Document Document Title
US08473575B2 Methods and apparatus for remote activation of an application
An application activation method includes interfacing a vehicle computing system with a remote device using an interface protocol. The method also includes sending a query from the vehicle computing system to the remote device to determine applications and/or services available on the remote device that are capable of interaction with the vehicle computing system. Once the applications have been determined, the method includes selecting, at the vehicle computing system, an application or service from the determined available applications and/or services for interaction. The method also includes sending an instruction from the vehicle computing system to an agent on the remote device, the instruction including an indication that the selected application or service is to be activated. Finally, the method includes receiving confirmation, at the vehicle computing system, that the application or service has been activated.
US08473571B2 Synchronizing presentation states between multiple applications
A presentation state is received from the presenting application. The presentation state may represent a current state of the local presentation. A request for the presentation state is received from the viewing application. In response to receiving the request for the presentation state, the presentation state is provided to the viewing application. A request for presentation data synchronized to the presentation state is received from the viewing application. In response to receiving the request for presentation data synchronized to the presentation state, the presentation file is transformed into the presentation data synchronized to the presentation state. The presentation data synchronized to the presentation state is provided to the viewing application. The viewing application may be operative to read the presentation data and to display a remote presentation in response to reading the presentation data.
US08473570B2 Methods and apparatus for simultaneously hosting multiple service providers on a network
Methods and apparatus simultaneously hosting multiple service providers on a network. A method is provided for hosting multiple service providers in a data network. The method includes controlling access to services offered by one or more service providers, and discovering affiliation provisions associated with a device, wherein the affiliation provisions are associated with one or more selected service providers. The method also includes filtering the services according to the affiliation provisions to generate a package database of services offered by the one or more selected service providers, and transmitting the package database to the device.
US08473566B1 Methods systems, and computer program products for managing quality-of-service associated with storage shared by computing grids and clusters with a plurality of nodes
Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing quality of service for shared storage accessed by a plurality of nodes are disclosed. According to one method, at a node of a plurality of nodes sharing access to a first disk array, quality-of-service (QoS) metadata associated with a portion of the disk array are requested from a server, wherein the QoS metadata includes at least one performance criterion for the portion of the disk array. I/O performance is monitored for the portion of the disk array in response to receiving the QoS metadata. The monitored I/O performance is compared with the QoS metadata. Based upon the comparison of the monitored I/O performance with the QoS metadata, it is determined whether a QoS violation has occurred. In response to determining that a QoS violation has occurred, the server is requested to migrate data associated with the portion of the disk array.
US08473562B2 Personal directory services with directed communication
Included are systems and methods for directing data. At least one embodiment of a method includes receiving a listing for a data provider, the listing including a plurality of criteria related to the data provider and receiving an indication to add at least a portion of the listing to a personal directory. Other embodiments include adding at least a portion of the listing to the personal directory and receiving an indication from the data provider to send data to the personal directory.
US08473561B2 System and method for handling electronic mail mismatches
A system and method for handling e-mail address mismatches between the address contained within a user's certificate or certificate chain, and the account address actually being used is disclosed. In order to resolve address mismatches a canonical or generic domain name or user name may, for example, be used as a lifelong address of a user that is contained in the user's certificate. Upon detection of an address mismatch, the system and method disclosed herein may automatically re-check the certificate or search for a certificate containing the canonical or generic domain name and/or user name to attempt to resolve the mismatch.
US08473559B2 Conference-enhancing announcements and information
A conference participant attempting to log into a conference that has been rescheduled is informed that the conference has been rescheduled to such-and-such date and/or time. If the login attempt is before or during the conference, the participant is offered information pertaining to the conference. If the login attempt is after the conference has ended, the participant is offered the information plus a recording of the conference. An identifier is associated with the conference and used by the host and the participants to uniquely identify the conference.
US08473558B2 Progressive registration for mobile media sharing
A media sharing system accommodates passively registered users, who receive information from the system but do not provide content media to the system, and actively registered users, who provide content to the system and then share it with others. The system collects and stores information about a user as the information is needed to accomplish a function, shielding the user from burdensome data entry.
US08473554B2 Information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive, from at least one other information processing apparatus, an electronic mail for which a notification time at which notification of receipt of the electronic mail is to be provided is specified; a storage unit configured to store the electronic mail received by the receiving unit; a clock unit configured to provide time information; a notification-time determining unit configured to determine whether a current time obtained by the clock unit has passed the notification time specified for the electronic mail; and a reception notification unit configured to read out, if the notification-time determining unit determines that the specified notification time has been passed, the electronic mail stored in the storage unit and provide notification of receipt of the electronic mail.
US08473546B2 Minimizing PCC rule instantiation latency
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method, policy and charging rules node (PCRN) and machine-readable storage medium for creating policy and control charging rules with minimal rule instantiation latency. Embodiments may include one or more of the following: receiving at a PCRN from an application node a first service request message, determining whether the PCRN should wait for a mate message for the service flow, if the PCRN should not wait for a mate message, immediately generating at least one PCC rule, and immediately pushing the first PCC rule to at least one gateway. Various exemplary embodiments may further include using subscriber preferences and/or a record of previous decisions to determine whether the PCRN should wait for a mage message. In various embodiments, the PCRN may disable a timer when it determines it should not wait for a mate message.
US08473541B2 M-bit race delay adder and method of operation
There is disclosed an M-bit adder capable of receiving a first M-bit argument, a second M-bit argument, and a carry-in (CI) bit. The M-bit adder comprises M adder cells arranged in R rows, wherein a least significant adder cell in a first one of the rows of adder cells receives a first data bit, AX, from the first M-bit argument and a first data bit, BX, from the second M-bit argument, and generates a first conditional carry-out bit, CX(1), and a second conditional carry-out bit, CX(0), wherein the CX(1) bit is calculated assuming a row carry-out bit from a second row of adder cells preceding the first row is a 1 and the CX(0) bit is calculated assuming the row carry-out bit from the second row is a 0.
US08473538B2 N-dimensional coordinates conversion
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to converting between polar and rectangular coordinates. In aspects, the Nth polar angle is measured upward from the sine-projection of the Nth component in the (N−1)th dimension. The last polar coordinate is zero if and only if the corresponding last rectangular coordinate is zero. The conversion may be applied in any number of dimensions without re-writing the conversion logic.
US08473533B1 Method and apparatus for harmonic balance using direct solution of HB jacobian
A system, computer-readable storage medium, and method directly solves non-linear systems that have the HB Jacobian as the coefficient matrix. The direct solve method can be used to efficiently simulate non-linear circuits in RF or microwave applications. Additionally, the direct solve method can be applied to Fourier envelope applications. Furthermore, the direct solve method can be used together with preconditioners to provide a more efficient iterative solve technique.
US08473530B1 Field objects
A data structure defining a field in an electronic file is described, the field including updateable text. The data structure can be included, for example, in a computer-aided design drawing. In one implementation, the data structure includes: an evaluator identifier; a field code; a child field quantity; if the child field quantity is greater than zero, then one or more child field identifiers; an object reference quantity; if the object reference quantity is greater than zero, then one or more object reference identifiers; a field format; a field filing option; a field state; an evaluation status; an evaluation error; an evaluation error message; an evaluated field value; a formatted field value; a formatted field value length; an extended data quantity; and, if the extended data quantity is greater then zero, than one or more extended data.
US08473529B2 Single pass marking of finalizable objects
An illustrative embodiment of a computer-implemented process for single pass marking of finalizable objects marks strong roots, marks finalizable roots and determines whether a strong work stack is empty. Responsive to a determination the strong work stack is empty the computer-implemented process determines whether a finalizable work stack is empty. Responsive to a determination the finalizable work stack is empty, synchronize threads, the computer-implemented process finalizes finalizable roots and merges mark maps to finish parallel marking.
US08473528B2 Delivery enablement workforce utilization tool integration
Methods, computer-readable media, and apparatuses support data entry and aggregate work entries for an account. Different work codes are mapped to different categories for an account. Work entries are aggregated for the different categories in a report or in an invoice for the account. A worker may be mapped to client, which may further include a client region, when aggregating work entries to different categories for an account. A data structure is formed to include account information. The data structure can assume different structure types, including a data cube having three or more dimensions. A spreadsheet file may be linked to the data structure, and the contents a database may be synchronized to the spreadsheet file. The contents of the database may be categorized, analyzed, and aggregated, in which the contents are exported to provide a report on a worker and/or account.
US08473527B2 Automatic generation of where-used information
To enable automated updating of a where-used list for data elements in a software solution, an unindexed data element of a plurality of data elements included in the software solution can be detected. The unindexed data element can have a non-current or non-existent where-used listing in the current where-used list. A set of rules that can include a predefined dependency condition defining a unidirectional dependency relationship condition existing between instances of a first type of data structure and a second type of data structure in the software solution can be applied to the unindexed data element. The applying can include identifying the unindexed data element as including the second type of data structure and at least one other data element in the plurality of data elements as including the first type of data structure and therefore having at least one dependency on the unindexed data element. The current where-used list can be updated to create an updated where-used list that includes a listing of the at least one dependency for the unindexed data element.
US08473526B2 System, method and computer program product for managing a group of copies of a data entity
A method for managing a group of targets is provided. The method includes: receiving a request to update a x'th generation copy of a data entity, where x is a positive integer. Then applying an update function responsive to x such as to update a first sub-group of targets. Then receiving a request to read a y'th generation copy of the data entity and (iv) applying a retrieve function responsive to y such as to search for the y'th generation copy of the data entity in a second sub-group of targets. The first and second sub-groups intersect only once and only if y does not exceed x.
US08473524B2 Method and system for updating object data with respect to object specifications in a product life cycle management system
The invention is directed to a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) update process for updating objects with respect to specifications. The process invokes dependence relations between objects. It relies on building a directed graph, wherein objects are the nodes of the graph. An arc (also called “edge”) is directed from a second object to a first object, the latter depending on the second object according to dependence relations of the PLM system. Thus, the update can be carried by browsing the graph along the direction of the arcs in the graph. Owing to the reversion of the graph with respect to the dependence of objects, the simple solution of the invention guarantees that the update of an object occurs only when the ancestor object it depends on is up to date, and so on. This drastically reduces failures at update in practice.
US08473523B2 Deterministic finite automata graph traversal with nodal bit mapping
An apparatus, and corresponding method, for generating a graph used in performing a search for a match of at least one expression in an input stream is presented. The graph includes a number of interconnected nodes connected solely by valid arcs. A valid arc may also include a nodal bit map including structural information of a node to which the valid arc points to. A walker process may utilize the nodal bit map to determine if a memory access is necessary. The nodal bit map reduces the number of external memory access and therefore reduces system run time.
US08473521B2 Ontology guided reference data discovery
Mapping and translating reference data from multiple databases using an enterprise ontology. This is achieved by various means, including mapping values of a first database to corresponding fields within the ontology, mapping values of a second database to corresponding fields within the ontology, and determining relationships between the values of the first database and the values of the second database based on their respective mappings to common fields within the ontology.
US08473520B1 Delta measures
A system may include reception of a selection of a set of one or more elements of a data visualization, the set associated with a measure and each of the one or more elements associated with a value of the measure for a respective combination of one or more dimension members, reception of an instruction to create a second set of one or more elements associated with a calculated measure, where a value of the calculated measure for a respective combination is based on two values of the measure for the respective combination, and where a first value of the two values of the measure is associated with a first time and a second value of the two values of the measure is associated with a second time, and automatic generation of a query to produce the value of the calculated measure for each of the combinations.
US08473513B2 Efficient multiple tuple generation over streaming XML data
Methods and arrangements for extracting tuples from a streaming XML document. A query twig is applied to the XML document stream, tuples are extracted from the XML document stream based on the query twig, and a quantity of extracted tuples is limited via foregoing extraction of duplicate tuples extraction of tuples that do not satisfy query twig criteria.
US08473511B2 Methods and systems for managing data
Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
US08473508B2 Dynamic rule creation and caching
A condensed version of a plurality of rules for one or more forms being used by a user is loaded from a database. The condensed version of the plurality of rules is stored in cache memory of a computing device. When an event occurs, a rules engine determines if a condensed version of the rule is stored in cache memory. If a rule is not applicable, the rules engine does not query the database. If a rule is applicable, the rules engine determines if an action should be taken for the event. If no action is to be taken, the database is not queried for the rule. If an action is to be taken, the database may be queried for information for the rule to allow performing of the action or if the action is included in the condensed version, the action is performed without querying the database.
US08473506B2 Type system for building extensible business applications
A platform (referred to herein as Extensible Application Platform, or XAP) for developing extensible business applications. In one set of embodiments, XAP can include an Extensible Markup Language (XML) based application model that is designed to support a high degree of application extensibility. For example, the XAP application model can support declarative definition of application semantics, separation of application data and metadata, and a flexible type system that allows constraints and calculations (e.g., XQuery constraints and calculations) for a data object instance (e.g., an XML document) to change over time. In certain embodiments, the XAP application model can be implemented via a server-side database/application engine that is configured to interoperate with a spreadsheet-like, client-side user interface. Using the spreadsheet-like UI, a non-programmer can build, customize, and run an application workflow that operates on top of a shared database like a traditional business application.
US08473505B2 System and method for providing delegation assistance
The embodiments described herein provide various techniques for providing delegation assistance. Upon a request for delegation assistance, data from information sources are retrieved. Relationships are automatically identified relative to a requesting user based on the data from the information sources. The relationships are automatically ranked, and results of the ranking are provided to the requesting user. The user may then trigger delegation resolution based in part on the results of the ranking.
US08473502B2 Interassociating data of a medical device
Methods, a medical device, and a computing system configured to interassociate data of the medical device are provided. The medical device uses a processor to collect data and include a respective event set identifier with data developed in connection with activity starting with a respective identifiable event of the medical device. The data may thus be parsed based on the event set identifier to access data for an identifiable event.
US08473501B2 Methods, computer systems, software and storage media for handling many data elements for search and annotation
The invention refers to a method creating a data structure including many data elements comprising the steps of receiving multiple data elements to be stored from an input data structure, providing a continuous array in memory, allocating memory space within the continuous array for the data elements and storing the data elements in the allocated memory space.In particular, the invention refers to a method for creating a tree based dictionary from data elements received from an input structure. Moreover, it refers to a method for searching data structures including tokens by means of a tree based dictionary and a method for annotating tokens in a data structure. The invention does also refer to corresponding computer systems, software and storage media.
US08473499B2 Question and answer forum techniques
Techniques for unsupervised management of a question and answer (QA) forum include labeling of answers for quality purposes, and identification of experts. In a QA thread, a ranking of answers may include an initial labeling of the longest answer in each thread as the best answer. Such a labeling provides an initial point of reference. Then, in an iterative manner answerers are ranked using the labeling. The ranking of answerers allows selection of experts and poor or inexpert answerers. A label update is performed using the experts (and perhaps inexpert answerers) as input. The label update may be used to train a model, which may describe quality of answers in one or more QA threads and an indication of expert and inexpert answerers. The iterative process may be ended upon convergence or upon a maximum number of iterations.
US08473498B2 Natural language text analytics
A method of text analytics includes filtering a plurality of unfiltered records having unstructured data into at least a first group and a second group. The first group and said second group each include at least two records and the first group is different than the second group. The method includes determining a first proportion of occurrence for a term by comparing a first number of records having at least one occurrence of the term in the first group to a first total number of records in the first group, determining a second proportion of occurrence for the term by comparing a second number of records having at least one occurrence of the term in said second group to a second total number of records in the second group, and comparing the first proportion of occurrence to the second proportion of occurrence to yield a resultant comparison occurrence.
US08473497B2 Method and system for limiting share of voice of individual users
Example systems and method enable limiting shares of voice of individual users in a result set. In example embodiments, a listing user providing each listing in a result set of a search is identified. Sorting criteria indicating a number of listings a same listing user is allowed within a number of consecutive listings of the result set are reviewed. Using the sorting criteria, a sorted result set is generated by sorting the plurality of listings in accordance with the sorting criteria. The sorted result set is provided to a searching user.
US08473496B2 Utilizing density metadata to process multi-dimensional data
A computer readable storage medium includes a data analyzer to build population sets for dimensions of a multi-dimensional data source and to identify intersections of population sets so as to form density metadata. A query processor accesses the density metadata while processing a query.
US08473495B2 Centralized web-based software solution for search engine optimization
A system and method for modifying a parameter of a website in order to optimize an organic listing of the website at one or more search engines is described. Several embodiments include methods and systems for generating scored representations based upon different portions of data associated with a website, and then combining the scored representations to achieve a result. The result indicates a feature of the website that may be modified in order to optimize the organic ranking of the website at one or more search engines.
US08473491B1 Systems and methods of detecting keyword-stuffed business titles
The present invention relates generally to identifying fraudulent businesses and business listings. More specifically, the invention relates to determining a “surprisingness” value for a particular combination of words in a business title based on the likelihood that the combination has appeared in legitimate business titles. The value may be used to determine whether the business or business listing is legitimate or fraudulent. For example, third party hijackers may “keyword-stuff” business titles or attempt to include words associated with prominent businesses in a title of a less prominent business associated with the third party in order to have the less prominent business displayed more often in search results for the prominent business. For example, if a business title has too many surprising word combinations or a particular combination is highly unlikely, the business listing is likely to be fraudulent or “keyword-stuffed” and may be withheld, excluded, removed from search results.
US08473489B1 Identifying entities using search results
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for identifying entities using search results. One of the methods includes the actions of determining that a first search query includes a respective text reference to each of one or more predetermined attributes, wherein each attribute is associated with a first entity type; generating a second search query including the first search query and one or more terms that refer to the first entity type; and evaluating search results obtained for the second search query to select one or more names of entities of the first entity type to include in a response to the first search query.
US08473488B2 Voice operated, matrix-connected, artificially intelligent address book system
An online address book system having sufficient hardware and software to operate an address book user interface and to perform intelligent interpretations of voice and text inputs from users. The system includes at least one server software module that includes software to perform a plurality of functions. These include the ability to receive voice input data and separate user voice queries, wherein the software can arrange the data so as to create a data base that includes at least three access dimensions, including contact access, contact-relationship access and contact-time frame access, and so as to create a connectivity matrix based on a plurality of contact pair relationships applying connective recognition logic. The system provides a voice operated user interface that permits access to address book stored data based on user input selected from the group consisting of contact, a contact-relationship pair, a contact-time frame pair, and combinations thereof.
US08473487B1 Document search in affiliated libraries
An online search system generates an index of documents using index information received from a library. Some documents have restricted access; some documents may not be available online. The search system provides links to documents in the library as well as other sites based on a search, and may include link resolvers received from the library. The search system provides access links to the link resolvers if an identifier, such as a user identification or IP address, matches an affiliation list from the library.
US08473484B2 Identifying impact of installing a database patch
Techniques are disclosed for identifying impact of a patch. One embodiment of the invention provides a DBMS that is configured to manage one or more databases. The DBMS may receive a request to evaluate a patch for the DBMS. The DBMS provides a first execution environment that is not based on the patch and a second execution environment that is based on the patch. For each query, the DBMS compares a first access plan with a second access plan, where the first access plan is generated from the first execution environment and the second access plan is generated from the second execution environment. The DBMS identifies one or more queries having differing access plans, based on the comparisons.
US08473476B2 Efficient database search for unique indentifiers
The invention is directed to providing an improved method of determining available identifiers (IDs) in a database, especially in the context of using available IDs for provisioning services in a telecommunications system. The method performs a database query for a range of IDs and stores candidate IDs in a local pre-fetch ID set.
US08473475B2 Information storage medium for storing metadata supporting multiple languages, and systems and methods of processing metadata
An information storage medium for storing metadata supporting multiple languages and a method of processing the metadata are provided. The information storage medium is provided to store contents, and at least one metadata file in which information regarding the contents is recorded in at least one language. The metadata file comprises a plurality of language files in which a plurality of versions of the information regarding the contents written in a plurality of languages are provided, and the languages are identified by the names of the respective language files. The names of the language files may include a language identifier according to an ISO 639-2 standard. The information may also include download information regarding a plurality of downloadable metadata files that are downloadable from other storage media.
US08473473B2 Object oriented data and metadata based search
An object oriented search mechanism extracts structural metadata and data based on type of document contents and data sources connected to the documents. Relationships between textual and non-textual elements within documents as well as metadata associated with the elements and data sources are utilized to generate a unified object model with the addition of semantic information derived from metadata and taxonomy, which are used to enhance search indexing, ranking of search results, and dynamic adjustment of result rendering user interface with fine tuned relevancy. Additional data from data sources connected to the documents may also be used to unlock hidden data such as data that has been filtered out in an original document.
US08473470B1 System for providing collaborative communications environment for manufacturers and potential customers
A software program and associated web-based portal is provided for industry-specific product comparison. The program and an associated web portal allows the user the ability to search multiple manufacturers' catalogs and to enter a query based upon customized search criteria. Query results are returned of products that satisfy the user's search criteria. The query is made available to manufacturers whose products are identified in the query results and a communication link is provided whereby such manufacturers can contact the user to discuss the product identified in the search. The user can respond using the message board associated with the web portal. The program and portal can also integrate updates to pump manufacturers' catalogs and can also produce best-fit solutions for users' design criteria.
US08473469B1 Techniques for implementing batch processing in a multi-tenant on-demand database system
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided techniques for implementing batch processing in a multi-tenant database system. These techniques for implementing batch processing in a multi-tenant database system may enable embodiments to provide great flexibility to a tenant of the architecture to perform desired functions on content of the database while allowing the owner of the architecture schedule the processing of the functions on the content.
US08473466B1 Systems and methods for storing data, such as storing data based on storage classes
Systems and methods are described that create storage classes for data and store the data using storage resources based on the created storage classes. In some examples, the system stores data using storage resources having characteristics that satisfy the requirements of a storage class associated with the data. In some examples, the system stores data using storage resources that meet the minimum requirements for a storage class.
US08473462B1 Change tracking for shared disks
Various systems and methods for tracking changes in a storage device. For example, one method can involve receiving a request to perform an incremental backup of a storage device and backing up locations in the storage device that are identified as having been changed. The method also involves receiving information from each of the nodes, where the information identifies locations that have been changed by the nodes. The locations that have been changed include both data and metadata.
US08473461B1 File infection removal by differential copy
Recoverable file information and file content are maintained for a plurality of files. Responsive to detecting a damaged file on a computer system, the recoverable file information is used to identify a specific instantiation of the file to be restored. The computer is searched for a non-damaged, local copy of the file. If a non-damaged, local copy is found, it is used to replace the damaged file. Otherwise, a difference file is created which identifies the sections of the damaged file that differ from a non-damaged specific instantiation thereof. Using the difference file and appropriate maintained file content, the relevant sections of the damaged file are rebuilt, thereby restoring it to its original condition.
US08473457B2 Method of distributing contact and calendar records
A method of distributing contact and calendar information in a multi-component environment includes maintaining a plurality of contact or calendar records and the records contain a plurality of fields and directives. The records are designated and distributed to at least one component based on the directives.
US08473445B2 Real-time story generation
Systems, methods and computer-readable media are disclosed for providing a framework for generating problem situations in a computer game. In one embodiment, the framework includes a data structure representing solution candidates, fact patterns, and a solution designator. The data structure also includes a chain of inference between the solution designator and each candidate. The computer game may generate a problem situation from the data structure and present the problem situation to a user playing the computer game.
US08473443B2 Inappropriate content detection method for senders
Content detection for senders reviews and compares content for sending to one or more profile parameters of a recipient. The one or more profile parameters describe the characteristics of the recipient. Portions of the content determined to be inappropriate or offensive to the recipient based on the recipient's profile parameters are tagged and the sender is alerted. Alternative suggestions to replace those portions in the content may be provided.
US08473442B1 System and method for intelligent state management
A method is provided in one example embodiment and it includes receiving a state request and determining whether a state exists in a translation dictionary for the state request. The method further includes reproducing the state if it is not in the dictionary and adding a new state to the dictionary. In more specific embodiments, the method includes compiling a rule, based on the state, into a given state table. The rule affects data management for one or more documents that satisfy the rule. In yet other embodiments, the method includes determining that the state represents a final state such that a descriptor is added to the state. In one example, if the state is not referenced in the algorithm, then the state is released. If the state is referenced in the algorithm, then the state is replaced with the new state.
US08473440B2 Observation-based user profiling and profile matching
Observation-based user profiling and profile matching are provided. The network behavior of users of a computer-implemented social network are observed and used for user profiling. By observing network behavior instead of necessarily relying on user self-reported data, accurate and objective user profiles can be formed; user profiling is accomplished based on the observed network behaviors with or without the knowledge of the user being profiled. The observed network behaviors can include the customization of a visual graphic, a media preference, a communication preference, or a selection of words from a word list. The user profiles can be with respect to a domain and two or more users can be matched based on their profiles with respect to the same domain. User ratings and profile updating based on the ratings are also provided.
US08473438B2 Combined-model data compression
Data compression technology (“the technology”) is disclosed that can employ two or more prediction models contemporaneously. The technology receives data from one or more sources; shifts or re-sample one of more corresponding signals; creates a prediction model of uncompressed samples using at least two different individual or composite models; selects a subset of the models for prediction of samples; determines an order in which signals will be compressed; formulates a combined predictions model using the selected subset of models; predicts a future value for the data using the combined compression model; defines a function that has as parameters at least the predicted future values for the data and actual values; selects a compression method for the values of the function; and compresses the data using at least the predicted value of the function.
US08473429B2 Managing personal digital assets over multiple devices
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for managing digital assets of a user over multiple home network-enabled devices is provided. In this method, information is received from a plurality of home network-enabled personal devices within a user's personal cloud. The information includes usage information regarding the user's use of digital assets on those home network-enabled personal devices. Later, digital assets from the personal cloud, including assets located on non-personal devices outside a user's control (but still in the personal cloud) can be accessed using the gathered usage information.
US08473428B2 Generation and use of specific probability tables for arithmetic coding in data compression systems
In one embodiment, when executing data compression or decompression for a data set, a particular compression category of the data set is determined, and a corresponding probability table specific to the particular compression category of the data set is accessed. Then, one of either arithmetic coding (e.g., an encoder device) or decoding (e.g., a decoder device) may be performed on the data set based on the specific probability table. Specifically, in one or more other embodiments, techniques may statistically generate probability tables specific to particular compression categories.
US08473427B2 Block allocation times in a computer system
A method and apparatus improves the block allocation time in a parallel computer system. A pre-load controller pre-loads blocks of hardware in a supercomputer cluster in anticipation of demand from a user application. In the preferred embodiments the pre-load controller determines when to pre-load the compute nodes and the block size to allocate the nodes based on pre-set parameters and previous use of the computer system. Further, in preferred embodiments each block of compute nodes in the parallel computer system has a stored hardware status to indicate whether the block is being pre-loaded, or already has been pre-loaded. In preferred embodiments, the hardware status is stored in a database connected to the computer's control system. In other embodiments, the compute nodes are remote computers in a distributed computer system.
US08473425B1 Predictive drop shipping
Systems and methods for predictive drop shipping are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may include maintaining inventory of an item that is offered for sale to customers via a webpage. A ratio may be calculated between a number of views of the webpage and a number of units of the item purchased over a first time period when a fast shipping or delivery option is available, and over a second time period when such option is not available. The method may identify the item as a candidate for drop shipping in response to the ratio being larger during the first time period than during the second time period. Upon receipt of an order, the received order may be fulfilled via drop shipping, in some cases, despite the inventory being sufficient to fulfill the order, and despite a cost of fulfillment via drop shipping being higher than fulfillment from inventory.
US08473424B2 Electronic business transaction system
An electronic business transaction system is provided for a product purchaser to purchase a product from a product supplier, and for a product delivery service provider to deliver the product to an address of the product purchaser or a product receiver. The product purchaser instructs an identification code and the product to the product supplier without disclosing a name and the address of the product purchaser or the product receiver. A terminal of an information administrator identifies the name and the address of the product purchaser or the product receiver according to the identification code of the product purchaser or the product receiver. The terminal of the information administrator instructs the name and the address of the product purchaser or the product receiver to the product delivery service provider without disclosing the identification code of the product purchaser or the product receiver, so that the product delivery service provider delivers the product.
US08473422B2 Method and system for social network analysis
Methods and system for social commerce network analysis are described. In one embodiment, a strongly connected component value, an in-component value, an out-component value, a disconnected component value, a tendril value, and a tube value of a social network for a time period may be accessed. A social strength of the social network for the time period may be calculated by combining the strongly connected component value, the in-component value, the out-component value, the disconnected component value, the tendril value, and the tube value. The social strength of the social network for the time period may be utilized for analysis of the social network. The strongly connected component value may have a greatest weight and the disconnected component value may have the lowest weight in the combining.
US08473421B2 Systems and methods for fundraising via mobile applications
The present application is directed to methods and systems of facilitating a transfer of donation money from individuals to charitable organizations. The transfer of money occurs through a first transfer of money from at least one mobile phone carrier to a facilitating organization and through a second transfer of money from the facilitating organization to the charitable organization. The facilitating organization enables the money transfer by transmitting web-based and mobile phone communications regarding donations on behalf of charitable organizations and enabling individuals to respond to such communications and communicate donation solicitations to other individuals.
US08473417B2 Signing program data payload sequence in program loading
Communicating program data between a first device and a second device comprises disassembling a first program file comprising program data into at least one logical data unit, partitioning each of the at least one logical data unit into at least one protocol data unit and computing a first fingerprint over the payload portion of the at least one protocol data unit of the at least one logical data unit. The format of the at least one protocol data unit is defined by a communication protocol and includes a payload portion.
US08473416B2 Jukebox with customizable avatar
A digital downloading jukebox system including a mechanism for delivering custom services to a recognized user is provided. For example, information specific to a recognized user may be stored and optionally may include a recognized user avatar representative of the recognized user. The user avatar may be an image, video, and/or animation, which may be displayed on and/or played through the jukebox. The user avatar may be associated with transactions associated with the user. For example, an avatar may be displayed when a playlist of the recognized user is played, when a message is sent, etc. In other examples, the avatar may introduce instances of media by playing an audio and/or video message, and the avatar may sing, dance, etc. while an instance of media is playing.
US08473413B2 Methods and systems for managing government issued entitlements
A method for designating accounts for funds from a check to be deposited is described. The method includes receiving, at a processing center having a processor, a direct deposit government entitlement check from a government entity to be deposited. The check may include an identifier. The method further includes comparing the identifier with a customer database to determine that funds from the check have been designated to be divided into sub-amounts and deposited into a plurality of accounts. Each of the plurality of accounts has account type and an associated expenditure designation. The method then receives a report of a total amount deposited from the check for each type of associated expenditure designation and each account type.
US08473409B2 Method and system for loan closing
A method and system for electronically facilitating loan closing transactions that include sub-transactions involving third parties. The method and system provide functionality to quickly and easily order a sub-transaction and bill the respective party, or pay for the sub-transaction directly from various payment systems. An interactive closing document updates automatically as different services and sub-transactions are ordered. Designated parties to the transaction make and approve changes and updates to the interactive document as sub-transactions are completed and billed. The interactive document receives information from the earlier stages of the loan or mortgage transaction, and incorporates the information into the interactive closing document. Upon approval by all parties, at the closing of the transaction, the interactive closing document is generated as a hard copy for signature.
US08473406B2 Foreign currency index
Systems and methods are provided for trading and calculating the composition of foreign currencies indexed financial instruments. The compositions of the financial instruments are determined by calculating a geometric average of the exchange rates of foreign currencies with corresponding competitive weights. The competitive weights for each of the foreign currencies reflects competition between the goods of the United States and a country corresponding to the foreign currency in the markets of third countries.
US08473401B2 System and method for processing and settling payment instructions relating to various financial instruments
A system for facilitating settlement of payments relating to transactions involving financial instruments among multiple participants is provided. An interface receives from participants first and second instructions associated with a financial instrument of a first form, and first and second instructions associated with a financial instrument of a second form. A first processor establishes an association between, and applies a first set of pre-settlement rules to, the first and second instructions associated with the financial instrument of the first form. A second processor establishes an association between, and applies a second set of pre-settlement rules to, the first and second instructions associated with the financial instrument of the second form.
US08473399B2 Invoice data object for a common data object format
Embodiments of the invention provide methods and data structures for the effective and efficient synchronization or inter-exchange of invoice information between business applications employing disparate DOFs. For one embodiment, a DOF is provided that allows for relationships between entities, also referred to as invoices, to be modeled as attributes of an entity and for customization of the DOF in a manner that facilitates upgrading of the DOF. For one embodiment, the invoice DOF is provided in a common software language such as XML. For one embodiment, invoice information from each of several business applications is translated to a common DOF. The invoice information, in the common DOF, is then inter-exchanged among the several business applications. Each application has only to translate the invoice information from the common DOF to the application-specific DOF of the respective business application.
US08473398B1 Methods and systems for building and managing portfolios based on ordinal ranks of securities
A system, method, and computer-readable medium are provided for managing a portfolio using financial instrument rankings. A processor determines portfolio weights for financial instruments based on a ranking associated with each instrument, a cutoff rank, and a risk multiplier.
US08473396B2 Distribution and mapping of financial records from data stream
Improved systems, methods, and programs for customized distribution of data, particularly financial data. Individual users of networked computer systems have the capability to select and receive data from data streams produced by sources and made available simultaneously and in standardized format to numbers of client terminals. Selected data is mapped according to individual user specifications and may be used in client applications such as databases or spreadsheets, and stored in caches until users are ready to receive it. Data may be formatted and sent back to the stream source for use in applications operated at the source. The system also facilitates checking of data integrity, in particular by comparing sequences of records sent by the source and received by the client system.
