| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08824875B2 |
Method for heating part in processing chamber of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus
There is provided a method for heating a part within a processing chamber of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a substrate in the processing chamber and performing a process on the substrate. The heating method includes generating heating lights which is generated by a heating light source provided outside the processing chamber and has a wavelength band capable of passing through a first part in the processing chamber and being absorbed into a second part in the processing chamber made of a material different from that of the first part, and heating the second part in the processing chamber by passing the heating lights through the first part in the processing chamber and irradiating the heating lights to the second part in the processing chamber. |
| US08824873B2 |
Optical disk for high resolution and general video recording, optical disk reproduction apparatus, optical disk recording apparatus, and reproduction control information generation apparatus
A high resolution video signal is divided by video division means into a main signal and a sub signal, and the main signal and the sub signal are MPEG-encoded. The stream of the main signal and the stream of the sub signal are divided into 1 GPO or more of frames. First interleave blocks each including 1 GOP or more of the stream of the main signal and second interleave blocks each including 1 GOP or more of the stream of the sub signal are recorded on an optical disk. A high resolution reproduction apparatus reproduces both the first and second interleave blocks to obtain a high resolution video output. A non-high quality picture reproduction apparatus reproduces only the first or second interleave blocks to obtain a standard resolution video output. |
| US08824867B2 |
System and method for recording related programs comprising media content related data
A system a method and a module for recording programs comprising media content data, transmitted by a media content provider via communication channels, where each program is associated with metadata containing details relating to the program. The method comprises: identifying related programs; online recording of programs of at least one predefined communication channel, that were identified as related programs, according to predefined recording rules, using a recording device and enabling at least one viewer to select and view recorded programs, using a video-audio display unit. The identification of related programs is carried out by analyzing the metadata associated with each transmitted program identifying at least one relation of at least one relation type between at least some of the programs. The identified related programs are associated with programs groups, each group representing the relation relating all programs in the group and the relation type associated therewith. |
| US08824864B2 |
Data processor
To provide means for editing a content data stream quickly.A data processor according to the present invention can edit a content that has been written on a medium. The content is stored in a file as a data stream including multiple packets of the same packet size. And a file system for accessing data on a cluster size basis has been established on the medium. The data processor includes: a receiving section, which receives an instruction on a partial deletion range including the beginning of the file; and a media control section for deleting data, the size of which is an integral number of times as large as the least common multiple of the cluster size and the packet size, from the beginning of the file within the partial deletion range. |
| US08824860B2 |
Program delivery control system and program delivery control method
A program delivery control system includes: a storage section that stores a playlist indicating a play order of items forming a program; an apparatus control section that controls an apparatus on the basis of the playlist stored in the storage section and that causes the storage section to store error information sent from the apparatus in correlation with the apparatus that issued the error information; and a playlist display control section that performs control so as to display the playlist stored in the storage section on a screen with an item being played indicated as such and, in a case where the error information is stored, with an item for which the apparatus that issued the error information is necessary provided with an error indication. |
| US08824853B2 |
Shooting apparatus with controlled video recording
A shooting apparatus includes: a stop/resumption determination unit that determines stop and resumption of recording of a moving image being shot by an image pickup unit provided in a shooting apparatus body; an unnecessary part determination unit that determines an unnecessary part of the moving image based on at least one of a state change of the shooting apparatus body and a state change of the moving image; and a recording control unit that records, as a single video file, the moving image except a moving image part corresponding to a stop period from the stop to the resumption and a moving image part determined as the unnecessary part. |
| US08824851B2 |
Communications enclosure having rear mounted bracket and method of securing a cable bundle to a communications enclosure using a rear mounted bracket
A communications enclosure has an interior, a front, a rear, first and second sides extending from the front to the rear, and a rear wall at or near the enclosure rear and including a mounting surface generally perpendicular to the first side. A bracket has a first portion overlying the rear wall mounting surface, is releasably connected to the rear wall mounting surface, and is configured to secure a cable bundle to the rear wall mounting surface. |
| US08824850B2 |
Insect-infestation prevention device for a telecommunications equipment housing
An insect-infestation prevention device and a fiber optic telecommunications equipment including an insect-infestation prevention device is disclosed. The fiber optic telecommunications equipment includes a housing with a main housing portion defining a first transverse wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall, cooperatively defining an interior. A cable exit/entry is provided opening on one of the front wall, the rear wall, the top wall, and the bottom wall. A removable insect-infestation prevention device is located adjacent the cable exit/entry opening, the insect-infestation prevention device including cable openings communicating with the cable exit/entry opening. The cable openings of the device are sized to accommodate fiber optic cables exiting or entering the housing while limiting the amount of free space around the fiber optic cables to prevent insects from entering the housing. A removable cover mounted to the main housing portion defines a second transverse wall of the housing and captures the insect-infestation prevention device against the main housing portion. |
| US08824848B1 |
Multimode optical fiber including a core and a cladding
The present invention relates to a multimode optical fiber having a stably manufacturable structure as a transmission medium suitable for wide-band multimode transmission. In the multimode optical fiber, a core has a refractive-index profile a shape of which is defined by the exponent α which varies along a radial direction from a center of the core and an average of radial variation of which is positive in a predetermined range in the radial direction. |
| US08824847B2 |
Ultra small core fiber with dispersion tailoring
Various embodiments of optical fiber designs and fabrication processes for ultra small core fibers (USCF) are disclosed. In some embodiments, the USCF includes a core that is at least partially surrounded by a region comprising first features. The USCF further includes a second region at least partially surrounding the first region. The second region includes second features. In an embodiment, the first features are smaller than the second features, and the second features have a filling fraction greater than about 90 percent. The first features and/or the second features may include air holes. Embodiments of the USCF may provide dispersion tailoring. Embodiments of the USCF may be used with nonlinear optical devices configured to provide, for example, a frequency comb or a supercontinuum. |
| US08824846B2 |
Optical fiber cables having multiple subunit cables
Micromodule cables include subunit, tether cables having both electrical conductors and optical fibers. The subunits can be stranded within the micromodule cable jacket so that the subunits can be accessed from the micromodule cable at various axial locations along the cable without using excessive force. Each subunit can include two electrical conductors so that more power can be provided to electrical devices connected to the subunit. |
| US08824842B2 |
Optical semiconductor device and method for fabricating the optical semiconductor device
An optical semiconductor device, includes: a plurality of first diffraction grating layers disposed at a spacing from each other along first direction above first semiconductor layer, length of a lower surface of each of a plurality of first diffraction gratings along first direction being longer than a length of an upper surface of first diffraction grating; second diffraction grating layer disposed along first direction above first semiconductor layer, first and second diffraction grating layers being alternately disposed at a spacing from each other, a length of an upper surface of second diffraction grating layer along first direction being longer than the length of a lower surface of second diffraction layer; a diffraction grating including first and second diffraction grating layers; a second semiconductor layer disposed between first and second diffraction grating layers and under second diffraction grating layer; and third semiconductor layer disposed on first and second diffraction grating layers. |
| US08824838B2 |
Integrated circuit for facilitating optical communication between electronic devices
Active optical cable assemblies, and systems, methods, and adapter modules and integrated circuits for facilitating communication between a host and a client device over a fiber optic cable are disclosed. In one embodiment, an active optical cable assembly includes a fiber optic cable having at least one optical fiber, a host active circuit, a client active circuit, a host connector, and a client connector. Upon a connection between the host active circuit and a host device, the client termination switch closes to couple the client termination impedance to the ground reference potential. Upon a connection between the client active circuit and a client device, the host termination switch closes to the couple the host termination impedance to the ground reference potential. In another embodiment, a method includes enabling a host termination impedance upon a connection of an active optical cable to a client device. |
| US08824834B2 |
Adaptive sampling guided by multilateral filtering
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for adaptive sampling guided by multilateral filtering. A plurality of versions of a first image are generated. Each of the plurality of versions of the first image has a respective different resolution. A respective priority map is generated for each of the plurality of versions of the first image. Each respective priority map identifies a plurality of high-priority regions in a corresponding one of the plurality of versions of the first image. A second image is rendered based on the priority maps. The rendering comprises performing a ray-tracing process having a greater number of samples per pixel for the high-priority regions of the second image than for other regions of the second image. |
| US08824831B2 |
Advanced noise reduction in digital cameras
A noise reduction apparatus for digital cameras is presented that includes groups of one or more connected non-linear filter units. Each of the filter unit groups are driven by decimated input image data at a different level of decimation and the output of at least one of these filter unit groups serves as one of a plurality of inputs to another filter unit group driven at a different decimation level. Filtered image data from one or more filter unit groups is adaptively combined in response to one or more image metrics related to one or more local regional image characteristics. |
| US08824824B2 |
Image processing apparatus, imaging apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium storing program
To prevent an increase in a data storage space required for image restoration processing, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to the present invention stores a process for causing an information processing apparatus to execute a method including acquiring identification information for identifying an optical transfer characteristic for restoring an image, acquiring the optical transfer characteristic identified based on the identification information from a storage unit storing a first optical transfer characteristic commonly usable for first and second captured images captured under different imaging conditions and a second optical transfer characteristic usable for a third captured image, and generating a restored image with use of the acquired optical transfer characteristic. |
| US08824823B1 |
Increased quality of image objects based on depth in scene
Systems, methods, and software for operating an image processing system are provided herein. In a first example, a method of operating an image processing system is provided. The method includes identifying object pixels associated with an object of interest in a scene, identifying additional pixels to associate with the object of interest, and performing an operation based on a depth of the object in the scene on target pixels comprised of the object pixels and the additional pixels to change a quality of the object of interest. |
| US08824822B2 |
Methods and apparatus for identifying punch holes in images
Methods and apparatus for detecting the presence and location of punch holes in a scanned image are described. The punch hole detection methods and apparatus rely at least in some embodiments on whether a portion of the scanned image, referred to as a component, corresponds to a punch hole by comparing one or more characteristics of the component such as its circularity, aspect ratio, black to white pixel ratio, density, height and/or width to one or more thresholds before making a decision as to whether or not the component is a punch hole. In some embodiments the components which pass component-level checks are grouped and one or more group-level checks are performed on the components to determine if the components are punch holes. Once a punch hole is detected, in some embodiments, the image is processed to remove the detected punch hole. |
| US08824820B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing and reproducing three-dimensional video content and recording medium thereof
Provided are a method and apparatus for providing and reproducing a three-dimensional (3D) video content, and a computer readable recording medium storing a program to execute the method. The method of providing 3D image content includes: inserting content type information indicating whether the image content is two-dimensional (2D) image content or 3D image content into a reserved region of a Program Map Table (PMT); inserting additional information about the 3D image content into one of an Elementary Stream (ES) descriptor region of the PMT and a reserved region included in a video sequence of the ES; and multiplexing the PMT and the ES of the 3D image content so as to generate a Transport Stream (TS). Accordingly, compatibility with a conventional digital broadcasting system can be maintained and more realistic 3D image content can be provided to a user. |
| US08824819B2 |
Variable-length code decoder
An apparatus includes at least one general purpose register and at least one special purpose register and an execution unit that executes at least two instructions in parallel, to decode variable length codes, wherein each of the instructions share use of the at least one general purpose register and the at least one special purpose register. In one example, a processor stores variable length code information among a plurality of general purpose registers and generates decoded variable length code information by decoding the at least one variable length code. The processor also stores the decoded variable length code information among the plurality of general purpose registers. |
| US08824817B2 |
Spatial prediction method, image decoding method, and image coding method
A spatial prediction method capable of reducing the complexity of spatial prediction includes: detecting an edge (E) overlapping the current block by obtaining a horizontal gradient (Gy) and a vertical gradient (Gx) between pixels within a block adjacent to the current block; calculating an integer slope of the edge; determining, for each pixel position within the current block, a sub-pel position being an intersection between (i) a line that has the integer slope and passes through the pixel position and (ii) a boundary of the adjacent block; and predicting, for each pixel position, a pixel value at the pixel position based on a pixel value interpolated in the sub-pel position, wherein the boundary of the adjacent block is a row or a column that is the closest to the current block, among rows or columns of pixels included in the adjacent block. |
| US08824816B2 |
Method for estimating the throughput and the distortion of encoded image data after encoding
A method for estimating a bit rate and the distortion of at least one compressed image using at least one wavelet transform operation delivering at least one sub-band b containing coefficients, said sub-band being subdivided into at least one packet of coefficients associated with a compression quality layer, said packet also including a packet header and being transmitted through a propagation channel, said method including estimating a distortion Dbc linked to a compression of the coefficients of said packet, estimating a distortion D′bc linked to a corruption or loss of said packet, estimating a compression bit rate Lb, estimating a sensitivity {tilde over (D)}bc of said packet according to Dbc and D′bc and the bit rate Lb, and estimating a distortion of said image linked to a decompression of said packet based on {tilde over (D)}bc. |
| US08824815B2 |
Generalized scalability for video coder based on video objects
A video coding system that codes video objects as scalable video object layers. Data of each video object may be segregated in to one or more layers. A base layer contains sufficient information to decode a basic representation of the video object. Enhancement layers contain supplementary data regarding the video object that, if decoded, enhance the basic representation obtained from the base layer. The present invention thus provides a coding scheme suitable for use with decoders of varying processing power. A simple decoder may decode only the base layer of the video objects to obtain the basic representation. However, more powerful decoders may decode the base layer data of video objects and additional enhancement layer data to obtain improved decoded output. The coding scheme supports enhancement of both the spatial resolution and the temporal resolution of video object. |
| US08824814B2 |
Pixel data compression and decompression method
A pixel data decompression method for decompressing a frame is provided. The method includes: loading memory storage addresses corresponding to to-be-decompressed blocks; reading and decompressing a pixel line of a current block according to a memory storage address of the current block; updating the memory storage address of the current block according to a decompression result; reading a memory storage address of a next block if decompression of a pixel line of the frame is not completed; and repeating the above steps until decompression of the frame is completed. |
| US08824812B2 |
Method and apparatus for data compression using error plane coding
A method and apparatus of image data compression and decompression are disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the compression method partitions the image data into access units and encodes each access unit into a bitstream according to a target bit budget. Each access unit is encoded using first data compression to generate a first bitstream and the residual data is further encoded using second data compression to generate a second bitstream if the first bitstream is smaller than the target bit budget. In one example, the second data compression comprises bit plane coding applied to bit plane-ordered data, wherein the bit plane-ordered data is generated by scanning from a most significant bit to a least significant bit of the residual data in a bit plane-wise order. The decompression method comprises steps to recover reconstructed data from the first and second bitstreams. |
| US08824809B2 |
Image processing apparatus and control method thereof
A sort-out cycle such as a judgment of three levels of “usable”, “unusable”, and “reserve” is made to images and, when the judgment of all images is completed, the judgment of the three levels is made again to the “reserve” images is repeated. The number of sort-out cycle times in which the judgment is made is applied as an evaluation to the images which are finally determined as “usable”. |
| US08824808B2 |
Methods and apparatus for automated facial feature localization
Various embodiments of methods and apparatus for facial retouching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a face in an input image is detected. One or more transformation parameters for the detected face are estimated based on a profile model. The profile model is applied to obtain a set of feature points for each facial component of the detected face. Global and component-based shape models are applied to generate feature point locations of each facial component of the detected face. |
| US08824802B2 |
Method and system for gesture recognition
A method of image acquisition and data pre-processing includes obtaining from a sensor an image of a subject making a movement. The sensor may be a depth camera. The method also includes selecting a plurality of features of interest from the image, sampling a plurality of depth values corresponding to the plurality of features of interest, projecting the plurality of features of interest onto a model utilizing the plurality of depth values, and constraining the projecting of the plurality of features of interest onto the model utilizing a constraint system. The constraint system may comprise an inverse kinematics solver. |
| US08824799B1 |
Method and apparatus for progressive encoding for text transmission
A method for encoding an image, one embodiment comprising analyzing colors and spatial features of pixels of the image to identify a text region separate from a picture region; generating, for a portion of the text region, a mask dividing the portion into background pixels and text pixels, the background pixels identified as pixels with a constant color, the text pixels identified as pixels contrasting the constant color and comprising a plurality of colors; analyzing chrominance values of the plurality of colors to determine a text chrominance; generating, for each text pixel of the plurality of text pixels, a text pixel value to generate text pixel values, each text pixel value based on a luminance of a text pixel for which it was generated; and transmitting an encoding of the portion comprising an encoding of each of the constant color, the mask, the text chrominance and the text pixel values. |
| US08824797B2 |
Graph-based segmentation integrating visible and NIR information
A method for segmenting an image includes extracting unary potentials for pixels of the input image. These can be based for each of a set of possible labels, on information for a first channel in the image, such as in the visible range of the spectrum. Pairwise potentials are extracted for neighboring pairs of pixels of the image. These can be based on information for a second channel in the image, such as in the infrared range of the spectrum. An objective function is optimized over pixels of the input image to identify labels for the pixels. The objective function is based on a combination of ones of the extracted unary and pairwise potentials. The image is then segmented, based on the identified pixel labels. The method and system can provide an improvement in segmentation over methods which use only the visible information. |
| US08824794B1 |
Graduated color correction of digital terrain assets across different levels of detail
The embodiments described below include systems, methods, and computer storage mediums for blending image assets based on changes in a zoom level. An exemplary method includes determining an image asset from a collection of image assets, wherein the image asset is determined as a function of the zoom level. When the zoom level meets a threshold zoom level, a color corrected image asset is determined from the collection of image assets. The color corrected image asset is determined as a function of the zoom level and a color correction profile. The image asset and the color corrected image asset are blended, where the blending includes applying a first coefficient value to the image asset and a second coefficient to the color corrected image asset. Each of the first and second coefficient values may be determined as a function of the difference between the zoom level and the threshold zoom level. |
| US08824785B2 |
Segregation of handwritten information from typographic information on a document
A system for segregating handwritten information from typographic information on a document may include a memory, an interface, and a processor. The memory stores an electronic document image of a document where the electronic document image includes pixels and each pixel has a characteristic. The processor may receive, via the interface, the electronic document image and may identify first, second and third most frequently occurring characteristics of the pixels of the electronic document image. The pixels having the first most frequently occurring characteristic represent a background of the document. The processor may determine the typographic information of the document as represented by pixels having the second most frequently occurring characteristic. The processor may determine the handwritten information of the document as represented by pixels having the third most frequently occurring characteristic. The processor may derive a first representation of the handwritten information and a second representation of the typographic information. |
| US08824781B2 |
Learning-based pose estimation from depth maps
A method for processing data includes receiving a depth map of a scene containing a humanoid form. Respective descriptors are extracted from the depth map based on the depth values in a plurality of patches distributed in respective positions over the humanoid form. The extracted descriptors are matched to previously-stored descriptors in a database. A pose of the humanoid form is estimated based on stored information associated with the matched descriptors. |
| US08824776B2 |
Collision detection system, robotic system, collision detection method and program
A collision detection system includes a processing section, a drawing section, and a depth buffer. Depth information of an object is set to the depth buffer as depth map information. The drawing section performs a first drawing process of performing a depth test, and drawing a primitive surface on a reverse side when viewed from a predetermined viewpoint out of primitive surfaces constituting a collision detection target object with reference to the depth buffer. Further, the drawing section performs a second drawing process of drawing the primitive surface on the reverse side when viewed from a predetermined viewpoint out of the primitive surfaces constituting the collision detection target object without performing the depth test. The processing section determines whether or not the collision detection target object collides with the object on the target side based on the result of the first drawing process and the second drawing process. |
| US08824774B2 |
Method and apparatus for inspecting patterns formed on a substrate
The pattern inspection apparatus of the present invention performs comparison between images of regions corresponding to patterns formed to be same patterns, thereby determining mismatch portions across the images to be defects. The apparatus includes multiple sensors that synchronously acquire images of shiftable multiple detection systems different from one another, and an image comparator section corresponding thereto. In addition, the apparatus includes a means for detecting a statistical offset value from the feature amount to be a defect, thereby properly detecting the defect even when a brightness difference is occurring in association with film a thickness difference in a wafer. |
| US08824771B2 |
Method and device for tracing bank notes
The invention relates to a method for tracing bank notes, wherein bank notes are inserted into an automated teller machine having a deposit function and are checked for authenticity, wherein a serial number of the bank note is detected and is stored as text together with transaction data. In addition, a serial number image of the bank notes is detected which forms an image detail of the bank note in an area of the bank note intended for the serial number, the detected serial number image with the serial number and the transaction data are stored and the serial number images are compared with the forged bank note if the serial number of the forged bank note has not been completely identified and/or if a comparison of the serial number of the forged bank note does not produce an agreement with the at least one stored serial number. |
| US08824769B2 |
Process and system for analyzing the expression of biomarkers in a cell
The invention relates generally to a process of analyzing and visualizing the expression of biomarkers in an individual cell wherein the cell is examined to develop patterns of expression by using a grouping algorithm, and a system to perform and display the analysis. |
| US08824763B2 |
Image reconfiguration method for electro-magnetic tomography
Disclosed is an image reconfiguration method for electro-magnetic tomography. The image reconfiguration method for electro-magnetic tomography includes: measuring electric field values of each electro-magnetic wave for normal tissue, benign tumor tissue, and cancer tissue that are body tissue properties to perform signal processing on the electric field values of the electro-magnetic waves; calculating the electric field values of the electro-magnetic waves that are subjected to the signal processing as specific image reconfiguration data values; and comparing with the calculated specific image reconfiguration data value and applying to a nonlinear image transform function to convert into amplified image output data value, thereby outputting an image based on the image output data value, wherein the nonlinear image transform function is an exponential function or log function based nonlinear image transform function that selectively amplifies only a difference in the specific image reconfiguration data values between the body tissues. |
| US08824762B2 |
Method and system for processing ultrasound data
A method of processing ultrasound data includes receiving ultrasound data for a first ultrasound image, the first ultrasound image being represented as a first set of discrete pixels corresponding to positions of a region of interest; receiving ultrasound data for a second ultrasound image, the second ultrasound image being represented as a second set of discrete pixels corresponding to positions of the region of interest; generating a displacement map by minimizing a cost function using a dynamic programming procedure that identifies each of the first set of discrete pixels with a corresponding one of the second set of discrete pixels; refining the displacement map to obtain intermediate displacement values corresponding to positions between the discrete pixels based on minimizing a local approximation to the cost function; and calculating a physical property of the region of interest based on the displacement map. |
| US08824760B2 |
Modification and elimination of back projection weight during the CT image reconstruction
At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a method for the reconstruction of image data from an examined object, using measuring data, wherein the measuring data were first recorded during a relative movement between a radiation source on a computer tomography system and the examined object. In at least one embodiment, the image reconstruction is based on a back projection of the filtered measuring data. During the back projection, a back projection weight that depends on the respective image point is used and the power with which the back projection weight is used is selectable. |
| US08824757B2 |
Method and apparatus for using time of flight information to detect and correct for motion in imaging scans
In accordance with one aspect of the invention a method and apparatus for utilizing time of flight information to detect motion during a medical imaging acquisition, such as a PET imaging acquisition, is provided. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method and apparatus for detecting and correcting for respiratory motion and cardiac motion in medical images, such as PET images, is provided. |
| US08824755B2 |
Method and computer system for automatically generating a statistical model
A method and a computer system are disclosed for automatically generating a statistical vascular model of a patient group. In at least one embodiment, the method includes collecting determining patient-related vascular coordinates models from a multiplicity of vascular landmark coordinates of vascular landmarks, centerline coordinates on vessel centerlines and vessel contour coordinates on vessel contour edge profiles; determining body landmark coordinates of body landmarks; registering the vessel-related coordinates to patient-related registered vascular coordinates models; merging patient-related vascular parameter models to form at least one statistical vascular parameter model; determining the statistical parameters thereof; and saving and/or outputting the at least one statistical vascular parameter model. |
| US08824752B1 |
Methods and systems for assessing image quality in modeling of patient anatomic or blood flow characteristics
Systems and methods are disclosed for assessing the quality of medical images of at least a portion of a patient's anatomy, using a computer system. One method includes receiving one or more images of at least a portion of the patient's anatomy; determining, using a processor of the computer system, one or more image properties of the received images; performing, using a processor of the computer system, anatomic localization or modeling of at least a portion of the patient's anatomy based on the received images; obtaining an identification of one or more image characteristics associated with an anatomic feature of the patient's anatomy based on the anatomic localization or modeling; and calculating, using a processor of the computer system, an image quality score based on the one or more image properties and the one or more image characteristics. |
| US08824751B2 |
Digital photograph group editing and access
A process of managing a digital photo involves capturing the photo using a digital camera; communicating the photo to a server system; the server system identifying faces of people in the photo; the server system matching the faces to the communication addresses of portable devices of the people; and the server system communicating the photo to the portable devices. |
| US08824750B2 |
Distributive facial matching and notification system
A method and a system for distributing facial identifiers to gateways are described. The system has one or more gateways and a web server associate with the gateways. Each gateway is coupled to a video capturing device. The web server identifies one or more gateways using a metadata associated with a picture of a face. The web server then distributes the picture of the face and the metadata to the identified gateways. |
| US08824747B2 |
Skin-tone filtering
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, are disclosed relating to skin-tone filtering for reducing the impact of lighting conditions, while providing a low-computation solution for effective face detection. In one aspect, methods include sampling a digital image frame from among a series of digital image frames. The methods further include analyzing pixels within the sampled digital image frame to determine whether pixels in the sampled digital image frame have a hue, independent of lightness, that is within a range of hues corresponding to human skin tone. Further, the methods include deciding whether the sampled digital image frame includes a depiction of human skin based on a result of the analyzing. |
| US08824743B2 |
Adaptive ultrasound image reconstruction based on sensing of local media motion
An image reconstruction system method for forming an image of media using data acquired from an ultrasound transducer, the method including the steps of detecting relative motion between locations in the media and the transducer; determining relative media velocity from the detecting relative motion; setting a reconstruction period for an image point based on the determined velocity; determining the amount of acquired data to use during the reconstruction period based on the reconstruction period; and using the determined amount of acquired data to reconstruct the image point for display. The system includes a data acquisition system, a processor configured to process the data, and an image display device for displaying the image. |
| US08824741B2 |
Method for estimating the roll angle in a travelling vehicle
The invention relates to a method for estimating the roll angle in a travelling vehicle (7), comprising the following steps. In step a), a camera (8) is used to record a sequence of images of the vehicle's surroundings, in particular of the road (1) ahead. In step b), at least one signature (S1-S6) on the road surface is extracted from the camera images, i.e. said signature is determined and tracked. The changed position of the at least one signature (S1-S6) in one or more subsequent camera image(s) is used in step c) to determine in which direction the camera (8) is turned with regard to the roll angle.The value of the roll angle is estimated in step d).For this purpose, the roll angle is either directly estimated in step d1), taking into account the vehicle speed (v) and an imaging model of the camera (8), or the roll angle is iteratively increased or decreased by a defined correction angle in step d2) until the roll angle sufficiently compensates for the turning of the camera (8). On this basis, the estimated roll angle is obtained as an overall correction value. |
| US08824740B2 |
Methods and apparatus for detecting a composition of an audience of an information presenting device
Methods and apparatus for detecting a composition of an audience of an information presenting device are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes maintaining a first count of a number of people detected in an environment based on image data representative of the environment; when the image data is indicative of a change in the number of people detected in the environment, presenting a request for identity information; determining if the people were compliant in providing the identity information based on a difference between the number of people appearing in the image data and a second number of received identity responses; and when the people were non-compliant in providing the identity information, increasing a second count maintained for the environment indicative of unidentified people in the room. |
| US08824734B2 |
Device, method and recording to determine depressed portions of image regions using shortcut line analysis
An image recognition device includes a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor executes a process includes detecting a plurality of contour points arranged on a contour line of a given region in an image, detecting a first contour point and a second contour point, in the contour points, the first and second contour points corresponding to respective ends of a first shortcut line formed by connecting portions of the contour line across an external area of the given region, and determining, based on a length of the first shortcut line or a length of a first route that extends along the contour line between the first and second contour points, whether or not a portion surrounded by the first shortcut line and the first route, not contained in the given region, is a depressed portion. |
| US08824733B2 |
Range-cued object segmentation system and method
Objects in a range map image are clustered into regions of interest responsive to range as determined from either a separate ranging system or from a top-down transformation of a range map image from a stereo vision system. A relatively-central location of each region of interest is transformed to mono-image geometry, and the corresponding portion of an associated mono-image is searched radially outwards from the relatively-central location along a plurality of radial search paths, along which the associated image pixels are filtered using an Edge-Preserving Smoothing filter in order to find an edge of the associated object along the radial search path. Edge locations for each of the radial search paths are combined in an edge profile vector that provides for discriminating the object. |
| US08824731B2 |
Image processing of apparatus condition
In one embodiment, a method of continually monitoring and detecting in real-time a condition of an apparatus is detailed. In one step, an apparatus is continually monitored in real-time using continual real-time images of the apparatus taken by at least one camera. In another step, the continual real-time images of the apparatus from the at least one camera are communicated to at least one computer processing unit. In still another step, the continual real-time images of the apparatus are processed using at least one software program embedded in the at least one computer processing unit in order to monitor and detect in real-time a condition of the apparatus. |
| US08824728B2 |
Method and system for tracking illegal distributor and preventing illegal content distribution
A system for tracking an illegal distributor and preventing an illegal content distribution includes: a forensic mark generator for receiving content and a content identification code from a content providing apparatus to generate a forensic mark; a forensic mark database for storing the generated forensic mark; a forensic mark insertion unit for inserting the forensic mark into the content; and a content database for storing the content into which the forensic mark has been inserted. The system further includes a content transmitter for transmitting the content into which the forensic mark has been inserted to the content utilization apparatus. |
| US08824721B2 |
Sound sports board apparatus and a method of making the same
A sports board apparatus and method including a first speaker housing adapted to receive a first speaker and an audio device housing adapted to receive an audio device. The first speaker housing can be adapted to mount the first speaker substantially flush with the top surface of the sports board. The audio device housing can be adapted to mount an audio device substantially flush with the top surface of the sports board. An electrical conduit can be operably coupled to the first speaker housing and adapted to be coupled to the audio device so that a sports board owner can listen to music or other audio programming while engaging in leisurely activities, such as surfing, snowboarding, kayaking, wakeboarding, windsurfing, or skateboarding. The sports board can also include a stabilizing fin, a power supply, a solar collection device, an amplifying device, and a second speaker for deterring aquatic creatures. |
| US08824719B2 |
Microphone unit and voice input device comprising same
A microphone unit (1) comprises a first vibrating part (14), a second vibrating part (15), and a case (10) for accommodating the first vibrating part (14) and the second vibrating part (15), the case being provided with a first sound hole (132) and a second sound hole (133). The case (10) is provided with a first sound channel (41) for transmitting acoustic pressure inputted from the first sound hole (132) to one surface (142a) of a first diaphragm (142) and to one surface (152a) of a second diaphragm (152), a second sound channel (42) for transmitting acoustic pressure inputted from the second sound hole (133) to the other surface (152b) of the second diaphragm (152), and a sealed space (S) that faces the other surface (142b) of the first diaphragm (142). |
| US08824718B2 |
Loudspeaker apparatus with circumferential, funnel-like sound outlet opening
A loudspeaker apparatus has at least one sound generator wherein an at least partially sound-conducting channel is arranged in a sound radiation direction of the sound generator and is suitable for directing sound emerging from the sound generator along the course of the sound-conducting channel such that the sound emerges from the loudspeaker apparatus at a second end of the sound-conducting channel, which end is in the form of a sound outlet opening, at a radiation angle which defined by the sound outlet opening. |
| US08824715B2 |
Optical electro-mechanical hearing devices with combined power and signal architectures
An audio signal transmission device includes a first light source and a second light source configured to emit a first wavelength of light and a second wavelength of light, respectively. The first detector and the second detector are configured to receive the first wavelength or light and the second wavelength of light respectively. A transducer electrically coupled to the detectors is configured to vibrate at least one of an eardrum or ossicle in response to the first wavelength of light and the second wavelength of light. The first detector and second detector can be coupled to the transducer with opposite polarity, such that the transducer is configured to move with a first movement in response to the first wavelength and move with a second movement in response to the second wavelength, in which the second movement opposes the first movement. |
| US08824713B2 |
Microphone for a hearing aid
A microphone assembly having a housing, a transducer, and an electronic circuit. The housing has an opening, and the transducer is disposed within that opening. The electronic circuit covers the opening such that the transducer is surrounded by at least the electronic circuit and the housing. The electronic circuit includes a substrate and an amplifier for amplifying the electrical signal into an amplified electrical signal which is coupled to a connection means. The connection means provides a direct electrical connection between the electronic circuit and a receiver. The amplifier is mounted on the substrate and disposed on a side of the substrate of the electronic circuit facing the transducer. The receiver is disposed on a side opposite the side and outside the housing. |
| US08824710B2 |
Automated sound processor
Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for optimizing which sound processing modes are enabled in the sound processing pathway of a hearing prosthesis. A sound processor classifies in the input signal and enables a first sound processing mode based on the classification of the input signal. The sound processor transforms the input signal into a transformed signal based on the enabled sound processing mode. The processor further classifies the transformed signal and identifies a second classification. Based on the second classification, the processor enables a second sound processing mode. Sometimes, the second classification is a classification that is only apparent to the sound processor after the first sound processing mode has been enabled. The second processing mode transforms the transformed signal into an output signal based on the second enabled sound processing mode. |
| US08824706B2 |
Piezoelectric microphone fabricated on glass
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for glass-encapsulated microphones. In one aspect, a glass-encapsulated microphone may include a glass substrate, an electromechanical microphone device, an integrated circuit device, and a cover glass. The cover glass may be bonded to the glass substrate with an adhesive, such as epoxy, or a metal bond ring. The cover glass may have any of a number of configurations. In some configurations, the cover glass may define an aperture for the electromechanical microphone device at an edge of the glass-encapsulated microphone. In some configurations, the cover glass may define a cavity to accommodate the integrated circuit device that is separate from a cavity that accommodates the electromechanical microphone device. |
| US08824704B2 |
Surface texture recording with microphone
An apparatus including a microphone; and a recording system including the microphone. The recording system includes a vibration bridge configured to couple the microphone to an apparatus chassis to receive surface vibrations when the apparatus chassis is coupled to a surface so as to create a file comprising surface texture information. |
| US08824703B2 |
Amplifier circuit
