| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08838629B2 |
Anonymous information exchange
A third party facilitates exchange of customer data between first and second entities while maintaining customer privacy. Personally identifiable information (PII) and first entity customer attributes of a first set of customers are received from a first entity. PII for a second set of customers is received from a second entity. First and second set common customers are identified using the PII of the first and the second set of customers. Subsequently, a list of third set of customers is sent to the second entity. The list of third set of customers includes the common customers and a plurality of other customers from the second set of customers. Second entity customer attributes are received for each customer in the list of third set of customers. Further, the first entity customer attributes of the common customers and the second entity customer attributes of the common customers are linked. |
| US08838625B2 |
Automated screen scraping via grammar induction
A method and a computer-readable medium are provided which perform screen scraping via grammar induction. The computer-readable medium stores instructions of the method, the instructions directing a computer processor to intercept display information transmitted to a computer-implemented display device representing information stored in a data source; induce a grammar via statistical analysis of the intercepted display information; provide the grammar to a parser-generator to generate a parser corresponding to the induced grammar; and perform screen scraping using the generated parser. |
| US08838619B1 |
Ranking authors and their content in the same framework
One or more server devices may simultaneously calculate first ranking scores for a group of users and second ranking scores for a group of comments authored by the group of users. The calculating may occur during a same process. The one or more server devices may further provide one of a first ranked list that includes information identifying the group of users, the information identifying the group of users being ordered based on the first ranking scores, or a second group of comments of the group of comments, the comments in the second group of comments being ordered based on the second ranking scores. |
| US08838617B2 |
Method and apparatus for searching for recommended music using emotional information of music
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for searching for recommended music using the emotional information of music and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus that enable recommended music to be searched for using mixed emotions by extracting emotional values including a valence value and an arousal value from an input search condition when a predetermined search condition is input by a user, extracting an emotion rank combination corresponding to the extracted emotional value information using an emotion model that includes mixed emotions corresponding to the emotional values, searching a music emotion DB for music information corresponding to the emotion rank combination, and outputting a recommended music list based on the results of the search, thus improving the user's satisfaction with the results of the search. |
| US08838613B1 |
Identifying trends from micro-posts
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for identifying trends via representative micro-posts. One of the methods includes identifying query terms; selecting candidate documents that satisfy one or more of the terms of the query terms; selecting, from the candidate documents, candidate documents based on a weighted-coverage function for the query terms; pairing documents from the candidate documents based on a distance between the paired documents; generating one or more clusters from the paired documents, a cluster being associated with one or more topics of the query terms; selecting from the candidate documents, one or more particular documents, for one or more clusters, based on a diversity function; and providing for presentation the particular documents as representative documents that cover one or more topics associated with the one or more clusters. |
| US08838612B2 |
Methods and systems for implementing fulfillment management
Embodiments of the invention include a method of implementing fulfillment management. The method includes receiving order information, wherein the order information includes one or more order lines, selecting at least one of the one or more order lines, scoring the one or more selected order lines, and accessing one or more rules assigned to the one or more order lines. The method further includes based on the assigned rules, defining a priority rank of each of the one or more selected order lines, specifying fulfillment of inventory based on the priority and scoring of each of the selected one or more order lines, and assigning inventory based on the specified fulfillment. |
| US08838606B1 |
Systems and methods for classifying electronic information using advanced active learning techniques
Systems and methods for classifying electronic information or documents into a number of classes and subclasses are provided through an active learning algorithm. In certain embodiments, seed sets may be eliminated by merging relevance feedback and machine learning phases. Such document classification systems are easily scalable for large document collections, require less manpower and can be employed on a single computer, thus requiring fewer resources. Furthermore, the classification systems and methods described can be used for any pattern recognition or classification effort in a wide variety of fields, including electronic discovery in legal proceedings. |
| US08838605B2 |
Methods and apparatus for distributed community finding
Methods and apparatus for a new approach to the problem of finding communities in complex networks relating to a social definition of communities and percolation are disclosed. Instead of partitioning the graph into separate subgraphs from top to bottom a local algorithm (communities of each vertex) allows overlapping of communities. The performance of an algorithm on synthetic, randomly-generated graphs and real-world networks is used to benchmark this method against others. An heuristic is provided to generate a list of communities for networks using a local community finding algorithm. Unlike diffusion based algorithms, The provided algorithm finds overlapping communities and provides a means to measure confidence in community structure. It features locality and low complexity for exploring the communities for a subset of network nodes, without the need for exploring the whole graph. |
| US08838604B1 |
Labeling events in historic news
A system identifies a set of documents from a corpus of documents that are relevant to a word, phrase or sentence and that were published at approximately a same time period, where each document of the set of documents includes news content and has an associated headline. The system extracts headlines from the set of documents and derives a score for each headline of the extracted headlines based on how many times selected words in each headline occurs among all of the extracted headlines. |
| US08838602B1 |
Systems and methods for web page grouping based on URLs
Systems and methods for webpage grouping based on URLS include receiving a uniform resource locator item; receiving a plurality of flow paths from a database, each flow path representing a path of web page visits by a user, each flow path comprising the uniform resource locator item, each flow path further comprising at least one other uniform resource locator item having a uniform resource locator prefix; defining a node for display based on the uniform resource locator prefix common to the plurality of flow paths; and generating display data comprising a representation of the uniform resource locator item and a representation of the defined node. |
| US08838600B2 |
Method for determining constraint-based relationships between devices for interacting and sharing information
The system includes a registry server and devices. The registry server is coupled to the devices for publishing or registering spots, managing places and authenticating membership and places. The registry server includes a data store for constraint metadata, an authentication module, a spot manager module, a place manager module and a query response module. The devices are adapted to collect field values, create spots, access places, and interact and share information with other spots. In one embodiment, the devices include a constraint collection module, a spot creation module, a query module, a challenge creation module, a presentation module, a challenge response module, a spot action module and a spot communication module. The present invention includes methods for creating a spot, for generating and approving a challenge, for direct communication or sharing of documents, for performing an action based upon information space membership and for searching for available places. |
| US08838597B1 |
Semantic metadata extraction
A method and apparatus for extracting metadata. The method includes the steps of capturing metadata of one or more data sources, capturing metadata of one or more data sets comprising the one or more data sources, capturing metadata of one or more fields comprising one or more of the data sets, and capturing metadata of content within zero or more of the fields. The extracted metadata is stored to a non-volatile computer readable storage medium. |
| US08838596B2 |
Systems and methods to process enquires by receving and processing user defined scopes first
An apparatus for use in managing information content in a network-based communication system. The apparatus includes a processing element that includes a processor managed and operated by an operation system (OS) software and coupled to a memory. The processing element executes a first application to call a second application for permitting the user to enter a plurality of defining terms for the second application to apply the defining terms as search filters for searching and retrieving uniform resource locators for linking to contents relevant to the defining terms entered by the user. The second application further determines whether to call the OS depending on the search filters generated from the defining terms. |
| US08838593B2 |
Method and system for storing, organizing and processing data in a relational database
A system and method of processing a data query in a data processing system is provided. The data in the data processing system includes a plurality of individual data elements. The data elements are grouped and stored in at least one data unit. The information about the at least one data unit is gathered and stored in at least one information unit. The method comprises receiving the data query to be executed; using the information in the at least one information unit to optimize and execute the query; resolving the data query; and returning results of the data query for use by the data processing system. |
| US08838591B2 |
Embedding hot spots in electronic documents
A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system includes a method, system, and computer readable medium for embedding a hot spot in an electronic document. Marks corresponding to a designation for a hot spot in an electronic document are embedded, allowing for later capture of coordinates corresponding to a printed representation of the electronic document and the hot spot. |
| US08838590B2 |
Automatic media article composition using previously written and recorded media object relationship data
Metadata is associated with media elements in a content store during automatic composition of media articles. The metadata includes relationship data indicating how what is portrayed by that media element relates to what is portrayed by one or more other media elements. Because relationship metadata is included media articles can be generated automatically with the need for the production of a detailed framework describing that media article. |
| US08838585B2 |
Project resource qualification and keyword scoring
A system and method for facilitating determining and displaying search results and accompanying scores in an enterprise computing environment. The example method includes receiving a resource request that includes one or more search criteria. The one or more search criteria includes a specification of one or more keywords and one or more resource qualifications. The method further includes determining, based on the search criteria, a qualification score for each resource indicated in a database of resources; using the qualification score to determine search results responsive to the resource request; and displaying each search result proximate to a qualification score. In a specific embodiment, the method further includes calculating the qualification score by combining components of the qualification score according to an algorithm. The components of the qualification score include a competency component and a keyword component. |
| US08838578B2 |
Interactive query plan visualization and optimization
A computer system affords a user the ability to interactively formulate, visualize, and modify query plans that are to be posed to a database. The computer system provides query visualization in the form of decision trees having nodes selectable/deselectable to search for alternative query plans with lower or minimum execution time. The estimated cost and/or the execution time of a subtree of a query plan may be mapped according to a rectangle area metaphore, with the area of a rectangle enclosed by a larger rectangle representing a parent node in the plan tree. Query plans may be saved by the system in order to facilitate their visualization, optimization, and/or modification at a later date. |
| US08838575B2 |
Generic framework for historical analysis of business objects
The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for analyzing historic changes to business objects. One method includes monitoring at least one business object for a modification made to at least one business object node attribute. In response to a monitored modification associated with a particular business object node attribute, a new historical version of the at least one business object node attribute is prepared, the new historical version of the at least one business object node attribute including the modified business object node attribute value. A previous historical version of the at least one business object node attribute is retrieved and updated in response to the monitored modification. The new historical version of the at least one business object node attribute and the updated previous historical version of the at least one business object node attribute are then stored. |
| US08838574B2 |
Autonomic index creation, modification and deletion
An index advice record engine generates and stores index advice records. An index advice policy mechanism allows a user to define an index advice policy that specifies criteria for autonomic index creation, modification and deletion. An autonomic index mechanism reads the index advice records, compares this information with the criteria in the user-defined index advice policies, and determines whether an index should be created, modified or deleted based on the information in the index advice records and the index advice policies. By automating the process of creating, modifying and deleting indexes according to user-defined policies, the preferred embodiments alleviate human users from most of the work of manually creating, modifying and deleting indexes. |
| US08838567B1 |
Customization of search results for search queries received from third party sites
A third party website provides a search interface to a general search engine. A site profile of the third party website describes various topics, keywords, or domains that are potentially relevant or of interest to users who access the third party website. The topics are associated with a topical directory, with domains associated with each topic; the domains in a given topic are given various weightings. When a search is submitted to the general search engine from the third party website via the search interface, the general search engine uses the site profile to customize the search results. The search results are customized by weighting the ranking of documents from websites associated with the topics in the site profile. The site profile can be manually or automatically constructed. |
| US08838566B2 |
Method and means for browsing by walking
A mobile station is arranged to determine its location, which is searched against street addresses from a database, and at least one matching street address is retrieved. The street address is searched on the mobile station and/or over the network. The search engine conducts a search in the mobile station file system and/or the Internet and/or a file system over the network with the at least one query term, —at least one search result is arranged to be displayed to user on the screen of the mobile station. This facilitates on-demand effortless Mobile Internet Search that allows the users to access opportunities that they did not know about, or would not have had time to find out about with minimum effort as the software of the mobile phone is scanning the Internet and information pages for these opportunities and displaying the results dynamically on the mobile phone screen. |
| US08838565B2 |
Neuroimaging database systems and methods
Systems for and methods of utilizing a neuroimaging database are presented. The systems and methods include techniques for analyzing the pathophysiological basis of a chronic brain disease and/or the effectiveness of a treatment for a chronic brain disease, obtaining data for research of a chronic brain disease, searching for chronic brain disease symptoms identified in a clinical patient, searching a database by comparing the brain scan images of patients with suspected indications of chronic brain disease with other patients in the database to identify sets of patients with similar indications in their brain scan images, displaying brain scan information regarding a person, and using image pattern matching to analyze the pathophysiological basis of a chronic brain disease and/or the effectiveness of a proposed or previously administered treatment for a chronic brain disease. |
| US08838564B2 |
Method to increase content relevance using insights obtained from user activity updates
Embodiments are directed towards ranking candidate pieces of content for publication based on a weighted combination of an “activity score” and a “trending score”. In one embodiment, the activity score measures social activity related to the content, such as how much the content has been shared, viewed, or commented on. In one embodiment, the trending score indicates a measure of trending topics contained in the content. In one embodiment, trending topics are keywords derived from an analysis of social activities across the internet, such as blog posts, wall posts, tweets, comments, ratings, tags, videos, pictures, and the like. In one embodiment, a topic is trending if it surpasses a minimum absolute threshold of social activity as well as a percentage increase in social activity. |
| US08838560B2 |
System and method for measuring the effectiveness of an on-line advertisement campaign
A system and method for modeling and optimizing the effectiveness of search engine optimization (“SEO”) initiatives and search engine marketing (“SEA”) campaigns is described. Several embodiments include methods and systems for classifying each of a plurality of websites using at least one of a plurality of classifications. Data associated with the plurality of websites is then acquired. The acquired data is then analyzed to achieve a result which may be used to model or optimize the effectiveness of the SEO initiatives and SEA campaigns. |
| US08838558B2 |
Hash lookup table method and apparatus
A method includes generating an N-bit generated hash key for an M-bit search key. A data value associated with a matching hash key stored in a content addressable memory is retrieved. The matching hash key is then validated. The content addressable memory supports 2k entries, wherein M>N>k. |
| US08838557B2 |
Automated viewable selectable change history manipulation
A set of edited changes associated with an editable file is displayed on a display associated with a computing device in response to receipt of a request via a user input device to display the plurality of edited changes. A contextual representation of the editable file is displayed. A context indicator is displayed within the contextual representation of the editable file that represents a location within the editable file associated with a first of the displayed set of edited changes. The context indicator is iteratively updated to represent a location within the editable file associated with each selected element of the displayed set of edited changes in response to detection of user selections of elements of the displayed set of edited changes received via the user input device. |
| US08838554B2 |
Systems and methods for providing content aware document analysis and modification
Systems, methods and consumer-readable media for providing content-aware document analysis and modification are provided. A system for analyzing document content according to the invention may include a rules server that stores a set of expressions. Such expressions may define predetermined confidential information and/or patterns of confidential expressions. The system may further include a communication plugin that provides a platform for incorporating the set of confidential expression patterns as part of a document-producing application. Following incorporation of the communication plugin, an inline document monitor module according to the invention may form part of the document-producing application. The inline document monitor may monitor for the occurrence of at least one of the set of confidential expression patterns in a document. |
| US08838550B1 |
Readable text-based compression of resource identifiers
Provided are techniques for compressing a text string that includes multiple parameter keys and multiple corresponding parameter values. In an example embodiment, the techniques include identifying the parameter keys and determining corresponding parameter key identifiers. In this embodiment, a first portion of a compressed URL is generated as a string of unique parameter key identifiers that corresponds to the plurality of parameter key identifiers. A second portion of the compressed URL is generated as a parameter value list that corresponds to the string of the plurality of unique parameter key identifiers and to corresponding ones of the plurality of parameter values. In addition to the foregoing, other techniques are described in the figures, description, and claims. |
| US08838542B1 |
Optimized image archiving
An optimized backup image of a virtual machine is generated. The virtual machine is associated with a virtual disk. The virtual disk includes one or more virtual volumes. Generating the optimized backup image includes excluding one or more invalid sectors of the virtual disk from the optimized backup image. |
| US08838537B2 |
System and device for data management, and method thereof
Provided are a data management method, device and system for synchronizing data without prior knowledge of the data's structure. When any application is activated, application data is created and also an application data change log is created to indicate a change in the application data. In addition, a schema table defining a data structure for storing the application data is created and also a schema table change log indicating a change in the schema table is created. Based on such data and logs, a client and a server can share data without a prior agreement in data schema. |
| US08838532B2 |
Collaborative self-service contact architecture with automatic blog content mapping capability
Resolving an issue raised by at least one user includes establishing a contact session over a communication channel for servicing the issue. The Internet is searched for content related to providing a resolution for the issue using a customized query, when a search of a database does not return results. Content obtained from at least one Internet source as a result of searching the Internet using the customized query is restructured to prepare the resolution for the issue. The at least one Internet source from which the content was obtained is updated with the resolution. |
| US08838529B2 |
Applying replication rules to determine whether to replicate objects
A source server maintains a replication rule specifying a condition for a replication attribute and a replication action to take if the condition with respect to the replication attribute is satisfied, wherein the replication action indicates to include or exclude the object having an attribute value for the replication attribute that satisfies the condition. For each of the objects, the replication rule is applied by determining an attribute value of the object corresponding to the replication attribute in the replication rule and determining whether the determined attribute value satisfies the condition for the replication attribute defined in the determined replication rule. The replication action on the object in response to determining that the determined attribute value satisfies the condition for the replication attribute. |
| US08838528B2 |
Coalescing and capturing data between events prior to and after a temporal window
Systems and methods of coalescing and capturing data between events prior to and after a temporal window are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes determining a temporal window based on one or more of a user data and an automatically generated data, coalescing data between events prior to the temporal window using a processor and a physical memory and capturing data between events after the temporal window. The coalescing data between events prior to the temporal window may be determined by a set of overlapping operations to a data set, wherein certain operations have non-overlapping sectors which are not coalesced. Shifting a data view around a recovery point through a direction-agnostic roll algorithm that may use a roll-forward algorithm to shift the data view to a time after the recovery point and/or a roll-backward algorithm to shift the data view to a time before the recovery point. |
| US08838522B1 |
Identifying user segment assignments
Disclosed are various embodiments for identifying segment assignments of users within segments of interest. Historical user behavior associated with users for whom segment assignments within segments of interest is analyzed. Probabilities associating possible segment assignments within a segment of interest with user behavior are calculated. User behavior of anonymous users and/or users for which segment assignments are unknown can be determined along with a confidence score. |
| US08838513B2 |
Adaptive analytical behavioral and health assistant system and related method of use
This present disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing an Adaptive Analytical Behavioral and Health Assistant. These systems and methods may include collecting one or more of patient behavior information, clinical information, or personal information; learning one or more patterns that cause an event based on the collected information and one or more pattern recognition algorithms; identifying one or more interventions to prevent the event from occurring or to facilitate the event based on the learned patterns; preparing a plan based on the collected information and the identified interventions; and/or presenting the plan to a user or executing the plan. |
| US08838512B2 |
Random walk on query pattern graph for query task classification
A classification process may reduce the computational resources and time required to collect and classify training data utilized to enable a user to effectively access online information. According to some implementations, training data is established by defining one or more seed queries and query patterns. A bi-partite graph may be constructed using the seed query and query pattern information. A traversal of the bi-partite graph can be performed to expand the training data to encompass sufficient data to perform classification of the present search task. |
| US08838507B2 |
Active learning decision engines
Systems and methods for active learning decision engines in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, an active learning decision engine includes equivalence class storage, hypotheses storage, edge storage, test storage, where tests are related to hypotheses, observation storage; and a processor, where the processor is configured to determine a plurality of equivalence classes containing one or more hypotheses, determine a set of edges utilizing tests, where the edges in the set of edges span hypotheses in distinct equivalence classes, determine weights for the determined edges, select a test based on the determined weights, perform the selected test and observe the results of the performed test, remove edges from the set of edges utilizing the observed results, and select a hypothesis from the one or more hypotheses using the set of edges. |
| US08838505B2 |
Schedule management system using interactive robot and method and computer-readable medium thereof
An interactive robot may audibly communicate with a user, determine whether reasoning is performed according to a reasoning weight of a schedule if there is a schedule to be recommended by the interactive robot during conversation between the interactive robot and the user, perform reasoning using information collected in a database if reasoning is necessary, and provide schedule information to the user. |
| US08838504B2 |
Map-based search for real estate service providers
A computer system for locating real estate service providers by navigating an aerial image map of a geographic region. The system determines a search region corresponding to the geographic region by use of geospatial information associated with the geographic region. Once the search region is determined, the system searches a database for real estate service providers that are associated with the search region and that satisfy certain predetermined criteria. |
| US08838503B2 |
Unified identity verification
In some example embodiments, a system and method is shown that includes receiving a purchase request through an Electronic Payment Financial Network (EPFN), the purchase request including a token to identify a merchant server. The system and method further includes comparing the token against a merchant identifier value to determine that that token is assigned to the merchant server. Additionally, the system and method includes transmitting a purchase request authorization authorizing an online transaction, where the token and merchant identifier value are equivalent. |
| US08838500B2 |
Digital data reproducing device
The present invention provides a digital data reproducing device having a simple configuration and being capable of protecting copyright of digital data such as video or audio. Content provider side embeds copyright management information (cumulative number of reproduction times, permissible number of reproduction times, etc.) into digital data that has been degraded by scrambling, and provides it to a content user. A reproducing device of the content user side causes copyright management information detection unit to detect the copyright management information, decreases the data degradation depending on result of the detection, and reproduces by data reproducing unit. |
| US08838496B2 |
Systems and method for bin-based risk managed trading
Predefined exposure limits including an actual and a permitted maximum number of owned instrument units or that an entity is exposed are used to determine trade executability. A request for strips of financial instruments is received. A stepped graph is constructed for the financial instrument based on held positions, wherein one axis of the stepped graph represents a time period covering the strip of contracts and another axis represents a total exposure to the financial instrument. The received request is compared to the stepped graph to determine whether the permitted maximum number of investment units would be violated for one or more of the first units of time should the requested trade execute. The trade is then allowed to execute if no violation is determined, and blocked otherwise. |
| US08838491B2 |
Method and system for an integrated approach to collections cycle optimization
Methods and systems are provided for an integrated approach to collections cycle optimization including optimizing personnel, communications, and collection resolutions, resulting in reducing the variability of the collections cycle, reducing instances of foreclosure in collections, while increasing borrower satisfaction with the collections process. Candidate loan officers are selected based on behavioral attributes, personnel history, and human resources information, among other factors. Scripts that improve the effectiveness of communication between loan collection staff and borrowers are generated. An optimized collection program to best suit the needs of a particular borrower is determined. |
| US08838489B2 |
On-demand generating E-book content with advertising
A method of providing fixed computer-displayable content in response to a consumer request for content is presented. Upon obtaining a digital image corresponding to the requested content, an advertisement is selected. The advertisement is to be included in an on-demand electronic content corresponding to the requested content. The advertisement is included with the digital image corresponding to the requested content. A fixed computer-displayable content corresponding to the requested content is generated. The fixed computer-displayable content is then provided to the consumer. |
| US08838486B2 |
Method and apparatus for timekeeping
For reporting, recording, and/or employee timekeeping, an exemplary time manager interface on a display of a communications device allows an employee to track his or her work time and activities. The time manager interface connects the employee to a central time manager system that tracks and records employee check-in and check-out times. The time manager interface may also permit employees to view their and other schedules. The time manager interface is able to compensate for the time spent initially connecting to the network and launching the interface by recording the network logon time as the check-in time when the difference between the network logon time and the actual reported time is below a predetermined threshold. |
| US08838485B2 |
Automated processing of digital media collections for distributed e-commerce
A method and a network device for e-commerce on a seller's website, including maintaining by an e-commerce server a catalog of products wherein each product may be ordered in conjunction with a media item and wherein the price of a product varies in accordance with the media item, receiving, by a buyer's web browser, a web page from the seller's website, the web page including at least one image, each image corresponding to a media item, enabling the buyer to select an image, said image corresponding to a desired media item, and a product, sending information about the selected image and the selected product, to the e-commerce server wherein the e-commerce server has no previous price information about said desired media item, dynamically determining, the purchase price of the selected product in conjunction with the desired media item, and enabling the buyer to specify a purchase order for the product. |
| US08838481B2 |
Method and system for location based hands-free payment
Certain aspects of a method and system for location based hands-free payment may include a network that comprises a plurality of mobile devices and a plurality of point of sale devices. A first mobile device may determine its location coordinates and communicate them to a selected point of sale device. An authorization to execute a payment transaction may be triggered on the first mobile device when it is within a defined proximity of the selected point of sale device. In another embodiment of the invention, a first point of sale device may determine the location coordinates of a selected mobile device and trigger a notification based on a generated geo-fence when the selected mobile device is within a defined proximity of the first point of sale device. |
| US08838479B2 |
System and method for enabling an advertisement to follow the user to additional web pages
A computer-implemented method and system for advertising that performs the steps of delivering an electronic advertisement comprising one or more menu options and a reference to a network location for retrieving specified content associated with each menu option for inclusion in a first electronic document, receiving a selection of one or more menu options from the electronic advertisement and delivering a subsequent accessible document including content from the referenced network location associated with the menu option selected, the subsequent accessible document including the electronic advertisement. |
| US08838477B2 |
Method and system for communicating location of a mobile device for hands-free payment
Certain aspects of a method and system for communicating location of a mobile device for hands-free payment may include a peer-to-peer ad-hoc network that comprises a plurality of mobile devices, a plurality of access points, and a plurality of point of sale (POS) devices. A first mobile device may determine its location coordinates and communicate them to a selected POS device via the peer to peer ad-hoc network. At least one of the plurality of mobile devices and/or the plurality of access points may be within a defined proximity of the selected POS device. In some instances, the first POS device may receive via one or more intermediate mobile devices in the peer-to-peer ad-hoc network, location coordinates and payment transaction information of a selected mobile device. At least one of the intermediate mobile devices may be within a defined proximity of the first POS device. |
| US08838476B2 |
Systems and methods to provide information and connect people for real time communications
Methods and apparatuses to provide communication connections at a cost reduced via advertising. One embodiment includes: receiving a request from a first user over a data communication network; response to the request, initiating a first telephonic connection to the first user and a second telephonic connection to a second user to provide a telephonic connection between the first and second users; presenting an advertisement to at least one of the first and second users; and reducing a communication fee for the telephonic connection between the first and second users using a portion of an advertisement fee charged for the advertisement. |
| US08838473B2 |
Services advertisement in a wireless mesh
A computing environment containing a mesh network that is adapted to provide a reliable transport mechanism over which services may be delivered. Nodes of the mesh can automatically select routable addresses without conflicts, which allows nodes of the mesh to be accessed, even as the mesh changes through the addition or deletion of nodes. Also, nodes communicate with a protocol that supports service advertisements. These advertisements can identify mesh nodes that supply services, such as file or print servers, for which devices that have not yet connected to the network may be searching. Advertisements can also identify services to be used by nodes in the network, allowing, for example, a node to select a gateway providing a reliable connection to an external network. The mesh network can be used as a transport for communication using protocols, such as TCP/IP, that generally exhibit poor performance when using unreliable transports. |
| US08838471B1 |
Interactive use and athletic performance monitoring and reward method, system, and computer program product
A method, computer program product, and system for monitoring and rewarding athletic performance and use of a product worn by a person, thereby motivating use of the product and promoting customer loyalty. The present invention includes and system and method for measuring, tracking, and recording use of the product, preferably related to the athletic performance of an athlete, using a portable, remote device; transferring that data from the remote device to a common location, such as an Internet web site service; calculating, assigning, and tracking rewards based on the level of use determined from the data; and allowing the user to redeem his or her rewards or compare his or her performance level with other athletes using other remote devices. |
| US08838468B2 |
System and method for analyzing and managing business performance
A system and method for analyzing and managing business performance by designing and evaluating the performance of a business process model comprising a flow of business tasks and artifact sources that generate business artifacts. Business processes may be parsed to identify transformation opportunities meeting transformation conditions specified in a transformation knowledge. One or more identified transformation opportunities may be adopted, and parts of the process may be transformed according to transformation rules specified in a transformation knowledge. Analytics and computer simulation may be employed to evaluate business performance metrics of each of said transformed business processes. Iterative changes may be made to said business processes to manage business performance, reiterating transformation and evaluation steps until a satisfactory business process model is obtained. The resulting output is finally produced as a business process model in machine-readable format and can be deployed to a business environment. |
| US08838463B2 |
Adaptive direct transaction for network client group
Internet-based software and associated database provide group analysis overlay to monitor client-server web traffic and provide direct marketing to client group. Client car, patient, office or school sensor and interface provides overlay attribute for database comparison to classify usage pattern, location, timing, or family for targeted messaging for enhanced service from server source. Database group registry tracks client classification and provides adaptive context mapping according to set attribute relative to targeted on-line transaction. |
| US08838459B2 |
Virtual participant-based real-time translation and transcription system for audio and video teleconferences
The present disclosure describes a teleconferencing system that may use a virtual participant processor to translate language content of the teleconference into each participant's spoken language without additional user inputs. The virtual participant processor may connect to the teleconference as do the other participants. The virtual participant processor may intercept all text or audio data that was previously exchanged between the participants may now be intercepted by the virtual participant processor. Upon obtaining a partial or complete language recognition result or making a language preference determination, the virtual participant processor may call a translation engine appropriate for each of the participants. The virtual participant processor may send the resulting translation to a teleconference management processor. The teleconference management processor may deliver the respective translated text or audio data to the appropriate participant. |
| US08838451B2 |
System, methods and automated technologies for translating words into music and creating music pieces
Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for translating a natural language into music. Through systematic parsing, music compositions can be created. These compositions can be created by one or more persons who do not speak the same natural language. |
| US08838446B2 |
Method and apparatus of transforming speech feature vectors using an auto-associative neural network
Provided is a method and apparatus for transforming a speech feature vector. The method includes extracting a feature vector required for speech recognition from a speech signal and transforming the extracted feature vector using an auto-associative neural network (AANN). |
| US08838445B1 |
Method of removing contamination in acoustic noise measurements
A method for the automatic removal of speech contamination from an acoustic noise signal. The method includes the steps of: (a) receiving an input acoustic noise signal; (b) automatically detecting speech contamination in the received acoustic noise signal using a VAD; (c) automatically identifying uncontaminated segments of the received acoustic noise signal based upon a decision value output by the VAD; (d) automatically assembling a congruous uncontaminated acoustic noise signal from the identified uncontaminated segments of the received acoustic noise signal; and (e) outputting the congruous uncontaminated acoustic noise signal. Also, systems implementing such a method. |
| US08838444B2 |
Method of estimating noise levels in a communication system
A method of estimating noise in data containing voice information and noise includes receiving the data as a sequence of input values; transforming the data by applying a first non linear mapping to the input values wherein the derivative function of the mapping decreases in magnitude as the input values increase in magnitude smoothing the transformed data; and transforming the smoothed transformed data by applying a second non linear mapping that is opposite to the first non linear mapping, to determine an estimate of the noise in the inputted data. |
| US08838441B2 |
Time warped modified transform coding of audio signals
A representation of an audio signal having a first, a second and a third frame is derived by estimating first warp information for the first and second frames and second warp information for the second and third frames, the warp information describing pitch information of the audio signal. First or second spectral coefficients for first and second frames or second and third frames are derived using first or second warp information and a first or second weighted representation of the first and second frames or second and third frames, the first or second weighted representation derived by applying a first or second window function to the first and second frames or second and third frames, wherein the first or second window function depends on the first or second warp information. The representation of the audio signal is generated including the first and the second spectral coefficients. |
| US08838437B1 |
Language classifiers for language detection
Techniques for determining one or more preferred languages for a user are provided. The preferred languages may be determined based upon a set of language indicators. The language indicators are analyzed using, for example, rules-based techniques, clustering, language classifiers, and the like, or combinations thereof. Language indicators can include or be derived from information about the user's behavior, location, preferences, social connections, or other data related to the user. |
| US08838435B2 |
Communication processing
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for processing linguistic expressions (e.g., opinionated text documents). The linguistic expressions are processed by, firstly, detecting topics of interest discussed in the linguistic expressions. The sentiment, or sentiments, of an originator with respect to each of the topics detected in the linguistic expressions is then assessed. The originators are then grouped (or clustered) into one or more groups based on the similarities between the originators' respective sets of detected topics and corresponding sentiments. Semantic information is then associated with a given group. Finally, for a given member of a given group, a profile is created or updated. This profile comprises attributes that may be based on a degree of membership of the given member to the given group and the semantic information associated with the given group. |
| US08838434B1 |
Bootstrap call router to other languages using selected N-best translations
Techniques disclosed herein include systems and methods for creating a bootstrap call router for other languages by using selected N-best translations. Techniques include using N-best translations from a machine translation system so as to increase a possibility that desired keywords in a target language are covered in the machine translation output. A 1-best translation is added to a new text corpus. This is followed by selecting a subset that provides a varied set of translations for a given source transcribed utterance for better translation coverage. Additional translations are added to the new text corpus based on a measure of possible translations having words not yet seen for the selected transcribed utterances, and also based on possible translation having words that are not associated with very many or semantic tags in the new text corpus. Candidate translations can be selected from a window of N-best translations calculated based on machine translation accuracy. |
| US08838430B1 |
Detection of memory access violation in simulations
An apparatus and method for detecting memory access violations in simulations is disclosed herein. A detection tool is designed to automatically perform a violation check for each memory read or write operation simulated in a modeled system. The detection tool is capable of handling a modeled system including one or more memories and/or one or more processors. |
