| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08504395B2 |
System for accepting value from closed groups
A system for facilitating a sequence of events and comprising a data bank loader operative to set up for each individual event by loading into an event attendee data bank, IDs and pre-paid balance values, for users expected to attend said individual event, a multiplicity of portable receptacles issued to known users and storing a user ID and a pre-paid balance value for a corresponding user, e-cash filling stations incrementing pre-paid balance values of users in an on-site data bank, and mobile service provider workstations reading portable receptacles, accessing the on-site data bank according to the user ID of each portable receptacle, entering into a transaction with a user if his pre-paid balance value accessed from the on-site data bank is positive, and decrementing the transaction's value from the user's pre-paid balance value in the on-site data bank. |
| US08504393B2 |
Systems and methods for grid-based insurance rating
A method for rating insurance products using a programmed computer system comprising receiving a coordinate pair including a longitude and a latitude of a location; determining a target coordinate grid block bounded by latitude and longitude lines, wherein the target coordinate grid block encompasses the coordinate pair, querying a database for a target set of existing data associated with the target coordinate grid block, wherein the existing data was associated with the target coordinate grid block prior to receiving the coordinate pair, and calculating a pure premium based at least in part on analyzing the data in the target set. |
| US08504392B2 |
Automatic coding of patient outcomes
Systems and methods can mine structured clinical event data in an electronic health record (EHR) system to determine patient outcomes. Mining the structured clinical event data instead of or in addition to mining discharge summaries can increase the accuracy of patient outcome identification. Sophisticated language models can be used to extract outcomes from discharge summaries while also inferring outcomes from cues or hints contained in the structured clinical event data. For example, the clinical event data can include information regarding treatments and medications prescribed by clinicians to specifically manage patient complications; thus, presence or absence of relevant treatments in the clinical event data can provide independent indicators to disambiguate cases where current language processing approaches fail. |
| US08504387B1 |
Optimized specimen collection for laboratory tests
Embodiments of the invention relate to methods of optimizing the collection of specimens, e.g., of blood, when multiple laboratory tests have been prescribed at one time for a patient. Laboratory tests may use specimens such as blood drawn, e.g., through venipuncture, and patients may experience greater discomfort, inconvenience, and/or anxiety as more and more blood is collected, and at greater expense. Embodiments of the invention include computer systems configured to optimize the collection of specimens for laboratory tests to reduce the number of specimens that must be collected from a patient for any given set of laboratory tests. |
| US08504386B2 |
Patient-interactive healthcare management
A patient-interactive health care management system provides means for healthcare services rendered by a physician to a patient to be confirmed by the patient immediately after the healthcare services are rendered. The patient is provided the ability to verify the accuracy of an invoice for the rendered services/goods and provide an assessment of the rendered services/goods. In an example embodiment, the patient provides this information via an information station located at the healthcare facility in which the healthcare services/goods are rendered. The information gathered from the patient is provided to the party responsible for paying for the rendered healthcare services/goods. In an example embodiment, the paying party compares the patient provided information with the invoice received from the healthcare provider to assess the accuracy of the invoice. A patient account is established containing, in part, the information gathered from the patient. |
| US08504384B2 |
Method and article of manufacture for performing clinical trial budget analysis
An electronic method and article of manufacture is provided for analyzing clinical trial budgets. A clinical trial budget is input into a processor. The budget includes activities and associated activity costs of a clinical trial. The activities of the inputted clinical trial budget are classified into a set of standardized service categories. The processor is used to electronically allocate the associated activity costs with the respective standardized service category so that budget costs of the clinical trial can be objectively analyzed. A report of the associated activity costs with the respective standardized service category is outputted for use in analyzing budgets for clinical trials. |
| US08504379B1 |
System and method for improving tuning using user provided satisfaction scores
A system and method provide a way of improving customer satisfaction with a customer service application by identifying tuning opportunities based on customer satisfaction scores. The system and method compare portions of the customer service application to a customer satisfaction score obtained from a customer satisfaction survey. The comparisons show, statistically, which portions of the customer service application correlate to a low customer satisfaction score. A report is produced which identifies these areas that correlate to low customer satisfaction, and these areas may be tuned to improve customer satisfaction with the customer service application. |
| US08504377B2 |
Method and an apparatus for processing a signal using length-adjusted window
A method of processing a signal is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving at least one of a first signal and a second signal, obtaining mode information and modification flag information indicating whether the first signal is modified, if it is determined as an audio coding scheme according to the mode information, decoding the first signal by the audio coding scheme, if the first signal is modified based on the modification flag information, reconstructing the first signal by applying modification reconstruction information to the first signal, determining an extension base signal corresponding to a partial region of the first signal based on extension information, and generating an extended downmix signal having a bandwidth extended by reconstructing a high frequency region signal using the extension base signal and the extension information. According to a signal processing method and apparatus of the present invention, after a first signal has been decoded by a first coding scheme, the first signal is adjusted using modification reconstruction information for reconstructing the first signal modified in time domain in performing encoding. Therefore, a coding efficiency enhanced signal can be provided. |
| US08504376B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding object-based audio signals
An audio encoding method and apparatus and an audio decoding method and apparatus are provided. The audio signal decoding method includes extracting a downmix signal and object-based side information from an audio signal; generating a modified downmix signal based on the downmix signal and extracted information which is extracted from the object-based side information; generating channel-based side information based on the object-based side information and control data for rendering the downmix signal; and generating a multi-channel audio signal based on the modified downmix signal and the channel-based side information. |
| US08504375B2 |
Conference system, information processor, conference supporting method and information processing method
Speech given by a speaker in English is recognized. An upper half of a subtitle display area of a display used by a listener is used as a parallel area and a lower half thereof is used as an original area. In the parallel area, a parallel subtitle in which an original corresponding to a recognition result of the speech and a translation obtained by translating the original into Japanese are displayed in parallel is displayed. In this manner, the original and the translation are both displayed, and in addition, with respect to each word or phrase of the original, an expression obtained by translating the word or phrase is displayed as the translation, and hence, the listener can easily understand the translation and mistranslation can be easily found. Furthermore, in the original area, an original subtitle including an original not translated yet is displayed. |
| US08504370B2 |
User-initiative voice service system and method
A voice service system which includes a database storing information and is connected with a plurality of terminals by a communication network, comprising a call connection unit for transmitting-receiving a signal, on a voice service to/from each of the terminals, a voice processing unit for interpreting a voice instruction received from the terminal and converting an internally-created voice service document into a voice message, a recognition management unit for extracting a grammar, which is expected to be spoken by a user, from the database, a document management unit for creating the voice service document including the extracted grammar as a voice anchor, and a control unit for controlling information related to the voice anchor matching with the voice instruction to be provided. |
| US08504366B2 |
Joint factor analysis scoring for speech processing systems
Method, system, and computer program product are provided for Joint Factor Analysis (JFA) scoring in speech processing systems. The method includes: carrying out an enrollment session offline to enroll a speaker model in a speech processing system using JFA, including: extracting speaker factors from the enrollment session; estimating first components of channel factors from the enrollment session. The method further includes: carrying out a test session including: calculating second components of channel factors strongly dependent on the test session; and generating a score based on speaker factors, channel factors, and test session Gaussian mixture model sufficient statistics to provide a log-likelihood ratio for a test session. |
| US08504365B2 |
System and method for detecting synthetic speaker verification
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and tangible computer readable-media for detecting synthetic speaker verification. The method comprises receiving a plurality of speech samples of the same word or phrase for verification, comparing each of the plurality of speech samples to each other, denying verification if the plurality of speech samples demonstrate little variance over time or are the same, and verifying the plurality of speech samples if the plurality of speech samples demonstrates sufficient variance over time. One embodiment further adds that each of the plurality of speech samples is collected at different times or in different contexts. In other embodiments, variance is based on a pre-determined threshold or the threshold for variance is adjusted based on a need for authentication certainty. In another embodiment, if the initial comparison is inconclusive, additional speech samples are received. |
| US08504362B2 |
Noise reduction for speech recognition in a moving vehicle
A speech recognition system includes: a speed level classifier for measuring a moving speed of a moving object by using a noise signal at an initial time of speech recognition to determine a speed level of the moving object; a first speech enhancement unit for enhancing sound quality of an input speech signal of the speech recognition by using a Wiener filter, if the speed level of the moving object is equal to or lower than a specific level; and a second speech enhancement unit enhancing the sound quality of the input speech signal by using a Gaussian mixture model, if the speed level of the moving object is higher than the specific level. The system further includes an end point detection unit for detecting start and end points, an elimination unit for eliminating sudden noise components based on a sudden noise Gaussian mixture model. |
| US08504361B2 |
Deep neural networks and methods for using same
A method and system for labeling a selected word of a sentence using a deep neural network includes, in one exemplary embodiment, determining an index term corresponding to each feature of the word, transforming the index term or terms of the word into a vector, and predicting a label for the word using the vector. The method and system, in another exemplary embodiment, includes determining, for each word in the sentence, an index term corresponding to each feature of the word, transforming the index term or terms of each word in the sentence into a vector, applying a convolution operation to the vector of the selected word and at least one of the vectors of the other words in the sentence, to transform the vectors into a matrix of vectors, each of the vectors in the matrix including a plurality of row values, constructing a single vector from the vectors in the matrix, and predicting a label for the selected word using the single vector. |
| US08504358B2 |
Voice recording equipment and method
In a voice recording equipment and method, voice data from a speaker is received using a microphone. Threshold values T1 and T2 of surrounding environment of the voice recording equipment are determined. If an intensity of the voice data is less than or equal to the threshold value T2, the voice recording is stopped and the speaker is informed that the voice data is not useful. If the intensity of the voice data is greater than the threshold values, the voice data is stored into a storage unit. |
| US08504356B2 |
Word classification system, method, and program
A word classification system is provided with an inter-word pattern learning section for learning at least either the context information or the layout information between classification-known words which co-appear and creating an inter-word pattern for determining whether data relating to a word pair which is a combination of words is data relating to a same-classification word pair which is the combination of words in the same classification or data relating to a different-classification word pair which is a combination of words in different classifications on the basis of the relationship between the classification-known words which co-appear in a document. |
| US08504353B2 |
Phrase-based statistical machine translation as a generalized traveling salesman problem
Systems and methods are described that facilitate phrase-based statistical machine translation (SMT) incorporating bigram (or higher n-gram) language models by modeling bi-phrases as nodes in a graph. Additionally, construction of a translation is modeled as a “tour” amongst the nodes of the graph, such that a translation solution is generated by treating the graph as a generalized traveling salesman problem (GTSP) and solving for an optimal tour. The overall cost of a tour is computed by adding the costs associated with the edges traversed during the tour. Thus, the described systems and methods map the SMT problem directly into a GTSP problem, which itself can be directly converted into a TSP problem. |
| US08504348B2 |
User simulation for viewing web analytics data
A system creates and shows a display that simulates the websites during a visit, the flow of the visit and the pace of the visit. The system includes a web analytics tool, a data storage, a focus group module and a virtual focus group user interface module. The focus group module interacts with the web analytics tool to extract information related to a particular visit by a visitor. The virtual focus group user interface module creates a user interface that presents a depiction of each website visited and displays those depictions to the user at a pace similar to the visitor's actual interaction with the websites. The user interface also includes input mechanisms to select a particular portion of the visit, modify the pace at which the depictions are presented, find similar visits, as well as other functionality. |
| US08504347B2 |
Simulation apparatus, simulation method, and program to perform simulation on design data of a target circuit
A simulation apparatus that performs simulation of design data of a verification target circuit including a logic circuit that operates as a multi-cycle path of N cycles in synchronization with a clock signal, the simulation apparatus includes a design data generation section that generates design data of a multi-cycle verification circuit for selectively providing an undefined value signal in place of a signal in a multi-cycle part in the verification target circuit; a logical simulation section that performs logical simulation, without delay, on the basis of design data of the verification target circuit and the design data of the multi-cycle verification circuit; and a comparison section that compares the signal of the verification target circuit with a signal of an expected value in the verification target circuit in the logical simulation. |
| US08504343B2 |
Disease diagnoses-bases disease prediction
A system for predicting future disease for a subject comprising: a population information set comprising population disease diagnoses for members of a population; a subject-specific information set comprising at least one subject-specific disease diagnosis; and a diagnoses-based prediction module configured to predict one or more future diseases for the subject based on said subject-specific disease diagnosis and said population disease diagnoses for population members having at least one disease in common with the subject. |
| US08504333B2 |
Method for selecting sample positions on a substrate, method for providing a representation of a model of properties of a substrate, method of providing a representation of the variation of properties of a substrate across the substrate and device manufacturing method
A method for selecting sample positions on a substrate from a set of all available sample positions is provided, in which a representation of a model, which may represent the variation of one or more properties across the substrate, is analyzed in order to identify the sample positions having the greatest effect on the model. |
| US08504325B2 |
Comparable diagnostics for renewable energy power systems
A computer processor implemented method of measuring, monitoring, comparing and diagnosing the power generated of at least two renewable power systems provided to at least two consumers and alerting at least one of consumers in the event of comparative underperformance, the method taking into account at least two diagnostic variables including weather and the renewable power system cover status (such as covered by snow), wherein the at least one data server determines comparative information for a predetermined geographic area based upon at least two diagnostic variables, and at least two normalized performances to provide a comparative value; and informing the consumer of the comparative value in the event of an underperforming comparative value. |
| US08504324B2 |
System and method for analyzing reliability of electronic device
A system and method analyze reliability of an electronic device using a computing device. The method generates a component coding rule for components of the electronic device, establishes a BOM table for the electronic device according to the component coding rule, and generates component codes for the components according to the component data. The method further classifies the components into different component types according to the component codes, and calculates a failure rate for each of the components according to a parameter equation, obtains mean time between failures (MTBF) of the electronic device by calculating a sum of the failure rates of all the components. In addition, the method generates a reliability analysis report of the electronic device according to the MTBF of the electronic device. and outputs the reliability analysis report to an output device. |
| US08504318B2 |
System, method and computer program for determining fluid flow rate using a pressure sensor and a thermal mass flow sensor
The present invention relates to a system, method, and computer program product for determining the flow rate of a fluid. The system, method, and computer program product generate a thermal sensor based mass flow rate for the fluid, where the thermal sensor based mass flow rate is determined at least in part from the thermal sensor signal (36). The system, method, and computer program product generate a pressure sensor based mass flow rate for the fluid, wherein the pressure sensor based mass flow rate is determined at least in part from the pressure sensor signal (51a). The system, method, and computer program product generate at least one calibration factor (ψ) using the thermal sensor based mass flow rate and the pressure sensor based mass flow rate. The system, method, and computer program product may generate a calibrated pressure sensor based mass flow rate by using the at least one calibration factor (ψ) to modify the pressure sensor based mass flow rate. The system, method, and computer program product may generate a calibrated thermal sensor based mass flow rate by using the at least one calibration factor (ψ) to modify the thermal sensor based mass flow rate. |
| US08504316B2 |
Form measuring instrument, and calibration method and calibration program therefor
Provided is method of calibrating Y-axis direction position of contact tip of form measuring instrument including: table rotatable about Z-axis; contact tip capable of contacting workpiece; and contact tip driving means to drive contact tip in at least X- and Z-axis directions among X-, Y- and Z-axis directions perpendicular to one another. Method performs tracing measurement of inclined surface or inclined cylinder side surface which is part of workpiece obtained by inclining workpiece placed on table about Y-axis, or side surface of off-centered cylinder having center axis off-centered in X-axis direction by rotating surface to obtain measurement value at each angular position of rotation of table, obtains angular position of rotation at which smallest value among measurement values of tracing measurement is detected as angular position of rotation with smallest detected value, and adjusts Y-axis direction position of contact tip based on angular position of rotation with smallest detected value. |
| US08504312B2 |
Apparatus and method for comparing gas pressure measurements
A singular sealed apparatus and method suitable for confirming pressure measurements in a rebreather prior to use of the rebreather. The singular sealed apparatus may have a canister lid, gas sensors and a processor, all from a rebreather, as well as a pressure sensor, an input device, a processor, an indicator and a pod with a pressure measurement outlet, a gas supply inlet, a relief valve and a gas exit valve. Alternatively, the singular sealed apparatus may have a gas sensor from a rebreather and an analyzer, a pressure sensor, an input device, a processor, an indicator, a lid and a pod with a pressure measurement outlet, a gas supply inlet, a relief valve and a gas exit valve. The inventive method is characterized by assembling the singular sealed apparatus, inputting a concentration of a gas present in a gas mixture, admitting the gas mixture into the singular sealed apparatus, expelling ambient gas present in the singular sealed apparatus, measuring absolute pressure of the gas mixture, calculating partial pressure of the gas, indicating the calculated partial pressure of the gas, measuring partial pressure of the gas, indicating the measured partial pressure of the gas and comparing the calculated partial pressure of the gas to the measured partial pressure of the gas. |
| US08504307B2 |
Machine diagnosing method and device therefor
A machine diagnosing device includes a drive object driving force estimating unit for estimating drive object driving force based on a torque command value toward a servo motor which is acquired using a position command value, an elastic deformation error estimating unit for estimating an elastic deformation error of a ball screw with the drive object driving force, and a positional deviation calculating unit for calculating a positional deviation using a rotation position of the servo motor and the position of a table, and a machine damage diagnosing unit for diagnosing a machine damage by calculating a machine damage coefficient using the elastic deformation error and the positional deviation, comparing the obtained machine damage coefficient with a previously set threshold value, and diagnosing a damage state of the drive object. |
| US08504306B2 |
Graphical technique for visualizing effects of environmental emission reductions
An emission management system is implemented via a host server that is accessible to a large number of clients (organizations) using a website. Based on data input by a client relating to actual usage of resources, the client's past CO2e emission over time is calculated by the host server and displayed to the client on the website in the form of a wedge chart, with emissions along the y-axis and time along the x-axis. The server software also extrapolates the past emissions to display baseline predicted future emissions, assuming no reduction strategies are implemented. The client also inputs an emission target level and proposes one or more strategies for reducing the baseline level to achieve the target level. The server converts each strategy to a CO2e emission reduction and layers the different reductions between the baseline level and the target so the client can graphically see the effect of each strategy on achieving the target. |
| US08504302B2 |
Template constrained fragment alignment used to identify fragments of similar shape and activity in drug development
The computational drug discovery method disclosed herein permits a user to specify a three dimensional representation of a molecular fragment derived from a query molecule involved in a drug interaction that then serves as a template to which fragments derived from molecules in database libraries may be aligned. The likely activity of the substitution of the fragment from the database library for the fragment from the query molecule may then be predicted by appropriate shape characterization and CoMFA analysis. The spatial three dimensional representation of the query fragment may be developed from binding data, crystallographic data, modeling data, or any other biophysical or biochemical technique. |
| US08504300B2 |
Extraction of depositional systems
Surface wrapping is a semi-automatic approach for segmentation of a geobody bounding surface within volumetric data. The approach is metaphorically based upon the concept of collapsing an elastic surface onto a physical object. The desired output of the process is a polygonal mesh that may be stored as data, displayed to the end user, or used in further data processing techniques. This approach has advantages over fully automated segmentation algorithms in that it may be applied to data where the volume to be segmented is not fully imaged, or where a high level of noise is present. This approach is also significantly less time consuming for the human analyst than fully manual segmentation techniques, in that the user need only define an approximate initial bounding surface prior to application of the algorithm which determines a more detailed and accurate bounding surface. |
| US08504298B2 |
Facility-around-route retrieval device
A facility-around-route retrieval device includes a map disk 3 for storing map data and facility data, a route calculation unit 13 for calculating a route to a destination by using the map data stored in the map disk, a facility retrieval condition setting unit 16 for setting a facility retrieval condition, and a facility-around-route retrieval unit 17 for retrieving, in a case where a facility around the route calculated in the route calculation unit is retrieved in accordance with the condition set in the facility retrieval condition setting unit, the facility present only on a side of a traveling lane of a vehicle of a divided road from the facility data stored in the map disk when the route includes the divided road. |
| US08504296B2 |
Method for determining an item of travel direction information for a vehicle, and sensor device for a vehicle
A method for determining an item of travel information for a vehicle includes: determination of a speed of the vehicle; comparison of the speed with at least one specified comparison speed; if the speed is greater than the at least one specified comparison speed, determination of a yaw rate of the vehicle and determination of the item of travel direction information on the basis of the determined yaw rate; and, if the speed is less than the at least one specified comparison speed, determination of a first wheel path of a first wheel of an axle of the vehicle and a second wheel path of a second wheel of the axle, and determination of the item of travel direction information on the basis of the first wheel path and the second wheel path. |
| US08504295B2 |
Preserving assigned carpools after a cancellation
Distances between locations traveled by a carpool driver in a carpooling system may be initially estimated by calculating direct, straight line distances between each of the location points. Travel speeds may also be initially estimated using an expected maximum vehicle speed, which may a maximum speed limit. An estimated travel time may then be calculated from this data to initially designate passengers as eligible or ineligible for carpooling with a carpool driver. Cancellation requests received from participants in assigned carpools may be processed to determine whether the carpool may still be conducted. If so, the carpool may continue. If not, the system may search for alternative assignments before sending any cancellation notifications to the participants. Cancellations may be sent only if the system is not able provide a suitable alternate assignment. |
| US08504285B2 |
Method and apparatus of route determination
An approach is provided for off-road navigation. A starting point and a destination point to assist a user in navigating are received. A path from the starting point to the destination point using a vector function that represents cost of each area along the path is determined. The cost is based on direction from where the corresponding area is entered by the user. |
| US08504283B2 |
Host-vehicle risk acquisition device and method
A host-vehicle risk acquisition device includes a host-vehicle path acquisition portion that acquires a path of a host-vehicle, and an obstacle path acquisition portion that acquires a plurality of paths of an obstacle existing around the host-vehicle. A collision risk acquisition portion acquires an actual collision risk, which is a collision risk between the host-vehicle and the obstacle when the host-vehicle is in a travel state based on the path of the host-vehicle and the plurality of paths of the obstacle. An offset risk acquisition portion acquires an offset risk, which is a collision risk between the host-vehicle and the obstacle in an offset travel state, which is offset from the travel state of the host-vehicle. |
| US08504282B2 |
Vehicle
When a vehicle is stopped on a slope, a brake is operated to stop rotation of a drive wheel so that no torque is applied thereto, and the posture of the body is controlled by moving an active weight portion so that stabilized stop state of the vehicle can be achieved without consuming a large quantity of energy. The vehicle comprises the drive wheel attached rotatably to the body, the active weight portion attached movably to the body, and a vehicle controller for controlling the posture of the body by controlling at least one of the drive torque imparted to the drive wheel and the position of the active weight portion, wherein the vehicle controller controls the posture of the body by controlling only the position of the active weight portion when the vehicle is stopped on a slope. |
| US08504281B2 |
Method and system for flight substitution and reroute
Flight substitution and reroute is accomplished based on frequently updated flow constrained areas and a flight substitution system to minimize the impact of severe weather on the NAS. Each flight is assigned a route, a FCA controlled time of arrival (FCA_CTA) slot, a controlled time of departure, and a destination controlled time of arrival, wherein the flights are sorted according to the FCA_CTA slot to pass sequentially through an FCA. When a flight is re-routed, the subsequent flight FCA_CTA is updated with the FCA_CTA slot made available by the preceding flight. If such an update is not feasible, then the subsequent flight FCA_CTA is updated according to a slot credit substitution give-away method. The benefits and costs for rerouting a flight out of an AFP are input to an optimization framework for providing the best flight time and flight reroute options. |
| US08504279B2 |
Engine automatic stop and restart apparatus
When an engine automatic stop judgment unit (101) judges that an engine automatic stop condition is satisfied so that a fuel injection control unit (105) stops fuel supply to an engine and an ignition control unit (106) stops ignition of the engine, and when an engine restart judgment unit (102) judges that an engine restart condition is satisfied before the engine stops, the pinion gear is driven to rotate. Then, engagement between the ring gear and the pinion gear is started when a deviation between an rpm of the engine detected by an engine rpm calculation unit (104) and an rpm of the pinion gear becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold value. Ignition by an ignition control unit (106) is inhibited during a period from start of the engagement until an engagement completion judgment unit (103) judges that the engagement is completed. |
| US08504278B2 |
Method and system for detecting a fault during catalyst light-off
A system and method for controlling engine operation includes a timer module that determines a time period from when a catalyst light-off mode is entered to when an oxygen sensor signal reaches an oxygen sensor threshold and a comparison module that generates an error signal and determines when the time period is above a time threshold. |
| US08504269B2 |
Driving support system, method, and program
Systems, methods and programs are provided for a vehicle that performs braking by a regeneration brake and a friction brake. The systems, methods, and programs determine that braking by the friction brake has been performed, acquire information indicating a situation in the vicinity of the vehicle, and determine a necessary braking force required for responding to the situation in the vicinity of the vehicle. When it is determined that the braking by the friction brake has been performed in a condition where the necessary braking force is less than or equal to a maximum braking force of the regeneration brake, the systems, methods, and programs, determine energy consumed by the friction brake and communicate notification information indicating the consumed energy to a driver. |
| US08504260B2 |
Method for activating a vehicle clutch
A method for activating a clutch of a vehicle drive train. A controller of an electronic control unit generates an electrical desired-value signal corresponding to a desired pressure with which the clutch is to be acted upon. The control unit receives from a sensor an electrical actual-value signal which is to correspond to an actual pressure with which the clutch is acted upon. The sensor measures the pressure at a measurement location which is connected via a transfer link to an action location at which the clutch is acted upon with a clutch pressure. The actual-value signal passes through a transfer element having a delay property before it is delivered to the controller. |
| US08504259B2 |
Method for determining inertia effects for a hybrid powertrain system
A method for controlling a hybrid powertrain system based upon determined inertial effects for a continuously variable operating range state includes monitoring an operator torque request and a rotational speed of the output member, determining an inertial effect on an input speed of the input member for a continuously variable operating range state, and controlling motor torque outputs from the electric machines to meet the operator torque request based upon the inertial effect on the input speed of the input member. |
| US08504254B2 |
Traction control apparatus
An object of the invention is to provide a traction control apparatus capable of suitably controlling an error, if it occurs, between an estimation of a vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed. A traction control apparatus according to the invention includes a vehicle speed estimator and a driving-force controller. The traction control apparatus includes a vehicle state determiner that determines whether the vehicle speed of the construction vehicle estimated by the vehicle speed estimator and the driving-force control by the driving-force controller are balanced, and a driving-force control changer that changes a driving-force control by the driving-force controller when the vehicle state determiner determines the vehicle speed and the driving-force control to be unbalanced. |
| US08504251B2 |
Interference prevention control device of a machine
The present invention provides an interference prevention control device of a work machine, wherein the interference prevention control device is capable of limiting movement of a cab based on a position of a tool and thereby preventing interference of the cab with the tool as well as improving the work efficiency of the work machine. A cab position sensor for detecting a position of a movable cab, as well as a boom angle sensor and an arm angle sensor for detecting a position of a tool at the distal end of the work equipment, are connected to a controller. Solenoid-operated directional control valves for limiting movement of a cab lifting cylinder are disposed in pilot passages of a spool of a pilot-operated control valve, and the solenoids of the solenoid-operated directional control valves are connected to the controller. Based on the positional relationship between the position of the cab (cab interference area) detected by the cab position sensor and the position of the tool detected by the boom angle sensor and the arm angle sensor, the controller controls movement of an actuator of the cab by means of the solenoid-operated directional control valves so as to prevent interference between the cab and the tool. |
| US08504249B2 |
Automatic control of mechanical front wheel drive using speed ratio
A work vehicle includes a mechanical front wheel drive (MFWD) and a controller unit for automatically controlling the MFWD based at least on a MFWD request signal, a speed ratio request signal, and a brake-status signal. The MFWD request is overridden if the speed ratio request is for a predetermined speed ratio (such as fourth gear), and the overriding of the MFWD request is interrupted if the brake-status signal indicates that a brake of the work vehicle is applied. |
| US08504247B2 |
Steering device for vehicle and control method for steering device
An assist control portion, upon detecting source power supply abnormality of a main electric power source, switches the characteristic of an assist map in which the steering torque and the target current are related to each other from an original assist characteristic to an abnormality-time assist characteristic. Therefore, the steering handle operation suddenly becomes heavy, thereby causing the driver to be aware of the abnormality. After that, the abnormality-time assist characteristic is altered so that the assist force relative to the steering torque further decline in accordance with declines in the actual amount of charge of the subsidiary electric power source declines. Therefore, the steering handle operation gradually becomes heavier, thereby causing the driver to anticipate that the abnormality is further progressing. |
| US08504243B2 |
Vehicular steering apparatus and control method thereof
An electronic control unit determines that a vehicle is traveling in a straight line if a state in which the steering torque is less than a predetermined steering torque and an amount of change in the steering angle is less than a predetermined steering angle continues for a predetermined period of time when the vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined vehicle speed. Also, if the steering angle of the steering wheel is not 0, while the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, the electronic control unit calculates the steering amount of rear wheels that matches the steering amount of front wheels, using the steering angle of the steering wheel. Then the electronic control unit steers the rear wheels by driving an electric motor until a controlled neutral steering position of the rear wheels that corresponds to the steering amount matches an absolute neutral steering position. |
| US08504241B2 |
Self-centering, torque-sensing joint assembly for a pallet truck power steering system
A steering mechanism includes a handle with a tiller arm coupled to the handle via a flexible joint allowing relative movement of the handle about the tiller arm. A handle centering mechanism forming part of the steering mechanism includes a first end fixedly secured to the handle and a second end extending into a channel of the tiller arm. The second end compresses bumpers disposed on opposing sides of the second end. The bumpers urge the handle toward a neutral position wherein when a force is applied to move the handle away from a home position relative to the tiller arm, one of the compressed bumpers of the pair of compressed bumpers is further compressed. When the force is removed, the handle is returned to the home position by action of the pair of compressed bumpers. Preferably, the steering mechanism includes a torque sensing arrangement having a sensor and a magnet. The sensor produces a signal based on movement of the handle relative to the tiller arm by sensing changes in the magnet field of the magnet proportional to the torque exerted on the handle regardless of the angle of the tiller arm. |
| US08504239B2 |
Damping apparatus for reducing vibration of automobile body
A damping apparatus for an automobile is provided, capable of ensuring a high level of reliability while obtaining excellent damping effect with simple configuration. The damping apparatus for an automobile that reduces vibrations of an automobile body may include an actuator that is attached to the automobile body and drives an auxiliary mass; a current detector that detects a current flowing through an armature of the actuator; a section that detects a terminal voltage applied to the actuator; a calculation circuit that calculates an induced voltage of the actuator, and further calculates at least one of the relative velocity, relative displacement, and relative acceleration of the actuator, based on a current detected by the current detector and the terminal voltage; and a control circuit that drive-controls the actuator based on at least one of the relative velocity, relative displacement, and relative acceleration of the actuator calculated by the calculation circuit. |
| US08504238B2 |
Vehicle stability and steerability control via electronic torque distribution
A system for distributing propulsion to front and rear axles of a vehicle includes: a front axle motor coupled to the front axle and a rear axle motor coupled to the rear axle. An electronic control unit (ECU) electronically coupled to the motors commands the rear axle motor to increase torque supplied to the rear axle during understeer and commands the front axle motor to increase torque supplied to the front axle during oversteer. A method to distribute propulsion to front and rear axles of a vehicle includes estimating actual yaw rate, estimating desired yaw rate, providing electrical energy to the front axle motor during oversteer, and providing electrical energy to the rear axle motor during understeer. Additionally, electrical energy may be extracted from the rear axle motor during oversteer and electrical energy may be extracted from the front axle motor during understeer. |
| US08504237B2 |
Device, method, and control unit for identifying a side impact, and pressure sensor
In device for side impact recognition in a vehicle, at least one pressure sensor system that produces a signal is provided in a side part of the vehicle, and an evaluation circuit is provided that recognizes a side impact as a function of the signal. In addition, a test device is provided for the at least one pressure sensor system, the at least one test device being configured such that the at least one test device oversamples the signal and then filters it in order to produce a test signal, the test device comparing the signal with a reference value and, as a function of this comparison, recognizing the operability of the at least one pressure sensor system. |
| US08504233B1 |
Safely navigating on roads through maintaining safe distance from other vehicles
Methods and devices for controlling a vehicle in an autonomous mode are disclosed. In one aspect, an example method is disclosed that includes obtaining, by a computer system, lane information that provides an estimated location of a lane of a road on which a vehicle is traveling, where the computer system is configured to control the vehicle in an autonomous mode. The example method further includes determining, by the computer system, that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable and, in response to determining that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable, the computer system using at least one sensor to monitor at least one neighboring vehicle and controlling the vehicle to maintain a distance between the vehicle and the at least one neighboring vehicle to be at least a predetermined minimum distance. |
| US08504231B2 |
System and method for controlling travel of hybrid electric vehicle in an emergency
Disclosed herein is a method of controlling the travel of a hybrid electric vehicle in an emergency. It is determined whether an abnormality has occurred in a low voltage Direct Current-Direct Current (DC-DC) converter. When it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the low voltage DC-DC converter, it is determined whether the voltage of a low voltage battery has deviated from the operational voltage range of a braking device. When the voltage of the low voltage battery has deviated from the operational voltage range of the braking device, a restricted vehicle speed is set to take into account mechanical braking power. A maximum torque used to restrict the torque of a driving motor is set based on the set restricted vehicle speed. |
| US08504230B2 |
Control apparatus for AC electric motor vehicle
A control apparatus for an AC electric motor vehicle including a converter that converts an AC voltage input from an AC overhead wire via a transformer into a DC voltage, an inverter that converts the DC voltage into an AC voltage, and a motor that is driven and controlled by the inverter includes: torque-command calculating units that calculate a torque command value of the motor and output the torque command value to the inverter; and a static inverter that supplies electric power to a load mounted on the AC electric motor vehicle. |
| US08504229B2 |
Method and device for selecting a starting gear in a hybrid electric vehicle
In a method and device for selecting a starting gear in a hybrid electric vehicle, a first driving sequence is registered during which a parameter indicates that an electric motor energy source has been drained past an energy level limit and/or no gear ratio shift from said starting gear ratio has occurred. Upon detection of the driving sequence, draining of said energy source and/or no gear ratio shift, selection of a starting gear ratio is altered to a gear ratio being higher, compared to a normal starting gear ratio, for the next vehicle take off of a driving sequence following the first driving sequence. This increases possibility that the vehicle during driving with the altered starting gear will reach a vehicle speed that corresponds to a combustion engine speed above idle speed of the combustion engine. |
| US08504228B2 |
Apparatus for managing energy supplied to functional device units realizing a specific function
An energy management apparatus is used to manage energy to be supplied to a system. A paid energy resource can be supplied to the system from the outside. The system is provided with two or more functional device units realizing a specific function using the input energy and adapted to satisfy an external request using at least one of the two or more functional device units such that supply of energy to the functional device units can be controlled. In the apparatus, a normalizing section normalizes input energy of each of the two or more functional device units in terms of the cost of the paid energy resource required for producing the input energy. In addition, a determining section determines to which of the two or more functional device units a predetermined quantity of energy should be fed such that the cost incurred in the system can be reduced. |
| US08504227B2 |
Charging control device and charging control method
A charging control device is a charging control device for independently controlling charging of power storage devices in a plurality of vehicles, respectively, each having the power storage device mounted thereon, from an external power supply, in which a control ECU detects a state of charge of the power storage device when each vehicle and the external power supply are coupled to each other, detects an expected amount of power consumption for each of the plurality of vehicles, calculates a required amount of power to be charged for each vehicle based on the detected state of charge and the expected amount of power consumption, detects a time to start use of each vehicle, determines a charging schedule of a charging time period and an amount of power to be charged for each vehicle based on the required amount to be charged and the time to start use, and controls charging of the power storage devices mounted on the vehicles according to the charging schedule. A charging control device and a charging control method achieving increased possibility that a vehicle desired to be used can be used at a desired time of use, while performing charging within contract power can be provided. |
