| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08861811B2 |
System and method for segmenting M-mode ultrasound images showing blood vessel wall motion over time
The present invention uses a microprocessor, a memory storage device, and a segmentation program comprising a plurality of program modules containing computer-readable instructions that cause the microprocessor to measure the spatial offsets between all pairs of scans in an m-mode image of a blood vessel with a cross-correlation function, convert the spatial offsets to a relative wall motion waveform through a global optimization procedure, and then translate the relative wall motion waveform to an absolute wall motion waveform by interpolation over the m-mode image. The resulting detailed absolute wall distension waveform may be beneficially rendered (e.g., superimposed) on the m-mode ultrasound image for display (e.g., on a printer and/or video monitor) and diagnostic purposes, and has enormous potential for enhancing existing techniques for identifying and studying vascular biomarkers, such as vessel wall strain and compliance. |
| US08861807B2 |
Fake finger determination device
Provided is fake finger determination technology capable of improving the determination accuracy of a fake finger. A fake finger determination device comprises acquisition means for acquiring line width information related to a line width of a ridge or a line width of a valley line of a finger as a determination object, and determination means for determining whether or not the finger as the determination object is a real finger or a fake finger based on the line width information. |
| US08861805B2 |
Face recognition apparatus and method for controlling the same
A face recognition apparatus and face recognition method perform face recognition of a face by comparing an image of the face to be identified with target images for identification. The face recognition apparatus includes an image input unit to receive an image of a face to be identified, a sub-image production unit to produce a plurality of sub-images of the input face image using a plurality of different face models, a storage unit to store a plurality of target images, and a face recognition unit to set the sub-images to observed nodes of a Markov network, to set the target images to hidden nodes of the Markov network, and to recognize the presence of a target image corresponding to the face images to be identified using a first relationship between the observed nodes and the hidden nodes and a second relationship between the hidden nodes. |
| US08861804B1 |
Assisted photo-tagging with facial recognition models
Embodiments of the invention perform assisted tagging of images, including tagging of people, locations, and activities depicted in those images. A batch of images is received comprising images of faces, including at least some faces that have not yet been tagged. A facial recognition algorithm is applied to the faces to determine matching data comprising possible tags for each untagged face. A logic engine applies logic rules to reduce the likelihood that certain matches are correct. The most likely match from among the possible matches is selected for suggestion to the user for verification. Once verified, the metadata of the image indicating the recognized people within the image is updated. |
| US08861801B2 |
Facial image search system and facial image search method
According to one embodiment, a facial image search system including attribute discrimination module configured to discriminate attribute based on facial feature extracted, a plurality of search modules configured to store facial feature as database in advance, add facial feature extracted to database, calculate degree of similarity between facial feature extracted and facial feature contained in database, setting module configured to generate setting information by associating with any attribute with information indicating search module, and control module configured to identify one or a plurality of search modules based on setting information and attribute and transmit facial feature extracted by feature extraction module to identified search modules. |
| US08861799B2 |
Computationally efficient feature extraction and matching iris recognition
A method and system for uniquely identifying a subject based on an iris image. After obtaining the iris image, the method produces a filtered iris image by applying filters to the iris image to enhance discriminative features of the iris image. The method analyzes an intensity value for pixels in the filtered iris image to produce an iris code that uniquely identifies the subject. The method also creates a segmented iris image by detecting an inner and outer boundary for an iris region in the iris image, and remapping pixels in the iris region, represented in a Cartesian coordinate system, to pixels in the segmented iris image, represented in a log-polar coordinate system, by employing a logarithm representation process. The method also creates a one-dimensional iris string from the iris image by unfolding the iris region by employing a spiral sampling method to obtain sample pixels in the iris region, wherein the sample pixels are the one-dimensional iris string. |
| US08861792B2 |
Collison warning system
A method of estimating a time to collision (TTC) of a vehicle with an object comprising: acquiring a plurality of images of the object; and determining a TTC from the images that is responsive to a relative velocity and relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object. |
| US08861791B2 |
Method and device for detecting road region as well as method and device for detecting road line
Disclosed are a road line detection method and a road line detection device. The road line detection method comprises a step of obtaining a first disparity map including one or more road regions and a corresponding V-disparity image; a step of sequentially detecting plural sloped line segments in the corresponding V-disparity image according to a big-to-small order of disparities and a big-to-small order of V-values, to serve as plural sequentially adjacent road surfaces; a step of obtaining a second disparity map of plural road line regions of interest corresponding to the plural sloped line segments; and a step of detecting one or more road lines in the second disparity map of the plural road line regions of interest. |
| US08861789B2 |
Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a light source, which includes at least one luminescence diode and emits light during operation. The portable electronic device also includes a device for detecting an object in the beam path of the light emitted by the light source during operation. The device is designed to reduce the luminous flux of the light emitted by the light source during operation if the object is identified for a minimum duration within a minimum distance from the light source in the beam path. |
| US08861785B2 |
Information processing device, information processing method and program
An information processing device, including: a three-dimensional information generating section for obtaining position and attitude of a moving camera or three-dimensional positions of feature points by successively receiving captured images from different viewpoints, and updating status data using observation information which includes tracking information of the feature points, the status data including three-dimensional positions of the feature points within the images and position and attitude information of the camera; and a submap generating section for generating submaps by dividing an area for which the three-dimensional position is to be calculated. The three-dimensional information generating section obtains position and attitude of the camera or three-dimensional positions of the feature points by generating status data corresponding to the submaps not including information about feature points outside of a submap area for each of the generated submaps and updating the generated status data corresponding to the submaps. |
| US08861783B1 |
System and method for detection of content in an image stream of the gastrointestinal tract
A system and method for detecting in-vivo content includes an in-vivo imaging device for capturing a stream of image frames in a GI tract, a content detector for detecting and/or identifying one or more image frames from the stream of image streams that may show substantially only content, a display selector to remove detected frames from the image stream, and a monitor to display the remaining image frames as a reduced image stream. |
| US08861778B2 |
Electrodynamic-transducer magnetic motor
The disclosure relates to an electrodynamic-transducer magnetic motor device (10) having a moving coil comprising a magnetic circuit consisting of a tied angular magnet (11), characterized in that said tied annular magnet has a hollow annular structure, said hollow annular structure comprising an annular cavity (12) connected to an upper portion (13) of an external surface (14) of said hollow annular structure by a first annular channel (15) forming a first gap in which a first winding (17) of the moving coil can move. |
| US08861768B2 |
Ear warmer with a speaker system
A frame has an interior side and an exterior side. The frame is configured to extend around the back of a user's head. A first membrane is coupled to at least a portion of the interior side of the frame. In one embodiment, a second membrane is coupled to the first membrane. The first membrane and the second membrane define a receptacle and an opening that communicates with the receptacle. In one embodiment, a speaker is disposed in the receptacle. A first electrical wire has a first end electrically coupled to the speaker and a second end including a connector. The connector can be disposed proximate to the opening of the receptacle. The connector is configured to be electrically coupled to a second electrical wire. |
| US08861766B2 |
Headphones
A headphone set has at least one speaker section. The speaker section includes a baffle having at least one sound emitting hole, a surrounding wall formed on the baffle so that the surrounding wall protrudes from the baffle and surrounds the sound emitting hole, a speaker unit installed within the surrounding wall and having a first surface to face the sound emitting hole and an opposite second surface, a unit case provided as touching the surrounding wall and covering the second surface of the speaker unit, a first cavity existing as enclosed by the unit case and the second surface of the speaker unit, and a housing provided as touching the baffle and covering the unit case, a second cavity existing as enclosed by the housing, the unit case, and the baffle. |
| US08861765B2 |
Microphone component and method for operating same
A system and method are described for reducing the current consumption of a microphone component without adversely affecting performance. The system includes a micromechanical microphone capacitor, an acoustically inactive compensation capacitor, an arrangement for applying a high-frequency sampling signal to the microphone capacitor and for applying the inverted sampling signal to the compensation capacitor, an integrating operational amplifier which integrates the sum of the current flow through the microphone capacitor and the current flow through the compensation capacitor as a charge amplifier, a demodulator, which is synchronized with the sampling signal, for the output signal of the integrating operational amplifier, and a low-pass filter which uses the output signal of the demodulator to obtain a microphone signal that corresponds to the changes in capacitance of the microphone capacitor. The sampling signal is composed of a periodic sequence of sampling pulses and pause times. In addition, at least one first switching element is provided which reduces the current flow through the integrating operational amplifier during the pause times. The low-pass filter has a “sample-and-hold” characteristic so that during the pause times the low-pass filter in each case stores the output signal of the integrating operational amplifier averaged over the preceding sampling operation. |
| US08861762B2 |
Hearing aid and an ear piece for a hearing aid
A behind-the-ear hearing aid (1) comprises a housing (4), an ear piece (3) and a custom earplug (2), the custom earplug being adapted to fit the ear canal of an individual hearing aid user, the ear piece having a connector for connecting with the custom earplug, the connector and the earpiece having means for snap fitting engagement and means for defining the mutual rotational orientation. The invention further provides a custom earpiece for a hearing aid. |
| US08861760B2 |
Audio processing compression system using level-dependent channels
Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for a level-dependent compression system for hearing assistance devices, such as hearing aids. The present subject matter includes a hearing assistance device having a buffer for receiving time domain input signals and a frequency analysis module to convert time domain input signals into a plurality of subband signals. A power detector is adapted to receive the subband signals and to provide a subband version of the input signals. A nonlinear gain stage applies gain to the plurality of subband versions of the input signals, and a frequency synthesis module processes subband signals from the nonlinear gain stage and to create a processed output signal. The device also includes a filter for filtering the signals, and a level-dependent compression module. The level-dependent compression module is adapted to provide bandwidth control to the plurality of subband signals produced by the frequency analysis stage. |
| US08861758B2 |
Hearing aid device and processing unit and receiving unit for the hearing aid device
A hearing aid device includes a processing unit and a receiving unit adapted to be coupled to transmit an electrical signal from the processing unit to the receiving unit. The processing unit has a wireless transmitter and a transmitter seal for covering the wireless transmitter and the receiving unit has a wireless receiver and a receiver seal for covering the wireless receiver. The electrical signal is transmitted from the wireless transmitter to the wireless receiver wirelessly. The electrical signal may be transmitted by induction. The transmitter seal and the receiver seal prevent any environmental influences from acting on the hearing aid device and thus protect the hearing aid device from malfunctioning or becoming short circuited. Magnetic connectors and/or mechanical connectors are provided for a stable contact between the processing unit and the receiving unit. |
| US08861756B2 |
Microphone array system
A method and system for enhancing a target sound signal from multiple sound signals is provided. An array of an arbitrary number of sound sensors positioned in an arbitrary configuration receives the sound signals from multiple disparate sources. The sound signals comprise the target sound signal from a target sound source, and ambient noise signals. A sound source localization unit, an adaptive beamforming unit, and a noise reduction unit are in operative communication with the array of sound sensors. The sound source localization unit estimates a spatial location of the target sound signal from the received sound signals. The adaptive beamforming unit performs adaptive beamforming by steering a directivity pattern of the array of sound sensors in a direction of the spatial location of the target sound signal, thereby enhancing the target sound signal and partially suppressing the ambient noise signals, which are further suppressed by the noise reduction unit. |
| US08861755B2 |
Piezoelectric speaker
A piezoelectric speaker that includes a configuration in which a first piezoelectric speaker and a second piezoelectric speaker are respectively arranged adjacent primary surfaces of a plate-shaped base member. The first piezoelectric speaker and the second piezoelectric speaker have the same arrangement, and respective individual piezoelectric elements thereof are arranged so as to correspond to each other when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the primary surfaces of the base member. The first and second piezoelectric speakers include a piezoelectric polymer sheet and electrode patterns of substantially the same shape on both surfaces of the polymer sheet. According to this arrangement, plural individual piezoelectric elements are aligned with each other. A single type of acoustic driving signal is supplied to these plural individual piezoelectric elements in a synchronized manner. |
| US08861752B2 |
Techniques for generating audio signals
Techniques described herein generally relate to generating an audio signal with a speaker. In some examples, a speaker device is described that includes a membrane and a shutter. The membrane can be configured to oscillate along a first directional path and at a first frequency effective to generate an ultrasonic acoustic signal. The shutter can be positioned about the membrane and configured to modulate the ultrasonic acoustic signal such that an audio signal can be generated. |