| US08838423B2 |
Managing an infrastructure
In a method for managing an infrastructure, a utilization of a plurality of infrastructure components in performing an objective is simulated. In addition, a resource demand for the infrastructure associated with the simulated utilization of the infrastructure components is determined and a supply of resources by a plurality of available sources to meet the determined resource demand is simulated. Moreover, at least one metric associated with the determined resource demand and the simulated supply of resources by the plurality of available sources is determined. |
| US08838412B2 |
Systems and methods for providing warning of anomalous alarm clock settings
Systems and methods relate to managing an alarm clock function of a device. The systems and methods for compare a time setting of a new alarm by a user to one or more previous times settings that the alarm has been set to determine whether to warn the user about and/or require the user to confirm the time setting of the new alarm. The systems and methods can detect a user input indicating a first time setting for the alarm clock function. Further, the systems and methods can examine the one or more previous time settings associated with the alarm clock function determine, based on the one or more previous time settings, whether to query the user to confirm an activation of the alarm clock function at the first time setting. |
| US08838411B2 |
Bed device
A bed device has a load measurement unit for generating a load signal; a first computation unit for computing a center-of-gravity variation or load variation on the basis of the load signal; a first determination unit for determining whether the computation result for the center-of-gravity variation or load variation is equal to or greater than a first threshold value; a totaling unit for totaling the number of times that the computation result is determined to be equal to or greater than the first threshold value; a second computation unit for multiplying the totaling results by coefficients for each time period and adding the results; and a second determination unit or determining a waking or sleeping state or determining a body movement or rest state of a user on the basis of whether a computation result of the second computation unit is equal to or greater than a second threshold value. |
| US08838408B2 |
Misalignment indication decision system and method
Systems and methods for deciding whether or not to indicate misalignment. In some examples, an analysis of parametric data relating to tests sensitive to misalignment is performed in order to determine which data is incongruous and to identify corresponding probes or socket contacts as suspected misaligned. In some examples, additionally or alternatively, a spatial analysis quantifies the placement of a set of identified suspected misaligned probes, which were identified from pass/fail test data and/or parametric test data, with respect to a contiguous or non-contiguous area on one or more wafers. |
| US08838406B2 |
Re-configurable test circuit, method for operating an automated test equipment, apparatus, method and computer program for setting up an automated test equipment
A re-configurable test circuit for use in an automated test equipment includes a test circuit, a test processor and a programmable logic device. The pin electronics circuit is configured to interface the re-configurable test circuit with a DUT. The test processor includes a timing circuit configured to provide one or more adjustable-timing signals having adjustable timing. The programmable logic device is configured to implement a state machine, a state sequence of which depends on one or more input signals received from the pin electronics circuit, to provide an output signal, which depends on a current or previous state of the state machine, to the pin electronics circuit in response to the signal(s) received from the pin electronics circuit. The test processor is coupled to the programmable logic device to provide at least one of the adjustable-timing signal(s) to the programmable logic device to define timing of the programmable logic device. |
| US08838405B2 |
Ultrasonic inspection equipment and ultrasonic inspection method
Ultrasonic inspection equipment facilitates alignment of display positions of three-dimensional ultrasonic inspection data and three-dimensional shape data, and quickly discriminates between a defect echo and an inner-wall echo. A computer 102A has a position correction function of correcting a relative display position between three-dimensional shape data and three-dimensional ultrasonic inspection data. A display position of the three-dimensional ultrasonic inspection data or that of the three-dimensional shape data is moved by a norm of a mean vector along the mean vector that is calculated from a plurality of vectors defined by a plurality of points selected in the three-dimensional ultrasonic inspection data and by a plurality of points selected in the three-dimensional shape data. The three-dimensional shape data and the three-dimensional ultrasonic inspection data are displayed in such a manner as to be superimposed on each other on a three-dimensional display unit 103C. |
| US08838402B2 |
Method and arrangement for voltage measurement
A method and an arrangement for voltage measurement with a transformer configuration comprising three single pole voltage transformers having tertiary windings open-delta connected with each other. The arrangement is configured to apply a correction to measured secondary voltages on the basis of one or more parameters of the voltage transformers and/or one or more quantities in a known relation to one or more parameters of the voltage transformers, one or more parameters of a circuit connected to the secondary windings and/or one or more quantities in a known relation to one or more parameters of the circuit connected to the secondary windings, and one or more parameters of a circuit connected to the tertiary windings and/or one or more quantities in a known relation to one or more parameters of the circuit connected to the tertiary windings. |
| US08838397B1 |
Representing a plot with a mini-plot
A mini-plot is generated using the actual raw measurement data, and gives a preview of a full-sized plot which is displayed when a user expresses interest in the mini-plot. In some embodiments, the mini-plot is sufficiently resolved to provide the user with graphical information about the measurement data. In some embodiments, the mini-plot is updated upon receiving new measurement data from an ongoing experiment. In some embodiments, the mini-plot is a mini-chromatogram. In some embodiments, the mini-plot is displayed in a table along with textual and/or numerical measurement data for an experiment (e.g., in listing textual and/or numerical chromatography data). |
| US08838396B2 |
Remote vehicle emissions sensing system and method for differentiating water from hydrocarbons
Water droplets in exhaust gas that is, or was, analyzed by a remote emissions sensing system are detected. The detection may be made using measurements generally captured by the remote emissions sensing system during typical operation. As such, the detection may be applied “on site” as remote emissions sensing analysis is ongoing, or may be applied post hoc from data previously acquired by a remote emissions sensing system. The detection may be implemented without requiring additional sensors, more sophisticated sensors, and/or other additional or more sophisticated equipment being included in the remote emissions sensing system. |
| US08838395B2 |
Systems and methods for intravenous drug management using immittance spectroscopy
Described herein are devices, systems, and methods for determining the composition of liquids, including the identity of one or more drugs in the liquid, the concentration of the drug, and the type of diluent using immittance spectroscopy. These devices, systems and methods are particularly useful for describing the identity and, in some variations, concentration of one or more components of a medical liquid such as intravenous fluid. In particular, described herein are devices, systems and methods that may operate in low ionic strength diluents. Also described are methods of recognizing complex immittance spectrograph patterns to determine the composition of a liquid by pattern recognition. |
| US08838390B1 |
System for gas detection, well data collection, and real time streaming of well logging data
A system for creating a log during gas detection and monitoring is disclosed herein. The system can include a gas detection and well logging device for sensing and transmitting data, which can include a processor in communication with a monitoring device. The monitoring device can monitor, acquire, and transmit data associated with a drilling operation. The processor can receive the data, calibrate the data, and log the data into files. The processor can capture sensed data based on a time event and a depth event. The processor can scale the data and form a geological-hydrocarbon log for transmission. A client device can be in communication with the gas detection and well logging device, and can have computer instructions for querying the geological hydrocarbon log, the data, and the files to obtain real time streaming data for instant display. |
| US08838389B2 |
Polar display for use with drilling tools
Various techniques for generating a polar display include a method, which involves receiving information identifying a formation property of an anomaly within a geologic formation from a measurement-while-drilling (MWD) tool that includes several sensors. The formation property is identified by at least one magnitude and at least one distance. The formation property is also identified relative to a corresponding property of the geologic formation. The method also involves receiving information identifying an azimuthal angle from the MWD tool, where the azimuthal angle relates a position of the anomalous formation to a position of a first sensor. The method then generates a graphic, based upon the at least one magnitude and the at least one distance and the azimuthal angle, and displays the graphic on a polar display, in which a center of the polar display corresponds to a location of the borehole in which the MWD tool is located. |
| US08838387B2 |
Haptic feedback enabled navigation system using short range radio technologies
The invention relates to a haptic navigation system, configured for providing a haptic instruction to a user, and to a method for providing a haptic instruction to a user. The haptic navigation system comprises a navigation module comprising a route calculation unit, configured for calculating at least one route for the user to go to a predetermined destination, and a user interaction unit, configured for capturing at least one input parameter from the user, and a feedback unit configured for receiving an instruction sent from the navigation module and for converting the instruction received into a haptic instruction such that the user find the correct route. In this way, a haptic navigation system is provided which is reliable, cost-effective to realize and can easily be integrated into existing navigation systems while at the same time making it possible to get rid of displays or voice recognition in navigation applications. |
| US08838377B2 |
Navigation device and method
A navigation device comprising a receiver for receiving signals from position sensors, memory having stored therein a seed position and map data which comprises a map of navigable routes in an area, and an output device, such as a display or speaker, for outputting a current location. The navigation device further comprises a processor for determining distance travelled and changes in orientation from the signals and estimating the current location on one of the navigable routes of the map data. The step of estimating comprises using the distance travelled and the changes in orientation to extrapolate from the seed position possible paths along the navigable routes that the navigation device may have travelled and assigning to each path a probability that the navigation device travelled that path. For changes in orientation, the processor expands each path and recalculates the probability that the navigation device travelled that path. The processor assigns the current location to be a current predicted position on the path with the highest probability. |
| US08838375B2 |
Electronic device with object guiding function and an object guiding method thereof
The present invention discloses an electronic device with object guiding function and the method thereof. In one embodiment, the electronic device includes a view window area, via which a user may watch a view. The electronic device may determine whether an object is located in the view window area when the user inputs the position of the object, and may further show an object indicating message or an object guiding message according to the determination result. Therefore, the electronic device is able to provide the user with short distance guiding function. In another embodiment, the electronic device may also show information related to the object located in the view window area, such as information about every mountain range, constellation, user's friends, or specific landmark that is located in the view window area. |
| US08838374B2 |
Automatic correction of past position errors for location and inventory tracking
A method is provided for calibrating past position estimates from a positioning system that provides real-time position estimates of a mobile object. The method first stores the real-time position estimates, which as time goes by become past position estimates and naturally form a first past trajectory depicting the past movement of the mobile object. Subsequently, a calibrated past trajectory is determined, which includes calibrated past position estimates that correspond to the same time instances as the past positions in the first past trajectory. When real-time positions have low qualities, this method calibrates them at a later time by using (higher-quality) real-time positions both before and after them. Errors in the past positions are then corrected based on the calibrated past trajectory. When used with event detectors that indicate inventory transactions, this method can correct position errors associated with inventory events so as to improve the performance of inventory tracking. |
| US08838372B2 |
Collision probability calculation apparatus for vehicle
A collision probability calculation apparatus capable of accurately calculating a collision probability that one's own vehicle will collide with an object around the own vehicle (referred to as a nearby object). In the apparatus, a position of the nearby object and a traveling speed and a traveling direction of the own vehicle are acquired. A collision probability map is generated on the basis of the traveling speed and traveling direction of the own vehicle. A width of a traveling lane of the own vehicle is acquired and the map is corrected in response to the width of the traveling lane. Thereafter, a collision probability associated with the position of the nearby object is corrected in response to the position of the nearby object. The corrected collision probability is outputted as a more accurate collision probability that the own vehicle will collide with the nearby object. |
| US08838370B2 |
Traffic flow model to provide traffic flow information
Examples of maintaining or querying a traffic database to generate a traffic flow model to provide traffic flow information and determine a per-lane route for a vehicle to travel are disclosed. |
| US08838369B2 |
Idling stop control unit and idling stop control method
An idling stop control unit (ISCU) provided in a vehicle including an air conditioner (S) which controls an air conditioning state of a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The idling stop control unit includes: idling stop prohibiting means for canceling idling stop to restart an engine (10) and prohibiting execution of idling stop when a switch for changing the air conditioning state is operated during idling stop in which the engine (10) is stopped when the vehicle is at a stop; and idling stop enabling means for automatically lifting the prohibition and enabling execution of idling stop when a predetermined condition is met. |
| US08838368B2 |
Device and method for controlling timing at which ignition is stopped when internal combustion engine becomes stopped
A control device for stopping an engine, configured in such a manner that, when, after the ignition of the engine is turned off, the throttle valve is opened to introduce air in order to avoid that a piston stops near the top dead center, the control device stops the engine without causing a misalignment of the stop position of the piston and without degrading emission quality. A device for controlling the timing at which ignition is stopped when an internal combustion engine becomes stopped is provided with: a means for sending, depending on the rotational speed (NE) of the internal combustion engine detected by a rotational speed sensor decreasing to a level lower than or equal to a predetermined value (Np) after the ignition (55) is turned off and the throttle valve (14) is closed, a signal to an actuator (18) so that the throttle valve (14) is opened in order to control the stop position of a piston; and also provided with a means for stopping the ignition of the ignition plug when the throttle valve (14) becomes opened in order to control the stop position of the piston. |
| US08838366B2 |
Hybrid drive apparatus
A hybrid drive apparatus includes an input member that is drivingly connected to a rotary electric machine and drivingly connected via an input clutch to an internal combustion engine, an output member that is drivingly connected to the input member and transmits rotation of the input member to wheels, and a control device that controls the rotary electric machine. The control device is capable of performing valve opening/closing phase control that advances or retards opening/closing phases of valve elements provided in the internal combustion engine via a valve opening/closing phase adjusting mechanism and, with the internal combustion engine in a stopped state before starting a vehicle, advances the opening/closing phases of the valve elements to bring the opening/closing phases of the valve elements into an advanced phase state relative to predetermined reference phases, thus starting the vehicle with torque of the rotary electric machine in the advanced phase state. |
| US08838362B2 |
Low-drain, self-contained monitoring device
In one aspect, a vehicle monitoring apparatus includes an interface configured to connect to a diagnostic port of a vehicle, a processor coupled to the interface and configured to communicate with the diagnostic port and a sensor coupled to the processor and configured to detect a factor indicating the presence of a driver in the vehicle. The sensor causes the apparatus to transition from a first power mode to a second power mode upon detection of the factor. The apparatus draws more power from the vehicle in the second power mode than in the first power mode. The apparatus also includes a housing that includes the processor and the sensor. |
| US08838361B2 |
Control apparatus for general-purpose engine
In an apparatus for controlling a general-purpose engine used as a prime mover of an operating machine, the apparatus regulating a throttle opening such that an engine speed is converged to a desired engine speed, calculating a basic fuel injection amount based on the engine speed and throttle opening, and controlling engine warm-up operation by correcting the basic fuel injection amount with a correction coefficient to calculate a warm-up time fuel injection amount after engine start is completed and injecting fuel by the calculated amount, a fuel injection amount with which the engine output becomes maximum is searched based on the throttle opening regulated in response to increase/decrease operation of the warm-up time fuel injection amount conducted when the engine speed is constant; and the correction coefficient is corrected using the searched fuel injection amount. With this, a warm-up correction coefficient appropriate for the engine warm-up condition can be calculated. |
| US08838358B2 |
Computer network for calculating aircraft cornering friction based on data received from an aircraft's on board flight data management system
This invention relates to a computer network for calculating the true aircraft cornering friction coefficient of an aircraft runway or taxiway using the data collected by and available in the aircraft Flight Data Recorder (FDR) or other flight data management system, for example, the Quick Access Recorder (QAR). The invention may optionally distribute to personnel in the ground operations of an airport and airline operations, including but not limited to aircraft pilots, airline operation officers and airline managers as well as airport operators, managers and maintenance crews, the most accurate and most recent information concerning the true aircraft cornering friction coefficient to aid in making better and more accurate safety and economical decisions. |
| US08838357B2 |
Braking force distribution control device for a vehicle
Disclosed is a braking force distribution control device for a vehicle which has a braking apparatus capable of individually controlling braking forces of the wheels as required. Front or rear wheels having higher braking force sharing rate being referred to control reference wheels and the front or rear wheels having lower braking force sharing rate are referred to control object wheels. A difference value between braking slip index values of the left and right wheels of said control object wheels is referred to a reference difference value. A braking force distribution control is executed on the control object wheels so that the magnitude relationship in wheel speeds of the left and right wheels of the control object wheels is converse to that of the left and right wheels of the control reference wheels. |
| US08838356B2 |
Method for controlling a vehicle having only a braked rear axle and brake slip control
A method is described for controlling a vehicle having a pressure-medium-activated brake device which includes wheel brakes and brake circuits on each side, on only at least one rear axle, and having a drive engine which drives the rear wheels of the at least one rear axle, in which the rear wheels can be optionally or automatically coupled to or decoupled from front wheels of a front axle in order to transmit driving and/or braking power. Also described is a vehicle having a brake device which includes wheel brakes and brake circuits on each side on only at least one rear axle, and having a drive engine which drives the rear wheels of the at least one rear axle, in which the rear wheels can be optionally or automatically coupled to or decoupled from the front wheels of a front axle in order to transmit driving and/or braking power. |
| US08838346B1 |
Seeder
A seeder for attaching to a tractor or another towing vehicle includes a carriage mounted on a plurality of wheels that allow the device to easily traverse roads and other terrain. Atop the carriage are a pair of bins, each for storing a discrete type of seed for dispersing into furrows. Beneath the bins are a plurality of juxtaposed seeding units for simultaneously sowing multiple, closely-spaced rows of seeds. Each seeding unit includes a furrowing assembly formed of a shaft having a plurality of cogged cutting wheels mounted thereon. Immediately trailing each cutting wheel is a spring-biased compaction wheel that compresses and covers each furrow as it is sown. Each shaft also includes a designated height-adjustment mechanism that compensates for undulating or varying terrain. Accordingly, as the carriage traverses a field, the cutting wheels create multiple, minimally-spaced furrows into which seeds are automatically dispensed; the height-adjustment mechanism automatically raises or lowers the cutting blades as underlying terrain varies to assure that all seeds are planted at a consistent depth. |
| US08838345B2 |
Automatic transmission system for bulldozer
An automatic transmission system for a bulldozer includes an automatic speed stage shifting section that switches among speed stages depending on a vehicle speed, a speed stage maintaining section that maintains a currently selected speed stage until a predetermined speed stage shifting disobedient time elapses after completion of a speed stage shifting while disobeying a switching instruction from the automatic speed stage shifting section, a load detecting section that detects a vehicle load, and a control restricting section that restricts a control processing of the maintaining section for causing it to obey the shifting section's instruction when the vehicle load is a predetermined load or greater even before the disobedient time elapses. |
| US08838343B2 |
Vehicle lamp controller, vehicle lamp system, and vehicle lamp control method
A vehicle lamp controller, a vehicle lamp system, and a vehicle lamp control method are provided. The vehicle lamp system includes an acceleration sensor, a vehicle lamp, and the vehicle controller. The controller includes a receiver configured to receive an acceleration information detected by the acceleration sensor, a control unit configured to derive a vehicle longitudinal direction acceleration and a vehicle vertical direction acceleration from the acceleration information, and to generate a control signal for instructing an adjustment of an optical axis of the vehicle lamp, based on a variation in a ratio between a temporal change amount of the vehicle longitudinal direction acceleration and a temporal change amount of the vehicle vertical direction acceleration during at least one of an acceleration and a deceleration of a vehicle, and a transmitter configured to transmit the control signal to an optical axis adjusting portion of the vehicle lamp. |
| US08838340B2 |
Electric power steering system
An electric power steering system determines a steering state of a steering wheel on the basis of a current (Im) of a motor applying assist force to a steering system and a steering speed (ωs) of the steering wheel. A state where the steering wheel is retained at a position other than a neutral position is a retained state, and a state where the steering wheel is placed at the neutral position is a neutral state. When the steering speed (ωs) is lower than a determination value (ωa) and the motor current (Im) is larger than a reference value (Ix), it is determined whether the steering state is the neutral state. When the steering speed (ωs) is lower than the determination value (ωa), the motor current (Im) is larger than the reference value (Ix), and the steering state is determined to be the neutral state at immediately preceding determination, the steering state is determined to be the neutral state. |
| US08838339B2 |
Method for determining a torque on a steering train
Disclosed is a method for determining the torque introduced into a drive train, the method including the process steps of determining angular signals with the help of two sensors between which a region of the steering train is located which is subjected to a torque evaluating the differences of the angular signals taking into account known torsional rigidity of the steering train. |
| US08838337B2 |
Vehicle automatic steering control apparatus
A vehicle control apparatus that for automatic steering control that reduces occupant discomfort and stress is provided. A lane width of a subject lane and a current in-lane ratio are detected. If an off-lane obstacle which may place stress on the occupant is present within a prescribed area, a relative position between each off-lane obstacle and the vehicle is determined. A target in-lane ratio is determined based on the relative position. Specifically, when the off-lane obstacles are present on both the left and right sides of the subject lane, the target in-lane ratio is such that lateral distances to both off-lane obstacles are equal. When the off-lane obstacle is present on only one of either the left or right of the subject lane, the target in-lane ratio is set such that a lateral position away from the off-lane obstacle by a lateral distance set in advance is the target lateral position. |
| US08838334B2 |
Device for detecting and tracking motor vehicles
A device for detecting and tracking vehicles includes a position-determining device for determining a current vehicle position, a transmitting device for transmitting the current vehicle position to a receiver via a communication channel, and a device for detecting an activated interfering transmitter and for triggering an action depending on the detection of an activated interfering transmitter. |
| US08838332B2 |
Centralized management of motor vehicle software applications and services
In one example, a network device stores a mapping of application operation modes to vehicle conditions such as a first condition of the vehicle powered but not moving and a second condition of the vehicle moving. The network device receives a wirelessly transmitted request for a particular application to utilize an interface powered by the vehicle. The network device compares an application identifier specified by the received request to the mapping. The network device then identifies a portion of the vehicle interface according to the comparison and signals control software on the vehicle to grant the particular application access to only the identified portion of the vehicle interface itself. The application can reside on the mobile device and utilize the vehicle interface as an extended interface, or the application can reside on the vehicle. |
| US08838327B2 |
Method for analyzing faults present on a platform and associated system
A method for analyzing faults present on a platform includes the following steps: (a) providing a table of correspondence between a plurality of observable symptoms on the platform (10) and the fault modes capable of creating each observable symptom; (b) measuring the observable symptoms present on the platform (10); (c) establishing at least one family of faults, including determining a list of fault modes capable of creating, alone or in combination, all of the selected present symptoms, placing each given fault mode of the group in a fault family, and grouping all of the fault modes capable of creating at least one selected present symptom shared with the given fault mode together in the same fault family as the given fault mode. The method is applicable to fault analyses on aircrafts. |
| US08838324B2 |
Monitoring and diagnosing device for working machine
Monitoring and diagnosing device including: a classification information storage section; frequency information storage section: a first data classifier section reading out reference classification information from the classification information storage section, comparing operational data, detected by a plurality of sensors and inputted in time sequence, with the reference classification information to classify the operational data, and then generating operational data classification information; a frequency comparator section compiling the operational data classification information, generating operational data frequency information by adding, to the operational data classification information, appearance frequency information for each classification of operational data, reading out reference frequency information from the frequency information storage section, and then generating operational data frequency comparison information by comparing operational data frequency information with the reference frequency information; and an abnormality diagnosing section performing an abnormality diagnosis upon the working machine by use of the operational data classification information and operational data frequency comparison information. |
| US08838322B1 |
System to automatically measure perception sensor latency in an autonomous vehicle
A vehicle may operate in an autonomous mode in an environment during a test period. The vehicle may include at least one sensor coupled to the vehicle, configured to acquire sensor data during the test period. The sensor data may include data representative of a target object in the environment. The vehicle may operate the sensor to obtain the sensor data. The vehicle may define a movement of the vehicle, determine a predicted movement of the target object in the sensor data based on the defined movement, initiate the defined movement of the vehicle at an initiation time during the test period, complete the defined movement of the vehicle at a completion time during the test period, analyze the sensor data obtained during the test period, and determine a latency of the at least one sensor based on the analyzed data. |
| US08838321B1 |
Modifying a vehicle state based on the presence of a special-purpose vehicle
A method is provided that includes receiving user input identifying a travel destination for a first vehicle, determining, by a processor, a first route for the first vehicle to follow, and configuring the first vehicle to follow the first route. The method further includes obtaining a model for a second vehicle that shares a road with the first vehicle and comparing model to a pre-determined template for a vehicle that is known to be a special purpose vehicle in order to determine whether the first template and the second template match. The method further includes determining, by the processor, a second route that leads to the travel destination, when a match is found to exist, and switching the first vehicle from following the first route to following the second route. |
| US08838317B2 |
Hybrid-vehicle control device
Provided is a hybrid-vehicle control device that can continue high-speed driving, without transitioning to the HEV mode, by raising the motor torque limit during driving in the EV mode. The hybrid-vehicle control device includes: an engine; a motor that starts the engine and that drives driving wheels; a first clutch that switches between the HEV mode and the EV mode; an automatic transmission; and an electric-vehicle mode control means. The smaller the transmission ratio of the transmission is during driving in the EV mode, the smaller the value of the engine start torque, which is reserved for transitioning to the HEV mode, is made by the electric-vehicle mode control means. |
| US08838315B2 |
System and method for indicating delay in implementation of an energy-expending action in a powered vehicle system
A method for operation of a vehicle by a control system is provided. The method comprises indicating to a vehicle operator a delay in implementation of an energy-expending action in a powered vehicle system in response to receiving an implementation request from an input device based on vehicle energy usage via a delay indicator. |
| US08838314B2 |
Control system for equipment on a vehicle with a hybrid-electric powertrain and an electronically controlled combination valve
A control system for a hydraulic system comprises an electronic control module, an electronic system controller, a remote power module, and a solenoid valve. The electronic control module monitors torque output of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and generator. The electronic system controller monitors torque demand of a first and a second hydraulic circuit. The remote power module is in electrical communication with the electronic system controller. The solenoid valve is in electrical communication with the remote power module. The solenoid valve connects to a combination valve and has a first open position and a closed position. The combination valve is in fluid communication with a first hydraulic circuit and a second hydraulic circuit. The solenoid valve moves to the open position in response to an output signal from the electronic system controller. |
| US08838311B2 |
Vehicle having independently driven and controlled right and left drive wheels
A self-propelled vehicle includes a maneuvering unit, a drive unit including first and second drive sections, which are driven and controlled by drive wheel control commands, a drive wheel unit including left and right drive wheels driven by the first and second drive sections, respectively, at least one caster wheel which is controlled by a caster wheel control command, a bank detector for detecting a degree of bank of the vehicle and a control unit including a drive wheel control section for generating the drive wheel control commands. The control unit further includes a caster wheel control section which generates the caster wheel control command for controlling the steering angle of the caster wheel during a bank traversing travel, based on the bank degree so as to resolve a difference between a target travel and the actual travel which occurs during the bank traversing travel. |
| US08838310B2 |
Control device for hybrid vehicle and control method for hybrid vehicle
A control device for a hybrid vehicle causes the hybrid vehicle to travel in limp-home mode with motive power from an engine when either a motor or a battery for travel cannot be used. The engine incorporated in the hybrid vehicle includes an EGR device for recirculating part of exhaust gas to an intake system of the engine again. Even if an operation state of the engine satisfies a prescribed EGR permission condition for operating the EGR device, during the travel in limp-home mode with an abnormality detection flag being set to 1, the control device prohibits operation of the EGR device. |
| US08838305B2 |
Boat including steering load control
A boat that allows effective steering even when the motor output power is decreased due to the low battery charge includes a first predictive determination unit arranged to compare an actual charge amount of a battery supplying an electric power to a steering motor or a predicted charge amount of the battery calculated from a predicted working current with a threshold predetermined in relation to running states; a steering load detector arranged to calculate a required output value of a steering motor necessary to steer an outboard motor while the boat is under way; and a steering load controller arranged to control the required output value to be decreased from the present output value when the first predictive determination unit determines that the threshold is larger than the battery charge amount. |
| US08838304B2 |
Method for determining run-curves for vehicles based on travel time
A method reduces the computation time for determining optimal run-curves for a specific travel time of a vehicle along a route between two locations. The computation is partitioned between pre-processing and real-time steps. A set of weights μ are generated, and run-curves for the weights are obtained and stored during the pre-processing. State transition matrices can also be determined and stored during the pre-processing. During real-time, a specific travel time is obtained. The travel time is used to interpolate the weight μ for the specific travel time from the stored weights. The memory can be updated for each solution for a specific travel time to dramatically reduce the time to optimize the run-curves. |
| US08838302B2 |
System and method for asynchronously controlling a vehicle system
A method includes identifying power outputs to be provided by propulsion-generating vehicles of a vehicle system for different locations along a route and calculating handling parameters of the vehicle system at the locations along the route. The handling parameters are representative of at least one of coupler forces, coupler energies, relative vehicle velocities, or natural forces exerted on the vehicle system. The method also includes determining asynchronous operational settings for the propulsion-generating vehicles at the locations. The asynchronous operational settings represent different operational settings that cause the propulsion-generating vehicles to provide at least the power outputs at the locations while changing the handling parameters of the vehicle system to designated values at the locations. The method further includes communicating the asynchronous operational settings to the propulsion-generating vehicles in order to cause the propulsion-generating vehicles to implement the asynchronous operational settings at the different locations. |
| US08838301B2 |
Train traffic advisor system and method thereof
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and system for providing train traffic advice. According to one embodiment, train status information associated with at least one train is received at a data center hosting a train traffic advisor application. Train crossing location data is stored in a database and retrieved by the train traffic advisor application. Based on the received train status information and the train crossing location data, train traffic information associated with the at least one train is calculated. Subscribing devices are identified by the train traffic advisor application, and the train traffic information is communicated to at least one of the identified subscribing devices. |
| US08838297B2 |
Apparatus and method for forecasting geostationary satellite error
An apparatus and method for forecasting a geostationary satellite anomaly is provided. The method may include storing at least one piece of space environmental information, satellite information, and satellite anomaly event information, and estimating a satellite anomaly susceptibility to a space environmental phenomenon based on the at least one piece of space environmental information, the satellite information, and the anomaly event information. |
| US08838295B2 |
Energy protection device for an aircraft
An energy protection device includes a plurality of sensors that detect a triggering situation requiring an energy protection and a control unit that actuates an energy protection function when the triggering situation is detected and also activates an autothrottle. When the control unit begins the energy protection function, an original engagement state of the autothrottle before the triggering is stored. Thus, when the aircraft returns to an operational flight domain not requiring the energy protection function, the control unit stops the energy protection function and sets an engagement state of the autothrottle based on the stored original engagement state. |
| US08838293B2 |
Functional monitor for flight management system
The invention relates to a flight management system for aircraft which makes it possible to carry out tests of the results of the calculations of the main functions for formulating the flight plans and trajectories of the aircraft making it possible to anticipate errors in this formulation, to present them to the crew as a function of criticality criteria, to store them so as to be communicated and processed by the maintenance teams. |
| US08838289B2 |
System and method for safely flying unmanned aerial vehicles in civilian airspace
A system and method for safely flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), or remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) in civilian airspace uses a remotely located pilot to control the aircraft using a synthetic vision system during at least selected phases of the flight such as during take-offs and landings. |
| US08838287B2 |
Vehicular traveling regulation device and method for controlling vehicle
A position determination unit determines whether a present position of a vehicle deviates from a predetermined range. A direction determination unit determines whether a traveling direction of the vehicle is along a return direction, which is toward the predetermined range, on determination of the position determination unit that the present position deviates from the predetermined range. A traveling regulation unit regulates traveling of the vehicle when the direction determination unit determines that the traveling direction is not along the return direction. |
| US08838281B2 |
Automated demand response energy management system
The power flexibility of energy loads are maximized using a value function for each load and outputting optimal control parameters per load. These loads are aggregated into a virtual load by maximizing a global value function that includes the value function for each individual load. The solution yields a dispatch function providing: a percentage of energy to be assigned to each individual load, a possible time-varying power level within a time interval for each load, and control parameters and values. An economic term of the global value function represents the value of the power flexibility to different energy players. A user interface includes for each time interval upper and lower bounds representing respectively the maximum power that may be reduced to the virtual load and the maximum power that may be consumed by the virtual load. An energy trader modifies an energy level in a time interval relative to the reference curve for the virtual load. Automatically, energy compensation for the other intervals and recalculation of upper and lower boundaries occurs and is displayed. The energy schedule for the virtual load is distributed to the actual loads using the dispatch function. |
| US08838280B2 |
Internet based spa networking system having wireless spa nodes
A spa node comprising a spa controller, a power sense adapter configured to compute power being drawn by selected spa components; a spa network adapter, and a home network adapter, each of the three adapters including a wireless transceiver wherein the spa network adapter is configured to receive power data transmitted over a wireless link by the power sense adapter and to further receive status/performance data from the spa controller. The home network adapter is configured to receive power and status data transmitted by the spa network adapter over a wireless link and to convert that data to a form suitable for transmission to an Internet access point. The home network adapter is further linkable over the Internet to a central server, a dealer computer and a spa owner or user computer. |
| US08838265B2 |
Machine tool, machining method, program and NC data generation device
A work having a non-circular cross-section is machined by relative movement between the work and a tool, as the relative position and angle between the work and tool are changed at least within a plane including the cross-section of the work. In machining along a preset tool path, the difference between the relative angle at a point on the preset tool path which machining is started and that point on the preset tool path at which machining is finished is calculated. Time needed in machining along the preset tool path is equally divided by a preset number at equal time divisions, and positions on the tool path corresponding to equal time divisions are set as tool path points. When the tool moves through each point, the relative angle is continuously changed an angle corresponding to division of the difference of the relative angles by the preset number of equal time divisions. |
| US08838263B2 |
Patient specific ankle-foot orthotic device
The unique advantages of computer-controlled fabrication of a patient-specific orthotic device using an automated fabrication machine capable of following computer instructions to create 3D surface contours and new developments in non-invasive three-dimensional (3D) scanning have made it possible to acquire digital models of freeform surfaces such as the surface anatomy of the human body and to then fabricate such a patient-specific device with high precision. Such a patient-specific device brings significant improvement in patient-specific fit, comfort, and function of medical devices (and, in particular, to orthoses that require a close fit to the wearer's body to act effectively). The combination of these two technologies is ideally suited for the development of patient-specific orthotic devices.A patient specific ankle-foot orthotic device using this technology is disclosed. This exemplary device is used to help stabilize the ankle-foot region, for example, in patients with impaired gait. |
| US08838261B2 |
Audio configuration based on selectable audio modes
An operating system of a device receives, from an application executing on that device, data that identifies a category of hardware resources that the application needs to use in order to function. That category is mapped to a specified set of hardware resources of the device. The operating system also receives, from the application, data that identifies a mode. The mode corresponds to an intended use of a set of hardware resources and is mapped to a group of hardware resource settings that are consistent with the intended use. The operating system allocates, to the application, a particular set of hardware resources that are mapped to the category. The operating system configures one or more hardware resources in the particular set of hardware resources in conformity with a particular group of settings that are mapped to the mode. |
| US08838259B2 |
Frequency-specific determination of audio dose
The present disclosure relates to media players, such as portable electronic devices, vehicle audio systems, home stereo systems, etc. In particular, it relates to the management of the sound pressure level generated by portable electronic devices. A method and system for controlling the consumed audio dose of a user of a media player is described. The method comprises the steps of selecting a first frequency range from the total frequency range relevant for the human ear; of determining the audio dose already consumed by the user within the first frequency range; of evaluating the audio dose of a media track within the first frequency range and the already consumed audio dose of the user within the first frequency range; and of controlling the audio dose generated by the media player based on the evaluating step. |
