| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08660558B2 |
Method for load balancing of devices in idle mode
The invention discloses a method for a cellular communications system, in which there is a first plurality of cells and a second plurality of base stations, each base station controlling the traffic to and from user terminals in a cell. User terminals can assume an idle mode, where a user terminal when in an idle mode performs cell reselection, comprising an evaluation of the cells which are available to the user terminal. The base stations of a number of cells in the system transmit a set of reselection probabilities, each probability in said set being the probability with which a terminal when in idle mode may carry out a reselection from its present cell to the cell to which the probability refers. |
| US08660556B2 |
Femtocell use for radio frequency network sweeps
Systems and methods that utilize femtocell access points (FAP) to perform radio frequency (RF) network sweeps are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes: predicting an availability of an access point (AP) to perform an RF network sweep; and determining that the access point is available to perform the RF network sweep based, at least, on a prediction that a mobile device on a white list for the access point is not likely to access the access point during a time interval associated with performing the RF network sweep. In another embodiment, a method includes: comparing a network quality characteristic for a wireless channel associated with a FAP with a network quality characteristic for a wired network communicatively coupled to the FAP. The network quality characteristics can be the same. The method can then include employing the comparison to determine to which network an impairment is attributable. |
| US08660555B2 |
Quality of service mechanism
A system comprises a subscriber station and a network, the network comprising an access service network and connectivity service network. In an improved communication method an access service network a quality of service profile for a subscriber is received by an anchor gateway of the subscriber. On the basis of the quality of service profile, a first set of transmission control parameters for the subscriber is determined. The anchor gateway applies the first set of transmission control parameters to user data packets addressed to the subscriber. |
| US08660552B2 |
Device and system for suppression of interference linked to distant paths
An onboard device for receiving a signal coming from an aircraft at a distance d from the device, said signal resulting from the combination of multiple propagation paths, one of the paths corresponding to the main echo of the transmitted signal, said device including an equalizer of processing depth T. The device includes means for estimating the distance covered by the second path, means for deducing therefrom a delay value τ associated with it, means for estimating when τ is greater than or equal to T the interfering signal associated with the main echo and for reducing the contribution of said signal to the total level of interference received. Also a system of communication between aircraft using the onboard device. |
| US08660549B2 |
Avoiding battery depletion of a mobile device
A method of regulating the battery usage of a wireless device includes receiving information indicating the battery charge level of a wireless device over a first wireless communication channel using a short-range wireless communication protocol; choosing a wireless communication protocol for use by the wireless device with a second wireless communication channel based on the received battery charge level information; constructing a message instructing the wireless device to use the chosen wireless communication protocol for communications via the second wireless communication channel; and sending the message from a vehicle telematics unit to the wireless device. |
| US08660546B2 |
Information processing apparatus, navigation system, and data updating method
An information processing apparatus includes a data storage portion that stores data records in which second data is associated with first data; a communicating portion that communicates with an external device; an updating portion that receives the data records from the external device and updates the data records; a screen controlling portion that displays one or more of the first data or the second data, and that receives a specifying operation specifying the first data; a determining portion that determines whether the information processing apparatus is in a state, in which control that uses the first data will be started in response to the screen controlling portion receiving the specifying operation; and a caching portion that caches the first data specified by the specifying operation separately from the data records stored in the data storage portion, when it is determined that the information processing apparatus is in the state. |
| US08660545B1 |
Responding to a video request by displaying information on a TV remote and video on the TV
A handheld device displays multiple applications (“apps”), from which a user selects one app. The selected app displays multiple descriptions of videos, from which the user selects one video. The handheld device transmits a video request containing an identification of the user-selected video. The computer system transmits the user-selected video to the television and transmits a signal to the handheld device, based on the video request. The television responds by automatically displaying on a television screen, a series of frames in the video, on receipt therein. The handheld device automatically displays on a handheld screen, information that is directly or indirectly based on the video request, as the signal is received from the computer system. Two displays based on a single video request, provide a richer viewing experience than a single display. |
| US08660542B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating frequencies among multiple talkgroups
A multi-carrier receiver radio monitors frequency channels associated with at least one talkgroup to which a multi-carrier receiver radio subscribes. The talkgroup is associated with a set of frequency channels that may carry group call activity. The radio monitors each frequency channel of the set of frequency channels associated with the talkgroup for group call activity. During monitoring, when a new call is detected on one frequency channel of the set of frequency channels associated with the talkgroup, the radio joins the new call. While joined to the new call, the radio continues to monitor the set of frequency channels associated with the talkgroup for additional transmissions to the talkgroup and to monitor a set of frequency channels associated with another talkgroup to which the multi-carrier receiver radio also subscribes for group call activity on the other talkgroup. |
| US08660540B2 |
Supporting version negotiation for positioning for terminals in a wireless network
Techniques for supporting positioning for terminals in a wireless network are described. In an aspect, a message is prepared and transmitted with a message segment including a version of a protocol used to encode the message and a compatibility level associated with inter-operable protocol versions, wherein different compatibility levels indicate non-compatibility between protocol versions. In another aspect, a message is received with a message segment including a version of a protocol used to encode the message and a compatibility level associated with inter-operable protocol versions, wherein different compatibility levels indicate non-compatibility between protocol versions. The compatibility level included in the received message is compared to an internal compatibility level and a response message is prepared and transmitted with a message segment including the internal compatibility level. |
| US08660537B2 |
System for the storage and retrieval of messages
A system for the centralized storage of messages on a telecommunications network includes a processor, memory, and a storage device. The storage device has a message store portion for storing message information, a transaction segment portion for storing segment information, and a message device status portion for storing device information. The message store portion is associated with the transaction segment portion and the device status portion. |
| US08660536B1 |
Mobile Device Management Solution
The use of mobile devices which are capable of communicating using uncontrolled networks (e.g., cellular networks) can be managed using multi-band access points and multi-band controllers which can monitor and apply policies to data sent over the uncontrolled networks. Technology for applying policies to data sent over uncontrolled networks can be deployed in a variety of configurations, including configurations where the application of policies is performed using functionality built into a multi-band access point, rather than a separate multi-band controller. These configurations also include configurations which use access points and/or controllers which are specifically designed for uncontrolled networks (e.g., cellular access points). Applications of this technology can be made in a wide variety of contexts, including corporate, military and law enforcement contexts. |
| US08660528B2 |
Adaptive coverage area by beacon breathing
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to a system and method for redirecting unauthorized user equipment (UE) from a femto base station (BS) to a macro network. The system checks whether the UE is authorized or not by comparing the identifier of the UE with a list of authorized UE that are stored in the memory of the femto BS. If the UE is found to be unauthorized, the UE is redirected to the macro network. |
| US08660526B1 |
Location-based intrusion detection system
A method of detecting messages from an unwanted source in an ad-hoc network is disclosed. According to the method, a first message is received that purports to be from a mobile communication device. The first purported message has a first location component incorporated therein. A second message is received that purports to be from the mobile communication device. The second message has a second location component incorporated therein. The first location component is compared with the second location component. It is determined that one of the first purported message and the second purported message is not from the mobile communication device when the first location component is inconsistent with the second location component. |
| US08660524B2 |
Enforcing limits on free and/or discounted electronic communications
Limits are placed on the number of free and/or discounted communications (such as voice calls and text messages) available to a user, based on the number of communications received by the user. A user is given an allotment of credits, each worth one or more free and/or discounted communications. A credit balance is established and is continually adjusted as follows: it is increased whenever qualifying communications of a given type are received, and is decreased whenever free and/or discounted communications of the given type are initiated by the user. Once the credit balance has been depleted, the user may be blocked from initiating additional free or discounted communications, until the credit balance is increased. In at least one embodiment, different types of credits can be earned and/or used for different types of communications. In at least one embodiment, exchanges between the different types of credits may be permitted. |
| US08660522B1 |
Directing wireless customers to a network service using an incentive
Architecture for offering enticements to cellular customers that will lead the customers to use the available services at times away from peak usage. For example, the provider can offer incentives (or enticements) that direct users to make phone calls during off-peak times of the hour or day. An incentive can include charging customers reduced minutes (e.g., 0.75 minutes) for each minute used from the customer plan when the customer uses services during off-peak time of the day. This applies to text messaging where users can attach files such as images and short video clips for communication to other cellular users, and to cellular devices via which users can access websites. In general, any services supported by the wireless provider can benefit by providing incentives to move users away from times of high network usage during the day. |
| US08660520B2 |
Emergency notification system for devices within a targeted boundary
An emergency shepherd service includes at least one communications facility configured to provide communication services to at least one communication device in a service area and a notification subsystem including at least one processor and a computer readable medium with instructions. The instructions may be configured to cause the processor to receive information relevant to an affected area and identify at least one communication facility associated with the affected area based on a predetermined knowledge of a site of the communication facility. The instructions may be further configured to cause the processor to discover at least one communication device associated with the communication facility, determine that the communication device should be notified about the information, and send a message based on the information to the communication device. |
| US08660518B2 |
Integration of emergency alert information
A subscriber of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) receiving an EAS alert message can obtain additional multimedia information in based upon the location of the subscriber. The additional multimedia information can include information pertaining to available shelter, medical facilities, the location of emergency supplies, a plume map, evacuation routes, or the like. In an example embodiment, the Global Positioning System or other device location systems is utilized to determine the location of the subscriber. The location information along with EAS alert information is used to query a database to obtain the additional information. |
| US08660517B2 |
Personal assistance monitoring system
A personal assistance monitor for estimating whether a person needs assistance or not, and for requesting assistance, when appropriate. Some embodiments of the present invention can request help for a person even if the person is unconscious or paralyzed. The illustrative embodiment comprises two bracelets—one is worn on a person's right wrist and the other is worn on the left wrist. Each bracelet comprises an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the wrist to which it is affixed. The measures of motion detected by both bracelets are analyzed for insight into the person's well-being. When the illustrative embodiment estimates that the person needs assistance, the illustrative embodiment prompts the person to decline assistance. When the person declines assistance, the illustrative embodiment continues monitoring the person. In contrast, when the person fails to decline the offer of assistance, the illustrative embodiment requests help. |
| US08660514B1 |
Multiple mode RF circuit
A multiple mode RF circuit includes a switching network to switch the RF circuit between a mixer mode and amplifier mode of operation. Two differential amplifier stages coupled to a differential transistor pair form the core of the circuit. A differential local oscillator (LO) source is selectively coupled to the two differential amplifier stages for mixer operation by the switching network and a feedback loop is selectively coupled between the input of the differential transistor pair and the output of the two differential amplifier stages by the switching network for amplifier operation. Gain is controlled in both modes by varying the DC bias on the two differential amplifier stages so that partial cancellation of the amplified signal from the differential transistor pair occur at the RF output. The multiple mode RF circuit operates over a large dynamic range by adjusting a bias current to scale linearity. |
| US08660511B2 |
Antenna diversity scheme employing band pass sampling and fast semiconductor switching
A vehicle or other host station includes first and second antennas, a fast semiconductor switch, a switching controller, and an RF receiver. The controller toggles the switch at a calibrated switching rate to selectively and alternately connect the first antenna to one of the RF receiver and a load having a calibrated impedance value. The first antenna may be a parasitic element in any embodiment using the load. The semiconductor switch may be a CMOS device or a Gallium Arsenide semiconductor switch. A switching control method for use in a vehicle or other host station having the first antenna, the second antenna, and the RF receiver includes transmitting a switching signal from the controller to the switch, and toggling the switch at a calibrated switching rate in response to the switching signal to selectively and alternately connect the first antenna to one of the RF receiver and the load. |
| US08660508B2 |
Calibration of passive harmonic-rejection mixer
An electronic device comprising a passive harmonic-rejection mixer (400) and a calibration circuitry (425). The passive harmonic rejection mixer has an input (102) connected to several sub-mixer stages (402), and the sub-mixer stages are connected to a summing module (406, 408) for generating the output (104). Each sub-mixing stage comprises a gating module (414), an amplifier (416), and a weighting module (418), the gating module selectively passing the input signal or the input signal with inverted polarity under the control of control signals. The calibration circuitry (425) is adapted to input a reference signal (430) to the input of the mixer, receive an output signal (104) from the output of the mixer, and set the weights (K1, K2, K3, K4) of the weighting modules to make the output signal match an expected output signal. |
| US08660507B1 |
Diversity signal reception
A signal is received at a plurality of antennas of a wireless device, and a signal strength indicator is calculated for the signal received at each of the plurality of antennas. From the plurality of antennas, a subset of antennas associated with the highest signal strength indicators are selected, and maximum ratio combining is performed on the signals received by the selected subset of antennas. |
| US08660506B2 |
Residual signal generating circuit, successive approximation ad converter, pipelined ad converter, and radio receiver
There is provided with a residual signal generating circuit in which the capacitive DA converter generates a first difference signal with respect to an input signal based on a criterion voltage, the criterion voltage being indicative of an input range of the input signal, the reference voltage generating circuit divides the criterion voltage to obtain at least one partial voltage signal, the residual signal generating section generates 2N−1 first residual signal according to a difference between the first difference signal and 2N−1−1 first reference signal, the 2N−1−1 first reference signal being 2N−1−1 partial voltage signal among said at least one partial voltage signal generated by the reference voltage generating circuit, the comparator compares the 2N−1 first residual signal with a fixed voltage to obtain 2N−1 first comparison signal each indicative of a logical value, and the decoder decodes the 2N−1 first comparison signal to obtain first data of N bits. |
| US08660505B2 |
Integrated transmitter with on-chip power distribution
Methods and systems for an integrated leaky wave antenna-based transmitter and on-chip power distribution are disclosed, and may include supplying one or more bias voltages and ground for a chip including a plurality of power amplifiers (PAs) utilizing bias voltage and ground lines. One or more leaky wave antennas (LWAs) may be communicatively coupled to the power amplifiers. Wireless signals may be transmitted utilizing the LWAs integrated in the lines in the chip. Radio frequency (RF) signals may be transmitted via the plurality of LWAs. The RF signals may include 60 GHz signals and the LWAs may include microstrip and/or coplanar waveguides. A cavity length of the LWAs may be configured by a spacing between conductive lines in the microstrip and/or coplanar waveguides. The LWAs may be configured to transmit the wireless signals at a desired angle from a surface of the chip. |
| US08660502B2 |
High frequency antenna switch module
In a high frequency antenna switch module, an I/O interface generates various control signals for controlling a switch module on the basis of a system data signal and a system clock, a decoder generates a switch control signal SWCNT for controlling a switch in response to a control signal CNT in the control signals, a timing detector for switch-ports switching generates a switch-port switching detection signal t_sw in response to the switch control signal, a frequency control signal generator generates frequency control signals ICONT and CCONT in response to the signal t_sw, and a negative voltage generation circuit generates a negative voltage output signal NVG_OUT while switching the frequency of the clock signal generated in the negative voltage generation circuit to different frequencies in response to signals ICONT and CCONT. The switch switches the paths among the plural switch ports in response to the signals SWCNT and NVG_OUT. |
| US08660498B2 |
Method for database driven channel quality estimation in a cognitive radio network
A method of determining operating parameters for a secondary system transmitter is described. The transmitter characteristics, including location and operating frequency band, are provided to a geo-location database. The database determines the maximum allowable transmission power that meets various specifications for different channels and conveys the power and channel(s) to the transmitter. The database estimates channel incumbent signal strengths based on the transmitter location and primary and higher-priority secondary incumbent systems, estimates the splatter levels, determines whether adjacent and co-channel interference protection ratios are met, and adjusts the allowable power level accordingly. The database also estimates aggregate co- and adjacent channel primary and secondary incumbent system interference levels at the transmitter location and predicts channel quality for each allowable channel. The estimated levels are updated using measurements of actual levels at the transmitter location. The database dynamically allocates channels using the secondary system priorities. |
| US08660493B2 |
Handheld electronic device including simplified enabling and disabling of short-range wireless communications element, and associated method
An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method provide a simplified mechanism for enabling and disabling a short-range wireless communications element used to create a connection to a short-range wireless network, such as a Bluetooth™ network. The method, implemented by the handheld electronic device, includes enabling the short-range wireless communications element, pairing the handheld electronic device with a second electronic device using the short-range wireless communications element, and providing a first icon on the handheld electronic device after pairing the handheld electronic device with the second electronic device. Thereafter, the method includes disabling the short-range wireless communications element and providing a second icon on the handheld electronic device whenever the first icon is activated, and enabling the short-range wireless communications element and providing the first icon on the handheld electronic device whenever the second icon is activated. |
| US08660489B2 |
System and method for receiving data across an isolation barrier
In one embodiment, A system for communication has a receiver for receiving data from a passive transmitter capacitively coupled to the receiver. The receiver has a sensing element having a plurality of terminals configured to be capacitively coupled to the passive transmitter and DC isolated from the passive transmitter. |
| US08660486B2 |
Method and system for providing concurrent wireless universal serial bus (WUSB) hub and wireless audio/video interfaces within a single device
Systems and methods are disclosed that provide WUSB (wireless universal serial bus) and wireless audio/video interfaces within a single device by integrating a Bluetooth subsystem with a WUSB hub and by providing shared operation between the UWB (ultra wide band) and Bluetooth subsystems. In one embodiment, a system includes both a UWB subsystem and a Bluetooth subsystem that are configured to share one or more operational parameters, such as device pairing information. As such, Bluetooth subsystems and the WUSB subsystems are allowed to cooperate and share information to streamline operation, and this streamlining allows the Bluetooth subsystem to handle isochronous operations, such as audio/video communications, and allows the UWB subsystem to continue to handle USB connected peripheral devices. The disclosed systems with WUSB and wireless audio/video interfaces can also be included as subsystems within other devices, such as display monitors or speaker systems for computer systems. |
| US08660477B2 |
Intra-premises wireless broadband service using lumped and distributed wireless radiation from cable source input
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, includes a broadband signal access point, which may be located internally or externally to the premises, in combination with the existing cabling is used with radiation device(s) to provide distribution of services, including broadband services, within the premises. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08660475B2 |
Printer maintenance by application of a service patch
This disclosure relates to instructing deposition of a service patch for different toners, and determining the respective different toner amounts as a function of toner coverages on at least one previous media unit. |
| US08660466B2 |
Development device and image forming apparatus including the same
A development device comprising a developer conveying member and a developer raking member that are rotatably disposed in the developer conveyance path to conveying and agitating the developer in the developer conveyance paths, wherein the developer conveyance path includes first and second developer conveyance paths and first and second communication paths that communicating the first and second developer conveyance paths on both sides, the developer conveying member includes first and second developer conveying members that are disposed in the first and second developer conveyance paths, the developer raking member is disposed in at least one of the first and second communication paths. |
| US08660465B2 |
Surface-patterned photoreceptor
Presently disclosed embodiments relate generally to layers that are useful in imaging apparatus members and components, for use in electrophotographic, including digital, apparatuses. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to an electrophotographic imaging member having its outer surface patterned such that friction with the cleaning blade is significantly reduced. |
| US08660461B2 |
Image forming apparatus including drum unit attachable and detachable along drum shaft
An image forming apparatus includes a drum unit configured to be attachable to and detachable from the body through inserting the drum shaft into the hollow portion of the photoreceptor drum, a plurality of ribs formed on the drum unit, a guide rail formed in a body, and a plurality of cutouts that is formed in the guide rail is configured to engage with the plurality of ribs when the drum unit is positioned at a regular position. The drum shaft and the guide rail are configured with respect to each other such that a center of the drum shaft is substantially coaxial with a center of the photoreceptor drum when the drum unit slides relative to the body in a state in which the plurality of ribs is placed on the guide rail. |
| US08660453B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body, and a replaceable part detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body and movable in attaching-and-detaching direction to be attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus main body. The replaceable part includes a storage portion, the storage portion including a memory for storing information of the replaceable part and/or the image forming apparatus main body, and a first contact portion electrically connected to the memory. The image forming apparatus main body includes a second contact portion that electrically contacts the first contact portion. The first contact portion has an inclination at a predetermined angle with respect to the attaching-and-detaching direction. |
| US08660450B2 |
Fixing device
In a fixing device for electrophotography, a fixing sheet carrying thereon a toner image is passed under application of heat and pressure between a toner heating member and a press roller to fix the toner image onto the a fixing sheet. The fixing device is so controlled that a temperature of the toner heating member is set higher and a temperature of the press roller is set lower in a ready-display state during warm-up for starting the fixing device or returning from a power save mode, respectively compared with corresponding set temperatures of the toner heating member and the press roller in a normal ready state. As a result, consumption of fixing energy is suppressed and the time until the ready state is reduced by a relatively simple control. |
| US08660449B2 |
Developer concentration adjustment apparatus, method for adjusting developer concentration, and image forming apparatus using the same
This invention provides a developer concentration adjustment apparatus, a method for concentration adjustment, and an image forming apparatus, in which concentration adjustment is performed by use of a stirring load as a substitute characteristic of viscosity which represents a developer concentration, wherein a trouble of abnormality generation in toner concentration detection due to drying-adhesion of a residual developer on the stirrer is reduced. At the time of finishing the concentration adjustment, a concentration adjustment tank is made to be empty and the stirrer is cleaned by carrier liquid or a liquid developer having a concentration lower than a predetermined concentration. Alternatively, the stirrer is cleaned by empty-stirring operation not being put in a cleaning developer. |
| US08660445B2 |
Fuser unit
A fuser unit includes: a cylindrical member; a heat generator; a nip member; a backup member, which configures a nip part between the cylindrical member and the backup member with the cylindrical member; a conductive member, which is arranged to cover the heat generator at the inside of the cylindrical member; a temperature detection unit; a wiring; a first frame having insulation, which is arranged at an opposite side to the heat generator with respect to the conductive member being interposed therebetween at the inside of the cylindrical member, and which extends along the conductive member; and a second frame, which is arranged at an opposite side to the conductive member with respect to the first frame being interposed therebetween at the inside of the cylindrical member, and which extends along the first frame, wherein the wiring is arranged between the first frame and the second frame. |
| US08660444B2 |
Image forming apparatus with operation stopping control upon temperature sensing in fixing device
An image forming apparatus includes a heat source, a thermal fixing member, a temperature sensing unit, a temperature change determining unit and a halting unit. The heat source generates heat. The thermal fixing member is heated by the heat source and performs a thermal fixing operation by thermally fixing a toner image deposited on a sheet of paper. The temperature sensing unit senses a temperature of the thermal fixing member and outputs temperature data. The temperature change determining unit determines that the temperature of the thermal fixing member decreases based on two pieces of temperature data sensed by the temperature sensing unit at two different timings. The halting unit halts the thermal fixing operation when determination made by the temperature change determining unit is consecutively made for a predetermined number of times. |
| US08660440B2 |
Self-adaptive receivers not requiring FEC feedback
Optical communications networks rely on optical receivers to demodulate optical signals and convert the demodulated optical signal into an electrical signal. Optical receivers may be associated with one or more characteristics which can be made to vary during a transmission of an optical signal in order to improve the quality of the received signal. The present invention may determine a value for the characteristics based on an amount of optical filtering on a communications link which transmits the signal. The value for the characteristics of the receiver may be determined by observing a characteristic of a detector associated with the receiver, such as a ratio of the average photocurrents of the constructive and destructive ports of the detector. The observed characteristic of the detector may be mapped to a predetermined value for the characteristic of the receiver in a lookup table, which may be queried during operation of the receiver. |
| US08660438B2 |
Digital coherent receiver and receiving method
A digital coherent receiver includes a front end, an A/D convertor, and a processor. The front end converts a light signal into an electric signal by using a signal light and a local oscillator light. The A/D convertor converts the electric signal of the front end into a digital signal. The processor calculates a spectrum gravity center of the digital signal converted by the A/D convertor, estimates a frequency offset of the digital signal based on the calculated spectrum gravity center, and reduces the frequency offset of the digital signal based on the estimated frequency offset. |
| US08660436B2 |
Coded light transmission and reception
Coded light has been proposed to enable advanced control of light sources and transmit information using light sources. An assignment for the identification frequencies of light sources enables more unique frequencies to be assigned, i.e. more light sources to be uniquely identified in the system. An available frequency band is divided into non-uniform frequency regions and frequencies are selected from a set of uniformly spaced frequencies in the non-uniform frequency regions. A receiver is based on a successive approach and is enabled to analyze higher harmonics of the received light signals. The light contributions are successively estimated group by group. |
| US08660430B2 |
Method and a system for optimizing radio network layer to implement the network interconnection, and a method for interconnection between the radio network and the wired network
A method for optimizing a radio network layer to implement a network interconnection is provided. A radio network controller is divided into radio access network servers and wireless adapters configured in a base station. The wireless adapters are adapted to process related radio interface protocols, and are connected to an optical access network via an adaptation function. The radio access network servers and a core network are respectively connected to optical network units to implement the interconnection between an optical network and a radio communication network. Therefore, the single-point failure is effectively prevented, the flexibility and extensibility are improved, it is convenient for networking, and the network coverage is enlarged. It is suitable for the service development and radio access applications in the future, and facilitates the combination with the wired network. |
| US08660429B2 |
Wavelength division multiplexing module
A telecommunications module includes an optical wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer configured to demultiplex a first optical signal input into the telecommunications module into a plurality of different wavelengths, a fiber optic splitter configured to split a second optical signal input into the telecommunication module into a plurality of optical signals, and a plurality of optical add/drop filters, each of the optical add/drop filters configured to combine one of the optical signals that has been split by the fiber optic splitter and one of the wavelengths that has been demultiplexed by the optical wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer into a combination output signal that is output from the telecommunications module. |
| US08660421B2 |
Method and system for imaging high density biochemical arrays with sub-pixel alignment
A method and associated system for imaging high density biochemical arrays comprises one or more imaging channels that share a common objective lens and a corresponding one or more time delay integration-type imaging cameras with optical alignment mechanisms that permit independent inter-channel and intra-channel adjustment of each of four degrees: X, Y, rotation and scale. The imaging channels are configured to independently examine different spectra of the image of the biochemical arrays. |
| US08660420B2 |
Adjustable dual lens camera
A dual lens camera includes a main circuit board, two lens modules positioned on the main circuit board, a controller positioned on the main circuit board, a position sensors positioned on each lens module, two tilting mechanisms positioned on the main circuit board, and each tilting mechanism being connected to a corresponding one of the lens modules, and two flexible circuit boards connecting the position sensors to the main circuit board. The controller controls the tilting mechanisms to tilt the lens modules to a position detectable by the position sensors. |
| US08660416B2 |
Optical unit with shake correcting function
An optical unit with a shake correcting function may include a fixed body, a movable body holding an optical element, a swing support point which supports the movable body so that the movable body is capable of swinging, a spring member formed in a plate shape for urging the movable body toward the swing support point, a shake correction drive mechanism structured to swing the movable body with the swing support point as a swing center, a first stopper part which is protruded in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction on a front side in the optical axis direction of the movable body with respect to the spring member for determining a moving range of the movable body, and a second stopper part which is structured to face the first stopper part in the optical axis direction through the spring member on the rear side in the optical axis direction of the fixed body with respect to the spring member for determining a moving range of the movable body in the optical axis direction by restricting movement of the first stopper part. |
| US08660409B2 |
Predictive personal video recorder operation
A predictive personal video recorder (PVR) can include a tuner, a buffer, a predictive tuner, and a predictive buffer. The tuner can be configured to allow viewing of a currently-selected digital video channel chosen from a plurality of digital video channels received by a predictive PVR. The buffer can be configured to store video data of the currently-selected digital video channel, allowing time-shifted viewing of the currently-selected digital video channel. The predictive tuner can be configured to capture video data for a predicted digital video channel. The predicted digital video channel can be selected based upon a predictive factor. The predictive buffer can be configured to store the captured video data for the predicted digital video channel received by the predictive tuner to allow time-shifted viewing of said predicted digital video channel. |
| US08660406B2 |
Playback apparatus for performing application-synchronized playback
A playback apparatus includes a package management unit operable to generate package information by merging files recorded on a first recording medium and a second recording medium, in accordance with merge management information. A selection unit is operable to detect a plurality of playable titles from the package information and select one of the detected titles as a current title. A processing unit is operable to execute an application specified in the current title and that is included in the package information. A playback control engine is operable to control playback of a digital stream in the current title and that is included in the package information. Status registers each store a parameter relating to a playback status of the digital stream, and backup registers each save one of the status registers. |
| US08660402B2 |
3D mode selection mechanism for video playback
The invention relates to a signal comprising video information and associated playback information, the video information and associated playback information being organized according to a playback format, the video information comprising a primary video stream for two-dimensional (2D) display, and an additional information stream for enabling three-dimensional (3D) display, wherein that the associated playback information comprises display information indicating the types of display possible. The invention also relates to a method and device for playback of such a signal, the method comprising receiving the video information and the associated playback information, processing the display information to determine that both two-dimensional (2D) display possible and three-dimensional (3D) display are possible for the received video information; determining a playback setting of a playback device indicating whether the video information should be displayed two-dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D); and processing for display either the primary video stream or the primary video stream and the additional information stream, in accordance with the playback setting of the playback device. |
| US08660401B2 |
Information processing device, information processing method, playback device, playback method, and recording medium
The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, a playback device, a playback method, and a recording medium, which enable the same information to be added to pictures corresponding to a basic stream and an extended stream to be used for display of a 3D image.At the time of encoding, Picture Timing SEI to be added to each picture of a Base view video stream, and Picture Timing SEI to be added to each picture of a Dependent view video stream are generated so that a Picture Timing SEI set to be added to the corresponding pictures represents the same content. The present invention can be applied to a playback device compatible with the BD-ROM standard. |
| US08660397B2 |
Multi-layer module
A multi-layer module that includes a multi-fiber cable storage layer having a cable entry opening and a cable winding structure is disclosed. Also included is a splice storage layer that is discrete from the multi-fiber cable storage layer, the splice storage layer having a splice layer receiving opening in communication with the multi-fiber cable storage layer and a slack storage area. The multi-layer module includes a pigtail storage layer that is discrete from both the multi-fiber cable storage layer and the splice storage layer, the pigtail storage layer having a pigtail connector area and a pigtail storage area, the pigtail storage area comprising a pigtail storage layer receiving opening in communication with the splice storage layer. |
| US08660390B2 |
Redundant ring resonators of varying dimensions to reduce ring resonator tuning requirements
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to systems for reducing the amount of power consumed in temperature tuning resonator-based transmitters and receivers. In one aspect, a system comprises an array of resonators (801-806) disposed adjacent to a waveguide (646) and a heating element (808). The heating element is operated to thermally tune the array of resonators so that each resonator in a subset of the array of resonators is in resonance with a wavelength of light traveling in the waveguide. |
| US08660385B2 |
Feature-based signatures for image identification
A method for deriving a representation of an image is described. The method involves processing signals corresponding to the image. At least one region of the image that is representative of the image is identified. In one embodiment, each identified region corresponds to a feature of the image. For each identified image region, a two dimensional function of at least part of the image region is derived and processed to obtain an intermediate representation of the at least part of the image region. A representation of the image is derived from the intermediate representation of at least one of the image regions. |
| US08660384B2 |
Method and system for predictive scaling of color mapped images
A method for determining a scaled color map of a scaled image is described using the transformation of the original color map and the original image only, independently of the scaled image. A number of colors N in the original color map is determined; and provided N>Nmax, all colors in the original color map are reused in the scaled color map. If N |
| US08660376B2 |
Apparatus and method for data processing based on vertex grouping
A data processing apparatus and method. A vertex grouping unit of the data processing apparatus may group, into at least one group, a plurality of vertices included in a three-dimensional (3D) object desired to be compressed. A prediction mode determination unit may determine a prediction mode for compressing a vertex position with respect to each of the at least one group. A coder may code a prediction error vector and an identification (ID) index of the prediction mode determined with respect to each of the at least one group. |
| US08660374B1 |
Selecting transform paths for compressing visual data
Encoding data includes: determining multiple patterns for computing one-dimensional transforms over a first array of data elements. Each pattern includes multiple subsets of data elements of the first array. Each subset included in a first pattern has substantially the same number of data elements as each of the other subsets included in the first pattern. Each data element of the first array is included in a single one of the subsets included in the first pattern. At least one subset included in the first pattern consists of data elements that are not in a contiguous sequence along a single dimension. Encoding the data includes: computing, for each pattern, multiple one-dimensional transforms over data elements of respective subsets included in the pattern selecting a set of transform coefficients from a group of multiple sets of transform coefficients; and encoding the selected set of transform coefficients to represent the first array. |
| US08660373B2 |
PDF de-chunking and object classification
Systems and methods are described that facilitate identifying objects in a document (e.g., a PDF document) for automatic image enhancement (AIE). A PDF document is “chunked” or segmented into chunks, and boundaries between chunks are identified as real or imaginary. Chunks sharing imaginary boundaries are combined, while real boundaries are retained, to generate “de-chunked” objects. These objects are then classified, and an AIE application is executed on objects meeting pre-specified classification criteria. In this manner, objects of r which AIE is not desired are not subjected to the AIE application, thereby saving time and processing resources associated with enhancing the document. |
| US08660372B2 |
Determining quality of an image or video using a distortion classifier
Techniques and structures are disclosed in which one or more distortion categories are identified for an image or video, and a quality of the image or video is determined based on the one or more distortion categories. The image or video may be of a natural scene, and may be of unknown provenance. Identifying a distortion category and/or determining a quality may be performed without any corresponding reference (e.g., undistorted) image or video. Identifying a distortion category may be performed using a distortion classifier. Quality may be determined with respect to a plurality of human opinion scores that correspond to a particular distortion category to which an image or video of unknown provenance is identified as belonging. Various statistical methods may be used in performing said identifying and said determining, including use of generalized Gaussian distribution density models and natural scene statistics. |
| US08660368B2 |
Anomalous pattern discovery
A trajectory of movement of an object is tracked in a video data image field that is partitioned into a plurality of different grids. Global image features from video data relative to the trajectory are extracted and compared to a learned trajectory model to generate a global anomaly detection confidence decision value as a function of fitting to the learned trajectory model. Local image features are also extracted for each of the image field grids that include object trajectory, which are compared to learned feature models for the grids to generate local anomaly detection confidence decisions for each grid as a function of fitting to the learned feature models for the grids. The global anomaly detection confidence decision value and the local anomaly detection confidence decision values for the grids are into a fused anomaly decision with respect to the tracked object. |
