| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08712681B2 |
High safety vehicular transportation system and operational method thereof
A high safety vehicular transportation system is used in an individual carpool car with at least one user and comprises a user module, a rescue unit and a server center. The user module stores and provides carpool data, stores and provides states of individual carpool car, submits a carpool request and comprises a save our soul (SOS) system. The SOS system transmits a distress signal. The rescue unit provides emergency rescue assistance if any user is in a dangerous situation. The server center receives, stores and provides carpool data, has an instantaneous tracking capability, provides carpool service to at least one user, calls the rescue unit if the server center receives the distress signal, receives the carpool request and generates at least one carpool mission to fulfill the carpool request. An operational method for a high safety vehicular transportation system is also disclosed. |
| US08712677B2 |
Navigation device, navigation method, and navigation program
Navigation devices, methods, and programs acquire a reference position related to the traveling of a host vehicle and acquire a host vehicle condition at the reference position. The devices, methods, and programs accesses a travel information storage unit that stores travel sequences. The stored data for each travel sequences includes at least one position along the travel sequence, operation information that specifies a vehicle operation at each stored position, and vehicle condition information that specifies a vehicle condition at each stored position. The devices, methods, and programs identify a stored sequence of travel having a stored position that corresponds to the acquired host vehicle reference position and stored vehicle condition information that corresponds to the acquired host vehicle condition, acquire the stored operation information of the identified stored sequence of travel, generate display information based on the acquired operation information, and display the generated display information. |
| US08712674B2 |
Vehicle running control system
At least a follow-up target inter-vehicle distance is set on the basis of information about a preceding vehicle recognized by a forward-environment recognition device mounted in a subject vehicle and including a stereo camera, and it is determined whether or not the preceding vehicle is making a right/left turn. When a right/left turn of the preceding vehicle is detected, the follow-up target inter-vehicle distance is multiplied by a correction coefficient so as to set a different follow-up target inter-vehicle distance for the right/left turn. |
| US08712668B2 |
Control system for an internal combustion engine
A control system for a direct-injection four-stroke internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, an intake passage supplying air to the cylinder, and an exhaust passage removing exhaust gas from the cylinder, the control system including a mass air flow meter configured to detect a mass air flow upstream of the cylinder and a control unit. The control unit is configured to detect an intake air density in the cylinder, calculate an in-cylinder trapped intake air amount based on a cylinder volume and the detected intake air density, and estimate a difference between the intake air amount detected by the mass air flow meter and the in-cylinder trapped intake air amount, the estimated difference being an estimated scavenging amount representing a fresh air blowby amount passing from the intake passage into the exhaust passage. |
| US08712662B2 |
Vehicle motion control device
The vehicle motion control device performs anti-lateral overturn control for increasing a brake force to be generated at a front inside wheel of a vehicle in order to cause skidding at the front inside wheel when a condition for increasing a brake force to be generated at an outside wheel is satisfied, wherein the condition is that the vehicle motion control device is in the anti-lateral overturn mode and the vehicle is turning. |
| US08712660B2 |
Method for maintaining a driver-independent braking intervention after a collision
In a method for maintaining a driver-independent braking intervention in a motor vehicle after a collision accelerator operation by the driver is detected; it is ascertained whether an engine torque influence via the accelerator can in fact be carried out; and when it is ascertained that the engine torque influence cannot be carried out, the driver-independent braking intervention is not broken off. |
| US08712657B2 |
Method and device for operating a vehicle having a hybrid drive
A method and a device for operating a vehicle having a hybrid drive are described, in which a first drive unit and a second drive unit contribute jointly or individually to the drive of the vehicle, the first drive unit driving the second drive unit in the manner of a generator for charging an energy storage device, the first drive unit and the second drive unit being separable by a drive train element transferring a torque of the first drive unit. In a method in which it is ensured that the vehicle may continue to drive safely even in the event of a defect in a drive train element between the first drive unit and the second drive unit, the torque portion used for charging the energy storage device is reduced to a minimum torque, while the torque excess, which is reduced in the event of a defect in the drive train element but still exceeds the minimum torque, is utilized to propel the vehicle. |
| US08712656B2 |
Bicycle shifting method
A bicycle shifting method suitable for controlling a gear ratio of a front chain ring and a rear chain ring of the bicycle is provided. The bicycle has a front electronic derailleur, a rear electronic derailleur, a controller, and a controlling switch, and the controller stores a gear-ratio table. The bicycle shifting method includes following steps. The controlling switch is triggered to generate a corresponding signal. One or both of the electronic derailleurs are controlled by the controller according the signal. When the signal is a speed-increasing signal, the controller controls the electronic derailleurs to increase the gear ratio along a speed-increasing path of the gear-ratio table. When the signal is a laborsaving signal, the controller controls the electronic derailleurs to decrease the gear ratio along a laborsaving path of the gear-ratio table. The speed-increasing path is different from the laborsaving path. |
| US08712653B2 |
Deceleration dependent shift control
A transmission control system for regulating operation of an automatic transmission of a vehicle includes a first module that provides a predetermined shift schedule including upshift and downshift lines and a second module that offsets each of the upshift and downshift lines by an offset amount to provide modified upshift and downshift lines when a deceleration of the vehicle exceeds a threshold deceleration. A third module regulates operation of the automatic transmission based on the modified upshift and downshift lines. |
| US08712652B2 |
Control device of hybrid vehicle
Providing a control device of a hybrid vehicle capable of reducing a rattling noise without changing an engine rotation speed.If the second electric motor torque TM2 is within the rattling noise occurrence region G, the engine rotation fluctuation suppression control (at least one of the EGR amount suppression control, the self-EGR amount suppression control, the lean-burn control, and the ignition delay control) is provided to suppress the engine rotation fluctuations as compared to during normal running while the second electric motor torque TM2 is out of the rattling noise occurrence region G and, therefore, the engine rotation fluctuations can be suppressed to reduce the a rattling noise without changing an engine rotation speed NE. Thus, the rattling noise can be reduced without giving an uncomfortable feeling to a user due to a change in the engine rotation speed NE. |
| US08712649B2 |
Continuously variable transmission and control method thereof
A transmission controller permits a 2-1 shift, in which a gear position of a subtransmission mechanism is changed from a second speed to a first speed, when an accelerator pedal has been depressed to or above a predetermined opening. The gear position of the subtransmission mechanism is changed from the second speed to the first speed when an actual through speed ratio passes a mode switch line from a High side to a Low side while the 2-1 shift is permitted in the subtransmission mechanism. |
| US08712646B2 |
Device for determining the absolute angular position of the steering wheel of an electric power-assisted steering column of a motor vehicle using weighted dynamic parameters of the vehicle
A method for determining the absolute angular position of a steering wheel of an electric power-assisted steering column of a motor vehicle, including a means for measuring a dynamic parameter while the vehicle is running and including among others, the steps of periodically determining a multi-turn relative angular position, determining at least one dynamic parameter relating to the running conditions of the vehicle using the means for measuring said parameter, determining an absolute steering-wheel angle calculated according to at least one dynamic parameter, and weighting the calculated value of the absolute steering-wheel angle according to a test of the validity of the calculated value of the absolute steering-wheel angle and the origin of said value, in other words, the measurement means used to determine said at least one dynamic parameter. |
| US08712645B2 |
Method and device for managing a turning setpoint applied to at least one turning actuator for the rear wheels of an automobile
A method for managing a turning setpoint applied to at least one turning actuator for rear wheels of an automobile including four steering wheels, the turning setpoint being generated by a turning control unit upon a braking situation with asymmetrical adhesion. The method calculates an intermediate turning setpoint of the rear wheels for compensating a yaw torque generated by a braking with asymmetrical adhesion of the four wheels, transmits an intermediate turning setpoint to the at least one turning actuator for the rear wheels, monitors the value of the intermediate turning setpoint using an acceptation module, and transmits to a braking control unit information generated by the acceptation module of the intermediate turning setpoint. |
| US08712643B2 |
Device for maneuvering a vehicle using maneuvering moves using at least one trajectory
A device and a method for maneuvering a vehicle using maneuvering moves using at least one trajectory along which the vehicle is movable. Maneuvering moves have at least one reversing clothoid which borders on at least one trajectory and which is designed so that a steering motion of the vehicle is avoidable at standstill. |
| US08712641B2 |
Stability control system with body-force-disturbance heading correction
A yaw stability control system for a vehicle detects and eliminates the vehicle yaw angle resulting from a body-force-disturbance and returns the vehicle to a pre disturbance heading. A yaw rate module generates a signal indicative of the vehicle yaw rate error. A yaw angle error module is triggered in response to a body-force-disturbance being detected by a body-force-disturbance detection unit, and performs integrations of the yaw rate signals to calculate a yaw angle error in order to obtain a correction of the vehicle yaw angle resulting from the body-force-disturbance. A yaw control module uses the yaw angle error in combination with the yaw rate error for a limited time period to generate yaw control signals that are sent to the vehicle brakes and/or active steering system for performing vehicle yaw stability control operations a signal to perform a body-force-disturbance yaw stability control operation for. |
| US08712639B2 |
Integrated control system for stability control of yaw, roll and lateral motion of a driving vehicle using an integrated sensing system to determine longitudinal velocity
A method of controlling a vehicle includes determining an acceleration-based longitudinal velocity, determining a wheel speed-based longitudinal velocity from a plurality of wheel speed sensors, combining the acceleration-based longitudinal velocity and the wheel speed-based longitudinal velocity to obtain a final longitudinal velocity and controlling vehicle with the final longitudinal velocity. |
| US08712637B2 |
Method for determining an object class of an object, from which light is emitted and/or reflected to a vehicle
A method is provided for determining an object class of an object, from which light is emitted and/or reflected to a vehicle. The method has a step of reading in a first brightness value at a first image position in a first image taken using a first vehicle camera and a second brightness value at a second image position in a second image taken using a second vehicle camera. The first and the second image positions represent an identical position associated with the object in the surroundings of the vehicle. The method further has a step of determining the object class of the object, based on a comparison while using the first brightness value and the second brightness value. |
| US08712635B2 |
In-vehicle electronic control apparatus having monitoring control circuit
A main control circuit unit 20A and a monitoring control circuit unit 30A are connected in series; the main control circuit unit 20A and an external control apparatus 40 are connected in series. When the monitoring control circuit unit 30A generates concurrent question information, the main control circuit unit 20A generates main-machine answer information A1n, and the external control apparatus 40 generates supplementary-apparatus answer information. The main control circuit unit 20A combines these answer information items and transmits the combined answer information items to the monitoring control circuit unit 30A; the monitoring control circuit unit 30A compares the combined answer information items with synthesis correct-solution information items stored in a correct-solution information storage memory 35A so as to perform a total abnormality determination. The main control circuit unit 20A performs an abnormality determination on the external control apparatus 40, based on correct-solution information for the external control apparatus 40; the main control circuit unit 20A generates synthesis answer information by use of the correct-solution information. |
| US08712634B2 |
System and method to assess and report the health of landing gear related components
The different advantageous embodiments provide an apparatus comprising a number of landing gear components for a vehicle, a number of systems, and a number of processor units. The number of systems is configured to generate data about the number of landing gear components and the vehicle. The number of processor units is configured to monitor the data and manage health of the number of landing gear components. |
| US08712631B2 |
System and method for access of user accounts on remote servers
In certain embodiments, the system of the invention automatically replicates a user's personal computing environment and provides associated remote server access using authentication credentials and data files supplied by a local handheld device as coordinated by session level software common to the handheld device, the replicated system, the system on which the replication occurs, and the remote servers. The application enables a handheld computing device to transfer a user's various online account credentials to a user's other computing devices securely and automatically. Thereafter the other computing device accesses a user's cloud-based storage and various on-line accounts and also pulls selected documents, bookmarks and related information directly from a user's handheld. The other computing device thereby essentially becomes a clone of a user's primary personal computer, complete with bookmarks, email account access, documents in a user's desktop and My Documents folder, pictures, music, and on-line content subscription access. |
| US08712630B2 |
Mobile advertising and compensation-verification system
A mobile advertising and performance-verification system comprising a flexible adhesive display with embedded self-contained power source and global positioning system (GPS) device to allow for tracking driver performance from a single source that calculates and disburses payment. The display is tamper-proof via perforations or other means so that its attempted relocation or removal following installation will result in disconnection of the GPS device from its power source, thus preventing fraudulent compensation. The peelable adhesive backing allows for easy installation, and its interior reveals a printed code that is sent electronically via cell phone or other electronic means along with a digital image of the installation to the single source to commence and track compensation. |
| US08712626B2 |
Autobrake and decel control built-in test equipment
A system, apparatus and method provide a means for testing operation of a vehicle brake system. More particularly, a brake controller for controlling operation of the brake system includes a signal generator that can generate data indicative of wheel speed. Based on a user command, the controller uses either actual wheel speed data or simulated wheel speed data as inputs for controlling brake operation. The controller also includes logic for exercising various braking functions so as to enable maintenance personal to determine operational systems of the brake system. |
| US08712625B2 |
Automatic search system and method
An automatic search system and a method for assisting a mobile apparatus to search for a matching device are provided. The automatic search method includes the following steps. First, N sets of consecutive images are captured at N time points respectively when the mobile apparatus moves along a first direction. The N is a positive integer greater than 1. Next, the N sets of consecutive images are received, and several image features of the N sets of images are compared, so as to determine accordingly whether the matching device exists in the first direction. If it is determined that the matching device exists, a route signal and an adjustment signal are generated. Next, according to the route signal, the mobile apparatus is controlled to move to an adjacent position of the matching device. Also, according to the adjustment signal, the mobile apparatus is controlled to be combined with the matching device. |
| US08712623B2 |
Control apparatus for autonomous operating vehicle
In an apparatus for controlling an autonomous operating vehicle having a prime mover and operating machine, it is configured to have a geomagnetic sensor responsive to magnets embedded in the area, detect angular velocity generated about z-axis in center of gravity of the vehicle, detect a wheel speed of the driven wheel, store map information including magnet embedded positions, detect a primary reference direction, detect a vehicle position relative to the magnet, and detect a vehicle position in the area, calculate a traveling direction and traveled distance of the vehicle, and control the operation performed through the operating machine in the area in accordance with a preset operation program based on the detected direction, the detected position of the vehicle in the area, the calculated traveling direction and the calculated traveled distance. |
| US08712621B2 |
Vehicle having power supply apparatus
A vehicle having a power supply apparatus which is configured to supply an electric power to an external apparatus outside the vehicle, includes: a detecting unit which is configured to detect a state where a cable is pinched between an opening and closing member of the vehicle and an opening edge of an opening for the opening and closing member, the cable connecting the power supply apparatus to the external apparatus and being arranged in an interior of the vehicle; and an inhibiting unit which, when the detecting unit detects that the cable is pinched between the opening and closing member and the opening edge, is configured to inhibit running of the vehicle. |
| US08712614B2 |
System, method, and computer readable medium for a force-based wheelchair joystick
An interface for use with a pressure-based wheelchair joystick, which enables highly sensitive calibration of the pressure-based joystick, and allows the user to control the wheelchair. |
| US08712613B2 |
Control device
A control device controlling a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus that includes an internal combustion engine, a rotary electric machine drivingly connected to a wheel and a clutch selectively drivingly connecting the internal combustion engine with the rotary electric machine. The control device performs control such that, when a start request of the internal combustion engine is issued in the state in which the clutch is released and combustion of the internal combustion engine is stopped, a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine is raised to a rotational speed of the rotary electric machine by transmitting driving torque of the rotary electric machine to the internal combustion engine by increasing a torque transfer capacity of the clutch, and, after the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine is synchronized with the rotational speed of the rotary electric machine, the combustion of the internal combustion engine is started. |
| US08712611B2 |
Computerized on-board system for controlling a train
A computerized on-board system for controlling a train or rail vehicle is provided. The computerized on-board system includes a train control and monitoring system (TCMS) having a main processor unit (MPU) for controlling the train and electronic control, command and monitoring equipment for providing control data for the train. The computerized on-board system also includes at least one display unit for making the control data of the train provided by the main processor unit (MPU) or by the electronic equipment available and a main data transfer network. The electronic equipment includes at least one additional item of equipment, the at least one additional item of equipment being electronic equipment for automatic train control (ATC) or video surveillance equipment (CCTV). The display unit processes the data and displays data produced by one of the at least one additional items of equipment. |
| US08712609B2 |
Methods and systems for representing missed approach information in perspective view on a cockpit display
A method is provided for displaying information on a display device of an aircraft. The method comprises determining graphics data for visual aids that represent missed approach data; incorporating the graphics data into a user interface that is in perspective view; and generating the user interface for display on the display device of the aircraft. |
| US08712608B2 |
System and method of automatic piloting for in-flight refuelling of aircraft, and aircraft comprising said system
An automatic-piloting system configured for being set on a receiver aircraft and for controlling operations of in-flight refuelling of said receiver aircraft, comprising: first detection means, set on the receiver aircraft and configured for acquiring first geometrical information associated to a first detection area and a second detection area belonging to a tanker aircraft, the first and second detection areas being linked together by a geometrical relation known to the automatic-piloting system; processing means, configured for determining, on the basis of the first geometrical information acquired, first position information associated to a relative position of the receiver aircraft with respect to the tanker aircraft; and an automatic-pilot device coupled to the processing means and configured for varying flight parameters of the receiver aircraft on the basis of the first position information. |
| US08712607B2 |
Systems and methods for velocity profile based approach to point control
A method for velocity profile based approach to point control for an aircraft includes determining a distance from the aircraft to a target point; determining a velocity command based on the distance to the target point and a desired acceleration; and issuing the velocity command. A velocity profile based approach to point control module for an aircraft and a computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium containing computer code that, when executed by a computer, implements a method for velocity profile based approach to point control are also provided. |
| US08712599B1 |
Vehicle inertial sensor systems
Integrated crash and vehicle movement sensing by use of distributed new multi-axis satellite sensors combines side and/or front/rear crash sensing with other applications requiring dynamic vehicle movement data like (but not limited to) roll and/or pitch detection as well as active suspension, head light beam leveling, etc. Depending on the required functionality, two or more satellite sensor modules are used, which measure multi-axis high-g and low-g acceleration, without needing any further sensor inputs like gyroscopes while achieving a high level of failsafe and redundancy. |
| US08712596B2 |
Malicious attack detection and analysis
A system for characterizing malicious activity in an intelligent utility grid system includes a system storage in which to store a database including a plurality of rules. A collector is operable to collect and store in the system storage information-technology (IT) data including IT-related activity from the intelligent grid system. A complex event processing (CEP) bus is operable to receive non-IT data including location-specific event data from a plurality of electronic sources, the CEP bus further operable to disregard the non-IT data failing to meet a predetermined level of relevance to one of a plurality of risk-related events. A processor is operable to apply the plurality of rules to the relevant non-IT data to: associate an undesired event with reference to the IT-related activity; and determine a probability that the undesired event is indicative of malicious activity. The processor further applies a risk characterization to the undesired event based on the probability and the IT-related activity. |
| US08712595B2 |
Dynamic load profiling in a power network
A method for dynamic load profiling in a power network can include receiving static load data in the power network, generating a load forecast from the static load data, generating dynamic load data from data related to distributed assets in the power network and modifying the load forecast based on the dynamic load data for profiling the dynamic load data. |
| US08712589B2 |
System and method for judging success or failure of work of robot
A system for judging success or failure of a work of a robot includes a position command generating unit, a contact position detecting unit, and a work success/failure judging unit. The position command generating unit generates a position command enabling movement of a fingertip of the robot so that a position and posture detecting unit, which is attached to the fingertip of the robot and has an elastic transformation area, is brought into contact with a predetermined position relating to a work target after the predetermined work is performed for the work target by the robot. The contact position detecting unit calculates a contact position that is a position of a tip end of the position and posture detecting unit at the time of being in contact with the predetermined position based on a value of an external force applied to the fingertip and the position of the tip end of the position and posture detecting unit. The work success/failure judging unit judges the predetermined work to be successful when the calculated contact position is within a predetermined range and judges the predetermined work to be failed when the calculated contact position is not within the predetermined range. |
| US08712583B2 |
Automatic pill dispenser
A pill dispensing device includes a base with a top surface and a bottom surface, a transfer tray assembly coupled to the top surface of the base, a controller, and a plurality of vibrating tray assemblies. Each vibrating tray assembly couples to the top surface of the base and includes a pill tray, at least one spring support, a pill tray electric motor, and at least one optical sensor. The pill tray has an open end which is positioned above the transfer tray assembly. The at least one spring support is coupled between the top surface of the base and the pill tray. The pill tray electric motor couples to the pill tray and an offset weight. Each pill tray electric motor electrically couples to the controller. An optical sensor couples to the pill tray. |
| US08712580B2 |
Transferring storage devices within storage device testing systems
A method of transferring storage devices within a storage device testing system includes actuating an automated transporter to retrieve multiple storage devices presented for testing, and actuating the automated transporter to deliver each retrieved storage device to a respective test slot of the storage device testing system and insert each storage device in the respective test slot. |
| US08712579B1 |
Optimization of packaging sizes
Various systems, methods, and programs embodied in computer-readable mediums are provided for determining optimum sizes of packaging in a packaging suite employed in a materials handling facility. The packaging may be used, for example, in the shipping of items from the materials handling facility to various destinations. The sizes of the packaging in the packaging suite are determined based upon the shipping volumes associated with packages or shipments shipped from the materials handling facility. |
| US08712577B2 |
Electronic system and method for compensating the dimensional accuracy of a 4-axis CNC machining system using global and local offsets
An electronic system for compensating the dimensional accuracy of a 4-axis CNC machining system includes a CNC machining system configured to machine a plurality of features into a part, a dimensional measuring device configured to measure a plurality of dimensions of the part, and to provide an output corresponding to the measured dimensions and a compensation processor in communication with the CNC machining system and dimensional measuring device. The CNC machining system includes a global coordinate system, and at least one feature being defined relative to a local coordinate system that is translated from the machine coordinate system. Additionally, the compensation processor is configured to receive the output from the dimensional measuring device, to calculate a plurality of CNC offsets, including at least one local offset, and to provide the offsets to the CNC machining system. |
| US08712575B2 |
Hydrostatic pad pressure modulation in a simultaneous double side wafer grinder
Systems and methods are disclosed for modulating the hydrostatic pressure in a double side wafer grinder having a pair of grinding wheels. The systems and methods use a processor to measure the amount of electrical current drawn by the grinding wheels. Pattern detection software is used to predict a grinding stage based on the measured electrical current. The hydrostatic pressure is changed by flow control valves at each stage to change the clamping pressure applied to the wafer and to thereby improve nanotopology in the processed wafer. |
| US08712574B2 |
Systems and methods for controlling phasing of advancing substrates in absorbent article converting lines
The present disclosure relates to systems and processes for controlling the relative positions or phasing of advancing substrates and/or components in absorbent article converting lines. The systems and methods may utilize feedback from technologies, such as vision systems, sensors, remote input and output stations, and controllers with synchronized embedded clocks to accurately correlate component placement detections and placement control on an absorbent article converting process. The systems and methods may accurately apply the use of precision clock synchronization for both instrumentation and control system devices on a non-deterministic communications network. In turn, the clock synchronized control and instrumentation network may be used to control the substrate position. As such, the controller may be programmed to the relative positions of substrates and components along the converting line without having to account for undeterminable delays. |
| US08712573B2 |
Systems and methods for controlling registration of advancing substrates in absorbent article converting lines
The present disclosure relates to systems and processes for controlling the registration of advancing substrates in absorbent article converting lines. The systems and methods may utilize feedback from technologies, such as vision systems, sensors, remote input and output stations, and controllers with synchronized embedded clocks to accurately correlate registration feature detections and substrate speed control on an absorbent article converting process. The systems and methods may accurately apply the use of precision clock synchronization for both instrumentation and control system devices on a non-deterministic communications network. In turn, the clock synchronized control and instrumentation network may be used to control the substrate speed. As such, the controller may be programmed to track registration features on substrates and components along the converting line without having to account for undeterminable delays. |
| US08712568B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus and display method of substrate processing apparatus
A substrate processing apparatus gives a user notice to prevent removal of a storage medium and provides a screen for determining whether the storage medium is removable. The apparatus controls display of the screen for manipulating substrate processing information and includes a part to which an external storage device is attached. The screen includes: a title panel displayed at an upper region of the screen; an information panel controlling or monitoring a task; and a navigation panel at a lower region of the screen. When the external storage device is attached to the part, an external storage device remove button is enabled by displaying the remove button on the navigation panel to indicate the external storage device is attached to the part. When the external storage device is not attached to the part, the remove button is disabled by displaying the remove button in a like color as the background. |
| US08712564B2 |
Audio conversation apparatus
An audio conversation apparatus includes an assignment section for individually assigning units of spatial information which are different from each other, either to parties-to-talk-with each belonging to one of a plurality of predetermined groups, respectively, or to the plurality of predetermined groups, respectively; and a localization section for localizing, in accordance with the units of spatial information assigned by the assignment section, audio data transmitted from outside, and one of a reproduction section connected to the audio conversation apparatus and a reproduction section included in the audio conversation apparatus outputs an audio in accordance with the audio data having been localized by the localization section. |
| US08712563B2 |
Method and apparatus for interactive distribution of digital content
A system, method, and machine-readable medium are disclosed for the controlled, non-real-time conveyance of digital content for playback. Digital content and associated metadata are marked, rated, categorized, and then converted into encoded digital data. The resulting encoded digital data is transmitted as a plurality of data streams through a communications facility such as a satellite, wireless, or physical network. The data streams are received by a content receiver where they are decoded into metadata and digital content for controlled conveyance and playback. A digital content management module comprising a content selection algorithm compares metadata associated with candidate digital content to a predetermined content selection profile. If the metadata matches predetermined selection parameters of the selection profile, the candidate digital content and its associated metadata are stored in a machine-readable medium for controlled conveyance and playback. |
| US08712560B2 |
Performance monitoring of advanced process control systems
Techniques are described for monitoring the performance of advanced process control (APC) systems used to control complex industrial processes. By correlating an alarm status of the APC system with an alarm status associated with the service factor (or service factor thresholds), a plant operator can understand how well the APC system performs over time, as well as identify when operator intervention may be required (or alternatively, may be the source of poor plant performance). Accordingly, embodiments of the invention can significantly impact both the reliability and efficiency of complex industrial process, e.g., the production of industrial gases using air separation units (ASUs) and steam methane reformer (SMR) furnaces. |
| US08712559B2 |
Adaptive control for uncertain nonlinear multi-input multi-output systems
Systems and methods of adaptive control for uncertain nonlinear multi-input multi-output systems in the presence of significant unmatched uncertainty with assured performance are provided. The need for gain-scheduling is eliminated through the use of bandwidth-limited (low-pass) filtering in the control channel, which appropriately attenuates the high frequencies typically appearing in fast adaptation situations and preserves the robustness margins in the presence of fast adaptation. |
| US08712557B2 |
Maintenance tool of control systems
A program editor creates a program-edit screen for a control system based on element data for representing circuit elements and operators and their attribute values. Here, the circuit elements and operators are components of sequential programs which constitute functions of the control system. The program editor which edits the element data on the created program-edit screen judges whether the data for representing the circuit elements and the operators is protected-function data or non-protected-function data and displays assembly sets of programs for implementing predetermined functions constituted by circuit elements and operators to which accesses are authenticated on the program-edit screen in a display mode different from those of the other assembly sets. |
| US08712552B2 |
Treatment devices with deliver-activated inflatable members, and associated systems and methods for treating the spinal cord and other tissues
The present application includes treatment systems having delivery-activated inflatable members, and associated systems and methods for treating the spinal cord and other tissues. A treatment system in accordance with one embodiment includes a lead body having an opening, an inner surface position around the opening, and an inflatable member carried by the lead body, with at least one of the inflatable member and the lead body including a frangible portion accessible from the opening. The inflatable member can have an expandable interior volume bounded at least in part by the frangible portion. The system can further include a delivery device received in the opening of the lead body and positioned to open a passage through the frangible portions between the interior volume of the inflatable member and the opening of the lead body when the delivery device is removed from the opening of the lead body. |
| US08712550B2 |
Catheter with multiple electrode assemblies for use at or near tubular regions of the heart
A catheter with ablation and potential sensing capabilities is adapted for outer circumferential contact with an opening of a tubular region and inner circumferential contact within the tubular region. The catheter has a proximal electrode assembly and a distal electrode assembly for ablation of an ostium and potential sensing inside the pulmonary vein so that it is possible to obtain ECG signals inside a pulmonary vein when ablating around the ostium. The distal electrode assembly has an elongated member defining a longitudinal axis and a plurality of spines surrounding the member and converging at their proximal and distal ends, where each spine has at least one electrode and a curvature so that the spine bows radially outwardly from the member. The proximal electrode assembly has a proximal electrode assembly has an elongated member configured with a generally radial portion and a generally circular portion generally transverse to the catheter axis, where the generally circular portion comprising a plurality of electrodes. The control handle advantageously allows a user to manipulate a tensile member for changing the curvature of the spine. |
| US08712549B2 |
Method and system for monitoring and treating hemodynamic parameters
A multiplexed medical carrier provides for sensing one or more patient parameters and/or delivering energy via separately identifiable effectors. The carrier includes a body and at least two electrical conductors coupled with at least two effectors. Effectors may be any combination of sensors, actuators or both. Sensors may measure such parameters as pressure, oxygen content, volume, conductivity, fluid flow rate, or any other chemical or physical parameters. Actuators may be used, for example, to pace a heart, stimulate muscle or neural tissue, broadcast ultrasonic energy, emit light, heat or other forms of radiation, or deliver any form of energy or substance. A method for collecting medical data from a patient includes interrogating a network of multiplexed sensors residing on parallel conductors in the patient, including addressing a first addressable sensor in the network to obtain data and addressing a second addressable sensor in the network to obtain data. |
| US08712548B2 |
Pull through coronary sinus pacing lead
A coronary sinus lead is disclosed that includes a lead body having opposed proximal and distal end portions, and an open-ended cavity formed in the distal end portion of the lead body for temporarily receiving an angioplasty balloon. The lead is configured for connection with a pacing device. A method of implanting the lead is also disclosed, which includes passing a coronary angioplasty balloon catheter over a length of guide wire extending through the coronary sinus, coronary veins, and collaterals so that the balloon is externalized. The method further includes inserting the balloon into an open cavity of the lead, inflating the balloon within the open cavity to temporarily engage a distal end portion of the lead to the catheter, and pulling the distal end portion of the lead though the coronary sinus and into a coronary vein by at least partially withdrawing the catheter from the coronary sinus. |
| US08712547B2 |
Cavernous nerve stimulation via unidirectional propagation of action potentials
An implantable stimulation device includes a device body; at least one set of partitioned electrodes disposed on a portion of the device body and configured and arranged for application of electrical stimulation to adjacent tissue; and insulating material separating the partitioned electrodes from each other. Each set of partitioned electrodes includes a plurality of partitioned electrodes disposed around a circumference of the device body. The implantable stimulation device can be configured and arranged so that each of the partitioned electrodes is independently programmable. |
| US08712541B2 |
Far field telemetry operations between an external device and an implantable medical device during recharge of the implantable medical device via a proximity coupling
Far field telemetry operations are conducted between an external device and an implantable medical device while power is being transferred to the implantable medical device for purposes of recharging a battery of the implantable medical device. The far field operations may include exchanging recharge information that has been collected by the implantable medical device which allows the external device to exercise control over the recharge process. The far field operations may include suspending far field telemetry communications for periods of time while power continues to be transferred where suspending far field telemetry communications may include powering down far field telemetry communication circuits of the implantable medical device for periods of time which may conserve energy. The far field operations may further include transferring programming instructions to the implantable medical device. |
| US08712537B2 |
Field of view matching in a visual prosthesis
A visual prosthesis apparatus including a video capture device for capturing a video image, a video processing unit associated with the video capture device, the video processing unit configured to convert the video image to stimulation patterns, and a stimulation system configured to stimulate subject's neural tissue based on the stimulation patterns, wherein the stimulation system provides a span of visual angle matched to the subject's neural tissue being stimulated. |
| US08712532B2 |
Method and apparatus for focusing electrical stimulation in the brain during electro-convulsive therapy
An ECT system capable of focusing the electrical signals on a specific portion of the patient's brain is provided. The ECT system includes a means of applying unidirectional electrical signals and asymmetric electrodes for focusing the signals on the patient. A method of titrating an electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) system and a method of operating an ECT system are also provided. The method includes setting an initial current value, administering an ECT signal to the patient, determining if the seizure threshold has been achieved, and repeating as necessary until the seizure threshold is achieved. |
| US08712530B2 |
Device and implantation system for electrical stimulation of biological systems
The present specification discloses devices and methodologies for the treatment of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations (tLESRs). Individuals with tLESRs may be treated by implanting a stimulation device within the patient's lower esophageal sphincter and applying electrical stimulation to the patient's lower esophageal sphincter, in accordance with certain predefined protocols. The presently disclosed devices have a simplified design because they do not require sensing systems capable of sensing when a person is engaged in a wet swallow and have improved energy storage requirements. |
| US08712522B1 |
System for setting programmable parameters for an implantable hypertension treatment device
A real time, heart rate monitor and a hemodynamic monitoring system are operably integrated with the programmer system for an implantable hypertension treatment device. A series of tests are automatically performed to set programmable parameters for the implantable hypertension treatment device without clinician intervention. In one embodiment, a predetermined level of a dose-response evaluation is initiated for each test in the series. Preferably, the programmer system monitors the heart rate to determine whether a hemodynamic measurement should be initiated at all for a given test, as well as whether the hemodynamic measurement should be initiated earlier or later than a predetermined settling period for assessing the sympathetic nervous response to the test dose. In one embodiment, this determination is based on heart rate stability/instability. Alternatively, other indicators of sympathetic/parasympathetic tone, such as heart rate variability, may be used to trigger/delay the timing of the hemodynamic measurement. |
| US08712517B2 |
Implantable neuro-stimulation electrode with fluid reservoir
An implantable electrode with a fluid reservoir is described. An implantable electrode carrier has an outer surface with electrode contacts for electrically stimulating nearby neural tissue. An enlarged fluid storage reservoir within the electrode carrier stores a treatment volume of therapeutic fluid for an extended therapeutic treatment period. At least one fluid delivery port connects the fluid storage reservoir to the outer surface of the electrode carrier for delivering the therapeutic fluid from the fluid storage reservoir to the outer surface. |
| US08712514B2 |
Neurophysiological central auditory processing evaluation system and method
A system and method of central auditory processing testing and evaluation provides for identifying clinically relevant neural synchrony in the auditory brainstem pathway. The system or method finds use as a tool to evaluate auditory processing disorders, and hence, potential auditory system and/or learning disabilities. The system or method may further find use in the selection and fitting of hearing corrective appliances such as hearing aid or cochlear implant devices and/or in the selection and implementation of auditory training regimens. |
| US08712512B2 |
Apparatus and method for exerting force on a subject tissue