| US08861750B2 |
Mobile tele-presence system with a microphone system
A remote controlled robot system that includes a robot and a remote control station. The robot includes a binaural microphone system that is coupled to a speaker system of the remote control station. The binaural microphone system may include a pair of microphones located at opposite sides of a robot head. the location of the microphones roughly coincides with the location of ears on a human body. Such microphone location creates a mobile robot that more effectively simulates the tele-presence of an operator of the system. The robot may include two different microphone systems and the ability to switch between systems. For example, the robot may also include a zoom camera system and a directional microphone. The directional microphone may be utilized to capture sound from a direction that corresponds to an object zoomed upon by the camera system. |
| US08861749B2 |
Audio output driver for reducing electromagnetic interference and improving audio channel performance
An audio output circuit includes an on-chip left channel amplifier module, an on-chip center channel amplifier module, and an on-chip right channel amplifier module. A left channel IC pin is operably coupled to an output of the on-chip left channel amplifier module. A right channel IC pin is operably coupled to an output of the on-chip right channel amplifier module. A center channel IC pin is operably coupled to an output of the on-chip center channel amplifier module. A center channel feedback IC pin is operably coupled to an input of the on-chip center channel amplifier module to provide a feedback loop. A left jack connection is operably coupled to the left channel IC pin. A right jack connection is operably coupled to the right channel IC pin. A jack return connection coupled to the center feedback IC pin. An inductor has a first node coupled to the jack return connection and a second node coupled to the center channel IC pin. |
| US08861746B2 |
Sound processing apparatus, sound processing method, and program
A sound processing apparatus includes a target sound emphasizing unit configured to acquire a sound frequency component by emphasizing target sound in input sound in which the target sound and noise are included, a target sound suppressing unit configured to acquire a noise frequency component by suppressing the target sound in the input sound, a gain computing unit configured to compute a gain value to be multiplied by the sound frequency component using a gain function that provides a gain value and has a slope that are less than predetermined values when an energy ratio of the sound frequency component to the noise frequency component is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and a gain multiplier unit configured to multiply the sound frequency component by the gain value computed by the gain computing unit. |
| US08861744B1 |
Distributed audio system
One or more wireless speaker units can be distributed through a room, such as a classroom. One or more instructor units can communicate with the speaker unit via base station. Audio pathways can selectively be provided between speaker units, between speaker units and instructor units and between instructor units. A remote control can be used to control the available audio pathways. |
| US08861738B2 |
Method, medium, and system encoding/decoding multi-channel signal
A multi-channel signal decoding method is provided. A down-mixed signal representative of a multi-channel signal is decoded, and parameters representing characteristic relations between channels of the multi-channel signal are decoded. An additional parameter is estimated by using the decoded parameters, and the decoded down-mixed signal is up-mixed by using the decoded parameters and the estimated parameter so as to decode the multi-channel signal. |
| US08861732B2 |
Method and system for supporting security in a mobile communication system
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly, to a method and system for efficiently supporting security in a mobile communication system. The method for supporting the security of a terminal in a mobile communication system according to the present invention comprises: a process of transmitting an information provision request message to a network; a process of performing a verification for the network and security; a process of receiving an information provision response message, comprising an index of an encrypted security key, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), and a security-related profile from the network when the verification is completed; and a process of selecting a security key on the basis of the index of an encrypted security key, and then storing the selected security key, the IMSI, and the profile. |
| US08861731B2 |
Efficient procedure for pairing medical devices for wireless communication with limited user interaction
A method for pairing a handheld diabetes managing device with an insulin pump for secure wireless communication with limited user interaction. A pump identification code that uniquely identifies the insulin pump can be displayed on the diabetes managing device and insulin pump. The diabetes managing device can receive an insulin pump selection input that selects the pump identification code corresponding to the insulin pump. The diabetes managing device and insulin pump can generate and display a first verification string and second verification string, respectively. Confirmation inputs corresponding to the first verification string matching the second verification string can be received at both the insulin pump and the diabetes managing device such that a secure bidirectional communication link between the diabetes managing device and the insulin pump is established. |
| US08861729B2 |
Method and system for the secure distribution of audiovisual data by transactional marking
A process for distributing a marked audiovisual sequence from a nominal audiovisual sequence towards a receiver, said nominal audiovisual sequence having a nominal content, comprising: generating a marked audiovisual sequence according to a first mark applied to initial content at marking positions; generating a modified stream having a modified content different from the nominal content at least at marking positions; generating a complementary stream so that it is possible to reconstitute the marked audiovisual sequence from the modified stream; and transmitting the modified stream and the complementary stream towards the receiver wherein, on the receiver, a reconstitution of the audiovisual sequence, comprises calculating new complementary data according to the marking positions and the complementary stream so that it is possible to create an audiovisual sequence marked with a second mark from the modified stream, wherein the second mark, being different from the first mark, is applied to the initial content at the marking position. |
| US08861727B2 |
Storage of sensitive data in a dispersed storage network
A method begins by a processing module applying a share encoding function on data to produce a plurality of encoded shares and generating a corresponding plurality of random numbers for the plurality of encoded shares. The method continues with the processing module generating an encryption key based on a common password and a corresponding one of the corresponding plurality of random numbers and encrypting the encoded share utilizing the encryption key to produce an encrypted share for each encoded share of the plurality of encoded shares. The method continues with the processing module facilitating storage of the corresponding plurality of random numbers and each of the encrypted shares. |
| US08861726B2 |
Method for generating cryptographic half-keys, and associated system
A method for generating cryptographic half-keys makes it possible to generate n pairs (Ki1, Ki2), 1≦i≦n, of cryptographic half-keys, each of said pairs making it possible to reconstruct an access key KPL specific to a secure apparatus, said method comprising at least the following steps: generating and storing, with the help of a management center distinct from said apparatus, a first series of n half-keys Ki1 on a recording medium; supplying the apparatus with said recording medium so as to generate, with the help of said local key KPL and of the n half-keys Ki1 stored on said medium, a second series of n half-keys Ki2 making it possible to form said n pairs (Ki1, Ki2). The method applies notably to the creation of several keys for access to a secure apparatus. |
| US08861720B2 |
Tamper-resistant memory integrated circuit and encryption circuit using same
An integrated memory circuit applies to an S-box of a cryptographic circuit. The integrated memory circuit includes a row decoder, a column decoder, and a sense amplifier composed of a domino-RSL circuit, wherein data reading and data writing from/to memory cells of a memory cell array are performed via two complementary bit lines, and the transition probability of a signal line is equalized by input of random-number data supplied from a random-number generating circuit using an arbiter circuit. |
| US08861719B2 |
Method of generating a random permutation, random permutation generating device, and encryption/decryption device having the same
Generating a random permutation by arranging a sequence N numbers in a matrix, performing random arrangement operations on the rows of the matrix to generate an intermediary matrix, performing random arrangement operations on the columns of the intermediary matrix to generate a second intermediary matrix, and arranging the N numbers of the second intermediary matrix as a rearranged sequence of the N numbers. |
| US08861718B2 |
Method of preventing fault-injection attacks on Chinese Remainder Theorem-Rivest Shamir Adleman cryptographic operations and recording medium for storing program implementing the same
Disclosed herein are a method of preventing fault-injection attacks on Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT)-Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) cryptographic operations, and a recording medium for storing a program implementing the same. First, the method receives first and second primes, that is, different primes, and a randomly selected prime, that is, a random prime, which are used for CRT-RSA cryptographic operations. Thereafter, a cumulative value is calculated by performing an XOR (Exclusive OR) operation on the first prime, the second prime, and the random prime using a push function. Thereafter, the first prime, the second prime, and the random prime are loaded by performing an XOR operation on the cumulative value using a pop function corresponding to the push function. Finally, CRT-RSA operations are executed by computing modulo operations based on the first prime and the second prime. |
| US08861717B2 |
Verification device, secret information restoration device, verification method, program, and secret sharing system
A verification device, upon the input of any k items of shared information among n items of shared information and “t”: generates as subsets all combinations that select r items of shared information among the k items of shared information received as input where r satisfies r≧t+2; for each of the subsets, uses the cheater-identification information belonging to the subset to judge whether dishonest shared information is included in the subset; and based on the judgment results, generates and supplies as output a cheater set indicating dishonest shared information among the k items of shared information. |
| US08861709B2 |
Method for indicating call-center agent availability
A method for informing a caller of the availability of a call-center agent who can assist the caller without some of the disadvantages of the prior art is disclosed. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, when a caller accesses the address book in the memory of his or her telecommunications terminal (such as a telephone) the caller will see both the contact information for the call center and the availability of a call-center agent. |
| US08861705B1 |
Priority queuing in a next generation communication network
A communication control system receives a call request indentifying a priority level of a calling party to establish a call from the calling party to a called party through a plurality of resources. The communication control system transfers a call setup request to setup the call the called party and receives a call rejection indicating that one of the resources is unavailable. The communication control system determines a call queue for the call based on which call queue of a plurality of call queues corresponds to the one resource and determines if the call should be placed in the call queue based on the priority level of the calling party. The plurality of call queues each correspond to a unique resource of the plurality of resources. If the call should be placed in the call queue, the communication control system places the call in the call queue. |
| US08861700B2 |
Method for notifying communication in progress to terminals connected to a domestic gateway
A method for notifying a call involving a terminal connected to a domestic gateway, the setting up of the call involving the passage of a signaling flow through the domestic gateway, the method comprising a step of receiving a message signaling acceptance of the call, comprising the steps of: determining at least one terminal connected to the domestic gateway and not being involved in the call, and sending a call-in-progress notification message to the at least one terminal. |
| US08861698B1 |
Post-page caller name identification system
Caller Name Identification, or CNAM Caller ID, is a telecommunication end-user feature that appeared for PSTN landline customers in the late 1980s. The rapid development of cellular mobile and VOIP telephony systems lead to the frequent omission of the CNAM Caller ID feature. Described is an independent end-user system that obtains the CNAM Caller ID after the call page transmission. The system operates on the user's smartphone or on a TCP/IP connected computer. A user with multiple telephone devices (i.e. a smartphone, landline, and VOIP line) may share use of this system between all devices. |
| US08861696B2 |
Telephone to computational device association
The present invention allows for dynamic association of a computational device, such as a personal computer or personal digital assistant, with a telephone terminal. A computer-telephone adaptor or like function implemented in a telephony switch or other telephony device will receive authentication indicia. The authentication indicia may be provided by the computational device that is to be associated with the telephone terminal, or through other means. The authentication indicia may be provided by a user or generated by the computational device or by other means. To confirm the association, the user must enter confirmatory authentication indicia corresponding to the original authentication indicia through the telephone terminal. |
| US08861693B2 |
Phone number management method and communication device having phone number management function
A computerized method for managing phone numbers stored in a communication device, the communication device communicates with a communication service terminal provided by a telecommunication company. The communication device sends a request message for requesting to acquire a usage state of each of the phone numbers to the communication service terminal, and then detects which of the phone numbers have the usage state that matches one or more predetermined states. Any detected phone number which usage state matches the one or more predetermined states is deleted from the communication device. |
| US08861682B2 |
Multi X-ray generator and multi X-ray imaging apparatus
A compact apparatus can form multi-X-ray beams with good controllability. Electron beams (e) emitted from electron emission elements (15) of a multi-electron beam generating unit (12) receive the lens effect of a lens electrode (19). The resultant electron beams are accelerated to the final potential level by portions of a transmission-type target portion (13) of an anode electrode (20). The multi-X-ray beams (x) generated by the transmission-type target portion (13) pass through an X-ray shielding plate (23) and X-ray extraction portions (24) in a vacuum chamber and are extracted from the X-ray extraction windows (27) of a wall portion (25) into the atmosphere. |
| US08861673B2 |
Component aperture location using computed tomography
An exemplary component measuring method includes determining a position of an aperture of a component using a computed tomography scan of a gage and a component. The gage is inserted into the aperture of the component during the computed tomography scan. |
| US08861671B2 |
Module for forming a nuclear fuel assembly and corresponding nuclear fuel assembly
