| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08478536B2 |
Method for determining the concentration of blood glucose
The present invention provides a method for determining concentration of blood glucose by using the change in the rising time. The chemical reaction between the blood glucose and enzyme within the test strip to generate the analog source that used to determine the concentration of the blood glucose in the measuring meter. Thus, the rising curve can be obtained after the analog source is treated, such that the concentration of the blood glucose can be determined. |
| US08478535B2 |
Systems and methods that utilize machine learning algorithms to facilitate assembly of aids vaccine cocktails
The subject invention provides systems and methods that facilitate AIDS vaccine cocktail assembly via machine learning algorithms such as a cost function, a greedy algorithm, an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm, etc. Such assembly can be utilized to generate vaccine cocktails for species of pathogens that evolve quickly under immune pressure of the host. For example, the systems and methods of the subject invention can be utilized to facilitate design of T cell vaccines for pathogens such HIV. In addition, the systems and methods of the subject invention can be utilized in connection with other applications, such as, for example, sequence alignment, motif discovery, classification, and recombination hot spot detection. The novel techniques described herein can provide for improvements over traditional approaches to designing vaccines by constructing vaccine cocktails with higher epitope coverage, for example, in comparison with cocktails of consensi, tree nodes and random strains from data. |
| US08478534B2 |
Method for detecting discriminatory data patterns in multiple sets of data and diagnosing disease
A comprehensive analysis procedure for analyzing and comparing multiple sets of data to detect hidden discriminatory data patterns. The inventive procedure identifies a best subset of markers for optimal discrimination between two or more sets of data. A point-wise test on two or more sets of data is performed to calculate test statistic values and to generate a statgram, a two- or higher- dimensional map of the test statistic values along the range of data. A threshold is then determined for isolating critical regions of the statgram at each significance level to provide candidate markers. A subset of markers from the candidate markers is then selected to discriminate among the sets of data. The two or more sets of data are classified using the subset of markers. |
| US08478533B2 |
Method and system for passive electroseismic surveying
A method of passive surveying comprises generating one or more detected signals by passively detecting a signal generated within a subsurface earth formation due to a seismoelectric response or an electroseismic response in at least one porous subsurface earth formation containing at least one fluid, and processing the one or more detected signals to determine at least one property of the subsurface earth formation. |
| US08478530B2 |
Using multicomponent induction data to identify drilling induced fractures while drilling
A method for identifying drilling induced fractures while drilling a wellbore into a formation is disclosed. The method includes: obtaining multi-component induction data collected by a drill string including a multi-component induction tool; processing the data to estimate values for principal components; and identifying drilling induced fractures from the principal components. An instrument and a computer program product are disclosed. |
| US08478528B2 |
Methods of wirelessly adding navigational content to a personal navigation device
A method of wirelessly adding navigational content to a personal navigation device includes changing a mode of the personal navigation device to pairing standby mode, adding navigational content to a computing device, and establishing a direct wireless connection between the personal navigation device and the computing device to add navigational content to the personal navigation device from the computing device when the personal navigation device and the computing device are within range of each other for establishing a wireless connection. |
| US08478521B2 |
Method and terminal for providing a route in a navigation system using satellite image
A method and a terminal for providing a route in a navigation system using a satellite image are provided. The terminal includes a route calculation unit for calculating a route from a current location to a destination when a user inputs the destination, a satellite image requesting unit for requesting a satellite image server for satellite images corresponding to locations on the route and for downloading the requested satellite images, a satellite image storage unit for storing the downloaded satellite images, and a controller for retrieving a satellite image corresponding to the current location from the satellite image storage unit and for displaying the retrieved satellite image simultaneously while downloading the satellite images corresponding to the locations on the route. |
| US08478519B2 |
Providing results to parameterless search queries
In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a parameterless search request, which was provided to a mobile computing device, for information that is relevant to a user of the mobile computing device. The method also includes, in response to the received parameterless search request, identifying with a digital computer system one or more results that are determined to be relevant to the user of the mobile computing device based upon a current context of the mobile computing device. The method further includes providing the results for display to a user of the mobile computing device. |
| US08478516B2 |
Method and system for providing navigation assistance on a mobile device
Methods and systems for providing navigation assistance on a mobile device are provided. A method may include extracting information from at least one of a first map image and an address image, wherein the first map image is a digitized picture of a non-digitized map and the address image is a digitized picture of a non-digitized written address. The method may also include communicating the extracted information to a mapping service server. The method may further include receiving, from the mapping service server in response to communicating the extracted information, a second map image including routing information for assisting navigation of a user of a mobile device. The method may additionally include displaying the second map image including the routing information. |
| US08478515B1 |
Collaborative driving directions
Methods and systems for generating directions are disclosed. In an embodiment of the invention, there is a system that includes a human-provided directions module for receiving and processing human-provided directions, a database for storing human-provided directions processed by the human-provided directions module, and a directions generator for receiving a directions query from a client. In response to the query, the directions generator accesses the database, retrieves at least one human-provided direction, generates a set of directions based thereupon, and provides the set of generated directions to the client. |
| US08478512B2 |
Real-time traffic condition measurement using network transmission data
In embodiments of the present invention, data that is transmitted over a network that is utilized by cell phones within multiple automobiles may be used to calculate real-time traffic conditions, including but not limited to the time it will take to travel a certain distance using a given route. Real-time traffic conditions may be calculated by, for example, measuring real-time traffic density for a specific geographic region. Traffic conditions and traffic density may be calculated using parameters including, but not limited to, a time of day, a day of the week corresponding to the real-time calculation of the traffic condition measure, a weather condition corresponding to the real-time calculation of the traffic condition measure; or some other parameter relating to traffic conditions. This real-time traffic condition data may be manually accessed by a user from their cell phone or automatically provided to a user's cell phone. |
| US08478511B2 |
System and method for knock detection based on ethanol concentration in fuel
A knock detection system for an engine includes an intensity module, a knock threshold module, and a detection module. The intensity module determines an engine vibration intensity during a first period of engine operation. The knock threshold module determines a knock threshold based on an ethanol concentration in a fuel supplied to the engine. The detection module determines whether engine knock has occurred during the first period by comparing the knock threshold and the engine vibration intensity. |
| US08478506B2 |
Virtual sensor based engine control system and method
A method is provided for a virtual sensor system. The method may include obtaining data records associated with a plurality of input parameters and at least one output parameter and adjusting values of the input parameters based on autocorrelation of respective input parameters. The method may also include reconfiguring the input parameters based on cross-correlation of respective input parameters relative to the output parameter and establishing a first virtual sensor process model indicative of interrelationships between the adjusted and reconfigured input parameters and the output parameter. |
| US08478505B2 |
Method of controlling a VTG engine
When controlling an engine provided with Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG), the VTG is closed to a maximally acceptable closed position without endangering the VTG when performing an up-shift. The VTG is kept in such a position during the gear shift which, allows for a quick retardation of the engine speed. |
| US08478499B2 |
System and method for vehicle speed monitoring using historical speed data
A target (not-to-exceed) speed for a vehicle over a road segment ahead of the vehicle is established based on a desired relationship with a speed profile of the segment. The speed profile is generated by analyzing a statistical distribution of historical speed data over the segment collected by probe vehicles. A driver alert is activated if the vehicle is likely to exceed the target speed based on at least one measured vehicle dynamic property. The target speed may be established by identifying a baseline road segment over which the vehicle has previously traveled and which is similar to the approaching road segment, comparing a past speed of the vehicle over the baseline segment with a speed profile of the baseline segment to determine a speed differential, and applying the speed differential to the speed profile of the approaching segment. |
| US08478497B2 |
Hydraulic control device and hydraulic control method for vehicle automatic transmission
During a non-shift operation when a predetermined gear of an automatic transmission is kept, a hydraulic control unit increases an engagement hydraulic pressure to a friction engagement device associated with the gear formation by a predetermined hydraulic pressure with respect to a line hydraulic pressure. Therefore, in comparison with a case where a hydraulic pressure equivalent to the line hydraulic pressure is set as an engagement hydraulic pressure to the friction engagement device for obtaining a hydraulic pressure equivalent to the line hydraulic pressure, shift response (hydraulic pressure response) variations when shifting from a non-shift state (steady state) into a shift state are suppressed by the margin of the predetermined hydraulic pressure. In addition, in comparison with a case where the engagement hydraulic pressure to the friction engagement device is set to a maximum hydraulic pressure to reduce the response variations, power consumption of each linear solenoid valve is suppressed. |
| US08478496B2 |
Transmission synchronisation method and device for at least two transmissions
The invention relates to a transmission synchronisation method and a transmission synchronisation device for at least two transmission units (T1, T2). The synchronisation takes place in that in each case an output revolution speed (n1, n2) of an axle drive shaft arranged in a transmission (T1, T2) is adjusted by means of a first and second adjustment unit (ADU1, ADU2). The synchronisation of the first and second transmissions (T1, T2) takes place by a result value (cal_out) of an arithmetic logic unit (140) being conducted to the second adjustment unit (ADU2) arranged at the second transmission (T2), dependent on the first transmission (T1) and on the reference value (v_set) of a preselection unit (100). |
| US08478494B2 |
Manual transmission and engine speed match using a transmission input shaft speed sensor
An engine speed matching system for a vehicle with a manual transmission includes a sensor that senses an input shaft speed of the manual transmission during a shift. A control module receives the input shaft speed, determines an engine speed, determines a desired engine speed based on the input shaft speed and the engine speed, and adjusts the engine speed based on the desired engine speed and the input shaft speed before the shift is completed. |
| US08478493B2 |
High integrity perception program
The illustrative embodiments provide a computer program product for processing sensor data and controlling the movement of a vehicle. In an illustrative embodiment, an operating environment around the vehicle is identified and sensor data is selected from a set of sensors. A dynamic condition is identified using a plurality of different types of sensors on the vehicle. In response to the dynamic condition being identified, the movement of the vehicle is controlled. In another illustrative embodiment, an environment around the vehicle is identified to form an operating environment. Sensor data is selected from a set of sensors in a plurality of redundant sensors based on the operating environment. |
| US08478490B2 |
Control device of inverted pendulum type vehicle
A control device of an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of controlling fluctuation of a traveling velocity of a vehicle according to operating state of the vehicle. A traveling motion unit controlling element 50 of an inverted pendulum type vehicle 1 includes a first processing mode and a second processing mode. In the first processing mode, determines a manipulated variable for control so as to bring a tilt angle of a payload supporting part 3 and a traveling velocity of a representative point of the vehicle 1 closer to a desired value. In the second processing mode, the traveling motion unit controlling element 50 determines the manipulated variable for control while making a sensitivity to change of the manipulated variable for control with respect to a measured value of the traveling velocity of the representative point to be relatively lower than that in the first processing mode. |
| US08478489B2 |
Fuel vapor treatment apparatus
A fuel vapor treatment apparatus includes a fuel tank, a canister, a passage forming member, a pressure-regulating valve, an acceleration detector, and a controller. The fuel tank is for a storage of fuel to be supplied to an internal combustion engine for a vehicle. The canister recovers fuel evaporated from the fuel tank. The passage forming member defines a passage through which the fuel tank and the canister communicate with each other. The pressure-regulating valve is provided in the passage forming member to connect or disconnect the fuel tank and the canister. The acceleration detector detects an acceleration value of the vehicle, and the controller controls the pressure-regulating valve based on the acceleration value detected by the acceleration detector. |
| US08478487B2 |
Control device for vehicles to make rapid counter-measure against communication abnormality in communication means between calculation control devices
In the control device for vehicles which executes a control of the vehicle by one calculation control device based upon a target control amount generated by another calculation control device connected to the one calculation control device by way of a communication means, the other calculation control device calculates an estimated target control amount by itself to compare it with the target control amount generated by the one calculation control device and input thereto by way of the communication means, or a third calculation control device compares the target control amounts generated by the one and the other calculation control devices and input thereto by way of the communication means, thereby to judge if an abnormality has occurred in the communication means, and to rapidly modify the control to make a counter-measure against the abnormality. |
| US08478486B2 |
Vehicle control device and vehicle control method
A vehicle control device (10) is provided that can predict a driving operation of a driver earlier to respond to the driving operation quickly. The vehicle control device (10) includes: a posture measuring unit (11) to measure a posture indicating a state of at least one of the buttock region, the upper pelvic region, and the driver's leg opposite to the other leg with which the driver operates a brake or an accelerator; a posture change detection unit (12) to detect a posture change measured; a preparatory movement identification unit (13) to identify whether the posture change is caused by the driver's preparatory movement spontaneously made before the brake or accelerator operation, based on whether the posture change detected satisfies a predetermined condition; and a vehicle control unit (14) to control the vehicle when it is identified that the posture change has been caused by the preparatory movement. |
| US08478479B2 |
Predicting time to maintenance by fusion between modeling and simulation for electronic equipment on board an aircraft
A method and system for predictive maintenance of electronic equipment on board an aircraft (1). To produce a prognosis, the following are provided: a step (48) of modeling the equipment (3) with a model (53) for damage by an external aggression; a step (49) of simulating the damage up to failure; a learning step (64); a step (65) of classifying calculated and normalized values; and a fusion step (61) giving the real prognosis of the time to maintenance in units of time. The invention applies in particular to a rotary wing aircraft (1), e.g. a helicopter drone. |
| US08478478B2 |
Processor system and fault managing unit thereof
A processor system having a processor core, a plurality of modules connected to the processor core and configured to generate respective fault signals, and a fault managing unit connected to the processor core and to the plurality of modules. The fault managing unit is adapted to collect a first fault signal generated by a first module of the plurality of modules which is in a fault condition, analyze said collected first fault signal, and generate a first reaction signal to be selectively transmitted to said processor core and said first module. |
| US08478476B2 |
System for detecting operating errors in a variable valve timing engine using pressure sensors
A method and control module includes a pressure sensor data comparison module that compares measured pressure volume signal segments to ideal pressure volume segments. A valve actuation hardware remedy module performs a hardware remedy in response to comparing the measured pressure volume signal segments to the ideal pressure volume segments when a valve actuation hardware failure is detected. |
| US08478469B2 |
Power source system for electric powered vehicle and control method therefor
At the time of external charging, an external charging relay is turned on, and a system main relay is turned off. Therefore, a main battery can be charged by electric power from an external power source, without applying an output voltage of the main battery to a PCU. At the time of external charging, basically, a power supply voltage for an auxiliary system (low voltage system) is generated by a sub DC/DC converter of a small capacity, while a main DC/DC converter of a large capacity used when vehicle is running is stopped. Only when the output of sub DC/DC converter is insufficient to cover the power consumption by the auxiliary system, an ECU operates the main DC/DC converter. Therefore, ECU and auxiliary load group can be operated reliably while efficiency of external charging is improved. |
| US08478468B2 |
Carbon dioxide feedback for automobile
A carbon dioxide feedback system and a method of providing carbon dioxide feedback in a computer system is provided. The method includes computing an amount of carbon dioxide generation avoided by a vehicle at a processor, calculating a number of equivalent trees based on the computation, and displaying the number of equivalent trees on a display device. |
| US08478463B2 |
Train control method and system
A train control system for controlling trains traveling in a track network including tracks with signals associated therewith. The system includes an on-board track database, a positioning system and an on-board control system. The on-board control system receives position data and automatically brakes the train prior to encountering an upcoming signal based upon specified data points. The train is not automatically braked if certain conditions are met. A method for controlling a train traveling in a track network is also disclosed. |
| US08478461B2 |
Closed airport surface alerting system
A system and a method alerts the occupant of a vehicle that the vehicle is in, or approaching, a zone of awareness associated with a closed surface at the airport. |
| US08478459B2 |
System and method for detecting wake turbulence of an aircraft
System for detecting wake turbulence (SDWT) of a first aircraft, which can be embedded onboard a second aircraft, comprising: first means (DET1) for determining the roll (Roll2) of the second aircraft; second determination means (DET2) of an envelope (CRollRef) of reference roll curves which is representative of a wake turbulence created by the first aircraft; means (COMP) for comparing, over a sliding window, the roll (Roll2) of the second aircraft and the envelope (CRollRef) of reference roll curves; and alarm means (AL) for forewarning the pilot of the second aircraft of the detection of wake turbulence of the first aircraft when the said comparison is below a resemblance threshold (SS). |
| US08478455B2 |
Vehicle control station with back-up VSM for remotely controlling an unmanned vehicle, and method
According to one embodiment, a control station having a station processing system, a control system, a data link computing unit, a second data link and a back-up VSM (a second vehicle computing unit) is operable to communicate via an RF link with an unmanned vehicle having a first data link, a vehicle processing system, a first vehicle computing unit and a route control system. The control station being operable to communicate with the unmanned vehicle using a first protocol for messaging under normal operating conditions as well as through the use of a second protocol for messaging, initiated via the second vehicle computing unit, when either the vehicle processing system is inoperable, the vehicle computing unit is inoperable or when the second vehicle computing unit in the control station is directed to use the second protocol for messaging. |
| US08478453B2 |
Apparatus, systems, and methods for processing alerts relating to an in-vehicle control unit
A management system using Global Positioning System receivers for tracking remote units from a central office and quickly and conveniently determining if those remote units have varied from a set of predetermined parameters of operation. The system also includes provisions that allows information to be sent from the remote units to the central office and vice versa. The system also has safety features that promote the rapid dispatch of law enforcement personnel when requests for emergency assistance have been made from the remote units. |
| US08478452B2 |
Grid regulation services for energy storage devices based on grid frequency
Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for charging and discharging an energy storage device connected to an electrical power distribution system. In one exemplary embodiment, a controller monitors electrical characteristics of an electrical power distribution system and provides an output to a bi-directional charger causing the charger to charge or discharge an energy storage device (e.g., a battery in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)). The controller can help stabilize the electrical power distribution system by increasing the charging rate when there is excess power in the electrical power distribution system (e.g., when the frequency of an AC power grid exceeds an average value), or by discharging power from the energy storage device to stabilize the grid when there is a shortage of power in the electrical power distribution system (e.g., when the frequency of an AC power grid is below an average value). |
| US08478449B2 |
Wind turbine control methods and systems
A method of controlling the operation of a variable speed wind turbine (11), tracking a power curve (25, 27) including a nominal operational region (3 ) and sub-nominal operational regions (2, 1, 0), comprising steps of: a) implementing a control strategy to follow said power curve in said nominal operational region (3) based on the use of demanded torque Td for controlling power P and on the use of demanded pitch θd for controlling demanded torque Td; b) implementing a control strategy to follow said power curve in sub-nominal operational regions (2, 1, 0) based on the use of demanded torque Td for controlling power P and on the setting of a constant optimum value for demanded pitch θd in each sub-nominal operational region (2, 1, 0). The invention also refers to a control system comprising one or more Adaptive Predictive Controllers (51, 53, 55, 59). |
| US08478445B2 |
Device for automatically adjusting the bacterial inoculum level of a sample
Various embodiments of the present invention provide, for example, a system and method for automatically adjusting the inoculum level of a sample. Certain embodiments of the present invention may measure a concentration of particles present in a preliminary sample using a sensor device and determine an amount of diluent to be added to or removed from a sample container to prepare a sample having a selected concentration of particles, corresponding to a selected inoculum level. Embodiments of the present invention may also automatically add or remove the diluent using an automated fluidics system so as to prepare a sample having the selected particle concentration. Once the selected particle concentration is achieved and verified, some embodiments may also remove at least a portion of the sample from the sample container such that the container contains a selected volume of the sample. |
| US08478444B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling autotroph cultivation
A method includes receiving at least one measurement of a dissolved carbon dioxide concentration of a mixture of fluid containing an autotrophic organism. The method also includes determining an adjustment to one or more manipulated variables using the at least one measurement. The method further includes generating one or more signals to modify the one or more manipulated variables based on the determined adjustment. The one or more manipulated variables could include a carbon dioxide flow rate, an air flow rate, a water temperature, and an agitation level for the mixture. At least one model relates the dissolved carbon dioxide concentration to one or more manipulated variables, and the adjustment could be determined by using the at least one model to drive the dissolved carbon dioxide concentration to at least one target that optimize a goal function. The goal function could be to optimize biomass growth rate, nutrient removal and/or lipid production. |
| US08478434B2 |
Output feedback frequency control device for rotating machine speed control
Provided are an output feedback frequency control device and a speed governor using the same. The output feedback frequency control device includes an integral control unit configured to generate an integral control signal by using a predetermined integral control constant (KI) and an integral quantity of an angular velocity deviation (Δω) of an external device, a differential control unit configured to generate a differential control signal by using a predetermined differential control constant (KD), the angular velocity deviation (Δω) of the external device, and the mechanical power (ΔPm) of the external device, and a proportional control unit configured to generate a control input (u) for control of an operation speed of the external device by using the angular velocity deviation of the external device, the integral control signal generated by the integral control unit, the differential control signal generated by the differential control unit, and a predetermined control constant (R). |
| US08478430B2 |
Active fixation medical lead
An implantable medical device that includes an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, a helical fixation member extending from the distal end of the elongated body, the helical fixation member including a distal tip for affixing the distal end of the elongated body at an implant site, and a tracking member extending from the distal end of the elongated body, through the helical fixation member and outward from the distal tip of the helical fixation member for tracking along an implant pathway during implantation of the implantable medical device. |
| US08478427B2 |
Electrical stimulation lead, system, and method
A paddle lead includes a plurality of electrodes configured in at least three rows of three electrodes with the second, intermediate row operable to provide anode guarding. The paddle lead further includes a plurality of grooves disposed on a surface opposite the electrodes to facilitate the insertion of the paddle lead within a patient by inhibiting the veering of the paddle lead to one side or the other of the dorsal column as the paddle lead is advanced along the dorsal column midline during implantation. |
| US08478425B2 |
Medical leads and related systems that include a lumen body that is joined to a lead body and that has multiple filar lumens
Medical leads include a lumen body at an end of the lead, and the lumen body includes multiple filar lumens. The lumen body is joined to a lead body, and electrical connectors are longitudinally spaced along the lumen body. Filars within the filar lumens are directed through filar passageways within the lumen body to attach to the electrical connectors on the lumen body. The filar passageways may be aligned with the filar lumens, and slots within the electrical connectors may be aligned with the filar passageways to facilitate assembly. The lumen body may provide additional stiffness to the end of the lead where the lumen body is located to facilitate lead insertion into the medical device. The filar lumens of the lumen body may have a longitudinally straight configuration so that the portions of filars within the filar lumens are held in a longitudinally straight configuration. |
| US08478424B2 |
Medical lead having coaxial connector
A medical lead includes a connector for operably coupling the lead to an active medical device. The connector includes a first tubular conductive contact having a length, a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending through the contact from the proximal end to the distal end. The connector also includes a second tubular conductive contact having a length, a proximal end, and a distal end. The length of the second contact is greater than the length of the first contact. The second contact is disposed in the lumen of the first contact such that the proximal and distal ends of the second contact extend beyond the proximal and distal ends of the first contact. The lead further includes first and second electrodes. The first electrode is operably coupled to the first contact, and the second electrode is operably coupled to the second contact. |
| US08478422B2 |
Electrical stimulation of cell and tissue growth with two-and three-dimensionally patterned electrodes
The present invention is generally directed to a method for regulating cellular and tissue physiology, a device for practicing the method, and a process for fabricating the device. In general the process comprises the steps of providing at least one patterned electrode, providing a least one cell, placing the at least one electrode in electrical communication with the at least one cell, and applying a voltage to the electrode thereby delivering an effective amount of a patterned electric field or current thus regulating the physiology and/or growth of the at least one cell. |
| US08478415B1 |
Heat transfer control for a prosthetic retinal device
A method for controlling heat dissipated from a prosthetic retinal device is described. A heat transfer device employs the Peltier heat transfer effect to cool the surface of the retinal device that faces the retina by dissipating/transferring collected heat away from the retina and towards the iris or front of the eye. According to one embodiment, a heat pump is formed in a second substrate on the retinal device. The heat pump is controlled by a temperature sense device that activates the heat pump, when a first predetermined temperature limit is exceeded. The temperature sense device deactivates the heat pump, when a temperature of the retinal device drops below a second predetermined temperature. According to another embodiment, a supply current of the retinal device may pass through the heat pump and a direction of heat transfer by the heat pump can be reversed, when the first predetermined temperature is exceeded. |
| US08478414B2 |
Baroreflex activation for pain control, sedation and sleep
Systems and methods provide baroreflex activation to treat or reduce pain and/or to cause or enhance sedation or sleep. Methods involve activating the baroreflex system to provide pain reduction, sedation, improved sleep or some combination thereof. Systems include at least one baroreflex activation device, at least one sensor for sensing physiological activity of the patient, and a processor coupled with the baroreflex activation device(s) and the sensor(s) for processing sensed data received from the sensor and for activating the baroreflex activation device. In some embodiments, the system is fully implantable within a patient, such as in an intravascular, extravascular or intramural location. |
| US08478412B2 |
Method of improving sleep disordered breathing
A diaphragm pacing stimulatory method and a system to implement the method are provided to improve respiratory function and the quality of sleep in patients whose sleep is compromised by poor respiration. The diaphragm pacing method includes adaptations that make it particularly compatible with the onset of sleep and sustaining sleep. Embodiments of the method are operated independently of breathing effort the patient may make during sleep. Patients for whom the invention is appropriate include those with a neuromuscular disease, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). System elements include an external electrical stimulator coupled to one or more implanted electrodes that stimulate diaphragm contraction. The system and method provide for a pacing of the diaphragm, improved breathing, and improved sleep. Features of improved sleep include longer sleep time, an increased amount of REM sleep, and fewer episodes of wakefulness and restlessness. |
| US08478411B2 |
Flexible tube sensor for sensing urinary sphincter pressure
The disclosure describes a therapeutic sphincter control system with a fluid tube pressure sensor. The system senses sphincter pressure and sends the information to a stimulator that is capable of stimulation therapy to control sphincter contractility, thus reducing unwanted urinary incontinence. Measuring sphincter pressure is accomplished through the use of a fluid-filled tube placed through the sphincter and attached to a module implanted within the bladder. Pressure within the tube is transduced to generate an electrical signal that is sent wirelessly to an implanted stimulator connected to a lead positioned near pelvic floor nerves. An external device may be used to wirelessly send information to the implanted stimulator and inhibit stimulation in order for the patient to empty the bladder. Pressure information and stimulation information may be recorded and reviewed for continued patient monitoring. In addition, the system may only include the pressure sensor to monitor patient pressure information. |
| US08478409B2 |
Filtering capacitor feedthrough assembly
A filtering capacitor feedthrough assembly for an implantable active medical device is disclosed. The filtering capacitor feedthrough assembly includes a capacitor having an aperture defined by an inner capacitor surface. The capacitor is electrically grounded to an electrically conductive feedthrough ferrule or housing of the implantable active medical device. A terminal pin extends into the aperture. An electrically conductive split ring sleeve is disposed within the aperture and between the terminal pin and the capacitor. The split ring sleeve includes a first end, a second end, a sleeve length therebetween. A longitudinal slit through the sleeve extends from the first end to the second end. The electrically conductive split ring sleeve mechanically securing and electrically coupling the terminal pin to the capacitor. |
| US08478405B2 |
Optimizing anti-tachycardia pacing for terminating atrial fibrillation
An implantable system terminates atrial fibrillation by applying optimized anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP). In one implementation, the system senses and paces at multiple sites on the left atrium. At each site, the system senses reentrant circuits causing the atrial fibrillation. In one implementation, the system applies ATP tuned to the frequency of the reentrant circuit at the electrode that senses the most regular reentrant circuit. In another implementation, the system applies ATP at multiple electrodes, delivering each pulse at each site when the excitable gap is near the site. In other variations, the ATP is optimized for different patterns of sequential, simultaneous, or syncopated delivery to terminate the atrial fibrillation. The system can also monitor multiple heart chambers for cardiac events that favor terminating atrial fibrillation via ATP. The system then times delivery of the ATP according to these cardiac events. |
| US08478403B2 |
Implantable systems and methods for use therewith for monitoring and modifying arterial blood pressure without requiring an intravascular pressure transducer
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to implantable systems, and methods for use therewith, that monitor and modify a patient's arterial blood pressure without requiring an intravascular pressure transducer. In accordance with an embodiment, for each of a plurality of periods of time, there is a determination one or more metrics indicative of pulse arrival time (PAT), each of which are indicative of how long it takes for the left ventricle to generate a pressure pulsation that travels from the patient's aorta to a location remote from the patient's aorta. Based on the one or more metrics indicative of PAT, the patient's arterial blood pressure is estimated. Changes in the arterial blood pressure are monitored over time. Additionally, the patient's arterial blood pressure can be modified by initiating and/or adjusting pacing and/or other therapy based on the estimates of the patient's arterial blood pressure and/or monitored changes therein. |
| US08478399B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling arrhythmia detection and treatment based on patient posture
An implantable medical device and method are provided for determining if a patient is in a substantially horizontal position and delaying a programmed cardioversion/defibrillation shock therapy in response to determining the patient is in a substantially horizontal position. In various embodiments, the shock therapy may be delayed by adjusting tachycardia detection criteria or scheduling the shock therapy after a maximum tachycardia episode duration. |
| US08478387B2 |
Methods for stent strut detection and related measurement and display using optical coherence tomography
In one embodiment, the invention relates to a processor based method for generating positional and other information relating to a stent in the lumen of a vessel using a computer. The method includes the steps of generating an optical coherence image data set in response to an OCT scan of a sample containing at least one stent; and identifying at least one one-dimensional local cue in the image data set relating to the position of the stent. |
| US08478385B2 |
Rotary medical manifold
A rotary medical manifold, for delivering various fluids through a patient delivery mechanism is described. The rotary manifold can include a manifold body and a valve stem. The manifold body can include a central cavity, an output port, a first fluid port, and a second fluid port. The valve stem can include an injector port, and a single central fluid passage. The valve stem can be adapted to slidably engage the central cavity of the manifold body and provide selective fluidic connectivity between the injector port and the output port, the first fluid port and the second fluid port. |
| US08478379B2 |
Probe visualization based on mechanical properties
A method for visualization includes receiving an input indicative of respective apparent coordinates of a plurality of points disposed along a length of a probe inside a body of a subject, and applying a model of known mechanical properties of the probe to the apparent coordinates so as to compute a cost function with respect to shapes that can be assumed by the probe in the body. A shape is chosen responsively to the cost function, and corrected coordinates of the points along the length of the probe are generated based on the shape. The representation of the probe using the corrected coordinates is then displayed. |
| US08478378B2 |
Devices, systems and methods to detect endothelialization of implantable medical devices
An implantable medical device including a radially-expandable body and an attached detection device. The detection device includes a sensor positioned on a surface of the radially-expandable body and configured to detect endothelialization of the surface. The detection device also includes a transmitter and a receiver. Systems incorporating the implantable medical device and methods of using the device are also disclosed. |
| US08478374B2 |
Superconducting cable assembly and method of assembly
An HTS cable assembly is provided which includes a cryostat or housing, an HTS wire bundle disposed longitudinally within the cryostat, and plural support members disposed between the HTS wire bundle and the cryostat. The support members are elongate, tubular members having resiliency in both the axial and radial directions. The support members are disposed between the HTS wire bundle and the inner surface of the cryostat in an arrangement that maintains and supports the HTS wire bundle in a spaced-apart relationship with respect to the inner surface of the cryostat. In addition, the plural support members are configured to substantially prevent relative movement between the HTS wire bundle and the cryostat. |
| US08478372B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device including space apart elongate members for reducing SAR and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing and wireless transceiver circuitry carried by the portable housing. The mobile wireless communications device may also include an antenna carried by the portable housing and coupled to the wireless transceiver circuitry, and a light source carried by the portable housing. The device may further include a keyboard assembly carried by the portable housing including a light guide coupled to the light source and having input key receiving openings therein, and a mask carried by the light guide and having input key receiving openings. The mask may include spaced apart electrically conductive elongate members positioned relative to the antenna to reduce a Specific Absorption Rate value for the mobile wireless communications device. |
| US08478368B2 |
Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a main body, a cap body and a hinge assembly. The cap body is movably attached to the main body, and the hinge assembly is disposed between the main body and the cap body. The hinge assembly includes a sliding portion and a rotating portion connected to each other. When the cap body and the main body are totally overlapped, the cap body is selectively to rotate or to slide with respect to the main body over the hinge assembly. |
| US08478367B2 |
Portable terminal having sliding module
A sliding type of a portable terminal is provided. The terminal includes a first housing, a second housing adapted to slide on the first housing, and a sliding module for coupling the second housing to the first housing so as to slide. The sliding module includes a guide member mounted on a surface of the first housing, at least one guide hole extending in a longitudinal direction of the guide member, and a slide member extending through the guide member via the guide hole to be mounted on the second housing, the slide member moving along the guide hole and supporting a sliding movement of the second housing. The portable terminal limits the play of the housings in other directions than the sliding direction. This guarantees a smooth sliding movement and improves the structural stability of the terminal. |
| US08478366B2 |
Mobile terminal
A mobile terminal is disclosed. Specifically, in a mobile terminal having an image photographing or projecting function, the present invention is able to change a photographing or projecting angle of the mobile terminal into a horizontal or vertical direction. And, the present invention is able to change a display direction of an image displayed on a display unit of the mobile terminal in correspondence with the changed photographing or projecting angle to correspond to the changed photographing or projecting angle. |
| US08478358B2 |
In-vehicle apparatus having handsfree function and cellular phone having handsfree function
An in-vehicle apparatus having a handsfree function is disclosed, which includes an incoming mail reception determination section, a mode determination section and a control section. The incoming mail reception determination section determines whether a cellular phone receives an incoming mail. The mode determination section determines which one of a handset communication mode and a handsfree communication mode is selected in the cellular phone. The control section performs control regarding whether a mail reception notice should be issued to a user. The control section prohibits the mail reception notice from being issued to the user when the incoming mail reception determination section determines that the cellular phone receives the incoming mail and when the mode determination section determines that the cellular phone is in the handsfree communication mode. |
| US08478357B1 |
Removable adapter with speaker and microphone for a wireless communications device
An adapter for a wireless communications device has a speaker embedded in an upper end portion, a microphone embedded in a lower end portion, and a male electrical post connector mounted in the lower end portion. The post connector is electrically connected to the speaker and microphone. The post connector has an exposed tip and extends from the lower end portion generally toward the upper end portion. A theoretical plane bisects the base into left and right lateral portions and the microphone and connector are disposed on opposing sides of the theoretical plane. The adapter is configured such that when physically mounted to the wireless communications device, and the post connector is mated to the external communications port, the microphone and speaker are electrically connected to the wireless communications device. The combination may be used for VOIP communications. |
| US08478355B2 |
System and method for playing a ringtone on a communication device
Embodiments of the disclosed inventions include a method for playing ringtones on a communication device. The method includes associating a plurality of ringtones with an identifier of a calling device. The method also includes receiving a user preference indicating a desired method for selecting a ringtone from the plurality of ringtones. In response to the communication device receiving a communication from the calling device associated with the identifier, the method selects the ringtone from the plurality of ringtones based on the user preference indicating the desired method for selecting the ringtone from the plurality of ringtones and initiates the playing of a selected ringtone on the communication device. |
| US08478354B2 |
Mobile communication terminal apparatus
A mobile communication terminal apparatus having a communication function, the mobile communication terminal apparatus includes: a light emitting unit configured to indicate call incoming information or mail receiving information by light emission; a notification setting unit configured to set whether to indicate at least one of the call incoming information and the mail receiving information by using at least one of a sound and a vibration; a brightness detecting unit, which detects a brightness when the notification setting unit set to not indicate by using both of the sound and the vibration; and a light-emission control unit, which controls the light emitting unit to not emit light, when the notification setting unit set to not indicate by both the sound and the vibration by the notification setting unit and when the brightness detected by the brightness detecting unit is a predetermined brightness or less. |
| US08478352B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing presentations for the composition of messages having size limitations
Methods and apparatus for use in providing presentations for the composition of messages having size limitations are described. A communication device receives, via its user interface, one or more character inputs in a message composition field for a new message being composed. While a character count of the message is less than a warning count value, the device refrains from presenting the number of allowed characters remaining for entry in the message. On the other hand, while the character count is greater than or equal to the warning count value, the device causes the number of allowed characters remaining for entry in the message to be presented. The message may be transmitted via a wireless network via a short message service (SMS). In one example, the number of remaining characters is provided in an alert bar, which is presented by being set in motion from an initial hidden position behind the message composition field to a final revealed position, with intermediate positions therebetween. |
| US08478351B2 |
Mobile terminal having touch input device
