| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08412635B2 |
Methods and apparatus for electronic file playback
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating online storage of files (e.g., audio tracks, video, etc.) for playback/access or sale/exchange by the owners of the files without violating copyrights that copyright holders have in the files. For example, by providing a playback service that does not store additional versions of an audio file when the file is transmitted to, and immediately played on, a user device without buffering, the present invention avoids violating copyright laws by not making copies of the file. Numerous other aspects are disclosed. |
| US08412632B2 |
Performing a check transaction using add-in modules
A point-of-sale (POS) module and associated methods are described for performing a transaction involving a check. The POS module interacts with one or more add-in modules. Each add-in module is associated with a particular method for processing a payment using a check. Accordingly, the POS module can accommodate multiple different workflows by plugging in appropriate add-in modules. |
| US08412631B2 |
Cloud enabled payment processing system and method
A comprehensive platform for processing financial transactions is disclosed. The platform is a cloud based and comprises an application programming interface so that application developers can take advantage of the services provided by the framework. The platform replaces many of the expensive, outdated or inefficient aspects of traditional payment processing methods. |
| US08412630B2 |
Social network payment settlement system
A method for effecting transfer of a payment amount to a merchant during a transaction between a customer and the merchant includes determining, using a processing device, a funds shortfall, accessing a funds sharing network comprising a plurality of users, identifying one or more of the users of the funds sharing network, requesting funds from the identified one or more users, and applying funds received from the one or more users to the funds shortfall. In some embodiments, identifying one or more of the users includes determining whether one or more of the users are indebted to the customer, determining levels of connection between two or more of the users and the customer, and developing a hierarchy of users based on the indebted users and the levels of connection. |
| US08412629B2 |
Non-cash transaction incentive and commission distribution system
An electronic fund transfer system is disclosed wherein commissions for point-of-sale purchase transactions are determined and distributed to members of an organizational network for promoting use of a non-cash payment device that is tangible for effecting purchase transactions. Purchase data is electronically transmitted from the point-of-sale to an automated clearing house for effecting fund transfers to prepare the purchase, and also to a commission management system. The commission management system maintains an electronic database reflecting the structure of the organizational network, and further determines the distribution of purchase commissions according to a predetermined schedule of proportions relating to the position and business volume of each member of the network. The commission management system further comprises a payment processor for effecting commission payments to the members or to a designated sponsor on a scheduled basis. |
| US08412627B2 |
Online funds transfer method
According to the invention, a process for transferring funds in an online transaction between a first party and a second party is disclosed. In one step, a first account associated with the first party and a second account associated with the second party are determined. At least one of the first account and the second account is a bank account. A first transfer is initiated between the first account and a third account. The third account is not associated with either the first party or the second party. Notification is received that the first transfer has cleared. A second transfer between the third account and the second account is initiated before notification that the first transfer has cleared is received. |
| US08412626B2 |
Systems and methods to secure transactions via mobile devices
Systems and methods are provided to improve security of payment transactions via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes an interchange having a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of different controllers of mobile communications. The converters are configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats and to communicate with the common format processor in a common format for the confirmation of payment requests, made via mobile phones. The common format processor is to determine a risk of a payment request being fraudulent based on the personal identification information associated with a mobile phone and, after the payment request is confirmed and when the risk is below a threshold, to communicate one or more premium messages to the mobile phone to collect funds to fulfill the payment request. |
| US08412625B2 |
System and methods for a multi-channel payment platform
The platform executes secure payment transactions between customers and registered merchants by using remote terminals. When the user authorizes his/her payment data (e.g. using a credit card) to be permanently stored in the central system, it is possible to extend payment functionality to other remote devices (e.g. a mobile phone, a cable-TV, a touch-tone telephone . . . etc). By remotely placing the payment functionality on the central system, payment data are never managed by the merchant or by the user. The system comprises a central computer information system and a number of remote terminals used for executing payment requests. When receiving a payment request, the platform recognizes the user, retrieves from its database his method of payment, the merchant account number and conducts the real payment transaction interacting with external financial institutions. |
| US08412618B2 |
System for managing construction project bidding
A system is disclosed that facilitates construction project bidding over a computer network. In one aspect, a construction project supervisor system may verify one or more aspects of bidder information before bidding. A bidder may submit payment information, an electronic mail address, and a telephone number to be verified. Verification may include utilizing the payment information to process a payment, and/or sending a verification code to the electronic mail address and/or telephone number. In one embodiment, the issuance of a bid bond associated with the prospective bid may be required to complete the verification process. |
| US08412617B1 |
Methods and systems related to securities trading
One exemplary aspect comprises a method comprising: (a) receiving data describing an executed trading order in a market traded security and related trade execution data; (b) calculating components of execution costs associated with execution of the order; and (c) transmitting data sufficient to describe the components of execution costs. Other aspects comprise calculations of (1) cost effect of trade decision factors associated with execution of an order; (2) a decomposition of execution of an executed limit order into components related to algorithm performance and components related to trader-input parameters of the order; (3) components of implementation shortfall associated with execution of an order; (4) components of profit/loss associated with execution of an order; and (5) components of execution outcome associated with execution of an order. Other aspects and embodiments comprise related computer systems and software, as will be understood by those skilled in the art after reviewing the present description. |
| US08412611B2 |
Stock purchase indices
A method and system for determining investor participation driven stock purchase indices. Raw customer trading data is received from an accounting system. The raw customer trading data is then aggregated to generate daily transaction total counts for all stocks (that is, total shares bought and sold, total market value, etc.) as well as daily transaction total counts for each individual stock. Aggregation of the raw customer data also addresses customer privacy concerns. The aggregated data is processed to produce moving averages, stock purchase indices, and stock rankings. The stock purchase indices are based on a diffusion index technique of segregating buyers from sellers, and with these relative counts, measures the breadth of investor purchasing participation. The stock purchase indices are then displayed to a graphical user interface. The display includes stock buy and sell ranking lists. |
| US08412608B2 |
Currency system to reward constructive behavior
A system is described for teaching users financial management using an online currency management system, including enabling an administrator to set up a financial account through a network. This step further includes assigning specific tasks for completion by one or more users, setting rules related to the management of play currency, and designating rewards that are earned by the one or more users through completion of the specific tasks. The system further includes providing a web-based interface for the one or more users to access and manage their own user account containing the play currency, and enabling the administrator to fund, with real currency, the purchase of the rewards by the one or more users with play currency. |
| US08412606B2 |
User interface for tax-return preparation
A method is implementable in an electronic system coupled to an electronic device, which is, in turn, coupled to a display device. A web page displayable on the display device is served to the electronic device. The displayed web page includes a user interface, which, in turn, includes a frame and at least one stile defining a plurality of panes within the frame. In a first one of the panes, at least one field into which a tax-data provider can input tax data is displayed. In a second one of the panes, information of a first type of a plurality of information types operable to assist the provider in performing a first operation of a set of operations using the user interface is displayed. Input tax data is received from the electronic device. |
| US08412605B2 |
Comprehensive suspicious activity monitoring and alert system
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for integrated risk management. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide for monitoring financial institution data from a plurality of financial institutions, including transactional data associated with multiple products and channels, to identify suspicious activity potentially associated with identity theft incidents and, in specific embodiments, communicate suspicious activity and/or identity theft alerts and/or reports in response to identifying the suspicious activities and/or confirming an identity theft incident associated with the suspicious activity. In further embodiments, the monitored financial institution may include one or more, and in some embodiments all of, account data, asset data, liability data, negative file data, customer data, device data, credit data, or biometric data. In addition, in certain embodiments, the monitored data may include non-financial institution data. |
| US08412598B2 |
Systems and methods for a causality analyzer
A causality analyzer that provides attribution of causality effects for changes in revenue, margin and margin percentage is provided. The causality analyzer selects a reference time period and a comparison time period, and receives transaction data. Data cleansing and correction may be performed on the transaction data. The analyzer may then calculate change in total margin, percent margin and total revenue between the reference time period and the comparison time period using the transaction data. Each of the total margin, the percent margin and the total revenue may be disaggregated into one or more of a price effect, cost effect, quantity effect, product mix effect, customer mix effect, exchange rate effect, new and lost business, and an adjustment change. In this way the total margin, the percent margin and the total revenue are each defined as a summation of the individual causality effects. Causality effects may be disaggregated in such a way that the shared effects are allocated according to the proportion of percent change for each element, thereby unbiasing the effects to more accurately reflect actual causality. |
| US08412597B1 |
System for targeting messages to consumers based on determination of current ownership
A computer program enabling the determination of an inference related to the purchase of an item by a customer. The program analyzes certain public information relative to an entity's customer database and then calculates an inferred value and assigns it to the relevant customer. The database is then sorted according to certain inferred values and customers are provided specially tailored information. |
| US08412595B2 |
Lifecycle tracking and management using RF
Tracking and management data for a solicitation and response lifecycle is disclosed. The system generates and links tracking data for both the solicitation and the response, generates indicators that include the tracking data, and encodes the indicators so that the indicators are detectable as they traverse various events and locations throughout the lifecycle. A detailed audit trail of each event in the correspondence and response lifecycle is constructed using data matching methods and various statistics regarding the lifecycle, such that the response habits of customers are formulated. |
| US08412594B2 |
Multilevel silhouettes in an online shopping environment
Selecting a first silhouette image of an item at a client machine displays a plurality of silhouette images representing aspects of the item such as style, length type and sleeve type. Selecting any of those aspects allows a server to search a database for listings of similar items that have those aspects. Concurrently selecting one or more of the images representing those aspects and one or more sizes, allows a server to search a database for listings of similar items that have those aspects and those sizes. |
| US08412593B1 |
Credit card matching
A consumer provides authorization to a card match system to access the consumer's credit file to match the consumer to one or more credit cards. The consumer's credit score is retrieved and then compared to the acceptable credit score range for each of a plurality of credit cards. The consumer is notified of any matches. If one or more matches are found, a prescreened matching of the consumer to one or more credit cards is requested, without authorization from the consumer and without notifying the consumer that the prescreening is being performed. The consumer may then be notified of the matches found by the first comparison that are based on the credit score and of the matches found by the more detailed comparison based on the attributes of the consumer's credit file. |
| US08412589B2 |
Photobook engine powered by blog content
A computer system for creating a design for an image product includes servers that can identify a blog page that includes an image, text, or designs, automatically incorporate at least one of the image, text, or the design object in the blog page into the design of an image product, and allow a user to review the design of the image product. The servers communicate with a printing finishing facility that makes a physical image product according to the design of the image product. |
| US08412587B2 |
Integration of remote bidders into multiple and simultaneous live auctions
Multiple simultaneous auctions can be monitored and participated in using a single bidding device operated by a single remote bidder. A multi-windowed environment allows for the display of active bidding windows and docked bidding windows. The active bidding windows are fully functional bidding windows and include auction status, product information and the like. The docked bidding windows provide a subset of the information but, nonetheless provide real-time auction status information and allows for bidders to enter bids into the auctioning process without having to move the bidding window into an active status. A customer-identifier selector of identifier allows the remote bidder to associate a customer with a particular bidding window. The customer-identifier advantageously helps the remote bidder to track who purchased items are associated with, as well as providing control structure over the bidding process. |
| US08412581B1 |
Facilitating business transactions between trading networks
A method of establishing an interconnection between trading networks may include receiving at a home operator of a home trading network an access establishment request communicated from a home user. The access establishment request may include a request to establish access to a desired application. The desired application may be associated with a foreign trading network coupled to the home trading network via a computer network. The method may further include communicating the access establishment request from the home operator to a foreign operator of the foreign trading network; receiving at the home operator an approval of the access establishment request communicated from the foreign operator, if appropriate; establishing an application access allowing the home user to use the desired application; and communicating a transaction communication to the desired application. The transaction communication may relate to a business transaction. |
| US08412579B2 |
Recipes management system
The present invention is generally related to a system for managing recipes using a web server and an off-line software application. A user using the software application will be able to create, display, print, modify, and search recipes and menus. The web server will be a recipe store where a user can buy and download individual recipes and electronic cookbooks into the software application secure database storage. The software application has a web interface to communicate with the recipe store, allowing the user to have an extended set of facilities like posting his/her own recipes for sale, requesting restaurant and food store services for a given recipe or menu, requesting the restoration of their recipe database, and receiving suggested drinking dates for their current wine inventory. The software application comes in two versions: the read-only and the all-inclusive version. With the read-only version a user will not be able to create or modify a recipe or use any of the extended facilities. The read-only version will be free to download from the recipe store. |
| US08412578B2 |
System for delivering advertisements to wireless communication devices
An advertising system and method for a communication system that delivers advertisements to subscribers based on the respective subscriber data. The advertisers, through the provider of the system, have advertisements selected and delivered to the subscriber based on the subscriber data. The advertiser pays for advertisement delivery such that the provider can offer reduced rates or free communication services to the subscribers. The provider is capable through the system to update the subscriber data in real time including personal profile, purchase history, financial condition, and location. The provider through the system is capable of establishing advertisement delivery priority by evaluating the subscriber data in real time just prior to triggering advertisement delivery. The advertisement can be delivered in place of ring tones, at the end of the conversation, and while waiting for the other party to answer. |
| US08412570B1 |
Providing recommendations for reciprocal links in website creation system
A method, within a computer hardware system, includes the following. A second functional marketing element and a first website are associated with a first user. A first functional marketing element and a second website are associated with a second user. The first functional marketing element is inserted within the first website. At least one recommended website, associated with the computer hardware system, into which the second functional marketing element is to be reciprocally inserted is providing to the first user. The second functional marketing element is reciprocally inserted within the second website based upon the first functional marketing element being inserted within the first website. The at least one recommended website is different than the first website. The second functional marketing element, within the second website, includes a link to the first website. The first functional marketing element, within the first website, includes a link to the second website. |
| US08412565B2 |
Apparatus, method and program for formulating and solving problems over a network
In an apparatus, method and computer memory for interactive problem solving on a network, a server receives from a first participant via the network a formulation of a problem to be solved. The server receives from other participants via the network suggested solutions to the problem, and distributes portions of an award to those participants who contribute suggested solutions to the problem. |
| US08412559B2 |
Systems and methods for improved calculation of coefficient for price sensitivity
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer program products for calculating a sufficiently accurate coefficient for price sensitivity to use in a target pricing system. In general, various embodiments of the invention involve providing an expanded data set by adding shadow data to a historical bid data set that allows a logistic regression approach to mathematically calculate the coefficient for price sensitivity with greater accuracy. |
| US08412557B1 |
Method and system for determining whether an offering is controversial based on user feedback
The controversiality of an offering in a computer implemented system is computed based on user satisfaction feedback. A controversiality index can be provided to indicate the extent to which the offering is controversial. |
| US08412551B2 |
Formal structure-based algorithms for large scale resource scheduling optimization
A method and computer program product for optimization of large scale resource scheduling problems. Large scale resource scheduling problems are computationally very hard and extremely time consuming to solve. This invention provides a Lagrangian relaxation based solution method. The method has two distinct characteristics. First, the method is formal. It is completely structure-based and does not use any problem domain specific knowledge in the solution process, either in the dual optimization or the primal feasibility enforcement process. Second, updating the Lagrangian multipliers after solution of every sub-problem without using penalty factors results in fast and smooth convergence in the dual optimization. The combination of high quality dual solution and the structure-based primal feasibility enforcement produces a high quality primal solution with very small solution gap. An optimal solution is first found to the dual of the resource scheduling problem by sequentially finding a solution to a plurality of sub-problems and updating a set of values used in the dual problem formulation after each sub-problem solution is obtained. Coupling constraint violations are systematically reduced and the set of values are updated until a feasible solution to the primal resource scheduling problem is obtained. An initial set of multiplier values is further determined by solving a relaxed version of the primal problem where most of the local constraints except the variable bounds are relaxed. |
| US08412549B2 |
Analyzing business data for planning applications
The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for providing efficient planning through analyzing data. One process includes operations for generating a business object containing parameters and plan data of a business plan, the plan data represented by a plurality of aggregation levels. A change to a particular item in the plan data is identified, the change associated with a particular aggregation level. The change to the particular item is automatically propagated to a lowest level of granularity of the plan data, and the change to the particular item is available to each of the plurality of aggregation levels. |
| US08412548B2 |
Linked decision nodes in a business process model
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to decision node processing in a business process model and provide a method, system and computer program product for linked decision nodes in business process models. In an embodiment of the invention, a business process model simulation method can be provided. The method can include loading a business process model for simulation, designating a decision node in the business process model as a master decision node and linking another decision node in the business process model as a slave decision node to the master decision node. The method further can include simulating the master decision node to select an output pin and storing the selected output pin in association with the master decision node, and applying the selected output pin in the slave decision node when arriving at the slave decision node during the simulation without simulating the slave decision node. |
| US08412546B2 |
Method and apparatus for tracking repair facility performance for repairs relating to replacement rental vehicle transactions
Systems and methods for tracking repair facility performance in a replacement rental vehicle context are disclosed. Various operations for adding and subtracting credits from a repair facility virtual bank account are disclosed. Adjustments to credit totals can be based on repair facility performance with regard to an individual vehicle repair or a plurality of vehicle repairs. |
| US08412544B2 |
Method and apparatus of determining a radiation dose quality index in medical imaging
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus which quantifies radiation safety in medical imaging through the creation and analysis of objective data for each individual imaging procedure with respect to acquisition parameters, calculated radiation dose, and clinical data related to imaging examination selection and performance. The present invention also calculates a cumulative radiation dose based upon an individual patient's entire medical record, along with occupational and environmental exposures, to calculate a dynamic cumulative radiation-induced carcinogenesis risk. The present invention provides reforms to improve patient safety, quality and accountability, by creating a technology which simultaneously records and tracks objective data referable to radiation safety, medical imaging quality, and accountability among the various stakeholders and technologies in use. This quantifiable data is referred to as the Radiation Dose Quality Index (RDQI), and creates an objective, data-driven measure of quality and safety as it relates to medical practice. |
| US08412538B2 |
System and method for prepurchased replenishment of pharmaceuticals
A computer system and method manages the disbursement and replacement of medication units to patients. Medication units disbursed to qualified patients under qualified discount plans are replaced by replenishment. Computer systems implementing traditional replenishment, cached replenishment, and prepurchased replenishment are disclosed. The computer system and method monitors medication units disbursed to patients by a pharmacy and tracks the amount of medication units disbursed to qualified patients of health care providers qualified under a discount program. When the amount of disbursed medication units reaches a threshold, replacement medication units are ordered. The medication units disbursed to non-qualified patients are replaced through restocking and the medication units disbursed under a qualified discount program are replaced through traditional replenishment, cached replenishment, and/or prepurchased replenishment. |
| US08412536B2 |
Methods and apparatus for freshness and completeness of information
A system that facilitates publishing and consuming information that is of time sensitivity, for example, price information. Methods are employed to achieve completeness and freshness in information for a given domain. A preferred embodiment is a shopping site that is capable of comparing prices, purchasing bundled products and dealing with coupons. |
| US08412532B2 |
Integration of embedded and network speech recognizers
A method, computer program product, and system are provided for performing a voice command on a client device. The method can include translating, using a first speech recognizer located on the client device, an audio stream of a voice command to a first machine-readable voice command and generating a first query result using the first machine-readable voice command to query a client database. In addition, the audio stream can be transmitted to a remote server device that translates the audio stream to a second machine-readable voice command using a second speech recognizer. Further, the method can include receiving a second query result from the remote server device, where the second query result is generated by the remote server device using the second machine-readable voice command and displaying the first query result and the second query result on the client device. |
| US08412524B2 |
Replacing text representing a concept with an alternate written form of the concept
A system enables a transcriptionist to replace a first written form (such as an abbreviation) of a concept with a second written form (such as an expanded form) of the same concept. For example, the system may display to the transcriptionist a draft document produced from speech by an automatic speech recognizer. If the transcriptionist recognizes a first written form of a concept that should be replaced with a second written form of the same concept, the transcriptionist may provide the system with a replacement command. In response, the system may identify the second written form of the concept and replace the first written form with the second written form in the draft document. |
| US08412523B2 |
Distributed dictation/transcription system
A distributed dictation/transcription system is provided. The system provides a client station, dictation manager, and dictation server networked such that the dictation manager selects a dictation server to transcribe audio from the client station. The dictation manager selects one of a plurality of dictation servers based on conventional load balancing and on a determination of whether the user profile is already uploaded to a dictation server. While selecting a dictation server or uploading a profile, the client may begin dictating, which audio would be stored in a buffer of dictation manager until a dictation server was selected or available. The user may receive in real time or near real time a display of the textual data that may be corrected by the user to update the user profile. |
| US08412521B2 |
Discriminative training of document transcription system
A system is provided for training an acoustic model for use in speech recognition. In particular, such a system may be used to perform training based on a spoken audio stream and a non-literal transcript of the spoken audio stream. Such a system may identify text in the non-literal transcript which represents concepts having multiple spoken forms. The system may attempt to identify the actual spoken form in the audio stream which produced the corresponding text in the non-literal transcript, and thereby produce a revised transcript which more accurately represents the spoken audio stream. The revised, and more accurate, transcript may be used to train the acoustic model using discriminative training techniques, thereby producing a better acoustic model than that which would be produced using conventional techniques, which perform training based directly on the original non-literal transcript. |
| US08412520B2 |
Noise reduction device and noise reduction method
A noise reduction device comprises a SN ratio obtaining unit configured to obtain a SN ratio as a function of an estimated noise spectrum and an arithmetic product of an averaged power spectrum of the input signal and noise likeliness signal, and an output signal obtaining unit configured to obtain a output signal whose noise is reduced based on the input signal and the SN ratio obtained by the SN ratio obtaining unit. |
| US08412519B2 |
Steganography in digital signal encoders
In a method for embedding steganographic information into the signal information of a signal encoder, a solution is to be created, which enables steganographic information being embedded into the signal information of a signal encoder such that a reduction of the voice quality is largely avoided. This is achieved by means of providing data information, particularly voice information, selecting steganographic information from a quantity of steganographic information, generating a code word from a code book provided by means of the signal encoder on the basis of the code elements forming the code book such that with the use of the code word generated within the scope of a transmission standard associated with the code book the data information is encoded into signal information containing the code word and/or making reference to the code word; and by the code word generated having an additional feature that can be calculated on the basis of the code elements forming the code word, wherein the additional feature represents the steganographic information. |
| US08412517B2 |
Dictionary word and phrase determination
Context signals in documents are identified, characters bounded by the context signals are identified, one or more candidate words defined by the characters bounded by the context signals are identified, and one or more of the candidate words are added to an input method editor dictionary. |
| US08412512B1 |
Feed translation for a social network
A system and method for translating a social feed is disclosed. The system comprises a communication module, a decoding engine and a re-encoding engine. The communication module receives social feed data and a request from a social network application. The social feed data is configured to cause a client to display a social feed in a first language. The request includes data indicating that the social feed should be displayed in a second language. The decoding engine decodes the social feed data to generate decoded social feed data. The re-encoding engine re-encodes the decoded social feed data to cause the client to display the social feed in the second language based at least in part on the request. The communication module sends the translated social feed data to the client. |
| US08412511B2 |
Systems and methods for providing translations of applications using decentralized contributions
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for providing a translation for a set of one or more terms or phrases related to a software application using decentralized contributions. In particular, various embodiments provide systems and methods by which multiple users of the application contribute translations for individual terms or phrases of the application instead of having one entity supply the translation of the software application. Specifically, the process of various embodiments: (1) provides a repository for storing translations of the individual terms or phrases in a target language (e.g., a language for which a translation is needed); (2) collects the translations provided by users and stores the translations in the repository; (3) identifies the preferred translation for each individual term or phrase; and (4) displays the preferred translation to the user in response to receiving a user's request for a preferred translation in the target language. |
| US08412510B2 |
Methods and apparatus to display localized resources in process control applications
Example methods and apparatus to display localized resources in a process control system are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving in a server a locale identifier and a resource identifier from an application, identifying via the server a language file in a database that corresponds to the locale identifier, determining via the server using the language file a resource included within a memory that corresponds to the resource identifier, accessing the resource from the memory via the language file, and sending via the server the resource to the application to display the resource in a format associated with the locale identifier. |
| US08412504B2 |
System and method for high-content oncology assay
The present invention provides an apparatus, system, method and computer program and computer program product for analyzing cellular samples. One embodiment of the apparatus and method provides a multiparameter assay that provides information with respect to cell proliferation, cell cycling and cell death. The multiparameter assay is particularly useful for assessing and screening candidate compounds for anti-cancer utility. |
| US08412501B2 |
Production simulator for simulating a mature hydrocarbon field
A production simulator (2), for simulating a mature hydrocarbon field, providing quantity produced (Qφktb ) per phase, per well, per layer (or group of layers) and per time as a function of production parameters (PP), wherein the production simulator (2) matches history data (HD) of the mature hydrocarbon field and verifies a Vapnik condition. |
| US08412500B2 |
Simulations for hydraulic fracturing treatments and methods of fracturing naturally fractured formation
A hydraulic fracture design model that simulates the complex physical process of fracture propagation in the earth driven by the injected fluid through a wellbore. An objective in the model is to adhere with the laws of physics governing the surface deformation of the created fracture subjected to the fluid pressure, the fluid flow in the gap formed by the opposing fracture surfaces, the propagation of the fracture front, the transport of the proppant in the fracture carried by the fluid, and the leakoff of the fracturing fluid into the permeable rock. The models used in accordance with methods of the invention are typically based on the assumptions and the mathematical equations for the conventional 2D or P3D models, and further take into account the network of jointed fracture segments. For each fracture segment, the mathematical equations governing the fracture deformation and fluid flow apply. For each time step, the model predicts the incremental growth of the branch tips and the pressure and flow rate distribution in the system by solving the governing equations and satisfying the boundary conditions at the fracture tips, wellbore and connected branch joints. An iterative technique is used to obtain the solution of this highly nonlinear and complex problem. |
| US08412498B2 |
System and method for custom product design
Computer-implemented electronic document design systems and methods allowing a user to integrate user-specific location maps into custom printed products. During the creation of an electronic design of a product intended for subsequent printing, user-provided location information is received by a server computer and used to generate a user map suitable for high quality printing. Lower resolution display and thumbnail versions of the map suitable for displaying to the user of the client system are generated. |
| US08412495B2 |
Fitting procedure for hearing devices and corresponding hearing device
The method for adjusting a hearing device (11) to the hearing preferences of a user of the hearing device comprises a) adjusting at least one of N parameters (P1, P2), preferably with 2≦N≦4; b) obtaining a gain model (G), which is identical with the output of a fitting rationale (F) applied to a model audiogram (A), wherein the model audiogram depends on the N parameters and is independent of possibly existing audiogram values measured for the user; and c) using the gain model (G) or a gain model derived therefrom in said hearing device (11). Preferably, the model audiogram (A) is an approximation to an audiogram occurring in a pre-defined empirical sample of individual audiograms. The user preferably carries out the method by himself and without external equipment. A corresponding arrangement (1) is disclosed, too. A simple and efficient hearing device fitting can be achieved. |
| US08412494B2 |
Optimal solution relation display apparatus and optimal solution relation display method
An apparatus receives input of sample sets, each including a set of values of design parameters and a set of values of objective functions; calculates objective function approximating equations; and selects, as initial candidates for an optimal design parameter set, some sets of values of design parameters corresponding to non-dominated solutions. The apparatus calculates one or more interpolating design parameter sets interpolating between two adjacent components in the candidates; and approximates values of the objective functions for each interpolating design parameter set. The apparatus selects an optimal interpolating design parameter set corresponding to a non-dominated solution in the cost evaluation for a pair of objective functions; and integrates it into the candidates. The apparatus repeats processes on the new candidates while determining the parameter distance between components of the new candidates. Finally obtained new candidates are output as final optimal design parameter sets and information relating to it is displayed. |
| US08412493B2 |
Multi-dimensional model generation for determining service performance
A method of generating a multi-dimensional model comprises receiving data defining multiple resource types, receiving metadata defining a hierarchical organization for one or more resource types, a hierarchical resource type for a respective resource type defining multiple levels of aggregation, and composite resource types for one or more groups of resource types, a composite resource type defining a composition of resource types, and generating the multi-dimensional model from the received data and received metadata, the generating comprising creating a multi-dimensional function for each resource type and for each composite resource type. |
| US08412490B2 |
Methods and systems for structural health monitoring
Methods and systems are provided for obtaining structural health data for evaluating a structural health of a component. A transducer detects a first signal representative of a signal transmitted through at least a portion of the component. An estimated signal for a remote transducer is determined based on at least the first signal and a transfer function. |
| US08412488B2 |
System and method for using a network of thermostats as tool to verify peak demand reduction
The invention comprises systems and methods for estimating the rate of change in temperature inside a structure. At least one thermostat located is inside the structure and is used to control an climate control system in the structure. At least one remote processor is in communication with said thermostat and at least one database stores data reported by the thermostat. At least one processor compares the outside temperature at least one location and at least one point in time to information reported to the remote processor from the thermostat. The processor uses the relationship between the inside temperature and the outside temperature to determine whether the climate control system is “on” or “off”. |
| US08412486B2 |
Power converter remaining life estimation
Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to monitoring and/or estimating remaining life for a power converter. |
| US08412484B2 |
Non-contact scanning system
A non-contact scanning system for three dimensional non-contact scanning of a work piece is disclosed for use in various applications including reverse engineering, metrology, dimensional verification and inspection The scanning system includes a scanner carried by an arcuately configured gantry assembly and a fixture for carrying a work piece. The gantry assembly includes a fixed arcuately shaped gantry member and a telescopic arm that is movable in an arcuate direction relative to a rotary table that carries the object to be scanned. A scanner is mounted on the end of the telescopic member and is movable in a radial direction. Objects to be scanned are mounted on a rotary table that is also movable in an X-Y direction or alternatively in the X, Y and Z directions under the control of a motion control subsystem, a machine control user interface subsystem and an image capture. |
| US08412482B2 |
Multi channel electronic acceleration switch
An electronic acceleration switch, such as for arming and firing a squib, for instance used in arming a warhead, safe missile air, ground and sea launch separation arming, includes multiple redundancies to provide a fail-safe system that does not have a single-point failure. The switch includes different channels, each of which includes a power subsystem, multiple accelerometers, a pair of controllers, and a switching circuit. The power subsystems of the two channels provide power to multiple accelerometers of each channel. The accelerometers of each channel may include a mix of digital and analog accelerometers. The acceleration sensors can be either one-axis or three-axis sensors. The accelerometers are connected to the controllers of both channels. The controllers provide redundancy for each channel. In addition, the controllers include voting logic that receives inputs from the accelerometers, and determines whether to send arm and enable signals to the multiple squib drivers. |
| US08412480B2 |
Method for determining the angular magnitude of imaging acquiring apparatus and vehicle collision warning system using thereof
The invention provides a method for determining the angular magnitude of an imaging acquiring apparatus, which is capable of obtaining an arranging angular magnitude with respect to the imaging acquiring apparatus in various environments by an iteration algorithm having parameters of position of a calibrating tool with respect to an image coordinate system and characteristic value corresponding to a spatial coordinate system respectively. Meanwhile, the present further provides a vehicle collision warning system which functions to obtain the relative distance between the carrier and objects around according to the image acquired by the imaging acquiring apparatus and the angular magnitude and height of the imaging acquiring apparatus. By means of the method disclosed in the present invention, the procedure to detect the angular magnitude of the image acquiring apparatus is more convenient and accurate such that the convenience for using the vehicle collision warning system is capable of being improved. |
| US08412479B2 |
Memory power estimation by means of calibrated weights and activity counters
Memory power estimation by means of calibrated weights and activity counters are generally presented. In this regard, in one embodiment, a memory power is introduced to read a value from a memory activity counter, to determine a memory power estimation based at least in part on the value and a calibration, and to store the memory power estimation to a register. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08412477B2 |
Method and arrangement for digital measuring a capacitive sensor
An arrangement for digital measuring a capacitive sensor is provided with a charge balance frequency converter having an operational amplifier with an inverting input, a noninverting input and an output. Between the output and the inverting input an integrating capacitor is connected, and the noninverting input is connected with a reference potential. The arrangement provides a simple switched capacitor architecture for measuring the sensor capacitance, which tolerates grounded sensor capacitors, and which is not affected by the shunt resistance. The value of the shunt resistance is determined at the same time. The arrangement makes use of a two frequency measurement of the capacitor resistance combination by using the charge balancing procedure followed by a calculation based on the results of two conversions and the ratio of the clock frequencies of the first and second conversion. |
| US08412475B1 |
Pseudorandom binary discrete interval noise signal generation and injection on to the electric power grid
A synchronized pseudorandom sequence injector is provided for injecting a plurality of pseudorandom signals at selected locations in a power system having a plurality of locations forming a transmission and distribution grid. A synchronization pulse generator generates an accurate reference clocking signal. A pseudorandom clocking and sequence generator receives the clocking signal and generates a string of pseudorandom sequences. A binary drive control creates a tri-state voltage output from a logic level output of the pseudorandom clocking and sequence generator. A signal conditioning interface processes the voltage output to attenuate any protection related carrier signals from a pseudorandom signal injection point at a selected location. |
| US08412471B2 |
Measurement instrument
One A/D converter and the other A/D converter have a common power supply voltage and sample an A/D conversion value at short time intervals and at a long time intervals, respectively. Both the A/D converter and the A/D converter are set in a constant active state (continuous conversion mode). This allows the total consumption current combining the consumption current of the A/D converter and the consumption current of the A/D converter to be constant, so that the power supply voltage is stabilized and a stable A/D conversion value can be obtained from each of the A/D converters. |
| US08412469B1 |
Environmental monitoring of microbe metabolic transformation