| US08838257B1 |
Controller and design support apparatus
Methods, systems, and computer program products for compensating unstable linear time-invariant due to input nonlinearities are described. In one implementation, compensating a controlled device may include controlling the controlled device using feedforward control. In another implementation, compensating the controlled device may include controlling the controlled device using feedback control. |
| US08838251B2 |
Variable implantable medical device power characteristics based upon data or device type
An implantable medical device (“IMD”) as described herein includes adjustable power characteristics such as variable transmitter output power and variable receiver front end gain. These power characteristics can be adjusted in a dynamic manner based upon various operating aspects of the intended or actual IMD telemetry environment. These operating aspects may include the external telemetry device type, the IMD device type, and/or the type, context, or meaning of the telemetry data transmitted by the IMD. The IMD may process information related to these operating aspects to generate power scaling instructions or control signals that are interpreted by the IMD transmitter and/or the IMD receiver. Such adjustability enables the IMD to satisfy minimum telemetry requirements in a manner that does not waste power, thus extending the IMD battery life. |
| US08838249B2 |
Implantable tissue growth stimulator
An implantable tissue growth stimulator is disclosed. The implantable tissue growth stimulator includes electronic circuitry to alter the voltage output by the stimulator. The implantable tissue growth stimulator may he controlled from an external device via wireless communication. The implantable tissue growth stimulator may be configured for use with an implants in particular, the implantable tissue growth stimulator may be incorporated into an orthopedic device such as a hip prosthesis. The implantable tissue growth stimulator may be used to stimulate bone growth. |
| US08838248B2 |
Devices for controlling high frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain, and associated systems and methods, including simplified program selection
Selective high-frequency spinal chord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side affects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 KHz to about 50 KHz may be applied to the patient's spinal chord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and/or motor side affects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications. In particular embodiments, aspects of the foregoing modulation therapies may be implemented by systems and devices that have simplified functionalities. |
| US08838237B1 |
Summation anodal pacing to complement multisite stimulation
A device and method for cardiac pacing is disclosed in which anodal pacing of the left ventricle is provided. Anodal pacing occurs when an anodal surface area is sufficiently small to create an area of hyper-polarization of the myocardial cell membrane. This creates a virtual cathode at a location remote from the anode. The virtual cathode results in depolarization of the heart in a manner similar to the virtual cathode at the true fixed cathode. In addition a device and method for summation anodal pacing is provided in which one anode is common between two or more cathodes. This results in hyperpolarization of a larger segment of the myocardium as compared to non-summation anodal pacing and thereby forms a larger virtual electrode to enable capture of localized, discrete cardiac structures such as the bundle of His or the very proximal portions of the right and left bundles. |
| US08838227B2 |
Portable automatic brain state assessment apparatus
A method and apparatus for performing rapid brain assessment may provide emergency triage to head trauma patients by analyzing a combination of spontaneous and evoked brain potentials. The spontaneous and evoked potentials are analyzed, and the results classified, to present a real-time assessment of a patient's brain, diagnosing any potential abnormalities therein. |
| US08838222B2 |
Method for treating complex rhythm disorders
A method of treating a complex rhythm disorder of a human heart includes identifying a region of a wall of the heart having an activation trail that is rotational or radially emanating, where the activation trail is indicative of the complex rhythm disorder and is based on activation times associated with one or more activations of the heart. A portion of the region is selected based on the activation trail and modified to affect the activation trail. |
| US08838211B2 |
Multi-wavelength diagnostic imager
The present invention is a multi-wavelength diagnostic imager. In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus and method for noninvasive evaluation of a target versus a non-target, comprising: one or more light sources having at least one emission spectra directed at the target wherein the position, orientation and intensity of light sources is varied to control near-surface reflectance and are directed at less than the entire target; and one or more detectors positioned to capture light reflected from the target into two or more spatial images of the target at two or more times, wherein the spatial images are used to distinguish between the target and the non-target. |
| US08838210B2 |
Scanned laser vein contrast enhancer using a single laser
The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the practitioner in pinpointing a vein for an intravenous drip, blood test, and the like. The Miniature projection head may have a cavity for a power source or it may have a power source located in a body portion of the Miniature Vein Enhancer. The Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to one of several improved needle protectors, or the Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to a body similar to a flashlight for hand held use. The Miniature Vein Enhancer of the present invention may also be attached to a magnifying glass, a flat panel display, and the like. |
| US08838207B2 |
Radiographic image capturing apparatus
In a radiographic image capturing apparatus, an object to be examined is compressed and secured between a compression plate and an image capturing base, at a position off-center from a central position of the image capturing base near a subject in a direction along the subject. An opening is defined in the compression plate so as to confront the object to be examined in the off-center position. The radiation source irradiates the object to be examined as well as the opening with radiation from a central angle of the radiation source, which is aligned with a vertical axis of the image capturing base, and which passes through the central position from a predetermined angle that is angularly spaced from the central angle about the central position. |
| US08838206B2 |
Veress needle with illuminated tip and cavity penetration indicator
A Veress needle assembly comprises an outer steel tube with a sharpened tip at the distal end surrounding an inner rod having a blunt distal end. The proximal end of the inner rod is spring biased towards a position in which its distal end extends beyond the distal end of the outer stainless steel tube so that while piercing the wall of a body cavity the inner rod is forced upwardly against the spring bias to allow the sharpened end of the outer tube to extend into a cutting position. An indicator light supported on the proximal end of the assembly is controlled by a switch which is in a first position when the outer tube is passing through the wall of the body cavity and a second position when the outer tube enters the body cavity behind the wall, allowing the rod to move beyond the distal end of the outer tube, thereby changing the illumination of the light source so that the operator is signaled that the Veress needle has passed into the body cavity. |
| US08838202B2 |
Particle radiation therapy equipment
Particle radiation therapy equipment arranged to apply a charged particle beam to a region of application in a predetermined direction, comprising a charged particle beam source arranged to direct a charged particle beam in the predetermined direction, further comprising magnetic field generation means for generating a magnetic field in an imaging volume which includes the region of application at the same time that the charged particle beam is applied, wherein the magnetic field generation means is arranged to provide access to the region of application for the charged particle beam, and to provide a homogeneous magnetic field in the region of application of the charged particle beam, said magnetic field being directed substantially in the predetermined direction. |
| US08838201B2 |
Atlas-based analysis for image-based anatomic and functional data of organism
A non-invasive imaging system, including an imaging scanner suitable to generate an imaging signal from a tissue region of a subject under observation, the tissue region having at least one anatomical substructure and more than one constituent tissue type; a signal processing system in communication with the imaging scanner to receive the imaging signal from the imaging scanner; and a data storage unit in communication with the signal processing system, wherein the data storage unit is configured to store a parcellation atlas comprising spatial information of the at least one substructure in the tissue region, wherein the signal processing system is adapted to: reconstruct an image of the tissue region based on the imaging signal; parcellate, based on the parcellation atlas, the at least one anatomical substructure in the image; segment the more than one constituent tissue types in the image; and automatically identify, in the image, a portion of the at least one anatomical substructure that correspond to one of the more than one constituent tissue type. |
| US08838196B2 |
Nuisance alarm reductions in a physiological monitor
A method and apparatus for controlling alarms in a medical diagnostic apparatus where an alarm is generated when a measured value for a physiological parameter is outside a specified range. The method continuously calculates a baseline value, and establishes dynamic thresholds that are related to and continuously track the baseline value. The method determines the amount of time the measured value is past the dynamic threshold, and the amount by which the threshold is passed. Alarms are triggered based upon a combination of the amount of time and the amount by which the threshold is passed. Preferably, the combination is an integral or some function of an integral. |
| US08838195B2 |
Optical systems and methods for ratiometric measurement of blood glucose concentration
Novel optical devices, methods and systems relating to the detection of glucose, and more particularly to real-time glucose monitoring, are disclosed herein. More particularly, various hardware and methodological means are disclosed for ratiometric correction of optical glucose measurements for artifacts of optical systems. |
| US08838194B2 |
Joints with very low resistance between superconducting wires and methods for making such joints
In a method or joint for joining first and second semiconductor wires, each comprising a number of filaments which each comprise a superconductive core within a respective sheath, the filaments being embedded within a matrix and wherein the superconductive cores comprise magnesium diboride and the sheaths comprise niobium, over a certain length a matrix is removed to expose the filaments. The exposed filaments are immersed in molten tin such that the nobium of the sheaths is converted to niobium-tin throughout a thickness of the sheaths. A superconductive path is provided between the superconductive cores of filaments of the first wire through the niobium-tin sheaths of the filaments to the superconductive cores of the second wire. |
| US08838193B2 |
Magnetic module
A magnetic field source is provided comprising a support structure upon which is positioned a conducting surface path of superconductor material. The support structure has an at least partially radially overlapping layer of material arranged in a spiral. A corresponding conducting surface path of superconductor material is arranged on the surface of the support structure such that the conducting path has a first point for the introduction of current and a second point for the extraction of current. |
| US08838189B2 |
Customized audio/antenna module and method for making the same
The present invention relates to a method for assembling a self-contained audio/antenna module for a portable communication device, the method comprising the steps of incorporating, into the audio/antenna module, one or more transducers, said incorporation comprising, for at least one transducer, the steps of custom designing and implementing a membrane structure for the at least one transducer in accordance with design constrains provided by an audio/antenna module casing, and incorporating a standard, prefabricated magnetic circuit into the audio/antenna module, said magnetic circuit being adapted to displace the membrane structure of the at least one transducer in accordance with incoming audio drive signals. The invention further relates to an audio/antenna module manufactured according to the above-mentioned method. |
| US08838188B1 |
Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in a portable electronic device
A method and apparatus for reducing power consumption of a portable electronic device, such as a smartphone, or other portable devices when in sleep mode. A low power mode core stay alive while the electronic device is in sleep mode. When implemented in a smartphone, for example, the low power mode core may react to an incoming call so that at least part of the external memory of the smartphone may be powered down. The low power mode core may acknowledge the incoming call and provide a user interface for answering the call before the operating system is resumed, so as to keep the same or similar phone usage experience as the operating system is processing the incoming call. At the same time, the low power mode core may wake up the operating system. The same approach is applicable in monitoring devices, where the entire device need not be running. |
| US08838187B2 |
Detecting circuit for electric quantity, processing device and method for state detection of mobile telephone in standby
The present disclosure provides a processing method for detecting a state of a mobile telephone in standby, the method includes: determining whether a battery electric quantity of the mobile telephone in standby is high or low according to an electric quantity detecting circuit; determining a work state of a Modem module when the battery electric quantity of the mobile telephone is high; and determining a wakeup subsequent flow according to the determined battery electric quantity of the mobile telephone and the determined work state of the Modem module. The present disclosure further provides an electric quantity detecting circuit and a processing device for state detection of a mobile telephone in standby. |
| US08838186B2 |
Method and system for increasing power savings in a DOCSIS device
Processing circuitry in a user device detects information concerning periodic station maintenance opportunities provided by a CMTS. The processor determines a quiet interval between the end of one station maintenance opportunity and the beginning of the subsequent opportunity. If offsite power to the user device is lost, the processor counts down a predetermined amount of time with a first timer and then periodically turns off RF circuitry of the device after the ending of a maintenance opportunity that follows the counting down of the first timer. The processor then begins a second timer to count the quiet interval. After counting down the quiet interval, the processor restores battery power to the RF circuitry for the duration of the maintenance opportunity.If an off-hook condition occurs while the second counter counts down the quiet interval, the processor restores battery power to the RF circuitry. |
| US08838185B2 |
Controlling use of a communications device in accordance with motion of the device
A wireless communications device is controlled in accordance with motion thereof. If the device is determined to be in motion, such as in a vehicle, use of the device is restricted. Discrimination between vehicular motion and ambulatory motion is provided. While in motion, use of the device can be allowed under specific exception conditions. Exception conditions include the device being used by a passenger of a vehicle, a 911 call, or a call to a designated number. The ability to control the device in accordance with motion thereof can be remotely activated and deactivated, thus allowing, for example, parental control of a device belong to a child. |
| US08838183B2 |
Mobile digital communication/computing device having a context sensitive audio system
A mobile client device, such as a wireless mobile or a palm sized personal digital assistant, is provided with at least a first and second audio resources and companion programming instructions/circuitry to generate various audio signals in a more context sensitive manner, while multi-media resources are being utilized. The instructions/circuitry cause the mobile client device to determine a first audio volume level at which the mobile client device is being utilized by a user for a first audio signal. Once the first audio volume level is determined, instructions/circuitry cause a second audio signal to be provided at a second audio volume level to the user. The second audio volume level being based at least in part on the first audio volume level initially. |
| US08838180B2 |
Relational rendering with a mobile terminal
Data storing multiple contact entries is access and at least two of the contact entries are selected from the accessed data. A phone number and an image are associated with at least two selected contact entries. A relational characteristic is determined for the selected contact entries. A rendering size is determined for each of the selected contact entries of the image associated with the contact entry based on the determined relational characteristic for the contact entry. A composite display that enables concurrent rendering of the images associated with the selected contact entries is generated. The composite display renders each of the images according to its determined rendering size. Rendering of the generated composite display is enabled. |
| US08838175B2 |
Signal transmission channel
A signal transmission channel using a SIW between a transmitter and distant receiver. The SIW may include a MSL/SIW interface, be flexible, may use plug connections and/or may operate in a MMW band. |
| US08838172B2 |
Connector for connecting at least one output device to a rendering device and method for managing connections
A connector for connecting at least one output device to a rendering device, wherein the connector includes at least one detection unit for detecting at least one external signal, characterized in that the connector comprises at least one communication unit for communicating with at least one wireless communication device wirelessly, wherein the detection unit is connected to the communication unit for managing the communication unit, and a method for managing connections to an output device from a rendering and/or a communication device, wherein the output device is connected to a connector for connecting the output device to the rendering and/or communication device, characterized in that the connector upon detection of a specific external signal which was detected wirelessly activates a communication unit of the connector for communication with the communication device. |
| US08838169B2 |
Provisioning interfaces for accessing virtual private branch exchange services through a mobile device
Systems, methods and computer program products for facilitating the provisioning of a single and multi-line virtual private branch exchange (PBX) including automated call distribution via a mobile device are described. In some implementations, the provisioning of the single and multi-line virtual PBX can be achieved using one or more unique provisioning interfaces. The unique provisioning interfaces can enable the setup and configuration of a virtual PBX service account instantaneously from any geographical location at anytime. Changes made to the virtual PBX service account can be immediately reflected back (e.g., in real-time) to the system providing the core operating environment. |
| US08838164B2 |
Method for transmitting feedback information in CoMP, terminal for performing same, method for generating channel state information and base station apparatus for performing same
Disclosed are a method for estimating a channel state in a CoMP operation of a terminal and a method for generating channel state information of a base station. A terminal can measure strength or an interference level of a signal of each cell using a reference signal received from each cell for performing the CoMP operation. In addition, the terminal can measure the sum of the interference levels of the cells which do not perform the CoMP operation using a region from which a reference signal of a serving cell of each cell is transmitted. In addition, the terminal can transmit to the serving base station the strength of the interference level of the signal of each cell for performing the measured CoMP operation and the sum of the interference levels of the cells which do not perform the CoMP operation. |
| US08838163B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling power in wireless communication system
A base station in a wireless communication system and a method for controlling power by the same are provided. The method includes receiving channel state information from a mobile terminal, calculating information regarding a Modulation order Product code Rate (MPR) of the mobile terminal using the channel state information, and controlling transmission power for the mobile terminal according to the information regarding the MPR. |
| US08838160B2 |
Gating control loop technique for optimizing performance in a wireless communication network
A gating scheme in a wireless communication network is tuned according to the performance of the application used. This can mean that in some situations gating is not used at all while in other occasions gating is used where the cycle length, burst length, number of preambles and offset are adjusted. The performance is monitored and the gating is increased or decreased depending on the results of the monitoring and demands of the application. Furthermore, the gating scheme adapts to the current performance and is chosen to optimize performance in terms of system capacity. The monitoring also takes into account which of the gating cycles that needs to be changed. The algorithm is self tuning/configuring meaning that it will control the gating scheme to find and keep an optimal level for the used application. |
| US08838156B2 |
Multi-bearer rate control for transporting user plane data
An intermediary function receives a reservation request for a desired throughput from the sourcing device, and determines a set of bearers whose aggregate throughput approximates the desired throughput. The intermediary function requests from at least one access network the set of bearers whose aggregate throughput approximates the desired throughput, and receives from the at least one access network an allocated set of bearers, wherein the allocated set of bearers comprises one or more bearers. The intermediary function informs the sourcing device of an aggregate throughput of the allocated set of bearers, receives user plane data from the sourcing device, and associates the user plane data with the allocated set of bearers in order to transport the user plane data to the receiving device. Subsequent modifications to the allocated set of bearers causes the intermediary function to inform the sourcing device of the modified aggregate throughput of the allocated set of bearers. |
| US08838155B2 |
Method for updating location in a wireless communication system
A method for updating a location in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes transmitting a request message to enter idle mode, receiving a response message including an Identifier (ID) of a first paging group and an ID of a second paging group in response to the request message, activating a paging group location update timer, when the MS leaves an area of the first paging group, and updating a location according to the paging group location update timer. |
| US08838152B2 |
Modifying mobile device operation using proximity relationships
Described is a technology by which a mobile computing device such as a mobile telephone operates differently based on detected proximity to another mobile device with which the first mobile device has a defined relationship. For example, the first mobile device may transfer content to the second mobile computing device when proximity corresponds to a non-cellular communications coupling, such as Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi coupling. In this manner, content transfer is deferred until a non-cellular coupling exists. The mobile device (or both devices) may output a notification to indicate that the other mobile computing device has been detected within a threshold proximity, such as via GPS data or by being within the same cellular tower. The type and/or settings of an output notification may vary based on different thresholds. |
| US08838148B2 |
Location based wireless tower caching
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for wireless tower caching. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for wireless tower caching in a radio access network (RAN) can include receiving a response to a request from an end user device wirelessly coupled to a base station of the RAN, determining geographic positioning data for the response and identifying a most geographically wireless tower coupled to the RAN relative to the determined geographic positioning data (such as the closest wireless tower to the determined geographic positioning data). Thereafter, the response can be cached at a cache in a base station of the identified wireless tower. |
| US08838147B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining environmental context utilizing features obtained by multiple radio receivers
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to facilitate the determination of the environmental context of a mobile terminal. In this regard, the method, apparatus and computer program product may utilize the features obtained by a plurality of different types of radio receivers in order to more precisely determine the environmental context of the mobile terminal. The performance of the mobile terminal including applications executed by the mobile terminal may correspondingly be more accurately tailored to the current environmental context of the mobile terminal. |
| US08838146B2 |
Mobile terminal and schedule notifying method thereof
A mobile terminal and a schedule notifying method of the mobile terminal are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes: a wireless communication unit configured to perform radio communication with a location-based service (LBS) providing server; a controller configured to select a participant in a schedule creation mode, discriminately display whether or not the selected participant uses the LBS, registers schedule to a scheduler when creating of the schedule is completed, and acquire location information of the participant using the LBS when an alarm time of the registered schedule arrives; and an output unit configured to output a schedule notification signal and location information of the participant. |
| US08838144B2 |
Adjusting user settings on a handheld mobile communication device based upon location
A handheld electronic device that receives geo-location based signal data into a microprocessor on board the handheld electronic device. The microprocessor processes the signal data into location data representative of the present geographic location of the electronic handheld device. The microprocessor adjusts at least one user defined setting of the handheld electronic device based on whether the location data indicates that the handheld electronic device is within stored geographical boundaries. |
| US08838138B2 |
Context aware geofencing
In one embodiment an electronic device comprises a display, a motion sensor, one or more wireless communication devices, and logic configured to receive, in the controller, data indicating that the controller is in motion, determine a velocity of the controller, and activate a first location service to determine a coarse location of the controller when the velocity of the controller falls above a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time. Other embodiments may be described. |
| US08838137B2 |
Estimating the location of a wireless terminal in wireless telecommunications systems that comprise distributed and/or repeater antennas
A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are location-dependent traits of electromagnetic signals. In environments where multiple antennas are radiating the same signal, as in the case of distributed antennas or host-repeater configurations, one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal can be designated as improbable based on i) a measure of the propagation delay of a signal traveling between a) a base station and b) the wireless terminal or an infrastructure antenna, or ii) the maximum distance at which a signal is detectable by the wireless terminal. Additionally, the applicable set of values for the location-dependent traits is selected based on similar criteria. |
| US08838132B2 |
Enhanced positioning assistance data for reduced signaling
Apparatus and methods for determining a location estimate of a mobile device based on an extended set of assistance data are presented. The extended assistance data includes assistance data for base stations, such as cellular base stations and access points, not expected to be viewable by the mobile device in a (current) first geographical area but expected to be viewable by the mobile device in a (future) second geographical area. By seeding the mobile device with assistance data expected to be useful in the future, the network reduces messaging between the network and mobile device and battery consumption by the mobile device. |
| US08838128B2 |
Combined base transceiver station and base station controller call origination and termination
A system, method, and computer readable medium for a mobile origination comprises receiving an origination request message by a main call control (MCC) from a radio call control (RCC), receiving an assignment request message by the RCC from the MCC, receiving a traffic channel assign message by a channel element control (CEC) and by the MCC from the RCC, receiving a call setup message by a selector distribution unit (SDU) from the MCC, and receiving a link active message by the CEC from the SDU. |
| US08838127B2 |
Interference mitigation method in cellular wireless network, and apparatus with the same
Interference mitigation methods in a small cell wireless network are provided. In the methods, negotiations between different stations are provided for interference mitigation. By such negotiations, UL-DL configurations are chosen in considering interference between neighboring stations and the interferences therefrom are effectively mitigated. |
| US08838123B2 |
On-demand vacate mechanism for cloud spectrum services
A platform to facilitate transferring spectrum rights is provided that includes a database to ascertain information regarding available spectrum for use in wireless communications. The proposed apparatus and non-transitory machine-accessible medium defines the transactions required for release of the “rented” spectrum by clients which are using the spectrum when demanded by a primary spectrum holder to provide functionality for flexible and optimal use of spectrum on client devices. The apparatus and non-transitory machine-accessible medium coordinates scanning for available broadcast, multicast, and/or conditional access platforms, networks, and/or services, as well as maintaining connection with CSS network elements to enable flexible and optimal use of the spectrum and manages the resources among multiple radios and applications on the platform. |
| US08838122B2 |
System and method for network management
Various systems and methods for network management are disclosed. In one embodiment, a network management system comprises a receiver for receiving data from a plurality of entities, including base stations and/or subscriber handsets, a processor for generating a network map or a recommendation based on the received data, a display device for displaying the network map or recommendation, and a transmitter for transmitting instructions based on the recommendation. |
| US08838119B2 |
Method and system for dynamic cell configuration
An apparatus for adapting hyper cells in response to changing conditions of a cellular network is disclosed. During operation, the apparatus collects data regarding network conditions of the cellular network. In accordance with the collected network condition data, the apparatus changes an association of a transmit point from a second cell ID of a second hyper cell to a first cell ID of a first hyper cell. Virtual data channels, broadcast common control channel and virtual dedicated control channel, transmit point optimization, UE-centric channel sounding and measurement, and single frequency network synchronization are also disclosed. |
| US08838118B2 |
Methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system
Method and arrangement (600) in a first network node (120-1), serving a first cell (130-1), for forming a coordination group for coordinating multipoint wireless communication. The method comprising determining (502) interference within the first cell (130-1). Also, the method comprises identifying (503) a second network node (120-2), which is either transmitting radio signals causing the interference, serving a user equipment (110-1), which transmits radio signals causing the interference, or being the intended recipient of radio signals causing the interference. Additionally, the method comprises transmitting (504) a token to the identified second network node (120-2), inviting it to coordinate the wireless communication. Furthermore, in addition, if acceptance is received, the method comprises forming (505) a coordination group together with the second network node (120-2), and coordinate the wireless communication.Further, a method and arrangement (800) in a second network node (120-2) is presented. |
| US08838115B2 |
Method and apparatus for expanded data rate control indices in a wireless communication system
In one embodiment, the patent application comprises an apparatus, method and means for expanding DRC indices comprising assigning multiple DRC covers to at least one sector. In another embodiment, the apparatus, method and means for expanding DRC indices further comprises creating an expanded DRC indices list, sending a mapping of DRC covers to the expanded DRC indices list to an access terminal, and using the mapping to determine a sector and DRC index from the DRC indices list on requests for transmission from the access terminal. |
| US08838114B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficient serving cell change using multiple parallel timers
Methods and apparatus are described herein to manage a serving cell change. Timers are used to monitor one or more cells which become stronger relative to a cell which is currently the best cell. These one or more cells may be referred to as pending best cells. Further, in some aspects, additional timers can be started for any cell relative to any pending best cell when the respective cell becomes stronger than the respective pending best cell. |
| US08838110B2 |
System and method for user equipment mobility support in a heterogeneous network
A method for supporting mobility in a user equipment by a macro cell as the user equipment moves into a coverage area of a low power node includes receiving a measurement report from the user equipment, and selecting a technique for supporting mobility according to the measurement report, and a support factor of the user equipment and of a communications system where the user equipment is operating. The method also includes operating the macro cell and the low power node according to the selected technique. |
| US08838107B2 |
Anti-interference apparatus and method in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing the interference caused by a femtocell in a wireless communication system. The method comprises the steps of: measuring the intensity of a signal received from a terminal when the transmission mode is deactivated; and controlling the transmission mode to be activated according to the signal intensity, and thus has the advantage of decreasing the influence effects caused by the femtocell and reducing the power consumption in a femto base station. |
| US08838094B2 |
Acquiring information from volatile memory of a mobile device
According to various embodiments, there is provided a method of acquiring information from volatile memory of a mobile device, the method including: accessing the volatile memory of the mobile device used by an application operating on the mobile device to store communicated information with a communication device; acquiring a copy of data present in the volatile memory; and analyzing the copy of data to extract the communicated information. |
| US08838093B2 |
Method and device for monitoring wireless terminal behavior according to terminal type
One or more embodiments of a method and device taught herein provide for monitoring wireless terminal behavior in a wireless communication network, where each wireless terminal has a defined terminal type. Data describing the behavior of a plurality of wireless terminals in the wireless communication network is obtained. Based on the obtained data, an aggregated severity score for a given terminal type is determined that is indicative of the extent to which one or more of a plurality of performance criteria have not been met by wireless terminals of the given terminal type. If the aggregated severity score for the given terminal type exceeds a corresponding severity score threshold, one or more of a plurality of predefined actions are performed based on the extent to which the threshold is exceeded. |
| US08838085B2 |
Use of proximity sensors for interacting with mobile devices
Various arrangements for handling a call by a mobile device and/or selecting a function for execution by the mobile device are presented. A phone call may be commenced by a mobile device. During the phone call, the mobile device may collect proximity data that indicates the mobile device is not proximate to an ear of a user. The microphone of the mobile device may be muted in response to the proximity data that indicates the mobile device is not proximate to the ear of the user. |
| US08838081B2 |
Mobile device applications for computer-telephony systems
On a mobile telecommunications device, computer-executable code executes to facilitate interactions between the user of the mobile telecommunications device and a call center or other computer-telephony integration equipment. The computer-executable code includes instructions that request at least one operation to be performed at a call center, where the call center includes a call center controller, an interactive voice response system component, and at least one agent. At least in part, a wireless network transmits the request from the mobile telecommunications device to the call center controller. |
| US08838078B2 |
Intelligent telephone number processing
A method and apparatus of a device that converts a telephone number based on the location of a telephone is described. The device receives the telephone number, where telephone number is to be used to place a telephone call on the device. The device further determines if the telephone number is suitable to place the telephone call based on a content of the telephone number and a location of the device. If the telephone number is not suitable to place the telephone call, the device converts the telephone number to a telephone number suitable to be used to place the telephone call. |
| US08838077B2 |
Mobile services access management methods and systems
An exemplary method includes a mobile services access management system maintaining a mobile services access schedule associated with a mobile access device, the mobile services access schedule specifying one or more restricted access time periods during which access by the mobile access device to one or more mobile services requires entry of a predetermined access code, receiving a request to access at least one mobile service within the one or more mobile services during one of the one or more restricted access time periods, receiving entry of a predetermined access code in conjunction with the request, granting the mobile access device access to the at least one mobile service, and providing a notification of the access to a predetermined recipient. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. |
| US08838071B1 |
Secure communications smartphone system
Methods, systems, and non-transitory data storage media are provided for secured communications where biometrics are used to secure communications sent over a data communication path. A sender of a secured communication may identify one or more biometrics required from a recipient before the recipient is allowed to interpret, read, view, or listen to the communication. Communications secured by the present invention may include email, text messages, iMessages, files, links, Universal Resource Locators (URLs), videos, photos, attachments, or other forms of electronic data or media communications. |
| US08838068B2 |
Vehicular information receiver and vehicular information reception system
A vehicular information receiver is coupled to a portable device that receives information by paying a communication fee based on a unit packet fee. The receiver sets reception factors that affect the amount of data received by the portable device. An expected fee calculation unit calculates an expected communication fee based on the unit packet fee and an expected amount of data, which is based on the reception factors. A display unit displays the reception factors and the expected communication fee, which can be viewed by a user. Accordingly, the user is able to view the reception factors that determine the amount of data to be received and the expected communication fee associated with the data to be received, before such data is received from the portable device, thereby avoiding unexpected increases in communication fees. |
| US08838059B2 |
High-frequency circuit module
Provided is a high-frequency module that can prevent a transmission signal from reaching a reception circuit and that can achieve high mounting density. A first duplexer for a first frequency band is mounted on a circuit substrate, and a second transmission filter and a second reception filter that constitute a second duplexer for a second frequency band are embedded in the circuit substrate. The second transmission filter and the second reception filter are embedded in the circuit substrate in locations that overlap at least a part of a projection region that is formed by projecting the first duplexer in a thickness direction of the circuit substrate. The first frequency band and the second frequency band are separated from each other by at least a prescribed frequency range. |
| US08838056B2 |
Receiver circuit
A receiver circuit includes an analog front-end circuit, a first adaptation circuit, and a second adaptation circuit. A method operates the receiver circuit. The analog front-end circuit is configured to resolve an output signal from an input signal as a function of adjustable parameters. The first adaptation circuit is coupled to the analog front-end circuit and is configured to determine values of the adjustable parameters responsive to the output signal. The second adaptation circuit is coupled to the analog front-end circuit and to the first adaptation circuit. The second adaptation circuit is configured to adjust the values of the adjustable parameters responsive to one or more operating conditions of the receiver circuit. These operating conditions include a temperature and/or a power supply voltage of the receiver circuit. |
| US08838055B2 |
Dynamic sub-sampling radio frequency mixer systems and methods
A mixer, a receiver, and a method provide dynamic sub-sampling mixer which adjust a sub-sampling rate based on power drain and performance. A mixer includes mixer circuitry receiving an input of a Radio Frequency (RF) input signal and providing an output of a baseband signal of the RF input sampled at a sub-sampling rate, baseband parametric control circuitry receiving the baseband signal and measuring at least one parametric value of the baseband signal, and sampling period control circuitry receiving the at least one parametric value and adjusting the sub-sampling rate based thereon, the sub-sampling rate or ratio is adjusted minimize power drain while ensuring performance of the at least one parametric value is satisfying a predetermined level. |
| US08838053B2 |
Frequency multiplication using self-mixing
Frequency multipliers having corresponding methods and multifunction radios comprise: N multipliers, wherein N is an integer greater than one; wherein the multipliers are connected in series such that each of the multipliers, except for a first one of the multipliers, is configured to mix a periodic input signal with an output of another respective one of the multipliers; wherein the first one of the multipliers is configured to mix the periodic input signal with the periodic input signal. |
| US08838048B2 |
Radio communication apparatus, radio communication method, and non-transitory computer readable medium storing radio communication control program
A combination of antennas to be used is selected based on a distance between a plurality of antennas or the polarization direction of a radio signal to be transmitted/received. |
| US08838046B2 |
System and method of hybrid FDM/TDM coexistence interference avoidance
A hybrid FDM/TDM solution for in-device coexistence interference avoidance is proposed. A user equipment (UE) comprises a first radio transceiver and a second co-located radio transceiver. The UE detects coexistence interference between the two radios based on radio signal measurement. The UE sends an IDC interference indicator to its serving base station (eNB). The UE also reports IDC information including recommendation for FDM and TDM configurations to the eNB. The eNB receives the IDC interference indicator and evaluates whether to trigger FDM-based solution to mitigate the coexistence interference. The eNB also evaluates whether to trigger TDM-based solution to mitigate coexistence interference. The evaluation is based on the recommended FDM and TDM configurations. The eNB may trigger FDM-based solution, TDM-based solution, or FDM and TDM solution based on the evaluation results of the feasibility and effectiveness of each solution. |
| US08838044B2 |
Attenuating antenna switch and communication device
An attenuating antenna switch may be used to suppress increase in the scale and power consumption of an RFIC. The antenna switch has a first terminal, a second terminal, and an antenna terminal coupled to the first and second terminals and configured to be connected to an antenna. The first switch switches between a first state in which a high frequency signal is propagated between the first terminal and the antenna terminal, and a second state in which the high frequency signal is interrupted. A second switch switches between the first and second states between the second terminal and the antenna terminal. The first and second switches are controlled in a mutually exclusive manner such that only one of the two switches can be in the first state at any given time. When in the first state, each switch adjusts an attenuation amount of the high frequency signal. |
| US08838034B2 |
Intercell interference reduction
A distributed antenna system based wireless cellular communication system with transmit side linear interference cancellation is described. In this system the effective channel elements (I) and (II) are estimated and reported by mobile station MS1 and MS2, respectively, to a transmit weight matrix processing apparatus. Processing apparatus uses the effective complex channel matrix (one row reported by each mobile station) to differentially update the transmit weight matrix used for the transmit side linear interference cancellation. |
| US08838032B2 |
Communication terminal and communication control method
A communication terminal (10) including a first communication unit (11) and a second communication unit (12) includes a presence status detection unit (13) that detects a presence status indicating whether a distance from a personal computer (50) is inside a communication range where communication is possible or outside the communication range where communication is not possible for each of the first communication unit (11) and the second communication unit (12), and a communication status management unit (14) that, in accordance with the presence status of either communication unit (11, 12) detected by the presence status detection unit (13), causes the other communication unit (11, 12) to transition to an activation state, a standby state or a disconnection state. |