A mobile terminal having an input device that performs an input operation in a touch manner is provided. The mobile terminal includes a first display module, a second display module located adjacent to the first display module, an integrated window located an outer portion of the first and second display modules, and a touch sensing unit located between the window and the second display module for sensing a touch applied to the window and applying an input signal. Marks for guiding input content can be varied and high capacity and high-density multimedia or communication information can be easily and quickly accessed or executed. |
| US08478348B2 |
Deferring alerts
It is presented a method including presenting an alert on a display; detecting a user input associated with said alert, said user input having a momentum; and deferring said alert to be presented again at a new alert time, said new alert time being calculated as a time in the future using said user input momentum. A corresponding device, computer program product and user interface are also presented. |
| US08478346B2 |
Mobile phone
To provide a mobile phone which can be used without hampering convenience in a condition where functions of the mobile phone are switched and can improve operability. The mobile phone includes an optical sensor, a display element, a pixel circuit portion where a plurality of pixels having a plurality of transistors are arranged in matrix, an optical sensor control circuit which is connected to an optical sensor driver circuit for driving the optical sensor and reads a signal from the optical sensor, a display portion control circuit which is connected to a display element driver circuit for driving the display element and outputs an image signal for displaying an image on a display portion, a gradient detection portion for outputting a signal in accordance with a gradient of the mobile phone, and an arithmetic circuit for performing display in the pixel circuit portion by switching image signals output to the display portion control circuit with a signal from the gradient detection portion. |
| US08478345B2 |
System and method for providing a user interface that facilitates user selection of a communication line for an outgoing call on a mobile device
A system and method for providing a user interface that allows users to change the active line on which an outgoing call may be placed. In example embodiments, a direction to display a line selection menu on the call screen is received from the user, where the line selection menu is comprised of data identifying one or more of the multiple communication lines accessible at the mobile device. In response to the direction received from the user, the line selection menu is displayed on the call screen, and an input identifying a user-selected communication line is received. A display field in which data identifying the active line is displayed is updated accordingly. |
| US08478341B2 |
Automatic selection of SIM card for multi-SIM mobile devices
A mobile device includes multiple subscriber identification module (SIM) cards. When a user of the mobile device requests to call a phone number, the mobile device determines a mobile telecommunications service provider of the phone number, based on service provider information received for the phone number from a service mapping server. The mobile device selects for the call a SIM card from the multiple SIM cards that is associated with the determined service provider of the phone number. The mobile device places the call to the phone number using the selected SIM card. |
| US08478338B2 |
Method for remotely and automatically erasing information stored in SIM-card of a mobile phone
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and system for remotely and automatically erasing information stored in SIM card memory and mobile phone memory including memory card of a mobile phone 101. The method includes sending a voice message comprising predetermined authentication parameters to a server 102 by an owner when the mobile phone 101 of the owner is lost. The method further includes authenticating the owner by the server 102 upon comparing the predetermined authentication parameters with the stored authentication parameters and sending activation signal by the server 102 to an erase application if the owner is authenticated. This signal will activate the erase application stored in the mobile phone 101 SIM card. The erase application generates destroy signal upon activation of the erase application to erase the information stored in the SIM card of the mobile phone 101. |
| US08478333B2 |
Movement history reference system, movement information registration server, information collection server, movement history reference method and program
A movement history reference system includes: a base station communicating with a first terminal; and a movement information registration server and an information collection server connected mutually to the base station. The movement information registration server includes: a first storage unit that stores the movement history; and a movement history recording unit that acquires positional information of the first terminal from the base station, and requests the information collection server to retrieve an address corresponding to the positional information and additional information related to the address. The information collection server includes: a second storage unit that stores address data that is a list of addresses corresponding to the positional information; and a data retrieval unit that retrieves an address corresponding to the positional information from the address data, retrieves additional information related to the address, and returns the acquired address and additional information to the movement information registration server. |
| US08478330B2 |
Transmission power control method and system
A transmission power control technique allowing stable and reliable signal transmission in soft handover is disclosed. Each of the base stations involved in soft handover measures an amount of loss of the base station selection signal. When the amount of loss of the base station selection signal exceeds a threshold, the transmission power of the downlink signal is not set to the minimum level but to the normally controlled level. Further, a transmission power update timing of each base station is determined so that the downlink signal received at the mobile station changes in transmission power at a predetermined timing synchronized with that of other base stations. |
| US08478328B2 |
Power control in schedulable wireless communication terminal
A wireless communication entity schedulable in a wireless communication network include a radio receiver that receives radio resource assignment information including a bandwidth allocation, a controller communicably coupled to the power amplifier, wherein the controller varies an operational maximum power level of the schedulable wireless communication entity based on whether the schedulable wireless communication entity is communicating time-critical traffic or non-time-critical traffic, and wherein the operational maximum power level limits an instantaneous power at which the schedulable wireless communication entity may transmit on the radio resource assigned. |
| US08478327B2 |
Feedback control for multicast or broadcast services
The invention relates to a method for controlling feedback of mobile terminals receiving via an air interface of a mobile communication system a multicast or broadcast service transmitted or forwarded by a feedback control entity and to a mobile terminal, the feedback control entity using this method. Further, a system comprising a feedback control entity and a mobile terminal receiving a multicast or broadcast service is provided. To enable configurable and adaptive feedback for multicast or broadcast services provided via an air interface maintaining the end-to-end session concept the invention suggests selecting a subset of the mobile terminals of the mobile communication system and which receive the multicast or broadcast service for providing feedback to a feedback control entity. In one embodiment of the invention the terminals may decide whether to provide feedback based on a probabilistic experiment performed based on parameters determined and provided by the feedback control entity. |
| US08478322B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and band assigning method
A base station device includes a transmission and reception unit, a no-communication time count unit, an assignment unit, and a duration adjustment unit. The transmission and reception unit transmits and receives user data to and from a mobile terminal. The no-communication time count unit counts the no-communication time in which the transmission and reception of the user data has been interrupted in the mobile terminal. When the no-communication time becomes longer than the duration in which the assignment of the frequency band to the mobile terminal is continued, the assignment unit releases the frequency band assigned to the mobile terminal. When the no-communication time is longer than the duration, and the no-communication time is shorter than the sum of the duration and the monitor time in which it is monitored whether the no-communication time continues after the release of the frequency band, the duration adjustment unit adjusts the duration. |
| US08478319B2 |
Feature extraction and data compression system and method for distributed sensor networks
A distributed sensor network has a base station and clusters of sensor nodes. In a method of locating and classifying signal sources, at each node divides a received signal into blocks, performs Fourier-based transform on the blocks, selects peaks from the transformed blocks, selects subbands with features of interest based on the frequency of occurrence of the peaks across the blocks, collaborates with other nodes in the cluster to make a final selection of the subbands, encodes the subband features of the signal, and transmits the subband features to the base station. The base station processes the received subband features to locate and classify the signal sources. |
| US08478318B2 |
Heterogeneous wireless sensor network bridging device and control method and flow balancing method thereof
A control method for a heterogeneous wireless sensor network (WSN) bridging device includes initializing Zigbee sensor nodes, switching a Zigbee transceiver module to a sleep mode, switching a wireless network transceiver module to an active mode, receiving an task list from a remote main control device, switching the wireless network transceiver module to the sleep mode, switching the Zigbee transceiver module to the active mode, transmitting an operating instruction to the Zigbee sensor nodes, receiving at least one sensing signal from the Zigbee sensor nodes, and determining whether the sensing signals have been received. If yes, a back transmission procedure is executed. The control method solves an interference problem among heterogeneous wireless networks and overcomes a bottleneck in data transmission. |
| US08478315B2 |
System and method for determining an SMS message retransmission schedule
A system and method for determining an SMS retransmission schedule is provided. When a special error code is received by an SMSC, the SMSC can calculate the response time. The response time is the time that lapsed between forwarding the SMS message for delivery and receiving an error code. If the response time exceeds a response time threshold, the error code can be considered as falsely generated. A special retransmission schedule can be assigned to the SMS message. If the response time does not exceed a response time threshold, a different retransmission schedule can be assigned to the SMS message. |
| US08478314B2 |
Communication method for a mobile sensor node in a wireless sensor network
A communication method for a mobile sensor node in a wireless sensor network includes: in a state that the mobile sensor node performs synchronization by a message reception interrupt from a parent sensor node and determines an uplink active duration and a downlink active duration, transmitting a message to the parent sensor node in the transmitting duration of the uplink active duration, receiving and processing messages from the parent sensor node and sensor nodes linearly connected around the parent sensor node in the receiving duration of the uplink active duration, and resetting a new parent sensor node using the received signal strength indications RSSIs of the received messages; and transmitting a message to the parent sensor node in the transmitting duration of the downlink active duration, checking whether or not a message is received from the parent sensor node in the receiving duration of the downlink active duration, if the message is not received from the parent sensor node, determining that time synchronization fails and resetting a new parent sensor node, and if the message is received from the parent sensor node, performing time synchronization according to a message reception interrupt from the parent sensor node. |
| US08478313B2 |
Message service method and message service system
The present invention relates to a message service method and a message service system. The message service method receives a message and a message transmission request from an open service application user and transmits the message to an appropriate transmission infrastructure such that the message arrives at a destination terminal. To achieve this, the message service system includes an open service application server which sends the message and the message transmission request, an open service gateway which reconstructs the message as one of a short message, a WAP Push message and a multimedia message through message analysis, and transmission infrastructures which transmits messages. |
| US08478311B2 |
Intelligent forwarding of short message service and multimedia messaging service messages
Various embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques for intelligent SMS/MMS routing. In some example embodiments of the present disclosure information indicative of the location of a mobile device can be used by a service provider to determine where to route an incoming SMS/MMS message. In the same, and other embodiments different information can be used to determine where to route incoming SMS/MMS messages such as the electronic address of the originator of the message, and/or whether the mobile device the message is addressed to is in communication with local devices. |
| US08478305B2 |
System and method for integrating location information into an internet phone system
A system and a method for integrating the receipt and transmission of location information into VoIP phone systems. The system may include a location device that includes a SATPS receiver and an antenna together with one or more connectors that allow connection of the location device to other devices, such as a VoIP telephone and a router, that are connected to and made a part of a VoIP phone system. A method of operating such a system is also disclosed. |
| US08478298B1 |
Apparatus and method for selecting access points for use in positioning
Apparatus and method for positioning a device based on wireless local area network signals. In one embodiment, a wireless local network positioning system includes access point selection logic. The access point selection logic includes likelihood computation logic, minimum mean squared error (MMSE) estimation logic, variance computation logic, and access point exclusion logic. The likelihood computation logic is configured to compute a likelihood value for each access point and point of a positioning grid. The MMSE estimation logic is configured to compute an MMSE estimate based on the likelihood values. The variance computation logic is configured to compute an MMSE variance for the MMSE estimate. The access point exclusion logic is configured to determine whether excluding a selected one of the access points reduces the MMSE variance, and to exclude the selected access point from the access points used for positioning, based on the exclusion reducing the MMSE variance. |
| US08478293B2 |
Mobile station paging method and mobile call center device
Embodiments of the present invention provide a mobile station paging method and a mobile call center device, The method includes: receiving a service call request, and selecting a corresponding posterior probability table according to an identifier of a target mobile station included in the service call request, where the posterior probability table includes a distribution probability of the target mobile station in each cell of a location area where the target mobile station is located in a service state; and selecting a cell to page the target mobile station according to the distribution probability. The paging is performed based on the distribution probability of a user in the each cell in the service state; the paging process is simple; and the application scenario is wide, thereby saving air interface resources while ensuring a paging efficiency. |
| US08478292B2 |
Wireless localization method based on an efficient multilateration algorithm over a wireless sensor network and a recording medium in which a program for the method is recorded
A wireless localization technology using efficient multilateration in a wireless sensor network is disclosed. After calculating estimated distances from each of at least three reference nodes to a blind node using received signal strength of wireless signals that the at least three reference nodes received from the blind node, the estimated location of the blind node is obtained through multilateration using the calculated estimated distances. To correct error in the estimated location, the estimated distances are used, and the error correction direction and error correction distance for the estimated location are calculated by applying a largest weight to the reference node closest to the estimated location. The error of the estimated location is corrected by move the estimated location of the blind node by the calculated error correction direction and error correction distance. Calculation for the error correction is very simple and fast. |
| US08478291B2 |
Location accuracy improvement using a priori probabilities
A large volume of high accuracy location data is determined in many commercial wireless networks from location based services (LBS) and, in the United States, for E911. Uplink-Time-Difference-of-Arrival (UTDOA) and Assisted GPS (AGPS) are the predominant geolocation technologies providing these high accuracy locations. In the US alone over 10 million wireless subscribers are located every month because they dial the national emergency number “911” on their mobile phones. This rich set of location data provides an a priori distribution of the location of subscribers in the wireless network. All digital wireless communications networks have a mechanism for the subscribers to time synchronize their handsets to the network. This mechanism provides a band of ranges from the serving cell site to the handset. An a posteriori location estimate can be determined very quickly by considering the a priori distribution of callers in the range band that the current subscriber is in. |
| US08478289B1 |
Predicting geographic population density
The population density for a geographic area is predicted using a Markov Random Field (MRF) model. A MRF model is defined for estimating a number of mobile devices being used within a geographic area. The MRF model includes a set of rules describing how to use current data describing mobile devices currently observed in the area, and historical data describing mobile devices historically observed in the area to produce the estimate. Values of weight parameters in the MRF model are learned using the historical data. The current and historical data are applied to the MRF model having the learned weight parameters, and cost minimization is used to estimate of the number of mobile devices currently being used within the area. This estimate is used to predict the population density for the area. The predicted population density can then be used to provide location-based services. |
| US08478287B2 |
Method for positioning target terminal while protecting privacy of user thereof
A method for positioning a target terminal while protecting the privacy of a user of the target terminal is provided. To this end, the real Identification (ID) of the target terminal is managed only by a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Center (SLC) with which the target terminal make a contract for positioning thereof, so that the real ID is prevented from being exposed to the outside. In this way, even when a plurality of SLCs that can be managed by different network operator performs positioning of a target terminal by using an SUPL Positioning Center (SPC) existing in an external network, the real ID of the target terminal is not transferred to the SPC, and thus the privacy of a user of the target terminal can be protected. |
| US08478285B2 |
Base station, mobile station, synchronization control method, and IC chip
A synchronization control method in a communication system including a mobile station and a base station includes generating a synchronization request at the base station when data addressed to the mobile station arrives, receiving the synchronization request from the base station at the mobile station, transmitting feedback information at the mobile station as a response to the synchronization request, receiving the feedback information at the base station, generating timing advance information at the base station based on a reception timing of the feedback information, transmitting the timing advance information from the base station to the mobile station, and adjusting a transmission timing of uplink data at the mobile station, based on the timing advance information. |
| US08478280B1 |
Minimum coverage area of wireless base station determination
Systems and methods for estimating the minimum geographic coverage of a wireless base station. In an embodiment, the present invention estimates coverage by (1) receiving real-time wireless base station information from the mobile device; (2) extracting a set of location points and system specific information based on the real-time wireless base station information; (3) determining a coverage area based on the set of location points and the system specific information; (4) adjusting for errors based on various factors (5) storing the determined coverage area. |
| US08478279B2 |
Closed-loop Transmission power control method and radio base station apparatus
To set an optimal transmission power control interval such that a base station apparatus properly receives signals from a mobile station, while exploiting fast scheduling and fast AMC, in this closed-loop transmission power control method, reception SINR and average interference level are measured in a signal received in uplink, a time period for averaging reception quality is determined corresponding to an overlapped size of a dynamic range of a base station apparatus that is a region of overlapping a first reception-allowable range depend on reception capability of the base station apparatus, with a second reception-allowable range, varying corresponding to the interference level, depend on the number of a modulation and coding scheme set, each set achieving required throughput, the reception SINR is averaged using the determined time period, and a TPC command indicative of uplink transmission power to be controlled in a terminal apparatus is generated using a difference value between the averaged reception SINR and target reception SINR, and is transmitted in downlink. |
| US08478278B1 |
Location based call routing to subject matter specialist
Disclosed are various embodiments for location based call routing to a subject matter specialist. A call request is obtained from a computing device. The call request pertains to a topic and includes a current location of the computing device. A topic specialist for the topic is identified based at least in part upon the current location of the computing device. The call request is completed by establishing a call between the computing device and a computing device used by the topic specialist. |
| US08478274B2 |
Handover control apparatus, mobile communication system, and handover method
A handover control apparatus includes a service determination unit determining a type of a service being communicated with by a mobile station and a handover processing unit performing handover in accordance with either a network initiative type handover procedure or a mobile station initiative type handover procedure based on the determination. If the service being communicated with by the mobile station belongs to a communication quality guaranteed type service, the handover is performed in accordance with the network initiative type handover procedure. |
| US08478272B2 |
Systems and methods for real time allocation of bandwidth at a femtocell
Systems and methods for real time allocation of radio devices in a femtocell that includes a plurality of software-defined radios (SDRs) are provided. The SDRs can be reconfigured in real time based on the changing network conditions and/or changes to contractual obligations of the femtocell provider. The femtocell can be reconfigured in real time either remotely from a network operations center (NOC) or the femtocell can be configured to automatically detect changing usage patterns and to automatically reconfigure the SDRs. The femtocell can also be configured to receive emergency override signals from the NOC to cause the femtocell to reconfigure one or more of the SDRs for use by emergency responders. |
| US08478271B1 |
Communications apparatus and method for dispersing traffic
A communications apparatus includes a cellular communication unit performing pre-set cellular communication, a Wi-Fi communication unit performing pre-set Wi-Fi communication, and a controller checking an available data rate of an available cellular network and that of a Wi-Fi network to determine a data division ratio by using the cellular communication unit and the Wi-Fi communication unit, obtaining an IP address pair, and transferring data including connection request information, the data division ratio for traffic dispersion, and the IP address pair to the server, according to a connection request from the server. |
| US08478269B2 |
Method and apparatus to enable a UE to return to a wireless network after failure to obtain service
Techniques for enabling a user equipment (UE) to return to a wireless network after failure to obtain a particular service (e.g., voice service) are described. The UE may determine that the wireless network does not support the particular service at a first location (e.g., the current UE location). In response, the UE may disable the wireless network and may refrain from attempting to obtain the particular service (or possibly any service) from the wireless network. The UE may thereafter re-enable the wireless network based on a trigger, which may result from a timer, an event, or broadcast information from another wireless network. After re-enabling the wireless network, the UE may perform cell search and system selection and may detect and select the wireless network. The UE may determine that the wireless network supports the particular service at a second location and may obtain the particular service from the wireless network. |
| US08478266B1 |
Method and system for anonymous operation of a mobile node
A mobile node and its home system generate synchronized time-based codes at periodic time intervals. Each time-based code is valid for a predetermined time period. To facilitate anonymous operation when roaming, the mobile node identifies itself with a coded identifier instead of a public identifier. The coded identifier used at a given time includes the time-based code that is valid for that given time. To authenticate the mobile node, a serving system receives authentication information from the mobile node and forwards the authentication information to a home system. The authentication information includes the current time-based code and a timestamp. The home system identifies the mobile node from the current time-based code and the timestamp. The home system then uses the authentication information to authenticate the mobile node. |
| US08478265B2 |
System and method for adaptive/predictive location-based roaming optimization
Described is a method including collecting roaming data for a network. The method further includes creating a scan list based on the roaming data, wherein the scan list including a prioritization of a plurality of access points for roaming. The method further includes transmitting the scan list to a mobile unit. Further described in a system including a collection module collecting roaming data for a network. The system further includes a creation module creating a scan list based on the roaming data, the scan list including a prioritization of a plurality of access points for roaming. The system further includes a transmitter transmitting the scan list to a mobile unit. |
| US08478261B2 |
Predictive wakeup for push-to-talk-over-cellular (POC) call setup optimizations
A predictive wakeup function for Push-to-Talk-over Cellular (PoC) call setup optimizations in a cellular mobile phone network. In performing the predictive wakeup for call setup optimizations, an originating mobile transmits an event trigger to a real-time exchange that interfaces to a mobile switching center in the cellular mobile phone network. The real-time exchange transmits a wakeup message to one or more terminating mobiles of predicted participants, in order to transition the terminating mobiles of the predicted participants from a dormant state to an active state prior to a call being setup with the terminating mobiles of the predicted participants. The terminating mobiles of the predicted participants are identified by a predictive wakeup mechanism before the originating mobile sends a list of one or more terminating mobiles of actual participants to the real-time exchange. The predicted participants may be determined based on static or dynamic information, including heuristics involving calling patterns. |
| US08478257B2 |
Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A mobile terminal and a control method thereof are provided. Contents displayed in a mobile terminal may be optimized for and displayed on a different mobile terminal in communication therewith. The method for controlling a mobile terminal includes: outputting previously stored contents to a first mobile terminal; and controlling a transmission of the contents being outputted based on characteristic information of a second mobile terminal that is to receive at least a portion of the contents being outputted, wherein there is a difference between the contents being outputted to the first mobile terminal and the contents the second mobile terminal is to receive and output. |
| US08478256B1 |
Communication device
The system comprising a first communication device and a second communication device, wherein when the door is locked by the first communication device, a door locked message is operable to be displayed on the first communication device and/or the second communication device, wherein when the door is unlocked by the first communication device, a door unlocked message is operable to be displayed on the first communication device and/or the second communication device, and wherein when a phone call is implemented by the first communication device, a phone call making log data is produced. |
| US08478252B2 |
Enforcing limits on free and/or discounted electronic communications
Limits are placed on the number of free and/or discounted communications (such as voice calls and text messages) available to a user, based on the number of communications received by the user. A user is given an allotment of credits, each worth one or more free and/or discounted communications. A credit balance is established and is continually adjusted as follows: it is increased whenever qualifying communications of a given type are received, and is decreased whenever free and/or discounted communications of the given type are initiated by the user. Once the credit balance has been depleted, the user may be blocked from initiating additional free or discounted communications, until the credit balance is increased. In at least one embodiment, different types of credits can be earned and/or used for different types of communications. In at least one embodiment, exchanges between the different types of credits may be permitted. |
| US08478249B2 |
Mobile device and communication method thereof
A communication device initiates a telephone call to a called party by dialing a telephone number, detects whether the communication device receives a ringback tone from the called party, displays a variety of application icons for users to make a section if the communication device receives a ringback tone from the called party, and runs a selected application. A related method is also provided. |
| US08478245B2 |
Method and system for rendering content on a wireless device
A method of rendering content on a wireless device. The wireless device sends a message to a server requesting an application and identifies itself with its rendering capabilities. The wireless receives an identification of a custom configuration of a plurality of rendering blocks of the wireless device associated with the application. The custom configuration configures the plurality of rendering blocks of the device. The wireless device receives compiled content from the application executing on the server that includes render commands expressed in a syntax that is device generic but has parameters specific to the rendering capabilities of the wireless device. A reader of the wireless device processes the compiled content and issues commands to individual rendering blocks of a graphical user interface based on the rendering commands of the compiled content and based on the custom configuration. |
| US08478243B2 |
Redemption system for mobile device
A redemption system for a mobile device includes a database module for determining a target customer. A streaming module is connected to the database module for serving content to the target customer. A priority module is connected to the streaming module for implementing a content delivery schedule. The streaming module serves first content data to the target customer. If the target customer affirmatively responds to the first content data, the priority module causes the system to send a redemption mechanism embedded in second content data to the target customer. The redemption mechanism enables the target customer to engage in a redemption activity using the mobile device. |
| US08478241B2 |
Prevention of unsolicited messages
A method for gathering information relating to unsolicited messages. The method comprises deleting in a handheld communication device (1, 100, 200) message information associated with an unsolicited message. In response to deleting the message, information data, which is associated with the deleted message information or the unsolicited message, is forwarded to a message information unit (104, 224). Data information in a memory of said message information unit is updated based on the forwarded data associated with the unsolicited message. A method for blocking messages pertaining to data information stored in the message information unit is also disclosed. |
| US08478237B1 |
Dual-mode vehicle mobile phone disabler
A system prevents operation of a land vehicle having an interior when a communication functionality of a mobile phone is in use within the interior. The system includes a power source and a dual-mode mobile phone disabler including a processor powered by the power source and an antenna operably connected to the processor. Before the vehicle is on, the antenna detects a communication signal from the mobile phone within the interior when the communication functionality including communication with a cell site is in use. In response, the processor prevents the vehicle from being turned on until the antenna detects no use of the communication functionality. The communication signal indicates use of the communication functionality. After the vehicle is on, the processor, via the antenna, periodically communicates with the mobile phone within the interior to keep disabled the communication functionality. When the vehicle is off, the antenna ceases to communicate. |
| US08478236B2 |
User profile based content delivery between a standard handset and a Femtocell device
An access device receives content from a broadband IP network to be communicated to a wireless handset over a radio access network (RAN). The access device acquires a user profile utilized in the radio network for the wireless handset. Based on the acquired user profile, the access device determines transmission parameters utilized for communicating the received content to the wireless handset using an air interface protocol over the radio access network. A security level and/or a security protocol, a transcoding mechanism, and/or transmission bit rate are determined based on the acquired user profile. A resolution, transmission bit rate, coding structure, security protocol and/or security level for transmitting the received content to the wireless handset are adjusted based on the acquired user profile. Alternately, the access device is enabled to receive content from the wireless handset using a transmission profile determined based on user profile of the wireless handset. |
| US08478235B2 |
Methods for providing overdraft protection for post-paid communication service plans
Methods for adding minutes to a calling plan having a calling plan period. The methods including determining whether a threshold number of minutes have been reached during the calling plan period; and incrementally adding minutes to the calling plan when the threshold number of minutes has been reached. The cost per minute of the added minutes is less than the high-cost per minute rate normally associated with exceeding the threshold number of minutes during the calling plan period. |
| US08478234B1 |
System and method for controlling, monitoring and recording of wireless communications in penal institutions
A system for controlling, monitoring, and recording of telecommunications services associated with penal institutions is provided. The system comprises processor, memory, and application that receive a first transmission from a telephone number, the first transmission requesting a voice communication session with a portable electronic device associated with a penal institution. The system analyzes a first file containing a listing of at least one telephone number authorized to originate communication with the device, analyzes a second file describing authorized days and time periods for the device to engage in communication originated by the telephone number, and determines, based on the analysis of the first and second files, that the device is authorized to engage in the requested communication. The system also originates a second transmission to the device and connects the first and second transmissions with the second transmission, wherein the application monitors, records, and analyzes communications by the device. |
| US08478233B2 |
Mobile computing device application network use metric and monetary cost monitor and control
A mobile computing device comprising an application network use metric monitoring agent providing a network use metric usage for one or more mobile computing device applications and a network plan interface, wherein, a monetary cost is associated with the network use metric usage for the one or more mobile computing device applications. |
| US08478231B2 |
Method and device for updating a prepaid balance
Disclosed is a method of a mobile communication device, a device and a method of a server for updating the prepaid balance during the active mode of the mobile communication device. The method of the device includes storing in memory a stored prepaid balance prior to initiating a wireless communication via a service provider, initiating an active mode wireless communication and transmitting, during the active mode wireless communication, at least one balance query to the service provider. The method further provides receiving, during the active mode wireless communication, a response to the balance query, determining if the response to the balance query is valid and processing the response to the balance query to obtain a new prepaid balance if the response to the balance query is valid. |
| US08478222B2 |
I/Q calibration for walking-IF architectures
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate calibration techniques for a station in a wireless communication system that can be utilized to provide joint estimates for distortion introduced by in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) imbalance and mixing-product modulated images. |
| US08478221B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficient DC calibration in a direct-conversion system with variable DC gain
A wireless communication receiver includes a multitude of look-up tables each storing a multitude of DC offset values associated with the gains of an amplification stage disposed in the wireless communication receiver. The entries for each look-up table are estimated during a stage of the calibration phase. During such a calibration stage, for each selected gain of an amplification stage, a search logic estimates a current DC offset number and compares it to a previous DC offset estimate that is fed back to the search logic. If the difference between the current and previous estimates is less than a predefined threshold value, the current estimate is treated as being associated with the DC offset of the selected gain of the amplification stage and is stored in the look-up table. This process is repeated for each selected gain of each amplification stage of interest until the look-up tables are populated. |
| US08478220B2 |
Discrete time polyphase mixer
Embodiments of a radio frequency (RF) circuit provide translational filtering in accordance with an input impedance response that is an impedance image of a reactive circuit impedance response from a polyphase reactive circuit. The RF circuit may include a first mixer circuit that provides a first frequency offset for the impedance image and a second mixer circuit that provides an additional frequency offset. Accordingly, the second mixer circuit may allow for adjustments to a total frequency offset of the impedance image. The second mixer circuit may also be configured so that the impedance image rejects a negative frequency impedance response of the reactive circuit impedance response. |
| US08478215B2 |
Harmonic rejection mixer and phase adjustment method thereof
A harmonic rejection mixer converts a frequency of a radio frequency signal by using a first to a third local signals (LOs) whose phases are different from each other, and the harmonic rejection mixer includes a phase difference detection circuit for detecting a phase difference between the first LO and the second LO, a phase difference detection circuit for detecting a phase difference between the first LO and the third LO, a phase adjustment circuit for adjusting the phase of the second LO so that the phase difference detected by the phase difference detection circuit becomes a first phase difference, and a phase adjustment circuit for adjusting the phase of the third LO so that the phase difference detected by the phase difference detection circuit becomes a second phase difference. It is thereby possible to achieve high precision harmonic rejection characteristics. |
| US08478214B2 |
Multi-port distributed antenna
Methods and systems for receiving signals via a multi-port distributed antenna are disclosed and may include selectively enabling one or more low noise amplifiers (LNAs) coupled to the antenna. The selective enabling may be based on a desired gain level applied to a signal received from the antenna. The LNAs may be coupled to ports on the antenna based on an input impedance of the LNAs and an impedance of the ports. Each of the LNAs may be configured for optimum linearity in different gain ranges, which may be proportional to the input impedance of the LNAs. The antenna may be integrated on a chip with the LNAs, or may be located external to the chip. The antenna may include a microstrip antenna. The LNAs may include variable gain and may be enabled utilizing a processor. Linearity on demand may be enabled via the selective enabling of the LNAs. |
| US08478213B2 |
Methods and apparatus for power control
Various embodiments include a method for controlling power in a transmitter, the method comprising measuring an indication of an output power of the transmitter, comparing a first value corresponding to the indication of the output power to a second value corresponding to a desired output power; and adjusting a bias of at least one component in the transmitter in order to bring the output power closer to the desired output power. Embodiments also include various methods, systems and apparatus. |
| US08478212B2 |
Apparatus and method for wirelessly transmitting and receiving energy and data
Disclosed is an apparatus for wirelessly transmitting and receiving energy and data including: a signal generator generating a first frequency signal for power transmission; a first matching circuit matching input/output impedance upon receiving the first frequency signal generated by the signal generator; an oscillator outputting a second frequency signal, a carrier frequency, by using the first frequency signal, generated by the signal generator, as a reference frequency; a mixer modulating a data signal output from a communication module by using the second frequency signal; a second matching circuit matching input/output impedance upon receiving a modulated signal by using the second frequency signal; a resonator resonating an output signal from the first matching circuit to a reception side apparatus; and a radiator radiating an output signal from the second matching circuit to the reception side apparatus. |
| US08478211B2 |
Adaptive cartesian loop transmitter for broadband and optimal loop stability adjustment
An integrated circuit includes a linearizer circuit in which excessive delay is compensated. The linearizer circuit includes a power amplifier, forward and feedback paths, and a microprocessor. A signal from the power amplifier is routed by the forward path to be transmitted while a portion of the signal to be transmitted is routed back to the power amplifier via the feedback path. The microprocessor applies phase training signals to the forward path. The microprocessor uses the phase training signals to determine the amount of delay in the linearizer circuit and alters the frequency position of poles and zeros in the linearizer circuit to compensate for the delay. The gain of the linearizer circuit is also altered by the microprocessor depending on the measured delay. |
| US08478208B2 |
Controlling functions of mobile communications devices
Function-control instructions for controlling a function or feature of a device can be created remotely, locally, or both. A device can receive a function-control instruction or a function-control instruction embedded in received content. Additionally, or alternatively, a function-control instruction can be created locally based on user information or calibration information. Function-control instructions can be passed to an instruction execution application that interprets the function-control instruction. The instruction execution application can pass instructions, based on the function-control instruction, to the device for implementation. |
| US08478207B2 |
Data transfer between wireless devices
A method of data transfer between wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) is described. The WTRUs may be within a given geographic area of each other or in communication with the same network. Location information relating to the WTRUs may be determined. The location information may be presented to a user of the WTRU. Data may be transferred from one WTRU to a target WTRU based on user input. The WTRU may determine the target WTRU based on user input and/or location information. The user input may be a gestural input. The gestural input may be received via a display or touchscreen. The user input may identify a given action or identify a particular file for transfer. The WTRU may receive data from the target WTRU. |
| US08478206B2 |
Voice data RF GPS integrated circuit
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a baseband processing module, a GPS receiver, and an RF section. The baseband processing module is coupled to process voice signals and data signals. The global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver module is coupled to process GPS signals. The radio frequency (RF) section id coupled to: transceive the voice signals as RF voice signals; transceive the data signals as RF data signals; and convert GPS RF signals into the GPS signals. |
| US08478200B2 |
Method of transmitting measurement report in wireless communication system
Disclosed is a wireless communication system and terminal for providing a wireless communication service, and more particularly, a method of transmitting a measurement log from a terminal to a network when a RRC connected terminal has not found a RRC connectable network, although a wireless dedicated channel is not allocated between the terminal and the network, in an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (E-UMTS) evolved from a UMTS, Long Term Evolution (LTE) System or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) system. |
| US08478199B2 |
Signal conditioning device with attenuated fail-safe bypass
A signal conditioning device, and method thereof, that can be used to maintain an amount of signal RF level adjustment, which is applied to an input, independently of the availability of the power supplied to the device. In one embodiment, the signal condition device comprises an attenuating circuit, which can have a variable attenuator and a non-volatile attenuator. The variable attenuator is configured to provide a primary amount of signal RF level adjustment in a power-on state, and the non-volatile attenuator is configured to store as a secondary amount the primary amount of the signal RF level adjustment. The non-volatile attenuator is likewise configured so that the secondary amount can be applied when the signal conditioning device enters into a power-off state so as to modify the RF level of the input in order to maintain a relative strength of the transmission at a remote device. |
| US08478197B2 |
Wireless transceiver module
A wireless transceiver module has a plurality of through holes and includes a wireless network chip, a circuit substrate, a Bluetooth chip, and a plurality of conductive connection structures. The Bluetooth chip is disposed between the circuit substrate and the wireless network chip, and the through holes are formed by passing through the wireless network chip, the circuit substrate, and the Bluetooth chip. The conductive connection structures are respectively disposed in the through hole. With the conductive connection structures, the Bluetooth chip, the wireless network chip, and the circuit substrate are electrically connected with each another. |
| US08478196B1 |
Two-factor user authentication using near field communication