US08473393B2 Financial market wagering
A method for providing a wager in a financial market environment is provided that includes presenting an opportunity to make a wager that is based on a moving market line associated with a financial market. An end user is given an opportunity to bet on whether a financial market value will be above or below the moving market line at a designated time. The wager may be accepted from the end user. The wager may be monitored in order to determine whether the financial market value was above or below the moving market line at the designated time.
US08473383B2 Diversatives
A method and system is disclosed for creating and managing Diversative Financial Instruments. Diversative Financial Instruments are designed to increase the risk-adjusted return of investment portfolios and other collections of assets and/or liabilities. The method and system also addresses the problem of the Regime Switching Effect, which tends to destroy the benefits of investment diversification when it is most needed, i.e., during a financial crisis. By creating Diversative Financial Instruments that are designed to counteract the Regime Switching Effect, diversification benefits may be tailored to the requirements of investors.
US08473381B2 Method and apparatus for deploying high-volume listings in a network trading platform
A method and system for managing listings within a network-based trading environment is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a first profile relating to a first aspect of a listing is identified, a second profile relating to a second aspect of a listing is identified, the first and second profiles are stored, and the listing is automatically generated using the first and second profiles.
US08473379B2 Dynamic centralized unit determination in a credit control charging system
A charging system includes a rating engine, a session control module, and a charging unit determination module. The session control module receives a request for service units, associated with a charging session, from a client or service element, and obtains one or more input parameters from the request for service units. The charging unit determination module obtains account data associated with the request for service units, determines at least one charging session related parameter based on the one or more input parameters and/or the account data, and pass the at least one charging session related parameter to the rating engine. The rating engine grants service units based on the at least one charging session related parameter, and forwards an indication of the granted service units to the session control module for return to the client or service element.
US08473377B2 Data management system
A data management system may include computer code to receive data that may include financial data and related data. The computer code may store the data in a database. The financial data may include data not tracked by a general ledger, such as contractual commitments, operating leases, head count, environmental incidents, lost time, disposal of operations, etc. The financial data may be applicable to different business units. The computer code may be configured to permit access to, entry of, and sign-off on the data only by users granted authority to do so. The financial data may include different data categories, and the data management system may be configured to use a different workflow to manage the data based on the data category of the financial data. The computer code may generate reports from the data retrieved from the database.
US08473376B2 System, method, and computer program product for byte-based utility computing pricing
A system, method, and computer program product for byte-based utility computing pricing. A method for accounting for data processing system service usage includes metering network usage and integrating network usage over a billing period to determine a total network usage. The method includes metering storage usage and integrating storage usage over the billing period to determine a total storage usage. The method includes metering processor usage and integrating processor usage over the billing period to determine a total processor usage. The method includes summing the total network usage, total storage usage, and total processor usage to determine a total customer usage, and determining a total customer bill according to the total customer usage and a billing rate.
US08473374B2 Method and apparatus for monitoring inventory
A method for monitoring inventory on a self-adjusting shelf and apparatus for accomplishing the same. The invention describes a method for determining the number of packages on a shelf or hanger of a self-adjusting shelf. The number of packages on a shelf or hanger are determined by measuring the distance from the back end of a shelf to the package closest to the shelf with a sensor, ascertaining the thickness of the product, and by calculating the amount of space occupied on a shelf or hanger and consequently the number of packages on a shelf. In another embodiment, the product is identified by a product identifying means such as an SKU reader. Thus, the quantity and type of product located on a shelf or hanger is known. Such information allows a store to know the type and quantity of packages needed to restock a specific hanger.
US08473372B2 Mortgage and real estate data integration and presentation system
A method of presenting real estate data is provided. A plurality of property listings can be presented, and a selection of one of the presented property listings may be received from a user. The user may be associated with a financial profile, which may be specified via user input. In response to receiving the selection by the user, at least one loan offer corresponding to the property listing may be automatically presented, for example, together with the property listing. The loan offer may be at least partially based on the financial profile, and may also be based on a property corresponding to the selected property listing. For example, the property listing and the financial profile may be automatically transmitted to one or more loan providers in response to receiving the selection by the user of the property listing, and in response loan offers may be received from some of the loan providers.
US08473371B2 Transactions via a user device in the proximity of a seller
Embodiments of methods and systems are provided that allow a user to upload inventories, view inventories in the proximity of the user, and/or facilitate transactions over a user device in a simple manner. In an embodiment, a method for transactions comprises loading, by a server at a remote location, an application on a user device of a user, wherein the application allows the user to upload an inventory comprising one or more items and/or services offered for sale by the user, as well as to view on the user device other inventory offered for sale by one or more other users as the user comes into proximity of the one or more other users, and wherein an inventory list maintained at the user device is constantly updated with the other inventory viewed by the user device. The method also comprises receiving, by the server at the remote location, transaction information associated with conducting a transaction in connection with the inventory list over the user device. The method further comprises facilitating, by the server at the remote location, the transaction between the user via the user device and the one or more other users.
US08473369B2 Behavioral filter for personalized recommendations
This disclosure describes systems and associated methods that can selectively filter seed behavior, e.g., user activity used to generate item recommendations. In some embodiments, seed behaviors and catalog items are associated with categories in an electronic catalog, and a particular seed behavior is used to generate user recommendations if it is more recent than a user's last purchase in the category of the seed behavior. For example, a user's activity in the TV category, e.g., viewing various TV models, may not be used to generate recommendations if the activity occurred prior to the user's purchase of a TV. As a result, in certain embodiments, additional TVs may not appear in the user's recommendations following her purchase, reflecting that the user has fulfilled her desire to purchase a TV.
US08473368B2 Method, system and controller for providing goods and /or services to consumers
A method, system and controller is provided for a selection service recommending or providing access to goods or service items to a consumer, comprising the steps of: identifying a set of available items at least some of which require payment to item providers for access (1201); predicting a measure of likely enjoyment of each available item by the consumer (1202)/calculating a measure of value for money of each available item for the consumer (1203); and recommending or providing access to items to the consumer that will represent good value for money (1204).
US08473367B2 Computer based media access method and system
The disclosed system and method includes a global computer network facility which provides a platform allowing artists to quickly and easily promote their music. A method and system of uploading songs establishes unique characteristics of each song with audio-analytical tools, and stores the analyzed songs on an online cloud computing storage facility. The artist-users can efficiently promote their music directly to the right suited audience in a fair fashion, providing a platform for all artists, including lesser known and popular artists. Simultaneously, the system allows listeners to readily access their entire music library from any mobile device via syncing music to devices with the invention's client application. At the same time, listener-users are automatically prompted with new or recommended music based on audio/acoustical characteristics of the song that they are currently listening to.
US08473364B2 Network reputation and payment service
This document discusses, among other things, example embodiments of a transaction system that may receive, over a network, a first set of transaction data associated with a transaction for an item. In an example embodiment, a reputation application may adjust a rating associated with the transaction when the first set of transaction data indicates a purchase or a return of the item.
US08473363B1 Systems and methods for price searching and customer self-checkout using a mobile device
Price searching and customer self-checkout on a mobile device is provided. A system for purchasing products comprises at least one subsystem that receives from a mobile device at least price and seller identification data of a product, (at least the price of said product having been electronically read by the mobile device), and at least one subsystem that charges a user for the product based upon the received price and identification data.
US08473362B2 Item model based on descriptor and images
A model generation machine may form all or part of a network-based system. The model generation machine may generate an item model (e.g., a 3D model of the item) based on a set of images of an item and based on a product model (e.g., a 3D model of a product of which the item is a specimen). The item may be available for purchase from a seller. The model generation machine may access the set of images, as well as a descriptor of the item. Based on the descriptor, the model generation machine may identify the product model. Accordingly, the model generation machine may generate the item model from the identified product model and the accessed set of images.
US08473359B2 Methods and system of conducting business-to-business operations by registered sellers and buyers using an internet accessible platform
A method for using an internet accessible computer system to conduct business to business operations among a plurality of buyer companies and a plurality of seller companies. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of registering each of the plurality of seller companies with an internet accessible computer system, wherein each of the plurality of seller companies sells goods to a corresponding one of the plurality of buyer companies, and the corresponding one buyer company makes payment for the goods sold by that seller company; and registering each of the plurality of buyer companies with the internet accessible computer system, wherein the registration of each of the plurality of buyer companies depends on the registration of its corresponding seller company.
US08473353B2 Conducting commerce between individuals
Receiving payment includes the establishment, at a first server, a transaction record including information identifying a payment amount, a first account to be credited by the payment amount, and a second account to be debited by a debit amount. A financial authorization network performs an authorization analysis on at least the second account. The second account is debited if the authorization analysis is successfully completed, and the first account is directly credited by the payment amount to conclude the transaction. Risk analysis may be performed for each individual. Payment is integrated with shipping.
US08473352B2 Consumer due diligence for money transfer systems and methods
A method of transferring money from a sender to a recipient using a third party money transfer service a point of sale device receiving transaction details for a requested money transfer; determining whether the requested transaction is an allowable transaction; and either aborting the transaction; attempting to identify the sender as an existing customer using the transaction details; using the sender's transaction history and the transaction details to determine whether to allow the requested transaction to proceed. If the requested transaction is allowed to proceed, the method includes creating a money transfer record for the requested transaction; associating a money transfer control number to the money transfer record; and using the transaction details to determine whether to monitor the requested transaction.
US08473351B1 Systems and methods for verifying authorization
Authorization verification systems and methods are described that store a record of an authorization determination performed at a point of sale or other point of control. The system receives authorization information for an individual indicative of the individual's authorization to purchase a product or service, to enter a location, to attend an event, or to otherwise participate in an encounter whose access is limited to authorized individuals. In one embodiment, the authorization verification system receives information relating to the individual's age via an electronic scanning of a driver's license or other identification card, or by other methods, and uses the birth date information to calculate the customer's current age. The current age can be displayed on an existing display of a point-of-sale device or other display. A record of the authorization can be stored as part of a transaction record that can subsequently be retrieved to verify that an authorization determination for the encounter was carried out.
US08473349B1 Ad server and syndication system
An ad server and syndication system provides a browsable hierarchy of categories, such as topical ad categories and/or product categories, with which specific ads may be explicitly associated. A first user interface provides functionality for advertisers to browse the hierarchy, and to post ads in association with specific ad categories. A second user interface provides functionality for web site operators wishing to host ads on their web sites to select or exclude specific categories of ads to host. In one embodiment, a web site operator that sells a particular category of products can locate that product category within the hierarchy, and then select from a corresponding list of product-related-services that may be advertised on web pages associated with such products.
US08473348B2 Paid media online cooperative method
The paid media online cooperative method is a multi-user method having computer-automated steps that provide price negotiation more effectively than a single buyer of media alone can. The digital cooperative includes organizations associated with the co-op, the organizations retaining the same variables as they would normally have outside of the co-op. The co-op method allows users to manage cost in the form of cost per visitor or per impression, thereby reducing advertising cost while upholding impression and visitor counts among all members. Software applications of the method may be centralized or distributed. The method provides a democratically controlled enterprise that is autonomous and independent of any of its members, and based on a lowest cost pricing model. Member participation in the co-op is voluntary. Each member accesses data fields to manage media buys, except the pricing field is unavailable to the member, and is instead managed by the software application.
US08473343B2 Tracking responses to promotions
A computer implemented method for response tracking is described. The method includes obtaining one or more responses to one or more promotions, attributing the one or more responses to one or more treatment instances, with the one or more treatment instances correspond to a promotion version assigned to a group of contact entities at an execution of a computer implemented marketing campaign, and generating a response table, the response table including one or more entries, the entries in the response table being in accordance with attribution of the one or more responses to one or more treatment instances.
US08473339B1 Automatically switching between pricing models for services
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, that can include receiving from an advertiser a request for billing based on a first measure of services, determining from quality data related to the advertiser whether the first measure of services can be converted with sufficient confidence to a second measure of services, providing services according to the first measure of services, monitoring stability data indicative of the stability of the relationship between the first measure of services and the second measure of services, and automatically switching from one to another mode of determining a price to be charged the customer for services provided.
US08473337B2 Auctioning segmented avails
Various embodiments enable auctioning of segmented advertisement insertion opportunities, e.g., segmented avails, associated with distributed content. In at least some embodiments, bids from advertisers to place advertisements in conjunction with a segmented avail are obtained. The bids that are obtained can have different durations (e.g., 60, 30, 15 seconds) that can be selectively enabled by a segmented avail in various combinations to fill a total duration of the segmented avail. Ranking criteria and/or logic can be applied to rank the bids one to another. In at least some embodiments, the bids are ranked within groups corresponding to different time durations. Bids can be allocated to the segmented avail by testing one or more combinations of the bids and selecting a winning combination based at least in part upon a sum of the ranks associated with bids in the combination.
US08473330B2 Software-centric methodology for verification and validation of fault models
A method for verifying and improving a vehicle fault model is disclosed. The method includes analyzing the available field failure data that includes vehicle symptoms and failures for many vehicles. The method performs an analysis using the field failure data that includes using subject matter expert knowledge to determine the most significant failure modes and the most significant symptoms. The method also includes learning simulation parameters from the field failure data and simulating faults using the learned simulation parameters. The method further includes verifying and validating the fault model based on the most significant failure modes and the most significant symptoms from the what-if analysis and the faults identifies by the simulation, and using a diagnostic reasoner to analyze the revised fault model to generate estimated faults. The method then compares the estimated faults to the simulated faults to determine true detection and false alarm rates for a benefit analysis.
US08473328B2 System and method for strategizing interactions with a client base
The present disclosure describes novel systems and methods that can be utilized to evaluate and/or direct an interaction with a consumer database and/or evaluate a consumer database, where the consumer database contains information about consumers and particular products and/or services held or used by the consumers. The interactions may be, for example, determining a strategy for sales, marketing, cross-selling, and/or retaining one or more of the consumers. The evaluations may include, for example, hierarchically ranking the consumers and/or determining a clustering of the consumers.
US08473325B2 System and method for automatic configuration and management of home network devices using a hierarchical index model
A system for automatically installing and managing devices in a home network implements automated configuration and maintenance of devices and peripherals. A service platform facilitates automated discovery and deployment of home networks and devices that interact with the network. The system includes a monitoring and learning processes for automatic issue detection and alerting. Activity of users and devices within the home are monitored, usage patterns are learned and applied back to the system to improve the digital performance of the home. This system leverages data center, service node, and agent software in the devices to access a knowledge base storing data regarding home entities. A hierarchical index model is used to assign intelligence levels to these entities based on certain parameters. The indices are used to direct alert messages, take an action, and implement a targeted facility for providing communications from network managers or service providers.
US08473322B1 System for translating dates for taking action from positions relative to a reference date to calendar dates
A computer network-implemented system for aiding users in a first jurisdiction, having a first set of day-types and a second jurisdiction having a second set of day-types, in translating to calendar dates action-dates of differing action-date-types, that are set in relation to a reference date. The system includes a computer network, having an input unit by which a reference date, and action-dates, and a jurisdiction, may be entered. The system also includes a memory in which the first jurisdiction and second jurisdiction day-types are stored. A calendar day determination mechanism counts number of days to the action-dates and determines the first day to satisfy the day count and that is eligible for scheduling the action-date-type, and determines and stores the action-dates in a calendar. Finally, a display mechanism displays the calendar to a user.
US08473321B2 Method and apparatus for associating privileges with people in an organization
A technique for associating privileges to people within an organization involves: maintaining for each of a plurality of objects an identification of an owner; maintaining for each of the objects an identification of at least one privilege associated therewith; and defining a role associated with a selected owner, the role identifying a privilege set containing at least one of the privileges, and the role having a criteria that defines which of a plurality of subjects are eligible to enjoy the privilege set, each privilege in the privilege set being associated with one of the objects associated with the selected owner.
US08473319B2 System for providing goal-triggered feedback
A system and method for encouraging the exchange of feedback in an enterprise. An example method includes providing one or more user interface controls for configuring a feedback reminder to automatically include predetermined insight pertaining to a potential participant in a future feedback exchange; sending the feedback reminder to a messaging system or application; providing a user option to view content of the feedback reminder; and displaying the feedback reminder in response to user selection of the first user option. Another user option enables selection of particular insight, derived from a talent management system, for inclusion in the feedback reminder. The messaging system may include an email application or an application for displaying a worklist.
US08473318B2 Risk score determination
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for determining a risk score for an agent associated with an entity. In some embodiments, a method includes: (a) receiving first information associated with an agent's action related to an account and/or an agent's actions over a predetermined period of time related to one or more applications, and (b) determining a first risk score based at least partially on the first information. In some embodiments, the method further includes: (c) receiving, from a data system, second information associated with the agent, where the second information comprises one or more entitlements granted to the agent by the entity, and (d) determining a second risk score based at least partially on both the first information and the second information. Embodiments of the invention allow an entity to monitor an agent's actions and determine whether the agent's actions, either singly or cumulatively, pose a risk to the customer's account and/or other information provided by the customer.
US08473314B2 Method and system for determining precursors of health abnormalities from processing medical records
Medical reports are converted to document vectors in computing apparatus and sampled by applying a maximum variation sampling function including a fitness function to the document vectors to reduce a number of medical records being processed and to increase the diversity of the medical records being processed. Linguistic phrases are extracted from the medical records and converted to s-grams. A Haar wavelet function is applied to the s-grams over the preselected time interval; and the coefficient results of the Haar wavelet function are examined for patterns representing the likelihood of health abnormalities. This confirms certain s-grams as precursors of the health abnormality and a parameter can be calculated in relation to the occurrence of such a health abnormality.
US08473312B2 Diagnostic image security system
A method for restricting unauthorised access to a patient's diagnostic images. Patient identification data is stored in a first database and diagnostic images associated with the patient are stored in a remote second database. The patient is issued with an access code which is provided to a user who is authorized by the patient to access the patient's diagnostic image. Use of the access code permits an authorized user to match the patient identification data retrieved from the first database with the associated diagnostic image stored in the second database.
US08473306B2 Method and apparatus for monitoring physiological parameter variability over time for one or more organs
A system is provided for leveraging the power of the analysis of variability over time, and which uses an underlying framework that can handle variability analyses across a distributed system in a consistent manner, in part by constructing a standard variability data file that includes several manifestations of the underlying data acquired using variability monitoring. The consistent and standard data files, along with the underlying framework enables a user to make use of a set of convenient display tools, while a central entity can provide connectivity to the distributed environment and provide a way to update the equipment and software to ensure consistent and relevant analyses. The system can be extended into many environments, including in-patient, out-patient and completely mobile/stand-alone users.
US08473303B2 System and method for establishing electronic business systems for supporting communications services commerce
A comprehensive electronic business support system comprises three layers: (1) the business layer, including various smart components which unify data and business processes across all customer interactions; (2) the integration layer, including various communications messaging interfaces and enterprise application integration adapters, which provide a flexible, automated, and process driven solution for integrating across business applications and operations support systems; and (3) the presentation layer, including various customer views, which are presented via particular business portals. A smart component server provides the core services and comprehensive business process logic required to successfully conduct business online. The communications messaging interfaces integrate with back-office systems for functions such as billing, provisioning, and interconnection.
US08473302B2 Parametric audio encoding and decoding apparatus and method thereof having selective phase encoding for birth sine wave
Provided are parametric audio encoding and decoding apparatuses and methods thereof. In the parametric audio encoding method, an audio signal is segmented into a plurality of segments. At least one sine wave is extracted from each of the segments, and the extracted sine waves are connected. It is determined whether an extracted sine wave is a birth sine wave. If the extracted sine wave is a birth sine wave, a bit stream is generated by encoding the phase of the birth sine wave on the basis of the frequency of the birth sine wave, wherein the number of bits allocated to encode the phase of the birth sine wave is adjusted according to the frequency of the birth sine wave.
US08473301B2 Method and apparatus for audio decoding
A method for decoding an audio signal includes: obtaining a lower-band signal component of an audio signal corresponding to a received code stream when the audio signal switches from a first bandwidth to a second bandwidth which is narrower than the first bandwidth; extending the lower-band signal component to obtain higher-band information; performing a time-varying fadeout process on the higher-band information to obtain a processed higher-band signal component; and synthesizing the processed higher-band signal component and the obtained lower-band signal component. With the methods provided in the embodiments of the invention, when an audio signal has a switch from broadband to narrowband, a series of processes such as bandwidth detection, artificial band extension, time-varying fadeout process, and bandwidth synthesis, may be performed to make the switch to have a smooth transition from a broadband signal to a narrowband signal so that a comfortable listening experience may be achieved.
US08473300B1 Log mining to modify grammar-based text processing
Methods and systems for log mining for grammar-based text processing are provided. A method may comprise receiving, from a device, an activity log. The activity log may comprise one or more of an input instruction, a determined function based at least in part on a match of the input instruction to a grammar-based textual pattern including associations of a given function based on one or more grammars, and a response determination based on an acknowledgement of the determined function. The method may also comprise comparing at least a portion of the activity log with stored activity logs in order to determine a correlation between the activity log and the stored activity logs. The method may also comprise modifying the grammar-based textual pattern based on the determined correlation and providing information indicative of the modification to the device so as to update the grammar-based textual pattern.
US08473299B2 System and dialog manager developed using modular spoken-dialog components
A dialog manager and spoken dialog service having a dialog manager generated according to a method comprising selecting a top level flow controller based on application type, selecting available reusable subdialogs for each application part, developing a subdialog for each application part not having an available subdialog and testing and deploying the spoken dialog service using the selected top level flow controller, selected reusable subdialogs and developed subdialogs. The dialog manager capable of handling context shifts in a spoken dialog with a user. Application dependencies are established in the top level flow controller thus enabling the subdialogs to be reusable and to be capable of managing context shifts and mixed initiative dialogs.
US08473296B2 Method and system for dynamic creation of contexts
A method and a system for a speech recognition system (1), comprising an electronic document, which is a speech based document comprising one or more sections of text recognized or transcribed from sections of speech, wherein said sections of speech are dictated by an author and processed by a speech recognizer (4) in the speech recognition system (1) into corresponding sections of text of said speech based document. The method comprises the steps of dynamically creating and adapting sub contexts by said speech recognizer and associating said sub context to said sections of text.
US08473294B2 Skipping radio/television program segments
Techniques for notifying at least one entity of an occurrence of an event in an audio signal are provided. At least one preference is obtained from the at least one entity. An occurrence of an event in the audio signal is determined. The event is related to at least one of at least one speaker and at least one topic. The at least one entity is notified of the occurrence of the event in the audio signal, in accordance with the at least one preference.
US08473289B2 Disambiguating input based on context
In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a mobile computing device, ambiguous user input that indicates more than one of a plurality of commands; and determining a current context associated with the mobile computing device that indicates where the mobile computing device is currently located. The method can further include disambiguating the ambiguous user input by selecting a command from the plurality of commands based on the current context associated with the mobile computing device; and causing output associated with performance of the selected command to be provided by the mobile computing device.
US08473288B2 Quantizer, encoder, and the methods thereof
Disclosed are a quantizer, encoder, and the methods thereof, wherein the computational load is reduced when the values related to the transform coefficients of the principal component analysis transform are quantized when a principal component analysis transform is applied to code stereo. A quantizer includes a power correlation calculator which calculates the power of the left channel signal, the power of the right channel signal, and the correlation between the left channel signal and the right channel signal; an intermediate value calculator which calculates the intermediate value which is the difference between left channel signal the power and the right channel signal power; a codebook which holds a plurality of sets of the coefficients related to the transform coefficients of the principal component analysis transform and the code; and a quantizer which calculates the sum of the first multiplication result obtained by multiplying the coefficient by the correlation value and the second multiplication result obtained by multiplying the coefficient by the intermediate value as the cost function E, selects the coefficients where the cost function E becomes the maximum, and fetches the code related to the selected coefficients as the quantized code.
US08473281B2 Net moderator
A method and an apparatus for moderating an inappropriate relationship between two parties by analyzing a dialog between the two parties. The method and apparatus creates an alert depending upon the nature of the dialog between the two parties. The alert is sent to a third party who can moderate the relationship between the two parties. The third party can ban or block the dialog between the two parties based upon the inappropriate relationship between the two parties. A banning or block of the dialog between the two parties can also be automated.
US08473274B1 Providing component connection information
Techniques and mechanisms provide design information in a scalable representation. A design includes multiple master components and slave components. The master components and slave components include ports allowing interconnection. Techniques and mechanisms are described for selectively providing a subset of the interconnections between the master components and the slave components.
US08473269B1 System-level hardware and software development and co-simulation system
Various approaches for co-simulating an electronic system design are described. In one approach, a hardware design function block in the design is instantiated, along with a specification of a software execution platform including external ports and software to execute on the platform. In response to a user instruction to import the software execution platform into the design, a software execution platform interface block is automatically instantiated. A first simulation model is generated from the hardware design function block and the software execution platform interface block and a second simulation model is generated from the software execution platform. The design is co-simulated using the first and second simulation models. Data is communicated between the first simulation model and the second simulation model via the interface block.
US08473259B2 Object interface in computer-aided design of an assembly of objects
In one embodiment, a method for designing an assembly of objects in a system of computer-aided design includes selecting a first object and a second object of the assembly. The method can further include computing a set of relative positions between the first object and the second object of the assembly, ranking the relative positions of the set between the first object and the second object according to at least one criterion, and providing the best of the relative positions between the first object and the second object according to the ranking step.
US08473253B2 Digital event timing
Methods, computer-readable mediums, and a circuit are provided. In one embodiment, a method is provided which obtains a digital sample. The method calculates a second derivative of the digital sample and thereafter determines when the second derivative passed through a zero crossing point. A master clock value and the second derivative value before and after the second derivate passes through zero are used to calculate a clock fraction and add the clock fraction to the master clock value. Thereafter, an event start signal is triggered to initiates signal processing.
US08473248B2 Test apparatus and test method
A first transform unit transforms clock change point information which indicates the change timing of a clock signal into information with respect to the frequency domain thereof so as to generate first clock change point frequency information. A digital filter performs filtering of the first clock change point frequency information so as to generate second clock change point frequency information. A second transform unit inverse-transforms the second clock change point frequency information into information with respect to the time domain so as to generate second clock change point information. A judgment unit evaluates a DUT based upon difference data between the change timing represented by the data change point information and the change timing represented by the second clock change point information in increments of phases.
US08473247B2 Methods for monitoring processing equipment
Methods for monitoring processing equipment are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for monitoring processing equipment when in an idle state for a period of idle time may include selecting a test from a list of a plurality of tests to perform on the processing equipment when the processing equipment is in the idle state, wherein the test has a total run time; starting the selected test; comparing a remaining idle time of the period of idle time to a remaining run time of the total run time as the selected test is performed; and determining whether to end the selected test prior to completing the total run time in response to the comparison.
US08473246B1 Cable measurement device
A length of a cable may be measured. First, a wave may be transmitted in a cable. Then, the transmitted wave may be received. Next, a length of the cable between a first end of the cable and a second end of the cable may be calculated based upon a time the transmitted wave took to travel in the cable.
US08473242B1 System and method for race participant tracking and reporting of associated data
A system and method are provided for tracking race participants via a Global Positioning System, providing feedback in substantially real time to the race participant, and optionally to other remote individuals via web publication at the user's preference. The feedback includes graphical and tabular presentation of such information as geographic position, race route, current race performance metrics, projection of future milestone and final race performance, projected position at a given time, projected time to a given position, relative performance to historical participants, to personal historical performance and to other members of the current race that are being tracked in aggregate or by demographic or otherwise subdivided.
US08473241B2 Navigation trajectory matching
Among other things, first data is received from an inertial tracking device worn by a first person, the first data approximating locations along a first path that was traversed by the first person. Second data is received from an inertial tracking device worn by a second person, the second data approximating locations along a second path, similar to the first path, that is being traversed by the second person. A determination is made about how to guide the second person to reach the first person by using the first data and the second data to correlate locations along the first path and corresponding locations along the second path.
US08473239B2 Multiple aperture ultrasound array alignment fixture
Increasing the effective aperture of an ultrasound imaging probe by including more than one probe head and using the elements of all of the probes to render an image can greatly improve the lateral resolution of the generated image. In order to render an image, the relative positions of all of the elements must be known precisely. A calibration fixture is described in which the probe assembly to be calibrated is placed above a test block and transmits ultrasonic pulses through the test block to an ultrasonic sensor. As the ultrasonic pulses are transmitted though some or all of the elements in the probe to be tested, the differential transit times of arrival of the waveform are measured precisely. From these measurements the relative positions of the probe elements can be computed and the probe can be aligned.
US08473234B2 Method and detection assembly for the detection of changes in a building structure of a wind turbine
A method for detecting changes in a building structure of a first wind turbine is provided. A reference value representing the eigenfrequency of the first wind turbine is monitored over time, whereby substantial changes in the reference value are used as an indication of changes in the building structure. Further, a detection assembly for such detections is provided.
US08473231B2 Systems and methods for monitoring deterioration of a rechargeable battery
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring the deterioration of a rechargeable battery. A battery monitoring system may be used to store charging information, discharge information and storage information for a rechargeable battery to a data store. The charging information may include a number of charge cycles incurred by the rechargeable battery. The discharge information may include a number discharge cycles incurred by the rechargeable battery. The storage information may include information relating to periods when the rechargeable battery is not being actively charged or discharged. The battery monitoring system may be further used to determine an amount of deterioration of a battery performance characteristic based on the stored charging information, discharge information and storage information.
US08473227B2 Method and system for determining an amount of a liquid energy commodity in storage in an underground cavern
A method for determining an amount of a liquid energy commodity in storage in an underground cavern generally comprises the steps of: establishing a volume function for a brine pond associated with the underground cavern; acquiring an image of the brine pond; transmitting the acquired image to a central processing facility; analyzing the acquired image to calculate a depth of the brine in the brine pond; estimating the volume of the brine in the brine pond based on the calculated depth and using the volume function; determining the amount of the liquid energy commodity in storage in the underground cavern associated with the brine pond based on the estimated volume of the brine in the brine pond; and communicating information about the amount of the liquid energy commodity in storage to a third-party market participant.
US08473222B2 Measurement devices and methods for measuring analyte concentration incorporating temperature and pH correction
Disclosed herein are methods of estimating an analyte concentration which include generating a signal indicative of the analyte concentration, generating a signal indicative of a temperature, generating a signal indicative of a pH, and transforming the signal indicative of the analyte concentration utilizing an equation of the form of a modified Michaelis-Menten equation depending on Michaelis-Menten parameters, wherein values of the Michaelis-Menten parameters are set based upon data which includes temperature and pH calibration parameters, the signal indicative of a temperature, and the signal indicative of a pH. Also disclosed herein are measurement devices which employ the aforementioned methods.
US08473221B2 Process, software arrangement and computer-accessible medium for obtaining information associated with a haplotype
The present invention relates to a method, system and software arrangement for determining the co-associations of allele types across consecutive loci and hence for reconstructing two haplotypes of a diploid individual from genotype data generated by mapping experiments with single molecules, families or populations. The haplotype reconstruction system, method and software arrangement of the present invention can utilize a procedure that is nearly linear in the number of polymorphic markers examined, and is therefore quicker, more accurate, and more efficient than other population-based approaches. The system, method, and software arrangement of the present invention may be useful to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of any disease, which has a genetic component.
US08473220B2 Method and device for early signal attenuation detection using blood glucose measurements
Methods and devices to detect analyte in body fluid are provided. Embodiments include receiving one or more analyte sensor data, receiving a reference measurement value associated with an analyte level, determining a sensitivity parameter based on the received one or more analyte sensor data and the reference measurement value, performing a probability analysis based on prior analyte sensor data to determine presence of signal attenuation, and generating an output value based on the probability analysis.
US08473219B2 Computational method for generating a feeding score for an individual infant
A computational method for generating a feeding score for an individual infant based upon a comparison of feeding factor measurements obtained from the individual infant, values associated with the feeding factor measurements, and feeding parameter metrics from a population of infants having a similar gestational age as the individual infant.
US08473217B1 Method and system for standardization of microarray data
The present invention relates to a method and system for standardizing a test microarray dataset. The method requires obtaining a test microarray dataset comprising abundance values for a first plurality of cellular constituents, providing a standardization data structure associated with values of central tendency and identifies, and applying the standardization data structure to the test microarray dataset using a mathematical transformation in order to produce a standardized test microarray dataset.This change has been made for purposes of compact prosecution and to better embrace the allowable subject matter.
US08473212B2 Log processing in highly deviated wellbores
A method for processing well logging data includes method dividing the well logging data into a number of constant dimensional effect segments, where each constant dimensional effect segment defines an interval having a similar dimensional effect on the log response. The well logging data is taken from a highly deviated well. The method further includes dividing the constant dimensional effect segments into a number of constant property intervals, each constant dimensional effect segment including at least one corresponding constant property interval, and each constant property interval defining a wellbore distance over which a formation property is substantially constant that results in a log response having a low variance. The method further includes providing the constant property intervals to an output device. The method further includes determining constant property intervals in 3D volume space projected them into true stratigraphic thickness, and providing the resulting log-squared data to the output device.
