| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08699615B2 |
Simultaneous communications jamming and enabling on a same frequency band
There is described the use of Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) modules to jam certain communication signals while allowing others to be received on a given frequency band. The DRFM modules exploit the multi-path phenomenon by using transmitted signals to cause full band destructive echoes and/or distortions. A set of receivers used in conjunction with the DRFM modules are aware of the exact multi-path induced by the DRFM modules and are therefore able to mitigate or even benefit from the effects of the destructive multi-path and maintain or improve communications. |
| US08699612B1 |
Unified, programmable receiver with support for multiple modes
Techniques are described herein that receive communications transmitted according to different operation modes at a multi-mode, programmable receiver system. The multi-mode, programmable receiver system may receive communication signals from transmit antennas in “cells” (e.g., base station transceivers and/or the like) according to one or more operation modes, using receive antennas. The received signals may be converted and processed by various modules of the multi-mode, programmable receiver system to produce an output signal. The multi-mode, programmable receiver system includes modules that are programmable to be selectively enabled or disabled according to an operation mode in accordance with which the multi-mode, programmable receiver system operates. |
| US08699608B2 |
Wireless communication system, wireless communication apparatus, and wireless communication method
A wireless communication system is disclosed. The system performs data transmission from a first terminal including N antennas to a second terminal including M antennas using spatially multiplexed streams (N and M are integers larger than or equal to 2). |
| US08699606B2 |
System and method for transmitter and receiver operation for multiple-input, multiple-output communications based on prior channel knowledge
A system and method for transmitter and receiver operation for multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) communications based on prior channel knowledge are provided. A method for receiver operations includes receiving a data block, determining if there is confidence in information related to a channel, detecting data in the data block with a first detector in response to determining that there is confidence in the information, and detecting the data in the data block with a second detector in response to determining that there is no confidence in the information. The data block is received over the channel. |
| US08699604B2 |
System and method for relaying signals in asynchronous cooperative network
Relay nodes relay data from a source node (110) to a destination node (130) in an asynchronous cooperative wireless communication system. Each relay node (120) includes a serial-to-parallel partitioner (212), a row selector (214), a cyclic shifter (216) and an SCBT modulator (218). The serial-to-parallel partitioner partitions symbols corresponding to received information into parallel blocks. The row selector selects one row of a coding matrix for each of the parallel blocks and constructs symbol blocks corresponding to the parallel blocks based on the selected row. The cyclic shifter shifts a cyclic delay of each of the symbol blocks and generates shifted symbol blocks corresponding to the symbol blocks. The SCBT modulator pads a guard interval to each shifted symbol block to remove the effects of asynchronous relay transmission. Constructing the symbol blocks and generating the shifted symbol blocks provides virtual spatial diversity among the relay nodes, which varies directly with a number of participating relay nodes. |
| US08699601B1 |
Distance-level combining for MIMO systems with HARQ and/or repetition coding
Systems and methods are provided for decoding signal vectors in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, where the receiver has received one or more signal vectors from the same transmitted vector. For each received signal vector, the receiver evaluates a decoding metric using each possible value of the transmitted signal vector to produce a set of distances. The receiver then combines distances from across the received signal vectors to produce a combined distance associated with each possible value of the transmitted signal vector. Using the combined distances, the receiver may choose among the possible values of the transmit signal vector to determine the actual transmit signal vector. |
| US08699593B2 |
Communication medium determining apparatus and method of determining communication medium
A communication medium determining apparatus determines a communication medium in use for communication between two devices on a network. The apparatus includes a communication performance obtaining unit which obtains values indicating transmission speeds in a given communication path when a device which decreases transmission speed in a specific communication medium when activated, is active and when the device is inactive. The apparatus further includes a communication medium determining unit which determines whether or not the communication through the given communication path is performed using the specific communication medium. This determination is based on a speed decrease value indicating a decrease amount of the transmission speed in the specific communication medium caused by activation of the device, and a speed difference value which is a difference in the transmission speed obtained by the communication performance obtaining unit between when the device is active and when the device is inactive. |
| US08699590B2 |
Efficient OFDM peak reduction algorithm
An efficient method of OFDM peak reduction is described. In an embodiment, a set of the most significant peaks in a symbol of an OFDM signal are identified and then, for each identified peak, a shifted and scaled version of a template cancellation signal is subtracted from the OFDM signal. The template cancellation signal is shifted such that its peak aligns with the identified peak and it is scaled such that it has the opposite phase to the identified peak. No iterative peak search and cancellation is involved in peak reduction, i.e. a cancellation step is not followed by another peak search for the same OFDM symbol. The process is repeated for each symbol in turn and in some embodiments the OFDM signal is up-sampled before it is analyzed to identify the most significant peaks. |
| US08699584B2 |
Digital broadcasting transmission and reception system, and a signal processing method using turbo processing and turbo decoding
A digital broadcast receiver and a method for receiving a digital broadcast signal are provided. The digital broadcast receiver includes a receiving unit for receiving a transmission stream comprising known data, control information having information regarding the known data, and a supplementary data stream; and a turbo decoder for detecting the supplementary data stream from the received transmission stream, and performing turbo decoding on the detected supplementary data stream. |
| US08699581B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, information processing device, and information processing method
An image processing device includes: a holder configured to hold a reference picture necessary for decoding of an access unit as a processing subject in decoding of a stream composed of access units including a header; an analyzer configured to analyze the stream to thereby detect the header for each of the access units; and a generator configured to, if a header indicating change of deletion order of pictures is detected as the header detected by the analyzer, delete a picture included in an access unit corresponding to the header in the deletion order indicated by the header and generate hold information indicating a reference picture to be held by the holder. |
| US08699578B2 |
Methods and systems for processing multi-latticed video streams
An apparatus for facilitating reception of multiple representations of a video signal. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a mechanism for receiving plural representations of the video signal corresponding to plural decimated versions of the video signal, associating pictures of the received plural representations of the video signal, and outputting pictures corresponding to information from associated pictures in accordance with a relative temporal order. |
| US08699572B2 |
Referenceable frame expiration
Coding techniques for a video image compression system involve improving an image quality of a sequence of two or more bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames, where each of the frames includes multiple pixels. One method involves determining a brightness value of at least one pixel of each bi-directionally predicted intermediate frame in the sequence as an equal average of brightness values of pixels in non-bidirectionally predicted frames bracketing the sequence of bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames. The brightness values of the pixels in at least one of the non-bidirectionally predicted frames is converted from a non-linear representation. |
| US08699566B2 |
Adaptive and integrated visualization of spatiotemporal data from large-scale simulations
Adaptive and integrated visualization of spatiotemporal data from large-scale simulation, is provided. A simulation is performed utilizing a simulator comprising multiple processors, generating spatiotemporal data samples from the simulation. Each data sample has spatial coordinates with a time stamp at a specific time resolution, and a tag. The data samples are assembled into data streams based on at least one of a spatial relationship and the corresponding tag. Each data stream is encoded into multiple formats, and an integrated and adaptive visualization of the data streams is displayed, wherein various data streams are simultaneously and synchronously displayed. |
| US08699565B2 |
Method and system for mixed-resolution low-complexity information coding and a corresponding method and system for decoding coded information
Method and system embodiments of the present invention are directed to information compression by information-coding subsystems within computationally-constrained information sources, efficient information transmission through electronic communications media to information sinks with relatively large computational bandwidths. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method and system for low-complexity, mixed-resolution information coding by low-powered, computationally constrained distributed sensors which provide continuous video images through wireless communications to a computer-system information sink where the coded information is decoded. |
| US08699561B2 |
System and methods for detecting and handling errors in a multi-threaded video data decoder
Apparatus and methods for decoding streaming data containing one or more coded pictures in which each picture contains a plurality of slices and each slice containing a plurality of macroblocks are disclosed. A first decoding subtask is performed on all macroblocks in the coded picture or a section thereof. After performing the first decoding subtask on all macroblocks in the coded picture or a section thereof, a second decoding subtask is performed on all the macroblocks in the coded picture or section thereof. One or more of the first and second tasks includes examining a slice or macroblock within the coded picture to determine if there are any errors, and if an error is present, handling the error. |
| US08699559B2 |
Decision feedback equalization scheme with minimum correction delay
A decision feedback equalizer includes a correction circuit to correct a sampled value of an incoming bit based on intersymbol interference of at least one preceding bit, and to generate a received bit. The correction circuit includes a first multiplexer and a first pair of latches coupled thereto. The first multiplexer is controlled by a clock signal to generate a digital level representative of a sign of a first correction coefficient to be subtracted from the sampled value of the incoming bit for deleting the intersymbol interference. The first pair of latches receives as input the received bit and is clocked in phase opposition by the clock signal to generate respective latched replicas of the received bit during respective active phases of the clock signal. The respective latched replicas are input to the first multiplexer. |
| US08699558B1 |
Decoupling and pipelining of multiplexer loop in parallel processing decision-feedback circuits
This invention discloses circuit and methods to decouple and pipeline block decision feedback multiplexer (MUX) loop in parallel processing decision feedback circuits. In one embodiment of this invention, a block decision feedback MUX loop consists of a pipelined intra-block decision feedback MUX stage and an inter-block decision feedback MUX stage to handle intra-block decision feedback selection and inter-block decision feedback selection separately. In the pipelined intra-block decision feedback stage, inter-block dependency is eliminated to enable pipelining. In another embodiment of this invention for moderately timing-critical parallel processing decision feedback circuits, a block decision feedback MUX loop is piecewise split into multiple series connected segments that each segment contains parallel branches. The intra-segment decision feedback selections of different segments are decoupled and processed in parallel. The selections of final decision signals of different branches in a segment are parallelized. |
| US08699557B2 |
Pipelined decision-feedback unit in a reduced-state Viterbi detector with local feedback
A pipelined decision feedback unit (DFU) is disclosed for use in reduced-state Viterbi detectors with local feedback. The disclosed pipelined decision feedback unit improves the maximum data rate that may be achieved by the reduced state Viterbi detector by the pipelined computation of partial intersymbol interference-based estimates. A pipelined decision feedback unit is thus disclosed that computes a plurality of partial intersymbol interference based estimates, wherein at least one partial intersymbol interference-based estimate is based on a selected partial intersymbol interference-based estimate; and selects the selected partial intersymbol interference-based estimate from among partial intersymbol interference-based estimates for path extensions into a state. |
| US08699555B2 |
Adaptive equalizer
An adaptive equalizer circuit, set forth by way of example and not limitation, includes a plurality of paths receiving an input signal. One or more equalizers are each provided on one of the paths and are operative to equalize signal amplitude. An equalizer selector receives the input signal and is operative to output a selection signal based on higher-frequency content and lower-frequency content of the input signal. The selection signal is operative to select one of the paths to output an output signal that is based on the input signal. |
| US08699551B2 |
System for FEXT cancellation of multi-channel transceivers with precoding
The present invention relates to data processing techniques in multi-channel data transmission systems. In this invention, a novel approach is proposed to deal with FEXT interferences in the application of high/ultra-high speed Ethernet systems. Compared with the traditional FEXT cancellation approaches, the proposed FEXT canceller can deal with the non-causal part of FEXT, and thus can achieve better cancellation performance. Instead of using the conventional DFE, structure, TH precoding technique is incorporated into the proposed design to alleviate the error propagation problem. The resulting FEXT cancellers do not contain feedback loops which makes the high speed VLSI implementation easy. A modified design is also developed by using a finite signal as the input to the FEXT canceller such that the hardware complexity of the proposed FEXT canceller can be reduced. |
| US08699549B2 |
Communication device, communication system, and communication method
A communication device includes a transmission circuit that transmits a transmission signal under a certain transmission condition, a reception circuit that receives a reception result of the transmission signal under a certain reception condition and the certain reception condition, and an adjustment circuit that transmits information used to adjust the reception condition based on the reception result and the reception condition from the transmission circuit. |
| US08699545B2 |
Embedded meta-carrier with code progression message reassembly
A method of embedding and transmitting a meta-data message in an original burst carrier signal for message reassembly comprising spreading a meta-carrier signal using a Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) spreading code having a Pseudo-Random Noise (PRN) spreading code sequence, the meta-carrier signal comprising one or more bits of meta-data information about the original burst carrier signal, lowering a power spectral density of the meta-carrier signal using the PRN spreading code such that interference with the original signal is reduced, combining the original burst carrier and the meta-carrier signals using a modulator such that a composite burst carrier signal results wherein the meta-carrier signal occupies at least a portion of a bandwidth of the original carrier, and transmitting the composite burst carrier using a transmitter over a telecommunications channel in which only one burst carrier signal is expected to be present within a predetermined frequency bandwidth at a point in time. |
| US08699542B2 |
Information leakage prevention apparatus and method
A spread spectrum modulation unit (12) performs spread spectrum clocking processing for a basic clock signal (BC) synchronized with the carrier frequency or its harmonic frequency of image information leaked from an unwanted electromagnetic wave. A modulation pattern generation unit (13) generates and outputs, as a modulation pattern signal (MP), a PN code having sign bit data synchronized with each pulse of the obtained spread spectrum clock signal SC. In addition, the modulation pattern generation unit (13) resets the repetition period of the PN code based on a horizontal sync signal (H). A modulated clock generation unit (14) modulates the spread spectrum clock signal (SC) in accordance with the modulation pattern signal (MP). The obtained modulated clock signal (MC) is amplified, generating a leakage prevention signal (JC). A leakage prevention signal containing a sideband component of a satisfactory level can be generated, obtaining a useful leakage prevention effect. |
| US08699541B2 |
Unstable optical resonator device
An unstable optical resonator device is provided, comprising a spherical back mirror, a spherical outcoupling mirror, wherein a focal point lies between the back mirror and the outcoupling mirror, an optically active medium with a rectangular medium cross-section arranged between the back mirror and the outcoupling mirror, and a scraper, which is arranged between the back mirror and the outcoupling mirror and has a first leg and a second leg located transversely to the first leg, said legs defining a free space with a first side delimited by the first leg and a second side delimited by the second leg, wherein the first side and the second side are orthogonal to one another. |
| US08699540B2 |
Surface-emitting laser device and surface-emitting laser array including same
A surface-emitting laser device is disclosed that includes a substrate connected to a heat sink; a first reflective layer formed of a semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector on the substrate; a first cavity spacer layer formed in contact with the first reflective layer; an active layer formed in contact with the first cavity spacer layer; a second cavity spacer layer formed in contact with the active layer; and a second reflective layer formed of a semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector in contact with the second cavity spacer layer. The first cavity spacer layer includes a semiconductor material having a thermal conductivity greater than the thermal conductivity of a semiconductor material forming the second cavity spacer layer. |
| US08699538B2 |
Quantum cascade laser
A quantum cascade laser is configured to include a semiconductor substrate, and an active layer that is provided on the substrate and has a cascade structure formed by alternately laminating emission layers and injection layers by multistage-laminating unit laminate structures each consisting of the quantum well emission layer and the injection layer, and generates light by intersubband transition in a quantum well structure. In a laser cavity structure for light with a predetermined wavelength generated in the active layer, a front reflection film with a reflectance of not less than 40% and not more than 99% for laser oscillation light is formed on the front end face that becomes a laser beam output surface, and a back reflection film with a reflectance higher than that of the front reflection film for the laser oscillation light is formed on the back end face. |
| US08699534B2 |
Laser diode driver with wave-shape control
An optical disk drive system associated with a laser diode is described. The optical disk drive system comprises a current generator for receiving input signals; a current switch coupled to receive timing signals; a current driver coupled to receive output signals from the current switch and the current generator, the current driver further comprising a driver with wave shape control selected from the group consisting of a laser diode read driver and a laser diode write driver, wherein the driver with shape control is operative for transmitting at least one output signal that is a scaled version of at least one of the output signals received from the current generator, wherein the current driver is operative for transmitting at least one output signal driving the laser diode. |
| US08699533B1 |
Method and system for managing thermally sensitive optical devices
Two or more lasers or other temperature sensitive optical devices can be disposed in an operating environment, for example in a common enclosure exposed to the environment. The environment can have a temperature that fluctuates, for example in connection with random events, weather, seasons, etc. Each laser's temperature can track the temperature of the environment in steps, with each laser following a distinct temperature track. The lasers can alternate outputting light into a wavelength division multiplexing channel. For example, during one timeframe, one laser can provide an optical communication signal having a wavelength complying with a wavelength division multiplexing criterion. During another timeframe, the other laser can provide an optical signal having substantially the same wavelength. Operating a laser at an elevated temperature can shorten laser lifetime. To mitigate temperature induced failure, a replacement laser can be engaged when a failure predictor, precursor, or indicator meets a threshold. |
| US08699531B2 |
Mobile communication system and communication method thereof
A communication method in a mobile communication system that transmits different data to which transmission sequence numbers have been attached, over each of a plurality of paths from a mobile station to a radio network controller via a plurality of base stations; where the radio network controller monitors the communication state of each path, determines to transmit the data over all of a plurality of paths, transmit the data over two or more specified paths, or transmit the data over only one specified path, based on the communication state of each path, and notifies the mobile station of the determined path/paths; and where the mobile station transmits different data to which different transmission sequence numbers have been attached, over said notified path/paths, and the radio network controller rearranges the data received from each path by reference to the transmission sequence numbers and transmits the rearranged data to a core network. |
| US08699530B2 |
Apparatus and methods for multi-stage multiplexing in a network
Methods and apparatus for performing multiplexing of video or other content (e.g., programs) within a network using feed-back from a subsequent digital program insertion stage, and/or feed-forward information from a prior multiplexing stage. In one embodiment, the network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable network having headend and hub-based statistical multiplexing stages, and communication between the two stages is used to improve the visual quality performance and bandwidth utilization of the output multi-program stream during conditions where downstream content is inserted into the transport stream. Business methods associated with the various multiplexing features described above are also disclosed. |
| US08699528B2 |
Systems and methods for communication using dedicated reference signal (DRS)
A method for communication includes receiving in a receiver signals, which include one or more dedicated reference signals, that are transmitted from a transmitter over a communication channel in multiple blocks. The signals in each block, including the dedicated reference signals, are transmitted on a respective group of subcarriers over a respective time interval and are precoded using a respective precoding scheme that maps the signals onto multiple antenna ports of the transmitter. Based on the received signals, feedback is computed in the receiver with respect to the communication channel in each of multiple spectral sub-bands, and the feedback for the multiple spectral sub-bands is reported to the transmitter. One or more parameters of the communication channel are estimated jointly over the dedicated reference signals included in each of the spectral sub-bands for which the feedback is reported. The signals are decoded based on the estimated parameters. |
| US08699527B2 |
Encoding/transmitting apparatus and encoding/transmitting method
An encoding/transmitting apparatus that is used to transmit moving-picture data from a transmitting side to a receiving side through a transmission path and to subject the moving-picture data to streaming in the receiving side has an external-output request determining unit that monitors the state of a network. If the network assumes an undesirable state, the request determining unit causes a multiplex output unit to stop multiplexing data. When the network assumes a desirable state, the multiplex unit starts multiplexing the data again. A video encoding unit and an audio encoding unit keep encoding data, whether the multiplex output unit is multiplexing data or not. When the area occupied by encoded data in an encoded-video-data storage unit and the area occupied by encoded data in an encoded-audio-data storage unit exceed a predetermined value, the encoding units stop encoding data, and wait until the area occupied by encoded data sufficiently decreases. |
| US08699525B2 |
Method for sending an acknowledgement to an ingress mesh point in a mesh network and a medium access control frame format
The present invention relates to a method for confirming the delivery of a data packet in a mesh network by sending an acknowledgement (ACK) to an ingress mesh point (IMP). A mesh network comprises a plurality of mesh points that are wirelessly linked together. A data packet sent by a station (STA) is received by an IMP. A MAC frame is generated for transmission of the data packet and the frame is forwarded to an egress mesh point (EMP) in order to provide a service by the mesh network. The MAC frame includes a field comprising an IMP address and an EMP address. When the EMP, (or optionally an intermediate mesh point), receives a data packet successfully, the EMP or the intermediate mesh point sends an ACK to the IMP or preceding mesh point. |
| US08699522B2 |
System and method for low delay, interactive communication using multiple TCP connections and scalable coding
Systems and methods for communication of scaleable-coded audiovisual signals over multiple TCP/IP connections are provided. The sender schedules and prioritizes transmission of individual scalable-coded data packets over the plurality of TCP connections according to their relative importance in the scalable coding structure for signal reconstruction quality and according to receiver feedback. Low-latency packet delivery over the multiple TCP/IP connections is maintained by avoiding transmission or retransmission of packets that are less important for reconstructed media quality. |
| US08699521B2 |
Apparatus and method for in-line insertion and removal of markers
An apparatus is provided, for performing a direct memory access (DMA) operation between a host memory in a first server and a network adapter. The apparatus includes a host frame parser and a protocol engine. The host frame parser is configured to receive data corresponding to the DMA operation from a host interface, and is configured to insert markers on-the-fly into the data at a prescribed interval and to provide marked data for transmission to a second server over a network fabric. The protocol engine is coupled to the host frame parser. The protocol engine is configured to direct the host frame parser to insert the markers, and is configured to specify a first marker value and an offset value, whereby the host frame parser is enabled to locate and insert a first marker into the data. |
| US08699520B2 |
Computer device, receiving device, receiving method, and computer readable storage medium storing instructions of a computer program thereof
A computer device includes a data packet buffer, an improving quality packet buffer, a correspondence memory, an improving quality processing unit, an operation controller, and a recovered data packet processing unit. The data packet buffer stores data packets of streams. The improving quality packet buffer stores an improving quality packet including a redundant data and identification information. The correspondence memory stores a correspondence between the improving quality packet and the data packets. The improving quality processing unit performs an improving quality processing for recovering the lost data packet by using the redundant data and at least one of the data packets corresponding to the correspondence, in order to obtain a recovered data packet. The operation controller controls the improving quality processing unit to perform the improving quality processing. The recovered data packet processing unit stores the recovered data packet into the data packet buffer. |
| US08699519B2 |
Transmission rate control device and transmission rate control method
A first communication terminal which communicates with a second communication terminal through a best effort network includes: a communication history storage unit in which a communication history is stored for each of the communication terminals; and a round-trip delay time calculation unit which calculates a round-trip delay time that occurs in a communication with the second communication terminal. The second communication terminal includes a target loss event rate calculation unit which calculates a target loss event rate that is to be set by the first communication terminal in a communication with the second communication terminal, based on a past transmission rate that is recorded in the communication history and has been realized in the communication with the second communication terminal, and on the round-trip delay time that occurs in the communication with the second communication terminal. The first communication terminal changes a transmission rate which is set at the present time to a target transmission rate which is calculated based on the target loss event rate and the round-trip delay time. According to the transmission rate control device, when it is determined that the bandwidth that is estimated to be available in a communication through the network is rapidly changed, the transmission rate can be changed to a target bit rate in a short time period. |
| US08699518B2 |
Dynamic circuit adjustment
A system and method are provided for dynamically reconfiguring an optical circuit between a first node and a second node of a communication network. The system and method may include establishing a scheduling window for receiving a plurality of optical traffic demands, classifying the plurality of optical traffic demands into at least a set of bandwidth adjustable demands and a set of fixed bandwidth demands, provisioning a first set of provisioned wavelengths from the plurality of wavelengths to carry the set of fixed bandwidth demands during the scheduling window, allocating the bandwidth remaining on the first set of provisioned wavelengths to the set of bandwidth adjustable demands, and if necessary, provisioning a second set of provisioned wavelengths from the plurality of wavelengths to carry the bandwidth required by the set of bandwidth adjustable demands that could not be allocated to the first set of provisioned wavelengths. |
| US08699515B2 |
Limiting of network device resources responsive to IPv6 originating entity identification
Methods, apparatus, computer-storage media, mechanisms, and means associated therewith are used to limit network device resources based on the identification of the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) originating entity (e.g., subscriber of a network carrier). As an IPv6 originating entity will typically be assigned 264 or more valid IPv6 addresses, the originating entity may send packets with a source address of any of these valid IPv6 addresses and still be compliant with Internet standards and/or other specifications (e.g., RFCs). By determining the originating entity and controlling the allocation of network device resources based on the originating entity (in contrast to on a per valid IPv6 address basis), a network service provider can manage its network device resources, such as in a manner to prevent a depletion of resources caused by an originating entity using a plethora valid IPv6 addresses, or a malicious denial-of-service attack. |
| US08699513B2 |
Method and system for facilitating quality of service in edge devices in a fibre channel network
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates quality of service (QoS) in a Fiber Channel (FC) host bus adaptor (HBA). In this system the bandwidth on an FC link between the HBA and the FC switch can be allocated into a plurality of logical channels, and a respective logical channel can transport data frames of variable length. Furthermore, a respective logical channel is associated with a dedicated buffer. During operation, the HBA communicates to an FC switch the HBA's capability of receiving or sending a data flow over a logical channel that couples the HBA to the FC switch. The HBA further receives logical-channel allocation information from the FC switch. Furthermore, the HBA associates data frames with a logical channel and transmits data frames to the FC switch on the corresponding logical channel. |
| US08699512B2 |
Method for allocating resource for multicast and broadcast service data in wireless communication system and an apparatus therefor
A method for receiving multicast and broadcast service (MBS) data from a base station to a mobile station comprises receiving a sub-packet from the base station in accordance with a predetermined period, the sub-packet including information associated with initial network entry and network discovery included in a secondary-super frame header (S-SFH); and receiving a first MBS MAP from the base station, the first MBS MAP including an S-SFH sub-packet update indicator indicating whether a parameter included in the sub-packet has been changed, wherein the S-SFH sub-packet update indicator indicates whether the changed sub-packet has been transmitted within an MBS scheduling interval (MSI) for which the first MBS MAP is transmitted. |
| US08699510B2 |
‘Shield’: protecting high priority channel access attempts in overlapped wireless cells
A method and system reduce interference between overlapping first and second wireless LAN cells contending for the same medium. Each cell includes a respective plurality of member stations. An inter-cell contention-free period value is assigned to a first access point station in the first cell, associated with an accessing order in the medium for member stations in the first and second cells. The access point in the first cell transmits an initial shield packet to deter other stations from contending for the medium. The access point then transmits a beacon packet containing the inter-cell contention-free period value to member stations in the second cell. A second access point in the second cell can then delay transmissions by member stations in the second cell until after the inter-cell contention-free period expires. |
| US08699505B2 |
Dynamic channelization code allocation
Techniques for efficient allocation of channelization codes are disclosed. In one aspect, a dedicated data channel is partitioned into a primary channel and a secondary channel. The rate of the primary channel is a relatively low fixed rate. The rate of the secondary channel varies over time in accordance with the rate of the dedicated channel data. In another aspect, a channelization code indicator is transmitted in the primary channel to identify the secondary channel. In yet another aspect, more than one secondary channel may be deployed. Various other aspects are also presented. These aspects have the benefit of efficient code resource allocation, resulting in increased support for users/and or channels, as well as increased system capacity. |
| US08699502B2 |
Media receiver hub
A media receiver hub receives wireless signals from multiple sources (e.g., satellite signals from multiple satellites) and provides the signals to end devices over a local network. According to an example embodiment, a satellite hub is responsive to channel input selections received from end devices by selecting channels from within received satellite signals, and by converting each channel into a format amenable for delivery to and use at an end device requesting the channel. The converted channels are communicated to the end devices over a network that also facilitates communications between the devices, by restricting the communications to using a portion of the available bandwidth of the network, reserving bandwidth for communications with and/or between the end devices (or other network devices). |
| US08699499B2 |
Methods and apparatus to provision cloud computing network elements
Methods and apparatus to provision cloud computing network elements are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving a selection of a cloud networking template from a client, wherein the cloud networking template includes a data center connector type and a wide area network connector type, configuring a virtual machine on a host server based on the cloud networking template, configuring a data center connector based on the data center connector type, configuring a wide area network connector based on the wide area network connector type, and coupling the wide area network connector to the data center connector and coupling the data center connector to the virtual machine within the host server to enable the client to access the virtual machine. |
| US08699496B2 |
Method for guaranteeing the quality of services in packet-switching wireless networks
A method for guaranteeing the quality of services in packet-switching radio communications networks. The radio access network (RAN) and the core network (CN) use the quality of service information independently of one another, without signalling individual parameters, in order to guarantee the transmission of packets in the uplink and downlink according to the quality of service. This is achieved exclusively using local settings that have been configured for individual TCLs, permitting a radical reduction in complexity compared to conventional methods. The method is further simplified by the described interlinking of different tasks or the linking of such tasks to an existing data transmission. |
| US08699485B2 |
Multicast over lag and IRB in a routing device
Techniques for handling multicast over link aggregated (LAG) interfaces and integrated routing and bridging (IRB) interfaces in a network device are described in which interfaces, at which a data unit is to be transmitted, may be represented hierarchically in which the LAG interfaces and IRB interfaces are represented as pointers. In one implementation, a device may determine routes for data units, where a route for a multicast data unit is represented as a set of interfaces of the device at which the data unit is to be output. Entries in the set of interfaces may include physical interfaces of the device and pointers to LAG interfaces or pointers to the IRB interfaces. The device may generate tokens to represent routes for data units and resolve the pointers to the LAG interfaces or the IRB interfaces to obtain physical interfaces of the router corresponding to a LAG or an IRB. |
| US08699483B2 |
Method and system having an application for a run time IPv6 only network
A system, method, and computer readable medium are disclosed that facilitates an IP network environment. The system includes a computer device having a software module running on an operating system of the computer device, the software module (a) establishes an IP network criteria for incoming and outgoing packets for the computer device; (b) retrieves the incoming and outgoing packets to determine if an IP address for the incoming and outgoing packets meet the IP network criteria; (c) if the IP address for the incoming and outgoing packets meets the IP network criteria, forwards the incoming packets having the IP address to a network layer, which is under or part of the operating system of the computer device and forwards outgoing packets to a network connection; and (d) if the IP address for the incoming and outgoing packets does not meet the IP network criteria, drops the incoming and outgoing packets. |
| US08699479B2 |
Server, system and method that providing additional contents
Disclosed is a server, a system, and a method for providing additional content simultaneously with main content. The system includes: a server for multiplexing a second content with a first content which is streaming-transmitted, and streaming-transmitting, to a terminal, a mixed content produced by multiplexing the second content with the first content; and the terminal for receiving the mixed content, demultiplexing the mixed content to separate the second content from the first content, streaming-reproducing the first content, and storing the separated second content therein. Accordingly, the system does not need a configuration of another system for providing additional content, which presents separate conditions for providing the additional content and determines if the separate conditions are satisfied. Namely, if a condition for receiving only a particular period of the particular content is satisfied, a user of the terminal can receive and use the additional content along with the particular content. |
| US08699471B2 |
System and method for scrambling and time-hopping
A system and method for scrambling and time-hopping in an ultra-wideband wireless network. In one embodiment, a wireless device includes a symbol mapper and a dynamic chip scrambler. The dynamic chip scrambler is configured to scramble each of a plurality of consecutive bursts of a time-hopped packet according to a pseudo-random scrambling sequence that varies from burst to burst. |
| US08699464B1 |
Multi-band communication with a wireless device
In a system and method for multi-band communication with a wireless device, determining for a wireless device comprising a first radio associated with a first radio access technology and a second radio associated with a second radio access technology a first wake time of the first radio and a second wake time of the second radio, receiving data for an application running on the wireless device at a receive time, and sending the received data to the wireless device using one of the first radio access technology and the second radio access technology based on a first time period between the receive time and the first wake time and a second time period between the receive time and the second wake time. |
| US08699452B2 |
Congestion control in a wireless data network
Techniques for congestion control are disclosed. In an embodiment, a base station allocates a shared resource using a combination of zero or more individual grants and zero or more common grants, and generates a multi-valued busy signal in response to loading conditions that exceed a pre-determined level. In another embodiment, a subset of transmitting mobile stations reduce their transmission rate in response to a multi-valued busy signal. The subset may include autonomous transmission, commonly granted transmission, individually granted transmission, or any combination thereof. In various embodiments, rate adjustment may be probabilistic or deterministic. In an embodiment, a rate table is deployed, and a mobile station decreases or increases the transmission rate from one rate in the table to a lower or higher rate in the table, respectively, in response to the busy signal. Various other aspects provide efficient congestion control, avoiding excessive interference and increasing capacity. |
| US08699451B2 |
Update method of wireless relay station link relation
A method for updating a connection relationship of a wireless relay station, comprises the following steps of: (a) a wireless relay station RS1 already connecting to a wireless communication network group comprising a base station and wireless relay stations subjected to the base station, and if determining that the connection relationship of RS1 needs to be changed, selecting a target node; (b) instructing RS1 to update the connection to the target node, and after receiving the instructions, RS1 starting a connection update, establishing a wireless link to a new node and releasing no longer used resource in an existing data tunnel. The present invention can fulfill the update of the connection relationship of a wireless relay station, and can take steps to further guarantee the service suspension time of the terminals and RSs subjected to the wireless relay station is the shortest. |
| US08699450B2 |
Systems and methods for multimode wireless communication handoff
Methods and apparatus for autonomous handover between WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) EVDO (Evolution-Data Optimized) or 1×RTT (one times Radio Transmission Technology, or 1×) networks during normal operation of a dual-mode mobile station (MS) are provided. The methods and apparatus may improve service continuity during handover and need not require any changes to the WiMAX or CDMA standards. |
| US08699449B2 |
Control and data channel radio resource configuration in an OFDM network
A base station transmits first scheduling information on a first control channel for a first packet communicated with a first wireless device. First radio resources of the first control channel start from the first OFDM symbol of each subframe. The base station transmits a radio resource control (RRC) message causing configuration of second radio resources of a second control channel in a second wireless device. The second radio resources comprise resource blocks in a subset of subframes. The base station transmits second scheduling information on the second control channel for a second packet communicated with the second wireless device. |
| US08699448B2 |
Method and arrangement for improved interference rejection combining
In a method of interference rejection combining (IRC) for mitigating interference in received signals in the frequency domain for a telecommunication system, selecting (S 10) a sub-group of frequencies of a received signal, determining (S20) a joint representation of a covariance matrix for the interference plus noise for at least one time slot of the received signal for the selected sub-group of frequencies, determining (S30) a channel estimate based on at least one pilot symbol of said at least one time slot. Finally, determining (S40) IRC coefficients in the frequency domain for each symbol of said at least one time slot based on said determined joint representation of the covariance matrix and said determined channel estimate. |
| US08699447B2 |
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for prioritizing uplink carriers
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for prioritizing uplink carriers. A method may include determining a first pilot channel transmission power level for a first uplink carrier. The method may further include determining a second pilot channel transmission power level for a second uplink carrier. The method may additionally include prioritizing the first and second uplink carriers based at least in part upon the first and second pilot channel transmission power levels. Corresponding computer program products and apparatuses are also provided. |
| US08699440B2 |
Resource allocation method for broadband wireless connection system, and apparatus for performing same
The present invention relates to a broadband wireless connection system, and more particularly, to a method for a base station to more efficiently allocate resources to a terminal, and to an apparatus for performing same. In a broadband wireless connection system according to one aspect of the present invention, a method for a base station for continuously allocating resources comprises the steps of: determining a size and location of a continuous allocation resource to be allocated through continuous resource allocation; comparing the size and location of the determined continuous allocation resource with those of previously allocated continuous allocation resources; and transmitting a map information element (A-MAP IE) including resource allocation information set according to the results of the comparison to a terminal. |
| US08699439B2 |
Method and system for paging a terminal in multi-carrier system
A method for paging a terminal in a multi-carrier system is disclosed in the present invention, and the method includes that: the terminal enters an Idle mode, and the system selects as a paging carrier for the terminal a fully configured carrier which a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) is sent on so as to send a paging message; the terminal receives MBS service on the carrier where the MBS service is sent, simultaneously receives the paging message on the paging carrier, and performs the corresponding operation according to the paging message. A system for paging a terminal in a multi-carrier system is also disclosed in the present invention. Based on the method and system, it is possible for the terminal to receive the paging message of the system efficiently and duly while receiving multicast broadcast service. |
| US08699432B2 |