Mobile system and method for monitoring environmental parameters involved in growth or metabolic transformation of algae in a liquid. Each of one or more mobile apparati, suspended or partly or wholly submerged in the liquid, includes at least first and second environmental sensors that sense and transmit distinct first and second environmental, growth or transformation parameter values, such as liquid temperature, temperature of gas adjacent to and above the exposed surface, liquid pH, liquid salinity, liquid turbidity, O2 dissolved in the liquid, CO2 contained in the liquid, oxidization and reduction potential of the liquid, nutrient concentrations in the liquid, nitrate concentration in the liquid, ammonium concentration in the liquid, bicarbonate concentration in the liquid, phosphate concentration in the liquid, light intensity at the liquid surface, electrical conductivity of the liquid, and a parameter α(alga) associated with growth stage of the alga, using PAM fluorometry or other suitable parameter measurements. |
| US08412460B2 |
Methods and systems for characterizing a cellular constituent using response profiles
The invention relates to methods and systems (e.g., computer systems and computer program products) for characterizing cellular constituents, particularly genes and gene products. In particular, the invention provides methods for assigning or determining the biological function of uncharacterized genes and gene products by using “response profiles,” i.e., measurements of pluralities of cellular constituents in cells having a modified gene or gene product, as phenotypic markers for the gene or gene product. Methods are provided for clustering such response profiles so that similar or correlated response profiles are organized into the same cluster. The invention also provides databases or “compendiums” of response profiles to which the response profile of an uncharacterized gene or gene product can compared. |
| US08412457B2 |
Method and apparatus for setting destination in navigation terminal
A method and apparatus are provided for setting a desired destination in a navigation terminal. A position information message is received. Position coordinates corresponding to the position information included in the position information message are set as the position coordinates of a desired destination related to a certain route. |
| US08412454B2 |
Selective control of an optional vehicle mode
Exemplary methods, systems and components enable selective control of an operational mode for a vehicle that is subject to an administrative standard. In some instances a qualified person or entity may attain a preferred consequential result related to a user-selected vehicle operation mode that may involve a vehicle operation paradigm and/or a vehicle travel route and/or a vehicle travel destination. In some embodiments, implementation of the selected vehicle operation mode may modify a conformity status of the vehicle relative to the administrative standard. |
| US08412453B2 |
Navigation device
A navigation device includes a base unit 10 which is mounted to a body of a vehicle, a front panel unit 14 which is detachably mounted to and connected to the base unit 10, the front panel unit having a navigation function of displaying map data on a front panel and displaying a location of the vehicle on the map data, and an authentication unit 30 which performs authentication to confirm that the base unit 10 and the front panel unit 14 have been connected to each other and, when confirmed, permits operation of an electrical control unit of the vehicle. The navigation device can be used as an antitheft device. |
| US08412452B2 |
System serving a remotely accessible page and method for requesting navigation related information
A system serving a remotely accessible page includes a server and the remotely accessible page operatively connected to the server. The remotely accessible page includes a first activation option for initiating a navigation function utilizing no starting point or a starting point entered by a user, and a second activation option for initiating a navigation function utilizing a starting point obtained by the system from a vehicle. |
| US08412450B1 |
Method for navigating in GPS denied environments
A method for allowing accurate navigation to a target regardless of GPS jamming levels. A method to update the navigation solution of an object being navigated toward a target based upon seeker measurements in at least one of three electromagnetic frequency domains: infrared, visible, and radio frequency (RF). |
| US08412447B2 |
Method and device for effecting a computer-aided estimation of the mass of a vehicle, particularly of a commercial vehicle
A method is for effecting a computer-aided estimation of the mass of a vehicle, e.g., of a goods-carrying vehicle, based on the equilibrium ratio between the driving force and the sum of the inertial force and drive resistances, in which the mass and a gradient angle of the roadway are contained as quantities. The method may include: a) computer-aided differentiation of the equilibrium ratio according to the time with the assumption that the gradient angle is constant; and b) calculating the mass of the vehicle and/or the reciprocal value of the mass from the equilibrium ratio differentiated according the time. |
| US08412446B2 |
Travel history collection system and terminal side device used for it
A travel history collection system includes a terminal side device and a center side device capable of communicating with the terminal device. The terminal device includes the following components. A vehicle information acquisition part acquires a travel history of a vehicle. A short-range wireless communication means and a wide-range wireless communication means are used to transmit the acquired travel history to a center device. A travel history transmission part transmits the travel history to the center device via the short-range wireless communication means when the travel history can be transmitted via the short-range wireless communication means, and via the wide-range wireless communication means when the travel history cannot be transmitted via the short-range wireless communication means. The center device receives the travel history from the terminal device via the wide-range wireless communication antenna and the road side unit so as to reduce the load on wide-range wireless communication, and to accurately collect a travel history from each terminal device at real time. Thus, latest travel histories can be collected efficiently. |
| US08412432B2 |
Protective arrangement for the protection of safety-relevant electronic circuits from malfunctions
A protective circuit arranged on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) has two conductor loops. At least one supply voltage track, at least one semiconductor switch and at least one control component are arranged on the PCB. A first terminal of the control component and a first terminal of the semiconductor switch are connected electrically. A first conductor loop of the protective circuit is arranged on the PCB so that it surrounds an electrically conducting connection between the supply voltage track and the semiconductor switch and/or the control component. A second conductor loop is arranged on the PCB so that it surrounds the electrically conducting connection between the first terminal of the control component and the first terminal of the semiconductor switch, and thereby screens the same from the semiconductor switch and at least from those regions of the control component that are also connected to the supply voltage track. |
| US08412428B2 |
System for and method of detecting clutch engagement of a manual transmission
A system and method of detecting clutch engagement of a manual transmission of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The system and method include a clutch switch for detecting clutch engagement and a backup method for detecting clutch engagement. The backup method includes varying a target speed of an engine drive shaft of the motor vehicle and comparing the speed of the engine drive shaft with the speed of a mainshaft of the motor vehicle. |
| US08412425B2 |
Transmission control module
An exemplary transmission system includes a plurality of sensors each configured to output a signal at least partially representative of a speed of at least one of a first transmission input shaft, a second transmission input shaft, a transmission output shaft, and an engine. A transmission control module is in communication with the plurality of sensors and is configured to identify at least one of the plurality of sensors as a failed sensor and another of the plurality of sensors as a working sensor. The transmission control module is further configured to estimate the signal of the failed sensor based on a predetermined relationship between an expected signal from the failed sensor and the signal received from the working sensor. |
| US08412422B2 |
Vehicle control apparatus, vehicle control method, computer program for implementing same method, and data storage medium storing same computer program
A vehicle control apparatus including a brake mechanism that produces braking force through actuation of a first actuator, a shift mechanism that changes the shift position of a transmission through actuation of a second actuator, a controller that controls the electric power supplied to the first actuator and the electric power supplied to the second actuator; a first electric power supply unit that supplies electric power to the controller; a second electric power supply unit that supplies electric power to the first actuator; and a third electric power supply unit that supplies electric power to the second actuator. An actuator control unit controls the electric power supplied to the second actuator from the second electric power supply unit or from the third electric power supply unit when the second actuator is not able to operate using electric power supplied from the first electric power supply unit. |
| US08412415B2 |
Impact detection arrangement
An impact detection arrangement for a motor vehicle has at least one pressure body in a side door region of the motor vehicle. The at least one pressure body is connected to a pressure sensor via a connecting line. Additionally, the at least one pressure body is provided in an impact region that is relevant to a fixed pole side crash test, and is adapted to this region. |
| US08412408B2 |
Parking brake system with electric control
A system including a calculator and a control housing including switches having a single stable position in an opened position and with a manual control member for the switches. The control member is of monostable type with automatic return into a rest position in which all switches are open. The housing includes: a single first switch controlling actuation of brakes and adapted to be closed upon an action on the control member in a first direction; a single second switch controlling release of the brakes and adapted to be closed upon an action on the control member in a second direction opposite the first direction; and a diagnosis circuit providing, according to the position of the control member, an analog information distinguishing between a system activated state in which one of the first and second switches is closed, a system deactivated state in which the first and second switches are open, and malfunction states. |
| US08412407B2 |
Calibration control systems and methods
A base determination module determines a base value based on a base value input. A compensation determination module determines a base compensation value based on a base value input. A compensation coefficient determination module determines a compensation coefficient based on a compensation coefficient input. A multiplier module determines a compensation value based on a product of the base compensation value and the compensation coefficient. A target module determines a target value based on the base value and the compensation value and controls an actuator based on the target value. A calibration module selectively displays predetermined options for calibrating one of the base compensation value input and the compensation coefficient input and sets the one of the base compensation value input and the compensation coefficient input to a selected one of the predetermined options. |
| US08412405B2 |
Electronic control system and method for vehicle diagnosis
A vehicle diagnosis system includes an electronic control unit, which executes a diagnosing process for determining whether any abnormality is present in a vehicle based on signals from vehicle devices. When any abnormality is detected, the electronic control unit stores in an EEPROM a diagnosis result indicative of the abnormality when a storage permission flag in the EEPROM is in the on-state. The storage permission flag is turned on from the off-state when receiving a storage permission command from an external unit. Thus, the storage of the diagnosis result into the EEPROM may be permitted at the time of transmitting the storage permission command externally to the ECU. |
| US08412402B2 |
Vehicle state tracking method and apparatus for diagnostic testing
A vehicle state tracker tracks the state of a vehicle during a diagnostic test sequence to eliminate redundant steps between diagnostic procedures. The vehicle state tracker maintains a list of preconditions required for each diagnostic procedure, reads a current vehicle state from a memory register and verifies the current setting of the vehicle state corresponding to a specific precondition. If the precondition is required and the current setting is not valid, the state tracker further formats a test preparation step corresponding to the precondition for display to instruct a vehicle technician to satisfy the precondition. Otherwise, if the precondition is not required and the corresponding setting is valid, the state tracker formats an instruction to reverse the corresponding vehicle condition. The state tracker additionally receives feedback indicating when a precondition has been satisfied or the corresponding vehicle condition has been reversed, and updates the vehicle state in memory. |
| US08412397B2 |
Clutch fill command based on clutch slip speed profile synchronization prediction
A vehicle includes an engine, a first motor, and a second motor, each configured to generate a torque. A gearbox is configured to receive the generated torque. An oncoming clutch is configured to engage during a transition from a present operating mode to a target operating mode. A controller is configured to identify a speed profile associated with a transition to the target operating mode. The speed profile defines a calibrated profile time that represents an amount of time to synchronize the oncoming clutch during the transition from the present operating mode to the target operating mode. The controller is configured to adjust the calibrated profile time in real time to define an adjusted profile time and control the engagement of the oncoming clutch during the transition from the present operating mode to the target operating mode based at least in part on the adjusted profile time. |
| US08412393B2 |
Apparatus and method for monitoring of infrastructure condition
A system and method for vehicle-centric infrastructure monitoring system includes an inspection system mountable on a vehicle configured to travel over an expanse of rail track having a plurality of track blocks. The inspection system acquires track data for at least some track blocks along the expanse of rail track. The monitoring system also includes a positioning system to determine a location of the vehicle and generate location data indicative of an associated track block location, a communications device to transmit the track/location data to a remote location, and a centralized computing system positioned at the remote location to receive the transmitted track/location data. The centralized computing system is programmed to determine a current probability of a track condition for a track block and combine the current track condition probability with a previously determined cumulative track condition probability to provide an updated track condition probability for the track block. |
| US08412390B2 |
Information presentation device
An information presentation device includes: a directional information obtaining element for obtaining directional information based on a signal from an enhancement device for safety or comfort of a passenger of a vehicle; an information presentation controller for generating a driving signal based on the directional information; and a stimulation element including multiple vibrators for generating a traveling wave of vibration in an in-vehicle element. A directionality of the traveling wave corresponds to the directional information. The stimulation element transmits the traveling wave to the passenger so that the passenger perceives the directionality of the traveling wave. |
| US08412385B2 |
Power management
Communicating a power control feedback signal from a system is disclosed. In some embodiments, upon determining how to control input power which may be based at least in part, for example, on an in situ measurement of an operating condition in an operating environment, an appropriate symbol is constructed based upon the determination and is transmitted on a single line. In some embodiments, the single line corresponds to the reference voltage of an associated power supply. |
| US08412384B2 |
Power plant operation control system and a power plant maintaining and managing method
Quick recovery or recovery support of a faulty power generating facility by real time diagnoses such as facility failure diagnosis, supervision for failure symptoms, facility diagnosis by evaluation of performance using databases between the power generating facilities and an operation control system. The operation control system transfers information on operating status and secular characteristic changes of apparatus from power generating facilities or information from operators of selected power generating facilities. The level of a failure of a power generating facility which has a failure is evaluated and repairing information (e.g. recovery procedures, processes, required parts, inventory of the parts, possible failure causes, etc.) is automatically created from repairing information prepared in advance for each evaluation condition. The repairing information is then sent to the operation supporting section of the power generating facility. |
| US08412382B2 |
Zone based energy management system
According to an aspect of the disclosure, a zone based energy management system includes controlling at least one network device at a site using the proximity detection of a mobile device which may be based upon the detection of a plurality of zones. The network device may be a thermostat associated with the HVAC system of the site or other energy consuming appliances. Each of the zones may be associated with a corresponding temperature set-point of the thermostat or other energy consuming device where the temperature set point corresponding to a zone may be different from the temperature set points corresponding with each of the other zones. |
| US08412380B2 |
Cure time adjustment for a rubber article
A method for curing a rubber article including maintaining a measured curing temperature between a high temperature limit (TH) and a low temperature limit (TL). The TH TL are derived from high and low temperature curing curves respectively. Other steps may include obtaining a curing target A1 or A2, wherein A1 and A2 are areas between the high temperature curing curve and a base temperature (TB) and the low temperature curing curve respectively wherein TB is selected to make A1 and A2 within at least 10% of each other and determining an area under a measured curing curve, the area under the measured curing curve being between the measured curing curve and the TB, wherein the measured curing curve is defined as a plot of the measured curing temperature over time. |
| US08412376B2 |
Tension distribution in a tendon-driven robotic finger
A method is provided for distributing tension among tendons of a tendon-driven finger in a robotic system, wherein the finger characterized by n degrees of freedom and n+1 tendons. The method includes determining a maximum functional tension and a minimum functional tension of each tendon of the finger, and then using a controller to distribute tension among the tendons, such that each tendon is assigned a tension value less than the maximum functional tension and greater than or equal to the minimum functional tension. The method satisfies the minimum functional tension while minimizing the internal tension in the robotic system, and satisfies the maximum functional tension without introducing a coupled disturbance to the joint torques. A robotic system includes a robot having at least one tendon-driven finger characterized by n degrees of freedom and n+1 tendons, and a controller having an algorithm for controlling the tendons as set forth above. |
| US08412374B2 |
System and method for communicating vending information
A system and method for communicating vending information is provided. The system includes a plurality of vending apparatuses, each containing a vending inventory comprised of vendible media products, and a control center in communication with the plurality of vending apparatuses configured to receive user information. The user information can include a vending request for a vendible media product and a location identifier. The system is further configured to select a vending apparatus from the plurality of vending apparatuses based on the location identifier, determine whether the requested vendible media product is in the vending inventory of the selected vending apparatus, and transmit an electronic message to a user-specified electronic mail address upon determining that the requested vendible media product is in the vending inventory of the selected vending machine. |
| US08412372B2 |
Processing of undeliverable as addressed mail
A computerized method includes sorting mail that comprises a multiple pass mail sort operation, wherein the multiple pass mail sort operation for a mail piece comprises performing a first pass of the multiple pass mail sort operation, wherein performing the first pass comprises capturing data to identify a feature of the mail piece. The multiple pass mail sort operation also includes generating a first fingerprint for the mail piece between performing the first pass and performing a second pass of the multiple pass mail sort operation. The multiple pass mail sort operation also includes performing the second pass of the multiple pass mail sort operation. Performing the second pass includes determining a final sorting of the mail piece. |
| US08412367B2 |
Forming vehicle body models and other objects
A computer-implemented method for rapidly forming a vehicle body model includes identifying a vehicle design using a computer. Sectioning data is determined by sectioning the vehicle design into multiple virtual sections using a design program implemented on the computer. The sectioning data is used by a machine to form multiple modeling sections that correspond to the multiple virtual sections. The multiple modeling sections are nested together to form the vehicle body model. The multiple modeling sections are fixed together once the vehicle body model is formed. |
| US08412363B2 |
Methods and apparatus for mixing compressed digital bit streams
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for mixing compressed digital bit streams are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein comprises acquiring a frame associated with a first compressed digital bit stream, unpacking the frame to obtain a plurality of original transform coefficient sets, and modifying the plurality of original transform coefficient sets to mix a second digital bit stream with the first compressed digital bit stream. |
| US08412362B2 |
Visual control process for valve gates
The present invention is a system for electronically controlling the movement of a pin assembly used in a valve gate mechanism of an injection molding machine. The system of the present invention includes at least one valve which is part of an injection molding machine, as well as a graphical user interface which is operable for controlling the injection molding machine and the valve. Additionally, the present invention also includes controlling the injection molding machine electronically for improving the control over the opening and closing of the valves. |
| US08412361B1 |
Remote identification and verification of a function prior to use thereof
Methods, systems and apparatus for enabling function identification to allow an end-user verify that a identified function is a desired function prior to activation or implementation thereof. A signal is sent from an initiating control to a receiver for identifying a particular function associated with the initiating control. An end-user is notified of this identified function and determines if the identified function is a desired function prior to activation thereof. If it is the desired function, the end-user may actuating a control associated with the initiating control to activate the function. If it is not the desired function, the end-user may stop the process or select another initiating control for repeating the process. |
| US08412358B2 |
Method and device for testing drive parameters of an electropneumatic valve for a pneumatic actuating drive
A method and an electronic device are disclosed for testing drive parameters of an electropneumatic valve which is inserted into a closed control loop for position regulation of a switching element of a pneumatic actuating drive for a fitting which can be operated thereby. The electropneumatic valve can be driven by an alternating signal of a specific amplitude, such that the control loop will oscillate about a nominal position value to be regulated by alternate ventilation and venting of the valve, such that hysteresis present in the pneumatic actuating drive can be overcome. The trajectory of the position oscillation that is produced can, at the same time, be detected at the switching element using sensors, from which a characteristic of the control loop for the selected amplitude can be determined to confirm whether an opening point which is suitable for the control loop has been found. |
| US08412357B2 |
Process control systems and methods having learning features
A system for operating a process includes a processing circuit that uses a self-optimizing control strategy to learn a steady-state relationship between an input and an output. The processing circuit is configured to switch from using the self-optimizing control strategy to using a different control strategy that operates based on the learned steady-state relationship. |
| US08412353B2 |
Method and device for controlling a computer-aided arithmetic process in a technical system
Disclosed is a method for controlling a computer-assisted arithmetic process in a technical system, which is designed for interactive network-based use such that data is input by means of an interactive network-based operation. Said data is processed at least in part during the computer-assisted arithmetic process while the interactive operations is prevented from actively influencing the computer-assisted arithmetic process and vice versa by dissociating the interactive network-based operation and the computer-assisted arithmetic process. Also disclosed is a device for controlling a computer-aided arithmetic process in a technical system, which is designed for interactive network-based use. Said device comprises a client, a server, a data memory, as controller, and an application. The client is connected to the server to exchange data, the server is connected to the data memory to exchange data, the data memory is connected to the controller to exchange data, and the controller is connected to the application to exchange data. |
| US08412352B2 |
Communication dipole for implantable medical device
This disclosure is directed to an implantable medical device having a housing that encloses at least a communication module. The implantable medical device also includes a first electrode electrically coupled to the communication module and an electrically conductive fixation mechanism that is mechanically coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the communication module within the housing. The electrically conductive fixation mechanism includes a dielectric material that covers part of a surface of the fixation mechanism. A portion of the electrically conductive fixation mechanism is not covered by the dielectric material such that the portion of the electrically conductive fixation mechanism is exposed to form a second electrode that is electrically coupled to the communication module. The communication module is configured to communicate using the first electrode and second electrode. |
| US08412350B2 |
Neurostimulating lead having a stent-like anchor
A neurostimulating lead having a stent-like anchor is described. A distal portion of the lead is mounted to an exterior of an expandable, stent-like lead anchor. The stent-like lead anchor is formed from a superelastic material and is adapted to transition from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration upon deployment in a vessel. In the expanded configuration, the lead anchor presses the distal portion of the lead against at least one vessel wall of a vessel in which the lead is deployed securing and stabilizing the distal portion of the lead within the vessel. |
| US08412349B2 |
Three-piece button anchor and methods and devices using the anchor
A lead anchor comprises a housing, and a plunger. The housing comprises a rigid body and a flexible covering disposed over at least a portion of the rigid body. The housing defines a first opening and a second opening configured and arranged to receive a lead. The housing further defines a transverse lumen. The rigid body comprises one or more projecting locking ridges extending into the transverse lumen. A plunger comprising one or more locking detents disposed thereon is configured and arranged for insertion into the transverse lumen and engaging a lead and locking with the housing by engagement of at least one of the one or more locking ridges of the housing with at least one of the one or more locking detents of the plunger. At least one suture element is formed by the flexible covering for receiving a suture to suture the lead anchor to patient tissue. |
| US08412347B2 |
Methods and apparatus for leads for implantable devices
A charge pump is provided in the same integrated circuit chip as a control means which permits selectively connecting any of one or more electrodes with conductors along a lead. The charge pump derives about two volts from a one-volt supply, and becomes stable within a few tens of microseconds. The charge pump may be composed of three doublers—the first generating timing signals for the second and third doublers, with the second and third doublers working out of phase with each other. |
| US08412345B2 |
System and method for mapping arbitrary electric fields to pre-existing lead electrodes
A method and system for stimulating tissue using a plurality of electrodes is provided. Desired electrical parameter (e.g., field potential) values are determined at a plurality of spatial points. A plurality of constituent current sources is selected at the locations of the electrodes. The relative strengths of the constituent current sources that, when combined, result in estimated electrical parameter (e.g., field potential)|values at the spatial points that best matches the desired electrical parameter values at the spatial points are determined. The polarity and percentage of electrical current to be associated with each of the electrodes is selected based on the determined strengths of the constituent current sources. Electrical current is conveyed through the plurality of electrodes in accordance with the selected electrical current magnitudes to stimulate the tissue. |
| US08412336B2 |
Integrated delivery and visualization tool for a neuromodulation system
Methods and apparatus for delivering a neurostimulator to a target tissue are provided which may include any number of features. One feature is a delivery tool comprising a handle portion, an elongate shaft comprising a contoured distal portion, a visualization system embedded in the elongate shaft, and an insertion groove on the elongate shaft configured to deploy the neurostimulator. The contoured distal portion can be shaped and configured to maintain contact with a posterior maxilla and elevate a periosteum off of the posterior maxilla to avoid soft tissue dissection. In some embodiments, the neurostimulator is implanted in close proximity to or touching the sphenopalatine ganglion. |
| US08412333B2 |
Neurostimulator involving stimulation strategies and process for using it
This is a neurostimulator that is configured to treat epilepsy and other neurological disorders using certain stimulation strategies, particularly changing various pulse parameters, during the imposition of a burst of those pulses. The invention includes the processes embodying those stimulation strategies. |
| US08412329B2 |
Hemostasis valve and guidewire pacing system
Systems and methods for temporarily pacing a patient's heart are provided. One system includes a hemostasis valve with an adjustable electrical connection, the adjustable electrical connection having one or more adjustable contacts. The adjustable contacts have a first, radially expanded configuration and a second, radially constricted configuration. In the radially constricted configuration, the adjustable contacts are configured to pierce through a layer of an elongate medical device that is disposed in the hemostasis valve. The elongate medical device has a distal electrode and a conductor extending along a portion of the elongate medical device. The adjustable contacts pierce through and make contact with the conductor, providing an electrical pathway to the distal electrode. Also provided are vascular access systems including hemostasis valve and a guide catheter, guide wire torquers with adjustable contacts and methods of temporarily pacing a patient's heart. |
| US08412328B2 |
Electromagnetic therapy device and methods
Systems and techniques for applying an electromagnetic field to bodily tissue include a self-contained and portable electromagnetic field generating device disposed over a surface of bodily tissue such that the radiated electromagnetic fields impinge upon the bodily tissue. The device includes an electromagnetic field generator, which is coupled to an antenna that is arranged to radiate the electromagnetic field. A power source is coupled to the generator to provide power for the device and an activator is used to initiate radiation of the electromagnetic field. Methods of inducing electrical current in bodily tissues and treating disorders, such as pain-related disorders, are also disclosed. |
| US08412326B2 |
Pacemaker with vagal surge monitoring and response
A pacemaker initiates and times a monitoring interval in response to an event such as a therapy delivery to a patient. The monitoring interval is specified to include a duration of an anticipated acute response to the event, such as vagal surge. One or more physiological parameters indicative of the acute response are detected during the monitoring interval for analyzing therapeutic effect of the event. In various embodiments, one or more pacing parameters are adjusted for a response interval specified to include the duration of the anticipated acute response to allow for the analysis and maximization of the therapeutic effect. In various embodiments, the event includes a session of pacing therapy delivered according to an intermittent cardiac stress augmentation pacing protocol, and the therapeutic effect is analyzed to adjust that protocol. |
| US08412322B2 |
Defibrillators detecting orientation of electrode connection to adjust energy dosage
Embodiments of the present concept are directed to external defibrillators that include an electrode connection port having multiple connection options, and include a detection device to determine an electrode connection configuration so as to provide an appropriate electrical shock to a patient. The detection device detects the electrode connection configuration of a plug connector for connected electrodes to determine if the plug connector is in an adult orientation or a pediatric orientation. The external defibrillator is configured to a deliver an electrical shock with less energy when the pediatric orientation is detected rather than the adult orientation. |
| US08412320B2 |
Nontransvenous and nonepicardial methods of cardiac treatment and stimulus
A power supply for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for subcutaneous positioning between the third rib and the twelfth rib and using a lead system that does not directly contact a patient's heart or reside in the intrathoracic blood vessels and for providing anti-tachycardia pacing energy to the heart, comprising a capacitor subsystem for storing the anti-tachycardia pacing energy for delivery to the patient's heart; and a battery subsystem electrically coupled to the capacitor subsystem for providing the anti-tachycardia pacing energy to the capacitor subsystem. |
| US08412319B2 |
Hepatic electrical stimulation
The present invention relates to a method of providing electrical stimulation to a liver of a subject which includes providing one or more stimulatory electrodes to the liver of the subject and providing electrical stimulation to the liver of the subject. The invention further relates to methods of reducing risk factors of metabolic syndrome, treating diabetes, treating a subject having eating disorders and reducing glucose levels of a subject using methods of the present invention. |
| US08412318B2 |
Treatment of tissue in sphincters, sinuses, and orifices
The invention comprises a method and apparatus for treatment of a body part. More particularly, a method and apparatus for heat treatment of tissue using a catheter inserted into a body part is described along with means for positioning the catheter and means for positioning a set of electrodes relative to a tissue sample for treatment. Still more particularly, radio frequency energy at about 400 to 500 kilohertz is used to provide heat for the tissue treatment. |
| US08412311B2 |
Fluoroscopy-free guidewire systems and methods
A system (10) includes electromagnetic indicator coils (30) included in surgical devices, examples of surgical devices (20) including guidewires; surgical instruments including dilators, stents, catheters, jejunostomy tubes, and endoscopes; and indicator clips (used for marking a location within patient). An innovative device indicator is attachable to any surgical instrument to convert it to an electromagnetically monitorable instrument. A monitoring unit (50) detects electromagnetic fields from the electromagnetic indicator coils and displays the location and configuration of the electromagnetic indicator coils on a display unit (80). The relative positions and overall configuration of multiple devices—such as guidewires, instruments, and location marker indicator clips—can all be simultaneously electromagnetically monitored with the use of radiology. |
| US08412308B2 |
Medical laser target marker and its use
A medical laser target marker includes a retro-reflector for receiving and reflecting light, at least one first medical tracking marker, and at least one second medical tracking marker. The at least one first medical tracking marker is arranged on the laser target marker and has a first functional configuration. The at least one second medical tracking marker is arranged on the laser target marker and has a second functional configuration different from the first functional configuration. |
| US08412298B2 |
Probe device
In a probe device including a light irradiating portion irradiating a light to a surface of a living body, and a light detecting portion detecting the light passing through an inner portion of the living body so as to emit from the surface of the living body, the probe device is provided with a sheet-like probe holding body, a plurality of light emitting probes and a plurality of detection probes which are attached to the probe holding body at a predetermined interval, a board holding portion attached to a predetermined position of the probe holding portion, an electronic board attached to the board holding portion, a sheet holding portion holding the probe holding body at a predetermined position of a head portion (a tested position) of the test subject, and a fixing band portion for installing the sheet holding portion to the test subject. |
| US08412297B2 |
Forehead sensor placement
Forehead oximetry sensor devices and methods for determining physiological parameters using forehead oximetry sensors. One method includes placing an oximetry sensor on the forehead of a patient, such that the sensor is placed on the lower forehead region, above the eyebrow with the sensor optics placed lateral of the iris and proximal the temple; and operating the pulse oximeter to obtain the physiological parameter. In one aspect, the method also includes providing and placing a headband over the oximetry sensor, or alternately, the sensor is a headband-integrated sensor. The headband has an elastic segment sized to fit around the patient's head. The headband also includes a non-elastic segment that is smaller than and attached with the elastic segment. The non-elastic segment is sized to span a portion of the elastic segment when the elastic segment is stretched. In addition, the non-elastic segment is larger than the portion of the elastic segment it spans when the elastic segment is not stretched. When the headband or the headband-integrated sensor is sufficiently tight, it delivers a pressure in the range higher than the venous pressure and lower than the capillary pressure to the forehead of the patient. |
| US08412296B2 |
Non-invasive determination of the concentration of a blood substance
In order to provide a non-invasive and continuous concentration measurement with the technology of standard pulse oximeters, an a priori relationship is created, through an in-vivo tissue model including a nominal estimate of a tissue parameter indicative of the concentration of a blood substance. The a priori relationship is indicative of the effect of tissue on in-vivo measurement signals at a plurality of wavelengths, the in-vivo measurement signals being indicative of absorption caused by pulsed arterial blood. In-vivo measurement signals are acquired from in-vivo tissue at the plurality of wavelengths and a specific value of the tissue parameter is determined based on the a priori relationship, the specific value being such that it yields the effect of the in-vivo tissue on the in-vivo measurement signals consistent for the plurality of wavelengths. The specific value then represents the concentration of the substance in the blood. |
| US08412295B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring pain management
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for monitoring pain management using measurements of physiological parameters based on a PPG signal. A reference physiological parameter may be compared against a later measurement to identify a change in condition that may indicate a pain management problem. |
| US08412287B2 |
Power saving support for wireless networks
Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to an example embodiment, a technique may include transmitting a scheduling information to a mobile station in a wireless network during a listening window, determining whether an acknowledgement has been received within the listening window from the mobile station that acknowledges receipt of the scheduling information, resetting a size of a next sleep window for the mobile station to an initial sleep window size if the acknowledgement has been received from the mobile station, and increasing a size of the next sleep window for the mobile station if the acknowledgement has not been received from the mobile station within the listening window. In another example embodiment, techniques are disclosed for determining a starting location of a next listening window for a mobile station in a wireless network. |
| US08412286B2 |
Transceiver with power-saving function and the method thereof
The present invention provides a transceiver with power-saving function and the method thereof, in which when the network is on link-down status, the transmitter will enter the power-saving mode, and with an auxiliary circuit to provide a comfortable common-mode voltage and to present comfortable impedance matching to save the power consumption. |
| US08412284B2 |
System and method for spoken caller identification in a cellular telephone headset
A spoken caller identification system comprises a headset and mobile communication device. The mobile communication device sends the caller identification to the headset upon a determination that the headset is in communication with the mobile communication device. |
| US08412283B2 |
System and method for switching ringing state session with customized alerting tone
The present invention provides a system and method for handing over a ringing status session with a color ring back tone, and when the ringing status session with the color ring back tone is handed over, a handover process includes: after an SCC AS receives a handover request, if the SCC AS judges that a session to be handed over is the ringing status session and a forking occurs so that there are a color ring back tone session and a normal media negotiation session, then associating the handover request with the color ring back tone session and the normal media negotiation session; and the SCC AS assisting to complete a handover to the normal media negotiation session and a handover to the color ring back tone session. The present invention completes not only updating to the normal media resource but also updating to the color ring back tone media. |
| US08412280B2 |
Electronic apparatus
Electronic apparatus which may include a main body portion having a back surface and a keyboard located at a part of the main body portion other than the main body portion back surface, a display portion having a back surface and a display screen on a display surface opposite the display portion back surface, and a coupling portion that rotatably couples the main body portion and the display portion. In a closed state, the main body portion back surface and the display portion back surface may face each other and the electronic apparatus may be operable as a portable apparatus in which all of the display surface having the display screen except for a relatively small perimeter portion thereof may be usable as a display in at least a direction corresponding to the width thereof. In an open state, the electronic apparatus may be operable as a personal computer. |
| US08412277B2 |
Gravity axis determination apparatus and mobile terminal apparatus using the same
A gravity axis determination apparatus which can determine the gravity direction in a short time. The apparatus is low in cost and has a simple construction. Data values of acceleration data trains in a same time zone are mutually compared and one of the three axes is determined as a gravity axis. |
| US08412276B2 |
Proximity type antenna and radio communication device
A proximity type antenna includes an antenna pattern for wirelessly communicating with an external communication device by magnetic coupling and a conductive plate arranged near the antenna pattern. The conductive plate has an aperture and a slit extending from the aperture to an end of the conductive plate and at least part of the aperture is arranged at a position of overlapping either the antenna pattern or the region surrounded by the inner periphery of the antenna pattern. |
| US08412273B2 |
Multi-mode base station and method for data transmission
The present invention provides a method and device for data transmission. The method for data transmission includes: when a base station supports multiple radio access technologies, determines radio access technologies respectively supported by RE's two ports, and transmits data corresponding to the radio access technologies respectively through the two ports. With the technical solutions provided in embodiments of the present invention, the base station can support multiple radio access technologies and transmit service data and control data corresponding to multiple radio access technologies. |
| US08412270B2 |
Using network authentication to counter subscriber identity module card man-in-the-middle subsidy lock attack
A method, telecommunication apparatus, and electronic device for securely using a subscriber identity module are disclosed. A secure memory 308 may store a secure international mobile subscriber identity. A subscriber identity module interface 312 may receive an unlocking international mobile subscriber identity. A processor 304 may erase a cache temporary mobile subscriber identity if the unlocking international mobile subscriber identity does not match the secure international mobile subscriber identity. |
| US08412265B2 |
Electronic apparatus with photographing functions
An electronic apparatus with photographing function is disclosed. The electronic apparatus comprises a main body and a sliding structure. The main body comprises a lens module and a controlling module. The sliding structure is movably connected to the main body and comprises an optical module. The optical module comprises two light-incidence openings, and the distance between the two light-incidence openings is substantially equal to the average distance between a human's eyes. The lens module is capable of obtaining two images via the optical module through movement of the sliding structure. The two images may be processed via the controlling module to form a 3D image. |
| US08412263B2 |
Coexistence interface for multiple radio modules using a reduced number of connections
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a first radio is operated in a first coexistence mode between the first radio and a second radio. The first radio monitors a first signal received from a third radio to determine if the third radio is active. In the event the third radio is active, the first radio switches to a second coexistence mode between the first radio and the third radio, and the first radio then operates in the second coexistence mode. |
| US08412258B1 |
Method and system for forward link and/or reverse link power control
