| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08744649B2 |
Providing a description of aircraft intent
The present disclosure provides a computer-implemented method of generating a description of aircraft intent expressed in a formal language that provides an unambiguous description of an aircraft's intended motion and configuration during a period of flight. A flight intent description is parsed to provide instances of flight intent that span a flight segment, the flight segments together spanning the period of flight. The parsed flight intent is converted into parametric aircraft intent by generating an associated flight segment description for each flight segment that comprises instances of flight intent to close all associated degrees of freedom of motion and of configuration of the aircraft. At least some flight segment descriptions contain a parameter range, and the method further comprises optimizing the parametric aircraft intent by determining an optimal value for the parameter of each parameter range. |
| US08744647B2 |
Method and device for controlling and monitoring the surrounding areas of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
A method and a remote control for controlling and monitoring surrounding areas of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) by an operator with a remote control comprising a flight display are provided. The method and remote control provide an advantageously effect for the purposes of controlling and monitoring the surroundings of a UAV by combining the image captured by a UAV camera with a transparently overlaid positional and navigation map providing a perception enabling the operator to have a complete overall view of the situation, utilizing a common screen section of a flight display and thereby not having to shift eye view. Viewing images and positional and navigation information should not interfere with each other. |
| US08744637B1 |
Methods and apparatus for detecting the clearance of fault in shunt reactor compensated transmission lines
The objective of this patent is to describe novel methods and device systems for detecting the fault-cleared state in a shunt compensated transmission line. The methods are applicable in all types of transmission line types and faults, in any type of reclosure mechanism, and can be implemented in existing devices such as relays and not need sophisticated equipment. One application of detecting the fault-cleared state is adaptive reclosure in which case, substantial improvement in transmission system reliability and benefits in protection can be achieved. |
| US08744628B2 |
Autonomous moving floor-treating robot and control method thereof for edge-following floor-treating
An autonomous moving floor-treating robot and a control method thereof for edge-following floor-treating are provided. The control method includes the following steps: the floor-treating robot collides with an obstacle and is deflected toward the direction away from the obstacle by a basic angle after the collision, measures an initial signal strength value by a side-looking sensor after the deflection, and then moves on and treats the floor; a real-time signal strength value is acquired by said side-looking sensor alter the robot runs for a predetermined time; the difference value between said two signal strength values is compared, and whether the difference value is in a predetermined range is judged, if yes, the robot keeps moving and treating the floor, if not, the robot is driven to be deflected by an adjusting angle and acquires the current real-time signal strength value; the difference value between said current and the last real-time signal strength values is compared, and whether the difference value is in a predetermined range is judged, if yes, the robot keeps moving and treating the floor, if not, the steps of deflection, comparing and so on are implemented. The present invention is unaffected by the media of the obstacle, and can effectively treat the edge region of the obstacle. |
| US08744625B2 |
Robot controlling device
In the control of a multi-joint robot main body, it is necessary to execute intricate track calculations and synchronous operations in parallel, even if the track calculations are intricate and times required for the calculations are indefinite. For this purpose, a robot controlling device of the present invention includes a shared memory, and first and second processing units connected to the shared memory. The first processing unit performs track calculation processing which includes calculating operation command data indicating a series of command values to be output to arm motors, based on a command to operate the multi-joint robot main body to a desired position posture, and storing the calculated operation command data in the shared memory. The second processing unit performs synchronous processing which includes acquiring the operation command data stored in the shared memory, and synchronously outputting the command values to the arm motors at predetermined time intervals. |
| US08744621B2 |
Medical cabinet access belt optimization system
A cabinet for securely storing items includes a drawer enclosure, a drawer, a cover, an electric actuator, and a switch. The drawer is slidable at least partially into and out of the enclosure, and includes a compartment. A cover which is configured as a metal belt is designed to selectively block access to the compartments of the drawer when the cover is in a first configuration, and to allow access to the compartment when the cover is in a second configuration. The electric actuator is designed to move the cover from the first configuration to the second configuration in one of two directions. The actuator selects the direction to reduce the time required to make such movement. |
| US08744617B2 |
Component pane handler configured to handle component panes of multiple sizes
A component pane handling apparatus configured to handle component panes of multiple different sizes is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one component pane capture element that can be displaced between a number of different positions, each position corresponding to a particular component pane size. Therefore, the at least one component pane capture element can be positioned to different positions for allowing handling of component panes of corresponding sizes. The apparatus also includes a position alignment mechanism configured to control displacement of the at least one component pane capture element to the different positions. The apparatus can also include one displacement arm coupled to the component pane capture element. The displacement of the component pane capture element can be effectuated by a displacement of at least a portion of the displacement arm. A method for handling component panes of multiple sizes is also included in this disclosure. |
| US08744616B2 |
Storage tray populator and method for populating a storage tray with a plurality of biological sample containers
A storage tray populator configured to populate a storage rack with a plurality of biological sample containers is provided. The storage tray populator may include a randomizer configured to receive the biological sample containers and randomly distribute the biological sample containers. Further, a transport apparatus may transport the biological sample containers from the randomizer to the storage rack. Additionally, a controller may control at least the transport apparatus. Thereby storage trays may be populated, and access to a desired biological sample may be improved. Methods for populating storage racks with a plurality of biological sample containers are also provided. |
| US08744613B2 |
Sheet processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium storing program
In a sheet processing apparatus which is able to control to stack a sheet on at least one of a plurality of stacking units which stack printed sheets, when a first sheet having a small size is stacked on a first stacking unit, and a second sheet having the small size is designated to be stacked on a second stacking unit different from the first stacking unit, it is determined whether a sheet is stacked on a stacking unit adjacent to the second stacking unit, and a third stacking unit, that is different from the second stacking unit and is adjacent to a stacking unit on which a sheet is stacked, is selected as a stacking unit for the second sheet if it is determined that no sheet is stacked on the stacking unit adjacent to the second stacking unit. |
| US08744611B2 |
Apparatus for controlling operational functions of a machine tool
An apparatus for controlling operational functions of a machine tool, comprising a device for switching on or off a main power supply and at least one device for determining a switch-off time of an operational function of the machine tool in dependence of a selectable criterion. |
| US08744609B2 |
System for maintaining unified access to SCADA and manufacturing execution system (MES) information
A system is disclosed that simplifies configuring an MES entity corresponding to a SCADA system object representing plant equipment. The system includes an equipment model builder (EMB) that receives a set of configured UCO information for a modeled piece of plant equipment in a SCADA system. The EMB extracts relevant MES information from the utilization capability object and invokes an application interface on an MES database to create a corresponding entity (e.g., a database element). Another aspect of the disclosed system and methods involves the enhancement of a SCADA system object, through a new MES facet, to support acquiring and reporting equipment status received via the SCADA system to a corresponding MES entity. A raw reason code configuration interface is provided by UCO configurator computer software executed on a computer. Each raw reason code is associated with a prioritized logical expression defining circumstances under which the reason code becomes true. |
| US08744608B2 |
Work management apparatus, picking carriage, work performance collection system, rework measurement system, workability management system, rework measurement measuring method, work performance collection method, workability management method and workability management program
Workability management system including operations of: storing resource identification information for identifying said resource and said work history information in association with each other in a storage medium; extracting said work history information corresponding to said resource identification information from said storage medium when a change occurs in said work history information, updating a change content and storing it into said storage medium; extracting said work history information corresponding to said resource identification information of said resource for judging workability of said resource from said storage medium, taking out total use information of said resource from said work history information, and creating a change with time of said total use information as said casual sequence information; and judging workability of said resource by said casual sequence information. |
| US08744607B2 |
Method and apparatus for self-learning and self-improving a semiconductor manufacturing tool
Performance of a manufacturing tool is optimized. Optimization relies on recipe drifting and generation of knowledge that capture relationships among product output metrics and input material measurement(s) and recipe parameters. Optimized recipe parameters are extracted from a basis of learned functions that predict output metrics for a current state of the manufacturing tool and measurements of input material(s). Drifting and learning are related and lead to dynamic optimization of tool performance, which enables optimized output from the manufacturing tool as the operation conditions of the tool changes. Features of recipe drifting and associated learning can be autonomously or externally configured through suitable user interfaces, which also can be drifted to optimize end-user interaction. |
| US08744605B2 |
Handheld device workout coach system
A handheld device workout coach system includes: at least a handheld device installed therein with a coaching program and having a near field communication (NFC) module and a ID recognition data; at least a fitness device having a master control unit, a near field communication (NFC) module corresponding in position and function to the master control unit, and a platform; and a server stored therein with workout prescriptions downloadable by the at least a handheld device and available to the coaching program. The master control unit has an equipment recognition data. The handheld device and the fitness device get connected by near field communication (NFC) technology as soon as the handheld device is positioned on the platform of the fitness device and recognize each other to thereby execute the coaching program instantly and automatically, such that a corresponding one of the workout prescriptions instructs a user to take exercise. |
| US08744603B2 |
Method for position feedback based control for overload protection
A method for executing mechanical overload protection to prevent commanding a control signal to a linear actuator that may mechanically overload the linear actuator when an overload condition of the linear actuator is detected, the linear actuator utilized for controlling a movable element associated with the linear actuator responsive to the control signal, includes monitoring an overload condition based on position change of the movable element associated with the linear actuator during an integration period and excess energy during the integration period, de-energizing the linear actuator when an overload condition has been detected, monitoring an overload retry counter based on the number of cycles the overload condition is detected, comparing the overload retry counter to an overload retry threshold, an reenergizing the linear actuator when the overload retry counter is less than the overload retry threshold and maintaining de-energizing of the linear actuator when the overload retry counter is at least the overload retry threshold. |
| US08744600B2 |
Medical device lead including a unifilar coil with improved torque transmission capacity and reduced MRI heating
A medical device lead includes an electrode, a helically coiled conductor electrically coupled to the electrode, and a polymer sheath formed over the helically coiled conductor. The helically coiled conductor includes a plurality of turns helically wound around a longitudinal axis of the conductor, and consists of one filar. |
| US08744596B2 |
Leads with X-ray fluorescent capsules for electrode identification and methods of manufacture and use
An implantable lead for an electrical stimulation system includes a lead body having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal length, and a circumference; a plurality of electrodes disposed along the distal end of the lead body in an electrode array; a plurality of terminals disposed along the proximal end of the lead body; a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the plurality of electrodes to the plurality of terminals; and at least one capsule including an x-ray fluorescent material and disposed along the distal end of the lead body relative to the electrode array to indicate, when viewed fluoroscopically, an orientation of the electrode array. The plurality of electrodes includes a plurality of segmented electrodes. Each of the plurality of segmented electrodes extends partially around the circumference of the lead body. |
| US08744594B2 |
Electromedical device for the non-invasive reduction or removal of subcutaneous adipose tissue
An electromedical device for the non-invasive reduction or removal of subcutaneous adipose tissue, comprising an energy source which provides a high-frequency alternating current, comprising at least two individual emitters which are fed by the energy source and which are designed to emit high-frequency electromagnetic waves into subcutaneous adipose tissue, and comprising a directivity control which is coupled with the individual emitters and which controls the individual emitters in such a way that, by direction and field concentration of the high-frequency electromagnetic waves emitted by the individual emitters, a total electromagnetic field with a desired field geometry can be produced in the subcutaneous adipose tissue. |
| US08744593B2 |
Gel formed battery
An apparatus includes a cathode chamber configured to store a gel cathode and an anode chamber configured to store a gel anode. A cathode dispensing channel is in fluid communication with the cathode chamber and allows at least a portion of the gel cathode to be dispensed. An anode dispensing channel is in fluid communication with the anode chamber and allows at least a portion of the gel anode to be dispensed. A portion of the gel cathode and a portion of the gel anode come into contact upon being dispensed to form an active battery that can be used to generate an electrical current. |
| US08744590B2 |
Configuring an electrically stimulating device to stimulate using a subset of electrode contacts
A method of configuring a prosthesis having two or more electrode contacts, including configuring the prosthesis to provide stimulation to a first tissue site from a subset of electrode contacts based on data based on a comparison of first data to second data, wherein the first data is based on respective estimated voltages for the first site and one or more of additional respective sites to be applied by the subset of electrode contacts, the respective estimated voltages being based on empirical stimulation data for the first and additional sites, and the second data is based on respective target voltages for the first and additional sites, respectively. |
| US08744588B2 |
Method and system for connecting an impaired nervous system to a muscle or a group of muscles based on template matching and intelligent end points
A method and system for connecting an impaired nervous system of a patient to a destination target of a muscle, group of muscles, or robotic device. A command module implanted within the patient's body: (i) samples analog electrical neural signals generated by neurons or nerve fibers of the patient; (ii) processes the neural signals to generate spatial digital data in sample matrices; (iii) processes multiple consecutive sample matrices in real time using sliding window method to generate a time dependent window matrix; (iv) and matches the window matrix to source movement templates to generate high-level movement command(s) which is wirelessly transmitted to driver module(s) within the patient's body and attached to the destination target. The driver module matches the high-level movement commands to destination movement templates to generate a digital stimulus. The digital stimulus is translated into an electrical stimulus which is applied to the destination target. |
| US08744584B2 |
Electrical stimulation of the colon to treat chronic constipation
The invention is directed to techniques for stimulating a colon of a patient to relieve chronic constipation. Specifically, a colon stimulation system applies one or more electrical stimuli to the colon of the patient in order to induce peristaltic activity in the colon to relieve chronic constipation. In accordance with the invention, the colon stimulation system induces peristaltic activity in the colon by applying an electrical stimulus to the colon to cause a portion of the colon to contract to a contracted state and removing the electrical stimulus to cause the colon to relax. While in the contracted state, the colon is substantially fully contracted. |
| US08744582B2 |
Implantable neurostimulator device with bellows-like element coupling first and second housing portions
The disclosure describes an implantable neurostimulator device for delivery of neurostimulation to treat head, neck, or facial pain or tension, including pain or tension caused by occipital neuralgia. The device may be a neurostimulation device having a miniaturized housing with a low profile that permits subcutaneous implantation at a stimulation site directly adjacent a neuralgic region at the back of the neck of a patient. For example, the device may be subcutaneously implanted at the back of the neck of a patient to relieve symptoms of occipital neuralgia. |
| US08744579B2 |
LV threshold measurement and capture management
The invention provides methods and apparatus for determining in a non-tracking pacing mode (e.g., DDI/R, VVI/R) whether a ventricular pacing stimulus is capturing a paced ventricle, including some or all of the following aspects. For example, increasing a ventricular pacing rate a nominal amount to an overdrive pacing rate higher than a most recent heart rate and evaluating a conduction interval from a first pacing ventricle to a second sensing ventricle and then continuing to monitor the underlying rate to ensure that a threshold testing pacing rate will not exceed a predetermined minimum interval and providing pacing stimulation to the first ventricle and sensing the second ventricle to determine whether the pacing stimulation to the first ventricle was one of sub-threshold and supra-threshold. The methods and apparatus are especially useful in conjunction with ensuring actual delivery of a ventricular pacing regime (e.g., cardiac resynchronization therapy or “CRT”). |
| US08744578B2 |
Staged sensing adjustments by an implantable medical device in the presence of interfering signals
An implantable medical device (IMD) receives an input associated with the presence of an environment having an external source that generates an interfering signal, such as an MRI device. The IMD adjusts a first set of one or more sensing parameters of a sensing module of the IMD in response to receiving the input associated with the presence of the environment. In this manner, the IMD operates in accordance with the adjusted sensing configuration in the presence of the interfering signal in an attempt to obtain a more detailed representation of the signal including noise caused by the interfering signal. The IMD analyzes the signals sensed using the first set of adjusted sensing parameters to determine if further adjustment is desired. If desired, the IMD adjusts a second set of one or more sensing parameters of the sensing module based on the analysis. |
| US08744577B2 |
Pulse detection apparatus, software, and methods using patient physiological signals
The presence of a cardiac pulse in a patient is determined by evaluating physiological signals in the patient. In one embodiment, a medical device evaluates two or more different physiological signals, such as phonocardiogram (PCG) signals, electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, patient impedance signals, piezoelectric signals, and accelerometer signals for features indicative of the presence of a cardiac pulse. Using these features, the medical device determines whether a cardiac pulse is present in the patient. The medical device may also be configured to report whether the patient is in a VF, VT, asystole, or PEA condition, in addition to being in a pulseless condition, and prompt different therapies, such as chest compressions, rescue breathing, defibrillation, and PEA-specific electrotherapy, depending on the analysis of the physiological signals. Auto-capture of a cardiac pulse using pacing stimuli is further provided. |
| US08744571B2 |
Method and system for the prediction of cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial ischemia, and other diseased condition of the heart associated with elevated sympathetic neural discharges
Methods and systems are provided for determining an increased likelihood of the occurrence of a cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial ischemia, congestive heart failure and other diseased conditions of the heart associated with elevated sympathetic neural discharges in a patient. The methods and systems comprise monitoring the sympathetic neural discharges of a patient from the stellate ganglia, the thoracic ganglia, or both, and detecting increases in the sympathetic neural discharges. The methods and systems may further comprise delivering therapy to the patient in response to a detected increase in the sympathetic neural discharge, such as delivering one or more pharmacological agents; stimulating myocardial hyperinnervation in the sinus node and right ventricle of the heart of the patient; and applying cardiac pacing, cardioversion or defibrillation shocks. Pharmacologic agents which may be used in connection with the delivery of include those which are known to exert anti-arrhythmic effect and anti-convulsant agents, such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, valproate, and phenobarbitone. Other pharmacologic agents may be used to treat impending myocardial ischemia and other diseased conditions of the heart associated with elevated sympathetic neural discharges. |
| US08744569B2 |
Iontophoretic system for transdermal delivery of active agents for therapeutic and medicinal purposes
An embodiment of a system includes a power source and at least two electrode assembles. The power source that an output current that alternates between a maximum current value and a minimum current value; a pair of electrode assemblies. Each electrode assembly is configured to be held in contact with a skin layer of a user. Additionally, each electrode assembly includes an electrode that is coupled to the power source to receive the output current from the power source. At least one of the electrode assemblies in the pair includes a medium that carries an active agent having a charge, the medium being provided on the at least one electrode assembly to enable the output current to repel the active agent into the skin layer for a duration in which the output current has a polarity that is the same as a polarity of the active agent. |
| US08744568B2 |
Medical device with electroactive polymer powered by photovoltaic cell
Medical devices comprising an electroactive polymer powered by a photovoltaic cell. In one embodiment, the medical device has an electroactive component comprising an electroactive polymer. The medical device further comprises a photovoltaic cell as a source of electrical power for electrically stimulating the electroactive polymer. The medical device further comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, both of which are electrically connected to the photovoltaic cell. The electroactive component covers over at least a portion of the first electrode. Also disclosed is a method of treating a patient using a medical device having an electroactive polymer powered by a photovoltaic cell. |
| US08744567B2 |
Galvanic skin treatment device
A galvanic device for treatment of skin is provided. The device comprises a substrate comprising a plurality of discrete galvanic couples, each galvanic couple comprising a first conductive electrode that is an anode in electronic communication with a second conductive electrode that is a cathode. |
| US08744560B2 |
Electrogram summary
The present disclosure is directed to generating and displaying an electrogram (EGM) summary for use by physicians or other clinicians. An implantable medical device (IMD) transmits EGM signal data for a number of cardiac episodes to an external computing device. The external computing device selects a subset of the cardiac episodes for which information or images are displayed to the user. In various examples, cardiac episodes may be selected for display based at least in part on a retrospective analysis classification of the cardiac episode. |
| US08744559B2 |
Methods, systems and devices for detecting atrial fibrillation
Disclosed herein are various embodiments of methods, systems and devices for detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) in a patient. According to one embodiment, a patient places his or her left and right hands around left and right electrodes and a hand-held atrial fibrillation detection device acquires an electrocardiogram (ECG) from the patient over a predetermined period of time such as, by way of example, one minute. After acquiring the ECG from the patient, the device processes and analyzes the ECG and makes a determination of whether the patient has AF. The device may further be configured to provide a visual or audio indication of whether the patient has AF, or does not have AF. The device may be employed in a health care provider's office without the need for complicated or expensive diagnostic equipment, and is capable of providing an on-the-spot and low-cost diagnosis of AF. The device may further be connected to a physician's computer in the office, which may be configured to store the results of the analysis and the patient's ECG, and which may further be configured to carry out additional processing and analyses of the acquired and processed data. Moreover, the physician's computer may be operably connected to a remote server configured to store, process and analyze the ECG and the results provided by the hand-held device. |
| US08744558B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing ipselateral therapy
Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided to control contraction of the heart. At least one sensing element receives signals indicating electrical activity of sinus rhythm of the heart. The electrical activity is monitored and analyzed to detect an event. In addition, the electrical activity is monitored to detect, for example, premature stimulation and contraction of a portion of the heart, such as the left ventricle. Contraction in the pre-excited portion of the heart is then suppressed using electrical pulses. The heart may then be allowed to contract naturally, or a stimulating pulse may be applied to assist the heart in contracting. |
| US08744555B2 |
Adaptive waveform appraisal in an implantable cardiac system
Methods and implantable devices for cardiac signal analysis. The methods and devices make use of waveform appraisal techniques to distinguish event detections into categories for suspect events and waveform appraisal passing events. When adjustments are made to the data entering analysis for waveform appraisal, the waveform appraisal thresholds applied are modified as well. For example, when the data analysis window for waveform appraisal changes in length, a waveform appraisal threshold is modified. Other changes, including changes in sensing characteristics with which waveform appraisal operates may also result in changes to the waveform appraisal threshold including changes in gain, sensing vector, activation of other devices, implantee posture and other examples which are explained. |
| US08744549B2 |
Subdermal needle electrode cable assembly having movable needle safety cover integral therewith
A cable assembly comprising a signal conductor, a needle electrode electrically connected to the signal conductor and a safety cover having a central passage therein. The signal conductor extends through the central passage. The safety cover is moveable along the signal conductor for allowing the needle electrode to become positioned within the central passage. |
| US08744545B2 |
Analyte monitoring device and methods of use
An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted for placement on skin and is adapted to receive a portion of an electrochemical sensor. The sensor control unit also includes two or more conductive contacts disposed on the housing and configured for coupling to two or more contact pads on the sensor. A transmitter is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for transmitting data obtained using the sensor. The display unit has a receiver for receiving data transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor control unit and a display coupled to the receiver for displaying an indication of a level of an analyte. The analyte monitor may also be part of a drug delivery system to alter the level of the analyte based on the data obtained using the sensor. |
| US08744543B2 |
System and method for removing artifacts from waveforms
A technique is provided for processing a physiological signal to compensate for artifacts. The technique includes identifying artifacts within the physiological signal. The technique also includes performing one or more multi-resolution decompositions, such as wavelet transformations, on the physiological signal and compensating for the identified artifacts in some or all of the respective decomposition components. The modified decomposition components may be reconstructed to generate an artifact-compensated signal which may be provided to a monitor or other device which is otherwise not configured to compensate for signal artifacts. |
| US08744542B2 |
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation monitoring apparatus
A cardiopulmonary resuscitation monitoring apparatus includes: a detecting unit configured to obtain a detection signal of a timing of chest compression during execution of cardiopulmonary resuscitation; a pulse oximeter configured to detect a change of a blood volume at the timing of the chest compression based on the detection signal, and configured to obtain an oxygen saturation from the change of the blood volume; an evaluating unit configured to perform evaluation related to the cardiopulmonary resuscitation based on the oxygen saturation; and an outputting unit configured to perform an outputting operation in accordance with a result of the evaluation. |
| US08744541B1 |
Superconducting multi-bit digital mixer
A superconducting multi-bit digital mixer, designed using rapid single flux quantum (RSFQ) logic, for multiplying two independent digital streams, at least one of these comprising a plurality of parallel bit lines, wherein the output is also a similar plurality of bit lines. In a preferred embodiment, one of the digital streams represents a local oscillator signal, and the other digital stream digital radio frequency input from an analog-to-digital converter. The multi-bit mixer comprises an array of bit-slices, with the local oscillator signal generated using shift registers. This multi-bit mixer is suitable for an integrated circuit with application to a broadband digital radio frequency receiver, a digital correlation receiver, or a digital radio frequency transmitter. A synchronous pulse distribution network is used to ensure proper operation at data rates of 20 GHz or above. |
| US08744539B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling radiation characteristics of transmitter of wireless device in correspondence with transmitter orientation
The invention provides an apparatus and a corresponding method for controlling radiation characteristics of a transmitter of a wireless device. The wireless device includes a transmitting portion that includes one or more antennas that are characterized by one or more radiation patterns. The wireless device further comprises a sensor system for determining an orientation of the transmitting portion and a control system that is operatively coupled to the sensor system and configured to control the supply of power to each antenna depending on the orientation of the transmitting portion. |
| US08744538B2 |
Fully flat slider
A device may include a lower panel, an upper panel, bi-stable shaft, and guide link. The lower panel may include four sides, a first surface, and a second surface. The upper panel may include four sides, a third surface, and a fourth surface, where the fourth surface overlays the first surface of the lower panel when the device is in a first configuration. A first end of the bi-stable shaft may be rotatably attached proximate to a first of the sides of the lower panel. A second end of the bi-stable shaft may be rotatably attached proximate to a first of the sides of the upper panel. The guide link may include two ends, a first end rotatably attached proximate to the first side of the upper panel and a second end slidably inserted in a track parallel to the first side of the lower panel. |
| US08744536B2 |
Holding device for a mobile telephone
The inventions refers to a holding device (1) for a mobile telephone, the holding device (1) having a mounting device (2) for accommodating the mobile telephone, the mounting device (2) comprising a contact surface (4) and at least two holding components (6) which protrude from the contact surface (4), the holding device (1) being characterized by the fact that at least one of the holding components (6) has an adjusting device for adjusting a length L, at which the holding component (6) protrudes from the contact surface (4) and wherein the receiving device (2) can be put in a hold position and a release position, wherein the receiving device (2) is arranged to interact positively with a mobile telephone mounted in the holding device (1) when the receiving device (2) is in the hold position. |
| US08744529B2 |
Enhanced mobile device having multiple housing configurations
An apparatus comprises a first housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, a second housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, and one or more supports coupling the first housing to the second housing such that the first and second housings are electrically connected and the bottom surface of the first housing overlays the top surface of the second housing. The one or more supports are configurable in at least a first configuration wherein the bottom surface of the first housing and the top surface of the second housing are substantially contiguous with one another and a second configuration wherein the bottom surface of the first housing and the top surface of the second housing are separated by a space. |
| US08744527B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for selecting terminating communication notification handling at a communication device
An apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating alert handling at a communication device provides for selection at the communication device of the manner by which terminating communications at the communication device are handled. A terminating communication is detected at a receive part of the communication device, and an indication of its reception is displayed. Together with the displayed indication of the terminating communication, an actuation key is provided to permit selection of alert handling of the terminating communication and subsequent terminating communications. |
| US08744524B2 |
User interface tone echo cancellation
A multi-function communications device has a processor that generates a user interface audible tone signal. The device also has a downlink digital signal processor, and an uplink digital signal processor. A mixer has an input to receive the downlink signal and another input to receive the user interface tone signal. The uplink processor has an acoustic echo canceller having an input to receive the uplink signal and another input to receive an output from the mixer. The echo canceller may reduce the amount of both the far-end user's speech and the user interface tone that may be present in the uplink signal. The mixer may be positioned within the chain of audio signal processors, or it may be positioned outside the chain. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08744523B2 |
Method and system for interactive home monitoring
A method and system for interactive home monitoring includes detecting a visitor arriving at a premises of a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) client by an intercom unit installed at the premises. The intercom unit may be coupled to the MCDN client, which may be configured to wirelessly communicate with a user of the MCDN client. A captured image of the visitor may be used to determine if an identity of the visitor is known or unknown. Based on the identity, a communication channel between the visitor and the user may be established at the intercom unit. The intercom unit may further be configured to provide further information to the visitor based on the visitor identity. |
| US08744519B2 |
Multimodal phone data session management enhancement that alleviates dual transmission problems
One aspect of the present invention can include a dual transmit mobile communication device that includes multiple modems, a modem controller, and a data session manager. The modem controller can programmatically control the modems. The data session manager can manage data sessions of the mobile communication device. The data session manager can programmatically interact with the software modem controller to ensure that only one of the modems is transmitting at any one time. States of data communication sessions can be automatically adjusted as necessary. For example, the modem controller can block transmissions over a data traffic channel in order to use a modem other than one associated with the data traffic channel, such as using a modem to handle a dispatch session. The data session manager can preserve state information of blocked data sessions, so that the sessions can be resumed when a modem is available. |
| US08744517B2 |
Mobile terminal with the function of wired communication
A mobile terminal is provided including: a fixed network access control module for connecting the terminal with an analog user line and notifying the central processor that the mobile terminal is connected with the fixed telephone network in the situation where the analog user line is connected to the analog user line interface; a dual-tone multi-frequency processing module for identifying a selecting signal from analog user line and sending it to central processor; a call processing module for extracting a voice signal on the analog user line, sending it to an audio output device, and sending a voice signal from user to the analog user line; a mobile communication module for achieving communication between the mobile terminal and the exterior; and the central processor for processing the signaling from dual-tone multi-frequency processing module and sending the signaling to be transmitted via network to the dual-tone multi-frequency processing module. |
| US08744515B1 |
Communication device
The communication device comprising a voice communication implementer, a digital mirror implementer, a non-digital mirror implementer, a remote controlling implementer, and an audiovisual communication implementer. |
| US08744514B2 |
Wireless communication device and wireless communication method
A wireless communication device has a first wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external network, a management information storage configured to store application management information received through the first wireless communication unit, a second wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external communication device, and a management unit configured to control, based on the application management information stored in the management information storage, information wirelessly transmitted and received between the second wireless communication unit and the external communication device. |
| US08744510B2 |
Power control method and apparatus for wireless communications
Power control for wireless communication may involve determining the transmit power to be used by a wireless device. A wireless device using open loop power control may select a transmit power based on an open loop power equation where a parameter of the power equation may be based on one or more power control messages received from another wireless device. In some aspects, path loss may be estimated for open loop power control and a value for Offset_BSperSS may be obtained from information provided by a base station for closed loop power control. To facilitate a stable combined open-closed loop algorithm, open loop power control may be used to compensate channel changes based on reciprocity, and closed loop power control may be used to compensate interference variations (e.g., as compared to NI provided by a DCD message). |
| US08744508B2 |
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for connection establishment
A wireless communications device with a wireless module and a controller module is provided. The wireless module performs wireless transceiving to and from a service network. The controller module transmits a connection request message to the service network via the wireless module, and receives, on a downlink shared channel, a connection rejection message corresponding to the connection request message from the service network via the wireless module. Also, the controller module determines whether the connection rejection message indicates that congestion has occurred on the downlink shared channel, and retransmits the connection request message and waits to receive, on a forward access channel, a subsequent response message from the service network via the wireless module, in response to the connection rejection message indicating that congestion has occurred on the downlink shared channel. |
| US08744504B2 |
Distributed antenna system for MIMO communications
A method of deploying a distributed antenna system (DAS) is provided. The method comprises outputting first and second signals from a multiple-input and multiple-output base station (MIMO BTS) and coupling a master unit to the MIMO BTS. The method further comprises coupling first and second remote units to the master unit, the first remote unit communicating the first signal over a first air interface located within the environment at a first location, the second remote unit communicating the second signal over a second air interface within the environment at a second location. The first and second remote units are arranged at the first and second locations within the environment and configured to provide signal coverage of both the first signal and the second signal at a third location in the environment to provide the capacity for MIMO communications through the system at the third location. |
| US08744503B2 |
Wireless communication device, wireless communication system, and wireless communication method
A wireless communication device avoids unnecessary reduction of transmission capacity of a data signal to ensure the reliability of a pilot signal. A determination unit determines a reception modulation method for a received data signal according to the state of the transmission line. A transmission circuit generates a first pilot signal indicating the reception modulation method determined by the determination unit and, after adding an error correction code, modulates and transmits the first pilot signal. A reception unit receives a second pilot signal indicating a transmission modulation method that is the method for modulating a transmitted data signal. A switching unit, in accordance with the transmission modulation method indicated by the second pilot signal received by the reception unit, switches at least one of the modulation method of the first pilot signal transmitted by the transmission circuit and the redundancy of the error correction code of the first pilot signal. |
| US08744501B2 |
System and method for service invocation and response with a communication device based on transmitted code content recognition
A system and method for enabling a user to invoke a service over a signaling channel in a communication system with a communication device such as a mobile phone. The user dials a series of digits into their phone and enters them into the disclosed system, for example by pressing the send key on a mobile phone. The digits entered by the user include a prefix or routing code, and a data code. The dialed digits are transferred to a call switching system, which determines, based on the prefix code, a processing system to which a message is sent. The processing system further determines, based on the data code of the dialed digits, the service to provide and how the service should be fulfilled. The service can be fulfilled by content over the signaling channel or a transport channel, or both. |
| US08744497B2 |
Method and mobile communication device capable of avoiding interruption due to incoming call
A method capable of avoiding interruption due to incoming call is adapted to a mobile communication device. A subscriber identity module (SIM) card is installed on the mobile communication device. The method includes steps of setting a non-interruption period; retrieving an incoming call time of an incoming call signal when receiving the incoming call signal; determining whether the incoming call time is within the non-interruption period; stopping to supply power to the SIM card if the incoming call time is within the non-interruption period; and normally supplying power to the SIM card if the incoming call time is not within the non-interruption period. |
| US08744494B2 |
Satellite optimized air interface
A method is disclosed for establishing communication links in a satellite based wireless communication system. The method includes: establishing a forward link from the satellite to at least one of a plurality of subscriber wireless communication devices (WCDs) by use of a shared frequency multi-user communication protocol; applying an error correction code to use in the forward link, whereby the error correction applies to an aggregation of communications provided to multiple ones of the WCDs; and receiving communications in a return link signal by use of a protocol providing channels having dedicated frequency assignments and non-slotted channel assignment. |
| US08744491B2 |
Wireless network tour guide