| US08838031B2 |
Alternative path configuration for peer-to-peer networking
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product are provided in which information is exchanged through peer-to-peer communication with a second wireless device using a first radio technology. The information regards at least one additional radio technology. In addition, whether to utilize a second radio technology of the at least one additional radio technology for peer-to-peer communication with the second wireless device rather than the first radio technology is determined. Furthermore, the first radio technology is utilized to exchange control information for the second radio technology. |
| US08838027B2 |
Apparatus for and method of selecting between antennas for wireless communication
A communication device comprising at least first and second antennas wherein a quality of communication between the communication device 2 and a further device 20 is assessed when using the at least first and second antennas 8, 10, 12 so as to select one of the at least first and second antennas for further communications between the communication device and the further device. |
| US08838023B2 |
Method and device for active load modulation by inductive coupling
A data emission/reception device by inductive coupling includes an inductive antenna circuit in which an antenna signal appears, a mechanism configured to for extracting a first periodic signal from the antenna signal, a synchronous oscillator receiving the first periodic signal and supplying a second periodic signal, and an active load modulation circuit configured to apply bursts of the second periodic signal to the antenna circuit. The device is configured to place the oscillator in the synchronous oscillation mode before each application of a burst of the second periodic signal to the antenna circuit, then place the oscillator in the free oscillation mode. |
| US08838022B2 |
System and method for securely pairing a wireless device using wireless communication
Various embodiments of an invention for pairing a plurality of wireless devices using wireless communications are disclosed. A method for pairing a wireless device comprises placing the wireless device in a pairing enclosure. The pairing enclosure includes a shielding layer to substantially attenuate a pairing signal emitted within the pairing enclosure. A pairing signal transmitted through the pairing enclosure is received at a pairing signal receiver configured to detect a power level of the pairing signal. An indication is made regarding whether the pairing procedure can begin, proceed, or be terminated based on the power level of the pairing signal detected by the paring signal receiver. |
| US08838015B2 |
Systems and methods for producing, delivering and managing educational material
A method includes receiving data associated with a characteristic of a set of students from a educational delivery system. The characteristic can include, for example, a demographic characteristic, a geographical location, a score of an assessment associated with a learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives, a time to complete the assessment, a number of attempts to complete the assessment and/or an indicator of knowledge of the learning objective based on prior educational experience. A first group of students and a second group of students are automatically selected from the set of students based on the data such that first group of students is substantially identical to the second group of students. A first educational material is delivered to the first group of students. A second educational material is delivered to the second group of students. |
| US08838012B2 |
Image forming apparatus with belt member pushing
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a stretched rotatable belt member; a transfer device for forming a transfer portion where a toner image is transferred from the image bearing member onto a recording material carried and conveyed on the belt member; a separation roller capable of separating the recording material from the belt member; a push-up device capable of pushing up a belt surface locally with respect to a widthwise direction of the belt member to separate the recording material from the belt member; and an execution portion for executing, when an abnormality occurs during an image forming operation, an operation in a stop mode in which the belt member is, after the image forming operation is stopped, rotated in a push-up state of the push-up device and then the rotation of the belt member is stopped. |
| US08838007B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an openable cover capable of opening and closing an opening, an image forming portion for forming a toner image on a sheet, and a cam member provided in the image forming portion for moving a contact member toward and away from an opposing member. A controller controls the image forming portion and rotation of the cam member. The controller stops an operation of the image forming portion when a detecting unit detects opening of the openable cover, and then controls rotation of the cam member at least one full turn when the detecting unit detects closing of the openable cover. |
| US08838000B2 |
Image heating device
In an image heating device (F) employing an induction heating system, which includes a heating rotary member (15, 15A) and a magnetic flux generating unit including a coil and a magnetic core (12), when an area of a surface of a leading end portion of the core (12) on a side opposed to the heating rotary member (15) is large, the time change of the magnetic flux to act on the heating rotary member does not increase. As a result, the heat generation efficiency of the heating rotary member may be suppressed. To resolve this problem, the core (12) includes a second core portion (12a) protruding toward the heating rotary member and including, on a leading end side of a convex-shaped part, a leading end protruding portion (12d) which has a width smaller than a width of a root portion (12b) of the convex-shaped part in a circumferential direction. |
| US08837994B2 |
Method for controlling image forming apparatus, and image forming apparatus
If any of a plurality of conditions is satisfied, an image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming units that form images on an intermediate transfer member in a superimposed manner detects, using a pattern detection sensor, the amount of color misregistration of the images formed by the plurality of image forming units on the intermediate transfer member and corrects the color misregistration of the images formed by the plurality of image forming units in accordance with the amount of color misregistration that is smaller than a color misregistration correction tolerance, which varies depending on the plurality of conditions, and that has been detected by the pattern detection sensor. |
| US08837991B2 |
Developing device
A developing device includes spiral wings, a forward double spiral wing, clearance portion, backward double spiral wing, and short lead backward spiral wing installed on the rotational shaft of a stirring and carrying unit. The forward and backward double spiral wings have spiral directions opposite to each other, and together are formed to have an equal lead to the spiral wings. The supplying and carrying unit is disposed above the stirring and carrying unit, and the supplying and carrying unit and the stirring and carrying unit are divided by a partition having a communication portion installed at a position corresponding to the forward and backward double spiral wings. |
| US08837988B1 |
Image reading apparatus
An image reading apparatus includes a substructure, a first opening and closing body that opens and closes the upper portion of the substructure, and a second opening and closing body that opens and closes the upper portion of the first opening and closing body, and includes a locking mechanism in which the first opening and closing body and the second opening and closing body do not enter the opened state at the same time. |
| US08837986B2 |
Developing device of image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus having an improved configuration to prevent foreign substances from accumulating on a space maintaining member used to maintain a constant distance between a photoconductor and a developer delivery member. The image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a developer delivery member to deliver and feed developer to the photoconductor, a cleaning member to remove the developer and foreign substances remaining on a surface of the photoconductor while coming into contact with the photoconductor, and a space maintaining member arranged to come into contact with the photoconductor so as to maintain a constant developing gap or developing nip between the photoconductor and the developer delivery member. The space maintaining member is located between both ends of the cleaning member. |
| US08837985B2 |
Electrophotographic member and electrophotographic apparatus
Provided is an electrophotographic member, which hardly changes in performance even when being left to stand for a long time period. The electrophotographic member comprises a support, an elastic layer formed on the support, and a surface layer covering a surface of the elastic layer and containing a urethane resin, and in which the urethane resin comprises a reaction product of: a hydroxyl group-terminated prepolymer obtained by reacting a polyester polyol with a polyisocyanate; and an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer obtained by reacting a polyester polyol with a polyisocyanate. |
| US08837984B2 |
Image forming system
An image forming system includes a first developer container, a second developer container having a capacity larger than the first developer container, and an image forming main unit having a structure configured to allow one developer container selected from a group including the first and second developer containers to be removably installed therein. Each of the first and second developer containers includes a housing configured to form a developer storage chamber in which developer is storable, and a developer agitating member. The agitating member of the first developer container has a construction equivalent to that of the second developer container. Lower portions of the housings are equally positioned relative to the corresponding agitating member and have equally shaped inner surfaces, while portions other than the lower portions of the housings are shaped differently from each other. |
| US08837981B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming unit
Image forming apparatuses include: a casing; an image forming unit removable from the casing in a first direction; and plural developer cartridges. The cartridges may be attached and detached with respect to the image forming unit in a second direction that is inclined toward the first direction. Other image forming apparatuses include: a casing; an exposure device; a plurality of cartridges configured to be attached and detached with respect to the casing in a first direction; and a recording medium transport system for transporting recording media adjacent the photosensitive members in a second direction. The first direction may be inclined with respect to the second direction, and at least a portion of optical paths of the light emitted from the exposure device may extend parallel with the first direction. Aspects also relate to image forming units, e.g., for use in image forming apparatuses as described above. |
| US08837979B2 |
Image-forming device capable of positioning developing unit and developer cartridge precisely
An image-forming device may include a casing and a developing unit that is detachably mounted in the casing and formed with a first opening. The developer unit may have a developer carrying member carrying a developer, wherein the developing unit includes one end. The image-forming device may also include a first shutter configured to open and close the first opening and a developer cartridge that is configured to be detachably mounted in the casing, accommodate the developer, and is formed with a second opening. The second opening may be in alignment with the first opening when the developing unit and the developer cartridge are mounted in the casing. The image-forming device may also include a second shutter configured to open and close the second opening. The image-forming device may also include an alignment member between the developing unit and the developer cartridge. |
| US08837977B2 |
Charging device and image forming apparatus
A charging device includes a discharge electrode that charges a surface of a rotatable image carrier and extends along the image carrier, a case that extends along and encloses the discharge electrode with a side thereof nearest to the image carrier being open, a grid electrode provided between the image carrier and the discharge electrode, a cleaning member that cleans at least one of the discharge electrode, the case, and the grid electrode by moving along the case, a regulating portion that is provided between the cleaning member and the case and regulates a distance between the cleaning member and the case in a direction orthogonal to the direction of movement of the cleaning member by coming into contact with the cleaning member or the case, and a supporting portion that supports the regulating portion and allows the regulating portion to move away from the cleaning member or the case. |
| US08837976B2 |
Sub power source-type electronic device and image forming apparatus
An electronic device includes a first voltage output part configured to output a first voltage, a second voltage output part configured to output a second voltage, a first controller configured to receive the first voltage supplied from the first voltage output part, a second controller configured to receive the first voltage supplied from the first voltage output part, and a third controller configured to receive the second voltage supplied from the second voltage output part. The first controller stops the supply of the first voltage to the second controller by the first voltage output part after the supply of the second voltage to the third controller by the second voltage output part has been stopped. |
| US08837975B2 |
Power supply circuit, image forming apparatus incorporating same, and power supply method to supply voltage to image forming apparatus
A power supply circuit includes a voltage regulator to which a first high voltage is supplied, to operate at constant voltage and regulate the supplied first high voltage, and a first rectifier circuit to which the first high voltage is supplied, connected in parallel to the voltage regulator, to rectify the supplied first high voltage for output as a first DC voltage. When the first high voltage is a pseudo-alternating-current (AC) voltage consisting of two types of high voltages that alternate, the voltage regulator regulates each of the two different types of the voltages to output a desired pseudo-AC voltage. |
| US08837970B2 |
Apparatus, methods, and systems for engaging and disengaging a fixing nip for cut sheet processing
A fixing device includes a first fixing member a second fixing member that are movable to engage and disengage a fixing nip defined by the first and second fixing member. The fixing nip is disengaged to accommodate entry and exit of a cut sheet, and engaged to accommodate warm-pressure fixing a marking material image to the cut sheet. |
| US08837968B2 |
Image formation apparatus, driving control method, and computer program product
An image formation apparatus includes an image carrier; a driving source generating a driving force for the image carrier; a drive transmission unit; a driving control unit controlling the driving source; an image formation unit forming an image on a surface of the image carrier; a transfer nip between a transfer member and the surface of the image carrier; a driving-force exerting unit exerting a driving force on any one of the image carrier and a first drive transmission member on a drive transmission path, and a specific drive transmission member imparting weakest spring characteristics among drive transmission members to a drive transmission system; a detecting unit detecting an estimation parameter used in estimating a driving-load-torque variation amount of the image carrier; a torque-variation-amount estimation unit; and a driving-force control unit controlling the driving force to cancel the driving-load-torque variation. |
| US08837967B2 |
Device for determining and adjusting transfer voltage in an imaging apparatus and a method thereof
A device and method for determining and applying a transfer voltage in an imaging apparatus is provided. A servo voltage is determined based in part upon a change in an environmental condition. A determination is made whether or not to perform a new transfer servo operation based upon at least one of an amount of time passing since the last transfer servo operation was performed and a comparison of the determined servo voltage and a servo voltage used in a prior transfer servo operation. A transfer servo operation includes charging a photoconductive drum to a charge corresponding to a printing voltage. |
| US08837966B2 |
Control apparatus and method, image forming apparatus and system, and computer readable medium
A control apparatus includes the following elements. A toner density specifying unit specifies a toner density in a developer stored in a developing device. A toner density controller performs control such that the toner density approximates a predetermined toner density target value. A first calculator calculates a first value corresponding to an image density of an image to be output after a first timing. A correction amount specifying unit specifies a correction amount for the toner density target value at the first timing. When the condition that an absolute value of a difference between the first value and a second value is greater than a predetermined threshold is satisfied, the correction amount specifying unit specifies a smaller correction amount for the toner density target value, compared with when the condition is not satisfied. A correcting unit corrects the toner density target value on the basis of the correction amount. |
| US08837959B2 |
Image forming device and method of adjusting density of formed image
An image forming device includes a toner supplying unit to supply the toner to a storage unit. A mixer supplies developer in the storage unit to a developing roller, and a developer sensor detects the amount of developer on the surface of the developing roller. A toner concentration sensor detects toner concentration in the developer stored in the storage unit, and a control unit adjusts at least one of a developing bias and a rotation speed of the mixer based on a value detected by the developer sensor and a value detected by the toner concentration sensor, such that a printed image has uniform density. |
| US08837954B2 |
Asset tracking system for rack-based enclosures
A system includes a beacon device including a communication strip having a plurality of directed light emitters distributed along the communication strip. The beacon device can transmit a directed light signal via the directed light emitters. The system further includes a tag including a processor, a radio frequency transmitter coupled to the processor, a directed light receiver coupled to the processor, and a lens having first and second major surfaces and a side surface, the tag to receive the directed light signal via the side surface and to transmit a radio frequency tag message via the radio frequency transmitter. The system also includes a radio frequency reader to receive the radio frequency tag message. |
| US08837951B2 |
40, 50 and 100 Gb/s optical transceivers/transponders in 300pin and CFP MSA modules
Disclosed by way of exemplary embodiments, a 40/50/100 Gb/s Optical Transceivers/transponders which use opto-electronic components at data rates collectively that are lower than or equal to half the data rate, using two optical duobinary carriers. More specifically, the exemplary embodiments of the disclosed optical transceivers/transponders relate to a 43 Gb/s 300pin MSA and a 43˜56 Gb/s CFP MSA module, both include a two-carrier optical transceiver and the appropriate hardware architecture and MSA standard interfaces. The two-carrier optical transceiver is composed of a pair of 10 Gb/s optical transmitters, each using band-limited duobinary modulation at 20˜28 Gb/s. The wavelength channel spacing can be as little as 19˜25 GHz. The same principle is applied to a 100 Gb/s CFP module, which is composed of four tunable 10 Gb/s optical transmitters, with the channel spacing between optical carriers up to a few nanometers. |
| US08837950B2 |
Accessing transceiver link information from host interface
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for accessing the digital diagnostic data and controller data of a remote transceiver module via the diagnostic port of a local transceiver. The invention involves modulating high-speed data and out-of-band data as a double modulated signal, wherein the out-of-band data includes the remote transceiver controller and digital diagnostic data, which is subsequently accessible by an external user device from the diagnostic port of the local transceiver. |
| US08837945B2 |
Connection management server, OLT, ONU/ONT and the system and method for providing ethernet-based PTL-PON
Provided is a passive optical network (PON) providing system of an Ethernet-based packet transport layer (PTL) scheme, including: a connection management server to manage a unified PTL connection overall over the network by establishing a PTL connection between an optical network unit (ONU)/optical network terminal (ONT) of a customer termination of one party and an ONU/ONT of a customer termination of another party, and by applying a PTL-PON scheme to a PON section between the ONU/ONT and an optical line termination (OLT); an OLT to manage a connection of a received packet, and to convert a format of the packet according to a transmission direction of the packet and thereby transmit the packet; and an ONU/ONT becoming an end point of the PTL connection to convert the format of the packet according to the transmission direction of the received packet and to thereby transmit the packet to a customer terminal or the OLT. |
| US08837941B2 |
Optical packet switching system and optical packet switching device
An optical packet switching device is provided with: a first input unit and a second input unit for receiving an optical packet signal having destination information and priority information; a first demultiplexer and a second demultiplexer for branching the optical packet signal; an optical switch unit for routing one of branched optical packet signals; a first analyzer unit and a second analyzer unit for analyzing the header of the other branched optical packet signal so as to detect the destination information and the priority information; and an output competition determination unit for checking for temporal competition of a plurality of optical packet signals based on destination information and for determining whether the optical packet signals should be transmitted or discarded based on priority information when there is competition. |
| US08837940B2 |
Methods and systems for distributing fiber optic telecommunication services to local areas and for supporting distributed antenna systems
A fiber optic network includes a fiber distribution hub including at least one splitter and a termination field; a plurality of drop terminals optically connected to the fiber distribution hub by a plurality of distribution cables; and a distributed antenna system (DAS). The DAS includes a base station and a plurality of antenna nodes. The base station is optically connected to the fiber distribution hub and the antenna nodes are optically connected to the drop terminals. Example splitters include a passive optical power splitter and a passive optical wavelength splitter. Signals from a central office can be routed through the passive optical power splitter before being routed to subscriber locations optically connected to the drop terminals. Signals from the base station can be routed through the wavelength splitter before being routed to the antenna nodes. |
| US08837939B2 |
Wavelength division multiplexing transmission system, optical channel monitor and optical channel monitoring method
A light channel monitor includes an optical separating section configured to separate a wavelength multiplexed optical signal into optical signals for channels and monitors configured to measure intensities of the optical signals for the channels. A processing section is configured to correct the measured intensities of the optical signals based on a wavelength transmission characteristic of the optical separating section to calculate the wavelength multiplexed optical signal before the separation. |
| US08837932B2 |
Camera and auto-focusing method of the camera
A camera includes a depth-sensing lens, an auto-focusing apparatus, and a display screen. In an auto-focusing method of the camera, a focusing position of the depth-sensing lens is determined when an image of the scene is shown on the display screen. The depth-sensing lens senses a depth between the object and the camera, and determines a distance between the object and the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens. An optimal focus of the camera is calculated according to the depth and the distance. The auto-focusing apparatus controls the depth-sensing lens to move from the focusing position to the optimal focus of the camera. The camera controls the depth-sensing lens to capture an image of the scene based on the optimal focus when a user presses a button of the camera. |
| US08837930B2 |
Imaging apparatus, flash device, and control method thereof
An imaging apparatus for performing wireless communication with an external device. An instruction transmitting unit transmits an operation instruction to the external device. A response signal receiving unit receives a response signal from the external device. A first controlling unit starts a first operation relating to an imaging process in a case that a first time passes from a point of receiving the response signal by the response signal receiving unit. The external device executes a second operation relating to the imaging process in a case that a second time passes from a point of transmitting the response signal from the external device to the imaging apparatus. |
| US08837927B2 |
Triaxial camera suspension unit
The invention relates to a suspension system designed for use with optical devices, such as video cameras. The camera suspension unit includes a platform, outer and middle frames, with the orthogonal intersecting axes of rotation at the midpoint of the unit, rotating drives to rotate the unit about the X, Y and Z axes all controlled by a control unit. The middle frame of the suspension unit is designed as a mechanical parallelogram, having a movable jointed foot, a piston-rod and two cranks, as well as two mechanical links, all of which have an axis of rotation parallel to the middle frame axis of rotation, which is parallel to the Y axis. The outer end of each mechanical link is fastened to a crank while the inner end is fastened to the frame. The inner ends are fastened in a rotatable manner, allowing for the rotation about an axis parallel to the axes of rotation of the cranks. The outer frame of the suspension unit, the foot of the parallelogram, two mobile mechanical links and the cranks, are all joined together, to form two parallelograms. The platform is rotatably fastened to the middle frame or parallelogram on at least one end with a piston-rod, and the axis of rotation of the platform is perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the piston-rod in relation to the cranks. The axis of rotation of the platform and cranks intersect. |
| US08837925B2 |
Refrigerant heating apparatus and method for manufacturing the same
A refrigerant heating apparatus is provided. The refrigerant heating apparatus includes a refrigerant pipe in which a refrigerant flows and a heating unit that is provided on an outer surface of the refrigerant pipe. The heating unit includes a plurality of electrodes that are provided at an outer surface of the refrigerant pipe and are spaced from each other and a plurality of carbon nanotube heating elements that are electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes. The plurality of carbon nanotube heating elements are heated by an applied power, and are disposed to be spaced from each other. |
| US08837924B2 |
Vacuum heating/cooling apparatus and manufacturing method of magnetoresistance element
The present invention provides a vacuum heating/cooling apparatus capable of rapidly heating and also rapidly cooling only a substrate while a high vacuum degree is maintained after film-formation processing. The vacuum heating/cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a vacuum chamber (1), a halogen lamp (2) which emits heating light, a quartz window (3) for allowing the heating light to enter the vacuum chamber (1), a substrate supporting base (9) having a cooling function, and a lift pin (13) which causes the substrate (5) to stand still at a heating position P3 and a cooling position P1 and moves the substrate (5) between the heating position P3 and the cooling position P1. |
| US08837920B2 |
Alternative advertising in prerecorded media
Presenting viewers with an alternative brief version of a recorded advertisement when they choose to fast-forward through or skip (or any other trick play event) the recorded advertisement. The alternative advertisement may be displayed instead of or in conjunction with the recorded advertisement (i.e., fast-forwarding advertisement is displayed in one portion of the screen (i.e., background or portion of a split screen) and the alternative brief version is displayed in another portion). The alternative brief version of the advertisement (trick play advertisement) may be a marketing message that is a static screen presenting a logo or a portion of the recorded advertisement, or may be a condensed version of the actual advertisement. The trick play advertisements may be targeted. An alternate or entirely unrelated advertisement can also be displayed as the trick play advertisement. |
| US08837918B2 |
Video recording apparatus
A video recording apparatus compresses video data so that a bit rate converges to a target bit rate while keeping a minimum image quality and records the compressed video data. The video recording apparatus (exemplified by a recording and reproducing apparatus (10)) comprises a compressing portion (exemplified by a transcoder (13)) which compresses the video data while executing a rate control including a change of a quantization step so that a bit rate in a predetermined period converges to a target bit rate; a recording portion which records the compressed data in a recording medium; and a total rate calculation portion that calculates a total bit rate of a result of compression of the video data by the compressing portion from the start of the compression to the present time. The compressing portion comprises a quantization step limiting portion which limits the changed quantization step to a predetermined upper limit lower than an upper limit changeable in the compressing portion, and a quantization step fixing portion which fixes the quantization step to the predetermined upper limit when the calculated total bit rate exceeds the target bit rate. |
| US08837909B2 |
Digital processing disruption systems
A method and apparatus are described for modifying an analogue video signal to impair its conversion to a digital signal by an analogue to digital converter. The resulting modified signal may prevent the operation of the analogue to digital converter altogether, or even if a digital signal can be output and recorded, may result in a signal which is difficult to view due to a reduction in quality on playback. The modifications made to the signal include altering the amplitude of the horizontal synchronization pulses in the original signal, and/or modifying the level of the back porch, or the region of the signal adjacent the back porch. Additionally, methods are contemplated for the use of specific response models for target analogue to digital converters, and display devices. |
| US08837905B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing movement guide in video recording device
Provided are a movement guide providing method of a video recording device. The method includes: measuring a movement speed according to a movement of the video recording device; comparing the measured movement speed value of the video recording device with a reference value; generating a guide sub screen that represents a result value of the comparing; and displaying the generated sub screen on a display main screen of the video recording device. |
| US08837902B2 |
Threshold based computer video output recording application
An application that is capable of monitoring Internet or network traffic and performing recordings of computer video output based on network activity thresholds. The recording application is typically not installed on the computer to be recorded but can reside on the computer to be recorded. The application contains a configuration interface that allows a user to set thresholds for certain types of network activity usage. When a threshold is reached, the application will begin a video recording of the computer's video activity which will be stored for later use. The application can be configured to include settings such as the length of the recording. For example, the application is a hardware appliance capable of monitoring web activity and network traffic and can connect to the computer over the network in order to perform the recording. The computer to be recorded can have specific software capable of capturing the video. |
| US08837896B2 |
Visual extender for portable devices
A portable electronic system comprises a portable electronic device having a screen and a visual extender. The visual extender has a thin film element and is coupled to the portable electronic device, positioning the thin film element to provide visual extension of the screen of the portable electronic device. |
| US08837895B2 |
Fiber holder and fiber laser apparatus
A fiber holder which can wind an optical fiber easily and accurately, and hold an optical fiber in a wound state is provided. The optical fiber is accommodated in the groove (introduction portion) formed on the fiber bobbin, after that, the bobbin cover is rotated in the rotational direction of the helical groove while the optical fiber is kept in contact with the cutout formed in the bobbin cover. With this, the optical fiber can be accommodated in the groove. Thus, the optical fiber can be wound easily and accurately, and the optical fiber can be held on the fiber bobbin. |
| US08837893B2 |
Exchange cabling
A telecommunication distribution frame is provided for optical fiber of an incoming cable. Primary and secondary flexibility suites include joined blown fiber tubes routed as desired within the installation. A continuous blown fiber unit may extend through the joined blown fiber tubes. A blown fiber tube flexibility module may have a patching panel which may be provided with connectors. Above the panel may be a set of bend control vanes or mandrels one for each of the connector sites in the panel. Patching tubes may pass down and out through an aperture at the back of the module. |
| US08837885B2 |
Optic coupler, optical fiber laser device, and active optical module using the same
The inventive concept provides optic couplers, optical fiber laser devices, and active optical modules using the same. The optic coupler may include a first optical fiber having a first core and a first cladding surrounding the first core, a second optical fiber having a second core transmitting a signal light to the first optical fiber and a third cladding surrounding the second core, third optical fibers transmitting pump-light to the first optical fiber in a direction parallel to the second optical fiber; and a connector connected between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, the connector extending the third optical fibers disposed around the second optical fiber toward the first optical fiber, the connector comprising a third core connected between the first core and the second core and a fifth cladding surrounding the third core. |
| US08837884B2 |
Optical semiconductor device, and manufacturing method thereof
The optical semiconductor device includes a spot-size converter formed on a semiconductor substrate. The spot-size converter has a multilayer structure including a light transition region. The multilayer structure includes a lower core layer, and an upper core layer having a refractive index higher than that of the lower core layer. The width of the upper core layer is gradually decreased and the width of the lower core layer is gradually increased in the light transition region. Both sides and an upper side of the multilayer structure are buried by a semi-insulating semiconductor layer in the light transition region. Light incident from one end section of the spot-size converter is propagated to the upper core layer. The light transits from the upper core layer to the lower core layer in the light transition region, is propagated to the lower core layer, and exits from the other end section thereof. |
| US08837883B2 |
Shaping laser beam launches into optical fibers to yield specific output effects
Certain embodiments may include a laser system configured to emit collimated laser light, a beam diverging element configured to diverge the laser light to yield a range of propagation angles with a maximum angle greater than zero, and fiber coupling optics configured to direct the diverged laser light towards a spot of a cross-section of a fiber core of an optical fiber. As another example, certain embodiments may include a laser system configured to emit collimated laser light, a beam shaping element configured to shape the laser light into a beam with an elliptical cross-section, and fiber coupling optics configured to direct the diverged laser light towards a spot of a cross-section of a fiber core of an optical fiber, where the spot's center point is located at a distance from the cross-section's center point. |
| US08837880B2 |
Virtual image display device
The invention is directed to provide a virtual image display device capable of setting the aspect ratio of the image light entering the eyes of the observer as a virtual image to a desired state while fulfilling the design limitations. In the invention, the aspect ratio of the virtual image can be converted to the aspect ratio (16:9) laterally longer than the aspect ratio (4:3) of the image area due to the conversion in the aspect ratio conversion optical system. Thus, the aspect ratio of the image light to be recognized by the eye of the observer as a virtual image can be adjusted to a desired state even in the case in which, for example, the lateral width of the image forming device with respect to the whole of the virtual image display device is limited by a design requirement. |
| US08837879B2 |
Optical waveguide device and optical hybrid circuit
The optical waveguide device includes a first optical coupler which branches input light and outputs first signal light and second signal light, an optical phase shifter including a first and a second optical waveguides of optical path lengths different from each other and giving a phase difference between the first signal light and the second signal light, and the second optical coupler coupling the first signal light outputted from the first optical waveguide and the second signal light outputted from the second optical waveguide. The first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide have the same waveguide width and have optical waveguides bent with substantially the same radius of curvature. |
| US08837877B2 |
Patterned non-reciprocal optical resonator
A patterned nonreciprocal optical resonator structure is provided that includes a resonator structure that receives an optical signal. A top cladding layer is deposited on a selective portion of the resonator structure. The top cladding layer is patterned so as to expose the core of the resonator structure defined by the selective portion. A magneto-optically active layer includes a magneto-optical medium being deposited on the exposed core of the resonator structure so as to generate optical non-reciprocity. |
| US08837876B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing optical and RF communication between rotating and stationary components of a rotary sensor system
Systems and methods are disclosed for implementing a rotary sensor system including rotating system components in RF signal and optical signal communication with stationary system components through a rotary coupler. The rotary coupler may be provided with an optical transmission line that passes inside or through the center of an inner conductor of a coaxial RF transmission line that itself extends across the rotational interface/s of the rotary coupler such that optical and RF signal energy may be provided simultaneously or otherwise across the rotary coupler using separate communication paths. A rotary sensor system may be further configured to convert multiple signals and/or types of signals to a common multiplexed optical signal stream for transmission together across an on-axis rotational optical interface of the rotary coupler. |
| US08837875B2 |
Optical path switch and optical router
An optical path switch and an optical router are provided. The optical path switch comprises an input optical path (100), two output optical paths (201, 202), and an optical path switching element (300). The optical path switching element selectively routes the beam from the input optical path to one of the output optical paths. The optical path switching element comprises a semiconductor substrate (301), an inter-layer dielectric layer (307) on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a cavity (302) disposed in the inter-layer dielectric layer, and an elastic light guiding plate (306) disposed in the cavity. One end of the cavity is connected with the input optical path, and the other end is separated into an upper cavity (304) and a lower cavity (305) by an isolating layer (303). |
| US08837870B1 |
Fiber coupled laser device having high polarization extinction ratio and high stability
A fiber laser device includes a laser source that can emit a source laser beam, a birefringent beam separator configured to receive the source laser beam and to split the source laser beam into an o ray and an e ray which have mutually orthogonal polarizations, and a polarization maintaining fiber comprising a fiber core characterized by a core diameter, wherein after the o ray and the e ray exit birefringent beam separator, the o ray and the e ray are separated by a distance that is larger than the fiber core of the polarization maintaining fiber. The polarization maintaining fiber is positioned to couple one of the o ray and the e ray into the fiber core. The one of the o ray and the e ray transmits through the polarization maintaining fiber to form an output laser beam. |
| US08837867B2 |
Method and system to detect and select best photographs
Disclosed is a software routine which determines which photographs in a corpus are similar, groups the similar photographs, and which then determines which photographs within a group meet criteria of “better” photographs. |
| US08837863B2 |
Signal-processing device and computer-readable recording medium with signal-processing program recorded thereon
A signal-processing device, which processes transparent images each expressed by transparent superimposition of a target such as an affected part and a background, includes a transparent image acquiring unit that acquires the transparent images each including the target at a plurality of times; a calculating unit that calculates a component of the transparent image originating from the target and a component of the transparent image originating from the background at a given time t among the plurality of times in association with estimated values of at least one of a distribution originating from the target and a distribution originating from the background and that evaluates consistency with the transparent images; and an updating unit that updates the estimated values of at least one of a distribution originating from the target and a distribution originating from the background at the time t based on the evaluation result. |
| US08837860B1 |
Systems and methods for data and model-driven image reconstruction and enhancement
Systems and methods are disclosed for image reconstruction and enhancement, using a computer system. One method includes acquiring a plurality of images associated with a target anatomy; determining, using a processor, one or more associations between subdivisions of localized anatomy of the target anatomy identified from the plurality of images, and local image regions identified from the plurality of images; performing an initial image reconstruction based on image acquisition information of the target anatomy; and updating the initial image reconstruction or generating a new image reconstruction based on the image acquisition information and the one or more determined associations. |
| US08837855B2 |
Image compositing via multi-spectral detection
A video image capture component includes a light source operable in a first spectrum, a first image detector operable in the first spectrum, a second light source operable in a second spectrum, and a second image detector operable in the second spectrum. A filtering component generates a combination image by filtering a first image obtained by the first image detector with a high-contrast filter, resulting in a high-contrast image, and masking a second image obtained by the second image detector using the high-contrast image. A compositing component creates a composite image from the combination image and a selected image. A display component displays the composite image.Alternative systems and methods for creating a combination image include techniques involving thermal imaging, laser detection, and narrow band frequency detection. |
| US08837852B2 |
Apparatus and method for removing defective pixels
A method for removing defective pixels using a signal processing scheme with a Bayer pattern, by determining an output value of the inter-channel according to whether or not a difference between a center pixel and an average of neighboring pixels, which have the same color as that of the center pixel, is greater than or equal to a threshold value; and using values of neighboring pixels nearest to a center pixel as an input, obtaining an output value of the cross-channel by finding a median value among a median value of vertical and horizontal lines including the center pixel, a median value of diagonal lines including the center pixel, and a value of the center pixel. Then, a defective pixel is removed, through the use of the output value of the inter-channel, the output value of the cross-channel, and the value of the center pixel. |
| US08837851B2 |
Method of median filtering
A median filtering method makes a plurality of pixel data into a block of fixed unit area which includes a central pixel and a plurality of ambient pixels adjacent to the central pixel. Pixel data within the unit area is divided into sub unit areas which are smaller than the unit area. The data value of the divided pixel data is arranged in a fixed order for each of the sub unit areas. An intermediate value is determined from the arranged pixel data in each of the sub unit areas. An average value of the intermediate values which are extracted from each of the sub unit areas, and the central pixel data is determined corresponding to the central pixel of the unit area with the average value. |
| US08837846B2 |
Image decoding method and apparatus for performing decoding on a reconstructed two or more context-independent and context-independent segments
An image decoding method for decoding an image using plural intra prediction modes, including decoding first binary data and second binary data, the first binary data indicating a first intra prediction mode to decode the image, the second binary data indicating a second intra prediction mode to decode the image, wherein in the decoding, coded data is obtained which includes a first context adaptive segment, a second context adaptive segment, a first bypass segment, and a second bypass segment. The first context adaptive segment and the second context adaptive segment are decoded by context adaptive binary arithmetic decoding which is arithmetic decoding using a variable probability updated based on decoded data, and the first bypass segment and the second bypass segment are decoded by bypass decoding which is arithmetic decoding using a predetermined fixed probability. |
| US08837841B2 |
Method for compressing and decompressing digital data