A module including a casing extending in a longitudinal direction, a bundle of fuel rods encased in and supported by the casing and connector provided on the casing for connecting the casing side-by-side to the casing of at least one other module to obtain a nuclear fuel assembly having a channel box defined by the casings of the assembled modules and of larger cross-section than the casing of each of the assembled modules and a bundle of fuel rods of larger cross-section than that of each the assembled modules. |
| US08861669B2 |
Stream clock recovery in high definition multimedia digital system
The present disclosure provides techniques for recovering source stream clock data at the sink in a high definition multimedia digital content transport system. The disclosure includes a fractional-N Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) based clock generator, a programmable Sigma-Delta Modulator (SDM), and a clock data calibrator to fully recover the original source stream clock data. The fractional-N PLL provides flexible source stream clock recovery. When there is a frequency deviation between the original clock and the regenerated clock, the clock data calibrator control circuit adjusts the clock data, preventing any stream data buffer overflow or underflow problems. The disclosed techniques are compatible with the sink devices based on the standards of DisplayPort and HDMI. |
| US08861667B1 |
Clock data recovery circuit with equalizer clock calibration
A signal receiving circuit having an equalizer calibration function. The signal receiving circuit includes a sampling circuit, output driver and clock signal generator. The sampling circuit captures samples of a data signal in response to a sampling clock signal. The output driver outputs an equalizing signal to an input of the sampling circuit in response to a first clock signal. The clock signal generator adjusts a phase of the first clock signal to achieve phase alignment between transitions of the equalizing signal and transitions of the data signal. |
| US08861666B2 |
Communication protocol method and apparatus for a single wire device
The present invention is a noise tolerant communication protocol device and method where a clock signal input, triggers an internal delay clock in an integrated circuit. Data is presented to an input pin and sampled prior to the next external clock pulse based on the internal delay clock. A data pulse value is distinguished by input signal voltage level and not by pulse length. Sampling of data bits is deferred until a signal level is most likely stable, thereby avoiding sampling during periods around edges of changing data values. Therefore, error detection and correction circuitry is not required. A time reference pulse, produced by a bus master, is measured by the protocol device, in determine a data transmission rate by the master. The timing of sampling of input signaling from the master is determined by the protocol, device from measurement of the time reference pulse magnitude. |
| US08861664B2 |
Communication system and method for synchronizing a plurality of network nodes after a network lock condition occurs
A communication system and method is provided herein for synchronizing a plurality of network nodes after a network lock condition occurs within a network. According to one embodiment, the method may generate a local trigger signal simultaneously at each of the plurality of network nodes by compensating for unique phase delays attributed to each of the plurality of network nodes. As described herein, the local trigger signals may be used for synchronizing devices, such as multimedia devices, which may be coupled to the network nodes. More specifically, the local trigger signals may be used to synchronize events occurring within devices, which are coupled to different nodes of the network. |
| US08861662B1 |
Efficient estimation of channel state information (CSI) feedback
A method includes receiving reference signals in a mobile communication terminal, which is designed to receive data-carrying signals that are transmitted from a base station using one of multiple predefined Modulation and Coding Schemes (MCSs). One or more pre-calculated mappings between Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and error rate for one or more of the MCSs are held in the communication terminal. The pre-calculated mappings are adjusted according to one or more transmission parameters of the data-carrying signals. Measures indicative of respective actual spectral efficiencies that are achievable by the MCSs are estimated based on the adjusted mappings using the received reference signals. A preferred MCS is selected based on the estimated measures, and feedback that is indicative of the preferred MCS is sent to the base station. |
| US08861660B2 |
Digital data-aided frequency offset estimation
Techniques are provided herein for digital data-aided frequency offset estimation offering better performance and increased accuracy over existing solutions. These new techniques also allow a trade-off between complexity and accuracy to be performed. The embodiments of the techniques for frequency offset estimation can be used for correction in both feedback and feed-forward control. |
| US08861656B2 |
Digital front-end circuit and method for using the same
A digital front-end circuit is disclosed. In one aspect, the circuit includes a filtering block for filtering received data. The filtering block has a first filter branch for filtering the received data in a first frequency band and a second filter branch for filtering the received data in a selected second frequency band. The second filter branch is in parallel with the first filter branch, is programmable and includes a block for resampling the received data. The front-end circuit also includes a circuit for performing synchronization and spectrum sensing on the received data, which is in connection with the output of the filtering block. The front-end circuit also includes a controller block for controlling the filtering block and the synchronization circuit. |
| US08861655B1 |
Method of performing structure-based bayesian sparse signal reconstruction
The method of performing structure-based Bayesian sparse signal reconstruction is a Bayesian approach to sparse signal recovery that has relatively low complexity and makes a collective use of: a priori statistical properties of the signal and noise; sparsity information; and the rich structure of the sensing matrix Ψ. The method is used with both Gaussian and non-Gaussian (or unknown) priors, and performance measures of the ultimate estimate outputs are easily calculated. |
| US08861653B2 |
Devices and methods for obtaining and using a priori information in decoding convolutional coded data
Decoders and communications devices including such decoders can obtain a convolutional coded bit stream including a plurality of coded data bits. The convolutional coded bit stream may be coded according to one or more generator polynomials such that each information bit is related to two or more coded data bits in a manner to be determinable from a mathematical combination of the two or more coded data bits of the convolutional coded bit stream. A priori information associated with each information bit can be calculated based at least in part on the mathematical combination of the two or more coded data bits. Employing the a priori information, a binary value for each information bit can be calculated. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described. |
| US08861652B2 |
Detecting format of a transport channel
A system and method for determining a transport format of a transport channel is described. A guiding stream is received on a guiding transport channel and a guided stream is received on a guided transport channel. The guided stream is convolutionally decoded to produce a plurality of Viterbi path metrics. A transport format for the guided transport channel is selected from possible transport formats. The possible transport formats are determined by information provided on the guiding transport channel. The selection of the transport format is based at least in part on a metric computed from a combination of the Viterbi path metrics. |
| US08861643B2 |
Signal transmitting device and phase modulated method for transmitting via a signal transmitting device
A signal transmitting device and a method for transmitting via a signal transmitting device is disclosed. In one embodiment the transmitting device comprises a first resonant circuit with a resonant circuit inductance and a resonant circuit capacitance and a second resonant circuit with a resonant circuit inductance and a resonant circuit capacitance, a coupling element which couples the first resonant circuit to the second resonant circuit, a first excitation circuit, coupled to the first resonant circuit, and at least one further excitation circuit coupled to the second resonant circuit. |
| US08861638B2 |
Transmitter with reduced peak-to-mean amplitude ratio
The present application relates to a method for reducing the peak-to-mean amplitude ratio of a transmission signal comprising a plurality of coherent replicated signals, and to a transmitted for transmitting such a signal. The transmission signal is separated into the plurality of coherent replicated signals and one of the plurality of replicated signals is delayed with respect to another of the plurality of replicated signals, either in the time domain by introducing a time delay or in the frequency domain by introducing a phase shift. This has the effect of reducing the coherence of the delayed replicated signal with respect to the other replicated signal, reducing the peak power of the signal and therefore reducing the peak-to-mean amplitude ratio of the transmission signal. |
| US08861637B2 |
Pre-coding method, pre-decoding method, transmitter and mobile terminal based on interference alignment
The transmitter and a mobile terminal based on interference alignment use pre-coding and pre-decoding methods. An antenna mapping matrix is computed according to a downlink channel state information, wherein the antenna mapping matrix is used for antenna mapping for the current transmitter to perform interference alignment. A multi-cell pre-coding matrix according to the downlink channel state information and the antenna mapping matrix; a single cell multi-user pre-coding matrix and pre-coding user data using the single cell multi-user pre-coding matrix and the multi-cell pre-decoding matrix and performing an antenna mapping using the antenna mapping matrix are computed. A system which cannot use the interference alignment method directly may be transformed to use the interference alignment method directly. In addition, the interference suppression between cells and the interference management inside cells are two separate processes, in which different linear pre-coding and decoding methods may be used. |
| US08861636B2 |
Coherent detection using coherent decoding and interleaving
A system is configured to receive a block of symbols, associated with a phase-modulated signal that includes data symbols that correspond to a payload associated with the signal, and control symbols; process the control symbols to identify an amount of phase noise associated with the control symbols; reset a phase, associated with each of the data symbols, based on the amount of phase noise and a reference phase; interleave the respective data samples, of each of the data symbols with other data samples, where the interleaved respective data samples cause errors, associated with the respective data samples, to be spread out among the other data samples and reduces an error rate relative to a prior data rate that existed before the interleaving; and perform forward error correction on the interleaved respective data samples. |
| US08861635B2 |
Setting radio frequency (RF) beamformer antenna weights per data-stream in a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) system
A system and a closed form method of optimizing a set of receive beamformers' weights, each feeding one of N multi-layer MIMO receiving system wherein the beamformers have a pool of M receive antennas wherein M is greater than N. Each beamformer is tuned to optimize one data stream, where selection of antennas per beamformer may be done out of a pool of antennas, and mapping of a given beamformer to a data stream is optimized per certain performance metrics. |
| US08861634B2 |
Transmission device, receiving device, information transmission method, information receiving method in wireless communication system, and recording medium
The present invention relates to a transmission device, a receiving device, an information transmission method, and an information receiving method in a wireless communication system, and a recording medium in which data of a codebook used for transmitting and receiving information is recorded. |
| US08861633B2 |
Apparatus and method for estimating channel in OFDM/OFDMA based wireless communication system
A method for transmitting pilots in a wireless communication system includes generating first two pilots for a first antenna. Second two pilots for a second antenna are generated by multiplying the first two pilots with two weight values respectively. The first two pilots are transmitted over two Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols via the first antenna. The second two pilots are transmitted over the two OFDM symbols via the second antenna, wherein each weight value is determined based on a value used to obtain a symbol index of a corresponding OFDM symbol of the two OFDM symbols within a slot. Symbol indexes for the two OFDM symbols are consecutive, and the two weight values are different with each other. |
| US08861631B2 |
Receiver apparatus, receiving method, and program
An interpolation method selection processing section 41 derives, from a ZF output signal, an error in a frequency direction and an error in a time direction concerning two transmit antennas (TxAnt#0#1) used in two antenna transmission, respectively, and determines if the error in the frequency direction is smaller than the error in the time direction. In case the determination indicates that the error in the frequency direction is smaller than the error in the time direction concerning the two transmit antennas (TxAnt#0#1), a frequency interpolation processing section 43 interpolates the ZF output signal in the frequency direction and produces a provisional estimate. If it is determined that the error in the frequency direction is not smaller than the error in the time direction concerning the two transmit antennas (TxAnt#0#1), a time interpolation processing section 42 interpolates the ZF output signal in the time direction and generates a provisional estimate. |
| US08861630B2 |
Reception apparatus and reception method for improving MIMO transmission
The present invention provides a reception apparatus and reception method that reduce the amount of operation processing, reduce the processing delay and allow high signal separation performance. The reception method of the present invention is characterized by receiving signals including a plurality of codewords transmitted by a plurality of streams and performing maximum likelihood detection-based signal separation in the same codeword in the received signals while performing continuous interference canceller-based signal separation between different codewords. |
| US08861627B2 |
Direct mm-wave m-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) modulator operating in saturated power mode
In one embodiment, a circuit comprises a first pair of elements, a second pair of elements, a combiner, and a signal output. Each element in the first and second pair of elements comprises an amplitude-control input for receiving an amplitude-control bit, a phase-control input for receiving a phase-control bit, a signal input for receiving an input signal, a modulator for producing an output signal based on the amplitude-control bit, the phase-control bit, and the input signal, and an signal output for transmitting the output signal to the combiner. The combiner combines the two output signals from the first and second pair of elements to produce an output signal for the circuit to be transmitted by the signal output of the circuit. |
| US08861622B2 |
Transmitting apparatus and method for a digital telecommunication system
A transmitting apparatus transmits signals in a digital telecommunication system and a synchronising method is used for synchronizing such signals at a receiving apparatus. The transmitting apparatus prepares for transmission a reference symbol having at least two repetition patterns, whereby one of the at least two repetition patterns is phase-shifted in relation to the other repetition pattern, and a synchronizing mechanism in the digital telecommunication system uses the reference symbol once received for synchronization. The synchronizing mechanism uses a cross-correlation mechanism to cross-correlate at least one of the two repetition patterns within a correlation window having a predetermined length. |
| US08861620B2 |
Full band cable receiver