There is provided an audio amplifier circuit (200), comprising: an input, for receiving an input signal; an amplifier (205) for receiving a modified input signal and outputting an amplified signal; and a feedback loop (245) comprising digital circuitry for feeding back the amplified signal and combining a feedback signal with the input signal to generate the modified input signal. The feedback loop (245) comprises: a low-pass filter (220) for filtering the amplified signal; a comparator (225) for comparing the filtered signal with a threshold value and outputting a comparison signal; and an integrator (230) for integrating the comparison signal and outputting the feedback signal. According to another embodiment, the feedback loop comprises an integrator and a sigma-delta modulator. |
| US08824702B2 |
Reverse-phase modulating structure of piezoelectric ceramic speaker
The present invention provides a reverse-phase modulating structure of a piezoelectric ceramic speaker, comprising a positioning frame, an acoustic generator and two or more than two flexible units; wherein the acoustic generator comprises a plurality of ceramic layers stacked onto one another to form a ceramic slat, and said flexible units are clamped between an inner edge of the positioning frame and the acoustic generator. Via the pressure exerted onto the acoustic member by the flexible units, the in-phase movement of the acoustic generator can be modulated and the phase conflict of the acoustic generator can be reduced as well as the prevision of the sound quality distortions such that high quality of the ceramic speaker can be enhanced and realized. |
| US08824698B2 |
Integrated circuit device, voice input device and information processing system
There is provided an integrated circuit device having a wiring board 1200′, the wiring board 1200′ including: a first vibrating membrane 714-1 which forms a first microphone; a second vibrating membrane 714-2 which forms a second microphone; and a differential signal generating circuit 720 which receives a first voltage signal obtained in the first microphone and a second voltage signal obtained in the second microphone and generates a differential signal indicating a difference between the first and second voltage signals, and a voice input device and an information processing system including the same. Accordingly, it is possible to realize a voice input element having a small size and a noise removal function with high accuracy. |
| US08824697B2 |
Passenger compartment communication system
A communication system for a passenger compartment includes at least two microphone arrays arranged within first and second regions, respectively, in the passenger compartment, and at least two loudspeakers and a signal processor connected to the microphone arrays and to the loudspeaker. Each microphone array has at least two microphones and provides an audio signal. Each loudspeaker is located within a different one of the first and the second regions. The signal processor processes the audio signal from the microphone array within the first region and provides the processed audio signal to the loudspeaker located within the second region. |
| US08824694B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing call quality
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller to monitor ambient noise in proximity to the communication device, monitor a transmitted voice signal associated with the communication device, adjust a receiver volume for the transmitted voice signal based at least in part on a comparison of the transmitted voice signal with the ambient noise, monitor a received voice signal associated with the communication device, and adjust a speaker volume for the received voice signal based at least in part on a comparison of the received voice signal with the ambient noise, where the adjusting of the receiver volume is independent of the adjusting of the speaker volume. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08824689B2 |
Apparatus for determining a spatial output multi-channel audio signal
An apparatus for determining a spatial output multi-channel audio signal based on an input audio signal and an input parameter. The apparatus includes a decomposer for decomposing the input audio signal based on the input parameter to obtain a first decomposed signal and a second decomposed signal different from each other. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a renderer for rendering the first decomposed signal to obtain a first rendered signal having a first semantic property and for rendering the second decomposed signal to obtain a second rendered signal having a second semantic property being different from the first semantic property. The apparatus comprises a processor for processing the first rendered signal and the second rendered signal to obtain the spatial output multi-channel audio signal. |
| US08824686B1 |
Cluster key synchronization
Apparatus and method for synchronizing encryption keys among a cluster of security appliances and stand alone lifetime key management, LKM, appliances. The cluster includes security appliances where new encryption keys are generated and assigned to an SNS ID with an SNS CTR (counter). The security appliances inside a cluster have local sequence counters and share their keys. One security appliance is a coordinator with which the LKMs will synchronize. Each LKM also has a SNS ID and local sequence counter from which increasing sequence numbers are generated. In each security appliance in a cluster, the up-to-date stored sets of keys are organized with respect to SNS IDs and SNS CTRs associated with the other cluster members. The object keys are stored in the SNS space and a peer map associates a given peer with a given SNS ID, and version numbers are assigned and incremented when a key is modified. |
| US08824685B2 |
Method for detection of a hacked decoder
A method of identifying a receiver device from which pirated video decryption keys have been obtained consistent with certain embodiments involves organizing a population of receiver devices into a plurality of N groups; associating the N groups with a plurality of N decryption keys, where each of the N groups is associated with one of the N decryption keys, where the N decryption keys are used for either decryption of content or decryption of other decryption keys; causing the plurality of N decryption keys to be obtained by their associated N groups of receiver devices by direct delivery or by derivation at the receiver devices; and identifying a pirated key as being associated with one of the N groups so as to identify the receiver device from which the pirated video decryption keys have been obtained as belonging to one of the N groups. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US08824683B2 |
Recording medium, authoring device, and authoring method
A recording medium has authoring data recorded thereon. The authoring data has a plurality of formats. Data items common to all the plurality of formats include, a content, a content key for encrypting the content, a hash value of the content, a media key for encrypting the content key, and revocation information for revoking an unauthorized device from using the media key. The plurality of formats include a first format and a second format. In the first format, the content is not encrypted and each of the content key, the hash value, the media key, the revocation information is dummy data. In the second format, the content is encrypted and each of the media key and the revocation information is dummy data. |
| US08824682B2 |
Method and system for backing up encryption key generated on computer device and accessing encrypted information stored on computer device
A method of enabling a user of a computer device to back-up an encryption key generated on the device, where the key is used to encrypt stored data, and the key is itself encrypted using a user password for storage on the device. The method comprises rendering the key into a form comprising a reduced length sequence of characters and displaying the reduced length sequence on a display of the device. The user is then able to write down the rendered key. The reduced length sequence may also be sent to a service provider in an SMS message, e-mail, or by voice dictation. In the event that the user password is lost, such that the encrypted key stored on the device cannot be unencrypted, encrypted data may still be accessed by the user entering the rendered key into the device. |
| US08824681B2 |
Method and device for link layer decrypting and/or encrypting a voice message stream already supporting end to end encryption
Methods and systems for LLE encrypting and decrypting voice message streams (VMSs) already supporting eTe encryption are disclosed. In one example, LLE and eTe encryption initialization vectors (EIVs) are interleaved such that an LLE EIV retrieved from one of a header and a data unit is used to LLE decrypt both the header or data unit and a subsequent data unit. A recovered eTe EIV is used to eTe decrypt voice payloads in one or more subsequent data units. In another example, a base station dynamically LLE encrypts a VMS already supporting eTe encrypting by determining whether a received VMS is eTe encrypted, and ii it is not generating a new LLE EIV, and if it is, re-using the pre-existing eTe EIV for LLE encryption. The LLE encrypted (and perhaps eTe encrypted) VMS is then sent over the air to one or more mobile stations. |
| US08824679B2 |
Methods and apparatus for protecting digital content
A processing system to serve as a source device for protected digital content comprises a processor and control logic. When used by the processor, the control logic causes the processing system to receive a digital certificate from a presentation device. The processing system then uses public key infrastructure (PKI) to determine whether the presentation device has been authorized by a certificate authority (CA) to receive protected content. The processing system may also generate a session key and use the session key to encrypt data. The processing system may transmit the encrypted data to the presentation device only if the presentation device has been authorized by the CA to receive protected content. Presentation devices and repeaters may perform corresponding operations, thereby allowing content to be transmitted and presented in a protected manner. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08824676B2 |
Streaming video to cellular phones
A method, system, and computer program product for deploying data to a web server for streaming video to a mobile device. The method can include receiving a request for streaming video from a mobile device upon the resolving of the request by a DNS. The method can further include simultaneously sending both a request to a database for the video requested and a playlist for the video to the mobile device. The method can then include receiving the video from the database. The video received is sent as a sequence of blocks, where each block can further be comprised of a sequence of chunks. The method can even further include decompressing each block and storing each chunk on a web server. The method can further include an exchange of a security credential. |
| US08824668B2 |
Communication system comprising a telephone and a listening device, and transmission method
A communications system is configured to reduce the risk of feedback artifacts and contains a telephone device and a listening device. Accordingly, the communication system is thus provided, in which the signal processing in the telephone device is tuned to the listening device and the listening device is configured to process the voice and data signal inversely to the signal processing. Before the acoustic signal is transmitted from the telephone to the listening device, a frequency compression can thus be carried out, and in the listening device an inverse frequency compression can be carried out. This reduces feedback artifacts. |
| US08824667B2 |
Time-domain acoustic echo control
In one embodiment, an acoustic echo control (AEC) module receives an outgoing signal and an incoming signal, which, at various times, contains acoustic echo corresponding to the outgoing signal. The AEC module has a delay estimation block that estimates, in the time domain, the echo delay using an adaptive filtering technique. This delay estimation is used to align samples of the incoming signal having acoustic echo with the corresponding samples of the outgoing signal from which the acoustic echo originated. The AEC module determines whether or not samples of the incoming signal contain acoustic echo based on the aligned outgoing signal, and the determinations are applied to a hangover counter. The AEC module then suppresses acoustic echo in the incoming signal and adds comfort noise to the incoming signal. The amount of echo suppression performed is gradually increased or decreased based on comparisons of the counter to a hangover threshold. |
| US08824666B2 |
Noise cancellation for phone conversation
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for noise cancellation of phone conversation. Some of the systems can include a phone having a microphone and a noise cancellation device. In some examples, the noise cancellation device has a microphone for receiving an input sound wave and positioned proximate the phone microphone, a processor for generating a noise cancellation sound wave based on the input sound wave, and a speaker for outputting the noise cancellation sound wave. The phone microphone and the noise cancellation device microphone can be shared or different microphones, and can also be microphone is integral to the phone. The shared or separate microphones can be part of a phone headset. |
| US08824665B2 |
Unshielded twisted pair termination circuit
Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) termination circuits, UTP termination circuit systems, and methods of terminating an UTP circuit are provided. UTP termination circuits can include a plurality of resistors in parallel, where each of the plurality of resistors is configured to be coupled to one of a plurality of unshielded twisted pairs of an UTP cable, a shunt resistor is coupled in series with the plurality of parallel resistors, and a capacitor is connected to ground in series with the shunt resistor. |
| US08824663B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for detecting redundancies in information provided by customers in a customer service system
The present invention provides a system, method, and computer program product for automatically detecting any unnecessary repetition by customers of specific types of information in a multi-channel (e.g., self-service application, IVR system, live agent center) customer service session. For each channel used in the customer service session, the information provided by the customer in the channel is recorded in a log, transcription, or other record. The record(s) for the customer service session are subsequently parsed for specific types of information provided by the customer. From the parsed records, specific types of information provided by the customer in two or more channels during the customer service session are identified. In one embodiment, the results are analyzed to determine if providing such information in two or more channels is redundant, and, if so, this is counted as a redundancy. |
| US08824662B2 |
Method and apparatus for interfacing a customer with a call center
A method for interfacing a customer with a call center. Information obtained from a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag is transmitted to the call center to provide additional information about the customer and allow the session to be accurately routed within the call center. The call center may be accessed by telephone, computer, or other type of customer premises equipment over a voice or data network. The RFID tag may be an identification tag provided to the customer for access to the call center or may be a tag associated with the customer and not specific to the call center. The call center may route calls based on routing information contained in the RFID tag information, customer identity and previous sessions with that customer, personal and demographic information and statistical support records for other sessions involving customers with similar personal and demographic information, and according to agent statistical support records. |
| US08824659B2 |
System and method for speech-enabled call routing
In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving a communication from a source. The communication is associated with an account of the source. The method further includes determining, at a processor, whether a time period satisfies a threshold time period. The time period is associated with a voice message box having a particular status. The method further includes routing the communication to a first destination based on a determination that the time period satisfies the threshold time period. |
| US08824657B2 |
Providing ring back tones in a communication network
Disclosed are systems and methods for providing ring back tones in a communication network. At first, a ring back tone device for storing and playing the ring back tone customized by a subscriber is established in the communication network. Whether a subscriber is a ring back tone service register subscriber is judged with a certain triggering mode, such as intelligent network triggering, signaling interception triggering, call forwarding triggering or switching device triggering. If it is judged the subscriber is a ring back tone service registered subscriber, a connection between the originating switching device and the terminating switching device and a connection between a switching device and the ring back tone device are established. When the called terminal is idle, the ring back tone device provides a piece of customized ring back tone to the calling subscriber for replacing traditional ring back tone. |
| US08824653B2 |
Identifying actions to take with regard to repeat callers
A call handling system receives an incoming call from a caller. In response to receiving the incoming call, the call handling system determines a call count for the caller. The call count for the caller is based on a number of calls in a sequence of calls received by the call handling system from the caller, including the incoming call. A maximum amount of time between any of the calls in the sequence of calls does not exceed an expiration period. Based on the call count for the caller, the call handling system identifies and performs an action to take with regard to the incoming call. |
| US08824651B2 |
System and method for performing an action on a phone in response to a user initiating an outbound call to one or more select phone numbers
The present invention provides a system, method and software application for associating one or more phone numbers with an action on a phone and performing an action on the phone in response to the user initiating a call to one of such phone numbers. Certain phone numbers are associated with an action. The user's phone, or a server with which the user's phone communicates, maintains a table of the phone numbers associated with an action, and each phone number in the table is related to an action. Software on the user's phone listens for call initiated by a user. When the user initiates a call, software on the phone “intercepts” the call, and the phone (or a server with which the phone communicates) determines whether the call is to a phone number that is in the table. If the phone number is in the table, then it is associated with an action, and the user's phone performs that action at a time specified by instructions for such action. The action may be performed before, during, or after the call depending on the instructions associated with the call. Whether a call is placed to the original phone number ultimately depends on the action and the user's response to the action. |
| US08824650B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for recipient identification
Methods, systems, and products provide called party identification to a calling party. A communication is processed from a calling communications address to one of a plurality of communications addresses associated with a simultaneous ring. When an answer is detected at one of the plurality of communications addresses, an answering communications address is sent to the calling communications address. |
| US08824649B2 |
Systems and methods for optimizing distribution of advertisement information
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for optimizing distribution of advertisement information. In one example, call tracking data may be generated from a plurality of telephone calls made to a business entity, where the call tracking data includes geographical information to identify locations from which the plurality of telephone calls originated. A call distribution may be determined from the call tracking data, where the call distribution groups the call tracking data based at least in part on distances between the business entity and the locations from which the plurality of telephone calls originated. A probability density function may be generated from the call distribution, where the probability density function is for determining a probability that a telephone call will be received by the business entity in response to advertisement information delivered to a call location, and wherein the probability density function expresses the probability as a function of distance between the call location and the business entity. The probability density function may then be used in the generation of the advertisement distribution plan. |
| US08824644B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for notifications
Methods, systems, and products provide voicemail notifications. A first notification is received that indicates a caller has recorded a voicemail. In response to the first notification, the caller's communication log is updated to indicate that the voicemail was recorded. A second notification is received that indicates the recipient retrieved the voicemail. In response to the second notification, the caller's communication log is updated to indicate that the voicemail has been played. When the recipient listens to the voicemail, the communication log thus informs the caller. |
| US08824643B2 |
System, method and computer program product for conveying presence information via voice mail
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for conveying availability information of a calling party to a called party. A PBX serving the telephones of the calling and called parties is connected to a presence server. In an embodiment of the invention, the presence server is also connected to a computer and/or other information device (such as a personal data assistant or telephone) of the calling party. After the calling party has left a voice mail message for the called party, the called party will subsequently retrieve the message. In an embodiment of the invention, the PBX then queries the presence server as to the availability of the calling party. The presence server senses whether the calling party has indicated his or her presence; if so, it is inferred that the calling party is probably present and available for a return call. If the presence server detects no such indication by the calling party, it is inferred that the calling party is likely to be absent. The presence server responds to the query of the PBX by indicating the calling party's likely availability (or absence) to the PBX. Based on this information, the PBX modifies the voice mail message to include a statement that the calling party is either available or unavailable. |
| US08824640B1 |
Methods, devices and systems for creating or sharing a visual indicator pattern
Methods, apparatuses, and devices for creating or sharing a visual indicator pattern for indicating a condition of an incoming communication. A storage device stores a plurality of visual indicator patterns for displaying on a spatial visual indicator. A user interface is configured to receive a command from a user. Responsive to the command, a user-created visual indicator pattern is stored on the storage device, or another visual indicator pattern is received from, or shared with, another user. |
| US08824636B2 |
Reinforced cover for image receptor assemblies
The present disclosure provides a bi-directional image receptor assembly capable of receiving an image receptor in either a lengthways (or longitudinal) or crossways (or transverse) orientation, while maintaining the axis of an anti-scatter grid in a fixed position. The axis of the anti-scatter grid can be placed in a fixed orientation (such as a parallel orientation) to a subject's craniocaudal axis regardless of whether the image receptor is inserted in the lengthways or crossways orientation. Methods of using the bi-directional image receptor assembly in mobile radiography are also disclosed. The present disclosure further provides for an X-ray image receptor comprising a portion of an automatic position measurement system. Still further, the present disclosure provides for a cover comprising a reinforcing geometry that maximizes the strength of the cover while minimizing the thickness of the cover. |
| US08824635B2 |
Detector modules for imaging systems and methods of manufacturing
Detector modules for an imaging system and methods of manufacturing are provided. One detector module includes a substrate, a direct conversion sensor material coupled to the substrate and a flexible interconnect electrically coupled to the direct conversion sensor material and configured to provide readout of electrical signals generated by the direct conversion sensor material. The detector module also includes at least one illumination source for illuminating the direct conversion sensor material. |
| US08824633B2 |
Medical image processing apparatus and control method thereof
An embodiment of the present invention provides a medical apparatus which displays an image of an object collected by using a first radiography system and a second radiography system, including: an image processing unit adapted to acquire a three-dimensional image; a projection direction input unit used to input a projection direction for at least one of the first radiography system and the second radiography system using the three-dimensional image; an imaging direction setting unit adapted to set an imaging direction for at least one of the first radiography system and the second radiography system based on the projection direction; and an interference checking unit adapted to determine whether interference between the first radiography system and the second radiography system will occur if one of the first radiography system and the second radiography system corresponding to the set imaging direction is moved. |
| US08824632B2 |
Backscatter X-ray inspection van with top-down imaging
A system and method for inspecting a vehicle or other object by means of two sources and one or more detectors of penetrating radiation. The sources and detector(s) are carried on a mobile conveyance and deployed at a point of operation. One source irradiates an inspected object from within an enclosure, while a second source swings away from the conveyance on a deployable member, such as a boom, such that the second source can irradiate the vehicle from above. A backscatter image of the inspected object is based at least in part on radiation from the second source scattered by the inspected object. |
| US08824631B2 |
X-ray reflecting device
Provided is a technique for X-ray reflection, such as an X-ray reflecting mirror, capable of achieving a high degree of smoothness of a reflecting surface, high focusing (reflecting) performance, stability in a curved surface shape, and a reduction in overall weight. A silicon plate (silicon wafer) is subjected to thermal plastic deformation to form an X-ray reflecting mirror having a reflecting surface with a stable curved surface shape. The silicon wafer can be deformed to any shape by applying a pressure thereto in a hydrogen atmosphere at a high temperature of about 1300° C. The silicon plate may be simultaneously subjected to hydrogen annealing to further reduce roughness of a silicon surface to thereby provide enhanced reflectance. |
| US08824626B2 |
Reduced-noise integrator, detector and CT circuits
A detector circuit can include an integrator having an amplifier, a first feedback capacitor connected between an input and output of the amplifier, one or more additional feedback capacitors connected by at least one switch between the input and output of the amplifier, and a shunt capacitor connected to the output of the amplifier. The shunt capacitor can be selected to have a capacitance value greater than that of a minimum but less than that of a maximum feedback capacitance. The detector circuit can further include a sampling circuit having a sampling capacitor connected to the output of the integrator amplifier through at least one switch, wherein the sampling capacitor is separate from the shunt capacitor. A computed tomography imaging apparatus can include the detector circuit. |
| US08824621B2 |
Debris filter for use in a nuclear fuel assembly
A filter including a plurality of flow ducts extending in a longitudinal direction and each delimited between one pair of walls is provided. The filter includes deflectors protruding into each duct alternately from the pair of walls with overlapping in the longitudinal direction to define a zigzag shaped flow channel and provided with at least one set of holes aligned in the longitudinal direction to define through the overlapping deflectors a passage for accommodating a lower end pin of a fuel rod. |
| US08824614B2 |
Image processing apparatus, signal transfer circuit, and semiconductor integrated circuit
An image processing apparatus includes first and second transfer circuits. The first transfer circuit transfers a first image processing signal in accordance with a first reference signal. The second transfer circuit transfers a second image processing signal, which is extracted from the first image processing signal in accordance with a second reference signal. The first transfer circuit includes a transmission circuit that transmits an adjusting signal to the second transfer circuit in accordance with the first reference signal. The second transfer circuit includes first and second adjusting circuits. The first adjusting circuit adjusts a phase of the adjusting signal so that the second image processing signal will be stably extracted from the adjusting signal in accordance with the second reference signal. The second adjusting circuit adjusts the phase of the adjusting signal so that the second image processing signal extracted from the adjusting signal will match the adjusting signal. |
| US08824606B2 |
Multiple correlators for communication device detection
A receiver unit of a communication device can employ multiple correlators for decoding the access address of a packet received from another communication device. A dynamically determined primary frequency offset is applied to a phase difference signal that is determined from an RF signal that comprises the packet. For each of a plurality of access address decoding chains of the receiver unit, a secondary frequency offset associated with the access address decoding chain is applied to the phase difference signal, the phase difference signal is correlated with a predetermined access address of the communication device, and a resultant correlation output is compared against a correlation threshold. One of the access address decoding chains that generated the correlation output that is greater than the correlation threshold is selected and the packet is demodulated based, at least in part, on the phase difference signal corresponding to the selected access address decoding chain. |
| US08824605B2 |
Receiving device, receiving method, receiving program, and processor
A propagation channel estimation unit estimates a propagation channel estimation value. A symbol replica generation unit generates a symbol replica that is modulated symbol of a demodulated information. A signal extraction unit extracts, in an arbitrary time duration, each subcarrier component of a received signal in which an interference signal was removed, the extraction being made based on the propagation channel estimation value and the symbol replica. A demodulator demodulates a signal of each subcarrier component in the received signal, the demodulation being made based on signal during the time duration extracted by the signal extraction unit. |
| US08824602B2 |
Method of equalizing an OFDM signal
A method of equalizing an OFDM signal received over a transmission channel defined by a channel matrix includes: windowing the received signal in the time domain with at least two different tapers to obtain at least two tapered received signals; stacking the tapered received signals in the form of a joint matrix equation [ y 1 ⋮ y γ ⋮ y Γ ] = [ D 1 ⋮ D γ ⋮ D Γ ] y = [ D 1 ⋮ D γ ⋮ D Γ ] ( Hx + Φ ) with y being the received signal, Γ being the number of tapers, Dγ being the γth taper in form of a diagonal matrix, yγ being the γth tapered received signal, H being the channel matrix, x being the time domain transmitted signal, φ being optional noise; and solving said joint matrix equation for x as a least squares problem. |
| US08824599B1 |
Pilot symbol-aided sequence estimation for highly-spectrally-efficient communications
A receiver may be operable to generate, utilizing a sequence estimation process, estimates of transmitted symbols which may comprise information symbols and one or more pilot symbols. For each of the information symbols, a corresponding one of the generated estimates may be selected from a first set of one or more values based on a search. For each of the one or more pilot symbols, a corresponding one of the generated estimates may be selected from a second set of one or more values based on a predetermination. The second set of one or more values may comprise one or more symbol values predetermined as corresponding to the one or more pilot symbols. Each of the values in the second set may comprise a known value in a modulation symbol constellation associated with the information symbols. Power of each of the one or more pilot symbols may be zero power. |
| US08824597B2 |
Circuits and methods for field-based communication
Several circuits and methods for field-based communication are provided. In an embodiment, a field-based communication circuit includes a receiver circuit, a detection circuit and a control circuit. The receiver circuit is configured to receive a field input signal from a field source. The detection circuit includes a voltage detection circuit and a current detection circuit configured to detect a voltage signal and a current signal, respectively associated with the field input signal. The control circuit is configured to trigger a selection of one of the voltage detection circuit and the current detection circuit based on a detection of a signal magnitude of one of the voltage signal and the current signal relative to at least a first predetermined threshold level, wherein the selection of one of the voltage detection circuit and the current detection circuit facilitates a demodulation of one of the voltage signal and the current signal. |
| US08824596B1 |
System and method for uplink transmissions in time division MIMO RDN architecture
A mobile device in a (e.g., full rank N×N) MIMO system is augmented by a plurality of kn antennae coupled to at least one of N beamformers such that the total number of antennae M=Σn=1n=N is greater than the total number of beamformers N. A highest gain anchor (e.g., optimal) antenna set may be selected from among a plurality of antenna sets, each antenna set comprising a different one of the kn antennae for each nth beamformer. The phase(s) of the non-selected kn−1 antennae may be set to align with the phase of the selected anchor antenna for each nth beamformer. Using TDD communication, the highest gain anchor antenna set for transmitting during the uplink periods may be determined using information measured by at least some of the plurality of M antennae while receiving during one or more downlink periods. |
| US08824593B2 |
Wireless communication device capable of pre-compensating for oscillator phase noise
A wireless transmitter is disclosed that is capable of pre-compensating for oscillator phase noise. In the transmitter, an undesired phase noise being generated by a voltage-controlled oscillator can be detected by comparing the output of the voltage-controlled oscillator to a reference oscillator output. The phase can then be detected by calculating a desired number of zero crossings over a given time period, and comparing this value to an actual number of zero crossings detected in the signal generated by the voltage-controlled oscillator over the same period. From this, the phase component can be determined and digitally pre-compensated in a data signal. |
| US08824584B2 |
Method for transmitting sounding reference signal in MIMO wireless communication system and apparatus therefor
A method for transmitting a sounding reference signal in a MIMO wireless communication system and an apparatus therefor are disclosed. The method for transmitting sounding reference signals (SRSs) in a MIMO wireless communication system comprises receiving sounding reference signal parameters from a base station; receiving information of the number of sounding reference signals which will be transmitted at a transmission time instant from the base station; if a plurality of sounding reference signals are provided, generating the sounding reference signals corresponding to each of the plurality of antennas by using the sounding reference signal parameters; and transmitting the generated sounding reference signals to the base station through their corresponding antennas at a specific transmission instant. |
| US08824580B2 |
Communicating over a desired tone in the presence of interference having an unknown magnitude that is substantially constant
Methods and systems are disclosed for transmitting data over a desired frequency tone in the presence of an interference that has an unknown magnitude that is substantially constant. In general, data symbols are transmitted in a null space of the desired frequency tone. The null space of the desired frequency tone is orthogonal to the desired frequency tone. As such, the data symbols transmitted in the null space of the desired frequency tone are not interfered with by the interference at the desired frequency tone regardless of the magnitude of the interference. The data symbols transmitted in the null space of the desired frequency tone can then be recovered by a receiver without estimation of or compensation for the interference at the desired frequency tone. |
| US08824579B2 |
Codebook performance for non-linear arrays
A method to improve codebook performance for non-linear arrays is described. The method includes determining a unitary matrix for a plurality of transmission antennas arranged in a given array type, the unitary matrix being determined based on a codebook, where the given array type is configured to steer beams in at least one of elevation and azimuth. The method also includes applying the determined unitary matrix to a signal to be transmitted across the plurality of transmission antennas. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described. |
| US08824576B2 |
Method and transmitter for iteratively modifying beamforming vector
The present invention provides data transmission capacity that is optimized in a communication environment by iteratively modifying a beamforming vector by linearly coupling selfish beamforming with unselfish beamforming using feedback information. The transmitter for modifying the beamforming vector iteratively includes: a feedback receiving module that receives feedback information from a receiver: and a vector determination module that determines an initial beamforming vector by coupling a first vector for the selfish beamforming with a second vector for the unselfish beamforming at the time of initial beamforming, and corrects a coupling ratio of the first vector and the second vector of the beamforming vector with reference to the received feedback information whenever the beamforming is modified. |
| US08824574B2 |
Transmitting unit that reduces PAPR and method therefor
A communication system includes a transmitting unit with a peak to average power (PAPR) reduction section. The PAPR reduction section modifies the PAPR reduction it effects in a communication signal in accordance with two different error vector magnitude (EVM) constraints for each channel type, where a channel type is a distinct combination of a modulation order and a coding rate. The EVM constraint followed for each subcarrier in an OFDM or OFDMA application is selected in response to whether the subcarrier conveys voice or non-voice data. The PAPR reduction section may include a scaling filter. The scaling filter is efficiently defined through the use of a predetermined sinc function and a first stage scale factor that is calculated in response to a weighted average of excursion signal subcarrier gains, where the weighting follows the distribution of channel types through the subcarriers. |
| US08824573B2 |
Digital phase detector with zero phase offset
An embodiment of the invention comprises a digital phase detector with substantially zero phase offset. The digital phase detector receives a clock signal and a reference clock signal and provides a phase indicator signal to identify whether the clock signal leads or lags the reference clock signal. An embodiment of the invention comprises a method that adds substantially zero phase offset in processing an input clock signal and a delayed clock signal to generate a control signal. The control signal is processed in a variable delay line to generate the delayed clock signal. In an embodiment, a first processor comprises a delay locked loop having a digital phase detector, the digital phase detector comprising a first differential sense amplifier cross-coupled to a second differential sense amplifier, the digital phase detector receiving a clock signal and generating one or more delayed clock signals, a control signal, and a gated data signal. |
| US08824571B1 |
Telecommunication block code
Methods of transmitting and recovering data traversing a telecommunication channel. Implementations may include forming a first frame of a plurality of frames using a frame module where the first frame includes a first control codeword including information relating to a first format used for a first data payload included in the first frame and where the first control codeword is selected from a non-linear block code and has a first distance spectrum. The method may include forming a second frame of the plurality of frames using the frame module where the second frame includes a second control codeword selected from the non-linear block code and has a second distance spectrum where the second distance spectrum is different from the first distance spectrum. The method may also include transmitting the plurality of frames into a telecommunication channel using a frame transmission module. |
| US08824569B2 |
High bandwidth decompression of variable length encoded data streams
Mechanisms are provided for decoding a variable length encoded data stream. A decoder of a data processing system receives an input line of data. The input line of data is a portion of the variable length encoded data stream. The decoder determines an amount of bit spill over of the input line of data onto a next input line of data. The decoder aligns the input line of data to begin at a symbol boundary based on the determined amount of bit spill over. The decoder tokenizes the aligned input line of data to generate a set of tokens. Each token corresponds to an encoded symbol in the aligned next input line of data. The decoder generates an output word of data based on the set of tokens. The output word of data corresponds to a word of data in the original set of data. |
| US08824568B2 |
Device and method for decoding digital TV broadcast
For use as or in connection with a set-top box, a digital TV broadcast signal is decoded by processing its audio stream into and read from a FIFO buffer. According to certain embodiments, fullness of the FIFO buffer is compared to a reference fullness, which can be updated based on changes to the bit rate of the audio stream. In response to the FIFO buffer fullness, the set top box regulates the rate at which the audio stream is decoded. The disclosed decoding methods do not need to rely on the accuracy or presence of a system time encoded into the broadcast signal. |
| US08824563B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and data processing method in digital broadcasting system
A method of transmitting a broadcast signal includes performing Reed-Solomon (RS) frame encoding and Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) encoding on first mobile service data to form a primary RS frame and on second mobile service data to form a secondary RS frame; encoding on at least the first mobile service data or the second mobile service data, in serial concatenated convolution code (SCCC) block units; encoding signaling information including transmission parameters, the transmission parameters including SCCC encoding information and RS frame encoding information; formatting a data group including the encoded first mobile service data and second mobile service data, wherein the first mobile service data are included in a first region within the data group and the second mobile service data are included in a second region within the data group, the second region being different from the first region; and transmitting the broadcast signal including the formatted data group. |
| US08824562B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding color image
The present disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus for encoding/decoding a color image or video. The video encoding apparatus encodes a luminance component block for a current block of an image, performs a selection of a color format among a plurality of color formats to encode a chrominance component block for the current block of the image according to the color format upon selection, and generates and outputs a bitstream including the encoded luminance component block, the encoded chrominance component block, and information on the selected color format. The disclosure enables an improvement in compression performance by allowing encoding and decoding one video component image in various color formats. |
| US08824556B2 |
Image information encoding method and encoder, and image information decoding method and decoder
An image decoding method includes decoding encoded image data to generate a decoded image signal including a luma signal and a chroma signal. The method further includes scaling, when a reference field has a different parity from a current field for motion compensation and when the decoded image signal is in a format in which the number of chroma pixels is vertically different from the number of luma pixels, a chroma motion vector of the chroma signal according to an accuracy for a luma motion vector of the luma signal so that a reference frame will coincide in phase of the chroma signal with a current frame. The method also includes performing motion compensation of the decoded image signal using the scaled chroma motion vector according to the accuracy of the luma motion vector of the luma signal. |
| US08824546B2 |
Buffer based rate control in video coding
A device and method of controlling bitrate in video coding of a sequence of frames including series of Inter frames separated by Intra frames, wherein the coded frames are validated in a video buffering device prior to transmission of the coded frames and wherein the method comprises: measuring frame complexity in the sequence of frames; for each Inter frame, calculating a target buffer level of the video buffering device in relation to a distance between the Inter frame and a next Intra frame; for each Inter frame, calculating a target frame size in relation to the distance between the Inter frame and the next Intra frame, the measured frame complexity, a current buffer level of the video buffering device and the calculated target buffer level of the video buffering device; and using the calculated target frame size to control bitrate in video coding of the sequence of frames. |
| US08824545B2 |
Image encoding device and image encoding method
An image encoding device has: a first acquisition unit and a second acquisition unit that acquire a moving image; an encoding unit that encodes the acquired moving image in accordance with a predetermined encoding order and a predetermined encoding method; and a reception unit that receives an instruction to stop performing a process. When the reception unit receives the instruction, the encoding unit uses a last acquired image as an image that was to be acquired after the last acquired image and encodes all acquired images. |
| US08824544B2 |
Method and system for recovery of missing spectral information in wideband signal
A system of recovering information wide band signal comprising a receiver(s) for receiving data signal responses from a target area; the received data signal responses having information missing at a plurality of frequencies; at least one processor for recovery of data from the data signal responses operatively connected to the receiver(s); a first memory comprising time-shifted responses based upon the wide band signal response, a second memory comprising a plurality of spectrally filtered time-shifted responses; whereby the first and second memories operate to provide data to the at least one processor compensate for the information missing at the plurality of frequencies. Also, a method of the recovery of missing frequency bands comprising receiving data signal responses from a target area using a first dictionary comprising time-shifted responses based upon spectra containing the at least one predetermined spectrum, and a second dictionary comprising a plurality of spectrally filtered time-shifted responses. |