Methods and systems for adjusting a transmit power of a forward link or reverse link signal make use of variable adjustment parameters. The wireless signal is received to obtain a received signal. An observed signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and an observed frame error rate (FER) for the received signal are determined. In an outer loop process, an adjustment increment is selected based on how much the observed FER differs from the target FER, and the target SNR is adjusted by the adjustment increment. In an inner loop process, a power adjustment command is selected based on a comparison between the observed SNR and a target SNR. The power adjustment command instructs the transmitter of the wireless signal to either increase or decrease the transmit power of the wireless signal. The power adjustment increment may also depend on the observed FER. |
| US08412257B2 |
Transmit format selection with consideration for resource reuse
Techniques for selecting transmit formats in a manner to account for the degrees of resource reuse for multiple data streams sent simultaneously from multiple antennas are described. The degree of resource reuse for each data stream indicates the amount of reuse of resources (e.g., orthogonal codes or subcarriers) observed by that stream. Interference estimates for the multiple data streams are derived based on an initial resource assignment. The degrees of resource reuse are determined based on the interference estimates and are used to derive at least one correction factor. At least one transmit format is then selected for the data streams using the at least one correction factor. Each data stream is associated with a transmit format that indicates the amount of resources to use for the data stream and other parameters. Resources are assigned to each data stream in accordance with its transmit format. |
| US08412252B2 |
System and method using rate split scheme based on cooperation between receivers
Each of a first transmitter and a second transmitter uses a rate split scheme. Each of the first transmitter and the second transmitter may transmit at least four sub-messages, and different transmission powers may be allocated to the at least four sub-messages. Also, each of receivers may cooperate with each other, may share sub-messages that act as interferences, and may extract desired messages using the shared sub-messages. |
| US08412247B2 |
Method for generating a coexistence value to define fair resource share between secondary networks
Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to provide coexistence values for wireless resource sharing on a fair basis between heterogeneous wireless networks to enable coexistence of secondary networks. An example embodiment of the invention includes a method, comprising the steps of: determining a coexistence value for a wireless network based on parameters associated with the wireless network, including at least one of a number of nodes in the wireless network, a current resource allocation utilization rate of the wireless network, coexistence assistance by the wireless network to assist in operation of other networks, and/or a priority of the wireless network, wherein the coexistence value characterizes eligibility of the wireless network to wireless spectrum resources available to secondary networks; and communicating the determined coexistence value of the wireless network to an associated network controller. The resulting embodiments provide for wireless resource sharing on a fair basis between heterogeneous wireless networks to enable coexistence of secondary networks. |
| US08412245B2 |
Scheduling information method and related communications devices
In a method of providing scheduling information for use at the mobile radio communications network device for UL resource allocation at the mobile radio communications device between a plurality of Radio Bearers, wherein each Radio Bearer has a Prioritized Bit Rate and at least one Radio Bearer comprises a Guaranteed Bit Rate Radio Bearer.The mobile radio communications device estimates the average bit rate transmitted for each of the plurality of Radio Bearers over a time period and generates rate control data responsive to determination of one or more of the following parameters: for each Guaranteed Bit Rate Radio Bearer whether a maximum Bit Rate has been reached; for each Guaranteed Bit Rate Radio Bearer whether the Prioritized Bit Rate has been reached; whether one or the Guaranteed Bit Rate Radio Bearers has been served during the said time period; whether a total estimated data rate for at least one Guaranteed Bit Rate Radio Bearer does not exceed an Aggregate Maximum Bit Rate value; for each Non-Guaranteed Bit Rate Radio Bearer whether the Prioritized Bit Rate is achieved; whether at least one Non-Guaranteed Bit Rate Radio Bearer is served during the said time period. |
| US08412241B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for using alternative numbers for routing voice calls and short messages in a communications network
A system, method and computer-readable medium for allowing the use of an alternative numbering plan for delivering short messages to mobile subscribers using the public mobile telephone network is provided. Users of an enterprise or other closed networks as well as users that are not part of a closed network may send short messages destined to members of an enterprise or closed network from their mobile or other devices associated with their subscription using an alternative enterprise directory number, such as the office number, instead of the mobile number, such that the alternative number will be presented at the destination device as the originating number. The recipient may respond to the message by addressing the response to the enterprise or closed network number, and the response may be delivered to the originator's mobile or other device associated with their subscription. |
| US08412240B2 |
Direct SMS message delivery over broadband data networks through an SMS-C
SMS-C's and associated methods are disclosed that attempt to deliver SMS messages over a broadband data network as opposed to a voice network. An SMS-C described herein stores session information for a mobile device that has established a data session over the broadband data network. When the SMS-C receives a Mobile Terminated (MT) SMS message destined for the mobile device, the SMS-C stores the SMS message for delivery. The SMS-C then identifies a routing address for the mobile device over the broadband data network based on the stored session information, and forwards the SMS message to the mobile device directly over the broadband data network based on the routing address. |
| US08412239B1 |
Indoor positioning using joint likelihoods
Apparatus, systems and methods for estimating a position of a mobile terminal (MT) using joint probability distribution values are disclosed. In an example, the MT is capable of receiving signals from a plurality of access points. The MT receives a map of expected measurements for a parameter observable by the MT, from any of a plurality of hypothesis locations. The expected measurements are predictive of a value of the parameter observed by the MT, when the MT is proximal that hypothesis location. The MT captures measurements of the parameter for the plurality of access points, computes interim vectors for the hypothesis locations using the captured and expected measurements, computes joint probability distributions for the interim vectors using a covariance matrix, and filters the joint probability distributions to produce an estimated position of the MT. |
| US08412235B1 |
Method and apparatus of requesting customized location information at a mobile station
A method and apparatus of processing a call are disclosed. One example method may include receiving a request at a server for dealer information. The request may be initiated by a user via his or her mobile station. The example method may also include determining whether there is user preference information and user location information included in the request. The information may be used to limit the amount of search results to increase relevancy. The method may also include searching a database for at least one dealer based on the user preference information and the user location information, and transferring the at least one dealer information to the user. |
| US08412234B1 |
Clustering location and time for location prediction
The invention is directed to methods for predicting future locations based on time clustering. Historical location data from a particular period of time is used to identify locations or places. The period of time is divided into even time slots. For each time slot, a probability distribution is computed by calculating a probability that the mobile device is located at each identified location during that time slot. The time slots are clustered into time slot groups based on similar probability distributions. For each time slot group, a probability distribution is calculated representing a probability that the mobile device is present at each location during the period of time defined by the time slot group. |
| US08412233B2 |
Method, location service apparatus and system for acquiring a cell position and locating a cell
The present invention provides a method, location service apparatus and system for acquiring a cell position, relating to the field of mobile communications. The method comprises the following steps that: a location service apparatus receives, from a first terminal, a locating request including an identifier of the cell where the first terminal resides, determines whether the cell position information corresponding to the identifier of the cell is stored in a base station database of the location service apparatus and generates a result of determining and, in the case where the result of determining is that the cell position information corresponding to the identifier of the cell is stored in the base station database of the location service apparatus, sends a first locating request to the first terminal, receives first position information from the first terminal, wherein the first position information is the position information returned after the first terminal carries out a location according to the first locating request, and stores the first position information as the cell position information corresponding to the identifier of the cell. The present invention can be applied to locate a cell where a roaming terminal resides. |
| US08412232B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for use in estimating a location of a mobile device within a structure
Methods and apparatuses are provided that may be implemented in a mobile device to determine two or more variations between a baseline probability distribution and two or more probability distributions for signals received from two or more sets of transmitters assigned to two or more regions of a structure. The methods and apparatuses may be further implemented to determine whether the mobile device is located in at least one of the two or more regions based, at least in part, on a comparison of the two or more determined variations. |
| US08412231B1 |
Providing information to a mobile device based on an event at a geographical location
A system, method, and computer readable medium for providing information to a mobile device based on an event comprising detecting an occurrence of the event, determining if the event is a specific event and if the event occurred at or near a geographical location and sending an alert of the event to at least one mobile device if the event is the specific event, if the event occurs at or near the geographical location, and if the at least one mobile device is located at or near the geographical location. |
| US08412230B2 |
Configuring relations between cells in different radio access networks
In a Circuit Switched Services over Long Term Evolution via Generic Access Network, CSoLTEvGAN architecture (600), relations between E-UTRAN cells (9201) and Generic Access Network, GAN cells (9101) are configured manually in a generic access node controller, GANC (910). This may become a tremendous burden for the operator. The current invention overcomes this by automatically build the needed relations. This is accomplished by determining at the GANC (910), cell identification information for an E-UTRAN cell (9201) and cell identification information for a GERAN or UTRAN cell (1101) overlaying the E-UTRAN cell (9201). The GAN cell (9101) is determined based on the cell identification information for the GERAN or UTRAN cell (1101). An entry within a translation table (1000) is created so that the cell identification information for the E-UTRAN cell (9201) is mapped to the cell identification information for the GAN cell (9101), or vice versa. |
| US08412227B2 |
Positioning using enhanced pilot signal
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment, a method of transmitting signals is provided. Signal waveforms are transmitted from at least two respective sectors. The at least two respective sectors are from at least two different sets of a superset of sectors. The transmitted signal waveforms include signal waveforms at least nearly mutually orthogonal at least along a particular signal dimension. An advantage of such an embodiment, for example, is reduced signal interference. |
| US08412222B2 |
Broadcast-multicast transmission with rate adaption
Techniques for supporting broadcast/multiple transmission to multiple terminals with feedback and rate adaptation are described. In an aspect, a combination of HARQ and at least one shared feedback channel may be used to support broadcast/multicast transmission. In one design, a base station may send at least one transmission of a packet to multiple terminals, one transmission at a time. The base station may receive feedback information (e.g., NAK) for the packet from the terminals on the shared feedback channel(s). The base station may determine whether to terminate the packet early and/or may select at least one transmission parameter for another packet based on the feedback information for the packet. In another aspect, a transport format for a broadcast/multicast transmission may be selected based on CQI information from terminals receiving the transmission. The terminals may send CQI information at a slow rate and/or only certain terminals may send CQI information. |
| US08412221B2 |
Method for interference mitigation for femtocell base stations of a WiMAX network
A method for interference mitigation for femtocell base stations of a WiMAX network, wherein the femtocell base station is located within the transmission range of at least one macrocell base station and/or at least one other femtocell base station, is characterized in that the femtocell base station performs downlink measurements to detect neighboring macrocell and/or femtocell base stations and reports results of the downlink measurements to at least one higher layer network controller, wherein the network controller allocates transmission parameters to the WiMAX femtocell base stations on the basis of at least the reported measurement results and the current resource occupation in the network. |
| US08412220B2 |
Method and system wherein timeslots allocated for common control channels may be reused for user traffic
A network apparatus for use in a wireless time division duplex (TDD) code division multiple access communication system includes a processor configured to allocate a time slot in a frame for a plurality of cells for transmission of data over a forward access channel (FACH). Each of the plurality of cells is allocated a different time slot in the frame for transmission of the data over the FACH. |
| US08412218B2 |
Initial connection establishment in a wireless communication system
A method, user equipment, network equipment and a system for initiating a wireless connection and subsequent communication over a shared physical resource in a wireless communication system between user equipment and network equipment comprising: processing a UE-derived temporary identifier; determining a set of channels that the user equipment will monitor; implicitly or explicitly communicating this channel set; communicating the temporary identifier as an identifier to the network equipment; communicating a downlink message on a channel belonging to the determined channel set conveying the temporary identifier and a description of a scheduled resource on a shared channel, the scheduled resource comprising a resource allocated to the user equipment by the network equipment; and communicating data on the scheduled resource in response to the downlink message. |
| US08412217B2 |
Initial connection establishment in a wireless communication system
A method, user equipment, network equipment and a system for initiating a wireless connection and subsequent communication over a shared physical resource in a wireless communication system between user equipment and network equipment comprising: processing a UE-derived temporary identifier; determining a set of channels that the user equipment will monitor; implicitly or explicitly communicating this channel set; communicating the temporary identifier as an identifier to the network equipment; communicating a downlink message on a channel belonging to the determined channel set conveying the temporary identifier and a description of a scheduled resource on a shared channel, the scheduled resource comprising a resource allocated to the user equipment by the network equipment; and communicating data on the scheduled resource in response to the downlink message. |
| US08412214B2 |
Initial connection establishment in a wireless communication system
A method, user equipment, network equipment and a system for initiating a wireless connection and subsequent communication over a shared physical resource in a wireless communication system between user equipment and network equipment comprising: processing a UE-derived temporary identifier; determining a set of channels that the user equipment will monitor; implicitly or explicitly communicating this channel set; communicating the temporary identifier as an identifier to the network equipment; communicating a downlink message on a channel belonging to the determined channel set conveying the temporary identifier and a description of a scheduled resource on a shared channel, the scheduled resource comprising a resource allocated to the user equipment by the network equipment; and communicating data on the scheduled resource in response to the downlink message. |
| US08412212B2 |
Initial connection establishment in a wireless communication system
A method, user equipment, network equipment and a system for initiating a wireless connection and subsequent communication over a shared physical resource in a wireless communication system between user equipment and network equipment comprising: processing a UE-derived temporary identifier; determining a set of channels that the user equipment will monitor; implicitly or explicitly communicating this channel set; communicating the temporary identifier as an identifier to the network equipment; communicating a downlink message on a channel belonging to the determined channel set conveying the temporary identifier and a description of a scheduled resource on a shared channel, the scheduled resource comprising a resource allocated to the user equipment by the network equipment; and communicating data on the scheduled resource in response to the downlink message. |
| US08412211B2 |
Transmission and reception of broadcast system information in a mobile communication system
The present invention relates to a method and transmission apparatus for transmitting broadcast system information in a mobile communication system. Further, the invention relates to a method and mobile terminal receiving the broadcast system information. To provide an improved method for broadcasting broadcast system information the invention suggests mapping different partitions of broadcast system information to a shared transport channel or a broadcast transport channel for transmission. The mapping may take into account parameters inherent to the mobile terminals to which the broadcast system information is to be transmitted and/or parameters inherent to the different partitions of broadcast system information. |
| US08412210B2 |
Method and device for transferring data, mobile terminal and base station
The present invention concerns a method, a device, a mobile terminal and a base station for transferring data from a mobile terminal to a base station after a wireless resource enabling the transfer of the data from the mobile terminal to the base station has been allocated. The method comprises the steps, executed by the mobile terminal, of transferring, information indicating whether or not an allocated wireless resource is needed for the transfer of the data from the mobile terminal to the base station, the information indicating that no allocated wireless resource is needed for the transfer of the data from the mobile terminal to the base station being transferred by setting the power of pilot symbols to a null value, receiving, from the base station, allocation information indicating that the wireless resource is allocated to the mobile terminal when the information indicates that the allocated wireless resource is needed, and transferring the data to the base station in the wireless resource indicated as allocated to the mobile terminal. |
| US08412209B2 |
Use of the physical uplink control channel in a 3rd generation partnership project communication system
In a 3rd Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, communication system a base station comprises a scheduler allocating communication resource of at least one of a Physical Uplink Shared CHannel, PUSCH, and a Physical Downlink Shared CHannel, PDSCH to a User Equipment (UE). The scheduling may either be a dynamic scheduling wherein a resource allocation for a single frame is provided to the UE or a persistent scheduling wherein a resource allocation for a plurality of frames is provided to the UE. A resource allocator assigns resource of a Physical Uplink Control CHannel, PUCCH, to the UE dependent on whether dynamic scheduling or persistent scheduling is performed by the scheduler for the UE. The UE transmits uplink control data on a physical uplink channel which is selected as the PUCCH or the PUSCH in response to whether persistent scheduling is used for the UE. The invention allows e.g. reduced PUCCH loading. |
| US08412205B2 |
Method of reducing the power consumption in a mobile radio network with at least two supply layers
The invention relates to a method for operating a mobile communications network having two or more supply levels (1, 2, 3), wherein the supply levels (1, 2, 3) overlap and are each formed by a plurality of transmission stations, wherein a first supply level (1) is defined as the standard level (1), which guarantees the availability of the mobile communications network, and a second supply level (2, 3) is at least partially and/or temporarily deactivated. |
| US08412201B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving radio access information in a wireless mobile communications system
In a wireless mobile communications system, a method of transmitting and receiving radio access information that allows a faster and an efficient way of establishing a radio connection between a terminal and a target base station while performing a handover for the terminal to a cell of the target base station. The network transmits in advance, the radio access information and the like, to the terminal so that the terminal can be connected with the target cell in a faster manner which minimizes the total time for the handover process. |
| US08412200B2 |
Handover method in a wireless mobile communication system and a system therefor
A handover method of a mobile station in a wireless mobile communication system and a system therefore are provided. The mobile station transmits a handover indication message to a serving base station, receives a ranging response message that comprises authentication information required for the mobile station to authenticate a target base station, receives fast ranging resources and transmits a ranging response acknowledgement (ACK) message, which comprises authentication information required for the target base station to authenticate the mobile station, to the target base station after receiving the fast ranging resources. Accordingly, a handover break time is minimized. |
| US08412199B2 |
Method and apparatus decreasing handover latency in heterogeneous networks
Provided is a method and apparatus for decreasing a handover latency time using a context exchange between a mobile terminal (MT) and a Media Independent Handover Server (MIHS). The method used by the MT for decreasing handover latency between a first network and a second network includes when a handover is performed from the first network to the second network, transmitting to the MIHS information required for first network communication as context; and when a handover is performed from the second network to the first network, receiving from the MIHS first network access information comprising the context through the currently used second network. Accordingly, the MT can reduce a Vertical Handover (VHO) latency time and simultaneously consume almost the same power as a single mode terminal. |
| US08412197B2 |
Method, terminal, and system for cell reselection
A method, terminal, and system for cell reselection are disclosed. The method includes: a terminal obtains a dedicated priority list from a first system; and performs cell reselection according to the dedicated priority list when the terminal camps on a cell of a second system. The corresponding terminal and system are also provided in other embodiments of the invention. According to an embodiment of the invention, the terminal performs cell reselection by using the dedicated priority list obtained from the first system so as to free the second system from establishing the dedicated priority list. Problems in the prior arts that establishment of the dedicated priority list causes too much increased signaling and too high costs for network upgrade are solved. |
| US08412196B2 |
Method of notifying function identification information and communication system
There is disclosed a notification method in a communication system of notifying specific multifunctionality information between terminal stations. An expansion code is generated from both a user input code and a function identification code corresponding to a specific function. A transmission frame including the expansion code is also generated and transmitted to at least one of the terminal stations. |
| US08412195B2 |
Data communication method and apparatus via interlock between heterogeneous networks in radio access system supporting multi radio access technology
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting and receiving data via a first base station supporting a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second base station supporting a second RAT in a radio access system supporting a multi-radio access technology, and the method may include allowing the first base station to perform a registration procedure with the second base station; and allowing the first base station to transmit control information required for accessing the second base station to a terminal supporting multi-RAT (multi-RAT terminal), wherein the control information comprises beacon frame transmission timing information of the second base station, and the beacon frame transmission timing is maintained in transmission timing of a downlink frame or downlink sub-frame of the first base station with relative timing offset interval. |
| US08412193B2 |
Method of DCR operation in a broadband wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a broadband wireless access system, and more particularly, to a method for a mobile station to save power for prescribed duration without performing a paging procedure and apparatus therefor. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of a DCR (deregistration with content retention) mode operation of a mobile station in a broadband wireless access system includes transmitting a first message including a first code indicating an entry request at the DCR mode to a base station, receiving a second message including a second code indicating whether to allow the entry request from the base station, and if the second code is set to a value indicating an allowance of the entry request, operating in the DCR mode while a preset timer is valid. |
| US08412192B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for providing an instance identifier to a network database node of a mobile network
Apparatus, and an associated method, for an IMS (IP multimedia subsystem) mobile network to transfer an IMEI or IMEISV to an equipment ID register. A SIP, or other IP-based, message including the IMEI or IMEISV of a user equipment is converted by a protocol converter embodied at an application server into a MAP or DIAMETER message. A forwarder forwards on the MAP or DIAMETER message to EIR. |
| US08412187B2 |
Broadcast roaming
Embodiments are directed to broadcast roaming, i.e., providing service/content to a terminal from a visited service provider. An embodiment is directed to sending a roaming rule request to a service provider, receiving a roaming rule response from the service provider, acquiring service guide fragments from the service provider and processing the service guide fragments in accordance with the received roaming rule response, sending to a selected service provider a service provisioning request for a purchase item, receiving from the selected service provider a service provisioning response regarding the purchase item, and accessing service and/or content related to the purchase item, wherein the service and/or content is provided by the visited service provider. Embodiments are directed to exchanging between a visiting service provider and a home service provider of the terminal a roaming authorization request regarding a purchase item and a roaming authorization response regarding the purchase item. |
| US08412186B2 |
Method and system for managing subscriber identity modules on wireless networks for machine to-machine applications
A mobile station connected to a wireless network can comprise a subscriber identity module. The subscriber identity module can maintain a list of networks. The list can comprise forbidden public land mobile network data. Software can manage the forbidden public land mobile network data. For example, an applet transmitted to the subscriber identity module can periodically delete entries from the list and/or reset the subscriber identity module on predefined time intervals or when specified events occur. |
| US08412185B2 |
Method and apparatus for switching devices using near field communication
An approach is provided for switching devices using near field communication by transferring services. A first device executes an online service. The first device initiates communication to a second device over a near field communication link during the execution of the online service to coordinate the transfer of information relating to the online service. The first device initiates the transfer of information relating to the online service to the second device for execution of the online service by the second device based on the communication. |
| US08412184B2 |
Communication switching method in communication system
Upon detection of an environmental change in a neighborhood, a cellular phone makes selections of a communication device and a communication path, which are used for a communication. A communication packet transmitted from a communication corresponding terminal is distributed to the cellular phone that is the destination of the communication packet, and a PC physically positioned in the neighborhood of the cellular phone, according to the results of the selections, thereby switching from a communication using only the cellular phone to a communication using both the cellular phone and the PC. |
| US08412183B1 |
Automatically constructing paths
Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to generating reliable data for indoor navigation. More specifically, aspects relate to identifying a route for a person to follow in order to record data such wireless network access location or other beacon signal information and signal strengths for an indoor space. In one example, the pre-defined route may be generated based on a map of the indoor space, a set of predefined walking strategies, an average walking speed, a time limit, and an optimization goal. For example, if a person is able walk at some average speed for a set period of time, a route may be identified which provides a given density of data points (the optimization goal) within the indoor space. The collected data may then used to build a wireless network model of the indoor space for navigation. |
| US08412182B2 |
Scheduling of uplink measurement reports
In a wireless communication system, the uplink transmission of measurement reports may be scheduled based on an estimated time of when a measurement report will be ready for transmission. The estimated time may be calculated at a base station or user equipment. |
| US08412181B2 |
Mobile station
In a mobile station (UE) according to the present invention, an AS function is configured to notify, when detecting a failure in a radio link established with the radio base station is detected or when discovering a cell subject to a location registration by a cell selection process, a NAS function of the detection or the discovery; and the NAS function is configured to transmit, in response to the notification, a location registration request signal to a mobile switching center (MME). |
| US08412180B2 |
Method for generating a signal train which can be played back on a tester for testing a mobile radio
The invention relates to a method for generating a signal train which can be played back on a tester for testing a mobile radio. First, a given command sequence is analyzed in respect of a signal train generated therefrom by the tester. The signal train which results from the command sequence is checked by comparing it with a standard-compliant signal train. Discrepancies between the standard-compliant signal train and the signal train resulting from the command sequence are detected and the necessary changes to the command sequence to generate a standard-compliant signal train are ascertained. In line with the necessary changes detected, commands or command sequence sections are supplemented and/or replaced. In this way, a command sequence which can be played back is generated and output. |
| US08412179B2 |
Method of configuring power tool electronics in a hand-held power tool
A method of configuring power tool electronics in a hand-held power tool (10) having sensor means (20) for acquiring measurement data, a control unit (50) for processing measurement data and for controlling power tool functions, and a data transmission unit (30), includes transmitting data between the data transmission unit (30) and an evaluation location (62) by means of a mobile wireless network, with the power tool electronics being awakened from a quiescent mode (70) and activated at a time stored as a time parameter in a control program, retrieving a configuration file provided by the evaluation location (62) by the data transmission unit (30) via the mobile wireless network, and checking the response received from the mobile wireless network to determine whether or not it contains a new configuration file. If a configuration file was received, the parameters contained in the configuration file are implemented (77) in the control program for the power tool electronics. The power tool electronics is then returned to the quiescent mode (70) again. |
| US08412169B2 |
System and method for providing mobile device services using SMS communications
An enhanced services platform has an interface for receiving a communication from a user requesting a desired data. An automated response module parses the communication and retrieves the desired data. The enhanced services platform arranges the desired data into a response message that is sent to the user, where the response message includes an embedded code corresponding to a link allowing the user to re-contact the enhanced services platform. An operator assistance module receives communications from the user initiated via the link to provide further assistance regarding the user's request. |
| US08412168B2 |
Broadcast receiver and method of receiving broadcast thereof
A method of receiving a broadcast on a broadcast terminal. The method includes displaying the received broadcast on a display of the broadcast terminal, and providing location information about a specific place or location shown on the currently displayed broadcast to a user of the broadcast terminal. |
| US08412167B1 |
Wireless communication system that selects and broadcasts FM media streams on a per-base station basis
A wireless communication system broadcasts using Frequency Modulation (FM) in a Very High Frequency (VHF) band. In the system, base stations exchange wireless communications with user devices including user media requests and the requested media. A control system processes the user media requests to identify media streams for individual base stations. The individual base stations wirelessly broadcast the media streams identified by the control system using FM in the VHF band. The base stations wirelessly notify the user devices of the media stream FM broadcasts. |
| US08412165B1 |
Systems and methods for device emulation on mobile channel
A user may access a website via a mobile channel using a mobile device. As the user is logged into the website, the user may call or otherwise contact a representative via another communications channel with the mobile device or another user device, such as a phone or a user computing device or another mobile device. An emulator engine may determine the type of mobile device that the user is using to access the website via the mobile channel. An emulator for the mobile device that has been determined may be retrieved from an emulator library and provided to the representative computing device. The representative may view the same user interface on the representative computing device that the user sees on the mobile device. |
| US08412164B2 |
Communications system that provides user-selectable data when user is on-hold
Systems and methods for providing user-selectable data when a user is on hold are provided. A communications system can automatically detect when a user is placed on hold. Additionally, a user can indicate when he/she has been placed on hold. After it has been determined that a user is placed on hold, the system can select adaptive information according to predetermined selection criteria and present that adaptive information to the user. A system can also generate contextual data which is related to the content of a current communication and use that contextual data (in addition to any predetermined selection criteria) to select adaptive information that is relevant to a user's communications. Contextual data can be generated before a user is placed on hold by analyzing a communications signal in order to identify keywords that are based on the content of that communication. |
| US08412163B2 |
Local voicemail for mobile devices
This document describes various techniques for implementing local voicemail on a mobile device. These techniques may include enabling the mobile device to answer a voice call, record audio of the voice call to provide a voicemail file, and store the voicemail file to local computer-readable media. A locally stored voicemail file may be associated with relevant data, exposed via the associated data for local processing, and/or manipulated through a user interface of the mobile device. |
| US08412149B2 |
System and method for providing contact information of an out of area mobile device to a reverse 911 database
A system and method for registering the contact information of mobile devices with a service 911 service is presented. In one embodiment, a mobile switching center receives the contact information of a mobile device. If the mobile switching center determines that the mobile device is not located within a particular wireless sub-network, such as, but not limited to, a wireless sub-network associated with an area code registered to the mobile device, the mobile switching center generates a reverse 911 registration text message and transmits the reverse 911 registration text message to the mobile device. A user of the mobile device may then transmit the reverse 911 registration text message to a local reverse 911 database to have the contact information associated with the mobile device added to the local reverse 911 database. |
| US08412146B2 |
Mutual awakening system and method thereof between a handheld device and a wireless communication module
A mutual awakening system and method thereof between a handheld device and a wireless communication module are disclosed. The system and method are applicable to the case that the wireless communication module is inserted and electrically coupled to the handheld device. The system includes a communication control line and a host control line which are used for electrically coupling the handheld device and the wireless communication module. When the handheld device is to transmit data, a second voltage signal of the communication control line is raised in value, which triggers a communication interrupt routine of the wireless communication module to awaken the wireless communication module from a sleep state. When the wireless communication module is to transmit data, a first voltage signal of the host control line is raised in value, which triggers a host interrupt routine of the handheld device to awaken the handheld device from a sleep state. |
| US08412145B2 |
Mobile battery management system
A mobile battery management system comprising receiving a battery management parameter by a client from a server over a communication path, detecting a battery control mode with the battery management parameter in the client, and operating the client based on the battery control mode and the battery management parameter. |
| US08412141B2 |
LR polyphase filter
An LR polyphase filter implemented with inductors and resistors and capable of operating at high frequencies is described. In one design, the LR polyphase filter includes first and second paths, with each path including an inductor coupled to a resistor. The first and second paths receive a first input signal and provide first and second output signals, respectively, which may be in quadrature. For a differential design, the polyphase filter further includes third and fourth paths, which receive a second input signal and provide third and fourth output signals, respectively. The four output signals may be 90° out of phase. The first and second input signals are for a differential input signal. The first and third output signals are for a first differential output signal, and the second and fourth output signals are for a second differential output signal. Each inductor may be implemented with a transmission line. |
| US08412139B2 |
Methods of receiving multiple carriers using different RF mixer frequencies and related communications devices and receivers
Methods may be provided to simultaneously receive first and second RF (radio frequency) carriers over respective first and second RF carrier frequencies. More particularly, the first and second RF carriers may be provided at an RF mixer stage. During a first time period, the first and second RF carriers may be down converted through the RF mixer stage using a first RF mixer frequency to generate first downconverted signals, and the first downconverted signals may be processed to provide first and second DC carriers corresponding to the first and second RF earners. During a second time period, the first and second RF carriers may be downconverted through the RF mixer stage using a second RF mixer frequency to generate second downconverted signals with the first and second RF mixer frequencies being different, and the second downconverted signals may be processed to provide the first and second DC carriers corresponding to the first and second RF carriers. Related devices are also discussed. |
| US08412137B2 |
Radio transmitter
A radio transmitter includes a radio module, a battery from which power is fed to the radio module, and a metal plate. The radio module includes a transmission module generating a transmission signal and an antenna configured to wirelessly transmit the transmission signal. The metal plate is located so as to cover a part of the battery and a part of the antenna. The battery is electromagnetically coupled to the antenna. A main radiation direction of the antenna is parallel to a principal surface of the metal plate. |
| US08412132B2 |
Techniques for adaptive predistortion direct current offset correction in a transmitter
A technique for performing adaptive predistortion in a transmitter includes receiving, at a first input of an error signal unit, a delayed version of a baseband input signal. The technique also includes receiving, at a second input of the error signal unit, a power amplifier feedback signal from an output of a power amplifier. An input error signal that corresponds to a difference between the delayed version of the baseband input signal and the power amplifier feedback signal is then provided at an output of the error signal unit. The input error signal is then received at an input of a signal conditioner. An adjusted error signal that has a lower direct current offset than the input error signal is provided at an output of the signal conditioner. |
| US08412131B2 |
Down conversion filter and communication receiving apparatus
A down-conversion filter is provided, using first and second input terminals to receive signals that are differentially outputted by a preceding circuit, and using an output terminal to output a down-converted and filtered signal. An output capacitor is coupled to the output terminal. A first switched-capacitor network is arranged between the first input terminal and the output terminal. A second switched-capacitor network is arranged between the second input terminal and the output terminal. Each switched-capacitor network has capacitors, charging switches and charge-summing switches. The charging switches are designed to alternatively couple the capacitors to the first (or second) input terminal. The charge-summing switches are designed to couple the capacitors to the output terminal. |
| US08412115B2 |
Radio apparatus, and method and program for controlling spatial path
A PDMA terminal establishes communication by forming a plurality of spatial paths to another single radio apparatus. A plurality of antennas constituting an array antenna are divided into a plurality of subarrays corresponding to the plurality of spatial paths respectively. An adaptive array processing unit can perform an adaptive array processing for each of the plurality of subarrays. A memory stores in advance information on the number of antennas associated with the number of spatial paths that can be formed by the array antenna. A control unit controls a processing to transmit possible multiplicity information to another radio apparatus at a prescribed timing. |
| US08412113B2 |
Radio communication device, program, radio communication method, and radio communication system
Provided is a radio communication device including a reception unit that receives a radio signal, a measurement unit that measures a field intensity of the radio signal received by the reception unit, a determination unit that determines whether the radio signal received by the reception unit satisfies a predetermined condition for a noise component, and an estimation unit that estimates a distance from a transmission source device of the radio signal based on the field intensity of the radio signal determined by the determination unit to satisfy the predetermined condition. |
| US08412107B2 |
On-board communication device and cooperative road-to-vehicle/car-to-car communication system
An on-board communication device and a cooperative road-to-vehicle/car-to-car communication system that are adaptable to a road-to-vehicle communication system and a car-to-car communication system. The on-board communication device includes a car-to-car communication transfer service processing section, a car-to-car communication management service processing section, an application processing section, a transaction managing section, a transfer service processing section, a transmission/reception service processing section, and a transmission/reception service managing section, in which the car-to-car communication transfer service processing section and the car-to-car communication management service processing section include interfaces to the transfer service processing section that is an existing road-to-vehicle communication protocol. |
| US08412106B2 |
Directed wireless communication
In an implementation of directed wireless communication, a multi-beam directed signal system coordinates directed wireless communication with client devices. A transmit beam-forming network routes data communication transmissions to the client devices via directed communication beams that are emanated from an antenna assembly, and a receive beam-forming network receives data communication receptions from the client devices via the directed communication beams. |
| US08412105B2 |
Electronic devices with radio-frequency collision resolution capabilities
Electronic devices such as portable electronic devices contain electronic components. The electronic components may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry. The radio-frequency transceiver circuitry may be used for handling data communications and cellular telephone voice communications. One or more adjustable clock sources may be provided within the electronic device. The adjustable clock sources may be based on phase-locked-loop circuits. A clock manager may determine which frequencies are being used by the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and other components in the electronic device. The clock manager may use this information to compute a list of safe fundamental clock signal frequencies. Based on the list of safe clock signal frequencies, the clock manager may dynamically adjust the clock sources to avoid collisions between harmonics of the clock signals from the clock sources and the frequencies used by the transceiver circuitry and other components. |
| US08412100B2 |
Wireless communication system using custom earmold
