| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08515056B2 |
Portable terminal with built-in antenna
Provided is a portable terminal including a first housing, a second housing coupled to the first housing for sliding relative to the first housing while adjacent to the first housing, an antenna device disposed in the first housing, and a speaker module comprising at least one speaker unit and being one of exposed and concealed by the first housing based on the sliding position the second housing relative to the first housing, the speaker module being disposed in the second housing. The antenna device is disposed in a space between an inner face of the second housing and the speaker module, when the sliding position of second housing relative to the first housing is such that the second housing overlaps with the first housing. There is a space adjacent to the antenna device between the inner face of the second housing and the speaker module, when the speaker module is exposed by sliding the second housing. The portable terminal can mitigate interference between the antenna pattern and the speaker units while allowing the speaker module to overlap with the antenna device, thereby guaranteeing sufficient antenna performance. |
| US08515055B2 |
Adaptive filtering with flexible selection of algorithm complexity and performance
An adaptive filter configured to use multiple algorithm species that differ in the quality of echo suppression and respective burdens imposed on the computational resources of the host communication device. Depending on the available computational budget, the adaptive filter selects an algorithm species that, while supporting a relatively high quality of echo suppression, involves a relatively low risk of overwhelming the computational resources. The adaptive filter monitors changes in the available computational budget and, if appropriate or necessary, can change the algorithm species to maintain a quality of echo suppression that is optimal for the current computational budget. If a change of the algorithm species is initiated, then at least a portion of internal algorithm data from the previously running algorithm species might be transferred for use in the subsequent algorithm species. |
| US08515051B2 |
Determining and displaying application usage data in a contact center environment
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for processing and displaying call state and application usage information in a contact center environment. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving application usage information and call state information and processing the application usage information and the call state information to determine an amount of time spent using each application of a plurality of applications by each agent of a plurality of agents during each call state of a plurality of call states. The method further provides generating a representation of the amount of time spent using at least one of the plurality of applications by at least one of the plurality of agents during at least one of the plurality of call states. |
| US08515048B2 |
Method of and system for automatically switching between free directory assistance service and chargeable directory assistance service
A method of redirecting a directory-assistance call includes receiving a directory-assistance request from a caller, determining via a free directory-assistance service whether information corresponding to the directory-assistance request is available, responsive to a determination that the information is available, presenting, to the caller, the information free of charge to the caller and, responsive to a determination that the information is not available, redirecting the directory-assistance call to a chargeable directory-assistance service. |
| US08515045B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing voice control for accessing teleconference services
A method and apparatus for providing access to teleconference services using voice recognition technology to receive information on packet networks such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) networks are disclosed. In one embodiment, the service provider enables a caller to enter access information for accessing a conference service using at least one natural language response. |
| US08515044B2 |
Method and system for providing an audio conference
A method and system for providing an audio conference includes receiving audio from a moderator via a circuit-switched telephone network, transmitting a representation of the audio to a first listener group via the circuit-switched telephone network, and transmitting a representation of the audio to a second listener group via a packet-switched network. The audio conference is preferably transmitted to the first listener group and the second listener group in real-time or near real-time (e.g., within a few seconds). Although the method and system could be used with any suitable circuit-switched telephone network, the method and system are preferably used with a public switched telephone network. Further, although the method and system could be used with any suitable packet-switched network, the method and system are preferably used with the Internet. |
| US08515034B2 |
Call interceptor
An apparatus for selectively allowing calls to a device, such as a fax machine, that may receive calls on a signal line. The apparatus is arranged to, upon detecting an incoming call, initiate a blocking period during which the incoming call is prevented from reaching the device, and to terminate the blocking period when a predetermined threshold, for example a number of rings or period of time, has elapsed, and upon termination of the blocking period to initiate said enabled time period. Hence, incoming calls are not prevented from reaching the device if their duration exceeds the predetermined threshold. The apparatus helps to reduce the number of unwanted calls being received since spam calls commonly emanate from automated sending devices with a ring duration that is typically less than that of legitimate callers. |
| US08515031B2 |
Voice message exchange
Disclosed is a voice message exchange system and method for improving communication between an inmate and a third party by enabling the inmate to leave a message when a call is not answered and further allowing the third party who receives the message to reply with a message to the inmate. Additionally, outside parties that meet the institution's requirements can leave messages for inmates at any time. The present invention can be used as an add-on to legacy inmate call management systems or incorporated internally into an inmate call management system. The system also provides monitoring, controlling, recording, and billing means. |
| US08515028B2 |
System and method for externally mapping an Interactive Voice Response menu
An interactive voice response mapping system (IVRMS) is used in a transaction between a waiting party and a queuing party, with the queuing party having a queuing calling system (QCS), and the IVRMS adapted to communicate with the QCS and to build an IVR map of the QCS. |
| US08515026B2 |
Voice response apparatus and method of providing automated voice responses with silent prompting
A voice response unit (VRU) includes a silent prompt feature in the form of an intentional delay inserted after a message is given to a caller, during which delay the caller may invoke alternative processing or interrupt current processing. If appropriate alternative or interrupt commands are not received during the delay period, then processing continues as provided in accordance with the previously played message. The duration of this silent prompt delay is carefully selected to provide sufficient response time for the caller to request alternative processing, while avoiding a perceptible or objectionable delay to the average caller not requiring alternative processing. |
| US08515024B2 |
Captioned telephone service
A method of operating a captioned telephone call in which an assisted user is connected by a captioned telephone device which is connected both by one line to a remote user and a second line to a relay providing captioning for a conversation, the method comprising the steps of, when a call is received at the captioned telephone device on the first line, the captioned telephone device calling the relay on the second line to initiate captioning service set up prior to the call being answered, after the call is answered, the captioned telephone device passing spoken words received on the first telephone line to the second telephone line and the captioning service then providing captioning to the captioned telephone device of the spoken words transmitted on the second telephone line. |
| US08515023B2 |
Real-time interpreting systems and methods
Systems, methods and computer program products for the provision and enabling of multi-language and sign language services in real-time are disclosed. System components include a call processing computer/server that receives requests and is in communication with other system components, a video server/computer for processing and relaying video images, user interface devices for making requests and receiving data transmitted between system components and service provider devices for responding to or satisfying requests received. |
| US08515022B2 |
Speakerphone and extension speakerphone for use in personal emergency response system
A personal emergency response system (PERS) includes a base unit (16) and one or more extension units (20). The base unit includes a speaker (64), a microphone (72), a telephone interface circuit (40), a microcontroller (46), and an autodialer (48). Each extension unit includes a speaker (164), a microphone (172), a telephone interface circuit (140), and a controller (146) without an autodialer. The base unit controller (46) and the extension unit controller (146) are programmed such that in a help mode, the base unit controller and the extension unit controller assume a master/slave relationship. |
| US08515014B2 |
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to characterize customer-premises networks
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to characterize customer-premises networks are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises retrieving a first plurality of performance parameters for a first time interval for respective ones of a plurality of customer-premises devices, the first plurality of customer-premises devices forming a first customer-premises communication network and each communicatively coupled to a first residential gateway, retrieving a second plurality of performance parameters for a second time interval for the respective ones of the first plurality of devices, computing a first metric representative of a performance variability of the first customer-premises communication network from the first and second plurality of performance parameters, and comparing the first metric to a second metric representative of a second performance variability of a second customer-premises communication network communicatively coupled to a second residential gateway to determine whether the first customer-premises communication network is operating in accordance with a normal operating condition. |
| US08515010B1 |
Material analysis based on imaging effective atomic numbers
Effective atomic numbers associated with pixels in a region are received. An effective atomic number is associated with each pixel in the region. X-ray data for the region is received, and an item within the region is identified from the x-ray data. Some of the pixels in the region are correlated with the item such that the item is associated with an effective atomic number. An image of the region is rendered. The pixels of the item have a display style based on the effective atomic number of the item. |
| US08515003B2 |
Determining a phase of an object movement in a series of images
A method for determining a movement phase of a periodically moving object in a plurality of sequentially produced images in a series of images of the periodically moving object. The method includes registering different images in the series of images. The method also includes determining a deformation that has occurred between the registered images. The method further includes—determining the phase of the movement of the moving object for at least one of the images in the series of images based upon the determined deformation. |
| US08514999B2 |
Floating-point event counters with automatic prescaling
Occurrences of a particular event in an electronic device are counted by incrementing an event counter each time a variable number of the particular events have occurred, and automatically increasing that variable number as the total count increases. The variable number (prescale value) can increase geometrically according to a programmable counter base each time the count mantissa overflows. The event counter thereby provides hardware-implemented automatic prescaling while significantly reducing the number of interface bits required to support very large count ranges, and retaining high accuracy at very large event counts. |
| US08514996B2 |
Real time distributed embedded oscillator operating frequency monitoring
A method for clock monitoring in a network is provided. The method comprises receiving a first network clock signal at a network device and comparing the first network clock signal to a local clock signal from a primary oscillator coupled to the network device. |
| US08514993B2 |
Method for frequency offset estimation and automatic frequency control for filtered signal with destroyed phase information and signal transceiver
The invention provides a method for frequency offset estimation according to a filtered signal with destroyed phase information. In one embodiment, a filter filters an original signal according to a series of first filter coefficients to obtain a first-channel component of the filtered signal, and filters the original signal according to a series of second filter coefficients to obtain a second-channel component of the filtered signal. A series of third filter coefficients are first derived from the first filter coefficients. The original signal is then filtered according to the third filter coefficients to obtain a reference signal. A first frequency offset value is estimated according to the first-channel component of the filtered signal and the reference signal, wherein the first-channel component of the filtered signal is a first-channel component of an artificial signal, and the reference signal is a second-channel component of the artificial signal. |
| US08514991B2 |
Method circuit and system for adapting a receiver receive chain based on detected background noise
Disclosed is a radio frequency (RF) receiver for receiving a communication channel modulated on one or more carrier frequencies. The receiver may include a gain adjustable RF amplifier, a wideband signal power measurement circuit, and control logic. The control logic may be adapted to use outputs of one or more measurement circuits to classify interfering signals based on measured signal power and spectral proximity to the one or more channel carrier frequencies, and to adjust the gain of the radio frequency amplifier based on the classification. |
| US08514988B2 |
Enhanced pilot signal receiver
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment, a method of adjusting for digital automatic gain control (DAGC) quantization error in a mobile station is as follows. A first DAGC value is stored before reception of one or more enhanced pilot signals. A second DAGC value is computed during reception of the one or more enhanced pilot signal. The first DAGC value is restored after reception of the one or more enhanced pilot signals is over. An advantage associated with this particular embodiment may include reduction in quantization error for digital automatic gain control. |
| US08514987B2 |
Compensation for data deviation caused by frequency offset using timing correlation value
A method and circuitry for detecting a frequency offset (Δ) between data at a transmission symbol rate (fTx) transmitted from a transmitter and a reception sampling frequency (fRx) operating in a receiver on the basis of hard decision based on a binary number in the receiver. The receiver uses a converter to make binary hard decisions performs n times oversampling, then obtains a symbol decision value, calculates a timing correlation value for each plurality of partition phases, and calculates a cumulative timing correlation value for a specific period or number of additions. The receiver determines whether its sampling frequency is higher or lower than a correct symbol rate, appropriately shifts a sampling position, and makes reception while maintaining the correct sampling position thereby enables data deviation caused by a frequency offset to be compensated on the fly. |
| US08514977B2 |
Transmission apparatus, reception apparatus, transmission method, and reception method of wireless communication system
A transmission apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a serial/parallel (S/P) converter for converting an input bit stream into a plurality of symbols each including 3 bits, a differential modulator for generating differential encoded symbols by applying π/4 phase rotation to each of the symbols, up-samplers for up-sampling the differential encoded symbols, filters for filtering the up-sampled symbols, digital/analog (D/A) converters for converting the filtered symbols into analog signals, and a quadrature modulator for performing quadrature modulation on the converted analog signals. |
| US08514976B2 |
Method and apparatus for coding and interleaving for very high throughput wireless communications
A wireless transmitter can include a plurality of bandwidth modules, each bandwidth module processing data based on a predetermined frequency band. In one embodiment, such a wireless transmitter can include encoding components for receiving transmit data and generating encoded data. A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) stream parser can receive the encoded data and generate a plurality of MIMO streams. A first module parser coupled to a first MIMO stream can generate a first plurality of partial MIMO streams. A first bandwidth module can include a first interleaver that interleaves bits of the first partial MIMO stream and generates first interleaved data. A second bandwidth module can include a second interleaver that interleaves bits of the second partial MIMO stream and generates second interleaved data. A first inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) unit can combine and process the first and second interleaved data and generate a first transmission MIMO stream. |
| US08514973B2 |
Pre-equalisation for UMTS base station
An arrangement (100) and method for RF filtering in a Node B of a UMTS TDD system by providing: a DAC converter (130) converting digital signals to analog signals; providing a narrow band analogue channel filter (150) filtering the analog signals; and providing a digital pre-equalizer FIR filter (120) coupled before the DAC (120) to filter the digital signals, the digital pre-equalizer filter means substantially correcting for non linear phase response (122) non-ideality and amplitude response non-ideality (124) in the analogue channel filter (150). This provides the following advantage(s): it enables 3GPP Node B co-location specifications to be met while providing both good transmit accuracy and acceptable ISI performance; and it allows filter center frequency to be field tuned in software, permitting a basic RF single-channel filter to used with its center frequency being field adjustable to a desired value centered on a UMTS channel. |
| US08514972B2 |
Apparatus and method for compensating for delay mismatch between amplitude component signal and phase component signal
Provided are an apparatus and method for compensating for a delay mismatch between an amplitude component signal and a phase component signal. The apparatus includes an amplitude path delay obtainer configured to obtain amplitude-delay information on a delay occurring in a propagation path of an amplitude component signal, a phase path delay obtainer configured to obtain phase-delay information on a delay occurring in a propagation path of a phase component signal, a delay controller configured to calculate and output a difference between the obtained amplitude path delay and the obtained phase path delay, and a variable delayer configured to compensate for a delay by changing a delay value on the basis of the delay difference output from the delay controller. Using an asynchronous method, in which a signal obtained before and after a delay is used as the clock signal of a memory device and the clock signal of a register to find the delay, it is possible to reduce the complexity of the constitution and increase power efficiency. |
| US08514971B2 |
Base station apparatus and method in mobile communication system
A base station apparatus used in a mobile communication system where user terminals with various numbers of reception antennas may be situated includes a providing unit configured to provide plural reference signals according to the number of transmission antennas; a precoding unit configured to replicate each of a predetermined number of input signal sequences according to the number of transmission antennas, apply a predetermined precoding vector to each of the replicated sequences, and generate output signal sequences corresponding to the number of transmission antennas; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit transmission signals including the output signal sequences from plural transmission antennas; wherein at least one of the input signal sequences includes a control signal and one of the plural reference signals. |
| US08514968B2 |
Methods and apparatus for encoding and transmitting mobile device location information
Methods and apparatus for communicating the location of a mobile wireless communications device are described. Codewords, e.g., values or sets of bits, are selected from a codebook mapping different codewords to corresponding pieces of location information. In a first approach location information is communicated by using codewords from different codebooks with the product, e.g., intersection of location information provided by the codewords, providing relatively detailed location information using relatively few bits. In a second approach user specific codebooks are defined for individual users. The codewords in the codebook corresponding to a particular user map to locations the individual specific user is likely to frequent. In another approach codewords are transmitted at different power levels and/or using different coding rates. Received codewords corresponding to a device may be used in combination to determine the location or refine the understanding of the device location. |
| US08514965B2 |
Wireless communication system with a modulation bandwidth comparable to or exceeding the bandwidth of the transmitter and/or receiver antennas
A wireless communication system includes a) a first device having a transmitter part with a Tx-antenna for transmitting an electrical signal having a signal bandwidth BWsig and b) a second device having a receiver part with an Rx-antenna for receiving the transmitted electromagnetic signal. At least one of the Tx- and Rx- antennas is a narrowband antenna having an antenna bandwidth BWant, wherein the Tx- and/or Rx-antenna bandwidths fulfil the relation BWant=k·BWsig. The system is adapted to provide that k is smaller than 1.25, and the antenna bandwidth BWant is defined as the −3dB bandwidth of the loaded antenna when it is connected to the communication system, and the signal bandwidth BWsig is defined as the bandwidth within which 99% of the desired signal power is located. |
| US08514960B2 |
Apparatus and method for compensating feedback path distortion
Provided are an apparatus and method for compensating a feedback path distortion in a digital broadcasting signal. The apparatus for improving a performance of a pre-equalizer in a transmitter of a digital broadcasting system having a feedback path for adaptively generating a filter coefficient of the pre-equalizer, includes a reference signal generator for generating a reference radio frequency (RF) signal, a feedback path estimator for estimating transmission band characteristic information for the feedback path based on the reference RF signal generated from the reference signal generator, and a feedback path compensator for compensating a demodulated signal transferred through the feedback path based on the estimated transmission band characteristic information from the feedback path estimator and generating a filter coefficient of the pre-equalizer. |
| US08514956B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating tri-state decoding on a shared uplink channel
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are disclosed for facilitating decoding a communication received from a wireless terminal. Encoded bits are received from the wireless terminal via a shared uplink channel, and a plurality of acknowledgment tones are identified within the encoded bits. A correlation value is ascertained corresponding to a correlation between detected bits within the plurality of acknowledgment tones and valid bits corresponding to any of a plurality of valid acknowledgment codewords. A determination is then made as to whether the plurality of acknowledgment tones includes information corresponding to a discontinuous transmission by comparing the correlation value to a threshold value. |
| US08514955B2 |
Communication system, data transmitter, and data receiver capable of detecting incorrect receipt of data
A transmitter cyclic pattern having a pattern length of N bits is generated and converted into an M-bit transmitter parallel data stream, where N≠M. A bit-sequence altered transmitter parallel data stream is generated by performing a transmitter altering process, converted into a serial data and transmitted together with a clock signal. The serial data is received and converted into an M-bit receiver parallel data stream, and a bit-sequence restored parallel data stream is generated by performing a process opposite to the transmitter altering process. A receiver cyclic pattern is generated by using bits in the bit-sequence restored parallel data stream and converted into an M-bit reference parallel data stream, and a bit-sequence altered reference parallel data stream is generated by performing a process same as the transmitter altering process and compared with the received parallel data to test if the data is correctly received. |
| US08514954B1 |
Pilot design for wireless system
The description herein relates to pilot designs for an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based communication system. In the preferred embodiment, the communication system is one operating according to the IEEE 802.16m, or WiMax, standard. In general, an OFDM transmitter operates to insert pilot symbols into a resource of a transmit frame according to a predetermined staggered pilot symbol pattern defining pilot symbol locations within the resource of the transmit frame. The predetermined pilot symbol pattern is defined such that pilot symbols are located at or near time boundaries of the resource, at or near frequency boundaries of the resource, or both. By doing so, when generating a channel estimate for the communication channel between the OFDM transmitter and an OFDM receiver based on the pilot symbols, extrapolations needed to estimate the channel near the boundaries of the resource are optimized, thereby improving overall channel estimation accuracy. |
| US08514952B2 |
High-speed source-synchronous signaling
A system for communicating data between a first integrated circuit device and a second integrated circuit device is described. During operation, the first integrated circuit device transmits a timing signal to the second integrated circuit device, wherein the timing signal includes a first transition and a second transition. The first integrated circuit device then delays the data, so that the data is delayed relative to the timing signal by a first predetermined delay time. Next, the first integrated circuit device transmits the delayed data to the second integrated circuit device. The second integrated circuit device then receives the timing signal and the delayed data. Next, the second integrated circuit device delays the first transition of the timing signal by a second predetermined delay time to generate a delayed version of the first transition. The second integrated circuit device then senses the data during a time interval between the delayed version of the first transition and the second transition. |
| US08514951B2 |
Method and system for interference cancellation
Aspects of a method and system for interference cancellation substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims. In this regard, a receiver may be operable to receive a differential signal via a differential channel, and to sense a common mode signal on the differential channel. A frequency range in which interference is present in the common mode signal may be determined. The differential signal and the common mode signal may be filtered to attenuate frequencies outside the determined frequency range. A phase and/or amplitude of the filtered common mode signal may be adjusted based on the filtered differential signal and the adjusted and filtered common mode signal may be subtracted from the received differential signal. The common mode signal may be sensed via a pair of resistors coupled to the differential channel. |
| US08514943B2 |
Method and apparatus for enhancing performance of entropy coding, video coding method and apparatus using the method
An apparatus for enhancing the performance of entropy coding in a multilayer-based codec and an entropy coding method includes obtaining a distribution of a second coefficient included in an area of a base layer corresponding to the block, selecting a lookup table which is appropriate to the obtained distribution among a plurality of lookup tables, and transforming the first coefficient into a value mapped to the selected lookup table. |
| US08514942B2 |
Low-resolution video coding content extraction
Low complexity method directly decode low-resolution frames from compressed high-resolution videos that were encoded using predictive coding techniques like the H.264 video coding standard. The smaller the decoding resolution, the higher will be the computation and power savings of using the method. Low-frequency coefficients of 2D transformed predictions are added to the low-frequency coefficients of the transformed residual error. Low-frequency coefficients of the reconstructed data are then inverse transformed taking a smaller size transform. Further savings are obtained by reconstructing only those reference pixels that will be needed for accurate decoding of further Intra blocks. |
| US08514941B2 |
Method and apparatus for motion vector processing
A method for processing a plurality of motion vectors is disclosed. The method includes determining a number of different block sizes in the video frame; and, performing a variable block size motion vector process if the number of different block sizes in the video frame is greater than one, the variable block size motion vector process comprising constructing a pyramid of motion vectors from the plurality of motion vectors, the pyramid having at least a first layer and a second layer of motion vectors, each of the first and second layers having a set of motion vectors based on a particular block size. An apparatus for performing the inventive method is also disclosed. |
| US08514935B2 |
Image coding apparatus, image coding method, integrated circuit, and camera
An image coding apparatus including an accumulating unit which accumulates a reference image, a predicted image generating unit which generates a predicted image of the current image to be coded by performing motion compensation with weighted prediction or motion compensation without the weighted prediction, and a coding unit which codes a difference between the predicted image generated by the predicted image generating unit and the current image to be coded. The image coding apparatus also includes a determining unit which determines whether or not the current image to be coded is included in a picture group which is a group of successive pictures and indicates motion equal to or larger than a predetermined amount of motion and which generates the predicted image by performing the motion compensation with the weighted prediction when it is determined that the current image to be coded is not included in the picture group. |
| US08514930B2 |
Phase detection apparatus and related phase detecting method
A phase detection apparatus includes: a motion detector, for determining whether an image data corresponds to a still image data; an image characteristic detector, coupled to the motion detector, for detecting a characteristic image data having cross color phenomenon when the image data corresponds to a still image data; a phase testing module, coupled to the image characteristic detector, for processing the characteristic image data according to a plurality of phases to obtain a plurality of testing results; and a phase determining module, for selecting a phase from the plurality of phases according to the plurality of testing results. |
| US08514929B2 |
Combined audio/video/USB device
A combined audio video device includes inputs for receiving an audio video signal from a source. The device includes in one enclosure audio and video processor portions configured such that the audio and video processors use a common communications line for coupling electrical signals form the device to a host computer. The audio processor is operable to accept an audio signal and to provide audio enhancements to the audio signal. In one embodiment, the common communications line is a USB cable. In another embodiment, a USB hub is integrated into the device. |
| US08514923B2 |
System and a method of regulating a slicer for a communication receiver
The invention is directed to a system and method of regulating a slicer for a communication receiver. A zero-crossing accumulator receives a slicer output from the slicer and accordingly determines a zero-crossing length of the slicer output. A threshold decision unit regulates at least one threshold value of the slicer according to the zero-crossing length. |
| US08514921B2 |
Assessing aircraft interference path loss employing discrete frequency stirring
A method for accessing aircraft interference path loss in an aircraft. A plurality of radio frequency signals that are stepped through a plurality of frequencies in a frequency range is transmitted from a plurality of locations within an interior of the aircraft. Radio frequency signals present at a receive antenna are received in response to transmitting the plurality of radio frequency signals to form a plurality of measurements. An average of averages curve is generated from the plurality of measurements. A peak to average ratio is identified. Field uniformity is identified. A standard error for the average of averages curve is determined. An upper bound for the aircraft interference path loss in the aircraft is predicted using the average of averages curve, the peak to average ration, the field uniformity, and the standard error. |
| US08514913B2 |
System and method for transmitting pilot and data symbols in a relayed-wireless communications network
Techniques are generally described for estimating a communication channel using wirelessly transmitted and retransmitted signals, each transmitted at a different power ratio. An example wireless communications system may include a base station, a relay station and a wireless device. The base station may include a transmitter configured to transmit a first signal, wherein the first signal includes pilot and data symbols with a first power ratio. The relay station may include a receiver configured to receive the first signal, and a transmitter configured to retransmit the first signal as a second signal, wherein the second signal includes pilot and data symbols with a second power ratio. The wireless device includes a receiver configured to receive the first and second signals, i.e. the transmitted and retransmitted pilot and data symbols having the first and second power ratios are received, and estimate a communications channel from the received signals. |
| US08514908B2 |
Integrated circuit for response signal spreading
A radio communication apparatus receives control information on one or more control channel elements (CCEs) with consecutive CCE number(s). The radio communication apparatus first-spreads a response signal with a sequence defined by a cyclic shift value that is determined among a plurality of cyclic shift values from an index of physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), which is associated with a first CCE number of the one or more CCEs, and second-spreads the first-spread response signal with an orthogonal sequence that is determined among a plurality of orthogonal sequences from the index. One of cyclic shift values used for an orthogonal sequence is determined from an index of the PUCCH, which is associated with an odd CCE number, and another one of the cyclic shift values used for the same orthogonal sequence is determined from an index of the PUCCH, which is associated with an even CCE number. |
| US08514907B2 |
Methods and systems to meter media content presented on a wireless communication device
Example methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture meter media content presented on a wireless communication device are disclosed. A disclosed example method receives media content via a wireless communication device. The media content is to be presented via the wireless communication device. First information is generated indicative of a media presentation mode of a media presentation application executed by the wireless communication device to present the media content. Second information is generated indicative of the media content presented via the wireless communication device. The first information is stored in association with the second information in the wireless communication device. |
| US08514902B2 |
P-type isolation between QCL regions
A quantum cascade laser and its method of fabrication are provided. The quantum cascade laser comprises one or more p-type electrical isolation regions and a plurality of electrically isolated laser sections extending along a waveguide axis of the laser. An active waveguide core is sandwiched between upper and lower n-type cladding layers and the active core and the upper and lower n-type cladding layers extend through the electrically isolated laser sections of the quantum cascade laser. A portion of the upper n-type cladding layer comprises sufficient p-type dopant to have become p-type and to have become an electrical isolation region, which extends across at least a part of the thickness upper n-type cladding layer along a projection separating the sections of the quantum cascade laser. |
| US08514901B2 |
Silicon-based cooling package for laser gain medium
Embodiments of silicon-based thermal energy transfer apparatus for gain medium crystal of a laser system are provided. For a disk-shaped crystal, the apparatus includes a silicon-based manifold and a silicon-based cover element. For a rectangular cuboid-shaped gain medium crystal, the apparatus includes a first silicon-based manifold, a second silicon-based manifold, and first and second conduit elements coupled between the first and second manifolds. For a right circular cylinder-shaped gain medium crystal, the apparatus includes a first silicon-based manifold, a second silicon-based manifold, and first and second conduit elements coupled between the first and second manifolds. |
| US08514895B2 |
Bit-stuffing method for crosstalk avoidance in high-speed buses
This invention discloses a bit-stuffing method for crosstalk avoidance in high-speed buses, which comprises the steps of inputting a plurality of data bit streams in parallel to a data input buffer; the data input buffer sequentially inputting data bits of the data bit streams to a bit-switching unit, and the bit-switching unit switching the data bits to generate bit-switched data; parallelly inputting the bit-switched data to a bit-stuffing encoding unit; the bit-stuffing encoding unit performing bit-stuffing encoding on the bit-switched data to generate encoded data bits and inputting the encoded data bits to an encoded data buffer; and the encoded data buffer outputting the encoded data to a high-speed bus. The encoded data bits passed through the high-speed bus are decoded using a bit-removing method to recover the data bit streams. |
| US08514894B2 |
Method for inserting/removal padding from packets
The invention relates to the field of data packet management, and more specifically to the field of managing of data packets in such a manner that power consumption is reduced, such reduction being especially beneficial for portable device applications. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of handling and manipulating data wherein padding and unpadding operations for a packet of data are performed at the transmission/reception of a packet from a network, and data handling is minimized within the portable device. According to another embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of encryption for packet data absent the padding data. |
| US08514893B2 |
Digital video apparatus for multiplexing single program transport streams into a multiple program transport stream
An apparatus for transporting digital multimedia receives signals for a plurality of single program transport streams (SPTS). Each SPTS is transmitted as a series of groups of a predefined number of transport stream packets. An input buffer that receives the packets is configured to hold only the predefined number of packets at any point in time. A table builder receives packets from the input buffer and assigns a set of unique packet identifiers to the packets from each SPTS, reconfigures each program map table in the packets, and generates a program association table for a multiple program transport stream (MPTS). The table builder retains unaltered the program clock reference in the data packets. A first-in, first-out buffer combines packets received from the table builder into a MPTS. An output stage modulates a carrier signal, such as for a television channel, with the MPTS. |
| US08514890B2 |
Method for switching traffic between virtual machines
Methods for switching traffic include a physical machine running source and destination virtual machines (VMs). The source VM issues a data unit addressed to the destination VM. The physical machine has a physical network interface in communication with the VMs. The physical network interface transmits a sub-packet, which includes a partial portion of the data unit, over a network while a majority portion of the data unit remains at the physical machine. A network switch on the network receives the sub-packet transmitted by the physical network interface. The network switch performs one or more OSI Layer 2 through Layer 7 switching functions on the sub-packet and returns that sub-packet to the physical network interface. The physical network interface identifies the data unit stored in the memory in response to the sub-packet returned from the network switch and forwards the identified data unit to the destination VM. |
| US08514887B2 |
Method and apparatus for repairing samples included in container files having lost packets
There are provided a method and apparatus for repairing samples included in container files having lost packets. The apparatus includes a receiver and a file patcher. The receiver is for receiving packets including container files therein, identifying any of the packets for which a packet loss has occurred, and identifying at least one sample having data included in the identified packets that is affected by the packet loss. The at least one sample respectively corresponds to a particular container file. The file patcher is for repairing the particular container file with respect to the at least one sample. |
| US08514886B2 |
Method and user device for receiving digital transmissions
The invention provides a user device (3) connected to a source unit (2) through a communication network for receiving digital transmissions in the form of bursts from a source unit. The user device comprises a receiver (300) for receiving bursts from the source unit, and a rendering unit (36) for rendering the digital broadcast transmission based on the received bursts. The user device further includes: a buffer (320) for buffering for each received burst for a predefined buffer duration, the user device being provided to transmit the buffered bursts to the rendering unit in response to expiry of the predefined buffer duration, and a quality analyzer (37) for evaluating a quality indicator related to the quality of the burst, checking whether the quality indicator matches a quality condition related to a predefined quality threshold, and in response to the quality indicator of the received burst not matching the quality condition, requesting retransmission of the burst, the quality analyzer (37) being arranged to operate within the predefined buffer duration. |
| US08514880B2 |
Feature adaptable NT card
A network termination card is provided which allows new services to be implemented on the DSLAM on which the network termination card is located without restricting the number of slots used for line termination cards. Software controlled multiplexers are provided on some ports of the switch on the network termination card, and a daughter card connector is provided on the network termination card. When a new service is to be implemented, a specialized daughter card implementing the service can be connected to the daughter card connector. The multiplexers can then be configured to allow the necessary number of ports from the switch to communicate with the daughter card connector, while other multiplexers can be configured to retain communication between the switch and normal components of the DLSAM. The invention allows flexibility in which and how many ports of the switch are used to communicate with the daughter card, thereby allowing a new service to be implemented via the DLSAM without limiting communication between the switch and other regular components beyond what is necessary. |
| US08514877B2 |
Method and system for a plurality of physical layers for network connection
Methods and systems for a plurality of physical layers for network connection may include coupling a MAC to one of a plurality of PHYs. The coupling to a specific PHY may be based on auto-detection of network activity, or network devices, via the PHYs. Also, one of the PHYs may be coupled to the MAC as a power-up default. The PHYs may be coupled to a same network, by, for example, cables. A first cable to a first PHY may couple it to a first network switch and a second cable to a second PHY may couple it to a second network switch. The first network switch may be rated to handle, for example, a greater data rate than the second network switch. The first cable may not be able to be used as a cable for the second PHY, and vice versa. |
| US08514869B2 |
Packet routing apparatus
A packet routing apparatus has a plurality of routing units, connected by a first connecting mechanism. The plurality of routing units comprise a first routing unit, connected to at least one port, and a second routing unit, connected to an extended function processor. The first routing unit transmits a packet, received from the port, to another first routing unit and/or a second routing unit. The second routing unit transmits the packet, received from the first connecting mechanism, to the extended function processor. |
| US08514866B1 |
Filtering traffic based on associated forwarding equivalence classes
Filters are selectively applied to packets depending on forwarding equivalence classes (FECs) of the packets. A FEC filter is defined within the network device and qualified by incoming interface information that identifies source sites of the packets. A label distribution protocol (LDP) FEC is configured such that packets of the given FEC are associated with the FEC filter. The FEC identifies a destination site of the packets received by the router and is automatically combined with incoming interface information. In this way, packet flows may be filtered based on FECs of the packets. FEC filters may be further refined to operate at forwarding class granularity. The techniques allow accurate billing of packets traveling between specific source and destination sites regardless of the number of interfaces of the network device the packets utilize. In addition, the filtering can be used to provide anti-spoofing capabilities. |
| US08514864B2 |
System and method for providing network mobility
An approach is provided for extending private enterprise networking to wireless interconnecting domains. A home agent maintains a first routing table for a first wireless router configured to route according to a first address space. The home agent also maintains a second routing table for a second wireless router configured to route according to a second address space. The first address space and the second address space are overlapping. |
