| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08694650B2 |
System and method of managing information distribution to mobile stations
A system and method for distributing information from a host service in communication with a computer network to a mobile station in communication with a wireless network is provided. A data item associated with the mobile station is received at the host service. The host service then determines whether a network resource of the wireless network is currently associated with the mobile station. If the network resource of the wireless network is not currently associated with the mobile station, then the host service transmits a resource request message to the mobile station to instruct the mobile station to acquire the network resource. Subsequently to acquiring the network resource, the host service is then able to transmit the data item to the mobile station using the network resource. |
| US08694648B2 |
System and method for implementing a session initiation protocol feature
A method for implementing a SIP feature includes, in particular embodiments, establishing a communication session via a communications platform between a first and second user and receiving a request from a third user to join the communication session. The second and third users are from a plurality of users using a shared line. The method further includes integrating communications of the third user into the communication session. In particular embodiments the method includes establishing a communication session between a first and second user via a communications platform. The method also includes receiving a select request that locks the communication session so that a third user cannot resume the communication session with the first user. In particular embodiments the method includes receiving a request from a first user of a shared line to enable a privacy feature that reduces call information generated by the communications platform in remote state notifications. |
| US08694645B2 |
Tracking web server
A web server is disclosed that is configured to track requests for web pages on a third party web server. The tracking web server traps a web page request, such as a PURL (Personalized URL) for a personalized web page, before it attempts to serve the web page requested. The URL of the web page request is analyzed to determine the location of the requested page on a third party server, and details of the contact with which the personalized web page is associated. Receipt of the web page request is then recorded in a memory associated with the server, and the web page request is forwarded to the third party server for processing. The redirection to the third party web server may be seamless, such that the contact requesting the page does not know of the redirection. In this way, a tracking web server is provided which can supply a personalized tracking and forwarding function. |
| US08694639B1 |
Determining maximum amount of resource allowed to be allocated to client in distributed system
Resource management techniques for shared resources in a distributed system are described. Clients and servers may exchange messages according to an asynchronous messaging protocol that does not guarantee delivery or ordering of messages. A client may send a resource request message including a client timestamp and a measure of client resource demand. The server may allocate a grant of the resource to the client in a manner that prevents resource overload, and indicate the grant to the client via a message including a logical timestamp, the amount of resource granted, the client's original timestamp, and a grant expiration time. The server may acknowledge the grant and cooperatively use the resource in accordance with the grant's terms. |
| US08694638B2 |
Selecting a host from a host cluster to run a virtual machine
A host controller selects a host from a host cluster to run a virtual machine. In one embodiment, a host controller receives a request to run a virtual machine. The virtual machine may be a newly added virtual machine, or an existing virtual machine that needs to migrate from a currently active host to another host. The host controller selects a host from the host cluster based on current central processing unit (CPU) consumption and expected load to be incurred by the virtual machine. The expected load may be estimated from the number of cores to be used by the virtual machine. The host controller then assigns the virtual machine to run on the host. |
| US08694637B1 |
Virtual private server with CPU time scheduler and isolation of system components
A server includes a host running an operating system kernel. Isolated virtual private servers (VPSs) are supported within the kernel. At least one application is available to users of the VPS. A plurality of interfaces give the users access to the application. Each VPS has its own set of addresses. Each object of each VPS has a unique identifier in a context of the operating system kernel. Each VPS is isolated from objects and processes of another VPS. Each VPS includes isolation of address space of each user from address space of a user on any other VPS, isolation of server resources for each VPS, and failure isolation. The server includes a capability of allocating (or reallocating) system resources to a designated VPS, allocating (or reallocating) system resources to a VPS in current need of such resources, dynamically allocating (or reallocating) VPS resources to a VPS when additional resources are available, and compensating a particular VPS in a later period for a period of under-use or over-use of server resources by the particular VPS in a current period. VPS resources are allocated for each time cycle. All the VPSs are supported within the same OS kernel. |
| US08694635B1 |
Time series technique for analyzing performance in an online professional network
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system for analyzing performance in an online professional network. During operation, the system receives time series data for user actions, wherein for each user action, the time series data comprises a series of numbers associated with consecutive time intervals, wherein a given number indicates a number of times the user action occurred during the time interval. The system also receives time series data for performance metrics, wherein for each performance metric, the time series data comprises a series of numbers associated with consecutive time intervals, wherein a given number indicates the number of times the performance metric occurred during the time interval. The system then performs a time series analysis on the received time series data for user actions and performance metrics to determine relationships between the user actions and the performance metrics. |
| US08694633B2 |
Curating communications
A computer-implemented method includes notifying a first person that a significant event is going to occur with respect to a second person; receiving from the first person, the second person, or another person a communication that relates to the significant event and to the first person and that has been curated at least in part from information that has been accumulated automatically from online resources; and sending the curated communication to the communication target. |
| US08694627B2 |
Method and apparatus for correlating end to end measurements through control plane monitoring of wireless traffic
A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for correlating measures of wireless traffic are disclosed. For example, the method obtains the wireless traffic, and processes the wireless traffic by a plurality of probe servers, where each of the plurality of probe servers generates a plurality of feeds, wherein the plurality of feeds comprises a data feed and a control feed. The method correlates the plurality of feeds from the plurality of probe servers by a plurality of aggregator servers, where the data feed and the control feed of each of the plurality of probe servers are correlated with at least one other probe server of the plurality of probe servers to provide a correlated control plane and a correlated data plane, and extracts at least partial path information of a flow from the correlated control plane. The method then correlates performance information from the correlated data plane for the flow. |
| US08694625B2 |
Selective registration for remote event notifications in processing node clusters
An event notification system for distributed processing systems provides remote and local node event notification in systems that require local registration of an event consumer in order produce an event notifications. To provide notification of an event occurring on a remote node, either event consumers on all nodes in the cluster register locally to receive event notifications and specify that the event is a cluster event, in which case the nodes send notification of their locally-occurring events to all nodes, or remote registrations are accepted at nodes and if a local consumer for the event is not present, a listener thread registers as an event consumer. The listener thread sends the event notifications to the remote nodes registered as consumers for the event by observing communication between the event producer and the local consumer, or receiving the event notifications directly if there is no local consumer. |
| US08694616B2 |
Service broker integration layer for supporting telecommunication client service requests
A telecommunications architecture processes telecommunications service requests received from third parties through a secure access gateway. The third parties may be other telecommunications service providers which employ the services to support their own products and services or may be or individual subscribers. The service broker provides a flexible and efficient layer in the telecommunications architecture for processing the service request. The service broker also overcomes the technical problems associated with third party service request processing. In addition to providing technical solutions for efficient and secure processing of service requests for exposed services, the architecture also provides an additional revenue channel for existing telecommunication service providers. |
| US08694615B2 |
Providing identifying information for computers on a network
A hostname configuration unit associates a display hostname with a regular hostname of a host, where the regular hostname identifies the host and the display hostname identifies a service associated with the host, where the service is provided by a client application. The hostname configuration unit further associates a graphical representation with the display hostname. A hostname query unit is configured to provide the client application the regular hostname, the display hostname, and the graphical representation in response to a request for hostname data received from the client application. The regular hostname, the display hostname, and the graphical representation are used by the client application to advertise a service to allow a remote node to access the advertised service of the application over a network. |
| US08694601B2 |
Method and apparatus for communicating during automated data processing
A number of items of data from a data source (12) can be processed and supplied to a data destination (16, 17). The data can include image data, text data, numeric data or other types of data, or a combination of these types of data. The processing of the data is controlled by a project definition (14, 71, 101), which includes a plurality of modules selected from a variety of available modules (Tables 1-4). The modules have input and output ports which are interrelated by binding information. Where a project definition is complex and/or is assigned to process a large data set, capability is provided to launch multiple instances of the same project definition, each of which processes a respective portion of the data. Further, capability is provided to launch multiple instances of the same or different project definitions on each of one or more computers, in order to efficiently execute project definitions in a centralized processing facility. |
| US08694599B2 |
Method and systems of distributing media content and related computer program product
Information codes are arranged in pieces comprised of chunks of bytes over a network, such as a Peer-to-Peer overlay network, including a set of peer terminals. A first peer identifies missing chunks in the received pieces and requests such missing chunks from other peers. The chunks are subjected to a fountain code encoding wherein the chunks in a piece are X-ORed. The first peer is therefore capable of reconstructing a received piece encoded with fountain codes from a combination of linearly independent chunks corresponding to the piece. The chunks are transmitted over the network with a connection-less protocol, without retransmission of lost packets, preferably with a UDP protocol. |
| US08694598B2 |
Host device and method for accessing a virtual file in a storage device by bypassing a cache in the host device
A host device is provided comprising an interface configured to communicate with a storage device having a public memory area and a private memory area, wherein the public memory area stores a virtual file that is associated with content stored in the private memory area. The host device also comprises a cache, a host application, and a server. The server is configured to receive a request for the virtual file from the host application, send a request to the storage device for the virtual file, receive the content associated with the virtual file from the private memory area of the storage device, wherein the content is received by bypassing the cache, generate a response to the request from the host application, the response including the content, and send the response to the host application. |
| US08694594B2 |
Method and system for automated team support message delivery
A method and system for providing personalized message delivery to one or more individual users of at least one team of users is disclosed. In accordance with the method and system, data specific to one or more individual users of at least one team of users is gathered, analyzed and used to determine preferences and order of precedence of the one or more individual users of the at least one team of users; and personalized message delivery is provided to the one or more individual users of the at least one team of users based upon the one or more individual users of the at least one team of users' preferences and order of precedence. |
| US08694592B2 |
E-mail addresses in color
A system includes an e-mail client including instructions configured to be executed by a processor. The e-mail client may be configured to receive a plurality of addresses specifying recipients of a message; apply a color coding to the plurality of addresses, the color coding indicating an associated color for at least one of the plurality of addresses; and send the message with the applied color coding to the plurality of addresses. |
| US08694588B2 |
Facility for distributing and providing access to electronic mail message attachments
A facility stores attachments for electronic mail messages so that the messages may be transmitted to the intended recipients without the attachments. The recipients may then review and/or download the attachments by contacting the facility. This facility is especially useful in instances wherein the attachments are large. The facility eliminates the need to store multiple copies of the attachment throughout a system; thus consuming a great deal of memory space. In addition, the facility prevents the recipient from extensive delays that are often associated with downloading email messages that contain large attachments via a dial-up connection with a low transmission rate. The facility may be realized as a server and may be a web server so as to provide access to the attachments via an IP network. |
| US08694580B2 |
Information processing apparatus, server selecting method and recording medium
A selection algorithm corresponding to process identification information specified by a process request from a client is chosen based on a stored correspondence relationship between process identification information indicating a requested process and the selection algorithm to select a server from among a plurality of servers. Then, a server to execute a process requested by the process request is selected from among the plurality of servers based on the decided selection algorithm, and the process request is transmitted to the selected server. |
| US08694577B2 |
Providing personalized platform application content
A social networking website maintains a profile for each user of the website. The profile includes data associated with a user, such as a connection to one or more plurality of other users of the social networking website or user preferences. The social networking website communicates with one or more third-party application servers to provide one or more applications to social networking website users. When a social networking website user requests an application provided by a third-party application server, the social networking website communicates a subset of the user's profile to the third-party application server, allowing the third-party application server to use this profile data to personalize the application performed for the user. A privacy settings associated with a user profile allows the social networking website to limit the profile data communicated to the third-party application server. |
| US08694576B2 |
Event processing
A method, a system and a computer program for parallel event processing in an event processing network (EPN) are disclosed. The EPN has at least one event processing agent (EPA). The method includes assigning an execution mode for the at least one EPA, the execution mode including a concurrent mode and a sequential mode. The execution mode for the at least one EPA is stored in the EPN metadata. The method also includes loading and initializing the EPN. The method further includes routing the event in the EPN and, when an EPA is encountered, depending on the execution mode of the encountered EPA, further processing of the event. Also disclosed are a system and a computer program for parallel event processing in an event processing network (EPN). |
| US08694573B2 |
Method and system for determining a quotient value
A method for determining a quotient value from a dividend value and a divisor value in a digital processing circuit is provided. The method includes computing a reciprocal value of the divisor value and multiplying the reciprocal value by the dividend value to obtain a reciprocal product, the reciprocal product having an integer part. The method also includes computing an intermediate remainder value by computing a product of the integer part and the divisor value, and subtracting the resulting product from the dividend value and determining the quotient value based upon the intermediate remainder value. |
| US08694567B2 |
Method and apparatus for arithmetic operation on a value represented in a floating-point format
Precision of arithmetic operations on floating-point numbers is improved while also preventing an increase in the amount of processing. A second converter converts an exponent included in an exponent field according to an exponent conversion rule defined in accordance with a function. A storage stores in a table a value obtained by converting a mantissa field according to a mantissa conversion rule defined in accordance with the function. A retrieving unit derives an index of the table, by extracting the most significant 8 bits from the 23 bits constituting the mantissa field. The retrieving unit adds 1 to the mantissa field approximated by the most significant 8 bits so as to derive a second index. A deriving unit derives a tentative return value A and a tentative return value B. Further, the deriving unit interpolates between the tentative return value A and the tentative return value B so as to derive a return value of the function. |
| US08694562B2 |
Generational garbage collection for a pool-based heap
A generational garbage collector utilizes a pool-based heap to store objects dynamically generated at runtime. The pool-based heap is configured as a collection of pools where each pool stores objects associated with the same generation. Each pool contains a pool header that identifies the generation of all objects within the pool. The pools are aligned to a memory boundary that is a multiple of the pool size. Select bits of an object's memory address may be used to access the pool header so that an object's generation, which is needed in various phases of the garbage collection process, is readily determined. |
| US08694561B2 |
System and method of optimizing performance of schema matching
In one embodiment the present invention includes a computer-implemented method of improving performance of schema matching. The method includes storing a matching topology that maps a first data structure to a second data structure. The method further includes identifying a first portion of the matching topology that is a candidate for improvement as determined according to an incidence graph. The method further includes rewriting the first portion of the matching topology with a second portion according to the incidence graph. |
| US08694558B2 |
Methods and systems for tracking work in a multi-tenant database environment
A system and method for tracking work in a database environment. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a plurality of work records, where each work record is associated with code that is submitted for integration into a software application. The method further includes receiving a first indication that designates a first work record of the plurality of work records as a parent work record, and receiving a second indication that designates a second work record of the plurality of work records as a child work record, where the second work record is a child of the first work record. |
| US08694552B2 |
Management system, electronic instrument, and management method
A management system includes an electronic instrument that uses a managed article, and a management server. The electronic instrument is configured to acquire identification information from the managed article used by the electronic instrument with the identification information being read-only information, and to transmit information including the identification information to the management server. The management server is configured to reference registered database, in which information corresponding to the identification information of a plurality of managed articles is registered in advance, using the identification information transmitted from the electronic instrument to determine whether identification information database is required to be updated by the information transmitted from the electronic instrument, and to record at least a portion of the information transmitted from the electronic instrument in the identification information database as being associated with the identification information when it is determined that the identification information database is required to be updated. |
| US08694551B2 |
Auditing queries using query differentials
Methods and systems for auditing queries using query differentials are disclosed. A method includes identifying a set of queries, determining if results of each query of the set of queries are different from results of respective differentials of each query of the set of queries, and based on the determining, making a characterization of each query of the set of queries as one of safe and unsafe. Access is provided to the characterization of each query of the set of queries. |
| US08694548B2 |
Defense-in-depth security for bytecode executables
Defense-in Depth security defines a set of graduated security tasks, each of which performs a task that must complete before another task can complete. Only when these tasks complete successfully and in the order prescribed by Defense-in-Depth security criteria is a final process allowed to execute. Through such Defense-in-Depth security measures, vulnerable software, such as bytecode, can be verified as unaltered and executed in a secure environment that prohibits unsecured access to the underlying code. |
| US08694547B2 |
System and method for dynamic state-space abstractions in external-memory and parallel graph search
Provided is a system and method to perform dynamic state-space partitioning in external memory graph searching. The dynamic partitioning of the state-space search graph leading to substantial improvement of search performance. |
| US08694545B2 |
Storing data and metadata in a distributed storage network
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module generating a set of encoded data slices based on a data segment of data and dispersed storage network (DSN) addressing information regarding metadata of the data. The method continues with the DS processing module generating a set of encoded metadata slices based on the metadata and DSN addressing information regarding the data. The method continues with the DS processing module generating a set of metadata write commands regarding storing the set of encoded metadata in a first set of DS units of DSN memory. The method continues with the DS processing module generating a set of data segment write commands regarding storing the set of encoded data slices in a second set of DS units of the DSN memory. |
| US08694539B2 |
System and method for naming dimension members in a data analyzing system
A member naming system is provided for naming members of a dimension in a data analyzing system having a receiver for receiving a pattern. One example of the dimension is a time dimension containing time periods. The pattern has a sequence of pattern components for defining a name. A time period is defined by a start time, an end time, a relationship and a level in a single time hierarchy. The time period naming system further has an interpreter for interpreting the sequence of pattern components, and a generator for generating the time period name based on the interpretation of the sequence of pattern components within a context of the relationship of the time period in the time hierarchy. |
| US08694527B2 |
Simplified query generation from prior query results
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for query generation from a previous result set. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for query generation from a previous result set is provided. The method includes identifying commonalities in a selection of records of a result set produced by a previously issued query against a database in a database management system executing in memory by at least one processor of a host server. The method further includes deriving a query from the identified commonalities that when executed against the database management system would produce the selection of records as the result set. Finally, the method includes storing the derived query for subsequent use in querying the database. |
| US08694524B1 |
Parsing a query
In a database system, a mechanism is provided to enable parsing of a query into plural objects stored in respective plural tables. One or more characteristics of the query is modified using content of the plural tables based on one or more predefined rules for the purpose of recomposing the query. |
| US08694522B1 |
Context dependent recognition
Context data can be used to determine the current context and/or to predict the future context of a user. When the disclosed technology knows of the user's likely context, it can prepare for object recognition (e.g., image recognition, speech recognition, etc.) by (downloading and) locally storing (i.e., holding) object data related to the context. This allows for the object recognition to be performed locally and for any additional information about the object to be provided without communication over a network, thereby reducing resources such as time, cost, and processing power. If, however, the object data related to the context is not available locally, such object data can still be downloaded from a server/cloud. In some embodiments, if a likely future context is predicted and the object data related to that future context is not available locally, the object data can be downloaded from a server/cloud prior to the future context. |
| US08694520B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing virtual content to a mobile device
A virtual content server and method are provided for giving virtual content providers an opportunity to provide their virtual content, such as an advertisement, to a mobile device of a user who has achieved or otherwise satisfied one or more predetermined conditions in, or interacted in a certain way with, one or more mobile apps on the mobile device. When a certain condition is satisfied in a mobile app of the mobile device, a device identifier of the mobile device is sent to the virtual content server and stored in a previously-generated recipient list of users in a recipient list database. When a virtual content request including the device identifier is later received from the mobile device, the virtual content server retrieves as at least part of a plurality of virtual content candidates virtual content previously associated with recipient list(s) for which the device identifier has been stored in the recipient list database. Then, one or more of the virtual content candidates are selected and sent to the mobile device to be displayed. |
| US08694512B1 |
Query suggestions
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for provided expanded geographical query suggestions. In one aspect, a method includes receiving one or more characters input into a user interface. A node in a graph is identified based on the one or more received characters, in which the node represents an entity having a name whose prefix contains the one or more received characters. A candidate node is identified in the graph that is related to the identified node, wherein the candidate node represents an entity having a name whose prefix does not contain the one or more received characters. The name of the entity represented by the candidate node is provided as an expanded query suggestion. |
| US08694508B2 |
Columnwise storage of point data
A database query of point data among two or more axes of a database is received. The database stores point data in distinct integer vectors with a shared dictionary. Thereafter, the dictionary is scanned to determine boundaries for each axis specified by the query. In response, results characterizing data responsive to the query within the determined boundaries for each axis are returned. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described. |
| US08694504B2 |
Methods and systems for technology analysis and mapping
Systems and methods for cladistics-based content searching, analysis, and/or diagrammatic representation of results in graphical user interface format for viewing by at least one user on a computer-type device or network, in particular for technology and patent-related content stored in at least one database. |
| US08694497B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for enabling file system tagging by applications
A method for enabling file system tagging by an application includes creating tag associations for the file system by associating a tag with a file object. The association includes allocating a file association structure (FAS) in the storage device, which FAS has attributes including a pointer to a file handle of the file object and a list of names of tags associated with the file object. Associating the tag with a file object also includes allocating a tag structure for each tag in the file system. The tag structure includes a tag name and file associations for the tag. In response to a request for a read directory operation, the method includes retrieving the tag associations to identify the file object, dynamically assembling a directory entry structure that includes a hierarchical view of tags identified from the tag associations and corresponding file object, and returning the directory entry structure to the application. |
| US08694495B2 |
Information processing device, information processing terminal, information processing method, and program
An information processing device is connected to multiple information processing terminals wherein multiple types of expressions exhibited by a user during playback of content are detected, evaluation of each played-back content is obtained, of the detected plurality of types of expressions a predetermined expression serving as a high evaluation index indicated by the user during playback of high evaluation content is identified, and the expression information serving as a identified high evaluation index and the information expressing evaluation as to each content are transmitted. The information device includes a receiving unit to receive expression information serving as the high evaluation index from multiple information processing terminals; a user identifying unit to identify a user indicating an expression of similar high evaluation index for the same content; a recommended content identifying unit to identify recommended content having a high evaluation to other similar users; and a transmitting unit. |
| US08694492B2 |
Pre-fetching of data in a mobile communications environment
The invention relates to techniques for controlling a pre-fetching of data in a mobile communications environment. More specifically the invention relates to controlling a pre-fetching of data items into a cache associated with a mobile terminal. A method embodiment of the invention is performed by a cache management server and comprises the steps of receiving a pre-fetching request for data items, wherein the pre-fetching request comprises a first user identification associated with the mobile terminal; obtaining, based on the first user identification, one or more second user identifications from a community database of a social network; selecting items for the pre-fetching based on the second user identifications; and providing the selected items in response to the pre-fetching request. |
| US08694486B2 |
Deadline-driven parallel execution of queries
A data management system receives a query for data. A deadline for completing the query is supplied along with the query. The data management system determines access plans for the query and selects one of the access plans for execution to return a results set for the query. The selected access plan is selected according to an estimated ability to complete the query prior to the deadline. Further, the access plan is selected according to a lowest resource usage among the plans that can be completed the query prior to the deadline. |
| US08694484B2 |
Content management device, content management system, and content management method
A content management device for managing acquired content in a searchable manner, includes a storage device that stores a search database in which a plurality of keywords and content are registered; a registration unit that registers new content in the search database; and a search unit that searches content registered in the search database. The registration unit performs operations includes: extracting a plurality of keyword candidates associated with the new content from the search database; displaying the extracted keyword candidates; and registering a keyword candidate designated from among the displayed keyword candidates in the search database, as a search keyword in association with the new content. The search unit performs operations includes: displaying a plurality of search keywords registered in the search database; extracting content associated with a search keyword designated from among the displayed search keywords from the search database; and displaying the extracted content. |
| US08694465B2 |
System and method for context sensitive mobile data and software update
Change management for a mobile data system having a mobile client device that shares data with multiple enterprise data sources involves receiving a communication from the mobile client device, wherein the client request is received at an application server and includes metadata that identifies one or more applications installed at the mobile client device, determining if an update package is available for the installed application, and updating the mobile client device and downloading the update package to the mobile client device. |
| US08694463B2 |
Method and apparatus for synchronizing databases connected by wireless interface
A method for synchronizing a database at a portable electronic device with a backup database including backup data records includes receiving information representative of data records of the database at the portable electronic device, determining if the database at the portable electronic device is to be updated with the backup data records, and if the database at the portable electronic device is to be updated, transmitting representative viewable or audible samples of ones of the backup data records. |
| US08694460B2 |
Movement determination apparatus and movement determination method
A movement determination apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires a plurality of position information of an object at desired periods, a classifying unit that classifies the plurality of position information acquired by the acquiring unit into a plurality of measurement segments, an estimating unit that estimates existence regions of the object in the plurality of measurement segments, on a basis of the classified plurality of position information, and a determining unit that determines movement of the object position by comparing the existence regions. |
| US08694457B2 |
Adaptive expertise clustering system and method
A computer-implemented adaptive expertise clustering system and method generates expertise cohorts based on inferences from behavioral information and applies the expertise cohorts in generating recommendations for delivery to users. The expertise clustering may be informed by the evaluation of the contents of computer-implemented objects. Behaviors associated with members of specific expertise cohorts after specific events may inform the recommendations. Recommendations may comprise, for example, other users or process steps. Explanations for the recommendations may be provided to recommendation recipients. |
| US08694453B2 |
Dialogue control system, method and computer readable storage medium, and multidimensional ontology processing system, method and computer readable storage medium
A dialogue control system that uses an ontology that systematically expresses domain knowledge representing concepts and relationships between concepts to determine questions for a user and implements the questions, and implements a dialogue in accordance with received user answers. One or more dimension-classified ontologies and a basic ontology are stored, a concept from a user response is specified as a condition, and one or a plural number of the dimension-classified ontologies that meet the specified condition are fetched. The content of the fetched dimension-classified ontology/ies is overwritten on the basic ontology, in order according to dimension priorities from the dimension-classified ontology with the lowest dimension priority, and a multidimensional ontology is generated. The dialogue control system uses this multidimensional ontology to control the dialogue. |
| US08694450B2 |
Machine data web
Methods and apparatus consistent with the invention provide the ability to organize and build understandings of machine data generated by a variety of information-processing environments. Machine data is a product of information-processing systems (e.g., activity logs, configuration files, messages, database records) and represents the evidence of particular events that have taken place and been recorded in raw data format. In one embodiment, machine data is turned into a machine data web by organizing machine data into events and then linking events together. |
| US08694448B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing an adaptive parser
A method and apparatus for providing an adaptive parser are disclosed. For example, the method receives a configuration for a router, and parses a command from the configuration. The method determines whether there is an existing entry for the command in a model of a configuration language, wherein the model of the configuration language is used to record a syntactic structure of each command in the configuration language and its relationship to other commands. The method creates a new entry for the command in the model of the configuration language, if there is no existing entry for the command; and uses the model to update the parser. |
| US08694442B2 |
Contextually integrated learning layer
A computer-implemented transforming function contextually transforms multiple originating computer-implemented structures into a composite fuzzy network-based structure. The composite fuzzy network-based structure serves as a contextual basis for recommendations. The recommendations may be generated in accordance with inferences of preferences and interests based on usage behaviors. The recommendations may further be generated in accordance with a network neighborhood within the composite fuzzy network-based structure that is based, at least in part, on a navigational context within an originating structure and a user-established navigational neighborhood scope. |
| US08694439B2 |
Method and system for a global goal based social networking
The present invention provides a method and system for a Global Internet Goal based Social Networking Platform—Linkagoal. The Linkagoal provides an organized online forum for setting goals and finding solution by mutually sharing knowledge, expertise and experience with the like-minded goal oriented other Linkagoal user. The user links one or more goals and the corresponding action items on the Linkagoal platform. The user completes specific actions required to complete his goals. The Linkagoal forum is configured to have features including, but not limited to, a Linkagoal Goal Meter, a Linkagoal Chat' Aura, that further includes a Chat' Aura Integrated, a Chat' Aura Station, and a Chat' Aura Mobile. These features facilitate the Linkagoal users to achieve their goals efficiently, and successfully. The utility of the present invention extends to numerous commercial and non-commercial applications. |
| US08694433B1 |
Image cashletter processing with reject repair deferral
A system and method for efficient image cashletter processing where an image cashletter including a plurality of monetary records is received. Failed monetary records in the image cashletter are separated out from good monetary records in the image cashletter. The good monetary records are processed independently of processing the failed monetary records, therefore, allowing the good monetary records to continue to be processed without having to wait for the failed monetary records to be repaired. |
| US08694424B2 |
System and method for managing foreign payments using separate messaging and settlement mechanisms
Managing foreign payments using separate conduits for messaging and payments. An originating depository financial institution can create an F3X message designating a fixed amount of foreign currency to be credited to, or debited from, a receiving depository financial institution. The originating depository financial institution transmits the F3X message to a domestic gateway operator via an ACH network. The domestic gateway operator then forwards the F3X message to a foreign gateway operator. Separately, the originating depository financial institution transmits a payment to the foreign gateway operator either directly or via a correspondent financial institution. The foreign gateway operator matches the payment to the F3X message and transmits the payment to the receiving depository financial institution. |
| US08694417B2 |
System and method for activity based margining
A system and method for factoring in a trader's trading activity into the margin requirements is disclosed. In the securities arena, day traders are assessed different margins than non-day-traders, however, the specific profile of the trader is analyzed (that is, the same rule applies to all day traders). |
| US08694411B2 |
System and method for linking and managing linked orders in an electronic trading environment
A system and method for linking and managing linked orders are described. According to one method, a trader may first link two or more orders into a linked order, and then one or more parameters associated with one of the orders may be dynamically changed based on user inputs or information being received from an exchange. For example, a trader may link any two orders as an order cancel order, and each linked order may be associated with the same or different tradable objects, order quantities, and may be submitted to one or more exchanges. The order quantities may be then dynamically updated based on updates being received from the one or more exchanges and further based on a quantity ratio between the two orders. Further, the linked order may be submitted upon detecting a fill for another order. |
| US08694410B1 |
System for identifying and displaying effective support and resistance price levels for securities and commodities and methods of use
The disclosure is directed generally to a system used to generate and display useful support and resistance levels, as derived from a given price of a security or commodity. The system incorporates a methodology to derive and display key price values, in actual currency units such as dollars and cents, to serve as support and resistance levels for the benefit of a user who in turn can better make buy and sell decisions for targeted securities and/or commodities. |
| US08694408B1 |
Methods, systems and securities for assuring a company an opportunity to sell stock after a specified time
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, systems and securities for assuring a company an opportunity to sell stock after a specified time. More particularly, one embodiment relates to a method including the steps of: receiving data regarding the sale, by the first entity to a second entity, of a security comprising a post-paid forward contract which obligates the second entity to purchase a fixed number of shares stock of the first entity and debt; receiving data regarding the purchase, by the first entity from the second entity, of a prepaid forward contract which obligates the second entity to deliver to the first entity a variable number of shares of stock in the first entity; inputting a then current stock price associated with the stock of the first entity; and calculating a number of shares underlying the pre-paid forward contract. |
| US08694406B2 |
Strategy market barometer
The present invention is directed to an alternative method for gauging market participant behavior, which is identified herein as “Market Barometer.” In one embodiment, Market Barometer is based on the recent performance ranks of particular equity strategy indices as compared to their historical ranks. Significant deviations from historical ranks is a predictor of market performance over subsequent near term time periods, for example, a subsequent month and, in turn, these deviations can be used to estimate the current market expected return. Empirical tests reveal that expected market returns vary over time in line with Market Barometer readings. |
| US08694403B2 |
Using commercial share of wallet to rate investments
Commercial size of spending wallet (“CSoSW”) is the total business spend of a business including cash but excluding bartered items. Commercial share of wallet (“CSoW”) is the portion of the spending wallet that is captured by a particular financial company. A modeling approach utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a company's spend capacity. A mutual fund rating company can use this CSoW/CSoSW modeling approach to predict the performance of funds that invest in a particular industry or sector. In addition, since mutual funds often provide guidelines for selecting stocks, rating companies can use this modeling approach to predict the performance of companies in a fund's portfolio. |
| US08694400B1 |
Managing operational throughput for shared resources
Usage of shared resources can be managed by enabling users to obtain different types of guarantees at different times for various types and/or levels of resource capacity. A user can select to have an amount or rate of capacity dedicated to that user. A user can also select reserved capacity for at least a portion of the requests, tasks, or program execution for that user, where the user has priority to that capacity but other users can utilize the excess capacity during other periods. Users can alternatively specify to use the excess capacity or other variable, non-guaranteed capacity. The capacity can be for any appropriate functional aspect of a resource, such as computational capacity, throughput, latency, bandwidth, and storage. Users can submit bids for various types and combinations of excess capacity, and winning bids can receive dedicated use of the excess capacity for at least a period of time. |
| US08694399B2 |
Pricing mortgage-backed securities