An apparatus for exerting force on a subject tissue includes a linear motor for generating a force according to a predetermined force profile incorporating at least one motion control parameter. The linear motor is directly coupled to a motor output member to drivingly produce linear motion of the motor output member under direction of a motor controller executing the predetermined force profile. A tissue-contacting member is connected to the motor output member for directly proportional linear motion therewith. A load cell provides load cell feedback to the motor controller. The motor controller adjusts the motion of the motor output member responsive to the load cell feedback to substantially conform the motion to the predetermined force profile. The linear motor moves the tissue-contacting member to contact the subject tissue according to the predetermined force profile and responsively initiate a subject reaction to the exerted force. |
| US08712511B2 |
Biometric data display system and method
An interactive biometric display system and method for collecting and displaying biometric data. The display system comprises a device for identifying a user and at least one biometric input device (e.g., heart rate sensor). A user provides identifying data via the identifying device and biometric data via the biometric input device. The biometric data (e.g., heartbeat) is measured and recorded with a timestamp. Graphical objects for each user are presented (e.g., a heart) and move around the screen in relation to the biometric data. Attributes of graphical objects (e.g., size, color, color saturation, and height) may vary over time indicating the recency of the data. The display system may further comprise a sound component to play sound related to the biometric data. Visual as well as sound attributes may diminish, fade, or disappear over time and may be refreshed when a new reading for the user is received. |
| US08712508B2 |
State detection device, electronic apparatus, measurement system and program
A state detection device includes an acquisition part that acquires an acceleration detection value from an acceleration sensor, and a judgment part that judges a running state or a walking state based on the acceleration detection value. The judgment part detects as to whether a positive/negative sign of the acceleration detection value in a first axis reversed in a predetermined judgment period, determines the running state when the sign reverses, and determines the walking state when the sign does not reverse. |
| US08712498B2 |
Micro vein enhancer
The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the practitioner in pinpointing a vein for an intravenous drip, blood test, and the like. The Miniature projection head may have a cavity for a power source or it may have a power source located in a body portion of the Miniature Vein Enhancer. The Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to one of several improved needle protectors, or the Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to a body similar to a flashlight for hand held use. The Miniature Vein Enhancer of the present invention may also be attached to a magnifying glass, a flat panel display, and the like. |
| US08712495B2 |
Device for accurately measuring concentration of component in blood and control method of the device
A measurement device includes an electronic component device, a perspiration acceleration device, and a perspiration collection device. The perspiration acceleration device or the perspiration collection device is removably coupled to the electronic component device. The electronic component device is attached to a measurement site with a belt. A perspiration accelerating performance is made with respect to the measurement site with the perspiration acceleration device coupled to the electronic component device, and thereafter, the perspiration acceleration device is replaced with the perspiration collection device with the electronic component device attached to the measurement site, and the perspiration collection and measurement computation performance are made. |
| US08712492B2 |
Photon density wave based determination of physiological blood parameters
A system for measuring a physiological parameter of blood in a patient is presented. The system includes a transmission module configured to emit a plurality of photon density waves into tissue of the patient from a plurality of modulated light sources. The system also includes a receiver module configured to detect characteristics of the plurality of photon density waves. The system also includes a processing module configured to identify characteristics of a pulsatile perturbation of the tissue based on the characteristics of the plurality of photon density waves, and identify a value of the physiological parameter based on at least the characteristics of the pulsatile perturbation of the tissue and the characteristics of the plurality of photon density waves. |
| US08712491B2 |
Measurement of an analyte on the skin using a hue angle
A process is provided for analyzing a skin in any of a number of biochemical or immunological tests for an analyte which involves applying to a skin surface on a patient a reagent which selectively binds to the analyte to form an analyte-reagent complex; subjecting the skin surface on the patient to a treatment which develops a color correlating to an amount of analyte in the specimen; measuring a hue angle of the color developed on the skin surface of the patient by measuring a reflectance over a range of visible light spectrum at a plurality of intervals in wavelength of the visible light spectrum to obtain a measurement; and correlating the measurement of the hue angle to determine a concentration of the analyte. |
| US08712489B2 |
Method for manufacturing a magnet coil configuration using a slit band-shaped conductor
A magnet coil configuration (20-24) is manufactured from a band-shaped conductor (1), which is slit in the longitudinal direction except for its two end areas (2, 3) such that the band-shaped conductor (1) has a first and a second half band (4, 5) and two end areas (2, 3) which connect these two half bands (4, 5) to form a closed loop. The two half-bands (4,5) of the slit band-shaped conductor (1) are initially wound onto two separate intermediate coils (14,15) and the final coil structure is subsequently wound by alternate extraction of the two half-bands (4,5) from the intermediate coils (14,15). A simple method is thereby proposed for winding a slit band-shaped conductor to form a magnet coil configuration which also generates strong magnetic fields. |
| US08712487B2 |
Sliding-type portable communication device
A sliding-type portable communication device is provided. The sliding-type portable communication device includes a first housing, a second housing slidably engaged with the first housing, face to face, and first and second sliding cover portions at both sides of the first housing, for sliding from both sides of the first housing, while sliding the second housing, thereby widening or narrowing the first housing. |
| US08712486B2 |
Detachably integrated battery charger for mobile cell phones and like devices
A cell phone charger comprises a main body having embedded therein a charging circuit configured to receive line AC voltage and to convert it to a DC voltage suitable for charging the mobile device. AC prongs fold into the body in a stowed position and a connection structure formed integrally with the main body grasps onto and holds the charger secured to the cell phone device. In a preferred embodiment, the AC prongs pivot independently and lie flat against an outside surface of the main body. |
| US08712485B2 |
Proximity sensor arrangement in a mobile device
A radiation passing layer has a top surface and a bottom surface below which a proximity sensor is positioned. A radiation shield is between the emitter and the detector, and extends to the bottom of the radiation passing layer. A radiation absorber being a separate piece and of a different material than the shield is positioned to provide a radiation seal between the top surface of the shield and the bottom surface of the radiation passing layer. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08712484B2 |
System and method for controlling a wireless device
A method is provided for controlling operation of a wireless device, including: receiving an initial incoming signal from a remote device in a first operational mode, the initial incoming signal including information related to an initial remaining battery power in the remote device; determining that a second operational mode will be a first possible mode if the initial remaining battery power in the remote device is within a first power range; determining that the second operational mode will be a second possible mode if the initial remaining battery power in the remote device is within a second power range; and transmitting instructions to the remote device in the first operational mode to transmit and receive in the second operational mode. |
| US08712483B2 |
Wake-up radio system
Systems and methods may include a master device. The master device may include a wake-up transmitter to send a wake-up message to a slave device to wake-up the slave device. The master device may also include a short-range transmitter to communicate with the slave device once the slave device has been woken up. The master device may be a mobile phone that communicates with the slave device (e.g., Bluetooth accessory devices) over a Bluetooth network. |
| US08712482B2 |
Detachably integrated battery charger for mobile cell phones and like devices
A cell phone charger comprises a main body having embedded therein a charging circuit configured to receive line AC voltage and to convert it to a DC voltage suitable for charging the mobile device. AC prongs fold into the body in a stowed position and a connection structure formed integrally with the main body grasps onto and holds the charger secured to the cell phone device. In a preferred embodiment, the AC prongs pivot independently and lie flat against an outside surface of the main body. |
| US08712481B2 |
Electric power supply system and electric power supply system for motor vehicle
To provide for a movable electronic device a power receiving device that when charging a battery, simplifies charging of the battery from a power feeder, which is a power supply means, and does not have faults due to an external factor relating to a relay terminal, or damage of the relay terminal, that are caused by directly connecting the battery and the power feeder, and further, to provide an electronic device including the power receiving device. An antenna circuit and a booster antenna for supplying electric power are provided in a movable electronic device. The antenna circuit receives a radio signal such as an electromagnetic wave via the booster antenna, and electric power that is obtained through the receiving of the radio signal is supplied to the battery through a signal processing circuit. |
| US08712480B2 |
Mobile communication apparatus
A communication apparatus such as a cellular phone is described in which a control unit judges, when an incoming call is received, whether a sounding unit or a vibrating unit is to be activated for announcing the reception of the incoming call. The control unit determines that the announcing of the reception is prohibited if the mobile communication apparatus is in a roaming area. When the announcing of the reception is prohibited, the control unit sends a message, showing that the reception of the incoming call is unavailable, to a calling party. |
| US08712479B2 |
Mobile terminal
A mobile terminal including a terminal body having first and second regions on a front surface thereof, a touch screen part on the first region and configured to display visual information and perform an inputting operation in a tactile manner, and a touch pad part corresponding to the second region and configured to input information corresponding to a touch applied to a pre-set position on the second region. |
| US08712476B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing spin-home function for mobile communication terminal
A method and an apparatus for providing a spin-home function for a mobile communication terminal having a key input module, a microprocessor, a program memory, a data storage module, and an LCD display module so that applications are circulated and displayed on an idle screen. The method includes steps of (a) designating at least one application as a spin-home; (b) running a spin-home program stored in the program memory; (c) circulating next application designated as the spin-home and displaying the application on the LCD display module every time the user operates a second key button for circulating the idle screen; and (d) setting an application currently displayed on the LCD display module as the idle screen when the user operates a confirmation key button. |
| US08712475B2 |
Method to calibrate RF paths of an FHOP adaptive base station
A base transceiver station including a transceiver unit is provided. A method of calibration uses a transceiver unit to receive an RF signal, measure a calibration value, and transmit the measured value. The calibration value is used to determine weighting parameters to compensate for relative RF path phase delay and amplitude variation. |
| US08712473B2 |
System and method for seamlessly increasing download throughput
A system and method for seamlessly increasing download throughput in a wireless wide area network (WWAN) device is herein disclosed. Remote file servers frequently impose per connection transfer limits upon host devices that are requesting files for download. In order to bypass these limitations, a WWAN device acting as a proxy server can replace a single file request with a series of independent requests over multiple connections, each requesting a separate portion of the original file. The blocks of requested data can then be reassembled at the WWAN device before being transferred to the device requesting the file. A user of the requesting device can therefore benefit from increased download rates, yet without having to download or install any additional software within the requesting device. |
| US08712467B2 |
Multiple RF band operation in mobile devices
Methods and apparatuses for multiple RF band operation in mobile devices are disclosed. In one example, a method for dual radio frequency band operation includes operating a mobile communication device in a first radio frequency band, monitoring a RSSI associated with the mobile communication device, and switching operation of the mobile communication device to operation in a second radio frequency band responsive to the RSSI crossing a threshold RSSI value. |
| US08712466B2 |
Radio frequency splitter
A multichannel splitter formed from 1 to 2 splitters, wherein: an input terminal of a first 1 to 2 splitter defines an input of the multichannel splitter; the 1 to 2 splitters are electrically series-connected; and first respective outputs of the 1 to 2 splitters define output terminals of the multichannel splitter. |
| US08712462B2 |
Downlink scheduling in fractional frequency reuse (FFR) systems
An apparatus and method are disclosed for determining the optimal bandwidth fractions for all the users in each frequency band in a wireless communication system to maximize the net sum of user utilities. User utilities are functions of average rates of users, where different averaging rules can be used for different users. The standard approach of computing an optimal scheduler strategy involves the solution of a convex optimization problem that has a complexity on the order of O(N3) for N flows. This approach is not feasible for online implementation having a large number of flows. The method of the present work employs an efficient computational algorithm that obtains the optimal bandwidth fractions in O(N) time. This feature makes the method suitable for implementation in wideband cellular systems like LTE (Long Term Evolution) and UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband). |
| US08712460B2 |
Methods of reverse link power control
Methods of reverse link power control are provided. In a first example reverse link power control process, a signal-to-interference+noise (SINR) is measured for a plurality of mobile stations. A power control adjustment is determined for each of the mobile stations based on the measured SINR for the mobile station and a fixed target SINR, the fixed target SINR being used in the determining step for each mobile station and sending the power control adjustments to the mobile stations. In a second example reverse link power control process, one or more signals are transmitted to a base station. A power control adjustment indicator indicating an adjustment to a transmission power level is received. The received power control adjustment is determined based on a measured signal-to-interference+noise ratio (SINR) for the one or more transmitted signals and a fixed target SINR threshold, the fixed target SINR threshold being used for power control adjustment of a plurality of mobile stations. |
| US08712452B2 |
Enterprise seamless mobility
Extending dual-mode phones using SMS messages. When operating in cellular mode, SMS messages originated by a mobility controller in the enterprise command features such as indicators on the dual-mode phone. SMS messages are received by an agent in the dual-mode phone. A mobility controller connected to the enterprise SIP PBX and voicemail system receives messages for example indicating voicemail status and sends specially formatted SMS messages to the cellular phone to operate indicators. Similarly, the dual-mode phone issues SMS messages to the enterprise mobility controller to request the enterprise PBX perform features such as call conferencing, call pickup, and call pull. |
| US08712451B2 |
Phone messaging using audio streams
A method of phone messaging includes encoding a data packet into an audio stream, said data packet comprising a message addressed to a mobile device operating in a wireless network, placing a call to said mobile device using a voice channel of said wireless network, transmitting said audio stream over said voice channel to said mobile device, and reconstructing said data packet from said audio stream. |
| US08712450B2 |
System and method of creating and providing SMS http tagging
A system and method for sending text messages and, more particularly, a system and method for forcing SMS capable devices to communicate via SMS using, for example, SS7 protocol. A method comprises providing a tag forcing a return text message to be sent via SS7 protocol. In use, the system and method is configured to force the use of SMS messages via the SS7 protocol. The system and method can be implemented over any network, for example, and any existing mobile device and related infrastructure can be modified to take advantage of the benefits and functionality of the system and method of the invention. |
| US08712441B2 |
Methods and systems for temporarily sharing position data between mobile-device users
A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application that communicates with a remote Buddy Watch Server. The server gets or maintains position data for the wireless devices. When the server receives a request from a first device to set up a temporary position-sharing relationship between it and a second device, the server facilitates symmetrical position sharing between the two devices. While the relationship is active, the server can receive updated position data from one or both devices, and if necessary calculate or recalculate a path based on the updated data. The server can also alert one of the devices should the other move too close to or too far from a specified location. The request message or messages used to establish the temporary position-sharing relationship may include a timeout specifying when the server is to sever the position-sharing relationship. |
| US08712440B2 |
Sparse network almanac
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to creation, maintenance, communication, and/or use of sparse network almanac information that may be located in a mobile station. |
| US08712436B2 |
Method and system for automatically identifying wireless signal quality of a region
A method for automatically identifying wireless signal quality of a region includes receiving signal quality information associated with wireless signals received by each of a plurality of mobile endpoints and receiving location information identifying locations of each of the plurality of mobile endpoints. The method also includes, based on the received signal quality information and the received location information, identifying a first region of an area, the first region having a first signal quality. |
| US08712435B2 |
Methods and apparatus to perform time zone determination by a mobile station
This application pertains to methods and apparatus to perform time zone determination by a mobile station. One example method for use in a device includes transmitting a messaging service message to a server via a communication network, the messaging service message to be used to determine a time zone for the device, and receiving the time zone for the device from the server. Other examples are shown and described. |
| US08712434B2 |
Apparatus for providing location information of hand-held device and method thereof
A method and apparatus for providing location information of a user terminal is provided, which makes it possible to mark the location of a user terminal using geographical information stored in a broadcast receiver. |
| US08712431B2 |
Personalized location information for mobile devices
Providing location information on a mobile device includes receiving signals from external devices. Each signal includes information that specifies a geographic location for the external device that has provided the signal. A geographic location for the mobile device is calculated by using the information contained in each of the received signals. A representation of the geographic location of the mobile device is generated. The representation of the geographic location is included within an electronic message that provides information describing a user of the mobile device to other users of an electronic communications system. The electronic message is transmitted to another device to provide an indication of the geographic location for the user to one of the other users of the electronic communications system. |
| US08712426B2 |
Location-based method to specify ratio frequency spectrum rights
The disclosed methods, systems, and computer-program products generate location-based RF spectrum rights for components in a radio frequency (RF) system. In an embodiment, a location-based spectrum right for an RF system's operational use of RF spectrum includes the spectrum rights of each component of the system, a definition of all locations at which each component might possibly operate, and a specified time period of this operational use. In an additional embodiment, the location-based RF spectrum right include a transmitter right and a receiver right, and the transmitter and receiver rights may be based on a combination of maximum power density, spectrum masks, underlay masks, power maps, locations, minimum power density, start times, end times, protocol specifications, and rules. Most transmitter rights and all receiver rights include propagation maps to articulate the rate at which signals attenuate away from transmitters and toward receivers. |
| US08712420B2 |
Generating a network map
Aspects of the present invention relate to a method, and various systems operable or arranged to implement that method, of generating a network map illustrating availability of network access technologies in various locations of the network. The method may comprise the following steps: (a) sending, by a first network unit, the location of which is identified by a first identifier, first data to a second network unit, the location of which is identified by a second identifier, whereby the first data is sent using at least two different network access technologies and is sent to at least two different possible locations for the second network unit; (b) receiving by the first network unit from the second network unit, first measurement data relating to the sent first data; and (c) generating the network map based on the measurement data, the first identifier and the second identifier. |
| US08712419B2 |
Local call local switching at handover
Described is a method for managing locally switched call connections in a wireless communication network comprising receiving, at a core network node, a first message indicating that a first user equipment connected via the locally switched call connection has been detected in a target radio access node and transmitting, triggered by the first message, a second message requesting a status change of the locally switched call connection to a second user equipment, such that a user plane data path from the first user equipment to the second user equipment is switched to a core network path. Moreover, the method is implemented in a network node, while the method steps can be executed by means of a computer program product comprising instruction sets performing each method step. |
| US08712413B2 |
Telecommunications system and method
In a mobile telecommunications network including at least a first type of radio access network and a second type of radio access network and a mobile terminal, a method of establishing a voice communication with the mobile terminal including: receiving a voice communication request in relation to the mobile terminal on the second radio access network type; determining a parameter associated with a terminal characteristic; and using the parameter to determine whether to establish the voice communication on the first type of radio access network or maintain the voice communication on the second type of radio access network. Preferably the determined parameter is a parameter relating to a terminal type for the mobile terminal, and is determined from the terminal's IMEI. |
| US08712409B2 |
System and method for terminating communication sessions with roaming mobile devices
A system and method to assist in establishing a communication session to a mobile device having a registered IMS session in a visited network, or having both a registered IMS session and a circuit-switched session in a visited network. When a mobile device establishes an IMS session with an application service in a visited network, the address of the application service and the identity of the mobile device is transmitted to the Home Location Register (HLR) and/or Home Subscriber Server (HSS) associated with the mobile device. The HLR or HSS stores the address of the application service in conjunction with the identity of the mobile device. When requests to establish a communication session with the mobile device are made, the HLR or HSS provides the address of the application service that is associated with the mobile device in the visited network to allow a communication session to be established. |
| US08712408B2 |
Remotely provisioned wireless proxy
A remotely provisioned proxy within a wireless/mobile phone that proxies a wireless communication path between a disconnected piconet (e.g., BLUETOOTH™) device and a network resource such as a universal resource locator (URL) via a mating mobile phone. Thus, an application proxy module embodied within the mobile phone provides managed access of a piconet device connected to the mating mobile phone to remote services. A disconnected piconet device uses the full data bandwidth available to a wireless phone, without the need for the disconnected piconet device to include its own separate wireless front end, or to require use of a modem within the mobile phone. Thus, using a mobile phone with application proxy, the user need not pay for the luxury of a tethered data plan. |
| US08712404B2 |
Measurement system service for a vehicle instrument panel
A wireless interface disposed in a vehicle monitors a network for signals transmitted by cellular towers. The signals include a first system identification signal transmitted from a first cellular tower. A computer processing device is communicatively coupled to the wireless interface and includes logic configured to receive the first system identification signal in response to the monitoring. The first system identification signal corresponds to a first system identification. The logic is also configured to retrieve a table of system identifications including the first system identification from a storage device. Each of the system identifications is mapped to a corresponding geographic location in which each of the cellular towers is disposed and a corresponding measurement system utilized in the geographic location. The logic is also configured to identify the measurement system from which the first system identification is mapped, and display indicators of the measurement system within an instrument panel. |
| US08712401B2 |
Radio link monitoring (RLM) and reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement for heterogeneous networks
A method for communicating in an advanced long term evolution (LTE-A) network using common reference signal (CRS) resources associated with different interference levels due to resource partitioning is disclosed. Signals are received from an eNodeB indicating a subset of CRS resources for radio link monitoring (RLM) and/or reference signal received power (RSRP) measuring. The subset of CRS resources includes the CRS resources expected to have lower interference from the interfering eNodeBs. RLM and/or RSRP measurements are performed based on the indicated subset. |
| US08712400B2 |
Range extension techniques for a wireless local area network
Techniques for extending transmission range in a WLAN are described. In an aspect, a receiving station determines the frequency error between a transmitting station and the receiving station based on one or more initial packet transmissions and corrects this frequency error for subsequent packet transmissions received from the transmitting station. The residual frequency error is small after correcting for the frequency error and allows the receiving station to perform coherent accumulation/integration over a longer time interval to detect for a packet transmission. The longer coherent accumulation interval improves detection performance, especially at low SNRs for extended transmission range. The techniques may be used whenever the receiving station knows the identity of the transmitting station, e.g., if the subsequent packet transmissions are scheduled. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described. |
| US08712399B2 |
Coordinated multi-point transmission in a cellular network
Coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmissions in a cellular network is performed using multi-broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframes. During CoMP transmission, demodulation reference signals (DRS) are placed in the one portion the MDSFN subframe, while cell-specific reference signals (CRS) are placed in a separate portion of the MDSFN subframe. Therefore, no CRS-DRS collision will occur during CoMP transmission. |
| US08712398B2 |
Soliciting first party in communication session to maintain call when degradation of connection to second party is anticipated
A system and method are provided for monitoring the quality of a communication session with a first electronic device. Should the communication session degrade, rather than dropping the communication session the user of a second electronic device communicating with the first electronic device is prompted to wait while an attempt is made to improve the quality of the communication session. Similarly if the user of the first electronic device moves out of a coverage area, rather than dropping the communication session the user of the second electronic device communicating with the first electronic device is prompted to wait until a new communication session can be established. |
| US08712391B2 |
Client-managed group communication sessions within a wireless communications system
In an embodiment, a user equipment (UE) participating in a server-mediated communication session maintains an identifier of the session and a list of UEs that are currently participating in the session. The UE determines to suppress its participation level in the session, and configures a member update message to include the identifier and to indicate the suppressed participation level of the UE. The UE transmits the configured member update message to each other UE currently participating in the session. In another embodiment, the UE receives a request to modify one or more of a given set of control parameters associated with the session. The UE determines whether the UE belongs to a subset of UEs that are currently participating in the session and to which permission to modify the given set of parameters is restricted. The UE selectively grants the received request based on the determination. |
| US08712390B2 |
Enhanced telephony services
Techniques for providing a smart dial controller for enhancing a telephone voice call using a data connection. In an exemplary embodiment, a dial controller may be provided in a calling device for calling another user, and/or a called device for receiving a call from another user. Techniques are provided for both the calling device and the called device to access a content server storing profiles of the calling user and/or the called user, subject to user-determined privacy settings. Such profiles may include, e.g., multi-media information on the status, location, or preferences of the users. In an exemplary embodiment, the dial controller may delay the establishment of a voice connection pending user review and approval of the other user's profile. According to an advantage of the present disclosure, no modifications are required on the network side to implement the techniques described herein. |
| US08712388B2 |
Automatic population of feature capabilities on a communication device
A communication device, system and service provider for automatically populating feature capabilities. In one illustrative embodiment, the communication device can begin automatic download of service provider features and content by registering with a service provider. When successfully registered, the service provider can determine a set of available features for the communication device. The available features can be dependent on a number of factors including licensing, location, or subscription of the communication device. Available features can also be dependent on whether the communication device is idle or active. The service provider can notify the communication device with the set of available features. The features can be uniquely identified by a feature identification that represents the service provider and the feature. At any time, when the communication device reports that the user has selected a feature on the device, the service provider can take the appropriate actions. |
| US08712386B2 |
Controlling ring-back tone output prior to a communication connection in mobile terminal
The present invention relates to controlling a communication connection in a mobile terminal. Preferably, the present invention comprises transmitting a communication request signal for attempting a communication connection with a device, receiving a signal for indicating the progress of the communication connection, wherein a ring-back tone is generated upon receiving the signal, and controlling an output of the ring-back tone until the communication connection is accomplished. |
| US08712384B1 |
Method and system for triggering message waiting indicator delivery
Methods and systems for triggering the delivery of a message waiting indicator (MWI) are introduced. In a wireless communication network, a radio access network (RAN) determines that a wireless communication device (WCD), such as a mobile phone, has missed an incoming call, and responsively: (i) routes the incoming call to a message storage system to enable an originator of the call to leave a message for a user of the WCD, (ii) waits a period of time after routing the incoming call to the message storage system, and (iii) then generates and transmits a message waiting query to the message storage system without prompting from the WCD. In response to the message waiting query, the message storage system may transmit a signal indicative of the message to the RAN. Responsively, the RAN may then transmit to the WCD a message waiting indication (MWI) indicative of the message, for presentation of the MWI to the user of the WCD. |
| US08712380B2 |
Network based technique for obtaining operator identifier for mobile devices
Efficient network based techniques can be implemented in the equipment of an operator of a mobile communication network to automatically obtain an operator or billing identifier associated with a mobile device of a user or subscriber associated with the network. Such techniques can be utilized even when a client application program on the device is restricted by the device manufacturer from providing the operator's billing identifier in communications through the mobile network with an associated application server. The operator identifier associated with the user's mobile device can be obtained without significantly impacting system resources, performance, or user experience. |
| US08712378B1 |
Authorization method for location based services
A MLP request message is transmitted through a wireless mobile communication network, from a mobile station to a SUPL server. The MLP request message contains credential information for an AGPS application running on the mobile station. After the MLP request message has been transmitted, a MLP response message is transmitted through the network from the SUPL server to the mobile station. The MLP response message is responsive to the credential information and indicates whether the SUPL server has authorized the AGPS application. If the AGPS application is authorized, communication between the AGPS application and the SUPL server, through the network, implements a function of the AGPS application. |
| US08712377B2 |
Managing method and apparatus for servicing contents provided by content provider
A managing method and an apparatus for servicing contents provided by contents provider wherein the managing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a contents provider management module for generating an account of a contents provider based on information of the contents provider transmitted from the contents providing apparatus; a contents management module for managing a contents connection point for connecting to the contents provided from the contents providing apparatus and for managing information relative to the contents; and a menu management module for registering menus including a menu connected to the contents connection point and for managing a connection authority to a name of the menu and the menu, such that a collective management on the contents providers is possible and the contents providers can conveniently provide contents services to subscribers. |
| US08712372B2 |
Pre and post-paid real time billing convergence system
A telecommunications service provider architecture integrates multiple architectures which include prepaid and post-paid processing systems. The convergent enhanced architecture provides performance, scalability, and efficiency consistent with a prepaid architecture and flexibility and configurability consistent with a post-paid system. The convergent architecture provides messaging interfaces between a telecommunications support architecture and a prepaid architecture or a combined rating and billing architecture. The messaging interfaces support message transfer between the processing systems in the architectures to provide information exchange including billing exchanges, rating exchanges, and customer management exchanges. |
| US08712371B2 |
Feature management of a communication device
A system and method for the real-time management of a device, and more particularly to the establishment and enforcement of policies or rules associated with the feature or functions that may be performed with the device, such as making and receiving calls, exchanging data, playing games and music, sending and receiving email, accessing web sites, and paying for goods and services. If a child or employee is using the device, there may be a need to regulate how that device can be used and to determine who will pay for what goods or services. In addition to providing all of the features associated with a device, service providers need to be able to establish and enforce rules (policies) regulating how and when that device can be used and who will pay for a good or service requested by the user of the device. |
| US08712369B2 |
Emergency call notification for network services
Enhanced services, such as call restriction, call forwarding, anonymous call rejection, and proprietary services, may interfere with an emergency callback potentially preventing the callback from reaching the intended destination. Systems and methods for processing emergency calls to eliminate emergency callback failure in response to an emergency call being disconnected are provided herein. |
| US08712368B2 |
System and method for providing radio communication in a land mobile radio system
The present disclosure provides a system and method for providing radio communication at a scene, such as a fire or security scene, in an LMR system. The scene may include responder radios located within a building structure and a commander radio stationed outside, wherein the commander radio is in communication with the responder radios. Users operating the commander radio and responder radios cooperate by performing different, yet related, tasks at the scene. Therefore, the commander radio may be assigned a first set of features for communicating with responder radios, and responder radios may be assigned a second set of features for communicating with the commander radio. Some features of the system may include: locking one or more radio keys or radio knob settings, transmitting or receiving evacuation alerts, automatic switching between analog and digital communication, providing audible RSSI, indicating communication status of the radio, and providing out of range notification. |
| US08712365B2 |
System for the secure management of digitally controlled locks, operating by means of crypto acoustic credentials
The invention relates to a system that makes use of a mobile telephone (22) to which a user authorized to open a lock (28) has access. According to the invention, a remote management site (10) includes a database (12) of authorized users identified by the mobile telephone number thereof, as well as a data credential generator (14). The credentials are crypto acoustic credentials (CAC) in the form of single-use audio signals and are generated from digital data credentials (DDC) that are normally employed by the lock when the latter is used with a badge or a card. The system includes means (16, 18, 20) for securely transmitting the acoustic credentials to the user's telephone. The lock (22) picks up the acoustic credentials reproduced by the telephone pre-positioned near the lock and extracts the digital data credentials from the picked-up crypto acoustic credentials and, subsequently, the lock applies the thus-extracted digital data credentials to the analysis, authentication and control means of the lock. |
| US08712350B2 |
RF amplifier with digital filter for polar transmitter
An RF power amplifier for a polar transmitter converts an amplitude component signal into a 1-bit digital amplitude signal, which is fed to a digital finite impulse response filter. Successive taps of the filter each have an RF amplification stage arranged to amplify successively delayed versions of the 1-bit digital amplitude signal, the amplifying being according to a respective tap coefficient, and according to the RF carrier modulated by the phase component. The filter is arranged to combine the outputs of the taps to provide the amplified RF signal. The power amplifier uses a one bit stream which therefore has only two states (2 values), thus achieving linearity in principle. Device mismatch between taps does not lead to non-linearity or distortion. |
| US08712347B2 |
Wireless communication system
A wireless communication system is disclosed including a MIMO wireless communication apparatus that can communicate through multiple antennas and a non-MIMO wireless communication apparatus that can communicate through a single antenna or multiple antennas. The MIMO wireless communication apparatus includes a communication unit configured to transmit and receive control information divided into a second control information containing information related to the demodulation and decoding of traffic channel and a first control information containing information related to the MIMO separation of the second control information. |
| US08712345B2 |
Distortion compensation device, distortion compensation method, and radio transmitter
A distortion compensation device includes: a frequency-characteristic adding unit configured to add a frequency characteristic to an error signal to generate an added error signal, the error signal being a difference between an input signal input to an amplifier and an output signal output from the amplifier; a distortion-compensation-coefficient updating unit configured to update a distortion compensation coefficient for compensating for a distortion characteristic of the amplifier based on the added error signal; and a distortion compensation unit configured to perform distortion compensation on the input signal using the updated distortion compensation coefficient. |
| US08712342B2 |
Integrated transmit/receive switch
An apparatus comprises a transmit network to transmit an input from a first amplifier to an antenna, a receive network to provide an input from an antenna to a second amplifier, a first switch to selectively decouple the transmit network from the antenna, and a second switch to selectively decouple the receive network from the antenna. Other embodiments may be described. |
| US08712338B2 |
Method and system for implementing power detection
The present invention discloses a method and system for implementing power detection, wherein said method includes: extracting basic information of a destination base station from a detection request, obtaining configuration information of said destination base station from a database according to the basic information, and searching available signal transmission links and power collection points of said destination base station according to the configuration information; carrying out power collection, and analyzing power values of each available power collection point on the available signal transmission link, and updating the power values of corresponding power collection points. With the present invention, power detection can be carried out on the device from a perspective of the system, and the maintainability and operability are improved. |
| US08712332B2 |
Capacity and coverage self-optimization method and device in a mobile network
The present invention discloses an adaptive cell coverage and capacity optimization method and device in a mobile communication network, aiming to improve adaptive optimization performance of cell capacity and coverage. The technical solutions includes: calculating spectral efficiency of a cell; if the spectral efficiency of the cell is less than a first threshold, starting vertical sectorization processing of the cell to divide the cell into an inner sector and an outer sector, and configuring relevant parameters of the inner sector and the outer sector to improve the spectral efficiency of the cell; calculating spectral efficiency of the outer sector; and if the spectral efficiency of the outer sector is less than a second threshold, starting inter-cell interference coordination to improve the spectral efficiency of the outer sector, and reconfiguring the relevant parameters of the inner sector and the outer sector to improve the spectral efficiency of the cell. |
| US08712329B2 |
Method and system for remotely testing a wireless device
A method and system for testing a wireless device, the system comprising: a remote user interface for interacting with the data device from a remote location; and a wireless network for communication with the wireless data device from a remote location, wherein a tester can send information to and receive information from the wireless device over said wireless network and can monitor said wireless device and send inputs to the wireless device over the remote user interface thereby forming a closed loop communications path. |
| US08712326B2 |
Integrated projector system
A projector includes a first serial advanced technology attachment connector, a latch, a switch, and a communication module. The first serial advanced technology attachment connector is configured to connect with a second serial advanced technology attachment connector located within a computer. The latch is configured to extend from the projector and to disconnect the first serial advanced technology attachment connector from the second serial advanced technology attachment connector. The switch is in communication with the latch, and is configured to close when the latch is extended. The communication module is in communication with the switch and with the first serial advanced technology attachment connector. The communication module is configured to provide power to a radio link, to initiate communication with the computer via the radio link, to receive an image from the computer, and to display the image. |