Location based wireless services in a service provider's network are intertwined with a message database (text and/or audio) to automatically provide location information regarding the subscriber to the message database, without requiring the wireless device itself to provide the location information. A location management system is provided to perform the location management functions of determining subscriber location (e.g., by call/sector ID, angle of arrival (AOA), time difference of arrival (TDOA), time of arrival (TOA)), and of mapping the location to the desired text and/or audio. Speed information may also be determined by the location management system, or the subscriber may be prompted to input a particular mode of transportation, or generally indicate their speed. Of course, the slower the speed of the subscriber, the fewer location updates will be required, lessening the burden on the tour guide system in the wireless network. |
| US08744487B2 |
Methods and apparatus for determining mobile device location in a communications system
Methods and apparatus related to determining location of one or more mobile devices based on signals received by mobile device and signals received by fixed devices such as access points (APs) in a communications system are described. In accordance with various embodiments, mobile devices, e.g., peer devices, measure one or more signal characteristics, e.g., received signal power level, of signals received from peer devices and report this information along with information identifying the peer devices to which individual signal measurements correspond. The time of the signal measurements is also reported allowing a location determination server to time align signal measurements made by multiple different devices, e.g., mobile devices and access points, and use signals measurements from the multiple devices to determine the location of one or mobile devices, e.g., at one or more points in time, with more accuracy than if AP signal measurement alone were used. |
| US08744485B2 |
Efficient location discovery
Techniques are generally described for determining locations of a plurality of communication devices in a network. In some examples, methods for creating a location discovery infrastructure (LDI) for estimating locations of one or more of a plurality of communication nodes may comprise one or more of determining a plurality of locations in the terrain to place a corresponding plurality of beacon nodes, determining a plurality of beacon node groups for the placed beacon nodes, and determining a schedule for the placed beacon nodes to be active. Additional variants and embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08744478B2 |
Method and apparatus for executing location dependent application in a mobile handset
Methods and mobile handsets provide applications with access to locality identifier information heretofore not shared with applications. By accessing the locality identifier from memory, applications can provide location-specific services, such as alarms and location-specific themes. The locality identifier can be compared to a criteria table in memory to determine if an application should be notified or activated. The criteria table may include time and date criteria, so application notification can depend upon time, date and location information. |
| US08744477B2 |
System and method for locating a mobile terminal using secure user plane location
Disclosed is a method for determining the location of a targeted mobile set using SUPL (Secure User Plane Location) in a wireless communications network, including sending a target set location initiation message to the targeted mobile set in response to a request message, causing a home positioning server to exchange the capacities of positioning methods with the targeted mobile set to select and store a suitable positioning method, and determining the location of the targeted mobile set by using the selected positioning method previously stored whenever the location is requested. Accordingly it is unnecessary for the targeted set to resend the target set location initiation message to the positioning server whenever repeating the location calculation for the repeated deferred service. |
| US08744476B1 |
Non-cooperative spectrum sharing by smart frequency agile cognitive radios
A radio node in a radio network is disclosed. The radio node also includes signal processing hardware. The radio node also includes radio frequency (RF) transceiver hardware. Further, the radio node includes a smart spectrum sensor for feature detection capable of detecting multiple features including at least one of specific pilot signals, specific modulations, spectral widths, and symbol durations. |
| US08744475B2 |
Communications system
A method performed by a EUTRAN base station. The method includes generating a request for resource status information, sending the generated request to a neighboring EUTRAN base station, receiving one or more resource status update messages from the neighboring EUTRAN base station in response to the requested resource status information, performing load balancing operations in dependence upon the received one or more resource status update messages, and controlling handover of one or more associated mobile communication devices to another cell or base station in dependence upon the one or more received resource status update messages. |
| US08744472B2 |
Method for reporting channel quality information and system thereof
A method for reporting channel quality information in a wireless telecommunication network, wherein the network includes a radio base station in wireless communication with a plurality of user equipments by user transmission channels, and wherein the method includes the radio base station: detecting a coherence bandwidth associated to a total transmission channel, the total transmission channel including the user transmission channels of the plurality of user equipments; selecting one reporting technique for reporting channel quality information among a plurality of available reporting techniques, the selection being based on the coherence bandwidth; and transmitting a first message to each of the plurality of user equipments, the message reporting an indication of the selected reporting technique. A radio base station, a public mobile network and a user equipment suitable to implement the method are also disclosed. |
| US08744470B2 |
Optimization of data delivery in mobile networks
There is provided a method and system for optimizing delivery of data to a mobile device over a network. According to one embodiment, the invention includes a communication stack, such as a TCP/IP stack, which includes an application protocol interface (API) between an application layer and a transport layer. According to this embodiment, the method includes receiving delivery optimization information; determining the priority of the data using the delivery optimization information; providing the priority of the data to a physical layer in the communication stack; and delivering the data to the mobile device based on the priority. |
| US08744466B2 |
Sensing RF environment to manage mobile network resources
Using radio frequency sensing to manage a mobile network resource is disclosed. A radio frequency environment is sensed to detect one or more base transceiver stations. A resource assignment, such as a frequency or channel assignment, is determined based at least in part on the sensed radio frequency environment. |
| US08744456B2 |
Wireless communication method with packet scheduling
To reduce power consumption of a mobile station, this invention provides a wireless communication method for communicating between a base station and a plurality of terminals using a plurality of channels, the channels being slots obtained by dividing frequency-divided carriers by time, in which the base station allocates a set of the channels which is composed of a plurality of neighboring carriers and/or a plurality of successive slots for the each terminal, and the base station allocates at least one of the channels included in the channel sets for packet transmission the terminals. |
| US08744454B2 |
Enabling an assisted dialing on a mobile device
The instant application describes a method for enabling an assisted dialing on a mobile device. The method includes steps of receiving, at a mobile device, a number; automatically identifying a reference country and one or more parameters associated with the reference country; and automatically determining whether the received number should be modified based on the one or more parameters associated with the reference country. The method also includes steps of automatically modifying the received number upon determining that the received number should be modified; and transmitting the modified number to a wireless network servicing the mobile device. |
| US08744449B2 |
Mobility parameter adjustment and mobility state estimation in heterogeneous networks
Systems and methods for mobility parameter adjustment and mobility state estimation in heterogeneous networks are provided. The mobility parameters may be adjusted based on the cell change types associated with the mobility procedure. The mobility procedure may be a cell handover procedure or a cell reselection procedure. The cell change type may be dependent on the transmission power level of the UE's serving cell and neighboring cells. In some implementations, the UE may provide a speed information to the serving cell such that the serving eNB may prioritize or optimize the mobility procedure for the UE. The UE may also estimate its mobility state by counting the number of cell changes within certain period of time and applying scaling factors to the number of cell changes based on the associated cell change types. |
| US08744447B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for wireless connection
A wireless connecting method includes a connection monitoring step, a connection parameter retaining step, and a connection restoring step. The connection monitoring step monitors the wireless connection between the communication terminal device and the base station. The connection parameter retaining step sets a communication session retention time period that is longer than a connection parameter retention time period, and retains a connection parameter. A connection parameter when the wireless connection is disconnected is retained in at least one of the communication terminal device and the base station for the communication session retention time period exceeding the connection parameter retention time period. The connection restoring step executes, after the connection parameter retention time period has elapsed, when the communication session retention time period has not elapsed, an initial connecting process and restores the connection using the connection parameter stored when the wireless connection is disconnected. |
| US08744445B2 |
Method of handling handover message decoding and related communication device
A method of handling handover message decoding for a mobile device in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes via a first radio access technology (RAT), receiving a handover message associated with a handover from the first RAT to a second RAT supporting services of a packet switched (PS) domain and a circuit switched (CS) domain, wherein the handover message comprises type information and an inter-RAT message generated based on the second RAT, and determining a switched domain type of the inter-RAT message according to the type information. |
| US08744440B2 |
Method and apparatus for scanning base stations
Methods and apparatuses are provided for scanning base stations in wireless communications. The base stations can be scanned in order of distance from a device or a corresponding reference point so that base stations of a shortest distance are measured before those of a longer distance. In addition, scanning of base stations can be ceased according to one or more stopping criteria to improve efficiency of scanning. |
| US08744434B2 |
Area entertainment system including digital radio service and associated methods
An area entertainment system includes an antenna for receiving digital satellite radio signals, and an intermediate frequency (IF) down converter connected to the antenna for down converting the digital satellite radio signals. Electronic boxes are spaced throughout the area, and each electronic box includes at least one IF tuner in communications with the IF down converter. |
| US08744422B2 |
Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to mobile telephony devices
Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device that is roaming outside of its native service area make use of a mobile roaming termination service. The mobile roaming termination service causes the native mobile telephony service provider that provides service to the mobile telephony device to forward incoming telephony communications directed the native telephone number of the mobile telephony device to a forwarding access number. The mobile roaming termination service receives telephony communications directed to the forwarding access number, and then terminates the telephony communication to the mobile telephony device via any one of multiple different methods. The mobile telephony service provider can be instructed to implement and cancel call forwarding instructions by dialing a special character string on the mobile telephony device. |
| US08744421B2 |
Method of initiating a hands-free conference call
A method of operating a vehicle telematics unit includes storing a conference call access code; initiating a conference call from a vehicle based on verbal commands received from a vehicle occupant; receiving a request for the conference call access code from an automated telephone attendant (ATA) while initiating the conference call; determining that the ATA has requested the conference call access code using a speech recognition function at the vehicle; and sending the stored conference call access code to the ATA based on the determination of the speech recognition function. |
| US08744420B2 |
Establishing a video conference during a phone call
Some embodiments provide a method for initiating a video conference using a first mobile device. The method presents, during an audio call through a wireless communication network with a second device, a selectable user-interface (UI) item on the first mobile device for switching from the audio call to the video conference. The method receives a selection of the selectable UI item. The method initiates the video conference without terminating the audio call. The method terminates the audio call before allowing the first and second devices to present audio and video data exchanged through the video conference. |
| US08744418B2 |
Environment detection for mobile devices
Apparatus and methods are disclosed related to managing characteristics of a mobile device based upon capacitive detection of materials proximate the mobile device. One such method includes receiving a first capacitive sensor measurement with a first capacitive sensor of the mobile device. The method further includes determining a value indicative of a material adjacent to the mobile device based on a correspondence between the first capacitive sensor measurement and stored values corresponding to different materials. The method further includes sending instructions to adjust a characteristic of the mobile device based on the determined value indicative of the material adjacent to the mobile device. |
| US08744417B2 |
Method of inhibiting functions of a mobile communications device
A method of inhibiting a function of a multi-function portable personal communications device includes determining a first position of the personal communications device, after a predetermined time interval, determining a second position of the personal communications device, determining the distance between the first position and the second position, determining the time interval in which the personal communications device moved from the first position and the second position, calculating an average velocity of the personal communications device based on the first position, the second position and the time interval and, if the average velocity of the personal communication device exceeds a predetermined value, inhibiting a function of the personal communications device. |
| US08744413B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for displaying standby screen according to analysis result of user's behavior
A mobile terminal includes an input unit for receiving a command input by a user; a location information generator for generating location information on the mobile terminal; a time counter; a storage unit having a command processing information table and a standby screen display information table; and a control unit for analyzing the user's behavior by using command processing information stored in the command processing information table, storing the result of the behavior analysis in the standby screen display information table, and displaying a standby screen according to the result of the behavioral analysis with respect to the current location of the mobile terminal and the current time. Accordingly, using a history of the mobile terminal use provides an advantage of improved user convenience by predicting and actively reacting to a user's manner of using the mobile terminal. |
| US08744411B2 |
Informing mobile stations of an important message
A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message is provided. The method includes identifying a geographic area, or zone, comprising at least one base station associated with a cell. A standard registration message associated with each cell in the zone is modified, which modifying results in a modified registration message with a command that is directed towards instructing mobile stations (MSs) that are already registered in the zone to re-register with the zone. The modified registration message then is broadcast from the base station. In response to the transmitting of the modified registration message, the method performs a processing of registration request messages sent from each of the MSs to the base station. In response to the processing, an acknowledge registration message is transmitted to each of the MSs, which acknowledge registration message includes data informing each of the MSs of the important message. |
| US08744410B2 |
Communication of position data via text message
A mobile application on a mobile computing device connected to a communications network is disclosed. The mobile application includes an initiation module for transmitting a request for a transaction identifier to an application server and receiving a transaction identifier from the server, a request module for transmitting to a second device an SMS message including a URL, a first receiving module for receiving an SMS message and activating a URL embedded in the SMS message, wherein upon activation of the URL, the first receiving module is further configured for transmitting an HTTP request to the server, a processing module for receiving program code from the server and executing the program code configured for reading position data of the device and transmitting the position data and the transaction identifier to the server, and a second receiving module for receiving position data of the second device and displaying the position data. |
| US08744407B2 |
Systems and processes to manage multiple modes of communication
A computer-implemented system and method to manage the communication of a user are disclosed. In one embodiment, when a person tries to electronically convey a message to the user, the status of the user, the identity of the person, and the urgency of the message can be identified. The access priority of the person can be determined based on the person's identity. Then, the message can be managed using one or more rules and in view of the status of the user, the access priority of the person and the urgency of the message. |
| US08744402B2 |
Alert system with controlled load of network
A method for preventing overload and blocking of a mobile network when sending of alert messages to a plurality of mobile phone users located in a specific geographical area, independently of any user preferences on mobile phones, wherein the method is performed in an optimizing message distribution component (A-SMSC) connected to the mobile network, has an alert initiating message receiving step of receiving an alert initiation message having information about content of the message and where the message is to be sent, represented as relevant cells, performed as a request from an LBAS Server to A-SMSC, and information about the relevant cells is determined by a LBAS GT by converting information of a specific geographical area to corresponding cell ids. |
| US08744399B2 |
Alarm system call-back number provision and retrieval
A control panel of an alarm system at a premises stores call-back numbers/addresses and provides these to a monitoring center, as required. In embodiments, the call-back numbers/address may be provided along with the signalling of an alarm condition. In other embodiments, call-back numbers/addresses may be retrieved from the panel at the request of an operator or installer, or periodically. Call-back numbers/address may be stored or updated at the panel by installers or occupants, or automatically. |
| US08744386B2 |
Method of tuning receiver having tunable amplifier with integrated tracking filter
A method of tuning a receiver includes: providing a tunable Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) having a plurality of LNAs and a plurality of LC loads coupled to the plurality of LNAs; selecting a desired LNA and a LC load corresponding to the desired LNA; isolating the desired LNA from the selected LC load; generating a local oscillation (LO) signal; routing the LO signal to the output of the tunable LNA to generate a filtered LO signal; determining a first signal power level of the filtered LO signal; changing the capacitance in the selected LC load and determining a second signal power level of the filtered LO signal; comparing the first filtered signal power level to the second filtered signal power level; and according to the comparison result, determining whether or not to adjust the capacitance in the selected LC load. |
| US08744381B2 |
Adjustment module, electronic device with the adjustment module, and antenna performance adjusting method thereof
An adjustment module, an electronic device with the adjustment module, and an antenna performance adjusting method thereof are disclosed. The adjustment module is used for adjusting an antenna module. The antenna module is disposed in the electronic device and used for radiating a wireless signal. The adjustment module includes a monitoring module, a determining module, and a capacitance adjusting unit. The monitoring module is used for detecting an alternating current signal waveform when the antenna module radiates the wireless signal. The determining module receives the alternating current signal waveform and is used for generating an adjusting voltage value when the alternating current signal waveform is a non-constant amplitude. The capacitance adjusting unit is used for changing a capacitance value according to the adjusting voltage value to adjust a resonance point coordinate of the antenna module. |
| US08744375B2 |
Method and system for sharing multiple antennas in mobile devices
A wireless device may comprise a plurality of antennas that may be utilized during communications via various wireless interfaces. The wireless interfaces may comprise mobile interfaces, wireless personal area network (WPAN) interfaces, and/or wireless local area network (WLAN). The plurality of antennas may be utilized during a communication via a wireless interface in the mobile device. The mobile device may switch among antennas in the plurality of antennas utilizing one or more RF switches to enable utilizing best path for transmitted and/or received RF signals during the wireless communication. The mobile device may also perform signal combining of RF signals received via the plurality of antenna, and to enable a receiving end to perform signal combining of RF signals transmitted via the mobile device. A multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) combiner may be utilized to perform signal combing; the MIMO combiner may utilize maximal ratio combining to perform signal combining and equalization. |
| US08744374B2 |
Method and apparatus for data communication in LTE cellular networks
Methods and apparatus for uplink data transmission in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) compliant communication system use beam-forming in the uplink to increase the range of LTE compliant wireless communication terminals. Methods are provided for steering the beam in an optimal direction towards the base station, both for time division duplex (TDD) and frequency division duplex (FDD) communication schemes. |
| US08744372B2 |
System and method of transmitting data from an aircraft
A system and method of transmitting data from an aircraft includes a PC card that acquires aircraft data and transmits the aircraft data over a radio frequency communications signal into the skin of the aircraft, which radiates the radio frequency communications signal to a location remote from the aircraft. |
| US08744369B2 |
Mobile communication method, subscriber management server, and mobility management node
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes a step A of transmitting, by an operation and maintenance server EM, “MDT config” to a subscriber management server HSS, and a step B of instructing, by the subscriber management server HSS, the target mobile station UE to perform the MDT measurement process through a mobility management node MME and a radio base station eNB when it is determined that the MDT measurement process by the target mobile station UE is approved. |
| US08744367B2 |
Tail optimization protocol for cellular radio resource allocation
Systems and methods for increasing the power and resource efficiency of a mobile network device are presented herein. More particularly, described herein is a novel Tail Optimization Protocol (TOP) and/or other mechanisms, systems and methods for enabling cooperation between a mobile device and an associated radio access network to eliminate idle periods (e.g., tails) when possible. Various systems and methods described herein can leverage the ability of applications and/or their associated connections to accurately predict a long tail time, from which a mobile device can notify an associated cellular network on such an imminent tail in order to allow the cellular network to immediately release tail resources. Various other aspects provided herein realize TOP via fast dormancy and/or other similar notification mechanisms, which enable a handset or other device to notify a cellular network for immediate resource release. |
| US08744365B2 |
Mobile communication device, a printing control system, and a method for controlling printing using the mobile communication device
A mobile communication device storing a file to be printed, the mobile communication device including: a communication unit to receive printer information of a printer; a network interface unit to connect to a printer server corresponding to the printer information received through the communication unit; and a control unit to transmit the file to be printed to the printer through the printer server according to the received printer information. Accordingly, users can print files using a mobile communication device while traveling away from a fixed printer. |
| US08744359B2 |
Electronic equipment for a wireless communication system and method for operating an electronic equipment for a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to an electronic equipment for a wireless communication system comprising a near field interface (4) for exchanging contact information with at least one further electronic equipment via near field communication, said contact information serving for communicating within the wireless communication system, a group editing means (3) for creating a group of contact information comprising at least the received contact information, whereby each contact information of the group relates to an electronic equipment, and a communication means (8) for setting up a communication within the wireless communication system to the group of electronic equipments in accordance with the group of contact information. The present invention further relates to a method for operating such an electronic equipment. |
| US08744355B2 |
Communication method, and bluetooth device utilizing the communication method
A communication method for a Bluetooth device in a scatternet which may include several piconets is proposed. The method includes transmitting data to a peer device in the first piconet, determining whether there is any buffered data to be transmitted to the peer device in the first piconet, and switching from the first piconet to the next piconet to transmit data to a peer device in the second piconet according to the determination result. |
| US08744354B2 |
Wireless communication terminal, wireless communication method, and wireless communication system
A wireless communication terminal includes a tentative determination unit for tentatively determining a role of a display terminal, a transmission unit for transmitting wireless data including information indicating the result of the tentative determination and first information on presence or absence of a display unit and an input unit of the wireless communication terminal, a receiving unit for receiving response data including information indicating a terminal as a display terminal and second information on presence or absence of a display unit and an input unit of a wireless communication terminal having received the wireless data, and a determination unit for determining the role of the display terminal based on the information indicating a terminal as the display terminal and the second information. |
| US08744352B2 |
Automatic access point location, planning, and coverage optimization
A device receives distances between an access point, located on a floor of a building, and other access points located on the same floor, and determines, based on the distances, relative location information associated with the access point, where the relative location information provides a location of the access point relative to the other access points. The device also determines, using a triangulation method, an actual location of the access point based on the relative location information. The device further maps the actual location of the access point to a floor plan of the floor, and displays the floor plan with the mapped actual location of the access point. |
| US08744349B2 |
Multi-stack semiconductor integrated circuit device
The invention relates to a multi-stack semiconductor integrated circuit device where communication between semiconductor chips can be efficiently carried out by bypassing a number of chips. Each semiconductor chip that forms a multi-stack semiconductor integrated circuit device having a stack structure where four or more semiconductor chips having the same shape are stacked on top of each other is provided with: a first coil for transmission/reception for communication between chips over a long distance; and a second coil for transmission/reception for communication between chips over a short distance, of which the size is smaller than that of the above-described first coil for transmission/reception. |
| US08744348B2 |
Method of preselecting at least one application in a mobile communication device comprising an NFC system
The invention relates to a method for the preselection of at least one application hosted in a secure or non-embedded element in a mobile communication device comprising an NFC system, the said device being capable of accessing and reading data stored in a target NFC system, of the contactless tag or card type, the said NFC system being capable of operating in at least two communication modes including a reader mode, and a card emulation mode, or a Peer-to-Peer mode. When the NFC system is in the reader mode, an application is preselected during a stage wherein data stored in the said target NFC system are read. |
| US08744347B2 |
Method of routing incoming application data in an NFC chipset, for identification of the application
A method for routing incoming or outgoing application data in an NFC system includes an NFC interface circuit performing contactless data sending and receiving. The routing of incoming application data received by the interface circuit includes routing at least a first portion of the incoming application data to a destination point located in the NFC system and designated as arbitration point of incoming application data routing; analyzing by the arbitration point the first portion of the incoming application data to identify the application for which the data is sent to the NFC system; designating by the arbitration point a point of destination of the application data and application processing; and routing a second portion of the incoming application data to the destination and processing point. |
| US08744346B2 |
Method and system for improving the spectral efficiency of a data communication link
An apparatus for communicating between a mobile device, and a plurality of transceivers. The apparatus includes a first transceiver which transmits to the mobile device on any one of a plurality of channels. The apparatus further includes a second transceiver which transmits to the mobile device on any one of the plurality of channels. |
| US08744345B2 |
Communication apparatus and communication method therefor
To detect a provider of communication parameters, a communication apparatus executes control so that when a signal for searching for the provider of the communication parameters is sent, an apparatus which does not serve as the provider decreases the frequency of responding to the search signal and the provider increases the frequency of responding to the search signal. |
| US08744344B2 |
Satellite communication system constituted with primary and back-up multi-beam satellites
A satellite communication system for providing communications between user terminals and gateways constituted with m primary satellites. In one embodiment, n back up satellites are also provided. Further, each satellite, primary or back-up, is equipped to project N/m beams onto and across an area in a loosely-packed array manner. M of the m primary and n back-up satellites collectively create N beam spots to cover the area. Moreover, each sub-area is covered by a beam spot separated from another sub-area covered by another beam spot by one beam width. Each satellite is also equipped to facilitate communication over 1 of m band of frequencies on one beam. AS a result, any of the m primary satellites may be efficiently replaced on demand by a selected one of the n back-up satellites. The gateways and user terminals are configured to communicate signals through or with both or either the primary and back-up satellites. |
| US08744335B2 |
Image forming apparatus improved in operability for print job involving single-sided printing and double-sided printing
An image forming apparatus capable of improving productivity in a print job mixedly involving single-sided printing and double-sided printing. Sheets are fed one by one to an image forming section. When double-sided printing is to be performed, a sheet having an image formed on the first side thereof by the image forming section is re-fed thereto so as to have an image formed on the second side thereof. When a sheet for double-sided printing exists, which is posterior in page order to a sheet for single-sided printing, an image forming order is changed such that the first side of the sheet for double-sided printing is subjected to image formation prior to the sheet for single-sided printing. When it is predicted that a state will occur in which the sheet for single-sided printing cannot be fed, the image forming order is not changed. |
| US08744334B2 |
Electrostatographic apparatus having improved transport member
The present invention is an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus which includes a primary imaging member for producing an electrostatic latent image, a development station for applying toner particles to said latent image which forms a developed toner image, and a transfer station for transferring said developed toner image from the primary imaging member to a receiver. A fuser assembly is included for fixing the developed toner image to the receiver, to form a fused toner image on the receiver. An endless transport member is provided for transporting the receiver to or from the fuser assembly, the transport member having a substrate bearing an oil-absorbing porous layer that would tribocharge positively upon contact with negatively charged toner particles, and a porous overcoat outermost layer that does not tribocharge positively upon contact with negatively charged toner particles. |
| US08744332B2 |
Printer with wax management system
Printers are provided having wax management systems. In one aspect, a printer has a print engine provides a toner image on a receiver using a toner having a binder polymer and a wax and a fuser having a contact surface that heats the toner at least to a glass transition temperature for the toner and the wax at least to an incorporated melting temperature to cause at least some of the wax to separate from the toner. A controller allows the toner image to cool to form a fused toner image having a viewing surface and the wax to cool to form first portions of the viewing surface with wax globules and second portions without wax globules. A wiping system wipes the viewing surface to move at least some of the wax from the wax globules onto the second portion when the toner image and wax are cooled. |
| US08744331B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A fixing device includes a hollow, open-sided stationary heat roller, a flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, a rotatable pressure member, a reinforcing member, and a sealing mechanism. The heat roller defines an elongated longitudinal side opening that opens into a hollow interior thereof. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the heat roller to transfer heat radially outward from the roller circumference. The fuser pad is held substantially stationary along the roller opening outward from the roller interior and inward from the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member is pressed against the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The reinforcing member is disposed within the roller interior to thrust against the fuser pad through the roller opening. The sealing mechanism is disposed on the roller opening to prevent foreign matter from entering the roller interior through the roller opening. |
| US08744330B2 |
Fixing device having a plurality of heat sources and a plurality of temperature detectors and image forming apparatus including same
A fixing device includes a heat conductive member; a flexible fixing belt looped around the heat conductive member, an inner circumference of the flexible fixing belt slidably contacting a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the heat conductive member; a rotary pressing member disposed opposing the heat conductive member; heat sources disposed in a circumferential direction of the fixing belt at a predetermined interval to heat the heat conductive member; and temperature detectors provided to detect a surface temperature of the fixing belt at a detection position at which heating intensity of a corresponding one of the heat sources is not affected by any other one. In operation, the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt contacts the heat conductive member at a position at which each temperature detector contacts the fixing belt as the detection position or a position proximal to the detection position of each temperature detector. |
| US08744326B2 |
Electro-conductive belt, fabrication method thereof, and image forming device
There is provided an electro-conductive belt including a resin material and conductive particles, the electro-conductive belt including: an innermost layer that contains none of the conductive particles; a first conductive layer that is adjacent to the innermost layer at an outer side thereof, a concentration of the conductive particles being highest in the first conductive layer; and a second conductive layer that is adjacent to the first conductive layer at an outer side thereof, the second conductive layer containing the conductive particles in a concentration lower than in the first conductive layer and higher than in the innermost layer. |
| US08744325B2 |
Image forming apparatus for forming a detection toner pattern
A color image forming apparatus configured to form a combination toner pattern including a second toner image formed downstream in a conveying direction of an intermediate transfer belt on a first toner image and a third toner image formed upstream in the conveying direction of the intermediate transfer belt on the first toner image so that the second and the third toner images cover at least a portion of the first toner image. |
| US08744315B2 |
Systems and methods for remanufacturing imaging components
A drive gear for a generally cylindrical imaging component. The drive gear includes a body for engaging the generally cylindrical imaging component; a cylindrical shaft attached to the body, the cylindrical shaft having an end surface; and three prongs extending longitudinally outward from the end surface. |
| US08744313B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus driving unit includes a rotatable member which is rotatably supported, a pair of bearing portions for rotatably supporting the rotatable member, and a motor for driving the rotatable member. In addition, a driving gear is provided on a driving shaft of the motor, and a driven gear, provided outside the pair of bearing portions with respect to a rotational axis direction of the rotatable member, engages with the driving gear to be rotated integrally with the rotatable member. At least one of the driven gear and the driving gear has, with respect to the rotational axis direction of the rotatable member, a crown shape so that a central tooth surface of a tooth projects more than end tooth surfaces of the tooth at a side where the driven gear and the driving gear engage each other. During driving of the driving gear, a first position where a pressure received by the tooth surface is at a maximum and a second position where an amount of crowning formed on the driven gear or the driving gear is at a maximum are offset in a same direction. |
| US08744309B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a charger facing a rotatably supported image carrier, the charger being configured to charge the image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed; a movement mechanism configured to move the charger between a charging position at which the charger is close to the image carrier and a retracted position at which the charger is retracted away from the image carrier; a positioning structure including a first reference member that is provided on the charger and a second reference member that is provided on the image carrier, the first reference member and the second reference member are in contact with each other when the charger is at the charging position such that the charger is held in the charging position; and a pushing member configured to push the charger against the image carrier when the charger is at the charging position. |
| US08744308B2 |
Image forming device having detachable developing device unit
An image forming device includes a plurality of developing devices, and a plurality of sloping members disposed in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of developing devices. Each developing device includes a developer accommodating chamber and a developing roller disposed above the developer accommodating chamber. Each developing device is movable between a first position and a second position lower than the first position in a height direction generally parallel to a vertical direction. Each sloping member has a sloped surface movable in the height direction and a biasing member biasing the sloped surface upward in the height direction. Each sloping member is movable between a third position where the corresponding developing device is placed on the sloped surface and a fourth position where the corresponding developing device is released from being pressed by the sloped surface in a predetermined direction generally perpendicular to the vertical direction. |
| US08744307B2 |
Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge includes an image forming unit including an image carrier, a developing unit, and a cleaning unit, the image carrier carrying a latent image and a toner image formed by developing the latent image with toner, the image carrier transferring the toner image onto a transfer body, the developing unit forming the toner image by developing the latent image with the toner, the cleaning unit cleaning the image carrier by removing the toner that remains on the image carrier; a container attachment unit that is provided at a position separated from the image forming unit and to which a toner container is detachably attached, the toner container containing the toner to be supplied to the developing unit; and a toner receiving unit that extends in a space between the image forming unit and the container attachment unit and receives the toner removed from the image carrier. |
| US08744299B2 |
Image forming apparatus, control method, and control program
An image forming apparatus having a display unit for displaying a program which can be executed in the apparatus so as to be identified is disclosed. The apparatus has: an input unit for inputting a program into the image forming apparatus; a display control unit for controlling a process for displaying select keys including a plurality of select keys to instruct a selection of a desired one of a plurality of programs stored in the image forming apparatus onto a display screen displayed on the display unit; and a discriminating unit for discriminating whether the select key to instruct a selection of the program inputted by the input unit can be further displayed onto the first display screen to display the select keys corresponding to the programs registered in the image forming apparatus in response to the input of the program from the input unit or not. |
| US08744297B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a toner image forming unit, a sensor, and a control unit. The toner image forming unit is configured to form a toner image on the image bearing member. The sensor includes a light-emitting unit for emitting light, a light-receiving unit for receiving reflected light, an electrical circuit board in which the light-emitting unit is attached, and a frame supporting the electrical circuit board with the electrical circuit board bonded with three supporting portions. The sensor is configured to detect the toner image formed on the image bearing member. The control unit is configured to control a toner image forming condition of the toner image forming unit according to an output of the sensor. |
| US08744296B2 |
Image forming apparatus
The image forming apparatus includes a fixing portion, a temperature detection element, and a power control portion. The power control portion is capable of setting a first power supply control mode for supplying power according to the detected temperature for each one control cycle, a second power supply control mode for supplying power according to the detected temperature for each one control cycle and a third power supply control mode for supplying predetermined power, and switches, immediately before a leading edge of the recording material enters the fixing portion, a state of supplying the power in the first power supply control mode to a state of supplying the power in the second power supply control mode, and then switches the state of supplying the power in the second power supply control mode to a state of supplying the power in the third power supply control mode. |
| US08744293B2 |
Image forming apparatus configured to perform a light adjustment operation and method for controlling image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive element; a writing light source; a conveying unit; a light-emitting unit; a detection unit; a writing control unit; and an adjustment unit. The detection unit detects reflected light from a recording medium. The writing control unit controls the writing light source based on operational timing when a signal output from the detection unit turns to a fixed threshold. The adjustment unit acquires information of a gloss level of the recording medium, and adjusts light emission intensity of the light-emitting unit according to the acquired information of the gloss level in such a manner that a signal output from the detection unit when the light-emitting unit irradiates a plain region of the recording medium approximates a certain reference value. |
| US08744292B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for stopping driving image carrier