A method of compressing and decompressing digital data that is especially suitable for halftoned image data in which every bit represents the marking of a receiving material by ink or toner is provided. The method is lossless and balances the use of memory, the processing time, the compression factor and the cost of hardware resources. The recurrence of data in halftoned images on which the smaller data size of the compressed data is based, is caused by the use of a halftone dither matrix. Various halftone dither matrices may be used in the halftoned image. The method is adapted to employ the characteristics of a specific halftone dither matrix by applying a dynamic set of offset values, in which an offset value represents a number of words between the current word of digital data and an identical, previously processed word. |
| US08837837B2 |
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for determining a modulation transfer function of an imaging system
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for determining a modulation transfer function of an imaging system. A method may include accessing an image of a phantom having a substantially circular shaped feature captured by the imaging system. The method may further include detecting the circular shaped feature within the image. The method may additionally include defining at least one line extending from a point within the detected circular shaped feature to a point outside of the circular shaped feature. The method may also include determining an edge spread function based at least in part on the defined at least one line. The method may further include determining the modulation transfer function of the imaging system based at least in part on the determined edge spread function. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are also provided. |
| US08837836B2 |
Image processing device identifying attribute of region included in image
An image processing device performs: preparing image data representing an image, the image including a target region consisting of a plurality of target pixels, each of the plurality of target pixels having a pixel value; classifying each of a plurality of target pixels as one of an object pixel and a background pixel other than the object pixel, the object pixel constituting an object represented in the target region; determining whether or not the target region satisfies a first condition related to a relationship between the object pixel and the background pixel to make a first determination result; and judging whether or not the target region is a letter region representing at least one letter based on the first determination result. |
| US08837835B1 |
Document grouping system
Computer-based techniques for grouping documents are described herein. Documents may be grouped, organized, named, and/or indexed by their document character features. Document character features may comprise character counts, character difference counts, missing character counts, and any combination thereof. The comparison of documents may use a comparison threshold value for grouping documents. Documents may be processed in any language. |
| US08837833B1 |
Payment card OCR with relaxed alignment
Extracting financial card information with relaxed alignment comprises a method to receive an image of a card, determine one or more edge finder zones in locations of the image, and identify lines in the one or more edge finder zones. The method further identifies one or more quadrilaterals formed by intersections of extrapolations of the identified lines, determines an aspect ratio of the one or more quadrilateral, and compares the determined aspect ratios of the quadrilateral to an expected aspect ratio. The method then identifies a quadrilateral that matches the expected aspect ratio and performs an optical character recognition algorithm on the rectified model. A similar method is performed on multiple cards in an image. The results of the analysis of each of the cards are compared to improve accuracy of the data. |
| US08837831B2 |
Method and system for managing digital photos
Methods and systems for managing digital photos are disclosed. In one implementation, a method for organizing digital photos includes receiving a set of digital photos, analyzing the set of digital photos to create tags that identify content information in the set of digital photos, tagging the set of digital photos in accordance with their corresponding content information, categorizing the set of digital photos in accordance with their corresponding tags, and displaying the digital photos and their corresponding tags with a display device. |
| US08837829B2 |
Image processing apparatus, storage medium storing image processing program, and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes; a generation unit to generate a histogram of luminance values of a plurality of pixels included in an image; a luminance value calculation unit to calculate a first luminance value at which first ratio pixels of the plurality of pixels are present in descending order of the luminance values of the histogram, and a second luminance value at which second ratio pixels of the plurality of pixels are present, the second ratio pixels is larger than the first ratio pixels; a selection unit to compare the first luminance value and the second luminance value, and determine a third luminance value that is set a maximum luminance value in gradation correction; and a correction unit to perform the gradation correction that corrects the luminance values of the plurality of pixels on the basis of the third luminance value. |
| US08837828B2 |
CIE lab color space based color conversion method and device and liquid crystal display device
The present invention provides a CIE Lab color space based color conversion method, which includes converting two-dimensional color planes Ln and Ln-1 of original diagram data into two-dimensional color planes Ln′ and Ln-1′; according to a plane Lx of any lightness level between the known Ln and Ln-1, calculating Lx′ between Ln′ and Ln-1′ and having the same lightness level as Lx; calculating a conversion matrix between Lx and Lx′; calculating color-converted and adjusted target color according to the color of any one point of the original diagram data; and completing color space of the target color. The present invention also provides a CIE Lab color space based color conversion device and a liquid crystal display device. With the above method, the present invention allows of easy construction of reverse conversion model. The algorithm can be easily implemented and the operation speed is increased. |
| US08837826B1 |
System and method for transmission, reception, and restoration of decimated color channels in image data
A processing device receives a first set of image data comprising one or more chroma channels and a luma channel. The processing device reduces the resolution of the one or more chroma channels to produce one or more reduced-resolution chroma channels. The processing device arranges the luma channel and the one or more reduced-resolution chroma channels into a second set of image data. The spatial coordinates of the luma channel and the one or more reduced-resolution chroma channels do not overlap in spatial location of the second set of image data. The processing device transmits the second set of image data to a downstream device. |
| US08837823B2 |
Foreground background separation in a scene with unstable textures
Disclosed herein are a system and method for performing foreground/background separation on an input image. The method pre-classifies (1010, 1020) an input visual element in the input image as one of a first element type and a second element type, dependent upon a predetermined characteristic. The method performs a first foreground/background separation (1030) on the input visual element that has been pre-classified as the first element type, wherein the first foreground/background separation step is based on color data and brightness data of the input visual element. The method performs a second foreground/background separation (1040) on the input visual element that has been pre-classified as the second element type, wherein the second foreground/background separation step is based on color data, brightness data, and texture of the input visual element. |
| US08837820B2 |
Image selection based on photographic style
A system and method are disclosed for image selection based on photographic style in which photographic style annotations are learned using a data-driven approach. The method includes assigning a style value for each of a set of photographic style categories to each of a set of database images with a trained classifier of a computing device. A user's selection of a subset of the photographic style categories, such as three style categories, is received. A user interface is generated for assigning values to each of the selected photographic style categories. A set of database images is identified, based on the assigned values for each of the selected photographic style categories and the style values for each of the selected photographic style categories of the database images. |
| US08837817B2 |
Method and device for calculating a depth map from a single image
A method for calculating a depth map from an original matrix image, comprising the steps of: calculating a first matrix image corresponding to the original matrix image with a low resolution and in which the depth of field is similar to that of the original matrix image, calculating a second matrix image corresponding to the original matrix image with a low resolution, comprising a number of pixels similar to that of the first matrix image and in which the depth of field is greater than that of the original matrix image, implementing a DFD type three-dimensional reconstruction algorithm from the first and the second matrix images, outputting the depth map. |
| US08837816B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating final depth information related map that is reconstructed from coarse depth information related map through guided interpolation
A method for generating a final depth information related map includes the following steps: receiving a coarse depth information related map, wherein a resolution of the coarse depth information related map is smaller than a resolution of the final depth information related map; and outputting the final depth information related map reconstructed from the coarse depth information related map by receiving an input data and performing a guided interpolation operation upon the coarse depth information related map according to the input data. |
| US08837813B2 |
Mobile three dimensional imaging system
A mobile device including an imaging device with a display and capable of obtaining a pair of images of a scene having a disparity between the pair of images. The imaging device estimating the distance between the imaging device and a point in the scene indicated by a user on the display. The imaging device displaying the scene on the display together with an indication of a geometric measure. |
| US08837811B2 |
Multi-stage linear structure from motion
Described is a linear structure from motion technique that is scalable, parallelizable, treats images equally, and is robust to outliers, without requiring intermediate bundle adjustment. Camera rotations for images are estimated using feature point correspondence and vanishing points matched across the images. The camera rotation data is fed into a linear system for structure and translation estimation that removes outliers and provides output data corresponding to structure from motion parameters. The data may be used in further optimization e.g. with a final non-linear optimization stage referred to as bundle adjustment to provide final refined structure from motion parameters. |
| US08837810B2 |
System and method for alignment in semiconductor device fabrication
A method of determining overlay error in semiconductor device fabrication includes receiving an image of an overlay mark formed on a substrate. The received image is separated into a first image and a second image, where the first image includes representations of features formed on a first layer of the substrate and the second image includes representations of the features formed on a second layer of the substrate. A quality indicator is determined for the first image and a quality indicator is determined for the second image. In an embodiment, the quality indicators include asymmetry indexes. |
| US08837800B1 |
Automated detection of arterial input function and/or venous output function voxels in medical imaging
Automated AIF/VOF identification is useful in connection with providing rapid and automatic quantitative imaging results. Examples include CBF (cerebral blood flow) and CBV (cerebral blood volume) perfusion maps. In the present work, AIF/VOF regions of images are identified by making use of a predefined anatomic vasculature template to provide numerical weighting values for voxels. A score is computed for each voxel that includes normalized signal fit parameters and the numerical weighting. AIF/VOF voxels are identified as N voxels having the highest score, where N can depend on the image resolution. |
| US08837798B2 |
Signal and image analysis method and ultrasound imaging system
A time domain signal analysis method is provided. The signal analysis method includes the following steps. A signal to be analyzed is received. The signal to be analyzed is iteratively sifted by using Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) to extract at least one intrinsic function (IMF). A normalized Hilbert transform is performed on the IMF. The transformed IMF includes phase information. The transformed IMF is processed by means of phase processing to obtain the processed IMF including angular frequency information. The foregoing signal analysis method could be utilized in an ultrasound imaging system to identify image information of ultrasound images. |
| US08837788B2 |
Disruption of facial recognition system
A method and apparatus allow an individual to disrupt recognition of facial characteristics of the individual by a facial recognition system. This is accomplished by providing an object which is worn adjacent the face of the individual. At least one infrared radiation emitter is fixed to the object which emits mostly or totally infrared radiation. The infrared radiation emitter is adjacent the face of the individual and directed at least one of onto the face or forward of the face of the user at all times, and hence as the face of the individual is viewed by the camera of the facial recognition system. As a result, an image of the face obtained by the facial recognition system is substantially different from an image which would have been obtained were the infrared radiation not so emitted, so that determination of facial characteristics by the facial recognition system is disrupted. |
| US08837787B2 |
System and method for associating a photo with a data structure node
A system and method for identifying a photo displays the photo with a family tree. Facial recognition, photo date estimation, people age estimation and gender determination are used to associate the displayed photo with one or more identified nodes in the family tree. A user can enter tagging information for the photo based on the identified nodes. |
| US08837783B2 |
Motion-controlled electronic device and method therefor
An electronic device obtains a motion of a displaced object in two captured video frames utilizing phase correlation of the two frames. The electronic device identifies a magnitude of the motion and an area in a phase correlation surface corresponding to an area of the object, and accordingly determines if the motion is a qualified motion operable to trigger a gesture command of the electronic device. The phase correlation surface is obtained from the phase correlation of the two frames. |
| US08837780B2 |
Gesture based human interfaces
A method for implementing gesture based human interfaces includes segmenting data generated by an IR camera of an active area and detecting objects in an active area. The objects are distinguished as either island objects or peninsula objects and a human hand is identified from among the peninsula objects. The motion of the human hand is tracked as a function of time and a gesture made by the human hand is recognized. |
| US08837779B2 |
Method for determining the pose of a camera and for recognizing an object of a real environment
A method for determining the pose of a camera (22, 32) relative to a real environment (40) comprises the following steps: taking at least one image (50) of a real environment by means of a camera (22, 32), the image containing at least part of a real object (41), performing a tracking method that evaluates information with respect to correspondences between features associated with the real object (41) and corresponding features of the real object (41) as it is contained in the image (50) of the real environment, so as to obtain conclusions about the pose of the camera (22, 32), determining at least one parameter of an environmental situation, and performing the tracking method in accordance with the at least one parameter. Analogously, the method can also be utilized in a method for recognizing an object of a real environment in an image taken by a camera. |
| US08837777B2 |
Wafer detecting apparatus
A wafer detecting apparatus detects storage states of a plurality of wafers stored in a wafer container. The plurality of wafers are stored substantially horizontal in slots in the wafer container to be transferred in and out of a front opening of the wafer container. The wafer detecting apparatus includes a vertically extending illumination device that emits light through the front opening onto the plurality of wafers and an imaging device that receives the light reflected from the plurality of wafers. The imaging device is arranged substantially directly in front of the wafer container and the illumination device is arranged in at least one of left and right sides of the imaging device. |
| US08837773B2 |
Apparatus which detects moving object from image and method thereof
An image processing apparatus includes an input unit configured to input a plurality of time-sequential still images, a setting unit configured to set, in a still image among the plurality of still images, a candidate region that is a candidate of a region in which an object exists, and to acquire a likelihood of the candidate region, a motion acquisition unit configured to acquire motion information indicating a motion of the object based on the still image and another still image that is time-sequential to the still image, a calculation unit configured to calculate a weight corresponding to an appropriateness of the motion indicated by the motion information as a motion of the object, a correction unit configured to correct the likelihood based on the weight, and a detection unit configured to detect the object from the still image based on the corrected likelihood. |
| US08837764B2 |
Portable loudspeaker
A portable loudspeaker includes a base and a speaker cap opposing the base. The base and speaker cap are interposed by a movable resonance portion. The movable resonance portion is formed in a storing state and a releasing state. The base has a resonance reflection portion to receive reverse resonance sound waves generated by a speaker. The movable resonance portion includes a first transmission channel to transmit the reverse resonance sound waves to the resonance reflection portion and a second transmission channel to transmit base sound waves generated by the resonance reflection portion from the reverse resonance sound waves towards the speaker cap. The speaker cap has a second audio outlet to output the bass sound waves. |
| US08837763B1 |
Inertially balanced miniature low frequency speaker system
An inertially balanced miniature passive radiator full-range loudspeaker system is disclosed. In one embodiment the speaker system is a two-way system with low and high frequency components, where the low-frequency component is comprised of one active transducer and two passive radiators and the frequency range for this component is not outside of 10 Hz to 500 Hz. The low and high frequency components are individually optimized for operation in low and high frequency ranges respectively. By placing the passive radiators on opposing sides of an enclosure of the speaker system, the momentum generated by the motion of each of the passive radiators substantially cancels when the passive radiators are in phase. A passive radiators may be fitted with a voice-coil electrically connected to a corresponding voice-coil on the other passive radiator in a pair such that the generated back EMF resists out of phase motion of the passive radiators. |
| US08837762B2 |
Speaker
In a speaker, a space surrounded by a frame on one side of a diaphragm is separated by a damper into a first internal space and a second internal space. The first internal space and the second internal space are caused to face one part and another part of an opening provided in the frame. A duct protrudes from the frame, and the opening is an open end of the duct on the base end side thereof. The speaker is installed, for example, outside a vehicle cabin with the duct inserted into an opening in a vehicle cabin wall, and the first and second internal spaces are caused to communicate with a space in the vehicle cabin through the duct. Therefore, reproduced sound in the bass range having a high sound pressure can be discharged through the duct to the space in the vehicle cabin. |
| US08837761B2 |
Vibrator with adjustment system
A vibrator is provided with a spring having a first end and a second end and, a frame immovably attached to the second end where the frame is carrying a movable armature and at the second end of the spring a coupling with an armature plate is immovably attached. The armature plate and the movable armature are provided in close proximity with an air gap there between and a permanent magnet is associated with one or both of the armature plate and/or the movable armature and an electrical coil is associated with one or both of the armature plate and/or the movable armature. An adjustment screw is provided to displace the movable armature towards or away from the armature plate, wherein the screw is inserted in a bore. In an aspect of the invention, the bore has a length axis placed along a plane of intersection between the movable armature and the frame and one part of the bore is provided in the movable armature and an opposed part of the bore is provided in the frame, whereby one part of the bore is threaded and the opposed part is unthreaded. |
| US08837758B2 |
Hearing aid and method of driving an output stage
In a hearing aid (40), a direct-digital H-bridge output driver stage (1) driven by a sigma-delta modulator (2) is configured to operate in a power-saving three-level output mode or a power-consuming two-level output mode. The three-level output mode of the H-bridge output driver stage (1) has low power consumption but suffers the disadvantage of emitting capacitive noise potentially interfering with the reception of radio signals in a radio receiver (17) in the hearing aid (40). By providing a novel method of selecting the two-level output mode whenever the radio receiver (17) is receiving signals, and selecting the three-level output mode whenever the radio receiver (17) is idle, this capacitive interference does not disturb the radio receiver (17) in the hearing aid (40). The invention provides a method and a hearing aid. |
| US08837756B2 |
Dynamic microphone unit and dynamic microphone
A dynamic microphone unit includes: a diaphragm that vibrates in response to received sound waves; a voice coil that is fixed to the diaphragm and vibrates together with the diaphragm; a magnetic circuit that generates a magnetic field in a magnetic gap, the voice coil being disposed in the magnetic gap; a resonator that is disposed adjacent to the obverse of the diaphragm; and a noise canceling coil that is fixed to a surface of the resonator so as to face a position of fixing the voice coil, the surface facing the diaphragm. The noise canceling coil is connected in series with the voice coil and has a winding direction different from that of the voice coil. |
| US08837755B2 |
Apparatus in an acoustic assembly for registering assembly parts
An acoustic apparatus includes a first acoustic element, a second acoustic element, and a registration portion. The first acoustic element and the second acoustic element are elements such as a coil, a reed, or a yoke. The registration portion is configured to register the first acoustic element with respect to the second acoustic element such that an exact and relative alignment and positioning between the first acoustic element and second acoustic element is provided and ensured. |
| US08837754B2 |
Microelectromechanical transducer and corresponding assembly process
A MEMS transducer has a micromechanical sensing structure and a package. The package is provided with a substrate, carrying first electrical-connection elements, and with a lid, coupled to the substrate to define an internal cavity, in which the micromechanical sensing structure is housed. The lid is formed by: a cap layer having a first surface and a second surface, set opposite to one another, the first surface defining an external face of the package and the second surface facing the substrate inside the package; and a wall structure, set between the cap layer and the substrate, and having a coupling face coupled to the substrate. At least a first electrical component is coupled to the second surface of the cap layer, inside the package, and the coupling face of the wall structure carries second electrical-connection elements, electrically connected to the first electrical component and to the first electrical-connection elements. |
| US08837752B2 |
Mixing apparatus
In an automatic correction process, automatic correction processing portions 60 are connected to a set reference channel and target channels, respectively, so that test signals will be input to the automatic correction processing portions 60, respectively. A rise detection portion 60a detects a rise in a test signal input to a corresponding channel, so that a value counted by a sample counter 61 is latched by a latch 60b at the rising timing of this test signal. In accordance with a difference between the counted value latched to the reference channel and the counted value latched to the target channel, a time difference is calculated. In accordance with the time difference, a delay time set for a channel delay means of the target channel is automatically corrected. |
| US08837749B2 |
Managing the effect of TDMA noise on audio circuits
Broadly speaking, the embodiments disclosed herein describe an apparatus, system, and method for managing the effects of TDMA noise emitted by a communication device on an audio circuit. |
| US08837748B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving and playing a signal in a radio receiver
A method and apparatus for receiving and playing a signal in a radio receiver to suppress microphonic feedback are provided by alternately pitch shifting a received audio signal. The pitch of the received audio signal is alternately shifted up and then down, repeatedly over successive intervals of the audio signal, to produce a pitch swing signal which is then played over a speaker. The alternating pitch shifting prevents the buildup of regenerative feedback normally caused by acoustic vibrations coupling into the radio receiver. |
| US08837734B2 |
Managing encrypted data and encryption keys
A data module encrypts a first portion of a drive in a data center using a first encryption key. The data module encrypts the first encryption key using a second encryption key to obtain an encrypted encryption key. The data module stores the second encryption key in a first location and stores the encrypted encryption key in a second location that is separate from the first location and that is inaccessible from outside the data center. |
| US08837731B2 |
Secure remote control for audio/video receiver/decoder
A system includes a remote control device and a security device, wherein both devices share a unique and constant common key, algorithms or protocol specific to a pair formed by the remote control device and the security device. The unique and constant common key, algorithms or protocol are set up during a device initialization phase. The remote control device is configured to communicate wirelessly with a receiver of the security device. The remote control device, which is paired with the security device sending data towards the receiver, includes an encryption module and a memory to store the unique and constant common key. The data is encrypted by the encryption module with the unique and constant common key, and the security device includes a decryption module and a key corresponding to the unique and constant common key to decrypt the data received from the remote control device. |
| US08837730B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing channel reproduction delay in mobile terminal
An apparatus and a method reduce delay when reproducing digital broadcasting in a mobile terminal. More particularly, the apparatus and method reduce a reproduction delay, from having to stand by until an encrypted stream that matches with a traffic key is received, by receiving the traffic key in advance prior to the encrypted stream when a mobile terminal receives encrypted broadcasting. The apparatus includes a controller. The controller receives and stores a traffic key corresponding to an encrypted channel even when not entering the encrypted channel, and deciphers and reproduces the relevant channel using the stored traffic key when entering the encrypted channel. |
| US08837728B2 |
Server algorithms to improve space based authentication
A system and methods for location authentication are presented. An estimated server signal is estimated based on a generated known code signal, and a client received satellite signal is received from a client device. The client received satellite signal is compared to the estimated server signal to provide a comparison result. |
| US08837727B2 |
Method for privacy preserving hashing of signals with binary embeddings
A hash of signal is determining by dithering and scaling random projections of the signal. Then, the dithered and scaled random projections are quantized using a non-monotonic scalar quantizer to form the hash, and a privacy of the signal is preserved as long as parameters of the scaling, dithering and projections are only known by the determining and quantizing steps. |
| US08837726B2 |
Content protection key encryptor for security providers
Techniques are provided to receive at an encryption device from a control device an encryption request comprising a message and an identifier for a device. The control device and the device are associated with a security provider that provides secure content to the device using the message encrypted with a device key that is securely embedded in the device and also stored on the encryption device. The encryption device is associated with a key provider and the device key is not divulged to the security provider. At the encryption device, the device key is retrieved based on the identifier. The message is encrypted with the device key using a predetermined algorithm, and the encrypted message is then sent to the control device. |
| US08837724B2 |
Synchronization test for device authentication
Device authentication is based on the ability of a human to synchronize the movements of his or her fingers. A pairing procedure for two wireless devices may thus involve a synchronization test that is based on the relative timing of actuations of input devices on each of the wireless devices. In some aspects a synchronization test involves determining whether actuations of user input devices on two different wireless devices occurred within a defined time interval. In some aspects a synchronization test involves comparing time intervals defined by multiple actuations of user input devices on two wireless devices. |
| US08837715B2 |
Method and apparatus for secure iterative processing and adaptive filtering
Disclosed embodiments include methods and apparatuses for secure iterative processing of encrypted signals based on implementing a secure iterative processing protocol that avoids cipher blowup, and applying an iterative algorithm directly on the encrypted signals to generate an encrypted processed output signal. In a particular embodiment, the protocol comprises applying homomorphic linear processing, preparing and applying a rescaling module to avoid cypher blowup, and homomorphically adapting the encrypted signals. Specific embodiments implement iterative adaptive filtering algorithms in the encrypted domain including non-collaborative secure filtering and two-party filtering based on homomorphic encryption, interactive secure protocols, garbled circuits, or a combination thereof. |
| US08837713B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for enabling audio transmission within a communications session
In one embodiment, a communications device joins a full-duplex communications session and disables, at a first time, audio transmission within the full-duplex communications session. The communications device detects, at a second time after the first time, that an audio transmission enable control is in a first state and enables audio transmission within the full-duplex communications session in response to detecting that the audio transmission enable control is in the first state. At a third time after the second time, the communications device detects that the audio transmission enable control is in a second state and disables audio transmission within the full-duplex communications session in response to detecting that the audio transmission enable control is in the second state. |
| US08837709B2 |
Distributed hardware/software system for managing agent status in a communication center
An agent presence application for monitoring target agent resources and rendering agent states to subscribing applications is provided. The presence application has at least one first portion for collecting data regarding states of activity of the target agent resources, and at least one second portion for integrating the data and rendering the agent states to the subscribing applications. |
| US08837708B1 |
Systems, methods, and computer-readable medium for tracking, reconciling, and reporting on DTMF data and voice data communicated between call centers and users
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for tracking, reconciling, and reporting on data representing Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) tones and voice signals communicated between call center and users during interactions therebetween. The system may include a data store adapted to store the DTMF data and a text corresponding to the voice data; a transcription process receiving data representing the voice signal and converting it into corresponding text; a report generation process obtaining the DTMF data and the text, transmitting a report containing the same to a client, and updating the date store accordingly; and a reconciliation process receiving data enabling reconciliation of data as tracked by the call center and as tracked by an entity other than the call center. The transcription process may operate as a third-party or an in-house entity relative to the at least one call center. |
| US08837707B2 |
Automatic integrated escalation in a unified messaging system
A user is identified based at least in part on a user identification designation associated with an incoming communication. A message recipient is then determined based at least in part on the identified user and one or more address books associated with message recipients by comparing the user identification designation to one or more entries in the one or more recipient databases. The incoming communication is routed to the determined message recipient. Escalation procedures are implemented up to a configured level in the recipient organization based on various criteria. As messages are escalated and deposited in mailboxes associated with the determined message recipients, the determined message recipients are notified of the deposited messages. |
| US08837705B2 |
Real-time probability based contact handling time
Systems and methods are provided to estimate the amount of service time left in a contact with a contact center. A system records metadata factors associated with contacts and the service time for the contacts. This information is incorporated into one or more service time probability distributions. A service time probability distribution is a function describing how much time a contact, having certain, defined characteristics, took historically. The distribution can subsequently be used to estimate service time for future contacts that have the same or similar characteristics. |
| US08837704B2 |
Client controlled dynamic call forwarding
A client-side signaling mechanism that allows a client to control how a telephone call is handled on a call server. The client user can create call routing rules on the client device using a client control component that manages session protocol messages. Once created, the call routing rule(s) created on the client are transmitted to the call server where a call routing component of the call server processes the rule(s) for a call related to the client. When the server receives the rule(s) and determines that the rule(s) are related to an existing call (incoming or currently in-process), the server halts current normal server rules processing for that call and executes the client-created rule(s). In one example, SIP session messages are employed for client control of server-side call forwarding. |
| US08837697B2 |
Call control presence and recording
Included are embodiments for detecting presence in a communications system environment. At least one embodiment of a method includes subscribing to events associated with a communication system and receiving a notification for an event, the event being associated with a communication between a first communications device and a second communications device. |
| US08837688B2 |
Provision of private information to voice telephone call parties
A system and method for providing private information content to a voice telephone call parties prior to, during or following a call. In one aspect, the system and method may be implemented in a voice telephone communication apparatus that is adapted to hold information content on behalf of the call party, gather information that is private to the call party and add it to the information store as part of the information content, and retrieve the information content from the information store and present it to the call party in response to an information presentation initiation action. In another aspect, the system cooperates with a premises or equipment monitoring system, such as a security system, to provide monitoring information to a telephone call party. |
| US08837686B2 |
Real-time voice logging of telephone calls
An office telephone system contains packet switched network and network telephone sets coupled to said packet switched network for transmitting and receiving speech data in addressed packets. A packet switched network interface taps the packet switched network and processes packets received from the packet switched network by identifying first and second packets that contain network voice call data for respective sides of a network telephone calls. The packet switched network interface mixing speech data from the first and second packets into streams while the call proceeds. Each stream comprising a mix of speech data from both sides of a respective one of the network telephone calls. An application program interface defines provides access to the streams to a programmable set of applications. In addition a line interface circuit taps call dedicate telephone lines outside the network and generates further speech data streams from signals from the call dedicated telephone lines. The application program interface defines provides interchangeable types of calls to access streams generated from both sources. |
| US08837680B2 |
Radiation transmission type target
A radiation transmission type target to be used for a radiation tube has a target metal 12 placed on a substrate 13, and has an antistatic member 14 placed on a surface of the substrate 13 opposite to a surface on which the target metal 12 is placed. The target suppresses its electrostatic charge, and enables the radiation tube to stable operate. |
| US08837677B2 |
Method and system for compton scattered X-ray depth visualization, imaging, or information provider
One aspect relates to at least a portion of at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualizer, imager, or information provider configured to receive an at least one Compton scattered X-ray that has scattered through a substantial scattering depth range to one or more substantial prescribed scattering depths within an at least one matter of an at least a portion of an individual based at least in part on a set of scattering characteristics, the set of scattering characteristics at least partially corresponding to the at least one matter of the least the portion of the individual; the at least the portion of the at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualizer, imager, or information provider being configured for providing an at least one Compton scattered X-ray visualization, imaging, or information providing through one or more visualization, imaging, or information providing depth ranges to one or more visualization, imaging, or information providing prescribed depths into the at least one matter of the least the portion of the individual. |
| US08837676B2 |
Virtual-slide creating device
It is possible to create a virtual slide of a subject of observation in a simple configuration without setting a movement pattern in advance. Provided is a virtual-slide creating device including a stage on which a sample is mounted; an objective lens that collects light from the sample; a relative movement mechanism that moves at least one of these components relative to each other in a direction crossing the optical axis of the objective lens; a position detecting unit that obtains relative position information of the stage and the objective lens; an image capturing unit that acquires a partial enlarged image of the sample; a display unit that displays the enlarged image acquired; an image saving unit that saves an enlarged image acquired by the image capturing unit each time at least one of the stage and the objective lens is moved relative to each other by a predetermined distance, based on the relative position information obtained; and an image processing unit that creates a virtual slide by forming an array of saved enlarged images based on the relative position information detected. |
| US08837674B2 |
Method for reducing diagnostic radiation dose in image guided radiotherapy
A method of minimizing radiation toxicity in image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) is provided that includes using a probabilistic prediction algorithm that is operated on a suitably programmed computer and includes multimodality inputs and provides real-time geometric and topological target estimates to compensate for system latency, using an online adaptive imaging system that provides radiographic images of the target when the geometric and topological target estimates are in a region of predefined uncertainty, and using an image dose control algorithm, operating on a suitably programmed computer, that includes parameters for controlling dose per image, where instances for image acquisition are optimized according to a planned dose pattern and delivery result. |
| US08837673B2 |
Method for correctly geometrically assigning X-ray images
In a method for correctly geometrically assigning x-ray images of a patient an optically operating recording device is attached to an x-ray device generating the x-ray images. A dimensionally stable marker surface which can be optically detected by the recording device and defines a reference system is fixed to the patient in a fixed relative position. The x-ray device is brought into a first and second recording position such that the recording device is directed toward the marker surface. In a recording position the x-ray device produces a first and second x-ray image of the patient and the recording device produces a first and second recording of the marker surface. The respective geometric position of the first and second x-ray image is determined in the reference system from the recordings. The first and second x-ray images are correctly geometrically assigned to one another in accordance with their position. |
| US08837672B2 |
Concealed identification symbols and nondestructive determination of the identification symbols
The concealing of one or more identification symbols into a target object and the subsequent determination or reading of such symbols through non-destructive testing is described. The symbols can be concealed in a manner so that they are not visible to the human eye and/or cannot be readily revealed to the human eye without damage or destruction of the target object. The identification symbols can be determined after concealment by e.g., the compilation of multiple X-ray images. As such, the present invention can also provide e.g., a deterrent to theft and the recovery of lost or stolen objects. |
| US08837666B2 |
X-ray CT apparatus
Smoothing processing appropriate for a subject is performed and a CT image in which artifacts are reduced is acquired. At least a part of the X-ray detecting data 171 and the projection data 174 is used to generate boundary data 175, and at least one of the X-ray detecting data and the projection data is subjected to smoothing processing, by using the boundary data as a threshold. With this configuration, it is possible to perform smoothing processing by using as the threshold, the boundary data generated from the X-ray detecting data that passed through the subject or its projection data, enabling the smoothing processing adapted to the subject, and accordingly, the artifacts are removed while suppressing deterioration of spatial resolution. |
| US08837664B2 |
Power monitoring system
The power monitoring system has: a local power range monitor (LPRM) unit that has a plurality of local power channels to obtain local neutron distribution in a nuclear reactor core; an averaged power range monitor (APRM) unit that receives power output signals from the LPRM unit and obtains average output power signal of the reactor core as a whole; and an oscillation power range monitor (OPRM) unit that receives the power output signals from the LPRM unit and monitors power oscillations of the reactor core. The output signals from the LPRM unit to the APRM unit and the output signals from the LPRM unit to the OPRM unit are independent. |
| US08837660B2 |
Handling video transition errors in video on demand streams
A system, method, and apparatus for handling transition errors is presented herein. The transition errors include handling unreported time base discontinuities during trick mode transition, miscalculated time stamps during trick mode transition, erroneous sequence end codes, and unreported broken group of picture transmission. Unreported time base discontinuities are detected by comparing the program clock reference (PCR) value of the data packet to the system time clock (STC). If the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold, the STC is set to the PCR value. Miscalculated time stamps are detected by examining the difference in PTS values between temporally adjacent data packets. If the difference is not within a margin of error from predetermined value, the PTS is disabled. Unreported broken groups of pictures are handled by skipping the first two B-frames of the first group of pictures following a trick mode transition. Erroneous sequence end codes are detected by determining whether a packet containing a sequence end code is associated with a time base change. If the packet is not associated with a time base change, the sequence end code is disregarded. |
| US08837659B2 |
Distributed digital reference clock
A communication system includes master host unit, hybrid expansion unit, and remote antenna unit. Master host unit communicates analog signals with service provider interfaces. Master host unit and hybrid expansion unit communicate N-bit words of digitized spectrum over communication link. Hybrid expansion unit converts between N-bit words and analog spectrum. Hybrid expansion unit and remote antenna unit communicate analog spectrum over analog communication medium. Remote antenna unit transmits and receives wireless signals over air interfaces. Master host unit includes master clock distribution unit that generates digital master reference clock signal. Master host unit communicates digital master reference clock signal over communication link. Hybrid expansion unit receives digital master reference clock signal from master host unit over communication link and generates analog reference clock signal based on digital master reference clock signal. Hybrid expansion unit sends, and remote antenna unit receives, analog reference clock signal across analog communication medium. |
| US08837658B2 |
Method and apparatus for sampling a serial data stream using a clock signal, based on a counter pattern
In one embodiment, a method includes determining pre-calculated information. The pre-calculated information is used to determine a counter pattern for a reference clock. The counter pattern include, for at least one data bit, a number of reference clock cycles of the reference clock that is determined based on a frequency of the reference clock and a data rate of a serial data stream. The serial data stream is sampled to read a plurality of data bits based on the counter pattern. A data bit is sampled based on the number of reference clock cycles associated with the data bit. |