| US08824539B2 |
System and method for OFDM reception in the presence of dooppler effect based on time domain windowing
An OFDM receiver for processing an OFDM received signal to perform OFDM reception in presence of Doppler effects is provided. The receiver has at least two parallel processing chains, each processing chain has a time domain windowing for processing an OFDM block. The processing consisting of the multiplication, element by element of the OFDM block, by a set of predetermined coefficients.The receiver also has a DFT block (such as FFT) for demodulating said windowed OFDM symbol into the frequency domain equivalent wherein the windowings of the at least two parallel processing chains have complementary profiles so as to avoid any loss of information throughout the OFDM sample. The invention also provides a process to be used in an OFDM receiver. |
| US08824538B2 |
Methods and systems for adaptive receiver equalization
Methods and systems adaptively equalizing an analog information signal, the method including sampling the analog information signal to provide analog samples including post-transition samples and steady-state samples, and equalizing the analog samples to produce equalized analog samples. The equalizing includes determining a difference between an average post-transition amplitude associated with at least one of the post-transition samples and an average steady-state amplitude associated with at least one of the steady-state samples, and adjusting an equalization coefficient to adjust the difference between the average post-transition amplitude and the average steady-state amplitude. |
| US08824536B1 |
Systems, methods, and devices for electronic spectrum management
Systems, methods, and devices enable spectrum management by identifying, classifying, and cataloging signals of interest based on radio frequency measurements. In an embodiment, signals and the parameters of the signals may be identified and indications of available frequencies may be presented to a user. In another embodiment, the protocols of signals may also be identified. In a further embodiment, the modulation of signals, data types carried by the signals, and estimated signal origins may be identified. |
| US08824535B2 |
System and method for transmitting data through a digital interface
There are disclosed systems and methods that dynamically vary the word length of data being transmitted through a digital interface. In one embodiment, the method comprises: (i) obtaining at least one parameter indicative of a quality of a signal; (ii) if the at least one parameter indicates that the quality of the signal is above a threshold, then transmitting the data as a number of digital words at a first predetermined word length; (ii) if the at least one parameter indicates that the quality of the signal is below the threshold, then transmitting the data as a number of digital words at a second predetermined word length. The second predetermined word length is different from the first predetermined word length. |
| US08824533B2 |
Methods, apparatuses, system and related computer program product for cell type detection
It is disclosed a method including transmitting indication information indicating network cells of a first type different from network cells of a second type, the transmitting including a) broadcasting control information, the indication information to be transmitted being an indication flag, b) assigning a set of synchronization information to the network cells of the first type, and broadcasting control information, the indication information to be transmitted being the synchronization information, c) reserving at least one signaling code information for the network cells of the first type, the indication information to be transmitted being the signaling code information, d) transmitting signaling information subjected to modulation by at least one predefined phase modulation or scrambling by at least one predefined scrambling sequence, the modulation or scrambling being indicative of network cells of the first and second types, and/or e) transmitting i) a PSS and a RS, ii) a SSS and a RS, or iii) a PSS and a SSS, the PSS/RS, SSS/RS or PSS/SSS having at least one predefined phase relation to each other, the at least one phase relation being indicative of the network cells of the first and second types. |
| US08824531B2 |
Method and a system for estimating a symbol time error in a broadband transmission system
The invention relates to a method and a system for estimating a symbol time error in a broadband transmission system, comprising: determination a time error signal of an output-signal of a discrete Fourier-transformation block (5) in a data symbol stream on the basis of intersymbol correlation using a predetermined period in each received symbol, selecting as a predetermined period last samples of a useful data part of an actual symbol and a preceding symbol after the discrete Fourier-transformation, determining the time error value (ε) based on the intersymbol interference of the selected samples of the actual symbol and the preceding symbol. |
| US08824525B2 |
Multipath searching method and multipath searcher
Embodiments of the present invention provide a multipath searching method and a multipath searcher, to improve accuracy of delay estimation, thereby improving performance of a receiver. The method includes: performing processing on received signals ri(t) and pilot sequences pi(t) to obtain upsampling signals y(τ); subtracting contribution values of a current multipath waveform to other multipath waveforms by using a raised cosine function with a peak position set to zero and according to a global maximum value of |y(τ)|2 and a total of M sampling points {circumflex over (τ)}1(m) near the global maximum value, to obtain an upsampling signal yL(τ) having a minimum residual in M groups of upsampling signals yL(m)(τ); and obtaining a time delay power spectrum of the upsampling signal yL(τ) having the minimum residual. |
| US08824523B2 |
Setting a transmission power level for a mobile unit
A spread signal is produced having an adjustable spread spectrum. A data signal is provided for transmission. The data signal is processed to have a first spread spectrum. The processed first spread spectrum data signal is filtered to have one out of a plurality of spread spectrums. The filtering capable of producing a signal having a spread spectrum of any of the plurality of spread spectrums. The filtered one spread spectrum data signal is transmitted. |
| US08824521B2 |
Solid laser apparatus
A solid laser apparatus which includes: two reflection elements for forming an oscillator; a plate-shaped gain medium being disposed between the two reflection elements, thereby augmenting a stimulated emission light in a thickness-wise direction; a doughnut- or deformed-doughnut-type planar waveguide being disposed so as to make an inner peripheral face thereof come in contact with an outer peripheral face of the plate-shaped gain medium; and a plurality of excited-light sources being directed in five or more directions, the excited-light sources being coupled to an outer peripheral face of the doughnut- or deformed-doughnut-type planar waveguide so as to make excited lights propagate from the outer peripheral face of the doughnut- or deformed-doughnut-type planar waveguide to the plate-shaped gain medium. |
| US08824517B2 |
Surface-emission laser devices, surface-emission laser array having the same, electrophotographic system and optical communication system
A surface-emission laser device comprises an active layer, cavity spacer layers provided at both sides of the active layer, reflection layers provided at respective sides of the cavity spacer layers, the reflection layers reflecting an oscillation light oscillated in the active layer and a selective oxidation layer. The selective oxidation layer is provided between a location in the reflection layer corresponding to a fourth period node of the standing wave distribution of the electric field of the oscillating light and a location in the reflection layer adjacent to the foregoing fourth period node in the direction away from the active layer and corresponding to an anti-node of the standing wave distribution of the electric field of the oscillation light. |
| US08824516B2 |
GaN-based laser device
In a GaN-based laser device having a GaN-based semiconductor stacked-layered structure including a light emitting layer, the semiconductor stacked-layered structure includes a ridge stripe structure causing a stripe-shaped waveguide, and has side surfaces opposite to each other to sandwich the stripe-shaped waveguide in its width direction therebetween. At least part of at least one of the side surfaces is processed to prevent the stripe-shaped waveguide from functioning as a Fabry-Perot resonator in the width direction. |
| US08824515B2 |
Laser apparatus and method for processing objects with a laser which is controllable in terms of the pulse energy
A laser processing apparatus, a filter device and a method are used for controlling a pulse laser, which is controllable in terms of its pulse energy and of a temporal triggering of laser pulses, during material processing of an object, in particular during the marking of a plastics-based document. The method includes comparing a pulse energy signal which assumes voltage values, in temporal correlation with a clock signal, which represent a pulse energy for the laser pulses for processing, with a threshold value condition and generating a logic result signal. The clock signal is passed to a gate and controlling the gate using the logic result signal and generating a retrieval signal thereby. An energy control signal is provided which has a voltage according to a specification of a control voltage. The retrieval signal and the energy control signal are used to control the pulse laser. |
| US08824513B2 |
Method for beam combination by seeding stimulated brillouin scattering in optical fiber
A system and method for efficiently combining multiple laser beams into a single frequency by invoking stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in a dual core optical fiber is disclosed. The method and apparatus essentially becomes a brightness converter for the input laser beams. An SRS seed is generated in a long length of fiber or by a diode and is launched into the back-end of the SBS combining optical fiber. Various single-frequency pump beams are launched into the front-end of the same fiber. The seed acts to lower a threshold for SBS in the fiber, thus invoking the nonlinearity. Provided the various pump beams are close in frequency and seed/pump modes overlap, each acts to amplify the seed through the nonlinear SBS process, providing an output signal which is brighter than the combined pump beams. |
| US08824511B2 |
Clock synchronization system, node, clock synchronization method, and program
The invention provides a clock synchronization system which synchronizes the clock of a slave node with the clock of a master node by use of a timestamp packet transmitted from the master node to the slave node on the packet network, wherein the slave node includes a phase comparison part 201 which calculates a difference between a received timestamp and a timestamp generated on the slave node side; an LPF part 202 which suppresses jitters and noises contained in the difference obtained by the phase comparison part; a PI control part 203 which generates a control signal configured to ultimately reduce the difference to zero; a VCO part 204 which outputs a clock signal with a frequency corresponding to the generated control signal; a frequency division part 205 which generates a clock signal with a frequency up-converted from the frequency of the clock signal; a timestamp generation part 206 which outputs a timestamp based on the clock signal from the frequency division part; and a resolution conversion part 207 which increases the resolution of the timestamp from said timestamp generation part. |
| US08824507B2 |
Transmitting apparatus and signal transmitting method
A transmitting apparatus includes a frame dividing circuit that maps frame data of each of a plurality of frames whose period is different from each other into one or a plurality of internal frames having a fixed frame period and a fixed transmission rate, based on a predetermined internal clock; a cross-connect circuit that cross-connects the frame data of each in a time division multiplexing system based on the internal clock in units of the internal frames; and a frame combining circuit that demaps, into any of the plurality of frames, or multiplexes, data of one or a plurality of internal frames cross-connected by the cross-connect circuit. |
| US08824506B2 |
Fragmentation of link layer discovery protocol packets
Systems for communicating network device information between network devices. A communication is established between a first network device and a second network device according to a link layer discovery protocol (LLDP). An LLDP advertisement message is output in the communication from the second network device to the first network device. The first network device determines whether the second network device processes fragmented packets by searching the LLDP advertisement message for a fragmentation time length value (TLV) field. The second network device outputs to the first network device a plurality of packet fragments in response to a determination that the LLDP advertisement message includes the fragmentation TLV field. |
| US08824505B2 |
Method and apparatus for transporting client signals in an optical transport network
Method and apparatus for transporting client signals in an OTN are illustrated. In one embodiment, the method includes: receiving a client signal; determining a quantity of n-bit data units of the client signal based on a clock of the client signal and a local clock; mapping the quantity of n-bit data units of the client signal to an overhead of a first Optical Channel Data Tributary Unit (ODTU) frame; mapping the n-bit data units of the client signal to a payload area of a second ODTU frame next to the first ODTU frame according to the quantity of n-bit data units mapped in the overhead of the first ODTU frame; mapping each n-bit data unit of the second ODTU frame to an Optical Channel Payload Unit-k Tributary Slot (OPUk TS) in an OPUk frame; and forming an Optical Channel Transport Unit-k (OTUk) frame including the OPUk frame for transmission. |
| US08824499B2 |
Method of controlling connection between nodes in digital interface
A method of controlling connection between nodes in a digital interface whereby a first node that is a master node determines a second node to be the master and controls a point-to-point connection or a broadcast connection to another node. The first node having the display device determines the second node to be the master in accordance with a user selection, and transmits a connection command of a predetermined format for transmitting a data stream to the second node. The second node determined as the master in accordance with the transmitted connection command of the predetermined format is allocated with a channel and a bandwidth from an isochronous resource manager (IRM), and performs a point-to-point connection between the second node and the first node to transit the data stream. Thus, the transmission/reception, reproduction, and control of the data stream of the program can be smoothly performed. |
| US08824496B2 |
Two-phase arbitration mechanism for shared optical links
A method for arbitration in an arbitration domain. The method includes: receiving, by each node of a plurality of nodes in the arbitration domain, an arbitration request from each sending node of the plurality of nodes in the arbitration domain, where the plurality of nodes in the arbitration domain each use a shared data channel to send data to a set of receiving nodes; assigning, by each node in the arbitration domain, consecutive time slots to each sending node based on a plurality of priorities assigned to the plurality of nodes in the arbitration domain; for each time slot: sending, from the arbitration domain, a switch request to a receiving node designated by the sending node, where the receiving node is in the set of receiving nodes; and sending, by the sending node, data to the receiving node via the shared data channel during the time slot. |
| US08824494B2 |
Distributed medium access control for wireless data networks
In one embodiment, conflicts are identified by sending and announcement message from the first node to neighboring nodes from among the plurality of second nodes indicating that the first node intends to participate in a first communication with a first terminal during the current frame, and receiving a report message from any conflicting nodes at the first node, each conflicting node being a node from among the neighboring nodes which intends to participate in a different communication. Conflicts are resolved by selecting one of (1) maintaining a state of the first node as a clear state and (2) changing the state of the first node to a blocked state based on the received report messages. The first communication is scheduled for the current time frame, if the state of the first node is the clear state after the resolving conflicts step. |
| US08824493B2 |
Media access control method for a bus system and communication device
A media access control method is described for controlling access by one user station of a bus system to a first channel of the bus system utilized jointly by a plurality of user stations, where in the case of the method, at least one enable interval is specified for the user station, within which the user station has exclusive access to the first channel. In order to specify a media access control method in which large volumes of data may be transmitted relatively quickly and real-time conditions can be honored during the transmission of messages via the bus system, access to a second channel is utilized by a plurality of user stations is controlled using the method, the second channel being enabled for access by the user station only within the enable interval. |
| US08824492B2 |
Accelerator system for remote data storage
Data processing and an accelerator system therefor are described. An embodiment relates generally to a data processing system. In such an embodiment, a bus and an accelerator are coupled to one another. The accelerator has an application function block. The application function block is to process data to provide processed data to storage. A network interface is coupled to obtain the processed data from the storage for transmission. |
| US08824490B2 |
Automatic detection and window virtualization for flow control
One or more flow control modules, implemented on various types of network topologies, provide a number of functionalities for controlling the flow of IP packets (such as TCP/IP packets) over a network connection. The flow control modules may be implemented within a sender and/or receiver or may be deployed into a network as a separate device without requiring significant additional resources. |
| US08824489B1 |
Physical layer (PHY) devices for use in automotive and industrial applications
A system including a physical layer (PHY) module configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the PHY module is configured to be connected to a first physical medium including a first number of wire pairs, and is configured to communicate over the first physical medium at a first data rate. In the second mode, the PHY module is configured to be connected to a second physical medium including a second number of wire pairs that is less than the first number of wire pairs, and is configured to communicate over the second physical medium at the first data rate. A mode control module is configured to selectively transition the PHY module between the first mode and the second mode. |
| US08824485B2 |
Efficient software-based private VLAN solution for distributed virtual switches
Packet processing logic of a host system's virtualization manager detects packets on the ingress or the egress path to/from a virtual port having three bitmap arrays for processing packets within a virtual local area network (VLAN). The logic checks the VLAN identifier (VID) of the packet to determine, based on an offset position within the corresponding bitmap array, whether the port supports the VLAN. Both the ingress array offset position and egress array offset positions correspond to the value of the VID, and are set within the specific bitmap array during configuration of the VLAN on the port. When the VLAN is supported by the port, the logic enables the packet to be processed by the port. Otherwise, the logic discards the packet. A strip bitmap array indicates when a packet's VID should be removed prior to forwarding the packet on the egress of a port (or destination port). |
| US08824475B2 |
Method and structure for simplified coding of display pages for operating a closed circuit e-commerce
Method and structure for a simplified coding of templated display pages for use in close circuit e-shopping for product and services via shopping terminals comprising video interphone monitors, dedicated terminals, television, cable television, shopping box, set top box and other well known boxes, each include a CPU, a memory and a display monitor operated via touch screen, remote control or hand movement, the templated screen uses assigned blocks and icons codes to select display pages, covering products and services. The shopping terminal connected via internal communication lines and interface propagates the simplified code, enabling loading and updating of products and services communicated via a building server for updating at all time data stored in the memory as per the dweller choice, enabling a dweller to shop from his private shop inside his residence, and be provided with programmed services, delivery and payments, supervised by the close circuit shopping entity center. |
| US08824472B2 |
Sanitizing packet headers
A network device may receive a packet, determine whether the packet includes two or more headers of a same type, modify the packet to correct for the two or more headers of the same type when the packet includes the two or more headers of the same type, determine whether the packet includes out-of-sequence headers, and modify the packet to correct for the out-of-sequence headers when the packet includes the out-of-sequence headers. |
| US08824468B2 |
System and method for parsing frames
A system for parsing frames including a first cell extraction circuit (CEC) configured to identify a first cell from a first frame, a first parser engine operatively connected to the first CEC, where the first parser engine is configured to generate a result based on the first cell, and a first forwarding circuit operatively connected to the first parser engine and configured to forward the result, where the first CEC, the first parser engine, and the first forwarding circuit are associated with a first frame parser unit. |
| US08824466B2 |
Creating and/or managing meta-data for data storage devices using a packet switch appliance
A first instrument port of a packet switch appliance is connected to a first data storage device. A second port is configured as a first network port. A first meta-data tag is created for a first block of packets received through the first network port. The first block is sent to the first data storage device through the first instrument port. The first meta-data tag or copy is sent to the first data storage device and/or a storage management server. A second instrument port of the packet switch appliance is connected to a second data storage device. A second meta-data tag is created for a second block of packets received through the first network port. The second block is sent to the second data storage device through the second instrument port. The second meta-data tag or copy is sent to the second data storage device and/or the storage management server. |
| US08824461B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a control plane across multiple optical network domains
Method and apparatus for providing a control plane across multiple optical network domains is described. In one example, topology and resource discovery is employed in a transport network having a plurality of control domains. Topology information for each of the control domains is summarized to produce summarized topology information. The summarized topology information for each of the control domains is exchanged among the control domains. At each of the control domains, the summarized topology information of each of the control domains is combined to produce combined topology information. The combined topology information is passed among network elements within each of the control domains using an intra-domain routing protocol. |
| US08824454B2 |
Peering network for parameter-based routing of special number calls
A system and method that routes special number calls from communications devices, including VoIP communications devices, to an answering point that is selected based on a parameter. A peering network effects parameter-based routing of calls to a pre-assigned answering point, wherein the voice path and the signaling paths are set up simultaneously. A gateway in the peering network is connected to the service provider switch and receives special number calls. The gateway queries a pre-provisioned parameter server that determines call routing information for the particular communications device. The gateway then selects another gateway, or, optionally, a selective router access provider network, based on the routing information and delivers the call thereto. The other gateway or selective router access provider network is connected to a router in the destination network and delivers the call and the call parameters to the router. |
| US08824453B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing quality of service for multimedia applications
A system and method (200) are disclosed for managing quality of service for multimedia applications. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network management system (NMS) (106) having a controller (107) that manages operations of a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) (109) interfacing to a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem (114) over a digital subscriber line. The controller can be programmed to detect (204) a signal quality violation in the digital subscriber line according to a quality policy associated with a content source, cause (210) the DSLAM to interleave content supplied thereto by the content source; and cause (212) the DSLAM to allocate to the content supplied by the content source a first portion of a data service bandwidth assigned to the digital subscriber line. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08824452B2 |
System and method for subscriber-based policy management
In accordance with various embodiments, systems and methods of mapping an event related to a subscriber to an associated subscriber profile associated with a global unique identifier (GUID) associated with the specific subscriber, regardless of the particular subscriber identifier associated with the event. The system includes a routing module which is operable to resolve the GUID from a variety of identifiers and identifier types which might be associated with an event. The method can receive a subscriber identifier associated with an event, resolve the subscriber identifier to a global unique identifier (GUID), and route the event to a single actor for processing in accordance with the subscriber's profile and thereby provide the appropriate services and quality of service. |
| US08824451B2 |
Method and system for establishing an associated bidirectional label-switched path
The disclosure discloses a method and a system for establishing an associated bidirectional Label-Switched Path (LSP). The method includes the following steps: a head node sends a PATH message for establishing or updating an LSP to an end node, wherein the message carries an object for identifying association; the end node sends to the head node a PATH message for establishing or updating an LSP as a reverse LSP corresponding to the above LSP, wherein the message carries an object for identifying association; in the case that the attributes of the objects for identifying association carried in the PATH messages sent by the head node and the end node are the same, the LSP and the reverse LSP are associated with each other by the head node and the end node and become an associated bidirectional LSP. The method for establishing an associated bidirectional LSP in the disclosure can be applied to transition from a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network to a MPLS-Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) network and binding a reverse LSP with a unidirectional LSP. |
| US08824436B2 |
Method and apparatus for soft migration of frequency spectrum blocks
Techniques are provided for efficient allocation of frequency spectrum blocks. In one example, there is provided a method, operable by one or more network entities, for reallocating a portion of a first frequency band allocated to a first radio access technology (RAT) to a second RAT. The method may involve determining a migration block granularity for reallocating the portion of the first frequency band to the second RAT. The method may involve identifying spectrum block(s) of the determined granularity in the first frequency band. The method may involve aggregating the identified spectrum block(s) with a native carrier in a second frequency band allocated to the second RAT. The method may involve controlling of the aggregated spectrum block(s) via the native carrier for the second RAT. |
| US08824427B2 |
Data transmission method and apparatus of machine-type communication device in wireless communication system
The MTC device receives common control channel (CCCH) configuration information for CCCH configuration of a normal terminal and the MTC CCCH configuration information for CCCH configuration of the MTC device from a base station, selects one MTC CCCH group from a set of the MTC CCCH groups on the basis of the CCCH configuration information and the MTC CCCH configuration information, and transmits or receives data through an the MTC CCCH to which the selected the MTC CCCH group belongs. |
| US08824426B2 |
Method for transmitting physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) information, method for determining PDCCH search space and devices thereof
A method for transmitting Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) information, a method for determining PDCCH search space and devices thereof are disclosed in the present embodiments. The method for determining PDCCH search space includes the following step: Node B (NB) determines the different search spaces corresponding to different PDCCHs according to Carrier Indicator (CI) information. By applying the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present invention, the CI information is introduced in the search space determining process, so that different search spaces can be allocated to the cross-carrier PDCCHs of one User Equipment (UE) and the NB and UE are able to exactly determine the search spaces of PDCCHs in each downlink carrier, therefore reducing the blocking probability during PDCCH scheduling process and improving the reliability of PDCCH transmission. |
| US08824423B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving a hybrid automatic repeat request procedure in the transition of transmission time interval bundling in a wireless communication system
A method of improving a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) procedure in the transition of transmission time interval (TTI) bundling for a MAC layer of a user equipment in a wireless communication system, the method including activating TTI bundling upon receiving a bundling activation command, and using a first number of unused HARQ processes in the first round trip time after TTI bundling is activated to continue the first number of unfinished HARQ processes before TTI bundling is activated. |
| US08824420B2 |
Method and system for generating antenna selection signals in OFDM tranceivers with fewer RF chains than antennas in MIMO wireless networks
A method and system generating signal to select a subset of antennas from a set of antennas to transmit user data in a wireless communication system. User data are transmitted during a first transmission time intervals (TTI) using a first subset of antennas. Pilot tones are transmitted during a second TTI using a second subset of antennas. Corresponding channels are estimated for the first subset of antennas and the second subset of antennas from the user data and the pilot tones. Then, based on the estimating, an optimal subset of antenna is selected from the first subset of antennas and the second subset of antennas to transmit the user data during a sequent TTI, and in which the selecting is performed adaptively. |
| US08824415B2 |
Cross-scheduled random access order transmitting and receiving methods, devices and systems
A node of a wireless network includes processor circuitry that is configured to obtain an identification of a cell on which a user equipment shall transmit a random access preamble and to encode the identification of the cell on which the user equipment shall transmit the random access preamble into at least one unused bit position of a physical downlink control channel random access order. A transmitter is responsive to the processor circuitry and is configured to transmit the physical downlink control channel random access order including the identification of the cell that was encoded into the at least one unused bit position of the physical downlink control channel random access order. Related user equipment, systems and methods are also described. |
| US08824413B2 |
Direct communications in wireless networks
A method is provided for direct communications between members of at least one communication group of wireless entities, in which two communication groups are provided. A first group that has at least two wireless entities of an identical type, and a second group that has at least one wireless entity. A time slot is allocated in a frame belonging to a frame-based protocol for use by members of the first group to exchange direct communications between each other. The same time slot is used by at least one wireless entity of the second group to exchange non-direct communications in accordance with the frame-based protocol, or direct communication with one or more wireless entities of second group. Within the time slot, frequency resources within the same frequency channel are allocated to each of the two communication groups. |
| US08824411B2 |
Tune-away detection based adaptive link adaptation for hybrid transceivers
Various method and apparatus embodiments for adjusting control loop parameters for wireless communication link are disclosed. The adjustments may be performed responsive to a single radio UE tuning away from a first network to a second network, or due to a fading condition. Responsive to detecting the tuning away of the UE or the fading condition, the base station may adjust one or more parameters of a control loop. The adjustments may include changing parameters of one or more filters in the BS. For example, a block error rate (BLER) first state can be reset to a small value, or can be incrementally adjusted responsive to detecting discrete transmissions (DTX) or other signals from the UE. In another example, BLER filter coefficients may be updated responsive to DTX detections. |
| US08824410B2 |
Method for operating a network and a network
For allowing a reliable communication between the wireless part and the core network part via the fixed line network a method for operating a network, especially for policy control within the network, is provided, wherein the network includes a mobile network and a fixed line network, wherein the mobile network includes a wireless part and a core network part and wherein the mobile network and the fixed line network cooperate for providing communication between the wireless part and the core network part via the fixed line network. The method is characterized in that information regarding the wireless part will be provided via the mobile network to the fixed line network for controlling the communication within the fixed line network. Further, a corresponding network, preferably for carrying out the above mentioned method is disclosed. |
| US08824408B2 |
Method of handling random access procedure associated to cell deactivation
A method of handling random access procedure associated to cell deactivation for a mobile device in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises activating a secondary cell configured by a network of the wireless communication system, performing a random access procedure for the activated secondary cell, and when the secondary cell is deactivated during the random access procedure, continuously performing the random access procedure. |
| US08824407B2 |
Systems and methods for network entry management
A method for network entry management for use in a base station. The method includes steps of broadcasting multiple carriers, wherein the carriers are classified into fully configured carriers and partially configured carriers, the fully configured carrier includes at least one primary synchronization channel (P-SCH) and at least one secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH), and the partially configured carrier includes at least one P-SCH and does not include the S-SCH. |
| US08824404B2 |
Reuse of legacy radio access technology
The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software related product (e.g., a computer readable memory) for using (or reusing) unused frequency resources/channels in a legacy radio access technology system (a first radio access technology system) such as GSM as additional/reused resources for a future/advanced radio access technology systems (a second radio access technology system) such as LTE wireless system. In one embodiment, the extension carrier may be used to simultaneously deploy/assign, e.g., LTE transmission in the same frequency band as the legacy radio access technology system such as GSM with LTE transmission occupying empty GSM time plus frequency slots. In a further embodiment, LTE system over-provisioning may be used so that individual GSM channel(s) can be deactivated and used by the LTE system. |
| US08824402B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in communication system
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for transmitting/receiving data by acquiring channel information of a terminal receiving data in a communication system providing services to users through beamforming according to a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) scheme, wherein so as to acquire channel information of the terminal for transmitting/receiving data through the beamforming according to the MIMO scheme, a null data packet announcement (NDPA) frame and a null data packet (NDP) frame are transmitted to the terminal, the beamforming frame is received from the terminal as a response of the null data packet announcement frame and the null data packet frame, and the channel information of the terminal included in the beamforming frame and the indication information on which the null data packet frame included in a control information field of the beamforming frame is normally received are checked. |
| US08824401B2 |
Communication system, method, base station, and communication device
A wireless communication system, using wireless base stations, and other devices, such as a relay node, interoperate with using spectrum aggregation and MIMO. Traffic usage is detected and based on channel utilization relative to capacity, spectrum aggregation is chosen over MIMO under certain conditions. On the other hand, under higher channel utilization system components switch to MIMO modes of operation to reduce demand on channel use, while providing good throughput for communications stations. |
| US08824398B2 |
Radio communication system, radio communication device, and radio communication method
A transmitting station having plural antennas includes: a control information calculation unit that calculates control information for use by plural receiving stations according to a multi-user MIMO data transmission scheme; a control information transmission parameter calculation unit that calculates a control information transmission parameter based on spatial channel related information; and a control information transmission signal creation unit that creates a control information transmission signal, using the control information transmission parameter and a pilot signal. A resource element mapping unit maps control information transmission signals onto corresponding resource elements for transmission. On the other hand, the receiving stations each include a control information acquisition unit that acquires plural pieces of control information signaled on the corresponding resource elements, acquire control information destined for each receiving station, and demodulate received signals. |
| US08824396B2 |
Overhead reduction for multi-carrier transmission systems
A method, apparatus, and computer program product, wherein a channel quality information received from a user in a multi-carrier transmission system is categorizing on a per-user basis, and one of a plurality of feedback overhead reduction techniques is individually selected for the user in response to a result of the channel categorization. |
| US08824392B2 |
Apparatus and method to allocate communication resources in a communication system
An apparatus, method and system configured to allocate communication resources in a communication system. An apparatus includes a processor and memory including computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to arrange a number of sub-channels in a sequence according to an index configured to at least one user equipment. A first segment information is received from a first user equipment to partition the number of sub-channels into first and second user-defined segments. A first segment information is received from a second user equipment to partition the number of sub-channels into first and second user-defined segments. The memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to configure sub-channels dependent on the first user-defined segment to the first user equipment when the first segment information therefrom is lower than the first segment information from the second user equipment. |
| US08824382B2 |
Reservation of spectrum resources in white spaces
A white space entity reserves spectrum in white space from a reservation system. Consequently, the white space entity may utilize television bands that are unused at a specified time period and geo-location in order to support different services such as wireless audio transmission, networking, video surveillance, and video conferencing. The white space entity requests reservation of spectrum resources from the reservation system by sending a reservation request. The request includes request parameters that may include geo-location, model number or manufacture code number, priority of entity, reservation time period, and maximum power level. The reservation system consequently verifies the request from the priority of the white space entity and the availability of white space spectrum for the desired time period. The white space entity then extracts confirmation parameters from a reservation confirmation message and subsequently transmits on white spectrum in accordance with the parameters. |
| US08824378B2 |
Unscheduled peer power save mode
Embodiments of unscheduled peer power save systems, devices and methods are disclosed. For example, a method of saving power for nodes configured to communicate via a direct link is provided. In one embodiment, among others, the method comprises forming, at an access point node (AP node), a indication frame for a client node, when no service period has occurred for the client node for a period of time at least equal to an indication window; sending the formed indication frame from the AP node to the client node through an access point; receiving, at the client node, the peer traffic indication from the access point; and determining, at the client node, that the AP node has traffic to send to the client node based on the indication frame. |
| US08824376B2 |
Method for sending status information in mobile telecommunications system and receiver of mobile telecommunications
A method of sending status information (STATUS PDU) in which a receiving side reports a data received state to a transmitting side in a mobile telecommunication system. A receiving side radio link control (RLC) entity considers an available radio resource to construct a status PDU fit to a size of the available radio resource and then sends the constructed status PDU to a transmitting side RLC entity, thereby avoiding a deadlock situation of RLC protocols. |
| US08824375B2 |
Dynamic reconfiguration of cell site service(s)
An architecture can dynamically update or set facility variables for adapting cell site (e.g., base station) characteristics in a wireless communication network. In particular, based upon a current configuration or state of facility equipment as well as various operation data, the architecture can determine or infer a reconfiguration of a facility variable that can adjust the configuration or state of the facility equipment. The reconfiguration can be directed to improving efficiency, mitigating errors, and/or more effectively providing services and allocating resources. |
| US08824374B2 |
Call setup latency optimization for LTE to 1xRTT circuit switched fall back
A method and apparatus for reducing call setup latency in an LTE network is disclosed. Services in a 1xRTT network are provided for both single receiver (SRx) and Dual Receiver (DRx) User Equipment using CSFB (Circuit Switched Fall Back). When an idle UE requests a CSFB to 1xRTT service and related PS (packet service) Suspension in the LTE network, an eNB can reduce or eliminate the exchange of RCC (Radio Resource Control) messages with the UE before UE is redirected to 1xRTT for CSFB service. Eliminating unnecessary messages reduces call setup latency. The number of exchanged messages can be reduced when the eNB broadcasts an indicator that the eNB supports CSFB and an MME (Mobility Management Entity) sends a message to the eNB indicating that a UE is requesting CSFB. |
| US08824369B2 |
Method and device for switching
A switching method and device are disclosed by the present invention. The switching method according to the embodiments of the present invention includes: receiving from a base station a switching indication information that requires a UE to switch a TTI; sending to the base station a switching confirmation information with which the switching indication information is confirmed; and switching the TTI. The switching method according to the embodiments of the present invention includes: sending to a UE a switching indication information that requires the UE to switch a TTI; and receiving from the UE a switching confirmation information with which the switching indication information is confirmed. By using the switching method and device according to the embodiments of the present invention, the delay of switching the TTI can be shortened and the TTI can be switched quickly. |
| US08824365B2 |
Method for establishing connection by HNB
A method for establishing a connection of a home Node B (HNB), the method comprising the steps of: transmitting, by the HNB, an attachment request message including an identifier of a closed subscriber group (CSG) where the HNB is located and information on location of the HNB to an operation and maintenance center (OMC); selecting, by the OMC a device establishing a connection with the HNB using the information on location of the HNB; transmitting, by the OMC, an attachment response message including information on the device to the HNB; establishing, by the HNB, a connection with the selected device. With the method proposed in the present invention, a UE can switch between HNBs in the same CSG through interface X2. Meanwhile, such information as the radio resource management and so on can be exchanged between two HNBs. |
| US08824362B2 |
Systems and methods for transmitting serving grants to a serving base station
The invention provides a method for transmitting a serving grant to a base station. In some embodiments the method includes: storing a serving grant in a storage unit, generating a layer two protocol data unit (L2 PDU); and transmitting the L2 PDU to the base station, wherein the step of generating the L2 PDU comprises adding the serving grant to the L2 PDU. |
| US08824359B2 |
System and method for resource allocation
An access node comprising a processor configured to promote allocation of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) resource to a relay node. The PDCCH resource is configured for use by the relay node. The access node is further configured to exclusively control allocation of the PDCCH resource. |
| US08824352B2 |
Mobile access gateway, mobile node and method for processing handover state information
A method for processing handover state information, a mobile access gateway (MAG), and a mobile node (MN) are disclosed. The method includes: receiving a handover state notification message, where the handover state notification message includes interface handover indication information; determining a handover indication option value according to the interface handover indication information; and generating and sending a proxy binding update (PBU) message, where the PBU message includes the handover indication option value. With the present invention, a MAG can obtain the handover state information of an MN through the interface handover indication information of the MN. The application scope is wide, and the access success probability is increased; therefore, the access quality of service (QoS) provided for the user is improved. |