US08473211B2 Methods of correcting accelerometer and magnetometer measurements
A method of correcting accelerometer and magnetometer measurements made in a well is provided. The method includes making a series of triaxial measurements with magnetometers and accelerometers in an interval of the well to derive measured values of gravitational acceleration g, magnetic filed intensity B, and the sine of the magnetic inclination sin I. The method also includes obtaining known values of g, B and sin I for the interval and determining values of a correction to be applied to the measured values by simultaneously minimizing the difference between the measured values and the known values of g, B and sin I for the interval. The method also includes applying the correction to the measured values to obtain in situ corrected values for g, B and sin I.
US08473210B2 Method for the transmission of additional data along with navigation messages in a satellite navigation system
A method for transmitting additional information in a satellite navigation system includes providing a navigation message having a plurality of parameters, selecting at least one parameter from the plurality of parameters for the transmitting of the additional information, replacing the at least one parameter, at least partially, by the additional information so as to form a changed navigation message, and sending the changed navigation message.
US08473207B2 Tightly-coupled GNSS/IMU integration filter having calibration features
Embodiments of the invention provide a blending filter based on extended Kalman filter (EKF), which optimally integrates the IMU navigation data with all other satellite measurements (tightly-coupled integration filter). Two more states in the EKF for estimating/compensating the speed bias and the heading bias in the INS measurement are added. The integration filter has no feedback loop for INS calibration, and can estimate/compensate the navigation error in the INS measurement within the integration filter.
US08473206B2 Apparatus and method for executing telecommand on geostationary satellite, and apparatus and method for verifying telecommand execution status on geostationary satellite ground control system
Provided are an apparatus and method for executing a telecommand on a geostationary satellite, and an apparatus and method for verifying a telecommand execution status on a geostationary satellite ground control system. When a telecommand on a satellite is executed, the satellite generates command execution verification words for the executed telecommand and adds the generated command execution verification words to a telemetry transfer frame, and thus a satellite ground control system can easily verify the telecommand execution. In addition, when telecommand execution result is verified by a satellite ground control system, since an execution result of a time-tag telecommand can be verified without a time delay through command execution verification words provided by a satellite, and a telecommand image DB, a telecommand verifier DB, and a telecommand verifier provided by the satellite ground control system, a series of processes from transmission to verification of a telecommand, in particular a time-tag telecommand, can be automatically processed in real-time without intervention of an operator.
US08473200B1 Displaying location-specific images on a mobile device
A system is provided for providing location-specific images to a mobile device for display. The system generally comprises three components: a mobile device having a screen, a position identification system (e.g., a GPS receiver) that determines the position of the mobile device, and a database containing location-specific images taken at various locations. Each location-specific image is associated with geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was taken. Based on the position of the mobile device as determined by the position identification system, a location-specific image is selected from the database and displayed on the screen of the mobile device. For example, when a user is using the mobile device as a car navigation system, a location-specific image of the user's destination location can be selected and displayed when the determined position of the mobile device comes within a certain distance from the geographic coordinates of the destination location.
US08473197B2 Computation of travel routes, durations, and plans over multiple contexts
A route planning system comprises a receiver component that receives a request for directions between a beginning point and a destination point. An analysis component analyzes a traffic system representation that varies as context varies and outputs expected amounts of travel time between the beginning point and the destination point for multiple contexts based at least in part upon the analysis. A method is described herein that includes techniques for searching over routes and trip start times simultaneously so as to identity start times and routes associated with maximal expected value, or equivalently minimum expected cost, given preferences encoded about one or more of the leaving time, the travel time, and the arrival time.
US08473193B2 Method and device for utilizing selectable location marker for relational display of point of interest entries
A method and device are disclosed for utilizing a selectable location marker for relational display of point of interest entries. In one embodiment, the method includes prompting selection of a point of interest location marker on a navigation device, and displaying selectable point of interest entries on the navigation device in an order based upon a location related to a selected point of interest location marker and a relative location of each of the selectable point of interest entries.
US08473188B2 Vehicle collision detecting system
A collision detecting system includes a bumper reinforcement member, a crush box disposed between the bumper reinforcement member and a fixing member of the vehicle, a strain inducing member fixed to the crush box so as to distort in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle as the crush box is compressed between the reinforcement member and the fixing member and a strain measuring element fixed to the strain inducing member 5. The strain inducing member has a strain measuring portion having such a shape that stress of the strain inducing member concentrates into the strain measuring portion. The strain measuring element is fixed to the strain measuring portion to measure a component of the strain of the strain measuring portion in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The strain measuring portion has an asymmetrical cross-section in a vertical direction of the vehicle.
US08473187B2 Method and apparatus for combining three-dimensional position and two-dimensional intensity mapping for localization
A mapping method includes using a first mobile unit to map two-dimensional features while the first mobile unit traverses a surface. Three-dimensional positions of the features are sensed during the mapping. A three-dimensional map is created including associations between the three-dimensional positions of the features and the map of the two-dimensional features. The three-dimensional map is provided from the first mobile unit to a second mobile unit. The second mobile unit is used to map the two-dimensional features while the second mobile unit traverses the surface. Three-dimensional positions of the two-dimensional features mapped by the second mobile unit are determined within the second mobile unit and by using the three-dimensional map.
US08473184B2 Control method for deceleration of vehicle including continuous valve lift apparatus and system for the same
A control method and a control system for deceleration of a vehicle including a continuous valve lift apparatus (CVVL) may include determining whether fuel cutting condition is satisfied, determining whether brake pedal input signal is detected and controlling deceleration according to brake pedal input signal by at least one of controlling throttle opening angle and controlling valve lift of the CVVL.
US08473182B2 Internal combustion engine control device
An internal combustion engine control device is provided which can accurately estimate intake pipe temperature behavior during transient time even in an internal combustion engine embedded with a variable valve or a turbocharger. The internal combustion engine control device estimates transient behavior of the intake pipe temperature, on the basis of a flow rate (dGafs/dt) of gas flowing into the intake pipe, a flow rate (dGcyl/dt) of gas flowing from the intake pipe, an intake pipe pressure Pin, and a temporal changing rate (dPin/dt) of the intake pipe pressure. The device performs knocking control during transient time, on the basis of the estimated transient behavior of the intake pipe temperature.
US08473180B2 On-board fuel property detection using pattern recognition and power spectral analysis of cylinder pressure signal
Combustion pressure in a diesel combustion chamber is monitored to determine a combustion parameter as a function of the monitored pressure. A cetane number of the fuel combusted is determined as a function of a predetermined correlation between the combustion parameter and the cetane number.
US08473173B1 Motion sensor braking system and associated method
An automatic vehicle braking system prohibits vehicle propulsion upon detection of a triggering event, and includes sensors that detect the triggering event, a processor. A logic gate and a vehicle gear sensor cooperate with the processor to automatically activate and deactivate a vehicle braking system, which includes a solenoid switch responsive to an output signal from the logic gate. An air valve is activates the vehicle braking system by permitting air to pass downstream of the air valve and to existing vehicle brake pads. An outlet port is situated downstream from the inlet port of the air valve casing. A piston is linearly reciprocated within the casing such that the inlet port is in fluid communication with the existing air tank of the vehicle. In this manner, the outlet port may be adapted to be in fluid communication with an existing brake pad of the vehicle braking system.
US08473169B2 Vehicle transmission control apparatus
A vehicle transmission control apparatus includes an expected-acceleration calculator configured to calculate an expected acceleration of a vehicle based on at least an engine load and a vehicle speed. An actual-acceleration calculator is configured to calculate an actual acceleration of the vehicle. An uphill determination device is configured to calculate an uphill determination value based on a difference between the expected acceleration and the actual acceleration and configured to calculate a corrected uphill determination value by subjecting the uphill determination value to moderating calculation using a moderating coefficient and to update the corrected uphill determination value in accordance with the moderating coefficient. A transmission-characteristic selecting device is configured to select one of transmission characteristics based on the corrected uphill determination value. A transmission controller is configured to perform transmission control based on the transmission characteristic selected by the transmission-characteristic selecting device.
US08473166B2 Semiautomatic control of earthmoving machine based on attitude measurement
The blade on an earthmoving machine is controlled by a semiautomatic method comprising a combination of a manual operational mode and an automatic operational mode. An operator first enters the manual operational mode and manually sets the height of the blade. The operator then enters the automatic mode and sets a reference pitch angle and an initial control point. The height of the blade is automatically controlled based on pitch angle measurements received from pitch angle sensors. Automatic control is effective over a particular range of soil conditions. When the automatic control range is exceeded, the operator manually shifts the control point, and automatic control resumes about the new control point. Blade slope is automatically controlled based on roll angle measurements received from roll angle sensors.
US08473162B2 Force limiting unit for a motor vehicle
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a force limiting device for a motor vehicle is provided. The force limiting device is adopted for adjusting the absorption of a force between two parts moving relative to one another during a dangerous situation in the motor vehicle. The force limiting device comprises a kinematic energy absorption device configured such that for a predefined profile of a speed difference between the two parts moving relative to one another different force limiting levels are produced as a function of mass and momentum of the two moving parts.
US08473160B2 Device for detecting steering operation force
A steering operation force detection device for a steering wheel including a steering wheel rim having a right-side rim section and a left-side rim section. The device includes load cells that detect six component forces of the steering operation force acting on the right-side rim section and the left-side rim section consisting of forces in three axial directions and moments about three axes. The device includes a steering angle detection sensor that detects a steering angle of the steering wheel, and an inertial force component correcting unit that derives an inertial force component acting on the right-side rim section and the left-side rim section due to rotation of the steering wheel, based on an amount of displacement of the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection sensor, and that corrects the component force detected by the load cells to eliminate an effect of the derived inertial force component.
US08473158B2 Stability-based steering control methods and systems
A control system for controlling a steering system to maintain stability of the steering system is provided. The control system includes an operating conditions module that estimates at least one operating gain based on an operating condition of the steering system. A blend module estimates a blend value based on the at least one operating gain. A steering assist module generates a steering assist command based on the blend value.
US08473157B2 Control of a suspension system of a vehicle provided with four semi-active suspensions
A method for controlling four semi-active suspensions of a vehicle comprising the steps of: determining, for each semi-active suspension, a first and a second signal representative of the acceleration and speed of the sprung mass; determining, for a pair of semi-active suspensions arranged on one side of the vehicle a third and a four signal representative of the acceleration and pitch speed; calculating for each semi-active suspension, a first damping coefficient as a function of the difference between the first and second signal squared; calculating for each semi-active suspension, a second damping coefficient as a function of the difference between the third and the four signal squared; for each semi-active suspension, comparing the first and the second damping coefficient for determining the higher coefficient; applying to each force generator device, an electronic control signal indicative of the respective high damping coefficient.
US08473156B2 Driving dynamics control system for vehicles
A driving dynamics control system for vehicles. The control system including at least one driving dynamics controller that is fed setpoint specifications and driving state variables as input data. The control system also includes a plurality of actuators that can be controlled and/or regulated to modify the dynamics of the vehicle, such as steering, adjustable independently of the driver, on a front and/or rear axle of the vehicle, a chassis adjustable independently of the driver, a brake adjustable independently of the driver, and a drive train adjustable independently of the driver. The driving dynamics controller determines a central control specification from the setpoint specifications and the driving state variables and sends it to a distribution algorithm that distributes the control specification into manipulated variables for driving the actuators.
US08473150B2 Method of unlocking an engine control computer
A method of unlocking the anti-starting system of a computer (ECM) controlling the operation of an engine of a motor vehicle, includes: each time the computer is powered up generating therewith a first random value and writing the value into a first zone of a volatile memory of the computer, downloading an unlocking program from a downloading tool to the volatile memory, the execution of which generates the calculation of a second value from the first random value and from a determined relation stored in the unlocking program, and writing the second value into a second zone of the volatile memory of the computer, reinitializing the software of the computer without erasing the first and second zones of the volatile memory of the computer, comparing the values stored in the first and second zones, unlocking the anti-starting system of the computer, if the comparison is successful.
US08473149B2 Event logging method and device
A method of logging information about events for an internal combustion engine having an ignition circuit, and an event logging device arranged to implement the method. The method comprises incrementing a current value of a counter (50) at a predetermined rate when the ignition circuit is turned on, detecting that an event has occurred (53), creating a new event record (54) having at least two fields, populating the fields within the new event record with information about the event (55), including at least an event type and the current value of the counter; and storing the new event record (57).
US08473148B2 Fleet management systems and methods for complex event processing of vehicle-related information via local and remote complex event processing engines
A fleet management complex event processing (CEP) engine executes on at least one hardware computer processor. The CEP engine receives at least a first input stream onto which first vehicle information related to a first vehicle is published, and a second input stream onto which second vehicle information related to a second vehicle is published. The CEP engine applies at least one query to the first input stream and the second input stream, and assesses if a fleet-related complex event has occurred. If it is determined in that the fleet-related complex event has occurred, the CEP engine publishes an indication of occurrence of the fleet-related complex event on at least one output stream.
US08473147B2 State of health indicator for a vehicle fuel delivery system
A method for determining a state of health (SOH) value for a fuel delivery system in a vehicle includes estimating speeds of a calibrated fuel pump and an actual fuel pump using an extended state observer, calculating a deviation between the estimated speeds, and determining the progress of the deviation over a calibrated interval. The method further includes calculating the SOH value using the progress of the deviation, and automatically executing a control action corresponding to the SOH value. The system may be an Electronic Returnless Fuel System, and the pump may be controlled using pulse width modulation. A fuel delivery system for a vehicle includes a fuel pump operable for supplying fuel to the engine, a fuel tank containing the fuel pump, and a controller having the state observer noted above. A vehicle includes the fuel system, engine, and controller noted above.
US08473145B2 Code evaluator tool with urgency indicator
A diagnostic tool and method are provided wherein the diagnostic tool includes indicators to indicate the condition of the vehicle using a database and the DTCs present in the vehicle. The tool indicates for each DTC retrieved from the vehicle, the level of repair urgency. The tool also can indicate if the vehicle can be driven without damaging the vehicle.
US08473142B2 Method and arrangement for calculating a conformity between an estimated representation of an environment and the actual environment
The present invention concerns a method for determining a conformity between a representation of an environment and said environment, wherein said representation of the environment constitutes a representation in at least two dimensions, where a distance between two points in the representation has a known relation to the corresponding distance in said environment, characterized in that said determination involves the step of determining a first set of parameter values for a first position in said representation of the environment, comparing said first determined set of expected parameter values with a second set of parameter values, where said second set of parameter values has been determined for a second position, where said second position constitutes a position in said environment that essentially corresponds to said first position, and using said comparison to determine a measure of conformity between said environment and said representation of the environment. The invention also concerns an arrangement and the mining and/or construction machine.
US08473139B1 Hybrid vehicle driving apparatus
A hybrid vehicle driving apparatus includes a clutch control device and an automatic transmission control device that are connected to mutually communicate. The clutch control device sends a request to wait gear shift to the automatic transmission control device while front clutch operation is in preparation. The automatic transmission control device that receives the request to wait gear shift determines whether priority is given to engaging or disengaging the front clutch or to shifting gears of the automatic transmission. The automatic transmission control device that is determined to give priority to the front clutch operation sends out a gear shift in stand-by state signal to the clutch control device while maintaining the automatic transmission in a gear shift prepared state. The clutch control device that receives the gear shift in progress signal restrains the front clutch from engaging or disengaging while maintaining the front clutch in an operation prepared state.
US08473138B2 Driving control device
A driving control device for a vehicle in which one of a front-wheel side and a rear-wheel side is driven by an engine and an other of them is driven by a motor, reduces a driving force by the motor to recover a grip and estimates a road friction coefficient. The driving control device further transmits an engine driving force to drive wheels, and temporary increases the motor driving force in accordance with the engine driving force and the motor drive wheel grip limit line according to an estimated road friction coefficient.
US08473128B2 Optimizing rail track performance
A method for optimizing track performance is provided. The method involves measuring one or more track status data at one or more measurement sites of the track during a train pass through the one or more measurement sites. Followed by analyzing the one or more track status data against one or more baseline reference values to obtain a track status profile, and adjusting an operating parameter, a track parameter, or both the operating and track parameters, based on the track status profile, to optimize the track's performance.
US08473125B2 Method of piloting a multiple rotor rotary-wing drone to follow a curvilinear turn
The respective motors of the drone (10) can be controlled to rotate at different speeds in order to pilot the drone both in attitude and speed. A remote control appliance produces a command to turn along a curvilinear path, this command comprising a left or right turning direction parameter and a parameter that defines the radius of curvature of the turn. The drone receives said command and acquires instantaneous measurements of linear velocity components, of angles of inclination, and of angular speeds of the drone. On the basis of the received command and the acquired measurements, setpoint values are generated for a control loop for controlling motors of the drone, these setpoint values controlling horizontal linear speed and inclination of the drone relative to a frame of reference associated with the ground so as to cause the drone to follow curvilinear path (C) at predetermined tangential speed (u).
US08473124B2 Flight control system having a three control loop design
A flight control system is configured for controlling the flight of an aircraft utilizing a three control loop design to robustly increase system performance. An inner loop comprises an improved linear quadratic regulator (LQR) search method, and an outer loop comprises a classic feedback summary gain design. A third loop comprises a steady state trim search method.
US08473119B2 Optimal guidance blender for a hovering/flying vehicle
For a vehicle having thrusters and control surfaces or other types of effectors having different cost of use and/or effectiveness as a function of vehicle speed, errors in position relative to an asserted control command are apportioned between errors of translational rate and pointing error as a function of speed in the vertical and/or horizontal planes and guidance commands are adjusted accordingly to produce commands that provide an optimal attitude for guidance of the vehicle through an arbitrary maneuver. The commands thus generated are then preferably apportioned between various available effectors to execute the maneuver most efficiently.
US08473115B2 On-vehicle apparatus and content providing method
The present invention is applied to, for example, a multimedia terminal having a function of navigation equipment and a function of playing back video and switches a display from a map display to a source display also with source switching operators 13P, 13R. In addition, menus of upper and lower hierarchies are simultaneously displayed to accept operations through a touch panel and a remote commander. In addition to a press-operable main rotary operator, a press-operable sub rotary operator is provided on a side surface. Among operations accepted through the main rotary operator, only a specific operation relating to content processing is accepted through the sub rotary operator.
US08473113B2 On-line compensation apparatus for feedback positions of encoder and method for operating the same
An on-line compensation apparatus for feedback positions of an encoder and method for operating the same are applied to a motor driven to rotate at a constant speed by a driver, thus compensating the errors of feedback positions of the encoder. First, a compensation quantity calculation unit is used to calculate the compensation quantity of feedback positions of the encoder. Afterward, a position interval judgment unit is used to determine the position interval of the compensation quantity. Finally, a compensation quantity modification unit is used to modify the compensation quantity by using different weightings. Therefore, the compensation quantity is modified by an iteration calculation to achieve that an error between the feedback position and an ideal position is in an acceptable region, thus increasing accuracy of the feedback position compensation of the encoder.
US08473112B2 Battery pack, electronic equipment, equipment system, method for controlling battery pack cooling unit, and program
A battery pack includes a battery cell, a temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of the battery cell, a cooling unit configured to cool down the battery cell, an information reception unit configured to receive first information whether electronic equipment is compatible with the cooling unit from the electronic equipment that is supplied with power from the battery cell, and a cooling function control unit configured to switch ON and OFF of the cooling unit depending on the temperature that is detected in a case where the electronic equipment is compatible with the cooling unit, and keep a drive of the cooling unit OFF in a case where the electronic equipment is incompatible with the cooling unit, based on the first information.
US08473111B1 Interconnected premises equipment for energy management
Energy commodities in the form of electricity and combustible fuel (e.g. natural gas, propane) are used by appliances in a fashion which is monitored and controlled through a Premises Energy Management System (PEMS). The system facilitates direct monitoring and control of energy-consuming appliances, in real time, utilizing automated programmatic control and a plurality of human interfaces including local display and control, email, web browser, text messaging, and integrated voice response (IVR). A Monitoring and Control Coordinator (MCC) provides centralized coordination of functions and one or more Communicating Appliance Interfaces (CAI) interacting with energy consuming appliances are interconnected via wired and wireless communication networks and protocols. The system may retrieve information from third parties, such as weather services, for optimizing energy usage. An interface may be provided to the energy provider/purveyor to enhance the provision of energy by providing additional real-time services such as demand management and service outage management.
US08473110B2 Systems and methods for controlling operation of a motor
A method for editing a motor profile is described. The method includes receiving a stored motor profile selection via a user interface, and receiving user inputs via the user interface. The user inputs include instructions relating to an edit of the selected motor profile. The method also includes storing the edited motor profile.
US08473109B1 Apparatus and method for altering an operating window of a device
According to an aspect of the disclosure, a controller configured to detect a current operating window associated with a network device disposed at a site, detect a location of a mobile device associated with a site and alter the current operating window of the network device in response to the detected location. Correspondingly, a method includes detecting a current operating window associated with a network device disposed at a site, detecting a location of a mobile device associated with the site and altering the current operating window of the network device in response to the detected location.
US08473104B2 Methods and systems for control of microfluidic devices
The present invention provides control methods, control systems, and control software for microfluidic devices that operate by moving discrete micro-droplets through a sequence of determined configurations. Such microfluidic devices are preferably constructed in a hierarchical and modular fashion which is reflected in the preferred structure of the provided methods and systems. In particular, the methods are structured into low-level device component control functions, middle-level actuator control functions, and high-level micro-droplet control functions. Advantageously, a microfluidic device may thereby be instructed to perform an intended reaction or analysis by invoking micro-droplet control function that perform intuitive tasks like measuring, mixing, heating, and so forth. The systems are preferably programmable and capable of accommodating microfluidic devices controlled by low voltages and constructed in standardized configurations. Advantageously, a single control system can thereby control numerous different reactions in numerous different microfluidic devices simply by loading different easily understood micro-droplet programs.
US08473098B2 Apparatus for dispensing and/or vending a bulk product
An apparatus for dispensing and/or vending a bulk product. The apparatus comprises one or more bins for holding a bulk product, a dispensing mechanism operatively coupled to each of the bins, a controller operatively coupled to the dispensing mechanisms, and an interface for receiving a request for one of the bulk products. The controller is operatively coupled to the interface and configured to generate one or more control signals in response to a request for controlling the dispensing mechanism to dispense one of the bulk products.
US08473097B2 Pass-through wall-mounted medications cabinet with UV sterilization
A self-sterilizing pass-through medications cabinet is built into a wall of a hospital room and can be accessed from the room interior or from the hallway. A frame mounted in the wall supports a rack or box containing patient drawers or bins, arranged in a vertical stack parallel to the wall or in a horizontal row. A hall-side door can be opened by pharmacy staff to place pre-loaded bins into respective compartments, and one or more room-side doors or drawers are opened by nurse staff for administering the medications to patients. The hallway door and room doors interlock to prevent their being opened at the same time to safeguard patient privacy. An ultraviolet germicidal illumination system bathes each bin in sterilizing radiation to destroy pathogens that may be present from handling or transport of the bins.
US08473095B2 Substrate processing apparatus, method of displaying error of substrate processing apparatus and transfer control method
A substrate processing apparatus capable of easily checking a state of a transfer mechanism when an error occurs and readily determining a cause of the error is provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes at least one sensor provided in a transfer mechanism for transferring a substrate, a transfer control module for receiving sensing data transmitted by the at least one sensor, a transfer system controller for controlling the transfer control module, and a manipulation unit at least including a display unit for displaying a state of the transfer mechanism based on the sensed data. Therefore, when an error occurs, at least the sensed data transmitted by the at least one sensor is displayed on the display unit.
US08473088B2 System and method for generating instructions for customization
A method of creating a triangulated surfaces for generating machine readable instructions for customization is provided. The method comprises selecting text or symbols. The text or symbols are spaced. The text or symbols are mapped between first and second curves. Triangulated surfaces are generated from the mapped text or symbols. The triangulated surfaces are converted to machine readable instructions.
US08473087B2 Version control for objects in a process plant configuration system
A version control system helps to keep track of versions of process plant items that may represent, or be capable of representing, entities in a process plant. The process plant items may comprise, for example, module objects which may be capable of specifically representing process entities of the process plant. These module objects may be created from module class objects which may be capable of generically representing process entities of the process plant. Version data is stored and associated with a module object. The version data may comprise data indicative of a version of a module class object that was used to create the module object. The version data may also comprise data indicative of a version of the module object. Configuration systems, version control systems, viewing systems, debugging systems, run-time monitoring systems, asset management systems, etc., may examine or permit viewing of the version control data associated with an item.
US08473086B2 Substrate reworking by liquid drop ejection means
A substrate reworking system (1) improves rework tact time and eliminates unnecessary reworking to perform efficient reworking. The system (1) includes: a defect information acquisition unit (2) for acquiring defect information for an entire region on the target substrate (9); a reworking unit (3) having at least one liquid drop discharge unit (6) for dispensing a liquid drop to a defective part on the target substrate (9) based on the defect information acquired by the defect information acquisition unit (2); and a rework determining unit (4) for determining, for each target substrate (9) and based on the defect information acquired by the defect information acquisition unit (2), whether the reworking unit (3) needs to perform reworking.
US08473085B2 Mutex-mediated control of spatial access by appliances moveable over a common physical space
A configurable mutual exclusion function oversees movement of appliances mobile over a common physical space in an automated laboratory workstation. A configurable mutex is allotted for each moveable appliance and is configurable to protect a task site when obtained for the respective appliance.
US08473082B2 Portable media playback device including user interface event passthrough to non-media-playback processing
A method of operating a portable electronics device can include integrated operation of media playback processing and non-media-playback processing (such as, for example, a game). The method can include receiving an event corresponding to operation of a user interface item by a user of the portable electronics device. The received event can be provided to the non-media-playback processing. The non-media-playback processing can determine whether to cause an action corresponding to the provided received event with respect to the non-media-playback processing. For an event determined by the non-media-playback processing to not cause an action corresponding to the provided received event with respect to the non-media-playback processing, the provided received event can be provided to the media playback processing. Typically, the operating performed by the media playback processing based on the event can be the processing that would otherwise be performed by the media playback processing if the non-media-playback processing was not even occurring.
US08473081B2 Method and system for event reminder using an earpiece
A method for administering an audio message to a user of an earpiece can include receiving event information from a paired communication device, updating a personal event calendar by ordering event information to generate a first event list, generating a modified event list by grouping events in the first event list according to acceptance criteria based on event priority of event types, and generating an audio token for collective events in the modified event list for audible delivery to the ear canal. Events can be ordered by event name, event location, event data, event importance, event invitees, or event category.
US08473080B2 Control of cooling towers for chilled fluid systems
A system for controlling a cooling tower that cools condenser fluid for a condenser of a chiller includes a cooling tower fan system that controllably varies a speed of at least one fan motor. The system further includes an extremum seeking controller that receives inputs of power expended by the cooling tower fan system and of power expended by the chiller. The extremum seeking controller provides an output to the cooling tower fan system that controls the speed of the at least one fan motor. The extremum seeking controller determines the output by searching for a speed of the at least one fan motor that minimizes the sum of the power expended by the cooling tower fan system and the power expended by the chiller.
US08473072B2 Customizable medical electrode
A medical electrode includes a conductive member having a top and a bottom side and a plurality of cutouts establishing a pattern of islands interconnected by conductive member bridges. A plurality of island electrodes are provided with each island electrode disposed on a corresponding island. A conductive adhesive is disposed on the conductive member bottom side for adhering the medical electrode to a patient's skin.
US08473065B2 Implantable medical device which may be controlled from central station
An implantable medical device (IMD) comprises a transmitting/receiving (T/R) device for transmitting medical data sensed from a patient to, and for receiving control signals from, a medical expert (a human medical professional and/or a computerized expert system) at a remote location; an electronic medical treatment device for treating the patient in response to control signals applied thereto; and a sensor circuit, having a sensor circuit output, for producing sensor circuit output signal(s) representing medical data sensed from the patient. The IMD also includes logic device which analyzes the sensor circuit output signal(s) to detect a medical abnormality and either sends a notification signal as well as signal(s) representing a medical state of said patient to the medical expert at the remote location or sends a local treatment device control signal to the medical treatment device, or does both.
US08473064B2 Electrical stimulation method for reduction of joint compression
An electrical stimulation method for the reduction of joint compression utilizes an electrical stimulation device that includes a plurality of channels of electrodes each of which includes at least a first and second electrode positioned in electrical contact with tissue of at least two muscles crossing a joint. Agonist/antagonist muscles involved in abduction/adduction, flexion/extension, supination/pronation, protraction/retraction, and/or eversion/inversion of body regions via joint movement are stimulated with a patterned series of electrical pulses through channels of electrodes in accordance with a procedure for reducing joint compression. The patterned series of electrical pulses may comprise: a plurality of cycles of a biphasic sequential pulse train pattern; a plurality of cycles of a biphasic overlapping pulse train pattern; a plurality of cycles of a triphasic sequential pulse train pattern; and a plurality of cycles of a triphasic overlapping pulse train pattern.
US08473061B2 Deep brain stimulation current steering with split electrodes
A device for brain stimulation includes a lead having a longitudinal surface, a proximal end, a distal end and a lead body. The device also includes a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead near the distal end of the lead. The plurality of electrodes includes a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a first longitudinal position along the lead; and a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a second longitudinal position along the lead. The device further includes one or more conductors that electrically couple together all of the segmented electrodes of the first set of segmented electrodes.
US08473060B2 Apparatus and method for modulating neurochemical levels in the brain
A treatment for Parkinson's Disease uses a stimulus electrode implanted in a subthalamic nucleus with a chemosensor implanted in a globus pallidus pars interna (GPi) of the subject. A level of a neurochemical is sensed with the chemosensor, and compared to a desired level. When the level of the neurochemical is less than desired, an electrical stimulation is provided to the stimulus electrode. In alternative embodiments, the neurochemical sensed is glutamate or dopamine. An alternative system uses a chemosensor implanted in the striatum instead of the GPi. An alternative system for treating benign essential tremor uses a stimulus electrode implanted in the thalamus with feedback taken from a chemosensor in the striatum.
US08473051B1 Low-energy atrial cardioversion therapy with controllable pulse-shaped waveforms
An implantable therapy generator that includes sensing circuitry that senses cardiac signals representative of atrial activity and ventricular activity; detection circuitry connected to the sensing circuitry; control circuitry that controls generation and selective delivery of a multi-stage atrial cardioversion therapy to implanted electrodes, each stage of the therapy including multiple pulses, each pulse including multiple high-frequency sub-pulses; and therapy circuitry. The therapy circuitry includes a high-voltage charging circuit charging a storage capacitor to a predetermined voltage; a delivery capacitor connectable to the storage capacitor; and a control circuit adapted to selectively cause the storage capacitor to be electrically connected to the delivery capacitor so as to charge the delivery capacitor to a predetermined delivery voltage, and to cause a delivery switching circuit to be repeatedly opened and closed at a predetermined rate, thereby causing the sub-pulses to be transmitted to the electrodes.
US08473048B2 Package for an implantable neural stimulation device
The present invention is an improved hermetic package for implantation in the human body. The implantable device of the present invention includes an eclectically non-conductive bass including electrically conductive vias through the substrate. A circuit is flip-chip bonded to a subset of the vias. A second circuit is wire bonded to another subset of the vias. Finally, a cover is bonded to the substrate such that the cover, substrate and vias form a hermetic package.
US08473047B2 Multifrequency bioimpedence device and related methods
Embodiments relate to a device and a method of monitoring and analyzing physiological parameters of a patient. The method includes electrically connecting one or more electrodes with a measurement site of a patient, generating a stimulation signal or signals sufficient to provide multiple stimulation frequencies, multiple waveforms or a combination thereof, measuring a one or more bioimpedance values from the generated signals and analyzing at least one of a fluid bioimpedance contribution, fat bioimpedance contribution or ion bioimpedance contribution within the one or more bioimpedance values sufficient to generate a physiological report.
US08473045B2 Method for controlling device by using brain wave and brain wave interface system
The control method for a device includes steps of: presenting a visual stimulation concerning a manipulation menu for a device; measuring event-related potentials after the visual stimulation is presented, where event-related potentials based on a timing of presenting the visual stimulation as a starting point are measured from a potential difference between each of electrodes and at least one reference electrode respectively worn on a face and in an ear periphery of a user; from each of the measured event-related potentials, extracting electroencephalogram data which is at 5 Hz or less and contains a predetermined time section, and combining the extracted electroencephalogram data into electroencephalogram characteristic data; comparing the electroencephalogram characteristic data against reference data prepared in advance for determining a desire to select an item in the manipulation menu; and, based on a comparison result, executing a manipulation of the device corresponding to the item.
US08473037B2 Optical cable and optical coherence imaging diagnostic apparatus using this cable
An optical fiber is positioned in a lumen of a sheath so a gap exists between the sheath and optical fiber. A filling member fills part of the longitudinal extent of the gap and fixes the optical fiber. The gap is devoid of the filling member over a part of the longitudinal extent of the of the optical fiber so that an air gap exists between the optical fiber and the sheath. In the event bending, expansion and/or contraction are applied to the sheath, the stress is inhibited from being transmitted to the optical fiber. If the sheath is expanded and contracted, one end of the optical fiber is open and so the optical fiber is not expanded/contracted like the sheath expansion and contraction. Consequently, stress is not likely to be transmitted to the optical fiber and so it is possible to maintain a constant length of the optical fiber.