Systems, methods and computer program products stored on a computer readable medium or media are described for providing pricing of mortgage-backed securities and other financial instruments. Multiple cashflow paths resulting from different interest rate development scenarios are consolidated into a single cashflow path. A continuously compounded interest rate spread (“equivalent cc spread”) corresponding to the option adjusted spread prevailing at the market is determined, as is a relationship between the two. Reformulating computations of option adjusted spreads and prices using an equivalent cc spread and factoring out assumption changes approximates individual cashflow path and interest rate path calculations and allows use of consolidated cashflows calculations as a very good approximation. In some embodiments, the consolidated cashflow and the relationship between two spreads is employed to compute the value of the financial instrument, as a very good approximation, at a later time, so that the price reflects changes in the market yield curve and the option adjusted spread. For example, interest rate paths, cashflow paths, consolidated cashflow paths, discount factors and the equivalent cc spread are computed at market close, and only the consolidated cashflow paths, discount factors and the equivalent cc spread (and not the interest rate paths and cashflow paths) are stored for later on-demand use when the discount factors are adjusted to reflect the then current market environment. |
| US08694398B2 |
Click based trading with market depth display
A method and system for reducing the time it takes for a trader to place a trade when electronically trading commodities on an exchange, thus increasing the likelihood that the trader will have orders filled at desirable prices and quantities. Click based trading, as described herein and specifically the “Click” and “Dime” methods of the present invention, enables a trader to execute single mouse click trades for large volumes of commodities at a price within a pre-specified range. |
| US08694397B2 |
Consistent set of interfaces derived from a business object model
Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide a data processing system having a business object model reflecting the data used during a business transaction. Consistent interfaces are generated from the business object model. These interfaces are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. |
| US08694394B2 |
Methods, data record, software interface, data warehouse module and software application for exchanging transaction-tax-related data
The invention is directed to a computer-based method performed in a first transaction-tax-related application. The method comprises exchanging transaction-related data with at least a second transaction-tax-related application according to a standardized transaction-tax interface data model. The invention is also directed to another computer-based method and a related data record, a related software interface, a related computer-based data warehouse module and a related software application. |
| US08694392B2 |
System and method for providing access to product related electronic catalog functionality
An aggregation of functionality related to a product within an electronic catalog hosted by a wholesaler web system is provided by presenting on a client computing device a webpage in which a single product is directly associated with a single access point. The single access point provides a means by which plural wholesaler web system functions related to the single product are made available to a consumer. A listing of the plural wholesaler web system functions related to the single product is displayed within the webpage in response to an activation of the single access point by the consumer. In response to a selection by the consumer from the displayed listing the wholesaler web system initiates a performance of the one of the plural wholesaler web system functions so selected. |
| US08694391B2 |
Method and system for configurating products
The present invention relates to a method and system for configuring products, such as branded promotional products, where products may be divided into items and processes. Item parameters and process parameters may be separately specified and linked together to create a unique product where a product identifier (e.g., SKU) may be dynamically created when the product is sourced, quoted, ordered or otherwise accessed. For example, an item may involve a product to which an imprint or logo is to be affixed. A process may involve a screening printing process or other process for affixing a customer's artwork, logo or identifier. In addition, the method and system of the present invention may be applied to other applications, such as office supplies, furniture, aviation supplies, marine supplies, interior design, beauty salon and spa supplies, medical office supplies, restaurant and bar supplies, gift shops and clothing boutique, and other industries where products and services may be ordered. |
| US08694390B2 |
System and method for resolving transactions with lump sum payment capabilities
A system and method for the online settling of a transaction is provided. The system includes a server having a rules based engine including rules established on behalf of a party to the transaction, such as a creditor. The rules based engine is configured to process data and present a transaction settlement offer set comprising a plurality of selectable offers to the user based on at least one decision made by the rules based engine. The server is further configured to receive a lump sum payment proposal from the user and to use the rules based engine to process information comprising the lump sum payment proposal and present a second transaction settlement offer set to the user based at least in part on the lump sum payment proposal from the user. |
| US08694389B1 |
System for optimization of business transactions between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor
A method is disclosed for optimizing a business transaction between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor. The method includes receiving a query from a selling vendor. The query includes customer order data. The method also includes identifying at least one possible shipping vendor based on the customer order data and determining shipping information for each of the at least one possible shipping vendors. The method further includes selecting a preferred shipping vendor from among the at least one possible shipping vendors and completing the transaction between the selling vendor and the shipping vendor. |
| US08694385B1 |
Identifying items relevant to a current query based on items accessed in connection with similar queries
The present invention provides a software facility for identifying the items most relevant to a current query based on items selected in connection with similar queries. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the facility receives a query specifying one or more query terms. In response, the facility generates a query result identifying a plurality of items that satisfy the query. The facility then produces a ranking value for at least a portion of the items identified in the query result by combining the relative frequencies with which users selected that item from the query results generated from queries specifying each of the terms specified by the query. The facility identifies as most relevant those items having the highest ranking values. |
| US08694383B2 |
Path queries
Data identifying a path is received between two or more geographic locations. Path information is identified along or near the path. A relevance is associated to the path information. A subset of the path information having a highest relevance is provided. |
| US08694382B2 |
System and method for automatic guidance control of a vehicle
A system and method is provided for adaptive control of at least one parameter of an auto guidance control algorithm for a vehicle. The parameters may be varied according to a previously established look up table, or automatically adapted through the use of control logic, such as a “fuzzy logic” algorithm. The control parameters that can be adaptively controlled include steered wheel turn rate, proportional valve current gain, line acquisition rate and/or auto guidance control valve current limits. The control algorithm responds to the vehicle's operating parameters such as vehicle speed, tracking error, predicted heading, and hydraulic oil temperature to make adjustments to the auto guidance control parameters. |
| US08694381B1 |
Personal computer lifecycle management / personal computer validation tool
A PC lifecycle management (PCLCM) program assists an organization or set of organizations in the tracking and managing a PC inventory. At least one PC in the inventory is assigned to a primary user. The responsibilities regarding PC inventory tracking and maintenance are decentralized such that the primary user is responsible for tracking and maintaining accurate information regarding the PC assigned to the primary user. To support the decentralization, a computer-based tool is provided. The tool includes a database of information related to the PC inventory. The database has one or more records containing information regarding the PC assigned to the primary user. The tool also includes a PC validation component. The PC validation component includes processes and interfaces for accessing the database such that the primary user can view and update information in the database regarding the PC assigned to the primary user. |
| US08694380B2 |
Remote transaction processing using a default payment method and coupons
A method and system for conducting an online payment transaction through a point of sale device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting an item for purchase through the point of sale device; calculating a total purchase amount for the item in response to a request from the user to purchase the item; and sending payment authorization for the total purchase amount from the point of sale device to a payment entity, in which the payment authorization is sent to the payment entity via a mobile communication device of the user. The method further includes receiving a result of the payment authorization from the payment entity through the mobile communication device; and completing the payment transaction based on the result of the payment authorization. |
| US08694376B2 |
Dynamically and predictively updating mobile devices as mobile users pass through projected locations
This description provides tools and techniques for dynamically and predictively updating mobile devices as mobile users pass through projected locations. These tools may provide methods that include defining thresholds applicable to at least portions of travel itineraries on which mobile users are traveling. The methods may also identify advertisements to send to mobile devices associated with the mobile users, upon meeting the threshold. The methods may also send the selected advertisements, as associated with corresponding advertisers, to the mobile devices. |
| US08694375B2 |
Determining whether to display message to user in application based on user message viewing history
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for identifying an in-application message to display to a user. A user may perform a user action in an application, which can be identified. The identified user action can be compared to metadata data associated with a plurality of in-application messages for the application, and an in-application message that is eligible for display to the user can be identified based on the user action. A determination can be made whether to display the eligible message to the user in the application, based upon one or more in-application messages that the user may have previously viewed, as may be found or tracked in a user message viewing history. |
| US08694370B2 |
Incentive program awarding points per-mile-driven
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to incentive programs awarding loyalty points based at least in part upon the number of miles driven in a motor vehicle. Reward points may be earned by having the vehicle serviced at authorized locations. At the time of servicing, the authorized location notes a current vehicle odometer reading, and the odometer reading is communicated to an administrator of the loyalty program. The odometer reading is used to calculate a number of miles driven since the last authorized servicing, and the number of mile driven is then converted into loyalty points to be credited to a consumer of the vehicle. Thus, incentives for servicing only at authorized locations are provided to the consumer. |
| US08694369B2 |
Computer self-support management
A computer based technique for providing a list of selectable computer solutions in a self-support environment. The technique includes sending a computer solution to the client computer in response to a request from the client computer for the computer solution from the list. The computer solution includes at least an automated solution. |
| US08694368B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for spend mapping tool
A spend mapping tool provides a system, method, and computer program product for analyzing transactions between merchants and cardmembers. The tool groups a merchant by industry in a merchant industry group. The tool also groups a cardmember by industry in a cardmember industry group. Further, the tool analyzes transaction data from a transaction between at least one merchant in said merchant industry group and at least one cardmember in said cardmember industry group. |
| US08694364B2 |
Return coupon holder
A return coupon holder is described for holding a return coupon issued in a store in conjunction with a customer's merchandise return transaction. The return coupon holder is preferably sized large enough to discourage the customer from stowing the coupon away, such as in a handbag. Additionally, holders may be of different types that visually or electronically convey information about a category associated with the customer's return transaction. Thus, salespersons may accordingly provide appropriate customer service to the customer. The holder categories may indicate an approximate dollar value of the return transaction, a type of merchandise returned, a return payment method, an assessment of the profitability of the customer, an assessment of the risk of fraud associated with the return transaction, and the like. A computer decision system may select holder type. Some embodiments of the coupon holder are fitted with a device that allow tracing of the customer's movements while still in the store. |
| US08694363B2 |
Dynamically creating a context based advertisement
A method and a system dynamically generates an advertisement based on one or more tokens distilled from information about a web session that requested a web page. For example, a token is distilled from information about a web session. Data is retrieved from a commerce database based on the token. The retrieved data is assembled into an advertisement, which is then supplied for rendering with the web page. |
| US08694359B2 |
Information modeling and projection for geographic regions having insufficient sample size
The various exemplary embodiments provide a method for projecting survey information into a geographic region. The geographic region is divided into a plurality of geographic subregions, each of which are profiled using a plurality of profiling variables to form a selected geographic subregion profile. The profiling variables include both demographic and behavioral variables. A plurality of survey respondents are then randomly assigned into the selected geographic subregion to form a modeled population, with the random assignment weighted based on a representation probability of each of the corresponding plurality of survey respondents for the selected geographic subregion profile, with the representation probabilities having been determined using a sample balancing algorithm. Following such profiling and assignment for all subregions, survey information corresponding to the modeled population is projected into the geographic region. |
| US08694358B2 |
Systems, methods, and media for survey management
A computer-implemented method for survey management is disclosed. Purchase data is received via a computer network from a first digital device coupled to the computer network. A targeted survey is generated based on the purchase data. A web link associated with the targeted survey is transmitted to a second digital device coupled to the computer network. A survey response is received via the web link from the second digital device. A weight is assigned to the survey response. The weighted survey response is transmitted for display on a third device coupled to the network. |
| US08694354B2 |
Transition phase trouble detection in services delivery management
A method, system, and/or computer program product predicts trouble during a transition phase of a current project. Past operational data and past trouble data for past healthy projects and past troubled projects before transition phases is collected. A trouble correlation between the past operational data and the past trouble data is then determined. A set of key metrics that describes a current health of a current project before transitioning from a current phase to a future phase is defined, and values of the set of key metrics for the current project are identified. Identified values of the set of key metrics for the current project are compared to the past operational data for past healthy and troubled projects in order to generate a pattern comparison. This pattern comparison, along with the trouble correlation, is used to generate a predicted quality of transition for the current project. |
| US08694351B2 |
System and method for an audit tool for communications service providers
A method for auditing installation of communications facilities. Network engineering information is received. The network engineering information may include telecommunications installation requirements and a budget associated with one or more telecommunications projects. A portal is displayed to receive telecommunications installation information from one or more contractors assigned to perform the one or more telecommunications projects. Auditing information associated with the one or more telecommunications projects is received. The auditing information and the network engineering information are automatically compared to the telecommunications information to determine deviations for multiple criteria. The deviations are reported for adjusting the compensation of the contractor. |
| US08694345B2 |
System and method for negotiating a shared flight itinerary
A system and method whereby an air charter brokerage service enables users with similar or matching travel plans to find each other to directly negotiate a shared flight itinerary using a web-based negotiation software application. The air charter brokerage service further enables users to directly book the shared itinerary using a web-based negotiation software application, whereby the air charter brokerage service provides a charter aircraft for the shared flight itinerary. |
| US08694344B2 |
Data management apparatus and method thereof
The present invention provides a data management apparatus (i-Win (trademark)) which carries out centralized management of data containing data on each product during the management of product data having different data items to be handled and which has increased maintenance-ability in system and program(s).A data storage part 13 stores transaction data (contract data) including class ID (logic key) and data contents ID (variable). A data definition part 17 records data contents IDs and data contents (clause data) for each clause ID. A data processing means 15 acquires combination data of a data contents ID and data content from the data definition part 17 (definition body) in accordance with a class ID recorded in the data storage part 13 and performs processing which relates to data contents of a predetermined data item (contract condition). In this way, centralized management of plurality of product data having different product features from its clause and prospectus and the like can be carried out. |
| US08694342B2 |
Insurance product model-based apparatus and method
Insurance policy management includes: interpreting an insurance product model to facilitate collecting supplemental policy-specific data, the insurance product model defining structures of a plurality of derived insurance policies; obtaining the supplemental policy-specific data; and performing an insurance-related action based at least in part on the supplemental policy-specific data. |
| US08694337B2 |
Display of patient-specific data
Systems, methods, and computer-program products identify clinical data corresponding to a plurality of patients located within a common health care delivery unit, and apply one or more rules to at least some of the clinical data using at least one quality and/or safety measure-specific specification. Based on the application of the rules, one or more care indicators corresponding to the plurality of patients are displayed in a single interface, the one or more care indicators indicating whether one or more of the patients is receiving appropriate care. |
| US08694336B1 |
Systems, devices, and methods for providing healthcare information
Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method that can comprise, for a predetermined user, automatically determining a score for each resource from a plurality of predetermined resources based on the user's weighting of predetermined factors associated with the resources and an objective score for each factor for each resource, ranking the scored resources, and/or providing an identity of a best matched resource for the user. |
| US08694331B2 |
Software features for medical infusion pump
Various software features useable in a medical infusion pump are disclosed. In certain aspects, localized alarm and message handling systems are disclosed. In other aspects, variable intensity alarms are disclosed. In further aspects, cost tracking systems and methods for medical infusion pumps are disclosed. In still further aspects, methods and systems implementing a variable delay of pressure decay in a medical infusion pump are disclosed. In other aspects, methods and systems implementing a timed intermittent bolus by pressure are disclosed. |
| US08694325B2 |
Hierarchical audio coding, decoding method and system
A hierarchical audio coding, decoding method and system are provided. The method includes dividing frequency domain coefficients of an audio signal after MDCT into a plurality of coding sub-bands, quantizing and coding amplitude envelope values of coding sub-bands; allocating bits to each coding sub-band of the core layer, quantizing and coding core layer frequency domain coefficients to obtain coded bits of core layer frequency domain coefficients; calculating the amplitude envelope value of each coding sub-band of the core layer residual signal; allocating bits to each coding sub-band of the extended layer, quantizing and coding the extended layer coding signal to obtain coded bits of the extended layer coding signal; multiplexing and packing amplitude value envelope coded bits of each coding sub-band composed by core layer and extended layer frequency domain coefficients, core layer frequency coefficients coded bits, and extended layer coding signal coded bits, then transmitting to the decoding end. |
| US08694323B2 |
In-vehicle apparatus
The present invention provides a technique, by speech input, to specify a location, even when a name or the like of the location is not accurately known, while driving. An in-vehicle apparatus mounted in a vehicle has a speech recognition function, and stores information shown on a signboard and a noun substitute in storage. If speech inputted from a speech input device includes a noun substitute and further includes at least a part of the information shown on the signboard, a response is decided according to the information shown on the signboard, and the decided response is outputted from an output device. |
| US08694321B2 |
Image-to-speech system
Apparatus for communicating includes a processor, a memory, a storage, a display, a manual input arrangement and audio output. Image data elements are stored in the storage and the processor is configured to output a plurality of the image data elements to the display, receive manual input selecting at least one of the image data elements and receive manual input indicating that selection is completed. For each selected image data element, the processor produces and outputs a further data element. |
| US08694320B2 |
Audio with sound effect generation for text-only applications
A method of generating audio for a text-only application comprises the steps of adding tag to an input text, said tag is usable for adding sound effect to the generated audio; processing the tag to form instructions for generating the audio; generating audio with said effect based on the instructions, while the text being presented. The present invention adds entertainment value to text applications and provides very compact format compared to conventional multimedia as well as uses entertainment sound to make text-only applications such as SMS and email more fun and entertaining. |
| US08694319B2 |
Dynamic prosody adjustment for voice-rendering synthesized data
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for dynamic prosody adjustment for voice-rendering synthesized data that include retrieving synthesized data to be voice-rendered; identifying, for the synthesized data to be voice-rendered, a particular prosody setting; determining, in dependence upon the synthesized data to be voice-rendered and the context information for the context in which the synthesized data is to be voice-rendered, a section of the synthesized data to be rendered; and rendering the section of the synthesized data in dependence upon the identified particular prosody setting. |
| US08694316B2 |
Methods, apparatus and computer programs for automatic speech recognition
An automatic speech recognition (ASR) system includes a speech-responsive application and a recognition engine. The ASR system generates user prompts to elicit certain spoken inputs, and the speech-responsive application performs operations when the spoken inputs are recognized. The recognition engine compares sounds within an input audio signal with phones within an acoustic model, to identify candidate matching phones. A recognition confidence score is calculated for each candidate matching phone, and the confidence scores are used to help identify one or more likely sequences of matching phones that appear to match a word within the grammar of the speech-responsive application. The per-phone confidence scores are evaluated against predefined confidence score criteria (for example, identifying scores below a ‘low confidence’ threshold) and the results of the evaluation are used to influence subsequent selection of user prompts. One such system uses confidence scores to select prompts for targetted recognition training—encouraging input of sounds identified as having low confidence scores. Another system selects prompts to discourage input of sounds that were not easily recognized. |
| US08694315B1 |
System and method for authentication using speaker verification techniques and fraud model
Embodiments of the invention provide for speaker verification on a communication device without requiring a user to go through a formal registration process with the issuer or network. Certain embodiments allow the use of a captured voice sample attempting to reproduce a word string having a random element to authenticate the user. Authentication of the user is based on both a match score indicating how closely the captured voice samples match to previously stored voice samples of the user and a pass or fail response indicating whether the voice sample is an accurate reproduction of the word string. The processing network maintains a history of the authenticated transactions and voice samples. |
| US08694312B2 |
Discriminative training of document transcription system
A system is provided for training an acoustic model for use in speech recognition. In particular, such a system may be used to perform training based on a spoken audio stream and a non-literal transcript of the spoken audio stream. Such a system may identify text in the non-literal transcript which represents concepts having multiple spoken forms. The system may attempt to identify the actual spoken form in the audio stream which produced the corresponding text in the non-literal transcript, and thereby produce a revised transcript which more accurately represents the spoken audio stream. The revised, and more accurate, transcript may be used to train the acoustic model using discriminative training techniques, thereby producing a better acoustic model than that which would be produced using conventional techniques, which perform training based directly on the original non-literal transcript. |
| US08694310B2 |
Remote control server protocol system
A remote control server protocol system transports data to a client system. The client system communicates with the server application using a platform-independent communications protocol. The client system sends commands and audio data to the server application. The server application may respond by transmitting audio and other messages to the client system. The messages may be transmitted over a single communications channel. |
| US08694309B1 |
Automatic speech recognition tuning management
A method, a computer readable medium and a system for automatic speech recognition tuning management that comprises, collecting an utterance, analyzing the utterance, correlating the collected utterance to the utterance analysis, and fetching at least one of, the collected utterance, the utterance analysis, and the correlation of the collected utterance to the utterance analysis. |
| US08694304B2 |
Semantic clustering and user interfaces
Semantic clustering techniques are described. In various implementations, a conversational agent is configured to perform semantic clustering of a corpus of user utterances. Semantic clustering may be used to provide a variety of functionality, such as to group a corpus of utterances into semantic clusters in which each cluster pertains to a similar topic. These clusters may then be leveraged to identify topics and assess their relative importance, as for example to prioritize topics whose handling by the conversation agent should be improved. A variety of utterances may be processed using these techniques, such as spoken words, textual descriptions entered via live chat, instant messaging, a website interface, email, SMS, a social network, a blogging or micro-blogging interface, and so on. |
| US08694303B2 |
Systems and methods for tuning parameters in statistical machine translation
A method for tuning translation parameters in statistical machine translation based on ranking of the translation parameters is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the method includes sampling pairs of candidate translation units from a set of candidate translation units corresponding to a source unit, each candidate translation unit corresponding to numeric values assigned to one or more features, receiving an initial weighting value for each feature, comparing the pairs of candidate translation units to produce binary results, and using the binary results to adjust the initial weighting values to produce modified weighting values. |
| US08694302B1 |
Solving a hierarchical circuit network using a Barycenter compact model
Any primitive cells or blocks can be represented physically by a Barycenter compact model (or Barycenter model), and any black box model can also be physically represented by a Barycenter compact model physically. A hierarchical boundary condition between blocks is formulated by the Barycenter compact model. Hierarchical boundary condition problems between blocks can be limited within two levels only if using the Barycenter compact model. |
| US08694300B2 |
Individualized ranking of risk of health outcomes
An apparatus for creating a graphical representation of personalized healthcare information is provided. A data processing apparatus that has one or more processors is disclosed. Query component logic receives a request comprising patient identification information. Query execution logic, based on the patient information determines a first metric and one or more intervention metrics. The first metric represents a current health related metric for the patient, while the intervention metrics represent a predicted health related metric, assuming that the patient conforms to the intervention. A graphical representation of the two metrics is created. |
| US08694299B2 |
Artifact reduction in iterative inversion of geophysical data
Method for reducing artifacts in a subsurface physical properties model (120) inferred by iterative inversion (140) of geophysical data (130), wherein the artifacts are associated with some approximation (110) made during the iterative inversion. In the method, some aspect of the approximation is changed (160) as the inversion is iterated such that the artifacts do not increase by coherent addition. |
| US08694295B2 |
System and method for time virtualization in computer systems
A system and method for time virtualization, comprising a time virtualizer running on a first digital computer and adapted to intercept time-dependent requests from a plurality of applications executing on the first or another digital computer, wherein on intercepting a time-dependent request from an application, the time virtualizer returns an expected result to the requesting application comprising a virtual time rather than a clock time, the virtualized time being established by the time virtualizer and differing from the clock time, is disclosed. |
| US08694294B2 |
Automated computerized method to determine the conductor structure of a gradient coil
In a computerized, automated method to determine the conductor structure of a gradient coil of a magnetic resonance device, the conductor structure is determined depending on the theoretical oscillation response of at least one metallic structure of the magnetic resonance device that is arranged adjacent to the gradient coil at the installation point, with the oscillation response of the metallic structure being determined dependent on theoretical eddy currents generated in the structure by the gradient coil. |
| US08694283B2 |
System and method for modeling conditional dependence for anomaly detection in machine condition monitoring
A method for predicting sensor output values of a machine sensor monitoring system includes providing a set of input sensor data X and a set of output sensor data Y for a plurality of sensors the monitor the performance of a machine, learning a functional relationship that maps the input sensor data to the output sensor data by maximizing a logarithm of a marginalized conditional probability function P(Y|X) where a dependence of the output sensor data Y with respect to unknown hidden machine inputs u has been marginalized, providing another set of input sensor data X′, and calculating expected values of the output sensor data Y′ using the input sensor data X′ and the marginalized conditional probability function P(Y|X′), where the calculated expectation values reflect the dependence of the output sensor data Y″ with respect to the unknown hidden machine inputs u. |
| US08694282B2 |
Methods and systems for geo-location optimized tracking and updating for events having combined activity and location information
A method includes obtaining a first geo-location and a second geo-location. The first and second geo-locations are associated with a monitoring device. The monitoring device is configured to be used by a user. The first geo-location is determined at a first time and the second geo-location is determined at a second time. The first time and the second time are associated with a rate of obtaining geo-location data. The method includes calculating a difference in distance between the second and first geo-locations and changing the rate of obtaining a third geo-location associated with the monitoring device based on the difference in distance between the second and first geo-locations. |
| US08694280B2 |
Servo control circuit for detecting analytes via nanoparticle-labeled substances with electromagnetic read-write heads
A circuit for controlling an electromagnetic head module to detect antigens on a biosample track comprising a processor for receiving position-error-servo signal from the PES read sensor, a write head for magnetizing nanoparticles attached to antigens, and a read sensor for detecting the nanoparticle-labeled antigens. The circuit may further comprise an X-axis actuator for controlling the head module in the direction perpendicular to the track and an Y-axis actuator coupled to the head module and the X-axis actuator for controlling the head module in the direction of the track. Target antigens are attached to the biosample track and nanoparticles via antibodies. |
| US08694277B2 |
Remote monitoring system
A remote monitoring system is disclosed. In one such embodiment, a system may comprise a first measuring unit disposed within a structure, a first processor disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit, and a second processor disposed within the structure. The first measuring unit may comprise a first sensor adapted to detect a first parameter. The first measuring unit may be adapted to output a first signal associated with the first parameter. The first processor may be adapted to receive the first signal and to control the first measuring unit. The second processor may be disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit and the first processor. |
| US08694271B2 |
Apparatus and method for non invasive measurement of properties of a fluid flowing in a flexible tubing or conduit
Apparatus and method for non-invasive measuring of the sound velocity of a fluid, such as a liquid, flowing in a tubing having points of two different and known transverse length has one sensor mounted at each point connected to a circuit that provides signals to each sensor that are returned to it after passing through the tubing wall and flowing fluid and reflection from the tubing internal wall opposing each sensor and from which the round trip transit time of the signals is measured and the sound velocity calculated from the two measured round trip transit times and the differential between the known transverse lengths. Flexible tubing is placed in the slot of a measuring head which deforms it to provide the two points at one location or the slot has two sections of different transverse length along its length with a point at each section. |
| US08694270B2 |
Ultrasonic clamp-on multiphase flowmeter
A multiphase flowmeter for determining at least one characteristic of a first phase flowing in a pipe with at least a second phase being also present in the pipe is disclosed. The multiphase flowmeter includes a processor configured to determine the at least one characteristic of the first phase, a first transducer configured to emit a first pulse signal into the first phase at a first incident angle with respect to a straight line that is perpendicular to an interior pipe wall; the first pulse signal is in an ultrasonic range and is configured to be coupled to an exterior pipe wall; and the absolute value of the first incident angle in the first phase is configured to be at least 10 degrees and at most 80 degrees and a second transducer configured to emit a second pulse signal into the first phase at a substantially normal incidence. |
| US08694266B2 |
Multimodal spectroscopic systems and methods for classifying biological tissue
Multimodal optical spectroscopy systems and methods produce a spectroscopic event to obtain spectroscopic response data from biological tissue, either ex vivo or in vivo, and compare the response data with a model configured to correlate the measured response data and the most probable attributes of the tissue, thus facilitating classification of the tissue based on those attributes. |
| US08694262B2 |
System and method for subsurface characterization including uncertainty estimation
A system and method for subsurface characterization including depth and structural uncertainty estimation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method may include determining a detectability threshold for moveout in a seismic data gather based on the seismic data and computing a depth uncertainty function, wherein the depth uncertainty function represents an error estimate that is used to analyze an interpretation of the seismic data. In another embodiment, the method may include receiving a depth uncertainty volume and at least one interpreted horizon from seismic data, extracting a depth uncertainty cage for each of the interpreted horizons based on the depth uncertainty volume, and simulating multiple realizations for each of the interpreted horizons, constrained by the depth uncertainty cage. The multiple realizations may be used for analyzing changes to geometrical or structural properties of the at least one interpreted horizon. The changes may be plotted as at least one distribution and may be used to make P10, P50 and P90 estimates. |
| US08694257B2 |
Method for determining uncertainty with projected wellbore position and attitude
A system and method for determining uncertainty of a wellbore orientation is disclosed. The system and method obtains a measurement related to a first orientation of a drill string at a measurement device. Based on the first orientation and drilling settings, the system and method predict a second orientation. A probability of the second orientation being within a predetermined area is also obtained. As a result of this information, an action may be taken, such as, skipping a planned static survey, obtaining a static survey prior to the plan, or changing a drilling setting. |
| US08694256B2 |
Streetlight monitoring and control
A system and method for streetlight control is provided. A lamp sensor inside a reflector of the streetlight is utilized to detect the output of a lamp of the streetlight. During daytime periods when the lamp is OFF, the lamp sensor is utilized to act as a day/night sensor by detecting ambient light near the lamp. When the ambient light level falls below a sufficient level indicative that night is approaching the lamp is turned ON and the lamp sensor utilized to detect the lamp output of the streetlight. |
| US08694252B2 |
Personal navigation device which provides portable electronic map and related navigating method
A personal navigation device includes a navigation console and a peripheral device. The navigation console is configured to acquire a navigation instruction from a start point to a destination and a detailed map which depicts a predetermined area around the destination. The peripheral device is connected to the navigation console in a detachable manner for displaying the detailed map. |
| US08694251B2 |
Attitude estimation for pedestrian navigation using low cost mems accelerometer in mobile applications, and processing methods, apparatus and systems
A user-heading determining system (10) for pedestrian use includes a multiple-axis accelerometer (110) having acceleration sensors; a device-heading sensor circuit (115) physically situated in a fixed relationship to the accelerometer (110); an electronic circuit (100) operable to generate signals representing components of acceleration sensed by the accelerometer (110) sensors, and to electronically process at least some part of the signals to produce an estimation of attitude of a user motion with respect to the accelerometer, and further to combine the attitude estimation (750, α) with a device heading estimation (770, ψ) responsive to the device-heading sensor circuit, to produce a user heading estimation (780); and an electronic display (190) responsive to the electronic circuit (100) to display information at least in part based on the user heading estimation. Other systems, circuits and processes are also disclosed. |
| US08694248B1 |
Systems and methods of monitoring the accuracy of a global positioning system receiver in a marine vessel
Systems and methods for monitoring the accuracy of a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in a marine vessel utilize a GPS receiver receiving a plurality of satellite signals, calculating a global position of the GPS receiver based on the plurality of signals, and determining a signal to noise ratio (SNR) of each signal in the plurality of signals; and a control circuit having a computer readable medium having executable code, and being connected to the GPS receiver by a communication link. The control circuit calculates an average SNR of the plurality of signals and compares the average SNR to a threshold SNR. In one example the threshold SNR varies depending upon a number of satellites sending the plurality of signals and a speed at which the marine vessel is traveling. |
| US08694247B2 |
Method, mobile device and computer-readable medium for displaying surrounding points of interest
A method, a mobile device, and a computer-readable medium for displaying surrounding points of interest (POIs), adapted to a mobile device, are provided. In the present method, at least one keyword is received and set as a searching condition for searching POIs. When the mobile device obtains new current location information of the mobile device, a POI database is queried to find surrounding POIs of the current location that fit the searching condition. Finally, the searched POIs are updated and displayed. |
| US08694240B1 |
Visualization of paths using GPS data
A map editing system for visually indicating the location of GPS devices on a map and identifying paths from the map. GPS data is received from a plurality of GPS devices. The data is filtered based parameters including the speed of the GPS devices. The filtered GPS data is displayed on a map using representations that visually indicate the location of the GPS devices that the data was received from. The representations can then be used for identifying and creating new paths on the map. |
| US08694238B2 |
Automated ground handling of aircraft
In a system and method of navigating a plurality vehicles consisting of one or more standalone tugs, or one or more tug propelled aircraft, or some combination thereof on the grounds of an airport, a virtual safety zone is electronically defined around each vehicle. Movement of each vehicle on the grounds of an airport is controlled based on the virtual safety zones defined around the plurality of vehicles. |
| US08694231B2 |
Vehicle rollback control systems and methods
A control system for an auto-stop/start vehicle includes a transmission load module, a target engine speed module, and an actuator control module. The transmission load module determines a load imposed on an engine through a transmission. The target engine speed module selectively determines a target engine speed during an engine startup event based on the load. The actuator control module controls at least one engine actuator based on the target engine speed during the engine startup event. |
| US08694230B2 |
Fuel systems and methods for cold environments
Fuel systems and methods for cold environments which includes a fuel pump having at least one solenoid coil in an unlaminated magnetic circuit, the fuel pump being disposed in a fuel tank, and a pump drive and pulsing system, the pump drive providing pump actuation current to the solenoid coil and the pulsing system providing short current pulses to the solenoid coil to cause Eddy current losses in the unlaminated magnetic circuit. The method includes, before cranking the engine for starting the engine, providing short, successive current pulses to the solenoid coil to cause eddy current heating in the unlaminated circuit and heating of the fuel in and around the fuel pump, turning on the fuel pump to commence fuel flow to the engine, and cranking the engine for starting after the fuel pump has been turned on. Various features are disclosed. |
| US08694228B2 |
Fuel injection control apparatus for internal combustion engine
A fuel injection control for an internal combustion engine includes a coil, a first switch, a capacitor, a second switch, and a control circuit. The coil is to boost a voltage of a power supply source. The first switch is connected at one end to an output side of the coil and at the other end to a ground. The capacitor is connected to an electromagnetic fuel injection valve to store energy which has been stored in the coil. The second switch is connected at one end between the coil and the first switch and at the other end to an input side of the capacitor. The control circuit is connected to the first switch and the second switch. The control circuit is configured to perform synchronous rectifying control for switching the first switch and the second switch. |
| US08694223B2 |
Adaptive traction control system