Arrangement and method for connecting an ad-hoc communication network to a permanent communication network via a half-duplex communication link
A method and arrangement for connecting an ad-hoc communication network (101) to a permanent communication network (102) via a half-duplex communication link (140). The ad-hoc communication network is established between communication devices (103-106) and a gateway device (107) using a routing protocol that is run in the gateway device and in the communication devices. Relaying of data between the ad-hoc communication network and the permanent communication network is controlled by setting the following relaying operations into a pre-determined order of mutual priority: relaying data from the ad-hoc communication network to the permanent communication network and relaying data from the permanent communication network to the ad-hoc communication network. The pre-determined order of priority facilitates data transfer via the half-duplex communication link between the permanent communication network and the ad-hoc communication network that can be either a full-duplex network or a half-duplex network. |
| US08699422B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocation of radio resources
An estimate of a cost of allocating radio resources available for allocation to a at least one radio link within a cell is generated in dependency of which radio resources have been used within the cell at previous times. This cost estimate can be compared to a quality gain of allocating the radio resources to the radio link, and an allocation decision can be made in dependency of the comparison result. |
| US08699417B2 |
Microwave backhaul arrangements
Described herein are techniques related to wireless communication systems that may implement microwave backhaul for connectivity between network elements deployed by the wireless communication systems. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US08699415B2 |
Active set management enhancement for reliable soft handoff in 1XEV-DO system
A method and system for connection management in a wireless data network, such as a 1xEV-DO network adds connections to new network sectors upon receipt of a connection request from an active terminal, but removes data connections that the active terminal requests to be dropped only after confirmation from the active terminal that a channel allocation message has been received and applied. The active network maintains an active set of connections that is at least as large as the active set maintained by the active terminal and does not initiate a connection termination if no confirmation of the channel allocation message is received. This allows for a reduction in the number of dropped connections. |
| US08699412B2 |
Method and apparatus for cell barring in a wireless communication system
Systems and methodologies are described herein that facilitate cell barring based on erroneous messages received within a wireless communication system. As described herein, in the event that a device fails to receive and/or decode respective messages transmitted from a network cell over a common communication channel, the device can implement one or more error handling procedures as described herein to reselect away from the network cell and/or a frequency associated with the network cell (e.g., as if the network cell was explicitly barred). Cell barring can be triggered as described herein based on a count of erroneous messages (e.g., consecutive messages, messages received within a predetermined time window, etc.), elapsed time between erroneous messages, or the like. Further, cell barring can be performed as described herein based on failure to acquire pre-scheduled system information, common system information determined to have invalid abstract syntax, or the like. |
| US08699404B2 |
Aircraft communications system with satellite selection controller and associated method
A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a satellite-based communications network that includes a plurality of satellites, at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs, a plurality of satellite antennas in the aircraft, and a satellite transceiver. The satellite transceiver is coupled to the satellite antennas, and cooperates with the at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs. At least one selection controller is for selecting a satellite among the plurality of satellites, and for selecting a satellite antenna among the plurality of satellite antennas for the selected satellite. |
| US08699403B2 |
Aircraft communications system with network selection controller and associated method
A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a ground-based communications network, and a satellite-based communications network. An access point is in the aircraft for providing a WLAN for data communications with the PEDs. An air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperates with the access point for data communications with the ground-based communications network. A satellite receiver in the aircraft cooperates with the access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs. At least one network selection controller determines whether to send data communications to the PEDs through the air-to-ground transceiver or the satellite receiver based on a communications link metric. |
| US08699401B2 |
High rate packet data (HRPD) idle state handout from femto access point to macro access network
Systems and methods for identifying an address of a femto node during handoff of an access terminal from a femto node to a macro node. In one embodiment, the femto node assigns a unique identifier to the access terminal. The access terminal passes the unique identifier to the macro node. The macro node partitions the unique identifier to determine the address of the femto node. In another embodiment, the femto node registers its address with a domain name system. The macro node queries the domain name system to obtain the address of the femto node. In another embodiment, the macro node sends the unique identifier to a proxy. The proxy partitions the unique identifier to determine the address of the femto node. |
| US08699399B2 |
Pilot signal transmitting method, base station, mobile station and cellular system to which the method is applied
A transmitting method in a mobile communication system, which has a base and mobile station that performs radio communication with the base station in a cell of a radio communication area formed by the base station, and mixes, allocates unicast data and broadcast/multicast data to subframes in a radio frame, and transmits the radio frame as downstream data from the base station to the mobile station, by the base station, multiplexing cell-specific pilot signals corresponding to the unicast data to a first subframe to where data is allocated, while multiplexing cell-specific pilot signals to a second subframe to where data is allocated, where the number of the cell-specific pilot signals allocated to the second subframe is different from the number of the cell-specific pilot signals allocated to the first subframe; setting a difference between the various start phase of cell-specific pilot signals transmitted in the various subframes. |
| US08699397B2 |
Method and apparatus for multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) service feedback
A method and apparatus are described for providing multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) service feedback. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may receive an MBMS service query message over an MBMS control channel and transmit an MBMS service response. The MBMS service query message and MBMS service response message may be radio resource controller messages. The MBMS service query message may include MBMS service identifiers which identify MBMS services that the WTRU is receiving or intending to receive. The WTRU may generate a report with MBMS service identifier index values, where each MBMS service identifier index value indicates a position of a service identifier corresponding to an MBMS service in the original query list that the WTRU is currently receiving or intending to receive. The MBMS service status query message may be received alone or along with a MBSFNAreaConfiguration message. The WTRU may respond within a predetermined or configured time limit. |
| US08699393B2 |
Inactivity timer in a discontinuous reception configured system
Systems, methods and wireless devices are provided that utilize a timer to ensure a receiver of a wireless device is on to receive downlink transmissions. In the event the timer runs out without further resource allocation, the mobile device turns its radio off. If a further resource allocation occurs while the timer is running, the timer is restarted. |
| US08699388B2 |
Bidirectional wireless communication system, wireless communication apparatus, and bidirectional wireless communication method
A bidirectional wireless communication system includes: a first wireless communication apparatus for bidirectional communication configured to multiplex a modulated signal obtained by modulating an input signal by a reference carrier signal having a predetermined carrier frequency, and transmit a resultant transmission signal; and a second wireless communication apparatus, having an oscillator configured to oscillate a signal having a free-running oscillation frequency, configured to inject a reception signal received from the first wireless communication apparatus into the oscillator, receive the reception signal while variably controlling the free-running oscillation frequency of the oscillator of the second wireless communication apparatus, detect whether the free-running oscillation frequency of the signal of the oscillator of the second wireless communication apparatus has entered the frequency range up to the injection locking to be frequency-locked with a carrier frequency of the injected reception signal, and generate a communication enable signal. |
| US08699383B2 |
Method and apparatus for real-time synchronization of voice communications
A method and system for synchronizing in real-time the voice media of a conversation conducted over a network between a first communication device and a second communication. The method includes at each of the first and second communication devices progressively storing in first and second storage elements and transmitting the voice media created using the first and second communication devices to the other communication device respectively. Both the first and second communication devices store in the first and second storage elements the progressively received media from the other device respectively. A mechanism to continually review, ascertain and request the media stored in the first storage element, but not the second storage element, and vice-versa is provided to ensure that the two storage elements contain the same voice media. As a result, the first and second storage elements each maintain real-time synchronized copies of the voice media of the conversation respectively. |
| US08699380B2 |
Port table flushing in ethernet networks
A method and apparatus for flushing port tables in an Ethernet network that includes a Root Bridge node (1) and a plurality of bridge nodes (2-7). A ring of bridge nodes affected by a change in the topology of the Ethernet network is identified from the plurality of, bridge nodes. The ring of bridge nodes (2-7) includes a branching bridge node (2) providing a connection to the Root Bridge node (1). Port tables are flushed only at the bridge nodes on the ring (2-7), rather than all of the bridge nodes in the Ethernet network, which greatly reduces the amount of signalling required during a relearning process. |
| US08699377B2 |
System and method for implementing mesh network communications using a mesh network protocol
The following describes data structures, communication protocol formats and process flows for controlling and facilitating secure communications between the nodes of a mesh network, such as utility meters and gateway nodes comprising a utility network. The enabled processes include association, information exchange, route discovery and maintenance and the like for instituting and maintaining a secure mesh network. |
| US08699376B2 |
Method and system for de-synchronizing link state message refreshes
A node having a memory storing a network topology and a routing table. The node also having a processing device programmed to generate a link state message and during the generating of the link state message, set a value of an age field of the link state message to a random value. |
| US08699370B2 |
Method and apparatus for analysis of user traffic within a predefined area
Multiple packets are received that were transmitted by multiple mobile electronic device sensors located in a predefined area. The packets each include data detected by the sensors of multiple mobile electronic devices. At least a portion of the collected data is stored including multiple unique device identifiers that belong to multiple mobile electronic devices. Responsive to determining that at least two of the unique device identifiers are sequential, a set of values based on the at least two unique devices identifiers are associated as belonging to a same one of the mobile electronic devices. |
| US08699368B2 |
Link reliability metrics in communication networks
In one embodiment, a transmitter in a communication network receives an indication of active transmission times of a receiver to which the transmitter attempts to reach with first transmissions, the active transmission times indicating respective times of second transmissions initiated by the receiver. Based on determining when the first transmissions occur, the transmitter may then compute a link reliability metric for a link from the transmitter to the receiver by excluding one or more of the first transmissions from the indicated active transmission times of the second transmissions. In one embodiment, the active transmission times are in the past and the reliability metric excludes any first transmissions in the past during those times, while in another embodiment the active transmission times are scheduled in the future and the reliability metric does not include any first transmissions since the first transmissions may be scheduled to avoid the active transmission times. |
| US08699367B1 |
Wireless LAN using transmission monitoring
Transmission monitoring can be used to determine the optimum data rate for a channel. The transmission monitoring can include sending data packets in the channel using various data rates. At least some data packets are sent using the current optimum data rate, a rate lower than the current optimum data rate, and a rate higher than the current optimum data rate. One of these data rates can be selected as the new optimum data rate. In one embodiment, if the current optimum data rate is less than a predetermined data rate, then the client is triggered to begin scanning for other available access points. |
| US08699366B2 |
System and method of controlling in-bound path selection based on historical and continuous path quality monitoring, assessment and predictions
A system and method of automatically controlling in-bound traffic from a first communications peer to a second communications peer based on an input from a historical path quality assessment and prediction system is disclosed. The second communications peer receives an input from the historical path quality assessment and prediction system, selects a path through a relay based on the received input, requests allocation of the relay, and sends an address of the selected relay to the first communications peer. The system and method works in concert with an Interactive Connectivity Establishment (ICE) mechanism, or takes advantage of the features of the Interactive Connectivity Establishment (ICE) mechanism. |
| US08699365B2 |
Communication device and header compression control method
A communication device according to the present invention includes a header compressor (121) which measures a time from a start of communications with a communication partner and changes a compression ratio of a header of a packet to a compression ratio lower than a present compression ratio each time that a time represented by a timer value elapses, and a controller (12) which controls the timer value based upon at least one information from among channel quality information of the communication device and channel quality information received from the communication partner. |
| US08699358B2 |
Troubleshooting method and apparatus
A troubleshooting method and a troubleshooting apparatus are disclosed. The troubleshooting method includes: sending a forward detection message to at least one node on a path to be detected, where the forward detection message carries information about a forward path to be detected and information about a backward path to be detected; and detecting faults according to a backward detection message returned by the at least one node. With the troubleshooting method and the troubleshooting apparatus disclosed herein, troubleshooting operations such as fault detection and fault location can be performed for the forward path and the backward path that require bidirectional path detection. |
| US08699356B2 |
Method and system for diagnosing a fault or open circuit in a network
A fault injection circuit injects a test signal into a data bus with a normal high logic level and a normal low logic level. The test signal has a greater logic level greater than the normal high logic level of the data bus or a lower logic level lower than the normal low logic level of the data bus. An analog-to-digital converter is coupled to a voltage level detector for sensing an aggregate level of an aggregate signal on the data bus. The aggregate signal is composed of the termination circuit signal and the test signal. A diagnostic tool determines whether a faulty connection between the data bus and a network device exists, where the sensed aggregate level exceeds at least one of the normal high logic level and the normal low logic level. |
| US08699355B2 |
Method and system for performing network diagnostics utilizing a secondary communications medium
A method, comprising detecting a problem associated with a network communications link of a primary communications medium, performing one or more actions on a first network element communicatively coupled to the network communications link in response to detection of the problem, and transmitting data associated with the problem from the first network element to a second network element utilizing a secondary communications medium. |
| US08699353B2 |
Alarm indication and suppression (AIS) mechanism in an Ethernet OAM network
A system and method for propagating fault information in an Ethernet OAM network having multiple levels of OAM domains. An Alarm Indication and Suppression (AIS) frame is generated by a Maintenance Intermediate Point (MIP) node upon detecting a fault condition in a first OAM domain, which is transmitted to one or more Maintenance End Points (MEPs) of the first OAM domain. Upon receiving the AIS frames, the MEP nodes are operable generate another AIS frame for propagating to an adjacent higher level second OAM domain. Responsive to the AIS frame from the lower level first OAM domain, any alarms caused in the second OAM domain due to the fault condition in the first OAM domain are suppressed. |
| US08699352B2 |
Timer optimization techniques for multicast to unicast conversion of internet protocol video
Multicast to unicast conversion may be provided. First, a request for a data packet may be received at a conversion device. The conversion device may determine that the requested data packet has not yet been received using a multicast transmission protocol. Next, the conversion device may wait a time period to receive the data packet using the multicast transmission protocol. When the data packet has not been received within the time period, conversion device may then request the data packet using a unicast transmission protocol. |
| US08699348B2 |
Methods and apparatus to control traffic in a packet-switched network
Methods and apparatus to control traffic in a packet-switched network are disclosed. An example circuit manager includes a usage analyzer to estimate a utilization of a network for a future time interval based on data associated with actual utilization of the network, a rebalancer to detect a trigger event based on the estimated utilization, and to identify a future virtual circuit path through the network for the future time interval based on the estimated utilization when the trigger event is detected, the usage analyzer and the rebalancer to repetitively change mapping of virtual circuit paths including the future virtual circuit path to physical resources to adapt the network to expected usage conditions, a rerouter to identify the future virtual circuit path based on a first predicted weighted cost for a first communication link and a second predicted weighted cost for a second communication link, and a capacity manager to determine whether the identified future virtual circuit path is expected to reduce a future utilization of a communication path below a first threshold, and to determine where additional transmission capacity should be added to the network when the predicted future utilization of the communication path exceeds the first threshold. |
| US08699343B2 |
Adaptive rate control based on overload signals
Described are methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for limiting server overload via client control. A first set of a plurality of requests are transmitted to a server at a first transmission rate during a first period of time. The first transmission rate is limited to be less than or equal to a first transmission limit rate. An overload value is determined based on whether at least two or more requests of the first set of requests for service satisfy an overload criterion. A second transmission limit rate is determined based on the overload value and the first transmission limit rate. A second set of a plurality of requests is transmitted to the server at a second transmission rate during a second period of time. The second transmission rate is limited to be less than or equal to the second transmission limit rate. |
| US08699336B2 |
Method and system for implementing relay channel, and edge node
The invention relates to a method and system for implementing a relay channel, and an edge node, in which a media location service system monitors the number of orders of all nodes in an IPTV system, and, when monitoring that the number of orders of the central node of the IPTV system is more than a predetermined first threshold, searches edge nodes with the number of orders less than a predetermined second threshold, and sends a relay channel establishing request message to one of the edge nodes; the edge node which receives the message sends an RTSP link establishing request message to the central node, reserves a media distribute unit (MDU) resource for the link, and notifies the central node of the IP address of the reserved MDU resource; and the edge node enables the MDU resource, sends a media stream requesting message to the central node, and stores data of the relay channel. The invention can better balance the load of each node in the network, thereby allocating and using the system resource more properly. |
| US08699333B2 |
Congestion-based traffic shaping for distributed queuing in shared-media communication networks
In one embodiment, a device in a shared-media communication network determines a priority of a packet to be queued at the device, and based on the priority determines a length of time the packet is allowed to be queued before being successfully transmitted. After attempting to successfully transmit the queued packet within the shared-media communication network, in response to reaching a threshold amount of the length of time without having successfully transmitted the queued packet, the device may transmit a “shaping” request to one or more reachable neighbors in the shared-media communication network. Specifically, the shaping request is for a temporary reduction in bandwidth utilization by the reachable neighbors for traffic having a comparatively lesser priority than the priority of the packet. |
| US08699332B2 |
Method and system for determining and implementing policy controls in a communications network
A computer-implemented method of determining policy control decisions in a telecommunications network. The method comprises the steps of receiving a predictive indicator from a forecasting system, wherein the predictive indicator includes predictive network resource utilization information, responsive to receiving a service request from a gateway, determining a policy decision based on the predictive indicator, and sending the policy decision to the gateway. |
| US08699331B2 |
Communications system, communications apparatus, communications terminal and communications method
According to a communications method according to the present invention, data is transmitted from a base station to two or more terminals via a common channel, and transmission power, with which the data is transmitted from the base station to the two or more terminals, is controlled according to a reception state of at least one of the two or more terminals. Furthermore, the terminal transmits reception capability information at a time of selection combining, and at least one of the two or more base stations receives the reception capability information at the time of selective combining and notifies the reception capability information to a radio network controller (RNC) which controls the two or more base stations. When a connection request is issued to the terminal, the RNC refuses assignment of a dedicated channel to the connection request when determining that the assignment of the dedicated channel to the terminal cannot be done based on the reception capability information at the time of selective combining. |
| US08699327B2 |
Multipath virtual router redundancy
Providing gateway redundancy is disclosed. On each of a master and a standby gateway a single IP routing redundancy protocol instance is associated with a plurality of subscriber subnets. On each gateway, the respective single IP routing redundancy protocol instance is used to provide gateway redundancy for the plurality of subscriber subnets. |
| US08699326B2 |
Optical network automatic protection switching
There is described an optical terminal for use in a passive optical network. The optical terminal comprises an optical I/O module for sending and receiving optical data packets along an optical fiber, an electrical I/O module for sending and receiving electrical data packets via an electrical connection, a signal converter operatively connected to the optical and electrical I/O modules for converting the data packets between optical and electrical formats, a controller for controlling the operation of the I/O modules and the signal converter. The controller is configured to detect a failure of a primary data path in the optical network, initiate an automatic protection switch to a secondary data path for optical data packets, and generate traffic flow update messages to be sent upstream. Each traffic flow update message contains, as a source address, a MAC address of a client device downstream of the terminal. |
| US08699325B2 |
Method and inquiring device for implementing switching in network fault
A method for implementing switching when the network is faulted is disclosed, and the method includes: establishing a quick detection mechanism between non-querier and querier; the non-querier using the detection mechanism for performing a real-time detection on the querier and downlink of the querier; switching the non-querier to be the querier when the non-querier detects that the querier or the downlink of the querier is faulted. A querier is further disclosed. With the method, it can complete a quick switching of the querier and a quick transmission of a multicast flow when the querier or the downlink thereof is faulted, thereby reducing the interrupt time of users receiving the multicast flow, implementing a quick protection of a multicast service, and improving the service experience for the user. |
| US08699324B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for processing configuration update failure
The present disclosure relates to a method, apparatus and system for processing a configuration update failure, belonging to the field of communications. The method includes: setting a times threshold for receiving an eNB configuration update failure message; sending an eNB configuration update message to an MME or a neighboring eNB after configuration information is updated; receiving, from the MME or the neighboring eNB, an eNB configuration update failure message including a Time-To-Wait IE; calculating the times for receiving the eNB configuration update failure message; comparing the calculated times for receiving the eNB configuration update failure message with the set times threshold to determine whether the calculated times exceed the set times threshold; and stopping sending the eNB configuration update message if the calculated times exceed the set times threshold. The apparatus includes: a first sending module, a first receiving module, a first counting module, a first threshold setting module, a first comparing module and a first notifying module. The present disclosure can relieve the load of the system and improve the robustness and stability of the system. |
| US08699323B2 |
Optimized data retry mechanisms for evolved high rate packet data (EHRPD)
A method for optimizing data retry mechanisms is described. The method includes attempting to originate a data call on an evolved high rate packet data system. The method also includes determining that originating the data call has failed. A type of failure that caused the data call to fail is determined. The frequency of data call origination attempts is reduced based on the type of failure. |
| US08699318B2 |
Method of transmitting cyclic prefix length information
A method of transmitting cyclic prefix length information when wireless access systems having different cyclic prefix lengths coexist is disclosed. The method of transmitting cyclic prefix length information comprises including the cyclic prefix length information in a preamble; and transmitting the preamble to a receiving end, whereby a transmitter can notify the receiving end of a current cyclic prefix length. Also, in a specific interval where a super frame header is defined, a single cyclic prefix length is used in a legacy support mode and a legacy disable mode, and cyclic prefix length information of other data or control channel is included in the super frame header and then transmitted to the receiving end. If different CP lengths are used in a legacy support mode of an evolved system, it is possible to solve a problem in detecting a control channel or a data channel, which may occur as the CP lengths are not distinguished from each other after preamble detection. |
| US08699316B2 |
USF coding
Systems and methods are provided for transmitting and receiving an uplink state flag (USF) in a cellular network. A base station may transmit the USF to plurality of mobile stations that share the same frequency channel, and each mobile station can use the USF to determine whether that mobile station can transmit data in an upcoming uplink time period. The base station can encode the USF bits into a plurality of encoded USF symbols, where the encoded USF symbols may be selected from corner signal points in a QAM signal constellation set or from signal points adjacent to the corners of a QAM signal constellation set. The base station can interleave the encoded USF symbols and modulate the encoded USF symbols for transmission using the signal constellation set. A mobile station that can communication with the base station can include a corresponding receiver, de-interleaver, and decoder. |
| US08699315B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving signals by using a preset frame structure in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transmitting/receiving signals by using a preset frame structure in a wireless communication system. As there are difficulties ensuring the link capacity and quality for a high speed moving object with the existing frame structure and the antenna arrangement and communication system based on the existing scheme, a new frame structure needs to be proposed. According to one example of those newly proposed frame structures, one frame is composed of 8 subframes, each of the 8 subframes being composed of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) symbols in a range of 11 to 14, and the cyclic prefix (CP) length of the frame is 1/8 or less of an effective symbol length (e.g., 1/8, 1/16, 1/31, 1/64). |
| US08699314B2 |
Method of allocating resources for transmitting uplink signal in MIMO wireless communication system and apparatus thereof
A method of allocating resources for transmitting a signal in a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes allocating one or more spatial resources of a plurality of spatial resources corresponding to first Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) symbols to a first transport block, allocating one or more other spatial resources of the plurality of spatial resources corresponding to the first SC-FDMA symbols to a second transport block, and allocating spatial resources corresponding to second SC-FDMA symbols to the first transport block and the second transport block. |
| US08699311B2 |
Optical information recording/reproducing apparatus, optical information reproducing apparatus, optical information recording/reproducing method and optical information reproducing method
An optical-information reproducing apparatus for reproducing information from an optical-information storage medium where an interference pattern between a signal beam and a reference beam is recorded as page data by being angle-multiplexed, the optical-information reproducing apparatus, including a light-source for emitting a light beam, an optical element for splitting the light beam into the reference beam and the signal beam, an angle-controlling element for controlling the reference beam into a direction which is perpendicular to the angle-multiplexed direction, the reference beam being guided to enter the optical-information storage medium, an optical detector for detecting a reproduced image which is reproduced by the reference beam, and a position-controlling circuit for controlling position relationship between the reference beam and the optical-information storage medium. |
| US08699309B2 |
Recording apparatus
A recording apparatus includes: a light-emitting/receiving unit which emits a recording beam, an ATS beam, and a position control beam toward an optical disc recording medium via a common object lens; a tracking mechanism which drives the object lens in a tracking direction parallel to a radial direction of the optical disc recording medium; a reference plane-side tracking error signal generation unit which generates a reference plane-side tracking error signal; a reference plane-side tracking servo signal generation unit which generates a reference plane-side tracking servo signal to cancel out a tracking error; a tracking driving unit which drives the tracking mechanism; an ATS-side tracking error signal generation unit which generates an ATS-side tracking error signal; an ATS control signal generation unit which generates an ATS control signal to cancel out a tracking error; and a signal providing unit which provides the ATS control signal to a tracking servo loop. |
| US08699308B2 |
Test recording methods for an information storage medium
Provided are a test method for an information storage medium and a recording and reproducing method using the test method. The test method includes recording a test signal in an optimum power control (OPC) zone formed in either a lead-in area or a lead-out area of the information storage medium, and recording the test signal in a protection zone formed in the other of the lead-in area and the lead-out area. |
| US08699306B2 |
Silent alarm and exam notification timer device
A wrist watch-type silent alarm and exam notification timer device includes a vibrator adapted to create a silent vibrating sensation on the skin of the user/wearer, and control circuitry for repeatedly generating silent alarm signals at user-defined time intervals for a user-defined number of times in a programmable manner. The vibrator is disposed inside the timer housing directly on an area of the bottom panel of the housing, and oriented to generate a silent vibration in that area in a direction perpendicular to the bottom panel. The timer device is useful during exam taking to allow the user to keep track of his progress through the exam. Displays are provided to display a total elapsed time of the exam, a lapsed time of the current exam problem, and the number for the current exam problem. Control keys are provided for the user to program the timer. |
| US08699303B2 |
Universal timepiece dial, analogical timepiece and digital timepiece comprising the dial
A world timepiece dial comprising a first ring (2) for minutes, with a first series of digits marked thereon, a second ring (4) for hours, with a second series of digits marked thereon, a third ring (6) with a plurality of time-zone indicating geographical site markings, such markings being adapted to be angularly aligned with the numbers of the first and second series, for instant and simultaneous reading of the time in the geographical sites. The second ring (4) is divided into twelve angular sectors (8, 8′, 8″, . . . ) each bearing one digit of the second series marked thereon. The markings of the third ring (6) are arranged over at least two concentric circular areas (9, 10), each marking of one of the areas (9) being radially opposed to one marking of at least another area (10) to define respective pairs (11, 11′, 11″, . . . ). The geographical sites of each pair (11, 11′, 11″, . . . ) are selected for the time offset between their respective time zones to be twelve hours. An analog timepiece and a digital timepiece comprising the dial. |
| US08699298B1 |
3D multiple prediction and removal using diplets
Methods, software, and computer systems for 3D multiple prediction and removal are disclosed. The method includes determining a set of input diplets. The method includes, for one or more data diplets from the set of input diplets downward propagating the data diplet to model reflection of the data diplet at a location of at least one subsurface discontinuity and determining one or more predicted multiple diplets, based, at least in part on the data diplet and the modeled downward propagated and reflected diplet. The method includes comparing diplets in the set of input diplets with the one or more multiple diplets to determine a set of multiple diplets and a set of demultipled diplets. |
| US08699297B2 |
Deghosting and reconstructing a seismic wavefield
A technique includes receiving data, which are indicative of measurements acquired by seismic sensors of a seismic wavefield. The seismic wavefield is formed from a combination of an upgoing wavefield and a downgoing wavefield. The technique includes providing a statistical estimator, which relates the upgoing wavefield to a linear combination of the measurements and a reconstruction error. The technique includes determining the upgoing wavefield based on the statistical estimator. The determination includes substantially minimizing a variance of the reconstruction error. |
| US08699295B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and driving method thereof
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of wordlines and a driver configured to, when an wordline of the plurality of wordlines is activated by an active command, drive at least one non-activated wordline neighboring the activated wordline and remaining non-activated wordlines with different wordline driving voltage levels during a period of time that the activated wordline is driven to a high voltage level. |
| US08699293B2 |
Non-volatile storage system with dual block programming
A non-volatile storage system is disclosed that includes a plurality of blocks of non-volatile storage elements, a plurality of word lines connected to the blocks of non-volatile storage elements such that each word line is connected to adjacent blocks of non-volatile storage elements, a plurality of bit lines connected to the blocks of non-volatile storage elements, multiple sets of word lines drivers such that each set of word line drivers is positioned between two adjacent blocks for driving word lines connected to the two adjacent blocks, global data lines, local data lines in selective communication with the bit lines, one or more selection circuits that selectively connect the global data lines to selected local data lines and connect unselected local data lines to one or more unselected bit line signals and control circuitry in communication with the one or more selection circuits and the global data lines. The control circuitry concurrently programs non-volatile storage elements of two adjacent blocks by applying programming signals on word lines connected to the two adjacent blocks and applying programming signals on appropriate bit lines via the global data lines and the one or more selection circuits. |
| US08699289B2 |
Techniques for reducing disturbance in a semiconductor memory device
Techniques for reducing disturbance in a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a semiconductor memory device having reduced disturbance. The semiconductor memory device may comprise a plurality of memory cells arranged in arrays of rows and columns. The semiconductor memory device may also comprise a plurality of data sense amplifiers, coupled to the plurality of memory cells, configured to perform one or more operations during an operation/access cycle, wherein the operation/access cycle may comprise an operation segment and a disturbance recovery segment. |
| US08699285B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and integrated circuit
A semiconductor memory device includes a write control signal generating circuit and a write enable signal generating unit. The write control signal generating circuit is configured to generate a write control signal activated during a time period from an input time point of a read command to an end time point of a data output time period. The write enable signal generating unit is configured to output a write command as a write enable signal in response to the write control signal. |
| US08699283B2 |
Semiconductor device and control method of the same
The present invention is a semiconductor device including: a resistor R11 (first resistor part) and an FET 15 (second resistor part) connected in series between a power supply Vcc (first power supply) and ground (second power supply); an output node N11 provided between the resistor R11 and FET 15 and used for outputting a reference voltage; a feedback node N12 provided between the power supply Vcc and the ground; and a voltage control circuit (19) that maintains a voltage of the feedback node N12 at a constant level by using the reference voltage of the output node N11 and the voltage of the feedback node N12. The present invention can provide a semiconductor device having a reference voltage generating circuit capable of generating the reference voltage that does not greatly depend on a power supply voltage and its control method. |
| US08699282B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes: a first sense amplification unit including first and second inverters configured to be driven to voltage levels of a power driving signal and a ground driving signal and forming a latch structure between a bit line and a bit line bar; and a second sense amplification unit including first and second transistors configured to be driven to the voltage level of the ground driving signal and forming a latch structure between the bit line and the bit line bar when an activated switching signal is applied, wherein a threshold voltage of the second sense amplification unit is set lower than that of the first sense amplification unit. |
| US08699280B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus and data transmission method thereof
A semiconductor apparatus includes a normal data line, an auxiliary data line and a data line selection unit. The normal data line is connected with a data selection unit. The auxiliary data line is connected with the data selection unit. The data line selection unit outputs data to one of the normal data line and the auxiliary data line in response to a command signal. |
| US08699277B2 |
Memory configured to provide simultaneous read/write access to multiple banks
A memory includes at least first and second banks of single-port memory elements, a first local controller adapted to send read and write instructions to the first memory bank, and a second local controller adapted to send read and write instructions to the second memory bank. A global controller is configured to receive first and second memory addresses and a first indication of an operation to be performed at the first memory addresses and a second indication of an operation to be performed at the second memory address and to instruct the first local controller to perform the first indicated operation at the first memory address and to instruct the second local controller to perform the second indicated operation at the second memory address at the same time. |
| US08699271B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes memory cells, word lines, a driver circuit, and a control circuit. The memory cells are stacked above a semiconductor substrate, and each includes a charge accumulation layer and control gate. The word lines are coupled to the control gates. The driver circuit repeats a programming operation to write data in a memory cell coupled to a selected word line. In the programming operation, a first voltage is applied to the selected word line, a second voltage to a first unselected word line, and a third voltage to a second unselected word line. The control circuit steps up the first voltage and steps down the second voltage in repeating the programming. |
| US08699266B2 |
Implementing enhanced data write for multi-level cell (MLC) memory using threshold voltage-drift or resistance drift tolerant moving baseline memory data encoding
A method and apparatus are provided for implementing enhanced performance for multi-level cell (MLC) memory using threshold-voltage-drift or resistance-drift tolerant moving baseline memory data encoding. A voltage baseline of a prior write is identified, and a data write uses the threshold-voltage-drift or resistance-drift tolerant moving baseline memory data encoding for data being written to the MLC memory responsive to the identified voltage baseline. |
| US08699263B2 |
DRAM security erase
In a method of erasing data, a wordline of the DRAM array is set active, and signals develop on bitlines according to flows of charge between memory cells coupled to the wordline and the respective bitlines. Sense amplifiers connected to the respective bitlines can remain off such that the sense amplifiers do not amplify the signals to storable signal levels. Thereafter, when the wordline is set inactive again, insufficient charge remains in the memory cells coupled to the wordline to represent data such that the data stored in memory cells coupled to the wordline are erased. These steps can be performed using each of the wordlines of a selected range of the DRAM array or all of the DRAM array so as to erase the data stored in the selected range or in all of the DRAM array. |
| US08699262B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
Adverse effects of a parasitic resistance and a parasitic capacitance of a driver circuit to a memory cell causes problems of thermal disturbance to a not-selected cell, unevenness of application voltage, degradation of a memory element in reading. A capacitor (C) is provided above or beneath a memory cell (MC) that includes a memory element to which a current write memory information and a selection element connected to the memory element. A charge stored in this capacitor writes to the memory element. |
| US08699261B2 |
Variable resistance nonvolatile memory device and driving method thereof
A highly-reliable variable resistance nonvolatile memory device capable of a stable operation and a driving method of the variable resistance nonvolatile memory device are provided. A variable resistance nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell array, a memory cell selection circuit, a write circuit, and a read circuit. The write circuit sets a variable resistance element of another memory cell different from a faulty memory cell and located on at least one of a bit line and a word line that includes the faulty memory cell to a second high resistance state where a resistance value is higher than a resistance value in a first low resistance state, by applying a second high-resistance write pulse to the other memory cell. |
| US08699260B2 |
Memory element and memory device
There are provided a memory element and a memory device with improved writing and erasing characteristics during operations at a low voltage and a low current. The memory element includes a first electrode, a memory layer, and a second electrode in this order. The memory layer includes a resistance change layer provided on the first electrode side, an ion source layer provided on the second electrode side, an intermediate layer provided between the resistance change layer and the ion source layer, and a barrier layer provided at least either between the ion source layer and the intermediate layer, or between the intermediate layer and the resistance change layer, and the barrier layer containing a transition metal or a nitride thereof. |
| US08699258B2 |
Verification algorithm for metal-oxide resistive memory
Memory devices and methods for operating such devices are described which can effectively program the metal-oxide memory elements in an array, while also avoiding applying unnecessarily high voltage pulses. Programming operations described herein include applying a lower voltage pulse across a metal-oxide memory element to establish a desired resistance state, and only applying a higher voltage pulse when the lower voltage pulse is insufficient to program the memory element. In doing so, issues associated with applying unnecessarily high voltages across the memory element can be avoided. |
| US08699253B2 |
Control method for soft switch circuit in switch power source