| US08712325B2 |
Device, system, and method for logging near field communications tag interactions
An apparatus, method and system for categorizing, parsing, grouping and displaying Near Field Communication (NFC) tags for presentation on a user device, including storing in a computer readable medium of a log of ones of the tags read by or written by the user device, assessing at least one category for each of the logged tags, and displaying, in conjunction with at least one indicator indicative of the respective at least one category, of each of the logged tags on the user device. |
| US08712321B1 |
Satellite fleet deployment
Methods, systems, and devices are described for managing satellite communications through the deployment of a fleet of multi-beam satellites serving overlapping and non-overlapping spot beams. In these methods, systems, and devices, a first communication service associated with a relatively wider spot beam of a first satellite is provided to a first coverage area having multiple terminals. A second communication service associated with a relatively narrower spot beam (e.g., high-gain spot beam) of a second satellite is provided to a second coverage area located within the first coverage area. A subset of terminals located within the second coverage area is identified, and the terminals of the identified subset are transitioned from the first communication service of the wide spot beam of the first satellite to the second communication service of the high-gain spot beam of the second satellite. |
| US08712319B2 |
System and apparatus for control of published content
A system is provided that allows a user using her/his own mobile communication device to control content on a content publishing device. The mobile communication device uses information received from a data tag on the content publishing device to communicate with a content server providing the content to be published on a content publishing device and run a program on the content server allowing the mobile communication device to at least temporarily control the data published on the content publishing device. |
| US08712315B2 |
Image forming system, printing control method, and program
An image forming system includes a printing unit which prints an image on a recording sheet and a wrap bookbinding unit which performs wrap bookbinding of a batch of recording sheets including a plurality of document sheets on which images are printed by the printing unit. In the image forming system, a thickness detection unit detects a thickness of the batch of recording sheets. A wrap bookbinding control unit causes, when the detected thickness of the batch of recording sheets exceeds a thickness threshold value, the wrap bookbinding unit to perform wrap bookbinding to create two or more volumes. A relevant information printing control unit causes the printing unit to print an image of relevant information, indicating a relationship of the two or more volumes, on a cover sheet used to wrap each volume. |
| US08712313B2 |
Image forming apparatus
Disclosed herein is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing device configured to fix a visible image transferred on a printing medium, a decurl device configured to correct a curl produced on the printing medium, a discharging device configured to discharge the printing medium to a space outside of a main body of the image forming apparatus, and a guide device disposed between the fixing device and the discharging device. The guide device guides the printing medium around the decurl device when a transport direction of the printing medium is reversed for duplex printing. |
| US08712307B2 |
Pressure roller and fixing device equipped with the same
A pressure roller for use in a fixing device includes a core metal, an elastic layer, and a releasing layer. The releasing layer is made of at least one fluorine resin selected from among tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, and tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer. The fluorine resin contains at least one polymer selected from among polyvinylidene fluoride, polyacrylonitrile, and polymethyl methacrylate, and monomer electrolyte. |
| US08712306B2 |
Optical fixing device and image forming apparatus
An optical fixing device is provided that is capable of improving fixability as well as improving smoothness of an image on a recording medium that is formed after fixing, and forming a high-quality image of high gloss level. An optical fixing device includes a recording sheet fixing conveyance section that conveys a recording sheet on which a toner image is formed; a laser irradiation section that irradiates with light the toner image formed on the recording sheet that is conveyed by the recording sheet fixing conveyance section; and a pressurizing section that is disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the recording sheet from the light irradiation section and pressurizes the toner image on the recording sheet after irradiation of light by the light irradiation section. |
| US08712290B2 |
Electrostatic charger and image forming apparatus
An electrostatic charger (32A) of an image forming apparatus (1) takes the air not containing dust inside from the outside of an image forming unit (101) by an air current generator (632A), and delivers an air current through a passage (43A) to an air-intake opening (524A) formed in a bottom face (521A) of a case (52A). The air current taken inside the case (52A) from the air-intake opening (524A) is directed by a guide plate (56A) and an air barrier (57A) to a tip portion (531A) of a discharge electrode (53A), and then passing the tip portion (531A), it is exhausted via an opening (520A) of the case (52A) through an exhaust duct (62A) from an air-exhaust opening (63A) to the outside of the image forming unit (101). |
| US08712284B2 |
Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a drum frame, a movable developing frame taking a position where the roller contacts the drum, and a force receiver having first and second force receivers for receiving first and second external forces. The second force receiver moves relative to the developing frame. The second force receiver takes a stand-by position retracted from an operating position when the first force receiver receives the first external force, and moves from the stand-by to the operating position for moving the developing frame from the contacting position to the spacing position. The distance the second force receiver moves from the stand-by to the operating position is larger than the distance the first force receiver moves by the first external force. |
| US08712282B2 |
Image forming device
A retaining unit retains a plurality of photosensitive drums and includes a first conveying member. A main casing has a first conveying path and a second conveying path. The first conveying path extends from a first supplying unit to a first position where a second transfer unit opposes a downstream end portion of a first transfer unit. A first transferred medium is conveyed along the first conveying path in a conveying direction. A second transferred medium extends from a second supplying unit to a second position located upstream of the first position in the conveying direction. The second transferred medium is conveyed to the first conveying path through the second conveying path. The first conveying member is configured to convey the second transferred medium supplied from the second supplying unit in the second conveying path. |
| US08712270B2 |
Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus that switches fixing operation
A fixing apparatus capable of reducing deterioration in productivity while preventing a fixing roller from being heated to a high temperature. The fixing roller has a heating unit incorporated therein, and a rotatable pressurization roller abuts on the fixing roller. A thermistor detects a surface temperature of the fixing roller. A fixing operation is controlled by selectively switching between a first mode and a second mode in which the number of sheets subjected to fixing per unit time is smaller than in the first mode. One of the first and second modes is selected based on a first temperature detected by the thermistor at a first time, a second temperature detected by the thermistor at a second time, and a minimum temperature of the fixing roller at which the toner image can be fixed. |
| US08712269B2 |
Image forming apparatus capable of timely starting different image formation mode
An image forming apparatus includes a thermal fixing unit having a fixing member heated or cooled at multiple levels of the target fixing temperature in accordance with prescribed different image formation conditions, and a pressing member pressing against the fixing member to form a fixing nip thereon. A controller is provided to permit an image formation device to start image formation when temperature of the fixing member decreases to a level equal to or less than a prescribed image formation permissible temperature from temperature higher than one of the multiple levels of the target fixing temperature. The prescribed image formation permissible temperature is calculated by adding a prescribed adjustment value determined in accordance with a type of an image to be outputted to one of the multiple levels of the target fixing temperature. |
| US08712268B2 |
Fixing apparatus
A fixing apparatus is capable of executing a first fixing mode for performing fixing processing at a first pressing force and a second fixing mode for performing fixing processing at a second pressing force that is lower than the first pressing force. When a pressing force applied to a fixing nip portion is set to the second pressing force, all of a first heating member pattern on a heater is contained within a contact region between a belt member and the heater, and at least a portion of a second heating member pattern is disposed outside the contact region, so that consumed power is reduced. |
| US08712262B2 |
Image forming apparatus with static elimination
An image forming apparatus that prevents transfer defects such as the occurrence of white spots includes a photoreceptor drum, a transfer roller, a transfer bias application circuit that applies a transfer bias to the transfer roller, a static elimination needle that eliminates static of a recording paper, a static elimination bias application circuit that applies a static elimination bias to the static elimination needle, and a printer controller. The printer controller controls the static elimination bias application circuit so that a potential difference between the static elimination needle and the recording paper during the period from when a front end region of the recording paper passes by the static elimination needle until when a front end of the recording paper comes into contact with a conveyance guide becomes smaller than the potential difference during the period that the front end region of the recording paper passes by the static elimination needle. |
| US08712261B2 |
Lubricant supplying device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant supplying roller configured to rotate in a certain direction and makes a sliding contact with an image carrier on which a toner image is carried; a solid lubricant arranged to slide in contact with the lubricant supplying roller; a changing unit configured to change a revolution of the lubricant supplying roller to adjust an amount of the solid lubricant supplied onto the image carrier; and a calculation unit configured to obtain a product life or total consumption of the solid lubricant from a total running distance or total operating time of the image carrier or the lubricant supplying roller, the product life or the total consumption of the solid lubricant being corrected based on the amount of the solid lubricant supplied onto the image carrier. |
| US08712257B2 |
Image forming system, prognosis criterion setting apparatus, prognosis apparatus, image forming apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
An image forming system includes first and second generation units, a setting unit, and a prognosis unit. For a monitoring item whose detection values, being detected during an image forming operation in an image forming apparatus in which a trouble occurred within a predetermined time period after an operating condition was changed, were changed to an abnormal state, the first generation unit generates characteristic information indicating a variation state of the detection values. The setting unit sets criterion information to predict occurrence of a trouble, based on the generated characteristic information. The second generation unit generates, for the monitoring item corresponding to the set criterion information, characteristic information indicating a variation state of detection values in a target image forming apparatus. The prognosis unit predicts whether a trouble occurs after the operating condition is changed, based on a difference between the set criterion information and the characteristic information generated. |
| US08712251B2 |
Transport of multiple asynchronous data streams using higher order modulation
Aspects of the invention provide transmitters and receivers for managing multiple optical signals. High order modulation, such as phase and/or amplitude modulation, is used to achieve multiple bits per symbol by transporting multiple asynchronous data streams in an optical transport system. One or more supplemental multiplexing techniques such as time division multiplexing, polarization multiplexing and sub-carrier multiplexing may be used in conjunction with the high order modulation processing. This may be done in various combinations to realize a highly spectrally efficient multi-data stream transport mechanism. The system receives a number of asynchronous signals which are unframed and synchronized, and then reframed and tagged prior to the high order modulation. Differential encoding may also be performed. Upon reception of the multiplexed optical signal, the receiver circuitry may employ either direct detection without a local oscillator or coherent detection with a local oscillator. |
| US08712250B2 |
Data center with free-space optical communications
A data center for executing a data processing application includes processing units, sub-units or servers. Each of the processing units, sub-units or servers can execute a part or all of the data processing application. The processing units, sub-units or servers are electrical disjoint with respect to data communications, but can communicate with each other over free space optical links. |
| US08712249B2 |
Optical interconnect in high-speed memory systems
A optical link for achieving electrical isolation between a controller and a memory device is disclosed. The optical link increases the noise immunity of electrical interconnections, and allows the memory device to be placed a greater distance from the processor than is conventional without power-consuming I/O buffers. |
| US08712247B2 |
Clock phase recovery apparatus
A clock phase recovery apparatus includes a clock estimator for estimating a first clock signal and a second clock signal upon the basis of an input signal, the input signal comprising a first sub-signal according to a first optical polarization and a second sub-signal according to a second optical polarization, the first clock signal comprising a first clock magnitude and a first clock phase, the second clock signal comprising a second clock magnitude and a second clock phase, and a selector for selecting the first clock phase to form the estimated clock phase if the first clock magnitude is greater than the second clock magnitude, or for selecting the second clock phase to form the estimated clock phase if the second clock magnitude is greater than the first clock magnitude. |
| US08712246B2 |
RF/optical shared aperture for high availability wideband communication RF/FSO links
An RF/Optical shared aperture is capable of transmitting and receiving optical signals and RF signals simultaneously. This technology enables compact wide bandwidth communications systems with 100% availability in clear air turbulence, rain and fog. The functions of an optical telescope and an RF reflector antenna are combined into a single compact package by installing an RF feed at either of the focal points of a modified Gregorian telescope. |
| US08712245B1 |
System and method for infrared dongle
A method of controlling consumer devices using an infrared dongle coupled to a mobile device includes receiving power for the infrared dongle from the mobile device. The infrared dongle includes an infrared transmitter coupled to a microcontroller. One or more instructions are received in the microcontroller from the mobile device. The received one or more instructions are generated from codes stored in a memory of the mobile device. In response to the receiving, one or more infrared signals are transmitted via the infrared transmitter to at least one of the consumer devices. |
| US08712242B2 |
Ranging method and apparatus in passive optical network
The present invention discloses a method for ranging in a passive optical network, and the method includes: obtaining a Round Trip Delay (RTD) between an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and an Optical Network Unit (ONU); and opening a quiet window used for the ranging for the ONU according to the RTD to perform the ranging on this ONU. The present invention further discloses an apparatus for ranging in a passive optical network, and the apparatus includes: an obtainment module which is configured to: obtain a RTD between an OLT and an ONU; and a ranging module configured to: open a quiet window used for ranging for the ONU to perform ranging on the ONU according to the RTD. The present invention shortens the open time of the quiet window used for the ranging and improves the efficiency of the upstream transmission, and the implementation method is simple and convenient. |
| US08712238B2 |
Optical switching device and communications system
An optical switching device includes a optical add/drop multiplexer that at least adds an optical signal into and/or drops an optical signal from wavelength division multiplexed light that is wavelength division multiplexed optical signals; a plurality of amplifiers that are disposed on optical paths included in the optical add/drop multiplexer and that can use supplied pump light to amplify the optical signals; an optical source that generates the pump light; and an optical switch that supplies the generated pump light to any one of the amplifiers. |
| US08712233B2 |
Electronic device assemblies
An electronic device may have a conductive housing. A dielectric structure may be mounted in the conductive housing to form an antenna window. An electrical component such as a camera, light sensor, or other device may press against a conductive foam structure. A printed circuit may have conductive traces that form an antenna ground and antenna resonating element. The printed circuit may be wrapped around a support structure. The electrical component, the conductive foam structure, and the printed circuit wrapped around the support structure may be compressed between a display cover layer and the antenna window. A camera window may be attached to a camera window trim using multiple adhesives. The trim may have a curved exterior surface that matches a curved housing surface. A flexible printed circuit cable may have a folded portion. A band structure may surround the folded portion to form a service loop. |
| US08712232B1 |
Real-image zoom viewfinder and imaging apparatus
A zoom viewfinder substantially consists of, in order from the object side: a variable-magnification objective lens system substantially consisting of a first lens group that includes a negative first-group first lens and a reflective member arranged in this order from the object side, a positive second lens group that is moved during magnification change, and a positive third lens group that is moved during magnification change; an erect optical system having a reflective surface for converting an inverted image into an erect image; and a positive eyepiece lens system, wherein conditional expressions (1), (2A) and (3) below are satisfied: 1.5 |
| US08712231B2 |
Camera body, and camera system
A camera body to which an interchangeable lens capable of changing zoom magnification is mountable. The camera body includes a sound pickup section that picks up sounds to generate audio data and a sound processor that changes settings relating to directionality of the sound pickup section in conjunction with the zoom magnification of the interchangeable lens. When the interchangeable lens is positioned to provide the minimum magnification of zoom, the sound processor sets the directionality of the sound pickup section to a directionality by which sounds in the widest region can be picked up based on the zoom range information. When the interchangeable lens is positioned to provide the maximum magnification of zoom, the sound processor sets the directionality of the sound pickup section to a directionality by which sounds in the narrowest region can be picked up based on the zoom range information. |
| US08712220B2 |
Video reproducing apparatus and video reproducing method
According to one embodiment, a video reproducing apparatus includes a video data generating device generating reproduction control video data for displaying a reproduction control image of video contents in a constant cycle on an occasion of reproducing the video contents; and an update cycle adjusting device making an update cycle in which the reproduction control video data is updated longer than the constant cycle, within a range in which all the reproduction control images which should be displayed by the reproduction control video data are displayed. |
| US08712219B2 |
Method for editing a media clip in a mobile terminal device, a terminal device utilizing the method and program means for implementing the method
An aspect of the invention relates to a method for editing a media record in a terminal device of a cellular network, by removing at least one portion of the original contents of the media record. The state of editing is shown on the display of the terminal device with a pointer arrangement. An aspect of the invention also relates to a cellular network terminal device in which the method is utilized. In the terminal device the media record editing is controlled with a program application. |
| US08712217B1 |
Methods and systems for time-shifting content
Methods and systems for providing data such as content are disclosed. A method can comprise receiving content, randomly shifting the received content, and providing the randomly shifted received content to a computing device. |
| US08712215B2 |
Recording medium, playback device, integrated circuit
A base-view video stream and a dependent-view video stream are recorded on a BD-ROM. The base-view video stream includes picture data constituting a base view of a stereoscopic image. The dependent-view video stream includes offset metadata and picture data constituting a dependent view of the stereoscopic image. The offset metadata includes an offset sequence that defines an offset control of a plane memory when a graphics to be overlaid with the picture data is played back in a one-plane offset mode. |
| US08712213B2 |
Video-recording reservation management apparatus, method, program, and system
A first video-recording reservation management apparatus which communicates with a second apparatus and can receive the same channels. The first apparatus includes a video-recording reservation processing unit which registers video-recording reservation information of the first apparatus in a storage unit and notifies the second apparatus of such registration via a network when a video-recording reservation is made with respect to the video-recording function of the first apparatus, and a substitutional video-recording reservation processing unit which acquires registered video-recording reservation information from the second apparatus and registers the information in the storage unit when such a registration notification is received from the network, and executes a substitutional video-recording reservation by using the video-recording function of the first apparatus when the video-recording reservation of the second apparatus corresponding to the substitutional video-recording reservation information is not executed when video-recording cannot be performed due to power outage or failure. |
| US08712212B2 |
Recording apparatus, recording method, reproducing apparatus, reproducing method, program, and recording/producing apparatus
A recording apparatus includes: a parallax detecting unit detecting a parallax between L and R images included in 3D contents to be recorded; and a recording control unit recording both of the L and R images at a first section at which the parallax between the L and R images is greater than a threshold value and recording one of the L and R images at a second section at which the parallax between the L and R images is less than the threshold value. |
| US08712210B2 |
Content reproduction apparatus and content processing method therefor
A content reproduction apparatus that adopts a content processing method includes a video processor, a video analyzer, and an audio processor for processing audio data and video data input thereto. The video analyzer analyzes video characteristics of video data such as resolutions, compressive distortions, and real frame rates. The video processor processes video data in accordance with video processing, which is determined based on analyzed video characteristics of video data. The audio processor processes audio data in accordance with audio processing, such as dynamic range compression and/or frequency component extension/enhancement, which is determined based on analyzed video characteristics of video data. Thus, it is possible to reproduce sound in an articulate manner depending on the video quality, which is either professional-level video shooting or nonprofessional-level video shooting. |
| US08712209B2 |
Playback device, playback method, and computer program
There is provided a playback device including a content playback unit configured to playback content, a playlist acquisition unit configured to acquire, while the playback unit is playing back the content on the basis of a playlist, at least one external playlist from outside, the external playlist having at least two pieces of content that are common to content in the playlist and having a matching playback order of at least the two consecutive pieces of content, and a playlist display unit configured to display the playlist and the external playlist acquired by the playlist acquisition unit such that the playlists are linked at positions of the consecutive matching pieces of content. |
| US08712207B2 |
Digital photographing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and recording medium for the method
Provided are a digital photographing apparatus that is capable of displaying a slide show in which music and images are displayed in a harmonious manner to the user by replaying a plurality of image files according to an atmosphere created by the music by determining a replay order of the plurality of image files according to the music based on music information and image information, a method of controlling the digital photographing apparatus, and a recording medium for recording the method. |
| US08712204B2 |
Optical modulation element
An optical modulation device 1 includes a supporting body 2 including a pair of grooves 2b, 2c and a protrusion 2d between the grooves, a ridge par 6 including a channel type optical waveguide capable of multi mode propagation, a first side plate part 3A formed in a first side of the ridge part 6, a second side plate part 3B formed in a second side of the ridge part, a first adhesive layer 4A adhering the first side plate part 3A and the supporting body 2, a second adhesive layer 4B adhering the second side plate part 3B and the supporting body 2, and a third adhesive layer 4C adhering the ridge part 6 and the protrusion 2d. The device 1 further includes a first electrode 7A provided on a side face 6b of the ridge part on the first groove side, and a side face 3b and an upper face 3c of the first side plate part, and a second electrode 7B provided on a side face 6c of the ridge part 6 in the second groove side, the second groove 2c and a side face 3b and an upper face 3c of the second side plate part 3B. The first electrode 7A and the second electrode 7B apply a modulation voltage modulating light propagating in the channel type optical waveguide. |
| US08712203B2 |
Formation of an optical waveguide
Technologies are generally described for an optical waveguide, methods and systems effective to form an optical waveguide, and an optical system including an optical waveguide. In some examples, the optical waveguide may include a silicon oxynitride region in a wall of the silicon substrate. The silicon oxynitride region may define an inner region of the optical waveguide. The wall may define a via. The optical waveguide may include a silicon oxide region in the substrate. The silicon oxide region may define an outer region of the optical waveguide adjacent to the inner region. |
| US08712202B2 |
Single mode optical fiber with improved bend performance
Methods and apparatus relate to optical fibers suitable for use in sensing applications exposed to radiation environments. The fibers include a core of pure silica or chlorine doped silica surrounded by a fluorinated silica cladding. These glasses for the core and cladding utilize dopants that resist radiation-induced attenuation. A two step process for forming the cladding can achieve necessary concentrations of the fluorine by performing a soot deposition process in a different environment from a consolidation process where the soot is sintered into a glass. Concentration of fluorine doped into the cladding layer enables obtaining a numerical aperture that confines a mono-mode of the fiber to resist bend-induced attenuation. Dimensions of the fiber further facilitate bending ability of the fiber. |
| US08712198B2 |
Optical splitter device
An optical splitter device and method are provided. The device can include a waveguide having walls forming a large hollow core. The waveguide can be configured to direct an optical signal through the large hollow core. An optical tap can be formed through at least one wall of the waveguide. In addition, a prism can be located in the large hollow core of the waveguide and aligned with the optical tap. A splitter coating can be provided on the prism to direct a portion of the optical signal outside of the waveguide through the optical tap. |
| US08712196B2 |
Optical cable plug-in detection
An optical cable system includes switching circuitry, a resistance network, optical-to-electrical conversion circuitry, and electrical-to-optical conversion circuitry. The electrical-to-optical conversion circuitry can convert an electrical transmit signal into an optical transmit signal. When the optical-to-electrical conversion circuitry detects a received optical signal having an optical power exceeding a threshold, the optical-to-electrical conversion circuitry produces a switching signal that causes the switching circuitry to couple the resistance network to a terminal or other node associated with the electrical transmit signal, thereby changing the impedance at that node as perceived by plug-in detection circuitry of a device such as a computer or peripheral. |
| US08712194B1 |
System for non-destructive image processing
An image processor comprises a plurality of processing modules coupled together in series. Each of at least two of the processing modules includes an image data input to receive at least one of i) an original image or ii) image data output by a previous processing module in the series. Each of the at least two of the processing modules also includes a processing unit configured to i) detect that image data is to be generated and ii) process image data received via the at least one image data input to generate image data. Each of the at least two of the processing modules also includes a memory to store image data generated by the processing unit. |
| US08712189B2 |
Methods, systems, and media for swapping faces in images
Methods, systems, and media for swapping faces in images are provided. In some embodiments, a detected face and face data corresponding to an input image is received. A pose bin associated with the detected face is then identified based on the face data. Next, the detected face is aligned to a generic face associated with the pose bin. At least a portion of a candidate face associated with the pose bin is selected. The at least a portion of the candidate face is then copied to a copy of the input image that is aligned with the generic image to form a swapped-face image. The swapped-face image is next aligned to the input image to form an output image, and then the output image is outputted to a display. |
| US08712188B2 |
System and method for document orientation detection
In one embodiment, a method of detecting document orientation includes capturing a document image, binarizing each subimage of the document image to retain textual content and eliminate graphic and noise content from the document image, detecting portrait or landscape orientation based on values computed from strip-based projection profiles, and detecting up or down text orientation based on a text-asymmetry ratio computed from strip-based projection profiles. |
| US08712185B2 |
High-accuracy centered fractional fourier transform matrix for optical imaging and other applications
Methods for numerically generating a centered discrete fractional Fourier transform matrix on a computer, the centered discrete fractional Fourier transform matrix of size N by N where N is an odd integer. Centering is obtained by simple barrel roll operations on eigenvectors. High-accuracy is obtained by numerically calculating the eigenvectors of the discrete fractional Fourier transform matrix from a closed-form mathematical formula and then iteratively performing a Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization procedure until a resulting set of improved-orthogonal eigenvectors is produced that is sufficiently orthogonal. |
| US08712183B2 |
System and method for performing image correction
A system and method for correcting image data. Embodiments of the present invention provide image correction to overcome various lens effects, optical crosstalk, and electrical crosstalk. In one embodiment, the method includes accessing, within an electronic system, a plurality of control points for a patch of a spline surface and calculating a plurality of intermediate control points corresponding to a row of pixels of the patch. The method further includes receiving a pixel of an image and correcting the pixel based on the plurality of intermediate control points in streaming scanline column-wise or row-wise order. |
| US08712169B2 |
Transcoded images for improved trick play
A method and apparatus are provided for facilitating processing of images contained in an encoded video stream wherein a plurality of non-intra coded images are transcoded into intra-coded images (I-images). The transcoded I-images are then used to facilitate trick mode playback, such as reverse playback, fast reverse playback or fast forward playback. In addition, an image sequence window is defined and transcoded I-images which fall outside of the image sequence window are deleted from a memory. |
| US08712161B2 |
Image manipulating system and method
An image information acquiring system obtains a group of relative values to describe the image. A pixel value of each pixel in the image is acquired. Ratios between the pixel value of each pixel and a pixel value of each other pixel which is adjacent to the pixel are obtained for obtaining the group of relative values. The group of relative values is used for comparing two images or reproducing another image. |
| US08712156B2 |
Comparison of visual information
A method determines similarity of objects depicted in images when the images pertain to different modalities. The method includes obtaining images that depict the objects and that pertain to the different modalities. An embedding function is applied to each of the images. The embedding function is selected from a set of two or more embedding functions, each of the embedding functions corresponding to a modality of the different modalities, the selected embedding function corresponding to the modality of the image to which it is applied. Application of the embedding function maps that image to a representation in a representation space such that when the images are mapped to the representation space, a distance between the representations of the images is indicative of a similarity of their depicted objects. The similarity of the depicted objects is determined based on the location of the corresponding representations in the representation space. |
| US08712154B2 |
Image processing system and method
A method dividing an image into plural superpixels of plural pixels of the image. The method calculates an initial set of weights from a measure of similarity between pairs of pixels, from which a resultant set of weights is calculated for pairs of pixels that are less that a threshold distance apart on the image. The calculation calculates a weight for a pair of pixels as the sum over a set of third pixels of the product of initial weight of the first pixel of the pair of pixel with the third pixel and the weight of the third pixel with the second pixel. Each weight is then subjected to a power coefficient operation. The resultant set of weights and the initial set of weights are then compared to check for convergence. If the weights converge, the converged set of weights is used to divide the image into superpixels. |
| US08712152B2 |
Method of processing data and display apparatus for performing the method
A method of processing data includes correcting received color data and generating corrected color data, generating color glitch correction data corresponding to the corrected color data using a glitch correction value preset based on the received color data, and converting the color glitch correction data into a color data voltage and providing the color data voltage to a display panel. |
| US08712149B2 |
Apparatus and method for foreground detection
An apparatus and a method for fast foreground detection are provided. A foreground characteristic value calculation module calculates a foreground characteristic value by using an image intensity of each pixel in a target image and a background intensity of a corresponding pixel in a background model. A first filter determines a first threshold and a second threshold according to at least one scenic factor for capturing the target image and filters out non-foreground pixels having their foreground characteristic value between the first threshold and the second threshold from pixels in the target image. A second filter determines an image difference condition and a chroma similarity condition according to the scenic factor and filters out non-foreground pixels having their foreground characteristic value satisfying the image difference condition and the chroma similarity condition from pixels left by the first filter. Pixels left by the second filter are served as foreground pixels. |
| US08712148B2 |
Generating agricultural information products using remote sensing
A method for generating a raster file based on a plurality of primary index raster files that are associated with an area of interest (AOI) uses a computer coupled to a remote sensing device via a network. The method includes receiving a plurality of AOI raster files via the network, and generating the primary index raster files including a green biomass index (GBI) raster file and a pigmentation index (PGI) raster file. The method also includes generating a plurality of levels for each of the primary index raster files, generating a combination vegetation index (CVIPP) raster file based on a highest level of the GBI and PGI raster files, and generating a corn soybean map (CSM) raster file based on the CVIPP raster file. The method also includes storing the CSM raster file into the memory, and displaying a CSM report based on the CSM raster file. |
| US08712145B2 |
Depth estimation apparatus and method
A depth estimation apparatus is provided. The depth estimation apparatus may estimate a depth value of at least one pixel composing an input video based on feature information about at least one feature of the input video, a position of the at least one pixel, and a depth relationship among the at least one pixel and neighboring pixels. |
| US08712139B2 |
Methods and systems for automated segmentation of dense cell populations
Systems and methods for segmenting images comprising cells, wherein the images comprise a plurality of pixels; one or more three dimensional (3D) clusters of cells are identified in the images; and the 3D clusters of cells are automatically segmented into individual cells using one or more models. |
| US08712135B2 |
Apparatus and method for image reconstruction and CT system
A method for image reconstruction using projection data obtained by an asymmetric detector includes dividing the projection data into Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Region 1 is an asymmetric region having detecting channels but no detecting channels symmetrical about a central channel. Region 2 is a transition region having detecting channels and there are detecting channels symmetrical about the central channel. Region 3 is a symmetric region having detecting channels and there are detecting channels symmetrical about the central channel. Region 4 is a transition region having detecting channels and there are detecting channels symmetrical about the central channel. Region 5 is a truncated region where there is no detecting channel. The method includes performing a view angle weighting on projection data in each of the five regions, and reconstructing a tomographic image of an irradiated subject from the weighted projection data. |
| US08712131B2 |
Determination method for a reinitialization of a temporal sequence of fluoroscopic images of an examination region of an examination object
A determination method for reinitialization of a temporal sequence of fluoroscopic images of an examination region of an examination object is provided. The examination region comprises a vascular system including arteries and/or veins. An acquisition time is assigned to each of the images representing a given distribution of a substance in the examination region at the acquisition time. A computer receives the temporal sequence of the images, determines an evaluation image corresponding spatially on a pixel-by-pixel basis to the images, and calculates a differential value between a pixel of the evaluation image at a time and a pixel at a preceding time during a time characteristic of the sequence. A reinitialization of the temporal sequence of the images is performed at a specific time and thereafter the determination method is started over and/or repeated. The specific time is determined as a function of at least one previously calculated differential value. |
| US08712130B2 |
Method and device for evaluating evolution of tumoural lesions
A new method (100) for evaluating evolution of tumoral lesions includes: —providing (101) a first image of the tumoral lesions, the first image being made at a first time instant; —providing (102) a second image of the tumoral lesions, the second image being made at a second time instant that is later than the first time instant; —delineating (103) a border of the tumoral lesions in the first image and the second image; —registration (103) of the tumoral lesions in the first image the second image; —segmenting (104) the tumoral lesions in the first image and the second image into concentric areas; —quantifying (105) changes of at least one functional parameter between the concentric areas in the first image and respective corresponding concentric areas in the second image; and —visualizing (106) the changes in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional model of the tumoral lesions. |
| US08712122B2 |
Shape based similarity of continuous wave doppler images
Continuous wave Doppler images in a data base comprising cardiac echo studies are processed to separate Doppler frames. The frames are pre-processed to extract envelope curves and their corner shape features. Shape patterns in Doppler images from echo studies of patients with known cardiac (valvular) diseases are employed to infer the similarity in valvular disease labels for purposes of automated clinical decision support. Specifically, similarity in appearance of Doppler images from the same disease class is modeled as a constrained non-rigid translation transform of velocity envelopes embedded in these images. Shape similarity between two Doppler images is then judged by recovering the alignment transform using a variant of dynamic shape warping. Since different diseases appear as characteristic shape patterns in Doppler images, measuring the similarity in the shape pattern conveyed within the velocity region of two Doppler images can infer the similarity in their diagnosis labels. |
| US08712120B1 |
Rules-based approach to transferring and/or viewing medical images
Systems and methods that allow transfer criteria to be defined based on one or more of several attributes, such as a particular user, site, or device, as well as whether individual images and/or image series are classified as thin slices, and applied to medical images in order to determine which images are downloaded, viewed, stored, and/or any number of other actions that might be performed with respect to particular images. |
| US08712116B2 |
Image generation based on a plurality of overlapped swathes
A method of generating a digital representation of a portion of an object from sets of digital data defining the color content of individually stored, overlapping swathes of pixels of an image of the object portion. The method comprises: (a) selecting a portion of the object; (b) determining the swathes which contain pixels within the selected portion; (c) correlating adjacent ones of said swathes; (d) if necessary, adjusting the relative positions of the adjacent swathes in accordance with the results of the correlating step (c); and, (e) generating a digital representation of pixels of the selected portion from the correlated swathes. |
| US08712115B2 |
Real-time virtual endoscopy
In a method of real-time 3-D visualization and navigation for interventional procedures a position is determined at which data will be acquired, and data is acquired at the position. Features are extracted from the acquired data. A model described by the extracted features is built or updated, wherein updating the model includes calculating at least one acquisition parameter of a set of acquisition parameters. 3-D scenes showing the interior or exterior of one or more organs are displayed using the model or data extracted from the model. A region for updating is determined. |
| US08712114B2 |
Elegant solutions for fingerprint image enhancement
This invention includes image processing techniques directed to achieve feature enhancement and background-foreground enhancement in fingerprint images. The image is divided into plural segments depending on the ridge-valley directions. Each segment is separately filtered with a directional filter generally perpendicular to the corresponding ridge-valley direction. Background-foreground detection employs edge detection to identify edge pixels. These edge pixels are averaged to determine a threshold. The threshold is applied to the original image to determine background and foreground pixels. The background and foreground pixels are filtered via a watershed fill filter with separate connectivity for background and foreground pixels. |
| US08712106B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
An image processing apparatus includes a flatness detector, a difference calculation section, a noise level detector, and a motion detector. The flatness detector detects a flat region where pixel values of pixels on a first image are flat, based on variances of the pixel values of the pixels constituting the first image inputted. The difference calculation section calculates a difference between the pixel values of the pixels corresponding to the first image and a second image which continues before or after the first image. The noise level detector detects a noise level indicating a statistic noise amount of noise generated in each pixel constituting the first image based on the variances of the difference. The motion detector detects at least one of a still region indicating a region where an object on the first image is still and a motion region indicating a region where the object is moving. |
| US08712105B2 |
Vehicle speed verification system and method