A method of controlling a traction control system (30) includes continuously adapting a steady state driven wheel speed to reference wheel speed ratio, so that said traction control system can avoid unnecessary actuations (e.g., demanding torque reduction). The continuous adaptation methodology provides traction control robustness to vehicles equipped with a spare tire, or a different final drive such as in the use of aftermarket parts. The method includes a dual rate adaptation that allows both fast adaptation and fine tuning capabilities of the ratio. The method includes comparing the instant driven wheel speed to reference wheel speed ratio to the filtered driven wheel speed to reference wheel speed ratio, to obtain a ratio difference. When the difference is above a threshold, the first filter constant is selected and the first constant is applied to an adaptation filter, resulting in a first filtered and adapted ratio. The traction control system is controlled with the adapted ratio. When the difference is below the threshold, the second filter constant is selected and the selected constant is applied to the adaptation filter, resulting in the second filtered and adapted ratio. The traction control system is controlled with the adapted ratio. |
| US08694213B2 |
Construction machine with hybrid drive unit, regenerative device equipped in construction machine, and regenerative method
Provided is a method of controlling the regenerating condition by use of a construction machine having an upper revolving structure with a hybrid drive unit, and a lower traveling body, wherein when in a brake mode, the hydraulic motor is neutralized by the internal communication of an inlet port and an outlet port of the hydraulic motor via a communication valve, such that most of the kinetic (inertia) energy is efficiently transduced into electric energy by way of regenerative power generation for electric storage, and such that the switchover between driving and regenerative power generation is rendered in the optimal condition. The control unit determines the control mode of the control unit in accordance with the rotation direction of the hydraulic actuator, the operating direction of the hydraulic actuator controller, the actual rotational velocity of the hydraulic actuator, and the manipulated variable of the hydraulic actuator controller. |
| US08694211B2 |
Method and control system for a displacement device, taking into account the relative angular position of a tractor and semi-trailer
A method and a system for controlling a displacement device for a fifth wheel coupling disposed on a tractor vehicle are described, wherewith the displacement device has a lower structure having at least one guide rail oriented in the direction of travel, a movable carriage which supports the fifth wheel coupling and engages the guide rail(s), and a control device connected to a motorized drive unit for displacing the carriage and also connected to an adjusting member for fixing the carriage with respect to the guide rail(s); wherewith a measurement is made for determining the angle between the tractor and semi-trailer, the measurement signal is converted in the control device to a control signal, and thereby an operation of the motorized drive unit and/or the adjusting member is initiated. The underlying problem of the invention was to devise a method and a control system which minimize the risk of the semi-trailer striking against the cab of the tractor. One way in which this problem is solved according to the invention is that, from the measurement signal, an angular or distance timewise rate of change is generated in the control device, or such a timewise rate of change is transmitted to the control device. |
| US08694207B2 |
Vehicle dynamic control systems with center of gravity compensation based on cargo information
Methods, systems, and computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a vehicle. One system includes a plurality of sensors, an occupant restraint system, and a controller. The plurality of sensors are configured to sense operating parameters of the vehicle, and the occupant restraint system is configured to sense data about cargo located in the vehicle. The controller is configured to obtain the data about the cargo located in the vehicle, determine a control adjustment to account for an impact of the cargo on the vehicle's center of gravity based on the data about the cargo, and control the vehicle based on the control adjustment. |
| US08694206B2 |
Systems and methods for off-board voice-automated web searching
A system for surfing the web includes a mobile system for processing and transmitting through a wireless link a voice stream spoken by a user of the mobile system and a data center for processing the voice stream received into voice web search information. The continuous voice stream includes a web search request. The data center performs automated voice recognition processing on the voice web search information to recognize components of the web search request, confirms the recognized components of the web search request through interactive speech exchanges with the user through the wireless link and the mobile system, selectively allows human data center operator intervention to assist in identifying the selected recognized web search components having a recognition confidence below a selected threshold value, and downloads web search results pertaining to the web search request for transmission to the mobile system derived from the confirmed recognized web search components. |
| US08694204B2 |
Vehicle and method for operating a vehicle
A vehicle includes at least one of (i) an undercarriage and an upper carriage arranged rotatably about a vertical axis with respect to the undercarriage and (ii) a leverage means arranged pivotably about a horizontal axis with respect to the upper carriage, wherein a sensor system is provided for monitoring at least one stability criterion with respect of a tilt movement of the vehicle, and wherein a control unit is coupled to the sensor system for automatically initiating an action and/or performing an action for stabilizing the vehicle depending on the at least one stability criterion. The risk of an unexpected tilting of the vehicle can be reduced. |
| US08694202B2 |
Information providing system of motorcycle
An information providing system of a motorcycle includes a navigation device and an audio device. The navigation device includes a navigation controller. The navigation controller is disposed in a trunk on a side surface of the trunk close to a back surface of a passenger seat. The trunk is provided in a rear portion of a vehicle body of the motorcycle and above a rear wheel of the motorcycle. The audio device includes an audio device operation part and an audio device controller. The audio device operation part is provided in a vicinity of a handlebar of the motorcycle. The audio device controller is disposed in an audio device housing provided at a position lower than a bottom plate of the trunk. |
| US08694198B2 |
Method for accessing control units arranged in a vehicle, control program and communication control unit
For control unit access, a vehicle to be checked is identified using an identifier. Control and/or monitoring operations covered by the control unit access are selected. A communication link is set up over a selected vehicle communication interface. Communication devices covered by the selected vehicle communication interface are ascertained. Independent control and/or monitoring operations covered by the control unit access are ascertained, where these operations are associated with available communication means and are not dependent on a superordinate control and/or monitoring operation. A control and/or monitoring operation, which has the greatest number of subordinate dependent control and/or monitoring operations, is selected for execution. |
| US08694197B2 |
Gain/amplitude diagnostics of NOx sensors
A method of diagnosing vehicle NOx sensor faults that includes sensing that an exhaust gas recirculating (EGR) valve is closed and that fuel flow to a vehicle engine is above a predetermined rate using an electronic control unit (ECU) located on a vehicle; recording the output received from an NOx sensor relative to an amount of fuel consumption over a period of time using the ECU; calculating the mean of the NOx sensor output relative to fuel consumption recorded over the period of time using the ECU; performing a least-squares estimation (LSE) using the ECU for more than one calculated mean based on an expected NOx sensor output; generating a NOx sensor gain for the NOx sensor using the ECU based on the LSE; and determining whether the NOx sensor gain is above or below a predetermined threshold. |
| US08694188B2 |
Motor torque control device
A motor torque control device of an electrically-driven vehicle equipped with a motor serving as a driving source, is configured to limit an output of the motor when both a brake pedal and an accelerator pedal of the electrically-driven vehicle are stepped. A motor limit torque, which is an upper limit value of a command torque for the motor, is changed depending on a vehicle velocity of the electrically-driven vehicle detected by a vehicle velocity detecting unit and a stepping amount of the brake pedal detected by a brake pedal stepping amount detecting unit. |
| US08694187B2 |
Control apparatus and control method for vehicle
An ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls a plug-in hybrid vehicle starts an engine when a required power as a value obtained by subtracting a required discharge amount from a drive power is larger than a threshold during intermittent control in a CD (Charge Depletion) mode, and stops the engine when the required power is smaller than a threshold. When intermittent control is being performed in the CD mode, the ECU limits the required discharge amount Pout to a relatively small value in a range where an engine coolant temperature is low, and sets the required discharge amount relatively large instead of imposing a limit thereon in a range where the engine coolant temperature is high. |
| US08694186B2 |
Method and system for engine control
Methods and systems are provided for adjusting operation of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle responsive to a seasonal grade of the fuel available in the vehicle's fuel tank. If the seasonal grade of fuel in the fuel tank does not correspond to the seasonal grade of fuel mandated during the time of engine operation, a fuel injection amount is adjusted to compensate for differences between seasonal grades of a fuel. |
| US08694185B2 |
Discharge control apparatus for electric vehicle
A discharge control apparatus in an electric motorcycle includes a main battery; a motor driven based upon electric power supplied from the main battery and a lighting device that is a load other than the motor for consuming electric power. A BMU determines a remaining capacity of the main battery. A control member performs a discharge control of the main battery for supplying electric power to the motor and the lighting device. The BMU and the control member allow the discharge of the main battery until the remaining capacity becomes a threshold value higher than zero. When the control member receives an instruction of checking a deterioration state of the main battery from an external checking device, the control member performs a discharge of the main battery until the remaining capacity reaches zero, and then, allows the main battery to be fully charged so as to determine a chargeable capacity. |
| US08694179B2 |
Device for displaying critical and non-critical information, and aircraft including such a device
An information display device has a first processor unit and a second processor unit that are connected to at least one information source. The first processor unit is also connected to a display and to the second processor unit. The first processor unit and the second processor unit each include a computer and a memory. The computer of the second unit is arranged to construct an image for displaying on the display and to transmit it to the computer of the first processor unit, which is arranged to modify the image by incorporating therein information from the information source, and to transmit the modified image to the display. An aircraft fitted with such a device is also provided. |
| US08694175B2 |
Fan array fan section in air-handling systems
A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency. The plurality of fan units may be arranged in a true array configuration, a spaced pattern array configuration, a checker board array configuration, rows slightly offset array configuration, columns slightly offset array configuration, or a staggered array configuration. |
| US08694170B2 |
Gas turbine operation control device and operation control method
Provided is a gas turbine operation control device and operation control method that are capable of suppressing turbine inlet temperature and of satisfying the demand response for shaft output. An IGV emergency fully-open flag is activated when the output of a generator is in a high load band at or above a predetermined value, and the like. When the IGV emergency fully-open flag is activated, the degree of opening of an inlet guide vane is set to a predetermined degree of opening, a temperature adjustment setting is set by switching in accordance with the degree of opening of the inlet guide vane, and an exhaust gas temperature setting value or a blade path temperature setting value of a turbine, for controlling the fuel supply amount for a combustor, is generated based on the temperature adjustment setting. |
| US08694166B2 |
Dynamic HVAC airside economizer high limit start control
A device stores control settings for an air conditioning unit for a space that houses power-consuming equipment. The air conditioning unit includes an economizer configured to supply outside cooling air when the economizer is in an active state. The device receives an inside temperature value associated with the space, and receives a real-time or near-real-time operating load value for the power-consuming equipment. The device determines, based on the inside temperature value, the operating load value, and the control settings, an outside temperature threshold for starting the economizer. The device determines if an outside temperature reading associated with the space is below the outside temperature threshold, and activates the economizer when the outside air temperature reading is below the outside temperature threshold. |
| US08694163B2 |
System and method for managing resource sustainability performance
Resource sustainability performance of a facility is managed using real time resource monitoring data, and resource sustainability performance values for the facility determined using the real time monitoring data are provided in real time. In addition, resource sustainability feedback information is distributed in real time to cause a resource sustainability action to be executed in connection with the facility. The feedback information is determined from sustainability result information, which is determined from real time resource sustainability action information and the real time resource performance values determined for the facility. |
| US08694159B2 |
Robot control apparatus, disturbance determination method, and actuator control method
A robot control apparatus includes an actuator; a generator unit; a first detection unit; a first computation unit to compute current positional data of the arm; a second computation unit to compute an input value; a third computation unit to compute an estimation value of a driving torque for driving the actuator; a fourth computation unit to compute a difference between the estimation value of the driving torque and a true value of the driving torque; and a second detection unit to detect a disturbance applied to the arm, wherein the second detection unit includes an update unit to estimate a parameter of a time-series model and updating the time-series model of the first sampling period by applying the parameter, and a determination unit to determine whether a disturbance occurs, by comparing the time-series model of the first sampling period with a time-series model of a second sampling period. |
| US08694154B2 |
Storage and order-picking system as well as method for automatically addressing of storage spaces
A storage and order-picking system and method, wherein communication addresses are assigned to storage spaces, the system comprising a warehouse having a plurality of storage spaces each being either free or having assigned one good; a plurality of display devices each allocated to an assigned storage space and including a measuring device; a control device configured to allow addressing of order-picking data to each display device, wherein a display device can be activated based on transmitted order picking data such that an order-picking person visually recognizes from which one of the storage spaces goods are to be removed, and wherein a storage-space location is recorded for each storage space; a network connecting the display devices to the control device; and a location-measuring system configured to determine a mounting location for each mounted display device and to compare the so-determined mounting location with the recorded storage-space location. |
| US08694151B2 |
Apparatus for the removal of bottles or containers from a bottle or container cleaning arrangement in a bottle or container filling plant
A removal apparatus for the removal of containers from a stream of containers moved in groups or lanes of a container treatment plant. The removal apparatus utilizes a suction cup of a handling element to remove containers in an undesired orientation out of a stream of containers. |
| US08694145B2 |
Feedback control of a chemical mechanical polishing device providing manipulation of removal rate profiles
A method of controlling surface non-uniformity of a wafer in a polishing operation includes (a) providing a model for a wafer polishing that defines a plurality of regions on a wafer and identifies a wafer material removal rate in a polishing step of a polishing process for each of the regions, wherein the polishing process comprises a plurality of polishing steps, (b) polishing a wafer using a first polishing recipe based upon an incoming wafer thickness profile, (c) determining a wafer thickness profile for the post-polished wafer of step (b), and (d) calculating an updated polishing recipe based upon the wafer thickness profile of step (c) and the model of step (a) to maintain a target wafer thickness profile. The model can information about the tool state to improve the model quality. The method can be used to provide feedback to a plurality of platen stations. |
| US08694144B2 |
Endpoint control of multiple substrates of varying thickness on the same platen in chemical mechanical polishing
A difference between a first expected required polish time for a first substrate and a second expected required polish time for a second substrate is determined using a first pre-polish thickness and a second pre-polish thickness measured at an in-line metrology station. A duration of an initial period is determined based on the difference between the first expected required polish time and the second expected required polish time. For the initial period at a beginning of a polishing operation, no pressure is applied to whichever of the first substrate and the second substrate has a lesser expected required polish time while simultaneously pressure is applied to whichever of the first substrate and the second substrate has a greater expected required polish time. After the initial period, pressure is applied to both the first substrate and the second substrate. |
| US08694138B2 |
Sound data processing appartus
A sound data processing apparatus includes a central processing unit for controlling predetermined processing in the apparatus, a rewritable RAM, a decoder performing the decoding processing for sound data, and an interface unit for being fitted with an external memory. The sound data processing apparatus reads a driver from the external memory mounted in the interface unit and stores the read driver into the RAM, and reads the sound data from the external memory with the driver and processes the read sound data. As a result, the wastefully using of the memory capacity of the memory mounted in the sound data processing apparatus is reduced. |
| US08694135B2 |
Programming programmable logic controllers using exertion influence in establishing matrix parameters
The invention relates to an apparatus for the generation of a program for a programmable logic controller having a programming input unit for the selection and compilation of a plurality of symbols, a generation unit for the generation of a program code for the programmable logic controller from an arrangement of symbols compiled at the display unit of the programming input unit. In accordance with the invention an investigation unit for investigating the resulting possible influences of input signals of the programmable logic controller, onto output signals of the programmable logic controller at the actuator outputs from the arrangement of symbols generated by the program code or compiled at the display unit of the programming input unit is provided. In accordance with the invention an implementing unit for implementing the possible exertion of influence in a matrix and a display unit for the display of the matrix are also provided. The invention further relates to a programming device for a programmable logic controller having such an apparatus for the generation of a program, a corresponding method for programming a programmable logic controller and a corresponding computer program product. |
| US08694134B2 |
Remote control interface
Interface (101) for converting human control input gestures to telematic control signals. The interface includes a plurality of articulating arms (107a, 107b, 108a, 108b, and 109a, 109b) each mounted at a base end (113, 115, 117) to an interface base and coupled at an opposing end to a housing (106). The articulating arms are operable to permit linear translational movement of the housing in three orthogonal directions. At least one sensor (116) of a first kind is provided for measuring the linear translational movement. A pivot member (201) is disposed in the housing and is arranged to pivot about a single pivot point. A grip (102) is provided and is attached to the pivot member so that a user upon grasping the grip can cause the pivot to rotate within the housing. |
| US08694128B2 |
Medical electrical lead
A medical device lead is presented. One embodiment of the claimed invention includes a lead body, a conductor, and a flexible component. The lead body includes a proximal end and a distal end. The conductor is coupled to the lead body. A sleeve is coupled to the distal end of the lead body. The flexible component is coupled to the distal end of the sleeve. The distal end of the flexible component includes an outer diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the proximal end. |
| US08694121B2 |
Programmable switching circuit with charge pumps for bio-stimulator
A programmable switching circuit with charge pumps for a bio-stimulator is disclosed. A programmable controlling circuit generates a set of binary bits according to a controlling program and then uses a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter for outputting to the pulse signal generating circuit so as to generate two pulse signals with the predetermined waveforms and different phases. Then, according to these two pulse signals with different phases, two charge pumps included in a charge pump regulating circuit output currents with specific voltage intensity through two output routes. The amplitude of the current is determined by the capacitor on each output route. Additionally, the programmable controlling circuit determines which route to be outputted so as to control and switch the polarities and current amplitude of a bio-stimulator. |
| US08694119B2 |
Endovascular electrostimulation near a carotid bifurcation in treating cerebrovascular conditions
An interventional system that utilizes a carotid chemoreceptor(s) and optionally baroreceptor(s) for inducing vasodilatation in blood vessels of the brain is provided for treating ischemic conditions of the CNS, such as ischemic stroke and cerebral vasospasm. The system includes an electrical signal generator and an endovascular module with electrode units for transiently being disposed in the internal and external carotid arteries, adjacent a carotid body. |
| US08694116B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing context among events and optimizing implanted medical device performance
An apparatus and method for adjusting the performance of an implanted device based on data including contextual information. Contextual information, including operational and performance data concerning the implanted device as well as the patient with the implanted device, is stored by a portable electronic device. In one embodiment, the portable electronic device is adapted for battery operation and includes a personal digital assistant (PDA). The portable electronic device is adapted for use as an interface to conduct wireless communications with the implanted device. In one embodiment, the portable electronic device interfaces with a clinical programmer for use by a physician. |
| US08694115B2 |
Therapy programming guidance based on stored programming history
A programming device used to program delivery of therapy to a patient by a medical device, such as an implantable neurostimulator or pump, maintains or accesses a programming history for the patient. The programming history may take the form of a record of programs, e.g., combinations of therapy parameters, tested during one or more prior programming sessions. The programming device may analyze, or otherwise use the programming history to provide guidance information to a user, such as a clinician, which may assist the user in more quickly identifying one or more desirable programs during a current programming session. |
| US08694114B2 |
System and method for fine-structure processing for hearing assistance devices
A hearing assistance device and method is presented. An electrode is configured to be disposed within a cochlea of a user. A processor is in communication with the electrode and is configured to stimulate the electrode. The processor is configured to receive an input audio signal, band-pass filter the input audio signal into a plurality of channel signals, apply a Hilbert transform to at least one of the plurality of channel signals to generate a transformed audio signal, and analyze the transformed audio signal to identify at least one positive-moving zero crossing of the transformed audio signal. Upon identifying the at least one positive-moving zero crossing of the transformed audio signal, the processor is configured to trigger an electric current pulse to be delivered to the electrode. |
| US08694112B2 |
Methods and systems for fitting a bilateral cochlear implant patient using a single sound processor
An exemplary method of fitting a bilateral cochlear implant patient using a single sound processor includes a fitting subsystem using a first sound processor associated with a first cochlear implant to selectively fit the first cochlear implant and a second cochlear implant to a cochlear implant patient, automatically segregating fitting data generated during the fitting of the first cochlear implant from fitting data generated during the fitting of the second cochlear implant, and transmitting the fitting data generated during the fitting of the second cochlear implant to a second sound processor associated with the second cochlear implant after the fitting of the second cochlear implant to the cochlear implant patient is completed. Corresponding methods and systems are also described. |
| US08694110B2 |
Orthosis for gait modulation
A functional electrical stimulation (FES) orthosis, including: a frame, an inner layer coupled to an inner surface of the frame, an electrode base, and a connector assembly. The frame is configured to substantially envelop a limb, and includes a retention portion configured to retain the frame about the limb, and a mounting portion configured to be coupled to an electrical stimulator. The electrode base is coupled to the inner layer, and is configured to couple a surface electrode to the inner layer. The frame and the inner layer are configured such that the electrode base is disposed at a predetermined position relative to the limb. The connector assembly is configured to electrically couple the stimulator to the electrode base. At least a portion of the connector assembly is disposed within a connector opening defined by the frame. |
| US08694109B2 |
Selective high frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects, and associated systems and methods
Selective high-frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 KHz to about 50 KHz may be applied to the patient's spinal cord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and/or motor side effects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications. |
| US08694108B2 |
Devices for controlling high frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain, and associated systems and methods, including simplified controllers
Selective high-frequency spinal chord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side affects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 KHz to about 50 KHz may be applied to the patient's spinal chord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and/or motor side affects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications. In particular embodiments, aspects of the foregoing modulation therapies may be implemented by systems and devices that have simplified functionalities. |
| US08694104B2 |
Systems and methods for avoiding neural stimulation habituation
An embodiment relates to a method for delivering a vagal stimulation therapy to a vagus nerve, including delivering a neural stimulation signal to non-selectively stimulate both afferent axons and efferent axons in the vagus nerve according to a predetermined schedule for the vagal stimulation therapy, and selecting a value for at least one parameter for the predetermined schedule for the vagal stimulation therapy to control the neural stimulation therapy to avoid physiological habituation to the vagal stimulation therapy. The parameter(s) include at least one parameter selected from the group of parameters consisting of a predetermined therapy duration parameter for a predetermined therapy period, and a predetermined intermittent neural stimulation parameter associated with on/off timing for the intermittent neural stimulation parameter. |
| US08694103B2 |
High-resolution connector for a neurostimulation lead
An implantable connector comprises an electrically insulative housing including an outer wall, an interior cavity surrounded by the outer wall, a port through which the lead body portion can be introduced into the interior cavity, and a pair of first apertures disposed through the outer wall on a first side of the housing. The connector further comprises an electrical spring clip contact mounted to the housing. The contact includes a common portion and a pair of legs extending from opposite ends of the common portion. The legs respectively extend through the first apertures into the interior cavity, such that the legs firmly engage the electrical terminal therebetween when the lead body portion is introduced into the interior cavity. |
| US08694098B2 |
Implantable defibrillator/cardioverter medical device with a dynamically adjustable threshold for ventricular detection
Methods, devices, and processor-readable storage media are provided for detecting spontaneous ventricular events in a heart using implantable medical devices. A method in this context includes applying a sensitivity function to collected data to detect occurrence of ventricular events. The sensitivity function is based on an adjustable detection threshold. The method further includes determining whether noise is suspected to be present in the data and, if so, increasing the threshold. The method further includes providing a stimulation pulse to the heart when a ventricular event has not occurred after a predetermined escape interval and, following the stimulation pulse, applying a capture test to detect whether an induced depolarization has occurred. If induced polarization is not detected, the threshold is reduced, while the threshold is maintained if induced polarization is detected. |
| US08694094B1 |
Adaptive single site and multi-site ventricular pacing
An exemplary method includes delivering a cardiac pacing therapy using an electrode configuration for left ventricular, single site pacing or left ventricular, multi-site pacing, measuring a series of interventricular conduction delays using the left ventricular pacing and right ventricular sensing (IVCD-LR), comparing the interventricular conduction delay values to a limit and, based on the comparison, deciding whether to change the electrode configuration for the left ventricular pacing. Other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08694091B2 |
In vivo determination of acidity levels
A bolus for use in a ruminant animal's reticulum includes a cavity (100) configured to receive ruminal fluids present in the stomach. The cavity has walls (110) of a dielectric material and is encircled by a coil member (120), which is configured to subject the ruminal fluids to an electro-magnetic field. A Sensor element (310) measures the electromag-netic field's influence on the ruminal fluids and thus register an electromagnetic property representative of an acidity level of said fluids. A transmitter (410) transmits a wireless output signal (SD) reflecting the acidity measure. |
| US08694083B2 |
Noise cancellation mechanism
In a biometric sensor provided for use with an exercise apparatus and having a pair electrodes for sensing a biopotential signal, a common-mode rejection circuit can be used to cancel noise in the signal resulting from various sources including motion of the apparatus. |
| US08694081B2 |
Fetal monitoring system and method
A system and associated method include an AECG/PCG sensor configured to generate an AECG/PCG signal in response to a monitored fetal heart. The system also includes an US transducer configured to generate an US signal in response to the monitored fetal heart. The system also includes a computer configured to assess the quality of the AECG/PCG signal, and compare the assessed quality of the AECG/PCG signal with a selectable threshold value. The computer is also configured to disable the US transducer and process the AECG/PCG signal to provide a fetal heart rate estimate as long as the assessed quality of the AEC/PCG signal exceeds the selectable threshold value. The computer is also configured to enable the US transducer and process the US signal to provide a fetal heart rate estimate only if the assessed quality of the AEC/PCG signal is equal to or less than the selectable threshold value. |
| US08694075B2 |
Intra-operative registration for navigated surgical procedures
A navigation system for use during a surgical procedure is provided. The navigation system is configured to use electromagnetic tracking data produced by electromagnetic tracking devices and 2D image data produced by a fluoroscope to intra-operatively register 2D images of a patient to a pre-operative 3D image of the patient. In some implementations, a surgeon may be able to perform an interventional or surgical procedure guided by the navigation system. |
| US08694070B2 |
Electrode applicator for quick press on EEG electrode
An applicator for applying an electrode to a patient, and a system for recording of the electroencephalographic potential, the evoked potential, and the ground and reference potentials in electroenceophalographic and evoked potential measurements, is disclosed herein. The applicator includes a main body and a plunger unit. |
| US08694069B1 |
Fiber-optic probe with embedded peripheral sensors for in-situ continuous monitoring
A fiber-optic (FO) element-based sensing probe for use in monitoring parameters of a biological environment. A straight FO-element, embedded and cast in a polymeric body of the probe delivers excitation light from a light source on one side of the FO-element to a chamber, inside the body, that is filled with an indicator matrix responsive to the excitation light and to the presence of a biological environment. The same straight FO-element collects light from the chamber and delivers it, in an opposite direction, from the chamber to an optical detector. The chamber may be configured to be co-axial with the FO-element and to have a transverse dimension, across the axis of the FO-element, exceeding the outer diameter of the core of the FO-element. A membrane permeable to an analyte of the biological environment is disposed in a recess of the chamber adjoining the aperture defined by the chamber in an outer side surface of the polymeric body. |
| US08694066B2 |
Superconducting magnet system for high power microwave source focusing and cyclotron electronic apparatus
A superconducting magnet system for high power microwave source focusing and cyclotron electronic apparatus is provided, wherein, the superconducting magnet comprises an inner superconducting main coil, an outer superconducting main coil, two end compensation coils, a regulating coil and a central regulating coil. These coils are formed by coiling Nb3Sn/Cu superconducting wire. The superconducting magnet can operate off-line through solid nitrogen formed by a cryocooler and high-pressure nitrogen. The superconducting magnet and the superconducting switch constitute a closed loop, thereby achieving magnetic field stability, without outside electromagnetic interference. The superconducting magnet system can provide a magnetic field having special spatial distribution and high stability. |
| US08694055B1 |
System and method for selection of wireless service provider via a mobile terminal
A system and method for provisioning a wireless service provider through a mobile device using a SIM card within the mobile device accesses a server via a wireless hub using the SIM card and requests comparison data relating to a plurality of wireless service providers. The comparison data is provided to the mobile device from the server responsive to the request, and the mobile device displays this comparison information. A user selection is provided selecting a particular wireless service provider using the mobile device, and the selected wireless service provider is established as the wireless service provider for the mobile device. |
| US08694050B2 |
Mobility management message analysis
A system that facilitates detecting, analyzing, and selectively enabling mobility management messages in connection with providing dual mode services comprises a receiver component that receives a mobility management message from an enterprise network. An analysis component communicatively coupled to the receiver component determines a type of the mobility management message and further determines whether or not to allow a mobility management transaction corresponding to the mobility management message based at least in part upon the determined type. |
| US08694049B2 |
Fast signal detection and distributed computing in portable computing devices
This disclosure describes a distributed reader architecture for a mobile computing device such as cellular telephone handset. This architecture includes a reader library that reads device capabilities and business model parameters in the device, and in response, for selects an appropriate configuration of reader modules for identifying a content item. The reader modules each perform a function used in identifying a content item. The modules are selected so that the resources available on the device and in remote devices are used optimally, depending on available computing resources on the device and network bandwidth. One example of a reader module is a fast watermark detection module that quickly detects the presence of a watermark, enabling resources to be focused on portions of content that are most likely going to lead to successful content identification. A watermark signal structure for fast watermark detection is comprised of a dense array of impulse functions in a form of a circle in a Fourier magnitude domain, and the impulse functions having pseudorandom phase. Alternative structures are possible. |
| US08694048B2 |
Wireless transmitting/receiving method and wireless transmitting/receiving apparatus
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless transmitting/receiving method for achieving both a high-speed data transfer and a power-saving operation by using wireless transmitting/receiving apparatus adaptable to a ubiquitous system, whereby a wireless transmitting/receiving method which performs wireless transmission/reception using no less than two carrier waves which belong to a different frequency band is used to transmit/receive a control signal for controlling the transmission/reception operation of the wireless transmitting/receiving apparatus by using a carrier wave which belongs to a lower frequency band (400 MHz band), and to transfer data by using a carrier wave which belongs to a higher frequency band (2.4 GHz band). |
| US08694041B2 |
Push-to-talk telecommunications system utilizing an voice-over-IP network
A method and system to provide ad-hoc push-to-talk calls between a plurality of users in a wireless packet data telecommunications network are described. The system may include: a wireless communication network including push-to-talk (PTT) functionality, with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Proxy Server; a SIP Registrar and Location Server operable to store contact addresses of active mobile devices; a Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP) Media Gateway (PTT Server) operable to function as a call endpoint for each of a plurality of mobile devices wherein the plurality of mobile devices may be segmented into membership groups, the PTT Server further operable to multicast a communication from one member of the group to the other members of the group; and an Internet Protocol (IP) network interconnecting the SIP Proxy server, the SIP Registrar and Location Server, and the PTT Server. |
| US08694040B2 |
Remotely configurable wireless intercom system for an establishment
Systems and methods associated with an intercom system for a drive-through, quick service restaurant facility is disclosed. Generally, a plurality of headsets is configured for communication with a base station. A speaker is associated with the drive-through facility is configured to be located near a menu board, and is configured for communication with the base station. A microphone is also configured to be located near the menu board and configured for communication with the base station. A plurality of parameters control the configuration of the intercom system, and the base station is connectable to a wide area communication network to enable remote adjustment of the plurality of parameters. |
| US08694039B2 |
Method for scanning in a multi-mode multi-antenna device
A method and system are provided in which a device comprising a first or main phase locked loop (PLL) and a second or reference PLL, is operable to communicate utilizing a first and a second receiving antenna. The first PLL may generate a first signal based on a reference signal generated by the second PLL. A second signal may also be generated based on the reference signal. Data associated with a first radio access technology (RAT) may be received via the first receiving antenna utilizing the generated first signal. The first RAT or another RAT may be scanned via the second receiving antenna utilizing the generated second signal. The scan via the second receiving antenna may be performed concurrently with the reception of data via the first receiving antenna. A switch may be utilized to enable or disable scanning operations via the second receiving antenna. |
| US08694037B1 |
Method for improving radio performance in a simulcast environment using phase tilted filters
Method for optimizing the delay spread performance of a radio receiver (200) includes evaluating (306) a delay spread environment to determine if a desired RF signal is being received under conditions of low delay spread or high delay spread. If a low delay spread condition, the baseband digital data signal is filtered using a narrow filter (310). Otherwise, the signal is filtered using a wide bandwidth filter (312) having a bandwidth wider than the narrow filter. The center frequency of the wide bandwidth filter is selectively shifted (316, 320) in accordance with a predetermined frequency offset if a second received power level of an interfering signal in an adjacent channel exceeds the first received power level by a predetermined threshold amount. This frequency shift of the filter allows for improved delay spread performance while minimizing any performance degradation when an interfering signal is present on an adjacent channel. |
| US08694036B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing uplink interference coordination in a radio communication system
An apparatus and a method provide for uplink interference coordination in a radio communication system, such as a cellular communication system. Measurements are made at mobile stations associated with uplink-channel interference conditions. Reports are made to the network when a mobile station experiences interference conditions beyond a measurement threshold. If greater than a group-threshold number of mobile stations experience high levels of uplink-channel interference, communication resources are reallocated in compensation for the high interference conditions. |
| US08694035B2 |
Communications system and method for determining an exclusion zone in proximity to a wireless communications system
A method of reducing interference in a first wireless communications system, the first wireless communications system being operable in use to take part in a spectrum assignment process involving at least a second wireless communications system, the method comprising defining an exclusion zone in proximity to the first wireless communications system, the exclusion zone indicating that any mobile communications apparatus located within the exclusion zone is not permitted to communicate with the second wireless communications system using a portion of spectrum which was pre-assigned to the first wireless communications system and which is currently re-assigned to the second wireless communications system as part of the spectrum assignment process; and varying the local size of a part only of the exclusion zone in dependence on a level of interference inflicted on the first wireless communications system. |
| US08694031B2 |
SMS technology for computerized devices
A method and system for delivering SMS and MMS messages from a mobile telephone to devices having addresses on an Internet Protocol network are provided. In an embodiment of the invention a device having an IP address and a Media Access Control (MAC) address is registered on a network router and a telephone number is associated with the registered device on the router, such that when the router receives an SMS or MMS message for the telephone number associated with the device the router retrieves the IP address for the device and routes the message to the device. |
| US08694030B2 |
Method and apparatus for improved antenna isolation for per-antenna training using transmit/receive switch
Methods and apparatus are provided for per-antenna training in a multiple antenna communication system having a plurality of transmit antenna branches. A long training sequence is transmitted on each of the transmit antenna branches such that only one of the transmit antenna branches is active at a given time. The active transmit antenna branch is configured in a transmit mode during the given time and one or more of the inactive transmit antenna branches are configured in a receive mode during the given time. The transmit and receive modes are configured, for example, by applying a control signal to one or more switches. |
| US08694029B2 |
Method for monitoring entities
The inventive method for monitoring entities (10) moving in a monitored space represented by a first digital model (14) comprising a set of maps (16) divided into geographical zones (18) of a predetermined shape, and having a size defined according to the level of granularity, includes: identifying geographical zones (18) of each map (16), defining operational zones (24a, 24b) and associating each operational zone (24a, 24b) with a predefined level of granularity, configuration, positioning the entity (10), determining a level of granularity to be applied, determining a geographical zone (18) containing the entity (10), detecting a change of zone, and applying a new level of granularity as a function of the operational destination zone (24a, 24b). The determination steps, the detection step, and the application step are carried out within each entity (10), independently. |
| US08694027B2 |
Determining a position of a mobile device
A method, apparatus and software are disclosed in which the position of a mobile device is determined by proximity detection from a first node using one wireless communications protocol and the position of the first node is determined using a set of signals from base stations having known locations and using a second wireless communications protocol. |
| US08694026B2 |
Location based services