| US08837653B2 |
High frequency signal receiver with self-calibrated group delay compensation
A signal receiver includes an antenna interface for receiving signals from an antenna, analog signal processing circuitry coupled to the antenna interface for processing the received signals to produce filtered signals, sampling circuitry to sample the filtered signals so as to produce digitized received signals, a digital compensator to receive the digitized received signals and compensate for non-uniform group delay introduced by the analog signal processing circuitry to produce compensated digitized received signals, and a digital processor to process the compensated digitized received signals so as to produce a result. |
| US08837650B2 |
System and method for discrete gain control in hybrid MIMO RF beamforming for multi layer MIMO base station
A multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) receiving system configured for receiving multiple transmission layers is provided herein. The system includes a plurality of beamformed tunable receiving antennas configured to receive a plurality of transmitted layers; and a control module configured to select for the beamformed antennas a single set of discrete weights for tuning said antennas for all of the transmitted layers so that the weights are selected for optimal performance of said receiving system, wherein said selection is carried out based on an extended Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC) metric or other quality metric measured by the MIMO baseband module, and using said measured metric separately for each beamformed antenna to determine gain or attenuation independently of phase selection. |
| US08837649B2 |
Non-primary pilot channel discovery for interference cancellation
Methods and apparatus are described for processing a signal in a communication system. A signal may be received a user equipment, and a pilot transmission from a non-primary transmit antenna of a cell in the communication system may be detected in the signal based on metrics associated with a pilot channel. Information about the pilot channel is not signaled to the user equipment. The detected pilot transmission is used to improve receiver processing of the signal. |
| US08837648B2 |
OFDM communication reception device
An reception device includes: a fast-fourier-transform (FFT) circuit to FFT a first Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signal including a plurality of first symbols with a guard interval and a valid symbol using a plurality of FFT windows that includes different timings within a symbol length period; a propagation channel estimation circuit to extract pilot signals from the fast-fourier-transformed first OFDM signal, and estimate a plurality of propagation channel characteristics of the plurality of first symbols based on the pilot signals; and a propagation channel compensation circuit to obtain a propagation channel characteristic of a second symbol without a pilot signal based on the plurality of propagation channel characteristics and remove the propagation channel characteristic of the second symbol from a second OFDM signal obtained by fast-fourier-transforming the second symbol. |
| US08837644B2 |
Method and apparatus of cross-correlation with application to channel estimation and detection
The present disclosure provides for a method and apparatus for efficient cross-correlation between a reference sequence and a received sequence in a wireless communication system. The reference sequence includes a concatenation of sign-adjusted sub-sequences, the sign adjustments determined by a first sign sequence of a set of sign sequences. For example, the reference sequence may be an alternating concatenation of sign-adjusted Golay complementary pair sub-sequences. The received sequence is shifted to provide a plurality of time shifted sequences that are then cross-correlated with the sub-sequences to form a set of partial cross-correlations. The partial cross-correlations are sign-adjusted using the first sign sequence and combined to produce the cross-correlation between the reference sequence and the received sequence. The cross-correlations so produced may be used for channel signature (e.g. PHY-type) identification and/or channel impulse response estimation. |
| US08837643B2 |
Receiving apparatus
A receiving apparatus includes a correlation operation unit and a determination unit. The correlation operation unit is configured to perform a correlation operation with a known signal on a received signal including the known signal in a predetermined interval. The determination unit is configured to determine whether or not a correlation peak interval detected by the correlation operation unit deviates from the predetermined interval. |
| US08837639B2 |
Parallel synchronizing cell with improved mean time between failures
In some embodiments, a synchronizing circuit includes at least one synchronization device that operates at a lower clock frequency than another synchronization device in the synchronization circuit. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a method includes sampling a first signal at a first frequency to thereby generate a plurality of sampled versions of the first signal. The first frequency is a frequency of a clock signal divided by N. N is a number greater than one. The method includes sampling a second signal at the frequency of the clock signal. The second signal is based on sequentially selected ones of the plurality of sampled versions of the first signal to thereby generate an output version of the first signal. |
| US08837637B2 |
Method for dynamically adjusting one or more RF parameters and communications apparatus utilizing the same
A communications apparatus is provided. A radio frequency (RF) circuit is arranged to receive an RF signal from an antenna and process the RF signal according to one or more RF parameters to generate an intermediate signal. A signal processing unit is arranged to process the intermediate signal to generate a processed signal and generates signal processing information regarding requirements for processing the intermediate signal. An RF circuit controller is coupled to the RF circuit and the signal processing unit and arranged to dynamically adjust the RF parameters according to the signal processing information. |
| US08837636B2 |
Method and apparatus for out-of-channel emission suppression
A wireless communication device is provided that is capable of suppressing out-of-channel emissions. The wireless communication device includes an upsampled broadband multicarrier signal generator and multiple upsampled sidelobe signal generators. The upsampled broadband multicarrier signal generator receives a symbol stream and, based on the symbol stream, generates a broadband multicarrier signal comprising an in-channel signal and a first multiple out-of-channel sidelobes. Each upsampled sidelobe signal generator of the multiple upsampled sidelobe signal generators receives at least a portion of the symbol stream and, based on at least a portion of the symbol stream, generates an out-of-channel sidelobes to produce a second multiple out-of-channel sidelobes. The wireless communication device further includes a combiner that combines the broadband multicarrier signal and the second multiple out-of-channel sidelobes to at least partially suppress first multiple out-of-channel sidelobes of the broadband multicarrier signal. |
| US08837635B2 |
Controlling a transmit path based on monitored error vector magnitude (EVM) performance
Embodiments provide systems and methods to dynamically control a radio frequency (RF) transmitter based on monitored error vector magnitude (EVM) performance. Embodiments are enabled by a feedback path that allows estimating the EVM at the output of the transmitter and controlling the transmitter, including the power amplifier (PA), accordingly. As such, the transmitter (and the PA) can be operated as close as possible to the ideal operating point that meets, based on actual conditions, a specified EVM performance and desired output power. By doing so, the overall power consumption of the transmitter is reduced. |
| US08837633B2 |
Systems and methods for digital processing based on active signal channels of a communication system
A communication system includes digital signals that carry data and correspond to channels of a composite signal to be transmitted across a communication channel. Active channels are detected and used to configure digital processing. In one embodiment, active channels are detected, where a particular active channel corresponds to the presence of a particular one of the digital signals. Active channel detection may be used to configure pre-distortion of a composite signal to be transmitted to compensate for distortion in a digital-to-analog converter. Likewise, active channel detection may be used to optimize the configuration of an up-converter. In one embodiment, a programmable device is configured based on detected active channels into a plurality of different configurations. |
| US08837630B2 |
Signal transmission circuit and method for detecting signal transmission interface
A signal transmission circuit of an electronic device is provided. The electronic device is coupled to a signal reception circuit of a host via the signal transmission circuit. The signal transmission circuit includes a driving circuit module and a signal detection module. The driving circuit module provides at least one initialized signal and a detection signal. The initialized signal is output prior to the detection signal. The signal detection module is coupled to the signal reception circuit via a signal detection terminal. The initialized signal reduces a signal reference level of a reception terminal of the signal reception circuit. The signal detection module determines the type of the transmission interface of the signal reception circuit according to whether the detection signal of the signal detection terminal satisfies a predetermined threshold value. Furthermore, a method for detecting the signal transmission interface is provided. |
| US08837629B2 |
Extended bandwidth digital Doherty transmitter
An extended bandwidth digital Doherty transmitter includes a baseband signal processing block including a digital predistortion unit. It also includes a digital signal distribution unit and a digital phase alignment unit, a signal up-conversion block, an RF power amplification block including the carrier amplifier and one or two peaking amplifiers; and an RF Doherty combining network. In another aspect, a digital Doherty transmitter includes a baseband signal block including a digital predistortion unit, a digital signal distribution unit and an adaptive digital phase alignment unit. In this aspect a signal up-conversion block includes three digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and a tri-channel up-converter or three single-channel up-converters. There is also an RF power amplification block including the carrier amplifier and two peaking amplifiers, and an RF Doherty combining network which includes quarter wavelength impedance transformers. |
| US08837627B2 |
Correlation prevention methods for satellite adaptive cancellation links
A method of reducing signal correlation in a symmetrical adaptive canceller link comprising spectrally inverting one of a first carrier signal and a second carrier signal by causing a spectral inversion of one of the first and second carrier signals using a modulator, transmitting the first and second carrier signals within a bandwidth to a remote receiver using a transmitting device such that a composite carrier signal results, and cancelling at least one of the first carrier signal from the composite carrier signal using a cancellation technique such that the second carrier signal results on one end of the link and the second carrier signal from the composite carrier signal using a cancellation technique such that the first carrier signal results on the opposite end of the link. |
| US08837625B2 |
Method of transmitting control information in wireless communication system
A method of transmitting control information in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes configuring downlink control information including a plurality of information fields according to a format of scheduling for transmission of a single codeword in a spatial multiplexing mode, wherein the plurality of information fields include a precoding matrix indicator (PMI) confirmation filed for indicating whether precoding is performed on downlink data by using a PMI reported by a user equipment and a transmitted precoding matrix indicator (TPMI) information field for indicating a codebook index, and at least one of the PMI confirmation field and the TPMI information field indicates an offset value of power for the downlink data transmission or interference information for the downlink data transmission, and transmitting the downlink control information. |
| US08837623B1 |
Data stream interleaving with non-monotonically arranged data rotations for spatially diverse transmission
Systems and techniques relating to processing multiple include, according to at least one implementation, a method including obtaining data streams to be transmitted, and applying data rotations to the data streams in connection with interleaving the data streams, wherein each of the data rotations has a constant rotation value for its corresponding stream index regardless of how many data streams are currently being transmitted, a second rotation value used for a second stream is larger than a first rotation value used for a first stream and also large enough to maximize rotation distance between the first and second streams when the current transmission has two streams, a third rotation value used for a third stream is greater than the first rotation value but less than the second rotation value, and a fourth rotation value used for a fourth stream is greater than the second rotation value. |
| US08837620B2 |
Adaptive multi-channel transmitter linearization system using a shared feedback receiver
Pre-distortion techniques, devices and systems for a multi-channel transmitter are described. An adaptation time is provided for each of the transmit chains in the multi-channel transmitter. During each adaptation time an output of a transmit chain is coupled to a shared feedback receiver. The shared feedback receiver generates a feedback signal that is used to vary pre-distortion for that transmit chain. A commutation controller varies at least one of: (a) an amount of the adaptation time for a transmit chain and (b) an order in which each of the transmit chains receives its adaptation time. |
| US08837619B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling dynamic channel feedback in a MIMO network
A communication method and apparatus for coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmission, is provided. Sizes of codebooks for a plurality of base stations may be adjusted based on a status of channels between a target terminal and a plurality of base stations. The terminal feeds back, to at least one of the plurality of base stations, channel direction information (CDI) including a number of bits of feedback. |
| US08837618B2 |
Transmission processing method, transmitter, reception processing method, and receiver
Information bits are encoded according to a low density parity check code with code rate 7/15 and a codeword length of 16200. The resulting codeword bits are bit-interleaved and the interleaved bits are demultiplexed into 8 sequences of bits. The 8 sequences of bits are permuted according to a predetermined permutation rule: v0=b2, v1=b6, v2=b0, v3=b1, v4=b4, v5=b5, v6=b3, v7=b7. |
| US08837617B2 |
Process of synchronization in the time and frequency domain of multiple equipments in a transmission system with OFDM modulation
A system for determining a frequency error of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal having a first frequency. The system includes a plurality of filters configured to output a plurality of second signals, each of the plurality of second signals corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of different frequency bands of the OFDM signal. Each of the plurality of second signals includes a corresponding synchronization symbol associated with the OFDM signal. A Fourier transform circuit is configured to receive the plurality of second signals from each of the plurality of filters and output the plurality of second signals. The system is configured to determine the frequency error of the OFDM signal based on the synchronization symbols of the plurality of second signals. |
| US08837613B2 |
Pilot patterns for OFDM systems with multiple antennas
The present invention relates to orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) communication systems with multiple transmit antennas receive antennas, and in particular to methods for inserting scattered pilots (SPs) into the transmit signals of such OFDM systems, for estimating channel properties on the basis of the scattered pilots, a multi-antenna OFDM transmitter, and an OFDM receiver. In this context, it is the particular approach of the present invention to keep the same SP pattern like in the single-transmitter case, to partition the pilots into as many subsets as there are transmitters (transmit antennas), and to interleave these subsets both in time and in frequency. In this manner, the granularity of pilots of the same subset is reduced. This offers increased flexibility in designing the scattered pilot patterns and greater accuracy of the estimated channel properties. |
| US08837610B2 |
Stable low power mode for multicarrier transceivers
A stable Low Power Mode (LPM) for multicarrier transceivers is described that at least provides transmit power savings while enabling receiver designs that can easily operate without the detrimental effects of fluctuating crosstalk. In one exemplary embodiment, the LPM achieves power savings by reducing the number of used subcarriers without actually performing a power cutback on those subcarriers, thereby allowing a receiver to measure the SNR or noise levels and determine the crosstalk noise on the line regardless of a crosstalking modem being in a LPM or not. |
| US08837608B2 |
Systems and methods for configuring and operating a wireless control system in a vehicle for activation of a remote device
Control systems for mounting in a vehicle are configured for transmitting a control signal to a receiver associated with a remote device. A control system receives a first control signal associated with a first transmission scheme. The system determines a bit pattern of the first control signal, and, based on the determined bit pattern, the system determines a second transmission scheme. |
| US08837607B2 |
Reporting of channel state information
A transmit node device includes a receiver that is configured to receive a first sub-index and, for each of one or more matrices, a second sub-index. The first and second sub-indices have different time-frequency reporting granularity. The transmit node device also includes a processor that is configured to reconstruct each of the one or more matrices, which are indexed by the first and second sub-indices. |
| US08837605B2 |
Method and apparatus for compressed video bitstream conversion with reduced-algorithmic-delay
The present invention relates to converting media bitstreams across different networks in a media gateway without any algorithmic delay, and reduces the computation load within the transmission in the situation where the bandwidth of the outgoing network varies dynamically. A first embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus and a method for a Reduced-Algorithmic-Delay Media Stream Unit Conversion module which is a light weight Simple Pass-Through operation. A second embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus and a method for a Reduced-Algorithmic-Delay Video Rate Conversion. An alternative embodiment provides an apparatus and a method for a Smart Pass-Through Operation which involves switching between the Simple Pass-Through and the Rate Converter. The methods and apparatuses provided by the first and second embodiment can be used as a stand alone system, or as part of the module of the alternative embodiment. |
| US08837603B2 |
Method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding with reduced requirements for division operations
A method and apparatus for performing motion estimation in a digital video system is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that quickly calculates estimated motion vectors in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, a first multiplicand is determined by multiplying a first display time difference between a first video picture and a second video picture by a power of two scale value. This step scales up a numerator for a ratio. Next, the system determines a scaled ratio by dividing that scaled numerator by a second first display time difference between said second video picture and a third video picture. The scaled ratio is then stored calculating motion vector estimations. By storing the scaled ratio, all the estimated motion vectors can be calculated quickly with good precision since the scaled ratio saves significant bits and reducing the scale is performed by simple shifts. |
| US08837601B2 |
Parallel video encoding based on complexity analysis
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for encoding chunks of a video file in parallel. Embodiments may divide a source video file into a plurality of chunks, and may encode each chunk at a rate based upon complexity data associated with the chunk. The encoded chunks may then be reassembled to produce an encoded video file. |
| US08837598B2 |
System and method for securely transmitting video over a network
A method comprises receiving a bit stream associated with at least one video image, wherein the bit stream comprises at least one macroblock header and a plurality of macroblocks. The method continues by encrypting the at least one macroblock header. The method concludes by transmitting the bit stream such that the at least one macroblock header is in an encrypted format and at least one macroblock is in an unencrypted format. |
| US08837597B2 |
Method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding
A method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that allows the relative timing of nearby video pictures to be encoded in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, the display time difference between a current video picture and a nearby video picture is determined. The display time difference is then encoded into a digital representation of the video picture. In a preferred embodiment, the nearby video picture is the most recently transmitted stored picture. For coding efficiency, the display time difference may be encoded using a variable length coding system or arithmetic coding. In an alternate embodiment, the display time difference is encoded as a power of two to reduce the number of bits transmitted. |
| US08837589B2 |
Image decoding device which obtains predicted value of coding unit using weighted average
A video encoding method and apparatus and a video decoding method and apparatus. In the video encoding method, a first predicted coding unit of a current coding unit that is to be encoded is produced, a second predicted coding unit is produced by changing a value of each pixel of the first predicted coding unit by using each pixel of the first predicted coding unit and at least one neighboring pixel of each pixel, and the difference between the current coding unit and the second predicted coding unit is encoded, thereby improving video prediction efficiency. |
| US08837587B2 |
Process for coding and decoding video data of a sequence of images and corresponding encoder and decoder
The process comprising splitting of an image into blocks, intra coding of a current block using spatial prediction based on a matching pursuit algorithm selecting, from a dictionary of atoms, the atom the most correlated with a causal neighborhood of the current block, is characterized in that it performs the following steps: — determination of the two dimensional shift between the causal neighborhood and the selected atom, — generation of at least, a new phased atom taking into account the values of the two dimensional spatial shift, — use of this new atom for intra prediction, according to the matching pursuit algorithm, if better correlated than the selected one. Application to video data compression. |
| US08837586B2 |
Bandwidth-friendly representation switching in adaptive streaming
Plural representations of a video stream may be provided. The plural representations may comprise a first chunk, a second chunk, and a transition chunk. The first chunk may comprise a first bitrate and the second chunk may comprise a second bitrate. The first and second chunks may be in decode order starting with an instantaneous decoding refresh (IDR) frame. The transition chunk may be in decode order starting with a non-IDR frame. Next, a request to transition from the first chunk to the second chunk may be received. Then a transition from the first chunk to the transition chunk responsive to the request may occur and the transition chunk may then be provided to another device. |
| US08837585B2 |
Tertiary content addressable memory based motion estimator
Presented herein are Tertiary Content Addressable Memory based motion estimator(s). In one embodiment, there is presented a method for encoding a picture. The method comprises addressing a first memory with one or more data words for a first prediction block, and addressing a second memory with one or more data words for a second prediction block while addressing the first memory. |
| US08837584B2 |
Method of removing a blocking artifact using quantization information in a filtering system
In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining quantization information related to at least one of a first block and an adjacent second block, comparing the quantization information with a predefined constant value, obtaining block type information for the first and second block, and performing a filtering process based on a result from the comparing step when both of the first block and the second block are intra-coded blocks according to the block type information. |
| US08837581B2 |
Power-line communication based surveillance system
A surveillance system configured for communicating with video cameras and other devices connected over a power-line communication network, such as within a residence, or alternatively a commercial building. The system may be manufactured and installed at low cost without the need to route individual cables to each surveillance video camera or device. Bandwidth within the power-line communication network is preferably dynamically allocated to device streams by a server in response to predetermined and event-driven priorities. By way of example, remote communication is supported for allowing remote access to surveillance data and control of the surveillance system. The system may be implemented as a standalone unit or integrated within existing forms of electronics equipment, such as consumer electronics equipment including a television set, a set-top box, or other forms of video-enabled equipment that is adapted for performing power-line network communication. |
| US08837577B2 |
Method of parallel video coding based upon prediction type
A system encoding and decoding video that uses a parallel encoding and decoding technique. |
| US08837574B2 |
Method for identifying data encoded by PPM modulation, and receiver for said method
An identification method for a data Sk is disclosed which includes; a) construction of a chronological sequence {T1; . . . ; Ti; . . . ; TN} of times of arrival Ti of pulses or a block of successive pulses, b) calculation of a value of similarity between this sequence {T1; . . . ; Ti; . . . ; TN} and a predetermined chronological sequence {TREFk1; . . . ; TREFkj; . . . ; TREFkM} of times of arrival coding the data Sk for several time offsets Ol between the sequence {T1; . . . ; Ti; . . . ; TN} and the sequence {TREFk1; . . . ; TREFkj; . . . ; TREFkM}, c) identification of the data Sk in the series {T1; . . . ; Ti; . . . ; TN} if the calculated value of similarity for one of the time offsets Ol exceeds a predetermined threshold. |
| US08837573B2 |
Apparatus and method thereof for compensating for gain changes of N-PAM modulate signals
A method for compensating for gain changes of an N-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-N) modulated signal. The method comprises comparing the PAM-N modulated signal to N−1 configurable thresholds, wherein the input PAM-N modulated signal is also equalized and the N−1 configurable thresholds are N−1 different voltage levels; tracking gain changes in the input PAM-N modulated signal by comparing the input PAM-N modulated signal to a compensation threshold; and adjusting a level of the at least one of the N−1 configurable thresholds of the N−1 comparators based on an output of the compensation comparator, thereby offsetting a crossing point of the at least one comparator respective of the at least one of the N−1 configurable thresholds to compensate for gain changes in the input PAM-N modulated signal. |
| US08837570B2 |
Receiver with parallel decision feedback equalizers
Described embodiments apply equalization to an input signal to a receiver such as a serial-deserializer. The receiver has an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), an M-way parallelizer, N serial buffers, N prefix buffers, and N decision feedback equalizers (DFEs), where M and N are greater than one. The ADC digitizes the input signal to form digitized symbols. The parallelizer assembles the digitized symbols into parallel sets of M digitized symbols. Each serial buffer has slots of M locations per slot and stores one set of M digitized symbols in one of the slots. The DFEs are responsive to common tap weight coefficients and produce parallel sets of M recovered data bits. Each DFE is first trained using sets of past digitized symbols loaded into a corresponding one of the prefix buffers and then processes digitized symbols stored in a corresponding one of the serial buffers. |
| US08837569B2 |
Decision feedback equalization with selectable tap
A system generates a set of candidate signals based on a received signal, whereby each candidate signal represents an adjustment of the signal for a different amount of potential noise. The system selects one of the candidate signals based on a selected subset of previous samples and the values of the selected subset of samples. The subset of previous samples is selected based on a predicted noise pattern. |
| US08837567B2 |
Systems and methods for channel estimation of MoCA signals
Systems and methods are provided, for estimating a channel based on previous channel estimations from the same source. Embodiments disclosed herein enable removal of the timing variation (from burst to burst) so that the channel can be more accurately estimated. Embodiments provide several systems and methods for averaging channel estimation information from each of the bursts. The systems and methods disclosed herein advantageously improve channel estimation accuracy and reduce modulation error. |
| US08837562B1 |
Differential serial interface for supporting a plurality of differential serial interface standards
An active capacitor multiplying circuit that in one embodiment comprises (i) a clock synthesis loop filter of at least second order comprising a series combination of a first resistor and a first capacitor, wherein the series combination is coupled between a first charge pump interface and ground, wherein the clock synthesis loop filter further comprises a second capacitor coupled between the first charge pump interface and the ground; (ii) a capacitor multiplying loop filter comprising a second capacitor coupled between a second charge pump interface and the ground, wherein the capacitor multiplying loop filter further comprises a second resistor coupled to the second charge pump interface and the second charge pump interface is coupled to the first charge pump interface; and (iii) an operational amplifier, driven by the first capacitor, for driving the second resistor, wherein a voltage presented at the first charge pump interface drives a voltage controlled oscillator. |
| US08837561B2 |
Initialization sequence for bi-directional communications in a carrier-based system
A method is provided. An initial bit sequence is received by a receiver. A local oscillator is locked initially to a local reference and subsequently to the received signal using the initial bit sequence, and automatic gain control (AGC) is performed once the local oscillator is locked to the local reference. A Costas loop is then activated so as to achieve carrier frequency offset (CFO) lock, and sign inversion is detected. The receiver then synchronized with an end-of-training pattern. |
| US08837560B2 |
Method and device for the contactless transmission of electrical power and information
In a method for interference suppression of a signal composed of symbols, each symbol is transmitted twice in temporal succession as first symbol and second symbol, so that a segment of a symbol corresponds to a segment of the first symbol and a segment of the second symbol. An interference-suppressed signal is composed from the first and second symbols. |
| US08837556B2 |
Method and apparatus for blind detection of secondary pilot signal in a wireless communication system
In one aspect, the present invention provides for blindly detecting the presence of one or more secondary pilot signals that are not being used to serve a communication apparatus, such as a User Equipment (UE). Among its several advantages, the approach to blind detection taught herein provides robust detection performance, yet it requires relatively few receiver resources. The contemplated apparatus, in at least one example embodiment, uses its blind detection of secondary pilot signal(s) to trigger suppression of secondary pilot interference, for improved reception performance. In a particular, non-limiting example, the apparatus operates in an HSDPA-MIMO network in a non-MIMO mode and blindly detects secondary pilot signal energy associated with the supporting network providing MIMO service to nearby equipment. |
| US08837553B2 |
Method and apparatus for addition data transmission and reception in digital broadcast system
Provided are an apparatus for addition data transmission includes: an IF broadcasting signal generating unit receiving the broadcast data, and FEC and modulation of the received broadcast data to generate a broadcasting signal in an intermediate frequency (IF) band; an IF addition signal generating unit receiving the addition data to generate an addition signal in the IF band by using direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS); an average power controlling unit controlling average power of the addition signal in the IF band; a signal combining unit combining the broadcasting signal in the IF band and the addition signal in the IF band to generate a combination signal; an RF upward converting unit upwardly converting the combination signal in a signal in a radio frequency (RF) band to a combination signal in the RF band; and a transmitting unit transmitting the combination signal in the RF band. |
| US08837552B2 |
Sealing device
A sealing device is arranged around a rod electrode extending vertically through an aperture made in the ceiling of an arc furnace and being vertically movable inside the furnace to prevent the access of gases from the furnace through the aperture to the atmosphere, and on the other hand to prevent air from flowing from the atmosphere into the furnace. The sealing device comprises a gas distribution chamber provided with an inlet channel for feeding essentially passive gas, such as nitrogen or air, into the gas distribution chamber. The sealing device also includes a slit nozzle encasing the electrode, through which nozzle a gas jet is arranged to be discharged from the gas distribution chamber towards the electrode in a direction that is at an angle with respect to the horizontal plane and has a slightly upwards inclined orientation, and that is, with respect to the furnace interior, pointed outwardly, so that the sealing is carried out owing to the effect of the created stagnation pressure. |
| US08837547B2 |
Lasers with InGaAs quantum wells with InGaP barrier layers with reduced decomposition
A method for preparing a VCSEL can use MBE for: growing a first conduction region over a first mirror region; growing an active region over the first conduction region opposite of the first mirror region, including: (a) growing a quantum well barrier having In1-xGaxP(As); (b) growing an transitional layer having one or more of GaP, GaAsP, or GaAs; (c) growing a quantum well layer having In1-zGazAsyP1-y; (d) growing another transitional layer have one or more of GaP, GaAsP, or GaAs; (e) repeating processes (a) through (d) over a plurality of cycles; and (f) growing a quantum well barrier having In1-xGaxP(As); growing a second conduction region over the active region opposite of the first conduction region, wherein: x ranges from 0.77 to 0.50; y ranges from 0.7 to 1; and z ranges from 0.7 to 0.99. |
| US08837544B2 |
Quantum optical device
A quantum device includes a resonator and a tuning structure. The tuning structure is made a material such as a chalcogenide and is positioned to interact with the electromagnetic radiation in the resonator so that a resonant mode of the first resonator depends on a characteristic of the tuning structure. The resonator is optically coupled so that a transition between quantum states associated with a defect produces electromagnetic radiation in the resonator. The characteristic of the tuning structure is adjustable after fabrication of the resonator and the tuning structure. |
| US08837541B2 |
Methods for manufacturing and using solid state laser systems having cladded lasing materials
In one embodiment, the instant invention is an optical structure that includes: an optical active medium of a solid state laser, where the optical active medium has a first coefficient of thermal expansion; and a protective structure that is directly cladded a portion of the optical active medium, where the protective structure has a second coefficient of thermal expansion which matches the first coefficient of thermal expansion of the optical active medium, and where the protective structure is transparent to a wavelength that is within an absorption band of the optical active medium so that the optical structure has: the optical active medium that is protected from a physical damage, and the optical active medium that is capable of generating a laser beam having a first energy that is larger than a second energy generated by a control optical structure having the optical active medium without the protective structure. |
| US08837540B2 |
Simple, low power microsystem for saturation spectroscopy
A spectroscopic assembly is provided. The spectroscopic assembly includes a thermal isolation platform, a gas reference cell encasing a gas and attached to the thermal isolation platform, the gas reference cell having at least one optically-transparent window, and at least one heater configured to raise a temperature of the encased gas. When a beamsplitter is configured to reflect a portion of an input optical beam emitted by a laser to be incident on the at least one optically-transparent window of the gas reference cell, the reflected portion of the input optical beam is twice transmitted through the gas. When a detector is configured to receive the optical beam twice transmitted through the gas, a feedback signal is provided to the laser to stabilize the laser. |
| US08837535B2 |
Microcrystal laser for generating laser pulses
A microcrystal laser for generating laser pulses has a laser resonator which has a laser medium arranged between two mirrors; and an arrangement for stabilizing the optical path length is provided. The laser resonator has a saturable absorber medium for pulse generation. |
| US08837534B2 |
Element for the amplification of a light and method of making the same
An element for the amplification of a light by stimulated emission of radiation and a method of making the same is described herein. |
| US08837520B2 |
Wireless communication system, wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication method, and computer program
Random access operation is performed under a communication environment in which a plurality of communication modes having different transmission rate coexist with small overhead. A high-grade communication station spoofs information of a packet length and a rate in a decoding portion so that a value of (packet length)/(rate) corresponds to a duration where the communication is hoped to be stopped. The other station receiving the spoofed information receives the rest of the packet with the designated rate during the interval designated by the value of (packet length)/(rate). In this case, the packet length and the rate are not those of actually transmitted packet so that this packet is discarded. |
| US08837518B2 |
Method of communication using frame
A device and method for communicating by a mobile communication terminal in communication with a base station. The method according to an embodiment includes exchanging a frame of data with the base station. The frame of data includes a) a plurality of first subframes each having a first number of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) symbols, and b) a plurality of second subframes each having a second number of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) symbols different from the first number. A first and a last subframe each includes one of the plurality of first subframes. |
| US08837513B2 |
Scheduling and power saving with unscheduled service periods in a wireless system
A wireless client device associated with an access point records at which time T after a transmission time of a most recent beacon frame it gained access to the wireless medium for transmission of an uplink packet to the access point. The wireless client device self-schedules target transmission times for one or more future uplink packets, where each of the target transmission times is T after a respective expected transmission time of a beacon frame. Rather than immediately attempting to gain access to the wireless medium when it determines that another uplink packet is ready for transmission, the wireless client device waits until shortly before its next upcoming target transmission time to make the attempt. Implementation in wireless client devices that are attempting to transmit uplink packets to the same access point may prolong the amount of time they can remain in a doze state, potentially reducing their power consumption. |
| US08837512B2 |
TDMA voice communication method and apparatus
In accordance with a first aspect, a method, apparatus and system is disclosed for communicating within a TDMA communication system comprising receiving data from a plurality of transmitters in a stream of TDMA super-frames, wherein each transmitter transmits payload data in one particular frame within a defined super-frame, each super-frame comprising M frames, where M is a positive integer greater than one, determining, using a processor, a quality of received data from said transmitters, and if the quality of received data from one of said transmitters is below a quality threshold, granting said one of said transmitters the right to transmit data within a second frame in said super-frames, and collectively processing in a processor said data in both frames of said super-frame assigned to said one of said transmitters to reconstruct said data from said one of said transmitters Also, a method, apparatus and system for processing data received in a TDMA communication system utilizing a stream of TDMA super-frames, each super-frame having a structure comprising M frames, each frame designed to carry data of a duration of Y time units, from a different communication channel, where Y is a positive integer, said method comprising dividing said super-frame into N/M hyper-frames, where N is a factor of M, and partitioning said data from each of said transmitters into mini-frames of duration Y/N and interleaving said mini-frames of data from each of said transmitters into a TDMA transport stream comprising super-frames of M*N mini-frame. |
| US08837510B1 |
Apparatus and a method for allocating upstream bandwidth of a shared upstream channel of an optical network
The invention provides an apparatus and a method for allocating upstream bandwidth of a shared upstream channel of an optical network, the optical network interconnecting an apparatus with at least a first network unit and a second network unit, the method includes the stages of: (i) receiving requests for transmitting information towards the apparatus; and (ii) issuing data grants in response to at least the requests; wherein at least one data grant authorizes a first network unit to transmit data at a first bit-rate during at least one time-slot and at least one other data grant authorizes a second network unit to transmit data at a second bit-rate during at least one other time-slot, whereas the second bit-rate differs from the first bit-rate. |
| US08837506B2 |
Data transfer device
A data transfer device 210 is equipped with a plurality of communication ports 211a and 211b, a communication establishment processor 212, and a communication maintenance processor 213. The communication establishment processor 212 transmits and receives communication establishing information for establishing communication with an external device connected via the communication port to and from the external device. The communication maintenance processor 213 is configured to operate independently of the communication establishment processor 212 and, every time a predetermined transmission period elapses, transmits communication maintaining information for maintaining the establishment of communication with the external device, to the external device. In a state that communication with a plurality of external devices via the plurality of communication ports is established, the data transfer device 210 transmits data received from one of the plurality of external devices to the other one of the plurality of external devices. |
| US08837503B2 |
Parallel processing using multi-core processor
Disclosed are methods, systems, paradigms and structures for processing data packets in a communication network by a multi-core network processor. The network processor includes a plurality of multi-threaded core processors and special purpose processors for processing the data packets atomically, and in parallel. An ingress module of the network processor stores the incoming data packets in the memory and adds them to an input queue. The network processor processes a data packet by performing a set of network operations on the data packet in a single thread of a core processor. The special purpose processors perform a subset of the set of network operations on the data packet atomically. An egress module retrieves the processed data packets from a plurality of output queues based on a quality of service (QoS) associated with the output queues, and forwards the data packets towards their destination addresses. |
| US08837498B2 |
System and method for managing bandwidth based on a time of day
A method for managing bandwidth to a customer in response to a time of day. A current time of day is determined. A time of day profile selected by the customer from multiple time of day profiles is determined. The bandwidth allocated to the customer is adjusted in response to the current time of day and the time of day profile. The customer is charged in response to charges associated with the selected time of day profile. |
| US08837492B2 |
Multiplexed data stream circuit architecture
An apparatus comprising an ingress controller configured to receive a data frame comprising a high priority data and a low priority data, and an ingress buffer coupled to the ingress controller and configured to buffer the low priority data, wherein the high priority data is not buffered. Also disclosed is a network component, comprising an ingress controller configured to receive a data stream comprising high priority data and low priority data, and an ingress buffer coupled to the ingress controller and configured to receive, buffer, and send the low priority data, and further configured to receive a flow control indication, wherein the ingress buffer varies an amount of the low priority data sent from the ingress buffer in accordance with the flow control indication. |
| US08837486B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for automating return traffic redirection to a service appliance by injecting traffic interception/redirection rules into network nodes
Methods and apparatuses for automating return traffic redirection to a service appliance by injecting forwarding policies in a packet-forwarding element are disclosed herein. An example method for automating return traffic redirection can include: establishing a communication channel between a service appliance and a packet-forwarding element; and transmitting an out-of-band message over the communication channel to the packet-forwarding element. The message can include a forwarding policy that requests the packet-forwarding element to forward predetermined packets to the service appliance. |
| US08837480B2 |
Data redistribution in data replication systems