| US08514860B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing a high throughput mode for a MoCA device
Systems and methods for providing a high throughput mode for a MoCA device are provided. An electronic device configured for use as a node in a home network is provided. The electronic device may include a preamble generator block. The preamble generator block may include a time domain preamble generator. The time domain preamble generator may be configured to generate a periodic preamble for a MoCA signal. The preamble generator block may also include a doubling circuit configured to double the periodic preamble. Such doubling may preferably obtain an increased maximum periodic preamble. |
| US08514859B2 |
Methods and apparatus to determine an alternate route in a network
Methods and apparatus to determine an alternate route in a network are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to route a data packet to a destination in a network comprises determining multiplicity values for a set of neighbor nodes, a multiplicity value representing a number of times the data packet has been routed to a respective neighbor node in the set of neighbor nodes, and selecting, based on the multiplicity values, a first neighbor node from the set of neighbor nodes to which to send the data packet to route the data packet to the destination. |
| US08514858B2 |
Packet transmission device, packet transmission method and computer program product stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium
A packet transmission device that transmits packets for measuring an available bandwidth and that includes a first packet creation portion that creates a first packet including bandwidth measurement data, a second packet creation portion that creates at least one second packet such that a sum of data sizes of the first packet and the at least one second packet to be created is within a predetermined range including a target value, a setting portion that sets a transmission interval for the first packet, a first transmission portion that transmits the first packet at a first timing specified by the transmission interval, and a second transmission portion that transmits the at least one second packet at a second timing that is a timing after the first timing and before a time when the transmission interval has elapsed from the first timing. |
| US08514856B1 |
End-to-end fibre channel over ethernet
In one embodiment, one or more Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) proxy points (FPPs) communicates control and management information with a separately housed FCoE control and management plane (F-CMP) server in order to direct data plane functionality of the FPPs. Each FPP also proxies control and management protocols between the F-CMP server and one or more FCoE end-point devices for which the FPP is responsible (on FCoE ports). Traffic received by the FPP may then be processed according to the directed data plane functionality, such that FCoE traffic transmitted between first and second FCoE end-point devices separated by the Ethernet network is directed over the Ethernet network end-to-end between correspondingly responsible FPPs without traversing the F-CMP server. |
| US08514854B2 |
Virtual router redundancy for server virtualization
A solution for virtual router redundancy for server virtualization includes, at a network device configured as a backup router of a virtual router, examining a packet stored in a memory of the network device. Responsive to the examining, the network device determines whether to forward the packet via a network towards a destination or to send the packet via the network to a master router of the virtual router for forwarding of the packet, by the master router, towards the destination. |
| US08514851B2 |
Mobile IPv6 authentication and authorization baseline
The invention consists of an authentication protocol for the Home Agent to authenticate and authorize the Mobile Node's Binding Update message. Two new mobility options compatible with RADIUS AAA are used to exchange a shared secret between the Home Agent and the Mobile Node so the Mobile Node can be authenticated.A Mobile Node-AAA authenticator option is added to the Binding Update message. The Home Agent generates the Mobile Node-AAA authenticator as a shared secret that it communicates as authentication data to the RADIUS AAA server on the home network. The RADIUS AAA server authenticates the communication and generates an Access-Accept message with a Mobile Node-Home Agent authenticator option. After receipt at the Home Agent, a Binding Update message with the Mobile Node-Home Agent authenticator option is transmitted from the Home Agent to the Mobile Node to use as an authenticator. |
| US08514840B2 |
Call distribution in a direct-communication network
In one aspect, a call distribution in a direct communication network, also designated as a peer-to-peer network is provided. In doing this, the difficulty exists of integrating the call distributing functionality into the peer-to-peer network while retaining the self-organization capability and the fail-safety of existing peer-to-peer networks. To solve for his, items of characteristic information of a number of clients are transmitted to the client carrying out the call distribution, and this client routes an incoming call on the basis of these items of characteristic information. |
| US08514839B2 |
Internet protocol (IP) address exchange service
Methods and systems are disclosed for exchanging Internet Protocol addresses between parties to a telephone call. One method receives the telephone call from a calling telephone number to a called telephone number. The telephone call is connected to the called telephone number. At any time during processing of the telephone call, an Internet Protocol address associated with at least one of the calling telephone number and the called telephone number is communicated to either party via a data network and/or via the Public Switched Telephone Network. |
| US08514833B2 |
Data processing apparatus, communications device, and data processing method
A data processing apparatus includes a scrambling processing unit and a sending unit. The scrambling processing unit is configured to generate a Pseudo-Random Binary Sequence (PRBS), perform a modulo-2 addition on the pseudo-random sequence and data frame data to scramble the data frame data including first load data, use one section of a part of the pseudo-random sequence on which the modulo-2 addition is performed with the data frame data as an identification sequence, and carry status information corresponding to the identification sequence in frame header information. The sending unit is configured to send the frame header information carrying the status information and the scrambled first load data. Through the scrambling process, continuous run-lengths of “1” and “0” in the data frame data are quite short, while basically the same probability of occurrence is maintained, which is favorable to transmission of the data frame data, thereby alleviating error code problems. |
| US08514829B2 |
Center frequency control for wireless communication
The method and apparatus as described are directed toward techniques and mechanisms to improve efficient wireless network implementation, including obtaining one specification including a center frequency definition, determining, based on the specification, a center frequency of at least one carrier used to operate on the wireless communication system, determining an amount of dithering to add to the center frequency, and setting the center frequency to be multiples of sub-carrier spacing by adding the dithering. |
| US08514827B2 |
System and network for wireless network monitoring
A technique for wireless network monitoring involves scanning channels using clients instead of access points. An example of a method according to the technique may include, for example, receiving from a wireless access point a command to perform a channel scanning function, listening on a channel associated with the channel scanning function, and sending RF data found on the channel to the wireless access point. Another example of a method according to the technique may include, for example, scanning a first channel, switching from the first channel to a second channel, sending data on the second channel to an access point, switching from the second channel to the first channel, and resuming scanning on the first channel. A system according to the technique may include one or more scanning clients, proxy clients, multi-channel clients, or other clients that are capable of scanning channels in lieu of an access point. |
| US08514826B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting control information in radio communication system
A method for transmitting control information using PUCCH format 3 in a radio communication system includes detecting one or more Physical Downlink Control Channels (PDCCHs), receiving one or more Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) signals corresponding to the one or more PDCCHs, and determining a PUCCH resource value nPUCCH(3,p) corresponding to a value of a transmit power control (TPC) field of a PDCCH for a PDSCH signal on a secondary cell (SCell) among a plurality of PUCCH resource values configured by a higher layer for the PUCCH format 3. If a single antenna port transmission mode is configured, the PUCCH resource value nPUCCH(3,p) indicated by the TPC field is mapped to one PUCCH resource for a single antenna port, and, if a multi-antenna port transmission mode is configured, the PUCCH resource value nPUCCH(3,p) indicated by the TPC field is mapped to a plurality of PUCCH resources for multiple antenna ports. |
| US08514822B2 |
Efficient acknowledgement messaging in wireless communications
Techniques for acknowledging message reception in a wireless OFDM/OFDMA system in clue receiving an unsolicited MAC management message at a subscriber station, operating the subscriber station to generate an acknowledgement (ACK) signal when the subscriber station receives the message from a base station, providing a pre-allocated uplink resource for the subscriber station to transmit the ACK signal to the base station without making a request to the base station for sending the ACK signal and sending the ACK signal consisting of a MAC header transmitted at the pre-allocated uplink source. |
| US08514820B2 |
Sending feedback for multiple downlink carriers
Feedback information for multiple serving cells are transmitted on high speed dedicated physical control channel (HS-DPCCH). A slot format for transmitting feedback information is determined based on the number of configured secondary serving cells and whether multiple input multiple-output (MIMO) is configured in the serving cells. Spreading factor is reduced to 128 when two secondary serving cells are configured and MIMO is configured in at least one of the two configured secondary serving cells, or when three secondary serving cells are configured. The serving cells are grouped into feedback groups, each feedback group having one or more serving cells. Channel coding may be applied to feedback information for the feedback groups. The resulting encoded feedback information for the feedback groups is concatenated to form composite feedback information. |
| US08514815B2 |
Training signals for selecting antennas and beams in MIMO wireless LANs
A computer implemented method selects antennas in a multiple-input, multiple-output wireless local area network that includes multiple stations, and each station includes a set of antennas. Multiple consecutively transmitted sounding packets are received in a station. Each sounding packet corresponds to a different subset of the set of antennas. A channel matrix is estimated from the multiple consecutively transmitted sounding packets, and a subset of antennas is selected according to the channel matrix. |
| US08514807B2 |
Method of transmitting messages in communication networks
A method of transmitting messages for acquisition of information related to a specific network entity or a link network during network selection in a mobile terminal is disclosed. The method of transmitting messages for acquisition of information related to a network entity or a link network during network selection in a mobile terminal comprises generating, in an upper management entity, a first primitive for requesting information related to the network entity or the link network through an access point (AP), delivering the first primitive to a media access control (MAC) layer, transmitting a first request message including contents of the first primitive to the access point to request the information, receiving a second response message from the access point, the second response message including information related to the specific network entity or the link network, and delivering a third primitive from the MAC layer to the upper management entity, the third primitive including contents of the second response message. |
| US08514804B2 |
Method and system for managing communication in wireless communication network
A method and system for managing communication in a wireless communication network is provided. The method includes receiving a request from a first communication device to establish a first communication channel. A first time slot is assigned to the first communication device to establish the first communication channel. The method then receives a request from a second communication device to establish a second communication channel. Thereafter, the first time slot and a second time slot is simultaneously assigned to the second communication device for establishing the second communication channel. A first value of at least one of a plurality of predefined parameters at the first time slot is below a first threshold value. The first value of the at least one of the plurality of predefined parameters, is then monitored. Thereafter, the method relinquishes the second communication channel established using the second time slot based on the first value. |
| US08514802B2 |
Method to evaluate fairness of resource allocations in shared bands
Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed for wireless resource sharing between heterogeneous wireless networks to enable coexistence of secondary networks. An example embodiment of the invention includes a method, comprising: allocating available resources for a wireless network served by an apparatus, the served wireless network requesting resources, the allocation of available resources including allocation for each of one or more wireless networks neighboring the served wireless network; and determining whether the served wireless network and each of the one or more neighboring wireless networks has at least one of resources corresponding with the requested resources, or a fair portion of available resources to operate, based on analyzing resource allocations for the served wireless network and each of the one or more neighboring wireless networks. |
| US08514801B2 |
Mobile station, base station, and wireless communication method
A mobile station that performs wireless communication through a base station, includes a first connection setup request unit configured to make a first connection setup request for an emergency call and a normal call when communication performed in the communication region of the base station is in a congestion state, the emergency call and the normal call using a signal sequence that corresponds to a sequence number of a connection setup request signal used when communication performed in a communication region of the base station is in a normal state, and a second connection setup request unit configured to make a second connection setup request for another one of the emergency call and the normal call different from the first connection setup request, using a generated-signal sequence generated from the sequence number, when communication performed in the communication region of the base station is in the congestion state. |
| US08514796B2 |
Transmitting control data and user data on a physical uplink channel
A method for transmission of control data and user data on a Physical Uplink Channel (PUC) is disclosed. An instruction from a base station to use an uplink control channel and an uplink shared channel to transmit uplink data is received. Control data and user data on the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel is transmitted. |
| US08514787B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for an integrated antenna and satellite dish
Systems and methods for an integrated antenna and satellite dish. Exemplary embodiments include an apparatus, including a satellite dish, a wireless antenna coupled to the satellite dish and a coupling box communicatively coupled to the satellite dish and the wireless antenna. Additional exemplary embodiments include a content communication method, including receiving a satellite signal, receiving a first wireless signal, performing coupling box processing on the satellite signal and the wireless signal, transmitting the satellite signal and the wireless signal to a set top box and performing set top box processing on the satellite signal and wireless signal. Further exemplary embodiments include a content communication system, including a satellite dish for receiving content from a satellite, a wireless antenna for receiving content from a wireless network and a coupling box for processing the content from the satellite and the content from the wireless network. |
| US08514785B2 |
Common RF interface for separating and mixing wireless signals
When a wireless communication device is receiving, a baseband circuit generates frequency domain LTE and WCDMA signals using a Fourier transform. The frequency domain WCDMA signal is then filtered with an RRC filter and converted back to the time domain using an inverse discrete Fourier transform. During transmission, the baseband circuit uses a Fourier transform to convert a time domain WCDMA signal to a frequency domain WCDMA signal. The frequency domain WCDMA signal is then filtered with an RRC filter and combined with a frequency domain LTE signal using an inverse Fourier Transform. |
| US08514782B2 |
Location information service method
A location service method in a terminal includes: receiving a message including a first parameter with respect to an inner area determined based on a particular geographic area and a second parameter with respect to an outer area from a server; and checking whether or not the terminal leaves the particular geographic area through the parameters of the inner area and the outer area. |
| US08514780B2 |
Unified multi technology switchboard system
A unified switchboard systems is capable of simultaneously interacting with different available voice communications systems to provide PABX features across these systems. The unified switchboard includes networking hardware to provide data communications over a network, a web server to provide a user interface to a user terminal connected to the network, a plurality of VoIP switches, a database and related database application program to store user-specific data and related call data, and a web-service application to obtain call status information from carriers of non-VoIP calls. Call commands originating from the user terminal propagate from the web server into the database and hence to the VoIP switches. Call-related data propagates from the VoIP switches and the web-service service into the database, which may then be used to update the webpage for the user terminal hosted by the web server. |
| US08514778B1 |
Interworking overhead message protocols
Wireless communication systems, apparatuses, and techniques are described for interworking wireless technologies. Interworking wireless technologies can include operating a wireless communication system that includes multiple radio access technologies (RATs) to provide wireless services to multiple mobile devices, providing an enhanced inter-RAT OMP instance for a mobile device that is in communication with the wireless communication system via the first RAT, where the enhanced inter-RAT OMP instance includes an inactive state and a tunnel active state, operating the enhanced inter-RAT OMP instance to switch from the inactive state to the tunnel active state in response to a message associated with the second RAT, and using the enhanced inter-RAT OMP instance in the tunnel active state to send one or more overhead messages via a communication tunnel to the mobile device. Interworking wireless technologies can include providing an enhanced overhead message protocol (OMP) instance in a wireless sector to broadcast communication messages. |
| US08514777B1 |
Method and apparatus for protecting location privacy of a mobile device in a wireless communications network
A method and apparatus for encrypting a home address of a mobile node, in which the mobile node implements a host-based mobility protocol during wireless communications with a home agent. The method includes applying an encryption algorithm on the home address to generate an encrypted home address, and placing the encrypted home address within a destination option of a payload packet. The payload packet is sent by the mobile node while away from a home network associated with the mobile node. |
| US08514776B2 |
Determining a metric region in a wireless network
A wireless network metric region in a wireless network is determined using a node metric region and a performance metric. The node metric region, which includes a boundary of the node metric region, for each node is estimated and the performance metric for the node metric region for each node is measured. The boundary of the node metric region for each node is adjusted based on the measured performance metric and then the wireless network metric region for the wireless network is determined based on the adjusted boundaries of the node metric region for each node. |
| US08514775B2 |
System and method for improving the use of radio spectrum in transmission of data
System and method for improving the use of radio spectrum in transmission of data, according to which the payload information of any known line interface is divided into a plurality of data portions of smaller which are then grouped into packets so as to be subsequently radio transmitted. For transmission of such packets, suitable radio channels are selected. The invention also relates to reception of such radio channels having such packets incorporated therein, wherein the received packets are then transformed into payload information for inputting into corresponding line interfaces. |
| US08514773B2 |
Packet flow processing in a communication system
Method and apparatus for processing packet flows in a communication system. In one embodiment, a resource reservation message includes packet flow parameter information used to determine flow treatment of the associated packet flow. The packet flow mapping is based on the quality of service of the associated packet flow. In another embodiment, a bearer connection is established and monitored for information relating to flow treatment. |
| US08514771B2 |
Methods and apparatus for communicating and/or using transmission power information
A wireless terminal determines the transmission power used for its dedicated control channel at a point in time, and generates a power report indicating a ratio of a maximum wireless terminal transmit power to the transmit power of the dedicated control channel at the point in time. The power report provides a measure of available transmit power for wireless terminal use for other purposes, e.g., uplink traffic channels, after taking into consideration the transmit power used for the dedicated control channel. The point in time has a known time offset from the start of a communications segment in which the power report is transmitted. This allows the base station receiving dedicated control channel uplink signals from the wireless terminal to measure the received signals, receive and process the communicated power report, and correlate information to be used for accurate wireless terminal closed loop power control. |
| US08514768B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting reference signal performed by relay station in wireless communication system
A method of transmitting a reference signal performed by a Relay Station (RS) in a wireless communication system comprises allocating a guard time in the front of a backhaul subframe or the end of the backhaul subframe, the backhaul subframe comprising a plurality of slots, each of the plurality of slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, and the guard time being a time interval for switching between an access link and a backhaul link, and transmitting a Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS) to a Base Station (BS) in an OFDM symbol of the backhaul subframe. The OFDM symbol for the DMRS is not over-lapped with the guard time. |
| US08514767B2 |
Wireless sensor network information swarming
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for information swarming in a wireless sensor network (WSN). In an embodiment of the invention, a method for information swarming in a WSN can include receiving in an overhearing node of the WSN, relay data sensed by a sensor at an originating node of the WSN and transmitted along a relay path exclusive of the overhearing node from the originating node to an aggregation point in the WSN. The method also can include determining a relevance of the relay data in reference to at least one relevance rule. Finally, the method can include forwarding additional data acquired at the overhearing node by a sensor at the overhearing node to the aggregation point over the WSN in response to determining the relay data to be relevant. |
| US08514766B2 |
Method for performing HARQ for relay station
A method for performing a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) by a relay station (RS) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method comprises performing HARQ with a mobile station (MS) by a fixed HARQ period; and performing HARQ with a base station (BS) by a HARQ period series, wherein the HARQ period series comprises a plurality of HARQ period series element (Xk,yk), where (Xk,yk) indicates that when data is transmitted in n-th subframe, an ACK/NACK signal is received in (n+xk)-th subframe and the data is retransmitted in (n+xk+yk)-th subframe when the ACK/NACK signal is a NACK signal, wherein at least one of xk and yk for one HARQ period in the HARQ period series is different from at least one of xk and yk for the other HARQ period in the HARQ period series. |
| US08514765B1 |
Dynamic zoning changes in multi-hop relaying systems
A method dynamically changes a relay zone offset in a wireless communication system. The wireless communication system includes a base station, at least one relay station, and at least one mobile station. Each relay station is located a hop distance from the base station. A notification of a change in relay zone offset is transmitted to a relay station. Implementation of the change in relay zone offset is delayed for a predetermined amount of frames. Relay zone information is transmitted using the changed relay zone offset. |
| US08514764B2 |
Repeater that reports detected neighbors
This disclosure is directed to a repeater and base station control device implemented in a wireless communication system. The repeater includes a control unit capable of detecting signals sent from various base stations in the wireless communication system. In accordance with this disclosure, the repeater identifies a set of base stations that it can detect, and then sends information indicative of the set of base stations that the repeater can detect to a specific base station that gets repeated by the repeater. In this manner, the repeater can be used to help assess network topology. The base station control device receives the information from the base station and can use the information to update a neighbor list. |
| US08514756B1 |
Collectively addressing wireless devices
In general, techniques are described for identifying a collection of wireless devices to a mobile network using a single group identity. For example, as described herein, an operator assigns a group identity to a plurality of wireless devices that attach to a mobile network. The mobile network establishes, for the plurality of wireless devices, a single service bearer over the mobile network and associates the single service bearer with the group identity and with a single PDP address for the plurality of wireless devices. The mobile network associates the single service bearer with multiple sub-bearers on a particular interface to replicate service data traffic, destined to the PDP address, to each of the plurality of wireless devices and/or aggregate service data traffic, sourced by the PDP address and issued by any of the plurality of wireless devices, for transport to the packet data network. |
| US08514754B2 |
Methods and apparatus for use in controlling discontinuous transmission (DTX) for voice communications in a network
In one illustrative example, a mobile communication device receives, via a generic access network (GAN) from a GAN controller, a message having a discontinuous transmission (DTX) indication. For a voice communication session, the mobile device causes a connection to be established with the GANC, via the GAN and over a wireless communication link with a wireless access point of the GAN, for the communication of voice data of the voice session which is provided via a core network of a mobile telecommunications network. In response to identifying that the DTX indication indicates that the DTX functions are instructed or supported by the GANC, the mobile device causes DTX functions to be performed for the communication of the voice data of the voice session over the wireless link. On the other hand, in response to identifying that the DTX indication fails to indicate that DTX functions are supported or instructed by the GANC, the mobile device refrains from causing the DTX functions to be performed for the communication of the voice data of the voice session over the wireless link. Preferably, the message which carries the DTX indication is a GA-RC REGISTER ACCEPT message or a GA-RC REGISTER UPDATE DOWNLINK message. |
| US08514750B2 |
Multiplexed communication for duplex applications
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for multiplexed communication for duplex applications. Embodiments of the invention facilitate a multiplexed variant of long polling over a request/reply communication medium that (potentially significantly) reduces the resources utilized when exchanging messages. The lightweight address generation mechanism facilitates polling and routing for a pool of many clients and many services while minimizing allocated resources to each established session. Further, the benefits of a lower latency bidirectional communication medium between clients and services can be utilized. |
| US08514743B2 |
Maintaining balance of active links across network devices in a double-sided virtual port-channel environment
In one embodiment, a method includes configuring a first network device for operation in a first logical group with a second network device, receiving information from other network devices configured for operation in a second logical group, the information uniquely identifying each of the other network devices within the second logical group, and assigning a priority to each link connecting the first network device to the second logical group network devices. A portion of the links are selected as active links based on the link priorities and the link priorities are assigned such that a balance of active links is maintained across the second logical group network devices. An apparatus for maintaining a balance of active links across the network devices is also disclosed. |
| US08514742B2 |
Node device, information process method, and recording medium recording node device program
A node device in an overlay network formed by a plurality of node devices comprises: a memory unit that memorizes a plurality of routing tables where a plurality of node identification information are registered, the node identification information is indicative of identifying the node device from other node devices; and a searching unit that searches the node device as a destination of a message transmission by referring to the routing tables. The node device also comprises a transmitting unit that transmits the message to the node device searched by the searching unit. An amount of the node identification information which can be registered in the routing table to be first referred to by the searching unit is more than an amount of the node identification information which can be registered in the routing table other than the routing table to be first referred. |
| US08514741B2 |
Packet forwarding device
A packet forwarding device changes packet transfer performance according to a packet load, and ensures communication quality of an important packet while transfer performance is made minimum to suppress power consumption. The packet forwarding device includes a measuring section to measure the packet load for each packet importance degree, an estimation section to estimate a future packet load for each importance degree based on the measurement result, a performance determination section to determine performance for an operation based on the estimated load, which are provided in, for example, a traffic estimation/performance determination section. Reduction in the power consumption and assurance of the communication quality of the important packet are realized by a minimum performance determination based on an important packet estimation load in the performance determination section and a preferential process of the important packet in the packet forwarding device. |
| US08514740B2 |
Mobile communication system
In a mobile communication system according to the present invention, a radio base station (eNB) is configured to transmit broadcast information including a parameter to which a frequency bandwidth used in the mobile communication system is set; a mobile station (UE#1) is configured to determine, when a predetermined value is set to the parameter included in the received broadcast information, that a first frequency bandwidth is the frequency bandwidth used in the mobile communication system; and a mobile station (UE#2) is configured to determine, when the predetermined value is set to the parameter included in the received broadcast information, that a second frequency bandwidth different from the first frequency bandwidth is the frequency bandwidth used in the mobile communication system. |
| US08514739B2 |
Wireless communication device and wireless communication method
The present invention relates to a wireless communication device performing communications by using a radio frame containing a control channel and a data channel, the wireless communication device comprises of a structuring unit that allocates a first part of the control channel adjacent to the data channel in the radio frame, and allocates a second part of the control channel, which denotes different control information from the first part, to the data channel so as to be inserted between data of the data channel and a transmission unit that transmits the radio frame including the data channel and the control channel. |
| US08514730B2 |
Telecommunications routing
A telecommunications network termination device has the capability to connect to a network access point using a primary fixed line address by a first route and also, using a second network address, by a backup routing to a shared wireless access point. Connection status messages are transmitted over the primary routing. If these are not detected by the network, it causes traffic to the user device to be diverted over the backup routing to the second network address. It also transmits instructions to the user device to route outgoing traffic by the same secondary route. The secondary route is identified from network topology data stored by the network control server. |
| US08514728B2 |
Methods and systems for estimating temporal correlation of a propagation channel
Methods and systems for estimating Temporal Correlation (TC) of a propagation channel are provided. In an embodiment, a method for estimating the TC of the propagation channel comprises obtaining multiple channel quality reports of the propagation channel and estimating the TC of the propagation channel based on the multiple channel quality reports. |
| US08514726B2 |
Computer product, apparatus, and method for device testing
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing therein a test program causing a computer to execute a process including acquiring a first packet and a second packet sent to a first device; transmitting, based on the acquired first packet, a third packet obtained by setting a destination of the first packet to a second device; and transmitting, based on the acquired second packet, a fourth packet obtained by setting a destination of the second packet to the second device, the fourth packet being transmitted upon elapse of a period from the transmission of the third packet and equal to a time interval between acquisition of the first packet and acquisition of the second packet. |
| US08514723B2 |
Traffic monitoring by lowest transmission layer marking
A monitoring system is provided for monitoring transport of data through interconnected nodes for processing data packets in a communication system, wherein said data packets conform to a layered transmission protocol, the system comprising: (1) a marking node for marking a packet selected according to a marking rule by placing a monitoring indicator in the lowest protocol layer thereof, said data packet having a first number of protocol layers, (2) at least, one packet processing node for forming a data packet based or the marked packet, such that said formed data packet comprises a second number of protocol layers that is different from said first number of protocol layers and such that said indicator is in the lowest protocol layer of said formed data packet, and (3) a monitoring node for monitoring said transport of data on the basis of the indicators in data packets that have passed through the at least one packet processing node. |
| US08514721B2 |
Robust UE receiver
Methods, systems, apparatus and computer program products are provided to improve the reliability of data reception. In one provided embodiment, a communication signal is parsed by a communication device to identify repeat request identifiers. The device determines an inter-arrival time of two instances of the same identifier and processes the communication signal based on a comparison between the inter-arrival time and a predetermined time. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the disclosed subject matter. Therefore, it is to be understood that it should not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. |
| US08514720B2 |
Base station apparatus, mobile station, mobile communication system, and communication control method
A base station for communicating with a mobile station which transmits an uplink signal according to a frequency division multiplexing scheme includes a first measurement unit configured to measure reception power on a frequency band for the random access channel in uplink or a second measurement unit configured to measure the number of receptions of preambles on the random access channel. The base station may either control the frequency band for the random access channel or restrict transmission on the random access channel based on at least one of the reception power on the frequency band for the random access channel and the number of receptions of preambles on the random access channel. |
| US08514714B2 |
Device and method for providing forwarding information and QOS information in flow based network environment
A device for providing forwarding and QoS information in a flow based network environment acquires first information and second information from a flow table therein on the basis of status information of a predetermined flow in order to provide dynamically updated information in a flow based network environment. When it is determined that first information and second information acquired based on a route ID of a series of information are updated, the flow table is updated and the updated information is provided. |
| US08514713B2 |
Flow control for multi-hop networks
Solutions are provided that allow a network device to apply flow control on the MAC layer while taking into account the priority of the frame of traffic. This may be accomplished by generating a frame indicating that traffic flow should be paused, while utilizing a new opcode value, or alternatively by utilizing a new type/length value (possibly combined with a new opcode value). A receiving device may then examine the fields of the frame to determine whether it should use priority-based pausing, and then examine other fields to determine which priority-levels to pause and for how long. This allows for improved efficiency in flow control at the MAC layer. Additionally, the tagged pause frames can be forwarded over multiple hops on Local Area Networks across a Metropolitan Area Network or Wide Area Network. |
| US08514712B1 |
Non-stop VoIP support
A packet switch collects configuration information on the peer devices to which it connects. Peer devices that are IP (Internet Protocol) telephones are sensed. Such devices may also bridge packets to a connected device such as a computer, but with a bridge capability that cannot handle large broadcast storms on the network. The packet switch uses the configuration information to limit broadcast storms on its ports connected to the relatively fragile IP telephones/bridges. This can prevent broadcast storms from disrupting calls on the IP telephones connected to the packet switch. |
| US08514710B2 |
Data compression negotiation in a telecommunication system
The invention relates to a method for setting up s data link, wherein an end-to-end link comprises at least two separate legs with error correction protocols. The legs may have different physical layer connections or their error correction protocols (V.120, RLP) may be different. An interworking function IWF according to the invention that is located between these legs is integrated such that the legs can communicate with each other during set-up of traffic channel in order to exchange data compression parameters. The IWF intervenes in an end-to-end data compression negotiation, performs protocol conversions on messages transmitted from one leg to another, synchronizes the legs, if required, by delaying the set-up of the faster leg and the compression negotiation, modifies the compression parameters provided by the legs, if required, and if the end-to-end data compression negotiation fails, it may set up data compression on only one leg. |
| US08514708B2 |
Method for transmitting data from RLC layer in radio communication system
Disclosed is a method for transmitting data from an RLC layer in a radio communication system. The method includes the steps of storing RLC SDUs transferred from an upper layer in a transmission buffer, transmitting RLC PDUs on which the RLC SDUs stored in the transmission buffer are loaded to a receiving side in order, discarding the RLC SDUs stored in the transmission buffer, checking whether a transmission mode indicator is configured, and transmitting discard information about the discarded RLC SDUs to the receiving side entirely or in part in accordance with whether the transmission MRW mode indicator is configured. |
| US08514699B2 |
Apparatus and method for admission control considering multiple service providers in a broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for Admission Control (AC) in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. The apparatus includes a classification unit for determining a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), from a plurality of MVNOs, that provides services for a generated resource request, a manager for evaluating a resource occupation status of the MVNO and a resource amount permitted to the MVNO, and a determination unit for determining whether to admit the resource request according to at least one of the resource occupation status of the determined MVNO, the resource amount permitted to the determined MVNO and an available total resource amount. |
| US08514696B2 |
Multicast tree state replication
A network device may include a first memory to store a primary multicast tree state table for storing next-hop information for a multicast tree corresponding to a multicast stream; a second memory to store a secondary multicast tree, different than the primary multicast tree, state table for storing the next-hop information for the multicast tree corresponding to the multicast stream; a receiver to receive a data unit from a neighbor network device, the data unit including information regarding a next-hop in the multicast tree; and one or more processors. The one or more processors may update the primary multicast tree state table based on the information regarding the next-hop in the multicast tree, and update the secondary multicast tree state table, in response to the one or more processors updates the primary multicast tree state table, based on the information regarding the next-hop in the multicast tree. |
| US08514695B2 |
Method and apparatus for wideband wireless transmission and transmission system
A method of wideband radio transmission is disclosed, the method includes the following steps: obtaining the parallel data symbols; encoding the obtaining parallel data symbols respectively; superposing the encoded data symbols; performing the fast Fourier inverse transform for the superposed data symbols and transmitting them. Applying the solution, the transmission efficiency and the transmission dependability of the OFDM system is raised. An apparatus for wideband radio transmission and a transmission system are also disclosed. |
| US08514694B2 |
Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system
A network informs a user equipment about the number of usable sub-carriers in a frequency spectrum. Based on this, and its knowledge of a generic size of a resource block, the user equipment is able to determine a number of sub-carriers that are to be allocated to one or more fractional resource blocks. Rules, which may be predefined in the standard, or may be signalled to the user equipment, allow the user equipment to determine which of the usable sub-carriers should be allocated to the fractional resource block or blocks. |
| US08514692B2 |
Methods and apparatus for determining, communicating and using information which can be used for interference control purposes
Methods and apparatus for collecting, measuring, reporting and/or using information which can be used for interference control purposes. Wireless terminals measure signals transmitted from one or more base stations, e.g., base station sector transmitters. The measured signals may be, e.g., beacon signals and/or pilot signals. From the measured signals, the wireless terminal generates one or more gain ratios which provide information about the relative gain of the communications channels from different base station sectors to the wireless terminal. This information represents interference information since it provides information about the signal interference that will be caused by transmissions from other base station sectors relative to transmissions made by the base station sector to which the wireless terminal is attached. Based on the signal energy measurements and relative gains generated from the energy measures, reports are generated in accordance with the invention and sent to one or more base stations. |
| US08514690B2 |
M-ary orthogonal keying system
A digital modulation system provides enhanced multipath performance by using modified orthogonal codes with reduced autocorrelation sidelobes while maintaining the cross-correlation properties of the modified codes. For example, the modified orthogonal codes can reduce the autocorrelation level so as not to exceed one-half the length of the modified orthogonal code. In certain embodiments, an M-ary orthogonal keying (MOK) system is used which modifies orthogonal Walsh codes using a complementary code to improve the auto-correlation properties of the Walsh codes, thereby enhancing the multipath performance of the MOK system while maintaining the orthogonality and low cross-correlation characteristics of the Walsh codes. |
| US08514686B2 |
Optical information recording/reproducing apparatus and objective optical system for the same
An objective optical system for information recording/reproducing, at least one of optical surfaces of the objective optical system comprising a diffraction surface including a first region contributing to converging first, second and third beams and including a diffraction structure formed such that use diffraction orders for the first, second and third beams are 1st-orders and a condition 0.03<(λB11−λ1)/λ1<0.40 is satisfied; a second region contributing to converging only the first and second beams and including a diffraction structure formed such that the use diffraction orders are 1st-orders and a condition: −0.35<(λB12−λB11)/λ1<0.35 is satisfied; and a third region contributing to converging only the first beam and including a diffraction structure formed such that the use diffraction order for the first beam is an odd order and a condition: −0.23 |
| US08514685B2 |