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for location-based services. An event or device condition is detected at a device. A current geographic location of a device is determined. Location-based information based on the determined current geographic location is received. The location-based information includes information relevant to the event or device condition. The information is presented. |
| US08694024B2 |
Media data exchange, transfer or delivery for portable electronic devices
Methods and systems that facilitate data delivery to electronic devices are disclosed. One aspect pertains to data delivery to electronic devices that are portable, such as, mobile devices. In one embodiment, one mobile device discovers another mobile device within its vicinity. The mobile devices can then wirelessly transmit data from one mobile device to the other. The mobile devices, or their users, can control, request or influence the particular data content being delivered. |
| US08694022B2 |
Procedure to increase position location availability
A device, method and system are provide which permits the methodology used to make the position determination to change dynamically in connection with achieving a position fix of a desired accuracy. |
| US08694019B2 |
Method and devices for facilitating the location of a mobile electronic device
The invention relates to a user-portable electronic device and in particular one which is capable of establishing transmission connection with one or more mobile electronic devices. A user-portable electronic device comprising transmission connection circuitry arranged to establish transmission connection between the user-portable electronic device and one or more mobile electronic devices; geographic-location determining circuitry arranged to determine a geographic location of the or each mobile electronic device associated with transmission connection of the user-portable electronic device and the or each mobile electronic device; and log circuitry arranged to allow storage of a geographic-location log including at least a last-known geographic location of the or each mobile electronic device. |
| US08694018B2 |
Load balancing in a cellular telecommunication network
A method and apparatus for controlling a Network Load Balancing (NLB) algorithm that balances a traffic load between multiple downlink (DL) sectors in a cellular telecommunication network. A Connection Integrity Preservation (CIP) algorithm, which runs on top of the NLB algorithm in the Radio Network Controller/Base Station Controller (RNC/BSC), minimizes the risk of degrading network performance due to NLB offload decisions. The CIP algorithm may override an NLB offload decision, for example, if there have been too many offload failures, there are no target DL sectors available to acquire an offloaded Access Terminal (AT), or the offloaded AT is not acquired within a threshold time period. The CIP algorithm ensures required metrics are collected, and minimizes the impact on RNC/BSC processing due to Routing Update messages needed to make offload decisions. The invention enables the NLB algorithm to realize its potential without negative side-effects. |
| US08694017B2 |
Method and apparatus for interference management in a wireless communication system
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate secure interference management in a wireless communication system. Techniques are described herein to enable a terminal jammed by a nearby base station to submit a request to the nearby base station to set aside interlaces and/or other communication resources while preventing attacks wherein such requests are submitted arbitrarily. As described herein, a base station receiving a request for reservation of resources can require proof that an entity requesting the reservation is actually jammed by the base station by constructing and transmitting a signal using random number and/or other information such that the information can be correctly decoded only at or above a minimum signal quality. A tiered technique is additionally described herein, wherein multiple signals are constructed and transmitted such that the respective signals are correctly decodable at varying signal quality thresholds. |
| US08694013B2 |
Resource allocation signalling
A mobile telecommunications system is described in which a base station allocates control channel elements for signalling resource allocation data for a number of mobile telephones. The CCEs are partitioned into at least two groups, one for uplink allocations and one for downlink allocations. In one embodiment, the group size is fixed while in another embodiment, the group size changes between sub-frames. In another embodiment, the group size is varied in a pseudo-random manner. |
| US08694009B2 |
Call routing in a mobile communication system
A method and a system for handling a mobile terminating call in a mobile communications network, wherein interrogation (112) by a first Mobile Switching Center (101) towards a Home Location Register (202) for routing said call is intercepted by an Intercepting Means (104). The Intercepting Means (104) determines that routing said call to a dedicated Mobile Switching Center (105) is required for providing a service for said call. A message (213) comprising routing information for routing said call to the dedicated Mobile Switching Center (105) is sent by the Intercepting Means (104) to the first Mobile Switching Center(101). |
| US08694008B2 |
Multi-mode handset services
Delivery of dual-mode GSM/WiFi voice and data services to a consumer with support for transparent network registrations and handovers between GSM and WiFi networks. Aspects include transparently and wirelessly automating call redirection procedures of calls and data (e.g., SMS messages) to legacy telephone devices, to GSM handsets via broadband, and to VoIP devices via broadband. An indoor network is treated as a pseudo visitor PLMN (VPLMN) by the home PLMN (HPLMN) which does not require GSM radio coverage in an indoor network. This innovation provides a means for automating a process of redirecting a subscriber's calls from the GSM network to the subscriber's home network, and can utilize a Bluetooth access point to provide a beacon signal for triggering redirection. |
| US08694007B2 |
Method for providing and receiving reliable service in wireless communication system
A method for providing reliable wireless service in a femto system is provided. The method includes broadcasting information about out-of-service, which notifies that an air interface based on the femto BS is disabled, to user equipment (UE); and disabling the air interface. The information about the out-of-service comprising an identifier about a recommended BS that is another BS which the UE can enter.A method for receiving reliable service using user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes receiving information about out-of-service, which notifies that service cannot be provided to the UE, from a femto base station (BS), the information about the out-of-service including an identifier about at least one recommended BS that is another BS which the UE can enter; and trying to enter one BS of the at least one recommended BS on the basis of the information about the out-of-service. |
| US08694002B1 |
Use of IMSI during femtocell registration to avoid identifier conflicts
A method and system is disclosed for including an IMSI in an EVDO access request. When an access terminal determines that any access request it makes will be sent to a micro-type base station, the access terminal will include its IMSI in any EVDO access request. When a micro-type base station receives an EVDO access request containing an IMSI of the requesting access terminal, the micro-type base station will use the included IMSI to establish and identify a data connection to a PDSN. |
| US08694000B2 |
Two tier hi-speed wireless communication link
A method and apparatus for mobile two-tier wireless communication are provided. A wireless communication signal may be received at a mobile communication device from a cellular base station. Data may be recovered from the received wireless communication signal. The data may be transmitted to an IEEE 802.11 user device. A second wireless communication signal may be received from the IEEE 802.11 user device. Data may be recovered from the second wireless communication signal. The data may be transmitted to the cellular base station. |
| US08693999B2 |
Communication apparatus, maintenance system, maintenance method and computer program
A communication apparatus for receiving maintenance data required for maintaining a device to be maintained and supplying maintenance data to the device to be maintained, and method are provided. The communication apparatus includes an acquisition unit for acquiring identification information for identifying the device and a sending unit for sending identification information acquired by the acquisition unit. The apparatus includes a receiving unit for receiving maintenance data including the identification information sent by the sending unit and a supply unit for supplying said maintenance data received by said receiving unit to said device to be maintained. |
| US08693998B2 |
System and method for managing a customer service session
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of providing a service to a user of a mobile communication device. A selection a service may be received. An optimal option for providing a selected service may be determined and displayed on a mobile communication device. A session including a voice communication channel and a data communication channel may be established and used to provide a selected service. |
| US08693997B2 |
Visual ARS service system and method enabled by mobile terminal's call control function
Disclosed is a system and a method for providing a Visual ARS (VARS) service by using a call control function of a mobile communication terminal. In the system and the method, a user of a terminal can select an existing voice guidance service or an available visual guidance service when trying a call connection to a telephone number of an existing call center. When selecting a visual guidance service, an originator receives an ARS service on a screen of the terminal of the originator. Accordingly, the user can receive and use the VARS service according to the user's selection by using a mobile communication network, so that the user can handle a task requested on a screen of the terminal. |
| US08693994B2 |
Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to mobile telephony devices
Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device via a data network make use of a forwarding termination service. The forwarding termination service causes a native mobile telephony service provider that provides service to the mobile telephony device to forward incoming telephony communications directed the native telephone number of the mobile telephony device to a forwarding access number. The forwarding termination service receives telephony communications directed to the forwarding access number, and then terminates the telephony communications to the mobile telephony device via any one of multiple different methods. The mobile telephony service provider can be instructed to implement and cancel call forwarding instructions by a forwarding agent that is separate from the forwarding termination service. |
| US08693991B2 |
Mobile object location-based privacy protection
A system, method and apparatus for creating and implementing a privacy zone around a mobile object are described herein. A privacy zone is a geographic location proximate to a mobile object in which mobile device functionality is reduced when a mobile device is inside the boundaries of the privacy zone. A locator subsystem tracks the location of the mobile object to update the location of the privacy zone. Further, the locator subsystem monitors for mobile devices that may interface with the privacy zone. Once a mobile device is found to be within a privacy zone, the pre-determined mobile device features will preferably be disabled. |
| US08693990B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for proximity-based authentication for managing personal data
A computer program product that includes a computer useable storage medium to store a computer readable program for proximity-based authentication for managing personal data that, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform operations. The operations include receiving a request for personal data from a data access device, determining a first location corresponding to a location of the data access device, and determining a second location corresponding to a location of an authentication device. The operations also include transmitting the personal data to the data access device if the first location is within a threshold distance of the second location. |
| US08693980B2 |
Emergency alert system channel assignment
A mobile device automatically is configured to the emergency alert system (EAS) channel utilized by the cellular site from which the mobile device registers with a network. In an example configuration, an EAS server provides a mobile switching center (MSC) configuration information regarding the emergency alert channels to be used for the cellular sites supported by the MSC. When the mobile device registers via a cellular site supported by the MSC, the designated channel to be used for EAS messages is sent to the mobile device as part of the registration process. The mobile device assigns an internal channel to the designated channel. In another example configuration, the mobile device is preconfigured with a table listing all possible EAS channels, and the MSC provides, during the registration process, a pointer to the appropriate portion of the table. |
| US08693979B2 |
Power efficient emergency call triggered tracking method
Aspects of the present disclosure provide power efficient methods to track an emergency call. A mobile station may take Location Base Service (LBS) measurements during a low power state and may report the measurements to a serving base station. The serving base station may report the measurements to a network control and management system (NCMS) to track the emergency call. |
| US08693977B2 |
Techniques for personal security via mobile devices
Techniques for achieving personal security via mobile devices are presented. A portable mobile communication device, such as a phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA), is equipped with geographic positioning capabilities and is equipped with audio and visual devices. A panic mode of operation can be automatically detected in which real time audio and video for an environment surrounding the portable communication device are captured along with a geographic location for the portable communication device. This information is streamed over the Internet to a secure site where it can be viewed in real time and/or later inspected. |
| US08693973B2 |
670 GHz Schottky diode based subharmonic mixer with CPW circuits and 70 GHz IF
A coplanar waveguide (CPW) based subharmonic mixer working at 670 GHz using GaAs Schottky diodes. One example of the mixer has a LO input, an RF input and an IF output. Another possible mixer has a LO input, and IF input and an RF output. Each input or output is connected to a coplanar waveguide with a matching network. A pair of antiparallel diodes provides a signal at twice the LO frequency, which is then mixed with a second signal to provide signals having sum and difference frequencies. The output signal of interest is received after passing through a bandpass filter tuned to the frequency range of interest. |
| US08693971B1 |
Receiver, receiver circuits, and methods for providing an interference-reduced signal
A receiver is configured to receive a receive signal including a plurality of signal components, each signal component indicating a channel of an antenna port and an associated scrambling sequence, wherein a first one of the channels indicated by a first one of the signal components which is based on a first scrambling sequence is allocated to the receiver for data reception and a second one of the channels indicated by a second one of the signal components which is based on a second scrambling sequence different from the first scrambling sequence is interfering with the allocated channel. The receiver includes an interference reduction unit configured to combine an estimate of the first one of the signal components and an estimate of the second one of the signal components to provide an interference-reduced signal. |
| US08693970B2 |
Multi-beam active phased array architecture with independant polarization control
In an exemplary embodiment, a phased array antenna comprises multiple subcircuits in communication with multiple radiating elements. The radio frequency signals are independently adjusted for both polarization control and beam steering. In a receive embodiment, multiple RF signals of various polarizations are received and combined into at least one receive beam output. In a transmit embodiment, at least one transmit beam input is divided and transmitted through multiple radiating elements, with the transmitted beams having various polarizations. In an exemplary embodiment, the phased array antenna provides multi-beam formation over multiple operating frequency bands. The wideband nature of the active components allows for operation over multiple frequency bands simultaneously. |
| US08693967B2 |
Receiver capable of concurrently collecting dual band signals, and method thereof
A receiver of a GNSS system is provided. The receiver comprises two mixers and a processing circuit. The first mixer down-converts an input radio-frequency signal comprising a first GNSS signal and a second GNSS signal into a first low-frequency signal. The second mixer down-converts the input radio-frequency signal into a second low-frequency signal. The processing circuit generates at least one phase-shifted low-frequency signal according to at least the first low-frequency signal, extract signal components of the first GNSS signal by rejecting signal components of the second GNSS signal according to the second low-frequency signal and the at least one phase-shifted low-frequency signal, and extract signal components of the second GNSS signal by rejecting signal components of the first GNSS signal according to the second low-frequency signal and the at least one phase-shifted low-frequency signal. The first and second GNSS signals are situated in different frequency ranges. |
| US08693965B2 |
Solar powered transmitter
An embodiment of a light powered transmitter configured for broadcasting an electromagnetic control field to a region is provided. The transmitter includes a housing having a longitudinal axis. The housing includes a photovoltaic cell configured to generate electrical power in response to light and a rechargeable power source configured to store at least a portion of the power generated by the photovoltaic cell. The housing also includes an electromagnetic transmitter and a directional antenna. The directional antenna can be configured to broadcast an electromagnetic (e.g., radio-frequency) control field to a region. The directional antenna can be rotatably mounted in the housing such that the antenna can be rotated around the longitudinal axis. The housing can further include a transparent or translucent optical element configured to receive the light and converge at least a portion of the light onto the photovoltaic cell. |
| US08693961B2 |
System and method for improving power efficiency of a transmitter
In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a circuit comprises a balun configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal at a first input port and a second input port of an input coil. The balun is further configured to output the RF signal at an output coil communicatively coupled to the input coil. The circuit also comprises a supply voltage selector circuit coupled to the input coil and configured to adjust a bias voltage at the input coil according to a power level of the RF signal received at the input coil. |
| US08693960B2 |
Method for single stream beamforming with mixed power constraints
System and method for calculating a transmitter beamforming vector related to a channel vector h under per-antenna power constraints combined with total power constraint, under per-antenna power constraints combined with overall line of site (LOS) effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) and under all three constraints. Calculating a transmitter beamforming vector may be done in the transmitter, in the receiver and feedback to the transmitter or in both. The method may be adapted to perform with a multi-antenna receiver and with multi-carrier systems. |
| US08693959B1 |
System and apparatus for a direct conversion receiver and transmitter
A system for transmitting and receiving data is provided. The system includes a direct-conversion receiver that receives a signal modulated on a carrier frequency signal. The direct-conversion receiver includes one or more subharmonic local oscillator mixers. A local oscillator is connected to the direct conversion receiver, and generates a signal having a frequency equal to a subharmonic of the carrier frequency signal. A transmitter is connected to the local oscillator, which uses the local oscillator signal to transmit outgoing data. |
| US08693956B2 |
Resistive evaluation of the coupling factor of an electromagnetic transponder
A method for evaluating the current coupling factor between an electromagnetic transponder and a terminal, wherein a ratio between data, representative of a voltage across an oscillating circuit of the transponder and obtained for two values of the resistive load, is compared with one or several thresholds. |
| US08693954B2 |
Interferer reduction
The invention is directed to a method for reducing the influence of an interfering signal Si on a wanted signal Sw in a first frequency channel n received by a receiver 112a′ when the interfering signal Si occurs in a second frequency channel n+1 near to the first channel n. The method comprises the steps of: assuming a model Sτof a transmitter 120b′ causing the interfering signal Si; obtaining in the first channel n a measure of the wanted signal Sw and a measure of a nonlinear part of the interfering signal Si, and in the second channel n+1 a measure of a linear part of the interfering signal Si; solving the model for said transmitter 120b′ by using the measured linear and nonlinear part; and obtaining the interfering signal Si; influencing the first channel n by using the solved model, and subtracting the obtained interfering signal S1 from the wanted signal Sw received by the receiver 112a′. |
| US08693952B2 |
Method and system for orderly connection of a bluetooth headset controlled by terminal
The disclosure provides a method for orderly connection of a bluetooth headset controlled by a terminal. The method includes: a terminal sets Hands-Free Profile (HFP) service status as visible and connectable, and sets Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) service status and Audio Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) service status as invisible and unconnectable; a bluetooth headset sends an HFP connection request to the terminal; and the terminal sends a response of accepting an HFP connection to the bluetooth headset. The disclosure also provides a system for orderly connection of a bluetooth headset controlled by a terminal. Application of the method and system may avoid different connection order of the profiles due to different manufacturers of the bluetooth headset when the bluetooth headset actively initiates a connection, which achieves a compatible connection of the profiles. |
| US08693951B2 |
Wireless audio frequency playing apparatus and wireless playing system using the same
A wireless audio frequency playing apparatus and a wireless playing system using the same are provided. The wireless playing system includes a wireless remote controller and the wireless audio frequency playing apparatus. The wireless audio frequency playing apparatus is operated under control of the wireless remote controller. The wireless audio frequency playing apparatus includes a digital broadcasting chip, an amplifier, and a speaker. Two-way communication is processed between the digital broadcasting chip and the wireless remote controller. A content of the digital radio broadcasting program includes audio, text, images, binary data or video. The wireless audio frequency playing apparatus can play digital radio broadcasting program. The wireless audio frequency playing apparatus can independently process the digital audio broadcasting signal, and the wireless remote controller can control channel selection and a sound volume of the wireless audio frequency playing apparatus through a wireless manner. |
| US08693944B2 |
Method and apparatus of performing video programming security control
Disabling data channels at a customer premises provides, in one embodiment, generating at least one jamming signal and inserting the at least one jamming signal at a first frequency to jam at least one carrier frequency channel. The jamming signal may be hopped to at least one additional frequency different from the first frequency to jam at least one additional carrier frequency channel. |
| US08693943B2 |
Internet based learning systems
A learning system is adapted to provide a learning management system adapted to present an exercise environment to the user in which the user is able to practice skills through a combination of presented media and practice areas. The learning system is adapted to provide feedback to the user during the practice session to allow the user to improve performance while in the exercise environment. Additionally, the learning system is adapted to track the user's performance in terms of practice time and in terms of accuracy percentage to allow the student and the educator to monitor performance related to effort. Still additionally, the learning systems of the present disclosure may be adapted to track the types of errors committed by the users to enable the users and educators to provide more directed educational experiences and practice sessions to overcome recurring problems. |
| US08693941B2 |
Image forming apparatus, media decurling system usable with image forming apparatus, and method thereof
A method of decurling media supplied by a media supply roll includes determining an amount of media remaining in a form of a media supply roll and forming a media decurling path having a wrap angle around a decurling roller corresponding to at least the amount of the media remaining in the form of the media supply roll. |
| US08693937B2 |
Fixing device provided with pressure belt
A fixing device includes a fixing roller including a heat generating part, an endless belt facing the fixing roller, a first supporter which supports the belt to cause the belt to face the fixing roller at a first position, a second supporter which supports the belt at a downstream side in the rotation direction of the belt to cause the belt to face the fixing roller at a second position, and a pressure applying member having a center position, configured to urge the belt toward the fixing roller to form a nip between the fixing roller and the belt, wherein a first distance between the center position and the first position is longer than a second distance between the center position and the second position. |
| US08693935B2 |
Fixing unit and image forming apparatus
A fixing unit includes a heating rotary belt, a pressing member that abuts with an inner surface of the heating rotary belt, a pressing rotor that forms a fixing nip with the heating rotary belt, a induction coil separated by a predetermined distance from the external surface of the heating rotary belt and generating a magnetic flux to generate heat in the heating rotary belt, a magnetic core portion that forms a magnetic path for the magnetic flux generated by the induction coil, and a regulating portion that regulates the deformation of the heating rotary belt by abutment with the external surface of the heating rotary belt. |
| US08693931B2 |
Image forming apparatus and fixing device
An image forming apparatus has a conveying element for conveying a sheet, an image forming section for forming an image on the sheet with liquid developer, and a fixing device including a rubbing mechanism for rubbing the image on the sheet. A fixing device has a rubbing mechanism for rubbing an image which is formed with liquid developer. |
| US08693927B2 |
Developer case and image forming apparatus to which developer case is applied
A developer case that contains developer and supplies the developer to another device in a specified replenishing position includes a main body and a rotating unit. The main body includes a bottom wall, a top wall, and first and second side walls. The rotating unit includes a rotation shaft, a transportation member, and a drive input member. The first and second side walls respectively have first and second linear inner surfaces. When the developer case is in the replenishing position, when a line perpendicular to a horizontal line that passes through an axis of the rotation shaft is defined as a reference line, a first angle θ1 formed between the reference line and the first linear inner surface is less than a second angle θ2 formed between the reference line and the second linear inner surface. |
| US08693924B2 |
Developer cartridge including deformation preventing projections, image forming unit and image forming apparatus
A developer cartridge includes a developer container, an opening and a first projection. The developer container holds a developer. The opening, which is formed on the developer container, extends in a longitudinal direction of the developer container. The first projection is formed in the vicinity of the opening. |
| US08693922B2 |
Method of using feed auger with paddles
A development system (10) for an electrophotographic printer with multiple augers containing a development roller (11) and a first channel contains a feed auger (13) and developer, with a plurality of paddles (12) attached to the feed auger, at least some the paddles increase in size with respect to a previous paddle along a direction of developer flow (18). This arrangement of paddles ensures that a uniform layer of developer is formed on the development roller despite the volume of developer in the first channel decreasing along the length of the first channel in the direction of developer flow. |
| US08693918B2 |
Image forming apparatus having mechanism for placing fixing unit in nip relaxed state
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a door to cover an opening in a chassis, a fixing unit, a frame, a linear motion member to linearly move along with the door, a guiding member to guide the linear motion member to move linearly, a coupler assembly to couple the door with the linear motion member and move the linear motion member, and a manipulation member being movable according to movement of the linear motion member. The linear motion member includes a contact portion, with which the manipulation member comes in contact along an intersecting direction. The guiding member includes a slider plane to slidably support the linear motion member. The linear motion member is slidably supported by the slider plane of the guiding member at a surface which is on an opposite side from the surface having the contact portion. |
| US08693911B2 |
Image forming apparatus, resistance measuring device of recording medium, and resistance measuring method
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes: an image carrier; a transfer device which transfers a toner image formed on the image carrier onto a recording medium; a resistance measuring device which causes a current to flow through the recording medium before transferring the toner image and measures the resistance of the recording medium; and a setting unit which sets a condition of the transfer on the basis of the measurement result of the resistance of the recording medium. The resistance measuring device includes an electric shock prevention member which prevents the current from flowing to a user through the recording medium during the measurement of the resistance of the recording medium. |
| US08693910B2 |
Image forming apparatus with heater
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and a power control unit. The image forming unit forms an unfixed image on a recording material. The fixing unit includes an endless belt, a heater held in contact with the endless belt, a pressurization roller to form a fixing nip portion for pinching and conveying the recording material together with the heater via the endless belt, and a pressure changing mechanism to effect switching between a pressurization state and a pressure release state. The power control unit controls power to the heater. In response to transitioning from the pressure release state to the pressurization state, the power control unit starts power to the heater during a transition period before the pressurization state is attained and controls power to the heater such that a heater temperature does not exceed a predetermined upper limit temperature during the transition period. |
| US08693903B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a first charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member by being supplied with an oscillating voltage in the form of a DC voltage biased with a common AC voltage during image formation; a second charging member, provided downstream of the first charging member with respect to a movement direction of the image bearing member, for electrically charging the image bearing member by being supplied with the DC voltage and the common AC voltage during the image formation; detecting portion for detecting an AC current passing through the second charging member; and a setting portion for setting, on the basis of a detection result of the detecting portion when a predetermined AC voltage is applied to the second charging member during non-image formation, the common AC voltage applied to the first charging member and the second charging member during the image formation so that a discharge current between the second charging member and the image bearing member is a predetermined value. |
| US08693898B2 |
Adaptive equalizer, optical receiver, and tap coefficient correcting method
An adaptive equalizer includes a finite impulse response filter with a predetermined number of taps; and a tap coefficient adaptive controller having a register to hold tap coefficients for the filter, a weighted center calculator to calculate a weighted center of the tap coefficients, and a tap coefficient shifter to shift the tap coefficients based on a calculation result of the weighted center. During an initial training period, the tap coefficient shifter shifts the tap coefficients on a symbol data basis such that a difference between the calculated weighted center of the tap coefficients and a tap center defined by the number of taps is minimized. |
| US08693896B2 |
Method and device for processing terahertz waves
A method for processing received electromagnetic radiation includes receiving electromagnetic radiation having a plurality of carrier waves in the frequency range between 0.1 and 10 terahertz and having modulated onto the carrier waves information with a signal frequency of less than 50 GHz. The received radiation is filtered with a filter that is tunable in the frequency range from 0.1 to 10 terahertz so as to obtain at least one carrier wave as a terahertz signal. The terahertz signal is provided to a detection circuit that is sensitive to the terahertz signal frequency. |
| US08693894B2 |
Gain clamped optical device for emitting LED mode light
A gain clamped optical device includes a semiconductor stack and a resonant cavity configured to emit stimulated light. A window created in the optical device is configured to emit the stimulated light in an LED mode. |
| US08693891B2 |
Optical modulation apparatus and optical modulation method
An optical modulation apparatus includes a first modulator, a second modulator, a multiplexer, a calculator and an adjustor. The first modulator configured to modulate light emitted by a light source using a first input signal and output a first modulated signal. The second modulator configured to modulate the light using a second input signal and output a second modulated signal. The multiplexer configured to multiplex the first and second modulated signals and output a multiplexed signal. The calculator configured to calculate a power difference between a higher-side frequency component having a frequency higher than a center frequency of the multiplexed signal and a lower-side frequency component having a frequency lower than the center frequency. The adjustor configured to adjust delays of the first and second input signals based on the power. |
| US08693889B2 |
Apparatus and methods for adaptively using signals to control a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)
An apparatus comprising an optical power splitter, an optical delay line coupled to the optical power splitter, an optical amplifier (OA) coupled to the optical delay line, and an adaptive injection current (AIC) controller coupled to the optical power splitter and the OA. Also disclosed is an apparatus comprising at least one component configured to implement a method comprising converting an optical signal into a voltage signal, calculating an amplitude correction value for the voltage signal, inverting an amplitude of the voltage signal, adjusting the amplitude of the inverted voltage signal according to the amplitude correction value, and converting the adjusted voltage signal into a current signal. Included is a network comprising an optical line terminal (OLT) comprising an optical receiver and an AIC controlled OA coupled to the optical receiver, wherein the AIC controlled OA provides optical power equalization for any upstream optical signals. |
| US08693886B2 |
Optical transmission system
In an optical multilevel transmitter (210), a polar representation of an optical multilevel signal (r, φ) is generated by a polar coordinate multilevel signal generation circuit (212), input to an optical amplitude modulator (211) and a polar coordinate type optical phase modulator (201), and output as an optical multilevel modulated signal (213). The polar coordinate type optical phase modulator (201) generates an optical phase rotation proportional to an input voltage, so the modulation distortion of the electric signal is transferred in a linear form to the optical phases of the optical multilevel modulated signal (213). In an optical multilevel receiver (219), a received signal is input to two sets of optical delay detectors (133) and balance receivers (134) and directly demodulated, and a differential phase Δφ for the received signal is calculated by arctangent computation from the output signal. In a phase adaptive equalizer (205), the modulation distortion of the phase is removed by adaptive equalization of the differential phase Δφ. By separately receiving the amplitude components and combining them, the modulation distortion is removed and highly sensitive optical multilevel transmission is achieved. |
| US08693885B2 |
Method and system for optimum channel equalization from a SerDes to an optical module
Certain aspects of a method and system for optimum channel equalization between a host Serializer-Deserializer (SerDes) and an optical module may compensate and reduce dispersion loss along an electrical transmit path of a transmitter and an optical transmit path coupled to the transmitter via pre-emphasis. The data degradation as a result of the dispersion loss along the electrical transmit path of the transmitter and the optical transmit path coupled to the transmitter may be recovered by equalizing signals received via an electrical receive path of a receiver communicatively coupled to the transmitter. |
| US08693878B2 |
Illumination device and method for embedding a data signal in a luminance output using AC driven light sources
The invention relates to an illumination device connectable to an AC voltage source for applying an alternating voltage during a series of time intervals. The illumination device comprises at least a first light source and a second light source, arranged to be connected in series to the AC voltage source, to generate a luminance output in response to the alternating voltage. Selection means are provided configured for selectively applying the alternating voltage over the first light source or the first and second light source. A controller is provided for controlling the selection means in response to a data signal comprising data symbols such that one or more of the data symbols are contained in said luminance output. The invention also relates to a method of embedding one or more data symbols in the luminance output of such an illumination device, an optical receiver and an illumination system. |
| US08693874B2 |
Transmission system and method of correcting tilt of the transmission system
A transmission system is provided with a transmission apparatus that outputs an ASE light from a transmission light amplifier and with a reception apparatus provided with: a tilt detection unit that detects the optical strength levels of at least two probe lights having different wavelengths from a received ASE light; and a reception light amplifier that performs a first-order tilt correction on light to be output in a linear manner so as to reduce the difference in the optical strength level of the two probe lights detected by the tilt detection unit. |
| US08693869B2 |
Optical transport apparatus and optical transport system
In an embodiment of the invention, an optical transport apparatus comprises first wavelength-division-multiplex optical signal processing units each corresponding to each of transmission lines, an interface unit connected to a client apparatus and converting a client signal to and from a signal to be wavelength-division multiplexed, and a second wavelength-division-multiplex optical signal processing unit connected to the interface unit and receiving the signal to be wavelength-division multiplexed from the interface unit. Each of the first wavelength-division-multiplex optical signal processing units includes a wavelength selective switch including inputs, multiplexing signals selected from optical input signals received from the inputs and outputting the multiplex signal to a corresponding transmission line. The second wavelength-division-multiplex optical signal processing unit includes an optical splitter splitting an optical signal including the signal to be wavelength-division multiplexed and outputting the split signals to the wavelength selective switches in the first wavelength-division-multiplex optical signal processing units. |
| US08693867B2 |
Methods and systems for frequency stabilisation of multiple lasers
A system and method for stabilizing a plurality of output frequencies (wavelengths) of a plurality of lasers (106). The laser beams are combined using optical multiplexer (110) and coupled into length-imbalanced (armlength-mismatched) Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) (114) having an optical modulator (e.g. AOM) (122) in one of its arms. The output of the MZI is divided into corresponding beams via optical demultiplexer (128) and each beam is detected by a respective photo-diode (PD) (134). The individual electric signals, so generated, are demodulated using a corresponding plurality of phase-responsive devices (138) and the resulting phase-signals are directed to a plurality of servo-controllers (148) to control the central frequency of the respective lasers (106) via a corresponding plurality of feedback loop circuits (150). The lasers (106) can have different central frequencies which can also be individually tunned using offset modules (141) in the phase-responsive devices (138). |
| US08693864B2 |
Optical network system, optical redundant switching apparatus, and WDM apparatus
An optical network system includes a first node that converts input signals of n systems into optical signals having wavelengths different for each of the systems and wavelength-multiplexes and transmits the optical signals and a second node that selects signals of n systems from the wavelength-multiplexed signals and outputs the signals. The first node includes an optical coupler that divides the input signals into operating system signals and redundant signals, TPNDs that convert the operating systems into optical signals, an optical switch that selects standby system signals from the redundant signals, and a TPND that converts the standby system signals into optical signals in a storage mode corresponding to a type of the standby system signals. The second node includes TPNDs that convert the optical signals converted from the operating system signals into signals of a type corresponding to the input signals, a TPND that converts the optical signals of the standby system signals into signals of the type of the input signals in a storage mode corresponding to the standby system signals, and an optical switch that selects an output destination of the signals output from the TPND. |
| US08693862B2 |
Handheld electronic device and camera providing flash compensation of images, and associated method
An improved handheld electronic device and camera apparatus upon which can be executed an improved method enable a modular camera to be used in conjunction with a flash. In one implementation, compensation parameters that are intended for use in a non-flash situation are overwritten with compensation parameters that are configured to compensate for the combined effects of the camera and the flash and are used by an embedded compensation routine executed on the camera. In another implementation, an image signal is processed by the embedded compensation routine using the original compensation parameters, but if it is determined that the image signal is a flash image signal, the image signal is further processed by the embedded compensation routine employing an additional set of parameters which compensate the image signal for the effect of the flash. |
| US08693859B2 |
Imaging apparatus, control apparatus, control method therefor, and recording medium
An imaging apparatus receives a signal regularly transmitted from a control apparatus, determines whether or not the imaging apparatus is disconnected from the network based on a status of the reception of the signal, transmits a request for participation in the network to the control apparatus according to a determination that the imaging apparatus is disconnected from the network to notify the control apparatus that the imaging apparatus is disconnected from the network, and participates in the network after the control apparatus receives the request for participation. |
| US08693852B2 |
Warmers for scented oils
A warmer for scented oil is provided. The warmer includes a base, a cover removably positioned on the base, and a warming device. The cover has a substantially spherical shape with an opening at an upper apex and an open channel formed in the cover at the upper apex around an outer periphery of the opening. The open channel is configured to receive the scented oil. The warming device is in a heat conductive relationship with the cover so that scented oil in the open channel is warmed by the warming device. The warming device can be one or more of a lighting device with an incandescent light bulb, a resistance heater with or without a lighting device such as a light emitting diode, or a candle. |
| US08693845B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information recording medium, and information processing method, and program
A data recording and reproducing configuration capable of determining whether or not a three-dimensional image is included in data recorded in a recording medium and determining a coding state and the like in units of fine data is realized. In performing data recording processing on the recording medium, three-dimensional image information as image attribute information in units of data, which is obtained by further dividing management target data in a clip information file, is recorded in the clip information file which stores management information of a stream file storing image data. Specifically, the three-dimensional image information is recorded as unique information in units of program sequences set in the clip information file. With such a configuration, a reproduction apparatus can detect presence and a coding state of the three-dimensional image in data division units without performing analysis on reproduction target data. |
| US08693844B2 |
Bookmarking media programs for subsequent viewing
A method, system, apparatus, and computer program product provide the ability to bookmark a media program for subsequent viewing. A first interface is displayed and identifies a first media program. Via the first interface, a user requests that the first media program be recorded as a bookmark in a list of maintained bookmarks. The list of bookmarks is displayed. A user selects one of the bookmarks from the list and in response, the first media program is displayed to the first viewer. |
| US08693838B1 |
Digital video recording (“DVR”) data exchange systems and methods