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier to carry a toner image; a driving unit to drive the image carrier to rotate; a transfer unit to transfer the toner image at a transfer position; a cleaner at a cleaning position to remove toner remaining on the image carrier after transfer; an obtaining unit to obtain information indicating a likelihood of the remaining toner adhering to the image carrier; a judging unit to judge whether or not the likelihood is equal to or lower than a predetermined value; and a controller to control the driving unit (i) to stop driving the image carrier before a rear end of an area of the image carrier on which the toner remains reaches the cleaning position, when the judging unit judges affirmatively, and, (ii) to stop driving the image carrier after the cleaner removes the remaining toner, when the judging unit judges negatively. |
| US08744288B2 |
Cartridge
A cartridge including: a housing including a first side wall and a second side wall which are opposed to each other; a driving input member provided to the first side wall and is configured to rotate; and a first rotary member provided at an outer side of the first side wall and is configured to rotate about a first rotational axis in response to a rotational driving force from the driving input member, wherein the first rotary member includes a protrusion protruding to the outer side, wherein the first rotary member is configured to be moved relative to the first side wall in a direction along the first rotational axis, and wherein an end portion of the first rotary member at an opposite side of the first side wall is configured to be displaced in a direction crossing the first rotational axis. |
| US08744284B2 |
Image forming apparatus, control method of image forming apparatus, and storage medium storing program
An image forming apparatus includes a printing unit configured to print an input print job including a plurality of pages, wherein, if it is determined that a remaining amount of a recording agent in a cartridge is less than or equal to a threshold value, the printing unit prints a portion of print data in the print job, temporarily stops printing, and displays a toner out message on a display unit to prompt a user to replace the cartridge, and repeats, if the user does not replace the cartridge after the toner out message is displayed, printing a portion of print data in the print job that is different from the print data that the printing unit has already printed, temporarily stopping printing, and displaying on the display unit the toner out message. |
| US08744283B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an identification-section detecting device configured to detect, on the basis of an identification section included in a developer cartridge, a type of a developer stored by the developer cartridge and detect, on the basis of an identification section included in a developing device, a type of a developer used by the developing device and a control section configured to determine, on the basis of an output of the identification-section detecting device, whether the type of the developer stored by the developer cartridge and the type of the developer used by the developing device coincide with each other, prohibit from performing image formation if the types of the developers do not coincide with each other, and set an image forming method according to the determined types of the developers if the types of the developers coincide with each other. |
| US08744281B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a detachably replaceable image forming unit for forming an image on a medium, the image forming unit including a component for forming the image on the medium and a first storage section for storing life information, use amount information, and use purpose information of the component; a read-write section for reading and writing information in the first storage section; a life management section for managing life of the image forming unit; and a second storage section for storing the life information and the use amount information read from the first storage section by the read-write section; the life management section rewriting the life information stored in the first storage section by the first storage section in accordance with the use purpose information stored in the first storage section and the use amount information stored in the second storage section. |
| US08744280B1 |
Method and apparatus for detecting an unsafe operating condition in an automatic document feeder
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising loading a medium onto an input tray of a imaging device; staging the medium within the imaging device, wherein staging the medium includes moving the medium from the input tray to a staging area within the imaging device; during the staging of the medium, determining an average load current of a motor that is associated with an automatic document feeder of the imaging device; and based on the average load current, determining a threshold load current of the motor, wherein the threshold load current corresponds to the panel of the imaging device having been opened. |
| US08744276B2 |
Optical receiving apparatus and digital receiving circuit
An optical receiving apparatus includes a combining unit that combines signal light and reference light; a optoelectric converting unit that converts, into electrical signals, two or more optical signals that enable reconstruction of a complex electric field signal of the signal light obtained by the combining unit; and a sampling clock generating unit that generates a sampling clock that has a frequency preset based on a symbol rate of the signal light and is asynchronous with the signal light. The optical receiving apparatus further includes a digital converting unit that samples at the frequency of the sampling clock signal, an electrical signal obtained by the optoelectric converting unit and converts the electrical signal into a digital signal; and a digital signal processing unit that demodulates a received signal based on a complex digital signal obtained from the digital signal obtained by the digital converting unit. |
| US08744275B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for high-sensitivity optical detection
An apparatus transmits data using a format where information bits intended for transmission are mapped into symbols each carrying a plurality of bits, some of which are encoded through pulse position modulation (PPM) format and the rest of which are encoded through an additional modulation format on each PPM pulse. The additional modulation format for the PPM pulse may be at least one of a polarization-division-multiplexed (PDM) modulation, phase-shift keying (PSK) modulation, polarization shift keying (PolSK) modulation, amplitude modulation (AM), quadrature-amplitude modulation (QAM) modulation, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the additional modulation of the PPM pulses is through polarization-division-multiplexed quadrature-phase-shift keying (PDM-QPSK). The unique combined use of PDM-QPSK and PPM produces much higher receiver sensitivity than either PPM or PDM-QPSK alone. |
| US08744274B2 |
Optical transmitter device
An optical transmitter device includes a laser source, a driving circuit, and an optical modulator. The driving circuit is connected to the laser source. The driving circuit includes a thermistor configured for compensating the temperature variation of the laser source to stabilize the frequency of a laser beam output from the laser source. The optical modulator is configured for modulating the laser beam to form a plurality of second laser beams which have different frequencies. |
| US08744272B1 |
Scanning optical nanowire antenna
A method and apparatus comprising a signal generator, an array of wires, and a controller. The signal generator is configured to generate electrical signals. The electrical signals have amplitudes and first phases. The array of wires is connected to the signal generator. The array of wires is configured to emit photons having phases in response to receiving the electrical signals. The photons have frequencies based on the amplitudes of the electrical signals and second phases based on the first phases of the electrical signals. The controller is connected to the signal generator. The controller is configured to control the first phases of the electrical signals such that a desired radiation pattern for the photons emitted by the array of wires moves in a desired direction. |
| US08744267B2 |
Building illumination apparatus with integrated communications, security and energy management
An LED light and communication system includes one or more optical transceivers that have a light support having a plurality of light emitting diodes and one or more photodetectors attached thereto, and a processor in communication with the light emitting diodes and the one or more photodetectors. The processor is constructed and arranged to generate a communication signal. The one or more optical transceivers are engaged to a lighting fixture within a building. The one or more optical transceivers are constructed and arranged to communicate with a name tag. |
| US08744264B2 |
Optical relaying R-type and GR-type receiver system
Some embodiments of R/GR type fire alarm control system according to the invention comprises a plurality of detectors/transmitters for issuing alarm signals, a plurality of fire safety equipments for operating under control signals, a plurality of optical repeaters and an R/GR type fire alarm control panel. The optical repeaters are connected to each other in daisy-chain and connected to the plurality of the detectors/transmitters and the fire safety equipments, optically transmits the alarm signals upwardly and optically transmits the control signals downwardly, and are capable of electrically transacting the alarm signals with respect to the detectors/transmitters and the control signals with respect to the fire safety equipments. The R/GR type fire alarm control panel receives the alarm signals from one of the optical repeaters and transmits the control signals to one of the optical repeaters. |
| US08744262B2 |
Optical subchannel routing, protection switching and security
The present invention includes novel techniques, apparatus, and systems for optical WDM communications. Tunable lasers are employed to generate subcarrier frequencies representing subchannels of an ITU channel to which client signals can be mapped. Client circuits can be divided and combined before being mapped, independent of one another, to individual subchannels within and across ITU channels. Subchannels may be independently routed to a single subchannel receiver filter, such that each subchannel detected at the receiver may come from a different source location. Network architectures and subchannel transponders, muxponders and crossponders are disclosed, and techniques are employed (at the subchannel level/layer), to facilitate the desired optical routing, switching, concatenation and protection of client circuits mapped to these subchannels across the nodes of a WDM network. Subchannel hopping may also be used to increase the optical network security. |
| US08744254B2 |
Lens control device and image sensing device using same
There is provided a lens control device that feeds a motor current to a lens drive motor which drives lens according to the motor current, the lens control device including: a servo computation portion that calculates a motor current setting value such that a deviation of the position of the lens to which a correction offset has been adjusted from a target position is reduced; a motor driver that generates the motor current according to the motor current setting value; and a calibration computation portion that adjusts the correction offset such that an average value of the motor current approaches zero. |
| US08744249B2 |
Picture selection for video skimming
Some embodiments of the invention provide a video preview generator that quickly generates preview displays of different parts of a video. The preview generator includes a skimming tool and a picture generator. The skimming tool is moveable across a representation of a video clip in order to identify different video pictures within the video clip. As the skimming tool moves across the video clip representation, the picture generator identifies and displays different video pictures for different positions of the skimming tool on the video clip. For at least some of the positions of the skimming tool, the picture generator presents a video picture that is not at the location identified by the skimming tool, but rather is at a nearby location and is easier to present in the preview than the video picture at the identified location. |
| US08744248B2 |
Moving picture playback device, control method for same, and storage medium
When the playback speed of a moving picture is changed to a slower playback speed during playback of the moving picture, the playback at the slower playback speed starts from the top of the range which includes, out of the moving picture being played back, the frames being played back when an instruction to change the playback speed was received and in which frames having the same recording frame rate as the frames are continuously recorded. Consequently, when the playback speed is changed during the playback of a moving picture, the scene for which the user wishes to change the playback speed can be played back reliably. |
| US08744242B2 |
Time stamp creation and evaluation in media effect template
A method of creating a template data structure for a media effect involving a media data item to be presented during a presentation of the media effect is disclosed. The method comprises: defining a time stamp for an event of the template data structure, the time stamp comprising a relative time stamp component indicating a time span within the presentation of the media data item as a portion of a duration of the presentation, and an absolute time offset component indicating a time span independent from the duration of the presentation. A related method defines the processing of a media data item to be presented during a presentation, the related method using the above mentioned time stamps to determine a temporal position of an event to occur during the presentation. A corresponding template creator, a media data processor, and a computer readable medium are also disclosed. |
| US08744239B2 |
Teleprompter tool for voice-over tool
Some embodiments provide a method for a media editing application that creates a composite presentation from several different media clips. The method provides a set of editing tools for editing the composite presentation. The method provides a voice-over tool for receiving text for a voice-over that includes a transcript for a voice-over audio clip to be recorded by the media editing application as a clip of the composite presentation. The method provides a display area for scrolling the text when recording the voice-over audio clip. The display area in some embodiments is a preview display area that scrolls the text while displaying a preview of the composite presentation when recording the voice-over audio clip. |
| US08744238B2 |
Method and apparatus for automated content marking
Methods and apparatus for automatic content marking. In one embodiment, display information is recorded, a change in the computing environment is detected, and the recorded display information is marked in response to the detected change. A human-readable description of the change associated with the mark may also be stored. A change in the computing environment may be detected by detecting an event that reflects a change in the computing environment. |
| US08744235B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing additional data in broadcast signal, method and apparatus for recording broadcast signal, and method and apparatus for reproducing recorded broadcasting signal
A method and apparatus for processing additional data in a broadcast signal, a method and apparatus for recording a broadcast signal, and a method and apparatus for reproducing the recorded broadcast signal, which allow the normal display of additional data such as closed caption data on a screen during high-speed playback. The method includes extracting additional data from a video frame in an externally received broadcast signal, storing the extracted additional data in a transport stream generated from the broadcast signal, storing the transport stream containing the additional data, extracting the additional data from the stored transport stream according to a playback command, and separating a video signal and an audio signal from the transport stream and outputting the separate video signal and audio signal such that the extracted additional data is superimposed on the output video signal. |
| US08744234B2 |
Apparatus and method for utilizing a flash LED as a video indicator light
A method and an apparatus providing a visual indication of the occurrence of video recording operations on an electronic device. The video recording operations including recording a plurality of frames according to a number of characteristics. The method comprising providing a time interval between the recording of two consecutive frames by modifying at least one of the characteristics of the video recording operations and providing the visual indication of video recording operations during the time interval. |
| US08744232B2 |
Method for controlling video recorder, and video recorder adopting the method
A video recorder connected to a plurality of cameras and a plurality of client devices and a method of controlling the video recorder are provided. The method includes: setting a plurality of buffers, in a memory of the video recorder, corresponding to the plurality of cameras, respectively, and setting a plurality of positions in at least one buffer of the buffers for loading image data input from a corresponding camera of the plurality of cameras; loading, in the at least one buffer, the image data on given positions of the plurality of positions; and transmitting the loaded image data to the plurality of client devices so that each of the plurality of client devices receives the image data input from a same corresponding camera. |
| US08744226B2 |
Method of manufacturing optical fiber and optical fiber
A method of manufacturing an optical fiber includes a first step of drawing an optical fiber preform into a glass fiber and disposing a fiber coating on the outer circumference of the glass fiber to form a parent optical fiber; a second step of cutting the parent optical fiber into a plurality of individual optical fibers; a third step of determining, at, at least, one spot of the parent optical fiber, a failure strength F1 and a failure time T; a fourth step of determining a failure strength F2 of each of the individual optical fibers; and a fifth step of selecting an optical fiber having a failure strength F2 of 5.5 kgf or more from the individual optical fibers cut from the parent optical fiber whose failure strength F1 and failure time T satisfy the inequality T>2.6×10−11×exp(4.736×F1). |
| US08744225B2 |
Optical coupling device and optical coupling-branching device
In an optical coupling device, a main waveguide have a linearly extending portion and a tapered portion formed on a first clad layer. The waveguide has a width which is gradually reduced towards an incident side of the light wave. Auxiliary waveguides are formed on the both sides of the main waveguide, wherein each of the auxiliary waveguides has first and second tapered portions having widths which are gradually reduced toward both sides. A second clad layer is so formed as to cover the main and auxiliary waveguides and first clad layer, wherein the first clad layer guides the light wave introduced into the first clad layer or the second clad layer and gradually converge the light wave towards the main waveguide. |
| US08744220B2 |
Optical waveguide device and manufacturing method thereof
An optical waveguide device which is free from interference with an optical path between a light emitting element and an optical waveguide thereof, and to provide a method of manufacturing the optical waveguide device. A light emitting element (5) is provided on an upper surface of a first under-cladding layer (21), and a second under-cladding layer (22) is provided on the upper surface of the first under-cladding layer (21), covering the light emitting element (5). A core 3 which receives light emitted from the light emitting element (5) through the second under-cladding layer (22) is provided on an upper surface of the second under-cladding layer (22). The core (3) is located in a position such that the light emitted from the light emitting element (5) is incident on the core (3). |
| US08744219B2 |
Optical modulator module and method for modulating optical signal
The present invention provides a compact, broad-band, and low-drive-voltage optical modulator module capable of generating any multilevel optical modulation. The optical modulator module according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes a digital segmented electrode structure optical modulator and m individual driving circuits. The digital segmented electrode structure optical modulator includes semiconductor optical waveguides and at least m waveguide-type optical phase modulator regions. An i-th individual driving circuit includes a driving circuit and a phase shift circuit. The driving circuit amplifies a digital input signal in synchronization with a clock signal and outputs the signal to an i-th waveguide-type optical phase modulator region. The phase shift circuit applies a delay to a signal branched from the clock signal. A j-th individual driving circuit receives an output signal from the phase shift circuit of a (j−1)-th individual driving circuit as a clock signal. |
| US08744217B2 |
Contextual variable attribute scaling
Embodiments for contextual variable scaling relate to selection of objects. For example, such objects may include text, audio, visual, and/or physical objects. In one or more examples, such objects may be selected for variable scaling. For example, variable scaling of such selected objects may be based at least in part on a beginning attribute value and/or an ending attribute value. |
| US08744216B2 |
Omnidirectional image processing device and method using warp processing for enhanced object visibility
An omnidirectional image processing apparatus enables the visibility of a specified monitoring object in an omnidirectional image to be improved while maintaining the continuity of that omnidirectional image. The omnidirectional image processing apparatus performs image processing on an omnidirectional image, and has a monitoring object specification section that specifies a monitoring object photographed in the omnidirectional image. The omnidirectional image processing apparatus also has an image rotating section that rotates the omnidirectional image so that the position of a specified monitoring object becomes upper-central, and a center position moving section that moves the center position of the omnidirectional image rotated by the image rotating section downward by means of warping processing. |
| US08744212B2 |
Image processing mask creating method, non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having image processing mask creating program recorded thereon, image processing device, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having image processing program recorded thereon
An image processing mask creating method includes calculating cluster energy of each point in an image processing mask, ranking the points in ascending order or descending order on the basis of the calculated cluster energy values, and allocating threshold values to the points in the image processing mask on the basis of the ranks as the process result of the ranking, wherein the cluster energy is defined as the sum of interaction values fr(∥x−y∥) having the distance ∥x−y∥ between a target point x and a point y belonging to a cluster not including the target point x as a parameter. |
| US08744211B2 |
Multi-modality image acquisition
One or more techniques and/or systems are described for automatically generating a transformation matrix for correlating images from an ultrasound modality with images from another modality (or with ultrasound images acquired at a different point in time). Ultrasound volumetric data and volumetric data yielded from another image modality are examined to identify and/or extract features. The transformation matrix is automatically generated, or populated, based at least in part upon common features that are identified in both the ultrasound volumetric data and the volumetric data yielded from the other image modality. The transformation matrix can then be used to correlate images from the different modalities (e.g., to display a CT image of an object next to an ultrasound image of the object, where the images are substantially similar to one another even though they were acquired using different modalities). |
| US08744208B2 |
Image binarization based on grey membership parameter of pixels
Briefly, in accordance with one aspect, a method of binarizing an image is provided. The method includes partitioning the image into a plurality of image segments, each image segment having a plurality of image pixels and partitioning each of the image segments into subsegments, each image subsegment having a plurality of image pixels. The method also includes estimating a grey membership parameter for each image pixel for each of the plurality of image segments and subsegments, combining the grey membership parameter for each of the plurality of image pixels from each of the plurality of image segments and subsegments to estimate a net grey membership parameter for each image pixel and assigning black or white color to each of the plurality of image pixels based on the estimated net grey membership parameter of the respective pixel. |
| US08744205B2 |
Apparatus for decomposing images and recomposing adjusted images
An apparatus for adjusting images is provided. The apparatus comprises an image decomposing unit for decomposing an input image I into high-pass images HP1, HP2, . . . , HPN and a low-pass image LPN, and an image adjusting values determining unit for determining high-pass image adjusting values ε1, ε2, . . . , εN for adjusting the high-pass images HP1, HP2, . . . , HPN and a low-pass image adjusting value δN for adjusting the low-pass image LPN. The apparatus further comprises an image adjusting unit for adjusting the high-pass images HP1, HP2, . . . , HPN using the high-pass image adjusting values ε1, ε2 . . . , εN and the low-pass image LPN using the low-pass image adjusting value δN, and an image recomposing unit for recomposing the adjusted high-pass images HP1*, HP2*, . . . , HPN* and the adjusted low-pass image LPN* into an adjusted image A. |
| US08744202B2 |
Apparatus and method for coding image
According to one embodiment, an apparatus codes each line of an image. The apparatus includes a segmentation unit and a coding unit. The segmentation unit is configured to segment the image into a first group including at least a head line and a second group including lines except for the first group. The coding unit is configured to code the first group so that a coding amount of the first group is smaller than a first target coding amount, and to code the second group so that a coding amount of each line of the second group is smaller than a second target coding amount smaller than the first target coding amount. |
| US08744201B2 |
Image encoding apparatus and method
A Joint Photographic Experts Group Extended Range (JPEG-XR) image encoding apparatus and method changes a quantized value or a coefficient prediction method for each block, thereby dramatically improving processing speed of the apparatus. |
| US08744198B1 |
Image compression and decompression
A computer-implemented method includes dividing an image into one or more image channels for image compression. The method also includes dividing one or more of the image channels into one or more blocks. At least one of the blocks includes floating point representations of pixel values included in the block. The method also includes converting the floating point representations of pixel values into integer representations such that the sign of each floating point representation is preserved. The method also includes storing the difference of adjacent integer representations as a compressed version of the image. |
| US08744195B2 |
Object detection metadata
A perimeter around a detected object in a frame of image data can be generated in a first coordinate system. The perimeter can be converted from the first coordinate system into a second coordinate system having the same aspect ratio as the first coordinate system. A first metadata entry can include dimensions of image data in the second coordinate system. A second metadata entry can provide a location and dimensions of the converted perimeter in the second coordinate space. Additional metadata can indicate matching objects between frames, position of an object relative to other objects in a frame, a probability that an object is correctly detected, and a total number of objects detected across multiple frames of image data. |
| US08744190B2 |
System and method for efficient image feature extraction
A system for efficient image feature extraction comprises a buffer for storing a slice of at least n lines of gradient direction pixel values of a directional gradient image. The buffer has an input for receiving the first plurality n of lines and an output for providing a second plurality m of columns of gradient direction pixel values of the slice to an input of a score network, which comprises comparators for comparing the gradient direction pixel values of the second plurality of columns with corresponding reference values of a reference directional gradient pattern of a shape and adders for providing partial scores depending on output values of the comparators to score network outputs which are coupled to corresponding inputs of an accumulation network having an output for providing a final score depending on the partial scores. |
| US08744187B2 |
Image identification apparatus and method
According to one embodiment, an image identification apparatus comprises an image pickup unit, an illumination unit, an illumination control unit and an identification unit. The image pickup unit configured to pickup an image of an identified object. The illumination unit configured to irradiate light towards the image pickup area of the image pickup unit. The illumination control unit configured to change the irradiation condition of the illumination unit in accordance with the image pickup timing of the image pickup unit. The identification unit configured to identify the identified object according to the image picked-up by the image pickup unit. |
| US08744186B1 |
Systems and methods for identifying a scene-change/non-scene-change transition between frames
Presently disclosed are systems and methods for identifying a scene-change/non-scene-change transition between frames. One embodiment takes the form of a method that, with respect to a current frame pair that includes first and second current frames, includes: (i) defining a first region of said first current frame and a second region of said second current frame; (ii) generating a first luma table based on said first region and a second luma table based on said second region, wherein said luma tables each have a luma counter for each luma in a luma range; (iii) for each luma in said luma range, calculating a first value based on said luma counters and adding said first value to an accumulator; (iv) calculating a second value based on said accumulator; and (v) identifying the current frame pair as having a scene-change transition responsive to the second value being less than a scene-change threshold. |
| US08744185B2 |
Efficient MCMC sampling with implicit shape representations
In an approach for sampling a distribution of segmentations of an image, the segmentations are based on a level set function. For each sample of the distribution, the sampling includes the following, for each of multiple iterations: randomly selecting a set of locations of the level set function, determining a domain of allowed perturbations of the level set function at the selected set of locations, and randomly accepting a perturbation of the level set function according to a criterion corresponding to a biased distribution over the domain of allowed perturbations of the level set function, wherein the bias is selected to increase a probability of accepting the perturbation. The sampling also includes determining the sample of the distribution of segmentations according to a perturbed level set function determined in a final iteration of the multiple iterations for the sample. |
| US08744184B2 |
Graphics processing method and system
The embodiments discussed herein involve flood filling a region with anti-aliasing. In forming a fill region, a candidate pixel can be included in the region based on a color of the pixel and also a color of a neighbor of the point. The inclusion basis may be a color distance between a seed color and the points, and a color distance between the seed color and the point's neighbor. Points in the region may be weighted according to their color distance relative to the seed color, where the color distance can also take into account alpha values. Flood filling may be anti-aliased by assigning alpha values to pixels in gaps between corners of the fill region, where an alpha value may be proportional to a point's contribution to the gap. Dimples in a fill region may be tested for and used to determine which of two flood fill algorithms to use. |
| US08744182B2 |
Image processing device and method
The present invention relates to an image processing device and method, which realize improvement in encoding efficiency for color difference signals and reduction in address calculations for memory access.In a case where a block size of orthogonal transform is 4×4, and a macroblock of luminance signals is configured of four 4×4 pixel blocks appended with 0 through 1, the four luminance signal blocks are corresponded with one color difference signal 4×4 block appended with C. At this time, there exist four motion vector information of mv0, mv1, mv2, and mv3, as to the four luminance signal blocks. The motion vector information mvc of the one color difference signal 4×4 block is calculated by averaging processing using these four motion vector information. The present invention can be applied to an image encoding device which performed encoding based on the H.264/AVC format, for example. |
| US08744181B2 |
Image processing apparatus and computer readable medium
Image processing apparatus of the embodiments includes a storage which stores data on any of color and brightness of a pixel represented in a first floating-point format including a significand represented in an integer-bit length and an exponent represented in a non-integer-bit length; and an image processor which processes the data. |
| US08744179B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and non-transitory computer readable medium that utilizes representative colors
Provided is an image processing apparatus including an extraction unit that extracts representative colors from a target image, a color difference calculation unit that calculates a color difference between the representative color and a pixel of interest of the target image, a change unit that changes a brightness component of the color difference depending on chroma of the representative colors, and a replacement unit that selects the representative color depending on the color difference changed in the change unit to replace a color of the pixel of interest by the representative color. |
| US08744177B2 |
Image processing method and medium to extract a building region from an image
Provided is a method of performing an image segmentation so as to extract a building region from an input color image. The method includes extracting a plurality of straight lines that pass through a vanishing point and determining the building region in the image based on color values around the plurality of straight lines. |
| US08744172B2 |
Image processing using random forest classifiers
A method of performing image retrieval includes training a random forest RF classifier based on low-level features of training images and a high-level feature, using similarity values generated by the RF classifier to determine a subset of the training images that are most similar to one another, and classifying input images for the high-level feature using the RF classifier and the determined subset of images. |
| US08744171B1 |
Text script and orientation recognition
A page layout module receives a page image displaying text in an unknown script and unknown orientation, determines a text section in the received image and transmits the text section to an orientation and script module. The orientation and script module comprises a training module, a classifier and a recognition module. The training module trains the classifier to identify connected components that include a connected portion of one or more characters of text. The recognition module uses the trained classifier to identify in the received text section a set of connected components. The recognition determines the likely orientation and script for the connected components and then uses the determined information to determine the orientation and script for the text section. The determined orientation and script for the text section is transmitted to the OCR module. The OCR module uses the determined orientation and script to recognize text in the text section. |
| US08744166B2 |
System and method for multiple simultaneous automated defect detection
A system and method for performing automated defect detection using multiple image capture devices is disclosed. The system and method may include providing a plurality of image capture devices, the plurality of image capture devices capturing and transmitting a plurality of images of an object. The system and method may further include determining a feature correspondence between the plurality of images of the plurality of image capture devices, creating mosaiced images of the plurality of images if the feature correspondence is found or known and performing at least of an automated analysis and a manual inspection on the mosaiced images to find any defects in the object. |
| US08744157B2 |
System and method for candidate generation and new features designed for the detection of flat growths
A method for generating candidates from a digital image includes considering at least one point x that may lie on a polypoid structure, determining whether the point x satisfies a first predetermined set of conditions, for each point x that satisfies the predetermined set of conditions, identifying each neighbor point y within a predetermined distance of point x that satisfies a second predetermined set of conditions, determining a gradient vector v1 for point x and identifying a first half-line to which the gradient vector v1 belongs, determining a gradient vector v2 for point y and identifying a second half-line to which the gradient vector v2 belongs, calculating an intersection score that represents how close the first and second half-lines come to intersecting, and identifying point x as a candidate when a candidate score is greater than a predetermined value, wherein the candidate score is the sum of intersection scores for all neighbor points y. |
| US08744155B2 |
Imaging or communications system utilizing multisample apodization and method
Methods, systems and system components for optimizing contrast resolution of an imaging or sensing system utilizing multiple channels of broadband data associated with an array of transducers. Channels or data are filtered by passing the channels of data through finite impulse response (FIR) filters on each channel. The filters each have multiple taps having tap weights pre-calculated as a function of distance of the array from an object that energy is being transmitted to or reflected from. The weights are pre-computed through a deterministic equation based on an a priori system model. |
| US08744154B2 |
System and method for acquiring magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data
A method for acquiring image data from a patient with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The proposed method comprises the steps of: a) predefining a number of scan geometries for acquiring the image data from at least one region of interest (ROI) relative to the patient, b) performing at least one scan for acquiring the image data in accordance with at least one of the predefined scan geometries, c) analysing in the image data a position of the region of interest to detect a deviation from the at least one predefined scan geometry, d) changing the at least one predefined scan geometry if said deviation exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and e) repeating steps b) to d) until a predetermined number of scans has been performed. Thus, by means of the proposed method the utility of such predefined scan geometries is greatly enhanced. |
| US08744152B2 |
Echocardiogram view classification using edge filtered scale-invariant motion features
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for echocardiogram view classification is provided. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises: obtaining a plurality of video images of a subject; aligning the plurality images; using the aligned images to generate a motion magnitude image; filtering the motion magnitude image using an edge map on image intensity; detecting features on the motion magnitude image, retaining only those features which lie in the neighborhood of intensity edges; encoding the remaining features by generating, x, y image coordinates, a motion magnitude histogram in a window around the feature point, and a histogram of intensity values near the feature point; and using the encoded features to classify the video images of the subject into a predetermined classification. |
| US08744149B2 |
Medical image processing apparatus and method and computer-readable recording medium for image data from multiple viewpoints
A target-viewpoint position in a first-medical-image having multiple viewpoints is determined. Information about an anatomical structure and/or a lesion in the first-medical-image is obtained, as first information. Further, information about an anatomical structure and/or a lesion in a finding with respect to at least one second-medical-image of the same examined person as the first-medical-image, the information being related to the first information, is obtained, as second information, from image-reading-report information including the finding. Each of the at least one second-medical-image has multiple viewpoints, and was obtained at different time from the first-medical-image. The image-reading-report information is correlated with an image of a viewpoint position at which the finding was prepared. An image of a corresponding viewpoint position, which corresponds to the target-viewpoint position, is determined based on the viewpoint position of the image correlated with the image-reading-report information from which the second information has been obtained. |
| US08744148B2 |
Method and apparatus regarding iterative processes as pertain to medical imaging information
A medical-imaging digital-computing platform serves to access a plurality of data objects and to execute an iterative process with respect to these data objects. The data objects themselves each at least generally pertain to portions of the human anatomy and may comprise, for example, both a source data object and a target data object. The platform executes the iterative process to determine at least one of a labeling of a portion of one of the data objects and a geometric relationship between at least portions of at least two of the data objects. This can be done, for example, by automatically employing both a segmentation module and a registration module as steps within the iterative process. This can also comprise determining when to automatically generate an intermediate data object to provide as input to at least one of these modules. |
| US08744143B2 |
Adding privacy protection to photo uploading/ tagging in social networks
An individual is identified in a photograph. A portion of the photograph is temporarily blurred to prevent the individual from being recognized. Once consent is received for the tag, the blur is removed. However, if consent is not received, the blur remains. |
| US08744142B2 |
Presenting information based on whether a viewer corresponding to information is stored is present in an image
According to one embodiment, an information reproducing method including, fetching facial image data of a viewer, extracting feature points on a face of the viewer from the fetched facial image data, and coding the feature points, comparing the coded feature points with viewer feature-point information stored in a management table, and presenting different pieces of information depending upon whether a viewer corresponding to the viewer feature-point information stored in the management table is present or not. |
| US08744141B2 |
Texture features for biometric authentication
In general, one aspect of the subject matter described can be embodied in methods that include obtaining one or more image regions from a first image of an eye. Each of the image regions may include a view of a respective portion of the white of the eye. The method may further include applying several distinct filters to each of the image regions to generate a plurality of respective descriptors for the region. The several distinct filters may include convolutional filters that are each configured to describe one or more aspects of an eye vasculature and in combination describe a visible eye vasculature in a feature space. A match score may be determined based on the generated descriptors and based on one or more descriptors associated with a second image of eye vasculature. |
| US08744136B2 |
Sound reproduction method and device
A sound reproduction program is provided which, in performing reading and sound reproduction of a musical score, precision of musical score recognition is improved. The sound reproduction program is stored in a terminal including the image pickup unit and a display unit and makes a computer execute a function of reading a musical score image at every predetermined time as a sampling image by a camera device, a function of detecting a staff in a simple manner from the sampling image, a function of displaying the sampling image and the simply detected staff in an associated manner on the display unit, a function of instructing detection of musical symbol information from the sampling image, a function of detecting the musical symbol information from the sampling image when the musical symbol information detection is instructed, and a function of emitting a sound based on the detected musical symbol information. |
| US08744130B2 |
Image processing device, object selection method and program
There is provided an image processing device including: a data storage unit that stores object identification data for identifying an object operable by a user and feature data indicating a feature of appearance of each object; an environment map storage unit that stores an environment map representing a position of one or more objects existing in a real space and generated based on an input image obtained by imaging the real space using an imaging device and the feature data stored in the data storage unit; and a selecting unit that selects at least one object recognized as being operable based on the object identification data, out of the objects included in the environment map stored in the environment map storage unit, as a candidate object being a possible operation target by a user. |
| US08744129B2 |
Image pick-up apparatus having a function of recognizing a face and method of controlling the apparatus
It is judged whether or not a human face detecting mode is set. When it is determined that the human face detecting mode is set, a two-dimensional face detecting process is performed to detect a human face. When it is determined that a human face has not been detected in the two-dimensional face detecting process, a three-dimensional face detecting process is performed to detect a human face. In addition, when an animal face detecting mode is set, a three-dimensional face detecting process is performed to detect a face of an animal corresponding to the set detecting mode. |
| US08744125B2 |
Clustering-based object classification
An example of a method for identifying objects in video content according to the disclosure includes receiving video content of a scene captured by a video camera, detecting an object in the video content, identifying a track that the object follows over a series of frames of the video content, extracting object features for the object from the video content, and classifying the object based on the object features. Classifying the object further comprises: determining a track-level classification for the object using spatially invariant object features, determining a global-clustering classification for the object using spatially variant features, and determining an object type for the object based on the track-level classification and the global-clustering classification for the object. |
| US08744123B2 |
Modeling of temporarily static objects in surveillance video data
