbeck sub-layer (3) in phase β and a superficial layer (4) with a fractured pinchbeck structure in phase ? enabling the appearance of pinchbeck in phase β in the fractures (5a). In this way, the electrical discharge machining speed is essentially increased. |
| US08378246B2 |
Electrically conducting structure of press switch
An electrically conducting structure of a press switch includes a flexible flat cable connector provided in a base and connected to a circuit board supported on a movable seat. By pressing a housing of the electrically conducting structure, an electrically conducting element located in a bottom portion of the movable seat is brought into contact with electrically conducting terminals in the base to establish electrical conduction. As the flat cable of the flexible flat cable connector is flexible, it does not add to the load experienced by the user when pressing the housing. |
| US08378245B2 |
Electrical switching apparatus, and handle assembly and push-to-trip mechanism therefor
A push-to-trip mechanism is provided for a handle assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, such as circuit breaker. The handle assembly includes a casing coupled to the exterior of the circuit breaker housing over the push-to-trip button of the circuit breaker. The push-to-trip mechanism includes an actuating member at least partially disposed within an aperture of the casing. The actuating member is movable between an actuated position corresponding to the actuating member actuating the push-to-trip button, and an unactuated position corresponding to the actuating member not actuating the push-to-trip button. A resilient element biases the actuating member toward the unactuated position. The push-to-trip mechanism is operable from the exterior of the handle assembly casing, thereby enabling the push-to-trip button of the circuit breaker to be actuated, without removing the casing. |