| US08504218B2 |
Methods and systems for universal input output for vehicle control
Methods and systems for controlling a vehicle are provided. The system includes a controller configured to generate output signals using input signals received from a plurality of different types of input devices wherein the controller is configured to operate at a predetermined logic level and a universal input module corresponding to each type of the plurality of different types of input devices. The universal input module is configured to receive an input signal from an associated input device of one of the different types, determine an operating range of the input device corresponding to one of the different types of input devices, and transmit an output to the controller at the predetermined logic level wherein the output corresponds to the received input scaled to the determined operating range. |
| US08504215B1 |
Systems and methods for using alternate power sources to manage the power draw on a power grid
A computer-implemented method for using alternate power sources to manage the power draw on a power grid may comprise: 1) identifying a need to reduce power draw on the power grid, 2) identifying an electrical device that draws power from the power grid, 3) determining that the electrical device is capable of drawing power from an alternate power source, and 4) transmitting a command that, when executed, causes the electrical device to draw power from the alternate power source. A corresponding device-side method for reducing power draw on a power grid may comprise: 1) drawing power from a power grid, 2) receiving a command to draw power from an alternate power source, and then 3) drawing power from the alternate power source. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed. |
| US08504214B2 |
Self-healing power grid and method thereof
A method for determining a self-healing power grid status is presented. The method includes receiving respective real-time monitoring data corresponding to one or more power grid components, wherein one or more agents are coupled to the power grid components. The method includes the steps of determining a respective current infectiousness state based upon the received respective real-time monitoring data, determining respective output data based upon the respective current infectiousness state, exchanging the respective output data with one or more neighboring agents, and generating a respective new infectiousness state based upon the respective exchanged output data and a state transition diagram. |
| US08504213B2 |
Regulation of generating plant
A method and system are disclosed that enable the regulation of the temperature of transmission equipment connected to a generating plant. In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining a temperature of transmission equipment connected to a generating plant and regulating the output of the generating plant in response to the temperature exceeding a threshold level to reduce the temperature of the transmission equipment to below the threshold level. |
| US08504212B2 |
Controller and control techniques for windfarm
The disclosed windfarm control system comprising a windfarm and a central controller; the windfarm including plural wind power generators whose rotational speeds are variable, plural aerographs disposed in the vicinity of the wind power generators to measure the directions and powers of the wind at the sites of the generators, and plural local controllers disposed in the vicinity of the wind power generators to control the output of the wind power generators by controlling the rotational speeds of the generators; wherein the central controller calculats the control level which maintains the output of the windfarm constant for a predetermined time period and instructs the local controllers to control the rpm's of the wind power generators in accordance with the control level. |
| US08504211B2 |
Input dispenser and recorder
An input dispenser/recorder controlled by a computer to dispense a predetermined amount of input or mixture of inputs based on parameters provided by an operator. Specifically, the invention has an inner frame and outer frame associated by load bars connected to the computer. The load bars signal the computer regarding weight change on the inner frame. Associated with the inner frame is at least one major input container having an opening over a conveyor and a valve therebetween controlled by the computer. Associated with the outer frame are minor input containers, each in fluid communication with the conveyor and a flow meter controlled by the computer. The conveyor may be a flighted auger, a belt, or pump and conduit and is also controlled by the computer. The parameters provided by the operator are used by a selected program and the CPU to control the amount and ratio of inputs, speed of conveyor, and mixture thereof. |
| US08504210B2 |
Wireless extension to an irrigation control system and related methods
Several embodiments provide wireless extensions to an irrigation controller system and related methods of use, as well as other improvements to irrigation control equipment. In one implementation, an irrigation control system includes a transmitter unit including a controller and having a connector to be coupled to an irrigation controller having station actuation output connectors. The controller is configured to receive an indication that the irrigation controller has activated an irrigation station, and is also configured to cause the transmitter unit to transmit a wireless activation signal responsive to the indication. A receiver unit is coupled to an actuator coupled to an actuatable device, such as an irrigation valve, the actuator configured to actuate the irrigation valve to control the flow of water therethrough. The receiver unit receives the wireless activation signal and in response, causes the actuator to actuate the actuatable device. |
| US08504208B2 |
Mobile object controller and floor surface estimator
A total floor reaction force required correction amount by which an error between an observed value of a total floor reaction force acting on a mobile object 101 and a desired total floor reaction force approaches zero is converted to a spring displacement amount of a position/posture of a representative contact surface representative of ground surfaces of the mobile object 101. A correction amount of a displacement amount of each joint of the mobile object 101 is determined by multiplying the spring displacement amount by a pseudo inverse matrix of a Jacobian matrix representing a relation between a change amount of the position and posture of the representative contact surface per unit time and a change amount of a generalized variable vector per unit time. The displacement amount of each joint is controlled according to a corrected desired joint displacement amount obtained by correcting a desired joint displacement amount. |
| US08504205B2 |
Robotic grasping device with multi-force sensing at base of fingers
A robotic grasping device (10) has a first finger (20), a second finger (30) and an actuator (40). The first finger has a first fingertip (22), a first base (24) and a first actuator engagement end (26). A first gripping surface (21) of the first finger lies between the first fingertip and the first base. Similarly, the second finger has a second fingertip (32), a second base (34), a second actuator engagement end (36). A second gripping surface (31) of the second finger is between the second fingertip and the second base. The actuator (40) mechanically engages with the first actuator engagement end and the second actuator engagement end to open and close the fingers. A first force sensor (28) is disposed on the base of the first finger to measure a first operative force on the first finger, and a second force sensor (38) is disposed on the base of the second finger to measure a second operative force on the second finger. |
| US08504198B2 |
Robot hand and control system, control method and control program for the same
A robot hand has a pipe which is sufficiently flexible to allow a change in the cross-sectional area thereof according to the pressure of a fluid, thereby permitting a higher degree of freedom of the layouts of the pipe and a master cylinder connected through the pipe. Moreover, considerations are given to a change in the cross-sectional area of the pipe caused by a change in the pressure of the fluid in the pipe, thus making it possible to measure the position of a slave piston with high accuracy. |
| US08504194B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus and substrate transport method
A substrate processing apparatus includes: a plurality of substrate processing sections arranged alongside a transport passage; a standby mechanism which retains a substrate in standby, the standby mechanism being movable along the transport passage; a transport mechanism which transports the substrate between the standby mechanism and each of the substrate processing sections, the transport mechanism being movable along the transport passage; a first movement mechanism which moves the transport mechanism along the transport passage; and a second movement mechanism which moves the standby mechanism along the transport passage. |
| US08504193B2 |
System and methods for increasing efficiency in rapid prototyping processes
A system and methods for batch sorting objects and mapping the objects on a tray having a fixed dimension along an x-axis and a fixed dimension along a y-axis. Certain aspects of the present embodiments include (a) storing the objects in a queue; (b) sorting the objects in the queue according to a dimension of the objects; (c) mapping the objects sequentially into a first column of a plurality of columns on the tray until the first column is filled; (d) mapping the objects into a subsequent column until the subsequent column is filled; (e) repeating step (d) until only a last column in the plurality of columns remains to be filled, or until no more objects remain in the queue; and (f) mapping the objects into the last column in accordance with a column organization plan. In certain embodiments, at least one of the columns, and not necessarily the last column, includes objects mapped in accordance with a column organization plan. |
| US08504188B2 |
Device and method for the computer-assisted generation of a manipulator path
In a method, device and in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for computer-assisted generation of a manipulator path of a computer-controlled manipulator, a processor is loaded with a virtual tool and generates a virtual tool path based in a virtual component and the loaded virtual tool. The processor is also loaded with a virtual manipulator kinematic and generates a virtual manipulator path based on the virtual tool path and the virtual manipulator kinematic. |
| US08504187B2 |
Embroidery data creation apparatus and computer program product
An embroidery data creation apparatus includes an outline data acquisition portion, a thread density data acquisition portion, a needle drop point setting portion that sets a plurality of first needle drop points, a plurality of second needle drop points, and a sewing order to alternately connect the plurality of first needle drop points and the plurality of second needle drop points using the stitches, a needle drop point change portion that, in a case where one of a value of a length ratio and a length difference is equal to or more than a specified threshold value, changes positions of some of the plurality of second needle drop points, respectively, to positions each of which will be covered by a stitch formed by connecting a first stitch end point and a second stitch end point, and an embroidery data creation portion that creates embroidery data. |
| US08504181B2 |
Audio signal loudness measurement and modification in the MDCT domain
Processing an audio signal represented by the Modified Discrete Cosine Transform (MDCT) of a time-sampled real signal is disclosed in which the loudness of the transformed audio signal is measured, and at least in part in response to the measuring, the loudness of the transformed audio signal is modified. When gain modifying more than one frequency band, the variation or variations in gain from frequency band to frequency band, is smooth. The loudness measurement employs a smoothing time constant commensurate with the integration time of human loudness perception or slower. |
| US08504180B2 |
Establishing proximity detection using 802.11 based networks
A method includes presenting a set location setting capable of being selected by a user within a graphical user interface (GUI) of a mobile device. The method proceeds by detecting on-site location information of the mobile device in response to a selection of the set location setting and detecting at least one on-site 802.11 based network in communication with the mobile device in response to a selection of the set location setting. The method proceeds by identifying an on-site IP address associated with the at least one on-site 802.11 based network, and then associating both the on-site location information and the on-site IP address with an on-site zone of a site associated with the mobile device. The method proceeds by altering an operating condition of a network device located at the site in response to a location of the mobile device relative to the on-site zone. |
| US08504175B2 |
Using model predictive control to optimize variable trajectories and system control
A method and system of predictive model control of a controlled system with one or more physical components using a model predictive control (MPC) model, determining an iterative, finite horizon optimization of a system model of the controlled system, in order to generate a manipulated value trajectory as part of a control process. At time t sampling a current state of the controlled system a cost function minimizing manipulated variables trajectories is computed with the MPC model for a relatively short time horizon in the future, wherein the MPC uses a quadratic programming (QP) algorithm to find the optimal solution, and wherein the QP algorithm is solved using an Active Sets solver (AS) class algorithm with simple constraints based on gradient projection and using Newton step projection. A move of the manipulated value trajectory is implemented and the control process is moved forward by continuing to shift the prediction horizon forward. |
| US08504173B2 |
Electrode catheter, in particular for cardiac therapy
An electrode catheter, in particular for cardiac therapy, includes an elongate, tubular catheter body, an electrode for delivering or measuring an electrical signal, in particular an electrocardiac signal, via its external electrode contact surface, at least one first supply line for the electrical connection of the electrode, at least one second supply line for the electrical connection of a further electrode, a plug terminal connection between the at least one first supply line and the electrode, and an insulated passage of the at least one second supply line through the electrode. |
| US08504171B2 |
Systems and methods for making and using enhanced electrodes for electrical stimulation systems
A lead assembly for providing electrical stimulation of patient tissue includes at least one elongated lead body, each of the at least one lead bodies having a distal end and a proximal end. A plurality of electrodes are disposed at the distal end of the at least one lead body, each of the electrodes having an outer surface. A plurality of dimples are defined along the outer surface of at least one of the plurality of electrodes, the plurality of dimples configured and arranged to provide a larger surface area for the at least one dimpled electrode than that of a similarly-sized electrode with a flat outer surface. A plurality of terminal are disposed at the proximal end of the at least one lead body. A plurality of conductive wires couple each of the plurality of electrodes to at least one of the plurality of terminals. |
| US08504170B2 |
Lead electrode for use in an MRI-safe implantable medical device
A medical lead is configured to be implanted into a patients body and comprises a lead body, and an electrode coupled to the lead body. The electrode comprises a first section configured to contact the patient's body, and a second section electrically coupled to the first section and configured to be capacitively coupled to the patient's body. |
| US08504169B2 |
Drug retaining surface features in an implantable medical device
An implantable component of a medical device, comprising a polymeric surface. The component includes one or more macro-surface features at the polymeric surface having a configuration that, following application of a liquid drug to the surface retains a quantity of the liquid drug adjacent the surface. |
| US08504168B2 |
Implantable lead with coplanar contact coupling
A connection made between a contact and a conductor in an implantable lead assembly includes a slot, formed in the contact, and a crimp sleeve, attached to the contact; wherein the crimp sleeve includes a contact coupling, which rests within the contact slot, and a conductor coupling, crimped around the conductor, within a body of the lead assembly. The conductor coupling of the crimp sleeve may be pushed through the contact slot, anywhere along a length of the slot, so that the contact coupling comes to rest between opposing edges of the slot. A preferred profile of the contact coupling of the crimp sleeve is such that the contact coupling rests within the contact slot, without falling through to the inside diameter of the contact, prior to attachment thereto. |
| US08504163B1 |
Cranially mounted stimulation systems and methods
An exemplary system includes a stimulator with a hollow lumen extending therethrough and configured to be at least partially disposed within a burr hole in a cranium of a patient, a stimulating member configured to apply a stimulus to a stimulation site within the patient, and coupling member configured to extend at least partially through the lumen and couple the stimulating member to the stimulator. Exemplary methods of applying at least one stimulus to a stimulation site within a patient include implanting a lead with a number of electrodes disposed thereon within a cavity formed by a cranium, implanting a stimulator such that the stimulator is at least partially disposed within a burr hole in the cranium, removably coupling the lead to the stimulator, and applying the at least one stimulus to a stimulation site within the cavity formed by the cranium via one or more of the electrodes. |
| US08504161B1 |
Modulate vagal signals to reduce inflammation
A medical device is configured to perform a method for modulating vagal nerve signals to reduce inflammation. A sensing module of the medical device is enabled to receive an electrical signal from selected electrodes electrically coupled to the medical device. A controller coupled to the sensing module is configured to determine an inflammation metric from the sensed electrical signal. The metric is compared to an inflammation detection threshold. A pulse generator is controlled to selectively deliver electrical stimulation pulses via the plurality of electrodes in response to the metric meeting the inflammation detection threshold to modulate vagal nerve signals to cause an anti-inflammatory response. |
| US08504160B2 |
System and method for modulating action potential propagation during spinal cord stimulation
A method and neurostimulator for providing therapy to a patient is provided. In one technique, an electrical pulsed waveform is conveyed between a caudal electrode and spinal cord tissue, thereby evoking action potentials that are orthodromically propagated along dorsal column fibers and evoking action potentials that are antidromically propagated along the DC fibers. Electrical energy is conveyed between a rostral electrode and the spinal cord tissue, thereby modulating times that the action potentials orthodromically propagated along the DC fibers arrive at the brain. In another technique, an electrical pulsed waveform is conveyed through a first electrode, thereby evoking action potentials that are propagated along a neural axon, and electrical energy is conveyed through the second electrode. The electrical energy has a frequency that is greater than a pulse rate of the electrical pulsed waveform, such that the action potentials propagated along the neural axon are blocked by the electrical energy. |
| US08504159B2 |
Electromagnetic signal delivery for tissue affected by neuronal dysfunction, degradation, damage, and/or necrosis, and associated systems and methods
Electromagnetic signal delivery for tissue affected by neuronal dysfunction, degradation, damage, and/or necrosis, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes identifying an affected region, with the affected region including neuronal tissue that, at least during a pre-dysfunctional period, was in neural communication with neuronal tissue in a dysfunctional region. The affected tissue can be functionally adversely affected by neuronal dysfunction in the dysfunctional region. The method can further include applying electromagnetic signals to the neuronal tissue in the affected region. For example, the electromagnetic signals can be applied to a hypo-active neural region that is not physically damaged, and has been identified as likely to recover at least in part as a result of electromagnetic signals. Signals can be applied at sub-threshold levels to cortical and/or subcortical regions. |
| US08504157B2 |
Retention assemblies for implantable electric stimulation systems and methods of making and using
A connector assembly includes a lead or a lead extension, a connector, and a retention assembly disposed in the connector. The connector includes a connector housing defining a port at a distal end of the connector, and a plurality of connector contacts disposed in the connector housing. The port is configured and arranged for receiving a proximal end of the lead or the lead extension. The connector contacts are configured and arranged to couple to at least one terminal disposed on the proximal end of the lead or the lead extension. The retention assembly includes a retention mechanism that can be engaged and reversibly disengaged without the use of tools beyond conventional operating-room surgical instruments. |
| US08504153B2 |
System and method for estimating cardiac pressure based on cardiac electrical conduction delays using an implantable medical device
Techniques are provided for estimating left atrial pressure (LAP) or other cardiac performance parameters based on measured conduction delays. In particular, LAP is estimated based interventricular conduction delays. Predetermined conversion factors stored within the device are used to convert the various the conduction delays into LAP values or other appropriate cardiac performance parameters. The conversion factors may be, for example, slope and baseline values derived during an initial calibration procedure performed by an external system, such as an external programmer. In some examples, the slope and baseline values may be periodically re-calibrated by the implantable device itself. Techniques are also described for adaptively adjusting pacing parameters based on estimated LAP or other cardiac performance parameters. Still further, techniques are described for estimating conduction delays based on impedance or admittance values and for tracking heart failure therefrom. |
| US08504151B2 |
Integrated cardiac rhythm management system with heart valve
Systems and methods using a heart valve and an implantable medical device, such as for event detection and optimization of cardiac output. The cardiac management system includes a heart valve, having a physiological sensor. The physiological sensor is adapted to measure at least one of an intrinsic electrical cardiac parameter, a hemodynamic parameter or the like. The system further includes an implantable electronics unit, such as a cardiac rhythm management unit, coupled to the physiological sensor of the heart valve to receive physiological information. The electronics unit is adapted to use the received physiological information to control delivery of an electrical output to the subject. |
| US08504149B2 |
System and method to deliver therapy in presence of another therapy
Various aspects relate to a method. In various embodiments, a therapy of a first therapy type is delivered, and it is identified whether a therapy of a second therapy type is present to affect the therapy of the first therapy type. Delivery of the therapy is controlled based on the presence of the therapy of the second therapy type. Some embodiments deliver the therapy of the first type using one set of parameters in the presence of a therapy of a second type, and deliver the therapy of the first type using another set of parameters when the therapy of the second type is not present. In various embodiments, one of the therapy types includes a cardiac rhythm management therapy, and the other includes a neural stimulation therapy. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein. |
| US08504147B2 |
Systems and methods for neuromodulation for treatment of pain and other disorders associated with nerve conduction
Methods and apparatus are provided for selective destruction or temporary disruption of nerves and/or conduction pathways in a mammalian body for the treatment of pain and other disorders. Apparatus comprises catheters having electrodes for targeting and affecting nerve tissue at a cellular level to reversible and irreversible nerve poration and incapacitation. |
| US08504145B2 |
Biometric information processing device, biometric information processing method, and control program
A biometric information processing device has a heart rate detection unit that detects the heart rate of a subject; a relative heart rate calculation unit that calculates a relative heart rate, which is the relative value of the heart rate to the prescribed resting heart rate of the subject; a relative oxygen intake calculation unit that calculates a relative oxygen intake based on the relative heart rate; an oxygen intake estimation unit that estimates the oxygen intake from the relative oxygen intake; and a calorie expenditure calculation unit that calculates calorie expenditure based on the oxygen intake. |
| US08504139B2 |
Navigating a surgical instrument
An instrument tracking device for cooperating with an instrument during a surgical procedure where the instrument has an elongated body extending along a first longitudinal axis and including a working member at a distal tip includes a body having a distal end and a proximal end. An opening can be formed through the body along a second longitudinal axis. The opening can define a passthrough in the body from the distal end to the proximal end. A first tracking coil can be disposed in the body and can define a first tracking coil axis that is substantially coaxial with the second longitudinal axis of the body. A connection mechanism cooperates between the elongated housing and the body that secures the body to the elongated housing of the instrument upon passing at least a portion of the elongated housing through the passthrough of the body in an assembled position. |
| US08504136B1 |
See-through abdomen display for minimally invasive surgery
This invention is in the domain of minimally invasive surgery and is a method and apparatus that transforms and displays images of internal organs and tissues taken from internally located imaging devices on external skin. The image displayed on the skin aligns with the actual physical location, orientation, and size of the internal organs and tissues in a way that viewers have the perception that the skin is transparent. This method and apparatus enables surgeons to have the same hand-eye coordination as in an open surgery during a minimally invasive surgery. |
| US08504132B2 |
Methods and apparatus for assessing and improving electrode contact with cardiac tissue
Embodiments of the invention relate to methods for assessing and/or improving contact between an electrophysiology catheter and tissue, and catheters for performing the methods. One embodiment relates to a catheter comprising a braided conductive member coupled to the distal end of a shaft, wherein the braided conductive member comprises a plurality of pressure sensitive wires. Another embodiment relates to a catheter comprising a braided conductive member having a plurality of sectors and coupled to the distal end of a shaft, and a balloon assembly constructed and arranged to selectively apply distal pressure to one or more sectors of the braided conductive member. |
| US08504124B2 |
Configuration sensing for a mobile computing device
Techniques for configuration sensing for a mobile computing device are described. A mobile computing device may comprise a housing having a sliding structure arranged to allow a first housing portion and a second housing portion to move relative to each other to form a first configuration or a second configuration. The mobile computing device may include a magnetic sensor disposed in the first housing portion, the magnetic sensor operative to measure a magnetic field strength for a magnet, and output a position signal indicative of the first configuration or the second configuration based on the measured magnetic field strength. The mobile computing device may include a speaker with the magnet disposed in the second housing portion. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08504118B2 |
System and method for optimizing battery power
A wireless communication device, a wireless communication system, and a method for optimizing battery power resources are described. The wireless communication device comprises a rechargeable battery, a control module, and a display. The control module is operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery and is configured to determine a first remaining battery time associated with a first operational mode, and a second remaining battery time associated with a second operational mode. The display operatively is coupled to the control module and is adapted to display both remaining battery times. The wireless communication system comprises antennas configured to communicate using both operational modes. The method comprises accessing a network system, estimating battery metrics based on current battery power, querying a table that associates battery power metrics with different radio access technologies, and generating a table output that displays the remaining battery time associated with each of the wireless technologies. |
| US08504115B2 |
Automatic sidetone control
An automatic sidetone controller for a digital telecom device, such as a headset or head-set adapter having a transmit (TX) channel, a receive (RX) channel, and circuitry for generating a sidetone signal by coupling a portion of a signal on the TX channel onto the RX channel via a sidetone path, is operable to detect when the TX channel of the device is active and inactive and to respectively activate and deactivate the sidetone path in response thereto without need for manual intervention by the user. |
| US08504112B2 |
Methods for searching phone book, and portable devices and information processing apparatuses having phone-book search function
Method of searching a phone book in an information processing apparatus, such as a portable device, may provide intelligent search of information associated with user-selected information. The method includes selecting a desired item of a plurality of item included in a phone book list, searching at least one item associated with the selected item on a database according to a predetermined priority, and displaying both the selected item and the searched associated at least one item. Thus, the information associated with the user-selected information can be intelligently searched, such that a search result optimized for a user may be displayed and unnecessary repetitive search may be reduced. |
| US08504109B2 |
Antenna systems with common overhead for CDMA base stations
Antenna systems are used for transmitting common overhead channels (pilot, sync, and paging channels) over a whole sector while transmitting and receiving unique traffic channels on individual beams in the sector. Each beam in the sector is transmitted at a frequency offset from other beams in the sector. The offset frequency is chosen such that the effect of cancellation of the pilot channel caused by the summing of signals from multiple beams is minimized. Alternative, each beam in the sector can have a time dependent phase offset relative to each other to minimize the effect of cancellation of the pilot channel caused by the summing of signals from multiple beams. System capacity is substantially increased since the number of traffic carrying beams per sector is increased without using more pilot channel PN offsets. Beams are fixed and the same antennas are used for the overhead channels as the traffic channels, obviating the need for complex algorithms and calibration procedures. |
| US08504108B2 |
Base station apparatus, transmission signal generating method, mobile station apparatus, and reception method
A communication system has a base station control device and base station devices. The base station control device totalizes information on the number of base stations as the number of base station devices which can communicate with a mobile station device, makes Nb copies of a data frame, successively assigns integer values from 1 to Nb as stream numbers Ns to the data frames copied, and forms Nb copied data frames including Nb and Ns in header information. Copied data frames having different Ns in the header information are sent to base station devices. According to Ns and Nb, a base station device subjects the data in the copied data frame to temporal/spatial encoding to form a temporal/spatial encoding series. A mobile station device receives the temporal/spatial encoding series signal from each of the base station devices. |
| US08504107B2 |
Device, system, and method for providing wireless data access, digital TV access, radio, and storage capability
A portable memory device dimensioned and configured as any of a removable flash memory card, a USB flash drive, and a jump drive and a method of wireless communication, wherein the portable memory device comprises a single housing component; a data storage component within the single housing component; and a wireless receiver operatively connected to the data storage component and within the single housing component, wherein the wireless receiver is adapted to receive wireless signals comprising radio signals, satellite signals, TV signals, and Bluetooth™ specification signals, and wherein the wireless receiver is adapted to wirelessly communicate with a LAN. The portable memory device may further comprise an interface component adapted to connect to a host computing device. Preferably, the TV signals comprise mobile TV signals. |
| US08504106B2 |
Smart card and method for managing data of smart card, and mobile terminal
Managing data of a smart card that includes a high-capacity memory and a high-speed memory. The high-capacity memory stores information and the high-speed memory stores an index to the information, and hence high-speed access to the high-capacity memory may be provided by referencing the index. |
| US08504103B2 |
Cellular home security system
The invention provides an improved security system comprised of video cameras and microphones to remotely monitor a home using a cellular telephone. An activation button is mounted as a doorbell button and interconnected with the security system to trigger the audio and video transmissions. The security system will automatically call the homeowner and allow two-way conversation and video using a streaming transmission. In response to a wireless distress signal sent to the security system using the homeowner's cellular telephone establishes a wireless connection with the security system and a security service or local authorities allowing the third-party to monitor and assess the situation. The homeowner is contemporaneously receiving the audio and video signals from the home using his cellular telephone and is capable of communicating directly with the security service. The distress signal is a secret code consisting of an array of numbers. |
| US08504102B2 |
Multimode mobile communication device with configuration update capability
A system and method in a multimode mobile communication device for providing communication configuration update capability. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise establishing a first communication link characterized by a first communication mode of a plurality of communication modes in which the multimode communication device is capable of communicating. Such a first communication link may, for example, be established utilizing a first communication interface module. Communication configuration (or profile) information for a second communication mode may be received over the first communication link. The communication configuration information for the second communication mode may then be utilized to configure the mobile communication device to perform communications in the second communication mode (e.g., utilizing a second communication interface module). |
| US08504100B2 |
System and method for multi-radio control
A system and method for multi-radio control unifies disparate radio technologies and communication protocols and abstracts them such that a user of a personal electronic device having a plurality of disparate radios is not required to know or understand the radio technology needed to connect to a remote wireless device or service. An intermediate layer receives requests from a user interface application, generates specific driver commands to each radio, and returns information received from each radio to the user interface application module. A user interface application module initiates a search for available remote wireless devices, provides the user with information regarding the available remote wireless devices, and establishes a connection to an available remote wireless device in response to a user selection. The user interface application module also presents notifications to the user, and also handles disconnect requests and security credential dialogs. |
| US08504096B2 |
Abbreviated dialing
An intelligent abbreviated dialing feature can use a portion of a phone number as a shortcut to dialing. Any portion of a phone number can be input into a communications device such as by pressing buttons on the keypad or speaking into a microphone. A processor in the communications device or on a network accessible by the communications device can generate the phone number register from frequently dialed numbers. The processor can compare the input into the communications device against the phone number register. For each digit of the phone number that is input into the communications device, the processor can search the phone numbers and provide search results with the corresponding numbers. A phone number can be selected from the search results and dialed. |
| US08504085B2 |
Method of operating a communication device and system,a communication device and a system including the communication device
A communication system, such as UMTS, comprises a scheduler (12) in a first station (PS) which is able to control a user equipment (UE1, UE2). The scheduler when operating in a data transmission mode, such as HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access) controls the user equipment with combinations of absolute grants (AG) and relative grants (RG). The relative grants serve to adapt a transmission parameter relative to a reference value. The reference value for the relative grant is selected dependent on a property of one or more of the grants. Such a property may comprise the absolute grant being an all process grant or a single process grant. |
| US08504084B2 |
Method and system for managing a short message service aggregation platform and providing advertising content to mobile communication
A management system for managing a short message service (SMS) aggregation platform and providing advertising content to mobile communication device customers. |
| US08504083B1 |
Analysis of message service provider quality of service
A Short Message Service (“SMS”) provider's quality of service, such as SMS transmission latency and/or success rate, is measured based on collected event data. A notification service initiates SMS message transmissions which are sent through an SMS provider and a carrier before reaching a mobile service on a mobile device. Each SMS message includes a unique identifier. The notification service creates send events recording when each SMS message was sent. The mobile service creates receipt events recording when each received SMS message was received. By determining how many sent messages are received, and aggregated time differences between messages being sent and received, quality of service information can be determined. In some embodiments, quality of service information is determined on a per-SMS provider basis, and/or on a per-location basis. |
| US08504080B2 |
User interface for creating multimedia message of mobile communication terminal and method thereof
A user interface method for creating a multimedia message of a mobile communication terminal is disclosed in which menu fields for creating a multimedia message are displayed in one screen, and when inputting content for each menu field is completed, it is automatically switched to a multimedia message-creating screen in which a selecting bar is positioned at the next field. In addition, while a user is using a multimedia function, a current image can be switched to the multimedia message-creating screen according to a user's need. Thus, the number of user's key manipulations can be reduced in creating the multimedia message, thereby enhancing a user's convenience. |
| US08504076B2 |
Location positioning apparatus, location positioning method, and location positioning program
A location positioning apparatus, a location positioning method, and a location positioning program are provided for shortening the wait time necessary for positioning, by changing the timeout period in the positioning measurement according to the accuracy of the general location, when the current location cannot be positioned. A general location error determining unit (22e) determines an error radius of the general location, a timeout period setting unit (22g) sets timeout periods T1 to T3 and Tmax in the positioning measurement, according to the error radius determined by the general location error determining unit (22e). A location positioning process timeout instructing unit (22h) time outs the location positioning process being performed by a location positioning processing unit (22d), when a number of visible satellites S is smaller than a prescribed number at each of the timeout periods T1 to T3, or when the timeout period Tmax elapses. |
| US08504074B2 |
System and method for providing advertisement data to a mobile computing device
A mobile device includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store user-specific data. The processor is configured to access data indicating a position of the mobile device and provide advertisement data based upon the position of the mobile device and the user-specific data. |
| US08504073B2 |
Customized content delivery through the use of arbitrary geographic shapes
Methods and systems are disclosed for providing customized content to users based on their location. In one embodiment, for each of one or more content providers, a customized content delivery function receives information from the content provider defining a number of geographic shapes selecting corresponding geographic areas. Preferably, each of the geographic shapes overlaps at least one other of the geographic shapes and is assigned an importance level. For each geographic shape, the content provider defines one or more tags for the geographic shape and assigns a weight to each of the one or more tags. Thereafter, when a request is received from a requestor, one or more content items are selected for delivery to the requestor based on the geographic shapes, the tags and corresponding weights for the geographic shapes, and the location of the requestor. |
| US08504072B2 |
Radio communication terminal, radio communication base station device, and radio communication method
A radio communication terminal, a radio communication base station device, and radio communication method enabling lightening the paging load in a mobile communication system including macro cells and femto cells. A reception level measuring section (144) of a UE (104) measures the reception level of a femto cell. If a judging section (146) judges that the measured reception level is over a level which is the sum of a threshold and an offset value, the judging section (146) requests an MME (101) to change a multi TA registration to a single TA registration and carries out a change to one tracking area registration. |
| US08504069B1 |
Proxy server and method thereof for forwarding location requests to a position determining entity
A method, system and server comprise forwarding data from a packet data serving node (PDSN) to a server, determining, at the server, an appropriate Position Determining Entity (PDE) to forward the data to based on a network in which a mobile station is roaming and forwarding the data from the server to the PDE. |
| US08504064B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting location services with roaming
Techniques for supporting location services (LCS) with roaming are described. A method of supporting LCS in a network comprising a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) enabled terminal (SET), a home SUPL location center (H-SLC), and a serving SUPL location center (S-SLC) includes receiving, at the H-SLC, a location request message for a location of the SET, where the location request message comprises an indication of a network location of the SET. The method includes sending, to the S-SLC in response to the location request message, a roaming request message. The method includes receiving, from the S-SLC in response to the roaming request message, a location report message comprising a position of the network location. The method also includes sending a reporting message comprising the position of the network location of the SET as the location of the SET. |
| US08504061B2 |
Multi-tier geofence detection
Methods, program products, and systems for multi-tier geofence detection are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can be configured to perform a task when the mobile device enters a geographic region. The mobile device can monitor a current location using a multi-tier approach. A baseband subsystem can monitor a coarse location of the mobile device using various course location parameters, such as a mobile country code (MCC), a location area code (LAC), or a cell identifier (cell ID), as the mobile device moves closer to the geographic region. Upon determining that the mobile device is in a cell that intersects the geographic region, the baseband subsystem can transfer the monitoring to the application subsystem. The task can be performed when the application subsystem determines that the mobile device is currently located in the geographic region. |
| US08504060B2 |
System and method for reporting change of area event
The instant amendment is provided as a complete replacement to the amendment filed on Jul. 10, 2012. The instant amendment is submitted to correct a typographical error found in the previously-filed amendment. Claims 1 and 13 in the previously-filed amendment incorrectly recite “when it is determined by the MSC that a change of area event for the UE has occurred, forwarding a Subscriber Location Report (SLR) from the MSC to the VGMLC when it is determined by the MSC that a change of area event for the UE has occurred,” whereas they should have recited “forwarding a Subscriber Location Report (SLR) from the MSC to the VGMLC when it is determined by the MSC that a change of area event for the UE has occurred,” instead. |
| US08504057B2 |
Location tracking method in coordinator-based wireless network
A location tracking method in a coordinator-based wireless network is provided. The location tracking method in a coordinator-based wireless network includes transmitting a first frame including its own identifier and time information to the wireless network by a device associated with the wireless network in order to disclose its location information; and receiving a second frame including the location information of the device transmitted from the wireless network by the device, as a response to the first frame. |
| US08504056B2 |
Mobile station initiated load balancing in wireless communication networks
Techniques for load balancing across different access networks based on procedures initiated by a wireless terminal or mobile station and examples of using load balancing within the same access network to hand off a mobile station from one base station to another based on procedures initiated by the mobile station. |
| US08504055B2 |
Method and arrangement for load balancing in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system that enable a load balancing procedure in a network with HeNB GWs. The problem of the ineffective conventional load balancing procedure when used in a network with HeNB GWs, is addressed by a solution where the HeNB includes (510) an explicit indication of the reason for radio link establishment (load balancing establishment cause) in the S1AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE message (511) used to establish the S1 signaling connection associated with a user equipment to an MME, so that the HeNB GW (550) can perform an accurate MME selection based on the knowledge that the establishment is due to load balancing, i.e. an MME selection that realizes the required inter-MME load balancing. |
| US08504052B2 |
Measurements and fast power adjustments in D2D communications
At a cluster head/first device there is received, from each of at least two other devices with which the cluster head has a respective wireless link, a quality indicator for the respective link observed by the respective other device. The cluster head compiles those received quality indicators into a compressed report, and sends the compressed report to a network entity. In a specific embodiment the cluster head also determines an additional quality indicator of each of those respective links observed by the cluster head by listening to a sounding reference signal sent by the respective other device to the network entity on a PUCCH. Those additional quality indicators are also compiled into the compressed report, as are further quality indicators received from the devices for D2D links between pairs of those other devices that exclude the cluster head. The compressed report can inform how many indicators are above/below a threshold. |