An apparatus for an ear of a user comprising a custom-fitted, in-the-ear earmold, receiver electronics detachably connected to the earmold and amplifier electronics detachably and electrically connected to the receiver electronics. In some embodiments, the amplifier electronics include a wireless communications module with wireless communications electronics disposed in the wireless communications module, wherein the wireless communications electronics support wireless communications between the user and a device. Such teachings in various examples are applied to occluding and non-occluding hearing device embodiments. Additional systems and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents. |
| US08412096B2 |
Bidirectional iterative beam forming
Bidirectional iterative beam forming techniques are described. An apparatus may include a wireless device having an antenna control module operative to initiate beam formation operations using an iterative training scheme to form a pair of communications channels for a wireless network, the antenna control module to communicate training signals and feedback information with a peer device via the transceiver and phased antenna array using partially or fully formed high rate channels, and iteratively determine antenna-array weight vectors for a directional transmit beam pattern for the phased antenna array using feedback information from the peer device. |
| US08412089B2 |
Image forming apparatus and guide therefor capable of reducing toner scattered on recording medium
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transferor, a fixing unit, and a guide. The image carrier carries a toner image. The transferor opposes the image carrier to form a transfer nip and transfers the toner image on the image carrier onto a recording medium at the transfer nip. The fixing unit fixes the toner image on the recording medium. The guide guides the recording medium bearing the toner image from the transferor toward the fixing unit and includes a surface portion directly contacting the recording medium. The surface portion includes a material for charging the recording medium to have a polarity opposite to the polarity of a toner forming the toner image. |
| US08412081B2 |
Belt meandering preventing device and image forming apparatus including the same
A belt meandering preventing device includes a belt displacement detection unit detecting the amount of displacement in a belt width direction of an endless belt rotatably stretched over support parts; and a belt meandering correction unit correcting the displacement in the belt width direction of the endless belt based on the amount of displacement detected by the belt displacement detection unit. The belt displacement detection unit includes a moving part moving in association with the displacement of the endless belt or an edge of the endless belt in the belt width direction and optical sensors outputting signals with output levels corresponding to the proportions of the moving part in optical paths of the optical sensors. The optical sensors are arranged such that the output levels of the optical sensors change as the endless belt is displaced in the belt width direction in a predetermined high-resolution detection range. |
| US08412080B2 |
Developing roller manufacturing method, developing roller, developing device, and image forming apparatus
A method of manufacturing a developing roller, including: a first rolling process for forming a first inclined groove which is continuous in a helical shape, by rotating a first die having blades inclined with respect to an axial direction and a circumferential direction, and a non-bladed die, and feeding an unprocessed developing roller between the first die and the non-bladed die; and a second rolling process for forming a second inclined groove which is continuous in a helical shape and intersects with the first inclined groove, by rotating a second die having blades inclined with respect to an axial direction and a circumferential direction in the direction opposite to that of the first die, and the non-bladed die in the same direction opposite to that in the first rolling process, and feeding the developing roller between the second die and the non-bladed die. |
| US08412079B2 |
Toner cartridge, image forming apparatus and image forming method
A toner cartridge includes a container body and a screw conveyer section. The screw conveyer section includes a rotation shaft and a toner conveying blade. The toner rotation shaft includes a first rotation shaft portion and a second rotation shaft portion concentrically communicated to the first rotation shaft portion and having a diameter smaller than that of the first rotation shaft portion. The toner conveying blade includes a first blade portion formed on the first rotation shaft portion, and a second blade portion formed on the second rotation shaft portion, a period of a spiral of the second blade portion winding around the second rotation shaft portion being smaller than a period of a spiral of the first blade portion winding around the first rotation shaft portion. |
| US08412076B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A toner pattern is detected by a color misregistration detection sensor to detect a duration of contact between a development roller and a photosensitive drum. A contact/separation motor for driving the development roller is accelerated or decelerated based on the detected duration of contact between the development roller and the photosensitive drum. This control enables shortening the duration of contact between the development roller and the photosensitive drum, thus reducing the shortening of their lifetime. |
| US08412075B2 |
Light deflector device and image forming apparatus
A light deflector device includes a light deflector having an oscillation system, a driving unit for driving the oscillation system and a drive controlling unit for supplying a drive signal. The oscillation system simultaneously generates a first oscillating motion of a first frequency and a second oscillating motion of a second frequency. The drive controlling unit supplies a drive signal formed by synthetically combining a first signal having the first frequency and a second signal having the second frequency to the driving unit and, at the same time, another drive signal for changing at least the amplitude of the first oscillating motion, the amplitude of second oscillating motion or the relative phase difference of the first oscillating motion and the second oscillating motion to the driving unit in order to correct an offset of scanning light deflected by the light deflector. |
| US08412072B2 |
Fixing device and image-forming apparatus
A fixing device for fixing a developed image of developer onto a recording sheet by heating and fusing the developer includes a heating roller, a pressure roller and a driving force input element. The heating roller is configured to be heated by a heat source, such as a halogen heater. The pressure roller is disposed adjacent to the heating roller, such that a recording sheet is fed and conveyed between the pressure roller and the heating roller. The driving force input element is fixed to the pressure roller for causing the pressure roller to rotate. A diameter Dp of the pressure roller and a nip width N between the heating roller and the pressure roller in circumferential directions thereof have a relationship represented by the following expression: 0.24 |
| US08412067B2 |
Laser fixing device and image forming apparatus
According to an aspect of the invention, a laser fixing device includes a laser beam generating device and an airflow generating unit. The laser beam generating device generates laser beams and irradiates a recording medium transported with the laser beams. The airflow generating unit generates airflow flowing between the laser beam generating device and the recording medium. A flow speed of the airflow in a transport direction of the recording medium in an irradiation position of the laser beams is higher than a transport speed of the recording medium. |
| US08412066B2 |
Test image print variations for print quality analysis
Methods and systems herein provide for printing a plurality of variations of a test image utilizing different values of a print quality parameter for print quality analysis of a printer. A print quality parameter is selected that modifies a print quality of the printer when printing a test image. A range of values for the print quality parameter is defined to utilize when printing the test image. A plurality of variations of the test image are printed based on the range of values defined for the print quality parameter, which allows for an analysis of the print quality of the printer by the user. |
| US08412060B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for performing image forming using an electrophotographic process
An image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process includes an image forming unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit performs monochrome printing and color printing. The storage unit stores print ratio data that relates to printing in the image forming unit is measured over time. The control unit separately performs correction of monochrome toner density and color toner density based on a predetermined first condition. If the first condition in the monochrome printing is met, the control unit performs correction of the monochrome toner density if a predetermined second condition concerning an amount of variation in the print ratio identified from the print ratio data is also met. |
| US08412059B2 |
Image forming device and image forming method
In an image forming device, toner in a developing unit is efficiently utilized. A printing unit includes a developing unit, a toner cartridge, a photo-electronic sensor, a CPU and a counter. The toner cartridge replenishes toner to the developing unit at one time. The photo-electronic sensor detects toner in the developing unit. The CPU processes an output signal from the photo-electronic sensor to create comparison data, then compares comparison data with a predetermined threshold and issues an alarm when the comparison data exceeds the predetermined threshold. The counter counts the number of times that toner is replenished to the developing unit. The CPU changes the threshold to a level at which an alarm is hardly issued as the number of counts in the counter increases. |
| US08412046B2 |
In-service optical dispersion determining system and method
A system and method for in-service optical dispersion determination are provided. Optical dispersion is determined by splitting a first optical signal into two components, introducing a time delay between the two components such that corresponding pulses of the two components partially overlap, combining the two components to generate a combined optical signal comprising a first component and a second component, determining power of the combined optical signal while applying a plurality of dispersion compensation values, in order to determine a dispersion compensation value that results in a minimum detected power of the combined optical signal. Polarization Mode Dispersion is determined by adjusting the time delay that is introduced until the power of the combined optical signal is substantially equal for all of the plurality of dispersion compensation values. |
| US08412045B2 |
Propagation apparatus and dispersion value setting method
A propagation apparatus includes a plurality of dispersion compensation execution units which accept a signal of a single wavelength from a wavelength-multiplexed signal which is received and execute dispersion compensation on the signal by inputting the accepted signal to a tunable dispersion compensator with an adjusted dispersion value, and a dispersion value calculation unit which acquires each dispersion value adjusted by the plurality of the dispersion compensation execution units, approximates the dispersion value of the wavelength assigned to a newly built line by using the acquired dispersion values whose signal error rates are in a tolerable range, and sets the approximated dispersion value as an initial value in the tunable dispersion compensator of the newly built line. |
| US08412043B2 |
Optical communications network, power supply controlling method, station-side equipment, subscriber-side equipment, and semiconductor chip
An optical communications network that is composed of one station-side equipment being connected to plural subscriber-side equipments. The station-side equipment refers to downstream data signals and prepares transmission plans, and generates downstream control signals that include the transmission plans, and converts downstream signals, that include the downstream data signals and the downstream control signals to which identifiers indicating the subscriber-side equipments that are addressees are assigned, into downstream optical signals, and sends the downstream optical signals out toward the subscriber-side equipments. The subscriber-side equipment converts downstream optical signals into downstream electric signals, and refers to identifiers and extracts downstream electric signals addressed to itself, and reads the transmission plans, and generates timer control signals including information of receiving start times and receiving stop times, and, on the basis of the timer control signals, opens and closes a path connecting a receiving section and an electricity supply section. |
| US08412040B2 |
Method and apparatus for mapping traffic using virtual concatenation
A node comprising a packet network interface, an ethernet switch, an optical port, and a distribution engine. The packet network interface adapted to receive a packet having a destination address and a first bit and a second bit. The ethernet switch is adapted to receive and forward the packet into a virtual queue associated with a destination. The optical port has circuitry for transmitting to a plurality of circuits. The distribution engine has one or more processors configured to execute processor executable code to cause the distribution engine to (1) read a first bit and a second bit from the virtual queue, (2) provide the first bit and the second bit to the at least one optical port for transmission to a first predetermined group of the plurality of circuits. |
| US08412033B2 |
Image blur correction device, imaging lens unit, and camera unit
An image blur correction device includes: a tabular base (100) having an opening portion (101) opened in an optical axis direction; a tabular movable holding member (110) configured to hold a lens and supported to be movable within a plane vertical to an optical axis of the lens; a first drive mechanism (130) including a first magnet and a first coil so as to drive the movable holding member in a first direction vertical to the optical axis; a second drive mechanism (140) including a second magnet and a second coil so as to drive the movable holding member in a second direction vertical to the optical axis; and a detecting device (170, 180) for detecting a position of the movable holding member. The first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism are arranged at positions that are line-symmetric with respect to a first straight line (S1) perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens. |
| US08412028B2 |
Three-dimensional flame simulating electric fireplace
The present invention relates to an electric fireplace having a 3D flame simulating assembly, which comprises housing, an imaging light source, a light processing unit and a simulated charcoal disposed in front of the inner cavity of said housing. A translucent imaging screen is positioned against the back of the simulated charcoal and a second translucent imaging screen is positioned just in front of and parallel to the translucent imaging screen. The light emitted from the imaging light source is projected onto the imaging screen to form a primary simulated flame image after passing through the light processing unit, and portion of which is further projected onto the second imaging screen to form a secondary simulated flame image after passing through the image screen. If the distance between the imaging screen and the second imaging screen is kept to be enough, a visual effect of rising and leaping simulated flames with spatial depth is generated due to the different front to back positions of the flame images imaged on both screens. |
| US08412022B2 |
Information recording method, information recording medium, and information reproducing method, wherein information is stored on a data recording portion and a management information recording portion
With this invention, at least one of a video file containing video information, a still picture file containing still picture information, and an audio file containing audio information and a management file having management information on a control method of reproducing the information in the file are recorded on an information storage medium. This realizes a data structure that causes the recording and deleting places on the information storage medium to correspond spuriously to places on a single tape, such as a VTR tape. Use of the data structure provides users with an easy-to-use interface. |
| US08412020B2 |
Data processing apparatus and its control method, program, and storage medium
This invention provides a disk playback apparatus which can shorten a time from when a power switch is turned on until a startup operation is completed. Even when the power switch of the main body is OFF, if exchange of a disk-like recording medium is detected, management data of the disk is read out and is stored in a buffer memory. When the power switch is turned on for the next time, the management data is read out from the buffer memory without accessing the disk-like recording medium. |
| US08412018B2 |
Large-area optical element
A large-area optical element is described. The large-area optical element includes a monolithic container fabricated from a transparent material, wherein the monolithic container has a plurality of optical surfaces. A liquid is positioned within the monolithic container, wherein the liquid has a density substantially less than a density of the monolithic container. |
| US08412017B2 |
Cable pulling assembly
A cable pulling assembly includes an enclosure that is adapted for enclosing a connector of a fiber optic cable. The enclosure includes a body having a base portion and a cover portion. The base portion includes a first axial end and a second axial end and defines a first connector cavity. The first connector cavity is adapted to receive a portion of the connector of the fiber optic cable. The cover portion includes a first axial end and an oppositely disposed second axial end. The second axial end is engaged to the second axial end of the base portion at a hinge. The cover portion defines a second connector cavity that is adapted to receive a remaining portion of the connector. The enclosure defines a hole that extends through the base and cover portions. The hole is adapted to receive a pulling member. |
| US08412016B2 |
Communication cable connection box with waterproof device of elastic rubber shrinking pipe
A waterproof communication cable connection box includes a protective cover, a cable pass-through end surface, a hollow cylindrical pipe formed on the cable pass-through end surface, an elastic rubber shrinking pipe, and a flexible hard plastic strip provided on the inner wall of the elastic rubber shrinking pipe. The plastic strip will be removed after a cable passes through the cable connection box so that the elastic rubber shrinking pipe closely covers the hollow cylindrical pipe and the cable part exposing outside of the hollow cylindrical pipe. |
| US08412006B2 |
Optocoupler
An optocoupler with optical transmitter and receiver dies attached to a single conductive pad is presented. One of the optical transmitter and receiver dies may be attached directly to the conductive pad, while the other one of the optical transmitter and receiver dies may be attached to the conductive pad by means of three layers of materials comprising an isolation layer sandwiched between two attachment layers. A multi-channel optocoupler with multiple transmitter and/or receiver dies is also presented, in which one of the optical transmitter and receiver dies may be attached directly to the conductive pad. The other optical transmitter or receiver dies may be attached to the conductive pad by means of three layers of materials comprising an isolation layer sandwiched between two attachment layers. |
| US08412001B2 |
Image processing device, method and program
In an image processing device, a transfer unit enlarges or reduces the image data at the transfer magnification by performing an enlarging or reducing process on the image data once, when the transfer magnification is equal to or smaller than an upper limit or equal to or greater than a lower limit. The transfer unit also repeats, by a plurality of times, a process of performing an enlarging or reducing process on an image data stored in a first region of a storage unit at a divided-transfer magnification equal to or smaller than the upper limit or equal to or greater than the lower limit and then storing the image data in a second region of the storage unit, when the transfer magnification is above the upper limit or below the lower limit. |
| US08412000B2 |
System and method for reducing motion artifacts by displaying partial-resolution images
A method for reducing motion artifacts and the systems for implementing the same are provided. The method includes receiving a full-resolution image at a first time point; extracting a first partial-resolution image from the full-resolution image; and calculating a second partial-resolution image for a second time point after the first time point. The first and the second partial-resolution images are complementary. |
| US08411998B2 |
Method and apparatus providing perspective correction and/or image dewarping
Methods and apparatuses for providing dewarping and/or perspective correction of an input image are disclosed. Described embodiments include processing that provides dewarping and/or perspective correction by associating pixel values identified by input pixel addresses corresponding to an input image with output pixel addresses corresponding to an output image. An image processor having a storage circuit and an address mapping unit for determining a corresponding input pixel address from an output pixel address is also disclosed. |
| US08411996B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating panorama
A method and an apparatus for generating a panorama are provided. In the present method, a plurality of raw images of a scene is captured. A coarse motion estimation is executed on the raw images to obtain a coarse motion estimation result of the scene. In the meantime, the raw images inside a window of interest (WOI) are cropped to obtain a plurality of cropped images, and a fine motion estimation is executed on the cropped images according to the coarse motion estimation result of the scene, so as to obtain a fine motion estimation result of the scene. The raw images are stitched and blended according to the fine motion estimation result, so as to generate the panorama. |
| US08411995B2 |
Deconvolution-based structured light system with geometrically plausible regularization
Systems and methods for processing images in a structured light system which may be used to determine the correspondences in a camera-projector system. Those correspondences can later be used to construct a 3D model, to calibrate a projector or for other purposes. The optical and geometric characteristics of the system are initially determined. The capability of establishing correspondences is affected by the limitations of the system and the properties of the surfaces. Once images of the patterns projected on the surface are acquired, they are iteratively segmented and deconvolved using the known characteristics of the system. The result is a set of correspondences with a reduction of artifacts introduced by the limitations of the system. The characteristics of the structured light system which may be used in the iterative segmentation and deconvolution may include the characteristics of a pattern projected on the scene or object, the physical characteristics of the structured light system, as well as the characteristics of the scene or object itself. |
| US08411994B2 |
Apparatus and method for image processing and computer-readable storage medium
An input pixel value setting circuit sets at least two different input pixel values in a subject area of an input image. A dynamic range transforming circuit performs a process for transforming pixel values of the input image using a dynamic range transformation function in which output pixel values corresponding to the two different input pixel values become set output pixel values. |
| US08411990B1 |
System and method for decomposing an image into reflectance and shading components
Various embodiments of a system and methods for decomposing an image into reflectance and shading components are described. An image decomposition module may represent an image as a product of the reflectance and shading components of the image. Data representing the image may be transformed into an image gradient containing both reflectance and shading component gradients. A normal vector perpendicular to the direction of the reflectance component gradient may be determined, based on a difference between the color channels of the image gradient. The image gradient may be modified according to the normal vector to eliminate the reflectance component gradient. The shading component gradient may be determined from the modified image gradient. The shading component gradient may be transformed into the shading component. The reflectance component may be determined by substituting the shading component into the representation of the image which is a product of the reflectance and shading components. |
| US08411988B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for managing margin data
An image processing apparatus partitions entered image data into first partitioned image data and appends margin data to the first partitioned image data. The image processing apparatus corrects the first partitioned image data other than the margin data to second partitioned image data and processes the second partitioned image data and the margin data. |
| US08411986B2 |
Systems and methods for segmenation by removal of monochromatic background with limitied intensity variations
A method for distinguishing a foreground object from a monochromatic background in a digital image depicting a foreground object in front of said monochromatic background. A outer edge intensity map is created of the foreground object to which a tracing process is conducted. A continuous edge map is created by utilizing the traced edges in the outer edge intensity map. By selecting a path on the continuous edge map based on average edge intensity, a final edge map is created. The pixels comprised within the final edge map are distinguished as the foreground object. Optionally, the final edge map may be refined utilizing certain techniques. |
| US08411981B2 |
Method of removing blur without ringing-artifact
Provided is an image processing method and apparatus for removing blur in a screen image, including detecting blur in an input image, segmenting the image according to an amount of the detected blur, performing a high pass filtering of the segmented image in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, detecting corresponding weights by using corresponding coefficients of each direction obtained from filtering; and restoring the image by applying the detected weights to one of: an iterative form or a closed form of an image restoration. |
| US08411980B1 |
Removing motion blur from unaligned multiple blurred images
Various embodiments of methods and apparatus for removing motion blur are disclosed. A homography is estimated for each of a plurality of images. Two or more images of the plurality are unaligned. An estimated latent image for the plurality of images selected for recovery of the latent image is deconvolved. A point spread function for the each of the plurality of images is calculated. The homography for the each of the plurality of images, the estimated latent image, and the point spread function for the each of the plurality of images are iteratively updated until the homography for each of the plurality of images stabilizes. The iteratively updating includes updating one of the homography for the each of the plurality of images, the estimated latent image, and the point spread function for the each of the plurality of images while holding the remainder constant. |
| US08411977B1 |
Audio identification using wavelet-based signatures
A method is described that includes producing an audio spectrogram from a target sample, generating a number of fingerprints based on the audio spectrogram, comparing the series of fingerprints to samples in a data repository using wavelet coefficients, and identifying the target sample based on the matches found in the data repository. |
| US08411976B2 |
Image data compression apparatus, decompression apparatus, compressing method, decompressing method, and storage medium
An image compression apparatus includes: a line memory unit for holding pixel values for at least one immediately previous line in the lines to be processed of an image to be compressed; a division unit for dividing pixels of the line to be processed into 2n-pixel blocks; a first estimation value calculation unit for extrapolation-estimating the 2n-1-th pixel and the 2n-th pixel in the blocks divided, and obtaining an estimated value in processing for the first hierarchical level; a second estimation value calculation unit for interpolation-estimating certain pixels and obtaining an estimated value in the processing for the second hierarchical level through the processing for the n-th hierarchical level; and an estimation coding unit for obtaining an estimation error from the estimated value, converting the estimation error into a quantization number, converting the quantization number into a variable length code, and obtaining a compression code. |
| US08411973B2 |
Image file processing method
A processing method for image file includes the following steps. An image file of an image is obtained, in which the image file includes a bit stream and an Exchangeable Image File (EXIF) data. A band indicator and a minimum coded unit (MCU) indicator are read according to an expanded range. A referential DC coefficient is obtained according to a hybrid direct current (DC) coefficient corresponding to a first MCU covered by the expanded range. A sub-clip of the MCU covered by the corresponding expanded range in the bit stream is decoded according to the read band indicator, the MCU indicator and the referential DC coefficient, so as to obtain at least one MCU. |
| US08411967B2 |
Constraint-based ordering for temporal coherence of stroke based animation
A renderer allows for a flexible and temporally coherent ordering of strokes in the context of stroke-based animation. The relative order of the strokes is specified by the artist or inferred from geometric properties of the scene, such as occlusion, for each frame of a sequence, as a set of stroke pair-wise constraints. Using the received constraints, the strokes are partially ordered for each of the frames. Based on these partial orderings, for each frame, a permutation of the strokes is selected amongst the ones consistent with the frame's partial order, so as to globally improve the perceived temporal coherence of the animation. The sequence of frames can then, for instance, be rendered by ordering the strokes according to the selected set of permutations for the sequence of frames. |
| US08411965B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus for detecting an edge of an object within an image
An image processing method and apparatus capable of easily detecting an edge of an object from an input image, in which the edge is detected using one step, without a pre-processing step, and a complicated trigonometric function is not used for gradient detection. The image processing method includes setting a window within an input image, analyzing the window to determine directions of edges of objects within the image included in the window, detecting edge information including the edge directions, and processing and outputting the window using the edge information. |
| US08411964B2 |
Method and apparatus for analyzing nudity of image using body part detection model, and method and apparatus for managing image database based on nudity and body parts
A method for analyzing nudity of an image using a body part detection model includes: extracting a skin blob from an image; calculating a first probability value, which indicates a probability of determination on harmfulness of at least one of the image and the skin blob, using a harmfulness detection model; classifying the skin blob as a specific body part using a body part detection model, and calculating a second probability value which indicates a probability of certainty of said classifying; and rating nudity of the image based on the first probability value and the second probability value. |
| US08411956B2 |
Associating optical character recognition text data with source images
A system and method for associating optical character recognition text data with source images are provided. In one embodiment, an association module of a computing system is configured to receive text data from an OCR engine; associate the text data with a source image; and output associated optical character recognition data including the source image, the text data associated with the source image, and a plurality of referrers. Each referrer of the plurality of referrers may indicate a different image reference. The plurality of referrers are configured to cause the viewer application to output the text data associated with the source image to each instance of the source image that is rendered as part of the fixed-layout document in accordance with the multiple image references. |
| US08411952B2 |
Method for segmenting an image using constrained graph partitioning of watershed adjacency graphs
A method for segmenting at least a pair of regions of an image, such method comprising: obtaining data of the image; computing watersheds of the image from intensity gradients of such image data; extracting a watershed region adjacency graph from the computed watersheds, such graph comprising a plurality of nodes corresponding to the watersheds and node interconnecting edges; assigning weights to the interconnecting edges; identifying each of the pair of regions in the image; identifying the nodes corresponding to the pair of identified regions in the adjacency graph; applying constrained graph-partitioning in the adjacency graph using the edge-weights to label unmarked nodes corresponding to each one of the pair of regions; and extrapolating the obtained label nodes on the graph to the image to segment each one of the pair of regions of the image. |
| US08411950B2 |
Image segmentation
According to one embodiment there is provided a method of selecting a plurality of M atlases from among a larger group of N candidate atlases to form a multi-atlas data set to be used for computer automated segmentation of novel image data sets to mark objects of interest therein. A set of candidate atlases is used containing a reference image data set and segmentation data. Each of the candidate atlases is segmented against the others in a leave-one-out strategy, in which the candidate atlases are used as training data for each other. For each candidate atlas in turn, the following is carried out: registering; segmenting; computing an overlap; computing a value of the similarity measure for each of the registrations; and obtaining a set of regression parameters by performing a regression with the similarity measure being the independent variable and the overlap being the dependent variable. |
| US08411949B2 |
Image rasterization processing apparatus using intermediate language form data, computer-readable recording medium storing program and image processing method
The image processing apparatus includes: a storage section including a region to be used when rasterization processing is performed with respect to intermediate language form data created by a band based on page description language form data; a plurality of operation sections; and a control section to perform the rasterization processing with respect to the intermediate language form data by using the operation sections. The control section generates a plurality of segmented regions by dividing the band constituting each pieces of the intermediate language form data into a plurality of pieces based on the number of the operation sections, and assigns a segmented region for executing the rasterization processing among the segmented regions to each of the operation sections. |
| US08411947B2 |
Video processing to detect movement of an object in the scene
A method of processing video comprising a succession of images of a scene to detect movement of an object in the scene, comprising storing a matrix of bytes each representing the difference in intensity of a respective pixel between temporally adjacent images, creating from those bytes a histogram of the frequency at each of a range of positive and negative values of the intensity difference, locating the limits of a central peak of the frequency distribution in the histogram so as to include in the central peak changes due to illumination change and repetitive motions in the background of the scene, determining the proportion of bytes in the remainder of the distribution that are in tails of the distribution on each side of the central peak, repeating the aforesaid process for each successive pair of temporally adjacent images, and providing an output indicative of a moving object and not indicative of illumination change or repetitive motions, in the event that that proportion meets a predetermined criterion. |
| US08411942B2 |
Method and apparatus for hybrid image compression
A Hybrid Compressor and method of compressing a tile of pixels within an image are disclosed. An Edge Processor of the Hybrid Compressor analyzes pixel runs of the tile and generates boundary data defining one or more regions comprising pixels of substantially identical color. A Palette Processor of the Hybrid Compressor generates data defining a color value for each region. An Image Processor of the Hybrid Compressor generates a representation of pixels not included in the one or more regions. |
| US08411941B2 |
Color processing apparatus and method thereof
A data division unit divides N components of N-dimensional vector signals to upper bit signals and lower bit signals. A vertex data read-out unit obtains output signals of a unit solid or unit hypersolid corresponding to a combination of the upper bit signals of the N components from a plurality of multi-dimensional LUT units used to divisionally store output signals corresponding to vertices of unit solids or unit hypersolids that configure a lookup table in eight-vertex units. An interpolation computing unit makes interpolation computations of output signals for N-dimensional vector signals based on the obtained output signals and the lower bit signals of the N components. |
| US08411936B2 |
Apparatus and method for color reproduction
A color-reproduction system is provided. The system includes an image-content-analysis unit that analyzes the color distribution of pixels that constitute an inputted image, a parameter-prediction unit that predicts scaling parameters based on the attribute information on the pixels, the color distribution, and the image size information, and a luminance-chroma-determination unit that determines the final luminance and chroma of the pixels using the predicted parameters. |
| US08411926B2 |
Calibration of a multi-pinhole SPECT system without pre-knowledge of point source markers 3D coordinates
A system and method is provided for reconstructing single photon emission computed tomography data acquired with a pinhole collimator without pre-knowledge of 3D coordinates of point source markers. The system and method include reiteratively applying a downhill simplex process to determine a first parameter and a second parameter, keeping a lowest vertex from a previous iteration, randomly resetting starting values for rest vertexes for a current iteration, wherein the lowest vertex is prevented from performing a last iteration, determining whether at least one of a first threshold and a second threshold has been reached, wherein the first threshold comprises a cost function value and the second threshold comprises a predetermined number of iterations of the downhill simplex process, acquiring projection data from the first parameter, determining locations of 2D data from the projection data of the first parameter; and estimating the second parameter by fitting the forward projected data locations to the measured data locations. |
| US08411915B2 |
Motion compensation in functional imaging
Medical images are collected in a plurality of cardiac and respiratory phases. The images are transformed into a series of respiratory compensated images with the plurality of cardiac phases, but all at a common respiration phase. The series of respiratory compensated images are transformed into one image at a selected cardiac phase and the common respiration phase. In some embodiments, a database of gated transform matrices is generated. The database may be based on specific patient information or on information generated from a pool of patients. The database may account for respiratory motion, cardiac contractile motion, other physiological motion, or combinations thereof. For a current image to be motion corrected, the transformation matrices collected in the database are used to estimate a current set of transformation matrices accounting for the motion in the current image, and a motion-compensated image is generated based on the current set of transform matrices. |
| US08411914B1 |
Systems and methods for spatio-temporal analysis
High resolution time sequences of 3D images that show the dynamics of a time varying changes are provided. The 3D time series of images representing an object that include time varying changes may be produced from lower dimensional image time sequences, such as 2D images. The 2D images may be generated using angiography and may include fluid flow information (e.g., arrival times). The fluid flow information may be provided, for example, by injecting a chemical into the fluid and analyzing its position in the object or body over time. A varying contrast model may be applied to determine the location of the chemical at different points in time which may assist in detecting an ailment. |
| US08411910B2 |
Computationally efficient feature extraction and matching iris recognition
A method and system for uniquely identifying a subject based on an iris image. After obtaining the iris image, the method produces a filtered iris image by applying filters to the iris image to enhance discriminative features of the iris image. The method analyzes an intensity value for pixels in the filtered iris image to produce an iris code that uniquely identifies the subject. The method also creates a segmented iris image by detecting an inner and outer boundary for an iris region in the iris image, and remapping pixels in the iris region, represented in a Cartesian coordinate system, to pixels in the segmented iris image, represented in a log-polar coordinate system, by employing a logarithm representation process. The method also creates a one-dimensional iris string from the iris image by unfolding the iris region by employing a spiral sampling method to obtain sample pixels in the iris region, wherein the sample pixels are the one-dimensional iris string. |
| US08411906B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, image recognition apparatus, and image recognition method
The present invention provides an information processing apparatus including combination generating means for getting a first feature quantity of N dimensions, N being an integer of at least two, from first information prepared for execution of learning and use the first feature quantity of N dimensions to generate at least two of a first feature quantity combination that are not greater than N dimensions of the first feature quantity; and learning processing executing means for computing a correlation coefficient between the plurality of first feature quantity combinations generated by the combination generating means and a learning model feature quantity matching each dimension of the plurality of first feature quantity combinations and, by use of the first correlation coefficient, classify the first information, thereby executing learning processing for classifying predetermined second information. |
| US08411905B2 |
Generating agricultural information products using remote sensing
A method for generating a supplementary index raster file based on a plurality of primary index raster files that are associated with an area of interest (AOI) uses a computer coupled to a remote sensing device via a network, wherein the computer includes an input device, a display, and a memory. The method includes generating the plurality of primary index raster files including at least two independent vegetation index (VI) raster files and a soil brightness index (SBI) raster file, wherein each primary index raster file includes a plurality of pixel values. The method also includes combining the at least two VI raster files to generate a classified soil brightness (CSB) raster file, classifying each pixel value of the CSB raster file into one of a plurality of classes, storing the CSB raster file into the memory, and displaying the CSB raster file. |
| US08411899B2 |
Document processing methods
Directional albedo of a particular article, such as an identity card, is measured and stored. When the article is later presented, it can be confirmed to be the same particular article by re-measuring the albedo function, and checking for correspondence against the earlier-stored data. The re-measuring can be performed through us of a handheld optical device, such as a camera-equipped cell phone. The albedo function can serve as random key data in a variety of cryptographic applications. The function can be changed during the life of the article. A variety of other features are also detailed. |
| US08411894B2 |
Transducer with deformable corner
A transducer generates acoustic energy. The transducer is suitable for incorporation into any device that needs sound reproduction capability, including devices with generally rectangular geometries such as cell phones, PDAs, and portable gaming devices. The transducer includes a displaceable membrane with a deformable corner. The deformable corner may extend the frequency range over which the transducer generates acoustic energy without distortion. The deformable corner may be part of a membrane periphery around the displaceable membrane. The membrane periphery may be square, triangular, or may take any other polygonal shape. |
| US08411887B2 |
Hearing aid, relay device, hearing-aid system, hearing-aid method, program, and integrated circuit
A hearing aid (51) includes: a sound collecting unit (500) configured to collect one of propagation sounds respectively output from external apparatuses; a radio wave receiving unit (560) that is an exemplary receiving unit configured to receive transmission audio signals transmitted from the respective external apparatuses; a comparing unit (550) configured to compare the propagation sound collected by the sound collecting unit (500) with each of the transmission audio signals received by the radio wave receiving unit (560), and select one of the transmission audio signals that corresponds to the propagation sound; and a sound output unit (520) configured to output, to the user, the sound obtained from the transmission audio signal selected by the comparing unit. |
| US08411885B2 |
Method for operating a hearing apparatus and hearing apparatus with a frequency separating filter
A method operates a hearing apparatus. The hearing apparatus contains a frequency separating filter characterized by a threshold frequency, which splits an input signal into a low-frequency signal component and a high-frequency signal component. The hearing apparatus further has a first device, which can be used to set the threshold frequency of the frequency separating filter so that artifacts in an output signal of the hearing apparatus are reduced. |
| US08411884B2 |
Audio reproduction device and audio-video reproduction system
An audio reproduction device and system are capable of realizing sounds having natural sound quality with no peculiarities, and provide an excellent audio-image ascending effect which is not varied due to differences among individual persons, thereby making audio images and images coincident with each other. A frequency characteristic correction portion forms a frequency characteristic such that a sound-pressure frequency characteristic of reproduced sound radiated to a viewing position from speakers has a first peak and a second peak, wherein the center frequency of the first peak falls within the range of 6 kHz±15%, and the center frequency of the second peak falls within the range of 13 kHz±20%. |
| US08411876B2 |
Preserving noise during editing of a signal
Techniques for introducing background noise segments into signal data are provided. The background noise segments are constructed from a background noise print extracted from the signal data. The background noise print may be user specified, or automatically identified by the signal editing tool. The background noise print may be stored with, and subsequently loaded as part of, the project associated with a signal. The background noise segments that are generated based on the background noise print may have different durations than the background noise print itself. |
| US08411874B2 |
Removing noise from audio
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a computer-implemented method for removing noise from audio that includes building a sound model that represents noises which result from activations of input controls of a computer device. The method further includes receiving an audio signal produced from a microphone substantially near the computer device. The method further includes identifying, without using the microphone, an activation of at least one input control from among the input controls. The method further includes associating a portion of the audio signal as corresponding to the identified activation. The method further includes applying, from the audio model, a representation of a noise for the identified activation to the associated portion of the audio signal so as to cancel at least part of the noise from the audio signal. |