| US08660366B2 |
Smart creation of photobooks
A method for proactively creating a photobook includes identifying a group of images by a computer system and automatically creating a design for a photobook by the computer system without receiving a user's request for designing a photobook if the number of images in the group is determined to be within a predetermined range. Pages of the photobook incorporate a plurality of images in the group. The method further includes presenting the design of the photobook to a user for preview and receiving an order from the user for a physical manifestation of the photobook based on the design. |
| US08660365B2 |
Systems and methods for processing extracted plane features
Systems and methods for processing extracted plane features are provided. In one embodiment, a method for processing extracted plane features includes: estimating an area of each plane of a plurality of planes extracted from data collected by an imaging sensor; generating a list of detected planes including the area of each plane; filtering the list of detected planes to produce a list of candidates for merger, filtering the list of detected planes discarding any plane not satisfying an actual points received criteria; applying a primary merge algorithm to the list of candidates for merger that iteratively produces a list of merged planes by testing hypothetical merged planes against a merging criteria, the hypothetical merged planes each comprising a plane from the list of merged planes and a plane from the list of candidates for merger; and outputting a final list of planes. |
| US08660359B2 |
Estimating atmospheric parameters and reducing noise for multispectral imaging
A method and system for estimating atmospheric radiance and transmittance. An atmospheric estimation system is divided into a first phase and a second phase. The first phase inputs an observed multispectral image and an initial estimate of the atmospheric radiance and transmittance for each spectral band and calculates the atmospheric radiance and transmittance for each spectral band, which can be used to generate a “corrected” multispectral image that is an estimate of the surface multispectral image. The second phase inputs the observed multispectral image and the surface multispectral image that was generated by the first phase and removes noise from the surface multispectral image by smoothing out change in average deviations of temperatures. |
| US08660355B2 |
Methods and systems for determining image processing operations relevant to particular imagery
Image data, such as from a mobile phone camera, is analyzed to determine a colorfulness metric (e.g., saturation) or a contrast metric (e.g., Weber contrast). This metric is then used in deciding which of, or in which order, plural different image recognition processes should be invoked in order to present responsive information to a user. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. |
| US08660351B2 |
Auto-cropping images using saliency maps
A method for auto-cropping includes, creating a saliency map corresponding to a digital image, the saliency map indicating a relevance of pixels within the digital image with saliency values within a number range, a lower end of the number range being less than zero and an upper end of the number range being greater than zero. The method further includes, analyzing the saliency map to find a potential cropping rectangle, the potential cropping rectangle having a maximum sum of saliency values within borders of the rectangle. |
| US08660347B2 |
Image processing apparatus and processing method therefor
In an image processing apparatus for dividing image data into blocks having a predetermined number of pixels and processing each of the divided blocks in sequence, color data of pixels in a block to be processed is compared to identify a pattern flag that corresponds to a placement pattern of the color data included in the block. The identified pattern flag and the color data for the number of colors included in the block are output and, assuming that output color data that corresponds to a pixel at a predefined position in the block is first color data, the pattern flag, the first color data, and other color data that are output for each of the divided blocks are collectively stored in respectively different memory areas. |
| US08660342B2 |
Method to assess aesthetic quality of photographs
A method that includes classifying photographs into categories; generating computational models of image aesthetics, each computational model of image aesthetics associated to one different category of the categories; extracting a plurality of features from a photograph, the plurality of features including simplicity features, global features computed in the whole image and/or low-level features in contrasting regions of an image of the photograph, the contrasting regions being partitions of the image obtained by applying an image segmentation algorithm based on feature contrast to the photograph; and applying a computational model of image aesthetics to at least part of the plurality of features extracted from the photograph, the computational model applied according to the category of the photograph, in order to assess aesthetic quality of the photograph. |
| US08660341B2 |
Color converting apparatus, color converting method, and color converting program
A color converting apparatus includes: an input section acquiring image data of moving image content from each frame; an object detecting section detecting an object from the image in each frame; a confusing region extracting section extracting a confusing region having a confusing hue from the detected object; and a color converting section performing color conversion at least on a region including the confusing region in a particular frame or another frame including the object from which the confusing region has been extracted, when the confusing region is extracted from the particular frame. |
| US08660339B2 |
Method and system for low complexity transcoding of image with near optimal quality
Method and system for low complexity transcoding of images with near optimal quality for display on a terminal are presented. Generating effective transcoding parameters prior to transcoding and retrieving the transcoding parameters based on the features of the input image and the characteristics of the terminal, an output image quality close to that produced by optimal quality transcoding is achieved. The processing time is much smaller in comparison to that required for optimal quality transcoding. |
| US08660338B2 |
Wide baseline feature matching using collobrative navigation and digital terrain elevation data constraints
A method for wide baseline feature matching comprises capturing one or more images from an image sensor on each of two or more platforms when the image sensors have overlapping fields of view, performing a 2-D feature extraction on each of the captured images in each platform using local 2-D image feature descriptors, and calculating 3-D feature locations on the ellipsoid of the Earth surface from the extracted features using a position and attitude of the platform and a model of the image sensor. The 3-D feature locations are updated using digital terrain elevation data (DTED) as a constraint, and the extracted features are matched using the updated 3-D feature locations to create a common feature zone. A subset of features from the common feature zone is selected, and the subset of features is inputted into a collaborative filter in each platform. A convergence test is then performed on other subsets in the common feature zone, and falsely matched features are pruned from the common feature zone. |
| US08660329B2 |
Method for reconstruction of a three-dimensional model of a body structure
Method for reconstruction of a three-dimensional model of a body structure of a subject, said structure comprising a plurality of objects, wherein a database (21) of the structure is provided, the database comprising means to estimate, from a parameter of any object of the structure, another parameter for an object of the structure, a preliminary solution for a first object (L1) is modified to be brought in concordance with subject-specific data (23a, 23b), a reconstruction of the second object (T12) is obtained based on the modified first object and on the database of structure (21). |
| US08660327B2 |
Workstations with circuits for generating images of global injury
Physician interactive workstations with global voxel distribution visualization may also include one or more of a 3-D color scale image of a population of voxel in target regions, organs or systems. The workstation may be configured to evaluate intensity or other measures of voxels of patient images associated with tissue for early detection of a global injury. |
| US08660324B2 |
Textured pattern sensing using partial-coherence speckle interferometry
A system for imaging a textured surface includes a light source that is configured to project an electromagnetic radiation beam onto the textured surface, wherein the projected beam generates first radiation reflected from a first portion of the textured surface to form a speckle pattern, and second radiation reflected from a second portion of the textured surface which is substantially uniform in intensity. The reflected first and second reflected radiation is received by an optical detector, and may be processed to generate an image of the textured surface from the first and second reflected radiation. Methods for textured surface sensing are also disclosed. |
| US08660322B2 |
Passive continuous authentication method
The passive continuous authentication method uses biometric feedback to perform the authentication processes. Computer software and sensors are provided to acquire, memorize, and authenticate both the user's hard (facial) and soft (clothing) biometric information. A registration phase compels the user to register his/her face image into a registration database. Subsequently, the system permits the user to login the system based on facial recognition of the image presented by an attached webcam of the system. During a computing session the system repetitively authenticates the user's identity by comparing the user's acquired face image (hard biometric) to the registered face image in the database. A clothes color histogram (soft biometric) is also computed. The hard biometric recognition mainly decides the authentication result. Otherwise, clothes color histogram matching takes place to decide the result. When the user leaves the terminal the screen locks up. Successful authentication unlocks the screen upon user return. |
| US08660320B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes: a data processing section which processes input image data and obtains output image data; a face detecting section which detects a face image on the basis of the input image data and obtains information about a face image region in which the face image exists; and a processing controller which controls the process of the data processing section on the basis of the information about the face image region obtained in the face detecting section. |
| US08660319B2 |
Method, system and computer program product for automatic and semi-automatic modification of digital images of faces
The present invention is directed at modifying digital images of faces automatically or semi-automatically. In one aspect, a method of detecting faces in digital images and matching and replacing features within the digital images is provided. Techniques for blending, recoloring, shifting and resizing of portions of digital images are disclosed. In other aspects, methods of virtual “face lifts” and methods of detecting faces within digital image are provided. Advantageously, the detection and localization of faces and facial features, such as the eyes, nose, lips and hair, can be achieved on an automated or semi-automated basis. User feedback and adjustment enables fine tuning of modified images. A variety of systems for matching and replacing features within digital images and detection of faces in digital images is also provided, including implementation as a website, through mobile phones, handheld computers, or a kiosk. Related computer program products are also disclosed. |
| US08660316B2 |
Navigating on images
Systems, devices, features, and methods for navigating on images are disclosed. For example, one method includes identifying a point selected on an initial image. An image component, such as a pixel, of the initial image corresponding to the identified point is determined. The image component of the initial image represents an origin. A route from the origin to a destination is generated, and the destination corresponds to another image component, such as another pixel. |
| US08660313B2 |
Correction for un-voluntary respiratory motion in cardiac CT
A CT angiography apparatus compensates for respiratory motion. During a helical scan, a radiation source and a detector generate data sets corresponding to a plurality of sub-volumes of a blood vessel over a plurality of cardiac cycles. Sub-volume data sets corresponding to a selected cardiac phase are reconstructed into a plurality of sub-volume images. Characteristic points in the sub-volume images are identified. A computer routine or processor calculates a respiratory motion vector based on the identified characteristic points in a plurality of the sub-volume images. An image reconstruction routine or processor reconstructs the original sub-volume data in the selected cardiac phase into a volume image representation using the calculated respiratory motion vector. |
| US08660310B2 |
Systems and methods for tracking a model
An image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device and a model of a user in the depth image may be generated. The background of a received depth image may be removed to isolate a human target in the received depth image. A model may then be adjusted to fit within the isolated human target in the received depth image. To adjust the model, a joint or a bone may be magnetized to the closest pixel of the isolated human target. The joint or the bone may then be refined such that the joint or the bone may be further adjusted to a pixel equidistant between two edges the body part of the isolated human target where the joint or bone may have been magnetized. |
| US08660309B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, image processing program and recording medium
There are provided an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and an image processing program for transforming a target image having no contour of straight line portions. An ellipse E1 by which the target image is approximated is calculated (S20), a center candidate O.sub.A of the target image is decided (S21), a first polygon P1 associated with the ellipse and the center candidate is calculated (S22), a projective transformation matrix for projectively transforming the first polygon into a second polygon P1′ associated with an ellipse whose center is a point where the center candidate is projectively transformed is calculated (S23), and the target image is projectively transformed based on the projective transformation matrix to obtain a transformation image (S24). |
| US08660306B2 |
Estimated pose correction
Embodiments are disclosed that relate to the correction of an estimated pose determined from depth image data. One disclosed embodiment provides, on a computing system, a method of obtaining a representation of a pose of articulated object from image data capturing the articulated object. The method comprises receiving the depth image data, obtaining an initial estimated skeleton of the articulated object from the depth image data, applying a random forest subspace regression function to the initial estimated skeleton, and determining the representation of the pose based upon a result of applying the random forest subspace regression to the initial estimated skeleton. |
| US08660303B2 |
Detection of body and props
A system and method for detecting and tracking targets including body parts and props is described. In one aspect, the disclosed technology acquires one or more depth images, generates one or more classification maps associated with one or more body parts and one or more props, tracks the one or more body parts using a skeletal tracking system, tracks the one or more props using a prop tracking system, and reports metrics regarding the one or more body parts and the one or more props. In some embodiments, feedback may occur between the skeletal tracking system and the prop tracking system. |
| US08660302B2 |
Apparatus and method for tracking target
A target tracking apparatus and method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may quickly and accurately perform target detection and tracking in a photographed image given as consecutive frames by acquiring at least one target candidate image most similar to a photographed image of a previous frame among prepared reference target images, determining one of the target candidate images as a target confirmation message based on the photographed image, and calculating a homography between the determined target confirmation image and the photographed image, and searching the photographed image of the previous image for feature points according to the calculated homography, and tracking an inter-frame change from the previous frame of the found feature points to a current frame. |
| US08660298B2 |
Encoding in two chrominance directions
The present disclosure relates generally signal processing. One claim recites an apparatus comprising: memory for storing a color video signal comprising first data and second data; and a processor. The processor is programmed for: modifying first color information and second color information of the first data by encoding a signal in the first color information such that the signal includes a first signal polarity, and encoding the signal in the second color information such that signal includes a second signal polarity that is inversely related to the first signal polarity, and modifying first color information and second color information of the second data by encoding the signal in the first color information such that signal includes the second signal polarity, and encoding the signal in the second color information such that the signal includes the first signal polarity. Of course, different combinations and claims are provided too. |
| US08660293B2 |
Imaged image data processing apparatus, viewing information creating apparatus, viewing information creating system, imaged image data processing method and viewing information creating method
An imaged image data processing apparatus includes obtaining means for obtaining imaged image data, which is imaged by an imaging section that images the sight of a user, extracting means for extracting identification data for identifying a viewed program from the imaged image data obtained by the obtaining means, and transmitting means for transmitting the identification data extracted by the extracting means to an external viewing information creating apparatus. |
| US08660292B2 |
Multifunctional vibrator
A multifunctional vibrator includes a frame, a vibrating unit receiving in the frame and including a magnetic circuit part with a magnetic gap, a plurality of elastic members connecting the vibrating unit and the frame, and a voice coil partially inserted into the magnetic gap. Each elastic member includes a retaining portion assembling to an inner face of the frame, a connecting portion attached to the vibrating unit, and an elastic portion extending from the retaining portion to the connecting portion along a devious way. The elastic portion of elastic members includes a first arm capable of generating elastic deformation along a short axis direction of the vibrating unit and a second arm capable of generating elastic deformation along a long axis direction of the vibrating unit. |
| US08660291B2 |
Speaker device and electronic device having the same
A speaker device is disclosed. The speaker device is mounted in an electronic device that includes a plurality of positioning elements. The speaker device includes a speaker main body, at least one pair of buffer arms, a plurality of fixed elements, and a plurality of buffer members. One end of each buffer arms is connected to the speaker main body and located at the opposite sides of the speaker main body. The fixed elements is connected to the other end of each buffer arm and movably combined with each positioning element, such that the speaker main body is fixed in the electronic device. The members is mounted in between each fixed element and each positioning element, allowing the buffer arms and the buffer members to reduce vibration generated by the speaker main body passing to the electronic device when the speaker main body is vibrating. |
| US08660290B2 |
Display device
A display device includes an image display component, first and second speakers, and a stand. The first and second speakers are mounted to the image display component. The first and second speakers are spaced apart from each other in a first direction of the image display component. The stand includes a base with first and second sound reflecting faces. The first and second sound reflecting faces are opposite the first and second speakers in a second direction of the image display component, respectively. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The first sound reflecting face slopes downward as moving away from the second sound reflecting face and forward of the image display component. The second sound reflecting face slopes downward as moving away from the first sound reflecting face and forward of the image display component. |
| US08660288B2 |
Twin driver earphone
Provided is a technique for improving frequency characteristics by an acoustics-related method so that a sound is heard with natural frequency characteristics when a sound-isolating earphone is fitted in a human ear. A sound-isolating earphone is provided with two or more electroacoustic transducers, wherein independently generated sound waves are passed through isolated sound leading pipes and are mixed just before an entrance of an external auditory canal, and a sound wave of which is twice the difference between path lengths of the two sound leading pipes is attenuated. This serves to provide an easy-to-hear improved sound quality by suppressing the sound wave at around 6 kHz that is transmitted with characteristically high intensity in a sound-isolating earphone. |
| US08660278B2 |
Headset systems and methods
A digital audio player device can be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance or other oral device to form an intraoral MP3 player. In another embodiment, the device provides an electronic and transducer device that can be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance or other oral device to form a DAP. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device fabricated from a thermal forming process utilizing a replicate model of a dental structure obtained by conventional dental impression methods. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure. |
| US08660270B2 |
Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system
A security key, K_eNB, for protecting RRC/UP traffic between a User Equipment, UE, and a serving eNodeB is established by a method and an arrangement in a Mobility Management Entity, MME, and in said UE, of an Evolved Packet System, EPS. The MME and the UE derives the security key, K_eNB, from at least an NAS uplink sequence number, NAS_U_SEQ, sent from the UE to the MME, and from an Access Security Management Entity-key, K_ASME, shared between the MME and the UE. |
| US08660268B2 |
Keyed pseudo-random number generator
A method and apparatus for client authentication using a pseudo-random number generation system. The pseudo-random number generation utilizes a secret key as well as state information as input into the hash function to generate a pseudo-random number. The state information that is part of the input can be any number of prior generated pseudo-random numbers. The authentication allows for synchronization of the client and server by exchanging state information. The authentication is not dependent on any absolute time and consequently the client and servers are not required to maintain a reliable shared time base. |
| US08660266B2 |
Method of delivering direct proof private keys to devices using an on-line service
Delivering a Direct Proof private key to a device installed in a client computer system in the field may be accomplished in a secure manner without requiring significant non-volatile storage in the device. A unique pseudo-random value is generated and stored in the device at manufacturing time. The pseudo-random value is used to generate a symmetric key for encrypting a data structure holding a Direct Proof private key and a private key digest associated with the device. The resulting encrypted data structure is stored on a protected on-line server accessible by the client computer system. |
| US08660261B2 |
System and apparatus for integrated video/image encoding/decoding and encryption/decryption
An encryption-enabled entropy coder for a multimedia codec is disclosed. The entropy coder implements a randomized Huffman coding scheme without storing multiple sets of Huffman tables in a ROM. The entropy coder includes a ROM storing a single set of code tables, a table lookup section coupled to the ROM which converts symbols to original codewords and vice versa by performing table lookup, and a table randomizer section for converting original Huffman codewords to randomized Huffman codewords and vice versa using an isomorphic code generator algorithm. The table randomizer section performs the conversion based on a key hopping sequence generated by a pseudorandom bit generator using an encryption/decryption key. |
| US08660260B1 |
Protective cover
A protective cover for protecting a panel-shaped electronic device is illustrated. The protective cover includes a polygonal frame and a number of resilient members. The frame is made of soft material and configured for surrounding and retaining the electronic device therein. The frame includes a number of corners. The resilient members entirely are received in the respective corners. Each resilient member includes a hub body and at least three distinctly oriented resilient portions extending from the hub body. |
| US08660258B2 |
System and methods for selecting a dialing strategy for placing an outbound call
A dialing strategy determination engine (DSDE) for selecting a dialing strategy for placing an outbound call has determination software executing on a computerized server from a machine-readable medium, access to stored dialing strategies, contact data, and a rules set, and a port for receiving a request for dialing strategy from an outbound dialer. The determination software, upon receiving a request for a dialing strategy associated with a contact identification, consults the rule set and the contact data, selects a dialing strategy based on the rules and the data, and returns the selected strategy to the outbound dialer. |
| US08660256B2 |
Dynamic load balancing between multiple locations with different telephony system
A method includes receiving a call from a primary interactive voice response (IVR) system at a load-balancing IVR system. The primary IVR system routes a first percentage of calls to routing logic and a second percentage of calls to the load-balancing IVR system. A telephony system is selected from among a plurality of telephony systems based on agent availability data associated with call center sites of the plurality of telephony systems. The method includes routing the call to a routing protocol component of the routing logic, where the routing protocol component routes the call to a call center of the selected telephony system. |
| US08660254B2 |
System and method for call management
A method and system for call management is provided. In a system embodiment a call manager server is provided that can managing incoming call requests from certain telephony devices and effect connections to other telephony devices based on those incoming call requests. The call manager server can also maintain a policy that defines permissions as to whether certain telephony devices can request interruption of an ongoing phone call at a destination telephony device. |
| US08660252B2 |
Control of execution time of time-dependent services by defining different time zones for the subscriber's location, the execution server, and the service subscription information
A data layered architecture (DLA) system includes a front end (FE) server and a common directory (CD). The FE server includes a processing unit which defines an FE time zone (FETZ) based on the FE server's geographical location and that defines a current date and time of the FETZ. The FE server includes a network interfacing unit which obtains from the CD through the network a subscriber default time zone (SDTZ), a subscriber service time zone (SSTZ), a service activation date (SAD) and a service activation time (SAT). The processing unit selects as service time zone (STZ) for executing the service the SSTZ, if a valid SSTZ exists, or the SDTZ, if a valid SSTZ does not exist, or the FETZ, if a valid SDTZ does not exist. Furthermore, the processing unit only executes the service after checking that the SAD and SAT of the STZ correspond to the current date and time of the FETZ. |
| US08660251B2 |
Alerting a participant when a topic of interest is being discussed and/or a speaker of interest is speaking during a conference call
A method, system and computer program product for alerting a participant when a topic of interest is being discussed and/or a speaker of interest is speaking during a conference call. A participant to a conference call identifies the topics and/or speakers of interest which is stored for future use along with the participant's contact information. When a participant's identified topic of interest is being discussed and/or a participant's identified speaker of interest is speaking during a conference call, the participant will be alerted to that fact, such as via the means specified in the participant's contact information. |
| US08660248B2 |
Method and structure for controlling incoming communication notification
A method and structure for avoiding undesirable interruptions by incoming calls during face-to-face conversations or oral presentations. A speaker recognition circuit is trained to recognize the user's voice, even in the presence of other voices and ambient noise. A number of speaker recognition algorithms may be employed within the scope of the invention. The phone is configured to constantly monitor the aural phone environment, while recording in a FIFO memory a short interval of digitized sound. When an incoming call is received, the Caller ID is checked against a pre-defined Priority List of numbers to be directed to the user's attention as in the prior art. If the Caller ID is not on the Priority List, speaker recognition verifies whether the user has been speaking within the past few seconds, and, if so, directs the incoming call to voice mail without interrupting the user. Other sensor input and criteria can also be used to determine how to route an incoming communication. |
| US08660247B1 |
Method and apparatus for content presentation in association with a telephone call
A method and apparatus are provided for presenting multimedia content to caller and/or a called party in association with a telephone call. Content may be presented pre-ring (before the called party's telephone rings), in-call and/or post-call. Content presented to a party may be related to another party participating in the call or may be related to a third party (e.g., an advertiser that paid for the ability to have its content presented). Presented content may be actuable, and allow a caller to change the destination of a call, take advantage of an offer presented to him, redeem a coupon, schedule or queue a subsequent call, etc. To find a desired destination party, a caller may initiate a manual or automatic search of his local contacts (on his telephone) and/or a central or global directory or contact list. |
| US08660246B1 |
Method and apparatus for content presentation in association with a telephone call
A method and apparatus are provided for presenting multimedia content to caller and/or a called party in association with a telephone call. Content may be presented pre-ring (before the called party's telephone rings), in-call and/or post-call. Content presented to a party may be related to another party participating in the call or may be related to a third party (e.g., an advertiser that paid for the ability to have its content presented). Presented content may be actuable, and allow a caller to change the destination of a call, take advantage of an offer presented to him, redeem a coupon, schedule or queue a subsequent call, etc. To find a desired destination party, a caller may initiate a manual or automatic search of his local contacts (on his telephone) and/or a central or global directory or contact list. Calls to or from certain parties or numbers may be screened or filtered. |
| US08660242B2 |
System and method for electronic message notification
A system includes an interface to receive a signal associated with a call from a first communication device to a second communication device. The system also includes a call suspension mechanism to suspend the call. The system further includes a call disposition engine to send an electronic mail message associated with the suspended call to a device identified by a subscriber address. |
| US08660240B2 |
Notification system management
Methods and systems for providing electronic notifications are described. A server is configured to serve an interface, such as a Web page, to a terminal that requests from a user a first set of user contacts to be used to provide notifications to the user by a telephonic notification system in response to a notification process initiated by an organization associated with the user. The interface further requests a first set of priorities corresponding to the first set of user contacts, wherein the notification system will attempt to provide notifications to the first set user contracts in an order based at least in part on the first set of priorities. A database is configured to store the first set of user contacts and the first set of priorities. A voice interface circuit is configured to transmit a voice notification to at least one of the first set of user contacts. |
| US08660237B2 |
Apparatus and method for viewing an object
An apparatus and method for generating and displaying an image of an object is described and includes a radiation source and a series of at least two linear detectors capable of detecting incident radiation after transmission through an object to define a scanning zone there between. The object is moved relative to and through the scanning zone in successive passes along at least two linear directions at an angle to each other. An image generation apparatus generates for each successive pass at least a first image from the first linear detector, a second image from the second linear detector, and a third image. An image display is adapted successively to display at least the first, second and third images and display the monocular movement parallax between the images. Each image is processed before display to reduce distortion attributable to beam spreading in a direction perpendicular to a scan direction. |
| US08660230B2 |
System and method for the ventilated storage of high level radioactive waste in a clustered arrangement
A system for receiving and storing high level radioactive waste comprising: an enclosure comprising walls having inlet ventilation ducts, a roof comprising an array of holes, and a floor; an array of metal shells located in an internal space of the enclosure, the array of metal shells being co-axial with the array of holes in the roof so that containers holding high level radioactive waste can be lowered through the array of holes in the roof and into the array of metal shells; the array of metal shells acting as load bearing columns for the roof; and each of the metal shells comprising (i) an expansion joint for accommodating thermal expansion and/or contraction of the metal shells; and (ii) one or more holes at a bottom portion of the metal shell. |
| US08660226B2 |
Systems and methods for multichannel noise reduction
Systems and methods for multichannel noise reduce are provided. One method includes acquiring a multichannel signal, obtaining a noise correlation between a plurality of channels of the multichannel signal, and obtaining a signal characteristic in each of the plurality of channels. The method also includes removing signal noise based on (i) the correlated noise and (ii) at least one of an uncorrelated noise in each channel or the obtained signal characteristic in each channel. |
| US08660223B2 |
PLL circuit, communication device, and loopback test method of communication device
A controlling unit disposed in a PLL circuit controls a phase interpolator to gradually change a phase shift amount applied to a phase shift signal C_PS by a unit of basic delay amount Δ at a timing predetermined in accordance with a modulation profile of an SSC. Further, the controlling unit controls a total phase shift amount applied to the phase shift signal C_PS output from the phase interpolator in one period of a feedback clock signal C_FB obtained by dividing frequency of the phase shift signal C_PS in a way that a difference between the total phase shift amount and a total phase shift amount in a previous one period of C_FB is always equal to or less than the basic delay amount Δ. |
| US08660222B2 |
Wireless reception device, wireless reception method, and wireless communication system
A wireless reception device includes a determination section to determine, based on reception power of each of subcarriers of a multicarrier signal and a transfer function of each of the subcarriers, a value relating to an interference component between subcarriers, the interference component being from another subcarrier for each of the subcarriers, with respect to each of the subcarriers, and a removal section to remove the interference component from each of the subcarriers, based on the value relating to the interference component. |
| US08660219B2 |
Circuit and method for distinguishing between an OFDM signal and a radar signal
A radar detector determines whether an input signal is an orthogonally frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signal or a radar signal by applying at least first and second bandpass filtering operations having substantially non-overlapping passbands to the input signal, each filtering operation having a passband of width substantially less than a relatively large instantaneous bandwidth characteristic of an OFDM signal and substantially greater than a relatively small instantaneous bandwidth characteristic of a radar signal. The detector multiplies power levels of output signals of the first and second filtering operations to form a power product signal and compares the power level of the power product signal with a threshold level and providing an indicating signal in a first state if the power level of the power product signal exceeds the threshold level and otherwise providing said indicating signal in a second state. |
| US08660218B2 |
Systems and methods for signal detection and estimation
Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting and/or measuring signals contained in modulated sample data, and that may be implemented in one embodiment to detect and measure signals by producing a representation and/or visualization of the signal information of the wide band spectral environment. Signals may be detected and/or measured by demodulating and estimating signal spectra from the modulated sample data that contain the individual signals, and by then forming a frequency representation of the demodulated Nyquist zone spectral estimates into a visual representation in which the frequency of the original signals is visible or otherwise indicated. |
| US08660215B2 |
Decoding algorithm for frequency shift key communications
A method and apparatus for decoding binary frequency shift key signals in which an exclusive-OR of the sign of a real waveform with a sign of the imaginary waveform at a time shortly after the real (or, alternatively, the imaginary) waveform crosses zero is used to determine a bit represented by the signal. In some embodiments, particularly those in which the bit period is about one-half of the carrier signal frequency, both the real and imaginary waveforms are monitored to detect the zero crossing in order to account for the situation in which data transitions prevent zero-crossings on one of the waveforms. |
| US08660212B2 |
Interference classification with minimal or incomplete information
Interference classification with minimal or incomplete information. Receivers in access points and in other network devices on a wireless digital network may be switched to a spectrum monitor mode in which they provide amplitude-versus-frequency information for a chosen part of the spectrum. This may be performed by performing a FFT or similar transform on the signals from the receiver. Receivers are calibrated with known interference sources in controlled environments to determine peaks, pulse frequency, bandwidth, and other identifying parameters of the interference source in best and worst case conditions. These calibrated values are used for matching interference signatures. Calibration is also performed using partial signatures collected over a short period in the order of microseconds. These partial signals may be used to detect interferers while scanning. Another aspect of the invention is to record the variation of noise floor in the presence of interference sources. Multiple interference sources may be detected. While data collection is performed in one or more APs, classification may be performed in the AP or on other systems associated with the network collecting and processing spectrum information from one or more APs. |
| US08660211B2 |
Digital broadcast transmission and receiving system having an improved receiving performance and signal processing method thereof
A digital broadcast transmitter comprising: a randomizer to receive a data stream of which stuff bytes are inserted into a specified position and to randomize the received data stream; a stuff-byte exchange unit to generate known data having a predefined pattern and to insert the known data into the specified position of the data stream into which the stuff bytes are inserted; an encoder to encode the data stream output from the stuff-byte exchange unit for an error correction; and a modulator and RF converter to modulate the encoded data stream, RF-convert the modulated data stream and transmit the RF-converted data. |
| US08660210B2 |
Method of packet format dependent selection of MIMO-OFDM demodulator
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate code rate and modulation order dependent selection of a suitable demodulator for a received data packet. According to various aspects, systems and/or methods are described that enable selection of an optimal demodulation scheme such that signal receiver complexity is not increased and optimal decoding throughput performance is achieved. |
| US08660209B2 |
Transmitter and frequency deviation reduction method thereof
A transmitter is provided. The transmitter includes a phase/frequency deviation input, a controller and a frequency modulating path. The phase/frequency deviation input receives multiple phase/frequency deviation samples. The controller outputs a modified phase/frequency deviation signal and generates a phase/frequency deviation carry-out signal in response to the phase/frequency deviation samples and a previous time sample of the phase/frequency deviation carry-out signal. The frequency modulating path performs frequency modulation in response to the modified phase/frequency deviation signal and outputs a frequency modulated carrier signal. |
| US08660206B2 |
Method of generating pulse waveform
The present invention forms, in UWB communications in which a pulse of short duration is transmitted, a transmission signal with a desired frequency characteristic by adjusting the shape of a pulse signal used in data transmissions. As a result, radio interference with other wireless systems in UWB communications is reduced. As aspects for adjusting the pulse signal, the present invention comprises an aspect for generating a pulse signal having a desired frequency characteristic by adjusting the shape of a single pulse itself, an aspect for generating a pulse signal having a desired frequency characteristic by combining a plurality of pulses, and an aspect for finding a combination of pulse signals from the frequency characteristic of an object transmission signal. |
| US08660202B2 |
Robust precoder and receiver filter design for Gaussian interference channel
A system and method for providing at least one transmit precoder includes transforming at least one of a weighted sum-rate and max-min rate objective into two or more sub-problems by introducing at least one slack variable. The two or more sub-problems are iterated on a computer readable storage medium to provide at least one transmit precoder for each transmitter. |
| US08660199B2 |
Method of demodulating a quadrature amplitude modulation signal and method of data communication
To demodulate a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signal, a reception point is determined corresponding to a symbol in the QAM signal that is received where the symbol is mapped to one reference point of a plurality of reference points in a rotated constellation and the plurality of reference points are represented by an in-phase (I) coordinate and a quadrature-phase (Q) coordinate. A plurality of candidate points corresponding to a portion of the plurality of reference points are selected based on distances between the reception point and the respective reference points. The reception point is demapped by calculating a plurality of log-likelihood ratios based on the plurality of candidate points, the plurality of log-likelihood ratios corresponding to bits of data represented by the reception point. |
| US08660198B1 |
Multipath diversity in a quadrature bandpass-sampling OFDM receiver
A quadrature bandpass-sampling receiver providing time diversity for OFDM is provided. A quadrature bandpass-sampling analog-to-digital demodulator down converts an OFDM signal in the RF frequency range to baseband based on a high-frequency sampling clock equal to the RF frequency and generates the in-phase and quadrature outputs in form of high-frequency bit streams. The period of the bit stream is the inverse of the OFDM carrier frequency, which is much higher than the OFDM symbol rate, allows usage of multipath diversity to improve the communication link. |
| US08660197B2 |
Method of and equipment for compensating carrier frequency offset in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing wireless radio transmission system
For compensating carrier frequency generation in communication equipment for radio transmission in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, based wireless radio communication system, in which reference signals known communication equipment are transmitted in a regular time repetitive manner, carrier frequency generation is compensated (63) by a calculated carrier frequency offset estimate. The carrier frequency offset estimate in the communication equipment is calculated from coarse (61) and fine carrier frequency offset estimates (62). The coarse carrier frequency offset estimate (61) is calculated in the frequency domain from reference symbols of a reference signal received (60) at the communication equipment and the fine carrier frequency offset estimate (62) is calculated in the time domain from reference symbols of reference signals repetitively received (60) at said communication equipment. An algorithm and an estimator module (90) for calculating a coarse carrier frequency offset are provided. |
| US08660184B2 |
Motion picture encoding device and motion picture decoding device
When a prediction is made between fields with different parity, the predicative efficiency of a chrominance vector is improved by adaptively switching the generation of a chrominance motion vector depending on a encoding/decoding field parity (top/bottom) and a reference field parity (top/bottom), and the coding efficiency is improved accordingly. |
| US08660183B2 |
Moving-picture compression-encoding apparatus
Re-encoding information indicating whether or not an input moving picture has been compression-encoded is provided to a mode determining unit. The mode determining unit determines an optimal encoding mode for the input moving picture, out of a plurality of encoding modes. The mode determining operation is controlled by the re-encoding information. According to a mode determination result of the mode determining unit, a prediction error value corresponding to the determined mode is selected by a selection switch, and then, an encoding process is performed. As the re-encoding information, a pre-determined value, a bit rate, and a quantization parameter, etc., could be provided. |
| US08660180B2 |
Method and apparatus for scalably encoding and decoding video signal
In one embodiment, the method includes predicting at least a portion of a current image in a current layer based on at least an intra-coded portion of a base image in a base layer, a reference image, shift information for samples in the predicted current image, and offset information indicating a position offset between at least one boundary pixel of the reference image and at least one boundary pixel of the current image. |