A user is authenticated to a mobile computing device using an NFC tag. The NFC tag may be initially associated when an NFC reader of the device senses the NFC tag and wirelessly retrieves a tag identifier from the tag. The tag identifier is stored for subsequent retrieval. The authentication process begins after receiving a valid password and then positioning the device proximate the object such that the NFC reader of the device retrieves the tag identifier from the NFC tag without receiving input at the mobile computing device. In the event that the retrieved tag identifier matches the stored tag identifier, the mobile computing device is unlocked and the user may access the mobile computing device. If the retrieved tag identifier does not match the stored tag identifier, the user is not authenticated and the mobile computing device remains locked. |
| US08478193B2 |
Device-identifying system, device-identifying method, controlling device, and controlled device
There is provided an device-identifying system including: a controlling device capable of communicating with external devices via a network and using a wireless communication method to transmit an device-identifying signal, for identifying one of the external devices capable of communicating by the wireless communication method, to the one of the external devices without relying on the network; and a controlled device capable of communicating with the controlling device via the network, when the controlled device receives the device-identifying signal from the controlling device, the controlled device transmitting, to the network via multicast or broadcast, a response indicating that the controlled device has received the device-identifying signal, wherein when the controlling device receives the response, the controlling device determines that the controlled device having transmitted the response is the device having received the device-identifying signal transmitted from the controlling device. |
| US08478192B2 |
Method and a device in a mobile station for maintaining a communication link to a radio base station in a cellular telephony system
The invention concerns a temporary radio base station, temporary RBS (140), which can gain and maintain control of the traffic to and from a targeted radio base station (120) in a wireless cellular telecommunications system (100), and a dedicated user terminal (530) for use the system. The dedicated user terminal (530) comprises an identification device being arranged to identify the temporary RBS (140) by use of unique information being at least embedded in a transmitted signal from the temporary RBS (140). The dedicated user terminal (530) is arranged to disregard the temporary RBS (140) when detected, and to choose the targeted RBS (120), or an RBS arranged to operate in a neighboring cell, in the same manner as if the temporary RBS (140) would not exist. The invention also relates to a method for the devices and a system comprising the devices. |
| US08478191B2 |
Short range booster with multiple antennas
Systems, methods and techniques for operating a wireless repeater with multiple antennas are presented. Signals from a wireless communication device are received by a wireless repeater on at least two branch channels associated with at least two repeater receiver antennas. Path or space diversity is resolved from the signals, and the signals are processed on the at least two branch channels to produce at least one strong signal to be repeated to another wireless communication device. |
| US08478186B2 |
Educational system and method for testing memorization
The educational system for testing memorization provides a computerized classroom system for testing a student's memorization of a text to be recited, for example, the text of the Qur'an. A set of digital data representing a text of a written work to be memorized by a student, such as the text of the Qur'an, is recorded in a database. Upon selection of a text portion to be tested, the portion is divided into individual words, and the user recites the portion, with the audio input being received and recorded by the system. The audio input from the user is converted into textual data, which is compared with a corresponding word of the portion stored in the database. If the spoken word matches the corresponding word portion stored in the database, the word is instantly displayed on a computer display, and the user may then speak the next word. |
| US08478181B2 |
Recording material cooling device and image forming apparatus
A recording material cooling device includes: a transporting section that transports a recording material; a heat radiation section that radiates heat of the recording material through the transporting section, the heat radiation section coming into contact with the transporting section; an air current generating section that generates an air current which flows through the heat radiation section; and a pair of passages that are respectively located before and after a zone where the transporting section and the heat radiation section are brought into contact with each other, each of the pair of passages being formed on an outer side of the heat radiation section to flow a portion of the air current. |
| US08478178B2 |
Fixing devices for fixing marking material to a web with contact pre-heating of web and marking material and methods of fixing marking material to a web
Fixing devices for fixing marking material to a web, printing apparatuses and methods of fixing marking material to a web are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the fixing devices includes a first roll including a heated outer surface; a second roll forming a fixing nip with the outer surface of the first roll at which a continuous web on which marking material is disposed is received; a third roll positioned to contact the web prior to entering the fixing nip; and an adjustment mechanism connected to the third roll. The adjustment mechanism is operable to move the third roll to vary a wrap length of the web contacting the outer surface of the first roll upstream from the fixing nip to control pre-heating of the web and marking material by contact with the outer surface prior to entering the fixing nip. The first roll and second roll are operable to apply heat and pressure to the pre-heated web and marking material at the fixing nip to fix the marking material to the web. |
| US08478175B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A control portion obtains a first difference in a movement amount between paper passing period and paper non-passage period of a transfer belt, and determines whether or not a first absolute value thereof is a first threshold value or more. In a case where the first absolute value is the first threshold value or more, a transfer belt unit positional adjustment motor is driven to adjust a first angle with respect to a first direction of a transfer belt unit with respect to a photoreceptor drum. In a case where the first absolute value is less than the first threshold value, a second absolute value of a second difference between a movement amount and a designed value set in advance of the transfer belt is obtained, and whether or not the second absolute value is a second threshold value or more is determined. When the second absolute value is less than the second threshold value, the processing is finished, and when the second absolute value is the second threshold value or more, a second angle with respect to a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the driving roller with respect to the photoreceptor drum is adjusted so as to be less than the second threshold value by a driving roller positional adjustment motor. |
| US08478167B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus is provided with an image forming station including photoconductive drums and adapted to form toner images on surfaces of the respective photoconductive drums, and a drive control unit for rotating and driving the photoconductive drums. The image forming station includes a reference pulse output section for generating a reference pulse having a cycle equal to or an integral multiple of a rotation cycle of the photoconductive drums and outputting the reference pulse to the drive control unit. The drive control unit includes a phase peak detector for detecting phase peaks of surface speeds of the photoconductive drums, a phase difference detector for detecting phase differences between an edge of the reference pulse and the phase peaks, and a phase synchronization controller for synchronizing phases of the surface speeds of the photoconductive drums by controlling rotation speeds of the photoconductive drums according to the phase differences. |
| US08478166B2 |
Electrophotographic image forming apparatus having removable cartridge with coupling member
A cartridge mountable in an image forming apparatus includes a rotatable member, a hollow cylindrical portion, having first and second inner grooves, that transmits a rotational force to the rotatable member, a coupling member having a spherical base portion and an axially movable pin penetrating the spherical base portion and having first and second end portions projected outside the base portion, and a limiting portion, provided in the first inner groove, for limiting axial movement of the pin. When the coupling member is inclined to a maximum extent within a predetermined inclination range, after movement of the pin is limited, so that the first end portion moves away, and the second end portion moves toward, the rotatable member, the first end portion is disengaged from the first inner groove, whereas the second end portion is engaged with the second inner groove. |
| US08478163B2 |
Image forming device, toner cartridge, developer cartridge, and image bearing member cartridge
A photosensitive member cartridge 20, a developing cartridge 40, and a toner cartridge 60 can be mounted in and removed from a common mounting/removing opening 2a through a common path without enlarging the device. The mounting/removing opening 2a also can be made comparatively small. Thus, a configuration is simplified. The toner cartridge 60 can be mounted or removed by rotating a handle 62 to an upper direction. The developing cartridge 40 and the toner cartridge 60 can be mounted or removed by pressing down a handle 25. The photosensitive member cartridge 20, the developing cartridge 40, and the toner cartridge 60 can be individually exchanged depending on lifetime of the cartridges. |
| US08478159B2 |
Image forming apparatus with a vibration prevention member
A developing unit is pivotally supported by a pivot pin so as to be swingable, and a forcing lever forces a developing roller towards a photosensitive drum so that an outer circumferential surface of a DS roller makes contact with an outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum. This maintains, at a specified value, a developing gap between the photosensitive drum and the developing roller. A sympathetic vibration prevention member in which an elastic member is provided on an upper surface of the base member is inserted between a lower portion of a housing of the developing unit and a guide rail provided under the lower portion. This prevents the developing unit from vibrating in sympathetic with vibration during the transportation of the image forming apparatus, which prevents the toner from spilling out. |
| US08478158B2 |
Developing device
A developing device includes a developer carrier, a developing unit housing which rotatably supports the developer carrier, a side seal member which comes into slidable contact with both ends of the developer carrier, a sheet-like elongated seal member which extends in the axial direction of the developer carrier so as to come into slidable contact with the developer carrier, a side seal attachment surface which is formed in the developing unit housing and to which the side seal member is attached, and a support portion which is formed in the developing unit housing and protrudes toward the developer carrier from the side seal attachment surface to support the elongated seal member. The elongated seal member is attached onto the support portion in a state where both ends thereof overlap the side seal member and are opposite the side seal attachment surface. |
| US08478155B2 |
Information processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and job processing method for the same
An information processing apparatus to output, to an image forming apparatus, a print job using paper stored in paper feed units includes an acquisition unit, a generation unit, an addition unit, and a transmission unit. The acquisition unit acquires configuration information for each paper feed unit including type and number of sheets of paper capable of storage in each paper feed unit. The generation unit generates, based on type and number of sheets of paper required to be used for an externally acquired print job and the acquired configuration information, paper allocation information for associating a paper feed unit with type and number of sheets of paper in such away as to reduce replacement of paper. The addition unit adds the generated paper allocation information to the print job. The transmission unit transmits the print job with the added paper allocation information to the image forming apparatus. |
| US08478152B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method using different transfer voltages when recording material is heated in different image forming modes using different numbers of heating device
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for carrying a toner image, a transferer supplied with a voltage to transfer a toner image from the member onto a recording material in a transfer portion, heaters with different heating conditions for heating the image transferred onto the material, a refeeder for refeeding the material to the transfer portion to transfer the image onto the material having the image fixed by the heater, a selector for selecting the glossiness of the image after fixing, a device for determining the heater to heat the image from the heaters in accordance with the glossiness selected by the selector, and a device for changing the voltage for transferring the image onto the refed material in accordance with the heater having heated the image on the material prior to the material being refed by the refeeder. |
| US08478148B2 |
Fixing unit and image forming apparatus
A fixing unit includes: a support member; an endless-belt-like fixing member which is wound on the support member; a pressure member which rotates in a fixed rotation direction while being pressed onto the fixing member; a fixing portion in which the fixing member and the pressure member abut against each other to perform fixation on a recording medium; a separation unit which is provided in a space between the support member and the fixing member on a downstream side of the fixing member in a rotation direction of the fixing member and for separating the recording medium from the fixing member; a separation portion which is provided in the separation unit to press the fixing member onto the pressure member and guide the fixing member to leave the pressure member; and an adjustment unit as defined herein. |
| US08478143B2 |
Heating device and image forming apparatus
A heating device includes: a heat generating unit generating heat in response to energization of an alternating-current power supply; a zero-crossing signal generating circuit generating a zero-crossing signal in synchronization with a zero-crossing time of the alternating-current power supply; an energization regulating unit regulating an energization period of the heat generating unit by the alternating-current power supply; a voltage change rate detecting unit detecting whether a rate of voltage change of the alternating-current power supply at the zero-crossing time is equal to or larger than an predetermined value; a switching unit switching on and off a connection between the alternating-current power supply and the heat generating unit; and an energization disabling unit disabling energization of the heat generating unit by controlling the switching unit when the rate of voltage change is equal to or larger than the predetermined value. |
| US08478142B2 |
Image forming apparatus and toner sensor status sensing method thereof and determination of agitator abnormality
An image forming apparatus which comprises a developing unit having a toner and a developer therein, the apparatus includes a toner sensor to receive a control voltage and to generate an output voltage corresponding to a remaining amount of the toner in the developing unit, a pulse width modulator to supply the control voltage to the toner sensor corresponding to a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal and a controller to control the pulse width modulator to supply the control voltage to the toner sensor to adjust a duty ratio of the PWM signal and make the output voltage reach a target value. |
| US08478135B2 |
Method and apparatus for polarization-division-multiplexed optical receivers
An optical receiver includes a two-stage constant modulus algorithm (CMA) equalizer. The first stage is a modified version of a CMA equalizer and the second stage is a conventional CMA equalizer. The first stage may be made up of four sub-equalizers, of which only two of the sub-equalizers are independent, i.e., uncorrelated to each other. This first stage equalizer compensates for polarization-mode dispersion (PMD). The second stage equalizer is a conventional CMA equalizer made up of four sub-equalizers that are adjusted independently. This second stage equalizer may compensate for polarization-dependent loss (PDL). The receiver includes a first processor that determines PMD information based on a plurality of transfer function parameters of the modified CMA equalization of the first stage equalizer and the modified-equalized output and a second processor that determines PDL based on a plurality of transfer function parameters of the CMA equalization of the second stage equalizer. |
| US08478133B2 |
Method for encoding and decoding of optical signals
The present invention refers to a method for robust multi-level encoding of optical signals. The method uses a transmitter that transforms electric signals into optical signals and a receiver capable to transform optical signals into electric signals. The transmitter is capable to generate optical pulses having at least two different durations. The amplitudes of the pulses are preferably close to each other. The transmitter is fast, and the receiver is slow such that the response time of the receiver exceeds at least the shortest of the durations of the optical pulses. Then the receiver effectively integrates the optical signal and generates the electric signal having a larger amplitude when the optical signal has a larger duration. Thus, the method converts the modulation in pulse duration into the modulation in signal amplitude. In different embodiments of the present invention, the transmitter can be realized by a light-emitting diode, superluminescent light-emitting diode, or a diode laser. The receiver can be realized by a p-i-n diode, by a resonant cavity photodetector, or by an avalanche photodiode. |
| US08478131B2 |
Optical communication system having enhanced spectral efficiency using electronic signal processing
An optical communication system combines strong electrical pre-filtering of data at the transmitter and digital feedback equalization (DFE) at the receiver to enhance spectral efficiency. The system can be applied to optical networking and digital communication systems, including binary modulated systems optical network systems. |
| US08478130B2 |
Optical communication device
An optical communication device includes a transmitter module and a receiver module. The transmitter module includes a two laser sources, two optical modulators optically coupled to the two light sources, respectively, and an optical coupler, a semiconductor optical amplifier, an optical coupler, four optical band-pass filters or a demultiplexer, and an optical multiplexer optically coupled in series. The laser beams emitted from the two laser sources are converted into four laser beams having different frequencies due to a four-wave mixing effect occurring in the semiconductor optical amplifier. The receiver module includes a demultiplexer and four photoelectric conversion elements to receive the four laser beams respectively and convert them to electrical signals. |
| US08478128B2 |
Transceiver module and integrated circuit with dual eye openers
A transceiver module having integrated eye diagram opening functionality for reducing jitter is described. The transceiver module may include a transmitter eye opener and a receiver eye opener integrated in a single circuit. The transceiver module may also include serial control and various other integrated components. Other functionalities that may be integrated on the transceiver module include loopback modes, bypass features, bit error rate testing, and power down modes. |
| US08478126B1 |
Phase lock loop for optical wireless network
An apparatus comprises a platform, an optical transmitter associated with the platform, an optical detector associated with the platform, a sensor associated with the platform, a phase-locked loop circuit, and a processor unit associated with the platform. The optical transmitter is configured to transmit first optical signals. The optical detector is configured to receive optical signals. The phase-locked loop circuit is configured to indicate a presence of second optical signals in the optical signals indicating a time interval to transmit information in the first optical signals. The processor unit is electrically connected to the optical detector, the optical transmitter, and the sensor. The processor unit is associated with the phase-locked loop circuit. The processor unit is configured to transmit the information in the first optical signals using the optical transmitter during the time interval. |
| US08478124B1 |
Optical IMA architecture
The present invention is a device including a wavelength division multiplexer for multiplexing a plurality of optical carrier signals on an optical fiber. A mission processor, including an optical line terminal (OLT) is communicatively coupled to a wavelength division multiplexor branch unit via an optical fiber for generating a plurality of fiber optic branches. A plurality of fiber optic branches communicatively coupled with the wavelength division multiplexor branch unit for communicating one or more signals to at least one optical network unit, wherein the mission processor transmits a first signal having at least one downstream wavelength to the wavelength division multiplexor branch unit, and wherein the plurality of fiber optic branches are configured for transmitting a branch signals having a plurality of wavelengths. |
| US08478123B2 |
Imaging devices having arrays of image sensors and lenses with multiple aperture sizes
An array camera may be formed from an array of lenses, an array of corresponding apertures, and an array of corresponding image sensors. The array of apertures may be configured so that some image sensors receive light through apertures of different size than other image sensors. Providing apertures of smaller size increases the F/# of an array camera and increases the depth-of-field in a captured image. The array of image sensors may include a near-infrared image sensor. Providing an image sensor array with a near-infrared image sensor may enhance depth information in captured images or increase night vision capabilities of an array camera. Combining an array of image sensors that includes a near-infrared sensor with an array of apertures having different aperture diameters may allow increased depth-of-field imaging, enhanced extraction of depth information from an image, improved night vision, enhanced image clarity or other improvements. |
| US08478118B2 |
Systems and methods for temperature sensing in a deicer
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a deicer system for heating water within a fluid receptacle to prevent ice from forming including a main body configured to be positioned within the fluid receptacle, a heating element adapted to heat the water, a temperature sensor adapted to detect a temperature, and a control unit in communication with the heating element and the temperature sensor. The heating element is supported by the main body. The temperature sensor is thermally connected to the heating element. The control unit is adapted to determine a temperature of the water based at least in part on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The control unit is adapted to control the heating element based at least in part on the determined temperature of the water. |
| US08478113B2 |
Video server
According to one embodiment, a video server includes a plurality of processors and a log data integration unit. Each of the plurality of processors includes a generation module, a storage module, and a transmission module. The generation module generates the log data including at least an event occurrence time. The storage module stores the log data. The transmission module transmits the log data stored in the storage module to the log data integration unit via the common bus. The log data integration unit includes a reception module and an integration module. The reception module receives the log data from the plurality of processors via the common bus. The integration module integrates the received log data in an occurrence time order. |
| US08478112B2 |
Digital broadcast recording device
A digital broadcast recording device includes a receiving component, a program information memory component, a first setting component, a second setting component, an extraction component and a recording execution component. The first setting component sets a recording condition based on a first operation input. The recording condition indicates whether to record program information corresponding to one physical channel, or to record program information corresponding to a subset of a specific number of sub-channels included in the one physical channel. The second setting component sets a channel number corresponding to the subset of the specific number of the sub-channels based on a second operation input. The extraction component extracts the program information corresponding to the subset of the specific number of the sub-channels set by the second setting component. The recording execution component records the program information to the program information memory component. |
| US08478093B2 |
Multimode interference coupler and method for the structural configuration thereof
A multimode interference coupler includes at least one supply waveguide and at least one output waveguide, wherein the coupler has along its longitudinal extent in the direction of the supply waveguide at least one longitudinal section in which the refractive index has a locally oscillating profile in a direction running substantially at right angles to the direction of the supply waveguide. A method for the structural configuration of such a multimode interference coupler. |
| US08478091B2 |
Single-Stage 1×5 grating-assisted wavelength division multiplexer
A single-stage 1×5 grating-assisted wavelength division multiplexer is provided. A grating-assisted asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a plurality of grating-assisted cross-state directional couplers and a plurality of novel side-band eliminators are combined to form the multiplexer. Only general gratings are required, not Bragg grating, for 5-channel wavelength division multiplexing in a single stage. A nearly ideal square-like band-pass filtering passband is obtained. The present disclosure can be used as a core device in IC-to-IC optical interconnects for multiplexing and demultiplexing of an optical transceiver. The present disclosure has a small size and good performance. |
| US08478090B2 |
Optical waveguide device and manufacturing method of optical waveguide device
A 90-degree optical hybrid interferometer having an optical path length difference to a pair of the optical signal waveguide arm and the local oscillator optical waveguide arm at either the I phase side or the Q phase side at the TE optical signal side and the TM optical signal side respectively thus giving a phase delay to output interference signals of the I phase side and the Q phase side. The 90-degree optical hybrid interferometer has eight output ports arranged in order of Ip, In, Qp, and Qn at both the TE side and the TM side respectively, by setting the output phase difference which is the sum of the phase difference according to the optical path length difference and phase conversion characteristics of each optical coupler at the I phase side and the Q phase side and the phase delay, as +π/2. |
| US08478086B2 |
Imaging laser diodes with a lightwave circuit
An apparatus for imaging light from a plurality of laser diodes (504) onto a multi-channel light valve (6) includes a plurality of laser diodes each coupled to at least one fiber waveguide (508). A planar lightwave circuit (408) is coupled to at least one waveguide on a first side (508), and to the multi-planar light valve (6) on a second side. |
| US08478084B2 |
Beam area adjustment through fiber bending
A device having two sets of raised portions inside a metal case is provided for bending an optic fiber. According to some embodiments, the two sets of raised portions are on two plates that are biased apart by a spring means. According to some embodiments, the metal case prevents viewing of an optic fiber in the metal case. According to some embodiments, an adjustable stopping element is provided to limit movement of the two plates toward each other. |
| US08478083B2 |
Multi-stage polarization rotator
Consistent with the present disclosure, a rotator is provided that includes multiple stages, each of which including waveplate and delay sections. The waveplate and delay sections each exhibit birefringence and have polarization eigen states that are tilted with respect to each other. The lengths of the delay and waveplate sections are selected such that, for example, a relatively high extinction ratio can be achieved over a relatively wide range of fabrication perturbations to the waveplates or delay sections and over a relatively wide range of wavelengths. Accordingly, the rotator consistent with the present disclosure is more tolerant of deviations in the optical signal polarization. |
| US08478080B2 |
Securing of documents by means of digital watermark information
In the production of a document, image information is incorporated into a plurality of layers of the document such that the pieces of image information are combined into a total image. The image information in at least two of the layers includes digital watermark information. The entirety of the digital watermark information in the at least two layers forms a security feature for an authentication of the document. The invention further relates to a respective document, a method for authentication, and a device for authentication. |
| US08478076B2 |
Alignment of digital images and local motion detection for high dynamic range (HDR) imaging
Image alignment operations particular suited for High Dynamic Range (HDR) image generation are described. Image pyramids may be generated using reference and source images. Difference bitmaps, based on a number of pixel shift combinations in the x and y directions, can be divided into tiles and analyzed and, for each pyramid level, an optimal shift direction determined. The tiles can then be pruned using a threshold such that only those tiles contributing up to the threshold are projected to a subsequent pyramid level. The alignment vector for each level can be aggregated to determine a final alignment vector which can be used to shift the source image. This process may be repeated for another source image, and the two source images and reference image, once aligned, may be merged to generate an HDR image. |
| US08478072B2 |
Device, method, and program for image processing
An image processing device includes a subject region detector that detects a subject region from an input image; a cutting unit that cuts an image of the subject region from the input image; a priority calculator that calculates a priority of each of predetermined regions on a boundary with respect to the subject region, for the input image; a retrieval unit that retrieves a region similar to an image of a predetermined region with a top priority from among the priorities, from the input image after the image of the subject region is cut; a recovery unit that recovers the subject region by copying an image of an adjacent region that is adjacent to the region similar to the predetermined region retrieved by the retrieval unit and includes a region corresponding to a region cut as the subject region, and by pasting the image obtained by copying onto the region that is adjacent to the predetermined region with the top priority and cut as the subject region; and a composition unit that combines the image of the subject region cut by the cutting unit with the image with the subject region recovered by the recovery unit. |
| US08478070B2 |
Information processing apparatus, block detection method, and program
There is provided an information processing apparatus according to the present invention including a Hough transform unit executing the Hough transformation on a biometrics image which is image information unique to a living body, and a block detection unit detecting whether a block having a predetermined shape is included in a Hough space image which is a Hough-transformed biometrics image, outputting present position information representing a position at which the block is located in the Hough space image when the block is determined to be included in the Hough space image. |
| US08478069B2 |
Deconvolution for the reduction of blurring induced by internal reflections
A system and method of image processing employ mathematical deconvolution to estimate the magnitude and location of a target object within an image. Both the nature of internal reflections and the convolution process by which each internal reflection contributes to blurring of the acquired image data may be measured and modeled. In accordance with mathematical deconvolution techniques, the combined effects of these internal reflections may be reduced to the extent that respective contributions of the target object and each individual reflection may be distinguished and quantified. |
| US08478068B2 |
Image processing device, electronic instrument, and information storage medium for evaluating composition of input image
An image processing device includes a weighted image generation section that generates a weighted image in which at least one of an object-of-interest area of an input image and an edge of a background area other than the object-of-interest area is weighted, a composition grid generation section that generates a composition grid that includes grid lines that are weighted, and a composition evaluation section that performs composition evaluation calculations on the input image based on the weighted image and the composition grid. |
| US08478065B2 |
Pixel processing
A method of processing pixels of an image comprises determining the most homogenous region of the image, calculating a threshold (th) according to the content of the determined region, selecting pixels in the image according to the calculated threshold (th), and applying a gain to the selected pixels. The method can also further comprise calculating the gain according to the content of the image. |
| US08478064B2 |
Selective diffusion of filtered edges in images
An edge-preserving diffusion filter maintains the sharp edges in images while smoothing out image noise. An edge-preserving diffusion filter applies an edge-preserving smoothing filter to an image to form a filtered image. The modified image is then blurred by a blurring filter to form a blurred image. The modified image and the blurred image are blended together to form an output image based on an error metric associated with each pixel. The edge-preserving diffusion filter may be utilized to perform a multilevel decomposition of the image. The edge-preserving diffusion filter may be applied to an unfiltered image to produce a base image. The difference between the unfiltered image and the base image defines a detail image. The detail image may be used as the input for recursively generating additional levels of detail. The multilevel decomposition may utilize filter kernels associated with different contrast levels for each iteration. |
| US08478060B2 |
Method and device for compressing an image and storage medium carrying an image compressed by said method
The invention is related to a method for compressing images. The proposed method comprises associating perceptual importance parameters with pixels of the image, applying a transform on the image, partitioning the transformed image into code blocks and encoding coefficient bits of a given code block together from a most significant bit plane towards a least significant bit plane, wherein encoding of at least one coefficient is truncated at a truncation bit plane depending on the perceptual importance parameter associated with the pixel to which said code block coefficient corresponds. Truncating encoding of coefficients in dependency on the perceptual importance of the pixel associated with the coefficient allows for truncating coefficients corresponding to perceptually less important pixels at more significant bit planes. So, the overall perceptual quality of the compressed image is enhanced. |
| US08478055B2 |
Object recognition system, object recognition method and object recognition program which are not susceptible to partial concealment of an object
An object recognition system in which fall of the recognition rate is suppressed when an object is recognized based on an image even if there is a partial concealment and the object can be recognized even if the region of concealment is large with large calculation amount. With regard to each of a plurality of partial regions of an object image, partial recognition score of recognition object category is determined by judging whether it is a recognition object category or not. Under a condition that it is a recognition object category, total score is calculated using the total product of nonoccurrence probability of the partial recognition score, and a judgment is made that the object is not a recognition object category by that total score. |
| US08478054B2 |
Method and system for text classification
The present disclosure discloses simplified text classification with improved classification accuracy. The content of receive text is segmented to obtain multiple words. A sum of word vectors of the multiple words at a first level vector space of a vector space group is determined. A vector space in the vector space group is composed of one or more direct child classes that are non-leaf child classes in a tree class structure. The text is classified into a class among various class of the first level vector space that has a shortest distance to the sum of the word vectors. |
| US08478052B1 |
Image classification
An image classification system trains an image classification model to classify images relative to text appearing with the images. Training images are iteratively selected and classified by the image classification model according to feature vectors of the training images. An independent model is trained for unique n-grams of text. The image classification system obtains text appearing with an image and parses the text into candidate labels for the image. The image classification system determines whether an image classification model has been trained for the candidate labels. When an image classification model corresponding to a candidate label has been trained, the image classification subsystem classifies the image relative to the candidate label. The image is labeled based on candidate labels for which the image is classified as a positive image. |
| US08478051B2 |
Generalized statistical template matching under geometric transformations
A method of detecting a geometrically transformed object in an image comprises comparing a template comprising a plurality of line segments for the object with regions of an image, and determining a similarity measure that uses a statistical measure based on the sums of pixel values of line segments of the image corresponding to each of the line segments of the template. Embodiments of the invention use a discrete set of geometrically transformed versions of the template, for example using the similarity transform. |
| US08478048B2 |
Optimization of human activity determination from video
In an embodiment, automated analysis of video data for determination of human behavior includes providing a programmable device that segments a video stream into a plurality of discrete individual frame image primitives which are combined into a visual event that may encompass an activity of concern as a function of a hypothesis. The visual event is optimized by setting a binary variable to true or false as a function of one or more constraints. The optimized visual event is processed in view of associated non-video transaction data and the binary variable by associating the optimized visual event with a logged transaction if associable, issuing an alert if the binary variable is true and the optimized visual event is not associable with the logged transaction, and dropping the optimized visual event if the binary variable is false and the optimized visual event is not associable. |
| US08478046B2 |
Signature mark detection
A system and method for detection of signature marks in documents are provided. The method includes selecting candidate text objects in document pages and identifying a sequence of elements therein. The sequence has a numbering pattern including an incremental part and optionally a fixed part. Missing elements between two detected elements of the sequence are permitted. For an identified sequence, a model of the sequence is generated, which includes the numbering pattern of the sequence, an increment, which is computed based on the distance between pages on which consecutive elements of the sequence are identified, a valid sequence having an increment of greater than 1, and a first page, which corresponds to a page of the document on which the sequence starts. The sequence is then validated with the model, allowing elements of the sequence in the pages of the document to be identified as signature marks. |
| US08478045B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing an image comprising characters
Method and apparatus for processing an image including a character are disclosed. The method may include: searching in a set of characters one or more characters having highest similarities of shape to a character in the set of characters, hereinafter the character being referred to as a first character, the one or more searched characters forming a similar character list of the first character; searching in the set of characters one or more characters having highest similarities of shape to each character in the similar character list of the first character, to form a similar character list of each character in the similar character list of the first character; and selecting in the similar character lists one or more characters having a high mutual similarity between each other, as a character cluster. |
| US08478044B2 |
System and method for image segmentation by optimizing weighted curvature
A method for segmenting an object in a digital image includes computing, for each point vi in the image, weights wijk of a curvature clique vjvivk for each successive pair of edges eij, eik incident on point vi, decomposing each curvature clique into pairwise edge weights to form a new set of edges by adding, for all points vj, vk, an edge eij with weight wij, an edge eik with weight wik, and an edge ejk with weight wjk, where weight wij equals weight wik equals ½ wijk, and weight wjk equals −½ wijk, computing an indicator function of the points of the image indicative of whether each point belongs to an object of interest by minimizing a functional of the indicator function, and segmenting the object of interest from the image based on the value of the indicator function x at each image point. |
| US08478038B2 |
Method and system for predictive scaling of colour mapped images
A method for determining a scaled color map of a scaled image is described using the transformation of the original color map and the original image only, independently of the scaled image. A number of colors N in the original color map is determined; and provided N>Nmax, all colors in the original color map are reused in the scaled color map. If N |
| US08478037B2 |
Image capture and identification system and process
A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object. |
| US08478036B2 |
Image capture and identification system and process
A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object. |
| US08478035B2 |
Method and apparatus for engaging functionality with a color tag
A method of creating and/or detecting a color tag being displayed or to be displayed along with or as part of an image, wherein the color tag comprises an attribute or information identifying an attribute that will be communicated to an application and/or device. In one embodiment of this method, the application and/or device is capable of taking an action associated with the color tag. The method of creating a color tag further comprises associating the color tag with an image to be displayed on a display, wherein the color tag will be displayed with or as part of the image on the display. The method of detecting a color tag also comprises communicating the attribute or information identifying the attribute to the application and/or device capable of taking an action associated with the color tag. |
| US08478028B2 |
Method and system for converting at least one first-spectrum image into a second-spectrum image
Method for converting at least one image of a first spectrum into an image of a second spectrum, comprising: —recording at least one first-spectrum reference image (NRI) of at least one reference scene (RS) with a first-spectrum recording apparatus (1), the first-spectrum reference image (NRI) comprising first image portions with corresponding first-spectrum sensor reference data (b1, b2); —providing corresponding second-spectrum reference information (RGB); —providing at least one set of reference data (T1, T2) from at least part of the first-spectrum sensor reference data (b1, b2) relating to the reference scene (RS), and at least a corresponding part of the second-spectrum information (RGB) relating to that reference scene (RS); —providing at least one target first-spectrum image (NTI) or target second-spectrum image; and —converting each target first-spectrum image (NTI) or target second-spectrum image into a respective second-spectrum image (CI) or first-spectrum image, respectively, using the set of reference data (T1, T2). |
| US08478027B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image reproducing system and computer-readable medium
An image processing apparatus includes a storage unit, a judgment unit and a conversion unit. The storage unit stores a reference color characteristic. The judgment unit judges as to whether or not a difference between an input color characteristic that is a color characteristic of input image data and the reference color characteristic is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value. The conversion unit converts the input image data into a color characteristic that can be reproduced by an image reproducing apparatus, based on the reference color characteristic if the difference is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold value. |
| US08478026B2 |
Method and system for transparency adjustment and occlusion resolution for urban landscape visualization
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, a graphical presentation is generated from a data representation. A lens is applied to reveal a region-of-interest occluded by an occluding portion of an image. The lens includes an extent of the lens, a focal region including a magnification and a transparency to reduce occlusion of the region-of-interest by the occluding portion, and a shoulder region between the extent of the lens and the focal region. The shoulder region provides context for the focal region with respect to a portion of the image outside of the extent of the lens by preserving visibility of information surrounding the focal region. The shoulder region also has decreasing transparency as depth decreases from the focal region to the portion of the image outside of the extent of the lens. |
| US08478019B1 |
Apparatus and system for imaging currency bills and financial documents and method for using the same
A first plurality of documents is received, transported, and imaged to produce image data. Identifying information is extracted from the image data for each of the first plurality of documents. The document processing device determines whether each of the first plurality of documents satisfies a flag criterion. In response to one of the first plurality of documents satisfying the flag criterion, a visually readable image of at least a portion of the flagged document is displayed using the image data associated with a flagged document and a find document element is displayed. An activation of the find document element is received and the flagged document is designated as a find document by storing the extracted identifying information associated with the find document in a find document queue. |
| US08478018B2 |
Method for sample cell analysis using a virtual analysis plate
A method includes carrying out at least a first processing of a sample (2), the processing being adapted to mark pathological cells among the sample cells; and carrying out several image acquisitions of the sample (2) provided on an analysis plate (6) in order to obtain images each representing an area of the analysis plate (6) wherein the images set side by side define an image (20) of the entire sample. The method further includes automatically running all the acquired images of the sample (2) on a display at a predetermined running speed, the speed being adapted for enabling an observer to analyze the image and to determine if the represented sample area includes potentially pathological cells or not; and stopping the running if at least one abnormality is detected that may indicate the presence of a pathological cell. |
| US08478015B2 |
Extension of truncated CT images for use with emission tomography in multimodality medical images
An apparatus and method for expanding the FOV of a truncated computed tomography (CT) scan. An iterative calculation is performed on the original CT image to produce an estimate of the image. The calculated estimate of the reconstructed image includes the original image center and a estimate of the truncated portion outside the image center. The calculation uses an image mask with the image center as one boundary. |
| US08478014B2 |
Apparatus for generating an image of moving object
The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating an image of a moving object, wherein a movement of the object comprises a multiple of moving phases. The apparatus comprises a measured detection data providing unit (20) for providing measured detection data of the moving object, which have been detected by using a detection process and which are assigned to the moving phases. The apparatus comprises further a reconstruction unit (13) for reconstructing an image object of the object from the provided measured detection data and an adaptation unit (18) for adapting the image object for different moving phases such that simulated detection data are adapted to the measured detection data of the respective moving phase, wherein the simulated detection data are determined by simulating the detection process, which has been used for detecting the measured detection data assigned to the respective moving phase, with the image object. |