Systems and methods are described for the implementation of a full band cable receiver by using a combination of tuners (e.g., ultra-low power Tuners) and Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) to attain the goal of digitization with reduced power and/or cost. The full-band capture cable receiver can overcome the constraints of conventional cable receiver systems and deliver multiple channels, thereby allowing operators to provide consumers with an increased number of services. |
| US08861617B2 |
Method and apparatus of region-based adaptive loop filtering
In a block-based motion compensated system, coding noises may arise due to lossy operations. Adaptive loop filter (ALF) is a technique used to improve the quality. A pixel adaptive (PA) ALF method was developed that uses the Sum-modified Laplacian Measure (SLM) to classify pixels and applies a respective ALF filter to each pixel according to the SLM. While the PA ALF achieves better performance over a conventional single filter (SF) based ALF, the PA ALF causes higher complexity and consumes more power due to the high complexity and per-pixel filter switching. Accordingly region based ALF scheme is disclosed which allows adaptive filter selection on a region by region basis and does not require per-pixel filter switching. In one embodiment according to the present invention, a picture is divided into M×N regions. The region based ALF also allows region merging for the M×N regions to improve performance. In another aspect of the present invention, the optimal ALF design also takes into consideration of the system complexity by using rate-distortion-complexity optimization (RDCO). The RDCO technique is also applied to sample adaptive offset (SAO) design. |
| US08861612B2 |
Method and system of processing image sequences
A system or method for processing a variable bit rate representation of an image sequence can include segmenting a variable bit rate representation of an image sequence into a plurality of segments and creating a second representation of the image sequence where a block of information from a first segment of the plurality of segments is interlaced with blocks of information of a second segment of the plurality of segments. The second representation of the image sequence can include a fragment header indicating the block of information of the first segment of the plurality of segments interlaced with the blocks of information of the second segment of the plurality of segments. |
| US08861608B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding motion vector by obtaining motion vector predictor candidate using co-located block
Provided are methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding a motion vector. The method of encoding a motion vector includes: selecting a mode from among a first mode in which information indicating a motion vector predictor of at least one motion vector predictor is encoded and a second mode in which information indicating generation of a motion vector predictor based on pixels included in a previously encoded area adjacent to a current block is encoded; determining a motion vector predictor of the current block according to the selected mode and encoding information about the motion vector predictor of the current block; and encoding a difference vector between a motion vector of the current block and the motion vector predictor of the current block. |
| US08861607B2 |
Motion compensation method, picture coding method and picture decoding method
A picture coding apparatus includes a motion vector estimation unit and a motion compensation unit. The motion vector estimation unit selects one method for deriving a motion vector of a block to be motion-compensated, depending on a motion vector of a block located in a corner of a decoded macroblock from among a group of blocks that compose the decoded macroblock corresponding to the current macroblock to be coded and determines the motion vector derived by the selected method for derivation to be a candidate of the motion vector of the current macroblock to be coded. The motion compensation unit generates a predictive image of the block to be motion-compensated based on the estimated motion vector. |
| US08861600B2 |
Method and system for dynamically configurable DCT/IDCT module in a wireless handset
In a video processing system, a method and system for dynamically configurable DCT/IDCT module in a wireless handset are provided. A processor may be used to configure a quantization scheme and video format mode of operation and to configure a processing network in a DCT/IDCT module. The mode of operation may depend on whether the received video signal is in JPEG, MPEG, and/or H.263 format. The processing network may be configured into a DCT processing network configuration or an IDCT processing network configuration based on whether the received video signal is to be encoded or decoded respectively. The DCT/IDCT module may comprise a FIFO, an adder/subtractor, a multiplier/accumulator, a plurality of digital dividers, and a de-quantizer. The plurality of digital dividers may comprise a 12-bit divider and an 7-bit divider. The mode and configuration modifications may be dynamically performed during operation of the wireless handset. |
| US08861582B2 |
Decision feedback equalizer, receiving circuit, and decision feedback equalization processing method
A decision feedback equalizer includes: L equalization calculation circuits to perform an equalization calculation of a first sample of input data for each of M combinations of data decision values of a second sample sampled from the input data before sampling the first sample; a first logic circuit to generate first M logical values by selecting and arranging calculation values of M calculation values calculated by at least one equalization calculation circuit among the L equalization calculation circuits based on a data decision value for a third sample sampled before sampling the first data; and a selection circuit to select one of the first M logical values based on a data decision value for a fourth sample sampled before sampling the third sample, and to output the selected logical value as a data decision value of the first sample. |
| US08861581B2 |
Receivers for processing vestigial sideband signals and processing methods thereof
Provided is a receiver for processing VSB signal. The receiver includes a first equalizer/decoder unit and a second equalizer/decoder unit. The first equalizer/decoder unit performs a first equalizing operation, first TCM decoding and first RS decoding on a received symbol to output a first dibit. The second equalizer/decoder unit performs a second equalizing operation, second TCM decoding and second RS decoding on the received symbol to output a transport stream. The first dibit is provided as a priori information for a soft-decision operation of the second TCM decoding. |
| US08861579B2 |
Measuring I/Q impairments from sampled complex signals
Systems and methods for measuring transmitter and/or receiver I/Q impairments are disclosed, including iterative methods for measuring transmitter I/Q impairments using shared local oscillators, iterative methods for measuring transmitter I/Q impairments using intentionally-offset local oscillators, and methods for measuring receiver I/Q impairments. Also disclosed are methods for computing I/Q impairments from a sampled complex signal, methods for computing DC properties of a signal path between the transmitter and receiver, and methods for transforming I/Q impairments through a linear system. |
| US08861578B1 |
Transition time measurement of PAM4 transmitters
Methods, apparatus and systems for measuring signal transition times for a four-level pulse modulated amplitude (PAM4) transmitter. During a test procedure, a PAM4 transmitter is configured to repetitively transmitting a four-level test pattern, which is captured and digitized. The digitized data is processed to generate a linear-fitted waveform. A voltage modulation amplitude (VMA) level for each of a −1 and +1 PAM4 signal level is measured and used to derive 20% and 80% VMA levels in an eye diagram. The rise transition time is then determined by measuring the time interval between when a rising signal crosses the 20% and 80% VMA levels, and the fall transition time is determined by measuring the time interval between when a falling signal crosses the 80% and 20% VMA levels. |
| US08861574B2 |
System and method for providing a wireless/power-line diversity communications channel
A system and method is presented where a low-IF architecture can be used to allow existing wireless standards to be used for joint wireless/power-line channel transmission in the provision of diversity communications channels. Diversity combining of wireless and power-line channels can be employed, wherein the input noise to the maximum-likelihood detector can be Class A-distributed. For uncoded BPSK, the BER can be a function of PLC impulsiveness and can improve wireless-only BER by orders of magnitude when PLC SNR >10 dB. The error performance can be equivalent to BER of the static PLC channel for low wireless SNR and can improve with a slope of −1 at high wireless SNRs. The inflection point between these two regions can occur at approximately 0 dB when PLC noise is Gaussian, and increases above 20 dB as the noise becomes more impulsive. |
| US08861572B2 |
Method and arrangement of delay spread compensation
A method of delay spread compensation, suitable for use in a communication device a having plurality of receiver antennas, is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of signals, each via a respective antenna, wherein each signal comprises a signal component corresponding to a transmitted signal, and wherein each received signal experiences a respective channel impulse response having a corresponding delay spread; determining estimates of each of the channel impulse responses; calculating post-coding characteristics based on the estimates of the channel impulse responses; and post-coding the plurality of received signals using the post-coding characteristics to produce at least a first delay spread compensated signal. Corresponding computer program product, processing arrangement and communication device are also disclosed. |
| US08861569B2 |
Reduced complexity channel estimation for uplink receiver
The present invention proposes an LTE eNodeB receiver channel estimation technique that is referred to as reduced complexity minimum mean squared error (MMSE) technique for channel estimation. From the invention's assumptions, estimations and modified calculations, the present invention generates precise channel estimates of RS using the reduced complexity MMSE matrix and previously computed LS channel estimates HLS is as follows: (Formula I) which generates precise channel estimates of RS using the reduced complexity MMSE matrix and previously computed LS channel estimates. As a second aspect of the present invention, it is desired that the SNR be estimated within −3 dB of the actual channel SNR. As a third aspect of the invention, an adaptive method of data channel interpolation from RS channel is being proposed in this invention. |
| US08861568B2 |
Chirp receiver utilizing phase processed chirp signals
A chirp receiver processes broadcast chirp signals in the frequency domain to distinguish direct path signals from multipath signals. The receiver processes received chirp signals consisting of respective pulsed frequency sweeps by combining the signals with a synchronized local chirp signal and phase adjusting and concatenating the results over multiple sweeps based on estimated clock phase errors and expected phase rotations of the direct path signals, and produces a sine wave. The phase adjustment and concatenation allows the use of longer Fast Fourier Transforms, which provide increased accuracy of frequency estimation and separate component signals that are very close in frequency. The frequency corresponding to the direct path signal is identified by the lowest frequency bin in which power is above a predetermined noise threshold. The receiver then determines a time delay based on the identified frequency and uses the time delay to calculate accurate clock phase error and position. |
| US08861563B2 |
Folding element for a laser-setup
The use of reflecting surfaces that are inclined towards one another enables the multiple reflection of a beam path to be achieved in a laser structure. This permits the realization of compact laser assemblies. The introduction of beam-influencing media between the reflective surfaces or the configuration of said reflective surfaces from or using media of this type allows the use of the multiple reflection for influencing parameters of the radiation or radiation field. |
| US08861562B2 |
Vertical light emitting device and manufacturing method
Provided is a vertical light emitting device comprising an upper multilayer reflective film and a lower multilayer reflective film that are formed facing each other and oscillate light; an intermediate layer that is formed below the upper multilayer reflective film and includes a layer having a different composition than the upper multilayer reflective film; and an electrode portion that is formed to sandwich the intermediate layer in a cross-sectional plane parallel to an oscillation direction of the light and to have a top end that is higher than a top surface of the intermediate layer. After the electrode portion is formed to sandwich the intermediate layer, the upper multilayer reflective film is layered on the intermediate layer. |
| US08861558B2 |
Laser system and laser light generation method
A laser system may include: a master oscillator configured to output pulsed laser light; an amplification device for amplifying the pulsed laser light from the master oscillator; a first timing detector configured to detect a first timing at which the master oscillator outputs the pulsed laser light; a second timing detector configured to detect a second timing at which the amplification device discharges; and a controller configured to, based on results of detection by the first timing detector and the second timing detector, control at least one of the first timing and the second timing so that the amplification device discharges when the pulsed laser light passes through a discharge space of the amplification device. |
| US08861555B2 |
Compact coherent high brightness light source for the mid-IR and far IR
Compact laser systems are disclosed which include ultrafast laser sources in combination with nonlinear crystals or waveguides. In some implementations fiber based mid-IR sources producing very short pulses and/or mid-IR sources based on a mode locked fiber lasers are utilized. A difference frequency generator receives outputs from the ultrafast sources, and generates an output including a difference frequency. The output power from the difference frequency generator can further be enhanced via the implementation of large core dispersion shifted fibers. Exemplary applications of the compact, high brightness mid-IR light sources include medical applications, spectroscopy, ranging, sensing and metrology. |
| US08861553B2 |
Asynchronous master-slave serial communication system, data transmission method, and control module using the same thereof
An asynchronous master-slave serial communication system, a data transmission method, and a control module using the same are disclosed. The asynchronous master-slave serial communication system comprises a master control module and a slave control module. The master control module generates a check code according to an address information and a data information, and generates a data package according to the address information, the data information, the check code and the master clock signal. The slave control module generates a decoding data according to the data package and a slave clock signal, and generates the address information, the data information and the check code according to the decoding data. |
| US08861546B2 |
Dynamically and fairly allocating RF channel bandwidth in a wideband cable system
In one example, a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) determines target Radio Frequency (RF) bandwidth amounts for Data Over Cable System Interface Specification (DOCSIS) bonding groups according to the DOCSIS priority of active flows within the bonding groups. The CMTS then tunes bandwidth allocation amongst the DOCSIS bonding groups according to the target bandwidth amounts. The target bandwidth amounts can be recalculated at intervals, and the bandwidth allocation re-tuned at the intervals, to account for changes in flow activity or DOCSIS priority assignment. |
| US08861545B2 |
Method for performing protocol translation in a network switch
A system and method are disclosed for processing a packet. Processing the packet comprises receiving the packet; translating the packet from a first protocol-specific format to a canonical packet format; translating the packet from the canonical packet format to a second protocol-specific format; and forwarding the packet. |
| US08861533B1 |
Demarcation point for ethernet service and methods of providing ethernet service