| US08504051B2 |
Method, system and device for instructing transmission of preamble and for transmitting preamble
A method, a system and a device for indicating and transmitting the preamble are used to solve the problem existing in the prior art, which reduces the resource utilization efficiency due to that the user equipment (UE) sends the preamble to the evolution base station through the physical random access channel (PRACH) selected by itself in the present random access. The method includes: determining the channel signature associated with the PRACH assigned to the terminal side; sending the determined channel signature to the terminal side, and indicating the terminal side to transmit the preamble using the PRACH associated with the channel signature. Adopting said method can improve the resource utilization efficiency. |
| US08504047B2 |
System and method for multilevel scheduling
A method and apparatus for determining multilevel scheduling of a reverse link communication. An embodiment includes estimating capacity on the reverse link based on the sector load. An embodiment includes estimating load contribution based on an estimated signal-to-noise ratio. An embodiment includes estimating capacity available to schedule based on a ratio of measured other-cell interference over thermal noise, and based on sector load. An embodiment includes a method of distributing sector capacity across a base station (BS) and a base station controller (BSC). An embodiment includes determining priority of a station based on the pilot energy over noise plus interference ratio, the soft handoff factor, the fairness value, and the fairness factor α. |
| US08504046B2 |
Fast radio link recovery after handover failure
A radio connection is supported between the mobile station and a source base station associated with a source cell. The mobile station transmits information to the source base station over a shared uplink data communications channel used by multiple mobiles. A handover message is received from the source base station indicating that the source base station has initiated a handover of the radio connection over to a target base station for the target base station to support the radio connection. The handover fails. In response, a message is sent from the mobile station to the source base station requesting that the source base station continue to support the radio connection without requiring the mobile station to perform a radio channel procedure competing with other mobile stations requesting a new radio connection be supported by the source base station. |
| US08504044B2 |
Method and system for dynamic adjustment of power and frequencies in a femtocell network
Aspects of a method and system for dynamic adjustment of power, antenna direction and frequencies in a femtocell network are provided. In this regard, a communication system may comprise a plurality of femtocells, one or more base stations, and a femtocell management entity that coordinates operation of the plurality of femtocells. One or more parameters may be communicated from one of the plurality of femtocells and/or one or more base stations to the femtocell management entity. The femtocell management entity may be enabled to utilize the one or more parameters to determine configuration information for one of the plurality of femtocells and/or for one or more remaining ones of the plurality of femtocells. One of the plurality of femtocells may be enabled to receive the determined configuration information from the femtocell management entity. One of the plurality of femtocells may be configured utilizing the received determined configuration information. |
| US08504043B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for voice call fallback to circuit switched domain
A method for voice call fallback to a circuit switched (CS) domain disclosed in the present invention includes: receiving a Service Request message from a calling user equipment (UE), where the Service Request message includes called number information of a voice call in a CS domain, instructing an evolved NodeB (eNB) to initiate circuit switched fallback (CSFB) handover; receiving a Handover Request message from the eNB, where the Handover Request message includes information required for CS handover, selecting a mobile switching center (MSC) and sending a packet switched (PS) to CS Handover Request message to the MSC, where the PS to CS Handover Request message carries information required for the CS handover and a called number so that the MSC calls a called UE. The corresponding apparatuses and systems are also disclosed. The technical solution of the present invention can reduce the connection delay. |
| US08504042B2 |
Method of handling service group ownership transfer in a communication system and related communication device
A method of transferring ownership of a service group (SG) for a communication system comprising a server is disclosed. The service group comprises a first plurality of network elements. The method comprises receiving an owner transfer request that is transmitted from a first network element of the service group, wherein the first network element possesses the ownership of the service group; and selecting a second network element from the first plurality of network elements of the service group according to a selection procedure, to transfer the ownership of the service group from the first network element to the second network element; wherein the first network element and the second network element are managed by a first network gateway and a second network gateway of the communication system, respectively. |
| US08504038B2 |
Base station, mobile communication system using the base station, and data transfer method
Provided is a handover originating base station which transmits data to a handover destination base station, for performing mobile communication terminal handover in a mobile communication system. The handover originating base station is provided with a means for transmitting data whose transmission is not confirmed by a communication terminal, with information which indicates data transmitted just before. |
| US08504035B2 |
System and method for population tracking, counting, and movement estimation using mobile operational data and/or geographic information in mobile network
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed herein for population tracking, counting and/or movement estimation. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving mobile phone operational data indicative of user equipment location, where the event data includes location area update messages and periodic registration messages; and performing travel estimation based on the mobile phone operation data, including performing interpolation on data associated with one or more individuals in a population to estimate intermediate positions of a trajectory of each of the one or more individuals for a specified time period based on a shortest path mesh sequence estimation algorithm. |
| US08504033B2 |
Emergency message transmission method and electronic device implementing the method
In a method for transmitting an emergency message by an electronic device, a start signal is generated at the time of a trigger operation by a detection unit, location information of the electronic device is periodically acquired and transmitted to a memory by a location acquisition unit; location at the time of the trigger operation or that at the most recent time point is acquired from the memory, an emergency message is generated based on the acquired location information and transmitted to one or more pre-determined target addresses by a transmission unit. An electronic device for transmitting the emergency message is also provided. |
| US08504030B2 |
Transmission of channel quality indications
Indications of desired radio communications downlink characteristics are transmitted via a radio communications uplink from a user equipment to a node of a cellular wireless network, the indications each relating to one or more components of a radio communications link from the node to the user equipment. The indications are transmitted successively at different cycles, and at each different cycle a first parameter is determined, indicating a more preferred number of components and a second parameter is determined, indicating a less preferred number of components. First additional parameters are calculated and transmitted relating to the desired radio communications link quality corresponding to the first parameter and second additional parameters are calculated and transmitted relating to the desired radio communications link quality on the basis of the second parameter. The first and second parameters are each parameters which are variable between different cycles. |
| US08504028B2 |
Method, user equipment, and system for network selection
A method, user equipment (UE) and system relates to communications technologies, and in particular, to a network selection technology for a UE on a mobile communication network. The method includes obtaining a public land mobile network and closed subscriber group identity (PLMN/CSG ID) combination parameter of a network that covers a current location; querying an allowed CSG list according to the PLMN/CSG ID combination parameter; and selecting a network according to a query result. |
| US08504021B1 |
Performance scanning and correlation in wireless communication devices
A wireless communication device is disclosed for scanning a preferred roaming list (PRL) in a non-roaming mode. The wireless communication device exchanges wireless communications with a first wireless communication network and monitors communication performance of the first wireless communication network while operating in a non-roaming mode. The wireless communication device processes the PRL to perform scans for a pilot signal from a second wireless communication network while operating in the non-roaming mode. The wireless communication device subsequently performs a time correlation of the communication performance of the first wireless communication network and the scans for the pilot signal of the second wireless communication network to determine that a roaming mode should be entered. The roaming mode is then entered and the wireless communication device exchanges wireless communications with the second wireless communication network while operating in the roaming mode. |
| US08504020B2 |
Aircraft cabin personal telephone microcell
An on-board base station, comprising an interface device on board an aircraft that interfaces with a separate wireless device of a user inside the aircraft and with a wireless bearer system, an RF detector that detects RF emissions of the separate wireless device, a controller coupled to the RF detector, that controls RF emissions of the separate wireless device, as a function of detected RF emissions, and an RF repeater communicatively coupled to the controller. The controller controls the RF repeater to receive and send signals between the antenna and the interface device to maintain the RF emissions below a predetermined level. |
| US08504012B2 |
System and method for providing broadcast services in broadband wireless access system
Disclosed are a system and method for providing broadcast services in a broadband wireless access system. According to an exemplary embodiment, by allowing a terminal to receive broadcast service data using carrier information that is used to provide a broadcast service received from a base station and performing other communication except for the broadcast service using other carriers except for the carrier used to provide the broadcast service, efficient use of carrier frequency resources without any loss is achieved. |
| US08504009B2 |
Method of setting the dispatch area based on the cluster system of CDMA technology
Methods for allocating dispatch service areas of a trunking system based on code division multiple access technology, including assigning groups of a fleet to dispatch service areas formed from non-overlapping dispatch location areas on the push-to-talk register of a trunking system. The assignment information is shared between the network, the mobile station, and the base station to control the trunking conversation of the mobile station. |
| US08504006B2 |
Interactive management of wireless WAN (WWAN) mobile devices
A system and methods for allowing an enterprise management system to provision and configure a WWAN communication device on a managed network without incurring the tedious task of manually entering all the configuration information for every WWAN communication device on the enterprise management system. A dedicated communication link is provided with a standard communication protocol so each WWAN device can communicate with a carrier server and have the carrier server acts as a validation point and communication bridge to the enterprise management server until the WWAN communication device is configured for management by the enterprise management server. |
| US08504001B2 |
Unified settings for multiple account types
Account types that support one or more data classes (e.g., email, contacts, calendar, instant messaging) can be added and configured on a mobile device using a unified settings user interface. The user interface allows the user to easily activate and deactivate one or more data classes for an account type. The user interface can support one or more predefined account types and can allow the user to add and configure new account types. Visual indicators are provided in the user interface to remind the user of the data classes that are active on the mobile device for a particular account. Users can configure settings that effect a particular data class in all accounts on the mobile device. Users can also configure settings that are specific to a particular account. |
| US08503997B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically assigning a mobile service request to any one of a plurality of available service providers
A method, non-transistory computer readable medium and system for dynamically assigning a request for wireless communication service are disclosed. For example, the method receives the request for wireless communication service from a mobile device, and forwards the request to a plurality of wireless network service providers to solicit at least one bid for servicing the request. The method receives the at least one bid from the plurality of wireless network service providers to service the request, and determines by a coordinating device a winning bid from the at least one bid. The method then assigns a wireless network service provider from the plurality of wireless network service providers to service the request, wherein the assigned wireless network service provider is associated with the winning bid. |
| US08503996B1 |
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 received by the first communication device, a phone call receiving log data is produced. |
| US08503995B2 |
Mobile dynamic advertisement creation and placement
A system for targeted delivery of advertising including the steps of: (i) receiving a navigation request from a mobile communication facility including a user selection of a first advertisement displayed on the mobile communication facility; (ii) receiving an indicator input including (a) a geographical location and (b) queries or accesses to content associated with a plurality of other mobile communication facilities within the geographical location; (iii) receiving a business rule; (iv) dynamically creating a second advertisement configured to be displayed on the mobile communication facility based on the navigation request, the indicator input, the business rule, and a rendering capability of the mobile communication facility; and (v) transmitting the second advertisement to the mobile communication facility. |
| US08503991B2 |
Methods and apparatus to monitor mobile devices
Methods and apparatus to monitor mobile devices are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves operating first and second wireless telephone device terminals. In the example method, the first wireless telephone device terminal includes a first media decoder configured to decode a first media encoding format and the second wireless telephone device terminal includes a second media decoder configured to decode a second media encoding format. The example method also involves receiving a first media presentation via the first wireless telephone device terminal and a second media presentation via the second wireless telephone device terminal. The first media presentation is encoded using the first media encoding format and the second media presentation is encoded using the second media encoding format. The first and second media presentations include substantially similar media content. The example method also involves generating a first reference signature of the first media presentation and a second reference signature of the second media presentation. The first reference signature is stored in association with first device identifier information indicative of the first wireless telephone device terminal. The second reference signature is stored in association with second device identifier information indicative of the second wireless telephone device terminal. |
| US08503987B2 |
Method and apparatus for multipoint call service in mobile terminal
A mobile terminal participates in or originates a multipoint call with at least two other communication terminals connected to at least first and second call lines formed in the multipoint call. The voice data on each call line is separately recorded, or each party's voice data is separately recorded. A playback list is generated with playback selections, where each playback selection corresponds to one of the communication terminals. A user can thereby play back voice data from specific parties in the multipoint call without having to search an entire file to find the specific voice data. |
| US08503983B2 |
Management of CDMA credentials on a smart card
A method is performed by a user device and a smart card inserted into the user device. The method includes storing, in the smart card, information to permit the user device to communicate with a particular network; identifying a first smart card identifier associated with the smart card; identifying a second smart card identifier associated with a previous smart card inserted into the user device; comparing the first smart card identifier and the second smart card identifier to generate a first comparison result; pushing, by the smart card and to the user device, the information when the first comparison result indicates that the first smart card identifier matches the second smart card identifier; and obtaining, by the user device, access to the particular network using the information received from the smart card. |
| US08503973B1 |
Method and system for obtaining emergency caller location
Methods and systems for obtaining the location of a caller during an emergency or other telephone call. Before or during a call, a phone system can obtain from one or more sources a subscriber access line identity associated with a subscriber location record that includes a subscriber access line identity attribute and a subscriber location attribute. A phone system can send a query that includes the subscriber access line identity to a subscriber location query system that returns a subscriber location record or a subscriber location to the phone system. The phone system can then display the caller location information to a phone system, an agent or operator so that emergency services can be quickly and accurately dispatched. Using similar procedure and a memory, phone systems can also determine if a subscriber phone has or is changing location. Methods for testing the emergency call capabilities of a subscriber access line. |
| US08503972B2 |
Multi-functional remote monitoring system
A multi-functional remote monitoring system for use in a mobile surveillance system comprising a host controller, at least one hub transceiver, and at least one remote monitoring transmitter (“RMT”) operable to capture and transmit data, wherein the hub transceiver is operable to communicate to and receive data from the at least one RMT. The hub transceiver and the RMT are adapted for bi-directional transmission and receipt of data, including audio and data signals. The host controller is operable to control the hub transceiver and facilitate communication of the audio and data signals between the RMTs and the hub transceiver. |
| US08503971B2 |
System and method for processing MEID data
A system, method, computer readable medium, and computer program for processing wireless communication device identification numbers such as MEID numbers 10 in any standard representation (such as decimal or hexadecimal) and converting the wireless communication device identification number 140 to all commonly used forms and representations. This capability ensures older systems and wireless networks are compatible with the latest standards in wireless communication device identification numbers. Additionally, the system can validate the wireless communication device identification numbers 70 and verify/calculate any check digits 100. |
| US08503970B1 |
Portable communication device and system with interchangeable speaker modules
An exemplary portable communication device and system comprises interchangeable speaker modules allowing different speakers to be used with a portable communication device assembly. The speaker modules and the portable communication device assembly form portable communication devices when the speaker modules are secured to the portable communication device assembly. In the exemplary embodiment, a slim speaker module includes a speaker suitable for operation during proximate communications where the portable communication device is placed near the user's ear. An extended speaker module includes a larger speaker providing improved performance during non-proximate communications where the portable communication device is positioned away from the ear such as during a push-to-talk (PTT) call or when a speaker phone option is invoked. In the exemplary embodiment, the speaker modules also perform the function of a battery compartment door. Accordingly, speaker modules are interchanged by selecting an appropriate battery compartment door. |
| US08503965B2 |
Programmable RF array
The present disclosure relates to radio frequency integrated circuits. More particularly, systems, devices and methods related to field programmable, software implemented, radio frequency integrated circuits are disclosed. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a field programmable, software implemented, radio frequency integrated circuit may comprise a high frequency IF embodiment. An input signal may be up converted to a high frequency, such as 60 GHz. Next, the amplitude and/or phase may be adjusted as desired. Subsequently, the signal may be down converted. |
| US08503963B2 |
Amplifier with on-chip filter
An integrated circuit for a radio receiver comprising a radio-frequency amplifier and a radio-frequency filter is described. The amplifier receives radio-frequency signals from an antenna, the filter is connected to the amplifier output, and the output of the filter is provided to a processing stage of the receiver. The amplifier comprises an amplifying stage controlled by a radio-frequency input signal and a signal fed back from the filter. The amplifier input impedance is substantially matched to the antenna impedance at a frequency band of interest. The signal fed back from the filter providing attenuation of signals outside the frequency band of interest at the amplifier input. The filter comprises one or more filter components. A filter component comprises a first input and a second input for receiving the amplifier output, a first switch arranged to selectively connect the first input to a first impedance, a second switch arranged to selectively connect the first input to a second impedance, a third switch arranged to selectively connect the second input to the first impedance, and a fourth switch arranged to selectively connect the second input to the second impedance. The first and fourth switches are controlled by a first oscillator signal and the second and third switches are controlled by a second oscillator signal that is 180° out of phase with the first oscillator signal. |
| US08503962B2 |
Implementing a rotating harmonic rejection mixer (RHRM) for a TV tuner in an integrated circuit
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes mixer stages each coupled to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal from a corresponding tracking filter each configured for a band of frequencies. Each mixer stage is controllable to mix the RF signal with a divided master clock signal to obtain N multi-phase intermediate frequency (IF) signals, where N is programmable based upon a desired channel frequency. A load network having individual loads to be shared by the mixers can be coupled to the mixer stages, and a shared IF combiner may be coupled to the load network to weight and combine outputs of the load network to obtain a quadrature IF signal. The load network can include multiple loads each to be individually controlled to receive one of the multi-phase IF signals. |
| US08503960B2 |
Amplifier and associated receiver
An amplifier receives an input signal with an input node, provides an output signal in response, and includes a main branch and an auxiliary branch. The auxiliary branch is coupled between the input node and a splitting node for input matching of the input node. The main branch, also coupled to the splitting node, has an output node of current mode, and is arranged to output the output signal at the output node. An associated receiver is also disclosed. |
| US08503958B2 |
Signal processor and method for processing a receiving signal
A signal processor for processing a receiving signal having a first usable frequency band and a second usable frequency band includes a first mixer for mixing the receiving signal with a first local oscillator signal, wherein a frequency of the first local oscillator signal is asymmetrical between the first usable frequency band and the second usable frequency band. The first mixer is implemented to obtain an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal, having a first signal portion representing a mixed image of the first usable frequency band, and having a second signal portion representing a mixed image of the second usable frequency band. The signal processor comprises a second mixer) for mixing the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal by using the second local oscillator signal. A frequency of the second local oscillator signal is selected such that the mixed image of the first usable frequency band and the mixed image of the second usable frequency band are at least partly image bands of each other with regard to the second local oscillator signal. The second mixer is implemented to separately provide information content of the first usable frequency band and the second usable frequency band at its output, for obtaining a first output signal, which substantially comprises information content of the first usable frequency band, and for obtaining a second output signal which substantially comprises information content of the second usable frequency band. |
| US08503957B2 |
Radio data system (RDS) data processing methods and apparatus
A host system for processing radio data system (RDS) data includes a host processor. The host system further includes a data processor configured to receive the RDS data, configured to filter the RDS data to allow the host processor to receive a selected set of the RDS data, and configured to reduce the number of interrupts to the host processor. A method is also provided for processing RDS data within a host system. |
| US08503953B2 |
Quadrature power amplifier architecture
The present disclosure relates to a quadrature RF power amplifier (PA) architecture that uses a single-ended interface to couple a non-quadrature PA path to a quadrature PA path, which may be coupled to an antenna via an antenna port. The quadrature nature of the quadrature PA path provides tolerance for changes in antenna loading conditions. An RF splitter in the quadrature PA path presents a relatively stable input impedance, which is predominantly resistive, to the non-quadrature PA path over a wide frequency range, thereby substantially isolating the non-quadrature PA path from changes in the antenna loading conditions. Further, the input impedance substantially establishes a load line slope of a feeder PA stage in the non-quadrature PA path, thereby simplifying the quadrature RF PA architecture. One embodiment of the quadrature RF PA architecture uses two separate PA paths, either of which may incorporate a combined non-quadrature and quadrature PA architecture. |
| US08503951B2 |
Antenna installation method in a multiple input multiple output communication method
A communication system includes a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus. The second communication apparatus transmits different signals from first and second antennas, and first and second antennas of the first communication apparatus receive the signals, respectively. An angle formed by a first line connecting the first communication apparatus and the first antenna of the second communication apparatus and a second line connecting the first communication apparatus and the second antenna of the second communication apparatus is set to be equal to or smaller than 180 degrees. A distance between the first and second antennas of the first communication apparatus is set to a specified value, which is determined by a signal wavelength and the angle formed by the first line and the second line. |
| US08503949B2 |
Miniature fiber radio transceiver and related method
A miniature fiber radio transceiver is disclosed that has an elongated form factor. In some embodiments, the form factor has the dimensions of one half of a millimeter by one half of a millimeter by fifty millimeters to give the transceiver an elongated shape similar to the shape of a single strand of hair. The miniature fiber radio transceiver may also include an energy source in the form of a piezoelectric fiber composite transducer having a plurality of elongated elastic piezoelectric fibers embedded in a composite material. The piezoelectric fibers can scavenge electrical energy from mechanical energy to generate charge pulses that provide the electrical energy for the operation of the transceiver. |
| US08503944B2 |
Signal detection apparatus and signal detection method for use in radio station of radio communication system
A signal detection apparatus 23 for determining whether a detection target signal is included in a received radio signal, includes: a waveform feature amount calculation unit 31 configured to calculate a waveform feature amount Rxα representing a waveform feature; a test statistic calculation unit 32 configured to calculate test statistic Zxα of each detection target signal by using the waveform feature amount; and a signal decision unit 33 configured to determine presence or absence of each detection target signal by comparing the test statistic Zxα of each detection target signal with a threshold Γ, wherein, under a condition where a specific detection target signal is removed, the test statistic calculation unit calculates a test statistic for a detection target signal which is not removed, and the signal decision unit determines presence or absence of the detection target signal by comparing the calculated test statistic with the threshold. |
| US08503942B2 |
Network controlled E-UTRAN neighbor cell measurements
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements in a telecommunication system for network-controlled bandwidth for neighbor cell measurements. An appropriate network unit in the serving cell signals measurement bandwidth values to the UE which uses the signal values to perform one or more downlink measurements on the serving as well as the neighbor cells. |
| US08503940B2 |
Reducing signal interference
A method for interference suppression, including receiving a sample of an aggressor communication signal from a sensor embedded in a flex circuit, emulating interference that the aggressor communication signal imposes on a victim communication signal, and suppressing the imposed interference in response to applying the emulated interference to the victim communication signal. In other aspects, the flex circuit comprises a plurality of traces running substantially parallel to one another along a surface of the flex circuit, and the sensor comprises one of the plurality of traces and one of a plurality of traces of another flex circuit. In still other aspects, the flex circuit comprises a plurality of traces running substantially parallel to one another and the sensor comprises a trace of the flex circuit running perpendicular to the plurality of traces running substantially parallel to one another. |
| US08503939B2 |
Method for handling communication between a user equipment and a radio network controller and program for controlling a radio network controller
A method for handling communication between a user equipment and a radio network controller of an UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) radio access network includes: providing a transmission instruction by the radio network controller for redirecting the user equipment to a target carrier frequency, the target carrier frequency being an allowed frequency of a local access radio network; evaluating if the target carrier frequency is interfered by the local access radio network near the user equipment; and preventing a redirection of the user equipment to the target carrier frequency by the radio network controller for a certain time period, if the target carrier frequency is interfered by the local access network near the user equipment. |
| US08503928B2 |
Method and system for beamforming training and communications apparatuses utilizing the same
A communications system including communications devices is provided. A communications device, a trainer, generates at least one concatenated training sequence, transmits the at least one concatenated training sequence, and receives one or more response messages describing corresponding channel characteristics from at least one of the rest of the plurality of communications devices. One or more of the rest of the plurality of communications devices, trainees, each receives the at least one concatenated training sequence, determines channel characteristics between the trainer and a trainee according to the at least one received concatenated training sequence, embeds channel characteristics information to generate at least one of the response messages, and transmits the response message. |
| US08503925B2 |
Flexibly targeting information sent over a broadcast communications medium
A system for flexibly targeting information sent over a broadcast communications medium includes a sender of information signals each carrying information and a targeter for use by a user having a receiver with a targeter. There are a number of the receivers constructed and arranged to receive signals from the sender through a broadcast communications medium. The targeter includes a number of selectors associated with an action ID and a number of key value paired, constructed and arranged to indicate action to be taken by a user of a selected receiver in the condition that the selector evaluates to true given the values stored in the targeters. |
| US08503923B2 |
Image recording apparatus
An image recording apparatus includes a particular tray, a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet from the particular tray to a first conveying path in a feed direction, a recording unit positioned along the first conveying path, and a driving roller positioned along a second conveying path and configured to convey the sheet, after the sheet passes the recording unit, along the second conveying path and back to the first conveying path. The particular tray includes a side guide configured to position the sheets in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the feeding direction. The side guide includes a guide member that defines at least a portion of the second conveying path and is configured to guide the sheet along the second conveying path, and a driven roller rotatably supported on the guide member and configured to pinch the sheet against the driving roller as the sheet is conveyed along the second conveying path. |
| US08503922B2 |
Duplex printing apparatus with variable speed section
A printer is operable for image formation onto a sheet of a sheet width Lp, with a sheet spacing Lg and a printing transfer speed Vg, a constant speed transferrer makes sheet transfer at the printing transfer speed Vg from a register via the printer to a speed change position, a variable speed transferrer makes sheet transfer from the speed change position to the register, and a transfer controller controls sheet transfer speeds, the variable speed transferrer having sections for sheet transfer, including deceleration and acceleration sections for sheet reversal at the sheet reversing path, and a constant speed section for transfer at a constant transfer speed Vr, the transfer controller determining a circulating sheet number N, executing a calculation of transfer speed Vr employing sheet width Lp, sheet spacing Lg, printing transfer speed Vg, and accelerations, to enable sheet transfer for circulation within a time interval of N×(Lp+Lg)/Vg. |
| US08503918B2 |
Image heating apparatus
An image heating apparatus includes a belt unit, a coil unit, a rotatable driving member, and positioning and urging mechanisms. The belt unit includes an endless belt to heat a toner image on a sheet at a nip portion. The coil unit opposes an outer surface of the belt and generates a magnetic flux for heating the belt. The driving member rotates the belt and forms the nip portion with the belt. The positioning mechanism positions the coil unit with respect to the belt unit and includes two positioning portions on each side of the coil unit with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof. The urging mechanism urges the coil unit toward the belt unit. The coil unit is supported by the belt unit at three of the four positioning portions. |
| US08503915B2 |
Toner cartridge comprising internal valve with flexible sheet member and image forming apparatus including the same
A toner cartridge includes a toner container that contains a toner, an auger screw, a toner discharge port, a shutter, an internal opening/closing valve and a stirring paddle. The internal opening/closing valve is provided as a member for closing the toner discharge port, in addition to the shutter. The shutter is fixed to a position at which the toner discharge port is always opened in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus. The internal opening/closing valve is provided at a position facing the toner discharge port of a driving side end of a rotation shaft of the auger screw. The internal opening/closing valve is composed of a rectangular sheet member having flexibility, and closes the toner discharge port by blocking the entire toner discharge port. |
| US08503914B2 |
Toner dispensing member and toner dispersing mechanism provided therewith
Provided is a toner dispersing member including a rotary shaft and dispersing protrusions formed of a flexible film member wound along an outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft, the flexible film member including a large number of cuts formed on one side thereof and are directed outward. The toner dispersing member is rotated about the rotary shaft so that a lump of toner coming into contact with the dispersing protrusions is dispersed. |
| US08503913B2 |
Toner dispersing mechanism, and developing device and image forming apparatus provided therewith
Provided is a toner dispersing mechanism, including: a housing arranged between a toner storage container and a developing device and provided with a toner filling port communicating to the toner storage container and a toner discharge port communicating to the developing device; and a dispersing member constituted by a large number of dispersing protrusions formed of an elastic material on a rotary shaft rotatably supported in the housing and on an outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft, in which toner replenished from the toner storage container is dispersed and discharged into the developing device. |
| US08503912B2 |
Device for preparing a recording medium for transfer printing toner images in an electro-phoretic printing system
An electrophoretic printing system is provided comprising a transfer printing station for transfer printing charge images developed with liquid toner comprising a carrier fluid and toner and wherein the developed charge images are transferred to a recording medium. A wetting unit provided adjacent to the recording medium before the transfer printing station as viewed in a movement direction of the recording medium wets the recording medium with a fluid. |
| US08503911B2 |
Charging member and method of producing the member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image-forming apparatus
Provided are the following charging member and a method of producing the charging member. The charging member has an improved charging ability and hence alleviates, in particular, a positive ghost. The charging member can maintain resistance to the adhesion of toner, a toner external additive, or the like over a long time period. The charging member for an electrophotographic apparatus comprises an electro-conductive support, an electro-conductive elastic layer, and a surface layer, wherein the surface layer comprises a polymer compound having an Si—O—Ti linkage in a molecular structure thereof, and the polymer compound has each of constitutional units represented by a formula (1), a formula (2), and a formula (3) defined in the description. The method is a method of producing the charging member. |
| US08503910B2 |
Drive device and image forming apparatus including same
A drive device to rotatively drive N number of image carriers. The drive device includes a single drive motor to generate torque to be transmitted to the image carriers, N number of drive gears to transmit the torque to the image carriers, an input gear rotatively driven by the torque and engaging a first drive gear to transmit the torque to the first drive gear, and N−1 number of idler gears provided between each of the drive gears, respectively, to transmit the torque from the drive gears provided on an upstream side to the drive gears provided on a downstream side in a direction of transmission of torque. The torque generated by the drive motor is sequentially transmitted from the first drive gear to the Nth drive gear via the idler gears to rotatively drive the image carriers. |
| US08503902B2 |
Electrophotographic printer with charging-roller cleaner
An electrophotographic printer includes a rotatable member and a carriage rotatable around an axis. Two rotatable chargers are mounted on the carriage, each for charging the rotatable member. A carriage drive rotates the carriage to bring the first charger into contact with the rotatable member and the second charger into operative arrangement with a cleaner, or vice versa. A charger drive rotates the charger in operative arrangement with the cleaner at a speed greater than a selected speed or with a torque greater than a selected torque, and the rotatable member rotates the rotatable charger in contact therewith at the selected speed with the selected torque. |
| US08503901B2 |
Image forming apparatus with a toner contamination detecting device
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a latent image forming device; a developing device; an electrode which faces to the image carrier; an electric power source, a toner contamination detecting device for detecting toner contamination onto the electrode; an electrode cleaning device for cleaning the electrode; and a controlling section. The control section controls the electric power source to apply at least an alternating current voltage to the electrode so that toner image is rearranged by reciprocally moving toner of the toner image between the image carrier and the electrode control section and allows the electrode cleaning device to clean the electrode when the toner contamination detecting device detects toner contamination on the electrode, and performs the toner rearrangement by the electrode from which the toner contamination is removed. |
| US08503899B2 |
Image forming apparatus, control method, and control program
An image forming apparatus having a display unit for displaying a program which can be executed in the apparatus so as to be identified is disclosed. The apparatus has: an input unit for inputting a program into the image forming apparatus; a display control unit for controlling a process for displaying select keys including a plurality of select keys to instruct a selection of a desired one of a plurality of programs stored in the image forming apparatus onto a display screen displayed on the display unit; and a discriminating unit for discriminating whether the select key to instruct a selection of the program inputted by the input unit can be further displayed onto the first display screen to display the select keys corresponding to the programs registered in the image forming apparatus in response to the input of the program from the input unit or not. |
| US08503896B2 |
Image formation device and image formation method to prevent spark discharge
An image formation device for forming an image on a print medium by an electrophotographic process comprises a photosensitive body on which a developer image to be transferred to the print medium is formed by the electrophotographic process including charging of the photosensitive body, a charging unit which includes a charging wire and a grid and thereby electrically charges the photosensitive body, a charging power unit which applies wire potential to the charging wire, a wire potential measuring unit which measures the wire potential, and a charging control unit which controls the amount of electric charge supplied from the charging unit to the photosensitive body by controlling the wire potential based on the wire potential measured by the wire potential measurement unit. The charging control unit includes a control range restricting unit which restricts a control range of the wire potential within a prescribed electric potential. |
| US08503891B2 |
Multirate burst mode receiver
There is a need to provide a multirate burst mode receiver for an OLT to be capable of receiving a high-speed burst signal without the need for a special capability of an ONU in a PON system including a mix of ONUs at different transmission bit rates. A multirate burst mode receiver according to the invention includes a signal input discrimination section and a bit rate discrimination section. The signal input discrimination section detects an average amplitude to discriminate signal input. The bit rate discrimination section detects an envelope curve for a high-frequency component to discriminate a signal bit rate. Based on a discrimination result from the signal input discrimination section and the bit rate discrimination section, the multirate burst mode receiver switches a setting for an optical signal reception section and a serial-parallel converter corresponding to the reception bit rate. |
| US08503887B2 |
Pre-equalized optical transmitter and pre-equalized optical transmission system
A pre-equalized optical transmitter includes, a laser source; a duo-binary pre-coder circuit; a pre-equalization circuit for applying an inverse function of chromatic dispersion; at least two D/A converters; and an optical field modulator comprising at least two input terminals for an electric signal. The pre-equalized optical transmitter: converts, by the duo-binary pre-coder circuit, a digital information signal of a predetermined symbol time to be transmitted into a digital complex signal including one sampling point per symbol; equalizes, by the pre-equalization circuit, degradation in transmission of the digital complex signal; converts, by the D/A converters, the equalized digital complex signal into an analog signal; suppresses an analog signal leaking outside a Nyquist bandwidth by at least 23 dB; modulates, by the optical field modulator, light output from the laser source with the analog signal to generate a modulated optical field signal; and transmits the modulated optical field signal. |
| US08503880B2 |
Optical transport network decoupling using optical data unit and optical channel link aggregation groups (LAGS)
A network device establishes first and second Ethernet link aggregation groups (LAGs) at a first access site of an optical transport network (OTN), and creates a first optical channel (OCh) LAG subpath from the first Ethernet LAG, via a second access site of the OTN, to an Ethernet LAG at a third access site of the OTN. The network device also creates a second OCh LAG subpath from the first Ethernet LAG, via a distribution site of the OTN, to the Ethernet LAG at the third access site, and creates a first optical data unit (ODUk) LAG subpath from the second Ethernet LAG to an Ethernet LAG at the second access site. The network device further creates a second ODUk LAG subpath from the second Ethernet LAG, via the distribution site and the third access site, to the Ethernet LAG at the second access site. |
| US08503878B2 |
Flow-subcarrier mapping in optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing
Each of a plurality of data flows is classified as having a respective data flow type, and each data flow is assigned to one of a plurality of subcarrier groups, based on the data flow's type, wherein each subcarrier group comprises a respective plurality of subcarriers. First data flows assigned to a first subcarrier group are transmitted exclusively on respective subcarriers in the first subcarrier group, and second data flows assigned to a second subcarrier group are transmitted together on all of the subcarriers in the second subcarrier group. |
| US08503871B2 |
Imaging system, mount adaptor, imaging apparatus, and program