| US08824351B2 |
Regulating broadcast overhead messages within a wireless communications network
Aspects of regulating broadcast overhead messages within a wireless communications network are disclosed. In an example, an access network periodically sends a message advertising an announced multicast session on each of a plurality of carriers, the message indicating that the announced multicast session is being carried on a target carrier among the plurality of carriers. The access network determines whether to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier based on a number of times the periodic message has been sent in each of the plurality of carriers, and ceases transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier based on the determining step. |
| US08824349B2 |
Mobile station apparatus, communication system, communication method and program
A mobile station apparatus performs communication with abase station apparatus using a multiple number of component frequency bands, each being a band having a predetermined frequency bandwidth, and includes: a controller setting up a value relating to the transmission power of each component frequency band in accordance with the number of component frequency bands to which radio resources are allocated; and a transmission processor adjusting the transmission power of each component frequency band, based on the value of transmission power set at the controller and transmitting a signal using radio resources of a multiple number of component frequency bands. With this configuration, in a radio communication system using a multiple number of component frequency bands, it is possible to adjust transmission power control in accordance with the number of uplink component frequency bands used for transmission and transmit a signal of a waveform suitable for the radio communication system. |
| US08824347B2 |
Method for improving battery life and HARQ retransmissions in wireless communications systems
Methods and apparatus for controlling discontinuous receiver operation in a wireless communication device are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a wireless communication device (150) configured to monitor a downlink signal during a series of regularly scheduled awake intervals and monitor the downlink signal for retransmissions during retransmission-monitoring intervals scheduled at a first predetermined delay from each detected data transmission to the receiver includes a control circuit (175) configured to detect that a first retransmission-monitoring interval overlaps a previously scheduled radio activity during which the receiver is unavailable to monitor the first downlink signal, such as a measurement gap, and to adjust the first retransmission-monitoring interval, add an additional retransmission-monitoring interval, or both, responsive to said detecting. |
| US08824346B2 |
Remote wakeup of application processor of mobile device
A system, circuit, and device for waking up an application processor (AP) of the mobile device are disclosed. The system includes a low power personal area network (PAN) module configured to communicate with an external device for establishing a connection with the external device. The system also includes a controller for the low power PAN module configured to process a connection request signal from the external device and to wake up the AP of the mobile device in response to an AP on request signal from the external device when the connection request signal from the external device is verified as valid, where the controller is supplied with quiescent current from a battery of the mobile device prior to the wake up of the AP. |
| US08824344B2 |
Time division duplex communication apparatus and reception interference preventing method thereof
Provided is a time division duplex communication apparatus capable of distinguishing interruption by a received interference wave at a reception time, interruption occurring upon completion of measurement of received power, and interruption caused by power leaked into a receiving system during transmission time. The time division duplex communication apparatus includes a variable attenuator 7 for adjusting power of a reception signal, an interruption factor detection unit 11 for detecting an interruption signal from the reception signal, a reception timing determination unit 21 for determining whether the interruption signal is due to a received interference wave, and an interference wave determination unit 31 for controlling the variable attenuator 7 when it is determined that the interruption signal is due to the received interference wave. |
| US08824342B2 |
Field communication apparatus and process control system
A field communication apparatus may include a first communication unit and a second communication unit each of which performs communication between a plurality of field devices and a host device, the first communication unit and the second communication unit constituting a duplex unit, a first explosion-proof housing that accommodates the first communication unit, and a second explosion-proof housing that accommodates the second communication unit. The first communication unit may be capable of being removed from the field communication apparatus while being accommodated in the first housing, and the second communication unit may be capable of being removed from the field communication apparatus while being accommodated in the second housing. |
| US08824340B2 |
Handling of policy and charging information and user profiles in a multisite communication's network
It is provided a method for handling policy and charging information, PCI, relating to a user, wherein the method is carried out in a communications network comprising a first and a second site at least (S1, S2). Each of these sites comprises at least a policy and charging rules, PCR, network entity. The method comprises sending (SI1O) from a first network entity of a first site (110; AF-1; PCEF-1) to a PCR network entity of said first site (PCRF-1) a request to obtain PCI dependent on a user profile; generating—if it is determined that said user profile is not accessible at the first site (PCRF-1)—a redirection message comprising an identity of the PCR network entity of the first site (PCRF-1); forwarding said redirection message to a PCR network entity of said second site (PCRF-2). |
| US08824339B2 |
Lawfull call interception support
Systems, methods and communication nodes according to exemplary embodiments provide for an IMS node to replicate call content for lawful call interception in packet cable networks. A CSCF node sends a command to an SBC node to perform call content replication for an identified call to be intercepted. The SBC node forwards the replicated call content to a delivery function, which in turn forwards the replicated call content to the appropriate law enforcement agency. |
| US08824337B1 |
Alternate directions in hierarchical road networks
Methods and systems for determining shortest paths between a source node and a target node in a road network are disclosed. An example method includes determining a hierarchy of nodes with a number of levels of a first graph and calculating a first shortest path between the source node and the target node traversing a meeting node in the first graph. The number of levels in the first graph is reduced. One or more second shortest paths between the source node and the target node traversing one or more meeting nodes in the second reduced graph is determined. The first shortest path is assigned as a primary route and the one or more second shortest paths are assigned as alternate routes. |
| US08824332B2 |
Method for selecting clock source in Synchronization Digital Hierarchy network
A method for selecting a clock source in Synchronization Digital Hierarchy (SDH) network and a clock module are provided in the present invention. The method includes: generating a clock information message based on the clock quality information in SDH network, and the clock module of every network node in said SDH network independently selects a clock source by using said clock information message. The method and clock module for selecting a clock source in SDH provided in the present invention enable automatic switch and recovery for a clock source, and effectively solve the problem of clock looping, and adequately maintain the compatibility with the existing system without increasing the cost of the system. |
| US08824328B2 |
Systems and methods for optimizing the performance of an application communicating over a network
Systems and methods for optimizing the performance of an application, as described, may include determining an arrival time of a packet at a network emulator node by the network emulator node, wherein the packet is transmitted from a node to the network emulator node over the network, establishing a packet ordering queue at the network emulator node, applying a maximum delay time by the network emulator node, applying a minimum delay time by the network emulator node, and computing a packet departure time for the packet from the network emulator node. An exemplary embodiment may additionally include the determination of a bandwidth delay time, where the applicable network bandwidth is imposed by the network emulator node. |
| US08824327B1 |
Phone URL exchange for improved call quality
A system for exchanging information for improved call quality includes an exchange engine for switching between networks or communication channels and a monitoring module for determining quality of communication over a network or communication channels and initiating switching in response to poor call quality. The monitoring module may be responsive to input from the user or to call quality as determined for example by statistical measurement. The exchange engine identifies the network or communication channel in use for the current call; determines the call quality for a second network or communication channel not being used for the current call; determines whether call quality of the second network is better than the first network; and switches the current call between a first user and the second user from the first network to the second network if the call quality of the second network is better than the first network. |
| US08824326B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing device-to-device interference
Various methods for managing device-to-device interference are provided. One example method includes receiving an expected interference level for a resource block, where the expected interference level is represented by data indicative of interference associated with the resource block due to device-to-device communications using the resource block. The example method further includes selecting the resource block for a device-to-device communications session based at least in part on the expected interference level for the resource block. Similar and related example methods and example apparatuses are also provided. |
| US08824324B2 |
Methods and apparatus for configuring subscriber quality of service profiles
A wireless communication apparatus is operable in a first wireless communications system implementing a first wireless communications protocol. A subscriber Quality of Service (QoS) profile module is for configuring a QoS Profile. A receiver module is for receiving, over the first wireless network, a QoS Profile Request message. A transmission module is for transmitting a QoS Profile Response message over the first wireless network. |
| US08824323B2 |
Wireless control plane failure handling in a split-plane deployment
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing wireless control plane failover handling in a split-plane deployment is presented. A first AP in a split-plane deployment detects failure of a Wireless Control Plane (WCP) device. The first AP hides an SSID in beacons broadcast by the first AP. The first AP stores information for existing Mobile Units (MUs) that dissociate after the detection of the failure of the WCP device. The first AP will respond to probes from existing MUs; and also respond to probes from MUs that have their information stored in the AP, such that the first AP appears hidden from new MUs while being exposed to existing MUs. |
| US08824320B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication method, computer program, and communication system
While directional communication using millimeter waves is realized, the number of communication stations through which simultaneous communication is possible is increased to increase the throughput of the entire system.Beamforming of a transmission beam is performed not only on a data frame, but also on a CTS frame. In a case where the transmission/reception beam of a hidden terminal (STA_C) is in a direction different from that of a data transmission side (STA_A) with respect to a data receiving side (STA_B), the hidden terminal (STA_C) ceases to receive a CTS. Consequently, a transmission stop period is not set, and a communication operation with a communication party terminal (STA_D) thereof can be continued. |
| US08824313B2 |
Data compression in a distributed monitoring system
A distributed monitoring system comprises a plurality of agents configured for communication with at least one central server. A given one of the agents obtains measurement data, and applies a statistical test to the measurement data. Based on a result of the statistical test, the given agent determines whether or not an update needs to be sent by the agent to the central server. The agent sends the update to the central server if the determination indicates that the update should be sent. |
| US08824307B2 |
Communicating between user equipment (UE) and independent serving sectors in a wireless communications system
A wireless communication system transmits in a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) by having a Radio Network Controller (RNC) assign portions of data to a first serving cell and a second serving cell for transmitting to a user equipment. The first serving cell transmits data on a first downlink carrier to the user equipment. The second serving cell, which is independent from the first serving cell, transmits data on a second downlink carrier to the user equipment. In an optional aspect, the RNC receives a measurement report from the user equipment on a first uplink carrier via at least one of the first serving cell and the second serving cell. |
| US08824305B2 |
Paging schemes for local network access
Paging and power consumption are managed in conjunction with providing local breakout in a wireless wide area network. In some aspects, if a packet destined for an access terminal is received at an access point that provides local breakout, the access point may inform the network so that the network will cause the access point to page the access terminal. Alternatively, in some aspects an access point that provides local breakout may maintain idle context of the access terminal, whereby the access point may autonomously page the access terminal (i.e., without involving the core network). In some aspects local breakout traffic is filtered at an access point to reduce the number of pages or packets sent to an access terminal. In some aspects an indication of a packet type is provided with a page message to enable an access terminal to determine whether to receive the packet. In some aspects a local link interface may be selectively disabled or enabled to limit traffic at an access terminal. |
| US08824302B2 |
Proxy maintenance endpoint at provider edge switch
A proxy maintenance endpoint is configured within a provider edge switch in a service provider network. Maintenance endpoints within customer premises equipment register with the proxy maintenance endpoint and transmit Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) frames to the proxy maintenance endpoint. The proxy maintenance endpoint encapsulates the CFM frames into a CFM report and transmits the CFM report to remote proxy maintenance endpoints for subsequent distribution to maintenance endpoints within remote customer premises equipment. |
| US08824297B2 |
Adaptive storm control
In an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein an apparatus comprising an ingress interface, an egress interface, and a storm controller coupled to the ingress interface and the egress interface. The storm controller is operable to determine whether to forward packets for a traffic flow received at the ingress interface to the egress interface based on a rate over a time period. The storm controller forwards packets for the traffic flow while the rate exceeds a first threshold and is less than a second threshold while a predefined condition exits. The storm controller limits traffic for the traffic flow to the first threshold while the rate exceeds the first threshold and the predefined condition does not exist. |
| US08824290B2 |
Downlink flow control using packet dropping to control transmission control protocol (TCP) layer throughput
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to wireless communications and methods and apparatus for downlink flow control at a user equipment (UE). Aspects generally include monitoring, by a UE, one or more parameters related to the UE, and selectively dropping received packets based on the one or more parameters in order to trigger a rate control mechanism. Selectively dropping received packets may occur at a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer in order to reduce a corresponding transmission control protocol (TCP) throughput. Accordingly, packets may be selectively dropped prior to reaching an applications processor. |
| US08824289B2 |
System and method for autonomous discovery of peak channel capacity in a wireless communication network
A wireless device includes a data structure that relates peak channel capacity to the quality of the wireless communication link. The wireless communication link quality forms an index to indicate the expected peak channel capacity for that particular quality value of the wireless communication link. The wireless device uses the data storage structure to determine an expected data transfer throughput based on the quality of the wireless communication link. A transfer rate lower than expected may indicate congestion in the core network or the RAN. In this case, the network may slow the data delivery from the data source or temporarily suspend delivery. Conversely, low data throughput may be the result of a poor quality wireless communication link. If the data structure indicates that the data throughput corresponds to the expected throughput for the quality value of the wireless communication link, the system need not take any steps to reduce congestion. |
| US08824287B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing traffic in a network
The present invention relates to a traffic manager (1) and a method for a traffic manager (1), the method comprising the step of reading a first data packet (D1-DD) comprised in a first queue (QI-QQ) based on a scheduling priority (SP), the scheduling priority (SP) being determined: —at least partly on a configured priority of the first queue (QI-QQ), —at least partly on a first meter value (MVl-MVM) of a first meter (Mi-MM) associated with the first queue (QI-QQ); and—at least partly on a second meter value (MVl-MVM) of a second meter (Ml-MM) associated with a first scheduling node (NI-NN); the first scheduling node being a parent node of the first queue. |
| US08824286B2 |
Network aware global load balancing system and method
An apparatus comprising a network aware (NA) global load balancing (GLB) component configured to associate with a local data center (DC), couple to an end user via a network, select a server in the DC or in one or more remote DCs coupled to the network based on application resource information and network resource information, and select a route in the network based on the application resource information and the network resource information. |
| US08824281B2 |
Network-friendly transmission control protocol (TCP) methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture
Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to route policy requests are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes sending bandwidth probe packets at a probing rate, receiving a packet containing an indication representative of whether the probe packets triggered congestion, and selecting a transmission rate for sending data packets based on the probing rate and the indication. |
| US08824278B2 |
Method and apparatus for avoiding interference in local area wireless communication system
Provided is a method and apparatus for avoiding an interference in a local area wireless communication system. The method includes (a) transmitting, by an interference device detecting a frequency interference, a channel update request signal to a channel manager, (b) broadcasting, by the channel manager, channel update information including new channel information in response to the channel update request and changing a channel, (c) rebroadcasting, by at least one device having received the broadcasted channel update information, the received channel update information and changing a channel after waiting for a maximum polling delay time of a child sleep device, and (d) transmitting, by the at least one device having changed the channel, a channel change confirmation packet to the channel manager. |
| US08824274B1 |
Scheduled network layer programming within a multi-topology computer network
In general, techniques are described for dynamically scheduling and establishing paths in a multi-layer, multi-topology network to provide dynamic network resource allocation and support packet flow steering along paths prescribed at any layer or combination of layers of the network. In one example, a multi-topology path computation element (PCE) accepts requests from client applications for dedicated paths. The PCE receives topology information from network devices and attempts to identify paths through a layer or combination of layers of the network that can be established at the requested time in view of the specifications requested for the dedicated paths and the anticipated bandwidth/capacity available in the network. The PCE schedules the identified paths through the one or more layers of the network to carry traffic for the requested paths. At the scheduled times, the PCE programs path forwarding information into network nodes to establish the scheduled paths. |
| US08824272B2 |
Resolving co-channel interference between overlapping users using rank selection
An improved method for resolving interference between co-channel users is disclosed. A peak in a spectrum generated by a MUSIC algorithm is determined for a signal of interest (“SOI”) using a noise subspace. Also, an estimated carrier frequency offset (“CFO”) is determined for the SOI based on the determined peak in the spectrum. |
| US08824271B2 |
ODFM receiver
The present invention relates to an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing receiver, and more particular to an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing receiver including an FFT/IFFT operating core and a scheduler. In order to simultaneously share the FFT/IFFT operating core, the scheduler manages input/output timings of FFT/IFFT operations and control signals. The FFT/IFFT operating core supports decimation-in-time (DIT) and decimation-in-frequency (DIF) FFT/IFFT operations at the same time. |
| US08824270B2 |
Echo profile probe
In an orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) communication network, a node transmits an echo profile probe to other nodes in the network. The echo profile probe is a message that allows characterization of the unique echo profile through the communication channel between each node pair. The echo profile is used to calculate the cyclic prefix length needed for optimum communication from one node to the other. |
| US08824268B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting an image in a wireless network
A wireless transmission scheme for transmitting images utilizing a cross layer method integrated the slice allocation and multiple modulation and coding modes selection without the need of feedback channel. The scheme divides a coded image into isolated coded slices, wherein each slice represents a region of the image and each slice is then modulated using modulation schemes of differing robustness. Data of most interest is received by all receivers, with some receivers receiving more data in areas with good channel conditions. |
| US08824267B2 |
Systems and methods for transmit diversity for DFT precoded channels
A transmission method and apparatus that combines the benefits of DFT precoding and transmit diversity coding for PUCCH transmission. In one aspect, the invention provides an improved transmit diversity coding method and apparatus for DFTS-OFDM PUCCH with minimal impact on multiplexing capacity. In one embodiment, the improved transmit diversity method and apparatus has the feature of employing frequency-domain separation for the payload signals. |
| US08824266B2 |
Method and apparatus preventing plurality of stations in WLAN from colliding with each other when attempting to access medium
A method and apparatus for preventing a plurality of stations in a wireless local area network (WLAN) from colliding with each other when accessing a medium are provided. In the method, an access point (AP) determines the transmission capabilities of a plurality of stations in a basic service set (BSS) of the AP, determines the format of control frames or data frames which have a high throughput (HT) format to be used in the BSS of the AP, and notifies the stations of the result of the determination. Therefore, it is possible to adaptively choose and use an optimum method of preventing a plurality of stations in a WLAN from colliding with each other when accessing a medium according to the circumstances in a WLAN by referencing the transmission capabilities of a plurality of stations in the WLAN. |
| US08824264B2 |
Method, device, and system for channel estimation
A method for channel estimation includes: loading a combination of signals sent on other lines over a line of a channel; measuring a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the loaded line; and calculating crosstalk channels of the loaded line according to a coefficient of the combination of signals sent on other lines and the measured SNR. Accordingly, a device and system for channel estimation are provided. The technical solution of the present invention may be used for relevant systems such as an x Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) system. |
| US08824258B2 |
Optical disc and optical disc device
In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, in read and write operations by a compatible optical disc device conforming to a plurality of optical disc standards, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced by using this information to select a tracking error signal generating method. |
| US08824252B2 |
Signal clamping device and method thereof and related optical storage system
The invention discloses a signal clamping device capable of clamping a signal with a clamp level that is set according to a frequency characteristic of the signal and a method thereof and a related optical storage system. The signal clamping device includes an equalizing unit, a determining unit, and a clamping unit. The equalizing unit is utilized for equalizing the signal and generating an equalized signal. The determining unit is utilized for generating an indication signal according to the equalized signal. The clamping unit is utilized for determining a clamp level according to the indication signal and clamping the signal with the clamp level. |
| US08824251B2 |
Library apparatus
In a library apparatus, it is not considered that eliminated is an operation for reversing a direction of a double-sided readable/writable recording medium. In the library apparatus having a function of transporting and loading a recording medium from a recording medium storage unit to a recording and reproducing unit through a recording medium transportation unit, a direction in which an unrecorded recording medium is first loaded in the recording and reproducing unit is afterward treated as a front surface, and a direction opposite to the above direction is treated as a rear surface. |
| US08824247B2 |
Bonding agent for heat-assisted magnetic recording and method of application
Magnetic write heads for heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) are disclosed that include a laser diode having a light emitting edge or surface mounted on a slider, an optical waveguide, and a printed bonding agent disposed in an air gap between the laser diode and the slider. The printed bonding agent can be applied by ink jet printing or aerosol jet printing. Also included is a method that includes attaching a laser diode to a slider of a magnetic write head and depositing a bonding agent into the air gap using a focused stream of bonding agent. A light-emitting edge or surface of the laser diode is adjacent to an optical waveguide. The light-emitting edge or surface of the laser diode and the optical input of the waveguide define an aligned direction and an air gap extends from the light-emitting edge or surface of the laser diode in a direction perpendicular to the aligned direction. The bonding agent can be applied by ink jet printing or aerosol jet printing. |
| US08824236B2 |
Memory access control device and manufacturing method
A memory access control device including: a bit position information storage unit storing bit position information indicating one or more bit positions in a bit sequence of a predetermined length; a reading unit configured to attempt to read a bit sequence from the range specified by the logical address received by the logical address receiving unit, thereby receiving a first bit sequence from the external memory in units of the predetermined length, the first bit sequence being composed of bits that are larger in number than bits stored in the range specified by the logical address; a bit sequence extracting unit configured to extract one or more bit sequences from the first bit sequence at the one or more bit positions indicated by the bit position information in units of the predetermined length. |
| US08824231B2 |
Reduced noise DRAM sensing
A dynamic random access memory device is described. A first array has a first plurality of bitlines, each coupled to a column of memory cells. A second has a second plurality of bitlines, each coupled to a column of memory cells. Sense amplifiers are selectively connectable in an open bitline configuration to at least one bitline of the first plurality of bitlines and at least one complementary bitline of the second plurality of bitlines. A voltage supply having a voltage VBL corresponding to a bitline precharge voltage is selectively connectable to each bitline. Logic selectively connects each bitline and the complementary bitline to one of a sense amplifier and the voltage supply during a read operation. Each bitline connected to the sense amplifier is adjacent to a bitline concurrently connected to the voltage supply. A method is also described. |
| US08824230B2 |
Method and apparatus of reducing leakage power in multiple port SRAM memory cell
Systems and method for reducing leakage currents and power consumption in a memory array comprising memory cells, such as 8T SRAM cells. The memory array includes logic for dynamically placing a group of memory cells in the memory array in a reduced power state during sleep mode or inactive states of the group of memory cells, such that leakage parts are effectively eliminated. The memory array further includes logic for dynamically enabling a selected group of the memory cells during read or write access operations on the selected memory cells, wherein corresponding read or write bitlines are precharged before and after the respective rear or write operations. |
| US08824226B2 |
Providing capacitors to improve radiation hardening in memory elements
Some embodiments are related to a mesh capacitor, which improves the SER FIT rate. In an embodiment, the capacitor is connected between an input and an output of a latch in a flip-flop, making the flip-flop harder to flip due to radiation (e.g., from neutrons and/or alpha particles). In some embodiments, the capacitor is built directly vertically on top of the flip-flop, saving chip layout areas. |
| US08824224B2 |
Frequency-agile strobe window generation
The disclosed embodiments relate to components of a memory system that support frequency-agile strobe enable window generation during read accesses. In specific embodiments, this memory system contains a memory controller which includes a timing circuit to synchronize a timing-enable signal with a timing signal returned from a read path, wherein the timing signal includes a delay from the read path. In some embodiments, the timing circuit further comprises two calibration loops. The first calibration loop tracks the timing-enable signal with respect to a cycle-dependent delay in the delay, wherein the cycle-dependent delay depends on a frequency of the strobe signal. The second calibration loop tracks the timing-enable signal with respect to a cycle-independent delay in the delay, wherein the cycle-independent delay does not depend on the frequency of the strobe signal. In some embodiments, the first calibration loop and the second calibration loop are cascaded. |
| US08824223B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus with clock and data strobe phase detection
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes an internal tuning unit configured to tune a generation timing of a data input strobe signal according to a phase difference between an external clock signal and a data strobe clock signal, and a data input sense amplifier configured to transmit data bits to a global line in response to the data input strobe signal. |
| US08824218B2 |
Compact low-power asynchronous resistor-based memory read operation and circuit
A compact, low-power, asynchronous, resistor-based memory read circuit includes a memory cell having a plurality of consecutive memory states, each of said states corresponding to a respective output voltage. A sense amplifier reads the state of the memory cell. The sense amplifier includes a voltage divider configured to receive the output voltage of the memory cell and to output a settled voltage an amplifier having a voltage threshold between the settled voltages associated with two of said consecutive memory states, configured to discriminate between said two consecutive memory states. |
| US08824217B2 |
Electro-static discharge power supply clamp with disablement latch
The described devices, systems and methods include an electro-static discharge clamp with a latch to prevent false triggering of an electro-static discharge protection circuit in response to fluctuations in a power supply rail. |
| US08824215B2 |
Data storage circuit that retains state during precharge
A data storage circuit for receiving and holding a data value includes an input stage configured to receive a data value in response to the precharge phase changing to an evaluation phase and to hold the data value during the evaluation phase. An output stage has an output latching element for holding the value, two switching devices for updating the output latching element and an output. The switching devices each being controlled by respective signals from dual data lines, wherein, in response to the data value held in the input stage being a logical one, the first switching device updates the output latching element with a value indicative of the logical one and in response to the data value held in the input stage being a logical zero, the second switching device updates the output latching element with a value indicative of the logical zero. |
| US08824213B2 |
Method of using memory instruction including parameter to affect operating condition of memory
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to techniques to use a memory device. A method includes receiving a memory instruction comprising at least one parameter representative of at least one threshold voltage value and a read command to read at least one cell of the memory device. The method further includes detecting at least one voltage value from the at least one cell. The method further includes comparing the at least one voltage value to the at least one threshold voltage value. The method further includes determining at least one logical value of the at least one cell in response to the comparison of the at least one voltage value to the at least one threshold voltage value. |
| US08824212B2 |
Thermally assisted flash memory with segmented word lines
A memory includes an array of memory cells including rows and columns including segmented word lines along the rows. The segments of the segmented word lines include local word lines. First and second switches are coupled to corresponding first and second ends of local word lines. The memory includes circuitry coupled to the first and second switches to connect bias voltages to the local word lines to induce current flow for thermal anneal. The circuitry includes pairs of global word lines along corresponding rows. The pairs of global word lines include first global word lines coupled to the first switches in the local word lines along the corresponding rows, and second global word lines coupled to the second switches in the local word lines along the corresponding rows. The memory includes bit lines along corresponding columns. Bit lines can comprise local bit lines coupled to global bit lines. |
| US08824210B2 |
Hot electron injection nanocrystals MOS transistor
The disclosure relates to a hot electron injection MOS transistor, comprising source and drain regions formed in a semiconductor substrate, a control gate, and a floating gate comprising electrically conductive nanoparticles. The control gate comprises a first portion arranged at a first distance from the substrate, a second portion arranged at a second distance less than the first distance from the substrate, and an intermediary portion linking the first and the second portions. |
| US08824207B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of operating the same
A semiconductor memory device is operated by, inter alia, sequentially inputting program data to page buffers coupled to selected pages of at least four planes in order to program selected memory cells included in the selected pages; performing a program operation on each of the four planes; performing a program verify operation on each of the four planes; and inputting new program data for next pages to the page buffers coupled to the next pages, after determining the selected pages of at least two of the four planes have passed the program verify operation, while performing the program operations and the program verify operations on the two remaining planes. |
| US08824193B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
A semiconductor storage device which stops and resumes the supply of power supply voltage without the necessity of saving and returning a data signal between a volatile storage device and a nonvolatile storage device is provided. In the semiconductor storage device, data is held in a data holding portion connected to a transistor including a semiconductor layer containing an oxide semiconductor and a capacitor. The potential of the data held in the data holding portion is controlled by a data potential holding circuit and a data potential control circuit. The data potential holding circuit can output data without leaking electric charge, and the data potential control circuit can control the potential of the data held in the data holding portion without leaking electric charge by capacitive coupling through the capacitor. |
| US08824189B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device is provided with a lower-layer circuit including a transistor formed over a semiconductor substrate, and a memory cell array formed in an interconnection layer above the semiconductor substrate. Respective memory cells of the memory cell array are provided with a variable resistor element formed in the interconnection layer serving as a memory element. The memory cell array includes a first region directly underneath the memory cells, the first region being a region where a via for electrical coupling with the memory cell is not formed. The lower-layer circuit is disposed in such a way as to overlap at least a part of the first region. |
| US08824185B1 |
NOR-type ROM with hierarchical-BL structure, dynamic segmentation shielding, and source programming
A NOR-type ROM with hierarchical-BL structure, dynamic segmentation shielding, and source programming includes a plurality of bitcells forming a plurality of cell arrays, a plurality of WLs, a plurality of local bit lines LBLs electrically connected with the drains of the bitcells, a plurality of odd/even selection circuits electrically connected the LBLs that the bitcells in one of the cell array correspond to, a plurality of GBLs electrically connected the odd/even selection circuits that the bitcells in columns correspond to, and a plurality of odd-even precharge circuits electrically connected with the GBLs. The source of each bitcell is selectively grounded or floating according to the code-pattern. |
| US08824179B2 |
Soft-switching high voltage power converter
In a general aspect, a charge transfer includes a transformer including a plurality of primary windings and a plurality of galvanically isolated secondary windings, a first plurality of resonant converters having input terminals connected in series to an input power terminal and having output terminals connected to different primary windings of the plurality of primary windings, a second plurality of resonant converters having input terminals connected to different secondary windings of the plurality of secondary windings and having output terminals connected to a galvanically isolated power terminal, and a control system for controlling a transfer of electric charge between the input power terminal and the galvanically isolated output power terminal including controlling a first plurality of switches of the first plurality of resonant converters and a second plurality of switches of the second plurality of resonant converters in a zero current soft switching mode. |
| US08824177B2 |
Semiconductor device and snubber device having a SiC-MOSFET and a Zener diode
A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a switching transistor, and a recovery diode and a snubber device which are mounted on a single conductive substrate (frame) on which the switching transistor is also mounted. The snubber device includes a SiC-MOSFET connected between an output terminal C and a reference terminal E of the switching transistor, a Zener diode formed between a gate terminal G and a drain terminal D of the SiC-MOSFET, and a resistor formed between the gate terminal G and a source terminal S of the SiC-MOSFET. The reference terminal E of the switching transistor, the source terminal S of the SiC-MOSFET, and an anode terminal of the recovery diode are commonly connected. |
| US08824176B2 |
Resonant converting circuit and resonant controller
The resonant converting circuit comprises a resonant circuit, a current detecting circuit and the resonant controller. The resonant controller controls a power conversion of the resonant circuit for converting an input voltage into an output voltage and the resonant controller comprises an over current judgment unit and an over current protection unit. The over current judgment unit determines whether the resonant current is higher than an over current value according to a current detecting signal generated by the current detecting circuit. The over current protection unit generates a protection signal in response to a determined result of the over current judgment unit and an indication signal indicative of an operating state of the resonant controller. The resonant controller executes a corresponding protecting process in response to the protection signal. |
| US08824172B2 |
Apparatus and method for standby power reduction of a flyback power converter
An apparatus and method for a flyback power converter reduce the standby output voltage of the flyback power converter by switching the reference voltage provided by a shunt regulator of the flyback power converter or the ratio of voltage divider resistors of the shunt regulator, to reduce the standby power consumption by an output feedback circuit of the flyback power converter, the shunt regulator, and the voltage divider resistors, and thereby improve the power loss of the flyback power converter in standby mode. |
| US08824171B2 |
Hold-up time extending circuit and converter including the same
The present invention relates to a hold-up time expansion circuit and a converter including the same. The hold-up time expansion circuit controls switching frequency of at least one switch according to the input voltage of the converter. The converter is dependent on the switching frequency that is controlled by the hold-up time expansion circuit, and controls the duty of at least one switch according to the feedback signal of the output voltage. |
| US08824169B2 |
Multiple inverter and active power filter system
A multiple inverter with neutral line inductor and an active power filter system are disclosed. In the disclosure, the multiple inverter comprises at least two inverter units connected in parallel, the midpoint of the direct current bus in each inverter unit is connected to the neutral line N through the respective neutral line inductor. The multiple inverter can suppress the ripple produced by the neutral line current without increasing the direct current bus capacitor. |
| US08824168B2 |
Dynamically adjusting drive signals for full bridge phase shifted converter and current doubler synchronous rectifier
A full bridge phase shifted power supply with synchronous rectification and current doubler and method for dynamically adjusting delay parameters thereof mainly have multiple delay parameter combinations respectively varying with multiple loads and embedded in a controller of the power supply. The delay parameter combinations serve to determine driving waveforms of two rectification switches of a synchronous rectification and current doubler circuit of the power supply. When the load of the power supply varies, the controller dynamically performs a corresponding delay parameter combination so as to vary the driving waveforms of the rectification switches of the synchronous rectification and current doubler circuit and enhance the operating efficiency of the power supply. |
| US08824163B2 |
RF layered module using three dimensional vertical wiring and disposing method thereof
Provided is a structure and disposing method of a radio frequency (RF) layered module using three dimensional (3D) vertical wiring. A first wafer in the RF layered module having the 3D vertical wiring may include a first RF device and at least one first via-hole. A second wafer may include a second RF device and at least one second via-hole disposed at a location corresponding to the at least one first via-hole. A vertical wiring may connect the at least one first via-hole and the at least one second via-hole. The vertical wiring may be configured to be connected to an external device through a bottom surface of the at least one first via-hole or a top surface of the at least one second via-hole. |
| US08824159B2 |
Three dimensional structure memory
A Three-Dimensional Structure (3DS) Memory allows for physical separation of the memory circuits and the control logic circuit onto different layers such that each layer may be separately optimized. One control logic circuit suffices for several memory circuits, reducing cost. Fabrication of 3DS memory involves thinning of the memory circuit to less than 50 μm in thickness and bonding the circuit to a circuit stack while still in wafer substrate form. Fine-grain high density inter-layer vertical bus connections are used. The 3DS memory manufacturing method enables several performance and physical size efficiencies, and is implemented with established semiconductor processing techniques. |
| US08824158B2 |
Support mechanism and electronic device
An electronic device includes a housing, a support board rotatably retained in the housing to support the electronic device after the support board rotates relative to the housing, a rotation module. The support board includes a main body and a sleeve formed at an end of the main body, the sleeve includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The rotation module includes a hinge and a shaft, the shaft rotatably retains the first end to the housing, the hinge rotatably hinges the second end to the housing. |
| US08824154B2 |
Chip card holder and electronic device with same
A chip card holder for holding at least one chip card is disclosed. The chip card holder includes a base, a drawer slidably attached to the base and a cover. The drawer defines at least one receiving space, each receiving space for receiving a chip card. The cover is detachably latched to the base to retain the drawer in the base or allow the drawer to be slid out of the base. After the cover is detached from the base, the drawer can automatically partially or completely slide out of the cabinet to expose it from the base, thereby facilitating grasping chip cards out of the receiving spaces or putting the chip cards in the receiving spaces. |
| US08824150B2 |
Driving printed circuit board and liquid crystal display device including the same