Methods, systems and devices are provided that facilitate the provision of Ethernet service between remotely located Ethernet local area networks (LANs). At least one network interface unit (NIU) is provided that is configured to provide an Ethernet interface between service provider equipment and customer equipment so as to provide Ethernet service between a service provider network and an Ethernet local area network (LAN) running at a customer facility. The NIU is further configured to manage the Ethernet service between the service provider network and the Ethernet LAN running at the customer facility. |
| US08861525B1 |
Cloud-based network protocol translation data center
A translation data center (TDC) is described that provides cloud-based network protocol translation services. In an example system, the TDC is coupled to a first public network that includes client devices and operates according to a first network-layer protocol (NLP) and a second public network that includes content providers and operates according to a second NLP. Domain name servers within the first public network are updated to include records that resolve respective domain names for each of a plurality of content providers of the second public network to different, globally-routable network destination addresses assigned to the TDC. The TDC receives packets from the first network, transforms the packets from the first NLP to the second NLP and replaces network-layer destination addresses of the TDC with the network-layer destination addresses for the content providers. |
| US08861523B2 |
Autonomous routing of network messages
Messages from a network are processed so that each received message is received in one of a plurality of message formats, the content of each message is determined, and a network destination to which the message will be directed is selected, based on the determined message content. The message can be transformed to encompass a variety of format changes. Once content of the message is determined, if image data is detected in the message, then image analysis on the image data can be performed to detect message content that is used in selecting a destination. It can be determined if the message has been received for greater than a predetermined time limit without being directed to a selected destination and, if so, a notification action can be performed if the predetermined time limit has been exceeded. |
| US08861512B2 |
Method of enabling a wireless device to make a network connection without using a network operator's home location register
A wireless device can initiate a network connection without using a network operator's home location register. The wireless device sends data to a server that defines a call request; and the server decides on the appropriate routing over all available networks for that call request. But, unlike a conventional HLR, the server can receive communications from the device using any one of several different protocols, and is not limited to the MAP (mobile application part) protocol. For example, the wireless device can use SMS or HTTP over the internet to communicate with the server. The server then determines the appropriate least cost routing. |
| US08861508B2 |
Routing a call setup request to a destination serving node in an IMS network
A method of routing a call setup request to a destination serving node serving a destination subscriber in an IMS network. The method comprises the steps of a switching node receiving the call setup request having a destination number of the destination subscriber, the switching node querying a number conversion database node for destination routing information using the destination number. The method further comprises the steps of the number conversion database node querying subscriber information for destination serving node information related to the destination number, the number conversion database node receiving destination serving node information from the subscriber information, the number conversion database node replying to the switching node with destination routing information comprising the destination serving node information and the switching node routing the call set up request to the destination serving node using the destination serving node information. |
| US08861507B2 |
Systems and methods for automatic public switched telephone network backup of voice over internet protocol services
A backup public switched telephone network (PSTN) line is provided to a broadband network connection by detecting unavailability of the broadband network connection and automatically connecting local site wiring to the PSTN line responsive to detecting unavailability of the broadband network connection and disconnecting local site wiring from the PSTN line if unavailability is not detected. |
| US08861506B2 |
Shortest path determination for large graphs
A computer-implemented method and system are provided for determining the shortest path between two nodes in a network comprising a plurality of nodes. A non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provided that includes a plurality of instructions that, when executed by at least one electronic device, at least cause the at least one electronic device to determine the shortest path between two nodes in a network comprising a plurality of nodes. |
| US08861502B2 |
Assisted initial network acquisition and system determination
A method and system is provided for initial network acquisition by a first device that is assisted by a second device. Rather than scanning one or more frequency bands to discover local wireless network information, the first device may send a request for local wireless network information over a secondary communication interface (i.e., a communication interface not associated with the wireless network for which information is sought). A second device that may have previously obtained the requested network information (e.g., it may have joined or be communicating through the wireless network) may respond by sending the requested wireless network information to the first device. Upon receiving the wireless network information via its secondary communication interface, the first device may use it to acquire a communication service from the wireless network over a primary communication interface (i.e., different from the secondary communication interface). |
| US08861501B2 |
Timing source
A timing source is provided for sending timing information via a packet network. The source comprises a first clock for generating the timing information and a packet forming section for forming a sequence of packets. An output section in the form of a packet launch control section transmits the packets via the network as packet bursts, each of which comprises a plurality of packets with the intervals between consecutive packets of each burst being less than the intervals between consecutive packets. A time-stamping section inserts into each packet a transmission time derived from the timing information generated by the clock. |
| US08861498B2 |
High-frequency module
A high-frequency switch module includes a first diplexer arranged to receive a GPS signal and to send/receive a GSM 1800 communication signal and a GSM 1900 communication signal, and a switch element arranged to switch between the sending/receiving of the GSM 1800 and the sending/receiving of the GSM 1900 communication signal. A SAW filter having a passage band corresponding to the frequency band of the GSM 1900 communication signal and a SAW filter having a passage band corresponding to the frequency band of the GSM 1800 communication signal are connected to the switch element. A line length of a transmission line for connection to the SAW filter which provides a reflection phase closer to the open side for the GPS signal as viewed from the switch element is greater than that of a transmission line for connection to the other SAW filter. |
| US08861497B2 |
LAN based wireless communications system
A method of routing calls from a mobile unit to a destination location can include registering the mobile unit with a wireless adjunct, wherein the wireless adjunct is in communication with a switching unit and a packet based network and is operable to receive data from the switching unit and place the data, in packetized form, on the packet based network. The method can further include responding to a call setup request from the mobile unit and querying a subscriber database to determine if the mobile unit is a resident or a guest. If the mobile unit is a resident, communications data can be routed from the mobile unit through the switching unit to a first destination location. If the mobile unit is a guest, communications data can be routed from the mobile unit through an RF source to a second destination location. |
| US08861492B2 |
Method for communication between a WLAN terminal and a human interface device
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and apparatuses corresponding to a WLAN terminal and a wireless human interface device (HID), for enabling communication between the WLAN terminal and HID. According to the method, the WLAN terminal can receive data frames directly from the HID and these frames are compliant with the WLAN standard protocol. The frames are received even if the WLAN terminal is associated with an AP and the HID does not support infrastructure mode. |
| US08861488B2 |
Distributed client information database of a wireless network
A method of selecting access points of a wireless network as redundant aggregation devices is disclosed. The method includes monitoring parameters of the access points. A plurality of the access points are selected as redundant aggregation devices based upon the monitored access point parameters. Each of the redundant aggregation devices maintains client information parameters of clients associated with the wireless network. |
| US08861487B2 |
Facilitating open loop power control in TD-SCDMA multi-carrier systems
Open loop power control in Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) multi-carrier systems is facilitated through the determination of a value for open loop control on a primary carrier frequency which is then used to perform open loop control on at least one secondary carrier frequency in the multi-carrier system. This determined open loop control value may be applied using the value determined on the primary carrier frequency, or may be further adjusted using an estimated difference between received power of the primary carrier frequency and the secondary carrier frequencies, in selected aspects. When the pilot signals in the secondary carrier frequencies are transmitted at different power levels, this open loop control value may be further adjusted with a transmit power level offset. |
| US08861486B2 |
Wireless communication system and wireless communication apparatus
A wireless communication apparatus operates as a tributary station in a wireless communication system including a control station and the tributary station that perform a time division multiplex communication. The wireless communication apparatus includes a wireless unit that performs a wireless communication with the control station; an event processing unit that notifies of an event occurrence based on an occurrence of an event; and a control unit that controls a communication in synchronization with the control station by detecting a control signal from the control station. When received a notification of the event occurrence, the control unit starts a search operation to acquire the control signal transmitted by the control station. When received the control signal, the control unit transmits a message according to the event occurrence using a slot that has a predetermined position relationship with the slot in which the control signal is received. |
| US08861482B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing application service between a first protocol and a second protocol
Application service is provided for a subscriber unit (SU), employing a first protocol, in a communication network employing a second protocol. The method includes receiving a CAI OTAR message from the SU. The CAI OTAR message includes at least a key management message (KMM) and a CAI header of the SU. The method then includes determining that the first protocol employed by the SU is different from the second protocol associated with the communication network based on the received CAI OTAR message. The method further includes creating a key management message (KMM) preamble, associated with the second protocol, based on at least one of the CAI header and configuration information of the SU, and creating a data link independent (DLI) OTAR message associated with the second protocol. The DLI OTAR message includes the received KMM. The method finally includes encapsulating the DLI OTAR message with the created KMM preamble, and sending the encapsulated DLI OTAR message to a key management facility (KMF) unit operating at a second protocol. |
| US08861480B2 |
Methods and systems for inter-rat handover in multi-mode mobile station
Methods provided may generally include sending a BS of a first RAT a request message indicating a set of MIMO resources to reallocate; during a scan duration, communicating with the BS of the first RAT using non-reallocated MIMO resources and communicating with a BS of a second RAT using reallocated MIMO resources; and during a normal duration, communicating with the BS of the first RAT using the reallocated and non-reallocated MIMO resources. Apparatus provided may generally include logic for receiving a request message indicating a set of MIMO resources of the MS to reallocate; logic for, during a scan duration, communicating with the MS in a first transmission mode assuming the use of only non-reallocated MIMO resources by the MS; and logic for, during a normal duration, communicating with the MS in a second transmission mode assuming the use of the reallocated and non-reallocated MIMO resources by the MS. |
| US08861471B2 |
Signalling resource allocation in a telecommunications network
The present invention provides a method, a radio base station and a mobile terminal for allocating resources in a telecommunications network, where communications between the radio base station and the mobile terminal take place over a plurality of carriers. The method comprises transmitting and receiving a resource allocation message comprising one or more bits. Each of the bits corresponds to a number of resource blocks, where the number is determined from the ratio of the aggregate bandwidth of the plurality of carriers divided by the bandwidth of the carrier over which the resource allocation message is sent. |
| US08861469B1 |
Bluetooth and wireless LAN arbitration
Bluetooth and wireless LAN arbitration is described. In embodiments, a communication device includes a Bluetooth device for Bluetooth communication according to Bluetooth protocol, and includes a wireless LAN device for network communication according to wireless network protocol. An antenna switching circuit connects the Bluetooth device to an antenna for the Bluetooth communication, and connects the wireless LAN device to the antenna for the network communication. An arbitration control system arbitrates when the Bluetooth device is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit and when the wireless LAN device is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit. |
| US08861467B2 |
Method and device for transmitting sounding reference signal and extended uplink control information in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, discloses a method and a device for transmitting a sounding reference signal and extended uplink control information in a wireless communication system. A method for a terminal transmitting the uplink control information through a physical uplink control channel in the wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the following steps: creating a block by multiplying a modulation symbol, which shows the uplink control information, to a circular shift sequence, and creating a NSF blocks for each of the two slots of an uplink subframe; block-wise spreading the NSF blocks using an orthogonal code; and mapping a NRS reference signals and the block-wise spread NSF blocks to each of the two lots of the uplink subframe, and transmitting same to a base station, wherein the NSF blocks transmitted from the second slot of the uplink subframe can have an equal value when the transmission of the sounding reference signal is set and when the transmission of the sounding reference signal is not set in the uplink subframe. |
| US08861462B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting an uplink or downlink grant in a wireless communication system that supports uplink and downlink MIMO schemes
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting an uplink or downlink grant in a wireless communication system that supports uplink and downlink multiple input multiple output (MIMO) schemes. The method comprises: determining a downlink control information (DCI) format for an uplink or downlink grant to generate control information: attaching a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) for detecting an error in the created control information; and channel-coding the CRC-attached control information, wherein the control information comprises a bit flag for distinguishing whether the grant is an uplink grant or a downlink grant. |