A method of assessing the speed of a vehicle including the steps of obtaining a first image of a vehicle; obtaining a second image of the vehicle captured at a known time after capture of the first image; selecting a reference point on the vehicle in the first image; and indicating a location in the second image corresponding to a predicted location of the selected vehicle reference point assuming that the vehicle travels at a particular speed between the times of capture of the first and second images. |
| US08712104B2 |
Traffic signal mapping and detection
A system and method provides maps identifying the 3D location of traffic lights. The position, location, and orientation of a traffic light may be automatically extrapolated from two or more images. The maps may then be used to assist robotic vehicles or human drivers to identify the location and status of a traffic signal. |
| US08712099B2 |
Image surveillance system and method of detecting whether object is left behind or taken away
An image surveillance system and a method of detecting whether an object is left behind or taken away are provided. The image surveillance system includes: a foreground detecting unit which detects a foreground region based on a pixel information difference between a background image and a current input image; a still region detecting unit which detects a candidate still region by clustering foreground pixels of the foreground region, and determines whether the candidate still region is a falsely detected still region or a true still region; and an object detecting unit which determines whether an object is left behind or taken away, based on edge information about the true still region. |
| US08712095B2 |
Digital processing method and system for determination of optical flow
A method and system for determining an optical flow field between a pair of images is disclosed. Each of the pair of images is decomposed into image pyramids using a non-octave pyramid factor. The pair of decomposed images is transformed at a first pyramid scale to second derivative representations under an assumption that a brightness gradient of pixels in the pair of decomposed images is constant. Discrete-time derivatives of the second derivative image representations are estimated. An optical flow estimation process is applied to the discrete-time derivatives to produce a raw optical flow field. The raw optical flow field is scaled by the non-octave pyramid factor. The above-cited steps are repeated for the pair of images at another pyramid scale until all pyramid scales have been visited to produce a final optical flow field, wherein spatiotemporal gradient estimations are warped by a previous raw optical flow estimation. |
| US08712092B2 |
Magnetic circuit and speaker using same
The present invention provides a magnet assembly and speaker including such a magnet assembly. The magnet assembly includes an outer magnet defining a pair of first plat magnets, an inner magnet surrounded by the outer magnet and defining a pair of second plat magnets, a first magnetic gap formed between an inner surface of the outer magnet and an outer surface of the inner magnet, and a magnetic conductive portion sandwiched between the pair of the second plat magnets. A width of the magnetic conductive portion is unequal to a length of the outer and inner magnets. Polarity of the pair of the first plate magnets adjacent to the magnetic gap is similar to each other. Polarity of the pair of the first plate magnets adjacent to the magnetic gap are opposite to that of the pair of the second plate magnets adjacent to the first magnetic gap. |
| US08712088B2 |
Earpiece positioning and retaining
A positioning and retaining structure for an in-ear earpiece. An outer leg and an inner leg are attached to each other at an attachment end and attached to a body of the earpiece at the other end. The outer leg lies in a plane. The positioning and retaining structure have a stiffness that is greater when force is applied to the attachment end in a counterclockwise direction in the plane of the outer leg than when force is applied to the attachment end in a clockwise direction in the plane of the outer leg. The positioning and retaining structure position an earpiece associated with the earpiece in a users ear and retains the earpiece in its position. |
| US08712082B2 |
Wireless updating of hearing devices
The method of manufacturing a firmware-updated programmable hearing device comprising at least one processor and a memory unit in which hearing device firmware is stored, comprises the step of executing an update application in said processor installing an updated version of at least a portion of the hearing device firmware in said memory unit. The system for updating the firmware of a programmable hearing device as described above comprises: an update apparatus comprising a communication interface for communication via a wireless communication link and a storage unit in which an update application is stored, which is designed to be executed in said processor installing an updated version of at least a portion of the hearing device firmware in said memory unit. |
| US08712081B2 |
Real ear measurement system using thin tube
An embodiment of a hearing assistance apparatus for performing a Real Ear Measurement (REM), comprises a hearing assistance device housing, a microphone within the housing, an earhook connected to the housing, and a flexible tube. The house has a first opening for guiding sound into the housing to the microphone. The housing and the connected earhook form an interface, where the earhook has a shape to provide a slot near the interface of the housing and the earhook. The tube guides sound, and has a first end and a second end. The first end of the flexible tube and the slot of the earhook cooperate to retain the first end of the flexible tube in the slot of the earhook and flush with the housing to provide a sound-tight connection with the first opening. |
| US08712080B2 |
Display system, display control method and computer program
It is expected to provide a display system, display control method and computer program for effectively outputting sound with plural display apparatuses in a two dimensional array.A control apparatus 2 is connected to a two dimensional array display apparatus unit made with display apparatuses 1, 1, . . . configuring a multivision system. A controlling unit 20 of the control apparatus 2 obtains position information for the display apparatus unit in the two dimensional array. Based on the position of each display apparatus 1 in the two dimensional array display apparatus unit, the controlling unit 20 decides the presence or absence of output sound and selects the channel for the output sound. |
| US08712078B2 |
Headset systems and methods
A wireless headset is adapted to communicate with a sound source such as a music player or a cell phone or a suitable audio or sound communicated through a one-way or two-way communication device. The headset includes a mouth wearable communicator; and a linking unit coupled to the mouth wearable communicator, the linking unit adapted to communicate with the sound source. |
| US08712076B2 |
Post-processing including median filtering of noise suppression gains
A method of post-processing raw banded gains for applying to an audio signal, an apparatus to generate banded post-processed gains, and a tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed carry out the method. The raw banded gains are determined by input processing one or more input audio signals. The method includes applying post-processing to the raw banded gains to generate banded post-processed gains, generating a particular post-processed gain for a particular frequency band, including median filtering using raw gain values for frequency bands adjacent to the particular frequency band. One or more properties of the post-processing depend on classification of the one or more input audio signals. |
| US08712068B2 |
Acoustic echo cancellation
An input signal is supplied to a loudspeaker-room-microphone system having a transfer function and that provides an output signal. An adaptive filter unit models the transfer function of the loudspeaker-room-microphone system and provides an approximated output signal, where the output signal and the approximated output signal are subtracted from each other to provide an error signal. The modeling of the transfer function of the loudspeaker-room-microphone system in the adaptive filter comprises transforming the input signal and the error signal from the time domain into the spectral domain; delaying of the input signal in the frequency domain to generate multiple differently delayed input signals in the frequency domain; adaptive filtering of each one of the multiple differently delayed input signals in the frequency domain according to the error signal in the spectral domain; summing up of the filtered differently delayed input signals in the frequency domain to generate the approximated output signal in the frequency domain; and transforming the approximated output signal from the spectral domain into the time domain. |
| US08712063B2 |
Synchronization of sound generated in binaural hearing system
The binaural hearing system comprises a first hearing device and a second hearing device, each comprising an output transducer for converting audio signals into signals to be perceived by a user of the hearing system. A communication link interconnects the first and second hearing devices. A sound generator comprised in the first hearing device generates first audio signals. The first hearing device is adapted to transmit the first audio signals to the second hearing device via the communication link. Through the transmission of the generated first audio signals, it is possible to achieve a predictable latency for the perception of the first audio signals by the user's two ears. |
| US08712061B2 |
Phase-amplitude 3-D stereo encoder and decoder
A two-channel phase-amplitude stereo encoding and decoding scheme enabling flexible and spatially accurate interactive 3-D audio reproduction via standard audio-only two-channel transmission. The encoding scheme allows associating a 2-D or 3-D positional localization to each of a plurality of sound sources by use of frequency independent inter-channel phase and amplitude differences. The decoder is based on frequency-domain spatial analysis of 2-D or 3-D directional cues in a two-channel stereo signal and re-synthesis of these cues using any preferred spatialization technique, thereby allowing faithful reproduction of positional audio cues and reverberation or ambient cues over arbitrary multi-channel loudspeaker reproduction formats or over headphones, while preserving source separation despite the intermediate encoding over only two audio channels. |
| US08712057B2 |
Apparatus and method for an iterative cryptographic block
A method and apparatus for an iterative cryptographic block under the control of a CPU and without a fixed number of stages. In one embodiment, a first cryptographic block descrambles received information using an internal key or a preprogrammed key to form a descrambled key or descrambled data. A data feedback path stores the descrambled data as internal data and provides the internal data or the external data as data input to the first cryptographic block. A key feedback path stores the descrambled key as an internal key and provides the internal key or the preprogrammed key to a key input of the first cryptographic block. A second cryptographic block descrambles received content using a final descrambling key. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08712056B2 |
Secure mobile ad hoc network
Security in a mobile ad hoc network is maintained by using various forms of encryption, various encryption schemes, and various multi-phase keying techniques. In one configuration, an over the air, three-phase, re-keying technique is utilized to ensure that no authorized nodes are lost during re-keying and that nodes that are intended to be excluded from re-keying are excluded. In another configuration, an over the air, two-phase keying technique, is utilized to maintain backwards secrecy. |
| US08712049B2 |
System for implementing dynamic pseudorandom keyboard remapping
A system for implementing dynamic pseudorandom keyboard remapping includes a keyboard in communication with an operating system of a computing device; the keyboard configured to encrypt an original keyboard scan code corresponding to each of a plurality of keyboard keys, using a mapping algorithm, wherein the mapping algorithm encrypts the original keyboard scan code by using both the original keyboard scan code and a current one of a sequence of pseudorandom numbers generated using a pseudorandom number generator (PRNG) algorithm and an initial seed value; and the operating system configured to decrypt the original keyboard scan code based on an encrypted scan code generated and transmitted from the keyboard thereto, responsive to a keystroke of the keyboard, wherein the operating system also uses the mapping algorithm, the PRNG algorithm, and the initial seed value. |
| US08712044B2 |
Key management system
Embodiments are directed towards enabling cryptographic key management without disrupting cryptographic operations. Embodiments may be employed to generate cryptographic keys based on at least one key parameter that may be provided by an administrator. The administrator may generate key managers and key request users that may be linked to particular cryptographic keys. The cryptographic keys may be stored on key exchange servers separate from the key management server. Responsive to a request for a cryptographic key, the key exchange servers may authenticate the key request user associated with the request. The key request may be validated based on at least one key parameter and a portion of the key request. The key exchange server may generate the requested cryptographic keys providing them to the key request user over the network. |
| US08712042B2 |
Implicit certificate scheme
A method of generating a public key in a secure digital communication system, having at least one trusted entity CA and subscriber entities A. The trusted entity selects a unique identity distinguishing each entity A. The trusted entity then generates a public key reconstruction public data of the entity A by mathematically combining public values obtained from respective private values of the trusted entity and the entity A. The unique identity and public key reconstruction public data of the entity A serve as A's implicit certificate. The trusted entity combines the implicit certificate information with a mathematical function to derive an entity information f and generates a value kA by binding f with private values of the trusted entity. The trusted entity transmits the value kA to the entity to permit A to generate a private key from kA, A's private value and A's implicit certificate. |
| US08712041B2 |
Content protection apparatus and content encryption and decryption apparatus using white-box encryption table
A content protection apparatus using a white-box encryption table includes: a random number generation unit for generating a random number; a white-box encryption table for encrypting the random number and user information provided from a user to generate an encrypted output value; and an operation unit for performing an operation between the encrypted output value and data inputted from an outside to encrypt or decrypt the data. |
| US08712039B2 |
Efficient implementation of hash algorithm on a processor
An efficient implementation of SHA-512, and similarly SHA-384, on an ARM processor. The implementation maximizes reuse of the register values between iterations so as to minimize the need to load these values from memory. This is achieved by categorizing the iterations into even and odd ones such that the sequence of computation in the even iteration is reversed in the odd iteration and the register values at the end of one iteration are consumed at the beginning of the following one. |
| US08712035B2 |
Online data conversion technique using a sliding window
An embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus and method for online data conversion. The apparatus and method are configured to read data that is overlapped by a window in a first position in a volume, convert the data into a converted text, write the converted text into the volume, and slide the window to a second position in the volume. |
| US08712034B1 |
Adaptive analog echo/next cancellation
An adaptive analog echo/near-end crosstalk (NEXT) cancellation system includes a processor configured to receive a first digital signal corresponding to a first signal received by the system, receive a second digital signal corresponding to a second signal transmitted by the system, and generate a first error control signal based on each of the first digital signal and the second digital signal. A cancellation device is configured to generate a second error control signal based on a first analog signal corresponding to the first signal. The cancellation device selectively outputs the second error control signal or the first error control signal based on whether the system is operating in a first mode or a second mode, respectively. The cancellation device selectively outputs a cancellation signal according to one of the second error control signal and the first error control signal, and a second analog signal corresponding to the second signal. |
| US08712031B2 |
Visual physician office systems and methods
Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling a virtual physician office (VPO) that uses a network-based physician practice application and leverages the assets of a shared, communications network of legacy systems. A data connection is established with a rule-based application dataserver of a telecommunications network facility to control access, sharing, notification, security, and/or management of electronic healthcare communications. Typically, the rule-based application dataserver is associated with a central office (“CO”), a mobile telephone switching center (“MTSO”), or a combination CO/MTSO. |
| US08712030B2 |
Systems and methods for processing telephone calls
A system includes a switching device. The switching device is configured to process a call request as a 12-digit telephone number. The 12-digit telephone number includes a 3-digit area code, a 4-digit location independent code, and a 5-digit location dependent code. |
| US08712027B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for providing ring backs
Methods, systems, and products provide a ring back to a calling party during a wait time. Weather, sports scores, and financial data may be associated to ring backs. When a communication request is received, a ring back may be chosen by a called party for presentation to a calling party. |
| US08712024B2 |
Multilevel directory assistance apparatus and method
A method is disclosed for the presentation of telephone information about a company or other enterprise over the Internet in response to consumer searches for names or products. Department information is included. The system uses a database to determine product slightly sold my search for companies to provide advertisers or sponsors with preferential placement of their ads. Revenue is charged response to clicking on an advertisement. The system also places telephone calls over the Internet to users of the inventive search engine. Advertisers are charged for such calls. Optionally, the system may not allow direct dialing for non-advertisers. |
| US08712021B2 |
Retrievable outgoing audio messaging
The present invention relates generally to retaining outgoing audio messages between two voice communicating devices. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for using an external device that monitors all outgoing communication from a voice communicating device and stores such voice data with associate information for future retrieval. A system and method is disclosed that uses a device on the sender's side or on a remote system offered through the voice data network to monitor and record voice mails simultaneously with the receiver's side voice mail device. The recorded mail is available for access from any voice data device and also through electronic mail. |
| US08712017B2 |
Network fault detection
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of detecting faults within a telecommunications network, said telecommunications network comprising a plurality of entities. The method comprises grouping said entities into one or more groups based on the call traffic handled by said entities or on the call traffic said entities are configured to handle, for at least one of said groups, monitoring the call length pattern of a plurality of grouped entities of said group, and for at least one of said grouped entities, comparing the monitored call length pattern of the grouped entity with the monitored call length pattern of one or more of the other grouped entities to determine if the behavior of said grouped entity is indicative of a fault. The entities may comprise nodes of the network or hardware elements within one or more nodes of the network. |
| US08712016B2 |
Three-dimensional shape data processing apparatus and three-dimensional shape data processing method
A three-dimensional shape data processing apparatus includes a data input unit configured to input data of a first tomographic image group including a plurality of tomographic images and data of a second tomographic image group including a plurality of tomographic images, wherein at least a part of an image capturing area of the second tomographic image group is overlapped with at least a part of an image taking area of the first tomographic image groups, and a combination unit configured to combine first three-dimensional shape data and second three-dimensional shape data into one piece of three-dimensional shape data according to an estimated accuracy estimated values of the first and second three-dimensional shape data at a plurality of positions. |
| US08712015B2 |
Electron beam manipulation system and method in X-ray sources
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to the controlled generation of X-rays and, more specifically, to the control of electron beams that are used to produce X-rays using one or more electron beam manipulation coils. For example, methods and devices for driving an electron beam manipulation coil, as well as systems using these devices, are provided. The systems are generally configured to maintain a first current though an electron beam manipulation coil using a first voltage source and to switch the first current to a second current using a second voltage source. |
| US08712013B2 |
Motion control system and X-ray measurement apparatus
A motion control system comprising a servo motor for moving a rotary stage; a scale provided on the rotary stage or on an object that moves integrally with the rotary stage; a plurality of reading heads for detecting the scale and outputting a signal; a data processing part for calculating an average value of rotation angle data based on each of the output signals from the reading heads and outputting the average value as a signal; and a servo amplifier for controlling the motor based on the signal representing the average value of the rotation angle. The motion control system can cause the rotary stage to rotate to a desired rotation angle to a high degree of accuracy using the reading heads. |
| US08712011B2 |
Methods and apparatus for imaging in conjunction with radiotherapy
Methods and apparatus for planning imaging include planning imaging in conjunction with planning a radiation treatment. A radiation dose due to planned imaging may be calculated and used in optimizing a plan for delivering therapeutic radiation. Imaging and treatment may be performed using radiation beams having different characteristics. In some embodiments an imaging beam is generated using a low-Z target and a therapy beam is generated using a high-Z target. A radiation treatment planning system may include data characterizing both the imaging beam and the treatment beam. |
| US08712007B2 |
Method and computed tomography device and data storage medium for performing a dynamic CT examination on a patient
In a computed tomography apparatus and operating method, a radiation source and radiation detector are rotated around a system axis, and a patient support plate and diaphragm elements of a diaphragm associated with the x-ray source are also movable in the direction of the system axis. Movement of the patient support plate and the diaphragm plates between respective end positions is coordinated during a dynamic computed tomography examination of a subject so as to reduce and homogenize the dose of x-ray radiation to which the subject is exposed during the examination. |
| US08712002B2 |
Nuclear reactor building and construction method thereof
In a nuclear reactor building of a steel plate concrete structure that houses a pressure containment vessel formed with a plurality of penetration ports penetrating the pressure containment vessel on the periphery thereof and includes a biological shielding wall disposed outside the pressure containment vessel. The pressure containment vessel is vertically divided into a plurality of blocks so that each of the blocks has one or more pressure containment vessel penetration ports arranged on a same horizontal plane, and the reactor building including the biological shielding wall is divided into a plurality of modules by the horizontal plane. |
| US08712000B2 |
Tranverse in-core probe monitoring and calibration device for nuclear power plants, and method thereof
A method and apparatus for the calibration of neutron flux monitoring devices used in a nuclear reactor core. The apparatus includes a transverse in-core probe (TIP) cable with a neutron absorber located a fixed distance apart from a TIP detector. The neutron absorber may be passed within close proximity of the neutron flux monitoring device such that a perceived drop in measured neutron flux occurs, whereupon the cable may be repositioned relative to the monitoring device to ensure that the TIP detector is within close proximity of the monitoring device for purposes of calibrating the monitoring device. |
| US08711998B2 |
Cooling structure and cooling method for control rod drive mechanism and nuclear reactor
In a cooling structure and a cooling method for a control rod drive mechanism and in a nuclear reactor, a housing (59) in which magnetic jacks are housed is fixed to an upper portion of a reactor vessel (41), and an air intake unit (102) that takes cooling air into the housing (59), a first exhaust duct (104) that is arranged side by side with the air intake unit (102) in a circumferential direction of the housing (59), into which cooling air in the housing (59) is suctioned through a first inlet (109) at a lower portion thereof, and that guides the cooling air upward, a second exhaust duct (105) that is disposed below the air intake unit (102), into which cooling air in the housing (59) is suctioned through a second inlet (110), and that guides the cooling air to the first exhaust duct (104), and a discharging unit (111) that is formed at an upper portion of the housing (59) and discharges cooling air in the first exhaust duct (104) to the exterior are provided. |
| US08711996B2 |
Methods and apparatus for determining a phase error in signals
An integrated circuit includes samplers, a phase error determination circuit, and periodic signal generators. The samplers generate respective sampled signals by sampling respective input signals in response to respective periodic signals. The input signals have a common phase error. The phase error determination circuit receives the sampled signals from the samplers. The phase error determination circuit generates a representation of the common phase error of the input signals in response to sampled signals received in a set-up mode in which the samplers sample respective input signals having a common bit pattern. The periodic signal generators generate the periodic signals differing in phase from one another by defined phase differences in the set-up mode and subject the periodic signals to a common phase shift in a normal mode in response to the representation of the common phase error. The common phase shift matches the common phase error of the input signals. |
| US08711994B2 |
Methods for determining decoding order in a MIMO system with successive interference cancellation
Certain aspects provide a method for determining decoding order and reconstruction weights for decoded streams to be cancelled in a MIMO system with successive interference cancellation, based on estimates of the channel characteristics, the received composite signal and parameters of the system. |
| US08711993B2 |
Wideband multi-channel receiver with fixed-frequency notch filter for interference rejection
A wideband multi-channel receiver comprises an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency band comprising an aviation VHF communication band, an aviation VHF navigation band, an aviation L-band, or combinations thereof. A band-pass filter is in signal communication with the antenna, and a low-noise amplifier is in signal communication with the band-pass filter. A mixer is in signal communication with the low-noise amplifier and is configured to translate a radio frequency band to an intermediate frequency (IF) band. A tunable local oscillator is in signal communication with the mixer. At least one fixed-frequency notch filter is in signal communication with the mixer, with the notch filter configured to reject at least one interference signal in the IF band while passing remaining signals in the IF band. An analog-to-digital converter is in signal communication with the notch filter and is configured to convert the remaining signals in the IF band to digital signals. A digital processing system is in signal communication with the analog-to-digital converter. |
| US08711992B2 |
Phase noise extraction apparatus and technique
A phase noise extraction apparatus and technique that extracts phase noise induced by a component of a transmitter from a radio frequency (RF) signal and attenuates noise induced from other sources. The RF signal is digitized, modulation is removed, and the carrier is suppressed to provide a noise signal including the phase noise and the noise induced from the other sources. A complementary autocorrelation operation is applied to the noise signal to attenuate the noise from the other sources. The correlated signal is transformed into the frequency domain to generate a power spectrum of the phase noise that may be measured or displayed. |
| US08711991B2 |
Method and a channel estimating arrangement for performing channel estimation
The invention relates to a method in a receiving communication node for performing channel estimation on a signal received over a channel from a transmitting communication node. The receiving and transmitting communication nodes are comprised in a radio communications network. The receiving communication node receives the signal from the transmitting communication node, filters the signal by applying matched filter to the received signal in a matched filter process resulting in an estimated channel, transforms the estimated channel from a frequency domain to a discrete cosine transform domain in a discrete cosine transformation process, truncates the transformed estimated channel by applying a sloped window truncation function of an adaptive length onto the transformed estimated channel, wherein the adaptive length in the discrete cosine transform domain is calculated based on channel state information, and transforms the truncated transformed estimated channel from the discrete cosine transform domain to the frequency domain in an inverse discrete cosine transformation process resulting in a channel estimate of the channel estimation. |
| US08711990B1 |
Frame syncrhonization in orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing systems
A system including a demodulation module, a metric generation module, and a preamble detection module. The demodulation module is configured to generate demodulated signals based on demodulating, in accordance with a differential demodulation scheme, signals received from a base station. The signals received from the base station include a plurality of symbols. The demodulated signals comprise a plurality of real parts each having a corresponding magnitude. The metric generation module is configured to generate a plurality of metrics for the plurality of symbols based on the corresponding magnitudes of the plurality of real parts of the demodulated signals. The preamble detection module is configured to detect, based on the plurality of metrics, whether the plurality of symbols in the signals received from the base station includes a preamble symbol. |
| US08711989B1 |
Method and apparatus for receiving signals in a MIMO system with multiple channel encoders
In a method for decoding plurality of information streams corresponding to a plurality of layers, where the plurality of information streams have been transmitted via a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication channel, a plurality of received signals are processed to decode information corresponding to a first layer. A plurality of modified received signals are generated using the decoded information corresponding to the first layer and the plurality of received signals. Bit metric values are generated for a second layer using MIMO maximum likelihood (ML) demodulation and using the plurality of modified received signals and channel and modulation information for interfering signals. Information corresponding to the second layer is decoded using the generated bit metric values. |
| US08711987B2 |
Method and receiver for jointly decoding received communication signals using maximum likelihood detection
The present invention relates to a method in a receiver for decoding at least two received communication signals, wherein the communication signals are modulated, pre-coded by a discrete Fourier transform and transmitted by means of single-carrier frequency division multiple access scheme (SC-FDMA). The method comprises the steps of: performing an antenna combining and equalization on a signal observed at the receiver; performing inverse discrete Fourier transform on a model of the observed signal; whitening a time domain model of the observed signal; and jointly detecting the received at least two communication signals by performing soft value calculations based on maximum likelihood detection of a whitened time domain model using a whitened time domain channel estimate. |
| US08711986B2 |
Advanced joint detection in a TD-SCDMA system
A communication system is provided that includes a composite transfer module that receives an input signal and performs one or more selective operations defined by a first transfer function on the input signal. The composite transfer module outputs a first signal. A joint detection module receives the first signal and performs joint detection on the first signal. The joint detection module utilizes channel estimation information of the first transfer function so as to allow the joint detection module to perform joint detection with an oversampling rate of 2× or higher. |
| US08711982B1 |
Amplitude-shift-keying (ASK) envelope detector and demodulation circuits
An envelope detector receives an input that is an Amplitude-Modulated (AM) or Amplitude-Shift-Keying (ASK) coded signal. Each channel has a sample switch and a diode that charge an internal sampling capacitor. A hold switch connects the internal sampling capacitor to a summing output capacitor or to a post-processing circuit. A reset switch discharges the internal sampling capacitor after each sample. Two or more channels may be time multiplexed to sample alternate cycles of the input, and then their outputs combined by the summing output capacitor or by the post-processing circuit. The diodes may be reversed to detect the negative envelope rather than the positive envelope. Clocks for the switches may be generated from the input, or may be from a separate clock source. Since the sampling window is open for a whole input cycle, the clock source is insensitive to phase error. |
| US08711978B2 |
Method and apparatus of communication using soft decision
A method for performing a reliable communication using soft decision information and a random linear coding in the wireless access system is disclosed. The communication method includes arranging received random-linear-coded first code blocks in descending order of their soft decision levels, and performing a random linear decoding on a first code block set, wherein the first code block set is constructed of the first code blocks arranged in the descending order of their soft decision levels. If any error occurs in the random linear decoding step of the first code block set, the method further includes performing a random linear decoding on a second code block set, wherein the second code block set is constructed when a code block having the lowest soft decision level among code blocks contained in the first code block set is replaced with another first code block. |
| US08711977B2 |
Method for transmitting a signal
The method includes providing a stream of data to be transmitted, and processing the data by means of channel coding with a time-varying code rate, thereby generating a stream of channel coded data. The method further includes forming succeeding transmission time intervals and distributing the channel coded data on the transmission time intervals, and adjusting a transmission power of the signal to be transmitted by timely positioning a transmission power slope between two succeeding transmission time intervals so that the transmission power slope is contained completely within one transmission time interval of the two transmission time intervals, wherein the one transmission time interval comprises a lower nominal code rate or a lower nominal transmission power than the other one of the two transmission time intervals. |
| US08711976B2 |
Pre-distortion architecture for compensating non-linear effects
An input signal is pre-distorted to reduce distortion resulting from subsequent signal amplification. Frequency-dependent pre-distortion is preferably implemented in combination with frequency-independent pre-distortion, where the frequency-dependent pre-distortion is generated by expanding the derivative of a product of a pre-distortion function and the input signal and then relaxing constraints on the pre-distortion function and/or on frequency-dependent filtering associated with the frequency-dependent pre-distortion. In one implementation, four different frequency-dependent pre-distortion signals are generated for the expansion using up to four different pre-distortion functions and up to four different frequency-dependent filters. |
| US08711973B2 |
Highly detectable pilot structure
Aspects describe a Highly Detectable Pilot that allows a mobile device to detect more base stations and, thus, can provide more accuracy in location estimate. A highly detectable pilot can be transmitted in one or more data symbols that are not currently being utilized for transmission of data. Transmission of the highly detectable pilot in two data symbols provide a receiver with more convergence time, however, it can take the receiver a longer amount of time to acquire an adequate number of pilots for a location estimate. |
| US08711969B2 |
Global codebook for coordinated multi-point processing
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure a method for generating a codebook comprises generating a plurality of wireless communication channel representations. The method further comprises generating a precoding matrix for each of the plurality of wireless communication channel representations. The method additionally comprises performing a clustering operation on the precoding matrices to determine a plurality of centroids associated with the precoding matrices. Also the method includes determining codewords based on the centroids and generating a codebook based on the codewords. |
| US08711965B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing transmission diversity
A method and apparatus are provided for transmission in a communication system. The system includes a transmitter having at least one first and second antenna and a receiver, which includes at least one receiving antenna. The method includes determining a transmit diversity scheme for at least one group of symbols from among a plurality of modulated symbols. This step includes at least one step of obtaining a phase shift of at least one symbol of the at least one group of symbols. The phase shift is based on: at least one phase shift parameter N; and responses (hk1, hk2), respectively, between the at least one first antenna and the at least one receiving antenna and between the at least one second antenna and the at least one receiving antenna. The method further includes a step of phase shifting, allowing rotation of said symbol at a multiple of a π/N value. |
| US08711964B2 |
Method and apparatus for pre-scheduling in closed-loop MU-MIMO antenna system
A method and an apparatus for pre-scheduling in a closed-loop multiple user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) antenna system. A base station receives channel information representing a downlink channel condition of each mobile station from mobile stations in a cell, and determines a candidate user group for each of frequency bands included in an entire frequency band, based on the channel information, the candidate user group including mobile stations to which resources can be simultaneously allocated. The base station also instructs a mobile station included in each candidate user group to transmit a sounding signal through a corresponding frequency band. If the sounding signal is received through the corresponding frequency band, the base station performs a scheduling with regard to the mobile station included in each candidate user group. |
| US08711958B2 |
Method for decoding a spatially multiplexed data signal using a maximum likelihood detection
The disclosure relates to a method for decoding a received signal in a MIMO communication system and in at least one layer, each layer carrying at least one data symbol belonging to a signal constellation. The method includes, for one of the at least one layer, a maximum likelihood detection step. This step includes: selecting one candidate value for the data symbol of the layer, and determining the Euclidian distance between the received signal Y and the data signal transmitted using said candidate value multiplied by said channel matrix H, weighted by the inverse of a noise covariance matrix C such as ∥Y−ΣiHixi∥C−12, expressed as: Σi≠n∥Hi∥C−12|xi|2−2(HiHC−1Y−0.5Σj≠i,nHiHC−1Hjxj)x*i+∥Hn∥C−12|xn|2−2(HnHC−1Y−Σj≠nHnHC−1Hjxj)x*n=Σi≠nαiR(xi)2−2βiRxi+αnR(xn)2−2βnRxn+Σi≠nαiI(ℑxi)2−2βiIℑxi+αnI(ℑxn)2−2βnIℑxn. The terms depending on αk are computed by adding to each of them a predetermined constant depending on the size of the constellation of the layer k, called a constellation dependent constant. |
| US08711957B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving data
A data transmission apparatus is provided. A symbol mapper performs symbol mapping on information about an optimum key index that instructs a modified Walsh-Hadamard matrix that causes a minimum peak-to-average power ratio and generates a plurality of key symbols. A modified Walsh-Hadamard transformer generates a plurality of modified Walsh-Hadamard-transformed data symbols by performing modified Walsh-Hadamard transform on a plurality of data symbols according to a modified Walsh-Hadamard matrix that an optimum key index instructs. An inverse Fourier transformer generates a plurality of inverse Fourier-transformed symbols by performing inverse Fourier transform on a plurality of key symbols and a plurality of modified Walsh-Hadamard-transformed data symbols. A transmitter transmits a plurality of inverse Fourier-transformed symbols to a channel through at least one antenna. |
| US08711956B2 |
Modified continuous phase modulation communications system and related methods
A communications system may include a first communications device that may include a transmitter and a modulator cooperating therewith to modulate a coded waveform using a constant phase modulation (CPM) to generate a non-linear CPM waveform, and generate a linear representation of the non-linear CPM waveform, the linear representation including a plurality of pulses. The transmitter and a modulator may further cooperate to remove at least some of the plurality of pulses to define a modified linear representation of the non-linear CPM waveform, and transmit the modified linear representation of the non-linear CPM waveform. The communications system may further include a second communications device that may include a receiver and a single pulse-matched filter linear demodulator cooperating therewith to demodulate the modified linear representation of the non-linear CPM waveform transmitted from the first communications device. |
| US08711954B2 |
Transfer of digital data through an isolation
A method and a system for transferring a digital signal through a transformer, in which the current in a primary winding of the transformer is a frequency-modulated signal exhibiting sinusoidal trains of different durations according to the rising or falling edge of the digital signal to be transferred. |
| US08711953B2 |
Method for transmitting a signal from a transmitter to a receiver in a power line communication network, transmitter, receiver, power line communication modem and power line communication system
A method for transmitting a signal from a transmitter over a channel to a receiver on a Power Line Network, wherein said signal is OFDM-modulated on a set of sub-carriers, is proposed, wherein an OFDM tonemap and an eigenbeamforming encoding matrix are determined based on a channel estimation for each sub-carrier, a tonemap feedback signal and an eigenbeamforming feedback signal are generated, which are descriptive of said OFDM tonemap and said eigenbeamforming encoding matrix, respectively, and transmitted to the transmitter. A corresponding receiver, a transmitter, a power line communication and a power line communication system are described as well. |
| US08711943B2 |
Signal processing and tiered signal encoding
An encoder receives a signal. The encoder utilizes one or more downsample operations to produce downsampled renditions of the signal at successively lower levels of quality in the hierarchy. In a reverse direction, the encoder applies the one or more upsample operations to a downsampled rendition of the signal at a first level of quality to produce an upsampled rendition of the signal at a second level of quality in the hierarchy. The second level of quality is higher than the first level of quality. The one or more upsample operations and one or more downsample operations can be asymmetrical with respect to each other. That is, the function applied during downsampling can differ from the function applied when upsampling. The encoder produces residual data indicating a difference between the downsampled rendition of the signal at the second level of quality and the upsampled rendition of the signal at the second level of quality. |
| US08711942B2 |
Moving picture decoding device and moving picture decoding method
One embodiment provides a moving picture decoding device for decoding a compression-coded moving picture stream, including: an inter-view predicting module configured to perform inter-view prediction processing on processing subject blocks of each frame to be decoded; a load detector configured to detect a magnitude of an apparatus processing load including a processing load for decoding; a judging module configured to judge whether the magnitude of the apparatus processing load detected by the load detector is small; and a controller configured to control the inter-view predicting module so as to cause simplification of the inter-view prediction processing if the judging module judges that the magnitude of the apparatus processing load is not small. |
| US08711938B2 |
Methods and systems for motion estimation with nonlinear motion-field smoothing
Aspects of the present invention are related to low complexity systems and methods for nonlinear diffusion filtering of a motion-vector field. Local weights in the nonlinear diffusion filter may be data-adaptive, and, according to one aspect of the present invention, may be determined such that spatial coherency may not be enforced at object boundaries although the object boundaries have not been explicitly detected. Thus, the methods and systems of the present invention may smooth a motion-vector field without smoothing the motion-vector field across an object boundary. According to a second aspect of the present invention, motion vectors with a low confidence value may be suppressed, while motion vectors with a high confidence value may be propagated. According to another aspect of the present invention, motion estimation methods and systems may incorporate the methods and systems of the nonlinear diffusion filtering according to the present invention. |
| US08711937B2 |
Low-complexity motion vector prediction systems and methods