Optical devices based on internal conical diffraction
Optical devices based on internal conical refraction for developing new set-ups, methods and applications based on the specific properties of internal conical diffraction. The devices include several set-ups, methods and applications consisting of biaxial crystal(s)—one or more polarization elements and optical elements. The biaxial crystal is an optical crystal which may belong to the trigonal, orthorhombic or trigonal crystal classes. |
| US08514681B2 |
Recording medium, address generating and detection method, and reproduction and recording apparatus
A recording medium, an address generating method, an address detection method and a recording and reproduction apparatus capable of extending the wobble address without any considerable wobble restructuring are disclosed. Virtual bits not recorded in the disc and expressed by the difference of the rule or the presence or absence of the information embedded in a part or the whole of the wobble address are generated. Thus, the extended address can be obtained without changing the number of bits of the address embedded in the wobble. |
| US08514676B2 |
Method and device for sensitivity compensation
Method and device for generating a control voltage for a position actuator of a disk drive system for displacing a lens of a pick-up unit to a given X-position. The actuator is operated by an open loop control system. First, parameters of the control system are calibrated so that the control system produces a control voltage (Va) from an input position signal (Xact_setp). Then, the control voltage is processed in a feed forward system for generating a processed control signal (Va_p) which is fed to the position actuator for displacing said lens to the X-position. A Z-value corresponding to the axial distance of the lens from a calibrated axial position and a temperature of the pick-up unit are measured. The position actuator operates according to the formula: Xdc=Va—p*K(Temp,Z)/(R(Temp)*C(Temp,Z)). |
| US08514675B2 |
Suspension system for an optical pickup assembly
A suspension system is provided for an objective lens housing. The objective lens housing is supported by the suspension system and is moved in either a tracking direction Y or focusing direction Z by an electro-magnetic actuator. The objective lens housing is supported by upper and lower suspension springs. The suspension springs are moveable in the tracking direction by flexing the suspension springs and are moveable in a focusing direction by compressing a front portion and a back portion to fold the suspension spring at bends formed in an intermediate portion of the suspension springs. |
| US08514673B1 |
Layered near-field transducer
A near-field transducer includes a substrate that defines a substrate-parallel plane. The near-field transducer also includes a composite layer deposited on the substrate-parallel plane. The composite layer has a first layer of the plasmonic material and a second layer of an insertion material adjacent the substrate. The insertion material reduces plastic deformation of the near-field transducer at elevated temperatures. |
| US08514670B2 |
Striking mechanism for a watch with a hammer locking device
The striking mechanism for a watch includes a gong, which is connected to a gong-carrier, a hammer for striking the gong at pre-determined times, a damper counterspring for keeping the hammer at a distance from the gong in an idle mode, and a hammer drive spring, which includes a fixed end and an end that is free to move. The striking mechanism includes a locking device, which is provided with at least one rotating bolt. This bolt includes a first arm provided with a hook for hooking onto a notch of the hammer to lock the hammer in an idle mode. The locking device is arranged to lock the hammer following a single strike of the hammer against the gong in a strike mode. |
| US08514666B2 |
Electronic device with time update function and time update method
An electronic device with time update function includes a radio module, a clock module, an audio input port, a storage module, and a processing module. The radio module receives and outputs audible signals from the broadcasts of a broadcasting station. The audio input port receives audible sound generated by the radio module, and the clock module provides a source of real time. The processing module determines whether the signals received by the audio input port include current time information, and if so whether the system time is consistent with the current time information. The processing module updates the stored initial time with the current time information and adjusts the system time as necessary. A time update method is also provided. |
| US08514662B2 |
Sonic receiver and method for receiving data that uses modulation frequncies that reduce the probability of conflict with ambient noise in the environment
A method, apparatus and computer program product is provided for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data through sonic communication. A method and system is provided for devices to exchange data over the air using a sonic carrier signal. The transmit device has at least one sonic transducer that transmits a sonic carrier signal through the air in accordance with aspects of the present invention. A digital representation of the data is modulated consistent with a modulation protocol using one or more sonic transmission frequencies in accordance with present invention. The sonic transducer transmits the one or more sonic carrier signals carrying the modulated data over the air. Each sonic carrier signal has sufficient gain to carry the signal to a receiver device where the data from the one or more sonic carrier signals is demodulated. Aspects of the present invention receive modulated data through the air using at least one sonic transducer of a receive device. Prior to demodulation, the receive device may be configured to perform the demodulation of the data at one or more sonic transmission frequencies. Sonic carrier signals at these sonic transmission frequencies are demodulated in accordance with a sonic modulation protocol providing a binary representation of the data. Ambient noise captured by the receiver device is processed along with the data transmitted over the sonic carrier signals. |
| US08514658B2 |
Downscan imaging sonar for reduced interference
A sonar transducer assembly for mounting to a surface watercraft includes a rectangular first transducer configured to produce a first beam defining a fan-shape and extending generally in a first plane. The assembly further includes a rectangular second transducer configured to produce a second beam defining a fan-shape and extending generally in a second plane. The first transducer and the second transducer are oriented such that the respective first and second beams insonify different first and second areas each extending laterally with respect to a running direction of the surface watercraft, and such that the first beam is outside of the second plane of the second beam, the resulting planar separation of the first and second planes of the first and second beams reducing interference between the first and second transducers. |
| US08514657B2 |
Generating fluid telemetry
A downhole tool includes a tool body, stator, and rotor. The tool body is aligned along a tool centerline and includes an aperture therethrough operable to pass a fluid to an exterior of the body. The stator is fixed relative to the tool body and includes a fluid flow restriction operable to pass at least a portion of the fluid from an interior of the stator to the exterior of the body at an adjustable flow rate. The rotor is disposed within the tool body and rotatable relative to the stator and includes an exhaust port selectively aligned with at least one aperture through the tool body by rotation of the rotor relative to the stator. The exhaust port is operable to pass at least a portion of the fluid from an interior of the rotor to the exterior of the body when aligned with the aperture. |
| US08514653B2 |
Multi-layered memory devices
A multi-layered memory device is provided. The multi-layered memory device includes two or more memory units and an active circuit unit arranged between each of the two or more memory units. The active circuit includes a decoder. Each memory unit includes one or more memory layers. Each memory layer includes a memory array. |
| US08514645B2 |
Current-mode sense amplifier for high-speed sensing
A sense amplifier circuit according to some implementations includes a differential input stage to receive mirrored input currents and a transistor switch whose state is controlled by a signal applied to its gate. The sense amplifier circuit includes a pair of cross-coupled NMOS transistors and a pair of cross-coupled PMOS transistors to which the mirrored input currents are coupled and whose drain nodes are shorted when the transistor switch is in a conductive state. The sense amplifier is arranged to generate a digital output signal indicative of which of the input currents is larger. |
| US08514642B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A driver circuit having a redundant control function to store address data of a defective memory cell is provided to compensate a defect of a memory cell array. In other words, address data of a defective memory cell is stored not by using part of the memory cell array, but by using a non-volatile memory, which is provided in a memory controller, to store address data of a defective memory cell. The memory controller storing the address data of a defective memory cell contributes an increase in process speed, because it is not necessary to access the memory cell array in order to obtain the address data of the defective memory cell. |
| US08514641B2 |
Repair circuit and repair method of semiconductor apparatus
A repair circuit of a semiconductor apparatus includes a plurality of through-silicon vias including repeated sets of one repair through-silicon via and an M number of normal through-silicon vias; a transmission unit configured to multiplex input data at a first multiplexing rate based on control signals, and transmit the multiplexed data to the plurality of through-silicon vias; a reception unit configured to multiplex signals transmitted through the plurality of through-silicon vias at a second multiplexing rate based on the control signals, and generate output data; and a control signal generation unit configured to generate sets of the control signals based on an input number of a test signal. |
| US08514640B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device, in which interference between adjoining cells can be reduced and an expansion of a chip area can be suppressed, comprising: a memory cell array in which plural memory cells connected to plural word lines and plural bit lines are disposed in a matrix form; sense amplifiers each of which is to be connected to each of the bit lines; a control circuit which controls voltages of the word lines and the bit lines, and programs data into the memory cells or reads data from the memory cells; wherein the plural bit lines include at least a first, a second, a third and a fourth bit lines adjoining to each other, and the sense amplifiers include at least a first and a second sense amplifiers, a first and a fourth selection transistors which are provided between the first and the fourth bit lines and the first sense amplifier, and connect the first and the fourth bit lines to the first sense amplifier; and a second and a third selection transistors which are provided between the second and the third bit lines and the second sense amplifier, and connect the second and the third bit lines to the second sense amplifier. |
| US08514635B2 |
Memory system and control method therefor
A memory system includes a plurality of memory devices having data terminals that are commonly connected to a memory controller. Each of the memory devices includes a data output circuit that outputs read data that is read from a memory cell array in response to a read command to the data terminal, and an output-timing adjustment circuit that adjusts an output timing of read data that is output from the data output circuit. The memory controller sets an adjustment amount of adjustment performed by an output-timing adjustment circuit such that delay times from when the read command is issued until when the read data is received match in the memory devices, by issuing a setting command to each of the memory devices. |
| US08514633B2 |
Method for operating semiconductor memory device
A method for operating a semiconductor memory device includes the steps of: erasing memory cells of a memory block to set the memory cells in a first erased state, programming a part of the memory cells of the memory block to convert them into a programmed state, raising threshold voltages of selected memory cells of the memory block and converting the selected memory cells from the programmed state to a second erased state, and reading data from the memory cells in the first erased state, the programmed state, and the second erased state, and outputting the data read from the memory cells in the first and second erased states with the same value. |
| US08514632B2 |
Semiconductor memory including program circuit of nonvolatile memory cells and system
A semiconductor memory includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells arranged in a matrix and coupled to control gate lines, selection gate lines, bit lines, and source lines, and includes a source line control unit. The source line control unit, at a time of program operation, sets one of the source lines coupled to a row of the memory cells including a program memory cell to a high level voltage, and sets at least one of the remaining source lines coupled to a row of a non-program memory cells to be higher than a low level voltage of the selection gate lines and to be lower than the high level voltage of an unselection bit line. Thereby, a leak current lowering a voltage of the source lines at the time of program operation can be blocked off, and a program operation time may be shortened. |
| US08514630B2 |
Detection of word-line leakage in memory arrays: current based approach
Techniques and corresponding circuitry are presented for the detection of wordline leakage in a memory array. In an exemplary embodiment, a capacitive voltage divider is used to translate the high voltage drop to low voltage drop that can be compared with a reference voltage to determine the voltage drop due to leakage. An on-chip self calibration method can help assure the accuracy of this technique for detecting leakage limit. In other embodiments, the current drawn by a reference array, where a high voltage is applied to the array with all wordlines non-selected, is compared to the current drawn by an array where the high voltage is applied and one or more selected wordlines. In these current based embodiments, the reference array can be a different array, or the same array as that one selected for testing. |
| US08514628B2 |
Dynamic switching approach to reduce area and power consumption of high voltage charge pumps
A charge pump system uses a dynamic switching approach, where the pump connections are independent of the load for each output. One large pump is designed to be shared between all of the outputs for use during the ramp up during recovery, with each output level also have one designated pump to maintain its level when under regulation. Each small pump is designed with capability that can maintain its output at its regulation level. Each of these pumps can be tailored to the corresponding output level, such as the number of stages being higher in the pump to supply the higher output level. The large pump unit is constructed to be ample to provide sufficient drive to be able to assist in the ramp up phase for all of the outputs and has as many switches needed to connect the pump with all the needed outputs. |
| US08514623B2 |
Method of maintaining the state of semiconductor memory having electrically floating body transistor
Methods of maintaining a state of a memory cell without interrupting access to the memory cell are provided, including applying a back bias to the cell to offset charge leakage out of a floating body of the cell, wherein a charge level of the floating body indicates a state of the memory cell; and accessing the cell. |
| US08514620B2 |
Memory devices having select gates with P type bodies, memory strings having separate source lines and methods
Memory devices and methods of operating memory devices are shown. Configurations described include a memory cell string having an elongated n type body region and having select gates with p type bodies. Configurations and methods shown can provide a reliable bias to a body region for memory operations such as erasing. |
| US08514618B2 |
Magnetic random access memory cell with improved dispersion of the switching field
The present disclosure concerns a magnetic random access memory MRAM cell comprising a tunnel magnetic junction formed from a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer having a second magnetization that can be oriented relative to an anisotropy axis of the second ferromagnetic layer at a predetermined high temperature threshold, and a tunnel barrier; a first current line extending along a first direction and in communication with the magnetic tunnel junction; the first current line being configured to provide an magnetic field for orienting the second magnetization when carrying a field current; wherein the MRAM cell is configured with respect to the first current line such that when providing the magnetic field, at least a component of the magnetic field is substantially perpendicular to said anisotropy axis. The MRAM cell has an improved switching efficiency, lower power consumption and improved dispersion of the switching field compared to conventional MRAM cells. |
| US08514611B2 |
Memory with low voltage mode operation
A memory comprising memory cells wherein the memory is configured to operate in a normal voltage mode and a low voltage mode. The method includes during the normal voltage mode, operating the memory cells at a first voltage across each of the memory cells. The method further includes upon transitioning from the normal voltage mode to the low voltage mode, operating the memory cells at a second voltage across each of the memory cells, wherein the second voltage is lower than the first voltage. The method further includes performing an access on a subset of the memory cells while maintaining the second voltage across the memory cells. |
| US08514610B2 |
Semiconductor memory cell array including dummy bit-line and word-line and semiconductor memory device having the same
A semiconductor memory cell array includes a plurality of bit-lines, a plurality of word-lines, a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of dummy memory cells, a plurality of dummy bit-lines, and a plurality of dummy word-lines. The dummy bit-lines are in outer regions of the bit-lines. The dummy word-lines are in outer regions of the word-lines. The dummy bit-lines are maintained in a floating state. The dummy word-lines retain a turn-off voltage. |
| US08514604B2 |
Monitoring system for monitoring serial advanced technology attachment dual in-line memory module
A monitoring system includes a serial advanced technology attachment dual-in-line memory module (SATA DIMM) with a circuit board, a motherboard having a monitoring unit, and a monitoring device. An edge connector is set on a bottom edge of the circuit board to engage in a memory slot of the motherboard. A SATA connector is arranged on the circuit board and connected to a storage device interface of the motherboard. The monitoring unit receives a working state signal and a data transfer rate signal of the SATA DIMM module and outputs the received signals to the monitoring device. |
| US08514601B2 |
Power conversion with added pseudo-phase
Methods and systems for power conversion. An energy storage capacitor is contained within an H-bridge subcircuit which allows the capacitor to be connected to the link inductor of a Universal Power Converter with reversible polarity. This provides a “pseudo-phase” drive capability which expands the capabilities of the converter to compensate for zero-crossings in a single-phase power supply. |
| US08514600B1 |
Power conversion apparatus with zero current crossing direction correction
A power conversion apparatus includes a current sensor that detects a phase current flowing through a phase current line, a first phase-voltage detection unit that detects a first phase voltage in the phase current line with a potential in a P line as a reference, a second phase-voltage detection unit that detects a second phase voltage in the phase current line with a potential in an N line as a reference, an estimation unit that estimates a zero-cross point timing of the phase current based on magnitude and symbol of the first and second phase voltage, a calculation unit that obtains a correction value with respect to a detection value of the current sensor according to the detection value of the current sensor at the estimated zero-cross point timing, and a correction unit that corrects a detection value of the current sensor by using the obtained correction value. |
| US08514598B2 |
Power converter comprising an inverter module using normally ON field-effect transistors
A power converter includes a DC power supply bus having a positive power supply line (10) and negative power supply line (11). A limiting resistor (RL) is connected in series with the negative power supply line (11) of the DC power supply bus and is designed to limit the charging current of the bus capacitor (Cbus). An inverter module has upper transistors (T2, T4, T6) and lower transistors (T1, T3, T5) in series of the normally ON field-effect type, and several Grid control devices (CT1-CT6) allow each to apply a Grid voltage to the transistors for controlling each transistor so as to turn off or to turn on. A start-up source (Sd) is connected in parallel with the limiting resistor and to each Grid control device (CT1, CT3, CT5) for the lower transistors, and is configured for charging with a negative voltage when the power converter starts up. |
| US08514594B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling power converter output characteristics
A power converter includes a primary winding for providing a primary current, a secondary winding for providing an output current and an output voltage, and a current sense node for receiving a current sense signal related to the primary current. The power converter also includes a control circuit configured to limit the current sense signal to be lower than or equal to a predetermined reference peak current. Moreover, the power converter includes a first circuit configured to modify the current sense signal using a first signal related to the output voltage to cause an variation in the output current. |
| US08514586B2 |
Positioning structure for expansion card
A positioning structure is used for mounting a expansion card to a printed circuit board. The positioning structure includes a first plate, a second plate and a connecting plate connected between the first plate and the second plate. The first plate defines a slot. The second plate defines an opening. The first plate is selectively mounted to different positions of the circuit board by the slot, and the second plate is selectively mounted to different positions of the expansion card by the opening. |
| US08514582B2 |
Coax-balun module
A coax-balun module for converting from a balanced signal to an unbalanced signal includes a housing having a balun well adapted to receive a balun transformer. The module includes a printed circuit board electrically connected to a balun transformer and a threaded connector. The printed circuit board is further electrically connected to electrical conductors adapted to carry input signals. The housing is adapted to receive a potting material to seal the other components therein. |
| US08514581B2 |
Flexible printed wiring board and electronic apparatus having flexible printed wiring board
According to one embodiment, a flexible printed wiring board includes a component mounting portion to which a component is mounted and to which a reinforcing sheet is bonded. The component mounting portion includes an inner layer comprising a wiring pattern, and an outermost film layer disposed to cover the wiring pattern. The outermost film layer, to which the reinforcing sheet is bonded, is formed with a groove such that, when the reinforcing sheet is bonded, the groove extends in a region between the outermost film layer and the reinforcing sheet and communicates with an outside of the region. |
| US08514576B1 |
Dual sided system in a package
A device includes a circuit board and a dual sided package. The dual sided package fits into an opening provided in the circuit board. The dual sided package includes a first portion with a first set of integrated circuits (ICs), a second portion with a second set of ICs, and a package substrate provided between the first portion and the second portion. The package substrate connects to the circuit board, and the first portion and the second portion face opposite directions. |
| US08514573B2 |
Server center with heat dissipation system
An exemplary server center includes a server, a heat dissipating system, and temperature controlling device. The heat dissipating system includes an exhaust fan, and an airflow tunnel connecting the exhaust fan with the server. The temperature controlling device includes a temperature sensor electrically connected to the server, and an airflow valve mounted on the airflow tunnel. The temperature sensor is configured for detecting a temperature of the server and controlling the airflow valve to permit the airflow enter the airflow tunnel or not, according to the temperature obtained from the server. |
| US08514566B2 |
Disk drive assembly
A disk drive assembly includes an enclosure, a printed circuit board (PCB), a back board, a drive bracket, a first disk drive, and a second disk drive. The enclosure includes a bottom wall. The PCB is mounted on the bottom wall and parallel to the bottom wall. The back board is connected to and parallel to the PCB. The drive bracket includes a first side panel, a second side panel, and a third side panel parallel to each other. The first disk drive is mounted between the first side panel and the second side panel. The first disk drive is electrically connected to and perpendicular to the back board. The second disk drive is mounted between the second side panel and the third side panel. The second disk drive is electrically connected to and perpendicular to the back board. |
| US08514564B2 |
Disk on module device
A disk on module device includes a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) connector connected to a SATA interface of a motherboard, a universal serial bus (USB) connector connected to a USB interface of the motherboard, a power unit, a control chip, and a number of storage chips. The power unit is connected to a power pin of the USB connector, to receive electrical power from the motherboard through the USB connector and converts the received voltage to make it suitable for the control chip and the storage chips. The control chip is connected to the SATA connector and the storage chips, to receive a control signal from the motherboard through the SATA connector and control the storage chips to store data. |
| US08514559B2 |
Screen storage device
The present invention is to provide a screen storage device comprising at least an integrated circuit module and a carrier plate folded to be at least two folding sections in which the height of the integrated circuit module plus the heights of folding sections is not more than the height unit of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) male connector to embody the height of the integrated circuit module in the present invention effectively reduced and the present invention extensively employed, conveniently used, and properly accommodated with the folding section and the integrated circuit module oppositely stacked. |
| US08514551B2 |
Panelboard enclosure with external power cutoff switch
An electrical panelboard enclosure includes a primary service panel configured to receive power from a main power source and an alternate power source, an alternate power source connector array, and a distribution panel that delivers main or alternate power to subsidiary load circuits. A service transfer switch unit includes a main power breaker and an alternate power breaker having mutually interlocked toggle switches for respectively activating/deactivating the main and alternate power. The panelboard enclosure further includes a power cutoff switch operable from outside a service entrance door of the enclosure to mechanically engage and deactivate the main power breaker toggle switch. |
| US08514550B2 |
Solid electrolytic capacitor containing a cathode termination with a slot for an adhesive
A capacitor containing a solid electrolytic capacitor element that includes an anode, dielectric, and a cathode that includes a solid electrolyte is provided. An anode lead extends from the anode and is electrically connected to an anode termination. Likewise, a cathode termination is electrically connected to the cathode. The cathode termination contains a planar portion that is oriented generally parallel to a lower surface of the capacitor element. An interior slot is defined by the planar portion within which is disposed a conductive adhesive that connects the cathode termination to the capacitor element. By disposing the adhesive within a slot of a planar portion of the cathode termination, the present inventors have discovered that the tendency of the adhesive to bleed toward the edges of the termination can be limited. Among other things, this improves the mechanical stability of the capacitor upon encapsulation and also improves electrical performance. |
| US08514548B2 |
Compliant energy storing structural sheet
Disclosed herein is a structural sheet includes an energy storage density that is greater than 10-mWh/ft2 and is capable of withstanding greater than 5-KPa stress under at least 5% strain. |
| US08514544B2 |
Electrostatic clamp optimizer
A system which may be used to control, monitor and optimize an electrostatic clamp is disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, there is a computer, a control circuit, and at least one amplifier. Also, a signal assessing circuit may be included and used to provide a sensing signal to an output signal of the control circuit. The signal assessing circuit may provide a sensing signal that can be used to monitor the capacitance of the electrostatic clamp. Further, the signal assessing circuit may include circuitry which monitors performance of the electrostatic clamp, and provide performance information to the control circuit. |
| US08514543B2 |
Remote controlled locking electroshock stun device with GPS tracking, alcohol monitoring and voice communications and methods of use
A apparatus able but not limited to monitor alcohol levels, track by GPS have voice communications and administer a incapacitating electric shock to a person, which comprises a portable power source, at least one pair of electrodes operatively associated with the power source and that are configured to track, monitor, communicate and deliver an electrical shock to the person's body, a locking mechanism configured to secure the tracking, monitoring and communications device with electrodes at a desired position on said person's body operated by at a remote location capable of tracking, monitoring, communicating and triggering an electric shock. |
| US08514541B2 |
Injector drive circuit
The present invention realizes an injector drive circuit capable of providing high output power of a boost convertor while suppressing increases in size and cost thereof. An injector energizing circuit 200 includes an FET 2 which applies a high voltage 100a generated by a boost convertor 100 to an injection valve 20. The boost convertor 100 includes an input side capacitor 103, a boosting FET 105, a boost coil 104, a boost diode 106, and FETs 108 and 109 provided in association with a negative pole of an output side capacitor 107. During a period in which the high voltage 100a is applied to the injection valve 20, a gate signal 108a of the FET 108 is turned ON and a gate signal 109a of the FET 109 is turned OFF. Consequently, the boosting FET 105 performs a switching operation to turn OFF the gate signal 108a of the FET 108 and turn ON the gate signal 109a of the FET 109 during a period for charging into the output side capacitor 107. Thus, energy required for boosting can be reduced and an improvement in output is enabled. |
| US08514538B2 |
Overvoltage protection device comprising a disconnection accessory
A device for protecting against overvoltages that includes at least one overvoltage protection component (11); a thermosensitive member (17) capable of deforming, dependent upon the temperature thereof; a thermal connection between the at least one protection member and the thermosensitive member; and at least one mechanical member (15) for cooperating with the thermosensitive member and capable of cooperating with a system for triggering an electrical cut-off device (2). The thermosensitive member (17) and the at least one mechanical member (15) are arranged such that, when the thermosensitive member exceeds a given temperature threshold, the thermosensitive member, by reason of the deformation thereof, causes a movement of said at least one mechanical member (15) which correspondingly actuates the system for triggering the electrical cut-off device. |
| US08514536B2 |
ESD protection device and manufacturing method therefor
An ESD protection device includes a ceramic base material including a glass component; opposed electrodes including an opposed electrode on one side and an opposed electrode on the other side, which are arranged to have portions opposed to each other at a predetermined distance in the ceramic base material; and a discharge auxiliary electrode between the opposed electrodes, which is connected to each of the opposed electrode on the one side and the opposed electrode on the other side, and arranged to provide a bridge from the opposed electrode on the one side to the opposed electrode on the other side. A sealing layer to prevent ingress of the glass component from the ceramic base material into the discharge auxiliary electrode is provided between the discharge auxiliary electrode and the ceramic base material. |
| US08514533B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for protecting supply nodes from electrostatic discharge
Described herein are a method, apparatus, and system for electrostatic discharge protection of supplies. The apparatus comprises a timer unit having a node with a first supply signal and operable to generate a first timer signal based on the first supply signal; and a clamp unit, coupled to the timer unit and having a node with a second supply signal, operable to clamp the second supply signal in response to electrostatic discharge (ESD) on the node with the second supply signal for a duration based on a signal level of the first timer signal. |
| US08514529B1 |
Electrical wiring device
The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device including a plurality of line terminals configured to be connected to a source of AC power, and a plurality of load terminals. A detection assembly is coupled to the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals. The detection assembly is configured to detect a wiring state associated with the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals. The detection assembly includes a primary wiring state detection circuit, a secondary wiring state detection circuit, and an isolation circuit disposed therebetween, the isolation circuit being configured to electrically isolate the line terminals from the secondary wiring state detection circuit in the tripped state. The device also includes a circuit interrupting assembly that includes four sets of interrupting contacts that are configured to provide electrical continuity between the line terminals and the load terminals in a reset state and configured to interrupt the electrical continuity in a tripped state. The circuit interrupting assembly is substantially prevented from effecting the reset state absent a predetermined successful proper installation signal from the primary wiring state detection circuit. |
| US08514527B2 |
Magnetoresistive effect head having a multilayered pinned layer and/or free layer having amorphous and crystalline layers, and systems thereof
According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive effect head includes a magnetically pinned layer having a direction of magnetization that is pinned, a free magnetic layer positioned above the magnetically pinned layer, the free magnetic layer having a direction of magnetization that is free to vary, and a barrier layer comprising an insulator positioned between the magnetically pinned layer and the free magnetic layer, wherein at least one of the magnetically pinned layer and the free magnetic layer has a layered structure, the layered structure including a crystal layer comprising one of: a CoFe magnetic layer or a CoFeB magnetic layer and an amorphous magnetic layer comprising CoFeB and an element selected from: Ta, Hf, Zr, and Nb, wherein the crystal layer is positioned closer to a tunnel barrier layer than the amorphous magnetic layer. In another embodiment, a magnetic data storage system includes the magnetoresistive effect head described above. |
| US08514520B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording head including a front shield part and the method of manufacturing the same
A thin-film magnetic head is constructed such that a main magnetic pole layer, a write shield layer, a gap layer, and a thin-film coil are laminated on a substrate. The write shield layer has an opposing shield part opposing the main magnetic pole layer and a front shield part. The front shield part is connected to the opposing shield part without straddling the thin-film coil. Besides, the front shield part has a shield front end face disposed in the medium-opposing surface and a shield upper end face formed distanced from the medium-opposing surface. Further, the front shield part has a shield connecting part. The shield front end face is connected to the shield upper end face by the shield connecting part. |
| US08514519B2 |
Device for generating high frequency magnetic fields in a rest-frame of a magnetic medium
A magnetic head having a magnetic wiggler structure for initiating a high frequency magnetic oscillation in a magnetic to improve media-writeability and increase data density. The wiggler structure includes a plurality of magnetic layers that are antiparallel coupled with one another across non-magnetic antiparallel coupling layers. The wiggler structure is arranged just up-track from the point of data writing so that the high frequency oscillation is initiated just prior to the writing of data on the magnetic media. |
| US08514514B1 |
Disk drive having an inner frame with a side opening and an extruded hermetically sealed outer enclosure
A disk drive includes an inner frame that has a disk drive base and a disk drive cover. A disk, mounted on a rotary spindle attached to the disk drive base, defines a disk outer periphery that protrudes into a first side opening of the inner frame. A head actuator is attached to the disk drive base and to the disk drive cover. An outer enclosure includes an extruded hollow cylinder with a cross-sectional shape that is a continuous and unbroken ring that is substantially rectangular, and that surrounds a cavity. The outer enclosure surrounds the disk drive base and the disk drive cover. During assembly, the inner frame may be slid lengthwise into an open end of the outer enclosure, and the outer enclosure may be hermetically sealed to enclose air or helium in the cavity. |
| US08514512B2 |
Disk storage device, controller of the same, controlling method performed by the same, and electronic device
According to one embodiment, a disk storage device includes: a disk on which a servo pattern is recorded; a head; a driver; a signal generator; a demodulator; and a controller. Position signals for detecting an offset position from a center of a track are recorded in a recording area of a servo pattern. The signal generator generates a first timing signal indicating a timing for reading the position signals. When the controller performs positional control along a virtual circular orbit of the disk, the signal generator generates a second timing signal. The period of the second timing signal for reading each of the position signals is made shorter than that of the first timing signal. A center time of the period of the second timing signal is shifted closer to a demodulation center time corresponding to a center of the recording area than that of the first timing signal. |
| US08514510B1 |
Self-servo-write using ramp-tracks
Systems and techniques relating to writing servo information on a machine-readable medium include a method that includes writing a first set of sloped tracks to a first surface of at least one rotatable recording medium having at least two associated transducers, writing a second set of sloped tracks to a second surface of the at least one rotatable recording medium, and writing servo information to the at least one rotatable recording medium using the first and second sets of sloped tracks, wherein the first surface is distinct from the second surface. Further, an apparatus includes an input, an output, and signal processing circuitry comprising one or more control units configured to cause writing of first and second sets of sloped tracks and servo information using the first and second sets of sloped tracks. |
| US08514504B2 |
Image pickup lens, image pickup apparatus, and portable terminal device
An image pickup lens includes a first lens having a positive meniscus shape convex toward an object side, a second lens disposed on an image side of the first lens and has a meniscus shape convex toward the image side, and an aperture stop disposed on the object side of the image side surface of the first lens, and satisfies conditional expressions given below, in which f is a focal length of the entire system, R2 is a paraxial radius of curvature of the object side of the first lens, R3 is a paraxial radius of curvature of the image surface of the first lens, and DD is a distance on the optical axis between the first and second lenses: 0.45 |
| US08514499B2 |
Optical image capturing lens assembly
An optical image capturing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, the first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, the second lens element with refractive power, the third lens element with refractive power, the fourth lens element with refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, the fifth lens element with refractive power having a convex image-side surface, the object-side surface and the image side surface of the fifth lens element being aspheric, and the sixth lens element with negative refractive power made of plastic material and having a concave image-side surface. The object-side surface and the image-side surface of the sixth lens element are aspheric, and at least one surface thereof has at least one inflection point. |
| US08514495B2 |
Zoom lens system
A zoom lens system includes a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, and a positive third lens group, in that order from the object side, wherein upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, the distance between the first lens group and the second lens group is decreased, and the distance between the second lens group and the third lens group is decreased. A reflection prism having a negative refractive power is provided between the third lens group and the imaging plane, and wherein the following condition (1) is satisfied: P2νd<32 (1), wherein P2νd designates the Abbe number with respect to the d-line of the reflection prism, which is provided between the third lens group and the imaging plane. |
| US08514480B2 |
Display apparatus using dielectrophoresis and method of manufacturing the display apparatus
Example embodiments relate to a display apparatus using dielectrophoresis and a method of manufacturing the display apparatus. The display apparatus may include a display pixel, wherein the display pixel may include uncharged particles distributed in a dielectric medium that fills a cell area. A pattern electrode unit may be configured to produce a non-uniform electric field in the dielectric medium. A light transmittance of the display pixel may be adjusted by dielectrophoresis of the uncharged particles according to an electric field gradient. |
| US08514479B2 |
Electro-wetting display
An electro-wetting display includes a first substrate, a second substrate which faces the first substrate, and a fluid layer between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of pixels connected to the gate lines and the data lines. A fluid layer includes a first fluid layer having a color and a second fluid layer which is transparent. Each pixel includes a switching device, a pixel electrode in connection with the switching device, and a spacing electrode. The switching device is connected to an i-th gate line of the gate lines and a j-th data line of the data lines. The spacing electrode is adjacent to a side of the pixel electrode and in connection with a (i−1)th gate line of the gate lines. |
| US08514476B2 |
Multi-pane dynamic window and method for making same
A window assembly comprises a plurality of dynamic electrochromic zones formed on a single transparent substrate in which at least two electrochromic zones are independently controllable. In one exemplary embodiment, the window assembly comprises an Insulated Glass Unit (IGU), and at least one transparent substrate comprises a lite. In another exemplary embodiment, the IGU comprises at least two lites in which at least one lite comprises a plurality of independently controllable dynamic zones. |
| US08514475B2 |
Electro-optic device with gap-coupled electrode
An electro-optic device includes an electro-optic crystal having a predetermined thickness, a first face and a second face. The electro-optic device also includes a first electrode substrate disposed opposing the first face. The first electrode substrate includes a first substrate material having a first thickness and a first electrode coating coupled to the first substrate material. The electro-optic device further includes a second electrode substrate disposed opposing the second face. The second electrode substrate includes a second substrate material having a second thickness and a second electrode coating coupled to the second substrate material. The electro-optic device additionally includes a voltage source electrically coupled to the first electrode coating and the second electrode coating. |
| US08514473B2 |
Imaging apparatus including optical scanning device with deflecting mirror module, and method of deflecting with the mirror module
A module configured to deflect light in an image forming apparatus. A torsion bar supports a mirror and defines a rotational axis of the mirror. A controller is configured to apply electronic pulses to at least one driving device to oscillate the mirror in the module around the rotational axis at a scanning frequency different than a resonance frequency of the mirror. |
| US08514472B2 |
Reference beam coupler for an apparatus for reading from and/or writing to holographic storage media
The present invention relates to a reference beam coupler for an apparatus for reading from and/or writing to holographic storage media, to a multiplexing scheme using the reference beam coupler, and to an apparatus for reading from and/or writing to holographic storage media using such reference beam coupler or multiplexing scheme.According to the invention, the reference beam coupler has: a substrate; one or more optical fibers passing through the substrate for coupling one or more reference beams; and a reflective area on the substrate for reflecting an object beam, which serves as a Fourier filter for the object beam. |
| US08514471B2 |
Signal processing apparatus and method for processing multi-dimensional signals, and computer-readable medium
A signal processing apparatus and method for processing N-dimensional signals where N is an integer not smaller than 4 are disclosed. The signal processing apparatus includes a memory unit that stores reference values corresponding to combinations of each component of the N-dimensional signals; the memory unit has (M+1)×2N−M sub-memories which respectively store each part of the reference values divided into (M+1)×2N−M, where M is an integer smaller than N. A reading unit reads the reference values from the memory unit. |
| US08514460B2 |
Image reader and method for adjusting magnification accuracy of image reader
Reference patterns disposed on a platen unit are read by optically scanning the reference patterns and stored in an image memory as pattern image data. An interval between the reference patterns, the interval being stored in advance, is compared with intervals between read images of the reference patterns to calculate correction scaling factors for scaling the intervals between the read images. Document image data read by scanning a document placed on the platen unit is multiplied by the calculated correction scaling factors to adjust magnification accuracy of an image of the document. |