| US08478013B2 |
Automatic motion map generation in helical CT
As an illustration of generating a motion map, although the cardiac CT is described for selecting an optimal phase, the disclosure is not limited to the cardiac CT. For the cardiac CT, the cardiac phase map is efficiently generated based upon helical scan data, and the optimal phase is selected within a reasonable time. At the same time, the optimal phase is accurately determined based upon complementary rays as indexes for minimal movement so as to select the projection data for minimizing artifacts in reconstructed cardiac images. The helically scanned data reflect motion within the same cardiac cycle or over the continuous cardiac cycles. The application of the complementary ray technique to the helically scanned data is accomplished by three-dimensionally determining a pair of the complementary rays in order to take into account motion within the same cardiac cycle or over the continuous cardiac cycles. The absolute sum of the differences for the top ray and or the bottom ray is determined in order to determine the amount of cardiac motion. |
| US08478009B2 |
Generation and analysis of representations of skin conditions
Technologies are generally described for methods and systems for generating a representation of a skin condition. The method may include receiving first image data relating to a first image of a skin condition and second image data relating to a second image of the skin condition. The method may further include performing a component analysis of the first and second image data to generate a first and second weighted component analysis results for the first and second image data. The weighted component analysis results may represent the respective image data as a weighted sum of components. The method may further include performing a sampling analysis to the weighted component analysis results to generate a weighted image representation for the skin condition. The weighted image representation may represent the skin condition as a weighted sum of the components. |
| US08478008B2 |
Culture apparatus, culture information management method, and computer readable medium storing program of same
A temperature-controlled room accommodates an incubation container incubating a sample and maintains the inside thereof in a predetermined environment condition. An imaging section generates data of a plurality of observing images. An image analyzing section performs an image analyzing process on the data of the plurality of observing images obtained by imaging the incubation container at different times. Image analyzing data generated by the image analyzing section includes morphological information which indicates incubation states of the samples and rate-of-change information regarding the morphological information. A search processing section conducts a search for the incubation container which meets the first searching condition and the second searching condition based on the image analyzing data. |
| US08478007B2 |
Method for detecting ground glass opacity using chest computed tomography
There is provided a method for detecting Ground Glass Opacity (GGO) using chest computed tomography. The method includes detecting a candidate cell having a brightness value within a detection range by sequentially scanning a three-dimensional image of a pulmonary region, and designating the candidate cell as a seed cell when surrounding cells of the candidate cell have brightness values within the detection range; when a plurality of seed cells are obtained by the designating of the candidate cell as a seed cell, grouping adjacent seed cells to obtain one or more candidate zones; and detecting one or more zones, which have a greater size than a GGO detection size and including therein more than the detection reference number of seed cells, out of the one or more candidate zones, and setting the detected one or more zones as one or more GGO candidates. |
| US08478002B2 |
Method for analyzing object motion in multi frames
A method for analyzing object motion in multi frames adapted to an image capturing device is provided. Firstly, a plurality set of first sum of absolute difference (SAD) are obtained according to noise of the image capturing device under a plurality of light settings. Next, two frames are captured under a picturing light setting of the light settings. Then, a plurality of second SAD between the two frames are calculated. Afterwards, a plurality of object block within vein tracking of the object are found. Next, a local motion vector of each object block is respectively calculated according to the second SAD. Then, a first reliability of each object block is respectively calculated according to the second SAD and the set of the first SAD corresponding to the picturing light setting. Afterwards, the local motion vectors are estimated according to the first reliability to obtain a global motion vector. |
| US08477996B2 |
Method and device for finding and tracking pairs of eyes
A method for finding and subsequently tracking the 3-D coordinates of a pair of eyes in at least one face, including receiving image data, which contains a sequence of at least one digital video signal of at least one image sensor, finding eyes or tracking previously found eyes in the image data, ascertaining the 3-D coordinates of the found or tracked eyes, associating the found or tracked eyes with a pair of eyes and providing the 3-D coordinates of the pair of eyes. |
| US08477995B2 |
Image processing device and method
An image processing device comprises receiving means operable to receive, from a camera, a captured image corresponding to an image of a scene captured by the camera. The scene contains at least one object. The device comprises determining means operable to determine a distance between the object within the scene and a reference position defined with respect to the camera, and generating means operable to detect a position of the object within the captured image, and to generate a modified image from the captured image based on image features within the captured image which correspond to the object in the scene. The generating means is operable to generate the modified image by displacing the position of the captured object within the modified image with respect to the determined position of the object within the captured image by an object offset amount which is dependent on the distance between the reference position and the object in the scene so that, when the modified image and the captured image are viewed together as a pair of images on a display, the captured object appears to be positioned at a predetermined distance from the display. |
| US08477991B2 |
Method for watermarking free view video with blind watermark detection
The invention relates to a method for watermark embedding in multi views video comprising a plurality of views captured with a plurality of cameras comprising for each view a step of projecting the view onto a domain invariant to the plurality of views and to intermediate synthesized view, which depends on the locations, orientations, and intrinsic parameters of the cameras, resulting into an invariant vector; a step of applying a watermarking algorithm to the invariant vector resulting into a watermarked invariant vector; and a step of modifying the view to obtain a watermarked view, wherein said watermarked view when projected onto the invariant domain results into the watermarked invariant vector.The invention also relates to a method for watermark detection in a rendered view comprising a step of projecting the rendered view onto an invariant domain to the plurality of views resulting into an invariant rendered vector; a step of applying a watermark detection algorithm to the invariant rendered vector in order to assess the presence of a watermark. |
| US08477990B2 |
Reducing watermark perceptibility and extending detection distortion tolerances
The present disclosures relates generally to digital watermarking and data hiding. One claim recites a method comprising: obtaining data representing video; using one or more programmed electronic processors, embedding a first watermark signal in a first portion of the data, the first watermark signal comprising a first signal polarity; using one or more electronic processors, embedding a second watermark signal in a second portion of the data, the second watermark signal comprising a second signal polarity that is inversely related to the first signal polarity; rendering the watermarked video in real time, in which due to temporal averaging of the first watermark signal and second watermark signal over time, the first watermark signal and the second watermark signal are hidden from a human observer of the video. Of course, other claims are provided too. |
| US08477989B2 |
Method of taking an image of an object residing in a transparent, colored container
A method of acquiring an image of a pharmaceutical in a colored, transparent pharmaceutical vial includes the steps of: providing a generally cylindrical, colored, transparent pharmaceutical vial having a closed lower end, the lower end having a radially outward lower section, a radially inward upper section, and a transition section that merges with the upper and lower sections; identifying the transition section of the vial with a vision system; detecting the color of the transition section; illuminating the vial; acquiring an image of the vial and pharmaceutical; and adjusting the colors of the image based on the color of the transition section. In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of comparing the image to a pre-stored image of an expected pharmaceutical to determine whether the identity of the pharmaceutical in the vial matches the identity of the expected pharmaceutical. This method can improve the reliability and consistency of the images produced. |
| US08477988B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus and computer readable medium
An image processing apparatus has a read image acquisition section and a specific image region extraction section. The read image acquisition section acquires read image data which is obtained by reading a front face and a rear face of a document. The specific image region extraction section extracts, as a specific image region, from among local regions existing at corresponding positions of the front face and the rear face of the read image data, a local region in which an amount of difference of at least one of hue degree, brightness degree or saturation degree between the front face and the rear face is within a predetermined range. |
| US08477983B2 |
Multi-microphone system
A microphone system implements multiple microphones on a single base. To that end, the microphone system has a base, and a plurality of substantially independently movable diaphragms secured to the base. Each of the plurality of diaphragms forms a variable capacitance with the base and thus, each diaphragm effectively forms a generally independent, separate microphone with the base. |
| US08477982B2 |
Noise-vibration microphone stand
The present invention discloses a noise-vibration (NV) microphone stand for holding an NV microphone a predetermined distance from a surface that the NV microphone stand is attached to. The NV microphone stand can include a rod having an attachment end that is operable to attach to the surface to be tested and with the rod extending away from the surface. In addition, an arm can be attached to and extend from the rod, the arm having an NV microphone bracket spaced apart from the rod. The NV microphone bracket can have an opening that is dimensioned for the NV microphone to slide therewithin, the opening having a plurality of friction wiper blades that come into contact with the NV microphone when it slides within the bracket. |
| US08477977B2 |
Hearing device with user control
The hearing device comprises a connector (2) having at least one electrical contact (6); and a user control (8); wherein said user control (8) comprises said at least one electrical contact (6). Typically, said connector is a connector for providing a communication connection to said hearing device. The user control can be a pushbutton switch. In one embodiment, said connector comprises at least two electrical contacts (6), and said user control comprises a shorting member (12) for shorting said at least two electrical contacts when operated. In one embodiment, said user control comprises an elastic member (14), which is deformed when said user control is operated, for resetting said user control into its original position. Through this, a small-size hearing device can be realized. The method of operating a hearing device comprises the step of using at least one electrical contact (6) of a connector (2) of said hearing device as a part of a user control (8) of said hearing device. |
| US08477976B2 |
Method for the detection of whistling in an audio system
A method for detecting whistling in an audio system includes determining an average frequency of an input signal of the audio system, sampling the input signal in consecutive blocks of at least one sample, wherein the average frequency is determined blockwise, and determining whether feedback related whistling is present in the input signal of the audio system by evaluating a stability of the average frequency, wherein the evaluation of the stability of the average frequency comprises: determining a difference of two values of the determined average frequency for two blocks, and comparing the determined difference to a first threshold value. |
| US08477972B2 |
Method for operating a hearing device
A method for operating a hearing device comprising an input transducer (1), an output transducer (3) and a signal processing unit (2) for processing an output signal of the input transducer (1) to obtain an input signal for the output transducer (3) by applying a transfer function to the output signal of the input transducer (1) is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: extracting features (fv) of the output signal of the input transducer (1), classifying the extracted features (fv) by at least two classifying experts (E1, . . . , Ek), weighting the outputs of the at least two classifying experts (E1, . . . , Ek) by a weight vector (w) in order to obtain a classifier output (co), adjusting at least some parameters of the transfer function in accordance with the classifier output (co), monitoring a user feedback (uf) that is received by the hearing device, and updating the weight vector (w) and/or one of the at least two classifying experts (E1, . . . , Ek) in accordance with the user feedback (uf). |
| US08477963B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program for suppressing noise
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program, which can suppress a low frequency range component with a small amount of calculation, and can achieve a noise suppression of high quality, are provided. The noise superposed in a desired signal of an input signal is suppressed by converting the input signal to a frequency domain signal; correcting an amplitude of the frequency domain signal to obtain an amplitude corrected signal; obtaining an estimated noise by using the amplitude corrected signal; determining a suppression coefficient by using the estimated noise and the amplitude corrected signal; and weighting the amplitude corrected signal with the suppression coefficient. |
| US08477962B2 |
Microphone signal compensation apparatus and method thereof
A microphone signal compensation apparatus includes a plurality of audio input units to respectively receive a target signal, each audio input unit of the plurality of audio input units including a microphone; a constant filter unit to selectively apply a constant filtering calibration scheme to signals output by the plurality of audio input units to compensate for a difference in at least one characteristic among the audio input units, the constant filtering calibration scheme being estimated from an average value of a ratio of a desired signal to a reference signal among the signals output by the plurality of audio input units; and a noise remover to remove noise from the signals processed by the constant filter unit, and to separate the target signal from the signals from which the noise has been removed. |
| US08477961B2 |
Microphone array with rear venting
Microphone arrays (MAs) are described that position and vent microphones so that performance of a noise suppression system coupled to the microphone array is enhanced. The MA includes at least two physical microphones to receive acoustic signals. The physical microphones make use of a common rear vent (actual or virtual) that samples a common pressure source. The MA includes a physical directional microphone configuration and a virtual directional microphone configuration. By making the input to the rear vents of the microphones (actual or virtual) as similar as possible, the real-world filter to be modeled becomes much simpler to model using an adaptive filter. |
| US08477960B2 |
System for allowing selective listening on multiple televisions
Provided is an audio transmission system for use in environments having multiple televisions. An audio transmitter couples to a television via the television's audio output jack and frequency modulates the audio signal for transmission on a user selected channel. An audio receiver receives the frequency modulated audio signal and extracts the audio signal. The audio receiver may be charged in a charging station. |
| US08477959B2 |
Reversible personal audio device cable coupling
A apparatus and method for enabling signals representing a first audio channel and a second audio channel to be conveyed to a first earpiece and a second earpiece, respectively, regardless of which of the first and second earpieces a cable providing both the signals representing the first and second audio channels is coupled to, wherein a first acoustic driver of the first earpiece acoustically outputs the first audio channel and a second acoustic driver of the second earpiece acoustically outputs the second audio channel. |
| US08477956B2 |
Howling suppression device, howling suppression method, program, and integrated circuit
A howling suppression device that can reduce quality deterioration of processed sound includes: a delay unit delaying the input signal to output the delayed input signal as a reference signal; a signal separation unit including an adaptive filter extracting a periodic signal component from the reference signal by adaptively updating a filter coefficient; a howling detection unit detecting an occurrence of howling using at least a signal of the periodic signal component output from the adaptive filter; and a howling suppression unit. The howling suppression unit includes: a suppression filter obtaining the updated filter coefficient from the adaptive filter with timing when the howling detection unit detects the occurrence of the howling, to extract the periodic signal component from the reference signal based on the filter coefficient; and a subtractor subtracting the periodic signal component from the input signal so as to output a signal obtained by the subtraction. |
| US08477955B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a headphone
A method for controlling a headphone having a microphone for receiving noise and user signals, the received noise being used to reduce noise at an output of the headphone, includes detecting a signal by the microphone; if the signal has a predefined characteristic, the signal is mapped to a control command; and the headphone is operated according to the command. |
| US08477952B2 |
Audio system with feedback detection means
The invention concerns in a first aspect an audio system comprising a microphone, audio signal processing means, an output transducer and means for detecting a possible feedback tone and the corresponding frequency of the feedback tone in the audio system between the output transducer and the microphone. According to the invention means for counteracting feedback are provided. Further, means are provided for changing the phase of the audio signal at a given frequency. In a further aspect, a binaural hearing aid system comprising first and second hearing instruments according to the first aspect, each hearing instrument comprising transceiver circuitry allowing an exchange of signals between the two hearing instruments, and wherein the binaural hearing aid system is adapted to provide that a phase change introduced in the first audio signal by a controller of the first hearing instrument is or can be introduced in the second audio signal of the second hearing instrument via said transceiver circuitry. |
| US08477951B2 |
Front surround system and method of reproducing sound using psychoacoustic models
A front surround reproduction system improving the stereo effect of mid and low frequency signals by using a psychoacoustic model, and a method thereof. An audio reproducing system to reproduce multi-channel audio signals by using a plurality of speakers includes a split unit to copy the input multi-channel signals and to split the signals into two groups of multi-channel signals, a virtual sound processing unit to generate a virtual sound signal based on a head related transfer function (HRTF) from the one group of the multi-channel signals split in the split unit, a beam forming processing unit to generate a sound beam signal by adjusting the delays and levels of the multi-channel signals belonging to the other group split in the split unit, and a crossover network unit to adjust the characteristics of the virtual sound signal and the sound beam signal generated in the virtual sound processing unit and the beam forming processing unit, respectively, and to provide the virtual sound signal and the sound beam signal to mid and low frequency speaker arrays and high frequency speaker arrays, respectively. |
| US08477950B2 |
Home theater component for a virtualized home theater system
The present disclosure relates to a Wide Area Network (WAN) based home theater system. In one embodiment, a home theater at a subscriber premises includes multiple home theater components, which include multiple audio playback components and a video playback component. Each home theater component is enabled to receive data from and send data to a virtualized home theater service via a WAN. In operation, each home theater component receives an appropriate media content stream for the home theater component from the virtualized home theater service via the WAN and provides playback of the media content stream according to the absolute playback timestamps for the media content stream. |
| US08477947B2 |
Optical phase modulation method and apparatus for quantum key distribution
Provided is an optical phase modulating method and apparatus for a quantum key distribution. When an optical phase modulator is arranged outside an optical interferometer, a configuration of the optical interferometer may be simplified, and an extension of an optical path caused by the optical phase modulator, instability and an insertion loss increased in the optical interferometer, and the like, may be overcome. An output feature may be improved by adjusting an applied voltage of the optical phase modulator arranged outside the optical interferometer. |
| US08477945B2 |
Method and server for providing a mobile key
After a radio link is established between a mobile subscriber terminal and an access network, the subscriber is authenticated by a proxy server of an intermediate network forwarding, from the access network to a home network of the subscriber, authentication message(s) containing a subscriber identification. If the subscriber is authenticated and the subscriber identification is already stored in the proxy server, the proxy server assigns a group-specific mobile key to the subscriber identification. When the home agent receives a registration request message originating from a subscriber terminal and containing a subscriber identification and transmits a key request message, containing the subscriber identification, for a mobile key to the proxy server, if the subscriber identification in the key request message matches a subscriber identification stored by the proxy server, a mobile key for cryptographic protection of mobile signalling messages is provided to the home agent by the proxy server. |
| US08477942B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing service lists
A method and apparatus for managing service lists receives a service list and a security layer identifier at a device. The service list comprises at least two service identifiers. The method and apparatus determines whether the security layer is authorized for the device, and, for each service identified in the service list, when the security layer is authorized for the device the method and apparatus acquires each service in the service list that is not already installed in the device and enables each service in the service list that is not already enabled in the device. |
| US08477941B1 |
Maintaining secure communication while transitioning networks
A method and medium are provided for maintaining a secure communication of a media stream as a mobile device transitions from a first network a second network. A request is received from the mobile device to initiate a secure communication with an end point. The endpoint stores a unique identifier of the mobile device and a unique key that is usable to decrypt any securely communicated data received from the mobile device. Data is securely communicated from the mobile device to the end point. The mobile device communicates a second request to securely communicate as it transitions from the first network to the second network. A source identifier is determined from the second request to identify the mobile device as the source. The unique key, previously associated with the mobile device, is utilized to decrypt any data received from the mobile device. |
| US08477940B2 |
Symmetric cryptography with user authentication
A device uses a user authentication factor to generate a symmetric key for use in symmetric cryptography. The user authentication factor is encrypted and stored for authentication during decryption. |
| US08477939B2 |
Polarization-insensitive one-way quantum key distribution receiver, transmitter/receiver system
Provided are an apparatus for receiving a quantum cryptographic key and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a quantum cryptographic key at high speed without polarization drift of an optical pulse signal and phase drift of an interferometer. The apparatus for receiving a quantum key includes: a polarization-insensitive optical phase modulator parts for receiving an optical pulse signal, and modulating and outputting a phase of the optical pulse signal without being affected by the polarization state of the optical pulse signal; an asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer for causing interference in and outputting the optical pulse signal received from the polarization-insensitive optical phase modulator parts; and a photon detectors for detecting the optical pulse signal received from the asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer. According to the apparatuses, it is possible to perform quantum cryptography communication at high speed without being affected by polarization drift of an optical pulse signal and phase drift of an interferometer. |
| US08477937B2 |
Methods and systems for providing interference based physical-layer encryption
A method for encrypting an information carrier comprising generating a sequence of data using a sequence generator, modulating, using a first modulator an output from the sequence generator such that an interference signal results, encoding the interference generator's synchronization information using an encoder, modulating, using a second modulator, the encoded synchronization information such that a synchronization carrier signal results, spreading the synchronization carrier signal using a spreader such that a spread sub-carrier synchronization signal results, and combining the modulated information carrier signal, interference signal, and spread sub-carrier synchronization signal using a signal combiner such that a composite signal results, the interference signal having one or more signal characteristics that results in obfuscation of the information carrier signal when the information carrier signal and interference signal are combined. |
| US08477936B2 |
Management system including display apparatus and data management apparatus for displaying data on the display apparatus, and data acquisition method
In order to restrict a destination of data for security and facilitate acquisition of the data at the destination, a conference system includes an MFP and a projector, wherein the MFP prestores data for display in an HDD and includes an access key generating portion to generate an access key for an access to the display data and a data transmitting portion to transmit the display data on the condition that the access key is received from a PC, and the projector includes a wireless communication portion to wirelessly communicate with PCs within a predetermined distance, a projecting control portion to display the data stored in the HDD in the MFP, an access key acquiring portion to acquire the access key, and an access key transmitting portion to cause the wireless communication portion to transmit the access key when receiving a request from the PC via the wireless communication portion. |
| US08477935B2 |
Method and apparatus for calculating a polynomial multiplication, in particular for elliptic curve cryptography
Safeguarding communication channels is required in particular in wireless networks. The use of encryption mechanisms in the form of software is limited by the required calculation and energy capacities of mobile terminals. Costs are of significance when using hardware solutions for cryptographic operations. The present invention provides an approach which simultaneously tackles all those points. It concerns a hardware accelerator for polynomial multiplication in extended Galois fields (GF), wherein the per se known Karatsuba method is iteratively applied in accordance with the invention. When using the invention the area requirement can be reduced for example from 6.2 mm2 to 2.1 mm2. The solution according to the invention also reduces the energy consumption in comparison with solutions in accordance with the state of the art by 30%. |
| US08477934B2 |
Pairing computation device, pairing computation method and recording medium storing pairing computation program
There is provided a pairing computation device provided with a CPU which computes pairing e(S,Q) with SεG1, QεG2, χ being a given integer variable, and F being a rational function calculated using Miller's algorithm with respect to multi-pairing (MMA). An order r, a trace t of the Frobenius endomorphism φp are specified preliminarily using the integer variable χ according to an embedding degree k. The CPU performs pairing computation by means of: an input unit which inputs the integer variable χ, the rational point S, and the rational point Q into respective predetermined registers; a computation unit which computes F; a computation unit which computes a value at a rational point Q(xQ, yQ) of a straight line passing through given rational points; a computation unit which computes f′ χ,S(Q) using the aforementioned F and the value; and a computation unit which computes the pairing e(S,Q) using aforementioned f′ χ,S(Q) as [F83].[F83] e(S,Q)=f′χ,S(Q)(pk−1)/r. |
| US08477932B1 |
System and/or method for encrypting data
In one embodiment, progress of an encryption process may be tracked. This may comprise, for example, storing progress of an encryption process so that the encryption process may be resumed after an interruption of the encryption process. As such, progress data may identify a point in the encryption process so that encryption may be resumed from that point. In at least one embodiment, storing progress of an encryption process may comprise storing and/or otherwise providing the last segment of data that was encrypted and/or the last segment of data that was not encrypted. Additionally, a data structure, may provide a capability to mark or indicate a point of interruption of the encryption process and provide data that may be utilized to resume from the point of interruption the overall encryption process. |
| US08477925B2 |
Call method, device, and communication system for private branch exchange user
A call method, a device, and a communication system for a private branch exchange (PBX) user are provided. User data of the private branch exchange user may be sent to an application server when the private branch exchange user has opened an account but not registered. The application server may continue normal calling by using the user data of the private branch exchange user. The PBX user can make a successful call without independent registration when implementing independent supplementary services. |
| US08477923B2 |
Mid-call hand-off between end user terminals
A method of supporting a mid-call hand-off feature (22) is provided in a telecommunications network (40). The method includes: connecting a first call through a first switching facility (20) of the telecommunications network (40) such that a first party served by the first switching facility (20) and a second party are participating in the call; making a decision to invoke the mid-call hand-off feature (22); placing a second call from the first switching facility (20) to a designated telephone number; and, connecting the second party to the second call. |
| US08477920B2 |
Systems and methods for managing the status of participants of a tele-networking meeting
Systems and methods for managing the status of participants of a tele-networking meeting are disclosed. During a tele-networking meeting, a network device may monitor the talk time of each participant of the meeting. If a participant's talk time exceeds the target talk time, the network device may prompt the chair, and the chair may take action. Action may include managing a participants status by muting, disconnecting, or spinning the participant off into a subconference. Additionally, during a tele-networking meeting, a chair may also create a subconference on network device. Thus, the chair may be able to spin off participants of a tele-networking meeting into a subconference controlled by a subchair. |
| US08477917B1 |
System and method for providing telecommunication services to transient customers
A system and method for providing wireline telephone services may include providing wireline telephone service to a residence for a customer to place telephone calls. In response to receiving an activate code, the wireline telephone service may be activated. In response to receiving a deactivate code, the wireline telephone service may be deactivated. The customer may be billed for the wireline telephone service. In one embodiment, the customer is billed a premium service charge when the wireline telephone service is active and a lower service charge when the wireline telephone service is inactive. |
| US08477914B1 |
Automated communication escalation
Allowing an initiating party to invoke automated communication attempts that continue and escalate and limit a targeted party's wireless device capabilities until satisfactory communication is established with the targeted party is provided. After a number of unsuccessful attempts at communicating with the targeted party, the initiating party may activate an automated escalating communication system that encourages the targeted party to eventually respond due to escalating communications automatically sent to the targeted party or his/her affiliates or due to limiting controls placed on the targeted party's communication device. |
| US08477908B2 |
System and method for beam focusing and control in an indirectly heated cathode
An indirectly heated cathode assembly is presented. The indirectly heated cathode assembly includes at least one electron source for generating a first electron beam, an emitter for producing a second electron beam when heated by the first electron beam and a focusing electrode for controlling, and directing the first electron beam towards the emitter. |
| US08477904B2 |
X-ray diffraction and computed tomography
An imaging system combines CT and XRD measurements, both measuring the XRD diffraction and the absorption as a function of energy. A goniometer 2, source 4 and two dimensional detector 10 may be used. Embodiments use relatively soft X-rays in the 5-25 keV range. An integrated mounting unit to mount the sample 8 close to detector 10 is also described. |
| US08477903B2 |
Validating a compensator for use in a radiation therapy machine to treat a cancer patient
A method of validating a compensator for use in a radiation therapy machine to treat a cancer patient involves determining a radiation treatment plan based on a compensator description file that includes data representative of an actual machined surface of the compensator. The plan includes operating parameters of the radiation therapy machine, and this plan is compared against actual radiation measurements taken during a non-patient test of the radiation therapy machine with the compensator mounted to the machine. If the comparison results in a match, the compensator is validated for use in the radiation therapy machine to treat the cancer patient. |
| US08477902B2 |
Radiation inspection apparatus and inspection method for object security inspection
The present invention relates to a radiation inspection apparatus for object security inspection, comprising: a ray generator configured to emit a ray, a collimator configured to collimate the ray emitted from the ray generator, and a detector configured to receive the collimated ray collimated by the collimator, wherein the collimated ray forms an irradiated area on the detector included by an effective detect area of the detector. The present invention also relates to a method of performing a security inspection to a body using a radiation inspection apparatus. With the above technical solutions, the present invention can achieve a low single inspection absorptive dose and a micro dose inspection while meeting inspection requirements to improve public radiation security. |
| US08477899B2 |
Method for operating a reactor of a nuclear plant
A method of operating a nuclear reactor is disclosed. The reactor (1) encloses a core having a plurality of fuel rods (9). Each fuel rod (9) includes a cladding and fuel pellets of a nuclear fuel. The fuel pellets are arranged in an inner space of the cladding leaving a free volume comprising an upper plenum, a lower plenum and a pellet-cladding gap. The reactor is operated at a normal power and a normal inlet sub-cooling during a normal state. The reactor is monitored for detecting a defect on the cladding of any of the fuel rods. The operation of the reactor is changed to a particular state after detecting such a defect. The particular state permits an increase of the free volume in the defect fuel rod. The reactor is operated at the particular state during a limited time period, after which the reactor is operated at the normal state. |
| US08477898B2 |
Highly flexible fractional N frequency synthesizer
One embodiment of the present invention provides a phase-locked loop (PLL) for synthesizing a fractional frequency. The PLL can include a 1/N frequency divider, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a programmable phase mixer, and a phase detector. The programmable phase mixer can be coupled between an output of the VCO and an input of the frequency divider, wherein the programmable phase mixer is configured to receive the output clock signal from the VCO and generate a first clock signal of frequency f1 by varying a phase of the output clock signal. The frequency divider is configured to receive the first clock signal from the programmable phase mixer and generate a second clock signal of frequency f2=f1/N. The phase detector can receive a reference clock signal and the second clock signal as inputs, and the phase detector's output can be used to generate the control voltage for the VCO. |
| US08477896B2 |
Structure for window comparator circuit for clock data recovery from bipolar RZ data
A clock-data recovery doubler circuit for digitally encoded communications signals is provided. A window comparator includes two thresholds. A clock output is created by the window comparator and also used internally as feedback. Based on the clock output, the window comparator circuit collapses the thresholds while sampling input Bipolar return to zero data. |
| US08477894B2 |
Method and system for communication channel characterization
In accordance with the present invention, a method of processing a signal is described that includes receiving a signal having an encoded digital packet, wherein the digital packet includes packet data and a packet frame, wherein the packet frame includes a common digital signal that is common to each one of a plurality of digital packets. The method further includes sampling a signal associated with the received signal to provide a sampled signal. The method further includes performing a channel characterization by contrasting a signal representative of the sampled signal with a signal representative of the common digital signal. A corresponding system is also described. |
| US08477893B2 |
Multi-rake receiver
A receiver includes a select module, an enable module, and a receiver module. The select module is configured to detect (i) a number of antennas in the receiver, or (ii) a number of enabled receiver paths in the receiver. The select module is also configured to generate a receiver select signal and an adjustment signal based on (i) the number of antennas detected, or (ii) the number of enabled receiver paths detected. The enable module is configured to, based on the receiver select signal, (i) determine that at least one of the enabled receiver paths is an unnecessary receiver path, and (ii) disable the at least one of the enabled receiver paths. The receiver module is configured to, based on the adjustment signal, adjust a bandwidth of the receiver or coefficient values of the receiver. |
| US08477892B2 |
Method and apparatus for mitigation of interference
A method of reducing error in transmissions received in a receiver is provided. A transmission containing a synchronization signal is inputted through a first filter to a synchronization correlator, to generate a timing error of the synchronization signal. An amount of delay of the synchronization signal sufficient to reduce the timing error is determined. The transmission is delayed by the amount of delay by being passed through at least a second, variable filter whose delay is determined using a stochastic gradient algorithm. The synchronization correlator may also generate a deviation error of the synchronization signal and determine an amount of deviation correction sufficient to reduce the deviation error as well as generating a frequency error of the synchronization signal and determining an amount of frequency correction sufficient to reduce the frequency error. |
| US08477890B2 |
Geometric detector for communicating through constant modulus (CM) interferers
A desired signal modulated with N symbols is detected in the presence of a constant modulus (CM) interferer that produces M symbols. Observation samples corresponding to the desired signal and the interferer are obtained from a signal recovery stage. N observation constellations are defined, each having M constellation points corresponding to the symbols produced by the interferer, and the points form a circular perimeter of the constellation with a radius corresponding to the strength of the interferer. The perimeter of each constellation is centered on one of N defined symbol points representing the different possible symbols of the desired signal. Distances between the observation samples and the circular perimeter of each observation constellation are determined. For each observation sample, the symbol point on which the constellation perimeter closest to the sample is centered, is selected as a symbol of the desired signal. |
| US08477887B2 |
Systems and methods providing frequency-domain automatic gain control (AGC)
A method for Automatic Gain Control (AGC) in a receiver is performed by a circuit having an inner loop and an outer loop. The method includes performing an outer loop energy detection, mitigating interference using the outer loop energy detection, and performing a frequency domain energy measurement in the inner loop. The method also includes adjusting a digital gain component in the inner loop and an analog gain component in the outer loop in response to the frequency domain energy measurement. |
| US08477884B2 |
Accelerated turbo transceiver and method for MIMO system
A reception apparatus including: a detection unit detecting extrinsic information based on a tentative symbol decision signal, a channel estimation signal, a noise variance estimation signal, and a received signal that are obtained from a previous iteration process; a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) aided channel decoding unit outputting an interleaved bit or a posteriori information thereof based on the extrinsic information; a tentative symbol decision unit determining a tentative transmission symbol based on an output of the CRC aided channel decoding unit; a channel estimation unit estimating a channel based on an output of the tentative symbol decision unit; and a noise variance estimation unit estimating a noise variance based on the output of the tentative symbol decision unit and an output of the channel estimation unit is provided. |
| US08477881B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining receiver beam forming vectors in multi-user MIMO systems
According to one embodiment there is provided a method of determining receiver beam forming vectors for a plurality of receivers in a MIMO system. Each receiver comprises a plurality of receiver antennae. The MIMO system also comprises a plurality of transmitter antennae. The method comprises quantifying the properties of the channels of the MIMO system in a channel property matrix including interference between individual channels and performing Cholesky decomposition of the receiver property matrix row-by-row into a lower triangular matrix with unit elements along its diagonal, a diagonal matrix and the Hermitian transpose of said triangular matrix. Performing the Cholesky decomposition comprises determining, when performing a step of the Cholesky decomposition for a row, a receiver-beam forming vector associated with the row that maximises the component of the diagonal matrix in the row. |
| US08477880B2 |
Method and apparatus for signal detection based on MMSE in MIMO communication system
In a multi-input multi-output communication system receiving signals transmitted through a plurality of transmission antennas by using a plurality of reception antennas, a matrix determining a position of a symbol to be detected from a received signal is calculated at a first symbol detection step, and from the subsequent step, a matrix at the current step is acquired through a simple relationship from the matrix calculated at the previous step to determine a position of a symbol to be detected. |
| US08477877B2 |
Feed-forward carrier phase recovery for optical communications
The carrier phase of a carrier wave modulated with information symbols is recovered with a multi-stage, feed-forward carrier phase recovery method. A series of digital signals corresponding to the information signals is received. For each digital signal, a coarse phase recovery is performed to determine a first phase angle which provides a first best estimate of the information symbol corresponding to the digital signal. Using the first best estimate as input, a second stage of estimation is then performed to determine a second phase angle which provides an improved (second) best estimate of the information symbol. Additional stages of estimation can be performed. The multi-stage, feed-forward carrier phase recovery method retains the same linewidth tolerance as a single-stage full blind phase search method; however, the required computational power is substantially reduced. The multi-stage, feed-forward carrier phase recovery method is highly efficient for M-QAM optical signals. |
| US08477876B2 |
Fast blind channel search
A method for searching a digital transmission having unknown carrier and symbol frequencies in a modulated reception signal, includes performing successive trials of several carrier and symbol frequencies, using decreasing values of the symbol frequency, demodulating the reception signal with the tried carrier frequency, filtering the demodulated signal in a band having a width corresponding to the currently tried symbol frequency, and producing samples of the filtered signal. For each currently tried symbol frequency, forming a complex indicator having a real component and an imaginary component established from the successive samples of the filtered signal such that they have cyclostationary properties and that one of the components tends to cancel when the other component tends towards a relative maximum, building the spectrum of the variation of the complex indicator, searching for a singular spike in the spectrum, and determining the real symbol frequency from the frequency of the spike. |
| US08477871B2 |
Radio station and active antenna array
The present disclosure relates to a radio station providing a digital predistortion to be imposed on a payload signal. The digital predistortion is usable as a general predistortion for several transmit paths of the radio station. The radio station provides coupled transmit signals to be combined within a combiner forming a common feedback signal. The common feedback signal is relayed along a common feedback path. A digital predistortion update unit to updates the digital predistortion in order to linearize a transfer characteristics of the transmit paths. The disclosure relates to a method of digitally predistorting a payload signal in order to linearize a transmit characteristics of the transmit paths. The disclosure further relates to computer program products for the manufacture of the radio station and/or a computer product for the execution of the method digitally predistorting. The disclosure further relates to an antenna array comprising the radio station. |
| US08477869B1 |
Equal power output spatial spreading matrix for use in a wireless MIMO communication system
A symbol encoder unit is configured to produce two or more encoded spatial data streams, wherein a number, NSS, of the encoded spatial data streams is less than a number, NTX, of transmission antennas to be used to transmit the encoded spatial data streams. A spatial spreading unit is configured to utilize a spatial spreading matrix Q to distribute two or more encoded spatial data streams to the transmission antennas. Q has NTX rows and NSS columns, and Q satisfies one or more of the following two constraints: ∑ l = 1 N SS Q ( t , l ) 2 = A t B ( a ) for all t=1 . . . NTX., or ∑ l = 1 N SS S l Q ( t , l ) 2 = A t B ( b ) for all t=1 . . . NTX when Sl is equal to (i)−1 or (ii) 1. Q(t,l) is a component of Q at row t, column l, Sl is a symbol in an 1-th spatial stream. B is a constant, and A1, A2, . . . , ANTX is a sequence of constants. |
| US08477866B2 |
Calibration method for Tx/Rx path characteristic of channel sounder