US08473036B2 In vivo measurement of mitochondrial function
Disclosed herein are devices for assessing mitochondrial function in a living subject comprising a catheter comprising a sheath defining a lumen, a distal end, and a proximal end comprising a light guide for radiating light onto a target within the subject and for receiving a fluorescence signal from the target; a light source, wherein the catheter is adapted for transmitting light from the light source to the light guide; and, a detector for receiving the fluorescence signal from the light guide and for correlating the fluorescence signal to the mitochondrial function of the target. Also disclosed are methods for assessing mitochondrial function in a living subject comprising placing a catheter proximate to a site of interest within the subject; using the catheter to acquire fluorescence signals from cells at the site of interest; and, correlating the fluorescence signals to the mitochondrial function of the cells.
US08473035B2 Medical imaging systems
A medical imaging system provides simultaneous rendering of visible light and diagnostic or functional images. The system may be portable, and may include adapters for connecting various light sources and cameras in open surgical environments or laparascopic or endoscopic environments. A user interface provides control over the functionality of the integrated imaging system. In one embodiment, the system provides a tool for surgical pathology.
US08473027B2 Process for draping breast MRI imaging coils
A draping provides at least partial and preferably complete coverage of MRI coils, an MRI table and an MRI support system thereby protecting a patient and the equipment. Draping notch fold down flaps may be pushed into shaped apertures of an MRI apparatus by the patient's breast due to the design of the draping. This offers a barrier between the patient and the equipment pad providing the patient with warmth, comfort and protection from infectious diseases such as Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The draping reduces the clean up and improves the procedure turnaround time for the technologist.
US08473021B2 Analyte monitoring device and methods of use
An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted for placement on skin and is adapted to receive a portion of an electrochemical sensor. The sensor control unit also includes two or more conductive contacts disposed on the housing and configured for coupling to two or more contact pads on the sensor. A transmitter is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for transmitting data obtained using the sensor. The display unit has a receiver for receiving data transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor control unit and a display coupled to the receiver for displaying an indication of a level of an analyte. The analyte monitor may also be part of a drug delivery system to alter the level of the analyte based on the data obtained using the sensor.
US08473018B2 Mobile device cradle having an integrated antenna or amplifier
Disclosed is a mobile device cradle, having a body and one or more docking members attached to the body for removably receiving a mobile device capable of sending and receiving communications via a communication network in the form of signals, an integrated antenna capable of communicating signals to and from the mobile device; and an integrated bidirectional amplifier in the body having a first and a second amplifier; a connection to a power adapter. Optionally, embodiments include a means for charging a battery of the mobile device. The mobile device cradle can be mounted inside a vehicle and used to improve the signal between the mobile device and the communication network.
US08473017B2 Adjustable antenna and methods
An adjustable monopole antenna especially intended for the mobile terminals. The adjusting circuit (930) of the antenna is located between the radiator (920) and the antenna port of a radio device and forms, together with the antenna feed conductor (901), a feed circuit. This circuit comprises an adjustable reactance between the feed conductor and the ground in series with the feed conductor or in both of those places. For example, the feed conductor can be connected by a multi-way switch to one of alternative transmission lines, which are typically short-circuited or open at their tail end and shorter than the quarter wave, each line acting for a certain reactance. The antenna operating band covers at a time only a part of the frequency range used by one or two radio systems, in which case the antenna matching is easier to arrange than of a real broadband antenna. The space required for both the radiator and the adjusting circuit is relatively small. There is no need to arrange a coupling to the radiator for the antenna adjusting, which means a simpler antenna structure and thus savings in production costs.
US08473013B2 Multi-level duty cycling
A duty cycle scheme for wireless communication employs three or more duty cycle levels. In some aspects, a wireless device may continually scan for signals in an active state associated with a first duty cycle, periodically scan for signals during a periodic state associated with a second duty cycle, and periodically scan for signals during a standby state associated with a third duty cycle. Here, the second duty cycle may be lower than the first duty cycle and the third duty cycle may be lower than the second duty cycle. In some aspects the timing of different states may be correlated. In some aspects each wireless device in a system may independently control its duty cycle states.
US08473012B2 Architecture of a multimedia and hands-free phone equipment for a motor vehicle
The equipment comprises a pilot box (10) mounted on the dashboard, an offset box (12) and a link (14) for coupling these boxes. The pilot box comprises a signal processing and equipment control digital processor (18) and, coupled to this processor, an information display screen (20), means for applying user commands, and means (26) of wireless coupling with a remote phone (28). The offset box (12) comprises an audio amplifier (52) and a power supply (46) linked to the vehicle electrical network (48). The coupling link is consisted of a bidirectional digital bus adapted to convey concurrently digital signals and power supply currents. The offset box comprises an audio codec (56) coupling the digital bus to the audio amplifier, and an interconnection arrangement (38, 50, 58, 60, 64) for the wire connection to a plurality of peripheral devices (40, 42, 44, 62, 68, 72) of the equipment.
US08473009B2 Communication terminal and computer readable medium
A CPU of mobile a terminal causes, if to-do data is selected on a to-do review screen, a liquid crystal display to display a to-do data confirmation screen of the to-do data. In the to-do data confirmation screen, if the to-do data contains a character string that is an index of a telephone number or an email address in a phonebook data storage area, the character string is linked to the telephone number or the email address.
US08473006B1 Method and apparatus for frequency management
Disclosed is a method and apparatus and system for managing frequency use in a system where multiple air interface protocols are in use. When a wireless communication device (WCD) is operating under a particular air interface protocol on a particular frequency channel, the WCD detects a threshold signal under another air interface protocol, and the WCD responsively transitions from operating under the particular air interface protocol on the particular frequency channel to operating under the particular air interface protocol on a different frequency channel. The method may thereby help to reduce likelihood of interference.
US08473004B2 Eyeglasses with electronic components
A microphone, transmitter, speaker, receiver, and power source, all mounted to an eyeglasses frame, for sending and receiving signals wirelessly to and from a remote cell phone or other electronic device. The microphone and the transmitter can be mounted to extension arms that can be extended, pivoted, or otherwise moved to a position for use, and then moved to a stored position when not in use. Alternatively, the microphone, transmitter, speaker, receiver, and power source, can be mounted onto a clip-on or other attachment member that mounts onto a conventional eyeglasses frame, or to a hat or other article worn on the head.
US08472996B2 Method and apparatus for calculating an initial transmission power in universal mobile telecommunications system user equipment
A method and apparatus for calculating an initial transmission power in a mobile telecommunications system is disclosed, the system comprising a network of a plurality of cells and at least one user equipment device. The user equipment device receives broadcast system information, and measures a signal power. An initial transmission power is calculated in a lowest logical layer of the system defined as a protocol stack, using the received information and measured power.
US08472995B2 System and method for reducing power consumed by a wireless communication device
A system and method are provided for facilitating reduced power consumption when communicating between a wireless communication device and a wireless communication controller. A power management controller comprising a power saving detection unit and a power level controller is provided. The power savings detector detects when power savings can be applied in accordance with whether or data loss between the base state controller and the wireless communication device can be tolerated. The power level controller selects a reduced transmission power level at which to transmit data if a data loss can be tolerated.
US08472993B2 Downlink and uplink pathloss estimation gap adjustment scheme for wireless systems
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a pathloss gap between a downlink pathloss from a base station to a mobile station and an uplink pathloss from the mobile station to the base station is estimated. An initial offset value for uplink power control of the estimated pathloss gap is calculated based at least in part on said estimating. An offset value for an uplink data channel or an uplink control channel, or combinations thereof, is set based at least in part on the initial offset value. The pathloss gap for uplink power control is compensated using the set offset value.
US08472991B2 Method and a base station for detecting loss of synchronization
The present invention relates to a method for detecting loss in DRX synchronization in a telecommunications system. The present invention further relates to a base station configured to perform the method for detecting the loss in DRX synchronization. The method comprises the steps of assigning radio resources to a UE for enabling the UE to send uplink information to the base station. The method further comprises the step of detecting loss in DRX synchronization when information that is expected by the base station is absent on the assigned resource(s).
US08472990B2 Apparatus using interrupts for controlling a processor for radio isolation and associated method
A method of operating a radio-frequency (RF) circuitry and a signal-processing circuitry in a mobile telephone apparatus includes at least partially disabling the signal-processing circuitry while transmitting or receiving signals. In one example, a processor is efficiently disabled by generating and servicing an interrupt of relatively high priority. One advantage of this example is that preexisting, legacy code can be maintained, while still achieving the desired objectives. The processor can be enabled by generating and servicing a second high priority interrupt.
US08472986B2 Method and system of optimizing context-data acquisition by a mobile device
Disclosed are a system, method, and article of manufacture for optimization of context-data acquisition by a mobile device. A term of a short message generated with a mobile device is identified. A list is populated with at least one sensor of the mobile device. The list is sorted according to a specified metric. A physical quantity of an environmental attribute of the mobile device is measured with a first listed sensor. The measurement is converted into a context data.
US08472985B2 Incentive marketing with a context-enriched message
Disclosed are a system, method, and article of manufacture of incentive marketing with a context-enriched message. In one embodiment, a message is generated with a computing device. A context of the computing device pertaining to a message component is determined. A context data derived from the context is linked with the message component. An ad message related to at least one of the context of the computing device and the message component is provided. The ad message may be associated with the message. The message and the ad message may be communicated to a recipient computing device. The ad message and the message may be rendered with a user interface.
US08472984B2 Ambient telecommunication system, a method for operating such system, and a computer readable medium
An ambient telecommunication system (10) is provided. The system (10) comprises a set of transmitters (11) and a corresponding set of receivers (12) for transmitting and receiving electronically or digitally encoded sound between two or more conversing parties. The ambient telecommunication system further comprises at least one light emitting unit (14) connected to a transmitter or receiver, and is configured to emit light when its corresponding transmitter (11) or receiver (12) is in an active mode. A method for operating the system, and a computer readable medium carrying code segments for carrying out the method is also provided.
US08472977B2 Method and system for use of a trusted server to facilitate location determination
Disclosed is a method and system for use of a trusted server such as an over-the-air provisioning server to facilitate mobile location determination. If a mobile location server (MLS) sends a location-determination message to a mobile station and does not receive a response back from the mobile station, there is a chance that the mobile station is not provisioned with a correct address of the MLS and that the mobile station therefore did not respond. To help jump start the location-determination process, the MLS may respond to that situation by instead causing a trusted server such as an over-the-air-service-provisioning (OTASP) server to send a location-determination message to the mobile station, triggering a response from the mobile station.
US08472975B2 Positioning support device and positioning support method
Highly-accurate approximate positional information is transmitted to a communication terminal. An approximate positional information database of a server included in a positioning support system includes approximate positional information used for positioning calculation at the communication terminal and which indicates a position of a cell in which the communication terminal is located and a cell identifier identifying the cell, with approximate positional information and the cell being associated with each other. Based on a positioning information transmission request which includes a cell and which is transmitted from the communication terminal, approximate positional information stored in the approximate positional information database is acquired and transmitted from a communication unit to the communication terminal. Positioning result information indicating a result of the positioning calculation transmitted from the communication terminal is received and, based on this information, approximate positional information stored in the approximate positional information database is updated by a control unit. The accuracy of approximate positional information is enhanced due to the approximate positional information stored in the approximate positional information database being updated based on positioning result information.
US08472974B2 Location continuity service for locating mobile devices using multiple access networks including wireless telecommunication networks
A location continuity service having a location continuity application server (“LCAS”) that utilizes location data generated by multiple networks to determine the location of a mobile device is disclosed. The LCAS specifies a suitable reconciliation process that identifies two or more location estimation techniques that are implemented by different access networks and indicates how to utilize the location data produced by the identified estimation techniques. The LCAS interacts with various access networks identified by the reconciliation process in order to receive location data (e.g., positioning measurements and/or estimated locations) generated by the access networks and analyzes the received data to determine the location of a mobile device and provide the determined location to a location-based service. In some examples, an LCAS also provides location continuity when a mobile device moves between a home communications system and a visited communications system.
US08472972B2 Device, system, and method of physical context based wireless communication
Device, system and method of physical context based wireless communication. For example, a method for physical context based wireless communication includes: determining an association between a spatial location of a wireless communication device and location context information related to said spatial location; determining an identity of a user of said wireless communication device; and determining an association between said user of the wireless communication device and said location context information.
US08472971B2 Method and apparatus for determining whether a mobile terminal has moved outside a given locale
To determine whether a mobile terminal of a communications system has moved outside a locale, the terminal measures relative time offsets of signals received by the terminal from transmitters of the network, relative to each other or a reference. At a first time when the terminal is within a given locale, the time of receipt of signals received by the terminal from a plurality of the transmitters relative to a reference or each other are measured to create a first set of receive time offsets. At a second time, a second set of receive time offsets is measured. Change(s) in receive time offsets is/are calculated, and change(s) between the first and second times in transmission time offsets of the signals transmitted by at least one transmitter is/are obtained to determine movement indicators that are compared with threshold valuets to determine whether the mobile terminal has moved outside the locale.
US08472969B1 Method and system for selecting a coverage area in which a mobile station should operate
A method and system for selecting a coverage area in which a given mobile station should operate. The system will receive user ratings of call quality per coverage area. The system will then use the received user ratings as a basis to select a coverage area in which the given mobile station should operate. The system will then cause the given mobile station to operate in the selected coverage area. By using these user ratings as a basis to select a coverage area in which the given mobile station should operate, the system can help improve call quality overall for users, thus increasing user satisfaction with wireless performance.
US08472967B2 Allocating transmit power among two or more carriers assigned to a wireless communication device
Allocating transmit power among two or more carriers assigned to a wireless communication device is disclosed. In one aspect, a method of allocating transmit power includes determining a total amount of data transmit power available at the wireless communication device for data transmission over the carriers. An efficiency metric is determined for each carrier based on the carrier's transmission characteristics and a portion of the total data transmit power is allocated to each carrier based on each carrier's efficiency metric.
US08472965B2 Mobility in multi-carrier high speed packet access
A method for wireless communications is provided. The method includes generating two or more uplink carrier signals across a wireless network and generating at least one active signal set for the wireless network. The method also includes generating one or more secondary active signal sets in accordance with the two or more uplink carrier signals to facilitate communications across the wireless network.
US08472964B2 Combined base transceiver station and base station controller call origination and termination
A system, method, and computer readable medium for a mobile origination comprises receiving an origination request message by a main call control (MCC) from a radio call control (RCC), receiving an assignment request message by the RCC from the MCC, receiving a traffic channel assign message by a channel element control (CEC) and by the MCC from the RCC, receiving a call setup message by a selector distribution unit (SDU) from the MCC, and receiving a link active message by the CEC from the SDU.
US08472961B2 Method and system for performing a handoff in a wireless communication system
A system for maintaining wireless communication with a plurality of base stations in a communication network is disclosed. A portable terminal having a communication unit is configured to measure signal strength of a transmission signal for neighboring base stations in a frequency band being used by the communication unit, and create a first handoff candidate list in which one or more handoff candidates in a same frequency band are recorded. A handoff using the first handoff candidate list is performed by the portable terminal. Thereafter, the portable terminal measures signal strength of one or more base stations included in a second handoff candidate list. The result of the signal strength measurements are reported to the currently communicating base station, and a handoff is performed based on a response to the report at the portable terminal.
US08472960B2 Wireless communication terminal and wireless communication method for controlling handover based on handover history
A wireless communication terminal performs normal handover by selecting one among a plurality of base stations to connect to based on a predetermined condition in relation to a received power level of a signal received has a measuring unit for measuring received power levels of signals from the plurality of base stations at every first predetermined time, a handover history memory unit for storing a history of the handover, and a control unit, if it is determined that handover is repeated between a first base station and a second base station within a second predetermined time, for controlling to connect to a base station with a smaller variation of the received power level between the first base station and the second base station if the predetermined condition is satisfied between the received power level from the first base station and the received power level from the second base station.
US08472954B2 Base station device, mobile station device, communication system, and communication method
A communication system which performs communication between a base station device configuring at least one cell and a mobile station device, wherein: the base station device includes: a synchronization signal generation unit which generates a synchronization signal corresponding to a cell identity for identifying a cell; and a transmission unit which generates a first transmission signal including the synchronization signal using a first parameter obtained from the cell identity, generates a second transmission signal excluding the synchronization signal using a second parameter obtained from a virtual cell identity different from the cell identity, transmits the first transmission signal using a first frequency band, and transmits the second transmission signal via a second frequency band different from the first frequency band. The mobile station device includes: a reception unit which receives a first reception signal including the synchronization signal using the first parameter obtained from the cell identity via the first frequency band and receives a second reception signal using the second parameter obtained from the virtual cell identity via the second frequency band.
US08472952B1 Discovering a frequency of a wireless access point
A dual-mode wireless communication device (WCD), capable of communicating via both Wifi and cellular technologies, registers with a Wifi access point. As part of the registration process, or at some point thereafter, the Wifi access point transmits a frequency at which a femtocell access point operates. Upon receiving this frequency, the WCD registers for cellular service with the femtocell access point. As a result, the WCD may be able to communicate simultaneously via both the Wifi access point and the femtocell access point.
US08472950B2 Location-based microcell search
A network device may store information identifying a coverage area associated with each of one or more cells that are associated with the network device. The network device may receive information identifying a geographic location of a user device. The network device may compare the geographic location of the user device to one or more of the stored coverage areas. The network device may also determine, based on the comparing, that the user device is within a particular coverage area of a particular cell, of the one or more cells. The network device may further send, to the user device, and based on determining that the user device is located within the particular coverage area of the particular cell, an instruction for the user device to connect to the particular cell, where the user device is to attempt to connect to the particular cell in response to the instruction.
US08472949B2 Semiconductor assembly
A semiconductor assembly is disclosed. One embodiment provides a first semiconductor and a second semiconductor, each having a first main connection and a second main connection arranged on opposite sides, and a carrier having a patterned metallization with a first section spaced apart from a second section. The first semiconductor is electrically connected to the first section by its second main connection, and the second semiconductor electrically connected to the second section by its second main connection. The first semiconductor chip first main connection and the second semiconductor chip first main connection are electrically connected to one another and for the connection of an external load or of an external supply voltage.
US08472948B2 Method and device for improving network discovery and selection
The present invention provides a method for improving Network Discovery and Selection suitable for a UE which is moving into a new TA, which comprises: receiving, by a MMF, a TAU request including the new TA from the UE; allocating, by the MMF, a new TA List according to the new TA in the TAU request; sending, by the MMF, the new TA List to the UE; sending, by the MMF, a TA information to a Mobility Policy Function, MPF, for updating mobility policy of the UE if the new TA is a special TA covered by different networks.
US08472947B2 Call processing system for mobile and method thereof
Disclosed herein is a call processing system and method for mobile communication terminals. The call processing system for mobile communication terminals according to the present invention includes a gateway location register (130) for generating a Database (DB) for an international roaming service subscriber. A roaming control unit (120) registers a location of a mobile communication terminal (101), determines whether a call originates using a primary number or a secondary number in the international roaming service on a basis of originating service provider information and a called number, included in a call origination signal from the mobile communication terminal, and sends a signal corresponding to a result of the determination to a mobile switching center of a network in which the mobile communication terminal is located. The international roaming service assigns a primary number in a home network and assigns a secondary number in a partner network.
US08472942B2 System and method for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of a mobile conveyance
A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of a control networks on a mobile conveyance comprises one or more wireless ground stations configured to communicate over a wireless communication channel with the control network. A local area computer network receives and responds to messages to or from the control network via the wireless ground stations. The local area computer network may have user terminals, a server computer, a database comprising diagnostic information relating to said control network, and a replacement parts database and/or job auction database. The local area network may also include a wide area network interface, allowing diagnostic information for the control network to be retrieved or parts to be ordered from remote vendor sites. The system may also include wireless handheld, portable equipment for allowing service personnel to perform diagnostic analysis, maintenance, and testing of the mobile conveyance control network.
US08472939B2 Communication method and control apparatus, base station apparatuses and terminal apparatus using the communication method
A first interface unit receives an incoming signal notification addressed to a terminal apparatus. A generator generates a first message used to have the received incoming signal notification in a paging channel. A second interface unit outputs the generated first message to a base station apparatus corresponding to a paging area of the terminal apparatus. The first interface unit receives, from the base station apparatus, connection information indicating that a communication channel for data communication is established between the terminal apparatus and the base station apparatus. When the connection information is received, the generator generates a second message used to have the incoming signal notification included in the communication channel. The second interface unit outputs the generated second message to the base station apparatus that has established the communication channel with the terminal.
US08472936B1 Dynamically configurable IP based wireless devices and wireless networks
A wireless communication and control system including a wireless device. There is a central server for storing communication protocols and control protocols and communicating the communication protocols and selectively communicating the control protocols between the wireless device and the central server. A communication protocol configures the system for communication and control protocols configure the system as one of a selection of intelligent appliance controllers. Alternately the control protocols configure the system as one of a selection of Internet terminals. The wireless device is any hand-held communication device, such as a hand-held computing device, wireless telephone, or cellular phone.
US08472925B2 On-demand, real-time interpretation system and method
A system and method for on-demand, real-time interpretation services. The system includes a mobile hands-free communicator that cooperates with a two-way radio frequency communication device. The hands-free communicator includes a unique identifier that is operably associated with the user. An initiation protocol enables the user to request interpretation services using the hands-free communicator.
US08472923B2 Monitoring mobile phone communications
The specification describes systems, and operation of systems, that allows a parent or other responsible party to monitor the mobile device activities of a child. In addition, it optionally allows the parent to dynamically control the mobile device activities of the child. It relies on software, or a network adjunct, that links a mobile device to a station set or mobile phone under the control of the parent. Calling traffic to and from the mobile device may be routed to a receiver at a location monitored by the parent. In preferred embodiments, software is designed to allow the parent to intervene in the communications of the child. The intervention may take a variety of forms, such as interrupting a call in progress, terminating all call activity, interrupting or terminating Internet access. Where the mobile device is provided with pre-programmed restraining software, the intervention may be to modify the restraining software to add new restraints.
US08472920B2 System and method for providing wireless networks as a service
A wireless network system is provided. The system comprises a wireless network controller and a plurality of access points and/or femtocells. The wireless network controller is in communication with each of the plurality of access points and/or femtocells via an access data network, and is configured to perform one or more network control functions for the benefit of the plurality of access points and/or femtocells. The network control functions may be selected from management and operation, client authentication, mobility, and per-user administration. The wireless network controller is remotely located and operated with respect to the plurality of access points and/or femtocells.
US08472919B1 Network based technique for obtaining operator identifier for mobile devices
Efficient network based techniques can be implemented in the equipment of an operator of a mobile communication network to automatically obtain an operator or billing identifier associated with a mobile device of a user or subscriber associated with the network. Such techniques can be utilized even when a client application program on the device is restricted by the device manufacturer from providing the operator's billing identifier in communications through the mobile network with an associated application server. The operator identifier associated with the user's mobile device can be obtained without significantly impacting system resources, performance, or user experience.
US08472917B1 Position determination for emergency call from multi-mode mobile station
In the examples, at the start of an emergency call, a mobile station determines one or more types of wireless access technologies available from the mobile communication network, from among wireless access technologies supported by the mobile station. Based on a hierarchy regarding ability to determine location of the mobile station using each of the supported wireless access technologies, the mobile station selects an available wireless access technology of the mobile communication network offering the best ability to determine location of the mobile station and initiates a determination of the location of the mobile station for purposes of the emergency call via the mobile communication network using the selected wireless access technology.
US08472916B2 Preformatted emergency text message
A wireless communications device and method for generating and communicating an emergency text message includes in response to receiving a request to communicate an emergency text message, accessing stored personal data for use in generating content of the emergency text message. A determination may be made if current location coordinates are available. The emergency text message may be populated with the accessed stored personal data and current location coordinates, if available. The populated emergency text message may be communicated over a communications network.
US08472911B2 Wireless communication system
A wireless communication system includes: a filter; and a semiconductor chip including a signal processing integrated circuit having an amplifier, wherein a main surface of the semiconductor chip is provided with a plurality of electrode terminals along an edge portion thereof; wherein the amplifier has a transistor including a control electrode, a first electrode through which a signal is outputted, and a second electrode to which a voltage is applied; wherein the control electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode of the transistor are connected to the electrode terminals, respectively; and wherein none of wirings are arranged between the electrode terminals and placements of the control electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode, making space between the electrodes and the electrode terminals narrow.
US08472906B1 Systems and methods for recovery of a sub-carrier signal from a stereophonic multiplexed signal
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for recovering a sub-carrier signal from a multiplexed signal having an embedded pilot tone signal. The recovery system includes circuitry for recovering a pilot signal from the received multiplexed signal, for generating a frequency-doubled signal from the recovered pilot signal, and for phase-shifting the frequency-doubled signal by a pre-determined phase difference from the embedded pilot tone signal. Another recovery system includes circuitry for recovering a pilot signal from the received multiplexed signal, for phase-shifting the pilot signal by a pre-determined phase difference from the embedded pilot tone signal, and for generating a frequency-doubled signal from the phase-shifted signal.
US08472905B2 Method and system for tuning an antenna using injection
A method for wireless communication includes adding a received DVB-H signal with a reference oscillator signal to generate an added DVB-H signal. The reference oscillator signal may be added at an input of a matching load. The matching load may be used to tune a wireless antenna that receives the received DVB-H signal based on a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) associated with the added DVB-H signal. The reference oscillator signal may be generated, and the generated reference oscillator signal may be amplified. The added DVB-H signal may be amplified subsequent to the adding. The RSSI associated with the added DVB-H signal may be determined. The tuning may occur during receiving of a preamble of a packet for the received DVB-H signal.
US08472901B2 Gain control in a multiple RF transceiver integrated circuit
A radio frequency (RF) transceiver integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of baseband Tx sections, a plurality of RF Tx sections, a plurality of RF Rx sections, and a plurality of baseband Rx sections. The RF transceiver IC further includes a static digital interface, a dynamic digital interface, and gain control, distribution, and buffering circuitry. Static digital interfaces are operable to receive static gain control commands from a coupled baseband processor. The dynamic digital interface is also operable to receive dynamic gain control commands from the coupled baseband processor. The gain control, distribution, and buffering circuitry is operable to apply the static gain control commands and dynamic gain control commands to at least some of the plurality of baseband Tx sections, the plurality of RF Tx sections, the plurality of RF Rx sections, and the plurality of baseband Rx sections.
US08472895B2 Method for controlling an EER power amplifier for digital transmission
A method for controlling power amplifiers for digital transmission includes converting a digital modulation signal according to envelope elimination and restoration into an amplitude signal and into a phase-modulated carrier signal. The amplitude signal and the phase-modulated carrier signal are combined in a final stage so as to provide a transmit signal. The amplitude signal is automatically monitored by a module that employs a distribution-density function of the amplitude signal in order to determine a direct component error of the amplitude signal. The distribution-density function of the amplitude signal corresponds to a Rayleigh function if the energy of the complex modulation signal is distributed approximately uniformly within a bandwidth being used. If the spectral power density has an approximately rectangular form, the Rayleigh function is used to determine the direct component error. The direct component error is determined from the amplitude signal.
US08472893B2 System for controlling antenna diversity in a home area network
A system, in one embodiment, includes an energy services interface having first and second antennas configured to communicate with a home area network (HAN) to receive information related to energy, communication circuitry configured to communicate data using the first and second antennas, and control logic configured to assign the first HAN device to either the first or second antenna as a first assigned antenna based at least partially upon which of the first or second antennas receives a stronger signal when communicating with first HAN device. In addition, the energy services interface is configured to communicate with the first HAN device via the first assigned antenna based on an antenna diversity schedule.
US08472892B2 Reverse link mobile transmit diversity
An access network is wirelessly coupled to an access terminal. The access network comprises a plurality of communication modules, a transmitter and a channel estimator. The plurality of communication modules coupled to the access terminal and configured to transmit a plurality of signals. The transmitter coupled to the access terminal and configured to send an index which indicates number of the plurality of signals. The channel estimator, configured to adjust and modulate a channel state information into the plurality of signals.
US08472889B2 Radio frequency transceiver integrated circuit floor plan applicable to MIMO
A Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver Integrated Circuit (IC) includes a first RF transceiver group, a first baseband section, a second RF transceiver group, a second baseband section, local oscillation circuitry, and local oscillation distribution circuitry. The first baseband section communicatively couples to the first RF transceiver group. The second RF transceiver group resides in substantial symmetry with the first RF transceiver group about a center line of symmetry of the RF transceiver IC. The second baseband section communicatively coupled to the second RF transceiver group. The local oscillation distribution circuitry operably couples to the local oscillation generation circuitry, to the first RF transceiver group, and to the second RF transceiver group. The second baseband section may reside in substantial symmetry with the first baseband section about the center line of symmetry of the RF transceiver IC.
US08472888B2 Method and apparatus for calibrating a communication device
A system that incorporates the present disclosure may include, for example, a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions to perform actual measurements of one or more performance parameters of a communication device according to a subset of tuning states of a tunable matching network operable in a communication device, determine estimated measurements of the one or more performance parameters of the communication device for a portion of the tuning states not included in the subset of tuning states according to the actual measurements, identify a data set for each of the one or more performance parameters from at least portions of the tuning states and the actual and estimated measurements, and determine from at least a portion of the data sets one or more tuning states that achieve at least one desirable performance characteristic of the communication device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08472885B2 Information presenting apparatus, information presenting method, and the like, for performing communication with a plurality of devices
The present invention provides an information presenting apparatus, an information presenting method, and the like enabling a plural users to log in and capable of improving convenience (usability) and the like for users. The information presenting apparatus capable of performing radio communication with a plural radio communication devices includes a storage which stores setting information that specifies content or format of information to be presented to users of the radio communication devices so that the setting information for the plural radio communication devices can be distinguished from each other, a registration unit which registers the radio communication device with which radio communication is established and a presentation unit which presents the information on the basis of the setting information for the registered radio communication device.
US08472880B2 Wireless communication apparatus and indicating method
A wireless communication apparatus includes: a first unit which is connected in wireless to a base station by radio wave, and which includes: a measuring unit which measures a reception electric field strength of the radio wave in the first unit transmitted from the base station to the first unit; and a transmitter which transmits information of the reception electric field strength measured by the measuring unit; and a second unit which is connected to the first unit, and which includes: a receiver which receives the information of the reception electric field strength transmitted by the transmitter; and a first indicator which indicates on the second unit the information of the reception electric field strength received by the receiver.
US08472878B2 System and method to deterministically and dynamically prevent interference to the operation of safety-of-life radio equipment
A system to deterministically and dynamically prevent interference to the operation of safety-of-life radio equipment in a vehicle is provided. The system includes a radio management system and a wireless network frequency controller communicatively coupled to the radio management system. The wireless network frequency controller is operable to restrict the operational frequency of any one or more of internal wireless communication devices and any one or more of wireless sensors that are communicatively coupled to the wireless network frequency controller. The restriction of the operational frequency is based on input from the radio management system. The restriction of the operational frequency ensures that all the safety-of-life radio equipment has interference-free operation with the internal wireless communication devices and the wireless sensors that are communicatively coupled to the wireless network frequency controller.
US08472875B2 Wireless mobile communication system for vehicle and method of use
The present invention relates to technology which performs wireless communications of a vehicle by selectively operating a wireless communications module of a vehicle connected to an AP (Access Point) which collects vehicle information according to the state of the vehicle. The present invention includes a vehicle information storage unit that stores vehicle information collected from each electronic control unit of a vehicle; a wireless communications module that performs wireless communications with an AP (Access Point); and a wireless communications controller that controls a connection state of the AP with the wireless communications module by selectively operating the wireless communications module according to the state of the vehicle, and sends the vehicle information to the AP through the wireless communications module.
US08472872B2 On-channel repeating apparatus and method
An on-channel repeating apparatus and method is provided. The method includes subtracting a replica of a feedback signal from a signal received from a main transmitter or another repeating apparatus; demodulating and equalizing the signal to remove noise, a multipath signal, and the remaining feedback signal from the signal; inserting identification signal having good correlation properties into the signal; modulating the signal; and transmitting the modulated signal.
US08472861B2 Automatic essay scoring system
Systems and methods for building a model for use in grading an essay are provided. A plurality of human graded essays are evaluated using a processor to generate a set of features. A score category is determined for each of the plurality of human graded essays. A weight is produced using a processor for each feature based on the score category for each of the plurality of human graded essays and the set of features. A model is generated using a processor based on the weights for the set of features for evaluating an essay. The set of features includes n features, where the first k features have optimized weights, and the last n−k features have fixed predetermined weights.
US08472852B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a foam fixer generator unit generating a foam fixer containing a softener softening toner by dissolving or swelling part of resin of the toner, an application roller carrying and transferring the foam fixer onto a recording sheet, a pressure roller applying pressure to a toner image on the recording sheet via the foam fixer on the application roller to fix the toner image on the recording sheet, a cleaning device removing residual components remaining on the application roller, a recording sheet detector unit detecting presence or absence of the recording sheet, a remover unit being in contact with and separated from the application roller to remove the foam fixer on the application roller, and a control unit controlling the contact-separation operation of the remover unit based on a detected result of a front end and/or a rear end of the recording sheet.
US08472850B2 Image forming device and developing device
A developing device that is provided in an image forming device that forms an image includes an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developer carrier that forms a developer image on a surface of the image carrier by attaching a developer on the electrostatic latent image; a supplying member that supplies the developer to the developer carrier by contacting the developer carrier, and that scrapes the developer remaining on the surface of the developer carrier from the developer carrier, and a deformation amount between the developer carrier and the supplying member is individually configured corresponding to a location where the developing device is provided in the image forming device.