| US08861461B2 |
Method and apparatus for sending uplink control information for multi-radio access technology operation
A method and apparatus for sending uplink control information (UCI) by a multi-mode wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) capable of operating on multiple component carriers of a plurality of radio access technologies (RATs) for multi-RAT operation are disclosed. The multi-mode WTRU may generate UCI pertaining to a first RAT and send at least part of the UCI via a feedback channel on a component carrier of a second RAT. The first RAT may be Long Term Evolution (LTE) and the second RAT may be High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), or vice versa. The UCI of the RATs may be multiplexed onto a carrier of any one of the RATs. The UCI bits for a pair of, or multiple, serving cells may be jointly encoded. |
| US08861460B2 |
Method for a user terminal to random access a carrier aggregation mobile communication system
A method for random access to a base station by a user equipment (UE) in a mobile communication system using carrier aggregation in which communication is conducted over a plurality of component carriers, and a terminal for the method are disclosed. When the UE performs a contention-based random access procedure in the mobile communication system to which CA technology is applied, the UE considers an uplink grant signal as a contention resolution message when receiving the uplink grant signal from a eNB only when the uplink grant signal is received through a downlink CC corresponding to an uplink CC used to transmit a random access preamble or a third message, to thereby prevent contention resolution from being erroneously ended. |
| US08861459B2 |
Error control method, medium access control (MAC) frame designing method, and terminal registration method in wireless communication system, and recording medium
The MAC frame in a wireless communication system includes a terminal ID allocated to each of multiple terminals. At least one connection ID is allocated to each terminal having the terminal ID, and sub-carrier allocation information is allocated to each connection having the connection ID. The sub-carrier allocation information includes a sub-carrier allocation status for each sub-carrier, and the number of allocated information bits for each sub-carrier. The sub-carrier allocation status and the number of allocated information bits for each sub-carrier can be allocated, by sub-carriers, to the sub-carrier allocation information using a same number of bits; or the information on the sub-carrier allocation status is first allocated to the sub-carrier allocation information and the number of allocated information bits for each sub-carrier is allocated. |
| US08861457B2 |
Method, device, and system for managing uplink carrier frequencies
A method for managing uplink carrier frequencies is provided, which is applicable to the field of communication. The method includes the following steps: A state switching response message sent by a UE is received, where the state switching response message includes a result of state switching performed by on a secondary uplink carrier serving cell; The result of the state switching is notified to a secondary uplink carrier non-serving cell in a secondary carrier active set through an RNC. A device and a system for managing uplink carrier frequencies are further provided. Through the method, device, and system provided in embodiments of the present invention, the uplink carrier frequencies are managed, so as to facilitate transmission of uplink data during multi-cell collaboration. |
| US08861452B2 |
Method and apparatus for use of licensed spectrum for control channels in cognitive radio communications
Techniques are provided for control signaling and channel selection in cognitive Long Term Evolution (LTE). In one example, there is provided a method, operable by a mobile entity, that involves receiving, on a licensed channel, broadcasted channel usage information regarding at least one unlicensed channel used by one or more network nodes. The method further involves: performing a cell search procedure based at least in part on the channel usage information to select a given network node among the one or more network nodes; determining at least one random access parameter to be used in establishing wireless communication with the given network node, the at least one random access parameter being associated with a characteristic of the user device and determining a preferred downlink channel. |
| US08861443B2 |
Method and apparatus for power control in full-duplex wireless systems with simultaneous transmission reception
Wireless-device-to-wireless device (WD-WD) interference in a full-duplex wireless network is managed by an uplink transmit power control technique that minimizes interference experienced in downlink signals at other wireless devices in the wireless network. In one exemplary embodiment, an instantaneous antenna gain of the wireless device and a target uplink Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) of an uplink signal of the wireless device to the home base station are determined at the wireless device. A Noise plus Interference level at the home base station is received by either a closed-loop or an open-loop feedback technique. The uplink power level for an uplink signal of the wireless device is determined based on the determined antenna gain, the determined target uplink SINR and the received Noise plus Interference level at the home base station. |
| US08861439B2 |
Method and apparatus for log reporting in a wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for log reporting in a wireless communication system includes receiving a request message by a user equipment (UE), the request message requesting log reporting, wherein at least one logged measurement entry is stored in the UE and the at least one logged measurement entry corresponds to a current Registered Public Land Mobile Network (RPLMN); including all or parts of the at least one logged measurement entry in a response message; including an indication in the response message if less than all of the at least one logged measurement entry is included in the response message; and not including the indication in the response message if all of the at least one logged measurement entry is included in the response message. |
| US08861437B2 |
Contention-based communication
For an example embodiment, a method for a communication device operating in a synchronous communication system is described. The method includes performing a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure prior to the start of a downlink subframe of a synchronous frame and determining if a transmission from another communication device of another communication system is detected during the LBT procedure. In the case that a transmission is detected during the LBT procedure, the communication device refrains from transmitting during the downlink subframe. In the case that a transmission is not detected during the LBT procedure, the communication device transmits during the downlink subframe. |
| US08861434B2 |
Method and system for improved multi-cell support on a single modem board
A system for providing multi-cell support within a single SMP partition in a telecommunications network is disclosed. The typically includes a modem board and a multi-core processor having a plurality of processor cores, wherein the multi-core processor is configured to disable non-essential interrupts arriving on a plurality of data plane cores and route the non-essential interrupts to a plurality of control plane cores. Optionally, the multi-core processor may be configured so that all non-real-time threads and processes are bound to processor cores that are dedicated for all control plane activities and processor cores that are dedicated for all data plane activities will not host or run any threads that are not directly needed for data path implementation or Layer 2 processing. |
| US08861432B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting multiple MAC versions in broadband wireless communication system
A method and an apparatus are configured to support a plurality of Media Access Control (MAC) versions in a broadband wireless communication system. An operating method of a terminal to support the multiple MAC versions in the broadband wireless communication system includes receiving a message comprising information of one or more MAC versions supported by a base station, from the base station; and sending information of one or more MAC versions supported by the terminal, to the base station using a message. Thus, in the wireless environment where the multiple MAC versions are mixed, the MAC version can be matched. |
| US08861430B2 |
Methods of point association for cooperative multiple point transmission
Procedures for point association as well as measurement and feedback required to enable point association for CoMP deployment scenario 4 are proposed. In a first novel aspect, a serving eNB configures a first higher-layer configuration for RSRP measurement to be used by a UE for serving point selection. The higher-layer configuration contains multiple CSI-RS configurations, and each CSI-RS configuration indicates a set of resource elements (REs) or subcarriers in both frequency domain and time domain as one CSI-RS resource with non-zero transmission power. The UE then performs RSRP measurements based on the multiple CSI-RS configurations and reports RSRP measurement results to the serving eNB. In a second novel aspect, the serving eNB configures a second higher-layer configuration for CSI reporting based on the reported RSRP measurement results. In a third novel aspect, the serving eNB sends CSI-RS information to the UE for uplink power control. |
| US08861428B2 |
Detection and mitigation of ingress interference within communication links
A system and process that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an interference monitor configured to detect occurrences of unintended signals within a communications link. A communications link may carry a down-converted format of a satellite signal from an earth terminal to an integrated receiver and decoder for further network distribution. Depending upon the nature of any such detected unintended signals, the communications link can be “swapped out” for a redundant communications link carrying a down-converted format of the same satellite signal obtained by way of a redundant earth terminal. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08861418B2 |
Methods and apparatus for supporting group communications with data re-transmission support
Methods and apparatus related to group communications in a wireless communications system, e.g., a peer to peer wireless communications system, are described. Methods and apparatus directed to closed groups, e.g., where the number of group members are fixed at a given time and known to one or more members of the group, are described. Various embodiments are well suited to decentralized peer to peer wireless networks including a plurality of individual traffic resources, e.g., traffic slots and/or traffic segments, which may be independently scheduled in a decentralized manner. Some features and/or aspects are directed to the use of individual group member acknowledgement signaling in response to a transmitted group traffic data signal. By monitoring for anticipated individual group member acknowledgment signals and identifying members which have not signaled a positive acknowledgment, re-transmission can be directed and/or tailored to a subset of the group. |
| US08861415B2 |
Data transmission device and a method for activating a data transmission
A data transmission device has a data transmitter and a wake-up receiver. The data transmitter is activable to change from an idle state into an operating state and to execute a data transmission with a communication partner in the operating state. The wake-up receiver is implemented to be ready to receive an initiation signal during the idle state of the data transmitter and to activate the data transmitter in response to the initiation signal. The wake-up receiver is further implemented to extract data transmission information from the initiation signal to determine a time for activating the data transmitter depending on the data transmission information or to activate the data transmitter such that the data transmitter executes the data transmission depending on the data transmission information. |
| US08861413B2 |
Power control for inter-band multi-carrier capable devices
There are provided measures for enabling power control for inter-band multi-carrier capable devices, such as e.g. inter-band carrier aggregation capable devices. Such measures may exemplarily include calculating at least one output power restriction value for a cumulative output power for a combination of at least two uplink carriers of a terminal device, said two uplink carriers operating on different bands, signaling the calculated at least one output power restriction value to the terminal device, and performing power control for the at least two uplink carriers using the acquired at least one output power restriction value at the terminal device. |
| US08861408B2 |
Hybrid automatic repeat request feedback transmission in a multi component-carrier communication system
Methods, systems, devices, and computer program products are described which facilitate the transmission and reception of acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment (ACK/NACK) feedback associated with downlink data transmissions in a multi-carrier wireless communication system. Scheduling request resources may be utilized to enable the transmission of ACK/NACK feedback for the multiple component carriers when a positive scheduling request is present and the techniques described may be utilized to improve the efficiency of control channel signaling in different system configurations. |
| US08861401B2 |
Layer 2 packet switching without look-up table for ethernet switches
In one embodiment, a system includes at least one processor which includes logic configured for receiving a request to assign a media access control (MAC) address to a device on a port, logic configured for determining the MAC address to assign to the device based at least partially on the port, and logic configured for sending a response to the request with the MAC address. In another embodiment, a computer program product for assigning a MAC address includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code including computer readable program code configured for determining, without using a look-up table, a MAC address to assign to a device and computer readable program code configured for sending the MAC address to the device. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are presented according to more embodiments. |
| US08861396B2 |
Traffic-load dependent power reduction in high-speed packet switching systems
The invention relates to a method and devices for a packet switching system for traffic-load dependent power reduction in packet switching systems. In order to reduce the power consumption of a packet switching system, the method comprises the steps of determining a traffic rate for incoming data packets at the upstream packet processing device; processing the incoming data packets; transmitting an indication of the determined traffic rate from the upstream packet processing device to the downstream packet processing device at a time prior to the time that the processed data packets for which the traffic rate has been determined are transmitted to the downstream packet processing device; and adjusting available packet processing resources at the downstream packet processing device based on the received traffic rate indication. |
| US08861395B2 |
System and process for dimensioning a cellular telecommunications network
A process for dimensioning a cellular telecommunications network, including, for each of one or more network elements of the network: accessing network element environment data representing a configuration and environment of the network element; accessing QoS data representing quality of service criteria for users of the network; and processing the network element environment data and the QoS data to generate network element capacity data representing combinations of loads of network services corresponding to capacities of the network element that meet the quality of service criteria. |
| US08861389B2 |
TTL operations for small RB assignments
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for wireless communications, wherein more accurate timing offset calculations may be achieved for uplink transmissions with a relatively small number of assigned resources. |
| US08861388B2 |
Selection of transmission mode