The present disclosure discloses a driving printed circuit board (PCB) for use in a display device. More particularly, a driving printed circuit board improving the bonding by preventing PCB warpage is provided. The rear surface stiffener plate includes polygonal patterns to prevent a PCB warpage of the driving printed circuit board due to different heat shrinkage from that of the board during the surface mounting technology (SMT) process. |
| US08824149B2 |
Power supply unit with latch
A power supply unit includes a sidewall, an end wall, a resilient latch, and a block. The end wall is connected to the sidewall. A stop plate extends outward from the end wall adjacent to the sidewall. A first end of the latch is connected to an inner surface of the sidewall. A latching portion protrudes outward from the latch, to be extended out of the sidewall. The block is pivotably connected to a second end of the latch opposite to the first end. The block is extended out of the end wall between the stop plate and the sidewall. When the block is rotated, a first side of the block is capable of engaging with the stop plate, to prevent the latch from moving away from the sidewall such that the latching portion cannot withdraw from the through slot. |
| US08824144B2 |
Base for power module
A power module base includes a heat radiation substrate formed of a high-thermal-conduction material, an insulating substrate joined to an upper surface of the heat radiation substrate, a wiring layer provided on an upper surface of the insulating substrate, and a heat radiation fin joined to a lower surface of the heat radiation substrate. A component attachment plate thicker than the heat radiation substrate and including a through hole for accommodating the insulating substrate is joined to the upper surface of the heat radiation substrate such that the insulating substrate is located within the through hole. This power module base can maintain the upper surface of the component attachment plate flat, and various components for a power module, such as a casing, can be attached onto the component attachment plate. |
| US08824139B2 |
Handheld electronic device
A handheld electronic device includes a first body, a second body, and a locating member. The second body is slidably connected to the first body, and has a slide surface and a locating opening. The locating opening is located at an end of the slide surface. The locating member has an elastic portion and a sliding portion, the elastic portion is disposed between the first body and the sliding portion, and the sliding portion is capable of leaning against the slide surface or being inserted in the locating opening under an elastic prestress of the elastic portion. |
| US08824137B2 |
Electronic device housing device
An electronic device housing device includes a housing, a plurality of slots that are arranged side by side inside the housing, the slots each housing the electronic device, a gas passage that guides a gas flowing into each of the slots in a direction across the slots, a connection substrate provided inside the housing to extend upright, the connection substrate being arranged to face the slots, the connection substrate including a connected portion to which a connecting portion of the electronic device housed in each of the slots is to be connected, a ventilation port provided at an end portion of the connection substrate, the ventilation port allowing the gas to flow into through the gas passage from each of the slots, and a fan that sucks the gas flowing into each of the slots into the ventilation port through the gas passage. |
| US08824133B2 |
Fastening mechanism for electronic device and an electronic device using the same
A fastening mechanism includes a nosepiece, a rotating unit, a torsion spring and a locking unit. The nosepiece is disposed at one side of an object removably disposed in a housing. The rotating unit includes a wheel body including a peripheral wall with an outer peripheral friction surface disposed in frictional contact with a side surface of the nosepiece and a rotating disc formed with a notch. The rotating unit is operable to rotate in a releasing direction relative to the housing as biased by the torsion spring to move the object away from the housing through an opening by virtue of the frictional contact. The locking unit releasably engages the rotating disc to dispose the rotating unit at a stopped position. |
| US08824129B2 |
Frame assembly for installing panel modules with different dimensions and panel device therewith
A frame assembly for installing panel modules with different dimensions is disclosed. The frame assembly includes a first frame and a second frame. The first frame has a first fixing structure formed thereon and a first sliding structure in an axis direction. The second frame has a second fixing structure formed thereon and a second sliding structure in the axis direction. The second sliding structure is slidably engaged with the first sliding structure. The first fixing structure and the second fixing structure are fixed on a side of a first panel module or on a side of a second panel module when the second frame slides relative to the first frame in the axis direction to a first position or to a second position. |
| US08824120B2 |
Electrode for electric double layer capacitor and method for producing the same
An electrical double-layer capacitor electrode with excellent capacitance characteristics is obtained together with a manufacturing method therefor. Paper-molded sheet of carbon nanotubes is integrated with etched foil constituting a collector, by means of bumps and indentations formed on the surface of etched foil to prepare an electrical double-layer capacitor electrode. Alternatively, carbon nanotubes grown around core catalyst particles on substrate are integrated with etched foil by means of bumps and indentations formed on the surface of etched foil to prepare an electrical double-layer capacitor electrode. To manufacture these electrodes, this carbon nanotube sheet or substrate with carbon nanotubes grown thereon is laid over bumps and indentations on the surface of etched foil, and the sheet or substrate and the foil are pressed under 0.01 to 100 t/cm2 of pressure to integrate the carbon nanotubes with the etched foil. |
| US08824116B2 |
Method of determining end-of-life of a fault interrupting device
A fault interrupting and reclosing device includes a circuit interrupter coupled to an actuator. The actuator includes at least one force generating element for generating an opening force for opening the circuit interrupter and for generating a restoring force to close the circuit interrupter. The device further includes a latch to engage the actuator to hold the contacts open once opened. In a preferred arrangement, the device is provided with an automatic mode of operation including a reclose process and a non-reclosing mode of operation. The device also preferably includes a method of determining the end-of-life of a vacuum interrupter monitors characteristics and/or parameters of a fault current or vacuum interrupter operation to predict a percent of life consumed with each fault current interruption operation. A cumulative percent of life consumed may also be determined, and an end-of-life may be predicted based upon the cumulative percent of life consumed. |
| US08824114B2 |
Monitor circuit for determining the lifetime of a semiconductor device
A circuit comprises a first conductor, a second conductor, and a first detect and disconnect circuit. The first conductor is coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal. The second conductor is positioned a first predetermined distance from the first conductor. The first detect and disconnect circuit has a first terminal coupled to the second conductor and a second terminal coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal. The first detect and disconnect circuit detects a first electrical property change between the second conductor and the first conductor. In response to detecting the change in the first electrical property, the second conductor is disconnected from the second power supply voltage terminal. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the circuit is also provided. |
| US08824105B2 |
Pivot bearing and magnetic recording apparatus using the same
A pivot bearing 13 includes: a shaft 21; and a plurality of ball bearings 20 which are arranged in an axial direction with respect to the shaft 21 and each of which has an inner ring 27 fixed to the shaft 21 and an outer ring 25 fixed to a fixing hole 18 of an arm 16 via a tolerance ring 12, the pivot bearing being configured to swing around the shaft. The number of balls of each ball bearing 20 and the number of concave portions of the tolerance ring 12, which are configured to press the outer ring 25, are relatively prime to each other. Accordingly, it is possible to inexpensively make the reliable pivot bearing that achieves high precision with a simple structure, and thus a reliable high density magnetic recording apparatus is provided. |
| US08824101B2 |
Write pole tip with trailing edge recess
A data writer may be constructed, in accordance with some embodiments, with a write pole tip that is configured with leading and trailing edges on opposite sides of a tip body. The trailing edge may be shaped by a recess that extends into the tip body towards the leading edge. |
| US08824096B1 |
Motor including rotor hub with recessed portion and disk drive apparatus including the same
A rotating portion of a motor includes a hub body portion and a shaft arranged to extend in an axial direction. The hub body portion includes a through hole and a recessed portion. The recessed portion extends radially outward from an outside surface of the shaft, has an annular shape and is recessed axially downward. The recessed portion includes first, second, and third ridge portions. The first ridge portion is an axially upper edge of an inside surface defining the through hole, the second ridge portion is arranged radially outward of the first ridge portion, and the third ridge portion is arranged radially outward of the second ridge portion, and is located axially above both the first ridge portion and the second ridge portion. An adhesive is arranged to cover the outside surface of the shaft and reach a portion of the second ridge portion. |
| US08824092B2 |
Skew compensation signal
The relative trajectory of a transducer head over bit-patterned media (BPM) may be skewed with respect to a down-track direction on the media (i.e., skew error). In order to resolve the skew error, the presently disclosed technology measures the skew error without adding additional patterning on the media. A detector circuit detects a sequential series of data bits on a storage media. The sequential series of data bits alternate between at least two tracks on the storage media. The sequential series of data bits are sent to a timing circuit, which sets a time stamp indicating when each data bit is received using, for example, a delay chain or a voltage ramp. A time elapsed between receiving a first data bit, a second data bit, and a third data bit is tracked. Transducer head skew is adjusted based on a signal containing the time elapsed between the bits. |
| US08824091B2 |
Media topography driven flying height modulation sensing using embedded contact sensor
Approaches for a flying height control scheme in a hard-disk drive (HDD) device. The flying height control scheme utilizes an embedded contact sensor (ECS) to characterize the topography of a magnetic-recording disk at various flying heights of a head slider over a corresponding disk. A relation between a particular flying height and a corresponding ECS value which characterizes the media topography at that particular flying height is represented in disk topography data. The disk topography data is accessed and used for active flying height control for the head-disk interface in view of the current ECS value. |
| US08824083B1 |
Calibration system for limiting tape head assembly positioning errors during data writing and reading of tape in tape drive
Systems and methods (e.g., “utilities”) of measuring errors in the positioning of tape head assembly data write and read elements of a tape drive and utilizing obtained calibration data to accurately align the data write elements with a desired position while writing data tracks and data read elements while reading previously written and aligned data tracks. The disclosed utilities independently determine a degree to which a tape drive write head is to be offset from a nominal write position of the write head over a tape and independently determine a degree to which a tape drive read head is to be offset from a nominal center position of previously written data track of the tape, each to collectively account for the various types of non-idealities in the write or read head of the tape drive (e.g., positioning errors between the data write/read elements and servo readers, etc.). |
| US08824082B2 |
Hard disk drive
A hard disk drive includes a control unit, a cache unit, a head unit, a platter unit, a spindle motor unit, a power supply unit, a switch unit, and an interface. When the switch unit is turned on, the power supply unit converts voltages of external power supplies received from the interface through the switch unit into operation voltages of the control unit, the cache unit, the head unit, the platter unit, and the spindle motor unit, and supplies the operation voltages to the control unit, the cache unit, the head unit, the platter unit, and the spindle motor unit. When the switch unit is turned off by the control unit, the voltages of the external power supplies cannot be transmitted to the power supply unit through the switch unit. |
| US08824078B1 |
Receiver circuits and methods for processing received signals
Receiver circuits and methods of processing received signals are disclosed herein. An embodiment of a receiver circuit includes a differential input having a first input and a second input and a differential output having a first output and a second output. A first feedback loop is connected to the input and the output, wherein the first feedback loop centers a differential output voltage around a common mode output voltage so that the differential sum is zero centered on the common mode output voltage. The circuit also includes a second feedback loop, wherein the second feedback loop centers the voltage at the first input and the voltage at the second input to a reference voltage. |
| US08824076B2 |
Systems and methods for NPML calibration
The present invention is related to systems and methods for adaptive parameter modification in a data processing system. |
| US08824074B1 |
Hybrid defect detection for recording channels
Methods, systems and computer program products for performing hybrid defect detection are disclosed. In some implementations, an apparatus includes a signal module to process data signals corresponding to data on a storage medium to generate signal samples. The apparatus includes a first defect detector to identify a first portion of the signal samples, determine a number of the signal samples in the first portion that are associated with abnormal signal characteristics, and generate a first output based on the number of the signal samples in the first portion that are associated with abnormal signal characteristics. The apparatus includes a second defect detector to identify a second portion of the signal samples different from the first portion, and generate a second output based on a correlation between data bits and signal samples in the second portion. |
| US08824070B2 |
Lens barrel and imaging device
The lens barrel includes a first lens unit, a second lens unit, and a drive unit. The first lens unit includes a first lens element and a first lens support frame supporting the first lens element. The second lens unit includes a second lens element and a second lens support frame supporting the second lens element. The second lens unit is supported by the first lens unit to be movable in the optical axis direction of the first lens element with respect to the first lens unit. The drive unit is arranged to be used to drive the second lens unit with respect to the first lens unit, and is fixed to the first lens unit. When viewed in the optical axis direction, the drive unit is fixed to the first lens unit so that a first profile line formed by the first lens unit and the drive unit is substantially circular. |
| US08824064B2 |
Zoom lens
A zoom lens includes a fixing barrel, a cam barrel, a guide barrel, a first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group. The cam barrel is rotatably received in the fixing barrel. The guiding barrel is movably received in the fixing barrel and partially receives the cam barrel. The guiding barrel is moveable along an optical axis of the zoom lens following the motion of the cam barrel. The first lens group is rotatably received in the guiding barrel. The second lens group is rotatably received in the cam barrel. The first and second lens groups move along the optical axis following the rotation of the cam barrel. The third lens group is aligned with the first and second lens groups, and driven by a driver to be movably received in the fixing barrel and moveable along the optical axis of the zoom lens. |
| US08824054B2 |
Head-up display device
A head-up display device includes an indicator configured to emit a display light, a lower casing to which the indicator is mounted, an upper casing which is mounted to an upper portion of the lower casing, a pair of support portions which are provided on the lower casing and extend toward the upper casing, guide grooves which are formed on the support portions at opposite sides thereof, and a reflective mirror which is inserted and mounted to the lower casing toward a bottom surface of the lower casing while both lateral edges of the reflective mirror are engaged with the guide grooves, to reflect the display light emitted from the indicator and guide the reflected display light to a windshield of a vehicle. |
| US08824052B2 |
Apparatus for shaping the light rays of a laser beam
The present disclosure relates to a shaping device for light rays of a laser beam that cross it, wherein the shaping device is formed by a conduit including an entry orifice, an exit orifice, and an internal wall, achieved by one or a plurality of facets adapted to reorient by at least one reflection at least a part of the rays of the crossing beam. |
| US08824036B2 |
Apparatus and methods for wide temperature range operation of micrometer-scale silicon electro-optic modulators
A thermally stabilized, high speed, micrometer-scale silicon electro-optic modulator is provided. Methods for maintaining desired temperatures in electro-optic modulators are also provided. The methods can be used to maintain high quality modulation in the presence of thermal variations from the surroundings. Direct current injection into the thermally stabilized electro-optic modulator is used to maintain the modulation performance of the modulator. The direct injected current changes the local temperature of the thermally stabilized electro-optic modulator to maintain its operation over a wide temperature range. |
| US08824033B2 |
Color photographic hologram system
A color photographic hologram system is provided. The reference light wave is incident to the film at a fixed reference beam angle. By adjusting an included angle between the object light wave corresponding to respective monochromatic component images and the reference light wave, the reference light wave and the object light wave are interfered with each other to result in a plurality of interference fringes on the film. When a white light is projected on the film, the reconstructed image shows the color effect. |
| US08824030B2 |
Image reading with color shift correction
An image-reading apparatus, includes a variation acquiring unit that acquires a variation of a distance or an angle between a medium to be read and an imaging unit or a light source, and a color shift correcting unit that calculates a color shift between the medium and the imaging unit or the light source based on the variation acquired by the variation acquiring unit and corrects the color shift. |
| US08824029B2 |
Color calibration method and image processing device using the same
A color calibration method and an image processing device using the same are provided. The method includes: obtaining a first image of a calibration card having color blocks, each of which corresponds to a standard value; obtaining first sensing values according to the first image, wherein each of the first sensing values corresponds to one of the standard values; generating a calibration table according to the first sensing values and the standard values; determining if a recursive condition is satisfied. The method also includes: obtaining a second image of the calibration card if the recursive condition is not satisfied; obtaining second sensing values according to the second image; adjusting the second sensing values according to the calibration table to generate third sensing values; updating the calibration table according to the third sensing values and the standard values until the recursive condition is satisfied. Accordingly, the calibration table is generated automatically. |
| US08824024B2 |
Image reading device capable of determining whether sheet is present at reading position
An image reading device includes a reading unit having a light-receiving unit and a light-emitting unit emitting a plurality of lights of different colors toward a reading position. An opposing member is disposed opposite the reading unit with the reading position interposed therebetween. The controller controls the light-emitting unit to emit the lights and the light-receiving unit to receive the lights thereby acquiring an intensity of each light. The controller determines that a sheet is not present when relationships among intensities of the plurality of lights are same as the first intensity relationships. The first intensity relationships are defined by intensities of the plurality of lights reflected by the opposing member and received by the light-receiving unit. The first intensity relationships are different from intensity relationships of the plurality of lights reflected by a sheet present at the reading position and received by the light-receiving unit. |
| US08824023B2 |
Scanning method for a large-size scanner system using a stitching process
The invention relates to a scanning method for a large-size scanner system (1) comprising at least two image detection elements (2) that are used for scanning a large-size original (4) to be scanned and are arranged in a cascaded manner so as to have at least one overlapping area (13, 14). Said method, in which the image data in the at least one overlapping area (13, 14) of the image detection elements (2) is combined using a stitching process, said at least one overlapping area (13, 14) being searched for image data within a search region (10), includes the following steps: recognizing (18) the texture within the defined search region (10) of the original (4) to be scanned; assessing the data density in the recognized texture to determine a measure (19) of the texture content; weighting (22) the data density as a function of the measure (19) of the texture content of the recognized texture; detecting (20) congruent image elements within the defined search region (10) of the original (4) to be scanned; for each measured point (16 to 17), determining (24 to 25) a weighted deviation from the weighting (22) derived from the texture and the determined deviation (24 to 25) of each measurement; determining (27, 28) a weighted average of the deviations (29 to 30) from said weighted deviations (24 to 25); and calculating, from said weighted average (27, 28) of the deviation, shift values (29, 30) for correcting the position of the offset image elements such that said image elements are made to be congruent. |
| US08824021B2 |
Method for reproducing documents and image-processing apparatus
A method for reproducing a document is provided. The method includes the following steps: scanning a front side and a back side of an original and accordingly producing a front side image and a back side image; determining a size of the original; comparing the size of the original with a page size; and if the size of the original is determined smaller than one half of the page size, producing one-page image data representing the front side image and the back side image on one single page. An apparatus for reproducing the document is also disclosed. |
| US08824016B2 |
Image processing device capable of suppressing deformation of printing medium
An image processing device performs: defining determination regions based on image data; executing a first color conversion for the image data using a first type of parameter to generate a first image; determining an estimated amount of colorant for each determination region, the estimated amount indicating an usage amount of colorant to be used for each determination region when the first image is printed; outputting the first image if the estimated amounts of colorant for all determination regions are smaller than or equal to respective threshold values; and executing a second color conversion for the image data using a second type of parameter to generate a second image if the estimated amount of colorant for at least one is greater than the threshold value, the usage amount of colorant for the second image being smaller than the usage amount of colorant for the first image. |
| US08824015B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus includes a halftone processing unit configured to apply halftone processing based on a dither matrix to image data, a correction unit configured, with respect to the processed image data, to shift a pixel of the image data in a sub-scanning direction at a correction position in a main scanning direction which is determined based on correction information for correcting a distortion due to a curve of a scanning line for forming an image according to the image data, and a resolution conversion unit configured to apply resolution conversion processing for lowering a resolution of image data to the corrected image data, wherein the dither matrix results in that the image data to which the resolution conversion processing has been applied includes matched portions of halftone dot patterns appearing in regions preceding and following the correction position in the main scanning direction. |
| US08824011B2 |
Method for processing rasterized image data
A method for processing pixels in rasterized image data includes a combination of text and photographic content. Each pixel having a discrete color value, a surround value based on the number of neighboring pixels having the same color value is determined. A division in blocks of two by two pixels is made and a critical number is determined based on the number of surround values lower than a predetermined threshold. This critical number has one of five possible values. Based on this critical number, a discrimination is made between noisy blocks, and flat blocks. The color values of pixels within a noisy block are replaced by an average of the color values of the pixels within the noisy block. For image data rasterized with 600 pixels per inch, this method does not deteriorate the image quality of text nor photographic content. The image data are more apt for lossless compression. |
| US08824008B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image forming apparatus includes the following elements. An image forming unit forms an image by using plural predetermined colors. An index forming unit causes the image forming unit to form three or more consecutive image correcting indexes of one type by using an identical color, the image correcting indexes being used for correcting misregistration of an image to be formed. The image correcting indexes are sequentially transferred to an image carrier. A detector includes a light source emitting light to the image correcting indexes and a light receiver receiving light reflected by the image carrier and the image correcting indexes to generate a detection signal. A position specifying unit specifies a position of an image correcting index located at the center of three consecutive image correcting indexes by using the detection signal. A misregistration correcting unit corrects misregistration of an image to be formed by using the specified position. |
| US08824003B2 |
Print job status identification using graphical objects
Methods and systems are provided for visually representing print jobs in a print queue. In one embodiment, a system comprising a print queue, a scheduler, and a Graphical User Interface (GUI) is disclosed. The print queue stores print jobs for a printer. The scheduler estimates a time to print each of the print jobs on the printer. The GUI displays a graphical representation of each of the print jobs in the print queue, where a size of a graphical representation of each of the print jobs is based on the estimated time to print each of the print jobs. |
| US08824002B1 |
Image forming apparatus performing image rotation
An image forming apparatus includes an image rotation processor and an image combination unit. The image rotation processor is configured to: rotate the form image such that the direction of the upper edge of the document image on the first page matches a direction of an upper edge of a form image if the direction of the upper edge of the document image on the first page differs from the direction of the upper edge of the form image based on the form image data; and rotate a document image on each page of the second page and the subsequent pages such that the direction of the upper edge of the document image on the first page matches a direction of an upper edges of the document image on each page of the second page and the subsequent pages in a similar case. |
| US08824001B2 |
Printing method, printing apparatus, and medium
A printing method includes forming on a medium a test pattern including a first patch, a second patch, and a plurality of patches interposed between the first patch and the second patch in such a way that the patches are aligned in a predetermined direction, scanning the test pattern with an optical sensor along the predetermined direction. Widths of the first and second patches in the predetermined direction and widths thereof in an intersectional direction intersecting the predetermined direction are greater than a spot size of the optical sensor. The width of each of the plurality of patches in the intersectional direction is greater than the spot size, and the width of each of the plurality of patches in the predetermined direction is smaller than the spot size. |
| US08824000B2 |
Enhancing the appearance of a halftone image
A method for enhancing appearance of a halftone image (204) for imaging on a flexographic plate (108) includes retrieving the halftone image from a data storage device (132); setting a minimal dot size value for printing; analyzing the halftone image with a computer (130); detecting areas (404) in the halftone image populated with a plurality of dots smaller than the minimal dot size value; replacing the plurality of dots with a reduced set of dots wherein each of the reduced set of dots are larger in size (504) than the plurality of dots and wherein each of the reduced set of dots maintains an original geometric characteristics of the plurality of dots; and saving the reduced set of dots. |
| US08823998B2 |
Identification code printing method and printing apparatus
An identification (ID) code printing method for a glass substrate is disclosed, which comprises the following steps: loading a glass substrate onto a front end of a platform; aligning the glass substrate at the front end of the platform; printing an ID code on the glass substrate for three times in a process of moving the glass substrate from the front end of the platform to a back end of the platform, then from the back end of the platform to the front end of the platform and finally again from the front end of the platform to the back end of the platform. An ID code printing apparatus for a glass substrate is further disclosed. Thereby, an additional cycle of ID code printing operations can be carried out in the present disclosure as compared to the prior art, which can increase the number of times of ID code printing under the conventional tact time conditions and improve the utilization factor of the production line. |
| US08823994B2 |
Image reading device and image forming apparatus with the same
An image reading device includes a light source, an image sensor, a transport unit, and a control unit. While, during reading of a target to be read by the image sensor, the control unit causes the transport unit to accelerate the read rate of the image sensor to a reference read rate or to decelerate the read rate thereof from the reference read rate, the control unit causes the light source to light up, within the read time, with timing brought close to a read section from a lighting start point to a lighting end point in the case of reading one line in the reference read time. |
| US08823986B2 |
Printing and scanning with cloud storage
Methods and system for printing a print job with cloud storage are disclosed. A web print server is provided for accessing a cloud storage server. The web print server is operable to download a print job from the cloud storage server to the web print server. The web print server downloads the print job based on an identification (of the print job) that is received from a web client remotely over a network. Subsequently, the print web server sends the print job to a printer for the print job to be printed from the printer. In one embodiment, the printer may comprise the web client. |
| US08823983B2 |
Terminal device used to transmit image data for rapid printing
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program causing a computer mounted in a terminal device connected to a printer to perform operations comprising: a first print data generation process for generating first print data corresponding to a first specific image which is at least a portion of a target image to be printed, the first print data being generated before a specific operation to cause the printer to start printing using the first print data is carried out in an operating unit of the terminal device; a first print data transmission process for transmitting the first print data to the printer before the specific operation is carried out; and an instruction transmission process for, when the specific operation is carried out, transmitting a printing start instruction to cause the printer to start printing using the first print data to the printer. |
| US08823982B2 |
Systems and methods for remote data storage and processing for use with printers
A method of printing a document includes providing a document to a printer for printing; sending a portion of the document from the printer to an external service provider for temporary storage; and storing the portion of the document on the external service provider. The external service provider comprises a computing device or a server. The method further includes requesting that the portion of the document be sent from the external service provider to the printer for printing; sending the portion of the document from the external service provider to the printer; and printing the portion of the document using the printer. |
| US08823980B2 |
Printing system, image forming apparatus, data generation apparatus, storage apparatus, and control method
An image forming apparatus which configures a printing system includes an application server which has a function of editing and storing document data, and provides the document data in response to a request; the image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions including a printing function; a data generation apparatus which generates, from the document data, print data printable by the image forming apparatus; and a storage apparatus which stores data having undergone processing by the image forming apparatus, the apparatuses being communicable with each other via a network, comprising: recording unit configured to record, as difference data, a setting difference upon setting change of print data; and transmission unit configured to execute processing for the print data, and transmitting a completion notification of the processing together with the difference data. |
| US08823979B2 |
Pseudo jobs in print queues for print job scheduling
Methods and systems are provided for scheduling multiple types of print jobs in a print queue using a pseudo job. A pseudo job is a special type of non-printing job object that is added to a print queue. In one embodiment, a system includes a print queue that stores print jobs scheduled for a printer. The print queue also stores a pseudo job that defines a boundary in the queue between print jobs having a first set of print settings and print jobs having a second set of print settings. In another embodiment, a system includes a print queue, a control system, and a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface displays options for generating a pseudo job, and receives input indicating a scheduled change to a configuration of a printer. The control system generates the pseudo job based on the input, and inserts the pseudo job in the print queue. |
| US08823975B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing method
An apparatus that creates a print product including a plurality of constituent parts to make a printing result, the apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine information indicating a discharge unit-number of copies, which is smaller than the designated number of print copies and equal to or larger than 2 copies, when the print product is printed by a plurality number of copies, and a control unit configured to control a printing sequence, so that printing is performed using the determined discharge unit-number of copies as a unit and using the constituent part as a unit in the unit of the discharge unit-number of copies. |
| US08823968B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for setting license information
A digital MFP includes a dual I/F storage unit including two different interfaces: an external interface (RFID) and an internal interface (bus). When the power of the digital MFP is turned ON, in steps S406 and S407, if a main controller of the digital MFP determines that license information has been written in the dual I/F storage unit from a portable terminal while the power of the digital MFP was OFF, then in step S408, the main controller validates a function of the digital MFP corresponding to the license information, by using the license information. |
| US08823967B2 |
Power-supply control device, image processing apparatus, power-supply control method, and computer readable medium
A power-supply control device includes a power-supply control section, a first detection section that detects whether or not a body capable of movement is moving, a second detection section that detects whether or not the body capable of movement exists, and an instruction section. The power-supply control section receives supply of power from a mains power source section, and selectively sets a power supply mode, in which power is supplied to a processing section, and a power saving mode, in which supply of power to the processing section is stopped. The first and second detection sections and the instruction section are caused to operate at least in the power saving mode. The instruction section provides, for the power-supply control section, an instruction for switching between the power supply mode and the power saving mode. |
| US08823962B2 |
Smart mobile device holder on multifunction printer
A multifunction printer includes a printing apparatus including: a printing device; a media advance system for advancing recording medium for printing on by the printing device; a controller for controlling the operation of the multifunction printer; an image capture platform; a lid having a closed position in which the lid covers the image capture platform, and an open position in which a front edge of the lid is raised above the image capture platform; a holder for a smart mobile device, the holder being mounted proximate the front edge of the lid; and a proximity device for identifying a particular smart mobile device that is placed in the holder. |
| US08823961B2 |
Display processing apparatus, image forming system, and computer-readable storage medium
A display processing apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive display information indicating whether gloss-control plane image data is displayed and whether clear plane image data is displayed. The gloss-control plane image data specifies a type of a surface effect applied to a recording medium and a glossy area to which the surface effect is to be applied, and indicates a color of the glossy area when being displayed. The clear plane image data specifies a transparent image formed on the recording medium and indicates a color of the transparent image when being displayed. The apparatus also includes a generating unit configured to synthesize color plane image data indicating a color image and one of the gloss-control plane image data and the clear plane image data that is specified to be displayed thus to generate a synthetic image. |
| US08823957B2 |
Operation device for image forming apparatus, and operation method thereof
The operation device according to the present invention includes a touch panel configured to enable selection of a predetermined key contained in a predetermined screen, a function screen display reception unit for displaying a screen including a screen area and a retreat area being an area that is different from the screen area, an operation unit, a screen switching reception unit for displaying an icon key corresponding to the function of the second function screen on the touch panel in a selectable configuration at a predetermined position of the retreat area, a reduced screen display reception unit that displays a first reduced screen key for reducing the first function screen on the touch panel in a selectable configuration in the retreat area, and a function screen switching unit for switching the display of the first function screen in the screen area to the display of the second function screen. |
| US08823956B2 |
Print controller, print control method, printer, and printing system having a plurality of resource saving functions for a print
A print control program comprising: a first step of waiting until one or more of post-treatment functions is selected, or until a start instruction is entered; a second step of determining whether a specified post-treatment function of the post-treatment functions is selected, when the start instruction is detected; and a third step of enabling one or more of resource saving functions to be selected only if the specified post-treatment function is not selected, and of starting printing if another start instruction is detected after enabling the resource saving function/s to be selected. |
| US08823955B2 |
Automatic image inverting for book copying
A method and system for enabling an image production device to copy pages of a book includes determining an orientation of a first scanned page of a book, and modifying an orientation of a second scanned page of the book based on the orientation of the first scanned page. The second scanned page is in sequence relative to the first scanned page. |
| US08823952B2 |
Measurement system for optical touch trigger or scanning probe with a concave mirror
Method for determining the position and/or displacement of a mobile element with respect to a fixed frame, includes using a fixed light source emitting a light beam, arranging the source with respect to the mobile element and a sensor to induce an interaction between the beam and sensor, using a concave mirror, integral in movement with the mobile element, for reflecting the beam in direction to the sensor, arranging on the path of the beam a fixed optical mask which presents a two dimensional regular pattern interlaced with an absolute code, detecting and processing the image casted by the mask on the sensor, computing the displacement value of the image on the sensor and using the computed displacement value for computing and providing the position and/or the displacement in at least one direction of the mobile element in dependence of the image's displacement. |
| US08823951B2 |
3D optical detection system and method for a mobile storage system
A mobile storage having a mobile storage unit having a detection side; an opposing component having an aisle side facing the detection side; the mobile storage unit being movable between a closed position and an open position wherein an aisle is defined; at least one detection module having an optical pulse emitter and an optical detector both provided at an end, facing the aisle, the optical pulse emitter emitting a light pulse, the optical detector detecting a reflection of the light pulse. An object detection method for a mobile storage comprising comparing a temporal reflection signal to a background temporal reflection signal to detect the presence of an object; and indicating a status of the aisle to be presence of an object if the object is detected to be present. |
| US08823950B2 |
Shape measurement apparatus, and shape measurement method
A shape measurement apparatus includes a distance measurement meter configured to emit and receive the beam in relation to the object; a beam deflection mechanism configured to deflect the beam from the distance measurement meter; and a control unit configured to determine at least one of a maximum beam deflection angle due to the beam deflection mechanism and the distance between a detected surface and the beam deflection mechanism when the beam is incident perpendicularly to the detected surface of the object, so that an error of a first measurement error that depends on a change in a spot diameter of the beam on the detected surface and a second measurement error that depends on an incidence angle on the detected surface of the beam is no more than a threshold value of a permitted error. |
| US08823949B2 |
Measurement apparatus
A measurement apparatus includes a pedestal, a supporting tray, a first movable base, a first measuring assembly, a second movable base, a second measuring assembly, a third movable base, a third measuring assembly, and a console. The supporting tray is rotationally fixed in the pedestal and can be rotated to position a workpiece at different angles to ensure that images of all portions and surfaces needing to be measured can be captured. |
| US08823948B2 |
System for measuring the image quality of an optical imaging system
Methods for measuring the image quality of a projection objective include providing a measuring structure on an image-side of the projection objective, providing an immersion fluid between the projection objective and the measuring structure, directing light through the projection objective and the immersion fluid to the measuring structure while shielding the measuring structure from the immersion fluid, detecting light transmitted by the measuring structure, and determining an image quality of the projection objective based on the detected light. |
| US08823947B2 |
Optical sensor and method for detecting molecules
The invention relates to an optical sensor comprising an optical waveguide (1) and a light-sensitive element (4) for detecting light coupled out of the waveguide (1) and also various ring resonators (2), the ring resonators (2) being coupled optically to the mentioned waveguide (1) and, with the exception of at most one of the ring resonators (2), each having a means (5) for adjusting resonance frequencies of the respective ring resonator (2) and/or of the coupling between the ring resonator (2) and the waveguide (1) and at least two of the ring resonators (2) having different optical lengths in an initial state and being disposed for having their resonance frequencies influenced by means of different variables to be measured which are specific for each of these ring resonators (2). The invention refers furthermore to a method which can be implemented with a sensor of this type for detecting molecules of at least one substance. |
| US08823945B2 |
Measuring device for determining a vegetation index value of plants
The invention relates to a measuring device for determining a vegetation index value (REIP) of plants. The measuring device comprises a plurality of light emitting elements, each of which emits substantially monochromatic light at a predetermined wavelength, a light receiving element which receives light from the light emitting elements reflected by the plants and generates a signal indicating the respective intensity of the received light, and a control means which successively activates the light emitting elements in a cyclical sequence, determines the respective intensity of the reflected light based on the output signal of the light receiving element, and calculates the vegetation index value based on the determined intensities of the overall measurement cycle. According to the invention, a light frequency converter is provided as the light receiving element. |
| US08823942B1 |
Environmental cell assembly for use in for use in spectroscopy and microscopy applications
An environmental cell assembly for use in microscopy and spectroscopy applications, including: an environmentally sealed body assembly configured to selectively hold and contain a sample; a plurality of ports manufactured into one or more surfaces of the body assembly for one or more of evacuating the body assembly and injecting a gas into or removing a gas from the body assembly; a port manufactured into a surface of the body assembly for receiving a translating stage configured to move the sample within the body assembly; and a port manufactured into a surface of the body assembly for receiving one or more lenses utilized in a microscopy or spectroscopy application; wherein the one or more lenses are disposed adjacent the sample without intervening structures disposed there between. The cell assembly also includes a port manufactured into a surface of the body assembly for retaining a window and providing visualization of the sample. |