US08472849B2 Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus having toner cartridge
A toner cartridge has first and second toner housing portions configured to house toner. The first toner housing portion has a first bottom part that is arcuately curved. The second toner housing portion has a second bottom part that is arcuately curved. The second bottom part is next to the first bottom part and is situated at a position lower than the first bottom part. A third bottom part is provided between the first bottom part and the second bottom part. The third bottom part has a toner discharge port.
US08472848B2 Developer supply container including a portion for regulating mounting attitude thereof
A developer supply container is mountable to a developer receiving apparatus including a driving gear, wherein the container mounted to the apparatus is settable to a set position by a rotating operation of the container in a setting direction by an operator, and includes a substantially cylindrical portion; a developer discharging opening provided on a surface of the cylindrical portion; a developer feeding member provided in the cylindrical portion; a drive receiving member to engage with the driving gear for rotating the developer feeding member; and a regulating portion for regulating a mounting attitude of the cylindrical portion so as to prevent engagement between the drive receiving member and the driving gear. A rotating operation of the cylindrical portion toward a set position about a center of the cylindrical portion in a setting direction engages the drive receiving member with the driving gear.
US08472844B2 Drive mechanism and image forming apparatus provided with the same
A drive mechanism of the present invention includes: a housing part composed of a first resin cover and a second resin cover; a first sheet metal member housed in the housing part; a first rotation transmission wheel group disposed on the first sheet metal member on a side directed to the first resin cover; a second rotation transmission wheel group disposed on the first sheet metal member on a side directed to the second resin cover; a positioning part rotatably supporting a first rotation transmission wheel of the first rotation transmission wheel group; and a pin member positioned by inserting into the positioning part via the first resin cover.
US08472842B2 Image forming device including process unit provided with handle
An image forming device includes a main casing, a support member, a plurality of developing cartridges, a handle provided to the support member, and a pair of interfering parts provided at both ends of the support member. Each developing cartridge includes a casing and a developing member supported by the casing. A gap between the pair of interfering parts is narrower than a length of the developing member, and the pair of interfering parts is located between the handle and one of the developing cartridges. Each of the interfering parts has a higher height than the handle.
US08472834B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing device that forms a toner image on the surface of the image carrier, a transfer unit that transfers the toner image formed on the image carrier onto a transfer material such as paper, a neutralizing unit that neutralizes an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrier by light radiation, a cleaning unit that cleans toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the toner image is transferred. The image carrier, the developing device, the transfer unit, the neutralizing unit, and the cleaning unit are provided to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus further includes a withdrawal mechanism that withdraws at least the image carrier, the cleaning unit, and the neutralizing unit integrally from the main body of the image forming apparatus.
US08472830B2 Serial duplex image forming system for duplex printing and display of assignment of logical pages
An image forming device including a first image forming unit, a second image forming unit, an assignment unit and a reporting unit is provided. The first image forming unit forms images on one face of a recording paper. The second image forming unit receives the recording paper from the first image forming unit and forms images on the other face of the received recording paper, and performs image formation of a type that differs from the image formation performed by the first image forming unit. The assignment unit assigns logical pages of image data of a printing target to the first image forming unit or the second image forming unit. The reporting unit reports image forming information indicating what type of image formation is to be performed on each of the assigned logical pages of the image data.
US08472828B2 Developer fixing device and image forming apparatus having a plurality of heating units
An invented fixing device having a fixing roller for fixing developer to a recording medium and plural fixing heaters for heating the fixing roller includes a temperature detection unit as well as a thermistor for detecting the temperature of the fixing roller, a RAM storing the switching temperature for switching drive of the fixing heaters, a heater selection unit for selecting some of the fixing heaters to be driven based on the switching temperature and the detected temperature of the fixing member detected through the temperature detection unit, and a heat control unit for selectively driving the fixing heater selected by the heater selection unit.
US08472825B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is configured to control the timing to switch a development unit by a development rotary after forming an image, based on the size of the image to be formed. Accordingly, if the switching of the development unit is completed within a time period corresponding to a trailing edge margin of an image area, a subsequent color image can be formed without idling an intermediate transfer member, so that the image forming apparatus can suppress or reduce degradation of the throughput.
US08472823B2 Image forming apparatus featuring a control device for controlling a developer discharge operation in first and second modes
An image forming apparatus includes first and second developer carrying members and a control device. The apparatus is operable in a first mode where an image of a single color is formed using the first developer carrying member and is operable in a second mode, wherein an image of a plurality of colors is formed using the first and second developer carrying members. The control device controls a first discharging operation for discharging developer from the first developer carrying member and a second discharging operation for discharging developer from each of the first and second developer carrying members. When the apparatus executes only the first mode, the control device performs more image formations, in a period between completion of the second discharging operation and start of the first discharging operation, compared to a period between completion of the first discharging operation and start of a subsequent first discharging operation.
US08472820B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus, comprises an image forming section, a transfer section to transfer the toner image onto a recording material; and a fixing device to fix the toner image onto the recording material; wherein the image forming section includes a plurality of color image forming sections and a transparent image forming section, and the plurality of color image forming sections and the transparent image forming section are arranged such that the transparent image is transferred so as to form a transparent image layer on an outer surface of the color image on the recording material at a fixing time by the fixing device, and wherein an amount of wax contained in the transparent toner is larger than an amount of wax contained in each color toner of the plurality of color toners and smaller than an amount of base resin contained in the transparent toner.
US08472818B2 Image carrier deterioration degree evaluating device, image carrier failure predicting device, and image forming apparatus
An image carrier deterioration degree evaluating apparatus for evaluating a degree of deterioration of an image carrier of an image forming apparatus, the image carrier deterioration degree evaluating apparatus including: an image deletion detecting unit that detects image deletion by obtaining latent image information written on the image carrier; an image deletion reducing unit that performs a process of reducing image deletion when the image deletion detecting unit detects image deletion, and an image carrier deterioration degree evaluating unit that drives the image deletion detecting unit and the image deletion reducing unit alternately one or more times each, and evaluates a degree of deterioration of the image carrier by using the latent image information obtained one or more times by the image deletion detecting unit.
US08472816B2 Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus and includes an image bearing member, a developing device having a developer carrier, a transmitter transmitting a driving force received from the main assembly to the developer carrier, a charger movable toward and away from the image bearing member, for charging the image bearing member while contacting the image bearing member, a spacer, detachably mountable relative to the cartridge, for holding the charger at a position away from the image bearing member when the spacer is mounted and for permitting the charger to charge the image bearing member when the spacer is dismounted, and a drive controller for disengaging the driving connection between the transmitter and the developer carrier when the spacer is mounted, and for establishing the driving connection between the transmitter and the developer carrying member when the spacer is dismounted.
US08472814B2 Apparatus and method for equalizing chromatic dispersion and digital coherent optical receiver
This application relates to an apparatus and a method for equalizing chromatic dispersion and a digital coherent optical receiver. The apparatus for equalizing chromatic dispersion comprising: a chromatic dispersion equalizing unit, for compensating chromatic dispersion of an input signal; and an additional time delay removing unit, for removing, in accordance with frequency offset of the input signal, chromatic dispersion equalization time delay generated by the chromatic dispersion equalizing unit.
US08472813B2 Computationally-efficient MIMO equalization algorithm for high-speed, real-time, adaptive polarization multiplexed (POLMUX) OFDM transmission with direct detection
A polarization-multiplexed (POLMUX) optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system with direct detection includes an adaptive dual POLMUX carrier OFDM transmitter; and a block symmetric (B-S) MIMO equalizer coupled to the adaptive dual POLMUX carrier OFDM transmitter through a standard single-mode-fiber (SSMF) feedback path.
US08472812B2 Optical communication system, optical communication method and optical communication apparatus
Transmission-side communication apparatus 100 using a DQPSK (differential quadrature phase-shift keying) scheme is provided with: optical carrier generation section 102 which generates an optical carrier the frequency of which switches among a plurality of different frequencies within one symbol period; and modulation section 103 with which DQPSK-modulates the optical carrier generated by the optical carrier generation means in accordance with a modulation signal at an interval of the symbol period. There are provided: single delay interference section 121 which receives an optical signal obtained by DQPSK-modulating an optical carrier the frequency of which switches among a plurality of different frequencies within one symbol period and outputs an output light obtained by causing the optical signal 104 and a delay optical signal thereof to interfere with each other; and photoelectric conversion section 124 which converts the output light outputted by the delay interference means to an electric signal.
US08472809B2 Adaptive cross-polarization modulation cancellers for coherent optical communication systems
For coherent fiber optic communications, the nonlinear XPolM impairment is the most important issue to realize over-100 Gbps high-speed transmissions. A method provides a way to cancel time-varying XPolM crosstalk by introducing multi-stage adaptive mechanism. In the method, a low-complexity adaptive filtering based on recursive least-squares (RLS) first tracks the time-varying crosstalk along with the per-survivor trellis-state decoding. The estimated channel and the decoded data are then used to calculate the empirical covariance, which is in turn exploited to obtain more accurate channel estimates by means of optimal-weighted least-squares. This is performed with a low-complexity processing over frequency domain with fast Fourier transform. The performance is significantly improved with turbo principle decoding, more specifically, iterative decoding and iterative estimation over a block.
US08472802B2 Two-phase optical communication methods and optical bus systems for implementing the same
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems for transmitting optical signals from a source to a plurality of receiving devices. In one method embodiment, an optical enablement signal is transmitted (401) from the source to the plurality of receiving devices. The target receiving device responds to receiving the optical enablement signal by preparing to receive one or more optical data signals. The source transmits the one or more optical data signals to the target receiving device. The remaining receiving devices do not receive the one or more optical data signals.
US08472801B2 Upgraded bandwidth map for ten gigabit passive optical network
An apparatus comprising an optical line terminal (OLT) configured to transmit a bandwidth map (BWmap) for a plurality of burst signals to be transmitted by a plurality of optical network units (ONUs), wherein the BWmap comprises a plurality of allocations, and wherein each allocation comprises a start time for the allocation, a grant size for the allocation, and a header error correction (HEC) for the allocation.
US08472800B2 Light amount adjusting device, and photographing apparatus and method
A light amount adjusting device including a support plate comprising a first through hole through which light passes; a first slider that comprises a second through hole corresponding to the first through hole, and linearly moves with respect to the support plate along a first direction; a first driver for generating a driving force for moving the first slider with respect to the supporting plate; and a light amount adjuster installed on the first slider and for adjusting an amount of light passing through the light amount adjuster. By using such a simple and compact light amount adjusting device, a two-dimensional (2D) photographing or a three-dimensional photographing is conveniently selected and performed.
US08472798B2 Method for focusing
A camera and a method for selecting a focus region in a camera view have a plurality of focus regions that are defined in the camera view. A focus distance of the camera is repeatedly set to focus at different distances by setting a lens distance of the camera to different lens distance values. A focus value is determined for each focus region at the set lens distance value. A function for a plurality of focus regions is estimated based on a plurality of determined focus value and lens distance value pairs. A local maximum point of the function is calculated for each focus region for which a function has been estimated, where the local maximum point has a lens distance value. Focus regions are grouped, rated and selected based on the lens distance value of the local maximum point of the focus regions and spatial distances between the focus regions.
US08472796B2 Photographing device equipped with geomagnetic sensor
A photographing device includes a geomagnetic sensor which detects an intensity of geomagnetism, an image capture unit which captures an image, and a lens tube including a part that exerts magnetic influence on the geomagnetic sensor, wherein a position of the part is shiftable. In addition, the photographing device includes a detection unit which detects a current shifted position of the part in the lens tube, an obtaining unit which obtains a magnetic field that exerts magnetic influence on the geomagnetic sensor from the lens tube corresponding to the current shifted position detected by the detection unit, and an orientation calculation unit which calculates an orientation by correcting an output of the geomagnetic sensor based on the magnetic field obtained by the obtaining unit.
US08472793B2 Playback apparatus and playback method
The present invention provides a technique for easily achieving a resume function for moving image content stored in one file in a removable recording medium.According to the present invention, a removable disc (Di1) in which moving image content stored in one file and another content are stored is played back, and, when playback of MPEG4 moving image file in the disc (Di1) that is played back is stopped and the disc (Di1) is removed, the file size, the file name, and the address of the MPEG4 moving image file are stored in a RAM 8. When the disc (Di1) is loaded again and the MPEG4 moving image file is played back, if it is determined that the disc (Di1) is identical to the removed disc by reading the file size and the file name stored in the RAM 8, playback of the MPEG4 moving image file is resumed on the basis of the address stored in the RAM 8.
US08472790B2 Digital cinema management device and digital cinema management method
A digital cinema management device includes a control unit that supplies data of contents stored in a storage device to a playback device, in which the control unit refers to the contents stored in the storage device, contents stored in a content storage unit of the playback device, and an exhibition schedule, selects contents which are scheduled to be exhibited by the playback device, and which are not stored in the content storage unit, from the storage device, and supplies data of the selected contents to the playback device.
US08472789B2 Image editing apparatus, image editing method, and image editing program
The present invention provides an image editing apparatus which decreases a CPU load required for previewing a group of finished images used for continuous presentation, such as a photo movie, and reduces a processing time. The image editing apparatus includes an image obtaining unit obtaining material images; a converting unit carrying out conversion on an image, included in the material images, of which load required for playback is greater than a predetermined load reference, the conversion additionally creating a proxy image corresponding to the image and having a smaller load required for the playback; and a preview playback unit playing back, as a preview, the proxy image and material images which are included in the material images and are other than the image corresponding to the proxy image in a predetermined order.
US08472783B2 Systems and methods for digital video high accuracy fast forward, rewind and skip
In various embodiments, a recording and playback manager of a digital video recorder (DVR), set top box, receiver or other device stores and accesses statistics in a statistics file related to average distances between reference frames (e.g., intra frames or I-frames) within blocks of the video data of the recording. Accessing these statistics during playback enables the system to more accurately locate reference frames to display while executing the playback in a trick mode such as fast forward, rewind or skip. The average distance between reference frames for a particular block of video data may be used to jump from one reference frame to the next reference frame in that block during playback in trick mode.
US08472782B2 Information processing apparatus and information processing method
An information processing apparatus that correctly handles moving image files recorded for a period straddling midnight. Moving image files recorded for a period straddling midnight are processed as having the day on which recording of those moving image files began and the next day as their recorded date. When conducting a search by date, for example, in addition to the actual recorded day, the next day is also included in the search results of a designated search, thus enabling the user to search for the moving image files without having to recall whether or not they were recorded for a period straddling midnight.
US08472771B2 Surface-PlasmonoDielectric-polaritonic devices and systems
There is provided a structure for supporting propagation of surface plasmon polaritons. The structure includes a plasmonic material region and a dielectric material region, disposed adjacent to a selected surface of the plasmonic material region. At least one of the plasmonic material region and the dielectric material region have a dielectric permittivity distribution that is specified as a function of depth through the corresponding material region. This dielectric permittivity distribution is selected to impose prespecified group velocities, vgj, on a dispersion relation for a surface polaritonic mode of the structure for at least one of a corresponding set of prespecified frequencies, ωj, and corresponding set of prespecified wavevectors, where j=1 to N.
US08472766B2 Waveguide coupler having continuous three-dimensional tapering
A solid state waveguide coupler is provided including a first coupler end disposed on a solid state material substrate for connection to a first solid state waveguide located on the substrate and a second coupler end disposed on the substrate for connection to a second waveguide located on the substrate. A coupling span, comprising a waveguide material layer on the substrate, is disposed between the first and second coupler ends and tapers between a height of the first waveguide and a height of the second waveguide, tapers between a width of the first waveguide and a width of the second waveguide, and includes curved sidewalls along at least a portion of the tapered coupling span. In a method for fabricating the waveguide coupler, material is isotropically removed from a waveguide material layer on the substrate to produce tapered surfaces between the first waveguide and the second waveguide.
US08472763B1 Spectral beam combination of laser beams
A method and apparatus use a photonic-crystal fiber having a very large core while maintaining a single transverse mode. In some fiber lasers and amplifiers having large cores problems exist related to energy being generated at multiple-modes (i.e., polygamy), and of mode hopping (i.e., promiscuity) due to limited control of energy levels and fluctuations. The problems of multiple-modes and mode hopping result from the use of large-diameter waveguides, and are addressed by the invention. This is especially true in lasers using large amounts of energy (i.e., lasers in the one-megawatt or more range). By using multiple small waveguides in parallel, large amounts of energy can be passed through a laser, but with better control such that the aforementioned problems can be reduced. An additional advantage is that the polarization of the light can be maintained better than by using a single fiber core.
US08472762B2 Biomimetic compound eye optical sensor and fabricating method thereof
Provided is an optical sensor and an optical sensor fabricating method. The optical sensor includes: a substrate; and an ommatidia located on or inside the substrate, the ommatidia comprising a microlens which receives light, an optical waveguide which transfers the light received through the microlens, and a cone structure comprising a first end connected to the microlens and a second end connected to the optical waveguide, the cone structure having a diameter or a width decreasing in a direction from the first end to the second end.
US08472754B1 Image artifact prevention
Systems and methods are provided for processing images (or other such instances of content) to detect which of the images exhibit artifacts when modified, such as by applying standard transformation algorithms to modify the images. Such techniques enable transformation algorithms to be applied to the detected images to minimize or prevent artifacts. In some embodiments, the headers of the detected images can be tagged with transformative instructions that indicate which transformation algorithms to apply. Responsive to a request from a web client to modify and render one of the detected images, embodiments obtain the requested image, read the transformative instructions in the header, apply the transformation algorithm specified in the header to modify the image so as to minimize or prevent artifacts, and render the modified image.
US08472752B1 Method of detecting cancer in a single cell using mitochondrial correlation microscopy
A method for distinguishing a normal cell from an abnormal cell, such as, for example a cancer cell or diseased cell, of the same tissue type using mitochondrial correlation microscopy.
US08472743B2 Method for estimating of direction of motion blur in an image
A method for estimating a blur direction (20) of motion blur (16) in a blurred image (14) includes the steps of blurring the blurred image (14) in a number of different test directions (360A) (362A) (364A), and finding the test direction (360A) (362A) (364A) for which the blurred image (14) changes the least by the additional blurring (366). With this design, when more blur (366) is applied to the blurred image (14) in a test direction (360A) (362A) (364A) that is similar to the blur direction (20), the difference in the image appearance is relatively small. However, when more blur (366) is applied to the blurred image (14) in a test direction (360A) (362A) (364A) that is very different to the blur direction (20), the difference in the image appearance is relatively large. In one embodiment, a blur difference is determined for each test direction (360A) (362A) (364A). Subsequently, the test direction (360A) (362A) (364A) with the smallest blur difference is selected as the blur direction (20). Alternatively, the estimated blur direction (20) can be perpendicular to the test direction (360A) (362A) (364A) with the largest blur difference.
US08472741B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive image data of program content and genre information relating to the program content, a selection unit configured to select a size selection parameter for causing the genre information received by the receiving unit to be reflected in a block size, a determination unit configured to determine a block size in accordance with the size selection parameter selected by the selection unit, the block size being used for orthogonal transformation, and an orthogonal transformation unit configured to perform orthogonal transformation on the image data received by the receiving unit at the block size determined by the determination unit.
US08472734B2 Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding image
An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding an image are provided. The image decoding method includes decoding luma blocks according to a predetermined decoding mode of each of the luma blocks, and decoding chroma blocks according to the predetermined decoding mode of each of the luma blocks.
US08472732B2 Low-latency remote display rendering using tile-based rendering systems
Apparatus, systems and methods for low latency remote display rendering using tile-based rendering systems are disclosed. In one implementation, a system includes a network interface and a content source coupled to the network interface. The content source being capable of rendering at least one tile of a tiled image, encoding the at least one tile, and providing the at least one encoded tile to the network interface before all tiles of the tiled image are rendered.
US08472722B2 Methods, systems, and media for swapping faces in images
Methods, systems, and media for swapping faces in images are provided. In some embodiments, a detected face and face data corresponding to an input image is received. A pose bin associated with the detected face is then identified based on the face data. Next, the detected face is aligned to a generic face associated with the pose bin. At least a portion of a candidate face associated with the pose bin is selected. The at least a portion of the candidate face is then copied to a copy of the input image that is aligned with the generic image to form a swapped-face image. The swapped-face image is next aligned to the input image to form an output image, and then the output image is outputted to a display.
US08472721B2 Pattern identification unit generation method, information processing apparatus, computer program, and storage medium
A pattern identification unit generation method of generating a pattern identification unit in which a weak discriminator array obtained by cascade-connecting a plurality of weak discriminators branches, and weak discriminator arrays are connected to respective arms after branching, evaluates based on a processing result obtained by inputting a set of evaluation data to the weak discriminator array whether or not a weak discriminator array after branching reaches the number of stages to be connected. The number of stages of weak discriminators to be connected without branching as the weak discriminator array is determined based on this evaluation result.
US08472717B2 Foreground image separation method
A foreground image separation method is disclosed to separate dynamic foreground and static background in a sequence of input images which have been processed either with automatic white balance or brightness control by the camera. First, an input image is received from the camera, and then a white balance or brightness compensation is performed to the input image according to a reference image to generate a compensated image with background color and background brightness which are approximately similar to that of the reference image. Finally, a background subtraction algorithm is performed to the compensated image to generate a background separation result. The background subtraction algorithm could be a Gaussian Mixture Model based algorithm. The method could process successive images received from the camera to continuously generate background separation results and update the reference image accordingly, such that video surveillance system could adapt to the change of illumination.
US08472713B2 Image processor, image processing method, and computer-readable medium
There is provided an image processor for processing input image data having a luminance component and other components, which are defined in a prescribed color space. The image processor includes: a first emphasis processor configured to process first image data so as to emphasize the contrast of the first image data in accordance with a first emphasis amount, wherein the first image data correspond to the luminance component of the input image data; a second emphasis processor configured to process second image data so as to emphasize the chroma of the second image data in accordance with the first emphasis amount, wherein the second image data correspond to said other components of the input image data; and an image data generator configured to generate new image data by combining the contrast-emphasized first image data and the chroma-emphasized second image data.
US08472710B2 Methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding image based on segments
Encoding and decoding an image may be performed by setting a plurality of segments of a second color component block based on pixel values of a first color component block. The plurality of segments may be predicted by using different context pixels, and the second color component block may be encoded and decoded based on the predicted plurality of segments.
US08472705B2 System, method, and apparatus for selecting one or more representative images
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and systems associated with one or more representative images are disclosed.
US08472702B2 Method and apparatus for processing three-dimensional images
A three-dimensional sense adjusting unit displays three-dimensional images to a user. If a displayed reaches a limit of parallax, the user responds to the three-dimensional sense adjusting unit. According to acquired appropriate parallax information, a parallax control unit generates parallax images to realize the appropriate parallax in the subsequent stereo display. The control of parallaxes is realized by optimally setting camera parameters by going back to three-dimensional data. Functions to realize the appropriate parallax are made into and presented by a library.
US08472698B2 System and method for determining poses of objects
During pre-processing, a 3D model of the object is rendered for various poses by arranging virtual point light sources around the lens of a virtual camera. The shadows are used to obtain oriented depth edges of the object illuminated from multiple directions. The oriented depth edges are stored in a database. A camera acquires images of the scene by casting shadows onto the scene from different directions. The scene can include one or more objects arranged in arbitrary poses with respect to each other. The poses of the objects are determined by comparing the oriented depth edges obtained from the acquired images to the oriented depth edges stored in the database. The comparing evaluates, at each pixel, a cost function based on chamfer matching, which can be speed up using downhill simplex optimization.
US08472697B2 Method and apparatus for visual inspection
In the case of die-to-die comparison, threshold processing units process the differential image between the image of a sample chip and the images of left and right adjacent chips using a second threshold value lower than a first threshold value thereby to determine a defect candidate for the sample chip. Further, threshold processing units process the differential image using the first threshold value. The defect candidates which develops a signal not smaller than the first threshold is detected as a defect. Also in the cell-to-cell comparison, the differential image is first processed by the second threshold value to determine a defect candidate, and the differential image is further processed by the first threshold value. The defect candidates which develops a signal not smaller than the first threshold value is detected as a defect.
US08472695B2 Method and apparatus for failure analysis of semiconductor integrated circuit devices
A method of analyzing of a semiconductor integrated circuit includes inspecting a physical defect in a semiconductor wafer, subjecting the semiconductor integrated circuit chip to a logic test and extracting a malfunctioning chip, analyzing a detected signal observed from the malfunctioning chip by an analyzer, obtaining the layer and coordinates of a circuit related the detected signal, collating the physical defect with the circuit, and identifying the physical defect associated with the circuit. The layer and coordinates of the circuit is extracted using design data. An inspection step identifying information is collated with the layer of the circuit, and an in-chip coordinates of the physical defect is collated with the coordinated of the circuit.
US08472688B2 Method for image reconstruction employing sparsity-constrained iterative correction
An image reconstruction method applicable to a number of different imaging modalities including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), x-ray computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is disclosed. A sparsifying image is reconstructed from a series of acquired undersampled data to provide a priori knowledge of a subject being imaged. An iterative reconstruction process is further employed to iteratively determine a correction image for a given image frame that, when subtracted from the sparsifying image, produces a quality image for the image frame.
US08472687B2 Electronic cleansing of digital data sets
A method of processing a 3-dimensional Computed Tomography Colonography data set to remove tagged material is disclosed. The method involves the preliminary processing step of classifying voxels in the data set as corresponding to air, tagged material or colon tissue. Methods of overcoming erroneous classification of Partial Volume air/tagged material interface voxels are disclosed. The present invention also provides for methods of circumventing problems resulting from removal of tagged material from a CTC data set, which can result in the erosion of soft-tissue structures partially covered by tagged colonic fluid.
US08472686B2 Method and apparatus for orienting image representative data
A method for processing a three-dimensional image file captured directly from a live subject, the file including the cranium of the subject, comprises: providing a vertex point cloud for the three-dimensional image file; determining a median point for the vertex point cloud; determining a point on the cranium; and utilizing the median point and the cranium point to define a z-axis for the three-dimensional image file.
US08472679B2 Biometric information processing apparatus, biometric information processing method, and biometric information processing computer program
A biometric information processing apparatus includes: a biometric information acquiring unit which acquires a user's biometric information and generates a biometric input image representing the biometric information; and a processing unit. The processing unit implements: generating a first intermediate image by applying first image processing to the biometric input image; generating a second intermediate image by applying second image processing to the biometric input image; detecting, from each of the first and second intermediate images, a singular point candidate; calculating a distance between the singular point candidates detected from each of the first and second intermediate images for the same singular point contained in the biometric information; calculating a quality metric for the biometric input image based on the distance; and if the quality metric is not higher than a predefined threshold value, then prompting the user to have the user's biometric information reacquired by the biometric information acquiring unit.
US08472676B2 Apparatus and method for analysing a security document
We provide an apparatus and method for analysing a security document. An x-ray source is adapted to illuminate at least one inspection region of the security document when located at an inspection position. An x-ray detector adapted to receive x-rays from the at least one inspection region of the document and to generate a corresponding detector response. A processor analysis the detector response and generates an output signal indicative of the structure of the document in the at least one inspection region.
US08472674B2 Method of surface seismic imaging using both reflected and transmitted waves
Reflected-transmitted non-converted and converted seismic waves as used for seismic imaging which is not limited by the angle of inclination of the seismic interfaces. These wave signals are recorded at the surface and are later used to obtain seismic imaging of geological discontinuities and the physical properties of the medium. Known duplex waves are used with transmitted waves for obtaining seismic images from much wider angles, ranging from horizontal to vertical. Two types of migration procedures are used: the first one being based on migration of transmitted compressional and converted duplex waves, and the second one being based on the joint migration of two interrelated fields, such as interferometric principles; for example, the first field of primary waves corresponding to the one time reflected monotypic compressional (non-converted) type of waves and a second wavefield corresponding to secondary waves of more complex origin, such as reflected waves and converted waves.
US08472668B2 Image analyzing apparatus, image analyzing method, and computer readable medium
Provided is an image analyzing apparatus for efficiently performing detection of an object and tracking of a specified object, including a feature value recording section that records a plurality of reference feature values different in type from each other; a feature value extracting section that extracts a plurality of feature values different in type from each other, from each of a plurality of moving image constituent images included in a moving image; an object extracting section that extracts an object from the moving image constituent images, based on a degree of matching of the plurality of extracted feature values with respect to the plurality of reference feature values recorded in the feature value recording section; a reference feature value calculating section that calculates, from the plurality of reference feature values recorded in the feature value recording section, a plurality of reference feature values adjusted to the feature values of the extracted object, to a predetermined degree corresponding to the type; and a feature value updating section that updates the plurality of reference feature values recorded in the feature value recording section, with the plurality of reference feature values calculated by the reference feature value calculating section.
US08472667B2 Editing apparatus and method
An apparatus for editing an image to be displayed on a display apparatus inputs a shot image. The apparatus detects a change in the input image, and edits the shot image so that a region corresponding to the detected change is not displayed on the display apparatus.
US08472666B2 Electronic apparatus with angle-adjustable operation panel
An electronic apparatus may include an operation panel, a driving device, an image pickup device, a face detection unit, and a control unit. The operation panel may be configured to move. The driving device may be configured to move the operation panel. The image pickup device may be configured to be installed proximate the operation panel, and/or to capture an image of a user. The face detection unit may be configured to detect a position of a facial image of the user within the image captured by the image pickup device. The control unit may be configured to control the driving device such that the operation panel and an optical axis of the image pickup device move according to the position of the facial image detected by the face detecting unit.
US08472665B2 Camera-based user input for compact devices
A camera is used to detect a position and/or orientation of an object such as a user's finger as an approach for providing user input, for example to scroll through data, control a cursor position, and provide input to control a video game based on a position of a user's finger. Input may be provided to a handheld device, including, for example, cell phones, video games systems, portable music (MP3) players, portable video players, personal data assistants (PDAs), audio/video equipment remote controls, and consumer digital cameras, or other types of devices.
US08472659B2 Multimode audio reproduction device
A multimode audio reproduction device is disclosed that comprises first and second audio reproduction modules coupled by a support structure. The first and second audio reproduction modules are movable between two configurations. In the first configuration the audio reproduction device serves as a loudspeaker while in the second configuration the audio reproduction device serves as a headphone.
US08472652B2 Audio reproduction system comprising narrow and wide directivity loudspeakers
An audio reproduction system includes an arrangement of audio speakers of a first kind having a first degree of directivity in combination with at least one audio speaker of a second kind having a second degree of directivity. In order to create a virtual sound source at a desired distance to a listener's position, the second degree of directivity is substantially larger than the first degree of directivity.
US08472651B2 Ultrasonic transducer for parametric array
An ultrasonic transducer having a reduced cost of manufacture. The ultrasonic transducer includes a first insulative retaining layer, a second insulative retaining layer, and a vibrator film layer sandwiched between the first and second retaining layers. The first retaining layer includes a first plurality of apertures formed therethrough, and the second retaining layer includes a second plurality of apertures formed therethrough, in which the second apertures are substantially in registration with the first apertures. The ultrasonic transducer further includes a first cover portion having a plurality of spring/backplate assemblies connected thereto, and a second cover portion. The combination of the first retaining layer, the vibrator film layer, and the second retaining layer is sandwiched between the first and second cover portions of the ultrasonic transducer. The laminated construction of the ultrasonic transducer allows the formation of an array of ultrasonic film transducers using a single piece of ultrasonic vibrator film.
US08472650B2 Electro-acoustic transducer
An electro-acoustic transducer is disclosed. The electro-acoustic transducer includes an electret diaphragm, an orifice plate and a plurality of dividing structures. Each of the dividing structures, disposed between the electret diaphragm and the orifice plate, includes at least one main portion, and the number of the main portion is a positive integer. When the number of the main portion is larger than one, the main portions are respectively connected to a center and extended radially from the center.
US08472647B2 Package for micro-electro-mechanical acoustic transducer with improved double side mountable electrodes
A surface mountable package includes a base and a cover with a cavity defined thereby, and an acoustic transducer unit received in the cavity. The cover includes a first metal ring to enclose the acoustic transducer unit. The base includes a second metal ring to press against the first metal ring in order to form a metal shielding area. First and second metal connecting paths are formed electrically connected to the metal shielding area and the acoustic transducer unit, respectively. Besides, two pairs of first and second surface mountable metal electrodes are electrically connected to the first and the second metal connecting paths, respectively. As a result, the package can be selectively double surface mountable to a user's circuit board via the metal electrodes of the base or the metal electrodes of the cover.
US08472644B2 High efficiency audio amplifier and method thereof
A high efficiency audio amplifier is disclosed. The high efficiency audio amplifier includes an input end for receiving an input audio signal, an output end for outputting an output audio signal, a signal generator coupled to the input end for determining a frequency of an oscillating signal according to the distribution of the input audio signal and a reference voltage, and generating the oscillating signal accordingly, a waveform transformer coupled to the input end and the signal generator for comparing the input audio signal with the oscillating signal to generate a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, a pre-drive circuit for generating a pre-drive signal according to the PWM signal, an output stage coupled to the pre-drive circuit for generating an output signal, and a filter coupled to the output stage for filtering the output signal to generate the output audio signal to the output end.