A method and apparatus for a cellular system is provided. Communication is carried out between a controlling station of a cell and a number of users in said cell, and the controlling station is equipped with a plurality of antennas. The communication can alter between a first and a second mode, and the users in the cell provide the controlling station with feedback information regarding their reception quality. The controlling station alters between said first and second modes of communication as a result of the reliability of the feedback information from the users in the cell, so that if the reliability is above a first threshold, the first mode is used, and if the reliability is equal to or below said first threshold, the second mode is used. |
| US08861385B2 |
Communication device, communication method and communication control program
A communication device selects a layer 2 address to be changed, and transmits a presence check request message via a network to which the communication device is connected. The communication device determines, based on a received result of the presence check request message, whether the layer 2 address is duplicated with another communication device connected to the network. When the communication device confirms the layer 2 address is not duplicated, the communication device changes the layer 2 address of the communication device. |
| US08861384B2 |
Control channel discontinuous reception (DRX) messaging for performing measurements to enable handover between wireless networks
In geographical areas with incomplete coverage of Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) networks, it may be beneficial for a multimode User Equipment (UE) to handover to a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network. Before handover, a multimode UE may receive an indication from a serving TD-SCDMA cell to enter a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) mode and perform measurement on a nearby GSM cell. After measurement, the UE receives a grant from the serving TD-SCDMA cell allowing the UE to transmit a measurement report to the serving TD-SCDMA cell. The TD-SCDMA cell may use the measurement report to determine if the multimode UE should handover to the GSM cell. |
| US08861379B2 |
Test automation for an integrated telephony call management service
A test application includes instructions for configuring a digital cross connect. A first modem and a second modem are each connected to at least one telecommunications network and a digital cross connect. An integrated telephony call management service (ITCMS) client includes computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium included in the test computer. |
| US08861378B2 |
Method, system and network device for node configuration and path detection
A method, system, and network device for node configuration and path detection are provided. The method for path detection includes: receiving a path detection message, and writing path state information of a present node into the path detection message; forwarding the path detection message, into which the path state information of the present node has been written, to downstream nodes according to a forwarding manner for a multicast data stream. The method for path detection is capable of improving the acquisition efficiency for multicast paths and saving network bandwidth. |
| US08861376B2 |
Broadcast receiving apparatus and method of determining broadcast reception state thereof
A method of determining a broadcast reception state of a broadcast receiving apparatus includes receiving a broadcast signal using a tuner; checking a reception state of the broadcast signal; changing a wireless communication connection state of the wireless communication module if the reception state of the broadcast signal is abnormal and rechecking the reception state; and determining the reception state as an abnormal reception state due to interference with a wireless communication frequency if a result of rechecking the reception state indicates the reception state is normal. |
| US08861372B2 |
Method and device for fast pushing unicast stream in fast channel change
The present invention discloses a method and a device for fast pushing a unicast stream in a Fast Channel Change (FCC), and relates to the field of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). A server obtains a multicast join delay of a terminal, determines a minimum value of a data amount between a starting position of a fast unicast stream and a latest packet position according to the multicast join delay of the terminal, a decoding rate, a unicast push rate, and a lowest buffer data amount required for decoding, judges whether a latest I frame completely arrives according to a packet buffer state; and fast pushes the unicast stream starting from the latest I frame if the latest I frame completely arrives, and an arrived data amount starting from the latest I frame is greater than or equal to the minimum value. |
| US08861370B2 |
System and method for testing a communications network having a central bus guardian (CBG) to detect a faulty condition associated with the CBG
Systems and methods for testing a communications network having a central bus guardian (CBG) to detect a faulty condition associated with the CBG are described. In one embodiment, a method for testing a communications network having a CBG to detect a faulty condition associated with the CBG includes supplying a communications schedule to the CBG, causing test data to be transmitted between different buses that are connected to the CBG according to the communications schedule, and determining the faulty condition associated with the CBG based on whether or not the test data is received according to the communications schedule. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08861369B2 |
Virtual network interface with packet filtering hooks
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with using packet filter hooks to selectively re-direct network packets to a virtual network interface are described. In one embodiment, a method includes re-directing a network packet at a filter hook point in an Internet Protocol processing stack. The example method may also include re-directing the network packet to a virtual network interface. |
| US08861368B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling stale PDN context
Apparatus and methods are described herein for managing data network connections. When a gateway or user equipment receives a message indicating the active data network connections associated with the sending party, the gateway or user equipment checks a locally stored list of active data network connections to determine whether there is a match. If at least one active data network connection does not match, the receiving device sends a message to the sending party indicating the locally stored active data network connections. |
| US08861356B2 |
Method and apparatus for prioritized information delivery with network coding over time-varying network topologies
A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for information delivery with network coding over time-varying network topologies. In one embodiment, the method comprises decomposing a sequence of topology graphs that model a time-varying network topology into a plurality of virtual graphs, where each virtual graph of the plurality of virtual graphs corresponds to a distinct traffic class, and the virtual topology graph representing a partial topology of a time-varying network. The method also includes selecting a network code for each virtual graph in the plurality of the virtual graphs to meet requirements of the distinct traffic class corresponding to said each topology graph, where the network code is used to encode packets of the associated traffic class, and processing packets of each traffic class using the network code determined by its corresponding virtual topology and the requirements of said each traffic class, including using a virtual buffer system to implement the network code corresponding to each traffic class over the physical network topology. The method also includes using a scheduler to determine the transmission schedules for each output packet from the virtual buffer system of each traffic class where the scheduling decisions are based, at least in part, on the QoS requirements of each class. |
| US08861353B2 |
Method for provisioning a wireless network
A method that collects data and subjects it to statistical analysis to detect localized events, which assists in network provisioning. Illustratively, the data employed is hourly network traffic count that is collected at cell sites. By taking the advantage of additive property of Poisson process, the method integrates spatial neighbor information by aggregating temporal data in various areas, and iteratively estimating the event location and the radius of event impact by examining the posterior probability base on the aggregated data. |
| US08861349B2 |
Broadband communications device
The Residential Communications Gateway (RCG) is a broadband communications device that combines all voice, data and video communications to and from a typical residence or small business for transmission over a single, or a plurality of Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines separately or in conjunction with, a wireless broadband backbone. The RCG does this by employing packetized data with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technologies combined with RF communications technologies. A key consideration to the design of the RCG is that no additional or special transmission equipment must be installed at the Central Office or anywhere else in the network to enable new calling features provided by the RCG as is the case with DSL and Cable systems. By eliminating the requirement for costly infrastructure enhancements, ubiquitous high speed communications and services can be deployed to every POTS subscriber. |
| US08861343B2 |
Method and system for scheduling of base station for HSUPA
Method and system for scheduling of a base station for HSUPA is provided. The method for scheduling of base station includes a method for scheduling of serving base station and a method for scheduling of non-serving base station, in which the method for scheduling of the serving base station comprises the base station generating a scheduling grant based on scheduling information SI and a happy bit transmitted from a terminal and based on a currently measured interference value, a configured threshold and associated resource information. The method for scheduling of the non serving base station comprises the base station generating a scheduling grant based on a currently measured interference value, a configured threshold and associated resource information. The system for scheduling of a base station comprises a transmitting module is used by the terminal for transmitting information to the base station; a configuration module is used by the SRNC for configuring parameters of associated threshold to the base station; a measurement module is used by the base station for measuring current interference; a calculation module is used by the base station for performing scheduling based on the current-obtained information. The present invention has solved the problem in scheduling of the base station for resources among terminals, which achieves the object of enhancing performance of uplink in a system and improving experience for users and has an important effect on HSUPA normalization process. |
| US08861341B2 |
Backup network connectivity
A communications system comprising: a public network service provider; and a satellite hub, wherein the public network service provider is connectable to a client system by a first link and connectable to a public network by a second link, and wherein the satellite hub is connectable to the client system via a satellite link, wherein the public network service provider and the satellite hub are connected by means of a dedicated point-to-point interconnect. |
| US08861338B2 |
Routed split multilink trunking for IPv6
A method, apparatus and computer program product for performing routed split multilink trunking for IPv6 is presented. A first aggregation device is interconnected with a second aggregation device using an Inter Switch Trunk (IST). The first aggregation device learns a Media Access control (MAC) address of the second aggregation device and the second aggregation device learns a MAC address of the first aggregation device. Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) addresses are synchronized between the first aggregation device and the second aggregation device. When the first or second aggregation device receives an IPv6 packet destined to the other aggregation device, the first or second aggregation device performs an IPv6 route lookup on a destination address of the IPv6 packet and forwards the packet to a next hop for the IPv6 packet. |
| US08861337B2 |
Robust communications in electrically noisy environments
A system and method for low-cost, fault tolerant, EMI robust data communications, particularly for an EV environment. |
| US08861334B2 |
Method and apparatus for lossless link recovery between two devices interconnected via multi link trunk/link aggregation group (MLT/LAG)
A method, apparatus and computer readable medium for maintaining two variables per port member of a network device which is part of a Split Multi Link Trunk/Link Aggregation Group (SMLT/LAG) is presented. A first variable comprising a link status variable reflecting a link status, and a second variable comprising a forwarding status variable reflecting a forwarding status of a forwarding plane with respect to the port are provided, the link status variable and the forwarding status variable in a first state when the port is operating properly. A failure related to the port is detected. The link status variable is set to a second state, and the forwarding status variable is set to a second state. |
| US08861331B2 |
Least movement WSAN topology repair method
The least movement WSAN topology repair method features an algorithm utilized in wireless sensor actor networks (WSAN) to maintain and restore connectivity following network node failure. The method is distributed throughout the WSAN nodes and relies on nodes' local view about the network. The method uses Path discovery activities in the network to determine the structure of the network topology. Upon failure of a node, the method replaces the faulty node by selecting a neighbor node belonging to the smallest disjointed block. The method is applied further recursively in case the node replacing the faulty node gets disconnected from its children, i.e., neighbors within the block, while imposing no constraints to sustain the path length between any pair of nodes at pre-failure. In this manner, the method minimizes the number of nodes relocated while also reducing message travel distance and complexity. |
| US08861329B2 |
Integrated circuit for random access method and apparatus
A mobile station apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive control information; a selecting unit configured to randomly select a sequence from a plurality of sequences contained in one group of a plurality of groups, into which a predetermined number of sequences generated from a plurality of base sequences are grouped and which are respectively associated with different amounts of data or reception qualities; and a transmitting unit for transmitting the selected sequence. The predetermined number of sequences are grouped by partitioning the predetermined number of sequences, in which sequences generated from the same base sequence and having different cyclic shifts are arranged in an increasing order of the cyclic shifts. A position at which the predetermined number of sequences are partitioned is determined based on the control information, and a number of sequences contained in each of the plurality of groups varies in accordance with the control information. |
| US08861326B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving audio/video contents in wireless access networks
Disclosed are method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving audio/video content data in wireless access networks. The method comprises the steps of: encoding the audio/video content data into a basic stream having a first level of quality and an advanced stream, combination of the basic stream and the advanced stream has a second level of quality higher than the first level of quality; and transmitting the basic stream and the advanced stream with a first power and a second power lower than the first power on antennas, respectively. With the method and apparatus of the invention, the low SINR users are able to maintain the low data rate receiving the basic stream and the high SINR user can receive both the basic stream and advanced stream from two logical channels. |
| US08861323B2 |
Optical disk recording device and optical disk recording method