An exemplary method includes a digital video recording (“DVR”) data exchange system 1) maintaining first porting configuration data associated with a first DVR service system and second porting configuration data associated with a second DVR service system, 2) receiving a request to port DVR data from a first DVR system associated with the first DVR service system to a second DVR system associated with the second DVR service system, and 3) in response to the request, accessing a first DVR data set associated with the first DVR system, generating, in accordance with the first porting configuration data and the second porting configuration data, a second DVR data set based on the first DVR data set, and providing the second DVR data set as output. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. |
| US08693833B2 |
Manufacturing method for optical fiber preform and optical fiber
Provided is a manufacturing method for an optical fiber preform of which the core is doped with a rare earth element. The method includes: depositing glass particles within a silica tube by the modified chemical vapor deposition method, the glass particles mainly consisting of silicon dioxide; adding the rare earth element and aluminum to the glass particles within the silica tube by the solution doping method; heating the silica tube while flowing a phosphorous-containing gas into the silica tube to sinter the glass particles within the silica tube while adding the phosphorous; and heating and collapsing the silica tube to which the rare earth element, the aluminum, and the phosphorous are added. |
| US08693832B2 |
Optical fiber
The present invention provides an optical fiber which can have a larger NA and a preferable mechanical strength even with a monolayer coating and can be fabricated at low cost, and which can transmit excitation light efficiently reducing a loss even under a high temperature environment during the operation of a fiber laser. An optical fiber according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a core, a glass cladding which is provided at a periphery of the core and has a refractive index smaller than the core, and a polymer cladding which is provided at a periphery of the glass cladding and has a refractive index smaller than the glass cladding. The polymer cladding contains fluorine and the polymer cladding has a difference between an elasticity modulus at 60° C. and that at 23° C. equal to or smaller than 100 MPa and also has an elasticity modulus equal to or larger than 200 MPa at 23° C. |
| US08693829B2 |
Extensible optical signal transmission cable
Disclosed is an extensible optical signal transmission cable having an extensity of 10% or more and an optical transmission loss of less than 20 dB/m when the cable is loosened. The cable comprises an elastic cylinder having the extensity of 10% or more and at least one optical fiber wound around the elastic cylinder. The optical fiber has a bending diameter (R) which is not smaller than the bending limit diameter (Re). The extensible optical signal transmission cable is compliant with shape deformation, can transmit an optical signal when the cable is extended or contracted, and can be used in repetitive extension and contraction. |
| US08693828B2 |
Photonic choke-joints for dual polarization waveguides
A waveguide structure for a dual polarization waveguide includes a first flange member, a second flange member, and a waveguide member disposed in each of the first flange member and second flange member. The first flange member and the second flange member are configured to be coupled together in a spaced-apart relationship separated by a gap. The first flange member has a substantially smooth surface, and the second flange member has an array of two-dimensional pillar structures formed therein. |
| US08693826B2 |
Optical structure writing system
The present invention relates to a system for writing an optical structure in a waveguide. The system including, means for splitting a light beam into two coherent writing beams, an optical circuit for directing the writing beams along substantially the same optical path in opposite directions such that they produce an interference pattern in an interference region substantially within the waveguide to write the optical structure, said optical circuit including at least two acousto-optic modulators (AOMs) configured to enable a controllable phase shift to be applied to a light beam propagating therethrough, the two AOMs being arranged such that, in use, each AOM shifts the phase of only one of the writing beams, to thereby provide a controllable phase difference between the writing beams. |
| US08693824B2 |
Apparatus and method for in-line fiber-cladding-light dissipation
Apparatus and method for in-line cladding-light dissipation including forming a light-scattering surface on the optical fiber such that the light-scattering surface scatters cladding light away from the optical fiber. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes an optical fiber having a core and a first cladding layer that surrounds the core, wherein a first portion of the optical fiber has a light-scattering exterior surface. Some embodiments further include a transparent enclosure, wherein the transparent enclosure includes an opening that extends from a first end of the transparent enclosure to a second end of the transparent enclosure, and wherein at least the first portion of the optical fiber is located within the opening of the transparent enclosure. Some embodiments include a light-absorbing housing that surrounds the optical fiber and the transparent enclosure and is configured to absorb the light scattered away from the optical fiber by the light-scattering exterior surface. |
| US08693823B2 |
Photonic crystal three-port circulator with multiple second air columns
Taught is a photonic crystal three-port circulator, which comprises a dielectric background material and a plurality of first air columns which are symmetrically arranged in the form of triangular lattice in the dielectric background material. The photonic crystal three-port circulator also comprises a magneto-optical cavity and three waveguides, wherein the magneto-optical cavity is arranged at the center of the photonic crystal three-port circulator; the three waveguides are symmetrically distributed around the magneto-optical cavity; and each waveguide comprises a waveguide port which is arranged at the position in the waveguide far away from the magneto-optical cavity. The photonic crystal three-port circulator realizes circular light transmission in single rotational direction from any one of the waveguide ports to another next to it, has a simple and compact structure, and can be easily integrated with other photonic crystal devices. |
| US08693821B2 |
Bidirectional wavelength cross connect architectures using wavelength routing elements
Bidirectional wavelength cross connects include a plurality of ports, each configured to receive an input optical signals, each input optical signal having a plurality of spectral bands. At least one of the plurality of ports is disposed to simultaneously transmit an output optical signal having at least one of the spectral bands. A plurality of wavelength routing elements are configured to selectively route input optical signal spectral bands to output optical signals. |
| US08693820B2 |
Flat optical waveguide with connections to channel and input optical waveguides
An optical waveguide includes a substrate, an upper clad layer arranged on the substrate; and an optical waveguide structure that is disposed in the upper clad layer so as to be parallel to a surface of the substrate. The optical waveguide structure includes a flat optical waveguide, channel optical waveguides that are each connected with a first edge face of the flat optical waveguide and extend radially therefrom, the channel optical waveguides each respectively have lateral sides parallel to the substrate surface that have a width therebetween which increases as the distance from the first edge face increases, and an input optical waveguide connected with a second edge face that is arranged at an side of the flat optical waveguide opposite to the first edge face. |
| US08693818B2 |
Optical processing device
Provided is an optical processing device including: a beam emission portion which comprises a plurality of optical fibers; a plurality of collimating lenses to which a beam emitted from the optical fibers are incident; a dispersion element which disperses the beam emitted from one optical fiber among the plurality of optical fibers; and an optical path conversion optical system which converts an optical path of the beam passing through the dispersion element and allows the beam to be incident to another optical fiber among the plurality of optical fibers, wherein the plurality of collimating lenses is installed in series in the optical path direction of the beam emitted from the optical fiber, and wherein a distance between at least two collimating lenses are adjustable in the optical path direction. |
| US08693817B1 |
Reconfigurable optical filters formed by integration of electrically tunable microresonators
The present invention describes a microresonator that can be used as a 1:f variable coupler in a unit cell. It is described how a cascade of unit cells can be used to form a tunable, higher-order RF-filter with reconfigurable passbands. The disclosed filter structure can be utilized for the narrowband channelization of RF signals that have been modulated onto optical carriers. It is also disclosed how to utilize add/drop capabilities of the contemplated microdisks to confer connectivity and cascading in two dimensions. The present invention can conveniently provide a wavelength division multiplexing router, where an array of unit cells as provided herein can form a programmable optical switching matrix, through electronic programming of filter parameters. |
| US08693813B1 |
Magnetically actuated photonic crystal sensor
A magnetically actuated photonic crystal sensor is disclosed. An optical fiber comprises at least one photonic crystal means coupled to a first end thereof, and a magnetic material coupled to the at least one photonic crystal means. |
| US08693812B2 |
Structrual element made of an aluminum alloy including an optical sensor
Provided herein is a method for manufacturing a worked product comprising a fiber sensor therein. Also provided is a wrought product comprising a fiber sensor as well as structural elements and other products including fuselage skin and a wing panel. |
| US08693810B2 |
Optical counter-phase system and method of RF interference cancellation
A system and method for cancellation of RF interference in the optical domain. The system and method utilize two Mach-Zehnder electrooptic modulators biased for parallel counter-phase modulation. The method of signal subtraction is referred to as incoherent optical subtraction, since two independent laser sources serve as the optical carrier waves. The system has produced the broadband cancellation result while simultaneously recovering a 50 dBm signal which was initially “buried” under the broadband interference. The cancellation depths achieved by the system are due to the accurate channel tracking and precise time delays attainable with modern optical devices—unattainable with state-of-the-art electronic devices at the time of this writing. |
| US08693807B1 |
Systems and methods for providing image feedback
A computer-implemented method may include receiving, over a network, an image from an image capture device, determining an image adjustment to the image, and communicating, over the network, the image adjustment to the image capture device. |
| US08693806B2 |
Method and apparatus of taking aerial surveys
A method of taking an aerial survey maps boundaries of a first image and a second image from a first plane to a second plane to determine boundaries of an output image in the second plane. For a plurality of pixels in the output image, the method determines a corresponding pixel of either the first image or second image in the first plane. |
| US08693801B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and integrated circuit
Provided is an image processing device capable of performing appropriate noise reduction without causing blurring of edges and details of the image. The image processing device: specifies, on a normal distribution representing a noise model of the image, a reference range having a value of a target pixel as a median; computes, with respect to a local region that is an image region containing the target pixel, the number of pixels having a value falling within a first sub-range of the reference range and the number of pixels having a value falling within a second sub-range of the reference range, the first sub-range corresponding to larger values than the median and the second sub-range corresponding to smaller values than the median; corrects one of the first sub-range and the second sub-range so that one of the sub-ranges in which a fewer number of pixels are distributed than in the other sub-range is narrower relative to the other sub-range; determines a selection range that is composed of the one of the first sub-range and the second sub-range as corrected and the other one of the first sub-range and the second sub-range as is; and performs noise reduction on an image region subjected to noise reduction and at least containing the local region by using values falling within the selection range from among the values of the respective pixels contained in the target region. |
| US08693797B2 |
Method and apparatus for evaluating quality estimators
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, distorting a seed image to generate first and second images where the distortions cause the first and second images to have a potential false tie according to a target quality estimator and generating a third image from the first and second images where the third image is generated based on a proxy quality estimator so that the third image has a potential false ordering according to the target quality estimator. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08693796B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for performing a discrete cosine transform
An image processing apparatus and method providing a high speed pipeline structure having a low level of complexity is described. The image processing apparatus includes a memory configured to store a plurality of data in a plurality of memory locations, where an ordinally specified data is in a corresponding ordinal memory location. |
| US08693794B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes a reducing unit that reduces an input image chronologically input as moving images and accumulates a reduced image of the input image as a first reduced image in a predetermined memory. The image processing apparatus further includes a generating unit that generates, as a second reduced image, one reduced image from multiple first reduced images accumulated in the memory. The image processing apparatus further includes a smoothing unit that smooths level values of a pixel included in the second reduced image and pixels surrounding the pixel with respect to each of multiple ranges set according to the width of level values of pixels. The image processing apparatus further includes a synthesizing unit that synthesizes multiple range-by-range results of the smoothing on the basis of the input images. The image processing apparatus further includes an output unit that outputs a synthesized image as an output image. |
| US08693793B2 |
Reducing reference picture set signal overhead on an electronic device
A method for reducing signal overhead on an electronic device is described. The method includes obtaining a picture. The method also includes encoding the picture. The method further includes indicating a reference picture set (RPS) corresponding to the picture based on an initialized index value. The method additionally includes sending a bitstream. |
| US08693791B2 |
Object detection apparatus and object detection method
An object detection apparatus that detects an object to be detected captured in a determination image according to a feature amount of the object to be detected preliminarily learned by the use of a learning image, the object detection apparatus including a detector causing strong classifiers to operate in order of lower classification accuracy, continuing processing when the strong classifier has determined that the object to be detected is captured in the determination image, and determining that the object to be detected has not been detected without causing the strong classifier having classification accuracy higher than the aforementioned strong classifier to operate, when the strong classifier has determined that the object to be detected is not captured in the determination image, wherein the strong classifier inputs a classification result of the strong classifier having classification accuracy lower than the aforementioned strong classifier and determines whether the object to be detected is captured or not in the determination image according to the plurality of estimation values and the input classification result. |
| US08693780B2 |
Automated collage formation from photographic images
A computerized method of image processing to form a collage within a predetermined outline from a plurality of images, the method comprising: processing each image to assign a saliency measure to each pixel, said processing utilizing a dissimilarity measure which combines an appearance component and a distance component; finding a first patch of said image and comparing with other patches at different distances from said first patch using said dissimilarity measure, thereby to obtain a score; applying to each pixel of said first patch said obtained score; continuing said comparing and scoring with additional patches of said image until each pixel obtains a score; from said scored pixels providing for each image a region of interest, by setting an initial boundary that encloses a predetermined set of highest scored pixels, and propagating a curve around said initial boundary in such a way as to minimize length and maximize included saliency; and combining said regions of interest into said collage by: ordering said image regions by importance; placing successive regions within said predetermined outline, so as to maximize saliency and compactness and minimize occlusion. |
| US08693775B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method, recording medium, and program
An image processing apparatus includes: a holding section holding a pixel value input thereto; a basic pixel value calculating section calculating a basic pixel value from the pixel values of a plurality of pixels which are neighboring pixels located around a pixel of interest having the pixel value held by the holding section and which have the same color as the pixel of interest; a different color pixel difference calculating section calculating a different color pixel difference which is a difference between the pixel values of neighboring pixels having a color different from the color of the pixel of interest; a combining section combining the basic pixel value and the different color pixel difference to calculate an estimated pixel value of the pixel of interest; and a correcting section correcting the pixel value of the pixel of interest to the estimated value. |
| US08693772B2 |
System and method for digital image signal compression using intrinsic images
In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing an image file depicting an image, in a computer memory, generating an intrinsic image corresponding to the image, and compressing the intrinsic image to provide a compressed intrinsic image. |
| US08693763B2 |
Method and device for determining preferred alignments of a treatment beam generator
The present invention relates to a method for determining preferred alignments of a treatment beam generator, which is suitable for irradiating an object, relative to a body, wherein the visibility of the object in at least one image is taken into account when determining the preferred alignments, wherein the image is obtained by means of at least one imaging device, the position of which relative to the treatment beam generator is known and invariable. |
| US08693762B2 |
Inertial particle focusing flow cytometer
A flow cytometry system includes an inertial particle focusing device including a plurality of substantially parallel microchannels formed in a substrate, each microchannel having a width to height ratio in the range of 2:3 to 1:4, an analyzer disposed adjacent the inertial particle focusing device such that the analyzer is configured to detect a characteristic of particles in the inertial particle focusing device, and a controller connected to the analyzer and configured to direct the detection of the characteristic of the particles. |
| US08693754B2 |
Device, system and method for measurement and analysis of contractile activity
A method and system for determining intestinal dysfunction condition are provided by classifying and analyzing image frames captured in-vivo. The method and system also relate to the detection of contractile activity in intestinal tracts, to automatic detection of video image frames taken in the gastrointestinal tract including contractile activity, and more particularly to measurement and analysis of contractile activity of the GI tract based on image intensity of in vivo image data. |
| US08693752B2 |
Sensitivity lens for assessing uncertainty in image visualizations of data sets, related methods and computer products
Systems for rendering images from a multi-dimensional data set include a sensitivity lens configured to electronically render a sequence of images showing features in a region of interest to interrogate and/or explore potential uncertainties in the rendered visualizations of images. |
| US08693750B2 |
Method and system for automatic detection of spinal bone lesions in 3D medical image data
A method and system for automatic detection and volumetric quantification of bone lesions in 3D medical images, such as 3D computed tomography (CT) volumes, is disclosed. Regions of interest corresponding to bone regions are detected in a 3D medical image. Bone lesions are detected in the regions of interest using a cascade of trained detectors. The cascade of trained detectors automatically detects lesion centers and then estimates lesion size in all three spatial axes. A hierarchical multi-scale approach is used to detect bone lesions using a cascade of detectors on multiple levels of a resolution pyramid of the 3D medical image. |
| US08693748B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing an intraoral image
According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for processing an intraoral image comprises obtaining location data for an intraoral image target and processing an intraoral image in a predetermined manner on the basis of the intraoral image target's location data. |
| US08693744B2 |
Systems and methods for generating a contour for a medical image
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for generating a contour for a medical image. The system may include a contour synthesis engine that is configured to receive a plurality of contours for a medical image, the plurality of contours identifying at least one object within the medical image. The contour synthesis engine may be further configured to synthesize a combined contour from the plurality of contours by selecting portions of the plurality of contours based on one or more pre-defined contour combination criterion, the one or more pre-defined contour combination criterion including a designated number of contour overlaps such that any region where at least the designated number of contours are overlapping is included in the combined contour. The system may also include a graphical user interface configured to display an overlay of the plurality of contours and the combined contour on the medical image, and to receive user input to modify the combined contour by adding an additional region from the plurality of contours. |
| US08693742B2 |
Three-dimensional single-molecule fluorescence imaging beyond the diffraction limit using a double-helix point spread function
Embodiments of the present invention can resolve molecules beyond the optical diffraction limit in three dimensions. A double-helix point spread function can be used to in conjunction with a microscope to provide dual-lobed images of a molecule. Based on the rotation of the dual-lobed image, the axial position of the molecule can be estimated or determined. In some embodiments, the angular rotation of the dual-lobed imaged can be determined using a centroid fit calculation or by finding the midpoints of the centers of the two lobes. Regardless of the technique, the correspondence between the rotation and axial position can be utilized. A double-helix point spread function can also be used to determine the lateral positions of molecules and hence their three-dimensional location. |
| US08693741B2 |
Methods and apparatus for analyzing medical imaging data
In a method and apparatus for analyzing medical imaging data of a subject from an imaging modality using a tracer, data from detection of tracer emission events at least one region of a scanned imaging volume are obtained, and the data processed to establish sub-periods or time points within a scan period for the emission events. A rate of change of emission events per unit time for a given region is then calculated, for example by obtaining a number of emission events in each sub-period in the given region, and fitting a line through the values for the sub-periods. |
| US08693740B1 |
System and method for face detection in digital images
A method and architecture for face detection under varying light conditions, tilt levels, different color characteristics of faces in a digital image are disclosed. In one embodiment, skin pixels in the digital image are selected. Any unselected pixels are then classified into bright pixels and dark pixels. Skin pixels are then selected from the bright pixels. Skin pixels are further selected from the dark pixels. All the skin pixels are then grouped into windows. Any window having skin pixels that is more than or equal to a predetermined number of skin pixels is then declared as a skin window. Candidate face regions are then formed by grouping the skin windows. Boundaries of candidate face regions are then determined. Eye regions are then determined in the boundaries of candidate face regions. Each candidate face region is then declared as a face, if the eye regions are determined in it. |
| US08693738B2 |
Imaging processing system and method and management apparatus
An imaging processing system includes one or more image capturing apparatuses, a reading unit configured to read biometric information from an authentication object person, a similarity calculation unit configured to calculate similarity based on a result of comparing biometric information read by the reading unit with true biometric information of the authentication object person, an authentication unit configured to perform authentication based on a comparison between the similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit and a preliminarily set threshold, and a control unit configured to control, if the authentication performed by the authentication unit is successful, imaging processing, which is performed by the image capturing apparatus, based on the similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit. |
| US08693733B1 |
Targeted advertising based on license plate recognition
Systems and methods to determine a demographic attribute of a likely occupant of a passing vehicle based on a license plate number of the vehicle are presented. A demographic attribute associated with a likely occupant of a passing vehicle is determined based on a license plate number identified with the vehicle. In response, media content targeted to the likely occupant of the passing vehicle is selected based on the demographic attribute. In some embodiments, the selected media content is presented within view of the occupant of the vehicle. In another aspect, a demographic profile of likely occupants of vehicles passing a particular location over a period of time is based on License Plate Recognition (LPR) information gathered at that location. Media content is selected for presentation based on the identified demographic profile. |
| US08693732B2 |
Computer vision gesture based control of a device
A system and method are provided for controlling a device based on computer vision. Embodiments of the system and method of the invention are based on receiving a sequence of images of a field of view; detecting movement of at least one object in the images; applying a shape recognition algorithm on the at least one moving object; confirming that the object is a user hand by combining information from at least two images of the object; and tracking the object to control the device. |
| US08693731B2 |
Enhanced contrast for object detection and characterization by optical imaging
Enhanced contrast between an object of interest and background surfaces visible in an image is provided using controlled lighting directed at the object. Exploiting the falloff of light intensity with distance, a light source (or multiple light sources), such as an infrared light source, can be positioned near one or more cameras to shine light onto the object while the camera(s) capture images. The captured images can be analyzed to distinguish object pixels from background pixels. |
| US08693730B2 |
Method of real-time tracking of moving/flexible surfaces
The present invention provides a method for real-time tracking of moving flexible surfaces and an image guided surgical robotic system using this tracking method. A vision system acquires an image of the moving flexible surface and identifies and tracks visual features at different times. The method involves computing both rigid and stretching transformations based on the changing positions of the visual features which are then used to track any area of interest on the moving flexible surface as it evolves over time. A robotic surgical system using this real-time tracking is disclosed. |
| US08693729B1 |
Hierarchical spatial representation for multimodal sensory data
The present invention creates and stores target representations in several coordinate representations based on biologically inspired models of the human vision system. By using biologically inspired target representations a computer can be programmed for robot control without using kinematics to relate a target position in camera eyes to a target position in body or head coordinates. The robot sensors and appendages are open loop controlled to focus on the target. In addition, the invention herein teaches a scenario and method to learn the mappings between coordinate representations using existing machine learning techniques such as Locally Weighted Projection Regression. |
| US08693728B2 |
Image selection based on image content
An image capture system comprises an image input and processing unit. The image input obtains image information which is then passed to the processing unit. The processing unit is coupled to the image input for determining image metrics on the image information. The processing unit initiates a capture sequence when the image metrics meet a predetermined condition. The capture sequence may store one or more images, or it may indicate that one or more images have been detected. In one embodiment, the image input is a CMOS or CCD sensor. |
| US08693726B2 |
User identification by gesture recognition
A user can be identified and/or authenticated to an electronic device by analyzing aspects of a motion or gesture made by that user. At least one imaging element of the device can capture image information including the motion or gesture, and can determine time-dependent information about that motion or gesture in two or three dimensions of space. The time-dependent information can be used to identify varying speeds, motions, and other such aspects that are indicative of a particular user. The way in which a gesture or motion is made, in addition to the motion or gesture itself, can be used to authenticate an individual user. While other persons can learn the basic gesture or motion, the way in which each person makes that gesture or motion will generally be at least slightly different, which can be used to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information, protected functionality, or other such content. |
| US08693725B2 |
Reliability in detecting rail crossing events
A method, data processing system, apparatus, and computer program product for monitoring objects. A plurality of images of an area is received. An object in the area is identified from the plurality of images. A plurality of points in a region within the area is identified from a first image in the plurality of images. The plurality of points has a fixed relationship with each other and the region. The object in the area is monitored to determine whether the object has entered the region. A determination that the object has not entered the region is made in response to identifying an absence of a number of the plurality of points in a second image in the plurality of images. |
| US08693719B2 |
Adjustment and cleaning tool for a hearing assistance device
A hearing aid kit includes a standard fit, completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid and a hearing aid tool set. The CIC hearing aid is for extended use and includes a core module inserted into a sleeve. The core module and the sleeve each include various features providing for a minimum overall size, ease of insertion, removal, and cleaning, and enhanced sound transmission. The tool set is configured to be stored and carried in a single piece and provides for adjustment and cleaning of the CIC hearing aid. Open ear fits and occlusive ear fits are possible using different sleeves. |
| US08693709B2 |
Audio speakers
An audio speaker has at least one transducer for converting electrical signals into mechanical motion. There is a planar sound producing structure that has a first face and a second face. A mechanical connection connects the at least one transducer to the sound producing structure, such that mechanical motion produced by the at least one transducer induces the sound producing structure to vibrate and produces sound from the first face and the second face. A deflector is interposed between the at least one transducer and the sound producing structure. The deflector is adjacent to the second face of the sound producing structure and reflects the produced sound from the second face of the sound producing structure to a listening area forward of the first face. |
| US08693706B2 |
Pseudo bass generating apparatus
A pseudo bass generating apparatus includes a first 4th-order LPF, an absolute value circuit, a clip circuit, a multiplier, a first adder for subtracting an output signal of the multiplier from an output signal of the clip circuit, a second adder for adding an output signal of the first adder and an output signal of the absolute value circuit, a second 4th-order LPF, and a third adder for adding the input signal and an output signal of the second 4th-order LPF. |
| US08693705B2 |
Response waveform synthesis method and apparatus
Using frequency characteristics determined for individual ones of a plurality of analyzed bands of a predetermined audio frequency range with frequency resolution that becomes finer in order of lowering frequencies of the analyzed bands, a synthesized band is set for each one or for each plurality of the analyzed bands, and then a time-axial response waveform is determined for each of the synthesized bands. The response waveforms of the synthesized bands are then added together to thereby provide a response waveform for the whole of the audio frequency range. |
| US08693702B2 |
Headset having remote control for multimedia playback device
A headset having remote controls for a multimedia playback device is provided. The headset is electrically connected to an audio playback device and includes a jack plug for coupling the headset to the audio playback device; a body having a left and a right speaker unit and a microphone that is connected to the jack plug through a cable, and a remote control circuit that is interposed between the jack plug and the body, generating control signals for controlling the audio playback device. The headset is implemented with a remote control circuit on a signal link connecting the headset and a mobile phone, thereby improving portability of the mobile phone and user convenience in controlling the audio playback related function of the mobile phone. |
| US08693697B2 |
Matrix encoder with improved channel separation
An encoder and encoding method for use in a surround sound system wherein at least four audio input signals representing an original sound field are encoded into two channel signals and the encoded two channel signals are decoded into at least four audio output signals corresponding to the four audio input signals. The encoder includes matrix structure connected to receive the four audio input signals for encoding the four input signals into two channel output signals. The matrix structure is responsive to the four input signals for producing L and R output signals as follows: L=FL+kFR+jRL+jkRR R=FR+kFL−jRR−jkRL wherein k denotes a transformation or matrix constant having a value approximately 0.207 and j denotes a 90 degree phase shift. |
| US08693696B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating a level parameter and apparatus and method for generating a multi-channel representation
A parameter representation of a multi-channel signal having several original channels includes a parameter set, which, when used together with at least one down-mix channel allows a multi-channel reconstruction. An additional level parameter is calculated such that an energy of the at least one downmix channel weighted by the level parameter is equal to a sum of energies of the original channels. The additional level parameter is transmitted to a multi-channel reconstructor together with the parameter set or together with a down-mix channel. An apparatus for generating a multi-channel representation uses the level parameter to correct the energy of the at least one transmitted downmix channel before entering the down-mix signal into an upmixer or within the up-mixing process. |
| US08693693B2 |
Information processing apparatus, content providing system, information processing method, and computer program
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus that serves as a server that performs data transmission in response to receipt of media information from a user device. The information processing apparatus includes: an encrypted transmission data storage database that stores a transmission data identifier and encrypted transmission data such that the transmission data identifier and the encrypted transmission data are associated with each other; and a control section configured to acquire, from a key management server, an encrypted unit key obtained by encrypting a unit key that is used to encrypt the transmission data, and transmit the acquired encrypted unit key and the encrypted transmission data to the user device. |
| US08693692B2 |
Direct delivery of content descrambling keys using chip-unique code
Systems and methods of direct delivery of content descrambling keys using chip-unique code are described herein. One such method includes receiving a unique chip identifier from a digital subscriber communications terminal; determining a chip key associated to the chip identifier; encrypting a service instance using the chip key; and transmitting the encrypted service instance. One such system includes a chip key server configured to store a plurality of chip identifiers, each identifier associated with a chip key, and configured to receive a unique chip identifier from a digital subscriber communications terminal; and an encryptor configured to encrypt a service instance using the chip key associated with the unique chip identifier, the chip key provided by the chip key server. |
| US08693681B2 |
Kasumi cipher executable instructions and circuitry
Logic circuitry and corresponding software instructions for performing functions within the FL function of a Kasumi cipher. An RLAX logic circuit includes a bit-wise AND function, a reorder bus, and a bit-wise exclusive-OR function for generating a destination word from corresponding logic functions of portions of first and second operands, in executing an RLAX program instruction. An RLOX logic circuit includes a bit-wise OR function, a reorder bus, and a bit-wise exclusive-OR function for generating a destination word from corresponding logic functions of portions of first and second operands, in executing an RLOX program instruction. Plural instances of the logic circuits can be implemented in parallel, to simultaneously operate upon plural data blocks. |
| US08693680B2 |
Telephone
The present invention relates to a telephone and it is an object to make a speech without dropping a telephone even when the telephone miniaturized.Then, in order to achieve the object, the present invention includes a main body case 5, a microphone 8 and a receiver 9 provided on a front surface side of the main body case 5. A display part 7 is arranged between the receiver 9 and the microphone 8. The microphone 8, the receiver 9 and the display part 7 are provided on the front surface of the main body case 5, 50 or 51. On a back surface of the main body case 5, 50 or 51, a slip preventing part 13 that prevents the telephone from being dropped is provided. The slip preventing part 13 is arranged in an opposite side to the display part 7 on the back surface of the main body case 5, 50 or 51. |
| US08693678B2 |
Device and method for controlling damping of residual echo
The present invention relates to a device, such as a communication device, comprising an adaptive foreground filter configured to calculate a first echo estimation signal based on a first input signal, and an adaptive background filter being more rapidly adapting than the foreground filter and configured to calculate a second echo estimation signal based on said first input signal. Embodiments of the device further comprise damping control means for controlling damping of an echo-cancelled output signal. The device in various embodiments includes that the damping control means is configured to calculate a maximum echo estimation signal using both the first and the second echo estimation signals, and control the damping of the echo-cancelled output signal based on said maximum echo estimation signal and/or a signal derived from said maximum echo estimation signal. |
| US08693673B2 |
Carrier-implemented call event data management
Methods and systems implemented in an information handling system are provided for managing call event data between agents and callers for calls completed through a carrier. Functionality provided by certain embodiments includes, but is not limited to, one or more of the following features: the ability to automatically update customer information databases according to call event data in real-time, dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) activity of the caller and/or agent, do-not-call (DNC) verification and updating, agent identification, lead source and content identification, the recording of calls, the automatic translation of voice communications to textual transcripts, key word detection, communication of customer demographic data to an agent before or during phone calls, audio file management, agent call tracking, and other functions and advantages as will be apparent with the benefit of this disclosure. Methods and systems are also included for data associated with managing broadcast campaigns. |
| US08693672B2 |
Technique for effectively assisting a user during an information assistance call
Information pertaining to selected events occurring during an information assistance call is recorded in a database. The database is maintained by a device in the information/call center referred to as a call tracker. For example, with respect to a given call, a record may be generated in the database when the call is received, which servers and/or applications interact with the user during the call, which services are provided to the user, etc. Upon the occurrence of a selected event during a call, an “event message” conveying information about the event is generated and transmitted to the call tracker. The event message comprises an identifier associated with the call and one or more values indicating a type of event that has occurred with respect to the call. The call tracker stores information from the event message in the database. The information stored in the database is accessible to various devices and applications within the information/call center—for example, in response to a query as to the current status of a particular call. |
| US08693665B1 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically terminating calls over distinct access links
A method and apparatus for enabling a packet network provider, e.g., a VoIP network provider, to terminate long distance calls using both CLEC PRI access links and regulated LEC access links depending on whether or not the wholesale customer wants to treat outgoing calls in a regulated manner similar to traditional Public Switched Access Network (PSTN) calls or apply FCC information service exemptions to outgoing calls are disclosed. Based on the calling party number of a call, the network can determine if the call should be terminated as an information service call or a regulated PSTN call. Once the call termination method is determined, the appropriate access link can be chosen for call completion. |
| US08693661B2 |
Apparatus and methods for protection from inappropriate phone-dialing
What is addressed is the problem of dialing telephone numbers stored in the memory of a telephonic device at inopportune and/or inappropriate times for the contacts in question. A telephonic device's database may incorporate means for flagging selected contacts or contact phone numbers for calling-confirmation step(s) to prompt the user to ensure that an outgoing call is appropriate. Alternatively, a contact's local time and/or local time zone may be displayed when browsing a contacts list and/or upon call-initiation to the contact. The proposed solutions encompass communication devices that use buttons, switches, dials, wheels, joysticks, track sticks, trackballs, keypads, keyboards, touchpads, touch screens, voice-recognition commands, biometric-authentication devices, other input technology, or any combination thereof, and wired and wireless communication device accessories. Additionally, the proposed solutions can incorporate various contact-location technologies in order to facilitate automated determination of the current local time and/or time zone and/or vacation status for a contact. |
| US08693660B2 |
Auto-dial and connection into conference calls
Methods and systems for dialing into conference calls are presented. A meeting request is received by an attendee, and the dial-in information in the meeting request is stored. A meeting reminder is displayed at the proposed date and time or a predetermined period prior to the proposed date and time, and a conference call confirmation instruction or cancellation instruction is received from the attendee. The conference call dial-in number is automatically dialed at the proposed date and time. A network connection is established and the conference call meeting identification number is transmitted. |
| US08693659B2 |
System and method for centralized presence management of local and remote users
Systems and methods for centralized presence management of local and remote users are provided. In exemplary embodiments, presence management information for the local and remote users are determined. Permissions established for at least one presence management user are reviewed to determine an amount of access to the presence management information to provide to the presence management user. The presence management information is then provided to the presence management user based on the permissions. |
| US08693650B2 |
Facsimile apparatus, control method therefor, and storage medium
There is a need to provide a technique of accurately detecting an identification signal representing that the partner performs facsimile communication, by using an appropriate detection filter in accordance with the operation mode in a facsimile apparatus. Based on whether the FAX/TEL mode (first mode) or the TEL answering mode (second mode) is set as the operation mode, a facsimile apparatus according to this invention determines whether a band-pass filter and band-reject filter are to be used. The facsimile apparatus detects a CNG based on the signal detection result using the determined filter. |
| US08693649B2 |
Methods and apparatus for interfacing with a phone system in an on-demand service environment
Disclosed are systems, apparatus, methods, and computer readable media for interfacing with a phone provider in an on-demand service environment. In one embodiment, a proxy server is in communication with a phone system. The phone system provides a phone call and is operated by the phone provider. The proxy server is configured to: receive information from the phone system regarding a phone event in relation to the phone call, and output a message including the phone event information to a data network. A client machine is in communication with the proxy server over the data network and in communication with a data provider separate from the phone provider. The client machine is configured to: receive the message from the proxy server, and display the phone event information in a first part of a user interface in a web browser. A second part of the user interface can display information received from the data provider. |