US08472642B2 Processing of an audio signal for presentation in a high noise environment
In accordance with the invention, audio signals are specially processed for sound presentation in a high noise environment. The electrical signal representative of the sound is first subjected to equalization to preferentially reduce the magnitude of bass signals while increasing the magnitude of treble signals. The equalized signal is then compressed, and the compressed signal is subjected to “mirror image” equalization which increases the magnitude of bass signals while reducing the magnitude of treble signals. The resulting signal fed to the speakers provides a sound presentation of compressed volume range and a bass-rich sound spectrum. It is particularly useful for providing quality sound presentation in a high noise environment.
US08472641B2 Ambient noise cancellation for voice communications device
A system and method for reducing or entirely canceling background or ambient noise from a voice transmission from a communications device. A communications device, such as a mobile telephone, is configured with an ambient noise compensation signal generator that is connected between a microphone and a mixer. The original output of the microphone and a compensation signal generated by the ambient noise compensation signal generator are mixed together prior to being passed to a transmitter. In one embodiment a buffer is provided between the microphone and the mixer to help synchronize the timing of the signals to be mixed. In another embodiment a second microphone is employed to detect ambient noise.
US08472639B2 Microphone arrangement having more than one pressure gradient transducer
A microphone arrangement includes multiple pressure gradient transducers having an acoustic center, a first sound inlet opening leading to a front of a diaphragm, and a second sound inlet opening leading the back of the diaphragm. A directional characteristic of the pressure gradient transducers includes an omni portion and a figure-eight portion. The pressure gradient transducers have a direction of maximum sensitivity in a main direction. Each main direction of the pressure gradient transducers is inclined. The acoustic center of a pressure transducer and the pressure gradient transducers are positioned within an imaginary sphere having a radius that corresponds to double the largest dimension of the diaphragm of one of the transducers.
US08472638B2 Sound processing system for configuration of audio signals in a vehicle
A sound processing system for a vehicle includes a sound processor that is configured to mix at least one real audio input signal to form at least one virtual output signal. At least one audio signal that is available to drive at least one loudspeaker may be formed using the combination of the virtual output signal and the real audio input signal. The virtual output signal may be post processed to form a predetermined frequency range of the audio signal prior to being combined with the real audio input signal. The audio signal may be created by mixing the real audio input signal with the post processed virtual output signal. Alternatively, the audio signal may be formed by mixing the real audio input signal to form a real audio output signal, and then summing the real audio output signal with the post processed virtual output signal. Mixing may be performed with a crossbar mixer included in the sound processor.
US08472632B2 Dynamic sweet spot tracking
An audio system with a dynamic sound field adaptation to follow a listeners position. The audio system includes a relative location determination mechanism for determining the relative positions of at least all sound emitting components of the audio system with respect to each other, a personal device detector for detecting a personal device belonging to a user, a personal device position tracking mechanism for tracking the position of the personal device, and a re-calibration mechanism for re-calibrating the sound field such that the sweet spot of the sound field is placed at the current position of the personal device.
US08472630B2 Method and system for establishing cryptographic communications between a remote device and a medical device
A method and system establishing cryptographic communications between a remote device and a medical device, with the medical device having less processing power than the remote device are disclosed. The method may comprise establishing unencrypted communication between the remote device and the medical device, generating an asymmetric key pair by the remote device comprising a public key and a private key, generating a key request message and sending of the key request message together with the public key to the medical device, generating a pre-master key and encryption of the pre-master key with the received public key by the medical device, generating a key response message and sending of the key response message together with the encrypted pre-master key from the medical device to the remote device, decrypting the encrypted pre-master key with the private key by the remote device, and deriving a master key as a symmetric key from the pre-master key.
US08472628B2 Method of handling security key change and related communication device
A method of handling security key change for a user equipment in a wireless communication system includes applying a radio resource control procedure to activate key change, where the radio resource control procedure covers two conditions where the key change is accompanied with an authentication and key agreement run and without an authentication and key agreement run.
US08472622B2 Wireless communication method, information access method, and virtual antenna radiation pattern forming method
A wireless communication method for transmitting information to the designated region with the boundary defined by the sharp cutoff is provided. Receivers outside the designated region are excluded from retrieving the encoded information. The boundary of designated region is adjustable. The wireless communication method can be applied to clearly defining the accepted region and rejection region in satellite communications. The wireless communication method includes steps of providing an information; encoding the information into an encoded data regarding a designated bit-energy-to-noise-ratio; transmitting the encoded data to form a virtual antenna radiation pattern covering a designated region with boundary defined by the sharp cutoff based on the designated bit-energy-to-noise-ratio; receiving the encoded data; and decoding the encoded data into the original information only when receivers within the designated region with bit-energy-to-noise-ratio no less than the designated bit-energy-to-noise-ratio. The critical feature of the method is clarified by experiments on the communication satellite ST-1.
US08472621B2 Protection of a prime number generation for an RSA algorithm
A method for protecting a generation, by an electronic circuit, of at least one prime number by testing the prime character of successive candidate numbers, including: for each candidate number: the calculation of a reference number involving at least one first random number, and at least one primality test based on modular exponentiation calculations; and for a candidate number having successfully passed the primality test: a test of consistency between the candidate number and its reference number.
US08472618B2 Network switching device
Network switching arrangements including: setting an operation mode of a target switching block to a operation mode that is different from an operation mode of a first switching block while the first switching block is handling a switching process, the target switching block being one switching block selected from second switching blocks; performing a switchover process including starting the switching process using the target switching block instead of the first switching block, after completion of setting the operation mode of the target switching block; and copying the switching information held by the first switching block to the target switching block, prior to starting the switching process using the target switching block, after completion of setting the operation mode of the target switching block.
US08472616B1 Self calibration of envelope-based acoustic echo cancellation
Systems and methods for envelope-based acoustic echo cancellation in a communication device are provided. In exemplary embodiments, a primary acoustic signal is received via a microphone of the communication device, and a far-end signal is received via a receiver. Frequency analysis is performed on the primary acoustic signal and the far-end acoustic signal to obtain frequency sub-bands. An echo mask based on magnitude envelopes of the primary and far-end acoustic signals for each frequency sub-band is generated. A noise mask based on at least the primary acoustic signal for each frequency sub-band may also be generated. A combination of the echo mask and noise mask may then be applied to the primary acoustic signal to generate a masked signal. The masked signal is then output.
US08472614B2 Attenuation and termination circuit using impedance synthesis
The present invention discloses circuits for isolating and attenuating signals generated by a telephone network. In disclosed embodiments, a metering pulse signal is isolated from the terminals of the connecting device, and then attenuated with an impedance that is synthesized with a programmable digital signal processor. Embodiments also utilize the digital signal processor to synthesize a termination impedance for the connecting device. The termination impedance matches closely the characteristic impedance of the network, so as to minimize wave reflections and the like.
US08472613B1 Intelligent and automatic calling process
Ways for facilitating an automated calling process are described. An embodiment includes receiving a start indication to start recording events associated with a call process, starting a timing reference, receiving data provided by a user, storing information suitable to reproduce the received data based on the timing reference, and repeating the receiving step and the storing step until a stop indication to stop recording events is received. Redialing can occur without user intervention by retrieving a first indication of an information-providing event associated with a dialing process, providing data to satisfy the information-providing event, determining whether a subsequent information-providing event is to be expected, waiting for a correct time or for a prompt to provide additional data to satisfy the subsequent information-providing event, providing additional data to satisfy the subsequent information-providing event, and without user interaction, repeating the determining, waiting, and providing steps until the call is connected or until there is no additional data to provide.
US08472609B1 Method and computer readable medium for geographic agent routing
A method and computer readable medium for routing a call to geographically dispersed agents based on agent skill-set, agent location and caller location that results in the call being delivered to the best available agent. The computer readable medium and method are utilized with a system comprised of a call center application module coupled to a database module with a communications network being used to couple incoming calls from customers with the best available agent. A database contains a ranking of available agents, based on a dataset including information regarding skill-set, previous interaction with the customer, proximity to the customer, language capability, current availability, and the like. The method chooses the best available agent to service a customer call based on the agent rankings. In the case where the customer has a preference for proximity of the agent to the customer, the system adjusts the agent rankings according to the agent's distance from the customer prior to making a selection.
US08472608B2 Method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous telephone calls
A method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous calls. The method and system includes an intercept system that intercepts erroneous calls and automatically routes them to a directory assistance service. The directory assistance service provides a least one advertisement, directory assistance information and derived information including caller demographics information.
US08472607B2 Method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous telephone calls
A method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous calls. The method and system includes an intercept system that intercepts erroneous calls and automatically routes them to a directory assistance service. The directory assistance service provides a least one advertisement, directory assistance information and a variety of other information and services to the callers based on a highest expected revenue value of the advertisement or directory assistance services provided.
US08472605B2 Easy call abandon
A technique for managing simultaneous incoming and outgoing calls between the same far-end called terminal and far-end calling terminal and/or same user associated with a far-end called terminal and user associated with the far-end calling terminal includes an easy call abandon facility on a near-end terminal configured to compare information associated with an outgoing call to information associated with an incoming call. The easy call abandon facility is configured to initiate an audible or visible indicator when the terminal and/or user of the far-end called party is the same as that of the far-end calling party. In response to an easy call abandon indication received from a near-end terminal user, the easy call abandon facility disconnects the call from the near-end and connects the call received from the far-end terminal.
US08472603B2 Remote monitoring of phone calls
A communication system includes a plurality of endpoints associated with predetermined groups of endpoints; a server adapted to store for each group of endpoints a list of the endpoints, among the plurality of endpoints, associated therewith; and a communication network adapted to allow the server and the plurality of endpoints to communicate with each other, wherein, for an incoming phone call from a calling endpoint, each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints includes modules adapted to: 1) receive from the calling endpoint a request to establish the incoming phone call; 2) send a message to the server reporting about the incoming phone call from the calling endpoint, and wherein the server includes modules adapted to: a) receive the message sent in 2); b) identify, based on the received message, a group of endpoints associated with the endpoint sending the message in 2); c) identify at least one monitoring endpoint associated with the group of endpoints identified in b); and d) send to the at least one monitoring endpoint identified in c) a message notifying of the incoming phone call.
US08472595B1 Method and apparatus for providing a wireless portable communication device with the ability to selectively display picture and video images
Unwanted picture or video images are inhibited from being displayed by wireless communication devices based on the identity of the message originator, be that identity a phone number, an e-mail address, a website, a blocked message originator identification signal, the absence of a message originator identifier associated with the wireless picture message, or an electronic serial number of the message originator's device.
US08472593B2 Telephone outlet with packet telephony adaptor, and a network using same
An outlet for a Local Area Network (LAN), containing an integrated adapter that converts VoIP to and from analog telephony, and a standard telephone jack (e.g. RJ-11 in North America) for connecting an ordinary analog (POTS) telephone set. Such an outlet allows using analog telephone sets in a VoIP environment, eliminating the need for an IP telephone set or external adapter. The outlet may also include a hub that allows connecting both an analog telephone set via an adapter, as well as retaining the data network connection, which may be accessed by a network jack. The invention may also be applied to a telephone line-based data networking system. In such an environment, the data networking circuitry as well as the VoIP/POTS adapters are integrated into a telephone outlet, providing for regular analog service, VoIP telephony service using an analog telephone set, and data networking as well. In such a configuration, the outlet requires two standard telephone jacks and a data-networking jack. Outlets according to the invention can be used to retrofit existing LAN and in-building telephone wiring, as well as original equipment in new installation.
US08472587B2 Collimator with an adjustable focal length
The invention relates to a collimator with adjustable focal length, especially for use in X-ray testing devices whose operating principle is based on diffraction phenomena in an object. Fixed focal length collimators used in such X-ray testing devices have to be displaced over a large range. The aim of the invention is to reduce the range of displacement. For this purpose, the collimator has at least two diaphragms having respective substantially circular slots arranged about a common center axis, wherein at least one diaphragm can be displaced along the center axis.
US08472584B2 Apparatus and method for killing pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms using low-energy X-rays
An apparatus and method for killing pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms using low-energy x-rays including a shielding assembly that maximizes internal deflections preventing x-rays from escaping the apparatus enclosing an irradiation zone having a passageway between inlet and outlet portions along a conveyor having either a two-level inline or non-linear geometry that continuously moves the articles to be irradiated through the irradiation zone at a first velocity; and an irradiation chamber housing at least one x-ray having a first power level capable of emitting x-rays for a period of time sufficient to provide at least a predetermined dose of radiation to an article and capable of a maximum continuous power output at 100% duty cycle that is selected from within range of from approximately 16 kW to approximately 20 kW to thereby continuously emit low-energy x-rays having energies of from approximately 10 KeV and up to a maximum of approximately 440 KeV.
US08472580B2 Clock recovery
A clock and data recovery circuit injects a noise waveform into the control loop to offset the data sampling point artificially in order to induce errors. The amplitude of the injected waveform can be varied to ascertain the effect on the bit error rate (BER) so as to be able to evaluate the temporal noise margin.
US08472578B2 Radio apparatus, radio apparatus controller, and synchronization establishing method
A radio apparatus includes: first and second reception units to receive first and second signals from first and second radio apparatus controllers, respectively; first and second synchronous clock generation units to generate first and second recovery clocks from clock components included in the first and second signals received by the reception units, respectively; a clock synchronization detection unit to detect whether or not the second recovery clock is synchronous with the first recovery clock; a code selection unit to select a code indicating the synchronous state according to a detection result of the synchronization detection unit; a signal processing unit of generate a third signal to which the code selected by the code selection unit is added and which is synchronous with the first recovery clock; and a transmission unit to transmit the third signal generated by the signal processing unit to the second radio apparatus controller.
US08472577B2 Apparatus and method for detecting reception signal symbol synchronization in wireless communication system
Provided is an apparatus and method for detecting reception signal symbol synchronization in a wireless communication system. The method, includes: calculating a channel power value in each of multiple antennas; selecting and averaging at least 2 channel power values; compensating carrier frequency offset for an average value; and determining a symbol boundary of a reception signal according to the size of the average value compensating the carrier frequency offset.
US08472575B2 Signal evaluation and adjustment
A method of assessing a received signal acquired through a physical channel and comprising a pilot channel, the method comprising estimating from an oversampled version of the received signal an oversampled response for the physical channel and quantifying noise in the received signal using the oversampled received signal and the oversampled channel response.
US08472568B1 Scaling and quantization of soft decoding metrics
A method for communication includes receiving a communication signal conveying multiple encoded bits of an Error Correction Code (ECC). Respective N-bit soft decoding metrics are computed with respect to the bits of the ECC. A scaling factor is computed based on at least one characteristic of the N-bit soft decoding metrics and on at least one property of the received communication signal. The N-bit soft decoding metrics are scaled by the scaling factor. The scaled N-bit soft decoding metrics are quantized to produce respective K-bit metrics, K
US08472567B2 Detecting the number of transmit antennas in a base station
Data is scrambled at a transmitter according to one of a number of predetermined scrambling sequences which are associated with a particular one of a number of predetermined transmit antenna diversity schemes (i.e., a specific number of transmit antenna ports). Received data is decoded using one or more of the known transmit antenna diversity schemes and the scrambled data is descrambled according to a corresponding descrambling sequence (related to the scrambling sequence). Based on the descrambled data, the receiver determines which transmit antenna diversity scheme (i.e., the number of antenna ports) is used by the transmitter. In one specific embodiment, CRC parity data is scrambled in the transmitter and the receiver descrambles the recovered CRC parity data according to a descrambling sequence, computes CRC parity data from the received data, and compares the descrambled CRC parity data to the newly computed CRC parity data.
US08472566B2 Apparatus and method for transmitting pilot signal in wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for reducing pilot overhead in a multi-antenna system are provided. The method generates postcodes and pre-codes for streams used to transmit signals to at least two receivers. The method allocates a pilot signal to at least one of the streams, and allocates an additional pilot signal shared by at least one of the streams. The method precodes the pilot signal allocated to at least one of the streams, the additional pilot signal, and data to be transmitted to each of the receivers, based on the pre-code for each of the streams, prior to transmission.
US08472565B2 Apparatus for processing received signal, method thereof, and method for selecting mapping rule
An apparatus for processing a received signal, method thereof, and mapping rule selecting method are disclosed, by which radio communications can be smoothly carried out in a receiving terminal (200) receiving signals via at least two antennas (201a) in a manner of estimating data accurately. The present invention includes performing transmission according to an adaptively decided mapping rule and demapping on a symbol signal received via the plurality of antennas (201a), extracting reliability information for bit signal obtained from the demapping, and re-performing the demapping on the symbol signal received via the plurality of antennas (201 a) using the reliability information.
US08472562B2 Digital receiver and method
A receiver and method is provided for sigma-delta converting an RF signal to a digital signal and downconverting to a digital baseband signal. The RF signal is split into N phases, as can be accomplished using a sample and hold circuit, and each phase is digitized, as can be accomplished using an analog-to-digital (A/D) sigma-delta converter. Polyphase decimation techniques and demodulation are applied to the phased signals to generate a demodulated digital signal. The demodulated digital signal is further downconverted to the appropriate baseband signal.
US08472560B2 Apparatus and method for detecting RFID signals
A mixed-mode signal detection apparatus suitable for ISO/IEC 14443 Type A and Type B RFID proximity card applications. The apparatus combines switched capacitor sampling and digital post processing to recover information from Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) modulated signals. A phase detector triggers a pulse generator, which is used to signal sample and hold units that store the peak value of each carrier signal cycle. The samples are used to form a discrete version of the modulation signal and are post-processed digitally to recover encoded signal information.
US08472559B2 Polar transmitter and related signal transmitting method
A polar transmitter includes: a processor arranged to convert signals from a specific coordinate system to a polar coordinate system, wherein the signals in the polar coordinate system comprises a phase component and an amplitude component; a phase modulation (PM) path configured to have a constant PM group delay, for processing the phase component; an amplitude modulation (AM) path, of which an AM group delay is capable of being determined, for processing the amplitude component; and an adjustable delay circuit, arranged to adjust delay of the signals in the specific coordinate system according to the constant PM group delay and the calibrated AM group delay.
US08472558B2 Radio transmission device and radio transmission method
It is possible to provide a radio transmission device and a radio transmission method which can avoid degradation of a channel estimation accuracy using a reference signal formed by a ZC sequence even when the RS transmission band of a local cell is different from that of an adjacent cell. A mobile station decides a cyclic shift sequence corresponding to RB allocation information from an RS table which correlates different frequency bandwidths from a reference point of respective transmission bands to a spectrum start number of the cyclic shift sequence so as to satisfy a particular relationship based on the sequence length and transmits the decided cyclic shift sequence as RS to a base station. The base station uses the same RS table as the RS table of the mobile station and performs correlation calculation of the RS transmitted from the mobile station, thereby performing channel estimation.
US08472557B2 Transmitter with quantization noise compensation
The invention discloses a transmitter (300, 400, 600) comprising a pulse encoder (305) for creating pulses from the amplitude of an input signal to the transmitter, a compensation signal generator (315) for cancelling quantization noise caused by the pulse encoder (305), a mixer or I/Q modulator (307) for mixing an output of the pulse encoder with the phase of an input signal to the transmitter and an amplifier (320) for creating an output signal from the transmitter. In the transmitter (300, 400, 600), a control signal (CA) for controlling a function of the amplifier (320) comprises an output signal from the compensation signal generator (315), and an input signal to the amplifier (320) comprises an output from the mixer (307) having been modulated (340) to a desired frequency.
US08472555B2 Ultra wideband interference cancellation for orthogonal frequency division multiplex transmitters by protection-edge tones
A transmitter and communication system are disclosed. A first component operable to determine an active interference cancellation value for each of a plurality of active interference cancellation tones and a protection-edge value for each of a plurality of protection-edge tones based on optimizing active interference cancellation, and further based on constraining an average power of the active interference cancellation values and the protection-edge values to less than or equal to a maximum power level, and on a plurality of data values. A second component is operable to transform a sequence of tones to a time domain signal, the sequence of tones comprised of the active interference cancellation tones, the protection-edge tones, and a plurality of data tones, the data tones containing the data values. A third component operable to transmit an orthogonal frequency division multiplex signal based on the time domain signal.
US08472550B2 Method for reducing interference in multi-cell multi-user wireless networks
This invention provides a method for exploiting precoder optimization gains and multi-user diversity gains with interference alignment in general MIMO wireless networks including multiple users. Specifically, two embodiments exploit either a gradient-based search or iteratively orthogonalizing inference. The method can achieve near-optimal performance at a low complexity. Furthermore, a scheduling criterion is provided for wireless networks comprised of a large number of mobile stations in each cell. The criterion can be done independently in each cell to significantly reduce information exchanged between base stations in different cells compared to the methods that perform joint scheduling over all cells. The two embodiments can be utilized in a spectrally efficient communications network equipped with relaying nodes.
US08472544B2 Digital television transmitter and method of coding data in digital television transmitter
A digital television (DTV) transmitter and a method of coding data in the DTV transmitter method are disclosed. A pre-processes enhanced data by coding the enhanced data for forward error correction (FEC) and expanding the FEC-coded enhanced data. A data formatter generates enhanced data packets including the pre-processed enhanced data and inserting known data to at least one of the enhanced data packets. A first multiplexer multiplexes main data packets with the enhanced data packets, and a data randomizer randomizes the multiplexed data packets. A Reed-Solomon (RS) encoder RS-codes the randomized data packets by adding first parity data, and a data interleaver interleaves the RS-coded data packets. A trellis encoder trellis-encodes the interleaved data packets, wherein the trellis encoder may be initialized when a known data sequence is inputted thereto.
US08472535B2 Multi-carrier transmitter back-off estimation
Methods and apparatus taught herein estimate the amount by which to reduce a multi-carrier signal's maximum transmit power based on metrics specific to each carrier of the multi-carrier signal. These carrier-specific metrics may include a maximum-power reduction or cubic metric determined for that carrier as if it would be transmitted alone. In one embodiment, estimation of the required back-off is based on a weighted sum of the carrier-specific metrics, where the weights applied depend on a power ratio. Only a few relatively small look-up tables or simple computations are required in this case: one for obtaining the carrier-specific metrics based on configuration parameters of each carrier, and another for obtaining the weights based on the power ratio. Accordingly, methods and apparatus herein advantageously require less computational complexity and/or memory usage than that needed if estimating the required back-off based on similar metrics obtained for the multi-carrier signal as a whole.
US08472534B2 Telecommunication signaling using nonlinear functions
One exemplary embodiment can describe a method for communicating. The method for communicating can include a step for identifying characteristics of a communications channel, a step for identifying a set of nonlinear functions used to generate waveforms, a step for assigning a unique numeric code to each waveform, a step for transmitting a numeric sequence as a series of waveforms, a step for receiving the series of waveforms, and a step for decoding the series of waveforms.
US08472532B2 Method and apparatus for generating a common-mode reference signal
A method and apparatus to generate a common-mode reference signal. A common-mode current is received at a common-mode current sensing circuit. The common-mode current is sampled at a node between the common-mode current sensing circuit and a shunt resistor. The resulting voltage across the shunt resistor from the applied common-mode current is used as a common-mode reference signal.
US08472527B2 Hierarchical motion estimation using original frame for sub-sampled reference
This invention calculates motion vectors during video encoding for sub-sampled data using a hierarchical search. The motion vector calculation employs a prior original frame as the reference frame rather than a reconstructed frame according to the prior art.
US08472522B2 Video encoding method and decoding method, apparatuses therefor, programs therefor, and storage media which store the programs
A video encoding method includes setting candidates for reference pixels to pixels within a predetermined distance range measured from an encoding target block; generating a predicted signal by sequentially selecting reference pixels used for the intra prediction of the encoding target block from among the reference pixel candidates while changing a distance condition from the encoding target block, and by generating the predicted signal based on the reference pixels for each distance condition; computing an encoding cost required for subjecting the encoding target block to intra prediction encoding using each generated predicted signal; finally determining reference pixels used for the intra prediction of the encoding target block based on each computed encoding cost; and encoding information which indicates the position of the determined reference pixels.
US08472520B2 Systems and methods for transmitting and receiving data streams with feedback information over a lossy network
Systems, apparatus, and methods are provided to enhance transmitting and receiving video data streams with feedback information over a lossy and/or congested network. The systems, apparatus, and methods may optimize retransmission for lost packets or lost data frames. Optimizations are also provided to select reference frames in a data stream so that block errors are contained when RPS is used to encode data frames. Optimization in decoding may include reconstructing high-resolution data frames from low-resolution data frames.
US08472516B2 Selecting encoding types and predictive modes for encoding video data
In some embodiments, a method of determining encoding type and predictive mode(s) selections for a macroblock of a video frame is provided. In some embodiments, a general method 1) selects the encoding type (16×16 or 4×4) that is initially considered for a macroblock using an encoding type selection algorithm (based on an attribute of the macroblock that is easy to compute), 2) if the 16×16 encoding type is selected in step 1, consider the four 16×16 prediction modes that may be used on the macroblock using conventional methods or an improved 16×16 predictive mode search algorithm based on distortion thresholds, and 3) if the 4×4 encoding type is selected in step 1, select the 4×4 prediction mode to be used for each of the sixteen 4×4 blocks of the macroblock using conventional methods or an improved 4×4 predictive mode search algorithm based on the positional relationships between predictive modes.
US08472515B1 Clock and data recovery circuit with decision feedback equalization
A phase detection and decision feedback equalization circuit is provided. A first latch and a second latch are coupled to an input of the circuit. A third latch and a fourth latch are respectively coupled in series to outputs of the first latch and second latch. The first and fourth latches are enabled by a clock signal, and the second and third latches are enabled by a complement of the clock signal. A first feedback circuit is configured to provide a signal output from the first latch and a first feedback signal derived from the output of the fourth latch to an input of the third latch. A second feedback circuit is configured to provide a signal output from the second latch and a second feedback signal derived from the output of the third latch to an input of the fourth latch.
US08472511B2 Selectable-tap equalizer
A signaling circuit having a selectable-tap equalizer. The signaling circuit includes a buffer, a select circuit and an equalizing circuit. The buffer is used to store a plurality of data values that correspond to data signals transmitted on a signaling path during a first time interval. The select circuit is coupled to the buffer to select a subset of data values from the plurality of data values according to a select value. The equalizing circuit is coupled to receive the subset of data values from the select circuit and is adapted to adjust, according to the subset of data values, a signal level that corresponds to a data signal transmitted on the signaling path during a second time interval.
US08472506B2 Method and system for codebook design of MIMO pre-coders with finite rate channel state information feedback
Channel state information in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) pre-coding system is quantized onto a codebook, which comprises one or more unitary matrices, using a cost function. Voronoi regions are computed from the codebook. The codebook may be updated based on the computed Voronoi regions. The channel state information may comprise a matrix V. The cost function f(A) is 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. Voronoi regions may be generated from the codebook for the unitary matrices. A set of matrices based on the Voronoi regions and the unitary matrices may be generated. Updating the codebook may be achieved by modifying the set of matrices into a new set of unitary matrices, where the new set of unitary matrices become the codebook.
US08472505B2 Constant amplitude encoding apparatus and method for code division multiplexing communication system
Disclosed are an apparatus and method for constant amplitude encoding of a transmission signal in a CDM (Code Division Multiplexing) communication system. The apparatus for constant amplitude encoding of a transmission signal includes: an encoding module sequentially performing horizontal encoding and vertical encoding on an input signal; and a spreading and multiplexing module spreading the signal which has been encoded by the encoding module and multiplexing the spread signal in a vertical direction to output a data stream having a constant amplitude.
US08472500B2 Joint demodulation and synchronization in ultra wideband systems
A method of demodulating at a receiver a plurality of symbols bk comprised in a e.g. UWB, received signal y(t), said receiver having knowledge of a time hopping sequence vector c of the transmitted signal, said method comprising the step of: generating a plurality of frequency-domain samples from the received signal y(t). It further comprises the steps of: from said plurality of frequency-domain samples and said time hopping sequence vector c, applying a coarse estimation stage (7) for identifying the beginning of a first complete symbol (formula A) in an acquisition interval; applying a stage for fine estimation (8) of the time delay (formula B) of each symbol bk, wherein k denotes the k-th symbol, by searching a relative maximum at which a signal energy distribution exceeds a certain threshold Pth; from said fine estimation of the time delay (formula B) of each symbol bk, demodulating (formula C) said symbols bk.
US08472491B2 Semiconductor laser device
A semiconductor laser device includes a semiconductor-layer lamination (20) having an active layer (26) formed over a substrate (11). The semiconductor-layer lamination (20) includes a front face which emits light, a strip-shaped optical waveguide formed in a direction transverse to the front face, a first region (20A) extending in a direction transverse to the front face, a second region (20B) having a top surface whose height is different from that of the first region (20A), and a planar region (20C) formed between the first region (20A) and the second region (20B), and having periodic surface undulations whose variation is smaller than that of the second region (20B). The optical waveguide is formed in the planar region (20C).
US08472489B2 Light emitting device
A light-emitting device having a ring optical resonator and capable of laser oscillation by a novel structure realized by working out the mechanism of light emission. The light-emitting device having a ring optical resonator fabricated on a base is characterized in that the optical resonator has a core made of a semiconductor and serving to propagate light and a clad formed on at least the base side of the core in the stack direction out of the base side and the opposite side of the core, at least the ring inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the core are covered with a transparent body having an index of refraction lower than that of the space or the clad, and a part of the ring inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the clad are covered with a transparent body having an index of refraction lower than that of the space or the clad.
US08472484B2 Signal processing circuit, interface unit, frame transmission apparatus, and segment data reading method
A signal processing circuit for controlling reading of segment data from a buffer in which a plurality of segment data generated by dividing a frame and received via a plurality of switches which direct each of the segment data to a designated destination are stored, comprises: a start detecting unit which detects a starting segment representing the first transmitted segment data to the switch among the segment data received after the buffer has emptied; a transmission time acquiring unit which acquires a transmission time at which the starting segment was transmitted to the switch; and a read timing control unit which determines, based on the transmission time, a read timing for reading the segment data from the buffer.
US08472476B2 Digital broadcasting system and data processing method in the digital broadcasting system
A digital broadcasting system and a data processing method are disclosed. In an aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a data processing method including receiving a broadcast signal in which main service data and mobile service data are multiplexed, demodulating the received broadcast signal, outputting demodulation time information of a specific position of a broadcast signal frame, and acquiring reference time information contained in the mobile service data frame, setting the reference time information to a system time clock at a specific time based on the demodulation time information and decoding the mobile service data according to the system time clock.
US08472474B2 Packet communication control device, a memory access control device, and an information-processing system
A packet communication control device transfers a control packet and a data packet and includes a plurality of sending units and a multiplexer which separates a data communication path and a control communication path, multiplexes the control packets and transfers the multiplexed control packets by the control communication path and the data packet by the data control path. The average Round Trip communication time can be shortened and the hardware cost can be reduced because the Shortest-Job-First control is implemented by separating data communication pathway from control communication pathway logistically or physically, and also multiplexing the control communication pathway with control packet.
US08472473B2 Wireless LAN protocol stack
Embodiments addressing MAC processing for efficient use of high throughput systems are disclosed. In one aspect, a protocol stack is disclosed comprising one or more of the following: an adaptation layer, a data link control layer, a physical layer, and a layer manager. In another aspect, physical layer feedback is used for adaptation layer processing. In one embodiment, physical layer feedback is used for segmentation. In another embodiment, physical layer feedback is used for multicast mapping onto one or more unicast channels. In another aspect, a data unit for transmission from a first station to a second station comprises zero or more complete sub-data units, zero or one partial sub-data units from a prior transmission, and zero or one partial sub-data units to fill the data unit. In one embodiment, a pointer may be used to indicate the location of any complete sub-data units.
US08472466B2 Method for scheduling distributed virtual resource blocks
A method for efficiently scheduling virtual resource blocks to physical resource blocks is disclosed. In a wireless mobile communication system that supports a resource block group (RBG) allocation scheme, for distributed mapping of consecutively allocated virtual resource blocks to physical resource blocks, there is proposed a mapping method capable of increasing the number of distributed virtual resource blocks to a maximum while satisfying gap limitations, when the length of the physical resource blocks is different from the length of the distributed virtual resource blocks. Also, the number of distributed virtual resource blocks and the structure of an interleaver are limited for efficient scheduling.
US08472464B2 Method and apparatus for information transmission in wireless transmission system
Provided are a method of information transmission performed by a transmitter in a wireless transmission system and an apparatus for same. Said method comprises a step wherein a first information sequence is generated based on a first transmission symbol and a first resource index, a second information sequence is generated based on a second transmission symbol and a second resource index, a third information sequence is generated based on a third transmission symbol and a third resource index, a fourth information sequence is generated based on a fourth transmission symbol and a fourth resource index, a fifth information sequence is generated based on a fifth transmission symbol and a fifth resource index, a sixth information sequence is generated based on a sixth transmission symbol and a sixth resource index; and a step wherein said first information sequence, said second information sequence, and said third information sequence are transmitted via a first antenna, and said fourth information sequence, said fifth information sequence, and said sixth information sequence are transmitted via a second antenna, respectively.
US08472459B2 System and method for probing a channel in a communication system
A system and method for probing a channel by a base station in a communication system is provided. The channel probing includes performing pre-probing for selecting a subchannel, adjusting a subcarrier distance of a probing signal according to frequency selectivity indicative of frequency-domain channel selectivity based on a time channel correlation of each of a plurality of users and performing main-probing for transmitting the probing signal on the selected subchannel.