The present invention discloses a control method for a soft switch circuit in a switch power source, which generates an alternating primary power filter current by controlling first and second primary power switching devices to be closed and opened, and generates an intermittent alternating resonant current in the same direction as the primary power filter current in a resonant branch by controlling forward and backward auxiliary switching devices to be closed and opened to thereby achieve closing of the first and second primary power switching devices at a zero voltage, and which generates a balance current with the same magnitude as and in the opposite direction to the resonant current in the resonant branch in at least a period of time during the resting of the resonant current by further controlling the forward and backward auxiliary switching devices to be closed and opened to thereby achieve an average current of zero across the resonant branch in a switching cycle. Without any additional balance circuit, this control method can address the imbalance problem of output power of the positive and negative direct current input voltage sources in a soft switch circuit of an existing switch power source. |
| US08699251B2 |
Direct current generating, management and distribution system
A direct current generating, management and distribution system includes a first armature winding, a first active rectifier having a first controller and coupled to the first armature winding, a first direct current bus coupled to the first active rectifier, a second armature winding, a second active rectifier having a second controller and coupled to the second armature winding, a second direct current bus coupled to the second active rectifier, a unit controller coupled to the first and second controllers, a first set of switches coupled to the first direct current bus and to the unit controller, a second set of switches coupled to the second direct current bus and to the unit controller, a third switch coupled to the first direct current bus and to the unit controller and a fourth switch coupled to the second direct current bus and the unit controller. |
| US08699249B1 |
Compensation schemes for the voltage droop of solid-state Marx modulators
A novel design scheme for the compensation circuitry of solid-state Marx modulators has been described for enhancing the compensation ability of the compensation cells of solid-state Marx modulators and simplifying the entire circuitry of the modulator. High-speed solid-state switches are adopted in the new compensation cell for the control of the compensation actions. Inductive components and diodes are adopted in the design scheme to smooth the flattop of the voltage pulse output by the Marx modulator. |
| US08699246B2 |
Switch mode converter and a method of starting a switch mode converter
For a more stable start-up procedure, a switch mode power converter has at least one inductive component including an output inductor L1 and a synchronous rectification element, said power converter comprising a control device and being characterized in that the control device is arranged, at startup of the power converter, to determine a duty-cycle of the control signal, including a normal pulse width of the control pulse, and provide an initial control signal to the at least one switch element that is designed to balance the current in the at least one inductive component of the converter. The initial control signal preferably has a duration of 50% of the normal pulse width. |
| US08699244B1 |
Electronic ballast with load-independent and self-oscillating inverter topology
A self-oscillating inverter provides an output voltage with fixed operating frequency and amplitude independently of a load. First and second switching elements are arranged in a half-bridge configuration. A resonant circuit having a primary winding of a resonant inductor and a resonant capacitor is coupled between the switching elements. A clamping circuit limits the voltage across the resonant capacitor to a predetermined maximum value, and along with the resonant capacitor defines a capacitance compensation circuit having an equivalent capacitance greater than that of the resonant capacitor alone, wherein the actual resonant frequency of the inverter is less than the natural frequency of the resonant circuit such that soft-switching is assured. An output voltage across the resonant inductor during steady-state operation is a quasi-square waveform with a fixed amplitude, wherein a load voltage across a secondary winding of the inductor is also a quasi-square waveform with a fixed amplitude. |
| US08699243B2 |
Power converter system with synchronous rectifier output stage and reduced no-load power consumption
A power converter circuit may convert alternating current signals into direct current signals. A load may be powered from output terminals that are provided with the direct current signals. The power converter circuit may have a transformer with primary and secondary sides. A transistor on the primary side may be controlled using a pulse width modulation controller. A diode may be coupled in series with the secondary side of the transformer and the load. To improve efficiency at larger load currents, a synchronous rectifier control circuit may modulate a transistor on the secondary side that is coupled in parallel with the diode. The synchronous rectifier control circuit may monitor voltage pulses on the transistor on the secondary side or may make direct load current measurements to ascertain how much load current is flowing. Under low or no load conditions, synchronous rectification can be inhibited to improve efficiency. |
| US08699241B2 |
Switching mode power supply
There is provided a switching mode power supply including: a direct current (DC)/DC converting unit converting a DC power level; an auxiliary power supply unit discharged in a no load mode in which a load is not connected to an output terminal of the DC/DC converting unit; and a controlling unit sensing a change in impedance according to whether or not the load is connected to the output terminal to thereby determine whether or not the switching mode power supply is in the no load mode, and driving a pulse width modulation integrated chip (PWM IC) when a voltage level of the auxiliary power supply unit is at a preset level or less in the no load mode. |
| US08699234B2 |
EMI noise shield board including electromagnetic bandgap structure
An EMI noise shield board, in which an EBG structure is inserted, includes a first board portion and a second board portion. The first board portion has an upper surface, on which an electronic part is disposed, and a circuit for transferring a signal and power to the electronic part. The second board portion is located on a lower surface of the first board portion. The electromagnetic bandgap structure is inserted into the second board portion, and has a band stop frequency property such that an EMI noise transferred from the first board portion is shielded from being radiated to the outside of the EMI noise shield board. |
| US08699226B2 |
Active cooling debris bypass fin pack
Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to active cooling or removing heat generated by a processor in a computing device. More specifically, a cooling system in a computing device may include a heatpipe which moves heat along a fin pack. The fin pack may include top and bottom ends as well as a plurality of fins. The fins may extend only a portion of the way between the ends thus creating an air duct. The air duct may allow debris to move along an edge of the fin and out of the computing device. The fins may also be curved to promote the forcing of debris through the fin pack while still allowing the heat to be expelled through the fins. |
| US08699224B2 |
Computer peripheral device for being fixed on a casing of a portable computer
The present disclosure relates to a computer peripheral device. The computer peripheral device includes a housing whereon an opening is formed, and a fixing module installed inside the opening in a reversible manner. The fixing module includes a base installed inside the opening, a locking head passing through the locking plate and fixed on the base at one end. The locking head includes a latching part for inserting into a slot on a casing of a portable computer when the base turns to a first position relative to the housing so that the latching part protrudes outside the housing. When the locking plate is pressed down so as to separate the latching part from the locking plate and the locking head rotates relative to the locking plate, the latching part cannot separate from the slot. The fixing module further includes a resilient component for pushing the locking plate. |
| US08699220B2 |
Computer with removable cartridge
A computer includes various features that improve its functionality and/or ease of use. A modular electronics cartridge that includes a piston seal and opposed-direction latches removably engages a cartridge bay of the computer. A high intensity touch-screen display and a high power processor are disposed in a sealed compartment of the computer, and a remote heat exchanger is used to cool the sealed compartment. An interface converter/adapter converts a standard mini-PCI Express slot into a specialized mini-PCI Express slot with voice capabilities. SIM and microSD card slots mount to a pivoting door on the computer such that opening the door provides easier access to the card slots. |
| US08699219B2 |
Electronic device, assembling method of electronic module and disassembling method of electronic module
An electronic device is provided, which includes a bottom casing, an electronic module, at least a positioning part and an upper cover. The electronic module is disposed in the bottom casing. The positioning part is connected to the electronic module. The upper cover includes a cover body and a positioning portion. The cover body is assembled to the bottom casing. The positioning portion is connected to the cover body. A structural interference between the positioning portion and the positioning part makes the electronic module positioned. In addition, an assembling method of electronic module and a disassembling method of electronic module are also provided. |
| US08699218B2 |
Portable computer system
A portable computer system is disclosed according to the invention. The portable computer system comprises: a multi-functional processing unit with power consumption of no more than approximately 10 watts consisting of a single chip having a plurality of processors thereon, wherein each processor is operable for at least one task selected from a group consisting of computing, graphic processing and audio processing; a mother board to which the multi-functional processing unit is connected; a memory unit connected to the motherboard and in communication with the multi-functional processing unit; and an I/O interface connected to the motherboard and in communication with the multi-functional processing unit, the portable computer system is configured to insert into a interface of a peripheral device to communicate between the portable computer system and the peripheral device. |
| US08699217B2 |
Fixing device for use with expansion cards in a computer
A fixing device for use with at least one expansion card in a computer chassis includes a positioning member and a fixing member. One side of the positioning member defines at least one first slot. The fixing member includes a fixing portion and a rotatable portion rotatablely connected to the fixing portion. The fixing portion defines at least one second slot corresponding to the at least one first slot. When the rotatable portion is able to rotate to a position where the at least one first slot face to the at least one second slot, allowing opposite sides of the free end of the at least one expansion card. |
| US08699215B2 |
Flexible hinge spine
Flexible hinge spine techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a flexible hinge is configured to communicatively and physically couple an input device to a computing device and may implement functionality such as a support layer and minimum bend radius. The input device may also include functionality to promote a secure physical connection between the input device and the computing device. One example of this includes use of one or more protrusions that are configured to be removed from respective cavities of the computing device along a particular axis but mechanically bind along other axes. Other techniques include use of a laminate structure to form a connection portion of the input device. |
| US08699211B2 |
Peripheral device for portable electronic device
A peripheral device includes a slide mechanism, and a first and second extension portions having a number of function modules. The first and second extension portions are fixed to the slide mechanism and slide relative to each other in an opened position or closed position driven by the slide mechanism. |
| US08699209B2 |
Externally fused enclosure for a solar power system
A solar power generation system includes an array of photovoltaic modules, a plurality of positive wire lines leading from the photovoltaic modules, and a junction box including components for receiving the plurality of conductive wire lines from the photovoltaic modules and combining the plurality of conductive wire lines into a smaller number of conductive wire lines leading from the junction box and toward a load. An in-line fuse is connected to each of the positive wire lines leading from the photovoltaic modules. The in-line fuses are positioned proximate but physically outside of the junction box, such that the fuses are accessible without opening the junction box. |
| US08699207B2 |
Electrodes synthesized from carbon nanostructures coated with a smooth and conformal metal adlayer
High-surface-area carbon nanostructures coated with a smooth and conformal submonolayer-to-multilayer thin metal films and their method of manufacture are described. The preferred manufacturing process involves the initial oxidation of the carbon nanostructures followed by a surface preparation process involving immersion in a solution with the desired pH to create negative surface dipoles. The nanostructures are subsequently immersed in an alkaline solution containing a suitable quantity of non-noble metal ions which adsorb at surface reaction sites. The metal ions are then reduced via chemical or electrical means. The nanostructures are exposed to a solution containing a salt of one or more noble metals which replace adsorbed non-noble surface metal atoms by galvanic displacement. The process can be controlled and repeated to obtain a desired film coverage. The resulting coated nanostructures may be used, for example, as high-performance electrodes in supercapacitors, batteries, or other electric storage devices. |
| US08699203B2 |
System for dissipating a lightning current generated by a thunderstorm discharge on an aircraft
A system for dissipating a lightning current produced by a thunderstorm discharge on an avionic equipment installed on the external skin of an aircraft, the external skin being made of a composite material covered with a layer of expanded metal and including an orifice in which there is positioned an aerodynamic plate covering the avionic equipment. The aerodynamic plate is attached to the external skin by a doubler. The system includes at least one metal plate at least partially surrounding the aerodynamic plate and mounted so as to ensure electrical continuity between the doubler and the layer of expanded metal so as to dissipate the lightning current into the layer of expanded metal. |
| US08699201B2 |
Relay failure detecting device, power-supply device, image forming apparatus, relay failure detecting method, and computer program product
A relay failure detecting device includes: an opening-closing unit that is driven by a coil for opening and closing a current pathway; a detecting unit that detects a current value of a current flowing in the coil; an opening-closing instructing unit that outputs an instruction signal to instruct opening and closing of the opening-closing unit; and a failure detecting unit that detects a failure in the opening-closing unit by using the current value output by the detecting unit within a predetermined period of time starting from when the instruction signal is output. |
| US08699200B2 |
Secure non-contact switch
A redundant non-contact switch reports a status as closed or open for a first member and a second member that move relative to each other between an open state and a closed state. In some embodiments, the redundant non-contact switch includes a wireless authentication (WA) pair and a magnetic pair. The WA pair may include a WA responder attached to one of the first member and the second member, and a WA interrogator attached to the other of the first member and the second member. The WA pair may be configured to register a WA status of closed or open, depending on a WA authentication between the WA responder and the WA interrogator. The magnetic pair may include a magnet attached to one of the first member and the second member, and a magnet sensor attached to the other of the first member and the second member. The magnetic pair may be configured to register a magnetic status of closed or open, depending on whether a magnet distance between the magnet and magnet sensor is beyond a threshold magnet distance. In some instances, the redundant non-contact switch reports the status as closed only if both the WA status is registered as closed and the magnetic status is registered as closed. |
| US08699188B2 |
Shunt regulator for overvoltage protection at transformer rectifier unit of electrical generating system
An electrical system includes an alternating current (AC) source; a transformer rectifier unit (TRU) connected to the AC source, the TRU configured to receive AC power from the AC source, convert the AC power to direct current (DC) power, and output DC power; a DC bus configured to receive the DC power output by the TRU; at least one DC load powered by the DC bus; and a shunt regulator connected to the output of the TRU, the shunt regulator configured to overload the output of the TRU in the event of an overvoltage condition at the output of the TRU, such that a voltage available to the DC bus during the overvoltage condition does not exceed a reference voltage. |
| US08699185B1 |
Disk drive defining guard bands to support zone sequentiality when butterfly writing shingled data tracks
A disk drive is disclosed wherein a plurality of zones are defined on first and second disk surfaces, wherein each zone comprises a plurality of data tracks. Data is written to the data tracks of a first plurality of the zones on the first and second disk surfaces in an interleaved manner, in a first radial direction, and in a shingled manner. Data is written to the data tracks of a second plurality of the zones on the first and second disk surfaces in an interleaved manner, in a second radial direction opposite the first radial direction, and in a shingled manner. At least one guard band is defined at a boundary between a first zone and a second zone in the second plurality of zones on the first disk surface, wherein the guard band comprises at least one unused data track. |
| US08699184B2 |
Self-aligned bevels for write poles
A method, including depositing a layer of material onto a base portion of a wafer, is disclosed. The layer of material has a first surface adjacent the base portion. The method also includes depositing a pattern of masking material onto a portion of a second surface of the layer. Material from the layer of material that is unprotected by the pattern of masking material is removed from the layer of material. By removing such material a portion of the layer of material is suspended from the base portion. |
| US08699181B2 |
Spindle motor for driving a hard disk drive
The invention relates to a spindle motor, preferably for driving a hard disk drive, having a stationary motor component and a rotatable motor component that is rotatably supported with respect to the stationary motor component and that is driven by an electromagnetic drive system, at least one storage disk being fixed to the rotatable motor component using some means of mounting and fastening. According to the invention, at least parts of the rotatable motor component and at least parts of the means of mounting and fastening have a wear resistant surface coating or are subjected to a wear resistant surface treatment. |
| US08699178B2 |
Library system with connector for removable cartridges
Embodiments presented herein provide a removable disk library system. The removable disk library system, in embodiments, comprises an array of removable disk drive bays and a movable connector system. Each removable disk drive bay can hold a removable disk drive cartridge. The movable connector system can be positioned behind the array of removable disk drive bays where the movable connector system can access the connector of the removable disk drive cartridges. In embodiments, the movable connector system includes a movable connector assembly that can automatically connect to the connector at the rear of the removable disk drive. |
| US08699175B1 |
Disk drive mapping low frequency write addresses to circular buffer write zone
A drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data tracks. A random access write zone is defined on the disk comprising a first plurality of the data tracks, and a circular buffer write zone is defined on the disk comprising a second plurality of the data tracks. Write commands are received comprising logical block addresses (LBAs). First frequency and second frequency write LBAs are identified, where the second frequency is higher than the first frequency. Data associated with the first frequently write LBAs is stored in the circular buffer write zone, and data associated with the second frequency write LBAs is stored in the random access write zone. |
| US08699174B2 |
Control system for tape drive to compensate for system disturbances without use of feed-forward sensor
A tape drive (232) that receives a tape cartridge (42) having a tape (256) comprises a tape head (280) and a control system (270). The tape head (280) transfers data between the tape drive (232) and the tape (256). The control system (270) utilizes linear parameterization to control the position of the tape head (280) relative to the tape (256). The control system (270) can include a compensator (J) and a filter (Q). The compensator (J) is a combination of the information contained in a nominal control system (370A) and the information contained in a model of the servo system (370B). The model of the servo system (370B) estimates system disturbances that affect the tracking ability of the control system (270). The filter (Q) filters the estimated system disturbances to generate a filtered system disturbance signal. The filtered system disturbance signal is then used to adjust the output of the compensator (J). Additionally, the control system (270) can utilize Youla-Kucera parameterization to control the position of the tape head (280) relative to the tape (256). Further, the control system (270) controls the position of the tape head (280) relative to the tape (256) without the use of a feed-forward sensor. |
| US08699169B2 |
Fly height extraction system
A system and method for monitoring fly height between a magnetic recording medium and a transducing head. In a first exemplary embodiment, magnetic spacing change value is calculated using media noise on the recording medium (instead of prerecorded tones) to provide a broadband frequency distribution that results in improved Wallace equation accuracy. In a second exemplary embodiment, a magnetic spacing change value is acquired by any suitable method but is adjusted as necessary to reflect transducing head wear, thus providing a methodology for calculating changes in fly height by taking into account the signal loss that is attributable to wear. In this way, a basic understanding of the mechanism causing changes in magnetic spacing is achieved. |
| US08699167B2 |
Systems and methods for data detection using distance based tuning
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. As an example, a data processing circuit is disclosed that includes an equalizer circuit and a data detection circuit. The equalizer circuit is operable to filter a series of samples based at least in part on a filter coefficient and to provide a corresponding series of filtered samples. The data detection circuit includes: a core data detector circuit and a coefficient determination circuit. The core data detector circuit is operable to perform a data detection process on the series of filtered samples and to provide a most likely path and a next most likely path. The coefficient determination circuit operable to update the filter coefficient based at least in part on the most likely path and the next most likely path. |
| US08699166B2 |
Magnetic head drive device with micro-actuators of end arms rotating in a direction opposite micro-actuators of intermediate arms
A magnetic head drive device including a suspension for supporting a magnetic head, and a main actuator that produces rotary movement of the magnetic head by applying current to a coil. The main actuator includes end arms each comprising a single micro-actuator, and an intermediate arm comprising two micro-actuators. The micro-actuators of the end arms are driven in the same direction, and the micro-actuators of the intermediate arm are driven in the opposite direction to the drive direction of the micro-actuators of said the arms. |
| US08699162B1 |
Shingled magnetic recording disk drive with multiple data zones containing different numbers of error-correction-code sectors
A shingled magnetic recording disk drive with sector error correction code (ECC) has the disk recording surface divided into multiple zones. Each zone is assigned a sector-ECC strength, i.e., a unique number of ECC sectors associated with a block of data sectors. The zone in which data is to be written is determined from the time average of the position-error signal (PES), which is an indication of the track misregistration (TMR) and thus the current environmental condition to which the HDD is subjected. |
| US08699159B1 |
Reducing effects of wide area track erasure in a disk drive
Apparatus and methods for managing data stored in a disk drive having at least one disk including a first zone of tracks for storing data and a second zone of tracks for storing data, with the second zone being adjacent the first zone. It is determined whether a write counter for the first zone exceeds a threshold value. The write counter for the first zone represents a number of times the first zone has been completely written with data. If it is determined that the write counter for the first zone exceeds the threshold value, the disk drive is controlled to rewrite data from at least a portion of the second zone. |
| US08699158B1 |
Night vision filter for use with computer monitor screens and the like
A light-altering filter for use by military and law-enforcement personnel in lowlight environments is disclosed. The filter can be placed between a lit computer monitor screen and the face of the computer user. Light coming from the monitor screen is modified by the filter so that the night vision capabilities of the computer user are not adversely affected, and splash-back reflective illumination of the user is minimized. |
| US08699157B2 |
Variable focus prism and optical system
A variable focus prism has a first transmissive solution body, a second transmissive solution body that has a different refractive index to that of the first transmissive solution body, and a reflective solution body. The variable focus prism varies the shape of the transmissive surface and the reflective surface by electrical control of the transmissive surface formed on the interface between the first transmissive solution body and the second transmissive solution body, and the reflective surface formed on the interface between the second transmissive solution body and the reflective solution body. |
| US08699148B2 |
Lens barrel
A lens barrel includes an optical system including a first lens group having at least one lens; a cam frame including a first cam groove; and a first movable frame including a first cam follower engaged with the first cam groove. When the first movable frame relatively rotates with respect to the cam frame, the first movable frame relatively moves with respect to the cam frame in an optical axis direction together with the first lens group. A region of the first cam groove, through which the first cam follower passes when a focal distance of the optical system is changed from a wide-angle end to a tele end includes first and second regions adjacent to each other. The first region has a groove width narrower than that of the second region. |
| US08699147B2 |
Zoom lens
A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a negative power, a second lens group having a positive power, and a third lens group having a positive power arranged in this order from an object side and an aperture stop which is moved integrally with the second lens group, and performs zooming by changing a distance between the first and second lens groups and a distance between the second and third lens groups, wherein the second lens group is composed of a second group first lens having a positive power with a convex surface facing the object side, a cemented lens having a positive power as a whole, and a second group fourth lens having a negative power and at least one aspheric surface with a concave surface facing the image side arranged in this order from the object side. |
| US08699146B2 |
Zoom lens system
A zoom lens system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group and a positive fourth lens group, in that order from the object side. Upon zooming from the short to long focal length extremities, the distance between the first and second lens groups increases, the distance between the second and third lens groups decreases, and the distance between the third and fourth lens groups changes. The second lens group includes a negative lens element having a concave surface on the image side, a negative lens element having a concave surface on the image side, and a plastic positive lens element having an aspherical surface on at least one side and having a convex surface on the object side, in that order from the object side. |
| US08699145B2 |
Zoom lens
A zoom lens includes a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group, and a fourth lens group. The first lens group includes a first lens that has positive refractive power, a second lens that has negative refractive power, and a prism. The second lens group includes a third lens that has positive refractive power and a fourth lens that has negative refractive power. The third lens group includes a stop, a fifth lens that has positive refractive power, and a sixth lens that has negative refractive power. The fourth lens group includes a seventh lens that has positive refractive power. Upon changing magnification from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, the first and fourth lens groups are fixed, the second lens group first moves toward an image plane side and then moves toward an object side, and the third lens group linearly moves toward the object side. |
| US08699142B2 |
Variable focus lens
The variable focus lens of the present invention changes the refractive power by changing each of the shapes of a first interface formed by a first liquid and a second liquid that have refractive indices that differ from each other and a second interface formed by the second liquid and a third liquid that have refractive indices that differ from each other. Thereby, this variable focus lens changes the first interface and the second interface such that the sign of the refractive power of the first interface and the sign of the refractive power of the second interface differ from each other. |
| US08699139B2 |
Variable-focal-length projection lens system and projection apparatus
A variable-focal-length lens system for projection which achieves focusing by movement of the entire system has a second to a fourth lens group as focal-length-varying lens groups and a first lens group as a distance-compensation lens group. The second to fourth lens groups individually move in the optical axis direction to vary the group-to-group distances so as to vary the focal length of the entire system. During focusing, the first lens group moves in the optical axis direction such that, as the projection distance varies from a remote distance to a close distance, curvature of field varies to the under side. |
| US08699134B2 |
Altitude-azimuthal mount for optical instruments
An alt-az mount for supporting and orienting optical instruments comprises: a generally horizontally extending arm couple to a level surface by an azimuthal pivot joint which permits pivotal movement of the horizontally extending arm with respect to the level surface about a vertical azimuthal axis; a generally vertically extending arm pivotally coupled to the horizontally extending arm by an inter-arm pivot joint which permits pivotal movement of the vertically extending arm with respect to the horizontally extending arm about a vertical inter-arm axis; and an instrument coupling mechanism for coupling the mount to an optical instrument, the instrument coupling mechanism comprising an altitude pivot joint which permits pivotal movement of the optical instrument with respect to the vertically extending arm about a horizontal altitude axis. |
| US08699133B2 |
Sample holding system for a microscope with magnetic coupling
A sample holding system for a microscope, including a sample chamber which has an upper opening and is filled with an immersion liquid, and in which a sample embedded in a transparent embedding compound is placed in a holder. Translatory movement of the sample in relation to a detection objective of the microscope, and rotating the sample about an essentially vertical rotational axis in a plane forming an angle different from zero with the optical axis of the detection objective is included. Rotating the sample includes a rotational drive provided with a magnetic coupling or a belt drive and/or toothed wheel rotational drive arranged above the sample chamber. |
| US08699130B2 |
Microscope, in particular laser scanning microscope
Microscope, particularly laser scanning microscope, for optical detection of light radiation excited in a specimen, having a detection beam path for detecting spectral components of the light radiation in a plurality of detection channels, wherein the light radiation arrives at a variable longpass filter or shortpass filter from which reflected and/or transmitted components are reflected back with a parallel offset, and the latter arrive at a detector after at least one back-reflection of this kind. |
| US08699129B2 |
Microscope system, storage medium storing control program, and control method
A microscope system improves the operability of a user in performing a microscope observation. The microscope system attains the improvement by including: a microscope apparatus including a plurality of drive units; a display unit for displaying an operation screen for operation of the microscope apparatus; a pointing device for inputting by a pointer an operation instruction to the microscope apparatus on the operation screen; and a control unit for switching the drive units depending on the position of the pointer on the operation screen, and controlling the operation of the switched drive units depending on the operation of the pointing device. |
| US08699123B2 |
Wavelength conversion laser light source and image display apparatus
A wavelength conversion laser light source 100 has: a laser light source configured to generate fundamental wave laser light; and a wavelength conversion element 101 provided with a periodic polarization reversal structure configured to convert the fundamental wave laser light which is incident onto the periodic polarization reversal structure into different laser light in wavelength wherein the wavelength conversion element includes different polarization reversal regions in period; and a polarization reversal axis 102 of at least one of the polarization reversal regions is inclined with respect to an incident optical path of the fundamental wave laser light on the wavelength conversion element. |
| US08699122B2 |
Interferometer, demodulator, and optical fiber communication module
In a delay line interferometer inside a demodulator, with respect to polarization states of two split beams of light to be interfered with each other, p polarization and s polarization are reversed by a half beam splitter and, further, again multiplexed by the half beam splitter used for splitting so that interference beams of light are generated. |
| US08699118B2 |
Border structure for viewable area of electronic paper display
A border structure for viewable area of electronic paper display, including: a planarization layer; a border electrode, made of metal and disposed on the planarization layer; a glue layer, disposed on the border electrode and having on its bottom surface at least one downward extruding portion for enhancing its adhesive strength; and an electrophoretic display layer, disposed on the top surface of the glue layer. |
| US08699117B2 |
Electrophoresis type display device and method of fabricating and driving the same
Provided is a electrophoresis type display device includes a pixel electrode and a common electrode on a substrate and inducing an in-plane electric field; an electric charge layer on the pixel electrode and common electrode and having a plurality of first particles and a plurality of second particles, the first and second particles charged with opposite polarities; and a backlight unit supplying light toward the substrate. |
| US08699113B2 |
Deformable mirror suspension
A passive suspension for a bimorph or other self-deforming mirror includes elements, e.g., of herringbone shape, extending between an edge of the mirror substrate and a support structure. The elements have portions directed transversely (e.g. obliquely) relative to a direction of relative movement between the mirror edge and the support structure, so as to accommodate the movement by bending. |
| US08699112B2 |
Optical scanner and image forming apparatus
An optical scanner includes: a light reflecting section having light reflectivity; a movable plate which includes the light reflecting section and can be displaced; four link sections connected to the movable plate; and a supporting section supporting the four link sections. The four link sections are provided on an outer circumference of the movable plate at 90-degree intervals along a circumferential direction of the movable plate in a plan view. Each link section includes a turnable drive section, and a shaft section which connects the movable plate and the drive section. The shaft section is bent and deformed in a thickness direction of the movable plate by turning the drive section. |
| US08699111B2 |
Apparatus and method for high-speed phase shifting for interferometric measurement systems
Described are a method and apparatus for high-speed phase shifting of an optical beam. A transparent plate having regions of different optical thickness is illuminated by an optical beam along a path of incidence that extends through the regions. The transparent plate can be moved or the optical beam can be steered to generate the path of incidence. The optical beam exiting the transparent plate has an instantaneous phase value according to the region in which the optical beam is incident. Advantageously, the phase values are repeatable and stable regardless of the location of incidence of the optical beam within the respective regions, and phase changes at high modulation rates are possible. The method and apparatus can be used to modulate a phase difference of a pair of coherent optical beams such as in an interferometric fringe projection system. |
| US08699107B2 |
High density ink-jet printing on a transparency in a cielab colorspace
A method of printing a high density image on a transparent medium. In some examples, the method includes calculating an expected optical density for an input pixel value, using a first function configured to output an optical density which produces a substantially linear relationship between the input pixel value and the output optical density as substantially perceived by a human eye. The method may also include calculating an L* value which represent a parameter in a CIELAB colorspace using the expected optical density. In some examples, the method includes calculating a response function that describes the relationship between L* and an output pixel value, the output pixel value specifying the amount of ink to deposit onto the transparent medium. In other examples, the method includes using the response function to solve for an output pixel value for the L* value; and creating a look up table. |
| US08699106B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method that correct color conversion table used when reading document
Conventionally, it is not possible to evenly correct a color conversion table of a reading device in the entire color region even with a limited number of patches. In order to correct a color conversion table, a color conversion table from a device-independent color space into a device-independent color space is newly stored. A shift in read data between devices is reflected in a correction 3D-LUT and a color conversion table is corrected using the correction 3D-LUT. Thereby, it is possible to correct the entire color region with a smaller number of pieces of data and with less time and effort than when a color conversion table is newly recreated. |
| US08699101B2 |
Image readers
An image reader is provided, which includes a feed tray that has a loading surface and is swingable around a first swing axis parallel to a width direction of a document sheet placed on the feed tray between a first position where the loading surface is directed downward above a housing and a second position where the loading surface is directed upward at an upstream side relative to the housing in the feeding direction, a first opening formed between the housing and the feed tray placed in the second position, the first opening being configured such that an inside of the housing communicates with an outside of the housing therethrough, a second opening formed in a position higher than a power supply unit and lower than the first opening inside the housing, and a communication path through which the first opening communicates with the second opening. |
| US08699100B2 |
Autonomous sheet-fed scanner
Battery-powered portable sheet-fed scanner, comprising: a scanning unit (21-23) for scanning documents and forming digital representations thereof; a sheet feeder (28) for feeding a document past the scanning unit; a processor (20), communicatively connected to the scanning unit and provided for controlling the scanning operation; a plurality of embedded storage capabilities, each of which is communicatively connected to the processor and each of which comprises either an internal memory (26) for internally storing the digital representations or a communication link (24; 25) to an external storage medium for externally storing the digital representations. The processor is provided with an embedded routing application which is provided for routing the digital representations to a predetermined selection among the embedded storage capabilities. |
| US08699099B2 |
Document conveying device having clawed elastic portions and a support portion with a guide portion protruding downward between the elastic portions, image reading device including the document conveying device, and image forming apparatus
Provided is a document conveying device, including: a conveyance guide member which is capable of being opened upward and closed with respect to a contact glass, disposed facing the contact glass along a conveying direction of a document, and guides the document to an upper surface of the contact glass; a reading guide member which is disposed along a width direction of the document, movably supported in an up-and-down direction with respect to the conveyance guide member, and guides the document to a position facing an image reading region in the upper surface of the contact glass; a protruding portion which is protruded outward from at least one end portion of the reading guide member in the width direction; a support portion which is protruded outward from the conveyance guide member along the width direction above the protruding portion; and elastic portions which are protruded downward from the support portion and sandwich the protruding portion so that the protruding portion is movable in the up-and-down direction, each of the elastic portions having a tip end including a claw portion which engages with the protruding portion from below by snap-fitting so as to enable regulation of downward movement of the protruding portion. |
| US08699097B2 |
Scanner device and image reading and display method
A scanner device includes a keyboard, a display, a control unit, and a storage unit, wherein the keyboard and the display are disposed so as to cover the top of the body of the scanner device, and the control unit includes an image reading unit that controls to read image data from original documents, an image storing unit that stores the image data read by the image reading unit in the storage unit, and a display control unit that controls to display the image data of any of the original documents on the display based on the image data stored by the image storing unit. |
| US08699091B2 |
System for previewing and imaging documents
A system for previewing and imaging a document includes an imaging unit having an imaging surface configured to carry the document thereon. The imaging unit also includes an image sensing member configured to capture an image corresponding to the document and an image processing member communicably coupled to the image sensing member to receive the captured image. The image processing member is further configured to convert the captured image to a digital data format. The system further includes a display unit communicably coupled to the image processing member. The display unit includes a user interface configured to exhibit a placement-guiding display object over converted captured image. |
| US08699082B2 |
Apparatus to control printing density in image forming device and method thereof
An apparatus to control a printing density in an image forming device and a method thereof, capable of controlling the printing density of a printed matter according to an amount of pages for a single page and a print rate. The apparatus and method solve a problem wherein the printing density is recognized as being degraded due to an increase of pages for a single paper or a reduced print rate. The printing density is set automatically or manually, and a bias voltage applied to a developing roller is controlled according to set-up information so that the printing density is controlled. |
| US08699081B2 |
Halftoning run length encoded datastreams
Methods and systems herein provide for halftoning of Run length (RL) encoded datastreams. In one embodiment, a print controller identifies a packet within a RL encoded datastream. The packing includes a header and a block of continuous tone data. The print controller identifies an array of conversion values for converting RL encoded data to halftone data, and indexes the array using one or more bytes of the block of bitmap data. The print controller then outputs halftone data from the conversion array based on the index to convert the RL encoded continuous tone data of the packet to halftone data for a print engine. |
| US08699080B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating multi-site FM screen dots simultaneously
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for generating multi-site FM screen dots simultaneously. The method according to the present invention can simultaneously process multiple neighboring pixels in the same row each time and generate multi-site screen dots; and meanwhile the method according to the present invention can renew simultaneously the error accumulation values of multiple locations of error row memory. The apparatus according to the present invention consists of an error row memory, an error row memory control circuit, an error allocation/accumulation register file, an error allocation/accumulation register file control circuit, and a screen dots generating circuit. The method and the apparatus according to the present invention can greatly improve the generating speed of FM screen dots, and only one read-write operation of the error row memory is needed during processing the multiple neighboring pixels each time. |
| US08699078B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer readable medium storing program
An image processing apparatus includes an information obtainment unit that obtains image information including data regarding a binary image, a plate-information generating unit that generates plate information, an instruction obtainment unit that obtains a first or second generating instruction, a job-file generating unit, and an output unit that outputs a job file to an image forming apparatus. The job-file generating unit generates, for the first generating instruction, a job file for causing the image forming apparatus to form images using data representing blank for a plate for which the plate information indicates that no image information exists, and data included in image information corresponding to a plate for which the plate information indicates that image information exists, and generates, for the second generating instruction, a job file for causing the image forming apparatus to form an image for each plate using data included in image information. |
| US08699077B2 |
Scanning optical apparatus and image forming apparatus using the same
A scanning optical apparatus capable of forming a preferable image, includes a light source unit, a rotational polygon mirror having a plurality of deflection surfaces for deflectively scanning a light flux emerged from the light source unit, an incident optical system for imaging the light flux as a line image on the deflection surfaces; and an imaging optical system which has one or more imaging lenses, images the light flux that has passed through the rotational polygon mirror on a surface to be scanned, and brings the deflection surfaces and the surface to be scanned into a conjugate relationship with each other in a sub scanning section, in which at least one of the imaging lenses of the imaging optical system has a lens surface formed into a non-arcked shape in the sub scanning section, and is held by a holding member so as to be movable. |
| US08699075B2 |
Printer image log system for document gathering and retention
A system and method for document image acquisition and retrieval find application in litigation for responding to discovery requests. The method includes receiving automatically acquired electronic image logs comprising image data and associated records for documents processed by a plurality of image output devices within an organization. When a request for document production is received, the image logs (and/or information extracted therefrom) are automatically filtered through at least one classifier trained to return documents responsive to the document request, and documents corresponding to the filtered out image logs are output. One of the filters may be configured for filtering out documents that include attorney-client exchanges. |