A method of motion vector prediction for use in differential motion vector coding within a block motion-compensation-based video coder. The video coder employs a generalized multiple reference picture buffer which may contain multiple reference pictures in both the forward and backward temporal direction from the current picture. For the purpose of coding selections of reference pictures within the buffer, the pictures are organized into two, potentially overlapping, lists of reference pictures. The prediction of a motion vector that selects a reference picture using a given reference picture list is not dependent upon any motion vectors that select their reference pictures using the other reference picture list. The values of spatially neighboring motion vectors that use the same list of reference pictures as the motion vector being predicted are used for prediction, regardless of the relative temporal direction of the current and neighboring motion vectors. |
| US08711935B2 |
Apparatus and method for image encoding/decoding using predictability of intra-prediction mode
An apparatus and a method for video encoding/decoding using predictability of an intra-prediction mode are disclosed. The apparatus for encoding a video of the present disclosure includes: an intra-prediction mode determiner for determining an encoder prediction mode which is an intra-prediction mode of a current block of the video; an encoder for encoding a residual block generated by subtracting, from the current block, a predicted block generated by predicting the current block according to the encoder prediction mode; a mode information generator for generating mode information according to whether or not a video decoding apparatus is able to predict the encoder prediction mode; and an encoded data generator for generating encoded data including the encoded residual block and the mode information. The present disclosure can enhance compression in video encoding/decoding by using intra-prediction to predict the video with a minimum necessary bit rate. |
| US08711933B2 |
Random access point (RAP) formation using intra refreshing technique in video coding
A random access point can be generated in a stream of coded digital pictures containing a plurality of predictive coded frames in which one or more subsections of each frame are intra coded. A patch frame can be formed from intra-coded subsections in identified consecutive predictive-coded frames. The patch frame can be used as a synthetic random access point. |
| US08711931B2 |
Picture information coding device and coding method
In a picture information coding device for outputting picture compression information based on an AVC encoding scheme, optimum reference relationships in a GOP structure including hierarchical B pictures can be obtained and random access from an I picture that is not an instantaneous decoding refresh picture can be performed.When multiple-frame prediction is performed, with a memory management control operation command generation unit (13), a reference B picture that exists between a picture and a P picture or I picture is registered as a long-term reference picture using a memory management control operation command to manage a picture in a decoded picture buffer. The reference B picture is placed as the first in a reference picture list using a reference picture list reordering command when a B picture that exists between the P picture or I picture and the reference B picture is processed. The long-term reference picture in the decoded picture buffer is set to be a non-reference picture by setting the maximum value of a long-term frame index to [0] using a memory management control operation command when the P picture or I picture is processed. Random access from the I picture that is not an instantaneous decoding refresh picture is performed. |
| US08711928B1 |
Method, apparatus, and manufacture for adaptation of video encoder tuning parameters
A method, apparatus, and manufacture for encoding a video sequence is provided. During a first exploitation phase of an encoding pass of the video encoding, macro-blocks are encoded employing at least one encoding parameter. At least one encoder statistic is evaluated based on the encoding of macro-blocks during the first exploitation phase. Next, during a first exploration phase of the encoding pass, macro-blocks are encoded employing at least one encoding parameter that is different than the encoding parameter(s) used during the first exploitation phase. At least one encoder statistic is evaluated based on the encoding of the macro-blocks during the first exploitation phase. The encoder statistic(s) based on the first exploration stage is compared when the encoder statistic(s) based on the first exploitation phase, and a steady-state value of the encoding parameter(s) is updated based on the comparison. The process may then continue to alternate between exploration and exploitation phases. |
| US08711916B2 |
Tap initialization of equalizer based on estimated channel impulse response
A method of initializing tap coefficients of an equalizer may include estimating impulse response coefficients of a channel through which a received signal traveled based on a known portion of the received signal. The method may also include loading the impulse response coefficients into a channel filter and generating a reference signal. The reference signal may be passed through the channel filter to build a training signal. Tap coefficients of the equalizer may be adjusted based on the training signal from the channel filter and on a delayed version of the reference signal. |
| US08711914B2 |
Channel estimating method and device
A channel estimating method and device are provided. The method includes: performing multi-path searching on a pilot channel, and performing interpolation on a channel estimation value at a radial position of the multi-path searching (101); performing raised cosine de-convolution on the channel estimation value that undergoes the interpolation (102); acquiring the channel estimation value at each radial position in the pilot channel according to the channel estimation value that undergoes the raised cosine de-convolution and a sample deviation acquired by performing the multi-path searching (103). The channel estimating method and device eliminate the sample deviation of the channel estimation value, improve the demodulation performance, and evidently reduce the operation workload. |
| US08711913B2 |
Device and method for processing input data of protective relay
A device and a method for processing an input data of an protective relay, even in case that data stored in an accumulation buffer of the protective relay is damaged due to noises, etc., that can recover it and carry out a normal measurement are provided, the invention includes a digital signal processing part comprising inputting a sampled digital data to a digital signal processing part, counting and accumulating frequency of the inputted data, comparing the accumulated value with a value of a period, inputting a value of an update accumulation buffer to a measurement accumulation buffer and initializing the update accumulation buffer if the counted accumulation frequency is equal to the value of one period; and performing an RDFT (Recursive Discrete Fourier Transform) operation on the inputted digital data to dually buffering the measurement accumulation buffer and the update accumulation buffer. |
| US08711912B2 |
Method, device and computer readable medium for determining whether transmission signals are present in received signals
A method is provided for determining whether transmission signals are present in received signals, the method comprising: receiving a first signal via a first radio resource; receiving a second signal via a second radio resource; determining whether a first transmission signal is present in the received first signal based on the received second signal; and determining whether a second transmission signal is present in the received second signal based on the received first signal. |
| US08711909B2 |
Communication device and two-dimensional communication system using the same
A switch circuit connects a switch (SW) to a connector when a connector receives a signal and connects the switch (SW) to a terminal when the connector receives power. The connector receives a signal and power transmitted at the same frequency, outputs the received signal to a communication unit through an attenuator, and outputs the received power to a power receiving unit. The communication unit carries out reception processing to the signal and outputs the processed signal to a computer. The power receiving unit carries out reception processing to the power and stores the processed power. The power receiving unit supplies the communication unit or the computer with the stored power. |
| US08711908B2 |
Interface circuit
A player and an AV amplifier are connected via a cable. An amplifying device amplifies an output signal supplied to an output terminal 14, and outputs the amplified output signal as a transmission signal to the cable. An amplifying device amplifies an output signal supplied to an output terminal, and outputs the amplified output signal as a transmission signal to a cable. An operation device subtracts the output signal supplied to the output terminal from the transmission signal output to the cable. An operation device subtracts the output signal supplied to the output terminal from the transmission signal output to the cable. Therefore, the transmission signal from the AV amplifier is supplied to an input terminal, and the transmission signal from the player is supplied to an input terminal. The transmission signal includes a two-way communication bit indicating whether two-way communication is enabled. |
| US08711904B2 |
Calibration method for non-ideal transceivers
A method of determining non-ideality characteristics introduced on a signal by a transceiver is disclosed. The transceiver has an up-conversion transmitter and a down-conversion receiver. In one aspect, the method includes: a) generating a signal comprising at least one known training symbol, b) up-converting this signal with a first frequency to a first signal in the transmitter, c) transferring the first signal from the transmitter to the receiver, d) down-converting with a second frequency this transferred first signal to a second signal in the receiver, the second frequency being different from but linked to the first frequency, e) detecting at least one of the training symbols in the second signal; and f) separating, in the frequency domain, at least one of the components of at least one of the detected training symbols for determining the non-ideality characteristics. |
| US08711892B2 |
Nitride semiconductor laser device
A nitride semiconductor laser device includes: a stack, the stack including an n-type layer and a p-type layer each including a nitride semiconductor; an n-electrode electrically coupled to the n-type layer; a p-electrode electrically coupled to the p-type layer; and a thermally conductive portion disposed in contact with the p-type layer in a region which is different from the region where the p-electrode is connected, wherein the thermally conductive portion is electrically insulated from the p-electrode. Manufacturing steps specific to nitride semiconductors are employed to form the device. An optical apparatus, such as an optical disc device, a display device, or a lighting device includes such a nitride laser device and depends its functions thereto. |
| US08711891B2 |
Surface emitting laser device, surface emitting laser array, optical scanning device, and image forming apparatus
A disclosed surface emitting laser device includes an oscillator structure including an active layer, semiconductor multilayer reflection mirrors sandwiching the oscillator structure, an electrode provided on an emitting surface where light is emitted in a manner such that the electrode surrounds an emitting region, and a dielectric film formed in at least one region outside a center part of the emitting region so that a refractive index of the region outside the center part of the emitting region is less than the refractive index of the center part of the emitting region. When viewed from an emitting direction of the light, a part of the electrode overlaps a part of the dielectric film. |
| US08711887B2 |
Signal processing apparatus, display apparatus having the same, and signal processing method
A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive transmission streams and output a first number of transmission stream signals; a first signal processor configured to receive the first number of transmission stream signals in parallel, group the received transmission stream signals according to kinds thereof, and output a second number of transmission stream signals, the second number being less than the first number; a second signal processor configured to receive the second number of transmission stream signals output from the first signal processor, restore the received transmission stream signals into the first number of transmission stream signals, and form output data using the restored transmission stream signals; and an output configured to output the output data formed in the second signal processor. |
| US08711884B2 |
Data communication system, data transmitting apparatus, data transmitting method, and method for determining packet size and redundancy
A data communication system includes a data transmitting apparatus and a data receiving apparatus. The data transmitting apparatus includes a packetizing section that generates data packets, an encoding section that performs redundant encoding on the data packets in predetermined time units and generates encoded blocks, a data transmitting section that transmits each encoded block to the data receiving apparatus, a data-size acquiring section that acquires a data size of transmission data in each predetermined time unit, and a packet-size determining section that, on the basis of the acquired data size, in each predetermined time unit, determines a packet size of each data packet. The data receiving apparatus includes a data receiving section that acquires data packets of the transmission data by receiving each encoded block transmitted, and a depacketizing section that analyzes the data packets of the acquired transmission data and reconfigures the transmission data. |
| US08711881B2 |
Packet bundling at the PDCP layer
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a technique for bundling the received service data units (SDU) in a first communication layer to generate a protocol data unit (PDU) to pass to a second communication layer. For example, one or more packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) SDUs may be concatenated to generate a PDCP PDU and be sent to a radio link control (RLC) layer in the transmitter side. Similarly, one or more PDCP SDUs may be extracted from a PDCP PDU in the receiver side. |
| US08711878B2 |
Upstream channel bonding in a cable communications system
A method for increasing upstream bandwidth per cable modem user in a cable communications system that includes a cable modem termination system (CMTS) and a plurality of cable modems is provided. The method permits a cable modem to transmit data to the CMTS on multiple upstream channels simultaneously using a technique called “channel bonding.” Channel bonding allows smaller bandwidth upstream channels to be bonded together to create a larger bandwidth pipe. |
| US08711869B2 |
Message transfer apparatus, output method, and computer program product
A packet processor transfers a message received by a first (second) port to a second (first) port. When first specific information is included in the received message, a QoS terminal detector detects a communication terminal, which is a sender of the message received by the first port or a destination of the message received by the second port, as a QoS terminal requesting application of QoS. When the QoS terminal does not satisfy a preset connection condition associated with the QoS terminal connectable to the first port via a first network, an output unit outputs information indicating that the connection condition is not satisfied. |
| US08711866B2 |
Routing of data including multimedia between electronic devices
Rerouting apparatus for rerouting data including multimedia data. The apparatus is for association with electronic equipment and allows for routing the data to a device regarded as the most convenient for playing the media. The apparatus comprises an announcer device for indicating to surrounding equipment that associated equipment is available for rerouting, thereby to enable receipt of rerouted communications therefrom, and a scout device for scanning surroundings of the associated equipment to find out about compatible equipment in the vicinity, thereby to reroute communications thereto. The apparatus may be attached to any device having data processing capability, to enable rerouting of data and communications therebetween. |
| US08711857B2 |
Dynamic facsimile transcoding in a unified messaging platform
Facsimile transcoding is dynamically invoked for devices that do not support T.38 fax protocol. In this way, a unified messaging platform can process facsimiles from endpoints that are not T.38 capable without using without digital signal processor resources. Dynamic fax transcoding can be performed at a session border controller, allowing transcoding resources to be engaged only for non-T.38 endpoints rather than for all calls on an interface. |
| US08711856B2 |
Method and device for processing broadcast packets/multicast control messages
The present invention discloses a method for processing broadcast packets/multicast control messages, comprising: replicating data to different broadcast/multicast logical channels in accordance with ONU types of users who join a VLAN when an OLT, on which a same port is connected to different types of ONUs, transmits the downlink broadcast packets/multicast control messages. The present invention also discloses a device for processing broadcast packets/multicast control messages. In accordance with the present invention, efficient processing of downlink broadcast packets and multicast control messages is realized when different types of ONUs coexist, unnecessary interference with ONUs from excessive data is avoided, and meanwhile the bandwidth between an OLT and an ONU can be utilized efficiently and meaningless bandwidth occupation by data streams can be avoided. |
| US08711854B2 |
Monitoring and correcting upstream packet loss
An upstream error controller monitors a media stream at a location upstream from an associated set of receivers receiving the media stream. The upstream error controller sends out suppression notices for any media packets lost upstream causing the receivers to suppress sending lost packet notices. In another embodiment, a repair point joins a primary multicast group with multiple receivers for receiving a native media stream. The repair point also joins a second multicast group receiving multicast backup data for retransmitting or repairing the native media stream that does not include an associated set of receivers. In yet another embodiment, the upstream error controller is used in combination with a hybrid packet repair scheme for adaptively switching among unicast retransmission, multicast retransmission, and Forward Error Correction (FEC). |
| US08711852B2 |
Systems and methods for port mirroring with network-scoped connection-oriented sink
Systems and methods for sinking port mirrored data to any node in a network are provided. Moreover, the network is configured to convey the mirrored data to the sink, without the need for any facilities expressly dedicated for this purpose. The present invention removes the requirement to collocate the sink port within the same logical node. The present invention uses a mirrored flow configured as a provisioned layer two point-to-point connection, such as a Switched Permanent Virtual Circuit (SPVC), Pseudo-Wire (PWE3), a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) cross-connect, Provider Backbone Bridging-Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE), or the like. The provisioned point-to-point connection is configured between the mirrored port to a sink port. The node with the mirrored port is configured to create copies of the appropriate set of packets (i.e. ingress or egress packets or both based on provisioning), and to forward the packets to the sink port. |
| US08711851B1 |
Multi-protocol data transfers
Technologies are described herein for performing a multi-protocol data transfer. A first protocol that guarantees reliability and in-order delivery of data packets is utilized to transmit control information for a data transfer. Once the control information has been transmitted and received at the destination, a second protocol is utilized to transfer the actual data. The second protocol does not guarantee data reliability or in-order delivery. If any data packets are not delivered to the destination using the second protocol, either the first protocol, the second protocol, or a combination can be utilized to retransmit the missing packets. |
| US08711850B2 |
Format for providing traffic information and a method and apparatus for using the format
A method for identifying traffic information includes receiving traffic data including a first identifier, an amount of time currently taken to traverse a particular link, and information corresponding to a location associated with the particular link. The first identifier enables a determination of a type of the information that is included within the received traffic data. The method also includes determining a type of information included within the received traffic data based on the first identifier and determining current travel time information based on the information included in the received traffic data only if the first identifier enables a determination that the received traffic data includes an amount of time. The method further includes determining location information based on the information that is included in the received traffic data corresponding to the location associated with the particular link and identifying traffic information based on the determined current travel time information and the determined location information. |
| US08711848B2 |
High-efficiency preambles for communications systems over pseudo-stationary communication channels
A method includes appending a preamble to a data packet and transmitting the preamble and data packet over a communication channel in the network. The preamble may be a Beacon, Admission, Broadcast, or High-Throughput Preamble. The Beacon Preamble includes the following symbols SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, CP0, CEBeacon, CEBeacon. The Admission Preamble includes the following symbols SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, SS, LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, CP0, CE, CE. The Broadcast Preamble includes the following symbols LS1, LS1, LS1, LS1, CP0, CE, CE. The high-throughput preamble includes the following symbols CP0, CE. The SS symbol includes 64 bits, the LS1, LS2, and CP0 symbols include 192 bits, the CE symbol includes 512 bits, and the CEBeacon symbol is a subset of CE. |
| US08711847B2 |
System and method for providing location and access network information support in a network environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes communicating location and access network information for an end user to a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) element that is coupled to a network element. The network element receives packets for a communications flow from the end user if the flow is initiated through a wireless network and through a wireline network. In more specific embodiments, the location and access network information is used to initiate one or more applications for the end user. The method could also include communicating to an application function that the end user has attached to one of the networks, has been assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and the location and access network information for the end user. |
| US08711846B2 |
Network attachment for IMS systems for legacy CS UE with home node B access
A system and method for allowing legacy circuit switch user equipment (CS UE) to operate via a packet switch system, such as an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) system, is provided. The mobility and session control aspects of communications with the legacy CS UE is separated. A user agent is placed in the receiving node (e.g., a home node B) that acts as the SIP agent for the CS UE for session control. An interworking function is provided to allow mobility between the macro CS network and the PS (e.g., IMS) network. Hand-back and hand-in procedures with service continuity are also provided. |
| US08711840B1 |
Method and apparatus for management and analysis of services in VoIP networks
A method, apparatus and computer product for modeling and analyzing additional services incorporated into a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) configuration composed of a plurality of components is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of representing selected ones of the plurality of components and relationships among the selected components, wherein said component representations are selected from the group of configuration non-specific representations consisting of: VoIP VoiceMailService, VoIPVoiceConferenceService, ITServices, ERPServices, CRMServices, WebServices and SupportServices, and wherein the representations of relationships are selected from the group of configuration non-specific representations consisting of: HostedBy/HostsServices and Integrates/IntegratedIn, providing a mapping between a plurality of first events and a plurality of second events occurring in the selected components, the mapping representing the relationships along which the first events propagate among the selected components, and determining at least one first event based on at least one of the plurality of second events by determining a measure between each of a plurality of relationship values associated with the plurality of first events and the plurality of second events. |
| US08711836B2 |
Synchronization of communication equipment
Apparatus and methods relating to synchronization of communication equipment are disclosed. Synchronization information received from a bonded communication link can be used to synchronize local and/or remote communication equipment, such as femtocell sites coupled to nodes in a ring network. This may involve isolating a frequency reference signal from a DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) communication link which is a constituent link of a bonded communication link, for example. In a ring network, received synchronization information could be used in synchronizing a locally connected installation of communication equipment, and passed for transmission in the ring network for synchronizing other communication equipment. Such dropping and passing of an analog frequency reference signal could be applied in networks having other topologies as well. At least some embodiments of the invention are applicable to optical links. One or more dedicated wavelengths of an optical link could be used to transfer a frequency reference signal, for example. Other functions, such as quality monitoring, quality reporting, and/or predictive traffic forwarding may be provided in some embodiments. |
| US08711830B2 |
Method for media access controlling and system and method for channel time reservation in distributed wireless personal area network
Disclosed are a method for media access controlling and channel time reservation system and method in distributed wireless personal area networks. A method of media access controlling for a distributed wireless network including at least one device, includes a device of the distributed wireless network, generating a data slot reservation indicator for devices of the same beacon group, and the device, broadcasting the generated data slot reservation indicator. Thus, a slot reservation for communication between devices can be completed in a shorter period of time. Also, capacity of the network can be improved by spatial reuse of channel time. |
| US08711829B2 |
Method and apparatus for error correction in MBMS receipt system
Provided is an error correcting method that can provide improved error correction efficiency in a multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) by marking the presence of an error in a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) with an error instead of discarding the erroneous PDU in an MBMS terminal of the MBMS system, which performs error correction in an application layer, and transmitting the erroneous PDU together with a PDU without an error to the application layer, and an error correction apparatus employing the method. The MBMS terminal includes: a radio link control (RLC) protocol processor configured to receive PDUs generated from the reception data, generate service data units (SDUs) by combining the PDUs, mark whether there is an SDU recovered from a PDU with an error, and output the SDUs; and a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) processing means configured to receive and deliver the SDUs. |
| US08711828B2 |
Method of transmitting data using spatial multiplexing
A data transmission method using spatial multiplexing is disclosed. The data transmission method using spatial multiplexing includes modulating at least one codeword to generate at least one modulation symbol, mapping the at least one modulation symbol to a layer whose number is determined according to its rank to generate a layer-mapped symbol stream, performing discrete Fourier transform (DFT) on the layer-mapped symbol stream to generate a frequency domain symbol stream, performing precoding on the frequency domain symbol stream, mapping the precoded frequency domain symbol stream to subcarriers, and then performing inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) on the precoded frequency domain symbol stream-mapped subcarriers to generate SC-FDMA symbols; and transmitting the SC-FDMA symbols by using a plurality of transmission antennas. Spatial multiplexing having a low PAPR can be possibly performed in an SC-FDMA system. |
| US08711827B2 |
Mobile terminal based on W-CDMA system having receive diversity function and system thereof
A mobile terminal having a receive diversity function using a plurality of receive antennas, having a calculation section which combines respective level measurement results of the receive antennas and calculates a level measurement value after being combined as the level measurement result of the mobile terminal. |
| US08711826B2 |
TDD time slot splitting
The invention discloses a method for a cellular communications system, in which traffic is sent in frames, each frame comprising a first number of subframes, with a second number of said subframes being available for at least either uplink or downlink traffic. At least one of said second number of subframes is made to comprise at least three parts, as follows: One part which is utilized for uplink traffic, One part which is utilized for downlink traffic, One part which is utilized as a guard period, with said guard period part being scheduled between the uplink and the downlink parts. The duration of at least two of said three parts may be varied to fit the current system need. |
| US08711824B2 |
Method and system for enabling rendering of electronic media content via a secure ad hoc network configuration utilizing a handheld wireless communication device
A handheld wireless communication device (HWCD) establishes an ad hoc network comprising interconnected networks for a user. The HWCD gains access to content on a first device and controls communication of the content from the first device via the HWCD to a second device. The HWCD enables the second device to consume the content. The content may be streamed from the first device via the HWCD to the second device. The first device is a service provider network device or other network device. The access may be authenticated and/or secure. Secure access to the content is extended from the first device to the second device. The ad hoc network is configured and/or reconfigured until communication is complete. The HWCD comprises multiple wireless interfaces. The ad hoc network comprises a PAN, WLAN, WAN and/or cellular network. The HWCD may hand-off among base stations during communication of the content. |
| US08711823B2 |
System for wireless local area network (WLAN) transmission and for coexistence of WLAN and another type of wireless transmission and methods thereof
An embodiment of a system for the coexistence of a wireless local area network (WLAN) and another type of wireless transmission is provided. A WLAN module in a power saving mode is configured to transmit a polling request (PS-Poll) at a supported rate higher than any basic rate in order to obtain buffered data from an access point (AP) when the coexisting wireless transmission module is operating. The supported rate is encoded in a supported rate set announced by the AP, and the basic rate is encoded in a basic rate set announced by the AP, and the PS-Poll is a polling request relating to a power saving mode of operation. |
| US08711822B2 |
Mobility management in a communications system
A method of managing subscriber mobility within a telecommunications system having at least first and second access domains supporting respective different access technologies. Each of the access domains comprises one or more mobility management gateways responsible for mobility management within the access domain. The method comprises receiving at a first subscriber server within said system, an update location request from a mobility management gateway within said first access domain, the first subscriber server being responsible for said first access domain. A common user database is then updated to update a profile of a subscriber to which said update location request relates in order to record said mobility management gateway within said first access domain as a current location of the subscriber. At said common user database, a notification rule set is applied to the subscriber profile to determine whether or not a notification to cancel a location for said subscriber must be sent to a mobility management gateway within said second access domain. If so, then a notification is sent from said common user database to a second subscriber server within said system, the second subscriber server being responsible for said second access domain. The notification is received at said second subscriber server, and a cancel location request sent to said mobility management gateway within said second access domain. A further update of said subscriber profile in the common user database is performed to remove said mobility management gateway within said second access domain as a current location of the subscriber. |
| US08711820B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing very high throughput operation and capability signaling for wireless communications
A method and apparatus may be used to provide signaling for various capabilities in various wireless communication technologies, such as very high throughput (VHT) Capabilities in VHT wireless local area networks (WLANs). For example, in WLAN, an access point (AP) and/or a station (STA) may indicate VHT Capabilities Information, in any new or existing frames. The VHT Capabilities Information may be indicated in management frames such as association, re-association, probe, beacon, or secondary/auxiliary beacon frames. |
| US08711819B2 |
Uplink interference mitigation method and apparatus
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for mitigating uplink interference in the wireless communication system, wherein the method comprises determining a loading-status value for each sector; if the loading-status value is not greater than the first threshold value, generating UL zone switch IE and UL allocation start IE to allocate data bursts of the sectors to different subchannels; and preparing an uplink map using the UL zone switch IE and UL allocation start IE for each sector, wherein the uplink duration indicates a duration where all the subchannels are used for allocation of the data burst. |
| US08711816B2 |
Link establishment in a wireless communication environment
The invention relates to link establishment in a wireless communication terminal. In order to obtain flexible and low power connections between a wireless terminal belonging to a short-range wireless network and an external wireless communication device not belonging to that network, a protection frame is sent either from the wireless communication terminal or from the external wireless communication device. The protection frame includes duration information used for virtual carrier-sensing in the short-range wireless network. In response to the protection frame, data is transferred between the wireless communication terminal and the external wireless communication device during a time period indicated by the duration information. |
| US08711812B2 |
Method, device, and system for configuring component carrier in carrier aggregation scenario
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, a device, and a system for configuring a component carrier in a carrier aggregation scenario. The method for configuring a component carrier in a carrier aggregation scenario includes: obtaining information about a component carrier supported by a UE; selecting a candidate component carrier according to the information about the component carrier and configuring a resource parameter that is applied to the candidate component carrier to form configuration information about the candidate component carrier; and delivering the configuration information about the candidate component carrier to the UE. In the embodiments of the present invention, a base station may select a candidate component carrier for the UE according to obtained component carrier support information and perform resource configuration, so that the UE can accurately know to which component carrier a resource parameter is applied, and thus a data transmission error may be reduced. |
| US08711808B2 |
Method for switching channels in a wireless communication network
A method for switching channels in a wireless communication network comprising at least one access point and clients, wherein the communication network as secondary user uses one of a number of possible channels for data communication. In accordance with the invention, data communication occurs between the access point and the number of clients through the first transmit/receive interface of the access point on a first channel. Parallel to the data communication, a check of the possible channels occurs over the transmit/receive interface by a second transmit/receive interface of the access point to determine which of the channels are free channels that are not being used by any primary users. A channel switch from the first channel to one of the free channels occurs if a prioritized use of the first channel by a primary user is established by the access point of the communication network. |
| US08711805B2 |
Communications in an asynchronous cellular wireless network
Systems and techniques are disclosed for establishing a reference corresponding to the timing of a received signal from the first source, determining the timing for each received signal from a plurality of second sources, adjusting the reference to the timing of the received signal from one of the second sources, the timing of the received signal used to adjust the reference being closest in time to the unadjusted reference, and synchronizing a signal to the reference for transmission. |
| US08711803B1 |
Fast base station switching method and system, and hierarchical zone-based fast handoff approach
A method of performing fast base station switching for hand off is provided that involves the use of a tunnel from a serving base station to a target base station. During a hand off, packets are forwarded by the serving base station to the target base station using the tunnel. A hierarchical hand off method is also provided that uses a diversity hand off method for a hand off between base stations of different zones, and uses a non-diversity handoff, such as the fast base station switching method, for a hand off between base stations in the same zone. |
| US08711797B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving extension information of component carrier in wireless communication system
A base station comprises: an area information generation unit which generates information for a determined second area by determining an additional assignment of the second area different from a first area to a component carrier (CC) of the first area having a bandwidth smaller than a bandwidth of a maximum assignable CC; a mapping control unit which controls an assignment of a reference signal to a frequency band including the first and second area by generating the reference signal for channel estimation in the first and second areas; a signal generation unit which generates the information for the second area and the reference signal as a wireless signal; and a transmission unit for transmitting the generated wireless signal and is characterized by transmitting data to a user terminal and receiving the data from the user terminal by assigning the resources to the first and second areas. |
| US08711796B2 |
Provision of downlink packet access services to user equipment in spread spectrum communication network
A method of providing a packetized data transmission service to a mobile terminal (108) in a spread spectrum communication network (100), includes: at a transmitter (102), broadcasting an indication message to a cell on a downlink broadcast channel (114), the indication message providing notification of an available packetized data transmission service intended for the mobile terminal (108); at the mobile terminal (108), monitoring the broadcast channel (114) for the indication message, and upon receipt, acknowledging detection of the indication message to the transmitter (102) on an uplink contention channel (116); and at the transmitter (102), upon contention completion, transmitting packetized data transmission service configuration information to the mobile terminal (108) on the broadcast channel (114). |
| US08711793B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving wireless resource information
A method of transmitting and receiving radio resource information is disclosed, by which a mobile terminal is able to quickly access a mobile communication system. The present invention includes transmitting a paging message to locate a specific mobile terminal by including information for a radio resource allocated to the mobile terminal in the paging message receiving a response signal for the paging message transmitted according to the information for the radio resource, and performing a connection to the mobile terminal according to the response signal. |
| US08711789B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing contention-based resource zones in a wireless network
A base station employs control signaling for contention-based uplink access from user equipment devices to the base station. Contention-based access configuration is performed via physical downlink control channel signaling. Configuration data sent to the user equipment devices identifies multiple contention-based access zones, along with minimum power headroom values for each contention-based access zone. A probability factor may be used to lower collision possibility by influencing whether the user equipment devices perform contention-based uplink access. |
| US08711788B2 |
Arrangements and method relating to communication bearers
The present invention relates to a network node supporting communication of information and comprising bearer service handling means supporting one or more bearer services, each defined by a number of attributes, and bearer service managing means for controlling enablement, modification and maintenance of bearer services with particular QoSs, resource handling means adapted to distribute resources between bearer services information, attribute handling means adapted to handle attributes QoS profile for one or more of traffic classes and admission control means adapted to control bearer service resource allocation. The managing means are adapted to handle a first additional bearer service attribute comprising information about a time period between at least two consecutive information transfer events and a second additional bearer service attribute comprising information relating to the amount of data to be transferred during at least one of said at least two consecutive information transfer events. The managing means are adapted to activate a bearer service adapted to handle repetitive information transfer at a first transfer event, to provide for deactivation of an activated repetitive bearer service when a respective information transfer events ends and reactivation of the respective bearer service resources at, initiation of a subsequent information transfer event. |
| US08711785B2 |
Fast carrier allocation in multi-carrier systems
Providing for fast allocation of additional carriers in multi-carrier wireless communication systems is described herein. By way of example, high layer protocols can be employed to allocate additional carriers to UEs in a wireless network. Additionally, management of the additional carriers can be accomplished via high speed lower layer signaling protocols. Management can involve activating/deactivating the additional carriers, instructing the UE to provide carrier feedback, monitor pilot or control channels of such carriers, or the like. Because lower layer signaling is relatively fast, activation or deactivation of the additional carrier can be quickly implemented in response to contemporaneous changes in channel conditions. Thus, changes to signal quality or network loading can be determined and utilized to customize carrier activation in near real-time, providing efficient resource allocation while conserving UE battery life. |
| US08711779B2 |
Wireless communication system, associated methods and data structures
A wireless communication device, and a wireless communication system and a method of beamforming is presented. The wireless communication system and/or device includes a beamformee unit, a beamformer unit and two or more antennas to transmit the data unit and the protocol data unit according to the beamformee and the beamformer units, respectively. The beamformee conveys feedback information by a data unit in one of the feedback positions that include an immediate feedback position, an aggregated feedback position and a delayed feedback position. The beamformer unit generates a protocol data unit including a control field that includes one of the feedback request information types which is selected from a Channel State Information or uncompressed Steering Matrix or compressed Steering Matrix, to request feedback from a remote communication device. |
| US08711769B2 |
Interferer region identification using image processing
Demodulation and interference parameter estimation in an OFDM receiver is improved by identifying regions, in a two-dimensional array of time-frequency transmission positions, having related interference parameters, such as resulting from the same pre-coding scheme, transmission rank, transmitting antennas, and the like. An interference measure is estimated for each of a plurality of time-frequency positions. The interference measures are analyzed by considering them as pixels, or picture elements, in a two-dimensional image, and applying image processing algorithms to identify the regions having related interference parameters. The image processing algorithms may include operations such as edge detection, segmentation, and/or clustering. The receiver may perform interference suppression or cancellation such as interference rejection combining of data extracted from signals received within an identified time-frequency region having related interference parameters. |
| US08711768B2 |
Serving base station selection based on backhaul capability
Techniques for selecting a serving base station for a terminal by taking into account backhaul capability are described. The terminal may be within the coverage of multiple base stations, which may be of different types and may have different backhaul capabilities. One of the base stations may be selected as a serving base station for the terminal based on the backhaul capabilities of these base stations. The serving base station may also be selected based on additional criteria such as data or delay requirements of the terminal, transmit power capability of the terminal, characteristics of data for the terminal, etc. |
| US08711767B2 |
Distributed mobile access point acquisition
Providing for distributed access point management for access to a mobile network is described herein. By way of example, an interface application maintained at a Femto cell base station (BS) can facilitate initial power up and/or acquisition for a Femto user terminal (UT). Upon start-up, a bootstrap process is utilized by the Femto cell to provision the UT with an SDL establishing at least one BS as high priority within a particular geographic area (GEO). Thus, when the Femto UT is within the GEO, the UT is more likely to acquire, camp on and/or handoff to the preferred BS. When outside the GEO, a serving access point can provision the Femto UT OTA with a custom SDL suited to another GEO having a different high priority access point. By implementing access point management at distributed access points, expensive network equipment can be mitigated or avoided. |