| US08514459B2 |
Communication device
A communication device transmits voice and facsimile signals in the same channel between a terminal device and a packet network. The communication device has an echo canceler and a jitter buffer. The jitter buffer has a delay recovery control function that selectively deletes data from the jitter buffer to recover from packet delays. After detecting a facsimile tone, the communication device waits to detect a certain interval of silence, then deactivates its echo canceler and delay recovery control function and switches into facsimile communication mode. If a certain interval of silence is detected during the facsimile transmission, the communication device reactivates its echo canceler and delay recovery control function and continues communicating in voice mode if the line is left connected. |
| US08514458B2 |
Image output apparatus and image output method
An image output apparatus including a first storage unit and a second storage unit having a slower data access speed than the first storage unit, an input unit configured to input image data, a setting unit configured to set a threshold of remaining amount of the first storage unit, a detection unit configured to detect the remaining amount of the first storage unit in which the image data is stored, a determination unit configured to determine whether the remaining amount is smaller than the threshold, a control unit configured to control the storage units so that, when the determination unit determines the remaining amount is smaller than the threshold, image data which is smaller than the image data input by the input unit among the image data stored in the first storage unit is transferred to the second storage unit. |
| US08514456B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image reader that can execute copy control by using one operation restricting dot pattern
An image forming apparatus has R, G and B dot pattern detection units that detect the presence/absence of image data of operation restricting dot patterns of R, G and B color components respectively in document image data. A dot pattern color determination unit determines the presence/absence of the operation restricting dot pattern and the color of the operation restricting dot pattern on a document from the detection results from the detection units. A restriction detail table storage unit stores, beforehand, a table showing the correspondence relationship between the color of the operation restricting dot pattern and a restriction detail concerning a copy operation. An image formation control unit determines, based on a determination of the dot pattern color determination unit and the table, whether a current setting of a multi-functional peripheral is relevant to the restriction detail corresponding to the color, and, when relevant, prohibits the copy operation. |
| US08514453B2 |
Method for processing high dynamic range images using tone mapping and WCS color transforms
A method for processing a high dynamic range (HDR) image for printing. Tone mapping is first applied to the input image to map the colors, to find an optimized range of brightness values, and to scale the color to place colors inside the optimized range (in-range colors) into a device color space (e.g. sRGB), but without clipping colors outside of the optimized range (out-of-range colors). The scaled colors are then converted to the color space of the output device (e.g. CMYK) using WCS (Windows Color System) color transform, where the in-range colors are processed using a optimized transform and the out-of-range are processed using a sequential transform. A mapping from the original color space to the converted color space for all colors in the image is stored in a lookup table (LUT), and the input image is converted to the output image using the LUT. |
| US08514446B2 |
Information processing apparatus, color/monochrome determination method therefor, and program for implementing the method
An information processing apparatus which is capable of efficiently performing color/monochrome determination of characters as a print object. A printer driver determines whether a character as the print object is a character which is necessary to be drawn or a character which is not necessary to be drawn. Then, when the character as the print object is determined to be a character which is not necessary to be drawn, the printer driver determines that the character as the print object is in monochrome. |
| US08514441B2 |
Image processing apparatus and control method thereof, in which an address for image data depends on whether the image data is input via a detachable image processing device
To provide an image processing apparatus that changes methods of storage to a memory depending on image data to be input and improves overall image processing performance, as well as a control method of the image processing apparatus. To accomplish this, the present image processing apparatus changes methods in which input image data is stored depending on whether scanner image processing is to be performed by a system control unit that comprehensively controls the image processing apparatus or performed outside of the system control unit. Specifically, when performing scanner image processing in the system control unit, since input image data is to be input directly from a CCD, the image data is stored frame-sequentially in a memory. On the other hand, when performing scanner image processing outside of the system control unit, input image data is stored dot-sequentially in a memory. |
| US08514438B2 |
Print control device, method, system and recording medium for communicating with plurality of types of printers
The present invention provides a printer control device that includes a storage device, a printer searching section, a print preview creation section and a display control section. The printer searching section searches for printers connected to a network, acquires pieces of print setup information on print setups set in extracted printers, correlates the pieces of acquired print setup information with the respective printers and stores the information in the storage device. The print preview creation section creates pieces of print preview data of designated data for respective printers, and the display control section causes an identical display device to simultaneously be displayed as a print preview. Utilizing the present invention it possible to arrange and display, on the identical display device, a plurality print previews each schematically showing a print result brought by a plurality of printing apparatuses so that a user can easily select a desired print apparatus. |
| US08514437B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus including a main body having an image forming unit forming an image to a printing medium; and a plurality of mail box modules which are disposed to an output side of the printing medium in the main body, each mail box module respectively including a driving unit selectively outputting the printing medium from the main body, and a control circuit unit controlling the driving unit. The control circuit unit includes a shift register having channels corresponding to the total number of the plurality of mail box modules, and, if receiving an identifying ID information of the mail box module from the main body, turns on one channel of the channels corresponding to the identifying ID information; and a multiplexer which outputs an active signal to the driving unit if the channel turned on by the shift register corresponds to a predetermined identifying ID. |
| US08514436B2 |
Image forming apparatus and print control method, and program product
A printer includes a first receiving unit that receives a print job containing a printing requirement, where the printing requirement is set as either an indispensable requirement that is indispensable for executing the print job or a desired requirement that is desirable for executing the print job; a second receiving unit that receives, from each of external image forming apparatuses connected to the image forming apparatus via a network, a printability level indicating whether the external image forming apparatus has a printing function satisfying the indispensable requirement or a printing function satisfying the desired requirement; a selecting unit that selects an image forming apparatus that executes the print job from the external image forming apparatuses by checking the printability level; and a print-operation control unit that sends the print job to the selected image forming apparatus and causes the selected image forming apparatus to execute the print job. |
| US08514435B2 |
Communication system having a plurality of communication modes
A communication system including a communication box connected to a public communication line and capable of data communication with a child unit through a digital cordless (DCL) wave and with a multi-function device through a wires LAN (WLAN) wave, and wherein each of the child unit and multi-function device has a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion for optical communication between the child unit and multi-function device. The communication box and multi-function device have respective WLAN communication control portions which are normally placed in a non-operating state, and when the communication box receives facsimile data from the public communication line, the communication box commands the child unit to require the multi-function device to start its WLAN communication control portion, starts its own WLAN communication control portion, and transmit the facsimile data to the multi-function device through the WLAN wave. |
| US08514433B2 |
Print and release print control system and method
A print and release print control system and method for optimizing network transmission and processing of rendering jobs. A document for rendering can be sent to a print driver and a print server specially programmed for performing a print and release operation. The print server includes a personal profile, a print job profile, and a profile associated with a network of rendering devices. The print server can send a job placeholder cover page to each of the designated rendering devices based on user preferences. The job placeholder cover page can be released from a selected rendering device by entering a secure release code. The print server can then detect the selected rendering device in which the cover page has been rendered and send the document to the selected printer. The print server can then clean up the cover pages sent to other printers if the submitted document is rendered. |
| US08514432B2 |
Image forming apparatus, control method, and computer-readable storage medium
With reprinting of a print job, in the case that a job ticket strictly defining the output article form is not transmitted, the output article at the time of a first printing and the output article at the time of reprinting may differ, whereby the client may not be able to obtain the desired output article. The present invention provides control to execute reprinting processing employing a setting value used for the actual printing processing. |
| US08514430B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for processing image in network environment based on local protocol
An image processing system includes a first image processing apparatus and a second image processing apparatus that are connected via a network in which communication is performed based on a local protocol. The cooperative processing is performed between the first and second image forming apparatuses via the network. |
| US08514428B2 |
Printing apparatus for processing document application data when direct-print is permitted or temporarily permitted, control method thereof, and computer program
Application data is extracted based on a read document image. A license for a function of printing the application data is permitted in accordance with a license key based on the read document image. After permission, the extracted application data is printed. |
| US08514421B2 |
Apparatus for determining allowable recording density to reduce image show-through
An image recording apparatus including: a head; a feeding mechanism; an image reading portion; a test recording controller which controls the head such that a test pattern is recorded on a first area of a first surface of a recording medium and is recorded on a second area of a second surface of the medium; a test pattern reading section which reads the test patterns recorded on the first area and the second area respectively from the second surface and the first surface; a determining section which determines allowable recording densities for the first surface and the second surface; and an image recording controller which controls the head such that, in a two-sided recording, the images are recorded on the first and second surfaces at respective densities equal to or lower than the allowable recording densities respectively for the first and second surfaces. |
| US08514416B2 |
Information processing method and information processing apparatus
The data conversion unit of a printer driver makes a copy of a spool file in PDF and stores it as PDF data 1 in an external storage device. The raster data creation unit of the printer driver acquires PDF data 1 stored by the data conversion unit, and creates new PDF data 2 in which a target object is drawn in accordance with an object contained in PDF data 1. The raster data creation unit of the OS then converts PDF data 2 into raster data 2. The raster data creation unit specifies a target object of the raster data created from the spool file by referring to created raster data 2, and creates print data by performing necessary processing for the target object. |
| US08514415B2 |
Method and program to be implemented by print setting device which sets print setting item
When the printer selected by a user is judged to be one that has been searched out with using functional conditions, a PC as a print setting device reflects the functional conditions used as the search condition in the initial values of the print setting items for that printer. |
| US08514410B2 |
Displacement detection device and method
According to one embodiment, a displacement detection device includes a light source, objective lens, beam splitter, aperture limiting element, and detection device. The beam splitter may separate reflected light into portions. The reflected light may be reflected by the medium and then transmitted through the objective lens. The aperture limiting element may include an aperture limited so as to block a portion of the reflected light. The detection device may detect displacement of the medium in a direction of the optical axis based on the reflected light having passed through the aperture limiting element. |
| US08514408B2 |
Method and apparatus for real-time determination of curvature and azimuthal asymmetry of a surface
An apparatus for measuring a curvature of a surface (1), comprising means for irradiating a first light beam (S1), a second light beam (S2) and a third light beam (S3) onto a surface (1) of a sample (12), a detector (5) comprising at least one detector plane and being adapted to detect a first position of the reflected first light beam (S1), a second position of the reflected second light beam (S2) and a third position of the reflected third light beam (S3) in the at least one detector plane, means for determining a first distance between the first position of the first light beam (S1) and the third position of the third light beam (S3) and a second distance between the second position of the second light beam (S2) and the third position of the third light beam (S3), and means for determining a mean curvature of the surface from the first distance and the second distance. The first light beam (S1), the second light beam (S2) and the third light beam (S3) are parallel to each other and the first light beam (S1) is spaced apart from a plane defined be the second light beam (S2) and the third light beam (S3). |
| US08514407B2 |
Surface shape measurement apparatus
An apparatus for measuring a shape of a surface, comprises a measurement head which measures a distance between a reference point and the surface by detecting interference between test light obtained when light that passes through the reference point is emitted, is reflected by the surface, and returns to the reference point, and reference light, a scanning mechanism which scans the measurement head, and a processor which calculates the shape of the surface based on the distance measured using the measurement head and coordinates of the reference point. |
| US08514405B2 |
Tracking type laser gauge interferometer with rotation mechanism correction
A tracking type laser gauge interferometer includes: a first recursive reflector configured to reflect light parallel to incident light; a second recursive reflector attached to a measurement object; a main body part configured to guide light emitted from a laser light source to the first recursive reflector; a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the main body part; and a control unit configured to control the rotating mechanism based on the light emergent from the main body part and reflected at the second recursive reflector, wherein: the main body part includes a light receiving element configured to receive the light reflected at the first recursive reflector and detect a position of the received light; and the control device includes: an angle acquisition unit configured to acquire a rotational angle of the rotating mechanism; and an correction unit configured to correct a motion error of the rotating mechanism. |
| US08514403B2 |
Sample analysis method
A sample analysis method is provided for analyzing a sample having a permeability to terahertz radiation and accurately measure the composition, physical properties, mass and dimensions of a very small sample or a minute amount of sample by irradiating the sample with terahertz radiation. In the method, a reflective member is provided adjoining a first principal surface of the sample, an entrance member is provided adjoining a second principal surface of the sample, terahertz radiation is delivered from outside of entrance member towards the sample, and the sample is analyzed using an interference wave generated from a first-surface reflected wave at the interface between the first principal surface of the sample and the reflective member and a second-surface reflected wave at the interface between the second principal surface of the sample and the entrance member. |
| US08514394B2 |
Spectrograph having multiple wavelength ranges for high resolution raman spectroscopy
A spectrograph having multiple excitation wavelength ranges is disclosed. The spectrograph can include a wavelength switching mechanism to switch between different wavelength ranges in accordance with the wavelength of an incoming light signal. The wavelength switching mechanism can include multiple optical assemblies (or elements) corresponding to the different wavelength ranges for processing the incoming light signal. The mechanism can also include a switching component for switching the optical assemblies to align the appropriate assembly with the incoming light signal. Each optical assembly can include one or more transmission gratings to disperse the incoming light signal into multiple wavelengths within a particular wavelength range and a reflecting mirror proximate to the grating(s) to reflect the wavelengths of light back through the grating(s) to photodetectors for measuring to wavelengths to generate a light spectrum. The spectrograph can be used in Raman spectroscopy. |
| US08514391B2 |
Resonant waveguide-grating devices and methods for using same
Waveguide gratings, biosensors, and methods of using a waveguide grating, including as a biosensor. |
| US08514386B2 |
Technique for verifying the microstructure of lead-free interconnects in semiconductor assemblies
A method for verifying the internal microstructure of interconnects in flip-chip applications includes providing a microelectronic assembly comprising the following: a substrate hosting an array of flip-chip attach pads and one or more process control pads; a flip chip having an array of solder bumps in contact with the array of flip-chip attach pads; and one or more representative solder bumps contacting the one or more process control pads. The representative solder bumps have a substantially similar or identical chemical composition as the array of solder bumps. A reflow cycle is then applied to the microelectronic assembly to melt and solidify the array of solder bumps on the flip-chip attach pads and melt and solidify the representative solder bumps on the process control pads. The surface texture of the representative solder bumps is then optically inspected to determine an internal microstructure of the array of solder bumps. |
| US08514383B2 |
System and method for providing a polarized RF reference system with scanning polarized RF reference sources and their self-alignment for munitions
Arbitrarily deploying scanning polarized RF reference sources and using them to establish a full position and angular orientation reference coordinate system or a full angular orientation reference coordinate system that objects property equipped with polarized RF sensors could use to determine their angular position and/or orientation relative to the reference coordinate system. |
| US08514380B2 |
Polarization imaging apparatus with auto-calibration
A polarization imaging apparatus measures the Stokes image of a sample. The apparatus consists of an optical lens set, a first variable phase retarder (VPR) with its optical axis aligned 22.5°, a second variable phase retarder with its optical axis aligned 45°, a linear polarizer, a imaging sensor for sensing the intensity images of the sample, a controller and a computer. Two variable phase retarders were controlled independently by a computer through a controller unit which generates a sequential of voltages to control the phase retardations of the first and second variable phase retarders. A auto-calibration procedure was incorporated into the polarization imaging apparatus to correct the misalignment of first and second VPRs, as well as the half-wave voltage of the VPRs. A set of four intensity images, I0, I1, I2 and I3 of the sample were captured by imaging sensor when the phase retardations of VPRs were set at (0,0), (π,0), (π,π) and (π/2,π), respectively. Then four Stokes components of a Stokes image, S0, S1, S2 and S3 were calculated using the four intensity images. |
| US08514379B2 |
Automated document processing system and method
A document processing system includes an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past an image scanner and a discrimination unit. An output receptacle receives the documents from the transport mechanism after being transported past the full image scanner and the discrimination unit. The image scanner operates to obtain images of the documents and further operates to obtain images of selected portions of the documents, and further can obtain information contained in the selected portions. The discrimination unit operates to determine document authenticity. A system controller directs the flow of documents over the transport mechanism. |
| US08514378B2 |
Method of optical teledetection of compounds in a medium
A method and device for optical teledetection of compounds in a medium includes a detection measurement carried out by emitting into the medium, short pulses of light at least 3 nm wide, and detecting a part of the light back-scattered by the medium by means of a detection unit with temporal resolution. A reference measurement in which the light emitted or the light back-scattered is filtered by virtue of addressable filters, simulating the optical spectrum of the light at the working wavelengths of at least one given compound to be searched for. A comparison of the detection and reference measurements is made to deduce therefrom the possible presence of the compound or compound(s) searched for in the medium. The addressable filters are modified dynamically, and a series of reference measurements and corresponding comparisons are performed for a series of various compounds liable to be present in the medium. |
| US08514377B2 |
Detection of chemical vapor deposition grown diamond
Diamonds may be identified as grown by the use of chemical vapor deposition. One or more diamonds may be placed on a surface and exposed to short wavelength light. Diamonds that fluoresce red may be identified as grown by the use of chemical vapor deposition. In some embodiments, the diamonds are cooled prior to exposure to the short wavelength light. |
| US08514376B2 |
Distance measuring
A distance measuring method includes: emitting a pulse of measuring light towards an object; receiving a pulse measuring light from the object and generating a pulse signal corresponding to the pulse of measuring light received from the object; delaying a first portion of the generated pulse signal for a predetermined time; generating an intensity signal indicative of an intensity of the generated pulse signal, while delaying the first portion of the generated pulse signal; amplifying the delayed first portion of the generated pulse signal using a gain dependent on the generated intensity signal; and determining a value representing a distance based on the amplified delayed first portion of the generated pulse signal. |
| US08514374B2 |
Alignment method for semiconductor processing
A method provides improved alignment for a photolithographic exposure. In such method, a first exposure tool and a first chuck used in a reference photolithographic exposure of a first material layer on a substrate can be identified. The substrate typically includes at least a semiconductor layer. The first chuck typically is one of a plurality of chucks usable with the first exposure tool. The method may further include identifying a second exposure tool and a second chuck used in a current photolithographic exposure of a second material layer on the substrate. In one embodiment, alignment correction information specific to each of the identified first exposure tool, the first chuck, the second exposure tool and the second chuck can be used in aligning the semiconductor substrate to a second exposure tool and a second chuck. In one embodiment, such method can compensate for alignment error caused by differences between the first and second exposure tools, between the first and second chucks, or between the first and second exposure tools and between the first and second chucks. |
| US08514372B1 |
Method for setting an illumination geometry for an illumination optical unit for EUV projection lithography
A method for setting an illumination geometry for an illumination optical unit for EUV projection lithography is disclosed. The method includes defining a desired illumination geometry, followed by varying tilting angles of individual mirrors of the a facet mirror within one and the same individual-mirror group. In a first tilting position, the individual mirrors are assigned via a first group-mirror illumination channel to a first facet of a second facet mirror. In at least one further tilting position, the individual mirrors are assigned either via a further illumination channel to a further facet of the second facet mirror or to a switch-off illumination channel. The tilting angle variation is carried out until an actual illumination geometry corresponds to the desired illumination geometry within predefined tolerances. |
| US08514370B2 |
Substrate support structure, clamp preparation unit, and lithography system
A substrate support structure for clamping a substrate on a surface by means of a capillary layer of a liquid. The surface has an outer edge and includes one or more substrate supporting elements for receiving the substrate to be clamped, wherein the one or more substrate supporting elements are arranged to provide support for the substrate at a plurality of support locations. The substrate support structure further includes a sealing structure circumscribing the surface and having a top surface or edge forming a sealing rim. A distance between the outer edge of the surface and an outermost of the support locations is greater than a distance between the outer edge and the sealing rim. |
| US08514368B2 |
Lithographic apparatus, method for levelling an object, and lithographic projection method
A lithographic apparatus configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate. The apparatus includes a support configured to hold a patterned object, and a measurement system configured to detect orientations and/or densities of user area structures that are present on a user area of the patterned object. |
| US08514365B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
An immersion lithographic apparatus is described with a drain configured to remove liquid from a gap between an edge of the substrate and the substrate table on which the substrate is supported. The drain is provided with a means to provide liquid to the drain irrespective of the position of the substrate table and/or a means to saturate gas within the drain. Those measures reduce the variations in heat load due to evaporation of liquid in the drain. |
| US08514363B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel
A liquid crystal display panel that can maintain sufficient adhesiveness between substrates. A liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, circuit lines disposed in the first substrate, the circuit lines including a color filter common voltage line, and a sealing member interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The circuit lines are disposed in a first area including the color filter common voltage line and a second area that does not include the color filter common voltage line, and the sealing member is disposed closer to the edge of the first substrate than to the second area of the circuit lines. |
| US08514361B2 |
Liquid crystal having common electrode
A liquid crystal display device comprises a first substrate, a thin film transistor over an upper surface the first substrate, an interlayer insulating film formed over the thin film transistor, a first insulating layer formed over the interlayer insulating film, a second insulating layer formed over the interlayer insulating film, an electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor wherein a portion of the electrode is formed on at least side surfaces of the first insulating layer, a common electrode formed over the interlayer insulating film wherein a portion of the common electrode is formed on at least side surfaces of the second insulating layer such that an electric field is produced by the common electrode and the electrode, a second substrate opposed to the first substrate, and a mixture containing a polymer and a liquid crystal between the first substrate and the second substrate. The electric field is applied to the mixture. |
| US08514359B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method therefor
Provided is a liquid crystal display device, including: a liquid crystal layer filled between a first and a second substrate; two polymer structures; and a plurality of pixels each including a first and a second electrode, one of the first and the second electrode being a pixel electrode, in which: each of the plurality of pixels is provided within a region surrounded by a signal line, a part of the signal line being formed between adjacent two of the plurality of pixels; each of the two polymer structures, which extends along the part of the signal line so as to sandwich the part of the signal line in plan view and is formed from one of the first and the second substrate toward another thereof, is formed so as to overlap with any of the region; and the two adjacent polymer structures has the liquid crystal layer provided therebetween. |
| US08514354B2 |
Patterned birefringent product
A product comprising a patterned optically anisotropic layer having two or more regions of different birefringence in the form of a pattern, comprising at least an intensity gradation-type pixel of approximately uniform birefringence and an area gradation-type pixel comprising two or more of drawing units of different birefringence, and each region of a single birefringence in the patterned optically anisotropic layer comprising a plurality of the drawing units is provided. The product permits the formation of full-color images (latent images) and includes delicate color representation, such as the densities of particular colors. |
| US08514353B2 |
Color filter and electronic display device
A color filter including a red (R) pixel, a green (G) pixel and a blue (B) pixel, wherein at least one of the red (R) pixel, the green (G) pixel and the blue (B) pixel includes one or more kinds of dyes and one or more kinds of pigments and wherein areas of the red (R) pixel, the green (G) pixel and the blue (B) pixel are not the same. |
| US08514349B2 |
Image display apparatus and backlight apparatus used therefor
A plurality of backlight blocks are aligned, each block includes light sources and a unit light guide plate for guiding light from the light sources to the side of a liquid crystal panel, unit diffusion patterns are formed in a zigzag alignment on the unit light guide plate and another diffusion pattern is formed on the back of the unit light guide plate. One side of the unit light guide plate is defined as a light entrance surface and LEDs as the light sources are aligned along the light entrance surface to satisfy p≧a≧c where a indicates the size of the unit diffusion pattern in a direction orthogonal to an exit optical axis of the LEDs, c indicates the size of an LED emission surface in the direction of alignment of the LEDs, and p indicates the pitch of alignment of the light sources. |
| US08514340B2 |
Method of fabricating array substrate having double-layered patterns
An array substrate having double-layered metal patterns for use in a liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed in the present invention. The array substrate includes a gate electrode and a gate line each having a molybdenum alloy (Mo-alloy) layer and a copper (Cu) layer configured sequentially on a substrate; a gate insulation layer on the substrate to cover the gate electrode and the gate line; an active layer arranged on the gate insulation layer in a portion over the gate electrode; an ohmic contact layer on the active layer; a data line on the gate insulation layer, the data line crossing the gate line and defining a pixel region; source and drain electrodes on the ohmic contact layer, the source electrode extending from the data line, and the drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode; a passivation layer on the gate insulation layer covering the data line and the source and drain electrode, the passivation layer having a drain contact hole exposing a portion of the drain electrode; and a pixel electrode configured on the passivation layer in the pixel region, the pixel electrode electrically contacting the drain electrode through the drain contact hole. |
| US08514335B2 |
Transceiver
The present invention provides a method for providing an optimal wireless communication method according to a change in a wireless communication environment. When the reception status is degraded while an HD stream signal, which uses a first wireless method, is transmitted and received, the method scans channels for which radar wave monitoring is not required and switches the transmission/reception to a second wireless method using free channel A. The method further scans channels for which radar wave monitoring is required and, if free channel B has a bandwidth wider than that of channel A is found, monitors channel B and if channel B is not used by a radar wave, switches the channel from channel A to channel B. |
| US08514334B2 |
Image display device for displaying color image on color display unit
An image display device such as an LCD television comprises a microcomputer and LUTs (look-up tables) which are tables of correction data for correcting color balance of an image to be displayed. The microcomputer recalculates correction data in the LUTs and updates the correction data to the recalculated correction data based on: an input value InL of image data of a Low side white balance adjustment image; an input value InH of image data of a High side white balance adjustment image; and a gain value GainL and a gain value GainH which are provided to the input value InL and the input value InH, respectively, to bring color balance of the Low side white balance adjustment image and the High side white balance adjustment image to a predetermined color balance, respectively. |
| US08514331B2 |
De-rotation adaptor and method for enabling interface of handheld multi-media device with external display
Methods, systems and circuit elements that enable improved interface between a source electronic devices that generate rotatable image frames and an external sink device. In particular, aspects of the invention enable image de-rotation and/or improved speed in horizontal and V-scaling of image data supplied to an external sink device. |
| US08514329B2 |
Jitter estimation for MPEG receivers
A method is disclosed for estimating jitter in an MPEG receiver. An MPEG transport stream is received, including a plurality of packets. At least one of the plurality of packets includes a program clock reference (PCR) value. For each PCR value received, a current packet delay is calculated by subtracting a system time clock (STC) value of the MPEG receiver from the PCR value. If the current packet delay is greater than an upper boundary value or less than a lower boundary value, one or more of an upper and a lower boundary impact density is updated, and based on a comparison of the upper boundary impact density to the lower boundary impact density, one or more of the upper boundary value and the lower boundary value is updated. A current jitter value is calculated using the difference between the upper and the lower boundary value. |
| US08514326B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and information processing system
Provided is an information processing apparatus including an image acquisition unit for acquiring a real space image including an image of another apparatus, a coordinate system generation unit for generating a spatial coordinate system of the real space image acquired by the image acquisition unit, and a transmission unit for transmitting spatial information constituting the spatial coordinate system generated by the coordinate system generation unit to the other apparatus sharing the spatial coordinate system. |
| US08514325B2 |
Shutter arrangement for covering a camera lens
A shutter arrangement for covering a camera lens includes a camera lens cover that is movable in a plane along a first direction between a first closed position and a second opened position. In the first closed position, the camera lens cover substantially covers the camera lens and in the second opened position, the camera lens is substantially uncovered. The shutter arrangement also includes a movable cover that moves between a first position and a second position which displaces the movable cover from the plane. |
| US08514323B2 |
Imaging apparatus and imaging method
An imaging unit obtains image data. An imaging controller controls the imaging unit to obtain a plurality of pieces of image data having different exposure values. A standard image decision unit decides the image data with the shortest length of exposure time of the plurality of pieces of image data as standard image data. A correlation quantity detection unit detects a correlation quantity between the standard image data and the plurality of pieces of image data. A first combination processing unit generates first combined image data by combining the plurality of pieces of image data in accordance with the correlation quantity. A second combination processing unit combines the standard image data and the first combined image data. |
| US08514322B2 |
Systems and methods for adaptive control and dynamic range extension of image sensors
Systems and methods are provided for obtaining adaptive exposure control and dynamic range extension of image sensors. In some embodiments, an image sensor of an image system can include a pixel array with one or more clear pixels. The image system can separately control the amount of time that pixels in different lines of the pixel array are exposed to light. As a result, the image system can adjust the exposure times to prevent over-saturation of the clear pixels, while also allowing color pixels of the pixel array to be exposed to light for a longer period of time. In some embodiments, the dynamic range of the image system can be extended through a reconstruction and interpolation process. For example, a signal reconstruction module can extend the dynamic range of one or more green pixels by combining signals associated with green pixels in different lines of the pixel array. |
| US08514320B2 |
Electronic camera and focus control method which minimizes the time required for adjusting a focus
An electronic camera includes a shutter button. When the shutter button is half-depressed, a focal level of an object is determined on the basis of an image signal outputted from an imaging device, and a moving start position of a focus lens is settled on the basis of the determination result. More specifically, a correction amount of the moving start position is settled in accordance with the determination result of the focal level, and a position that subtracts the correction amount from a lens position at a time the shutter button being half-depressed is settled as the moving start position. The higher the focal level, the more reduced the correction amount. The focus lens gradually moves toward the imaging device from the settled moving start position, and a focal position is specified on the basis of the image signal outputted from the imaging device at each step. |
| US08514317B2 |
Compact camera module
A camera module includes a lens holder, a lens module, an image sensor chip, and a printed circuit board. The lens module is received in the lens holder. The lens module includes a lens barrel and at least one lens received in the lens barrel. The image sensor chip has a photosensitive area configured for receiving light transmitted through the lens module. The printed circuit board defines a top surface for receiving both the image sensor chip and the lens barrel thereon and an opposite bottom surface thereon. The bottom surface defines a plurality of recesses thereon for receiving the corresponding electronic elements therein by adhesives. |
| US08514315B2 |
Method for processing image data in portable electronic device, and portable electronic device having camera thereof
The present disclosure is related to a method for processing image data in the portable electronic device, the method including obtaining an image through an image obtaining unit of the electronic device having a plurality of shot modes; determining each good-to-fit score of the plurality of shot modes for the obtained image; and displaying the each good-to-fit score of the plurality of shot modes for the obtained image along with the obtained image. |
| US08514314B2 |
Camera system
A camera system 100 has an imaging optical system L, an imaging component 45, a liquid crystal monitor 16, a body microprocessor 12, an aperture setting component 29, and an image display controller 15. The body microprocessor 12 allows a target aperture value and a reference aperture value to be set as set conditions and determines the reference aperture value on the basis of the target aperture value. The aperture setting component 29 adjusts a photography condition on the basis of the set conditions. The image display controller 15 displays part of a reference image a1 acquired by the imaging component 45 at the reference aperture value as a reference display image A1 in a first display region R131 and displays part of a target image b1 acquired by the imaging component 45 at the target aperture value a1 as a target display image B1 in a second display region R132. |
| US08514310B2 |
Increasing readout speed in CMOS APS sensors through group readout
A method and associated architecture for dividing column readout circuitry in an active pixel sensor in a manner which reduces the parasitic capacitance on the readout line. In a preferred implementation, column readout circuits are grouped and provided with group signaling. Accordingly, only column output circuits in a selected group significantly impart a parasitic capacitance effect on shared column readout lines. Group signaling allows increasing pixel readout rate while maintaining a constant frame rate for utility in large format high-speed imaging applications. |
| US08514309B2 |
Solid-state image sensor
A solid-state image sensor comprises a pixel unit having a substrate including therein a photoelectric conversion section and an optical waveguide arranged on a light incident side of the substrate so as to guide an incident light converted into a guided mode of the optical waveguide and being propagated through the optical waveguide to the photoelectric conversion section. The optical waveguide has a mode conversion section for changing a propagation state of the incident light such that the incident light being propagated through the optical waveguide has an electric field amplitude distributed with the same sign at a light incident surface of the substrate. |
| US08514307B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, imaging module, and imaging system
A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements configured to perform photoelectric conversion on incident light. The device also includes a color filter array including at least three kinds of color filters different in filtering wavelength region. Any of the color filters is placed for each of the photoelectric conversion elements to filter the incident light. The spectral transmittances of the color filters are equal to each other in a predetermined wavelength region. |
| US08514305B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device configured to convert an optical image generated via an optical system to an image signal, an extracting unit configured to extract a characteristic area including a predetermined characteristic from an image which is based on the image signal, an aperture correction unit configured to perform an aperture correction based on an aperture correction characteristic determined for each of predetermined positions on the image based on the image signal, and a controller configured to determine the aperture correction characteristic based on a position of the characteristic area on the image based on the image signal. |
| US08514304B2 |
Image processing device and image pickup device using the same
An image processing device capable of obtaining a high precision image while aberration asymmetry is corrected.An image processing device includes image obtaining means configured to obtain an input image, image restoration means configured to restore the input image using a generated or selected image restoration filter in accordance with a transfer function of an image pickup system used for forming the input image from an object image. The image restoration filter makes a difference between absolute values of transfer functions of two azimuthal directions at a time when the restoration image is obtained from an object smaller than a difference between absolute values of transfer functions of the two azimuthal directions of the image pickup system. |
| US08514302B2 |
Image processing equipment and digital camera that filter noise
An image processing equipment generates a reduced image corresponding to an obtained image in parallel with a processing of storing the generated reduced image in a reduced image storing part, and pipelines a processing of extracting a low-frequency noise component of each of pixels included in the obtained image and a processing of sequentially subtracting the low-frequency being extracted from pixel data corresponding to one of the obtained image stored in the image storing part and an adjusted image generated from the obtained, so as to achieve a pipeline processing of a multi-resolution noise filtering with a few line memories. |
| US08514290B2 |
Camera-shake correction apparatus and imaging apparatus including the same
A camera-shake correction apparatus includes an image capturing unit configured to capture an object image, a camera-shake detection unit configured to detect a camera-shake applied to the camera-shake correction apparatus, a correction unit configured to correct the camera-shake of the object image by moving a correction member based on a camera-shake signal detected by the camera-shake detection unit, and a control unit configured to measure an amplitude of the camera-shake or a frequency of the camera-shake, or both the amplitude of the camera-shake and the frequency of the camera-shake, based on the camera-shake signal supplied from the camera-shake detection unit, and the control unit further configured to control to hold the correction member at a latest position if it is determined that the measured amplitude is smaller than a predetermined amplitude or if it is determined that the measured frequency is lower than a predetermined frequency, or if it is determined that the measured amplitude is smaller than the predetermined amplitude and the measured frequency is lower than the predetermined frequency. |