| US08699067B2 |
Pull printing system, method and computer-readable storage medium for processing print jobs after pull printing server failure
In a pull printing system, a plurality of information devices configured to create print jobs individually, a pull printing server, and a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected to one another via a network. Each of the information devices acquires, from the pull printing server, port information used for communication with the image forming apparatuses, stores the port information therein. If the pull printing server can perform communication with the subject information device at a time point when the port information is stored and onward, each of the information devices sends a print job created after the time point to the pull printing server. Otherwise, each of the information devices sends the print job to any one of the image forming apparatuses based on the port information. |
| US08699065B2 |
Display operation device allocating a plurality of functions to a key, image processing apparatus, and method of receiving user operations
A display operation device has a display-integrated operation panel with a display screen, on which a monochrome copy start key and a color copy start key are displayed. When black-toner-out or color-toner-out occurs, on the monochrome copy start key and the color copy start key, another UI component such as black-toner-out key and color-toner-out key is displayed. Such a UI component is displayed at the display position of the monochrome copy start key and the color copy start key, being superposed on these keys. |
| US08699064B2 |
Print job scheduling in a print shop environment
Methods and systems are provided for scheduling multiple types of print jobs for a printer more efficiently by scheduling jobs together that share print settings. In one embodiment, a system includes a print queue that stores print jobs scheduled for a printer. The system also includes a scheduler that receives requests to schedule a print job for the printer. The scheduler compares the print settings of the requested print job to print settings of the print jobs already in the print queue. The scheduler then schedules the requested print job among the print jobs in the print queue that have print settings corresponding with the print settings of the requested print job. |
| US08699059B2 |
Control apparatus and method for writing a command to a control file
There is provided a communication apparatus including a communication unit configured to communicate with a control apparatus, which has a recording unit and executes processing in accordance with a command that has been written to the recording unit, an accepting unit configured to accept selection of a command by a user, and a writing unit configured to write the selected command to the recording unit, the communication apparatus comprising: a sensing unit configured to sense connection to the control apparatus via the communication unit; a determination unit configured to determine whether the recording unit has been set to a write inhibit state if the connection has been sensed by the sensing unit; and a notification unit configured to notify the user of the fact that the recording unit has been set to the write inhibit state, if the determination unit determines that the recording unit has been set to the write inhibit state. |
| US08699055B2 |
Image processing apparatus with symmetric processors
A multifunction image processing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a communications module, a scan subsystem, a print subsystem, and a digital signal processor (DSP) block. The communications module is used to communicate with a host computer to send and receive image data files. The scan subsystem is used to scan images. The print subsystem is used to print images. The DSP block includes at least two digital signal processors. The digital signal processors can be programmed to symmetrically multiprocess portions of an image data file to process it more quickly. Alternatively, digital signal processors can be programmed to simultaneously process the image data for the scan subsystem and image data for the print subsystem. |
| US08699050B2 |
Image forming device, image forming method, and image forming program
An image forming device for executing an authentication print job including: a communication interface unit for receiving print data; a job data holding unit for holding job data based on the print data for the authentication print job; a user authentication unit for outputting the result of the user authentication to a control unit; a job execution unit for executing a job based on the job data; a job list generating unit for generating a list of the authentication print jobs; a display unit for displaying the list; and the control unit for, in receiving the result of the user authentication, acquiring a number of the authentication print jobs of the user authenticated by the user authentication, wherein, when the number is greater than or equal to a predetermined number, the control unit causes the job list generating unit to generate the list of the authentication print jobs of the authenticated user, the display unit to display the list, and the job execution unit to execute the authentication print job of the authenticated user. |
| US08699042B2 |
Systems and methods for multi-mode color blending
Systems and methods are provided for performing blending operations on color documents described in a PDL in one of at least two modes. In a first mode, a specified colorspace associated with one PDL group is replaced with a second colorspace, wherein the second colorspace is native to a target device. Blending operations can then be performed on the PDL group using the second colorspace. In the second mode, blending operations are performed using the colorspace specified for the PDL group. |
| US08699041B2 |
Printing system, method, and program product for controlling post-processing with held process information
A printing system having a printing apparatus and a post-processing apparatus connected to the printing apparatus is provided. When an in-line job is received that is set to perform a printing process by the printing apparatus and a post-process by the post-processing apparatus with respect to a sheet printed by the printing process, it is determined whether or not the in-line job is to be separated into the printing process and an off-line process of performing the post-process by the post-processing apparatus without performing the printing process. When it is determined that the separation is to be performed, the printing apparatus is caused to execute the printing process and print information for executing the off-line process is held. When a user's instruction to execute the off-line process is received, the off-line process is executed with respect to the sheet printed by the printing process. |
| US08699039B2 |
Document generating apparatus, display control apparatus, document generating method, display control method and computer readable medium
The document generating apparatus is provided with: an acquiring unit that acquires information on a first operation on a display screen and information on a second operation on the display screen, the first operation being for designating a part area of an image as an area to be included in an electronic document, and the second operation being for setting a size of a medium on which the electronic document is printed; an adjusting unit that adjusts the part area of the image designated in the first operation into the medium of which size is set in the second operation; and a generating unit that generates the electronic document based on the image adjusted by the adjusting unit. |
| US08699038B2 |
Apparatus and method for monitoring a thickness of a silicon wafer with a highly doped layer
Apparatus for monitoring a thickness of a silicon wafer with a highly-doped layer at least at a backside of the silicon wafer is provided. The apparatus has a source configured to emit coherent light of multiple, wavelengths. Moreover, the apparatus comprises a measuring head configured to be contactlessly positioned adjacent the silicon wafer and configured to illuminate at least a portion of the silicon wafer with the coherent light and to receive at least a portion of radiation reflected by the silicon wafer. Additionally, the apparatus comprises a spectrometer, a beam splitter and an evaluation device. The evaluation device is configured to determine a thickness of the silicon wafer by analyzing the radiation reflected by the silicon wafer by an optical coherence tomography process. The coherent light is emitted multiple wavelengths in a bandwidth b around a central wavelength wc. |
| US08699037B2 |
Hole inspection
An apparatus is provided for inspecting holes in components. The apparatus includes a telecentric lens system positionable at a near end of a hole with an optical axis of the lens system aligned with the axis of the hole to image the interior of the hole. The apparatus further includes an illumination system for illuminating the interior of the hole. The apparatus further includes a camera arranged to receive an image of the illuminated interior of the hole from the telecentric lens system. The illumination system includes a light source for producing a beam of parallel light, and optics for directing the produced beam through the telecentric lens system along the optical axis thereof, and through the hole. The beam reaches the far end of the hole, and is reflected from a surface located at or adjacent the far end of the hole to illuminate the interior of the hole. |
| US08699033B2 |
Holographic microscopy and method to investigate nano-sized objects
A method for detecting a three dimensional object smaller than 300 nm includes providing a light source producing a first light beam (1), the light source being at least partially coherent; and splitting the first light beam (1) into an object beam (2) and a reference beam (6) by a first beam splitter (BS1). An image of the light source is produced in a light source image plane by a first microscope objective (L1), in the optical path of the object beam (2). The three dimensional object to be detected in an object cell (3) is positioned in the optical path of the object beam (2), between the first beam splitter (BS1) and the first microscope objective (L1). The object beam (2) and the reference beam (6) are recombined into a recombined beam (8) by use of optical devices. An optical stop (4) is placed in the light source image plane of the microscope objective (L1) on the optical axis of the microscope objective (L1). Interferometric signals produced by the interaction between the reference beam and the object beam are recorded with a recording device (5). The recombined beam (8) is focused onto the recording device (5) with a focuser (L3). A three dimensional picture of the three dimensional object is reconstructed to be detected from the interferometric signal, thereby detecting the three dimensional object. |
| US08699031B2 |
Optical measurement device
An optical measurement device is adapted to measure characteristics of a measurement targeted fluid based on a transmitted inspection light. The device comprises a cell having an internal space for accommodating the measurement targeted fluid to flow therein and having a pair of opposing through holes for transmitting the inspection light, each of the through holes sealed with a transparent member. The device includes a projection optical system member having a port for projecting the inspection light and a light-receiving optical system member having a port for receiving the inspection light transmitted through the internal space. A base member is provided for supporting the cell, the projection optical system member, and the light-receiving optical system member in a configuration with gaps between the cell and the respective optical system members to accommodate movement in a predetermined range along a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the inspection light. |
| US08699015B2 |
Schematic eye and adjustment method and evaluation method for optical coherence tomography apparatus
A schematic eye is used for the evaluation of the optical system of an optical coherence tomography apparatus which captures a tomogram of the fundus. The eye includes a first optical member which irradiated light from the optical system strikes and a second optical member which irradiated light from the first optical member strikes. A plurality of layers having different scattering intensities in the incident direction of irradiated light are formed on the second optical member. |
| US08699012B2 |
Optical fiber alignment measurement method and apparatus
A measurement system comprising an analog position sensitive device is provided that can measure the XY position of a plurality of light beams at very high resolution. In accordance with one exemplary associated method, a connector bearing one or more optical fibers is fixedly positioned before a position sensing detector so that light emanating from the ends of the optical fibers will strike the position sensing detector. A light beam is passed through at least one opening in the connector, such as a guide pin hole onto the detecting surface of the PSD to establish the position of the connector. Next, each optical fiber in the connector is individually illuminated sequentially so that the light emanating from the fiber falls on the position sensing detector. The locations of all of these light beams striking the PSD are compared to position of the light beam passed through the guide pins and/or to each other to determine if all the fibers are in the correct positions relative to the connector. In addition, it is possible to simultaneously measure the magnitude of the light emanating from each fiber in order to measure the quality of the light transmission through the connector/cable assembly. |
| US08699008B2 |
Distance measuring device
The distance measuring device includes a light source (1), a light-receiving sensor (2), a timing controller (5), a distance calculator (6), and a delay controller (8). The timing controller (5) outputs a modulation signal and plural reference timing signals. The modulation signal is a square wave signal having high and low level periods appearing alternately. Each of the high and low level periods has its length randomly selected from integral multiples of a predetermined unit time period. The reference timing signals include a signal having the same waveform as that of the modulation signal and a signal having the same waveform as that of the inverted modulation signal. The light source (1) varies an intensity of the light in concordance with the modulation signal. The delay controller (8) delays the plural reference timing signals by the delay period (Td) to create plural timing signals respectively. The light-receiving sensor (2) accumulates the electric charges generated within the reception time period, with regard to each of the timing signals. The distance calculator (6) calculates the time difference (τ) from amounts of the electric charges respectively associated with the timing signals, and calculates a distance (L) to the target (3) on the basis of the time difference (τ) and the delay period (Td). |
| US08699005B2 |
Indoor surveying apparatus
An indoor surveying apparatus comprises a 2D range finder, means for automatically aligning 2D range finder data and computing a 2D map of the environment, a calibrated optical imaging system for capturing images of environment, and means for establishing positions and extents of walls, doors, and windows and for drawing floor plans using the computed 2D map and calibrated images where 2D range finder data is missing. It is further contemplated that the imaging system can also be part of the range finder, that the range finder can be a scanning laser range finder, that the imaging system can include a panoramic lens with 180 degree field of view, that the apparatus can further include an IMU, an electronic compass, a panoramic rotator, and means for measuring positions of points on the floor using the image data. |
| US08699001B2 |
Object moving apparatus, object processing apparatus, exposure apparatus, object inspecting apparatus and device manufacturing method
A substrate is held by adsorption by a substrate holding frame that is formed into a frame shape and is lightweight, and the substrate holding frame is driven along a horizontal plane by a drive unit that includes a linear motor. Below the substrate holding frame, a plurality of air levitation units are placed that support by levitation the substrate in a noncontact manner such that the substrate is substantially horizontal, by jetting air to the lower surface of the substrate. Since the plurality of air levitation units cover a movement range of the substrate holding frame, the drive unit can guide the substrate holding frame (substrate) along the horizontal plane at high speed and with high precision. |
| US08698997B2 |
Stereoscopic image printing device with enhanced positioning accuracy and related printing method
A stereoscopic image printing device includes an actuating unit for moving a grating structure, and a positioning module. The positioning module includes a plurality of shelters, a planar light source for emitting light to pass through the grating structure and an interval between the adjacent shelters, and a photosensitive component for receiving the light passing through the grating structure and the interval between the adjacent shelters, so as to generate a corresponding optical intensity signal. The printing device further includes a controller coupled to the actuating unit and the photosensitive component for controlling the actuating unit to move the grating structure according to the optical intensity signal generated by the photosensitive component. |
| US08698995B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel having particular laminate spacer
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel provided with a laminate spacer including a plurality of primary color filters which can avoid deterioration of the display quality and improve the production efficiency. The liquid crystal display panel of the present invention comprises: an array substrate provided with a first electrode; a color filter substrate provided with a second electrode; and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the array substrate and the color filter substrate, wherein the color filter substrate further includes: four or more differently colored transparent layers, the colors of which include red, green, blue, and at least one of yellow and white; and a laminate spacer formed by the second electrode and at least two layers among the four or more differently colored transparent layers, and the laminate spacer is surrounded by the yellow or white transparent layer when viewed in a plan view. |
| US08698994B2 |
Liquid crystal display device including anti-corrosion layer
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a first insulation layer, an anti-corrosion layer, a liquid crystal layer, and a seal pattern. The second substrate faces the first substrate, and includes a display area which displays an image, and a non-display area surrounding the display area. The first insulation layer is provided on the second substrate, and exposes a layer thereunder at an edge of the non-display area. The anti-corrosion layer is provided at an edge of the first insulation layer. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first and second substrates. The seal pattern is provided on the first insulation layer, and couples the first and second substrates. |
| US08698990B2 |
Liquid crystal display and thin film transistor array panel therefor
A liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided, which includes: first and second gate lines, a data line intersecting the gate lines, first to fourth drain electrodes located near the intersections between the first and second gate lines and the data line, and a coupling electrode. First to fourth pixel electrodes respectively connected to the first to fourth drain electrodes are also provided, and the first pixel electrode is connected to the coupling electrode while the fourth pixel electrode overlaps the coupling electrode. The LCD further includes a common electrode opposite the pixel electrodes, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode, and a domain partitioning member formed on at least one of the pixel electrode and the common electrode. Two long edges of the domains are angled with respect to the first and the second gate lines or the data line substantially by about 45°. |
| US08698989B2 |
Liquid crystal display device with a switchable viewing angle comprising a plurality of color sub-pixels and a plurality of viewing angle control sub-pixels
A viewing angle switchable liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a plurality of color sub-pixels and a plurality of viewing angle control (VAC) pixels. The liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. The liquid crystal molecules of each color sub-pixel include twisted nematic liquid crystal molecules. Each of the color sub-pixels includes a first pixel electrode disposed on an inner surface of the first substrate, and a second pixel electrode disposed on an inner surface of the second substrate. Each of the viewing angle control pixels includes a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on the inner surface of the first substrate, and a third electrode disposed on the inner surface of the second substrate. |
| US08698988B2 |
Liquid crystal device having viewing angle control pixels
A liquid crystal device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a display pixel, and a viewing angle control pixel. The liquid crystal layer is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. The display pixels and the viewing angle control pixels are arranged in a planar region of the first substrate and second substrate to form a display area. Each of the display pixels and each of the viewing angle control pixels each drive the liquid crystal layer by electric field generated between a first electrode and a second electrode. In each of the viewing angle control pixels, a direction of a plane along which electric field is generated between the first electrode and the second electrode is substantially parallel to an initial alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer. |
| US08698985B2 |
Optical film for reducing color shift and LCD device having the same
An optical film for reducing color shift is provided in front of a display panel. The optical film includes a background layer, and a plurality of lens parts, which are spaced apart from each other, engraved or embossed on the background layer. The lens parts diffuse light incident thereon and then to mix the diffused light with light passing between the lens parts. The lens parts have a depth to width ratio of 0.25 or more, a spacing to pitch ratio ranging from 0.5 to 0.95, and a pitch of 45 μm or less. A display device may include the optical film. |
| US08698983B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
An LCD device is disclosed which includes: a first substrate; a second substrate disposed to face the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer inserted between the first and second substrates; a cholesteric color filter layer disposed on the first substrate; and an auxiliary color filter layer disposed on the cholesteric color filter layer and formed to transmit a fixed wavelength band of light progressing in a front viewing direction of the cholesteric color filter layer and filter every wavelength band of light progressing in a side viewing direction of the cholesteric color filter layer except the fixed wavelength band of light. |
| US08698982B2 |
Method of manufacturing liquid crystal device and liquid crystal device having a polarization separating element outside a display area
A liquid crystal device includes a first substrate and a second substrate that are arranged so as to face each other, a liquid crystal layer that is pinched between the first substrate and the second substrate, one pair of polarizers that are arranged on both outer sides of the first substrate and the second substrate, a first optical element having a polarization separation function that is disposed in at least one spot of the first substrate, and a display area that contributes to display. The first optical element is arranged outside the display area. |
| US08698981B2 |
Polarizer, optical film using the same, and image display device using the same
A polarizer that can be used for forming a liquid crystal display or an electroluminescent display with less display irregularities and excellent display characteristics is provided. The polarizer contains a dichroic material in a matrix, and its in-plane retardation at a measurement wavelength providing no absorption is in a range of 950 to 1350 nm. The measurement wavelength is preferably a wavelength that the dichroic material provides no absorption, and it is 1000 nm, for example. |
| US08698980B2 |
Color regulating device for illumination and apparatus using the same, and method of regulating color
A color regulating device for illumination. includes a light-valving structure for adjusting a flux ratio of outgoing light through the light-valving structure to incident light entering the light-valving structure, and a color-adjusting structure having a wavelength-band converting element for changing incident light with a wavelength band into outgoing light with a different wavelength band through the element. The light-valving structure and the color-adjusting structure at least partially overlap on the traveling path of light, forming at least one overlapping structure. Mixing the outgoing lights of the light source passing through light-valving structure, the color-adjusting structure, and the overlapping structure to obtain a different wavelength band (or color temperature) from that of the light source. A color adjusting apparatus for illumination includes the color adjusting device and a color adjusting method. |
| US08698970B2 |
Display device and method for manufacturing the same
An object is to provide a display device with excellent display characteristics, where a pixel circuit and a driver circuit provided over one substrate are formed using transistors which have different structures corresponding to characteristics of the respective circuits. The driver circuit portion includes a driver circuit transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using a metal film, and a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel portion includes a pixel transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using an oxide conductor, and a semiconductor layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel transistor is formed using a light-transmitting material, and thus, a display device with higher aperture ratio can be manufactured. |
| US08698969B2 |
Active matrix substrate, method for producing active matrix substrate, liquid crystal panel, method for producing liquid crystal panel, liquid crystal display device, liquid crystal display unit, and television receiver
Disclosed is a liquid crystal panel comprising a scan signal line (16x), a data signal line (15x), and a transistor (12a) that is connected to the scan signal line (16x) and the data signal line (15x), wherein a pixel (101) is provided with pixel electrodes (17a, 17b). The pixel electrode (17a) is connected to the data signal line (15x) through the transistor (12a). The liquid crystal panel also includes a capacitance electrode (37a) which is electrically connected to the pixel electrode (17a). The capacitance electrode (37a) and the pixel electrode (17a) overlap with each other through an insulating film interposed therebetween; the capacitance electrode (37a) and the pixel electrode (17b) overlap with each other through an insulating film interposed therebetween; and the areas of the overlapping portions are equal to each other. Consequently, the yield can be improved in a capacitive coupling type pixel division system active matrix substrate or in a liquid crystal panel comprising the active matrix substrate. |
| US08698966B2 |
Screen device for three-dimensional display with full viewing-field
A screen device for three-dimensional display with full viewing-field comprises a display screen (2), a rotation device (3) for the display screen, and an optical device (1) disposed in front side of the display screen (2). The optical device (1) may be a two dimensional diaphragm array (5) with inclined openings, a vertical lenticular lens array (6), a combination of a two dimensional diaphragm array (7) with vertical openings and a lens (8), or a combination of a two dimensional micro-lens array (9), a vertical diffusion screen (10) and a cylindrical lens (11). |
| US08698964B2 |
Television apparatus, electronic device, and slide support mechanism
According to one embodiment, a television apparatus includes a panel unit, a support base, and a plurality of slide support mechanisms. The panel unit includes a front panel arranged in front of a display panel. The support base supports the display panel. The slide support mechanisms are attached to the support base to slidably support the panel unit. The slide support mechanisms includes an elastic bush and a combined member. A through portion is formed in the elastic bush. The elastic bush has a circumference portion attached to one of the support base and the panel unit. The combined member is combined with the other of the panel unit and the support base via a combining portion passing through the through portion, and holds the elastic bush with the other of the panel unit and the support base. |
| US08698960B2 |
Decoder and method for separating luminance and chrominance information from a composite video signal
A decoder and a method for separating luminance and chrominance information from a target pixel in a composite video signal are provided. The decoder comprises a delay module, a filter module, a weighting factor generator, and a separator. The delay module is configured to delay a plurality of horizontal lines of the composite video signal to output a plurality of pixels including the target pixel. The filter module is coupled to the delay module and configured to filter the composite video signal in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction to generate a plurality of frequency components. The weighting factor generator is configured to generate a first weighting factor of the target pixel according to the horizontal direction and a second weighting factor of the target pixel according to the vertical direction. The separator is configured to separate luminance information from the target pixel in accordance with the frequency components, the first weighting factor, and the second weighting factor. |
| US08698957B2 |
Image displaying method and display device using the same
A method of controlling a display device selectively displaying one of a first signal received from a first signal source and a second signal received from a second signal source is provided. The method includes the steps of: displaying the second signal; detecting whether the first signal is received; and displaying the first signal when the first signal is received by the display device. |
| US08698956B2 |
Transmitting device, receiving device, and method for transmitting operational information in receiving device
A transmitting device includes a video-signal output unit, an image displaying unit, an information receiving unit, and a controller. The video-signal output unit outputs a video signal. The image displaying unit displays an image based on the video signal outputted from the video-signal output unit, on a first image display element. The signal transmitting unit transmits the video signal outputted from the video-signal output unit, to an external apparatus via a transmission path. The information receiving unit receives operational information transmitted from the external apparatus, on a display screen of a second image display of the external apparatus. The controller controls at least an operation of the video-signal output unit on the basis of the operational information received by the information receiving unit. |
| US08698954B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus and image processing program
A method includes the step of: calculating a synthesis ratio based on a motion estimation reliability being decided by integrating a first motion estimation reliability, a second motion estimation reliability, and a third motion estimation reliability, the first motion estimation reliability being decided by a difference absolute value between pixels within an interlaced image at a preceding time and pixels within an interlaced image at a subsequent time, used to calculate a pixel value interpolated when the second progressive image is generated, the second motion estimation reliability being decided by the widths of areas of interlaced images at preceding and subsequent times used to calculate the pixel values to be interpolated, the third motion estimation reliability being decided by a combination of a line luminance change of an interlaced image at a preceding time and a line luminance change of an interlaced signal at a subsequent time within the area. |
| US08698942B2 |
Focus detection apparatus
A focus detection apparatus includes: a photoelectric conversion unit of a charge accumulation type, including a plurality of sensors; an accumulation controller for controlling charge accumulation of the photoelectric conversion unit; an accumulation time measuring unit for measuring accumulation time; a correction computing unit for performing correction computing of a photoelectric conversion signal; and a focus detection computing unit for performing focus detection computing. The accumulation controller detects a signal of accumulation completion in a first sensor of the plurality of sensors, and then forces sensors except the first sensor to terminate the charge accumulation. The correction computing unit performs the correction computing of the photoelectric conversion signal based on first accumulation time that is accumulation time of the first sensor and second accumulation time that is different from the first accumulation time. |
| US08698941B2 |
Imaging apparatus with switchable beam deflector array
A switchable imaging apparatus having an image display mode and an image capture mode, comprising: a display screen to provide a displayed image when the display screen is in a first display state, wherein the display screen is at least partially transparent when the display screen is switched to a second transparent state; a set of optical beam deflectors, each optical beam deflector being individually switchable between a first non-deflecting state and a second deflecting state wherein imaging light from a corresponding section of the scene is deflected into a camera positioned in a location peripheral to the display screen; and a controller which synchronously switches the display screen between the first display state and the second transparent state, and the individual optical beam deflectors between their first non-deflecting state and their second deflecting state, thereby providing the image display mode and the image capture mode. |
| US08698940B2 |
Switchable imaging apparatus for viewing and capture
A switchable imaging apparatus having a transparent viewing mode and an image capture mode, comprising: a transparent plate having a front surface, wherein a scene is viewable through the transparent plate when the imaging apparatus is in the transparent viewing mode; an optical beam deflector positioned within the transparent plate, wherein the optical beam deflector is switchable between a first non-deflecting state and a second deflecting state, such that when the optical beam deflector is in the second deflecting state imaging light from the scene is deflected into a camera positioned in a location peripheral to the transparent plate; and a controller which synchronously switches the optical beam deflector between the first non-deflecting state and the second deflecting state, thereby providing the transparent viewing mode and the image capture mode. |
| US08698932B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus and camera
A solid-state image pickup apparatus supplies power during a driving for a signal read via a pixel transistor that is adjacent in a Y direction (vertically). In the solid-state image pickup apparatus, for resetting, a drive pulse RsrD is supplied on a drain line connected in the horizontal direction. |
| US08698929B2 |
Image sensor, method for operating thereof, and image pick-up device having the same
The image sensor includes a plurality of column lines, a plurality of active road circuits and a selection circuit. The plurality of column lines are each connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of pixels. The plurality of active road circuits are each connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of column lines. The selection circuit is configured to enable a portion of the plurality of active road circuits based on a plurality of column selection signals. |
| US08698927B2 |
Image-pickup element, and image-pickup apparatus and camera system capable of detecting a focus state
An image-pickup element includes an image-pickup pixel configured to photoelectrically convert light from an image-pickup lens to generate an image of an object, and a first focus detection pixel and a second focus detection pixel configured to receive light having passed through part of an area of an exit pupil of the image-pickup lens, and an electrode part of the first focus detection pixel and an electrode part of the second focus detection pixel are arranged at ends of a photoelectrical conversion part that are opposite to each other in a pupil diving direction of the first focus detection pixel and the second focus detection pixel. |
| US08698924B2 |
Tone mapping for low-light video frame enhancement
A technique is provided for generating sharp, well-exposed, color images from low-light images. A series of under-exposed images is acquired. A mean image is computed and a sum image is generated each based on the series of under-exposed images. Chrominance variables of pixels of the mean image are mapped to chrominance variables of pixels of the sum image. Chrominance values of pixels within the series of under-exposed images are replaced with chrominance values of the sum image. A set of sharp, well-exposed, color images is generated based on the series of under-exposed images with replaced chrominance values. |
| US08698920B2 |
Image display apparatus and image display method
An image display apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a face detection section detecting a face image within a photographed image; a classification section classifying the photographed image by a pattern of the face image and a color or a pattern under the face image; and a display control section displaying an image of the same face with the different color or pattern according to the classification by the classification section, and displays images of the same person among the plurality of images classified by the classification section at the same time or sequentially in the display of the display control section. |
| US08698913B2 |
Color correction device, color correction method, dynamic camera color correction device, and video search device using the same
A color correction device (1) including: color set information storage portions (11) which store color set information inclusive of source colors and reference colors; region selection portions (6) which select specific source regions from source images picked up by two cameras 2 respectively; region color decision portions (7) which decide source region colors as colors representative of the source regions; color set update portions (10) which update source colors in color sets by using the source region colors; and color correction portions (8) which calibrate colors in ranges similar to the source colors in the two source images to reference colors by using the color sets. It is possible to eliminate the necessity of holding information of color sets unnecessary for color correction, so that it is possible to reduce the load imposed on calculation and adapt to a change of lighting environment in real time. |
| US08698912B2 |
Methods, apparatus and systems for determining power spectral density of a signal via modulation of the signal
Methods, apparatus and systems for determining a power spectral density (PSD) of a signal, in which modulation of the signal is employed to facilitate determination of one or more PSD values over a wide range of frequencies. In some implementations, the signal may represent a wide-sense stationary random process. In one example, the signal is measured/sampled during a plurality of measurement windows, during which an intensity of the signal is modulated at one or more modulation frequencies. A variance of a set of quantities determined from the signal samples is calculated and used to determine respective values of the power spectral density (PSD) for the signal at the one or more modulation frequencies. The one or more modulation frequencies may be chosen in excess of the Nyquist frequency of the sampling process, such that the signal may be characterized for one or more frequencies above the Nyquist limit. |
| US08698910B2 |
Apparatus, camera, method, and computer-readable storage medium for generating advice for capturing an image
An apparatus for improving the quality of a captured image may include a first computing unit, a second computing unit, and an advice generating unit. The first computing unit may be configured to compute a first value representing a first aspect of the quality of a first image. The second computing unit may be configured to compute a second value representing a second aspect of the quality of the first image. The advice generating unit may be configured to generate advice for capturing a second image based on at least one of the first and second computed values. |
| US08698908B2 |
Efficient method for reducing noise and blur in a composite still image from a rolling shutter camera
A rolling shutter digital camera. Each photographic image of a given exposure duration is captured as a multi-frame burst of frames each having a shorter exposure duration to minimize motion blur and to reduce sensor noise by averaging. Each frame is quantized into swaths, captured sequentially by the rolling shutter. Swaths of the first frames are analyzed to select a set of best motion detection reference regions. Swaths of subsequent frames are analyzed versus only those regions, to reduce required computation, and are re-registered accordingly. Corresponding swaths of each frame are accumulated. The accumulator is normalized to the desired bit depth and written as the final image. Averaging of the multiple frames is improved by re-registering swaths rather than entire frames, because of the time delta caused by the rolling shutter. Computation is further reduced by selecting candidate points only along a key line of each swath of the first frame, and still further by pre-limiting the search by using a thumbnail version of the first frame to cull most candidate points. Thresholds are used to ensure adequate motion detection regions are used for each swath. |
| US08698907B2 |
Image capture apparatus
Provided is an image capture apparatus which allows concurrent output of high resolution video images and high resolution still images even if the number of readout pixels is reduced. In the image capture apparatus, a solid-state imaging device which includes a plurality of pixels disposed in rows and columns, generates: first pixel mixture signals each obtained by mixing pixel signals for a first region including a predetermined number of the pixels; second pixel mixture signals each obtained by mixing pixel signals for a second region in the first region; and third pixel mixture signals each obtained by mixing pixel signals for a third region in the first region, and outputs, for each first region, one of the first pixel mixture signals, at least one of the second pixel mixture signals, and at least one of the third pixel mixture signals. |
| US08698906B2 |
Image processing device, imaging device, information storage medium, and image processing method
Light-receiving unit is set corresponding to a plurality of pixels. The pixel values of a plurality of pixels included in the light-receiving unit are added up, and read as light-receiving value to acquire a low-resolution frame image. The image processing device includes an estimation calculation section that estimates the pixel values of the pixels included in the light-receiving unit based on a plurality of low-resolution frame images, and an image output section that outputs a high-resolution frame image based on the estimated pixel values. The light-receiving value is read while sequentially performing a pixel shift process so that light-receiving units overlap each other. The estimation calculation section estimates the pixel values of the pixels included in the light-receiving unit based on the light-receiving values obtained by performing the pixel shift process. |
| US08698904B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and method of controlling image capturing apparatus
An image capturing apparatus comprises: at least one vibration detection unit configured to detect a vibration applied to the image capturing apparatus and outputting a vibration signal; a calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the vibration signal output from the vibration detection unit, respective vibration correction signals for a plurality of correction units for performing a plurality of different correction processes, respectively; the correction units configured to correct the vibration based on the respective vibration correction signals calculated by the calculation unit; and a control unit configured to, when stopping the plurality of correction processes based on the vibration correction signals, shift the correction units to initial states serving as states of the correction units obtained when the vibration is not detected, wherein the control unit controls to simultaneously start moving the correction units to the initial states, and simultaneously stop moving the correction units. |
| US08698903B2 |
Customizing digital image transfer
A method for customizing image transfer from a digital camera to a destination, the method includes (a) providing a digital camera, including (i) an image sensor for capturing images of a scene; (ii) an image memory for storing the captured images; (iii) a display for displaying the stored images and for displaying a graphical user interface; (iv) an interface to a host computer; (v) a firmware memory for storing camera firmware and for storing destination data, wherein the destination data identifies a transfer destination; and (vi) a processor, coupled to the image memory, firmware memory, display, and communications interface; (b) the processor displaying, on the display of the digital camera, a graphical user interface which permits a user to select a transfer destination, and (c) the processor storing destination data in the firmware memory to identify the transfer destination; and (d) providing image transfer software for the host computer, including (i) software code which detects that the interface of the digital camera has been connected to the host computer; (ii) software code which sends a request to the digital camera to transfer the destination data to the host computer; (iii) software code which sends a request to the digital camera to transfer at least one stored captured image to the host computer; and (iv) software code which uses the destination data to transfer the at least one stored captured image to the transfer destination. |
| US08698901B2 |
Automatic calibration
An automatic calibration method for a projector-camera system including a semi-transparent screen is disclosed herein. An image sequence is caused to be captured from the semi-transparent screen and through the semi-transparent screen while a calibration pattern having features is displayed and not displayed in an alternating succession on the semi-transparent screen. A temporal correlation image is created from the image sequence and a discrete binary signal. Peaks are identified in a spatial cross correlation image generated from the temporal correlation image, where a pattern of the identified peaks corresponds to a pattern of the features in the calibration pattern. The peaks are transformed to coordinates of corrected feature points. A comparison of the corrected feature points and a ground truth set of coordinates for the features is used to determine whether the projector-camera system is calibrated. |
| US08698896B2 |
Controlling vehicle use of parking spaces and parking violations within the parking spaces using multiple cameras
An apparatus for tracking the use of at least one destination location, the apparatus including multiple cameras and one or more processors configured to identify a vehicle by use of identification images captured by an identification camera, such as by processing of images of license plates, determine characteristics of the vehicle visible in the identification images, and determine usage of a destination location, such as a parking spot, based on a camera monitoring the destination location capturing images of the vehicle having characteristics corresponding to those determined for the identification images. |
| US08698895B2 |
Controlling use of parking spaces using multiple cameras
A method of tracking the use of at least one destination location, the method including identifying a vehicle by use of identification images captured by an identification camera, such as by processing of images of license plates, determining characteristics of the vehicle visible in the identification images, and determining usage of a destination location, such as a parking spot, based on a camera monitoring the destination location capturing images of the vehicle having characteristics corresponding to those determined for the identification images. |
| US08698893B2 |
Device for monitoring an area of coverage on a work tool
A device for monitoring an area of coverage on a work tool may comprise a sensor, a camera, an evaluation unit, and at least one circuit output to activate the work tool only if no object is located in the area of coverage. The sensor may comprise a lighting unit to emit light rays to illuminate the area of coverage and a camera to detect three-dimensional images of the area of coverage, where the camera may include receiving elements in a matrix-type arrangement, the receiving elements to generate output signals. The evaluation unit is adapted to measure the output signals, to determine a distance value for each receiving element based on emitted light rays from the lighting unit traveling to the area of coverage and being reflected back. |