Data replication comprises: redistributing one or more originator data subsets among a plurality of originator nodes; determining data redistribution information pertaining to redistribution of the one or more originator data subsets among the plurality of originator nodes; and sending data redistribution information to a replica system. The data redistribution information is used by the replica system to redistribute one or more corresponding replica data subsets among a plurality of replica nodes; and the one or more corresponding replica data subsets are redistributed among the plurality of replica nodes without requiring the one or more originator data subsets to be sent to the replica system during redistribution. |
| US08837472B2 |
Method for transmitting a multi-channel data stream on a multi-transport tunnel, corresponding computer-readable storage means and tunnel end-points
A method is disclosed for transmitting a multi-channel data stream comprising frames comprising a plurality of channels, the transmitting being done via a multi-transport tunnel from a first tunnel end-point to a second tunnel end-point, the multi-transport tunnel implementing at least one first carrier supporting a transport protocol with acknowledgement and at least one second carrier supporting a transport protocol without acknowledgement.More specifically, the invention proposes to introduce a delay in the sending of data (< |
| US08837467B2 |
Multi-rate serializer/deserializer circuit with broad operating frequency range
A serializer and deserializer utilize upsampling and downsampling to operate over a broad range of frequencies. The serializer includes a bit repeater and a high-speed serializer. The bit repeater receives data to be serialized, upsamples the received data, and supplies the upsampled data to the high-speed serializer. The deserializer includes a high-speed deserializer and a downsampler. The high-speed deserializer supplies parallelized data to the downsampler. The downsampler decimates the parallelized data and supplies the decimated data to an output of the deserializer. |
| US08837466B2 |
Systems and methods to provide communication references based on recommendations to connect people for real time communications
Methods and apparatuses to selectively present communication references based on recommendations from related entities to connect people for real time communications. One embodiment includes: receiving from a user a selection of a first listing, including a reference to be used to request a connection for real time communications between the user and a first entity; responsive to the selection of the first listing, determining one or more entities related to the first listing; selecting a second listing based at least in part on data representing one or more recommendations from the one or more entities; and presenting to the user the second listing, the including a reference for the user to request a connection with a second entity for real time communications. In one embodiment, the first and second entities provide services over connections established via the references included in the first and second listings for real time communications. |
| US08837465B2 |
System and method for processing telephony sessions
In one embodiment, the method of processing telephony sessions includes: communicating with an application server using an application layer protocol; processing telephony instructions with a call router; and creating call router resources accessible through a call router Application Programming Interface (API). In another embodiment, the system for processing telephony sessions includes: a call router, a URI for an application server, a telephony instruction executed by the call router, and a call router API resource. |
| US08837460B2 |
Method and system for bridging and routing offload in a multiport wireless system
Aspects of a method and system for bridging and routing offload in a multiport wireless system are presented. Various aspects of the system may include a wireless network interface subsystem that enables transcoding of at least a portion of a data packet received by the wireless network interface subsystem. The wireless network interface subsystem may enable transfer of the transcoded portion of the data packet from the wireless network interface subsystem to a wired network interface subsystem that is communicatively coupled thereto. The transcoded portion of the data packet may be compliant with a format utilized by the wired network interface subsystem. |
| US08837459B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing asynchronous audio messaging
The present invention provides audio messaging in a communications network, e.g., a VoIP network. More specifically, the present invention establishes a non-duplex communication link between a first subscriber and a second subscriber. Audio messages are transmitted between the first subscriber and the second subscriber via the non-duplex communication link. |
| US08837458B2 |
Network apparatuses, networks, computer program products, and management station operational methods
Network apparatuses, networks, computer program products, and management station operational methods are provided. One aspect of the invention provides a network apparatus including a management station adapted to couple with a network including a plurality of managed devices, the management station being configured to output a plurality of initial commands for application to respective managed devices, the initial commands being configured to stimulate initial responses from the managed devices, the management station being further configured to receive the initial responses, to identify responding ones of the managed devices responsive to the received initial responses, and to provide an asset table containing the identified managed devices. Another aspect provides a management station operational method including providing a network comprising a plurality of managed devices; outputting a plurality of initial commands to the managed devices using a management station to stimulate initial responses from the managed devices; receiving the initial responses from the managed devices using the management station; and identifying the managed devices using the management station responsive to the receiving the initial responses. |
| US08837457B2 |
Method and apparatus for adjusting signal transmission starting point of terminal in wireless network
Disclosed is a method for adjusting a transmission time point of at least one second terminal in a wireless network by a first terminal. In the method for adjusting a transmission time point of a terminal, a transmission time point of the second terminal is set, a first frame including information regarding the transmission time point is transmitted to the second terminal, a first response frame transmitted according to the transmission time point from the second terminal is received, and the transmission time point is adjusted according to an arrival time of the first response frame. |
| US08837455B2 |
Method and device for service time division multiplexing
A method and device for service time division multiplexing as well as a method and a device for transmitting service are disclosed. The method for service time division multiplexing includes: selecting a part or all of radio frames in one time unit as specific radio frames; and selecting a part or all of subframes in the specific radio frames as specific subframes for sending a specific service. The specific service is a multimedia broadcast multicast service, or a unicast service, or one or more than one kind of services transmitted in broadcast or multicast mode. |
| US08837451B2 |
Method and system for implementing a call by a media gateway
The present disclosure discloses a method and a system for implementing a call by a media gateway, comprising: setting a master control network element in a media gateway cluster, and establishing a mapping relationship between a user number and the media gateway in the master control network element (100); when the media gateway determines that an uplink protocol interface corresponding to a calling party is interrupted, the media gateway transmits a dialing tone to the calling party and acquires the called party number, and requests the master control network element to determine a media gateway to which the called party belongs; the master control network element determines the media gateway to which the called party belongs according to the mapping relationship stored therein, and informs the media gateway initiating the request; the call between the media gateway as a calling gateway that initiates the request and the determined media gateway to which the called party belongs is completed (103). In the method of the present disclosure, under the help of the master control network element, normal conversation services of the users of the media gateway can be guaranteed even if the protocol service interface between the media gateway and the core network equipment is interrupted through the interactions among the media gateways in the media gateway cluster. |
| US08837450B2 |
Transmissionof HARQ control information from a user equipment for downlink carrier aggregation
Methods and apparatus are described for a User Equipment (UE) to transmit acknowledgement information together with data information in a Physical Uplink Shared CHannel (PUSCH) or separate from data information in a Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH). The HARQ-ACK payload for transmission in a PUSCH and the HARQ-ACK signal transmission power for transmission in a PUCCH are derived based on the existence and design of a Downlink Assignment Index (DAI) Information Element (IE) in the Downlink Control Information (DCI) formats scheduling receptions of data Transport Blocks (TBs) by the UE. |
| US08837445B2 |
Operating method for a WPAN device
A method of operating a device capable of periodically hopping a predetermined interval using a channel hopping sequence in order to improve low radio frequency (RF) reliability caused by single frequency based channel access. |
| US08837444B2 |
Setting up a call from a non-IMS to an IMS network whereby the gateway interfaces the HSS
The application relates to a method for setting up a call from a non-IMS telecommunication network, comprising a Network Gateway Node (NGN), to a destination node in an IMS network. The method comprises the NGN interfaces a combined database node comprising a Home Location Register (HLR) and a Home Subscriber Server (HSS). The method further comprises routing the call to the destination node in the IMS network, of which address is determined by information received from the combined database node. The method further comprises sending, sending, in response to receiving an initial call setup request message, an information request message to the combined database node for obtaining routing information for the setup of the call, the information request message comprising an indicator indicating at least one type of response that the NGN is able to process. |
| US08837443B2 |
Reducing congestion in wireless communication networks
In a method for controlling network congestion, a parameter to bar access from specific user equipment is adjusted. The adjusted parameter in a specific system information block which is different from a System Information Block Type2 is transmitted. The method may be performed by a base station. |
| US08837442B2 |
Wireless transmitter, wireless transmission method, wireless receiver and wireless reception method
A wireless transmitter which includes: a packetizer which generates a special packet with a payload containing transmitted video signals and a header containing distinguishing information used to distinguish the special packet from an IP packet; and a wireless transmitting section for generating and transmitting wireless radio signals which contain a special packet generated by the packetizer. |
| US08837440B2 |
Relay backhaul uplink HARQ protocol
The present invention relates to a method for configuring a retransmission protocol on the uplink between a network node and a relay node in a mobile communication system, the configuration being performed at a network node or at a relay node, and to the corresponding relay node apparatus and network node apparatus capable of configuring the retransmission protocol. In particular, the number of transmission processes is determined based on the position of time intervals available for the transmission and may be selected in order to control the round trip time of the retransmission protocol. Once the number of transmission processes has been configured, the transmission processes are mapped on the available time intervals in a predefined order and repetitively. |
| US08837439B2 |
Method and apparatus of transmitting control information
A wireless communication system is disclosed herein. More specifically, a method of transmitting control information from a user equipment in a wireless communication system is disclosed, wherein the method includes receiving a first transmission timing information for transmitting a first control information associated with one or more first downlink component carriers from a base station; determining a second transmission timing information for transmitting a second control information associated with one or more second downlink component carrier by using the first transmission timing information and an additional transmission timing information; and transmitting control information on the one or more second downlink component carriers in dependence upon the second transmission timing information to the base station. |
| US08837437B2 |
Method and apparatus for computing and reporting channel quality indication (CQI)
Techniques for computing and reporting channel quality indication (CQI) are described. In an aspect, a plurality of CQI computation methods may be supported, and each CQI computation method may indicate how CQI should be computed. One CQI computation method may be selected for use. CQI may then be computed and reported in accordance with the selected CQI computation method. In an exemplary design, a user equipment (UE) may obtain a selected method for computing CQI, which may be chosen based on the UE capability and/or other factors. The selected method may specify (i) CQI computation for a specific codeword among a plurality of codewords or (ii) CQI computation by averaging signal quality across a plurality of layers used for transmission. The UE may compute CQI in accordance with the selected method, send the CQI to a base station, and receive data sent by the base station based on the CQI. |
| US08837434B2 |
Method for transmitting short signaling in Mac-E PDU
A method for transmitting a short signaling in a Media Access Control-e Packet Data Unit (MAC-e PDU) includes sending control information bits incorporated with padding bits of the MAC-e PDU considering the padding bits from a User Equipment (UE) to a Node B, and sending a scheduling signaling from a service Node B to the UE according to the control information bits. Scheduling request information is transmitted with the existing padding bits. If every Transmission Time Interval (TTI) has padding bits, the UE may send the scheduling request signaling to Node B in every TTI. Therefore, the reference is provided for the Node B, and no extra load is caused to the system. |
| US08837429B2 |
Method for handover of a mobile node in a communications network
A method for handover of a mobile node (MN) in a communications network from a previous point of attachment (p-PoA) associated with a previous mobility access gateway (pMAG) to a new point of attachment (n-PoA) associated with a new mobility access gateway (nMAG), where the pMAG and nMAG are associated with a mobility anchor (LMA), comprises the nMAG receiving a handover indicator concerning the MN from the pMAG. After receiving the handover indicator at the nMAG, the nMAG establishes a transient binding with the LMA. Following establishment of the transient binding, the nMAG receives downloaded data for the MN from the LMA prior to establishment of a connection between the MN and the n-PoA. The method may be used with PMIP Mobile Internet Protocol (PMIP). |
| US08837428B2 |
Method to handover a subscriber between different base stations in a multi-layered wireless network
A method and system are provided for enabling an MS operative in a multi-layer wireless network, to be handed over to a target BS associated with another one of the multi-layers. By the method provided, if it is required that the MS which has not yet been provided with information that relates to a potential target BS associated with a layer different from the one with which its currently serving BS, be handed over to such a target BS, then upon receiving an acknowledgement from the target BS indicating its capability to provide service to the MS, a message is transmitted to the MS that comprises information to enable the MS to perform a fast network re-entry in order to communicate with the target BS. Next, a handover procedure between the MS and the target BS is initiated, during which the MS performs a fast network re-entry. |
| US08837423B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in a communication system
An apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving data in a communication system are provided. A serving node includes a transceiver/receiver including an antenna for transmitting and receiving data from at least one of plurality of customer equipments; a control processor responsive to an requesting handover message indicating handover to a target node for transmitting to the target node a sequence number message wherein the sequence number message has successfully received by the customer equipment; a memory for storing data to be transmitted to the customer equipment. |
| US08837420B2 |
MAC extensions for smart antenna support
Apparatus and methods implement aggregation frames and allocation frames. The aggregation frames include a plurality of MSDUs or fragments thereof aggregated or otherwise combined together. An aggregation frame makes more efficient use of the wireless communication resources. The allocation frame defines a plurality of time intervals. The allocation frame specifies a pair of stations that are permitted to communicate with each other during each time interval as well as the antenna configuration to be used for the communication. This permits stations to know ahead of time when they are to communicate, with which other stations and the antenna configuration that should be used. A buffered traffic field can also be added to the frames to specify how much data remains to be transmitted following the current frame. This enables network traffic to be scheduled more effectively. |
| US08837418B2 |
Methods and systems for dynamic spectrum arbitrage
Methods and system are provided for managing and monitoring allocation of RF spectrum resources based on time, space and frequency. A network may be enabled to allocate excess spectrum resources for use by other network providers on a real-time basis. Allocated resources may be transferred from one provider with excess resources to another in need of additional resources based on contractual terms or on a real-time purchase negotiations and settlements. A network may be enabled to monitor the use of allocated resources on real-time basis and off-load or allow additional users depending on the spectrum resources availability. Public safety networks may be enabled to make spectrum resources available to general public by allocating spectrum resources and monitoring the use of those resources. During an emergency, when traffic increases on a public safety network, the public safety networks may off-load bandwidth traffic to make available necessary resources for public safety users. |
| US08837417B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting a hopping pilot beacon signal in a communication system
Methods and apparatus are provided for transmitting a Hopping Pilot Beacon (HPB) in a communication system. A number of installed switches corresponds to a number of Frequency Assignments (FAs) used in the communication system. A Demultiplexer (DEMUX) connects one of a plurality of first input lines, which provide an HPB signal to each of the switches, with a corresponding one of a plurality of output lines of the switches. An HPB Multiplexer (MUX) control block controls the DEMUX to connect one of the plurality of first input lines with one of the plurality of output lines, which is connected to a Numerical Controlled Oscillator (NCO) for outputting a corresponding signal to a radio frequency terminal through a frequency of a corresponding FA. |
| US08837416B2 |
Method for detecting a downlink control structure for carrier aggregation
This invention relates with a method for detecting a downlink control structure for carrier aggregation in communication network in which data transmission is scheduled by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). An UE receives higher layer signaling enabling carrier aggregation for the UE. The UE reads the PDCCHs of component carriers (CCs), wherein the downlink control information (DCI) in the PDCCHs of each CC is read according to one of a plurality of predefined formats derived from the higher layer signaling. |
| US08837413B2 |
Method of transmitting/receiving control information of data channel for enhanced uplink data transmission
A method of receiving control information for an uplink in a network includes receiving, by at least one Medium Access Control (MAC) sub-layer in the network, a MAC-e Protocol Data Unit (PDU) from a User Equipment (UE) via an Enhanced Dedicated Channel (E-DCH) which is an uplink transport channel handled by the at least one MAC sub-layer; and acquiring the control information from the received MAC-e PDU, the control information indicating an amount of resources required by the UE. A first format of the MAC-e PDU is received when the control information is included with other information in the MAC-e PDU and a second format of the MAC-e PDU is received when only the control information is included in the MAC-e PDU. The first format of the MAC-e PDU includes a first indicator having a first specific value to indicate that the MAC-e PDU includes the control information. |
| US08837408B2 |
Method for processing data associated with session management and mobility management
The technical features of this document provide a method and wireless apparatus for processing data associated with bearer resources, session management, and/or mobility management. The method comprises transmitting a packet data network connectivity request message to a mobility management entity (MME) for establishing a packet data network connection; receiving a session management back-off time value from the MME when a request of bearer resource modification or bearer resource allocation for the established packet data network connection is rejected by the MME; starting a session management back-off timer according to the session management back-off time value, the session management back-off timer being associated with the established packet data network connection; and receiving a deactivate bearer context request message, from the MME, including a cause code indicating that reactivation is requested and stopping the session management back-off timer if the session management back-off timer is running. |
| US08837405B2 |
Methods and apparatus to reduce a time to transfer multiple PDN contexts during inter-radio access technology handoff
Aspects of the present disclosure provide apparatus and methods to reduce the time taken to perform multiple packet data network (PDN) context transfers during inter-radio access technology (IRAT) scenarios. Certain aspects provide methods and apparatus for wireless communication by a device capable of communicating in at least a first and second RAT networks. The device may have multiple PDN contexts established in the first RAT network. As part of a transition to the second RAT network, the mobile device may transmit a single signaling message that indicates at least two of the PDN contexts to be transferred. In some aspects, the single signaling message may also indicate a new PDN context to be established as part of the transition. |
| US08837404B2 |
Method of updating system information in wireless communication system
The present invention provides a method of a Base Station (BS) updating system information using a superframe structure in a wireless communication system, comprising transmitting a primary header including system scheduling information pertinent to an update of the system information and transmitting an updated secondary header. The system scheduling information comprises secondary header change state information indicating a change state of the updated secondary header, secondary header applying information indicating whether the secondary header change state information is applied to a current system, and a secondary header change indicator indicating the updated secondary header. |
| US08837402B2 |
Terminal device and signal transmission control method
Disclosed is a terminal device in which increase in the overhead of an uplink control channel can be suppressed even when SCTD is applied to the transmission of response signals and SRs. Either a response signal or SR is allocated to mutually different encoding resources, and a terminal (200) transmits from each of a plurality of antennas. A control section (208) transmits a response signal or SR using an SR resource or ACK/NACK resource, which are mutually different encoding resources, and a shared resource. The control section (208) uses the encoding resource, which is either the SR resource to which a response signal is allocated when a response signal and SR are generated concurrently, and to which an SR is allocated when only an SR is generated, or the ACK/NACK resource to which a response signal is allocated when only a response signal is generated. The control section (208) also uses the shared resource to which a response signal is allocated when a response signal and SR are generated concurrently and when only a response signal is generated, and to which an SR is allocated when only an SR is generated. |
| US08837398B2 |
Generating transmission schedules
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for generating a schedule to transmit data on a network. The method includes accessing information that identifies a quantity of data that a particular client device has designated for transmission. The method includes determining, using the information that identifies the quantity of data for each of multiple client devices, a first schedule that identifies a subset of packet time segments, from a frame that includes packet time segments, during which a first client device is permitted to transmit data to the computing system. The first client device is one of the multiple client devices. The information includes transmitting the first schedule. The schedule includes receiving a transmission of data from the first client device during the identified subset of packet time segments in accordance with the schedule. |
| US08837392B2 |
Application layer communication via single radio block access
Embodiments herein advantageously reduce the amount of control signalling and header information that must accompany an application layer message when transporting that message from a wireless device to a supporting application server via an intermediate node. To do so, the wireless device prepares a single radio block that includes the application layer message and an indication that the single radio block contains the entire application layer message. The device then sends a control message to the intermediate node that requests allocation of radio resources for sending the single radio block without establishing a temporary block flow (TBF). The device finally sends the single radio block using the allocated resources, without a TBF. Upon receiving the block, the intermediate node determines, based on the indication within the block, whether or not the block contains an entire application layer message. If so, the intermediate node forwards that application layer message towards the application server. |
| US08837391B2 |
Method of requesting radio resource in wireless communication system
A method of requesting a radio resource in a wireless communication system is provided. The method comprises setting a timer's expiry time, transmitting a radio resource request message to a base station, starting the timer and retransmitting the radio resource request message to the base station if a radio resource allocation message is not received until the timer expires, wherein the expiry time may be set variably based on a communication state. |
| US08837388B2 |
Methods and apparatus to perform assignments in wireless communications
Example methods and apparatus to perform assignments in wireless communications are disclosed. A disclosed example method to receive resource assignments at a mobile station involves receiving an assignment message from a network and identifying radio block periods assigned to the mobile station. At least one of the assigned radio block periods is separated from a next occurring one of the assigned radio block periods by at least one non-assigned radio block period. The example method also involves processing downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods. |
| US08837381B2 |
Using an uplink grant as trigger of first or second type of CQI report
Channel state feedback is provided from a UE to a base station as a first, detailed or a second, less detailed type of channel state feedback information. Initially it is determined whether the UE has received an uplink grant from the base station or not. If the UE has received an uplink grant, a first type of channel state feedback information is transmitted to the base station on the granted resource. If, however, the UE has not received an uplink grant, a second type of channel state feedback information is transmitted to the base station. Different types of channel state feedback information enables a UE and an associated base station to use available resources more efficiently, when requesting for and delivering channel state feedback information. |
| US08837379B2 |
Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system
The downlink control channels in a control region of each downlink subframe in a telecommunication system are divided into at least one common subset of the downlink control channels and a plurality of group subsets of the downlink control channels, such that the common subset or each common subset will be decoded by every user equipment, and each group subset will be decoded only by a limited group of user equipments. Resource assignment messages for a user equipment can then be transmitted on a downlink control channel of the relevant group subset, to avoid the need for messages to be decoded by a large number of UEs that will not act on them, while broadcast messages can be transmitted on a downlink control channel of the relevant common subset, to avoid the need for messages to be transmitted many times. |
| US08837377B2 |
Inter-domain coordination for MT and MO calls
A mobility management entity (MME) for setting up a call includes a first network interface which receives a tracking area update (TAU) request from a user equipment (UE). The MME includes a processing unit which translates the TAU request into a location area update (LAU) request. The MME includes a second network interface in communication with the processing unit which sends the LAU request to a mobile switching center (MSC) selected as a tracking MSC thereby establishing the MME as a network node through which the UE is paged. |
| US08837368B2 |
Transmission method of femtocell
A transmission method of a femtocell includes the following steps. The femtocell receives and temporarily stores multiple real-time transport protocol (RTP) packets from a UE in a buffer. When the RTP packets are temporarily stored for a time period, the femtocell samples the buffer at a sampling rate to generate multiple CS data packets. The CS data packets include a current CS data packet. When there exists no previous CS data packet received from the UE, the femtocell calculates a timestamp of the current CS data packet according to a current timestamp. When there exists the previous CS data packet, the femtocell calculates the timestamp of the current CS data packet according to the timestamp and a connection frame number (CFN) of the previous CS data packet and a CFN of the current CS data packet. |
| US08837363B2 |
Server for updating location beacon database
A location beacon database and server, method of building location beacon database, and location based service using same. Wi-Fi access points are located in a target geographical area to build a reference database of locations of Wi-Fi access points. At least one vehicle is deployed including at least one scanning device having a GPS device and a Wi-Fi radio device and including a Wi-Fi antenna system. The target area is traversed in a programmatic route to reduce arterial bias. The programmatic route includes substantially all drivable streets in the target geographical area and solves an Eulerian cycle problem of a graph represented by said drivable streets. While traversing the target area, Wi-Fi identity information and GPS location information is detected. The location information is used to reverse triangulate the position of the detected Wi-Fi access point; and the position of the detected access point is recorded in a reference database. |
| US08837362B2 |
Method and apparatus for inter-cell interference coordination paging of a mobile terminal in an idle state
A method and apparatus are provided for reliably paging a mobile terminal in the idle mode, even in an instance in which the mobile terminal is subjected to interference from a CSG cell. In this regard, a method is provided that includes causing an indication of an inter-cell interference coordination (ICIC) paging period to be provided to the mobile terminal. The indication of the ICIC paging period includes an ICIC paging period TICIC and a number NABS of consecutive almost blank subframes (ABS) subframes in which a paging message is to be expected. The method also determines, for a respective ICIC paging period, the NABS nearest ABS subframes of the CSG cell relative to a paging occasion (PO) subframe of the mobile terminal. A paging message is also provided to the mobile terminal in one of the NABS nearest ABS subframes of the CSG cell. |
| US08837361B2 |
System and method for access over a cable television network
A system and method for allowing a computing device to associate wirelessly with one or more access points that are connected to a cable TV network when such device is in a range of such access point, even though such wireless device would not generally be authorized to receive content or data from the access point. Signals to and from the wireless device are carried over the cable TV network and transmitted to other devices associated with other access points attached to the cable TV network. |
| US08837351B2 |
Method and UE for setting a happy bit on an uplink E-DPCCH
A method and UE for setting a Happy bit on an uplink enhanced dedicated control channel are provided. The method includes: a UE transmits an uplink Enhanced Dedicated Channel (E-DCH) on more than one carrier, when criterion 1 and criterion 2 are met, the UE sets the Happy bit which is to be transmitted to a network side as “UNHAPPY” to indicate that the UE doesn't satisfy with the current serving grant. The disclosure optimizes the processing process of power control and resource scheduling, reduces call-drop rate, so that the performances of the UE and the NodeB are optimized. |
| US08837346B2 |
Repeater pass-through messaging
Embodiments of this invention include a network communications stack for a system for communicating data over a network. A media access control (MAC) layer running on a radio processor of the communications stack at least partially processes messages received from a network, i.e., before the message is passed to a host processor. Specifically, the MAC layer includes software configured to analyze a destination address contained in the message, and determine whether the destination address contained in the message matches a destination address programmed in the MAC layer. |
| US08837345B2 |
Wireless broadband systems with relay stations
In a wireless communications network using relay stations between the network controller and at least some of the subscriber stations, the total network throughput may be increased by using spatial multiplexing between the network controller and some relay stations. In networks with multiple tiers of relay stations, a relay station may dedicate some sub-channels to communicating directly with subscriber stations and dedicate other sub-channels to communicating with other downstream relay stations. |
| US08837344B2 |
Apparatus and method for multicast/broadcast service data transmission synchronization
An MBS data transmission synchronization apparatus of a radio access station is provided. The MBS data transmission synchronization apparatus includes an information reception unit that receives transmission synchronization information from an ACR, an information reception loss check unit that determines whether the received transmission synchronization information is lost, a content reception unit that sequentially receives a content packet including content time information from an MBS content source, a packet reception loss check unit that determines whether the received content packet is lost, a retransmission request unit that transmits a retransmission request message to the ACR, a transmission time determination unit that determines a transmission time of the received content packet on the basis of the transmission synchronization information and the content time information, and a content transmission unit that transmits the received content packet to mobile terminals at the transmission time. |
| US08837343B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method for transmitting and receiving digital broadcast signal
The disclosed method for processing a digital broadcast signal comprises encoding signaling information for mobile service data of the mobile service, the signaling information including first signaling data which includes transmission parameters and second signaling data which contains cross layer information between a physical layer and a upper layer, formatting a data group including known data, the first signal data and the mobile service data and transmitting the digital broadcast signal including data in the data group, wherein the mobile service in the digital broadcast signal is transmitted via first transmission mode or second transmission mode, wherein the slot is a basic time period for multiplexing of the mobile service data and main service data according to the first or second transmission mode, wherein the first signaling data includes slot indicating information identifying whether the slot is a slot for the first transmission mode or a slot for the second transmission mode. |
| US08837341B2 |
Operating method of low-power-consumption wireless sensor network system
The invention provides an operating method of low-power-consumption wireless sensor network system, which comprises a plurality of nodes. Wherein, the nodes can be enforced to enter a sleep state at a preset times and enter an awake state by a first light. |
| US08837333B2 |
System for satellite communications in tunnels
The present invention relates to a satellite communication system for extending communications between a vehicle and a satellite in an area of non-visibility of the satellite. The satellite communication system comprises a fixed transceiver system and a mobile transceiver system. The fixed transceiver system includes a first antenna intended to be positioned outside the area of non-visibility of the satellite, and at least one second antenna coupled with the first antenna and intended to be positioned in the area of non-visibility of the satellite. The fixed transceiver system is configured to receive through the first antenna downlink signals transmitted by the satellite on at least one downlink carrier frequency and to transmit the received downlink signals on the at least one downlink carrier frequency in the area of non-visibility of the satellite through the at least one second antenna. The mobile transceiver system is intended to be installed on the vehicle, includes a third antenna and a fourth antenna, and is configured to receive through the third antenna the downlink signals transmitted by the fixed transceiver system on the at least one downlink carrier frequency, to receive through the fourth antenna the downlink signals transmitted by the satellite on the at least one downlink carrier frequency, to determine whether the vehicle is in the area of non-visibility of the satellite or in an area of visibility of the satellite, and to transmit uplink signals on at least one uplink carrier frequency through the third antenna if the vehicle is in the area of non-visibility of the satellite or through the fourth antenna if the vehicle is in an area of visibility of the satellite. The fixed transceiver system is further configured to receive through the at least one second antenna the uplink signals transmitted by the mobile transceiver system on the at least one uplink carrier frequency and to transmit the received uplink signals to the satellite on the at least one uplink carrier frequency through the first antenna. |
| US08837329B2 |
Method and system for controlled tree management
There is disclosed a method and apparatus for facilitating a network, such as an Ethernet LAN, for efficient forwarding of data traffic by collecting neighbor information, generating and distributing link state advertisements, populating a topology database for the network, and calculating trees for each bridge serving as a root bridge. In a preferred embodiment the method and system also prepare one or more backup topologies, and store them for use if they are needed due to a failure condition detected in the network. In a particularly preferred embodiment, probabilities are assigned to various potential failure conditions, and the probability values are used to decide which backup topologies to calculate, store, or use. |
| US08837327B2 |
Method and device for managing network topology structure of machine to machine network
The disclosure discloses a method for managing network topology structure of a Machine to Machine (M2M) network. The method mainly includes: a control station of the M2M network obtains wireless link information of the M2M network; the control station completes establishment and/or adjustment of the network topology structure of the M2M network according to the obtained wireless link information. The disclosure also provides a device for managing network topology structure of an M2M network. By the disclosure, performing self-adaptive management on numerous terminals can be realized by the M2M network; by applying the disclosure to the wireless network management of the M2M network, manpower cost is saved and working efficiency is improved, and also it is of important significance to the smooth development of the telecom operation. |
| US08837322B2 |
Method and apparatus for snoop-and-learn intelligence in data plane
An approach is provided where incoming packets are received at a data plane and header fields are extracted from the incoming packet. Flows from a flow data store are matched with the extracted header fields from the incoming packet. Packet descriptor data associated with the incoming packet is marked in the selected incoming packet forming a marked ingress packet with marking performed when the matching fails. The marked ingress packet is forwarded to a control plane that retrieves flow-related data related to the marked ingress packet and updates the marked packet descriptor data using the retrieved flow-related data, thereby forming an updated marked packet. The control plane passes the updated marked packet back to the data plane for further processing to update the flow data stored in the flow data store. |
| US08837316B2 |
RTT based ranging system and method
A system and method are disclosed for performing ranging operations (700) between two or more wireless devices (STA1 and STA2). For some embodiments, the ranging operation allows each of a pair of ranging devices to estimate timing errors associated with measuring the time of arrival (TOA) of received signals, and to remove such timing errors from the measured TOA values. TOA and time of departure (TOD) information may also be exchanged between the devices using measurement action frames defined by IEEE 802.11v standards. In addition, an iterative process (800) is disclosed that allows a sequence of measurement action frames exchanged between the ranging devices to refine the timing errors and thus also refine the round trip time (RTT) value of signals exchanged between the devices. |
| US08837313B2 |
Mobile communication method and radio terminal
A mobile communication method, which configures a DRX cycle having an On duration in which a downlink signal transmitted from a serving base station is to be monitored and an Off duration other than the On duration in an RRC connected state where an RRC connection is established between a radio terminal and a radio base station, the mobile communication method comprising: a step A of measuring, at the radio terminal, reception quality of a reference signal transmitted from a cell even in the Off duration when the DRX cycle is configured. |
| US08837309B2 |
Device and method for estimating audiovisual quality impairment in packet networks
An audio and/or visual transmission quality device estimates transmission quality as perceived by a user based on observation and processing of objective metrics. The device preferably includes a primary integrator to generate an instantaneous estimate of user annoyance based on occurrence of frame loss events in a received signal. The device further preferably includes secondary integrators to process the instantaneous estimate of user annoyance in selected time intervals and generate a plurality of time-varying estimates of user annoyance valid over the selected time intervals. The device may further include a plurality of scaling modules to scale the plurality of time-varying estimates and generate a corresponding plurality of estimates of transmission quality as perceived by the user. The device may further include a modulation network to modify a sensitivity of the primary integrator to the occurrence of frame loss events in the received signal. |
| US08837306B2 |
Determination of a list of preferred mobile access networks
Telecommunications system including a network selection manager and a mobile node. The network selection manager is operable to determine a list of preferred mobile access networks to which the mobile node may be attached during an inactive state and to communicate the list of preferred mobile access networks to the mobile node. The list of preferred mobile access networks for selection is determined in accordance with operator determined conditions (e.g. load, congestion in the access networks, subscription info, location of the mobile, changes in the list since last communication to the Mobile Station, etc.). The mobile node is operable in the inactive state to select one of the plurality of mobile access networks which is available for attachment in dependence on the list of preferred mobile access networks communicated to the mobile node from the network selection manager. |
| US08837305B2 |
Interference management in a wireless communication system using beam and null steering
Interference that occurs during wireless communication may be managed through the use of beam and null steering techniques. A method, apparatus and medium of communication determine an interference direction of a non-associated access terminal generating an interfering signal. Transmitted and received signals are then transceived away from the interference direction. |
| US08837304B2 |
Devices for multi-group communications
A User Equipment (UE) configured for multi-group communications is described. The UE includes a processor and instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The UE detects a plurality of cells. The UE also determines to use multiple groups of one or more cells. The UE further determines a primary secondary cell (PSCell) for a non-primary cell (non-PCell) group based on UE-specific radio resource control (RRC) signaling. The UE additionally receives information using the multiple groups. |
| US08837300B2 |
Managing trace requests over tunneled links
In one embodiment, a head-end node of a tunnel, relative to a tail-end node, receives a trace request, and in response, generates an out-of-tunnel trace request based on the trace-request. The trace request is transmitted in-tunnel to the tail-end node, while also transmitting the out-of-tunnel trace request to at least one subsequent node. The head-end node may then receive a trace response from the tail-end node based on the in-tunnel trace request, as well as a trace response from each of the subsequent nodes based on the out-of-tunnel trace request. |
| US08837290B2 |
Handover in a soft cell network
Devices and methods for making a determination whether or not to handover a user equipment (UE) from a serving cell to a target cell are disclosed. The decision is based on a comparison that includes both control plane and data plane link quality considerations. The disclosed devices and methods may be applied to handover determinations in heterogeneous networks that implement a soft cell configuration. |
| US08837286B2 |