| US08514286B2 |
Image transmission apparatus and image reception apparatus
An image transmission apparatus includes: a deletion unit that deletes an image file recorded in a storage medium; an identifying unit that identifies an image file booked for transmission by an external image reception apparatus; a prohibiting unit that prohibits the deletion unit from deleting the image file recorded in the storage medium, which has been identified by the identifying unit; and a transmission control unit that reads the image file recorded in the storage medium, which has been identified by the identifying unit, and transmits the image file to the image reception apparatus. |
| US08514283B2 |
Automatic vision sensor placement apparatus and method
There are provided an automatic vision sensor placement apparatus and method which analyze static spatial information in various aspects, calculate priorities of spaces using an agent that models the movement pattern of a user, suggest a method of effectively covering a given space, provide a camera placement method to appropriately install cameras with various levels of performance in a specified space, and calculate the optimal number of cameras to be installed based on installation cost. |
| US08514280B2 |
Method and system for detecting an individual by means of passive infrared sensors
The invention relates to a method and a system for detecting an individual in a given observation zone by means of N passive infrared sensors (1) each consisting of an optical device (2) provided with a matrix of cells focusing the infrared energy (IR) received onto a single pyro-electric component (3) linked to a calculation unit (4) able to interpret the information received. The device according to the invention is characterized in that it consists, in order to detect an individual in the observation zone, in employing a limited number of N similar infrared sensors (1) centered on the same observation zone, each provided with 2N−1 cells (2C), and hence beams (F), which for each of the latter are masked, according to a different combination in such a way as to provide the calculation unit with the information enabling the individual to be located in terms of position and displacement. |
| US08514278B2 |
Inspection apparatus having illumination assembly
An inspection apparatus can comprise at least one light source for illuminating a target. The at least one light source can be disposed and/or controlled in such manner as to reduce a heat generation by the at least one light source and in such manner as to reduce a power consumption of the at least one light source. |
| US08514277B2 |
Video infrared retinal image scanner
A method of scanning a retinal image includes providing a light source, emitting radiation from the light source toward a beam splitter, focusing the radiation with a focusing lens on a retina, collecting radiation reflected by the retina with a camera, producing an image signal representative of a plurality of images of the retina based on the collected radiation, selecting one of the plurality of images of the retina for display from the image signal, displaying the selected image of the retina on a display, comparing the selected image of the retina to at least one of a plurality of images of retinas stored in a database, selecting one of the plurality of images of retinas stored in the database that matches the selected image of the retina, and displaying the one of the matching image of the retina on the display along with the selected image of the retina. |
| US08514275B2 |
Three-dimensional (3D) display method and system
A method is provided for a three-dimensional (3D) display system. The method includes obtaining a plurality of original images of a plurality of viewpoints in a 3D image for display, and adjusting an average parallax value between at least two of the plurality of original images based on a current size of a display window on a display device configured to display the 3D image. The method also includes reconstructing 3D scene information of the 3D image, and obtaining an image for each of the plurality of viewpoints and at least one new viewpoint based on the reconstructed 3D scene information. Further, the method includes combining the image of each viewpoint into a new 3D image with a desired average parallax, and sending the new 3D image to the display device for 3D display. |
| US08514271B2 |
Stereoscopic camera module and electronic device using the same
A stereoscopic camera module includes two lens modules, a light guide assembly, an image sensor, and a processor. Each lens module includes a shutter and at least one lens. The light guide assembly includes two inlets and an outlet, the two inlets are hermetically sealed by the two lens modules. External light rays enter into the two inlets from the two lens modules respectively and project from the outlet. The image sensor is position at the outlet of the light guide assembly and configured for capturing images. The processor is configured for controlling the shutters to open in quick succession and composing a left image and a right image alternately captured by the image sensor to a stereoscopic image. |
| US08514268B2 |
Method and device for high-resolution three-dimensional imaging which obtains camera pose using defocusing
A method and device for high-resolution three-dimensional (3-D) imaging which obtains camera pose using defocusing is disclosed. The device comprises a lens obstructed by a mask having two sets of apertures. The first set of apertures produces a plurality of defocused images of the object, which are used to obtain camera pose. The second set of optical filters produces a plurality of defocused images of a projected pattern of markers on the object. The images produced by the second set of apertures are differentiable from the images used to determine pose, and are used to construct a detailed 3-D image of the object. Using the known change in camera pose between captured images, the 3-D images produced can be overlaid to produce a high-resolution 3-D image of the object. |
| US08514266B2 |
Orthorectifying stitched oblique imagery to a nadir view, and applications thereof
Embodiments of this invention relates to orthorectifying oblique imagery to a nadir view. In an embodiment, a method orthorectifies oblique photographic imagery. An oblique photographic image is projected onto a three-dimensional model of terrain. Points are sampled from the projected photographic image at the intersection of the three-dimensional model of terrain and parallel rays extended from a virtual viewport having a nadir perspective. The sampled points are assembled into an orthorectified image. Finally, the orthorectified image or the sampled points are adjusted approximately according to a difference in tilt angle between a camera that captured the oblique photographic image and the viewport having the nadir perspective to generate a foreshortened orthorectified image. Each location in the foreshortened orthorectified image corresponds linearly to a corresponding location in a two-dimensional map. |
| US08514262B2 |
Information processing apparatus and network conference system
An information processing apparatus is connected with at least one external apparatus via a network. An input image of a first user related to the information processing apparatus is accepted while displaying a plurality of target images on a display. The plurality of target images includes an image of a second user related to the external apparatus. A gaze of the first user is detected from the input image. A target image looked by the first user is recognized from the plurality of target images, based on the gaze. A first head model as a head model of the first user, and a first texture to be projected onto the first head model, are generated. A first ID to identify a subject of the target image, the first head model and the first texture, are transmitted to the external apparatus. |
| US08514261B2 |
Information processing system
In an information processing system provided with a camera and a microphone, for transmitting and receiving information of a user to and from another information processing system through a transmission lime, image data of the user obtained by a camera is stored in a memory in advance. When one user communicates another user, image data of the one user is obtained by the camera and is synthesized with the image data stored in the memory in advance by image-processing. The clothes, hair, background, make-up etc. of the one user are made different to reality and the image data are transmitted to the another user in the communication. |
| US08514260B2 |
Establishing eye contact in video conferencing
A video-conferencing system includes a display panel configured to form a display image for viewing by a local video conferencer, a camera configured to acquire a facial image of the local video conferencer and having an aperture oriented toward the display panel, and an array of partly reflective facets aligned in parallel against a plane disposed parallel to and forward of the display panel, each facet positioned to transmit a portion of the display image from the display panel through that facet to the local video conferencer, and to reflect a portion of the facial image of the local video conferencer to the aperture. |
| US08514255B2 |
Information storage medium, image control device, and image control method
An image control device includes a display control section that performs a normal display control process that controls an image based on a first designation position, and controls the image based on a second designation position, and performs a special display control process that controls the image based on the first designation position and the second designation position based on a given condition. |
| US08514252B1 |
Feedback during crossing of zoom levels
Aspects of this disclosure are directed to zooming into or out of image content. A user may request to zoom into or out of image content by inputting a multi-touch gesture. The request may reach one or more discrete zoom levels of a plurality of discrete zoom levels. Discrete zoom levels may indicate specific magnification factors for which a device may be able to clearly render image content. The device may output an indication when the request reaches the one or more discrete zoom levels. |
| US08514251B2 |
Enhanced character input using recognized gestures
Enhanced character input using recognized gestures, in which a user's first and second gestures are recognized, and a control including radially disposed interaction elements is output. At least a portion of the interaction elements are associated with clusters of characters. When an interaction element is selected, the characters associated with the selected interaction element are disposed radially in relation to the selected interaction element. Using the control, the interaction element and a character associated with the selected interaction element are selected based on the user's recognized first and second gestures, respectively, and the selected character is output. |
| US08514250B2 |
Display generation system
A display generation system that is able to generate display signals for an underlay image with at least one embedded safety pattern and display images for an overlay image. The display generation system and method are able to determine whether there are any anomalies or graphical errors when an overlay display generated by the system or generated by some other system is displayed simultaneously with the underlay image with the embedded safety pattern. The display generation system uses the embedded safety pattern to detect the occurrence of anomalies in the simultaneous display and uses information from its own generated overlay image to detect graphical errors in the simultaneous display. Flight display systems for aircraft can use the display generation system and method of the present invention to display an underlay image depicting geographical scenery in the vicinity of the aircraft while on the ground, during takeoff or in flight. The underlay image is displayed simultaneously with an overlay image depicting standard graphics of a flight display system. |
| US08514249B2 |
Collapsing areas of a region in a virtual universe to conserve computing resources
Described herein are processes and devices that coalesced and/or collapse areas in a region of a virtual universe to conserve computing resources. Some embodiments are directed to detecting an indication to reduce usage of a computing resource in the virtual universe and, in response, determining the first area of the virtual universe for coalescing and collapsing into the second area of the virtual universe. In some embodiments, the first area comprises a plurality of virtual universe objects. Some embodiments are further directed to selecting a first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects for moving from the first area into the second area, coalescing the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area from the first area, and, in response, collapsing the first area of the virtual universe. |
| US08514247B1 |
Object trees for multiprocessor systems
A system includes a memory, a specialized processing unit and a processor. The processor receives data from a user and creates a first set of objects in a first structure based on the data. The system further creates, contemporaneously with the creation of the first set of objects and based on the first set of objects in the first structure, a second set of objects in a second structure, where the second set of objects is optimized for use by the specialized processing unit, and stores the first and second sets of objects in the memory. The specialized processing unit executes an algorithm based on the second set of objects. |
| US08514245B2 |
Image selection device and control method thereof
An image is selected from a plurality of non-selected images, an evaluation value is stored for each value of attribute information of a selected image (cluster) which is selected by the selection unit, and when an image is selected by the selection unit, a presentation priority of the non-selected images is determined based on a value of the attribute information of the non-selected images not selected by the selection unit so that the evaluation values are even. |
| US08514244B2 |
Mobile communication terminal and method therefore
Method in a mobile communications device, comprising: providing foreground picture data, providing background picture data, displaying the background and foreground picture data according to determined first positions and amounts on said display unit, receiving direction data, determining, based on the received direction data, a second position and amount of the background picture data and foreground picture data to display, respectively, wherein the relative change of position of the background picture data is different from the relative change of position of the foreground picture data. Also disclosed is a mobile communications device. |
| US08514243B2 |
Methods, systems, and programming for producing and displaying subpixel-optimized font bitmaps using non-linear color balancing
The invention relates to methods, systems, and programming for producing and drawing subpixel-optimized bitmap images of shapes, such as fonts, by using non-linear color balancing. Some embodiments associate a luminosity with each subpixel of such an image as a function of (a) the percent of the subpixel's area covered by the shape and (b) the distribution to nearby subpixels of portions of the subpixel's resulting coverage value that cause color imbalance. Some embodiments distribute a subpixel's coverage value as a function of its difference from coverage values of other subpixels in the same pixel. Some embodiments draw a image comprised of pure foreground and background color pixels, as well as intermediary pixels in which subpixels are determined as a function of both foreground and background colors and color balancing. The intermediary pixels can, but need not, separate the foreground and background pixels along the direction of color balancing. |
| US08514234B2 |
Method of displaying an operating system's graphical user interface on a large multi-projector display
The display of a Windows Desktop is modified using one or more processors (e.g. CPUs and/or GPUs) that re-direct drawing of the Desktop to mirrored swap chain buffers; modify the contents of the a front buffer of the mirrored swap chain buffers; and draw the Desktop using the modified contents of the front buffer of the mirrored swap chain buffers. To modify the displayed Desktop, Windows needs to draw into these mirrored swap chains instead of its own. To accomplish this, all Direct3D functions that use a swap chain are hooked so that they return the mirrored swap chain, and any function that uses the contents of the swap chain are hooked. Basically any function that takes a Direct3D surface or texture is hooked and the respective item from the mirrored swap chains is returned if it is in the mirrored swap chain data structures. |
| US08514229B2 |
Simplifying a polygon
Processes, machines, and computer-readable media are provided for expanding and simplifying a polygon or reducing and simplifying a polygon. Polygon expanding or reducing logic receives information that represents a polygon having a set of vertices. The polygon expanding or reducing logic determines another polygon having another set of vertices, such that the other polygon encompasses or is encompassed by the polygon, by determining, for each vertex of the set of vertices, a new set of vertices that are derived from the vertex and are at least a particular distance outside or inside the polygon. The vertex reducing logic determines whether an intermediate vertex is within the particular distance of a proposed segment between two other vertices of the other set of vertices, even though the intermediate vertex is not on the proposed segment, and, if so, removing the intermediate vertex from the other set of vertices. |
| US08514228B2 |
Method for the visual display of the quality of power transmitted on a power transmission system
In a visual display of power transmission quality, at least three display regions are displayed. The display regions are a time-related, a location-related and a control-related display region. The time-related display region enables a selection of the time interval on the part of the user that is to be examined for a violation of one or more predetermined power quality rules. |
| US08514227B2 |
Electronic computer and method of controlling the same
A display that displays a graph corresponding to a function expression, an input unit that specifies a plurality of point positions on the graph displayed on the display unit, a processor that performs display control of a graph corresponding to a function expression on the display unit, does a specific calculation on the basis of positional information on a plurality of pointers displayed on the display unit and the function expression of the graph and performs display control of a result of calculation on the display unit, performs movement display control on the graph of an arbitrary one of the plurality of pointers displayed on the display unit according to an input from the input unit, and does the calculation again, updates the result of calculation, and performs display control of the updated result on the display unit, an storage area, and a work storage area, are provided. |
| US08514226B2 |
Methods and systems of graphically conveying a strength of communication between users
An exemplary method includes generating a graphic configured to represent a strength of communication between a user and another user and modifying the graphic based on at least one factor associated with one or more communications between the users. An exemplary system includes a storage facility configured to maintain data associated with a strength of communication between a user and another user and a strength of communication facility configured to generate a graphic configured to graphically represent the strength of communication in accordance with the data. The strength of communication facility is further configured to modify the graphic based on a change in at least one factor associated with one or more communications between the users. |
| US08514225B2 |
Scaling pixel depth values of user-controlled virtual object in three-dimensional scene
Pixel depth values of a user-controlled virtual object in a three-dimensional scene may be re-scaled to avoid artifacts when the scene is displayed. Minimum and maximum threshold values can be determined for the three-dimensional scene. Each pixel depth value of the user-controlled virtual object can be compared to the minimum threshold value and the maximum threshold value. A depth value of each pixel of the user-controlled virtual object that falls below the minimum threshold value can be set to a corresponding low value. Each pixel depth value of the user-controlled virtual object that exceeds the maximum threshold value can be set to a corresponding high value. |
| US08514224B2 |
Three-dimensional modeling apparatus and method using grid structure
Three-dimensional modeling apparatus and method, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus including: an input curved surface; an input point arrangement unit; a representative point determining unit; a polygon generating unit; a curved surface model generating unit; and a curved surface model combining unit. A plurality of curved surface models is combined with one another to generate a three-dimensional image so that a three-dimensional shape that is similar to an actual shape of an object to be modeled may be easily generated. |
| US08514223B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating three-dimensional model data
A three-dimensional model data generation apparatus generates and stores a three-dimensional model expressing a three-dimensional object that includes a first element having a first surface region and a second element having a second surface region. The apparatus includes a generation unit generating surface shape data on the first and second elements; a detection unit detecting a contact region on which the first surface region and the second surface region are in contact with each other; a storage unit storing, in a storage device, the surface shape data generated by the generation unit; and a discard unit discarding the surface shape data on the contact region in the second surface region. |
| US08514222B2 |
Device, system, and method of computer aided design (CAD)
Device, system, and method of Computer-Aided-Design (CAD). A system of CAD may include a client application to communicate with a server and to render to a user a viewport including at least a portion of a CAD model based on data received from the server, wherein the client application is capable of receiving section information from the server, wherein the section information defines a plurality of geometric sections of the CAD model; selecting at least one section of the plurality of sections based on a relationship between the viewport and the boundaries of the plurality of geometric sections; requesting from the server one or more files corresponding to the at least one selected section; receiving the one or more files corresponding to the at least one selected section; and rendering the viewport based on the one or more files. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08514220B2 |
Product modeling system and method
A product modeling system and method are provided. On one embodiment, the product modeling system is used to model a piece of apparel, such as a shirt, with a design wherein the model with the design is used to display the piece of apparel with the design to a consumer. |
| US08514219B2 |
3D image special effects apparatus and a method for creating 3D image special effects
A 3D image special effects apparatus for creating special effects on a 3D image including a first image and a second image having disparity. The 3D image special effects apparatus includes: a range specification receiving unit capable of receiving an input of a specified range of the first image on which the special effects are created; a first block division unit capable of dividing the specified range into a plurality of first image blocks; a first special effects unit capable of creating the special effects on each of the plurality of the first image blocks; a block matching unit capable of determining an image from the second image which corresponds to an image of the each of the plurality of the first image blocks, and deriving a parallax vector which represents a directionality and a magnitude of parallax between the first image blocks and the corresponding image; a second block division unit capable of determining a plurality of second image blocks on the second image in accordance with the parallax vector, the second image blocks corresponding to the plurality of first image blocks; and a second special effects unit capable of creating the special effects on the determined plurality of second image blocks. |
| US08514217B2 |
Apparatus and method for driving light scanner
An apparatus for driving a light scanner and method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes an apparatus for driving a light scanner, which scans an image on a screen, the apparatus comprising the light scanner driven by a drive signal, a sensing unit sensing a driving of the light scanner, a pixel clock signal generating unit generating a pixel clock signal by detecting a 90-degree phase difference between the drive signal and a sensing signal sensed by the sensing unit, a sync signal adjusting unit adjusting vertical and horizontal sync signals of an input video according to the pixel clock signal and a driving unit driving the light scanner according to the adjusted horizontal and vertical sync signals. |
| US08514216B2 |
Power consumption detection apparatus, power consumption control apparatus, image processing apparatus, self-luminous display apparatus, electronic device, power consumption detection method, power consumption control method, and computer program
Disclosed herein is a power consumption detection apparatus including: a line current calculation section configured to calculate, based on an image signal, a value of a line current consumed by each of horizontal lines; and a power consumption calculation section configured to calculate, on a horizontal line cycle, power consumed by an entire display panel based on the most recent values of the line currents, the values corresponding in number to a vertical resolution. |
| US08514207B2 |
Display apparatus and method
Image processing and corresponding apparatus, methods and systems. The image processing includes controlling n number of data-line driver circuits included in a display apparatus, the data-line driver circuit driving n number of subpixels. Such controlling causes to display a moving picture image such that frame information of the moving picture image with first frame rate is displayed at a second frame rate, which is 1/n of the first frame rate, and the n number of subpixels included in each pixel are sequentially driven with a time shift, the time shift being 1/n of display period of single frame with the second frame rate. |
| US08514206B2 |
Display processing device and timing controller thereof
A timing controller for a display processing device includes: a plurality of predetermined pins for receiving an image signal by a pin-share method, wherein the image signal is a first format image signal or a second format image signal; a detector coupled to the predetermined pins and for detecting at least one of the predetermined pins to determine whether the image signal is the first format image signal or the second format image signal and outputting a detection result; and a processor coupled to the detector and for processing the image signal according to the detection result to generate and output a timing control signal. |
| US08514203B2 |
Flexible calibration device for touch sensor panel calibration
The efficient calibration of multi-touch sensor panels that have non-flat surfaces is disclosed. The calibration of the sensor panels can be accomplished using a calibration device with a flexible calibration surface. The flexible calibration surface is particularly well-suited for curved or other non-flat touch sensor panels, such as those that might be present on a mouse or other device designed to be grasped by a user's hand. The flexible apparatus can conform to the non-flat touch sensor panel and apply the equivalent of a conductive touch over most or all of the pixels. |
| US08514202B2 |
Optical touch apparatus and operating method thereof
An optical touch apparatus is disclosed. The optical touch apparatus comprises a light source emitting module, an optical module, a light sensing module, and a processing module. The optical module and the light sensing module are set around a surface of the optical touch apparatus. The light source emitting module sequentially emits scanning lights uniformly distributed above a direct scanned region of the surface according to a time sequence. When an object forms a touch point on the surface, the object will block the scanning lights and reflected lights reflected by the optical module. The light sensing module generates a sensing result according to the condition the light sensing module receives the scanning lights and the reflected lights. The processing module determines the position of the touch point according to the time sequence and the sensing result. |
| US08514198B2 |
Electro-optical device, electronic apparatus, and contact detection method
An electro-optical device is provided and includes a driving section that supplies an electric potential to a third electrode and supplies an electric potential to a fourth electrode; and a controlling section that controls the operation of writing into a first memorizing section and a second memorizing section and the operation of reading out of the first memorizing section and the second memorizing section. A contact detection method that utilizes an electro-optical device is also provided. |
| US08514197B2 |
Multimodal portable communication interface for accessing video content
A portable communication device has a touch screen display that receives tactile input and a microphone that receives audio input. The portable communication device initiates a query for media based at least in part on tactile input and audio input. The touch screen display is a multi-touch screen. The portable communication device sends an initiated query and receives a text response indicative of a speech to text conversion of the query. The portable communication device then displays video in response to tactile input and audio input. |
| US08514191B2 |
Touch panel sensing circuit
A touch panel sensing circuit senses a voltage variation of a coupling capacitor formed between a first directional signal line and a second directional signal line separated from the first directional signal line by a dielectric when an object approaches. The sensing circuit eliminates the parasitic capacitance effect on the signal lines and rapidly accumulates charges for an amplifier in sensing to thereby increase the operational speed of the sensing circuit. |
| US08514188B2 |
Hand posture mode constraints on touch input
A method of controlling a virtual object within a virtual workspace includes recognizing a hand posture of an initial touch gesture directed to a touch-input receptor, and a mode constraint is set based on the hand posture. The mode constraint specifies a constrained parameter of a virtual object that is to be maintained responsive to a subsequent touch gesture. The method further includes recognizing a subsequent touch gesture directed to the touch-input receptor. An unconstrained parameter of the virtual object is modulated responsive to the subsequent touch gesture while the constrained parameter of the virtual object is maintained in accordance with the mode constraint. |
| US08514185B2 |
Mutual capacitance touch sensing device
A mutual capacitive touch sensing device is disclosed. The touch sensing device includes a mutual capacitive sensing controller having a plurality of distinct drive lines and a plurality of distinct sense lines; a source for driving a current or voltage separately though each drive line; and a mutual capacitance sensing circuit that monitors the capacitance at the sensing lines. The touch sensing device also includes a plurality of independent and spatially distinct mutual capacitive sensing nodes set up in a non two dimensional array. Each node includes a drive electrode that is spatially separated from a sense electrode. The drive electrode is coupled to one of the drive lines and the sense electrode is coupled to one of the sense lines. Each node is set up with a different combination of drive and sense line coupled thereto. |
| US08514184B2 |
Operating element and method of inputting values into a medical apparatus
The present invention relates to an operating element and a method of inputting values into a medical apparatus (1), having a touch-sensitive sensor (19) and an operating surface (22), the sensor (19) being mounted below a cover (20) forming the operating surface (22), which detects the presence or absence of an operating means (11) and generates a contact value (17). A display (14) of the operating element shows a current value (16), which is variable by means of the contact value (17) of the sensor (19) to a value (15) to be set. Advantageously, the current value (16) can be varied by means of contact of the operating surface (22) to any point or to a point which corresponds to the value (15) to be set, respectively depending on the manner of contact of the operating surface (22). |
| US08514181B2 |
Pressure sensitive and luminous keyboard
A pressure sensitive and luminous keyboard includes at least one key, a pressure detecting circuit, an illumination module and a controlling unit. When one of the plural keys is depressed in response to a first pressure, the pressure detecting circuit generates a pressure-strength sensing voltage. According to the pressure-strength sensing voltage, the controlling unit will judge the strength of the first pressure and control the illumination module to emit either the first light beam or the second light beam. |
| US08514180B2 |
Method and apparatus pertaining to dynamically determining entered telephone numbers
As keys of the keyboard of a portable communication device are asserted, the device dynamically determines at least a portion of a corresponding telephone number to present on the device's display by, at least in part, considering likelihoods of differing explicit and implicit interpretations of these key assertions. By one approach this can comprise according a likelihood advantage to an explicit interpretation of one or more of the key assertions and/or implicit interpretations of such key assertions. These likelihood advantages need not be necessarily dispositive with respect to the resultant interpretation. |
| US08514178B2 |
Method for inputting a string of characters and apparatus thereof
Provided herein is a method and apparatus for more effectively and accurately inputting a character string through a gesture input, and the apparatus for inputting a character string associated with an embodiment of the present invention may include a keypad for inputting a gesture generated by touch motion; a memory configured to store at least one of a gesture, character string information corresponding to the gesture, and a gesture input from the keypad; a controller configured to identify a character string corresponding to the gesture input from the keypad to extract a character string corresponding to the identified character string or including the identified character string among the character strings previously stored in the memory; and a display unit configured to display the extracted character string under a control of the controller. |
| US08514169B2 |
Apparatus and system for writing data to electromechanical display elements
Charge balanced display data writing systems, apparatuses, and methods use write and hold cycles of opposite polarity during selected frame update periods. A release cycle may be provided to reduce the chance that a given display element will become stuck in an actuated state. |
| US08514166B2 |
LCD backlight dimming, LCD/image signal compensation and method of controlling an LCD display
A method of reducing power consumption in a liquid crystal display illuminated by a backlight device includes dimming the backlight and adjusting the intensity of the image to compensate for the dimmed backlight. A dimming factor for the backlight is based on a clipping point determining from the pixel intensity distribution of the image signal. The intensity of the image is adjusted based on the dimming factor, wherein a first tone mapping function is used to adjust pixel intensities below an intensity threshold and a second tone mapping function is used to adjust pixel intensities above the intensity threshold. |
| US08514165B2 |
Semiconductor device
A photoelectric conversion device includes a light detection circuit which includes an optical sensor to output a current signal corresponding to illuminance and a current-voltage conversion circuit to convert the current signal output from the optical sensor into a voltage signal; an amplifier to amplify the voltage signal output from the light detection circuit; a comparison circuit to compare voltage output from the amplifier and reference voltage and output the result to a control circuit; and the control circuit to determine an illuminance range to be detected depending on the output from the comparison circuit and output a control signal to the light detection circuit. The current-voltage conversion circuit has a function of changing a resistance value in accordance with the control signal. |
| US08514157B2 |
Differential amplifier
A differential amplifier has first and second input terminals (T1, T2), an output terminal, a differential stage connected to the first and second input terminals, and an amplification stage having an input terminal thereof connected to an output terminal of the differential stage and an output terminal thereof connected to the output terminal. The differential stage includes a first differential pair with one of an input pair thereof connected to the first input terminal (T1) and the other connected to the output terminal, a second differential pair with one of an input pair thereof connected to the first input terminal (T1) and the other connected to the second input terminal (T2), a first current source for supplying current to the first differential pair, a second current source for supplying current to the second differential pair, and a load circuit connected to the output pairs of the first and second differential pairs. One of the output pair of the first differential pair is connected in common to one of the output pair of the second differential pair, and their common connection node constitutes the output terminal of the differential stage. |
| US08514150B2 |
Plasma display apparatus
A plasma display apparatus according to the present invention can drive a panel at a high speed, and reduce a brightness difference which may be generated in block driving, to thereby improve picture quality of a display image. |
| US08514148B2 |
Head mount display
In a head mount display, an imaging unit detects hands of a user in such a manner by imaging a range which includes at least a display region displayed by a display unit out of a field of view of a user. In displaying a reference image which is used as a reference when a user performs a predetermined operation, the head mount display reduces visibility of the reference image for the user in a region defined between one hand and the other hand of the user. |
| US08514143B2 |
Electronic device with antenna switch and antenna switching method thereof
An electronic device with antenna switch comprises a first antenna, a first proximity sensor, a second antenna, a detection module, a determination module and a control module. The first proximity sensor is located with the first antenna at a first side portion of the electronic device. The detection module detects an approach signal from the first proximity sensor. The determination module determines whether the strength of the approach signal is stronger than a threshold value in real time. The control module initiate the second antenna to receive signals through the switch if the strength of the approach signal is stronger then the strength of the threshold value. |
| US08514141B2 |
Low-frequency tag with separate transmit and receive antennas
A low frequency inductive two-way radio transceiver tag is provided that has separate antennas for transmitting and receiving signals within a reading volume. Thus, the tag of the invention includes both a transmit antenna and a receiving antenna, either separately or as a single antenna tuneable between two functional states with different impedances. The impedance of the receiving antenna is greater than the impedance of the transmitting antenna. For example, the impedance of the receiving antenna may be greater than the impedance of the transmitting antenna by a factor of 103. |
| US08514135B2 |
Protective circuit module and secondary battery pack including the same
A protective circuit module including: an insulating substrate including a plurality of layers; first and second printed circuit patterns disposed between the plurality of layers of the insulating substrate; a loop antenna electrically coupled to the first printed circuit pattern; and a wireless charging portion spaced apart from the loop antenna and electrically coupled to the second printed circuit pattern, wherein ends of the loop antenna and ends of the wireless charging portion are between the plurality of layers of the insulating substrate. |
| US08514134B2 |
MIMO antenna having parasitic elements
A Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) antenna having parasitic elements is provided. The MIMO antenna includes a plurality of antenna elements, a plurality of parasitic elements, and a bridge. The plurality of antenna elements is symmetrically disposed on one side surface of a board while maintaining a predetermined distance therebetween. The plurality of parasitic elements is disposed on the other side surface of the board in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of antenna elements. The bridge is formed of a metal pattern line, and is configured to connect the plurality of parasitic elements to each other. |
| US08514129B1 |
Buffering techniques for rapid processing of samples of signals modulated with periodic waveforms
Apparatus having corresponding methods and non-transitory computer-readable media comprise: a sampler configured to sample a signal, wherein the signal is modulated with a waveform having a known period, wherein the sampler obtains K samples in each period, and wherein each of the samples is N bits long, wherein K is an integer greater than 0, and N is an integer greater than 1; a memory bank, wherein the memory bank has M columns and K rows, wherein each column is N bits wide, and wherein M is an integer greater than 0; a write controller configured to write the samples to the memory bank in column order; a read controller configured to read the samples from the memory bank in row order; and an integrator configured to integrate the samples read from the memory bank, wherein the integrator provides a respective integration result for each row. |
| US08514127B2 |
Method and system of calculation for the evaluation of the precision performance of a satellite navigation system
A method and a system calculates the low probability events for the evaluation of the precision performance of a satellite navigation system, and makes it possible to certify the precision performance of a satellite navigation system for high levels of requirement by modelling events of low probability on the basis of the implementation of the theory of extreme values conjointly with the use of a chart for evaluating precision performance. |
| US08514126B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring the integrity of satellite tracking data used by a remote receiver
A method and apparatus for monitoring the integrity of satellite tracking data used by a remote receiver is described. In one example, a first set of satellite tracking data is received at a server. Integrity data for a second set of satellite tracking data is generated using the first set of satellite tracking data. The integrity data is then transmitted to at least one remote receiver having the second set of satellite tracking data. |
| US08514125B2 |
Distance measurement
A distance measurement arrangement provides a distance indication based on a delay between an electromagnetic signal, transmitted in a transmission mode, and a reflection of the electromagnetic signal, received in a reception mode. The distance measurement arrangement includes an antenna module having a plurality of antennas for transmitting the electromagnetic signal and for receiving the reflection. A beam-forming module defines respective magnitude and phase relationships with respect to respective antennas so as to cause the antenna module to provide a directional antenna pattern in at least one the two modes. A beam-forming and steering control module controls the respective magnitude and phase relationships as a function of a direction command. A 3-D picture can be formed by applying respective direction commands so as to obtain respective distance indications for respective portion in a two-dimensional picture. |
| US08514124B2 |
Method for operating a radar system in the event of possible concealment of the target object and radar system for performing the method
In a method for operating a radar system and a radar system for performing the method, in particular a microwave radar system for applications in or on motor vehicles, in which at least one target object and at least one possible concealing object are detected using radar technology, it is provided in particular that a detection is made of whether a concealment situation of the at least one target object by the at least one concealing object exists, and in the case of a detected concealment situation a loss of the target object is not automatically assumed. |
| US08514115B2 |
Optical analogue to digital converter
An analogue to digital converter is arranged to receive and process an analogue optical input signal to produce an N bit digital optical output signal quantised to 2N levels, where N is greater than or equal to 2. The converter has an input for receiving the optical input signal and N processing channels which are each coupled to the input, at least one of said processing channels comprising an optical processing circuit arranged to generate a plurality of digital optical output signals. The optical processing circuit is arranged to change the state of each digital optical output signal corresponding to a respective different value of the analogue optical input signal, and an optical combining circuit for combining the optical output signals in order to generate one bit of the N-bit digital optical signal. |
| US08514114B2 |
Measurement method and apparatus for ADC calibration
An uncalibrated converter element in an analog-digital converter may be replaced with two or more smaller elements having an effective total net value that is equal to that of the uncalibrated converter element. In an exemplary case where the element is capacitor, one or more of these smaller capacitors may be independently calibrated by switching the smaller capacitor between two voltages, such as a reference voltage and ground, and then calculating a difference of corresponding digital output codes generated by the backend ADC with previously calibrated capacitors associated with lesser significant bits. The total capacitance of the uncalibrated capacitor may be apportioned between the smaller capacitors so that the individual maximum charge contribution of each smaller capacitor to the converter output together with any expected manufacturing variance does not exceed the aggregated contribution of the previously calibrated capacitors. |
| US08514112B2 |
Programmable linearity correction circuit for digital-to-analog converter
The invention provides a systematic error correction network coupled to a converter. The converter may display a systematic non-linearity error, and the systematic error correction network shapes a correction transform function that acts like counter distortion function for the non-linearity error. The systematic error correction network then scales the correction transform function according to a reference variable, where the magnitude of non-linearity error is related to the reference variable. The scaled correction transform function is then applied to the converter path in order to generate a corrected analog output signal. |
| US08514111B1 |
Hybrid digital-to-synchro converter unit