| US08693647B2 |
Telecommunication and multimedia management method and apparatus
A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations. |
| US08693646B2 |
Packet based network exchange with rate synchronization
A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a circuit switched network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the circuit switched network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the circuit switched network for transmission on the packet based network, and re-modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the circuit switched network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange. |
| US08693645B1 |
Voice message transmission to multiple destinations and playback
A system and method is provided for receiving a voice message, selecting from multiple destinations, transmitting the voice message to a destination and subsequently playing back the voice message after it has been received by the destination. The system has a plurality of access devices which are coupled to each other over a network such as the Internet. These access devices may include computers, workstations, and the like. Access devices may include a voice conversion board for converting a voice message received over a network into a voice signal for playback to a telephone device. |
| US08693640B2 |
Facility outage restoration simulator inquiry tool
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for preparing for a service disruption are provided. Information relating to an activity at a target location is received. Upon receiving information relating to at least the activity at the target location, stored data related to the activity and the target location are gathered. A probability of a service disruption at the target location based on at least the stored data related to the activity and the target location is assessed and the target location is monitored. Upon detecting a change in services associated to the target location, an alert is generated. |
| US08693639B2 |
Internet phone trainer
A training system is disclosed. The training system includes a server. The server includes a processor, data storage, a data input/output interface, and a voice interface. The data input/output interface is configured to provide a web-based interface to a data terminal and to receive, from the data terminal and via the web-based interface, both an identifier identifying at least one voice terminal and at least one response. The voice interface is configured to transmit at least one audio test signal corresponding to at least one audio test to the at least one voice terminal. The response is a response to the at least one audio test. In one embodiment, the voice terminal and the data terminal are combined in a single device. |
| US08693638B2 |
X-ray tube
An X-ray tube system comprising: at least one filament adapted to produce two electron beams when electrified; at least two anodes spaced from each other along a first direction that each comprises a face that receives an electron beams from the at least one filament at a focal point and produces x-ray cone beams responsive thereto, the x-ray beams being directed in a same direction perpendicular to the first direction; a collimator that collimates the cone beams such that the beams are asymmetric, with the side of each beam distal from the other beam having a smaller beam angle than the side proximal to the other beam. |
| US08693635B2 |
X-ray detector assembly with shield
An X-ray detector assembly includes an integrated circuit, which includes an array of detector elements and a readout circuit adjacent to the array and coupled to read charge out of the detector elements. A non-metallic shield is positioned over the readout circuit so as to prevent X-rays from striking the readout circuit. |
| US08693631B2 |
Craser device, imaging system and method
A craser device, imaging system utilizing a craser device, and a method of imaging. The craser device includes a gain medium with excited gain medium atoms that emit x-ray and/or gamma-ray photons, a transmission medium abutting the gain medium, and a reflecting mirror comprising one or more lower refractive index layers and abutting the transmission medium. The transmission medium has a higher refractive index than the gain medium and at least one of the materials in the reflecting mirror. The x-ray and/or gamma-ray photons are confined to the transmission medium via total internal reflection and interact multiple times with the excited gain medium atoms through evanescent waves producing amplified stimulated emission leading to formation of a high intensity incoherent or coherent x-ray and/or gamma-ray beam. |
| US08693630B2 |
Method and apparatus pertaining to radiation-therapy treatment-plan optimization
These various embodiments access target information regarding a radiation-therapy treatment volume for a given patient as well as non-target information regarding at least one structure other than the radiation-therapy treatment volume that also comprises a part of the given patient. These embodiments then provide for accessing uncertainties information regarding spatial uncertainties as pertain to at least one of the target information and the non-target information and using that uncertainties information to characterize at least one radiation-therapy treatment plan optimization consideration with respect to a preference of usage to thereby provide preference considerations. These preference considerations are then used to influence a follow-on radiation-therapy treatment plan optimization process when developing a treatment plan for the radiation-therapy treatment volume. |
| US08693629B2 |
Method and system for administering internal radionuclide therapy (IRT) and external radiation therapy (XRT)
A computerized method and system for determining an optimum amount of Internal Radionuclide Therapy (IRT) and External Radiation Therapy (XRT) to administer, comprising: obtaining activity image information for an imaged object from a detector; running a Monte Carlo simulation for the activity image information to obtain absorbed dose-rate image information at multiple times; adding the absorbed dose-rate image information from each time to obtain IRT total absorbed dose image information; and utilizing the IRT total dose image information to obtain total dose image information that is equivalent to XRT dose image information in terms of dose-rate, wherein the IRT dose information is converted to equivalent XRT dose information without having to generate BED dose maps. |
| US08693626B2 |
Solid material characterization with X-ray spectra in both transmission and fluoresence modes
Methods are disclosed utilizing synchrotron X-ray microscopy including x-ray fluorescence and x-ray absorption spectra to probe elemental distribution and elemental speciation within a material, and particularly a solid that may have one or more elements distributed on a solid substrate. Representative materials are relatively homogeneous in composition on the macroscale but relatively heterogeneous on the microscale. The analysis of such materials, particularly on a macroscale at which their heterogeneous nature can be observed, provides valuable insights into the relationships or correlations between localized concentrations of elements and/or their species, and concentrations of other components of the materials. Sample preparation methods, involving the use of a reinforcing agent, which are advantageously used in such methods are also disclosed. |
| US08693623B2 |
Medical radiography in 3D
The present invention relates to medical radiography, in which individual images of an object are taken at different projection angles and a 3D image subsequently synthesized from this image information. The object to be imaged is arranged locked in an object positioning means and during the imaging process, the x-ray source is continuously moved with respect to location of the object. During the continuous movement of the x-ray source there are irradiation periods and non-irradiation periods and during an irradiation period, the object positioning means is moved as synchronized with the movement of the x-ray source so as to follow the movement of the x-ray source. |
| US08693620B2 |
X-ray computed tomography apparatus
According to one embodiment, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus includes an X-ray tube, X-ray detector, acquisition unit, rotating mechanism, input unit, and control unit. The input unit repeatedly inputs trigger signals originating from a specific phase of a periodic motion of a body of a subject or a periodic motion of an organ of the subject. The trigger signals being supplied from a measuring device which measures the periodic motion. The control unit causes the X-ray tube to start generating X-rays on the basis of the input of a first trigger signal of the repeatedly input trigger signals, and causes the X-ray tube to stop generating X-rays on the basis of the input of a second trigger signal next to the first trigger signal in order to repeatedly scan the subject over substantially one period of the movement while a scan position is fixed. |
| US08693615B2 |
RAM-based event counters using transposition
Methods and structures that implement an event counter in a RAM are provided. A method includes providing a count-RAM, a carry-RAM, and a pre-counter corresponding to an event source. A column in the count-RAM and a column in the carry-RAM represent a value of a value of the event counter. The method further includes storing a count of the event counter received via the pre-counter in the count-RAM and the carry-RAM in a transposed, bit-serial format, such that location zero of the count-RAM and the carry-RAM counts the least significant bit (LSB) of the event counter. |
| US08693614B2 |
Universal counter/timer circuit
A counter/timer circuit and method of generating timed output signals using the counter/timer circuit, uses multiple counters that are configurable to operate as one or more counters. The counters are controlled by control signals from a control logic circuitry of the counter/timer circuit, where at least some of the control signals are dependent on event signals generated by an event generation module of the counter/timer circuit. The generated event signals are based on at least one of: an input signal, an output signal, and a counter match, qualified by a state value associated with the counters. |
| US08693612B2 |
Unit spacer grid strap, unit spacer grid, and spacer grid for nuclear fuel rods
A spacer grid for nuclear fuel rods includes a plurality of unit spacer grids stacked one on top of another. Each unit spacer grid includes a plurality of unit spacer grid straps disposed at regular intervals in a row, and a plurality of fixing grid straps connected to respective opposite ends of the unit spacer grid straps so as to fix the unit spacer grid straps. Each unit spacer grid strap has convexities alternating with each other on opposite sides thereof at regular intervals, and at least one of the convexities has a diameter greater than the others. The unit spacer grids are rotated in one direction by a 90 or 180 degree angle when being stacked. |
| US08693611B2 |
Liquid-metal-cooled fast reactor core comprising nuclear fuel assembly with nuclear fuel rods with varying fuel cladding thickness in each of the reactor core regions
A liquid-metal cooled fast reactor core having a nuclear fuel assembly constituted of nuclear fuel rods with varying cladding thicknesses in reactor core regions, in which: the nuclear fuel assembly (1) of a liquid-metal cooled fast reactor includes nuclear fuel assemblies (1a, 1b and 1c) in inner, middle and outer reactor core regions, respectively, and is installed in a hexagonal duct (3) with nuclear fuel materials (2-2a, 2-2b and 2-2c) surrounded by respective claddings (2-1a, 2-1b and 2-1c), and the claddings (2-1a, 2-1b and 2-1c) of a nuclear fuel rod (2a) in the inner reactor core region, a nuclear fuel rod (2b) in the middle reactor core region and a nuclear fuel rod (2c) in the outer reactor core region are formed at different thicknesses. The reactor core can flatten power distribution using a single-enrichment nuclear fuel in the liquid-metal cooled fast reactor. |
| US08693609B2 |
Method of and apparatus for final storage and safe operation of a nuclear-power stations
Highly radioactive material is permanently disposed of by first forming a borehole by a metal fusion drilling method with a metal lining from a casting continuously formed from a metal melt and then depositing the highly radioactive material for final storage in a lower area of the lined borehole. This lining is melted locally immediately above this lower area after deposition of the material to separate the lower area holding the material from the rest of the lining and permit this lower area and the material held therein to migrate automatically downward toward the center of the earth. To promote this downward migration, the wall thickness of the metallic lining of the lower borehole region has a wall thickness that increases from the top downward and on the lower area is formed with a downwardly directed conical tip. |
| US08693607B1 |
Self-timed timer
The present invention discloses a digital self-timed timer for measuring the passage of time; a digital self-timed pulse generator for generating both continuous and finite pulse sequences; and a digital self-timed data receiver for recovering data from an asynchronous, two-wire bit-channel. Being self-timed, a disclosed self-timed timer measures time as a function of logic delays incurred while executing a sequence of internal state transitions. A pulse generator supports both a triggered pulse mode and continuous clock generation; pulse widths and pulse intervals are programmable. A data receiver may recover a data bit from each received two-bit code word and outputs recovered data and an associated write strobe for each recovered datum. |
| US08693606B2 |
Method and apparatus for code acquisition
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for code acquisition. The present invention performs variable delay correlation to obtain the peak correlation result which is immune to carrier frequency offset and Doppler. The present invention makes use of a mapping parameter which is immune to sampling frequency offset. In particular, the present invention is applicable to the DTMB standard. |
| US08693602B2 |
Method and device for mono- and multi-antenna reception for Alamouti-type links
Method and system for separating a plurality of users in a communication system including two transmitter antennas and N receiver antennas, said signals transmitted by said users containing symbols an, x( ) corresponding to the vector of the envelopes of the output signals of the 1 to N receiver antennas after a shaping filtering operation, characterized in that it uses a linear mean square filter extended over an observation vector {tilde over (x)}=[x(2n−1)T x(2n)T x(2n−1)H x(2n)H]T where x(2n−1) and x(2n) correspond to the (N×1) (N≧1) observations at the symbol times 2n−1 and 2n. |
| US08693597B2 |
Sensor-based wireless communication systems using compressive sampling
Methods, devices and systems for sensor-based wireless communication systems using compressive sampling are provided. In one embodiment, the method for sampling signals comprises receiving, over a wireless channel, a user equipment transmission based on an S-sparse combination of a set of vectors; down converting and discretizing the received transmission to create a discretized signal; correlating the discretized signal with a set of sense waveforms to create a set of samples, wherein a total number of samples in the set is equal to a total number of sense waveforms in the set, wherein the set of sense waveforms does not match the set of vectors, and wherein the total number of sense waveforms in the set of sense waveforms is fewer than a total number of vectors in the set of vectors; and transmitting at least one sample of the set of samples to a remote central processor. |
| US08693595B2 |
Adaptive wireless communication receiver
The present invention relates to an adaptive, cost-performance efficient, power-saving apparatus for wireless communication systems, such as but not limited to Bluetooth (BT) receivers, and in particular to a packet-based receiver's decoding algorithm which can detect the presence or absence of the adjacent channel interference (ACI) before the scheduled starting time for receiving a Bluetooth packet, and accordingly set the receiver configurations including the filter's pass-band bandwidth (BW), filter's order, the sampling rate, the number of analog-to-digital-converter (ADC) output bits, and the automatic-gain-control (AGC) algorithm unit to determine the low noise amplifier (LNA) and variable gain amplifier (VGA) settings. |
| US08693594B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit and receiver
The receiver includes a first arithmetic circuit that calculates a first mean value of the third signal in a preset first measurement setting period. The receiver includes a second arithmetic circuit that calculates a second mean value of the fourth signal in the first measurement setting period. The receiver includes a control circuit that controls the first arithmetic circuit and the second arithmetic circuit, changes the first set value according to the first mean value, and changes the second set value according to the second mean value. |
| US08693591B1 |
Apparatus and method for tuning the frequency of a bandpass filter to an offset frequency around a carrier frequency
A novel frequency locked loop for tuning a bandpass filter to a small offset frequency around an RF center frequency is provided. The difference between the bandpass filter frequency and the RF center frequency is generated, a frequency locked loop is used to tune the frequency difference to a reference offset frequency. |
| US08693583B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding a repeated message
Techniques for decoding repeated messages sent from a transmitter are improved with information obtained from the decoding of the first transmission and by augmenting Chase combining techniques with a voting-based combining method. In an example method, first encoded bits corresponding to a first instance of the repeated message and demodulated to obtain first soft bits, which are decoded to obtain first decoded bits. Second encoded bits corresponding to a second instance of the repeated message are demodulated to obtain second soft bits. The first decoded bits are re-encoded to obtain re-encoded bits. Sign values for modified soft bits are determined from sign values for the first soft bits, the sign values for the second soft bits, and the sign values for the re-encoded bits. The modified soft bits are combined with the first soft bits and decoded. |
| US08693580B2 |
Grid event detection
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for detecting grid events. In one aspect, a method includes receiving signal characteristic data that specify signal characteristic values for signals that are received over each of a plurality of communications channels of a power line communications network. A determination is made that the signal characteristic values for the signals that are received over at least one of the communications channels are outside of a baseline signal value range. An endpoint that communicates over the at least one communications channel is identified, and a determination is made that a set of the signal characteristic values for the identified endpoint matches one of a plurality a grid event signatures for the identified endpoint. Data that identify the endpoint and a particular grid event that is represented by the matched grid event signature are provided. |
| US08693578B2 |
Transmission device
A transmission device includes a pulse modulated signal generator that generates a pulse-modulated signal by changing the width of a pulse or the density of a pulse according to the magnitude of the amplitude component of an input signal while discretely changing the pulse height according to the magnitude of the amplitude, a modulated-signal generator that generates a modulated signal by integrating the pulse-modulated signal and the phase component of the input signal, a power amplifier that includes at least as many amplifiers as the number of the discrete amplitude levels of the modulated signal, changes the number of amplifies that amplify the modulated signal on the basis of the value of the amplitude level of the modulated signal, combines outputs of the amplifiers, and outputs a combined output, and an output filter that eliminates a square-wave component from the output of the power amplifier. |
| US08693571B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for multiple access in a wireless communication network using DCT-OFDM
The present invention provides an advantageous transmitter apparatus and associated method, for generating a Single-Carrier Discrete Cosine Transform (SC-DCT) OFDM signal for transmission. These transmit-side innovations include circuit configuration and signal processing methods for mapping Ku “input subcarriers” to N “output subcarriers,” where the “output subcarriers” are some or all of the subcarriers defined for the SC-DCT OFDM signal. In one or more embodiments, Ku is less than N, and the mapping is based on advantageous DCT/IDCT precoding. The present invention additionally or alternatively includes advantageous frequency-selective mapping, and further provides a corresponding receiver apparatus and associated method, for receiving and de-mapping the SC-DCT OFDM signals contemplated herein. |
| US08693568B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating channel using dedicated pilot signal in OFDM-based wireless communication system
The invention relates to a method for channel estimation using a dedicated pilot signal in an OFDM-based communication system with multi-antenna transmission techniques. The receiver estimates the statistical characteristics of a virtual channel generated by beamforming by exploiting the statistical characteristics of common pilot channel, determines the optimum dedicated pilot pattern, and estimates the channel from dedicated pilot signal transmitted in an optimum pattern by means of AMMSE interpolation. The invention minimizes the channel estimation error by exploiting the statistical characteristics of the virtual channel, and optimally determines the dedicated pilot pattern according to the operation environment to maximize the transmission performance in terms of the pilot signaling overhead and the channel estimation error. In particular, the invention is very effective in low signal-to-interference plus noise power ratio (SINR) operation environments. |
| US08693552B2 |
Low latency cadence detection for frame rate conversion
A receiver is configured to receive video frames. A cadence detector is in communication with the receiver and is configured to analyze a newly received video frame to determine the cadence of the video frames. A frame rate converter is configured to interpolate at least two of the video frames to form output frames in accordance with an interpolation parameter based on the cadence and with a frequency scaling factor. The frequency scaling factor corresponds to the frame rate of the output frames. |
| US08693551B2 |
Optimal angular intra prediction for block-based video coding
Encoding methods directed to making coding decisions and estimating coding parameters including searching for optimal angular prediction in intra-prediction mode; choosing the best intra block subdivision; and providing motion estimation for tree-structured inter coding. The methods are targeted to HEVC specifications of video compression, however, may be used with other video coding standards. |
| US08693541B2 |
System and method of providing motion estimation
A system and method of providing motion estimation is disclosed. A recursive motion estimation module works in conjunction with a non-recursive motion estimation module to provide candidate motion vectors to a selection module. The selection module determines which of the candidates is more likely to yield a desirable result and selects that candidate accordingly. |
| US08693537B2 |
Region-of-interest coding with background skipping for video telephony
The disclosure is directed to techniques for region-of-interest (ROI) coding for video telephony (VT). The disclosed techniques include adaptive skipping of non-ROI (i.e., background) areas to conserve encoding bits for allocation to the ROI. |
| US08693535B2 |
Method and apparatus for bit allocation in offline video coding
The method and apparatus for offline video coding, as described herein, calculates per-frame QP offset contribution from the amount of temporal masking effect at a frame, and then properly combines the calculated per-frame QP offset contribution with the original QP offset contribution from the frame type. The resulting frame-level QP offset accounts for both the frame type and temporal masking effect, and hence, is more comprehensive. |
| US08693533B2 |
Low complexity MMSE equalization process and equalizer for doing the same
Process for equalizing a signal received in a receiver of a Terminal Equipment in a wireless communication system, said process comprises the steps of:—receiving a signal r—applying an iterative algorithm based on a sequence of varying preconditionners in accordance with the following formula: based on a sequence of preconditioning matrices Pj, each matrix depending on H, the variance of the noise, and the precedent matrices Pj within said sequence. |
| US08693531B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing speculative decision feedback equalization
A method for equalizing a received signal is provided. The signal is filtered and transmitted over a channel using an encoding scheme, where the encoding scheme has transmit symbols. This transmitted signal is then shaped such that the filtering and equalization adjust a set of taps in an equalization window so that the taps from the set are substantially equal to one another. Inter-symbol interference is then compensated for in the equalized signal using a speculative DFE with significantly reduced comparator levels. |
| US08693529B2 |
Method for enabling a device under test (DUT) to retry a portion of a pre-defined test sequence
Execution of a block test “retry” in a test environment with each block in the test sequence sent after the tester has determined that the previous block of data packets has met one or more prescribed test criterion. If a block sent by the DUT has not met the test criterion, a retry sequence is initiated to re-test the block. In another embodiment, a block test “retry” is executed where each block in the test sequence is sent and analysis of previously sent blocks is done in parallel with the sending of a subsequent block. If a previous block has not met the test criterion, a retry sequence is initiated whereby the tester and DUT step back to the block that failed to meet the test criterion and retry that block. If the retry meets test criterion, testing continues by resuming with the next untested block in the sequence. |
| US08693526B2 |
Unipolar spread spectrum modulation for low computation and power cost signal multiplexing with application to fNIRS measurments
This invention teaches a way to multiplex and de-multiplex unipolar signals using spread spectrum methods. While bipolar spread spectrum signal multiplexing may be used in may applications, for example for systems using radio signals, when using unipolar signals there is a loss of orthogonally which makes the standard algorithms unworkable. This invention teaches a method to recover orthogonally and make spread spectrum multiplexing useful for unipolar signals. One example is in the measurement of optical absorbance along multiple paths simultaneously using light signals, as for functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). |
| US08693524B2 |
Synchronization method for impulse system ultra-wideband
A synchronization method for impulse system ultra-wideband takes frame as basic unit for data transmission, each frame is divided into a preamble symbol part and a data part, wherein the preamble symbol part sends a known impulse sequence for channel estimation and synchronization; the data part takes the information to be transmitted; the preamble symbol part is divided into two parts of a positive and negative impulse sequence, which includes odd impulses with alternant positive and negative polarities, and a same direction impulse sequence, which is composed of impulses with same polarity and is the same as the polarity of the last impulse in the positive and negative impulse sequence. The method provides such advantages as high synchronization precision, small storage space, and capability of immediately finding out the synchronization position etc., and provides an important value for the development of the impulse system ultra-wideband wireless communication technique. |
| US08693523B2 |
QAM CDMA and TDMA communication methods
Filtering and modulating a first rate data signal into a Quadrature Amplitude Modulated (QAM) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and a second rate data signal into a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) modulated signal and selecting between the transmission of the CDMA and TDMA modulated signals. A method for nonlinearly and linearly amplifying TDMA and CDMA signals. A diversity receiver and demodulator method for receiving and demodulating transmitted modulated signals. Processing, transmit baseband filtering and modulating signals for providing cross-correlated in-phase and quadrature-phase Gaussian filtered Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK) and other cross-correlated modulated signals and spread spectrum Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulated signals. Transmit processing and filtering for providing time division multiplexed (TDM) Gaussian filtered baseband signal and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) in-phase and quadrature-phase baseband modulated signal to a cellular network and to separate wireless network. |
| US08693519B2 |
Sensor system for bottom electrodes of an electric arc furnace
A sensor system for monitoring and controlling the performance of the bottom electrode and the deflection of an electric arc in an electric steel making furnace includes an organized matrix of anode pins interspersed with refractory material and extending toward an electrically conductive plate secured to distal ends of the anode pins. A sensing device includes two temperature sensors at spaced apart locations along each of a distributed select group of anode pins for providing corresponding electrical signals and a current sensor responsive to electrical current flowing through the anode pins of the distributed select group of anode pins for providing a corresponding electrical signal. A controller responsive to the electrical signals derived at the anode pins of the select group operates the power supply and a display for monitoring the electrical performance of the elongated anode pins for heating by the electric arc in the furnace. |
| US08693517B2 |
Semiconductor laser using external resonator
A semiconductor laser using an external resonator. A laser diode chip emits a laser beam in a horizontal direction parallel to the bottom plane of a package, and the travel path of the laser beam is changed into a vertical direction by a reflective mirror next to a laser beam-emitting surface of the laser diode chip. As a result, the beam arrangement of the external cavity is available on a plane parallel to the bottom plane of the package through a lens installed on the vertical travel path of the laser beam. Consequently, the beam is easily arranged. Furthermore, an additional reflective mirror is installed above the lens which changes the vertical travel path into a horizontal travel path, which allows the beam traveling parallel to the bottom plane to be easily arranged through the lens. The production of the package can also be enabled in the configuration where various optical tools are arranged on the bottom of the package. Therefore, the semiconductor laser using an external cavity and having various characteristics can be easily manufactured. |
| US08693504B2 |
Multimedia messaging configuration and presentation
Customizable, multimedia messaging over a subscriber television system utilizing a service independent framework is provided. A multimedia messaging (MMM) server is generally located at a headend of a cable or satellite system, and an MMM client at a communications terminal located remotely with respect to the MMM server. A service provider or operator defines a message configuration to present the message content to subscribers. The message configuration includes parameters that control the presentation of the message content. The MMM server receives an MMM request from a service application, and generates an MMM request which is sent to the communications terminal, particularly, to the MMM client. The MMM client processes the MMM request, including retrieving message content and/or message configuration. The MMM client presents the message to the subscriber. Since the MMM server and MMM client are platform independent, different services may send uniquely generated and designed messages for presentation. |
| US08693501B2 |
Subset coding for communication systems
A method for data encoding and associated decoding is based on the concept of batches that allows transmission of a large data file from a source node to multiple destination nodes through communication networks that may employ network coding wherein sparse matrix codes are employed in a network setting. A batch is a set of packets generated by a subset of the input packets using sparse matrix encoder. A sparse matrix encoder can be called repeatedly to generate multiple batches. The batches are generally independent of one another. During the transmission in a communication network, network coding can be applied to packets belonging to the same batch to improve the multicast throughput. A decoder recovers all or at least a fixed fraction of the input packets using received batches. The input packets can be pre-coded using a pre-code before applying sparse matrix codes. The data file can then be reconstructed by further decoding the pre-code. |
| US08693499B2 |
Dynamic adjustment of bandwidth allocation for an in-progress media session
A client in a media session periodically transmits a “keepalive” message that indicates that a new amount of bandwidth is requested for the in-progress media session. A bandwidth policy service receives the keepalive message and determines whether the new amount of bandwidth can be allocated to the in-progress media session. If the service determines that the new amount of bandwidth can be allocated to the session, the service transmits a response to the keepalive message that indicates that the new amount of bandwidth has been allocated to the media session. The client receives the response and adjusts the bandwidth utilized by the in-progress session to the new amount of bandwidth. |
| US08693496B2 |
Diode bridge configurations for increasing current in a distributed power network
One embodiment of the present invention includes a communication network comprises a communication cable having a first wire pair and a second wire pair that both extend between a first end and a second end of the communication cable. The network also comprises at least one power source configured to provide a first supply current through the first wire pair and a second supply current through the second wire pair at the first end of the communication cable. The first supply current and the second supply current can be substantially equal. The network also comprises a first diode bridge and a second diode bridge coupled to the second end of the communication cable and configured to combine the first and second supply currents to provide a combined supply current. The network further comprises a powered device configured to receive the combined supply current. |
| US08693494B2 |
Polling
A system for mobile device poll creation and conductance disclosed. A poll is created using poll creation software on a mobile device, personal computer or a web-based application. A polling server then validates the poll and publishes the poll to one or more mobile devices. The users of the one or mobile devices may then respond to the poll via their mobile device, a personal computer, or a web-based application. The results are sent to the polling server and are processed. The results of the poll are then published to the poll creator and the poll participants. |
| US08693493B2 |
Methods and system for modeling wireless communications in a network
The embodiments relate to modeling wireless communications in a network. In wireless communications, the nodes share one or more wireless communication channels. When a node has data to transmit, it must contend with the other nodes for access to the wireless communication channel. In the embodiments, the model is configured to simulate the throughput effects of contention including delays caused by retransmissions due to interference and collisions, listen-and-backoff, unavailability of time slots, etc. The occurrence of failed/dropped transmissions due to buffer overflows, excessive retransmission attempts, and unintended collisions are modeled as well. In addition, the embodiments may simulate the effect of mobility by the nodes and the effect of the location of the nodes relative to each other. |
| US08693489B2 |
Hierarchical profiled scheduling and shaping
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: determining, by the network node, that a port of the network node is ready to receive a packet; identifying a packet having a highest packet priority among a plurality of packets received via a plurality of interfaces, wherein the step of identifying includes, for each of a plurality of components at a first hierarchy level: identifying a first level highest priority packet among a plurality of packets available to the component, based on a packet priority associated with each of the plurality of packets available to the component, sharing the packet priority of the first level highest priority packet with at least one component at a second hierarchy level; and transmitting the packet having the highest priority to the port. |
| US08693483B2 |
Adjusting MSS of packets sent to a bridge device positioned between virtual and physical LANS
A method and apparatus are provided for use with a SEA or other bridge device, which is positioned between virtual and physical LANS and is adapted to monitor connection setup packets. If the SEA detects such a packet, it determines whether it can accommodate the MSS value listed in the packet. In one embodiment, a method is provided for implementation by a bridge device positioned to transfer data packets between a specified LPAR system arid a specified host. The method comprises the step of detecting a packet that is transmitted to the bridge device, in order to set up a connection between the LPAR system and the host. The method further comprises determining whether the detected packet indicates an initial MSS value for the connection that is greater than a prespecified MSS value. Upon determining that the detected packet indicates an initial MSS value that exceeds the prespecified MSS value, the packet is altered to establish the prespecified MSS value as the MSS value for the connection. |
| US08693481B2 |
Communication device
A communication device reduces a processing time required at the time of mutually converting different wireless or wired communication protocol and improves a real-time property. The communication device includes two or more communication units which communicate with two or more external devices and a communication controller which processes communication data. The communication controller has table information that associates a communication path, a type of the communication unit, and conversion-info, and an input and output unit that inputs and outputs the table information. According to the added conversion-info, a conversion unit sequentially performs various conversion processes (protocol conversion, routing, communication quality evaluation, fragmentation/integration of communication interface, fragment/defragment process, frame multiplication/integration, and frequency setting). |
| US08693479B2 |
Radio link control reset using radio resource control signaling
A method and apparatus are described for implementing a reset procedure for radio link control (RLC) using radio resource control (RRC) signaling. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) receives a request for RLC reset. A processor at the WTRU comprises a RRC entity and a RLC entity. The RRC entity receives the request for a RLC reset in a radio resource control message. The RLC entity reassembles RLC service data units (SDUs) from any protocol data units (PDUs) that are received out of sequence at a receiving side of the RLC entity. The reassembled SDUs are delivered in sequence to a packet data convergence protocol entity (PDCP). At the receiving side of the RLC entity, any remaining PDUs that are not able to be reassembled are discarded. At a transmitting side of the RLC entity, all SDUs and PDUs stored in transmit buffers are discarded. |
| US08693477B2 |
Transaction and connection independent protocol load balancing
A system and method for load balancing session initiation protocol (SIP) traffic based on bridging and tracking transactions and connections between frontend and backend devices. The method includes receiving a SIP message and parsing a header of the SIP message. The parsing may include selecting a transaction identifier. The method further includes accessing a transaction table based on the transaction identifier and selecting a connection for forwarding the SIP message. The SIP message is then forwarded by the selected connection. |
| US08693475B2 |
Decoupling functionality related to providing a transparent local area network segment service
A transport LAN segment service is provided over a transport network. Responsibilities for configuring, provisioning and forwarding over a transport LAN segment are divided between layer 2 and 3 service provider edge devices, where the layer 3 edge device handles discovery and tunneling responsibilities, the layer 2 edge device handles learning and flooding responsibilities, and information can be exchanged between the layer 2 and 3 edge devices. Configuration is simplified by advertising TLS-label information, layer 2 address learning, and flooding when the needed configuration information has not yet been learned or discovered. |
| US08693474B2 |
Method for receiving multi-cast packet
A receiving method for multi-cast packets includes the steps of creating a plurality of buffer partitions in a memory; for writing the received multi-cast packets that belong to a same data block into the same buffer partition in sequence; decompressing and combining all the multi-cast packets in the completely received buffer partition into the data block that the multi-cast packets belong to, writing the combined data block into a storage device, and emptying the completely received buffer partition, when the multi-cast packets that belong to the data block in any buffer partition are received completely; and transmitting a retransmission request to a transmitting end for any buffer partition that is not empty and in which the multi-cast packets that belong to the data block are not received completely. |
| US08693473B2 |
Remote recognition of an association between remote devices
A device identification server identifies a “household” to which a particular device belongs by associating the device with a LAN MAC address of the router through which the device connects to a wide area network such as the Internet because the LAN MAC address (i) is unique to the router and (ii) is not readily discoverable by interaction with the router through the wide area network, impeding spoofing by malicious entities. The device queries and receives the LAN MAC address of the router through the local area network. The device passes the LAN MAC address of the router along with its digital fingerprint to the device identification server. Devices that report the same LAN MAC address of the router through which they connect to the wide area network are determined to be from the same “household”, i.e., to be managed by one and the same entity. |
| US08693469B2 |
Call handling in a mobile communications network
The present invention relates to a network node arrangement comprising a server node adapted to handle control signaling for circuit switched calls and being connected to a gateway node adapted to handle user plane traffic under control of said server node, said server node further being adapted to control connections between mobile stations over a radio network. The server node is adapted to, for a first and second call leg of a requested call connection between a first mobile station and a second mobile station, provide information to the gateway node about radio network node handling the first call leg and the second call leg and circuit information about circuit resources for said first and second call legs. The gateway node comprises analyzing means adapted to detect if for the requested call the first and second mobile station are handled by a common radio network node and, if yes in generation means generate, and provide, interconnection information in a message to the server node including information about channel or circuit resources. The server node is adapted to forward interconnection information to the radio network node such that switching of user plane traffic can be controlled to take place in a common radio network node or in the gateway node. |
| US08693467B2 |
Problem with GCSNA arq
An apparatus for notifying of a circuit switched event over a packetized data network. The apparatus includes a packetized data modem and an interworking interface. The packetized data modem is configured to transmit and receive packetized data over a packetized data radio link. The packetized data modem has a tunneling link access control processor that is configured to encapsulate/decapsulate data for a subset of sub-layers corresponding to a link access control layer of a circuit switched network model. The interworking interface is operatively coupled to the packetized data modem via the packetized data network, and is configured to notify the packetized data modem of the circuit switched event. The interworking interface has a link access control/tunneling link access control processor that is configured to encapsulate/decapsulate the data when performing notification of the circuit switched event. |
| US08693463B2 |
Neighbour cell quality measurement in a telecommunications system
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements for neighbor cell quality measurements using silent resource element (RE) grids, and as well to a silent RE grid. |
| US08693459B2 |
Polarization division multiplexed optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing transmitter and receiver
Provided is a polarization division multiplexed optical OFDM transmitter. The polarization division multiplexed optical OFDM transmitter includes a data demultiplexer, a training symbol generation unit and an optical up-converter and polarization division multiplexing unit. The data demultiplexer divides a transmission signal into a plurality of groups. The training symbol generation unit allocates a plurality of training symbols for each OFDM data which is included in the respective multiplexed groups, and allocates repetitive data in a time domain for the respective training symbols for data of 0 to periodically appear for the respective training symbols in a frequency domain. The optical up-converter and polarization division multiplexing unit performs optical frequency band conversion and polarization division multiplexing on an output of the training symbol generation unit to output a polarization division multiplexed optical OFDM signal corresponding to a plurality of polarization components. |
| US08693457B1 |
Dual WiMAX radio modem
An apparatus and media are provided for more effectively utilizing modems in a WiMAX environment. The apparatus connects a computing device to a network-based information system through at least a first WiMAX modem that is located within the apparatus. A second WiMAX modem can be removably coupled to the apparatus so as to connect the first computing device to the network in combination with the first WiMAX modem. In the event the second WiMAX modem is removed, network connectivity provided by the first WiMAX modem is maintained. |
| US08693453B2 |
Mobile node group formation and management
The subject disclosure is directed towards mobile network management by reducing energy consumption and increasing a lifetime of one or more nodes. By determining a beacon listening duration and a beacon listening period in response to an energy budget, each node may minimize or reduce latencies associated with node discovery and/or node group maintenance. The beacon listening duration and the beacon listening period is used to compute a beacon broadcasting duration and a beacon broadcasting period such that advertising beacon transmissions and advertising beacon receptions occur at substantially concurrent time slots between low power states. These advertising beacons are used to propagate and maintain group membership information amongst the one or more nodes. |