The method includes performing a wired back-to-back test by forming M wired paths connecting one of the N transmission antennas with the M reception antennas through M cables, separating ith digital data corresponding to an ith receiver wired path from the plurality of digital data stored in the receiver wherein i is a natural number greater than 1 and smaller than M, extracting a time delay by decimating the separated ith digital data and performing sliding correlation on the decimated data, and extracting attenuation and phase characteristics of the ith receiver wired path by extracting samples after the time delay among the decimated samples. |
| US08477865B2 |
MIMO receiving apparatus and method
A coherent bandwidth calculation unit (41) calculates a coherent bandwidth based on a channel response in the time domain obtained from reception signals (R1-RN) for each path between transmitting antennas and receiving antennas. A weight calculation control unit (42) determines target subcarriers of equalization weight calculation based on the coherent bandwidth. A weight calculation unit (31) calculates the equalization weight of each target subcarrier. A weight interpolation unit (43) performs interpolation processing using the equalization weights so as to obtain equalization weights for the subcarriers that have not undergone equalization weight calculation yet. |
| US08477864B2 |
Method of multiple-antenna communication having improved utilization of channel correlations
A MIMO transmission scheme is provided which provides some advantages of the Alamouti code but which can be adapted so as to provide enhanced performance for a given amount of antenna correlation. A block of complex scalar input symbols is mapped to a block-code matrix which is transmitted as a spacetime signal matrix from an array of two or more antennas. The block-code matrix is assembled by combining input data with specified dispersion matrices. Each of the dispersion matrices is determined, in part, by an adjustable parameter which relates to a degree of beam-forming behavior by the transmission antenna array. |
| US08477862B2 |
Apparatus and method for trellis-based detection in a communication system
An apparatus for trellis-based detection in a communication system including a processor and memory having computer program code configured to construct a trellis representing a transmitted signal formed from a plurality of symbols, each having a constellation size, transmitted by a number of transmit antennas, and form a log likelihood ratio at nodes of the trellis as a log-sum of a number of exponential terms including a priori information corresponding to a hypothesized transmitted bit value of the plurality of symbols. The number of exponential terms is limited by a number of most likely paths of the trellis extending from each node of the trellis and the constellation size. The processor and memory including computer program code are configured to form a list at each node of the trellis of a size limited to the number of the most likely paths of the trellis extending from each node. |
| US08477855B2 |
Signal transmission system and semiconductor integrated circuit device
Disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit device including a transmitting circuit and a receiving coil inductively coupled to a transmitting coil. The transmitting circuit transmits data by supplying a current through the transmitting coil not at the time of transition of data but at every rising edge or falling edge of a clock used in transmission of data. At every rising edge or falling edge of the clock, a receiving circuit captures a voltage induced in the receiving coil due to the current flowing through the transmitting coil, reproduces the transmitted data and outputs the reproduced data. |
| US08477850B2 |
Information recording/reproducing apparatus
A video camera is provided not only with means for receiving any general captured images but also with means for receiving images from any other video input source. The video camera is also provided with an image input arbitration section that captures, after arbitration, video data coming from these two input means, and stores the resulting data into a memory. As such, when the video input source is a video output terminal of a car navigation system, the screen of the car navigation system, i.e., map information, can be stored in a memory together with a user's captured image. When the video camera is used for monitoring, data capturing into a memory is also enabled when the video input source is a medium already carrying therein map image data, e.g., USB flash memory and SD card, and means for reading the map image data from the medium. The data in the memory is subjected to a process of compression and encoding as moving images so that the image of position information and the user's captured image can be processed as a set of moving images. This accordingly enables to provide a system and method for recording and reproducing a set of moving images of the combination of an image of position information and a user-captured image with no need for a complicated process. |
| US08477844B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting video
A method of transmitting a coded media frame comprises determining a plurality of media frame sizes including a media frame size, transmitting an element comprising the plurality of media frame sizes, and thereafter receiving an input media frame. The method also includes processing the input media frame according to the media frame size to provide a coded media frame, and transmitting the coded media frame. |
| US08477842B2 |
Encoding method of screen frame and electronic device applying the same
An encoding method of screen frame and its application of electronic devices, which rapidly detect motion regions and motionless regions from lossless screen frames captured by software, and then encode the motion regions with lower image quality while encode motionless regions with higher quality to display higher quality images and smooth video at a receiving end in real-time. Furthermore, the above-mentioned encoding method is optimized for lossless screen frames which does not need complicated operations of video encoder of prior art, such as motion estimation, motion compensation, etc., so that the method can be implemented with minor system resources and lower latency delay. |
| US08477836B2 |
System and method for comparing an input digital video to digital videos using extracted and candidate video features
A method for managing digital videos includes extracting a feature of an input digital video, searching for candidate features having similarity to the extracted feature, and comparing the extracted feature with each of the candidate features to select at least one of the candidate features similar to the extracted feature and provide information on a digital video corresponding to the selected candidate feature. |
| US08477831B2 |
Multi-protocol multiple-data-rate auto-speed negotiation architecture for a device
An interface for use in a local device includes a transmitter portion programmably configurable to at least three data rates, a receiver portion programmably configurable to those at least three data rates, and an automatic speed negotiation module operatively connected to the transmitter portion and the receiver portion to configure the transmitter portion and the receiver portion for communication with a remote device at a single data rate that is a best available one of those at least three data rates. The date rate can be adjusted by adjusting transmitter data path width and receiver data path width, adjusting a frequency of said transmitter data path and said receiver data path, and oversampling. Byte serialization or deserialization can be enabled or disabled to alter the width of the data, depending on the data rate, for transfer to/from the remainder of the local device. |
| US08477830B2 |
Light monitoring system using a random phase multiple access system
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable media, for receiving monitor data from a lighting equipment monitor. A data stream is created based upon the monitor data. The data stream is spread with a common pseudo-noise (PN) code that is used by a plurality of nodes in communication with an access point. A frequency offset to the spread data stream based at least in part on a timing of the access point is applied. The spread data stream is transmitted with a randomly selected timing offset. |
| US08477829B2 |
Differential detection a communication system
In one embodiment, a detection unit includes a sequence providing unit to provide a third group of derived sequences. The third group for each first pseudo noise (PN) sequence has a derived sequence assigned to the first PN sequence. The detection unit includes a correlation unit, which is connected to the sequence providing unit and formed to calculate correlation results by correlating the differentially demodulated signal with each derived sequence of the third group. The detection unit includes an evaluation unit, which is connected to the correlation unit and is formed to derive the values of the data symbols by evaluating the correlation results. |
| US08477827B2 |
Spread-spectrum coding of data bursts
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for generating spread-spectrum coded signals for transmission in a wireless communication system, and particularly for generating spread sequences of data with spreading codes that facilitate computationally efficient frequency-domain processing at a receiver. |
| US08477824B2 |
Semiconductor laser apparatus having collimator lens and path rotator
This invention relates to semiconductor laser apparatus with a structure for reducing the divergence angle of output light and for narrowing the spectral width. The semiconductor laser apparatus has at least a semiconductor laser array, a collimator lens, a path rotator, and an optical element with a reflecting function. The collimator lens collimates a plurality of laser beams from the semiconductor laser array, in a predetermined direction. The path rotator outputs each beam collimated in the predetermined direction, with a predetermined divergence angle in the predetermined direction in a state in which a transverse section of the beam is rotated by about 90°. The optical element is arranged at a position where at least a part of each beam from the path rotator arrives, and constitutes at least a part of an external resonator. This optical element reflects a part of each beam from the path rotator to return the reflected part of each beam to the active layer in the semiconductor laser array. |
| US08477821B2 |
Vertical cavity surface emitting laser, vertical cavity surface emitting laser device, and optical transmission device
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser that includes: a substrate; a first reflector of a first conductive type formed on the substrate; an active region formed on the first reflector; a second reflector of a second conductive type formed on the active region; and a current confining layer formed between the first reflector and the second reflector; and a metallic electrode that is formed on the second reflector, and is electrically connected to the second reflector. A conductive region with an anisotropy where a length in a longitudinal direction is different from a length in a short direction is formed in the current confining layer, and an opening defining a beam aperture is formed in the metallic electrode, and a diameter of the opening in the longitudinal direction is smaller than the length of the conductive region in the longitudinal direction. |
| US08477818B2 |
Gallium nitride-based semiconductor laser device, and method for fabricating gallium nitride-based semiconductor laser device
A gallium nitride-based semiconductor laser device with reduced threshold current. The gallium nitride-based semiconductor laser device is provided with an n-type cladding layer, an n-side light guide layer, an active layer, a p-side light guide layer, and a p-type cladding layer. The n-side light guide layer and the p-side light guide layer both contain indium. Each of indium compositions of the n-side light guide layer and the p-side light guide layer is not less than 2% and not more than 6%. A film thickness of the n-type cladding layer is in the range of not less than 65% and not more than 85% of a total of the film thickness of the n-type cladding layer and a film thickness of the p-type cladding layer. |
| US08477817B1 |
Distributed feedback laser having enhanced etch stop features
In one example embodiment, a DFB laser includes a substrate, an active region positioned above the substrate, and a grating layer positioned above the active region. The grating layer includes a portion that serves as a primary etch stop layer. The DFB laser also includes a secondary etch stop layer located either above or below the grating layer, and a spacer layer interposed between the grating layer and the active region. |
| US08477814B2 |
Semiconductor laser module
A semiconductor laser module is disclosed, comprising a module carrier (20) having a mounting area (21), a pump device (1) arranged on the mounting area (21), a surface emitting semiconductor laser (40) arranged on the mounting area (21), and a frequency conversion device (6) arranged on the mounting area (21), wherein the mounting area (21) of the module carrier (20) has an area content of at most 100 mm2. |
| US08477813B2 |
Physical layer data unit format
In a wireless communication system wherein communication devices exchange information utilizing data units that conform to a first format, a beamforming training (BFT) data unit that conforms to a second format is transmitted, wherein a length of the BFT data unit is shorter than lengths supported by the first format, wherein the BFT data unit is for transmitting PHY beamforming training information. Information to indicate the BFT data unit conforms to the second format is transmitted to a receiving device. The BFT data unit is generated according to the second format, wherein the BFT data unit includes BFT information elements. The BFT data unit is then transmitted to the receiving device. |
| US08477803B2 |
Method and system for implementing a single weight (SW) single channel (SC) MIMO system with no insertion loss
In a RF communications system, aspects for implementing a single weight single channel MIMO system with no insertion loss may comprise generating at least one control signal that is utilized to control at least one of a plurality of received signals in a WCDMA and/or HSDPA system. A phase of a first of the plurality of received signals may be adjusted outside of a first processing path used to process that signal so that it is equivalent to a phase of at least a second of the plurality of received signals. A gain in the first processing path may be equivalent to a gain in a second processing path that is utilized to process the second of the plurality of received signals. The control signal may be utilized to adjust a phase and/or an amplitude of at least one of a plurality of received signals. |
| US08477800B2 |
Passive optical network system and operation method thereof
A master station includes an optical transmission interface for transmitting signals to a plurality of slave stations at a first transfer rate or a second transfer rate which is higher than the first one, packet buffers for accumulating the signals addressed to each of the plurality of slave stations, and a control unit for determining transmission timings and transfer rates of the signals on the basis of an amount of the signals accumulated in the packet buffers, transmitting the signals with the determined timings and rates, and notifying each of the slave stations about the determined timings and rates. Each of the slave stations includes an optical reception interface for receiving the signals of the first transfer rate or the second transfer rate, and a control unit for controlling the optical reception interface on the basis of the timings and rates which the slave stations is notified. |
| US08477799B2 |
Method for using flexible bandwidth in OFDMA-based cognitive radio system, base station and subscriber station using the same
Provided are a method for using a flexible bandwidth in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based cognitive radio system, and a base station (BS) and a subscriber station using the method. The method includes: allocating a channel band from among unused channel bands having a bandwidth that is a natural number times a bandwidth resolution to customer premises equipment (CPE), wherein the bandwidth resolution is a predetermined bandwidth smaller than a bandwidth of a broadcast channel band, and transmitting an OFDMA-based signal comprising band allocation information indicating information regarding the allocated channel band. |
| US08477794B2 |
Multiple communications protocol routing in advanced metering infrastructure context
Techniques for using an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system for Utility Automation (UA) purposes in a utility distribution system are disclosed herein. In an AMI system, a metering node often includes a communications option board for connecting to a wide area network (WAN), which can be shared between the AMI system and a UA system. The metering node may be near other devices that can be controlled by a utility company to monitor and control components of the utility distribution system. A data packet is received in a communication device. The communication device determines whether the received data packet is formatted according to a first protocol employed by the AMI system. If so, then the data packet is forwarded to a first device in communication with the AMI system. If not, then the data packet is forwarded to a second device in communication with the UA system. |
| US08477790B2 |
Apparatus and method for operating relay link in relay broadband wireless communication system
Provided is a relay broadband wireless communication system. The relay broadband wireless communication system includes a plurality of base stations, and one or more relay stations. The base stations perform communication with a relay station placed within a coverage area and generate state information to be provided to the relay station. The one or more relay stations are disposed at a location allowing communication with the plurality of base stations and select one or more serving base stations based on state information received from each of the base stations. |
| US08477788B2 |
Slot based persistent allocation scheme
There is provided a method for allocating a mobile station to an available resource slot of a plurality of resource slots within a stream of data frames, the stream of data frames broadcasted to the mobile station by a base station. The method includes scanning resource slots to identify an available resource slot, the available resource slot available for assignment to a resource, wherein the resource slots are included in all of the data frames in the stream of data frames, the scanning further including retrieving a data structure of the available resource slot, the data structure having nodes, the nodes associated with different periodicities and different offsets of the periodicities. The method also includes assigning the mobile station to one of the nodes of the available resource slot with an associated periodicity and an associated offset of the periodicity. |
| US08477787B2 |
Method for routing of messages within a data network
A data network includes a plurality of source nodes, at least one sink node, and at least one intermediate node, wherein routing of a reverse message from the sink node to a source node via at least one intermediate node is performed by the intermediate node using reverse path routing information data comprising a combination of source routing information data and transparent bridging information data, wherein the reverse path routing information data is constructed during propagation of a forward message from the source node to the sink node via the intermediate node. |
| US08477786B2 |
Messaging system and service
A method of modifying a data message during transmission through a data communications network, the data communications network being arranged to deliver messages under control of a network operator and including a first store-and-forward network node. The first store-and-forward network node is arranged to store data messages and forward the same to a recipient in dependence on status data corresponding to a terminal associated therewith. The method further includes receiving a message at a second store-and-forward node, wherein the second store-and-forward node is different from the first store-and-forward network node, arranging for the message to be modified before being forwarded from the second store-and forward node, and transmitting the message to the first store-and-forward network node for forwarding to the recipient. |
| US08477782B2 |
VRRP and learning bridge CPE
The present invention describes an access node for communication in a telecommunication network comprising: an input/output unit adapted for receiving a first information message, wherein the first information message comprises a logical address associated with a virtual network node, a processing unit for extracting the logical address of the virtual network node and for determining a hardware address associated with the logical address of the virtual network node, where the processing unit is further adapted for a determining a logical address of an end-user host communicating with the virtual network node, wherein the access node is configured to transmit a second information message comprising the logical and hardware address of the virtual network node to the logical address of the end-user host. Also, a network infrastructure where the access node is operating is described. The access node also implements a method of the present invention by means of a computer program comprising instruction sets for implementing the method steps of the invention. |
| US08477781B2 |
Enterprise collection bus
Systems and methods are presented to collect raw data from a plurality of servers and nodes on a network. A Distributed Enterprise Collection Bus (DECB) architecture is employed at various points on a network. The DECB comprises a collector unit that is protocol agnostic, an orchestration unit, a rule database, a filtering unit, and a distribution unit. Packets of raw data such as Call Detail Records (CDRs) generated by switching centers are received, and distributed to relevant destinations. Relevant destinations include data warehouses, mediation, analytics, etc. The goal is to alleviate collection and filtration duties of the source and destination. |
| US08477779B1 |
Method and system for reliable multicast
Method and system for transmitting a multicast message with one or more packets to a plurality of destinations is provided. The system includes an adapter including an entry port to receive the multicast message from a source for transmission to the plurality of destinations; one or more egress ports of the adapter that transmit one or more packets of the multicast message to the plurality of destinations and receives acknowledgement for the one or more packets from the one or more destinations; and a message manager that monitors the delivery status for one or more packets to the plurality of destinations without using a plurality of dedicated individual connections between each of the plurality of destinations and the source. |
| US08477771B2 |
System and method for remote monitoring and control of network devices
A managed network provides unique network addresses that are assigned to nodes such that no two nodes will have the same address in the managed network and such that each node will always have the same network address regardless of changing its location or changing the network to which it is joined. The nodes, communicating together, comprise a mesh network. Remote management and control of the nodes is possible from the host server, which is located outside of the mesh network, even if a node is located behind a firewall or network address translator (NAT), because server management messages are encapsulated within headers so that a persistent connection between the node and the external host server is maintained once the node sends a message to the host. |
| US08477770B2 |
Strict-sense minimal spanning switch non-blocking architecture
The present invention discloses an apparatus to implement a m=n Non-Blocking Minimal Spanning Switch, where n=the total number of data input signals and m=the total number of data output signals and m=the number of crossbar connections in each switch. Data is input to the switch as a plurality of frames, whereby each crossbar connection contains a framer which detects framing patterns in the data. Skewed data is re-aligned and buffered so that the data output by each crossbar connection is equal and identical, thus any crossbar connection may be used to ensure a connection, eliminating the possibility of data interrupts. |
| US08477757B2 |
DMR private network communication implementation method, terminal, relay station and system
The present invention provides an implementation method, terminal, relay station and system for DMR private communication. A DMR private network communication terminal includes a communication module for receiving CACH information, receiving and transmitting DMR private network communication, a synchronization module for establishing synchronization and determining which time slot the received DMR private network communication occupies based on the received CACH information; and controlling the communication module to make a response for the received DMR private network communication in the time slot. The present invention further provides an implementation method, relay station and system for DMR private network communication. In this case, the stability of the idle time slot can be ensured, and other DMR private network communication terminals can initiate new DMR private network communication by locking unoccupied idle time slot; thereby achieving a full usage of the frequency width of 12.5KHz. |
| US08477743B2 |
System and method for data transmission during potential data block loss in dynamic timeslot reduction
A method for operating a mobile station in communication with an associated network is presented. The method includes receiving an assignment of a number of timeslots from the network, monitoring a first set of timeslots in accordance with the assignment, and reducing a number of timeslots monitored to less than the first set of timeslots and monitoring less than the first set of timeslots. The method includes, while monitoring less than the first set of timeslots, receiving a data block within a radio block, and, when the mobile station does not successfully decode the data block and when the mobile station does not successfully decode from the radio block an indication to continue to monitor less than the first set of timeslots, continuing to monitor less than the first set of timeslots. |
| US08477742B2 |
Method and apparatus for time-aligning transmissions from multiple base stations in a CDMA communication system
Schemes to time-align transmissions from multiple base stations to a terminal. To achieve time-alignment, differences between the arrival times of transmissions from the base stations, as observed at the terminal, are determined and provided to the system and used to adjust the timing at the base stations such that terminal-specific radio frames arrive at the terminal within a particular time window. In one scheme, a time difference between two base stations is partitioned into a frame-level time difference and a chip-level time difference. Whenever requested to perform and report time difference measurements, the terminal measures the chip-level timing for each candidate base station relative to a reference base station. Additionally, the terminal also measures the frame-level timing and includes this information in the time difference measurement only if required. Otherwise, the terminal sets the frame-level part to a predetermined value (e.g., zero). |
| US08477740B2 |
System and method for adjusting monitoring of timeslots during data transmission
A method for coordinating communications between a user equipment and a base station is presented. The method includes receiving an assignment of a first set of timeslots for at least one of uplink and downlink communications between the user equipment and the base station, reducing a number of timeslots monitored by the user equipment to a reduced set of timeslots, and receiving a second assignment of a second set of timeslots for at least one of uplink and downlink communications between the user equipment and the base station. When the second assignment message assigns a number of timeslots that is less than or equal to at least one of the number of timeslots in the reduced set of timeslots and the first set of timeslots, the method includes continuing to monitor the reduced set of timeslots. |
| US08477739B2 |
System and method for adjusting monitoring of timeslots during data transmission
A method for coordinating communications between a user equipment and a base station is presented. The method includes receiving an assignment of a first set of timeslots for uplink communications between the user equipment and the base station using an Extended Dynamic Allocation (EDA) resource allocation algorithm. The method includes, after receiving the assignment of the first set of timeslots for uplink communications, reducing a number of timeslots monitored by the user equipment to less than the first set of timeslots for uplink communications, and transmitting uplink data to the base station using a non-EDA resource allocation algorithm. |
| US08477735B1 |
System and method for access terminal transition between a MIMO reverse-link mode and a non-MIMO reverse-link mode
A method and access terminal (AT) are provided for switching operation of the access terminal between a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) reverse-link mode and a non-MIMO reverse-link mode. The AT receives reverse activity bits (RABs) from one or more radio nodes via one or more forward-link channels. The AT determines a reverse-activity-indicator from the RABs and determines whether the reverse-activity-indicator indicates that reverse activity on a reverse-link being monitored by the AT or being used by the AT to carry out reverse-link communications exceeds a threshold level of activity. If the reverse-activity-indicator indicates that reverse activity exceeds the threshold level of activity, then the AT transitions to or continues operating in a MIMO reverse-link mode, otherwise, if the reverse-activity-indicator indicates that reverse activity does not exceed the threshold level of activity, then the AT transitions to or continues operating in a non-MIMO reverse-link mode. |
| US08477730B2 |
Distributed load management on network devices
This disclosure relates to a system and method for dynamically managing load on network devices in a distributed manner. As the proliferation of data rich content and increasingly more capable mobile devices has continued, the amount of data communicated over mobile operator's networks has exponentially increased. Upgrading the existing network to accommodate increased data traffic is neither desirable nor practical. One way to accommodate increased data traffic is by utilizing network resources more efficiently. This disclosure provides systems and methods for efficiently utilizing network resources by dynamically configuring the network in a distributed manner based on real-time load information. |
| US08477727B2 |
Methods for surreptitious manipulation of CDMA 2000 wireless devices
Techniques for generating an interloping beacon which can control the behavior of a target wireless device on a CDMA frequency channel without noticeably altering the behavior of non-target wireless devices which share the frequency channel of the target wireless device's live beacon. The interloping beacon is an override beacon which overrides the live beacon's pilot channel and a control message on a code channel on which control messages may be addressed to the target wireless device. The override beacon provides the overriding pilot and the overriding control message only as long as is required for the target wireless device to respond to the overriding control message. The period of time during which the overriding pilot and the overriding control message are generated for the override beacon is so short that only the target wireless device responds without noticeable effect on collateral wireless devices. |
| US08477726B2 |
Method, system and device for mobile station handover
A method, system and device for MS handover are provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The method includes: receiving the handover-assisting information from the RS by the serving MR-BS; determining whether to recommend the RS to the MS as the target station according to the handover-assisting information by the serving MR-BS. The embodiments of the present invention enable the serving MR-BS to obtain related information from the RS and the serving MR-BS of the MS to better ascertain the potential target station and related information to be recommended to the MS. This helps improve the handover performance of the MS and reduce the failure rate. |
| US08477724B2 |
System and method for enabling session context continuity of local service availability in local cellular coverage
Local IP Access (LIPA) allows an IP-capable user equipment (UE) connected via a femto cell direct access to other IP-capable devices in the local IP network. Selected IP Traffic Offload (SIPTO) is used to offload selected types of IP traffic towards a defined IP network close to the UE's point of attachment to the access network. LIPA PDN Connectivity indicates a PDP Context or a PDN Connection that gives access to services located in the local IP network of the femto cell subsystem. SIPTO PDN Connectivity indicates a PDP Context or PDN Connection that allows offload of selected types of IP traffic towards a defined IP network close to the UE's point of attachment to the access network. Systems, devices and methods are described herein that enable the identification of the type of connectivity available to a UE and enable session continuity for local cellular coverage. |
| US08477721B2 |
Wireless communication terminal and wireless communication system
To reduce power consumption for scanning and maintain communication quality by reducing the time for scanning or connection when a wireless communication terminal switches between networks or base stations. A wireless communication terminal 1 enabling connection with a plurality of base stations disposed in different positions which includes a base station scanning unit 100 detecting and scanning a base station capable of communication at the current position of the wireless communication terminal, a simultaneous detection base station recording unit 101 recording simultaneously detected base stations as simultaneous detection information in a storage unit, a connection candidate extraction unit 102 and a first communication unit 103 performing communication by connection with the extracted connection candidate base station. Based on the simultaneous detection information, the connection candidate extraction unit 102 extracts a base station having the possibility of simultaneous detection with the currently connected base station as a connection candidate base station. |
| US08477720B2 |
Mobility for IMS users
A method, server, and terminal for selecting an access domain for sending information between a wireless terminal and a core network, wherein sessions between the wireless terminal and the core network are established and controlled using an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). A database maintained in the IMS stores information regarding real-time packet-switched service capabilities of a plurality of access domains. The database is interrogated based upon currently used and/or available access domains. An access domain is selected for use by the wireless terminal based upon the results of the interrogation. |
| US08477718B2 |
System and method of serving gateway having mobile packet protocol application-aware packet management
Mobile protocol packets, with a header field and a payload field, are communicated from a user mobile equipment to an application-aware serving gateway. The application-aware mobile protocol serving gateway detects header information in the header field and application information in the payload field to manage the mobile protocol packets based on a policy. |
| US08477711B2 |
Media access control scheme for a multi-frequency TDMA network
A system for managing element management in an ad-hoc network is disclosed. The system employs a TDD/FDD communication protocol to allocate assignment of time/frequency slots to individual system elements. Time/frequency assignment is based on desired communication standards in conjunction with geographic mapping of adjacent stations to prevent interference between stations. |
| US08477709B2 |
Method for call setup time improvement
A method for providing fast and flexible call setup, the method comprising establishing a plurality of phantom channels over a bearer channel, wherein at least one of the plurality of phantom channels is pre-assigned to a first session negotiation method, at least one of remaining phantom channels of the plurality of phantom channels is pre-assigned to a second session negotiation method, the second session negotiation method has at least one property different from the first session negotiation method, and at least one of the remaining phantom channels is assigned to at least one fixed media operation point, whereby the first session negotiation method is utilized for flexible session setup. |
| US08477700B2 |
Method and arrangement for resource allocation
A method for resource allocation in a wireless communication system, having a set of connected terminals, comprises allocating of transmission resources and assigning of transmission resources. The allocating in turn comprises estimating of a requirement value representing an amount of required transmission resources for satisfying a minimum quality of service during a next transmission time interval for respective connected terminal. An allocation subset is generated by including unsatisfied connected terminals so that the sum of the requirement values of the included connected terminals of the allocation subset equals available transmission resources. The generation of the allocation subset is performed by including connected terminals in an order according to the respective requirement values, starting with the lowest requirement value. The assigning of transmission resources is thereafter performed by assigning transmission resources of the next transmission time interval to connected terminals of the allocation subset. |
| US08477698B2 |
Method for selecting RACH freamble sequence for high-speed mode and low-speed mode
A method for selecting a RACH preamble sequence for a high-speed mode and a low-speed mode is disclosed. In the case of acquiring sequence-type information to be used by a specific UE contained in a high-mobility region, a signaling reanalysis method under a general circular shift condition is disclosed, and a method for acquiring sequence-type information via the signaling using the sequence set configured by a restricted circular shift condition is also disclosed. Finally, a method for constructing a sequence set is disclosed. |
| US08477697B2 |
Interlacing wireless communication frames
Mechanisms to interlace multiple legacy frames to enhance radio resource utilization are described. Also described are mechanisms to modify a low-latency frame structure to appear as legacy frames. In one aspect, partially blanked-out legacy frames are interlaced with time offsets so that they complement each other to leave no idle system time. To a legacy user equipment, the interlaced frame appears as normal legacy frames used by multiple legacy cells. In another aspect, the low-latency frame is modified to appear as an interlaced frame. Again to the legacy user equipment, the low-latency frame appears as legacy frames from multiple legacy cells. To the low-latency user equipment, the modified low-latency frame still appear as normal low-latency frame. In this manner, radio resources of the legacy base stations are optimally utilized. Also, low-latency base stations are enabled to provide serves to the legacy user equipments without wasting radio resources. |
| US08477695B2 |
Wireless communication method and apparatus for selecting between transmission of short-version and full-version uplink scheduling requests
In a wireless communication system including a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and a Node-B, an uplink (UL) scheduling request is transmitted by the WTRU to the Node-B when the WTRU has buffered (user) data to transmit to the Node-B, but needs to have a scheduling grant for UL data transmission. The WTRU determines whether to transmit to the Node-B a short-version UL scheduling request or a full-version UL scheduling request, whereby the short-version UL scheduling request uses less channel resources than the full-version UL scheduling request by omitting information pertaining to WTRU status parameters. The short-version UL scheduling request is a one-bit indicator or a multi-bit indicator that indicates an amount of scheduling grants or resources requested. The full-version UL scheduling request includes at least one of a WTRU buffer status and a WTRU link budget. |
| US08477694B2 |
Base station apparatus, wireless communication system, and wireless transmission method
Allocation of transmission power is carried out adaptively without affecting adjacent cells. Included are a reception part that receives information from a mobile station apparatus, a transmission power determination part that determines transmission power when transmitting a wireless signal to a mobile station apparatus based on the received information, an acquisition part that acquires information about communication environment in each time channel or each frequency channel from the received information, a scheduling part that identified a time channel or frequency channel the relationship of which between transmission power and communication environment satisfies the condition for allocation and allocates transmission data and transmission power for transmission to a mobile station apparatus to a communication slot in the time channel or frequency channel, and a transmission part that transmits a wireless signal using the communication slot to which the transmission data and the determined transmission power have been allocated. |
| US08477693B1 |
Out-of sector message stream delivery
A communication control system configures a wireless access node to broadcast a message stream comprising information associated with a location covered by a sector serving wireless communication devices, receives an interest indicator indicating a level of interest in the message stream by the wireless communication devices, receives a request to receive the message stream transmitted from an out-of-sector wireless communication device served by a different sector from the sector serving the wireless communication devices, wherein the request includes interest filter criteria, applies the interest filter criteria to activate a subscription to the message stream for the out-of-sector wireless communication device when the interest filter criteria is met based on the interest indicator, and in response to activating the subscription to the message stream, transfers a message comprising the information associated with the location covered by the sector serving the wireless communication devices for delivery to the out-of-sector wireless communication device. |
| US08477691B2 |
Routing VoIP calls to an external network
A system and method for routing calls from a communication system in a VoIP network to an external network. The communication system comprises a plurality of communicating nodes. The communication system is configured to request routing information from a register associated with the external network for routing a communication to a subscriber of the external network, receive routing information from the register, and establish an external connection from the VoIP network for routing the communication to the external network based on the routing information. |
| US08477684B2 |
Acknowledgement of control messages in a wireless communication system
Techniques for sending control messages are described. In an aspect, assignment messages may be acknowledged based on either linked or dedicated acknowledgement (ACK) resources. A terminal may receive an assignment message from a base station, determine whether to acknowledge the assignment message, and determine ACK resources to use to acknowledge the assignment message. The ACK resources may be linked to a control block on which the assignment message was received, linked to resources given by the assignment message, or assigned to the terminal. The terminal may send the acknowledgement on the ACK resources. In another aspect, a control message may be acknowledged based on ACK resources determined based on the control message or the control block. The ACK resources may be linked to resources assigned by the control message or linked to the control message. The terminal may send an acknowledgement for the control message on the ACK resources. |
| US08477682B2 |
Base station, terminal and wireless communication system
Conventionally, different HARQ processes 801 and 802 (subframes T1 and T2) transmit data packets B and D, respectively. One data packet corresponds to one process and is retransmitted as necessary one by one on a process basis, degrading the usage efficiency of frequency and time resources. To solve this problem, downlink data packets B and D, when needed to be retransmitted, are spatially multiplexed in the different HARQ processes 801 and 802. The data packets are simultaneously retransmitted to the same terminal as process 805 (subframe T3). |
| US08477675B2 |
Multicast/broadcast single frequency network subframe physical downlink control channel design
A relay node comprising a processor configured such that the relay node transmits a multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframe including a control portion without a data portion, wherein the control portion comprises additional information assigned to any available resource elements (REs). Also included is a user agent (UA) comprising a processor configured such that the UA receives a MBSFN subframe including a control portion without a data portion, wherein the control portion comprises additional information assigned to any available REs. Also included is a method of wireless communication comprising transmitting a MBSFN subframe including a control portion without a data portion, wherein the control portion comprises additional information assigned to any available REs. Also included is a method of wireless communication comprising receiving a MBSFN subframe including a control portion without a data portion, wherein the control portion comprises additional information assigned to any available REs. |
| US08477674B2 |
Wireless network including post groupcast time
In one aspect thereof the invention provides a method that includes transmitting from a first (beaconing) mesh point at least one multicast or broadcast frame; and transitioning the first mesh point to a lower power mode of operation state after expiration of a specified post groupcast time from a last multicast or broadcast frame that was transmitted by the beaconing mesh point after expiration of an awake window, or when the awake window expires, whichever occurs later. In another aspect thereof the invention provides a method that includes operating a peer mesh point in an awake state; and maintaining the peer mesh point in the awake state for no more than a specified post groupcast time after a last target beacon transmission time, or a last received beacon frame, or a receipt of multicast or broadcast frame having an indication that another multicast or broadcast frame will be transmitted. A computer-readable medium storing program instructions to implement the methods is also disclosed, as are corresponding apparatus. |
| US08477669B2 |
Method, device, and system for implementing communication services
A method for implementing communication services includes: after receiving a call request, determining whether a user subscribes to an IP Centrex service and an intelligent network (IN) service according to the obtained subscription information of the user; if the user subscribes to the IP Centrex service and IN service, checking with an application server (AS) whether the call request is for an intra-group call; if the call request is for an intra-group call, performing corresponding service processing according to the checking result to implement discount charging on the intra-group call. By using the method of the present invention, if the user subscribes to the IP Centrex service and the IN service, no conflict occurs between the IP Centrex service and the IN service, and discount charging is implemented on the intra-group call. A network device and a mobile communication system are also provided. |
| US08477663B2 |
Multiple input multiple output communication system and communication method of configuring codebook
A multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system and communication method of configuring a codebook are provided. A channel may be formed between a transmitter and a receiver, and a cross-polarization discrimination value (XPD) may be detected. The XPD may vary based on a location of the transmitter and the receiver, a mobility thereof, or a peripheral environment, among other factors. The codebook may be configured based on the XPD. |
| US08477660B2 |
Method for updating filtering database in multi-ring network
A method for updating a filtering database in a multi-ring network, includes: when the topology of a lower ring in a multi-ring network, in which a plurality of ring networks are connected by two ring connection nodes, is altered and the ring connection node detects the alteration in the topology of the lower ring, erasing, by the ring connection node, its filtering database; generating, by the ring connection node, a control message including a ring ID, a blockage flag, and an erasure flag; transmitting the control message in both directions of the ring; and determining, by a node which receives the control message, to erase a filtering database by referring to and correcting the blockage and erasure flag information included in the control message. |
| US08477657B2 |
Method and device for sending inter-frequency measurement configurations downwards
A method for sending inter-frequency measurement configurations is disclosed, including: an eNB performing a swap action on a measurement configuration copy formed according to a measurement configuration to obtain a first measurement configuration; the eNB generating a second measurement configuration according to its own configuration and UE capability, and comparing the second measurement configuration with the first one; if the first and second measurement configuration are the same, the measurement configurations being not filled in the controlling message; if the first measurement configuration is a part of the second measurement configuration, in the controlling message, the extra measurement configuration being put in an adding list at the destination side; if they are different, in the controlling message, the first measurement configuration being put in a deleting list, the second one being put in the adding list; and the eNB sending a RRC connection reconfiguring message to the UE. |