A digital-to-synchro converter (“DSC”) is a device that converts digital signals to analog signals suitable for use by a synchro device. A conventional DSC implements complex circuitry to take digital input and generate [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ)] and [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Cos(Φ)] analog signals, and a Scott-T transformer to transform these analog signals into [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ)], [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ+120)], and [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ+240)] analog signals. An inventive DSC, as typically embodied, implements a microcontroller to take digital input and generate [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ)] and [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ+120)] digital signals, a digital-to-analog converter to convert these digital signals to [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ)] and [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ+120)] analog signals, and a regular transformer (i.e., non-Scott-T transformer) to transform these analog signals (typically, in amplified voltage form) into [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ)], [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ+120)], and [V Sin({acute over (ω)}t) Sin(Φ+240)] analog signals. Inventive practice is accurate, versatile, and economical. |
| US08514110B2 |
Resolver digital converter
This resolver digital converter 10 includes a band pass processing unit that is disposed between a conversion unit and a multiplication unit and passes only a signal of a predetermined band through processing performed with a period that is shorter than the sampling period of an analog-to-digital converter and corrects the gains of digital signals before being input to the multiplication unit by using gain correction values that are set based on the maximum value and the minimum value of each one of digital signals passing through the band pass processing unit. |
| US08514101B2 |
Driving maneuver assist on full windshield head-up display
A method to dynamically register a graphic on a driving scene of a source vehicle utilizing a graphic projection display includes monitoring source vehicle information and monitoring road information. A preferred driving maneuver and a driving scene location of the preferred driving maneuver are identified based on the monitored source vehicle information and the monitored road information. A graphic exemplifying the preferred driving maneuver is determined and a location of the graphic is dynamically registering upon the graphic projection display corresponding to the driving scene. The dynamically registered location is based on the driving scene location of the preferred driving maneuver. The graphic is displayed upon the graphic projection display. |
| US08514100B2 |
Vehicle approach warning system
A control unit detects presence of a person and a direction of his/her face based on image information inputted from an imaging device, and determines that a warning need be provided to notify the person of vehicle approach if the person is detected but his/her face is not detected. The control unit checks a determination result as to whether the warning should be provided to a warning sound output device. The warning sound output device generates warning sound in response to the determination result indicating that sound warning is needed. |
| US08514091B2 |
Multiple alarm system with low battery detection for controlling transmission and reception of an alarm signal
The alarm device of the present invention includes a battery power supply; a sensor section that outputs an anomaly detection signal in the case of detecting an anomaly; an alert section that outputs an alarm based on the anomaly detection signal; a reception circuit section that discontinuously receives an event signal from another alarm device at every predetermined reception cycle; a transmission circuit section that transmits an event signal to the other alarm device in a transmission time that is at least the predetermined reception cycle; an anomaly monitoring section that, when the sensor section has detected an anomaly, causes the alert section to output the anomaly alarm based on the anomaly detection signal and causes the transmission of an event signal relating to the anomaly of the alarm device to the other alarm device by the transmission circuit section, and on the other hand, when the reception circuit section has received from the other alarm device an event signal relating to an anomaly of the other alarm device, causes the alert section to output the anomaly alarm; and a low battery monitoring section that, upon detecting a voltage drop of the battery power supply, causes a low battery alarm of the alarm device to be output by the alert section, and stops the transmission and reception of event signals in the transmission circuit section and the reception circuit section. |
| US08514090B2 |
Dust level sensor arrangement for dust collection system
A level detector or sensor for a dust collection system has a threaded housing that seats in a penetration in the lid of a dust collection drum or other container, and can be adjusted mechanically in its mounting. The sensor has an adjustment to control the distance at which it picks up light off the collected material. An elongated flexible cable connects the sensor with an alarm strobe, which may be a low-power LED device, and can be positioned at a convenient location remote from the drum. |
| US08514089B2 |
Temperature monitoring circuit
A temperature monitoring circuit includes a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) resistor, a zener diode, an alarm, a silicon controlled rectifier. A first terminal of the NTC resistor is connected to a power supply through a first resistor. A second terminal of the NTC resistor is grounded. A cathode of the zener diode is connected to a node between the NTC resistor and the first resistor. An anode is grounded through a second resistor. A first terminal of the alarm is connected to the cathode of the zener diode, and is grounded through a third and fourth resistors in series. A cathode of the silicon controlled rectifier is connected to the anode of the zener diode. An anode of the silicon controlled rectifier is connected to a second terminal of the alarm. A control terminal of the silicon controlled rectifier is connected to a node between the third and fourth resistors. |
| US08514086B2 |
Displays for a medical device
Embodiments described herein relate to an analyte monitoring device having a user interface with a display and a plurality of actuators. The display is configured to render a plurality of display screens, including a home screen and an alert screen. The home screen is divided into a plurality of simultaneously displayed panels, with a first panel displays a rate of change of continuously monitored analyte levels in interstitial fluid, a second panel simultaneously displays a current analyte level and an analyte trend indicator, and a third panel displays status information of a plurality of components of the device. When an alarm condition is detected, the display renders the alert screen in place of the home screen, the alert screen displaying information corresponding to the detected alarm condition. Furthermore, the actuators are configured to affect further output of the analyte monitoring device corresponding to the detected condition. |
| US08514080B2 |
RFID tag with occupancy status recall
An RFID tag for use in a vehicle for use in an electronic toll collecting system. The tag is capable of transmitting data to a tag interrogator indicating the occupancy status of the vehicle. In an embodiment, the tag has a user input and a visual and audible tag status indicator. The user input is used to change the occupancy status of the tag, wherein the occupancy status is a portion of a message sent by radio frequency to the interrogator when the vehicle passes through a toll area. In an embodiment the tag has memory for storage of said tag status and the user input can be used to cause the tag to indicate a stored tag status. In a further embodiment, the tag reverts to a default status after a predetermined period of time. |
| US08514077B2 |
Security assembly for use with disposable displays
A system and method for displaying merchandise item is presented. A disposable merchandise display includes a disposable display stand, an alarm unit and tethers. The disposable display stand is interchangeable with other disposable display stands and the alarm unit. The disposable display stand further includes one or more display areas for displaying merchandise items and allowing for the handling of the merchandise times. The alarm unit is configured to be placed inside the disposable display stand. Each of the tethers can be connected between the alarm unit and a corresponding merchandise item. The alarm unit is configured to generate an alarm when a merchandise item displayed at the merchandise display is moved away from the disposable merchandise display or a tether is cut. |
| US08514076B2 |
Entrance security system
An entrance denial security system comprises an entrance barrier closing an entrance into a secured area having a plurality of structural tubular elements with hollow cores forming a rigid integral barrier. At least one optical fiber sensor line is laced through the hollow cores of the structural elements for detecting a fault condition signifying an unauthorized intrusion attempt. A processor in communication with the fiber sensor line generates a fault signal in response to the occurrence of a fault condition and identifying the entrance where the fault condition occurred. A communication device operatively associated with the processor communicates the fault signal and an alarm so that a proper security response can be made to the fault condition. The system further comprises a plurality of intrusion sensors disposed at certain locations. Preferably primary and secondary optical fiber sensor lines are routed through the structural elements and intrusion sensors, and primary and secondary scanning units pulse signals along the sensor lines and receive reflected signals back from the sensor lines. In the event of a cut through in the sensor lines, the primary sensor line monitors the barrier and sensors downstream of the break, and the secondary sensor line is activated to monitor the barriers and sensors downstream of the break. |
| US08514075B1 |
Ultrasonic receiving circuit
An ultrasonic occupancy sensor for detecting presence or absence of an occupant in a space includes an ultrasonic receiving circuit having a synchronous rectifier that allows the circuit to detect small-magnitude ultrasonic waves having a Doppler shift. The sensor comprises an ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting ultrasonic waves at an ultrasonic operating frequency, and a controller that drives the transmitting circuit with complementary drive signals to control the ultrasonic operating frequency. The synchronous rectifier receives the drive signals from the controller and rectifies an amplified input signal to generate a rectified signal, which is filtered by a filter to generate a filtered signal. The controller receives the filtered signal and determines that the space is occupied if the magnitude of the filtered signal exceeds a threshold. The ultrasonic occupancy sensor may also include a low phase-noise oscillator circuit coupled to the controller for setting an internal operating frequency of the controller. |
| US08514073B2 |
Aquatic product transportation monitoring system and method thereof
The present invention illustrates an aquatic product transport monitoring system and method thereof. The aquatic product transport monitoring system includes a test terminal and a control terminal. Also, the test terminal tests a liquid having at least one aquatic product held therein to obtain a test value. When the test value does not fall within a preset value range built in the control terminal, a warning signal is transmitted. |
| US08514071B2 |
Real-time method and system for locating a mobile object or person in a tracking environment
A real-time method and system for locating a mobile object or person in a tracking environment. The method includes modulating a first carrier signal with a first packet including a first set of data to obtain a modulated first signal and transmitting the first signal. The first signal contains the first packet and has a first precision and a first range within the environment. The steps of modulating and transmitting are repeated until a modulated second signal is received within a time period after the step of transmitting. The second signal contains a second packet including a second set of data and has a second precision and a second range within the environment. The second signal is demodulated to obtain the second packet. Location is determined within the environment based on the second packet. |
| US08514069B2 |
Tracking passengers on cruise ships
A system for tracking the locations of passengers on a vessel includes a portable tag configured to be assigned to a passenger, the tag encoded with a tag identifier. The system further includes a plurality of tag readers configured to be positioned at predetermined locations on a vessel, each tag reader configured to read the tag identifier of the tag when the tag reader receives a signal from the tag. A tracking component is configured to communicate with the tag readers, the tracking component configured to receive, from a detecting tag reader, an indication that the signal has been received from the tag, the tracking component configured to determine a detected location of the tag based at least in part on the predetermined location of the detecting tag reader. A notification component is configured to send towards a user device, a notification including the detected location, and a tag reader in the plurality of tag readers is configured with a first and second operating mode, the first operating mode is used when the vessel is at least a predetermined distance from land, and the second operating mode is used when the vessel is less than the predetermined distance from land. |
| US08514066B2 |
Accelerometer based extended display
Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for displaying data on a portable electronic device. In one embodiment, a first portion of accessed data is displayed on a portable electronic device. A motion detector responsive to motion in at least a single direction then detects a movement of the portable electronic device from a first position to a second position. In response to the motion detector detecting the movement, a second portion of the accessed data is automatically displayed by the portable electronic device. |
| US08514056B2 |
System and method for real time asset location and tracking
A system for estimating the current position of an asset within a location that includes a transponder associated with the asset, a plurality of wireless interface devices provided within the location, and a central computer system in electronic communication with the wireless interface devices. The central computer system is adapted to: (i) identify a particular one or more of the wireless interface devices that have received a wireless signal from the transponder, and (ii) determine an estimate of the current position based on the identified particular one or more of the wireless interface devices. |
| US08514051B2 |
Sulfuration resistant chip resistor and method for making same
A chip resistor includes an insulating substrate 11, top terminal electrodes 12 formed on top surface of the substrate using silver-based cermet, bottom electrodes 13, resistive element 14 that is situated between the top terminal electrodes 12 and overlaps them partially, an optional internal protective coating 15 that covers resistive element 14 completely or partially, an external protective coating 16 that covers completely the internal protection coating 15 and partially covers top terminal electrodes 12, a plated layer of nickel 17 that covers face sides of the substrate, top 12 and bottom 13 electrodes, and overlaps partially external protective coating 16, finishing plated layer 18 that covers nickel layer 17. The overlap of nickel layer 17 and external protective layer 16 possesses a sealing property because of metallization of the edges of external protective layer 16 prior to the nickel plating process. |
| US08514047B2 |
Magnetic arrays with increased magnetic flux
The embodiments of the invention generally relate to a novel magnet arrangement to further enhance the performance of the array. The new arrangement of magnets (for example, five configurations) can result in significantly much higher percentage gain in magnetic flux with respect to the largest magnetic flux of a component magnet, as compared to Halbach array configurations. |
| US08514046B1 |
Method for detachment of two objects
A method is described herein for detachment of two objects. The method comprising the steps of: (a) associating a bias field source with a first magnetic structure associated with a first object, the first magnetic structure comprising one or more magnetic field sources, the first magnetic structure being magnetically attached to a second magnetic structure associated with a second object, the second magnetic structure comprising one or more magnetic field sources; and (b) using the bias field source to produce a repel force large enough to cause detachment of the first magnetic structure from the second magnetic structure thereby causing detachment of the first object from the second object. |
| US08514045B2 |
Magnetic arrays with increased magnetic flux
The embodiments of the invention generally relate to a novel magnet arrangement to further enhance the performance of the array. The new arrangement of magnets (for example, five configurations) can result in significantly much higher percentage gain in magnetic flux with respect to the largest magnetic flux of a component magnet, as compared to Halbach array configurations. |
| US08514044B2 |
Medical examination or treatment device
A medical examination or treatment device including a C-arm that is guided movably along an arc path on a bracket via a mechanical guidance device is provided. Magnet elements are provided on the C-arm. Magnetic field generation elements on the bracket interact together to create a magnetic field that moves the C-arm along the arc path. |
| US08514042B2 |
Magnetic attachment system
A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device. |
| US08514039B1 |
Electric relay
An electric relay can easily conform to a specification change so as to improve layouting and at the same time to avoid an increase in cost. An electric relay (30) is composed of a relay main body (1), which is provided with caps (7) which is formed of a non-conductive member, and in the interior of which an electrical contact and an exciting coil are arranged, and a connector (20), which is provided with a terminal connection part (25) and a bush (24) which are integrally molded with a non-conductive member (21), wherein the terminal connection part (25) and the bush (24) of the connector (20) are mounted on an exciting terminal (2) and a main terminal (3) of the relay main body (1). |
| US08514038B2 |
Starter relay of a starter device for internal combustion engines
The invention relates to a starter relay (19) for internal combustion engines, comprising a relay coil (27) and an armature (20), which interacts with a fork lever (21) by way of a driver (24) so as to toe-in a starter pinion, and comprising a contact bridge (34) which is to be actuated by the armature by way of a switch axis (32) and interacts with switch contacts (23a), wherein a coupling (33b) connects the switch axis and the armature such that they can be displaced with respect to each other to a limited extent. In order to ensure that welded contacts tear open and the neutral position of the fork lever is achieved when the relay is shut off, a pretensioned compression spring (26) is inserted between the armature (20) and the end of the fork lever (21). |
| US08514032B1 |
Broad band compact load for use in multifunction phased array testing
The present invention is directed to a matched load. The matched load may include a stripline section and multiple resist material sections. The multiple resist material sections may be connected to the stripline section and may each include a resist material. The resist material may be a metal alloy film. Further, the load may be configured for operating over a frequency band ranging from 9 GHz to 18 GHz. Still further, the load may be configured for providing a return loss of less than −25 dB at each operating frequency included in the 9 GHz to 18 GHz frequency band. Still further, the load is compact, such that multiple loads may fit into a dual polarized radiating element cell. |
| US08514031B2 |
Integrated circulators sharing a continuous circuit
The present invention is directed to a circuit assembly that includes an integrated circulator assembly. The circuit assembly has a first substrate, which contains a continuous circuit trace that includes a circulator component from the circulator assembly and at least one electrical component from the circuit assembly. A second substrate is disposed beneath the first substrate and includes a cladding on one surface. The second substrate contains an aperture that accepts a ferrite element, which is axially aligned with the circulator component of the circuit trace. A conductive material is placed across the ferrite element so that it forms a continuous ground plane with the cladding, which is common to the entire circuit trace. The circulator assembly also contains a magnet bonded to the ferrite element. The circulator assembly may also include a yoke disposed below the magnet to shield the circulator from external magnetic fields. |
| US08514030B2 |
Oven-controlled crystal oscillator and manufacturing method of the same
Provided are an oven controlled crystal oscillator in which in a case where a metal lead is soldered to a substrate, even if cracks occur in the solder, its reliability is not reduced, and a production method. That is, an oven controlled crystal oscillator in which pre-tinning solders are formed around openings on a front surface and a rear surface of a substrate in which of a through hole for passing a metal lead therethrough is formed; and in a state where a metal lead including a solder layer (a pre-tinning solder) formed on its surface is inserted into the through hole of the substrate, the metal lead extending from the openings is soldered to the openings on the front surface and the rear surface of the substrate, so as to form a main solder, and a production method of the oven controlled crystal oscillator are provided. |
| US08514025B2 |
Amplifier circuit and method of amplifying a signal in an amplifier circuit
An amplifier circuit, comprising: an input, for receiving an input signal to be amplified; a power amplifier, for amplifying the input signal; a switched power supply, having a switching frequency, for providing at least one supply voltage to the power amplifier; and a dither block, for dithering the switching frequency of the switched power supply. The dither block is controlled based on the input signal. Another aspect of the invention involves using first and second switches, each having different capacitances and resistances, and using the first or second switch depending on the input signal or volume signal. Another aspect of the invention involves controlling a bias signal provided to one or more components in the signal path based on the input signal or volume signal. |
| US08514023B2 |
Accurate bias tracking for process variation and supply modulation
A current mirror includes a bias branch, which includes first and second transistors in series between a voltage source and ground, a voltage divider coupled between the voltage source and ground, an op-amp configured to receive a divided voltage of the voltage divider and a voltage of a node between the first and second transistors, and drive a gate of the second transistor to pull the node to the divided voltage. The current mirror further includes a power amplifier core coupled to the bias branch. The power amplifier core includes first and second drive transistors configured in series between the voltage source and ground. Gates of the first transistor and the first drive transistor are coupled, and gates of the second transistor and the second drive transistor are coupled. |
| US08514022B2 |
RF power amplifier
A reduction is achieved in the primary-side input impedance of a transformer (voltage transformer) as an output matching circuit without involving a reduction in Q-factor. An RF power amplifier includes transistors, and a transformer as the output matching circuit. The transformer has a primary coil and a secondary coil which are magnetically coupled to each other. To the input terminals of the transistors, respective input signals are supplied. The primary coil is coupled to each of the output terminals of the transistors. From the secondary coil, an output signal is generated. The primary coil includes a first coil and a second coil which are coupled in parallel between the respective output terminals of the transistors, and each magnetically coupled to the secondary coil. By the parallel coupling of the first and second coils of the primary coil, the input impedance of the primary coil is reduced. |
| US08514015B2 |
Amplifier with programmable off voltage
An amplifier with multiple stages and having improved reliability is described. The multiple amplifier stages are coupled in parallel and include at least one switchable amplifier stage. Each switchable amplifier stage may be operated in an on state or an off state and includes a gain transistor and a cascode transistor. The gain transistor amplifies an input signal and provides an amplified signal in the on state and is disabled in the off state. The cascode transistor buffers the amplified signal and provides an output signal in the on state and is disabled based on an off voltage in the off state. The off voltage may be greater than zero volts or may have one of multiple possible values. The off voltage may be generated based on an output signal level, e.g., may be set to different values for different ranges of output signal level. |
| US08514014B2 |
Reset and resettable circuits
An amplifier system can include a feedback amplifier circuit having an amplifier, a feedback capacitor connected between an input terminal and an output terminal of the amplifier by at least one first switch, and a reset capacitor connected across the feedback capacitor by at least one second switch and between a pair of reference voltages by at least one third switch. During an input-signal processing phase of operation, a control circuit may close the at least one first switch and open the at least one second switch to electrically connect the feedback capacitor between the input and output terminals to engage feedback processing by the feedback amplifier circuit, and close the third switch to electrically connect the reset capacitor between the first and second voltages to charge the reset capacitor to a selectable voltage difference. During a reset phase of operation, the control circuit may open the at least one third switch, close the at least one second switch and open the at least one first switch to electrically connect the reset capacitor across the feedback capacitor to reset the feedback capacitor using the reset capacitor. The amplifier system can optionally include a plurality of the feedback amplifier circuits. |
| US08514012B2 |
Pulse shaper circuit with reduced electromagnetic emission
In one embodiment, a circuit-based apparatus that operates on an input data stream includes delay-line circuitry that characterizes the input data stream, modified over time. A plurality of integrators provide a plurality of integrated signals in response to the delay-line circuitry, and a plurality of weighting amplifiers amplify the plurality of integrated signals by a plurality of respective time-varying weighting factors to provide weighted signals. A signal-combining circuit combines the weighted signals. The circuit-based apparatus also includes a plurality of parallel signal-processing circuit paths that couple the weighted signals to the signal-combining circuit. By combining the weighted signals from the parallel signal-processing circuit paths, the signal-combining circuit provides a signal representative of the input data stream. |
| US08514009B2 |
Current sensing circuit
A current sensing circuit can prevent operation error due to a rush current and/or a shifted sense ratio. The circuit includes a power MOSFET, a series combination of a sense resistor and a sense MOSFET, which are connected in parallel to the power MOSFET Qph, a delay circuit for delaying the edges of drive signal, by first delay time, a delay circuit for delaying the edges of the drive signal by a second delay time, logic for combining signals and a current sensing circuit for sensing an electric current of the sense MOSFET based on an electric current of the sense resistor. |
| US08514008B2 |
RF isolation switch circuit
In a first aspect, an RF switch includes a main transistor and a gate-to-source shorting circuit. When the RF switch is turned off, the gate-to-source shorting circuit is turned on to short the source and gate of the main transistor together, thereby preventing a Vgs from developing that would cause the main transistor to leak. When the RF switch is turned on, the gate-to-source shorting circuit is turned off to decouple the source from the gate. The gate is supplied with a digital logic high voltage to turn on the main transistor. In a second aspect, an RF switch includes a main transistor that has a bulk terminal. When the RF switch is turned off, the bulk is connected to ground through a high resistance. When the RF switch is turned on, the source and bulk are shorted together thereby reducing the threshold voltage of the main transistor. |
| US08514007B1 |
Adjustable power splitter and corresponding methods and apparatus
An adjustable power splitter includes: a power divider with an input and a first and second divider output; a first adjustable phase shifter and first adjustable attenuator series coupled to the first divider output and providing a first power output; and a second adjustable phase shifter and second adjustable attenuator series coupled to the second divider output and providing a second power output. |
| US08514000B1 |
Meta-hardened flip-flop
Some embodiments relate to a flip-flop having a data input terminal, a data output terminal and a clock terminal. The flip-flop includes a master latch, a slave latch, and an isolation element coupled between the master latch output and slave latch. The isolation element is arranged to isolate capacitive loading seen by the output of the master latch that comes from the slave latch. In some embodiments, the master latch includes one or more drive enhancement elements on its feedforward and feedback paths. The slave latch can also include one or more drive enhancement elements on its feedforward and feedback paths. These drive enhancement elements, particularly in combination with the isolation element, may help to reduce the setup and hold times and enhance meta-stability resistance of the flip-flop relative to conventional implementations. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08513998B2 |
Provision of an AC signal
A circuit for providing an AC signal includes an amplifier having an input and an output. A sinusoidal signal is applicable at the input of the amplifier. The output of the amplifier is connected to the input via a lowpass filter or via a part of the lowpass filter. |
| US08513993B2 |
DLL circuit and semiconductor device having the DLL circuit
To include a phase-difference-amount detecting circuit that detects an amount of phase difference between an external clock signal and a replica clock signal, a variable delay circuit that delays the external clock signal based on the amount of phase difference to generate an internal clock signal, and a replica buffer that delays the internal clock signal to generate the replica clock signal. According to the present invention, the variable delay circuit is controlled based on the amount of phase difference, instead of being controlled based on whether the phase of the replica clock signal is advanced or delayed with respect to the external clock signal. Accordingly, even when the amount of phase difference is large, a DLL circuit can be locked at a high speed. |
| US08513990B2 |
PLL frequency synthesizer
In a PLL frequency synthesizer, a loop is constituted by a phase comparison unit, a gate unit, a charge pump, a capacitive element, a potential adjustment unit, a voltage-controlled oscillator, and a feedback division unit. In this loop, the gate unit and the charge pump are provided in parallel with the potential adjustment unit. A charging/discharging current is input from the charge pump to the capacitive element and the potential of a first end of the capacitive element is adjusted by the potential adjustment unit, so that a phase difference between a reference oscillation signal and a feedback oscillation signal input to the phase comparison unit is small. |
| US08513989B1 |
Integrated circuit, micro-controller unit, and method including a synchronous sampling controller
A micro-controller unit (MCU) includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) including an input, a timing input, and an output. The input of the ADC is configurable to couple to an output of a peripheral module. The MCU further includes a synchronous sampling controller configured to provide a clock signal to a clock output terminal configurable to couple to a clock input of the peripheral module. The synchronous sampling controller is further configured to provide a timing signal to the timing input of the ADC to synchronize sampling of a signal at the input of the ADC to timing of the peripheral module. |
| US08513985B2 |
Drive circuit for semiconductor switching element
A drive circuit for a semiconductor switching element is disclosed. The drive circuit includes a power supply, a capacitor, a connection changeover unit for switching a connection form between the power supply and the capacitor, a resistor connected to a control terminal of the semiconductor switching element, first and second switching elements whose common connection point is connected to the resistor, a positive-side diode whose cathode is connected to the first switching element, a negative-side diode whose anode is connected to the second switching element, and a current conduction control circuit for controlling the connection changeover unit, and the first and second switching elements to form (i) a first path for charging the capacitor, (ii) a second path for charging the control terminal of the semiconductor switching element, and (iii) a third path for discharging the control terminal of the semiconductor switching element. |
| US08513981B2 |
Squelch detection method and circuit using rectifying circuit for detecting out-of-band signal
A circuit for detecting out-of-band signals is disclosed. In one embodiment, the circuit includes a first differential circuit configured to level shift and positively rectify a differential input signal to produce a first output component of a differential output signal. The first differential circuit is further configured to generate and provide a common mode voltage of the differential input signal as a second component of the differential output signal. The circuit further includes a second differential circuit configured to level shift and output first and second fixed voltages based on an input reference voltage and a ground voltage. The circuit is configured to provide the differential output signal and the first and second fixed voltages to an indicator circuit configured to assert an indication responsive to detecting that a differential voltage of the differential output signal is greater than a differential voltage of the first and second fixed voltages. |
| US08513979B2 |
Integrated circuit and related controlling method
An integrated circuit includes: a circuit pin; a detecting circuit coupled to the circuit pin, and arranged to detect a signal level value of the circuit pin when the integrated circuit operates in a first operational mode; a storage circuit coupled to the detecting circuit, and arranged to store the signal level value; and a controlling circuit coupled to the storage circuit, and arranged to set a voltage level of the circuit pin according the signal level value when a processing circuit of the integrated circuit operates in a second operational mode. |
| US08513978B2 |
Power routing in standard cell designs
A cell-based architecture for an integrated circuit. A row of cell instances borders a first adjacent row of cell instances along a first boundary and a second adjacent row of cell instances along a second boundary. A first power rail (e.g., carrying an auxiliary voltage) extends along the first boundary. A second power rail (e.g., VSS) extends along the second boundary. The second power rail is wider than the first power rail. Additionally, a third power rail (e.g., VDD) extends across the interior of the second row of cells. |
| US08513975B2 |
Device and method for enabling multi-value digital computation and control
Hardware and processes are provided for efficient interpretation of multi-value signals. The multi-value signals have a first voltage range with is used to indicate multiple numerical or logical values, and a second voltage range that is used to provide control functions. In one example, the multi-value circuitry is arranged as a set of rows and columns, which may be cascaded together. The control function can be implemented to cause portions of rows, columns, or cascaded connections to be powered off, thereby saving power and enabling more efficient operation. |
| US08513973B2 |
Mitigating side effects of impedance transformation circuits
Implementations to mitigating side effects of impedance transformation circuits are described. In particular, mitigation circuitry may be coupled to a high impedance circuit to minimize or eliminate non-linear output of the high impedance circuit in order to provide a well-defined bias voltage to the input of a buffer or amplifier device coupled to a capacitive sensor. Additionally, the mitigation circuitry may be coupled to the high impedance circuit to reduce or eliminate rectifying effects of the high impedance circuit. Accordingly, a bias voltage can be utilized to provide a stable operating point of the buffer or amplifier device via a high impedance circuit utilizing one or more impedance transformations. |
| US08513966B2 |
Probes formed from semiconductor region vias
Embodiments of the invention describe forming a set of probes using semiconductor regions each including a plurality of vias. A first set of probe segments may be formed from a first set of vias on a first semiconductor region. A second set of probe segments may be formed from a second set of vias on a second semiconductor region and bonded to the first set of probe segments. At least one spring comprising a dielectric material may be formed to couple the first set of probe segments, while a set of metal tips disposed on the second set of probe segments. |
| US08513964B2 |
Circuit interrupter device with self-test function
A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) device with self-test function includes: hot and neutral conducting circuits; an fault detection circuit responsive to a fault in the hot and neutral conducting circuits to generate a fault detection signal; a signal driving circuit responsive to the fault detection signal to generate a drive signal; a disconnecting mechanism for disconnecting electrical connections in the hot and the neutral conducting circuits when the drive signal exceeds a predetermined level; a self-test circuit for generating a self-test signal according to a predetermined time period and when an alternating current of the power source passes zero points, generating an evaluation result based on the self-test signal and a feedback signal of a fault detection signal corresponding to the self-test signal, and generating error signals if the evaluation result indicates a circuit error; and a device-state indicator circuit for generating alarms based on the error signals. |
| US08513960B2 |
Probe for a capacitive sensor device and gap-measuring system
A probe for a capacitive sensor device, and a gap measuring system using the probe, is disclosed. The probe has a probe head including a measuring element with at least one measuring and front face, a first electrically non-conductive isolator element, and a first partial element of a first shield. The measuring and front face, the first isolator element, and the first partial element of the first shield are adhesively connected to one another and configured as a multilayer, where the first isolator element is disposed between the measuring element with its measuring and front face and the first partial element. |
| US08513954B2 |
Test circuit for resistor capacitor circuits
An RC test circuit includes an RC circuit, a digital rheostat, a control chip, and an oscillograph. The RC circuit includes a plurality of positive terminals and a plurality of negative terminals. The digital rheostat includes a plurality of rheostats each including a sliding terminal and a fixed terminal. The sliding terminals are correspondingly connected to the positive terminals while the fixed terminals are correspondingly connected to the negative terminals. The control chip is connected to the digital rheostat, and configured for controlling the digital rheostat to change the resistance of each rheostat. The oscillograph is connected to the RC circuit for displaying a waveform of the RC circuit. |
| US08513947B2 |
Detection of tool in pipe
Methods and systems for determining whether a tool has been deployed below a drill pipe are provided. A downhole tool can measure various characteristics, which then can be analyzed to determine the likelihood of a tool having been deployed below the drill pipe. For example, density and porosity measurements can be affected by the presence of casing or drill pipe, and thus such measurements can provide an indication of whether the tool has been deployed below the drill pipe. |
| US08513946B2 |
Movable table for magnetic resonance imaging
In MR imaging, the patient is placed on the table in a configuration convenient for a surgical procedure and while in the configuration the patient is moved into the field of view by moving the magnet longitudinally and the table is moved in the bore relative to the magnet so as to optimize the part to be imaged within the field of view of the magnet. After imaging the table is moved back to the preset position and removed from the magnet for the surgical procedure to commence or continue. The movement includes movement along the longitudinal axis; transverse movement side to side; rolling movement about a longitudinal axis; tilting movement about a transverse axis and bending movement of the table relative to at least one transverse hinge line in the table at a position spaced from the ends of the table. |
| US08513945B2 |
System, method and computer-accessible medium for providing breath-hold multi-echo fast spin-echo pulse sequence for accurate R2 measurement
Exemplary embodiments of system, method and computer-accessible medium can be provided in accordance with the present disclosure can be provided for generating a plurality of images associated with at least one anatomical structure using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. For example, using such exemplary embodiments, it is possible to obtain at least one multi-echo fast spin-echo (FSE) pulse sequence based on the MRI data, which can include, e.g., hardware specifications of the MRI system. Further, it is possible to generate each of the images based on a particular arrangement of multiple echoes produced by the multi-echo FSE pulse sequence(s). |
| US08513934B2 |
Switching device compensation circuit
A switching device compensation circuit performs switching control by applying a control pulse to a control terminal of a switching device. The switching device compensation circuit includes a first threshold voltage change detection unit, a first control signal generating unit, and an amplitude control unit. The first threshold voltage change detection unit detects a change in threshold voltage of the switching device from an output voltage controlled via the switching device. The first control signal generating unit generates a first control signal in accordance with an output of the first threshold voltage change detection unit. The amplitude control unit controls the amplitude of the control pulse in accordance with an output of the first control signal generating unit. |
| US08513933B2 |
DC-DC converter with low side switch control
Methods and apparatus for control of DC-DC converters. The DC-DC converter is operable so that the low side supply switch may be inhibited from turning on in a cycle following the high side supply switch turning off. Turn on of the low side switch is inhibited if the time between turn off of the high side switch and the inductor (L) current reaching zero is less than a predetermined duration. Inhibiting the low side switch from turning on can prevent the inductor current from going negative, which would reduce the efficiency of the converter. When turn on of the low side switch is inhibited the inductor current flows through a parallel path, such as a parasitic body diode associated with the low side switch, which allows current flow in one direction only. |
| US08513930B2 |
Active power switch topology for switching regulators
Embodiments of an active power switch topology for a switching regulator are provided herein. The embodiments of the active power switch topology use two or more active power switches in parallel instead of a single active power switch, as found in conventional implementations. The active power switches are controlled such that they turn-on and -off in a manner that reduces parasitic voltage spikes associated with conventional switching regulators, while not degrading efficiency or other parameters associated with the switching regulator. The active power switch topology can be beneficially used within many switching regulators (e.g., buck, boost, or buck-boost) and, in particular, within hard-switched switching regulators that include active power switches integrated on chip. |
| US08513921B2 |
Method and circuitry to adaptively charge a battery/cell
The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adapt the charging of a battery/cell using data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to calculate data which is representative of an overpotential of the battery/cell. |
| US08513920B2 |
Charge current reduction for current limited switched power supply
Circuits and methods for a switched power converter providing charge power for at least one battery and at the same time delivering current to operate an electronic device, wherein the converter is enabled to operate out of current limit mode, for the maximum possible range of system load requirements, have been achieved. The input current of the power converter is measured within each cycle-by-cycle, i.e. within each cycle of an external clock reference and the charge current is reduced if the input current exceeds a defined portion, e.g. 80% of the maximum allowable input current. The power converter may only enter current limited operation after the charge current has been already reduced to zero. Operating out of current limit mode ensures a maximum efficiency of the converter, maximize the current deliverable to a given load and minimizes subharmonics in the output current and voltage, thereby minimizing interference with other system component. |
| US08513918B2 |
Vehicle battery control system having a voltage sensor that measures a voltage between a contactor and an inverter equipment
A vehicle battery control system includes: a battery module that is constituted with a plurality of cells that are connected in series; a cell controller that detects each voltage at the plurality of cells; and a battery control unit that detects a total voltage of the battery module based on a signal from a voltage sensor disposed between a contactor connected to the battery module and an inverter equipment connected to the contactor and calculates a battery state of the battery module based upon the detected total voltage. And the battery control unit calculates the battery state based upon a total value of voltages at the plurality of cells detected by the cell controller in place of the total voltage when the contactor is in an open state. |
| US08513916B2 |
Wireless charging system
A wireless charging system includes a charger and an electronic device. The charger includes a power input port including two input terminals for connecting to a power source and a power output port including two first metal sheets respectively connected to the two input terminals. The electronic device includes a power input port including two second metal sheets, a voltage conversion circuit connected to the two second metal sheets, a rectifier and filter circuit, and a battery. When the power output port of the charger is close to and faces the power input port of the electronic device. The two first metal sheets and the two second metal sheets form two capacitors, the power source provides power to the electronic device via the two capacitors and charges the battery after the power is processed by the voltage conversion circuit and the rectifier and filter circuit. |