A foreground object blob having a bounding box detected in frame image data is classified by a finite state machine as a background, moving foreground, or temporally static object, namely as the temporally static object when the detected bounding box is distinguished from a background model of a scene image of the video data input and remains static in the scene image for a threshold period. The bounding box is tracked through matching masks in subsequent frame data of the video data input, and the object sub-classified within a visible sub-state, an occluded sub-state, or another sub-state that is not visible and not occluded as a function of a static value ratio. The ratio is a number of pixels determined to be static by tracking in a foreground region of the background model corresponding to the tracked object bounding box over a total number of pixels of the foreground region. |
| US08744121B2 |
Device for identifying and tracking multiple humans over time
A system recognizes human beings in their natural environment, without special sensing devices attached to the subjects, uniquely identifies them and tracks them in three dimensional space. The resulting representation is presented directly to applications as a multi-point skeletal model delivered in real-time. The device efficiently tracks humans and their natural movements by understanding the natural mechanics and capabilities of the human muscular-skeletal system. The device also uniquely recognizes individuals in order to allow multiple people to interact with the system via natural movements of their limbs and body as well as voice commands/responses. |
| US08744120B2 |
Steganographic encoding and decoding
This patent document relates generally to steganography and digital watermarking. One claim recites, in a watermark encoder, a method of encoding auxiliary information in an image or video comprising: using a programmed electronic processor, computing a change in an attribute of an image or video sample to encode auxiliary information in the image or video; and changing color values of the image or video sample to effect the change in the attribute, in which changes to color values are determined based at least in part on both: i) visibility of the changes, and ii) anticipated watermark detection. Of course, other claims are provided too. |
| US08744117B2 |
High amplitude loudspeaker
A speaker. The speaker includes a housing, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a diaphragm. The housing has a first end, the first end which includes an acoustic aperture. The first electrode is positioned in the housing a first distance from the first end, and is biased to a first voltage. The second electrode is positioned in the housing a second distance, which is greater than the first distance, from the first end. The second electrode is biased to a second voltage. The diaphragm is positioned in the housing between the first electrode and the second electrode, and is biased to a third voltage. The speaker includes a valve. The valve opens when the diaphragm is moving away from the first end and closes when the diaphragm is stationary or moving toward the first end. When the valve is closed, the diaphragm forms an air-tight seal between the first end and the second electrode. |
| US08744116B2 |
Magnetic circuit for speaker and speaker using same
A bond magnet according to the present invention is anisotropic, and a magnetic field is oriented from a lowest edge of side surface of the bond magnet toward an upper section of side surface of the bond magnet. Further, the bond magnet is configured such that the upper section of side surface of the bond magnet is disposed closer to a yoke side surface of a yoke than the lower side surface of the bond magnet is, and the upper section of side surface of the bond magnet faces against the yoke side surface. With this, a magnetic gap is provided between the upper section of side surface of the bond magnet and the yoke side surface. Thus, it is possible to improve a magnetism characteristic of the bond magnet, and to achieve both of magnetic efficiency and productivity of a magnetic circuit for a speaker. |
| US08744109B2 |
Hidden microphones for a mobile computing device
A mobile computing device is disclosed. The mobile computing device comprises a first housing segment and a second housing segment that are slideably coupled to each other so that the mobile computing device can be in an extended position or a contracted position. The second housing segment includes a section that is overlaid by the first housing segment regardless of whether the mobile computing device is in the extended position or the contracted position. The mobile computing device also includes two microphones. A first microphone is provided with the second housing segment and is exposed to an opening of the second housing segment. A second microphone is provided at the overlaid section. |
| US08744108B2 |
Balanced momentum inertial duct
A duct design and methods for designing ducts are described herein. The duct has a profile described by an equation that balances momentum of the fluid flowing through the duct with an adverse pressure gradient. The duct profile is configured to: (i) maintain the fluid's momentum to be greater than the adverse pressure gradient present at any location within the duct, such that no boundary layer separation occurs; and (ii) achieve a fluid exit momentum of approximately zero. |
| US08744107B2 |
Hearing device with reduced acoustic wind sensitivity
A hearing device has reduced acoustic wind sensitivity. For that purpose, the hearing device has a surface formed with a shark skin structure. |
| US08744106B2 |
MRI safe actuator for implantable floating mass transducer
A floating mass transducer for a hearing implant includes a cylindrical transducer housing that is attachable to a middle ear hearing structure and that has an outer surface with one or more electric drive coils thereon. A cylindrical transducer magnet arrangement is positioned within an interior volume of the transducer housing and includes a magnetic pair of an inner rod magnet and an outer annular magnet. Current flow through the drive coils creates a coil magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic fields of the transducer magnet arrangement to create vibration in the transducer magnet which is coupled by the transducer housing to the middle ear hearing structure for perception as sound. Opposing magnetic fields of the transducer magnet arrangement cancel each other to minimize their combined magnetic field and thereby minimize magnetic interaction of the transducer magnet arrangement with any external magnetic field. |
| US08744105B2 |
Hearing aid with adaptive bulk biasing power management
A power management system for a digital processing core of a battery-powered hearing aid is adapted for providing power to the hearing aid circuit in a particularly efficient manner. The power management system comprises a first linear voltage regulator, and a second linear voltage regulator in series with a switched-capacitor 2:1 SC converter, a positive bulk biasing voltage supply, and a negative bulk biasing voltage supply, for controlling the switching speed, threshold voltage, and current leak from the semiconductor elements of the digital processing core when the core is operated at the reduced voltage provided by the power management system. The power management system may save between 50% and 70% of the power consumed by the digital processing core of the hearing aid circuit. The invention further provides a method for providing a supply voltage to a digital hearing aid. |
| US08744103B2 |
Fitting device and a method of fitting a hearing device to compensate for the hearing loss of a user; and a hearing device and a method of reducing feedback in a hearing device
A fitting device for fitting a hearing device to compensate for a hearing loss of a user is disclosed, the hearing device comprising a receiver and a microphone, wherein a feedback path exists between the receiver and the microphone, wherein the hearing device further comprises an adaptive feedback canceller configured to reduce feedback, the adaptive feedback canceller comprising a fixed filter corresponding to an invariant portion of the feedback path, and an adaptive filter corresponding to a variant portion of the feedback path, the fitting device comprising a processor configured to determine the invariant portion of the feedback path, wherein the processor is configured to provide the fixed filter with information relating to the invariant portion of the feedback path independently of the user using the hearing device. |
| US08744100B2 |
Hearing aid in which signal processing is controlled based on a correlation between multiple input signals
The user's personal intention is conveyed to a hearing aid using a method that does not place heavy physical and psychological loads. A hearing aid to be worn by a user for auditory compensation comprises: at least one microphone which converts a sound to an input signal; a hearing-aid signal processing unit configured to generate an output signal from the input signal; a receiver which outputs, as a sound, the output signal generated by the hearing-aid signal processing unit; and a hearing-aid processing control unit configured to generate control information for controlling signal processing, based on a non-audible sound which is made by the user and is hard to hear from outside, wherein, when the hearing-aid processing control unit generates the control information, the hearing-aid signal processing unit is configured to generate the output signal according to the generated control information. |
| US08744099B2 |
Battery compartment for condenser microphone
A battery compartment for a condenser microphone includes a battery space configured to hold a battery; a battery outlet open to a portion of a peripheral wall of the battery space and allowing removal of the battery in the battery space; a lid covering the battery outlet; and a ribbon having one end portion fixed to an internal wall of the battery space and the other end portion disposed to be pulled out from the battery outlet and wrapping around an external periphery of the battery. The ribbon is conductive and the fixed end portion is grounded. |
| US08744098B2 |
Using an audio cable as an inductive charging coil
The disclosed embodiments relate to a technique for inductively charging an electronic device. This technique involves winding an audio cable for the electronic device around a charging mechanism multiple times so that one or more conductors in the audio cable form an inductive receiving coil. Next, a magnetic field is created through the charging mechanism to induce a current in the inductive receiving coil. Finally, the induced current in the inductive receiving coil is used to charge a rechargeable battery for the electronic device. |
| US08744097B2 |
Microphone device
A microphone has a slide member and a push member. The slide member has a slide knob, and a conductive state and a nonconductive state are switched according to operation of the slide knob. The push member holds a switch in the conductive state while a push button is pushed. A mechanism interlocking of the slide member and the push member is provided and interlocks operation of the slide member with the push member by converting movement of the slide member in a sliding direction into movement of the push member in a pushing direction, the slide knob and the push button are separated from each other in the sliding direction. |
| US08744091B2 |
Intelligibility control using ambient noise detection
A communications device is configured to control the intelligibility of speech in a downlink voice signal during a call. The device determines a current noise level based on sampling ambient acoustic noise and based on a previously determined noise level. The device then determines an overall output gain and a frequency response based on the current noise level and based on a user-selected volume setting of the device. The device modifies the downlink voice signal during the call in accordance with the determined overall output gain and the determined frequency response. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08744089B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding stereo audio
A method of encoding stereo audio that minimizes a number of pieces of side information required for parametric-encoding and parametric-decoding of the stereo audio. The side information may include parameters about interchannel intensity difference (IID), interchannel correlation (IC), overall phase difference (OPD), and interchannel phase difference (IPD), which are required to restore the mono audio to the stereo audio. |
| US08744087B2 |
Wireless multi-user audio system
Various methods and devices are provided for a wireless audio system for a number of users. The system includes a base unit that is adapted to removably store, recharge and communicate with various communication modules, including personal microphone modules, table-top microphones, and audio adapters. The system also includes a plurality of personal microphone modules that are each adapted to be removable and coupled, for example, to a user's clothing, and further, are adapted to communicate wirelessly with the base unit, and table-top microphones that are adapted to communicate wirelessly with the base unit. |
| US08744086B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributing a quantum key
A method for distributing a quantum key is provided, including sending a first photon to a first receiver; sending a second photon to a second receiver, the first and second photons being a pair of time-energy entangled photons; and providing a coding scheme comprising a plurality of time bins and a plurality of frequency bins, wherein a combination of a time bin and a frequency bin corresponds to a character. |
| US08744082B2 |
System and method for securing wireless communications
A system and method for securing wireless communications are provided. A method for secure communications by a first user includes estimating a channel between the first user and a second user based on a pilot signal transmitted by the second user, determining a first threshold and a second threshold based on the estimate of channel, selecting a first subset of channel estimates, signaling the first subset of channel estimates to the second user, receiving a second subset of channel estimates from the second user, for each channel estimate in the second subset of channel estimates, quantizing the channel estimate based on a relationship between a gain of the channel estimate and the first threshold and the second threshold, generating a first secret key based on quantized channel estimates, verifying that the first secret key matches a second secret key generated by the second user, and transmitting information to the second user. |
| US08744081B2 |
System and method for implementing content protection in a wireless digital system
A system includes a line-based receiver for receiving protected content from a source and a line-based transmitter for providing the protected content to a destination. The protected content is secure, such as by using a High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) mechanism. Between the line-based transmitter and receiver is a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver. The wireless transmitter establishes an encrypted wireless link with the wireless receiver according to a second encryption mechanism. The wireless transmitter is further configured for receiving the protected content from the line-based receiver, encrypting the protected content according to the second encryption mechanism, and wirelessly transmitting the encrypted protected content. The wireless receiver is further configured for receiving the wirelessly transmitted protected content from the wireless transmitter and decrypting the protected content according to the second encryption mechanism. |
| US08744080B2 |
Encrypted data recording apparatus
An encrypted data recording apparatus is disclosed. The encrypted data recording apparatus includes: analyzing means for analyzing encrypted data inputted; decrypting means for decrypting the encrypted data analyzed by the analyzing means; encrypting means for encrypting the data decrypted by the decrypting means using key information peculiar to the encrypted data recording apparatus; and recording control means for recording the data encrypted by the encrypting means in plural recording means with redundancy given to the data. |
| US08744077B2 |
Cryptographic encoding and decoding of secret data
Methods and apparatus are provided for cryptographically encoding secret data in a data processing system. The secret data is encoded in accordance with a verifiable encryption process to produce a cryptographic construction (θ) having a decryption constraint dependent on the occurrence of a predetermined event. An event-dependent decryption constraint is thereby built into the cryptography, so that there is an intrinsic restriction on the ability to decrypt the encoded secret data which is dependent on occurrence of the predetermined event. Decoding apparatus for such a cryptographic construction is also provided, as well as distributed trust data processing systems providing accountable privacy based on use of such cryptographic constructions. |
| US08744075B2 |
Quantum public key encryption system
Provided is a key generation apparatus that generates, based on a generated random number, quantum gates Ui, L and R corresponding respectively to m types of unitary operations Ui corresponding to n qubits and two types of unitary operations L and R corresponding to m qubits, generates a quantum gate CU whose control is enabled such that operation of the quantum gate Ui is controlled according to an input state of the m qubits, generates a quantum gate G by adding the quantum gates L and R to the quantum gate CU, generates a public key P by obfuscating the quantum gate G, generates a quantum gate CU† and a quantum gate R*, and generates a private key S by connecting the quantum gate CU† and the quantum gate R*. |
| US08744071B2 |
Dispersed data storage system data encryption and encoding
A computing system securely stores data to a dispersed data storage system. The computing system includes a processing module and a plurality of storage units. The processing module includes an encryptor and error encoder to encrypt and encode the data for dispersal utilizing a write command to the storage units. The storage units store the encrypted and encoded data when receiving the write command and the encrypted and encoded data. |
| US08744063B2 |
Playing expected wait time on agent's notification
Systems and methods for providing estimated wait times are provided. More particularly, an estimated wait time is calculated based at least in part on agent availability information entered by the agent. The agent availability information may be obtained from the agent through a user interface provided by a contact center communication device. The user interface may include soft keys. In addition, the estimated wait time can be provided to client communication devices. |
| US08744059B2 |
Method and system for providing intelligent call rejection and call rollover in a telephony network
A system and method may include receiving a call connection request associated with a calling device over a telephony network, the call connection request requesting establishment of a telephone call. The system and method may further include presenting a plurality of call rejection options, each of the plurality of call rejection options being associated with separate call rejection messages, and determining which one of the plurality of call rejection options is selected, where the plurality of call rejection options permit a called party to intelligently reject a phone call. |
| US08744056B2 |
Communication identifier list configuration
A device is provided that may initiate a communication with a communication device; log the communications initiated with respective communication devices; determine a likelihood that any one of the communication devices will be a next communication device with which communication will be initiated based on the logged information; and order, in a displayable list based on the determined likelihoods, identifiers associated with at least two of the communication devices. |
| US08744052B2 |
System and method for detecting false caller ID
A system and method for detecting a false caller ID. The system receives caller identification data and signaling system data from the call, compares the caller identification data to the signaling system data, and determines if the call has a false caller ID based on the comparison. The signaling system data may include signaling system 7 data. The system may also alert the intended recipient by modifying the properties of the call or by enacting a peripheral system to contact the intended recipient. |
| US08744051B2 |
Translation of fees for value added services in a communication network
A method (300) for translating fees for a value added service in a communication network, and a charging gateway (116) that translates fees for a value added service in a communication network. A request (130, 134) for a communication device to access the value added service can be received and, in real time, translated to a first pseudo telephone number. In real time, a first telephone call (136) to the first pseudo telephone number can be simulated to generate a first call request (138) that inquires whether credit for the value added service is available. An acknowledgement (140) to the first call request can be received that indicates whether a sufficient amount of credit to access the value added services is available. Access or denial to the value added services can be based on whether the sufficient amount of credit is available. |
| US08744035B1 |
Reactor vessel coolant deflector shield
A power module includes a reactor vessel containing a coolant and a reactor core located near a bottom end of the reactor vessel. A riser section is located above the reactor core, wherein the coolant circulates past the reactor core and up through the riser section. In one embodiment, a coolant deflector shield includes flow-optimized surfaces, wherein the flow-optimized surfaces direct the coolant towards the bottom end of the reactor vessel. In another embodiment, the reactor housing includes an inward facing portion that varies a flow pressure of the coolant and promotes a circulation of the coolant past a baffle assembly and towards the bottom end of the reactor vessel. |
| US08744030B2 |
Data transmission system, data transmission method, and transmission device
A data transmission system includes a plurality of signal lines, a signal line determination unit, and a data transmission unit. The plurality of signal lines transmit data transmitted from a transmission-side device to a reception-side device. The signal line determination unit determines which signal line among the signal lines is used to transmit reception adjustment data to the reception-side device. The data transmission unit uses the signal line determined by the signal line determination unit to transmit the reception adjustment data to the reception-side device and uses another signal line to transmit transmission data to the reception-side device. |
| US08744026B2 |
Method and apparatus for interference suppression using a reduced-complexity joint detection
A method of detecting a desired signal within a composite signal provides for suppression of interfering signal(s). The method, implemented in a wireless communication apparatus, for example, includes receiving the composite signal and obtaining sample values therefrom. At least some of the sample values include desired and interfering signal components. The method further includes generating an interfering signal channel estimate by: forming sample pairs for some or all of the sample values; identifying sample pairs of interest as those sample pairs in which the interfering signal component is the same; and calculating the interfering signal channel estimate as an average value determined from one or more of the sample pairs of interest. The method further includes detecting desired signal symbols from the composite signal in a joint detection process that functionally depends on the interfering signal channel estimate. |
| US08744025B2 |
Digital signal conditioning
Methods, systems and other embodiments associated with pre-processing a signal for spectral analysis are presented. A system for pre-processing a digital input signal includes a digital down converter (DDC), an interpolator, and a series of down samplers. The DDC modulates the digital input signal to create a down converted signal. The interpolator re-samples the down converted signal to produce a re-sampled signal. The series of down samplers produces down sampled signals. The multiplexer selects one of the digital input signal, the down converted signal, and the down sampled signals and routes the selected signal to an output line. |
| US08744024B2 |
Clock-data recovery with non-zero h(−1) target
In a receiver circuit, a node receives a signal that carries data from a transmitter circuit. Moreover, a clock-data-recovery (CDR) circuit in the receiver circuit recovers an at-rate clock signal from the received signal. The CDR circuit recovers the clock signal without converging a first pulse-response precursor of the signal relative to a pulse-response cursor of the signal to approximately zero (e.g., with the first pulse-response precursor h(−1) converged to a non-zero value). Furthermore, the first pulse-response precursor corresponds to at least one precurosor or postcursor of the pulse-response other than the current sample. |
| US08744023B1 |
Interference whitening filters for MIMO maximum likelihood receivers
Systems and methods are provided for whitening noise of a received signal vector in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission or storage system. The whitening filter may be designed to whiten an interference component of the received signal vector, where the interference component is derived from modeling transmitter and receiver imperfections as a first coupling between MIMO transmitter outputs and a second coupling between MIMO receiver. The whitening filter may be computed based on the covariance matrix of the interference component. |
| US08744020B2 |
Frequency offset estimation
A frequency offset of a received signal comprising a number of subsequently received data symbols is estimated. A first estimate is determined from a calculated change in phase of the received signal between two received symbols having a first time distance between them. At least one further estimate is determined from a calculated change in phase of the received signal between two received symbols having a different time distance. A frequency periodicity is determined for each estimate from the distance between the two received symbols from which the estimate was determined. A set of integer values is determined for each estimate so that frequency values calculated for each estimate as the frequency periodicity multiplied by the integer value added to the estimate are at least approximately equal to each other, and a corrected estimate of the frequency offset is determined from the integer values. |
| US08744019B2 |
Delay detector circuit and receiver apparatus
The present invention provides a delay detector circuit that delivers performance at low cost and can reduce power consumption, and a receiver apparatus that uses this delay detector circuit. The delay detector circuit according to the present invention performs a part of the decoding processing for decoding data transmitted by a transmitter apparatus based on a received wave. The receiver apparatus according to the present invention uses the delay detector circuit described above. Therefore the delay detector circuit and receiver apparatus of the present invention deliver performance at low cost and can reduce power consumption. |
| US08744014B2 |
Method and apparatus for coordinated MIMO signal transmission among multiple cells in wireless OFDM systems
A FFR (fractional frequency reuse)-based network MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) transmission architecture in a cellular system that employs cell sectoring using directional antennas. Each cell is sectorized into three outer sectors using three directional antennas which transmit in three different directions using three different frequency subbands. The cell sectors are arranged based on a frequency partition scheme so that three sectors in three neighboring cells form a coordinated group for network MIMO transmission. A regular and a rearranged frequency partition are described. Further, a practical implementation of SON (self organizing network)-based three-cell FFR-based network MIMO for a wireless OFDM system is described. In this implementation, a server connected to multiple base stations (BSs) defines multiple coordinated groups for coordinated MIMO transmission, and the BSs within each coordinated group negotiate a common radio resource region (a composite time-frequency region), and selects a serving mobile station to participate in the coordinated MIMO transmission. |
| US08744012B1 |
On-chip eye viewer architecture for highspeed transceivers
System, methods, and devices for determining an eye diagram of a serial input signal to an integrated circuit without an oscilloscope are provided. For example, one embodiment of an integrated circuit device may be capable of determining an eye diagram associated with a serial input signal either during or after equalization. The device may include an equalizer and eye viewer circuitry configured to select a node of the equalizer for eye monitoring of the input signal, which may be during or after equalization. In one embodiment, the eye viewer circuitry may provide a separate sampler for each respective node, while sharing a control logic and phase interpolator among the samplers. The eye viewer circuitry may determine horizontal and vertical boundaries of the eye diagram associated with the serial input signal, as seen from the selected node of the equalizer. |
| US08744008B2 |
Multi-transport stream (TS) generating apparatus and method, and digital broadcasting transmission and reception apparatuses and methods
A multi-transport stream (TS) generating apparatus and method, and digital broadcasting transmission and reception apparatuses and method are provided. The multi-TS generating apparatus includes an adaptor to generate an adaptation field in some packets of a normal stream; an interleaver to interleave the normal stream; a turbo processor to turbo-code a plurality of turbo streams; a stuffer to generate a multi-TS by stuffing the plurality of the turbo streams into the adaptation field; and a deinterleaver to deinterleave the multi-TS. Accordingly, the plurality of the turbo streams can be transmitted far more easily. |
| US08744004B2 |
High power pulse generator
A systems, pulse generators, apparatus and methods for generating a high power signal are presented. A pulse generator includes a generator and a modulator unit. The generator generates a bipolar signal. The modulator unit modulates the bipolar signal with oscillating signals to generate a modulated bipolar signal with oscillating portions. The frequency spectrum of the modulated bipolar signal contains very little to no direct current (DC) component. |
| US08744003B2 |
Multi-mode transmitter for highly-spectrally-efficient communications
A transmitter may comprise a symbol mapping circuit that is configurable to operate in at least two configurations, wherein a first of the configurations of the symbol mapping circuit uses a first symbol constellation and a second of the configurations of the symbol mapping circuit uses a second symbol constellation. The transmitter may also comprise a pulse shaping circuit that is configurable to operate in at least two configurations, wherein a first of the configurations of the pulse shaping circuit uses a first set of filter taps and a second of the configurations of the pulse shaping circuit uses a second set of filter taps. The first set of filter taps may correspond to a root raised cosine (RRC) filter and the second set of filter taps corresponds to a partial response filter. |
| US08744002B2 |
Peak power suppressing circuit and communication device having the same
A peak power suppressing circuit can suppress a peak power of an IQ (In-phase and Quadrature-phase) baseband signal more assuredly. In particular, the peak power suppressing circuit performs a clipping process on an IQ baseband signal. The suppressing circuit includes a power calculation section that calculates an instantaneous power P of an IQ baseband signal, a pulse retention section that retains a cancellation pulse S that has a frequency component in a frequency band B of the IQ baseband signal and a frequency component outside the frequency band, and a clipping processing section that subtracts, from an IQ baseband signal whose instantaneous power P that has been calculated is greater than a predetermined threshold Pth, cancellation signals Ic and Qc obtained by multiplying increments ΔI and ΔQ of the IQ baseband signal from the threshold Pth by the cancellation pulse S. |
| US08743999B2 |
Digital signal processor, communication device, communication system and method for operating a digital signal processor
The present invention provides a digital signal processor, a communication system comprising such a digital signal processor and a method for operating such a digital signal processor. The digital signal processor for a communication system in an aircraft cabin of an aircraft comprises a provision means for providing a predeterminable digital signal suitable for forming a respective wave form for mapping a respective pre-determined service signal and a pre-determined noise signal. |
| US08743993B2 |
Communication device
Improving the accuracy of estimation of channel responses in receiving signals from a plurality of antennas is disclosed. A transmitting device of a base station includes a preamble A generating unit 010, a preamble B generating unit 011, phase rotating units 012 and 013, multiplexing units 014 and 015, an forward error correction coding unit 016, an S/P converting unit 017, a mapping unit 018, a changeover switch 019, IDFT (or IFFT) units 020 and 026, P/S converting units 021 and 027, GI (Guard Interval) inserting units 022 and 028, D/A converting units 023 and 029, radio transmitting units 024 and 030 and antenna units 025 and 031. In the preamble A generating unit 010 and the preamble B generating unit 011, a preamble A and a preamble B (see the packet format in FIG. 1) are generated, respectively. The preamble A is outputted to the multiplexing units 014 and 015, while the preamble B is outputted to the phase rotating units 012 and 013. The phase rotating units 012 and 013 to which the preamble B has been inputted give continuous phase rotation to subcarriers of the preamble B. In the transmitting device of the base station according to this embodiment, the phase rotating unit 012 does not give phase rotation, but only the phase rotating unit 013 gives phase rotation to the preamble B. |
| US08743990B2 |
Method for transmitting an information sequence
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for applying successive multi-rank beamforming strategies (e.g., successive precoding strategies) for the design of precoders over a set of parallel channels. Successive beamforming is applied to a narrow band channel model and is also applied for finer quantization of a single beamforming vector (e.g., recursive beamforming). A first embodiment provides the optimal approach with high complexity. An alternative embodiment provides successive beamforming for near optimal precoding selection with medium complexity. A low complexity method for precoder selection is also provided wherein a channel representative matrix for the set of parallel channels is determined and successive beamforming on the calculated channel representative is applied. |
| US08743985B2 |
Method and apparatus using a base codebook structure for beamforming
Techniques for a precoding scheme for wireless communications are described. A method and apparatus may comprise a first device for a communications system to determine a beamforming structure for a closed loop transmit beamforming scheme using channel information, one or more scaling factors and one or more integers to represent a complex vector. The beamforming structure may include a codeword, a codebook and a codeword index. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08743984B2 |
Multidimensional hybrid modulations for ultra-high-speed optical transport
Systems and methods are disclosed with a spatial-domain-based multi-dimensional coded-modulation scheme that improves dramatically OSNR sensitivity and tolerance to fiber nonlinearities by using D-dimensional signal constellations, where D=2(2+M)N. The factor 2 originates from two polarizations, 2+M electrical basis functions are selected (2 in-phase/quadrature channels and M pulse-position like basis functions), and N represents the number of orbital angular momentum (OAM) states used in FMFs/MMFs. For single mode fiber applications N is 1. |
| US08743981B2 |
Modulation method and apparatus
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a modulation method and apparatus. The modulation method includes: processing at least two data blocks, and outputting at least two single-carrier Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) signals, where the at least two data blocks include a first data block and a second data block, the at least two single-carrier OFDM signals include a first single-carrier OFDM signal corresponding to the first data block and a second single-carrier OFDM signal corresponding to the second data block, a difference between a carrier center frequency RF1 of the first single-carrier OFDM signal and a carrier center frequency RF2 of the second single-carrier OFDM signal is an integral multiple of an F0, and the F0 is a subcarrier bandwidth; and transmitting the at least two single-carrier OFDM signals. |
| US08743980B2 |
Method of designing reference signal pattern and related communication device
A method of designing a reference signal pattern for a network in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises transmitting a plurality of cell-specific reference signal (CRSs) in a subframe, the subframe comprising a plurality of resource elements that are divided in time across a plurality of subcarriers to form a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, each of the plurality of resource element occupying a predetermined amount of time on a respective one of the plurality of subcarriers. wherein, a first set of the plurality of CRSs is allocated to a first set of the plurality resource elements on a first symbol and a second symbol over a third subcarrier, a sixth subcarrier, a ninth subcarrier and a twelfth subcarrier. |
| US08743978B2 |
Methods for transmitting and receiving a multicarrier signal comprising a guard interval, corresponding computer program products, transmitting and receiving devices, and signal
A method is provided for transmitting a multiple-carrier signal. The method includes modulating data symbols representative of a data signal to be transmitted, which includes a filtering by at least one prototype function using at least two different filtering coefficients, thus providing a modulated signal including a time sequence of multiple-carrier symbols. A hold interval is inserted in front of at least one multiple-carrier symbol of the modulated signal, thus providing the multiple-carrier signal. |
| US08743977B2 |
Efficient tuning and demodulation techniques
Techniques for the reception and processing of wireless signals are disclosed. For instance, an apparatus may include a first hardware module (e.g., a mixed signal module) and a second hardware module (e.g., a digital signal module). The first hardware module may convert an analog signal corresponding to a received wireless signal into a digital signal having a first sampling rate. In turn, channel filtering may be performed on this digital signal. Following this, the filtered digital signal may be resampled from the first sampling rate to a second sampling rate. At this point, the resampled signal may be transferred across an interface from the first hardware module to the second hardware module. Upon receipt, the second hardware module may correct a sampling rate error in the second sampling rate, and demodulate the digital signal into one or more symbols. |
| US08743976B2 |
Techniques and systems for communications based on time reversal pre-coding
Techniques, apparatuses and systems for providing communications based on time reversal of a channel impulse response of a pulse in a transmission channel between a transmitter and a receiver to enhance reception and detection of a pulse at the receiver against various effects that can adversely affect and complicate the reception and detection of the pulse at the receiver. |
| US08743973B2 |
Receiver resistor network for common-mode signaling
A receiver circuit to receive signals from first and second pairs of transmission lines includes first and second interfaces, each with first and second input nodes to receive respective signals. The receiver circuit also includes a resistor network with first, second, third, and fourth resistive elements. The first and second resistive elements are each connected between the input nodes of a respective interface. The third and fourth resistive elements each include a pair of resistors connected in series between the input nodes of a respective interface, and an intermediate node between the resistors. The intermediate nodes are connected to an AC ground. The receiver circuit further includes a differential amplifier with first and second inputs coupled respectively to the first and second interfaces and an output to provide a signal derived from common mode components of the signals received at the input nodes. |
| US08743972B2 |
Coding adaptive deblocking filter and method for use therewith
A deblocking filter module can be used in a video processing device that processes a video input signal in accordance with a plurality of coding parameters. The deblocking filter module includes an adaptive deblocking filter that receives a plurality of samples and produces a plurality of filtered samples in response thereto, the adaptive deblocking filter having at least one filter parameter that is controllable in response to a filter control signal. A filter control module generates the filter control signal based on the plurality of coding parameters. |
| US08743971B2 |
Digital television system
Disclosed is a digital television system carrying out modulation/demodulation by VSB (vestigial side band). A VSB transmitter includes an additional error correction encoder designed in a manner that a signal mapping of a TCM encoder is considered, a multiplexer (MUX), a TCM encoder operating in a manner corresponding to state transition processes of the additional error correction encoder, and a signal transmission part including an RF converter. And, A VSB receiver includes a signal receiver part receiving a signal transmitted from the transmitter, a TCM decoder, a signal processing part including a derandomizer, and an additional error correction decoder part. |
| US08743970B2 |
Video decoding with error detection and concealment
A system and method of decoding input video information is disclosed which includes performing error detection for each video block of a frame, determining whether a scene change occurs for the frame, and when an error is detected in a video block, performing spatial concealment by concealing error of the erroneous video block using neighboring video information within the frame when the erroneous video block is intraframe encoded or when a scene change is detected for the frame, or performing temporal concealment by replacing the erroneous video block with a reference video block from a reference frame when the erroneous video block is interframe encoded and when a scene change is not detected for the frame. The method may further include detecting false frames based on comparing current and new frame number and picture order count values of a new slice. |
| US08743966B2 |
Block error compensating apparatus of image frame and method thereof
An apparatus and method are provided for compensating a block error in an image frame. This may include a video codec decoder for decoding an inputted image frame, and outputting a decoded image frame. An error concealment block may detect an error-generated block in the decoded image frame and compensate the detected error block through a median filter, and output the compensated image frame. |
| US08743963B2 |
Image/video quality enhancement and super-resolution using sparse transformations
A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for a quality enhancement/super resolution technique. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a first version of media at a first resolution and creating a second version of the media at a second resolution higher or equal to the first resolution using at least one transform and adaptive thresholding. |
| US08743961B2 |
Method and device for coding a video sequence including an improved motion vector calculation
To code a video sequence, the similarity is calculated (10) between a block of pixels to code of a current image of the sequence and blocks of pixels of a reference image and at least one motion vector per block of the sequence is determined on the basis of at least one similarity value calculated previously. Furthermore, for at least one block of pixels to code, a prediction (16) is determined of at least one motion vector from neighboring motion vectors that have already been calculated; a final motion vector is determined (18) from similarity values calculated previously for the block to code and on the basis of the predicted motion vector; and the block to code is coded (20) using the final motion vector. |
| US08743950B2 |
Method for filtering, transmitting and receiving scalable video streams, and corresponding programs, server, intermediate node and terminal
A method is provided for filtering a scalable video stream, organized in the form of data unit blocks, each of which comprises a base data unit and a set of data units distributed according to two types of enhancement data, corresponding respectively to time and/or space and/or quality characteristics and making it possible to define several quality levels. The method defines at least two distinct filtering profiles, or paths of each block data units, wherein each path defines a row of successive foldover positions and each foldover position uses at least by one less data units than a previous position, and selects one of the paths according to a predetermined criterion, taking into account the type of content of the stream and/or at least one information item representing the capacities of a terminal receiving the stream. |
| US08743949B2 |
Video coding / decoding with re-oriented transforms and sub-block transform sizes
Techniques and tools for video coding/decoding with sub-block transform coding/decoding and re-oriented transforms are described. For example, a video encoder adaptively switches between 8×8, 8×4, and 4×8 DCTs when encoding 8×8 prediction residual blocks; a corresponding video decoder switches between 8×8, 8×4, and 4×8 inverse DCTs during decoding. The video encoder may determine the transform sizes as well as switching levels (e.g., frame, macroblock, or block) in a closed loop evaluation of the different transform sizes and switching levels. When a video encoder or decoder uses spatial extrapolation from pixel values in a causal neighborhood to predict pixel values of a block of pixels, the encoder/decoder can use a re-oriented transform to address non-stationarity of prediction residual values. |
| US08743946B2 |
Frequency-domain equalization and combining for single carrier transmission
A communication receiver including a time domain receive filter to provide a filtered output, the filtered output including colored noise. The receiver also includes a frequency domain, fractionally-spaced equalizer (FSE) unit to receive the filtered output from the receive filter. The FSE unit determines a separate weighting factor for each subcarrier, and the weighting factor is determined based on a noise variance of the subcarrier. |
| US08743944B2 |
Decision feedback equalizing method and equalizer
A decision feedback equalizer is provided for correcting ISI on a first postcursor without using received decision data of a preceding bit. The decision feedback equalizer includes an amplifying circuit that is to be supplied with received data, a duobinary signal decision device for determining an output signal from the amplifying circuit, the duobinary signal decision device including a flip-flop, a shift register for successively shifting a decision result held by the flip-flop, and a plurality of current control blocks that are to be supplied with respective output signals from the shift register, and feeding back output signals to an output terminal of the amplifier to control the potential thereof. |
| US08743939B2 |
Nonlinear echo compensator for class B transmitter line driver
A nonlinear echo compensator comprises a mapping circuit that includes a weighting circuit that generates a weighted signal based on a current symbol and a prior symbol and a function generating circuit that selects one of N functions based on the weighted signal, where N is an integer greater than one. The mapping circuit generates a driving signal based on the selected one of the N functions and the weighted signal. A canceling circuit generates a nonlinear echo compensation signal based on the driving signal. |