| US08711766B2 |
SRB enhancement on HS-DSCH during cell change
The present invention relates to a radio network controller and a radio base station for prioritization of signalling radio bearers (SRB) with regard to their content to achieve an efficient resource usage. The radio network controller can retrieve knowledge about the resource status in a Node B serving a certain user equipment and request this Node B to prioritize signalling radio bearers (SRB) carrying signalling information with regard to radio resource control that is of particular importance and intended to be efficiently forwarded to said user equipment. The Node B then prioritizes such signalling radio bearers and schedules the prioritized signalling radio bearers with respect to their priorities using sufficient radio resources. |
| US08711764B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in a communication system
A method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving data in a communication system are provided, in which an MCS level is determined for data, a codeword including the data and a parity is generated by encoding the data using the determined MCS level, code symbols are generated from the codeword using IR scheme, and each of the code symbols is sent in a corresponding subframe. |
| US08711763B2 |
Random access for wireless multiple-access communication systems
Techniques for facilitating random access in wireless multiple-access communication systems are described. A random access channel (RACH) is defined to comprise a “fast” RACH (F-RACH) and a “slow” RACH (S-RACH). The F-RACH and S-RACH can efficiently support user terminals in different operating states and employ different designs. The F-RACH can be used to quickly access the system, and the S-RACH is more robust and can support user terminals in various operating states and conditions. The F-RACH may be used by user terminals that have registered with the system and can compensate for their round trip delays (RTDs) by properly advancing their transmit timing. The S-RACH may be used by user terminals that may or may not have registered with the system, and may or may not be able to compensate for their RTDs. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described. |
| US08711762B2 |
Wireless communications apparatus and wireless communications method
A wireless communication method of a base station that transmits a modulation signal based on an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing scheme to a plurality of terminals. The method includes determining, for each terminal of the plurality of terminals, which subcarrier group or how many symbols along a time axis are to be allocated in a transmission frame, the transmission frame including a first period in which first transmission symbols are arranged and a second period in which second transmission symbols which are different from the first transmission symbols are arranged. The method also includes forming the transmission frame according to a determined allocation, wherein a plurality of symbols on a frequency axis for transmitting N bits (N is a natural number) are arranged within a part of the first period, by using a modulation scheme whereby N bits can be transmitted using one symbol. The method further includes transmitting the modulation signal using the transmission frame. |
| US08711761B2 |
Spread spectrum communication system and transmission power control method therefor
In a spread spectrum communication system, one (W.sub.n) of a series of orthogonal codes for spectrum spreading is assigned to signal-to-noise ratio measurement in a terminal. On the basis of a noise signal detected by de-spreading a signal received from an antenna with the above described orthogonal code (W.sub.n) and a pilot signal, each terminal derives a signal-to-noise ratio. Each terminal transmits the signal-to-noise ratio to the base station as a power control signal. On the basis of signal-to-noise information received from each terminal as the power control signal, the base station controls signal transmission power for each terminal. |
| US08711758B2 |
Incrementally increasing deployment of gateways
In one embodiment, a satellite communications system includes first and second receivers, splitters, and combiners. The first receiver is configured to receive a first microwave communications signal; and the first splitter is coupled to the first receiver and configured to split the first microwave communications signal into at least first and second channels. The second receiver is configured to receive a second microwave communications signal; and the second splitter is coupled to the second receiver and configured to split the second microwave communications signal into at least third and fourth channels. The first combiner is coupled to the first and second splitters and configured to combine the first and third channels to form a third microwave communications signal; and the second combiner is coupled to the first and second splitters and configured to combine the second and fourth channels to form a fourth microwave communications signal. |
| US08711757B2 |
Local access to data while roaming with a mobile telephony device
Apparatus for local access to data while roaming with a mobile telephony device at a roaming network. The apparatus is located at the roaming network and comprises a filter having a data packet or packet header inspection unit for inspecting packet information or headers to identify data packets addressed from the roaming telephony device for use via a home network data packet gateway, and a packet diverter for diverting at least some of the identified packets to a local data packet gateway; the filter setting up a diversion tunnel for additional packets of the same session for directly routing all packets of the identified session to the local data packet gateway. Mobile devices are today programmed to send data to their home network for browsing via the home network data packet gateway. The filter allows data to be redirected to the roaming network so that Internet browsing and like data uses can be carried out directly by the roaming user at less cost and greater efficiency and quality of service. |
| US08711756B2 |
Efficient relay automatic repeat request procedure in broadband wireless access system
The present invention relates to a broadband wireless access system including a relay station, and more particularly to an efficient procedure of Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) operations in a relay station and an apparatus for performing the same. A method for transmitting data for at least one terminal (AMS) from a base station (ABS) to a relay station (ARS) in the broadband wireless access system according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of generating second transmission unit data using a plurality of first transmission unit data to which different relay sequence numbers are assigned; and transmitting the second transmission unit data to the relay station. The second transmission unit data can be transmitted through the same tunnel as the first transmission unit data. |
| US08711754B2 |
Base station, relay station, and bandwidth allocation method
A relay station that performs relay processing of data, intervening between a wireless terminal and a wireless base station having a receiving processing unit to obtain a bandwidth request included in the data received from the wireless terminal and a bandwidth allocation control unit to allocate a bandwidth to the wireless terminal based on the bandwidth request obtained by the receiving processing unit is utilized in an aspect. |
| US08711749B2 |
Information obtaining and notification, data message forwarding and handover method and access node
An information obtaining, information notification, data message forwarding and switch method and an access node during a terminal switch process are provided. The access node comprises an opposite end information storage unit, which is set to store identification and locator mapping information of correspondent nodes of all accessed terminals; an message transceiver unit, which is set to: after establishing a connection with the terminal that switches to the local access node, receive a data message sent by the terminal to the correspondent node, according to the identification of the correspondent node in the data message, initiate an inquiry to a home ILR or an original access node of the terminal before switch-in to acquire and locally store the mapping information of the correspondent node, if the identification and locator mapping information of the correspondent node cannot be locally searched out. |
| US08711745B2 |
System and method for discontinuous reception control start time
Methods of combining semi-persistent resource allocation and dynamic resource allocation are provided. Packets, such as VoIP packets, are transmitted on the uplink and downlink using respective semi-persistent resources. For each mobile device, awake periods and sleep periods are defined. The semi-persistent resources are aligned with the awake periods so that most of the time the mobile device can turn off its wireless access radio during the sleep periods. In addition, signalling to request, and to allocate, resources for additional packets are transmitted during the awake periods, and the resources allocated for the additional packets are within the awake periods. Methods of extending the awake periods in various embodiments are also provided. Methods of determining the first on period are also provided. |
| US08711737B2 |
Crowd formation based on wireless context information
Systems and methods are disclosed for forming crowds of users based on wireless contexts of corresponding mobile devices of the users. In general, wireless contexts of mobile devices of a number of users are obtained. For each mobile device, the wireless context of the mobile device includes a wireless Personal Area Network (PAN) context of the mobile device, a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) context of the mobile device, or both. The wireless contexts of the mobile devices of the users are then utilized to form crowds of users. More specifically, in one embodiment, users of mobile devices having sufficiently similar wireless contexts are determined to be in the same crowd of users. |
| US08711734B2 |
Method and system for fail-safe call survival
The present invention provides a system and method for fail-safe call survival by detecting failure of an active call serving component and switching the service over to a standby component. The system and method will prevent an existing call, whether established or to be established, from being dropped due to a single point of failure within a Voice over Internet Protocol system. The continuation of the call is based on the failed component as opposed to relying on communication endpoints to re-initiate or re-route the failed call. Call recovery is initiated independent from the call path of a call. The detection of a condition or need for call recovery and the determination to initiate call recovery procedures are made without involving endpoints or intermediate points of the call. The availability and sanity of all components are continuously monitored and are tailored specifically for the duties of each component. |
| US08711733B2 |
Indicating transfer in an IMS network
A method and apparatus for indicating to a node in an IMS network a transfer between two endpoints. A node in a first network determines that a communication session is to be transferred from a first endpoint to a second endpoint. The node includes an indication of at least one of the endpoints, and an explicit communication transfer indicator, in a message. The message is then sent towards the node in the IMS network. This allows the node in the IMS network to determine that a transfer has taken place and, if necessary, take further action. |
| US08711728B2 |
Power consumption management in a MIMO transceiver and method for use therewith
A mobile communication device includes a first wireless transceiver that receives a first inbound RF signal and that transmits a first outbound RF signal based on a first power supply signal. A second wireless transceiver receives a second inbound RF signal and that transmits a second outbound RF signal based on a second power supply signal. A processing module generates at least one power mode signal based on first transmit power control data received via the first inbound RF signal. A power management circuit adjusts a first power consumption parameter of the first power supply signal and a second power consumption parameter of the second power supply signal based on the at least one power mode signal. |
| US08711727B2 |
Power control arrangement for long term evolution time division duplex method and apparatus
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems and apparatuses for optimizing downlink path loss (PL) measurements in time division duplex (TDD) systems enabling fast power control targeting to decrease fading margin. In one embodiment, a method of power control in a long term evolution time division duplex (TDD) system is provided. The method includes controlling a length of a path loss measurement filter based on an allocation type. A width and frequency position of the path loss measurement filter is made dependent on the allocation type. |
| US08711726B2 |
Method and device for reliable estimation of network traffic
A network, advantageously a home network, comprises a number of user devices, for example personal computers, game consoles and smartphones, each having an estimator application, preferably voluntarily installed by the user. The network further comprises a network device that acts as an interface between the network and an external network. The estimator applications measure the network traffic for its user device, while the network device in parallel generates an independent measurement of the network consumption. The measurements are then compared. If the difference between the sum of the measurements from the estimator applications and the measurement of the network device is below a fixed threshold, it is assumed that the measurements are valid for the considered measurement time interval. Otherwise, the difference is an indication that at least one estimation was incorrect. |
| US08711725B2 |
Method and system for acquiring support capability of mobile terminal by base station side system
A method for acquiring support capability of a mobile terminal by a base station side system is disclosed in the present disclosure, and the method includes: the base station side system applies a co-frequency interference to the mobile terminal, and detects a measurement report which is fed back by the mobile terminal after the co-frequency interference is applied, and determines and acquires the support capability of the mobile terminal for voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot according to associated parameters in the detected measurement report in combination with associated threshold values. A system for acquiring support capability of the mobile terminal by the base station side system is also disclosed in the present disclosure. In the system, a base station side determining unit is configured to determine and acquire the support capability of the mobile terminal for voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot according to associated parameters in detected measurement report in combination with associated threshold values. With the method and system in the present disclosure, the base station side system can adaptively and accurately acquire the support capability of the mobile terminal for Voice services over adaptive multi-user channels on one slot. |
| US08711718B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption used in communication system having time slots
An apparatus used in a communication system having a plurality of time slots includes a signal processing circuit, a signal detector, and a controlling circuit. The signal processing circuit receives an input signal. The signal detector detects the input signal to generate a detection result. The controlling circuit controls the signal processing circuit according to the detection result. When the detection result does not meet a predetermined criterion, the controlling circuit adjusts the signal processing circuit for reducing power consumption of the signal processing circuit. |
| US08711716B2 |
Multiple CQI feedback for cellular networks
Single user and multiuser MIMO transmission in a cellular network may be performed by a base station (eNB) transmitting either one or two transmission layers. A user equipment (UE) receives a reference symbol from the base station. The UE processes the reference symbol with one or more of a plurality of precoding matrices to form a plurality of channel quality indices (CQI). The UE provides feedback to the eNB comprising one or more feedback CQI selected from the plurality of CQI and one or more precoding matrix indicators (PMI) identifying the one or more precoding matrices used to form each of the one or more feedback CQIs, wherein at least two PMI are included in the feedback. |
| US08711713B2 |
Systems and methods for flow mirroring with network-scoped connection-oriented sink
Systems and methods for sinking port mirrored from one or more identified flows of data to any node in a network are provided. Moreover, the network is configured to convey the mirrored data to the sink, without the need for any facilities expressly dedicated for this purpose. The present invention removes the requirement to co-locate the sink port within the same logical node. The present invention uses a mirrored flow configured as a provisioned layer two point-to-point connection, such as a Switched Permanent Virtual Circuit (SPVC), Pseudo-Wire (PWE3), a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) cross-connect, Provider Backbone Bridging-Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE), and the like. The node with the mirrored port is configured to create copies of the appropriate set of packets (i.e., ingress, egress packets, or both based on provisioning and based on the identified flow), and to forward the packets to the sink port through the provisioned point-to-point connection. |
| US08711711B2 |
System and method of detecting and locating intermittent and other faults
Data associated with at least one building condition or status is sensed by one or more sensors. The data from these sensors may be sent over a data bus and received by the central computer. In addition, a modulated signal may be transmitted by one or both of the transmitters across the data bus. The modulated signal is received at the receiver, which analyzes the received modulated signal, and determines whether an intermittent fault has occurred on the data bus based upon the analyzing. For example, the receiver may compare the received signal to an expected pattern and when a discrepancy exists, an intermittent fault is determined to exist. The receiver may also determine the location of the fault based upon the analysis. |
| US08711710B2 |
Systems and methods for adaptive error thresholds or adaptive modulation schemes based on atmospheric conditions
Systems and methods may be provided for adaptive communications with utility meters based on atmospheric conditions. The systems and methods may include obtaining weather information associated with a location of a utility meter; determining, based upon the weather information, whether the utility meter location is associated with weather that affects communications performance; and modifying an acceptable communications error rate associated with the utility meter or the communications interface of the utility meter from a first value to a second value upon determining that the utility meter location is associated with weather that affects communications performance. One or more of the foregoing operations may be performed by a utility meter or a utility server computer associated with the utility meter. |
| US08711709B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring for a radio link failure
Methods and apparatus are described for monitoring for a radio link failure in a long term evolution-advanced (LTE-A) system operated with carrier aggregation. The methods include criteria for determining radio link failure, recovery events, and the actions that a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may take upon the occurrence of such events. |
| US08711708B2 |
Automatic setup of reflector instances
A method of establishing a service operations administration and maintenance (OAM) session between an originator and a reflector in a communication network includes continuously monitoring, by the reflector, any test packets transmitted by the originator. The originator transmits to the reflector, at a time indicated by a first timestamp, a test packet. The reflector receives the test packet at a time indicated by a second timestamp and generates a unique flow identifier that identifies the reflector. The reflector transmits the test packet to the originator. The reflector assigns a sequence number to the test packet. The originator receives the test packet at a time indicated by a fourth timestamp. The reflector stores the unique flow identifier at least for the duration of the OAM session. |
| US08711700B2 |
Method and apparatus for diagnosing faults in a hybrid internet protocol network
An Ethernet switch can receive an internet protocol query packet generated by a receiver for collecting telemetry data between a source and the receiver in a multicast network, translate the internet protocol query packet to an Ethernet query packet, collect in the Ethernet query packet telemetry data from the Ethernet switch where at least one telemetry field of the Ethernet Switch includes an arrival time of the Ethernet query packet at the Ethernet switch, and submit the Ethernet query packet to the next network element of the multicast network. An internet protocol router can receive an Ethernet query packet generated by an Ethernet switch having at least one field for telemetry for collecting telemetry data between a source and a receiver, translate the Ethernet query packet to an internet protocol query packet, and submit the internet protocol query packet to the next network element. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08711698B2 |
Signal routing dependent on a loading indicator of a mobile node
A device, method, computer program product, and network subsystem are described for obtaining a node identifier dependent on at least a position index and a loading indicator of a mobile node and routing data through the mobile node responsive to the node identifier. |
| US08711696B2 |
Reliable event broadcaster with multiplexing and bandwidth control functions
Data may be transmitted in a broadcast mode to multiple devices operating in a network. Efficient utilization of bandwidth while providing a desired level of quality of service is enabled for the applications executing on the devices that utilize the broadcasted data. A set of bandwidth constraints may be utilized in combination with a set of heuristics and rules for the allocation and re-allocation of bandwidth among multiple applications in a manner that minimizes the impact on the quality of service metrics of importance to the affected applications when contention exists for the network resources. Quality of service provided to each application may be degraded smoothly, with certain priorities and guarantees being maintained. Event segmentation and reassembly functions for applications may be provided, as well as reliability mechanisms to increase the ability to provide data to client devices that have not been actively receiving for significant periods of time. |
| US08711695B2 |
Transmitter and receiver for streaming media including packet padding
A problem of the invention is to provide a transmitter terminal and a receiver terminal that can realize transmission of a real-time stream as the final transmission delay time is shortened by avoiding occurrence of reorder. In a transmitter terminal (1), a padding request accepting section (103) receives a padding request packet transmitted from a receiver terminal (2) and a packet padding section (102) pads the packet generated in a data generating section (101) so that the packet length becomes a specific length or more based on a command from the padding request accepting section (103), and transmits the packet to a network (10). In the receiver terminal (2), a reorder condition analyzing section (201) receives a packet from the network (10) and analyzes the occurrence condition of reorder of the packet, a padding requesting section (204) generates a padding request packet for requesting the transmitter terminal (1) to execute padding based on the analysis result of the reorder condition analyzing section (201), and a data reproducing section (203) reproduces the packet received in the reorder condition analyzing section (201). |
| US08711689B1 |
Dynamic trunk distribution on egress
A method, apparatus, and system are directed toward managing network traffic over a plurality of Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Level 2 switch ports. A network traffic is received over the plurality of OSI Level 2 switch ports. At least a part of the network traffic is categorized into a flow. The categorization may be based on a IP address, an OSI Level 4 port, a protocol type, a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) number, or the like, associated with the network traffic. One of the plurality of OSI Level 2 switch ports is selected based on a load-balancing metric. The load-balancing metric may be a priority of the flow, a congestion characteristic, a prediction of a load usage for the flow, a combination thereof, or the like. A frame associated with the flow is sent over the selected one of the plurality of OSI Level 2 switch ports. |
| US08711688B1 |
Traffic flow analysis mitigation using a cover signal
Network communications face security issues including traffic flow analysis attacks. Such attacks include deduction of information about networks through analysis of transmitted traffic volume or statistics, even if the traffic is encrypted. For example, an adversary may deduce operational information from traffic volume, or its timing. Described herein are security techniques that can provide transmission security with an obfuscating “cover” signal for any contention-based multiple access system by employing signal interference cancellation techniques, but are not so limited. The cover signal is transmitted on the same frequency band used by terminals on the network. Using “known-signal” and/or self-interference cancellation techniques, the cover signal can be removed by authorized terminals that have appropriate cover signal information and timing synchronization. An adversary cannot distinguish between real traffic and the cover signal while authorized terminals can recover transmissions without impact to network capacity. |
| US08711686B2 |
Packet transmission system and fault recovery method
Between a first pair of termination nodes, a first current-use packet transmission path and at least one first spare packet transmission path are defined. Between a second pair of termination nodes, a second current-use packet transmission path and at least one second spare packet transmission path are defined. When no network fault occurs, packets are transmitted between the pairs of nodes in a 1:1 transfer mode in which the pairs transfer packets via both current-use packet transmission paths only. When a network fault occurs in the first current-use packet transmission path, both transmissions are switched from a 1:1 transfer mode to a 1+1 transfer mode, in which the first pair of nodes transfer packets by using the first current-use packet transmission path and the first spare packet transmission path, and the second pair transfer packets by using the second current-use packet transmission path and the second spare packet transmission path. |
| US08711683B2 |
Network traffic demotion
A method and apparatus for demoting network traffic are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes transmitting traffic associated with a session over a first path, and maintaining state information identifying the first path as a forwarding path for the session. Traffic associated with the session is rerouted from the first path to a second path following a network failure and the rerouted traffic is marked so that at least a portion of the rerouted traffic can be dropped at any point in the network if rerouting causes network congestion. |
| US08711681B2 |
Switch redundancy in systems with dual-star backplanes
Backplane redundancy is provided for a system including multiple nodes that communicate packets through first and second switches. Assuming that the first switch is initially assigned to an active state and the second switch to a standby state, the nodes communicate the data packets through physically enabled first backplane links to the first switch. The nodes physically enable second backplane links that are in a condition to communicate the data packets to the second switch. A messageless failover process is initiated by temporarily disabling, at the first switch, the first backplane links between the first switch and the nodes. In response to the nodes detecting the disabled first backplane links to the first switch, the nodes reconfigure themselves to communicate the data packets through the second backplane links to the second switch and to stop communicating the packets through the first backplane links to the first switch. |
| US08711677B2 |
Multi-port, gigabit SERDES transceiver capable of automatic fail switchover
A multi-port Serdes transceiver includes multiple parallel ports and serial ports, and includes the flexibility to connect any of the parallel ports to another parallel port or to a serial port, or both. The transceiver can connect any of the serial ports to another serial port or to a parallel port. The transceiver includes a switch, a logic core, and a bus. The switch is selectively coupled to at least a first port and a second port. The switch activates the first port and deactivates the second port based on satisfaction of a condition associated with the first port. The logic core operates the serial and parallel ports, and the bus connects the ports. The bus can be described as a “ring” structure around the logic core, and is configured between the logic core and the ports. The ring structure provides efficient communication between the logic core and the ports. |
| US08711676B2 |
Techniques for determining optimized local repair paths
Techniques for finding an optimized local repair path that may be used to signal a local repair connection for a protected connection. The optimized local repair path starts at a node in the path associated with the protected connection and ends at a merge point node in the path associated with the protected connection that is downstream from the start node. Various techniques may be used for finding an optimized local repair path. |
| US08711673B1 |
Mode detection for DVB receiver
Systems, apparatus and methods are provided for detecting the mode of a received OFDM signal. A received signal may be correlated with one or more time-delayed version of itself resulting in a set of correlation signals. Each correlation signal may be analyzed for one or more characteristics that can be used to determine the symbol length of the received signal. In order to minimize the number of correlations performed, one or more correlations can be used with varying symbol lengths and a fixed guard interval length. The correlation signals can be processed by filters, and the characteristics of the filtered correlation signals can be analyzed to determine the guard interval length of the received signal. In addition to detecting symbol length, the present invention can be used to detect receiver impairment and perform any appropriate compensations. |
| US08711670B2 |
Base station apparatus and method for use in mobile communication system
One aspect of the present invention relates to a base station apparatus in a mobile communication system, comprising: an acquisition unit configured to receive an uplink signal from a user equipment and acquire channel condition information and an average value of the channel condition information for each of one or more frequency resource blocks; a reference metric calculation unit configured to calculate a reference metric indicative of priority of assignment of the frequency resource blocks to the user equipment based on the channel condition information and the average value of the channel condition information acquired by the acquisition unit; a modification unit configured to modify the reference metric calculated by the reference metric calculation unit with a first parameter to generate a modified metric; a scheduler configured to compare the modified metrics of the individual frequency resource blocks generated by the modification unit and determine an assignment plan of radio resources; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit a downlink signal in accordance with the assignment plan determined by the scheduler, wherein the modification unit modifies the reference metric with the first parameter, the first parameter having a first value for a predefined first frequency resource block and a second value for a predefined second frequency resource block if the user equipment belongs to a group differentiated based on a path loss. |
| US08711669B2 |
XDSL system and signal transmission method, sending device, and receiving device of xDSL system
An xDSL signal transmission method includes: receiving 2N−1 signals from 2N−1 signal input ends, where each signal in the 2N−1 signals is a signal transmitted by an independent channel in the xDSL system; pre-multiplying a (2N−1)×1 matrix formed by the 2N−1 signals by a first conversion matrix to obtain a 2N×1 matrix, where elements in the 2N×1 matrix respectively correspond to 2N signals, and the first conversion matrix is a 2N×(2N−1) matrix; and sending the 2N signals via N twisted pair lines respectively. The N twisted pair lines can transmit signals of 2N−1 channels, thereby increasing the number of signal transmissions, and improving signal transmission efficiency. |
| US08711668B2 |
Information storage medium, reproducing method, and recording method
A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field. |
| US08711658B2 |
Instantaneous single click perpetual date mechanism
Date mechanism for a timepiece including a movement which daily pivots a lever, comprising a perpetual twelve cam with sectors whose depth depends on the duration of the successive months, completing one revolution per year. The mechanism has a single click and includes a single click finger, hinged to said lever and arranged to cooperate with a thirty-one ratchet wheel which pivots integrally with a first thirty-one snail cam arranged to control a date display means, and a second cam including a radial finger; a countdown mechanism whose position is determined by said second cam, adjusting the number of teeth of said wheel to be activated by said click finger according to the current day and current month; and a means of driving said cam. |
| US08711656B1 |
Sonic fast-sync system and method for bluetooth
A method, apparatus and computer program product for fast-synching a wireless Bluetooth connection using a first device's wireless identifier is provided. One implementation of the present invention modulates the wireless identifier as a sonic Bluetooth code over a sonic carrier signal. To send the wireless identifier, one implementation accesses a storage area associated with the first wireless device holding the sonic carrier signal. Aspects of the invention then transmit the sonic Bluetooth code as modulated over the sonic carrier signal. A sonic transducer, such as a microphone on the second wireless device, receives the sonic carrier signal and wireless identifier for demodulation. In response, the second wireless device requests to establish a physical channel with the first wireless device using the wireless identifier received over the sonic carrier signal. |
| US08711655B2 |
Single well reservoir characterization apparatus and methods
An apparatus and a method for characterizing parts of a reservoir surrounding a borehole are provided including using at least one transmitter to emit a probing signal into the borehole and at least one receiver to receive a signal representing a response of the formation to the probing signal, with the distance separating the transmitter and the receiver being variable while suspended in the borehole using for example an apparatus which can be decoupled in the borehole into a stationary and a mobile section, carrying transmitter and receiver. |
| US08711649B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods for changing operating characteristics and semiconductor systems including the same
A method of changing a parameter in a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes receiving and storing data in a storage region; and changing at least one between a DC characteristic and an AC timing characteristic of a parameter, used to access a non-volatile memory cell included in a memory core of the semiconductor device, according to the data stored in the storage. |
| US08711645B2 |
Victim port-based design for test area overhead reduction in multiport latch-based memories
A multiport latch-based memory device includes a latch array, a plurality of first multiplexers, and a second multiplexer. The latch array is responsive to output data from an input data register in a functional mode associated with the latch-based memory device. The plurality of first multiplexers is responsive to output data from the latch array in the functional mode. The plurality of first multiplexers is responsive to output data from the input data register in a test mode associated with the latch-based memory device. The second multiplexer selectively provides output data from the plurality of first multiplexers to the input data register in the test mode, thereby providing a data path bypassing the latch array in the test mode. Embodiments of a corresponding method and computer-readable medium are also provided. |
| US08711638B2 |
Using storage cells to perform computation
A method includes activating at least two rows of pure memory cells and reading at least one column of activated the memory cells, the reading generating a binary function of data stored in the activated memory cells. |
| US08711636B2 |
Method of operating a split gate flash memory cell with coupling gate
A method of operating a memory cell that comprises first and second regions spaced apart in a substrate with a channel region therebetween, a floating gate disposed over the channel region and the first region, a control gate disposed over the channel region and laterally adjacent to the floating gate with a portion disposed over the floating gate, and a coupling gate disposed over the first region and laterally adjacent to the floating gate. A method of erasing the memory cell includes applying a positive voltage to the control gate and a negative voltage to the coupling gate. A method of reading the memory cell includes applying positive voltages to the control gate, to the coupling gate, and to one of the first and second regions. |
| US08711635B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell which stores data and which is capable of being rewritten electrically, a bit line which is connected electrically to one end of a current path of the memory cell, a control circuit which carries out a verify operation to check a write result after data is written to the memory cell, and a voltage setting circuit which sets a charging voltage for the bit line in a verify operation and a read operation and makes a charging voltage in a read operation higher than a charging voltage in a verify operation. |
| US08711633B2 |
Dynamic data caches, decoders and decoding methods
Examples described include dynamic data caches (DDCs), decoders and decoding methods that may fit into a smaller width area. The DDCs, decoders and decoding method may be used in flash memory devices. A single column select line may be provided to select a plurality of cached bytes, while a second select line selects a byte of the selected plurality. The column select line may be routed parallel to bit lines carrying data, while the second select line may be routed perpendicular to the bit lines. |
| US08711629B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
Bit lines connected to each nonvolatile memory cell are selected by corresponding selective transistors. A first drive circuit for driving the gate of one of the selective transistors receives a voltage selected by a first voltage switch, and a second drive circuit for driving the gate of the other selective transistor receives a voltage selected by a second voltage switch. A transistor constituting the first drive circuit is different in structure from a transistor constituting the second drive circuit. |
| US08711628B2 |
Use of emerging non-volatile memory elements with flash memory
Memory devices and methods of operating memory devices are provided, such as those that involve a memory architecture that replaces typical static and/or dynamic components with emerging non-volatile memory (NV) elements. The emerging NV memory elements can replace conventional latches, can serve as a high speed interface between a flash memory array and external devices and can also be used as high performance cache memory for a flash memory array. |
| US08711621B2 |
Flash multi-level threshold distribution scheme
A threshold voltage distribution scheme for multi-level Flash cells where an erase threshold voltage and at least one programmed threshold voltage lie in an erase voltage domain. Having at least one programmed threshold voltage in the erase voltage domain reduces the Vread voltage level to minimize read disturb effects, while extending the life span of the multi-level Flash cells as the threshold voltage distance between programmed states is maximized. The erase voltage domain can be less than 0V while a program voltage domain is greater than 0V. Accordingly, circuits for program verifying and reading multi-level Flash cells having a programmed threshold voltage in the erase voltage domain and the program voltage domain use negative and positive high voltages. |
| US08711618B2 |
Method for programming non-volatile memory device and apparatuses performing the method
A method of programming multi-level cells included in a spare region, the method including programming first page data and at least one first dummy data in a first multi-level cell; and programming second page data and at least one second dummy data in a second multi-level cell. |
| US08711606B2 |
Data security for dynamic random access memory using body bias to clear data at power-up
A circuit and method erase at power-up all data stored in a DRAM chip for increased data security. All the DRAM memory cells are erased by turning on the transistors for the DRAM storage cells simultaneously by increasing the body voltage of cells. In the example circuit, the body voltage is increased by a charge pump controlled by a power-on-reset (POR) signal applying a voltage to the p-well of the memory cells. The added voltage to the p-well lowers the threshold voltage of the cell, such that the NFET transistor of the memory cell will turn on. With all the devices turned on, the data stored in the memory cells is erased as the voltage of all the cells connected to a common bitline coalesce to a single value. |
| US08711604B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor memory and data processing method in non-volatile semiconductor memory
A non-volatile semiconductor memory according to an embodiment includes: a data storage unit including a memory cell array and a writing circuit; an encoder that directs the writing circuit to write write data to the memory cell array; a writing determining circuit that determines whether the writing of the write data to the memory cell array within a predetermined number of writing operations fails or succeeds, inverts the write data to generate new write data when the writing of the write data fails, and directs the writing circuit to write the new write data to the memory cell array; a switching circuit that inverts read data which is read from the memory cell to generate new read data when the writing determining circuit determines that the writing of the write data fails; and a decoder that decodes the read data into the information data. |
| US08711603B2 |
Permutational memory cells
Various embodiments comprise apparatuses having at least two resistance change memory (RCM) cells. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes at least two electrical contacts coupled to each of the RCM cells. A memory cell material is disposed between pairs of each of the electrical contacts coupled to each of the RCM cells. The memory cell material is capable of forming a conductive pathway between the electrical contacts with at least a portion of the memory cell material arranged to cross-couple a conductive pathway between select ones of the at least two electrical contacts electrically coupled to each of the at least two RCM cells. Additional apparatuses and methods are described. |
| US08711602B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes: plural word lines extending in a first direction; first to third bit lines extending in a second direction that intersects with the first direction; plural variable resistance elements each having a first terminal connected to either one of the first and third bit lines; plural active areas extending in a direction oblique to the first direction while intersecting with the first to third bit lines; plural select transistors provided on the active areas and each having a gate connected to a corresponding one of the word lines, and a current path whose one end is connected to a second terminal of a corresponding one of the variable resistance elements; and plural contact plugs each connecting the other end of the current path of a corresponding one of the select transistors to the second bit line. |
| US08711596B2 |
Memory system with data line switching scheme
A storage system includes a three-dimensional memory array that has multiple layers of non-volatile storage elements grouped into blocks. Each block includes a subset of first selection circuits for selectively coupling a subset of array lines (e.g. bit lines) of a first type to respective local data lines. Each block includes a subset of second selection circuits for selectively coupling a subset of the respective local data lines to global data lines that are connected to control circuitry. To increase the performance of memory operations, the second selection circuits can change their selections independently of each other. |
| US08711592B2 |
Linear transformer power supply
A linear transformer power supply is disclosed that extracts a high level of energy from a linear transformer during the full cycle of AC input voltage. |
| US08711591B2 |
AC/DC converter
The present invention relates to an AC/DC converter comprising at least two phase legs connected in series between first and second DC connection terminals of the AC/DC converter, wherein each phase leg comprises: an AC connection having first and second terminals arranged to connect the phase leg to a phase of an AC system; a phase branch comprising at least one converter cell and having first and second branch end terminals; and a capacitor. The capacitor is connected the between the first branch end terminal and the first AC connection terminal, so that the capacitor forms a DC blocking capacitor. The second AC terminal is connected to the second branch end terminal. The series connection of the phase legs between first and second DC connection terminal is such that a first series connection point in a phase leg is located between the first branch end terminal and the capacitor, while a second series connection point is located between the second branch end terminal and the second AC connection. The invention further relates to a method of operating such AC/DC converter. |
| US08711590B2 |
Circuit and method for generating an AC voltage from a plurality of voltage sources having a temporally variable DC output voltage
A circuit comprising at least one parallel-connected partial circuit for feeding at least one inverter circuit. A partial circuit consists of an unregulated voltage source having a temporally varying DC output voltage, a voltage doubling circuit and a voltage regulating circuit with an associated regulating device. In the inventive method, the voltage doubling circuit doubles the voltage of the unregulated voltage source. The regulation of the current/voltage characteristic curve, the MPP tracking, of the unregulated voltage source is effected by the regulating device of the voltage regulating circuit. |
| US08711585B2 |
High-frequency-link power-conversion system having direct double-frequency ripple current control and method of use