| US08411873B2 |
Noise control device
A noise control device eliminates a possibility that a noise arriving at a control point is increased as compared to a case where noise control is not performed and has a reduced circuit scale. The device includes a controlling noise detector for detecting a given noise to output a controlling noise signal, a controlling filter section for signal-processing the controlling noise signal, by using a preset fixed filter coefficient, to output a control signal, and a control speaker for reducing the given noise, by emitting toward the control point a control sound based on the control signal. The device also includes a noise determination section for determining whether the given noise is a noise corresponding to the fixed filter coefficient, and an output control section for stopping output of the control signal from the controlling filter section when the given noise does not correspond. |
| US08411871B2 |
Echo cancellation
Implementations related to echo cancellation are depicted and described herein. |
| US08411869B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing a media signal
An apparatus for processing a media signal and method thereof are disclosed, by which the media signal can be converted to a surround signal by using spatial information of the media signal. The present invention provides a method of processing a signal, the method comprising of generating rendering information by using spatial information indicating features between multi-sources and filter information having a surround effect; and generating a surround signal by applying the rendering information to a downmix signal generated by downmixing the multi-sources, wherein a tab number of a filter used in applying the rendering information to generate the surround signal is variable. |
| US08411866B2 |
Distribution of group cryptography material in a mobile IP environment
In one embodiment, a Home Agent receives a Mobile IP registration request from a group member, where the group member is a Mobile Node. The Home Agent generates a mobility binding for the group member that associates the group member with a care-of address, wherein the group member is a member of one or more groups. The Home Agent generates a Mobile IP registration reply, where the Mobile IP registration reply identifies one or more key servers. Each of the one or more key servers serves at least one of the one or more groups and is adapted for distributing group cryptography material to members of each group that is served by the corresponding key server. The Home Agent sends the Mobile IP registration reply to the group member, thereby enabling the group member to obtain cryptography material for at least one of the one or more groups from at least one of the one or more key servers to enable the group member to use the cryptography group material to securely communicate with other group members. |
| US08411865B2 |
Key management method for broadcast encryption in tree topology network
A key management method for broadcast encryption in a tree topology network which includes a plurality of nodes is provided. The method includes forming a plurality of first node groups each of which includes a node at a second layer and nodes, which belong to the node at the second layer, at a first layer in the tree topology network; forming a plurality of second node groups each of which includes a node at a third layer, at least one node which belongs to the node at the third layer, and at least one node which belongs to the node at the third layer and which forms one of the first node groups, in the tree topology; assigning a plurality of first keys which are shared by subsets of the nodes of the first node groups at the first layer, to each of the first node groups, respectively; assigning a plurality of second keys which are shared by subsets of the nodes of the second node groups at the second layer, to each of the second node groups, respectively; and transmitting an update key which is encrypted using at least one key of either the plurality of first keys or the plurality of second keys. |
| US08411861B2 |
Apparatus, systems, and methods for checking if a receiver is on a revocation list based on SRMs of DVDs
An apparatus, system, or method for (i) processing a System Renewability Message (SRM) that includes first and second generation SRM portions that respectively comprise first and second lists of unique privilege-revoked identifiers for receiver devices; (ii) storing the first and second SRM portions based on whether a source device is a first generation HDCP device, (iii) processing an additional SRM that includes additional first and second generation SRM portions that respectively comprise additional first and second lists of unique privilege-revoked identifiers for receiver devices and a third generation SRM portion that comprises another list of unique privilege-revoked identifiers; and (iv) storing the additional first and second SRM portions and the third SRM portion based on whether the source device is a third generation HDCP device. |
| US08411859B2 |
Non-deterministic number generation
A method for determining the entropy of a noise source providing a bit flow, a method and a device for generating a bit flow, including parallelizing the bit flow to obtain first words over a first number of bits, applying to the successive words a compression function, and evaluating a second number of bits over which the compression function provides its results, the second number representing the number of useful bits in the first words. |
| US08411851B2 |
Determining HDCP source KSV support
Presented is a method for determining the maximum number of key selection vectors (KSVs) supported by an HDCP source. The method includes transmitting a number of KSVs to the HDCP source, determining whether the HDCP source has entered a failure mode in response to the transmitted number of KSVs, increasing or decreasing the number of KSVs in response to the HDCP source not entering or entering the failure mode, transmitting the increased or decreased number of KSVs to the HDCP source, determining whether the HDCP source has entered the failure mode in response to the transmitted increased or decreased number of KSVs, and repeating the increasing, decreasing, and determining steps until the difference between a lowest number of transmitted KSVs resulting in the HDCP source entering the failure mode and a highest number of transmitted KSVs resulting in the HDCP source not entering the failure mode is one. |
| US08411847B2 |
Acoustic echo canceller
Disclosed methods and systems measure acoustic responses to training signals activated prior to communication sessions. Profiles related to the acoustic responses are saved and adapted during communication sessions. Training signals may have uniform frequency distributions over a frequency range and may be in response to user inputs, timeouts, or predetermined events. In the next excessive divergence is detected, an adapted profile may be substituted by an original, trained profile. |
| US08411846B2 |
Echo path change detection in telecommunications networks
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for detecting an echo path change (EPC) in a telecommunications network. The method detects whether the effectiveness of echo cancellation of an echo canceller has decreased relatively significantly. Once a relatively significant decrease is detected, the method determines whether the decrease was an EPC or an inadvertent detection of double talk (DT). In particular, the method considers whether echo is effectively cancelled over a hangover period. Further, echo return loss (ERL) estimates are generated over the hangover period and compared to a lowest-possible ERL for the network. If both (1) echo cancellation is ineffective and (2) a sufficient number of ERL estimates are not below the worst-case ERL, then an EPC decision is made. If either (1) echo cancellation is effective or (2) a sufficient number of ERL estimates are below the worst-case ERL, then a DT decision is made. |
| US08411843B1 |
Next agent available notification
The present invention, in one embodiment, is directed to an agent available notifier 250 that (a) receives a request from the first customer, but not from the second customer, to be notified when the first contact is eligible for servicing by a selected resource so that the first customer is free to perform a desired activity and (b) in response to the first customer's request, provides the first customer with a selected notification that the first contact is eligible for servicing, wherein the second customer is not provided with the selected notification when the second contact is eligible for servicing. |
| US08411841B2 |
Real-time agent assistance
Some general aspects of the invention relate to systems and methods for improving contact center agent performance, for instance, by integrating real-time call monitoring with speech analytics to present agents with information useful to the handling of the current calls. In some implementations, phonetically based speech analysis techniques are applied to process live audio streams to identify key words and/or phrases of relevance, based on which knowledge articles can be selectively presented to agents to drive more efficient business processes. |
| US08411840B2 |
Method of unifying control of contact center system
A method and apparatus are provided for changing operating parameters within an automatic contact distribution system that includes a plurality of functionally similar but structurally different automatic contact distributor subsystems. The method includes the steps of a user selecting an operating parameter for use by each of the plurality of functionally similar but structurally different automatic contact distributor subsystems, a respective conversion program for each of the plurality of functionally similar but structurally different automatic contact distributor subsystems receiving the selected operating parameter from the user and incorporating the selected operating parameter into the respective subsystems. |
| US08411839B1 |
System and method for providing enhanced client satisfaction during phone interactions by intelligent automatic call routing
A system and method for providing enhanced client satisfaction during phone interactions by intelligent automatic call routings to a relevant client support agent. The invention includes methods to automatically determine and anticipate client needs based on the information the host has about the client. |
| US08411836B2 |
Forwarding apparatus, telephone server, forwarding method, and forwarding system
A forwarding apparatus includes: a transmission source acquisition part for acquiring a first telephone number of a telephone corresponding to a transmission source of digital information; a call destination receiving part for receiving, from the telephone server, a second telephone number of a telephone called through the telephone number acquired by the transmission source acquisition part; a forwarding destination identifying part for identifying a forwarding destination corresponding to a telephone having the second telephone number received by the call destination receiving part; and a forwarding part for forwarding the digital information to the forwarding destination identified by the forwarding destination identifying part. |
| US08411834B2 |
Device-to-device call disposition
Device-to-device call disposition is provided. When a call is received at a first telecommunications device, a determination may be made as to whether a second device has been designated to receive a notification of the inbound call and to allow for call disposition at the second device. At the second device, the user may be notified of the incoming call at the first device, and the user may be provided with a number of options for disposing of the incoming call. While the user is positioned at a location having a wireline or wireless communications device associated with the location, and the user receives a call on his/her personal wireless device, a call to the personal wireless device may be automatically routed to the wireline or wireless device associated with the user's location (e.g., home or office). |
| US08411829B2 |
System, method and device for managing messages
A system, method and device for managing messages. A caller dialing a particular line has a message managing device operatively connected to the line, that records a copy of the message to be recorded on the line, such as on a conventional answering machine. The MMD includes ring detection circuitry to detect an incoming call. The copy of the message recorded on the line can be communicated to the appropriate user by correlating the incoming call data with a contact list or other preferences selected by a user. The user/recipient of the message can also be manually selected by the caller. The MMD can also implement a virtual phone application for creating a plurality of distinct, unique rings for one line, based upon the caller information. |
| US08411828B2 |
Intuitive voice navigation
Call flow information can build ‘intent’ into call flows having a series of intended steps and one or more alternative steps for selected intended steps. Users can advance in the call flow based on any response other than one or more alternative valid responses for the one intended step that lead in the call flow to one or more alternative steps to the one intended step because every action in the call flow motivates the user to follow the predetermined ordering. A user can proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps based on a user's response or information known or discovered about the user. |
| US08411827B2 |
Method and system for implementing multimedia ring back tone service
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and system for implementing a multimedia ring back tone service. The method comprises: establishing a connection to a multimedia ring back tone platform when it is determined that either the calling party or the called party of a call is a user to the multimedia ring back tone service during call connection, and completing a media capability negotiation between a calling terminal and the multimedia ring back tone platform; acquiring a first media content and a second media content according to a multimedia ring back tone information of the user, and generating a streaming media from the first media content and the second media content; and playing the streaming media to the calling party. The present invention is capable of further improving existing multimedia ring back tone techniques to better meet the communication users' requirement for personalization. |
| US08411825B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for contacting intended customers
A method, system, and apparatus are used to contact an intended customer. In one embodiment, one or more notification details associated with an intended customer are received. The notification details may include at least a phone number and a name of the intended customer. Subsequently, a phone call to the intended customer is originated. One or more audio messages are played to a recipient of the phone call. Subsequently, one or more inputs from the recipient are received. Whether the recipient is the intended customer is determined based on the inputs provided. In one embodiment, the phone call is routed to an agent or an automated system if the recipient is the intended customer. In another embodiment, if the recipient is not the intended customer, the recipient may be prompted to provide availability information of the intended customer. |
| US08411824B2 |
Methods and systems for a sign language graphical interpreter
Systems and methods for displaying visual content to a user corresponding to sound captured at a user terminal are disclosed. After receiving over a network from a user terminal a request to convert sound into a visual content representing the sound, wherein the sound comprises one or more words, a translation server may retrieve text corresponding to the one or more words from a database. The translation server may then convert the text into one or more content phrases, wherein the content phrases represent the meaning of the one or more words, and convert each of the one or more content phrases into a new language. Finally, the translation server may send visual content to the user terminal representing the new language. |
| US08411822B2 |
Methods and systems for determining the average atomic number and mass of materials
Disclosed herein are methods and systems of scanning a target for potential threats using the energy spectra of photons scattered from the target to determine the spatial distributions of average atomic number and/or mass in the target. An exemplary method comprises: illuminating each of a plurality of voxels of the target with a photon beam; determining an incident flux upon each voxel; measuring the energy spectrum of photons scattered from the voxel; determining, using the energy spectrum, the average atomic number in the voxel; and determining the mass in the voxel using the incident flux, the average atomic number of the material in the voxel, the energy spectrum, and a scattering kernel corresponding to the voxel. An exemplary system may use threat detection heuristics to determine whether to trigger further action based upon the average atomic number and/or mass of the voxels. |
| US08411818B2 |
X-ray testing method and X-ray testing device
A first x-ray image of the circuit board that is equipped with components only on a first side with a first x-ray device (2) that produces transmission images and a second x-ray image of a circuit board that is equipped with components on both sides with a second x-ray device (4) that produces transmission images are recorded in an x-ray testing method for checking circuit boards that are equipped with components on two sides, in particular for checking soldered joints. A test x-ray image is then evaluated in a computer unit in which the second side that is equipped with components is displayed in enhanced form by forming a function from the pixel values of the first x-ray image and the corresponding pixel values of the second x-ray image. |
| US08411815B2 |
Grazing incidence collector for laser produced plasma sources
Grazing incidence collectors (GICs) for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and X-ray radiation sources, such as laser produced plasma (LPP) sources, are disclosed. Source-collector systems comprising GICs and LPP sources are also disclosed. A laser beam is directed along the collector axis to a fuel target to form the LPP source, and the collector is arranged to collect the radiation and reflect it to an intermediate focus. The collector may include one or more grazing-incidence mirrors, and these mirrors may be electroformed. lithography systems that employ the source-collector systems as disclosed herein. |
| US08411810B2 |
Receiving circuit with adaptive synchronization and method thereof
A circuit with adaptive synchronization and a method thereof is provided. The synchronous receiving circuit adaptively adjusts the timing of a clock signal generated therein for receiving data without accompanying a clock signal for synchronization. The synchronous receiving circuit includes a clock generator, an edge detector, a synchronization unit and a latch. The clock generator generates a first clock signal according to an input data signal. The edge detector detects edges to generate an indication signal. The synchronization unit is coupled to the clock generator and the edge detector, and adaptively adjusts the first clock signal according to the indication signal. The latch latches the input data signal according to the adjusted first clock signal. |
| US08411809B2 |
Variable time delay control structure for channel matching
A cosite interference cancellation system is provided for improved rejection of a signal coupled from a transmission antenna into a local receive antenna in the presence of local multipath. The cosite interference cancellation system and associated method advantageously provide improved signal rejection by continuously controlling (adjusting) a matching time delay to reduce cosite interference. |
| US08411808B2 |
Information processing device, receiving method, and wireless communication system
There is provided an information processing device, including a preamble detection portion, a sync detection portion, a storage portion, a storage control portion, a delay time imparting portion, a bias computation portion, a half sampling portion, an adaptive equalization portion an equalization performance determination portion that compares equalization errors for each one of the sync portion candidates for which the training equalization has been performed by the adaptive equalization portion, and that sets the candidate position with the least error, and a binary determination portion that decodes the Manchester code into NRZ code by subjecting to binary determination the received signal that has been adaptively equalized by the adaptive equalization portion. The storage control portion reads the received signal from the storage portion based on information about the candidate position with the least error that has been set by the equalization performance determination portion. |
| US08411802B2 |
Iterative estimator and method of channel and noise variance for multiple input multiple output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system
A reception apparatus including: a detection unit detecting extrinsic information based on an output of a tentative symbol decision unit, an output of a channel estimation unit, and an output of a noise variance estimation unit that are obtained from a previous iteration process; a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) aided channel decoding unit outputting an encoded and interleaved bit, or a posteriori information thereof based on the extrinsic information; the tentative symbol decision unit determining a tentative transmission symbol based on an output of the CRC aided channel decoding unit; the channel estimation unit estimating a channel based on an output of the tentative symbol decision unit or a pilot symbol; and the noise variance estimation unit estimating a noise variance or an initial noise variance based on the output of the tentative symbol decision unit and the output of the channel estimation unit is provided. |
| US08411799B1 |
Receiver with intermediate frequency error correction
A receiver having an intermediate frequency error correction circuit includes a mixer having a source input, a local oscillator input, and an IF output, an adjustable frequency local oscillator having an output coupled to the local oscillator input of the mixer, an IF filter having an input coupled to the IF output of the mixer and an IF filtered output, where the IF filter has an IF filter frequency response, and control circuitry coupled to the local oscillator such that the frequency of the local oscillator can be varied to at least: partially correct an IF frequency error. |
| US08411797B2 |
Frequency offset compensation in a digital frequency shift keying receiver
A digital nonlinear adaptive mechanism for frequency offset compensation for use in a digital Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) receiver such as a Bluetooth GFSK receiver. The mechanism is intended to aid in the recovery of a frequency-modulated signal in the presence of an unknown additive frequency offset, which could be greater than the peak frequency deviation and which must be suppressed to enable proper data recovery in the receiver. The mechanism utilizes a demodulator to convert the frequency offset into a digitally represented DC level. This level is extracted by a non-linear estimator based on peak detectors and filters. Active suppression of the DC level is achieved by feed-forwarding the estimated value into a subtractor that removes it from the digital signal. A gear shift mechanism incorporated within the DC estimation block enables the dynamic control of the DC estimation process. Charge and discharge coefficients are configured dynamically to provide fast frequency offset compensation during the reception of the redundant header at the beginning of a packet and relatively slow frequency offset compensation during the subsequent reception of the payload portion of the packet, thus minimizing both the acquisition time and the payload's BER in the receiver. |
| US08411794B2 |
System and method for arbitrary phase and amplitude modulation in an antenna
A system and method for arbitrarily switching phase and amplitude at an antenna. A Direct Spatial Antenna Modulation (DSAM) system makes use of the spatial characteristics of a radiating antenna structure to directly alter a signal transmitted or received by the radiating structure. A data stream maps a carrier to different spatial points of excitation in the antenna structure, where each chosen configuration has different radiating characteristics including phase, amplitude, and polarization, which can be used represent data symbols. The spatial points of a radiating structure may be mapped directly to In-Phase and Quadrature components of the output using two spatial feedpoints and amplitude control to the feedpoints. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this Abstract. |
| US08411793B2 |
Digital amplitude modulation
A transmitter using quadrature modulation includes a rectangular to polar converter for converting data symbols into a polar form, where each polar symbol has a magnitude signal and an angle signal. Digital phase modulation circuitry includes an all digital PLL circuit for generating a phase modulated RF carrier signal responsive to the angle signal frequency control word (FCW) and a carrier frequency FCW. A digitally controlled amplifier for amplifying the phase modulated signal is controlled by a digital amplitude control circuitry for controlling the gain of the digitally controlled amplifier responsive to the magnitude signal. |
| US08411791B2 |
Distortion and aliasing reduction for digital to analog conversion
Distortion and aliasing reduction for digital to analog conversion. Synthesis of one or more distortion terms made based on a digital signal (e.g., one or more digital codewords) is performed in accordance with digital to analog conversion. The one or more distortion terms may correspond to aliased higher-order harmonics, distortion, nonlinearities, clipping, etc. Such distortion terms may be known a priori, such as based upon particular characteristics of a given device, operational history, etc. Alternatively, such distortion terms may be determined based upon operation of a device and/or based upon an analog signal generated from the analog to conversion process. For example, frequency selective measurements made based on an analog signal generated from the digital to analog conversion may be used for determination of and/or adaptation of the one or more distortion terms. One or more DACs may be employed within various architectures operative to perform digital to analog conversion. |
| US08411787B2 |
Space-time block coding systems and methods
Althrough orthonormal space-time coding matrices provide for optimal communication system performance in that associated correlation matrices include no non-zero off-diagonal elements, unity code rate orthonormal coding matrices are difficult to identify for arbitrary communication network equipment. According to embodiments of the present invention, non-orthonormal space-time coding matrices, for which associated correlation matrices include non-zero off-diagonal elements, are used to encode data symbols. The non-orthonormal space-time coding matrices are more easily determined, and undesirable effects of the non-zero off-diagonal components are reduced by selecting a coding matrix from among a number of such matrices. For example, a particular space-time coding matrix may be selected from a number of generated space-time coding matrices based on a number of non-zero off-diagonal elements or a power of a trace of the associated correlation matrices. |
| US08411786B1 |
System and method of selecting a data detection technique for a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system
One or more communications parameters associated with a multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) signal transmitted by a transmitter are identified. The one or more communications parameters include one or more of (i) a number of receive antennas via which the MIMO signal is received, (ii) a number of spatial streams in the MIMO signal, and (iii) a signal to noise ratio (SNR) corresponding to the MIMO signal. A particular data detection technique of a plurality of data detection techniques employed by a receiver is selected in accordance with at least one of the one or more communications parameters. |
| US08411784B2 |
Multi-configuration adaptive layered steered space-time coded system and method
The multi-configuration adaptive layered steered space-time coded (LSSTC) wireless transmission system utilizes Layered Steered Space-Time Codes (LSSTC), a recently proposed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system that combines the benefits of the vertical Bell Labs space-time (V-BLAST) scheme, space-time block codes (STBC) and beamforming. A multi-configuration transmission scheme based on LSSTC and V-BLAST systems uses threshold-based decision making to change the modulation type and the MIMO transmission scheme in order to optimize error performance. |
| US08411781B2 |
Method and system for operating a MIMO decoder
Varying embodiments of the present invention provide a MIMO apparatus, such as a transceiver and a method of operation thereof. In an embodiment, the transceiver employs a parallelized., two-stage pipeline architecture that reduces the overall latency of the system. This reduction in latency translates to cost savings and higher data rates for the same hardware clock speed. |
| US08411780B2 |
Estimating the ratio of traffic channel power to pilot power in a MIMO wireless communication system
Methods and apparatus for processing a received multi-stream (MIMO) signal, and in particular for estimating a per-code traffic-channel-to-pilot power ratio for the MIMO signal are disclosed. An exemplary method includes the calculation of an average symbol amplitude or average symbol power level from a plurality of de-spread traffic channel symbols received in a first transmission slot and the estimation of a corresponding pilot symbol amplitude or pilot symbol power level, based on an estimated propagation channel response and at least one of a plurality of precoding vectors used to generate the MIMO signal. A per-code traffic-channel-to-pilot power ratio for the first transmission slot is computed by dividing the average symbol amplitude or average symbol power level by the corresponding pilot symbol amplitude or pilot symbol power level. |
| US08411779B2 |
Communication system, transmitter, receiver and multiple access method
In a communications system including a transmitter for transmitting signals over a transmission channel and a receiver for receiving the signals, the transmitter includes: a filter for filtering a modulated signal to modify amplitude and phase characteristics of the modulated signal; and a first processor for performing interleaving process and/or scrambling process for the filtered signal. On the other hand, the receiver includes: a second processor for performing deinterleaving process and/or descrambling process for a received signal; and an inverse filter for filtering a signal supplied from the second processor. |
| US08411777B2 |
Complex vector quantization codebook for use in downlink multi-user MIMO mobile broadcast systems
A wireless communications device having a complex vector quantization codebook for use in a downlink multi-user MIMO (multiple-input-multiple-output) mobile broadcast system with feedback enables the interference between data simultaneously sent by the base station to a plurality of mobile terminals to be reliably minimized. The codebook contains many subsets of code vectors that are substantially mutually (i.e., pairwise) orthogonal, or almost orthogonal, to each other. With use of such a codebook, a base station can transmit simultaneously to subsets of mobile terminals associated with these subsets of code vectors with minimal interference therebetween. |
| US08411775B2 |
Iterative demapper
Demodulation and/or demapping of a signal (e.g., based on a constellation whose points have a corresponding mapping with associated labels) is performed such that each dimension is processed separately without accounting for influences from the other dimension. For example, the demapping process operates on each respective dimension separately and independently. In some instances, the processing operates iteratively, in that, information identified from processing one of the dimensions is employed in directing the processing in another of the dimensions. Such operation may be performed iteratively by updating/modified information associated with one or more of the dimensions as well. Moreover, decoding may operate in accordance with iterative demapping (e.g., error correction code (ECC) and/or forward error correction (FEC) code by which information bits are encoded) to make estimates of bits within a signal sequence, and those estimates may be used in a subsequent iteration of demapping. |
| US08411773B2 |
Simplified equalization scheme for distributed resource allocation in multi-carrier systems
In multi-carrier systems, distributed resource allocation of the resources of multiple user equipments (UEs) can result in better frequency diversity gain but can also induce Inter-Carrier Interference (ICI) between UEs. This ICI can become quite serious in a high mobility environment. Based on a novel radio channel model for ICI cancellation in multi-carrier systems and an iterative channel estimation scheme for ICI cancellation in multi-carrier systems, the present invention provides a simplified equalization scheme in the frequency domain to determine and remove ICI of both a targeting UE as well as other UEs. |
| US08411769B2 |
Cancellation of burst noise in a communication system with application to S-CDMA
A communication system performs burst noise cancellation. A transmitter produces and transmits a spread signal that comprises at least one known-value symbol spread by a plurality of non data-carrying orthogonal codes and data symbols spread by at least one data-carrying orthogonal code. The transmitter transmits the spread signal across a communication link that introduces burst noise. A burst noise detector determines burst noise affected chips of the orthogonal codes. A weight computation functional block calculates a plurality of complex-valued combining weights based upon the burst noise affected chips. A vector de-spreader and a linear combiner operate in combination to use the plurality of non data-carrying orthogonal codes, the at least one data-carrying orthogonal code, and the plurality of complex-valued combining weights to de-spread the received spread signal to produce the data symbols with the burst noise substantially removed. |
| US08411761B2 |
Sub-channel acquisition in a digital television receiver designed to receive mobile/handheld signals
When a change in sub-channel selection is made after a mobile/handheld (M/H) Frame is begun, an M/H receiver is for some time unable to correct byte errors by transverse Reed-Solomon (TRS) decoding of turbo decoding results. Despite this, later stages of the M/H receiver are supplied data that cyclic-redundancy-check (CRC) decoding of Internet protocol (IP) packets does not find to be in error. Some of the IP packets comprise Service Map Table (SMT)-mobile/handheld (MH) data used to update SMT determining how the M/H receiver is operated. SMT-MH data that have not been subjected to TRS byte-error correction are kept from updating the SMT until those SMT-MH data are verified by later SMT-MH data subjected to TRS byte-error correction. Transmitting total number of Groups (TNOG) information for the currently received M/H Frame in all its sub-frames speeds up acquisition of Fast Information Channel updates by the M/H receiver. |
| US08411756B2 |
Method and system for generating block mode conversion table for efficient video transcoding
A method and system for generation of a block mode conversion table for use in online transcoding of a sequence of input images in a first format to a sequence of output images in a second format are described. The table is based on a sequence of training images and provides an effective mapping between the encoding block modes and respective candidate transcoding block modes used during the online transcoding. The method utilizes the encoding block mode, the motion vectors and the residual information extracted during the decoding of the training image to generate the block mode conversion table. A corresponding system is also provided. |
| US08411754B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for translating an element of a static encoded image in the encoded domain
A computer-implemented method for creating in the encoded domain one or more video frames from a compressed still video image wherein image content in the created video frames is translated in location by panning or scrolling or a combination thereof on a non-block basis (i.e. pixel-level). A new block formed from portions of two other blocks is created by processing the original two blocks with identity matrices based upon the shift amount. By performing the creation process in the encoded domain processing power requirements are reduced and image quality is increased. |
| US08411753B2 |
Color space scalable video coding and decoding method and apparatus for the same
A color space scalable video coding and decoding method and an apparatus for the same are disclosed that can adjust color components or color depth according to the performance of a decoder side. The color space scalable video coding method includes generating transform coefficients by removing the temporal redundancy and spatial redundancy of input video frames, quantizing the transform coefficients, generating a bit stream by entropy coding the quantized transform coefficients, and generating a color space scalable bit stream that includes the bit stream and position information of luminance data in the bit stream. |
| US08411746B2 |
Multiview video coding over MPEG-2 systems
A multiplexer may produce an MPEG-2 (Motion Picture Experts Group) System standard bitstream comprising views with nonconsecutive view order indexes. In one example, an apparatus includes a video encoder that encodes views of a scene, and a multiplexer that constructs a data structure for signaling that a corresponding MPEG-2 (Motion Picture Experts Group) System standard bitstream includes a first view of the views of the scene associated with a first view order index and a second view of the plurality of views of the scene associated with a second view order index. The first view order index and the second view order index are non-consecutive. The apparatus may further include an output interface that outputs the data structure. |
| US08411745B2 |
Method and apparatus for coding and decoding using bit-precision
Disclosed are a method and an apparatus of encoding/decoding by using a bit precision. In accordance to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to encoding and decoding an image or a video by using a bit precision. Accordingly, compression efficiency can be improved and the decoding complexity can be reduced by encoding/decoding video data by use of the bit precision. |
| US08411740B2 |
System and method for low bandwidth display information transport
To conserve communication channel bandwidth, video information must often be compressed in low bandwidth environments. To significantly reduce bandwidth usage, a first disclosed embodiment proposes transmits a reduced color depth image initially and then later transmitting additional color depth information when the image becomes static. In this manner, a reduced color image is displayed when an image is dynamic but a full color image is displayed when the image becomes static. Note that the additional color information is transmitted only when bandwidth is has become less utilized since updated image information is no longer being transmitted since the image has become static. The additional color depth information may be stored in the same buffer or within a different buffer in the receiving system. A second embodiment delays additional color depth information and also spatially reduces the additional color depth information. |
| US08411735B2 |
Data processing apparatus, data processing method, and program
A data processing apparatus that processes image data of a moving image includes: an acquiring unit acquiring variations representing degrees of change in the image data, in a unit of picture; a display-type determining unit determining, on the basis of the variations in pictures, display types, which represent display methods in displaying the pictures, in a unit of picture; a display-type acquiring unit acquiring a display type for a picture designated by a picture-designation operating unit operated in designating a picture to be displayed; and a display control unit causing a display to display a picture with a display method represented by a display type for the picture. |
| US08411734B2 |
Scalable multi-thread video decoding
Decoding tasks are identified for decoding encoded video. Decoding tasks may include entropy decoding tasks, motion compensation tasks, inverse frequency transform tasks, inverse quantization tasks, intra decoding tasks, loop filtering tasks, or other tasks. Task dependencies are identified for the video decoding tasks. For example, one or more decoding tasks may depend on prior completion of entropy decoding tasks. The decoding tasks are prioritized based at least in part on the task dependencies. For example, a higher priority may be assigned to tasks that must be completed before other tasks that depend on them can begin. Prioritized decoding tasks are selected to be performed by hardware threads. For example, a first hardware thread may perform a first decoding task that does not depend on any uncompleted tasks while a second hardware thread performs a second decoding task that does not depend on any uncompleted tasks. |
| US08411733B2 |
Signal equalizer for a signal transmission network
In an RF signal transmission network such as the reverse channels of a coaxial cable network, there is provided at least one adaptive equalizer for pre- or post-filtering inter-symbol interference in the transmitted signals, the adaptive equalizer having a series of coefficients for which values are required. In order to improve the transmission efficiency the preamble used in these channels is shortened by coarsely estimating the channel using a short “unique word’ placed at the beginning of the equalizer training sequence. The coarse channel estimate is crudely inverted to produce a set of equalizer coefficients which partially equalize the channel. By initializing the adaptive equalizer with these approximate coefficients, it is possible to reduce the length of the training sequence needed for the equalizer to converge. |
| US08411731B2 |
Device and method for processing a real subband signal for reducing aliasing effects
In order to process a subband signal of a plurality of real subband signals which are a representation of a real discrete-time signal generated by an analysis filter bank, a weighter for weighting a subband signal by a weighting factor determined for the subband signal is provided to obtain a weighted subband signal. In addition, a correction term is calculated by a correction term determiner, the correction term determiner being implemented to calculate the correction term using at least one other subband signal and using another weighting factor provided for the other subband signal, the two weighting factors differing. The correction term is then combined with the weighted subband signal to obtain a corrected subband signal, resulting in reduced aliasing, even if subband signals are weighted to a different extent. |
| US08411730B2 |
Semiconductor integrated communication circuit and operation method thereof
The semiconductor integrated communication circuit includes:a low-noise amplifier; a receive mixer; a receive VCO; a demodulation-processing circuit; a modulation-processing circuit; a transmit mixer; a transmit VCO; a second-order-distortion-characteristic-calibration circuit; a quadrature-receive-signal-calibration circuit; and a test-signal generator. The test-signal generator generates first and second test signals using the transmit VCO. In the second-order-distortion-characteristic-calibration mode, the second-order-distortion-characteristic-calibration circuit variably changes an operation parameter of the receive mixer thereby to calibrate the second-order distortion characteristic to achieve its best condition while the first test signal is supplied to the receive mixer. In the quadrature-receive-signal-calibration mode, the quadrature-receive-signal-calibration circuit calibrates IQ mismatch of a quadrature receive signal to achieve the best condition thereof while the second test signal is supplied to the receive mixer. The integrated communication circuit can minimize the increase in chip footprint of a test-signal-generating circuit used to perform calibrations of both the second-order characteristic and IQ mismatch. |
| US08411728B2 |
Method and system for a delta quantizer for MIMO pre-coders with finite rate channel state information feedback
A MIMO pre-coding system for a delta quantizer for MIMO pre-coders with finite rate channel state information feedback may include quantizing a change in channel state information in a MIMO pre-coding system onto a codebook, which comprises one or more unitary matrices, using a cost function. The codebook may be generated based on at least the channel state information. The channel state information may comprise a matrix V and the cost function f(A) may be defined by the following relationship: f ( A ) = ( 1 N ∑ j = 1 N a jj 2 ) where A is a matrix of size N by N and aij is element (i,j) of matrix A. One or more unitary matrices may be generated from at least a first set of matrices and a second set of matrices, where the first set of matrices may comprise one or more Givens matrices. A dynamic range and a resolution of the codebook may be modified. |
| US08411724B2 |
Sill and door jamb assembly for electric arc furnace
A sill and door jamb assembly providing an opening in an electric arc furnace, the sill and door jamb assembly having a sill block assembly and two jamb block assemblies. The sill block assembly having side-by-side sill blocks, each of the sill blocks being positioned side-by-side to form the sill block assembly and having an upper end and a lower end. The lower end of the sill block assembly is confined within a plurality of courses of the refractory bricks. Each jamb block assembly having a plurality of jamb blocks positioned side-by-side. Each of the jamb block assemblies having a lower end and an inner surface abutting the distal ends of the sill block assembly. The inner surfaces of the jamb block assemblies and the upper surface of the sill block assembly form the slag opening in the furnace. |
| US08411723B2 |
Support structure of heater
There is provided an electric heater support plate which is not likely to be softened or deformed during firing at a high temperature, even if a material to be fired contains an alkaline component or an Si component as a volatile component. A passage 2 for the material to be fired surrounded by a ceiling refractory 11, wall refractories 12 and a floor refractory 13 is provided with an electric heater 3 heating from above and an electric heater 5 heating from below. This electric heater 3 has at least its heating part 31 mounted and supported on a fire-resistant support plate 4, and this support plate 4 in this invention has a two-layer structure in which an insulating ceramic support plate 41 is laminated on an SiC-based ceramic plate 42. The two-layer structure support plates 4 are supported by refractories 14 installed in a furnace and are arranged in parallel in a plurality of rows in a longitudinal direction of the furnace, and the electric heater 3 mounted on the support plates is so constructed as to generate heat by an electric power supplied from an energizing terminal 32 exposed to the outside of a furnace wall. |
| US08411722B2 |
Vertical cavity surface emitting laser
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser includes a cavity formed by a pair of reflectors on a substrate and an active region interposed in the cavity. In the vertical cavity surface emitting laser, at least one of the reflectors that form the cavity has a refractive index periodic structure produced by arranging a first medium and a second medium so as to make the refractive index change periodically in in-plane directions of the substrate and the cross sectional area of the first medium in the in-plane directions changes in the direction of the thickness of the first medium. The vertical cavity surface emitting laser has reflectors having a wide reflection band. |
| US08411716B2 |
Circuit assembly for controlling an optical system to generate optical pulses and pulse bursts
A circuit assembly controlling an optical system to generate optical pulses is provided. The optical system includes a seed light source optically coupled to an amplitude modulator. The circuit assembly includes a control circuit which generates a pulsed seed drive signal for driving the seed laser source, as well as logic signals defining successions of ON and OFF states and having a predetermined relative timing relationship. One or more of the logic signals is delayed by a corresponding programmable delay line to adjust the relative timing relationship between the logic signals. A logic gating module combines the logic signals according to one or more logical rule, thereby providing a modulator drive signal. Using this circuit assembly, the optical system outputs an optical pulse at each ON state of the modulator drive signal synchronized with the passage of one of the seed optical pulses through the amplitude modulator. |