An imaging system includes an imaging apparatus which is provided with an imaging device and a mount adaptor which adjusts a flange focal length between the imaging apparatus and an interchangeable lens, wherein the mount adaptor is provided with a phase difference focus detection section which performs focus detection from a phase difference and an optical device which splits incident light from the interchangeable lens into incident light of the imaging device and incident light of the phase difference focus detection section, and the imaging apparatus is provided with a contrast focus detection section which performs focus detection from contrast using the imaging device, an adjustment section which adjusts the focus position of the phase difference focus detection section, and an adjustment control section which activates adjustment control of the focus position using detection of the mounting of the mount adaptor and the interchangeable lens. |
| US08503859B2 |
Apparatus and reproducing method, for reproducing content data recorded on a recording medium
A reproducing apparatus and a reproducing method reproduce content data recorded on a recording medium. Video data, audio data reproducible in accordance with the video data, and information that indicates whether the video data and the audio data have been recorded as a multiplexed file or as independent files are read from the recording medium. The read video data and audio data are reproduced in accordance with the read information. When the information indicates that the video data and the audio data have been recorded as a multiplexed file on the recording medium, still pictures derived from the video data are reproduced in synchronization with the audio data. When the information indicates that the video data and the audio data have been recorded as independent files on the recording medium, the still pictures derived from the video data are reproduced without being in synchronization with the audio data. |
| US08503852B2 |
System for retaining optical devices
A system for organizing and retaining optical devices and fiber optic cable includes a housing, at least one module, and a tray coupled to the housing and including a first portion defining a receiving area and a second portion defining a track. The at least one module is releasably retained in a selected portion of the receiving area. The track extends along the receiving area and is configured for guiding cable to the retained module. |
| US08503851B1 |
Cable management system
A system manages cables to connect to a device provided in a device chassis. The system includes a cable management boom connected to a top portion of the device chassis, cable management shelves connected to a side portion of the device chassis, and a cable management arm connected to and supported by the cable management shelves. The cable management arm is to retain the cables, pivot through an angle to provide access to the device provided in the device chassis, and route the cables from the device to the cable management boom. The cable management boom is to gather the cables, retain the cables, and route the cables above the device chassis. |
| US08503849B2 |
Channel assemblies
A method of forming a waveguide is disclosed, as well as the waveguide itself. A multilayer stack of light guiding layers is formed, and the multilayer stack is delaminated between light guiding layers to form a waveguide between the light guiding layers. The multilayer stack is delaminated in a patterned region between light guiding layers. Here a new approach is described, wherein hollow microchannels forming a Bragg waveguide assembly are fabricated by controlled formation of thin film delamination buckles within a multilayer stack. A hollow waveguide is formed by alternating layers of the multilayer stack forming light guiding surfaces. The hollow waveguide is formed between layers that delaminate from each other, as for example under applied stress to one or more of the layers. The multi-layer stack may be formed of alternating layers of low and high index of refraction materials, as for example forming omni-directional dielectric reflectors. Metal cladding of the waveguiding layers is also provided in one embodiment, as for example by providing a metal base layer and a cap layer. Methods of assembly are disclosed, as well as the assemblies themselves. |
| US08503847B2 |
Method of arranging cores of multi-core fiber
A multi-core fiber of the present invention employs the multi-core fiber mode, which corresponds to the “uncoupled” operation aspect in which individual cores are used independently for single-mode transmission, to perform space division multiplexing transmission using a multi-core fiber in which multiple single-mode cores are stored in one optical fiber. More specifically, the multi-core fiber of the present invention forms an uncoupled multi-core fiber that makes individual cores correspond to single-mode, independent transmission channels. |
| US08503845B2 |
Multi-core optical fiber and optical communication systems
An apparatus includes an optical fiber having a plurality of optical cores therein. Each optical core is located lateral in the optical fiber to the remaining one or more optical cores and is able to support a number of propagating optical modes at telecommunications wavelengths. Each number is less than seventy. |
| US08503843B2 |
Hybrid integrated optical module
The present invention provides a hybrid integrated optical module having a high coupling efficiency by suppressing a connection loss between waveguides. A hybrid integrated optical module according to an embodiment of the present invention is an optical module which integrates a semiconductor chip and a PLC chip. The semiconductor chip has a semiconductor waveguide and is mounted on a Si bench. The PLC chip includes a PLC substrate and an optical waveguide formed on the PLC substrate. An end face of the semiconductor chip protrudes from an end face of the Si bench toward the PLC chip side by a protrusion amount X. Gap adjustment (adjustment of a distance D) between the semiconductor waveguide and the optical waveguide becomes possible by setting a position where the end face of the semiconductor chip is brought into contact with an end face of the PLC chip to be a reference position (zero point). |
| US08503840B2 |
Optical-fiber array method and apparatus
Method and apparatus for forming an optical-fiber-array assembly, which include providing a plurality of optical fibers including a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber, providing a fiber-array plate that includes a first surface and a second surface, connecting the plurality of optical fibers to the first surface of the fiber-array plate, transmitting a plurality of optical signals through the optical fibers into the fiber-array plate at the first surface of the fiber-array plate, and emitting from the second surface of the fiber-array plate a composite output beam having light from the plurality of optical signals. Optionally, the first surface of the fiber-array plate includes indicia configured to assist in the alignment of the plurality of optical fibers on the first surface of the fiber-array plate. In some embodiments, the second surface of the fiber-array plate includes a plurality of beam-shaping optics configured to shape the composite output beam. |
| US08503837B2 |
Compact fiber optic positioner with wide frequency bandwidth
A device for the positioning of fiber optic output including a base having a hole disposed at a midpoint thereof, a collar having an opening at a midpoint, a plurality of bimorph actuators, each actuator connected to an outer side surface of the base and located at opposite ends, a plurality of flexible beams, each having a first end connected to the collar and a second end connected to a bimorph actuator, a flexible tube inserted in the hole, where a bottom end of the tube is cantilevered at a bottom of the base and a top end of the tube is inserted in the opening of the collar, and a fiber optic embedded in the flexible tube. |
| US08503836B2 |
Wavelength domain optical switch
To provide a waveguide type wavelength domain optical switch which makes it possible to use a cheap lens, makes it possible to correct aberration of the demultiplexed wavelengths produced in a plurality of waveguide type demultiplexing circuits, a wavelength domain optical switch is provided with: an integrated element formed by laminating three or more waveguide type demultiplexing circuits; a first lens for collecting light emitted from the integrated element; a polarization separation element for separating light emitted from the first lens into X polarization and Y polarization and emitting the X polarization and the Y polarization at different angles; a second lens for collecting the X polarization and the Y polarization; a first reflective optical phase modulator for reflecting the collected X polarization and Y polarization at any angles; a ½-wavelength plate disposed between the second lens and the first reflective optical phase modulator in order to make polarization directions of the X polarization and the Y polarization identical; and a second reflective optical phase modulator for inputting light from the first reflective optical phase modulator into one of the waveguide type demultiplexing circuits. |
| US08503835B2 |
Optical coupler module having optical waveguide structure
The optical coupler module for converting and transmitting electrical/optical signals includes a semiconductor substrate, a first film, a second film, an electrical transmission unit, at least one signal conversion unit and an optical waveguide structure. The first film and the second film are formed on opposite surfaces of the semiconductor substrate. The signal conversion unit and the optical waveguide structure are disposed on opposite sides of the semiconductor substrate. The optical waveguide structure has a reflector and a waveguide body. The optical signal generated from the signal conversion unit sequentially passes the first film, the semiconductor substrate and the second film and enters the optical waveguide structure. Then, the optical signal is reflected by the reflector and transmitted in the waveguide body to be outputted. Alternatively, the optical signal is transmitted in a reverse direction from the optical waveguide structure to the signal conversion unit. |
| US08503831B2 |
Image distribution apparatus and image distribution method
The present invention enables image distribution while maintaining privacy, using a simple configuration. An image distribution apparatus which distributes image data to which location information has been added stores information specifying an inhibited area concerning the location information and determines whether or not a location indicated by the location information added to the image data to be distributed falls within the stored inhibited area. If it is determined that the location indicated by the location information falls within the inhibited area, the image distribution apparatus distributes the image data by deleting the location information from the image data to be distributed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the location indicated by the location information falls outside the inhibited area, the image distribution apparatus distributes the image data with the location information added. |
| US08503828B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and computer program for performing super resolution
An image processing device for super resolution is disclosed. The device comprises an upsampling section, a motion compensated image generating section, a blend processing section and an output image generating section wherein filtering processing necessary for generating a difference information is performed twice or less, so that miniaturization of the device and an improvement in processing efficiency are achieved. |
| US08503822B2 |
Image quality evaluation system, method, and program utilizing increased difference weighting of an area of focus
Disclosed is a picture quality evaluation system. The system calculates the difference between data that represent a feature value of a pixel set that constitutes a first image and data that represent a feature value of a pixel set that constitutes a second image. The system then uses at least the first image or the second image to determine the main area of focus of an image that has a specific feature and then calculates the main area of focus. The system then weights the difference in the feature value in the pixel set contained in the main area of focus and calculates the picture quality value of the first image, based on the weighted difference. |
| US08503819B2 |
Method and circuit for correcting defect pixels in image signal
The invention discloses a method and circuit for correcting defect pixels in an image signal. First, the invention generates a luminance histogram for all pixels in the image signal and then selects N candidate defect pixels from all pixels according to the luminance histogram and a first threshold. Afterward, the invention sets a window for each candidate defect pixel and then calculates N averaged luminance corresponding to the N windows. Further, the invention judges whether an absolute difference between the luminance of each candidate defect pixel and the corresponding averaged luminance is larger than a second threshold. If it is YES, the candidate defect pixel is recorded as a real defect pixel. Finally, the invention utilizes at least one non-defect pixel around the real defect pixel to correct the real defect pixel. The invention not only compensates the defect pixels accurately and effectively but also reduces required time in correction. |
| US08503817B2 |
Apparatus, method and imaging apparatus for correcting distortion of image data using interpolation
An image processing apparatus electrically corrects distortion of an input image to generate an output image. The image processing apparatus includes a correction processing section operable to sequentially read data of the input image for each pixel in an order of scanning, and perform distortion correction for each pixel of the output image using the read data of the pixel. The correction processing section outputs data of a pixel which distortion correction is completed, in an order different from an order of scanning. |
| US08503815B2 |
Highlight recovery using digital lighting module
The described methods and corresponding apparatus are for use in highlight recovery in a set of image data. The image data is inverted, treated by a digital lighting process, the subsequently inverted again. This allows the set of data image to be treated for dynamic range compression of detail in both the dark regions and the light regions by the same algorithm. In other words, the process applied to the dark regions can be performed by a correction algorithm and the process applied to the light regions performed by the same algorithm, but with the image data negated before and after the correction algorithm is applied. |
| US08503814B2 |
Method and apparatus for spectrum estimation
An apparatus and methods are provided for determining control parameters for image enhancement. In one embodiment a method for determining control parameters includes receiving image data for a first frame and calculating an adaptive threshold value based on the image data. The method includes determining a pixel slope distribution for a pixel window of the image data, wherein the pixel window is selected based on the adaptive threshold value and determining a spectrum estimation coefficient based on the pixel distribution, wherein the spectrum estimation coefficient is determined based on the spectral components of the image data. The method may then include determining one or more control parameters for enhancement of the image data based on the spectrum estimation coefficient, wherein the one or more control parameters relate to filtering parameters for adaptive enhancement of image data. |
| US08503813B2 |
Image rectification method
An image rectification method includes the steps of: detecting edges in an image by using a Canny filter; performing Hough transform on the edges to detect lines in the image; selecting a candidate quadrangle from quadrangles formed by the detected lines; obtaining a transform matrix for transforming the candidate quadrangle to a rectangle by homographic transform; rectifying the image by using the transform matrix; and enhancing the rectified image. |
| US08503809B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method to entropy code upon processing of predetermined number of precincts
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method which make it possible to transmit image data with high quality and low delay. A wavelet transform unit 101 applies wavelet transform to image data using a reversible filter that performs data transform with a reversible method that completely ensures forward direction and backward direction transform. An entropy coding unit 103 encodes coefficient data using a predetermined entropy coding scheme, with a reversible method that completely ensures forward direction and backward direction transform. The present invention is applicable to, for example, an encoding apparatus or a decoding apparatus. |
| US08503805B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding image adaptive to buffer status
A method of encoding an image includes checking a storage status of a buffer storing encoded data, at every data unit equal to or less than at least one macroblock; rearranging information about a macroblock so that encoded data of the macroblock is reduced, based on the storage status of the buffer; and storing data encoded by using data of the image and the information about the macroblock, which is rearranged based on the storage status of the buffer, in the buffer. |
| US08503804B2 |
Image signal decoding apparatus and image signal decoding method
A decoding method decodes a base stream generated by encoding a first image signal of a first view and a dependent stream generated by encoding a second image signal of a second view. The method includes detecting, on the basis of a dependent delimiter indicating a picture boundary between pictures in the dependent stream, the picture boundary in the dependent stream configured by inserting the dependent delimiter at the beginning of a picture in the dependent stream. Further, the method includes decoding the base stream and the dependent stream on the basis of the detected picture boundary in the dependent stream. |
| US08503803B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding image by partitioning image
A method and apparatus for encoding/decoding an image are provided. The method includes partitioning an image into a plurality of areas, allocating the partitioned plurality of areas to views of multi-view image sequences, and encoding the allocated plurality of areas. By doing so, the method can efficiently encode a large-screen image or a high-pixel image, without using a separate codec. |
| US08503802B1 |
Method and apparatus for processing an image
A method of processing an image includes the steps of receiving selection of the first region of interest (ROI) of an image, processing the first image data related to the first ROI, displaying the first image ROI based on the first image data, receiving selection of the second ROI of the image, which at least partially overlapping the first ROI, processing the second image data related to a portion of the second ROI that does not overlap the first ROI, combining the processed second image data with the processed first image data that overlaps the second ROI, and displaying the second image ROI based on the combined processed second image data and the processed first data. |
| US08503800B2 |
Illumination detection using classifier chains
A face illumination normalization method includes acquiring a digital image including a face that appears to be illuminated unevenly. One or more uneven illumination classifier programs are applied to the face data to determine the presence of the face within the digital image and/or the uneven illumination condition of the face. The uneven illumination condition may be corrected to thereby generate a corrected face image appearing to have more uniform illumination, for example, to enhance face recognition. |
| US08503798B2 |
Method and apparatus for analyzing clusters of objects
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing and metrically quantifying images of objects containing clusters of points/spots, such as biological specimens comprising cluster of cells, in particular of human or animal origin, or images thereof. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for processing images of irregularly shaped objects in the form of at least one cluster of punctiform or spot-shaped objects, comprising a stage of acquisition of a digital image of said objects, a stage of image elaboration (IMA-EL) for quantizing said digital image to 1 bit and a stage of metrical processing of said 1-bit quantized image, wherein said stage of metrical processing comprises a stage of object's metrical quantification (QUANT) that on its turn comprises: -a stage of triangularization (TRIANG) for transforming the said at least one cluster of punctiform or spot-shaped objects into a grid of triangles wherein the apexes of the triangles correspond to the center of said punctiform or spot-shaped objects; -a stage of parameter calculation (PAR-CLC) for calculating at least one of the following parameters: -external perimeter of the said grid of triangles; -area (AC) of the said grid of triangles; -area (ACINF) of the said punctiform or spot-shaped objects inside the said grid of triangles; -area (APINF) of the isolated punctiform or spot-shaped objects outside the said at least one cluster; -density (DC) of the said punctiform or spot-shaped objects inside the said at least one cluster. |
| US08503796B2 |
Method of validating a media item
A technique for use in automatic validation of a media item involves accessing a template that comprises multiple one-class classifiers, each corresponding to one of multiple classes to which the media item might belong, and then applying each of the one-class classifiers to an image of the media item to generate a result set for each of the multiple classes. The result set for each media class is then analyzed to assess whether the media item belongs to that class. |
| US08503795B2 |
Store system, reading apparatus, and sales registration apparatus
A store system includes a reading unit that includes an image acquiring unit and an image output unit, and a sales registration apparatus that includes a similar image detection unit and a sales registration unit. The image acquiring unit acquires an image that is captured by an image capturing unit. The image output unit outputs the acquired image. The similar image detection unit detects an image of a product that is similar to at least a portion of the output image by referencing product management information in which information relating to sales registration of a product and an image of the product are associated for each product. The sales registration unit registers sales of a product based on information relating to the sales registration associated with the image of the detected product. |
| US08503794B2 |
Data difference guided image capturing
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed. Previously stored images of one or more geographic areas may be viewed by online users. A new low-resolution image may be acquired and aspects of the new low-resolution image may be compared with a corresponding one of the previously stored images to determine an amount of change. A determination may be made regarding whether to acquire a new high-resolution image based on the determined amount of change and a freshness score associated with the one of the previously stored images. In another embodiment, a new image may be captured and corresponding location data may be obtained. A corresponding previously stored image may be obtained and compared with the new image to determine an amount of change. The new image may be uploaded to a remote computing device based on the determined amount of change and a freshness score of the previously stored image. |
| US08503793B2 |
Correlation processing apparatus and medium readable by correlation processing apparatus
A correlation processing apparatus that obtains a correlation value between an image and a subimage, the apparatus including: N arithmetic circuits, each of the N arithmetic circuits performing an arithmetic operation on a first image pixel value of a first image pixel of the image and a second image pixel value of a second image pixel of the subimage; a rectangular pattern selection circuit selecting a rectangular pattern among a plurality of predetermined rectangular patterns, the rectangular pattern including Q elements, the smallest number of divisions is obtained if the image is divided by the rectangular pattern; a control circuit activating Q arithmetic circuits among the N arithmetic circuits and identifying Q first image pixel values and Q second image pixel values on which the arithmetic operations are performed by the Q arithmetic circuits; and an accumulator accumulating the results of the arithmetic operations performed by the Q arithmetic circuits. |
| US08503780B2 |
Apparatus for detecting text recognition region and method of recognizing text
A text recognition region detecting apparatus and a text recognition method are provided. A text recognition region is detected by expanding a region based on a user-specified position that is input through a simple manipulation by a user. A text recognition is performed on the detected text recognition region, thereby relieving a user from having to precisely input the text region and ensuring the user's convenience. |
| US08503776B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing display information for color calibration of display device
An apparatus for providing display information for color calibration of a display device includes an input unit for inputting user input information; and a preprocessing unit for preprocessing the user input information input by the input unit to generate a color patch for brightness adjustment and a color patch for contrast adjustment. Further, the apparatus for providing the display information for the color calibration of the display device includes a color patch display unit for displaying and outputting the color patch for brightness adjustment and the color patch for contrast adjustment that are generated by the preprocessing unit. |
| US08503774B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer readable medium for performing solid-line conversion from lines having breaks
An image processing apparatus includes an image receiving section, a succession value image generating section and a solid converting section. The image receiving section receives an image contains a line having breaks. The succession value image generating section generates a succession value image having as a pixel value the number of times of succession of black or white pixels in the image received by the image receiving section. The solid-line converting section, based on the succession value image generated by the succession value image generating section, performs solid-line conversion in which the line having breaks is changed into a solid line. |
| US08503768B2 |
Shape description and modeling for image subscene recognition
A method and apparatus is described here that categorizes images by extracting a subscene and describing the subscene with a top level feature vector and a division feature vector, which are descriptions of edge gradient classifications within rectangular bounding boxes. By filtering subscene feature vectors in images with a Gaussian mixture based model pool (obtained in a subscene modeling phase), the images may be categorized (in an subscene recognition phase) with probabilities relating to each subscene. Higher probabilities are likelier correlations. The device may be a single or multiple core CPU, or parallelized vector processor for characterizing many images. The images may be photographs, videos, or video stills, without restriction. When used real-time, the method may be used for visual searching or sorting. |
| US08503767B2 |
Textual attribute-based image categorization and search
Techniques and systems for providing textual attribute-based image categorization and search are disclosed herein. In some aspects, images may be analyzed to identify a category of an image, or portion thereof. Additional textual attributes may be identified and associated with the image. In various aspects, the categories may be types of sky sceneries. Categorized images may be searched based on the categories and/or attributes. In further aspects, a user interface may provide an intuitive arrangement of the images for user navigation and selection. The user interface may also provide a simplified presentation and search of the categorized images. Images selected from user interface may be used to replace or modify features of an existing target image. |
| US08503765B2 |
Method and apparatus for correcting errors in stereo images
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for correcting errors in stereo images. The apparatus for correcting errors in stereo images according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a space histogram generation unit generating space histogram information using the depth map information on the input image data; a peak frequency generation unit generating a peak frequency using the 2D image data of the input image data; an object analysis unit determining the error in each frame of the input image data on the basis of the space histogram and peak frequency; a depth map error correction unit correcting the depth map information to reduce the error; and a rendering processing unit generating left and right eye images, which are stereo images, by using the corrected depth map information. |
| US08503764B2 |
Method for generating images of multi-views
The present invention provides a method for generating images of multi-views. The method includes obtaining a 2D original image of an article and background figures of multi-views; calculating the background image range and the main body image range of the 2D original image of the article; cutting the main body image out; generating a depth model according to an equation; cutting the depth model according to the main body image range of the cut 2D image of the article; shifting every pixel in the main body image of the 2D original image of the article according to the cut depth model to obtain shifted main body images of multi-views; and synthesizing the shifted main body images of multi-views and the background figures of multi-views to obtain the final images of multi-views for 3D image reconstruction. |
| US08503761B2 |
Geospatial modeling system for classifying building and vegetation in a DSM and related methods
A geospatial modeling system may include a geospatial model database configured to store a digital surface model (DSM) of a geographical area, and to store image data of the geographical area. The image data may have a spectral range indicative of a difference between buildings and vegetation. The geospatial modeling system may also include a processor cooperating with the geospatial model database to separate bare earth data from remaining building and vegetation data in the DSM to define a building and vegetation DSM. The processor may also register the image data with the building and vegetation DSM, and classify each point of the building and vegetation DSM as either building or vegetation based upon the spectral range of the image data. |
| US08503759B2 |
Methods, devices, and systems useful in registration
Methods, devices, and systems for use in accomplishing registration of a patient to a robot to facilitate image guided surgical procedures, such as stereotactic procedures. |
| US08503756B2 |
System and method for verifying manufacturing consistency of manufactured items
In a method and system for verifying manufacturing consistency of manufactured items, N point clouds of the manufactured items are read. A first point cloud is selected from the N point clouds, and each point of the first point cloud is projected onto a predetermined ideal outline for obtaining a nearest point in the ideal outline of each point of the first point cloud. Intersections of the N point clouds and each line formed by a point in the first point cloud and the nearest point of the point are further determined, and a vertical distance between each of the intersections and the ideal outline is calculated for obtaining a deviation value of each of the intersections. At least one outline is fitted according to the deviation values of each of the intersections and the at least one fitted outline is output to a display device. |
| US08503755B2 |
Tomosynthesis method with an iterative maximum a posteriori reconstruction
In a maximum a posteriori tomosynthesis method to reconstruct a three-dimensional image from two-dimensional x-ray images, a Geman prior function to reduce the noise is used in which the edges and boundaries of tissue structures remain visible. The method is parameterized by the estimated noise value of the attenuation coefficients and the estimated average tissue attenuation value. |
| US08503753B2 |
System and method for triangular interpolation in image reconstruction for PET
A method of interpolating positron emission tomography (PET) data for reconstructing a PET image, including acquiring PET event data, which was obtained by scanning an object using a PET scanner; generating a two-dimensional line-of-response (LOR) sinogram from the acquired PET event data; determining a plurality of triangles connecting sampling points within the LOR sinogram, wherein adjacent sampling points are connected horizontally row-by-row within the LOR sinogram to determine the plurality of triangles; and determining a uniformly sampled sinogram from the LOR sinogram using the determined plurality of triangles. |
| US08503749B2 |
Method and system for the diagnosis of disease using retinal image content and an archive of diagnosed human patient data
A method for diagnosing diseases having retinal manifestations including retinal pathologies includes the steps of providing a CBIR system including an archive of stored digital retinal photography images and diagnosed patient data corresponding to the retinal photography images, the stored images each indexed in a CBIR database using a plurality of feature vectors, the feature vectors corresponding to distinct descriptive characteristics of the stored images. A query image of the retina of a patient is obtained. Using image processing, regions or structures in the query image are identified. The regions or structures are then described using the plurality of feature vectors. At least one relevant stored image from the archive based on similarity to the regions or structures is retrieved, and an eye disease or a disease having retinal manifestations in the patient is diagnosed based on the diagnosed patient data associated with the relevant stored image(s). |
| US08503748B2 |
Nonlinear recursive filter for medical image processing
A new system and method for medical image processing using a nonlinear recursive filter are disclosed. An input signal including two or more pulses received from a medical imaging system is sampled at a predetermined sampling rate. The maximum magnitude, i.e., peak, and/or the occurrence time of the maximum magnitude of the first pulse of the input signal is/are determined using a nonlinear recursive filter. Predicted magnitude values of the tail of the first pulse can be determined and subtracted from the input signal to correct for pileup before determining the maximum magnitude and/or occurrence time of the next pulses. A medical image can be reconstructed using the determined maximum magnitudes and/or the occurrence times of the maximum magnitudes of the pulses of the input signal. The nonlinear recursive filter can be implemented using one or more look-up tables. |
| US08503741B2 |
Workflow of a service provider based CFD business model for the risk assessment of aneurysm and respective clinical interface
A system and method provide an optimized workflow and a dedicated user interface for image visualizations that facilitate medical diagnosis. Image data may be acquired via an imaging procedure at a remote medical facility. A physician may review the images on a display and mark-up/modify the images via the interface to create user-defined data. The image and user-defined data may be transmitted to a service provider. At the service provider, a software technician may generate a medical simulation using the image and user-defined data. The medical simulation may simulate actual conditions within the patient. Subsequently, the simulation results may be transferred to, or otherwise remotely accessed via a network from, the remote medical facility. As a result, medical treatment provided by remote facilities, which may only have limited resources in terms of personnel and equipment, may be enhanced and inefficiencies associated with the generation of medical simulations may be alleviated. |
| US08503740B2 |
Methods and apparatus for digit swipe sensor data streaming
Methods and apparatus for processing biometric digit data variously include scanning a digit in a transverse direction relative to an array of sensor elements, detecting the scanned digit and/or a predetermined characteristic of the scanned digit, outputting from individual sensor elements of the array of sensor elements respective continuous streams of biometric data associated with the scanned digit, discrete sampling the respective continuous streams of data, and reconstructing the discrete sampled data. The discrete sampled data may be directly reconstructed, e.g., in accordance with a reconstruction characteristic associated with detecting and/or discrete sampling the scanned digit, to form a biometric characteristic image associated with the digit. Optionally, the respective continuous streams of data may be stored for later discrete sampling, or discrete sampled data may be stored for later reconstruction to form a biometric characteristic image associated with the digit. |
| US08503739B2 |
System and method for using contextual features to improve face recognition in digital images
Various embodiments of a system and methods for using contextual features to improve face recognition in digital images are described. A face recognition system may semi-automatically label faces and/or search for faces in images. Faces may be detected in the images and visual and non-visual features may be determined for each face. The determined features may be facial and/or contextual features. Features may also be determined from labels assigned to the faces. Pair-wise comparisons of the faces, using the determined features, may determine distances between pairs of faces. Some features may be used to determine the relevance of other features. Dependent on the calculated distances, similar faces may be grouped and suggested labels for faces may be provided. The system may be scalable, processing faces in groups to limit the use of system resources to a certain amount, regardless of the size of a digital image collection. |
| US08503737B2 |
Visual line estimating apparatus
The visual line estimating apparatus 200 comprises: an image inputting section 201 operable to take an image of a human; a visual line measurement section 202 operable to measure a direction of a visual line on the basis of the taken image; a visual line measuring result storing section 211 operable to store therein visual line measuring results previously measured; a representative value extracting section 212 operable to extract a previous representative value; and a visual line determining section 213 operable to judge whether or not a difference between the representative value and the visual line measuring result is lower than a predetermined threshold to determine a visual line estimating result from the representative value and the visual line measuring result. |
| US08503735B2 |
Image processing to perform grouping based on depth-of-relationship values
An image processing apparatus includes: a depth-of-relationship value calculation unit that regards a person, who appears in any of a plurality of contents, as a specific person, and calculates a depth-of-relationship value, which indicates the degree of depth of the relationship between the specific person and a second person, on the basis of an appearance frequency of the second person or a third person other than the second person in contents in which the specific person appears, and the appearance frequencies of the second person and the third person in contents in which the specific person does not appear; and a priority determination unit that determines a priority, which is assigned to the second person relating to the specific person among the persons appearing in the plurality of contents, on the basis of the calculated depth-of-relationship value. |
| US08503734B2 |
Detecting image detail level
One aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in a method for detecting a detail level of an image including receiving an original image, transforming the original image to generate one or more blurred images, deriving image differences corresponding to ranges of detail frequency of the original image based, at least in part, on the one or more blurred images and the original image, determining, based on the image differences, a detail level value corresponding to the original image, and providing the detail level value to an image management application. |
| US08503733B2 |
Show-through measurement system and method for inks on media
Systems and methods of measuring an amount of show-through in a printed document are disclosed. The systems and methods include an imaging device that scans a back side of the printed document and scans a front side of the printed document with a blank document disposed thereon. The imaging device produces bitmaps related to the scans and calculates bit depths associated with the bitmaps. A difference array is calculated based on the differences between the bitmaps of the back side and front side scans, and the average value and standard deviation of the difference array is calculated. The amount of show-through of the document is measured based on a formula with the calculated average and standard deviation. |
| US08503732B2 |
Image generating device, static text detecting device and method thereof
An image generating device and a method thereof are disclosed in the present invention. The image generating device and method may find out true motion for static text strings. The image generating device and method detect static text angles from consecutive frames and use a 3D-static text filter to recover correct motion vector fields. After our Static Text Detector fixing, the static text strings like subtitles can get more accurate motion vector and improve video quality. |
| US08503730B2 |
System and method of extracting plane features
A navigation system comprises an image sensor operable to obtain range data for a first scene, and a processing unit coupled to the image sensor. The processing unit is operable to identify one or more plane features, based on the range data, using each of a plurality of scales. The processing unit is further operable to combine each of the one or more plane features with a corresponding plane feature from each of the plurality of scales and to project the one or more combined plane features to a reference orientation. |
| US08503728B2 |
Road marking image processing device, road marking image processing method, and program
To provide a road marking image processing device which performs highly accurate road marking recognition by creating a high-quality synthesized bird's-eye image that has no influence from the camera parameter error and noise such as the reflection light from the road surface, lens extraneous matter, shadow of the own vehicle, and the like. A new synthesized range identifying module creates a bird's-eye image of only an area not contained in a synthesized bird's-eye image created based on the road images up to the one captured previously from the current road image. An image synthesizing module synthesizes the bird's-eye image and the synthesized bird's-eye image created based on the road images up to the one captured previously to create a new synthesized bird's-eye image. |
| US08503725B2 |
Vehicle tracking system and tracking method thereof
The present invention discloses a vehicle tracking system and method, and the tracking method comprises the steps of capturing a bright object from an image by the bright object segmentation; labeling the bright object by a connected component labeling method and forming a connected component object; identifying, analyzing and combining the characteristics of the connected component object to form a lamp object by the bright object recognition; tracking the trajectory of the lamp object by a multi-vehicle tracking method; and identifying the type of a vehicle having the lamp object by the vehicle detection/recognition and counting the number of various vehicles. |
| US08503721B2 |
Image judgment device
An image judgment device stores element characteristic information for each element of a characteristic part of a sample object and first and second positional information defining a position of each element, selects the first or the second positional information, and acquires image characteristic information for a partial image in an image frame considered as an element specified by the first positional information based on a first axis. The image judgment device also extracts image characteristic information for a partial image in an image frame considered as an element specified by the second positional information based on a second axis (which is acquired by rotating the first axis), specifies element characteristic information for an element corresponding to a position of the partial image, and judges whether the characteristic part appears in the image frame with use of the specified element characteristic information and the extracted image characteristic information. |
| US08503718B2 |
Using camera signatures from uploaded images to authenticate users of an online system
Users of an online system are authenticated based on signatures of cameras that were used to capture images uploaded to the online system. Users of an online system upload photos taken from their cameras. The online system extracts characteristic information about the camera that captured the photos. This information includes a mapping of faulty pixels, metadata included with the photos, a naming convention, and the like. The online system stores an association between the user and the camera. This association is used for authentication of the user. For authentication, the user is asked to upload new photos taken from the camera that the user used previously. The information extracted from the newly uploaded photos is matched against stored information of cameras used previously by the user. The user is successfully authenticated if the camera used for the newly uploaded photos matches a previously stored camera. |
| US08503716B2 |
Embedded appliance for multimedia capture
A multimedia device includes input ports dedicated to receiving a real-time media signal and a processor system dedicated to capturing the real-time media signal. The processor system defines an embedded environment. The input ports and the processor system are integrated into the multimedia capture device. The input ports include an audio input port and at least one of a visual-capture input port or a digital-image input port. |
| US08503715B2 |
Script detection service
Script detection service techniques are described. In an implementation, values representing individual text characters in a string of one or more text characters are identified to determine which human writing system is associated with the individual text characters. The values are compared to a table that associates subsets of values with individual human writing systems. The values are determined to be within a particular subset of values in the table that correspond to a particular human writing system. A particular human writing system is designated as associated with the string based on the values associated with the individual text characters in the string being within the particular subset of values that corresponds with the particular human writing system. |
| US08503714B2 |
Dropout correction in ultrasound strain imaging
Embodiments for correcting a dropout in a strain image in an ultrasound system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processing unit sets a first window on each of pre-compression ultrasound frame data and post-compression second ultrasound frame data, move the first window in a predetermined direction and compute a correlation between the pre-compression ultrasound frame data and the post-compression ultrasound frame data within the first window to obtain a displacement corresponding to a value of each pixel of target ultrasound frame data. The processing unit sets one of pixels of the target ultrasound frame data as a reference pixel, sets a second window to encompass predetermined numbers of pixels positioned around the reference pixel, checks whether a displacement computation error corresponding to a dropout occur based on the pixel values within the second window and resets, when the dropout occurs, the value of the reference pixel. |
| US08503712B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining blood oxygenation using a mobile communication device
A method (300) and apparatus (110) that determines blood oxygenation using a mobile communication device is disclosed. The method can include capturing (320) a plurality of images of skin using an array of pixels in a camera on a portable electronic device. The method can include comparing (330) image characteristics corresponding to the plurality of captured images at a first wavelength with image characteristics corresponding to the plurality of captured images at a second wavelength, the second wavelength being substantially distinct from the first wavelength. The method can include determining (340) blood oxygen level based on comparing the image characteristics. |
| US08503709B2 |
Portable audio system having waveguide structure
An apparatus includes a housing. A waveguide is located within the housing. The waveguide includes a first subsection that bends around a first axis and has a first cross-sectional area with an aspect ratio that is substantially different from unity. A second subsection bends around a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis and includes a second cross-sectional area with an aspect ratio that is substantially different from unity. A third subsection acoustically couples the first subsection to the second subsection. The third subsection includes a third cross-sectional area with an aspect ratio that varies between the first aspect ratio and the second aspect ratio. |