| US08693448B2 |
Random access procedure
The invention relates to a method of random access, comprising: a higher layer instructs the lower layer to transmit a random access preamble, wherein the timing transmission of the random access preamble is adjusted by the lower layer according the triggered resources. |
| US08693446B2 |
Base station, mobile station and mobile communication method
A WiMAX compatible base station (BS) includes: an allocator unit (10B, 10C) configured to allocate allocation information of the downlink burst (DL-MAP) as transmission information in a first region (MAP region), and to allocate the downlink burst as transmission information in the second region (downlink burst region); and a transmitter unit (10F) configured to transmit the allocation information of the downlink burst with a non-directional beam, and to transmit the downlink burst with a non-directional beam or a directional beam. When detecting an unused region (A) where no transmission information is allocated after allocating the transmission information in the first region and the second region in the frame structure, the allocator unit is configured to reallocate, by use of the detected unused region, the allocation information of the downlink burst as the transmission information in the first region. |
| US08693445B2 |
Reduced transmission time interval
A method is suggested for communicating to a mobile station which timeslots are configured as packet data channel pairs and on which of these packet data channel pairs the mobile station is assigned resources, wherein a description of packet data channel pairs is separated into “configuration” and an “assignment”. |
| US08693442B2 |
Multi-site MIMO cooperation in cellular network
In a cellular communications network comprising a plurality of transmitting sites wherein each transmitting site comprises at least one antenna, a method of serving a given data stream to a target mobile terminal, comprising: designating at least two of the plurality of transmitting sites as cooperating sites; assigning tones to each transmitting site from a sub-band associated with the cooperating sites; dividing the data stream into at least two sub-data streams, each of the sub-data streams for transmission over selected tones; and interlacing tones of the cooperating sites in accordance with a selected one of a time switching and a frequency switching transmit diversity technique. |
| US08693441B2 |
Method and user equipment for feeding back multi-cell channel state information
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and user equipment for feeding back multi-cell channel state information. The method for feeding back multi-cell channel state information includes: feeding back channel state information of a serving cell of a user equipment to a network device; exchanging long-term wideband space state information of a neighboring cell of the user equipment with the network device; feeding back inter-cell additional information of the neighboring cell to the network device, where the inter-cell additional information of the neighboring cell includes a code word that optimizes joint channel information, and the joint channel information is generated according to the channel state information of the serving cell, the long-term wideband space state information of the neighboring cell, and the inter-cell additional information of the neighboring cell. |
| US08693437B2 |
Method of configuring secondary cells and related communication device
A method of handling at least one secondary cell of a mobile device in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The mobile device is managed by a first network of the wireless communication system. The method comprises releasing the at least one secondary cell, after receiving a handover command from the first network, wherein the handover command indicates the mobile device to hand over from the first network to a second network of the wireless communication system; wherein the second network conforms to a 3GPP standard with a version equal to or earlier than the 3GPP Rel-9, and the first network conforms to the 3GPP standard with a version equal to or later than the 3GPP Rel-10. |
| US08693434B2 |
Fixed-mobile communications with mid-session mode switching
A method for performing mode-agile communications during a communications session is disclosed. A communications terminal device supporting multiple modes of access is configured to determine when, during a session involving a first mode of access communications, a second mode of access is available and is to be used for subsequent communications for the session. The communications terminal device initiates or controls switchover from one mode of access to another. |
| US08693433B2 |
Method and apparatus for mapping and detecting control channel
Method and apparatus are provided for mapping and detecting a control channel. For the same aggregation level, according to a signaling length of a control channel corresponding to a component carrier, a corresponding search space is determined for at least two control channels that have the same signaling length, so as to enable the at least two control channels that have the same signaling length to use the same search space. The at least two control channels having the same signaling length are mapped to the determined corresponding search space. Therefore, conflicts between the control channels are reduced, and the number of times of blind detection of the control channels is also reduced. |
| US08693429B2 |
Methods and apparatus for generation and use of reference signals in a communications system
Apparatus and methods for generation and use of reference signals in a wireless communications system are described. A group-specific reference signal pattern may be generated for provision to a group of UEs or terminals in communication with an eNodeB or base station. The reference signal may be generated based on system parameters. Reference signals may be generated to span multiple contiguous physical resource blocks. |
| US08693427B2 |
Mobile communication system, base station apparatus, and mobile station apparatus
A mobile communication system in which a mobile station apparatus transmits, to a base station apparatus, uplink data using a physical uplink shared channel assigned by an uplink data transmission permission signal, wherein the base station apparatus: transmits, to the mobile station apparatus, a radio resource control signal including information for specifying a physical format in transmitting reception quality information together with uplink data; and transmits, to the mobile station apparatus, the uplink data transmission permission signal including a transmission instruction of reception quality information, and wherein the mobile station apparatus transmits, to the base station apparatus, reception quality information together with uplink data using the physical uplink shared channel according to information for specifying the physical format in case that a transmission instruction of the reception quality information is included in the uplink data transmission permission signal. |
| US08693426B2 |
Communications apparatus and communications system using multicarrier transmission mode
A communications system for exchange of information between communications apparatuses by a multicarrier transmission mode using a plurality of subcarriers, that includes a transmission data generator configured to generate frequency band information indicating which frequency band is to be used for transmission of data between said communication apparatuses; a transmitter configured to transmit the frequency band information, using a specific frequency band, set from among a plurality of frequency band assigned to the communications system, to transmit data using at least one frequency band set from among said plurality of frequency bands; a receiver configured to receive the frequency band information by using the specific frequency band, wherein one or more of said frequency band is assigned not consecutive with said specific frequency band along a frequency axis, and at least one not used subcarrier is inserted between the specific frequency and the frequency band or between said frequency bands. |
| US08693424B2 |
Resource mapping method and apparatus in wireless communication system
The present invention provided a method and an apparatus for mapping radio resources in a wireless communication system. A terminal determines the size of an RBG (resource block group of a f basic band according to the number of RBs (resource blocks) within the basic band in the overall bands which include the fundamental band and an aggregated segment band. The size of an RBG of the aggregated segment band is determined on the basis of the size of the RBG of the basic band. |
| US08693419B2 |
Method and apparatus for using dynamic subchannels in a communications network
A method and apparatus for attaining the benefits of both an adjacent subchannel assignments and distributed subchannel assignments. That is, the following is a method and apparatus for providing dynamic subchannel assignments that provide the benefits of both adjacent subchannel assignments and distributed subchannel assignments. |
| US08693418B2 |
Modular radio network access device
A modular device for providing network access in accordance with at least two radio access technologies is described. The device includes a first hardware module comprising a first hardware accelerator adapted to perform at least layer (1) processing in accordance with a first radio technology, software-controlled processing resources adapted to perform at least layer (2) processing for the first radio access technology and for a second radio access technology, and a first interface adapted to couple the software-controlled processing resources to a second hardware module providing at least layer (1) processing capabilities in accordance with the second radio access technology. The second hardware module may comprise a second hardware accelerator adapted to perform at least layer (1) processing in accordance with the second radio access technology and a second interface adapted to couple the second hardware accelerator to the first interface of the first hardware module. |
| US08693402B2 |
Data transmission method and base station
Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a data transmission method which includes: sending, by an REC, a first part of downlink data of a downlink period to an RE before the downlink period arrives; sending, by the REC, a second part of the downlink data of the downlink period to the RE in the downlink period, where the second part and the first part constitute all downlink data of the downlink period; receiving, by the RE, the first part and the second part of the downlink data of the downlink period; and sending, by the RE, the first part and the second part as the downlink data through an air interface in the downlink period. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present disclosure also disclose a base station which can effectively improve utilization of transmission bandwidth of a CPRI interface and utilization of spectrum resources of the air interface. |
| US08693401B2 |
Method and system for optimized handling of context using hierarchical grouping (for machine type communications)
A hierarchical data structure for signaling and data handling at a packet core network is defined. A hierarchical data structure is applied to both persistent and dynamic information to support a type of devices that share the same characteristics. Subscription database, context information, and policy rule information is comprised of group level information and device level information. Group level information contains the information the devices that belong to the group share. Device level information contains the device specific information that is different from group level information. When a device belonging to a group requests access to a packet network or performs a procedure that changes the mobility or session state of the device, context management unit works with authentication unit, subscription database unit, and policy decision unit to construct a right information for the device to handle the control and user data traffic. |
| US08693400B2 |
Mobile communication method, mobility management node, and packet exchanger
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes a step A of releasing, by a gateway device S-GW, a first GBR bearer for a mobile station UE and transmitting “Downlink Data Notification” to a packet exchanger SGSN if a fault of a radio network controller RNC is detected in the state in which a second GBR bearer for the mobile station UE is set, a step B of transmitting, by the packet exchanger SGSN, “Paging” to the mobile station UE, and a step C of starting, by the packet exchanger SGSN, a procedure for releasing the second GBR bearer when no response to the “Paging” is received from the mobile station UE in a predetermined period. |
| US08693399B2 |
Gateway apparatus, node apparatus, communication system, and channel switching method
A gateway apparatus including: a route control packet generating unit that generates a route control packet for constructing routes between node apparatuses forming an ad hoc network and the gateway apparatus; a channel designation signal generating unit that generates channel designation signal for designating a second channel different from a first channel on which the ad hoc network transmits and receives packets; a time designation signal generating unit that generates time designation signal for designating switching time to the node apparatus for switching the channel used for transmission and reception of packets to the second channel; a radio communication unit that transmits the route control packet, the channel designation signal and the time designation signal on the first channel; and a channel switching unit that switches, when it is time to switch, the channel on which the radio communication unit transmits and receives a signal to the second channel. |
| US08693398B1 |
High-availability mobile gateways having interchassis non-uniform service unit redundancy
In general, techniques are described for facilitating interchassis redundancy (ICR) among heterogenous mobile gateway member chassis that provide high-availability services as an group to one or more mobile subscribers. In one example, a member chassis of the mobile gateway comprises a control plane having a plurality of distributed subscriber management service units that serve as anchors for subscriber sessions. A redundancy group defines a backup association between one of the subscriber management service units and a subscriber management service unit of another member chassis of the mobile gateway. A routing unit of the member chassis comprises a resource manager that negotiates parameters for a communication channel for the redundancy group. A session management daemon establishes subscriber sessions anchored by the subscriber management service unit in the association and sends, via the communication channel, subscriber session data for the subscriber sessions anchored by the subscriber management service unit. |
| US08693397B2 |
Macro network optimization with assistance from Femto cells
The disclosed subject matter relates to employing a received signal strength indicator returned from a femto cell to optimize a multiple access wireless communication network. In particular, a method operable in a wireless communications network is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a received signal strength indicator from a femto cell situated in a geographical area within a multiple access wireless communication network, and optimizing the multiple access wireless communication network as a function of the received signal strength indicator. |
| US08693395B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling operation state of physical layer
An apparatus for controlling IEEE 802.15.4 physical layer operation state is provided. The physical layer operation state controlling apparatus defines an operation state of a physical layer including a Hardwired Low-MAC (HL-MAC) device in which functions of IEEE 802.15.4 MAC layer are hardwired, and includes a state module for controlling the operation state of the physical layer. The state module includes a Finite State Machine (FSM) for, when receiving an event for the operation state of the physical layer, transiting to a state module corresponding to the event and controlling the operation state of the physical layer; and an interrupt handler for converting an interrupt received from the physical layer to the event corresponding to a register of the state module and sending the event to the FSM. Hence, by means of the state machine for the IEEE 802.15.4 PHY, the IEEE 802.15.4 physical layer operation state can be controlled to optimize the operations of the upper MAC. |
| US08693392B2 |
Peer-to-peer communication system and method
A method and system of enabling communication between peers in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network in the presence of network address translators (NAT). The method includes: assigning a unique peer identifier to each one of the plurality of peers in the P2P network; establishing an overlay topology connecting each peer to a subset of the plurality of peers in a structured connection pattern based on the unique peer identifier of each peer, each one of the plurality of peers having more connections to close peers and fewer connections to distant peers; and routing messages between peers through the established overlay topology. |
| US08693391B2 |
Peer to peer services in a wireless communication network
This invention relates to a node for providing peer-to-peer services in a communication network, the network comprising of at least one further node. The node comprises; an input arranged to receive at least one SIP peer-to-peer request; an output arranged to transmit the at least one SIP peer-to-peer request from the node to at least one of the at least one further nodes; and wherein the input is further arranged to receive at least one SIP peer-to-peer response from the at least one further node and the output is arranged to transmit the SIP peer-to-peer response. |
| US08693384B2 |
Method for dynamic packet retransmission for radio link control layer in a wireless communications system
The present invention discloses a method for dynamic packet retransmissions of a radio link control, hereinafter called RLC, layer for an RLC entity of a transmitter in a wireless communications system. The method includes the following steps. A first RLC packet, including a first header and a first data field, is transmitted to a receiver. A negative acknowledgment signal corresponding to the first RLC packet is received from the receiver. A first TB size is indicated and received from a protocol layer lower than the RLC layer. A second RLC packet is constructed, whose size depends on the first TB size, includes a second header and a second data field including a portion of the first data field. The second RLC packet is then transmitted to the receiver. |
| US08693378B2 |
Wireless terminal device and method of controlling the same
To provide a wireless terminal device that can control so that the size of RWIN of an electronic device on a receiving side changes to an optimum value when hand-down (hand-off) from high speed communication to low speed communication occurs, and a method for controlling the same. A wireless terminal device 1 includes: a first communication unit (10) that is connected to a PC (101) and performs communication with a network (202) side at a first communication speed; a second communication unit (11) that is connected to the PC (101) and performs communication with the network (202) side at a second communication speed that is faster than the first communication speed, and a control unit (12) that reciprocally switches between the first communication unit (10) and the second communication unit (11). |
| US08693369B2 |
Method of routing a data packet in a network and an associated device
A method of routing a data packet in a telecommunications network, said packet comprising a primary destination address and a destination port number. On reception of said packet, the following steps are executed: determining a port mask defining a range of port numbers to which the destination port number belongs; selecting an identifier of a destination piece of equipment of the packet from a plurality of equipment identifiers associated with said destination address on the basis of the port mask; and routing the packet to the destination piece of equipment on the basis of said identifier. |
| US08693367B2 |
Providing offloads in a communication network
This disclosure relates to a system and method for offloading selected data to an alternate communication network. The offloading provides another route for selected packet traffic that can relieve the burden on a mobile operator's network, such as the backhaul and core networks. As the proliferation of data rich content and increasingly more capable mobile devices has continued, the amount of data communicated over mobile operator's networks has exponentially increased. Upgrading the existing network that was designed for voice calls is not desirable or practical for many mobile operators. A offload gateway is provided that inspects packets and determines those packets to offload to an alternate network as well as providing mobility management to allow for seamless handoffs and gateway relocations. |
| US08693363B2 |
Systems and methods for time division multiple access communication with automatic repeat request error control
Systems (100, 200) and methods for providing TDMA communication. The methods involve determining a channel quality of an uplink channel. A communication delay is set equal to an integer value “K”. “K” is selected based on the channel quality. “K”≦“N”. “N” is a total number of frames of a time slot of a TDMA signal (400). Thereafter, First Message Data (FMD) is communicated over the uplink channel in a first time slot (A1) of an uplink signal (1000, 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, 1600). An Error Control Process (ECP) is performed using FMD to at least identify First Error Free Message Data (FEFMD). Filler data and/or at least a portion of FEFMD is communicated over a downlink channel in a last “N−K” frames of a time slot (A1) of a downlink signal (1050, 1150, 1250, 1450, 1550, 1650), when “K”<“N”. |
| US08693359B2 |
Communication control device and communication quality measurement method
Disclosed is a communication control device for measuring the delivery quality of unicast/multicast video delivery by a user premises device. The communication control device connects a first network to a second network. The first network is connected to a delivery server for delivering data packets containing plural pieces of content. The second network is connected to a plurality of computers for acquiring the data packets from the delivery server. The communication control device acquires control information that is transmitted from the computers to the delivery server, extracts computer identification information and data packet identification information from the acquired control information, and measures the delivery quality of data packets targeted for measurement, which are to be transmitted to the identified computers, in accordance with the extracted computer identification information and the extracted data packet identification information. |
| US08693356B2 |
Method for wireless communication system and device using the same
A method, for determining a first amount of a plurality of high-throughput long training fields within a packet in a wireless communication system, includes determining a second amount of a plurality of space time streams needed by the wireless communication system transmitting the packet, and setting the first amount to be greater than or equal to 8 when the second amount is greater than 4. |
| US08693354B2 |
Method for generation of cyclic shift amount set and method for generation of random access preamble
A method for generation of Ncs set is disclosed as: an upper limit value Ncs_max of Ncs is determined firstly, Ncs values which are less than or equal to the Ncs_max are selected to be elements of an initial Ncs set, a screening Ncs set is generated from the initial Ncs set, and then a final Ncs set is generated from the screening Ncs set. The final Ncs set can satisfy the maximal covering demand of the system, and when a random access preamble is generated by cyclic shift amount contained in the final Ncs set, the interference between and in cells can be decreased. |
| US08693352B2 |
Method and apparatus for ARQ control in wireless communications
In one or more aspects, the method and apparatus presented herein consider corresponding uplink resource allocations when allocating ARQ signal powers. In particular, in at least one embodiment, more power is allocated to the acknowledgment (“ack”) signal(s) corresponding to user equipment (UE) transmissions that involve larger allocations of uplink resources. For the example context of an LTE network, an eNodeB “boosts” its ack signaling power for acknowledging UE transmissions associated with larger uplink bandwidth allocations. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE is configured to bias its ARQ signal evaluations, to bias its ack/nack decision determinations to favor the ack decision, at least for those acks associated with transmissions that used greater resource allocations. |
| US08693347B2 |
Voice over data telecommunications network architecture
The present invention describes a system and method for communicating voice and data over a packet-switched network that is adapted to coexist and communicate with a legacy PSTN. The system permits packet switching of voice calls and data calls through a data network from and to any of a LEC, a customer facility or a direct IP connection on the data network. The system includes soft switch sites, gateway sites, a data network, a provisioning component, a network event component and a network management component. The system interfaces with customer facilities (e.g., a PBX), carrier facilities (e.g., a LEC) and legacy signaling networks (e.g., SS7) to handle calls between any combination of on-network and off-network callers. |
| US08693346B2 |
On-vehicle gateway device, method for controlling an on-vehicle gateway device, connection device and connection control method
An on-vehicle gateway device connected to an information system network and a control system network of a vehicle executes monitoring the status of an information system via an information system access circuit taking charge of message transmission and reception to and from the information system network, and an information system management step to manage information acquired by the information system monitoring, monitoring the status of a control system via a control system access circuit taking charge of message transmission and reception to and from the control system network, and a control system management step to manage information acquired by the control system monitoring, managing policies for access control by the access control circuit controlling data flows between the information system access circuit and the control system access circuit, and determining whether or not to update the policies managed by policy management and to update the policies. |
| US08693345B2 |
Dynamic management of wireless network topology with diverse traffic flows
System and method for topology management of dynamic ad hoc wireless communication networks. The network nodes are organized in a multi-level hierarchical architecture whereby the nodes at each level are managed by nodes at the next higher level. In a three-layer network, leaf nodes populate the lowest level, cluster head nodes the intermediate level, and regional head nodes the highest level. Priority-based backbone tree paths are constructed by selecting and connecting high capability nodes, such that the unselected nodes are one-hop away from a connected node. In a two backbone tree path construction, a primary backbone tree path carries the high priority traffic and a secondary backbone tree path carries the lower priority traffic. The connectivities of the backbone tree paths are maintained dynamically. So also are high priority traffic flows using the Dynamic Priority Threshold mechanism with High Fidelity Monitoring and traffic siphoning via unutilized network resources. |
| US08693341B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing data traffic path through a stacked switch LAG configuration
A stacked switch includes two or more individual network switches connected to each other in a ring or daisy chain topology over stacking links, and at least one port on two or more of the individual switches comprising the stacked switch is a member of a LAG configured on the stacked switch. Each of the individual switches comprising the stacked switch include control plane and data plane functionality that operates to maintain switching tables and to process network data ingressing to the switch to determine how to forward the network data through the switch to an egress point. The control functionality included in each of the switches comprising the stacked switch also includes an enhanced ECMP functionality that operates to optimize the use of stacking link bandwidth on the stacking links connecting the two or more individual switches to each other. |
| US08693338B2 |
Quality measuring system, quality measuring apparatus, quality measuring method, and program
An exemplary object of the present invention lies in a point of providing a technology capable of measuring a transmission quality of an Ethernet network in order to utilize Ethernet as carrier-grade communication. The present invention includes an error bit number measurer for measuring the number of error bits that have occurred for a frame of Ethernet, being a target of monitoring, within a monitoring period, a transmitted bit number measurer for measuring the number of total transmitted bits of Ethernet frames that a device facing it has transmitted within the foregoing monitoring period, and a bit error rate operator for obtaining a bit error rate of a transmission path by employing a measurement result by the foregoing error bit number measurer and the foregoing transmitted bit number measurer. |
| US08693331B1 |
Rate adaptation in wireless systems
Systems and techniques for rate adaptation in wireless communication systems are described. A described technique includes generating a transmission packet parameter associated with packets transmitted by a device at a first data rate; generating a reception packet parameter associated with packets received by the device; determining a second data rate based on the transmission packet parameter and the reception packet parameter; and transmitting future packets at the second data rate. |
| US08693326B2 |
Utilizing multiple distortion measures
Utilizing multiple distortion measures. A first distortion measure for at least one packet is received. A second distortion measure for the at least one packet is received, wherein the second distortion measure is different than the first distortion measure. A processing operation is performed based at least in part on the first distortion measure and the second distortion measure. |
| US08693323B1 |
System and method for managing communications in an access network
System and method for managing communications in an access network is provided. The system and method utilizes carrier-tagged paths established between communicatively coupled terminating elements, such as a service or customer edge and network elements, such as a building aggregator, layer 2 switch, or the like. The carrier-tagged paths may be nested within one another, and carrier-tagged paths may be aggregated together to simplify switching. Carrier-tagged flows carried over the carrier-tagged paths include one or more carrier tags prepended to terminating element traffic. For example, in an embodiment, inbound carrier-tagged flows from multiple sources destined for a common service edge may be merged by prepending a common carrier tag. In another embodiment, outbound carrier-tagged flows are nested within other carrier-tagged flows. |
| US08693322B2 |
Routing method for a wireless multi-hop network
Disclosed is a routing method named lock routing for a wireless multi-hop network, which can be based on next-hop routing and source routing and named next-hop lock routing and source lock routing respectively. The routing method utilizes traffic packets to monitor the link quality and utilizes local broadcast to help a source node keep track of the varying network topology in order to update a route path to a destination node. In local broadcast, routing control messages can be forwarded by path nodes and neighbors of an old route path, which reduces the routing control overhead and enhances the network scalability. A route update process can be triggered by the link quality and the path node state and is used to maintain ongoing traffic flows and extend the network lifetime. |
| US08693321B2 |
Mobile assisted handover in mobile communications networks
The invention relates to a technique for mobile assisted handover in mobile communications networks, e.g. Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, in a situation of an ongoing data reception or data transmission of a mobile terminal which hinders reception of system information from a candidate cell for handover. A method embodiment of such technique is performed in a mobile terminal and comprises the steps of accepting information related to an ongoing data reception/transmission from at least one data reception/transmission component of the mobile terminal; establishing if the ongoing data reception/transmission enables a reception of a unique cell identifier indicating a candidate cell for handover; selectively halting the ongoing data reception/transmission, receiving the unique cell identifier of the candidate cell, and resuming afterwards the data reception/transmission. |
| US08693318B2 |
Shared bandwidth reservation in PL, ATM, FR and IP/MPLS networks
Disclosed example operations involve provisioning a pool of communication capacity in a network link, the pool of communication capacity including spare capacity; allocating from the spare capacity a reserve service communication capacity requested in a connection setup message associated with a first user, the reserve service communication capacity being available to accommodate an increase of communications associated with a first service connection for the first user; and while the reserve service communication capacity is allocated for the first service connection for the first user, provisioning the reserve service communication capacity to be available for restoration capacity associated with a second service connection for at least a second user. |
| US08693316B2 |
Access point resource negotiation and allocation over a wireless interface
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate communicating between access points using the same air interface as for serving wireless devices. Access points can communicate with one another over the air interface to exchange interference management messages related to negotiating and/or allocating resources among the access points or other messages. In addition, access points can prepare served wireless devices for time periods where the access points communicate with disparate access points over the air interface to mitigate confusion or radio link failure detection by the served wireless devices. |
| US08693314B1 |
Systems and methods for protecting bonding groups
A communication system comprises a plurality of subscriber lines that are bonded to provide a bonding group, referred to as the “primary bonding group.” A data stream comprising a plurality of data packets is transmitted to a port, referred to as the “primary port,” of a network termination unit (NTU) coupled to each subscriber line of the primary bonding group, and a bonding engine of the NTU fragments the data packets for transmission across the bonding group. Logic, referred to as “link state awareness (LSA) logic,” is configured to monitor at least one communication parameter indicative of the communication performance of the bonding group. If the measured communication performance is within a specified range, the LSA logic disables the primary port. Such action signals a switching element to switch communication to another NTU that is coupled to one or more other subscriber lines for backing up the primary bonding group. Thus, communication is switched to a backup channel based on the measured performance parameter before a complete failure of the primary bonding group occurs. |
| US08693313B2 |
Apparatus and method for switching between redundant communication devices
A packet is transmitted from a transmitting device to an active communication device which transmits a reception history identifying the received packets to the transmitting device. The transmitting device transmits an active-mode request message to a standby communication device when having failed to receive the reception history from the active communication device within a predetermined time period. Then, the standby communication device becomes a new active communication device, and the active communication device becomes an old active communication device. The new active communication device transmits to the transmitting device a switching request message for switching a destination of the packet from the old active communication device to the new active communication device. The transmitting device retransmits packets that have been transmitted from the transmitting device to the old active communication device and have failed to be received by the old active communication device, to the new active communication device. |
| US08693312B2 |
Method, system and device for processing registration exception in user registration procedure
A method for processing a registration exception in a user registration procedure is provided to solve the problem that network devices are unable to determine subsequent handling procedures when a registration exception occurs in a registration, where it is impossible to distinguish the initial registration and the re-registration according to whether the registration request is a protected register. According to the solution disclosed by the embodiments of the present invention, after the I-CSCF forwards the registration request to the S-CSCF and determines that a registration exception occurs, the I-CSCF returns a registration failure message to the terminal initiating the registration request or reselects a new S-CSCF, according to instruction information, indicating whether the registration request is an initial registration or a re-registration, carried in the registration request or according to S-CSCF-associated information carried in a response from the HSS. |
| US08693311B2 |
Method and system for rehoming a digital subscriber line access multiplexer
Rehoming a DLSAM between ports residing on a first switch includes establishing a physical loop-back circuit between a second port and a temporary input port of the first switch; establishing an ePVC between the input port and a first port, the first port coupled to a first connection; removing a PVC and establishing a new PVC; routing data between the second switch and the DSLAM via the new PVC, the circuit, the ePVC, and the first connection between the first switch and the DSLAM; removing the circuit from the second port; establishing a second connection between the second port and the DSLAM; routing data between the second switch and the DSLAM via the new PVC and the second connection; removing the ePVC between the first port and the temporary input port; and disconnecting the first connection between the first port of the first switch and the DSLAM. |
| US08693310B2 |
Systems and methods for providing fault detection and management
Methods and systems for providing fault detection and management are disclosed. A system includes a web-based interface that allows a user to access all elements of a customer service network, which spans multiple networks, departments, and external partners. The system, and thereby the user, is able to manage almost all aspects of the network, thereby giving the user end-to-end customer experience issue management. Real time and archived events are utilized, in some embodiments, for root cause analysis and/or process and/or performance improvement. Events from differing transport, platform, technology and OSI model levels are correlated for optimal customer experience monitoring alarming and analysis. |
| US08693306B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting data in low-frequency band in human body communication system, and the human body communication system
The present invention proposes a method for transmitting data considering a non-contact state of a human body, while selecting a central frequency in various ranges in the human body communication system. To this end, a first embodiment of the present invention proposes a human body communication system in which a central frequency can be simply moved, and specifically, proposes a data transmission apparatus comprising a frequency shifter which shifts the output of a multiplexer into a specified frequency so as to enable the central frequency to be moved. In addition, a second embodiment of the present invention proposes a human body communication system which controls not only central frequency selection and transmission band minimization, but also a data rate, modulation, etc, and thus can perform stable communication in a non-contact state of a human body. Through this, it is possible to maximize the band efficiency, and to transmit data considering a non-contact state of a human body. |
| US08693301B2 |
High data density optical recording medium
A high data density optical recording medium, a method and an apparatus for reading such an optical recording medium, and a method for mastering such an optical recording medium are proposed. For achieving a high data density the optical recording medium has marks that have a tip and are covered by a material that generates a detectable effect under the influence of high electric fields. |
| US08693300B1 |
Write PLL for optical disc labeling applications
A system includes a position detection module configured to detect at least a first position indicator and a second position indicator corresponding to a label side of an optical disc. A write clock adjustment module is configured to determine a number of cycles of a write clock that occur between the first position indicator and the second position indicator, determine a difference between the number of cycles of the write clock and a desired number of cycles of the write clock, and adjust a frequency of the write clock based on the difference. |
| US08693297B2 |
Transfer control apparatus and reproducing apparatus
Noise generation in transferring data is suppressed or prevented by transferring data at a data transfer rate according to the amount of data to be transferred to a memory. In a reproducing apparatus, when a read unit or both reads data from a storage medium or both, a determination unit determines the type of the storage medium from which the data is read, then, according to the determined type of the storage medium, a transfer rate change unit orders a data transfer unit to use a preset transfer rate corresponding to the type of the storage medium. The data transfer unit transfers the read data to the temporary storage unit at the ordered transfer rate. This allows data to be transferred without a significant change in the amount of data transfer, which suppresses or prevents noise. |
| US08693290B2 |
Wristwatch provided with function display portion
A wristwatch is provided with hand(s) and a disk-shaped indicating member disposed between a first dial and a second dial. The disk-shaped indicating member is structured such that a part of the disk-shaped indicating member is exposed from an opening portion of the first dial and that the disk-shaped indicating member indicates, at a region corresponding to the opening portion, one of a plurality of function display portions SPL, STP and RUN provided on the second dial. The hand(s) and the disk-shaped indicating member rotate about a common driving shaft. |
| US08693288B1 |
Method for detecting a random process in a convex hull volume
A method is provided for characterizing data sets containing data points. The method can characterize the data sets as random or as non-random. In the method, a convex hull envelope is constructed which contains the data points and passes through at least four non-coplanar data points. The convex hull envelope is partitioned into cells. The method classifies the data set as a sized sample. Based on the classification, a predetermined set of tests is selected for operating on the data set. |
| US08693283B2 |
Estimation of time shift based on multi-vintage seismic data
The invention is a method of calculating seismic time shifts Δ{right arrow over (t)}(t), comprising: conducting a number (n) of three or more seismic surveys with large time differences such as months or years, producing a number (n) of three or more vintages of seismic data d1(t), d2(t), . . . , dn(t)={right arrow over (d)}(t), each said vintage of seismic data di(t) comprising one or more seismic traces, calculating partial time derivatives from one or more base trace ∂ ∂ t d b ( t ) multiplied by the sought time shift Δt(t) and setting the product like ∂ ∂ t d b ( t ) Δ t ( t ) = Δ d , simplified to LΔt(t)=Δd wherein L comprises the partial time derivatives, and forming a set of (n−1) equations {tilde over (L)}Δ{right arrow over (t)}=Δ{right arrow over (d)} which is overdetermined in the series of consecutive time shifts Δ{right arrow over (t)}(t), and solving for the consecutive time shifts Δ{right arrow over (t)}(t). |
| US08693282B2 |
Deghosting seismic data
A technique includes receiving seismic data acquired by seismic sensors; and processing the seismic data on a machine to deghost the data. The processing includes deghosting the seismic data using a first deghosting technique that relies on a ghost model; deghosting the seismic data using a second deghosting technique that is independent from any modeling of the ghost; and selectively combining the results of the deghosting using the first and second deghosting techniques. |
| US08693279B2 |
Synchronous global controller for enhanced pipelining
A system includes a memory block and a controller. The controller is adapted to skew a pre-charge signal for a bit line of the memory block. The controller can skew the pre-charge signal during a read operation or a write operation. The system can also include a sense amplifier in communication with a bit line of the memory block, and the sense amplifier can automatically shut off after indicating a sensed data state for the bit line. The controller may be a global controller or a local controller. |
| US08693270B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus
A semiconductor apparatus includes a memory block configured to have a normal cell array and a redundancy cell array; a column address buffer configured to compare a plurality of input column addresses with a fail column address signal-stored in a fuse array, and generate a column enable signal or a fail column enable signal; a column decoder configured to decode the column enable signal, and output a column selection signal to the normal cell array; and a column redundancy controller configured to generate a redundancy control signal in response to the fail column enable signal, generate a redundancy enable signal so as to reuse a redundancy bit line which has been substituted before according to the generated redundancy control signal, and output the generated redundancy enable signal to the redundancy cell array. |
| US08693267B2 |
Signal synchronization in multi-voltage domains
A system and a method to improve signal synchronization in a plurality of signal paths traversing multiple voltage domains. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure a memory arrangement is preferred for signal synchronization. All read/write and clocks signals and other control signals are driven to periphery supply (Vp) levels, except wordline (WL[i]) signals which are driven at core supply (Vc) level. By doing so, lower average and peak current consumption associated with core supply (Vc) is achieved with constant delays and maintaining required signal synchronization in the signal paths traversing multiple voltage domains. |
| US08693263B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit for generating clock signals