| US08411714B2 |
Wavelength conversion laser light source, laser light source device and two-dimensional image display device adopting the same, and method of setting temperature of wavelength conversion element
A wavelength conversion laser light source includes an element temperature switching section that switches a temperature of the wavelength conversion element according to a harmonic wave output value as set in an output setting device, and the element temperature switching section for switching a temperature of a wavelength conversion element according to a harmonic wave output level as set in the output setting device. The element temperature switch section includes an element temperature holding section that holds the wavelength conversion element at the temperature as switched by the element temperature switching section. |
| US08411711B2 |
Semiconductor laser with low relative intensity noise of individual longitudinal modes and optical transmission system incorporating the laser
A semiconductor laser comprises an electrically isolated active section and at least one noise reducing section and operates on a ground state transition of a quantum dot array having inhomogeneous broadening greater than 10 nm. The laser preferably emits more than 10 optical modes such that a total relative intensity noise of each optical mode is less than 0.2% in the 0.001 GHz to 10 GHz range. The spectral power density is preferably higher than 2 mW/nm. An optical transmission system and a method of operating a quantum dot laser with low relative intensity noise of each optical mode are also disclosed. |
| US08411710B2 |
Laser apparatus
The present invention relates to a laser apparatus with a structure for realizing a fast response in carrying out a start and an end of output of pulsed laser light while effectively suppressing damage to an optical amplifying medium. The laser apparatus is provided with a seed light source, an optical amplification section, a pulse modulator, a pump power controller, and a main controller. The pulse modulator receives an output start instruction and an output end instruction fed from the main controller and controls a start and an end of output of seed light from the seed light source. The pump power controller receives a pump trigger signal fed from the main controller and increases or decreases a power of pump light supplied to the amplification section. The main controller decreases the power of the pump light supplied to the amplification section, on the occasion of ending the output of the pulsed laser light, and thereafter makes the pulse modulator end the output of the seed light from the seed light source. |
| US08411704B2 |
Method, device and system for generating a contribution data stream
A contribution system where the national services are not duplicated in the single stream. This single stream is transmitted in a mode not implementing burst transmission. Advantageously, the single stream is not protected by an FEC error correcting code, as present in the radio broadcast standard, for example DVB-H. Synchronization is provided by the insertion by the concentrator of synchronization packets comprising three synchronization stamps. A first stamp serves to synchronize the deconcentrators with each other and with the concentrator. A second stamp generates a first synchronization signal allowing synchronous generation of the period of the burst transmission mode necessary for generating the regional signal. The third stamp serves to generate a second synchronization signal for generating so-called “MIP” synchronization packets for synchronizing the various modulators. |
| US08411702B2 |
Virtual memory protocol segmentation offloading
Methods and systems for a more efficient transmission of network traffic are provided. According to one embodiment, a method is provided for performing transport layer protocol segmentation offloading. Multiple buffer descriptors are stored in a system memory of a network device. The buffer descriptors contain information indicative of a starting address of a payload buffer stored in a user memory space of the system memory. The payload buffers contain payload data originated by a user process running on a host processor of the network device. The payload data is retrieved from the payload buffers on behalf of a network processor of the network device without copying the payload data from the user memory space to a kernel memory space of the system memory by performing direct virtual memory addressing of the user memory space. Finally, the payload data is segmented across one or more transport layer protocol packets. |
| US08411701B2 |
Inter-working of EFM-OAM and CFM-OAM for mobile backhaul networks
On a first network element in a radio access network (RAN), supporting operations, management and administration (OAM) between network elements that support Ethernet in the first mile (EFM) and network elements that support connectivity fault management (CFM) in the radio access network by receiving an EFM message from a second network element that supports EFM, wherein the second network element is in the RAN and wherein the EFM message includes OAM data; converting the OAM data from the EFM message into a sub-type-length-value (sub-TLV) of a CFM message; and transmitting the CFM message including the OAM data in the sub-TLV to a third network element that supports CFM, wherein the third network element is in the RAN, whereby an end-to-end OAM sublayer is provided in the RAN by conversion of OAM data from EFM to CFM. |
| US08411696B1 |
Systems and methods for communicating with multiple distribution points of a network
The present disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for communicating data. In one exemplary embodiment, a system has a high-speed channel, such as an optical fiber, between a network facility, such as a central office (CO), and a first intermediate point between the network facility and a plurality of customer premises (CP). Digital communication links, such as DSL links, are used to carry data between the first intermediate point, such as a feeder distribution interface (FDI), and a second intermediate point, such as the Distribution Point (DP). Non-shared links may then carry the data from the second intermediate point to the CPs. The links between the two intermediate points are bonded to create a high-speed, shared data channel that permits peak data rates much greater than what would be achievable without bonding. In some embodiments, multicast data flows may be prioritized and transmitted across a set of connections to each of the intermediate points. In addition, it is possible to power components at the intermediate points from one or more of the CPs. |
| US08411693B2 |
Method for controlling electric power of electric power controller, LRWPAN-ethernet bridge and sensor node
The network configuration technology for controlling an electric power sensor node is disclosed. The method for controlling electric power includes transmitting an an Ethernet packet type command message to at least one electric power sensor node through an LRWPAN-Ethernet bridge in accordance with profile information related to an electric power control, the profile information being set by a user; receiving LR-WPAN packet type response messages transmitted from the at least one electric power sensor node in response to the Ethernet package type command message as Ethernet packet type response messages through the LRWPAN-Ethernet bridge; and providing a control result of an electric power equipment corresponding to the at least one electric power sensor node to the user based on the Ethernet packet type response messages. |
| US08411692B2 |
Multi-hop heterogeneous wireless device feature sharing
Available features of each of a group of wireless devices accessible over one of a group of different wireless communication protocol interfaces of a first wireless bridging computing device are registered for sharing. A request for use of an available feature of a first wireless device over a first wireless communication protocol interface is received from a second wireless device over a second wireless communication protocol interface. In response to the request, use of the requested available feature of the first wireless device by the second wireless device is facilitated over the first wireless communication protocol interface and the second wireless communication protocol interface. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US08411690B2 |
Preventing data traffic connectivity between endpoints of a network segment
Various systems and method of preventing data traffic connectivity between endpoints of a network segment are disclosed. One method involves receiving a segment protocol message from a first segment port within a network segment, which includes a plurality of network devices. In response to receipt of the segment protocol message, which can indicate whether connectivity is present between the segment endpoints via the network segment, a second segment port can be operated in a blocked state. Operating the second segment port in the blocked state prevents data plane connectivity via the network segment. |
| US08411684B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for determining a hop count between network devices utilizing a binary search
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for determining a hop count between network devices utilizing a binary search. In use, a hop count range is identified based on a maximum hop count value. Furthermore, a plurality of packets are sent from a source device to a destination device for determining a hop count between the source device and the destination device, each of the packets having a different hop count threshold configured based on a binary search applied to the hop count range. |
| US08411680B2 |
IP multicasting system and a method based on the mobile network
An IP multicast system includes: an IGMP proxy unit set in an access network which provides information of a multicast group to which a terminal belongs. The IGMP proxy unit receives data sent from a multicast data source, and sends the data to a base station which then sends the data to the terminal. The IGMP proxy unit simplifies IP multicasting in the mobile network and makes the transfer of multicast data transparent with respect to the core network of the mobile network. This system can support mobile communication networks as WCDMA, CDMA2000, GSM and TD-SCDMA. |
| US08411677B1 |
Method and system for processing layered networking protocol packets
An adapter for decoding information packet of a layered information transfer protocol received over a link is disclosed. The information packet is arranged in one or more predetermined layered protocol format and includes a payload data. The adapter includes a receive filter bank configured to process a portion of the information packet and assemble the payload data in a predetermined interconnect format. An adapter for encoding a payload data and destination information for the payload data received over an interconnect is also disclosed. The payload data is arranged in one or more predetermined interconnect format. The adapter includes a send filter bank configured to process a portion of the payload data and assemble the payload data with the destination information in a predetermined layered protocol format. |
| US08411676B2 |
Reconfigurable compute engine interconnect fabric
A reconfigurable compute engine interconnect fabric includes a reconfigurable interconnect layer (24, FIG. 2) between an application layer (22) and a physical layer (26) which identifies the input and output pins for the engine and their functions. |
| US08411674B2 |
Method and device for session control in hybrid telecommunications network
Combinational networks may provide simultaneous connectivity over networks of different type between terminals. Communication sessions on different network types such as Circuit switched and Packet switched, belonging to the same user equipment can be correlated. In case a communication session on a circuit switched network is halted by a supplementary service e.g. at an event such as acceptance of Call Hold, a communication session on a correlated packet switched network should be halted as well. A user equipment that detects the event sends a halt message to the circuit switched network and a message to the packet switched network or a session state manager node. The session state manager node either forwards the halt-message to the packet switched network, or sends a halt-message to the packet switched network when the packet switched network does not notify that a halt has occurred. |
| US08411670B2 |
Reverse ENUM based routing for communication networks
A network and method of routing a call between communication networks includes a first step of establishing a reverse ENUM DNS server containing a table of NAPTR records that associate E.164telephone numbers with identifiers. A next step includes routing a call from an originating PSTN system to a first gateway. A next step includes sending an ENUM query containing an E.164telephone number to an ENUM DNS server, which returns an identifier associated with the E.164telephone number. A next step includes routing the call to a second gateway. A next step includes launching a reverse ENUM query containing the identifier to the reverse ENUM DNS server, which looks up an E.164telephone number associated with the identifier, and returns it to the second gateway. A next step includes routing the call from the second gateway to the returned E.164telephone number in the terminating PSTN system. |
| US08411669B2 |
Distributed transcoding on IP phones with idle DSP channels
Idle DSP channels of an IP phone can be used to respond to a request to transcode a codec of an incoming call in a distributed IP phone system but only if sufficient idle channels remain available to the phone to handle basic call functions and a possible non-basic call feature (such as conferencing) of the phone. |
| US08411668B1 |
Method and apparatus for staggering internet protocol teleconferencing calls
A method and apparatus for enabling providers of PSTN toll free services to stagger simultaneous transmission of call setup signaling messages into an IP based teleconference bridge, supported by a VoIP network, by suspending a subset of calls and placing them on hold while placing other calls to be connected to the conference bridge are disclosed. The PSTN network can stagger calls by limiting the number of call setup signaling messages to be sent to the VoIP network within a predefined period of time interval and spread all the calls over multiple of such predefined periods. Prerecorded announcements or music can be played while the calls that have been placed on hold are in queue. |
| US08411666B1 |
Location-based geographical routing
Methods are disclosed for routing data, such as a packet, from a source router to a destination router based on geographical information associated with a destination mobile device. A table is accessed to determine whether there is a destination router located in the list of routers that is located within the same geographical area as the destination mobile device. If there is a destination router that meets this criteria, the data is sent to the destination router. But if there is not a destination router that meets this criteria, the data is routed based on network topology. |
| US08411664B2 |
Random access preamble collision detection
A method (500) for a user terminal (120, 130) in a cellular system (100). The user terminal (120, 130) applies (505) a timing advance to transmissions to a controlling node (140). The user terminal (120, 130) requests (510) communication with the controlling node (140) by a special message (MSG 1), in response to which the user terminal (120, 130) receives (515) a message (MSG 2) which includes an updated value for the timing advance. The user terminal (120, 130) compares (520) the updated value with the value of the timing advance that the user terminal had prior to the reception of said response message. If the difference (Δ) between the prior value and the updated value is greater than a first predetermined threshold (T1) or below a second predetermined threshold (T2), the user terminal (120, 130) ignores (525) the response message (MSG 2) and renews its request for communication. |
| US08411661B2 |
Technique for SC-FDMA signal generation
A method and device for generating a Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) signal having a transmission bandwidth and a Constant Amplitude Zero-Autocorrelation (CAZAC) sequence of length NCAZAC. The SC-FDMA signal is presumed to have a time-domain formulation with a term representative of an Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) of length M, where M>NCAZAC. A frequency-domain representation of the CAZAC sequence is mapped to NCAZAC of MSEQ frequency points, where NCAZAC |
| US08411660B2 |
Apparatus and method for performing resource allocation and communication in a wireless communication system, and system using same
A method for allocating resources in a wireless communication system using Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA). The method includes dividing entire frequency resources into sub-bands each having a number of sub-channels, setting at least one sub-channel in each of the sub-bands as a wide-band resource, and providing the sub-band and wide-band information to mobile stations; and determining one of the sub-band resource and the wide-band resource as an allocated resource according to channel condition with a particular mobile station when there is a need for communication with the mobile station. |
| US08411658B2 |
Mobile terminal and network node
Disclosed is a technique for achieving reduction in processing load caused when a mobile terminal having two or more interfaces registers flow control information with a network and reduction in traffic of signaling for the registration. According to this technique, a mobile terminal (MN100) has two or more interfaces (IF1 and IF2), registers, with a home agent (HA200), binding information between care-of addresses (CoA1 and CoA2) assigned to each interface and a home address (HoA0) of the MN, and further acquires home addresses (HoA1 and HoA2) exclusively for each interface and to be set for the interface and registers, with the HA, binding information between the HoA exclusively for each interface and a CoA corresponding to the HoA. For a flow desired to be sent and received by using only a specific interface, the HoA and CoA exclusively for the interface are used. |
| US08411651B2 |
Media independent multi-rat function in a converged device
A communication device configured to facilitate a mesh network includes a media independent mesh function (MIMF) configured to exchange media independent mesh information between peer mesh entities. |
| US08411650B2 |
Method and system for providing virtual private network services through a mobile IP home agent
A method for providing a virtual private network by home agent in a mobile IP environment includes providing a home agent operable to receive a registration request from a foreign agent and negotiate conditions of attachment of a mobile node to the foreign agent and further operable to store an IP address of the foreign agent in response to the negotiated conditions. The method also includes receiving, at the home agent, from the foreign agent, a registration request for the mobile node. The method also includes determining, by the home agent, a virtual private network membership of the mobile node based on a characteristic associated with the mobile node. The method further includes mapping the mobile node to an identifier associated with the home agent and transmitting the mapping to the foreign agent. The identifier is indicative of the virtual private network membership of the mobile subscriber. The method also includes receiving packets containing the identifier from the foreign agent and, in response, directing the packets to an IP address associated with the virtual private network. |
| US08411647B2 |
Random access system for using multi-carrier structure in mobile communication system
Provided is a system of performing a random access between a base station and a terminal using a plurality of carriers. When using the plurality of carriers, an uplink carrier and a downlink carrier may be mapped to each other in 1:n or 1:1. The terminal may perform the random access based on mapping information between the uplink carrier and the downlink carrier. A random access success rate increases and thus a time used for the random access may decrease. A wireless resource may also be effectively used. |
| US08411641B2 |
Methods for controlling access domain switching, network nodes, user terminal and computer program product therefor
A technique for controlling an access domain selection is described. The technique is applicable to user terminals that are capable of switching from a first network access domain to a second network access domain while services are provided to the user terminals. According to a network aspect of this technique, a network node receives a request message from a user terminal. In response to this request message, the network node sends a rule set including one or more access domain switching rules to the user terminal. These access domain switching rules may be dynamically selected by the network node to control the access domain switching behavior of the user terminal. |
| US08411636B2 |
Method and system for autonomous channel coordination for a wireless distribution system
A method and system for autonomous channel coordination for a wireless distribution system (WDS) are disclosed. A wireless communication system includes a plurality of access points (APs) and the APs communicate each other via a WDS. A coordinated channel group (CCG) of a plurality of member APs is established. The member APs of the CCG camp on a WDS channel used for the WDS among the member APs of the CCG. One AP among the member APs of the CCG is designated as a master AP. The master AP coordinates with other member APs of the CCG for selecting and configuring the WDS channel for the CCG and addition and deletion of member APs. By allowing APs to define a CCG, changes of the WDS channel are performed autonomously while maintaining connectivity. |
| US08411633B2 |
Method and apparatus for indicating deactivation of semi-persistent scheduling
A method and apparatus for performing semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) deactivation in a wireless mobile communication system are disclosed. A base station (BS) transmits a downlink control channel to a user equipment (UE), and deactivates the SPS when a binary field indicating resource allocation information contained in the downlink control channel is entirely filled with ‘1’. |
| US08411632B2 |
Transmission protection scheme
A method, apparatus, and computer program for protecting transmissions are provided. A wireless communication apparatus receives a physical layer convergence protocol header of a transmission on a frequency band and determines from header information included in the header, whether or not there are further transmissions associated with the transmission and after the transmission on the frequency band. In response to determining on the basis of the header information that there will be at least one other transmission after the transmission on the frequency band, channel access of the wireless communication apparatus is suspended on the frequency band for a determined time period after the transmission, the determined time period including a transmission time interval of the at least one other transmission. |
| US08411629B1 |
Dynamic admission control of wireless video to a wireless network
Techniques are provided herein for computing a video admission control metric used to determine whether to admit a new video stream to a wireless network. The video admission control metric is computed using several measurable parameters of the wireless network. The dynamic nature of this process takes into account many real-time factors that affect admission control, such as traffic load, channel conditions, and overlapping basic service set (BSS) interference. |
| US08411620B2 |
Method of transmitting information for supporting legacy system and multi-carrier system
A method for transmitting information that supports a legacy system and a multi-carrier system is disclosed. The method for transmitting information supporting a legacy system includes constructing a frame structure for supporting the legacy system, and transmitting a frame header including allocation information of the frame structure to a mobile station. |
| US08411615B2 |
Power controlled adaptive modulation and coding scheme in satellite communications system
A power controlled adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) scheme in a satellite communications system includes: calculating, by a user terminal, a received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) through a packet received from a base station; removing a power control level applied to a packet received before the received packet from the calculated received SNR, and deciding the value obtained by decreasing the calculated received SNR by the power control level; deciding an AMC mode based on the decided received SNR; determining whether power control is required, and deciding a required power control magnitude depending on a channel state positioned in the AMC mode range; transmitting the decided AMC mode and the decided power control information to the base station through channel quality indicator (CQI) feedback; and applying the AMC mode based on information received, and increasing a power by a power control magnitude decided from the received information. |
| US08411613B2 |
Wireless communication network system
This inventive wireless communication system comprises a plurality of wireless communication devices (101) each including a radiating oscillator (1), a baseband signal generating unit (4) and a reception signal detecting unit (7). In this wireless communication network system, the wireless communication devices are arranged to face each other at a location where a pull-in phenomenon is caused, a signal transmitted from one of the wireless communication devices is an oscillation signal of the radiating oscillator (1) of the one of the wireless communication devices, the frequency of the oscillation signal varies with the baseband signal, the variation in the frequency is transmitted to the other ones of the facing wireless communication devices (102) by the pull-in phenomenon, the oscillation frequencies of the radiating oscillators (2, 3) of the other ones of the facing wireless communication devices (102) also vary, and the other ones of the facing wireless communication devices (102) extract the variation by receiving the variation in the frequency through the reception signal detecting units (8). As a result, the present invention can provide a less expensive wireless network system which comprises wireless communication devices having respectively a very simple structure, consumes less electric power and can secure high-quality signal transmission. |
| US08411609B2 |
Method for transmitting and receiving multicast and broadcast service
A terminal receives a map scheduling interval that is set to be greater than a multicast and broadcast service map transmission cycle by a base station from the base station, and receives a multicast and broadcast service map from the base station according to the received map scheduling interval. |
| US08411605B2 |
Method and apparatus for discontinuously receiving packet in a mobile communication system
A method for receiving a packet by a terminal in a mobile communication system including a base station providing a packet, and a terminal that discontinuously receives a packet from the base station in Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycles each having an active period and a sleep period. The packet reception method includes receiving, from the base station, configuration information for a DRX service, including a DRX cycle length; setting, as a starting point of the DRX cycle, a point at which a first packet is received from the base station; receiving a packet from the base station for an active period at the beginning of the starting point; and transitioning to a sleep period and waiting for a next active period. |
| US08411604B2 |
Methods and apparatus for use in facilitating access to aggregator services for mobile communication devices via wireless communication networks
In one illustrative example, a wireless local area network (WLAN) regularly broadcasts or otherwise communicates one or more aggregator service identifiers which identify one or more aggregator services made available via the WLAN. In addition, a mobile communication device has a memory for storing aggregator service information. During operation, the mobile device performs a scanning operation and receives, from the scanning operation, the one or more aggregator service identifiers from the WLAN. The mobile device compares a received aggregator service identifier with one or more stored aggregator service identifiers of the aggregator service information. When there is a match between the received and the stored aggregator service identifiers, the mobile device may connect with and receive the aggregator service via the WLAN. For newly-encountered WLANs, the mobile device may also automatically create and store a wireless network profile associated with the WLAN that provides the aggregator service. For each aggregator or aggregator service, the aggregator service information may include a service name of the aggregator or aggregator service, a security type for authentication, a first URL for obtaining service information for the aggregator service, and a second URL for subscribing to the aggregator service, all of which may be displayed or otherwise utilized for obtaining service. |
| US08411599B2 |
Methods and apparatus for timeslot teleconferencing
Methods and apparatus are provided for a timeslot teleconference. A meeting invite is created for a timeslot teleconference on a computer. Timeslots are created for the timeslot teleconference in the meeting invite on the computer. Participants are designated for the timeslots in the meeting invite on the computer, and the timeslots are different time periods during the timeslot teleconference, which can have variable start and end times, as determined by a host. Reach numbers are added for each of the participants in the meeting invite on the computer, and the reach numbers are contact numbers to call the participants for their respective timeslots. The meeting invite is transmitted to participants on the computer. To participate in the timeslot teleconference, the timeslot teleconference is configured for the reach numbers to be called for the participants to correspond to their respective timeslots and/or the participants to call in for their respective timeslots. |
| US08411593B2 |
Bifurcate space switch
A space switch includes a buffer having a plurality of serial inputs, a plurality of de-serializers, each coupled to a respective input, a plurality n of buffers and a media access controller having inputs coupled to the plurality of de-serializers, data outputs coupled to the buffers, and two control outputs coupled to respective buffers for buffering input data at a clock rate one-nth that of the input data and a switch fabric connected to the buffers for matching buffer data throughput with switch data throughput. Preferably the buffer is a bifurcate buffer. This space switch described ensures matching of buffer and switch fabric throughput. |
| US08411590B2 |
Mesh network remote control device
The mesh network remote control device is able to dynamically exchange information with other mesh network devices via a mesh network, partial mesh network, ad-hoc network or with an non-mesh network such as the Internet or an intranet. The mesh network remote control device controls devices connected to such mesh or non-mesh networks. The mesh network remote control device accepts commands from mesh network devices, non-mesh network devices, non-mesh communications networks (e.g., URLs, device commands, social networking logins, etc.), stores the original commands and transforms the original commands into simple display commands that are used by a user to control remote mesh network or non-mesh network devices. |
| US08411588B2 |
Methods and apparatus to manage wireless device power consumption
Example methods and apparatus to manage wireless device power consumption are disclosed. In accordance with a disclosed example method a data frame exchange is initiated with an access point of a wireless network. In response to not successfully completing the frame exchange with the access point, the access point is designated as providing the wireless terminal with fringe wireless signal coverage. |
| US08411587B2 |
System and method for configuring a network
A system and method for configuring a network are disclosed. A method may include storing identifying information associated with one or more network devices on a computer-readable medium in an information handling system prior to delivery of the information handling system to a user. The method may also include determining whether the identifying information stored on the information handling system is associated with the network access point. The method may further include automatically configuring network parameters for communication between the network access point and the information handling system in response to a determination that the identifying information stored on the information handling system is associated with the network access point. |
| US08411583B2 |
Method of performing polling procedure in a wireless communication system
A method of generating a data block for performing a polling procedure in a wireless communication system, a method of transmitting data and a method of performing a polling procedure are disclosed. A protocol layer performs the polling procedure for requesting a receiving side to transmit status report if there are no data to be transmitted to the receiving side in both a transmission buffer and a retransmission buffer. When determining whether there are no data to be transmitted to the receiving side in the retransmission buffer, it is preferable that a data block for which retransmission request information is not received from the receiving side is excluded. |
| US08411581B2 |
Method and system for medium access control (MAC) layer specialization for voice and multimedia data streams
Aspects of a method and system for medium access control (MAC) layer specialization for voice and multimedia data streams are presented. Aspects of the method include determining a number of attempts for transmitting one or more medium access control (MAC) frames. Aspects of the system may include a processor that enables determination of a number of attempts for transmitting one or more MAC frames. A maximum number for such attempts may be determined based on one or more priority levels associated with different portions of multimedia information being communicated via a wireless medium and contained within the one or more MAC frames. |
| US08411578B2 |
Systems and methods for proactive management of a communication network through monitoring a user network interface
Systems and methods for proactive management of a communication network through monitoring a user network interface are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to proactively monitor user network interfaces comprises obtaining first information related to operation of a physical port, determining that the physical port implements both a first user network interface and a second user network interface, combining the first information with second information related to operation of a first logical port implementing the first user network interface, but not implementing the second user network interface, to assess performance of the first user network interface, and combining the first information with third information related to operation of a second logical port implementing the second user network interface, but not implementing the first user network interface, to assess performance of the second user network interface. |
| US08411575B2 |
Multi-station physical layer communication over TP cable
Wired data telecommunications networks can make advantageous use of a communications capability between and among more than two network devices. Such capabilities may be utilized in providing redundancy of data and/or inline power capabilities from a pair of network devices to a third network device receiving the redundant capability. Impedance modulated communications are provided in a wired data telecommunications network among at least a first, second and third network device coupled together via a Y device. The Y device couples the three network devices (higher order Y devices could couple more than three devices) allowing monitoring of communications and inline power provision so that one of the network devices may act in response to monitored conditions by communicating via impedance modulated communications with one or both of the other network devices. |
| US08411572B2 |
ACM and fixed coding and modulation of hierarchical layers
A network access unit of a communications network includes: a source data receiver module to receive first source data representing video content and second source data; a network control module to receive link condition data and configuration data, calculate priority data based on the link condition data and the configuration data, use the priority data to generate a master schedule indicating a first coding and modulation scheme for a first layer of the first source data and a second coding and modulation scheme for a second layer of the first source data, wherein at least one of the coding and modulation schemes for a next sequence is fixed relative to a present sequence; a pre-coder module to pre-code the first source data using pre-coding schemes to generate sets of representation data; and an ACM module to associate the sets of representation data with the coding and modulation schemes. |
| US08411571B2 |
Video and data network load balancing with video drop
A network access unit includes: a source data receiver module adapted to receive multiple first source data representing respective video content and second source data representing broadband data content; a network control module adapted to receive link condition data and configuration data, calculate priority data based on the link condition data and the configuration data, and use the priority data to generate a master schedule including program data indicating that some but not all of the multiple first source data are to be transmitted; a pre-coder module adapted to pre-code respective first source data using respective pre-coding schemes to generate respective sets of representation data, if the program data is determined to indicate that the respective first source data is to be transmitted; and an ACM module adapted to associate, for each first source data indicated for transmission, the respective sets of representation data with respective coding and modulation schemes. |
| US08411569B2 |
Method of splicing encoded multimedia data streams
The present invention provides a method of splicing data streams flowing between an encoder and a decoder. The method includes accessing a first encoded data stream. The first encoded data stream is encoded by the encoder based upon a first buffer size associated with the decoder. The method also includes delaying the first encoded data stream by an offset determined based on a second buffer size associated with the decoder. The second buffer size is larger than the first buffer size. The method further includes splicing one or more second encoded data stream(s) into the delayed first encoded data stream. |
| US08411567B2 |
Swarm intelligence based methods to enable cooperative communication in a mesh network
A mesh network implements swarm intelligence for cooperative communication between nodes in the mesh network. In particular determination is made at a node in the mesh network, and cooperation occurs with other nodes in forwarding messages and packets in the mesh network in an independent and distributed manner without real time handshake. |
| US08411565B2 |
Broadband network for coaxial cable using multi-carrier modulation
A broadband local area data network uses coaxial cable wiring for interconnection of terminal devices. Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with bit loading is used to overcome channel impairments and provide a path for terminal devices to transmit to and receive from other terminal devices. Probe messages are sent between devices to characterize the communication channel and determine optimum bit loading. The data network shares the cable spectrum with other services and uses frequency bands not used by other services. Adaptive power control can be used to maintain signal to noise ratio in a communication between terminal devices. Frequency coordination can be used to avoid interference between the LAN communications and other services transmitted on the cable. |
| US08411560B2 |
TCP selection acknowledgements for communicating delivered and missing data packets
One or more flow control modules, implemented on various types of network topologies, provide a number of functionalities for controlling the flow of IP packets (such as TCP/IP packets) over a network connection. The flow control modules may be implemented within a sender and/or receiver or may be deployed into a network as a separate device without requiring significant additional resources. |
| US08411558B1 |
Stateful home agent recovery protocol (SHARP)
A method and system for resilient mobile communications in a network when network elements are removed, upgraded or fail are provided. A mobile device communicates with an endpoint through foreign and home agents communicatively connected to the network. An active home agent stores communication information for the mobile node and multicasts the communication information to non-active home agents associated with the active home agent. When an active home agent is removed, upgraded or fails, the mobile device is able to maintain mobile communications with the endpoint through one or more non-active home agent. A non-active home agent having a high priority is transitioned to active status to maintain communication service between the mobile node and endpoint. |
| US08411555B2 |
Quality based handover procedure between co-located cells
The present invention relates to cellular system and especially to handover between cells on different frequency carriers in an OFDM system or between cells in 2 systems adopting different radio access technologies (RAT), at least one of them being OFDM technology. A problem is the intra-cell interference impact on the quality a connected mode terminal measures in the own cell and in neighbor cells. This is a problem for cells based on OFDM technology, because intra-cell interference has no impact as compared to the inter-cell interference on the quality provided by the cell to a connected mode terminal, whereas in UTRA the intra-cell and inter-cell interference have the same impact on the quality provided. The solution to the problem is based on the insight that for cells that are located on the same site, the eNode B possess information on the power transmitted on the respective frequency carrier, and can adjust the quality as reported from the terminal on co-located OFDM cells. The adjusted quality measure enables an improved evaluation of the quality of co-located cells, for a potential handover. The invention also relates to embodiments on a 2-step handover, wherein handover to inter-frequency, or inter-RAT cell on another site is made as a handover to co-located inter-frequency/inter-RAT cell and a handover to an intra-frequency cell located at the other site. |
| US08411553B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing mobile terminals in an OFDM system
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for testing mobile terminals in an OFDMA system, in which all or part of available downlink radio resources in a cell are transmitted. A processing unit in a test apparatus splits the resources used for transmission into contiguous unities in the frequency domain such that one or more of said unities comprise resources allocated to one or more mobile terminals under test, and at least one of said unities comprise resources allocated to virtual users. |
| US08411549B2 |
Circuit for preventing destruction of semiconductor laser element, and optical disc device provided with the circuit
A circuit for preventing destruction of a semiconductor laser element of an optical disc device comprises a light-emission-directing circuit part for outputting a light-emission-directing signal for directing the semiconductor laser element to emit light; a voltage-monitoring circuit part for monitoring a light-emitting voltage and, when a judgment is made that the light-emitting voltage is normal, outputting a light-emission-permitting signal for permitting the semiconductor laser element to emit light, the light-emitting voltage being supplied from a power source for the semiconductor laser element to an optical-output-controlling circuit part in order to cause the semiconductor laser element to emit light; and a light-emission-permitting circuit part for using the optical-output-controlling circuit part to cause the semiconductor laser element to emit light only when the light-emission-directing signal and the light-emission-permitting signal are inputted. |
| US08411547B2 |
Information recording medium, information supply system, and optical information device
An information recording medium includes a first information recording layer and a second information recording layer. The first information recording layer is formed at a laser beam entrance surface, and is configured so that information can be recorded thereupon and/or reproduced therefrom using a first objective lens having a numerical aperture NA1 and laser beam of a wavelength λ1. The second information recording layer is formed so as to have a distance to the laser beam entrance surface of 0.05 mm to 1.2 mm and is configured so that information can be recorded thereupon and/or reproduced therefrom using a second objective lens having a numerical aperture NA2 and laser beam of a wavelength λ2. When a diffraction limit δ2, determined by numerical aperture NA2 and wavelength λ2, is taken as δ2=0.61×λ2/NA2, a track pitch Tp1 of a track formed on the first information recording layer is Tp1<δ2. |
| US08411545B2 |
Recording apparatus, master manufacturing apparatus, and method of manufacturing an optical disc recording medium
A recording apparatus includes a rotation driving portion that rotates and drives an optical disc master; and a recording portion that performs an information recording on the optical disc master, by performing a laser beam irradiation on the optical disc master, based on a recording waveform which has a land pulse of a first power, a recording waveform portion having a recording pulse of a second power higher than the first power, and a cooling pulse which has a third power lower than the first power and is inserted between the land pulse and the recording waveform portion. |
| US08411544B2 |
Optical disc reproduction apparatus
An instantaneous jitter information detection section detects, based on first and second digital values indicating different polarities relative to a predetermined reference value, an instantaneous gradient value corresponding to a difference value between the first and second digital values, and an instantaneous deviation value corresponding to a difference value between an intermediate value between the first and second digital values and the reference value. An information conversion section converts, based on an inversely proportional conversion table, the instantaneous gradient value to an inversely proportional value. An arithmetic section detects an instantaneous variance value by multiplying the instantaneous deviation value and the inversely proportional value together, and squaring a value obtained by the multiplication, and detects an integrated value by accumulating the instantaneous variance value. A standard deviation detection section detects a square root of a mean value of the integrated value as the absolute jitter value. |
| US08411541B2 |
Optical recording medium having read-only storage area and writable storage area and recording/reproducing apparatus and method therefor
An optical recording medium having a read-only storage area and a writable storage area and a recording/reproducing apparatus and method therefor. The optical recording medium is a hybrid disc having both the read-only storage area, which is suitable for mass production of information having the same contents, and the writable storage area on which data can be recorded, updated or added at a user's option. The read-only storage area has a structure that is completely compatible with a digital versatile disc read only memory (DVD-ROM) specification, and the writable storage area is compatible with the recording/reproducing characteristics of a writable DVD specification so that an existing reproducing-only apparatus can read information from the read-only storage area, and data can be recorded in the writable storage area using an apparatus obtained by minimally changing an existing recording/reproducing apparatus while maintaining the physical recording characteristics of the existing recording/reproducing apparatus. |
| US08411539B2 |
Optical disc recording device
An optical disc recording device, wherein, during an OPC process addressing a write-once optical disc provided with only one or two recording layers, a recording power value of an optical pickup is changed within a range from (100−A) % of a reference recording power value to (100+B) % of the reference recording power value, and wherein, during an OPC process addressing a write-once optical disc provided with three or more recording layers of the same type as the aforementioned write-once optical disc, the recording power value of the optical pickup is changed within a range from (100−C) % of a reference recording power value to (100+D) % of the reference recording power value, D being set to be less than B. |
| US08411538B2 |