| US08698888B2 |
Systems and methods for comprehensive human movement analysis
A method, system, and computer-readable medium receive module configuration settings to configure a customized human movement examination module for a human movement examination item. A patient is instructed with audio instructions associated with the customized human movement examination module. A single camera is controlled having progressive scan capabilities according to the module configuration settings to allow recording of a performance by the patient of the human movement examination item. The recorded data is analyzed based on the information provided by the single camera to measure human movement exhibited by the patient. |
| US08698880B2 |
System and method for time multiplexed stereo display and display apparatus
A time multiplexed stereo display system is provided. The system includes a video player to output a sequence of image frames with respect to multiple stereo-displayed images. Each of the stereo-displayed images is formed by a first-view image and a second-view image with a parallax therebetween. The sequence of the image frames is sequentially displaying all of the first-view images and then sequentially displaying all of the second-view images to symmetrically transmitting first-view/second-view images. Further, a display panel receives the sequence of image frames for accordingly displaying the image frames. Multiple shutter eyeglasses, are controlled by the video player to transmit the stereo-displayed images, respectively, in accordance with the sequence of the image frames. Each of the shutter eyeglasses has a first-view glass and a second-view glass to accordingly transmit one of the first-view images and the second-view images in each display of the image frames. |
| US08698878B2 |
3-D auto-convergence camera
Automatically converging a plurality of images for use in a stereoscopic camera system including a plurality of 2-D cameras, including: receiving a focal distance from each of the plurality of 2-D cameras; calculating a focal distance of the stereoscopic camera system by using the focal distances received from the plurality of 2-D cameras; determining a center of interest using the calculated focal distance of the stereoscopic camera system; receiving the plurality of images from the plurality of 2-D cameras, wherein each of the plurality of images is generated by each of the plurality of 2-D cameras using the focal distance; and cropping the plurality of images to adjust directions of view of the plurality of 2-D cameras to converge at the center of interest. |
| US08698875B2 |
Estimation of panoramic camera orientation relative to a vehicle coordinate frame
A system and method are presented for estimating the orientation of a panoramic camera mounted on a vehicle relative to the vehicle coordinate frame. An initial pose estimate of the vehicle is determined based on global positioning system data, inertial measurement unit data, and wheel odometry data of the vehicle. Image data from images captured by the camera is processed to obtain one or more tracks, each track including a sequence of matched feature points stemming from a same three-dimensional location. A correction parameter determined from the initial pose estimate and tracks can then be used to correct the orientations of the images captured by the camera. The correction parameter can be optimized by deriving a correction parameter for each of a multitude of distinct subsequences of one or more runs. Statistical analysis can be performed on the determined correction parameters to produce robust estimates. |
| US08698874B2 |
Techniques for multiple video source stitching in a conference room
Techniques to stitch together multiple video streams are described. In an embodiment, a technique may include receiving a plurality of video streams from a plurality of video sources in a room. The video streams may be analyzed for feature points, such as furniture, light fixtures, window frames and so forth. The video streams may be processed to make the video qualities of the video streams, such as scale, color, brightness and so forth, more consistent with each other. Using the feature points, the processed video streams may be stitched together to generate a unified stream. The unified stream may be output to a display in the room and/or to remote viewers. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08698872B2 |
System and method for notification of events of interest during a video conference
A computer implemented method is disclosed, the method including but not limited to detecting an event of interest in video conference data for a plurality of video conference participants and notifying an end user of the event of interest. A computer readable medium is also disclosed for containing a computer program for performing the method. A computer implemented method is also disclosed for receiving at an end user device, a notification of an event of interest in a video teleconference, the method including but not limited to receiving at an end user device from a notification indicating a detection of the event of interest in video conference data from the video teleconference for a plurality of video conference participants; and sending data from the end user device to the server requesting a transcription of comments from the speaker in video teleconference. |
| US08698871B2 |
3G multimedia dispatching command system
The utility model relates to a 3G multimedia dispatching command system, which belongs to the field of dispatching command system, comprising: a 3G public network, a dispatching platform, an access exchanger, a core exchanger, a core access gateway, a management terminal, a multimedia terminal device, an IP telephone server, and a duplex intercom server, through which a stable structure is constructed to implement a thousand-user simultaneous duplex cluster intercom without space or distance limitation, the conversation is clear without any noise, like the quality of a telephone call. The utility model also has functions of video transmission, personnel location, dispatching sound recording and mobile meeting. The communication is free of charge, the work and communication may be performed simultaneously to ensure the security, and the system can be applied in a wide range. |
| US08698865B2 |
Lens array unit, erecting equal-magnification lens array, optical scanning unit, image reading device, and image writing device
A first lens array unit includes a first lens array plate and a second lens array plate in which a plurality of lenses are provided in the main scanning direction, and a first light shielding member piece and a second light shielding member piece provided with a plurality of through holes corresponding to the lenses. The first lens array plate, the second lens array plate, the first light shielding member piece, and the second light shielding member piece are formed as one piece. The lens array is built by bending joints joining the lens array plates and the light shielding member pieces such that the lens is located to directly face the corresponding through hole. |
| US08698864B2 |
Driver apparatus, print head and image forming apparatus
A driver apparatus drives aligned light emitting thyristors. Each thyristor includes an anode, a cathode, and a gate. The driver apparatus includes a common terminal, a first resistor, a second resistor, and a switch. Each thyristor is disposed at a first position where the anode is connected to the first potential and the cathode is connected to the common terminal, or a second position where the anode is connected to the common terminal and the cathode is connected to the second potential. The first resistor is connected between the first potential and the common terminal. The second resistor is connected between the common terminal and the second potential. The switch is connected at a third position where the switch is connected between the between the first potential and the common terminal, or a fourth position where the switch is connected between the common terminal and the second potential. |
| US08698863B2 |
Laser-markable compositions
Laser-markable compositions and methods for providing an image on a substrate are provided. A laser-markable composition can include a pigment, a solvent, and a conductive polymer that absorbs IR radiation. This can be used to mark a substrate, using a low-energy laser. Irradiation can be by means of a near-IR laser source, and the conductive polymer can absorb radiation and transfer heat to the pigment. |
| US08698862B2 |
Printer and non-transitory computer-readable medium
A printer includes a feeding portion, a printing portion and a processor. The feeding portion is configured to feed a printing medium in an auxiliary scanning direction. The printing portion includes a plurality of heating elements arrayed in a main scanning direction and configured to perform printing of one line at a time on the printing medium. The processor is configured to set, based on a first speed, a number of lines for each of which a number of ON dots is specified, specify numbers of ON dots for the set number of lines, set a second speed based on a maximum value among the specified numbers of ON dots, control the feeding portion such that the feed speed is changed from the first speed to the second speed, and control the printing portion such that the printing is performed sequentially one line at a time. |
| US08698858B2 |
Transmissive display apparatus, mobile object and control apparatus
A transmissive display apparatus includes a transparent display panel, a display unit which projects a display light toward a display area of the transparent display panel, a ratio change unit which is provided to the display area, is configured to be capable of changing a light transmittance, and is configured to be capable of changing a ratio of a light quantity of a rear face reflected light reaching a viewpoint relative to a light quantity of a front face reflected light reaching the viewpoint, and a control unit which alternately switches the ratio change unit between a first state and a second state. The ratio change unit lowers, in the first state, the ratio by reducing the light quantity of the rear face reflected light that reaches the viewpoint in comparison to the second state. The light transmittance increases in the second state in comparison to the first state. |
| US08698857B2 |
Display device having a merge source driver and a timing controller
The present invention aims to provide a driving control circuit of a display device that is capable of preventing an unnatural black screen. To this end, the driving control circuit is configured to include a plurality of TMICs, each of which is merged with a timing controller and a source driver, and the time controller is configured to adjust end locations of the horizontal blank intervals of data enable signals to match the end locations outputted from TMICs to an end location of a horizontal blank interval of a data enable signal outputted from another TMIC, and, when a gate output enable signal is supplied, perform adjustment so as to indicate a rising edge of the gate output enable signal before the data latch enable signal having the highest frequency is supplied. |
| US08698856B2 |
Spoke recovery in a color display using a most significant bit and a second-most significant bit
Embodiments of the invention include a method, device and/or system for spoke recovery, including by receiving input pixel data comprising a plurality of input sub-pixel data components representing respective sub-pixel colors, adjusting input sub-pixel data components based on a value of the sub-pixel data component and at least a value of a second input sub-pixel data component in the input pixel data, thereby to produce modified pixel data, and controlling a spatial light modulator based on the modified pixel data, thereby producing a color image based on said modified pixel data. A system and device are disclosed to perform the method. |
| US08698849B2 |
Display device and driving method with feedback control
A display device and a driving method are provided. The display device includes: a display panel which displays an image; at least one light emitting diode (LED) which emits light to the display panel; a driver which supplies an operating voltage to the LED and drives the LED; a feedback unit which detects a level of a voltage drop of the LED and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the detected level of the voltage drop; and a first controller which controls a level of the operating voltage supplied to the LED based on the operating voltage supplied to the LED and the detection signal output by the feedback unit. |
| US08698848B2 |
Display apparatus, light detection method and electronic apparatus
Disclosed herein is a display apparatus, including a plurality of pixel circuits disposed in a matrix at positions at which a plurality of signal lines and a plurality of scanning lines cross each other and individually including a light emitting element, a light emission driving section adapted to apply a signal value to each of the pixel circuits to cause the pixel circuit to emit light of a luminance corresponding to the signal value, and a light detection section including a light detection element which functions as a switching element by switching the light detection element between an on state and an off state and functions as a light sensor for detecting light from the light emitting element in the off state, the light detection section further including a detection signal outputting circuit formed in the light detection section for outputting light detection information from the light detection element. |
| US08698845B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface with interactive popup views
A method of operating a multifunction device includes: displaying a respective view of a first application on the touch screen display, detecting a first touch gesture within the respective view, and in response to detecting the first touch gesture, displaying a popup view of the first application partially covering the respective view of the first application. The popup view corresponds to a full-screen-width view in a corresponding first application on a second multifunction device having a touch screen display with lower resolution than the touch screen display of the first multifunction device. The method further includes: detecting one or more second touch gestures within the popup view, and in response to detecting the one or more second touch gestures within the popup view, performing an action in the first application that updates a state of the first application. |
| US08698844B1 |
Processing cursor movements in a graphical user interface of a multimedia application
A method for processing a selected item in a GUI of a multimedia application is provided. The method includes receiving a hot key input that specifies a function that is to be applied to the selected item and displaying a set of control guidelines associated with the hot key input. The set of control guidelines indicates cursor movement inputs needed to specify particular aspects of the function. A method for transforming a received cursor movement in a first coordinate system to a transformed cursor movement in a second coordinate system is provided. The received cursor movement specifies a particular manner (e.g., aspect and extent) of a function to be applied to an item in a workspace of a multimedia application. The first coordinate system displays a particular view of the workspace. |
| US08698843B2 |
Range of focus in an augmented reality application
A computer-implemented augmented reality method includes receiving one or more indications, entered on a mobile computing device by a user of the mobile computing device, of a distance range for determining items to display with an augmented reality application, the distance range representing geographic distance from a base point where the mobile computing device is located. The method also includes selecting, from items in a computer database, one or more items that are located within the distance range from the mobile computing device entered by the user, and providing data for representing labels for the selected one or more items on a visual display of the mobile computing device, the labels corresponding to the selected items, and the items corresponding to geographical features that are within the distance range as measure from the mobile computing device. |
| US08698840B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing video and graphics data to create a composite output image having independent and separate layers of video and graphics display planes
A method, apparatus, system and machine-readable medium for generating a composite output image based upon multiple input images. In certain embodiments, a plurality of input graphics images are iteratively blended in real time to provide a blended graphics image, which is then composited with other layers such as an input video image. The composite output image may then be provided to a display device. Iterative blending of the plurality of graphics images may include scaling, format conversion, and color space conversion, and may be performed based on priority information received for the graphics images from content sources. Compositing may include an alpha blending based on alpha values for pixels of the images. |
| US08698839B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for displaying objects
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for displaying objects. A software application is associated to a profile storing display characteristics for the software application. A video display screen is segmented into segments. A video object produced by the software application is mapped to a segment in the video display screen that corresponds to the profile. |
| US08698838B1 |
Architecture for multiple graphics planes
Systems and methods for layering multiple graphics planes on top of a compressed video signal are disclosed herein. A processed video stream is received from a video processing path, wherein the processed video stream comprises a stream of video macroblocks. A composite graphics plane is received from a graphics processing path, wherein the composite graphics plane comprises a set of graphics macroblocks. The composite graphics plane comprises a plurality of layered graphics planes. The composite graphics plane is layered on top of the processed video stream to generate an output video stream. Layering comprises blending a video macroblock from the stream of video macroblocks with a graphics macroblock from the set of graphics macroblocks. By layering one macroblock at time, graphics overlay can occur in real time or faster than real time as the compressed input stream is received. |
| US08698837B2 |
Path rendering with path clipping
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for rendering clipped paths by first generating clip stencil buffer state indicating pixels that are inside of the clip path. The clip stencil buffer state may also store an opacity value for each covered pixel to generate a mask that modulates the opacity of a draw path that is clipped. Clipped draw stencil buffer state is then generated indicating pixels of the draw path that should be covered based on the clip stencil buffer state and coverage of the draw path. The clipped draw path is then filled or stroked to produce the clipped draw path. The clip and draw paths may be filled or stroked without tessellating the paths. Path rendering may be accelerated when a GPU or other processor that is configured to perform operations to generate the clip stencil buffer state and the clipped draw stencil buffer state, and to fill or stroke the clipped draw path. |
| US08698833B2 |
Color designation control device, color designation control method, and medium storing color designation control program
A color designation control device includes: an image acquisition section that acquires a color image; and a display control section that displays a user interface screen, which includes at least a preview image of the acquired color image and a hue scale representing a change in hue, on a predetermined display while accepting designation of a position or a region within the preview image, acquiring a hue at the designated position or in the designated region from the preview image, and adding a specific indication for a range within the hue scale corresponding to the acquired hue. |
| US08698832B1 |
Perceptual detail and acutance enhancement for digital images
A method for increasing the perceived quality of a digital image. The method includes receiving a first luminance value associated with a pixel located at a first pixel location in the digital image; generating a second luminance value based on a random number; blending the first luminance value and the second luminance value to generate an output luminance value; and displaying on a display device at the first pixel location or storing in a memory an output pixel having a brightness based on the output luminance value. |
| US08698829B2 |
Discrete element texture synthesis
Output textures may be generated by synthesizing an input texture comprising discrete elements with a set of boundary conditions. Elements of the input texture are copied from the input texture to an output texture that is defined by a set of boundary conditions and are then refined. The elements of the output texture are refined by assigning domain and/or attribute information to the elements of the output texture element by minimizing an energy function measuring a similarity between output neighborhoods of the output texture and a corresponding best matching input neighborhood of the input texture. |
| US08698826B2 |
Display device and input operation system having the same
A screen has four main regions located in a cross direction and respectively assigned to four operation images. The screen has an outer periphery region around a center region. The outer periphery region includes an unfilled outermost circumference region, a boundary region, which is between operation images adjacent to each other, and a remaining region, in which the four operation images are paved. At least one of the four operation images is located over a corresponding one main region and an adjacent region, which is adjacent to the corresponding one main region in a circumferential direction around the center region. Each of the four operation images has an image region including a largest rectangle region surrounded by sides being in parallel with sides of the screen. The largest rectangle region has an area greater than 50% of a total area of the image region. |
| US08698823B2 |
System and method for deadlock-free pipelining
A system and method for facilitating increased graphics processing without deadlock. Embodiments of the present invention provide storage for execution unit pipeline results (e.g., texture pipeline results). The storage allows increased processing of multiple threads as a texture unit may be used to store information while corresponding locations of the register file are available for reallocation to other threads. Embodiments further provide for preventing deadlock by limiting the number of requests and ensuring that a set of requests is not issued unless there are resources available to complete each request of the set of requests. Embodiments of the present invention thus provide for deadlock free increased performance. |
| US08698822B1 |
Managing visual updates
A system is configured to: conduct asynchronous updates, of a display, based on a fixed rate when operating in an asynchronous state; determine whether to switch to a synchronous state from the asynchronous state based on the asynchronous updates; conduct synchronous updates, of the display, after switching to the synchronous state; receive a lock request, and conduct updating of the display based on the lock request. The synchronous updates may be performed independent of the fixed rate. |
| US08698818B2 |
Software rasterization optimization
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for optimizing emulated fixed-function and programmable graphics operations are provided. Data comprising fixed function and programmable states for an image or scenario to be rendered is received. The data for the image is translated into operations. One or more optimizations are applied to the operations. The optimized operations are implemented to render the scenario. |
| US08698816B2 |
Graphics processing systems with multiple processors connected in a ring topology
Multiple graphics processors in a graphics processing system are interconnected in a unidirectional or bidirectional ring topology, allowing pixels to transferred from any one graphics processor to any other graphics processor. The system can automatically identify one or more “master” graphics processors to which one or more monitors are connected and configures the links of the ring such that one or more other graphics processors can deliver pixels to the master graphics processor, facilitating distributed rendering operations. The system can also automatically detect the connections or lack thereof between the graphics processors. |
| US08698815B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes a camera interface section connected to an imaging section, a plurality of arithmetic processing sections that process the image data; a display screen output section to output display image data; an input section that accepts input from an outside; a storage section for storing a plurality of processing units used to process the image data; a processing registration section that registers a processing procedure including a combination of the processing units; a mode selection section that selectably displays a plurality of parallel processing modes indicating kinds of parallel processing and accepts the selection of the parallel processing mode from the input section; and a parallelization section that allocates processing units included in the target processing procedure to one of the plurality of arithmetic processing sections according to the parallel processing mode. |
| US08698814B1 |
Programmable compute engine screen mapping
A mapping engine maps general processing clusters (GPCs) within a parallel processing subsystem to screen tiles on a display screen based on the number of enabled streaming multiprocessors (SMs) within each GPC. A given GPC then generates pixels for the screen tiles to which the GPC is mapped. One advantage of the disclosed technique is a given GPC performs a fraction of the processing tasks associated with the parallel processing subsystem that is roughly proportional to the fraction of SMs included within the GPC. |
| US08698813B2 |
Rendering control apparatus, control method thereof, recording medium, rendering server, and rendering system
For each of a plurality of rendering objects to be used to generate a screen to be provided for a client device, identification information and detailed information indicating data necessary for rendering are acquired. By referring to detailed information of each of the plurality of rendering objects, the rendering order of all the rendering objects is determined so as to allocate consecutive ordinal numbers to rendering objects having at least partial data indicated by detailed information in common. A rendering control apparatus transfers data, indicated by detailed information of a rendering object in accordance with the rendering order, to a GPU. In this process, among data indicated by detailed information of rendering objects which are continuous in the rendering order, only data which is not the same as data already transferred to the GPU is read out and transferred. |
| US08698811B1 |
Nested boustrophedonic patterns for rasterization
A method for traversing pixels of an area is described. The method includes the steps of traversing a plurality of pixels of an image using a first boustrophedonic pattern along a predominant axis, and, during the traversal using the first boustrophedonic pattern, traversing a plurality of pixels of the image using a second boustrophedonic pattern. The second boustrophedonic pattern is nested within the first boustrophedonic pattern. |
| US08698810B2 |
Reorienting properties in hair dynamics
Techniques are disclosed for orienting (or reorienting) properties of computer-generated models, such as those associated with dynamic models or simulation models. Properties (e.g., material or physical properties) that influence the behavior of a dynamic or simulation model (e.g., a complex curve model representing a curly hair) may be oriented or re-oriented as desired using readily available reference frames. These references frame may be obtained using a proxy model that corresponds to the dynamic or simulation model in a less computationally expensive manner in some embodiments than some techniques for determining reference frames directly using the dynamic or simulation model. In some embodiments, the proxy model may include a smoothed version of the dynamic or simulation model. In other embodiments, the proxy model may include a filtered or simplified version of the dynamic or simulation model. |
| US08698807B2 |
Intuitively connecting graphical shapes
In using an application's drawing feature, users typically use connecting lines between graphical shapes to depict a relationship between the shapes. Drawing connecting lines between two or more graphical shapes within an application can be a time consuming, manual task. An application that automatically generates connecting lines between shapes, based on spatial relationships among the shapes, can reduce the amount of time for drawing a diagram. Functionality can be implemented to generate connecting lines between 1:n shapes based on proximity among the shapes and/or contact between shapes. Automatically generating connecting lines among shapes based on spatial relationships among the shapes allows generating of the connecting lines based on manipulation of shapes, which typically have a larger surface area than a line. Manipulating a larger surface area can be easier than manipulating a line. |
| US08698803B2 |
Efficient geometric tessellation and displacement
Methods and computer-storage media are provided for rendering three-dimensional (3D) graphics by tessellating objects using novel structures and algorithms. Rendering utilizing “patches,” configurable functions that include a specified number of control points, allows for computation on a per-patch or per-control-point basis, in addition to traditional per-vertex, per-primitive, and per-pixel methods. This produces a number of advantages over previous tessellation methods, including the reuse of computations across existing vertices and the ability to process at a lower frequency. The operations to compute points are simplified in order to optimize system resources used in the process. Transitions from un-tessellated to tessellated objects are smoother utilizing the present invention, while developers have more flexibility in the level of detail present at different edges of the same patch. Detail within a displacement map also can be increased without negative effects associated with previous systems and methods. |
| US08698802B2 |
Hermite gregory patch for watertight tessellation
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth technique for watertight tessellation in a displaced subdivision surface. A subdivision surface is represented as a novel parametric quad patch that is continuous with respect to position (C0) and partial derivatives (C1) along boundaries as well as interior regions. The novel parametric quad patch is referred to herein as a Hermite Gregory patch and comprises a Hermite patch augmented to include a pair of twist vector parameters per vertex. Each pair of twist vectors is combined into one twist vector during evaluation, according to weights based on proximity to parametric boundaries. Evaluation yields an approximation mesh comprising a position for each vertex and a corresponding normal vector for the vertex. Displacement is performed based on the approximation mesh and a displacement map to generate a displaced approximation mesh that is reflective of the displaced subdivision surface. |
| US08698799B2 |
Method and apparatus for rendering graphics using soft occlusion
Methods and apparatus for hidden surface removal with soft occlusion. Soft occlusion methods are described that treat surfaces as having a degree of uncertainty in depth. The soft occlusion methods may, for example, be used to remove artifacts from rendered images due to nearly coplanar surfaces or to render novel effects such as soft intersections between objects including consistent shadows and other global illumination effects. The soft occlusion methods may compute the ‘expected’ or average image given depth probability density functions. This has the effect of visually blending together surfaces that are close together in depth, leading to soft intersections. The computation of soft occlusion may be achieved analytically, for certain probability density functions, or stochastically. The stochastic soft occlusion methods extend the approach to a probability distribution of models, which allows for the effects of shadows and other global illumination effects to be included. |
| US08698798B2 |
Visualization of images on user-defined folded structures in a three-dimensional subsurface environment
A system and method for visualizing images in a three-dimensional context. The method involves receiving user input specifying a polyline in a given cartographic reference system. The polyline is displayed in a 2D window. A set of geometry data is generated based on the polyline and a user-specified vertical range. The geometry data set represents a folded object in three-dimensional space, where the folded object has one fold for each knee point in the polyline. A 3D virtual world is rendered to obtain a rendered image. The rendering action includes rendering the geometry data set using a given image as texture. The rendered image is displayed in a 3D window, where the displayed rendered image visually represents the given image as being painted onto the folded object in the three-dimensional space. |
| US08698794B2 |
Computer-readable storage medium having overhead map resource generation program stored therein, computer-readable storage medium having overhead map display program stored therein, overhead map resource generation apparatus, and overhead map display apparatus
In a virtual three-dimensional space, an overhead image of a region in the virtual three-dimensional space is shot by a virtual camera provided in the virtual three-dimensional space. Next, it is determined whether or not the information about a color included in the shot overhead image satisfies a predetermined condition. Image data of the overhead image which it is determined in the result of the determination does not satisfy the predetermined condition is accumulated in a predetermined storage medium, thereby generating resource data. The above processing is repeated until all overhead images corresponding to a predetermined region in the virtual three-dimensional space are shot. |
| US08698791B2 |
Display apparatus and driving method for the same
A display apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting elements, a plurality of driving circuits connected to first electrodes of the respective light emitting elements, and a plurality of power supply lines connected to second electrodes of the light emitting elements. A set of light emitting elements that emit light of colors different from each other are connected such that the first electrodes of these light emitting elements are connected in common to one of the driving circuits, and the second electrodes of these light emitting elements are separately connected to the plurality of the power supply lines. The light emitting elements whose second electrodes are connected to one of the power supply lines include light emitting elements configured to emit light of different colors. |
| US08698790B2 |
Power driver, driving method of the same, and organic light emitting display device including power driver
A power driver for applying a voltage necessary for driving a gate driver for a display panel includes a first booster, a voltage selector, and a second booster. The first booster receives a voltage from a battery and generates a first voltage. The voltage selector selects one of the first voltage and a second voltage generated outside the power driver and applied to the display panel. The second booster receives an output of the voltage selector and generates a voltage necessary for the driving of the gate driver. |
| US08698787B2 |
Method for generating a gamma voltage, driving circuit therefor, and display device
A method for generating a gamma voltage comprising, a first low voltage and a first high voltage having a first voltage range between the first low voltage and the first high voltage are divided into a plurality of gamma voltages of a first polarity during a first interval. A second low voltage and a second high voltage having a second voltage range between the second low voltage and the second high voltage are divided into a plurality of gamma voltages of a second polarity during a second interval. |
| US08698781B2 |
Optical touch device
An optical touch device includes a transparent substrate and at least a light emitting and receiving unit. The transparent substrate has a touch surface, a first light incidence surface and a first light emitting surface. Each light emitting and receiving unit includes a linear light source, a light path adjusting component and a light sensing component. The linear light source is disposed beside the first light incidence surface. The light path adjusting component is disposed between the linear light source and the first light incidence surface and configured for adjusting the incidence angles of the optical signals striking at the first incidence surface so that each of the optical signals enters into the transparent substrate through the first incidence surface with a predetermined angle. The light sensing component is disposed beside the first light emitting surface. The optical touch device has a high light utility efficiency. |
| US08698780B2 |
Optical touch apparatus with noise suppressing function and method of operating the same
An optical touch apparatus is disclosed. The optical touch apparatus comprises a light emitting module, a noise suppressing module, a light sensing module, and a processing module. The light emitting module emits at least one sensing beam, and the at least one sensing beam comprises a plurality of sensing rays. If an emitting angle of a specific sensing ray among the plurality of sensing rays toward a light sensor of the light sensing module is larger than a default value, the noise suppressing module will block the specific sensing ray from emitting into the light sensor. After the light sensing module generates a sensing result according to the condition of the light sensing module receiving the at least one sensing beam, the processing module will determine the position of a touch point according to the sensing result. |
| US08698773B2 |
Insertion marker placement on touch sensitive display
In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method is performed at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display. The method can include: displaying graphics on the touch screen display, detecting a finger contact on the touch screen display, and, in response to the detected finger contact, inserting an insertion marker in the graphics at a first location. The method can further include detecting a finger movement on the touch screen display and, irrespective of initial distance from finger to insertion marker on the touch screen display, moving the insertion marker in accordance with the detected finger movement from the first location to a second location in the graphics. |
| US08698772B2 |
Visual object manipulation
In one example, a method includes outputting, at a first location of a presence-sensitive display of a computing device, a first graphical object and receiving an indication of a first touch gesture detected at a second location of the presence-sensitive display. The method may further include, in response to receiving the indication of the first touch gesture, outputting, at the second location, a second graphical object and receiving an indication of a second touch gesture originating within a predetermined distance of the second location and moving towards the first location. The method may further include outputting movement of the second graphical object into contact with the first graphical object. The method may also include, in response to outputting movement of the second graphical object into contact with the first graphical object, outputting at a third location, the first graphical object that is a determined distance away from the first location. |
| US08698752B2 |
Multi-functional control interface
A system and method are used to provide a user control interface for controlling multiple device functionality. The system comprises a support structure, control regions, depressible interaction devices, and a controller. The control regions are formed on the support structure. Each of the control regions comprises one or more light emitting panels. The depressible interaction devices cover respective ones of the control regions. The controller is coupled to the control regions and controls which portion of the one or more light emitting panels is output from respective ones of the interaction devices based on one or more modes of operation of the user control interface. |
| US08698751B2 |
Gravity drop rules and keyboard display on a multiple screen device
Methods and devices for presenting or dismissing a virtual keyboard are provided. More particularly, in connection with a multiple screen device, a virtual keyboard can be presented in a first mode using portions of both of the screens. In a second mode, the virtual keyboard can be presented using all of one of the screens, or can be dismissed. Movement between the different modes can be effected by rotating the device between a dual portrait orientation, corresponding to the first mode, and a dual landscape orientation, corresponding to the second mode. More particularly, depending on whether the device is rotated away from or towards information having focus, the display of the virtual keyboard is continued or discontinued. |
| US08698750B2 |
Integrated haptic control apparatus and touch sensitive display
The provision of a haptic input with an integrated touch screen input is disclosed. One disclosed embodiment provides a control apparatus for an electronic device. The control apparatus comprises a haptic input mechanism configured to provide haptic feedback responsive to a push input, and an integrated touch sensitive display forming a surface of the haptic input mechanism, wherein the touch sensitive display comprising a touch-sensing mechanism. |
| US08698741B1 |
Methods and apparatus for medical device cursor control and touchpad-based navigation
The invention provides, in some aspects, medical apparatus with software-based cursor control and graphical user interface hotspot selection. This can be used, by way of non-limiting example, as part of a graphical user interface by which doctors, nurses, patient care technicians, other health care providers, and/or patients can enter data into enter data and/or to control the apparatus and/or associated medical equipment. |
| US08698729B2 |
Mitigation of LCD flare
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) flare is reduced by adjusting a backlight to a level where the LCD flare is not visible, and then introducing a simulated veiling glare. The glare is further adjusted by the backlight simulation to hide the geometry (e.g., Light Emitting Diode (LED) array) of the backlight. The reduction is performed, for example, by processing signals for driving the backlight and a front modulator in a dual modulation display device. |
| US08698727B2 |
Backlight and ambient light sensor system
Apparatuses and methods to operate a display device of an electronic device. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a user setting or input of a display control parameter, and causing or altering, based on the user setting or input, an effect of an ambient light sensor value (ALS) on control of the display control parameter. The user input may be an unlock of a touch screen input capability of the display device, and a wake of the display device from an inactivity dim. Also, according to embodiments of the inventions, a method of operating a display of an electronic device includes receiving a change to one of a display brightness output level and an ambient light sensor output level, and altering, according to the change, a display brightness or contrast output level. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described. |
| US08698725B2 |
Liquid crystal device and a method for writing greyscale
Example embodiments presented herein may be directed towards an antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) device and a method for writing greyscale in the AFLC device. The device may comprise two electrode substrates confining an antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) material. The method may comprise driving the AFLC device with an electrical signal, where the electrical signal does not comprise a direct current holding voltage for a writing of at least a portion of written levels of grey. The method may also comprise inducing a greyscale configuration in the AFLC device as a function of the driving, wherein the inducing is temperature independent. The method may also comprise applying a high-frequency signal, to stabilize a well-defined horizontal tilt plane of the antiferroelectric or, in particular, of the orthoconic antiferroelectric. The examples embodiments presented herein provide for fast and precise writing of greyscales in orthoconic antiferroelectrics. |
| US08698719B2 |
Displaying method for field sequential color displays using two color fields
A displaying method for field sequential color displays using two color fields to produce a full color image is disclosed. The displaying method includes: providing a target full color image, displaying a first color field and displaying a second color field. The target full color image is formed by a first color image optical stimulus, a second color image optical stimulus and a third color image optical stimulus. The first color field displays the first color image optical stimulus and a first part of the third color image optical stimulus, while the second color field displays the second color image optical stimulus and a second part of the third color image optical stimulus, which compensates the shortage of the third color image optical stimulus in the first color field. The target full color image is generated by displaying the first and second color fields in sequence, so as to decrease the displaying frequency of field sequential color displays. |
| US08698716B2 |
Low power consumption transflective liquid crystal displays
Techniques are provided to drive a normally white or mixed mode LCD with low voltages and low power consumption. A sub-pixel in the LCD may comprise a reflective part and a transmissive part. The cell gap for a liquid crystal layer in the sub-pixel may provide at least a half-wave phase retardation. A driving voltage range with a maximum voltage at a low value may be used to drive the reflective part and the transmissive part of the sub-pixel to various levels of brightness. |
| US08698707B2 |
Electroluminescent display panel and electronic apparatus
An electroluminescent display panel has pixel circuits for the active matrix driving system. Each pixel circuit has a thin-film transistor in which a portion of a pattern of a metal wiring material above the channel layer of the thin-film transistor is so laid out as to shield the channel region of the thin-film transistor. |
| US08698706B1 |
Organic electroluminescent display device driving method and apparatus
An organic electroluminescent display system comprising at least one organic-light-emitting diode (OLED), a zener diode in series to the organic light-emitting diode, a rectification diode, and a capacitor used as a memory device. During a frame period of the display device, there are address and light emission periods. A reverse bias voltage is applied across the organic light-emitting diode during the address period to prevent metal migration into the organic layers of the OLED. Current mode data programming is used to address the display device. During the light emission period, charge previously stored in selected capacitors during the address period supplies a forward current for the OLEDs. A ramp waveform applied to the row electrode during the light emission period, forces the capacitor to discharge through the OLED and controls the forward current level. This keeps the operation of the OLEDs in their area of maximum performance. |
| US08698704B2 |
Electro-optical device having parallax barrier system
An electro-optical device including: first display elements divided into at least a first region and a second region, for displaying a first image, and second display elements each divided into at least a third region and a fourth region, for displaying a second image, the first and second display elements being arranged such that each third region is disposed between the first region and the second region of the adjacent first display element and each second region is disposed between the third region and the fourth region of the adjacent second display element; a parallax barrier layer provided on a side of the display elements adjacent to a viewer, the parallax barrier having light transmitting regions at positions thereof corresponding to boundaries between adjoining first and third regions as well as between adjoining second and fourth regions; and a spacer layer separating the display elements from the parallax barrier layer. |
| US08698703B2 |
Electro-optical device having parallax barrier system
An electro-optical device including: first display elements divided into at least a first region and a second region, for displaying a first image, and second display elements each divided into at least a third region and a fourth region, for displaying a second image, the first and second display elements being arranged such that each third region is disposed between the first region and the second region of the adjacent first display element and each second region is disposed between the third region and the fourth region of the adjacent second display element; a parallax barrier layer provided on a side of the display elements adjacent to a viewer, the parallax barrier having light transmitting regions at positions thereof corresponding to boundaries between adjoining first and third regions as well as between adjoining second and fourth regions; and a spacer layer separating the display elements from the parallax barrier layer. |
| US08698699B2 |
Connector