| US08503708B2 |
Hearing assistance device with programmable direct audio input port
Apparatus and methods to detect signals connected to a direct audio input port of a hearing assistance device are provided. According to one embodiment, a hearing assistance device includes a processor and a direct audio input (DAI) port including a signal line connected to the processor. The DAI port is configured to connect to an external device, and the processor is programmed to detect audio signals of interest on the signal line and to process the audio signals of interest when detected as programmed. |
| US08503702B2 |
Electret diaphragm and speaker using the same
An electret diaphragm and a speaker using the same are provided. The electret diaphragm includes an electret layer, a bonding layer adhered to a surface of the electret layer, and an aluminum (Al) electrode layer adhered on the bonding layer. The electret layer at least includes ethylene group polymer. A material of the bonding layer is ethylene-ethyl-acrylate (EEA) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). |
| US08503695B2 |
Suppressing output offset in an audio device
A digital offset is combined with an audio signal in the digital domain to cancel an output offset caused by one or more analog components processing the same audio signal. In this manner, the offset at the output of the audio signal path (e.g., at a power amplifier output) is reduced or eliminated. Consequently, audible artifacts, such as click-and-pop artifacts, can be reduced or eliminated. In audio devices operating in ground-referenced capless mode, power consumption is reduced because of reduced or eliminated direct current (DC) leakage current through speakers or headsets of such audio devices. In some circumstances, the digital offset in the digital domain may be applied at substantially all times of operation of the audio signal path. |
| US08503685B2 |
Auditory front end customization
A method and system for implementing an acoustical front end customization are disclosed. The customization is implemented to optimize the sound level for each individual cochlear implant user. A known audio signal is generated using a sound source and captured by a microphone system. The captured sound signal is sampled at one or more locations along the signal processing pathway, and a spectrum is determined for the sampled signal and the known signal. A ratio of the two spectrums is related to the undesired transformation of the sampled signal, and a digital filter is designed based on the ratio to filter out the undesired transformation. |
| US08503684B2 |
Multi-channel audio signal decoding method and device
A multi-channel audio signal decoding method and device is provided. The multi-channel audio signal decoding method includes receiving a first multi-channel audio signal; performing a first decoding procedure on the first multi-channel audio signal to generate a second multi-channel audio signal; performing a second decoding procedure on a first single-channel audio data of the second multi-channel audio signal to generate a first single-channel audio signal when the first single-channel audio data belongs to a first classification; and performing a third decoding procedure on a second single-channel audio data of the second multi-channel audio signal to generate a second single-channel audio signal when the second single-channel audio data belongs to a second classification. The number of instructions of the third decoding procedure is less than that of the second decoding procedure. |
| US08503681B1 |
Method and system to securely transport data encryption keys
A method and system to transport encrypted keys among the participants of a real time communications session are provided. The system may include a message detector, a carrier packet detector and a decrypting module. The message detector may be configured to receive, at a target device, a first communication from a source device. The first communication may comprise a first message. The carrier packet detector may be configured to receive, at a target device, a second communication from a source device. The second communication may comprise a first encrypted key to decode the first message. The decrypting module may be configured to decode the message, utilizing the first encrypted key. |
| US08503674B2 |
Cryptographic key attack mitigation
Cryptographic keys and, subsequently, the data they are intended to protect, are safeguarded from unwarranted attacks utilizing various systems and methodologies designed to minimize the time period in which meaningful versions of cryptographic keys exist in accessible memory, and therefore, are vulnerable. Cryptographic keys, and consequently the data they are intended to protect, can alternatively, or also, be protected from attackers utilizing systems and a methodology that employs a removable storage device for providing authentication factors used in the encryption and decryption processing. Cryptographic keys and protected data can alternatively, or also, be protected with a system and methodology that supports data separation on the storage device(s) of a computing device. Cryptographic keys and the data they are intended to protect can alternatively, or also, be protected employing a system and methodology of virtual compartmentalization that effectively segregates key management from protected data. |
| US08503669B2 |
Integrated latency detection and echo cancellation
In an audio system having a microphone, a speaker coupled to a source of audio output, and an echo canceller coupled to the speaker and microphone, latency between the source of audio output and the speaker may be compensated in echo cancellation performed by the echo canceller. The echo canceller may use a reference signal derived from a signal from the source of audio output in echo cancellation. The latency may be compensated by measuring the latency between the signal from the source of audio output and the speaker, determining a delay amount from the latency, delaying the reference signal by the delay amount to produce a delayed reference signal, and using the delayed reference signal as the reference signal in the echo canceller. |
| US08503666B1 |
Detection and prevention of unintentional pulse dialing
Methods, systems and apparatuses can be used to detect and prevent invalid or unwanted pulses. In various implementations, pulse information received from a telephony device can be used to identify a duration associated with the pulse. Based upon the duration, a determination can be made whether the pulse is invalid. |
| US08503663B2 |
System and method for agent queue activation in a contact center
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for automating the activation of agents in particular workgroups. A call queue server receives incoming communications. A scheduling server is coupled to the call center server over a network and analyzes historical communication data to calculate a forecasted load for a particular time period. The system uses the forecasted load to create agent schedules for the workgroups for the particular time period. The system programmatically activates and deactivates the agents into and out of the workgroups at scheduled points in time based on the calculated schedules. The call center server routes each of the queued communications to a particular agent that is activated on a particular one of the workgroup. |
| US08503662B2 |
System and method for speech-enabled call routing
A method includes receiving speech of a call from a caller at a processor of a call routing system. The method includes using the processor to determine a first call destination for the call based on the speech. The method includes using the processor to determine whether the caller is in compliance with at least one business rule related to an account of the caller. The method includes routing the call to the first call destination when the caller is in compliance with the at least one business rule and routing the call to a second call destination when the caller is not in compliance with the at least one business rule. |
| US08503661B2 |
Single workflow for colloborative network routing over heteogeneous system
A method and apparatus are provided for handling contact requests among a plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of workflows scripts, translating each of the plurality of workflows scripts into a respective native language of each of the plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors. The method further includes the steps of tendering a request for a contact to the plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors, selecting a automatic contact distributor of the plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors to handle the contact based upon a response from at least some of the plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors and transferring the contact to the selected automatic contact distributor. |
| US08503660B2 |
Unified command and control of a multiplicity of heterogeneous systems supporting call center functionality
A method and apparatus are provided for operating a plurality of call center products. The method includes the steps of providing an enterprise administration server and disposing a respective terminal adapter between the enterprise administration server and each of the plurality of call center products. The method further includes the steps of a terminal adapter of a call center of the plurality of call center products receiving a database instruction from the enterprise administration server; the terminal adapter mapping a database instruction between a protocol of the enterprise administration server and a protocol of the call center product and the call center product executing the instruction. |
| US08503653B2 |
Method and apparatus for active speaker selection using microphone arrays and speaker recognition
A method and apparatus for performing active speaker selection in teleconferencing applications illustratively comprises a microphone array module, a speaker recognition system, a user interface, and a speech signal selection module. The microphone array module separates the speech signal from each active speaker from those of other active speakers, providing a plurality of individual speaker's speech signals. The speaker recognition system identifies each currently active speaker using conventional speaker recognition/identification techniques. These identities are then transmitted to a remote teleconferencing location for display to remote participants via a user interface. The remote participants may then select one of the identified speakers, and the speech signal selection module then selects for transmission the speech signal associated with the selected identified speaker, thereby enabling the participants at the remote location to listen to the selected speaker and neglect the speech from other active speakers. |
| US08503650B2 |
Methods and systems for configuring and providing conference calls
Methods and systems for automatically providing conference calls are disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, methods and systems detect a conference call event that was previously configured by a subscriber user and identify participant users associated with the conference call event. Once identified, each participant user is contacted and a response is received from each of the users. Based on the received responses, a conference call is established between the participant users and the subscriber user. In one aspect of the invention, at least one of the detecting and identifying steps are performed without user intervention. |
| US08503646B1 |
Methods and systems for routing calls
Methods and systems for processing and routing calls are described. A call processing system receives from a telecommunications system a communication indicating that a first call to a user is in progress. A call routing instruction associated with the user is accessed. Based at least in part on the call routing instruction, a second call to be placed to a first telephonic device and a third call to be placed to a second telephonic device, wherein the second call and the third call are placed at substantially the same time or a second call to be placed to a first telephonic device and a third call to be placed to a second telephonic device, wherein the third call is placed if the second call is not timely answered. |
| US08503644B2 |
Method of and a communications system for playing a message to a calling party
A method of and a communications system (50) for playing a message to a calling party (1) when the calling party (1) calls a called party (2) and the called party (2) is alerted to the call. The message (30) is also played after the called party (2) disconnects (26) from the call (24). The play of the message may be put on hold when the called party (2) answers the call and the play of the message may be continued (38; 30) when the called party (2) disconnects from the call. The message may be replayed when the called party (2) disconnects from the call (24). During play of the message (30) the calling party (1) may be provided connect control (47) of the play. |
| US08503634B1 |
Systems and methods for treatment of inactive accounts
Methods and systems for treating inactive accounts by designating certain accounts for either unclaimed or escheats treatment are presented. In the unclaimed treatment the remaining balance of funds associated with the account is assigned to a prepaid phone card, whereas in the escheats treatment the remaining balance of funds is remitted to an appropriate authority. In each case the account is declared inactive, and processes are made available to reactivate the account. |
| US08503631B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for locking and unlocking a lock
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for locking and unlocking a lock. A lock service manager module stores in memory, and a processor communicates with the memory. The lock service manager module includes executable code for receiving a communication from a calling telephone number. A database is queried for at least one of i) a called telephone number and ii) a calling telephone number. The database stores telephone numbers of subscribers to a lock service. The lock service allows remote locking and unlocking of the lock. If the query is successful, the communication is processed. |
| US08503617B2 |
Telephony testing
In a computer, a test script is received that includes a first set of commands to be provided to an Internet protocol (IP) telephone. The test script is parsed to obtain the first set of commands. Parameters that identify the telephone are obtained. The parameters and at least one of the first set of commands are used to obtain at least one corresponding second command from a conversion table. A command script is generated to be executed by the telephone, the command script including the at least one corresponding second command. |
| US08503613B2 |
Dose level indication
Providing an operator with information concerning radiation dose associated with an imaging operation is disclosed. In certain embodiments, the dose information may be provided in conjunction with indicators related to reference dose levels to facilitate evaluation of the dose in the context of the reference levels. The dose information may be based on real-time assessment of dose or may be an expected dose based on a proposed or planned sequence of exposure events. Further the indication may be prospective, providing an indication to the operator of when certain dose thresholds may be crossed. |
| US08503612B2 |
Radiographic apparatus
An estimation selecting unit is provided to select an estimating method based on a predetermined value. When variations due to a statistical error of each pixel concerned are enlarged by a greater extent than variations of other pixels, and hence a possibility of becoming conspicuous on the image, then the direct ray transmittance at the pixel concerned is considered less than the predetermined value, and estimated direct ray intensity is obtained for the pixel concerned by interpolating calculation of estimated direct ray intensities at pixels surrounding the pixel concerned. Therefore, even when variations due to a statistical error of the pixel concerned are enlarged by a greater extent than variations of other pixels, and hence a possibility of becoming conspicuous on the image, estimated direct ray intensity is obtained for the pixel concerned by interpolating calculation of estimated direct ray intensities at pixels surrounding the pixel concerned, whereby the error can be inhibited without the pixel value of the pixel concerned being conspicuous relative to the surrounding pixels on the image. |
| US08503610B1 |
X-ray inspection tool
A method and apparatus for identifying a response to a plurality of x-rays are provided. In one advantageous embodiment, an apparatus comprising a housing, an x-ray tube, an anode, and an x-ray detector are provided. The housing has a longitudinal axis. The x-ray tube is associated with the housing and configured to generate a plurality of x-rays. The anode is associated with the housing and configured to rotate around the longitudinal axis to a direction and direct the plurality of x-rays generated by the x-ray tube toward a surface of an object in the direction. The x-ray detector is associated with the housing and configured to detect a response to the plurality of x-rays reflected from the surface of the object. |
| US08503609B2 |
Methods and devices for detecting, controlling, and predicting radiation delivery
Embodiments provide method and systems for determining alignment of a patient's body part, such as an eye, in an external coordinate system of a treatment or diagnostic device, such as a radiotherapy device, so as to define a reference axis for guiding device operation. Additional embodiments provide image-based methods and systems for aligning, tracking and monitoring motion of a body part and a treatment target in relation to a radiation beam axis. Particular ophthalmic embodiments provide method and systems including an eye-contact guide device and imaging system for aligning and tracking motion of an eye and ocular treatment target in relation to an orthovoltage X-ray beam axis, so as to monitor application of radiation to a lesion, such as a macular lesion of the retina. Particular methods for controlling radiation in response to motion of the target during treatment are described, such as algorithms for gating or interrupting radiation emission, both to ensure treatment goals and to avoid exposure to sensitive structures. |
| US08503608B2 |
Radiotherapeutic apparatus
Apparatus comprising a radiation source which can rotate in an arc around the radiation beam axis, a multi-leaf collimator (MLC), and a controller for the source dose/time rate, the source rotation speed, and the MLC position. The controller calculates the time required for (i) an MLC leaf movement from start to end of an arc-segment at a maximum leaf speed, (ii) rotation of the source from start to end of the arc-segment at a maximum speed, and (iii) delivery of the dose at a maximum dose rate per time, selects the longest of (i), (ii) and (iii), and operates the selected one at its maximum and the others at a reduced rate matching that longest time, the time required for (i) and/or (ii) being the greater of the time to complete the segment at a continuous speed and the time to accelerate the item to that speed. |
| US08503607B2 |
X-ray imaging apparatus and control method therefor
An X-ray imaging apparatus suppresses X-ray irradiation outside an X-ray detection unit. An X-ray imaging apparatus according to this invention includes an X-ray irradiation unit which irradiates an object with X-rays, an X-ray detection unit movably provided with an imaging unit, a first irradiation field prediction unit which calculates an irradiation field by using the relative positional relationship between generation unit and imaging unit and aperture value of a collimator, a second irradiation field prediction unit which calculates an irradiation field based on the dose of X-rays generated by the generation unit and the X-ray dose distribution detected by the imaging unit, and a predicted irradiation field decision unit which decides, as a predicted irradiation field, a region including one or both of irradiation fields respectively calculated by the first and second irradiation field prediction units. |
| US08503606B2 |
Low-cost position-sensitive X-ray detector
A detector and methods for producing x-ray images, more particularly based on x-rays transmitted through an inspected object. A scintillating region is translated along a path within a cross section of a beam, the cross section taken in a plane distal to the object with respect to a source of the beam. Light emitted by the scintillator region is detected, thereby generating a detection signal, the detection signal is received by a processor which generates an image signal, and an image depicting transmitted penetrating radiation is formed on the basis of the image signal. |
| US08503603B2 |
Adjustable scanner
For dental and facial imaging, a source of x-rays (14) or other penetrating radiation and a detector (20) are mounted opposite one another on a rotatable gantry (28), so that the head of the patient can be positioned between the source (14) and the detector (20), with the axis of rotation (36) of the gantry passing through the patient's head. The detector or the source are mounted so they can translate and/or pivot horizontally or vertically. The gantry is angulated so that the source or the detector may not be at the same height relative to the patient's head. The gantry can telescope, moving the source and the detector closer together or further apart. The collimator changes dynamically with the motion of the gantry and/or the source and detector to scan a smaller portion of the scan field. |
| US08503600B2 |
Fuel element for a pressurized water reactor
A fuel element for a nuclear reactor has a fuel rod bundle, at least one spacer with cells defined by at least one web section made from a first material and several guide tubes each running through a cell and axially fixed thereto made from a second material. The first and second materials have differing thermal expansion coefficients. The connection between the guide tube and the spacer is embodied as follows: first and second projections are directly or indirectly fixed to the guide tube. The first projections are disposed in a first axial position and the second projections are arranged at a second axial position and the projections each engage in an opening through the web section to give an axially-acting undercut. |
| US08503599B2 |
Optical gamma thermometer
An optical gamma thermometer includes a metal mass having a temperature proportional to a gamma flux within a core of a nuclear reactor, and an optical fiber cable for measuring the temperature of the heated metal mass. The temperature of the heated mass may be measured by using one or more fiber grating structures and/or by using scattering techniques, such as Raman, Brillouin, and the like. The optical gamma thermometer may be used in conjunction with a conventional reactor heat balance to calibrate the local power range monitors over their useful in-service life. The optical gamma thermometer occupies much less space within the in-core instrument tube and costs much less than the conventional gamma thermometer. |
| US08503589B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless reception method
A wireless communication apparatus, having a plurality of antennas 11-1 to 11-M and for diversity-combining signals received by the plurality of antennas 11-1 to 11-M, is provided with a combining information calculation unit 14 for calculating antenna combined amplitude and combining weights based on received power of the plurality of antennas 11-1 to 11-M, a combining unit 15 for weighting and combining the signals received by the plurality of antennas 11-1 to 11-M based on the combining weights calculated, and a decoding processing unit 16 for decoding a combined reception signal generated by the combining unit 15. It thereby improves fading durability of the decoding process by reducing influence of multipath fading caused by arrival waves with delays, even in a case of using only a small number of reception antennas, and maintains a stable reception condition consistently, as well as achieving downsizing of and reduction in cost of hardware. |
| US08503587B2 |
Adaptive channel tracking using peak fade depth estimation over a slot
Peak fade depth is measured (202) over a period of time, and a bandwidth of a channel filter (104) is then determined (206) according to the measured peak fade depth (202). In preferred embodiments the average peak fade depth over two or more time slots is used. In a specific embodiment, an α filter (206) is used to determine the bandwidth of the matched filter (104), in which α is determined based upon the measured peak fade depth (204). In various embodiments, peak fade depth is correlated to the Doppler shifting of the channel, which in turn is used to determine the bandwidth of the matched filter by way of the α parameter. Hence, a non-linear equation can be used to determine the value of α which yields a minimum bit error rate for the matched filter (104). More specifically, a matched filter (104) is matched to a received signal r(t) having k states according to a plurality of matched filters Mk and outputs a signal given by |r(t)−Ck(t)*Mk(t)|2, in which Ck(t) is a channel estimate provide by a channel tracker (106) for a state k at time period t that is given by Ck(t)=α*ck(t)+(1−α)*Ck(t−1), ck(t)=Mk*r(t)/(Mk*conj(Mk)), and conj(Mk) is the complex conjugate of Mk. For each time slot, α is computed from the running average of the peak fade depth (202) according to a predetermined equation (204). |
| US08503582B2 |
Receiver
A receiver is provided to receive a secondary bitstream which is transmitted by a secondary signal together with a primary signal. The receiver includes a down-converter configured to convert an input signal containing the primary and secondary signals, to a baseband complex symbol stream, A first processing unit processes the baseband complex symbol stream and provides a primary bitstream transmitted by the primary signal or a decoded primary log-likelihood ratio stream. A symbol reconstructing unit is configured to process the primary bitstream or the decoded primary log-likelihood ratio stream and to provide a reconstructed primary symbol stream. A subtraction unit is configured to provide a difference symbol stream by substracting the baseband complex symbol stream and the reconstructed primary symbol stream from each other. A second processing unit is provided to process the difference symbol stream and to provide the secondary bitstream transmitted by the secondary signal. |
| US08503578B2 |
Time delay measurement
A method of processing first and second corresponding signals having a delay therebetween. The method includes introducing a plurality of different delays between the first and second signals, successive delay amounts differing from each other by less than the interval between chip boundaries, and for each introduced delay, summing samples of the second signal which are obtained at the times of, at least, chip boundaries between bits of the first signal which have the same state, to obtain a value; thereby to obtain a representation of how the value varies according to the introduced delay, which representation contains a level change associated with an introduced delay which bears a predetermined relationship to the delay between the first and second signals. |
| US08503577B2 |
Signal quality estimation in a wireless communication system
In a wireless system including a wireless communication channel, a method for estimating a signal quality of a received signal includes the steps of receiving a signal from the wireless communication channel, the received signal including at least one field that is modulated and encoded in a substantially fixed manner, and generating at least one reference field based, at least in part, on the at least one field and on a channel estimation signal. The channel estimation signal is representative of at least one characteristic of the wireless communication channel. The method further includes the step of generating a signal quality estimate as a function of the at least one field in the received signal and the generated at least one reference field. |
| US08503568B1 |
Differential encoding for multiplexed data streams
A differential encoding and decoding system and method for multiplexed data is disclosed. The multiplexed data is formed from a plurality of input data sources. The differential encoding and decoding uses a delay proportional to the number of input data streams in the plurality. In this fashion, errors that propagate from an error in one of the input data sources does not interfere with other input data sources upon de-multiplexing. |
| US08503567B2 |
Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission with rank-dependent precoding
Techniques for performing rank-dependent precoding for a Mulitple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) transmission are described. Each rank may be associated with a set of at least one precoding vector or matrix that can provide good performance for that rank. A transmitter may obtain a precoding vector for a rank-1 transmission from a first set containing at least one column vector of a unitary matrix, e.g., a Fourier matrix. The transmitter may perform precoding for the rank-1 transmission based on the precoding vector. The transmitter may obtain a precoding matrix for a rank-2 transmission from a second set containing an identity matrix. The transmitter may perform precoding for the rank-2 transmission based on the precoding matrix. For the rank-2 transmission, the transmitter may select the identity matrix as the precoding matrix if a MIMO channel resembles a diagonal channel (which may be determined based on antenna configurations) and may select the unitary matrix otherwise. |
| US08503565B2 |
Multi-antenna communication method and system thereof
A multiple antenna communication method and a multiple antenna communication system are provided. The multiple antenna communication method includes: determining a weighting vector with respect to a plurality of transmit antennas, using a spread spectrum code; determining a target transmission rate of each of the transmit antennas using the determined weighting vector; transmitting information associated with the target transmission rate to a multiple antenna reception apparatus; receiving, from the multiple antenna reception apparatus, channel information including information regarding whether to accept the transmitted target transmission rate information; and transmitting data to the multiple antenna reception apparatus using the received channel information. |
| US08503564B2 |
Method and system for data transmission
A data transmission method, a communications system and related apparatuses are disclosed. The data transmission method includes the following steps: a transmitter obtains channel information corresponding to channels between the transmitter and several receivers; the transmitter obtains a control vector corresponding to a receiver according to the channel information; the transmitter modulates data to be transmitted by means of one-dimensional modulation to obtain modulated symbols; the transmitter processes the modulated symbols and the control vector to obtain transmitted data of each antenna; the transmitter transmits the transmitted data to the receiver; the receiver receives the transmitted data in a predetermined spatial direction of received symbol. The present invention also discloses a communications system and related apparatuses. |
| US08503563B2 |
Transmitter for reducing channel selectivity
A transmitter for reducing time selectivity and/or frequency selectivity in a wireless communication system includes a plurality of transmit antennas, a phase shifter which is disposed for each transmit antenna and is configured to shift a phase of data transmitted through the transmit antenna by a phase shift value, and a channel selectivity processor configured to obtain the phase shift value by using a channel phase value fed back from a receiver. |
| US08503560B2 |
System and method for performing precoding in a wireless communication system
A base station capable of performing precoding in a wireless communication system is provided. The base station includes a plurality of codebooks and a codebook selector. Each codebook comprises a plurality of composite precoding matrices that are generated based on a corresponding diversity precoding matrix. The codebook selector is operable to select one of the codebooks for use in a communication session with a subscriber station. |
| US08503556B2 |
Channel estimation method
A channel estimating method is provided for a signal transmitted in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system, wherein an OFDM symbol of the signal has at least one null subcarrier set in its defined bandwidth. The method includes: obtaining at least one initial channel estimate over at least one OFDM symbol of a received signal; processing the at least one initial channel estimate for delivering at least one soft information in a form of a complete matrix; and updating the at least one initial channel estimate by performing a truncated singular value decomposition of a partial FFT matrix. The partial FFT matrix includes only the first LDP columns and the rows NDP of an FFT matrix of the complete matrix, the NDP rows corresponding to modulated subcarriers of received signal, including data and pilot symbols and excluding the at least one null subcarrier, delivering an improved channel estimate. |
| US08503555B2 |
Feedback of differentially encoded channel state information for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and subband scheduling in a wireless communication system
Techniques for efficiently sending channel state information using differential encoding are described. Differential encoding may be performed across space, across frequency, across space and frequency, across space, frequency and time, or across some other combination of dimensions. In one design, spatial state information may be determined for multiple spatial channels on multiple subbands. The spatial channels may correspond to different antennas, different precoding vectors, etc. Channel quality indicator (CQI) values may be obtained for the multiple spatial channels on the multiple subbands. The CQI values may be differentially encoded across the multiple spatial channels and the multiple subbands to obtain differential CQI information. In another design, CQI values may be obtained for multiple spatial channels on the multiple subbands in multiple time intervals and may be differentially encoded across space, frequency and time. The differential CQI information and the spatial state information may be sent as feedback. |
| US08503552B2 |
Method and digital communication device for receiving data using QAM symbols
A digital communication system which applies channel coding and QAM modulation, where in QAM, at the transmitter, a number Q of bits is mapped to one QAM symbol, which is transmitted over the channel, at the receiver side, for each QAM symbol, a de-mapping is performed in order to obtain an L-value for each bit which corresponds to the QAM symbol, such that these L-values provide not only an estimation of the transmitted bits but also give information about their reliability. |
| US08503550B2 |
Apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal and method of transmitting and receiving a signal
The present invention relates to method of transmitting and receiving signals and a corresponding apparatus. One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of receiving a signal, which includes interleaving in an appropriate manner for a channel bonding system. The interleaving can allow decoding a user requested service at a random tuner window position. |
| US08503549B2 |
Apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal and method of transmitting and receiving a signal
The present invention relates to method of transmitting and receiving signaling and a corresponding apparatus. One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of receiving a signal, which includes a preamble, where a bandwidth of the preamble is identical with a bandwidth of a tuner of a receiver. |
| US08503548B2 |
Turbo channel estimation for OFDM systems
A system and method for estimating a channel in a wireless receiver is disclosed. The method preferably applies to a communication system using the OFDM standard. The method comprises receiving a block of “n” transmitted symbols, the symbols including pilot symbols and “d” data symbols, estimating a channel using the pilot symbols to create a channel estimate, choosing a group of “m” strongest symbols from the “d” received symbols, compensating the “m” strongest symbols using the channel estimate to create a group of “m” compensated symbols, re-estimating the channel using the group of “m” compensated symbols and pilot symbols; and either (1) repeating the steps of choosing a group of “m” strongest symbols, compensating the group of “m” strongest symbols and re-estimating the channel, or (2) using a latest channel estimate to compensate all symbols within the block. The system comprises a wireless receiver having an estimator programmed, for example, using DSP or ASIC and imbedded into the wireless system design software for accomplishing the steps set forth according to the method. |
| US08503547B2 |
Scrambling codes for secondary synchronization codes in wireless communication systems
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate employing a scrambling code from a set of scrambling codes, which is indexed by primary synchronization codes (PSCs), to scramble or descramble a secondary synchronization code (SSC). The scrambling codes in the set can be designed to optimize peak-to-average power ratios and/or mitigate cross correlation. For example, the scrambling codes can be based on different M-sequences generated from disparate polynomials. In accordance with another example, the scrambling codes can be based on different cyclic shifts of the same M-sequence. According to another example, the scrambling codes can be based upon binary approximations of possible primary synchronization codes utilized in a wireless communication environment. Pursuant to a further example, the scrambling codes can be based on different Golay complementary sequences. |
| US08503543B2 |
Systems and methods for compression, transmission and decompression of video codecs
Embodiments of this invention include computer-implemented mathematical methods to develop software and/or hardware implementations that use wavelet transforms (WT) to pre-process video frames that can then be compressed using a variety of codecs to produce compressed video frames. Such compressed video frames can then be transmitted, decompressed, post-processed using the post-processing methods disclosed in the invention and displayed in their original size and quality using software and/or hardware implementations of embodiments of the invention, thereby producing real-time high-quality reproduction of video sequences. Embodiments of devices that can implement the methods of this invention include mainframe computers, desktop computers, personal computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, wireless computers, television sets, set top boxes, cellular telephones, and computer readable media. |
| US08503540B2 |
Low density parity check (LDPC) encoded higher order modulation
A method and apparatus is disclosed to map a sequence of data to Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) constellation symbols. The method and apparatus encodes only a portion of the sequence of data and leaves a remaining portion of the sequence of data unencoded. The encoded portion of the sequence of data and the remaining unencoded portion of the sequence of data are then mapped into modulation symbols of the QAM constellation. The encoded portion of the sequence of data selects subsets of the QAM constellation, and the remaining unencoded portion of the sequence of data determines a specific modulation symbol within each subset of the QAM constellation. |
| US08503539B2 |
High definition personal computer (PC) cam
A video system includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a graphic processing unit (GPU) including a plurality of processors therein. The system also includes a high definition (HD) imager; a serial bus controller coupled to the imager, the CPU and the GPU to communicate data between the HD imager and the CPU or the GPU over a serial bus having a transmit differential signal pair, a receive differential pair and a compatibility differential signal pair for interoperability with another serial bus version; and computer code executable by the processors in the GPU to encode in parallel the video transmitted over the serial bus controller and to minimize high definition encoding workload on the CPU. |
| US08503537B2 |
System, method and computer readable medium for decoding block wise coded video
An apparatus and associated method are provided for decoding of block wise coded video pictures. Implementing a de-blocking filter algorithm or the like in a single instruction multiple data (SIMD) environment, especially for processors with 128-bit vector registers. Parallelism between the SIMD and the register size fits the macroblock size disclosed in the H.264 and MPEG-4 standards is exploited by using transpositions and transformations of luminance and chrominance macroblocks in vertical de-blocking filter operations. |
| US08503536B2 |
Quantization adjustments for DC shift artifacts
A video encoder identifies one or more portions of a video picture that contain DC shift blocks and adjusts quantization (e.g., by selecting a smaller quantization step size) to reduce contouring artifacts when the picture is reconstructed. The encoder can identify the portion(s) of the picture that contain DC shift blocks by identifying one or more gradient slope regions in the picture and analyzing quantization effects on DC coefficients in the gradient slope region(s). The encoder can select a coarser quantization step size for a high-texture picture portion. |
| US08503535B2 |
Rounding noise shaping for integer transform based encoding and decoding
An integer-reversible MDCT transformation is split into consecutive lifting steps, each introducing considerable rounding errors to the signal. Without noise shaping the rounding error noise will impact all frequency bins of the transformed signal equally. This is a particular problem for low signal level frequency bins. The invention limits the impact of rounding error noise coming with each lifting step in the integer-reversible transformation on the data rate of a lossless audio codec. The filter coefficients of an adaptive noise shaping filter for transform coefficients are adapted in individual lifting steps according to the current time domain signal characteristics. As an alternative, an auto-regressive pre-filter can be added in front of the lossless transformation, for raising the level of frequency regions with low power to decrease the dominance of rounding errors in these areas. Both processes can be combined to further improve lossless codec compression ratio. |
| US08503531B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program
With regard to a subject block including a subject pixel and four adjacent blocks vertically and horizontally adjacent to the subject block, respective motion vectors of these blocks are considered as candidates of a pixel motion vector of the subject pixel. The block motion vectors are actually applied to the subject pixel, and one of the motion vectors that minimizes difference between pixel values of pixels used for inter-field interpolation is selected as the pixel motion vector of the subject pixel. |
| US08503527B2 |
Video coding with large macroblocks
Techniques are described for encoding and decoding digital video data using macroblocks that are larger than the macroblocks prescribed by conventional video encoding and decoding standards. For example, the techniques include encoding and decoding a video stream using macroblocks comprising greater than 16×16 pixels. In one example, an apparatus includes a video encoder configured to encode a coded unit comprising a plurality of video blocks, wherein at least one of the plurality of video blocks comprises a size of more than 16×16 pixels and to generate syntax information for the coded unit that includes a maximum size value, wherein the maximum size value indicates a size of a largest one of the plurality of video blocks in the coded unit. The syntax information may also include a minimum size value. In this manner, the encoder may indicate to a decoder the proper syntax decoder to apply to the coded unit. |
| US08503524B2 |
Methods and systems for inter-layer image prediction
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for predicting image elements, comprising extracting a low dynamic range (LDR) image value from a received LDR image data; modifying the LDR image value based on prediction data of a received high dynamic range (HDR) image data; and predicting an HDR image element based on the modified LDR image value and an HDR residual image element of the received HDR image data. |
| US08503523B2 |
Forming a representation of a video item and use thereof
Functionality is described for forming a summary representation of a video item to help a user decide whether to obtain a full version of the video item. The functionality operates by: (a) receiving a video item; (b) dividing the video item into a plurality of segments; (c) extracting at least one key frame from each of the plurality of segments to form a plurality of key frames; and (d) organizing the video segments into one or more groups corresponding to one or more respective scenes based on the plurality of key frames, to thereby form the representation of the video item. The functionality can be used to communicate search results to a user, to provide a sample of the video item in a message, etc. |
| US08503520B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding a flash picture occurring in a video sequence, and for decoding corresponding data for a flash picture
When video sequences are obtained from e.g. news, interviews, conferences and sports matches, flashlight often appears in the video due to photographing. When encoding the video sequence, the intensity changes a lot so that the motion estimation can not find a well-matching block in a previous picture. Accordingly, the video encoder will encode in intra mode and thereby generate much more bits than for the neighboring non-flash pictures. According to the invention, not the real flash picture is encoded in the video sequence but an artificial non-flash or de-flashed picture, and some indications and parameters are inserted into the bit stream to model the flash effect. The decoder can regenerate the flash picture by reconstructing the non-flash picture and then adding the flash effect. The number of bits required for coding flash pictures is thereby significantly reduced. |
| US08503510B2 |
Communication device, noise removing method, and program
A communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a communication antenna that receives a transmission signal where a spectrum spread signal subjected to a spectrum spread is modulated; an intermediate frequency converting unit that converts the transmission signal received by the communication antenna into an intermediate frequency signal having a predetermined frequency; an analog to digital converting unit that discretizes the intermediate frequency signal and outputs a discretization signal; a noise removing unit that detects a noise other than a normal thermal noise included in the discretization signal and removes the detected noise from the discretization signal; and a demodulating unit that demodulates the spectrum spread signal, based on the discretization signal that is output from the noise removing unit. |
| US08503509B2 |
Method and system for managing, controlling, and combining signals in a frequency selective multipath fading channel
A maximum signal energy level among a plurality of individual distinct path signals in a wirelessly received signal cluster is detected. An early aggregate power level associated with at least a portion of the plurality of individual distinct path signals received at time instants preceding a first moment time, and a late aggregate power level associated with at least a portion of the plurality of individual distinct path signals received at time instants subsequent to the first moment time are computed. The first moment time, which corresponds to the detected maximum signal energy level, is adjusted based on the early aggregate power level and the late aggregate power level. At least a portion of the plurality of individual distinct path signals is received at a corresponding plurality of time instants within a duration comprising a delay spread of the wirelessly received signal cluster based on the adjusted first moment time. |
| US08503506B2 |
Method and system for interference suppression in WCDMA systems
Aspects of a method and system for interference suppression in WCDMA systems may include one or more circuits that are operable to receive a plurality of multipath signals via one or more receiving antennas. A plurality of weighting factor values may be computed based on the received multipath signals. Estimated signals may be based on the weighting factor values. Residual signals may be generated based on received signals and the estimated signals. Addback signals may be generated based on the estimated signals and the residual signals. Updated estimated signals may be generated based on the addback signals and the weighting factor values. Incremental signals may be generated based on the updated estimated signals and addback signals. Updated residual signals may be generated based on the incremental signals and previous residual signals. The interference suppressed signals may be generated based on the updated residual signals and updated estimated signals. |
| US08503502B2 |
Radio communication system, transmission device, reception device, and communication method