| US08660179B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding/encoding a video signal with inter-view reference picture list construction
A method of decoding a video signal is disclosed. The present invention includes obtaining identification information indicating whether a coded picture of a current NAL unit is an inter-view picture group, obtaining interview reference information of the inter-view picture group, and constructing a reference picture list for inter-view prediction using the inter-view reference information according to the identification information, wherein the inter-view reference information includes view identification information of an inter-view reference picture. |
| US08660177B2 |
Parallel entropy coding
Parallel coding of digital pictures is described. A digital picture is divided into two or more vertical sections. Two or more corresponding Stage 1 encoder units can perform a first stage of entropy coding on the two or more vertical sections on a row-by-row basis. The entropy coding of the vertical sections can be performed in parallel such that each Stage 1 encoder unit performs entropy coding on its respective vertical section and returns a partially coded Stage 1 output to a Stage 2 encoder unit. Each partially coded Stage 1 output includes a representation of data for a corresponding vertical section that has been compressed by a compression factor greater than 1. The Stage 2 encoder unit can generate a final coded bitstream from the partially encoded Stage 1 output as a Stage 2 output. |
| US08660174B2 |
Apparatus and method of adaptive offset for video coding
The method selects a region for processed video data and determines a class for each pixel in the region of the processed video data based on characteristic measurement of said each pixel. The processed video data corresponds to the reconstructed, deblocked reconstructed or deblocked-and-loop-filtered reconstructed video data. An intensity offset is then determined for the class according to the pixels in the region of the processed video data and respective pixels in a respective region of associated original video data. The intensive offset determined is applied to the processed video data to compensate the intensity offset. The region is smaller than a picture so that adaptive offset can adapt to dynamic characteristics of a picture. In one embodiment, the characteristic measurement is based on pixel patterns consisting pixels around an underlying pixel. |
| US08660170B1 |
Apparatus and method for calibrating the I/Q mismatch in a quadrature bandpass sampling receiver
A calibration technique to compensate for the quadrature phase error between the in-phase and quadrature sampling clocks controlling the quadrature bandpass sampling delta-sigma analog-to-digital demodulator (QBS-ADD) is provided. A low-frequency test tone is injected in the feedback path, up-converted to the radio frequency (RF) frequency, and added to the input of the QBS-ADD. The test tone is demodulated by the QBS-ADD into an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal. The in-phase and quadrature signals are converted into the frequency domain by the discrete Fourier transform. The quadrature phase error is quantified based on the complex Fourier complex coefficients; and the phase difference between the in-phase and quadrature sampling clocks is corrected. |
| US08660168B2 |
Method and system for communicating via a spatial multilink repeater
Aspects of a method and system for communicating via a spatial multilink repeater are provided. In this regard, a received signal may be frequency shifted to generate a plurality of repeated signals, wherein each repeated signal may be shifted by a different frequency with respect to the received signal. Each repeated signal may comprise one or more signal components and a phase and/or amplitude of each of the components may be controlled to control a directivity of the repeated signals. Each of the repeated signals may be generated by quadrature down-converting said received signal by mixing the received signal with a first LO signal pair, up-converting the down-converted signal by mixing it with a second LO signal pair, and adding or subtracting an in-phase portion and a quadrature-phase portion of the up-converted signal. |
| US08660164B2 |
Method and system for avoiding package induced failure in swept semiconductor source
Dry oxygen, dry air, or other gases such as ozone are hermetically sealed within the package of the external cavity laser or ASE swept source to avoid packaging-induced failure or PIF. PIF due to hydrocarbon breakdown at optical interfaces with high power densities is believed to occur at the SLED and/or SOA facets as well as the tunable Fabry-Perot reflector/filter elements and/or output fiber. Because the laser is an external cavity tunable laser and the configuration of the ASE swept sources, the power output can be low while the internal power at surfaces can be high leading to PIF at output powers much lower than the 50 mW. |
| US08660163B2 |
Amplification of long-range surface plasmons with reduced noise
An optical amplifier suitable for coherently amplifying surface plasmon-polariton waves with high gain and low noise over visible and infrared wavelengths. The optical amplifier is comprised of a thin strip of material having a complex permittivity with a negative real part, in contact on at least one side with an optical gain medium, where the strip has finite width and thickness such that optical radiation couples to the strip and propagates along its length as a surface plasmon-polariton wave. The surface plasmon-polariton amplifier can also be incorporated into a resonant cavity to form a plasmon-polariton laser. |
| US08660161B2 |
Push-pull modulated coupled vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and method
A laser system having separately electrically operable cavities for emitting modulated narrow linewidth light with first, second and third mirror structures separated by a first active region between the first and the second and by a second active region between the second and the third. The second mirror structure has twenty of more periods of mirror pairs. |
| US08660160B2 |
Semiconductor laser element and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor laser element includes a substrate of a first conduction type and a layered semiconductor structure formed on the substrate. The layered semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor layer of the first conduction type formed on the substrate, an active layer formed on the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer of a second conduction type formed on the active layer, the second conduction type being opposite to the first conduction type. The first semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second semiconductor layer include a non-window region through which a light emitted from the active layer passes and a window region surrounding the non-window region. Band gap energy of the active layer is larger in the window region than in the non-window region. The second semiconductor layer includes a current confinement layer. |
| US08660159B2 |
Laser diode, optical pickup device, optical disk apparatus, and optical communications equipment
A laser diode capable of reducing a radiating angle θ⊥ in the vertical direction, an optical pickup device, an optical disk apparatus, and optical communications equipment, all equipped with the laser diode which increases optical coupling efficiency. It has a first cladding layer of the first conductive type formed on a substrate, with an active layer on top of the first cladding layer and a second cladding layer of the second conductive type on top of the active layer. In at least the first or second cladding layer, it is formed of at least one optical guide layer having a higher refractive index than the first or second cladding layer and operating to expand a beam waist in the waveguide. This operation contributes to widening a region in which to shut up light, enabling a radiating angle θ⊥ in the vertical direction to be reduced. |
| US08660158B2 |
Semiconductor laser drive circuit and semiconductor laser apparatus
A semiconductor laser drive circuit controlling a semiconductor laser diode connected to an output terminal by providing a drive electric current to the semiconductor laser diode includes: a constant electric current source configured to provide an electric current to the output terminal, the constant electric current source being connected to a first electric power terminal and the output terminal; a current sinking circuit connected to the output terminal and a second electric power terminal; a current sourcing circuit configured to provide a predetermined electric current to the output terminal or the current sinking circuit, the current sourcing circuit being connected to the first electric power terminal and the output terminal; and a terminating resistor having a resistance component equal to that of the semiconductor laser diode, the terminating resistor being connected to the circuit sinking circuit and the current sourcing circuit. |
| US08660155B2 |
Method and apparatus for cooling semiconductor pumped lasers
A laser system having a cooling apparatus is disclosed. The laser system includes a resonator, a gain medium and multiple heat-absorbing discs. The resonator is formed by a first mirror and a second mirror. The gain medium, which is contained within the resonator, is collectively formed by a group of gain medium segments. Each of the gain medium segments is preferably in the shape of a cylindrical disc. The heat-absorbing discs are interleavely disposed among the gain medium segments to provide face cooling for the gain medium segments during the operation of the laser system. |
| US08660154B1 |
Laser device with digitally controlled resonator
A digitally-controllable laser apparatus includes a resonator, which includes a two-dimensional micromirror array, and an output facet configured to output a laser beam. The array has a controllable two-dimensional reflectivity to provide control of a two-dimensional wave front of the laser beam. A digitally-controlled Q-switching of the laser apparatus, and shaping of the laser beam wave front to thereby steer the laser beam can be realized. |
| US08660151B2 |
Encoding system and encoding apparatus
An encoding apparatus 2 includes: an encoding unit 21 that encodes and multiplexes a video signal V2, an audio signal A2 and a data signal D2 to be given to the encoding apparatus 2; a timer 22 that outputs time information T2; a timer adjusting unit 23 that adjusts the timer 22 so that the time information T2 and time information T1 within a multiplexed stream S1 outputted from an encoding apparatus 1 are synchronized with each other; and a multiplexing unit 24 that multiplexes the multiplexed stream S1, an encoded stream S21 outputted from the encoding unit 21 and the time information T2, and outputs the resultant multiplexed stream and information as output of the encoding apparatus 2. Third and subsequent encoding apparatus are configured to have the same configuration as that of the encoding apparatus 2. |
| US08660146B2 |
Telecom multiplexer for variable rate composite bit stream
A multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) system for multiplexing and demultiplexing information from a plurality of traffic channels is configured according to a Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy (PDH) standard into a composite signal transferred to and from a telecommunciations interface. A PDH traffic interface receives PDH channel signals from a plurality of PDH channels and a bit-pipe interface receives bit-pipe traffic transported as a packet data stream. A composite signal generation module and interface then creates, outputs and receives a single composite serial data stream including, in a single composite format, information from the received PDH channel signals as well as the packet data stream. The rate of the bit-pipe traffic may be adaptively modulated as a function of the composite rate. |
| US08660143B2 |
Data packet interception system
A method and apparatus for managing data packets in a network data processing system. The data processing system monitors for the data packets on the network data processing system. The data processing system sends a response data packet to a source endpoint that sent a request data packet in response to detecting the request data packet in the data packets requesting a first identifier for a first device at a target endpoint in the network data processing system. A response data packet has a selected identifier for a selected device in the monitoring data processing system. The data processing system processes a set of data packets in response to detecting the set of data packets having the selected identifier. The data processing system sends the set of data packets to the target endpoint with the first identifier for the first device in place of the selected identifier. |
| US08660142B2 |
Scheduling virtual bandwidth requests
Disclosed is a method of scheduling bandwidth, comprising, receiving a first bandwidth request associated with the first communication device. Receiving, from a policy agent, a second bandwidth request associated with a second communication device. The second bandwidth request does not originate from the second communication device. Bandwidth is granted to the first communication device based on the first bandwidth request. Bandwidth is granted to the second communication device based on the second bandwidth request. |
| US08660140B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving legacy format data in high throughput wireless network
A method and an apparatus are provided for enabling a legacy station to perform virtual carrier sensing when a plurality of stations with heterogeneous capabilities coexist in a wireless network. The method includes receiving first data compliant with a first protocol, and transmitting second data compliant with a second protocol, where the first protocol is downward compatible with the second protocol. |
| US08660139B2 |
Systems, methods and computer products for pooling of wireless collection bandwidth
Systems, methods and computer products for pooling of wireless collection bandwidth. Exemplary embodiments include a bandwidth management method, in a wireless device, the method, including querying for additional wireless devices within a communication range of the wireless device, the wireless device and additional wireless devices being in communication with a network having downloadable content, initiating communication between the wireless device and the additional wireless devices, establishing an ad-hoc network among the combination of the wireless device and the additional devices, establishing communication between the combined wireless device and additional devices as the ad-hoc network, and the network having the downloadable content and requesting the downloadable content from the network to the wireless device, wherein the downloadable content is transferred over a bandwidth collectively pooled among individual bandwidths of the wireless device and the additional wireless devices. |
| US08660136B2 |
Measurement coordination for dynamic spectrum access measurements in a time division duplex system
The invention disclosed in this application describes methods to coordinate spectrum measurement periods in access points or base stations in a time division duplex (TDD) system where the super frame is divided into uplink and downlink portions for use in cognitive radio systems. |
| US08660129B1 |
Fully distributed routing over a user-configured on-demand virtual network for infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) on hybrid cloud networks
A layer-3 virtual router connects two or more virtual networks. Virtual networks are overlaid upon physical networks. Each virtual network (VN) is a layer-2 network that appears to expand an organization's LAN using virtual MAC addresses. The network stack forms a virtual-network packet with a virtual gateway MAC address of the virtual router to reach a remote virtual network. A VN device driver shim intercepts packets and their virtual MAC and IP addresses and encapsulates them with physical packets sent over the Internet. A VN switch table is expanded to include entries for nodes on the remote virtual network so that all nodes on both virtual networks are accessible. A copy of the VN switch table is stored on each node by a virtual network management daemon on the node. A Time-To-Live field in the virtual-network packet is decremented for each virtual hop and a checksum recalculated. |
| US08660127B2 |
Cascaded load balancing
A first network device and a second network device for forwarding data units are included in a network. The second network device is configured to receive data units from the first network device via an output interface from the first network device. Each of the network devices is further configured to form a first value derived from information pertaining to a received data unit, perform a function on the first value to provide a second value, wherein the function of the first network device is different from the function of the second network device when forwarding a same data unit, select an output interface based on the second value, and forward a received data unit via an interface. |
| US08660125B2 |
Node device, integrated circuit and control method in ring transmission system
A node device in a ring transmission system in which a plurality of node devices are connected as a ring via serial links has a PHY transitioning between a normal mode and a loopback mode with timing that maintains symbol lock between an idle frame transmitted to a later serial link in the normal mode according a transmission instruction, and an idle frame from an earlier node device looped back for output to a later serial link during the loopback mode, thus performing relay processing on non-locally addressed data packets during the loopback mode. |
| US08660124B2 |
Distributed overlay network data traffic management by a virtual server
An approach is provided in which a data traffic module executing on a network interface card receives a data packet initiated by a first virtual machine with a destination at a second virtual machine. The data traffic module identifies one or more physical path translations corresponding to a logical connectivity that is independent of physical topology constraints of a physical network. In turn, the data traffic module encapsulates the data packet with the one or more physical path translations and sends the encapsulated data packet to the second virtual machine over the physical network. |
| US08660118B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for next hop scaling
The subject matter described herein includes a packet forwarding device that implements next hop scaling. Rather than storing a complete set of next hop bindings at each packet processor, the storage of next hop bindings is distributed among packet processors in the packet forwarding device such that each packet processor stores next hop bindings for the hosts that are directly connected to the packet processor. For hosts that are not directly connected to a packet processor, the packet processor stores relay entries. Because of the distributed storage of next hop bindings, the number of hosts that can be served by a single packet forwarding device is increased over packet forwarding devices where each packet processor stores a complete set of next hop bindings for all connected hosts. |
| US08660115B2 |
Method for content-aware redirection and content renaming
The present invention is directed to mechanisms for content-aware redirection and content exchange/content discovery that permit a request for content to be redirected to a particular advantageous server that can serve the content. |
| US08660114B2 |
Method and apparatus for routing data
A method and apparatus for handling internet access telephone calls made via cable company telephone services. A head end data terminal receives cable signals and converts them into individual signals. An intelligent switch detects signals destined for an internet service provider and routes those signals on a separate path to the internet service provider. A central switch routes the other signals along a telephone network. A computer program can control the steps of receiving cable signals, converting them into voice band signals, routing the signals that are not for the intended recipient to a central switch, multiplexing the signals for the intended recipient together, and sending the multiplexed signals to the intended recipient. |
| US08660113B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing enhanced services local routing
A method and apparatus for enabling a call originated in the VoIP network to be routed from the egress of the VoIP network to the terminating PSTN network using an egress route, such as an appropriate egress access trunk, that is in the same Local Calling Area (LCA) of the called party number are disclosed. This allows the call to be completed to the called party without paying access charge. For example, the method assigns a Billing Telephone Number (BTN) or a Charge Number (CgN) to an egress route between a communication network and a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) network. The method then routes a call originating from the communication network and terminating to the PSTN network using the egress route without incurring an access charge. |
| US08660111B2 |
Method and apparatus for tracking a channel timing channel message and supporting channel scanning in a digital mobile radio system
A method and apparatus for enabling a radio to track channel timing and support channel scanning A non-leading radio operating on a communications channel, determines a diffusion period during which channel timing is to be propagated from a leading radio to non-leading radios operating on the communications channel. The non-leading radio implements a first scanning pattern during the diffusion period to scan a CT designated channel for a control timing message with a timing signal sent from the leading radio. The first scanning pattern involves scanning the CT designated channel during every other scan interval and scanning non-priority channels and priority channels during scan intervals not used on the CT designated channel. |
| US08660110B2 |
Reduced power synchronization of wireless devices
Synchronizing at least one wireless sensor includes sending at least one reference message along with a request for acquired data from an access point to the at least one wireless sensor, where the reference message includes a first timestamp indicating when the reference message was sent according to time of a clock of the access point, receiving from the at least one wireless sensor a response that includes the requested data, the first timestamp, and at least one other timestamp corresponding to time of a clock of the at least one wireless sensor, and determining a relative clock offset of the at least one wireless sensor using the timestamps. |
| US08660106B2 |
Optimizing code utilization regarding a secondary scrambling code
The present invention relates to a method, arrangement and computer-readable medium for optimizing code utilization in a code division multiple access (CDMA) communication network comprising a first communication network entity (10), a second communication network entity (15) connected to said first communication network entity over a communication interface and one or more user equipments (18) transmitting data using a scrambling code to said second communication network entity (15) over a radio interface on an uplink channel (14). Firstly, in what type of radio environment said one or more user equipments are is identified. Secondly, a traffic activity over the radio interface is measured. Thereafter, when and how to use a secondary scrambling code is determined based on the type of radio environment and traffic activity. |
| US08660105B2 |
Downlink transmit beamforming
A wireless network access point can operate as a closed loop MIMO device when communicating with a station that is operating as an open loop MIMO device. Transmit/receive chains in the access point are calibrated to support aggregate channel reciprocity. |
| US08660100B2 |
Method for transmitting information in wireless local area network system
A method for transmitting information of a network interworking with a wireless LAN (802.11, Wi-Fi) network or EMID (ESS MAC ID) provided from an EMID server to a wireless user equipment if the wireless user equipment accesses the wireless LAN network is disclosed. A wireless communication system which performs communication using a plurality of subcarriers includes at least one access point receiving messages from at least one wireless user equipment and communicating with another access point through a distribution system, and at least one interworking information broker receiving information request message of subscriber service provider network (SSPN) through interface with the at least one access point and acquiring response information corresponding to the information request message through interface with a network entity which includes information of the SSPN, the information request message of the SSPN being transmitted from the wireless user equipment to the at least one access point. |
| US08660099B2 |
Call admission control within a wireless network
An association request from a wireless station is received at an access point. A determination is made whether a reservation threshold for a pre-determined number of wireless stations for the access point has been met. If the reservation threshold has not been met, the wireless station is associated with the access point. If the reservation threshold has been met, and the wireless station is not already on a call through another access point, the association of the wireless station with the access point is rejected. |
| US08660097B2 |
Methods and apparatus for service continuity in a communication network
Methods and apparatus for service continuity in a communication network. A method includes receiving a service in a first network coverage area, detecting entry into a second coverage area, acquiring control signaling information of the second coverage area in response to entering into the second coverage area, establishing traffic channels in the second coverage area while the service is received from the first coverage area, and switching to receive the service on the traffic channels in the second coverage area so that service disruption is minimized. Another method includes receiving a service in a first network coverage area, acquiring control signaling information associated with other coverage areas while in the first coverage area, detecting entry into a second coverage area, establishing traffic channels in the second coverage area, and switching to receive the service on the traffic channels in the second coverage area so that service disruption is minimized. |
| US08660095B2 |
Reverse link transmit power control in a wireless communication system
In one embodiment, the patent application comprises an apparatus, method and means for controlling power of an access terminal by adjusting a power of at least one secondary reverse link carrier by computing a forward link power differential, computing a reverse link power differential, and adding a power level of a primary reverse link carrier pilot with the forward link power differential and the reverse link power differential. In another embodiment, the patent application comprises an apparatus, method and means for controlling power of an access terminal by adjusting a power of at least one secondary reverse link carrier by computing a forward link power differential, computing a reverse link load differential, and adding a power level of a primary reverse link carrier pilot with the forward link power differential and the reverse link load differential. |
| US08660094B2 |
Method and apparatus for data transmission using a plurality of resources in a multiple antenna system
A method and apparatus are provided for data transmission using a plurality of resources in a multiple antenna system. An m (m>1) number of bits from each encoded bit are mapped onto a resource to form a plurality of modulation symbols. With respect to said plurality of modulation symbols, spatial processing is performed according to a plurality of resources and a plurality of antennae to generate a plurality of transmission symbols. Each of said plurality of transmission symbols is transmitted via each of the corresponding multiple antennae. |
| US08660093B2 |
Apparatus, method, and tangible machine-readable medium thereof for callback handover procedure in a femto-network
An apparatus, a signaling method, and a tangible machine-readable medium thereof for callback handover procedure in a femto-network are provided, wherein the femto-network comprising a plurality of femto base stations. The apparatus comprises a storage module, a receiving module, a transmission module, and a determination module. The storage module is configured to store and restore information of the femto BS, the information indicating a relation between the apparatus and the related stations. The receiving module is configured to receive the inbound handover signals and outbound handover signals. The transmission module is configured to transmit the inbound handover signals and outbound handover signals. The determination module is configured to determine whether generating inbound handover signals or outbound handover signals. |
| US08660092B2 |
Method and apparatus for handover in wireless communication system
A method and an apparatus ensure efficient handover in a wireless communication system even when a User Equipment (UE) moves at a high speed. A serving eNB receives interference power information of an uplink (UL) signal and interference increase/decrease information of the UL signal from at least one adjacent eNB. an adjacent eNB, for which the received interference power information indicates that interference power of the UL signal is equal to or greater than a threshold value, is selected as a target eNB for a User Equipment (UE) among the at least one adjacent eNB. Whether handover of the UE is delayed is determined based on the interference increase/decrease information received from the target eNB. And if the handover of the UE is delayed, a handover parameter is transmitted to the UE to perform handover to the target eNB. |
| US08660087B2 |
Apparatus and method for handover in broadband wireless communication system for supporting mobile relay station
An apparatus and a method for handover in a broadband wireless communication system supporting a Mobile Relay Station (MRS) are provided. The method includes transmitting a Connection ID (CID) of Mobile Stations (MSs), the CIDs pre-allocated by a target BS, to the MSs; sending a resource allocation message comprising uplink resource allocation information for bandwidth request of the MSs, to the MSs; receiving a bandwidth request message which comprises security authentication information of each MS, from the MSs using an uplink resource allocated through the uplink resource allocation information; and aggregating bandwidth request messages of the MSs and sending a ranging request message comprising the security authentication information and bandwidth request information of the MSs to the target BS. Thus, the handover delay time, which is inevitable for the bandwidth request in the conventional connection set-up procedure, can be reduced, and the handover with the reliability guaranteed can be achieved by allowing the security related processing in the network re-entry procedure. |
| US08660083B2 |
Uplink scheduling in a cellular system
A method (1000) for scheduling uplink transmission resources such as transmission duration and frequency to users (120) in a cell (110) of a cellular system (100). Grants for the use of uplink transmission resources are sent (1005) on a downlink control channel to users in the cell and the users' uplink transmissions are sent (1010) in subframes which have a certain extension in time and frequency. For each of at least a number of subframes, a decision (1015) is made on the number of users that will be scheduled resources for uplink transmission in the subframe, so that said number of users is maximized (1020) with respect to the control channel's capacity to transmit uplink grants for that subframe. |
| US08660080B2 |
Mapping uplink acknowledgement resource based on downlink control channel
Techniques for determining an uplink (UL) acknowledgment (ACK) resource based on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) carrying a resource allocation for a user equipment (UE) are disclosed. The mapping between the UL ACK resource and the PDCCH may be implicit, which may reduce overhead. The UL ACK resource may be associated with a time-varying cyclic shift of a base sequence used by the UE to send ACK information. The UE may send the ACK information based on the time-varying cyclic shift of the base sequence, which may randomize interference. |
| US08660079B2 |
Method for sensing whitespace in a wireless LAN system, and apparatus for performing same
Provided is a method for sensing a channel of a whitespace band in a wireless LAN system. A method for sensing and reporting a channel of a whitespace band in a wireless LAN system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving a sensing request including a candidate report channel and a target channel of a whitespace band to be sensed; sensing the target channel; and determining a channel for transmitting sensed results in accordance with whether a licensed user is detected on the target channel, and transmitting the sensed results. |
| US08660077B2 |
Method and systems for conveying scheduling information of overlapping co-scheduled users in an OFDMA-MU-MIMO system
Methods and systems for conveying or transmitting to any given user in an OFDMA-MU-MIMO system scheduling information of other co-scheduled users to permit the user to perform error-correction on received data and/or interference reduction on its received signals. The scheduling information can include resource block assignment, modulation constellations employed, coding rates employed, power levels utilized and precoder matrix indices used. Further, the scheduling information can be conveyed in part through dedicated reference symbol layers or pilot streams. Moreover, a base station may transmit a preliminary estimate of the total number of users the base station expects to schedule, or an upper-bound on the total number of users, to the MU-MIMO users to permit the MU-MIMO users to determine preferred precoder matrix indices and indications of channel quality indices. |
| US08660073B2 |
Techniques to provide physical resource allocation using a tree-based structure and communicate a channel quality indicator
In a wireless network, simultaneous support of distributed and contiguous sub-carrier allocation may be accomplished in the same sub-frame or time zone. Techniques are described herein that can be used to allocate distributed and/or contiguous basic (physical) resource blocks to users by specifying a codebook index and parent node. Techniques are described herein that can be used to flexibly set a number of sub-channels over which a subscriber station indicates a channel quality indicator to a base station. Sub-channels may be represented as nodes and may be grouped to include a parent node and child nodes. By specifying a code book to use and a parent node, the channel quality indicator of the parent and children nodes can be indicated. |
| US08660072B2 |
Methods and apparatus for improved reference signal correlation characteristics
The auto-correlation properties of a reference signal or pilot pattern, such as a position reference signal (PRS) in a Long Term Evolution communication system, is improved by modifying the currently specified PRS patterns, and/or by PRS pattern shaping. Pattern shaping can result in creation of virtual PRS patterns, for example, by controlling the PRS transmitted or received power used by the correlator. PRS power shaping can be implemented differently according to the location where the PRS power is calculated, e.g., in a network node or in a user equipment. |
| US08660071B2 |
Adaptive resource partitioning in a wireless communication network
Techniques for performing adaptive resource partitioning are described. In one design, a node computes local metrics for different possible actions related to resource partitioning to allocate available resources to a set of nodes that includes the node. Each possible action is associated with a set of resource usage profiles for the set of nodes. The node sends the computed local metrics to at least one neighbor node in the set of nodes. The node also receives local metrics for the possible actions from the neighbor node(s). The node determines overall metrics for the possible actions based on the computed local metrics and the received local metrics. The node then determines allocation of the available resources to the set of nodes based on the overall metrics. For example, the node may select the action with the best overall metric and may utilize the available resources based on a resource usage profile for the selected action. |
| US08660069B2 |
Method for coding additional information in a media access protocol (MAP) message
Disclosed is a method for reducing number of bits in a Media Access Protocol (MAP) message. The MAP message comprises a plurality of information elements grouped into one of a first set of information elements and a second set of information elements. The first set of information elements are arranged in a pre-defined order and each of the second set of information elements is inserted into one of a prefix position to the pre-defined order, a suffix position to the pre-defined order and an intermediate position in-between two information elements in the pre-defined order. Each information element of the second set of information elements is then coded based on position of the information element relative to the position of the first set of information elements in the pre-defined order, thereby reducing the number of bits in the MAP message. |
| US08660061B2 |
Voice and data wireless communications network and method
A wireless local area network that carries mixed traffic of voice and data communications may be provided. The wireless local area network may include an access point and a plurality of remote terminals that are associated with the access point. The access point may be operably coupled to a wireline network. The access point may receive voice and other communications packets from the remote terminals and the wireline network. Some of the packets may be for transmission to the remote terminals. The access point manages which packets to transmit and when to transmit packets. The access point may manage traffic to maintain a fair distribution of packets and to give priority to voice communications over other communications. |
| US08660059B2 |
Method and system for managing states of relay node
The disclosure discloses a method and a system for managing a state of a relay node. The method comprises switching (23) the state of the relay node from a connection state of serving as a user equipment to a connection state of enabling a relay function, after the relay node acquires (21) information that a base station schedules the relay node through a relay-node physical downlink control channel, or after the relay node sends (22) the base station a state-switching request of requiring to switch to the connection state of enabling a relay function. |
| US08660057B2 |
Method and system for distributed communication
A decentralized communication device is provided that facilitates optimal positioning and orientation of one or more antennas for wireless communication with external devices. The decentralized communication device includes one or more master components and one or more slave components. The master and the slave components are physically separate and communicate wirelessly. In some embodiments the slave acts as a carrier frequency translator between the master and an external wireless device, where it communicates with the external device using a first frequency and communicates with the master using a second frequency which is different from the first frequency. In another embodiment the slave has most or all the physical layer to do the digital coding, digital modulation, data framing, data formatting and data packetization for communicating with an external device, in which case digital coding and digital modulation is distributed between the master and the slave. |
| US08660056B2 |
Full-rate cooperative relay
Techniques and systems that improve throughput between a pair of nodes by using two multi-hop paths of one-way flows regardless of the one-way flows interfering with each other are described herein. These techniques enable nearly full-rate data flow through frame transmissions, even though these frame transmissions can interfere with substantially concurrent relay transmissions. In some implementations, relays on the two paths forward mixed frame signals to the next hop without trying to decode the mixed frame signals of interfered frames. The destination successfully recovers the useful information from the mixed frame signals by canceling out interference based on previously received frames. |
| US08660053B2 |
Method for receiving and transmitting MBMS service, terminal for receiving MBMS service, and network for transmitting MBMS service
Disclosed is a method for receiving MBMS services from a base station supporting multi-carriers, including: receiving first system information including information on all the carriers; receiving second system information including information on multi-carriers supported by the base station; receiving MBMS control information through an MBMS control channel; and receiving the MBMS services through an MBMS transmission channel based on the MBMS control information. |
| US08660050B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting MBS data in wireless communication system using fractional frequency reuse
Provided are a method and an apparatus for transmitting multicast broadcast service (MBS) data in a wireless communication system using fractional frequency reuse (FFR). The method comprises: allocating, to a common network zone, part or whole of a frequency partition where FRF (frequency reuse factor) is 1, from among a plurality of frequency partitions; and transmitting MBS data in the common network zone. |
| US08660049B2 |
Wireless communication system, base station and network control apparatus
In a time slot in which a first base station for performing a multicast transmission executes the multicast transmission, a second base station which does not perform the multicast transmission does not perform a unicast data transmission. The time slot in which the first base station performs the multicast transmission is notified to the second base station from a multicast control apparatus for performing scheduling of the multicast transmission to the first base station. Information to receive the multicast transmission is notified from the second base station to a terminal connected to the second base station. |
| US08660045B2 |
Mobile core network node redundancy
Apparatus configured to operate within a communication network as a pool proxy, routing signalling traffic between a node of a first network and one of a set of pooled nodes within a second network. The apparatus is further configured to operate in one of an active state and a passive state towards the first network node and, when in said active state to send a heartbeat signal to at least one of said pooled nodes for relaying to a peer pool proxy and, when in said passive state, to receive a heartbeat signal from a peer pool proxy relayed via at least one of said pooled nodes. In the event that no heartbeat signal is received when in the passive state, the apparatus is configured to activate itself as pool proxy towards the first network node. |
| US08660044B2 |
Method and device for providing a communication session
A method and device for providing a communication session with a plurality of users. In one embodiment, the method includes: (1) transmitting an initiation message from the first terminal to the second terminal, the initiation message including a first address assigned to the first terminal, (2) dividing a display of the first terminal to simultaneously display text to be transmitted from the first terminal and text received from the second terminal, the dividing based on if there is text to be transmitted by the first terminal, (3) receiving the initiation message at the second terminal, (4) transmitting a first reply to the initiation message from the second terminal to the first terminal and (5) receiving the first reply at the first terminal. |
| US08660042B2 |
Connecting various wireless terminals over power lines
A method of extending the coverage of a wireless communication network having two or more nodes communicating over power lines network is provided herein. The method includes: providing the nodes with respective adapters, each one of the adapters coupling its respective node with the power lines network and being further operable in at least one of: receiving mode, transmitting mode; selecting one or more time-division duplex frequency channel or two or more frequency-division duplex frequency channels for communication over the power line media, such that less interfered frequencies are used, to maintain or to yield an increase in wireless communication performance between the nodes; broadcasting over the power line, via at least one of the adaptors, signals or information indicative of a central frequency point for each one of the selected frequency channels; and establishing a communication link over the power lines network between the nodes via the adaptors. |
| US08660040B1 |
Bifurcated conferencing functions
A source conference function is provided for each source device, and a destination conference function is provided for each destination device. Any given user terminal may act as both a destination device when receiving media content and a source device when sending media content to facilitate bidirectional conferencing. The source device generates media content, which is sent to the associated source conference function. In general, the source conference function identifies destination conference functions to which the media content should be delivered, and delivers the media content to the identified destination conference functions. Any given destination conference function receives the media content from this and other source conference functions. The media content received from all or select of the source conference functions may be processed by the destination conference function as desired, and then mixed together to form destination media content, which is delivered to the destination device. |
| US08660039B2 |
Multi-channel multi-access voice over IP intercommunication systems and methods
The present invention provides systems and methods employing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to provide full summing and non-blocking, multi-channel, multi-access voice communication capabilities. |
| US08660036B2 |
Method for controlling multi-sink/multi-path routing sensor network and sensor network using the same
A method for controlling a multi-sink/multi-path routing sensor network and a sensor network system using the same are provided. The method for controlling the sensor network includes generating, at a sensor node, sensing data; transmitting, at the sensor node, the sensing data to a plurality of sink nodes; and forwarding, at the sink nodes receiving the sensing data from the sensor node, the sensing data to a gateway. Hence, it is possible to satisfy the reliability required in the safety-critical system with the minimum traffic. Both of the two conflicting requirements which are the reliability enhancement of the sensor network and the minimization of the network traffic in the repeated data transmission, can be satisfied adequately. |
| US08660034B2 |
Method and system for monitoring activity of a remote link partner to trigger training of Ethernet channels to support energy efficient Ethernet networks
It may be determined via monitoring whether a first link partner and/or a second link partner coupled via an Ethernet link has trained or refreshed circuitry and/or has updated at least one parameter. Based on the determination, a corresponding link partner may be trained, refreshed and/or updated. One or more of an echo canceller, a far-end crosstalk canceller and a near-end crosstalk canceller for one or more channels may be configured based on the training, refreshing and/or updating. One or more channels may be silent and/or one or more may be active. Link partners may communicate via one or more of in-band signaling, out-of-band signaling to determine which link partner may monitor and/or which may control or initiate operation. The controlling link partner may be assigned a master mode of operation. Training, refreshing and/or updating for the monitoring link partner may be based on a timer. |
| US08660032B2 |
Method for transmitting feedback of channel state information and user equipment