US08472458B2 Buffer space allocation method and related packet switch
A buffer space allocation method for a packet switch includes periodically performing a measurement process to obtain a plurality of measurement results at different times, each measurement result indicating a total size of accumulated packets in an output queue corresponding to one of a plurality of network ports of the packet switch, and adjusting a dedicated buffer space of the output queue according to the plurality of measurement results and a reserved space value for the dedicated buffer space.
US08472456B2 Method and apparatus for channel sensitive scheduling in a communication system
Method and apparatus for a channel sensitive scheduler for scheduling transmissions in a communication system. The scheduler is defined by a priority function of the channel condition as determined by amount of transmission power needed by a mobile station. In one embodiment the channel condition is determined based on the transmission pilot power of each mobile station and is used to calculate a priority value for each mobile station. The mobile stations are then scheduled to transmit based on the priority value.
US08472451B2 Method and apparatus for routing and forwarding between virtual routers within a single network element
A method and apparatus for routing and forwarding between virtual routers is described. A method in a single network element comprises peering a first virtual router to a second virtual router, wherein the first and second virtual routers have separate address spaces and separate routing tables, distributing a set of one or more routes from the first virtual router to the second virtual router, wherein a first of the set of routes identifies the first virtual router as a next hop of the first route, said first route including a destination, and downloading to a set of one or more forwarding tables, the destination and the next hop.
US08472449B2 Packet file system
A system and method of recording packets and packet streams to random-access block-oriented recording media, and retrieving the packets and packet streams from said recording media is disclosed. Incoming packets are copied into very large fixed sized blocks, which in turn are distributed to a plurality of disk drives for recording. Supplementary blocks of index data constructed as packets are received and recorded. The index data reduces the time required to locate and read specific packets and packet streams from the recording media. Recorded packets are retrieved and converted to standard pcap format files.
US08472445B1 Efficient host-controller address learning in ethernet switches
A network switch including a port, a memory, and a controller. The port has a port identifier and receives a packet (including an address of the source device) transmitted from a source device to the network switch. The memory is configured to store entries, each entry including (i) an identifier of a port of the network switch and (ii) an address of a network device. The controller is configured to (i) determine whether the address of the source device and the port identifier of the packet are stored in the memory and (ii) send a message to a processor requesting approval of the packet. The controller is configured to send the message when (i) the address of the source device is not stored in the memory or (ii) the port identifier of the packet is not stored with the address of the source device as one of the entries.
US08472442B2 Method and apparatus of downstream service flows classification for headend cable modem
A method and apparatus of classifying downstream service flows for a cable modem is provided. A method of classifying downstream service flows, the method including: classifying a service flow based on a Quality of Service (QoS) using a destination address of an inputted packet; composing an internal header including corresponding service flow information based on the classifying of the service flow; and adding the internal header to the inputted packet.
US08472439B2 Communication protocol
One aspect relates to a communication protocol for communicating between one or more entities, such as devices, hosts or any other system capable of communicating over a network. A protocol is provided that allows communication between entities without a priori knowledge of the communication protocol. In such a protocol, for example, information describing a data structure of the communication protocol is transferred between communicating entities. Further, an authentication protocol is provided for providing bidirectional authentication between communicating entities. In one specific example, the entities include a master device and a slave device coupled by a serial link. In another specific example, the communication protocol may be used for performing unbalanced transmission between communicating entities.
US08472437B2 Wireless chip-to-chip switching
Embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for chip to chip communications in electronic circuits. A router or switch receives data packets at input port ASICs. A routing table on the input port ASIC or on a routing ASIC is used to identify a destination port ASIC based upon header information in the data packet. The data packet is transmitted from the input port ASIC to the destination port ASIC using millimeter wave signals that are transmitted across a waveguide or a wireless interface.
US08472436B2 Modular wireless docking station
A modular wireless docking station for enabling a wireless connection between a computing device and a plurality of peripheral devices. The modular wireless docking station includes a radio plane having at least a wireless transceiver and at least one antenna for communicating with the computing device over a wireless medium; and a plurality of peripheral interface planes for communicating with one or more of the plurality of peripheral devices.
US08472434B2 Circuit service tunneling systems, methods, and interworking systems and mobility management entities thereof
A circuit service tunneling system is provided. The circuit service tunneling system has a first and a second mobile service network, and a user equipment. The first mobile service network provides packet-switched domain services and the second mobile service network provides circuit-switched domain services. An interworking system in the second mobile service network interconnects the first mobile service network with the second mobile service network, by connecting to a mobility management entity in the first mobile service network, to enable the first mobile service network to provide the circuit-switched domain service to the user equipment via the second mobile service network.
US08472433B2 Voice communications system
Voice communications apparatus is connected to a general subscriber telephone set or a broadband telephone set, to communicate over the public switched telephone network. The apparatus includes a filter converting signals such as to satisfy signal conditions prescribed for the telephone network. The apparatus also includes a terminal class determiner for determining the class of the telephone set connected, and a circuit for changing at least the sampling frequency at which the analog signals from the telephone set are sampled. This establishes high quality in broadband voice communications. The terminal class determiner may automatically determine the class of the telephone set at any timing of a call sequence by detecting a band component of the signals from the telephone set, a predetermined frequency of a signal intermittently transmitted from the telephone set or the characteristics of the telephone set.
US08472429B2 Device for transmission of communication signals
The present invention relates to a device (1) for transmission of communication signals between a master station location and a number of subscribers and in particular a device for transmission of a first communication signal in the form of an analogue telephone signal or ISDN data signal. The device contains corresponding interface means (11) for this. It is provided according to the invention that the device (1) is developed such that a further interface means (3) in the form of a DSL modem can be linked, in order additionally to transmit a second communication signal, preferably a broadband communication signal, over ports (15) for the transmission of the first communication signal. For this purpose, the device contains correspondingly developed distribution or addition means.
US08472424B2 Method and apparatus for supporting multiple multiplexing schemes for wireless communication
Techniques for efficiently sending data in a wireless communication system are described. Time frequency resources available for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), which exclude time frequency resources used for traffic data and signaling sent with code division multiplexing (CDM), may be determined. The time frequency resources available for OFDM may be partitioned into multiple tiles. Each tile may be defined based on multiple OFDM symbol numerologies and may have a non-rectangular shape. Each terminal may be assigned at least one tile. A pilot pattern may be selected for each terminal from among multiple pilot patterns, which may support different delay spreads, spatial ranks, etc. Data and pilot may be exchanged with each terminal via the time frequency resources in the at least one tile assigned to the terminal. OFDM symbols may be processed based on multiple OFDM symbol numerologies for each assigned tile.
US08472423B2 Physical layer structures and initial access schemes in an unsynchronized communication network
Physical layer structures and related access schemes for unsynchronized communication networks are provided. Access channel information, preferably including a common synchronization code associated with all transceiver stations in a communication network and a cell-specific synchronization code uniquely associated with one of the transceiver stations, is modulated onto at least one set of time-continuous signal components of a communication signal. In order to access the communication network, communication terminals search for the access channel information in one or more sets of time-continuous signal components and synchronization parameters are then determined based on a location of the access channel information in the sets of time-continuous signal components. Some embodiments of the invention provide for joint frame synchronization and coarse timing synchronization. In further embodiments, the communication signal also includes a scattered pilot channel onto which a portion of the access channel information, preferably the cell-specific synchronization code, is modulated. The pilot channels may then be re-used for initial access operations in addition to its conventional uses for such operations as channel estimation.
US08472418B2 Method and system for communicating media based on location of media source
A method for communicating media based on location of media source includes receiving communications from a plurality of endpoints. Each communication comprises a media message and location information identifying a location of its transmitting endpoint. The method includes receiving a selection of a geographical area and comparing the location information of each communication with the selected geographical area. The method also includes presenting to a user each message received from each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints located within the selected geographical area.
US08472417B2 Communication control method
The invention relates to a method for controlling communication between at least one stationary and at least one mobile, data-exchanging unit. In said method, a position of the mobile unit is determined, and communication is made possible in response thereto. According to the invention, a priority measure is determined in response to the determined position, and data can be transmitted from the mobile, data-exchanging unit according to the priority.
US08472402B2 Apparatus and method for assigning mobile station identifier in wireless communication system
An apparatus and a method for providing a handover using an Mobile Station IDentifier (MS ID) in a wireless communication system are provided. In the method, at least one Base Station (BS) ID index assigned to a serving base station by at least one neighbor base station is confirmed. A target base station for a handover is confirmed. A temporary MS ID is formed using a BS ID index assigned to the serving base station by the target base station, and an MS ID index assigned to the mobile station by the serving base station. A network re-entry procedure with the target base station is performed using the temporary MS ID. Communication with the serving base station is performed until the network re-entry procedure with the target base station is completed.
US08472400B2 Method and apparatus for processing padding buffer status reports
A method and system for processing buffer status reports (BSRs) such that when BSR triggering is performed, the size(s) of the necessary sub-header(s) are also to be considered together in addition to the BSR size. The steps of checking whether any padding region is available in a MAC PDU that was constructed, comparing the number of padding bits with the size of the BSR plus its sub-header, and if the number of padding bits is larger than the size of the BSR plus its sub-header, triggering BSR are performed. Doing so allows the sub-header(s) to be inserted or included into the MAC PDU or transport block (TB) or other type of data unit.
US08472398B2 Communications apparatus and communications system using multicarrier transmission mode
A communications system for exchange of information between communications apparatuses by a multicarrier transmission mode using a plurality of subcarriers, the communication system includes a transmission data generator configured to generate frequency band information indicating which frequency band is to be used for transmission of data information between said communication apparatuses and a transmitter configured to transmit the frequency band information by using a specific frequency band which is set from among a plurality of frequency band assigned to the communications system, and to transmit data information by using at least one frequency band set from among said plurality of frequency bands; and a receiver configured to receive the frequency band information by using the specific frequency band, wherein said specific frequency band also transmits data information and said specific frequency band is made variable.
US08472397B2 Uplink scheduling and resource allocation with fast indication
Systems and methods for signalling transitions between talk-spurt state and silence state for wireless terminals having semi-persistently allocated uplink resources are employed. A layer 1/2 indication of the state transitions may be transmitted using a resource that is specifically allocated for that purpose. Alternatively, ACK/NACK signalling may be employed. Layer 1 indications may be employed for both state transition types. Alternatively, in-band MAC layer signalling may be used to signal state transition from talk-spurt state to silence, or the network may deduce this state transition on its own. A different uplink wireless transition resource is allocated for the talk-spurt state vs. the silence state.
US08472395B2 Apparatus and method for communicating uplink signaling information
A User Equipment, UE, of a cellular communication system transmits scheduling assistance data to a base station comprising a base station scheduler which schedules uplink packet data. The scheduling assistance data relates to uplink packet data transmission from the UE. The UE comprises a channel controller which is operable to cause the scheduling assistance data to be transmitted from the UE to the base station in a first physical resource of an uplink air interface. The first physical resource is not managed by the base station based scheduler. The scheduling assistance data may specifically be transmitted in a first transport channel multiplexed with other transport channels on a physical resource. The transport channels may be individually optimized and may have different termination points and transmission reliabilities. Specifically, the transport channel supporting the scheduling assistance data signaling may have a high reliability and be terminated in the base station.
US08472394B2 Base station, communication terminal, transmission method and reception method
A base station includes: means configured to manage frequency blocks; means configured to determine, for each frequency block, scheduling information for assigning one or more resource blocks to a communication terminal being in a good channel state; means configured to generate a control channel including the scheduling information for each frequency block; and means configured to frequency multiplexing control channels within the system frequency band and to transmit it. In addition, the base station transmits the control channel by separating a non-specific control channel to be decoded by a non-specific communication terminal and a specific control channel to be decoded by a communication terminal to which one or more resource blocks are assigned.
US08472390B2 Method and apparatus for allocating spectrum
A method and apparatus for allocating spectrum within a wireless communication system is provided herein. During operation, a first base station will determine a location of a UE wishing to transmit. A database will be accessed containing wireless coverage area information for base stations with overlapping coverage with the first base station. Based on this information the first base station will determine if the UE is within an overlapping coverage area of multiple base stations. Spectrum will be assigned to the wireless equipment in a guard band, based at least in part on the determination that the UE is not within the overlapping coverage area.
US08472389B2 Radio resource management device, radio communication base station device, and radio resource management method
A radio resource management apparatus and radio resource management method, the radio resource management apparatus including a resource allocation section that, when a plurality of control channel elements are allocated to a physical downlink control channel for downlink data transmission, generates resource allocation information on control channel element numbers corresponding to the plurality of control channel elements, such that the control channel element numbers are different between neighboring cells, and a reporting section that reports an allocation result in the resource allocation section to a subordinate radio communication base station apparatus.
US08472386B2 Packet transmission/reception method and apparatus in wireless communication system
A method for simultaneously transmitting packets to one or more users in a wireless communication system includes: generating the packets which include length information and are to be transmitted to the one or more users; and simultaneously transmitting the generated packets to the one or more users. The length information includes information representing a unit of the length information and information representing lengths of the packets according to the unit.
US08472379B2 Mobile station, radio base station, communication control method, and mobile communication system
A mobile station according to the present invention includes: a packet discarder unit (102, 103) configured to discard a packet in an uplink transmission buffer, after assigning a sequence number to the packet, when a predetermined condition is met.
US08472378B2 Communication system, radio communication method, and radio apparatus
After checking a status of frequency band usage of a primary system by preliminary sensing, a master node transmits to slave nodes a sensing request containing a target frequency band for cooperative sensing. The slave nodes perform spectrum sensing according to specified parameters and send, as responses, results thereof to the master node. The master node collectively receives these results, comprehensively determines the sensing results of the slave nodes, and makes a final determination on whether or not the target frequency band is available.
US08472375B2 Method and apparatus for scan mode selection during an EVDO traffic state
A method and apparatus for user data traffic handling for an EVDO enabled hybrid mode mobile device, the method having the steps of: blocking a system selection at the mobile device until no EVDO traffic state exists, the blocking step includes either monitoring whether a user changes a scan mode on the mobile device; and if the user changes the scan mode, checking whether the mobile device is in an EVDO traffic state; and if yes delaying a system selection until the EVDO traffic state is ended, or monitoring whether a user is in an EVDO traffic state, and if yes, preventing a user from accessing a scan mode menu on the mobile device.
US08472373B2 Method for background scan in a mobile wireless system
A method is disclosed, operating a mobile station in a wireless network system comprising a plurality of base stations allocated in N channels. Data packets are received at a time interval p from a first base station of the wireless network system to which the mobile station is currently connected. A first period T is provided for a complete background scan monitoring messages from the plurality of base stations located in the wireless network system. The complete background scan is divided into a plurality of partial scan sections, each of which monitors base stations of one of the N channels. A second period M is determined for the partial scan section according to the time interval p, the first period T, and the number of channels N.
US08472372B1 Wireless communication system, method, and computer program product
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for transmitting wireless signals to one or more portable devices. In use, a plurality or wireless signals is received utilizing a plurality of protocols. In addition, the plurality of protocols associated with the plurality of wireless signals are converted to a single different protocol. Further, the plurality of wireless signals is transmitted to at least one portable device utilizing the single different protocol.
US08472370B2 Apparatus and method for timing synchronization in a communication system
An apparatus is capable of restoring a clock of a second node in a communication system with a symmetric network construction of a first node that is capable of receiving a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal, and the second node that is not capable of receiving a GPS signal. The method includes identifying synchronization information received from the first node, determining a delay with the first node, generating a clock using the synchronization information and delay, removing a clock phase being out of a reference range in a phase identification interval, dividing the phase identification interval into at least two subdivision intervals, and removing a clock phase being out of a normal operation range of a phase in each subdivision interval.
US08472367B2 Enhancing outage capacity based on adaptive mode switching between on-frequency and frequency translation
A method includes determining channel quality feedback information characterizing the channels statistically and calculating, based on the channel quality feedback information, a robustness related measure, such as outage capacity, associated with an on-frequency mode of operation and a robustness related measure, such as an outage capacity, associated with a frequency translated mode of operation. The method includes selecting the on-frequency mode of operation or the frequency translated mode of operation that maximizes the robustness related measure, such as outage capacity. The method also includes transmitting a message to other devices to operate in the selected on-frequency or a frequency translated modes. The method also includes performing maximum ratio combining or interference rejection combining, by at least one of the other devices, when the message indicates to operate in the frequency translated mode.
US08472357B2 System, methods, and apparatus for bidirectional relaying in wireless communications systems
In one embodiment, a method of wireless communication includes transmitting a first data packet from a user end during a first subframe of a radio frame. A second data packet is transmitted from a base station during a second subframe of the radio frame. A single data packet is received from a relay node in a third subframe of the radio frame. The single data packet includes the first and the second data packets.
US08472353B2 Provisioning/configuration systems for bridging VPN for IP audio conferencing
Internet Protocol (IP) audio conferencing bridging provisioning/configuration systems receive a service order request associated with a customer, where the service order request requests enrollment of the customer in a Virtual Private Network (VPN) bridging network service for IP Audio Conferencing. The provisioning/configuration systems orchestrate, based on the service order request, configuration of multiple network nodes in a network that provides the VPN bridging network service for IP Audio Conferencing to the customer to enable IP audio conferencing calls to be made from the customer via the network.
US08472348B2 Rapid network formation for low-power and lossy networks
In one embodiment, a node joins a communication network, and in response to joining the network, operates in a rapid startup mode, wherein the node in rapid startup mode establishes network configurations rapidly by deemphasizing quality (optimality) of the network configurations. Subsequent to operating in the rapid startup mode (e.g., after some timer or explicit command), the node then operates in a robust mode, wherein the node in robust mode iteratively refines the network configurations to increase the quality of the network configurations.
US08472347B2 System and method for providing network resiliency
The invention is directed toward an automated system and process to provide resiliency to a network infrastructure where traditional established methods tend to fail. The system analyzes the underlying physical characteristics of the network topology to identify physically diverse backup routing paths among nodes in the network. The system takes as input the number of diverse paths desired and a characteristic(s) used to choose the most desirable paths, such as delay, flow, or cost. The invention searches for multiple solutions for the selected number of diverse paths within the network.
US08472342B1 Systems and methods of routing IP telephony data packet communications
Systems and methods performed by a telephony device allow the telephony device to test the quality of multiple potential paths which can be used to conduct a telephony communication. By testing the conditions that presently exist, the telephony device can choose the path that is presently offering the best quality. A telephony communication may be setup over an initial path, and then subsequent testing may determine that it is best to switch to an alternate path offering better call quality. The initial path used for the telephony communication may be the one that offers the fastest initial connection. When multiple potential paths exist, the telephony communication may be conducted over a first path while keep alive messages are communicated over a second path so that the telephony communication can be quickly switched to the second path.
US08472341B2 Steering fragmented IP packets using 5-tuple based rules
A method, system, and/or computer program product steers Internet Protocol (IP) packet fragments. A switch receives a first IP packet fragment that contains a 3-tuple in its header. In response to determining that the first IP packet fragment is not a lead packet fragment in the series of IP packet fragments, the first IP packet fragment is pushed onto a data stack. The switch subsequently receives a second IP packet fragment that contains a 5-tuple, which includes the 3-tuple from the first IP packet fragment plus a source port and destination port used by the second IP packet fragment. The 3-tuple is mapped to the 5-tuple in a fragmentation table, thus enabling both the first IP packet fragment and the second IP packet fragment to be steered to the destination port to which the second IP packet fragment is being sent.
US08472335B2 Selecting transmission technology for communications in wide area mobile networks
Method and RNC for selecting transmission technology when a UE enters the network, which checks whether the UE is MIMO and, if so and only one carrier is available, allocates its traffic to said carrier and uses a S-CPICH to provide all MIMO traffic with a diversity pilot and Virtual Antenna Mapping for balance. If more than one carrier is available, the number of UEs, their radio conditions and load of carriers are checked periodically. If the carrier is busy only with MIMO and its load is higher than the load of the remaining carriers, diversity CPICH of STTD is selected; otherwise and only if the UEs vulnerable to STTD with good radio conditions exceed a certain number, the S-CPICH is selected. The RNC can reconfigure the network from transmitting MIMO traffic with STTD to using MIMO with S-CPICH or vice versa dynamically by periodical check of the load and UEs criteria for configuration change.
US08472333B2 Methods and systems for monitoring changes made to a network that alter the services provided to a server
Methods of automatically monitoring changes made to the communications connections into a server are provided. Pursuant to these methods, an identification is made that a change was made to the communications connections into the server. A determination is then made if the identified change complies with a set of pre-determined rules. If it is determined that the change does not comply with at least one of the rules in the set of pre-determined rules, then an alert is automatically issued.
US08472329B2 Presenting confirmation queries for network usage
The invention relates to network connection management, wherein user confirmations are queried for implementing operations requiring a network connection. According to the invention the user confirmation are queried variantly depending on the initiator of the operation. The invention relates to a devices for browsing the network and to a computer program product.
US08472328B2 Impact scoring and reducing false positives
Some embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for detecting anomalies in network traffic. Some embodiments detect anomalies based on time-series activity in network traffic. Upon detection of an anomaly, significant changes can be analyzed to identify abnormal changes in network traffic across different network entities. The identified changes can then be used to determine the cause and the impact of the detected anomaly on the network traffic.
US08472323B2 Monitoring connection quality
Quality of a connection between a terminal and a gateway is monitored in the gateway. The gateway informs a core network element handling signaling relating to the connection about the quality of the connection. The core network element triggers an access network control element to inform the terminal about the quality of the connection. The gateway or the core network element may determine when to trigger the access network control element. Upon receiving triggering information from the core network element, the access network control element informs the terminal about the quality of the connection for indicating changes in the quality of connection between the terminal and the gateway.
US08472322B2 Method and apparatus for adaptive delay management
Adaptive delay management means and method for allocating resources having different Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. A Forward Link (FL) scheduler prepares transmission instances by treating pending data queues according to a priority class, such as Best Effort (BE) and Expedited Forwarding (EF). Data bits from multiple queues are stuffed into a transmission instance. Various metrics are used to generate a set of candidates for transmission and then select and build a next transmission instance from the set of candidates.
US08472319B2 Relay station operated according to QOS level of service packet and method of operating relay station
A relay station, including a delay information storage unit to store remaining delay information generated in a path from a target relay node to a destination node; an order determination unit to determine an order of processing service packets with a plurality of quality of service (QoS) levels using the remaining delay information, the service packets being received from a neighbor node; and a processing unit to process the service packets in the determined order.
US08472318B2 Communication method, base station device using the same, terminal device, and communication system
A packet communication unit and a signal processing unit communicate with a plurality of terminals, respectively, in an infrastructure mode. A control unit controls the communications performed by the packet communication unit and the signal processing unit. The control unit permits two of the plurality of terminal apparatuses to communicate with each other in an ad-hoc mode, over a predetermined period time, and specifies the ad-hoc period to at least the two terminal apparatuses via the packet communication unit and the signal processing unit.
US08472317B2 Method for resource and admission control
The present invention provides a method for resource and admission control. In the process of resource requesting: upon receiving a resource initialization request, which is used for requesting a QoS resource for a service, sent by an SCF, a PD-FE of a visited network performing an authorization check and a resource availability check for the resource initialization request, and sending the resource initialization request to a PD-FE of a home network; the PD-FE of the home network performing an authorization check and making an initial policy decision for the resource initialization request, and sending a resource initialization response containing the generated initial policy decision to the PD-FE of the visited network; and the PD-FE of the visited network making a final admission decision for the resource initialization request according to the initial decision policy and the result of the resource availability check. The method provided by the present invention specifies respective functional attributes of the PACF in the home network and of the PACF in the visited network and the interaction process between the two, and solves the problem of resource and admission control supporting roaming.
US08472315B2 Method and system for controlling link saturation of synchronous data across packet networks
A method for controlling admissions of data packets across a packet network comprising the steps of establishing a communication route along a plurality of interconnected secondary nodes, determining an amount of available network and determining whether to admit the data packets to the communication route based on the determined amount of available network bandwidth. Also disclosed is a system for implementing the method comprising a first provider edge element, a second provider edge element, a plurality of interconnected secondary nodes disposed between the edge elements. Each of the secondary nodes comprises at least one first detection device for determining an amount of available network bandwidth and at least one admission device in communication with the respective first detection device for determining whether to admit the data packets to the communication route based on the determined amount of available network bandwidth.
US08472310B2 Packet distribution band controlling method, distributing apparatus, and video distributing system
An object of the present invention is to enable a real-time distribution even if the band of a network varies. A distributing apparatus receives a packet retransmission request or a packet restoration notification, which is transmitted from a receiving apparatus, with an error information receiving unit. If the number of received retransmission requests or that of restoration notifications becomes equal to or larger than a certain value, a distribution band controlling unit decreases a band used to distribute a packet by a certain band.
US08472307B1 Channelization circuits having multiple commutators
A channelization circuit channelizes baseband signals in the channels of a wideband signal. The channelization circuit includes a phase shifter, a Fourier transform circuit, filtering circuits, commutator circuits, and a summation circuit. The phase shifter circuit is configured to receive the baseband signals. The Fourier transform circuit is coupled to the phase shifter circuit and configured to frequency translate the baseband signals to the channels of the wideband signal. The filtering circuits are coupled to the Fourier transform circuit, and the commutator circuits are coupled to the filtering circuits. The summation circuit is coupled to the commutator circuits and configured to generate the wideband signal.
US08472300B2 Optical head device and optical disc device
An optical head device mounted in an optical disc device. The optical head device is provided with a diffractive optical element and a photodetector. The diffractive optical element has: a primary diffraction region at a location on which the positive and negative first-order components and some of the zero-order component of a reflectively diffracted light beam are incident; and secondary diffraction regions at locations on which the rest of the zero-order component but none of the positive or negative first-order components of the reflectively diffracted light beam are incident. A main light-receiving section of the photodetector receives the zero-order component of a transmissively diffracted light beam that has passed through the primary diffraction region and the secondary diffraction regions. Secondary light-receiving sections receive the positive first-order component and/or the negative first-order component of the transmissively diffracted light beam that has passed through the secondary diffraction regions.
US08472298B2 Optical information recording and reproducing apparatus and optical information recording method
An optical information recording and reproducing apparatus includes an irradiation unit of a signal light beam and a reference light beam required for data recording, and a cure irradiation unit having at least one of a pre-cure irradiation that irradiates a predetermined light beam on to a desired position prior to irradiating the reference light bean and the signal light beam on to the desired position when information is recorded in the desired position on an optical information recording medium and a post-cure irradiation that irradiates a predetermined light beam on to the desired position so as to make the desired position non-recordable after the information is recorded in the desired position on the recording medium. The cure irradiation unit is disposed in one driving device in a freely movable manner in the driving device.
US08472296B2 Information recording medium, recording/reproducing apparatus, and recording/reproducing method to distinguish between an original recording block and a replacement recording block
An information recording medium, and a recording/reproducing apparatus and a recording/reproducing method for the recording medium. Original data is sequentially updated by replacing an original recording block with one or more replacement recording blocks. A replacement recording block includes at least one of an original address field indicating a location of the original recording block or a previous address field indicating a location of an immediately previous recording block. Replacement information is effectively recovered in a system where a replacement for logical overwriting (LOW) occurs in either a spare area and a user data area by reference to the address fields in each replacement recording block.
US08472295B1 Selective error protection over multiple sectors
The present disclosure is directed to selectively protecting a portion of a track including a plurality of data sectors. The data sectors include a plurality of user sectors and one or more parity sectors. Protected bits are designated in each of the of data sectors. The protected bits are selected to have matching bit indices across the data sectors resulting in a parallel alignment of the protected bits across the user and parity sectors. One or more selections of protected bits of the user sectors are encoded across matching bit indices to generate data values in the corresponding protected bits of the parity sectors. At least one portion of at least one failed sector is recoverable by decoding at least one selection of the protected bits when a sector error occurs at a protected bit.
US08472287B1 Thermally-assisted magnetic recording head having a groove for inserting into suspension
A thermally assisted magnetic head includes a suspension mounting arrangement facilitating insertion and positioning of a suspension and hardly causes displacement after insertion. The head further includes a slider and a light source unit. The slider has a recording element, a plasmon generating element, a waveguide and a reproducing element at one of opposite ends in a length direction. The recording element and waveguide are disposed adjacent to the plasmon generating element. The light source unit has a laser diode chip and a holder and is disposed on a back surface of the slider opposite from a medium-facing surface. The chip is supported by the holder and optically connected to the waveguide in a height direction. Further, the slider has a groove in a surface of a trailing-side end face for insertion of a suspension. The groove extends linearly along a width direction with bent parts at opposite open ends.
US08472284B2 Radio controlled timepiece
A radio controlled timepiece includes: a radio wave receiving section which outputs a time code signal; an indicator display section which performs a display regarding a reception condition; a level change detecting section which detects a change of a signal level of the time code signal in a predetermined detection interval in a period of 1 second; an indicator control section which controls a content of the display based on a number of times that the change of the detected signal level appears; and an interval setting section which specifies the detection interval as a whole interval of the period of 1 second during a detecting process of a synchronization point in the time code signal every 1 second, and narrows the detection interval to be a certain interval within the period of 1 second after a detection of the synchronization point every 1 second.
US08472283B2 Clock synchronization
In a clock synchronization system, clocks on a local area network are synchronized to a standard time signal such as the Network Time Protocol (NTP) signal or the Global Positioning System (GPS) time signal. A terminal on the network enables a user to introduce an offset to the clocks individually so that clocks can display the time in different time zones.
US08472282B2 Method and apparatus for acoustic data transmission in a subterranean well
The disclosure describes a method and apparatus for effectively communicating data along an acoustic transmission path. The method comprises driving an acoustic transmitter to send a data signal along the acoustic transmission path, where the signal is distorted by ambient noise. The distorted signal is input to a spaced apart plurality of sensors so that consequent time-delayed signals provide reinforcement of the basic signal and attenuation of the ambient noise component when combined.
US08472279B2 Channel skewing
Methods and systems for channel skewing are described. One or more methods for channel skewing includes providing a number of groups of data signals to a memory component, each of the number of groups corresponding to a respective channel, and adjusting a phase of a group of data signals corresponding to at least one of the number of channels such that the group of data signals are skewed with respect to a group of data signals corresponding to at least one of the other respective channels.
US08472276B1 System and method for de-latch of an integrated circuit
A system and method is provided for hot de-latch of a parasitic device in an integrated circuit (IC) that restores the IC to normal operation without de-powering the IC or resulting in a loss of data. In one embodiment the method, includes reducing a voltage supplied to at least a portion of the IC from a normal operation voltage to a de-latch voltage for a time to de-latch the parasitic device without de-powering the IC. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08472266B2 Reducing neighbor read disturb
Methods and devices for sensing non-volatile storage devices in a way that reduces read disturb are disclosed. Techniques are used to reduce read disturb on memory cells that are neighbors to selected memory cells. For example, on a NAND string, the memory cells that are next to the selected memory cell presently being read may benefit. In one embodiment, when reading memory cells on a selected word line WLn, Vread+Delta is applied to WLn+2 and WLn−2. Applying Vread+Delta to the second neighbor word line may reduce read disturb to memory cells on the neighbor word line WLn+1.
US08472262B2 Sense amplifier for reading a crossbar memory array
A sense amplifier for reading the data stored in a crossbar array includes a storage transistor to store a first voltage resulting from an electric current from a column line connected to a target memory element while the target memory element is half-selected, the first voltage resulting from bias voltages applied to row lines not connected to the target memory element; a mirror transistor to store a second voltage resulting from an electric current from the column line while the target memory element is fully selected; a cross-coupled inverter circuit having a first branch connected to the storage transistor and a second branch connected to the mirror transistor; and an output node to output a signal from the first branch of the cross-coupled inverter circuit, the signal based on a comparison between the first voltage stored in the storage transistor and the second voltage across the mirror transistor.
US08472256B2 Non-volatile memory programming
Some embodiments include a memory device and a method of programming memory cells of the memory device. One such method includes applying voltages to data lines associated with different groups of memory cells during a programming operation. Such a method applies the voltages to the data lines associated with a last group of memory cells being programmed in a different fashion from the other groups of memory cells after the other groups of memory cells have been programmed. Other embodiments including additional memory devices and methods are described.
US08472255B2 Compensation of non-volatile memory chip non-idealities by program pulse adjustment
To program a set of non-volatile storage elements, a set of programming pulses are applied to the control gates (or other terminals) of the non-volatile storage elements. The programming pulses have pulse widths that vary as a function of simulated pulse magnitude data. The programming pulses can also have pulse magnitudes that vary based on measurements taken while testing the set of non-volatile storage elements. In one embodiment, the pulse widths are determined after simulation performed prior to fabrication of the non-volatile storage elements. In another embodiment, the pulse magnitudes are calculated after fabrication of the non-volatile storage elements.
US08472254B2 Memory arrays and memory devices
Strings of series-coupled memory cells selectively coupled to the same bit line may facilitate increased memory densities, reduced fabrication steps and faster read operations when compared to traditional memory array architectures. Reading of the memory cells may be accomplished using charge sharing techniques similar to read operations in a DRAM device.
US08472247B2 Non-volatile memory device and method for programming the device, and memory system
A non-volatile memory device comprises a memory cell array comprising memory cells arranged in rows connected to corresponding word lines and columns connected to corresponding bit lines, a page buffer that stores a program data, a read-write circuit that programs and re-programs the program data into selected memory cells of the memory cell array and reads stored data from the programmed memory cells, and a control circuit that controls the page buffer and the read-write circuit to program the selected memory cells by loaded the program data from in page buffer and to re-program the selected memory cells by re-loaded the program data in the page buffer.