| US08477656B2 |
Discovery technique for physical media interface aggregation
Various discovery techniques are described for physical media interface aggregation. |
| US08477654B2 |
Method for representing nodes in network
A method and computer program product for creating a data structure for representing a plurality of nodes in a network. One or more data fields are created corresponding to the plurality of nodes for storing information related to the nodes. One or more references are also created for each node such that each reference refers to a node adjacent to the corresponding node. The data fields and the references are then stored in a plurality of secondary data structures. Thereafter, each node is associated with a secondary data structure which includes the data fields and the references corresponding to the associated node. Subsequently, the data structure may be created for storing the secondary data structures. |
| US08477653B2 |
Monitoring individual data flow performance
The performance of a network, such as a mobile communications network, having multiple network nodes can be monitored. In a first network node, certain data flows passing through the node are tagged by adding a performance management identifier. In a second network node, statistics relating to data flows containing the performance management identifier are aggregated, and the aggregated statistics are reported to a management node of the communications network. This allows for the gathering of accurate statistics relating to specific types of data flow, such as data flows to specific types of user equipment or containing specific types of data, even though the second node, in which the statistics are generated, cannot itself distinguish between the different data flows. |
| US08477652B2 |
Verifiable and accurate service usage monitoring for intermediate networking devices
Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, an intermediary networking device provides a service intermediary or intermediate connection between a network and one or more communications devices; implements a service policy set for assisting control of the intermediate networking device use of a service on the network, in which the service policy set includes one or more service policies, each policy being associated with either the intermediate networking device or a communications device; and monitors use of the service based on the service policy set; and in which the one or more of the communication devices include a service usage notification capability, and the implementation of the first service policy set is verified. |
| US08477648B2 |
Systems, apparatus, and methods for monitoring network capacity
Methods, systems, and devices for monitoring network capacity and determining network utilization are herein disclosed. A traffic flow of captured data packets received at an ingress port of a network captured traffic distribution device may be sampled at a frequency corresponding to a first time period. The sample may be analyzed to determine whether, for example, the ingress port is active during the first time period. An increment may be added to a first counter based on a determination that the ingress port is active. The increments from a predefined plurality of first time periods may be aggregated and the predefined plurality of first time periods may correspond to a second time period. A second counter value may be generated for the second time period based on the aggregate and a percent utilization of the ingress port for the second time period may be determined based on the second counter value. |
| US08477644B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication method
In an MBMS service desired to be received, if a condition for performing an MBMS request (an MBMS request trigger criterion) is satisfied (S3: YES), a mobile station 20a in an idle mode (RRC_IDLE) enters an MBMS request transmission process, transmits a preamble to a base station 10b, receives a random access response including scheduling information for transmitting a Message 3 and the like from the base station 10b, and transmits the Message 3 including an RRC Connection Request (including an NAS ID of the mobile station itself), the MBMS request and channel quality information to the base station 10b (S4), and if an Message 4, which includes RRC Connection Setup that is destined for the mobile station itself and includes the NAS ID, and which includes feedback resource assignment information, is received from the base station 10b (S5: YES), the mobile station 20a transits to a connected mode (RRC_CONNECTED), and also uses the designated resource to provide feedback to the base station (S6). Thereby, the MBMS service can be efficiently provided via SCPTM transmission. |
| US08477643B2 |
Communication apparatus and method for controlling the communication apparatus
A communication apparatus comprising a table configured to include a correspondence between at least one of a first identifier that identifies a port from which frames are received, a second identifier that identifies a port from which frames are transmitted, a third identifier that identifies a flow related to a frame received, and a fourth identifier that identifies a flow related to a frame to be transmitted, and a fifth identifier that is different from the first to fourth identifiers, a counter equipped for each fifth identifier, and a controller configured to search the table, each time a frame is received or transmitted, for a fifth identifier by using any one of the first to fourth identifiers related to the frame as a key, and increment a counter corresponding to the fifth identifier by an amount. |
| US08477638B2 |
Latency enhancements for multicast traffic over spatial reuse protocol (SRP)
Techniques for routing multicast packets in an SRP topology when there is a ring-wrap condition are provided. By routing multicast packets on both rings simultaneously, multicast packets may reach their destination receiver(s) with a fewer number of hops than if the packets had to traverse portions of both inner and outer ring paths when a ring wrapped condition exists. |
| US08477637B1 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring a packet network
A method and system for enabling a network service provider to monitor a packet network by using call detail records (CDRs) are disclosed. The method first detects a termination of a call by at least one voice gateway router and generates a call detail record (CDR) at said termination of said call by said at least one voice gateway router. The method then forwards said call detail record by said at least one voice gateway router to at least one CDR collecting and analysis server. |
| US08477632B2 |
Antenna testing device
An antenna testing device for testing an antenna assembled in a portable wireless communication device includes a data processing unit configured to receive signals from a CPU of the portable wireless communication device, a feedback unit, and a duplexer. The data processing unit sends the signals to the antenna by the feedback unit and the duplexer. The feedback unit feeds back mixed feedback signals mixed with signals leaked from the antenna to the data processing unit. The data processing unit judges whether the antenna is working properly according to the mixed feedback signals. |
| US08477629B2 |
Relaxed constrained shortest path first (R-CSPF)
In one embodiment, a target bandwidth, a lower bandwidth boundary constraint, and an upper cost boundary constraint for a constrained path are configured. A set of paths are computed that have bandwidth within the lower bandwidth boundary constraint and cost within the upper cost boundary constraint. A determination is made whether one or more paths of the set of paths has bandwidth that provides at least the target bandwidth and, if so, a path from the one or more paths of the set of paths having bandwidth that provides at least the target bandwidth is selected to use as the constrained path, and, if not, a path from the one or more paths of the set having bandwidth that does not provide at least the target bandwidth that has bandwidth closest to the target bandwidth is selected to use as the constrained path. |
| US08477628B2 |
Base station and communication control method
A base station communicating with user equipments using shared channels. The base station includes a congestion level estimation unit estimating a congestion level of a cell; a priority-level/desired-value changing unit changing priority levels or desired minimum transmission rates of data to be transmitted by the user equipments or the base station based on the congestion level of the cell; and a selection unit selecting one or more of the user equipments to which radio resources are to be allocated based on the changed priority levels or the changed desired minimum transmission rates of the data. |
| US08477623B1 |
Message processing
Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with message processing are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an interaction logic to interact with a message associated with an isochronous stream. The message is associated with a class of information provided on the isochronous stream. The apparatus includes a history logic to monitor messages associated with the class of information. The history logic determines a class history for the class of information. The apparatus includes a process logic to selectively process the message based on the class history. |
| US08477620B2 |
System and method to provide multiple private networks using PBB
A system and method are supplied to provide multiple private networks. The system can include a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) interface or interfaces configured to receive a plurality of data stream types each associated with an Instance Service Identifier (I-SID) from a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) or public carrier Ethernet. A plurality of local area network (LAN) ports can be configured to communicate data to a plurality of LANs. A switching process is provided between the PBB interface and the LAN ports. The switching process can be configured to bind individual data stream types from subdivided data streams each represented by an I-SID to each of the respective LAN ports. In addition, the switching process can communicate packets between the PBB interface and the bound LAN ports. |
| US08477618B2 |
Methods and apparatus for use in communicating data packets within a data packet window having a size that is set based on quality of service (QoS) parameters
Methods and apparatus for use in communicating data packets to communication devices are described. A communication device receives one or more Quality of Service (QoS) parameters of a data communication session established between it and a wireless communication network. The one or more QoS parameters may be or include a bandwidth parameter. The communication device sends the bandwidth parameter or a value derived therefrom to a host system via the wireless communication network. The communication device then receives, from the host system via the wireless communication network, data packets via the data communication session. The data packets are communicated within a data packet window having a size that is set as a function of the bandwidth parameter. If another data communication session is established, the communication device sends an updated bandwidth parameter to the host system for receiving data packets within a data packet window having an updated size that is set in accordance with the function. |
| US08477614B2 |
System and method for routing calls if potential call paths are impaired or congested
A system and method for routing a call over a packet network. A call request may be received from a calling party to call a called party at a network address. At least one potential call path over a packet network may be determined to connect the calling party to the called party at the network address. Network performance information associated with each potential call path may be accessed and a determination may be made that each of the call paths are impaired or congested. In response to determining that each of the call paths are impaired or congested, the call may be routed over a call path other than one of the at least one potential call paths to enable the calling party to communicate with the called party. |
| US08477612B2 |
Data relay device and data relay method
An object of the invention is to provide a charging processing device and a charging processing method capable of performing an appropriate charging process even when a connectionless protocol, such as UDP, is used. Gateway units 101 and 106 transmit data transmitted between a mobile apparatus 300 and a server 400 to the mobile apparatus 300 or the server 400 as a transmission destination, and a charging processing unit 102 performs a charging process according to the amount of data transmitted by the gateway units 101 and 106. A detecting unit 103 detects whether response data is transmitted from the transmission destination. When the timer value of the time for which communication is not performed is more than a predetermined time and the detecting unit 103 does not detect the response data from the transmission destination, the control unit 104 may control the gateway unit 101 or 106 to stop the transmission process and control the charging processing unit 102 to stop the charging process. |
| US08477609B1 |
Method and system for scaling network traffic managers
Distributing network traffic to multiple traffic management devices. A distributor receives packets from a network and may act as a layer 2 switch or router, to distribute the packet to one of a group of traffic management devices. The distributor may receive packets from servers that the traffic management devices are managing communications to. When distributing packets to traffic management devices, information may be used to determine which traffic management device each packet should be sent to. The distributor causes packets in a flow to be delivered to the same traffic management device. Many configurations are possible for connecting the distributor to the traffic management devices, including connecting each traffic management device to a physical or virtual port on the distributor, connecting the traffic management devices to the distributor using a virtual local area network, and connecting the traffic management devices to a layer 2 switch. |
| US08477608B2 |
Method and receiver for controlling the conformance of a data flow in a communication system to a traffic definition
A method is described for controlling the conformance of a data flow in a communication system to a traffic definition. The communication system comprises a transmitter and a receiver and data packets transporting the data flow are sent from the transmitter to the receiver. The receiver sends responses identifying received data packets to the transmitter, and the transmitter comprises a control function which controls the number of sent data packets for which no response is received according to a limit for the number of outstanding data packets. A conditioning criterion is obtained for the data flow, the conditioning criterion being associated with the traffic definition. The receiver determines a conformance parameter for the received data packets transporting the data flow. The limit and/or the sending of the responses is modified according to the conditioning criterion and the determined conformance parameter for controlling the number of transmitted data packets. |
| US08477607B2 |
System and method for resource admission and control
System and method for resource admission and control is disclosed. The system for resource admission and control includes an interface unit for application function unit configured to receive service request sent from the application function unit; a policy decision function unit configured to identify the type of an access network according to the service request received by the interface unit for the application function unit and select corresponding service logic for resource admission and control according to the identified type of access network. According to the technical solutions, no matter the request for resource is made to a fixed access network defined in TISPAN, or to a wireless access network defined in the 3GPP, the policy decision function unit xPDF may identify the type of the access network and select corresponding service logic to perform resource admission and control. The xPDF conceals the details of the access network from the AF such that the solution for network construction can be simplified and the system maintenance may become simple and convenient. |
| US08477605B2 |
Preventing illicit communications
The present invention inspects packets to identify session initiation messages associated with select applications. A session initiation message may be any message used to initiate a communication session with another communication client. Once a session initiation message from a select application is identified, the intended communication session may be identified, monitored, prevented, or otherwise processed in a predefined manner. These select applications may be illicit applications from which communication sessions are actually or potentially unlawful or otherwise improper. The illicit communication sessions that the present invention seeks to control may be used for voice communications as well as for transferring data and facilitating application collaboration, such as is used in video conferencing or file sharing. The session initiation messages need not be received directly from the originating communication client for inspection. Packet inspections may take place at any location, such as aggregation points throughout the packet networks. |
| US08477604B2 |
Method and arrangement in a wireless communication network
Method and arrangement in a first node for requesting a status report from a second node. The first node and the second node are both comprised within a wireless communication network. The status report comprises positive and/or negative acknowledgement of data sent from the first node, to be received by the second node. The first node comprises a first counter configured to count the number of transmitted Protocol Data Units, PDUs, and a second counter configured to count the number of transmitted data bytes. The method and arrangements comprises initializing the first and the second counter to zero, transmitting data to be received by the second node, comparing the value of the first and the second counters with a first threshold limit value and a second threshold limit value and requesting a status report from the second node if any of the threshold limit values is reached or exceeded. |
| US08477599B2 |
Method and system for implementing network element-level redundancy
According to a further embodiment, a method may include communicatively coupling a first network element to a second network element via a first path of a point-to-point network. The method may also include communicatively coupling the first network element to a third network element via a second path of the point-to-point network. The method may additionally include communicatively coupling the second network element and the third network element to a multipoint-to-multipoint network. The method may further include configuring the first path and the second path as paths of a linear protected switching connection such that traffic associated with a service and communicated between the first network element and the multipoint-to-multipoint network via one of the first path and the second path may be switched over to the other of the first path and the second path in response to an event. |
| US08477597B2 |
Method and system for resilient routing reconfiguration
A method and system for resilient routing reconfiguration, which provides provably congestion-free rerouting under a large number of failure scenarios and achieves efficiency and flexibility in accommodating different performance requirements, is disclosed. The method of embodiments comprises an offline precomputation phase and an online reconfiguration phase. Embodiments of the present invention also provide a number of useful functionalities, including (i) coping with traffic variations, (ii) supporting realistic failure scenarios, (iii) accommodating prioritized traffic with different protection levels, and (iv) balancing the trade-off between performance and resilience. |
| US08477581B1 |
Asymmetry compensation system
A system with a nonlinear element processes a replay signal with a scaling factor into a signal compensated for asymmetry. The replay signal may include data from an optical disk. The scaling factor may be estimated based on the compensated signal and a scaling factor gain. The replay signal and the compensated signal may be converted into digital signals and processed digitally. In one embodiment, the compensated signal may be calculated as approximately the scaling factor multiplied by a square of an amplitude of the replay signal added to the amplitude of the replay signal. In another embodiment, the compensated signal may be calculated as approximately the scaling factor multiplied by an absolute value of an amplitude of the replay signal added to the amplitude of the replay signal. A related method is also disclosed. Other embodiments are provided, and each of the embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another. |
| US08477578B2 |
Multi-speed recording for multi-layer disc
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, record carrier and method of recording data on at least two layers of a recording medium by using a radiation power, wherein individual recording speeds are determined for respective ones of the at least two layers at different values of the radiation power. A recording speed to be used for recording on an individual one of the at least two recording layers is selected based on a maximum radiation power specified for the recording operation, and the speed of the recording operation is controlled individually for each of the at least two layers based on the selected recording speed. The determination of the individual recording speeds at different radiation power values may be written or embossed on the record carrier. Furthermore, a recording sequence used for recording on the recording layers can be set based on the sensitivities and thus recording speeds. Thereby, total recording time can be minimized for multi-layer recording media. |
| US08477572B1 |
Heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) heads including components made of nickel alloys
A magnetic device that includes a write pole having a write pole tip; a read pole having a read pole tip; an optical near field transducer; and a contact pad. The contact pad includes Ni100-aXa, wherein X is chosen from Ru, Re, Zr, Cr, and Cu; and a is the atomic percent of the element X, and can range from about 20 to about 90. The optical near field transducer is positioned between the read pole and the write pole and the contact pad is positioned adjacent the write pole opposite the optical near field transducer. |
| US08477568B2 |
Alarm clock which operates in conjunction with a gradually fading-in lamp
An alarm clock includes a power supply unit; a key input setting unit (110); the lamp (140); a microcomputer (120) configured to be provided with a timer having a clock function; the time display unit (170); the alarm module (160) configured to be selectively turned on and off in response to the alarm control signal output by the microcomputer (120); a lamp power supply control unit (130) configured to be selectively switched on and off in response to the lamp drive control signal output by the microcomputer (120); and a lamp current adjustment unit (160) configured to perform control so that an amount of current flowing through the lamp (140) gradually increases based on the pulse width signal output by the microcomputer (120). The lamp gradually fades in and an alarm is issued after the lamp has been completely lit up. |
| US08477565B2 |
Analogue display device including a planetary gear device
The invention concerns a timepiece (10) including a display device (26) including a first and second display member (38, 40) displaying first and second pieces of information, the value of the second piece of information being linked to the value of the first piece of information by a reduction ratio, wherein the first (38) and the second (40) display members are rotatably mounted in relation to a plate (42) and are driven by a drive device (44) with planetary gears, characterized in that the second display member (40) pivots on the axis of rotation (A2) of a planet pinion (54). The invention also proposes a timepiece (10) fitted with this display device (26) and a method for manufacturing this display device (26). |
| US08477562B2 |
Communication device and communication method
A communication device includes: an ultrasonic oscillating unit which detects or generates an ultrasonic wave; a communication unit which transmits and receives information using the ultrasonic wave; a storage unit which stores a table to which a communication command to designate communication with the another communication device is allocated in time series, the table being shared by the another communication device; and a control unit which shifts the communication unit to one of a transmitting state, a receiving state, and a standby state that is neither the transmitting nor the receiving state, synchronously with the another communication device on the basis of the communication command in the table. |
| US08477560B2 |
Determining a position of an object of a positioning network associated with a marine survey arrangement
To determine a position of an object in a positioning network associated with a marine survey arrangement, images of targets on the object in the positioning network are captured with a plurality of cameras. Based on known positions of the plurality of cameras and known separation between the targets, positions of the targets are computed by processing the images. A position of the object is derived based on the positions of the targets. |
| US08477559B2 |
Burst termination control circuit and semiconductor memory using the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a burst termination control unit and a data output control unit. The burst termination control unit generates a termination control signal, a read command, a write command and a mode resister read command. The data output control unit stops a data output operation in response to the termination control signal. |
| US08477558B2 |
Memory apparatuses with low supply voltages
Low supply voltage memory apparatuses are presented. In one embodiment, a memory apparatus comprises a memory and a memory controller. The memory controller includes a read controller. The read controller prevents a read operation to a memory location from being completed, for at least N clock cycles after a write operation to the memory location, where N is the number of clock cycles for the memory location to stabilize after the write operation. |
| US08477556B2 |
Memory architecture having multiple partial wordline drivers and contacted and feed-through bitlines
Various embodiments are disclosed relating to a memory circuit architecture. In an example embodiment, which may accommodate a change to a new memory size or cell aspect ratio, while migrating between different process nodes or the same process generation, while retaining at least a portion of the periphery circuitry, a memory circuit architecture may be employed in which the memory array is divided into an upper half and a lower half, thereby splitting the cache Ways among the two halves. The wordline may be split among the two array halves, with each half driven by a half wordline driver. Also, in another embodiment, two sets of bitlines may be provided for each column, including a contacted set of bitlines and a feed-through set of bitlines. |
| US08477553B2 |
Fuse circuit and semiconductor device having the same
Provided is a fuse circuit capable of selectively using a power supply voltage for a logic operation according to an operation mode. The fuse circuit includes a mode generating circuit, a power supply voltage selection circuit, and at least one fuse unit. The mode generating circuit generates a plurality of mode signals. The power supply voltage selection circuit selects one out of a plurality of power supply voltages in response to the plurality of mode signals and outputs the selected power supply voltage to a first node. Each of the fuse units is coupled between the first node and a ground voltage and uses the selected power supply voltage as a power supply voltage for a logic operation. Thus, a semiconductor device including the fuse circuit may accurately test a connection state of a fuse. |
| US08477552B2 |
Memory device, semiconductor memory device and control method thereof
A semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array, first and second bit lines, first and second amplifiers, and a sense amplifier control circuit. An amplifying element in the first sense amplifier amplifiers the signal of the first bit line and converts it into an output current. The second bit line is selectively connected to the first bit line via the first sense amplifier. A signal voltage decision unit in the second sense amplifier determines the signal level of the second bit line being supplied with the output current. The sense amplifier control circuit controls connection between the amplifying element and the unit in accordance with a determination timing, which switches the above connection from a connected state to a disconnected state at a first timing in a normal operation and switches in the same manner at a delayed second timing in a refresh operation. |
| US08477550B2 |
Pass-gated bump sense amplifier for embedded drams
A sensing circuit for use in a semiconductor memory device includes first and second conducting lines for conducting a bit signal to and from a memory cell. The circuit further includes a sense amplifier coupled to the first and second conducting lines for sensing a bit signal, a charge storing element for generating a predefined potential, and first and second switching element respectively coupled to the first and second conducting lines. The first and second switching elements are selectively controllable to connect the first and second conducting line to the charge storing element so as to induce the generated predefined voltage on the first or second conducting lines. |
| US08477547B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of operating the same
A semiconductor memory device includes first and second memory groups that each comprise memory cells and redundancy memory cells; first main page buffers assigned to the first memory group and second main page buffers assigned to the second memory group; first main page buffers and a first redundancy page buffer coupled between the first memory group and first internal data lines and configured to store data for the program or read operation of the memory cells and the redundancy memory cells; and a data transfer circuit configured to transfer data from a first main page buffer of the first main page buffers that corresponds to the defective column of the first memory group to the at least one second redundancy page buffer before the program operation and transfer data of the at least one second redundancy page buffer to the first main page buffer. |
| US08477543B2 |
Data input circuit with a valid strobe signal generation circuit
A data input circuit includes a valid strobe signal generation circuit and a data strobe signal counter. The valid strobe signal generation circuit is configured to remove a pulse of an internal strobe signal generated and generate a valid strobe signal. The pulse may have been generated during a preamble period. The data strobe signal counter is configured to count the valid strobe signal according to burst length information and generate a write latch signal for aligning data at a time of a write operation. |
| US08477538B2 |
Flash memory device and a method of programming the same
A flash memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells; a bit line voltage control signal generator generating and outputting a bit line voltage control signal; and a page buffer unit connected to the memory cell array through a plurality of bit lines, and controlling voltage levels of the plurality of bit lines in response to the bit line voltage control signal output from the bit line voltage control signal generator, wherein the plurality of bit lines comprise a first bit line and a second bit line adjacent to the first bit line, wherein during a bit line pre-charging operation in which the first bit line is in a program inhibited state and the second bit line is in a programming state, the page buffer unit increases a voltage level of the first bit line in response to the bit line voltage control signal, wherein the increase in the voltage level of the first bit line causes a voltage level of the second bit line to increase, and wherein a voltage level of the bit line voltage control signal is not affected by a change in a power voltage of the flash memory device. |
| US08477529B2 |
Embedded magnetic random access memory (MRAM)
A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell includes an embedded MRAM and an access transistor. The embedded MRAM is formed on a number of metal-interposed-in-interlayer dielectric (ILD) layers, which each include metal dispersed therethrough and are formed on top of the access transistor. An magneto tunnel junction (MTJ) is formed on top of a metal formed in the ILD layers that is in close proximity to a bit line. An MTJ mask is used to pattern the MTJ and is etched to expose the MTJ. Ultimately, metal is formed on top of the bit line and extended to contact the MTJ. |
| US08477527B2 |
SRAM timing cell apparatus and methods
Apparatus and methods for providing SRAM timing tracking cell circuits are disclosed. In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises an SRAM array comprising static random access memory cells arranged in rows and columns; a plurality of word lines each coupled to memory cells along one of the rows; a clock generation circuit for outputting clock signals; a word line generation circuit for generating a pulse on the plurality of word lines responsive to one of the clock signals and for ending the pulse responsive to one of the clock signals; and a tracking cell for receiving a clock signal and for outputting a word line pulse end signal to the clock generation circuit, following an SRAM tracking time; wherein the tracking cell further comprises SRAM tracking circuits positioned in the SRAM array and coupled in series to provide a signal indicating the SRAM tracking time. Methods for SRAM timing are disclosed. |
| US08477524B2 |
Nonvolatile memory devices and related methods and systems
Nonvolatile memory devices are provided including a memory cell array having a plurality of stacked memory layers and a rectifier configured to select memory cells constituting each memory layer sharing a word line or a bit line with another adjacent memory layer. The nonvolatile memory devices including a word line driving unit configured to drive a first word line, connected to a first memory cell of a first memory layer to be read, at a first voltage level and drive a second word line, connected to a second memory cell of a second memory layer sharing a first bit line connected to the first memory cell, at a second voltage level. The nonvolatile memory device further includes a bit line biasing unit configured to bias the first bit line at the second voltage level and bias a second bit line, connected to a third memory cell of a third memory layer sharing the first word line, at the first voltage level. Related methods and systems are also provided herein. |
| US08477522B2 |
Ferroelectric memory write-back
A self-timed sense amplifier read buffer pulls down a pre-charged high global bit line, which then feeds data into a tri state write back buffer that is connected directly to the bit line. The bit line provides charge to a ferroelectric capacitor to write a logical “one” or “zero” while by-passing an isolator switch disposed between the sense amplifier and the ferroelectric capacitor. Because the sense amplifier uses grounded bit line sensing, the read buffer will not start pulling down the global bit line until after the sense amplifier signal amplification, which makes the timing of the control signal for this read buffer non-critical. The write-back buffer enable timing is also self-timed off of the sense amplifier. Therefore, the read data write-back to a ferroelectric memory cell is locally controlled and begins quickly after reading data from the ferroelectric memory cell, thereby allowing a quick cycle time. |
| US08477520B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor device includes a first amplifier circuit, a second amplifier circuit, first and second bit lines coupled to the first amplifier circuit, third and fourth bit lines coupled to the second amplifier circuit, a first equalizer circuit being coupled to the first and second bit lines, and a second equalizer circuit being coupled between the second and third bit lines. The second equalizer circuit being closer to the second amplifier circuit than the first equalizer circuit, the first equalizer circuit being closer to the first amplifier circuit than the second equalizer circuit. |
| US08477509B2 |
Lightweight audio system for automotive applications and method
A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually “fastenerless” and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture is bifurcated into a first board carrying common circuit components in a surface mount configuration suitable for high volume production, and a second board carrying application specific circuit components in a wave soldered stick mount configuration. The major components and subassemblies are self-fixturing during the final assembly process, eliminating the need for dedicated tools, fixtures and assembly equipment. The major components and subassemblies self-interconnect by integral guide and connection features effecting “slide lock” and “snap lock” self-interconnection. The radio architecture includes improved push buttons employing 4-bar living hinge linkage and front loaded decorative trim buttons. |
| US08477507B2 |
Suspension board assembly sheet with circuits and method for manufacturing the same
An assembly sheet includes a plurality of suspension boards and a frame member that integrally supports the suspension boards. On a surface of the frame member, a plurality of identification marks for identifying respective positions of the suspension boards in automatic optical inspection are provided corresponding to the suspension boards. |
| US08477506B2 |
Injection molded control panel with in-molded decorated plastic film that includes an internal connector
Provided are systems and methods for a control assembly including: a first film that is in-molded that includes decorative graphics, a front surface and a rear surface; and a second film molded to the rear surface of the first film having a printed circuit that includes sensors, control circuits and interconnects and a front and rear surface; and an internal connector. |
| US08477505B2 |
Peripheral device with limited relative angular movement
The present invention provides a peripheral device with limited relative angular movement. The peripheral device is configured for detachable operative interconnection with a computing device and comprises a first portion, a second portion, and an operatively connected peripheral device component. The first portion includes a first hinge portion, which defines an axis of rotation, and comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion. The first protrusion is disposed axially separated at a predetermined distance from the second protrusion. The second portion includes a second hinge portion, which is operatively interconnected with the first hinge portion to allow the first portion and the second portion to rotate relative to one another about the axis of rotation between a first angle and a second angle. The peripheral device component provides one or more peripheral device functions. The first angle and the second angle at least in part are defined by the first protrusion and the second protrusion. |
| US08477504B2 |
Systems and methods for blind-mate connector alignment
In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, systems and methods for aligning blind-mate connectors are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises an avionics processing canister that is coupled to a mounting block. The avionics processing canister comprises a first portion of a first blind-mate connector, and a face plate with a surface that defines a pin-hole and a slot. The slot has a short dimension substantially equal to the diameter of the pin-hole and a long dimension perpendicular to the short dimension. The long dimension is longer than the short dimension. The system also comprises a first fastener that is received through the pin-hole and then into a first hole defined by a surface of the mounting block. The pin-hole has a diameter that is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the first fastener. The system also comprises a second fastener that is received through the slot and then into a second hole defined by a surface of the mounting block. The slot is oriented such that the second fastener constrains rotation of the face plate about a center of the pin-hole to align the first portion of the first blind-mate connector to a second portion of the first blind-mate connector. |
| US08477501B2 |
Network node with integrated power distribution
A control network comprises a plurality of network nodes arranged in a plurality of tiers, with first-tier nodes and lower tier nodes. A master control bus interconnects the first-tier nodes, which are also connected to a power source. Lower-tier buses interconnect groups of the lower tier nodes. The lower-tier buses include both data lines and a power source line derived from the power source, allowing the lower tier nodes to selectively distribute power to local loads. A first-tier node may be embodied as a hub controller configured to be connected to one or more of said lower-tier buses. The hub controller may comprise a plurality of internal hub nodes (including a hub master node and hub slave nodes) integrated within the same physical unit. |
| US08477498B2 |
Conduction-cooled apparatus and methods of forming said apparatus
A circuit card enclosure comprises a backplane including a plurality of connectors. First and second conduction rails are thermally coupled to a heat exchanger, the first and second conduction rails each comprising an inner body at least partially encapsulated by an outer body. The inner body comprises a thermally conductive material. The outer body comprises a structural material. Card slots of the circuit card enclosure are defined between opposed card channels of the first and second conduction rails. Each card slot is constructed and arranged to register an inserted circuit card with at least one of the connectors, the card channels including a thermally conductive region constructed and arranged to thermally interface with a thermal frame of an inserted circuit card, the thermally conductive region of the card channels being thermally coupled to the inner body of the conduction rail. |
| US08477497B2 |
Cooling device for cooling electronic components
A cooling device for cooling electronic components includes a base plate, a power source, and a cooling module. The cooling module includes a cooling sheet and a thermal conductive base. The cooling sheet includes a hot surface and a cooling surface. The thermal conductive base is located above the cooling surface of the cooling sheet, and configured to support electronic components on a printed circuit board and transfer heat between the electronic components and the cooling surface. When the cooling sheet is powered on, the cooling surface is in a constant state of low temperature. Due to the heat transfer between the cooling surface and the thermal conductive base, heat from the electronic components can be transferred from the thermal conductive base to the cooling surface continuously. |
| US08477496B2 |
Enclosure having guiding device
An enclosure includes a housing, partition plates received in the housing, hard disk drives fixed between the partition plates, a cover fixed to the housing, a printed circuit board received in the housing and a fan assembly fixed within the housing. The housing includes a bottom plate and a pair of side plates. Each side plate has a guiding device mounted thereon. The guiding device includes a supporting element fixed to the side plate, a fixing element fixed with the printed circuit board, and a rod pivotably connecting the fixing element with the supporting element. The partition plates each have a hook, and the printed circuit board defines multiple slots corresponding to the hooks. The printed circuit board can be driven towards the partition plates by the fixing element around the supporting element so that the slots are aligned and locked with the hooks. |
| US08477494B2 |
Techniques which involve solar shielding an electronic device
An electronic assembly includes an electronic device and a solar shield coupled to the electronic device. The solar shield has an attachment portion which attaches to the electronic device, and a shield portion coupled to the attachment portion. The shield portion prevents direct sunlight from substantially reaching a section of the electronic device. The shield portion defines (i) at least a portion of an air intake, (ii) at least a portion of an air exhaust, and (iii) at least a portion of an air passageway which extends from the air intake to the air exhaust. The air passageway overlies the section of the electronic device enabling ambient air adjacent the air intake to form natural convective airflow into the air intake and out the air exhaust through the air passageway to carry away heat from the section of the electronic device during electronic operation of the electronic device. |
| US08477492B2 |
Formed PCB
Methods for forming PCBs that can be used in a portable computing device are described. The PCBs can be installed in the portable computing device in a bent configuration. In a particular embodiment, a contiguously formed PCB can be shaped with two large regions connected a thin connector portion. The thin connector portion can connect components one each of the two large regions and can be used in lieu of a flex connector. In one embodiment, the PCB can be formed from multiple layers including trace and substrate layers. The trace and substrate layer can be adjusted to affect the stiffness of the PCB in various regions, such as to allow the PCB to hold a bent configuration after a bending moment is applied. |
| US08477490B2 |
Cooling system for mobile electronic devices
A cooling system for a mobile computing device configured to drive two devices, a fan and an alert device. The fan cools components of the mobile computing device by exchanging air between an inner cavity of the mobile computing device and an outer environment surrounding the mobile computing device. The alert device produces an alert, e.g., a vibration, for the mobile computing device. The cooling system includes a motor operably connected to a first device (either the fan or the alert device) and operably connected via a clutch to a second device (either the fan or the alert device). The clutch allows the second device to be selectively activated depending on a speed or rotational direction of a drive shaft of the motor. |
| US08477485B2 |
Slide mechanism and electronic device using the same
An electronic device includes an upper body, a lower cover, a lower body, and a slide mechanism installed between the upper body and the lower cover. The lower cover is fastened on the lower body. The mechanism includes a fixed element, a slide element, and two plates. The fixed element is fastened on the lower cover. The slide element may slide relative to the fixed element. The plates are fastened on two opposite sides of the slide element and the upper body. |
| US08477484B2 |
Electronic apparatus with EMI shielding structure
An electronic apparatus includes a case having an opening, and at least one retaining section is adjacent to the opening. At least one retaining pin is arranged in each of the at least one retaining section. The electronic apparatus further includes a cover to cover the opening. The cover includes at least one fixing section engaging with the at least one retaining section. A receiving chamber is arranged in each of the at least one fixing section to receive a clamp section of a resilient piece clamping the at least one retaining pin. The resilient piece is movable when the retaining pin is clamped by the clamp section arranged in the receiving chamber. |
| US08477480B2 |
Laminate, separator for capacitor, and capacitor
Laminates including a nanofiber layer and a base layer, the nanofiber layer comprising polyamide filaments formed from a polyamide (a) and having an average fiber diameter of 10 to 1000 nm, and the base layer comprising fibers at least including polyamide fibers formed from a polyamide (a), where the polyamide (a) comprises a dicarboxylic acid unit and a diamine unit and where (i) the dicarboxylic acid unit comprising a terephthalic acid unit in the proportion of not lower than 60% by mole, and (ii) the diamine unit comprising at least one diamine unit selected from the group consisting of 1,9-nonanediamine unit and 2-methyl-1,8-octanediamine unit in the proportion of not lower than 60% by mole in total are provided, as well as separators for capacitors including the laminates. |
| US08477479B2 |
Leadwire configuration for a planar anode of a wet electrolytic capacitor
A relatively thin planar anode for use in a wet electrolytic capacitor is provided. An anode leadwire is embedded within the anode and extends in a longitudinal direction therefrom. The wire may be formed from any electrically conductive material, such as tantalum, niobium, aluminum, hafnium, titanium, etc., as well as electrically conductive oxides and/or nitrides of thereof. To reduce the tendency of the leadwire to pull out of the anode due to stresses encountered during manufacturing (e.g., sintering) and/or use of the capacitor, the manner in which the wire is inserted is selectively controlled in the present invention. That is, at least a portion of the wire within the anode is bent at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the wire. This “bend” reduces the ease to which the wire can be pulled out in the longitudinal direction after the anode is pressed and sintered. |
| US08477476B2 |
Ceramic electronic component
A ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic element including opposed side surfaces, an inner electrode, and an external terminal electrode. The external terminal electrode includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The first conductive layer is formed by plating so as to be electrically coupled to an exposed section of the internal electrode exposed to the side surfaces. The second conductive layer is arranged so as to cover the first conductive layer and includes conductive resin. The value of T2/T1 is in the range of about 3.4 to about 11.3, where T1 indicates the thickness of the first conductive layer and T2 indicates the thickness of the second conductive layer. |