Optical information storage medium reproduction apparatus and control method of the same
In an optical information storage medium reproduction apparatus (10) for reproducing an optical information storage medium including a plurality of information recording layers each including a recording mark having a length shorter than an optical system resolution limit, reproduction laser power for reading an information recording layer closest to a reproduction-laser-incident surface of the optical information storage medium is set to be lower than reproduction laser power for reading an information recording layer farthest from the reproduction-laser-incident surface but not lower than minimum reproduction laser power that satisfies a reproduction signal characteristic that the optical information storage medium reproduction apparatus (10) requires. With the arrangement, it is possible to prevent that the information recording layer closest to the reproduction-laser-incident surface is irradiated wrongly with reproduction laser having high reproduction laser power, thereby making it possible to obtain successful reproduction quality. That is, it is possible to realize the optical information storage medium reproduction apparatus (10) that can set optimum reproduction laser power and perform stable super resolution reproduction. |
| US08411535B1 |
Electrical connection for a laser diode in a tar head
The present invention generally relates to electrically connecting a laser diode to a slider and head assembly of a TAR head in a HDD. The laser diode is coupled to a sub-mount. The laser diode and the sub-mount are coupled to the top surface of the slider and/or the head assembly. Either the slider, the head assembly or both have bond pads exposed through their respective top surfaces to provide an electrical connection to both the laser diode and the sub-mount. Both the laser diode and the sub-mount have electrodes thereon that are perpendicular to the bond pads and are in contact with the bond pads. Conductive bonding material is used to not only bond the laser diode and the sub-mount to the bond pads, but also to electrically connect the bond pads to the electrodes. |
| US08411533B2 |
Crystal-bezel assembly unit for a timepiece and process assembly
The invention relates to a process for assembly of a crystal and a bezel for use of the crystal as vibrating and radiating element, according to which unconnected junction zones are determined and form the only mechanical link for transmission of vibrations of the bezel to the crystal, on which zones the crystal is secured on the bezel to transmit to the crystal any vibration communicated to the bezel. Outside these zones the crystal is held without direct contact with the bezel.The invention also relates to a crystal-bezel assembly unit for a timepiece comprising junction zones that form the only mechanical link for transmission of vibrations from the bezel to the crystal to cause the crystal to resonate under the action of the vibrations, and outside said junction zones the crystal has no direct contact with the bezel.The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising such a unit. |
| US08411525B2 |
Memory circuits having a diode-connected transistor with back-biased control
A memory circuit includes at least one memory array. At least one sleep transistor is electrically coupled between the at least one memory array and a first power line for providing a first power voltage. At least one diode-connected transistor is electrically coupled between the at least one memory array and the first power line. A back-bias circuit is electrically coupled with a bulk of the at least one diode-connected transistor. |
| US08411521B2 |
System and method for controlling timing of output signals
The timing of output signals can be controlled by coupling a digital signal through a signal distribution tree having a plurality of branches extending from an input node to respective clock inputs of a plurality of latches. A phase interpolator is included in a signal path common to all of the branches, and a respective delay line is included in each of the branches. Each of the latches couples a signal applied to its data input to an output terminal responsive to a transition of the digital signal applied to its clock input. The delay lines are adjusted so that the latches are simultaneously clocked. The delay of the phase interpolator is adjusted so that the signals are coupled to the output terminals of the latches with a predetermined timing relationship relative to signals coupled to output terminals of a second signal distribution tree. |
| US08411518B2 |
Memory device with boost compensation
A memory circuit includes a memory cell configured to be re-writable. A write enable circuit is configured to enable writing a signal via a pair of bit lines to the memory cell depending on a write signal. A charge supply circuit is configured to supply a charge to at least one of the pair of bit lines. A charge supply controller is configured to control the charge supply circuit to supply the charge dependent on at least one of the temperature of the memory circuit and the potential difference supply of the memory circuit. |
| US08411516B2 |
Memory cell having reduced circuit area
The present invention relates to a memory cell having a reduced circuit area, which comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, and a fourth transistor. The first transistor is coupled to a readline and controlled by a wordline. The second transistor is coupled between the first transistor and a low-voltage power supply. The third transistor is coupled to the second transistor and controlled by a bitline. The third transistor controls turn-on and cutoff of the second transistor. Besides, the fourth transistor is coupled to the third transistor and a writeline, and is controlled by the wordline. Thereby, according to the present invention, four transistors form a memory cell, and the objective of saving circuit area can be achieved. |
| US08411514B2 |
Multi-chip package including output enable signal generation circuit and data output control method thereof
An output enable signal generation circuit includes a latency decoder, a latch unit, a latency multiplexer, and an enable setting unit. The latency decoder is configured to decode a mode register set code and generate first and second CAS latency information. The latch unit is configured to output the latched first and second latency information as first and second latency signals. The latency multiplexer is configured to output the first or second latency signal as an output CAS latency signal in response to a chip select signal. The enable setting unit is configured to set an enable timing of an output enable signal. |
| US08411513B2 |
Techniques for providing a semiconductor memory device having hierarchical bit lines
Techniques for providing a semiconductor memory device having hierarchical bit lines are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of memory cells and a plurality of local bit lines coupled directly to the plurality of memory cells. The semiconductor memory device may also include a multiplexer coupled to the plurality of local bit lines and a global bit line coupled to the multiplexer. |
| US08411512B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes: a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells; a bit line sense amplifier (BLSA) coupled to the memory cells in the memory cell array through a bit line; a plurality of local input/output lines coupled to the BLSA; and a switching unit coupled to the local input/output lines and configured to select a part of the local input/output lines. |
| US08411511B2 |
Reading data from memory cells including storing charges to analog storage devices
Methods of reading data from memory cells. Such methods include subjecting an analog storage device to a voltage level indicative of a threshold voltage of a memory cell to store a charge to the analog storage device, and generating an analog voltage from the stored charge. |
| US08411509B2 |
Memory and method for charging a word line thereof
A memory and method for charging a word line thereof are disclosed. The memory includes a first word line driver, a first word line and a first switch. The first word line driver is connected to a first operational voltage for receiving a first control signal. The first word line comprises a start terminal connected to an output terminal of the first word line driver. The first switch is connected to a second operational voltage and an end terminal of the first word line. The second operational voltage is not smaller than the first operational voltage. When the first word line driver is controlled by the first control signal to start charging up the first word line, the first switch is simultaneously turned on to provide another charging path for the first word line until the first word line is charged to the first operational voltage. |
| US08411505B2 |
Self-powered detection device with a non-volatile memory
The self-powered detection device comprises a Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) unit (52) formed at least by a NVM cell and a sensor which is activated by a physical or chemical action or phenomenon, this sensor forming an energy harvester that transforms energy from said physical or chemical action or phenomenon into an electrical stimulus pulse, said NVM unit being arranged for storing in said NVM cell, by using the electrical power of said electrical stimulus pulse, a bit of information relative to the detection by said sensor, during a detection mode of the self-powered detection device, of at least one physical or chemical action or phenomenon applied to it with at least a given strength or intensity and resulting in a voltage stimulus signal provided between a set control terminal (SET) and a base terminal (SET *) of said NVM unit with at least a given set voltage. The self-powered detection device comprises a read circuit (56) or is arranged to be coupled to such a read circuit and further comprises a clamp circuit (54) located between the sensor and the NVM unit, this clamp circuit being arranged for passing said voltage stimulus signal on a set line connecting the sensor and the set control terminal of the NVM unit, this voltage stimulus pulse having a polarity corresponding to a set polarity of said NVM cell, and for blocking other voltage signals having approximately an amplitude corresponding to said set voltage or higher and an inverse polarity relative to the set polarity of said NVM cell, in order to avoid a possible erase of this NVM cell by such other voltage signals. |
| US08411504B2 |
Limitation of the access to a resource of an electronic circuit
A method and a circuit for controlling the access to at least one resource of an electronic circuit, in which a test of the value of a counter over at least one bit conditions the access to the resource, the counter being automatically reset after a time period independent from whether the circuit is powered or not. |
| US08411503B2 |
Method of operating semiconductor memory device
A method of operating a semiconductor memory device includes applying a program pass voltage to unselected word lines, applying a program voltage of a third level to a selected word line in order to raise threshold voltages of third memory cells, decreasing a level of the program voltage from the third level to a second level and discharging channel regions of second cell strings including second memory cells in order to raise threshold voltages of second memory cells, and decreasing a level of the program voltage from the second level to a first level and discharging channel regions of first cell strings including first memory cells in order to raise threshold voltages of first memory cells. The cell strings are disconnected from a bit line while a voltage level of the unselected word lines rises to a level of the program pass voltage. |
| US08411490B2 |
Sense amplifier for static random access memories
A sense amplifier for static random access memories is disclosed. The sense amplifier includes a pair of inverters cross-coupled to each other. The sense amplifier also includes means for equalizing the charges within the pair of inverters before performing a sense operation, and means for sensing a current difference between a bitline and its complement from a memory cell during the sense operation. |
| US08411486B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method of manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, there is provided a method of manufacturing a nonvolatile memory device. In this method, a first voltage may be applied to a variable resistive element having a resistance value which is electrically rewritable in a high resistance and in a low resistance. In this method, a second voltage may be applied to the variable resistive element in a case where the resistance value of the variable resistive element to which the first voltage has been applied is greater than a resistance value of the low resistance and is not greater than a resistance value of the high resistance. Further, in this method, the applying of the second voltage to the variable resistive element may be repeated until the resistance value of the variable resistive element to which the second voltage has been applied falls within a range of the resistance value of the low resistance. |
| US08411485B2 |
Non-volatile variable capacitive device including resistive memory cell
A non-volatile variable capacitive device includes a capacitor defined over a substrate, the capacitor having an upper electrode and a resistive memory cell having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a switching layer provided between the first and second electrodes. The resistive memory cell is configured to be placed in a plurality of resistive states according to an electrical signal received. The upper electrode of the capacitive device is coupled to the second electrode of the resistive memory cell. The resistive memory cell is a two-terminal device. |
| US08411479B2 |
Memory circuits, systems, and methods for routing the memory circuits
A memory circuit includes a first memory array. The first memory array includes at least one first memory cell for storing a first datum. The at least one first memory cell is coupled with a first word line and a second word line. A second memory array is coupled with the first memory array. The second memory array includes at least one second memory cell for storing a second datum. The at least one second memory cell is coupled with a third word line and a fourth word line. The first word line is coupled with the third word line. The first word line is misaligned from the third word line in a routing direction of the first word line in the first memory array. |
| US08411477B2 |
Arrays of vertically stacked tiers of non-volatile cross point memory cells, methods of forming arrays of vertically stacked tiers of non-volatile cross point memory cells, and methods of reading a data value stored by an array of vertically stacked tiers of non-volatile cross point memory cells
An array of vertically stacked tiers of non-volatile cross point memory cells includes a plurality of horizontally oriented word lines within individual tiers of memory cells. A plurality of horizontally oriented global bit lines having local vertical bit line extensions extend through multiple of the tiers. Individual of the memory cells comprise multi-resistive state material received between one of the horizontally oriented word lines and one of the local vertical bit line extensions where such cross, with such ones comprising opposing conductive electrodes of individual memory cells where such cross. A plurality of bit line select circuits individually electrically and physically connects to individual of the local vertical bit line extensions and are configured to supply a voltage potential to an individual of the global horizontal bit lines. Other embodiments and aspects are disclosed. |
| US08411476B2 |
Charge mode control
An apparatus and a method for converting power from a power input to an DC output voltage or current, which apparatus has a serial resonance converter, where a first feedback circuit is connected from the output terminal to an error amplifier, where the apparatus further has a second feedback circuit with at least one first resistor that is connected to a coil and to ground, which second feed back circuit connects the line between the first resistor and the coil and towards an inverting integrator, the output of which is connected through a second capacitor to a second input at a control circuit. As a result, the oscillating frequency is under influence of a signal that depends on the voltage generated in the resistor connected in serial to the coil or transformer. |
| US08411474B2 |
System and method for protection of a multilevel converter
A three level neutral point clamped (NPC) converter includes a plurality of phase legs each having at least two inner switching devices, at least two outer switching devices, at least two clamping diodes, and a protection circuit. An inner component failure sensing circuit is employed in the protection circuit to detect a failure condition in any of the inner switching devices or clamping diodes. The protection circuit further includes a gating signal generation circuit configured to generate a turn ON signal for a respective outer switching device that is adjacent to the failed inner switching device or the clamping diode. |
| US08411468B2 |
Power converters
We describe a resonant discontinuous power converter including a magnetic energy storage device, and a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) switch having a collector terminal coupled to repetitively switch power from the input on and off to said magnetic energy storage device such that power is transferred from the input to the output. During an off-period of said BJT switch a voltage on said magnetic energy storage device and on said collector terminal of said BJT is at least partially resonant. The power converter includes a voltage clamping circuit to clamp a base voltage on a base terminal of said BJT during a resonant portion of said off-period to limit an excursion of a collector voltage on said collector terminal of said BJT towards or beyond an emitter voltage of said BJT during said resonant portion of said off-period, in particular to inhibit reverse bias of a base emitter junction of the transistor. |
| US08411463B2 |
Mounting apparatus for expansion card
A mounting apparatus includes a chassis, a mounting tray configured for being secured to an expansion card, and an expansion piece configured for securing the expansion card. The chassis includes a front plate. The mounting tray includes a front panel secured to the front plate, and a side panel connected to the front panel. A stopper piece is located on the front plate, and a clipping hole is defined on an end near to the front plate of the side plate. A flange and an inserting portion are positioned on opposite ends of the expansion piece, wherein the flange is secured to the stopper piece, and the inserting portion is inserted into the clipping hole. |
| US08411461B2 |
Mounting apparatus for expansion cards
A mounting apparatus for mounting an expansion card with a cover plate to a rear panel includes a retaining member fixed to the rear panel, and a pressing member slidably attached to the retaining member. The pressing member can be slid down to press the cover plate of the expansion card. The pressing member can be slid up to release the cover plate of the expansion card. |
| US08411454B2 |
Power converter
A capacitor module in which the structure of a connecting portion is highly resistant against vibration and has a low inductance. The capacitor module includes a plurality of capacitors and a laminate made up of a first wide conductor and a second wide conductor joined in a layered form with an insulation sheet interposed between the first and second wide conductors. The laminate comprises a first flat portion including the plurality of capacitors which are supported thereon and electrically connected thereto, a second flat portion continuously extending from the first flat portion while being bent, and connecting portions formed at ends of the first flat portion and the second flat portion and electrically connected to the exterior. |
| US08411452B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus comprises a body chassis to which a cabinet is fastened by a screw, the screw is screwed from outside of the cabinet into a boss made of synthetic resin on the body chassis to pass through the boss, the body chassis is provided with a component having a metal surface arranged thereon, and the screw includes a tip opposed to the metal surface of the component. The body chassis is provided with a grounded metal plate arranged thereon, on which a projection intervening between the tip of the screw and the metal surface of the component is formed, the projection includes a through-hole through which the tip of the screw can pass, and the smallest gap length between inner peripheral surface of the through-hole and the screw is set to be smaller than the smallest gap length between the metal surface of the component and the screw. |
| US08411450B2 |
Electronic device package, module, and electronic device
The present invention is directed to provide a semiconductor package and the like realizing reduced manufacturing cost and improved reliability by enhancing a ground line and/or a power supply line. A semiconductor package 50 includes: a semiconductor device 1 including a circuit face on which an external electrode is formed; an insertion substrate 2 forming a housing part in which the semiconductor device 1 is disposed; and an interposer substrate 5 including a wiring pattern 7 and whose both ends are bent along the insertion substrate 2. The insertion substrate 2 is made of a conductive material and is electrically connected to a ground line or a power supply line in the wiring pattern 7 in the interposer substrate 5. |
| US08411445B1 |
Enclosure for outside plant equipment with interconnect for mating printed circuit boards, printed circuit board device and method of repairing outside plant equipment
An enclosure for outside plant equipment includes a base unit and first Printed Circuit Board (PCB) carried by the base unit and having a circuit side and opposing component side on which electronic components are mounted. A heat sink is connected to the first PCB at the circuit side and configured to dissipate heat from any electronic components mounted on the first PCB at the component side. A cover is attached to the base unit and has an inside surface covering the enclosure. A second PCB has a circuit side and opposing component side on which electronic components are mounted. The second PCB is supported by the inside surface of the cover. A heat sink is connected to the second circuit board at the circuit side and configured to dissipate heat from any electronic components mounted on the second PCB. A PCB finger connector interconnects the first and second PCB's at the component side. |
| US08411444B2 |
Thermal interface material application for integrated circuit cooling
Techniques provide improved thermal interface material application in an assembly associated with an integrated circuit package. For example, an apparatus comprises an integrated circuit module, a printed circuit board, and a heat transfer device. The integrated circuit module is mounted on a first surface of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board has at least one thermal interface material application via formed therein in alignment with the integrated circuit module. The heat transfer device is mounted on a second surface of the printed circuit board and is thermally coupled to the integrated circuit module. The second surface of the printed circuit board is opposite to the first surface of the printed circuit board. |
| US08411442B2 |
Vias in substrate between IC seat and peripheral thermal cage
With infrared (IR) sensors, repeatability and accuracy can become an issue when there are thermal gradients between the sensor and an underlying printed circuit board (PCB). Conventionally, a large thermal mass is included in the sensor packaging to reduce the effect from such thermal gradients, but this increase costs and size of the sensor. Here, however, a PCB is provided that includes an isothermal cage included therein that generally ensures that the temperature of the underlying PCB and sensor are about the same by including structural features (namely, the isothermal cage) that generally ensure that the thermal time constant for a path from a heat source to the thermopile (which is within the sensor) is approximately the same as thermal time constants for paths through the PCB. |
| US08411441B2 |
Power converter
A casing houses: semiconductor modules constituting a main circuit for power conversion; a capacitor electrically connected to the main circuit; drive circuits that provide the main circuit with a drive signal used in power conversion operation; a control circuit that provides the drive circuit with a control signal used to prompt the drive circuit to provide the drive signal. Within the casing, a cooling chamber including a coolant passage is formed, and a chamber wall of the cooling chamber is formed with a thermally conductive material. At least the semiconductor modules are housed inside the cooling chamber, and at least the capacitor and the control circuit are disposed outside the cooling chamber. |
| US08411437B2 |
Electronic device having fan duct
An exemplary fan duct includes a top plate, two sidewalls and a baffle. The sidewalls extend from opposite ends of the top plate. The baffle engages with the top plate and is located between the two sidewalls. The baffle includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the first end pivotably engages with the top plate, and the baffle rotates about the first end to make the second end engage with the top plate or one of the sidewalls. |
| US08411436B2 |
Heat sink assembly container
A heat sink assembly is packaged by placing the heat sink assembly in a container. The container is secured within a hard disk drive cage. |
| US08411432B1 |
System, apparatus and method for tiered shock solution
Embodiments of a tiered damping solution to protect a computer system from shock are disclosed. More specifically, in one embodiment at an external level the computer system may be protected from a shock and vibration by the use of dampeners which may be located on the chassis of the computer system to cover possible contact points. The devices are isolated from remaining shock or vibration by utilizing isolating materials at points where the device mounts to, or otherwise contacts, the chassis. Within the device itself another tier of protection may serve to protect components within a device by isolating the components from the points at which the component mounts to, or otherwise contacts, the device. |
| US08411431B2 |
Electronic device having heat dissipation airflow path
An exemplary electronic device includes a cover, a motherboard and a driving module both disposed at an inner side of the cover, an electronic component fixed on the motherboard, and a fan duct mounted on the motherboard and covering the electronic component. The driving module has a rotating shaft for supportively driving an optical disk rotating. The fan duct guides hot air therein toward the driving module. |
| US08411430B2 |
EMI shielding device and fixing apparatus for hard disk drive having same
An electromagnetic interference shielding device includes a frame, two first shielding members, and two second shielding members. The first shielding members respectively extend forwards from top and bottom sides of the frame. Each first shielding member includes an elongated first plate, and a number of longitudinally spaced first engaging portions protruding from an outer side of the first plate. The second shielding members are slidably and respectively coupled to front sides of the first shielding members. Each second shielding member includes an elongated second plate, and a number of longitudinally spaced second engaging portions protruding from an outer side of the second plate. The second shielding members are slid relative to the corresponding first shielding members, to allow the second engaging portions of the second shielding members to respectively align with or stagger from the first engaging portions of the corresponding first shielding members. |
| US08411423B2 |
Keypad assembly and electronic device using the same
A keypad assembly includes a keycap, fixing bracket, and at least one fixing member. The fixing member fixes the keypad to the fixing bracket. The fixing bracket includes a frame, a fixing portion located on a middle portion of the frame, and at least two resilient portions. The resilient portions interconnect the frame and the fixing portions. The keycap fixes on the fixing portion. The resilient portions are capable of elastically deforming and generating elastic restoring force to the keycap. |
| US08411421B2 |
Open-close type compact electronic device
An open-close type compact electronic device includes a first housing and a second housing connected so that they can move relative to each other. The first housing is provided with a first display on its front surface while the second housing is provided with a second display on its front surface. The first and second housings can move relative to each other between a closed state where a front surface of the first display is covered by the second housing while a front surface of the second display is exposed and an open state where the front surfaces of the first and second displays are arranged on generally the same plane to be exposed. The first and second housings include respective contact surfaces, which are pressed against each other in the open state, thereby maintaining a posture of the second housing relative to the first housing. |
| US08411420B2 |
Electronic device assembly with two-part bracket
An electronic device assembly includes an electronic device and a bracket holding the electronic device. The bracket includes a first supporting seat defined a first receiving groove therein and a second supporting seat defined a second receiving groove therein. The first supporting seat is disengagably attachable to the second supporting seat according to either of two selectable arrangements. In a first one of the arrangements, the first receiving groove and the second receiving groove cooperatively define a first receiving chamber having a first width for holding the electronic device in a first orientation. In a second one of the arrangements, the first receiving groove and the second receiving groove cooperatively define a second receiving chamber having a second width for holding the electronic device in a second orientation. |
| US08411416B2 |
Surface mount electronic component and method for manufacturing the same
A surface mount electronic component includes an element, an anode terminal, a cathode terminal, and an outer package body. The element has a configuration including an anode, and a cathode formed on a part of the surface of the anode via a dielectric substance. An anode terminal is electrically connected to the anode, and a cathode terminal is electrically connected to the cathode. The outer package body covers an element laminated body such that a part of the anode terminal and a part of the cathode terminal are exposed. The outer package body is made of a norbornene resin. Thus, an electronic component having high reliability can be achieved. |
| US08411415B2 |
Non-thermofusible phenol resin powder, method for producing the same, thermosetting resin composition, sealing material for semiconductor, and adhesive for semiconductor
Disclosed is a non-thermofusible phenol resin powder having an average particle diameter of not more than 20 μm and a single particle ratio of not less than 0.7. This non-thermofusible phenol resin powder preferably has a chlorine content of not more than 500 ppm. This non-thermofusible phenol resin powder is useful as an organic filler for sealing materials for semiconductors and adhesives for semiconductors. The non-thermofusible phenol resin powder is also useful as a precursor of functional carbon materials such as a molecular sieve carbon and a carbon electrode material. |
| US08411411B2 |
Thin-film capacitor
To provide a thin-film capacitor capable of preventing the degradation of electrical characteristics caused by direct contact between an adhesion layer of a terminal electrode and a dielectric layer, to increase the reliability. The thin-film capacitor comprises: a dielectric layer deposited on a base electrode; an upper electrode layer deposited on the dielectric layer; a terminal electrode including an adhesion layer, a seed layer, and a plating layer; a resin layer for wiring provided between the upper electrode layer and the terminal electrode for isolating the upper electrode layer from the terminal electrode; and a wiring layer provided so as to extend through the resin layer for wiring in contact with the adhesion layer for electrically connecting the upper electrode layer and the terminal electrode, wherein a composition of the wiring layer differs from that of the adhesion layer of the terminal electrode, and wherein a reducing power of the wiring layer to the dielectric layer is smaller than that of the adhesion layer. |
| US08411408B2 |
Electrostatic chuck
Provided is an electrostatic chuck (8) of self power supply type, which is capable of supplying power while generating power to be used by an attraction electrode (3) during processing of a substrate. The electrostatic chuck (8) attracts and holds a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus (11) that processes the substrate while generating optical energy. The electrostatic chuck (8) includes: an electrode sheet (5) including an attraction electrode (3); a metal base (1) having the electrode sheet (5) laminated on an upper surface side thereof; an internal power supply for obtaining power to be supplied to the attraction electrode (3); and a voltage boost circuit (7) for boosting voltage of the power obtained by the internal power supply. The internal power supply includes a solar cell (6), and converts the optical energy into the power during the processing of the substrate, to thereby cause the electrode sheet (5) to attract and hold the substrate. |
| US08411407B2 |
Reversible flow electrohydrodynamic fluid accelerator
Reversible flow may be provided in certain EHD device configurations that selectively energize corona discharge electrodes arranged to motivate flows in generally opposing directions. In some embodiments, a first set of one or more corona discharge electrodes is positioned, relative to a first array of collector electrode surfaces, to when energized, motivate flow in a first direction, while second set of one or more corona discharge electrodes is positioned, relative to a second array of collector electrode surfaces, to when energized, motivate flow in a second direction that opposes the first. In some embodiments, the first and second arrays of collector electrode surfaces are opposing surfaces of individual collector electrodes. In some embodiments, the first and second arrays of collector electrode surfaces are opposing surfaces of respective collector electrodes. |
| US08411405B2 |
Device for electrically discharging samples of an electrically nonconductive liquid
A device 10 for electrically discharging samples of an electrically non-conductive liquid includes an electrically conductive outer member 12, an electrically conductive inner member 14 disposed within the outer member 12, an electrically conductive rod 16 with upper and lower plugs 18 and 19 secured thereto to maintain a non-conductive fluid in the device 10, non-conductive handles 20 and 22 secured to the outer and inner members 12 and 14, and an electrically conductive ground cable 26 detachably secured to the rod 16 to ultimately remove or reduce static charge in the electrically non-conductive liquid via the liquid engaging the outer member 12, inner member 14 and rod 16, which are electrically grounded via the cable 26. |
| US08411402B2 |
Arrangement and a method for cooling
An arrangement for cooling a high voltage converter including a major loop with a pump for making a coolant liquid to pass power semiconductor devices of the converter and a heat exchanger for lowering the temperature of the coolant liquid before passing the power semiconductor devices again. An extra loop is connected to the major loop. The extra loop has a cooling apparatus containing a volume of a cooling medium and adapted to cool the medium to a temperature substantially lower than the temperature of the coolant liquid after having passed the heat exchanger in the major loop. A control unit is adapted to divert at least a part of the coolant liquid to flow through the extra loop when the need of cooling the power semiconductor devices of the converter is extremely high. |
| US08411393B2 |
Electrical lap guides and methods of using the same
An electrical lap guide having a first layer, the first layer including a material having a first resistivity, the first layer having first and second contact regions for electrically connecting the electrical lap guide to electrical leads; a second layer, the second layer including a material having a second resistivity, wherein the electrical lapping guide has a lapping axis and a layered axis, the layered axis being perpendicular to the lapping axis, the electrical lapping guide has an air bearing plane, the air bearing plane being perpendicular to the lapping axis, the second layer is disposed adjacent to a portion of the first layer in the direction of the layered axis, and the first layer extends farther in the lapping axis than does the second layer. |
| US08411388B2 |
Partial rib extending from a hub
A hard disk drive and a disk base are disclosed with the disk base including a first face configured to form a disk cavity for the spindle motor, disk(s) and a voice coil motor and a second face configured to couple with a controller Printed Circuit Board (PCB) including at least one integrated circuit. Both faces are include a hub for mounting the spindle motor and surrounded by an outer wall. The first face and/or the second face include at least one partial rib extending from the hub or the outer wall partway to the other. The partial ribs are configured to position the integrated circuit and stiffen the disk base and hard disk drive from mechanical shocks, such as dropping the unit including the hard disk drive. A handheld device is disclosed including at least one of the disclosed hard disk drives with improved reliability to mechanical shocks. |
| US08411381B2 |
Lens barrel
A lens barrel includes a lens frame which is movable while supporting a lens; and a restriction portion configured to restrict movement of the lens frame by contacting the lens frame. The lens frame and the restriction portion contact each other at a plurality of points. |
| US08411379B2 |
Optical device and associated methods
An optical device includes a transparent substrate, a first replicated refractive surface on a first surface of the substrate in a first material, and a second replicated refractive surface on a second surface, opposite the first surface, and made of a second material, different from the first material. The material and curvature of the first replicated surface and the material and curvature of the second replicated surface may be configured to substantially reduce the chromatic dispersion and/or the thermal sensitivity of the optical device. |
| US08411378B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus equipped with same
A zoom lens includes a negative first lens unit G1 and a positive second lens unit G2. The second lens unit G2 includes first and second cemented lens components that are arranged adjacent to each other. The first and second cemented lens components are each made up of a plurality of lens elements having different refractive indices and different Abbe constants. The image side surface of the first cemented lens component and the object side surface of the second cemented lens component are both concave surfaces. |
| US08411367B2 |
Image forming optical system and electronic image pickup apparatus using the same
A zoom lens including, in order from the object side to the image side, a first lens group including a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, an image side lens group having a positive refractive power, wherein the distance between the first lens group and the second lens group changes during zooming, and a refractive optical element A, which has a positive refractive power when its object side surface and image side surface are exposed to air, is provided in the first lens group and located closest to the object side in the first lens group, and the refractive optical element A is cemented together with an optical element B. The Abbe constant νd and the relative partial dispersion θgF of the refractive optical element A satisfies certain conditions. |
| US08411366B2 |
Optical probe and optical system therefor
An optical probe and an optical system therefor are provided. The optical probe is includes a housing configured to house the optical system and the housing has a transparent window therein. the optical system includes a light emitting unit, a collimation lens, and a focusing lens. A numerical aperture of the optical system is adjustable by adjusting a pupil diameter of the collimation lens and a focal length of the focusing lens. The pupil diameter of the collimation lens is adjustable based on a variable focal lens or by adjusting a distance between the collimation lens and the light emitting unit. |
| US08411365B2 |
Image-pickup display device having optical element provided with diffraction element portion
An image-pickup display device includes an optical system which guides lights from a display element 1 to an exit pupil 3 and from an external to an image-pickup element 2. The optical system includes an optical element 10 which is filled with a medium having a refractive index larger than 1. The optical element includes a first surface 7 at an external side and includes a diffraction element portion 13. The optical system guides the light from the display element to the exit pupil via reflection on a second surface 5 and the first surface and via transmission on the second surface, and diffracts the light from the external in the diffraction element portion to be transmitted through the first surface to enter the optical element, and is reflected on the second surface to be transmitted through a third surface 5 to be guided to the image-pickup element. |
| US08411363B2 |
Plastic sheets with lenticular lens array
A lenticular sheet, in one exemplary embodiment, includes a first surface having at least two portions, an opposing second surface, and a plurality of lenticular lenses formed in the first surface. Each portion of the first surface includes a number of lenticular lenses per centimeter that is different from the number of lenticular lenses per centimeter of an adjacent portion of the first surface. |
| US08411361B2 |
Zoom lens, and optical apparatus and method for forming an image of an object using the zoom lens
A zoom lens has a plurality of lens groups which are disposed in order from an object along an optical axis, wherein among the plurality of lens groups, a first lens group, which is disposed closest to the object, has a positive refractive power, and includes an optical axis bending element for bending the optical axis, and a plurality of lens components, which are disposed closer to the object than the optical axis bending element, and the plurality of lens components include at least one positive lens that satisfies a condition of νd>50, where νd is an Abbe number, with respect to the d-line, and at least one of the lens groups disposed closer to the image than the first lens group can move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis as a shift lens group or a partial lens component(s) constituting this lens group. |
| US08411360B2 |
Polarizing film for an organic electroluminescent (EL) display, a method of making the same and an organic EL display device having the polarizing film
Provided is a continuous web of polarizing film for an organic EL display device which has a thickness of 10 μm or less and exhibits high optical characteristics. The polarizing film for an organic EL display device is made of a polyvinyl alcohol type resin having a molecularly oriented dichroic material, and formed through stretching to have a thickness of 10 μm or less and exhibit optical characteristics satisfying the following conditions: T≧42.5; and P≧99.5, wherein T is a single layer transmittance, and P is a polarization rate. The polarizing film for an organic EL display device may be prepared by subjecting a laminate comprising a non-crystallizable ester type thermoplastic resin substrate and the polyvinyl alcohol type resin layer formed on the substrate, to 2-stage stretching consisting of preliminary in-air stretching and in-boric-acid-solution stretching. |
| US08411356B2 |
Catadioptric projection objective with tilted deflecting mirrors, projection exposure apparatus, projection exposure method, and mirror
A projection objective has an object surface and an image surface. The projection objective includes a plurality of optical elements arranged along an optical axis and configured so that during operation the projection objective images a pattern arranged in the object surface onto the image surface. The optical elements include a concave mirror a first deflecting mirror and a second deflecting mirror. The first deflecting mirror is tilted relative to the optical axis by a first tilt angle, t1, about a first tilt axis so that during operation the first deflecting mirror deflects light at a wavelength λ from the object surface towards the concave mirror or deflects light at λ from the concave mirror towards the image surface. The second deflecting mirror is tilted relative to the optical axis by a second tilt angle, t2, about a second tilt axis. For a pattern including a grating having a line width of 45 nm and a pitch, p, the projection objective images the pattern to the image surface such that for a first orientation of the pattern and a second orientation of the pattern a difference, ΔHV, between the imaged line width is 1.2 nm or less for 100 nm |
| US08411354B2 |
Carrier-envelope-phase stabilization of a master oscillator optical amplifier system
A laser and amplifier combination delivers a sequence of optical pulses at a predetermined pulse-repetition frequency PRF. An interferometer generates a signal representative of the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of the pulses at intervals corresponding to the PRF. The signal includes frequency components from DC to the PRF. The signal is divided into high and low frequency ranges. The high and low frequency ranges are sent to independent high frequency and low frequency control electronics, which drive respectively a high-frequency CEP controller and a low frequency controller for stabilizing the CEP of pulses in the sequence. |
| US08411353B2 |
Quasi-phase-matched wavelength converter
There is provided an optical frequency converter comprising: an optical guiding structure having an input and an output, and comprising: a first grating portion adjacent to the input; a second grating portion adjacent to output, and a third grating between the first and second grating portion to form an apodized step-chirped grating extending between the input and the output. Each grating portion comprises a plurality of sections each comprising a plurality of segments. Each segment has a segment width and comprises a poled region having a poled width at least equal to one micron and a reversely poled region. The segment width for all of the grating portions and a duty ratio of the poled width to the segment width are constant within each section. The duty ratio increases within the first grating portion, decreases within the second grating portion, and is constant within the third grating portion. |
| US08411351B2 |
Optical differential phase-shift keyed signal demodulator
A phase-shift keyed signal demodulator and method for demodulating is disclosed. An example demodulator includes N filters that receive inputs from a splitter and include transmission functions offset from one another. N pairs of photodiodes 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. |
| US08411348B2 |
Highly electrically conductive transparent layer with a metal grid having optimized electrochemical resistance
An electroconductive layer (2) designed to be combined with a substrate having a glass function, said layer (2) being composed of a metal grid (9), characterized in that the metal grid (9) consists of a pure metal and in that it is coated with at least one electrochemical protection layer (10), especially a metal layer or a metal nitride layer. |
| US08411346B2 |
Gravity operated, rotatable lens curtain for thermal imager
A device for in-situ thermal imager calibration having a rotatable lens curtain with an aperture for the lens of a thermal imager to observe a scene. The lens curtain includes a balancing weight and blocking portion having a thermally uniform interior calibration surface that is rotatably disposed such that when the UAS is in level flight, the lens views the scene through the aperture. When the UAS is laterally rotated about its flight path, the lens curtain maintains its absolute position relative to the Earth by virtue of the balance weight and the lens rotates within the lens curtain for viewing a thermally uniform interior surface for calibration. |
| US08411344B2 |
Electrical control light valve apparatus having liquid metal
The present invention discloses an electrical control light valve apparatus having liquid gallium. The invention comprises the transparent glass as a substrate, ITO transparent conductive film as the electrodes, the liquid gallium as the valve located on the ITO transparent conductive film, and the partial-transparent glass is located on the top of the electrical control light valve apparatus. |
| US08411342B2 |
Light scanning unit and image forming apparatus