| US08743936B2 |
Systems and methods for determining noise components in a signal set
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for estimating noise components in a received signal set. For example, one embodiment of the present invention provides a noise estimation circuit that includes a data detector circuit and a noise component calculation circuit. The data detector circuit receives a series of data samples and provides a detected output, and the noise component calculation circuit provides an electronics noise power output and a media noise power output each calculated based at least in part on the detected output and the series of data samples. |
| US08743935B2 |
Wireless communication system, wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method
In a wireless communication system performing wireless communication via a wireless transmission path, a first wireless communication apparatus includes a receiver that receives a wireless signal via a wireless transmission path, a disconnection detector that detects disconnection of a wireless line connected to a second communication apparatus, a modulation controller that selects a modulation scheme, enabling communication under poor conditions in a transmission path, rather than a modulation scheme which has been used in wireless communication, and a transmitter that notifies the modulation scheme selected by the modulation scheme controller to the second wireless communication apparatus. The second wireless communication apparatus includes a receiver that receives the selected modulation scheme from the first wireless communication apparatus, and a transmitter that transmits signals to the first wireless communication apparatus based on the selected modulation scheme which is received by the receiver. |
| US08743932B2 |
Impulse noise management
A discrete multitone transceiver (DMT) includes a deinterleaver operable to de-interleave a plurality of bits. The DMT further includes: a forward error correction decoder operable to decode the plurality of bits, a module operable to determine, during Showtime, an impulse noise protection value, wherein the impulse protection value specifies a number corrupted DMT symbols that can be corrected by the forward error correction decoder in combination with the deinterleaver, and a receiver coupled to the deinterleaver. The receiver receives using a first interleaver parameter value, receives a flag signal, and changes to receiving using a second interleaver parameter value that is different than the first interleaver parameter value, wherein the second interleaver parameter value is used for reception on a pre-defined forward error correction codeword boundary following reception of the flag signal. |
| US08743930B2 |
Suppressing intra-cell interference
Various embodiments are directed towards suppressing inter-cell and intra-cell interference. In some embodiments, an intra-cell interference signal for a specified rake finger is received. An inter-cell interference signal is received. The intra-cell interference signals upstream of a chip-level equalizer are suppressed. The inter-cell interference signals upstream of the chip-level equalizer are suppressed. |
| US08743929B2 |
Division of bit streams to produce spatial paths for multicarrier transmission
A device for bit-demultiplexing in a multicarrier MIMO communication system (e.g. precoded spatial multiplexing MIMO communication systems using adaptive OFDM), including a multicarrier MIMO transmitter and a multicarrier MIMO receiver. The multicarrier MIMO transmitter includes a demultiplexer and symbol mapper unit receiving an input bit stream and generating a plurality of symbol streams, each symbol stream being associated with a different transmission channel and including a plurality of data symbols, each data symbol being attributed to a different carrier; one or more multicarrier modulators generating at least two multicarrier modulated signals based on the symbol streams; and at least two transmit ports respectively transmitting the at least two multicarrier modulated signals, wherein a data throughput rate of each transmission channel is separately variable. |
| US08743924B2 |
Surface-emission laser diode and fabrication process thereof
In a surface-emission laser diode, there is provided, between an active layer and a semiconductor layer that contains Al, Ga and As as major components, a semiconductor layer containing Al, In and P as major components such that the semiconductor layer containing Al, In and P as major components is provided adjacent to the semiconductor layer that contains Al, Ga and As as major components. Further, an interface between the semiconductor layer containing Al, Ga and As as major components and the semiconductor layer containing Al, In and P as major components is coincident to a location of a node of electric field strength distribution. |
| US08743923B2 |
Multi-wavelength VCSEL array to reduce speckle
Embodiments of the invention describe an illuminator having a light source to originate an illumination beam, wherein the light source further comprises a set of vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), including a first VCSEL having a first laser emission wavelength, and a second VCSEL having a second laser emission wavelength different than the first laser emission wavelength. Thus, by varying laser emission wavelengths of VCSELs in a VCSEL array, embodiments of the invention produce low-contrast speckle, and do not limit the imaging capabilities of the host illumination system. In some embodiments of the invention, vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers (VECSELs) are utilized to produce the above described varying laser emission wavelengths. |
| US08743921B2 |
Light emitting module and thermal protection method
Proposed is a light emitting module (1), comprising a semiconductor light emitting device (10) and a thermal switch (20). The thermal switch (20) is arranged to protect the device (10) from over heating. At elevated temperatures the junction of the device (10) may reach a critical level causing catastrophic breakdown of the device. According to the invention, the thermal switch is arranged to shunt the semiconductor light emitting device. This is especially advantageous as the thermal protection offered by the switch (20) correlates directly to the (junction) temperature of the device (10). |
| US08743920B2 |
Wavelength variable light source system
There is provided a wavelength variable light source system capable of changing wavelength and intensity of output signal light and of improving preset accuracy and stability of the wavelength and strength of the output signal light. The system determines the both or either one of a target value for controlling wavelength and a target value for controlling intensity of output signal light of a wavelength variable light source by correlating a combination of the target wavelength and the target light output intensity specified from a higher-level device and controls operation states of the wavelength variable light source so that output values of monitoring circuits for monitoring the operation state of the wavelength variable light source converge to the target values. |
| US08743915B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting packet in optical transport network
A method of transmitting a packet in an optical transport network includes: generating a GFP frame by GFP encapsulating a packet client signal; mapping the GFP frame to a dynamic data unit; multiplexing to a high order data unit in an order higher than that of the dynamic data unit using at least one dynamic data unit; generating a high order transport unit using the multiplexed high order data unit; and transmitting the high order transport unit. |
| US08743913B2 |
Distributed digital subscriber line access multiplexer
A distributed DSLAM, which comprises a head end subsystem located within a switching facility and a remote subsystem located outside of the switching facility. The head end subsystem is operative for routing streams of data from a data network to the remote subsystem over a communication link, while the remote subsystem is operative for transmitting over a set of local loops analog signals comprising digitally modulated versions of the data. Separating the routing and modem functionality between inside and outside plant facilities reduces heat dissipation in the outside plant, leading to increased reliability. Flow control can be performed in the upstream and downstream directions by transmitting portions of individual packets and withholding other portions of individual packets. This is done instead of withholding the transmission of entire packets. As a result, the perceived impact on video quality, for example, is lessened. |
| US08743911B2 |
Synchronization method and device
A synchronization method is disclosed, including: obtaining a synchronization symbol position {circumflex over (d)}0 of one time slot of an initial update period; taking Ntrack frames as an update period to adjust the synchronization symbol position, and the step of adjusting the synchronization symbol position including: obtaining a synchronization symbol position {circumflex over ({circumflex over (d)}k+1=dk+Ntrack{circumflex over (T)}k of a corresponding time slot of a (k+1)th update period according to a synchronization symbol position {circumflex over (d)}k of a corresponding time slot of a kth update period and an inter-frame sampling derivation estimation value {circumflex over (T)}k of said kth update period; obtaining synchronization symbol positions of other time slots in said kth update period according to the synchronization symbol position {circumflex over (d)}k of the corresponding time slot of the kth update period and the inter-frame sampling derivation estimation value {circumflex over (T)}k of said kth update period. A synchronization apparatus is also disclosed. The method and apparatus reduces synchronization calculation amount. |
| US08743909B2 |
Frame termination
Techniques to increase capacity in a wireless communications system. In an aspect, systematic non-transmission, or “blanking,” of minimal-rate frames transmitted in a communications system is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, eighth rate frames in a cdma2000 voice communications system are systematically substituted with null-rate frames carrying zero traffic bits. Provisions are nevertheless made for the transmission of certain designated as “critical” by, e.g., a vocoder. The receiver detects the presence of null rate or non-null rate transmissions and processes the received frames accordingly, including updating an outer loop power control only in response to non-null rate frames. Further techniques for changing the pilot transmission gating pattern to assist the receiver in detecting null rate frames are provided. In another aspect, early termination of a signal transmission over a wireless communications link is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a base station (BS) transmits power control groups (PCG's) for a frame over a forward link (FL) to a mobile station (MS) until accurate reception of the frame is acknowledged by the MS over a reverse link (RL), possibly before all PCG's of the frame are received over the FL. Possible ACK signaling methods are defined for channels associated with a cdma2000 wireless communications system. In another exemplary embodiment, techniques for reverse link early termination are also provided. |
| US08743906B2 |
Scalable seamless digital video stream splicing
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for scalable seamless digital video stream splicing. Data packets in a first video stream of bits are rearranged. Placeholder packets are created in a second video stream of bits. The first video stream of bits and the second video stream of bits are combined to generate a spliced stream by inserting data packets from the first video stream of bits into the placeholder packets in the second video stream of bits. |
| US08743905B2 |
Method and apparatus for bundling and ciphering data
Techniques for bundling and ciphering data prior to transmission are described. In an exemplary design, a transmitting entity receives a plurality of service data units (SDUs) from an upper layer, assigns sequential sequence numbers to the SDUs, and bundles the SDUs into a single protocol data unit (PDU). In one design, the transmitting entity generates a single count value based on a sequence number of a designated SDU (e.g., the first SDU) in the PDU and ciphers all SDUs based on the single count value. In another design, the transmitting entity ciphers each segment of at least two SDUs in the PDU based on a count value for that segment. The transmitting entity generates a header with at least one sequence number and possibly length and/or other information for the SDUs. The transmitting entity forms the PDU with the header and the SDUs and passes the PDU to a lower layer. |
| US08743901B2 |
Remoting of user/callee presence information in a UPNP network
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for remoting user/callee presence information in a home network is provided, the method comprising: subscribing, from a home network presence client, to one or more home network presence servers, for presence information relating to one or more users; receiving, from one of the home network presence servers, a change in presence information relating to one of said one or more users; and notifying a user of a device associated with the home network presence client of the change in presence information. |
| US08743898B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving multicast broadcast service data
An MBS transmitting apparatus allocates a plurality of time intervals of an MBS transmission carrier to an MBS region and a non-MBS region and generates region allocation information of the MBS region and the non-MBS region. The MBS transmitting apparatus allocates the time intervals, allocated to the MBS region, to one or more MBS zones and generates MBS zone allocation information of the one or more MBS zones. The MBS transmitting apparatus transmits the region allocation information and the MBS zone allocation information and transmits the MBS data through the time intervals allocated to the MBS region. |
| US08743896B2 |
Method and related communication device for radio link control reconfiguration in a wireless communications system
A method of RLC reconfiguration for a communication device of a wireless communication system includes receiving a dedicated signaling including a reconfiguration value corresponding to a RLC-related parameter when the RLC-related parameter is in-use, and not immediately starting to use the reconfiguration value on the in-use RLC-related parameter when the reconfiguration value is extracted from the dedicated signaling. |
| US08743894B2 |
Bridge port between hardware LAN and virtual switch
A method of operating a computer system comprising a bridge port between a hardware local area network (LAN) and a virtual switch includes providing a first hash table by the hardware LAN to the virtual switch via the bridge port, wherein the first hash table comprises addresses of a first plurality of VMs that comprise the hardware LAN, wherein the first plurality of VMs communicate with the hardware LAN via respective hardware network interface cards (NICs); and updating a second hash table in the virtual switch to include the addresses of the first hash table, wherein the second hash table further comprises addresses of a second plurality of VMs of the virtual switch, wherein the second plurality of VMs communicate with the virtual switch via respective virtual NICs. |
| US08743893B2 |
Path reconstruction and interconnection modeling (PRIM)
Internet data such as Border Gateway Protocol routing information and traceroute measurements are processed to create realistic predictive models of the paths IP traffic is likely to take between any two points on the Internet, even when direct measurements of the paths is not feasible. The prediction includes three categories: topology (what paths may exist), weighting (which paths are more or less likely to be taken under varying operational circumstances), and performance (latency, loss, jitter, etc. across the predicted paths). |
| US08743884B2 |
TCP acknowledge for aggregated packet
A method and apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention are operable to detect the accumulation of redundant ACKs (acknowledgment signals) in a queue for streaming data packet units, and to delete a portion of the redundant ACKs to improve transmission efficiencies. In one embodiment, only the most relevant ACK is kept before the ACKs are processed for transmission. In an alternate embodiment, a ratio of defined that limits the maximum number of redundant ACKs that may be deleted. This ratio is based upon a transmission window size. The teachings of the present disclosure may also be applied to flow control in a more general sense in which a plurality of redundant signals responses are being transmitted after being aggregated. |
| US08743883B2 |
Apparatus and method for parallel processing data flow
Provided is a data flow parallel processing apparatus and method. The data flow parallel processing apparatus may include a flow discriminating unit to discriminate a flow of input first data, a processor allocating unit to allocate, to the first data, a processor that is not operating among a plurality of processors, a sequence determining unit to determine a sequence number of the first data when a second data having the same flow as the discriminated flow is being processed by any one processor composing the plurality of processors, and an alignment unit to receive the first data processed by the allocated processor and to output the received first data based on the determined sequence number. |
| US08743876B2 |
Equipment in a data network and methods for monitoring, configuring and/or managing the equipment
There is provided a multicast router comprising a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) agent and an SNMP database and a method of monitoring the router. In some embodiments the method comprises the multicast router receiving, via a downstream network interface, multicast data requests made by one or more hosts; the multicast router reading data contained in the multicast data request; the multicast router storing first data in the SNMP database for a downstream network interface, a multicast group address and a first host that requests multicast data, wherein the first data comprises information of the multicast groups and multicast channels requested by the first host; and the SNMP agent of the multicast router transmitting to an SNMP control station, using a version of the SNMP protocol, at least a part of the first data stored in the SNMP database. |
| US08743869B2 |
Provision of telephony Caller ID service via common instant communications clients
An approach is provided for supporting telephony services over a data network. A communication network establishes a voice session from a calling station to a called station associated with a user. A service platform, in communication with the communication network, obtains Caller ID information corresponding to the voice session, and determines an instant communication client of the user. The Caller ID information is transmitted over the data network to the instant communication client for display of the Caller ID information. |
| US08743866B2 |
Method and apparatus to reduce cumulative effect of dynamic metric advertisement in smart grid/sensor networks
In one embodiment, a node in a computer network represented by a directed acyclic graph (DAG) may receive advertisements of smoothed path costs to a root node of the DAG, where the advertisements contain a field for a virtual gain factor (VGF) indicative of a difference between the smoothed path cost and an actual best path cost to the root. The node may then determine a local smoothed path cost from itself to the root, and also a local VGF for each link of the node (for the path as a whole including the particular link) based on all of the received advertisements and VGFs, as well as corresponding actual link costs (e.g., based on selecting alternative parents or actual link costs being smoothed within a dual threshold). The node may then compute a resulting smoothed path cost to the root along with an associated (cumulative) VGF based on the locally determined cost and VGF. Accordingly, the node may then advertise the resulting smoothed path cost along with the associated (cumulative) VGF on each link such that, for example, any node receiving a resulting smoothed path cost and/or VGF that surpasses a threshold may request a rebuild of the DAG (e.g., a portion or in its entirety). |
| US08743863B2 |
Method for ranging devices using code sequences in WLANs
Methods and apparatus for using code-division multiple access (CDMA) to transmit information via orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) to convey information from user terminals to an access point (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) are provided. By using CDMA to convey information, a propagation delay between an access point (AP) and a user terminal may be determined by the AP, and timing adjustment information based on the delay may be sent to the user terminal. In this manner, subsequent uplink (UL) transmissions from multiple user terminals may be received simultaneously by the AP, despite the multiple user terminals having potentially different propagation delays. |
| US08743862B2 |
High speed overlay mode for burst data and real time streaming (audio) applications
In a wireless 802.15.4 communication system (300), a high-speed data frame structure (340) is provided which uses the 802.15.4 SHR structure that is spread modulated to obtain the synchronization benefits of the 802.15.4 protocol, but which uses a modified data frame structure for the payload portion without using spreading to thereby improve its transmission efficiency. The transmission efficiency can be further increased by increasing the size of the data payload (and correspondingly, the frame length size). |
| US08743861B2 |
Multiplexing and feedback support for wireless communication systems
A control scheme using packet headers allows GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN) systems to increase spectral efficiency through multiplexing techniques, such as superposition coding, multi-user packet transmission, joint detection, and/or joint decoding. A fast feedback scheme for GERAN allows Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) frames to be transmitted over GERAN air interfaces without excessive feedback latency. As a result, Hybrid Automatic Repeat-reQuest (H-ARQ) acknowledgements may be timely provided for end-to-end VoIP calls that traverse GERAN air interfaces. Additionally, Incremental Redundancy H-ARQ and link quality feedback latencies are decreased. |
| US08743856B2 |
Wireless charging of mobile device
Systems, circuits, and devices for wirelessly charging a mobile device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system of a mobile device comprises a low power PAN module and a controller for the low power PAN module configured to monitor a connection request signal communicated from an external device while the mobile device is in a sleep mode, where the controller is supplied with quiescent current from a battery of the mobile device during the sleep mode. In addition, the system comprises an AP of the mobile device configured to wake up from the sleep mode when the connection request signal is validated by the controller, forward to the external device an equipment identity data of the mobile device and a charging status of the battery, and charge the battery of the mobile device with energy received from a wireless charging module associated with the external device. |
| US08743855B2 |
Method of generating data and transmitting synchronization channel in mobile communication system
A method for a transmitting side to transmit a sync channel in a wireless communication system using a multicarrier is disclosed. The present invention includes the steps of generating one synchronization channel including a plurality of sub-synchronization channels and the generated multicarrier symbol to a receiving side via the synchronization channel. Accordingly, the present invention enables the transmitting side to efficiently use a radio resource, thereby raising data transmission efficiency of synchronization channel. |
| US08743853B2 |
Techniques to include virtual private networks in a universal services interface
An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a mobile station (MS) operable to communicate in a wireless network, the wireless network including a Universal Services Interface (USI) and wherein the MS includes a USI client adapted to monitor external IP addresses of the MS and if the MS enters a virtual private network (VPN) via a VPN tunnel, the external IP address of the VPN tunnel is cached. |
| US08743850B2 |
Wireless communication station and methods for communicating station-capability information
Embodiments of a wireless communication station and methods for communication station-capability information are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a first wireless communications station is configured to wirelessly communicate a station-capability information element (IE). The station-capability IE included in at least one item selected from a list of items consisting of an association between the first station and a second station, an information-request action frame, and an information-response action frame. |
| US08743849B2 |
Access method and data frame structure for use in body area networks
A method for performing, for a plurality of applications, data communication on a wireless medium accessible for a plurality of nodes used by the applications is disclosed. Each application is assigned to one of a plurality of application classes. In one aspect, the method includes sending, at one of the plurality of nodes, a resource request for an application via a control channel dedicated to the application class which the application is assigned to, wherein the resource request is sent employing an access method available for the application class. The method also includes taking a decision on allocating resource on the wireless medium for the application. The method also includes performing data communication for the application via a conflict-free data channel, the data channel being separated in time from the dedicated control channel. |
| US08743848B2 |
Hybrid location determination for wireless communication device
Hybrid location determination for wireless communication device. Various services that may be used by a wireless communication device within a particular location may be referred to as location based services (LBS). As such, means by which the location of a wireless communication device that may use such available services, within such a locale, is made by using more than one type of location determination approach. For example, a wireless communication device includes communication capability (e.g., RX and TX) in accordance with a first communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth) and also includes a communication capability (e.g., RX only) in accordance with a second communication protocol (e.g., WiFi/WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)). The RX capability is operative to assist in location determination for the wireless communication device based on knowledge of at least one wireless communication device that communicates with the wireless communication device. |
| US08743847B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmission opportunity in mesh network
An apparatus and method of transmission opportunity in a mesh network is disclosed. A beacon timing from a receiver MP is received. The beacon timing includes a beacon reception timing of a received beacon frame that is received by the receiver MP from a neighboring MP of the receiver MP. A transmission opportunity is determined in order not to be extended across the beacon reception timing. |
| US08743845B2 |
Methods and systems for user selection in wireless communication networks
A method of scheduling data transmission in a wireless network is disclosed. The wireless network includes an access router and a plurality of access terminals connectable to the base station. The method includes determining a number of the access terminals that are connected to the base station, and comparing the number with a threshold. The method further includes determining, based on the comparison between the number of connected access terminals and the threshold, whether to send a dedicated control signal or a shared control signal from the base station, in order indicate which ones of the plurality of access terminals are scheduled to transmit data during a slot. |
| US08743842B2 |
Method and device for maintaining the performance quality of a communication system in the presence of narrow band interference
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for analyzing a wide frequency band with respect to signal power levels in specified narrow frequency bands, detecting narrow band signal power levels received in the specified narrow frequency bands, determining an average composite wideband power level from the narrow band signal power levels, determining an adaptive threshold, scanning a known narrow band channel of the wide frequency band having a history of causing interference in the wide frequency band, and detecting according to one of the adaptive threshold, the average composite wideband power level, or both, interference in the wide frequency band caused by signals transmitted in the known narrow band channel. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08743841B2 |
Mobile station apparatus and mobile communication method using respective feedback schemes for transmission of multiple pre-coding indicators
A mobile station transmits to a base station a plurality of pre-coding indicators using respective feedback schemes of a plurality of kinds of feedback schemes that can be set simultaneously by the base station. The mobile station receives from the base station a downlink signal on which pre-coders corresponding to one of the transmitted pre-coding indicators have been applied, and a pre-coder confirmation representing whether the corresponding pre-coders have been applied. The pre-coders represented by the pre-coder confirmation are associated with one of the plural feedback schemes. |
| US08743840B2 |
Radiotelephony network with multi-carrier packet data transmission
The present invention relates to a radio telephony network supporting at least one link of a radio channel for a packet data transmission service. The radio telephony network comprises a plurality of network controllers (RNC). Each network controller (RNC) is connected, via an interface Iub, to at least one base radio station (B-node) supervising at least one macrocell. The radio telephony network additionally comprises at least one base radio microstation (B1-micronode) connected to the network controller (RNC) via an interface Iub of the same type as that connecting the base radio station (B-node) to said controller. The base radio microstation (B1-micronode) supervises at least one microcell incorporated in at least one macrocell. The base radio microstation (B1-micronode) provides the packet data transmission service in the microcell on the link of the radio channel, preferably using multicarrier radio access. The multi-carrier radio access is preferably of the OFDM type. |
| US08743839B2 |
Scheduling different types of receivers in a radio base station
The invention relates to a method in a radio base station (110) of a radio telecommunications network (100), wherein the radio base station (110) comprises at least two different types of receivers; a first type of receivers and a second type of receivers. The first type of receivers comprises a different receiving sensitivity than the second type of receivers. The method is for scheduling a first type of receiver to a user equipment (120) within a radio cell (115) served by the radio base station (110). The radio base station determines a distance (125) between the user equipment (120) and a radio cell boundary (127) of the radio cell (115), and schedules the first type of receiver to the user equipment (120) when the distance is determined to be within a distance range. |
| US08743835B2 |
Communication system of selectively feeding back information about interference channels for interference alignment and method for operating the system
A communication system may include a serving base station and neighboring base stations. Each of the serving base station and the neighboring base stations may have a corresponding user group. Terminals belonging to a particular user group may feed back information associated with interference channels, and reasonably generate a precoding matrix. Through this, it is possible to perform an accurate interference alignment and to enhance a throughput. In this instance, terminals belonging to the other user groups may feed back information associated with a throughput, and a corresponding base station may perform the interference alignment using a user selection resulting in decreased overhead. |
| US08743831B2 |
Method for acquiring packet data convergence protocol status report and packet data convergence protocol entity
The present invention discloses a method for acquiring a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) status report and a packet data convergence protocol entity. The method comprises the steps of: a PDCP entity transmitting to an opposite PDCP entity a PDCP Protocol Data Unit (PDU) used to request the transmission of a PDCP status report; and the PDCP entity receiving the PDCP status report which is transmitted from the opposite PDCP entity according to the PDCP PDU. By the present invention, the quality of service and the performance of the wireless communication system are improved. |
| US08743830B2 |
Mobile communication system, gateway device, base station device, control method of gateway device, and computer-readable medium
A H(e)NB (1A) includes a radio IF (10) that performs radio communication with a UE (2), a LAN-IF (11) connectable to a LAN (34), and an address management unit (15) capable of storing a MAC address of the UE (2) different from a MAC address of the H(e)NB (1A) assigned to the LAN-IF (11). The H(e)NB (1A) is configured to transmit, to the LAN (34), a MAC frame having the MAC address of the UE (2) as a source address in response to receiving transmission data to the LAN (34) from the UE (2). |
| US08743829B2 |
Method and device for establishing or modifying local IP access bearer
A method and device for establishing or modifying a local IP access bearer are provided by the embodiments of the present invention, said method includes: a handover request message transmitted by an evolved Node Base station is received, said handover request message carries an evolved Node Base station identifier, said evolved Node Base station identifier is the same as the local packet data network gateway identifier; the local breakout ability of said evolved Node Base station is obtained; according to said evolved Node Base station identifier, the local breakout ability of said evolved Node Base station and the local IP access point name, the local IP access bearer is established or modified between a serving gateway and the local packet data network gateway, said serving gateway is located in the core network or the evolved Node Base station. |
| US08743828B2 |
Systems and methods for non-optimized handoff
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for non-optimized handoffs for wireless communication. For example, the disclosure may be applied to enhance non-optimized handoff from a long-term evolution (LTE) network to an evolved high rate packet data (eHRPD) network. Systems, methods, and apparatus for reducing the interruption gap during handoffs from an LTE radio access network to an eHRPD network are also discussed. In one aspect, a method is provided for communicating information associated with a handoff of a wireless device from a source network to a target network. The method includes fetching a context for a device communicating via a first radio access system of a first network based in part on a unique identifier from a second radio access system of a second network. |
| US08743824B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving a signal in a wireless communication system that supports multi-user MIMO transmission
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and discloses a method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving a signal in a wireless communication system that supports multi-user MIMO transmission. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method in which a mobile station receives a signal in a wireless communication system that supports multi-user MIMO transmission, comprises: a step of receiving information on the entirety of the transmission rank of the multi-user MIMO transmission; a step of receiving a reference signal and data for demodulation for the mobile station on the basis of the information on the entirety of the transmission rank; a step of acquiring channel information on the mobile station from the reference signal for demodulation; and a step of demodulating said data on the basis of the acquired channel information. |
| US08743822B2 |
Dynamic channel and transmission rate selection
Dynamic channel and transmission rate selection is described. In an example, a communication resource for transmitting data to a receiver is selected from several channels, each having several associated rates. The selection comprises storing a weighting factor for each channel/rate combination, monitoring transmission performance on a selected channel and rate, and inferring performance for other rates on the selected channel from the monitored performance. Each weighting factor is then updated using the monitored and inferred performances, and used to select a channel/rate combination for subsequent transmission. In another example, a communication device comprises a transmitter, a processor, and a memory arranged to store a weighting factor associated with each receiver, channel and rate combination. The transmitter sends data to a receiver using one channel and rate, and the processor monitors the performance, updates the weighting factors accordingly, and selects a receiver, channel and rate combination for subsequent transmission. |
| US08743820B2 |
PUCCH resource allocation with enhanced PDCCH
Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods, apparatuses, and instructions for receiving at a user equipment (UE) of a third generation partnership project (3GPP) network an offset value selected from a plurality of offset values in downlink control information. The UE also receives one or more enhanced control channel elements (eCCEs) of an enhanced physical downlink control channel (ePDCCH). The UE may then determine an allocation of an uplink resource for a transmission on a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) based at least in part on the index of a first eCCE and the offset value. |
| US08743818B2 |
Method for random access in wireless communication system, wireless communication system, wireless terminal, and base station unit
A method for random access in a wireless communication system communicating between a base station and a wireless terminal, the method consists of: at the wireless terminal, selecting first information used for first random access or second information used for second random access and performing a data communication with the base station during or after the completion of random access using selected information. |
| US08743817B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling transmit power
A radio communication system is disclosed. The method for transmitting a signal by a user equipment in a radio communication system includes generating a plurality of uplink signals, reducing maximum transmit power of the user equipment in consideration of a signal configuration for the plurality of uplink signals, and transmitting the plurality of uplink signals to a network within the range of the reduced maximum transmit power of the user equipment. |
| US08743813B2 |
Method for transmitting reference signals
A method and apparatus for transmitting reference signals in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method and apparatus includes reference signal, RS, transmission in resource blocks supporting multiple antenna port transmission, at least one broadcast channel being provided in resource blocks belonging to a first set of resource blocks, a first number of reference signals being transmitted in at least one resource block supporting multiple antenna port transmission and a second number of reference signals being transmitted in at least one resource block belonging to a second set of resource blocks. Preferably, different resource elements, REs, are used for each reference signal in resource blocks. An example embodiment of reference signal support of, e.g., eight antenna ports is provided. |
| US08743807B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting reference signal
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically, to a method and an apparatus for transmitting an RS (Reference Signal) from a transmission end. The present invention relates to an RS transmission method and an apparatus therefore, comprising the steps of: confirming RS resources which are defined according to each layer; and transmitting the precoded RS for the layers to a receiving end through a multiple antenna, wherein the RS resource includes a 1st index for indicating an RS resource pattern group in which the precoded RS is mapped within a resource block and a 2nd index for indicating a code resource for multiplexing the precoded RSs within the RS resource pattern group. |
| US08743803B2 |
Spectrum allocation system and method for multi-band wireless RF data communications
A dual band spectrum allocation system and method for wireless data communications uses discrete bands for upstream and downstream data communications. A preferred embodiment uses unlicensed UNII bands for license-free data transmissions from a subscriber to a hub, and uses relatively interference free licensed bands for data transmissions from a hub to subscribers, thereby allowing use of greater bandwidth, simplifying system licensing and reducing filtering requirements for subscribers. |
| US08743800B2 |
Method of multimedia broadcast multicast service content aware scheduling and receiving in a wireless communication system and related communication device
A method of multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) content aware scheduling and receiving for network of a wireless communication system includes receiving data of different resolutions generated from a data source from an MBMS content provider, and scheduling a plurality of MBMS services of different resolution levels formed with the received data on a plurality of multicast traffic channels overlapping in time, wherein data of an MBMS service of a first resolution level on a first multicast traffic channel are shared with another multicast traffic channel corresponding to an MBMS service of a second resolution higher than the first resolution. |
| US08743797B2 |
Method of allocating radio resouces in a wireless communication system
A method of allocating radio resources in a wireless communication system is disclosed. In one aspect of the present invention, in a wireless communication system, a user equipment requests a base station to allocate radio resources for uplink data transmission of at least one time in accordance with a first radio resource allocation request mode. The user equipment requests the base station to allocate the radio resources for uplink data transmission in accordance with a second radio resource allocation request mode if a predetermined condition is satisfied. |
| US08743795B2 |
Detection time of semi-persistent scheduling activation/reconfiguration signaling
A method is provided for improving reliability in detection of an identifier for a user agent is provided. The method includes the user agent attempting to decode semi-persistent scheduling activation/reconfiguration signaling over a physical downlink control channel only during a discontinuous reception (DRX) on-duration. |
| US08743787B2 |
Prohibition of sounding reference signal transmission on newly activated secondary cells
In a wireless network supporting aggregation of uplink component carriers, sounding reference signals, SRS, are transmitted (62) on an uplink, UL, primary component carrier. An activation command corresponding to an UL secondary component carrier, SCC, is received (64), in response to which the receiving transceiver determines (65) whether it has valid timing information for the UL SCC, wherein valid timing information for the UL SCC indicates that the UL SCC is UL synchronized. In response to this determination, transmission of SRS on the UL SCC is enabled (66) if the UL SCC is synchronized, when SRS is configured for the UL SCC. Otherwise, transmission of SRS on the UL SCC is prohibited (68) until the UL SCC is UL synchronized. |
| US08743783B2 |
Method and apparatus for information transmission in wireless communication system
Provided are a method and an apparatus for information transmission that is performed by a transmitter in a wireless communication system. The method comprises the steps of: acquiring a first resource index and a second resource index; generating information sequences based on the first resource index and the second resource index; and transmitting the information sequences via a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the second resource index is acquired from the first resource index and the offset. |
| US08743778B2 |
Systems and methods for obtaining network credentials
Systems and methods for obtaining network credentials are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method comprises receiving, with a digital device, a network identifier from a network device, providing a first credential request including the network identifier to another digital device on a network, receiving a request for additional network information from the other digital device, providing a second credential request including additional network information to the other digital device, receiving a credential request response including network credentials from the other digital device, and providing the network credentials from the credential request response to a network device. |
| US08743772B2 |
Mobility load balancing and resource status report for scenarios with relay nodes
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques and apparatuses for wireless communications. The techniques generally include intercepting a report message from a relay node destined for a target base station, modifying the report message based on information not available at the relay node, and sending the modified report message to the target base station. |
| US08743769B2 |
Radio communication device and radio communication system
Disclosed is a radio communication device capable of improving the usage efficiency of resources in multi-stage relay to reduce the amount of delay of a relay signal and improving the reception quality of signals by a relay station or a base station. A transmission determining unit 16 determines whether to transmit the relay signal and whether to transmit ACK/NACK on the basis of whether there is an error in the relay signal, and on the basis of ACK/NACK received from a one-hop-downstream radio communication device. An MCS determining unit 17 provided in the transmission determining unit 16 determines an MCS for the relay signal. A transmission instruction generated by the transmission determining unit 16 is output to a buffer 11 and an ACK/NACK generating unit 19. The determined MCS is output to an error correction coding unit 12 and a modulation unit 13. The ACK/NACK generating unit 19 generates ACK when there is no error in the relay signal, and generates NACK when there is an error in the relay signal. |
| US08743765B2 |
Power save mechanism for wireless communication devices
Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to enable power save modes of operation between mobile wireless devices for direct data transfer in an infrastructure BSS. An example embodiment inserts in a message that is transmitted by the transmitting mobile wireless device, a specified time when a next active direct data transfer period will start so that the devices can remain in power save mode in a direct data transfer link until that time. Then, when the next active direct data transfer period is about to start, the receiving device sends a trigger signal based on the specified time, the trigger signal indicating that the next period is about to start. This confirms to the transmitting device that the receiving device has awakened, so that the transmitting device may start transmitting the data to the receiving device via the direct data transfer link. |
| US08743762B2 |
Partial DMM reception to reduce standby power