A connector comprising a contact arranged to mate with a contact of a corresponding connector, the contact providing a contact point of a first signal path for the transmission of electrical signals through the connector; an electrically-conductive element arranged to engage an electrically-conductive element on the corresponding connector, the electrically conductive-element providing a contact point of a second signal path for the transmission of electrical signals through the connector, wherein the electrically-conductive element comprises one or more of a region of a housing for holding the connector, a region of a locking element, two or more regions of a barrel with an internal connection path aperture, and a region of the contact electrically isolated from a main contact region. |
| US08698695B2 |
Antenna system for use in agricultural fields or other work areas
An antenna system for use in an agricultural field or work area comprises a base having an upper side and a lower side opposite the upper side. A stake extends from the lower side. The stake is capable of mounting into the ground. A spring extends from the upper side of the base. A mast above the base is movably, resiliently mounted to the base by the spring. A lateral dielectric guard is mounted at or the near a top of the mast. An antenna is associated with the top of the mast, the antenna coupled to a transmission line that is secured to or by the mast. |
| US08698693B2 |
Collapsible antenna
A collapsible antenna (10) comprises an elongate boom (12) having a main axis (14) and a plurality of elongate radiating elements (16) having respective first ends (18.1) and respective second ends (18.2). At least some of the elongate radiating elements are flexible and are mounted at the respective first ends to the boom in longitudinally spaced relation. Regions towards the respective second ends of the at least some of the elongate radiating elements engage a flexible rope (20). The flexible rope forms part of a frame (22) which is manipulatable relative to the boom between a first collapsed configuration and a second operative configuration wherein the at least some radiating elements are in an operative configuration relative to the boom. |
| US08698692B2 |
Apparatus for mounting an object to a railing
Apparatus are described for mounting an object to a structure having a railing. The apparatus includes a base attachable to the object and configured for placement on the structure proximate the railing. The apparatus further includes an adjustable compression mechanism positioned between the base and the railing configured to secure the base to the structure with a selected force. The mechanism includes a first plate on the base, a second plate movable relative to the first plate for producing a selected height of the mechanism and a threaded member attached to the first plate and the second plate. The threaded member is configured to move the second plate relative to the first plate to achieve the selected height and apply the selected force. |
| US08698689B2 |
Multi-beam antenna device
A multi-beam antenna suppressing an increase in loss of a Rotman lens to achieve enhanced gain. β<α, where: β is a spatial beam-forming angle of an array antenna viewed from the a front of the antenna; and α is an angle between a center line of a Rotman lens, and a line segment connecting one of the input ports and an intersecting point S2 of the center line with a curve segment having a plurality of output ports A shape of the Rotman lens such that: η=(β/α)(Ln/F)<1, and G is less than when β=α, where: F is a distance between one input port and S2; 2 Ln is an aperture length of the array antenna; and G is a size of the Rotman lens, defined as a distance between S2 and an intersecting point of the center line with a curve segment having input ports. |
| US08698688B2 |
Antenna with improved holed system ground plane
An antenna with an improved holed system ground plane comprises a substrate, a radiation conductor member, a grounding member and a system ground plane. The radiation conductor member is arranged on the surface of the substrate. The grounding member is arranged on one edge of the substrate. The radiation conductor member is connected with the grounding member. The system ground plane is connected with one side of the grounding member. The system ground plane has at least one arbitrary-shaped hole. A radiation-enhancing filler is disposed in the arbitrary-shaped hole. The present invention solves the conventional problems that the system ground plane is drilled or cut to accommodate components and IC chips, keep away from wiring routes and avoid protrusions on the appearance, via disposing radiation-enhancing fillers in the arbitrary-shaped holes. Thereby is kept integrality of the system ground plane and promoted omnidirectionality of signal transmission. |
| US08698682B1 |
Media antenna for communication systems
An antenna accessory is provided for external connection with a wireless communications device. The antenna accessory includes a media antenna adapted for FM and DVB-H reception. In this regard, the media antenna can be supplied exterior to the wireless device components for improved isolation and antenna performance. |
| US08698680B2 |
Watch with improved ground plane
Watches comprising an antenna are described herein. In an implementation, a watch includes a housing enclosing an antenna, a printed circuit board, and a conductive cage. The antenna may be provided with a ground plane including a first portion and second portion. The first portion of the ground plane may be formed by the printed circuit board electrically coupled with the antenna and the second portion of the ground plane may be formed by the conductive cage supporting the printed circuit board and electrically coupled thereto. |
| US08698679B2 |
Mark antenna and electronic device
The present invention discloses a mark antenna used for receiving and transmitting a wireless signal. The mark antenna comprises a ground point, a feed point and a radiation part connecting to the ground point and the feed point, and particularly the radiation part is an identification mark, such that the appearance of the radiation part can provide identification information. With the light, thin, short and compact design concept, the mark antenna can be exposed to prevent the antenna from being compressed due to the small disposed area and overcome the difficulty of designing the antenna or a poor communication quality caused by the low performance of the antenna. In the present invention, the antenna is designed as a logo directly, such that the antenna can achieve the functions of identifying the appearance as well as transmitting and receiving the wireless signals. |
| US08698674B2 |
Mobile wireless device with multi-band loop antenna and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by the portable housing, and wireless transceiver circuitry carried by the PCB. The mobile wireless communications device also may include an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver circuitry. The antenna may include a loop conductor, a first conductor body coupled to the loop conductor and extending into the interior thereof to define a first slotted opening with adjacent portions of the loop conductor, and a second conductor body coupled to the loop conductor and extending into the interior thereof to define a second slotted opening with adjacent portions of the loop conductor. The antenna may further include a conductor arm coupled to the loop conductor and extending outwardly therefrom. The first and second conductor bodies may be spaced apart to define a third slotted opening therebetween. |
| US08698673B2 |
Multiband antenna
A multiband antenna includes a ground plane, a dielectric substrate and a radiating metal portion. The dielectric substrate is located at one side edge of the ground plane. The radiating metal portion is disposed on one surface of the dielectric substrate and includes a first metal portion and a second metal portion. The first metal portion is substantially of an L-shape. One end of the first metal portion is adjacent to the side edge of the ground plane and is the antenna's feeding point connected to a signal source, and the other end of the first metal portion is an open end. The second metal portion comprises a U-shape portion. The second metal portion includes a first open end and a second open end, which are respectively located on two opposite sides of the open end of the first metal portion. The first open end has a first coupling gap between the first open end and the open end of the first metal portion, and the second open end has a second coupling gap between the second open end and the open end of the first metal portion. The second metal portion is further short-circuited to the ground plane by a shorting metal line. |
| US08698664B2 |
Continuous-time incremental analog-to-digital converter
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a continuous-time incremental analog-to-digital converter (ADC) may include a plurality of resettable integrators and a feed-in gain element. Each integrator may be configured to convert a sum of signals received at its input to a signal indicative of an integral over time of the sum of signals. The plurality of integrators may include a first-stage integrator configured to receive at its input the baseband signal and a final-stage integrator configured to produce at its output a final-stage analog signal. The plurality of integrators may be arranged in a cascade configuration such that an output of each of the plurality of integrators other than the final-stage integrator is coupled to the input of a subsequent integrator. The feed-in gain element may be coupled between the input of the first-stage integrator and the input of another integrator of the plurality of integrators. |
| US08698659B2 |
Time interleaved analog to digital converter mismatch correction
A machine-implemented method can include receiving a common input signal over M parallel time-interleaved (TI) analog to digital converter (ADC) channels, determining a multiple-input, multiple-output finite impulse response (FIR) filter structure for correcting bandwidth mismatches between the M parallel TIADC channels, and providing a common output signal comprising TI data corresponding to the M parallel TIADC corrected channels. |
| US08698657B2 |
Methods and systems for compressing and decompressing data
The present invention relates to data compression using compression dictionary. A compression method according to the invention comprises obtaining an initial compression dictionary and a separate secondary dictionary SD; determining at least one subpart of the secondary dictionary that correlates with a block of data DB to compress; updating the initial compression dictionary by inserting the determined at least one subpart therein, to obtain an updated compression dictionary used for compressing the block of data; and compressing the block of data using one or more references to entries of the obtained updated compression dictionary. |
| US08698656B2 |
Enhanced range passive wireless controller
A wireless keyboard and reader combination comprises a keyboard having a plurality of keys, an antenna, and a plurality of passive transponder circuits, employing backscatter transmission coded in the time domain using a reflected series of pulses, coupled to the antenna and associated with the keys. For example, SAW transponders may be employed. The passive transponder circuits are selectively coupled to the antenna and provide a coded response identifying a key in response to key activation. An associated reader includes a source of an interrogating field applied to the antenna of the keyboard and a decoder for determining the coded response from the passive transponder circuits. |
| US08698654B2 |
System and method for selecting images to be displayed
A vehicle display system diminishes specified display features when in a taxi mode. EV images, SV images, and avionics symbology are displayed, with certain of the images and symbology being diminished when in a taxi mode. Additionally, guidance to the runway centerline is displayed in the taxi mode. |
| US08698652B1 |
Large-area parking-monitoring system
The present invention discloses a large-area parking-monitoring system. It comprises a plurality of smart-phone-like parking-monitoring devices. Each device monitors multiple parking spaces. The acquired parking occupancy data are transmitted to a parking-management server using cellular communication. The present invention takes advantage of the existing city-wide cellular network and therefore, can monitor parking city-wide at low cost. |
| US08698651B2 |
Traffic signal control system, traffic signal control apparatus, and traffic signal control method
Provided is a traffic signal control system that can operate in a flexible and sophisticated manner by, after selecting a pattern of a traffic signal control parameter corresponding to the current time using a first pattern switching table that is used in a time-controlled pattern selection scheme, selecting again a pattern using an additional second pattern switching table, where a call condition for selecting a set pattern is set in the second pattern switching table, and by selecting the pattern set in the second pattern switching table in place of the pattern selected in the first pattern switching table if a calculated travel time matches the call condition. |
| US08698650B2 |
Method for optimizing the traffic control at a traffic signal controlled intersection in a road traffic network
A method of optimizing the traffic control at a traffic signal-controlled intersection in a road traffic network. The vehicle traffic in entrances to the intersection are controlled by signal groups of a traffic signal system according to associated signal times. For vehicles approaching the signal group, traffic parameters are determined from traffic data using a traffic model according to the signal times, and in order to determine optimal signal times, the traffic parameters are weighted and added up and the target function formed in such a way is optimized by varying the signal times. By individually determining the traffic parameters for each vehicle and individually weighting the traffic parameters according to the strategic relevance thereof for the implementation of a specified traffic strategy, an improved implementation of the specified traffic strategy is made possible. |
| US08698645B2 |
Method for event sensing employing a printed event sensor
A method for event sensing employs an event sensor comprising a detector and circuitry, connected thereto, produced by printed electronics processes. Operation may rely on fixed characteristic devices, such as a series resistive chain, or variable characteristic devices such as thin film transistors (TFTs) and the like. A pulse is input to the printed electronic circuitry. The printed electronic circuitry divides the pulse across the various devices comprising the circuitry according to pulse amplitude and pulse width. The circuitry provides an output signal which is provided to a plurality of display elements capable of indicating the division performed at the printed electronic circuitry. In one embodiment, each display element is an electrophoretic display which changes contrast as a function of the applied voltage. Not only the pulse amplitude and pulse width, but the number of pulses applied to the printed circuitry (i.e., sensed by the detector) may be indicated. |
| US08698644B2 |
Sample processing apparatus, sample container transporting apparatus, sample processing method and sample container transporting method
The present invention is a sample processing apparatus including: a sample processing unit configured to process a sample contained in a sample container; one or more detectors located to detect the sample container both before and after the sample contained therein is processed by the sample processing unit; and a controller configured to perform an operation to alert a user if the one or more detectors fail to detect the sample container after the sample processing unit processed the sample in the sample container. |
| US08698643B2 |
Sensor element, in particular seat occupancy detection sensor element
Seat-occupancy-detection-sensor-element featuring double-body/compression/spring (DBCS) in a recess of a base-member (BM); and slidable-member (SM) having a force-application-side (FAS) and inside facing the BM; measuring-coil (MC) arranged in the recess and surrounded by the DBCS and having wound-coil-wire (WCW); and current-generating/measuring/evaluating-unit (CGMEU) connected to the WCW; the DBCW abutting the BM on one side and being fixed to the SM on the side of the SM compressed by a force on the FAS, from a spring length either uncompressed or compressed by a predetermined extent; spring wire ends connected and electrically forming a spring-coil (SC); MC and SC coils constituting an inductively-coupled coil assembly (ICCA); and the CGMEU applying AC to the MC inducing AC in the DBCS, measuring voltage on the MC proportional to the ICCA's impedance, and ascertaining force on the SM's FAS. |
| US08698637B2 |
Monitor worn by user for providing hygiene habits indication
A method for analyzing hygiene habits of a user. The method comprises attaching a personal hygiene monitor to the user, using the attached personal hygiene monitor for detecting a plurality of personal hygiene events related to the user, logging the plurality of personal hygiene events to allow configuring a user hygiene profile of the user, and estimating a hygiene level of one or more hygiene habits of the user according to the user hygiene profile. |
| US08698635B2 |
Systems and methods for intelligent medical vigilance with alert cause indication
An intelligent medical vigilance system that observes and analyzes, and, only in the event of a clinically significant negative condition, notifies and reports the event to the care staff utilizing the hospital's existing nurse call system. The device includes a bedside unit connected to a pad or coverlet with a sensor array (placed under the patient) and also to an existing hospital nurse call system via an interface. The bedside unit is a wall-mounted unit with a display that becomes active when an alarm condition is enabled. Vigilance alarms are suspended if a patient is detected out of bed. An unable-to-measure alert is provided if the system is unable to reliably monitor. An alert message is generated and maintained on the display screen to inform a responding caregiver of the time and reason for any alarm. |
| US08698634B2 |
Integrated system for multichannel monitoring and communication in the management of rescue teams
An integrated monitoring and multichannel communication system for the management of rescue teams, especially those fighting forest fires, comprises a suit, worn by a rescue worker; an electronic system; a telecommunication system; and an information system. The suit integrates fireproof, waterproof, heatproof and impact resistant materials to integrate, protect and allow access to the electronic system. The electronic system collects biometric and location data from the rescue worker, transmitting said data to a panel located in the back of the suit. The telecommunications system sends the biometric, orientation and location data, in real-time through an Ultra High Frequency network, to a computer integrated into a support vehicle, which in its turn sends the data to a server. The information system collects and manages the data to monitor the biometric, orientation and location data, to receive critical alerts and through maps to define deployment strategies for the rescue worker. |
| US08698633B2 |
RFID tag manufacturing method with strap and substrate
In a manufacturing method of a thin and small RFID tag, an antenna metal pattern is formed on a substrate, going once around a dielectric plate, and a recess is formed on the substrate to house an IC chip. A strap on which the IC chip is mounted is connected and fastened to the substrate in the position and orientation in which the IC chip is housed in the recess. |
| US08698632B2 |
Surveillance device
An EAS tag (10) is provided, which includes a body (12) with an internal cavity (16), attachment means (14,26) for removably attaching the tag (10) to an article, an amorphous metal strip (48) inside the cavity (16) and a permanent magnet (34) inside the housing (12). The permanent magnet (34) is preferably an elongate rare earth magnet and is positioned generally equally far from the ends of the amorphous metal strip (48), preferably in a position spaced laterally from the amorphous strip (48) and generally parallel to the amorphous strip. |
| US08698631B1 |
System and method for Mayday, Rollcall and Personnel Accountability
A system and method are disclosed for applying multi-layered identification techniques to associate live fireground Asset information (e.g., handheld radio messages, breathing apparatus status data) to identify incident personnel and provide graphical, prioritized Rollcall, personnel accountability, and emergency alert reporting to incident commanders and other personnel. In one aspect, the system may capture, display, and store routine and emergency alerting messages and data received at incidents from handheld radios and other Assets, associate that information with other data to specifically identify first responder personnel, and provide an automated and prioritized Rollcall and personnel accountability report based on received transmissions. The system has applicability for fire departments and fireground usage, as well as other first responders, military personnel operations, and other organizations needing to account for on-scene personnel. |
| US08698628B2 |
Electronic shelf label system and method for driving the same
Disclosed herein is an electronic shelf label system. The electronic shelf label system includes a plurality of electronic tags that are installed on a product display stand and confirms the residual amount of a battery to turn-on a battery warning light when the residual amount is smaller than a reference voltage and transmits replacement request signals to inform the replacement time of the battery; and a wired/wireless communication converter that relays information between the electronic tags and a server and transmits the replacement request signals received from the electronic tags to be relayed thereby to the server. The electronic shelf label system of the present invention can intuitively and easily confirm the timing when the battery of the electronic is replaced, thereby making it possible to improve the efficiency in the working of replacing the battery. |
| US08698627B2 |
Security packaging
A package comprises a security device where a security loop is formed integrally with the package for detecting a breach of the package. Additionally, the security loop may be formed with a portion to be interrupted if the contents are removed from the package. |
| US08698623B1 |
Child monitor device
The child monitor device provides a caregiver monitor for communication with a plurality of bracelets, each lockable, flexible and softly covered bracelet typically for a child to wear. Bracelet locks are provided as purely mechanical and also in electronic locking. Locks used further include a lock sleeve to cover the lock. Each bracelet includes audio alarm. Each bracelet provides for GPS and a USB port for communication with other devices and even for charging the battery pack. The caregiver monitor provides a touchscreen that further comprises fingerprint recognition so that only those approved in advance by the caregiver monitor are allowed device control. The touchscreen further provides GPS mapping and function controls such as alarm distances between the monitor and the bracelets and alarm controls. |
| US08698620B2 |
Wireless communications device
A wireless communications device for performing wireless communications includes a notifying unit for notifying a user of a status of the corresponding wireless communications device when a dedicated user interface is manipulated, a display unit and a detector for detecting failure in the display unit. The notifying unit notifies the user of the status of the corresponding wireless communications device when a failure in the display unit is detected by the detector and prevents the status of the corresponding wireless communications device from being notified when the failure in the display unit is not detected by the detector. |
| US08698616B2 |
Monitor control system
A monitor control system includes a focused information database and a report determination part. The focused information database is configured to store focused information that is information associating a focused item focused by each operator with the operator with respect to actual plant information. The report determination part outputs report determination information independently for each operator based on the actual plant information and the focused information. The determination information indicates a measured value, an alert, and a set value that are coincident with the focused items focused by a certain operator and additionally that is determined to need to be reported. |
| US08698613B2 |
Integrated test-mode for monitoring of fire and security system networks
An improved system and method are disclosed for providing test functionality for fire and security system monitoring networks. An operator at a workstation node can place points into a “test-mode” while those points remain “live” (i.e., the system remains operational). For points placed in test-mode, if/when such points transition into a non-normal state (e.g., an alarm state), no flashing or other indication requiring a manual acknowledgement from the operator of the workstation node will occur. In addition, for systems employing banners, active lists, automatic printouts or graphics icons that indicate events, no such indications will occur at the workstation node. The disclosed system and method can also generate documentation verifying completion of system testing in accordance with local jurisdictional requirements. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08698611B2 |
Device for determining the instant a vehicle makes contact with an impact object
A device for determining the instant a vehicle makes contact with an impact object. The device determines the instant of contact by approximating a signal derived from an acceleration signal using a function. |
| US08698608B2 |
System and method for controlling at least one device
System and method for controlling at least one device (2, 3) such as for example an operator for a door, a gate, a window, blinds, shutters, a curtain, an awning or a light source. The system includes at least one controllable unit (10, 14) associated with the at least one device and a plurality of nodes (12, 16, 19, 20, 22) for transmitting control signals to the at least one controllable unit (10, 14). At least one of the plurality of nodes (12, 16, 19, 20, 22) for transmitting control signals are configured for transmitting a command originator, the command originator including an identification of a predetermined type of the node (12, 16, 19, 20, 22), from which the signal originates. |
| US08698606B2 |
Digital price displayer and ESL system comprising the same
A digital price displayer and an ESL system comprising the same are provided. The displayer includes a power supplier mounted on a product-displayed shelf for supplying a power; a display main body attachable to and detachable from the shelf and receiving power supplied from the power supplier, and outputting a price, a specification and an advertisement image of a product displayed on the shelf; an accommodator provided at the shelf, formed at one side with an anode and formed at the other side with a cathode for the display main body to be electrically connected to the power supplier if the display main body is fixed to the accommodator; and a coupler provided at the display main body to be slidingly coupled with the accommodator for electrical connection with the anode and the cathode and to prevent from being separated from the accommodator. |
| US08698603B2 |
Methods and systems for automatic device provisioning in an RFID network using IP multicast
Methods and systems for automatic provisioning of RFID devices in an RFID network are described. A device, such as a Reader, has within its read field a special EPC Identity (ID) Tag that is specifically encoded for that Reader. When the Reader boots up, it reads the special ID Tag. The Tag has fields formatted according to the EPCglobal standards and certain bits within one of the fields indicates that the Tag is an EPC ID Tag and the data contained in the Tag will be used to provision the Reader. The Reader transmits an IP multicast packet containing data from the Tag to a network device referred to as a personality class appliance which receives the IP multicast packet. Thus, the Reader is an IP multicast sender and the appliance is an IP multicast receiver. Upon receiving the packet, the appliance retrieves configuration parameters for the Reader. These parameters collectively make up a personality class for the Reader. The personality data are transmitted back to the Reader via a unicast message. Once the Reader receives the configuration data, it provisions itself, becomes connected to the RFID network, and is ready for operation. RFID Readers and other devices can be provisioned automatically for a specific role when turned on, without requiring any manual configuration or data entry. |
| US08698600B2 |
Method and circuit for accessing RFID tag
A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag access method and a circuit applied to an RFID tag to determine whether to respond to a command sent by a reader are provided. According to the access method, an extra reference value is used for adjusting a parameter or a count value, so as to increase or decrease the probability of generating a condition matching with a command sent by the reader. Therefore, the probability of the tag being accessed is adjusted, and the tag carrying urgent information shall be accessed prior to the tag without urgent information. |
| US08698596B2 |
Apparatus and method for accessing a secured storage space
Access to one or more storage areas is controlled. An indication that a packaged asset is available for delivery to an intended recipient, an indication of a size of the asset, and an identity of the intended recipient are received. An available storage space is determined based at least in part upon the size of the asset and the identity of the intended recipient. When a storage space is determined to be available for the packaged asset, an access code is transmitted to the intended recipient allowing the intended recipient to access the available storage space using the access code. |
| US08698592B2 |
Barium titanate-based semiconductor ceramic composition and PTC thermistor
Provided is a barium titanate-based semiconductor ceramic composition which contains no Pb, which can have an increased Curie temperature, which exhibits slight deterioration with time, and which has high reliability, containing a barium titanate-based semiconductor ceramic represented by the composition formula (Ba1-x-y-zSry(A1Bi)xA2z)TiO3, where A1 is an alkali metal element, A2 is a rare-earth element, 0.03≦x≦0.20, 0.02≦y≦0.20, and 0.0005≦z≦0.015, and x−0.10≦y≦(5/4)·x. In addition, 0.01 to 0.20 molar parts of Mn per 100 molar parts of Ti is preferably added thereto. |
| US08698584B2 |
Integrated magnetic device for low harmonics three-phase front-end
An integrated magnetic device for low harmonics three-phase front-end (1) comprising three magnetic sub-assemblies (30), wherein each magnetic sub-assembly (30) comprises a magnetic core without air-gaps, three or more wound limbs and at least five windings, three current inputs connectable to a three-phase power grid (100), at least nine current outputs, three for each current inputs, said current outputs being galvanically connected to said three current inputs and connectable to a load (200). The integrated magnetic device is designed for a low harmonics three-phase bidirectional front-end and also for AC/DC rectifier and DC/AC power inverters. Its use enables reduction of the harmonics of the currents absorbed or injected to three-phase power line by using only one device which integrates a splitter and an inductor function. Compared to known solutions, cost, material and dimensions of the integrated magnetic device are reduced. |
| US08698583B2 |
Magnetic attachment system
An improved magnetic attachment system is provided that involves field emission structures having electric or magnetic field sources. The magnitudes, polarities, and positions of the magnetic or electric field sources are configured to have desirable correlation properties, which may be in accordance with a code. The correlation properties correspond to a desired spatial force function where spatial forces between field emission structures correspond to relative alignment, separation distance, and the spatial force function. |
| US08698582B2 |
Relay
A relay includes two stators and a movable element. Each stator has a fixed contact and includes an excitation portion that has a winding shape and generates a magnetic field. The movable element has movable contacts. In a magnetic flux of the magnetic field generated by the excitation portion, a movable element passing magnetic flux that passes through the movable element is orthogonal to a direction of current flowing in the movable element and a moving direction of the movable element. A Lorentz force that is generated by the movable element passing magnetic flux and the current flowing in the movable element acts in a direction for bringing the movable contacts into contact with the fixed contacts. |
| US08698580B2 |
Surface acoustic wave device and method for manufacturing the same
A surface acoustic wave device includes first interconnections and second interconnections connected to a potential different from a potential connected to the first interconnections that are arranged on a piezoelectric substrate. The first interconnections three-dimensionally intersect with the second interconnections with insulating layers made of a thermosetting resin, disposed therebetween. Interdigital electrodes defining IDTs are films which have six-fold rotational symmetric spots appearing in an XRD pole figure and which are defined by Al films or Al—Cu alloy films containing Cu in an amount not greater than the solubility limit at about 25° C. |
| US08698576B2 |
Isolated zero degree reactive radio frequency high power combiner
An exemplary communication device includes a combiner having a first transmission line configured to be coupled with a first communication component. A second transmission line is configured to be coupled with a second communication component. A third transmission line is coupled with the first and second transmission lines. An isolation module is coupled with the first and second transmission lines. The isolation module has a resistance, a capacitance and an inductance configured to isolate the first communication component from the second communication component if one of the components is inoperative. The isolation module components are also configured to provide RF matching for the first and second transmission lines if one of the components is inoperative. |
| US08698575B2 |
Antenna switching arrangement
An antenna switching arrangement with a quadrature arrangement of transmission lines through which a desired signal path may be configured via switches selectively grounding junctions of the switching arrangement. The desired path routing a signal from an input port to one or both of first and second output ports to generate a signal with vertical linear polarization, horizontal linear polarization or circular polarization. The selected polarization may be changed as desired and/or multiple antenna switching arrangements applied to enable simultaneous signals with different polarizations. |
| US08698573B2 |
Impedance stabilization device
Provided is an impedance stabilization device having a configuration in which a circuit including a series matching impedance element (11a and 12a (11b and 12b)) and a high-frequency blocking element connected in parallel is inserted in series into at least one of lines (10a (10b)) constituting a power line, and the lines (10a and 10b) are connected via another circuit including a parallel matching impedance element (13) and a low-frequency matching element (14) connected in series. A high-frequency signal passes through the series matching impedance element, a power current passes through the high-frequency blocking element, and the parallel matching impedance element functions as a termination resistor when a terminal on an equipment side is an open end. |
| US08698570B2 |
Resonator circuit and amplifier circuit
A passive frequency divider in a CMOS process. More specifically, an electrical distributed parametric oscillator to realize a passive CMOS frequency divider with low phase noise. Instead of using active devices, which are the main sources of noise and power consumption, an oscillation at half of the input frequency is sustained by the parametric process based on nonlinear interaction with the input signal. For example, one embodiment is a 20 GHz frequency divider utilizing a CMOS varactor and made in a 0.13 μm CMOS process. In this embodiment: (i) without any dc power consumption, 600 mV differential output amplitude can be achieved for an input amplitude of 600 mV; and (ii) the input frequency ranged from 18.5 GHz to 23.5 GHz with varactor tuning. In this embodiment, the output phase noise is almost 6 dB lower than that of the input signal for all offset frequencies up to 1 MHz. Also, a resonant parametric amplifier with a low noise figure (NF) by exploiting the noise squeezing effect. Noise squeezing occurs through the phase-sensitive amplification process and suppresses one of two quadrature components in input noise. When the input signal is only in the direction of the non-suppressed quadrature component, squeezing can lower that NF by almost 3 dB. The resonant structure of the proposed amplifier achieves the squeezing effect using a low number of LC elements. |
| US08698566B2 |
Phase locked loop calibration
An inductor-capacitor phase locked loop (LCPLL) includes an inductor-capacitor voltage controlled oscillator (LCVCO) that provides an output frequency. A calibration circuit includes two comparators and provides a coarse tune signal to the LCVCO. The two comparators respectively compare the loop filter signal with a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage that is higher than the first reference voltage to supply a first and second comparator output, respectively. The calibration circuit is capable of adjusting the coarse tune signal continuously in voltage values and adjusts the coarse tune signal based on the two comparator outputs. A loop filter provides a loop filter signal to the calibration circuit and a fine tune signal to the LCVCO. A coarse tune frequency range is greater than a fine tune frequency range. |
| US08698563B2 |
Doherty amplifier
A Doherty amplifier has a distributor for branching an input signal into two signals, a carrier amplifier to which one of the signals is inputted from the distributor, a peak amplifier to which another signal of the signals is inputted from the distributor, and a synthesizer for synthesizing output signals from the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier. The carrier amplifier has a compound semiconductor device with at least two terminals. The peak amplifier has a single element semiconductor device. Bias voltages having the same polarity are applied to the two terminals of the compound semiconductor device. |
| US08698561B2 |
Operational amplifier circuit structure
An operational amplifier circuit structure is provided. The operational amplifier circuit structure includes a first current mirror associated with a first current mirror ratio, a second current mirror coupled to the first current mirror and associated with a second current mirror ratio, an input portion coupled to the first current mirror and the second current mirror, an output portion coupled between the input portion and the first current mirror and the input portion and the second current mirror, and associated with a first output impedance and a second output impedance, respectively, and a current source coupled to the input portion. |
| US08698558B2 |
Low-voltage power-efficient envelope tracker
Techniques for efficiently generating a power supply are described. In one design, an apparatus includes an envelope amplifier and a boost converter. The boost converter generates a boosted supply voltage having a higher voltage than a first supply voltage (e.g., a battery voltage). The envelope amplifier generates a second supply voltage based on an envelope signal and the boosted supply voltage (and also possibly the first supply voltage). A power amplifier operates based on the second supply voltage. In another design, an apparatus includes a switcher, an envelope amplifier, and a power amplifier. The switcher receives a first supply voltage and provides a first supply current. The envelope amplifier provides a second supply current based on an envelope signal. The power amplifier receives a total supply current including the first and second supply currents. In one design, the switcher detects the second supply current and adds an offset to generate a larger first supply current than without the offset. |
| US08698557B2 |
Hybrid coupler
A circuit for amplifying an input signal can comprise a plurality of couplers. A splitting coupler of the plurality of couplers can receive the input signal and a combining coupler of the plurality of couplers can provides an output signal. N number of amplifiers can be included in the circuit to amplify the input signal, wherein N is a non-binary integer greater than one. At least one of the plurality of couplers can comprise a hybrid coupler that has two ports terminated into substantially equal reactances. |
| US08698554B2 |
Second order active high-pass filter with cross-coupled feedback for Q enhancement
An apparatus comprising an input circuit, a cross coupled active circuit and an output circuit. The input circuit may be configured to generate a first portion of an intermediate signal in response to an input signal. The cross coupled active circuit may be configured to generate a second portion of the intermediate signal in response to a feedback of an output signal. The output circuit may be configured to generate the output signal in response to the intermediate signal. The output signal may pass frequencies above a target frequency. |
| US08698551B2 |
Semiconductor device including a circuit configured to hold an offset voltage
Provided is a semiconductor device which can operate stably even in the case where a transistor thereof is a depletion transistor. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor for supplying a first potential to a first wiring, a second transistor for supplying a second potential to the first wiring, a third transistor for supplying a third potential at which the first transistor is turned on to a gate of the first transistor and stopping supplying the third potential, a fourth transistor for supplying the second potential to the gate of the first transistor, and a first circuit for generating a second signal obtained by offsetting a first signal. The second signal is input to a gate of the fourth transistor. The potential of a low level of the second signal is lower than the second potential. |
| US08698549B2 |
Power device
A power device possesses a built-in fuse function and can continue to normally operate after a short circuit failure. The power device includes a plurality of output cells, a plurality of bonding wires provided corresponding to the output cells, and a control terminal driving circuit. Each of the output cells includes an output transistor. First side electrodes of the output transistors are commonly coupled to a first power source. Each of second side electrodes of the output transistors is coupled to an output terminal through the corresponding bonding wire. The control terminal driving circuit supplies a drive signal to the control terminals of the individual output transistors to control the output transistors. Each of the bonding wires is designed to be fused and cut if the output transistor included in the corresponding output cell fails and is shorted. |
| US08698544B2 |
Dynamic improvement in RMS to DC converters
A circuit for providing a DC output equal to the RMS value of a time-varying input signal, the circuit including: (i) an RMS-to-DC converter for producing the DC output and (ii) a high-order low-pass filter comprising at least first and second low-pass filters connected in series to cooperatively reduce at least one of ripple in the DC output, ripple in an denominator feedback loop, or DC error in the DC output. |
| US08698539B1 |
Interference mitigation in mixed signal integrated circuits (ICs)
A clock generation circuit in an IC is provided for mitigating signal interferences caused by an aggressor block operable on a first clock signal with a frequency range of a victim block. The clock generation circuit includes a gating circuit configured to perform gating of a second clock signal to generate a third clock signal based on control signal. An average frequency of the third clock signal is substantially matched to a frequency of the first clock signal, and harmonics of the third clock signal do not interfere with the frequency range of the victim block. The clock generation circuit further includes a FIFO buffer circuit configured to receive the first clock signal as a write clock and the third clock signal as read clock, and a control circuit for generating the control signal based on an occupancy level of FIFO buffer circuit and a plurality of random numbers. |
| US08698537B1 |
Method and apparatus for reducing jitter in a transmitter
In at least one aspect, an apparatus includes a plurality of inverter groups and a plurality of bias current sources. The plurality of inverter groups is configured to amplify a signal. Each of the inverter groups has one or more inverters and is in communication with at least one other inverter group of the plurality of inverter groups. Each of the bias current sources is configured to provide a bias current to a different inverter group of the plurality of inverter groups to perform signal amplification. |
| US08698535B2 |
Semiconductor device having delay line
Disclosed herein is a device that includes a plurality of one-shot pulse generation circuits connected in series between an input node and an output node. Each of the one-shot pulse generation circuits receives an input clock signal supplied from previously connected one-shot pulse generation circuit to output an output clock signal to subsequently connected one-shot pulse generation circuit. Both of a rising edge and a falling edge of the output clock signal are controlled based on one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the input clock signal. A time period from one of the rising edge and the falling edge of the output clock signal to the other of the rising edge and the falling edge of the output clock signal being variable. |
| US08698534B1 |
Digital-to-analog conversion apparatus and current-mode interpolation buffer thereof
A digital-to-analog conversion apparatus and a current-mode interpolation buffer thereof are provided. The current-mode interpolation buffer comprises a current source, a first differential transistor pair, a second differential transistor pair and an output stage. The current source outputs a first current and draws a second current. Wherein, the amperages of the first current and the second current are dependent on a digital code. First differential transistor pair generates a first differential current according a first rough voltage, an analog voltage and the first current. Second differential transistor pair generates a second differential current according a second rough voltage, the analog voltage and the second current. Output stage generates the analog voltage according to the first differential current and the second differential current, where the analog voltage belongs to a rough range from the first rough voltage to the second rough voltage. |
| US08698529B2 |
Delay time control circuit and control method thereof
A delay time control circuit is provided which includes a delay locked loop generating a second clock signal delayed by a predetermined time in response to a first clock signal; a plurality of delay circuits each receiving the first and second clock signals and outputting third and fourth clock signals in response to first and second digital clock signals; and a feedback control unit receiving the third and fourth clock signals to detect a delay time and generating the first and second digital control signals for compensating the detected delay time. |
| US08698525B2 |
Clock divider circuit
A clock divider circuit. The clock divider receives m input clock signals each of the same frequency. Each input clock signal after the first has a phase offset of 2π/m from the previous input clock signal. The clock divider divides the frequency of the input clock signals by an integer of division K. The clock divider includes a counter that receives the first input clock signal and provides one or more count signals. The clock divider also includes m flip-flops, of which a first flip-flop receives the first input clock signal at its clock input and provides a first clock output signal. Each flip-flop after the first receives an input clock signal at its clock input and provides a clock output signal, each clock output signal after the first having a 2πK/m phase offset from the previous clock output signal. |
| US08698518B2 |
Storage elements for a configurable IC and method and apparatus for accessing data stored in the storage elements
Some embodiments provide a circuit for accessing stored data in a configurable IC that includes several configurable circuits. The IC also includes several storage circuits. Each storage circuit has (1) several storage elements for storing data for the configurable circuits, and (2) output circuitry for outputting data stored in the storage elements. The output circuitry includes a first set of interconnects for receiving at least a first repeating periodic signal and for periodically outputting data from at least two storage elements to the configurable circuits. |
| US08698517B2 |
Computing multi-magnet based devices and methods for solution of optimization problems
A computing multi-magnet device and method for solving complex computational problems is provided. Embodiments include a first magnet, a second magnet, and an interconnect between and interconnecting the first and second magnets, the interconnect configured to allow the first and second magnets to communicate via a voltage or current applied to the first and second magnet and conducted by the interconnect. The scalability of computing multi-magnet device provides solutions to algorithms that have exponentially increasing complexity. |