Disclosed are a method for transmitting feedback of channel state information and user equipment. The method comprises: under a transmission mode, user equipment (UE) determining contents carried by channel state information according to indication information, wherein the indication information comprises at least one of the following: rank indicator (RI), channel quality indication information (CQI) and configuration signaling sent by a base station eNodeB; and the UE sending the channel state information to the eNodeB. The present invention solves the problem that the contents provided by the channel state information are not suitable for those transmission modes under which a multiple user-MIMO and a single user-MIMO can be switched from one to another, improving the applicability of the channel state information. |
| US08660028B2 |
Methods and apparatus for relaying peer discovery information in WWAN
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product are provided in which a peer discovery signal is received from a second apparatus. At least one of a path loss to a serving base station or a path loss to a neighboring base station is determined. Whether to relay the peer discovery signal is determined based on the at least one of the path loss to the serving base station or the path loss to the neighboring base station. The peer discovery signal is sent upon determining to relay the peer discovery signal. |
| US08660027B2 |
Method and apparatus for sending and receiving a measurement report via a shared channel
A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) performing a measurement in a CELL_PCH or URA_PCH state is disclosed. Subsequent to the measurement, the WTRU may transition to a CELL_FACH. The WTRU may then send a measurement report related to the measurement to a Node-B via a random access channel (RACH) in the CELL_FACH state. |
| US08660025B2 |
Accurate method to evaluate a system reliability of a cloud computing network
An accurate method, which is utilized to evaluate a system reliability of a cloud computer network, is disclosed. The cloud computer network includes a plurality of arcs. Each arc has a current capacity, and the current capacities are arranged to form a plurality of capacity vectors corresponding to several states of the cloud computer network. The steps of the method includes: providing a total demand, a time constraint and a budget constraint; defining a first vector group, including the capacity vectors satisfying the total demand and the time constraint; executing an adjustment procedure to change the capacity vectors unsatisfying into satisfying the budget constraint; defining a second vector group according to the result of the adjustment procedure, including the capacity vectors satisfying the total demand, the time constraint and the budget constraint; and calculating a probability according to the second vector group and defining the probability as the system reliability. |
| US08660023B2 |
System and method for reducing blind decoding for carrier aggregation
A method for processing a control channel at a user agent (UA) to identify at least one of an uplink and a downlink resource grant within a wireless communication system wherein resource grants are received using control channel element (CCE) subsets wherein each CCE subset is a control channel candidate, wherein the UA is configured to decode up to M control channel candidates per time period for single carrier operation, the method comprising the steps of, at the user agent, identifying N control channel candidates that are distributed among C carriers wherein N is less than M×C, attempting to decode each of the N identified control channel candidates to identify at least one of an uplink and a downlink resource grant and where a control channel candidate is successfully decoded, using the one of the uplink grant and the downlink grant to facilitate communication. |
| US08660022B2 |
Adaptive remote decision making under quality of information requirements
A system and method for adaptive remote decision making includes steps of: receiving from an application layer a target range for a level of reporting quality for processed data; setting data collection parameters to meet the target range; collecting the data from a plurality of remote data collecting devices deployed in the distributed computing system, a portion of said data being compromised during the collecting process; processing the collected data to produce the processed data; evaluating the processed data based on observable metrics of current collected data and reported data losses; forecasting an expected reporting quality while continuing to collect the data; comparing the expected reporting quality with the target range; and reporting the processed data when the expected reporting quality falls within the target range for the level of reporting quality. |
| US08660021B2 |
Network diagnostics
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a controller to automatically check lower level layer test results of an IPTV or iTV network, automatically retrieve inventory data from an inventory system, automatically retrieve a Layer 4 data from a live router by executing a show Class of Service (COS) interface command, automatically compare a COS value with a value from the inventory system to determine a mismatch, and automatically create an alert if the mismatch exists. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08660020B2 |
Communication network with skew compensation
Embodiments of the present invention compensate for skew across a wavelength division multiplexed network. The network is a wavelength division multiplexed optical transport network. The skew compensation can be performed electrically or optically. It can be performed on the transmission side of the network, the receiver side of the network or at any intermediary node on the network. |
| US08660019B2 |
System and method for configuring media network resources
A system and method for configuring media resources is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network element having a controller element to present a graphical user interface (GUI) to identify available configuration settings for one or more self-describing services offered to one or more media devices in the network, and manage a network connectivity of the media devices in the network to receive the one or more self-describing services in accordance with a selection of the available configuration settings. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08660018B2 |
Machine learning approach for estimating a network path property
A network path property for nodes in a network is estimated using machine learning techniques. Network path property measurements for paths between nodes and a subset of node in the network are received. Using machine learning, the network path property for the nodes is estimated based on the network path property measurements. |
| US08660017B2 |
Systems and methods for updating IP communication service attributes using an LDAP
A system processes calls in an Internet Protocol (IP) communications network. The system includes a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) database, an LDAP sever, and a redirect server. The LDAP database stores a group of IP communication service attributes. The LDAP server receive a request for a database update, extracts the group of IP communication service attributes from the LDAP database, and transfers the extracted IP communication service attributes to the redirect server. The redirect server stores the extracted IP communication service attributes and processes a call using the stored IP communication service attributes. |
| US08660015B2 |
Location of mobile devices served by a relay node
A network-based wireless location system (WLS) is configured to locate mobile devices, or user equipment (UE), wirelessly communicating with a relay node (RN). The RN is wirelessly backhauled to a serving donor enhanced NodeB (donor eNB), and the RN has eNB functionality to communicate with the UE and has UE functionality to communicate data from the UE with the donor eNB. The WLS carries out a method including receiving uplink transmissions from the RN, using the uplink transmissions from the RN to compute a location estimate for the RN, and determining a location estimate for the UE based on the location estimate for the RN. |
| US08660013B2 |
Detecting delimiters for low-overhead communication in a network
A waveform communicated from a first station to a second station over the shared medium may be communicated at a time that is based on a shared time reference shared by the first and second stations. The waveform may include at least a first symbol, having a predetermined symbol length, comprising a first set of frequency components at predetermined carrier frequencies modulated with preamble information and a second set of frequency components at predetermined carrier frequencies modulated with frame control information. The carrier frequencies of the first and second sets of frequency components may be integral multiples of a frequency interval determined by the inverse of the symbol length. The first symbol of the waveform may be demodulated in response to detecting a series of values sampled based on the shared time reference. |
| US08660009B2 |
Core network processing load reduction
A cellular radio communications network includes a core network with a core network node coupled to a radio access network (RAN) associated with a first radio access technology for communicating with mobile radio terminals. The RAN includes multiple RAN nodes. Each mobile radio terminal has an associated access class for accessing service from the cellular radio communications network. The core network node detects an overload condition and sends an overload message to the RAN nodes that includes information for reducing the overload condition. Each of the RAN nodes receives the overload message and determines whether an access class restriction should be implemented to reduce the number of mobile radio terminals permitted to access the cellular radio communications network. If so, the RAN node determines one or more access classes of mobile radio terminals to be restricted based on the information in the overload message. Information relating to the one or more restricted access classes is transmitted in an area associated with the RAN node so that the mobile terminals of a restricted access class are prohibited from accessing the cellular radio communications network. |
| US08660008B2 |
Traffic management in distributed wireless networks
Wireless networks and devices are ubiquitous today. For service providers to offer customers QoS and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) means in part providing resilient connectivity of wireless devices with good signal strength, good Signal to Noise and Interference Ratio (SNIR), and adequate useable bandwidth. Doing so requires that devices transmitting and receiving packets use over-the-air bandwidth efficiently and manage over-the-air congestion. According to embodiments of the invention QoS measurements and controls are incorporated only in the network (i.e. APs or controllers) and therefore QoS and SLAs can be achieved with all deployed client stations versus standards based approaches that require additional capabilities in network nodes, client stations and in most cases modifications to the applications. SLAs can be provided exploiting embodiments of the invention for traffic prioritization, capacity improvements through load distribution, and adjacent channel interference mitigation discretely or in combination with standards based mechanisms. |
| US08660006B2 |
Method and system for traffic management and resource allocation on a shared access network
A method for traffic management and resource allocation on a shared access network including estimating a bandwidth capacity of a gateway, determining a demand rate of an IP gateway, allocating bandwidth to the IP gateway based on the demand rate, traffic priority, or traffic weighting, allocating bandwidth to the IP gateway in advance of demand when excess bandwidth is available, scheduling traffic at the IP gateway based on traffic priority, service plan of a VSAT, or physical layer properties of the VSAT, performing priority queue servicing of traffic at a gateway using a real time traffic priority queue, a non-real time traffic priority queue, two or more modulation and coding queue groups, and a code block queue. |
| US08660000B2 |
Admission and eviction policies for mobile devices with non-telephonic functionality
Implementations and techniques for admission and/or eviction policies for wireless devices having non-telephonic functionality are generally disclosed. |
| US08659999B2 |
Method and system for resource and admission control in an NGN home network
The present disclosure discloses a method and system for resource and admission control in an NGN home network. Through setting up an Rh interface between the Policy Decision Function Entity of the NGN service provider and the Home Gateway Enforcement Function Entity in the customer premise network, the Policy Decision Function Entity of the service provider makes the resource and admission control policy for the customer premises network and sends down the policy rules to the customer premises network through the interface. Thus the quality of service of the network that the users use could be ensured well. |
| US08659997B2 |
Policy-based service management system
A policy-based management mechanism is provided, whereby the mechanism provides for at least the controlling of access to network resources, the integration of different frameworks into a common open standard, and modular components for assembling integrated date and voice services. The mechanism accomplishes this by using an access management component that checks for access credentials, a service management component that identifies which resources are available to a requestor of resources, and a resource management component that manages the requested resources. In one exemplary implementation, a fourth component, the policy management component links the first three components such that a resource request gains access to resources based on policy decisions determined by the fourth component for the first three components. |
| US08659995B2 |
Transitive probing for failure detection of network interfaces
A system (including a processor, a host having a network multipath daemon, and multiple network interfaces) and method involving issuing, by an active interface, an Internet Protocol probe packet (IPPP) to a probe target, issuing, by an alternate interface, a transitive probe packet (TPP) to the active interface, where the alternate interface and the active interface belong to a broadcast domain. The system and method further involve awaiting, by the active interface, a responsive IPPP from the probe target, awaiting by the alternate interface, a responsive TPP from the active interface, and determining network conditions based upon receiving at least one of the responsive IPPP and the responsive TPP. |
| US08659992B2 |
Network address translation
Address translation sufficient for use in translating addresses included in messages carried or otherwise transmitted between inside and outside network is contemplated. The contemplated address translation may facilitate operation of a network address translator (NAT), carrier grade network address translator (CGN), or other device similarly configured to facilitate translating inside addresses used to address messages carried over the inside network relative to outside addresses used to facilitate carrying messages over the outside network. |
| US08659982B2 |
Optical information recording/reproducing apparatus and optical information reproducing apparatus
In a system of detecting an interference light with a light not irradiated onto an optical disc to increase the S/N ratio, it is difficult to stably acquire a reproduced signal with a simple configuration. Since the recording density is not improved, an improvement in transfer rate is difficult. In an optical information recording/reproducing apparatus where two optical beams face each other and are focused at the same place of a recording medium to record a standing wave developed by interference of the two optical beams, a phase difference of the two optical beams is modulated in a multiple stage and recorded. During reproduction, an interference light of a reproduced light from the recording medium and another reproduction reference light is detected as a reproduced signal, and a phase servo control stabilizing the phase of interference during reproduction by using a low frequency component of the reproduced signal is conducted. |
| US08659977B2 |
Acoustic signal generation system using moving reflecting surface
An acoustic signal generation system may include a cylindrical-like object having a cylindrical-like surface which is configured to reflect an acoustic signal directed to a location on the surface in substantially different directions as the cylindrical-like object is rotated. The cylindrical-like surface may be on the exterior of the cylindrical-like object or form an interior surface of the cylindrical-like object. The cylindrical-like surface may be formed by a plurality of substantially flat surfaces connected to one another in a substantially cylindrical configuration. The flat surfaces may have different angular orientations with respect to the axis of rotation. An acoustic transducer may be configured and oriented so as to direct an acoustic signal to a location on the cylindrical-like surface as the cylindrical-like object rotates. A motor may be configured to cause the cylindrical-like object to rotate. |
| US08659976B2 |
Electronic baffling of sensor arrays
A method and system is described for reducing unwanted noise components/interfering targets detected through an ambiguous beam-steer direction, such as the ambiguous ‘back-lobe’ of a sensor array. A pressure sensor array 52 and a plurality of pressure gradient sub-arrays 541-N are beamformed individually at processing stages 56, 581-N to derive signals indicative of directional responses, one from each group or sub-group. The signals are scaled and weighted (60, 620-N) and processed to define a cardioid beam with nulls pointing in the ambiguous beam-steer direction. |
| US08659972B2 |
Adaptive read wordline voltage boosting apparatus and method for multi-port SRAM
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for adaptively boosting the supply voltage to an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) in response to process-voltage-temperature variations when needed. Embodiments include a critical path that simulates a typical memory cell and read-out circuit in the SRAM. Applying a trigger signal to a word-line input port of the critical path, and comparing the output of the critical path to a reference-latch signal, provides an indication of when to boost the supply voltage to the read-out circuits of the SRAM. |
| US08659967B2 |
Random access memory and refresh controller thereof
A random access memory and a refresh controller thereof are provided. The refresh controller includes a write action detector, a latch device, a reset circuit, and a refresh masking device. The write action detector is coupled to an address decoder of the random access memory, and is used to detect a write action in an address corresponding to the address decoder and generate a detection result. The latch device is coupled to the write action detector, and is used to receive and latch the detection result. The reset circuit is coupled to the latch device, receives a reset control signal, and resets the detection result according to the reset control signal. The refresh masking device is coupled to a corresponding word line control circuit and the latch device and is used to mask a refresh action on the word line control circuit according to the detection result. |
| US08659961B2 |
Memory repair systems and methods for a memory having redundant memory
Memories, memory repair logic, and methods for repairing a memory having redundant memory are disclosed. One such memory includes programmable elements associated with respective redundant memory configured to have memory addresses mapped thereto, the programmable elements configured to be programmed with at least portions of the memory addresses. Such a memory further includes repair logic coupled to the programmable elements and configured to identify programmable elements available for programming to map memory addresses to respective redundant memory. One method for remapping a memory address of a memory to redundant memory includes receiving at least a portion of a memory address to be remapped to redundant memory, determining whether a programmable element associated with the redundant memory is available for programming, and when a programmable element is available, programming the programmable element such that the memory address will be mapped to the associated redundant memory. |
| US08659960B2 |
Semiconductor memory device having a data line sense amplifier
A memory device includes a data line sense amplifier configured to receive a sense amplifying power source voltage and a sense amplifying ground voltage through a sense amplifying power source line and a sense amplifying ground line, respectively, and sense-amplify data loaded on a pair of data lines, and a pre-charging unit configured to pre-charge and equalize the sense amplifying power source line and the sense amplifying ground line with a sense amplifying pre-charge voltage, generate the sense amplifying pre-charge voltage by voltage dividing the sense amplifying power source voltage and the sense amplifying ground voltage through a voltage dividing path including the sense amplifying power source line and the sense amplifying ground line, and apply the sense amplifying power source voltage to the sense amplifying power source line and the sense amplifying ground voltage to the sense amplifying ground line in response to a sense amplifying pre-charge control signal. |
| US08659957B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of driving semiconductor device
An object is to provide a semiconductor device to reduce variation in the threshold voltages of memory cells after writing, reduce the operation voltage, or increase the storage capacity. The semiconductor device includes memory cells each including a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a driver circuit that drives the memory cells, a potential generating circuit that generates potentials supplied to the driver circuit, and a write completion detecting circuit that detects all at once whether rewriting of data into the memory cells is completed or not. The driver circuit includes a data buffer, a writing circuit that writes one potential of the potentials into each of the memory cells as data, a reading circuit that reads the data written into the memory cells, and a verifying circuit that verifies whether the read data agrees with the data held in the data buffer or not. |
| US08659952B2 |
Method of operating non-volatile memory
A method of operating a non-volatile memory having a substrate, a gate, a charge-trapping layer, a source region and a drain region is provided. The charge-trapping layer close to the source region is an auxiliary charge region and the charge-trapping layer close to the drain region is a data storage region. Before prosecuting the operation, electrons have been injected into the auxiliary charge region. When prosecuting the programming operation, a first voltage is applied to the gate, a second voltage is applied to the source region, a third voltage is applied to the drain region and a fourth voltage is applied to the substrate. The first voltage is greater than the fourth voltage, the third voltage is greater than the second voltage, and the second voltage is greater than the fourth voltage to initiate a channel initiated secondary hot electron injection to inject electrons into the data storage region. |
| US08659943B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device, method for fabricating the same, and method for operating the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes bit and source lines alternately arranged parallel to each other and even strings and odd strings alternately arranged between the bit lines and the source lines and each including drain selection transistors, memory transistors, and a source selection transistor. The drain selection transistors include a first drain selection transistor with the same structure as the memory transistors and a second drain selection transistor with the same structure as the source selection transistor. The nonvolatile memory device further includes an even drain selection line connected to the first drain selection transistors of the even strings and the second drain selection transistors of the odd strings and an odd drain selection line connected to the second drain selection transistors of the even strings and the first drain selection transistors of the odd strings. |
| US08659938B2 |
Multibit magnetic random access memory cell with improved read margin
A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell including a magnetic tunnel junction including a tunnel barrier layer between a first magnetic layer having a first magnetization direction, and a second magnetic layer having a second adjustable magnetization to vary a junction resistance of the magnetic tunnel junction from a first to a second junction resistance level; said magnetic tunnel junction further including a switching resistant element electrically connected to the magnetic tunnel junction and having a switching resistance switchable from a first to a second switching resistance level when a switching current is passed through the switching resistant element, such that a resistance of the MRAM cell can have at least four different cell resistance levels depending of the resistance level of the junction resistance and the switching resistance. The disclosed MRAM cell achieves improved read margin and allows for writing at least four different cell resistance levels. |
| US08659936B2 |
Low power static random access memory
A SRAM that keeps the memory cell array under a low voltage in the Standby mode and Write mode, and raises the memory cell array supply voltage to a high voltage in the Read mode. A SRAM comprising: at least one memory cell circuit, comprising a latch circuit with at least two inverters, and comprising two power receiving terminals for receiving power; and a power supplying circuit, for providing the power to the memory cell circuit, such that the voltages at the power receiving terminals of the latch circuit is below a predetermined voltage level when data is written to the latch circuit. In one embodiment, the memory cell circuit includes a plurality of data accessing terminals and the data accessing terminals are respectively controlled by at least two pass-transistor switch devices. |
| US08659932B2 |
Single device driver circuit to control three-dimensional memory element array
A memory device includes diode plus resistivity switching element memory cells coupled between bit and word lines, single device bit line drivers with gates coupled to a bit line decoder control lead, sources/drains coupled to a bit line driver, and drains/sources coupled to bit lines, single device word line drivers with gates coupled to a word line decoder control lead, sources/drains coupled to a word line driver output, and drains/sources coupled to word lines, a first bleeder diode coupled between a bit line and a first bleeder diode controller, and a second bleeder diode coupled between a word line and a second bleeder diode controller. The first bleeder diode controller connects the first bleeder diode to low voltage in response to a bit line decoder signal. The second bleeder diode controller connects the second bleeder diode to high voltage in response to a word line decoder signal. |
| US08659931B1 |
Erase and soft program within the erase operation for a high speed resistive switching memory operation with controlled erased states
Structures and methods of operating a programmable impedance element are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of operating a programmable impedance element can include: (i) determining an operation to be performed on the programmable impedance element, where the programmable impedance element includes a solid electrolyte between an active electrode and an inert electrode; (ii) in response to the determined operation being a program operation, programming the programmable impedance element by completing formation of a conductive path from a partial conductive path between the active and inert electrodes; and (iii) in response to the determined operation being an erase operation, erasing the programmable impedance element by substantially dissolving the conductive path, and then by forming the partial conductive path. |
| US08659925B2 |
Three-level active rectification pulse width modulation control
An active rectification system includes a three-level active rectifier and a pulse with modulation (PWM) control portion. The three-level active rectifier includes at least three switches, the at least three switches are selectively switchable between an upper state, a center state, and a lower state. The PWM control portion is in communication with the at least three switches, the PWM control portion is configured and disposed to create an upper carrier signal and a lower carrier signal, and the PWM control portion is configured and disposed to selectively switch the at least three switches between the upper state, the center state, and the lower state in response to a phase disposition of the upper carrier signal and the lower carrier signal. |
| US08659924B2 |
Power conversion apparatus
In a power conversion apparatus that converts AC power to DC power, an inverter circuit including one or more single-phase inverters connected in series with each other is connected in series at the subsequent stage of a rectification of an AC input. At the subsequent stage of the inverter circuit, a smoothing capacitor connected via a rectification diode, and a short-circuiting switch for bypassing the smoothing capacitor are provided. The short-circuiting switch is subjected to ON/OFF control by PWM control such that a voltage of the DC voltage supply of the inverter circuit follows a target voltage. The inverter circuit is subjected to output control such that a DC voltage of the smoothing capacitor follows a target voltage and an input power factor is improved. |
| US08659922B2 |
Photovoltaic module-mounted AC inverter
A photovoltaic module-mounted AC inverter circuit uses one or more integrated circuits, several switches, solid dielectric capacitors for filtering and energy storage, inductors for power conversion and ancillary components to support the above elements in operation. The integrated circuit includes all monitoring, control, and communications circuitry needed to operate the inverter. The integrated circuit controls the switches in both an input boost converter and a single-phase or multi-phase output buck converter. The integrated circuit also monitors all power processing voltages and currents of the inverter and can take appropriate action to limit power dissipation in the inverter, maximize the available power from the associated PV module and shut down the inverter output if the grid conditions so warrant. The integrated circuit implements power line communications by monitoring the AC wiring for signals and generating communications signals via the same pulse-width modulation system used to generate the AC power. |
| US08659921B2 |
Power supply with a piezoelectric transformer and method for power conversion
A power supply with a piezoelectric transformer is provided. A method for power conversion is also provided. The power supply includes a piezoelectric transformer and an oscillator circuit connected to the piezoelectric transformer. The oscillator circuit controls a sinusoidal voltage waveform at an input of the piezoelectric transformer to drive the piezoelectric transformer. |
| US08659916B2 |
Control circuit with ZVS-lock and asymmetrical PWM for resonant power converter
A control circuit for a resonant power converter and a control method thereof are disclosed. The control circuit comprises a first transistor and a second transistor switching a transformer through a resonant tank. A controller receives a feedback signal for generating a first switching signal and a second switching signal coupled to drive the first transistor and the second transistor respectively. The feedback signal is correlated to an output of the resonant power converter. A diode is coupled to the second transistor for detecting the state of the second transistor for the controller. The first switching signal and the second switching signal are modulated to achieve a zero voltage switching (ZVS) for the second transistor. |
| US08659915B2 |
Valley-detection device for quasi-resonance switching and method using the same
A valley-detection device for quasi-resonance switching and a method using the same is disclosed, which uses first and second capacitors to connect with a comparator, and the comparator connects with an NMOSFET connecting to a transformer. When the NMOSFET is turned off, the energy stored in the transformer is discharged and a resonant signal across the source and the drain is generated, and a first constant current charges the first capacitor at a start time point of the resonant signal until a voltage of the resonant signal first reaches to a crossing voltage. Then, a second constant current charges the second capacitor when the voltage of the resonant signal equals to the crossing voltage while the voltage of the resonant signal varies from high to low. Finally, the comparator turns on the NMOSFET when a voltage of the second capacitor equals to a voltage of the first capacitor. |
| US08659913B2 |
Electromagnetic limiter and a use of an electromagnetic limiter
The invention relates to an electromagnetic limiter. The limiter comprises a multilayer having an electrically conducting pattern superposed on a dielectric structure. Further, the multilayer is provided with at least one electromagnetically transparent aperture that is electromagnetically transparent for plane wave incidence. In addition, the limiter comprises a non-controlled non-linear structure interconnecting opposite edges of the electromagnetically transparent aperture. |
| US08659911B2 |
Fixing metal bracket for component mounted on circuit board
A fixing metal bracket for a component mounted on a circuit board, includes a solder bonding plate section to be solder-fixed on a surface of a circuit board with a cream solder, and a component fixing section to be fixed to a component mounted on the circuit board. An annular through-groove is formed on the solder bonding plate section at a position surrounding a central area thereof. An island-shaped portion at the inside of the through-groove is separated from a peripheral portion at the outside of the through-groove while the connection part is remained. A step is formed on a solder bonding face of the connection part. Pure Sn plating is applied to the solder bonding face of the island-shaped portion and whisker resistance plating is applied to a surface of a portion other than the island-shaped portion. |
| US08659910B2 |
Locking mechanism and electronic device having the same
A locking mechanism includes a housing, a hinge, a fastening member, and an actuating member. The housing defines a receiving space therein and is formed with a through hole. The hinge includes a connecting support disposed in the receiving space and a rotary member operable to pivot relative to the connecting support, and having an engaging segment. The fastening member is disposed in the receiving space, is registered with the through hole, and is formed with an engaging slot for engaging the engaging segment. The actuating member removably extends into the through hole and is operable to actuate the fastening member to move between locked and unlocked positions, where the engaging segment and the engaging slot are engageable and non-engageable, respectively. |
| US08659907B2 |
Mounting apparatus for expansion card
A mounting apparatus includes a chassis, a mounting member, a mounting tray and a securing member. The mounting member secures an expansion card and includes a flange. The mounting tray is received in the chassis and includes a top panel, a front panel and a retaining panel connected to the front panel. The securing tab extends from the top panel. The securing member includes a base engaged with the front panel and a securing plate substantially perpendicular to the base. The resilient arm extends from the securing plate along a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the base. A clasping portion is located on the resilient arm. The flange is located between the retaining panel and the securing member, the clasping portion is engaged with the securing tab, and the resilient arm is deformable in the direction to disengage the clasping portion from the securing tab. |
| US08659904B2 |
Solid state disk assembly
A solid state disk assembly includes a solid state disk, a first heat conducting member and a second heat conducting member. The solid state disk includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and a chipset. The PCB includes a front surface, a rear surface, a first end, and a second end. The chipset is mounted on the front surface. The first heat conducting member abuts the chipset for absorbing heat generated by the solid state disk and includes at least a pair of elastic arms. The second heat conducting member attaches on the rear surface and includes at least a pair of engaging arms spatially corresponding to the at least one pair of elastic arms. The first end and the second end are clamped between the at least one pair of elastic arms. Each elastic arm engages with a respective one of the engaging arms. |
| US08659902B2 |
Electronic module and electronic assembly comprising such a module
The invention relates to an electronic module (2) comprising: an electronic card (4) on which electronic components (10) are disposed, two covers (6, 8), disposed on either side of the card (4). The cover (6) facing the components (10) has a central part (22) extending at a distance from the card (4) and a flanged edge (24) turned toward the card (4), prolonging one of the two opposite sides of the central part (22). This flanged edge (24) is prolonged by a flat support (26), extending in a plane parallel to the plane of the electronic card (4), the card (4) being added onto the said support (26). The covers (6, 8) bear indexing means (34), the electronic card (4) having indexing holes (36) cooperating with the indexing means (34) during positioning of the card (4) between the covers (6, 8). |
| US08659899B2 |
Cooling system for electronic device
A cooling system is used for cooling an electronic apparatus in an electronic device. The electronic device includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall. The electronic apparatus is supported on a middle of the bottom plate. The cooling system includes an evaporator, a fan, a condenser, a heat sink attached to the condenser, and a refrigerant pipe connected between the condenser and the evaporator. The heat sink and the condenser are set on an inner surface of the first sidewall. The fan is set on the first sidewall and aligns with the heat sink. The condenser operates to cool refrigerant and transfers the cooled refrigerant to the evaporator. A first airflow cooled by and coming from the evaporator flows through the electronic apparatus and the condenser to cool the electronic apparatus and the condenser, and is then vented through the fan. |
| US08659896B2 |
Cooling apparatuses and power electronics modules
A cooling apparatus for a power electronics system includes a jet plate, a target plate, a plurality of fluid collection passageways, and a fluid outlet. The jet plate includes an array of impingement jets having a jet body and an impingement jet channel. The target plate includes an array of microchannel cells having a plurality of radially-extending wavy-fin microchannels. The coolant fluid is directed toward an impingement location through the array of impingement jets and travels through the wavy-fin microchannels. The plurality of fluid collection passageways are arranged in a grid pattern such that the coolant fluid exits the wavy-fin microchannels and flows into the plurality of fluid passageways. The coolant fluid exits the cooling apparatus through the fluid outlet. The cooling apparatus may be incorporated into a power electronics module having a power electronics device to cool the power electronics device. |
| US08659895B1 |
Air-cooled data center rows
A computer data center system includes stacks of computers, each of the stacks computer motherboard assemblies arranged vertically with respect to one another, a first row of stacks, the row defined by stacks arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal line of stacks, and a cool air supply plenum adjacent to the first row of stacks. The cool air supply plenum supplies cool air to a first side of the first row of stacks for cooling computers placed in the stacks, and has a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with an average air flow of cooling air in the plenum. Computer assemblies in the first row of stacks include portions that are closer to the longitudinal axis of the cool air supply plenum than other portions of the same assemblies, or portions of adjacent computer assemblies that are closest to the longitudinal axis for the adjacent assemblies. |
| US08659887B2 |
Prop stand and protective case structure for electronic product
A prop stand includes a guide seat mounted to a rear side of an electronic device or a protective case thereof, a revolving seat rotatably assembled to the guide seat, and a propping unit movably connected to the revolving seat via a plurality of links pivotally connected to between the revolving seat and the propping unit. The links, the revolving seat and the propping unit together form a four-bar or five-bar linkage and a rotatable structure, such that the propping unit is movable by the links between a folded and an extended position and rotatable by the revolving seat to different angular positions relative to the guide seat. Therefore, the prop stand can be easily operated to conveniently prop the electronic product in a horizontally upright position, a vertically upright position or an inclined typing position. An electronic product protective case structure with the above-described prop stand is introduced. |
| US08659886B2 |
Portable computer apparatus
A portable computer apparatus includes a display module, a host module, at least one shaft mechanism, and an antenna. The display module has a first pivot side and includes first and second upper-cover members and a display device contained in the first and second upper-cover members. The host module has a second pivot side and includes first and second lower-cover members and a host device contained in the first and second lower-cover members. The host device is electrically connected to the display device and the antenna. The shaft mechanism is pivotally connected to at least one of the first and second upper-cover members corresponding to the first pivot side and at least one of the first and second lower-cover members corresponding to the second pivot side. The antenna is integrally formed with the shaft mechanism or on one of the first and second pivot sides. |
| US08659885B2 |
Latch mechanism for latching a monitor and a host of a portable computer and related portable computer
A latch mechanism includes a first latch component installed on a side of a monitor in a protrusible manner from the monitor, a pushing component connected to the first latch component for driving the first latch component to rotate in a first rotating direction when being pushed in a first moving direction so that the first latch component slides into a first slot of the monitor, and a resilient component installed on the pushing component and connected to the first latch component for driving the first latch component to rotate in a second rotating direction opposite to the first rotating direction when the pushing component is pushed in a second moving direction opposite to the first moving direction so that the first latch component protrudes out of the first slot of the monitor for latching a host. |
| US08659881B2 |
Power distribution unit for receiving diversified three-phase power or single-phase power
A power distribution unit is provided for receiving diversified three-phase power or single-phase power. The power distribution unit includes a separable power cord and a separable wiring block. The separable power cord is used for receiving electric energy of input power. The separable wiring block is electrically connected with the power cord for providing at least one connection configuration. The connection configuration provided by one side of the wiring block comprises a delta configuration, a Y configuration or a parallel configuration. |
| US08659880B2 |
AC photovoltaic module and inverter assembly
An AC photovoltaic module includes a DC photovoltaic module for converting solar energy to DC electrical power, and an inverter for converting DC electrical power to AC electrical power, the inverter being adapted for connection to a frame portion of the module and being sized and configured, and provided with arrangements of electrical components thereof, to dispense heat from the inverter, whereby to prolong operational life and reliability of the inverter. |
| US08659875B2 |
Capacitor and manufacturing method therefor
A capacitor includes an electrode and a dielectric layer over the electrode. The dielectric layer includes plural metal oxide particles which are spread, and have an aperture constituted by a space provided between the metal oxide particles. The capacitor further includes an insulating portion on a portion of the electrode facing an opening of the aperture of the dielectric layer. The insulating portion covers the opening of the aperture. This capacitor prevents short-circuiting between the electrodes, thus being highly reliable. |
| US08659874B2 |
Energy storage device
An energy storage device includes a supercapacitor having first and second electrodes, each including a composite of a mat of conducting fibers bound by an electrolytic resin. A method of fabricating a super capacitor includes constructing a mat of conducting fibers, binding the mat with an electrolytic resin, and forming a laminate of the electrodes spaced by an insulating spacer. |
| US08659871B2 |
Multilayer capacitor having reduced equivalent series inductance
A multilayer capacitor is provided with improved reliability and reduced ESL. In a width direction, a second principal-surface electrode portion is greater than a first principal-surface electrode portion, and a fifth principal-surface electrode portion is greater than a fourth principal-surface electrode portion. When viewed from a lamination direction, an outer edge of the second principal-surface electrode portion at the other end side is arranged near the other end side more than outer edge of the fifth principal-surface electrode portion at one end side. First lead portions are connected to the second principal-surface electrode portion, and second lead portions are connected to the fifth principal-surface electrode portion. Thus, portions of the second principal-surface electrode portion greater than the first principal-surface electrode portion and portions of the fifth principal-surface electrode portion greater than the fourth principal-surface electrode portion function as current paths between the first lead portions and the second lead portions. |
| US08659866B2 |
Compact transient voltage surge suppression device
A transient voltage surge suppression device includes a varistor assembly having a compact thickness, and two different disconnect elements responsive to distinct overvoltage conditions to disconnect a varistor assembly prior catastrophic failure thereof. |
| US08659860B2 |
Transient voltage blocking for power converter
A power converter includes a transient voltage protection circuit connected between an input of the power converter and a power stage of the power converter. The transient voltage protection circuit provides a low resistance connection from the input of the power converter to the power stage of the power converter when the input voltage is less than a predetermined threshold, but blocks the input voltage from the power stage when the input voltage is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold voltage. The power converter may be a boost power converter used in a vehicle to provide power from a main power bus of the vehicle to a subsystem of the vehicle such as an anti-lock brake system. |
| US08659856B2 |
DC arc fault detection and protection
A DC arc fault device and methodology includes acquiring a signal in response to a DC current. A software module identifies a parallel DC arc event when a difference between a maximum signal value and a minimum signal value exceeds a threshold. The software module also determines average signal values over multiple selected time periods and identifies a series DC arc event in response to the difference between the average values exceeding a predetermined threshold. |
| US08659848B2 |
Methodology for equalizing systemic latencies in television reception in connection with games of skill played in connection with live television programming
A method of and system for handling latency issues encountered in producing real-time entertainment such as games of skill synchronized with live or taped televised events is described herein. There are multiple situations that are dealt with regarding latencies in receiving a television signal with respect to real-time entertainment based on the unfolding games played along with the telecasts. Systemic delays, arbitrarily imposed delays of a broadcast signal and variances in the precise broadcast times of taped television programs have to be equalized so as to provide fair entertainment. |