Methods and systems to receive a multiple-carrier signal having periodic control packets, wherein each bit of a control packet is redundant on a plurality of the carrier signals, and to recover the control packet from a subset of the carrier signals in a standby mode. In an operational mode, a full bandwidth of the multiple-carrier signal digitized and processed. In a standby mode, the digitized signal may be digitally low pass filtered and decimated to obtain sample points corresponding to the subset of the carrier signals, and the samples may be processed with a reduced-bandwidth FFT and a reduced-bandwidth equalizer. Standby mode parameters corresponding to the subset of carrier signals may be selected based on signal to noise ratios (SNRs) of the signal sub-carriers. A minimum set of carrier signals needed to recover a control packet, and corresponding bit locations, may be determined from bit loading information and SNR. |
| US08743761B2 |
Implement method for power control of the high speed shared control channel and the high speed shared information channel
The present invention discloses a method for implementing power control of the high speed shared control channel and the high speed shared information channel, including: Node B independently setting the initial transmit power of the HS-SCCH with reference to the maximum power of HS-SCCH configured by higher layer and completing the open-loop power control; performing the close-loop power control based on transmit power control TPC command; UE calculating the initial transmit power based on a series of parameters configured by the higher layer and completing the open-loop power control; UE adjusting the close-loop transmit power based on the TPC command carried on HS-SCCH and completing the close-loop power control. Wherein, Node B generates the TPC by taking the high speed shared information channel SNR generated by itself as the target value and the high speed shared information channel SNR measured as the actual value. The present invention can achieve the power control of HS-SCCH and HS-SICH based on the TPC parameters for HS-SICH close-loop control calculated by Node B. |
| US08743760B2 |
Method and apparatus utilizing protocols
A method including receiving data in at least one link layer message from a first access node at a second access node, the first access node being associated with the second node; determining if said data is to be sent to a third access node; and, sending the data in at least one internet protocol message to the third access node. The first access node may be a relay node. |
| US08743754B2 |
Transmitter having multiple antennas
The present invention is directed to a wireless communication system, more specifically, a transmitter used for wireless communication and a method for the same. The transmitter used for wireless communication comprises a plurality of transmitting antennas; a plurality of radio frequency (RF) chains configured for each of the transmitting antennas; a signal generator generating one or more transmitting signals at a base band; and an RF switch mapping the one or more transmitting signals into the plurality of RF chains. |
| US08743753B2 |
Digital signage system
A digital signage system, includes: a gateway device, coupled to a network; at least one first hot spot, including: an adaptor box, coupled to the gateway device, downloading a content transmitted through the network via the gateway device; a first access point device, coupled to the gateway device, downloading a service on the network via the gateway device; and a display device, coupled to the adaptor box, displaying the content through the adaptor box, and at least one second hot spot, including: a second access point device, coupled to the gateway device, downloading the service via the gateway device, wherein the first access point device and the second access point device provide the service to at least one mobile terminal through wireless communication. |
| US08743752B2 |
Method and apparatus for status transition
A method and apparatus for status transition are provided in the disclosure, which enable a wireless side network element to judge that a service request message is a paging response message after receiving the service request message, transmit an initial user equipment message to a mobility management entity, and indicate that the service request message is valid in the initial user equipment message. The method and apparatus of the disclosure solve the problem that the mobility management entity is unable to make a correct judgment and corresponding logical processing, and improve processing efficiency of the mobile communication system effectively. |
| US08743749B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing flexible usage of unpaired frequencies
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which it is determined, by a first device, if a transmission using a second frequency band to a second device will result in a parameter exceeding a threshold value, and content is either transmitted using a first frequency band upon a determination that the transmission to the second device will result in the parameter exceeding the threshold, or transmitted using the first frequency band and a second frequency band upon a determination that the transmission to the second device will result in the parameter not exceeding the threshold, wherein the first and second frequency bands are different. |
| US08743744B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiplexing an antenna element, and antenna component
A method and an apparatus for multiplexing an antenna element, and an antenna component can reduce power loss caused by multiplexing of the antenna element. The apparatus includes an antenna element, a filter, and a DUP. The antenna element is connected to the filter and the DUP separately, and a suppression band of the filter includes a bandpass band of the DUP. The filter is configured to filter the signals sent by the antenna element and the DUP and/or the signals to be sent to the antenna element and the DUP to make signals of a first band pass through. The DUP is configured to filter the signals sent by the antenna element and the filter and/or the signals to be sent to the antenna element and the filter to make signals of a second band pass through. |
| US08743741B2 |
Network reconfiguration method
A method of reconfiguring a data unit communication network that comprises bridge nodes is described. Each bridge node comprises two or more ports for receiving and sending data units, a controller for controlling said bridge node and for handling received data units, and a record for associating data unit address information with port identification information. The controller is capable of querying said record for determining which one or more ports to forward a received data unit to. The method comprises performing a topology reconfiguration procedure for said data unit communication network when detecting an occurrence of any one of one or more topology reconfiguration conditions, and performing a purge procedure of the records of the bridge nodes when detecting an occurrence of an indication of an upcoming topology reconfiguration of the data unit communication network, the indication being different from any of said topology reconfiguration conditions, and continuing to handle data units in the bridge nodes during the purge procedure. |
| US08743733B2 |
Switching frame and router cluster
A switching chassis includes more than one cascade unit and more than one switching unit, where: the cascade units have cascade interfaces to connect line processing chassis; the switching units have switching ports to connect the cascade interfaces; and any cascade interface of any cascade unit is connected to one switching port of any switching unit. A router cluster with the above switching chassis includes switching chassis and line processing chassis interconnected via optical fibers, where: any optical interface of any line processing chassis is connected to one cascade interface of any cascade unit; and any cascade interface of any cascade unit is connected to one switching port of any switching unit. With the present invention, the capacity of a router cluster can be expanded without the need to replace any component of the router cluster so that the expansion cost is lower. |
| US08743731B2 |
Discovery for fibre channel over ethernet devices
Techniques are provided for performing discovery in a Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) network. An FCF discovers other FCoE Forwarders (FCFs) connected to its network segment by transmitting a solicitation message to the multicast MAC address “All-FCF-MACs”. All FCFs receive packets with this multicast MAC address including the solicitation message that announces the presence of the FCF. Each FCF replies with a unicast advertisement message that provides the new FCF with a MAC address of the responding FCF. The FCF builds a list of the FCFs available on its network segment and may then establish a virtual link with one or more of the FCFs through an exchange link parameter (ELP) exchange. |
| US08743728B2 |
Radio base station and mobile communication method
A radio base station eNB according to the present invention includes: a CQI reception unit 11 configured to receive CQI in PDSCH from a mobile station UE; a CQI adjustment unit 13 configured to adjust the received CQI based on a transmission acknowledgement result for a downlink data signal transmitted via the PDSCH; a selectable TF number calculation unit 22 configured to calculate a selectable maximum transport block size based on the number of mobile stations UE in each scheduling unit period; and an MCS selection unit 15 configured to select a modulation scheme and a coding rate, which are to be applied to each resource blocks in the PDSCH, based on the adjusted CQI and a transmission format corresponding to the calculated selectable maximum transport block size. |
| US08743726B2 |
System and method for unbalanced relay-based wireless communications
A method and system for wireless communication with a mobile device in which wireless communication is established with the mobile device. A base station is used to transmit directly to the mobile device in a downlink direction. A relay node is used to transmit to the base station communications received in an uplink direction from the mobile station. The relay node relays at least a portion of the uplink traffic received from the mobile station to the base station. |
| US08743725B2 |
Method and arrangement for positioning a wireless device
The present invention relates to a method in a network node 40 and a network node 40 with positioning functionality in a wireless communications network in a multi-carrier system. The network node 40 enables UTDOA, Uplink Time Difference of Arrival, positioning measurements for a wireless device in the multi-carrier system. The network node (40) being configured to receive interference or load related information for carriers available for UTDOA positioning measurements and to select at least one carrier for UTDOA positioning measurements based on the interference or load related information. |
| US08743722B2 |
Radio terminal, radio communication system, and radio base station
A radio terminal (1100A) comprises a communication unit (1120), a measurement unit (1140A), a measurement unit (1140B), and a control unit (1160A). The communication unit (1120) selects one of the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) scheme and the OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) scheme as a communication scheme to be used in a cell formed by a radio base station and performs radio communication. The measurement unit (1140A) measures the receiving quality relating to the time difference between the preceding wave of a received signal and the delayed wave thereof in the OFDM scheme. The measurement unit (1140B) measures the receiving quality of a received signal in the CDMA scheme. In the case where the OFDM scheme is selected as the communication scheme to be used in an idle state, when the receiving quality relating to the time difference which is obtained by the measurement unit (1140A) is deteriorated below a threshold value corresponding to a guard interval used in the OFDM scheme, the control unit (1160A) causes the measurement unit (1140B) to measure the receiving quality of the received signal in the CDMA scheme. |
| US08743717B2 |
Multi-carrier communications with adaptive cluster configuration and switching
A method and apparatus for allocating subcarriers in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises allocating at least one diversity cluster of subcarriers to a first subscriber and allocating at least one coherence cluster to a second subscriber. |
| US08743716B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for identifying invalid nodes within a mesh network
Systems, methods, and apparatus for identifying, invalid nodes within a mesh network are provided. A routing table may be maintained by a utility meter. The routing table may include information associated with one or more devices in communication with the utility meter via a mesh network. A change in the routing table may be identified by the utility meter, and an alert message associated with the identified change may be generated by the utility meter. The generated alert may then be output by the utility meter for communication to a central controller configured to process the alert message to identify an invalid node within the mesh network. |
| US08743715B1 |
Methods and systems for calibrating a network switch
A network switch includes first and second clock-and-data-recovery (CDR) circuits, a cross-bar switch to couple the first and second CDR circuits, and a first test pattern generation circuit electrically coupled with the first CDR circuit. The first test pattern generation circuit is configured to generate a test pattern and transmit the test pattern from the first CDR circuit to the second CDR circuit via the cross-bar switch. The network switch also includes a first test pattern checking circuit, electrically coupled with the second CDR circuit, to verify the test pattern received at the second CDR circuit. |
| US08743709B1 |
Providing a signaling interface between a circuit-switched domain and a packet-switched domain to enable provision of services to a multi-mode mobile station
Services are provided to a multi-mode mobile station that is attachable to a packet-switched access network and a circuit-switched access network. A first message indicating a service relating to the multi-mode mobile station is received, and in response to the first message, a control message is sent over a signaling interface from a first node in a circuit-switched domain to a second node in a packet-switched domain. The control message contains a circuit-switched control indication to enable the service to be performed. |
| US08743699B1 |
RFID tag assisted GPS receiver system
A system and method are disclosed for improving the speed of operation and accuracy of GPS receivers. The system comprises a RFID assisted GPS (RAGPS) receiver and geographically dispersed RFID assistance tags. The RAGPS receiver and the RFID assistance tags store location data comprising current location estimate, almanac, and ephemeris data. The location data is time stamped. The RFID assisted GPS (RAGPS) receiver comprises a GPS receiver, a RFID tag reader, a RFID transmitter and a controller. The controller comprises software that transfers the location data to and from the RAGPS receiver and a RFID assistance tag. The method discloses the RAGPS receivers reading up-to-date location data from a nearby RFID assistance tags and similarly if the RAGPS receivers have up-to-date location data already, the RAGPS receivers may write that location data to a nearby assistance tags that lacks up-to-date location data. |
| US08743695B1 |
Transmission channel feedback in a wireless network
The present invention relates to a method to improve the communication performance of a network of transceivers stations. The method comprises of a plurality of transceiver stations transmitting signals to each other, calculating the channel for the signal received at one station, and then conveying the information about the channel to the transmitting station. |
| US08743693B2 |
Method for dynamically adjusting token bucket sizes
The invention includes a method for determining a maximum size of a token bucket. One method includes detecting a condition and determining the maximum token bucket size in response to the condition. The condition may include one of a packet drop and a reduction of a current token bucket size, an actual information rate satisfying a rate threshold, or a current token bucket size satisfying a size threshold. Another method includes detecting a packet drop, detecting a reduction of a current token bucket size, and determining the maximum token bucket size in response to the packet drop and the reduction of the current token bucket size. Another method includes detecting a condition and performing an initial bucket size adaptation in response to the condition where the initial bucket size adaptation has an initial adaptation rate greater than a subsequent adaptation rate associated with a subsequent bucket size adaptation. |
| US08743689B2 |
Method and apparatus for SMS termination overload protection
In order to ameliorate the overload at an overloaded network node that is discarding some of the SMSs it is receiving, when a node is overloaded with received SMSs, it sends a message to the nodes from which it is receiving SMSs of that fact and includes a parameter indicating the extent to which it is overloaded. That parameter, for instance, may be the percentage of SMSs that it is receiving that are being discarded. With this information, the sending node can determine a percentage of the pending SMSs during such conditions that will help remove the overloaded node from the overload condition more quickly. Furthermore, the network protocol may be adapted to include a priority parameter in SMSs. Then, when an SMS sending node knows that a node to which it is sending SMSs is overloaded, the sending node may decide which SMSs to send to the overloaded node based on such priority information. |
| US08743688B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically controlling internet protocol packet handling in a voice over internet protocol network
In one embodiment, the present disclosure is a method and apparatus for dynamically controlling Internet Protocol packet flows in a Voice over Internet Protocol network. In one embodiment, a method for controlling flows of packets in a network includes obtaining a list identifying at least one user element that is authorized to register with the network and dynamically configuring a manner in which at least one border element handles the packets in accordance with the list. |
| US08743684B2 |
GPRS default bearer tracking
The invention is directed to providing a method and apparatus for managing and tracking default bearers in an Internet Protocol Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) session of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network while observing the requirements of the GPRS specifications. |
| US08743681B2 |
Fault-tolerance and resource management in a network
A method including receiving network topology and resource management information; generating a mapping between the network topology of a network and resource reservation paths associated with flows using the network based on the network topology and resource management information; generating a failure recovery plan (FRP) based on the mapping, wherein the FRP instructs one or more other network devices on how to manage a failure such that one or more resource reservation paths associated with flows impacted by the failure are not deleted; and loading the FRP on the one or more other network devices. |
| US08743680B2 |
Hierarchical network failure handling in a clustered node environment
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method and technique for hierarchical network failure handling in a clustered node environment is disclosed. The method includes: detecting a network failure by a node in a cluster, the cluster having plural nodes arranged in a hierarchy, wherein the network failure is associated with a subordinate node in the hierarchy to the detecting node; communicating the network failure from the detecting node to a superior node in the hierarchy; determining whether the network failure affects nodes higher than the detecting node in the hierarchy; and responsive to determining that the network failure does not affect nodes higher than the detecting node in the hierarchy, the detecting node initiating a protocol to expel the subordinate node from the cluster. |
| US08743677B2 |
VPLS N-PE redundancy with STP isolation
In one embodiment, a system includes a first network, a second network, and a core network connecting the first network to the second network. The first network includes a first set of two or more network devices, wherein the first network has a first spanning tree associated therewith. Similarly, the second network includes a second set of two or more network devices, wherein the second network has a second spanning tree associated therewith, wherein the second spanning tree is separate from the first spanning tree. |
| US08743674B2 |
Frequency domain echo and next cancellation
A cancellation system is disclosed for processing incoming and outgoing signals in a transform domain to create a cancellation signal for reducing or removing unwanted interference. Data is ordered based on Good-Thomas indexing into a two dimensional array in a buffer. The two dimensional array may have lr rows and lw columns. From the buffer, the columns of data undergo a Winograd small transform. The rows of data undergo a Cooley-Tukey operation to complete the transform operation into the frequency domain. Multipliers scale the transformed data to generate a cancellation signal in the frequency domain. Inverse (Cooley-Tukey) and Winograd transforms perform inverse processing on the cancellation signal to return the cancellation signal or data to the time domain. Re-ordering the data and combination of the cancellation signal or data with incoming or outgoing signals achieve interference cancellation. |
| US08743672B2 |
Optical disk manufacturing apparatus and optical disk manufacturing method
In an optical disk manufacturing apparatus, a movement mechanism changes the movement speed of a laser beam irradiation component from a first to a second speed at a first radial position located within where the laser beam irradiation component moves from an inner peripheral region of the optical disk to an identification information recording region of the optical disk, and changes the movement speed from the second to a third speed at a second radial position at which the laser beam irradiation component has reached the identification information recording region at the second speed. The second speed is lower than the first speed and the third speed. The laser beam irradiation component records the identification information by irradiating with a laser beam while alternating between a first power level and a second power level low enough not to crystallize the recording layer, when moving through the identification information recording region. |
| US08743669B2 |
Optical disc drive and method of accessing optical disc
An optical disc drive and a method of reading an optical disc are disclosed. The drive includes an I/O port, an optical pickup module and a format conversion unit. The I/O port couples a host to receive a read command of a host terminal file system format. The optical pickup module accesses the optical disc which contains data of a first file system format. The format conversion unit coupled between the I/O port and the optical pickup module includes a mapping information generation module, a memory module and a read-command processing module. The mapping information generation module controls the optical pickup module to access data and thereby to generate mapping information. The memory module stores the mapping information. The read-command processing module controls the optical pickup module to access the optical disc according to the read command by referring to the mapping information. |
| US08743665B2 |
Light source chip and a thermally assisted head with the same, and manufacturing methods thereof
A manufacturing method of a light source chip for a thermally assisted head comprises steps of (a) providing a light source bar with a surface coating formed thereon; (b) forming several blind holes on the predetermined positions of the light source bar by etching, the blind hole having a top hollowed on the surface coating and a bottom hollowed on the light source bar, and the blind hole having a first biggest width at its top; (c) cutting the light source bar along every two adjacent blind holes by a cutting machine. The cutting machine has a cutting means with a second biggest width that is smaller than the first biggest width of the blind hole, thereby cutting down an individual light source chip without contacting the side edges of the blind hole. Thus a light source chip with a smooth edge and without cracks on the surface can be obtained; and the surface coating formed thereon is hard to be peeled off. |
| US08743659B1 |
Systems and methods for communicating in a multi-device environment
The invention provides devices and methods for using acoustics to communicate between a macro-scale transceiver and a micro-device or between multiple micro-devices. The micro-devices may passively scatter sound from a transceiver or actively generate sound. Acoustic waves can also provide power to a micro-device. |
| US08743657B1 |
Resolution analysis using vector components of a scattered acoustic intensity field
A target analysis method that includes the steps of: illuminating a target with acoustic waves; positioning a device at multiple acoustic vector sensing positions about the target in a scattered acoustic field of reflected waves to simultaneously measure acoustic pressure and particle velocity at each vector sensing position; converting using a Hilbert transform the measured acoustic pressures and particle velocities into a complex signal having active real and reactive imaginary vector component; computing respective active and reactive acoustic intensities at each vector components; and mapping field structure nulls being zero crossings of the active and reactive intensities to a bitmap representation of decomposed scattered target acoustic intensities of the target. |
| US08743650B2 |
Block repair scheme
Systems, memory arrays and methods (e.g., methods of block repair) are provided. One such system includes a memory array including a memory bank including a plurality of sections, wherein each of the plurality of sections includes at least one redundant row. Further embodiments provide for mapping non-redundant rows associated with a section associated with a block failure to distributed redundant rows. |
| US08743645B2 |
Semiconductor memory device for stably reading and writing data
In a semiconductor memory device, static memory cells are arranged in rows and columns, word lines correspond to respective memory cell rows, and word line drivers drive correspond to word lines. Cell power supply lines correspond to respective memory cell columns and are coupled to cell power supply nodes of a memory cell in a corresponding column. Down power supply lines are arranged corresponding to respective memory cell columns, maintained at ground voltage in data reading and rendered electrically floating in data writing. Write assist elements are arranged corresponding to the cell power supply lines, and according to a write column instruction signal for stopping supply of a cell power supply voltage to the cell power supply line in a selected column, and for coupling the cell power supply line arranged corresponding to the selected column at least to the down power supply line on the corresponding column. |
| US08743636B2 |
Memory module having a write-timing calibration mode
In memory module populated by memory components having a write-timing calibration mode, control information that specifies a write operation is received via an address/control signal path and write data corresponding to the write operation is received via a data signal path. Each memory component receives multiple delayed versions of a timing signal used to indicate that the write data is valid, and outputs signals corresponding to the multiple delayed versions of the timing signal to enable determination, in a memory controller, of a delay interval between outputting the control information on the address/control signal path and outputting the write data on the data signal path. |
| US08743633B2 |
Integrated semiconductor device
An integrated semiconductor device including: a first semiconductor device having a clock generation section, first data storage sections storing input data as transfer data, data output terminals provided, one for each of the first data storage sections, and a clock output terminal adapted to output a transfer clock; and a second semiconductor device having data input terminals which receive the transfer data, a clock input terminal adapted to receive the transfer clock, second data storage sections associated with the data input terminals respectively to store input data, and selection sections associated with the second data storage sections respectively to select either the transfer data or data shifted and output to the associated second data storage section in a first series circuit which is formed by connecting the second data storage sections in series, the selection sections supplying the selected data to the associated second data storage section. |
| US08743632B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device, operating method thereof, and data storage device having the same
A nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of memory cells arranged at a region where a word line and a bit line cross each other, a voltage generator configured to generate a program voltage to apply to the word line by increasing the program voltage by an increment whenever a program loop is repeated, a current sensing check unit configured to compare a number of failed memory cells among the memory cells to first and second reference values, and a control logic configured to control the voltage generator to change the increment according to the comparison result of the current sensing check unit. |
| US08743629B2 |
Preloading data into a flash storage device
Programmer's data that is transferred from a programming device (160) to a storage device (100) is initially stored in a memory device (120) of the storage device (100) by using a durable data-retention storage setup (210). After the storage device is embedded in a host device (170), the programmer's data is internally (i.e., in the storage device) read from the memory device and rewritten into the memory device by using a conventional storage setup (220). Using a durable data-retention storage setup may include temporarily (i.e., before the storage device is embedded in a host) operating selected memory cells (124) of the memory device as conventional single-bit per cell (SBC) cells or as unconventional multi-bit per cell (MBC) cells. After the storage device (100) is embedded in a host device (170), the programmer's data, or selected parts thereof, is read from the memory device (120) and rewritten into it by operating selected memory cells (126, 128) of the memory device as conventional MBC cells. |
| US08743628B2 |
Line driver circuits, methods, and apparatuses
Described embodiments are directed to line drivers, such as those for providing reduced gate induced drain leakage in a memory array. Corresponding methods of operation of line drivers are also disclosed. |
| US08743627B2 |
Memory device and voltage interpreting method for read bit line
A memory device comprises a memory cell array, a first and a second pre-charging switch circuits, a selecting circuit, an auxiliary memory cell array, a dynamic voltage controller and a sense amplifier. The auxiliary memory cell array comprises an auxiliary read bit line and a plurality of memory cells arranged in a column and electrically connected to the auxiliary read bit line. The second pre-charging switch circuit determines whether or not to supply a reference voltage to each of the aforementioned memory cells according to a pre-charging control signal. The dynamic voltage controller determines whether or not to supply a voltage to the auxiliary read bit line according to the voltage level of the output signal of the selecting circuit. The sense amplifier compares the voltage levels of the output signal of the selecting circuit and the voltage on the auxiliary read bit line to output a sensing result accordingly. |
| US08743626B2 |
Controlling a non-volatile memory
Controlling a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory includes a plurality of memory cells in an integrated circuit substrate. The non-volatile memory also includes a high-voltage node in power-transmissive communication with the plurality of memory cells. Further, the non-volatile memory includes an intermediate-voltage node in power-transmissive communication with the plurality of memory cells. Moreover, the non-volatile memory includes a counter-doped-gate device, coupled within the integrated circuit substrate, in power-transmissive communication between the high-voltage node and the intermediate-voltage node. |
| US08743625B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit adapted to output pass/fail results of internal operations
In a semiconductor integrated circuit, an internal circuit is capable of executing a first operation and a second operation concurrently, and an output circuit outputs to the outside of the semiconductor integrated circuit information indicating whether or not the first operation is being executed and information indicating whether or not the second operation is executable. |
| US08743624B2 |
Programming and selectively erasing non-volatile storage
A non-volatile storage system performs programming for a plurality of non-volatile storage elements and selectively performs re-erasing of at least a subset of the non-volatile storage elements that were supposed to remain erased, without intentionally erasing programmed data. |
| US08743623B2 |
Apparatus and methods of bit line setup
Methods and apparatus are disclosed, including an apparatus that has a memory cell array with a memory cell selectively coupled to a bit line. A control circuit is configured to provide a control signal. A voltage generator is configured to provide a sense signal and a precharge signal in response to the control signal. The apparatus further includes a page buffer configured to provide a bit line voltage to the bit line based on the sense signal and the precharge signal, to thereby control a programming of the memory cell. |
| US08743621B2 |
Operating method in a non-volatile memory device
A method of verifying a non-volatile memory device includes precharging a bit line to a high level through a sensing node by applying a first voltage to a bit line select transistor coupled between the bit line and the sensing node; applying a verifying voltage to a plurality of word lines; disconnecting the bit line from the sensing node; and coupling the bit line to the sensing node by applying a second voltage to the bit line select transistor so as to detect a level of the bit line, the second voltage being smaller than the first voltage, wherein, a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage in a verifying operation is higher than a difference between a first voltage and a second voltage that are used in a read operation. |
| US08743620B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and program verify method thereof
A program verify method of the nonvolatile memory device includes supplying a first program verify voltage to a word line coupled to memory cells of a memory cell array, sensing a voltage of a bit line coupled to the memory cells in response to a first sense signal, supplying a second program verify voltage higher than the first program verify voltage to the word line, and sensing a voltage of the bit line in response to a second sense signal having a lower voltage level than the first sense signal. |
| US08743614B2 |
Vertically-integrated nonvolatile memory devices having laterally-integrated ground select transistors
Nonvolatile memory devices utilize vertically-stacked strings of nonvolatile memory cells (e.g., NAND-type strings) that can be selectively coupled to common source lines within a substrate. This selective coupling may be provided by lateral ground select transistors having different threshold voltages that account for different lateral spacings between the vertically-stacked strings of nonvolatile memory cells and the common source lines. |
| US08743611B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor memory device
A first capacitor includes a plurality of first conductive layers and second conductive layers. The first conductive layers function as a first electrode of the first capacitor, the second conductive layers function as a second electrode of the first capacitor. The first conductive layers and the second conductive layers are arranged alternately in the direction substantially perpendicular to a semiconductor substrate. A control circuit is configured to control a voltage applied to each of first conductive layers and the second conductive layers according to voltages of gates of a plurality of memory transistors, thereby changing a capacitance of the first capacitor. |
| US08743609B1 |
Method and apparatus for increasing data retention capability of a non-volatile memory
Semi-volatile NAND flash memory systems, apparatuses, and methods for use are described herein. According to various embodiments, a semi-volatile NAND flash memory may be partitioned into various retention regions. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08743606B2 |
Natural threshold voltage distribution compaction in non-volatile memory
In a non-volatile memory system, a programming operation applies programming pulses to a target word line, determines when a specified number of the non-volatile storage elements reach a defined verify level, and counts a specified number of the programming pulses after the specified number of the non-volatile storage elements reach the defined verify level. Upon completion of the counting, faster-programming storage elements are distinguished from slower-programming storage elements. Programming continues for of at least some of the faster-programming non-volatile storage elements, with an associated programming speed-based slow down measure imposed thereon, and for at least some of the slower-programming non-volatile storage elements without imposing a programming speed-based slow down measure. |
| US08743602B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device
Embodiments of present invention relate to a nonvolatile memory device that includes a first page buffer controlling any one of a first even bit line and a first odd bit line; a second page buffer controlling any one of a second even bit line and a second odd bit line; wherein the second page buffer operates the second odd bit line according to program when the first page buffer operates the first even bit line according to program, and the second page buffer operates the second even bit line according to program when the first page buffer operates the first odd bit line according to program. |
| US08743599B2 |
Approach for phase change memory cells targeting different device specifications
A memory chip and methods of fabricating a memory device with different programming performance and retention characteristics on a single wafer. One method includes depositing a first bounded area of phase change material on the wafer and depositing a second bounded area of phase change material on the wafer. The method includes modifying the chemical composition of a switching volume of the first bounded area of phase change material. The method includes forming a first memory cell in the first bounded area of phase change material with a modified switching volume of phase change material and a second memory cell in the second bounded area of phase change material with an unmodified switching volume of phase change material such that the first memory cell has a first retention property and the second memory cell has a second retention property. The first retention property is different from the second retention property. |
| US08743598B2 |
Reversing a potential polarity for reading phase-change cells to shorten a recovery delay after programming
A potential supplied to selected cells in a Phase Change Memory (PCM) is reversed in polarity following a program operation to suppress a recovery time and provide device stabilization for a read operation. |
| US08743596B2 |
Magnetoresistive random access memory
A method of forming a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) apparatus includes forming a first conductive line on a first insulating layer, forming a second insulating layer on the first conductive line and forming a magnetic tunnel junction through the second insulating layer to contact the first conductive line. The method also includes forming a cavity adjacent to the magnetic tunnel junction in the second insulating layer and forming a second conductive line on the second insulating layer to contact the magnetic tunnel junction. |
| US08743592B2 |
Memory circuit properly workable under low working voltage
A memory circuit properly workable under low working voltage includes a plurality of write word lines, a plurality of write bit lines, a plurality of read/write word lines, a plurality of read/write bit lines, a plurality of read/write inverted word lines, a plurality of virtual voltage source circuits, a plurality of virtual ground circuits, and a plurality of asymmetrical RAM cells constituting a cell array. The asymmetrical RAM cells are formed of seven transistors, five of which are NMOS transistors and two of which are PMOS transistors. The virtual voltage power source circuit and the virtual ground circuit can reinforce the write-in and read abilities under low working voltage to make the write-in and read actions more stable, decrease leakage current, and lower power consumption. |
| US08743590B2 |
Memory device and semiconductor device using the same
A memory device whose speed at the time of operation such as writing or reading is high and whose number of semiconductor elements per memory cell is small is provided. The memory device includes a control unit, an arithmetic unit, and a buffer memory device. The buffer memory device stores data sent from a main memory device and/or the arithmetic unit, in accordance with an instruction from the control unit. The buffer memory device includes a plurality of memory cells. The memory cells each include a transistor including a channel formation region including an oxide semiconductor, and a memory element to which charge with an amount in accordance with a value of the data is supplied through the transistor. Further, a data retention time of the memory cell corresponding to a valid bit is shorter than a data retention time of the memory cell corresponding to a data field. |
| US08743589B2 |
Arrays of vertically stacked tiers of non-volatile cross point memory cells and methods of reading a data value stored by an array of vertically stacked tiers of non-volatile cross point memory cells
An array of vertically stacked tiers of non-volatile cross point memory cells includes a plurality of horizontally oriented word lines within individual tiers of memory cells. A plurality of horizontally oriented global bit lines having local vertical bit line extensions extend through multiple of the tiers. Individual of the memory cells comprise multi-resistive state material received between one of the horizontally oriented word lines and one of the local vertical bit line extensions where such cross, with such ones comprising opposing conductive electrodes of individual memory cells where such cross. A plurality of bit line select circuits individually electrically and physically connects to individual of the local vertical bit line extensions and are configured to supply a voltage potential to an individual of the global horizontal bit lines. Other embodiments and aspects are disclosed. |
| US08743588B2 |
Resistance-change memory device and method of operating the same
Disclosed herein is a resistance-change memory device including a bit line; a voltage supplying layer; a memory element connected between the bit line and the voltage supplying layer, a resistance value of the memory element being changed in accordance with an applied voltage; and a drive controlling circuit causing a first current to flow through the bit line and causing a second current smaller than the first current to flow through the bit line, thereby controlling a resistance decreasing operation in which the memory element is made to transit from a high resistance state to a low resistance state by using the second current. |
| US08743587B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes first cells, first lines, second lines, a first cell array, and a signal driver. The first cell has in either a first state or a second state. Retention time in the second state is longer than in the first state. The first cell array has the first cells formed in a matrix the individuals. The first cells are electrically connected by the first, second lines. The signal driver drives the first cells. The signal driver causes the first cells to transition to either the first state or the second state by controlling any one of a voltage, a current, and a charge amount applied to the first cells, or a combination of these, and waveforms of the voltage, current, and charge amount and/or the length of transfer time of at least one of the voltage, current, and charge amount. |
| US08743586B2 |
Method and structure for ultra-high density, high data rate ferroelectric storage disk technology using stabilization by a surface conducting layer
A electrometric access head includes a supporting substrate and a plurality of read elements mounted on the supporting substrate. Each read element includes an electrometric sensor for detection of a sign of polarization of domains within a ferroelectric data layer of a ferroelectric storage medium. The ferroelectric data layer serves as a layer for storing information as bits defined by the signs of polarization of domains within the ferroelectric data layer, each polarized domain including a volume dipole polarization within the ferroelectric data layer and including an area of bound charge on and adjacent to a surface of the ferroelectric data layer. |
| US08743582B2 |
3D semiconductor device
A three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor device may include a stack of chips, including a master chip and one or more slave chips. I/O connections of slave chips need not be connected to channels on a motherboard, and only electrode pads of a master chip may be connected to the channels. Only the master chip may provide a load to the channels. A through-substrate via (TSV) boundary may be set on a data input path, a data output path, an address/command path, and/or a clock path of a semiconductor device in which the same type of semiconductor chips are stacked. |
| US08743581B2 |
Memory devices having break cells
A representative memory device includes a cell array, at least one break cell that subdivides the cell array into bit cell arrays, and one or more power switches that are electrically coupled to the bit cell. In one embodiment, the break cell separates a connectivity of a first voltage and a second voltage between at least two bit cell arrays so that the bit cell arrays can be selectively coupled to either the first voltage or the second voltage using the power switches. The power switches control the connection of each separated bit cell array of the cell array to either the first voltage or second voltage. |
| US08743578B2 |
Use of hydrocarbon nanorings for data storage
Hydro-carbon nanorings may be used in storage. Sufficiently cooled, an externally hydrogen doped carbon nanoring may be used to create a radial dipole field to contain streams of electrons. Similarly, an internally hydrogen doped carbon nanoring may be used to create a radial dipole field to contain streams of positrons. When matched streams of positrons and electrons are sufficiently compressed they may form Cooper pairs with magnetic moments aligned to the movement of the stream. Matched adjacent Cooper pairs of electrons and positrons may contain information within their magnetic moments, and as such, may transmit and store information with little or no energy loss. |
| US08743567B2 |
Multi-output voltage converter with switching arrangement and method for voltage conversion
A voltage converter (10) comprises an input (11) for receiving an input voltage (VIN), a first output (12) for providing a first output voltage (VPOS) and a second output (13) for providing a second output voltage (VNEG). The first output voltage (VPOS) and the second output voltage (VNEG) have opposite polarities. A switching arrangement (14) of the voltage converter (10) is designed to provide energy to an inductor (15) in a charging phase (A) of operation and to provide energy from the inductor (15) to the first output (12) and, via a flying capacitor (16), to the second output (13) in a discharging phase of operation. The first duration (t1) of the charging phase (A) of operation is controlled such that the difference between a first predetermined value and the sum of the absolute value of the first output voltage (VPOS) and of the second output voltage (VNEG) is minimized. |