| US08698515B2 |
Probe test equipment for testing a semiconductor device
A test apparatus is described that can be useful as test equipment in various applications, including for example testing a semiconductor device. The test apparatus has a circuit board, a probe card, and a card holder. The circuit board includes a contact layout that electrically connects with a probe card at one portion and electrically connects with a probe card holder at another portion. The probe card has probes for electrically contacting a device to be tested, and has a contact configuration that electrically connects with the circuit board. The apparatus allows for electrical signals to be sent to and from the probe card, through the probe card holder and circuit board, in testing a device such as for example a semiconductor device. The circuit board and probe card holder have an attachment structure, configured for example as a notch and catch finger attachment arrangement. |
| US08698514B2 |
Electrical characteristic measuring substrate
An electrical characteristic measuring substrate includes a plurality of laminated dielectric layers, front-surface coplanar lines disposed at a front surface of the substrate, back-surface coplanar electrodes disposed at a back surface thereof, and interlayer ground electrodes disposed between dielectric layers. First ends of the front-surface coplanar lines define a front-surface component mounting electrode, and first ends of the back-surface coplanar lines define a back-surface component mounting electrode. The front-surface component mounting electrode and the back-surface component mounting electrode have substantially the same pattern when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the front surface. Each of the front-surface component mounting electrode and the back-surface component mounting electrode has an electrode pattern asymmetric about a substantially central line of the front surface or about that of the back surface. |
| US08698510B2 |
Capacitive measuring circuit for yarn inspection
A measuring circuit used for the capacitive examination of a moving elongated textile test material such as card sliver, roving, yarn or woven fabric, having a measuring capacitor for accommodating the test material, and a component with a capacitance which can be changed by an electric control signal. The measuring circuit can thus be balanced in a simple, rapid, cost-effective and especially automatic way. |
| US08698502B2 |
Methods and systems for estimating formation resistivity and porosity
A method for analyzing a subterranean formation porosity is disclosed. The apparent dielectric constant of the subterranean formation and an apparent resistivity of the subterranean formation are measured. The measured values are used to determine a measured formation loss tangent. The formation water loss tangent can be expressed by the water dielectric constant and the water resistivity. The measured formation loss tangent and the formation water loss tangent are then used to determine at least one of an actual dielectric constant of the subterranean formation water and an actual resistivity of the subterranean formation water. The actual formation porosity may be obtained using the estimated water resistivity and water dielectric constant. |
| US08698501B2 |
Method for distinguishing a locating signal from a false locating signal
A method is described for use in a region which contains at least first and second in-ground cables, each of which cables includes an electrically conductive component such that, when the first cable is driven at a locating signal frequency to emit a locating signal in an electromagnetic form, the locating signal can be coupled to the second cable in a way which causes the second cable to generate a false locating signal in electromagnetic form. The locating signal is received along with the false locating signal as well as receiving a reference signal which contains the locating signal frequency impressed thereon. The locating signal is distinguished from the false locating signal based on the locating signal frequency as contained by the reference signal. |
| US08698499B2 |
Electromagnet devices compatible with magnetic resonance and MRI devices where circulating current directions alternate between coil groups separated by elevation angles between 26.25 and 55 degrees
An electromagnet device which generates magnetic field in the direction perpendicular to the inserting direction of an inspection subject is reduced in size and weight by removing unnecessary arrangement as much as possible. A magnetic resonance imaging device is also provided. The electromagnet device comprises a first coil (31) through which a first circular current (J1) circulates forward, a second coil (32) through which a second circular current (J2) circulates reversely, and a coil group (30) through which a plurality of circular currents (J3-J6) circulate alternately forward and reversely. The first coil (30), the second coil (32) and the coil group (30) are arranged in this order to increase the angle of elevation θ (θ1<θ2<θ3), and a blank region (S) not including the second coil (32) and the coil group (30) exists in the angular region between the angles of elevation θ2 and θ3. |
| US08698495B2 |
Flip angle imaging with improved B1 mapping for multi-RF transmit systems
A magnetic resonance method includes performing a plurality of magnetic resonance excitation operations each using a different sub-set of a set of radio frequency transmit coils (30), each sub-set including more than one radio frequency transmit coil, acquiring magnetic resonance data responsive to each said magnetic resonance excitation operation, and computing a B1 or flip angle map for each radio frequency transmit coil of the set of radio frequency transmit coils based on the acquired magnetic resonance data. A magnetic resonance method includes performing an actual flip angle mapping (AFI) sequence using a radio frequency transmit coil (32) with a ratio TR1:TR2 of the TR times of the AFI sequence selected to be rational, acquiring magnetic resonance data responsive to said AFI sequence, and computing a B1 or flip angle map for the radio frequency transmit coil based on the acquired magnetic resonance data. |
| US08698491B2 |
Position detecting device
A position detecting device has an output circuit, which controls voltages of signal lines connecting a power supply and a ground by a power side transistor and a ground side transistor. An output signal line connects a connection point of the signal lines and an output terminal. A first comparator circuit outputs a signal “1” when a current flowing in the line between the power supply and the connection point is larger than a normal current flowing into the ground from the power supply in a normal state. A second comparator circuit outputs a signal “1” when a current flowing in the line between the connection point and the ground is larger than the normal current. When the signal “1” is output from the first comparator circuit or the second comparator circuit, a cutoff circuit turns off a switch disposed in the output signal line. |
| US08698490B2 |
Magnetoresistive angle sensors having conductors arranged in multiple planes
Magnetoresistive angle sensors, sensor systems and methods are disclosed. In an embodiment, a magnetoresistive angle sensor includes a first plurality of conductors arranged in parallel with one another in a first plane to form a first array; a second plurality of conductors arranged in parallel with one another in a second plane to form a second array, the second plane being different from and spaced apart from the first plane, and the second plurality of conductors being orthogonally arranged with respect to the first plurality of conductors; and at least one magnetoresistive element disposed between the first plane and the second plane. |
| US08698489B2 |
Flexible wheel speed sensor external to capped wheel bearing
A wheel assembly for a non-driven wheel includes a rotating wheel hub with a shaft portion supporting a bearing inner race. A magnetic encoder is mounted for rotation with the shaft portion. A non-rotating component radially surrounds the shaft portion and has a bearing outer race. A cap is secured to the non-rotating component and covers the outer and inner races, the shaft portion and the magnetic encoder inboard of the races to seal an inboard side of the outer and inner races. A sensor is mounted to a non-rotating vehicle steering member externally to, not covered by, and not extending through the cap. The sensor is configured to deflect to be biased into continuous contact with an outer surface of the cap to read the magnetic encoder through the cap without extending through the cap. |
| US08698487B2 |
Determining components of an electric service
Components of an electric service may be identified by measuring voltage signals relating to the connection of an electrical energy meter connected to the electric service. The voltage signals that may be measured include line to neutral voltages and line to line voltages. The values of the measured voltage signals may be compared to reference information comprising tabulated values that may be tabulated as ratios of nominal service voltages associated with different service types. |
| US08698482B2 |
UWB measuring device capable of reducing disturbance in external signals
The invention relates to a measuring device, especially for a machine tool and/or a manual measuring device, comprising a measuring unit (12a-d) that is adapted to measure and an external signal recognition unit (14a-d). The invention is characterized in that the external signal recognition unit (14a-d) is adapted to recognize an external signal during and/or prior to a measurement of the measuring unit (12a-d). |
| US08698479B2 |
Bandgap reference circuit for providing reference voltage
A bandgap reference circuit includes a first circuit, a second circuit and a third circuit. The first circuit is for generating a first current and a first voltage according to a first reference voltage. The second circuit is coupled to the first circuit, for generating a second voltage according to the first voltage. The third circuit is coupled to the first circuit and the second circuit, for generating a voltage offset according to the first current, and generating a bandgap reference voltage according to the second voltage and the voltage offset. The first circuit and the second circuit complement each other for offsetting variations of the bandgap reference voltage due to temperature changes. |
| US08698478B2 |
Reference voltage generation circuit
A reference voltage generation circuit comprising a reference voltage generation and comparison unit, a drive unit, and M drive unit candidate circuits is provided in which the reference voltage generation and comparison unit generates reference voltage, and an output voltage output from the reference voltage generation circuit is input into the reference voltage generation and comparison unit as a negative feedback voltage. After being compared with the reference voltage, the output voltage is output from the reference voltage generation and comparison unit to the drive unit and the M drive unit candidate circuits. When power supply voltage of the reference voltage generation circuit varies, after being driven by the drive unit and the M drive unit candidate circuits, the output voltage is output to an output terminal of the reference voltage generation circuit so that the output voltage can be stabilized at the level of the reference voltage. |
| US08698477B2 |
Control method for reducing the audio noise
A control method for reducing audio noise is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing an input power source; providing a power source converter having a component with a mechanical resonant frequency, coupled to the input terminal or the output terminal of the power source converter; providing an output capacitor and a load connected in parallel therebetween; making the power source converter operate in a burst mode; and controlling the electrical energy transferred from the input terminal to the output terminal of the power source converter during an operating period of every burst cycle, so as to reduce the audio noise of the power source converter. |
| US08698476B2 |
Control circuit and method for a current mode controlled power converter
A control circuit and method for a current mode controlled power converter to convert an input voltage into an output voltage, dynamically adjust the peak or the valley of a ramp signal depending on either or both of the input voltage and the output voltage. Under different conditions of the input voltage and the output voltage, the current mode controlled power converter can generate stable output voltages with an invariant inductor and an invariant compensation circuit, without sub-harmonic which otherwise may happen. |
| US08698473B2 |
Switching regulator
A switching regulator: first switching element and second switching element; a logic unit which outputs to the load the output voltage converted from the input voltage to the constant voltage, by causing the first switching element and the second switching element to perform a switching operation; an error amplifier which outputs first signal indicating an error between the output voltage and the first reference voltage; first comparator which inputs the first signal and second signal indicating an output voltage that is proportional to load current flowing in the load, and outputs to the logic unit control signal causing the logic unit to perform the switching operation based on the first signal and the second signal; and a correction unit which is connected to an input side of the error amplifier, and corrects an input voltage of the error amplifier to reduce the input voltage to a certain value or lower. |
| US08698468B2 |
Control device, control method, and power supply device
There is provided a control device including a control unit, the control unit being configured to, when a first time, during which a level of a voltage output from a rectifier circuit for rectifying an alternating current supplied from an alternating-current power supply is lower than a level of a threshold voltage, has reached a threshold time, output a stop signal for stopping an operation of a power factor correction circuit to a control circuit that controls the operation of the power factor correction circuit. |
| US08698467B2 |
Multi-mode DC-DC power converters
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes: a first switching element and a second switching element that are provided in series between a first power line and a second power line; a power supply circuit that outputs a given output voltage by on/off controlling the first switching element and the second switch element; a current detection circuit that detects a current corresponding to an output load current of the power supply circuit; a switching time control circuit that controls a switching time defined by a power supply voltage and the output voltage based on a current value detected by the current detection circuit; and a switching element control circuit that controls the first switching element and the second switching element based on an output signal of the switching time control circuit. |
| US08698466B2 |
Start-up detection in a dimmer circuit
Disclosed is an inductive load detection circuit for detecting the presence of an inductive load on a dimmer circuit. The detection circuit provides for enhanced detection of the inductive load by detecting voltage ringing resulting from a turn-off of a switching element in the circuit. The ringing can be enhanced by providing a faster turn-off rate in an initial period than a turn-off rate in a steady state period.Also disclosed is a dimmer circuit comprising the inductive load detection circuit. |
| US08698460B2 |
Charger that charges rechargeable battery arranged in electronic device and charging method for rechargeable battery arranged in electronic device
A charger for an electronic device that charges a rechargeable battery of the electronic device. The charger includes a detection unit, which detects connection of another electronic device to the electronic device through a communication cable including a power supply line. A charging unit charges the rechargeable battery with power supply voltage from the power supply line. A measurement unit acquires a measurement value indicating a degree of a voltage drop of the power supply voltage occurred when the charging unit performs charging. A control unit instructs a charging current value for charging the rechargeable battery with the charging unit. When the detection unit detects connection of the other electronic device, the control unit monitors the measurement value while instructing the charging unit to increase the charging current value from an initial current value and determines the charging current value based on the monitored measurement value. |
| US08698452B2 |
Scalable intelligent power supply system and method
A scalable intelligent power-supply system and method capable of powering a defined load for a specified period of time is disclosed and claimed. Multiple external AC and DC inputs supply power to the system if available and required. An internal DC input from a back-up energy source is on board. The back-up energy source is scalable by adding additional energy cartridges such as batteries in racks mounted within frames of the system. The AC and DC inputs (including the internal DC input) are controlled, measured, sensed, and converted by circuitry controlled by the microprocessor into multiple AC and/or DC outputs. A microprocessor manages power input to, within, and output from the system. The performance of a Lithium-ion batteries used to power an automobile can be determined on the basis individual battery packs or individual battery cells within the packs. |
| US08698450B2 |
Bidirectional wireless charging and discharging device for portable electronic device
Disclosed is a bidirectional wireless charging and discharging device for portable electronic device. The bidirectional wireless charging and discharging device includes: a wireless receiving and transmitting unit and a logic control unit, a step-up/step-down unit, first and second reverse current protectors, a control switch, and at least a supercapacitor. The first and second reverse current protectors function to prevent reverse current and to switch. The step-up/step-down unit controls step-up conversion in discharging and step-down conversion in charging. The logic control unit detects if a load exists on an opposite side of the wireless receiving and transmitting unit and controls the operations of the step-up/step-down unit and the first and second reverse current protectors, and can be even combined with a control switch to control selectively charging and discharging operations. The supercapacitor absorbs surge occurring in each charging operation. |
| US08698448B2 |
Power supply method, power supply device, and base station
Embodiments of the present invention, relating to the field of communications, provide a power supply method, a power supply device, and a base station, which, while satisfying use requirements of a backup power source, prolong the life cycle of a lead acid battery, reduce the set capacity of the original lead acid battery, and thereby reduce investment costs. The method includes: receiving currents supplied by a power generation apparatus, distributing the currents supplied by the power generation apparatus to a load and a lithium ion battery to ensure normal running of the load and enable the lithium ion battery to be charged, and after the lithium ion battery is fully charge, distributing the currents supplied by the power generation apparatus to the lead acid battery so that the lead acid battery is charged. |
| US08698444B2 |
Aircraft electrical actuator arrangement
An aircraft electrical actuator arrangement includes a plurality of actuators and a master power converter to convert power from the electrical power distribution network for supply to each actuator. The actuators include an environmental control system actuator, an aileron actuator, a flap actuator, a slat actuator, a landing gear actuator, a thrust reverser actuator, a brake actuator and a taxiing actuator. A controller is coupled to the master power converter and is arranged to allow the supply of power from the master power converter to the environmental control system actuator during a first mode of operation of the aircraft. The controller is arranged to allow the supply of electrical power from the master power converter to at least one of the aileron, the flap, the slat, the landing gear, the thrust reverser, the brake actuator or the taxiing actuator during a second mode of operation of the aircraft. |
| US08698443B2 |
Stepping motor control circuit and analog electronic timepiece
A stepping motor control circuit and an analog electronic timepiece which can detect a rotation state including intermediate stopping more accurately are provided. A rotation detection circuit, in detecting whether or not an induction signal generated by the rotation of a stepping motor exceeds a predetermined reference threshold voltage during a detection period having a plurality of sections, detects whether or not the induction signal with inverted polarity exceeds a predetermined reference threshold voltage during a predetermined section, and a control unit immediately performs a drive control of the stepping motor with a correction drive pulse when it is determined that there is a sign of intermediate stopping of the stepping motor based on a result of detection by the rotation detection circuit. |
| US08698438B2 |
Motor control apparatus, image forming apparatus and motor control method
According to one embodiment, a motor control apparatus includes a timer to measure a period in which a job is not executed, a sensor to detect a temperature of a physical object, an acquisition part to acquire time information measured by the timer and temperature information detected by the sensor, and a drive control part that determines a current value of a motor provided in the physical object based on the time information and the temperature information acquired by the acquisition part, and controls the motor current value by applying a voltage level corresponding to the determined current value to a drive element of the motor. |
| US08698437B2 |
System and method for providing auxiliary power by regeneration power management in mobile mining equipment
A method for operating an ultracapacitor system used in a mining excavator powered by an electrical power source. The method includes the step of detecting whether a line power from the electrical power source is present. Next, a voltage level of the ultracapacitor system is measured if the line power is not present. The measured voltage level is then compared with a minimum voltage level for the ultracapacitor system. If the measured voltage level is more than the minimum voltage level, auxiliary power is supplied from the ultracapacitor system to operate mining excavator systems. The auxiliary power may be used to power electronic systems and components such as computers, displays, control systems, gas insulated switchgear and lighting systems. |
| US08698436B2 |
Balanced configuration relay device with improved performances
A relay device includes: an electromagnet constituted by a metallic core and an electrical winding associated therewith; and a mobile anchor associated with a traction spring and suitable for oscillating around a respective axis of oscillation in response to the combined action of an electromagnetic attraction force, generated by the electromagnet and intended to attract the anchor towards the core, and an elastic recovery force, exerted by the spring and intended to move the anchor away from the core and make it return to an initial position, so as to open or close selectively via the anchor a contact or switch of an external electrical circuit, wherein the anchor has a balanced or equilibrium configuration in which its center of gravity is arranged substantially along the axis of oscillation, and thereby the masses of various portions anchor portions are distributed in a balanced manner around the same axis of oscillation. |
| US08698435B2 |
Motor drive device
A motor drive device includes an inverter circuit, a driver circuit for outputting a PWM signal to the inverter circuit, a booster circuit for boosting a power supply voltage supplied from a power supply circuit, a fail safe circuit arranged between the inverter circuit and the motor, and a fail safe drive unit for outputting a signal for turning ON/OFF a semiconductor switching element of the fail safe circuit. A boost voltage output from the booster circuit is supplied to the driver circuit and also supplied to the fail safe drive unit. The fail safe drive unit drives the semiconductor switching element of the fail safe circuit by such boost voltage. |
| US08698431B2 |
Drive control circuit for linear vibration motor
A drive signal generating unit generates a drive signal used to alternately deliver a positive current and a negative current to a coil. A driver unit generates the drive current in response to the drive signal generated by the drive signal generating unit and supplies the drive current to the coil. After the drive termination of a linear vibration motor, the drive signal generating unit generates a drive signal whose phase is opposite to the phase of the drive signal generated during the motor running. The driver unit quickens the stop of the linear vibration motor by supplying to the coil the drive current of opposite phase according to the drive signal of opposite phase. |
| US08698429B2 |
Linear accelerators
There is provided a radiotherapy system comprising a linear accelerator, beam control circuitry for the linear accelerator, an electronic control apparatus for the control circuitry arranged to adjust properties thereof, and a monitor for detecting properties of the radiation beam produced by the linear accelerator, wherein the control apparatus is adapted to retain a set of beam properties and periodically activate the accelerator, measure the current beam properties via the monitor, compare the measured beam properties to the retained beam properties, and potentially adjust the control circuitry properties to align the beam properties towards the retained beam properties. The beam properties that are measured may include beam flatness and beam width. The retained beam properties can be the properties of the beam produced by the linear accelerator when new, or the properties of a standard beam. There is also provided a method for operating the system. |
| US08698426B1 |
Self-powered current sensing switch with digital setpoint
An apparatus for setting a digital setpoint for a self-powered current sensing switch includes a current transformer, a digital processor and a parallel converter for converting the AC output of the current transformer to a DC power source for the digital processor along a first path and into a digital signal which is input to the digital processor along a second path. The apparatus also includes a manually operated switch coupled to the digital processor and having a calibration mode position, code segments executing on the digital processor to convert the digital signal to a digital setpoint value when the manually operated switch is in the calibration mode position, and non-volatile memory for storing the digital setpoint value. |
| US08698425B2 |
LED lighting device and driving method for the same
It is provided an LED lighting device calibratable to 0 to 100% of wide range about a chromaticity and luminance of a illumination light by a simple configuration, and a driving method for the LED lighting device. The LED lighting device is provided with a first light-emitting unit and a second light-emitting unit differing a color temperature mutually, and a control circuit for executing a cyclic light/quench control of the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit, and for executing a light control of the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit by a PNM (Pulse Number Modulation) control in a fixed cycle so as to have a lighting period Ton for lighting/quenching the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit complementarily, and a quenching period Toff for quenching both the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit. |
| US08698424B1 |
Power line dimming controller and receiver
A power line communication system transmits a dimming level to an electronic ballast to regulate the power consumed by a lamp. The power line controller has a notch generation circuit that generates notches on an AC power signal with a time duration in accordance with the dimming level of the lamp. A dimming interface associated with the electronic ballast detects the notches on the AC power signal. The dimming interface generates a ballast dimming level signal with a signal level related to the time duration of these notches. |
| US08698422B2 |
Average current controller
An average current controller configured for connection to display-components through a power switch. The average current controller includes first, second, and third comparators, an integrator, and a reference current generator. The first comparator compares a peak current level of reference current with a load current level of load current and outputs a first comparison result. The load current denotes current flowing through the display-components. The second comparator compares the peak current level of reference current with an average current level of the load current and outputs a second comparison result. The integrator integrates the second comparison result. The third comparator compares the integral value of the integrator with a predetermined value and outputs a third comparison result. The reference current generator sets the peak current level based on the first comparison result and the third comparison result and generates the reference current with the set peak current level. |
| US08698417B2 |
Lighting device
A lighting device includes first and second power source lines supplied with a driving current, first and second switching portions that respectively allow or prohibit supply of the driving current to the first and second power source lines, first and second current application lines respectively coupled with the first and second power source lines, first and second light-emitting element groups respectively disposed on the first and second current application lines, a driving portion coupled with the first and second current application lines and allowing flow of the driving current to the first and second current application lines, and a control portion that controls the first and second switching portions and the driving portion. |
| US08698403B2 |
Electric protection mechanism for light controller
An electric protection mechanism for a light controller includes an overload protection device. The overload protection device includes a lamplight controller, a power controller, and a load detector. A current sensor is provided between the power controller and a light. An overload detector is provided to detect the state of the electric current anytime. Once abnormal current is outputted to the light, the power controller immediately shuts its output and informs the lamplight controller of the abnormal current. The lamplight controller will reset its process, such as to shut down the power source or to press the button so as to return to normal. Thus, the lamplight controller, a light adjuster or a remote controller can be protected. The present invention provides an overload protection function, and it is safe to use the present invention. |
| US08698401B2 |
Mitigation of plasma-inductor termination
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the dielectric discharge chamber of a generally axially symmetric ion source has a hollow cylindrical shape. One end of the discharge chamber is closed with a dielectric wall. The working gas is introduced through an aperture in the center of this wall. The ion-optics grids are at the other end of the discharge chamber, which is left open. The inductor is a helical coil of copper conductor that surrounds the cylindrical portion of the dielectric discharge chamber. The modification that produces uniformity about the axis of symmetry is a shorted turn of the helical-coil inductor at the end of the inductor closest to the ion-optics grids. |
| US08698396B2 |
Organic optoelectronic device and method for encapsulating same
The invention relates to an organic optoelectronic device, such as a display device, which is protected from the surrounding air by a sealed encapsulation which includes thin layers, and to a method for encapsulating the same. Said device has an electroluminescent unit having at least one active area (5) covered with a multi-layer encapsulation structure (201) and an electric connection area adjacent to the active area, the encapsulation structure including n stack(s) (n≧1) comprising an inorganic film F1, . . . , Fn and a photosensitive layer C1, . . . , Cn, including an internal stack F1/C1 in which F1 covers the active area and C1, which is deposited in a liquid phase, is superposed thereon. According to the invention, the layer or each layer C1, Cn is etched and covers the film F1, . . . , Fn by extending around a peripheral edge (5a) of the active area in at least one structured surrounding portion (210, 211, 212) ending beyond the adjacent connection area, and if n>2, the or each layer C2, . . . , Cn surrounds the layer C1, . . . , Cn−1 of the immediately underlying stack, such that the layer or each layer C1, . . . , Cn passivates the film F1, Fn and laterally protects the underlying active area from the developing solutions and solvents used for etching said layer C1, . . . , Cn. |
| US08698395B2 |
Organic light emitting display with organic capping layer having a specific refractive index
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display and a method for fabricating the same. The OLED display includes: a substrate; a first electrode formed on the substrate and including a reflecting layer; an organic layer formed on the first electrode and including at least an organic emission layer; a second electrode formed on the organic layer; and an organic capping layer formed on the second electrode. The organic capping layer is formed by stacking an organic material having a refractive index of 1.7 or more, thereby providing a high-efficiency and long-life top-emitting OLED display. |
| US08698394B2 |
Electronic articles for displays and methods of making same
Electronic articles such as, for example, electroluminescent lamps useful for displays and method of making the same are provided. The electronic articles include a substrate, a conductive element adjacent to the substrate, a high dielectric composite adjacent to the conductive element and an electrically-active layer adjacent to at least a portion of the high dielectric composite. The high dielectric composite includes a polymeric binder and from 1 to 80 volume percent of filler retained in the binder. The filler comprises particles that include an electrically-conducting layer and an insulating layer substantially surrounding the electrically-conducting layer. In some embodiments the binder includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive and the composite has adhesive properties. |
| US08698389B2 |
Light-emitting organic compound and EL display device utilizing the same
By repeating a purification process of a light-emitting organic compound several times, a thin film made of the light-emitting organic compound to be used in an EL display device contains ionic impurities at the concentration of 0.1 ppm or lower and has a volume resistivity in the range of 3×1010 Ωcm or larger. By using such a thin film as a light-emitting layer in the EL device, a current caused by reasons other than the carrier recombination can be prevented from flowing through the thin film, and deterioration caused by unnecessary heat generation can be suppressed. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain an EL display device with high reliability. |
| US08698379B2 |
Piezoelectric vibrating device capable of heat dissipation and conduction
A piezoelectric vibrating device comprises a metallic containing member, a piezoelectric member and a heat dissipating and conducting member. The piezoelectric member is provided within the metallic containing member, and the heat dissipating and conducting member includes a plurality of the heat dissipating and conducting fins. Each the heat dissipating and conducting fin has a first heat conduction connecting end and a second heat conduction connecting end, wherein the first heat conduction connecting end is provided on an external surface of the piezoelectric member, and the second heat conduction connecting end is connected with an inner wall surface of the metallic containing member. The piezoelectric member generates vibrations with specific polarization directions based on a piezoelectric controlling signal, and the heat energy generated from the vibration of the piezoelectric member is conducted to the external wall surface of the metallic containing member through the heat dissipating and conducting member. |
| US08698375B2 |
Vibration wave driving apparatus
A vibration wave driving apparatus including: a vibrator in which a first elastic body, a second elastic body and an electrical-mechanical energy converting element provided between the first and the second elastic bodies are arranged in a direction of a rotation axis; a rotor performing a rotational motion due to the vibration excited to the first elastic body by applying a driving signal to the electrical-mechanical energy converting element; an output transmitter rotating synchronously with the rotor; and a shaft passing through the vibrator, the rotor and the output transmitter in the direction of the rotation axis, wherein the output transmitter has a fitting portion to which the shaft or a flange fixed to the shaft is fitted, and wherein a portion of the fitting portion of the output transmitter and a portion of the first elastic body are overlapped in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis. |
| US08698374B2 |
Automated drive frequency control for resonant actuator systems and methods thereof
An actuator system includes an actuator device comprising at least one piezoelectric member, a driving system, and an actuator controller. The driving system drives the at least one piezoelectric member at a driving frequency. The actuator controller monitors at least one parameter of the actuator device and the direct driving system to determine an operational mechanical resonant frequency of the actuator device based on the at least one parameter. The actuator controller adjusts the driving frequency based at least in part on the determined operational mechanical resonant frequency. |
| US08698371B2 |
Rotor and method of manufacturing the rotor
A rotor includes a core made of a laminated steel sheet assembly including a plurality of laminated magnetic steel sheets each having a flat plate shape, the core including a through hole at a rotation center, a shaft inserted in a through hole of the core, an inner-peripheral-side welded part located on an inner peripheral side of the core, the welded part being a welded section joining between adjacent steel sheets and joining the laminated steel sheet assembly to the shaft over a laminating direction, and an outer-peripheral-side welded part located on an outer peripheral side of the core and in an end part in the laminating direction, the welded part being a welded section joining between some of the magnetic steel sheets, the joined steel sheets including a steel sheet forming an end face of the core in the laminating direction. |
| US08698370B2 |
Method for producing the rotor winding of an electrical machine, and an electrical machine with a rotor winding which is produced in accordance with this method
The invention relates to a method for producing the rotor winding of an electrical machine having at least four exciter poles in the stator (11) and having a commutator rotor (13) with a number of slots (N) and pole teeth (Z) which deviates from the number of exciter poles, and having a number of individual tooth coils (S) and laminations (L) which is at least twice as high as the number of pole teeth, wherein the individual tooth coils are wound, starting from the first coil (S1) onto in each case that pole tooth with the lowest angular error (Wf) in relation to a pole division (Pt). In order to permit non-critical guidance of the winding wire (17) in the region of the lamination connections, provision is made, at least in the case of a last-wound section (B) of the coils (S), preferably in the case of all of the coils, for the winding wire (17), with which contact is made by a lamination (L) in each case between two coils (S), to be fed from one side of the lamination (L) and guided away from the other side, and for at least one pole tooth (Z), but at most two pole teeth (Z) to be situated between the slot (N) from which the winding wire (17) of the lamination (L) is fed and the slot (N) at which said winding wire is guided away from the lamination (L). |
| US08698368B2 |
Electric motor, hoisting machine and elevator system
An electric motor, a hoisting machine and also an elevator system are disclosed. The electric motor includes a stator, which stator includes slots, into which slots a concentrated winding is fitted. The electric motor also includes a rotating rotor, which rotor includes permanent magnets placed consecutively in a ring in the direction of the rotational movement. The ratio (LM/LP) of the width of a permanent Lp magnet at the point (LM) of the center line of the magnet and the width (LP)′ of a magnetic pole of the rotor is at least ⅔ and at most ⅘. |
| US08698365B2 |
Lightweight composite safety containment for flywheel energy storage
Apparatuses are disclosed and directed to a substantially cylindrical containment layer, and methods for containment, for a flywheel apparatus comprising a plurality of predictably deformable brackets oriented to contain an impact. The brackets each have a plurality of layers and a surface for absorbing an impact, with the surface providing a glancing angle in the direction of an impact of from about 0.1° to about 5°. |
| US08698363B2 |
Electric rotating machine for vehicle
An electric rotating machine for a vehicle capable of reducing influence of leakage flux on a turning angle detector as much as possible and detecting a turning angle more accurately is provided. The electric rotating machine for a vehicle includes: a rotor core 12 that is fitted to a rotary shaft 7; a stator core 24 that is concentric with the rotor core 12 and disposed on the outside of the rotor core 12; and a resolver 31 acting as a turning angle detector that is disposed on one shaft end of the rotary shaft 7; in which the rotary shaft 7 itself is constituted to be magnetic flux interrupting means made of a non-magnetic material. |
| US08698360B2 |
Permanent magnet, and method for manufacturing a permanent magnet
A permanent magnet, in particular a permanent magnet rotor for a machine, includes a first sleeve, a first cap and a second cap arranged to close off an inner opening of the first sleeve, and a permanent magnet material formed in the inner opening of the sleeve between the first cap and the second cap. The permanent magnet material is a compressed, non-bonded powder material including hard magnetic powder material, soft magnetic powder material, or a combination of hard and soft magnetic powder material. A method for manufacturing a permanent magnet rotor is also provided. |
| US08698356B2 |
Digital circuit having correcting circuit and electronic apparatus thereof
Provided is a digital circuit (30) that comprises: a switching circuit (31) having first transistors (32, 33) supplied with power supply potentials (VDD, VSS); correcting circuits (34, 36) connected between an input terminal (IN) inputted with an input signal and control terminals (gates) of the first transistors; capacitors (C2, C3) connected between the control terminals and the input terminal; diode-connected second transistors (35, 37) that are provided between nodes (N5, N6) between the capacitors and the control terminals and the power supply potentials and have the substantially same threshold voltage as the first transistors; and switches (SW2, SW3) connected in series with the second transistors. |
| US08698353B2 |
Method for operating a redundant system and system therefor
A method for safely detecting in two redundantly-configured output modules a possible wire break of a load, wherein during a switch-off test of a first module, a current test is performed in the respective other module and a binary test is performed in the switched-off module. The binary test determines whether the voltage switched off through the respective other module is also reaching the module with the binary tests over corresponding connection paths. |
| US08698350B2 |
Wireless power transmission unit and power generator with the wireless power transmission unit
A wireless power transmission unit includes oscillators that convert DC energy into RF energy with a frequency f0, power transmitting antennas, and power receiving antennas. Each power transmitting antenna is a series resonant circuit in which a power transmitting inductor and a first capacitor are connected in series. Each power receiving antenna is a parallel resonant circuit in which a power receiving inductor and a second capacitor are connected in parallel. If the oscillator has a voltage step-up ratio Voc, the power transmitting inductor has an inductance L1, the power receiving inductor has an inductance L2, and the power transmitting and power receiving antennas and have a coupling coefficient k, (L2/L1)≧4(k/Voc)2 is satisfied. The absolute value of the phase difference θres between the respective resonant magnetic fields of first and second pairs of resonant antennas is set to fall within the range of 90 to 180 degrees. |
| US08698348B2 |
System and method for managing a power source in a vehicle
A system and method for managing a power source in a vehicle that has an engine and an electric machine operable to provide torque to start the engine, includes the step of setting a first discharge power limit for the power source that is at least partly based on the power capability of the power source. A second discharge power limit for the power source is also set. The second discharge power limit is higher than the first discharge power limit, and it is a function of at least the power capability of the power source and the first discharge power limit. |
| US08698347B2 |
Power unit
In order to discharge electrical charges from a smoothing capacitor even if no discharge command is issued by a control system, making use of the displacement of a power unit in the event of a collision, a movable electrode is connected to a first contact connected to a high-potential bus, and the smoothing capacitor is connected with a converter and an inverter to be in parallel in the case where an engagement rod is positioned by a retaining ring. Further, when the engagement rod is disengaged from the retaining ring and removed from a relay, the movable electrode is held in contact with a second contact by a pressure spring, and the electrical charge remaining in the smoothing capacitor is discharged to a low-potential bus through a discharge portion. |
| US08698345B2 |
Electrical drive system
An electric drive system, in particular for a rail vehicle, includes an electric energy accumulator and an electrochemical energy accumulator, connected in parallel. According to at least one embodiment of the invention, a component, e.g., a diode with a transmission direction facing away from the electrochemical energy accumulator, is situated in a connecting line between the electric energy accumulator and the electrochemical energy accumulator. |
| US08698344B2 |
Navigation apparatus
In a navigation apparatus having a cradle unit that is fastenable to a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer; and a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the cradle unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, it is configured such that a panel is integrally formed at bottom of the cradle unit to be attachable to the vehicle. With this, it becomes possible to provide the navigation apparatus configured such that a member having a microcomputer performing a navigation function is attachable/detachable to/from the main body, i.e., the base unit, thereby improving ease of use, that the member can be easily attached to the dashboard of the vehicle, and that unnatural impression is prevented from arising in the appearance. |
| US08698336B2 |
Wind turbine rotor and wind turbine
A wind turbine comprising: a shaft (2); a plurality of blade arrangements (8), each of which is rotatable around the shaft and has a blade (7), said blade arrangements and blades forming a blade rotor which is rotatable around the shaft; at least first and second bearing arrangements (6) spaced axially along the shaft, said blade rotor being connected to said first and second bearing arrangements; and a direct drive generator comprising a stator (10), which is rotationally fixed to the shaft, and a generator rotor (9) having a rim; wherein the first and second bearing arrangements each transmit radial forces from the blade rotor to the shaft, and at least one of the first and second bearing arrangements transmits bending moments to the shaft, each of the blade arrangements being connected to a point at or adjacent the rim of the generator rotor so as to transmit torque generated by the blade arrangement directly thereto, and wherein the generator rotor (9) is within the blade rotor. |
| US08698333B2 |
Flush valve hydrogenerator
A power generating device for use with a plumbing fixture includes: a volute configured to receive water from a water supply pipe; a stator having a plurality of blades positioned around a circumference thereof positioned within the volute; a rotor positioned within the stator; and a generator coupled to the rotor. The volute directs substantially all of the water received from the water supply pipe in a circumferential direction through the plurality of blades of the stator to the rotor, thereby causing the rotor to rotate. |
| US08698332B2 |
Deep water power generation system and apparatus
A system for generation of power using an apparatus in deep water is disclosed. The system includes a ballast buoy configured to achieve a desired depth in the deep water, a substantially vertical hollow tube attached to the ballast buoy that is submerged under water when the ballast buoy achieves the desired depth in the deep water, and a converter for converting the physical environment created in the substantially vertical hollow tube by placement of the ballast buoy at the desired depth in the deep water. |
| US08698331B2 |