| US08659847B1 |
Component reuse for ITI cancellation
User level data associated with a location adjacent to a desired location on a magnetic disk storage is received. Media level data associated with the adjacent location is generated based at least in part on the user level data associated with the adjacent location; a processor which is configured to generate the media level data associated with the adjacent location is a same processor which is configured to generate media level data based at least in part on user level data during a write process. The media level data associated with the adjacent location is used to remove inter-track interference (ITI) associated with the adjacent location from a signal read back from the desired location. |
| US08659843B2 |
Apparatus for method for immersion lithography
An apparatus for immersion lithography that includes an imaging lens which has a front surface, a fluid-containing wafer stage for supporting a wafer that has a top surface to be exposed positioned spaced-apart and juxtaposed to the front surface of the imaging lens, and a fluid that has a refractive index between about 1.0 and about 2.0 filling a gap formed in-between the front surface of the imaging lens and the top surface of the wafer. A method for immersion lithography can be carried out by flowing a fluid through a gap formed in-between the front surface of an imaging lens and a top surface of a wafer. The flow rate and temperature of the fluid can be controlled while particulate contaminants are filtered out by a filtering device. |
| US08659840B2 |
Optical element, display apparatus, display method, and moving body
According to one embodiment, an optical element includes a first optical sheet having a first major surface. The first optical sheet includes a first Fresnel lens provided in the first major surface. An optical axis of the first Fresnel lens at the first major surface is disposed at a position different from a position of a center of an outline of the first major surface. |
| US08659835B2 |
Lens systems and method
An optical system includes a first deformable lens having a membrane with a deformable portion. A sensor is configured to receive the light focused by the first deformable lens. An optical path extends through the first deformable lens and to the sensor. The first deformable lens is tuned according to an applied electrical signal in order to directly focus light traversing the optical path onto the sensor. A first volume of a first optical media and a second volume of a second optical media are defined at least in part by the deformable portion of the membrane. The first volume and the second volume are completely enclosed by the housing. The first volume and the second volume remain substantially constant for all configurations of the first deformable lens. |
| US08659829B2 |
Multilayer film comprising matte surface layer and articles
Optical films are described comprising a color shifting film comprising a matte surface layer; and light control microstructured layer disposed proximate the color shifting film. The optical film may comprise a matte layer disposed on a major surface of the color shifting film and the light control micro structured layer disposed on the color shifting film at an interface that is free of adhesive. Alternatively, the optical film may comprise a film stack comprising a light control film having a light control microstructured layer, a color shifting film, and an adhesive layer between the light control film and color shifting film. In some embodiments, the matte layer comprises matte particles. In other embodiments, the matte layer comprises a plurality of microstructures and no greater than 50% of the microstructures comprise embedded matte particles. In some embodiments, the microstructures are substantially free of embedded matte particles. |
| US08659820B1 |
Spectral sensing demodulator
A spectral sensing demodulator can include a programmable filter bank and a reconfigurable processor coupled to the programmable filter bank. The programmable filter bank can frequency demultiplex a plurality of frequency division multiplexed channels from a frequency band into a plurality of demultiplexed channels. The reconfigurable processor can include a plurality of reconfigurable resources. Each resource can be alternatively be configured to demodulate a demultiplexed channel and to monitor a demultiplexed channel. |
| US08659808B2 |
Scanning apparatus
A duplex scanning apparatus capable of switching a scanning background includes a pair of glass plates, a pair of background boards pivoted to the glass plates and a driving mechanism. The glass plates are disposed in a frame and overlapped with each other. The two glass plates define two scanning areas face to face. A portion of the frame adjacent to an outer surface of the glass plate defines a first color area of the scanning background corresponding to the scanning area. One background board is positioned above one glass plate, and the other background board is positioned under the other glass plate and away from the one background board. Each background board defines a second color area of the scanning background corresponding to the scanning area. The driving mechanism mounted in the frame drives the background boards to turn over with respect to the corresponding glass plates. |
| US08659806B2 |
Lighting device and document scanning device having the same
A lighting device includes a light source, a housing, a heat radiator, and a connector. A part of heat generated by the light source is transmitted to the housing, and the housing radiates the part of the heat. Another part of the heat generated by the light source is transmitted to the heat radiator, and the heat radiator radiates the another part of the heat. The connector transmits heat from the housing to the heat radiator when a temperature of a portion of the housing around the connector is higher than a temperature of a portion of the heat radiator around the connector. The connector transmits heat from the heat radiator to the housing when the temperature of the portion of the heat radiator around the connector is higher than the temperature of the portion of the housing around the connector. |
| US08659805B2 |
Motor driving control device, image forming apparatus, and image forming method
Certain embodiments provide a motor driving control device including a motor driver, a storage device, and a control section. The motor driver supplies a motor driving current for driving a motor to the motor. The storage device stores a first data table in which temperature around the motor, a current value of the motor driving current set to prevent the motor from stepping out at the temperature, and a driving voltage set in the motor driver in order to cause the motor driver to output the motor driving current having the current value are associated with one another for each temperature around the motor. The control section controls the motor driver to output the motor driving current having a predetermined current value associated with the temperature around the motor in the first data table. |
| US08659804B2 |
Optical scanning
Disclosed is a method of adjusting a scanner for scanning of an original, the scanner comprising an image sensor and a light source for emitting light, the method comprising the steps of: a) moving the image sensor in order for it to be located at a predefined scanning position by means of a movable mechanical member; b) determining the difference between the scanning position and the predefined scanning position; where the method further comprises: determining the difference between the scanning position and the predefined scanning position by detecting radiation from at least one fix-point having a fixed position relative to the image sensor. |
| US08659803B2 |
Image forming device with an adjustable scan unit
An image forming device including a print unit having a housing and a scan unit disposed on the top surface of the housing. The scan unit is coupled to the housing such that the scan unit is operable to scan an image in an upright position and in a horizontal position. The coupling includes the scan unit slidingly engaging with the print unit along a first edge of the scan unit. A linkage member is pivotably coupled to the scan unit and the print unit for supporting the scan unit in the upright position. |
| US08659797B2 |
Image forming apparatus, computer readable medium, and method
There are provided an image forming apparatus, a program, and a method to easily form a three-dimensional image at a reduced cost.Such an image forming apparatus includes an image obtaining section that obtains a source image, a region identifying section that identifies a region, in the source image, that is to be subjected to sharpness enhancement, and an image forming section that forms an image whose region corresponding to the region identified by the region identifying section is raised. Being saved from the process of measuring the distances to the subjects, the image forming apparatus can be constituted without a distance measuring sensor and the like, thereby reducing the cost. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus can easily form a three-dimensional image. |
| US08659794B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer readable medium
An image processing apparatus includes a dense-light color decomposition unit that decomposes, into dense and light color components, elementary color components out of elementary color components in first print image data in a color space of a printer, in order to generate dense-light color decomposed second print image data, a converter unit that converts the color value represented by the combination of the elementary color components in the color space of the printer into a color value represented by a combination of elementary color components in a color space of a display, and supplies the color value as a conversion result to the display, and a supplying unit that extracts, from the print image data, a color component selected as a target of composite display from among the color components and supplies the extracted color component to the converter unit. |
| US08659793B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
Image data is divided into blocks each of a 2×2 pixel size, and color-reduction processing is performed for the target block based on color data and attribute data of respective pixels forming the target block. A pattern flag indicating the layout pattern of color data contained in the target block is specified by comparing the color data of the respective pixels in the target block having undergone the color-reduction processing. Color data corresponding to a pixel at a position defined in advance in the block having undergone the color-reduction processing is extracted as color data of the first color. When it is determined that the number of colors in the block is one of two to four, color data of the second to fourth colors are extracted. The pattern flag, the color data of the first color of the block, and those of the second to fourth colors of the block are output. |
| US08659790B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus that determines scanning resolution based on continuous, same-kind pixels
A manuscript reading apparatus capable of reading manuscript through a proper scan resolution without performing troublesome operation by user is supplied. In the image reading apparatus, a setting section 102 sets a scan resolution; an image reading section 103 reads manuscript through the set scan resolution; a storing section 104 stores the read image data; and an image processing section 106 determines a recommended resolution with respect to the scan resolution according to a continuous number of the same pixel in the image data. |
| US08659786B2 |
Curve vectorization with preserved tangents at endpoints
A method of vectoring a curve having an endpoint and a tangent associated with the curve at the endpoint. The method determines a first point on the curve following the endpoint where a perpendicular distance between a first linear segment, joining the first point and the endpoint, and the curve, does not exceed a tolerance. A second point on the tangent is then determined for which a perpendicular distance from the first segment to the second point does not exceed the tolerance. The curve is then vectorized by a path formed of a plurality of linear segments, the plurality of linear segments comprising at least a second segment joining the endpoint and the second point, and a third segment joining the second point to the first point. |
| US08659785B2 |
Methods and systems for creating structural documents having background content
A method of generating a structural document may include causing, by a cloud system, a graphical representation of a structural document associated with a structural document kit to be displayed on a user computing device. The cloud system may be located remotely from the user computing device. The graphical representation may include a background content item and a customizable area. The method may include receiving a selection of a content item, determining a position of the selected content item within the customizable area, and transmitting the selected content item to the user computing device. The user computing device may be configured to transmit the selected content item to a print device. The print device may be configured to print the selected content item on a label of the structural document kit. The label may be configured to be affixed to the structural document. |
| US08659783B2 |
Printing apparatus, method for controlling the same, and storage medium
A printing apparatus includes a setting unit configured to set information for determining output paper information before receiving the print data in response to an instruction entered via an operation panel of the printing apparatus, a determination unit configured to determine, based on page size information specified in the print data, fixed-size paper corresponding to the page size information, and an image output unit configured to print, when the fixed-size paper corresponding to the page size information cannot be determined by the determination unit, the print data using paper selected by the set information. |
| US08659778B2 |
Image forming apparatus operable in first and second modes for processing job data, and job data storing method
An image forming apparatus including: a storage device composed of a plurality of storage sections for storing a job data to be input; an image forming section for performing an image formation based on the job data having been stored in the storage device; and a control section configured to control a first mode for processing an independent job data, and a second mode for processing a plurality of job data in parallel, wherein the control section is configured to control in such a manner that a storage section, in said plurality of storage sections, to be used in the first mode differs from a storage section to be used in the second mode. |
| US08659771B2 |
Increasing inkjet printer page yield
A method for increasing a page yield of an inkjet printer that includes receiving a plurality of print jobs for printing at the inkjet printer, adding the plurality of print jobs to a job queue, calculating a first cumulative amount of ink for use by the inkjet printer to print on media for all of the plurality of print jobs at once, calculate a second cumulative amount of ink for use to maintain the inkjet printer for printing the plurality of print jobs at once, calculating a cumulative page yield for printing all of the plurality of print jobs in the job queue at once by the inkjet printer based on the calculated first and second cumulative amounts of ink, determining whether the cumulative page yield is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, and upon the determination that the cumulative page yield is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, directing the inkjet printer to print the plurality of print jobs at once. |
| US08659768B2 |
Job processing device, control method and control program therefor
A job processing device capable of preventing a poor communication while keeping the sufficient communication speed. The job processing device is connected to a host, which has a host interface supporting a first connection mode for communicating in a first communication speed and a second connection mode for communicating in a second communication speed being slower, and processes a job transmitted from the host. A device interface has the first and second connection modes. A connection control means changes the device interface from the second connection mode to the first connection mode when the device interface is connected to the host interface in the second connection mode and when a first operation mode for processing a job is shifted to a second operation mode being lower in power consumption. A mode control means shifts to the second operation mode from the first operation mode after changing the connection mode. |
| US08659761B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring displacement of a sample using a wire grid polarizer to generate interference light
In a displacement measurement apparatus using light interference, a probe light path is spatially separated from a reference light path. Therefore, when a temperature or refractive index distribution by a fluctuation of air or the like, or a mechanical vibration is generated, an optical path difference fluctuates between both of the optical paths, and a measurement error is generated. In the solution, an optical axis of probe light is brought close to that of reference light by a distance which is not influenced by any disturbance, a sample is irradiated with the probe light, a reference surface is irradiated with the reference light, reflected light beams are allowed to interfere with each other, and a displacement of the sample is obtained from the resultant interference light to thereby prevent the measurement error from being generated by the fluctuation of the optical path difference. |
| US08659759B2 |
Laser based cavity enhanced optical absorption gas analyzer
Cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy systems and methods for detecting trace gases. When the frequency of laser light approaches the frequency of a resonance cavity mode, the laser begins to fill the cavity to that mode. Optical intensity inside the cavity reflects total cavity loss when the laser light frequency coincides with the cavity mode transmission peak. The intra-cavity optical power also depends on the coupling efficiency of the laser beam to the particular cavity mode. Measurement of intensities of three optical signals, namely, intensity of the light incident on to the cavity, intensity of the light reflected from the cavity, and intensity of the intra-cavity optical power, with their appropriate normalization advantageously significantly reduce effects of baseline calibration and drift as the normalized signal only depends on total cavity loss, and not the coupling efficiency, as in traditional approaches. |
| US08659758B2 |
Laser based cavity enhanced optical absorption gas analyzer with laser feedback optimization
Optical feedback assisted cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy systems and methods for measuring trace gases with improved long-term stability and reproducibility include a laser coupled with a resonant optical cavity containing a gaseous medium and having at least two cavity mirrors and a plurality of optical resonance cavity modes. The laser emits continuous wave laser light with a mean optical frequency of the laser being adjustable over a range of frequencies, and the laser is responsive to optical feedback light emerging from the cavity. The transmissivity of at least one of the cavity mirrors is selected such that the intensity of the optical feedback light impinging on the laser is below a threshold intensity value so as to ensure that a frequency hold interval range of the optical frequency of the laser is smaller than a free spectral range of the cavity. |
| US08659756B2 |
Scattered light measuring method
A scattered light method for measuring particle-dependent parameters of gases, in particular particle-dependent parameters of internal combustion engine exhaust gases or other colloids, includes introducing a particle-containing gas into a measuring chamber; emitting a light beam into the measuring chamber; receiving light scattered by the particles using at least two scattered light sensors, the scattered light sensors generating scattered light sensor signals, each being a function of the light received by the respective scattered light sensor; determining an average particle size from the scattered light sensor signals from at least two scattered light sensors and determining at least one further particle parameter from the previously determined average particle size and the scattered light sensor signals. |
| US08659753B1 |
Apparatus and method for measuring energy in a laser beam
A laser energy sensor and methodology for measuring laser energy in a laser beam by photoacoustic means. Laser energy is converted into acoustic energy which is then measured and converted to an energy reading corresponding to the energy of a laser beam. |
| US08659751B2 |
External light glare assessment device, line of sight detection device and external light glare assessment method
Disclosed are an ambient light reflection determination apparatus and an ambient light reflection determination method enabling to determine reflection without using an edge and even in a case where luminance of a reflection generating part in eyeglasses is low. In a reflection determination apparatus (100), a luminance histogram calculation section (102) calculates a luminance histogram representing a luminance distribution of an eye area image, a difference calculation section (104) calculates a difference histogram by finding a difference between the two luminance histograms calculated from the two eye area images having different photographing timings, an evaluation value calculation section (105) calculates an evaluation value regarding reflection of ambient light based on the difference histogram and a weight in accordance with luminance, and a reflection determination section (107) determines the reflection of ambient light based on the calculated evaluation value. |
| US08659749B2 |
Absolute distance meter with optical switch
An absolute distance meter (ADM) that determines a distance to a target includes a light source that emits an emitted light beam. The ADM also includes a fiber switching network having at least one optical switch that switches between at least two positions in response to a switch control signal, a first one of the positions enabling a measure mode in which the emitted light beam is emitted from the fiber switching network towards the target and is reflected back as a measure light beam into the fiber switching network, a second one of the positions enabling a reference mode in which the light beam comprises a reference light beam within the fiber switching network. The ADM further includes a single channel detector that detects the measure and reference light beams in a temporally spaced multiplexed manner and provides an electrical signal which corresponds to the detected measure and reflected light beams. Also, the ADM includes a single channel signal processor that processes the electrical signal and provides a conditioned electrical signal in response thereto, and a data processor that processes the conditioned electrical signal to determine the distance to the target. |
| US08659745B2 |
Optical system with an exchangeable, manipulable correction arrangement for reducing image aberrations
The disclosure relates to an optical system, such as a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography, including a manipulable correction arrangement for reducing image aberrations. In some embodiments, the system includes at least one manipulator configured to reduce image aberrations. The manipulator can include at least one optical element which can be manipulated by at least one actuator. The manipulator can be formed in changeable fashion together with an actuator. |
| US08659744B2 |
Method for correcting a lithography projection objective, and such a projection objective
A method for correcting at least one image defect of a projection objective of a lithography projection exposure machine, the projection objective comprising an optical arrangement composed of a plurality of lenses and at least one mirror, the at least one mirror having an optically operative surface that can be defective and is thus responsible for the at least one image defect, comprises the steps of: at least approximately determining a ratio VM of principal ray height hMH to marginal ray height hMR at the optically operative surface of the at least one mirror, at least approximately determining at least one optically operative lens surface among the lens surfaces of the lenses, at which the magnitude of a ratio VL of principal ray height hLH to marginal ray height hLR comes at least closest to the ratio VM, and selecting the at least one determined lens surface for the correction of the image defect. |
| US08659743B2 |
Detection apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device fabrication method
The present invention provides a detection apparatus which detects an upper-surface mark and lower-surface mark formed on an upper surface and lower surface, respectively, of a substrate, the apparatus including an optical system configured to form an image of the lower-surface mark on a light-receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion device using a first light, with a wavelength which is transmitted through the substrate, which is emitted by a light source, applied to the lower-surface mark from the upper surface of the substrate, and reflected by the lower-surface mark, and to form an image of the upper-surface mark on the light-receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion device using a second light, with a wavelength which is not transmitted through the substrate, which is emitted by the light source, applied to the upper-surface mark from the upper surface of the substrate, and reflected by the upper-surface mark. |
| US08659734B2 |
Liquid crystal display and manufacturing method thereof
A liquid crystal display, including: a first substrate and a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer; a first data line disposed on the first substrate; a pixel electrode disposed on the first substrate; and a common electrode disposed on the first substrate and overlapping at least a portion of the pixel electrode and the first data line. One of the pixel electrode and the common electrode includes a plurality of branch electrodes spaced apart from each other and the other of has an at least approximately planar shape that is substantially parallel to a surface of at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate. The display can also include a passivation layer having a dielectric constant of about 3.5 or less, and including a first portion disposed between the common electrode and the first data line. |
| US08659732B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
To provide an active-matrix type liquid crystal display device having a structure in which alignment of flattening films formed in the display region is uniform and fine, which can secure a large storage capacitance with a small area and achieve a high numerical aperture. A recessed region having no flattening film is formed in a part on a source electrode. In the recessed region, a common electrode made with a transparent conductive film covers a source electrode to form a second storage capacitor. |
| US08659729B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a first pixel electrode, a second pixel electrode, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The first pixel electrode is formed on the first substrate. The second pixel electrode overlaps with at least a part of the pixel electrode with the first insulating layer interposed therebetween. The second pixel electrode has a plurality of elongated openings and applies a voltage to the liquid crystal layer that is different from the voltage the first pixel electrode applies to the liquid crystal layer. |
| US08659728B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising compensation films having negative photo-elastic constant
Described herein is an LCD device in which retardation may be removed from a glass substrate when stress is applied to a display screen, thereby minimizing light leakage from the display screen. In the LCD device, a film having a negative photo-elastic constant (NPEC) is arranged to adjoin glass substrates so as to remove photo-elasticity. Specifically, in the LCD device, the NPEC films having negative photo-elasticity are respectively arranged at upper and lower sides of a liquid crystal cell, wherein the liquid crystal cell includes opposing glass substrates with a liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween. |
| US08659725B2 |
Pixel structure, liquid crystal display panel and transparent liquid crystal display device
A pixel structure, which may be used in a liquid crystal display panel, includes a plurality of display pixel units and a plurality of control devices. Each of the display pixel units includes a first sub-pixel adapted to provide a first color, a second sub-pixel adapted to provide a second color, a third sub-pixel adapted to provide a third color, a first white sub-pixel, a second white sub-pixel, and a third white sub-pixel. Each of the control devices is employed for respectively controlling each of the sub-pixels. The liquid crystal display panel is normally white when the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, the third sub-pixel, the first white sub-pixel, the second white sub-pixel, and the third white sub-pixel are not driven by the control devices. |
| US08659724B2 |
Liquid crystal display device, black matrix substrate and color filter substrate
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate located opposite the first substrate via a liquid crystal, a blue display element, a green display element, a red display element, a short-wavelength optical sensor, a red optical sensor, and an infrared optical sensor formed on a liquid crystal side surface of the first substrate, and a color filter formed between the first substrate and the second substrate and includes a blue filter, a green filter, a first red filter, a short-wavelength transmission filter, a second red filter, and an infrared transmission filter corresponding to the blue display element, the green display element, the red display element, the short-wavelength optical sensor, the red optical sensor, and the infrared optical sensor, respectively. |
| US08659718B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
Provided is a liquid crystal display device (1) with increased light use efficiency and thin frame on the side on which the light emitting diode is disposed, including: a liquid crystal panel (3); a backlight unit (5) including a light guide plate (12) and light emitting diodes being disposed side by side in a longitudinal direction of an incident surface; an intermediate frame (9), which includes a plurality of protruding portions that protrude to an exiting surface side of the light guide plate (12); and an end portion reflection sheet (14), which is disposed on an exiting surface side of the intermediate frame (9) and adjacent to the plurality of protruding portions, extends in an array direction of the light emitting diodes, and includes tongue-shaped portions each extending between adjacent ones of the plurality of protruding portions. |
| US08659717B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display (LCD) that includes: an LCD panel; a backlight unit that includes a light source and a light guide plate; and a frame that houses the LCD panel and the backlight unit. The frame includes first support members that at least partially form opposing sides of the frame, and a first guide unit that includes protrusions that project inside the frame, to separate the LCD panel from the first support members. |
| US08659716B2 |
Flat panel display and method for assembling the flat panel display
A front frame of a flat panel display having positioning structure allows a LCD cell to be positioned and mounted thereon along an assembly direction. A restraining frame may be further incorporated for positioning and spacing purposes for each component of the display. Optical films, a light guide component, a backlight unit, and a reflector of the flat panel display are then mounted in a row along the assembly direction on the restraining frame or the front frame, where the backlight unit and/or the reflector may be fixed to a back cover of the backlight module in advance. Finally, a speaker, wiring of the display, circuit boards, and a board cover are assembled to the front frame and the back cover. |
| US08659712B2 |
Active matrix substrate, method for manufacturing active matrix substrate, liquid crystal panel, method for manufacturing liquid crystal panel, liquid crystal display device, liquid crystal display unit, and television receiver
An active matrix substrate of the present invention for use in a liquid crystal panel includes a scanning signal line (16x), a data signal line (15x), and a transistor (12a) connected to the scanning signal line (16x) and the data signal line (15x), with first and second pixel electrodes (17a and 17b) provided in each pixel (101), one of the pixel electrodes (17a) being connected to the data signal line (15x) via the transistor (12a). The active matrix substrate includes first and second capacitor electrodes (37a and 38a) electrically connected to the pixel electrode (17a), capacitors being formed between the capacitor electrodes (37a and 38a) and the other pixel electrode (17b), respectively. This makes it possible to improve yields of manufacture of capacitively-coupled pixel-division type active matrix substrates and liquid crystal panels including the same. |
| US08659711B2 |
Phase difference layer laminated body for three dimensional liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof
A phase difference layer laminated body used in a three-dimensional liquid crystal display device, wherein unit cells are divided into groups for left and right eyes, which are given different degrees of polarization, thereby creating a three-dimensional image, further wherein the phase difference layer laminated body has a base material having orientability, and a phase difference layer made of a liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase and formed in a pattern with two different portions, and the liquid crystal material in each of two different portions is oriented to have different refractive index anisotropy each other that conforms to the two different degrees of polarization and fixed as it is. |
| US08659706B2 |
Multi-chip antenna diversity picture-in-picture architecture
A multi-chip antenna diversity architecture and method includes a first receiver chip that receives a first input signal from a first antenna. The first receiver chip includes a first tuner that amplifies the first input signal, a crystal operatively connected to a first crystal oscillator circuit, and a first crystal oscillator clock buffer that receives a clock signal from the first crystal oscillator circuit. A first demodulator demodulates the input signal received from the first tuner. A second receiver chip receives a second input signal from a second antenna. The second receiver chip includes a second crystal oscillator circuit, a second crystal oscillator clock buffer, a second tuner, and a second demodulator that receives diversity data from the first demodulator. The first crystal oscillator clock buffer drives the clock signal to the second crystal oscillator clock buffer, the second tuner, and the second demodulator of the second receiver chip. |
| US08659705B2 |
Noise reducer
In a noise reducer, a first subtractor 101 generates a difference N1 between an input video signal Ynow and a delayed video signal Ypre output from a frame memory 104 and obtained by delaying an output video signal Yout by a time corresponding to one screen. An amplitude adjuster 102 adjusts the amplitude of an output signal of the first subtractor 101 based on a motion signal MV. A second subtractor 103 subtracts an output N2 of the amplitude adjuster 102 from the input video signal Ynow. A motion detector 2 calculates the amount of change in the input video signal Ynow with respect to the delayed video signal Ypre for each of pixels constituting one screen, and generates, as the motion signal MV, a signal determining, as “moving,” a predetermined proportion of pixels for which the amount of change is smaller than a predetermined threshold value. |
| US08659703B1 |
Adapting layout and text font size for viewer distance from TV
The size of characters presented on a display of an audio video display device (AVDD) such as a TV is changed based on a distance from the AVDD at which a viewer is sensed as being located. |
| US08659702B2 |
Image displaying apparatus
According to one embodiment, an image displaying apparatus includes a plurality of keys provided for respective items to operate the image displaying apparatus, and a first light source configured to illuminate the plurality of keys, wherein the image displaying apparatus turns on the first light source when one of the plurality of keys is operated without making the key operation valid, turns off the first light source when one of the plurality of keys is operated in a preset period after a preceding key operation is performed and makes the key operation valid. |
| US08659701B2 |
Usage of dither on interpolated frames
The present invention relates to an image processing method comprising providing video image frames with a first frame rate, up-converting said frame rate to provide video image frames with a second frame rate, and applying dithering to said video image frames with said second frame rate. |
| US08659699B2 |
Electronic camera that wirelessly transfers data, which includes a power save mode
An electronic camera comprises a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with a computer or a printer, and a power save mode changeover unit that changes over a power save mode to either an ON or an OFF state according to the operational state of the electronic camera, if the power save mode is changed over to ON by the power save mode changeover unit, the wireless communication unit stops its operation when radio waves are not being transmitted, and if the power save mode is changed over to OFF, the wireless communication unit operates in a standby state when radio waves are not being transmitted. |
| US08659693B2 |
Solid-state image pickup element and camera system
The present disclosure provides a solid-state image pickup element, including, a pixel portion in which plural pixels each carrying out photoelectric conversion are disposed in a matrix, and a pixel signal reading portion having a function of reading out pixel signals from the pixel portion to signal lines, and sampling reset levels and signal levels of the pixels, wherein the pixel signal reading portion includes column processing units converting analog signals read out into digital signals in correspondence to a column disposition of the pixels, respectively, and each of the column processing units carries out the sampling for the reset level of the pixel plural times, and averages a result of the sampling after the result of the sampling is integrated in a digital integrating circuit within each of the column processing units. |
| US08659688B2 |
Solid state imaging device and electronic apparatus
Provided is a solid state imaging device including: a pixel portion where pixel sharing units are disposed in an array shape and where another one pixel transistor group excluding transfer transistors is shared by a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions; transfer wiring lines which are connected to the transfer gate electrodes of the transfer transistors of the pixel sharing unit and which are disposed to extend in a horizontal direction and to be in parallel in a vertical direction as seen from the top plane; and parallel wiring lines which are disposed to be adjacent to the necessary transfer wiring lines in the pixel sharing unit and which are disposed to be in parallel to the transfer wiring lines as seen from the top plane, wherein voltages which are used to suppress potential change of the transfer gate electrodes are supplied to the parallel wiring lines. |
| US08659683B1 |
Digital picture noise reduction by combining high-noise and low-noise processed pictures
A method for processing a digital picture is disclosed. The method may include steps (A) to (C). Step (A) may generate a first picture by processing the digital picture using a first noise reduction technique in a circuit. Step (B) may generate a second picture by processing the digital picture using a second noise reduction technique. The first noise reduction technique may achieve a higher noise reduction than the second noise reduction technique. Step (C) may generate an output picture by combining the first picture and the second picture. |
| US08659681B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling zoom using touch screen
A method and apparatus for controlling zoom of a digital photographing apparatus using a touch screen. According to the method, a view angle may be modified by inputting a zooming gesture to the touch screen and zooming operation may be conveniently performed on a reproduced image. |
| US08659680B2 |
Imaging apparatus, image recording method, and recording medium
An imaging apparatus, including, an imaging section to image a subject continuously, an image processing section to perform predetermined image processing to a plurality of pieces of image data imaged by the imaging section continuously, a designating section to designate a piece of image data as main image data among the plurality of pieces of image data, and a recording section to record the plurality of pieces of image data subjected to the image processing, and the main image data, as one file. |
| US08659677B2 |
Digital camera with external storage medium detector
A digital camera comprises an imaging device; an internal memory; an attachment device that attaches a storage medium; a medium detector that detects whether the storage medium attached to the attachment device is a storage medium limiting overwrite; and a record control device that controls so as to store image data taken by the imaging device in the storage medium attached to the attachment device. When the medium detector detects that the storage medium attached to the attachment device is the storage medium limiting overwrite, the record control device controls so as to store data management information of the image data recorded in the storage medium limiting overwrite in the internal memory. |
| US08659675B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program that are capable of removing an influence due to illumination components from a plurality of images in which illumination environments are different and generating an image having high color reproducibility.A demosaic processing unit 221 performs a demosaic process on a reference image held in a reference mosaic image holding unit 111. A demosaic processing unit 222 performs a demosaic process on a processing target image that is held in a processing target mosaic image holding unit 112. A white balance calculation unit 230 calculates a white-balance value for each channel with respect to the reference image. A channel gain calculation unit 250 calculates a gain for each channel for converting illumination components on the basis of RGB values of the reference image and the processing target image, and the white balance of the reference image. At the time of gain calculation, blackout condition, saturation, and the like are considered. A channel gain application unit 260 applies the gain calculated by the channel gain calculation unit 250 to each channel of the processing target image. |
| US08659673B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, program, and storage medium for correcting chromatic aberration
There is a problem in that when magnification chromatic aberration correction is carried out, the difference in reproducibility of high-frequency components, depending on the spatial position, between a color for which position shift correction is not performed and a color for which position shift correction is performed may influence the image quality of an output image. In order to perform magnification chromatic aberration correction, high-frequency components, which are lost due to the position shift correction of a color for which position shift correction is carried out, are extracted from a color for which position shift correction is not carried out, and are added to the color for which position shift correction is carried out. Therefore, the high-frequency components are restored in a pseudo manner. |
| US08659672B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image pickup apparatus using same
To provide an image processing apparatus capable of obtaining a good-quality image even if an unexpected aberration occurs and an image pickup apparatus using the same. An image processing apparatus includes a primary restored image generating module configured to generate a primary restored image by performing image restoration processing on an input image having a plurality of color components, a restoration component generating module configured to generate difference information for each of the plurality of color components by calculating a difference between the input image and the primary restored image, and a secondary restored image generating module configured to generate a secondary restored image using the difference information. The secondary restored image generating module combines a color-combination restoration component based on the difference information for the plurality of color components with one color component of the input image. |
| US08659671B2 |
Optical apparatus having a recording mode for recording a motion picture and a different recording mode for recording a still picture
An optical apparatus having a recording mode that is switchable between motion picture recording and still picture recording includes an optical element, a motor that includes a rotor having a magnet, and a stator having a coil configured to provide a rotational force to the magnet, the motor being configured to drive the optical element, a position sensor configured to detect a position of the rotor of the motor, and a driving circuit configured to select, in accordance with the recording mode, first driving configured to switch an electrization to the coil in the motor in accordance with a determined time interval, or second driving configured to switch an electrization to the coil in the motor in accordance with an output of the position sensor. |
| US08659670B2 |
Motion information assisted 3A techniques
A method for adjusting parameters in a video capture device using motion information is disclosed. Motion information that indicates motion of a video capture device is determined. The motion information is compared to an upper bound and a lower bound. An aggressiveness level that indicates a change in a white balance gain for the video capture device is determined based on the comparison. A new white balance gain for the video capture device is determined based on the aggressiveness level. An exposure convergence holding time is adjusted based on the motion information. An exposure step size is increased based on the motion information. A brightness level of the video capture device is adjusted based on the convergence step size. |
| US08659667B2 |
Recipe based real-time assistance for digital image capture and other consumer electronics devices
A processor within a digital camera which generates and utilizes a recipe data file and communicates with a network-based storage location for uploading and downloading. The recipe data file contains both a device setting template component, used to set camera-specific parameters, and an instructional component, which the processor uses to generate visual and audible instructions for positioning and aiming the camera. Visual instructions are provided directly on the viewfinder display. The processor uses on-board GPS and compass or gyroscope to obtain real-time position and pointing direction of the camera. |
| US08659665B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An electronic system comprising an image pickup unit 1, a computer 2, and communication terminals for connecting the unit and the computer, such as infrared communication ports 6, 10, a card slot 8, and serial communication terminals 5,9 wherein the necessary image data is allowed to be produced from the unit 1 and transmitted to the computer through the communication terminals. The computer communicates with the image pick up unit by examining the port of each communication means in order to recognize whether a connected unit is the image pickup unit or a foreign unit and to determine and store the communication speed for each communication port. The image data and memory space information is then automatically transmitted to the computer and displayed on a device connected to said computer. |
| US08659662B2 |