A direct double-frequency ripple current control in a two-stage high-frequency-link (HFL) based fuel cell converter that can achieve low-frequency ripple free input current without using large electrolytic capacitors is provided. To eliminate the double-frequency ripple current disturbance introduced by the single-phase inverter load, a proportional-resonant (PR) controller is developed to achieve an extra high control gain at designed resonant frequency. This high gain can be viewed as the virtual high impedance for blocking the double-frequency ripple energy propagation from inverter load to fuel cell stack. More particularly, the proposed control system can realize the utilization of all capacitive ripple energy sources in the system by regulating all the capacitors to have large voltage swing and the voltage swing is synchronized to keep real-time balancing of the transformer primary-side and secondary-side voltages. As a result, the zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) operation for all switching devices in the dc-dc stage can be guaranteed. |
| US08711584B2 |
Reducing voltage stress in a flyback converter design
Disclosed is flyback converter having a controller that performs a startup switching process when the flyback converter is powered up, and then performs normal switching afterward. The controller includes a pulse generator to generate a control signal for normal switching. During startup switching, the controller may generate a control signal by output every Nth pulse from the pulse generator. In another embodiment, the controller may generate pulses based on a sense signal provided from an input section of the flyback converter. |
| US08711578B2 |
Method of forming a power supply controller and structure therefor
In one embodiment, a power supply controller is configured to adjust a peak value of a primary current through a power switch responsively to a difference between a demagnetization time and a discharge time of the parasitic leakage inductance of a transformer. |
| US08711576B2 |
Electronic apparatus and manufacturing method of electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus which includes a hinge module includes a first housing in which a window unit is formed in a holding unit which holds the hinge module, a second housing which is joined to the first housing, and a substrate holding member which is arranged between the first housing and the second housing, and wherein the substrate holding member passes through the window unit of the first housing and includes a locking unit which locks the hinge module by being pressed by the second housing. |
| US08711574B2 |
Electronic device and printed circuit board
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a printed circuit board includes a plurality of circuit parts, a conductive shield case provided on the printed circuit board, a tuner provided on the printed circuit board and inside the shield case, a first ground portion provided on the printed circuit board and outside the shield case and a second ground portion provided on the printed circuit board and inside the shield case. The first ground portion is electrically connected to the second ground portion via the shield case. |
| US08711568B2 |
Mechanical and moisture protection apparatus for electronic devices
The mechanical and moisture protection apparatus for handheld electronic devices generally comprises a handle for the user, a bearing plate that covers an electrical connector recess in an electronic device, and an insert that fits within the recess. In addition, a sealing means may also be utilized to further ensure a fluid tight seal. The apparatus may be constructed as a one-piece unitary structure or may comprise individual components. The apparatus may be constructed from any number of materials and utilizing any number of fabrication techniques. The apparatus is preferably light weight, inexpensive and easy to assemble. |
| US08711567B2 |
Electronic hand-held device
An electronic hand-held device, for example a mobile phone (10), includes a first unit (cover 12) and a second unit (keypad unit 14). The device (10) has a first configuration in which the first unit (12) is in a contracted position, and the second unit (14) is in a depressed position and positioned beneath the first unit (12); and a second configuration in which the first unit (12) is in a fully extended position, the second unit (14) is in a fully raised position, and the upper surfaces (12u, 14u) of the first and second units are adjacent to each other. The movement of the second unit (14) depends on the movement of the first unit (12) by moveable guide members (40) mounted along the lateral edges of the device (10). The guide member (40) may include a guide surface (140) shaped to hold the second unit (14) firmly in position in fully raised position. |
| US08711566B2 |
Expandable mobile device
In embodiments of an expandable mobile device, the device includes first and second housing parts that slide-engage relative to each other to extend and retract the device. The expandable mobile device includes a flexible display that extends from an interior of the expandable mobile device as the second housing part slides out from the first housing part. The flexible display also retracts into the interior of the expandable mobile device as the second housing part slides into the first housing part. Rollers are integrated in the first housing part and bend the flexible display around a fixed radius to position a first section of the flexible display approximately parallel to a second section of the flexible display in a retracted position of the expandable mobile device. |
| US08711565B2 |
System and method for operating an electric power converter
An electric power converter for a renewable power source includes at least one alternating current (AC) conduit coupled to an external AC power device and at least one direct current (DC) conduit coupled to an external DC power device. The converter also includes at least one immersion structure defining at least one immersion cavity therein and a plurality of semiconductor devices. The semiconductor devices include a substrate positioned within the immersion cavity. The substrate defines a plurality of heat transfer surfaces thereon. The semiconductor devices also include at least one semiconductor die coupled to the substrate, the AC conduit, and the DC conduit. The converter further includes a liquid at least partially filling the immersion cavity such that the semiconductor die is fully immersed in and in direct contact with the liquid. Heat generated in the semiconductor device induces a phase change in the liquid. |
| US08711564B2 |
Method and system for cooling of integrated circuits
A system of motherboard, socket and convective cooling cells is providing cooling of both sides—top and bottom—of an integrated circuit, which keeps the temperature deviation inside circuit up to 4 times lower and is up to 4 times more efficient than at the cooling of the same circuit from only one of its side. |
| US08711563B2 |
Dry-cooling unit with gravity-assisted coolant flow
A cooling unit is provided to facilitate cooling of coolant passing through a coolant loop. The cooling unit includes one or more heat rejection units and an elevated coolant tank. The heat rejection unit(s) rejects heat from coolant passing through the coolant loop to air passing across the heat rejection unit. The heat rejection unit(s) includes one or more heat exchange assemblies coupled to the coolant loop for at least a portion of coolant to pass through the one or more heat exchange assemblies. The elevated coolant tank, which is elevated above at least a portion of the coolant loop, is coupled in fluid communication with the one or more heat exchange assemblies of the heat rejection unit(s), and facilitates return of coolant to the coolant loop at a substantially constant pressure. |
| US08711562B2 |
Robot control device
A robot control device according to one aspect of the embodiment includes a casing, a control circuit, and a fan. The control circuit is allocated in the inside of the casing and controls a robot to be controlled. In the casing, an intake portion is arranged in a top plate and one side plate, and an exhaust portion is arranged in a side plate adjacent to the side plate in which the intake portion is arranged. Further, the fan releases outside air sucked into the casing from the intake portion to the outside of the casing through the exhaust portion. |
| US08711560B2 |
Snap-engagement structure
It is a snap-engagement structure whereby a mother body and a daughter body of a portable electronic device are snap-engaged with each other and thereby fixed to each other. The mother body includes two installation units. The snap-engagement structure includes a key unit, fastening units, and a first restoring unit. The key unit and the fastening units move relative to each other in different directions to effectuate enhanced snap-engagement, watertightness, and miniaturization. |
| US08711557B2 |
Support tray for server
A support tray for a server includes a main body defining an opening in a front end, and a first cover and a second cover with different sizes. When the first cover is mounted to the front end of the main body, a cover plate of the first cover shields the opening of the main body. Therefore, the main body and the first cover cooperatively bound a first receiving space adapted to accommodate a first computing unit. When the second cover is mounted to the front end of the main body, a cover plate of the second cover shields the opening of the main body. Therefore, the main body and the second cover cooperatively bound a second receiving space adapted to accommodate a second computing unit. The first receiving space is longer than the second receiving space. |
| US08711554B2 |
Portable electronic device housing including hinge
A portable electronic device includes a hinge assembly comprising an axle, the hinge assembly coupling a first mating end of a first housing to a second mating end of a second housing, the second housing being movable relative to the first housing from an open position in which the axle is in a first position near to the first mating end and the second mating end and a folded position in which the axle is in a second position spaced from the first mating end and the second mating end such that the first mating end and the second mating end are movable toward one another to move the portable electronic device to a partially open position for clipping to an object; and a processor in electrical communication with electrical components in one of the first housing and the second housing. |
| US08711550B2 |
Cooling method and device for cooling a medium-voltage electrical installation in a protective sheath
A device including a phase-change heat-transfer fluid cooling mechanism to cool a sheath in which is placed switchgear such as a circuit breaker. An evaporator is thus created which is connected to condensers that are placed on a roof of the sheath. The device can be for application to a medium-voltage high-current electrical installation. The device requires little maintenance and only consumes a reduced amount of energy, or even no energy. |
| US08711547B2 |
Compact bus bar assembly, switching device and power distribution system
A contact bus bar assembly for supplying power to a load, and further pertains to a switching device which can be connected to such a compact bus bar assembly, and to a power distribution system. The bus bar assembly includes at least two electrically conductive tracks which are at least partly covered by an electrically insulating cover. An outer surface of said insulating cover is provided with a plurality of ribs arranged in a region connecting pin terminals. The switching device may additionally comprise a separating element provided with a plurality of second ribs. |
| US08711545B2 |
Multilayered ceramic electronic component and fabrication method thereof
A multilayered ceramic electronic component includes: a ceramic element having a plurality of dielectric layers laminated therein; first inner electrodes formed on the dielectric layers disposed in upper and lower portions in the ceramic element, the width of a portion of each of the first inner electrodes exposed from one end face of the ceramic element being less than that of a portion thereof disposed within the ceramic element; and second inner electrodes formed on the dielectric layers disposed in the middle portion in the ceramic element, the width of a portion of each of the second inner electrodes exposed from one end face of the ceramic element being equal to that of a portion thereof disposed within the ceramic element. |
| US08711542B2 |
Systems and methods for dissipating an electric charge while insulating a structure
Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for insulating a cavity of a structure. A system may include an insulation machine having an insulation blower that blows insulation into the cavity and a hose having a lumen throughwhich the loose fill insulation is blown. The system may also include a cover positionable atop the cavity of the structure. The cover may include an aperture throughwhich the distal end of the hose is inserted to blow the loose fill insulation into the cavity and an electrically conductive material or layer. The electrically conductive material or layer may electrically contact the hose when the hose is inserted through the aperture. The system may further include a ground wire electrically coupled with the cover to dissipate a charge from the hose by providing an electric path for the charge. |
| US08711541B2 |
Lightning-protective explosion-preventive fastener
In an insulating cover 50A according to the present invention, a dimension of each of an outer-circumferential-side cylindrical part 50c and an inner-circumferential-side cylindrical part 50b fitting in step parts 40 and 41 in an axial direction of a fastener body 25 is set large with respect to a tip covering part 50a covering a tip surface 26a of a fastening member 26. As a result, on an outer circumferential side and an inner circumferential side of the fastening member 26, a distance from a member 22 is sufficiently ensured by the cylindrical part 50b and 50c. The tip covering part 50a is thinner than the cylindrical part 50B and 50c. Therefore, when the fastener body 25 and the fastening member 26 are fastened together, the amount of deformation of the tip covering part 50a in a thickness direction can be made small. |
| US08711539B2 |
Switchgear operating apparatus and three-phase switchgear
A switchgear operating apparatus provided with an electronic switching device (7) connected to a negative electrode side of a DC power supply and a plurality of operating coils (4) which are simultaneously energized and controlled by the electronic switching device (7) for performing on/off operations of a three-phase switchgear includes diodes (6a, 6b, 6c) connected between the individual operating coils (4) and the electronic switching device (7), and a voltage detector (9) for detecting potential differences applied to the individual diodes (6a, 6b, 6c) and the electronic switching device (7). |
| US08711535B2 |
ESD protection circuit and ESD protection device thereof
The ESD protection circuit is electrically connected between a first power rail and a second power rail, and includes an ESD protection device, a switching device electrically connected between the ESD protection device and a first power rail, and a low-pass filter electrically connected between the first power rail and the first switching device. The ESD protection device includes a BJT and a first resistor electrically connected between a base of the BJT and a first power rail. When no ESD event occurs, a potential of the base is larger than or equal to a potential of an emitter of the BJT. When the ESD event occurs, the potential of the base is smaller than the potential of the emitter. |
| US08711531B2 |
Electrical installation arrangement
An arc detector comprises an analysis unit for evaluating the first measurement signal according to at least one first evaluation scheme for detecting an arc or at least one electrical effect of the arc on the electrical load network (2), wherein the electrical installation arrangement (1) further comprises at least one first tripping unit (6), which switches off the first switch (3) and disconnects the load (4) (2) in such a way if an arc is detected by the arc detector (31), wherein in order to reduce false tripping events, a second analysis and/or evaluation scheme is provided, the first evaluation scheme has a higher sensitivity than the second evaluation scheme, the second evaluation scheme is provided if a first living being of a specifiable type is present in a specifiable first surrounding area around the first load (4), and the first evaluation scheme is provided if the first living being is present in the first surrounding area. |
| US08711529B2 |
Switching apparatus and controlling method thereof
A switching apparatus includes a DC voltage output unit, a switching element to supply the DC voltage to a load, a power detection unit to detect power supplied from the switching element to the load, a drive unit to control the switching element in PWM manner according to an output from the power detection unit, and a stop unit to stop the PWM control if a value of the DC voltage is lower than a first threshold value. The first threshold value is lower than a minimum operation voltage value of the power detection unit. |
| US08711524B2 |
Patterned MR device with controlled shape anisotropy
A magnetic sensor with increased sensitivity, lower noise, and improved frequency response is described. The sensor's free layer is ribbon shaped and is closely flanked at each long edge by a ribbon of magnetically soft, high permeability material. This side pattern absorbs external field flux, concentrating it to flow into the sensor's edges to promote larger MR sensor magnetization rotation. |
| US08711518B1 |
System and method for deposition in high aspect ratio magnetic writer heads
Systems and methods for fabricating a microelectric device are provided herein. Various embodiments provide for systems and methods for fabricating a magnetic recording pole using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) when depositing seed material. For some embodiments, fabrication of the magnetic recording pole may comprise using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) Ru as an adhesion layer for a plating seed layer. |
| US08711516B2 |
Rotating device
A rotating device includes a sleeve which encircles a shaft, a housing which supports the shaft and which forms an annular supporting recess where the lower end of the sleeve enters together with the shaft, a ring member which is provided above the sleeve and which is fixed to the shaft in a manner encircling the shaft. A first gap between the sleeve and the shaft includes first and second radial dynamic pressure generating portions. An annular sleeve recess is formed in upper face of the sleeve. The ring member includes a ring entering portion that enters the sleeve recess in a non-contact manner. An outward gap in the radial direction where the ring entering portion and the sleeve recess face with each other in the radial direction includes a second air-liquid interface of a lubricant. |
| US08711515B2 |
Stopper, motor, and disk drive apparatus
A motor includes a stator and a rotor including a disk portion, a cylindrical portion, and a stopper. The stopper includes a stopper protruding portion and is fixed to an inner surface of the cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion includes a cylindrical portion protruding portion that opposes an outer surface of the stopper. Adhesive is included between the cylindrical portion and the stopper. A gap between an upper end portion of the outer surface of the stopper and an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion protruding portion defines a first tapered gap. A gap between a lower end portion of the outer surface of the stopper and an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion defines a second tapered gap. The adhesive is included in the first tapered gap and the second tapered gap. The stator includes an annular or substantially annular surface below the second tapered gap. |
| US08711514B2 |
Motor and disk drive apparatus
A motor includes a shaft component including an inner shaft portion and an outer shaft portion. A radial gap is defined between a sleeve portion and the outer shaft portion. A radial dynamic pressure generating groove array is arranged on at least one surface of an inner circumferential surface of the sleeve portion and an outer circumferential surface of the outer shaft portion, which define the radial gap. The radial dynamic pressure generating groove array includes an upper and lower radial dynamic pressure generating groove array. The inner shaft portion is fixed to the outer shaft portion in an interference fit. An axial range of a fixing region of the inner shaft portion and the outer shaft portion which is in the interference fit is included in a range between the upper and lower radial dynamic pressure generating groove array. |
| US08711511B2 |
Vibration disturbance estimation and control
A tape drive configured to accurately position a head actuator in the presence of physical disturbances is disclosed. The tape drive includes a track-follow controller to position a head actuator over data tracks on magnetic tape. The tape drive further includes a disturbance observer configured to estimate a vibration disturbance and output a compensation signal to assist the track-follow controller to accurately position the head actuator over the data tracks in the presence of vibration. When estimating the vibration disturbance, the disturbance observer takes into account vibration frequency characteristics, such as frequency characteristics derived from a vibration specification associated with the tape drive, or frequency characteristics derived from known vibration disturbances experienced by the tape drive. A corresponding method is also disclosed. |
| US08711509B2 |
Disk-based storage device having read channel memory that is selectively accessible to disk controller
A hard disk drive or other disk-based storage device comprises a storage disk, a read/write head configured to read data from and write data to the storage disk, and control circuitry coupled to the read/write head and configured to process data received from and supplied to the read/write head and to control positioning of the read/write head relative to the storage disk. The control circuitry comprises a disk controller and read channel circuitry, with the read channel circuitry comprising a read channel memory. The control circuitry is further configured to selectively permit the disk controller to access the read channel memory. For example, the disk controller may be permitted to access the read channel memory only when the read channel circuitry is not performing a read operation. |
| US08711508B2 |
Contact detection between a disk and magnetic head
A HDD including a magnetic disk, a magnetic head, an embedded contact sensor embedded in the magnetic head and configured to detect a contact between the magnetic disk and the magnetic head, and TFC embedded in the magnetic head and configured to facilitate in detecting the contact between the magnetic disk and said magnetic head. |
| US08711507B1 |
Gate timing for short servo wedge in disk memory systems
The present disclosure describes systems and methods for controlling synchronization of a servo clock by tying the triggering of the gate signal of the position error signal field of the short servo wedge portion directly to the synchronization marker in the full servo wedge. The systems and methods described herein include controlling synchronization of a servo clock for reading servo information from a disk that is rotating relative to a read head. The systems and methods may include estimating a gate delay corresponding to a position error signal (PES) field in a short null servo wedge based, at least in part, on the location of the servo synchronization marker. The systems and methods include producing a servo clock timing control signal based on the estimated gate delay, and applying the servo clock timing control signal to the servo clock. |
| US08711506B1 |
Disk drive increasing capacity by adjusting a servo gate during write operations
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of servo tracks defined by servo sectors. The disk drive further comprises a head comprising a read element offset linearly from a write element by a gap such that when the disk rotates, the read element reaches a servo sector before the write element. During a first operation, a first length of a beginning of the servo sector is read, and during a write operation, a second length of the beginning of the servo sector shorter than the first length is read to enable data to be written while the read element is over at least part of the servo sector. |
| US08711504B1 |
Disk drive with a subset of sectors with reduced write-to-read gap
Disk drives are described in which the conventional write-to-read gap is omitted in selected sectors which frees up space that can be used for other purposes including writing a higher number of bits in the user data area in the gapless selected sectors. Alternative embodiments can use the additional space for servo information such as a repeatable run out (RRO) field. Conventional servo sector SID formats can be used for both gapped and gapless SIDs, which means that during seeking and reading operations full SIDs can be read for every wedge. The tradeoff for being able to write data much closer to the gapless SIDs is that the servo system does not detect the SAM or read the TID in the gapless SIDs during write operations. |
| US08711499B1 |
Methods for measuring media performance associated with adjacent track interference
Methods for measuring media performance associated with adjacent track interference are provided. One such method includes iteratively writing data to a target track for each of a plurality of n frequencies, measuring a first signal amplitude and a first noise for each of the n sectors on the target track, writing an aggressor track pattern proximate the target track, measuring a second signal amplitude and a second noise for each of the n sectors on the target track, calculating a weighted sum for each of the signal amplitude measurements for each of the plurality of n frequencies, and calculating a weighted sum for each of the noise measurements for each of the plurality of n frequencies, and repeating the writing the aggressor track pattern, the measuring the second signal amplitude and the second noise, and calculating the weighted sums for preselected numbers of times. |
| US08711496B2 |
Magnetic levitation motor used in lens module
A magnetic levitation motor includes a fastening unit and a moving unit. The fastening unit includes a fixing frame and a first magnet assembly. The fixing frame includes a lower plate and four guiding poles extending upward from corners of the lower plate. The first magnet assembly includes four first magnets supported on the lower plate. Each first magnet is positioned between two adjacent guiding poles. The moving unit includes a moving frame and a second magnet assembly. The moving frame includes an outer surface and defines a receiving recess on the outer surface. The second magnet assembly includes four second magnets received in the receiving recess. The first magnets are positioned above the second magnets along an optical axis of the magnetic levitation motor. |
| US08711492B2 |
Monofocal photographing lens assembly
A monofocal photographing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element and a sixth lens element. The first lens element with negative refractive power has a concave image-side surface. The second lens element has refractive power. The third lens element has refractive power. The fourth lens element has refractive power. The fifth lens element has negative refractive power. The sixth lens element with positive refractive power has a convex image-side surface. |
| US08711487B2 |
Virtual image display device and manufacturing method of virtual image display device
In fabrication of a light guiding unit, a half mirror layer as a reflection film for folding light is covered by a light transmission main body part as a coating member, i.e., a light transmission member, and a hard coating layer is deposited thereon. Therefore, even when the surfaces of a light guide main body part and the light transmission main body part forming the light guiding unit are cleansed as pre-processing of the deposition of the hard coating layer, the situations such that the half mirror layer is separated thereby may be avoided and optical properties of the half mirror layer may not be lost. |
| US08711485B2 |
Vehicle display system or projection display for a motor vehicle, and calibration method
A vehicle display system comprises a display device and an optical system for generating a virtual image for a user. Correction means distorts image information after the optical system is traversed to display the virtual image with reduced distortion. The optical system comprises at least one element that can be adjusted to change the position of the virtual image. Distortion resulting from adjustment of the adjustment element. The display system has a memory device for storing correction data that determine the distortion of the correction means as a function of the selected adjustment of the adjustment element. |
| US08711480B2 |
Film, polarizing plate and display device, and method of manufacturing film
Provided is a film of which the slow axis in plane does not comply with TD direction nor MD direction of the film and which is excellent in adequacy of pasting with other components. The film is a film comprising at least a first molecule expressing positive intrinsic birefringence and a second molecule expressing negative intrinsic birefringence, having a slow axis in plane in a direction which is neither parallel nor orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the film, and the direction of the slow axis in plane being neither parallel nor orthogonal to the individual directions of alignment of the first and second molecules. |
| US08711478B2 |
Stereoscopic display
A stereoscopic display includes: a display panel in which sub-pixels of a plurality of colors are arranged in a predetermined arrangement pattern; and a parallax barrier having a barrier pattern including transmission sections allowing light to pass therethrough and a shielding section shielding light. The arrangement pattern and the barrier pattern are configured in such a manner that stereoscopic vision is achieved when the display panel and the parallax barrier are both in a first arrangement state and in a second arrangement state, the first arrangement state and the second arrangement state having such a positional relationship that vertical direction and horizontal direction are interchanged with each other. |
| US08711475B2 |
Projection screen and projection system having the same
A projection screen is provided, which includes a reflective layer having plural reflective patterns which are spaced apart from one another and each of which includes an image reflective surface having an inclination angle against a horizontal direction so as to guide an image light toward a front of the screen, and plural external light absorption layers absorbing external lights incident to the screen. |
| US08711474B2 |
Modular microscope construction
A system, apparatus and method for using modular microscopes is disclosed. Connecting the housings of the individual microscope modules provide the structural framework of the modular microscope. Furthermore, the modular microscope can include specialized software, the distribution and use of which can be controlled using security keys or identifiers stored on one or more of the microscope modules. The security keys and identifiers can be based on calibration data associated with the physical, electrical, or optical properties of one of more of the modules. The illumination modules disclosed provide for selectable wavelengths and controllable levels of output illumination for both bright field and dark field illumination. |
| US08711469B2 |
Electrophoretic element and display device
An electrophoretic element includes: an electrophoretic particle; a porous layer formed of a fibrous structure containing a non-migrating particle having optical reflective characteristics different from those of the electrophoretic particle and having a plurality of pores; and a partition that is partially adjacent to the porous layer and defines a space for accommodating the electrophoretic particle. An area rate of the pores per unit area of the porous layer is small in an adjacent region where the partition is adjacent to the porous layer compared with in a non-adjacent region where the partition is not adjacent to the porous layer. |
| US08711468B2 |
Display sheet, display device, and electronic apparatus
A display device includes: a substrate provided on a side of the display surface; a counter substrate disposed to face the substrate; a display layer provided between the substrate and the counter substrate and filled with a dispersion liquid formed of a dispersion medium in which white particles and black particles charged with polarities opposite to each other are dispersed; and a particle constrained layer provided in the display layer, and suppresses the white particles and the black particles from moving in an in-plane direction of the display layer, while allowing the particles to move in the thickness direction of the display layer. In the display device, a particle constrained layer is provided to be separated from the substrate. |
| US08711465B2 |
Spacers for insulated glass units
This disclosure provides spacers for smart windows. In one aspect, a window assembly includes a first substantially transparent substrate having an optically switchable device on a surface of the first substrate. The optically switchable device includes electrodes. A first electrode of the electrodes has a length about the length of a side of the optically switchable device. The window assembly further includes a second substantially transparent substrate a metal spacer between the first and the second substrates. The metal spacer has a substantially rectangular cross section, with one side of the metal spacer including a recess configured to accommodate the length of the first electrode such that there is no contact between the first electrode and the metal spacer. A primary seal material bonds the first substrate to the metal spacer and bonds the second substrate to the metal spacer. |
| US08711464B2 |
Protection circuit, substrate for electro-optical device, electro-optical device, electrophoretic display device, electronic apparatus, and manufacturing method of electro-optical device
A protection circuit includes: a first electrode; a second electrode; and an ionic material which comes into contact with the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein when a given difference in potential is generated between the first electrode and the second electrode, an electric current flows between the first electrode and the second electrode through the ionic material. |
| US08711460B2 |
Moving structure and micro-mirror device using the same
In a moving structure, stability of swing motion of a moving plate is increased by enhancing tensional rigidity or flexural rigidity while restraining torsion rigidity of the hinge units. The hinge units of ladder shape with honeycombed portions are formed by twin supporting rods and crosspieces bridged between the twin supporting rods so as to support the moving plate rotatably. The tensional rigidity or the flexural rigidity is increased while restraining the torsion rigidity of the hinge units by the honeycombed portions of the hinge units. |
| US08711457B2 |
Optical scanner and image-forming device
An scanning unit scanner includes a light source and a polygon mirror unit. A front-to-rear rib is disposed between the light source and the polygon mirror unit and near the polygon mirror unit. An input side opening having a slit shape is formed as a cutout in the top edge of the front-to-rear rib. When laser light from the light source passes through the input side opening, the input side opening restricts the width of the light in a main scanning direction. |
| US08711453B2 |
Data processing apparatus and data processing method for reducing an uneven color made up of two or more ink colors
The present invention reduces an uneven color of a color having two or more colors of inks, the uneven color occurring due to manufacturing variations of ink ejection nozzles and so on. Each of a plurality of correction tables that is assigned to each predetermined number of nozzles that are used for printing on a common region in the print medium, of a plurality of nozzle arrays formed on a print head, each of the nozzle arrays ejecting a plurality of inks including a first ink and a second ink whose color is different from the color of the first ink, is generated on the basis of at least an ink ejection property of nozzles ejecting the first and second inks. |
| US08711452B2 |
Processing color and panchromatic pixels
A method for forming a final digital color image includes capturing an image using an image sensor having panchromatic pixels and color pixels corresponding to at least two color photoresponses; providing from the captured image a digital panchromatic image and an intermediate digital color image; and using the digital panchromatic image and the intermediate digital color image to provide the final digital color image. |
| US08711442B2 |
Image reading apparatus
The object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus having a large depth of field and being compact in size.The image reading apparatus includes a light source, an imaging optics system, an image pickup device unit, a memory, and a processor. The imaging optics system has a plurality of cells each being an independent optics system arranged in a main scanning direction, and arranged in two rows in a sub-scanning direction. In each of the cells, a first reflective light-gathering optical element, a first plane mirror, an aperture, and a second reflective light-gathering optical element are arranged in this order from a document, and the aperture is arranged at the back focal point position of the first reflective light-gathering optical element to form a telecentric optics system at the side of the document. |
| US08711441B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and computer readable medium for identifying target-recording element using detection pattern
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a reading unit, a controller, and an identifying unit. The image forming unit includes multiple recording elements arrayed in a first predetermined direction and drives the recording elements in accordance with input image information so as to form an image on a recording medium that moves relatively to the recording elements in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The reading unit reads the image formed by the image forming unit and outputs read data. The controller controls the image forming unit so as to form a detection pattern in a detection-pattern region located upstream or downstream, in the second direction, of a region where the image is formed in the recording medium. The identifying unit identifies a target recording element on the basis of read data obtained by reading the detection pattern using the reading unit. |
| US08711440B2 |
Method of producing probabilities of being a template shape
A method of identifying a printed page from a scan of the printed page is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of generating a page key of the printed page on the basis of the scan (710), searching a database (199) for a similar page key (730). For each found similar page key (740), the method further comprises; retrieving from the database an instance key location (750), generating an instance key for the printed page (530), based on the retrieved instance key location of the referenced page instance; and comparing the generated instance key for the printed page with the retrieved instance key of the referenced page instance (770). A match between the instance keys indicates that the printed page is the referenced page instance. |
| US08711434B2 |
Image processing device, image forming apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium
An image processing device includes a processor. The processor executes a screen process by using different screens for respective color components which are newly used in response to N colors ranging from a primary color in an output color space to a Nth color, in the output color space, obtained by mixing the primary color with other primary colors in order, where N denotes natural number equal to or larger than 2. |
| US08711433B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for making density correction in a low resolution image based on edge determination
The image forming apparatus comprises a resolution converting unit configured to convert a high-resolution image data into a low-resolution image data, an edge judgment unit configured to judge a shape of an edge in the high-resolution image data, and a density correcting unit configured to make a density correction in the low-resolution image data in accordance with the shape of the edge judged by the edge judgment unit. |
| US08711432B2 |
Image processing device, printing apparatus, image processing method, and method of producing printing apparatus
An image processing device performs an image process on image data and outputs printing image data to a printing apparatus which performs printing using special luster ink having special luster, and the image processing device includes: an input unit that inputs the image data; a specification unit that specifies an ink amount set that is combination of ink amounts of inks used in printing by the printing apparatus on the basis of color information and luster degree information of the input image data; and an output unit that outputs the printing image data for printing based on the specified ink amount set to the printing apparatus, wherein the image data includes the color information that is information representing a color of an image and the luster degree information that is information representing a degree of luster of the image based on spectrum reflectances at a plurality of angles. |
| US08711421B2 |
Image forming apparatus detecting color patterns and generating interleaf images at predetermined position
An image forming apparatus or an image output system includes a main image forming section for imposing a plurality of jobs and thereby generating at least one piece of main image data, and an interleaf image forming section for generating an interleaf image depending on the jobs of the main image data and generating interleaf image data including the interleaf image. |
| US08711416B1 |
Server providing pseudo print preview and final regular preview to device
The embodiments provide a print server including an application manager configured to receive, over a network, a print request for content to be printed in accordance with at least one selected printing option from an application associated with a device, and configured to provide a print dialog, over the network, to a user of the application in response to the print request, a pseudo preview generator configured to provide a pseudo print preview for display within the print dialog while a print preview is being generated, and a print preview generator configured to access the content in response to the print request and generate the print preview providing the at least a portion of the content displayed in accordance with at least one selected printing option, and further configured to transmit the print preview, over the network, for display within the print dialog thereby replacing the pseudo print preview. |
| US08711411B2 |
Print control server, print controlling method, and print control program
A print control server includes a print request receiving section which receives an e-mail to an e-mail address assigned to a specific printer as a print request; an induction section which transmits identification information related to the print request to a source of the print request by an e-mail; a print control demand receiving section which transmits the print control page related to the print request after acquiring a print control page demand based on the identification information, and receives a print execution demand to the print request related to the print control page; a data conversion section which creates the print data based on the print request; and a print data transmission section which transmits the print data to the specific printer depending on the print execution demand. |
| US08711406B2 |
Movable assemblies for an image reader unit and a cover unit in an image formation apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a main chassis, an image reader unit, a cover unit, a first movable assembly, which rotatably supports the cover unit to be rotatable with respect to the image reader unit, and a second movable assembly, which rotatably supports the image reader unit to be rotatable with respect to the main chassis. The first movable assembly includes a support member, which supports the cover unit to be vertically movable with respect to the image reader unit, and a frame, which is arranged on the image reader unit and accommodates the support member. The first movable assembly is arranged to have a lower end thereof to be in a lower position with respect to a lower end of the image reader unit. The second movable assembly is arranged in a lower position with respect to the first movable assembly. |
| US08711403B2 |
Printer driver, printer control method, and recording medium
A printer driver, printer control method, and printer control program can prevent a printer from operating in unintended ways even when an old version of an application that is not multi-application capable is executed through a new version of a dedicated driver that is multi-application capable. A printer driver 20 has a dedicated driver 22 that can switch operation between a plurality of dedicated applications 27 and 28 by means of occupy requests and release requests. The occupy requests and release requests are requests that are received from the dedicated applications 27 and 28 to occupy or release a POS printer 30. When a request to start using the POS printer 30 is received from the dedicated application 27 the dedicated driver 22 tells the communication module 25 that the POS printer 30 is occupied by the dedicated application 27 and sets the POS printer 30 to an occupied status. |
| US08711400B2 |
Profile and template based dynamic portable user workflow
A printing device receives a user profile from a computerized device. The user profile comprises at least one template and the template comprises selections of menu options offered by the printing device. The method stores the user profile within a computer readable storage medium of the printing device. The user will operate the printing device using the profile and the template more than one time. Therefore, the method presents the user with an option to access the user profile and the template maintained within the computer readable storage medium of the printing device, through a graphic user interface of the printing device, each time the user operates the printing device. Further, the method automatically selects the menu options offered by the printing device according to selected menu options identified by the template, each time the user accesses the user profile and the template. The method performs various operations according to the selected menu options identified by the template using the printing device after automatically selecting the menu options. |
| US08711398B2 |
Image processing system, image processing apparatus, control method for image processing apparatus, and storage medium
An image processing system which can distribute suitable distribution values to an apparatus that has newly joined the system. Device information on a plurality of already-connected image processing apparatuses among a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected together for communication with each other is obtained. Device information on a newly-connected image processing apparatus among the plurality of image processing apparatuses is obtained. An image processing apparatus that is to distribute common distribution values to the newly-connected image processing apparatus among the already-connected plurality of image processing apparatuses is determined based on the obtained device information. |
| US08711394B2 |
Image forming apparatus forming images in response to image formation request from operation unit or external device