A clipping rate is controlled in spectrum shaping according to a propagation path to thereby improve transmission characteristics and perform communication at a stable transmission rate.Propagation path characteristics are detected by a propagation path information detection unit 5 for detecting propagation path information fed back from a base station device and a water filling principle for distributing energy by a primary spectrum shaping unit 6 according to the propagation path characteristics is applied to transmission spectrum obtained by a DFT unit 4. Clipping information in secondary spectrum shaping fed back from the base station device is detected by a clipping information detection unit 7 to perform the secondary spectrum shaping by a secondary spectrum shaping unit 8. At this time, with the clipping rate by the secondary spectrum shaping unit 8, clipping rates of all transmission devices multiplexed in a scheduling unit 26 of the base station device are controlled adaptively. |
| US08503494B2 |
Thermal management system
Various embodiments are disclosed for a thermal management system and related method for selectively thermally isolating and thermally connecting a target component. One embodiment of a system includes a first component having a first surface proximate to a target component, and an electromagnet between the first surface and the target component. A second component is spaced apart from the first component to form a gap that serves as a thermal boundary between the first component and the second component. A carrier fluid disposed within the gap includes multiple thermally conductive, ferrous particles. The carrier fluid is configured to align at least a portion of the thermally conductive, ferrous particles when the electromagnet generates a magnetic field that attracts the particles, and to displace at least a portion of the particles when the electromagnet generates a magnetic field that repels the particles. |
| US08503493B1 |
System and method for cooling a semiconductor light source bar during burn-in testing
A system for cooling a semiconductor light source bar during burn-in testing includes a fixture for holding the semiconductor light source bar, and the fixture including a housing having a water inlet channel and a water outlet channel communicated with the water inlet channel; a first water tank with coolant connected with the water inlet channel; a second water tank connected with the water outlet channel; and a pumping device at least connected with the water outlet channel for pumping the coolant from the first water tank to the second water tank, thereby rushing a bottom of the semiconductor light source bar to lower the temperature thereof. The system can disperse the local heat generated during burn-in testing and uniform the local temperature of the semiconductor light source bar, thereby maintaining a proper temperature during burn-in testing and improving the heat stability of the heat assist magnetic recording head. |
| US08503492B2 |
Mode-locked solid-state laser apparatus
In a mode-locked laser-diode-excited laser apparatus: a solid-state laser medium is arranged at a distance of at most twice the Rayleigh range from a saturable absorbing mirror with a depth of absorbing modulation of at least 0.4%; the total intracavity dispersion is smaller than zero and makes oscillating light have such a pulse bandwidth that the saturable absorbing mirror can suppress a background pulses other than soliton pulses repeated with a fundamental repetition period, and the magnitude of the total intracavity dispersion has a predetermined relationship with a pulse width of the oscillating light; and an output mirror is a negative-dispersion mirror in which high-index layers and low-index layers, having optical thicknesses randomly varying in the range of one-eighth to half of the predetermined wavelength, are alternately laminated, and the negative-dispersion mirror causes a mirror dispersion of −1000 fsec2 to −100 fsec2 and realizes a reflectance of 97% to 99.5%. |
| US08503491B2 |
Fiber optic multiplex modem
A fire alarm network fiber optic multiplex modem includes plural local interfaces, a fiber optic interface, a multiplexor, a fiber optic modem, and a demultiplexor. The multiplexor combines data received at the local interfaces into an outgoing data stream. The fiber optic modem transmits, at a first wavelength, the outgoing data stream to the fiber optic interface and receives, at a second wavelength, an incoming data stream via the fiber optic interface. The demultiplexor separates the incoming data stream into separate data streams, and forwards each of the separate data streams to its corresponding local interface. |
| US08503489B2 |
Devices for transmitting digital video and data over the same wires
A method of transmitting a data stream over a communication channel, the method comprising: providing symbol sets having different numbers of symbols; modulating data in the data stream that warrant different degrees of protection against noise onto symbols from symbol sets having different numbers of symbols, wherein which symbol set given data in the stream is modulated onto is independent of symbol sets onto which other data in the data stream is modulated onto; and transmitting the symbols. |
| US08503487B2 |
Communication methods and apparatuses
Communication methods and apparatuses are provided. |
| US08503486B2 |
Synchronizing wireless local area network access points
In a wireless local area network, a first and second access point in which the RF coverage areas overlap are synchronized by positioning a monitor station within the overlap area. The monitor station receives beacon frames from both access points and records the arrival times. A manager in communication with both access points and the monitor station calculates a retardation interval and issues a control command to the second access point to retard transmission of its beacon frame. The retardation interval is calculated such that the contention-free period of the second access point does not overlap the contention-free period of the first access point. The manager may also issue control commands to the first and second access points to adjust their contention-free periods. |
| US08503485B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing primary and secondary synchronization signals for wireless communication
Techniques for facilitating cell search by user equipments (UEs) in a wireless communication system are described. In an aspect, a primary synchronization code (PSC) sequence may be generated based on a Frank sequence and a constant amplitude sequence that is repeated multiple times. In another aspect, a set of PSC sequences may be generated based on complementary sequences having good aperiodic correlation properties and efficient implementations. In one design, PSC sequences A+B and B+A may be formed based on Golay complementary sequences A and B, there “+” denotes concatenation. In yet another aspect, a set of secondary synchronization code (SSC) sequences may be generated based on a set of base sequences and different modulation symbols of a modulation scheme. Each base sequence may be modulated by each of M possible modulation symbols for the modulation scheme to obtain M different SSC sequences. |
| US08503483B2 |
Synchronizing media data from multiple data channels for IP network transport
In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving by a gateway a plurality of data streams via respective data channels; identifying by the gateway, from among the data streams, selected data streams for aggregation based on the selected data streams each having a same encoding type and destined for a same destination gateway; and synchronizing the selected data streams by the gateway based on: successively sampling a prescribed group of bits from each of the selected data streams at a corresponding sampling time interval, aggregating the sampled groups of bits, having been sampled from the selected data streams at the corresponding sampling time interval, into an IP media packet payload, and outputting a corresponding IP media packet, containing the IP media packet payload for the corresponding sampling time interval, to the destination gateway via an IP network. |
| US08503482B2 |
Interconnects using self-timed time-division multiplexed bus
A method of sending signals, including data and timing information, between transportation units on a communication bus of an integrated circuit, by generating clock triggers for every transportation unit on the bus, thereby initiating each preceding one of the transportation units to start sending the signals in a wave-front to an adjacent succeeding one of the transportation units, where the wave-front is initiated at each of the transportation units at a common point in time, and every transportation unit applying a timing adjustment to at least one of the data and timing information that it receives in the signals from the preceding transportation unit, to at least one of (1) capture the data from the preceding transportation unit, (2) relay the data without modification from the preceding transportation unit to the succeeding transportation unit on the communication bus, and (3) load new data to the communication bus, with updated timing information in a succeeding wave-front. |
| US08503478B2 |
Receiving apparatus, receiving method and program thereof
A receiving apparatus is to receive data by use of a second protocol data unit, which stores first protocol data units of a first layer set for each of multiple radio bearers and which is based on a second layer corresponding to a lower layer of the first layer. The apparatus includes a providing unit that provides the first protocol data unit, which is stored in the second protocol data unit with specific information specifying the second protocol data unit in the second layer. The apparatus includes a discarding unit that provides another first protocol data unit, which is stored in the second protocol data unit storing the erroneous first protocol data unit with reference to the specific information in the case that a predetermined first protocol data unit includes an error in the first layer. |
| US08503474B2 |
System and method for enhanced physical layer device interface capability for backward support of fast retrain
A system and method for enhanced physical layer device interface capability for backward support of fast retrain. The enhanced physical layer device is configurable in its leveraging of an identified legacy signaling mechanism. The identified legacy signaling mechanism can be used by the enhanced physical layer device to suspend transmission by the media access control device to facilitate the fast retrain. |
| US08503470B2 |
System and method for performing concatenation of diversely routed channels
A system and method are provided for performing Local Centre Authorization Service (LCAS) in a network system, the system having a data aligner configured to align bytes of input data according to groups of members. The system also including an LCAS control manager configured to generate de-sequencing control commands in response to data input from the data aligner. The system further including a de-sequencer configured to de-sequence the input data input from the data aligner according to de-sequencing control commands received from the LCAS control manager. |
| US08503468B2 |
PCI express load sharing network interface controller cluster
Embodiments provide load balancing in a virtual computing environment comprising a plurality of PCI-Express switches (the PCIe switching cloud) coupled to a plurality of network interface devices (NICs). An NIC cluster is added between the PCIe switching cloud and the NICs. The NIC cluster is configured to hide NICs from system images and allow the system images to access functions across multiple NICs. The NIC cluster of an embodiment dynamically load balances network resources by performing a hashing function on a header field of received packets. The NIC cluster of an embodiment performs load balancing and state management in association with driver software, which is embedded in the system image. The driver software adds a tag for flow identification to downstream data packets. The NIC cluster distributes data packets based on information in the tag. |
| US08503467B2 |
Methods and devices for generating a reorganized transport datastream
Methods and devices are disclosed for generating a reorganized transport datastream from transport data packets of an original transport datastream displaces the first transport data packets contained in an original transport datastream into determined new positions within the reorganized transport datastream. The new positions are determined dependent upon a first data rate at which the first transport data packets of the reorganized transport datastream are stored in second buffers and a second data rate at which the first transport data packets of the reorganized transport datastream are read out from the second buffers. |
| US08503466B2 |
Network on chip input/output nodes
The present invention relates to a torus network comprising a matrix of infrastructure routers, each of which is connected to two other routers belonging to the same row and to two other routers belonging to the same column; and input/output routers, each of which is connected by two internal inputs to two other routers belonging either to the same row, or to the same column, and comprising an external input for supplying the network with data. Each input/output router is devoid of queues for its internal inputs and comprises queues assigned to its external input managed by an arbiter which is configured to also manage the queues of an infrastructure router connected to the input/output router. |
| US08503463B2 |
Heterogeneous media packet bridging
Methods and systems for bridging network packets transmitted over heterogeneous media channels are provided. According to one embodiment, a network-computing device comprises multiple network interfaces (netmods) and a shared processing resource. The shared processing resource executes a virtual bridging application representing a single bridging domain for all network packets received by the network-computing device. A translation data structure defines translations between a first framing media format and an intermediate format and between the intermediate format and a second framing media format. If the virtual bridging application determines a network packet is to be relayed between a netmod operable to receive network packets encapsulated within the first framing media format and a netmod operable to transmit network packets encapsulated within the second framing media format, then it uses the translation data structures to translate the network packet before relaying the network packet. |
| US08503461B2 |
Media path optimization for multimedia over internet protocol
Methods for optimizing the media path between multimedia endpoints in a network are described. One embodiment allows avoiding having to relay the media traffic through a central device, such as a border controller's media controller element, and lets endpoints communicate directly under various conditions. |
| US08503459B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a multi-core architecture for an acceleration appliance
The present solution is related to a method for distributing flows of network traffic across a plurality of packet processing engines executing on a corresponding core of a multi-core device. The method includes receiving, by a multi-core device intermediary to clients and servers, a packet of a first flow of network traffic between a client and server. The method also includes assigning, by a flow distributor of the multi-core device, the first flow of network traffic to a first core executing a packet processing engine and distributing the packet to this core. The flow distributor may distribute packets of another or second flow of traffic between another client and server to a second core executing a second packet processing engine. When a packet for the flow of traffic assigned to the first core is received, such as a third packet, the flow distributor distributes this packet to the first core. |
| US08503450B2 |
TCP receiver acceleration
A method for processing network information may include performing by one or more processors and/or circuits integrated within a single chip, classifying a header portion of a received packet based on connection context information within the received packet. The connection context information may be acquired by the single chip from a memory external to the single chip. The connection context information for the received packet may be updated based on the classifying. At least a payload portion of the received packet may be communicated to a destination, based on the updated connection context information. The classifying, updating and communicating may be performed asynchronously. The header portion of the received packet may be parsed and/or validated. The connection context information of the received packet may be evaluated. |
| US08503446B2 |
Multicast host authorization tracking, and accounting
Instead of implementing per flow measurement at every interface of every IGMP Router or Snooping Proxy in the aggregation network, as in the prior art “per flow measurement” approaches, the present invention relates to a scheme where the IGMP Router or Snooping Proxy tracks the multicast subscription of each host (for IGMPv3) or subnet (for IGMPv1 and IGMPv2) and stores the information such as host id, the time the host joined a channel, the duration of the channel delivery, etc. in a database. This database (MIB) can then be pulled by a network management tool using SNMP or WSDM MUWS. According to the invention a mechanism for multicast host authorization is also provided. |
| US08503445B2 |
Source specific multicast layer 2 networking device and method
Bridge domain communication methods and devices are presented for efficiently communicating information in a bridge domain based upon group indications and source indications. Packets with a source and destination indication are received. A bridge domain communication process is performed at the bridge level wherein a packet is selected for forwarding based upon a source and group indication. For example, a determination is made if a particular bridge domain corresponds to the group destination indication in the received packet. The source indication in the packet is compared with a tracked source designation indication. Output ports associated with the tracked source designation indication are identified if the tracked source designation indication matches the received source indication. The communication packet is forwarded on identified ports. |
| US08503440B2 |
Crossbar switch and recursive scheduling
A crossbar switch has N input ports, M output ports, and a switching matrix with N×M crosspoints. In an embodiment, each crosspoint contains an internal queue (XQ), which can store one or more packets to be touted. Traffic rates to be realized between all Input/Output (IO) pairs of the switch are specified in an N×M traffic rate matrix, where each element equals a number of requested cell transmission opportunities between each IO pair within a scheduling frame of F time-slots. An efficient algorithm for scheduling N traffic flows with traffic rates based upon a recursive and fair decomposition of a traffic rate vector with N elements, is proposed. To reduce memory requirements a shared row queue (SRQ) may be embedded in each row of the switching matrix, allowing the size of all the XQs to be reduced. To further reduce memory requirements, a shared column queue may be used in place of the XQs. The proposed buffered crossbar switches with shared row and column queues, in conjunction with the row scheduling algorithm and the DCS column scheduling algorithm, can achieve high throughout with reduced buffer and VLSI area requirements, while providing probabilistic guarantees on rate, delay and jitter for scheduled traffic flows. |
| US08503438B2 |
Method and system for selectively bypassing packet core network within a session based on traffic type
According to one aspect of the invention, packets of a first type within a first data flow are routed to a destination through a packet core network. In response to a detection that packets of a second type are to be routed while routing the first data flow, a second data flow is created which is a sub-flow of the first data flow. Packets of the second type are routed via the second data flow to the destination without traversing the packet core network, while packets of the first type are routed via the first data flow traversing the packet core network. |
| US08503437B2 |
Integrated customer premises equipment device
A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) device includes one or more voice ports configured to provide voice services; one or more data ports configured to provide data services; firewall logic configured to filter incoming traffic; and quality of service (QoS) logic configured to provide QoS services for traffic transmitted from the SIP device. |
| US08503429B2 |
Processing requests and generating responses in session initiation protocol (SIP)
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a SIP network element, for processing messages received from other SIP elements in a network of SIP elements, wherein the element is adapted for receiving a predetermined type of SIP request, the request comprising a plurality of headers and data associated with each of the headers, the element further comprising: a message search function adapted for extracting data from a predetermined selection of said headers, processing logic for processing the extracted data; means for creating a predetermined type of response message associated with the received request, the response message comprising data extracted from the received message; and means for sending the created message to a destination identified in the created response message. |
| US08503428B2 |
Customized classification of host bound traffic
A network device component receives traffic, determines whether the traffic is host bound traffic or non-host bound traffic, and classifies, based on a user-defined classification scheme, the traffic when the traffic is host bound traffic. The network device component also assigns, based on the classification, the classified host bound traffic to a queue associated with network device component for forwarding the classified host bound traffic to a host component of the network device. |
| US08503425B2 |
Method for allocating phich and generating reference signal in system using single-user MIMO based on multiple codewords when transmitting uplink
The present invention relates to a method for generating an uplink reference signal in a system supporting plural uplink-access transmission modes. The method comprises: a step for transmitting the reference signal configuration information about the configuration of a reference signal from a base station to a user device through an uplink grant PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel), and a step for receiving from the user device a sub-frame including the reference signal that is generated based on the reference signal configuration information. The reference signal configuration information is prepared for plural uplink access transmission modes and includes a cyclic shift value for the sequence of the reference signal. The reference signal is supposed to be transmitted to an uplink, and the user device is set up to be operated in the uplink-access transmission mode that corresponding to the reference signal configuration information. |
| US08503421B2 |
Enhanced frequency division multiple access for wireless communication
Enhanced frequency division multiple access (EFDMA) is a multiplexing scheme that sends modulation symbols in the time domain and achieves a lower PAPR than OFDM. An EFDMA symbol occupies multiple subband groups that are spaced apart in a frequency band, with each subband group containing multiple adjacent subbands. To generate an EFDMA symbol, multiple modulation symbols are mapped onto a first sequence of symbols. A transform (e.g., a DFT) is performed on the first sequence to obtain a second sequence of values. The values in the second sequence corresponding to the subbands used for the EFDMA symbol are retained, and the remaining values are zeroed out to obtain a third sequence of values. An inverse transform (e.g., an IDFT) is performed on the third sequence to obtain a fourth sequence of samples. A phase ramp may be applied on the fourth sequence, and a cyclic prefix is appended to form the EFDMA symbol. |
| US08503420B2 |
Physical structure and design of sounding channel in OFDMA systems
In wireless OFDMA systems, sounding channels are allocated within predefined resource blocks. In a distributed sounding channel allocation scheme, a sounding channel is allocated to meet various design considerations. First, sounding signals do not collide with original pilots transmitted in the same resource block by other mobile stations to achieve good quality channel estimation. Second, sounding pattern does not affect data transmission behavior of other mobile stations in the same resource block. Third, sounding pattern consistency among multiple tiles within each resource block is maintained so that mobile stations do not need to implement additional data mapping rules. In a symbol-based sounding channel allocation scheme, a sounding channel is allocated in the first or the last OFDM symbol of a resource block, while the remaining consecutive OFDM symbols are used for data transmission. The symbol-based sound channel naturally satisfies all design considerations. |
| US08503415B2 |
Wireless access point and data transmission method thereof
In a data transmission method of a wireless access point (WAP), the WAP determines whether a probe request frame transmitted from a mobile device is present in a wireless network. The WAP further transmits a beacon frame in response to the probe request frame when the probe request frame is present in the wireless network. |
| US08503414B2 |
RSVP/SBM based up-stream session setup, modification, and teardown for QoS-driven wireless LANs
A method and system is disclosed for setting up, modifying and tearing down an up-stream communication session in a basic service set (BSS) in a wireless local area network (WLAN), so that the communication session has a defined Quality of Service (QoS). Regarding setting up an up-stream communication session, a first Path message and a first Resv message (Path/Resv message) of a RSVP protocol are detected at a designated subnet bandwidth manager (DSBM) in a station having a point coordinator (PC). The first Resv message originates from a RSVP agent of a host outside the BSS, and is a request for setting up an up-stream session between a source non-PC station in the BSS and the PC station. A QoS parameter set and a classifier from the first Path/Resv message for the session are extracted at the DSBM. The DSBM determines whether to admit the up-stream session to the network based on the QoS parameter set defining the session and a channel status report on a medium access control (MAC) sublayer of the BSS. When the up-stream session is admitted, a QoS management entity (QME) of the PC station sets up a virtual up-stream (VUS) between the source non-PC station and the PC station for transporting the up-stream session traffic. The DSBM is part of the QME in the PC station. |
| US08503410B2 |
Communication apparatus and method of controlling same
The distance to a communicating party is detected using whether or not an electromagnetic-coupled RF field formation is achieved or not as simple measurement means. If the distance to the communicating party is short, i.e., if it is possible to form an RF field, then transmission power is reduced. As a result, power consumption is reduced. Since a reduction in transmission power is accompanied by restriction of the zone in which communication is possible, leakage of information is prevented and security is enhanced. |
| US08503409B2 |
Method for direct mode channel access
A method for direct mode channel access in a time division multiple access (TDMA) system includes: assigning a radio operating in the TDMA system to transmission on a first time slot of a direct mode channel; initiating a request for a direct mode transmission on the direct mode channel; determining, by the radio, whether there is communication activity present in the first time slot or a second time slot of the direct mode channel; aligning, by the radio, to a selected slot timing based on the determining step; and transmitting, by the radio, with the selected slot timing on the first time slot. |
| US08503406B2 |
Radio communication equipment
Radio communication equipment performs radio communication with a first radio terminal group in a first period by using a frequency commonly for use by an adjacent base station, and with a second radio terminal group in a second period by using a frequency not commonly for use by the adjacent base station. The radio communication equipment includes a control unit to adjust time allocation of the first period and the second period; and a radio communication unit to perform radio communication with the first radio terminal group and the second radio terminal group according to the time allocation adjusted by the control unit. |
| US08503405B1 |
Variation in session setup mode based on latency of target device
A method and corresponding device are disclosed for varying setup mode based on reported latency at a target device. The target device or its serving network may report a latency characteristic associated with the target device, such as an indication of the air interface protocol and/or slot cycle being used by the target device, and an initiating device or communication server may use the reported latency as a basis to decide whether to operate in (i) a normal setup mode when setting up a communication session with the target device or (ii) an optimistic setup mode when setting up a communication session with the target device. |
| US08503404B2 |
Uplink synchronization request method in mobile communication system, CDMA allocation IE thereof, and apparatus using the same
The present invention relates to an uplink synchronization request method in a mobile communication system, a CDMA allocation information element structure thereof, and an apparatus using the same. For this purpose the uplink synchronization request method includes: when uplink traffic is generated, determining whether an uplink synchronization error occurs; when the uplink synchronization error occurs, calculating a timing adjustment value; and transmitting a bandwidth request code including the calculated timing adjustment value to a base station and performing a bandwidth request. According to the present invention, the PSS compares a reference adjustment value and an arrival time of a downlink preamble to calculate uplink synchronization timing and synchronize an uplink of the PSS that requests bandwidth allocation through a bandwidth request ranging process to thereby maximize resource use efficiency in the uplink synchronization. |
| US08503401B2 |
Handover method and user equipment
A method and user equipment for performing a handover between a MBSFN and non-MBSFN areas in a communication network is provided. The communication network comprises a first cell constituting a MBSFN area, a second cell constituting the non-MBSFN area, and a reserved cell between the first and second cells and subordinate to the MBSFN area. Reserved cell indication information being broadcast in the reserved cell. The method including: receiving the reserved cell indication information to learn that a user equipment is located in the reserved cell; measuring in the reserved cell, for a preset service, a first signal strength based on MBMS transmission and a second signal strength based on a single-cell transmission; and selecting the first or second cells as a target cell during a period in which a difference between the first and second signal strengths is lower than a preset threshold. |
| US08503400B2 |
Systems and methods for closed subscriber group cell reselection
A method for base station reselection in a wireless communications system is disclosed. The method may determine a first indication of signal strength for a first signal sent from a first base station and received by a user equipment (UE). The method may also determine a second indication of signal strength for a second signal sent from a second base station and received by the UE. The method may further determine a relative signal strength based on the first indication of signal strength and the second indication of signal strength. The method may also determine a Q factor based on the relative signal strength. The Q factor may be an indication of when base station reselection should be performed. |
| US08503398B2 |
Radio communication system, radio communication terminal and communication controlling method
A video streaming client (105) transmits an MIH_Get_Service_Quality.request which requests a report about service quality which is used in the video streaming client (105) at regular intervals to an MIHF (Media Independent Handover Function) (203). When the MIHF (203) acquires the MIH_Get_Service_Quality.request, on the basis of the communication quality of a radio link which is notified from a link control unit (205), the MIHF (203) calculates a prediction value of the service quality in the future in the regular intervals and notifies the video streaming client (105) of the calculated prediction value by an MIH_Get_Service_Quality.response. |
| US08503397B2 |
Multi-mode multi-band mobile communication terminal and mode switching method between asynchronous and synchronous mobile communication networks
Disclosed is a multi-mode multi-band mobile communication terminal and a mode switching method thereof wherein a mode switching can be performed between an asynchronous network and a synchronous network by minimizing interruption in communication. According to the switching method of a multi-mode multi-band mobile communication terminal, the power of a signal received from an asynchronous network or a synchronous network is measured and the measured power of the received signal drives a modem portion, thereby switching the mode of the mobile communication terminal. |
| US08503396B2 |
Network apparatus enabling roaming across subnets
To enable a network apparatus to detect L3 roaming users and to take appropriate forwarding actions, L3 knowledge is introduced inside an L2 bridge forwarding table in the network apparatus. As a client moves from a subnet associated with a first network element to a subnet associated with the network apparatus, a determination is made regarding whether the client is roaming by evaluating a source IP address within a L3 packet header within a first frame received at the network apparatus. If, as a result of the evaluating step, it is determined that the client is roaming, the L2 bridge forwarding table is configured to include a source MAC address of the client together with information identifying a destination interface for use in directing client data traffic back towards the subnet associated with the first network element. |
| US08503394B2 |
Method of fast uplink data transmission for handover
A fast uplink data transmission method for a handover is disclosed. This method effectively uses a handover signal when there is data to be transmitted to an uplink during an Intra Radio Access Technology (I-RAT) handover, such that it quickly transmits and receives uplink data. The method of transmitting uplink data in a wireless access system includes, transmitting a message including an information bit to a target base station by a mobile station during a handover, wherein the information bit indicates whether the uplink data is present, and receiving a radio resource for transmitting the uplink data from the target base station, if the information bit indicates the uplink data is present, wherein the radio resource is allocated by the target base station. So, uplink user data can be quickly transmitted to a destination while the UE performs the handover. |
| US08503386B2 |
Communications apparatus and communications system using multicarrier transmission mode
A communications system for exchange of information between a base station and a terminal by a multicarrier transmission mode using a plurality of subcarriers. The communication system includes a base station, a transmission data generator configured to generate frequency band information indicating which frequency band is to be used for transmission of data between said communication apparatuses; and a transmitter configured to transmit the frequency band information, using a specific frequency band, set from among a plurality of frequency bands assigned to the communications system, and to transmit data by using at least one frequency band set from among said plurality of frequency bands, and at the time of establishing the wireless channel, the frequency band usable by the communications apparatus is restricted, and said specific frequency band and said at least one frequency band set, other than the specific frequency band, are assigned within that restricted frequency band. |
| US08503385B2 |
Method of transmitting scheduling request in mobile communication system and terminal apparatus for the same
A method is provided for transmitting an uplink scheduling request in a mobile communication system. A terminal compares a lowest priority for permitting transmission of the scheduling request notified from a radio resource controlling node with a highest priority among service priorities corresponding to generated data or control signals, if data or control signals to be transmitted in the uplink are generated from an upper layer. The terminal transmits the scheduling request to the radio resource controlling node to thereby request the radio resource controlling node to allocate radio resources for transmitting the data or control signals, when the highest priority is greater than or equal to the lowest priority. |
| US08503384B1 |
Precoding with multi-user codebooks
A base station including a plurality of codebooks embodied on a computer readable storage medium. The base station further includes a transceiver configured to i) notify a first receiver of a first codebook of the plurality of codebooks to be used for transmissions between the base station and the first receiver, ii) notify a second receiver of a second codebook of the plurality of codebooks to be used for transmissions between the base station and the second receiver, iii) receive, from the first receiver, a first precoding vector from the set of precoding vectors in the first codebook, iv) receive, from the second receiver, a second precoding vector from the set of precoding vectors in the second codebook, v) transmit, in accordance with the first precoding vector, first data to the first receiver, and vi) transmit, in accordance with the second precoding vector, second data to the second receiver. |
| US08503383B2 |
Method of inter-system coexistence and spectrum sharing for dynamic spectrum access networks-on-demand spectrum contention
This invention relates to cognitive radio based wireless communications of dynamic spectrum access networks, and more particularly to a method of addressing inter-systems (cells) coexistence and spectrum sharing. The described method of spectrum sharing called On-Demand Spectrum Contention, integrates Dynamic Frequency Selection and Transmission Power Control with iterative on-demand spectrum contentions and provides fairness, adaptability, and efficiency of spectrum access for dynamic spectrum access systems using active inter-system coordination. |
| US08503381B2 |
Apparatus and method for configuring radio connection in multiple component carrier system
A method of a Mobile Station (MS) configuring radio connection in a multiple component carrier system is provided. The method includes receiving distribution information from a Base Station (BS) through a first Component Carrier (CC), selecting a second CC for radio connection to the BS on a basis of the distribution information, and performing the radio connection through the second CC. |
| US08503379B2 |
Apparatus and method for precoding by midamble in multiple input multiple output wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for performing codebook-based precoding in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless communication system are provided. In a method for operating a Base Station (BS) in a MIMO wireless communication system, a reference signal including pilot signals, which are divided by a predefined number of bands and are multiplied by respective codes in a codebook, is transmitted. One or more Mobile Stations (MSs) destined for spatial multiple access are selected using an index of a band and CQI of the band corresponding to the index, which are fed back from one or more MSs. A precoding matrix is generated to process data streams of the selected one or more MSs. |
| US08503374B2 |
Method for scheduling orthogonally over multiple hops
An apparatus, method, and computer-program product are provided for wireless communication between uplink and downlink nodes via a relay. The relay is configured to simultaneously communicate with the uplink and downlink nodes on a common channel. For simultaneous communication, radio resources may be allocated to the relay to maintain orthogonality on both the uplink and downlink. |
| US08503373B2 |
Localized and distributed allocation multiplexing and control
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate multiplexing of localized transmissions and distributed transmissions to reduce overhead transmission costs. According to various aspects, systems and/or methods are described that enable selection of an optimal transmission scheme in order to accommodate various traffic services, user abilities and channel properties. |
| US08503372B2 |
Method and apparatus for compressing and transmitting ultra high speed data
Voiceband compression techniques are employed in order to enable an RF telecommunications base station to accommodate data signals of high speed voiceband modems and FAX machines. An Ultra-High Speed Codec supports voiceband modem and FAX transmissions up to 14.4 kb/s and operates using four 16-phase RF slots. Because these codecs transmit information over several RF slots which can be contiguous, the slots within RF communication channels are dynamically allocated. The Dynamic Time slot/Bandwidth Allocation feature detects and monitors the data transmission and forms a data channel from the necessary number of slots. |
| US08503365B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting cell in wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for detecting a cell in a mobile communication system such as an LTE (Long Term Evolution) system are provided. In the method, when a signal is received from at least one base station, a primary synchronization channel (PSCH) detector detects a PSCH symbol in the signal. Then a PSCH validity determiner ascertains a valid value of the PSCH symbol and determines whether the valid value is greater than a given threshold. If the PSCH symbol is greater than the threshold, a secondary synchronization channel (SSCH) allocator estimates a position of an SSCH symbol in the signal using the PSCH symbol. Then an SSCH detector detects the SSCH symbol at the estimated position, so that a neighboring cell can be found through the detected SSCH symbol. |
| US08503362B2 |
Speaker synchronization technique for wireless multichannel sound data transmission system
The present invention relates to sound data transmission between a wireless sound transmitter that transmits sound data received from a multimedia source, and a wireless sound speaker that outputs sound signal by receiving the sound data, and more particularly, to a method for compensation of a play time delay between the wireless sound speakers occurring when the multichannel sound data is distributed and transmitted from the wireless sound transmitter to the multiple wireless sound speakers. The differences in the play time points occurring between the speakers in a TDMA based multichannel wireless transmission system, are pre-compensated through the delay of the sound data in the WSDT. |
| US08503356B2 |
Wireless communication method and apparatus for selecting cells in an OFDMA system
A wireless communication method and apparatus for selecting cells in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system are disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) measures a downlink path loss of a current serving cell and at least one other cell. The WTRU determines whether a path loss difference between the serving cell and the other cell is below a threshold. If the path loss difference is below the threshold, the WTRU measures a channel quality indicator (CQI) for each of the plurality of subcarrier blocks in the downlink of the current serving cell and the other cell, respectively. The WTRU reports the CQIs to a serving Node-B which selects a new cell based on the CQIs. Alternatively, a centralized access gateway (aGW) may select the new serving cell/Node-B, or the cell selection decision made by the serving Node-B may be forwarded to another Node-B via the centralized aGW. |
| US08503354B2 |
Control signaling techniques for wireless networks
Various example embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless networks, such as relay networks or multi-hop networks, and also relating to control signaling techniques for wireless networks. In an example embodiment, a method or technique may include transmitting (e.g., data or control) frames in a downlink direction and control frames in an uplink direction during a first phase, and transmitting (e.g., data or control) frames in an uplink direction and control frames in a downlink direction during a second phase. |
| US08503352B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving reference signal for positioning in wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving a reference signal for positioning in a wireless communication system are provided. In the method, a BS locates a PA preamble in a second frame among frames constituting each of multiple superframes, locates a SA preamble in first symbols of first and third frames among the frames constituting each of the multiple superframes, determines multiple consecutive first superframes belonging to an LBS zone from among the multiple superframes, includes a reference signal for LBS in a first symbol of a first subframe of a last frame among frames constituting each of the first superframes, includes data in a first symbol of a first subframe of a last frame among frames constituting each of second superframes that correspond to the multiple superframes excluding the first superframes when the data is to be transmitted, and communicates with an MS by using the first and second superframes. |
| US08503351B1 |
Base station, relay, system and method for packet re-transmission in a multi-hop network
Systems and methods for packet re-transmission in multi-hop wireless networks are provided. RLP packet retransmission only starts from the hop where L1 ARQ fails. This may result in an increased efficiency of radio resource utilization. In particular, the benefit may be greatest for implementations where the last hop is more unstable than the remaining hops. This is the case for the cellular downlink where the last hop is between a relay and a mobile terminal, and this hop is typically the most unstable. However, applications are not limited to this particular case. Any improvement in RLP recovery delay may be translated into an improvement in system capacity and per-terminal throughput. |
| US08503349B2 |
Wireless LAN relay apparatus
The relay apparatus includes a wireless communication unit configured to carry out wireless communication with the base station, and capable of direct wireless communications respectively with other relay apparatuses belonging to the wireless LAN, without going through the base station, and a path search unit configured to compare the throughput of a wireless communication path for carrying out data transfer to a destination apparatus without going through the base station, with the throughput of a wireless communication path for carrying out data transfer to a destination apparatus going through the base station; and select the path having higher throughput. |
| US08503346B2 |
Wireless network using network coding scheme based on overhearing channel
A wireless network using a network coding scheme is provided. The wireless network may include at least two source nodes, at least two destination nodes, and a relay node. The at least two source nodes may divide source messages into partial source messages, and transmit the partial source messages to the relay node. The relay node may generate a network-coded message using the network coding scheme. The at least two destination nodes may overhear the partial source messages using overhearing channels and obtain the source messages based on the received network-coded message. |
| US08503345B2 |
Method and related apparatus of handling point-to-multipoint MBMS service in a wireless communications system
A method of handling a point-to-multipoint (p-t-m) Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service in a wireless communications system includes the following step of receiving a message used for carrying information of the p-t-m MBMS service via a first channel when a radio resource control (RRC) state of the receiving terminal is a dedicated state. The message includes an instruction utilized to indicate the receiving terminal to release resources used for receiving the p-t-m MBMS service. Otherwise, the method includes the step of adding an instruction into a message used for carrying information of the p-t-m MBMS service when the message is transmitted to a receiving terminal via a dedicated channel. The instruction is utilized to indicate the receiving terminal to release resources used for receiving the p-t-m MBMS service. |
| US08503343B2 |
Wireless communication system, communication control method and communication node
A technique is disclosed, by which it is possible to achieve the reduction of power consumption of each wireless node and to perform efficient access control in wireless communication system. According to this technique, a given period with a beacon transmitted from a gateway (GW) 100 at the foremost position is divided to an active period where each wireless node (P2P tag) transmits and receives a frame and a sleep period where transmitting and receiving of the frames are stopped. Further, the active period is divided to a plurality of timeslots each with a fixed length, and the period is partitioned to sub-periods where each type of a GW, a fixed node (P2P-S tag), and a mobile node (P2P-M tag) can transmit frames respectively. Each of the P2P tags selects a timeslot at random from the period for each type, and after waiting for a waiting period at random at the selected timeslot, it transmits a frame including information to identify the selected timeslot or the waiting period in addition to its own ID. |