| US08823940B2 |
Light absorbance measurement method and apparatus
Methods and apparatuses for measuring a light absorbance are provided. The method measures light absorbance of at least one detection chamber of a microfluidic device, including the detection chamber and at least one reference chamber. The detection chamber may accommodate a test subject. The method includes detecting a plurality of reference transmitted light intensities for the at least one reference chamber and estimating a value between the plurality of reference transmitted light intensities through nonlinear approximation. The estimated value is then applied to light absorbance measurement of the detection chamber to reduce a light absorbance error of the detection chamber. |
| US08823939B2 |
Methods and devices for optically determining a characteristic of a substance
Optical computing devices are disclosed. One exemplary optical computing device includes an electromagnetic radiation source configured to optically interact with a sample and first and second integrated computational elements arranged in primary and reference channels, respectively, the first and second computational elements are configured to be either positively or negatively correlated to the characteristic of the sample. The first and second integrated computational elements produce first and second modified electromagnetic radiations, and a detector is arranged to receive the first and second modified electromagnetic radiations and generate an output signal corresponding to the characteristic of the sample. |
| US08823934B2 |
Methods and systems for imaging and modeling skin using polarized lighting
A method for imaging skin includes illuminating a subject with at least one light source of one or more light sources. The method includes acquiring a first image of the subject in a first polarization with a respective photodetector of one or more photodetectors configured to acquire images of the subject as illuminated by the at least one light source, and acquiring a second image of the subject in a second polarization with the respective photodetector. The method also includes generating a subtraction image by subtracting at least a portion of the first image from a corresponding portion of the second image, and providing at least a portion of the subtraction image for display. |
| US08823933B2 |
Substrate-like particle sensor
A substrate-like particle sensor includes a substrate-like base portion and an electronics enclosure disposed on the substrate-like base portion. A power source is located within the electronics enclosure. A controller is operably coupled to the power source. A particle sensor is operably coupled to the controller and provides an indication to the controller of at least one particle present near the particle sensor. |
| US08823932B2 |
Multi field of view hyperspectral imaging device and method for using same
A multi field of view hyperspectral imaging device and method for using the same which can be used in many applications including short wavelength infrared (SWIR) and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) applications are presented herein. In one embodiment, the multi field of view hyperspectral imaging device comprises multiple fore optics, multiple fold mirrors, a slit including a multiple openings, a spectrometer, and a 2-dimensional detector. |
| US08823924B2 |
Combined measurement of neutron fluence with temperature and/or pressure
A sensor is provided that includes a first optical body having at opposing, spaced sides an incident surface and a reflecting surface. The sensor includes an optical pathway for carrying incident light to the incident surface. The first optical body acts as a Fabry-Pérot etalon, such that a portion of the incident light passes through the incident surface, reflects from the reflecting surface, and then returns along the optical pathway. The first optical body is formed of a material whose optical absorbance increases depending on the neutron fluence experienced by the material, such that a corresponding characteristic attenuation is produced in the reflected light returned along the optical pathway depending on the neutron fluence experienced by the first optical body. The sensor may measure pressure in combination with the measurement of temperature and neutron fluence, and a further sensor is provided for combined measurement of pressure and neutron fluence. |
| US08823923B2 |
Triple isotope method and analyzer for total energy expenditure measurements
A method of measuring energy expenditure in a living subject comprises: (a) administering a specified dose of doubly-labeled water (2H218O) to a living subject; (b) obtaining samples at three or more times of body water from the living subject; (c) measuring 2H/1H, 17O/16O and 18O/16O ratios in each of the obtained samples using optical spectroscopy; and (d) determining (1) a combined value of flux of body water and exhaled carbon dioxide from a change in measured 18O/16O over time, (2) a value of flux of body water alone from a change in measured 2H/1H over time, and (3) a reference value of isotopic background fluctuation from a change in measured 17O/16O over time. Using 17O measurements to estimate background fluctuations of the 2H and 18O decreases the required isotope dosing of subjects or decreases uncertainty at current dosing levels. |
| US08823919B2 |
Lithographic apparatus, removable member and device manufacturing method
A member is provided to prevent immersion liquid ingress to a gap between components or to adhere to at least one component to provide a surface to a feature of an immersion system. The member has a plastic sealing portion that is adhered to the component(s). The plastic sealing portion is opaque to DUV radiation. It may be resistant to degradation through exposure to DUV radiation. It may have a liquid phobic coating or property. |
| US08823914B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display apparatus includes a display region including a plurality of display pixels arrayed in a matrix, an array substrate including pixel driving interconnections configured to drive the plurality of display pixels, a planarization film which is arranged on the pixel driving interconnections and includes a thin film portion having a small film thickness at a pattern end, and first electrodes which are arranged on the planarization film to cross the pattern end of the planarization film, a countersubstrate which is arranged to face the array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer which is interposed between the array substrate and the countersubstrate. |
| US08823913B2 |
Thin film transistor array panel and method for repairing the same
A thin film transistor substrate includes a substrate including a display area including: pixels and a periphery area where a driver for driving the pixels is disposed; first signal lines connected with the pixels and extended to the periphery area, and including first short-circuit portions provided in the periphery area; second signal lines connected with the pixels and extended to the periphery area by crossing the first signal lines in an insulated manner; first connection members overlapping lateral ends of the first signal lines, disposed in lateral sides with respect to the first short-circuited portions, and formed of a doped semiconductor; and first repairing conductors overlapping the lateral ends of the first signal lines, and disposed in the lateral sides with respect to the first short-circuited portions. Lateral ends of the first connection members are connected with the lateral ends of the first signal lines through contact holes. |
| US08823912B2 |
Liquid crystal display having particular pixel structure
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate; and a pixel electrode including a first sub-pixel electrode and a second sub-pixel electrode formed at a distance from each other on the first substrate, the first sub-pixel electrode includes stem portions and a plurality of branch portions extended from the stem portions, and the second sub-pixel electrode surrounds the first sub-pixel electrode. |
| US08823911B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A pixel of a liquid crystal display device includes a scan line, a signal line, a TFT, a lower electrode, and an upper electrode arranged thereon with a protection film interposed therebetween, in which the upper electrode includes a plurality of branch electrode parts electrically connected in common, and a gap part between the branch electrode parts. The upper electrode includes a region in which a ratio of a width of the gap part to a width of the branch electrode part that is adjacent to the gap part is different, and includes both of a region in which a light transmittance increases and a region in which the light transmittance decreases with respect to a change in the ratio. |
| US08823909B2 |
Optical film, optical compensation film, polarizing plate and liquid crystal display
An optical film is provided and has retardations satisfying relations (1) to (3): 0≦Re(550)≦10; (1) −25≦Rth(550)≦25; and (2) |I|+|II|+|III|+|IV|>0.5 (nm), (3) with definitions: I=Re(450)−Re(550); II=Re(650)−Re(550); III=Rth(450)−Rth(550); and IV=Rth(650)−Rth(550), wherein Re(450), Re(550) and Re(650) are in-plane retardations measured with lights of wavelength of 450, 550 and 650 nm, respectively; and Rth(450), Rth(550) and Rth(650) are retardations in a thickness direction of the optical film, which are measured with lights of wavelength of 450, 550 and 650 nm, respectively. |
| US08823906B2 |
Manufacturing method of liquid crystal display device
Manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device having a TFT substrate with a display area in which pixels are arranged, a counter substrate, a sealing material formed in a periphery to bond the TFT and counter substrates, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between an orientation film on the TFT substrate and an orientation film on the counter substrate. The method includes the steps of forming a first color filter, a second color filter, or a third color filter corresponding to each of the pixels in the display area of the TFT substrate, and forming an orientation film stopper by overlapping a portion of the first color filter, the second color filter, or the third color filter, in an area between the display area and the sealing material. A profile of the orientation film formed in the TFT substrate is defined by the orientation film stopper. |
| US08823904B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
The present invention provides an improved type of liquid crystal (LC) display device with wide-viewing angle and high optical transmittance. The LC display of the present invention consists of: at least one LC alignment apparatus, which makes the LC molecules within the display area forming a continuous-domain or multi-domain alignments, and hence improve its wide-viewing-angle characteristics; a LC layer formed by Nematic type LC with chiral dopants, and with optimal parameters of the optical path difference Δnd and LC rotations of d/p ratio, such that LC molecules can be aligned along all radial directions to achieve optimal transmittance, and thus producing an wide-viewing-angle LC display improved transmittance without the formation of dark fringes in the display area. |
| US08823903B2 |
Illuminating device, liquid crystal display device, electronic device, and manufacturing method of light guide panel
When first grooves are formed by irradiating a lower surface facing a light outgoing surface of a light guide plate for an illuminating device with laser beams, an outer circumferential region is firstly irradiated with the laser beams to form second grooves. Then, the second grooves are inspected. Next, irradiation conditions of the laser beams are adjusted based on an inspection result of the second grooves, irradiation positions of the laser beams are linearly displaced from formation positions of the second grooves, and formation of the first grooves in the scattering reflection region is then started. |
| US08823902B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel including a display region and first to fourth non-display regions surrounding the display region; a light guide plate below the liquid crystal panel; and first and second LED assemblies facing opposite sides of the light guide plate and corresponding to the first and second non-display regions, respectively, that have different first and second widths, respectively, wherein the first LED assembly includes a plurality of first LED packages arranged at a first distance, and the second LED assembly includes a plurality of second LED packages arranged at a second distance. |
| US08823901B2 |
Prism sheet, and back light unit and liquid crystal display device therewith
The present invention relates a prism sheet, and a back light unit and a liquid crystal display device therewith, in which total thickness of a back light unit is reduced while taking place of the lamp mura is prevented, for improving a picture quality. The prism sheet includes a plurality of first prism mountains formed on a supporting film at regular intervals, a resin layer filled between the first prism mountains, and a plurality of second prism mountains formed on the resin layer and the first prism mountains with at intervals greater than the intervals of the first prism mountains. |
| US08823896B2 |
Flat panel display device, stereoscopic display device, and plasma display device
The present invention provides a flat panel display device, which includes a backlight system and a display panel. The backlight system includes a light source, a light homogenization mechanism, and a back frame. The back frame carries the light source and the light homogenization mechanism, and the light homogenization mechanism guides light from the light source into the display panel. The back frame includes primary assembling pieces, secondary assembling pieces, and a bracing piece for fixing a circuit board. The at least two primary assembling pieces are connected through joining and the two primary assembling pieces use different thermally conductive materials. Further, the primary assembling piece includes a joint section that forms a reinforcement structure and a circuit board is mountable and position adjustable through a bracing piece. The present invention also provides a stereoscopic display device and a plasma display device. The back frame and the backlight system of the present invention have a back frame of simple structure, reduce the expenditure of a back frame mold, facilitate heat dissipation, allow strength of the back frame to meet a desired requirement, improve fixing of circuit board, and save the material used for back frame so as to lower down the manufacturing cost of flat panel display device. |
| US08823890B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
Red, green, and blue color resists and a shielding layer (black matrix) are layered on a liquid crystal panel. The subpixels are zoned by the shielding layer. The subpixels arranged in three rows and two columns form a pixel. The red, green, and blue color resists are colored on the basis of a row of subpixels. The color resists extend in stripes in the X-axis direction. Three data lines are provided for each column of subpixels in the manner that one is provide under the shielding layer and the other two diagonally divide the opening of the shielding layer at equal intervals. |
| US08823884B2 |
Flat panel display
The present invention discloses a flat panel display includes a main body having a cabinet that forms a display window on a front side and a display panel contained in the cabinet, a stand located beneath said main body, and a supporting member that is fixed with said stand and supports said main body by fixing a back of said display panel at a position above said stand. The supporting member has a stand fixation part that is fixed with said stand. The supporting member has a back fixation portion to fix the back of said display panel at a position above said stand fixation part. The supporting member is formed to protrude upward from said stand and shift a center of gravity of said display panel rearward. |
| US08823880B2 |
Remote control device with integrated display screen for controlling a digital video recorder
A remote control for a digital video recorder includes an integrated display screen configured to display a recording list including programs scheduled to be recorded. |
| US08823879B2 |
TV feature highlight
A method carried out on a television receiver device involves at a television receiver/tuner device, carrying out a channel scan to identify available television channels that can be received by the television receiver device; while the channel scan is being carried out: reading a feature highlight video file from a memory; and displaying the feature highlight video file on a television display. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US08823875B2 |
Method and system for enhanced modulation of video signals
A method for encoding a carrier signal in a video signal, the video signal having one or more frames, the frames each having a first field and a second field, the first field and the second field of each frame having a plurality of scan lines, each having a plurality of pixels with an intensity value indicating brightness, the method comprising selectively designating the plurality of scan lines of the first field of the one or more frames as up lines or down lines, calculating an optimum amount of adjustment to the pixels of the up lines and the down lines, and selectively increasing the intensity value of pixels of the up lines and decreasing the intensity value of pixels of the down lines by the optimum amount of adjustment thereby modulating the video signal with a carrier signal and creating a modulated video signal. |
| US08823873B2 |
Method and device for calculating blur in video images
Blur is one of the most important features related to image quality. Accurately estimating the blur level of an image is a great help to accurately evaluate its quality. A method for calculating blur of video images comprises calculating a horizontal blur value, and determining characteristic parameters of the video images, including at last progressive/interlaced and spatial resolution level. If the video images are progressive, also a vertical blur value is calculated, and combined with the horizontal blur value. The next step is normalizing the horizontal blur value, or the combined horizontal and vertical blur value, according to predefined min and max values, wherein the min and max values are adapted to the spatial resolution level. |
| US08823863B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and control method therefor
An image capturing apparatus includes: a first detection unit that, based on feature amounts of an image obtained by an image sensor, detects a position of a certain subject in the image and a position of a certain part of the certain subject; and a second detection unit that detects a position of a region of the certain subject in the image obtained by the image sensor with a smaller calculation amount than the first detection unit. A focus detection area corresponding to the certain part is selected from among a plurality of focus detection areas based on a relationship between the position of the region of the certain subject detected by the second detection unit and the positions of the certain subject and the certain part detected by the first detection unit. |
| US08823859B2 |
Image pickup unit, optical unit, and manufacturing method for the image pickup unit
A manufacturing method for an optical unit includes: a step of bonding plural lens wafers, on which optical components are formed, and forming a lens unit wafer including plural lens units; a step of bonding a bending optical element wafer including plural bending optical elements to a first surface of the lens unit wafer such that the plural bending optical elements are respectively opposed to the plural lens units and forming an optical unit wafer; and a step of separating and individualizing the optical unit wafer for each of the lens units and the bending optical elements and manufacturing plural optical units. |
| US08823858B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes an image generating unit obtaining a first imaging signal or a second imaging signal from a first light-receiving element group or a second light-receiving element group of an image pickup device, respectively and generating a first image or a second image, and the first light-receiving element group and the second light-receiving element group of the image pickup device are configured to obtain a first image and a second image with different weights according to a first characteristic and a second characteristic, respectively, of a photographing optical system. |
| US08823857B2 |
Image apparatus
An image apparatus, including a main optical system that captures a first image, a sub optical system that captures a second image to assist capturing the first image, a display device that displays the first image and the second image in a live view, and a signal processor that controls at least one of a frame rate of the first image from the main optical system and a frame rate of the second image from the sub optical system. The signal processor controls the frame rate of the first image data and the second image data such that the first and second frame rates become the same, and the display device displays the first image and the second image on the display device. |
| US08823856B2 |
Convergence feedback indicator, provided when taking a picture in a camera application
An apparatus, and an associated method, facilitates capturing an image in an electronic camera without the image being completely focused. A “most-in-focus” indicator is provided to an operator of the camera to notify the operator that a reasonably good image is available for capture, without having to wait for the camera to finish a fine focus adjustment. |
| US08823855B2 |
User equipment and method for providing augmented reality (AR) service
An augmented reality (AR) service including a photographing unit to capture an image of a target object, an information collecting unit to collect contextual information of the captured image of the target object, a tag generating unit to generate an AR tag of a first direction, the AR tag corresponding to the contextual information, and a display unit to display the image of the target object and the AR tag. A method for providing an AR service including capturing an image of a target object with a camera, collecting contextual information including location information of the captured image of the target object and a first azimuth information between the target object and the camera, generating an AR tag corresponding to the contextual information, and displaying the captured image of the target object and the generated AR tag. |
| US08823849B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device and image capturing device having circuit for reducing offset generated by amplifiers
A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel output line, a pixel which outputs a signal to the pixel output line, an amplifier unit which amplifies the signal output to the pixel output line, and a holding capacitor which holds the signal output from the amplifier unit. The photoelectric conversion device outputs a pixel signal based on the signal held by the holding capacitor. The amplifier unit includes a variable amplifier stage which amplifies a signal output to the pixel output line at a gain selected from a plurality of gains, and a buffer stage which amplifies the signal output from the variable amplifier stage, the amplified signal being held by the holding capacitor to hold the signal. |
| US08823848B2 |
Microgrid imaging polarimeters with frequency domain reconstruction
A polarization camera includes a microlement polarizer that is situated in proximity to a focal plane array. The microlement polarizer is selectively scanned with respect to an optical image direct to the focal plane array, and an image processor stores a set of images associated with the scanning. Based on the stored images, a polarization image can be produced and displayed. A periodic microelement polarizer modulates the individual images of the set, and these images can be processed by filtering in the spatial frequency domain to isolate contributions associated with one or a combination of Stokes parameters. After filtering, Stokes parameter based images can be obtained by demodulating and inverse Fourier transforming the filtered frequency domain data. |
| US08823837B2 |
Zoom control method and apparatus, and digital photographing apparatus
A zoom control method and apparatus. The zoom control method allows a subject to be photographed by automatically performing a zooming operation with a proper composition and resolves a problem where a subject disappears from a screen due to the zooming operation. |
| US08823836B2 |
Digital photographing apparatus and method of controlling the same
A digital photographing apparatus includes a digital signal processing unit that obtains first image data from an input image and generates second image data using the first image data according to a condition that is previously set. A method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus includes obtaining first image data from an input image and generating second image data using the first image data according to a condition that is previously set. |
| US08823831B2 |
Image data processing apparatus and method
In an image data processing apparatus, a conversion unit generates first image data of a first image format and second image data of a second image format and supplies the first and second image data on a time division basis with respect to each image taken by using an image sensor. An operating unit acquires the first and second image data produced on a time division basis from the conversion unit, performs a process for displaying the taken image on a display device by using the first image data, and performs a process for storing the taken image in a storage device by using the second image data. |
| US08823826B2 |
Digital camera and image capturing method
A digital camera and an image capturing method for photographing at least one object in the digital camera. An image is sensed, and an eye-gazing detection process is accordingly preformed on the image to detect an eye-gazing direction of at least one pair of eyes of the at least one object. It is determined whether the eye-gazing direction meets a gazing criterion. If the eye-gazing direction meets the gazing criterion, an application of the digital camera is triggered. |
| US08823821B2 |
Method and system for processing multiview videos for view synthesis using motion vector predictor list
Multiview videos are acquired by overlapping cameras. Side information is used to synthesize multiview videos. A reference picture list is maintained for current frames of the multiview videos, the reference picture indexes temporal reference pictures and spatial reference pictures of the acquired multiview videos and the synthesized reference pictures of the synthesized multiview video. Each current frame of the multiview videos is predicted according to reference pictures indexed by the associated reference picture list with a skip mode and a direct mode, whereby the side information is inferred from the synthesized reference picture. In addition, the skip and merge modes for single view video coding are modified to support multiview video coding by generating a motion vector prediction list by also considering neighboring blocks that are associated with synthesized reference pictures. |
| US08823820B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for capturing an image
Methods and apparatuses are provided for capturing an image. A method may include determining a scene to be captured at a first resolution. The scene to be captured may be within a field of view of an image sensor. The method may further include causing capture by the image sensor of a plurality of sub-images at a second resolution. The second resolution may be less than the first resolution. Each of the plurality of sub-images may depict a portion of the scene to be captured. The method may additionally include using the plurality of sub-images to generate an output image depicting the scene to be captured at the first resolution. Corresponding apparatuses are also provided. |
| US08823817B2 |
Camera management device and network camera system
The present invention is based upon a camera management device coupled to a network camera via a network and the camera management device is provided with an image receiving unit that receives image data projected by the network camera and including control information for controlling the network camera from the network camera, a control information extracting unit that extracts the control information from the image data received by the image receiving unit and a control transmitting unit that transmits a control command according to the control information to the network camera via the network. |
| US08823814B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes an optical system, an imaging device that captures an image imaged via the optical system to generate image data, a detecting unit that detects a shake of the imaging apparatus in a rotating direction, a cutting-out unit that cuts out data in a predetermined cutting-out region in a region of the image data generated by the imaging device, and a recording unit that records the cut image data in a recording medium. The cutting-out unit determines a rotating center position according to a predetermined condition (for example, the focal length of the optical system or move amount of the imaging apparatus), rotates the cutting-out region around the rotating center position to reduce an effect of the shake in the rotating direction detected by the detecting unit on the image imaged on the imaging device, and cuts out the image data from the rotated cutting-out region. |
| US08823810B2 |
Vision system and method for motion adaptive integration of image frames
A night vision device and method for filtering a series of image frames that depict a moving subject, which thereby improves the signal-to-noise ratio of each image frame, is provided. A composite image is formed for each image frame by combining pixel values in a current image frame with pixel values in composite images corresponding to image frames acquired before the current image frame. Additionally, pixels values in image frames acquired subsequent to the acquisition of the current image frame are included when forming the composite image. A bi-directional recursive filter is used to weight the contributions from the previous composite images and subsequent image frames with a decay constant. Motion of the imaging system is optionally compensated for by establishing a moving reference frame and shifting the image frames to account for this motion; thus, registering the image frames before filtering the current image frame. |
| US08823809B1 |
Methods and systems for increasing image sensor sensitivity
The present invention includes a system and method for increasing sensitivity of a video sensor which includes in one embodiment a distributed, parallel processing motion blur reduction system. The system includes at least one imaging sensor that outputs image data. The system uses a plurality of processors, each of which receives from the imaging sensor, data representative of an independently viewable, complete and separate image subsection. A designated processor receives output data from each of the plurality of processors, and processes such output data to generate a signal which is representative of blur causing motion. The invention also includes methods for removing motion blur. |
| US08823807B2 |
Methods and apparatus for enhanced reality messaging
The present invention provides a method for delivering an enhanced reality message. The method includes sending a medium containing a code or indicia corresponding to a recorded video to a recipient, said video including an altered “green screen” background. A web server is operated to send the recorded video including the altered “green screen” background to a recipient's computer when the corresponding code or indicia is received from the client computer. The method also includes superimposing the recorded, altered video over an image acquired by a webcam of the recipient's computer, and to position the recorded video on the display screen dependent upon the location of a special marker on an object seen by the webcam. |
| US08823804B2 |
Method for finding paths in video
A system for detecting behavior of a target may include: a target detection engine, adapted to detect at least one target from one or more objects from a video surveillance system recording a scene; a path builder, adapted to create at least one mature path model from analysis of the behavior of a plurality of targets in the scene, wherein the at least one mature path model includes a model of expected target behavior with respect to the at least one path model; and a target behavior analyzer, adapted to analyze and identify target behavior with respect to the at least one mature path model. The system may further include an alert generator, adapted to generate an alert based on the identified behavior. |
| US08823803B2 |
Apparatus and method to calculate energy dissipated from an object
An IR camera includes a thermal radiation capturing arrangement for capturing thermal radiation of an imaged view in response to input control unit(s) receiving user inputs from a user of the IR camera; a processing unit arranged to process the thermal radiation data in order for the thermal radiation data to be displayed by an IR camera display as thermal images; and an IR camera display arranged to display thermal images to a user of the IR camera. The processing unit is further arranged to determine at least one temperature reference value representing the temperature of the surrounding environment of the imaged view; and calculate at least one output power value indicative of an amount of energy dissipated in a part of the imaged view by using the temperature value of the thermal radiation data corresponding to said part of the imaged view and the at least one determined temperature reference value. |
| US08823801B2 |
Digital X-ray capture device
A digital X-ray capture device that uses an image array camera to capture a digital image of a standard X-ray film. The X ray-film is placed on a tray within a housing. An array of LED lights located under the tray illuminate the film. In the preferred embodiment the illuminated image of the X-ray bounces off a forty-five degree angle mirror and enters the image array camera. The digital image can then be downloaded to a standard computer. Custom software allows the user to manipulate the image as needed. The entire capture process takes only two seconds. A patients information can be added to the boarder of the captured image. The captured image can be sent via email to any other computer. |
| US08823800B2 |
Method and apparatus for the correction of a non-uniform sensitivity of detector elements in thermographic cameras
Method and apparatus for the correction of a non-uniform sensitivity of detector elements in thermographic cameras in which background frames of an internal reference are recorded in shutter phases when the beam path of the thermographic camera is closed, the variations between the background frames of the shutter phases are logged, and an updated background frame is generated and used for the correction of at least one image frame, characterized in that the updated background frame is generated from at least one newly recorded background frame and a background frame to be updated in that the data of every pixel of the newly recorded background frame are multiplied by a first factor and are added to the data of every pixel of the background frame to be updated which are multiplied by a second factor, wherein the first factor is a value between zero and one, and the second factor is the difference between one and the first factor, so that the data of every pixel of the updated background frame are in the form of an accumulated weighted average. |
| US08823798B2 |
Obscuring identification information in an image of a vehicle
What is disclosed is a system and method for processing an image to obscure information which can be used for identification purposes. In one embodiment, an image is received as part of a traffic enforcement activity. A motor vehicle in the image has a visibly discernible license plate. The vehicle's license plate is first isolated in the image. Content in the image which can be used for identification purposes is thereafter identified. The identified content is compared to the license plate. Any content in the image which is different than the license plate is obscured by, for instance, pixelating the content in the image, introducing a distortion into the image at a location of the content, replacing content with other content, or by blurring the content of the image. The modified image containing the obscured content is then provided to an image output device for rendering. Various embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08823795B1 |
Doorbell communication systems and methods
Communication systems configured to monitor an entryway to a building can include a security system configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote computing device. The security system can include a doorbell that comprises a camera, a speaker, and a microphone. |
| US08823793B2 |
System and method for performing security tasks
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an avatar engine having a controller to retrieve a profile of a user, present the user an avatar having characteristics that correlate to the profile, detect one or more responses of the user during a communication exchange between the avatar and the user, identify a request of the user to apply a security protocol to a task identified in the request, retrieve the security protocol, engage in the task according to the security protocol, detect while engaged in the task a breach in the security protocol, identify a communication device of the user to engage in a communication session with the user, establish a communication session with the communication device, and present by way of the communication device the avatar describing the security breach. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08823788B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes: a first and second optical systems that focus and emit incident light, a transparent wavelength, and a focal length of them being different from each other; an imaging unit that includes a first region on which the light emitted from the first optical system is incident and a second region on which the light emitted from the second optical system is incident, can output, as pixel information, an electric signal after photoelectric conversion from pixels arbitrarily set as read targets; a setting unit that can arbitrarily set the read targets in at least one of the first region and the second region; a reading unit that reads the pixel information from the read targets; a control unit that changes the read targets according to an acquisition target image; and an image processing unit that generates the acquisition target image. |
| US08823786B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing an optical investigation system with a light source and an imaging system
A method for testing system with a light source and an imaging device for the optic investigation of an object in remitted light and fluorescent light, the imaging device positioned with respect to a reference surface within a hollow space of a test apparatus, the reference surface having an indicator area with a wavelength-dependent optical property, where the optical property essentially varies between a first focal point of a first product of a first predetermined illumination spectrum and a first predetermined transmission spectrum and a second focal point of a second product of a second predetermined illumination spectrum and a second predetermined transmission spectrum. The method includes illuminating the reference surface with illuminating light from the light source and determining which illumination spectrum and which transmission spectrum are present in an observation beam path on recording the image. |
| US08823785B2 |
Display system
A display system including a display apparatus for displaying a first image and a second image, two first lenses and two second lenses is provided. When a viewer sees the display apparatus via one first lenses and one second lenses, and the first image as well as the second image are parallax images, the first and second images are respectively saw by different eyes of the viewer. When the viewer sees the display apparatus through the two first lenses, and the first image as well as the second image are not parallax images, the first image irrelevant to the second image is saw by the viewer. When the viewer sees the display apparatus through the two second lenses, and the first image as well as the second image are not parallax images, the second image irrelevant to the first image is saw by the viewer. |
| US08823777B2 |
Real-time depth extraction using stereo correspondence
Systems and methods may provide for determining a one-dimensional (1D) disparity between a plurality of rectified images, and extracting depth information from the plurality of rectified images based at least in part on the 1D disparity. In one example, the 1D disparity is in the horizontal direction and the images are rectified with respect to one another in the vertical direction. |
| US08823776B2 |
Implementing selective image enhancement
A method that includes capturing depth information associated with a first field of view of a depth camera. The depth information is represented by a first plurality of depth pixels. The method also includes capturing color information associated with a second field of view of a video camera that substantially overlaps with the first field of view of the depth camera. The color information is represented by a second plurality of color pixels. The method further includes enhancing color information represented by at least one color pixel of the second plurality of color pixels to generate an enhanced image. The enhanced image adjusts an exposure characteristic of the color information captured by the video camera. The at least one color pixel is enhanced based on depth information represented by at least one corresponding depth pixel of the first plurality of depth pixels. |
| US08823775B2 |
Body surface imaging
An embodiment of the invention may provide a portable, inexpensive two-view 3D stereo vision imaging system, which acquires a 3D surface model and dimensions of an object. The system may comprise front-side and back-side stereo imagers which each have a projector and at least two digital cameras to image the object from different perspectives. An embodiment may include a method for reconstructing an image of a human body from the data of a two-view body scanner by obtaining a front scan image data point set and a back scan image data point set. A smooth body image may be gained by processing the data point sets using the following steps: (1) data resampling; (2) initial mesh generation; (3) mesh simplification; and (4) mesh subdivision and optimization. |
| US08823774B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing digital image
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for processing a digital image, where analog images are converted to digital images and stored. The method for processing a digital image includes sensing a first hand-drawn sketch and storing the sensed first hand-drawn sketch as a first digital image; visualizing the stored loaded first digital image as a first virtual hand-drawn sketch; sensing a second hand-drawn sketch being additionally drawn on the visualized first virtual hand-drawn sketch; and storing the sensed second hand-drawn sketch as a second digital image, wherein the first hand-drawn sketch and the second hand-drawn sketch corresponds to a physical sketch being expressed with a liquid or solid substance hand-drawn by a user. |
| US08823769B2 |
Three-dimensional video conferencing system with eye contact
Methods, devices, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media are disclosed for allowing video conferencing participants to maintain eye contact with each other. A display is disposed between a first video capture device and a second video capture device. The video capture devices capture images of a subject video conferencing participant. Images from the first capture device are associated with images from the second video capture device for transmission over a network to a video conferencing agent of a peer video conferencing participant. Images of the peer video conferencing participant are received over the network and displayed on the display that is disposed between the video capture devices. The video capture devices may be disposed at a height that is approximately even with a focal point of the subject video conferencing participant such that the subject video conferencing participant appears, to the peer video conferencing participant, to be making eye contact with the peer video conferencing participant when he is looking at the images of the peer video conferencing participant on the display. |
| US08823768B2 |
Conference system, event management server, and program
A conference system includes a first conference device and a second conference device installed at a first site, and is connected with an external conference device installed at a site different from the first site. The second conference device selects one from a group consisting of a video image taken by and received from the first conference device and a video image taken by the second conference device to transmit the selected video image to the external conference device. The second conference device selects a video image taken by the second conference device when the second conference device detects an event occurred at the second conference device. |
| US08823766B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for transmitting image therein
A mobile terminal and a method for transmitting an image therein are provided. The method includes displaying a first image input through a first camera unit while participating in a video communication, transmitting the first image to a counterpart terminal, operating, if a second image is selected for transmission, a second camera unit, inputting a second image through the second camera unit, resizing the first image and the second image according to an image standard used for the video communication, displaying the resized first image and second image, and transmitting the resized first image and second image to the counterpart terminal. Thus, a user can view images for video communication input through more than one camera unit and transmit the images to a counterpart terminal during a video communication. |
| US08823753B2 |
Display driver circuit
A display driver circuit configured to be shared by three grey-scale voltage generators to be respectively used with red (R), green (G) and blue (B) colors. In particular, two of the three grey-scale voltage generators share first and second resistor strings, gamma voltage selectors, and gamma adjustment buffers provided in the other grey-scale voltage generator, thereby reducing the size and power consumption of the display driver circuit. Also, when only a single grey-scale voltage is output, it is possible to deactivate the grey-scale voltages provided by two of the grey-scale generators and further reduce power consumption. |
| US08823752B2 |
Image processing system
An image processing system in which a client apparatus transmits RAW image data to a server apparatus, receives a result developed by the server apparatus, and displays onto a display area. The client apparatus reduces the RAW image data to a size suitable to display, transmits to the server apparatus, and requests development processing. At this time, the client apparatus also starts transmission processing of original RAW image data to the server apparatus. While making adjustment of the development processing to reduced RAW image data, the client apparatus and the server apparatus also execute transmission and reception processing of the original RAW image data in parallel therewith. After the development processing of the reduced RAW image data, if there is a request from the client apparatus, the server apparatus also executes the development processing of the original RAW image data in a manner similar to the reduced RAW image data. |
| US08823748B2 |
Disabling an automatic rotation function of mobile computing devices
Technology is generally described for disabling an automatic rotation function of mobile computing devices. The technology can detect a tilt angle of a display of the computing device in relation to a surface; and if the tilt angle is less than a specified threshold tilt angle, disable a rotation function. |
| US08823746B2 |
System and method for motion blur using velocity vectors
A system and method for applying motion blur to an application window. Motion blur may be applied to pixel in a window by calculating a velocity vector for each pixel in the window with reference to velocity vectors calculated for each corner of the window. Motion blur may be implemented by placing a number of blur samples in a frame along the pixel velocity vector according to the size of the pixel vector, or by directionally downsampling then re-upsampling the content of the window. For a frame having multiple windows, the motion blur for each window may be determined independent of the motion of other windows or as a composite for windows moving together. According to an embodiment, for each pixel in the frame, the associated application window may be identified and the pixel blurred with reference to the corner velocities of the associated application window. |