| US08513915B2 |
Vehicle alignment for inductive charging
Vehicle alignment for inductive charging includes a control system and logic configured to execute on the control system. The logic is configured to define a first orientation for a first antenna and a second antenna, which are disposed on a vehicle. The logic is also configured to define a second orientation specifying a location of a vehicle charging device disposed on the vehicle relative to the first and second antennae. The logic is further configured to determine a location of an inductive charging device relative to the vehicle by performing triangulation analysis using data from the first and second orientations in conjunction with signals received from the first and second antennae. The logic is also configured to calculate a direction to the location using voltage values from the signals, such that movement of the vehicle in the direction brings the vehicle charging device closer to the inductive charging device. |
| US08513907B2 |
Power converter for electric rotating machine
A power converter for an electric rotating machine is provided which is designed to ensure a desired length of a current flywheel duration in which current is permitted to freewheel from the electric rotating machine even if the power converter is in a transient state or subjected to an unexpected change. The power converter is equipped with a controller and a switching circuit which is disposed between a power supply and windings of the electric rotating machine. The switching circuit has switches grouped into an upper and a lower arm. The controller works to control an off-operation of one of the switches of one of the upper and lower arm so as to produce a desired length of the current flywheel duration following turning off of the one of the switches, thereby minimizing a loss of rectification and avoiding the backflow of current from the power supply to the windings. |
| US08513906B2 |
Base vibration attenuation and load tracking in mechanical systems
A hybrid controller for a mechanical system includes an actuator configured to position a load. A vibration attenuation controller produces a vibration attenuation control signal in response to an input signal for the mechanical system. A tracking controller configured produces a tracking control signal in response to the input signal. In response to an output signal from the mechanical system, either the vibration attenuation control signal or the tracking control signal is switched as a control signal for the mechanical system to reduce both vibration in the mechanical system and improve tracking the load. |
| US08513904B2 |
Step-down hysteretic current LED driver implementing frequency regulation
A step-down hysteretic current LED driver circuit implements frequency regulation to adjust the hysteresis levels of a hysteretic comparator in the control circuit of the LED driver to keep the switching frequency of the inductor current constant. More specifically, the switching frequency of the inductor current is kept constant by increasing or decreasing the hysteresis window of the hysteretic comparator. In this manner, the switching frequency of the LED driver is kept constant or predictable. In one embodiment, the control circuit of the LED driver includes a frequency regulator to monitor the switching frequency and adjusts the hysteresis window accordingly to maintain a constant switching frequency. |
| US08513901B2 |
Method and apparatus to control LED brightness
Method and apparatus to control LED brightness are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a dimmer control signal; determining a cutoff point of the dimmer control signal; determining the position of a rising edge signal within the dimmer control signal; determining if the rising edge signal occurred before the cutoff point; and outputting an LED brightness signal indicating full brightness when the rising edge signal occurred before the cutoff point, and indicating a scaled brightness when the rising edge signal did not occur before the cutoff point. |
| US08513899B2 |
Light emitting device and driving circuit thereof
A light emitting device comprises a first light emitting unit and a second light emitting unit connected in series with each other, and a PTF unit connected in parallel with the first light emitting unit and in series with the second light emitting unit. Each of the first light emitting unit and second light emitting unit comprises at least one LED. The PTF unit allows the second light emitting unit to be operated before operation of the first light emitting unit upon application of an AC voltage source. The light emitting device reduces total harmonic distortion and flickering, and improves power factor and optical efficiency. A driving circuit of the light emitting device is also disclosed. |
| US08513897B2 |
OLED display with a current stabilizing device and its driving method
An OLED display with a current stabilizing device employs a current stabilizing device which is coupled between the driving-voltage line of the data driver and the data-power-supply wires to produce an output voltage higher than the driving voltage by boosting the driving voltage of the data driver, and then to maintain the current of the OLEDs at a constant level by performing current limiting, so that the problem of the current-ununiformity caused uneven luminance of the conventional OLED display can be solved, and the possibility that the luminance of the OLED panel will decay in a short period of time is reduce. |
| US08513894B2 |
LED bulb, light emitting device control method, and light emitting device controller circuit with dimming function adjustable by AC signal
The present invention discloses a light emitting device control method for adjusting the brightness of the light emitting device by an AC signal, comprising: receiving a signal having a turn ON angle and converting the signal to a DC signal; obtaining an average of the DC signal level, the average being a function of the turn ON angle; determining a reference voltage of a current source circuit according to the average of the DC signal level; and controlling a current flow through the light emitting device by the current source circuit. |
| US08513889B2 |
Methods and apparatus for tuning matching networks
Methods and apparatus for tuning matching networks are provided herein. A method of tuning a matching network includes providing a matching network coupling an RF source to a load, the matching network having a tunable element disposed at a first set point; increasing a value of the tunable element by a first step above the first set point; sensing a first adjusted value of a reflected RF power; decreasing the value of the tunable element by the first step below the first set point; sensing a second adjusted value of the reflected RF power; comparing the first and the second adjusted values of the reflected RF power; and moving the tunable element to a second set point that corresponds to a position having a lowest adjusted value of the reflected RF power. The method may be repeated until the reflected RF power falls within an acceptable reflected RF power range. |
| US08513888B2 |
Plasma display panel
PDP (1) includes front plate (2) and rear plate (10). Front plate (2) has protective layer (9). Rear plate (10) has phosphor layers (15). Protective layer (9) includes a base layer. On the base layer, aggregated particles are dispersed and disposed. The underlying layer includes a first metal oxide and a second metal oxide. In X-ray diffraction analysis, a peak of the base layer lies between a first peak of the first metal oxide and a second peak of the second metal oxide. The first and second metal oxides are two selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO. The base layer further contains sodium and potassium. |
| US08513886B1 |
Light emitting diode device
A light emitting diode device is provided. The light emitting diode device comprises a light emitting diode component and an encapsulation layer. The encapsulation layer is disposed surrounding the light emitting diode component. The encapsulation layer comprises an encapsulation gel layer and a plurality of micro-particles distributed in the encapsulation gel layer. The difference between the refractive index of the encapsulation gel layer and the refractive index of the micro-particles is smaller than or equal to 0.05. |
| US08513883B2 |
Electroluminescent device having piezoelectric component
An example embodiment there is provided an electroluminescent device comprising: an electroluminescent component, a first piezoelectric component, an alpha electrode and a first beta electrode, the electroluminescent component being located between the alpha electrode and the first piezoelectric component, the first beta electrode being in electrical contact with the alpha electrode and in electrical contact with the first piezoelectric component, the alpha electrode, first beta electrode, first piezoelectric component, and electroluminescent component being configured to generate a potential difference across the electroluminescent component responsive to a mechanical stress applied to the first piezoelectric component. |
| US08513880B2 |
Display apparatus
A high-definition, high-intensity display apparatus having a plurality of semiconductor thin film light emitting elements and a plurality of linear electrodes connecting a power source to the light emitting elements, the linear electrodes being disposed so as to minimize the voltage drop across the linear electrodes. |
| US08513874B2 |
Light emitting element and display apparatus
A light emitting element includes a resonator structure which has a first reflecting member, a second reflecting member, and a light emission layer placed between the first reflecting member and the second reflecting member, part of light resonated between the first reflecting member and the second reflecting member being transmitted through the first reflecting member or the second reflecting member in the resonator structure, and a band absorption filter transmitting the part of the light transmitted through the first reflecting member or the second reflecting member, wherein a wavelength at which the transmission of the band absorption filter has a minimum value is located between a wavelength at which a resonator output spectrum from the resonator structure has a maximum value and a wavelength at which relative luminous efficiency has a maximum value. |
| US08513871B2 |
Apparatus and methods for combining light emitters
Provided are methods and apparatus for combining light emitters and devices including the same. Embodiments include methods of selecting combinations of multiple light emitters that are grouped into multiple bins. The multiple bins correspond to multiple emitter group regions in a multiple axis color space and multiple luminosity ranges. Such methods may include prioritizing multiple combinations of light emitters from at least two of the bins, each of the combinations including chromaticity values corresponding to a desired color region and a luminosity value corresponding to a specified luminosity range. |
| US08513866B2 |
Semiconductor lamp
In various embodiments, a semiconductor lamp may include at least one semiconductor light source; a driver for operating the at least one semiconductor light source and at least one heat sink for cooling the at least one semiconductor light source and the driver; wherein the at least one heat sink may include a first heat sink, which is thermally connected to the at least one semiconductor light source and a second heat sink, which is thermally connected to the driver; wherein the first heat sink and the second heat sink are thermally insulated from one another. |
| US08513859B2 |
Interactive panel comprising a substrate and at least two piezoelectric transduction devices
An interactive panel including a substrate, wherein a seismic wave is intended to propagate, and at least two piezoelectric transduction devices each including two piezoelectric transducers. Each piezoelectric transducer includes two piezoelectric elements each with two surfaces each covered by an electrode. The four electrodes of each piezoelectric transducer are interconnected to supply, when opposing stresses are applied to the piezoelectric elements of the transducer, an electrical measurement signal that depends on the angle between a main plane and an opposite stress-separation plane. Two piezoelectric transducers of a same device have a same central axis and their respective main planes form a non-zero angle thereinbetween. Each piezoelectric transduction device is attached to the substrate such that movement of the substrate during passage of the seismic wave causes stress on the piezoelectric elements, in opposite directions on either side of the stress-separation plane. |
| US08513857B2 |
Vibrational wave motor, lens barrel and camera
A vibrational wave motor which can realize a suitable drive performance and can be driven quietly. The vibrational wave motor includes: an electromechanical-conversion element excited by a driving signal; a vibrating element joined with the electromechanical-conversion element, and having a drive surface where a progressive vibrational wave is generated by the excitation; a relative motion member having a sliding surface pressure-contacting the drive surface of the vibrating element, and which is driven by the wave; and a driving device for providing the driving signal to the electromechanical-conversion element, wherein: the driving device provides the driving signal to the electromechanical-conversion element, the driving signal generating the wave satisfying a-value/λ≦0.00025 in the drive surface, where a vibration amplitude generated in the drive surface of the vibrating element is a-value, and a wavelength generated in the drive surface of the vibrating element is λ. |
| US08513853B2 |
Brush design for slip ring contacts
The present embodiments relate to a device for establishing an electrical contact between two device elements moving relative to each other. The device includes a plurality of brushes that may be arranged on one of the device elements and establishes contact on the relative movement of the device elements along a slideway provided on the other device element. The brushes are arranged staggered one behind the other relative to a direction of movement determined by the relative movement. The brush arrangement according to the present embodiments is more robust than conventional arrangements with respect to wear and ageing. |
| US08513848B2 |
Aquarium having improved filtration system with neutral buoyancy substrate, pump and sediment removal system
An aquarium which includes a tank having a pump and an under gravel filter disposed in the tank below the pump and a sediment removal system for collecting and removing sediment which passes through the under gravel filter. The under gravel filter includes a hollow bubble dispersing base plate having a perforated top surface and an overlying substrate. An air conduit is provided for introducing air into the pump. The pump is connected to the plate such as to pump water and air into the interior of the plate to thereby cause oxygenated water and bubbles to exit upwardly through the perforated top surface of the plate and into and through the substrate. The pump includes a free floating magnetic impeller. A rotational torque generating unit is provided to rotate the impeller. The rotational torque generating unit includes a magnetic drive disk and a motor for rotating the magnetic drive disk. The pump and rotational torque generating unit are aligned with each other such that a magnetic field is established between the magnetic drive disk and the magnetic impeller, the magnetic field rotating upon rotation of the magnetic drive disk to thereby rotate the impeller. |
| US08513844B2 |
Motor
In the invention, in order for a brush assembly to be easily built in a motor, the motor includes an aligning means for aligning a main body portion of the brush assembly relative to a lower case engaging the main body portion with the lower case and a guide means for guiding the brush assembly in a direction which is at right angles to a rotational axis L after the main body portion has been aligned relative to the lower case. |
| US08513842B2 |
Heat radiation structure for rotary electromotor
There is disclosed a rotary electromotor including a stator, a stator winding on the stator, a stator frame, a rotator, end covers, and a highly heat-conductive member. The stator has a plurality of magnetic poles. The stator frame supports the stator. The rotator is supported by the stator with a gap therefrom such that the rotator is rotatable. The end covers close opposite ends of the stator frame. The highly heat-conductive member is fixed by a resin material in a space defined inside the stator, the stator frame, and the end covers. |
| US08513840B2 |
Electric machine cooling system and method
Embodiments of the invention provide an electric machine module including a module housing, which can at least partially define a machine cavity. In some embodiments, an electric machine can include a stator assembly and a rotor assembly and can be positioned in the machine cavity. In some embodiments, the module housing can include a coolant transport network, which can include at least one passage in fluid communication with at least one first annulus and at least one second annulus. In some embodiments, the first annulus can be substantially axially adjacent to an axial end of the stator assembly and the second annulus can be substantially axially adjacent to an axial end of the rotor assembly. In some embodiments, the annuli can include a plurality of annulus apertures. |
| US08513834B2 |
Power supply apparatus and image forming apparatus
The power supply apparatus includes a plurality of voltage rising circuits each of which can be driven at a different duty ratio so as to convert and output a voltage output from a direct current power source according to a plurality of loads; and a control circuit which controls an input voltage from the direct current power source to each voltage rising circuit according to drive condition of the voltage rising circuit having the highest duty ratio of the plurality of voltage rising circuits. This configuration can provide a highly productive power supply apparatus capable of reducing a ripple voltage. |
| US08513832B2 |
Power supply unit
A power supply unit for supplying power to a device has a rechargeable, main battery; a charging arrangement for charging the main battery; a non-rechargeable back-up battery; load terminals for connection to a load; and a control unit for controlling supply of power to the load primarily from the main battery and secondarily from the back-up battery. The device is, in particular, a single bay, stand alone parking meter. In the event that the main battery runs low, the control unit is configured to supply power to the load from both the main battery and the back-up battery or only from the back-up battery. The back-up battery is easily replaceable, and the power supply unit has a bay, with connectors for receiving the back-up battery. The main battery is charged from solar panels. A communication device is provided to communicate status messages wirelessly to a control system. |
| US08513829B1 |
Electrical accumulator unit for providing auxiliary power to an electrical network
An electrical accumulator unit wherein an energy storage device is utilized in conjunction with an actively controlled bidirectional power converter to provide auxiliary power to an electrical network is disclosed. |
| US08513825B2 |
Engine starting system with high- and low-speed modes of motor operation
An engine starting apparatus includes a first and a second power supply path extending from a battery to an electric motor to start an engine. An electromagnetic switch has main contacts disposed in the first power supply path. A resistor is disposed in the second power supply path. A motor relay has relay contacts disposed in series with the resistor. A controller delays the time when the main contacts are closed to apply a full voltage of the battery to the motor until a given time lag has elapsed after the relay contacts are closed to supply electric current to the electric motor through the resistor. Specifically, when it is required to apply the full voltage to the motor to run the motor at a rated speed, the current does not pass through the relay contacts, thus resulting in no voltage drop, which ensures the stability in starting the engine. |
| US08513824B2 |
Suspension system for vehicle
Disclosed are an apparatus, a system, and a method for suspension of a vehicle. An electromagnetic generator generates an electrical energy in response to a relative movement between a vehicle body and a wheel assembly. A storage device stores the electrical energy generated from the electromagnetic generator. |
| US08513822B1 |
Thin overlay mark for imaging based metrology
A thin overlay structure for use in imaging based metrology is disclosed. The thin overlay structure may include a first structure and second structure, the first and second structures designed to have a common center of symmetry, both structures being invariant to a 180 degree rotation about the common center of symmetry, wherein a mark region defining the extent of the structures is characterized by a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a length of the mark region along the first direction being greater than a length of the mark region along the second direction. |
| US08513814B2 |
Buffer pad in solder bump connections and methods of manufacture
Structures are provided with raised buffer pads for solder bumps. Methods are also provided for forming the raised buffer pads for solder bumps. The method includes forming a raised localized buffer pad structure on a tensile side of a last metal layer of a solder bump connection. The raised localized buffer pad structure increases a height of a portion of a pad structure of the solder bump connection with respect to a compressive side of the last metal layer. |
| US08513812B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming integrated passive device
An IPD semiconductor device has a capacitor formed over and electrically connected to a semiconductor die. An encapsulant is deposited over the capacitor and around the semiconductor die. A first interconnect structure is formed over a first surface of the encapsulant by forming a first conductive layer, forming a first insulating layer over the first conductive layer, and forming a second conductive layer over the first insulating layer. The second conductive layer has a portion formed over the encapsulant at least 50 micrometer away from a footprint of the semiconductor die and wound to operate as an inductor. The portion of the second conductive layer is electrically connected to the capacitor by the first conductive layer. A second interconnect structure is formed over a second surface of the encapsulant. A conductive pillar is formed within the encapsulant between the first and second interconnect structures. |
| US08513810B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same
There is provided a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method therefor, the semiconductor device requiring flip-chip mounting of a fine pitch electrode, wherein the fine electrode is easily manufactured, resin sealing is not required, and reliability can be improved. In the semiconductor device, one or more LSI chips (1), having an insulating layer (3) surface and an electrode (2) surface on one side, and a substrate (4), having an insulating layer (6) surface and an electrode (5) surface on one side, are bonded by having surfaces of the electrodes and surfaces of the insulating layers face each other via a bonding layer (7) made in a thin film form, in a region excluding the surfaces of the electrodes (2, 5) and the surfaces of the insulating layers (3, 6) in areas surrounding the electrodes. |
| US08513806B2 |
Laminated high melting point soldering layer formed by TLP bonding and fabrication method for the same, and semiconductor device
The laminated high melting point soldering layer includes: a laminated structure which laminated a plurality of three-layered structures, the respective three-layered structures including a low melting point metal thin film layer and a high melting point metal thin film layers disposed on a surface and a back side surface of the low melting point metal thin film layer; a first high melting point metal layer disposed on the surface of the laminated structure; and a second high melting point metal layer disposed on the back side surface of the laminated structure. The low melting point metal thin film layer and the high melting point metal thin film layer are mutually alloyed by TLP, and the laminated structure, and the first high melting point metal layer and the second high melting point metal layer are mutually alloyed by the TLP bonding. |
| US08513803B2 |
Semiconductor device and stacked semiconductor device
A semiconductor device according to one embodiment has a wiring circuit board, a semiconductor chip, a die attach material and bumps. The semiconductor chip is mounted on the wiring circuit board. The die attach material is provided between the wiring circuit board and the semiconductor chip. A wiring layer is provided on one surface of the wiring circuit board. Leads are extended from the wiring layer and connected to the semiconductor chip. The bumps are provided at outer positions relative to the region where the semiconductor chip of the wiring circuit board is mounted. The wiring layer in the wiring circuit board is formed on the surface opposite from the surface on which the semiconductor chip is mounted. |
| US08513802B2 |
Multi-chip package having semiconductor chips of different thicknesses from each other and related device
A semiconductor device having semiconductor chips of different thicknesses is provided. The semiconductor device may include a first semiconductor chip, a sub-board on a first side of the first semiconductor chip, at least one second semiconductor chip on a second side of the first semiconductor chip, at least one external contact terminal on the at least one second semiconductor chip. In example embodiments the at least one second semiconductor chip may include a plurality of through silicon vias and the at least one external contact terminal may be in electrical contact with the first semiconductor chip and the at least one second semiconductor chip via the plurality of through silicon vias. In example embodiments, the at least one second semiconductor chip may be thinner than the first semiconductor chip. |
| US08513799B2 |
Method of electrically connecting a microelectronic component
A microelectronic unit can include a support structure including a dielectric having oppositely-directed first and second surfaces. A plurality of substantially rigid posts can protrude parallel to one another in a direction beyond the first surface of the support structure. Each post may have a top surface remote from the support structure, and the top surfaces can be substantially coplanar with one another. A microelectronic device having a surface with bond pads can overlie the second surface of the support structure with the bond pad-bearing surface of the microelectronic device facing toward the support structure. Connections can electrically connect the posts with the bond pads. |
| US08513797B2 |
Stacked semiconductor component having through wire interconnect (TWI) with compressed wire
A semiconductor component includes a semiconductor substrate having a substrate contact, and a through wire interconnect (TWI) bonded to the substrate contact. The through wire interconnect (TWI) includes a via through the substrate contact and the substrate, a compressed wire in the via bonded to the substrate contact, and a contact on the wire. A stacked semiconductor component includes the semiconductor substrate, and a second semiconductor substrate stacked on the substrate and bonded to a through wire interconnect on the substrate. |
| US08513794B2 |
Stacked assembly including plurality of stacked microelectronic elements
A method is provided for fabricating a stacked microelectronic assembly by steps including stacking and joining first and second like microelectronic substrates, each including a plurality of like microelectronic elements attached together at dicing lanes. Each microelectronic element has boundaries defined by edges including a first edge and a second edge. The first and second microelectronic substrates can be joined in different orientations, such that first edges of microelectronic elements of the first microelectronic substrate are aligned with second edges of microelectronic elements of the second microelectronic substrate. After exposing traces at the first and second edges of the microelectronic elements of the stacked microelectronic substrates, first and second leads can be formed which are connected to the exposed traces of the first and second microelectronic substrates, respectively. The second leads can be electrically isolated from the first leads. |
| US08513793B2 |
Stacked semiconductor package and method of fabricating the same
A stacked semiconductor package and an electronic system, the stacked semiconductor package including a plurality of semiconductor chips, a set of the semiconductor chips being stacked such that an extension region of a top surface of each semiconductor chip of the set extends beyond an end of a semiconductor chip stacked thereon to form a plurality of extension regions; and a plurality of protection layers on the extension regions and on an uppermost semiconductor chip of the plurality of semiconductor chips. |
| US08513791B2 |
Compact multi-port CAM cell implemented in 3D vertical integration
A multi-ported CAM cell in which the negative effects of increased travel distance have been substantially reduced is provided. The multi-ported CAM cell is achieved in the present invention by utilizing three-dimensional integration in which multiple active circuit layers are vertically stack and vertically aligned interconnects are employed to connect a device from one of the stacked layers to another device in another stack layer. By vertically stacking multiple active circuit layers with vertically aligned interconnects, each compare port of the multi-port CAM can be implemented on a separate layer above or below the primary data storage cell. This allows the multi-port CAM structure to be implemented within the same area footprint as a standard Random Access Memory (RAM) cell, minimizing data access and match compare delays. Each compare match line and data bit line has the length associated with a simple two-dimensional Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell array. |
| US08513790B2 |
Package-base structure of luminescent diode
A package-base structure of a luminescent diode and its fabricating process. The package-base structure includes a substrate having thereon a holding space; an insulating layer extending from a bottom surface of the holding space to the bottom of the substrate; an through hole defined in the insulating layer; and a conductive layer disposed over the insulating layer. The insulating layer decouples the current flow and heat flow to increase the lifetime of the package-base structure together with the luminescent diode. In the fabricating process, the insulating layer is formed by anodic etching to allow the insulating layer have a porous structure. |
| US08513788B2 |
Integrated circuit packaging system with pad and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: forming a peripheral lead having a peripheral lead bottom side, a peripheral lead top side, a peripheral lead non-horizontal side, and a peripheral lead horizontal ridge protruding from the peripheral lead non-horizontal side; forming a first top distribution layer on the peripheral lead top side; connecting an integrated circuit to the first top distribution layer; and applying an insulation layer directly on a distribution layer bottom extent of the first top distribution layer and a peripheral lead ridge lower side of the peripheral lead horizontal ridge with a cavity in the portion of the insulation layer directly below the integrated circuit. |
| US08513786B2 |
Pre-bonded substrate for integrated circuit package and method of making the same
A substrate and a method of making thereof are disclosed. The substrate comprises an electrically conductive leadframe, the leadframe having a plurality of lands on a first side of the leadframe with a first recessed portion between the lands, and a plurality of routing leads on an opposing second side of the leadframe with a second recessed portion between the routing leads. The substrate also comprises a first bonding compound filling the first recessed portion. In one embodiment, the substrate also comprises a support material attached to the first bonding compound for holding the leadframe together. In another embodiment, the substrate comprises a second bonding compound filling the second recessed portion. |
| US08513781B2 |
Device for removing electromagnetic interference and semiconductor package including the same
Provided is an electromagnetic interference (EMI) removing device for active reduction of electromagnetic interference and a semiconductor package including the same. The EMI removing device may include a film substrate having an antenna pattern configured to generate a second electromagnetic wave, which may have substantially the same frequency band, modulation mode, and directivity as a first electromagnetic wave generated by a first semiconductor chip and a phase opposite to a phase of the first electromagnetic wave. |
| US08513777B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating reticle data
A method for generating reticle data for forming a reticle. The method includes recognizing a non-layout region free from main chips in a process pattern, dividing the non-layout region into a plurality of rectangular non-layout regions, generating scribe data using the plurality of divided rectangular non-layout region as a plurality of dummy chips, and generating a dummy pattern for each of the dummy chips. |
| US08513776B2 |
Semiconductor device and method capable of scribing chips with high yield
A semiconductor device comprising scribe areas that include dicing areas for separating chip areas, a groove forming area surrounding each chip area, and includes interlayer insulating lamination disposed above the semiconductor wafer; a multilayer wiring structure formed in the interlayer insulating lamination, the multilayer wiring structure including wiring layers disposed in the chip area, and dummy wirings disposed in the chip area and the scribe area, the wiring layers and the dummy wirings being formed from same mother layers; a cover layer including a passivation layer, the cover layer covering the multilayer wiring structure; and a groove formed in each groove forming area, the groove surrounding the chip areas and extending from a surface of the semiconductor wafer and at least through the passivation layer; wherein the multilayer wiring structure includes no dummy wirings in the groove forming area at least in an uppermost wiring layer. |
| US08513775B2 |
CdTe semiconductor substrate for epitaxial growth and substrate container
Provided is a CdTe-based semiconductor substrate for epitaxial growth, which is capable of growing good-quality epitaxial crystals without urging a substrate user to implement etching treatment before the epitaxial growth.A CdTe-based semiconductor substrate, in which tracks of linear polishing damage with a depth of 1 nm or more are not observed within a viewing range of 10 μm×10 μm when a surface of the substrate is observed by an atomic force microscope, and orange peel defects are not observed when the surface of the substrate is visually observed under a fluorescent lamp, can grow the good-quality epitaxial crystals. |
| US08513764B2 |
Schottky diode
A Schottky diode including a semiconductor region, a first terminal comprising a metal or a metal silicide or being metallic, and a second terminal comprising at least a portion of the semiconductor region. The diode further includes an at least partly conductive material or a material capable of holding a charge in close proximity to, or in contact with, or surrounding one of the first and second terminals, a field insulator located at least partly in the semiconductor region, a dielectric region located over the semiconductor region between the field insulator and the one of the first and second terminals for isolating the conductive or charge-holding material from the semiconductor region, and wherein the dielectric region comprises insulating regions of different thicknesses. |
| US08513762B2 |
Backside illuminated imaging sensor with vertical pixel sensor
A backside illuminated imaging sensor includes a vertical stacked sensor that reduces cross talk by using different silicon layers to form photodiodes at separate levels within a stack (or separate stacks) to detect different colors. Blue light-, green light-, and red light-detection silicon layers are formed, with the blue light detection layer positioned closest to the backside of the sensor and the red light detection layer positioned farthest from the backside of the sensor. An anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer can be inserted in between the red and green light detection layers to reduce the optical cross talk captured by the red light detection layer. Amorphous polysilicon can be used to form the red light detection layer to boost the efficiency of detecting red light. |
| US08513760B2 |
Image sensor
An image sensor includes a plurality of unit pixels. Each unit pixel has a photo diode for sensing external light to generate photo charges. A transfer transistor is connected to the photo diode for storing the photo charges generated in the photo diode into a floating diffusion region when being turned-on. An amplification transistor amplifies the photo charges stored into the floating diffusion region. A select transistor, connected to the amplification transistor, performs a switching operation. An output line, extended in a column direction, outputs the photo charges in accordance with the switching operation of the select transistor. The photo diode may be formed in such a manner to share the output line with its adjacent photo diode in a horizontal direction, so that the photo charges generated in the photo diode and its adjacent photo diode are outputted through the output line. |
| US08513759B2 |
Photodiode array
A photodiode array for near infrared rays that includes photodiodes having a uniform size and a uniform shape, has high selectivity for the wavelength of received light between the photodiodes, and has high sensitivity with the aid of a high-quality semiconducting crystal containing a large amount of nitrogen, a method for manufacturing the photodiode array, and an optical measurement system are provided. The steps of forming a mask layer 2 having a plurality of openings on a first-conductive-type or semi-insulating semiconductor substrate 1, the openings being arranged in one dimension or two dimensions, and selectively growing a plurality of semiconductor layers 3a, 3b, and 3c including an absorption layer 3b in the openings are included. |
| US08513758B2 |
Materials, systems and methods for optoelectronic devices
A photodetector is described along with corresponding materials, systems, and methods. The photodetector comprises an integrated circuit and at least two optically sensitive layers. A first optically sensitive layer is over at least a portion of the integrated circuit, and a second optically sensitive layer is over the first optically sensitive layer. Each optically sensitive layer is interposed between two electrodes. The two electrodes include a respective first electrode and a respective second electrode. The integrated circuit selectively applies a bias to the electrodes and reads signals from the optically sensitive layers. The signal is related to the number of photons received by the respective optically sensitive layer. |
| US08513756B2 |
Semiconductor package and manufacturing method for a semiconductor package as well as optical module
A semiconductor package includes: a supporting substrate; a functioning element and a first joining element formed on a first principal surface of the supporting substrate; a sealing substrate disposed in an opposing relationship to the supporting substrate with the functioning element and the first joining element interposed therebetween; a second joining element provided on a second principal surface of the supporting substrate; a through-electrode provided in and extending through the supporting substrate and adapted to electrically connect the first and second joining elements; and a first electromagnetic shield film coated in an overall area of a side face of the supporting substrate which extends perpendicularly to the first and second principal surfaces. |
| US08513755B2 |
Avalanche photodiode having controlled breakdown voltage
Avalanche photodiodes and methods for forming them are disclosed. The breakdown voltage of an avalanche photodiode is controlled through the inclusion of a diffusion sink that is formed at the same time as the device region of the photodiode. The device region and diffusion sink are formed by diffusing a dopant into a semiconductor to form a p-n junction in the device region. The dopant is diffused through a first diffusion window to form the device region and a second diffusion window to form the diffusion sink. The depth of the p-n junction is based on an attribute of the second diffusion window. |
| US08513752B2 |
Magnetic tunnel junction having coherent tunneling structure
A magnetic tunnel junction includes an amorphous ferromagnetic reference layer having a first reference layer side and an opposing second reference layer side. The first reference layer side has a greater concentration of boron than the second reference layer side. A magnesium oxide tunnel barrier layer is disposed on the second side of the amorphous ferromagnetic reference layer. The magnesium oxide tunnel barrier layer has a crystal structure. An amorphous ferromagnetic free layer is disposed on the magnesium oxide tunnel barrier layer. |
| US08513750B2 |
Forming inductor and transformer structures with magnetic materials using damascene processing for integrated circuits
Methods and associated structures of forming microelectronic devices are described. Those methods may include forming a first layer of magnetic material and at least one via structure disposed in a first dielectric layer, forming a second dielectric layer disposed on the first magnetic layer, forming at least one conductive structure disposed in the second dielectric layer, forming a third layer of dielectric material disposed on the conductive structure, forming a second layer of magnetic material disposed in the third layer of dielectric material and in the second layer of dielectric material, wherein the first and second layers of the magnetic material are coupled to one another. |
| US08513747B1 |
Integrated MEMS devices with controlled pressure environments by means of enclosed volumes
An integrated MEMS device comprises a wafer where the wafer contains two or more cavities of different depths. The MEMS device includes one movable structure within a first cavity of a first depth and a second movable structure within a second cavity of a second depth. The cavities are sealed to maintain different pressures for the different movable structures for optimal operation. MEMS stops can be formed in the same multiple cavity depth processing flow. The MEMS device can be integrated with a CMOS wafer. |
| US08513745B2 |
MEMS switch and fabrication method
A MEMS switch (1, 81), and methods of fabricating thereof, the switch comprising: a sealed cavity (24); and a membrane (26); wherein the sealed cavity (24) is defined in part by the membrane (26); and the membrane is a 5 metallic membrane (26), for example consisting of a single type of metal or metal alloy. The MEMS switch (1, 81) may comprise a top electrode (30), for example extending into the cavity (24), located in a hole (32) in the metallic membrane (26). Fabrication may include providing a sacrificial layer (22) in a partly defined cavity (24). The bending stiffness of the membrane (26) may be 10 higher along an RF line (102) than along a line (104) perpendicular to the RF line (102), for example by virtue of the cavity (24) being elliptical. |
| US08513743B2 |
Field effect transistor with channel region having portions with different band structures for suppressed corner leakage
Disclosed are embodiments of field effect transistors (FETs) having suppressed sub-threshold corner leakage, as a function of channel material band-edge modulation. Specifically, the FET channel region is formed with different materials at the edges as compared to the center. Different materials with different band structures and specific locations of those materials are selected in order to effectively raise the threshold voltage (Vt) at the edges of the channel region relative to the Vt at the center of the channel region and, thereby to suppress of sub-threshold corner leakage. Also disclosed are design structures for such FETs and method embodiments for forming such FETs. |
| US08513740B2 |
Complementary metal oxide semiconductor device having metal gate stack structure and method of manufacturing the same
A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device including: a semiconductor substrate including a NMOS region and a PMOS region; a NMOS metal gate stack structure on the NMOS region and including a first high dielectric layer, a first barrier metal gate on the first high dielectric layer and including a metal oxide nitride layer, and a first metal gate on the first barrier metal gate; and a PMOS metal gate stack structure on the PMOS region and including a second high dielectric layer, a second barrier metal gate on the second high dielectric layer and including a metal oxide nitride layer, and a second metal gate on the second barrier metal gate. |
| US08513739B2 |
Metal-gate high-k reference structure
Disclosed are embodiments of an integrated circuit structure that incorporates at least two field effect transistors (FETs) that have the same conductivity type and essentially identical semiconductor bodies (i.e., the same semiconductor material and, thereby the same conduction and valence band energies, the same source, drain, and channel dopant profiles, the same channel widths and lengths, etc.). However, due to different gate structures with different effective work functions, at least one of which is between the conduction and valence band energies of the semiconductor bodies, these FETs have selectively different threshold voltages, which are independent of process variables. Furthermore, through the use of different high-k dielectric materials and/or metal gate conductor materials, the embodiments allow threshold voltage differences of less than 700 mV to be achieved so that the integrated circuit structure can function at power supply voltages below 1.0V. Also disclosed are method embodiments for forming the integrated circuit structure. |
| US08513736B2 |
Semiconductor device
A field-effect transistor (142) includes a lowly p-doped region 110 formed on a surface of a substrate (102), an n-doped drain region 112 and n-doped source region 114 arranged on a surface of the lowly p-doped region 110, and a device isolation insulating film 132 and device isolation insulating film 134. Here, the device isolation insulating film 132 is formed greater in film thickness than the device isolation insulating film 134; and in the n-doped source region 114, the peak concentration section having a highest dopant concentration is formed in a deeper position than in the n-doped drain region 112. |
| US08513732B2 |
High voltage power MOSFET having low on-resistance
A power MOSFET is provided that includes a substrate of a first conductivity type. An epitaxial layer also of the first conductivity type is deposited on the substrate. First and second body regions are located in the epitaxial layer and define a drift region between them. The body regions have a second conductivity type. First and second source regions of the first conductivity type are respectively located in the first and second body regions. A plurality of trenches are located below the body regions in the drift region of the epitaxial layer. The trenches, which extend toward the substrate from the first and second body regions, are filled with a material that includes a dopant of the second conductivity type. The dopant is diffused from the trenches into portions of the epitaxial layer adjacent the trenches. |
| US08513730B2 |
Semiconductor component with vertical structures having a high aspect ratio and method
A semiconductor component with vertical structures having a high aspect ratio and method. In one embodiment, a drift zone is arranged between a first and a second component zone. A drift control zone is arranged adjacent to the drift zone in a first direction. A dielectric layer is arranged between the drift zone and the drift control zone wherein the drift zone has a varying doping and/or a varying material composition at least in sections proceeding from the dielectric. |