| US08503342B2 |
Signal transmission method from a local network node
A transmitter is provided having transmission methods that minimize the power needed to ensure reliable reception in a coverage area. In one aspect, data that requires re-transmission as acknowledged mode data is re-transmitted when the power level of the transmission link is higher than a pre-determined level set for reliable reception. The data rate of the re-transmitted data is set according to the difference in the actual power and the pre-determined level. In a second aspect, two transmitting antennae are used to transmit the same signals with a frequency off-set. The frequency off-set can be used to determine the phase of the signals being received at the receiver, so that a phase off-set can be introduced to optimise the effect of interference at the receiver. |
| US08503337B2 |
Physical uplink control signal transmitting method for time division duplex system
A method for transmitting a physical uplink control signal in a time division duplex system, wherein the uplink control signal is more than 2 bits. The method comprises the following steps of: a base station distributing a plurality of uplink channel code resources of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for a user equipment, and making an agreement with the user equipment to transmit different contents represented by the uplink control signal using different uplink channel code resources; the user equipment selecting one or more uplink channel code resources from the distributed uplink channel code resources according to the content of the uplink control signal to be transmitted, and transmitting the uplink control signal on the physical uplink control channel. |
| US08503336B2 |
System and method for design, tracking, measurement, prediction and optimization of data communication networks
A system and method for design, tracking, measurement, prediction and optimization of data communications networks includes a site specific model of the physical environment, and performs a wide variety of different calculations for predicting network performance using a combination of prediction modes and measurement data based on the components used in the communications networks, the physical environment, and radio propagation characteristics. |
| US08503333B2 |
Reestablishment of an interface between nodes in a network using a backoff time
Methods of initializing an association between a first node and a second node include detecting an event indicating that the first node should establish an association with the second node. After detecting the event, the methods include waiting at least a certain amount of time before attempting to establish the association, and attempting to establish the association between the second node and the first node only after waiting the certain amount of time. |
| US08503331B2 |
Wireless communication device, wireless communication system, program and wireless communication method
A first station for communicating with a second station is disclosed. The first station may include a storage unit configured to store relationship information defining a communication relationship between the first station and the second station. The first station may also include a communication unit configured to communicate with the second station and with an access point. The communication relationship may be maintained when the communication unit begins communicating with the access point. |
| US08503330B1 |
Wireless system commissioning and optimization
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for commissioning and optimizing a wireless network. In one aspect, a method includes a wireless network configuration and optimization engine receives configuration data for a wireless network and monitors performance of the wireless network. The engine processes the data to perform on or more automated commissioning operations, and one or more automated optimization operations, thus simplifying commissioning and maintenance of the wireless network. |
| US08503329B2 |
Signaling of attachment circuit status and automatic discovery of inter-chassis communication peers
In an embodiment, a method of signaling status at a routing device is provided. In this method, the routing device establishes an inter-chassis control plane channel session with a remote routing device. Here, the routing device and the remote routing device are linked to a multi-homed routing device. The routing device then synchronizes with the remote routing device by way of the inter-chassis control plane channel session to identify a state of a link from the routing device to the multi-homed routing device. The state of the link is thereafter advertised by way of Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). Additionally, a method of discovering inter-chassis communication peers via BGP between the first and remote routing devices is provided. |
| US08503328B2 |
Methods and apparatus for transmission of configuration information in a wireless communication network
Methods and apparatus for transmission of configuration information in a wireless communication network. A method is provided for transmitting a configuration message to a plurality of terminals in a wireless network. The method includes assigning a slot in a transmission to contain the configuration message, and transmitting a marker to identify the slot in the transmission to the plurality of terminals. The method also includes transmitting the configuration message in the slot of the transmission using a high data rate so that air-link resources are conserved. |
| US08503324B2 |
Controlling interference in a wireless communication system using a parameter upper bound based on a maximum allowable noise rise
A method and apparatus for controlling interference in a wireless communication system includes a first step of performing 500 a handoff measurement of a signal parameter for a current site and for nearby sites, and performing 502 a comparison of the signal parameters to select the nearby site having the strongest signal parameter. A next step 504 includes defining a target maximum allowable noise rise for the selected nearby site. A next step 506 includes calculating an upper bound for at least one operating parameter in the current site. A next step 508 includes determining whether a maximum for the at least one operating parameter exceeds 510 the upper bound. A next step 514 includes constraining the at least one operating parameter to no more than the upper bound if the maximum for the at least one operating parameter exceeds the upper bound. |
| US08503322B2 |
IQ imbalance image compensation in multi-carrier wireless communication systems
A method in a wireless communication terminal includes receiving an aggregated carrier including a first component carrier and a second component carrier, measuring leakage of a reference signal from the first component carrier onto the second component carrier, receiving a signal on the aggregated carrier, and compensating for leakage of the signal from the first component carrier to the second component carrier based on the measurement of the leakage of the reference signal. |
| US08503319B2 |
Data processor and communication system
A data processor which can flexibly control bandwidth settings and setting changes is provided. The data processor controls bandwidth allocation to electronic devices participating in a communication network. The data processor has a communication section used to communicate with the electronic devices and a bandwidth management section which performs control to variably allocate, based on requests from the electronic devices, bandwidths to be used for communication by the electronic devices. In cases where an additional device is added to the communication network and an adequate bandwidth cannot be allocated to the additional device, the bandwidth management section requests another electronic device transmitting video data of a resolution higher than corresponding to the user's intention to change its data format so as to allow an adequate bandwidth to be allocated to the additional device. |
| US08503318B2 |
Estimating endpoint performance in unified communication systems
Performance of endpoints, client devices and servers within a communication system, is determined by collecting call quality data from each endpoint by a quality monitoring server/application. Call quality data includes predefined metrics based on network and end device characteristics during each call. Calls include voice, video, and data exchanges. Collected metric values are then aggregated according to a formula for consistency and scaled based on factors such as traffic volume. Resulting performance values are used to order the endpoints such that those with degraded quality and prioritized based on factors like traffic volume can be attended to first. |
| US08503317B2 |
Method of controlling network in wireless network and device
A method of controlling a network at a coordinator of a wireless network comprises receiving a beacon, which includes at least one of transmission coverage information associated with signal transmission coverage of the wireless network and ACK packet information indicating a type of an ACK packet transmitted from a plurality of devices for acknowledgement during reception of data packets, from a coordinator of the wireless network; receiving the data packets from a transmitting device of the wireless network; and transmitting an ACK packet having an ACK packet type determined based on the ACK packet type information included in the beacon to the transmitting device as a signal for acknowledgement of the data packets. |
| US08503314B2 |
Diversity monitoring for communication network circuits
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for monitoring circuit diversity within a communications network. Information is gathered regarding circuits within the communications network. Diversity rules for the circuits are received. The diversity rules may limit the sharing of network resource between primary and secondary circuit pairs. The information regarding the circuits is analyzed to identify violations of the diversity rules. A report on the violations of the diversity rules is generated. |
| US08503311B2 |
Method for measuring processing delays of voice-over IP devices
A system and method for recording analog signals exchanged between a telephone device and a VoIP device, capturing packets exchanged between the VoIP device and an IP network, determining analog time values corresponding to analog characteristics of the analog signals, determining digital time values corresponding to digital characteristics of the packets, determining a common reference time for the analog time values and digital time values and determining a processing delay based on the analog time values and the digital time values. |
| US08503310B2 |
Technique for policy conflict resolution using priority with variance
In one embodiment, a value for a option for a particular policy of a plurality of policies that are ranked in a priority order is ascertained. A variance to the value associated with the option for the particular policy is applied to define a range of acceptable values for the particular policy. A determination is made whether one or more other options exist that have values within the range of acceptable values for the particular policy. If no other options exist that have values within the range of acceptable values for the particular policy, the option is selected If other options exist that have values within the range of acceptable values for the particular policy, the ascertaining, applying and determining is repeated for a next lower priority policy of the plurality of policies to consider the other options, the repeating to occur successively until an option is selected. |
| US08503307B2 |
Distributing decision making in a centralized flow routing system
Local rules for managing flows devolved from a central controller are received at a switch. The central controller determines a global set of rules for managing flows. The switch receives a packet from a flow from a network and determines whether a metric for the flow satisfies a dynamic condition to trigger a metric report to the central controller. In response to a determination that the metric for the flow at the switch satisfies the dynamic condition to trigger a metric report to the central controller, the switch sends a metric report to the central controller, and the switch then receives an instruction to manage the flow from the central controller. In response to a determination that the metric for the flow at the switch does not satisfy the dynamic condition to trigger the metric report to the central controller, the switch manages the flow using the local rules for managing flows. |
| US08503298B2 |
Applying quality aware volume reduction to communication networks
A method of applying a quality-aware volume reduction to communication networks is provided herein. The method includes the following stages: deriving, from the network: a bandwidth capacity limit of the links of the network, and an initial flow rate for each flow transmitted via nodes through the network; obtaining from each one of the nodes, a gain value which corresponds to a quantitative data demand requested by the node and given in terms of data quality; and calculating, for each one of the nodes, a data reduction ratio, that achieves: (i) a maximal overall revenue associated with the network, wherein the revenue for a node is calculated with respect to the quality of the data that arrives to the node, and (ii) an optimal bandwidth allocation over the links with respect to the gains and the data quality at each node, and to the limited bandwidth capacity of the links. |
| US08503297B1 |
Adaptive rate control based on battery life
A method and system is disclosed for adaptive rate control based on battery life. An access terminal in a wireless communication system that includes a base station will operate in a first state in which, at least, the access terminal responds to receiving reverse-noise messages from the base station by making adjustments to a data transmission rate on a reverse-link traffic channel to the base station in accordance with the received reverse-noise messages. Upon receiving a first threshold number of reverse-noise messages from the base station indicating that the reverse-link noise measured by the base station is alternating above and below the threshold level, and in response having a battery power level below a threshold power level, the access terminal will transition to operating in a second state in which, at least, the access terminal does not make the adjustments to the data transmission rate on the reverse-link traffic channel in response to receiving reverse-noise messages from the base station. |
| US08503295B2 |
Base station and access control method for cellular wireless communication
A base station is connected to wired and wireless networks to send a call that is received from the wired network to the wireless network at a predetermined quality of service (QoS), select one or more combinations of a set of modulation and coding scheme, and a radio resource amount that are associated with a QoS set in a newly incoming call, determine the radio resource amount that is equal to or less than a amount of the unassigned radio resources, assign, to the newly incoming call, the combination that is associated with the determined radio resource amount and the QoS set in the newly incoming call, reduce the radio resources assigned to the ongoing call without changing the QoS, and assign, to the newly incoming call, an amount of radio resources released from the ongoing call and modulation and coding scheme associated with this released radio resource amount. |
| US08503294B2 |
Transport layer relay method, transport layer relay device, and program
Relay units (1002-1-1002-n) terminate a plurality of transport layer connections from terminals in a transport layer and relay each of these connections to other transport layer connections (relay connections). A transmission rate control unit (1003) determines the total transmission rate of the relay connections according to the number of connections that are being relayed and network congestion conditions such that a desired effective rate is obtained, and moreover, allots the total transmission rate as transmission rates to each of relay units (1002-1-1002-n) in accordance with the results of the analysis of information of the applications being carried on the transport layer connections during relay. |
| US08503284B2 |
Pilot arrangement method in mobile radio communication system and transmitter/receiver adopting same
A pilot arrangement method in a mobile communication system in which a working frequency band is divided into a plurality of predetermined bands, and time division multiplexing is performed, the method comprising, inserting a known pilot symbol into the plurality of predetermined frequency bands at a predetermined reference interval; and inserting to arrange the known pilot symbol into at least one of the plurality of predetermined frequency bands at a smaller interval than the predetermined reference interval, wherein a pattern inserting the known pilot symbol into a at least the one of the plurality of predetermined frequency bands at the smaller interval is changed according to a predetermined pattern. |
| US08503283B2 |
Channel access protocol for wireless communication
Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to enable an access point in a wireless network to use Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) reserve subcarriers of OFDM symbols for transmitting high priority voice data and video data to particular wireless devices, while the access point allocates the remaining available subcarriers for contention-based access by other wireless devices. |
| US08503279B2 |
Six-dimensional optical storage method and apparatus
The invention relates to a method of optical six-dimensional data storage and the apparatus based on it. This invention uses multiple beams with different wavelengths, encoded intensities and polarizations to create each group of multiple wavelength selective, reflectivity specified and polarization sensitive tiny plane or quasi-plane Bragg reflectors in a small volume crossing through multiple storage medium layers as each storage cell. The maximum storage capacity can over 10 Terabytes per disk with fast data write, read and erase speeds. In addition, the apparatus based on this method has no interlayer noise and disk rotation caused data recoding and reading quality loss, and has good compatibility with existing CD and DVD disks. |
| US08503278B2 |
Information reproducing device
A recording parameter setting device setting parameters of pulse sequences forming recording marks on recording media. The device includes a storage section storing first and second look-up tables, and a recording parameter setting section for obtaining from the tables and setting parameters corresponding to recording information. The pulse sequences form at least marks equal to or longer than a first predetermined length but not longer than a maximum mark length, and include top and last sections. Also, the first lookup table stores parameters for top sections that control heat of front edges of marks classified into a same group. The second lookup table stores parameters for last sections for controlling heat of rear edges that are equal to or longer than a second predetermined recording mark length, that is longer than the first predetermined recording mark length, through the maximum recording mark length and classified into a same group. |
| US08503276B2 |
Optical disk drive and method for determining type of a blu-ray disk
The invention provides a method for determining the layer type of a blu-ray disk. First, a laser beam is focused on a target layer of the blu-ray disk. Reflection of the laser beam from the target layer is the detected to obtain a reflection signal. The reflection signal is then processed to generate a first tracking error signal and a second tracking error signal. Magnitudes of the first tracking error signal and the second tracking error signal are then measured. The magnitude of the second tracking error signal is then subtracted from the magnitude of the first tracking error signal to obtain a difference value. Finally, the layer type of the target layer is determined by comparing the difference value with the first predetermined threshold. |
| US08503273B2 |
Optical disc device and recording method
An optical disc device and a recording method is provided in which information can be additionally recorded on an optical disc, which has a servo layer and recording layers separately formed, by accurately correcting a relative angle between a light beam and the optical disc used in the previous recording without providing an area where recording is not performed while maintaining the stability of tracking servo. The above subject can be solved by studying with high accuracy the relative angle between the optical disc and the optical axis used in the previous recording by applying a radial tilt servo according to a signal from the recording layers with the tracking servo applied by the servo layer. Further, the additional recording can be performed stably by fixing the radial tilt at the previously studied angle when the recording is performed. |
| US08503271B2 |
Method of forming a plasmon antenna with magnetic core for thermally assisted magnetic recording
A method of forming a TAMR (Thermal Assisted Magnetic Recording) write head that uses the energy of optical-laser generated edge plasmons in a plasmon antenna to locally heat a magnetic recording medium and reduce its coercivity and magnetic anisotropy. The method incorporates forming a magnetic core within the plasmon antenna, so the antenna effectively becomes an extension of the magnetic pole and produces a magnetic field whose maximum gradient overlaps the region being heated by the edge plasmons generated in the conducting layer of the antenna surrounding the antenna's magnetic core. |
| US08503269B2 |
Time dependent-temperature independent color changing label
A timing device for indicating a passage of a duration of time is disclosed. The timing device in accordance with the embodiments of the invention has a grid array architecture. The grid array architecture includes an electrode structure with an anode layer, a cathode layer and a thermistor layer. The anode layer and the thermistor layer are electrically coupled through a plurality of cathode trace structures. In operation the timing device is actuated through a suitable mechanism to initiate depletion of the anode layer and, thereby, indicate a passage of a duration time. As the anode layer depletes, sequential cathode trace structures are exposed and the thermistor layer acts as a temperature dependent resistor through a plurality of exposed cathode trace structures. |
| US08503267B2 |
Calendar display device and calendar watch
A calendar display device for a mechanical watch piece, including a first disk, the disk of days, carrying multiple series of inscriptions symbolizing the seven days of the week, a second disk, the disk of dates, carrying inscriptions symbolizing the date of the month, a third disk, the disk of months, carrying 12 inscriptions symbolizing the months of the year. One of the disk of days and the disk of dates acts as a dial by being fixed, whereas the other acts as a rotary disk by being arranged concentrically and rotatably in relation to the dial. The dial includes an aperture making it possible to see the inscription of the current month. A hand indicates simultaneously the date and the day of the week; and a direct kinematic link between the disk of months and the rotary disk provides automatic indexing. |
| US08503263B2 |
Memory module and power supply system
A memory module includes a ground terminal, a power terminal, a voltage regulator down, and a storing unit. The power terminal and the ground terminal are connected to a power source that supplies a first direct voltage. The voltage regulator down is connected to the power terminal and configured for converting the first direct current voltage to a second direct current voltage. The storing unit is connected the voltage regulator down for storing data and reading or writing data when the storing unit receives the second direct current voltage. |
| US08503257B2 |
Read disturb scorecard
Systems and methods are disclosed for handling read disturbs based on one or more characteristics of read operations performed on a non-volatile memory (“NVM”). In some embodiments, a control circuitry of a system can generate a variable damage value determined based on one or more characteristics of a read operation. Using the damage value, the control circuitry can update a score associated with the block. If the control circuitry determines that the score exceeds a pre-determined threshold, at least a portion of the block can be relocated to a different memory location in the NVM. In some embodiments, portions of the block may be relocated over a period of time. |
| US08503256B2 |
Column command buffer and latency circuit including the same
A column command buffer includes a variable delay section configured to determine a delay time based on a frequency of a clock, and output a column command after delaying it by the delay time; and a buffering section configured to receive an output of the variable delay section and generate internal column commands. |
| US08503255B2 |
Semiconductor storage device including plural clock oscillator circuits operating at different frequencies
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell array and a control circuit. The memory cell array has memory cells arranged therein at respective intersections between a plurality of first wirings and a plurality of second wirings. Each of the memory cells has a variable resistance element. The control circuit is configured to apply a voltage to a selected one of the first wirings and to a selected one of the second wirings. The control circuit includes a plurality of charge pump circuits and a plurality of clock oscillator circuits. The charge pump circuits generate a voltage applied to the first and second wirings. Each of the clock oscillator circuits is configured to supply a clock signal to a certain number of the charge pump circuits to control the timing of operation thereof. The clock oscillator circuits are configured to output clock signals at different frequencies. |
| US08503254B2 |
Semiconductor memory device, semiconductor system including the semiconductor memory device, and method for operating the semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes a first data input/output unit configured to receive a normal training data, whose data window is scanned based on an edge of a source clock, in response to a training input command, and output a data in a state where an edge of the data window is synchronized with the edge of the source clock in response to a training output command, and a second data input/output unit configured to receive a recovery information training data, whose data window is scanned based on the edge of the source clock, in response to the training input command, and output a data in a state where an edge of a data window is synchronized with the edge of the source clock in response to the training output command. |
| US08503250B2 |
High speed DRAM architecture with uniform access latency
A Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) performs read, write, and refresh operations. The DRAM includes a plurality of sub-arrays, each having a plurality of memory cells, each of which is coupled with a complementary bit line pair and a word line. The DRAM further includes a word line enable device for asserting a selected one of the word lines and a column select device for asserting a selected one of the bit line pairs. A timing circuit is provided for controlling the word line enable device, the column select device, and the read, write, and refresh operations in response to a word line timing pulse. The read, write, and refresh operation are performed in the same amount of time. |
| US08503244B2 |
Fabricating and operating a memory array having a multi-level cell region and a single-level cell region
Techniques are disclosed herein for applying different process steps to single-level cell (SLC) blocks in a memory array than to multi-level cell (MLC) blocks such that the SLC blocks will have high endurance and the MLC blocks will have high reliability. In some aspects, different doping is used in the MLC blocks than the SLC blocks. In some aspects, different isolation is used in the MLC blocks than the SLC blocks. Techniques are disclosed that apply different read parameters depending on how many times a block has been programmed/erased. Therefore, blocks that have been cycled many times are read using different parameters than blocks that have been cycled fewer times. |
| US08503243B2 |
Flash memory device and reading method thereof
A flash memory device and reading method of the flash memory device. The reading method includes determining a read voltage set of memory cells corresponding to a first word line from at least one of flag cell data of the first word line and flag cell data of a second word line adjacent to the first word line, and reading the memory cells corresponding to the first word line according to the determined read voltage set. |
| US08503241B2 |
Electronic apparatus and data reading method
In one embodiment, there is provided an electronic apparatus. The apparatus includes: a storage device including a plurality of blocks that are units of data erasure. Each of the blocks includes a plurality of pages that are units of data reading or writing. Each of the pages includes: a data area storing a data; and a redundant area storing order information indicating an order of the data stored in the data area. The apparatus further includes: a reading module configured to read the data stored in the data area of each of the pages, in order from a last page to a head page, wherein, in reading each of the pages, the reading module is configured to read the order information stored in the redundant area prior to reading the data stored in the data area; a determining module configured to determine whether currently-read order information coincides with already-read order information; and a reading controller configured to control the reading module such that a data is not read from a data area of a page storing the currently-read order information, when the determining module determines that the currently-read order information coincides with the already-read order information. |
| US08503239B2 |
Device for controlling lock state of block in a semiconductor memory and method for controlling the same
A block control device for a semiconductor memory and a method for controlling the same are disclosed, which relate to a technology for controlling a block operation state of a Low Power Double-Data-Rate 2 (LPDDR2) non-volatile memory device. A block control device for use in a semiconductor memory includes a block address comparator configured to compare a first block address with a last block address, and output a same pulse or unequal pulse according to the comparison result, a block address driver configured to output a lock state control signal for driving a block address in response to the same pulse, a block address counter configured to count block addresses from the first block address to the last block address in response to the unequal pulse, and generate a block data activation pulse, and a block address register configured to store a lock state of a corresponding block in response to the lock state control signal and the block data activation pulse. |
| US08503238B1 |
Error recovery for flash memory
A system for error recovery for flash memory comprises a receiver and an interface. The receiver is configured to receive a portion of data. The receiver is further configured to identify a logical type of the portion of data. The receiver is further configured to adjust a threshold for error recovery of the portion of data based at least in part on the logical type. The receiver is further configured to read the portion of data using the adjusted threshold. The interface is coupled to the receiver. |
| US08503230B2 |
Access method of non-volatile memory device
Disclosed is an access method of a non-volatile memory device which comprises detecting a threshold voltage variation of a first memory cell, the a threshold voltage variation of the first memory cell being capable of physically affecting a second memory cell; and assigning the second memory cell to a selected sub-distribution from among a plurality of sub-distributions according to a distance of the threshold voltage variation of the first memory cell, the plurality of sub-distributions corresponding to a target distribution of the second memory cell. |
| US08503228B2 |
Data cells with drivers and methods of making and operating the same
Disclosed are methods and devices, among which is a device that includes a first semiconductor fin having a first gate, a second semiconductor fin adjacent the first semiconductor fin and having a second gate, and a third gate extending between the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin. In some embodiments, the third gate may not be electrically connected to the first gate or the second gate. |
| US08503223B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
In a memory, the MTJ elements respectively have a first end electrically connected to any one of a source and a drain of one of the cell transistors. First bit lines each of which is electrically connected to the other one of the source and the drain of one of the cell transistors. Second bit lines each of which is electrically connected to a second end of one of the MTJ elements. Word lines each of which is electrically connected to a gate of one of the cell transistors or functions as a gate of one of the cell transistors. A plurality of the second bit lines correspond to one of the first bit lines. A plurality of the MTJ elements share the same word line and the same active area. The active area is continuously formed in an extending direction of the first and second bit lines. |
| US08503222B2 |
Non-volatile logic circuit
A non-volatile logic circuit includes an input section, a control section and an output section. The input section has perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and has a ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization state is changeable. The control section includes a ferromagnetic layer. The output section is provided in a neighborhood of the input section and the control section and includes a magnetic tunnel junction element whose magnetization state is changeable. The magnetization state of the input section is changed based on the magnetization state. A magnetization state of the magnetic tunnel junction element of the output section which state is changed based on the magnetization state of the ferromagnetic material of the control section and the magnetization state of the ferromagnetic material of the input section. |
| US08503221B1 |
SRAM cell with common bit line and source line standby voltage
A high threshold five transistor SRAM bit cell with cross-coupled inverters has a single BIT line, a common logic 1 supply voltage, and two logic 0 virtual ground source voltages. The BIT line is coupled to the bit cell by a pass transistor. When BIT line and virtual ground lines are not otherwise being used, they are connected to a common standby voltage that substantially lowers bit cell standby leakage. Writing is performed by driving a data signal through the pass transistor and is facilitated by creating a voltage differential on the virtual ground lines. Reading is also performed through the pass transistor wherein the BIT line is initially at the standby voltage, and is then driven lower or higher depending upon the data value stored in the bit cell. |
| US08503220B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of sensing data of the semiconductor device
In one example embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a memory cell array having at least one memory cell disposed in a region at which at least one bit line and at least one word line cross. A sensing unit senses data stored in the at least one memory cell. The sensing unit includes a connection control unit configured to control a connection between the at least one bit line and a sensing line based on a control signal, the control signal having a voltage level that varies based on a value of data being sensed by the sensing unit. |
| US08503218B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device using resistance material and memory system including the nonvolatile memory device
A nonvolatile memory device includes: a memory array including a plurality of memory banks which are arranged in a first direction; a write global bit line and a read global bit line extending in the first direction to be shared by the memory banks; a write circuit connected to the write global bit line and disposed on a first side of the memory array; and a read circuit connected to the read global bit line and disposed on a second side of the memory array opposite the first side of the memory array, wherein each of the memory banks extends in a second direction different from the first direction and comprises a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, each of the nonvolatile memory cells having a variable resistive element whose resistance value varies according to data stored therein. |
| US08503217B2 |
Reconfigurable crossbar memory array
A two-dimensional array of switching devices comprises a plurality of crossbar tiles. Each crossbar tile has a plurality of row wire segments intersecting a plurality of column wire segments, and a plurality of switching devices each formed at an intersection of a row wire segment and a column wire segment. The array has a plurality of lateral latches disposed in a plane of the switching devices. Each lateral latch is linked to a first wire segment of a first crossbar tile and a second wire segment of a second crossbar tile opposing the first wire segment. The lateral latch is operable to close or open to form or break an electric connection between the first and second wire segments. |
| US08503205B2 |
AC/DC converter with a PFC and a DC/DC converter
Disclosed is a power converter including a power factor corrector and a DC/DC converter and a power conversion method. |
| US08503203B1 |
Pre-charge of switched capacitor circuits with cascoded drivers
An apparatus for voltage conversion includes a switched capacitor circuit, a pre-charge circuit, a voltage divider stage, and a driver stage. The switched capacitor circuit has pump capacitors to transfer energy and a steady-state operating mode and a pre-charge mode. The pre-charge circuit initially charges the pump capacitors when the switched capacitor circuit operates in the pre-charge mode. It includes a voltage divider stage having one or more nodes, each of which provides voltage at one of a corresponding one or more voltage levels, and a driver stage having one or more cascoded drivers, each of which comprises a first terminal for receiving a drive signal that depends at least in part on a voltage level at a corresponding one of the nodes, and a second terminal for coupling to a pump capacitor and to another of the drivers. |
| US08503201B2 |
Transient clamping circuitry for voltage converter
Systems and methods of operating a voltage converter are provided. The converter includes an output inductor and an output capacitor coupled to a rectifier circuit. The converter also includes a clamp circuit having a clamping diode and a clamping capacitor coupled in series, with the serial combination in parallel with the output inductor. The clamp circuit can also include a recovery inductor coupled to the output capacitor, and a switch configured to selectively couple and decouple the recovery inductor in parallel with the clamping capacitor. |
| US08503200B2 |
Quadrature-corrected feedforward control apparatus and method for DC-AC power conversion
An apparatus and method for controlling the delivery of a pre-determined amount of power from a DC source to an AC grid includes an inverter and an inverter controller. The inverter includes an input converter, an energy storage capacitor, and an output converter. The inverter controller includes an input converter controller and an output converter controller. The input converter controller includes feedforward controller configured to perform a calculation to determine a value for the duty cycle for the input converter such that: (1) the input converter delivers the pre-determined amount of power and (2) the magnitude of a ripple signal reflected into the input source is attenuated toward zero. The input converter controller may also include a quadrature corrector configured to determine the effectiveness of the calculation in attenuating the ripple and to adaptively alter the calculation to improve the effectiveness. |
| US08503195B1 |
System and method for zero volt switching of half bridge converters during startup and short circuit conditions
An open loop half-bridge power converter is provided for effective zero volt switching during all operating conditions, the converter including: an oscillating inverter circuit having a pair of switches coupled to a load circuit; an inverter drive circuit effective to provide driver signals to the inverter circuit; and a control circuit for providing control signals to the drive circuit. The control circuit is configured to increase a switching frequency of the switching devices in response to a predetermined condition such as startup or short circuit conditions. The inverter as a result continues to operate at a full duty cycle in response to the increased switching frequency, and zero volt switching is ensured throughout the duration of the predetermined condition. |
| US08503194B2 |
Bidirectional signal conversion
An embodiment of a multidirectional signal converter includes first and second converter nodes, a transformer, and first and second stages. The transformer includes first and second windings, and the first stage is coupled between the first converter node and the first winding of the transformer. The second stage includes a first node coupled to the second converter node, a second node coupled to a node of the second winding of the transformer, and a filter node, is operable as a boost converter while current is flowing out from the second converter node, and is operable as a buck converter while current is flowing out from the first converter node. For example, in an embodiment, such a multidirectional signal converter may be a bidirectional voltage converter that handles power transfer between two loads. Such a voltage converter may have improved conversion efficiency and a smaller size and lower component count as compared to a conventional multidirectional voltage converter. Furthermore, such a voltage converter may be operable with a common switching scheme regardless of the direction of power transfer, and without the need for an indicator of the instantaneous direction of power flow. |
| US08503189B2 |
Pb-free solder-connected structure and electronic device
Provided are a bonded structure by a lead-free solder and an electronic article comprising the bonded structure. The bonded structure has a stable bonding interface with respect to a change in process of time, an enough strength and resistance to occurrence of whiskers while keeping good wettability of the solder. In the bonded structure, a lead-free Sn—Ag—Bi alloy solder is applied to an electrode through an Sn—Bi alloy layer. The Sn—Bi alloy, preferably, comprises 1 to 20 wt % Bi in order to obtain good wettability of the solder. In order to obtain desirable bonding characteristics having higher reliability in the invention, a copper layer is provided under the Sn—Bi alloy layer thereby obtaining an enough bonding strength. |
| US08503186B2 |
System-in packages
System-in packages, or multichip modules, are described which can include multi-layer chips and multi-layer dummy substrates over a carrier, multiple through vias blindly or completely through the multi-layer chips and completely through the multi-layer dummy substrates, multiple metal plugs in the through vias, and multiple metal interconnects, connected to the metal plugs, between the multi-layer chips. The multi-layer chips can be connected to each other or to an external circuit or structure, such as mother board, ball grid array (BGA) substrate, printed circuit board, metal substrate, glass substrate, or ceramic substrate, through the metal plugs and the metal interconnects. |
| US08503184B2 |
Modular computer chassis system and method
Provided in some embodiment is a module locking device including a first member coupled to a computer chassis during use, a second member coupled to the first member via a hinge. The hinge enables the second member to move between a first position that inhibits removal of one or more modules from the computer chassis during use and a second position that facilitates removal of one or more modules from the computer chassis during use. The module locking device also includes a locking mechanism that selectively locks the second member in the first position to inhibit removal of one or more modules from the computer chassis during use. |
| US08503179B2 |
Cooling system
A cooling system including several air jet elements, a heat exchange assembly and a frame is provided. The cooling system is applied to a rack server configured to receive a plurality of electronic assemblies. The air jet elements receive a high-pressure air and convert the high-pressure air into a low-temperature air. The heat exchange assembly is disposed in the frame and is connected to the air jet elements so as to perform a heat exchange between the low-temperature air and a high-temperature air generated by the rack server so as to lower the temperature of the high-temperature air. The frame is applied to accommodate the heat exchange assembly. |
| US08503176B2 |
Fan system with switching module connecting PWM device and fan
A switching module is for connecting a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) device to a plurality of fans under test. The switching module includes a print circuit board (PCB), and a plurality of groups of signal connectors arranged on the PCB. Each group of signal connectors includes a first port, a second port, and a third port interconnected with each other. The first port is for connecting to a testing port of an external PWM device. The second port is for connecting one corresponding fan of the plurality of fans. The third port is for connecting an interface of a server motherboard. |
| US08503172B2 |
Supplementary cooling system
A supplementary cooling system is provided for cooling a computing system. An apparatus may comprise a computing system and a docking system. The computing system has a cooling area and a fan area which is partionable from the cooling area. The docking system has a fan and an airflow outlet which is operably connected to the fan. |
| US08503169B2 |
Appliance control panel
An appliance control panel is described. The control panel includes a front metal panel, a rearwardly positioned polymeric decorated film and an adhesive layer disposed between the panel and the decorated film. The film overlies an electronic control module which typically includes various displays and press-type switches. Various markings and indicia on the decorated film are visible through openings in the panel and the adhesive layer. The appliance control panel includes one or more capacitance touch switches. |
| US08503166B2 |
Solid electrolytic capacitor
A solid electrolytic capacitor includes a capacitor element, an anode terminal, and a cathode terminal. The capacitor element includes an anode body, and an anode member buried in the anode body. The anode member includes first and second anode components. At least a lower end portion of the first anode component is exposed at a lower surface of the anode body. The second anode component communicates with the first anode component and extends inside the anode body. The second anode component has a width greater than the width of the first anode component at least in a direction along the lower surface of the anode body. The anode terminal is electrically connected to the lower end portion of the first anode component. The cathode terminal is electrically connected to a cathode layer of the capacitor element at a position below the lower surface of the anode body. |
| US08503165B2 |
Solid electrolytic capacitors with improved reliability
A capacitor with an anode, a dielectric on the anode and a cathode on the dielectric. A blocking layer is on the cathode. A metal filled layer is on said blocking layer and a plated layer is on the metal filled layer. |
| US08503161B1 |
Supercapacitor cells and micro-supercapacitors
This invention provides a micro-supercapacitor with high energy density and high power density. In some variations, carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, coated with a metal oxide, such as ruthenium oxide, are grown in a supercapacitor cavity that contains no separator. A lid is bonded to the cavity using a bonding process to form a hermetic seal. These micro-supercapacitors may be fabricated from silicon-on-insulator wafers according to the disclosed methods. An exemplary micro-supercapacitor is cubic with a length of about 50-100 μm. The absence of a separator translates to higher energy storage volume and less wasted space within the supercapacitor cell. The energy density of the micro-supercapacitor may exceed 150 J/cm3 and the peak output power density may be in the range of about 2-20 W/cm3, in various embodiments. |
| US08503158B2 |
Key button mechanism and portable electronic device using same
A key button mechanism and a portable electronic device using same are provided. The key button mechanism includes a base body, a protective piece and a key button. The protective piece is assembled to the base body and includes two actuating portions. The key button is partially attached to the base body and aligns with the protective piece. The key button includes a key body and two resisting blocks formed on the key body. The two resisting blocks are configured to align with and abut against the corresponding two actuating portions of the protective piece. |