A multifunctional printer 10 comprises an operation unit 13 making image formation requests, an image forming unit 16 forming an image in response to an image formation request issued from the operation unit 13 or an external device, a determination unit determining whether the image formation request is issued from the operation unit 13 or the external device, a main power source 23 activating the operation unit 13 and image forming unit 16 to bring them into a usable state, and a control unit actuating the image forming unit 16, when the main power source 23 completely activates the image forming unit 16 and the determination unit determines that the image formation request is a request issued from the external device, regardless of whether the operation unit 13 is activated or not. |
| US08711392B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
A print area is acquired from a spool file of each page, and the acquired print area is compared with a print area of a target sheet fed from a printing apparatus. It is determined whether the sheet can be replaced with a sheet smaller than a sheet size set in print data. If it is determined that the sheet can be replaced with a sheet smaller than the sheet size set in the print data, a sheet size changing screen showing information concerning replaceable sheet size candidates is displayed in a display unit. A print control command used for changing the sheet size set in drawing information that is input to a sheet size selected on the sheet size changing screen is added to the print data and the print data to which the print control command is added is transmitted to the printing apparatus. |
| US08711391B2 |
Image forming apparatus to automatically select a communication condition
An image forming apparatus comprises a communicator for performing communications with a plurality of host apparatuses, a memory for memorizing a plurality of communication conditions, a selector for selecting a single communication condition among the plurality of communication conditions stored in the memory, wherein the communicator performs communications based on the single communication condition selected with the selector. |
| US08711390B2 |
Method and apparatus for executing load distributed printing
This invention provides a load distributed printing technique which efficiently uses a plurality of printing apparatuses by using small resources. To accomplish this, an information processing apparatus, which can transmit a print job to a plurality of printing apparatuses, is provided. The information processing apparatus comprises print queue setting means for setting one of a plurality of print queues corresponding to the plurality of printing apparatuses as a basic print queue and setting remaining print queues other than the basic print queue as backup print queues, print job registration means for registering print job information in the basic print queue, backup job registration means for generating backup job information corresponding to the print job information registered in the basic print queue and registering the backup job information in the backup print queue, and job control means for, when the print job information is registered in each of the basic print queue and the backup print queue, preferentially outputting a print job corresponding to the print job information to a corresponding printing apparatus, and when no print job information is registered, and a print job corresponding to the backup job information can be output, changing the backup job information to print job information and outputting the print job to a corresponding printing apparatus. |
| US08711388B2 |
Image forming apparatus and warming up method thereof
A controlling method of an image forming apparatus includes receiving a wake up command for the image forming apparatus in a power save mode; confirming prestored authority of a user to use a plurality of operations of the image forming apparatus; and selectively performing warming up for at least one operation of the image forming apparatus according to the authority of the user. |
| US08711387B2 |
Non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing print management program, print management device, print management method, and print system
A non-transitory computer readable recording medium that stores a print management program causing a computer to function as a retrieval unit that retrieves information about first functions of an image forming device and information about second functions of plural second devices; and a determination unit that determines whether the second functions of the second devices can process a print job, when the first functions of the image forming device cannot process the print job. Here, the image forming device and the second devices are connected to a print system including the computer. When the determination unit determines that the second functions of the second devices cannot process the print job, the print management program constrains the second functions of the second devices from being utilized. |
| US08711386B2 |
Utilizing virtually stored media snapshots for rasterizing print jobs
Methods and systems herein provide for the use of virtually stored media “snapshots” for rasterizing print jobs. In one embodiment, a print controller receives a print job. The print controller identifies a virtually stored media that specifies a media property utilized for rasterizing the print job, where the virtually stored media is associated with a media tray of a printer. The print controller identifies the media property specified by the virtually stored media, and rasterizes the print job based on the media property specified by the virtually stored media. |
| US08711382B2 |
Print system
In one embodiment of a print system, a client terminal (10) that generates a print job, a server function portion that stores the print job, a printer (30) that performs pull printing of the print job are connected via the network (40). The print job holds print data and authority information including user information for specifying a user having print authority over the print data. The client terminal (10) is provided with an authority setting means for setting authority information. A server (20) is provided with the server function portion, and is configured to update authority information, identify a user, authenticate whether or not to permit printing based on the authority information and the identification result obtained by a user identification means, and transmit print data. |
| US08711380B2 |
Automatic image-content based adjustment of printer printing procedures
The disclosure proposes the automatic use of the job or image content information of a print job. This information is used to automatically adjust the general printing procedure for a print engine. The job's image content information is analyzed in the context of the constraints of the print engine to determine an improved printing procedure, which may include cycle-up operation, process control cycles, or maintenance cycles for that particular print job. |
| US08711379B2 |
Method and apparatus for executing load distributed printing
There is disclosed an information processing apparatus which efficiently and effectively executes printing even when interruption of printing occurs in a printing apparatus. The apparatus which includes a plurality of print queues each functioning as one of a backup print queue and a basic print queue and executes output to a printing apparatus based on print job information with higher priority than output to a printing apparatus based on backup job information, comprising, output means for outputting a print job in accordance with schedule up of one of pieces of print job information and backup job information registered in the plurality of print queues, and registration means for, in accordance with interruption of printing based on job information registered in one of the basic print queue and the backup print queue, registering backup job information in the print queues except the print queue corresponding to the printing apparatus which has interrupted printing. |
| US08711375B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method
When a document is to be edited and the edited document is to be output to a printing apparatus, a printing apparatus to be used is designated. Either of the first mode in which all predetermined setting items stored in a storage medium in advance are selected, and the second mode in which, of the predetermined setting items, setting items controllable by the designated printing apparatus are selected is set. Setting items to be selected are determined based on the designated printing apparatus and/or set mode. The document is so controlled as to enable editing it on the basis of contents set in the selected setting items. |
| US08711369B2 |
Laser receiver for detecting a relative position
The invention relates to a laser receiver for detecting a relative position of a defined zero point of said laser receiver with respect to a reference laser beam. Therefore, the laser receiver comprises a laser light photo sensor having a plurality of photo sensitive elements providing an electrical output when illuminated by said reference laser beam, a circuitry connected to said photo sensor for determination of said relative position and a visible readout for indication of said relative position, in particular for indicating if said zero point is on-grade with respect to said reference laser beam. According to the invention, at least a first laser fan emitter, with a laser light source and at least one fan-generating optical element, is provided for projecting a visible laser line onto a target surface, particularly in order to re-project a sharp marking-line through the vertical center of the reference laser beam. |
| US08711366B2 |
Method of motion correction in optical coherence tomography imaging
An image data set acquired by an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system is corrected for effects due to motion of the sample. A first set of A-scans is acquired within a time short enough to avoid any significant motion of the sample. A second more extensive set of A-scans is acquired over an overlapping region on the sample. A-scans from the first set are matched with A-scans from the second set. Comparison of the OCT scanner coordinates that produced each A-scan in a matching pair reveals the displacement of the sample between acquisition of the first and second A-scans in the pair. Estimates of the sample displacement are used to correct the transverse and longitudinal coordinates of the A-scans in the second set, to form a motion-corrected OCT data set. |
| US08711365B2 |
Coordinate measuring device and method for measuring with a coordinate measuring device
The invention relates to a method for the measurement of workpiece geometries with a coordinate measuring device (10) and to the device itself. According to the invention, measuring tasks may be optimally carried out without a requirement for devices of differing types, whereby one or more sensors (30), which are of optimal application for the relevant measuring task, are used. |
| US08711364B2 |
Optical coherence tomography with multiple sample arms
A multiplexed OCT imaging system includes a plurality of sample arms, an imaging engine, and an optical controller. The sample arms are optically coupled to the imaging engine via the optical controller; the optical controller multiplexes optical signals from the sample arms to permit some of the sample arms to operate sequentially or simultaneously. |
| US08711363B2 |
Gyroscope utilizing torsional springs and optical sensing
A gyroscope and a method of detecting rotation are provided. The gyroscope includes a structure configured to be driven to move about a drive axis. The structure is further configured to move about a sense axis in response to a Coriolis force generated by rotation of the structure about a rotational axis while moving about the drive axis. The structure further includes at least one first torsional spring extending generally along the drive axis and at least one second torsional spring extending generally along the sense axis. The gyroscope further includes an optical sensor system configured to optically measure movement of the structure about the sense axis. |
| US08711361B2 |
Methods and devices for detecting and measuring environmental conditions in high performance device packages
An environmental condition sensing device includes an interferometric modulator with optical properties, which change in response to being exposed to a predetermined environmental threshold or condition. The device includes an environmental reactive layer, which alters composition, in an optically-detectable manner, in response to being exposed to a predetermined environmental threshold or condition. |
| US08711357B2 |
Dynamic reconstruction of a calibration state of an absorption spectrometer
A reference harmonic absorption curve of a laser absorption spectrometer, which can include a tunable or scannable laser light source and a detector, can have a reference curve shape and can include a first, second, or higher order harmonic signal of a reference signal generated by the detector in response to light passing from the laser light source through a reference gas or gas mixture. The reference gas or gas mixture can include one or more of a target analyte and a background gas expected to be present during analysis of the target analyte. The reference harmonic absorption curve can have been determined for the laser absorption spectrometer in a known or calibrated state. A test harmonic absorption curve having a test curve shape is compared with the reference harmonic absorption curve to detect a difference between the test curve shape and the reference curve shape. Operating and/or analytical parameters of the laser absorption spectrometer are adjusted to correct the test curve shape to reduce the difference between the test curve shape and the reference curve shape. |
| US08711355B2 |
Method for evaluating performance characteristics of dental curing lights
The present invention is directed to methods and related systems for evaluating and demonstrating various performance characteristics of one or more dental curing lights. The method and system employs a performance evaluation member (e.g., in the shape of a disc) comprising a carrier material (e.g., any of various suitable polymeric materials) and a color-changing material on or within (e.g., impregnated within) the body material. A user is able to use the performance evaluation member to demonstrate and evaluate performance characteristics relating to the presence of particularly desired wavelengths within the light emitted by a dental curing light, footprint size and shape of emitted light, uniformity of intensity within the emitted footprint, as well as relative intensities of desired wavelengths provided by two or more dental curing lights. |
| US08711353B2 |
Fluid-borne particle detector
There is disclosed improved apparatus and methods for detection of shape, size and intrinsic fluorescence properties of a fluid borne particle wherein the apparatus comprises a laser, two light sources, two detectors, and optionally a third detector. The apparatus is particularly suitable for detection of airborne biological particles. |
| US08711348B2 |
Method of inspecting wafer
Wafer inspection method to perform wafer inspection based on photo map information. The wafer inspection method may include: detecting a sample center location on a wafer; compensating the detected sample center location to a compensated center location based on photo map information; and detecting defective dies included in the wafer based on the compensated center location. |
| US08711343B1 |
Apparatus for focus beam analysis of high power lasers
An in-line laser beam waist analyzer system includes an optical prism that picks off a portion of a second surface reflection from either a laser processing focus lens or a protective debris shield for the processing lens and directs that focused light to a pixelated detector. This provides real time monitoring of the focused laser beam while it is processing material by welding, cutting, drilling, scribing or marking, without disrupting the process. |
| US08711339B2 |
Spectral sensor for checking documents of value
A spectral sensor for inspecting value documents, includes an illumination device for illuminating the value document, imaging optics and a detection device. The illumination device contains a plurality of light sources with emission spectra that differ from one another, and which are switched on and off in succession, to illuminate a region of the value document with an illumination sequence consisting of light pulses with different emission spectra. One measured value is detected for each of the light pulses to record the spectral intensity distribution of the detected light. The plurality of light sources cover a section of the near infra-red spectral range and/or a section of the visible spectral range in such a way that the spectral sensor can record a spectral intensity distribution in the section of the near infra-red spectral range and/or in the section of the visible spectral range. |
| US08711338B2 |
Apparatus for counting particles in a gas
The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus for detecting particles in a gas by saturating the gas with vapor and causing the gas to flow through a chamber with walls that are at a temperature different than the temperature of the entering gas creating a gas turbulence within the chamber resulting in the gas becoming super-saturated with vapor and causing said super-saturated vapor to condense on said particles and form droplets, which are then detected and counted by an optical light-scattering detector. |
| US08711329B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A lithographic apparatus and method are used for manufacturing a device. A projection system is configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. A Higher Order Wafer Alignment (HOWA) model is applied so as to model higher order distortions across the substrate. The model is applied using at least one input parameter for which at least one intra-field effect has been taken into account. In an example, the intra-field effect taken into account is the ScanUp-ScanDown effect and/or the ScanLeft-ScanRight effect. |
| US08711324B2 |
Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method for producing device
An exposure method exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate through a liquid by using a projection optical system while moving the substrate in a predetermined direction. A temperature distribution of the liquid in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction is measured. A projection state of the image of the pattern is adjusted on the basis of information about the measured temperature distribution. The substrate is exposed to the image of the pattern in the projection state. |
| US08711322B2 |
Electrowetting display devices with a reflective plate structure
Electrowetting display devices are presented. The electrowetting display includes a first substrate and an opposing second substrate with a transparent polar fluid layer and an opaque non-polar fluid layer insoluble with each other and interposed between the first and second substrates. A first transparent electrode is disposed on the first substrate. A second transparent electrode is disposed on the second substrate. A dielectric layer is disposed on the second transparent electrode. A reflective plate structure is interposed between the second transparent electrode and the second substrate, thereby defining a reflective region and a transmission region. A backlight plate is disposed on the back of the second substrate. During operation, the opaque non-polar fluid converges, therefore, exposing equal areas of reflective region and transmission region. |
| US08711321B2 |
System for thermally controlling displays
Exemplary embodiments provide a system for thermally controlling an electronic display. A glass substrate containing a pyrolytic electrically conductive layer is utilized. The electrically conductive layer may be used as a passive thermal insulator or may be electrically energized to further heat the glass substrate. The glass may be used with a closed loop plenum which may further heat/cool the display. Additional glass layers may be added in order to polarize light or provide anti-reflective properties. |
| US08711319B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device restraining display defects even in a structure having a potential difference between an externally-connected electrode potential and the mean potential of the drive waveform of a liquid crystal material. An electrostatic charge stored in the vicinity of a liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display device as a result of the potential difference between an externally-connected electrode potential and the mean potential of the drive waveform of the liquid crystal material is dispersed by employing a capacitor or an arrester connected to ground. Accordingly, discharge of the stored charge is facilitated, and occurrence of display defects is restrained. |
| US08711316B2 |
Liquid crystal display and manufacturing method thereof
A liquid crystal display includes a substrate, a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on the substrate, a common electrode facing the pixel electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode. The pixel electrode includes at least one oblique edge including a plurality of protruded and depressed portions. |
| US08711309B2 |
Liquid crystal display having wide viewing angle
A tetragonal ring shape aperture is formed in the common electrode on one substrate and a cross shape aperture is formed at the position corresponding to the center of the tetragonal ring shape aperture in the pixel electrode on the other substrate. A liquid crystal layer between two electrodes are divided to four domains where the directors of the liquid crystal layer have different angles when a voltage is applied to the electrodes. The directors in adjacent domains make a right angle. The tetragonal ring shape aperture is broken at midpoint of each side of the tetragon, and the width of the aperture decreases as goes from the bent point to the edge. Wide viewing angle is obtained by four domains where the directors of the liquid crystal layer indicate different directions, disclination is removed and luminance increases. |
| US08711306B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a light transmitting substrate arranged on a parallax barrier liquid crystal panel; a light blocking frame formed on the light transmitting substrate; and a frame positioned in a state where the frame faces an end surface of a light guide plate. The light blocking frame is formed to cover a portion of the frame arranged adjacent to the light guide plate and a portion of the frame outside the portion The frame includes a body made of a material which reflects some of light incident on the body and allows some of the light to pass through the body, and a light blocking film formed on a portion of a surface of the body on a liquid-crystal-display-panel side which projects from the liquid crystal display panel while avoiding a surface of the body which faces the light guide plate. |
| US08711301B2 |
Cellulose acylate laminate film, method for producing cellulose acylate laminate film, polarizer and liquid crystal display device
A cellulose acylate laminate film, which comprises a low-substitution layer comprising a non-phosphate compound and a cellulose acylate having a total degree of acyl substitution of more than 2.0 and less than 2.7 and a high-substitution layer comprising a cellulose acylate having a total degree of acyl substitution of more than 2.7 |
| US08711300B2 |
Process for producing liquid crystal element, and liquid crystal element
In a process for producing a liquid crystal element comprising an alignment-treated substrate and a layer of polymer liquid crystal having a pattern, mesogenic groups in cross-linkable polymer liquid crystal are aligned, and the cross-linkable polymer liquid crystal is cross-linked while the mold is pressed against the layer of cross-linkable polymer liquid crystal, at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the cross-linkable polymer liquid crystal and lower than the clearing point temperature of the cross-linkable polymer liquid crystal. |
| US08711297B2 |
Display device and method of repairing display device
A display device includes a substrate; a matrix of scan lines and signal lines formed on the substrate; switching elements formed in pixel areas defined by the scan lines and the signal lines crossing each other; a first insulating film formed over the scan lines, the signal lines, and the switching elements; and display elements to be driven by the switching elements. The pixel areas are located in a display area and the first insulating film has openings above the scan lines or the signal lines in an outer area outside of the display area. |
| US08711295B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes: an active matrix substrate with a pixel electrode in each of a plurality of pixels; a counter substrate including a counter electrode that opposes the pixel electrode; a liquid crystal layer between the active matrix substrate and the counter substrate; and a pair of polarizers oppose each other via the liquid crystal layer and are in a crossed Nicols arrangement. The pixel electrode- includes a cruciform trunk portion arranged to coincide with polarization axes of the polarizers, a plurality of branch portions extending from the trunk portion, and a plurality of slits between the branch portions. The active matrix substrate further includes an auxiliary electrode which is arranged to oppose the pixel electrode via an insulation layer. The auxiliary electrode and the pixel electrode define a storage capacitor. |
| US08711291B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus has a structure in which a circumference of a front surface thereof is exposed to the outside. A front panel manufactured by an injection compression molding and formed of a transparent material is attached to a front surface of a display module. |
| US08711286B2 |
Image output method and device, and image display
First and second division patterns are defined so that main areas A and A′ are similar to each other in shape, having the same horizontal-to-vertical ratio. Even if an image output apparatus is connected to a display unit having both first and second display screens, the image output apparatus generates an identical image for the main area A or A′ regardless of the aspect ratio of the display screen. The main areas A and A′ display important information and the like. Sub areas B and B′ display auxiliary information. The first and second division patterns may be determined so that the sub areas B and B′ are similar to each other in shape like the main areas. |
| US08711283B2 |
Digital broadcast receiver and method for processing caption thereof
A digital cable broadcast receiver and a method for automatically processing caption data of various standards and types, is disclosed. The digital broadcast receiver includes: a demultiplexer for dividing a received broadcast stream into video data, audio data, supplementary information; a controller for determining whether caption data included in the video data is digital caption data or analog caption data on the basis of caption information included in the supplementary information, and outputting a control signal according to a result of the determining; a digital caption decoder for extracting and decoding digital caption data from the video data according to the control signal; and an analog caption decoder for extracting and decoding analog caption data from the video data according to the control signal. |
| US08711281B2 |
Digital broadcast receiver and method for processing caption thereof
A digital cable broadcast receiver and a method for automatically processing caption data of various standards and types, is disclosed. The digital broadcast receiver includes: a demultiplexer for dividing a received broadcast stream into video data, audio data, supplementary information; a controller for determining whether caption data included in the video data is digital caption data or analog caption data on the basis of caption information included in the supplementary information, and outputting a control signal according to a result of the determining; a digital caption decoder for extracting and decoding digital caption data from the video data according to the control signal; and an analog caption decoder for extracting and decoding analog caption data from the video data according to the control signal. |
| US08711280B2 |
Solid-state image sensing apparatus and electronic apparatus
A solid-state image sensing apparatus includes a solid-state image sensing device, signal processing circuit device, and a multi-layer wiring package. The solid-state image sensing device has a pixel in an image sensing area thereof. The pixel receives incident light and generate a signal electric charge. The signal processing circuit device is arranged to face the image sensing area and applies signal processing to a signal output from the solid-state image sensing device. The multi-layer wiring package has wiring layers, the solid-state image sensing device, and the signal processing circuit device. Each of the wiring layers is laminated via an insulator. The multi-layer wiring package is formed such that a first wiring layer provided between the solid-state image sensing device and the signal processing circuit device has a greater thickness than second wiring layers and has heat conductivity higher than or equal to heat conductivity of the second wiring layers. |
| US08711278B2 |
Sealed, waterproof digital electronic camera system and method of fabricating same
A hermetically sealed digital electronic camera that is designed to operate both on land and underwater to great depths, and method of making same. The present invention is a camera which is hermetically sealed by being totally encapsulated, preferably by being cast in plastic, with no seals, holes, joints, penetrating pins, wires or other objects. Wireless means are used for communicating information, electrical power and control signals. The invention is impervious to atmospheric contamination and absolutely incapable of leaking under water to great depths and pressures. In an alternate embodiment camera optics are not encapsulated but are immersed in water when the encapsulated digital camera is placed in water. |
| US08711269B2 |
Image sensing apparatus and method of controlling the image sensing apparatus
A sensed image generated from an image signal output from an image sensor for receiving light that becomes incident sequentially through an imaging lens and a microlens array that is a two-dimensional array including a plurality of microlenses is acquired. A list is created in which, for each pixel position on the image sensor, the correspondence between the coordinates of the light incident at the pixel position on the imaging lens and the coordinates of the pixel position is registered. Images obtained by rearranging pixels at the coordinate positions on the image sensor corresponding to the coordinates in accordance with the arrangement order of the coordinates on the imaging lens are generated as a parallax image group. |
| US08711262B2 |
Solid-state image sensing device and control method of solid-state image sensing device
A solid-state image sensing device includes an image sensing region having pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array. A vertical shift register circuit selects a desired pixel row of the pixels by changing the number of one or more clock signals supplied and timing thereof in one horizontal period. A pulse selector circuit supplies a drive pulse to the desired pixel row selected by the vertical shift register circuit. |
| US08711261B2 |
Method of controlling semiconductor device, signal processing method, semiconductor device, and electronic apparatus
A pre-amplifier (column region unit) of a solid-state imaging device including a pixel-signal controller. The pixel-signal controller, for each vertical signal line, detects the level of each pixel signal independently by a pixel-signal detector on the output side of a pixel-signal amplifier, and sets a gain independently to the pixel-signal amplifier according to the level of the signal. At a subsequent stage of the solid-state imaging device, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter and a signal extending unit are provided. The A/D converter digitizes a pixel signal, and the digitized pixel signal is corrected by a gain set to the pixel-signal amplifier with reference to a classification signal from the pixel-signal detector, so that the dynamic range of signals of one screen is extended. |
| US08711255B2 |
Visual processing apparatus and visual processing method
A visual processing apparatus comprises a spatial processing unit and a visual processing unit. The spatial processing unit is operable to perform a predetermined process to an inputted image signal using surrounding pixels of a target pixel and output an processed signal. The visual processing unit is operable to input the inputted image signal and the processed signal and output an output signal that is visual-processed. The visual processing unit has a property in which, in an area where a value of the image signal is almost equal to a value of the processed signal, a proportion of a change of the output signal to a change of the inputted image signal when the processed signal is fixed to a predetermined level is greater than the proportion when the image signal is equal to the processed signal. |
| US08711252B2 |
Image processing device and information storage medium including motion vector information calculation
An image processing device includes a normal light image acquisition section that acquires a normal light image, the normal light image being an image that includes information within a wavelength band of white light, a special light image acquisition section that acquires a special light image, the special light image being an image that includes information within a specific wavelength band, a normal light motion vector information calculation section that calculates normal light motion vector information based on a feature quantity included in the normal light image, the normal light motion vector information indicating a motion vector between a plurality of normal light images, and a noise reduction section that reduces an amount of noise included in the special light image based on the normal light motion vector information calculated by the normal light motion vector information calculation section. |
| US08711250B2 |
Image signal processing apparatus and image signal processing method
An image signal processing apparatus that performs a noise reduction process on an image signal of an image captured by an imaging device is provided. By performing a first smoothing process on an input signal of an image signal that is received from an imaging unit and that is subjected to a first image processing, a first smoothed signal creating unit creates a first smoothed signal in which noise is reduced. By performing a second smoothing process that is different from the first smoothing process on the input signal, the second smoothed signal creating unit creates a second smoothed signal in which noise is reduced. A mixing processing unit mixes the first smoothed signal and the second smoothed signal in accordance with a mixing ratio according to a value of the input signal. |
| US08711246B2 |
Single-lens reflex digital camera which displays an image for live view
The single-lens reflex digital camera includes a CCD for imaging an image for storage and a CCD for imaging an image for live view. A pixel signal output from the CCD is processed in an image preprocessing unit, an image general processing unit, and a JPEG processing unit and stored in a memory card as JPEG data. A pixel signal output from the CCD is processed in a live image processing unit and stored in the memory card as YUV data for display. A display control unit reads the YUV data for display from the main memory and outputs the data to a LCD. The CPU adjusts frame rate of the live view image depending on the usage rate of the band of a main bus. |
| US08711245B2 |
Methods and systems for flicker correction
Techniques for detecting and addressing image flicker are disclosed. An imaging device that senses a distorted image and subsequently removes the distortion during processing can utilize an analysis module that obtains statistics indicative of image flicker prior to removing the distortion. An imaging device that features a diode for illuminating a field of view can utilize the diode as a photosensor to determine one or more flicker statistics to determine whether ambient lighting conditions are of the type that cause image flicker. |
| US08711243B2 |
Image playback device and method and electronic camera with image playback function
An image playback device, which may be part of an electronic camera, reads out recorded information that has been recorded on a recording medium. A time period discriminator receives the recorded information read out by the image playback device and discriminates periods of time during which recorded information agrees with certain pre-set conditions. Moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information is played back and displayed in accordance with results of the discrimination. |
| US08711241B2 |
Image capturing apparatus, control method thereof, and program
This invention enables suppression of the influence on a captured image of dust even when dust sticks to an image sensor, a protective glass fixed on the image sensor, or a filter. An image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor which generates an image signal by photo-electric conversion of an object image, a dust position detection unit which detects, from a dust detection image signal as the image signal generated by causing the image sensor to capture a dust detection object as an object having an almost uniform color, dust position information that is information of the position and size of dust in the image sensing plane of the image sensor, a lens information acquisition unit which acquires lens information of a lens used upon capturing the object, and a recording unit which records the dust position information detected by the dust position detection unit and the lens information acquired by the lens information acquisition unit in association with captured image data. |
| US08711238B2 |
Systems and methods for synchronizing and controlling multiple image sensors
An Electronic device may include a master camera module, a slave camera module, and host subsystems. The master camera module may control some of the operations of the slave camera module. The master camera module may transmit data to the slave camera module. The master camera module may interrupt data transmission to the slave camera module, when a delay-sensitive event occurs, to transmit information corresponding to the delay-sensitive event. The slave camera module may respond to the event information with a predetermined fixed delay relative to the occurrence of the event at the master camera module. |
| US08711236B2 |
Blur correction device and imaging apparatus
A blur correction device includes: a base body; a holder that holds an optical element; a drive section that moves the holder with respect to the base body in two directions that are orthogonal to a direction of an optical axis of the optical element and that are orthogonal to each other; and a plate spring that couples the base body and the holder to each other and that urges the holder in the optical axis direction to position the optical element with respect to the base body, the plate spring being elastically deformed when the holder is moved with respect to the base body in the two directions. |
| US08711235B2 |
Image stabilization
A system to stabilize images of a digital camera adjusting to unintentional movements of the camera during capture of an image has been achieved. A gyroscopic sensor senses any movement of a camera by angular speed detection and via an electronic regulator at least two linear motors move an x-y table, carrying an optical sensor or a lens barrel of the camera, in a way to adjust the optical sensor to these movements. Position sensors, as e.g. sensors integrated in the linear motors, capacitive sensors, inductive sensors, or Hall sensors, sense the actual position of one or more movable plates of the x-y table and feed it back to the regulator. The movable plates of x-y table are guided by a multitude of rolling elements, e.g. ball bearings. |
| US08711234B2 |
Image enhancement based on multiple frames and motion estimation
A system and method for capturing images is provided. In the system and method, preview images are acquired and global local and local motion are estimated based on at least a portion of the preview images. If the local motion is less than or equal to the global motion, a final image is captured based at least on an exposure time based on the global motion. If the local motion is greater than the global motion, a first image is captured based on at least a first exposure time and at least a second image is captured based on at least one second exposure time less than the first exposure time. After capturing the first and second images, global motion regions are separated from local motion regions in the first and second images, and the final image is reconstructed at least based on the local motion regions. |
| US08711229B2 |
Image processing unit, image processing method and program
An image processing unit which includes: an input section which inputs a plurality of images each of which is associated with a difference from an in-focus state detected in accordance with differences among images of a subject which is divided during production of each of the plurality of images, the images being produced in continuous shooting in which a series of images are produced continuously in time series; and a selecting section which selects an image with the highest focusing degree in accordance with the difference from the in-focus state from among the plurality of images. |
| US08711228B2 |
Collaborative image capture
A method of populating a placeholder of a document as images are captured by one or more image capture devices. A reference image is captured using the image capture device with a first set of capture settings. The reference image is inserted into a placeholder of a document. Target characteristics of a subsequent image to be captured are determined using one of the image capture devices. The target characteristics are determined based the reference image and at least one remaining placeholder in the document. A second set of capture settings are determined based on the determined target characteristics. The second set of capture settings are communicated to at least one of the image capture devices in order to enable the at least one image capture device to capture the subsequent image with the second set of capture settings. A placeholder of the document is populated with the subsequent image. |
| US08711224B2 |
Image capture system and method
Video capture systems, methods and computer program products can be provided and configured to capture video sequences of one or more participants during an activity. The video capture system can be configured to include one or more video capture devices positioned at predetermined locations in an activity area; a tracking device configured to track a location of the participant during the activity; a content storage device communicatively coupled to the video capture devices and configured to store video content received from the video capture devices; and a content assembly device communicatively coupled to the content storage device and to the tracking device, and configured to use tracking information from the tracking device to retrieve video sequences of the participant from the tracking device and to assemble the retrieved video sequences into a composite participant video. |
| US08711223B2 |
Vehicle-mounted camera stabilized passively by vibration isolators
System, including method and apparatus, for imaging with a vehicle-mounted camera having an optical axis that is restricted from angular displacement, in response to vibration, by passive stabilization via a set of vibration isolators. |
| US08711220B2 |
Automatic detection of image degradation in enhanced vision systems
Systems and methods are described that directly detect whether or not enhanced vision system images obtained from a moving vehicle are degraded. If they are, image display is turned off to reduce operator distraction. When image quality is restored, image display is turned back on so operators can take advantage of EVS capabilities. |
| US08711217B2 |
Video surveillance system employing video primitives
A video surveillance system is set up, calibrated, tasked, and operated. The system extracts video primitives and extracts event occurrences from the video primitives using event discriminators. The system can undertake a response, such as an alarm, based on extracted event occurrences. |
| US08711216B2 |
Device having built-in digital data device and light for insertion into a lamp holder
A device having built-in digital data means is powered by an unlimited power source for a lamp-holder, LED bulb, or light device connected to unlimited power source by prongs or a base that can be inserted into a socket that would otherwise receiving a bulb. The device may take the form of a webcam having auto tracking functions and retractable prongs that plug directly into a wall outlet. |
| US08711214B2 |
Position and orientation measurement apparatus, position and orientation measurement method, and storage medium
A position/orientation measurement apparatus comprises an obtaining unit to obtain a range image to the target object; a determination unit to determine a coarse position/orientation of the target object based on the range image; a calculation unit to calculate a variation degree of distance information on a region of the range image, which region corresponds to a predetermined region on the shape model; a sampling unit to sample, for each predetermined region on the shape model, sample-points from the predetermined region to reduce the number of sample-points as the variation degree is smaller; an association unit to associate the sample-points and three-dimensional measurement points obtained by converting two-dimensional measurement points on the range image into three-dimensional coordinates based on the coarse position/orientation; and a position/orientation determination unit to determine the position/orientation of the target object based on a sum total of distances between the sample-points and the three-dimensional measurement points. |
| US08711213B2 |
Correction information calculating device, image processing apparatus, image display system, and image correcting method
A correction information calculating device calculates correction information representing correspondence relationship between positions of pixels in an image projected onto projection areas of a projection surface from projectors each including an image forming element and positions of pixels in the image forming element. The correction information calculating device includes a correction information calculating unit that calculates the correction information by associating and comparing positions of a plurality of characteristic points defined in original data of the characteristic point patterns that includes the plurality of the characteristic points and is supplied to the projectors and the positions of the plurality of characteristic points inside the photographed image acquired by photographing the characteristic point patterns projected based on the original data based on a correspondence information representing the correspondence relationship between identification patterns on the projection surface and the projectors projecting the identification patterns. |
| US08711206B2 |
Mobile camera localization using depth maps
Mobile camera localization using depth maps is described for robotics, immersive gaming, augmented reality and other applications. In an embodiment a mobile depth camera is tracked in an environment at the same time as a 3D model of the environment is formed using the sensed depth data. In an embodiment, when camera tracking fails, this is detected and the camera is relocalized either by using previously gathered keyframes or in other ways. In an embodiment, loop closures are detected in which the mobile camera revisits a location, by comparing features of a current depth map with the 3D model in real time. In embodiments the detected loop closures are used to improve the consistency and accuracy of the 3D model of the environment. |
| US08711204B2 |
Stereoscopic editing for video production, post-production and display adaptation
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for stereoscopically editing video content. In one embodiment, image pairs of a sequence may be stereoscopically modified by altering at least one image of the image pair. The at least one image may be altered using at least one mapping function. The at least one image may also be altered based on a saliency of the image pair. The at least one image may also be altered based on disparities between the image pair. Advantageously, stereoscopic properties of video content may be edited more conveniently and efficiently. |