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a write-read clock control signal generating unit that activates a read clock control signal and a write clock control signal in response to one of a write operational mode and a read operational mode after maintaining the read clock control signal and the write clock control signal at a deactivation state in response to one of an idle mode and a refresh operational mode, and a clock buffer that generates a read clock signal and a write clock signal in response to a clock signal, the read clock control signal, and the write clock control signal. |
| US08693261B2 |
Method for programming a floating gate
The present invention provides circuits, systems, and methods for programming a floating gate. As described herein, a floating gate tunneling device is used with an analog comparison device in a circuit having a floating reference node and an offset-mitigating feedback loop for iteratively programming a floating gate or multiple floating gates. |
| US08693260B2 |
Memory array with two-phase bit line precharge
An integrated circuit includes an array of memory cells with a plurality of columns and rows. A plurality of data lines is coupled to the columns in the array and a plurality of word lines is coupled to the rows in the array. Clamp transistors are coupled to respective data lines in the plurality of data lines, and adapted to prevent voltage on the respective bit lines from overshooting a target level during a precharge interval. A bias circuit is coupled to the clamp transistors on the plurality of bit lines, and arranged to apply the bias voltage in at least two phases within a precharge interval, and to prevent overshoot of the target level on the bit line. |
| US08693251B2 |
Processors for programming multilevel-cell NAND memory devices
In an embodiment, a processor includes a storage device. The processor is configured to request first data from a first location of a memory device. The storage device is configured to receive and to store the first data from the memory device. The processor is configured to attempt to write second data to the first location of the memory device. The processor is configured to write the first data stored in the storage device and the second data to one or more other locations of the memory device if the attempt to write second data to the first location of the memory device fails. |
| US08693243B2 |
Memory array
A memory array used in the field of semiconductor technology includes a plurality of memory cells, bit lines, word lines perpendicular to the bit lines, and first/second control lines. The memory array uses split-gate memory cells, wherein two memory bit cells of a memory cell share one word line, thereby the read, program and erase of the memory cell can be realized by applying different voltages to the word line, two control gates and source/drain regions; the word line sharing structure enables a split-gate flash memory to effectively reduce the chip area and avoid over-erase problems while maintaining electrical isolation performance of the chip unchanged and not increasing the complexity of the process. |
| US08693241B2 |
Semiconductor intergrated circuit device, method of manufacturing the same, and method of driving the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit device, a method of manufacturing the same, and a method of driving the same are provided. The device includes a semiconductor substrate, an upper electrode extending from a surface of the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of switching structures extending from both sidewalls of the upper electrode in a direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a phase-change material layer disposed between the plurality of switching structures and the upper electrode. |
| US08693236B2 |
Systems and methods of sectioned bit line memory arrays, including hierarchical and/or other features
A hierarchical sectioned bit line of an SRAM memory device, an SRAM memory device having a sectioned bit line in hierarchy, and associated systems and methods are described. In one illustrative implementation, each sectioned bit line may comprise a local bit line, a memory cell connected to the local bit line, and a pass gate coupled to the local bit line, wherein the pass gate is configured to be coupled to a global bit line, and wherein the sectioned bit lines are arranged in hierarchical arrays. In other implementations, a hierarchical SRAM memory device may be configured involving sectioned bit lines and a global bit line wherein the pass gates are configured to connect and isolate the sectioned bit line and the global bit line. |
| US08693230B2 |
Semiconductor device including plural chips stacked to each other
Disclosed herein is a device that includes a plurality of stacked core chips and an interface chip that controls the core chips. Each of the core chips includes a memory cell array, a penetration electrode, and an output circuit that outputs read data that are read from the memory cell array to the penetration electrode. The penetration electrode respectively provided in the core chips are commonly connected with each other, and the output circuits respectively provided in the core chips are activated in response to a read clock signal supplied from the interface chip. |
| US08693229B2 |
Power regeneration apparatus and power conversion apparatus
A power regeneration apparatus includes a power conversion unit, an AC reactor, a voltage detecting unit, a phase detecting unit, a drive control unit for controlling the power conversion unit based on a phase detection value, and a reactive current component detecting unit. The phase detecting unit detects the phase of the AC power supply. The reactive current component detecting unit detects a reactive current component of a current. The drive control unit includes a phase correction section. The phase correction section corrects the phase detection value based on the reactive current component. |
| US08693226B2 |
Synchronous rectification type inverter
An inverter comprising: a circuit including arms connected in parallel, each of the arms including a first switch and a second switch connected in series; and a gate drive circuit configured to control, by pulse-width modulation using synchronous rectification, each of the first switch and the second switch to switch to an on-state or an off-state, wherein each of the first switch and the second switch includes: a channel region that is conductive in both a forward direction and a reverse direction in the on-state, and that is not conductive in the forward direction in the off-state; and a diode region that is combined as one with the channel region, and that is conductive only in the reverse direction, the diode region being unipolar, and the gate drive circuit synchronizes a timing at which the gate drive circuit outputs a signal for causing the first switch to switch to the on-state with a timing at which the gate drive circuit outputs a signal for causing the second switch to switch to the off-state, and synchronizes a timing at which the gate drive circuit outputs a signal for causing the first switch to switch to the off-state with a timing at which the gate drive circuit outputs a signal for causing the second switch to switch to the on-state. |
| US08693225B2 |
Electric load driving circuit
An electric load driving circuit for driving an electric load having a capacity component includes a plurality of power sources generating different voltages, capacitors provided parallel to the plurality of power sources, a switch control unit that switches connections between the capacitors and the electric load and thereby switching a voltage applied to the electric load, discharge paths that enable discharging electric charge stored in the capacitor, and a discharge control unit that controls a quantity of electric charge discharged from the discharge paths. |
| US08693218B2 |
Power adapter and method of controlling power adapter operated in energy saving mode
A power adapter comprises a main power circuit, a feedback circuit, an ID detection circuit and a switch controller. The feedback circuit is coupled to the main power circuit for detecting the DC output voltage and issuing a feedback signal. The ID detection circuit is coupled to the feedback circuit for detecting an ID signal from the DC-powered electronic device and issuing a control signal to the feedback circuit to disable or delay the feedback signal for a specific time period, and comparing a dropping slew rate of the DC output voltage with a preset value to issue a hiccup mode control signal. The switch controller is configured for controlling the operations of the main power circuit in response to the feedback signal and controlling the power adapter to operate in a normal operation mode or a hiccup mode in response to the hiccup mode control signal. |
| US08693216B2 |
Switch control device, power supply device including the same, and switch control method
The present invention relates to a switch control device, a power supply device, and a switch control method. A switch control device controls a switching operation of a power switch by using a feedback voltage of an output voltage. In detail, the switch control device generates the feedback current according to the feedback voltage and the feedback signal corresponding to the feedback voltage by using the feedback current. The switch control device compares the sensing signal corresponding to the drain current flowing to the power switch and the feedback signal, and turns off the power switch according to the comparison result. The switch control device increases the feedback gain rather than the feedback current during the gain compensation period after a predetermined gain compensation period, and the gain compensation period is longer than a soft start period in which the output voltage is gradually increased. |
| US08693215B2 |
DC/DC converter with magnetic flux density limits
A DC/DC converter may include a power stage circuit, a pulse generator circuit, a flux density monitor, and power control logic. The power stage circuit includes an input, an output, and a transformer with a core. The power stage circuit may be configured to operate in a power transfer phase during which power is transferred from the input to the output and a reset phase during which flux density in the core of the transformer is reduced. The pulse generator circuit may be configured to generate pulses that regulate the output of the power stage circuit. The flux density monitor circuit may be configured to generate flux density information indicative of the flux density of the core of the transformer during both the power transfer phase and the reset phase. The power stage control logic may be configured to regulate the output of the power stage circuit based on the pulses and to prevent the core of the transformer from saturating based on the flux density information. |
| US08693212B1 |
Chassis cover having optical open-close detector
A chassis having a cover moveable between open and closed positions and circuitry for detecting whether the cover is in the open or the closed position. The circuitry includes a transmitter of optical energy disposed at a fixed position within the chassis for transmitting pulses of optical energy at a predetermined frequency and a receiver for optical energy disposed at a fixed position within the chassis. A reflector is mounted to an inner surface of the cover and is disposed in a path to intercept and then reflect the intercepted transmitted energy to the receiver when the cover is moved to the closed position and being disposed away from the path to prevent the transmitted energy to be intercepted and then reflected to the receiver when the cover is moved to the open position. The detection circuitry indicates whether the cover is in either the open or the closed position selectively in accordance with whether the transmitted energy is reflected to the receiver is above or below a predetermined threshold level and whether at said predetermined frequency. |
| US08693208B2 |
PCIe bus extension system, method and interfaces therefor
A PCIe bus extension system, method, interface card and cable for connecting a PCIe-compliant peripheral device to a PCIe bus of a computer system. The interface card includes a printed circuit board, an edge connector adapted for insertion into a PCIe expansion slot on a motherboard of the computer system for transmitting PCIe signals between the motherboard and the interface card, an interface port configured to mate with a connector of the cable, and a logic integrated circuit on the printed circuit board, the logic integrated circuit functionally connecting the edge connector with the expansion slot and amplifying and propagating clock and data PCIe signals therebetween that are compliant with a PCIe standard. The interface card and cable lacks the capability of transmitting power therethrough to a PCIe-compliant peripheral device connected to the interface card through the interface port. |
| US08693203B2 |
Method of making an electronic device having a liquid crystal polymer solder mask laminated to an interconnect layer stack and related devices
A method for making an electronic device includes forming an interconnect layer stack on a rigid wafer substrate having a plurality of patterned electrical conductor layers, a dielectric layer between adjacent patterned electrical conductor layers, and at least one solder pad on an uppermost patterned electrical conductor layer. An LCP solder mask having at least one aperture therein alignable with the at least one solder pad is formed. The LCP solder mask and interconnect layer stack are aligned and laminated together. Solder is positioned in the at least one aperture. At least one circuit component is attached to the at least one solder pad using the solder. |
| US08693200B2 |
Semiconductor device cooling module
A cooling module for cooling a semiconductor is provided and includes a land grid array (LGA) interposer, a substrate with an LGA side and a chip side, a cooler, a load frame attached to the substrate and formed to define an aperture in which the cooler is removably disposable, a spring clamp removably attachable to the load frame and configured to apply force from the load frame to the cooler such that the substrate and the cooler are urged together about the semiconductor and a load assembly device configured to urge the load frame and the LGA interposer together. |
| US08693199B2 |
Structural configuration of a heat exchanger door for an electronics rack
A method is provided which includes providing a heat exchanger door that includes a door assembly spanning at least a portion of the air inlet or outlet side of an electronics rack. The door assembly includes an airflow opening which facilitates air ingress or egress of airflow through the electronics rack. The door assembly further includes an air-to-coolant heat exchanger and a structural support. The heat exchanger is disposed so that airflow through the airflow opening passes across the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger core and a heat exchanger casing coupled to the core. The core includes at least one coolant-carrying channel which loops through the casing. The structural support is attached to the heat exchanger casing to define with the casing a tubular door support structure. The looping of the coolant-carrying channel(s) through the heat exchanger casing resides within the tubular door support structure. |
| US08693192B2 |
Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a main body, a casing and a supporting unit. The casing is detachably connected to the main body. The supporting unit is connected to the casing and is rotatable relative to the casing. When the supporting unit rotates to a first position, the supporting unit supports the main body. When the supporting unit rotates to a second position, the casing and the main body are separated. |
| US08693190B2 |
Casing structure for portable electronic apparatus and locking mechanism thereof
A casing structure and a locking mechanism thereof for portable electronic apparatus are disclosed. The casing structure includes an apparatus casing, an electronic device casing, and a door. The electronic device casing is engaged to the apparatus casing in a detachable way. The door is engaged to the apparatus casing in an open-able way to cover an open of the apparatus casing. The locking mechanism is mainly disposed on the apparatus casing and can be operative to lock or unlock the electronic device casing and the door simultaneously. Thereby, a user can quickly detach the electronic device casing and open the door to maintain or replace components in the apparatus casing, which avoids the complicated operation of opening the casing in the prior art. |
| US08693179B2 |
Portable electronic device and detachable touch structure thereof
A detachable touch structure for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The detachable touch structure comprises a flexible board, a flexible touch panel, a control module, and a linkage element; the flexible touch panel is superimposedly disposed on the flexible board; the control module is connected with the flexible board and electrically connected with the flexible touch panel, and the control module comprises two sliding slot structures each comprising a first sliding slot and a second sliding slot communicated with each other; the linkage element comprises two positioning levers, the linkage element has one end pivotally connected with the flexible board and the other end movably connected with each one of the sliding slot structures via each one of the positioning levers respectively. When two ends of the flexible board are bended by force, the detachable touch structure can be in a tablet form or a mouse form. |
| US08693178B2 |
Input device fixing structure
An input device fixing structure includes an input device and a housing case. The input device is disposed with at least one first magnetic component, and the housing case is disposed with at least one second magnetic component. The second magnetic component and the first magnetic component are adsorbed with each other through a magnetic force, so that the input device is fixed on the housing case. |
| US08693176B2 |
Smart drain hole
A drainage system is provided for draining liquid accidentally spilled on a casing having a plurality of pushbuttons on a surface of the casing. The drainage system for a pushbutton casing may comprise a liquid collecting receptacle, a counter-bore, and a drainage exit. The counter-bore may have a sidewall. The liquid collecting receptacle may be operatively interfacing the casing. The drainage exit may be disposed on the sidewall of the counter-bore. An end opening of the counter-bore may be in connection with a drainage exit. The end opening of the counter-bore may be disposed to allow liquid entering the drainage exit out of the end opening of the counter-bore. |
| US08693175B2 |
Cover lifting structure and electronic system with cover lifting structure
A cover lifting structure is suitable for a body of an electronic device. The body has a recess. The cover lifting structure includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member, an elastic member and a pushing member. The first rotating member pivoted to the body with a first axis. The second rotating member pivoted to the first rotating member with a second axis. The elastic member is propped against the first and the second rotating members. The first rotating member closes the recess, and the second rotating member contacts against the pushing member in a first state. The first rotating member opens the recess, and the second rotating member moves away from the pushing member in a second state. In a third state, the first rotating member closes the recess, and the second rotating member falls behind a stroke to the first rotating member. |
| US08693174B2 |
Touch display assembly structure
A touch display assembly structure is disclosed, which includes a capacitor type touch panel, a display panel, a plastic side frame, and an adhesive layer. The plastic side frame includes a side frame edge and a support piece disposed inner the side frame edge. The support piece is disposed between the touch panel and the display panel. The support piece has an opening to expose a display area of the display panel. The adhesive layer bonds the capacitor type touch panel and the support piece. There is an air layer disposed between the touch panel and the display panel. The material of the support piece includes polyphenylene sulfide. The thickness of the support piece is less than 0.4 mm. |
| US08693172B2 |
Flat panel display mount
A mounting system for a flat panel display includes a back assembly, a pair of arm assemblies, and a mounting assembly. Back assembly can include a slide plate connected to arm assemblies allowing arm assemblies and mount assembly to be horizontally shifted without the need to remove the mount from the wall and reattach it. Arm assemblies can include substantially hollow arms having removable covers for storing wires connected to display therein. Mounting assembly can include a tilt head that provides a path of rotation about a substantially horizontal axis that extends proximate the center of gravity of the mount and a flat panel display mounted thereon, allowing for easy adjustment and rotation of display, Mounting assembly can also include a pair of brace arms each comprised of two members configured to allow mount assembly to be expanded to mount various sized displays without extending beyond the width of the display. |
| US08693170B2 |
Control assembly comprising a variable speed drive and a circuit breaker
A control assembly including: a variable-speed drive for controlling an electric charge, the variable speed drive including a rear attachment mechanism for attaching same to a mounting and a power terminal board receiving a power via power lines; and an electrical interrupter connected to the power lines to control or protect the variable-speed drive. The electrical interrupter is electrically connected to the power terminal board of the variable-speed drive, and the control assembly includes attachment means for mechanically attaching the electrical interrupter to the variable-speed drive only. |
| US08693167B2 |
Electronic component and lead-wire for the same
An electronic component includes a lead wire, a functional element, and an outer housing. The lead wire includes a leader electrode made of metal containing aluminum, a metal wire containing tin, and a welded section formed by welding a first end of the metal wire to a first end of the leader electrode. A second end of the leader electrode is connected to the functional element. The outer housing seals the functional element therein such that a second end of the metal wire is led out therefrom. The lead wire further includes a resin film coating the welded section at least at a portion not covered with the outer housing. Resin material for the resin film has pierce strength of 0.05 MPa/μm per unit thickness or greater and an elastic coefficient of 10 GPa or less. |
| US08693166B2 |
Capacitor
A capacitor includes a first collector made of metal foil, a first electrode layer placed on a surface of the first collector and mainly containing a carbonaceous material, a resin layer provided on the first electrode layer, a second electrode provided on the resin layer and mainly containing a carbonaceous material, a second collector provided on the second electrode layer and made of metal foil, a case accommodating the first collector, the first electrode layer, the resin layer, the second electrode, and the second collector therein, and an electrolyte accommodated in the case. The resin layer has a non-woven fabric form of fibers made of resin irregularly bonded to one another. The fibers of the resin layer intertwine with the first electrode layer. The fibers of the resin layer intertwine with the first electrode layer. This capacitor can be thin and small. |
| US08693165B2 |
Electrical energy generation device
A device for generating electrical energy from the heat dissipated by a heat source, comprising: a capacitor comprising two electrodes between which a ferroelectric material is present, said capacitor being arranged so as to be positioned to capture all or part of the heat dissipated by said heat source; a capacitive element a first electrode of which is connected to a first electrode of said capacitor; a recovery circuit interposed between the second electrode of said capacitor and the second electrode of the capacitive element, and able to have the current flowing between said second electrodes pass through it. a mechanism adapted to move the capacitor with respect to the heat source, said mechanism having at least one arm able to move between two positions, the capacitor being closer to the heat source in one of the two positions. |
| US08693163B2 |
Cylindrical embedded capacitors
A device includes a substrate having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface. A capacitor is formed in the substrate and includes a first capacitor plate; a first insulation layer encircling the first capacitor plate; and a second capacitor plate encircling the first insulation layer. Each of the first capacitor plate, the first insulation layer, and the second capacitor plate extends from the front surface to the back surface of the substrate. |
| US08693162B2 |
Electrostrictive resonance suppression for tunable capacitors
A multi-layered capacitor includes three or more capacitor layers. A first layer includes a first DC-biased, tunable capacitor. A second layer, acoustically coupled to the first layer, includes a second DC-biased, tunable capacitor. A third layer, acoustically coupled to the second layer, includes a third DC-biased, tunable capacitor. Each dielectric of the first, second, and third capacitors has a resonance of about the same frequency, within 5%, and inner electrodes of the first, second, and third capacitors have a resonance of about the same frequency, within 5%. The resonance of each layer is a function of at least thickness, density, and material. The first, second, and third layers are biased to generate destructive acoustic interference, and the multi-layer capacitor is operable at frequencies greater than 0.1 GHz. |
| US08693158B2 |
Compact electronic reverberation chamber
A method and apparatus provide an improved EM reverberation chamber which facilitates the dynamic three dimensional (3D) manipulation of EM field polarization within the chamber and produces a uniform field distribution inside the chamber. The chamber includes one or more walls with tunable lumped elements. A controller is provided to generate one or more control signals that are applied to the lumped elements and tunes their impedance in response to the one or more control signals. The result is to generate, within the chamber an electromagnetic field that appears to be random or pseudo-random in polarization, but which is sufficiently uniform in magnitude for EM testing. |
| US08693156B2 |
Protection apparatus for load circuit
A protection apparatus for a load circuit is provided which can miniaturize electric wires and semiconductor switches by using a switch circuit simulating the current interruption time characteristics of fuses. A conductor resistance r and a heat resistance R used in each of a heat generation temperature calculation expression and a heat dissipation temperature calculation expression are respectively changed into a pseudo conductor resistance r* and a pseudo heat resistance R*, then the heat generation amount and the heat dissipation amount of the electric wire are calculated, and current temperature of the electric wire is estimated. When the estimation temperature reaches allowable temperature, an electronic switch S1 is turned off to thereby protect the load circuit. As a result, each of the electric wires and the semiconductor switches used in the load circuit can be protected from over heat. |
| US08693154B2 |
Protection relay
A protection relay for protecting an electric system, includes means a manner of a time multiplier value, a manner of calculating, with the received time multiplier value, and an inverse definite time dependency having an exponentiation function. The dependency defines a relationship between an excitation level of an input signal to the relay and an operating time of the relay. The relay further a manner of shifting the dependency to a predefined calculation space, and includes a manner of applying, during execution, the dependency shifted to the predefined calculation space when determining an operating condition of the relay. |
| US08693151B2 |
Differential transmission circuit and electronic device provided with the same
A differential transmission circuit is capable of realizing a high resistance to electrostatic breakdown without deteriorating a transmission signal. The differential transmission circuit includes ESD protection elements connected between transmission lines and a ground, respectively, a common mode filter in which an inductor element is serially connected between transmission lines, and an inductor element serially connected between transmission lines are magnetically coupled to each other, ESD protection diodes of which cathodes are connected to transmission, respectively, and anodes thereof connected to grounds, respectively, and resistors of which one side terminals are connected to transmission lines, respectively, and the other side terminals thereof are connected to transmission lines, respectively. Resistance values of the resistors are set to 10 to 15 ohms, respectively, electrostatic capacitance values of the ESD protection elements are less than 0.3 pF, respectively, and a clip voltage of each of the ESD protection diodes is set to a value less than 10 V. |
| US08693149B2 |
Transient suppression device and method therefor
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device to provide protection for electronic circuits, the semiconductor device typically includes a vertical MOS transistor, a reference circuit, and an amplifier. The amplifier amplifies the reference voltage to enable the vertical MOS transistor responsively to a transient event. |
| US08693148B2 |
Over-limit electrical condition protection circuits for integrated circuits
Integrated circuits, memories, protection circuits and methods for protecting against an over-limit electrical condition at a node of an integrated circuit. One such protection circuit includes a snapback circuit having at least a portion formed in an isolated doped well region and configured to switch to a low impedance state in response to an input exceeding a trigger condition and further having a control circuit electrically coupled to a reference voltage and further electrically coupled to the isolated doped well region and the portion of the snapback circuit formed in the doped well region. The control circuit includes an impedance adjustable in response to a control signal and configured to adjust an isolated doped well impedance in which at least a portion of the snapback circuit is formed relative to the reference voltage. A modulated trigger and hold condition for the snapback circuit can be set according to a control signal adjusting an electrical impedance of the control circuit. |
| US08693147B2 |
Electrical component and method for controlling an electrical component
An electrical component having a core and a first and second coil positioned around the core is controlled in such a manner, that in response to the second coil being switched off, the first coil is short-circuited via a quenching circuit to quench the inductive load of the second coil. |
| US08693143B2 |
Suspension with high conductivity ground layer for microwave signal transmission line, for magnetic head slider
A suspension is configured to support a magnetic head slider having a recording head element for recording to a magnetic recording medium and a microwave generating element that applies a high-frequency magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium when recording to the magnetic recording medium is conducted by the recording head element. The suspension includes a flexure that supports the magnetic head slider, and a microwave signal transmission line and a recording signal transmission line that are supported by the flexure. The microwave signal transmission line is connected to the microwave generating element and configured to transmit microwave signals for generating the high-frequency magnetic field, the recording signal transmission line being connected to the recording head element and configured to transmit recording signals. The flexure has a main body part, a support part for the magnetic head slider, and a pair of arm parts that links the main body part and the support part. The recording signal transmission line is supported between the main body part and the support part by a separate support part separated from the flexure, the microwave signal transmission line is supported between the main body part and the support part by at least one of the pair of arm parts, and a portion of the one of the arm parts that supports the microwave signal transmission line has a lamination structure in which an insulating layer that supports the microwave signal transmission line on one surface and a substrate whose portion opposing the other surface of the insulating layer has conductivity are laminated. |
| US08693142B2 |
Magnetic recording assisted by spin torque oscillator with a radio frequency current bias
A method to tune an oscillation layer frequency in a spin torque oscillator (STO) during a microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) process is described. The STO oscillation layer (OL) has a large angle magnetization oscillation frequency that is locked to a magnetic medium bit resonance frequency f0 when the rf current has a frequency f=f0 and a threshold current density is applied. Alternatively, the OL magnetization oscillation frequency may be adjusted closer to f0 to improve the assist process. A third advantage is lowering the threshold current density when both direct current and rf current are injected into the STO during a write process. The main pole is grounded when direct current and rf current are injected into a write shield. |
| US08693141B1 |
Systems and methods for providing stacked writer leads for magnetic transducers
Systems and methods for providing stacked writer leads for magnetic transducers used in disk drives are provided. One such system for providing stacked writer leads for a magnetic transducer includes a writer coil for the magnetic transducer, a first pad on the magnetic transducer, a second pad on the magnetic transducer, a first circuit trace coupled to the first pad and a first terminal of the writer coil, and a second circuit trace coupled to the second pad and a second terminal of the writer coil, where a preselected length of the first circuit trace and the second circuit trace is configured in a stacked configuration where each of the preselected lengths of the first circuit trace and the second circuit trace is positioned at about the same location in spaced apart planes. |
| US08693135B2 |
Magnetic storage device with means for supplying a beneficial vapor via a desiccant device
Approaches for desiccant device within an enclosure protecting sensitive electronic equipment. A hard-disk drive (HDD) may comprise a desiccant device that provides a source of a beneficial vapor, such as an antioxidant, a vapor corrosion inhibitor, or a colubricant, within an enclosure of the HDD. The desiccant device absorbs water vapor within the enclosure but does not absorb the beneficial vapor within the enclosure. The desiccant device may comprise a desiccant that has a plurality of micropores within a size range selected so as to allow the absorption of water but exclude the absorption of the beneficial vapor. The desiccant may be, but need not be, within the same physical container as the source of the beneficial vapor. |
| US08693129B2 |
Transport speed adjustment device, transport speed adjustment method and transport speed adjustment program for adjusting transport speed of tape medium
A tape drive capable of switching the transport speed of a tape medium among multilevel speeds calculates a data transfer rate from/to a host device, and selects an adjustment mode of the transport speed of the tape medium from a constant speed mode and a speed switch mode according to the calculated data transfer rate. The tape drive in the speed switch mode, pauses a data write or read operation to switch the transport speed of the tape medium while data is written at a first transport speed and when an available capacity of a buffer memory reaches a data volume to be received from the host device during switching of the transport speed and is read out at the first transport speed and when a data volume of a buffer memory reaches a data volume to be transmitted to the host device during switching of the transport speed. |
| US08693127B2 |
Writing timing-based servo patterns in perpendicular and non-oriented magnetic media
A method and apparatus for bipolar writing of servo marks to perpendicular and non-oriented magnetic recording medium. The method includes applying a varying current to a servo write head to alternately AC-erase and write sets of servo marks to regions of a servo track of a magnetic recording medium proximate to first and second write gaps, each servo mark of the sets of servo marks comprising first and second abutting magnetic domains of opposite magnetization directions, the magnetic recording medium moving with respect to the first and second write gaps in a recording direction, the magnetic recording medium being either (i) a perpendicular magnetic storage medium having magnetic particles with their easy axes oriented perpendicular to a top surface of the perpendicular storage medium or (ii) a non-oriented magnetic storage medium having magnetic particles with their easy axes randomly oriented relative to a top surface of the non-orientated storage medium. |
| US08693125B1 |
Cross clock phase measurement
A clock phase measurement circuit comprises a selector circuit operable to inject one of a first analog clock signal or a second analog clock signal into a signal path configured to carry an analog data signal, so that the injected analog clock signal replaces the data signal. An Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) converts the injected analog clock signal to a digital clock signal. A counter selects a time, using the second analog clock signal, to determine at least one of a phase or a magnitude of the digital clock signal. A measurement circuit determines at least one of the phase or the magnitude of the digital clock signal for at least one frequency at the selected time. |
| US08693124B1 |
Bit-locked interface for magnetic recording
Techniques are provided for performing bit-locked operations on media. A first control signal is received from a first source, and a second control signal is generated at a second source in response to receiving the first control signal. The media is accessed according to the second control signal. One or more synchronization markers are located during the accessing of the media, and bit-level synchronization between the second source and the media is achieved based, at least partially, on the one or more synchronization markers. A control operation is performed on the media with bit-level synchrony between the second source and the media. |
| US08693121B1 |
Oversampling storage system captured waveform
A method includes designating a first sampling phase for a signal captured from a magnetic storage medium, where the signal is representative of information stored by the magnetic storage medium. The method further includes capturing a first waveform associated with the signal at the first sampling phase. The method also includes designating a second sampling phase different from the first sampling phase for the signal. The method further includes capturing a second waveform associated with the signal at the second sampling phase. The method also includes interleaving the first waveform and the second waveform to form an oversampled waveform. The first waveform and the second waveform are captured at a rate at least substantially equal to a rate at which the information stored by the magnetic storage medium was written to the magnetic storage medium. |
| US08693120B2 |
Systems and methods for sample averaging in data processing
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. As an example, a data processing circuit is disclosed that includes a read circuit and a combining circuit. The read circuit is operable to provide a first instance of a user data set, a second instance of the user data set, and a third instance of the user data set. The combining circuit is operable to: combine at least a first segment of the first instance of the user data set with a first segment of the second instance of the user data set to yield a first combined data segment; provide a second combined data set that includes a combination of one or more second segments from the second instance of the user data set and the third instance of the user data set; and provide an aggregate data set including at least the first combined data set and the second combined data set. The second combined data set does not incorporate a second segment of the first instance of the user data set. |
| US08693116B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator and lens barrel
A piezoelectric actuator includes: a plurality of first piezoelectric elements; a first member that is interposed between opposing faces of the plurality of the first piezoelectric elements and that is driven in a first direction by the plurality of the first piezoelectric elements; a second piezoelectric element that is disposed in the first member; a second member that is disposed in contact with the second piezoelectric element and that is driven in a second direction intersecting the first direction by the second piezoelectric element; and a third member that comes in contact with the second member and that is moved relative to the first member by driving the second member. |
| US08693108B2 |
Image capturing lens system
This invention provides an image capturing lens system comprising: a positive first lens element having a convex object-side surface; a negative second lens element having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a third lens element with refractive power; a positive fourth lens element having a convex image-side surface, both of the object-side and image-side surfaces being aspheric; a fifth lens element with refractive power having a concave image-side surface, both of the object-side and image-side surfaces being aspheric, at least one inflection point is positioned on the image-side surface thereof. When some particular relations are satisfied, the light-focusing spots of various wavelengths can be favorably adjusted for extending the depth of field; therefore, the present image capturing lens system shall be suitable for compact electronic products with Extended Depth of Field (EDOF) function. |
| US08693107B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus
A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a positive refracting power, a second lens group having a negative refracting power, a third lens group having a positive refracting power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refracting power. When the zoom lens is zoomed from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, the first lens group is moved toward the object side so that a distance between the first and second lens groups increases and the third lens group is moved toward the object side so that a distance between the second and third lens groups decreases. The second lens group includes three lenses: negative, positive, and negative lenses in order from the object side to the image side. The third lens group includes three lenses: positive, negative, and positive lenses in order from the object side to the image side. |
| US08693105B2 |
Variable magnification optical system for projection and projection-type display apparatus
A variable magnification optical system for projection includes a first-lens-group having negative refractive power, and which is fixed when magnification of the system is changed, a second-lens-group having negative refractive power, and which is movable when magnification of the system is changed, a third-lens-group having positive refractive power, and which is movable when magnification of the system is changed, and a fourth-lens-group having positive refractive power, and which is fixed when magnification of the system is changed, which are arranged from the magnification side of the system in the order mentioned. The reduction side of the variable magnification optical system is telecentric, and formula 1.5 |
| US08693103B2 |
Display device and display method
According to one embodiment, a display device includes an image projection unit. The image projection unit is configured to project a light flux toward one eye of a human viewer by using a projection plate to reflect the light flux. The light flux includes an image including a display object having a vanishing point. The projection plate is reflective and transmissive. The image projection unit is configured to dispose the vanishing point of the display object at a position different from a position of a vanishing point of a background image viewed by the human viewer through the projection plate. |
| US08693102B2 |
Touch screen saver
A stack of laminated transparent lenses consists of two alternating optically clear materials in intimate contact. The materials are a plastic lens and clear adhesive. The adhesive is uninterrupted. The lens and the adhesive have refraction mismatch of less than 0.2. A tab portion is part of each lens acts as an aid in peeling away the outermost lens after contamination of the lens layer during racing conditions. The lens stack can be mounted to the posts on the face shield or laminated directly to a windshield. |
| US08693100B2 |
Method of manufacturing light diffusion film, light diffusion film, polarizing plate, and liquid crystal display
A method of easily manufacturing a light diffusion film by a continuous process, which achieves both good display properties and an increase in viewing angle when used in a liquid crystal display. A method of manufacturing a light diffusion film includes forming a laminate of an original light diffusion film and a photosensitive resin, wherein the photosensitive resin includes at least two types of materials that are different in refractive index from each other; and irradiating the laminate with a collimated laser beam from a side of the original light diffusion film, wherein a reflection hologram formation-preventing layer is located on a side of the laminate opposite from the side of irradiation of the laminate with a collimated laser beam. In the process of irradiating the laminate, the reflection hologram formation-preventing layer prevents formation of a reflection hologram on the photosensitive resin due to a reflected light from the irradiation. |
| US08693098B2 |
Projection objective for a microlithographic EUV projection exposure apparatus
A projection objective for a microlithographic EUV projection exposure apparatus includes a first mirror and a second mirror. The first mirror includes a mirror substrate and a reflective coating carried by the mirror substrate. The second mirror includes a mirror substrate and a reflective coating carried by the mirror substrate. The first and second mirrors are configured so that, with otherwise equal irradiation by EUV light, the mirror substrate of the first mirror compacts less than the mirror substrate of the second mirror under the effect of the EUV light. |
| US08693097B2 |
Temperable three layer antireflective coating, coated article including temperable three layer antireflective coating, and/or method of making the same
A coated article includes a temperable antireflection (AR) coating that utilizes medium and low index (index of refraction “n”) layers having compressive residual stress in the AR coating. In certain example embodiments, the coating may include the following layers from the glass substrate outwardly: silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy) medium index layer/high index layer/low index layer. In certain example embodiments, depending on the chemical and optical properties of the high index layer and the substrate, the medium and low index layers of the AR coating are selected to cause a net compressive residual stress and thus optimize the overall performance of the antireflection coating when the coated article is tempered and/or heat-treated. |
| US08693096B2 |
Diffractive optical element, optical system including the same, and image pickup apparatus
A diffractive optical element includes multiple diffraction gratings laminated and made of at least three material types, wherein the multiple diffraction gratings include: a first combination part including two diffraction gratings of materials different from each other in which grating side surfaces of grating parts contact with each other or are disposed close to each other in a grating pitch direction; and a second combination part including two diffraction gratings of materials different from each other in which at least one material is different from the materials of the first combination part; and when N1Aw and N1Bw denote refractive indices of the first combination part at a wavelength (w), ν1A and ν1B denote Abbe numbers, N2Ad and N2Bd denote refractive indices of the second combination part on a d-line, ν2A and ν2B denote Abbe numbers, the wavelength (w) is 370 |