Communication system, flow control device, flow table updating method, and program
A communication system, wherein a switch node to which a terminal is connected can be recognized, and a flow table can be updated promptly in accordance with the status of the switch node. The communication system includes: a switch node that operates in accordance with a flow table in which processing content is defined for each of a plurality of flows, and a flow control device that includes a terminal management unit that records, based on a request to set a flow entry from the switch node, information of association between a terminal of a packet source and a switch node to which the terminal is connected, wherein the flow control device refers to the information of association to make the switch node execute a modification or deletion of a flow entry in the flow table. |
| US08837284B2 |
Method for scheduling guaranteed bit rate service based on quality of service
The disclosure discloses a method for scheduling a Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) service based on Quality of Service (QoS) and an apparatus implementing the method, wherein the method comprises the steps of: determining a scheduling priority of an online user according to an average rate of a GBR service of the user in a current Transmission Time Interval (TTI); and scheduling the user in accordance with the determined priority and allocating Resource Block (RB) resources to the user. With the scheduling method of the disclosure, the RB resource can be fully utilized, and the user rate which does not reach the GBR is quickly improved to make as many users as possible to reach the GBR, so as to increase the number of satisfied users in system. For the case in which a Maximum Bit Rate (MBR) is greater than the GBR, on the basis that as many users as possible are made to reach the GBR, the rates of the users can be further improved to increase the number of users with high rates. |
| US08837282B2 |
Method and apparatus for pooling bandwidth across disparate bandwidth reservations
In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining a message associated with a data flow that includes a first indicator that identifies an amount of requested pool bandwidth and a second indicator that identifies a pool with which the data flow is associated. The pool is associated with a plurality of data flows that includes the data flow. The method also includes determining whether the pool has an overall bandwidth allocation, and, if so, determining whether reserving the amount of requested bandwidth would cause the overall bandwidth allocation to exceed a maximum pool bandwidth allocation. Finally, the method includes reserving approximately the amount of requested bandwidth when it is determined that reserving the amount of requested bandwidth would not cause the overall bandwidth allocation to exceed the maximum pool bandwidth allocation. Reserving approximately the amount of requested bandwidth includes increasing the overall bandwidth allocation by the amount of requested bandwidth. |
| US08837279B2 |
Technique for improving congestion control
A technique for controlling data transmission over a connection employing congestion control is provided. The technique comprises two basic aspects: Detecting a decrease of Round Trip Time in respect of the connection, wherein the detection is facilitated by comparing a short-term Round Trip Time average with a long-term Round Trip Time average (302); and, in response to a result of the detection, adjusting the congestion control so as to increase the data transmission rate (304). Particularly, adjusting the congestion control includes enabling a data transmission rate that is (even) higher than what would have been allowed by any conventional, congestion control. In effect, the present technique may ‘push’ the conventional congestion control when it is not increasing the data transmission rate fast enough. |
| US08837278B2 |
Concurrently applying an image file while it is being downloaded using a multicast protocol
A system and a process for deploying a computer file involves a client computer applying the computer file concurrently with downloading the computer file from a file server. The concurrent operations can be performed even when the data of the computer file is downloaded out of order. The computer file includes a plurality of file segments. The client computer obtains information defining the file segments and monitors the received data of the computer file during downloading. When downloading of a file segment is complete, the client computer applies the completed segment concurrently with receiving other segments of the computer file from the file server. The process can be used when the computer file is downloaded using a multicast protocol, but is not limited to use with multicast protocols. The client computer can request only needed segments of the computer file. |
| US08837277B2 |
Source routing convergence in constrained computer networks
In one embodiment, a source routing device (e.g., root device) pre-computes diverse source-routed paths to one or more nodes in a computer network. Upon receiving a particular packet, the device forwards the particular packet on a source-routed first path of the pre-computed diverse paths. In the event the device implicitly detects failure of the first path, then it forwards a copy of the particular packet on a source-routed second path of the pre-computed diverse paths in response. In one embodiment, implicit failure detection comprises seeing a second (repeated) packet with the same identification within a certain time since the first packet, and the second packet is forwarded on the second path. In another embodiment, implicit failure detection comprises not seeing a link-layer acknowledgment returned or receiving an error notification from a node along the broken path, and a stored copy of the particular packet is forwarded on the second path. |
| US08837276B2 |
Relay apparatus, relay method and computer program
A relay apparatus includes a first control section which connects to a first network, a second control section which connects to a second network, the type of which is different from that of the first network, and a relay section which selects a path to be operated as an active system from the first network and the second network and switches paths based on information regarding the first network and information regarding the second network, wherein the second control section converts a transmission unit for transmission in the first network into a transmission unit for transmission in the second network, and transmits the transmission unit to the second network. |
| US08837273B2 |
Using a single FHT to decode access-based handoff probes from multiple users
A method includes scrambling a Walsh sequence with a random sequence to produce a scrambled Walsh sequence. The method also includes transmitting the scrambled Walsh sequence as an access-based handoff probe. |
| US08837272B2 |
Adaptive time diversity and spatial diversity for OFDM
An adaptable orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing system (OFDM) that uses a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) to having OFDM signals transmitted either in accordance with time diversity to reducing signal fading or in accordance with spatial diversity to increase the data rate. Sub-carriers are classified for spatial diversity transmission or for time diversity transmission based on the result of a comparison between threshold values and at least one of three criteria. The criteria includes a calculation of a smallest eigen value of a frequency channel response matrix and a smallest element of a diagonal of the matrix and a ratio of the largest and smallest eigen values of the matrix. |
| US08837268B2 |
Network-specific powerline transmissions
A method for a network device of a powerline communications network includes selecting between a default preamble signal and a network-specific preamble signal specific to the network but not to a neighboring network and transmitting at least user data in conjunction with the selected preamble signal. Another method for a network device of a powerline communications network includes tuning a sensor to detect network-specific preamble signals specific to the network but not to a neighboring network and receiving at least user data associated with the preamble signals. |
| US08837264B2 |
Optical information device, optical disc driving device, optical information recording device, optical information reproducing device, gap control method, and optical pickup
An optical information device is provided with a first scattering medium (9), a second scattering medium (10), a third scattering medium (11); a diffraction element (4) which generates a plurality of light beams; an objective lens (6) which guides, to the first scattering medium (9) and to the third scattering medium (11) out of the first scattering medium (9), the second scattering medium (10), and the third scattering medium (11), two light beams out of the plurality of the light beams; and an arithmetic circuit (17) which detects a gap interval between the first scattering medium (9) and the third scattering medium (11), and an information medium (12), based on a change in an amount of reflected light from the first scattering medium (9) and from the third scattering medium (11). |
| US08837259B2 |
Source for marine seismic acquisition and method
Method, source and seismic vibro-acoustic source element configured to generate acoustic waves under water. The seismic vibro-acoustic source element includes an enclosure having first and second openings; first and second pistons configured to close the first and second openings; an actuator system provided inside the enclosure and configured to actuate the first and second pistons to generate a wave having first frequency; and a pressure mechanism attached to the enclosure and configured to control a pressure of a fluid inside the enclosure such that a pressure of the fluid is substantially equal to an ambient pressure of the enclosure. |
| US08837257B2 |
Acoustic modulation protocol
Exemplary embodiments provide a computer-implemented method for generating a modulated acoustic carrier signal for wireless transmission from a speaker of a transmit device to a microphone of a receive device. Aspects of the exemplary embodiments include converting a message to binary data; modulating one or more selected frequencies for one or more acoustic carrier signals based on the binary data to generate one or more modulated acoustic carrier signals; filtering the one or more modulated acoustic carrier signals to remove any unintended audible harmonics created during modulation, including; equalizing the modulated acoustic carrier signal to pre-compensate for known degradations that will occur further along a signal path; setting a level of the modulated acoustic carrier signal for the intended application; and storing the modulated acoustic carrier signal in a buffer for subsequent output and transmission by the speaker. |
| US08837247B2 |
Method of operating semiconductor memory device with floating body transistor using silicon controlled rectifier principle
An exemplary semiconductor memory cell is provided to include: a floating body region configured to be charged to a level indicative of a state of the memory cell; a first region in electrical contact with the floating body region; a second region in electrical contact with the floating body region and spaced apart from the first region; a gate positioned between the first and second regions; a buried layer region in electrical contact with the floating body region, below the first and second regions, spaced apart from the first and second regions; and a substrate region configured to inject charge into the floating body region to maintain the state of the memory cell; wherein an amount of charge injected into the floating body region is a function of a charge stored in the floating body region. |
| US08837246B2 |
Memory device, operation method thereof and memory system having the same
A memory refresh method includes selecting at least one bank from among N banks of a memory device, and activating K word lines from among a plurality of word lines included in the at least one bank during one of L refresh cycles of a refresh period. Each of the N banks comprises M word lines, N, K and M are each a natural number greater than or equal to two, L is a natural number less than or equal to M, and K is equal to M*N/L. |
| US08837237B2 |
Dual function compatible non-volatile memory device
A dual function memory device architecture compatible with asynchronous operation and synchronous serial operation. The dual function memory device architecture includes one set of physical ports having two different functional assignments. Coupled between the physical ports and core circuits of the memory device are asynchronous and synchronous input and output signal paths or circuits. The signal paths include shared or dedicated buffers coupled to the ports, asynchronous and synchronous command decoders, a network of switches, and a mode detector. The mode detector determines the operating mode of the dual function memory device from a port, and provides the appropriate switch selection signal. The network of switches routes the input or output signals through the asynchronous or synchronous circuits in response to the switch selection signal. The appropriate command decoder interprets the input signals and provides common control logic with the necessary signals for initiating the corresponding operation. |
| US08837234B2 |
Voltage control method to minimize a coupling noise between adjacent global bit lines during read-while operation and memory device using the same
A memory device is provided, which includes a plurality of global bit lines, a discharge line, a switching circuit configured to connect the plurality of global bit lines to the discharge line in response to a discharge enable signal, a first discharge circuit configured to apply a first voltage that is higher than a ground voltage to the discharge line, a precharge circuit configured to apply a precharge voltage to a selected global bit line among the plurality of global bit lines, and a second discharge circuit configured to discharge the selected global bit line to a second voltage that is higher than the ground voltage. |
| US08837233B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes first and second bit lines, and a transistor coupled between the first and second bit lines. The semiconductor device further includes a substrate bias control circuit that supplies one of a first substrate bias voltage and a second substrate bias voltage to the transistor. By controlling the substrate bias voltage of the transistor, high-speed equalization is performed, and an increase in leak current at times of standby and activation is prevented. |
| US08837230B1 |
Circuits and methods for measuring circuit elements in an integrated circuit device
A memory circuit device having at least one test element interconnecting memory sections can include at least one first switch coupled to a first memory section between a first node within a tested section and an intermediate node, a test switch coupled between the intermediate node and a forced voltage node, and a second switch coupled between the intermediate node and a second node; wherein the forced voltage node is selectively coupled to receive a forced voltage substantially the same as a voltage applied to the second node, and the second node is coupled to at least a second memory section. |
| US08837225B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and operation method of the same
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate and memory transistors, each of which has a laminate formed by alternately laminating insulating films and conductive films on the semiconductor substrate, a silicon pillar going through the laminate, a tunnel insulating film arranged on the surface of the silicon pillar facing the laminate, a charge accumulating layer arranged on the surface of the tunnel insulating film facing the laminate, and a block insulating film arranged on the surface of the charge accumulating layer facing the laminate and in contact with the conductive film. During a data deletion operation, a voltage is applied on the conductive film so that the potential of the silicon pillar with respect to the conductive film decreases as the cross-sectional area of the silicon pillar decreases. |
| US08837222B2 |
Methods and apparatuses including a select transistor having a body region including monocrystalline semiconductor material and/or at least a portion of its gate located in a substrate
Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a memory cell string including memory cells located in different levels of the apparatuses and a select transistor coupled to the memory cell string. In at least one of such apparatuses, the select transistor can include a body region including a monocrystalline semiconductor material. Other embodiments including additional apparatuses and methods are described. |
| US08837218B2 |
Three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory
A three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to an example of the present invention includes a memory cell array comprised of first and second blocks disposed side by side in a first direction, and a driver disposed on one end of the memory cell array in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. First select gate lines in the first block and first select gate lines in the second block are connected to the driver after they are commonly connected in one end in the second direction of the memory cell array in a relation of one to one. |
| US08837211B2 |
Robust initialization with phase change memory cells in both configuration and array
The present application discloses phase-change memory architectures and methods, in which an additional test is performed, after the normal power-valid signal, to assure that the phase-change memory components which are used for storing configuration data are able to operate correctly. Surprisingly, the inventor has discovered that this additional test is highly desirable when using phase-change memory for configuration data. |
| US08837210B2 |
Differential sensing method and system for STT MRAM
The invention relates to methods and systems for reading a memory cell and in particular, an STT MRAM. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a system for reading a memory cell includes a read path and a precharge path. The reference current is provided through the read path and is sampled via a sampling element in the read path. Subsequently, a current from the memory cell is provided through the same sampling element and read path. The output level is then determined by the cell current working against the sampled reference current. |
| US08837202B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for driving the same
In a conventional DRAM, when the capacitance of a capacitor is reduced, an error of reading data easily occurs. A plurality of cells are connected to one bit line MBL_m. Each cell includes a sub bit line SBL_n_m and 4 to 64 memory cells (a memory cell CL_n_m—1 or the like). Further, each cell includes selection transistors STr1—n—m and STr2—n—m and an amplifier circuit AMP_n_m that is a complementary inverter or the like is connected to the selection transistor STr2—n—m. Since parasitic capacitance of the sub bit line SBL_n_m is sufficiently small, potential change due to electric charge in a capacitor of each memory cell can be amplified by the amplifier circuit AMP_n_m without an error, and can be output to the bit line. |
| US08837200B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and read method for the same
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: word lines; bit lines formed so as to three-dimensionally cross the word lines; and a cross-point cell array including cells each provided at a corresponding one of three-dimensional cross-points of the word lines and the bit lines. The cells include: a memory cell including a memory element that operates as a memory by reversibly changing in resistance value between at least two states based on an electrical signal; and an offset detection cell having a constant resistance value that is higher than the resistance value of the memory element in a high resistance state which is a state of the memory element when operating as the memory. |
| US08837199B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of wires, and a control circuit. The control circuit allows a first current to change a state to flow on a selected cell by applying a first potential difference between a pair of wires that sandwich the selected cell selected from the plurality of memory cells with respect to the semiconductor substrate vertically, and allows a second current lower than the first current to flow on an non-selected cell in the same direction as the direction of the first current by applying a second potential difference between a pair of wires that sandwich the non-selected cell connected to a wire shared with the selected cell on a different layer from the selected cell. |
| US08837195B2 |
Systems and methods for reading ferroelectric memories
A system and method are provided for reading ferroelectric memories in a manner that does away with a conventional requirement for inclusion of a charge or sense amplifier associated with each ferroelectric memory cell. Simple circuits are employed for modulating an AC signal that is generated and input, including wirelessly, to the circuits where a capacitance of a ferroelectric capacitor acts as a filter. Depending upon whether the ferroelectric memory (capacitor) is charged or discharged, it will have a different capacitance, which will affect the impedance that the signal sees. An ability to remotely read that signal difference, as an indication of capacitance, rather than an indication of charge, is provided to expand the use of ferroelectric memories to a broader spectrum of applications including use in RFID tags. |
| US08837194B2 |
Data holding device and logic operation circuit using the same
A data holding device includes a loop structure unit configured to hold data using a plurality of logic gates connected in a loop shape, a nonvolatile storage unit including a plurality of ferroelectric elements, the nonvolatile storage unit configured to store the data held in the loop structure unit in a nonvolatile manner using hysteresis characteristics of the ferroelectric elements, and a circuit separation unit configured to electrically separate the loop structure unit and the nonvolatile storage unit. The ferroelectric elements of the nonvolatile storage unit are surrounded by a dummy element smaller in width than the ferroelectric elements. |
| US08837192B2 |
N-bit rom cell
Among other things, an n-bit ROM cell, such as a twin-bit ROM cell, and techniques for addressing one or more ROM cell portions of the n-bit ROM cell are provided. A twin-bit ROM cell comprises a first ROM cell portion adjacent to or substantially contiguous with a second ROM cell portion. The first ROM cell portion is associated with a first data bit value. The second ROM cell portion is associated with a second data bit value distinct from the first data bit value. Because the first ROM cell portion is adjacent to the second ROM cell portion, OD-to-OD spacing between the twin-bit ROM cell and an adjacent twin-bit ROM cell is increased to provide, for example, improved isolation, cell current, ROM speed, and VCCmin performance in comparison with single-bit ROM cells, while maintaining a substantially similar to pitch as the single-bit ROM cells. |
| US08837190B2 |
System for retaining state data
According to one embodiment, a system for retaining M bits of state data of an integrated circuit during power down includes M serially coupled scan flip flops divided into M/N groups, where the M scan flip flops are able to save/restore the M bits of state data. Each group contains a merged scan flip flop coupled to a series of scan flip flops. The merged scan flip flop in each of the groups is coupled to a respective read port of a memory unit, and a final scan flip flop in each of the groups is coupled to a respective write port of the memory unit. The system enables the memory unit to save the M bits of state data in N clock cycles. Each merged scan flip flop has a read select input that enables restoring of the state data into the M scan flip flops in N clock cycles. |
| US08837185B2 |
Control of a modular converter having distributed energy stores with the aid of an observer for the currents and an estimating unit for the intermediate circuit energy
Methods and configurations controlling a converter having controllable power semiconductors, compare actual and target state values to obtain control difference values for a control unit producing setting voltage values. Control electronics provide control signals according to setting voltage values and transmit them to power semiconductors. The control unit generates voltage values so control difference values become small. Current and converter energy controls and energy balancing are performed jointly, actual state values are calculated by an observing unit based on setting voltage values considering measured current values and actual state intermediate-circuit energy values are calculated by an estimating unit considering measured intermediate-circuit energy values of positive and negative voltage sources. The observing and estimating units model the converter so actual state current and intermediate-circuit steady-state energy values correspond to error-free current and intermediate-circuit energy values. A periodic time-variant gain controller receives error-free values. |
| US08837183B2 |
Power switch series circuit and control method thereof
The present invention provides a power switch series circuit and its control method. The power switch series circuit includes a plurality of series modules, a control module and a drive module. At least one series module has a power switch and a detection module, and the detection module includes a detection unit and an isolation unit, so as to detect the overvoltage and output a voltage detection signal based on the detected voltage. The control module receives the voltage detection signal and outputs the corresponding control signal. The drive module amplifies the control signal to drive each power switch to turn ON or turn OFF. The control module outputs the corresponding control signal to turn off each power switch when the overvoltage happens. |
| US08837182B2 |
Apparatus and method for tracking maximum power point and method of operating grid-tied power storage system using the same
An apparatus for tracking a maximum power point includes a converter unit for converting a first power, outputted from a solar cell module, into a second power and a maximum power point control unit for searching for a maximum power point voltage and an open-circuit voltage corresponding to a temperature and solar radiation of the solar cell module, decreasing voltage of the first power from the open-circuit voltage to the maximum power point voltage in a soft-start manner, and then performing Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control according to a Perturbation and Observation (P&O) algorithm. |
| US08837181B2 |
Step down switching regulator
A current limiting comparator generates a current limiting signal SLIM which is asserted when a detection voltage Vs at a detection terminal CS is higher than a predetermined threshold voltage VTH. A mask signal generating unit generates a mask signal SMSK which is asserted after a predetermined delay time TMSK elapses after a switching transistor is turned on. A pulse signal generating unit has: a function (a) in which, when the set signal SSET is asserted in a period in which the current limiting signal SLIM is negated, a pulse signal SPWM is switched to a first level; and a function (b) in which, when the reset signal SRST is asserted, or when the current limiting signal SLIM is asserted in a period in which the mask signal SMSK is negated, the pulse signal SPWM is switched to a second level. |
| US08837175B2 |
Systems and methods for adaptive switching frequency control in switching-mode power conversion systems
Switching-mode power conversion system and method thereof. The system includes a primary winding configured to receive an input voltage and a secondary winding coupled to the primary winding. Additionally, the system includes a compensation component configured to receive the input voltage and generate at least a clock signal based on at least information associated with the input voltage, and a signal generator configured to receive at least the clock signal and generate at least a control signal based on at least information associated with the clock signal. Moreover, the system includes a gate driver configured to receive at least the control signal and generate a drive signal based on at least information associated with the control signal, and a first switch configured to receive the drive signal and affect a first current flowing through the primary winding. |
| US08837173B2 |
DC to DC power converting device
A power converting device includes a switching unit, a resonant unit, a converting unit, a rectifying and filtering unit, an inductance-sensing unit, and a driver. The resonant unit is electrically connected to the switching unit and includes a resonant capacitor, a resonant inductor, and a variable magnetizing-inductor having at least two inductances, the resonant inductor is electrically connected to the resonant capacitor and the variable magnetizing-inductor. The converting unit is electrically connected to the resonant unit. The rectifying and filtering unit is electrically connected to the converting unit. The inductance-sensing unit is electrically connected to the rectifying and filtering unit, the inductance-sensing unit instantaneously senses inductances of the variable magnetizing-inductor. The driver is electrically connected to the inductance-sensing unit and the switching unit, the driver is configured for controlling a switching frequency of the switching unit according to an inductance instantaneously sensed by the inductance-sensing unit. |
| US08837169B2 |
EMI shielding device which can be easily assembled and disassembled
An electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding device includes first and second housing portions assembled along an assembly direction, at least two spaced-apart female fasteners fixed to one of the first and second housing portions, a plurality of male fasteners corresponding in number to the female fasteners and spacedly fixed to the other one of the first and second housing portions, and at least one grip member connected to one of the first and second housing portions. The grip member is applied with a force along the assembly direction or along a direction opposite to the assembly direction to engage or disengage the male and female fasteners. |
| US08837168B2 |
Electronic package structure
An electronic package structure including at least one first electronic element, a second electronic element and a lead frame is provided. The second electronic element includes a body having a cavity. The first electronic element is disposed in the cavity. The lead frame has a plurality of leads. Each of the leads has a first end and a second end. The first end of at least one of the leads extends to the cavity to electrically connect the first electronic element. |
| US08837165B2 |
Electronic device with button
An electronic device includes a panel, a base, a button, and a balance bar. The panel defines an opening. The base is fixed to a rear side of the panel. A switch and a resilient resisting portion are mounted to a front surface of the base. The button is sandwiched between the panel and the base. The button is partially received in the opening. Two pivot portions are formed a rear side of the button. The balance bar includes a first bar abutting against the resisting portion, two second bars respectively extending from opposite ends of the first bar, and two feet respectively extending from distal ends of the second bars to pivotably connect the pivot portions. When the button is pressed, the balance bar restricts the button to just move linearly to the switch. |
| US08837161B2 |
Multi-configuration processor-memory substrate device
A Multi-configuration Processor-Memory device for coupling to a PCB (printed circuit board) interface. The device comprises a substrate that supports multiple configurations of memory components and a processor while having a single, common interface with a PCB interface of a printed circuit board. In a first configuration, the substrate supports a processor and a first number of memory components. In a second configuration, the substrate supports a processor and an additional number of memory components. The memory components can be pre-tested, packaged memory components mounted on the substrate. The processor can be a surface mounted processor die. Additionally, the processor can be mounted in a flip chip configuration, side-opposite the memory components. In the first configuration, a heat spreader can be mounted on the memory components and the processor to dissipate heat. In the second, flip chip, configuration, the processor face can be soldered onto a non-electrically functional area of the PCB interface of the printed circuit board to dissipate heat. |
| US08837160B2 |
High-dielectric sheet, a printed circuit board having the high-dielectric sheet and production methods thereof
A method of producing a capacitor for a printed circuit board includes producing high-dielectric sheets and selecting ones of the high-dielectric sheets, which are substantially free from a defect after the heat process. Each of the high-dielectric sheets is produced by providing a first electrode, forming a first sputter film on the first electrode, forming an intermediate layer on the first sputter film by calcining a sol-gel film, forming a second sputter film on the intermediate layer, and providing a second electrode on the second sputter film. The high-dielectric sheets are subjected to a heat process in which the high-dielectric sheets are subjected to a first temperature at least once and a second temperature higher than the first temperature at least once. |
| US08837157B2 |
System for interconnecting electrical components
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a housing with a conductive surface. A circuit board may be positioned within the housing. The circuit board includes a deflectable portion that may be movable relative to the housing. A conductive pad is positioned on the deflectable portion of the circuit board. A spring member is positioned between the housing and the circuit board. The spring member may be movable between a first configuration and a second configuration. The conductive pad of the circuit board may be spaced away from the conductive surface of the housing by the spring member in the first configuration and in contact with the conductive surface of the housing with the spring member in the second configuration. |
| US08837156B2 |
Contact type portable power
The present disclosure includes a protective sleeve assembly and a battery module, wherein the protective sleeve assembly includes a frame and a terminal fixing plate, a terminal circuit board and a connector port are arranged on the terminal fixing plate, an end of a conduction sheet is connected to the terminal circuit board, the other end of the conduction sheet is in a limiting hole of the terminal fixing plate; the battery module includes a upper cover, a lower cover and a charge-discharge control circuit board, a conduction electrode is arranged on the charge-discharge control circuit board and connected with a battery. When the mobile phone is fixed with the protective sleeve assembly, a special port of the mobile phone is transformed into a general port by the conversion circuit of the terminal circuit board, so it's easy to charge the mobile phone by the general port. |
| US08837155B2 |
Mobile terminal
A mobile terminal includes a first body and a second body, a first display unit mounted to the first body, and a slide module configured to move the first body and the second body with respect to each other. Further, the slide module includes a first slide member coupled to the first body, and a second slide member having a first bending portion and a second bending portion extending from a side end thereof in directions crossing each other, and configured to encompass at least part of side surfaces of the first slide member. In addition, the first bending portion and the second bending portion are spaced from at least one side surface of the first display unit with a predetermined gap from the side surface of the first display unit. |
| US08837152B2 |
Electronic module including handle and heat dissipating member
An electronic module including a supporting frame, a handle, an electronic device, and a heat dissipating member is provided. The handle assembled to the supporting frame is open or closed relative to the supporting frame. The electronic device is detachably assembled on the supporting frame. The heat dissipating member detachably assembled to the handle moves relative to the supporting frame with the handle. When the handle is closed relative to the supporting frame, the electronic device is fixed on the supporting frame by the handle, and the heat dissipating member leans against the electronic device. When the handle is opened relative to the supporting frame, the heat dissipating member is far away from the electronic device. |
| US08837148B2 |
Device for supporting, housing and cooling radiant modules of an antenna, particularly array antenna
The present invention relates to a device (1) for supporting, housing and cooling radiant modules (2) of an antenna, comprising a plate (3) for cooling said radiant modules (2) that can be fixed to means for supporting said antenna, said plate (3) having an upper surface and a lower surface; characterized in that it comprises a plurality of projecting guides (5) provided at least on one of said surfaces of said plate (3), so that each pair of said projecting guides (5) adjacent with surface on which are provided realize housing seats (6), in each one of which one of said radiant modules (2) is introduced; and pressing means (7, 15, 16, 17), integrated with said projecting guides (5), apt exerting a pressure on said radiant modules (2) so as to obtain a substantially uniform coupling between each of them and the surface of said plate (3) on which said projecting guides (5) are provided. The invention further relates to an array antenna. |
| US08837142B2 |
System for protecting a portable computing device
The invention relates to a system for protecting a portable computing device wherein the system comprises a device housing adapted to protectively encase a portable computing device, a protectively hardened user input device in communication with the device housing, and a protectively hardened display in communication with the device housing. When the portable computing device is encased within the device housing, a user of the portable computing device can operate the portable computing device via the protectively hardened user input device and the protectively hardened display. The device housing may further comprise sealing elements, insulating elements, and shock-absorbing elements. |
| US08837139B2 |
Flat heat pipe radiator and application thereof
A flat radiator with flat type heat pipe and its application for portable computers is provided. The heat pipe in a radiator use tubular type and plate type structures. An air convective extended heat exchange surface surrounds and is over against the fan impeller, such that the radiator is extremely compacted, and the heat transport distance in heat pipe is shortened. Further introducing enhanced convective heat transfer structure and setting the fins according to the aerodynamics improve the heat dissipating capacity. The restrictions to a radiator when installing are reduced, which helps to implement the standardization of the radiator series. Also portable computers using the radiator are provided. |
| US08837133B2 |
Display module
A display module includes a front frame, a rear housing, and a trimming board. The front frame includes a first positioning hole and a clamping hole. The rear housing includes a second positioning hole. The front frame is engaged with the rear housing. The second positioning hole communicates with the first positioning hole. The trimming board includes a bolt structure and a clamping structure. The bolt structure is adapted to pass through the first positioning hole and the second positioning hole for preventing the front frame from separated from the rear housing. The clamping hole is used for the clamping structure to pass through and prevent the clamping structure from separating from the clamping hole. |
| US08837129B2 |
Electronic device case
An electronic device case includes a casing body formed with an opening, a blocking mechanism disposed on the casing body, a cover disposed on the casing body and covering the opening, and an engaging component mounted on the cover. The blocking mechanism is formed with an engaging groove facing a direction opposite to the opening. The engaging component is adapted to be moved relative to the cover in the direction opposite to the opening, and includes a connecting plate removably received in the engaging groove, and an engaging plate extending obliquely from the connecting plate toward the direction opposite to the opening and angularly and removably engaging the engaging groove, so that the cover is removably positioned on the casing body. |
| US08837127B2 |
Wall-avoiding self-balancing mount for tilt positioning of a flat panel electronic display
A device for mounting an electronic display to a wall includes a support structure operably connected to a tilt head assembly and a display interface structure. The support structure includes an arm assembly that can be extended and rotated so that the electronic display avoids contacting the wall. The tilt head assembly includes an attachment member, guide structures for tilting the electronic display so that the electronic display remains self-balancing, and a plate for positioning the guide structures. The display interface structure facilitates attachment of the attachment member to the electronic display. |
| US08837126B2 |
Display device
A display device is disclosed. The display device comprises a flexible display screen and a body supporting the flexible display screen. The body comprises a first body comprising a sloping surface on a cross-section, a second body, and a third body comprising a sloping surface on a cross-section. The body comprises a first bending portion provided between the first body and the second body, and the sloping surface of the first body is attached to the second body by the rotation of the first body. |
| US08837113B2 |
Capacitor module with simplified wiring arrangement and structure
A capacitor module is provided with a plurality of capacitors juxtaposedly disposed to have electrode terminals that are composed of positive electrode terminals and negative electrode terminals, respectively. Neighboring capacitors, among the plurality of capacitors, are disposed adjacent to each other to define neighboring electrode terminals, among the electrode terminals thereof, with the same polarity. |
| US08837111B2 |
Capacitor element and capacitor device having the same
A capacitor forming unit according to one embodiment includes a dielectric plate with a plurality of through holes; a first conductor film formed on an upper surface of the dielectric plate; a first insulator film formed on the front end portion of the upper surface of the dielectric plate; a second conductor film formed on a lower surface of the dielectric plate; a second insulator film formed on the rear end portion of the lower surface of the dielectric plate; first electrode rods disposed in some of the through holes; and second electrode rods disposed in the remaining through holes where the first electrode rods are not disposed. The first electrodes are electrically connected to the first conductor film and electrically insulated from the second conductor film. The second electrode rods are electrically connected to the second conductor film and are electrically insulated from the first conductor film. |
| US08837109B2 |
Multilayer ceramic capacitor
There is provided a multilayer ceramic capacitor, including: a multilayer body having a plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of internal electrode layers alternately laminated; wherein each internal electrode layer has a width gradually decreases from a center thereof towards both ends thereof in a length direction; and when a width of each internal electrode layer at the ends thereof in the length direction is defined as a minimum width L2 and a width of a portion of a margin portion M in each dielectric layer is defined as a maximum width M2, the portion of the margin portion M having no internal electrode layer present thereon and corresponding to the ends of each internal electrode layer in the length direction, a ratio of M2 to L2 (M2/L2) ranges from 0.2 to 0.3. |
| US08837108B2 |
Glass substrate-holding tool and method for producing an EUV mask blank by employing the same
A glass substrate-holding tool, adapted to be employed during the production of a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography (EUVL), includes an electrostatic chuck and a supporting member. The chuck attracts a rear surface of a glass substrate in a non-contact manner by electrostatic attractive force. The supporting member partly supports the rear surface. An area ratio of a projected area of an active surface of the chuck for providing the electrostatic force to an area of a quality-guaranteed region of the rear surface is from 0.5 to 1.0. The active surface is apart from the rear surface by more than 20 μm. The supporting member is configured to support only a region including at least two of four sides defining an outer portion outside the quality-guaranteed region. |
| US08837105B2 |
Electrostatic discharging apparatus and financial apparatus
Provided is an electrostatic discharging apparatus, which comprises a rotation shaft, a transfer roller, and an electrostatic discharging member. The rotation shaft transmits driving force. The transfer roller is disposed on the rotation shaft to transfer a medium. The electrostatic discharging member is disposed on the rotation shaft to rotate together with the rotation shaft, and comprises a plurality of brushes for removing static electricity. |
| US08837104B2 |
Motor programming tool with handle-mounted PCB
A motor programming tool is disclosed for associating with a connection block of a motor and sending signals to a programmable controller of the motor, where the connection block includes a plurality of terminals coupled to the controller. The programming tool includes a tool body with an interface generally corresponding with the connection block of the motor, wiring operable to carry the signals, and a plurality of terminal connecting assemblies to associate with the motor terminals. The programming tool includes circuitry disposed in the tool body. The circuitry is electrically connected to the wiring and includes a power transmission portion and a data transmission portion. |
| US08837103B2 |
Circuit breaker trip unit with digital potentiometer
A circuit breaker trip unit includes an input section receiving a phase current level signal. A processor is in communication with the input section and generates a first trip signal based on the phase current level signal and user-adjustable trip settings. The trip settings include long time and short time pickup and delay settings. An analog instantaneous trip circuit is in communication with both of the input section and the processor. The analog instantaneous trip circuit includes a digital potentiometer having a non-volatile memory. The potentiometer provides a reference signal corresponding to a resistance setting stored in the memory. The analog instantaneous trip circuit compares the phase current level and reference signals, and generates a second trip signal based on a result of the comparing. The processor programs the resistance setting stored in the memory according to a user-adjustable instantaneous current pickup setting. |
| US08837101B2 |
Voltage-modifying device for electric meter
Aspects of the invention provide for qualifying a new meter with specific power supply requirements. In one embodiment, aspects of the invention include a system, including: an electric meter having a housing; and a voltage-modifying device connected to the electric meter for modifying a received voltage, such that the electric meter operates in accordance with a predetermined power supply requirement, wherein the voltage-modifying device is located within the electric meter housing or external to the electric meter housing. |
| US08837094B2 |
DC/AC inverter substrate having voltage abnormality detector circuit
A DC/AC inverter substrate includes a voltage abnormality detector circuit. All of a high voltage side detection sensor, a low voltage side detection sensor, and a high-voltage and low-voltage detection sensor in the voltage abnormality detector circuit are disposed without being electrically connected to a secondary side of a transformer or to a connection point. Those detection sensors are not damaged since overvoltage is not applied to the voltage abnormality detector circuit when abnormal discharge occurs because the detection sensors are not electrically connected. |