| US08823745B2 |
Image processing based on depth information and color data of a scene
Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer program products perform image processing in an environment in which depth information and color data of a scene including a player and a background are received from a capture device, and in which an image of the player combined with video data is output. |
| US08823744B2 |
Method for indicating annotations associated with a particular display view of a three-dimensional model independent of any display view
An annotation method for a three-dimensional model is disclosed. A first set of data representative of a three-dimensional model is stored in a computer memory. A second set of data representative of an annotation is also stored in the computer memory. The annotation is associated with a first spatial location on the three-dimensional model and a first display view. The three-dimensional model and a first graphical representation of the annotation is displayed according to the first display view, with the annotation being positioned as specified by the associated first spatial location. The displaying of the three-dimensional model is modified to a second display view different from the first display view. The annotation is removed from the display window, and an annotation indicator associated with the annotation is displayed. The annotation indicator is visible independent of any display view of the three-dimensional model. |
| US08823735B2 |
Information processing apparatus and teleconference system
The document data (e.g., conference materials) are transmitted from a conference server apparatus to a terminal apparatus 3 attending a teleconference, and the terminal apparatus 3 utilizes a displaying unit 46 to display the document data on the lower layer, utilizes a accepting unit 45 (e.g., a pen tablet or a mouse) to accept a writing operation performed on the display screen, generates a write-image regarding the writing operation on a layer upper than the lower layer, and displays and overlays the generated write-image on the document data. At that time, the terminal apparatus 3 sets a rectangular write-inhibition area containing character or word included in the sentence of document data. For example, when a leader line is written inside the write-inhibition area, an image regarding the written leader line is displayed outside the write-inhibition area. |
| US08823726B2 |
Color balance
Some embodiments provide a program that performs a color balance operation. The program identifies an image that includes several pixels. Each pixel includes a luma component value and chroma component values. The program analyzes the luma component values of the pixels in the image to identify several luma ranges. The program determines, for each luma range in the several luma ranges, a set of transforms for modifying chroma component values of pixels in the image in order to remove a color cast from the image. The program applies the sets of transforms to the image to remove the color casts from the image. |
| US08823721B2 |
Techniques for aligning frame data
Techniques are described that can used to synchronize the start of frames from multiple sources so that when a display is to output a frame to a next source, boundaries of current and next source are aligned. Techniques are useful to avoid visual distortions when changing from a first video source to a second video source. |
| US08823719B2 |
Graphics processing method applied to a plurality of buffers and graphics processing apparatus thereof
A graphics processing method, which is applied to a plurality of buffers at least including a first buffer served as an on-screen buffer and a second buffer served as an on-drawing buffer, includes the steps of: sending a drawing command related to the second buffer to a drawing engine; when the drawing command related to the second buffer are received, drawing graphic data stored in the second buffer; sending an asynchronous flush command related to the second buffer to the drawing engine in order to confirm whether the drawing command related to the second buffer is completed; flushing the second buffer; and after the second buffer is flushed, sending a first notice signal to notify a display engine that the second buffer is capable of being flipped. |
| US08823717B2 |
Software constants file
Methods and systems relating to providing constants are provided. In an embodiment, a method of providing constants in a processing device includes copying a constant of a first constant buffer to a second constant buffer, the first and second constant buffers being included in a ring of constant buffers and a size of the ring being one greater than a number of processes that the processing device can process concurrently, updating a value of the constant in the second buffer, and binding a command to be executed on the processing device to the second constant buffer. |
| US08823716B2 |
Display device, method and computer program for displaying images from a plurality of input sources, including an input source selection menu
A display device including: a display section configured to display an image; a display control section configured to arrange a plurality of display areas in a display range of the display section and display an image in each of the display areas; an image selection section configured to select the image to be displayed in each of the display areas from a plurality of input images; and a multi-screen display control section configured to display an image designation panel designating an image of a display object out of the plurality of input images on the display section, determine the images to be displayed in all of the display areas in a lump if the images to be displayed in all of the display areas are designated during display of the image designation panel and a determination operation is performed, and make the image selection section select the images determined. |
| US08823715B2 |
Efficient writing of pixels to tiled planar pixel arrays
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for efficient writing of pixels to tiled planar pixel arrays. An image editing operation is performed by a first thread on an area of an image comprising a plurality of tiles within the area. A lock for write operation is performed by a second thread on each of the plurality of tiles. Results of the lock for write operations are sent from the second thread to the first thread. An output of the image editing operation is sent from the first thread to one or more third thread. The output of the image editing operation is stored in the plurality of tiles by the one or more third threads. |
| US08823714B1 |
Music-reactive fire display
The invention provides a system for controlling flame to produce a music-reactive fire display. This system comprises a digital signal analyzer, electronically-controlled burner elements that allow variable control of fuel flow rate, an automatic ignition system, flame detection, and a means of communication between the signal analyzer and the burner elements. |
| US08823711B2 |
Incremental creation of a graphical object to visually represent a data set
A computerized tool to visually display data using a graphical object. Visual display components may be identified that can represent a portion of the data and may be proposed to a user, based on visual characteristics of each of the visual display components and parameter(s) of the data. A visual display component selected from these components based on user input may be linked to the portion of the data set so that the visual display component will modify the appearance of the graphical object in a way that represents the portion of the data. Different visual display components may be identified and suggested for a user's selection to represent other portions of the data using the graphical object. The graphical object may thus be incrementally refined to ultimately result in the visual representation of the data. |
| US08823710B2 |
Large scale data visualization with interactive chart
This disclosure describes a user interface and techniques for an interactive graphical representation of large scale data on a display. The disclosure describes how large scale data may be viewed using multiple linked charts. In one implementation, a user interface comprises an overview chart. The user may use chart controller(s) to designate one or more portions of the overview chart viewable in subsequent charts. The user may navigate between the overview chart and the subsequent charts using the chart controller(s). |
| US08823702B2 |
Volumetric display with rim-driven, varifocal beamsplitter and high-speed, addressable backlight
An apparatus for generating volumetric images viewable without 3D eyewear. The apparatus includes an image display assembly displaying a first image at a first display time and a second image at a second display time (e.g., a number of planar or 2D images on a display screen/surface). The apparatus includes a flexible two-way mirror element (a varifocal beamsplitter). During operations, the first and second images from the display assembly are directed toward and then reflected from the back side of the mirror element. The apparatus also includes a hoop-shaped frame supporting a peripheral edge of the mirror element. A driver shakes the frame to resonate the mirror element between convex and concave shapes while it is used for reflecting the first and second images. The apparatus also includes a concave mirror positioned relative to the mirror element to receive the reflected first and second images. |
| US08823691B2 |
Display device
A display device includes: plural pixel groups each including pixel circuits; plural scanning lines that are each connected to the pixel circuits included in any one of the pixel groups; a clock signal supply circuit that supplies a clock signal including a pulse signal; a shift register circuit that selectively transmits the pulse signal to the scanning lines in a predetermined order; and data signal lines that are connected to the pixel circuits and that supply a data signal to the pixel circuits included in the pixel group to be scanned. The period of the pulse signal supplied to some of the scanning lines is longer than the period of the pulse signal supplied to the other scanning lines, or the data signal is transmitted by the transistors included in the pixel circuits. |
| US08823683B2 |
Touch pixel structure, touch pixel array substrate and touch display panel
A touch pixel array substrate suitable for a touch display panel includes a first substrate, scan lines, data lines, signal-control lines, read-out lines, voltage-shielding lines, active devices, pixel electrodes, and photo-sensing units. The scan lines, the data lines, the signal-control lines, the read-out lines, and the voltage-shielding lines are located on the first substrate. Each of the read-out lines is located between two adjacent data lines. Each of the voltage-shielding lines is located between one of the read-out lines and one of the data lines. Both sides of each of the read-out lines are adjacent to two voltage-shielding lines. The photo-sensing units are located on the first substrate and electrically connected to the scan lines, the signal-control lines, and the read-out lines correspondingly. A touch display panel and a touch pixel structure are also provided. |
| US08823682B2 |
Proximity sensor and electronic device
A proximity sensor (1) includes a state updating section (22) and a control section (5). The state updating section (22) updates state information. In a case where the state information is updated with a state (ST1) or a state (ST4), the control section (5) supplies, to the outside of the proximity sensor (1), a signal (S6) indicating that at an object (B) to be detected does not come close to the proximity sensor (1). In a case where the state information is updated with a state (ST2) or a state (ST3), the control section (5) supplies, to the outside of the proximity sensor (1), a signal (S6) indicating that the object (B) to be detected comes close to the proximity sensor (1). |
| US08823681B2 |
Method of outputting input position of touch panel
A method of outputting an input position of a touch panel is provided which can output an input position intended by an operator even if two or more different input positions are detected. When an input operation on a position different from a first input position is detected in a scan cycle after output of the first input position, the input position where the new input operation is detected is output as a second input position. Even if input operations on two or more different positions are simultaneously detected, only one input position is output. |
| US08823675B2 |
Capacitive matrix touch sensor
A device includes a substrate, a top touch panel, and an electrode supported by the substrate including a conductive compressible material extending from the substrate to the top touch panel. Another electrode is supported by the substrate and arranged to form an electric field coupling with the electrode including the compressible material. A touch sensitive region is transferred from the substrate to the top touch panel by the compressible material. |
| US08823667B1 |
Touch target optimization system
A system is disclosed that improves the ability for users to select links and/or other display elements via a touch screen, such as the touch screen of a smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device. The system achieves this effect by adjusting the sizes and/or shapes of the touch targets associated with particular display elements. For example, if a particular link on a web page is determined to be difficult to select via a touch screen (based on monitored user behaviors and/or based on an automated analysis of page content), the touch target associated with the link may be increased in size. |
| US08823666B2 |
Touch sensor panel
A touch sensor panel includes at least one first electrode, and a second electrode above the at least one first electrode configured to cross the at least one first electrode, and having one or more openings therein. |
| US08823655B2 |
Touch-point coordinate detecting method
A method for detecting touch-point coordinates includes: scanning a plurality of signal points in sequence to generate a plurality of original data including a plurality of original touch point data; performing a grouping algorithm for the original touch point data to group the original touch point data into a plurality of group sets; and calculating a barycentric coordinate of each of the group sets and outputting the barycentric coordinate as a touch-point coordinate of each of the group sets. |
| US08823654B2 |
Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, which facilitates a terminal to be used in further consideration of user's convenience. According to at least one of embodiments of the present invention, while a first function is being executed in a mobile terminal, if a second function different from the first function is executed, a first function icon having execution progress status information of the first function at a timing point of stopping the execution of the first function can be generated. If the first function is re-executed by selecting the first function icon later, it is advantageous in that the first function can be executed in a manner of being continuous with an execution progress status at the execution stop timing point. |
| US08823649B2 |
Pointing device having rotational sensors
A pointing device and method for providing both translational and rotational input to a computer, to manipulate graphical objects. In one embodiment, a pointing stick is cantilevered to a base. One or more translational sensors are coupled to the pointing stick to generate translational signals in response to lateral forces applied to the pointing stick. One or more rotational sensors are coupled to the pointing stick to generate rotational signals in response to rotational forces applied to the pointing stick. The rotational sensor may sense torque, such as with a piezoelectric sensor configured to detect rotational strain on a fixed pointing stick. The rotational sensor may alternatively sense rotational displacement, such as with a potentiometer configured to detect rotation of a rotatable sleeve about a fixed shaft. |
| US08823638B2 |
Optical navigation module with alignment features
An optical navigation module comprising a rigid flange having a top surface. An optical navigation unit can be coupled to the top surface of the rigid flange with an electrical connection electrically coupled to the optical navigation unit. An alignment flange can be coupled to the rigid flange with the alignment feature including one or more alignment features. The alignment feature can be a hole adapted to receive an alignment pin to hold and align the optical navigation module. |
| US08823630B2 |
Systems and methods for providing color management control in a lighting panel
Provided are systems and methods for providing a stabilized color management system in a solid state lighting panel. Methods according to some embodiments include receiving, in the microcontroller, a color management reference value corresponding to a color characteristic of the solid state lighting panel and adjusting a control mode of the microcontroller responsive to the color management reference value. |
| US08823628B2 |
Scan driving circuit and display apparatus using the same
A scan driving circuit that generates a plurality of scan signals overlapping with each other by h horizontal cycles, that is driven by using (2h+2) clock signals, and that includes a small number of transistors, where h denotes a natural number less than or equal to n−1 and n is an integer greater than “4.” |
| US08823625B2 |
LCD device capable of changing the scan order and driving method thereof
An LCD device capable of changing the scan order and a driving method thereof are disclosed. The LCD device includes a plurality of pixel units which are arranged in an array of rows, first scan lines, second scan lines, and switch units. The pixel units of each row are divided into first pixel units and second pixel units. The switch units are respectively electrically coupled to one end of each first scan line and to one end of each second scan line for controlling conduction states of the first scan lines and the second scan lines, thereby controlling an order of updating the image signals for the first pixel units and the second pixel units. Thus, the scan lines are driven in the order according to whichever total sum of differences between gray values thereof is smaller, so that the power consumption of data chips is decreased. |
| US08823624B2 |
Display device having memory in pixels
The present invention relates to a memory circuit integrated in each pixel of a display device includes a switching circuit and a memory unit. The switching circuit includes a first transistor having a gate configured to receive a switching control signal, a source and a drain electrically coupled to a liquid crystal capacitor of the pixel, and a second transistor having a gate configured to receive a switching control signal, a source electrically coupled to a storage capacitor of the pixel, and a drain electrically coupled to the liquid crystal capacitor. The memory unit is electrically coupled between the source of first transistor and the storage capacitor. The switching control signal is configured such that in the normal mode, the first transistor is turned off, while the second transistor is turned on, so that the storage capacitor is electrically coupled to the liquid crystal capacitor in parallel and the memory unit is bypassed, and in the still mode, the first transistor is turned on, while the second transistor is turned off, so that the storage capacitor controls the memory unit to supply a stored data to the liquid crystal capacitor. |
| US08823623B2 |
Liquid crystal driver, liquid crystal driving method and liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal driver is provided, in which a frame rate of an input image signal is multiplied by 2N (N is an integer of one or more); each frame is divided into N positive field(s) and N negative field(s) respectively; the image signal is supplied to a liquid crystal panel with a positive polarity in a positive field; and the image signal is supplied to the liquid crystal panel with a negative polarity in a negative field. The liquid crystal driver includes a corrected image signal generator configured to generate a corrected image signal having the same amount of correction added to the positive field and negative field. The corrected image signal is supplied to the liquid crystal panel with the positive polarity in the positive field and the corrected image signal is supplied to the liquid crystal panel with the negative polarity in the negative field. |
| US08823619B2 |
Display apparatus, layout method for a display apparatus and an electronic apparatus
Disclosed herein is a display apparatus, including, a pixel array section including a plurality of pixel circuits arrayed in rows and columns of a matrix and each including a light emitting portion, a plurality of signal lines disposed individually for the pixel columns of the matrix array of the pixel circuits and connected to the pixel circuits belonging to the pixel columns, and a selector circuit for distributing display signals given thereto in a time series from an input signal line time-divisionally to the signal lines, the pixel array section has, in regard to any of combinations of those two signal lines which are individually connected to the pixel circuits which belong to those two pixel columns which neighbor with each other, a first wiring region, and a second wiring region. |
| US08823616B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of driving the same
A liquid crystal display device includes; gate lines disposed on a display region, data lines disposed on the display region, wherein the data lines intersect with, and are insulated from, the gate lines, a gate driver which drives the gate lines, a plurality of data drivers which generate a data voltage from an input power source voltage and supply the data voltage to the data lines, and a power source voltage supplying unit which supplies different power source voltages to each of the data drivers according to a distance of each data driver from the gate driver. |
| US08823615B2 |
Driving method and driving apparatus of liquid crystal display
A driving method includes sensing illuminance of ambient light determining a first contrast ratio based on the sensed illuminance, determining a second contrast ratio and a relative ratio of the contrast ratio, determining a gradient of a compensation gamma curve using the relative ratio, determining an average gray of input data signals, and determining the compensation gamma curve. |
| US08823614B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating gray-scale voltage, and organic electroluminescent display device
An apparatus and method for performing natural luminance adjustment by adjusting voltage levels of gray-scale voltages of a display device through a plurality of steps and determining gray-scale voltage levels of intermediate luminance levels using predetermined data when a luminance level of the display device is adjusted. |
| US08823612B2 |
Organic el display device
An organic electro-luminescence (EL) display device including: above a substrate, scanning lines; data lines; emissive pixels disposed near cross-points of the scanning lines and the data lines; and power supply lines for supplying currents to the emissive pixels, wherein the emissive pixels each have: a switching thin film transistor having a gate to which a scan signal is supplied via one of the scanning lines; a current control thin film transistor for controlling a current to be applied to the emissive pixel, in accordance with the voltage determined based on a data voltage supplied from one of the data lines via the switching thin film transistor; and an organic EL element to which a current is supplied from one of the power supply lines via the current control thin film transistor, the organic EL element including a lower electrode, an organic light-emissive layer, and an upper electrode. |
| US08823611B2 |
Portable frame-less reversible luminous suction cup display
The invention provides a frameless, lightweight, bright light, portable display in the form of electroluminescence with multiple reversible mounting suction cups. The luminous unit comes in various sizes of which most are round in shape. Each unit contains a power plug, inverter, and the electroluminescent panel. However, each unit also includes a minimum of 3 suction cup extensions allowing for the unit to be reversible. This unit is able to be mounted on the inside of a window or the outside of a window/hard slick surface with the light facing same direction no matter which side of the glass it is mounted thereon. |
| US08823603B1 |
Head mounted display and method of controlling therefor
A method of controlling a head mounted display (HMD) according to one embodiment of the present specification includes the steps of outputting visual information via a display unit, outputting auditory information via an audio output unit, detecting a control input touching a first region or a second region of a temple of the HMD, if the control input is detected in the first region, setting the visual information as control target information, if the control input is detected in the second region, setting the auditory information as the control target information, and controlling an output of the set control target information according to an attribute of moving of the control input, which moves in the first region and the second region while maintaining a contact with the temple of the HMD. |
| US08823598B2 |
Reflector and a multi band antenna
The present invention relates to a reflector for an antenna comprising a first reflector assembly and at least one second reflector assembly, the first reflector assembly having a first reflector structure adapted for a first antenna frequency band f1 and at least one second antenna frequency band f2; the at least one second reflector assembly having a second reflector structure adapted for the first antenna frequency band f1 and at least one third antenna frequency band f3; and wherein the first reflector assembly and the at least one second reflector assembly are electrically coupled so that the first reflector assembly and the at least one second reflector assembly together form a common reflector structure adapted for the first f1, at least one second f2 and at least one third f3 antenna frequency bands. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a multi band antenna comprising at least one such reflector. |
| US08823592B2 |
Antenna array with capacitive coupled upper and lower antenna elements and a peak radiation pattern directed toward the lower antenna element
An antenna system includes a substrate, a conductive ground plane, and an upper antenna element. A slot that is free of conductive material extends through the ground plane to define a lower antenna element from a portion of the ground plane. The upper antenna element is spaced apart and overlies at least a portion of the lower antenna element. The upper antenna element is electrically connected to the ground plane and to an antenna feed element. The upper antenna element is configured to electrically resonate responsive to a defined RF signal. The lower antenna element is configured to resonate through capacitive coupling to the resonating upper antenna element. |
| US08823589B2 |
System, method and apparatus for integrated local area locationing, tracking and communications
The present invention is an integrated wireless system with multiple functionalities including robust (indoor/outdoor) position location, mobile receiver tracking and adaptive broadband communication. The present invention may be an adaptive position location system for local and indoor applications with improved accuracy, flexibility and security. The self-calibration technique of the present invention may cause, the position location system to be easily deployed. A master station may communicate with and control two or more slave stations and one or more user devices and thereby determine the position of a user device and track that user device, utilizing location reference sets, in accordance with the location of the master station and communication between the slave stations and the master station. The locationing operation of the present invention may be initiated by the user device. |
| US08823586B2 |
Method and system for GNSS assistance data or LTO data download over a broadcast band
A combined GNSS and FM receiver receives FM signals comprising satellite navigation data from an AGNSS server. Associated navigation information such as a position fix is determined based on the received satellite navigation data. The received satellite navigation data are GNSS assistance data or LTO data. The AGNSS server generates the satellite navigation data by acquiring GNSS data from a satellite reference network. The acquired GNSS data comprise, for example, GPS data, GLONASS data and/or GALILEO data. The generated satellite navigation data are broadcasted as FM signals through RDS and/or RBDS to the combined GNSS and FM receiver. The combined GNSS and FM receiver receives updated satellite navigation data in subsequent FM signals, periodically or aperiodically, and updates associated navigation information, accordingly. The combined GNSS and FM receiver decodes the received FM radio signals for the updated satellite navigation data generated at the AGNSS server before being transmitted. |
| US08823580B2 |
FMCW radar sensor and method for frequency matching
In a method for frequency matching in an FMCW radar sensor, a plurality of frequencies, which are derived on various modulation ramps, and which respectively are shown by the radar sensor in a d-v space as geometrical locations, represent possible combinations of a distance d and a speed v of the respective object. In order to identify the objects located on the various modulation ramps, coincidences between the geometrical locations which belong to frequencies derived on various modulation ramps are searched for. The search for coincidences is initially restricted in a first step to a subspace of the d-v space, and in a subsequent step, the search is extended to other regions of the d-v space, while suppressing the frequencies that are associated with the objects found in the first step. |
| US08823578B2 |
Driving assist apparatus
A driving assist apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The driving assist apparatus includes a transmitter for transmitting a transmission wave, a receiver for receiving a reflected wave, an obstacle presence determination section for detecting a presence of an obstacle in the surrounding of the vehicle based on the reflected wave, a measurement section for measuring a frequency of phase delay and advance of the reflected wave with respect to a reference signal, and a detection section for detecting the obstacle having a specific relation with the vehicle based on the presence of the obstacle determined by the obstacle presence determination section and the frequency of delay and the frequency of advance measured by the measurement section. |
| US08823577B2 |
Distance separation tracking system
A distance separation tracking process is provided that includes the transmission of a periodic radio frequency original signal from a beacon transceiver. The original periodic signal from the beacon transceiver is received at a remote target transceiver as a target received periodic signal. The target retransmits the received periodic signal to the beacon transceiver as a return periodic signal. Data points of the return periodic signal are sampled and used to calculate a phase differential between the original periodic signal and the return periodic signal that correlates to the distance separation range between the beacon transceiver and the target transceiver. |
| US08823572B2 |
Anti-aliasing sampling circuits and analog-to-digital converter
A sampling circuit, such as the sampling circuit of a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter (ADC), provides anti-aliasing filtering of a sampled input signal. The circuit samples the input signal using multiple capacitors, wherein each capacitor samples the input signal at a distinct time during a sampling time interval. The circuit combines the samples stored on different capacitors during a conversion time interval, and generates a digital output signal using the combined samples. In one example, a first bit of the output signal is generated using a sample stored on a first capacitor, and second bit of the output signal is generated using a sample stored on a second capacitor. In another example, the circuitry performs finite or infinite impulse response (FIR or IIR) filtering of the input signal, where a filter characteristic is determined by the relative sizes of the capacitors used for sampling. |
| US08823569B2 |
Digital-to-analog converter
An apparatus and method for digital-to-analog conversion. A digital-to-analog converter includes a sampler for resampling a digital signal and a DAC array. The DAC array includes a sequencer, a unit element activator, and an array of one-bit DACs (unit elements). The unit elements are activated in a cyclical sequence, based on the resampled digital signal. Unit elements in the sequence may be skipped, based on a disruption probability. The disruption probability may be determined randomly, or pseudo-randomly. Output signals of the unit elements are summed or averaged to form an analog signal. The converter may include a filter to filter the analog signal. |
| US08823553B2 |
Traffic detector
The invention concerns a traffic detector (200) comprising: a hermetically closed tube (202); the said tube (202) delimiting at least one chamber (218), each chamber (218) extending from one of the ends of the said tube (202), for each chamber (218), a piezoelectric sensor placed at the corresponding end of the tube (202) and suitable for transforming the shock waves received into an electrical signal; the traffic detector (200) being characterised in that it comprises an elastic band (204) and fixing devices (208, 210) intended to keep the said elastic band (204) tensioned between the ends of the said tube (202). |
| US08823545B2 |
Radio apparatus for gym device
There is provided a radio apparatus for a gym device, the apparatus comprising: an antenna array comprising at least two antenna elements for wirelessly communicating with exercise sensors; at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the radio apparatus at least to: generate at least one antenna beam pattern with at least one of the at least two antenna elements; and communicate wirelessly with an exercise sensor by applying the generated at least one antenna beam pattern. |
| US08823541B2 |
Bezel illumination for digital devices
First, a user may select an illumination color for a bezel framing a display of an electronics device. Second, the illumination of a digital picture frame may be established based on sensed motion nearby and/or ambient light. Third, the color of a user interface presented on a display can be established to match the color of the room in which the display is disposed, as indicated by colorimetry from a camera. |
| US08823539B2 |
Method of displaying multi-fiber test results
A display method and apparatus provides an easy to interpret presentation of multiple channel data, in the form of columns where the height of the column represents the relative measurement. A threshold line provides an indication of whether the measurement is above or below the threshold. Greater detail and numeric measurement values can be displayed for individual channels while the multiple channel display is in view. |
| US08823537B2 |
Railroad train monitoring system
Railcar monitoring utilizes instrumented, flexible pads supported within the truck pedestal jaws on the bearing adapters. The pads contain sensors for monitoring temperature pressure, shifting loads, truck hunting and the like and have circuitry for processing information received from the sensors and for processing and reporting departures of performance variables to a remote source. The system cyclically activates polling each pad on a car and communicates signals of critical departures and car identity to a remote source. |
| US08823536B2 |
Automated recovery and escalation in complex distributed applications
Alerts based on detected hardware and/or software problems in a complex distributed application environment are mapped to recovery actions for automatically resolving problems. Non-mapped alerts are escalated to designated individuals or teams through a cyclical escalation method that includes a confirmation hand-off notice from the designated individual or team. Information collected for each alert as well as solutions through the escalation process may be recorded for expanding the automated resolution knowledge base. |
| US08823535B2 |
Early detection of environmental conditions that will lead to creep corrosion on printed circuit boards in data centers
Apparatus and method for directly detecting the atmospheric conditions leading to creep corrosion of printed circuit boards (PCBs) well before the PCBs in the computers start suffering from creep corrosion. The embodiment indicates the propensity of the air towards creep corrosion on PCBs. Additionally, to avoid the false reading due to condensed moisture, condensed moisture may be avoided by using a heater attached to the creep corrosion monitor that keeps the creep corrosion monitor above the dew point temperature. |
| US08823529B2 |
Patient movement monitoring system
A patient monitoring system having a motion detection unit with a sensor and a control unit having control circuitry and at least one light. Wiring extends between the two units and couples a motion sensor with the control circuitry. A door sensor is coupled with the control circuitry. The light is illuminated to provide a silent alarm when motion is detected and the door is closed. Also disclosed is a method of installation that includes attaching a motion detector unit and the control unit to wall surfaces on opposite sides of the door and extending wiring through the doorway to operably couple the two units. The motion sensor may be installed to define a detection zone having a lower boundary which is at least about 18 inches above a patient support surface. |
| US08823524B2 |
Method and apparatus for real time performance assessment
An apparatus for monitoring performance comprises two elements: a first element (4) for attaching to a human or animal, containing two or more of physiological, biochemical, kinematic, and/or environmental sensors and a processing means which records in memory signals or derivates of signals from said sensors and contains a means of re-transmitting this data to a second element, and a second element (13, 16) containing a display (12, 17) or audio output to present the processed live or previous recorded data to the user. |
| US08823519B2 |
Pasture management
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for gathering data are disclosed. For example, a plant matter sensor includes a pair of parallel spaced apart sensor arms and a control console, a first of the arms having a plurality of emitter spaced along its length, each emitter configured to emit a signal substantially perpendicularly to the arm to be received by a corresponding receiver on the second arm. The console contains controller means to control the rate, strength and regularity of the signal emitted by each of the emitters, collectors to collect data from each receiver as to the existence or absence of receipt of a signal, a processor to process data received from the controllers and the collectors and determine the height of any plant matter traversed by the plant matter sensor and predetermined intervals, and storage to store the plant matter height data generated by the processor for subsequent download or analysis. |
| US08823513B2 |
Systems and methods to track movement of animals
Systems and methods of tracking an animal including a first device worn by an animal to acquire global positioning system (GPS) data corresponding to a location of the animal, and a second device carried by a user to receive the GPS data from the first device and to acquire GPS data corresponding to a location of the second device. The second device can include a compass element to provide a compass reading corresponding to an orientation of the second device, and a controller to calculate location and direction information of the first device relative to the second device, and a display unit to display a graphical representation indicating the location and direction of the first device relative to the second device. |
| US08823510B2 |
Systems and methods for wirelessly programming a prescription bottle cap
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for wirelessly programming a prescription bottle cap. In an embodiment, the system includes a base station comprising an inductor and processor configured to receive prescription dosage instructions and instruct the inductor to alter a magnetic field in a manner representative of the prescription dosage instructions. In an embodiment, the system further includes a wirelessly programmable cap comprising a sensor configured to detect the magnetic field and to generate the prescription dosage information based on the magnetic field. A control unit is configured to instruct the wirelessly programmable cap to send an alert at a time designated by the prescription dosage information. |
| US08823508B2 |
User interfaces for enabling information infusion to improve situation awareness
A security system is configured to display a representation of an area on a display unit, receive input from a plurality of different types of sensors that are positioned within the area, display a plurality of icons on the display unit, wherein the plurality of icons represents the locations of the plurality sensors in the area, and display in a panel on the display unit output from the plurality of sensors. |
| US08823506B2 |
System for enhancing perception of a motor vehicle's mark emblem
A system is provided for causing audible sounds, and/or visible actions, and/or an electronic visual image, and/or motion to occur by, or in relation to, a vehicle's mark emblem. The system may cause such actions to be initiated manually or automatically as a result of vehicle operation or operator action. Controls may be provided to prevent the audible sound, visible action, visual image, or motion to occur if the vehicle speed is above a selected speed limit. In addition, when operated from a position remote from the vehicle, the audible sound associated with the mark emblem may be adjusted to a volume that will prevent persons from becoming startled when they are in proximity to the vehicle. |
| US08823505B2 |
Tire air pressure detecting device, tire air pressure monitoring system, and tire air pressure notification method
A tire air pressure detecting device includes an air pressure detecting unit, a transmitting unit, a running state detecting unit, an air pressure change rate detecting section and a frequency adjustment section. The frequency adjustment section is configured to adjust a transmitting frequency at which the detected value of the tire air pressure detected by the air pressure detecting unit is externally transmitted by the transmitting unit according to the running state detected by the running state detecting unit and the air pressure change rate detected by the air pressure change rate detecting section. The frequency adjustment section is further configured to variably set a threshold value for switching the transmitting frequency from low frequency to high frequency according to the running state and the air pressure change rate. |
| US08823503B2 |
Motor vehicle with a high-voltage source
A motor vehicle includes a high-voltage source for supplying consumers of a high-voltage on-board power supply system with electrical energy, an electrical separating device for separating the high-voltage source from the high-voltage on-board power supply system and a signal emission device for indicating the connection state between the high-voltage source and the onboard high-voltage power supply system. The signal emission device is activated for emission of a signal when the high-voltage source is separated from the onboard high-voltage power supply system, and is deactivated when the high-voltage source is connected to the onboard high-voltage power supply system. A non-activated signal emission device indicates a live state of the high-voltage on-board power supply system, thereby ensuring that a safe state of the onboard high-voltage power supply system is not falsely signaled in the event of a failure of the signal emission device, thereby eliminating risk to service personnel. |
| US08823497B2 |
Secure data card with passive RFID chip and biometric sensor
Biometric authorization is provided for a passive secure data card. An additional layer of security may be provided in the form of a biometric password. Session timing may be enforced to limit opportunities of third parties to snoop transmitted information while providing ample time to complete the card transaction. Biometric retries may be enforced to limit opportunities of third parties to hack the biometric security. |
| US08823492B2 |
Detection of incursion of proposed excavation zones into buried assets
A method on a computing device for defining a buffer zone around a buried asset at an above-surface location is provided that solves the above-described problems. The method includes receiving and storing buried asset data points, wherein each buried asset data point comprises a geographical coordinate and a precision data value corresponding to the geographical coordinate, for a buried asset, wherein the buried asset data points correspond to signals that were detected and read from the buried asset at the above-surface location. The method further includes generating a first data structure that represents a two dimensional area comprising a buffer zone at the above-surface location, wherein the first data structure is generated by defining an area around each geographical coordinate, wherein a size of each area is based on the precision data values of the buried asset data points. |
| US08823489B2 |
Systems and methods for generating a derived biometric template
Systems and methods for generating a derived biometric template are provided. A biometric sample of a user is determined. A base biometric template includes a plurality of features extracted from the biometric sample. A degree of rotation is determined, and a derived biometric template is generated using the degree of rotation. |
| US08823488B2 |
Medical treatment system and method for operation thereof
A medical device comprises a device adapted to perform a medical procedure; a biometric information sensing device adapted to sense biometric information of a user; a controller adapted to retrieve stored biometric registration information of a user from a storage device in communication with the controller, to determine an identity of the user by comparing the stored biometric registration information and the sensed biometric information, and to prevent performance of the medical procedure if the sensed biometric information does not correspond to the stored biometric registration information. |
| US08823486B2 |
Antitheft system of charger for electric vehicle
An antitheft system of a charger for an electric vehicle that prevents theft of a charger during charging a battery of the electric vehicle is disclosed.More specifically, a first signal generating portion is provided at the charger, receives a decoupling will of the charger, and generates a decoupling signal. A second signal generating portion generates a position signal, so that anyone who is allowed to handle the electric vehicle possesses the second signal generating portion. A control portion generates an operating signal when both the decoupling signal of the first signal generating portion and the position signal of the second signal generating portion are received by the control portion. Once received, an actuator decouples the charger from the connector once the operating signal from the control portion is received. |
| US08823482B2 |
Systems using multi-layer-multi-turn high efficiency inductors
A multi-layer, multi-turn structure for an inductor having a plurality of conductor layers separated by layers of insulator is described. The inductor further comprises a connector electrically connected between the conductor layers. The structure of the inductor may comprise a cavity therewithin. The structure of the inductor constructed such that electrical resistance is reduced therewithin, thus increasing the efficiency of the inductor. The inductor is particularly useful at operating within the radio frequency range and greater. |
| US08823480B2 |
Planar electronic device
A planar electronic device includes a planar substrate having a cavity configured to receive a ferrite material body therein. The planar substrate has an upper side and a lower side and conductive vias extending through the substrate. Top conductors are provided on the upper side of the planar substrate and are electrically connected to corresponding conductive vias. Bottom conductors are provided on the lower side of the planar substrate and are electrically connected to corresponding conductive vias. The bottom conductors, top conductors and conductive vias define a primary conductive loop and a secondary conductive loop. An upper cover layer covers the upper side and has a high permittivity. The upper cover layer is positioned relative to the top conductors to increase capacitance between the primary and secondary loops. |