Surveillance system with target based scrolling and related methods
A surveillance video system may include a first device configured to process successive surveillance image files of a common area into an image transport stream for a selectable region of interest within the common area. The surveillance video system also may include a second device remote from the first device and in communication with the first device. The second device may include a display and a processor cooperating therewith. The processor may be configured to scroll the selectable region of interest to maintain a selected moving target visible on the display. |
| US08659661B2 |
Infrared camera systems and methods for maritime applications
Systems and methods disclosed herein provide for some embodiments infrared camera systems for maritime applications. For example in one embodiment, a watercraft includes a plurality of image capture components coupled to the watercraft to capture infrared images around at least a substantial portion of a perimeter of the watercraft; a memory component adapted to store the captured infrared images; a processing component adapted to process the captured infrared images according to a man overboard mode of operation to provide processed infrared images and determine if a person falls from the watercraft; and a display component adapted to display the processed infrared images. |
| US08659651B2 |
Surgical microscope for observing an infrared fluorescence and corresponding method
A surgical microscope for observing an infrared fluorescence includes a camera system 25 having three chips, wherein infrared light emanating from an object is supplied to only one of the three camera chips via a dichroic beam splitter. |
| US08659649B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing method
There is provided an information processing apparatus including an image pickup part; a display part; a position detecting part for detecting a position of a target relative to the display part; a face detecting part for detecting a face from a taken image; an attribute obtaining part for obtaining attribute information of the target; a group determining part for determining a group to which the target belongs, at least based on the attribute information of the detected target; a content determining part for determining a content to be provided to the target based on at least one of group information of the target and the attribute information of the target; and a display processing part for displaying content information of the content to be provided to the target, on the display part in a display style in accordance with the position of the target. |
| US08659645B2 |
System, apparatus, and method for image display and medical image diagnosis apparatus
An image display system according to an embodiment includes a controlling apparatus and a display apparatus. The controlling apparatus includes a judging unit and a switching control unit, whereas the display apparatus includes a switching unit. Based on information related to viewing of an image, the judging unit judges whether the image to be displayed by the display apparatus is an image for a stereoscopic view or an image for a planar view. The switching control unit exercises control so as to switch the display apparatus into a stereoscopic view mode or a planar view mode, according to a judgment result of the judging unit. The switching unit switches the display apparatus into the stereoscopic view mode or the planar view mode, according to the control of the switching control unit. |
| US08659644B2 |
Stereo video capture system and method
A method is provided for a stereo video capture system. The stereo video system includes a stereo video monitor, a control platform, and a three-dimensional (3D) capture imaging device. The method includes capturing at least a first image and a second image, with a parallax between the first image and the second image based on a first parallax configuration. The method also includes receiving the first and second images; and calculating a value of at least one parallax setting parameter associated with the first and second images and corresponding to the first parallax configuration. Further, the method includes determining whether the value is within a pre-configured range. When the value is out of the pre-configured range, the method includes converting the first parallax configuration into a second parallax configuration. The method also includes sending, the second parallax configuration to the 3D imaging capture device, and adopting the second parallax configuration in operation. |
| US08659643B2 |
Counting system for vehicle riders
There is provided a system and method for counting riders arbitrarily positioned in a vehicle. There is provided a method comprising receiving, from at least one camera filtered to capture non-visible light, video data corresponding to the vehicle passing through a light source filtered for non-visible light, converting the video data into a 3D height map, and analyzing the 3D height map to determine a number of riders in the vehicle. The camera and light source may be mounted in a permanent position using a gantry or another suitable system where the vehicle travels across the camera and light system in a determined manner, for example through a vehicle track. Multiple cameras may be used to increase detection accuracy. To detect persons in the 3D height map, the analysis may search for height patterns indicating heads and shoulders of persons, compare against height map templates, or use machine-learning methods. |
| US08659639B2 |
System and method for extending communications between participants in a conferencing environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving data associated with a local endpoint that is configured to participate in a video conference. The local endpoint can be configured to detect a signal generated by a local end user device and to relay the signal to a local manager element. The method also includes transmitting the signal over a network to a remote manager element at a remote location. In more specific embodiments, the method includes receiving an additional signal from the remote manager element, and determining a selected local endpoint to receive the additional signal from the remote manager element. |
| US08659637B2 |
System and method for providing three dimensional video conferencing in a network environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving data indicative of a personal position of an end user. A media stream is selected from a plurality of media streams to be transmitted to the end user based on the personal position. The selected media stream includes image data of an object captured by a camera and the image data is used to construct a three-dimensional rendering of the object. In more specific embodiments, the media stream selection is executed by a server configured to be coupled to a network. The camera can be part of a plurality of cameras that capture image data associated with the object and that transmit respective media streams over a network. Once a camera begins transmitting image data over the network and to the end user, other cameras from the plurality of cameras stop transmitting their respective media streams over the network. |
| US08659636B2 |
System and method for performing distributed video conferencing
A method for executing a video conference is provided that includes receiving one or more audio streams associated with a video conference from one or more end points and determining an active speaker associated with one of the end points. Audio information associated with the active speaker may be received at one or more media switches. One or more video streams may be suppressed except for a selected video stream associated with the active speaker, the selected video stream propagating to one or more of the media switches during the video conference. The selected video stream may be replicated such that it may be communicated to one or more of the end points associated with a selected one of the media switches. |
| US08659627B2 |
Self light emitting display device for adjusting a necessary brightness based on user setting, outside light or video signal
A self light emitting display device is provided which includes a panel driver which changes a maximum voltage supplied to the self light emitting display panel according to the necessary maximum brightness, a storage unit which holds data related to a reverse gamma characteristic that is opposite to a gamma characteristic between an amount of light emitted from the self light emitting display panel and a voltage supplied from the panel driver to the self light emitting display panel, and a panel gamma generation unit which generates an output signal based on the reverse gamma characteristic by changing an applicable range of the reverse gamma characteristic according to the necessary maximum brightness while maintaining the same gradations as those when the self light emitting display panel emits light at a displayable maximum brightness. The panel driver drives the self light emitting display panel based on the output signal. |
| US08659624B2 |
Mixed reality presentation system and brightness adjustment method of virtual light source
Based on an observer's position and observing direction measured in the real world and positions of a virtual light source and virtual object in a virtual world, a brightness adjustment value of the virtual light source is adjusted in a way that, when light from the virtual light source is blocked by an observer, brightness of the virtual object observed by the observer is reduced as if the observer were observing in the real world. As a result, a mixed reality presentation system that achieves a sense of reality is provided. |
| US08659623B2 |
Three-dimensional (3D) virtual world wormholes
A three dimensional (3D) virtual world wormhole includes hosting a 3D virtual world, and creating a wormhole at a selected location in the 3D virtual world for automatic transport of an avatar from the selected location to a selected destination in the 3D virtual world. Policies may be defined for the wormhole where the wormhole operates in accordance with the defined policies. An avatar may be automatically transported from the location to any one of a plurality of destinations based on a current capacity of each of the plurality of destinations. |
| US08659621B1 |
Organizing and displaying drawing objects
A system in accordance with the present invention may include one or more programs stored in the memory, with instructions to scan for drawing objects on a drawing area of a graphics editing application, determine overlap of the drawing objects on the drawing area, analyze the overlap of the drawing objects and a force to repel each of the drawing objects on the drawing area to eliminate the overlap, and organize the drawing objects according to the force to repel each of the drawing objects on the drawing area to eliminate the overlap. |
| US08659620B2 |
Methods and apparatus for rendering images
To facilitate rendering an image, e.g., a portion of a PDF page, at higher resolutions or locations than could be expressed using standard 32 bit fixed point integer values, an image is segmented and a user space coordinate system origin used for individual segment processing is transformed on a per segment basis to each segment locality before a render request is made to a rendering function library. After a new origin of a segment is established, the PDF page content contained within that locality corresponding to the individual segment being processed is rendered, e.g., using functions available in the PDF software library. The results of processing the segments is combined to produce a final high-resolution image. While the input to the rendering process may include values which can not be expressed in 32 bit fixed point notation, the segmentation process allows the individual segments to be rendered using rendering specified using such notation. |
| US08659614B2 |
Image display apparatus
An image display apparatus adapted to display an image based on an image signal input includes: a color adjustment circuit adapted to perform one of a modification process and a correction process individually on a hue signal, a lightness signal, and a saturation signal included in first HLS signals as an image signal, and output the processed signals as second HLS signals. |
| US08659611B2 |
System and method for frame buffer storage and retrieval in alternating orientations
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for storing image data for successive frames in a frame buffer. Specifically, the method and apparatus allow for a display-sized frame buffer to be utilized where a host system provides image data in a format different from that which the display requires to be written to it while retaining the beneficial aspects of concurrent read and write operations from and to the frame buffer. Using this method a buffer controller receives image data from a host system in a first format (e.g. row-by-row) and writes it to the frame buffer in the first format. When the buffer is completely filled with the first frame, it is read out in a second format (e.g. column-by-column) by the buffer controller and provided to a display driver that writes the data to the display. As the first frame is read out in the second format, the buffer controller receives image data for a second frame from the host system in the first format, but rotates it before writing it to the frame buffer such that it is written to the frame buffer in the second format. This rotation allows the buffer controller to write to the frame buffer and the display driver to read from the frame buffer concurrently, despite the different image data format requirements of the host system and display. When the second frame is completely written to the buffer in the second format, the buffer controller then reads the buffer in the first format, and writes it to the display. At this point the process repeats. Thus, the benefits of concurrent read and write are preserved. |
| US08659609B2 |
Multi-color display device
It is expected to increase the size of a display panel and the number of tones to be displayed on the display panel, and it is requested to use a display panel displaying M (M>3) types of colors. This requires a large memory capacity and makes a circuit for performing signal conversion complex due to an increase in the amount of data to be subjected to the signal conversion. An image memory stores image data compressed at a fixed compression rate, and the signal conversion is performed on the compressed image data. This technique reduces a memory capacity and simplifies a signal conversion circuit. The signal conversion makes it possible to improve color reproducibility of an image displayed and the quality of the image due to smoothing of the outline of the image. In the case of a display panel having sub-pixels displaying M types of colors, the signal conversion is performed on a compressed signal for each sub-pixel to improve the quality of an image. |
| US08659605B1 |
Graphical representation of financial information
A first region approximately shaped as a circle represents a first stock market index. A second region approximately shaped as an annular sector represents a second stock market index that is a parent of a third stock market index in a non-unary tree. A third region radially-adjacent the second region and approximately shaped as an annular sector represents a third stock market index. The third region has an arc angle that is approximately equal to an arc angle of the second region times a sum of market capitalization weights of the third stock market index and stock market indices that are descendents of the third stock market index in the tree divided by a sum of market capitalization weights of stock market indices that are descendents of the second stock market index in the tree. Each region has a respective color based on a price change of its respective index. |
| US08659604B2 |
Dimensional reduction mechanisms for representing massive communication network graphs for structural queries
Mechanisms are provided for transforming an original graph data set into a representative form having a smaller number of dimensions that the original graph data set. The mechanisms generate a graph transformation basis structure based on an input graph data structure. The mechanisms further transform an original graph data set based on an intersection of the graph transformation basis structure and the input graph data structure to thereby generate a transformed graph data set data structure. The transformed graph data set data structure has a reduced dimensionality from that of the input graph data structure but represents characteristics of the original graph data set. Moreover, the mechanisms perform an application specific operation on the transformed graph data set data structure to generate an output of a closest similarity record in the transformed graph data set to a target component. |
| US08659600B2 |
Generating vector displacement maps using parameterized sculpted meshes
A method and apparatus are provided for generating vector displacement maps, often in an interactive manner. Given a set of objects to be animated or imaged, they can be each represented by one or more faces. In a subdivision process, faces might be represented by polygons through a method of repeated subdividing. In the subdivision process, relative location of polygons relative to the original face (and possibly relative orientations) are maintained, for later use by other processes. This can be done by maintaining source data for each face of a subdivided surface, where source data indicates an original location on the original object that corresponds to that face and the polygons resulting from the subdividing. The source data can be a link, path, index or label for each face of the subdivision surface, where the source data indicates an original location on the original object that corresponds to that face. |
| US08659596B2 |
Real time generation of animation-ready 3D character models
Systems and methods for automatically generating animation-ready 3D character models based upon model parameter and clothing selections are described. One embodiment of the invention includes an application server configured to receive the user defined model parameters and the clothing selection via a user interface. In addition, the application server includes a generative model and the application server is configured to generate a 3D anatomical mesh based upon the user defined model parameters using the generative model, the application server includes at least one clothing mesh template including a clothing mesh, a template skeleton, and skinning weights and the application server is configured to apply the clothing mesh from the clothing mesh template corresponding to the user clothing selection to the generated 3D anatomical mesh to create a clothed mesh, the application server is configured to adjust the template skeleton of the clothing mesh template corresponding to the user clothing selection based upon the shape of the clothed mesh, the application server is configured to generate skinning weights based upon the skinning weights of the clothing mesh template corresponding to the user clothing selection, and the application server stores an animation-ready 3D character model including the clothed mesh, the adjusted skeleton, and the generated skinning weights. |
| US08659593B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method and program
The image processing apparatus of the present invention comprises signed distance calculation unit calculating signed distance fields from each input 3D shape data, signed distance integration unit integrating all the signed distances calculated by signed distance calculation unit for each shape data, classification unit classifying each voxel to be outside of the observed object, near the surface of the object or the other, estimation unit estimating whether voxel is inside or outside of the object, and determination unit determining voxel to be inside, outside or near-surface of the object based on the calculation results of the previous units. |
| US08659592B2 |
2D to 3D video conversion
A method for real-time 2D to 3D video conversion includes receiving a decoded 2D video frame having an original resolution, downscaling the decoded 2D video frame into an associated 2D video frame having a lower resolution, and segmenting objects present in the downscaled 2D video frame into background objects and foreground objects. The method also includes generating a background depth map and a foreground depth map for the downscaled 2D video frame based on the segmented background and foreground objects, and deriving a frame depth map in the original resolution based on the background depth map and the foreground depth map. The method further includes providing a 3D video frame for display at a real-time playback rate. The 3D video frame is generated in the original resolution based on the frame depth map. |
| US08659590B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for modifying signals of a three-dimensional graphics application program based on a tracking algorithm
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for modifying signals of a three-dimensional graphics application program based on a tracking algorithm. In operation, a plurality of signals are received from a three-dimensional graphics application program. Additionally, the signals, or a derivative thereof, are modified based on an algorithm that tracks at least a portion of an upper body of a person. Furthermore, the modified signals are output. |
| US08659589B2 |
Leveraging graphics processors to optimize rendering 2-D objects
Methods and computer-readable media for displaying two-dimensional objects on a display device are disclosed. Rendering requests are received from an application to render two-dimensionally modeled graphics to a display device. Primitive geometries of drawing calls of the rendering requests are tessellated into sequences of triangles. The vertices of the triangles are mapped to a vertex buffer along with an index to identify associated constant data. Batching operations store and communicate calls and mapped data to a graphics processing unit by way of a three-dimensional rendering application program interface. Constant data associated with the mapped data are indexed and appended together in a constant buffer, thereby allowing drawing calls to be coalesced. A staging buffer and a staging texture are provided for batching text anti-aliasing operations. Shader fragments are precompiled and organized by way of a predetermined lookup table. |
| US08659586B2 |
Stereoscopic image display device using a barrier liquid crystal device
An LC barrier panel of a stereoscopic image display device has a substrate on which first barrier pixels and second barrier pixels are alternately arranged in a vertical direction and on which the first barrier pixels and third barrier pixels are alternately arranged in a horizontal direction. On a counter substrate, a counter electrode is formed to cover the entire surface of the display region. The third barrier pixels and the counter electrode are supplied with the same drive signal while an effective voltage is applied between the counter electrode and the first and second barrier pixels to perform vertical stripe display. Alternatively, the second barrier pixels and the counter electrode are supplied with the same drive signal while an effective voltage is applied between the counter electrode and the first and third barrier pixels to perform horizontal stripe display. |
| US08659585B2 |
Projector apparatus and projection image correcting program product
A projector apparatus includes: a projection unit that projects an image onto a projection surface; a reflectance distribution detection unit that detects a reflectance distribution at the projection surface; a density distribution detection unit that detects a density distribution of a base pattern at the projection surface; a smoothing unit that smooths the reflectance distribution and the density distribution; an input unit that inputs image data; a correction unit that corrects the input image data based upon the smoothed reflectance distribution, the smoothed density distribution and input/output characteristics of the projection unit; and a control unit that controls the projection unit so as to project the image based upon the image data having been corrected. |
| US08659583B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus in which data lines of first and second sides of the display panel are connected is disclosed. In some embodiments, the display apparatus includes gate driving units respectively driving the first and second sides of the panel. The surface area of a data driving block which occupies a large portion of a driver circuit is, accordingly, reduced. |
| US08659578B2 |
Optical sensing unit, display module and display device using the same
An optical sensing unit, a display module and a display device using the same, the optical sensing unit uses the surface of a flat display panel as a touch surface and includes an infrared sensor module provided at a corner of the flat display panel. |
| US08659577B2 |
Touch system and pointer coordinate detection method therefor
A pointer coordinate detection method for a touch system includes the steps of: capturing an image window looking across a plate surface with at least one image sensor; identifying a height coordinate of a pointer relative to the touch system according to a variation of each column of pixels in the image window; and calculating a plane coordinate of the pointer relative to the touch system according to an image position of the pointer in the image window. The present invention further provides a touch system. |
| US08659576B2 |
Liquid crystal display with touch screen function and method for detecting external illuminance using the same
An Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) with a touch screen function includes an array substrate having a display region and a photosensitive region divided by data lines, scan lines, and common lines, wherein the photosensitive region includes a switching element having a first terminal connected to an (n−1)th scan line to receive a select signal and a second terminal connected to a readout system, a charge storage element having a first terminal connected to a third terminal of the switching element and a second terminal connected to the common lines, and a photosensitive element having a first terminal connected to an nth scan line and a second terminal connected to the first terminal of the charge storage element, wherein when the photosensitive element is turned on according to external illuminance, the charge storage element is discharged and the readout system detects a difference of external illuminance. |
| US08659572B2 |
Smart touchscreen key activation detection
Embodiments relate to systems for, and methods of, detecting attempted space key activations on a touchscreen. Such systems and methods allow for error-tolerant data input on a touchscreen. The systems and methods may be adaptive and grow progressively more accurate as additional user data is received. |
| US08659571B2 |
Interactivity model for shared feedback on mobile devices
A system that produces a dynamic haptic effect and generates a drive signal that includes a gesture signal and a real or virtual device sensor signal. The haptic effect is modified dynamically based on both the gesture signal and the real or virtual device sensor signal such as from an accelerometer or gyroscope, or by a signal created from processing data such as still images, video or sound. The haptic effect may optionally be modified dynamically by using the gesture signal and the real or virtual device sensor signal and a physical model, or may optionally be applied concurrently to multiple devices which are connected via a communication link. The haptic effect may optionally be encoded into a data file on a first device. The data file is then communicated to a second device and the haptic effect is read from the data file and applied to the second device. |
| US08659566B2 |
Touch sensing method and electronic apparatus using the same
A touch sensing method adapted for an electronic apparatus including a touch panel is provided. The touch sensing method includes the following steps: driving the touch panel by a mutual capacitance mode and a self capacitance mode; sensing a gesture applied on the touch panel, wherein the gesture forms at least one touch area on the touch panel; determining at least one geometric center of the at least one touch area based on self-mode data obtained in the self capacitance mode; and determining at least one touch location associated with the gesture on the touch panel based on the at least one geometric center of the at least one touch area. Furthermore, an electronic apparatus to which the foregoing touch sensing method is applied is also provided. |
| US08659565B2 |
Smartpad orientation
A multi-display device is adapted to be dockable or otherwise associatable with an additional device. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the multi-display device is dockable with a smartpad. The exemplary smartpad can include a screen, a touch sensitive display, a configurable area, a gesture capture region(s) and a camera. The smartpad can also include a port adapted to receive the device. The exemplary smartpad is able to cooperate with the device such that information displayable on the device is also displayable on the smartpad. Furthermore, any one or more of the functions on the device are extendable to the smartpad, with the smartpad capable of acting as an input/output interface or extension of the smartpad. Therefore, for example, information from one or more of the displays on the multi-screen device is displayable on the smartpad. |
| US08659559B2 |
Active and passive matrix display devices with capacitive touch detection
A touch display apparatus is disclosed. Without additional touch device, either the reversed AM structure or a conventional PM structure is provided to combine with the human body's conductive properties and the noise-immune sensing circuit design, thereby to achieve the purpose of displaying images and performing multi-touch detection simultaneously. Thus, the hardware cost and the power consumption are reduced. |
| US08659553B1 |
Orientation-based touchscreen display
A touchscreen device may display various graphical user interfaces (GUIs) based on a physical orientation of the touchscreen device and a context of an application executed by an external device, to control the external device. In one example, a touchscreen device includes a touchscreen, an orientation sensor to determine a physical orientation for the touchscreen device, a context determination unit to determine a context for an application, a computer-readable medium configured to store configuration data associating combinations of contexts for applications and orientations in which the touchscreen device can be physically positioned with respective GUIs, a control unit that receives the orientation in which the touchscreen device is physically positioned and the context, selects the GUI associated with the determined orientation and the context, and causes the touchscreen to display the selected GUI, and an external device interface configured to send input received via the touchscreen to an external device. |
| US08659551B2 |
Electrical apparatus having a retractable pointing input device
An electronic apparatus including a shell, a door plate, a support member, and a pointing input device is disclosed. The shell comprises an aperture; the door plate is connected to the shell, and can be moved to cover the aperture; the support member is positioned inside the shell, and includes a first position and a second position, wherein the distance between the first position and the aperture is larger than the distance between the second position and the aperture; when the aperture is covered by the door plate, the pointing input device is mounted in the first position, and can be moved to the second position when the aperture is not covered by the door plate, such that the pointing input device can extend from the shell. |
| US08659548B2 |
Enhanced camera-based input
Enhanced camera-based input, in which a detection region surrounding a user is defined in an image of the user within a scene, and a position of an object (such as a hand) within the detection region is detected. Additionally, a control (such as a key of a virtual keyboard) in a user interface is interacted with based on the detected position of the object. |
| US08659545B2 |
Device and method for controlling computerized equipment
A method of controlling a computerized device with a tactile multi-point matrix sensor placed on a display device, the method including the steps of simultaneously acquiring data of a first contact position and a second contact position of a first and a second finger that is placed on the multi-point tactile matrix sensor, respectively; creating a first cursor and a second cursor that are associated with the first and second finger, respectively; displaying a graphical object on the display device; associating the first cursor and the second cursor with the graphical object to interact with the graphical object; and generating control messages for the computerized device based on positional data of the first cursor, the second cursor, and the graphical object. |
| US08659544B2 |
Portable information terminal having a method for inputting symbols or pictograms
In a portable information terminal enabling faster entry of frequently used symbols and pictograms, the control unit determines whether the pressing of the “*” key is recognized by the entry unit. If recognized, it is determined whether the mark list display setting is ON. If ON, it is determined whether the symbol and pictogram information stored in the mark list information storage unit is unregistered. If not unregistered, the symbols and characters stored in the mark list information storage unit 115b are retrieved and displayed on the display screen. If the pressed key is the center key of the four-way scroll key or the middle softkey, the symbol or pictogram on which the cursor is placed when the center key is pressed is determined as the symbol or pictogram to be entered. |
| US08659543B2 |
Driving method, control device, display device, and electronic apparatus
A driving method of an electro-optic device includes determining which condition is satisfied among a plurality of conditions including a first condition where a plurality of pixels include only a first pixels of which an optical state is changed from a second optical state to a first optical state and a third pixels of which the optical state is not changed, a second condition where the plurality of pixels include only a second pixels of which the optical state is changed from the first optical state to the second optical state and the third pixels, and a third condition where the plurality of pixels include both the first pixels and the second pixels, based on data stored in a memory storing the data indicating the optical state of the plurality of pixels. |
| US08659533B2 |
Bi-directional driving circuit of liquid crystal display panel
A bi-directional driving circuit of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel is disclosed, in which forward scanning and backward scanning are available. In a bi-directional driving circuit of an LCD panel having a plurality of blocks, each block includes a first start pulse input terminal to which a start pulse or an output signal of a previous block is input and a second start pulse input terminal to which the start pulse or an output signal of a next block is input. Also, each block includes a first switching portion switching a start pulse signal applied to an input terminal of a first block among the blocks and switching an output signal of a previous block, which is applied to input terminals of the other blocks and a second switching portion switching a start pulse signal applied to an input terminal of the last block and switching an output signal of a previous block, which is applied to input terminals of the other blocks. |
| US08659528B2 |
Electro-optical device driven by polarity reversal during each sub-field and electronic apparatus having the same
An electro-optical device includes: a data line driver applying the signal potential in such a manner that a writing polarity is reversed more than once in the field time period, and the writing polarity of each of sub field time periods making up a certain field time period is the opposite of the writing polarity of the corresponding one of sub field time periods making up the next field time period; a scanning line driver applying the scanning signal in such a manner that a total length of the sub field time periods in which writing in one polarity is performed in each cycle of two consecutive fields one of which is an odd field and the other of which is an even field is different from a total length of the sub field time periods in which writing in the other polarity is performed in the each cycle of two consecutive fields. |
| US08659525B2 |
Method of driving a display panel with depolarization
The method comprises, in addition to emission periods, depolarization periods during which a predetermined depolarization voltage, which exhibits a polarity opposite to the polarity opposite to the voltage applied during the emission periods, is applied and sustained at the control terminal of said driver circuits of the panel, and a reference depolarization voltage, which is different from the reference emission voltage, is applied to the reference electrodes to which reference terminals of the driver circuits are linked. This method makes it possible to use conventional and inexpensive column control means. |
| US08659521B2 |
Display device having a plurality of driving transistors and a light emitting element and method for driving the same
When a time grayscale method is used, it is an object to provide a display device in which the number of signal writings into a pixel can be reduced by dividing one frame period by the number of bits and power consumption can be reduced, and grayscale can be expressed. Further a smaller electronic device that performs display by a time grayscale method can be obtained. Grayscale can be expressed by dividing one frame period into subframe periods without storing signals by grayscale expression by a time grayscale method. Thus, power consumption can be reduced and downsizing of an electronic device can be achieved. |
| US08659520B2 |
Driving method of display device
It is an object to provide a driving method of a display device capable of reducing pseudo contours while increase in the number of sub-frames is suppressed as much as possible. In a driving method of a display device where one frame is divided into a plurality of sub-frames to display a gray scale, the plurality of sub-frames has a plurality of middle-order sub-frames each of which has a middle-degree weighting and is used for an overlapping time gray scale method, at least one high-order sub-frame which has a larger weighting than that of the middle-order sub-frame and is used for a binary code time gray scale method, and at least one low-order sub-frame which has a smaller weighting than that of the middle-order sub-frame and is used for a binary code time gray scale method. |
| US08659515B2 |
Display device, method of driving same, and electronic device
A display device is disclosed. The display device includes: a pixel array portion and a driver portion for driving the pixel array portion. The pixel array portion has rows of scanning lines, columns of signal lines, pixels arranged in rows and columns at intersections of the scanning lines and the signal lines, and power lines disposed in a corresponding manner to the rows of the pixels. The driver portion includes a main scanner, a power-supply scanner, and a signal selector. Each of the pixels includes light-emitting devices, a sampling transistor, a driving transistor, a retaining capacitor. |
| US08659509B2 |
Method for controlling cartridge of welding helmet having display function of welding operation time
Disclosed is a method for controlling a cartridge of a welding helmet having a function to display a welding operation time, which can protect the welder's face from intense light generated during a welding or cutting operation and also, enable automated light transmittance adjustment and operation time setting on a per operation basis, enabling a welding operation to be more efficiently performed. In the method including welding operation, cutting operation, grinding operation and X-mode operation steps, which are automatically performed in sequence according to preset conditions and a light transmittance and operation time of a liquid crystal screen of the cartridge, a control unit calculates an operation time of the liquid crystal screen indicating how long the liquid crystal screen is kept dark, and the calculated operation time is stored in a memory unit so as to be displayed on a display unit in a life mode step. |
| US08659505B2 |
Auxiliary display device driver interface
In a main computer system coupled to an auxiliary display device, described is an interface set for implementation by an auxiliary display device driver, to couple the driver to an auxiliary display platform. Commands received from the auxiliary display platform may be handled by code external to the driver, such as a class extension object. For example, the class extension object may interpret and/or translate commands received from the auxiliary display platform into a format understood by the driver code. The auxiliary display device driver may then provide corresponding command information including data to the auxiliary display device via the transport. Event data may be returned from the auxiliary display device driver via the interface set to the class extension object, such that corresponding event information, e.g., received at the auxiliary display device, may be returned to the auxiliary display platform. |
| US08659504B2 |
Display device and display method
Provided is a display device for carrying out seamless display so that a sense of strangeness is not given to a viewer or the sense of strangeness is reduced. In at least one example embodiment, a display device that displays an image based on image signals DAT, includes: a display panel having (i) a display area in which a plurality of display elements for displaying the image are disposed in a matrix and (ii) a frame area which is located at an end of the display panel and in which no display element is provided; a backlight device which emits light, in a form of plane emission, towards a surface opposite to a display surface of the display area; and a light guide element which is provided on the display panel and which changes a light path of part of light emitted from the plurality of display elements so that the part of light is guided to the frame area, and luminance per unit area in a light-emitting surface of the backlight device is larger in a display area end portion where the light guide element is provided than in a normal display area where the light guide element is not provided out of the display area. |
| US08659498B2 |
Variable frequency patch antenna
A patch antenna system comprises a patch antenna having a patch spatially separated from a ground plane; a plurality of pins interposed between the patch and the ground plane selectively connecting the patch to the ground plane; and a control module operably coupled to the plurality of pins and operable to set an operating frequency characteristic of the patch antenna by selectively connecting the patch to the ground plane with one or more of the plurality of pins. |
| US08659495B2 |
Wireless communication device
A wireless communication device whose impedance can be matched with an arbitrary load impedance and that can be broadened in operating frequency band even when choosing an input impedance of an IC chip freely is not possible. The wireless communication device includes: a first conductor; a second conductor disposed substantially parallel to the first conductor; a hole formed in the second conductor; a capacitive coupling mechanism disposed adjacent to the hole; and a communication circuit which has at least one of a radio wave transmitting function and a radio wave receiving function. The communication circuit is connected through the capacitive coupling mechanism to two sites on the second conductor that are near borders between the second conductor and the hole. |
| US08659493B2 |
Mission-flexibility antenna, satellite including such an antenna and method for controlling the change of mission of such an antenna
A mission-flexibility antenna includes a reflector and at least a first source and a second source of radiofrequency signals, which sources are arranged in front of the reflector, the reflector having a focal point and each source having a phase center, and wherein the sources are independent, fixed and connected to separate radiofrequency feed systems defining different and predefined polarization and/or operating frequency characteristics, and in that it additionally includes means of displacement and orientation of the reflector from a first position in which the focal point of the reflector is placed at the phase center of the first source to a second position in which the focal point of the reflector is placed at the phase center of the second source. |
| US08659483B2 |
Balanced dual-band embedded antenna
A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, can include a dielectric layer and a first conductive layer mechanically coupled to the dielectric layer. In an example, the first conductive layer can include a first arm having a shape defined by a first outer border comprising a first conic section and a first inner border comprising a second conic section, a feed line coupled to the first arm at a feedpoint location at or near a central axis of the first arm, and a second arm offset from the first arm along the central axis of the first arm, the second arm defined by a shape at least in part mirroring a shape of the first arm. |
| US08659482B2 |
MIMO antenna having plurality of isolation adjustment portions
A Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO) antenna having a plurality of isolation adjustment portions is provided. The MIMO antenna includes a plurality of radiation elements and a plurality of isolation adjustment portions. The plurality of radiation elements is symmetrically formed on the surfaces of the left and right sides of a dielectric element having a predetermined shape, is spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, operates in multiple frequency bands, and includes feeding portions, respectively. The plurality of isolation adjustment portions is coupled to the plurality of radiation elements so that they have electromagnetic characteristics different from those of the plurality of radiation elements, thereby improving isolation in each of the frequency bands in which the plurality of radiation elements operate. |
| US08659474B2 |
Navigation system and method for resolving integer ambiguities using double difference ambiguity constraints
A system and method for providing improved correction information to navigation receivers includes receiving, from a plurality of reference stations at known locations, a plurality of satellite navigation measurements of signals from a plurality of global navigation satellites. A state of the plurality of global navigation satellites is computed based on the received satellite navigation measurements. Baselines, each corresponding to a pair of the reference stations, are identified. For each identified baseline, computing floating and integer values for a double-differenced integer ambiguity. Double-differenced integer ambiguities that satisfy a set of predefined conditions are identified, and the computed state of the plurality of global navigation satellites is adjusted in accordance with an integer value constraint applied to each double-differenced integer ambiguity that satisfies the set of predefined conditions. The correction information is computed from the adjusted computed state of the plurality of global navigation satellites. |
| US08659462B2 |
Successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter and analog-to-digital conversion method using the same
A Successive Approximation Register (SAR) Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) includes a Sample-and-Hold Amplifier (SHA) for sampling and holding an externally input analog voltage, a comparator for comparing a level of the sampled and held analog voltage with a level of an analog signal corresponding to n bits and generating a comparison signal according to result of comparison, an SAR logic circuit for sequentially generating a digital signal from a Most significant Bit (MSB) to a Least Significant Bit (LSB) in response to the comparison signal, a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) for providing the analog signal to the comparator, and an output register for holding the sequentially generated digital signal from the MSB to the LSB to generate an n-bit digital signal, wherein, upon externally receiving a start signal, the SAR logic circuit generates a digital signal of a MSB having a one-bit phase delay compared with the start signal. |
| US08659461B1 |
Analog to digital converter circuit