| US08477475B2 |
Capacitor structure
A capacitor structure includes a plurality of conductive line levels located over the substrate. Each of the conductive line levels includes a first conductive line and a second conductive line. The first conductive lines in the conductive line levels form a first conductive line co-plane and the second conductive lines in the conductive line levels form a second conductive line co-plane. A first conductive end is electrically connected to the first conductive lines on the conductive line levels. A second conductive end is electrically connected to the second conductive lines on the conductive line levels. A plurality of vias are located between the neighboring conductive line levels and placed on only one of the first and second conductive line co-planes on a same level. |
| US08477474B2 |
Thin film capacitor
To provide a thin film capacitor having a device structure for suppressing peeling between an insulating film and a substrate. A thin film capacitor 100 has a laminate structure that is formed by laminating a lower electrode 20, a dielectric film 30, and an upper electrode 40 in sequence on a substrate 10. An adhesion layer 41 is formed on a side surface of the lower electrode 20 via the dielectric film 30, and an insulating film 50 in contact with the adhesion layer 41 covers the laminate structure. According to this device structure, the adhesion layer 41 having excellent adhesiveness to the insulating film 50 is disposed between the insulating film 50 and the dielectric film 30, so that peeling of the insulating film 50 can be suppressed. |
| US08477469B2 |
Overvoltage protection element
An overvoltage protection element having at least one overvoltage limiting component in a housing, terminal contacts for electrical connection of the overvoltage protection element to a path to be protected, an electrically conductive connecting element and with a spring system acting on the connecting element, a first terminal contact being directly connected with the first pole of the overvoltage limiting component, the connecting element being in electrically conductive contact with the second terminal contact and the second pole of the overvoltage limiting component via a thermally separating connection. With the thermal connection separated, the connecting element moves out of electrically conductive contact with the second terminal contact and the second pole of the overvoltage limiting component by the force of the spring system an insulating disconnecting element connected to the connecting element is moved between the second terminal contact and the second pole of the overvoltage limiting component. |
| US08477464B2 |
Electronic device with a variable angulation of a flexible display
An electronic device is disclosed that comprises a housing 81 and a flexible display, which may have respective portions 82a, 82b, 82c and 82d. The portions may be accommodated between respective hinges 84a, 84b, 84c, 84d, which are arranged as a mechanism for enabling a transition between the first mechanically stable position and a second mechanically stable position. The display is viewed from a direction 85. The hinges are operated independently from each other, enabling a plurality of angulations of the flexible display with respect to the housing 81. |
| US08477459B1 |
Disk drive head gimbal assembly having a flexure tail with dual conductive layers and features to facilitate bonding
A head gimbal assembly for a disk drive includes a laminate flexure having a structural layer, first and second conductive layers, a first dielectric layer between the first and second conductive layers, and a second dielectric layer between the structural layer and the second conductive layer. The second conductive layer includes a plurality of electrical traces. Each of a plurality of flexure bond pads includes a widened region of a corresponding one of the plurality of electrical traces in the second conductive layer, a corresponding one of a plurality of segments or discontinuous islands in the structural layer, and a corresponding one of a plurality of discontinuous islands in the first conductive layer that is electrically connected to an electrical trace in the second conductive layer through one of a plurality of conductive vias through the first dielectric layer. |
| US08477458B2 |
Slider pad for contact mitigation
An apparatus and associated method for a slider pad that allows for contact to be mitigated without plastic deformation. Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to a slider that presents a transducer and has at least one air bearing surface (ABS) feature. The ABS feature comprises a pair of sidewalls spaced a distance X apart. A pad is deposited on the ABS feature so that the pad comprises a hemispherical cross-section and has a circumferential diameter greater than X. |
| US08477456B2 |
Commonly-poled piezoelectric device
A system for poling piezoelectric devices comprises a plurality of thin-film components, a plurality of piezoelectric devices, a poling pad for poling the piezoelectric devices, a plurality of traces, and a plurality of current-limiting elements. The thin-film components are separated by dice lanes to form an array, and the piezoelectric devices are formed on the thin-film components. The traces connect the piezoelectric devices across the dice lanes in parallel to the poling pad. Each current-limiting element is connected in series with one of the piezoelectric devices, in order to limit current to individual piezoelectric devices that experience current-related failure. |
| US08477451B2 |
Shroud integrated cover and hard disk drive including the same
There is provided a hard disk drive including: a bottom plate including a disk rotating by a motor; and a cover having a first wall member formed thereon, the first wall member inducing an airflow generated at the time of rotation of the disk. |
| US08477449B2 |
Base for motor and hard disk drive including the same
There is provided a base for a motor, the base including: a base body formed by performing press processing on a steel plate, a base material; an outer wall part defining an outer edge of the base body and formed by being bent from an end portion of the base body; and at least one weight reducing part formed by removing a predetermined region of the outer wall part. |
| US08477447B1 |
Asymmetry correction in read signal
Systems and techniques relating to interpreting signals on a channel having an asymmetrical signal amplitude response are described. A described system includes an asymmetry correction circuit configured to receive an analog signal and to compensate for asymmetry in the received analog signal, a signal equalizer configured to receive an input signal responsive to an output of the asymmetry correction circuit and to generate an equalized signal, a discrete time sequence detector operable to examine the equalized signal, and a control circuit operable to provide a coefficient adjustment to the asymmetry correction circuit to affect asymmetry compensation based on an estimate of nonlinearity derived from the equalized signal and multiple reconstructed ideal channel output values. The reconstructed ideal channel output values can be derived from an output of the discrete time sequence detector and correspond to at least two different discrete times. |
| US08477445B2 |
Write clock synchronization appartus for magnetic recording disk drives with patterned media
A write clock generator for use in writing data to a rotating patterned magnetic media disk is disclosed. The generator includes a magnetic read head for generating a succession of servo signals representative of succession of servo magnetization patterns detected from a corresponding succession of arcuate sectors along a circular data track on the disk. A preamble processor generates a corresponding succession of sector pair signals representative of the lengths of adjacent sectors along the data track on a rolling pair-wise basis. A next sector length predictor processor determines for a succession of pairs of sectors, a length ratio of the lengths of the sectors in the respective pairs of sectors. A clock generator generates a periodic clock for each sector of the succession of sectors, wherein the clock rate associated with a current sector has an associated phase deviation relative to a clock rate associated with a previous sector, which is proportional to the length ratio for the current sector and the previous sector. |
| US08477442B2 |
Patterned media for self-servowriting integrated servo fields
Pre-patterned discrete track media for self-servo writing are described. Embodiments include land and groove patterns for two or more Integrated Servo sequence fields for each servo sector in which one of the Integrated Servo sequence fields is aligned with the data track and a second sequence is offset by one-half of a track width. The lands and grooves between the Integrated Servo sequence fields are preferably the same width as those between the data tracks to facilitate planarization. Alternative embodiments include a sync feature for each servo sector formed by a selected groove and/or land pattern as a marker for the start of the servo fields. Alternative embodiments include a bootstrap zone with servo patterns that are readable when DC-magnetized. Described methods of self-servowriting include ways to adapt to eccentricity and non-circularity of pre-patterned discrete tracks with respect to the head paths. |
| US08477437B2 |
Lens unit, image capturing lens, image capturing device and portable terminal
A lens unit LU in which a lens portion L is formed at least on either a light-receiving surface or a light-emitting surface of a lens holding plate P, wherein a difference in coefficients of linear expansion of the lens holding plate P and the lens portion L is used to suppress mis-focusing by causing changes in a paraxial image point position of the entire lens system due to changes in the surface shape of the lens portion L which accompany temperature changes, and changes in the paraxial image point position of the entire lens system due to changes in the refraction index to cancel each other out. Furthermore, deterioration of performance of the entire lens system caused by rising temperature is suppressed by satisfying a predetermined conditional expression. |
| US08477433B2 |
Optical imaging lens assembly
An optical imaging lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element with positive refractive power, a second lens element with negative refractive power, a third lens element with positive refractive power, and a fourth lens element with negative refractive power. The third lens element includes a convex image-side surface. The fourth lens element includes a concave image-side surface, and at least one of two surfaces of the fourth lens element is aspheric. Additionally, the optical imaging lens assembly also includes an aperture stop and an image sensor disposed at an image plane. By adjusting the relationship among the above-mentioned lens elements, the aperture stop, the image sensor and the image plane, the optical imaging lens assembly can effectively reduce the total optical length and correct the aberration as well as the chromatism to obtain superior imaging quality. |
| US08477431B2 |
Image capturing lens assembly
An image capturing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, a second lens element with positive refractive power, a third lens element with refractive power, a fourth lens element with refractive power, a fifth lens element with refractive power having a convex image-side surface, and a sixth lens element with refractive power having a concave image-side surface. An object-side surface and the image-side surface of the sixth lens element are aspheric, and the sixth lens element has at least one inflection point formed on the image-side surface thereof. |
| US08477429B2 |
Zoom lens system and image pickup apparatus including the same
A zoom lens system includes, in order from object-side to image-side a positive first lens unit, a second negative lens unit, a third lens unit, and a fourth positive lens unit. The fourth unit includes a front subunit having positive power and a rear subunit having positive power. The following conditions are satisfied:−2.100×10−3×νd+0.693<θgF; 0.555<θgF<0.900; 0.8<(νfp/νfn)/(νrp/νrn)<4.0; 0.8<|{(θfn−θfp)/(νfp−νfn)}/{(θrn−θrp)/(νrp−νrn)}|, where vd and θgF indicate Abbe number and partial dispersion ratio of a lens included in the rear subunit, respectively, and where νfp, θfp, νfn and θfn indicate averages of Abbe number and partial dispersion ratio of positive lenses and averages of Abbe number and partial dispersion ratio of negative lenses included in the front subunit, respectively; νrp, θrp, νrn and θrn indicate averages of Abbe number and partial dispersion ratio of positive lenses and averages of Abbe number and partial dispersion ratio of negative lenses included in the rear subunit, respectively. |
| US08477428B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus having the zoom lens
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power, a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, a third lens unit having a negative refractive power, a fourth lens unit having a positive or negative refractive power, and a fifth lens unit having a positive refractive power. In the zoom lens, the first lens unit is stationary during zooming. At least the second lens unit, the third lens unit, and the fifth lens unit move along an optical axis during zooming. Furthermore, in the zoom lens, a focal length of the entire zoom lens at a wide-angle end (fw) and an amount of movement of the second lens unit during zooming from the wide-angle end to a telephoto end (m2z) are appropriately set. |
| US08477423B2 |
Method of producing a patterned birefringent product
A method of producing a patterned birefringent product, containing at least steps (I) to (III) in this order: (I) providing a birefringent pattern builder having an optically anisotropic layer containing a polymer; (II) subjecting two or more regions of the birefringent pattern builder to exposure to light under exposure conditions different from each other; and (III) heating a laminated structure obtained after the step (II) at 50° C. or higher and 400° C. or lower. |
| US08477422B2 |
Optical element and optical isolator using the same
An optical element includes at least with a Faraday rotator of which both light-transmission surfaces are bonded through a bonding layer to light-transmission surfaces of polarization glasses which are orientationally dispersed with anisotropically-shaped particles at their surfaces. Each of the polarization glasses includes the orientationally dispersed anisotropically-shaped particles only at one surface opposite to the bonding surface. A relation t≧30 μm is satisfied, wherein t denotes a distance between one of the bonding surfaces of the Faraday rotator and that surface of the polarization glass on the one of the bonding surfaces of the Faraday rotator which is disposed with the particles. As a result, high isolation (25 dB or higher) can be maintained, even if a polarization glass which includes a thin layer with orientationally dispersed anisotropically-shaped particles is used. |
| US08477420B2 |
Projection screen for displaying two-dimensional and three-dimensional motion pictures and method of use thereof
The present disclosure reveals a reflective, front-projection screen designed to faithfully and accurately display the images from state-of-the-art (SOTA) and next-generation 2D and 3D motion-picture projectors, such as those found in large-capacity public movie theaters, home theaters, offices, and for use with portable projection systems for consumer and commercial applications. In particular it discloses cinema-size light shaping 3D projection screens with front-surface microstructures and horizontal viewing angles in the range of 90 to 120 degrees. |
| US08477419B1 |
System and method for automatically aligning a telescope without requiring user intervention
According to various embodiments, a telescope is automatically aligned without requiring user intervention and without requiring knowledge of actual local time or location. A mount model specifying a relationship between a telescope's internal coordinate system and a celestial coordinate system is generated using an arbitrary time, arbitrary telescope location, and a number of alignment reference points. A pointing error for the initial mount model is determined, for example using a plate solving technique to translate between plate coordinates and celestial coordinates for the alignment reference points. Time and location values are iteratively adjusted to reduce the pointing error until it is acceptably low. In one embodiment, adjustments are made by reference to a local sidereal time (LST) offset and/or a latitude value. In one embodiment, the iterative adjustment is performed using a two-phase methodology, including a coarse adjustment followed by a fine adjustment. |
| US08477418B2 |
Confocal laser microscope
A confocal laser microscope has at least one laser whose illumination light is transmitted in direction of the microscope objective by at least one light-conducting fiber. The light-conducting fiber can be plugged in at a housing which preferably comprises the scanning head of the microscope, and a holder is provided which can be plugged into the housing and into which the light-conducting fiber projects and which is provided at its end remote of the fiber with first optics for transmitting the laser light exiting divergently from the fiber in direction of at least partially displaceable collimating optics in the housing. At least second optics are advantageously arranged between the first optics and the collimating optics. |
| US08477416B2 |
Stereomicroscope
A stereomicroscope has a rotary mirror to switch an optical path of a beam from an objective optical system between a normal optical path A and an image optical path B. Accordingly, a main operator D1 can keep his or her eyes on eyepieces 15 when switching an optical image through the normal optical path A and an electronic image through the image optical path B from one to another. A zooming optical system 10 is horizontally arranged in the normal optical path A and a high-magnification optical path C is formed on a horizontally outer side of the zooming optical system 10, to reduce a vertical dimension of a body of the microscope and secure a wide work space. |
| US08477405B2 |
Particle dispersion for display, display medium and display device
A particle dispersion for display including: first particles for display including a colorant and a first polymer having a first charging group, the first particles for display being movable in response to an electric field; a first polymeric dispersant attached to the first particles for display; second particles for display including a colorant and a second polymer having a second charging group, the second particles for display being movable in response to an electric field; a second polymeric dispersant attached to the second particles for display; and a dispersing medium in which the first particles for display and the second particles for display are dispersed, the first polymeric dispersant and the second polymeric dispersant having different weight average molecular weights so that the first particles for display and the second particles for display start moving upon application of different voltages. |
| US08477401B1 |
Windshield with fluorescent electrowetting display
A windshield assembly that includes a fluorescent electrowetting cell and an opaque electrowetting cell overlying a windshield and configured so the opaque electrowetting cell cooperates with the fluorescent electrowetting cell to contrast an image displayed by the fluorescent electrowetting cell with respect to a field of view beyond the windshield assembly. The ability to contrast the image makes the image easier to see when bright sunlight is present. |
| US08477400B2 |
Systems and methods for presenting three-dimensional content using photosensitive lenses
Systems and methods are provided for presenting three-dimensional content on a display. An exemplary system for presenting a plurality of frames on a display comprises a first lens, a second lens, and an activation system. The activation system utilizes electromagnetic radiation to activate the first lens when a respective frame being presented on the display corresponds to the first lens, resulting in the first lens being substantially transparent and the second lens being substantially opaque, and to activate the second lens when a respective frame being presented on the display corresponds to the second lens, resulting in the second lens being substantially transparent and the first lens being substantially opaque. |
| US08477398B2 |
Optical reflection element
An optical reflection element has a frame-shaped supporting body, a first oscillator and a second oscillator each having a meander shape, and a mirror portion. A line segment connecting a joining position between the mirror portion and the first oscillator to a joining position between the supporting body and the first oscillator, and a line segment connecting a joining position of the mirror portion and the second oscillator to a joining position of the supporting body and the second oscillator cross a mirror portion central axis. As one illustrative condition to be satisfied, an outer circumference of at least any one of turn portions of the first oscillator and the second oscillator is deviated from a first end portion axis that is parallel to the mirror portion central axis and extends along a first side of the mirror portion. |
| US08477397B2 |
Print data generating configuration that enables an image print to have a tolerance for image quality degradation against variations of print characteristics between printing elements of a print head
A channel selection section selects whether the subsequent processing to the image data is executed by image distribution precedence processing or by gradation lowering precedence processing in accordance with channel information of the image data. That is, in regard to the channels of C, M and K with relatively high density among inks, the image distribution precedence processing excellent in robustness is selected. On the other hand, in the ink of the color with high brightness or low density, even if the print position of the dot is shifted, the density change due to this shift is not so much large. It is possible to restrict an increase in the processing load due to executing the gradation lowering processing after the distribution processing to each of the plural divided images by thus not selecting the image distribution precedence processing in consideration of the robustness. |
| US08477394B2 |
Systems and methods for color defringing
A system and method for defringing chromatic aberrations that occur in imaging devices such as scanners. The system comprises shift filters to shift lines in the various color planes together. In addition in each color plane, a spread filter is used to compensate for the unequal point spread functions of each color. Furthermore, the results can be enhanced by filtering in the luminance-chrominance space. |
| US08477393B2 |
Image processing apparatus, computer program product, and preview image displaying method
The image data processing apparatus includes a storage unit to store image data having a process setting. The image data processing apparatus includes a selection screen display unit to display the one or more image data stored in the storage unit and to display a selection screen to select whether to use a process content associated with image data selected from the displayed image data if the one segment of image data is used. The image data processing apparatus includes a display control unit to display, on the display device, a preview image reflecting the process content based on the associated process content. |
| US08477389B2 |
Arrangement for reading from and/or writing to flexible sheet media in a curved configuration and method
A method is described for reading information from and/or writing information to at least one sheet of flexible sheet material. The sheet having a length and a width defining first and second opposing surfaces and opposing lengthwise and widthwise edges. The sheet material is supported in a curved configuration across the width such that the first surface is inwardly oriented with respect to the curved configuration to define a cylindrical shape having the lengthwise edges positioned in a confronting relationship. The sheet is then moved in a direction along a lengthwise path generally parallel to the length and transverse to the direction of curvature, but without rotation about the lengthwise path. At least one of reading information and writing information is performed transversely across the width of the first surface of the sheet material as the sheet material is moved along the path. |
| US08477386B2 |
Cover-type apparatus with simplified interlocking structure
A cover-type apparatus with a simplified locking structure includes a first body, a second body and an interlocking mechanism for fastening the second body and the first body together. The interlocking mechanism includes a hook disposed on the first body, and an elastic member disposed on the second body and being engageable with the hook. The elastic member deforms elastically in response to a force exerted thereon by the hook. |
| US08477378B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
A region for quantization having a value lower than the value B is assumed as having little influence by Bk data on the pixels in this region. Thus, in order to prioritize the optimization of the granularity at the start of the input of GY data, the LUT having a combination of GY and gy as an input as an input is used to perform separation quantization. On the other hand, since a region having a value equal to or higher than the value B requires the use of Bk data, the LUT having only a combination of Bk and GY as an input as an input is used to perform quantization. As a result, the number of types of pieces of ink data referencing the table can be 2, thus suppressing an increase in the table size. |
| US08477377B2 |
Mechanism for integration of print quality enhancement (PQE) and multi-bit halftone data
A mechanism for integrating print quality enhancement (PQE) and multi-bit halftone data is disclosed. A system of embodiments of the invention includes a print control unit communicably coupled to a printer, the print control unit operable to process received multi-bit input print data for printing by the printer. The system further comprises a PQE card communicably coupled with the printer, the PQE card configured to separate multi-bit text and line art input data from multi-bit halftone image input data in the multi-bit input print data, ignore any of the identified multi-bit halftone image input data for purposes of applying PQE technology to the identified multi-bit halftone image input data, and apply the PQE technology to the identified multi-bit text and line art input data. Lastly, the system includes a print head communicably coupled to the printer, the print head operable to print multi-bit output created by the PQE card. |
| US08477374B2 |
Cost-effective binary printer models for multi-color printers by improved reflectance modeling and patch clustering
Systems and methods are described that facilitate reducing a number of patches used in characterizing a color halftone printer via a binary color printer model. A binary printer model involves printing of a fundamental set of color binary patterns that encompass all possible halftone outputs. A k-center clustering technique is employed to automatically find and eliminate redundancies in the initial set of binary color patterns. Once the number of patches is reduced to an acceptable number, a multiplicative reflectance model is applied that better approximates the physical process and therefore improves accuracy. |
| US08477373B2 |
Image processing system, image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus and computer-readable storage medium
Disclosed is an image processing system, comprising: an image processing apparatus to output image data based on an input of a print job; and an image forming apparatus to form an image based on the image data, wherein the image processing apparatus comprises a first control section to output color adjustment data so as to perform a gamma adjustment for the image data, and wherein the image forming apparatus comprises an adjustment section to perform the gamma adjustment for the image data based on the input color adjustment data. |
| US08477367B2 |
System and method for selectively printing color content of a page with a reduced color gamut and billing based on printed content
A system and related method for selectively printing color content of a page with a reduced color gamut are provided. The system includes a detection module, a printing mode module, and a conversion module. The detection module is configured to detect a color object in the page and the printing mode module exists in at least one mode. The conversion module can selectively convert the detected color object to a converted reduced-colorant object in accordance with the existence of the at least one mode of the printing mode module. |
| US08477366B2 |
Apparatus, method and medium outputting wide gamut space image
An apparatus, method and medium outputting a wide gamut space image in which one or more parameters that are needed to convert an existing color space into a wide gamut space are experimentally determined and then are applied to an image. The apparatus includes a feature extraction module to extract one or more feature differences between a standard gamut and a wide gamut of an image, a color range setting module to set a hue range according to the extracted feature differences and one or more experimentally determined parameters, and a conversion module to convert the image according to the extracted feature differences, the experimentally determined parameters, and the hue range. |
| US08477365B2 |
Method and system for preliminary data processing before printing
A method and system for preliminary data processing before printing is disclosed. The steps executed by said system comprises: dividing a page into a plurality of bands including a Mth band and a (M+1)th band; converting a color format of the Mth band; transferring the Mth band to a printer for storing, and converting the color format of the (M+1)th band in the period of transferring the Mth band; and printing the Mth band, wherein the printing does not start until the printer receives 50%-100% bands. During the printing, the color format of the residual bands continues to convert and the converted residual bands continue to transfer to the printer until the page is finished printing. |
| US08477364B2 |
Printing using a skeleton electronic document and multiple connections
A method includes: receiving, by a user device (UD), a print job associated with an electronic document (ED) for printing on a printer; identifying, by the UD and within ED, a first element having a first processing requirement and a second element having a second processing requirement; comparing, by the UD, the first processing requirement with multiple processing requirements supported by the printer; generating, by the UD, a skeleton ED by replacing the first element in the ED with a coded marker; sending, by the UD, the skeleton ED to a rasterization service; sending, by the UD, the first image to the printer, where the printer receives a rasterized version of the skeleton ED from the rasterization service, generates a processed element by executing the first processing requirement against the first element, and generates the HD by replacing a marker in the rasterized version with the processed element. |
| US08477362B2 |
Application function extension method, system, and program
According to an embodiment of the present invention, in a plug-in of a general use application, sheet size information and margin information set by the application are calculated by using a scaling factor at the time of an expansion or reduction printing. The calculated sheet size information and margin information are reconfigured into the application. |
| US08477360B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus and control program for image processing apparatus
In an image processing apparatus having an image reading unit 1 together with an image recording unit, an order sheet A having disposed thereon the thumb-nail image of an image capable of being record-outputted, and an order sheet B having disposed thereon a mark sheet section for designating image data corresponding to the thumb-nail image are record-outputted, the order sheet A and the order sheet B on which a user has effected marking are read by the image reading unit 1, the mark of a mark sheet section in the image on the read order sheet B is analyzed, and on the basis of the analysis, the assigned image data is record-outputted by the image recording unit. With the configuration, a reusable order sheet is provided to thereby enable the waste of resources and time to be saved, and efficient image processing to be carried out. |
| US08477359B2 |
Image processing apparatus for accessing a storage medium on a sheet
An image processing apparatus is provided. The image processing apparatus includes: a transport unit configured to transport a sheet; an access unit configured to access a storage medium attached to the sheet transported by the transport unit; a first determination unit configured to determine a length of an access time required for the access unit to complete access from a time when the access is started; and a change unit configured to change control to the transport unit such that a passing time during which a sheet attached with a storage medium transported by the transport unit passes an access range of the access unit increases when the first determination unit determines that the access time is a first length, as compared with the passing time when the first determination unit determines that the access time is a second length shorter than the first length. |
| US08477357B2 |
Wireless system-in-package and corresponding wireless printer system
A system in a package includes a printed circuit board and first and second SOCs. The printed circuit board is connected to a second circuit board mounted within a printer. The first SOC is mounted on the printed circuit board and includes a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver receives a first radio frequency signal from a low noise amplifier and generates a first baseband signal based on the first radio frequency signal. The transmitter transmits, based on a second baseband signal, a second radio frequency signal to a power amplifier. The second SOC is mounted on the printed circuit board and includes a baseband processing module and an imaging module. The baseband processing module processes the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal and generates a data signal based on the first baseband signal. The imaging module processes the data signal to implement physical printing. |
| US08477356B2 |
User selected setting update between image processing apparatuses on a network
An image processing apparatus is provided, which includes a first unit which stores set information for operating the image processing apparatus, a second unit which updates the set information stored in the first unit by using set information which is received via a network from another image processing apparatus connected to the network and used to operate the image processing apparatus, a storage unit which stores the set information before update by the first unit, a return instruction acceptance unit which accepts from the user an instruction to return the set information updated by the first unit to the set information before update, and a return unit which returns the set information to the set information before update that is stored in the storage unit when the return instruction acceptance unit accepts the instruction to return the set information to the set information before update. |
| US08477355B2 |
Image forming system and image forming apparatus settings search method using WS-discovery
An image forming apparatus stores a settings keyword, receives a Probe message including a search keyword from a client apparatus via a network, retrieves the search keyword from the Probe message, determines whether or not the search keyword from the Probe message matches the stored settings keyword, and transmits a ProbeMatch message to the client apparatus if the search keyword from the Probe message matches the stored settings keyword. Further, the image forming apparatus stores setting data, searches for another image forming apparatus having a function of transmitting the setting data based on a keyword search using WS-Discovery, requests the setting data from the specified another image forming apparatus, generates new setting data based on the setting data received from the another image forming apparatus, and stores the new setting data. |
| US08477348B2 |
Updating a print button for a document displayed on a user interface of a printer
An information processing apparatus is provided, to which a printer is connected via a network. The device receives print setting information for a document from said client device, a component configured to preserve the received print setting information and a flag which is set for each user in order to show whether a user connected via said printer printed said document or not, transmits print setting information of a document to said printer according to said flag, wherein the document is not printed by a user connected via said printer, and when a user instructed said printer to print the document which was not printed according to the transmitted information and printing according to the instruction resulted in success, updates said flag to show that the user has printed the document and transmits information for changing a display form of the setting information for the document. |
| US08477344B2 |
Network system, method, and computer readable medium for image processing apparatus with transmission and storage capability of generated data to specific storage location in data server
An image processing apparatus includes a display, an obtaining unit obtaining second data containing information for identifying the link information having no image data in a corresponding storage position among the plural pieces of link information contained in the first data, a display control unit making the display selectively display first link information having image data in a corresponding storage position and second link information having no image data in the corresponding storage position in different formats based on the second data, and a transmission unit transmitting image data generated by a scanning unit to the corresponding storage position. |
| US08477343B2 |
Method and system for print queue management
A method and system suitable for use with a plurality of multifunction devices (MFDs) for managing one or more print queues associated with the plurality of MFDs, the system including a user interface application for permitting users to electronically communicate with a queue managing service (QMS); wherein the QMS automatically detects, identifies, and analyzes the one or more print queues associated with the plurality of MFDs in order to provide a status of the plurality of MFDs and continuously notify the users of the updates relating to the one or more print queues. |
| US08477338B2 |
Print job management system and default printer determining apparatus
A print job management system includes a job maintaining unit, a user default storing unit, a determining unit, and a job providing unit. The job maintaining unit stores a print job, ID information on an owner user of the print job, and model information on a job handling printer in association with each other, the job handling printer being a printing device corresponding to the print job. The user default storing unit stores ID information on a user and information on a user default printer in association with each other, the user default printer being a printing device selected as the job handling printer by default when a print job of the user is generated. The determining unit determines a specific printing device as the user default printer corresponding to a user and updates data stored in the user default storing unit when ID information on the user is input using an input device associated with the specific printing device. The job providing unit provides a print job stored in the job maintaining unit to a job handling printer corresponding to the print job. |
| US08477335B2 |
System and method for developing a print shop configuration
A print shop configuration system for obtaining a print shop configuration is provided. The system includes a print shop configuration manager for determining whether a selected relationship exists between (1), one or more sets of job requirements and at least one of a set of print processing related cells or (2) two sets of print processing related cells. A possible print shop configuration may be discarded or prioritized, based on the existence of the selected relationship. |
| US08477330B2 |
Printer resource sharing in a media exchange network
A system providing printer resource sharing in a communication network includes a first communication device at a first location, communicatively coupled to a printer resource and to a second communication device at a second location. The first communication device may authenticate the second communication device, and subsequent to the authentication, may enable printing of information content on the printer resource, at a request of a user of the second communication device. The first communication device may authenticate the second communication device based on a signal received from the second communication device. The first and second communication devices and the printer resource may be communicatively coupled via a communication network. The communication network may include a broadband access headend, a cable infrastructure, a satellite network infrastructure, a digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure, an Internet infrastructure, an intranet or wired infrastructure, closed communication infrastructure, local area network, and/or a wireless infrastructure. |
| US08477316B2 |
Interferometer system and method for its operation
In an interferometer system and a method for its operation, the interferometer system includes an interferometer having an interferometer light source whose emitted radiation is able to be split into a measuring arm and a reference arm, an object to be measured being disposed in the measuring arm, and the interferometer delivering interferometer signals as a function of the position of the object to be measured. In addition, a detecting device is provided for detecting fluctuations in the refractive index of the air in the measuring arm and/or reference arm. The detecting device includes a spectrometer unit; the spectrometer unit has at least one spectrometer light source, as well as at least one spectrometer detector unit. The bundles of rays emitted by the spectrometer light source are superimposed on the bundles of rays from the interferometer light source, the spectrometer light source emitting radiation having a wavelength which lies in the range of an absorption line of at least one specific air component. The spectrometer detector unit is used to generate spectrometer signals which characterize the absorption of the air component in terms of the spectrometer light-source wavelength in the measuring arm and/or reference arm. |
| US08477312B2 |
Total reflection illuminated sensor chip, method for producing the total reflection illuminated sensor chip, and sensing method using the total reflection illuminated sensor chip
A total reflection illuminated sensor chip is employed in a detecting method for detecting a detection target substance including the steps of: supplying a sample that includes the detection target substance onto a metal film formed on a surface of a dielectric prism, irradiating a measuring light beam onto the interface between the dielectric prism and the metal film such that conditions for total reflection are satisfied at the interface, and utilizing evanescent waves which are generated due to the irradiation of the measuring light beam to detect the detection target substance. Polishing streaks in the region of a metal film formation surface of the dielectric film, on which the metal film is formed, have directional properties with respect to a single direction. |
| US08477309B2 |
Method and system for inspecting beveled objects
An inspection system and a method. The method may include: illuminating the object with impinging light of a first polarization; performing a polarization based filtering of (a) multiple-reflected light signals, each multiple-reflected light signal being reflected from at least two different bevel side surfaces of the object, and (b) additional light signals, each additional light signal being reflected from a single element of the object, such as to suppress the multiple-reflected light signals, and to provide polarization based filtered light signals; and detecting the polarization based filtered light signals. |
| US08477308B1 |
Polarized, specular reflectometer apparatus
An apparatus and method for use on precision refractive index experiments that are performed on individual faces of single crystals or liquid surfaces of material using specific wavelengths of light. The process is used to measure the major and minor axes of the optical indicatrix of a single crystal of material at a very specific wavelength. This process is repeated for each crystal face in order to form a complete picture of the refractive index for the sample. |
| US08477305B2 |
Spectroscope
The spectrometer 1 is provided with a package 2 in which a light guiding portion 7 is provided, a spectroscopic module 3 accommodated inside the package 2, and a support member 29 arranged on an inner wall plane of the package 2 to support the spectroscopic module 3. The spectroscopic module 3 is provided with a body portion 11 for transmitting light made incident from the light guiding portion 7 and a spectroscopic portion 13 for dispersing light passed through the body portion 11 on a predetermined plane of the body portion 11, and the spectroscopic portion 13 is supported by the support member 29 on the predetermined plane in a state of being spaced away from the inner wall plane. |
| US08477302B2 |
Defect inspection apparatus
A defect inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface of a sample includes a stage for holding the sample, an illumination optical system that irradiates a laser beam to form a linear illuminated area on the surface of the sample, a detection optical system, and a signal processing system. The detection optical system includes a detector device having a plurality of pixels for detecting light scattered from the linear illuminated area of the surface of the sample, and that outputs in parallel a plurality of detection signals having mutually different sensitivities acquired from the plurality of pixels of the detector device. The signal processing system selects an unsaturated detection signal from the plurality of detection signals and detects a defect in accordance with the selected detection signal. |
| US08477300B2 |
Method and system for detecting retroreflectors
An optical device that may include a sighting portion including an optical axis; an electromagnetic beam source coupled to said sighting portion, electromagnetic beam source facilitates generating a source beam including an axis that is substantially parallel to said optical axis; an optical surface coupled to said electromagnetic beam source; and a frequency filter coupled within said sighting portion. |
| US08477297B2 |
Refractive index distribution measuring method and apparatus, and method of producing optical element thereof, that use multiple transmission wavefronts of a test object immersed in at least one medium having a different refractive index from that of the test object and multiple reference transmission wavefronts of a reference object having known shape and refractive index distribution
The method measures first transmitted wavefronts and second transmitted wavefronts by respectively causing reference light to enter an object placed in plural placement states in a first medium and a second medium, calculates an aberration sensitivity with respect to changes of the placement state of the object, and calculates an alignment error of the object in each placement state by using the aberration sensitivity and the first and second transmitted wavefronts measured in each placement state. The method further calculates first and second reference transmitted wavefronts respectively acquirable when causing the reference light to enter the reference object placed in placement states including the alignment errors in the first medium and the second medium, and calculates a refractive index distribution of the object which a shape component thereof is removed, by using the first and second transmitted wavefronts and the first and second reference transmitted wavefronts. |
| US08477295B2 |
Automated soil measurement device
A soil analysis device and a method are disclosed for measuring characteristics of a soil sample. A mixing chamber combines a soil sample and an extractant into a liquid mixture. A filtration system receives and filters the liquid mixture. The filtered liquid mixture is transmitted through a pipe with a slope to a measurement cell. The measurement cell is coupled to a light source so that light propagating from the light source is attenuated by the liquid mixture and is measured by an optical detector that is also coupled to the measurement cell. The optical detector generates an attenuation spectrum indicating light received by the detector at different wavelengths. The attenuation spectrum is used to determine the characteristics of the soil sample. |
| US08477293B2 |
Method and apparatus for rapidly cooling a gem, including two stage cooling
A cooling apparatus includes a container configured to contain a coolant within a space. The apparatus further includes a cooling block positioned substantially within the space and having a high heat capacity such that the space not occupied by the cooling block is filled with a coolant to a level at or below the top of the cooling block, and a placement structure having high thermal conductivity positioned on top of the cooling block and outside of the space. A method for cooling an object is also provided, which includes inserting a coolant into a container configured to contain the coolant within a space, and placing the object on a placement structure outside the space. For this method, the placement structure has a high thermal conductivity and is coupled to a cooling block, the cooling block having a high heat capacity and positioned substantially within the space. A two-stage cooling apparatus and method is also described. |
| US08477292B2 |
Back-illuminated distance measuring sensor and distance measuring device