| US08823476B2 |
Superconducting magnet apparatus and control method thereof
Provided are a superconducting magnet apparatus with a switch that automatically connects or disconnects an external power source to a superconducting coil, and a method of controlling the same. The superconducting magnet apparatus includes a superconducting coil that generates a magnetic field when an electric current from an external power source is applied thereto, and a switch that supplies or shuts off an electric current output from the external power source by connecting or disconnecting the superconducting coil to the external power source. |
| US08823475B2 |
Electromagnetic relay
An electromagnetic relay includes multiple contact sets each including a fixed contact and a movable contact displaceable in a first direction to approach the fixed contact and in a second direction to move away from the fixed contact; multiple permanent magnets each provided on the peripheral side of a corresponding one of the contact sets and having a polarity direction perpendicular to the first and second directions; and multiple ferromagnetic bodies parallel to the polarity directions of the permanent magnets and the first and second directions, wherein in a DC electric current flowing through each of the contact sets, the direction of a force exerted based on the permanent magnet is equal to the direction of a force exerted based on the ferromagnetic body. |
| US08823470B2 |
Dielectric waveguide filter with structure and method for adjusting bandwidth
A structure and method for adjusting the bandwidth of a ceramic waveguide filter comprising, in one embodiment, a monoblock of dielectric ceramic material defining respective steps and respective input/output through-holes extending through the monoblock and the respective steps. In one embodiment, the steps are defined by notches in the monoblock and the input/output through-holes define openings terminating in the notch. The bandwidth of the ceramic waveguide filter may be adjusted by adjusting the height/thickness and direction of the steps relative to an exterior surface of the monoblock and/or the diameter of the input/output through-holes. |
| US08823469B2 |
Saw filter and a receiver for remote keyless entry and tire pressure monitoring systems using same
A SAW filter includes at least four electrically interconnected DMS tracks. First and second tracks of the at least four DMS tracks are connected in parallel in opposite directions to form a first filter element. The first and second tracks have two resonant frequencies that are offset from one another from track to track within the first filter element such that they define a common passband by virtue of a lower-frequency resonance of the first track being in phase at the same frequency as a higher-frequency resonance of the second track. Third and fourth tracks of the at least four DMS tracks can be connected in a similar fashion to form a second filter element. The passbands of the first and second filter elements are offset from one another and each comprise one of two channels of a two-channel filter. |
| US08823465B2 |
Clock generator for crystal or ceramic oscillator and filter system for same
A clock generator is disclosed for use with an oscillator device. The clock generator may include a signal conditioning pre-filter and a comparator. The signal conditioner may have an input for a signal from the oscillator device, and may include a high pass filter component and a low pass filter component. The high pass filter component may pass amplitude and frequency components of the input oscillator signal but reject a common mode component of the oscillator signal. Instead, the high pass filter component further may generate its own common mode component locally over which the high frequency components are superimposed. The low pass filter component may generate a second output signal that represents the locally-generated common mode component of the first output signal. The clock generator may have a comparator as an input stage which is coupled to first and second outputs of the filter structure. |
| US08823462B2 |
Piezoelectric oscillation circuit and temperature-constant piezoelectric oscillator
A piezoelectric oscillation circuit includes: a Colpitts oscillation circuit; a first circuit unit which includes a circuit having a variable-capacity capacitor for controlling an oscillation frequency; a second circuit unit which includes a circuit having a resistance; and a piezoelectric resonator which includes a first terminal connected to the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit, and a second terminal connected to the Colpitts oscillation circuit. The Colpitts oscillation circuit connects the second terminal to a fixed potential via a dividing resistance. The second circuit unit connects the first terminal to the fixed potential via the resistance. |
| US08823461B2 |
Microwave adaptors and related oscillator systems
An adaptor for a solid-state oscillator and related microwave adaptors includes an input segment of a conductive material, a first coaxial portion that includes a first inner conductor coupled to the input segment and a first outer shielding segment, and a capping portion coupled to the first coaxial portion to electrically couple the first inner conductor and the first outer shielding segment. |
| US08823458B2 |
Circuit and power amplifier
A cascode circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor are connected to make a cascode. In addition, the circuit has a block capacitance which is connected between a control terminal of the second transistor and a source terminal of the first transistor. In addition, the circuit has a feedback element which is connected between a drain terminal of the second transistor and a control terminal of the first transistor. |
| US08823455B2 |
Matrix distributed power amplifier
Disclosed is a matrix distributed amplifier (DA) having an input transmission line, an intermediate transmission line, and an output transmission line. A first plurality of amplifiers has inputs coupled to and spaced along the input transmission line and has outputs coupled to and spaced along the intermediate transmission line. A second plurality of amplifiers has inputs coupled to and spaced along the intermediate transmission line and has outputs coupled to and spaced along the output transmission line. A termination amplifier has an input coupled to the input transmission line and an output coupled to the intermediate transmission line. In at least one embodiment, a second termination amplifier has an input coupled to the intermediate transmission line and an output coupled to the output transmission line. |
| US08823450B2 |
Multiple-output transconductance amplifier based instrumentation amplifier
This disclosure is directed to devices and integrated circuits for instrumentation amplifiers. In one example, an instrumentation amplifier device uses two non-inverted outputs of a first multiple-output transconductance amplifier, and a non-inverted output and an inverted output of a second multiple-output transconductance amplifier. Both multiple-output transconductance amplifiers have a non-inverted output connected to an inverting input, and a non-inverting input connected to a respective input voltage terminal. A first resistor is connected between the inverting inputs of both multiple-output transconductance amplifiers. The outputs of both multiple-output transconductance amplifiers are connected together, connected through a second resistor to ground, and connected to an output voltage terminal. In other examples, two pairs of outputs from triple-output transconductance amplifiers are connected to provide two voltage output terminals, and may also be connected to buffers or a differential amplifier. These provide various advantages over traditional instrumentation amplifiers. |
| US08823448B1 |
Feed forward active EMI filters
An apparatus for active feed forward electromagnetic interference (EMI) filtering, including, a noise detection circuit that receives EMI noise occurring at a noise source, and an active feed forward circuit operatively coupled to the noise detection circuit. The active feed forward circuit generates a noise canceling signal based on the EMI noise received by the noise detection circuit. The apparatus further includes a filter operatively coupled to the active feed forward circuit and the noise source, the filter adapted to receive the EMI noise occurring at the noise source and the noise canceling signal from active feed forward circuit, wherein the filter cancels the received EMI noise based on the received noise canceling signal to reduce EMI noise at a load. |
| US08823447B2 |
Time-based apparatus and method to mitigate semiconductor aging effects
Systems, methods, and computer readable media that can mitigate the effects of semiconductor aging in a semiconductor device are described. Traditional methods of mitigating semiconductor aging can be wasteful since they overcorrect for aging using a high operational voltage. The approach discussed herein steps up the operational voltage for the electronic device with time based on predetermined aging models. This allows power consumption by the electronic device, particularly early in the designed operational life, to be much less than it would otherwise be. |
| US08823446B2 |
Current mirror with immunity for the variation of threshold voltage and the generation method thereof
A current mirror with immunity for the variation of threshold voltage includes raising the voltage difference between the gate and the source of a MOS in the current source, and increasing the channel length of the MOS for limiting the generated reference current. |
| US08823444B2 |
Reference voltage generating circuit
A reference voltage generating circuit comprises a pair of variable resistors connected to a pair of bipolar transistors. A differential amplifier amplifies the band gap voltage difference between the bipolar transistors and outputs a reference voltage to an output terminal. An output stage resistor is connected to the output terminal and a resistance dividing circuit. The generating circuit includes temperature compensating circuits that receive tap voltages from resistance dividing circuit and a current proportional to the temperature, then output correction currents. The generating circuit additionally includes a current mirror circuit that outputs a mirror current depending on each correction current. The reference voltage generating circuit thus corrects the temperature dependence of the reference voltage. |
| US08823442B1 |
System and method of reducing magnitudes of kick-back voltages in a circuit that alternates a direction of current flow through a load
A circuit is provided and includes current sources, switches, a control module, and capacitances. The current sources adjust current flowing through a load. Each of the switches activates a respective one of the current sources. Kick-back voltages are generated at inputs of the current sources in response to the current sources being turned ON. A control module generates control signals to change states of the switches to alternate a direction in which the current flows through the load. A first capacitance is connected between a first pair of the current sources and a second pair of the current sources. A second capacitance is connected between the first pair of the current sources and a reference terminal. A third capacitance connected between the second pair of the current sources and the reference terminal. The first capacitance, the second capacitance, and the third capacitance reduce magnitudes of the kick-back voltages. |
| US08823441B1 |
Low power, low voltage phase interpolator
A method includes, in at least one aspect, selecting a first phase signal, where the first phase signal concurrently enables a first pair of switching elements; selecting a second phase signal, where the second phase signal concurrently enables a second pair of switching elements; and generating an interpolated phase signal by providing a connection between a switching element of the first pair of switching elements to an output node and providing a connection between a switching element of the second pair of switching elements to the output node. |
| US08823438B2 |
Signal transmission circuit, integrated circuit and electric device including thereof for transmitting a plurality of signals each having different transmission speed
A signal transmission circuit 200 transmits input signals IN1 and IN2 each having a different transmission speed in a mutually electrically insulated manner. Signal transmission circuit 200 includes a pulse generation unit 210, transmission units 230 and 235, a latch circuit 250, and an oscillation determination circuit 270.Transmission units 230 and 235 transmit pulse signals PLS_A and PLS_B generated by pulse generation unit 210 in accordance with logical states of input signals IN1 and IN2 to latch circuit 250 and oscillation determination circuit 270 in a mutually electrically insulated manner. Latch circuit 250 restores input signal IN1 in accordance with rising edges of pulse signals PLS_A and PLS_B. Oscillation determination circuit 270 restores input signal IN2 based on oscillation states of pulse signals PLS_A and PLS_B. With such a configuration, a plurality of signals each having a different transmission speed can be transmitted in a mutually electrically insulated manner. |
| US08823434B2 |
Clock correction circuit and clock correction method
An operation clock generation circuit performs a calculation on the basis of the frequency errors of a fundamental clock and the clock pulses of the fundamental clock, and generates an operation clock obtained by correcting the frequency errors at first intervals. A correction clock generation circuit converts a lower-bit value that is a value represented by the bits lower than the predefined bit used for judging the change of the state of the operation clock into a count number of the clock pulses of a second clock whose frequency is higher than that of the operation clock, generates a correction clock obtained by correcting the operation clock on the basis of a time required for counting the count number of the clock pulses and the clock pulses of the operation clock. |
| US08823432B2 |
Low power data recovery
In one embodiment, an apparatus may include a pulse generator to generate an oversampled clock signal. The apparatus may also include a sample and hold unit to provide at least two differential input signals based on the oversampled clock signal. The apparatus may further include a conversion unit to generate a single-ended signal based on the at least two differential input signals. The apparatus may also include a counter to determine a count of rising and falling edges of the single-ended signal based on the oversampled clock signal. |
| US08823425B2 |
Output driving circuit and transistor output circuit
Disclosed herein are an output driving circuit and a transistor output circuit. The output driving circuit includes: a reference voltage generating unit generating a reference voltage; a level shift unit including a transistor latch and turning off a first transistor of a driving circuit or driving the first transistor; a driving circuit unit including the first transistor that is driven to apply power to a gate of an output transistor and a second transistor that is driven complementarily to the first transistor to lower a gate voltage of the output transistor and drive the output transistor; and an withstand voltage protecting unit that is driven by receiving a reference voltage and includes a first withstand voltage protecting unit for protecting transistors of the transistor latch and the first transistor for stable operations thereof and a second withstand voltage protecting unit for protecting the output transistor for a stable operation thereof. |
| US08823418B2 |
Power on detection circuit
A power-on-detection (POD) circuit includes first and second comparators, a voltage divider, a detection circuit coupled to a first voltage source node and the voltage divider, and logic circuitry coupled to outputs of the first and second comparators. The detection circuit outputs a control signal identifying if a first voltage source node has a voltage potential that is higher than ground. The control signal turns on and off the first and second comparators, which are respectively coupled to first and second nodes of the voltage divider and to a reference voltage node. The logic circuitry outputs a power identification signal based on the signals received from the outputs of the first and second comparators. |
| US08823417B2 |
Combination AC/DC peak detector and signal type discriminator
A device and method for current detecting and discriminating is disclosed. The device includes a differential receiver configured to receive a current input, a positive-side Schmitt trigger in communication with the input stage, wherein the positive-side Schmitt trigger is configured to receive an output provided by the input stage, and wherein the positive-side Schmitt trigger is configured to create a positive-side Schmitt trigger output representative of the current input, and a negative-side Schmitt trigger in communication with the input stage, wherein the negative-side Schmitt trigger is configured to receive the output provided by the input stage, and wherein the negative-side Schmitt trigger is configured to create a negative-side Schmitt trigger output representative of the current input. |
| US08823416B2 |
Use of PLL stability for islanding detection
A phase detector for a phase-locked loop includes a phase detector that is configured to become unstable, oscillate and drift rapidly in frequency in a predictable manner when a reference frequency signal is not available. When applied, for example, to a power converter connected to a power distribution grid, the predictable oscillatory and rapid frequency drift behavior when the phase detector is unstable allows very rapid and reliable detection of disconnection from the grid, referred to as islanding. |
| US08823412B2 |
Device and method for inspection of a stator core of an electrical machine
An automated EL CID inspection technique for the stator core of an electrical machine is provided. The inspection device includes a rail, a pickup coil and a coil support assembly. The coil support assembly includes a first part movable along the rail, and a second part where the pickup coil is actually installed. The second part is movable jointly with the first part along the rail, while also being movable relative to the first part in a direction towards or away from the stator core. A motor actuates a motion of the coil support assembly. During inspection, the motor is activated, upon which the coil support assembly moves along the rail while a specified distance is maintained between the stator core and the pickup coil by the relative motion between the first and second parts. The technique is particularly applicable in a step-iron portion of the stator core. |
| US08823410B2 |
Method of manufacturing a SiC bipolar junction transistor and SiC bipolar junction transistor thereof
A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and a SiC BJT are provided. The SiC BJT comprises an emitter region, a base region and a collector region. The collector region is arranged on a substrate having an off-axis orientation of about 4 degrees or lower. Further, a defect termination layer (DTL) is arranged between the substrate and the collector region. A thickness and a doping level of the DTL are configured to terminate basal plane dislocations in the DTL and reduce the growth of defects from the DTL to the collector region. At least some of the embodiments are advantageous in that SiC BJTs with improved stability are provided. Further, a method of evaluating the degradation performance of a SiC BJT is provided. |
| US08823407B2 |
Test assembly for verifying heat spreader grounding in a production test
A test assembly (12) for testing a device (10) having a heat spreader (20), a package substrate (18) having a substrate ground (18G), and a grounding conductive segment (44A), includes (i) an input conductive segment (38) that is electrically connected to the heat spreader (20), (ii) a test board (28) having a board ground (30), and (iii) a control system (34) that is electrically coupled to the input conductive segment (38) and the board ground (30). During testing, the device (10) is positioned so that the substrate ground (18G) is electrically connected to the board ground (30). Additionally, the control system (34) directs a test current to one of the input conductive segment (38) and the board ground (30) to test the effectiveness of the grounding conductive segment (44A) including a first electrical interface (45A). |
| US08823402B2 |
Cable resistance determination in high-power PoE networks
An exemplary implementation of the present disclosure is a power sourcing equipment (PSE) for determining a resistance of a powered cable. The PSE includes a first supply voltage to cause a first current to flow through first and second output terminals of the PSE. The PSE also includes a second supply voltage to cause a second current to flow through third and fourth output terminals of the PSE. The PSE further includes a current modulation circuit offsetting the second current from the first current to create an offset voltage between the second and the first supply voltages to determine the resistance of the powered cable. The current modulation circuit can offset the second current from the first current utilizing a variable resistance switch to adjust the second current. |
| US08823399B1 |
Detect and differentiate touches from different size conductive objects on a capacitive button
Apparatuses and methods of capacitive buttons and detecting and differentiating touches from different size conductive objects on the capacitive buttons. One apparatus includes a capacitance-sensing circuit coupled to a capacitive button. The capacitive button includes a first sense element and a second sense element. The capacitance-sensing circuit is operative to measure signals from the first sense element and the second sense element with a sensing parameter (also referred to as tuning properties) set to a first value. The signals correspond to capacitances of the first sense element and second sense element. An inner perimeter of the first sense element is disposed to surround (at least in part) an outer perimeter of the second sense element. The apparatus further includes processing logic coupled to the capacitance-sensing circuit. The processing logic is operative to detect whether the first sense element is activated by a conductive object proximate to the capacitive button based on the measured signals. The processing logic detects whether the second sense element is activated by the conductive object proximate to the capacitive button based on the measured signals. The processing logic adjusts the first value to a second value for the sensing parameter when the second sense element is activated and the first sense element is not activated. The capacitance-sensing circuit is operative to measure an additional signal from the second sense element with the sensing parameter set to the second value when the second sense element is activated and the first sense element is not activated. |
| US08823397B2 |
Interface detection
The invention relates to a method for determining a level of a material interface in a tank, by means of a radar level gauge system comprising a transceiver; a probe for guiding a transmitted electromagnetic signal towards the material interface. The probe comprises a first plurality of reference impedance transitions located above the interface at known physical distances from a reference position, and a second plurality of reference impedance transitions located below the interface at known physical distances from the reference position. The method comprising determining electrical distances to the first and second plurality of reference impedance transitions based on a signal reflected by the reference impedance transition, determining, a first and a second approximation function relating the first and second sets of electrical distance values to the physical distances; and determining the level of the material interface based on the first approximation function and the second approximation function. |
| US08823395B2 |
Electronic textile and method for determining a functional area of an electronic textile
The invention relates to a method for determining a functional area of an electronic textile (100;200). The electronic textile comprises a textile substrate having a first plurality of conductors (108a-b;202a-d), a second plurality of conductors (104a-c;204a-d), and a plurality of capacitors (112;212a-p), each capacitor comprising a conductor from the first plurality of conductors (108a-b;202a-d) and a conductor from the second plurality of conductors (104a-c;204a-d), separated by a dielectric (103a), the capacitors (112;212a-p) being distributed across substantially an entire surface of the electronic textile, wherein each capacitor (112;212a-p) has a capacitance of at least 10 pF.The method comprises, for each of the capacitors, the steps of (a) applying (301) a voltage between the conductor from the first plurality of conductors associated with the capacitor and the conductor from the second plurality of conductors associated with the capacitor, (b) detecting (302) an electrical characteristic indicative of a capacitance of the capacitor, (c) evaluating (303) the detected electrical characteristic, and (d) determining (304) whether the capacitor is included in the functional area of the electronic textile based on the evaluation.As the method takes advantages of physical characteristics inherent in the electronic textile, such as the capacitors formed between conductors in the electronic textile, no electronic devices need to be arranged on the electronic textile to determine the functional area. |
| US08823393B2 |
Device and process for touch and proximity detection
The invention relates to a device for touch/proximity detection, especially a capacitive switch device, which is designed to set switching states by approaching the switch device or by touching the switch device, in order to perform, for example, switching actions on an instrument. The invention also relates to a switch device, especially a switch device on a capacitive basis, for a cooktop, for operating the cooktop. |
| US08823392B2 |
Web-enabled controller for impedance tuner systems
A system and method for controlling an impedance tuner system. In one embodiment, a web-enabled electronic controller controls an impedance tuner system including a signal transmission line and an electronically-controllable impedance-varying system coupled to the signal transmission line for affecting the impedance presented by the signal transmission line. The controller has a communication port, and an electronic processor configured to process external command signals and generate electronic control signals to configure the impedance-varying system in response to the command signals. An electronic memory stores sets of data and one or more web pages. The controller has a communication server and is configured to receive or send signals through a communication channel from or to a client computer system. The communication server is configured to be responsive to a request message from a client computer system to send a response comprising a web page to the client computer system. The controller processes commands received from the client computer system into the electronic control signals.An exemplary embodiment of a method for controlling an impedance tuner system includes providing a web-enabled controller having a communication server, storing web pages on the controller, sending a client request to the communication server from a client computer through a communication channel, in response to the client request, sending the web page to the client computer from the impedance tuner system through the communication channel, entering user commands through the web page and transmitting signals representing the user commands to the tuner controller, and processing the user commands by the tuner controller to provide tuner drive signals to set the tuner to a state determined by the user commands. |
| US08823390B2 |
Solenoid-operated valve and method of monitoring same
A method for monitoring operation of a solenoid valve having an armature and a poppet coupled to the armature includes the steps of energizing a coil in the valve to generate a current signature reflecting current vs. time, detecting a first inflection point in the current signature, wherein the first inflection point occurs when the armature starts to move from one of the open and closed positions toward the other of the open and closed positions, and detecting a second inflection point in the current signature. The second inflection point occurs when the armature moves completely to the other of the open and closed positions. In one embodiment, the first inflection point indicates when the valve begins to open, making it possible to accurately determine the elapsed opening time of the valve. |
| US08823388B2 |
Calibration circuit and calibration method
A calibration circuit and a calibration method are provided. The calibration circuit has a delay circuit, a phase detector, and a controller. The delay circuit delays an input signal to output an output signal, wherein a delay time between the input signal and the output signal is related to an equivalent capacitance and an equivalent resistance of the delay circuit. The phase detector coupled to the delay circuit compares the phases of the input signal and the output signal. The controller coupled to the delay circuit and the phase detector generates a control signal according to the comparison result of the phase detector to adjust the equivalent resistance of the delay circuit. |
| US08823387B1 |
Blown fuse detector
A blown fuse detector of the general type which monitors voltage drop across a fuse. Embodiments of the invention in particular are applicable to medium voltage AC fuse circuits, operating within the approximate voltage range 2,400 to 38,000 volts. The blown-fuse detector includes first and second electrical connection structures for electrically connecting the first and second conductor portions to the first and second fuse terminals, respectively. A voltage differential detector circuit has first and second differential inputs and is operable to generate a detector output when the voltage across the differential inputs exceeds a predetermined of threshold voltage. First and second capacitors capacitively couple the first and second electrical connection structures to the first and second differential inputs, respectively, the capacitors serving as capacitively-coupled voltage sensors. |
| US08823383B2 |
System and method for electrostatic discharge testing of devices under test
A system and method for electrostatic discharge (ESD) testing devices under test (DUTs) uses an ESD gun attached to a robotic arm to execute ESD tests. The system and method also uses cameras positioned around a DUT placed on a testing table to define at least one test point on a surface of the DUT. Using the defined test point, as well as settings on the ESD gun and a testing process scenario that includes actions to be executed by the system, the testing process is performed by the system. |
| US08823380B2 |
Capacitive charge pump
One or more charge pumps may be used to amplify the output voltage from a chemically-sensitive pixel that comprises one or more transistors. A charge pump may include a number of track stage switches, a number of boost phase switches and a number of capacitors. The capacitors are in parallel during the track phase and in series during the boost phase, and the total capacitance is divided during the boost phase while the total charge remains fixed. Consequently, the output voltage is pushed up. |
| US08823378B2 |
System and method for inductively communicating data
A system for inductively communicating signals in a magnetic resonance imaging system is presented. The system in one embodiment includes a first array of primary coils disposed on a patient cradle of the imaging system, and configured to acquire data from a patient positioned on the patient cradle. Additionally, the system includes a second array of secondary coils disposed under the patient cradle, wherein a number of secondary coils is less than or equal to the number of primary coils, wherein the first array of primary coils is configured to inductively communicate the acquired data to the second array of secondary coils. |
| US08823377B2 |
Method and apparatus for varying adaptively pulse interval in NMR-based water content measurement
The invention relates to a NMR method for determining moisture content of a sample, in which method a sample is subjected to a magnetic DC-field, the sample under magnetic DC-field is subjected to a sequence of excitation pulses in RF-frequency with pulse interval for exciting hydrogen nuclei, and NMR signal of the excited hydrogen nuclei is measured. In accordance with the invention spin-lattice relaxation time is estimated for the sample, and pulse interval is adjusted longer than the estimated spin-lattice relaxation time. |
| US08823376B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging method
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a magnetic resonance data acquisition unit and a cerebrospinal fluid image data generation unit. The magnetic resonance data acquisition unit consecutively acquires a plurality of magnetic resonance data for generating a plurality of cerebrospinal fluid image data, each corresponding to a different data acquisition time, after a labeling pulse is applied. The cerebrospinal fluid image data generation unit generates the plurality of cerebrospinal fluid image data based on the plurality of magnetic resonance data. |
| US08823374B2 |
System for accelerated MR image reconstruction
An MR imaging system uses the multiple RF coils for acquiring corresponding multiple image data sets of the slice. An image data processor comprises at least one processing device conditioned for, generating a composite MR image data set representing a single image in a single non-iterative operation by performing a weighted combination of luminance representative data of individual corresponding pixels of the multiple image data sets in providing an individual pixel luminance value of the composite MR image data set. The image data processor reduces noise in the composite MR image data set by generating a reduced set of significant components in a predetermined transform domain representation of data representing the composite image to provide a de-noised composite MR image data set. An image generator comprises at least one processing device conditioned for, generating a composite MR image using the de-noised composite MR image data set. |
| US08823373B2 |
Dual-resonance structure and method for examining samples using a plurality of conductive strips
A double-resonance structure 10 for DNP-NMR and/or ENDOR experiments is described. The double-resonance structure 10 comprises a microwave resonator 30 for generating electromagnetic field suitable for EPR, and an HF resonator 12 for generating electromagnetic fields suitable for NMR. The HF resonator 12 comprises a plurality of electrically conductive strips 14, which are electrically connected so that an HF current can be generated in the plurality of strips 14 such that the HF currents flow in the same direction in the individual strips 14 at the same time. A section of the HF resonator 12 at the same time forms a part of the microwave resonator 30. |
| US08823370B2 |
High frequency loss measurement apparatus and methods for inductors and transformers
Core loss in an inductor is measured with reduced sensitivity to phase measurement error by connecting a reactive component to resonate with the inductor and thus cancel a portion of the reactive voltage on the inductor; reducing the phase difference between the inductor voltage and current and making the observed power more resistive. The reactive component may be a capacitor for sinusoidal excitation or an inductance such as an air core transformer for arbitrary excitation. |
| US08823369B2 |
Multi directional electromagnetic yoke for inspection of bores
A non-destructive inspection system that has particular application for inspecting a bore in a valve for defects. The system includes an inspection yoke having a ferromagnetic core, where a first coil is wound around the core in one direction and a second coil is wound around the core in an orthogonal direction so that orthogonal electromagnetic fields can be generated within the bore. A controller provides a current flow through the coils to generate the electromagnetic fields to detect defects in the bore. |
| US08823363B2 |
Electric meter equipped with a removable cover that can be positioned in two positions
An electricity meter comprising a box defining a terminal block for connection to cables and a removable cover covering the terminal block at least in part, wherein the meter includes fastener means arranged to hold said cover on a front face of the box while uncovering the terminal block and while leaving visible an inside face of the cover including means for explaining its electrical connection. |
| US08823361B2 |
Electrical current sensor device
An electrical current sensor device includes a first printed circuit board assembly, a second printed circuit board assembly positioned opposite to the first printed circuit board assembly, and a holder holding the first and second printed circuit board assemblies and providing a passage to allow an electrical conductor to pass through. The first printed circuit board assembly includes a first sensing circuit having a first element pair that includes two magnetoresistive elements with a first pinning direction, the second printed circuit board assembly comprises a second sensing circuit with a second element pair that includes having two magnetoresistive elements with a second pinning direction that is opposite to the first pinning direction, and the first and second pinning directions are perpendicular to a current direction of a current passing through the electrical conductor, the first sensing circuit electrically connects with the second sensing circuit to form a Wheatstone bridge circuit. |
| US08823360B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device comprises: a semiconductor element including an electrode; a leading line electrically connected to the electrode, passing above the electrode, and led to a side thereof; and a current sensor sensing current flowing through the leading line. The current sensor includes a magneto-resistance element placed above the electrode and below the leading line. A resistance value of the magneto-resistance element varies linearly according to magnetic field generated by the current. |
| US08823359B2 |
Three-phase electric energy measurement apparatus
This disclosure relates to a three-phase electric energy measurement apparatus, comprising: a voltage detection unit for detecting voltage of each phase in power transmitting lines where the voltage detection unit is; a current detection unit for detecting current of each phase in the power transmitting lines where the current detection unit is; an electric energy calculation unit, connected to said voltage detection unit and said current detection unit, for receiving signals outputted from said voltage detection unit and said current detection unit, and performing signal processing and calculation, and then outputting a calculation result; wherein both said voltage detection unit and said electric energy calculation unit are connected in a star connection mode, forming a common virtual ground. Through the above-mentioned grounding manner different from that in the prior art, a three-phase four-wire electric energy meter is formed using a three-phase three-wire connection method. As a result, devices required by the three-phase electric energy measurement apparatus are saved, thereby reducing manufacture costs, and meanwhile, measurement errors due to asymmetrical loads of three phases are eliminated, thereby improving the measurement accuracy. Besides this, detection of single-phase current and single-phase voltage can be realized. |
| US08823355B2 |
Feed device for the automatic shifting of objects and method for detecting a movement of a feed unit in a feed device
A feed device for the automatic shifting of objects is provided. The feed device includes a storage area or a holding element and a driven feed unit by means of which an object arranged on the storage area or at the holding element of the feed device can be shifted when the feed unit engages at the object, and wherein the feed device includes at least one electronic component which electronically detects a movement of the feed unit. The electronic component is configured such that the covering of a distance by the feed unit during movement of the feed unit is directly detected as an electric pulse and that the covering of respectively predefined distances of the feed unit generates a pulse sequence characteristic for the distances covered by the electronic component having different contact device at which in each case a pulse is generated which is characteristic for the respective contact device when the feed unit has covered a predefined distance. |
| US08823352B2 |
Switching power supply having separate AC and DC current sensing paths
In a current mode controlled switching power supply, current through the inductor is sensed to determine when to turn off or on the switching transistors. The inductor current has a higher frequency AC component and a lower frequency DC component. The AC current feedback path, sensing the ramping ripple current, is separate from the DC current path, sensing the lower frequency average current. Separating the current sensing paths allows the signal to noise ratio of the AC sense signal to be increased and allows the switching noise to be filtered from the DC sense signal. The gain of the DC sense signal is adjusted so that the DC sense signal has the proper proportion to the AC sense signal. The AC sense signal and the DC sense signal are combined by a summing circuit. The composite sense signal is applied to a PWM comparator to control the duty cycle of the switch. |
| US08823350B2 |
Switching regulator capable of turning off lower gate switch completely during activation period
A switching regulator for outputting an output voltage is disclosed. The switching regulator includes an upper gate switch, for turning on and turning off according to an upper gate control signal; a lower gate switch, coupled to the upper gate switch, for turning on and turning off according to a lower gate control signal; and a logic circuit, for generating the lower gate control signal according to a lower gate off signal. The lower gate switch turns off during an activation period of the switching regulator. |
| US08823345B2 |
Magnetic field cancellation in switching regulators
This invention uses new switching regulator structures to split single magnetic loops into multiple magnetic loops, with linked opposing magnetic fields, to cause a cancelling effect, resulting in a much lower overall magnetic field. This results in lower EMI. In one embodiment, synchronously switched transistors are divided up into parallel topside transistors and parallel bottomside transistors. The topside transistors are positioned to oppose the bottomside transistors, and bypass capacitors are connected between the pairs to create a plurality of current loops. The components are arranged to form a mirror image of the various current loops so that the resulting magnetic fields are in opposite directions and substantially cancel each other out. Creating opposite current loops may also be achieved by forming the conductors and components in a figure 8 pattern with a cross-over point. |
| US08823344B2 |
Control circuit, electronic device, and method for controlling power supply
A control circuit arranged in a power supply including first and second switches to control an output voltage of the power supply. The control circuit includes a first control circuit that switches the first and second switches in a complementary manner in accordance with a comparison result of a first reference voltage and a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage of the power supply. A first comparison circuit compares the output voltage or feedback voltage with a second reference value. A second comparison circuit compares a coupling point current flowing through a coupling point between the first and second switches with a third reference value. A second control circuit disables complementary switching of the first and second switches in accordance with an output signal from the first comparison circuit and enables the complementary switching in accordance with an output signal of the second comparison circuit. |
| US08823343B2 |
Power amplifying circuit, DC-DC converter, peak holding circuit, and output voltage control circuit including the peak holding circuit
A power amplifying circuit includes a first field effect transistor and a second field effect transistor that are connected in series, are interposed between a high potential power line and a low potential power line, and drive a load; a predriver that generates, in response to an input signal, gate voltages applied to the first field effect transistor and the second field effect transistor respectively; and a variable power source that supplies source voltages to the high potential power line and the low potential power line respectively, and is configured to control the source voltages. |
| US08823341B2 |
Switched and linear DC-DC converter with output inductor detection module
The systems and methods of auto-configurable switching/linear regulation disclosed herein enable a device to operate in both DC-to-DC switching regulation and linear regulation applications. The systems and methods disclosed herein differentiate between switching and linear mode. If the application is for a linear regulator, there will only be a capacitor on the output. If the application is for switching mode regulation, there will be an inductor and a capacitor on the output. Then based on the determination, the mode is selected and the hardware is converted into switching regulator operation or linear regulator operation. |
| US08823338B2 |
Universal single-stage power converter
A universal electrical power converter having the combined capabilities of symmetrical and asymmetrical converters, bidirectionality, and simplicity is provided with methods for controlling it in single-stage conversion. In some cases, the converter charges an inductor connected in parallel between a regulated port and an unregulated port using energy stored by a capacitor positioned in parallel between the inductor and one of the ports until the inductor has a level of current stored that corresponds to the change in voltage desired at the regulated port, then discharges stored energy into the other port until a current cutoff threshold level is reached in the inductor. In some embodiments a single stage power converter is provided having three or more ports that can be connected and disconnected from the same inductor. Converters disclosed herein can convert AC signals when there is cross switching on at least one side or branch of the converter. |
| US08823335B2 |
Switching power supply apparatus
A switching power supply is provided to supply an AC input voltage. The supply includes a control circuit configured to detect a voltage of the AC power source in a voltage waveform, and switch elements in a synchronous rectification switching mode in synchronization with polarities of the voltage waveform when the AC input voltage is equal to or greater than a predetermined voltage value. The control unit also operates the switching without synchronization with the polarities when the AC input voltage is smaller than the predetermined voltage value. |
| US08823331B2 |
Permanent magnet generator
A permanent magnet generator having the unique feature of a speed proportionally adjusted air gap for self-regulation of coil output voltage over a wide range of operating rotational speed of a steam turbine to which the invention is coupled. The Permanent Magnet Generator rotor is supported by the turbine end shaft and the stator is supported by a bracket bolted to the turbine pedestal base or other rigid structure. The speed proportional air gap is accomplished through the use of a plurality of centrifugal flyweights in mechanical coupling to a spool piece under spring load and to corresponding rare earth magnets via linkage such that increasing rotor speed extends the flyweights outward from the rotor center of rotation and draws the rare earth magnets closer to the rotor center of rotation and thus increases the air gap. |
| US08823329B2 |
Discharging of batteries
Embodiments are disclosed that relate to devices for discharging batteries. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a battery discharge device including a positive battery contact for forming an electrical contact with a positive battery terminal of a battery, a negative battery contact for forming an electrical contact with a negative battery terminal of the battery, and a battery discharge indicator including a resistive heating material in electrical communication with the positive battery contact and with the negative battery contact, and also including a reversible thermochromic indicator in thermal communication with the resistive heating material. |