US08472237B2 Semiconductor devices and methods of driving the same
Example embodiments disclose a semiconductor device using resistive memory material layers and a method of driving the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of memory cells. At least one memory cell includes a uni-polar variable resistor and a bi-polar variable resistor connected in series and configured to switch between low resistance states and high resistance states, respectively, according to an applied voltage.
US08472236B2 Differential plate line screen test for ferroelectric latch circuits
Non-volatile latch circuits, such as in memory cells and flip-flops, that are constructed for reliability screening. The non-volatile latch circuits each include ferroelectric capacitors coupled to storage nodes, for example at the outputs of cross-coupled inverters. Separate plate lines are connected to the ferroelectric capacitors of the complementary storage nodes. A time-zero test of the latch stability margin is performed by setting a logic state at the storage nodes, then programming the state into the ferroelectric capacitors by polarization. After power-down, the plate lines are biased with a differential voltage relative to one another, and the latch is then powered up to attempt recall of the programmed state. The differential voltage disturbs the recall, and provides a measure of the cell margin and its later-life reliability.
US08472235B2 Semiconductor device
An object is reduction in power consumption of a semiconductor device including a memory circuit. In the semiconductor device including a memory circuit, the memory circuit includes a memory cell including a semiconductor element and a memory cell that does not include a semiconductor element in a region defined by a word line and a bit line which intersect with each other. A transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor so as to have extremely low off-state current is used as the semiconductor element, so that the reading precision is improved and thus low voltage operation can be performed. The memory cells store data high or data low. The memory cell comprising a semiconductor element stores minor data of high and low, and the memory cell that does not comprise the semiconductor element stores major data of high and low.
US08472231B2 Semiconductor memory device
An object is to provide a semiconductor memory device which stores data with the use of a transistor having small leakage current between a source and a drain in an off state as a writing transistor. In a matrix including a plurality of memory cells, gates of the writing transistors are connected to writing word lines. In each of the memory cells, a drain of the writing transistor is connected to a gate of a reading transistor, and the drain is connected to one electrode of a capacitor. Further, the other electrode of the capacitor is connected to a reading word line. In the semiconductor memory device in which the memory cells are connected in series so as to have a NAND structure, gates of the reading transistors are provided alternately, and the reading word line and the writing word line are shared.
US08472230B2 Selective access memory circuit
A selective access memory circuit (SAMC) is described. The SAMC is a class of complex programmable memory device (CPMD) that reconfigures access to memory cells by using gates in an integrated gate array mechanism configured at regular intervals in memory arrays. CPMDs are applied to embedded controllers, microprocessors, DSPs and system on chip (SoC) circuit architectures.
US08472222B2 Method for operating an inverter, and inverter
In an inverter and a method for operating an inverter, the inverter includes a step-up converter circuit, a dynamic intermediate circuit, and a step-down converter circuit for converting a direct voltage of a direct voltage generator or string into an alternating voltage for supplying a network. The step-up converter circuit increases the direct voltage if the latter is lower than a peak-to-peak maximum of the network voltage, and the step-down converter circuit lowers a dynamic intermediate circuit voltage, as needed, to a lower voltage currently required in the network. The step-up converter circuit dynamically increases the direct voltage to the value currently required in the network and in the process temporarily supplies an approximately sinusoidal voltage curve for the intermediate circuit voltage.
US08472219B2 Method and systems for converting power
A power conversion system includes a first converter coupled to a power source, wherein the first converter includes an input side, and an output side electrically isolated from the input side. The power conversion system also includes a second converter coupled to the power source, wherein the second converter includes an input side, and an output side electrically isolated from the input side. The second converter input side is coupled in parallel with the first converter input side, and the second converter output side is coupled in series with the first converter output side. The power conversion system also includes an inverter coupled to the first converter output side and to the second converter output side, and the inverter supplies alternating current to an electrical distribution network.
US08472217B2 Switching mode power supply with a multi-mode controller
A switching mode power supply with a multi-mode controller is provided. The switching mode power supply may include a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding to supply power to a load. A feedback circuit may be included to generate a feedback signal that varies in relation to the load on the secondary winding. The multi-mode controller may include a switching circuit, a frequency control circuit and a current limiting circuit. The switching circuit may be coupled to the primary winding to control current flow through the primary winding. The frequency control circuit may control a switching frequency of the switching circuit based on the feedback signal. The current limiting circuit may limit current flow through the primary winding by causing the switching circuit to suspend current flow through the primary winding when the current reaches a peak current limit that is set based on the feedback signal.
US08472214B2 Control circuit and method for efficient flyback power converter under light load
A flyback power converter includes a power switch connected to a primary side of a transformer, and a sensing signal is provided for a control circuit to switch the power switch so as for the transformer to convert an input voltage into an output voltage. The sensing signal is a function of the input voltage, and the control circuit extracts a variation of the sensing signal during a preset time period. The variation of the sensing signal is used to prevent the output ripple and the green mode entry point of the flyback power converter from varying with the input voltage.
US08472207B2 Electronic device having liquid crystal polymer solder mask and outer sealing layers, and associated methods
An electronic device includes a substrate with a circuit layer thereon that has a solder pad. There is a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) solder mask on the substrate that has an aperture aligned with the solder pad. There is a fused seam between the substrate and the LCP solder mask. Solder is in the aperture, and a circuit component is electrically coupled to the solder pad via the solder. A first dielectric layer stack having a first plurality of dielectric layers is on the LCP solder mask and has an aperture aligned with the solder pad. There is a first LCP outer sealing layer on the first dielectric layer stack, and a second dielectric layer stack having a second plurality of dielectric layers on the substrate on a side thereof opposite the LCP solder mask. Further, there is a second LCP outer sealing layer on the second dielectric layer stack.
US08472205B2 Adaptive printed circuit board connector
An adaptive printed circuit board (PCB) connector consists of an adapter. The adapter comprises a printed circuit board having connectors connectable to battery terminals of a battery terminal structure of a populated circuit board (POP) of a mobile device. The adapter can have an opening shaped or adapted to receive the battery terminal structure of the POP. Battery terminals can be spring loaded. Spring loaded battery terminals can provide connective stability between POP and adapter by pushing against edge inside of opening of the adapter.
US08472201B2 Circuit module
An isolator includes a core isolator mounted on a circuit board and including a ferrite and permanent magnets to apply a direct-current magnetic field to the ferrite, and includes no yoke for controlling the leakage of the direct-current magnetic field out of the isolator. Power amplifiers are arranged in a straight line along with the core isolator interposed therebetween. A metal case covers the core isolator and the power amplifiers. The heights of the power amplifiers are greater than that of the core isolator.
US08472199B2 System including a plurality of encapsulated semiconductor chips
A solid state drive is disclosed. The solid state drive includes a circuit board having opposing first and second surfaces. A plurality of semiconductor chips are attached to the first surface of the circuit board of the solid state drive, and the plurality of semiconductor chips of the solid state drive include at least one memory chip that is at least substantially encapsulated in a resin. An in-line memory module-type form factor circuit board is also disclosed. The in-line memory module-type form factor circuit board has opposing first and second surfaces. A plurality of semiconductor chips are attached to the first surface of the in-line memory module-type form factor circuit board, and these semiconductor chips include at least one memory chip that is at least substantially encapsulated in a resin.
US08472192B2 Portable hand held multi-source power inverter with pass through device
A portable hand held power inverter/converter having a pass through device for simultaneously sourcing A.C. and multiple voltage D.C. power consuming devices through a single D.C. power source connection. Inverter and converter circuitry is provided to invert and convert D.C. voltage to an A.C. voltage source and a lower DC voltage. A.C. electrical outlets are provided to facilitate a connection to an external A.C. power-consuming device and a DC outlet to a lower volt DC power-consuming device. The pass through device provides an independent and simultaneous connection to an additional D.C. outlet that would otherwise be eliminated when occupied by the inverter thus allowing simultaneous connection and operation of both A.C. and multi source D.C. power consuming devices through a single external D.C. power outlet of a single D.C. power source.
US08472181B2 Computer cabinets having progressive air velocity cooling systems and associated methods of manufacture and use
Computer cabinets, such as supercomputer cabinets, having progressive air velocity cooling systems are described herein. In one embodiment, a computer cabinet includes an air mover positioned beneath a plurality of computer module compartments. The computer module compartments can be arranged in tiers with the computer modules in each successive tier being positioned closer together than the computer modules in the tier directly below. The computer cabinet can also include one or more shrouds, flow restrictors, and/or sidewalls that further control the direction and/or speed of the cooling air flow through the cabinet.
US08472180B2 Hard disk module and hard disk securing apparatus thereof
A securing apparatus for securing a hard disk with two opposite sidewalls includes a connecting rod, a first securing plate, a second securing plate, a supporting rod, and a locking handle. The connecting rod includes a first end portion and a second end portion. The first securing plate has an end fixed to the first end portion of the connecting rod. The second securing plate has an end pivotably connected to the second end portion of the connecting rod, the second securing plate includes a locking member. The supporting rod has a first end fixed to the first securing plate, and a second end opposite to the first end. The locking handle is pivotably connected to the second end of the supporting rod, the locking handle is able to be locked by the locking member to keep the second securing plate clamped to the hard disk.
US08472178B2 Memory retention system to reduce shock-related discontinuities
A memory retention and support system includes a memory chassis. A board is mounted to the memory chassis. A memory connector is mounted to the board and includes a pair of guide members at opposite distal ends of the memory connector and a pair of opposing outer walls extending between the guide members. A connector reinforcing member engages the memory connector to urge the guide members toward each other and to urge the opposing outer walls toward each other. A damping member is operable to be positioned adjacent to and spaced apart from the memory connector in order to engage a memory module when the memory module is coupled to the memory connector. The connector reinforcing member and the damping member act to resist a discontinuities between a plurality of memory contacts on the memory module and a plurality of connector contacts on the memory connector.
US08472177B2 Tablet computer case and associated methods
Tablet computer cases and associated methods are disclosed and described. In one embodiment, a tablet computer case may include a first panel configured to releasably engage and hold a tablet computer of a predetermined size and shape, a second panel having a keyboard a hinge rotatably attaching the two panels, and a communication connector that allows the keyboard to communicate with the tablet computer.
US08472174B2 Video display system
A video screen enclosure is disclosed for housing a flat panel video display unit (“FPD”), comprising a housing and a front panel member joined to the housing with an airtight seal. An environmental control unit (“ECU”) within housing includes means to internally circulate air within said enclosure to maintain a temperature within a range suitable for operation of said display, and a control system to maintain the interior temperature within said enclosure within a selected range suitable for operation of said FPD. The enclosure may form a sealed unit with interior air being recirculated through said ECU, or ambient air may be circulated through the enclosure.
US08472171B2 Method and system for cooling a computer device
A system and apparatus to draw air for cooling an interior surface in a body of a computer device. In one embodiment, an upward-facing intake of a fan means is at least partially positioned vertically under vent means which are attached to and/or incorporated within an upper exterior surface of the body of the computer device. In another embodiment, air from outside the body of the computer device flows through said vent means and flows directly into the portion of the upper vent, where the vent means includes air-permeable, hydrophobic means to reduce liquid intrusion from the flow of air.
US08472170B2 Computer chassis with anti-emi lid fastening
An exemplary computer chassis includes a casing and a lid covering the casing. The casing includes a bottom wall, a first sidewall and second sidewall extending from the bottom wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall each extending a curved engaging ledge. The lid includes a main body and baffles extending from the main body. The baffles fittedly engage with corresponding engaging ledges of the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the casing.
US08472165B2 Conductive polymer solution, conductive coating, condenser and process for manufacturing condenser
The object of the present invention is to provide a condenser that exhibits excellent conductivity of the solid electrolyte layer, and has a low ESR, a high degree of heat resistance, and a high withstand voltage. A condenser of the present invention includes an anode composed of a valve metal, a dielectric layer formed by oxidation of the surface of the anode, and a solid electrolyte layer formed on the surface of the dielectric layer, wherein the solid electrolyte layer contains a π-conjugated conductive polymer, a polyanion, and an amide compound.
US08472155B2 Leakage detection protective circuit
The leakage detection protection circuit comprises power input and output ends, an induction coil, a self-excitation coil, a control chip, a controlled silicon rectifier, a commutation diode, a resistor, a current limiting resistor, a filter capacitor, a tripping coil, a pair of main circuit switches linked with a reset button, a test button, and first and second test switches. When the reset button is in a tripped state, the first test switch is open and the second test switch is closed. Additionally, when the reset button is pressed down, the first test switch changes from open to closed, the second test switch remains closed, and the neutral wire of the power input end is connected to the output end of the live wire of the power input end to enable generation of an analog leakage current. Finally, when the reset button is reset, the first and second test switches are both open.
US08472154B2 Systems, methods, and apparatus for leakage current masking and ground fault detection
A leakage current masking device for use with a circuit includes at least one inductive load device coupled to the circuit and configured to supply an inductive load to the circuit, and a processor communicatively coupled to the inductive load device. The processor is configured to receive a signal representative of a current through the circuit, calculate a capacitive leakage current component of the current, and cause the inductive load device to adjust the inductive load supplied to the circuit to reduce the capacitive leakage current component.
US08472153B1 Neutral point clamped power converter fault detection, identification, and protection
A fault detection, identification, and protection system for a phase leg of a three-level neutral point clamped (NPC) power converter includes a fault detection circuit, the fault detection circuit configured to determine, based on signals received from the two inner switches and two outer switches via their respective gate drivers, the presence of a fault in the phase leg; a fault identification circuit, the fault identification circuit being configured to determine, based on signals from the fault detection circuit, a location of the fault in the phase leg; and a protection circuit, the protection circuit being configured to turn off at least one of the inner switches or outer switches in response to the identification of the location of the fault by the fault identification circuit.
US08472152B2 Receptacle with arc protection circuitry
An electrical receptacle includes at least one motion sensor for detecting movement of a blade of an electrical plug in the receptacle, an extraction detector operatively connected to the motion sensor for generating a signal in response to movement of the blade at a predetermined rate, a position detector operatively connected to the motion sensor for determining the position of the blade in the receptacle, a switch operatively connected to the extraction detector and the position detector for de-energizing the receptacle when the extraction detector detects extraction of the blade from the receptacle at a rate equal to or greater than the predetermined rate and wherein the extraction detector and switch are operative to de-energize the receptacle in less than six milliseconds when the extraction detector detects extraction of the blade from the receptacle at a rate equal to or greater than the predetermined rate.
US08472151B2 TMR device with low magnetorestriction free layer
A high performance TMR sensor is fabricated by employing a free layer with a trilayer configurations represented by FeCo/CoFeB/CoB, FeCo/CoB/CoFeB, FeCo/CoFe/CoB, or FeCo/FeB/CoB may also be employed. Alternatively, CoNiFeB or CoNiFeBM formed by co-sputtering CoB with CoNiFe or CoNiFeM, respectively, where M is V, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, or Mo may be included in a composite free layer or as a single free layer in the case of CoNiFeBM. A 15 to 30% in improvement in TMR ratio over a conventional CoFe/NiFe free layer is achieved while maintaining low Hc and RA<3 ohm-um2. In bilayer or trilayer embodiments, magnetostriction (λ) between −5×10−6 and 5×10−6 is achieved by combining CoB (−λ) and one or more layers having a positive λ.
US08472149B2 CPP type magneto-resistive effect device and magnetic disk system
The invention provides a giant magneto-resistive effect device of the CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure (CPP-GMR device) comprising a spacer layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked together with said spacer layer sandwiched between them, with a sense current passed in the stacking direction, wherein the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer function such that the angle made between the directions of magnetizations of both layers change relatively depending on an external magnetic field, said spacer layer contains a semiconductor oxide layer, and a nitrogen element-interface protective layer is provided at a position where the semiconductor oxide layer forming the whole or a part of said spacer layer contacts an insulating layer. Thus, there is a nitride of high covalent bonding capability formed at the surface of junction between the semiconductor oxide layer and the interface protective layer, so that the migration of oxygen from the semiconductor oxide layer to the insulating layer is inhibited; even when the device undergoes heat and stress in the process, fluctuations and deteriorations of device characteristics are held back.
US08472147B2 Magnetoresistive shield with lateral sub-magnets
A magnetic shield for a magnetoresistive (MR) reader has one or more lateral hard magnets and a ferromagnetic shielding layer with at least one hard sub-magnet in a lateral notch in the shielding layer. The notch allows the shielding layer to contact the sub-magnet on surfaces along multiple normal planes.
US08472144B2 Magnetic head suspension having a load beam part with bending lines
A load beam part, which includes a plate-like main body portion facing a disk surface and paired flange portions bent from both side edges of the main body portion in a suspension width direction so as to extend toward a direction opposite from the disk surface, is bent at first and second bending lines in such a convex manner as to project in the direction toward the disk surface, the first bending line being positioned between the proximal end portion of the load beam part and the dimple in the suspension longitudinal direction and extending along the suspension width direction, the second bending line being positioned between the first bending line and the dimple in the suspension longitudinal direction and extending along the suspension width direction.
US08472142B2 Method of making a bonded structure for an electrical component, and/or head gimbal assembly, head stack assembly, and disk drive unit incorporating the same
The present bonded structure uses metal ball to bond or weld the respective bonding surfaces of electrical pads which are arranged to face the same direction. The structure can be controlled visually and thus enables a high connection quality of no short circuit. In addition, the bonding operation of the bonded structure is carried out without using pressure, thus it will not damage surroundings of the electrical components. Accordingly, the manufacture yield is significantly improved and the cost is prominently reduced. The present invention also discloses a bonding method and a head gimbal assembly and a head stack assembly and a drive unit using the bonded structure.
US08472138B2 Self-aligned full side shield PMR and method to make it
A magnetic pole suitable for perpendicular magnetic recording is described. This write pole is symmetrically located relative to its side shields and has at least three additional surfaces that are disposed to lie in planes that are normal to the substrate's top surface.
US08472137B2 Magnetic head and method of manufacture thereof wherein the head includes a pole layer and non-magnetic layer having a continuous tapered face opposed to a trailing shield
The present invention relates to a magnetic head, a manufacturing method therefor, a head assembly, and a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus. According to the present invention, it includes a magnetic pole layer, a non-magnetic layer, a trailing gap layer, and a trailing shield layer. The magnetic pole layer has a pole tip exposed on a magnetic medium-facing surface. The non-magnetic layer is laid on the magnetic pole layer. The trailing shield layer is exposed on the magnetic medium-facing surface and laid over the magnetic pole layer and the non-magnetic layer with the trailing gap layer between. The magnetic pole layer and the non-magnetic layer have a continuous tapered face opposed to a lower side of the trailing shield layer. Moreover, the tapered face extends from a trailing edge of the pole tip at a constant inclination angle.
US08472125B2 Variable power optical system, imaging device, and digital device
A variable power optical system (1) comprises a first lens group (11) having a negative optical power, a second lens group (12) having a positive optical power, and a third lens group (13). The first to third lens groups are arranged in order from the object side to the image side. The first lens group (11) is composed of one negative lens (111) and is fixed in variable power. The third lens group (13) includes at least one aspherical surface. When the third lens group is divided into a front group and a rear group with the largest air space in the third group, the front group has a negative optical power, and the rear group has a positive optical power.
US08472124B2 Image forming optical system and electronic image pickup apparatus using the same
In an image forming optical system which includes in order from an object side, a first lens group G1 having a positive refractive power, a second lens group G2 having a negative refractive power, a third lens group G3 having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group G4, and which includes maximum of five lens groups, and at the time of zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, when a focal length of the overall image forming optical system is in a range of 1.2 fw to 1.8 fw, the first lens group G1 moves to be positioned more toward the object side than a position at the wide angle end, in a rectangular coordinate system in which, a horizontal axis is let to be νd(LA) and a vertical axis is let to be nd(LA), when a straight line expressed by nd(LA)=a×νd(LA)+b(LA)(provided that a=−0.0267) is set, the image forming optical system satisfies a predetermined conditional expression.
US08472122B2 Optical system
The optical system of the present invention includes a plurality of lens groups and a variable focus lens. Here, the variable focus lens satisfies the following condition: −0.023≦{(nA−1)/νA−(nB−1)/νB}/(nB−nA)≦0.023 where nA and nB respectively denote the d-line refractive indices of a first medium and a second medium, and νA and νB respectively denote the d-line Abbe numbers of the first and second media. In addition, the plurality of lens groups moves in an optical axial direction; and the following condition holds: 0.8<|fao|/fw<5 where fao denotes the composite focal distance at the wide angle end of the part of the optical system, and fw denotes the focal distance of the entire system at the wide angle end.
US08472114B2 Display device
A direct-viewing type display device 100a includes a display panel 100 having a display region 120 including pixels arrayed in a row direction and a column direction and a frame region 130 provided outside the display region, such that a first border line B1 and a second border line B2 exist between the display region and the frame region; and a light-transmitting cover 200 disposed on the viewer's side. The display region includes a peripheral display region 125 and a central display region 124; a third border line B3 and a fourth border line B4 exist between the peripheral display region and the central display region; the peripheral display region includes a first peripheral display section 121; the light-transmitting cover includes a lens portion disposed over the peripheral display region and the frame region; and the lens portion refracts light going out from a pixel 171 within the first peripheral display section in a direction X1 from a point where the third border line and the fourth border line intersect toward the pixel 171. According to the present invention, a display device is provided whose entire frame region including the corner portions can be obscured, such that joints can be obscured in the case of tiling.
US08472112B2 Stable infrared films
Provided are infrared films comprising a substrate, a layer of an aminium radical cation compound in a crystalline state and an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of a divinyl ether polymer, a fluoropolymer, and a silicone polymer, and, optionally, a water repellent layer overlying the layer of the aminium compound. Such infrared films are stable in their optical properties and useful for security markings, test strips for analysis of fluids, and other optical articles for detection in the infrared. Also provided are methods for making such infrared films.
US08472109B2 Semiconductor optical amplifier and optical module
A semiconductor optical amplifier includes a semiconductor substrate; an optical waveguide that includes an active layer formed on the semiconductor substrate; and a wavelength selective reflection film that is formed on an end face where signal light is incident on the optical waveguide the wavelength selective reflection film allows transmission of the signal light, and reflects light of any wavelength other than the signal light.
US08472108B2 System and method for voice control of medical devices
A light-based medical scope system includes a semiconductor diode pump source, a multiplexer that combines diode outputs to generate an optical signal. First and second waveguide structures guide the optical signal with a coupling loss of about 5dB or less through a scope adapted for insertion into a patient's body. A focusing element coupled to a distal end of the second waveguide structure is adapted to focus the optical signal onto the patient's body. A housing includes a base portion, a flexible portion, and a head unit mounted onto the flexible portion. The focusing element is located within or passes through the head unit, and the base portion includes a mechanical control for manipulating the flexible portion. In one embodiment, a waveguide structure directs an output beam of 1.7 microns or more to perform a differential measurement on patient blood with the result displayed on an associated monitor.
US08472107B2 High-speed multiplied signal generating method and device
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can obtain a multiplied harmonic signal fast and with ease, and the method using the apparatus.The object is attained by the method for obtaining a multiple harmonic signal comprises, suppressing a different parity optical signal having parity different from fundamental optical signals; suppressing residual optical signals using an optical filter after suppressing the different parity optical signal; and obtaining the frequency difference component using the fundamental optical signals, and the device realizing the method.
US08472105B2 MEMS micromirror and micromirror array
A micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) micromirror array has an array of micromirrors on a support structure. Each micromirror is pivotally attached to the support structure by a resilient structure. The resilient structure defines a pivot axis. There is an array of electrostatic actuators for pivotally driving the array of micromirrors about the pivot axis. Each electrostatic actuator comprises a first part carried by the support structure, and a second part carried by the corresponding micromirror. An electrostatic sink is mounted to the support structure that shields at least one micromirror from spurious electrostatic actuation.
US08472102B2 Illumination source and method therefor
An illumination source and a method therefor. A light source includes a light circuit configured to process light and direct light, and a lighting element optically coupled to the light circuit to provide multiple colors of light. The light circuit propagates light using light guides. The use of light guides eliminates the use of free space optical elements, enabling the creation of more compact light sources. Furthermore, the use of light guides may enable the creation of light sources with fewer mechanical restrictions, thereby making the light sources potentially more reliable and less expensive.
US08472100B2 Multilayered deformable element with reduced memory properties in a MEMS device
A deformable element for use in microelectromechanical systems comprises a core layer and a protective layer. The protective layer is capable of deterring combinations of undesired chemical components in operational environments with the core layer of the deformable element.
US08472096B2 Method of manufacturing oscillator device, and optical deflector and optical instrument with oscillator device
A method of manufacturing an oscillator device having first and second oscillators being driven at first and second driving resonance frequencies gf1 and gf2, the method including a first step for processing the two oscillators, wherein, when the two oscillators are going to be processed as oscillators having first and second resonance frequencies different from the two driving resonance frequencies with a certain dispersion range, the two oscillators are so processed that the first and second resonance frequencies different from the two driving resonance frequencies become equal to first and second resonance frequencies f1 and f2, respectively, which are included in adjustable resonance frequency ranges, respectively, and a second step for adjusting the first and second resonance frequencies f1 and f2 so that they become equal to the first and second driving resonance frequencies gf1 and gf2, respectively.
US08472095B2 True three dimensional imagery and use thereof
A method for producing true three dimension imagery includes positioning an object to be imaged and directing imaging laser beams to impinge upon the object. Splitting the imaging laser beams after the imaging laser beams have impinged upon the object is then accomplished, while redirecting the split imaging beams to a recording substrate.
US08472094B2 Volumetric is imaging of a holographic optical traps
A method and system for manipulating object using a three dimensional optical trap configuration. By use of selected hologram on optical strap can be configured as a preselected three dimensional configuration for a variety of complex uses. The system can include various optical train components, such as partially transmissive mirrors and Keplerian telescope components to provide advantageously three dimensional optical traps.
US08472093B2 Automated sourcing for multiple printing press, multiple web printing
A machine-implemented process determines web press printing capabilities and costs of different printing organizations using a processor. The printing capabilities comprise a number of printing units and a number of supply roll stands supplying continuous print media to the printing units. A printing request is received from a print customer through a graphic user interface. The printing request is evaluated using the processor to determine printing request requirements. A comparator compares the printing request requirements with the printing capabilities and costs to identify capable printing organizations of the different printing organizations that have abilities to process the printing request. The processor calculates different print choices and costs based on the printing capabilities and costs of the capable printing organizations and outputs the different print choices and costs to the print customer through the graphic user interface.
US08472091B2 Image scanner, image forming apparatus, and sample hold control method
A scanner includes: a photoelectric conversion element configured to photoelectrically convert light reflected from an original image to form an image signal; a timing generation circuit configured to generate a drive signal for the photoelectric conversion element; a drive circuit configured to drive the photoelectric conversion element; a signal processing circuit configured to subject a sample hold signal fed in through the drive circuit and the image signal to an A/D conversion; and a control circuit configured to turn on the sample hold signal when the scanner transitions to an “ON” state from an “OFF” state and turn off the sample hold signal when the scanner transitions to the “OFF” state from the “ON” state. The control circuit turns on and off the sample hold signal, based on each of input fed to the drive circuit and the signal processing circuit.
US08472088B2 Image reading apparatus, image reading method and computer-readable information recording medium
An original is read by an original reading unit configured to read image data, at least one of the original reading unit and the original is driven by a driving motor in a sub-scan direction, and, when an amount of the image data stored by the image data storing unit becomes equal to or more than a predetermined amount, the rotational speed of the driving motor is reduced according to driving control data provided for each of current rotation angles of the driving motor for finally stopping the driving motor at a predetermined rotation angle, and a speed in a sub-scan direction at which the original reading unit reads the original is reduced. Then, main scan line data are thinned out from the image data according to thin-out data provided for each driving control data, and image data of the original are restored.
US08472083B2 Intra prediction apparatus and intra prediction method using first blocks obtained by dividing a picture and second blocks obtained by dividing the first block
To provide an intra prediction apparatus which can circumvent a hazard problem and improve the time reduction effect. An intra prediction apparatus 11 performs intra predictions of a picture. The intra predictions include: second intra predictions of respective second blocks (blocks) which are obtained by dividing a first pixel block; and a first intra prediction of the first block (macroblock) which constitutes the picture. The intra prediction apparatus 11 includes: an intra prediction unit (a prediction unit 113, an orthogonal transform and quantization unit 115, an inverse orthogonal transform and inverse quantization unit 116, and an adder 117) which performs the intra predictions; and a control unit 119 which controls the intra prediction unit to perform in parallel the intra prediction of the macroblock and the intra predictions of the respective pixel blocks.
US08472082B2 Image processing device with compensation for a focal point shift of the print head
An image processing device includes a storing unit for storing a dither matrix. The dither matrix has a plurality of dot regions divided into a plurality of sub-matrices. A creating unit is configured to create binary image data by comparing an input value to threshold values of each sub-matrix. The plurality of sub-matrices includes a first sub-matrix having a first threshold value smallest among threshold values in the first sub-matrix; a second sub-matrix having a plurality of threshold values that are smaller than the first threshold value and are arranged adjacent to each other; a third sub-matrix; having a second threshold value largest among threshold values in the third sub-matrix; and a fourth sub-matrix having a plurality of threshold values that are larger than the second threshold value and are arranged adjacent to each other.
US08472075B2 Print job management device, print job management method, and computer-readable storage medium
When it is set by a user to use a nearline finisher with priority, if a print job that uses an inline finisher is to be processed, the print job using the inline finisher is divided into a print job to be executed with the inline finisher and a print job to be executed with the nearline finisher. In contrast, when it is set by a user to use the inline finisher with priority, if a print job that uses the nearline finisher is to be processed, a portion to be executed with the inline finisher and a portion to be executed with the nearline finisher are aggregated, thereby converting the print job to a print job for the inline finisher.
US08472073B2 Validation of a print verification system
Methods, systems, and media are disclosed for testing the accuracy of a print verification system (PVS) in test mode, wherein a PVS is often used to validate the accuracy of printed output. One embodiment includes receiving, by an application, an output from a print verification system associated with the application, wherein the output comprises one or more defects. The embodiment also includes receiving, by the application, a list, such as a copy, of seeded defects for the output, wherein the list is uploaded to and saved by the application. In addition, the embodiment includes matching, by the application, the one or more seeded defects in the list that correspond to the one or more defects in the output. Finally, the embodiment includes displaying, by the application, results of the testing after the matching.
US08472071B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer readable medium storing program for processing information
An information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires encoded information at a position specified on a medium, the medium having the encoded information and an image printed thereon, the encoded information including identification information of the medium, first coordinate information identifying in a first coordinate system a position where the encoded information is printed, and alignment determination information determining an alignment of the encoded information, and the image, printed on the medium, at a position predetermined by second coordinate information in a second coordinate system, an identifying unit that identifies the image corresponding to the encoded information by checking the first coordinate information included in the encoded information acquired by the acquisition unit against the second coordinate information of the images printed on the medium, and a determining unit that determines whether the first coordinate system matches the second coordinate system in alignment.
US08472066B1 Usage maps in image deposition devices
Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatuses and methods for determining usage maps in handheld image deposition devices. The utilization of usage maps in combination with color planes may facilitate the output of varying levels of intensity. Additionally, the storage of processed images and the print data associated with various image locations of the processed image, according to a consistent offset of memory addresses, may expedite retrieval of print information.
US08472065B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method and computer readable medium
An image processing apparatus is provided which determines a printing position of an identification code in accordance with a print setting designated for printing target data. For example, it makes a decision as to which one of the cutting printing, poster printing, job-based printing (such as bookbinding printing or staple printing), 2-sided printing, and other printing (such as normal layout printing and reduction layout (Nup) printing) is designated, and decides the printing position of a two-dimensional code. In page layout printing, the two-dimensional code is output in a mode suitable for source document data after page layout.
US08472064B2 Print module, information processing device, print system, print unit, ink supply unit, print method, and program
The present invention provides a print module, an information processing device, a print system, a print unit, an ink supply unit, a print method and program, all capable of quickly and easily meeting demands for a print medium size change, particularly to increased sizes, while at the same time coping with demands for faster printing speed. To this end, this invention constructs the print heads (811) in the form of print modules (M) so that their ink systems and signal systems are independent among the print modules. Each print module is set with identity information for its identification.
US08472063B2 Information processing system, information processing method, and computer-readable recording medium
An information processing system including a server apparatus and a client apparatus, the server apparatus including: a first storage unit; a first detection unit configured to detect installing of a program; a first conversion unit configured to convert a file including the program into a predetermined form; a first storage control unit configured to store the file in a first storage area; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the file to the client apparatus, the client apparatus including: a second storage unit; a second storage control unit configured to store the file transmitted from the server apparatus in a second storage area a second detection unit configured to detect storing of the file; a second conversion unit configured to convert the file into an installable form; and an installing unit configured to install the program included in the file in the client apparatus.
US08472062B2 Information processing apparatus and method of controlling the same
Document data to be printed is decided from document data of a plurality of pages, based on an inclination of an information processing apparatus detected by a sensor for detecting the inclination of the information processing apparatus. The decided document data to be printed is transmitted to a printing apparatus in accordance with an instruction to transmit the document data to be printed to the printing apparatus.