The present invention provides a pipelined-successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit with decoupled flip-around MDAC, capacitive attenuation solution and self-embedded offset cancellation. The flip-around MDAC architecture is built for low inter-stage gain implementation. A capacitive attenuation solution is provided for minimizing the power dissipation and optimizing conversion speed. The design reuses SAR ADC to perform offset cancellation, which significantly saves calibration area, power and time. |
| US08659457B2 |
Self-compensating digital-to-analog converter and methods of calibration and operation thereof
Cost-effective structures and methods that allow an integrated digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to simultaneously achieve wide dynamic ranges and bandwidths through the use of built-in measurement and compensation mechanisms that are primarily digital. The measurements of the DAC's distortions are made with a relatively simple analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that is not designed to accommodate the combination of the bandwidth and the resolution offered by the DAC, but is nonetheless sufficient in determining the characteristics of the DAC's impairments during a calibration procedure. This information is then used in a feed-forward compensation system during the DAC's normal operation to estimate and cancel the distortions in its output signal that could result from the various impairments. |
| US08659453B1 |
Digital radio frequency memory utilizing time interleaved analog to digital converters and time interleaved digital to analog converters
A digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) comprises a plurality of time interleaved analog to digital converters (ADCs) in cooperation with a plurality of time interleaved digital to analog converters (DACs) to provide an effective sampling rate which may be greater than the clock rate of the system. A higher sampling rate at the ADC increases instantaneous bandwidth, while a higher sampling rate at the DAC improves spectral purity. The ADCs and DACs are time interleaved by supplying a clock signal to each ADC/DAC which is skewed with respect to the previous and subsequent skewed signal. In order to process the higher effective sampling rate, a pre-computation of DAC values for each high rate sample is performed by an SDAC algorithm that pipelines the calculations of the processed sample values provided to the DAC. A DAC bias correction is provided to adjust for drift in the DACs. |
| US08659450B1 |
MTR and RLL code design and encoder and decoder
An array f(n) is received for n=1, . . . , N where N is a length of a codeword. An array g(n) is received for n=1, . . . , N where N is a length of a codeword. Input data is encoded to satisfy an MTR constraint and a RLL constraint using the array f(n) and the array g(n). |
| US08659448B2 |
Movement detection device
Provided is a rotation detection device that detects a rotational direction and amount of a rotatable operation member. The detection device manages to reduce the rotation detection pitch while maintaining sufficient clearance for a rotation detection switch to operate. In other words, sufficient distance is given between rotation detection members such that the switch can accurately detect the movement from one member to the next. The rotatable operation member generally includes a plurality of switch driving sections that rotate in unison. A rotation detection switch generally includes a portion that moves in a first and second direction opposite to each other when coming into contact with the rotatable operation members, and is configured to output a detection signal at each movement. The switch and rotatable operation members are configured so that the movement direction of the detector is in a direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction of rotation. |
| US08659442B2 |
Power-saving reminder circuit for computer
An anode of a light emitting diode (LED) and a second terminal of a third electrical switch are connected to a first power source. First terminals of the first and second electrical switches are respectively connected to a second power source and a suspend signal pin. A second terminal of the first electrical switch is connected to a cathode of the LED and an output pin of a counter chip. A second terminal of a second electrical switch is connected to the first power source through a first resistor and a first terminal of the third electrical switch. A third terminal of the third electrical switch is grounded through second and third resistors and a capacitor in sequence and a voltage pin of the counter chip. |
| US08659439B2 |
Signal device for offshore wind farm
An offshore wind farm can include at least two wind energy installations for generating electrical power from wind, at least two acoustic warning devices, and a visibility measuring device for detecting visibility. After detection of a visibility below a visibility limit value, an activation signal can be applied to the at least two acoustic warning devices. One or more synchronization modules can be provided which determine the points in time of the acoustic signals to be emitted by at least one of the acoustic warning devices in relation to the acoustic signals of the other acoustic warning devices. Accordingly, this facilitates the navigation along an offshore wind farm and enables safe circumnavigation. Also, the impression of a contiguous area can be conveyed to the ships by the synchronized emission of the warning signals. |
| US08659434B2 |
System and method for reducing recidivism and aid in transition from a structured living situation to a less structured situation
Electronic systems and methods provide services in real time and in a user's language to aid transition from a structured environment into a less structured situation and reduce recidivism in released criminal offenders. Embodiments also include systems and methods for improved outcomes for subjects in transition from a structured living situation into a less structured or free society environment, such as subjects in transition out of a hospital, educational institution or military service. |
| US08659432B2 |
Security system for automatically detecting a person overboard using RFID
A security system for automatically detecting and signaling the event of a person falling overboard from a vessel into a body of water includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag worn by each passenger onboard a vessel, one or more RFID readers placed surrounding the hull of the vessel, a control unit onboard the vessel wherein the RFID readers are individually connected, and an alarm system. When a person who is wearing the RFID tag falls overboard, he or she would inevitably pass through one or more of the RFID readers placed surrounding the hull of the vessel. One or more RFID readers read the information contained in the RFID tag, and said information is transmitted from the RFID reader to the control unit. The control unit records the time and location of the event, and activates an alarm system for facilitating the rescue of the person. |
| US08659427B2 |
Proximity-sensor supporting multiple application services
A personal digital key (e.g., which can be carried by a human) contains a memory having different service blocks. Each service block is accessible by a corresponding service block access key. As the personal digital key (PDK) moves around, it is detected by sensors. The sensors report position data, thus enabling location tracking of the PDK. The sensors also provide a data path to various applications. An application that has access to a service block access key can therefore access the corresponding service block on the PDK. The sensors themselves may also contain service block access keys. |
| US08659425B2 |
Window safety and security device
A window safety and security device detects unauthorized movement of a double-hung window upon which the device is installed and communicates an alarm in response to the detecting. The device includes a single, high-powered suction cup with a housing configured to be removably attached to an inside glass pane of a first sash of the double-hung window formed with a first and a second sash, a first electrical switch including an actuator that toggles the switch contacts between an open or non-conducting state to a closed or conducting state when armed (powered) in a case where part of the window contacts and depresses the actuator. The device also includes a light or buzzer, which are activated when the first switch is caused to conduct. Preferably, a second electrical switch is included for “arming” and “disarming” the device. |
| US08659424B2 |
Subsurface intrusion detection system
A system to detect subsurface activity. The system employs vibration sensor pairs, with each sensor pair having a shallow sensor and a deep sensor. Outputs of the sensors of a pair are processed together and events are detected based on the relative values detected by the sensors of the pair. When signal energy departs from a detected background level, the relative amplitude and frequency content of vibrations measured at the shallow and deep sensors may be compared. The comparison may be performed, at least in part, using a classifier that discriminates between subsurface activity and surface activity. The outputs of sensor pairs may be aggregated to make a determination of whether subsurface activity exists and/or its location. Aggregation may involve comparing the outputs of the same sensor pair at multiple time intervals or may involve comparing the outputs of arrayed sensor pairs. |
| US08659419B2 |
Method and apparatus for preventing person, animals or items from getting lost
Methods and apparatus for giving audible warning to a user when one or more accompanying person, animal or personal item is physically more than a predetermined distance away from the user, have a master tag and one or more slave tags, wherein said master tag is wirelessly coupled to each one of said slave tags, said master tag and said slave tag being capable of being conveniently carried by a person or being attached to an animal or a personal item. |
| US08659418B2 |
Devices and methods for behavior assessment and modification
In one embodiment, a behavior assessment and modification device comprises a strap for fastening the device about a user's limb; a data interface for receiving input by the user; a sensor for detecting movement by the user; a processor for processing movement data detected by the sensor and interpreting the movement data according to the input received from a user; a memory component for storing the input received from the user, the movement data, and the interpretations of the movement data; and a signaling component for alerting the user according to the processed movement data. |
| US08659417B1 |
Providing electronic content based on sensor data
Techniques are described for using sensor data derived from a monitoring system to drive personalized content. Sensor data captured by a monitoring system may be used to determine attributes of users of the monitoring system and/or attributes of a property monitored by the monitoring system. The determined attributes may be used to select content to present to users of the monitoring system. Content presentation may be made through the monitoring system and may be triggered based on events detected by the monitoring system. |
| US08659412B2 |
Tire pressure monitoring apparatus and method
A tire pressure measuring device is configured with a plurality of communication protocols. Tire pressure information is sensed using the tire pressure measuring device. The tire pressure information is transmitted from the tire pressure measuring device to an external receiver device according to each of the plurality of communication protocols. |
| US08659410B2 |
Vehicle status display apparatus of hybrid vehicle
A vehicle status display apparatus for a hybrid vehicle includes a display configured to output a display related to a threshold indicating an engine start criterion under a traveling status using an electric motor; and a processing device. When the threshold changes, the processing device changes the display due to the change of the threshold such that a change manner of the display in a case where the threshold changes due to an operation of a vehicle's occupant is different from a change manner of the display in a case where the threshold changes due to a factor other than the operation of the vehicle's occupant. |
| US08659407B2 |
Sensor device for capacitively ascertaining distance
A sensor unit, in particular a sensor unit in or on a vehicle, for capacitively ascertaining the distance between the sensor device and an object, having an electrode for forming a capacitive system with the object and an apparatus for creating a signal proportional to the capacitance of the capacitive system. The sensor unit has a reference electrode for forming a capacitive reference system with the object, an additional apparatus for creating a reference signal proportional to the capacitance of the capacitive reference system, and an analyzer device for ascertaining the distance by forming a ratio of the signal and the reference signal, the reference electrodes having an electrode shape, which is different from the electrode shape of the electrode. |
| US08659405B2 |
Wireless-control lighting device
A wireless-control lighting device includes a control switch module mounted on a braking handle set, and a lighting displaying unit mounted on a bicycle and having a wireless receiver, a plurality of indicators and a second power supply. The control switch module includes a switch element, a circuit board, a wireless superconductor IC and a first power supply. The switch element and the wireless superconductor IC are electrically connected to the circuit board. The first power supply provides power to the circuit board and the wireless super conductor. When the switch element is working, and the wireless superconductor IC emits an actuating signal. The wireless receiver, the indicators and the second power supply are electrically connected to one another. The second power supply provides power to the wireless receiver and the indicators. The wireless receiver receives the actuating signal which accordingly actuates the operation of the indicators. Thereby the multiple wireless control operation can be achieved. |
| US08659402B2 |
Varible operation sensation input device
A variable operation sensation input device includes: an operation member slidable along a plane including first and second directions perpendicular to each other; a first driving member including a first engagement portion driven by sliding movement of the operation member in the first direction; a second driving member including a second engagement portion driven by sliding movement of the operation member in the second direction; a first motor connected to the first driving member via a first power transmission section; a second motor connected to the second driving member via a second power transmission section; a first detection section detecting a movement state of the operation member in the first direction; a second detection section detecting a movement state of the operation member in the second direction; and a control section controlling a driving of the motors on the basis of outputs of the first and second detection sections. |
| US08659401B2 |
System and method for controlling at least one device
System and method for controlling at least one device such as for example an operator for a door, a gate, a window, blinds, shutters, a curtain, an awning or a light source including at least one controllable unit associated with the at least one device and a plurality of nodes for transmitting control signals to the at least one controllable unit. At least one of the plurality of nodes for transmitting control signals are configured for transmitting a command originator, the command originator including an identification of a predetermined type of the node, from which the signal originates. |
| US08659400B2 |
System and method for configuring the remote control functionality of a portable device
A system and method used to configure a smart device to command functional operations of a target appliance. The smart device retrieves from a controllable appliance, such as a settop box, data indicative of a codeset identity of the target appliance wherein the codeset identity was determined during a process used to configure a conventional universal remote control to command functional operations of the target appliance and wherein the process used to configure the conventional universal remote control is performed in cooperation with the controllable appliance. A remote control application resident on the smart device then uses the data indicative of the codeset identity retrieved from the controllable appliance to also configure the smart device to command functional operations of the target appliance. |
| US08659398B2 |
System and method for buffered wireless device enrollment in a security system
A system and method are disclosed for enrolling wireless security system devices (alarms, detectors, lights) in a security system. A controller is provided and is capable of exchanging wireless signals with the devices. The system has an enroll mode where the wireless devices transmit enroll signals to the controller. The enroll signals contain an identifier associated with each device. An installer uses a keypad or other interface device to review each of the devices that have sent a signal, and to accept them for enrollment or ignore them. After review, the controller sends a signal to the devices instructing them to cease transmitting enroll signals to the controller. If the power of an enrolled device is cycled (battery replacement), another enroll command is sent to the controller. The controller determines whether the device was already enrolled, and if it has the controller sends a signal to the device to stop sending the enroll command. |
| US08659397B2 |
Method and system for correctly identifying specific RFID tags
A system and method for identifying a specific RFID tag includes RFID reader circuitry, such as within an RFID reader, configured for sending and receiving RF signals to detect RFID tags and for obtaining signal parameter information associated with the RFID tags. Processing circuitry is configured for using the signal parameter information for one or more tags of the RFID tags and calculating a tag score for the one or more RFID tags. The processing circuitry is further configured for determining a specific RFID tag using the tag scores for the one or more RFID tags. |
| US08659396B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically-tuned communication with one among myriad tags
An area-reading antenna (in RF linkage with myriad RF tags) is dynamically tuned. It may be dynamically tuned as to its transmission of a power/clock field, or dynamically tuned as to its transmission of a data signal, or dynamically tuned as to its reception of a data signal, or some combination of all three. In this way, a base station has an improved ability to communicate with a greater fraction of the RF tags within its reading area, despite detuning of individual tags due to proximity of detuning influences such as metal or liquids. |
| US08659395B2 |
Container for receiving articles
The invention provides a container (10) comprising a, a receiving compartment (18) for receiving articles (12) each provided with an RFID transponder (14), a shielding (16) for shielding of the receiving compartment (18), and an RFID antenna device (20) located in the receiving compartment (18) for communication with the transponders (14). Reliable identification of articles (12) located in the container (10) can thus be simplified considerably. |
| US08659392B2 |
System and method for determining the location of wireless sensors
A system and method for determining the location of wireless sensors are disclosed. The system may generally include a plurality of wireless sensor nodes communicatively coupled to a plurality of sensing devices. Additionally, the system may include a paging device configured to wirelessly transmit a page command to at least one of the wireless sensor nodes. Further, the at least one wireless sensor node may be configured to produce a position indicator upon receipt of the page command. |
| US08659385B2 |
Center pivot irrigation system diagnostic tool
A diagnostic tool for an agricultural field irrigation system that has a control panel including at least depressible operating switches for controlling the operation of the system includes a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver and an actuator. The wireless transmitter is configured to selectively encode and transmit an encoded signal, and the wireless receiver is configured to receive and decode the encoded signal, and provide an output signal to activate the actuator. The actuator is operatively connected to the wireless receiver, and is configured to be removably secured to the control panel. The actuator activates at least one of the system operating switches in response to receipt of the output signal from the receiver. |
| US08659383B2 |
Magnetic member
A magnetic member includes a substrate and a magnetic element. A configuration groove is formed on the substrate, so as to accommodate the magnetic element. Furthermore, a first electrode is formed on a periphery of the substrate, so that ends of a conductive coil of the magnetic element are electrically laid thereon. A guide groove is formed on a position adjacent to the first electrode, and the guide groove is filled with a conductive metal, so that the first electrode is electrically connected to the guide groove. In this way, after an IR reflow process of the magnetic member, conditions of abnormal adhesion and poor conductivity are avoided. The magnetic member is applicable to various electronic devices requiring the magnetic elements, for example, a communication circuit and a frequency conversion circuit. |
| US08659382B2 |
Non-encapsulated-winding stereo wound-core dry-type amorphous alloy transformer
A non-encapsulated-winding stereo wound-core dry-type amorphous alloy transformer. The core of the transformer has a stereo structure. Three lower yokes are placed on a base of a lower clamp, and an upper clamp and the lower clamp are connected with each other by several press screws. Low-voltage windings include a foil-wound or wire-wound cylindrical structure, while its high-voltage windings are wound with oxygen-free copper wires wrapped in an insulate paper and processed through vacuum pressure impregnation. Upper and lower padding blocks support and compress the high-voltage and low-voltage windings, so that the product is formed in a rigid stereo frame structure. |
| US08659379B2 |
Magnetic components and methods of manufacturing the same
Magnetic component assemblies including coil coupling arrangements, that are advantageously utilized in providing surface mount magnetic components such as inductors and transformers. |
| US08659378B2 |
Electric transformer with improved cooling system
An electric transformer comprising: a magnetic core; at least one coil assembly which is positioned around a portion of the magnetic core and comprises a plurality of windings; a structure adapted for applying a clamping force on the magnetic core and/or the windings; and a cooling circuit adapted for conveying cooling fluid directly inside the coil assembly. |
| US08659377B1 |
Magnetic device using permanent magnets
Provided is a magnetic device using permanent magnets according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In more detail, the present invention relates to a magnetic device using permanent magnets that can form a high magnetic field using a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet to perform various kinds of magnetic field application experiments, in particular, can be used for a single crystal growth, generation of polarized neutrons, and the like, and easily manufactured with a simple configuration and secure sufficient durability. |
| US08659374B2 |
Solenoid coil with reverse turn
A solenoid arrangement includes a plunger configured to move in an axial direction and a coil wound radially outward from the plunger. The coil includes a first winding layer and at least one additional winding layer positioned radially outward from the first winding layer. The first winding layer includes a first portion wound in a first winding direction and a second portion wound in a second winding direction that is opposite the first winding direction. The at least one additional winding layer is wound in the second winding direction radially outward from both the first portion and the second portion of the first winding layer. |
| US08659373B2 |
Micro-electro-mechanical switch beam construction with minimized beam distortion and method for constructing
Disclosed is a micro-electro-mechanical switch, including a substrate having a gate connection, a source connection, a drain connection and a switch structure, coupled to the substrate. The switch structure includes a beam member, an anchor and a hinge. The beam member having a length sufficient to overhang both the gate connection and the drain connection. The anchor coupling the switch structure to the substrate, the anchor having a width. The hinge coupling the beam member to the anchor at a respective position along the anchor's length, the hinge to flex in response to a charge differential established between the gate and the beam member. The switch structure having gaps between the substrate and the anchor in regions proximate to the hinges. |
| US08659372B2 |
Electromagnetic relay
An electromagnetic relay includes an electromagnet that generates a magnetic field when electric current is supplied thereto, an actuator that is actuated in response to the generated magnetic field, a contact that opens and closes in response to the actuation of the actuator, the contact including a first contact and a second contact that contacts with the first contact when the contact closes, and a housing including a first housing that includes walls defining a recess that accommodates the electromagnet, the actuator and the contact therein, and a second housing that is fixed to the first housing and covers the recess of the first housing. The electromagnetic relay also includes a permanent magnet provided on an outer surface of the housing at a position corresponding to a position of the contact. |
| US08659371B2 |
Three-dimensional matrix structure for defining a coaxial transmission line channel
A system is provided for three dimensional coaxial transmission of signals in a micro-machined component, the system having, a micro-machined component matrix with a first metallic sheet having a plurality of first access holes disposed therein; a second metallic sheet having a plurality of second access holes disposed therein; a plurality of metal posts disposed between the first and second metallic sheets such that the metallic sheets are maintained at a desired distance; walls defining a coaxial transmission channel; and a coaxial transmission core disposed within the channel. |
| US08659366B2 |
MEMS switches in an integrated circuit package
Methods and systems for MEMS switches fabricated in an integrated circuit package are disclosed and may include controlling switching of RF components, and signals handled by the RF components, within an integrated circuit. One or more MEMS switch arrays embedded within a multi-layer package bonded to the integrated circuit may be utilized for the switching and signal control. The RF components and one or more MEMS switch arrays may be integrated in the multi-layer package. The RF components may be electrically coupled to the integrated circuit via the one or more MEMS switch arrays. The MEMS switch arrays may be electrostatically or magnetically activated. The RF components may be coupled to one or more capacitor arrays in the integrated circuit. The RF components may include transformers, inductors, transmission lines, microstrip and/or coplanar waveguide filters and/or surface mount devices. The integrated circuit may be coupled to the multiple-layer package utilizing a flip-chip bonding technique. |
| US08659365B2 |
Common mode noise suppression circuit
A common mode noise suppression circuit applicable to differential signal transmission performs common mode noise suppression with respect to differential signals transmitted by a transmission line. An inductance-capacitance resonant structure is formed based on electromagnetic coupling combining a ground structure to suppress common mode noise of differential mode signals at broadband meanwhile keeping low loss of the differential mode signals at broadband via differential transmission lines. By this, the common mode noise suppression circuit performs broadband suppression with related to the common mode noise within a frequency scope of several GHz without affecting the differential mode signals and improves manufacturing process miniaturization to decrease cost. |
| US08659363B2 |
OTA-based current-mode filter and oscillator
Techniques are generally described herein related to filters including first operational transconductance amplifier (first OTA) and a second operational transconductance amplifier (second OTA). In some examples described herein, the first OTA and second OTA have substantially the same transconductance. The first and second OTAs can be configured to realize filters such as first-order all-pass filters, second-order all-pass filters, higher-order all-pass filters, and quadrature oscillators. |
| US08659361B2 |
Function generator circuit
A function generator circuit includes a temperature detecting circuit outputting a detection voltage corresponding to an ambient temperature and having a linear temperature characteristic. Zeroth-order, first-order and second-order component generating circuits generate a zeroth-order component, a first-order component and a second-order component, respectively, of the control signal. A third-order component generating circuit generates a third-order component of the control signal based on the detection voltage. An adder-subtractor generates the control signal by obtaining a sum of the zeroth-order component, the first-order component, and the third-order component and adding or subtracting the second-order component to or from the sum. The second-order component generating circuit corrects a temperature at an inflection point of the control signal. |
| US08659357B1 |
Conditionally-stable operational amplifier with tunable wideband buffers
A method for processing signals may include, in a conditionally-stable operational amplifier, shifting the gain curve of the conditionally-stable operational amplifier to a desired position, by buffering at least one output signal from at least one transconductance module within the conditionally-stable operational amplifier using a buffer. The desired position of the gain curve may be associated with a desired feedback factor. The shifting of the gain may take place without shifting a corresponding phase. The tuning of the buffer may be based on the desired position of the gain curve which is derived from feedback factor value(s) specified by an application. A phase corresponding to the desired position of the gain curve at 0 dB frequency may be greater than a threshold phase. The buffering may be tuned using at least one tunable wideband buffer so that the corresponding phase at 0 dB frequency remains higher than the threshold phase. |
| US08659354B2 |
Power-amplifier arrangement
A power-amplifier arrangement (35) is disclosed. The power-amplifier arrangement (35) comprises a pulse modulator (40) adapted to receive a digital input signal of the power-amplifier arrangement (35) and generate, based on the digital input signal of the power-amplifier arrangement (35), an output signal of the pulse modulator (40) with a plurality of quantization levels. The pulse modulator has a plurality of output ports (50—1-50_n) for representing the output signal of the pulse modulator (40). Each output port (50—1-50_n) of the pulse modulator (40) is associated with a unique one of the quantization levels such that a signal output on the output port (50—1-50_n) adopts a first state when the output signal of the pulse modulator (40) equals or exceeds the associated quantization level, or, otherwise, a second state. A related radio-transmitter circuit and a related radio-communication apparatus are also disclosed. |
| US08659348B2 |
Current mirrors
A current mirror comprises first and second sets of transistors. each of the first and second sets is a matched set comprising a first transistor and a second transistor. For each set, the base of the first transistor is directly coupled to the base of the second transistor. For one of the first and second transistors of each set the base is directly coupled to the collector. The collectors of the first and second transistors of the first set are coupled, respectively, to the emitters of the first and second transistors of the second set in series. A current output of the current mirror is coupled between the collector of the second transistor of the first set and the emitter of the second transistor of the second set. |
| US08659347B2 |
Method for modulating the impedance of an antenna circuit while receiving wireless power
An electromagnetic transponder includes an antenna circuit capable of providing signals to a charge pump. The pump includes a first transistor connected to a first capacitor. The transponder also includes means for applying a voltage alternating between first and second values between the gate and the conduction terminal on the side of the first capacitor of the first transistor. |
| US08659342B2 |
Low power level shifter with output swing control
A level shifter comprising a first driver transistor receiving an input signal. A gate-controlled transistor coupled to the first driver transistor. A second driver transistor coupled to the gate controlled transistor. An output coupled to the second driver transistor, wherein the gate-controlled transistor is for receiving a predetermined gate voltage when the output voltage exceeds a predetermined value. |
| US08659341B2 |
System and method for level-shifting voltage signals using a dynamic level-shifting architecture
A system and method to level-shift multiple signals from a first voltage domain to a second voltage domain with minimized silicon area. A level-shifting system may be organized by implementing a static level-shifter coupled to a plurality of dynamic level-shifters. The static level-shifter may provide a voltage control signal for each of the dynamic level-shifters. Each of the dynamic level-shifters may level-shift an individual input signal from a first voltage domain to a second voltage domain. |
| US08659337B2 |
Latch circuit with a bridging device
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for capturing and holding a level of an input signal using a latch circuit that presents a low number of loads to the clock signal. The clock is only coupled to a bridging transistor and a pair of clock-activated pull-down or pull-up transistors. The level of the input signal is propagated to the output signal when the storage sub-circuit is not enabled. The storage sub-circuit is enabled by the bridging transistor and a propagation sub-circuit is activated and deactivated by the pair of clock-activated transistors. |
| US08659336B2 |
Apparatus and method for synchronising signals
Signal synchronizers synchronize input signals with a clock signal. The input of each synchronizer is connected to a first input and the output of each synchronizer is connected to a second input of a respective first gate arrangement. The first gate arrangements provide an output signal only if there is an input signal on the first input and none on the second input or vice versa. The outputs of each of the first gate arrangements is connected to respective inputs of a second gate arrangement, which provides an output signal if there is a signal on any of its inputs. The output of the second gate arrangement is connected to a third gate arrangement which operates such that the clock signal to the synchronizers is only enabled when there is a change to the state of a signal received at the input of at least one of the synchronizers. |
| US08659334B2 |
Frequency control clock tuning circuitry
Circuits and a method for tuning an integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed. The IC includes multiple programmable fuses coupled to a control block. The programmable fuses used may be one-time programmable (OTP) fuses. The control block reads settings or data stored in the programmable fuses. A tuning circuit coupled to the control block receives the delay transmitted by the control block. The tuning circuit allows tuning of the IC without changes to the fabrication mask. The tuning circuit may include delay chains to provide additional delay to the IC when needed and the delay in the tuning circuit is configured based on the delay value stored in the programmable fuses and transmitted by the control block. |
| US08659329B2 |
Pre-emphasis circuit and differential current signaling system having the same
Provided is a pre-emphasis circuit which transmits a pre-emphasis output current to an output node of an output driver in response to first to fourth pre-emphasis control signals generated by a logical operation on differential input signals. The pre-emphasis circuit includes: a first pre-emphasis circuit driven in a range between a first voltage and a second voltage and configured to generate a first pre-emphasis output current in response to the first and second pre-emphasis control signals and output the generated first pre-emphasis output current to a first output node of the output driver; and a second pre-emphasis circuit driven in the range between the first voltage and the second voltage and configured to generate a second pre-emphasis output current in response to the third and fourth pre-emphasis control signals and output the generated second pre-emphasis output current to a second output node of the output driver. |
| US08659326B1 |
Switching apparatus including gating circuitry for actuating micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switches
A switching apparatus, as may be configured to actuate stacked MEMS switches, may include a switching circuitry (34) including a MEMS switch (36) having a beam (16) made up of a first movable actuator (17) and a second movable actuator (19) electrically connected by a common connector (20) and arranged to selectively establish an electrical current path through the first and second movable actuators in response to a gate control signal applied to the gates of the switch to actuate the movable actuators. The apparatus may further include a gating circuitry (32) to generate the gate control signal applied to gates of the switch. The gating circuitry may include a driver channel (40) electrically coupled to the common connector and may be adapted to electrically float with respect to a varying beam voltage, and may be electrically referenced between the varying beam voltage and a local electrical ground of the gating circuitry. |
| US08659321B2 |
Semiconductor device having sense amplifier
A semiconductor device includes a first driver circuit for supplying a first potential to a first power supply node of the sense amplifier, second and third driver circuits for supplying a second potential and a third potential to a second power supply node of the sense amplifier, and a timing control circuit for controlling operations of the first to third driver circuits. The timing control circuit includes a delay circuit for deciding an ON period of the third driver circuit. The delay circuit includes a first delay circuit having a delay amount that depends on an external power supply potential and a second delay circuit having a delay amount that does not depend on the external power supply potential, and the ON period of the third driver circuit is decided based on a sum of the delay amounts of the first and second delay circuits. |
| US08659318B1 |
Systems and methods for implementing tristate signaling by using encapsulated unidirectional signals
Systems and methods for implementing tristate signaling are described. The systems include an integrated circuit that further includes a tristate system. The tristate system converts an encapsulated unidirectional signal into a tristate signal. A relation between multiple unidirectional signals and the tristate signal is established by encapsulating the unidirectional signals to represent the tristate signal. The establishment of the relation facilitates control of the tristate signal by controlling the encapsulated unidirectional signals. |
| US08659316B2 |
Power control circuit, semiconductor device including the same
A power control circuit is connected between a power supply voltage and a logic circuit to switch power supplied to the logic circuit. The power control circuit includes a plurality of first power gating cells (PGCs) receiving an external mode change signal in parallel, at least one second PGC connected with one first PGC, at least one third PGC connected with the at least one second PGC, and at least one fourth PGC connected with the at least one third PGC. The second power gating cell, the third PGC, and/or the fourth PGC may include a plurality of gating cells. At least one of the second, third, and fourth pluralities has power gating cells connected in series. Each of the first through fourth PGCs switches power supplied in response to the mode change signal. |
| US08659313B2 |
Test bracket for circuit board
A test bracket for testing a circuit board includes a base, two connection pieces, and a supporting member for supporting the circuit board. The base includes a board and two posts extending up from the board. The supporting member includes two poles and a number of ribs slidably connected between the poles. First ends of the connection pieces are respectively detachably connected to the posts of the base, and second ends of the connection pieces opposite to the first ends are respectively pivotably connected to the poles. |
| US08659311B2 |
Test apparatus and test method
Provided is a test apparatus for testing a plurality of devices under test formed on a semiconductor wafer, including: a probe card to be connected to respective contacts of the plurality of the devices under test on a connection surface to be overlapped on the semiconductor wafer, the probe card being provided with a plurality of corresponding contacts on a rear surface of the connection surface; and a test head that tests the plurality of devices under test on the semiconductor wafer by sequentially connecting to each part of the plurality of contacts of the probe card. |
| US08659310B2 |
Method and system for performing self-tests in an electronic system
A method and system for performing a self-test of power supply quality for an integrated circuit chip within an electronic system. The electronic system is subjected to a well-defined repetitive activity, such as by using an amplitude modulated system clock tree. With the repetitive activity causing current consumption within the chip, time-domain local power supply voltage (U(t)) is measured for a location on the chip. A set of time-domain measured voltage data (U(t)) is accumulated and transformed into the frequency domain to yield a local voltage profile (U(f)). The local voltage profile (U(f)) is compared with a reference voltage profile (U0(f)) to verify whether power supply quality at the chip location under test is adequate. Alternatively, a local impedance profile Z(f) evaluated from the local voltage profile (U(f)) may be compared to a reference impedance profile Z0(f). |
| US08659307B2 |
Capacitive sensors for monitoring load bearing on pins
A sensor for monitoring external loads acting on a pin assembly includes a pin having an axial interior bore defined therein and having a length defined from a first end to an opposed second end thereof. A core pin is mounted axially within the interior bore of the pin spaced radially inwardly from the interior bore for relative displacement with respect to the pin. A capacitor is provided having an inner capacitor plate mounted to the core pin, and an outer capacitor plate mounted to the pin, such that relative displacement of the core and the pin due to external loading on the pin results in relative displacement of the inner and outer capacitor plates. The capacitor is configured and adapted to be connected to an electrical circuit to produce signals indicative of external loading on the pin based on relative displacement of the inner and outer capacitor plates. |
| US08659301B2 |
Apparatus for preventing damage to electronics caused by a broken or damaged service neutral line connection
This invention is a system that will prevent damage to electronics if the service neutral line is broken or damaged, or if other failures cause the voltage between the active line and neutral line to increase above typical regulated values. Damage to the service neutral line can cause erratic voltages between the active line and ground terminals of a home or business, often damaging electronics without tripping circuit breaker switches. This design is an easily-built, easily-installed and cost effective way to determine if the voltage between the active line and the neutral line is too high and, if so, disable current from reaching electronic equipment. |
| US08659295B2 |
Method and device for magnetic resonance imaging
In a methods and devices for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, an MR data acquisition is implemented repeatedly in which an examination subject is exposed to an alternating magnetic field with a frequency before the readout sequence. The signal values acquired after the preparation of the magnetization with alternating fields of respectively different frequencies are evaluated. Magnetic field data that contain information about the curve of the basic field are used to implement the MR data acquisitions, such as to establish the frequencies, and/or in the evaluation of the signal values. |
| US08659289B2 |
Rotating field sensor
A field generation unit generates a rotating magnetic field including a first partial magnetic field in a first position and a second partial magnetic field in a second position. The first and second partial magnetic fields differ in direction by 180° and rotate in the same direction of rotation. A first detection unit detects, in the first position, a first angle that the direction of a first applied field forms with respect to a first direction. The first applied field includes the first partial magnetic field as its main component. A second detection unit detects, in the second position, a second angle that the direction of a second applied field forms with respect to a second direction. The second applied field includes the second partial magnetic field as its main component. A detected value of the angle that the direction of the rotating magnetic field in a reference position forms with respect to a reference direction is calculated based on detected values of the first and second angles. |
| US08659288B2 |
Rotation angle detector
A rotation angle detector for detecting a rotation angle of a magnet rotator includes: the rotator with a magnet mounted on a rotation shaft; a sensor chip; and an operation element. The chip includes: first and second normal component detection elements for detecting a magnetic field along with a normal direction and first and second rotation component detection elements for detecting a magnetic field along with a rotation direction. A phase difference Δθ, output signals S1, S2, C1, C2 of the detection elements, a value ΔθbR obtained by differentiating a component of the magnetic field along with the normal direction with respect to the rotation direction, and a value Δθbθ obtained by differentiating a component of the magnetic field along with the rotation direction with respect to the rotation direction satisfies: S 1 - S 2 Δθ ≅ Δ θ b R and C 1 - C 2 Δθ ≅ Δ θ b θ The operation element calculates: C 1 + α S 1 - S 2 Δθ and S 1 - β C 1 - C 2 Δθ . |
| US08659286B2 |
Apparatus for calibrated non-invasive measurement of electrical current
A system for accurate measurement and monitoring of AC or DC electrical current flowing through electrical conductors includes one or more current sensors, a receiver, and one or more calibration signal generators (“CSG's”) that can be plugged into outlets or otherwise coupled to the conductors so as to add automated, time-varying calibration signals to the conductors, such as current pulses or pulse patterns. The sensors are placed on a circuit breaker panel, around a cable, or otherwise near the conductors. The receiver distinguishes the calibration signals by their timing, pulse patterns, frequencies, or other time-varying features, uses their known amplitudes to calibrate the sensitivity of each sensor to each conductor, and determines the current flowing in each conductor. Among other applications, the invention can monitor building current usage, CO and data center power usage and distribution, and power line current leakage, and can calibrate invasive and/or non-invasive current sensors. |
| US08659284B2 |
Load current detection in electrical power converters
An electrical power converter has a transformer (4) and detecting circuitry for deriving a reconstructed output or load current. In a first aspect of the invention the load current is computed by subtracting a scaled version of the time integral of the primary voltage (Vcap) from a scaled version of the primary current (Iprim). In a second aspect of the invention the load current is computed by subtracting a scaled version of the time integral of the voltage (Vaux) across an auxiliary winding (24) from a scaled version of the primary current (Iprim). |
| US08659283B2 |
Converter circuit