| US08513728B2 |
Array of split gate non-volatile floating gate memory cells having improved strapping of the coupling gates
An array of non-volatile memory cells with spaced apart first regions extending in a row direction and second regions extending in a column direction, with a channel region defined between each second region and its associated first region. A plurality of spaced apart word line gates each extending in the row direction and positioned over a first portion of a channel region. A plurality of spaced apart floating gates are positioned over second portions of the channel regions. A plurality of spaced apart coupling gates each extending in the row direction and over the floating gates. A plurality of spaced apart metal strapping lines each extending in the row direction and overlying a coupling gate. A plurality of spaced apart erase gates each extending in the row direction and positioned over a first region and adjacent to a floating gate and coupling gate. |
| US08513727B2 |
Surrounding stacked gate multi-gate FET structure nonvolatile memory device
Nonvolatile memory devices having a low off state leakage current and an excellent data retention time characteristics. The present invention provides a surrounding stacked gate fin field effect transistor nonvolatile memory structure comprising a silicon-on-insulator substrate of a first conductivity type and a fin active region projecting from an upper surface of the insulator. The structure further includes a tunnel oxide layer formed on the fin active region and a first gate electrode disposed on the tunnel oxide layer and upper surface of the insulator. Additionally, the structure includes an oxide/nitride/oxide (ONO) composite layer formed on the first gate electrode, a second gate electrode formed on the ONO composite layer and patterned so as to define a predetermined area of the ONO composite layer. The structure further includes a dielectric spacer formed on a sidewall of the second gate electrode and source/drain regions formed in the fin active region on both sides of the second gate electrode. |
| US08513723B2 |
Method and structure for forming high performance MOS capacitor along with fully depleted semiconductor on insulator devices on the same chip
An integrated circuit is provided that includes a fully depleted semiconductor device and a capacitor present on a semiconductor on insulator (SOI) substrate. The fully depleted semiconductor device may be a finFET semiconductor device or a planar semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the integrated circuit includes a substrate having a first device region and a second device region. The first device region of the substrate includes a first semiconductor layer that is present on a buried insulating layer. The buried insulating layer that is in the first device region is present on a second semiconductor layer of the substrate. The second device region includes the second semiconductor layer, but the first semiconductor layer and the buried insulating layer are not present in the second device region. The first device region includes the fully depleted semiconductor device. A capacitor is present in the second device region. |
| US08513716B2 |
Semiconductor device
A MOS transistor includes a gate electrode formed in a grid pattern, source regions and drain regions each surrounded by the gate electrode, and a source metal wiring connected to the source regions via source contacts and a drain metal wiring connected to the drain regions via drain contacts. The source metal wiring and the drain metal wiring are disposed along one direction of the grid of the gate electrode. Each of the source regions and the drain regions is a rectangular form having its long side along the length direction of each metal wiring. The source metal wiring and the drain metal wiring are each formed in a zigzag manner in the length direction and are respectively connected to the source contacts and the drain contacts. |
| US08513714B2 |
Electric contacting of semiconductor components having low contact resistance
The present invention relates to a semiconductor component which comprises at least one electric contact surface for the electric contacting of a semiconductor region (1) with a metal material (3). To this end, the electric contact surface is configured by a surface of a semiconductor layer that is structured in terms of the depth thereof and preferably silicidated. By configuring a three-dimensional surface topography of the semiconductor layer, an enlargement of the electric contact surface is achieved, without enlarging the surface required for the semiconductor component and without the use of additional materials. In this way, the invention can advantageously be used to reduce parasitic contact resistance in semiconductor components which are produced using standard CMOS processes. |
| US08513712B2 |
Method and apparatus for forming a semiconductor gate
The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for fabricating a semiconductor gate. The apparatus includes, a substrate having an active region and a dielectric region that forms an interface with the active region; a gate electrode located above a portion of the active region and a portion of the dielectric region; and a dielectric material disposed within the gate electrode, the dielectric material being disposed near the interface between the active region and the dielectric region. The method includes, providing a substrate having an active region and a dielectric region that forms an interface with the active region; forming a gate electrode over the substrate, the gate electrode having an opening near a region of the gate electrode that is above the interface; and filling the opening with a dielectric material. |
| US08513706B2 |
Heterojunction bipolar transistors with reduced base resistance
Heterojunction bipolar transistors with reduced base resistance, as well as fabrication methods for heterojunction bipolar transistors and design structures for BiCMOS integrated circuits. The heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a conductive layer between the intrinsic base and the extrinsic base. The conductive layer is comprised of a conductive material, such as a silicide, having a lower resistivity than the materials forming the intrinsic base and the extrinsic base. |
| US08513704B2 |
Method for manufacturing a photodiode and corresponding photodiode and electromagnetic radiation detector
A photodiode capable of interacting with incident photons includes at least: a stack of three layers including an intermediate layer placed between a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type; and a region that is in contact with at least the intermediate layer and the second layer and extends transversely relative to the planes of the three layers, the region having a conductivity type that is opposite to the first conductivity type. The intermediate layer is made of a semiconductor material having a second conductivity type and is capable of having a conductivity type that is opposite to the second conductivity type so as to form a P-N junction with the region, inversion of the conductivity type of the intermediate layer being induced by dopants of the first conductivity type that are present in the first and second layers. |
| US08513696B2 |
Lateral thermal dissipation LED and fabrication method thereof
A lateral thermal dissipation LED and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The lateral thermal dissipation LED utilizes a patterned metal layer and a lateral heat spreading layer to transfer heat out of the LED. The thermal dissipation efficiency of the LED is increased, and the lighting emitting efficiency is accordingly improved. |
| US08513694B2 |
Nitride semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the device
A nitride semiconductor device includes a first nitride semiconductor layer having a C-plane as a growth surface, and unevenness in an upper surface; and a second nitride semiconductor layer formed on the first nitride semiconductor layer to be in contact with the unevenness, and having p-type conductivity. The second nitride semiconductor layer located directly on a sidewall of the unevenness has a p-type carrier concentration of 1×1018/cm3 or more. |
| US08513690B2 |
Light emitting diode structure having two lighting structures stacked together and driven by alternating current
A light emitting diode structure includes an electrically conductive substrate, a first lighting structure having a first n-type semiconductor layer, a first active layer and a first p-type semiconductor layer and a second lighting structure having a second n-type semiconductor layer, a second active layer and a second p-type semiconductor layer. The first n-type semiconductor layer is electrically connected with the second p-type semiconductor layer and the first p-type semiconductor layer is electrically connected with the second n-type semiconductor layer. A first transparent, conductive layer is formed on the first lighting structure and a second transparent, conductive layer is formed on the second lighting structure. The first transparent, conductive layer and the second transparent, conductive layer are connected together to combine the first lighting structure with the second lighting structure. |
| US08513687B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device and semiconductor light emitting apparatus
A semiconductor light emitting device, includes: a stacked structure unit including a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a light emitting layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; a first electrode provided on a first major surface of the stacked structure unit on the second semiconductor layer side to connect to the first semiconductor layer; and a second electrode provided on the first major surface of the stacked structure unit to connect to the second semiconductor layer. The second electrode includes: a first film provided on the second semiconductor layer; and a second film provided on a rim of the first film on the second semiconductor layer. The first film has a relatively low contact resistance with the second semiconductor layer. The second film has a relatively high contact resistance with the second semiconductor layer. A distance from an outer edge of the second film to the first film is smaller at a central portion than at a peripheral portion of the first major surface. |
| US08513685B2 |
Electrically pixelated luminescent device incorporating optical elements
Electrically pixelated luminescent devices incorporating optical elements, methods for forming electrically pixelated luminescent devices incorporating optical elements, and systems including electrically pixelated luminescent devices incorporating optical elements are described. |
| US08513683B2 |
Optical integrated semiconductor light emitting device
An optical integrated semiconductor light emitting device with improved light emitting efficiency is provided by preventing leak current from flowing through a high defect region of the substrate. The optical integrated semiconductor light emitting device includes: a substrate, in which in a low defect region made of crystal having a first average dislocation density, one or more high defect regions having a second average dislocation density higher than the first average dislocation density are included; and a Group III-V nitride semiconductor layer which is formed on the substrate, has a plurality of light emitting device structures, and has a groove in the region including the region corresponding to the high defect region (high defect region). |
| US08513681B2 |
Light emitting device, light emitting device package and lighting system including the same
A light emitting device including a second conductive type semiconductor layer; an active layer over the second conductive type semiconductor layer; a first conductive type semiconductor layer over the active layer; a second electrode in a first region under the second conductive type semiconductor layer; a current blocking layer including a metal; and a first electrode over the first conductive type semiconductor layer. Further, the first electrode has at least one portion that vertically overlaps the current blocking layer. |
| US08513677B2 |
Display device having an aluminum complex oxide on metal layer for improving corrosion resistance
A thin film transistor substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a metal layer on the substrate, and an aluminum complex oxide layer on the metal layer. The aluminum complex oxide layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of zirconium, tungsten, chromium and molybdenum. A passivation layer is formed on the aluminum complex oxide layer through a dipping process. |
| US08513676B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same
A semiconductor device includes: a substrate made of silicon carbide and having a main surface having an off angle of not less than −3° and not more than +5° relative to a (0-33-8) plane in a <01-10> direction; a p type layer made of silicon carbide and formed on the main surface of the substrate by means of epitaxial growth; and an oxide film formed in contact with a surface of the p type layer. A maximum value of nitrogen atom concentration is 1×1021 cm−3 or greater in a region within 10 nm from an interface between the p type layer and the oxide film. |
| US08513675B2 |
Vertical junction field effect transistors having sloped sidewalls and methods of making
Semiconductor devices and methods of making the devices are described. The devices can be junction field-effect transistors (JFETs). The devices have raised regions with sloped sidewalls which taper inward. The sidewalls can form an angle of 5° or more from vertical to the substrate surface. The devices can have dual-sloped sidewalls in which a lower portion of the sidewalls forms an angle of 5° or more from vertical and an upper portion of the sidewalls forms an angle of <5° from vertical. The devices can be made using normal (i.e., 0°) or near normal incident ion implantation. The devices have relatively uniform sidewall doping and can be made without angled implantation. |
| US08513672B2 |
Wafer precursor prepared for group III nitride epitaxial growth on a composite substrate having diamond and silicon carbide layers, and semiconductor laser formed thereon
A high power, wide-bandgap device is disclosed that exhibits reduced junction temperature and higher power density during operation and improved reliability at a rated power density. The device includes a diamond substrate for providing a heat sink with a thermal conductivity greater than silicon carbide, a single crystal silicon carbide layer on the diamond substrate for providing a supporting crystal lattice match for wide-bandgap material structures that is better than the crystal lattice match of diamond, and a Group III nitride heterostructure on the single crystal silicon carbide layer for providing device characteristics. |
| US08513668B2 |
Thin film transistor device and manufacturing method thereof
A thin film transistor device includes a first conductivity type thin film transistor and a second conductivity type thin film transistor. The first conductivity type thin film transistor includes a first patterned doped layer, a first gate electrode, a first source electrode, a first drain electrode and a first semiconductor pattern. The second conductivity type thin film transistor includes a second patterned doped layer, a second gate electrode, a second source electrode, a second drain electrode and a second semiconductor pattern. The first semiconductor pattern and the second semiconductor pattern form a patterned semiconductor layer. The first patterned doped layer is disposed under the first semiconductor pattern, and the second patterned doped layer is disposed on the second semiconductor pattern. |
| US08513663B2 |
Signal repowering chip for 3-dimensional integrated circuit
A signal repowering chip comprises an input; at least one inverter connected in series to the input; and at least one switch connected to a test enable signal, the at least one switch configured to allow a signal connected to the input to propagate through the at least one inverter in the event that the test enable signal is on. A 3-dimensional integrated circuit comprises a first chip, the first chip comprising a default voltage level and a plurality of wiring layers; and a second chip, the second chip comprising at least one repeater, the repeater being connected to the default voltage level. |
| US08513662B2 |
Semiconductor device and display apparatus
Provided is a semiconductor device including a semiconductor element including at least a semiconductor as a component characterized by including: a mechanism for irradiating the semiconductor with light having a wavelength longer than an absorption edge wavelength of the semiconductor; and a dimming mechanism, provided in a part of an optical path through which the light passes, for adjusting at least one factor selected from an intensity, irradiation time and the wavelength of the light, wherein a threshold voltage of the semiconductor element is varied by the light adjusted by the dimming mechanism. |
| US08513661B2 |
Thin film transistor having specified transmittance to light
A first gate electrode (2) is formed on a substrate (1); a first gate insulating layer (3) is formed so as to cover the first gate electrode (2); a semiconductor layer (4) including an oxide semiconductor is formed on the first gate insulating layer (3); a second gate insulating layer (7) is formed on the semiconductor layer (4); a second gate electrode (8) having a thickness equal to or larger than a thickness of the first gate electrode (2) is formed on the second gate insulating layer (7); and a drain electrode (6) and a source electrode (5) are formed so as to be connected to the semiconductor layer (4). |
| US08513653B2 |
Electronic device using a two-dimensional sheet material, transparent display and methods of fabricating the same
An electronic device, a transparent display and methods for fabricating the same are provided, the electronic device including a first, a second and a third element each formed of a two-dimensional (2D) sheet material. The first, second, and third elements are stacked in a sequential order or in a reverse order. The second element is positioned between the first element and the third element. The second element has an insulator property, the first and third elements have a metal property or a semiconductor property. |
| US08513650B2 |
Dielectric layer for an electronic device
A dielectric layer for an electronic device, such as a thin-film transistor, is provided. The dielectric layer comprises a molecular glass. The resulting dielectric layer is very thin, pure, and stable. Processes and compositions for fabricating such a dielectric layer are also disclosed. |
| US08513648B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device and electronic equipment having a long life at a low electric power consumption are provided. A hole transporting region composed of a hole transporting material, an electron transporting region composed of an electron transporting material, and a mixture region in which both the hole transporting material and the electron transporting material are mixed at a fixed ratio are formed within an organic compound film. Regions having a concentration gradient are formed between the mixture region and carrier transporting regions until the fixed ratio is achieved. In addition, by doping a light emitting material into the mixture region, functions of hole transportation, electron transportation, and light emission can be respectively expressed while all of the interfaces existing between layers of a conventional lamination structure are removed. Organic light emitting elements having low electric power consumption and a long life can thus be provided, and light emitting devices and electronic equipment can be manufactured using the organic light emitting elements. |
| US08513646B2 |
Solution-processed high mobility inorganic thin-film transistors
Thin film transistor devices comprising a dielectric component and an inorganic semiconductor component coupled thereto, wherein said coupled inorganic semiconductor component is obtainable by a process that comprises contact of said dielectric component and a fluid medium comprising said inorganic semiconductor component. |
| US08513641B2 |
Core-shell nanowire comprising silicon rich oxide core and silica shell
Disclosed herein is a nanowire including silicon rich oxide and a method for producing the same. The nanowire exhibits excellent electrically conducting properties and optical characteristics, and therefore is effectively used in a variety of applications including, for example, solar cells, sensors, photodetectors, light emitting diodes, laser diodes, EL devices, PL devices, CL devices, FETs, CTFs, surface plasmon waveguides, MOS capacitors and the like. |
| US08513640B2 |
Semiconductor device
On the same semiconductor substrate 1, a memory cell array in which a plurality of memory elements R having a chalcogenide-material storage layer 22 storing a high-resistance state with a high electric resistance value and a low-resistance state with a low electric resistance value by a change of an atom arrangement are disposed in a matrix is formed in a memory cell region mmry, and a semiconductor integrated circuit is formed in a logic circuit region lgc. This chalcogenide-material storage layer 22 is made of a chalcogenide material containing at least either one of Ga or In of 10.5 atom % or larger to 40 atom % or smaller, Ge of 5 atom % or larger to 35 atom % or smaller, Sb of 5 atom % or larger to 25 atom % or smaller, and Te of 40 atom % or larger to 65 atom % or smaller. |
| US08513638B2 |
Semiconductor device including a phase-change memory element
A semiconductor device may include, but is not limited to: a first insulating film; a second insulating film over the first insulating film; a first memory structure between the first and second insulating films; and a third insulating film between the first and second insulating films. The first memory structure may include, but is not limited to: a heater electrode; and a phase-change memory element between the heater electrode and the second insulating film. The phase-change memory element contacts the heater electrode. The third insulating film covers at least a side surface of the phase-change memory element. Empty space is positioned adjacent to at least one of the heater electrode and the third insulating film. |
| US08513636B2 |
Vertical diodes for non-volatile memory device
A steering device. The steering device includes an n-type impurity region comprising a zinc oxide material and a p-type impurity region comprising a silicon germanium material. A pn junction region formed from the zinc oxide material and the silicon germanium material. The steering device is a serially coupled to a resistive switching device to provide rectification for the resistive switching device to form a non-volatile memory device. |
| US08513633B2 |
Electronic cassette for radiographic imaging
An electronic cassette for radiographic imaging has an enclosure, an imaging detection panel disposed in the enclosure and configured to convert an amount of radiation into an electric signal, a circuit unit disposed in the enclosure and configured to read an electric signal from the imaging detection panel by supplying a driving signal to the imaging detection panel, and a holding base disposed in the enclosure and configured to support the imaging detection panel. The holding base supports the imaging detection panel on a first surface as a radiation incident side and supports the circuit unit on a second surface on an opposite side to the first surface. The holding base includes a carbon fiber laminated plate having a metal layer inserted in lamination layer, and the metal layer is electrically connected to ground of the circuit unit. |
| US08513630B2 |
Extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus
In an extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus generating an extreme ultraviolet light from a plasma generated by irradiating a target, which is a droplet D of molten Sn, with a laser light, and controlling the flow direction of ion generated at the generation of the extreme ultraviolet light by a magnetic field or an electric field, an ion collection cylinder 20 is arranged for collecting the ion, and ion collision surfaces Sa and Sb of the ion collection cylinder 20 are provided with or coated with Si, which is a metal whose sputtering rate with respect to the ion is less than one atom/ion. |
| US08513628B2 |
EUV illumination system with a system for measuring fluctuations of the light source
The disclosure relates to an EUV (extreme ultraviolet) illumination system. The system can include at least one EUV light source, and an aperture stop and sensor arrangement for the measurement of intensity fluctuations and/or position changes of the EUV light source, in particular in the range of the effectively utilized wavelengths, or of one of the intermediate images of the EUV light source. The aperture stop and sensor arrangement can include an aperture stop and an EUV position sensor. The aperture stop and sensor arrangement can be arranged in such a way that the aperture stop allows a certain solid angle range of the radiation originating from the EUV light source or from one of its intermediate images to fall on the EUV position sensor. |
| US08513618B2 |
Radioactive anomaly discrimination from spectral ratios
A method for discriminating a radioactive anomaly from naturally occurring radioactive materials includes detecting a first number of gamma photons having energies in a first range of energy values within a predetermined period of time and detecting a second number of gamma photons having energies in a second range of energy values within the predetermined period of time. The method further includes determining, in a controller, a ratio of the first number of gamma photons having energies in the first range and the second number of gamma photons having energies in the second range, and determining that a radioactive anomaly is present when the ratio exceeds a threshold value. |
| US08513616B2 |
Radiographic imaging device and a detector for a radiographic imaging device
A radiographic imaging device includes a gas avalanche detector detecting and locating X-ray or gamma ray ionizing radiation. The detector has a gas enclosure with an admission window for admitting incident X-ray photons; an intermediate plane electrode in the enclosure between and parallel to two end plane electrodes thereby forming an amplification space constituting a conversion space where the photons are convertible into electrical charges made up of primary electrons and corresponding ions; the intermediate electrode being operable at an electrical potential relative to the electrical potentials of the end electrodes suitable for generating an electric field causing multiplication of the electrons by the avalanche phenomenon in the amplification space near the intermediate electrode; one of the end electrodes being a collector electrode for picking up the electrical signals induced by the ions; and said window being level with the amplification space and between the intermediate plane and collector electrodes. |
| US08513609B2 |
Management device, storage medium stored with program and imaging device
A management device that includes an acquiring component and a numericalizetion component is provided. The acquiring component acquires correlation information that correlates with a degree of deterioration of a radiation detection component from plurality of imaging devices, each of the plurality of imaging devices comprising a radiation detection component that detects radiation that has passed through respective investigation subjects, and each of the plurality of imaging devices performing image capture by generating image data representing a radiographic image according to the amount of radiation detected by the radiation detection component, and storing the image data in a predetermined storage region. The numericalization component numericalizes the degree of deterioration of each of the respective radiation detection components of the plurality of imaging devices based on the correlation information acquired by the acquiring component. |
| US08513601B2 |
Systems for detecting charged particles in object inspection
Techniques, apparatus and systems for detecting particles such as muons. In one implementation, a monitoring system has a cosmic ray-produced charged particle tracker with a plurality of drift cells. The drift cells, which can be for example aluminum drift tubes, can be arranged at least above and below a volume to be scanned to thereby track incoming and outgoing charged particles, such as cosmic ray-produced muons, while also detecting gamma rays. The system can selectively detect devices or materials, such as iron, lead, gold and/or tungsten, occupying the volume from multiple scattering of the charged particles passing through the volume and can also detect any radioactive sources occupying the volume from gamma rays emitted therefrom. If necessary, the drift tubes can be sealed to eliminate the need for a gas handling system. The system can be employed to inspect occupied vehicles at border crossings for nuclear threat objects. |
| US08513600B2 |
Method and system for vacuum driven mass spectrometer interface with adjustable resolution and selectivity
A mass spectrometer system and method of operating same are provided. The system comprises an ion conduit for receiving ions; a boundary member defining a curtain gas chamber containing the ion conduit; a curtain gas supply for providing a curtain gas to an inlet of the ion conduit to provide a gas flow into the conduit, and a curtain gas outflow out of a curtain gas chamber inlet; a mass spectrometer at least partially sealed to, and in fluid communication with, the conduit for receiving the ions from the conduit; a vacuum chamber surrounding the mass spectrometer operable to draw the gas flow including the ions through the conduit and into the vacuum chamber; and, a gas outlet for drawing a gas outflow from the gas flow located between the conduit and the mass spectrometer to increase the gas flow rate through the conduit. |
| US08513599B2 |
Guiding spray droplets into an inlet capillary of a mass spectrometer
Charged droplets are guided along a defined path from a droplet source to a droplet sink. A focusing pseudopotential distribution generated by audio frequencies on electrodes of a guiding device guide the charged droplets from the droplet source to the droplet sink with low loss. The droplets can be driven along the droplet guide by a gas flow, an axial electric field or a combination of both. For example, charged droplets from a spray capillary of an electrospray ion source at atmospheric pressure may be introduced into the inlet capillary leading to the vacuum system of ion analyzers, a procedure similar to that used up to now in nanoelectrospraying, but with substantially higher flow rates. In the guiding device, the droplets can be manipulated in different ways, for example evaporated down to a desired size. The introduction of small droplets into gas-aspirating capillaries is of interest because it is possible to keep the droplets on axis by Bernoulli focusing and to guide them in large quantities and with low loss through the capillary. The ability to guide the droplets makes it also possible to install a segmented inlet capillary with intermediate pumping, which allows pumping capacity to be saved. Advantageously, the sensitivity of ion analyzers such as mass spectrometers or ion mobility spectrometers by at least one order of magnitude. |
| US08513597B2 |
Atom probe
Aspects of the present invention are directed generally toward atom probe and three-dimensional atom probe microscopes. For example, certain aspects of the invention are directed -toward an atom probe or a three-dimensional atom probe that includes a sub-nanosecond laser to evaporate ions from a specimen under analysis and a reflectron for reflecting the ions. In further aspects of the invention, the reflectron can include a front electrode and a back electrode. At least one of the front and back electrodes can be capable of generating a curved electric field. Additionally, the front electrode and back electrodes can be configured to perform time focusing and resolve an image of a specimen. |
| US08513594B2 |
Mass spectrometer with ion storage device
A method of mass spectrometry having steps of, in a first cycle: storing sample ions in a first ion storage device, the first ion storage device having an exit aperture and a spatially separate ion transport aperture; ejecting the stored ions out of the exit aperture; transporting the ejected ions into an ion selection device which is spatially separated from the said first ion storage device; carrying out ion selection within the spatially separated ion selection device; returning at least some of the ions ejected from the first ion storage device, or their derivatives, back from the spatially separate ion selection device to the first ion storage device, following the step of ion selection; receiving the said returned ions through the ion transport aperture of the first ion storage device; and storing the received ions in the first ion storage device. |
| US08513591B2 |
Ion mobility spectrometer instrument and method of operation
An ion mobility spectrometer instrument has a drift tube that is partitioned into a plurality of cascaded drift tube segments. A number of electric field activation sources may each be coupled to one or more of the plurality of drift tube segments. A control circuit is configured to control operation of the number of electric field activation sources in a manner that sequentially applies electric fields to the drift tube segments to allow only ions having a predefined ion mobility or range of ion mobilities to travel through the drift tube. The drift tube segments may define a linear drift tube or a closed drift tube with a continuous ion travel path. Techniques are disclosed for operating the ion mobility spectrometer to produce highly resolved ion mobility spectra. |
| US08513588B2 |
Electronic camera having multiple sensors for capturing high dynamic range images and related methods
An electronic camera comprises two or more image sensor arrays. At least one of the image sensor arrays has a high dynamic range. The camera also comprises a shutter for selectively allowing light to reach the two or more image sensor arrays, readout circuitry for selectively reading out pixel data from the image sensor arrays, and, a controller configured to control the shutter and the readout circuitry. The controller comprises a processor and a memory having computer-readable code embodied therein which, when executed by the processor, causes the controller to open the shutter for an image capture period to allow the two or more image sensor arrays to capture pixel data, and, read out pixel data from the two or more image sensor arrays. |
| US08513587B2 |
Image sensor with anti-reflection layer and method of manufacturing the same
An image sensor the image sensor comprising an absorption layer disposed on a silicon substrate, the absorption layer having at least one of SiGe or Ge, and an antireflection layer disposed directly thereon. |
| US08513584B2 |
Photovoltaic array with angular adjustment
Apparatus are provided for use in photovoltaic systems. A photovoltaic array includes a rigid transparent material supporting a flexible material there beneath. Numerous photovoltaic cells are supported by the flexible material and are electrically coupled to circuit pathways borne there on. A positioner operates to shift the flexible material thus adjusting respective angular relationships between the photovoltaic cells and the overlying transparent material. Photovoltaic cells are reoriented in accordance with daily or seasonal variations in the suns position by way of the present teachings. |
| US08513579B2 |
Heater assembly for microwave oven and microwave oven having the same
A heater assembly for a microwave oven is provided. The heater assembly includes a ceramic heater and a halogen heater that provides heat used to cook food in a cooking chamber provided in a cavity assembly; a heater supporter fixed to a side of the cavity assembly, with the ceramic and halogen heaters fixed to the heater supporter; and a reflection plate provided above the ceramic and halogen heaters to reflect heat of the ceramic and halogen heaters to the cooking chamber, wherein a portion of the reflection plate corresponding to the ceramic heater is open in its longitudinal direction. With this structure, contact between a heating wire of the ceramic heater and the reflection plate is prevented and the heat dissipation of the ceramic and halogen heaters is obtained by means of airflow that is generated by a cooling fan assembly to cool electric parts. |
| US08513578B2 |
Electromagnetic wave processing apparatus
A processing apparatus using an electromagnetic wave is provided to perform a heat treatment on a target object. The processing apparatus includes a metallic processing chamber; a loading/unloading opening provided in one end of the processing chamber; a closing body capable of closing and opening the loading/unloading opening; a holding unit loaded and unloaded into and from the inside of the processing chamber through the loading/unloading opening, holding target objects at a predetermined interval, the holding unit being made of a material allowing the electromagnetic wave to transmit therethrough; an electromagnetic wave supply unit for introducing the electromagnetic wave into the processing chamber; a gas introducing unit for introducing a gas into the processing chamber; and a gas exhaust unit for exhausting an atmosphere in the processing chamber. |
| US08513576B2 |
Dual resistance heater for phase change devices and manufacturing method thereof
A dual resistance heater for a phase change material region is formed by depositing a resistive material. The heater material is then exposed to an implantation or plasma which increases the resistance of the surface of the heater material relative to the remainder of the heater material. As a result, the portion of the heater material approximate to the phase change material region is a highly effective heater because of its high resistance, but the bulk of the heater material is not as resistive and, thus, does not increase the voltage drop and the current usage of the device. |
| US08513575B2 |
Utilization of overvoltage and overcurrent compensation to extend the usable operating range of electronic devices
A method induces augmented levels of heat dissipation by exploiting quiescent IC leakage currents to control the temperature in high power devices. A heat control and temperature monitoring system (HCTMS) utilizes a thermal sensor to sense the junction temperature of a component, which becomes self-heated due to the quiescent leakage current inherent to the component upon the application of power to the component. By increasing the voltage level of the power source, this quiescent self-heating property is augmented, which serves to accelerate the preheating of the device, until the temperature rises above the minimum specified operating temperature of the component. The method further includes reliably initializing the system by applying full system power and triggering a defined initialization sequence/procedure. Once the component is operational, the method includes maintaining the component's temperature above the minimum operating threshold via continued self-heating, continued augmentation of the applied DC voltage, or both, where required. |
| US08513573B2 |
Oven with improved functionality during grilling
An oven comprising a box housing with an internal cavity bounded by walls, and provided on one side with an opening closable by a movable door, at least one of the walls there being provided a browning or grilling member comprising an electrical resistance element, and presenting a first side facing the wall and a second side, opposite the first side, facing the interior of the oven cavity in which at least one food item is positioned to be subjected to cooking and/or grilling, this latter function being obtained by activating the member. In a position corresponding with first side of the grilling member a flat element is provided presenting two opposing flat faces, a first face presenting high emissivity and the second face presenting high reflectivity or reflective power, the element being able to be moved relative to the member such that this latter can be faced by the first face or the second face, depending on the type of cooking required for the food item positioned within the oven cavity. |
| US08513572B2 |
Modular paint oven using radiant and convection heat
An oven apparatus 24 having a modular construction for curing paint on the surface of a vehicle body 26 using radiant and convection heat. The oven apparatus 24 includes a plurality of oven modules, each extending along an axis A along a length B. Each oven module 30 includes an interior shell 52, an outer shell 54 and a wall cavity 56 therebetween. A plurality of Z-shaped rails 84 are disposed in the cavity 56, wherein a rail leg 86 of each Z-shaped rail fixedly engages the outer shell 54. Further, a plurality of support clips 90 are disposed in the wall cavity 56 and fixedly engage the interior shell 52. The support clips 90 each have a clip cavity 96 for receiving a rail leg 88 of a Z-shaped rail 84 for allowing axial movement between the interior and outer shells 52, 54 while restricting transverse movement between the interior and outer shells 52, 54. |
| US08513571B2 |
Tortilla conveying system for sequentially conveying a plurality of tortillas to be warmed
An improved tortilla conveying system, for sequentially conveying a plurality of tortillas to be warmed, is disclosed. The conveying system provides a stack of tortillas and automatically conveys tortillas sequentially through a tortilla warmer. The tortillas are stored in a container. A dragger at least frictionally engages the top side of the top tortilla, dragging the tortilla off of the top of the container for subsequent heating by a heating element of the tortilla warmer. In some embodiments, the tortilla container can automatically elevate the stack of tortillas, so a top tortilla always remains exposed at the top of the container. In other embodiments, an extractor delivers the tortilla outside of the heating system once the tortilla is sufficiently warmed. The tortillas are warmed in sequence by a heating element, via conduction, convection, and/or radiation. In some embodiments, various components of the conveyer are synchronized, via a gearbox for example. |
| US08513570B2 |
Ceramic glow plug
The present invention refers to a glow plug comprising a ceramic glow pencil (1), a protective tube (2) enclosing the glow pencil (1), a plug body (3) from which the protective tube (2) projects and a sleeve (4), which encloses the protective tube (2) and which is welded to the protective tube (2), is fitted in the plug body (3). |
| US08513569B2 |
Arc energy regulation in drawn arc fastener welding process
A drawn arc welding process that includes the steps of providing a work piece, providing a welding tool holding a metal object onto the work piece, providing a power supply outputting a preset current, providing an arc voltage sensing device, lifting the metal object and drawing a pilot arc current, energizing a welding current locally melting the metal object and forming a weld pool in the work piece, measuring an arc voltage, predicting the arc voltage for a remaining time of the welding process, regulating the time of the welding process wherein the measured arc voltage and predicted arc voltage are utilized to control a desired energy input set point, and plunging the fastener into the locally melted work piece forming a weld between the metal object and the work piece. |
| US08513567B2 |
Laser processing method for forming a modified region for cutting in an object
In the laser processing method, the cross-sectional form of laser light L at a converging point P is such that the maximum length in a direction perpendicular to a line to cut 5 is shorter than the maximum length in a direction parallel to the line to cut 5. Therefore, when seen from the incident direction of the laser light L, a modified region 7 formed within a silicon wafer 11 has such a shape that the maximum length in the direction perpendicular to the line to cut 5 is shorter than the maximum length in the direction parallel to the line to cut 5. Forming the modified region 7 having such a shape within the object 1 can restrain twist hackles from occurring on cut surfaces when cutting the object 1 from the modified region 7 acting as a cutting start point, thereby making it possible to improve the flatness of the cut surfaces. |
| US08513563B2 |
Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method
In a plasma processing apparatus, a first electrode is attached to a grounded evacuable processing chamber via an insulating material or a space and a second electrode disposed in parallel with the first electrode spaced apart therefrom in the processing chamber, the second electrode supporting a target substrate to face the first electrode. A first radio frequency power supply unit applies a first radio frequency power of a first frequency to the second electrode, and a second radio frequency power supply unit applies a second radio frequency power of a second frequency lower than the first frequency to the second electrode. Further, a processing gas supply unit supplies a processing gas to a processing space formed by the first and the second electrode and a sidewall of the processing chamber. Moreover, an inductor electrically is connected between the first electrode and a ground potential. |
| US08513555B2 |
Power button and electronic device using same
A power button includes a holder and a push-button. The holder includes an assembling hole defined therein, an annular groove defined on a top portion of an inner wall of the assembling hole, and a latching slot defined in the inner wall of the assembling hole located adjacent to and apart from the annular groove. The push-button includes a cover body in the shape of conical frustum, a plurality of hook portions formed on the cover body. A shape of the annular groove allows it to mesh with the cover body, the cover body is movably received in the annular groove, and the hook portions engage with the latching slot. |
| US08513554B2 |
Waterproof switch structure
A waterproof switch structure includes a circuit control device and a waterproof casing. The circuit control device includes a clip member, a power cord, a controller, and a circuit breaker. The waterproof casing is used to cover the controller and the circuit breaker. The waterproof casing includes an upper lid and a lower lid. The screw is screwed to the upper and lower posts to lock the upper and lower lids. The upper and lower notches of the upper and lower lids clip the power cord. The engaging grooves and the engaging ribs engage with each other. The engaging recess of the resilient cap engages with the engaging ring. The resilient cap is pressed to control operation of the press switch. |
| US08513549B2 |
Illuminated keyboard
An illuminated keyboard includes a main circuit board, a membrane switch circuit module and an illumination circuit board. The membrane switch circuit module includes a first connecting zone and a bus bar. Through the bus bar, the membrane switch circuit module is connected with the main circuit board. The illumination circuit board includes a second connecting zone. The second connecting zone and the first connecting zone are connected with each other. Consequently, the illumination circuit board is electrically connected with the main circuit board through the second connecting zone, the first connecting zone and the bus bar. |
| US08513548B2 |
Keypad having tamper-resistant keys
A tamper resistant keypad includes one or more key assemblies having a resilient key member and a contact. The resilient key member is configured to flex when the key assembly is depressed to allow the contact to close a key press detection circuit on a circuit board to register a key press. A tamper detection switch assembly at least partially surrounds the resilient key member. The tamper detection switch assembly is configured to detect attempts to access the key assembly. |
| US08513545B2 |
Built-in weight lifting and lowering device
A device that adds and removes a load of a built-in weight to and from a load measuring mechanism of a weighing apparatus built-in weight latched in a weight holder that performs a lifting and lowering operation to a fixed portion. During calibration, gas is supplied from a gas supply and exhaust portion to a bag to increase volume of the air bag. At this point, the weight holder is lowered against the repulsive force of a coil spring, and the built-in weight is latched in the load receiver, thereby performing the calibration. After the calibration, an electromagnetic valve is opened to exhaust the gas from the bag. As a result, the weight holder is lifted by the repulsive force of the coil spring, and the weighing apparatus enters a usual weighing mode. |