| US08743563B2 |
Electronic device with an apparatus for fixing a power supply
An electronic device includes a chassis having a sidewall, a power supply detachably received in the chassis, a latching member, and a handle pivotably connected to the power supply. A first end of the latching member is fixed to the power supply, and a second end of the latching member detachably latches the handle. Two latching holes are defined in the sidewall of the chassis. The latching member includes two latching tabs engaging in the latching holes in response to the second end of the latching member latching the handle. |
| US08743561B2 |
Wafer-level molded structure for package assembly
An integrated circuit structure includes a bottom die; a top die bonded to the bottom die with the top die having a size smaller than the bottom die; and a molding compound over the bottom die and the top die. The molding compound contacts edges of the top die. The edges of the bottom die are vertically aligned to respective edges of the molding compound. |
| US08743560B2 |
Circuit board and semiconductor module including the same
In one embodiment, a circuit board is disclosed. The circuit board includes a first metal core; a second metal core spaced apart from the first metal core in a first direction when viewed as a cross section, such that a first side of the first metal core faces a first side of the second metal core; a first electrode electrically connected to the first side of the first metal core; a second electrode electrically connected to the first side of the second metal core facing the first metal core; and a dielectric layer between the first and second electrodes. |
| US08743558B2 |
Reduced wiring requirements with signal slope manipulation
An information handling system device includes a plurality of electronic components; an electric circuit including at least one trace for connecting two or more of the plurality of electronic components and transmitting data between the plurality of electronic components via at least one electric signal; and a substrate including an insulating material for serving as a base for the electric circuit, wherein each of the at least one electric signal transmitted between the plurality of electronic components is transmitted utilizing slope manipulation by manipulating each of the at least one electric signal to provide a slope substantially proportional to a discrete integer data value of n discrete integer data values, n being a positive integer greater than or equal to 3, said discrete integer data value represented by using one of n distinct slopes transmitted utilizing a particular reference voltage of n predetermined reference voltages. |
| US08743557B2 |
Printed wiring board
A printed wiring board has a packaging substrate having multiple pads, and a transmission substrate mounted on the multiple pads of the packaging substrate. The packaging substrate has a pad group constituted of pads which mount an electronic component, the multiple pads mounting the transmission substrate includes a first pad positioned in a peripheral portion of the packaging substrate and a second pad positioned between the first pad and the pad group, the second pad is electrically connected to a signal pad of the pads in the pad group, and the transmission substrate includes a horizontal wiring which electrically connects the second pad and the first pad and which transmits a signal between the second pad and the first pad. |
| US08743550B2 |
Interface device for electronic equipment and electronic equipment including the same
An interface device for electronic equipment including at least one port electronically connected to an external device; a housing disposed in the electronic equipment and includes an opening through which the port is drawn in and out; a door which accommodates the port and performs a first motion and a second motion, the first motion being rotation between an open position, in which the opening of the housing is open, and a close position, in which the opening is closed, the second motion being sliding between the open position and a projecting position, in which the door projects from the open position in a transverse direction to a rotation axis of the first motion parallel with an installation surface of the electronic equipment; and a driving unit which provides driving force to the door in the close position of the first motion of the door and in the second motion. |
| US08743548B2 |
Electric circuit device, electric circuit module, and power converter
The present invention provides an electric circuit device in which it is possible to achieve simultaneously the improvement of cooling performance and reduction in operating loss due to line inductance. The above object can be attained by constructing multiple plate-like conductors so that each of these conductors electrically connected to multiple semiconductor chips is also thermally connected to both chip surfaces of each such semiconductor chip to release heat from the chip surfaces of each semiconductor chip, and so that among the above conductors, a DC positive-polarity plate-like conductor and a DC negative-polarity plate-like conductor are opposed to each other at the respective conductor surfaces. |
| US08743532B2 |
Switchgear
In order to obtain a switchgear which can improve heat dissipation efficiency, in the switchgear which dissipates heat outside an apparatus vessel, the heat being generated from an electrical apparatus placed in the apparatus vessel, the switchgear includes a first heat conductor in which one side is connected to a heat generation portion of the apparatus vessel and the other side is extended toward the apparatus vessel side, a second heat conductor in which one side is disposed near the other side of the first heat conductor and the other side is extended outside the apparatus vessel, and an insulating member between conductors disposed between the other side of the first heat conductor and one side of the second heat conductor. |
| US08743531B2 |
Drawout disconnecting and isolating means for DC applications
A drawout unit that disconnects both polarities of DC current from a DC source, when all poles are used for one of the polarities leaving no pole available to disconnect the other polarity. The drawout unit includes a disconnect device having a four-pole switch, and all four poles are series-connected to the positive (ungrounded) polarity. A separate drawout module with its own housing is connected to the negative (grounded) polarity, and together, the disconnect device and the drawout module are positioned in a cradle with a racking mechanism for racking both the device and the module in and out of the cradle simultaneously, thereby obtaining total isolation of both polarities. In this configuration, the installer has the option to ground the negative polarity, while leaving the positive polarity ungrounded. The drawout module has a through bar conductor that passes the negative polarity of the DC current through the drawout unit. |
| US08743526B2 |
Electrostatic roller apparatus and a system for electrostatically supporting an object
There is provided an electrostatic roller apparatus comprising a body including: a first body portion and a second body portion; the first body portion including an electrostatic generating sub-assembly; a roller applicator and a support structure, the support structure having a first end and a second end, the first end being configured to rotatably mount the roller applicator thereupon and the second end being configured to be coupled with the second body portion. |
| US08743519B2 |
Method and device for reclosing control using a harmonic ratio
The reclosing control device configured to perform a reclosing control in case of a fault in a transmission line. Further, the reclosing control device includes a voltage detection unit configured to detect a faulted phase voltage waveform and extract a harmonic component contained in the faulted phase voltage waveform; a HR calculating unit configured to calculate ratio values between even harmonics and odd harmonics based on the extracted harmonic component; and a reclosing control unit configured to determine whether or not an arc is finally extinguished based on the calculated ratio value and perform a reclosing control depending on a result of the determination. |
| US08743517B2 |
ESD protection circuit
ESD protection circuit including a resistor and at least one protection transistor; the resistor coupled between an I/O signal node and an internal node of internal circuit, the protection transistors serially coupled between the internal node and a voltage node with each protection transistor comprising a gate and a drain which is coupled to the gate. |
| US08743511B2 |
CPP-GMR sensor with corrosion resistent spacer layer and higher signal/noise ratio
A method and apparatus for increasing the electrical resistivity and corrosion resistance of the material forming a spacer layer in current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensors. The increased resistivity of the spacer layer, and thus, the CPP-GMR sensor permits a larger voltage across the sensor and a higher signal-to-noise ratio. The increased corrosion resistance of the spacer layer minimizes the effects of exposing the spacer layer to corrosive materials during fabrication. For example, adding tin to silver to form a metallic alloy spacer layer increases the corrosion resistance of the spacer layer and the electrical resisitivity of the CPP-GMR sensor relative to a spacer layer consisting solely of silver. The Ag—Sn alloy permits a larger current to flow through the sensor, which increases the signal-to-noise ratio. |
| US08743510B2 |
Shunt for magnetoresistive transducer heads for electrostatic discharge protection
A magnetoresistive transducer head assembly includes a reader element, a writer element and a high impedance shunt electrically connecting the reader element and the writer element. The high impedance shunt provides a high impedance conductive path for maintaining electrostatic charge equipotential between the reader element and the writer element. |
| US08743507B1 |
Seed trilayer for magnetic element
A magnetic element may generally be configured at least with a magnetic stack contacting a leading shield with a seed trilayer. The seed trilayer may have a magnetic layer formed of a metal material and disposed between first and second non-magnetic layers while at least one of the non-magnetic layers constructed of the metal material. |
| US08743505B2 |
Fluid dynamic bearing apparatus with specific minute gap structure with spindle motor and disk drive apparatus including same
A fluid dynamic bearing apparatus includes a first minute gap, a second minute gap, a third minute gap, a fourth minute gap, and a fifth minute gap. A flow of a lubricating oil from the fifth minute gap to the fourth minute gap is caused by a plurality of dynamic pressure generating grooves arranged within the fluid dynamic bearing apparatus. This flow causes air bubbles mixed in the lubricating oil within the fifth minute gap to flow toward the third minute gap and be discharged to an outside of the fluid dynamic bearing apparatus through the third minute gap. The fluid dynamic bearing apparatus further includes a plurality of dynamic pressure generating grooves and an annular groove. |
| US08743501B2 |
Tape library initiated actions
Example apparatus and methods concern a tape library that can initiate an action. One example method may include controlling a tape library to perform a media scanning operation associated with an extended data life management policy. The extended data life management operation may be associated with an application representation of tape drives, slots, and tapes on the tape library. The method may include determining a result of the media scanning operation and selectively controlling the tape library to either provide status or to issue a command based on the result. In one example, conventional status may be returned when a media scan operation result (e.g., tape scan) indicates the tape is fine while a command may be issued when the result indicates the tape may need to be fixed, copied, or replaced. |
| US08743499B2 |
Adaptive soft-output detector for magnetic tape read channels
In one embodiment, a system includes a tape channel for reading data from a magnetic tape medium to produce a signal, a bank of noise whitening filters positioned subsequent to the tape channel adapted for receiving the signal, the bank of noise whitening filters being adapted for minimizing variance of noise affecting the signal at an output of the bank of noise whitening filters, wherein each noise whitening filter in the bank of noise whitening filters is dependent on a different possible data pattern, a soft DMAX detector adapted for calculating first soft information, dependent on the different possible data patterns, about each bit of the signal from the bank of noise whitening filters, and sending the first soft information to a soft decoder adapted for calculating second soft information about each bit of the signal and sending the second soft information to the soft DMAX detector. |
| US08743498B2 |
Adaptive soft-output detector for magnetic tape read channels
In one embodiment, a data storage system includes a tape channel for reading data from a magnetic tape medium to produce a signal, a noise whitening filter positioned subsequent to the tape channel adapted for receiving the signal, wherein the noise whitening filter is adapted for minimizing variance of its output signal, a soft detector adapted for receiving output from the noise whitening filter, the soft detector adapted for calculating first soft information about each bit of the signal and sending the first soft information to a soft decoder, and the soft decoder positioned subsequent to the soft detector, the soft decoder being adapted for calculating second soft information about each bit of the signal and sending the second soft information to the soft detector. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described according to more embodiments. |
| US08743494B2 |
Extended address mark
An extended servo mark word is used when an error is detected from a servo mark. For example, a servo mark associated with a disk drive track may be detected during a data access operation. In response to an error in detecting the servo mark, at least one adjacent bit is evaluated together with the servo address mark to overcome the error. |
| US08743493B1 |
Fixed-point processing using quantization levels based on floating-point processing
An apparatus comprises read channel circuitry and signal processing circuitry associated with the read channel circuitry. The signal processing circuitry comprises a detector and a decoder coupled to the detector. The detector is configured to perform fixed-point detection on a digital data signal using a first set of quantization levels determined based at least in part on a result of a floating-point detection of the digital data signal. The decoder is configured to perform fixed-point decoding on an output of the detector using a second set of quantization levels determined based at least in part on a result of a floating-point decoding of the output of the detector. |
| US08743491B2 |
Variable stopwrite threshold
A data storage system according to one embodiment includes a head; a drive mechanism for passing a medium over the head; a controller electrically coupled to the head; logic for periodically determining a stopwrite threshold based on a current position error signal sample; logic for determining whether the current position error signal sample exceeds the stopwrite threshold; logic for disabling writing when the current position error signal sample exceeds the stopwrite threshold; and logic for enabling writing when the current position error signal sample does not exceed the stopwrite threshold. Additional embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08743489B2 |
Porro prism
The invention pertains to a Porro prism of the second type, with at least two interconnected reversing prisms that each provide two reflective inclined surfaces for a beam path between an entry surface and an exit surface, wherein the exit surface of one reversing prism and the entry surface of the other reversing prism form their respective connecting surface, and wherein the inventive Porro prism is characterized in that the connecting surface lies oblique to the optical axes of those sections of the beam path that penetrate the exposed entry and exit surfaces of the reversing prisms. |
| US08743488B2 |
Prism mount for a laser deposition device
An apparatus includes a prism mount that retains a prism. The mount includes a ledge that engages a first side of the prism, a support surface structured that engages a second side of the prism, a retaining member that slidably engages a third side of the prism, and a biasing member that biases the retaining member to an engaged position with the prism. The mount further includes a slot disposed between the ledge and the support surface. The retaining member includes a machine screw, and a nut confines the biasing member between the nut and a prism mount body. The biasing member is retained in a counterbore in the prism mount body, and an end of the machine screw protrudes from the counterbore. The prism mount body further includes an alignment slot at a fixed azimuthal angle, and the laser deposition device includes a protrusion that engages the alignment slot. |
| US08743483B2 |
Imaging lens assembly
An imaging 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 convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface. The second lens element has positive refractive power. The third lens element has refractive power. The fourth lens element with refractive power has an object-side surface and an image-side surface being aspheric. The fifth lens element with positive refractive power has an object-side surface and an image-side surface being aspheric. The sixth lens element with negative refractive power has a concave image-side surface, wherein at least one reflection point is formed on the image-side surface thereof. |
| US08743481B2 |
Lens plate, lens unit, exposing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image reading apparatus
A lens plate includes at least one lens row including a plurality of lenses aligned in a first direction, each lens including a lens surface that includes perimeter portions extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction such that two adjacent lenses are contiguous with each other at the perimeter portions. |
| US08743479B2 |
Image capturing optical lens assembly
An image capturing optical 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 and a fifth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface. The second lens element with negative refractive power has a concave image-side surface. The third lens element with positive refractive power has a convex image-side surface. The fourth lens element has positive refractive power. The fifth lens element with refractive power is made of plastic material and has a concave image-side surface. At least one inflection point is formed on at least one of the object-side and image-side surfaces of the fifth lens element. The surfaces of the third lens element, the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element are aspheric. |
| US08743475B2 |
Lens barrel and projector
A lens barrel and a projector of the invention are provided with a fixed cylinder, and a cam ring mounted on the fixed cylinder. A first projection and a second projection are provided on one of the fixed cylinder and the cam ring, and a first rotation restricting portion and a second rotation restricting portion are provided on the other of the fixed cylinder and the cam ring. The first rotation restricting portion restricts rotation of the cam ring by abutting contact with the first projection when the cam ring is rotated in a first direction, and the second rotation restricting portion restricts rotation of the cam ring by abutting contact with the second projection when the cam ring is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction. |
| US08743474B2 |
Lens apparatus and TV camera
A lens apparatus includes an optical system, a lens barrel, and a weight. The optical system includes a movable lens unit. The lens barrel houses the optical system and includes a fixed barrel and a cam barrel. The fixed barrel supports the movable lens unit to be forwardly and backwardly movable along the optical axis of the optical system. The cam barrel is engaged with the movable lens unit, is supported by the fixed barrel to be rotatable around the optical axis, and is configured to forwardly and backwardly move the movable lens unit in accordance with the rotation of the cam barrel. The weight is engaged with the cam barrel and forwardly and backwardly moves along the optical axis in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the movable lens unit in accordance with the rotation of the cam barrel. |
| US08743473B2 |
Miniature lens auto-focusing structure
A miniature lens auto-focusing structure includes a housing having a top plate; a base plate connectable to the housing to define an inner space between them; a lens module wound around by a coil; and at least one spring member holding and suspending the lens module in the inner space without causing the lens module to contact with the top plate and the base plate. With these arrangements, the spring member is not in a pre-tensioning state when the miniature lens auto-focusing structure is in a non-actuated state. Therefore, the miniature lens auto-focusing structure requires less actuating current and has smaller lens tilt angle than the conventional VCM auto-focusing structure, and can be manufactured at further reduced component cost. |
| US08743472B2 |
Lens device
An adjustment jig is inserted into an opening and an opening, and a screw provided on an inner lens frame holding a correcting lens is rotated. With the rotation of the screw, a front end of the inner lens frame moves in a direction toward an optical axis or radially outside the correcting lens. With this, the inner lens frame is moved in a direction toward the optical axis or radially outside the correcting lens, and the tilt of the correcting lens is decreased. |
| US08743470B2 |
Zoom lens system, optical apparatus and method for manufacturing zoom lens system
In a zoom lens system, an optical apparatus, and a manufacturing method, there are provided, in order from an object side: a first lens group having positive power, a second lens group having negative power, a third lens group having positive power, a fourth lens group having negative power, a fifth group having positive power, and an aperture stop disposed to an image side of the second lens group. Upon zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, a distance between the first lens and second lens groups increases, a distance between the second and third lens groups decreases, a distance between the third and fourth lens groups varies, and a distance between the fourth and fifth lens groups varies. With given conditions being satisfied, high optical performance with suppressing variation in aberrations are achieved. |
| US08743466B2 |
Display device and method for forming the same
A display device has a display element that makes a display and a viewing angle widening member that is provided on the viewing side of the display element, and that causes light to exit in a condition in which the angle distribution is widened relative to before incidence of the viewing angle widening member to the display element. The viewing angle widening member includes a base material, and a refractive index change layer formed over the base material. The refractive index change layer includes a plurality of high refractive index portions and low refractive index portions having a refractive index that is lower than the refractive index of the high refractive index portions. Each of the plurality of high refractive index portions includes a light emission surface on the base material side, and a light incidence surface having a larger surface area than that of the light emission surface on the opposing side of the base material side. The refractive index change layer faces the display element. The base material is disposed on the display side. |
| US08743464B1 |
Waveguide with embedded mirrors
A waveguide with embedded mirrors includes an in-coupling region for receiving input light into the waveguide and an out-coupling region for emitting output light from the waveguide. The mirrors include a plurality of in-coupling mirrors disposed within the in-coupling region of the waveguide and orientated to reflect the input light down the waveguide towards the out-coupling region as guided light. The mirrors further include a plurality of out-coupling mirrors disposed within the out-coupling region of the waveguide and orientated to reflect the guided light out of the waveguide as the output light. |
| US08743463B2 |
Virtual image display
A virtual image display includes at least an image forming device, a pair of accommodating members at least one of which accommodates the image forming device, a light guide member which guides image light received from the image forming device toward a predetermined outside position, and a pair of temples one and the other of which are rotatably attached to one and the other of the pair of the accommodating members, respectively. Each of either the accommodating members or the temples has a contact member which regulates rotation of the temple, and a position control member which shifts the corresponding contact member in a first direction extending nearer to or away from the corresponding accommodating member or temple on which the contact member is not provided. |
| US08743461B2 |
Optical module and electronic apparatus
An optical module (colorimetry sensor) includes an interference filter, and a transparent substrate to which a first substrate of the interference filter is fixed, having a second thermal expansion coefficient which has a value different from a first thermal expansion coefficient. The interference filter is fixed to the transparent substrate through an adhesive layer made of gel-like resin, and the adhesive layer alleviates stress generated due to a difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between the interference filter and the transparent substrate. |
| US08743458B2 |
Optical insulator with parallelepiped magnets
The present invention relates to an optical insulator for high power optical radiation. The arrangement of the optical insulator comprises a Faraday rotator, comprising one or more Faraday media (4) and a magnet assembly (1) that allows for the receiving of multiple Faraday media (4). A polarizer assembly is arranged both in front of and behind the Faraday media (4). The magnet assembly (1) is formed by magnets (2) shaped in such a way that at least the outer-lying magnets are parallelepiped. The free aperture (3) is surrounded by three magnetic levels (12, 12′, 12″). |
| US08743456B2 |
Systems and methods for attenuated total internal reflectance (ATR) spectroscopy
Systems and methods for attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectroscopy. The systems and methods may generally involve differentiating an acquired image in a spectral domain, restricting a spectral range of the acquired image, subtracting an average absorbance from the restricted image data, and applying a principal component analysis to extract significant spectral features from the restricted image data. |
| US08743453B2 |
Method and apparatus for pulsed harmonic ultraviolet lasers
An apparatus for producing coherent, pulsed ultraviolet light with pulse durations that range between 1 ps and 1 μs includes one or more source lasers in the visible or near-infrared frequency range. The apparatus also includes one or more FC stages, at least one of the one or more FC stages including a nonlinear FC device and one or more optical elements. The optical elements include a reflector, a focusing element, a polarization-controlling optic, a wavelength separator, or a fiber optic component. The FC device includes a huntite-type aluminum double borate nonlinear optical material configured to produce FC light having a wavelength between 190 and 350 nm and a composition given by RAl3B4O12, where R comprises one or a plurality of elements {Sc, La, Y, Lu}. The nonlinear optical material is characterized by an optical transmission greater than 70% over the wavelength range of 190 to 350 nm. |
| US08743450B2 |
Electrowetting display device
The present invention relates to a method for making an electrowetting display device comprising a plurality of picture elements and a first support plate and a second support plate. Each picture element comprises a space between the first support plate and the second support plate. The method comprises the steps of: providing the first support plate with an electrode structure; arranging an insulating layer on the electrode structure, the insulating layer having a thickness and a hydropobic surface facing the space; temporarily applying an electric field across the thickness of the insulating layer to reduce permanently the hydrophobicity of a predetermined area of the surface. The invention further relates to an electrowetting display device and a use of an area of reduced hydrophobicity in an electrowetting device. |
| US08743447B2 |
Electrochromic device and storage device and manufacturing method thereof
An electrochromic device is provided. The electrochromic device includes a first substrate, an electrochromic layer, an electrode, an electrolyte layer and a second substrate. The electrochromic layer is formed on the first substrate, the electrode is disposed on the electrochromic layer, and the electrolyte layer is disposed between the electrode and the second substrate. |
| US08743444B2 |
Optical scanning device, image forming apparatus, scanning lens, and molding method of the scanning lens
An optical scanning device that scans a plurality of surfaces to be scanned in a main scanning direction by using a light beam includes: a plurality of light sources; a light deflector that deflects a plurality of light beams emitted from the light sources; and a scanning optical system that individually guides each one of the light beams deflected by the light deflector to a corresponding one of the surfaces to be scanned. The scanning optical system includes one scanning lens shared by the light beams, and at least one surface of the scanning lens has a plurality of optical surfaces corresponding to the plurality of light beams disposed in a sub-scanning direction with a flat surface provided between the optical surfaces. |
| US08743439B2 |
Method for generating an optimized printer calibration
In order to optimize the calibration tables of a printer, and to improve the calibration for combined printing with respect to one-dimensional calibration, a method for optimized printer calibration is proposed, comprising the following method steps: a) for each primary color, the maximal value is colorimetrically limited; b) each primary color is colorimetrically linearized; c) the maximal value of the combined printing of all primary colors is determined colorimetrically; d) a definition of the resulting color range is made; e) the outer layer of the color range is determined at equal spaces; and f) the intermediate values of the resulting calibration tables are interpolated. |
| US08743437B2 |
Image processing apparatus, printing apparatus and image processing method
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus that makes it possible to conduct an operation for correcting density unevenness in a main-scanning direction of an image, while achieving both the accuracy and the efficiency thereof. The image processing apparatus includes: an outputting section to output data representing a test chart including a plurality of patches respectively having different gradation values and extended in the main-scanning direction; an acquiring section to acquire a measured result of measuring a density of each of the patches included in the test chart printed on the basis of the data outputted by the outputting section; and a control section that compares the density unevenness of a pair of patches being adjacent to each other and deriving from the measured result, so as to determine new data representing a next patch to be outputted on a next occasion, based on a comparison result thereof. |
| US08743436B2 |
Color information processing apparatus and recording medium
A color information processing apparatus includes a mapping section for mapping a designated color that lies outside of the range of a gamut of a printing apparatus to the range of the gamut according to a plurality of mapping techniques, and a display device for simultaneously displaying the designated color and a plurality of colors mapped by the mapping section. For example, the display device simultaneously displays the designated color and colors mapped by the mapping section adjacent to each other. |
| US08743433B2 |
Color measuring device, image forming apparatus and computer program product
A color measuring device includes: an image capturing unit; a reference chart; a light quantity control unit; a generating unit; a correction unit; and a calculating unit. The image capturing unit outputs image data of an image-capturing range. The reference chart has multiple patches of different densities. The light quantity control unit controls the illumination unit. The generating unit generates first correction data based on image data of the multiple patches illuminated by a first light quantity and generates second correction data based on image data of the multiple patches illuminated by a second light quantity. The correction unit corrects image data of the reference chart and a color measurement target, using the first correction data or the second correction data. The calculating unit calculates color measurement value of the color measurement target based on the corrected image data of the reference chart and the color measurement target. |
| US08743426B2 |
Image enhancement methods
Methods of image enhancement are disclosed. In one aspect, the method of image enhancement is for use with an image capture device, such as a security document reader, for the attenuation, separation or reduction of reflections from objects, such as security documents. |
| US08743425B2 |
Method for using void pantographs
A method for using void pantographs involves generating a test sheet including multiple void pantographs, where each of the multiple void pantographs includes a pantograph foreground and a pantograph background. The test sheet is printed, and from the printed test sheet, at least one of the multiple void pantographs having a covert or semi-covert pantograph foreground and background is identified. The printed test sheet is scanned, and from the scanned test sheet, at least one of the multiple void pantographs having an overt pantograph foreground is identified. A workflow is developed for the at least one of the multiple void pantographs having both i) the covert or semi-covert pantograph foreground and background after printing, and ii) the overt pantograph foreground after scanning. |
| US08743424B2 |
Pre-print enhancement of a raster image
A method for pre-print enhancement of a raster image is disclosed. The method includes receiving the raster image, categorizing an element in the raster image as a graphical element or an image element; and if the element is categorized as a graphical element applying graphical enhancement to the graphical element. A computer program product for pre-print enhancement of a raster image is also disclosed. |
| US08743422B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, image processing program and printing device
An image processing apparatus includes an area specifying unit for specifying a text area including a text with an achromatic color and a background with an achromatic color, in an image to be output; an inversion processing unit for inverting the brightness of achromatic colors only for the specified text area; and an output unit for outputting an image including the text area where the brightness of achromatic colors is inverted. With respect to a gray-level achromatic color configuring a text in the specified text area, the inversion processing unit changes the color to be brighter than the case where the brightness is inverted. |
| US08743418B2 |
Method for removing character-object overlap to increase render processing speed for an image
In an image processing apparatus for subjecting objects to rendering processing, it is determined whether edges overlap at the same starting position where the objects are overlaid. If it is determined that the edges overlap, then the overlapping edges are eliminated. |
| US08743415B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a profile storage section that stores distortion characteristic of a scanning line, a correcting section that corrects image data by lines in the sub scanning direction, and a registration sensor that detects a pattern image for detecting color misregistration amounts in a sub scanning direction of images formed on an intermediate transfer member. When the pattern image is formed, the distortion correcting section shifts image data of the pattern image by lines in the sub scanning direction so that, with reference to a detection position of the registration sensor, a positional displacement amount of the pattern image in the sub scanning direction becomes less than or equal to ½ of a scanning-line distance, in accordance with a positional displacement amount of the scanning line in the sub scanning direction at a detection position of the registration sensor along a main scanning direction. |
| US08743414B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and recording medium for attaching additional information to images in an image file to faciltate searching the image file
An image processing apparatus including an acquisition unit, an extraction unit, a determination unit and an addition unit is provided. The acquisition unit acquires an image of one page from images of a plurality of pages included in one file. The extraction unit extracts color information, which is information about a color of the image of the one page acquired by the acquisition unit. The determination unit determines whether the color information extracted by the extraction unit satisfies a predetermined condition for specifying a page partition. The addition unit adds additional information, by which the page partition can be searched, to at least one of the images of the plurality of pages, when the determination unit determines that the color information satisfies the predetermined condition. |
| US08743412B2 |
Printing device which prints first object and second object on the same page
The printing device includes an original data acquiring unit, a first determining unit, a first data generating unit, and a printing unit. The original data acquiring unit is configured to acquire original data representing at least two related objects on a worksheet. The first determining unit is configured to determine whether the at least two related objects are capable of being included in one page. The first data generating unit is configured to generate first data based on the original data. The first data generating unit generates the first data such that the at least two related objects are included in the one page when the first determining unit determines that the at least two related objects are capable of being included in the one page. The printing unit prints an image based on the first data. |
| US08743411B2 |
Printed item selection interface
Among other things, methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed for manipulating media. In one aspect, a first set of media item images is displayed in a first region of a display screen. The media item images are moved about a predetermined path within the first region in response to a received input. A second set of media item images is displayed in a second region of the display screen where the second set of media item images are associated with an indicated media item image displayed in the first region. At least one of the media item images in the second set of media item images displayed in the second region is different from the indicated media item image. |
| US08743410B2 |
Method, apparatus, and program for laying out images
Images are laid out appropriately according to the sizes of faces of people pictured therein. A user selects a plurality of images to be laid out on a single background image. A layout determining section selects a template having the same number of image insertion regions as the number of images selected by the user, from among a plurality of templates, each having one or more image insertion regions of various sizes. Whether faces are included in the images is judged. Image layout is determined such that images that include faces are inserted in image insertion regions of the template having greater sizes as the size of a representative face is smaller; and images that do not include faces are inserted into image insertion regions of the template having smaller sizes. |
| US08743407B2 |
Computer readable recording medium stored with color conversion setting program, color conversion setting method, computer readable recording medium stored with color conversion processing program, and color conversion processing apparatus that enables configuration of color conversion profiles when using various types of paper in a print job
A computer readable recording medium stored with a color conversion setting program, the program causes a computer to execute a process comprising: (a) generating a plurality of profile sets respectively associated with paper types, each of the profile sets being to be used for applying at least one kind of color conversion profile having conversion data for converting colors to a color conversion process depending on the particular paper type used for printing; (b) generating color setting information containing the plurality of profile sets respectively associated with paper types to be used during the color conversion process for each job; and (c) executing a control process for registering the color setting information generated in the step (b) to a storage unit, from which the color setting information is read out during the color conversion process. |
| US08743401B2 |
Printing apparatus and printing system
A printing apparatus which is configured to communicate with an external device and performs printing includes: a receiving section which receives a printing job from the external device; a storage section in which the printing job is stored; an input section which accepts a printing instruction; a printing section which performs the printing based on the printing job when the input section accepts the printing instruction; a judgment section which judges whether or not the printing job is a deletion-objective job to be deleted from the storage section; a determining section which determines a transmission mode based on at least one of transmission setting and transmission content of the deletion-objective job, when the judgment section judges that the printing job is the deletion-objective job; a transmission section which transmits the deletion-objective job to the external device; and a deleting section which deletes the deletion-objective job from the storage section. |
| US08743395B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming system, processing method, and computer readable medium
An image forming apparatus includes a communication unit, a prohibition unit, an execution unit, and a control unit. The communication unit communicates with an external apparatus. The prohibition unit prohibits the communication unit from communicating with the external apparatus when a command for executing initialization with respect to the image forming apparatus is specified. The execution unit executes a process for accepting set information of the initialization when the prohibition unit prohibits the communication unit from communication with the external apparatus. The control unit executes a process for informing that the initialization should be executed when an elapsed time of a waiting state where input of the set information is not executed exceeds a given period. |
| US08743393B2 |
Printing management apparatus, printing management method, and program for the same
A printing management apparatus includes a memory device storing information and having a shared folder for storing a print job from the outside of the apparatus, a standby folder for storing print data to be output to a predetermined printing mechanism, and a converter having a plurality of conversion modules performing a conversion process in which the print job is converted into the print data which is printed in the predetermined printing mechanism to store the data in the standby folder when the format of the print job in the shared folder is supported; an obtaining unit for obtaining the print job stored in the shared folder; and conversion control means for selecting a compliant conversion module from the plurality of conversion modules in the converter, the compliant conversion module performing the conversion process to the print job obtained by the obtaining unit, the compliant conversion module being the conversion module which supports the format of the print job obtained by the obtaining unit. |
| US08743392B2 |
Apparatus, method, and computer program product for forming images
An image forming apparatus includes plural input filter sections controlling different types of input-processing performed by corresponding input devices to produce respective input image data sets each having a different input format, plural output filter sections controlling different types of output-processing performed by corresponding output devices that receive respective output image data sets each having a different output format, and an image processing section being made sharable by any given one of the input filter sections and any given one of the output filter sections, and converting an image data set from an input format of the one of the input filter sections to an output format of the one of the output filter sections. |
| US08743391B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer program product
An image processing apparatus including an input information acquiring unit configured to acquire entry information entered in defined areas of an input sheet as image information. The apparatus also includes a data format information acquiring unit configured to acquire corresponding areas of a format sheet as image information. The apparatus also includes a correlating unit configured to correlate the entry information entered in the defined areas of the input sheet and the corresponding areas of the format sheet. |
| US08743390B2 |
Image forming device and web server providing workflow status of job, and method to provide workflow status of job in image forming device and web server
An image forming device and a web server providing a workflow status of a job and a method of providing the workflow status of the job in the image forming device and the web server are provided. A communicator receives a first workform including a plurality of job conditions necessary to performing the job from a web server connected to the image forming device through a communication network. An image former generates image data of a document to perform the job. A parser parses the first workform. A controller controls the image former to generate a job command including the plurality of job from the parsed first workform and perform the job based on the generated job command, and generates a guidance picture guiding a workflow status of the job whenever the job conditions are processed. A display displays the guidance picture. Thus, a workflow status of a currently performed job can be displayed in real-time so that a user can easily check the workflow status of the currently performed job. |
| US08743389B2 |
Methods and systems rendering a print job
A printing system for processing a print job includes a host computer; and a printer in communication with the host computer. The host computer comprises a printer driver that determines whether each print job unit can be more efficiently rendered on the host computer or on the printer and processes the print job accordingly. A method of processing a print job includes determining whether each step in rendering a print job unit of the print job can be more rapidly completed on a host computer or on a printer, and rendering the print job accordingly. |
| US08743386B2 |
Executing a print job in accordance with input image data