Two charge quantities (Q1,Q2) are output from respective pixels P (m,n) of the back-illuminated distance measuring sensor 1 as signals d′(m,n) having the distance information. Since the respective pixels P (m,n) output signals d′(m,n) responsive to the distance to an object H as micro distance measuring sensors, a distance image of the object can be obtained as an aggregate of distance information to respective points on the object H if reflection light from the object H is imaged on the pickup area 1B. If carriers generated at a deep portion in the semiconductor in response to incidence of near-infrared light for projection are led in a potential well provided in the vicinity of the carrier-generated position opposed to the light incident surface side, high-speed and accurate distance measurement is enabled. |
| US08477286B2 |
Projection optical system, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
A projection optical system is configured to project an image of an object plane onto an image plane, and includes a first optical element having an aspheric shape that is rotationally asymmetric with respect to an optical axis, a moving unit configured to move the first optical element in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and a second optical element fixed on the optical axis, and configured to reduce an optical path length difference caused by an aspheric surface of the first optical element, the second optical element having no aspheric shape complement to the aspheric shape of the first optical element. |
| US08477284B2 |
Apparatus and method to control vacuum at porous material using multiple porous materials
An immersion liquid confinement apparatus confines an immersion liquid in an immersion area that includes a gap between a projection system and an object of exposure in an immersion lithography system. The apparatus also recovers the immersion liquid from the immersion area. The apparatus includes a confinement member and first and second liquid-permeable members. The confinement member includes an outlet and an aperture through which a patterned image is projected onto the object. The first liquid-permeable member covers the outlet and has a first surface that faces the object and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface contacting a first chamber. The second liquid-permeable member has first and second oppositely-facing surfaces, the first surface of the second liquid-permeable member contacts the first chamber, the second surface of the second liquid-permeable member contacts a second chamber that is different from the first chamber. |
| US08477282B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method for fabricating the same
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate having a plurality of pixels; a thin film transistor each pixel and having a gate electrode, a drain electrode and a source electrode; a pixel electrode at each pixel and connected to the drain electrode; a plurality of column spacers between the first substrate and a second substrate; and a protrusion on the first substrate overlapped with at least one of the column spacers, wherein the protrusion includes a first layer of the same material as an active layer of the thin film transistor and formed on the same layer as the active layer; a second layer of the same material as the source and drain electrodes and formed on the same layer as the electrodes; and a third layer of the same material as the pixel electrode and formed on the same layer as the pixel electrode. |
| US08477280B2 |
Liquid crystal panel
When a counter signal line 13 electrically connected to a counter electrode 24 is provided on an active matrix substrate 11 , a coil 14 is formed by allowing a part of the counter signal line 13 to make a loop in a plane parallel to the substrate. To form the coil 14 , two wiring layers provided to the active matrix substrate 11 are used. By inserting the coil 14 in series with the counter signal line 13 , high-frequency noise placed on a counter electrode voltage is suppressed and a liquid crystal applied voltage is stabilized, improving the display quality of a liquid crystal screen. A similar coil may be formed using a power supply line on the active matrix substrate 11. By this, a liquid crystal panel which is highly immune to noise even without providing anti-noise components is provided. |
| US08477272B2 |
Quarter wave plate, optical pickup device, and reflective liquid crystal display device
A quarter wave plate that is a crystal plate made of an inorganic material having birefringence and optical rotatory power and has an optical axis, includes an incident surface positioned on one surface of the crystal plate; and an emitting surface positioned on another surface, which is opposed to the incident surface, of the crystal plate. In the quarter wave plate, linearly-polarized light incident from the incident surface is converted into circularly-polarized light so as to be emitted from the emitting surface, and circularly-polarized light incident from the incident surface is converted into linearly-polarized light so as to be emitted from the emitting surface. Further, in the wave plate, an angle φ formed by a normal line on the incident surface and the optical axis is set in a range of 0°<φ<90°, and an optical axis azimuth angle θ formed by an optical axis projection line, which is formed by projecting the optical axis on the incident surface, and a polarization plane of the linearly-polarized light is set in one of a range of 0°<θ<90° under θ≠45° and a range of 90°<θ<180° under θ≠135°. |
| US08477270B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and method for fabricating the same
Disclosed herein are a liquid crystal display panel and a method for fabricating the same wherein color reproducibility and superior image quality are achieved. The liquid crystal display panel comprises a color filter array substrate including a black matrix and a plurality of color filters arranged on a substrate, wherein each of the color filter includes a first color filter, a second color filter and a third color filter, each of them yielding a different color; and at least one selected from a fourth color filter yielding a mixed color of the first and second color filters, a fifth color filter yielding a mixed color of the second and third color filters, and a sixth color filter yielding a mixed color of the first and third color filters. |
| US08477266B2 |
Display backlight module and method for the same
Disclosed are a display backlight module and its manufacturing method. A multilayer reflector is particularly introduced into the display backlight module for a LCD display. The multilayer reflector is composed of a plurality of inter-stacked polymer films with various indexes of refraction. With introduction of interference principle, the multilayer reflector is designed to reflect or transmit the light with a specific wavelength range for acquiring a more uniform backlight. According to one of the embodiments, the display backlight module includes a backlight module, such as a direct-type or an edge-type light source. The module further includes the multilayer reflector and an optical-film module. This optical-film module optionally includes a brightness-enhancement film and a diffuser. |
| US08477265B2 |
Backlight unit and display apparatus having the same
A display apparatus and a backlight unit are provided. The display apparatus includes: an image receiving unit which receives an image signal; an image processing unit which processes the received image signal; a display panel which displays the processed image signal; a cover unit which accommodates the display panel; a light source unit which is accommodated in an edge region of the cover unit; a reflective member which is accommodated in the cover unit in such a manner that the reflective member is disposed in the rear side of the display panel and which reflects the light emitted from the light source unit toward the display panel; and an integrally formed support member including a support member body which is disposed in the edge region, a light source unit support unit which is formed in the support member body and supports the light source unit, and a panel support unit which is formed in the support member body and supports the display panel. |
| US08477264B2 |
Liquid crystal module and liquid crystal display device
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal module includes a transmissive liquid crystal cell, a light source device, a light guide plate and a frame. The light source device includes a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a row on a board. The light guide plate includes a light incidence surface on which light emitted from the light source device enters and a light exit surface from which light that has entered the light guide plate through the light incidence surface is output. The frame is configured to hold a peripheral portion of the liquid crystal cell and the light source device and to comprise a first projection projecting from a position close to the light source device toward the light guide plate. |
| US08477263B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix along a first direction and a second direction which are perpendicular to each other a TFT substrate, a counter substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a plurality of microlenses, and a backlight provided on a side of the plurality of microlenses which is opposite to the TFT substrate. The plurality of microlenses includes a plurality of lenticular lenses extending in the first direction, the plurality of lenticular lenses being arranged side by side along the second direction. |
| US08477262B2 |
Backlight unit and display device using the same
Disclosed are a backlight unit and a display device using the same. The backlight unit includes a light guide plate, a light emitting module provided on at least one lateral surface of the light guide plate to supply light to the light guide plate, and a bottom cover to contain the light guide plate and the light emitting module. The light emitting module includes a substrate including a plurality of through holes and a plurality of light emitting devices which are inserted into the through holes and spaced apart from the light guide plate at a first distance. |
| US08477260B2 |
Light guide plate
A light guide plate comprises: a rectangular light exit plane and at least one light entrance plane in contact with the light exit plane, wherein the light guide plate comprises three or more structural layers disposed on each other in a direction normal to the light exit plane, each structural layer containing scattering particles dispersed therein, the structural layers having different particle densities of scattering particles. |
| US08477257B2 |
Liquid crystal module and display device
A liquid crystal module includes a rear frame, a lamp frame, a liquid crystal panel and a bezel. The rear frame has a bottom plate, a side plate and a flange. The flange has a first screw insertion hole. The lamp frame is fixedly attached to the rear frame along the side plate of the rear frame. The lamp frame has a lamp frame top plate that is disposed on the flange of the rear frame. The lamp frame top plate has a second screw insertion hole. The bezel is fixedly attached to the rear frame. The bezel has a bezel top plate that is disposed on the lamp frame top plate of the lamp frame. The bezel top plate has a third screw insertion hole. The first, second and third screw insertion holes are aligned each other as viewed from a center axis of the first screw insertion hole. |
| US08477254B2 |
Backlight module with detachable light source unit and liquid crystal display device having the same
A backlight module with a detachable light source unit includes a light guide plate and a light source unit housed in a module case. The light source unit can slide along a lengthwise direction of one end face of the light guide plate. The light source unit is equipped with a U-shaped cover member for holding a plurality of point light sources such as LEDs along a lengthwise direction. The backlight module further includes a coupling member to change a positional relationship between the light guide plate and the light source unit such that a distance between an emitting surface of the LED and an incident plane of the light guide plate during a process of exchanging the light source unit is larger than that between the emitting surface and the incident plane at a time of home position of the light source unit in the module case. |
| US08477251B2 |
Display device and manufacturing method of the same
A display device includes a first substrate including pixels and sensing electrodes corresponding with the pixels, and a second substrate facing the first substrate. The second substrate includes an organic layer with a black matrix dividing the pixels and a sensing spacer opposite to the sensing electrode. The organic layer including the black matrix and the sensing spacer may be formed in a single process using organic photoresist material. A mask includes a light-intercepting pattern including slits to block a portion of ultraviolet light emitted towards a photoresist layer to form the black matrix. The mask also includes a pattern to block ultraviolet light in a region corresponding to the sensing spacer if a negative type photoresist material is used, or the mask does not block ultraviolet light in the region corresponding to the sensing spacer if a positive type photoresist material is used. |
| US08477249B2 |
Television receiver and electronic device
According to one embodiment, a television receiver includes a housing, a support portion, a first movable portion, and a second movable portion. The first movable portion includes a sliding portion supported by one of the housing and the support portion to be rotatable in at least two directions. The second movable portion rotates in a first rotation direction with the first movable portion, and includes a second sliding portion, a first engagement portion, and a second engagement portion. The second sliding portion is supported by the one of the housing and the support portion to be rotatable in the first rotation direction. The first engagement portion engages with the one of the housing and the support portion to limit a rotation range in the first rotation direction. The second engagement portion engages with the first movable portion to limit a rotation range in a second rotation direction. |
| US08477236B2 |
Lens apparatus to be mounted onto camera and camera system with lens apparatus
A lens apparatus 200 includes an image-pickup optical system 202, 204, an optical element 210 capable of being inserted into and extracted from the image-pickup optical system, an actuator 212 which moves the optical element so as to be inserted into and extracted from the image-pickup optical system, and a controller 201 which operates the actuator in accordance with an insert/extract command signal which instructs insertion and extraction of the optical element. The controller limits an operation of the actuator in accordance with an input of the insert/extract command signal during recording or broadcasting an image taken by a camera 100 using the lens apparatus. |
| US08477233B2 |
Image capturing apparatus
An image capturing apparatus comprises a photoelectric conversion unit including a first pixel group which photoelectrically converts an object image formed via a first exit pupil region of a photographing lens and a second pixel group which photoelectrically converts an object image formed via a second exit pupil region; a focus detection unit which detects a focus of the photographing lens using a first image signal obtained from the first pixel group and a second image signal obtained from the second pixel group; a calculation unit which calculates an inclination of a straight line connecting a barycenter of the first exit pupil region and a barycenter of the second exit pupil region from a pixel arrangement direction of the first pixel group and second pixel group; and a focus detection range setting unit which sets a focus detection range based on a calculation result of the calculation unit. |
| US08477230B2 |
Image forming optical system and electronic image pickup apparatus using the same
An image forming optical system of the present invention is characterized by comprising three groups having, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens group having a negative refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, and a third lens group having a positive refractive power, or four groups with one more lens group added to the image side, the first lens group comprises one lens component facing its concave surface toward the object side, the second lens group comprises a single lens having a positive refractive power and a cemented lens having a negative refractive power as a whole, and the third lens group comprises a lens component having a positive refractive power, wherein upon zooming from the wide-angle end toward the telephoto side, the amount of movement of the first lens group in the optical axis direction in an area, where the focal length of the entire image pickup optical system is 3.4 times or more with respect to at the wide-angle end, satisfies the following conditional expression (1): −1≦(G1(W)−G1(H))/fw≦0.5 (1). |
| US08477229B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to capture a subject image to generate image data, a first display unit configured to display the image data generated by the imaging unit and to be capable of taking a reference position and a position different from the reference position, a proximity sensor configured to sense proximity of an object to the first display unit, a position sensor configured to sense whether the first display unit is at the reference position, a second display unit configured to display the image data generated by the imaging unit, and a controller configured to perform control, when the position sensor senses that the first display unit is not at the reference position, to activate the proximity sensor, and to operate the first display unit when the proximity sensor senses proximity of an object, and to operate the second display unit when the proximity sensor does not sense proximity of an object. |
| US08477227B2 |
Monitoring and communication in a system having multiple imaging apparatuses
Disclosed herein is an information display apparatus including a wireless reception section configured to receive image data and position information acquired and sent by a plurality of imaging apparatuses constituting a wireless network; an image display section configured to display images; and a display control section configured to display on the image display section thumbnails derived from the acquired image data received by the wireless reception section, a map covering the positions of the imaging apparatuses, and icons indicating the imaging apparatuses as they are positioned on the map based on the position information received by the wireless reception section. |
| US08477221B2 |
Image sensing system and correction method
An image sensing system comprises an image sensor having an image sensing surface, a filter arranged between the image sensing surface and an optical system which forms an image of an object on the image sensing surface, a sensor configured to detect a luminance of the object in a band in the vicinity of a cutoff wavelength of the filter relative to an average luminance of the object via the optical system, and a corrector configured to execute color shading correction of the image, sensed by the image sensor, using a color shading correction coefficient determined by the relative luminance detected by the sensor. |
| US08477220B2 |
Solid-state image pickup device
A solid state image pickup device may include a pixel unit that includes a plurality of pixels; a pulse delay unit that includes a plurality of delay elements, each of the plurality of delay elements including a power supply terminal; a stop control unit; a stop signal delay unit; a lower bit latch unit; a counter unit; a first upper bit latch unit; a second upper bit latch unit; and a correcting unit that compares an output signal of the first upper bit latch unit with an output signal of the second upper bit latch unit, and corrects a count value, which is a count result of the counter unit, based on a comparison result and an output signal of the lower bit latch unit. |
| US08477217B2 |
Super-resolution digital zoom
When a user selects digital zooming in a camera such as might be included in a wireless telephone or PDA, a series of images are automatically obtained and superimposed using super-resolution techniques to produce an improved digital zoom image transparently to the user. |
| US08477216B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and booting method thereof
An image capturing apparatus and a booting method thereof are provided. In the method, a power-on signal is received, and then memory card plug information is read to determine whether a memory card of the image capturing apparatus has been plugged out in a power-off period of the image capturing apparatus. If it is determined that the memory card has not been plugged out, a previously recorded free space and a previously recorded file index table of the memory card are directly read, so as to accordingly boot the image capturing apparatus. If it is determined that the memory card has been plugged out, the free space of the memory card is re-calculated and a file sorting procedure is executed to generate the file index table, so as to accordingly boot the image capturing apparatus. |
| US08477214B2 |
Imaging apparatus, lens unit, and methods for controlling the same
An imaging apparatus according to the present invention can generate an image from an output of an image sensor to record the image as an image file, and record first information and second information onto the image file as additional information. Accordingly, the imaging apparatus can provide a user or a staff person of a repair center with useful information regarding a failure, repair, and replacement that conventionally could not be provided. |
| US08477213B2 |
Image sensing apparatus, registration apparatus, and control method and program therefor
A lens unit 1 acquires identification information for an attached lens unit from the lens unit and stores the acquired identification information in a second memory 37. In a case in which correction information for the stored identification information is not registered, a CPU 36 reads the correction information for the stored identification information out from an external memory 39 and registers it. |
| US08477202B2 |
Photographing apparatus and communication establishing method and program
In a photographing apparatus, an encoding part creates a code image from authentication information of the photographing apparatus. A photographing part takes a photograph of a connection code image displayed on a display part of another apparatus. A decoding part decodes the connection code image contained in the photograph taken by the photographing part to decode encoded connection information containing communication setup information, which has been encoded according to the authentication information of the photographing apparatus. A restoration part restores the communication setup information from the encoded connection information by using the authentication information of the photographing apparatus. A radio communication part communicates with the another apparatus by using the communication setup information restored by the restoration part. |
| US08477199B2 |
Imaging apparatus, image processing method, and computer program product for preventing false motion vector detection
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging unit that captures an image by photoelectrically converting a subject image; a feature calculating unit that calculates, per region included in the image, a feature value related to suitability for motion detection; a region-motion detecting unit that detects a motion vector per the region; and a whole-motion calculating unit that calculates a motion quantity of a whole image from the feature value and the motion vector. |
| US08477193B1 |
Method and system for verification of video signal validity
A method for verification of a video signal employs measurements of luminosity of video display monitors. A current consumption of the video display monitors is measured at a sampling rate. The measured current display consumption is used as a measure of the total luminosity of the display screen at the time of measurement. A special software module within a digital recording unit is used to calculate an aggregate luminosity of every recorded video frame. A central verification system generates subtle yet measurable changes in illumination of the surveyed scenes. The central verification system detects and analyses the correlated changes in display monitor's current consumption to verify that the assigned monitor is actually displaying its assigned scene. The software module produces an event notification along with a timestamp of the event whenever the frame luminosity changes between adjacent frames. |
| US08477190B2 |
Real-time moving platform management system
A moving platform system suitable for mounting and use on a moving platform, comprising a position system monitoring the location of the moving platform and generating a sequence of time-based position data, a non-line of sight communication system, a high-speed line of sight communication system, and a computer system monitoring the availability of the non-line of sight communication system and the high-speed line of sight communication system and initiating connections when the non-line of sight communication system and the high-speed line of sight communication system are available, and receiving the sequence of time-based position data and transmitting the sequence of time-based position data via the at least one of the currently available non-line of sight communication system and the high-speed line of sight communication system. |
| US08477183B2 |
Endoscope system and light source device therefor
Under usual conditions, a first computation unit computes/outputs a first light adjustment signal in accordance with a photometric signal, and a second computation unit performs control of at least part of the endoscope system. The second computation unit computes/outputs the second light adjustment signal in accordance with the photometric signal together with the at least partial control while suppressing an increase in a processing load when an abnormality has occurred in the first computation unit. |
| US08477180B2 |
System and method for configuring an information handling system to present stereoscopic images
Three dimensional images are presented at an information handling system display using a communication protocol that the information handling system negotiates with a content source. Negotiation of a stereoscopic protocol supported by the information handling system from stereoscopic protocols available from the content source allows selection of one or more stereoscopic protocols that best fit content at the information handling system, such as based upon the resolution used to present images at the information handling system display. |
| US08477179B2 |
Method of transmitting video data for wirelessly transmitting three-dimensional video data
A source device transmits an output format notify message for video data to a sink device before transmitting the video data to the sink device, the output format notify message including a 3D field storing data for identifying whether the video data to be transmitted is two-dimensional video data or three-dimensional video data transmitted using frame packing. In response to this, the sink device identifies a type and a format structure of the video data, and decodes the received video data based on the identified type and format structure of the video data. |
| US08477176B1 |
System and method for automatically suggesting or inviting a party to join a multimedia communications session
The present disclosure includes a system and method for automatically suggesting or inviting a party to join a multimedia communications session. In some embodiments, a first party, which is not currently participating in an existing multimedia communications session, attempts to contact a second party, which is currently participating in the multimedia communications session. In these embodiments, the first party automatically receives a suggestion or invitation to join the multimedia communications session when the first party has permission to join. In some instances, the multimedia communications session is a video conference including audio and video communications. |
| US08477171B2 |
Image forming apparatus with selective application of light source
An image forming apparatus includes: a light source; a light-source driving unit; a photosensitive member including an image forming region; a determining unit determining a level of a rotation speed of the photosensitive member; a scanner unit exposing the photosensitive member by deflecting the light beam from the light source by a deflecting unit; a sensor receiving the light beam and outputs a detection signal; and a control unit controlling the image forming apparatus based on the detection signal output from the sensor. When the determining unit determines that the rotation speed is low, the light-source driving unit is configured to drive the light source to emit the light beam when a deflecting direction of the light beam is oriented toward the sensor and not to drive the light source to emit the light beam when the deflecting direction of the light beam is oriented toward the image forming region. |
| US08477168B2 |
Recording apparatus and control method of recording apparatus
A recording apparatus is provided. A recording head performs recording on a recording medium. A conveyance roller conveys the recording medium in a conveyance direction. A conveyance path includes a curved portion which guides the recording medium and curves the recording medium in a downstream of a nip portion between the recording head and the conveyance roller in the conveyance direction. A discharge portion discharges the recording medium. A detecting unit is located apart from the conveyance path. The detecting unit detects the recording medium which deviates from the conveyance path as the recording medium is drawn into and along the conveyance roller near the curved portion of the conveyance path. A controller rotates the conveyance roller backwards by a predetermined amount to convey the recording medium backwards when the recording medium is detected by the detecting unit, and then rotates the conveyance roller forwards by at least the predetermined amount. |
| US08477167B2 |
Thermal printer and method of forming image
A thermal printer is disclosed. The thermal printer includes a thermal head on which plural heat-generating elements are arrayed; and a platen mounted opposite to the thermal head. The thermal printer uses an ink ribbon and paper held between the thermal head and the platen, and the thermal printer performs printing by causing the heat-generating elements to generate heat such that inks of the ink ribbon are transferred to the paper. The ink ribbon has a base film on which color inks and a transparent laminate ink are successively and repetitively arranged, and a pressure force acting between the thermal head and the platen is made different between when the color inks are transferred and when the laminate ink is transferred. |
| US08477162B1 |
Thermal printer with static electricity discharger
A thermal printer, when operating under battery power, has an internal or battery ground. Static electricity is typically generated during normal operation of the printer. At least one static electricity discharge member is positioned in contact with a major surface of printing substrate at a location downstream from the location at which a thermal print head transfers ink from an ink transfer ribbon to the substrate. The at least one static electricity discharge member is electrically coupled to the internal ground so as to discharge static electricity build up that can otherwise damage electronic components of the printer. |
| US08477158B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and electronic device
To suppress deterioration of quality of a still image displayed with a reduced refresh rate. A liquid crystal display device includes a display portion that is controlled by a driver circuit and includes normally white mode (or normally black mode) liquid crystals, and a timing controller for controlling the driver circuit. The timing controller is supplied with an image signal for displaying a moving image and an image signal for displaying a still image. The absolute value of a voltage applied to the liquid crystals in order to express black (or white) in an image corresponding to the image signal for displaying the still image is larger than that of a voltage applied to the liquid crystals in order to express black (or white) in an image corresponding to the image signal for displaying the moving image. |
| US08477152B2 |
System and method for drawing stream and road centerline for GIS-based linear map production
Disclosed herein is a system and method for drawing a stream and road centerline for GIS-based linear map production, which performs a series of processes of automatically detecting accurate positions of points of a centerline using contour line data of a stream map or a road map having a digital map form, which is extracted from a digital map produced through remote sensing or construction of national geographic information systems, and connecting the detected points of the centerline so as to update stream and road centerline data generated by an inaccurate method and algorithm and to enable an accurate centerline to be used in various application fields. |
| US08477151B2 |
Boundary delineation system
Methods and systems for boundary delineation are described. In one embodiment, a living unit identifier may be translated into a translated geographic location point. The living unit identifier may be within a distribution area. A closed plane living unit-based figure that bounds the translated geographic location point may be delineated. An additional closed plane living unit-based figure that bounds a geographic location point may be delineated. The geographic location point may be associated with an additional living unit identifier within the distribution area. The closed plane living unit-based figure and the additional closed plane living unit-based figure may be merged to create a distribution area figure of the distribution area. Additional methods and systems are disclosed. |
| US08477143B2 |
Buffers for display acceleration
Embodiments enable a graphics processor to more efficiently process graphics and compositing processing commands. In certain embodiments, a client application submits client graphics commands to a graphics driver. The client in certain embodiments can notify a window server that client graphics commands have been submitted. In response, the window server can generate compositing processing commands and provide these commands to the graphics driver. Advantageously, a graphics processor can execute the client graphics commands while the window server generates compositing processing commands. As a result, processing resource can be used more efficiently. |
| US08477142B2 |
Optimised methods of creating and rendering of a multimedia scene comprising at least one active object, without prior modification of the semantics and/or the format describing the scene
A method is provided for creating at least one multimedia scene intended to be restored on a mobile radio communication terminal. The multimedia scene includes a plurality of multimedia objects organized in the form of at least one scene description tree. Such a method includes the following steps: associating with the scene description tree(s) a sub-tree of the objects to be restored, including objects intended to be restored at a given instant, and a standby sub-tree, including objects intended not to be restored at the given instance; identifying at least one object, termed the transferable object, that can be transferred from a first of the sub-trees to the second of the sub-trees as a function of at least one predetermined transfer condition. |
| US08477140B2 |
Creating character for animation
A computer-implemented method for creating a character for an animation includes modifying a first polygonal geometric structure, having a specific form, to generate a second polygonal geometric structure having another form. The first polygonal geometric structure is associated with a definition of multiple points relative to vertices on the first polygonal geometric structure. The method includes transforming the definition, in multiple progressive refinements, to generate a transformed definition for the second polygonal geometric structure. The method includes storing the transformed definition in association with the second polygonal geometric structure, the transformed definition to be used in generating a geometry for the second polygonal geometric structure. A system includes a character component management module, a transforming module and a database. |
| US08477139B2 |
Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for manipulating three-dimensional virtual objects
An electronic device with a touch screen display, a computer-implemented method, and a graphical user interface for navigating in three-dimensional virtual spaces and manipulating three-dimensional objects in the virtual spaces using simple finger gestures are disclosed. |
| US08477133B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating three-dimensional finite element mesh
A method and apparatus for generating a three-dimensional FEM are provided. In the three-dimensional FEM generating method, a surface mesh is generated by meshing the surface of a three-dimensional model of a three-dimensional object. A projected contour is generated by projecting the three-dimensional model from one direction, and a projected contour mesh is generated by meshing the surface of the projected contour. A solid base mesh is generated by stacking solid elements on a base side formed of two-dimensional elements of the projected contour mesh. The surface mesh is substituted into the solid base mesh in alignment with the projected contour. A final solid mesh is generated by distinguishing solid elements surrounded by the surface mesh in the solid base mesh. |
| US08477130B2 |
Display device
A display device capable of driving at low power consumption is provided. In a display device (1) for displaying images by supplying voltages on the sub-pixel electrode (Ep) and the common electrode (Ecom), the display device (1) includes a voltage selection circuit (102) for receiving first and second refresh voltages (4V and −5V). The voltage selection circuit (102) supplies the first refresh voltage (5V) on the sub-pixel electrode (Ep) through a first current path (Pa) when the data voltage on the sub-pixel electrode (Ep) is −5V, while the second refresh voltage (−5V) is supplied to the sub-pixel electrode (Ep) through a second path (Pb) when the data voltage on the sub-pixel electrode (Ep) is 5V. |
| US08477121B2 |
Stable driving scheme for active matrix displays
A method and system for operating a pixel array having at least one pixel circuit is provided. The method includes repeating an operation cycle defining a frame period for a pixel circuit, including at each frame period, programming the pixel circuit, driving the pixel circuit, and relaxing a stress effect on the pixel circuit, prior to a next frame period. The system includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixel circuits and a plurality of lines for operation of the plurality of pixel circuits. Each of the pixel circuits includes a light emitting device, a storage capacitor, and a drive circuit connected to the light emitting device and the storage capacitor. The system includes a drive for operating the plurality of lines to repeat an operation cycle having a frame period so that each of the operation cycle comprises a programming cycle, a driving cycle and a relaxing cycle for relaxing a stress on a pixel circuit, prior to a next frame period. |
| US08477120B2 |
Touch screen system
A touch screen system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a touch screen panel including a plurality of driving electrodes coupled to a plurality of driving lines that extend in a first direction and a plurality of sensing electrodes coupled to a plurality of sensing lines that extend in a second direction crossing the first direction, the driving electrodes and the sensing electrodes being alternately arranged so as not to overlap with each other; and an active stylus separated from the touch screen panel, the active stylus configured to output an electric field in synchronization with driving signals that are applied to the driving lines coupled to the driving electrodes that are adjacent to the active stylus, wherein the driving electrodes and the sensing electrodes have different areas. |
| US08477118B2 |
Input apparatus and optical reflection panel module
An input apparatus including an optical mouse module and a mouse pad module is provided. The optical mouse module includes a light source and an optical sensor. The light source is adapted to emit a light beam. The optical sensor has a sensible distance. The mouse pad module is disposed on the optical mouse module. The mouse pad module includes a sliding sheet elastically coupled to the optical mouse module. The sliding sheet is adapted to move in a three-dimensional space. The optical sensor and the sliding sheet are arranged in an arrangement direction. An operation method of the input apparatus is also provided. |
| US08477117B2 |
Embedded optical induction input device and method of implementing the same
An embedded optical induction input device and method of implementing the same. Such a device includes a light sensing circuit and a conversion circuit. The light sensing circuit generates an induced current signal based on the variations of the intensity of light irradiation received as caused by a touch-control-position event; and the conversion circuit is connected to the light sensing circuit and receives an induced current derived therefrom. The conversion circuit is provided with a first transistor and a second transistor coupled together, that are driven by a positive and a negative biases having the same period but different phases, thus the induced current signals are converted into induced voltage signals based on the alternative turn-on's and turn-off's of the first transistor and the second transistor. |
| US08477115B2 |
Input device, information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An input device includes: a contact detector configured to detect at least a size of contact area by detecting a physical contact with a control input section; a pressure detector configured to detect a pressure applied by the physical contact; and a controller configured to output signals in response to detection outputs from the contact detector and the pressure detector. The controller outputs a first signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected under a state of contact in which a contact detection result indicates that the detected contact area is equal to or smaller than a predetermined contact area, and outputs a second signal carrying a value which varies in response to the pressure detected under a state of contact in which the contact detection result indicates that the detected contact area is greater than the predetermined contact area. |
| US08477114B2 |
Electronic device, display and touch-sensitive user interface
Display devices and methods for operating the same are provided. In one embodiment, the display device has an electronic display having an active area for presenting visual content; a housing holding the electronic display and having an opening allowing a person to view a first portion of the active area; and a bezel about the opening, the bezel covering a second portion of the active area and providing a window through which at least a part of the second portion can be viewed. A sensor system senses when a person is close to touching the bezel or when a person is in touch with the bezel and generates a sensor signal; and a controller is operable to adjust the appearance of the active area in the part of the second portion when the controller determines that a person has touched the bezel or is close to touching the bezel. |
| US08477113B2 |
Capacitive touch panel
A transparent capacitive touch panel comprising a transparent substrate, a transparent cover lens and a transparent adhesive layer is provided, wherein a first transparent electrode layer and a second transparent electrode layer are disposed on the transparent cover lens and the transparent substrate respectively. The transparent adhesive layer is used to bind the first transparent electrode layer and second transparent electrode layer in order to combine the transparent cover lens and the transparent substrate disposed in parallel. Thereby, the manufacturing process of the transparent capacitive touch panel is simplified, and the manufacturing cost of the same is lowered. |
| US08477111B2 |
Advanced touch control of interactive immersive imaging applications via finger angle using a high dimensional touchpad (HDTP) touch user interface
High Dimensional Touchpad (HDTP) or other user interface technology, implemented in touch screens used on computers, smartphones, or other mobile devices provides advanced touch control a variety of interactive immersive imaging applications using one or more of a user's finger position or movement in one or more of the roll angle, pitch angle, yaw angle, and downward pressure directions. Implementations also can be responsive to a user's finger position or movement in the left-right and forward-backward directions. Implementations can also use HDTP or other user interface technology implemented on the back of a mouse. Also, an interactive immersive imaging application can employ a connection over the internet or other network. |
| US08477109B1 |
Surfacing reference work entries on touch-sensitive displays
Techniques for outputting different reference work entries based on an amount of force applied to a touch-sensitive display of a device. For instance, when a user reads an electronic book (eBook) on a device having a touch-sensitive display, the user may make a selection of a word or phrase within the eBook by touching the display at a location of the word or phrase. The techniques may then determine which of multiple different reference work entries to output based on a measured amount of force of the selection. For instance, the device may output a dictionary definition of the selected word in response to measuring a first amount of force, while outputting a thesaurus entry for the word in response to measuring a second, greater amount of force. |
| US08477106B2 |
System and method for a projected capacitive touchscreen having weight based coordinate determination
A touch location on a capacitive touchscreen system is identified by receiving signals in response to a touch from electronic channels connected to one electrode or to a group of semi-adjacent electrodes provided on a substrate. Adjacent ones of the electrodes have substantially triangular shapes that alternate between a first and second orientation to form an interleaved arrangement such that the touch generates a signal cluster comprising the signals generated from a series of adjacent electronic channels. Weights with at least two different numerical values are applied to the signals from the series of adjacent electronic channels. The at least two different numerical values are based on levels of the signals. A location of the touch on the substrate is determined based on the weighted signals. |
| US08477103B2 |
Multi-touch object inertia simulation
The inertia system provides a common platform and application-programming interface (API) for applications to extend the input received from various multi-touch hardware devices to simulate real-world behavior of application objects. To move naturally, application objects should exhibit physical characteristics such as elasticity and deceleration. When a user lifts all contacts from an object, the inertia system provides additional manipulation events to the application so that the application can handle the events as if the user was still moving the object with touch. The inertia system generates the events based on a simulation of the behavior of the objects. If the user moves an object into another object, the inertia system simulates the boundary characteristics of the objects. Thus, the inertia system provides more realistic movement for application objects manipulated using multi-touch hardware and the API provides a consistent feel to manipulations across applications. |
| US08477099B2 |
Portable data processing appartatus
A portable data processing apparatus is provided. It has at least one data processing function which depends on detected motion of the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a video camera operable to capture successive images of a part of the real environment around the apparatus; a video motion detector operable to detect motion of the apparatus by analysis of image motion between pairs of captured images; a hardware motion detector operable to detect motion of the apparatus, whereby the data processing function depends on motion detected by the hardware motion detector; and a controller operable to adjust the operation of the hardware motion detector if the motion detected by the video motion detector and the motion detected by the hardware motion detector differ by at least a threshold difference. |
| US08477096B2 |
Display apparatus and method of controlling same
A screen display apparatus includes an operation information reception unit that receives operation information regarding an inclination direction and an inclination angle of a joystick from the joystick, and a screen controller that performs a scroll process for scrolling a screen and a zoom process for zooming based on the operation information. The screen controller scrolls the screen according to the inclination direction and the inclination angle of the joystick, and continues a zoom-out process for zooming-out of the screen based on a detection of the inclination angle that is greater than a predetermined angle for a predetermined period until detecting the inclination angle of the joystick to be equal to or smaller than the predetermined angle or until zooming out to a predetermined minimum zoom rate. |
| US08477095B2 |
Audio book for pen-based computer
A system for producing audio output from interaction with printed material and a pen based computer system. The system includes a printed page including a substantially invisible position code and a human viewable image. The system further includes a pen-based computer system for determining a position of the human viewable image in response to interactions there between, e.g., based upon the pen tip's proximity to the image. The pen-based computer is operable to produce a human-audible output corresponding to the human viewable image contemporaneously with the interaction. The human viewable image may be produced independent of the pen based computer and may include a textual word and/or an image. A plurality of pages may be provided in book form allowing a plurality of audio recordings to be rendered in connection with a plurality of images, thusly providing an interactive audio book experience for the user. |