A converter circuit to be connected to an electrical energy source capable of showing major fluctuations in delivered power includes a chopper circuit with a variable duty cycle and connectable to the electrical energy source, an output circuit adapted for connection to the chopper circuit, a control loop for tracking an MPP of the energy source connected to an output of the energy source, and a control unit configured to command, at predefined intervals, changes in the chopper circuit's duty cycle as a function of the control loop's set-value signal. The control loop includes means for analog storage of pieces of information corresponding to output voltages from the energy source for at least three successive duty cycles, and an analog comparison unit delivering an output, as a function of the stored pieces of information, and a set-value signal for increasing or reducing of the duty cycle by the control unit. |
| US08659281B2 |
Buck converter
A buck converter includes a first MOSFET and a second MOSFET connected in series, a PWM module coupled to gates of the first MOSFET and the second MOSFET, and a control unit being coupled to the input current acquired unit, the input voltage acquired unit, the output current acquired unit, the output voltage acquired unit and the PWM module respectively, wherein the control unit controls a switch frequency of the PWM module and acquires the input current, the input voltage, the output current and the output voltage from the input current acquired unit, the input voltage acquired unit, the output current acquired unit and the output voltage acquired unit respectively. |
| US08659277B2 |
Current providing method and current providing system
A current providing method utilized to a power supplying circuit, which provides an output current to a loading. The current providing method comprising: detecting if a current value of the output current is larger than a threshold current value; computing a number that the current value of the output current is larger than the threshold current value; determining if the number is larger or equal to a predetermined number; and controlling the power supplying circuit to decrease the output current to a predetermined current value if the number is larger or equal to the predetermined number. |
| US08659276B2 |
Interleaved power converter and controller therefor
Disclosed is an interleaved power converter for converting a DC voltage source into a DC voltage output. |
| US08659275B2 |
Highly efficient III-nitride power conversion circuit
According to an exemplary embodiment, a III-nitride power conversion circuit includes a gate driver having a plurality of cascaded inverters, each of the plurality of cascaded inverters including at least one III-nitride transistor. At least one of the plurality of cascaded inverters has a cutoff switch and a III-nitride depletion mode load where the cutoff switch is configured to disconnect the III-nitride depletion mode load so as to prevent current from flowing from a supply voltage of the at least one of the plurality of cascaded inverters. The cutoff switch of the at least one of the plurality of cascaded inverters can be driven by one of the plurality of cascaded inverters. The III-nitride power conversion circuit can also include an output driver driven by the gate driver where the output driver has a segmented III-nitride transistor. Furthermore, a selector circuit can be configured to selectively disable at least one segment of the segmented III-nitride transistor. |
| US08659271B2 |
Fixed-on-time controller utilizing an adaptive saw signal for discontinuous mode PFC power conversion
A fixed-on-time controller utilizing an adaptive saw signal for discontinuous mode PFC power conversion, the fixed-on-time controller comprising: an error amplifier, having a negative input end coupled to a feedback signal, a positive input end coupled to a reference voltage, and an output end for providing a threshold signal; an adaptive current source generator, used to generate an adaptive current source according to the threshold signal; a capacitor, charged by the adaptive current source, being used for carrying a saw signal; a switch, used to discharge the capacitor under the control of a reset signal; and a comparator, having a negative input end coupled to the threshold signal, a positive input end coupled to the saw signal, and an output end for providing a turn-off signal; and a fixed-on-time driver circuit, used to provide a driving signal and the reset signal according to the turn-off signal and a sensing signal. |
| US08659268B2 |
Electrochemical cell with stepped scaffold fuel anode
An electrochemical cell includes a fuel electrode configured to operate as an anode to oxidize a fuel when connected to a load, and configured to operate as a cathode when connected to a power supply. The fuel electrode comprises a plurality of scaffolded electrode bodies, wherein the scaffolded electrode bodies are of varying size. The electrode bodies are of a larger size at positions distal from a charging electrode configured to act as an anode when connected to the power supply, and of a smaller size at positions proximal to the charging electrode. When connected to a load, the scaffolded electrode bodies-containing fuel electrode acts as the electrochemical cell anode and electrodeposited fuel is oxidized. |
| US08659265B2 |
Battery pack and method of sensing voltage of battery pack
A battery pack and a method of sensing a voltage of the battery pack are disclosed. The battery pack has more battery cells than an individual cell voltage sensing unit can sense the voltages of. The additional battery cells are sensed using a multi-cell voltage sensing unit and digital processing. |
| US08659264B2 |
Battery charger
A battery charger (100) includes a base (102) which selectively receives first (104a) and second (104b) battery pods. The battery pods (104a, 104b), which are adapted to receive one or more batteries (212) for charging, have a form factor which facilitates the handling of the pods (104) and the batteries (212) received therein. Charging energy may be allocated between the pods (104) as a function of the temporal sequence in which the pods (104) are received by the base (102). Charging energy may also be allocated among the batteries (212) so that the batteries (212) are substantially charged at about the same time. |
| US08659260B2 |
Motor drive apparatus and electric power steering apparatus using the same
A motor drive apparatus has a plurality of motor drive parts and a control unit. The control unit performs first and second failure detection processing for the motor drive parts before starting to drive the motor. If the first motor drive part is determined to have failure by the first failure detection processing, a first power supply relay for the first motor drive part is turned off and the second failure detection processing for the first motor drive part is inhibited. If the second motor drive part is determined to have no failure by the first failure detection processing and then by the second failure detection processing, the motor is started to operate. |
| US08659256B2 |
Robot confinement
A robot confinement system includes a portable housing and a mobile robot. The portable housing includes an emitter operable to emit a first signal when a presence of the robot is detected in a field of detection. The robot includes a controller operable to control a movement path of the robot on a surface and a cleaner operable to clean the surface as the robot moves on the surface. The robot further includes a detector operable to detect the first signal emitted by the portable housing. The controller is operable to change the movement path of the robot in response to detection of the first signal. One of the portable housing and the robot is operable to detect a second signal generated by the other of the portable housing and the robot to detect the presence of the robot in the field of detection. |
| US08659254B2 |
Servo system, servo motor driving device, safety unit and method for controlling servo system
A servo driver sets an instruction value for an operation of a servo motor based on an instruction signal from a controller. The servo driver sends the instruction value and a feedback value obtained based on a feedback signal to a safety unit. When at least one of the instruction value and the feedback value sent by the servo driver has an abnormal value, an STO signal is generated and sent to the servo driver. When the STO signal is input to the servo driver, the servo driver stops the supply of electricity to the servo motor. |
| US08659251B2 |
Wiper motor
In a wiper motor including a motor unit having a rotating shaft, and a gear unit having a speed reduction mechanism for reducing and outputting the speed-reduced rotation, a first speed reduction gear forming a speed reduction mechanism is provided to one end side of a rotating shaft, a sensor magnet is fixed to the other end side of the rotating shaft, a control board is provided so as to face the other end side of the rotating shaft from the axial direction of the rotating shaft, a MR sensor for detecting a rotational state of the rotating shaft is provided to a facing portion of the control board to the sensor magnet, and coil end portions of coils configured to generate an electromagnetic force for rotating the rotating shaft on the basis of supply of drive current from the control board is electrically connected to the control board. |
| US08659243B2 |
Charged particle accelerator
In a charged particle accelerator, voltage of several tens of kV is applied between accelerating electrodes. In such a case, electric discharge is sometimes generated between the accelerating electrodes. In the charged particle accelerator, part or entirety of the accelerating electrodes is coated with an electric discharge suppressing layer made of ceramics or alloy having a high melting point as compared with metal. When impurity fine particles are accelerated by an electric field and collide with the electrodes, the electric discharge suppressing layer made of ceramics or alloy prevents metal vapor from being easily generated from the electrodes and an ionized plasma from being easily produced, thus suppressing electric discharge between the electrodes. |
| US08659242B2 |
Light source apparatus
A light source apparatus has a lighting time period measuring section measuring lighting time periods of respective LEDs, a junction temperature calculating section that calculates junction temperatures of the respective LEDs, a light intensity deterioration characteristic storing section storing light intensity deterioration characteristics based on the junction temperatures of the respective LEDs, a light source drive characteristic storing section storing characteristics of power that drives the respective LEDs and light intensities, a deteriorated light intensity calculating section calculating deteriorated light intensities based on the measured lighting time periods, the calculated junction temperatures, and the light intensity deterioration characteristics stored in the light intensity deterioration characteristic storing section, and a light source power control section controlling power that drives the light sources, based on the deteriorated light intensities calculated by the deteriorated light intensity calculating section, and the characteristics stored in the light source drive characteristic storing section. |
| US08659239B2 |
Circuit and method for providing absolute information for floating grounded integrated circuit
The present invention discloses a circuit and a method for providing absolute information for floating grounded integrated circuit. The method includes: receiving an absolute information sense signal carrying absolute information; converting the absolute information sense signal to a current signal; and generating an internal reference signal according to the current signal, wherein the internal reference signal or a relationship between the internal reference signal and a floating ground level is related to the absolute information. |
| US08659238B2 |
Switching power supply with power feedback to keep lamp's brightness constant
A power supply and methods are provided. In one implementation, the power supply includes a switching converter with power feedback circuit to output constant power to keep lamp at constant brightness. The power feedback circuits include a current feedback circuit and a voltage feedback circuit. The power supply further includes a controller operable to adjust on time or duty cycle of main switch to keep the output power constant. |
| US08659234B2 |
Electronic candle
An electronic candle includes a power source, and two circuit assemblies electrically coupled to the power source in parallel and respectively including a waveform generator, a drive circuit and a first light-emitting diode being electrically connected in series. By means of controlling the two waveform generators to respectively generate a triangle wave, square wave, T wave or sawtooth wave, synchronously or asynchronously, the electronic candle simulates the flashing candlelight of a real wax candle. |
| US08659232B2 |
Variable-impedance load for LED lamps
In various embodiments, a startup circuit for a low-voltage-lighting electronic transformer includes a low-impedance output circuit. At the beginning of an AC signal cycle, the low-impedance output circuit presents a low-impedance path to the output of the transformer, thereby causing a surge of current in the transformer and initiating oscillation therein. |
| US08659225B2 |
High intensity discharge lamp with crown and foil ignition aid
A high intensity discharge lamp includes an electrically insulating arc tube including a central portion with an interior discharge region and two legs each extending from an end of the central portion. The central portion is a larger size than the legs. Electrical conductors extend through each of the legs and are spaced apart from each other in the discharge region. A light transmitting envelope encloses the arc tube. A frame member is electrically attached to one of the conductors. An ignition aid includes an electrically conductive foil disposed around one of the legs and in electrical contact with the frame member. An electrically conductive crown disposed in electrical contact with the foil is located on or near the central portion. |
| US08659224B1 |
Organic light emitting display apparatus and method for manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a substrate, a display device on the substrate, an encapsulating layer that covers the display device, that is bound to the substrate, and that includes a hole extending in a direction away from the substrate, and a getter filled in the hole. |
| US08659221B2 |
OLED light extraction film with multi-periodic zones of nanostructures
A light extraction film having multi-periodic zones of engineered nanostructures. The light extraction film includes a flexible substrate, a layer of low index engineered nanostructures applied to the substrate, and a high index backfill layer applied over the nanostructures. The multi-periodic zones include a repeating zone of the nanostructures having multi-periodic characteristics. The repeating zone includes first and second sets of nanostructures having different periodic pitches. The multi-periodic zones can be used to enhance the light output and tune the angular luminosity of organic light emitting diode devices. |
| US08659218B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device that can prevent distortion of an image transmitted therethrough by preventing light scattering. The organic light emitting display device includes a substrate in which a plurality of transmitting regions and a plurality of pixel regions are defined. The plurality of pixel regions are spaced apart from each other by the transmitting regions. A passivation layer is formed in all the plurality of transmitting regions and the plurality of pixel regions. A first aperture is formed in a location on the passivation layer, which corresponds to an at least part of the plurality of transmitting regions; a plurality of pixel electrodes that are formed on the passivation layer and are disposed to overlap and cover the thin film transistors. An opposite electrode formed to face the plurality of pixel electrodes and to allow light to pass therethrough. An organic emission layer is interposed between the plurality of pixel electrodes and the opposite electrode to emit light. |
| US08659210B2 |
Piezo based inertia actuator for high definition haptic feedback
A haptic device includes an elongated piezo bender supported by a first holder and a second holder. The first holder and the second holder being spaced apart from each other and located at or near opposite ends of the elongated piezo bender. A mass is supported by the elongated piezo bender and positioned in between the first holder and the second holder. The mass has a non-uniform thickness in a direction along a major axis of the elongated piezo bender. An electrical driving signal generator is configured to generate a signal to create a vibration in the elongated piezo bender. |
| US08659208B1 |
Waveform generator for driving electromechanical device
An electrical waveform generator for driving an electromechanical load includes a digital signal processor connected to a waveform generator component in turn connected to an amplifier section with a filter network, the latter being connected to sensing and conditioning circuit componentry that is in turn connected to analog-to-digital converter circuitry. A digital memory stores digitized voltage and current waveform information. The processor determines a phase difference between voltage and current waveforms, compares the determined phase difference to a phase difference command and generates a phase error or correction signal. The processor also generates an amplitude error signal for inducing the amplifier section to change its output amplitude to result in a predetermined amplitude error level for a respective one of the voltage and current waveforms. |
| US08659202B2 |
Stator for electric rotating machine
A stator includes a stator core and a stator coil comprised of a plurality of electric conductor segments mounted on the stator core. Each of the electric conductor segments has an insulating coat-removed portion. Each corresponding pair of the insulating coat-removed portions of the electric conductor segments are joined with a joint formed therebetween. Each of the electric conductor segments also has an oblique portion that is comprised of a first part and a second part. The first and second parts extend, along the circumferential direction of the stator core, obliquely with respect to an axial end face of the stator core respectively at first and second oblique angles θ1 and θ2, where θ2>θ1. The second part is positioned closer to the joint, where the insulating coat-removed portion of the electric conductor segment is jointed to that of another electric conductor segment, than the first part is. |
| US08659200B2 |
Permanent magnet embedded rotating electrical machine
The permanent magnet embedded rotating electrical machine includes a rotor and a plurality of flat permanent magnets. The rotor has on an outer periphery thereof a plurality of pairs of concave portions and a plurality of convex portions. Each of the convex portions is located between the pair of concave portions. The concave portions are formed at radially outward of respective adjacent magnetic pole ends of the permanent magnet. A bridge is provided in the rotor at an angular position about an axis of the rotor between opposed magnetic pole ends of two adjacent permanent magnets. Each concave portion at radially outward of the magnetic pole end of the permanent magnet is located close to the center of the same permanent magnet in relation to the bridge next to the permanent magnet in the circumferential direction of the rotor. |
| US08659198B2 |
Actuator
An actuator including a motor, case, resin mold, connector terminal, and two power supplying terminals. The motor includes two power receiving terminals. The resin mold is arranged in the case at a location close to one end. Each power supplying terminals includes a first extension, which is formed in a distal portion and includes a bent portion, and a second extension, which extends upward or downward from the bent portion. Each second extension includes a contact portion that elastically contacts the corresponding power receiving terminal in a direction in which an axis extends. The contact portions are located at positions that differ between the two power supplying terminals in a vertical direction. In the two power supplying terminals, the bent portions are located at different positions in the vertical direction. Further, the first extensions have different lengths from the resin mold. |
| US08659183B2 |
Variable initialization time in the charging of energy reserves in an irrigation control system
Methods for controlling irrigation devices coupled to and receiving operational power from a multi-wire interface of an irrigation system, and related irrigation devices, are provided. In some forms, the methods define initialization of the irrigation devices having received operational power, including the timing of charging, discharging and recharging of the irrigation devices in order to provide a time staggered recharging of the energy reserves of the irrigation devices. In some forms, the methods involve the use of different delay periods at different irrigation devices coupled to irrigation valves to place multiple irrigation valves into a known position. In some embodiments, these methods spread out the usage of charging energy drawn from the multi-wire interface by the irrigation devices coupled thereto to reduce inrush currents. |
| US08659179B2 |
Direct drive rotary wave energy conversion
An apparatus and method for converting wave energy using the relative rotational movement between two interconnected float assemblies and the relative rotational movement between each of the float assemblies and a spar which extends from a connection with the float assemblies at the water surface into the water. |
| US08659178B2 |
Wind turbine control method, control unit and wind turbine
A wind turbine control method for dampening vibrations of a transmission system, even in the presence of voltage dips and in any event that is susceptible to reducing active current generation capacity, is provided. First, for example, an initial torque or power instruction may be calculated based on a turbine operating state. Next, a torque or power adjustment term associated with dampening vibration modes of a turbine transmission system may be calculated. Then, a final torque or power instruction may be calculated by, for example, applying the adjustment term to the initial instruction. Finally, the final torque or power instruction may be transformed into a current instruction for controlling the wind turbine. |
| US08659168B2 |
Wiring board for flip-chip mounting, mounting structure of electronic components on wiring board, and semiconductor device including wiring board
A wiring board includes a main surface where an electronic component is mounted in a face-down manner so that a surface of the electronic component having plurality of external connecting terminals faces the main surface of the wiring board, the electronic component being fixed to the wiring board by an adhesive; an insulating layer formed on the main surface where the electronic component is mounted; an opening part formed in the insulating layer so that a plurality of adjacent wiring patterns are commonly and partially opened, the adjacent wiring patterns having electrodes where electrodes of the electronic component are connected; wherein an outer periphery of the opening part situated at a center side of the wiring board is formed in an oblique direction against extending directions of the wiring patterns. |
| US08659163B2 |
Semiconductor device having through electrode and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a through electrode passing through the substrate. The semiconductor device has a pad region and a through electrode region. A pad covers the pad region, extends into the through electrode region, and delimits an opening in the through electrode region. A through electrode extends through the semiconductor substrate below the hole in the pad in the through region. |
| US08659160B2 |
Die structure, manufacturing method and substrate thereof
A die structure, a manufacturing method and a substrate, wherein the die structure is constituted by a chip on wafer (COW) and the substrate, and the substrate is formed by stacking and then cutting a plurality of thermal and electrical conductive poles and a plurality of insulating material layers. Moreover, the fabricating of the die structure comprises a plurality of COWs carried on a carrier board is bonded on the substrate, the plurality of COWs are in contact with the plurality of thermal and electrical conductive poles on the substrate, and then the carrier board is removed. After that, a phosphor plate is adhered on the plurality of COWs so as to form a stacked structure. Thereafter, the stacked structure is cut, thus forming a plurality of die structures having at least one COW. |
| US08659159B2 |
Integrated circuit device with interconnects arranged parallel to each other and connected to contact via, and method for manufacturing same
According to one embodiment, an integrated circuit device includes a plurality of interconnects and a contact via. The plurality of interconnects are arranged parallel to each other. The contact via is connected to the each of the interconnects. A protrusion is formed at a portion of each of the interconnects connected to the contact via to protrude in a direction of the arrangement. A recess is formed at a portion of the each of the interconnects separated from the portion having the protrusion to recede in the direction. The protrusion formed on one interconnect of two mutually-adjacent interconnects among the plurality of interconnects is opposed to the recess formed in one other interconnect of the two mutually-adjacent interconnects. The portion having the recess is separated from portions on two sides thereof and is separated also from the portion having the protrusion. |
| US08659156B2 |
Interconnect structure with an electromigration and stress migration enhancement liner
An electromigration and stress migration enhancement liner is provided for use in an interconnect structure. The liner includes a metal that has a thickness at a bottom of the at least one via opening and on an exposed portion of an underlying conductive feature that is greater than a remaining thickness that is located on exposed sidewalls of the interconnect dielectric material. The thinner portion of the electromigration and stress migration enhancement liner is located between the interconnect dielectric material and an overlying diffusion barrier. The thicker portion of the electromigration and stress migration enhancement liner is located between the underlying conductive feature and the diffusion barrier as well as between an adjacent dielectric capping layer and the diffusion barrier. The remainder of the at least one via opening is filled with an adhesion layer and a conductive material. |
| US08659151B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a double-sided electrode package of a structure excellent in the reliability of connection and moisture resistance to another package, which is capable of being manufactured simply and at low cost. The present invention also provides a double-sided electrode package of a structure capable of forming inner wirings (electrode pads) in arbitrary layouts according to the number of pins of a semiconductor chip and the size thereof, which package is capable of being manufactured simply and at low cost. A copper foil is attached onto a core material formed with electrode pads, wirings, through electrodes, lands and a solder resist. The copper foil is wet-etched in several stages to form surface side terminals which stand on the wirings approximately vertically and each of which includes a plurality of protrusions (convex portions continuous in the circumferential direction) formed at their side faces over the full circumference along the circumferential direction. The peripheries of the surface side terminals are sealed with a sealing resin, and the end faces of the surface side terminals are exposed from a sealing resin layer, whereby redistribution wiring is performed at the surface of the sealing resin layer. |
| US08659150B2 |
Semiconductor module
A semiconductor module that can be connected with simple wiring is provided. A semiconductor device of the semiconductor module is provided with a semiconductor substrate, a first electrode formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a second electrode formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate opposite to the one surface. The semiconductor module is provided with a first electrode plate being in contact with the first electrode, a second electrode plate being in contact with the second electrode, and a first wiring member connected to the second electrode plate and penetrating the first electrode plate in a state of being insulated from the first electrode plate. The first electrode plate, the semiconductor device, and the second electrode plate are fixed with each other by an application of a pressure pressurizing the semiconductor device on the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate. |
| US08659146B2 |
Lead frame based, over-molded semiconductor package with integrated through hole technology (THT) heat spreader pin(s) and associated method of manufacturing
A method and apparatus are provided for manufacturing a lead frame based, over-molded semiconductor package (7) with an exposed pad or power die flag (70) having multiple integrated THT heat spreader pins (71) configured for insertion into one or more vias (77) formed in a printed circuit board (78). The through hole heat spreader pins (71) may be formed as an integral part of the exposed pad (52) or may be solidly connected with the exposed pad (62). |
| US08659145B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device in which a flip chip is mounted which can change a potential of a specific terminal without changing a design of a package external. The semiconductor device includes an IC chip having a bump for an external terminal, and a package in which the IC chip is mounted. The package includes an inner lead portion that supplies a first signal or a second signal to the external terminal. The inner lead portion has a pattern of an inner lead that can change a signal to be supplied to the external terminal to the first signal or the second signal according to a position at which the IC chip is mounted. |
| US08659143B2 |
Stub minimization for wirebond assemblies without windows
A microelectronic package can include a substrate and a microelectronic element having a rear face facing a first surface of the substrate, a front face, and a column of element contacts extending in a first direction. The microelectronic element can include stacked electrically interconnected semiconductor chips. Edges of the microelectronic element can define an axial plane extending in the first direction and a third direction normal to the rear face. The package can include columns of terminals extending in the first direction at a second surface of the substrate. The terminals can include first terminals exposed in a central region of the second surface and configured to carry address information usable by circuitry within the package to determine an addressable memory location. The central region may have a width not more than 3.5 times a minimum pitch between adjacent terminal columns. The axial plane can intersect the central region. |
| US08659140B2 |
Stub minimization using duplicate sets of signal terminals in assemblies without wirebonds to package substrate
A microelectronic package can include a microelectronic element having a face and a plurality of element contacts thereon, a substrate having first and second surfaces, and terminals on the second surface configured for connecting the package with at least one external component. The substrate can have substrate contacts on the first surface facing the element contacts of the microelectronic element and joined thereto. The terminals can include first terminals arranged at positions within first and second parallel grids. The first terminals of each grid can be configured to carry address information usable by circuitry within the microelectronic package to determine an addressable memory location from among all the available addressable memory locations of a memory storage array within the microelectronic element. The signal assignments of the first terminals in the first grid can be a mirror image of the signal assignments of the first terminals in the second grid. |
| US08659138B2 |
Semiconductor package having electrode on side surface, and semiconductor device
A semiconductor package includes a substrate, a semiconductor chip disposed on the substrate, and a connection wiring connected electrically to the semiconductor chip. The semiconductor package further includes a sidewall formed of an insulator, an inner electrode formed on a first surface of the sidewall that faces the substrate, and a sidewall external electrode formed on a second surface of the sidewall different from the first surface. The inner electrode and the sidewall external electrode are connected electrically, and the inner electrode is connected to the connection wiring. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the semiconductor package from being large due to an increase in the number of sidewall external electrodes formed on the side surfaces of the semiconductor package, and to shorten a connection distance between the semiconductor packages by connecting the sidewall external electrodes. |
| US08659135B2 |
Semiconductor device stack and method for its production
A semiconductor stack and a semiconductor base device with a wiring substrate and an intermediate wiring board for a semiconductor device stack is disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor chip is arranged between the intermediate wiring board and the wiring substrate, which is electrically connected by way of the wiring substrate on the one hand to external contacts on the underside of the wiring substrate and on the other hand to contact terminal areas in the edge regions of the wiring substrate. The intermediate wiring board has angled-away external flat conductors, which are electrically connected in the contact terminal areas of the wiring board. Furthermore, on the upper side of the intermediate wiring board, arranged on the free ends of the internal flat conductors are external contact terminal areas, which correspond in size and arrangement to external contacts of a semiconductor device to be stacked. |
| US08659127B2 |
Wiring substrate, semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a wiring substrate, and a semiconductor chip, wherein the wiring substrate includes a glass plate having an opening portion penetrating through a first surface of the glass plate to a second surface of the glass plate, a resin portion penetrating through the first surface to the second surface, and a through wiring penetrating through the resin portion from the first surface to the second surface to electrically connect a first wiring layer formed on a side of the first surface with a third wiring layer formed on a side of the second surface, wherein the semiconductor chip is accommodated inside the opening portion. |
| US08659126B2 |
Integrated circuit ground shielding structure
The present disclosure provides an Integrated Circuit (IC) device. The IC device includes a first die that contains an electronic component. The IC device includes second die that contains a ground shielding structure. The IC device includes a layer disposed between the first die and the second die. The layer couples the first die and the second die together. The present disclosure also involves a microelectronic device. The microelectronic device includes a first die that contains a plurality of first interconnect layers. An inductor coil structure is disposed in a subset of the first interconnect layers. The microelectronic device includes a second die that contains a plurality of second interconnect layers. A patterned ground shielding (PGS) structure is disposed in a subset of the second interconnect layers. The microelectronic device includes an underfill layer disposed between the first and second dies. The underfill layer contains one or more microbumps. |
| US08659123B2 |
Metal pad structures in dies
A die includes a substrate, a metal pad over the substrate, and a passivation layer that has a portion over the metal pad. A dummy pattern is disposed adjacent to the metal pad. The dummy pattern is level with, and is formed of a same material as, the metal pad. The dummy pattern forms at least a partial ring surrounding at least a third of the metal pad. |
| US08659116B2 |
Isolated transistor
A transistor is formed inside an isolation structure which includes a floor isolation region and a trench extending from the surface of the substrate to the floor isolation region. The trench may be filled with a dielectric material or may have a conductive material in a central portion with a dielectric layer lining the walls of the trench. |
| US08659114B2 |
Semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a trench formed in an element isolating area of the semiconductor substrate, and a silicon oxide film that is embedded in the trench and contains an alkali metal element or alkali earth metal element. |
| US08659111B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device is manufactured by etching a semiconductor substrate including an active region, forming a bit line contact hole from which the active region is protruded, forming a first spacer exposing a top of the active region at each of an inner wall and a bottom of the bit line contact hole, forming a bit line contact plug and a bit line over the exposed active region, and forming a second spacer over the semiconductor substrate including not only the bit line contact plug but also the bit line. |
| US08659108B2 |
Photospectrometer
Impinging electromagnetic radiation generates pairs of majority and minority carriers in a substrate. A spectrometer device for detection of electromagnetic radiation impinging on a substrate comprises means for generating, in the substrate, a majority carrier current; at least one detection region for collecting generated minority carriers, the minority carriers being directed under influence of the majority carrier current; and means for determining spectral information based on minority carriers collected at the at least one detection region. |
| US08659106B2 |
Light emitting device and method of manufacturing the light emitting device
A light emitting device includes a base body forming a recess defined by a bottom surface and a side wall thereof, a conductive member whose upper surface being exposed in the recess and whose lower surface forming an outer surface, a protruding portion disposed in the recess, a light emitting element mounted in the recess and electrically connected to the conductive member, and a sealing member disposed in the recess to cover the light emitting element. The base body has a bottom portion and a side wall portion integrally formed of a resin, an inner surface of the side wall portion is the side wall defining the recess and has a curved portion, and the protruding portion is disposed in close vicinity to the curved surface. With this arrangement, a thin and small-sized light emitting device excellent in light extraction efficiency and reliability can be obtained. |
| US08659103B2 |
Magnetoresistive element and magnetic memory using the same
According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element includes the following configuration. A first magnetic layer has an invariable magnetization. A second magnetic layer has a variable magnetization. A nonmagnetic layer is provided between the first and the second magnetic layers. The first magnetic layer has a structure in which first, second and third magnetic material films and a nonmagnetic material film are stacked. The first magnetic material film is provided in contact with the nonmagnetic layer, the nonmagnetic material film is provided in contact with the first magnetic material film, the second magnetic material film is provided in contact with the nonmagnetic material film, and the third magnetic material film is provided in contact with the second magnetic material film. The second magnetic material film has a Co concentration higher than that of the first magnetic material film. |
| US08659101B2 |
Physical quantity detector
Provided is an inertial sensor device comprising a detection part having an MEMS structure, wherein convenience during sensor installation is ensured while erroneous operation caused by the application of external vibration is controlled. To achieve this objective, an anti-vibration structure (103) is provided in the inertial sensor device, between a semiconductor chip (102) mounted on a package substrate and a semiconductor chip (104) comprising a sensor detection part. The anti-vibration structure (103) has a structure in which the periphery of an anti-vibration part (103a) is surrounded by an anti-vibration part (103b) comprising a material having a larger Young's modulus. |
| US08659100B2 |
MEMS component having a diaphragm structure
A wafer-level-based packaging concept for MEMS components having at least one diaphragm structure formed in the component front side is described, according to which an interposer is connected to the front side of the MEMS component, which has at least one passage aperture as an access opening to the diaphragm structure of the MEMS component and which is provided with electrical through contacts so that the MEMS component is electrically contactable via the interposer. The cross-sectional area of the at least one passage aperture in the interposer is to be designed as significantly smaller than the lateral extension of the diaphragm structure of the MEMS component. The at least one passage aperture opens into a cavity between the diaphragm structure and the interposer. |
| US08659098B2 |
Resonator and fabrication method thereof
A resonator fabrication method is provided. A method includes providing a plurality of electrode patterns disposed apart from each other on a substrate using a nano-imprint technique; and forming an extended electrode pattern connected to a plurality of electrode patterns, and forming a nano structure laid across an extended electrode patterns. Therefore, a nano-electromechanical system (NEMS) resonator is easily fabricated at a nanometer level. |
| US08659097B2 |
Control fin heights in FinFET structures
A device includes a substrate, an isolation region at a top surface of the substrate, and a semiconductor fin over the isolation region. The semiconductor fin has a fin height smaller than about 400 Å, wherein the fin height is measured from a top surface of the semiconductor fin to a top surface of the isolation region. |
| US08659096B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate; an element-forming region that includes semiconductor elements formed on the semiconductor substrate; a buried electrode plug formed so as to penetrate through the semiconductor substrate; and a trench-type electrode that is buried in a trench within the semiconductor substrate positioned between the element-forming region and the buried electrode plug. |
| US08659095B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a first driving transistor region having a first driving transistor disposed therein and a second driving transistor region having a second driving transistor disposed therein, wherein the second driving transistor is driven at a lower voltage than the first driving transistor, a first gate insulating layer formed at edges of the second driving transistor region, and a second gate insulating layer formed at a center of the second driving transistor region, wherein the first gate insulating layer is thicker than the second gate insulating layer. |
| US08659093B2 |
Continuous metal semiconductor alloy via for interconnects
A contact structure is disclosed in which a continuous metal semiconductor alloy is located within a via contained within a dielectric material. The continuous semiconductor metal alloy is in direct contact with an upper metal line of a first metal level located atop the continuous semiconductor metal alloy and at least a surface of each source and drain diffusion region located beneath the continuous metal semiconductor alloy. The continuous metal semiconductor alloy includes a lower portion that is contained within an upper surface of each source and drain region, and a vertical pillar portion extending upward from the lower portion. |
| US08659092B2 |
Complementary metal oxide semiconductor transistor and fabricating method thereof
A fabricating method of CMOS transistor includes following steps. A first gate and a second gate are formed on a substrate. A gate insulator is formed on the substrate to cover the first and second gates. A first source, a first drain, a second source, and a second drain are formed on the gate insulator. The first source and the first drain are above the first gate. The second source and the second drain are above the second gate. A first channel layer and a mask layer are formed on the gate insulator. The mask layer is on the first channel layer. The first channel layer is above the first gate and contacts with the first source and the first drain. A second channel layer is formed on the gate insulator. The second channel layer is above the second gate and contacts with the second source and the second drain. |
| US08659089B2 |
Nitrogen passivation of source and drain recesses
An integrated circuit device and method for manufacturing the integrated circuit device is disclosed. In an example, the method includes providing a substrate; forming a gate structure over the substrate; removing portions of the substrate to form a first recess and a second recess in the substrate, such that the gate structure interposes the first recess and the second recess; forming a nitrogen passivation layer in the substrate, such that the first recess and the second recess are defined by nitrogen passivated surfaces of the substrate; and forming doped source and drain features over the nitrogen passivated surfaces of the first recess and the second recess, the doped source and drain features filling the first and second recesses. |
| US08659085B2 |
Lateral connection for a via-less thin film resistor
The present disclosure is directed to an integrated circuit having a substrate and a first and a second interconnect structure over the substrate. Each interconnect structure has a first conductive layer over the substrate and a second conductive layer over the first conductive layer. The integrated circuit also includes a thin film resistor over a portion of the substrate between the first and the second interconnect structure that electrically connects the first conductive layers of the first and second interconnect structures. |
| US08659083B2 |
Enhancement of charge carrier mobility in transistors
Transistor devices including stressors are disclosed. One such transistor device includes a channel region, a dielectric layer and a semiconductor substrate. The channel region is configured to provide a conductive channel between a source region and a drain region. In addition, the dielectric layer is below the channel region and is configured to electrically insulate the channel region. Further, the semiconductor substrate, which is below the channel region and below the dielectric layer, includes dislocation defects at a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, where the dislocation defects are collectively oriented to impose a compressive strain on the channel region such that charge carrier mobility is enhanced in the channel region. |
| US08659080B2 |
Semiconductor structure and manufacturing process thereof
A semiconductor structure includes a substrate having a first conductive type, a well having a second conductive type formed in the substrate, a first doped region and a second doped region formed in the well, a field oxide, a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer. The field oxide is formed on a surface region of the well and between the first doped region and the second doped region. The first dielectric layer is formed on the surface region of the well and covers an edge portion of the field oxide. The first dielectric layer has a first thickness. The second dielectric layer is formed on the surface region of the well. The second dielectric layer has a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. |
| US08659077B1 |
Multi-layer work function metal replacement gate
Embodiments relate to a field-effect transistor (FET) replacement gate apparatus. The apparatus includes a channel structure including a base and side walls defining a trench. A high-dielectric constant (high-k) layer is formed on the base and side walls of the trench. The high-k layer has an upper surface conforming to a shape of the trench. A first layer is formed on the high-k layer and conforms to the shape of the trench. The first layer includes an aluminum-free metal nitride. A second layer is formed on the first layer and conforms to the shape of the trench. The second layer includes aluminum and at least one other metal. A third layer is formed on the second layer and conforms to the shape of the trench. The third layer includes aluminum-free metal nitride. |