In a printing apparatus, control is performed such that, among buttons displayed by a display means, if while a first button for inputting a setting with respect to a job to be executed by the printing apparatus is in the touched state, a touch operation is furthermore performed on a second button for inputting another setting with respect to the job, the setting indicated by the second button is not performed, and if while the first button for inputting the setting with respect to the job to be executed by the printing apparatus is in the touched state, a touch operation is furthermore performed on a third button for interrupting a print job being executed by the printing apparatus, the print job that is being executed is interrupted based on the touch operation performed on the third button. |
| US08743385B2 |
Service providing apparatus, service providing method, and computer readable medium
A service providing apparatus includes the following elements. A communication unit communicates with an external terminal apparatus. An operation unit is used by a user for performing an operation. A notification unit notifies a user of information. A login controller receives a login request of a user from the operation unit or from an external terminal apparatus via the communication unit, and determines whether to permit the login. Upon receipt of a login request from a second user when a first user has already logged in, the login controller notifies the first user of occurrence of the login request via the communication unit or the notification unit, and permits the login of the second user in accordance with a notification received from the first user via the communication unit or an operation performed by the first user with the operation unit. |
| US08743383B2 |
Image processing apparatus storing destination information and information indicating whether a user is allowed to print image data and control method therefor
In an image processing apparatus, when converting an input image into vector data, converting the vectorized image into data in a file format which can be used in application software, and transferring the converted data in the file format, the image processing apparatus acquires information specifying a destination of the transfer and determines the file format into which the vectorized image is to be converted according to the acquired information specifying the destination. With this configuration, it is possible to provide the image processing apparatus and a control method for the same that allow transfer after conversion into an appropriate file format for each use case. |
| US08743382B2 |
On demand software for print workflows
When providing cloud-based software services to a print customer or print shop for executing a print job, information related to one or more vendors that supply downloadable software that satisfies a print consumer's specified print job requirements is obtained and software from a selected vendor is downloaded. The downloaded software is inserted at a selected point in a print job workflow, and the print job is executed. The print consumer is charged on per-use basis for use of the downloaded software by providing a hashed payment word for each subsequent use of the downloaded software. A payment word chain comprising the initial hashed payment word and each successive hashed payment word is then provided to the vendor of the downloaded software, who performs a hash algorithm to verify the payment words and redeems the payment words for micro-payments. |
| US08743379B2 |
Device for monitoring thickness reduction of inner surface in heat transfer tube or inner surface in evaporation tube
There is provided a device for monitoring a thickness reduction of an inner surface in a heat transfer tube or an inner surface in an evaporation tube, the device including: a movement unit which moves along a fin tube; a laser measurement unit which is provided in the movement unit and measures the thickness reduction of the inner surface by a laser; a cable which includes a light guiding path for introducing a laser into the laser measurement unit and a light deriving path for transmitting reflected light; and a thickness reduction determining unit which compares the laser measurement data with past data or standard data and determines the current thickness reduction. |
| US08743376B2 |
Surveying instrument and method for detecting a laser beam
The present disclosure relates to a surveying system including a surveying instrument and method for detecting light of fan shaped laser beam. The surveying instrument includes a detector for detecting light of the fan shaped laser beam rotating around a propagation axis with a direction of rotation and having two detector elements arranged in a known spatial relation for outputting a detection signal when irradiated. A position determining unit is used to obtain a first set of detection signals from the detector elements, to determine a first time relation between the detection signals of the first set, and to determine a positional relation between the detector and the propagation axis based on the first time relation. |
| US08743371B2 |
Optical waveguide splitters
A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) incorporates a tunable multimode interference (MMI) coupler comprising a tunable MMI coupler with a tuning electrode on a surface of a tunable MMI region and an electrically insulating region provided within the tunable MMI region. The MMI region is tunable in response to detection of a photocurrent by a photodetector section. Such a tunable MZI is particularly advantageous in enabling a split ratio of an optical splitter, the split ratio and the splitter to be controlled in a particularly efficient manner. |
| US08743368B2 |
Optical sensor system and method of sensing
An optical detection system is provided for generating and detecting a beam of electromagnetic radiation having intensity. The optical detection system comprises a source for producing the beam of electromagnetic radiation; and a body, that is at least partially transparent and comprises an ATR-sensor layer on at least a portion of the body, having an entrance surface for the beam of electromagnetic radiation, an internally or externally reflective surface that reflects the beam transmitted through the entrance surface, and an exit surface through which the beam, reflected from the second surface, exits the transparent body. The optical detection system may further comprise a distribution device between the beam source and the body; wherein the distribution device redistributes the intensity of the beam from a non-uniform intensity distribution to a substantially uniform intensity distribution; and a detector that detects the beam of electromagnetic radiation exiting the body. |
| US08743362B2 |
Optical measurement apparatus and optical measurement system
An optical measurement apparatus, to which a base end portion of a measurement probe introduced into a subject is connected so that scattering light from the subject through the measurement probe can be measured, includes: calibration member serving as an irradiation target of illumination light when a calibration process is performed for the measurement probe using the illumination light from the measurement probe; an insertion portion where a leading end of the measurement probe can be inserted; a housing portion that communicates with the insertion portion and accommodates the calibration member movably along a penetration direction of the insertion portion; a detection unit that detects insertion of the measurement probe when the calibration member reaches a predetermined position in the housing portion by the insertion of the measurement probe through the insertion portion; and a control unit that performs control for initiating the calibration process when the detection unit detects the insertion of the measurement probe. |
| US08743351B2 |
Velocity measuring system
A laser Doppler velocimeter uses self-mixing amplification of backreflections from scatterers below the surface of a flow. A time domain signal is divided into segments that are roughly equal to a transit time of particles through a focus of a laser beam. The segments are connected to a frequency domain through the use of an FFT algorithm to produce frequency domain data segments. Signal-to-noise ratio is enhanced through signal processing techniques using the segments to produce a final enhanced signal spectrum. |
| US08743345B2 |
Three-dimensional imaging and display system
A three-dimensional imaging and display system is provided in which user input is optically detected in an imaging volume by measuring the path length of an amplitude modulated scanning beam as a function of the phase shift thereof. Visual image user feedback concerning the detected user input is presented. |
| US08743344B2 |
Cable connection, control system, and method to decrease the passing on of vibrations from a first object to a second object
A cable connection between a first object and a second object includes a cable bundle of one or more cables having a certain length. One end of the cable bundle is fixed to the first object and another end of the bundle is fixed to the second object. A cable bundle holder configured to hold the cable bundle at a certain location along the length of the cable bundle, and a control system configured to control the position of the cable bundle holder with respect to the second object are presented. A control system for cable connection, and a method of reducing the transfer of vibrations from a first object to a second object via a cable connection are presented. |
| US08743339B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A lithographic apparatus with a cover plate formed separately from a substrate table and means for stabilizing a temperature of the substrate table by controlling the temperature of the cover plate is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus with thermal insulation provided between a cover plate and a substrate table so that the cover plate acts as a thermal shield for the substrate table is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus comprising means to determine a substrate table distortion and improve position control of a substrate by reference to the substrate table distortion is disclosed. |
| US08743338B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device is discussed. A liquid crystal display device includes according to an embodiment a liquid crystal panel having a liquid crystal layer formed between a first substrate and a second substrate, a backlight unit comprising a light source part located adjacent to a short side of the liquid crystal panel and a light guide plate configured to transmit a light emitted from the light source part to the liquid crystal panel, a supporting member configured to support the backlight unit, and a first heat radiating member radiating heat generated from the light source part, wherein the first heat radiating member is provided at one side of the supporting member, and is positioned between the light source part and the supporting member. According to the present invention, material cost for the light source part is reduced and production cost may be lowered accordingly. |
| US08743334B2 |
Display substrate, and method of manufacturing the same
A display substrate, a display device having the same and a method of manufacturing the display substrate are provided. The display substrate includes a base substrate having a pixels-populated area (PA) and a surrounding area (SA) outside the PA, a first contact pad portion formed in the surrounding area, a second contact pad portion formed in the surrounding area formed to be spaced apart from the first contact pad portion with a spacing region provided therebetween, an insulating layer formed in the spacing region between the first and second contact pad portions and having a thickness smaller than or equal to a thickness of each of the first and second contact pad portions, and a first conductive film formed on the first and second pad portions. |
| US08743326B2 |
In-plane switching liquid crystal display
There is provided an integrated wide viewing film including: a first film having an optical axis located in-plan; and a second film having an optical axis located in a thickness direction thereof, and inclined at a predetermined angle in an in-plane direction. The IPS-LCD employing the integrated wide viewing film can be significantly improved in a contrast ratio in a diagonal direction. |
| US08743321B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is disclosed. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display panel including an upper substrate, a lower substrate, and a liquid crystal layer between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, an upper polarizing plate including a first λ/4 plate positioned on the upper substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, a first linear polarizer positioned on the first λ/4 plate, and a second λ/4 plate displayed on the first linear polarizer, and a lower polarizing plate including a third λ/4 plate positioned on the lower substrate of the liquid crystal display panel and a second linear polarizer positioned on the third λ/4 plate. |
| US08743320B2 |
In-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device including polarizing plate and method of fabricating the same
An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes: first and second substrates facing and spaced apart from each other; a first polarizing plate including a supporting layer, a first polarizing layer and a first protecting layer sequentially on an outer surface of the first substrate; a second polarizing plate including a first compensating layer, a second compensating layer, a second polarizing layer and a second protecting layer sequentially on an outer surface of the second substrate, the first and second compensating layers including positive and negative biaxial retardation films, respectively; and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates. |
| US08743319B2 |
Liquid crystal panel having several polarizing plates with related light transmittance and liquid crystal display apparatus
A liquid crystal panel of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizing plate placed on one side of the liquid crystal cell; a second polarizing plate and a third polarizing plate placed on another side of the liquid crystal cell in the stated order from a side of the liquid crystal cell; a first retardation plate placed between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizing plate; and a second retardation plate placed between the liquid crystal cell and the second polarizing plate, in which: refractive index ellipsoids of the first retardation plate and the second retardation plate exhibit a relationship of nx>ny>nz; and a transmittance (T2) of the second polarizing plate is larger than a transmittance (T1) of the first polarizing plate, and a transmittance (T3) of the third polarizing plate is equal to or larger than the transmittance (T1) of the first polarizing plate. |
| US08743317B2 |
Image forming apparatus comprising a transparent layer and an optical absorption layer arranged in a pitch of 1/N of a pixel pitch
An image forming apparatus includes: a functional element substrate to which a pixel is formed in a predetermined cycle; an opposed substrate formed on the functional element substrate; and an optical device arranged on the opposed substrate, which includes a transparent layer and an optical absorption layer arranged in a cycle of 1/n (n is an integer number) of the cycle of arranging the pixel, and restricts spread of transmitted light. |
| US08743316B2 |
Light guide panel and liquid crystal display apparatus having particular light-emitting pattern surface
A light guide panel (LGP) for use in a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus includes a light-emitting pattern surface on which light-emitting patterns are formed, an opposite surface opposite to the light-emitting pattern surface, and four edge surfaces. Lenticular patterns are formed on one of the light-emitting pattern surface and the opposite surface. The light-emitting pattern surface includes a light-emitting part in which the light-emitting patterns are formed; and an edge part which extends along the four edge surfaces to enclose the light-emitting part and in which at least one fixing groove is formed to fix the LGP. The light-emitting part includes a pattern reducing region which faces the fixing groove and has a lower light-emitting pattern density than an other region of the light-emitting part. |
| US08743315B2 |
Surface light source device, liquid crystal display device, and lens
The present invention relates to a surface light source, including a light source section made up of plural light emitting diodes and lenses that expand light from these light emitting diodes. The lens in the light source section has a light incident surface on which light from the light emitting diode is incident with an optical axis at a center, and a light exit surface that expands and emits the incident light. The light incident surface has a continued depressed surface, while the light exit surface has a continued projected surface. The lens performs such that “sag Y” decreases from a maximum value “sag Y0” with an increment of “θi”, where θi is an angle included between a straight line, connecting an arbitrary point on the light exit surface and a base point on the optical axis which corresponds to a position of the light emitting diode, and the optical axis; sag Y is a distance measured in a light axis direction from the base point on the optical axis to the arbitrary point on the light exit surface; and “sag Y0” is a value of sag Y when angle θi is 0 (zero) degree, and wherein the light exit surface except a vicinity of the optical axis takes a shape satisfying a relation of 10 degrees<θmin<30 degrees, where θi takes a minimum value, i.e. θmin when curvature C of a micro-section on the light exit surface in a sectional view which includes the optical axis takes a minimum value. |
| US08743314B2 |
Reflecting plate for preventing leakage of light, backlight and liquid crystal display device having the same
Disclosed are a reflecting plate capable of preventing inferiority of an image quality due to leakage of light emitted from LEDs to outside, a backlight and an LCD device having the same. An extension portion extending towards an LED substrate is formed on a side surface of the reflecting plate, the side surface where the LEDs are arranged. This may shield light emitted from the LEDs and leaked to a space between the LED substrate and the reflecting plate. |
| US08743311B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display (LCD) including a display panel having a pixel for displaying an image; a backlight assembly for providing light to the display panel; a mold frame for receiving the backlight assembly; a chassis for supporting the display panel and the mold frame; and a ground tab between the mold frame and the chassis, the ground tab having elasticity and including a bent portion, the bent portion corresponding in shape to a bend in the chassis, and the ground tab overlying an upper surface and a side surface of the mold frame. |
| US08743305B2 |
Liquid crystal display device utilizing storage capacitor lines
A liquid crystal display device in which lengths (d1 and1 d2) of respective picture element electrodes (60) in an extended direction of scanning signal lines (32) are longer than lengths (d3) of the respective picture element electrodes (60) in an extended direction of video signal lines (35) is arranged such that storage capacitor lines (36) are provided along the respective scanning signal lines (32) so as to overlap the respective picture element electrodes (60) via an insulating film (70) in plan view. |
| US08743303B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having particular optical member
A liquid crystal display device displaying a three-dimensional image using a left-eye image and a right-eye image includes a liquid crystal panel including first and second substrates that are spaced apart from each other; a patterned retarder disposed over the liquid crystal panel; and an optical member disposed under the liquid crystal panel, wherein the optical member includes at least one inclined plane corresponding to each pixel region of the liquid crystal panel. |
| US08743300B2 |
Integrated touch screens
Integrated touch screens are provided including drive lines formed of grouped-together circuit elements of a thin film transistor layer and sense lines formed between a color filter layer and a material layer that modifies or generates light. The common electrodes (Vcom) in the TFT layer can be grouped together during a touch sensing operation to form drive lines. Sense lines can be formed on an underside of a color filter glass, and a liquid crystal region can be disposed between the color filter glass and the TFT layer. Placing the sense lines on the underside of the color filter glass, i.e., within the display pixel cell, can provide a benefit of allowing the color filter glass to be thinned after the pixel cells have been assembled, for example. |
| US08743296B2 |
On-vehicle display apparatus
An on-vehicle display apparatus includes a display, a reflector, a rotation device, a manual operation device, an automatic operation device, a controller, and a memory. The manual operation device is capable of, during manual operation thereof, causing the rotation device to operate the reflector in a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction. The memory stores, in association with a rotation position stored in the memory, a rotation direction of the reflector rotated to the rotation position based on an input from the manual operation device. When the controller causes, based on an input from the automatic operation device, the rotation device to rotate the reflector and to stop the reflector at the rotation position stored in the memory, the controller causes the rotation device to rotate the reflector in the rotation direction stored in the memory in association with the rotation position. |
| US08743295B2 |
Remote control dock system and method
A vehicle entertainment system and method to prevent a mechanical connection between certain components of an entertainment system for a vehicle can include an entertainment system housing containing a plurality of entertainment components and a remote control module. The remote control module can include a user interface on a surface of the remote control module. In addition, the remote control module can be configured to prevent secure mounting of the remote control module to the entertainment system housing when the remote control module is not the appropriate remote control module for the particular vehicle entertainment system. |
| US08743294B2 |
Remote control with content management
A remote control unit includes stored user profiles to facilitate and possibly limit access to media content. In some embodiments, a biometric sensor or smart card reader provides user authentication to access stored user profiles. User profiles are associated with content sets that include content selected for potential viewing by the user. The remote control unit is enabled for bidirectional communication with a set-top box or modem that permits access to media content from a bidirectional service provider network. |
| US08743291B2 |
Quality assessment for images that have extended dynamic ranges or wide color gamuts
A first video signal is accessed, and represented in a first color space with a first color gamut, related to a first dynamic range. A second video signal is accessed, and represented in a second color space of a second color gamut, related to a second dynamic range. The first accessed video signal is converted to a video signal represented in the second color space. At least two color-related components of the converted video signal are mapped over the second dynamic range. The mapped video signal and the second accessed video signal are processed. Based on the processing, a difference is measured between the processed first and second video signals. A visual quality characteristic relates to a magnitude of the measured difference between the processed first and second video signals. The visual quality characteristic is assessed based, at least in part, on the measurement of the difference. |
| US08743290B2 |
Apparatus and method of processing image as well as apparatus and method of generating reproduction information with display position control using eye direction
An apparatus of processing an image contains a scene-change-detecting unit that detects a scene change of input image based on an image signal relative to the input image, a display-position-controlling unit that determines a display position of an image after the scene change to a display position associated with an image before the scene change based on a detection result in the scene-change-detecting unit, and a display-position-setting unit that sets the display position determined in the display-position-controlling unit as a display position in which the image after the scene change is displayed. The display-position-controlling unit detects a feature value of the images before and after the scene change and determines the display position of the image after the scene change based on the feature value of the images. |
| US08743288B2 |
Image processing method and image processing apparatus
A method and an apparatus are provided for determining whether a-low resolution image is converted to a high-resolution image, and enhancing image quality of a video signal. The image processing method includes steps of receiving a video stream; determining whether the video stream includes a converted image converted from a low-resolution image to a high-resolution image; and enhancing image quality of the video stream when the video stream includes the converted image. |
| US08743286B2 |
Peripheral control system, display device, and peripheral
A peripheral control system enhances expandability in the operation of peripheral by enabling the customization and display of operation panels for each of the peripherals, regardless of whether any operation panel exists at the display device side. The peripheral control system is configured by connecting a TV and a recorder via an HDMI connection. The TV stores operation panel information that includes array information for arraying, on the screen, image data of the operation buttons that comprise the operation panel of the recorder. The recorder stores image data of the operation buttons, and sends, according to operation panel information obtained from the TV, the aforementioned stored image data of the operation buttons in association with the array information to the TV. The TV disposes and displays image data of the operation buttons sent from the recorder, at a position that is in accordance with the array information. |
| US08743285B2 |
Automatic return to a high-definition mode after guide demonstration
A high definition television monitor adapted to display a program guide, for example an electronic program guide demonstration, in low definition mode (1H) and automatically switch to high definition mode (2H) upon completion of the program guide display. |
| US08743280B2 |
Scan conversion image filtering
An image processing apparatus in which output pixels of an output image are generated with respect to input pixels of an input image, a first subset of the output pixels being identical to respective input pixels and a second subset of the output pixels being derived from respective groups of one or more input pixels. The apparatus includes a spatial filter arrangement for filtering the second subset of pixels, the filter not being applied to filter the first subset of output pixels, the filter arrangement having a response such that high spatial frequencies are attenuated in the output image. |
| US08743279B2 |
Image display device, image display method, and program
Provided is an image display device including a high frame rate signal generating unit (20) that increases a frame rate of an input video signal, a frame rate adjusting unit (30) that adjusts a frame rate by setting a non-emission frame at a predetermined cycle on a high frame rate video signal output from the high frame rate signal generating unit (20), and a display panel (40) that displays a video based on a video signal output from the frame rate adjusting unit (30). |
| US08743275B1 |
Mobile communication device with multiple flashpoints
A mobile communication device includes a wireless communication interface arranged to transmit and receive data with a wireless data network; a microprocessor in operable connection with memory storing one or more computer applications that include a digital image capture application; a housing at least partially surrounding the wireless communication interface and the microprocessor and defining an outer surface for the mobile communication device; a camera lens in an aperture in the housing and arranged on a first side of the wireless communication device and located at least partially in the housing, and serving as a centerpoint for an intersection of a pair of axes that define four quadrants; and a plurality of flash generating devices on the first side of, and on the outer surface of, the wireless communication device, two of the flash generating devices located in quadrants that are positioned opposite of, and not adjacent to, each other. |
| US08743272B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method of controlling the apparatus and program thereof
A feature amount is calculated from input image data, then a scene of the input image data is determined based on the feature amount and the reliability of the scene is calculated. Then correction processing is performed on the input image data that corresponds to the determined scene and the scene reliability of the scene. |
| US08743261B2 |
Camera data management and user interface apparatuses, systems, and methods
In certain embodiments, a live camera sensor view and an image manager pane are displayed together in a graphical user interface (“GUI”), and the image manager pane includes a visual representation of a previously captured camera image and a visual indication of a user input to be provided by a user to cause an active input mode to directly toggle between the image manager pane and the live camera sensor view. In certain embodiments, a camera image stored locally by a device is published by the device, over a network, to a content distribution subsystem configured to automatically distribute the camera image to one or more predefined destinations. The content distribution subsystem automatically distributes the camera image to the one or more predefined destinations. |
| US08743259B2 |
Information displaying apparatus
An information displaying apparatus includes: a memory control unit that stores information to a storage medium, and outputs the information from the storage medium; a display that displays the information output from the storage medium in a predetermined display form on a screen of the display; an image-capturing unit that captures an image of an observer in a state to observe the display and outputs an image signal; a facial image detection unit that detects an inclination of a facial image of the observer based on the image signal; and a display form change unit that changes the display form of the information to be displayed on the screen. The display form change unit changes the display form so that the information to be displayed on the screen rotates by a predetermined rotation angle based on the inclination of the facial image detected by the facial image detection unit. |
| US08743257B2 |
Solid-state imaging element having image signal overflow path
Since the great number of elements constituting a unit pixel having an amplification function would hinder reduction of pixel size, unit pixel n,m arranged in a matrix form is comprised of a photodiode, a transfer switch for transferring charges stored in the photodiode, a floating diffusion for storing charges transferred by the transfer switch, a reset switch for resetting the floating diffusion, and an amplifying transistor for outputting a signal in accordance with the potential of the floating diffusion to a vertical signal line, and by affording vertical selection pulse φVn to the drain of the reset switch to control a reset potential thereof, pixels are selected in units of rows. |
| US08743256B2 |
Solid-state image pickup element, optical apparatus, signal processing apparatus, and signal processing system
The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup element capable of transmitting pixel signals read from a pixel unit as optical signals at high speed, an optical apparatus, a signal processing apparatus, and a signal processing system.The solid-state image pickup element 1A includes a pixel unit 10A which converts light into electric signals, an A/D convertor 11A which converts the signals read from the pixel unit 10A into digital signals, an optical communication unit 12A which converts the signals digitalized by the A/D convertor 11A into optical signals and outputs the optical signals, a timing generator 13A which generates a driving clock used to synchronize processes of inputting/outputting signals performed by the pixel unit 10A, the A/D convertor 11A, and the optical communication unit 12A, and a controller 16A which controls reading of signals. |
| US08743254B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, imaging device, electronic equipment, A/D converter and A/D conversion method
In a reference signal comparison AD conversion scheme, a reference signal SLP_ADC and each of P and D phases of a pixel signal voltage VX are compared. A count clock CKcnt1 is counted based on the comparison result. The counting result data is converted into signal data Dsig, i.e., the difference between the P and D phases, which is also subjected to CDS. At this time, the n-bit AD conversion is performed on each of the P and D phases of the pixel signal voltage VX, followed by summation for digital integration. This prevents any possible detrimental effects that may be caused by summation in the analog domain. Although the signal data becomes W times greater, noise will likely become √W times greater. This alleviates the problem of random noise resulting from AD conversion such as quantizing noise and circuit noise that do not exist in the analog domain, thus reducing the noise. |
| US08743253B2 |
Method of controlling read address, physical information acquisition apparatus, and semiconductor device
To reduce random noise caused by address setting in an apparatus that controls a read address of an image sensing device, without causing a significant increase in circuit complexity.A ring shift register sets a low-order address value depending on a value in steps of which an overall address value is incremented, and a Gray code counter sets a high-order address value. In the ring shift register, a carry from the lowest-order bit to the highest-order bit does not occur, and thus use of the ring shift register makes it possible to reduce the maximum number of toggled bits. The Gray code counter does not need to include a complicated circuit for switching the value in steps of which to increment the high-order address value. Thus, an overall address setting unit can be configured in a simple form without needing any complicated circuit such that addressing can be performed while maintaining the number of toggled bits within a small range and thus random noise generated in the addressing operation can be minimized. |
| US08743249B2 |
Solid state imaging device and camera system having test-pattern generating circuitry
A data transfer circuit includes at least one data transfer line that transfers digital data, at least one data detecting circuit connected to the transfer line, holding circuits that hold digital values corresponding to input levels and that transfer the digital values to the transfer line, a scanning circuit that selects a holding circuit, at least one test-pattern generating circuit that generates a digital value, the test-pattern generating circuit connected to the transfer line, at least one test-column scanning circuit that selects the test-pattern generating circuit, and a start-pulse selecting circuit that controls starting of the scanning circuit and the test-column scanning circuit. The start-pulse selecting circuit transfers a digital value to the data transfer line by activating the test-pattern generating circuit. |
| US08743248B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, method of driving solid-state imaging device, and image processing device
An image processing device comprising: first A/D converters that receive output signals of respective columns of a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, convert the output signals into first digital signals, and output the first digital signals; a second A/D converter that receives a correction signal, converts the correction signal into a second digital signal, and outputs the second digital signal; a first correction calculation unit that produces a first correction formula; a second correction calculation unit that produces a second correction formula based on the second digital signal; a determination unit that compares a coefficient of the second correction formula and a coefficient of a second correction formula produced before the second correction formula, and determines whether or not to produce the first correction formula based on the comparison result; and a signal output unit that outputs an update signal when it is determined to produce the first correction formula. |
| US08743245B2 |
Image processing method, image pickup apparatus, image processing apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
An image processing method includes the steps of obtaining an input image that is an image in which information of an object space is obtained from a plurality of points of view using an image pickup apparatus that includes an image pickup element having a plurality of pixels and an imaging optical system, calculating a first position of a virtual imaging plane that corresponds to a specified focus position, setting the virtual imaging plane to a second position that is in a range of a depth of focus of the imaging optical system with reference to the first position so that a maximum value of an apparent pixel pitch that is formed by reconstructing the input image is decreased, and generating an output image in a state where the virtual imaging plane is set to the second position. |
| US08743242B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method, and program
An information processing apparatus includes a recording unit operable to record data in a predetermined area, a detecting unit operable to detect a device connected to the apparatus, and an unmounting unit operable to unmount the predetermined area in the recording unit when the device connected to the apparatus is detected. Accordingly, data recorded in the recording unit of the information processing apparatus is prevented from being viewed and edited through an external device connected to the apparatus. The information processing apparatus may include, for example, a camera having two recording media. |
| US08743240B2 |
Imaging apparatus and imaging method
Disclosed is an imaging apparatus with a flicker detector that restrains an increased calculation amount and image quality degradation. The apparatus includes a frame rate controller for setting a frame rate of an acquired image to a first frame rate or different second frame rate, a luminance calculator for calculating a first luminance difference between two images of a first group continuously acquired at the first frame rate and a second luminance difference between two images of a second group continuously acquired at the second frame rate, and a flicker detector for comparing the first and second luminance differences with first and second threshold, respectively, and determining whether flickers of a first frequency and a different second frequency are generated or not. |
| US08743237B2 |
Imaging device, signal processing method, and program
An imaging device includes a signal control section for receiving an input signal read-out from the imaging element in either of the interlace scheme or the progressive scheme, and for performing a different process on the input signal according to the read-out scheme to generate an output signal for a signal processing section; and a signal processing section for performing signal processing on the input signal from the signal control section and for generating an output image signal. When a read-out scheme from an imaging element is either an interlace scheme or a progressive scheme, the signal control section performs a control of generating a signal which includes the same color information to output the signal to the signal processing section. |
| US08743233B2 |
Sensitivity-settable image capture apparatus
An image capture device includes an image pickup unit including a plurality of pixels and photoelectrically converting an object image by the plurality of pixels; a white balance control unit for performing a white balance correction processing on pixel signals from the image pickup unit; and a sensitivity changing unit for changing the sensitivity of photographing, wherein the white balance control unit performs the white balance correction processing such that, as the sensitivity increases, a response to the light source is suppressed. |
| US08743228B2 |
Video synthesizing apparatus and program
The invention provides data for display on the display area for a child frame when the child frame is synthesized and displayed on the parent frame in picture-in-picture playback in order to give the displayed area of the child frame in conformity with the video content in the parent frame, as well as providing a video display apparatus etc. for displaying the child frame at an appropriate displayed position using the data for display. A video display apparatus 1 includes: decoders 101 and 103 for decoding two sets of video data; a synthesizer 105 for synthesizing the decoded videos to output; an input unit 108 for commanding display/non-display of the child frame; a processing controller 109 for controlling the operations of decoders 101 and 103 in accordance with the command; and a position designator 110 which receives the command and the data for display and time information and designates the displayed position of the child frame to the synthesizer 105. The position designator 110 determines the displayed position of the child-frame video in accordance with displayable time information of the child-frame video and information on the displayed area or displayable area depending on time, included in the data for display. |
| US08743227B2 |
Imaging apparatus and control method for reducing a load of writing image data on a recording medium
In response to an input instruction to start a still image capturing operation when a moving image capturing operation is being performed, an imaging apparatus controls the still image capturing operation to record a still image file on a recording medium, interrupts the moving image capturing operation, generates a moving image in which an interframe-compressed image whose difference information is zero is inserted as at least one of images to be substituted for a moving image corresponding to a time period for which the moving image capturing operation is interrupted, and records the generated moving image on the recording medium. |
| US08743223B2 |
Linking captured images using short range communications
Methods and apparatus for linking captured images using short range communications or a personal area network are described. In an embodiment, an image capture device is described which detects devices in proximity to the device and stores data identifying the devices and the times when they were in proximity. In another embodiment, a computing-based device is described which uses the data stored by an image capture device to identify sequences of images which were captured by a group of devices in proximity to each other and to present these sequences to a viewer concurrently and in temporal alignment. |
| US08743220B2 |
System and method for acquiring a still image from a moving image
A system and method captures a moving image of a scene that can be more readily de-blurred as compared to images captured through other methods operating on equivalent exposure-time intervals. Rather than stopping and starting the light measurement during the exposure-time interval, photo-generated current is switched between multiple charge storage sites in accordance with a temporal switching pattern that optimizes the conditioning of the solution to the inverse blur transform. By switching the image intensity signal between storage sites all of the light energy available during the exposure-time interval is transduced to electronic charge and captured to form a temporally decomposed representation of the moving image. As compared to related methods that discard approximately half of the image intensity signal available over an equivalent exposure-time interval, such a temporally decomposed image is a far more complete representation of the moving image and more effectively de-blurred using simple linear de-convolution techniques. |
| US08743219B1 |
Image rotation correction and restoration using gyroscope and accelerometer
An apparatus includes an image capture sensor, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a feedback module, a rotation module, a correction module, and a restoration module. The image capture sensor captures an image. The gyroscope makes a first measurement that indicates an orientation of the image capture sensor relative to a reference orientation. The accelerometer makes a second measurement. The feedback module generates a corrected first measurement to correct for drift of the gyroscope in response to the second measurement. The rotation module generates a rotation matrix based on the corrected first measurement. The correction module corrects the image captured by the image capture sensor based on the rotation matrix. The restoration module selectively restores the image captured by the image capture sensor based on (i) the image as corrected by the correction module and (ii) the rotation matrix. |
| US08743218B2 |
Imaging apparatus including a shake correction function
An imaging apparatus includes a correction lens correcting a shake of an image on an imaging device, a driver driving the correction lens, a detector detecting an amount of shake of the imaging apparatus, a determining unit determining, based on an amplitude of an output from the detector, whether the shake is within a normal range, and a controller controlling the driver based on a result of the determination. The controller controls the driver to drive the correction lens in a first mode when the shake is within the normal range, the first mode driving the correction lens according to a result of the detection, and to stop the correction lens or drive the correction lens in a second mode when the shake is out of the normal range of camera shake, the second mode suppressing an amount of movement of the correction lens more than for the first mode. |
| US08743215B1 |
Mura detection apparatus and method of display device
Disclosed is a mura detection apparatus and method of a display device. The mura detection method includes analyzing image information acquired from a test image displayed by a display panel to detect a plurality of mura candidate areas, extracting feature information and position information of the mura candidate areas, removing non-mura according to the features of the mura candidate areas, detecting white spot mura and black spot mura on the basis of the feature information of the mura candidate areas, detecting black-and-white spot mura on the basis of the position information of the mura candidate areas, and detecting the white spot mura, the black spot mura, and the black-and-white spot mura as final mura to classify a kind, size, and position of the final mura. |
| US08743208B2 |
Method and apparatus for image noise reduction using noise models
A method and apparatus for processing imager pixel signals to reduce noise. The processing includes receiving a target pixel signal, receiving at least one neighboring pixel signal, formulating a dynamic noise signal based at least in part on a value of the target pixel signal, and controlling a noise reduction operation using the dynamic noise signal. |
| US08743207B2 |
Infrared camera architecture systems and methods
An infrared camera architecture includes, for an embodiment, an infrared detector, a substrate, a plurality of electrical components coupled to the substrate, and a pedestal made of a thermally conductive material and having a leg coupled to the substrate. The infrared detector is supported by and thermally coupled to the pedestal, with the pedestal thermally isolating the infrared detector from the plurality of electrical components. |
| US08743202B2 |
Stereo camera for a motor vehicle
A device is described for a motor vehicle, having at least one first camera and at least one second camera, the first camera and the second camera acting as a stereo camera, the first camera and the second camera being different with respect to at least one camera property, in particular the light sensitivity of the first camera and the light sensitivity of the second camera being different. Furthermore the device is configured in such a way that the driver assistance function of night vision support and/or traffic sign recognition and/or object recognition and/or road boundary recognition and/or lane recognition and/or other functions are ensured. |