| US08503153B2 |
Lightning protection sheet with patterned discriminator
A lightning protection system is provided, typically for use on an outer surface of an aircraft, which includes the use of a lightning protection sheet that includes an electrically conductive film and at least one patterned, electrically non-conductive discriminator layer. |
| US08503151B2 |
Plasma arrestor insert
A dielectric arrestor insert for use in a chamber wafer processing system having a gas input line, an arrestor housing and a wafer processing space. The input line is able to provide gas to the arrestor housing. The arrestor housing is able to house the dielectric arrestor insert. The dielectric arrestor insert comprises a gas entry portion, a non-linear channel and a gas exit portion. The gas entry portion is arranged to receive the gas from the input line. The non-linear channel is arranged to deliver the gas from the gas entry portion to the gas exit portion. The gas exit portion is arranged to deliver the gas from the non-linear channel to the wafer processing space. |
| US08503148B2 |
Circuit breaker with fault indication and secondary power supply
An electronic circuit breaker includes controllable contacts adapted to connect a power source to at least one load, and a microcontroller for monitoring the flow of power to the load, detecting different types of fault conditions and automatically opening the contacts in response to a fault. A primary power supply of the breaker receives power from the line source when the contacts are closed, and supplies power to the control circuitry. Fault indicators in the microcontroller indicate the type of fault that caused the contacts to open. A secondary power supply provides power to the control circuitry when the contacts are open and a switch is closed. |
| US08503147B2 |
ESD protection device
An ESD protection device includes a ceramic multilayer substrate including a plurality of laminated insulating layers, an external electrode, at least one of an in-plane connecting conductor and an interlayer connecting conductor, and a mixture portion. The mixture portion is provided along a principal surface of one of the insulating layers and includes a dispersed material including at least one of metal and semiconductor; metal and ceramic; metal, semiconductor, and ceramic; semiconductor and ceramic; semiconductor; metal coated with an inorganic material; metal coated with an inorganic material and semiconductor; metal coated with an inorganic material and ceramic; and metal coated with an inorganic material, semiconductor, and ceramic. The mixture portion is connected to the external electrode and at least one of the in-plane connecting conductor and the interlayer connecting conductor. |
| US08503143B2 |
Battery state monitoring circuit and battery device
Provided is a battery state monitoring circuit which detects that a voltage of a secondary battery has decreased abruptly because of an overcurrent, thereby being capable of protecting a battery device from an abrupt decrease in voltage of the secondary battery caused by the overcurrent. The battery state monitoring circuit includes a voltage comparator circuit and a power supply voltage detection circuit for detecting an abrupt decrease in power supply voltage, in which the voltage comparator circuit detects a normal overcurrent while the power supply voltage detection circuit detects the abrupt decrease in power supply voltage caused by load short-circuit. |
| US08503138B2 |
Hybrid circuit breaker
A hybrid circuit breaker, including a first circuit that includes: a main current path which includes a mechanical switch element, a commutation path arranged in parallel with the main current path and including a controllable semi-conductor switch element. The breaker also includes a first capacitor provided in the commutation path in series with the controllable semi-conductor switch element, and a second circuit, arranged in series with the first circuit and including a second capacitor and an inductance-generating element arranged in series with each other. |
| US08503137B2 |
Arc fault protection circuit and method
An arc fault protection circuit and method, provides arc fault protection in a multiphase power system by actuating a plurality of disconnect switches to disconnect the source from the load in response to detecting arcing proximate the load. As well, in response to detecting the arc, a plurality of impedances are introduced into the current path between said source and said load, with each of the impedances increasing the impedance between the source and the load along one phase, prior to the plurality of disconnect switches disconnecting the source from the load. |
| US08503134B2 |
Wiring substrate with a torsion restrictor for a terminal
A wiring substrate comprises a conductor pattern embedded in an insulating layer, the insulating layer having an opening to expose top and bottom faces of the conductor pattern and define a terminal of the wiring substrate, a torsion restrictor formed in the conductor pattern at a location passing over an edge of the opening, the torsion restrictor restricting torsion of the terminal, and an easily extensible part formed on at least one of the torsion restrictor and a portion of the terminal adjoining the torsion restrictor, the easily extensible part allowing the conductor pattern to longitudinally extend toward the opening. |
| US08503133B2 |
Flexure to be secured to a load beam of a disk drive suspension
A flexure with conductors is provided with a flexure tail portion. The flexure tail portion includes a metal base, an electrically insulating layer, and a conductive member. The metal base is formed with a plurality of apertures. A damper is attached to the flexure tail portion. The damper includes a viscoelastic member and a metallic constrained plate. The viscoelastic member has first and second surfaces. The first surface of the viscoelastic member is secured to the flexure tail portion. The constrained plate is secured to the second surface of the viscoelastic member. The constrained plate extends longitudinally relative to the metal base along the conductive member. The conductive member and the constrained plate face each other with the viscoelastic member therebetween. |
| US08503121B2 |
Lens driving device capable of suppressing a reduction of magnetic efficiency of a magnetic circuit
A lens driving device includes a ring-shaped driving coil fixed to a lens holder so as to position around a tubular portion thereof and a rectangular hollow cylindrical yoke including a plurality of flat-shaped permanent magnets opposite to the driving coil. Each flat-shaped permanent magnet has both ends in a horizontal direction which extend in the proximity of opposed two sides of the yoke. The driving coil is disposed so as to extend up to the vicinity of the both ends in the horizontal direction of each flat-shaped permanent magnet. |
| US08503115B2 |
Lens drive control device and image pickup device
A lens drive control device for a lens barrel, which controls at least a part of a plurality of lens groups respectively including at least one lens, wherein a state of the lens barrel transits from a retracted state to a photographing extended state, the lens drive control device comprising: a detection device which detects that the at least one lens group reaches a reference position, and a determination device which determines an abnormal actuation based upon a detection by the detection device, upon actuation when the at least one lens group is moved from the retracted position to the position on the optical axis, wherein the determination device determines that the actuation is abnormal when the detection device detects that the at least one lens group reaches the reference position for a plurality of times. |
| US08503113B2 |
Wide-angle relay lens and imaging system having same
A relay lens is used for an imaging system having a main lens. The main lens has a pupil plane. The relay lens, in the order from the subject side to the image side thereof, includes a first lens of negative refractive power, and a second lens of positive refractive power. The first lens has a first principal plane and a second principal plane. The second lens has a third principal plane and a fourth principal plane. The relay lens system satisfies the following formulas: 0.53<|ƒ1/ƒ2|<0.57; 1.54<ν1/ν2<3.11; 0.22 |
| US08503110B2 |
Lens system, wide-angle lens, optical apparatus equipped with lens system, and method for manufacturing lens system
With comprising, in order from an object side: a first lens L1 constructed by a negative meniscus lens having a convex surface facing the object side; a cemented lens component CL1 having positive refractive power as a whole constructed by a second lens L2 having positive refractive power and a third lens L3 having negative refractive power; a fourth lens L4 having negative refractive power; a fifth lens L5 having positive refractive power; and a sixth lens L6 having positive refractive power, and the following expression being satisfied: 0.01 |
| US08503109B2 |
Optical system and imaging device
An optical system includes: a main mirror (11) having a shape of a portion of a convex paraboloid which includes an opening in a center and is rotationally symmetric; a second-reflection mirror (12) which further reflects light reflected by the main mirror (11), and has a shape of a portion of a concave paraboloid which is rotationally symmetric; at least one lens which forms an image of the light reflected by the second-reflection mirror (12); and a lens barrel (14) holding the at least one lens, and a position of a front principal point of the at least one lens coincides with a focal position of the second-reflection mirror (12), and an optical axis of the at least one lens is tilted with respect to a rotational axis of each of the convex paraboloid and the concave paraboloid. |
| US08503108B2 |
Photographing optical lens assembly
A photographing optical 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 negative refractive power, a third lens element with positive refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, and a fourth lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface. |
| US08503107B2 |
Optical lens system for taking image
An optical lens system for taking image comprises, in order from the object side to the image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface; a second lens element with negative refractive power having a concave image-side surface and an object-side surface cemented to an image-side surface of the first lens element; a third lens element with negative refractive power; a fourth lens element with positive refractive power having a concave image-side surface and at least one inflection point; and an aperture stop located between an object to be photographed and the third lens element. In the optical lens system for taking image, the number of the lens elements with refractive power being limited to four. A focal length of the optical lens system for taking image is f, a focal length of the first lens element is f1, they satisfy the relation: 0.8 |
| US08503105B2 |
Zooming adjustment mechanism and projection lens module
A zooming adjustment mechanism including a holder, a zoom ring, at least two rollers, a first resilient sheet, and a second resilient sheet is provided. The zoom ring is confined to the holder and coupled to a zoom bar. The rollers are respectively confined to a groove of the holder and in contact with a bottom surface of the zoom ring. The first resilient sheet is disposed on a first side of the holder, and each end of the first resilient sheet leans against a roller. The second resilient sheet is disposed on a second side of the holder, and each end of the second resilient sheet leans against a roller. A projection lens module including the zooming adjustment mechanism is also provided. |
| US08503103B2 |
Lens barrel
A lens barrel is provided that includes a zoom optical system, a zooming unit, and a light adjusting mechanism. The zoom optical system is configured to form an optical image of a subject and includes a first, a second, and a third lens group. The third lens group is movable and configured to move the optical image. The zooming unit causes the zoom optical system to perform a zooming operation. The light adjusting mechanism is configured to adjust the light passing through the zoom optical system. The lens barrel is configured to change between an imaging state and a retracted state. In the imaging state, the zooming operation is performed, and the first, the second, and the third lens groups are in alignment. During the zooming operation, the second lens group moves integrally with the third lens group along the optical axis, and the light adjusting mechanism and the second lens group move independently of one another along the same axial direction. In the retracted state, the second lens group is disposed off center from the first lens group. |
| US08503101B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus equipped with zoom lens
A zoom lens includes a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power in order from an object side to an image side. The second and fourth lens units move during zooming, and the first and third lens units do not move for zooming. A focal length fw of the entire zoom lens at a wide-angle end, a focal length ft of the entire zoom lens at a telephoto end, a focal length f1 of the first lens unit, a focal length f2 of the second lens unit, and a focal length f4 of the fourth lens unit are appropriately set. |
| US08503096B2 |
Inner focus lens, interchangeable lens apparatus and camera system
An inner focus lens, in order from an object side to an image side, comprising: a first lens unit having positive optical power; a second lens unit having negative optical power; and a third lens unit having positive optical power, wherein the second lens unit is moved along an optical axis so that focusing from an infinite-distance object side to a short-distance object side is achieved, the first lens unit includes a bi-convex air lens, and the following conditions: 0.65<|f2/f|<5.00 and 0.5 |
| US08503084B2 |
Optical arrangement and method for controlling and influencing a light ray
An optical arrangement and a related method for operating this optical arrangement are suggested, particularly in microscopes, for use as at least one of a main beam splitter and a beam combiner. One or more light beams can be coupled into the arrangement and at least one of the light beams that were coupled in can be coupled out again after having passed through the optical arrangement. In the path of the coupled in light beams at least one controllable microstructured element is provided, allowing to switch beam paths within the optical arrangement. This allows controlling or influencing the one or more light beams that are coupled out. |
| US08503080B2 |
Diffractive optical element and use of an optical adhesive for producing the same
A diffractive optical element is provided, which includes a first layer having a material of a refractive index n1(λ), a second layer, adjacent to the first layer, having a material of a refractive index n2(λ) and a diffraction structure formed at the interface between the first layer and the second layer. The material of at least one of the two layers is obtained by curing an optical adhesive. |
| US08503079B2 |
Parallax barrier 3D image display method
A parallax barrier 3D image display method is provided. Particularly, a vertical strip parallax barrier design method is provided to avoid transverse ghost images generated by a conventional parallax barrier and directed to arrangement of sub-pixels on a screen of a flat panel display, which displays multi-view 3D images with minimal ghost images, thereby achieving the purpose of optimum 3D image display. |
| US08503077B2 |
Tube unit for microscopes
A tube unit for microscopes which has a tube lens, including two components with an intermediate, large air separation, and an overall positive refractive power. The air separation is at least half the size of the focal length f of the tube lens. A roof edge mirror or another suitable deflection element is arranged between the two components of the tube lens. The roof edge mirror includes two mirrors, which can be tilted with respect to one another, and which is able to be tilted around its roof edge. The tilting movement or the tilting angle of the tiltable mirror or deflection element corresponds to half the tilt or half the tilting angle of the tube or eyepiece viewing system. |
| US08503076B2 |
Apparatus for the detection of light in a scanning microscope
A light detector for use in a line scanning microscope and a microscope comprising such a light detector are described. The light detector comprises a line array of avalanche semiconductor detectors; and an electronic trigger circuit that is adapted to operate the avalanche semiconductor detectors in at least one of a Geiger mode with internal charge amplification and in a linear mode. The trigger circuit further comprises a parallel counter that is designed to read out in parallel light pulses detected by the avalanche semiconductor detectors. The parallel counter is adapted to accumulate the light pulses detected by the avalanche semiconductor detectors over a preset counting time. |
| US08503074B2 |
Imaging system with an optical mirror arrangement and self righting housing
A multi-wavelength band imaging system including a beam splitter is provided, allowing image capturing means adapted to specific wavelength bands to be used such as from visible to near infrared, intermediate infrared and far infrared. The system may have a field of view of substantially (360) degrees about an optical axis of the system and may fit into a golf ball sized housing. The imaging system includes a first convex mirror and a second concave mirror. Some embodiments for imaging single or close wavelength bands and not requiring a beam splitter are equally provided. Also provided is a self-righting housing for an imaging system, for example as described above, which self-rights under the action of gravity, thereby disposing the imaging system in an appropriate orientation. |
| US08503069B2 |
All-fiber chirped pulse amplification systems
By compensating polarization mode-dispersion as well chromatic dispersion in photonic crystal fiber pulse compressors, high pulse energies can be obtained from all-fiber chirped pulse amplification systems. By inducing third-order dispersion in fiber amplifiers via self-phase modulation, the third-order chromatic dispersion from bulk grating pulse compressors can be compensated and the pulse quality of hybrid fiber/bulk chirped pulse amplification systems can be improved. Finally, by amplifying positively chirped pulses in negative dispersion fiber amplifiers, low noise wavelength tunable seed source via anti-Stokes frequency shifting can be obtained. |
| US08503067B2 |
Display sheet, display device, and electronic apparatus
A display device includes a substrate that is provided on a display face side, an opposed substrate that is provided opposing the substrate, a display layer that is provided between the substrate and the opposed substrate and is filled with a dispersion liquid in which white particles and black particles are dispersed in a dispersion medium, and a particle constrained layer that is provided in the display layer to allow the particles to move in a thickness direction of the display layer and to prevent the particles from moving in an in-plane direction of the display layer. A void ratio of the particle constrained layer of the substrate side is higher than that of the opposed substrate side. |
| US08503063B2 |
Multicolor display architecture using enhanced dark state
The present invention is directed to a multicolor display comprising a plurality of microcups, wherein (a) the microcups are separated by partition walls; (b) each of the microcups is filled with a display fluid comprising white charged pigment particles dispersed in a solvent of a dark color, (c) the microcups are sandwiched between a first layer and a second layer wherein the first layer comprises a common electrode and the second layer comprises a plurality of pixel electrode, and (d) each of the microcups is capable of displaying the white color state, a dark color state and a medium color state. |
| US08503062B2 |
Rearview mirror element assembly for vehicle
A rearview mirror element assembly includes an electrochromic reflective element having a primary viewing region operable to exhibit electrically variable reflectivity, with a specularly reflective mirror reflector established at a third surface of a rear substrate at the primary viewing region. An auxiliary viewing region provides an auxiliary wide angle view of a blind spot to the side of a vehicle when the electrochromic reflective element is used in an exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a side of a vehicle. A specularly reflective demarcating layer is established at a second surface of a front substrate of the electrochromic reflective element and, at least in part, is visible through the front substrate to a viewer when viewing the first surface of the front substrate of the electrochromic reflective element. The demarcating layer at least partially traverses the reflective element adjacent the auxiliary viewing region. |
| US08503061B2 |
Electro-optic rearview mirror assembly for vehicle
A reflective element assembly for a vehicular mirror assembly includes a front substrate, a rear substrate, an electro-optic medium disposed between the front and rear substrates and a transmission-reducing thin film coating established at the fourth surface of the rear substrate. A window is established through the transmission-reducing thin film coating and is substantially devoid of the thin film coating at a location where a sensor is disposed behind the reflective element and having a field of view through the reflective element and through the window. A portion of the transmission-reducing thin film coating at and around the window locally varies in physical thickness, with a minimum physical thickness of the thin film coating being closest to the window and with the physical thickness of the thin film coating generally increasing to a generally maximum physical thickness of the thin film coating at a distance from the window. |
| US08503060B2 |
Vehicular blind spot mirror assembly
A vehicular mirror assembly (100) includes a first bezel (107) for housing an electrochromic (EC) glass element and a second bezel (109) for housing a spotter glass (111) element. A spotter glass heating element (113) is positioned behind the spotter glass element (111) for heating the spotter glass (111) above an ambient temperature. |
| US08503059B2 |
Electrochromic thin film transistors with lateral or vertical structure using functionalized or non-functionalized substrates and method of manufacturing same
The presently disclosed subject matter can include or consist of the creation and manufacture of electrochromic thin film transistors, either self-sustaining or not, with lateral or vertical structure, deposited on any kind of functionalized substrate, referred to as electrochromic substrate, or non-functionalized substrate. The electrolyte material and the presence or not of an ultra-thin membrane can act as dielectric element. The electrochromic material can act as active semiconductor of the channel region. The gate, source and drain electrodes can be based on metal materials, such as Titanium, Gold, Aluminum, or degenerate semiconductive oxides, like Indium and Zinc oxide, Gallium-doped Zinc oxide. The device operation control process can be made by means of electronic and ionic current, and the off-state to on-state switch, or vice-versa, can be followed by a change of color of the device. |
| US08503058B2 |
Etalon with temperature-compensation and fine-tuning adjustment
An etalon has an effective cavity length that can be tuned to compensate for temperature-dependent frequency shift and/or for random variations in the manufacturing process. The effective cavity length of an etalon is adjusted by changing the orientation of a tuning plate positioned in the etalon cavity. A screw adjustment and bending beam spring are used to change tuning plate orientation and precisely tune the etalon resonance frequency after the manufacturing process has been completed. Orientation of the tuning plate is adjusted during operation of the etalon using a passive thermal compensation mechanism, such as a bimetal support arm, which is fixed to the tuning plate and configured to reposition the tuning plate with changing temperature. |
| US08503057B2 |
Electrically-tunable optical devices
A device comprising: two mutually immiscible conductive liquids arranged to form an interface therebetween; a plurality of nanoparticles localised at the said interface, the said nanoparticles each having a first region formed of a semiconductor having a first bandgap, the first region being surrounded by a second region having a second bandgap, the second bandgap being larger than the first bandgap; and means for applying an electric field to the said nanoparticles and thus, through the Stark effect, altering the optical absorption or emission characteristics of the nanoparticles. |
| US08503047B2 |
Image reading device and image forming apparatus, and method of controlling image reading device
A controller controls a scanner unit of an image reading device to read a section of an original document that corresponds to an image reading area specified by a user, when a user instruction for setting the image reading area is received. The controller causes the scanner unit to move to an image reading start position in a sub-scanning direction as specified by a user instruction. When a user instruction for starting image reading is received, the controller causes the scanner unit to start reading the section of the original document from the image reading start position. |
| US08503041B2 |
Scanner capable of detecting the orientation of arranged document and image reading apparatus including the same
Disclosed are a scanner and an image reading apparatus including the same. The scanner can include a transparent plate, a scanning unit configured to scan a document on the transparent plate, a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor is positioned in a first document zone that is associated with an area in which a first document type is to be positioned based on a first alignment reference point provided on the transparent plate. The second sensor is positioned in a second document zone that is associated with an area in which a second document type of a different size is positioned based on a second alignment reference point provided on the transparent plate. The first document zone and the second document zone are non-overlapping zones. The document type and/or orientation can be determined based on the detection signals from the first and second sensors. |
| US08503040B2 |
Image reading device having correction unit for correcting read image data
An image reading device includes a light source, a reading unit to convert received light to image data, a correction unit to correct the image data based on correction data, a storing unit storing the correction data, an illumination target switch unit to switch an illumination target between a read position and a reference position, a reflector reflecting light, a judgment unit to judge whether the image data outputted by the reading unit at the read position satisfies a predetermined condition, a correction data determination unit to determine the correction data in response to a fact that the illumination target of the light source is switched to the reference position, and a correction data update unit to store the correction data in the correction data storing unit. The illumination target switch unit switches the illumination target to the reference position if the image data satisfies the predetermined condition. |
| US08503035B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming system
An image forming apparatus comprises an image data generating unit configured to convert a tone of an input value which indicates a density of a pixel by using a predetermined dither matrix and generate image data. The image forming apparatus further comprises a drive source and a gear configured to transmit a drive force from the drive source to an image carrier. The dither matrix includes a plurality of sub-matrixes arranged in a predetermined rule and a dot in each of the plurality of the sub-matrixes grows from a corresponding original point. The image forming apparatus satisfies a relation of (1) a≧0.08 mm and b/a<0.80, or (2) a<0.08 mm and b/a>1.27, where “a” is a travel distance of a printing medium per tooth of the gear in a secondary scanning direction orthogonal to the primary scanning direction, and “b” is a distance between the corresponding original points of a pair of the dots formed on the printing medium apart from each other in the secondary scanning direction on the basis of a pair of the sub-matrixes adjacent to each other in the primary scanning direction in the dither matrix. |
| US08503033B2 |
Method for manufacturing printing device
A dither mask is used in a halftone process that is performed by the printer that includes the preceding and following heads. The dither mask includes preceding and following head storage regions. The preceding head storage region is used for a printing portion of the preceding head. The following head storage region is used for a printing portion of the following head. The dither mask is generated by determining, using comprehensive evaluation values, storage elements in which thresholds are to be stored under the condition that dots are permitted to be formed by the preceding and following heads at the same position in the region corresponding the overlapping regions. |
| US08503032B2 |
Printing system, printing control method, and printing control program
A printing apparatus includes an extracting section configured to extract first and second images from an original document such that the first and second images partially overlap at an overlapping portion, and a control section configured to execute printing onto a first medium based on the first image using a layout in which at least a portion of the overlapping portion of the first image extends beyond a first edge of the first medium and a margin is formed between a second edge and an image edge of the first image, and to execute printing onto a second medium based on the second image using a layout in which at least a portion of the overlapping portion of the second image extends beyond a first edge of the second medium and a margin is formed between a second edge and an image edge of the second image. |
| US08503030B2 |
Preview of a document with printable components at a printing device based on its printing capability
An apparatus, method, system and medium are described that support functionality to receive document(s) to be printed at a printing device, and enable editing the document(s) prior to printing. Modifications to the document(s) may be generated based on the user edits, and a print preview of the modified documents may be displayed and may enable further edits. In some embodiments, the print preview may be provided to the user on a display that is part of the printing device. In some embodiments, the print preview may be provided to the user through a UI presented on a client device. Display of the modified document(s) may be a rasterized image of the modified document(s), generated based on capabilities of a selected printing device. In some embodiments, modifications may be made to an intermediate version of the document(s), and that intermediate version may be cached. |
| US08503023B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and computer-readable medium
An image processing apparatus includes a spot color area detection unit, an erasing determination unit and a drawing control unit. The spot color area detection unit detects a spot color area in image information. The erasing determination unit determines, based on designation regarding drawing of the spot color area, as to whether or not a non-spot color area overlapping the spot color area is to be erased. The drawing control unit outputs an instruction of erasing the spot color area and determines a drawing range of the non-spot color area based on a determination result of the erasing determination unit. |
| US08503022B2 |
Restarting interrupted printing from external memory
An image forming apparatus includes: a connector unit to which an external memory device is connected; a detecting unit configured to detect whether the external memory device is connected to the connector unit or not and output a detection result indicating that the connector unit is in a connected state or an unconnected state; a printing unit configured to execute a printing according to data from the external memory device connected to the connector unit; and a suspending unit configured to suspend operation of the printing unit according to a predetermined timing in response to a change in the detection result from the connected state to the unconnected state. |
| US08503020B2 |
Document management system, document management method, and storage medium
In a conventional technique, it was impossible to execute processings up to an arbitrary processing among a series of registered processings depending on the situation from time to time. Thus, the only option in such a case was to newly register a new workflow depending on the need changing and depending on time. To solve this, a series of registered processings are displayed as a menu so that a user can select up to which processing in the series of processings should be executed. A not selected remaining processing can be executed by the user by allowing the user to later select a document once subjected to operations. |
| US08503017B2 |
Image forming apparatus, control method for the same, and storage medium
When attribute information for a user has been acquired by authentication using an authentication apparatus, a restriction on a useable function is imposed according to the attribute information. When a fee has been collected by a fee collection apparatus, a restriction is imposed on preset functions. In either of these cases, use of the image forming apparatus by another user is prohibited until use by the first user in the useable state is finished. |
| US08503013B2 |
Image forming apparatus
There is provided an image forming apparatus which adopts a distributed control system and suppresses generation of radiation noise without increasing the cost. To accomplish this, the image forming apparatus includes a master control unit that controls the overall image forming apparatus, a plurality of sub-master control units that control a plurality of functions for performing image formation, and a plurality of salve control units that control loads for implementing a plurality of functions. The image forming apparatus performs distributed control. The image forming apparatus determines the operating frequencies of the salve control units in accordance with loads controlled by the salve control units. The image forming apparatus compares the operating frequencies of the slave control units. Based on the comparison result, the image forming apparatus changes the operating frequency of a slave control unit that is equal to the operating frequency of another slave control unit. |
| US08503010B2 |
Display control device, display control method, image-forming device, computer readable medium, and computer data signal
A display control device includes: a request receiving unit that receives a request to display a first image, in which a stack order of images in a visual direction of a user is specified; an obtaining unit that obtains a display priority of an image group to which the first image belongs; a display layer identifying unit that identifies a display layer from among plural display layers divided from a near side to a far side in the visual direction, a position of the display layer becoming nearer in the visual direction as the obtained display priority increases; and a display control unit that causes a display unit to display a screen in which the first image and a second image belonging to an image group identical to the image group to which the first image belongs are arranged in the identified display layer in the specified stack order. |
| US08503009B2 |
Enabling communication with a print controller through multiple communication links
An image forming system includes: a print controller which generates image data based on a print job; and an image forming apparatus which controls the print controller and performs a printing operation based on the image data, wherein the image forming apparatus includes: a first interface section which connects with a first line for receiving the image data from the print controller; a second interface which connects with a second line with which a client can connect, the second line for communicating with the print controller; and a control section which executes a first control which, through the first line, executes an initial setting which enables the print controller to be used through the second line, and a second control which executes of the print controller after the initial setting is executed through the second line. |
| US08503006B2 |
Job managing apparatus performing process of passing printed material to recipient
A supplier PC transmits a print job together with information on the recipient of the print job and print setting to a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus receives the print job, transmits a notification that print preparation is completed to the recipient PC to accomplish notification. The recipient PC displays pre-print notification, based on the notification contents. The user of the recipient PC views the notification contents, and comes to know that a document addressed to him/her has been transmitted and about to be printed. The recipient PC accepts a change in print setting and the like, and starts printing. Thus, the user of the supplier PC can pass a print to the recipient. |
| US08503005B2 |
Image forming apparatus that prints combined image including image data and embedded information in image file, image printing system, image combining and outputting method, and computer product
In an image forming apparatus, when embedded information, which is information embedded into received image file, is to be printed, the embedded information is extracted from the image file, form data for preparing a form that includes an information-embedding area where extracted embedded information is to be arranged and an image-data area where the image data in the received image file is to be arranged is prepared, a combined image is generated by combining the extracted embedded information in the information-embedding area and the image data in the image-data area, and the combined image is printed. |
| US08503004B2 |
Appending restriction information to a job before transmission
A system accurately performs function restriction on a user-by-user basis, even in the case of an image processing function that is realizable with use of a plurality of apparatuses. To accomplish this, the image processing system includes a user restriction information management apparatus that has function restriction information and an image processing apparatus that has related restriction information. The image processing apparatus performs a user-designated function based on restriction content of the function restriction information and the related restriction information. There are cases where a restriction function, which is a function that is restricted by the function restriction information, can be realized by combining a plurality of other functions that are different from the restriction function, and related restriction information refers to information for restricting the usage of such other functions. |
| US08502995B2 |
Printing method to load filter dynamically and recordable medium with program to execute the printing method and host apparatus
A printing method which dynamically loads a filter, a recordable medium with a program to execute the printing method, and a host apparatus. The printing method uses filter setting information having at least one filter corresponding to a print option of a print document, the printing method can include selecting a print option, changing the filter setting information corresponding to the print option, and applying the printing option according to the changed filter setting information and transmitting print data. |
| US08502992B2 |
Image forming system and method for selecting an image for a sample paper ejection
An image forming system, comprises: an image formation unit for forming an image on a paper; a first paper ejection unit for receiving the paper; a second paper ejection unit for receiving the paper as a sample paper in a state that the sample paper is visually checked when sample paper ejection is performed; a first control section for controlling a switching section to eject the sample paper by switching a paper sending destination from the first paper ejection unit to the second paper ejection unit at a time of the sample paper ejection; a second control section for controlling a display section to display thumbnail images; and wherein the first control section performs the sample paper ejection using the image for sample paper ejection selected by a selecting section for selecting the image for sample paper ejection from the thumbnail images displayed in the display section. |
| US08502989B1 |
Tomographic optical beam irradiance sensor
A tomographic optical beam irradiance sensor is disclosed. An optical medium receives an incident beam at a plurality of incident points in the optical medium. A first angular optical sensor assembly senses a first set of ray angles and intensities of a plurality of scatter rays emitted from the incident points. A second angular optical sensor assembly senses a second set of ray angles and intensities of the scatter rays emitted from the incident points. A tomography module determines a plurality of locations and intensities of the incident points in the optical medium based on the first set of ray angles and intensities and the second set of ray angles and intensities. |
| US08502979B2 |
Methods and systems for determining a critical dimension and overlay of a specimen
Methods and systems for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes are provided. A system may include a stage configured to support a specimen and coupled to a measurement device. The measurement device may include an illumination system and a detection system. The illumination system and the detection system may be configured such that the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of the specimen. For example, the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of a specimen including: but not limited to, critical dimension and overlay misregistration; defects and thin film characteristics; critical dimension and defects; critical dimension and thin film characteristics; critical dimension, thin film characteristics and defects; macro defects and micro defects; flatness, thin film characteristics and defects; overlay misregistration and flatness; an implant characteristic and defects; and adhesion and thickness. In this manner, a measurement device may perform multiple optical and/or non-optical metrology and/or inspection techniques. |
| US08502975B2 |
Standoff determination of the size and concentration of low concentration aerosols
A Multiple-Field-Of-View (MFOV) lidar is used to characterize the size and concentration of low concentration of bioaerosol particles. The concept relies on the measurement of the forward scattered light by using the background aerosols at various distances at the back of the sub-visible cloud. It also relies on the subtraction of the background aerosol forward scattering contribution and on the partial attenuation of the first order backscattering. We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that the MFOV lidar can measure with a good precision the effective diameter of low concentration bioaerosol clouds. |
| US08502974B2 |
Underwater hyperspectral imaging
An apparatus for placement on or in a body of water for hyperspectral imaging of material in the water comprises an artificial light source and a hyperspectral imager. These are arranged so that in use light exits the apparatus beneath the surface of the water and is reflected by said material before re-entering the apparatus beneath the surface of the water and entering the hyperspectral imager. The hyperspectral imager is adapted to produce hyperspectral image data having at least two spatial dimensions. |
| US08502973B2 |
Optical emission analyzer
An optical emission analyzer is provided with a circuit-closing switch (56) for changing the state of an arc-generating circuit 5 between the closed state and the open state and a reverse-blocking diode (55) for preventing a spark current from flowing into the circuit-closing switch (56). The circuit-closing switch (56) is turned on before the beginning of a spark discharge between a discharge electrode (31) and a sample (32) to initiate excitation of a coil (53). Consequently, the excitation current of the coil (53) can be increased to a target value within the duration of the spark discharge without using a low-inductance coil or increasing the switching frequency of a switching element (52). |
| US08502964B2 |
Chaotic optical time domain reflectometer method and apparatus
In a method and a corresponding apparatus for performing chaotic optical time domain reflectometer, the chaotic laser signal, generated by the chaotic laser transmitter, is split into probe signal I and reference signal II by a fiber coupler. Through an optical circulator, the probe signal I is launched into the test fiber and the echo light is converted into electrical signal by a photodetector and digitalized by an A/D converter. The reference signal II is converted into electrical signal by a photodetector and digitalized by another A/D converter. Two digital signals received from two A/D converters are correlated in a signal processing device to locate the exact position of faults in fibers. The result output is then displayed on a display device. This invention was developed to overcome the tradeoff problem between resolution and dynamic range of the pulse-based OTDR. |
| US08502963B2 |
Method and apparatus for analyzing individual cells or particulates using fluorescent quenching and/or bleaching
A method for analyzing a blood sample is provided that includes the steps of: providing a blood sample having one or more of each first and second constituents; admixing a colorant with the sample, which colorant is operative to cause the first constituents and second constituents to fluoresce and absorb light; illuminating at least a portion of the sample; e) imaging a portion of the sample; determining a fluorescence value for each the first constituents and second constituents; determining an optical density value for each of the first constituents and second constituents; and identifying the first constituents and the second constituents using the determined fluorescence and optical density values. |
| US08502962B2 |
Computer readable storage medium including effective light source calculation program, and exposure method
A storage medium includes a program which causes a computer to execute a method of calculating a light intensity distribution on a pupil plane of an illumination optical system. The method includes: determining an impulse response function of a projection optical system by performing Fourier transform on a pupil function of the projection optical system; setting a length to a second zero point of the impulse response function as a response length, extracting, from elements forming a target pattern, only elements inside am area within radius which is response length, and determining a function indicating the extracted pattern as an image function; and obtaining the light intensity distribution based on the pupil function, the determined impulse response function, and the determined image function. |
| US08502961B2 |
Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing device
An exposure method comprises a calculation step of calculating a correction amount of a correction unit which corrects a change in imaging characteristics of a projection optical system based on at least one of parameters including a numerical aperture and effective light source of an illumination optical system, a numerical aperture of the projection optical system, and a size and pitch of a pattern, and an amount of change in environment condition in the projection optical system; and a correction step of making the correction unit operate in accordance with the correction amount calculated in the calculation step. |
| US08502959B2 |
Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method
The present invention provides an exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate, the apparatus including a convey unit configured to convey the substrate while chucking and holding a lower surface of the substrate, and a control unit configured to control a conveyance condition of the convey unit so that a conveyance acceleration is lower when the convey unit conveys the substrate in a vertical direction with downward acceleration than when the convey unit conveys the substrate in the vertical direction with upward acceleration. |
| US08502957B2 |
Pulse to pulse energy equalization of light beam intensity
A system for equalizing pulse to pulse energy of a light beam includes a group of optical devices including an optical device configured to exhibit nonlinear properties, e.g., higher order or third order nonlinear properties. Transmission properties of an unequalized light beam passing through the group of optical devices change such that an output intensity of a resulting light beam output from the optical devices is equalized. One example configuration includes at least first and second prisms having nonlinear properties, i.e., higher order or third order, and configured as a beam steering system. |
| US08502955B2 |
Method of determining a characteristic
A plurality of targets including a second population superimposed on a first population are formed. In the first target the second population has an asymmetry with respect to the first population. In the second target the second population has a different asymmetry with respect to the first population. Reflected radiation is detected from both the targets and used to determine different characteristics of the underlying populations. |