Bidirectional axial flow turbine with self-pivoting blades for use in wave energy converter
A bidirectional axial flow turbine with self-pivoting blades is provided for use in a central opening of submerged horizontally-aligned structure forming a wave energy conversion device. Entry and exit inner guide vanes are positioned on opposite sides of the vertically-aligned central opening, for directing the bidirectional fluid flow into and out of the central opening and inducing a vortex swirl in both directions of fluid flow that has the same direction of rotation. Within the opening, a turbine hub is mounted with a plurality of uniformly spaced self-pivoting blades that have a symmetrical blade profile to the bidirectional flow. The self-pivoting blades automatically change their blade angle in response to the force of water flow on the blades, so that they turn the turbine shaft in the same rotational direction in both flow directions. |
| US08698329B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for using energy harvesting for variable shock absorption in a prosthetic device
An apparatus for harvesting energy from motion of a prosthetic limb, wherein the prosthetic limb has motion in at least one degree of freedom, may include a piston configured to receive an input motion and provide an output motion when a first motion in a degree of freedom of the prosthetic limb causes pressure and motion of hydraulic fluid. The apparatus may include an electromagnetic motor for converting mechanical energy of the output motion into corresponding electrical energy delivered to an electrical load and a variable-impedance energy harvesting circuit across terminals of the motor. |
| US08698328B2 |
Mechanical energy harvester
Embodiments of an apparatus for harvesting electrical power from fluid motion are described. The apparatus includes a magnetostrictive component having an internal pre-stressed magnetostrictive core. A magnetic property of the magnetostrictive core is configured to change with changes in stress within the magnetostrictive core along at least one direction within the magnetostrictive component. Also, forces at least partially due to fluid motion results in changes of stress within the magnetostrictive core and consequently change the magnetic property. The magnetostrictive component is further configured such that the change in the magnetic property will result in a change in the magnetic flux, which can be used to generate electrical power. |
| US08698326B2 |
Semiconductor package and fabrication method thereof
A semiconductor package and a fabrication method thereof are disclosed. The fabrication method includes the steps of providing a semiconductor chip having an active surface and a non-active surface opposing to the active surface, roughening a peripheral portion of the non-active surface so as to divide the non-active surface into the peripheral portion formed with a roughened structure and a non-roughened central portion, mounting the semiconductor chip on a chip carrier via a plurality of solder bumps formed on the active surface, forming an encapsulant on the chip carrier to encapsulate the semiconductor chip. The roughened structure formed on the peripheral portion of the non-active surface of the semiconductor chip can reinforce the bonding between the semiconductor chip and the encapsulant, and the non-roughened central portion of the non-active surface of the semiconductor chip can maintain the structural strength of the semiconductor chip. |
| US08698325B2 |
Integrated circuit package and physical layer interface arrangement
An integrated circuit (IC) package includes an IC chip and a package carrier. The IC chip includes a substrate and an IC layered structure configured on an active surface of the substrate. The IC layered structure includes a first physical layer interface and a second physical layer interface. The first physical layer interface includes a plurality of first bump pads and a plurality of first inner pads electrically connected to the first bump pads, respectively. The second physical layer interface includes a plurality of second bump pads and a plurality of second inner pads electrically connected to the second bump pads, respectively. The second bump pads are mirror images of the first bump pads with respect to a first geometric plane perpendicular to the active surface. The second inner pads are mirror images of the first inner pads with respect to the first geometric plane. |
| US08698324B2 |
Dicing tape-integrated film for semiconductor back surface
The present invention provides a dicing tape-integrated film for semiconductor back surface, which includes: a dicing tape including a base material and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer provided on the base material; and a film for flip chip type semiconductor back surface provided on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, in which the film for flip chip type semiconductor back surface contains a black pigment. |
| US08698323B2 |
Microelectronic assembly tolerant to misplacement of microelectronic elements therein
A microelectronic assembly tolerant to misplacement of microelectronic elements therein may include a molded structure containing a plurality of microelectronic elements. Each microelectronic element has elements contacts having first and second dimensions in respective first and second directions that are transverse to each other, where the first dimension is at least twice the second dimension. In addition, the assembly may include a conductive redistribution layer including conductive vias extending through a dielectric layer to the element contacts of the respective microelectronic elements, where the conductive vias have a third dimension in a third direction and a fourth dimension in a fourth direction, and where the fourth direction is transverse to the third and first directions and the fourth dimension is greater than the third dimension. |
| US08698322B2 |
Adhesive-bonded substrates in a multi-chip module
A multi-chip module (MCM) is described in which at least two substrates are mechanically coupled by an adhesive layer that maintains alignment and a zero (or near zero) spacing between proximity connectors on surfaces of the substrates, thereby facilitating high signal quality during proximity communication between the substrates. In order to provide sufficient shear strength, the adhesive layer has a thickness that is larger than the spacing. This may be accomplished using one or more positive and/or negative features on the substrates. For example, the adhesive may be bonded to: one of the surfaces and an inner surface of a channel that is recessed below the other surface; inner surfaces of channels that are recessed below both of the surfaces; or both of the surfaces. In this last case, the zero (or near zero) spacing may be achieved by disposing proximity connectors on a mesa that protrudes above at least one of the substrate surfaces. |
| US08698321B2 |
Vertically stackable dies having chip identifier structures
A vertically stackable die having a chip identifier structure is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a semiconductor device is disclosed that includes a die comprising a first through silicon via to communicate a chip identifier and other data. The semiconductor device also includes a chip identifier structure that comprises at least two through silicon vias that are each hard wired to an external electrical contact. |
| US08698316B2 |
Chip package
According to an embodiment of the invention, a chip package is provided. The chip package includes: a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface; a plurality of conducting pads located under the lower surface of the substrate; a dielectric layer located between the conducting pads; a trench extending from the upper surface towards the lower surface of the substrate; a hole extending from a bottom of the trench towards the lower surface of the substrate, wherein a sidewall of the hole is substantially perpendicular to the lower surface of the substrate, and the sidewall or a bottom of the hole exposes a portion of the conducting pads; and a conducting layer located in the hole and electrically connected to at least one of the conducting pads. |
| US08698315B2 |
Semiconductor device
When forming a trench of a narrow width in a thick semiconductor layer, a trench can be formed without the occurrence of semiconductor residue. In this Specification, a semiconductor device in which a trench is formed in a semiconductor layer is disclosed. In the semiconductor layer of the semiconductor device, a compensation pattern which compensates for sudden changes in the width of the trench is formed at a place at which the width of the trench changes suddenly. In the semiconductor layer of the above-described semiconductor device, since a compensation pattern is formed at a place at which the trench width changes suddenly, in the case where forming the trench using a deep RIE method, the occurrence of steep inclined portions arising from semiconductor residue can be prevented. Consequently, when forming a trench of a narrow width in a thick semiconductor layer, the occurrence of semiconductor residue can be prevented. |
| US08698312B2 |
Semiconductor device including a hybrid metallization layer stack for enhanced mechanical strength during and after packaging
The introduction of dielectric material of enhanced mechanical stability, such as silicon dioxide or fluorine-doped silicon dioxide, into the via level of a low-k interconnect structure provides an increased overall mechanical stability, especially during the packaging of the device. Consequently, cracking and delamination, as frequently observed in high end low-k interconnect structures, may significantly be reduced, even if organic package substrates are used. |
| US08698304B2 |
Multi-chip package with spacer for blocking interchip heat transfer
A multi-chip package comprises a semiconductor chip stack structure comprising a semiconductor chip stack including a first semiconductor chip having a first power rating and a second semiconductor chip having a second power rating, the first and second semiconductor chips being stacked one on top of another; and a heat transfer blocking spacer interposed between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip. |
| US08698302B2 |
Power switching assembly having a robust gate connection
A structurally robust power switching assembly, that has a power transistor, comprising a thin and delicate layer of metal oxide, and a major surface of the layer of metal oxide being substantially coincident with a major surface of the power transistor, the major surface of the power transistor defining both an emitter and a gate. Also, dielectric material is placed over a portion of the emitter, so that it abuts the gate and a highly conductive pillar is constructed out of a relatively soft material, supported by the gate and the dielectric material, so that it has a larger area than would be possible if it was supported only by the gate. |
| US08698298B2 |
Laminate electronic device
A laminate electronic device comprises a first semiconductor chip, the first semiconductor chip defining a first main face and a second main face opposite to the first main face, and having at least one electrode pad on the first main face. The laminate electronic device further comprises a carrier having a first structured metal layer arranged at a first main surface of the carrier. The first structured metal layer is bonded to the electrode pad via a first bond layer of a conductive material, wherein the first bond layer has a thickness of less than 10 μm. A first insulating layer overlies the first main surface of the carrier and the first semiconductor chip. |
| US08698296B2 |
Semiconductor device
The reliability of a semiconductor device is to be improved. A microcomputer chip (semiconductor chip) having a plurality of pads formed on a main surface thereof is mounted over an upper surface of a wiring substrate in an opposed state of the chip main surface to the substrate upper surface. Pads coupled to a plurality of terminals (bonding leads) formed over the substrate upper surface comprise a plurality of first pads in which a unique electric current different from the electric current flowing through other pads flows and a plurality of second pads in which an electric current common to the pads flows or does not flow. Another first pad of the first pads or one of the second pads are arranged next to the first pad. The first pads are electrically coupled to a plurality of bonding leads respectively via a plurality of bumps (first conductive members), while the second pads are bonded to the terminals via a plurality of bumps (second conductive members). |
| US08698293B2 |
Multi-chip package and method of manufacturing thereof
A multi-chip package comprises a first chip accommodated in a first housing and a second chip accommodated in a second housing. The first housing and the second housing are arranged in a laterally spaced-apart relationship defining a gap between the first housing and the second housing. An interconnecting structure is configured to span the gap and to electrically couple the first chip and the second chip. |
| US08698292B2 |
Environment-resistant module, micropackage and methods of manufacturing same
An environment-resistant module which provides both thermal and vibration isolation for a packaged micromachined or MEMS device is disclosed. A microplatform and a support structure for the microplatform provide the thermal and vibration isolation. The package is both hermetic and vacuum compatible and provides vertical feedthroughs for signal transfer. A micromachined or MEMS device transfer method is also disclosed that can handle a wide variety of individual micromachined or MEMS dies or wafers, in either a hybrid or integrated fashion. The module simultaneously provides both thermal and vibration isolation for the MEMS device using the microplatform and the support structure which may be fabricated from a thin glass wafer that is patterned to create crab-leg shaped suspension tethers or beams. |
| US08698290B2 |
LED lamp
An LED lamp (A1) includes a plurality of LEDs (2), a retainer (1) on which the light LEDs (2) are mounted, and a wiring pattern formed on the retainer (1) and electrically connected to the LEDs (2). The retainer (1) includes a plurality of substrates (11, 12, 15). Of the plurality of substrates (11, 12, 15), two adjacent substrates (11, 12) are connected to each other by a pair of bendable connection members (32a, 32b). The two substrates (11, 12) are arranged in such a manner that their normal line directions differ from each other. |
| US08698289B2 |
Semiconductor device, a method of manufacturing the same and an electronic device
The semiconductor device is high in both heat dissipating property and connection reliability in mounting. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip, a resin sealing member for sealing the semiconductor chip, a first conductive member connected to a first electrode formed on a first main surface of the semiconductor chip, and a second conductive member connected to a second electrode formed on a second main surface opposite to the first main surface of the semiconductor chip, the first conductive member being exposed from a first main surface of the resin sealing member, and the second conductive member being exposed from a second main surface opposite to the first main surface of the resin sealing member and also from side faces of the resin sealing member. |
| US08698287B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device, in which a control circuit board is mountable outside a sheath case and a power semiconductor element is placeable inside the sheath case, includes a metal step support, a shield plate and a metal ring. The support includes a base portion implanted in the sheath case, a connection portion which extends from an end of the base portion, and a step portion formed at a boundary between the base portion and the connection portion. The shield plate is disposed over the step portion such that the connection portion of the support pierces the shield plate. An end of the metal ring protrudes from an end of the connection portion over the shield plate. The semiconductor device is adapted such that the control circuit board is mounted over the protruded end of the metal ring and is fixed onto the connection portion by an engagement member. |
| US08698286B2 |
High voltage switching devices and process for forming same
The present invention relates to various switching device structures including Schottky diode, P-N diode, and P-I-N diode, which are characterized by low defect density, low crack density, low pit density and sufficient thickness (>2.5 um) GaN layers of low dopant concentration (<1E16 cm−3) grown on a conductive GaN layer. The devices enable substantially higher breakdown voltage on hetero-epitaxial substrates (<2 KV) and extremely high breakdown voltage on homo-epitaxial substrates (>2 KV). |
| US08698283B2 |
Substrate for semiconductor package and semiconductor package having the same
A semiconductor package includes a substrate including a substrate body having a first face and a second face opposing the first face. A first through electrode passes through the substrate body between the first face and the second face. An insulation member is disposed over the first face; and a connection member having a first conductive unit disposed inside of the insulation member is electrically connected to the first through electrode, and a second conductive unit electrically connected to the first conductive unit is exposed at side faces of the insulation member. A semiconductor chip having third and fourth faces is disposed over the first face of the substrate body in a vertical direction. A second through electrode passes through the substrate body between the third and fourth faces and is electrically connected to the second conductive unit. |
| US08698282B2 |
Group III nitride semiconductor crystal substrate and semiconductor device
A group III nitride semiconductor crystal substrate has a diameter of at least 25 mm and not more than 160 mm. The resistivity of the group III nitride semiconductor crystal substrate is at least 1×10−4 Ω·cm and not more than 0.1 Ω·cm. The resistivity distribution in the diameter direction of the group III nitride semiconductor crystal is at least −30% and not more than 30%. The resistivity distribution in the thickness direction of the group III nitride semiconductor crystal is at least −16% and not more than 16%. |
| US08698279B2 |
Semiconductor device including capacitor of interconnection
The semiconductor device includes a capacitor including a plurality of interconnection layers stacked over each other, the plurality of interconnection layers each including a plurality of electrode patterns extended in a first direction, a plurality of via parts provided between the plurality of interconnection layers and electrically interconnecting the plurality of the electrode patterns between the interconnection layers adjacent to each other, and an insulating films formed between the plurality of interconnection layers and the plurality of via parts. Each of the plurality of via parts is laid out, offset from a center of the electrode pattern in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and the plurality of electrode patterns has a larger line width at parts where the via parts are connected to, and a distance between the electrode patterns and the adjacent electrode patterns is reduced at the parts. |
| US08698274B2 |
High-voltage transistor having shielding gate
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of high-voltage insulated-gate field-effect transistors arranged in a matrix form on the main surface of a semiconductor substrate and each having a gate electrode, a gate electrode contact formed on the gate electrode, and a wiring layer which is formed on the gate electrode contacts adjacent in a gate-width direction to electrically connect the gate electrodes arranged in the gate-width direction. And the device includes shielding gates provided on portions of an element isolation region which lie between the transistors adjacent in the gate-width direction and gate-length direction and used to apply reference potential or potential of a polarity different from that of potential applied to the gate of the transistor to turn on the current path of the transistor to the element isolation region. |
| US08698271B2 |
Germanium photodetector and method of fabricating the same
Provided is a germanium photodetector having a germanium epitaxial layer formed without using a buffer layer and a method of fabricating the same. In the method, an amorphous germanium layer is formed on a substrate. The amorphous germanium layer is heated up to a high temperature to form a crystallized germanium layer. A germanium epitaxial layer is formed on the crystallized germanium layer. |
| US08698270B2 |
Semiconductor light receiving device with an off-centered light receiving part
A semiconductor light receiving device includes: a substrate having a rectangular shape with first through fourth corners, a multilayer structure formed on the substrate, a light receiving part having a mesa structure positioned at a first corner side from a center part of the rectangular shape of the substrate, a first electrode pad provided on the semiconductor substrate, and a second electrode pad provided on the semiconductor substrate so as to be close to a second corner diagonally opposite to the first corner, a first minimum distance between the second electrode pad and an edge of the substrate being longer than a second minimum distance between the first electrode pad and the edge of the substrate. |
| US08698269B2 |
Wiring board with built-in imaging device and method for manufacturing same
A wiring board with a built-in imaging element includes a substrate having an accommodation portion and a first surface and a second surface on the opposite side of the first surface, an imaging device having a light receiver and positioned in the accommodation portion of the substrate such that the light receiver faces the first surface of the substrate, and a buildup structure formed on the first surface of the substrate and having insulation layers and conductive layers. The buildup structure has an opening portion formed such that the light receiver of the imaging device is exposed from the opening portion of the buildup structure, and the insulation layers in the buildup structure include a first insulation layer formed on the first surface of the substrate. |
| US08698266B2 |
Image sensor with decreased optical interference between adjacent pixels
An image sensor with decreased optical interference between adjacent pixels is provided. An image sensor, which is divided into a pixel region and a peripheral region, the image sensor including a photodiode formed in a substrate in the pixel region, first to Mth metal lines formed over the substrate in the pixel region, where M is a natural number greater than approximately 1, first to Nth metal lines formed over a substrate in the peripheral region, where N is a natural number greater than M, at least one layer of dummy metal lines formed over the Mth metal lines but formed not to overlap with the photodiode, and a microlens formed over the one layer of the dummy metal lines to overlap with the photodiode. |
| US08698253B2 |
Semiconductor device with STI and method for manufacturing the semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having first and second areas; an STI isolation region being made of an isolation trench formed in the semiconductor substrate and an insulating film burying the isolation trench and defining a plurality of active regions in the first and second areas; a first structure formed on an area from the active region in the first area to a nearby STI isolation region and having a first height; and a second structure formed on an area from the active region in the second area to a nearby STI isolation region and having a second height, wherein the surface of the said STI isolation region in the first area is lower than the surface of said STI isolation region in the second area. |
| US08698251B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate, a semiconductor layer on the substrate, the semiconductor layer including an impurity-doped polycrystalline silicon layer, a first capacitor electrode on the substrate main body, the first capacitor electrode including an impurity-doped polycrystalline silicon layer, and bottom surfaces of the first capacitor electrode and semiconductor layer facing the substrate main body being substantially coplanar, a gate insulating layer on the semiconductor layer and the first capacitor electrode, a gate electrode on the semiconductor layer with the gate insulating layer therebetween, and a second capacitor electrode on the first capacitor electrode with the gate insulating layer therebetween, bottom surfaces of the second capacitor electrode and gate electrode facing the substrate main body being substantially coplanar, and the second capacitor electrode having a smaller thickness than the gate electrode. |
| US08698248B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming the same
A semiconductor device may include an n-MOS transistor, and a p-MOS transistor. The p-MOS transistor may include, but is not limited to, a gate insulating film and a gate electrode. The gate electrode may have an adjacent portion that is adjacent to the gate insulating film. The adjacent portion may include a polysilicon that contains an n-type dopant and a p-type dopant. |
| US08698242B2 |
Lateral double-diffused MOSFET
A LDMOS transistor is implemented in a first impurity region on a substrate. The LDMOS transistor has a source that includes a second impurity region. The second impurity region is implanted into the surface of the substrate within the first impurity region. Additionally, the LDMOS transistor has a drain that includes a third impurity region. The third impurity region is implanted into the surface of the substrate within the first impurity region. The third impurity region is spaced a predetermined distance away from a gate of the LDMOS transistor. The drain of the LDMOS transistor further includes a fourth impurity region within the third impurity region. The fourth impurity region provides an ohmic contact for the drain. |
| US08698239B2 |
Semiconductor devices having asymmetric doped regions and methods of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes an active region in a substrate, first to third gate structures crossing the active region and sequentially arranged parallel to each other, a first doped region in the active region between the first and second gate structures and having a first horizontal width and a first depth, and a second doped region in the active region between the second and third gate structures and having a second horizontal width and a second depth. The second horizontal width is larger than the first horizontal width and the second depth is shallower than the first depth. A distance between the first and second gate structures adjacent to each other is smaller than that between the second and third gate structures adjacent to each other. Related fabrication methods are also described. |
| US08698238B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same
A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes preparing a substrate having a transistor region and an alignment region, forming a first trench and a second trench in the substrate of the transistor region and in the substrate of the alignment region, respectively, forming a drift region in the substrate of the transistor region, forming two third trenches respectively adjacent to two ends of the drift region, and forming an isolation pattern in the first trench, a buried dielectric pattern in the second trench, and dielectric patterns in the two third trenches, respectively. A depth of the first trench is less than a depth of the third trenches, and the depth of the first trench is equal or substantially equal to a depth of the second trench. |
| US08698237B2 |
Superjunction LDMOS and manufacturing method of the same
A superjunction LDMOS and its manufacturing method are disclosed. The superjunction LDMOS includes a diffused well in which a superjunction structure is formed; the superjunction structure has a depth less than the depth of the diffused well. The manufacturing method includes: provide a semiconductor substrate; form a diffused well in the semiconductor substrate by photolithography and high temperature diffusion; form an STI layer above the diffused well; form a superjunction structure in the diffused well by ion implantation, wherein the superjunction structure has a depth less than the depth of the diffused well; and form the other components of the superjunction LDMOS by subsequent conventional CMOS processes. The method is compatible with conventional CMOS processes and do not require high-cost and complicated special processes. |
| US08698233B2 |
Buried word line and connection pad for memory device
A method for fabricating a semiconductor memory apparatus is provided to minimize failure of the semiconductor memory apparatus and to secure a processing margin. The method also provides for minimizing the deterioration of an operating speed and the operational stability, and minimizing the increase of resistance occurring as a result of a reduced processing margin when forming a gate pattern in a peripheral region of the semiconductor memory apparatus. The method includes forming a connection pad in a peripheral region while forming a buried word line in a cell region, and forming a gate pattern in the peripheral region while forming a bit line in the cell region. |
| US08698230B2 |
Circuit including vertical transistors with a conductive stack having reentrant profile
An electrical circuit includes first and second transistors. Each transistor includes a substrate and, positioned thereon, a first electrically conductive material layer including a reentrant profile functioning as a gate. First and second discrete portions of a second electrically conductive material layer are in contact with first and second portions, respectively, of a semiconductor material layer in contact with an electrically insulating material layer, both of which conform to the reentrant profile. The first and second discrete portions are source/drain and drain/source electrodes of the first and second transistors, respectively. A third electrically conductive material layer, in contact with a third portion of the semiconductor material layer, is positioned over the gate, but is not in electrical contact with it. The third electrically conductive material layer is physically separate from the electrodes of the first and second transistors and a common unconnected electrode of the first and second transistors. |
| US08698228B2 |
Non-volatile memory device and method for manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a non-volatile memory device includes a stacked structure and a voltage application portion. The stacked structure includes a memory portion, and an electrode stacked with the memory portion and having a surface having a portion facing the memory portion. The voltage application portion applies a voltage to the memory portion to cause a change in a resistance in the memory portion to store information. The surface includes a first region and a second region. The first region contains at least one of a metallic element, Si, Ga, and As. The first region is conductive. The second region contains at least one of the metallic element, Si, Ga, and As, and has a content ratio of nonmetallic element higher than a content ratio of nonmetallic element in the first region. At least one of the first region and the second region has an anisotropic shape on the surface. |
| US08698214B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a base insulating film including silicon, an oxide semiconductor film over the base insulating film, a gate insulating film over the oxide semiconductor film, a gate electrode which is in contact with the gate insulating film and overlaps with at least the oxide semiconductor film, and a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film. The oxide semiconductor film includes a region in which a concentration of silicon distributed from the interface with the base insulating film toward an inside of the oxide semiconductor film is lower than or equal to 1.0 at. %. A crystal portion is included at least in the region. |
| US08698213B2 |
Pressure-sensitive amplifier stage
Pressure-sensitive amplifier stage comprising four unipolar pressure-sensor transistors each including a piezoresistive current path. The pressure-sensor transistors are connected as a pressure-measuring bridge having two bridge legs each comprising first and second pressure-sensor transistors which are connected in series. Two unipolar control transistors each has a control terminal and a current path arranged between a further first and a further second terminal. The respective first and second terminals of the two control transistors are connected in pairs, and the control terminals each is connected to a node between the pressure-sensor transistors. The interconnected second terminals are connected to the control terminals of the second pressure-sensor transistors of the two bridge legs. The control terminals of the first pressure-sensor transistors are adapted for connection thereto of a respective operating input voltage, and a measurement output voltage is detectable between the pressure-sensor transistors. |
| US08698209B2 |
Encapsulated phase change cell structures and methods
Methods and devices associated with phase change cell structures are described herein. In one or more embodiments, a method of forming a phase change cell structure includes forming a substrate protrusion that includes a bottom electrode, forming a phase change material on the substrate protrusion, forming a conductive material on the phase change material, and removing a portion of the conductive material and a portion of the phase change material to form an encapsulated stack structure. |
| US08698203B2 |
Semiconductor device with capacitive element
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer having a plurality of active regions that are separated by element isolation grooves, a capacitive film having a sidewall covering portion covering a sidewall of the element isolation grooves, and an electrode film laminated on the capacitive film, and a capacitor element is formed by the semiconductor layer, the capacitive film and the electrode film. |
| US08698201B1 |
Gate metallization methods for self-aligned sidewall gate GaN HEMT
A method for fabricating a gate structure for a field effect transistor having a buffer layer on a substrate, a channel layer and a barrier layer over the channel layer includes forming a gate of a first dielectric, forming first sidewalls of a second dielectric on either side and adjacent to the gate, selectively etching into the buffer layer to form a mesa for the field effect transistor, depositing a dielectric layer over the mesa, planarizing the dielectric layer over the mesa to form a planarized surface such that a top of the gate, tops of the first sidewalls, and a top of the dielectric layer over the mesa are on the same planarized surface, depositing metal on the planzarized surface, annealing to form the gate into a metal silicided gate, and etching to remove excess non-silicided metal. |
| US08698195B2 |
Semiconductor device
A stabilizing plate portion is formed in a region of a first main surface lying between first and second insulated gate field effect transistor portions. The stabilizing plate portion includes a first stabilizing plate arranged closest to the first insulated gate field effect transistor portion and a second stabilizing plate arranged closest to the second insulated gate field effect transistor portion. An emitter electrode is electrically connected to an emitter region of each of the first and second insulated gate field effect transistor portions, electrically connected to each of the first and second stabilizing plates, and arranged on the entire first main surface lying between the first and second stabilizing plates, with an insulating layer being interposed. |
| US08698190B2 |
Lighting device and method for manufacturing the same
A lighting device is formed using a light-emitting element by a more simplified method. The lighting device includes a light-emitting element including a light-emitting layer between a first electrode and a second electrode, a substrate provided with the light-emitting element and an uneven region around the periphery of the light-emitting element, a sealing substrate facing the substrate, connection electrodes connected to the first electrode and the second electrode and formed over the uneven region, and a sealant for bonding the substrate and the sealing substrate. The connection electrodes are each formed using a conductive paste, and the sealant is in contact with the connection electrodes and the uneven region provided around the periphery of the light-emitting element. |
| US08698188B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device and method for producing the same
The object of the invention is to improve the visual inspection yield of a semiconductor light emitting device. To achieve the object, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor layer, a pad electrode on the layer, and a protection film covering at least the layer. The device includes at least one stopper arranged on a peripheral part of the pad electrode surface away from the film. The stopper has a semicircular arc shape opening toward the center of the pad electrode. In electrical/optical property inspection, if sliding on the pad electrode, a probe needle can be guided into the concave surface of the semicircular arc shape. The stopper can reliably hold the needle. It is avoidable that the needle contacts the film. It is preferable that each of positive/negative electrodes have the pad electrode, and a pair of stoppers be arranged in positions on the electrodes facing each other. |
| US08698186B2 |
Circuit board with thermo-conductive pillar
An LED device with improved circuit board LED support structure is presented. A top surface of a thermally-conductive substrate of this LED device comprises a thermally-conductive pillar. The pillar is not covered with a dielectric layer and an LED package is arranged directly on the pillar with the LED packages bottom thermally-conductive plate in direct contact with the pillar top surface. |
| US08698184B2 |
Light emitting diodes with low junction temperature and solid state backlight components including light emitting diodes with low junction temperature
A light emitting diode chip a support layer having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, a diode region on the first face of the support layer, and a bond pad on the second face of the support layer. The bond pad includes a gold-tin structure having a weight percentage of tin of 50% or more. The light emitting diode chip may include a plurality of active regions that are connected in electrical series on the light emitting diode chip. |
| US08698182B2 |
Light emitting device having auto-cloning photonic crystal structures
A light emitting device having auto-cloning photonic crystal structures comprises a substrate, a first semiconductor layer, an active emitting layer, a second semiconductor layer and a saw-toothed multilayer film comprising auto-cloning photonic crystal structures. The saw-toothed multilayer film provides a high reflection interface and a diffraction mechanism to prevent total internal reflection and enhance light extraction efficiency. |
| US08698181B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device includes a second metal layer, a second semiconductor layer on the second metal layer, an active layer on the second semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor layer on the active layer, a first metal layer on the first semiconductor layer, an insulating layer between the second metal layer and the second semiconductor layer at a peripheral portion of an upper surface of the second metal layer, and a passivation layer surrounding lateral surfaces of the insulating layer, the second semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the first semiconductor layer, the passivation layer being on the second metal layer, wherein a lateral surface of the insulating layer is adjacent to a lateral surface of the second metal layer, and wherein a lowermost surface of the passivation layer is disposed lower than a lowermost surface of the insulating layer. |
| US08698177B2 |
Organic light-emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display device is disclosed. The display device includes a substrate; a first electrode on the substrate; an auxiliary electrode patterned on and insulated from the first electrode, and having a top surface that has surface roughness; an intermediate layer on the first electrode and the auxiliary electrode; and a second electrode on the intermediate layer and facing the first electrode. The auxiliary electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected to each other via the surface roughness of the top surface of the auxiliary electrode. |
| US08698173B2 |
Solid state lighting devices with semi-polar facets and associated methods of manufacturing
Solid state lighting devices with semi-polar or non-polar surfaces and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a solid state lighting device includes a substrate material having a substrate surface and an epitaxial silicon structure in direct contact with the substrate surface. The epitaxial silicon structure has a sidewall extending away from the substrate surface. The solid state lighting device also includes a semiconductor material on at least a portion of the sidewall of the epitaxial silicon structure. The semiconductor material has a semiconductor surface that is spaced apart from the substrate surface and is located on a semi-polar or non-polar crystal plane of the semiconductor material. |
| US08698172B2 |
Light emitting device and electronic device
Thinned and highly reliable light emitting elements are provided. Further, light emitting devices in which light emitting elements are formed over flexible substrates are manufactured with high yield. One light emitting device includes a flexible substrate, a light emitting element formed over the flexible substrate, and a resin film covering the light emitting element, and in the light emitting element, an insulating layer serving as a partition has a convex portion and the convex portion is embedded in the resin film, that is, the resin film covers an entire surface of the insulating layer and an entire surface of the second electrode, whereby the light emitting element can be thinned and highly reliable. In addition, a light emitting device can be manufactured with high yield in a manufacturing process thereof. |
| US08698171B2 |
Solid state lighting component
An LED component comprising an array of LED chips mounted on a planar surface of a submount with the LED chips capable of emitting light in response to an electrical signal. The LED chips comprise respective groups emitting at different colors of light, with each of the groups interconnected in a series circuit. A lens is included over the LED chips. Other embodiments can comprise thermal spreading structures included integral to the submount and arranged to dissipate heat from the LED chips. |
| US08698170B2 |
Display device with spacer between two substrates
A display apparatus includes a first insulating substrate including a display area in which a first opening is formed, as well as a non-display area. A second insulating substrate faces the first insulating substrate. The second insulating substrate includes a shutter part having a second opening corresponding to the first opening. The shutter part moves between two different positions to transmit or block light according to an overlap between the first opening and the second opening. |
| US08698168B2 |
Semiconductor device having aluminum nitride layer with void formed therein
A method of crystal growth is provided which can suppress development of dislocations and cracks and a warp in a substrate. The method of crystal growth of a group III nitride semiconductor has: a step of heating a silicon substrate; and a step of forming a depressed structure on the substrate surface by advance-feeding onto the heated silicon substrate a gas containing at least TMA (trimethylaluminum). |
| US08698167B2 |
Light sensor and display apparatus having the same
In a display apparatus, a light sensor of a display includes a light sensing layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, an insulating layer, and a gate electrode to sense light from an external source. The light sensing layer is disposed on the substrate to sense light, and the source and drain electrodes are disposed on the light sensing layer and are covered by the insulating layer. The gate electrode is disposed on the insulating layer. An edge of the gate electrode is disposed on the light sensing layer at least in an area where the light sensing layer is overlapped with the source and drain electrodes. |
| US08698159B2 |
Panel structure including transistor and connecting elements, display device including same, and methods of manufacturing panel structure and display device
A panel structure includes a transistor including a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode, a power source line, a pixel electrode, and one or more contact plugs formed of a same material as the pixel electrode and electrically connecting the power source line and the source electrode. |
| US08698157B2 |
Electro-optical apparatus and electronic apparatus
A capacitance element includes a first capacitance electrode formed over a TFT with a insulating interlayer therebetween, and a second capacitance electrode formed so as to oppose the first capacitance electrode with a first dielectric layer therebetween, the second capacitance electrode being electrically connected to a semiconductor layer of the TFT through a contact hole formed in the insulating interlayer. The second capacitance electrode includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer stacked on the first conductive layer. A portion of the first conductive layer overlapping the contact hole is removed, and the second conductive layer and the semiconductor layer are electrically connected to each other through the contact hole. |
| US08698146B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting display device includes: a thin-film transistor (TFT) including an active layer, a gate electrode including a gate bottom electrode and a gate top electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode; an organic electroluminescent (EL) device electrically connected to the TFT and including a stack of a pixel electrode at the same layer as and including the same material as the gate bottom electrode, an intermediate layer including an emissive layer, and a counter electrode; a first pad electrode at the same layer as and including the same material as the gate bottom electrode; and a second pad electrode including a second pad bottom electrode at the same layer as and including the same material as the gate bottom electrode, and a second pad top electrode at the same layer as and including the same material as the gate top electrode. |
| US08698145B2 |
Organic light-emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same
In an organic light-emitting display device and a method of manufacturing the same, the organic light-emitting display device comprises: an active layer of a thin film transistor which includes a semiconductor material, and which is formed on a substrate; a lower electrode of a capacitor which includes a semiconductor material doped with ion impurities, and which is formed on the substrate; a first insulating layer formed on the substrate so as to cover the active layer and the lower electrode; a first gate electrode which is a transparent conductive material, and which is formed on the first insulating layer; a second gate electrode which is a metal, and which is formed on the first gate electrode; an upper electrode of a capacitor which is formed on the first insulating layer and includes a transparent conductive material; source and drain electrodes of a thin film transistor which are electrically connected to the active layer; a pixel electrode formed on the first insulating layer, which is a semi-permeable metal electrically connected to one of the source and drain electrodes; an intermediate layer formed on the pixel electrode and including an organic emission layer; and an opposite electrode facing the pixel electrode with the intermediate layer therebetween. |
| US08698144B2 |
Display device with improved sensing mechanism
A display panel that includes: a substrate, a sensing transistor disposed on the substrate, and a readout transistor connected to the sensing transistor and transmitting a detecting signal is presented. The sensing transistor includes a semiconductor layer disposed on the upper substrate, a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode overlapping the semiconductor layer on the source electrode and the drain electrode. Accordingly, in a display device and a manufacturing method thereof, an infrared sensing transistor, a visible light sensing transistor, and a readout transistor are simultaneously formed with a top gate structure such that the number of manufacturing processes and the manufacturing cost may be reduced. |
| US08698141B2 |
Solid state image pickup device and manufacturing method of solid state image pickup device, and image pickup apparatus
A solid-state image pickup device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a plurality of signal read-out circuits, and a test terminal for testing the photoelectric conversion units. Each of the photoelectric conversion units includes a pixel electrode film, an opposing electrode film opposing the pixel electrode film and a light receiving layer disposed between the pixel electrode film and the opposing electrode film. The photoelectric conversion units are arranged in a two-dimensional array above a semiconductor substrate. Each of the signal read-out circuits are configured to read out a signal corresponding to an amount of electrical charges generated in the light receiving layer and transferred to the pixel electrode film. The test terminal is disposed outside of an area where the photoelectric conversion units are disposed, disposed on the same plane as the pixel electrode film, and made of the same material as the pixel electrode film. |
| US08698140B2 |
Semiconductor device, and test method for same
It has been difficult to carry out a test and an analysis with respect to combinational logic circuits mounted across plural chips, and therefore, there is provided a flip-flop (31b) by use of which either of a scan chain within a semiconductor chip (LSI_B), and a scan chain across plural semiconductor chips (LSI_A and LSI_B) can be made up. |