Provided are a light scanning unit and an image forming apparatus including the light scanning unit. The light scanning unit can include a source, a deflector, and an optical imaging system. The deflector can deflect the light generated by the source. The optical imaging system can form the deflected light into an image on a photosensitive medium and can have a first and second optical imaging lenses collectively configured: to have the functionality of an f-theta lens. The optical imaging system can be such that a first ratio (k/fm) is between about 0.81 and about 0.88, and a second ratio (fm/fm1) is between about 0.6 and about 0.91, where k is an f-theta scanning coefficient of the optical imaging system, fm is a main scanning focal distance of the optical imaging system, and fm1 is a main scanning focal distance of the first optical imaging lens. |
| US08411341B2 |
Actuator, optical scanner, and image forming device
An actuator includes: a first oscillatory system including a frame-shaped driving member and a pair of first axial members holding the driving member from both ends so as to allow the driving member to rotate around an X-axis; a second oscillatory system including a movable plate provided inside the driving member and a pair of second axial members holding the movable plate to the driving member from both ends so as to allow the movable plate to rotate around a Y-axis perpendicular to the X axis; and a driving unit including a permanent magnet provided on the driving member, a coil provided so as to face the permanent magnet, a voltage applying unit applying a voltage to the coil, and the permanent magnet has a relief section to avoid making contact with the movable plate. |
| US08411326B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for using selected correction table based on divided area of a recording medium
The image forming apparatus includes: an area tone setting device which sets an arbitrary tone correction table for each of image forming areas obtained by dividing a recording medium into a plurality of areas; a tone correction table storage device which stores tone correction tables set respectively for the image forming areas by the area tone setting device; an area judgment device which judges the image forming areas on which respective pixels constituting input image data are to be printed; a tone correction table selection device which selects from the tone correction table storage device one of the tone correction tables corresponding to the image forming area judged by the area judgment device; and a tone correction device which performs tone correction of each pixel constituting the input image data, using the tone correction table selected by the tone correction table selection device. |
| US08411324B2 |
Selection of exposure intensity and cleaning field intensity setpoints for optimum line width using sensor reading
Line width of images marked by an image marking device is adjusted by reading a calibration patch marked by the marking device, and then adjusting one or more settings of the marking device, such as exposure intensity or cleaning field intensity, independent of the digital control of the tone reproduction curve so that the line width of subsequently marked images becomes closer to a target value. A digital control may be implemented to compensate for the impact of the modification of the one or more settings on the tone reproduction curve. |
| US08411322B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, image processing method and recording medium on which image processing program is recorded
An image processing apparatus that is capable of determining a document size with high accuracy, even when a device for detecting the document size is not placed therein and an input operation of the document size by a user is eliminated is provided. A page background determining section extracts candidates for page backgrounds from input document image data and determines the number of page background types. A white pixel counting section counts the number of white pixels from input document image data. A document size determining section determines the document size of the input document image data, based on the number of page background types determined by the page background determining section, a page background density value which is the lowest density value in one or a plurality of page background areas determined to be page backgrounds, and the number of white pixels extracted by the white pixel counting section. |
| US08411320B2 |
Image forming apparatus performing color shift correction process on binary data
In the image forming apparatus, a color shift correction execution check unit detects positions of density correction patches of respective colors according to binary signals of density detection outputs by a density sensor on the density correction patches. When distances corresponding to intervals of time from starts of image drawing of the density correction patches of the respective colors to the detection of the positions of the density correction patches of the respective colors and distances between the density correction patches of the respective colors are shifted from a value, the color shift correction execution check unit determines color shift correction processing is required to be executed, and it gives an instruction to a color shift correction control unit to execute the color shift correction processing. And the color shift correction control unit forms a color shift correction patch to execute the color shift correction processing. |
| US08411319B2 |
Methods and systems for concurrent rendering of graphic-list elements
Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently. |
| US08411316B2 |
Method and apparatus for printing images comprising individual information corresponding to face recognition information on second side of sheet of printing paper
An apparatus and method of printing a personal image including at least one person, and individual information corresponding to the person or location information of a place in which the personal image was captured, on respective sides of a sheet of printing paper. The apparatus and method can print the image and individual information by providing an image file comprising a personal image including at least one person and face recognition information of the person to a printing apparatus, printing the personal image on a first side of the sheet of printing paper, and printing individual information corresponding to the face recognition information on a second side of the sheet of printing paper. |
| US08411314B2 |
Image forming apparatus for forming an image by transferring an image onto an intermediate transfer member, image forming method, and storage medium
Controlling an image forming apparatus includes transferring an image of a first page onto an intermediate transfer member, determining whether the image of a second page, which follows, can be transferred side by side with the image of the first page during a time period in which the intermediate transfer member is rotated to a transfer position for the image of the second page, controlling, if a result of the determination is negative and predetermined information has been received, the image of the second page to be transferred side by side with the image of the first page after rotating the intermediate transfer member at least one revolution, and controlling, if the predetermined information has not been received, the transferred image of the first page to be transferred onto the sheet, without transferring the image of the second page side by side with the transferred image of the first page. |
| US08411311B2 |
Image processor
An image processor is connectable with a storing medium storing at least one set of still image data each corresponding to a still image and at least one set of moving image data each including a plurality of sets of frame image data corresponding to a plurality of frame images. An extracting unit extracts at least one set of frame image data from the plurality of frame image data sets of each moving image data set. A layout order determining unit determines a layout order of still images each corresponding to the still image data sets and frame images each corresponding to the frame image data set extracted by the extracting unit according to a predetermined criterion. An output unit outputs an image list with the still images and the frame images laid out therein in the layout order determined by the layout order determining unit. |
| US08411310B2 |
Methods and systems for scanning and processing an image using the error diffusion screening technology
Disclosed is a method for scanning and processing an image using the error diffusion screening technology, comprising: (1) scanning each pixel Mi of an nth line in an original image one by one and then storing a scanning result of the pixel Mi to an ith storage location; and (2) processing the stored result of the pixel Mi by using error diffusion and scanning pixels of an n+1th line in the original image until all pixels of the nth line have been processed and all pixels in the n+1th line have been scanned and stored, wherein once processing for the pixel Mi is completed, a scanning result of a pixel of the n+1th line is stored to the ith storage location previously occupied by the pixel Mi. Based on the method, the capacity for storing is only required to be able to store the data of one line in an image in the scanning direction, which saves the storage for bidirectional scanning. The method can optimize the hardware used to implement error diffusion and improve the operating efficiency. Also disclosed is a system for achieving the method. |
| US08411304B2 |
Method and system for automatic sharing and custom user interface features in a fleet of multi-function devices
A method and system for enabling automatic service sharing and custom user interface features in a fleet of multi-function devices. EIP (Extensible Interface Platform) services can be registered via a peer-to-peer discovery subsystem associated with a multi-function device grid infrastructure. EIP service registration information can be submitted and stored in the grid infrastructure. The multi-function devices can be equipped with an enterprise EIP client, which can query the discovery subsystem and apply a corporate policy. The discovery subsystem detects the optimal instance of the service based on loading and availability factors and then returns a reference with respect to the services that allows access to enhanced services. Such an approach enables a fleet of multi-function devices to dynamically discover EIP services and auto populate service options to provide increased capability, reduced complexity, and improved speed. |
| US08411298B2 |
Methods and systems for printing device load-balancing
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for providing load-balancing in cluster printing environments. Embodiments may operate in conjunction with journalled print files, pre-processed, printer-ready print files and other file types. Some embodiments provide load-balanced cluster printing through a printer-independent, driver-independent print system component. |
| US08411293B2 |
Method and program for custom spool page printing
A method and a printer for post-submission and post-rendering custom spooled page printing of a raw print file sent directly to the printer without a printer driver or print application. Embodiments of the method and printer implement a process that includes the steps of sending a raw print file directly to a printer and the printer receiving the raw print file for direct printing, rendering the raw print file by the printer's interpreter, after all pages of the raw print file are spooled, pausing the printer's print engine, providing page printing options on the printer's control panel to allow a user to select pages to be printed, and after receiving the user's page selection, starting the print engine to print only the pages selected by the user. |
| US08411286B2 |
Device for measuring static tilt angle of voice coil motor
The present disclosure relates to a device for measuring a static tilt angle of a voice coil motor. The voice coil motor includes a movable part for coupling to a lens barrel. The device includes a laser transmitter and receiver, a fixture opposite to a surface of the laser transmitter and receiver, a reflective component on the movable part, and a processor electrically connected to the laser transmitter and receiver. |
| US08411285B2 |
Stationing an unleveled optical total station
A method of stationing an unleveled optical total station includes placing the unleveled optical total station at a first station. At the first station, positions of at least three non-collinear measurement points in an instrument coordinate system are determined using the unleveled optical total station. The method also includes obtaining positions of the at least three non-collinear measurement points in a local coordinate system. A transformation is computed between the instrument coordinate system and the local coordinate system using the positions of the at least three non-collinear measurement points in the instrument coordinate system and the positions of the at least three non-collinear measurement points in the local coordinate system. |
| US08411284B2 |
Method for simultaneous hue phase-shifting and system for 3-D surface profilometry using the same
The present invention provides a method for simultaneous hue phase-shifting and a system for 3-D surface profilometry, wherein a single structured-light fringe pattern with encoded multiple trapezoidal color fringes is projected on an object so as to obtain a color image having deformed fringe patterns and then a hue information extracted from a HSI color model associated with the fringe pattern is transformed into a hue phase-shifting information for restructuring the 3-D surface profile of the object. Since the color structured light is composed of a plurality of colorful light having phase shifts with each other in spatial domain, the single structured-light pattern comprises multiple hue phase-shifting information so that the phase shifting and unwrapping can be performed by one-shot 3-D surface reconstruction process without needs of traditional conventional phase wrapping and Euler's transformation procedures such that the efficiency of phase shifting and 3-D surface measurement can be improved. |
| US08411283B2 |
Method for the measurement of the stock of a gear
A method for the measurement of the stock of a gear with an axis of rotation which has to be finished in the hardened state, wherein the gear has a gearing with a plurality of teeth at its outer and/or inner circumference and wherein the teeth have, compared with the finished geometry, a stock on their tooth flanks. To carry out a reliable measurement of the stock the invention proposes that the position of the surface of the tooth flank with the stock is detected by using optical distance measurement by means of a distance sensor, wherein a light beam is directed by the distance sensor onto the surface, wherein the light beam is guided onto the surface in such a way that it is perpendicular to the axis of rotation or that it is parallel to this direction. |
| US08411282B2 |
On-chip phase microscope/beam profiler based on differential interference contrast and/or surface plasmon assisted interference
A differential interference contrast (DIC) determination device and method utilizes an illumination source, a layer having a pair of two apertures that receive illumination from the illumination source, and a photodetector to receive Young's interference from the illumination passing through the pair of two apertures. In addition, a surface wave assisted optofluidic microscope and method utilize an illumination source, a fluid channel having a layer with at least one aperture as a surface, and a photodetector that receives a signal based on the illumination passing through the aperture. The layer is corrugated (e.g., via fabrication) and parameters of the corrugation optimize the signal received on the photodetector. |
| US08411281B2 |
Fabry-perot interferometer having an increased spectral band
A Fabry-Perot interferometer includes a fixed mirror structure and a movable mirror structure. The fixed mirror structure has a fixed mirror in a spectral region. The movable mirror structure includes a membrane spaced from the fixed mirror structure. The membrane has a movable mirror in the spectral region and multiple springs arranged one inside the other around the spectral region. A spring constant of the inner spring is less than a spring constant of the outer spring. One of the fixed mirror structure and the membrane has multiple electrodes, and the other of the fixed mirror structure and the membrane has at least one electrode that is paired with the electrodes to form opposing electrode pairs arranged one inside the other around the spectral region. The number of the opposing electrode pairs is equal to the number of the springs. |
| US08411278B2 |
Measurement of small accelerations by optical weak value amplification
An accelerometer instrument is provided for measuring acceleration. The instrument includes a laser, a Mach-Zender interferometer (MZI), a mechanical spring, a detector, a camera, and an analyzer. The laser emits a coherent light beam of photons. The MZI includes first and second beam-splitters along with first and second mirrors. The first mirror has an established mass m and connects to the spring for vibrating substantially perpendicular to its reflection plane. The mechanical spring has an established spring constant k. The MZI has an established weak measurement Nw based on a known offset ε for the beam-splitters. The detector detects the beam beyond the second beam-splitter. The camera provides a pointer measurement shift δq of the photons. The camera is disposed after the detector. The analyzer determines the acceleration α based on a = ( k mN w ) δ q . |
| US08411274B2 |
Microelectronic sensor device for optical examinations on a wetted surface
A method and a microelectronic sensor device for making optical examinations in an investigation region at the contact surface of a carrier, wherein an input light beam is sent from a light source towards the investigation region, and wherein an output light beam coming from the investigation region is detected by a light detector. An evaluation unit that is coupled to the light detector is adapted to determine the wetting grade of the investigation region based on a characteristic parameter of the output light beam. The evaluation unit may be adapted to determine a change in the light intensity caused by a liquid contacting the contact surface. The wetting grade may be detected in a test region that is located adjacent to the investigation region and that has a higher roughness than the investigation region. |
| US08411266B2 |
Measurement of particles in liquid using reflected light
An improved cassette for detecting and quantifying particles in a liquid is provided. A sample volume of a liquid is held by a housing with an inlet and an outlet for the liquid. Light is emitted across the sample volume and reflected creating a doubled length of the optical path in the sample volume. The probability of detecting particles is increased and the measurement is improved. The housing reduces noise due to air bubbles and improves sensitivity of detection of particles in the liquid sample. |
| US08411264B2 |
Method and apparatus for inspecting defects
An apparatus for inspecting a substrate surface is provided, which includes illumination optics for irradiating the substrate surface linearly with rectilinearly polarized light from an oblique direction, detection optics for acquiring images of the substrate surface, each of the images being formed by the light scattered from the light-irradiated substrate surface, and means for comparing an image selected as an inspection image from the plurality of substrate surface images that the detection optics has acquired to detect defects, and another image selected from the plural images of the substrate surface as a reference image different from the inspection image; the illumination optics being formed with polarization control means for controlling a polarizing direction of the light according to a particular scanning direction of the substrate or a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction. |
| US08411261B2 |
System for determining the length of an optical fiber unwound from/remaining on a storage reel particularly housed in an underwater weapon
A system is provided that determines the length of an optical fiber unwound from or remaining on at least one storage reel. The fiber is used as a medium for transmitting information between a weapon and an underwater vehicle, from which the weapon was fired. The determination system measures the backscattered light power in the fiber, analyzes this power signal in order to detect a backscattered light power discontinuity that corresponds to the location of the fiber where the fiber leaves the reel, localizes this location along the fiber, and determines from this localization and from the length of fiber initially wound on the reel, the length of fiber unwound from or remaining on the reel. |
| US08411258B2 |
Systems and methods for determining position using light sources
A positioning system and method for determining a coordinate of an object may comprise a positioning transmitter system and a positioning receiver system. The positioning transmitter system includes at least four light sources and a master anchor to modulate the light sources to emit modulated light signals each having a modulation frequency. The positioning receiver system comprises a lens to focus the light signals onto an optical sensor, an envelope detector to receive a signal from the optical sensors and provide output signals corresponding to the modulation frequency, and positioning detection circuitry. The positioning detection circuitry receives calibration data; determines at least four phase difference of arrival (PDOA) pairs based on the output signals from the envelope detector; determines at least four phase corrected PDOA pairs based on the calibration data and the PDOA pairs; determines at least four linear distance differences based on the phase corrected PDOA pairs; and determines the coordinate of the object based on the linear distance differences and the calibration data. |
| US08411255B2 |
Pattern forming method
A method of forming a pattern with dots or holes arranged in a two-dimensional period by illuminating, with illumination light, a mask having a light-shielding portion pattern on a translucent substrate, and performing projection and exposure of an object to be exposed through a projection optical system. The illumination light is an effective light source of multipole illumination. A first exposure process is performed with the mask placed at a first position relative to the object to be exposed, and a second exposure process is performed with the mask placed at a second position. The mask has line patterns having lines with a line width a [m] arranged in parallel at a pitch of P. The line patterns are arranged in a mesh such that the line patterns intersect one another at 60° in three directions, and the illumination light is an effective light source of hexapole illumination. The second exposure process is performed, after the first exposure process, with the mask placed at a second position displaced from the first position by 2P/3 [m] in a direction perpendicular to any line of the line patterns. A third exposure process is performed, after the second exposure process, with the mask placed at a third position further displaced from the second position by 2P/3 [m] in the direction, to thereby form a dot pattern in a two-dimensional period having a pitch of P/3 [m]. |
| US08411253B2 |
Computer readable medium and exposure method
A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions which cause a computer to execute processing steps that calculate a light intensity distribution formed on an image plane of a projection optical system. When executed, the medium causes a computer to execute the steps of dividing an effective light source into the plurality of areas, generating, for each of the plurality of areas, a plurality of shifted pupil functions by shifting a pupil function in accordance with a position of each of divided point sources, defining, for each of the plurality of areas, a matrix including the plurality of pupil functions, calculating, for each of the plurality of areas, eigenvalues and eigenfunctions by performing singular value decomposition of the matrix, and calculating, for each of the plurality of areas, the light intensity distribution based on a diffracted light distribution from the mask and the eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions. |
| US08411251B2 |
Optical element and illumination optics for microlithography
The disclosure relates to an optical element and illumination optics for microlithography. The optical element can be configured to influence a nominal beam angle, preset over a beam cross-section, of a radiation beam hitting the optical element. Moreover, the disclosure relates to an illumination optics for the microlithography with at least one such optical element and an illumination system for the microlithography with such an illumination optics. |
| US08411248B2 |
Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method
An exposure apparatus is provided which can supply and collect a liquid in a prescribed state, and that can suppress degradation of a pattern image projected onto a substrate. The exposure apparatus is provided with a nozzle member (70) having a supply outlet (12) that supplies a liquid (LQ) and a collection inlet (22) that collects a liquid (LQ), and a vibration isolating mechanism (60) that supports the nozzle member (70) and vibrationally isolates the nozzle member (70) from a lower side step part (7) of a main column (1). |
| US08411247B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and positioning apparatus
A lithographic apparatus includes a movable first object, and a heat exchanger including a heat exchanging body, the heat exchanging body including a material with electro-caloric or magneto-caloric properties and configured to affect the temperature of the first object by exchanging heat with the movable first object, and a generator configured to supply an electromagnetic field to the heat exchanging body to change the temperature of the heat exchanging body in order to cool or heat the first object. |
| US08411243B2 |
Display device
A display device is provided and includes pixel electrodes, each including a plurality of electrode sections which are arranged parallel to each other. Each electrode section is bent approximately in the middle along its extension direction in plan view. The pixel electrodes include a center connection portion adapted to connect together the electrode sections at their bent portions, and include end connection portions adapted to connect together the electrode sections at their end portions, and include protruding portions each of which is formed by extending the end connection portion in such a manner as to protrude from the arranged electrode sections. The display device also includes a substrate on which the pixel electrodes are arranged, an opposed substrate provided to face the side of the substrate on which the pixel electrodes are formed, and a liquid crystal layer filled and sealed between the substrate and opposed substrate. |
| US08411241B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a sheet-like first electrode formed of a transparent conductive film, a first insulator formed to cover the sheet-like first electrode, a plurality of linear second electrodes formed by a transparent conductive film on the first insulator so as to overlap the sheet-like first electrode, and a second insulator formed on the first insulator so as to cover the plurality of linear second electrodes. The first substrate and the second substrate interpose liquid crystal therebetween and are arranged to be opposed to each other. The sheet-like first electrode, the first insulator, and the plurality of linear second electrodes are provided in a pixel region on a surface of the first substrate of a side of the liquid crystal. The second insulator is made of the same material as the first insulator. |
| US08411240B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of driving liquid crystal display device
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, scanning lines, signal lines, pixel switches, first electrodes, a scanning line drive circuit, a second electrode, a voltage supply wiring, a control mechanism, a first switching mechanism, a second switching mechanism, and an output timing switching mechanism. The output timing switching mechanism is configured to simultaneously output a second scanning signal of switching the pixel switch into conductive state to the scanning lines, based on the control signal. |
| US08411238B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and process for production thereof
To provide a liquid crystal display panel that has high contrast and reduced display deficiency, a liquid crystal display panel of the present invention includes: a pair of substrates (1) and (2) facing each other; and a liquid crystal layer (3) sandwiched between the pair of substrates (1) and (2), the pair of substrates (1) and (2) being provided with a pair of respective alignment films (4) and (5) formed thereon and facing each other, the pair of alignment films (4) and (5) being provided with respective polymer films (6) and (7) formed thereon and each made of a monomer in the liquid crystal layer (3), the pair of alignment films (4) and (5) containing a macromolecular compound having a functional group represented by at least one of General Formulae (1) through (5), the liquid crystal layer (3) containing a polymerizable monomer represented by at least one of General Formulae (6) through (8), the polymer films (6) and (7) each being (i) made of the polymerizable monomer represented by at least one of General Formulae (6) through (8) and (ii) bonded to the functional group represented by at least one of General Formulae (1) through (5). |
| US08411237B2 |
Liquid crystal device, method of manufacturing liquid crystal device, and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal device includes display pixels corresponding to at least a color of white or non-coloring and one color different from the color of white or non-coloring. Each of the display pixels corresponding to one color have a transmissive region and a reflective region. Each of the display pixels corresponding to the color of white or non-coloring have only a transmissive region. Colored layers are provided in the display pixels that correspond to one color, and cell-thickness-adjusting layers are included in the reflective region of each of the display pixels corresponding to one color and the transmissive region of each of the display pixels corresponding to the color of white or non-coloring. For the display pixels corresponding to one color, a thickness of a layer crystal layer corresponding to the transmissive region is larger than a thickness of the liquid crystal layer that corresponds to the reflective region. |
| US08411232B2 |
Liquid crystal display with a reduced flexoelectric effect
A liquid crystal display with a first substrate and a first pixel electrode on the first substrate. The first pixel electrode extends along first and second directions and has a plurality of first pixel electrode strips arranged along a first direction. The display also has a common electrode on the first substrate that is spaced from the pixel electrode along a third direction. In addition, the display has a light shield extending along the second direction and positioned to overlap at least part of an outermost strip of the first pixel electrode along the first direction. |
| US08411227B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having air conditioner
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel, a protection panel arranged a predetermined distant from the liquid crystal panel, and a flow control device to impart turbulence to an air flow in a channel, which is defined between the liquid crystal panel and the protection panel. |
| US08411220B2 |
Multi domain vertical alignment liquid display and a substrate thereof
A multi-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal display and a lower substrate thereof are disclosed. The voltage provided by coupling electrode lines is swung between a high voltage level and a low voltage level. Therefore, with different coupling of a large pixel electrode and of a small pixel electrode that both receive the same color displaying data, the voltage on the large pixel electrode is different from that on the small pixel electrode. The tilt angle of the liquid crystal between the large pixel electrode and the upper electrode is different from the tilt angle of the liquid crystal between the small pixel electrode and the upper electrode for compensating the gamma value of the color. Besides, through adjusting the value of the voltage respectively on the coupling electrode lines to compensate the gamma values of different colors and the gamma values of different colors will tend to be uniform. |
| US08411219B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method of the same
The present disclosure relates to a liquid crystal display device having a protection element for semiconductor layer from externally intruding light and a manufacturing method of the same. The present disclosure suggests a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate; a data line and a gate line crossing each other on the substrate; a thin film transistor formed at a crossing portion of the data line and the gate line; a passivation layer covering the thin film transistor; and an opaque protective layer forming on the passivation layer and covering the thin film transistor. The liquid crystal display device according to the present disclosure blocks the light intrusion into the semiconductor active layer of the thin film transistor to enhance the electron mobility in the active layer and the reliability of the elements. |
| US08411217B2 |
Active device array substrate with protecting electrostatic discharge circuit having switching devices
An active device array substrate including a substrate, a pixel array, pads, first switching devices, and second switching devices is provided. The pixel array is disposed on a display region of the substrate. The pads, the first and the second switching devices are disposed on a peripheral circuit region of the substrate. The pads and the pixel array are electrically connected. The first and the second switching devices are at the outside of the pads. Each first switching device is electrically connected to one of the pads and has a source, a drain, and a gate electrically connected to the source and the pad. Each second switching device is electrically connected to two adjacent first switching devices and has a gate, a source, and a drain. The source and the drain are electrically connected to the drain and the source of the adjacent first switching device, respectively. |
| US08411214B2 |
Variably transmittive, electronically-controlled eyewear
A system and method for flight training and evaluation of pilots comprises electronically activated vision restriction glasses that detect the pilot's head position and automatically darken and restrict the pilot's ability to see through the front and side windscreens when the pilot-in-training attempts to see out the windscreen. Thus, the pilot-in-training sees only within the aircraft cockpit, forcing him or her to fly by instruments in the most restricted operational mode. |
| US08411212B2 |
Display device
A touch electrode and a detection element are positioned in at least two of pixels. The touch electrode is formed in a first substrate, and is positioned so as to face a counter electrode. The touch electrode contacts the counter electrode and is electrically connected thereto when a second substrate is pressed and bent toward the first substrate. The detection element is connected to the touch electrode, and detects the electrical connection between the touch electrode and the counter electrode. |
| US08411211B2 |
Projection type video display device
A projection type video display device is provided, which is capable of displaying a plurality of kinds of input videos with different aspect ratios without requiring cumbersome adjustment operations. The device includes a light source (11), a display element (13) for displaying a display video in a display area based on a video signal and modulating illumination light (12) from the light source based on the video signal to form an optical image (14), a projection lens (17) which includes a zoom lens (16) and a focus lens (15), for projecting the optical image on a screen (2), a lens drive part (23) for adjusting the position of the zoom lens and the position of the focus lens, and a projected video control part (31) for controlling a projected video (3) projected on the screen, and the projected video control part drives the lens drive part in accordance with the aspect ratio of the input video, based on the lens position information regarding the zoom lens and the lens position information regarding the focus lens, determined by the aspect ratio of the input video in the video signal. |
| US08411207B1 |
Device for outputting luminance signal and method thereof
A device for outputting a luminance signal and a method thereof are disclosed. The device includes an image smoothing unit, a band pass filter unit, and a summing unit. The image smoothing unit receives a 2D luminance signal and decreases a signal intensity of a component of the 2D luminance signal within a frequency range with respect to a carrier frequency of a chrominance component. The band pass filter unit passes the component of the 2D luminance signal within the frequency range with respect to the carrier frequency. The summing unit sums the output of the image smoothing unit and the output of the band pass filter unit to generate a resultant luminance signal. The present invention is capable of avoiding the occurrence of saw-tooth or sparkling situation caused by inharmonious switching between a 1D comb filter and a 2D comb filter. |
| US08411206B2 |
Apparatus and method for decoding extended color space data
In one embodiment, an image decoding system for a YCbCr formatted signal includes a color space converter capable of representing an RGB image signal with one or two negative image signal components. The image decoding system further includes a degamma correction unit and an image signal formatter. An offset of the image black level from zero corresponding to the image signal offset produced by the color space converter is employed to perform degamma correction. In a further embodiment, gain, offset, and sign are removed from the image signal produced by the color space converter prior to degamma correction. The image signal formatter may utilize a one-dimensional and a three-dimensional lookup table to produce an image signal that may include secondary and white image components. The system advantageously accommodates decoding xvYCC-encoded image data in conventional as well as new hardware display system architectures. |
| US08411200B2 |
Video signal processing device, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium storing image processing program capable of producing an appropriate interpolation frame
A video signal processing device includes: a correction unit which performs correction such that when a first frame to be displayed at a first time includes a pixel different from a pixel to be included in the first frame, the pixel different from the pixel to be included in the first frame is corrected to the pixel to be included in the first frame, and when a second frame to be displayed at a second time prior to the first time includes a pixel different from a pixel to be included in the second frame, the pixel different from the pixel to be included in the second frame is corrected to the pixel to be included in the second frame; and a motion compensation unit which generates an interpolation frame to be displayed at a time between the first and second times by referring to the first and second frames. |
| US08411197B2 |
Image pickup device and production method thereof
An image pickup device is disclosed that has little deformation caused by thermal expansion of a transparent resin for sealing an image pickup element. The image pickup device includes an image pickup element having a light receiving surface, a micro-lens for condensing incident light to the image pickup element, a first transparent plate disposed on the light receiving surface of the image pickup element with the micro-lens in between, a transparent resin that seals the image pickup element and the first transparent plate, and a second transparent plate disposed on the transparent resin to face the first transparent plate. |
| US08411194B2 |
Methods for combining camera and projector functions in a single device
Described are handheld devices with combined image capture and image projection functions. One embodiment includes modulating and capturing a light beam along the same optic path. In another embodiment, the optical components are operable to switch between projection and capture modes. In yet another embodiment, the optical components may be formed on the same semiconductor substrate thereby increasing functionality. |
| US08411189B2 |
Multi-purpose architecture for CCD image sensors
A charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor includes multiple vertical charge-coupled device (VCCD) shift registers and independently-controllable gate electrodes disposed over the VCCD shift registers and arranged into physically separate and distinct sections that are non-continuous across the plurality of VCCD shift registers. The CCD image sensor can be configured to operate in two or more operating modes, including a full resolution charge multiplication mode. |
| US08411187B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device, method for producing photoelectric conversion device, and image pickup system
A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion region having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a first MOS transistor configured to read a signal in response to an electric charge of each photoelectric conversion element; and a peripheral circuit region having a second MOS transistor configured to drive the first MOS transistor and/or amplify the signal read from the photoelectric conversion region, the photoelectric conversion region and the peripheral circuit region being located on the same semiconductor substrate, wherein an impurity concentration in a drain of the first MOS transistor is lower than an impurity concentration in a drain of the second MOS transistor. |
| US08411184B2 |
Column output circuits for image sensors
A pixel array in an image sensor includes multiple pixels arranged in rows and columns with each column of pixels electrically connected to a column output line. A sample and hold circuit is electrically connected to each column output line. In one embodiment in accordance with the invention, each sample and hold circuit includes one capacitor for receiving and storing a signal voltage and a second capacitor for receiving and storing a reset voltage. The sample and hold circuits are divided into distinct groups, with each group including two or more sample and hold circuits. A pair of buffers is electrically connected to each distinct group. One global bus receives the signal voltages from at least a portion of buffers and another global bus receives the reset voltages from at least a portion of the other buffers. The global buses can include one or more signal lines. |
| US08411174B2 |
Shielding black reference pixels in image sensors
An image sensor having an array of pixel cells, each including a photo-conversion device. The array has first, second, and third groups of pixel cells. The first group of pixel cells receives light and the second and third groups are shielded from light. Each pixel cell of the second group is configured to output a black reference signal for determining a black level of the array. Each pixel cell of the third group has at least one first transistor coupled to the photo-conversion device, and each transistor coupled to the photo-conversion device has a gate coupled to a power supply voltage. |
| US08411167B2 |
Titling apparatus, a titling method, and a machine readable medium storing thereon a computer program for titling
An apparatus for giving a title to a captured image includes a unit for storing a captured image group including a plurality of captured images, a unit for storing an image capturing time when each of the stored images is captured, a unit for judging an image capturing period and an image capturing season including the stored image capturing time, a unit for storing terms respectively related to a plurality of periods with different time widths each of which includes a period and a season, the term corresponding to the period and the season, and a unit for giving a title to the stored captured image group by using a term related to a period of a wider time width out of the stored terms as a difference between the image capturing time and either the image capturing season or the acquired output time, whichever is longer. |
| US08411166B2 |
Digital camera for recording still image with speech
An image pickup method includes determining a start timing and an end timing of obtaining the speech to have a photographing timing of the still image taken by the image pickup unit therebetween, in accordance with a period in which the speech stored in the temporary speech storing unit satisfies a predetermined condition, and cutting out the speech stored in the temporary speech storing unit for a period from the start timing to the end timing determined, and storing the cut speech in the storing unit in association with the still image taken by the image pickup unit. |
| US08411164B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for automatic geotagging
A mobile terminal and method for automatic geotagging are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a camera for capturing an image and for generating image data, a location information module for determining location information of the mobile terminal, and a controller configured to concurrently operate the camera and the location information module in response to a user input and to store the location information with the image data. |
| US08411162B2 |
Image processing methods and systems for fine art reproduction
A method and system for processing images to, for example, capture artwork includes capturing a target image and an image of a reference. The reflectance functions of the target image are then measured. The target image is processed, using the measured reflectance functions and the captured image of the reference, to calculate a correction transform associated with the captured target image. |
| US08411158B2 |
Image sensing apparatus and storage medium
An image sensing apparatus includes an image sensing unit which sequentially generates still image data, a holding unit which holds a plurality of still image data, a display unit which displays the still image data, a setting unit which sets a predetermined state as the start timing of shooting by the image sensing unit, a determination unit which determines whether the predetermined state has been obtained, a shooting control unit which causes the image sensing unit to start shooting when the determination unit determines that the predetermined state has been obtained, a display control unit which causes the display unit to sequentially display, at a display speed lower than an actual time, the still image data, a selection unit which selects one of a plurality of image data displayed on the display unit, and a recording unit which records the selected image data. |
| US08411154B2 |
Image processing apparatus for calculating global motion vector of plurality of image frames
An imaging device performs a process for dividing each of a plurality of image frames constituting moving image information generated by an imaging unit into a plurality of blocks; a process for tracking predetermined ones of the obtained blocks in one of two image frames before and after the image frame of interest to calculate a plurality of motion vectors of the blocks, respectively; a process for comparing one of the calculated motion vectors with each of other motion vectors, the one motion vector serving as an evaluation target, thereby calculating a global motion vector of the one image frame; and a process for excluding blocks present within a predetermined distance from one block related to one motion vector serving as the evaluation target from comparison targets the motion vectors of which are to be compared with the one motion vector, when the global motion vector calculation unit calculates the global motion vector. |
| US08411151B2 |
System for, and method of, processing an image
A software development kit prioritizes certain aspects of an acquired image and introduces the prioritized aspects to a main processor. Alternatively, a coprocessor, or the coprocessor and the development kit, manipulate(s) the acquired image and introduce(s) the manipulated image to the processor. The reprogramming of either one of the development kit and the coprocessor may be initiated by either one of them or by the processor and the programming may be provided by the main processor. A central station and a gate array may also be individually reprogrammable by the main processor which sets up, programs and controls an intelligent imaging platform in accordance with the individual reprogrammings. A reprogramming of an audio acquisition stage may also be initiated by that stage and any of the other stages and the processor and may be provided by the processor. The audio information may be related to the acquired image. |
| US08411148B2 |
Auto iris lens calibration device and method
An iris calibration device includes one or more groups of light sources, a microcontroller (MCU), and a display. The MCU connects to a system on chip (SoC) of a digital camera device. The digital camera device includes an iris lens. The MCU receives an “on” command or an “off” command from the SoC. The MCU turns on or turn off a group of light sources according to the “on” command or the “off” command The SoC adjusts the iris lens according to an average luminance of the one or more light sources sensed by a sensor of the digital camera device. |