The present invention optimizes recording power based on correct β value. Whether an average of modulation values between the 2-4th AUNs is equal to or less than 65% of an average of modulation values between the 5-7th AUNs or not is judged. Otherwise, the gradual emission is performed, the β value is measured, and then the following requirement is judged: (average of β values between 5-7th AUNs)−(average of β values between 2-4th AUNs)≧0.18 If each requirement is satisfied, track shift is judged to occur. The recording area of high output is compared with the recording area of lower output to judge whether or not magnitude relation matches the correct magnitude relation. Also, whether the difference between the β value of high output and the β value of lower output is equal to or more than the predetermined value (0.18) or not is judged. |
| US08861317B1 |
Heat assisted magnetic recording transducer having protective pads
A method fabricates a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) and that is optically coupled with a laser. The HAMR transducer includes a write pole, a waveguide, and at least one protective pad. The write pole has a pole tip with an ABS facing surface. The waveguide is located in a down track direction from the pole tip and directs light from the laser toward the ABS. The protective pad(s) are adjacent to the write pole and have front surface(s) at the ABS. |
| US08861314B1 |
System, apparatus, and method for displaying the time of day
A system, apparatus, and method for displaying the time of day. Reference points, including fixed reference points and movable reference points, can be used to display time information in a way that makes it easier for a vision impaired individual to read the display. |
| US08861312B2 |
MEMS microphone
A MEMS microphone comprising: a) a case with an open front side; b) a MEMS membrane mounted on one face of a base, the base being mounted inside the case on a substantially closed side; and c) a mesh covering the front side, substantially transparent acoustically to at least some of a range of operating frequencies at which the microphone is sensitive. |
| US08861311B2 |
System and method for estimating projectile trajectory and source location
Systems and methods for estimating projectile trajectory and projectile source location are provided. A method for estimating location information associated with a supersonic projectile propelled from a source includes recording sound at a first location using a single microphone during travel of the supersonic projectile to produce an acoustic recording. The method further includes estimating a miss distance between the first location and a trajectory of the projectile based on the shockwave length. Locating a projectile source includes concurrently recording sound at multiple locations and generating data sets associated with the locations, each of the plurality of data sets including a miss distance, a range, a time of arrival of a muzzle blast from the source, and a time of arrival of a shockwave produced by the projectile. Additionally, the method includes calculating an approximate location of the source at each of the locations based on the data sets. |
| US08861310B1 |
Surface-based sonic location determination
The relative positions of two or more electronic devices can be determined utilizing ultrasonic beacons. Each device can have a unique signature that can be included in the beacon broadcast by that device. A device having an array of ultrasonic detectors can receive a beacon and correlate the beacon received at each detector. The time of arrival then can be used to determine the relative position of the source of the beacon. The signature in that beacon can also be used to determine the identity of the device that broadcast the beacon, in order to determine the identity of the device, or a user of that device, at the determined relative position. The devices can be configured to transmit signals over the air or through a specific transmission medium, such as propagating surface. Further, a dedicated detector array can be used for determining multiple relative positions. |
| US08861308B2 |
Simultaneous joint inversion of surface wave and refraction data
A technique includes a method and apparatus for simultaneous joint inversion of surface wave and refraction data to identify near surface geophysical and geological properties. |
| US08861303B2 |
Circuit and method for address transition detection
A new address transition detection (ATD) circuit for use on an address bus having a plurality of address signal lines comprises a first circuit for each address signal line and a second circuit. The first circuit has a first input, a second input and an output. The first input is coupled to an address signal line. The second input is coupled to an ATD signal. The first circuit saves the current level of the first input in response to an ATD pulse on the ATD signal and generates a change signal at its output by comparing the current level and the saved level of the first input. The second circuit has an input and an output. The second circuit receives on its input the change signal from the first circuit. In response, the second circuit generates the ATD pulse on the ATD signal at its output. |
| US08861298B2 |
Semiconductor storage system capable of suppressing peak current
According to one embodiment, in a semiconductor storage system, the power supply wiring is connected to a first semiconductor storage device, and second semiconductor storage device as a common connection, and supplies power to the first and second semiconductor storage devices. A voltage detection circuit is provided in each of the first and second semiconductor storage devices. Each of the voltage detection circuits detects a power supply voltage of the power supply wiring. A control circuit is provided in each of the first and second semiconductor storage devices. When lowering of the power supply voltage is detected by a corresponding voltage detection circuit, each of the control circuits does not shift the operation of the first or second semiconductor storage device to the next operation until the power supply voltage is restored. |
| US08861293B2 |
Immunity of phase change material to disturb in the amorphous phase
Disturb from the reset to the set state may be reduced by creating an amorphous phase that is substantially free of crystal nuclei when programming the reset state in a phase change memory. In some embodiments, this can be achieved by using a current or a voltage to program that exceeds the threshold voltage of the phase change memory element, but does not exceed a safe current voltage which would cause a disturb. |
| US08861291B2 |
Memory apparatus and signal delay circuit for generating delayed column select signal
The invention provides a memory apparatus and a signal delay circuit thereof. The signal delay circuit provided by present disclosure includes an input inverter, a first inverter, a capacitor, a first transistor, a second inverter and output inverter. The input inverter receives an input signal and output a signal to the first inverter. The capacitor coupled to an output terminal of the first inverter. The second terminal of the first transistor coupled to the output terminal of the first inverter and the first terminal of the first transistor coupled to an operating voltage. An input terminal of the second inverter is coupled to the output terminal of the first inverter and an output terminal of the second inverter is coupled to the control terminal of the first transistor. The output inverter is used to generate a delayed output signal. |
| US08861288B2 |
Level-shift circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit
A level-shift circuit with simpler circuit structure is provided. The level-shift circuit includes a first transistor in which a first power source potential is applied to a source electrode and a first gate electrode and a second power source potential is applied to a second gate electrode, and an inverter circuit to which a first input signal is applied and either a third power source potential or a potential obtained by subtracting an amount of change in the threshold voltage of the first transistor from the first power source potential is supplied as a power source voltage and from which a first output signal is output. A channel formation region of the first transistor is formed in an oxide semiconductor film. |
| US08861286B2 |
Verification read data output circuit of a semiconductor device and method for operating the same
A semiconductor device and a method for operating the same are provided relating to a nonvolatile memory device for sensing data using resistance change. The semiconductor device comprises a verification read control unit configured to sequentially output verification read data received from a sense amplifier into a global input/output line in response to a test signal, and a read data latch unit configured to store sequentially the verification read data received from the global input output line in response to a latch enable signal in activation of the test signal. |
| US08861285B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for line charge sharing
Apparatuses and methods for charge sharing between signal lines are disclosed. An example apparatus may include first and second lines and a charge sharing circuit. The charge sharing circuit may be coupled to the first line and the second line and configured to receive a first data signal and a second data signal. The charge sharing circuit may be further configured to cause charge to be shared between the first line and the second line responsive, at least in part, to the first data signal and the second data signal having different logic levels. |
| US08861283B1 |
Systems and methods for reducing leakage current in memory arrays
Disclosed are apparatus and devices for programming and operating a programmable memory array portion coupled with a leakage reduction circuit. At the leakage reduction circuit, a frame bias signal that indicates a majority state of the memory array portion can be received. During idle states of the programmable memory array portion, at least one shared bit line of the memory array portion can be selectively biased based on the received frame bias signal. In one aspect, a first one of two bit lines is biased to a first state, while the second one of the two bits lines is biased to a second state that is opposite the first state. In a further aspect, the first state is a same state as the majority state of the memory array portion. |
| US08861277B1 |
Method of using non-volatile memories for on-DIMM memory address list storage
An integrated circuit device. The device includes an address input(s) configured to receive address information from an address stream from an address command bus coupled to a host controller and an address output(s) configured to drive address information, and is coupled to a plurality of memory (DRAM) devices provided on a DIMM. The device has an address match table comprising a non-volatile memory device configured to store at least a revised address corresponding to a spare memory location and a bad address of at least one of the plurality of memory (DRAM) devices. The device has a control module configured to process and determine whether each address matches with a stored address in the address match table to identify the bad address and configured to replace the bad address with the revised address of the spare memory location. |
| US08861276B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device, memory system comprising same, and method of operating same
A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device comprises receiving a read command from a memory controller, determining a read mode of the nonvolatile memory device, selecting a read voltage based on the read mode, and performing a read operation on memory cells of a selected page of the nonvolatile memory device using the selected read voltage. |
| US08861275B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
When selectively erasing one sub-block, a control circuit applies, in a first sub-block, a first voltage to bit lines and a source line, and applies a second voltage smaller than the first voltage to the word lines. Then, the control circuit applies a third voltage lower than the first voltage by a certain value to a drain-side select gate line and a source-side select gate line, thereby performing the erase operation in the first sub-block. The control circuit applies, in a second sub-block existing in an identical memory block to the selected sub-block, a fourth voltage substantially identical to the first voltage to the drain side select gate line and the source side select gate line, thereby not performing the erase operation in the second sub-block. |
| US08861274B2 |
Compensating for off-current in a memory
A memory cell is accessed by determining an off-current of a set of memory cells, accessing a memory cell of the set of memory cells during an access period, and compensating for the off-current of the set of memory cells. |
| US08861273B2 |
Bandgap engineered charge trapping memory in two-transistor nor architecture
A 2T cell NOR architecture based on the use of BE-SONOS for embedded memory includes memory cells having respective access transistors having access gates and memory transistors having memory gates arranged in series between the corresponding bit lines and one of the plural reference lines. A memory transistor in a memory cell comprises a semiconductor body including a channel having a channel surface and a charge storing dielectric stack between the memory gate and the channel surface. The dielectric stack comprises a bandgap engineered, tunneling dielectric layer contacting one of the gate (for gate injection tunneling) and the channel surface (for channel injection tunneling). The dielectric stack of the memory cell also includes a charge trapping dielectric layer on the tunneling dielectric layer and a blocking dielectric layer. |
| US08861269B2 |
Internal data load for non-volatile storage
Techniques are disclosed herein for performing an Internal Data Load (IDL) to sense non-volatile storage elements. Read pass voltages that are applied to the two neighbor word lines to a selected word line may be adjusted to result in a more accurate IDL. The read pass voltage for one neighbor may be increased by some delta voltage, whereas the read pass voltage for the other neighbor may be decreased by the same delta voltage. In one aspect, programming of an upper page of data into a word line that neighbors a target word line is halted to allow lower page data in the target memory cells to be read using an IDL and preserved in data latches while programming the upper page in the neighbor word completes. Preservation of the lower page data provides for a cleaner lower page when later programming the upper page into the target memory cells. |
| US08861264B2 |
Memory device, precharge controlling method thereof, and devices having the same
A pre-charge controlling method and device are provided. The pre-charge controlling method includes pre-charging a first global bit line with a first pre-charge voltage by using at least a first pre-charge circuit located between a plurality of sub arrays included in a memory cell array and pre-charging the first global bit line with a second pre-charge voltage by using a second pre-charge circuit located outside the memory cell array. |
| US08861259B2 |
Resistance change memory cell circuits and methods
The gate of the access transistor of a 1 transistor 1 resistor (1T1R) type RRAM cell is biased relative to the source of the access transistor using a current mirror. Under the influence of a voltage applied across the 1T1R cell (e.g., via the bit line), the RRAM memory element switches from a higher resistance to a lower resistance. As the RRAM memory element switches from the higher resistance to the lower resistance, the current through the RRAM cell switches from being substantially determined by the higher resistance of the RRAM device (while the access transistor is operating in the linear region) to being substantially determined by the saturation region operating point of the access transistor. |
| US08861253B2 |
Variable resistance device, semiconductor device including the variable resistance device, and method of operating the semiconductor device
A method of operating a semiconductor device that includes a variable resistance device, the method including applying a first voltage to the variable resistance device so as to change a resistance value of the variable resistance device from a first resistance value to a second resistance value that is different from the first resistance value; sensing first current flowing through the variable resistance device to which the first voltage is applied; determining whether the first current falls within a predetermined range of current; and if the first current does not fall within the first range of current, applying an additional first voltage that is equal to the first voltage to the variable resistance device. |
| US08861241B1 |
Content search system having embedded power control units
A content addressable memory (CAM) device to dynamically reduces power consumption between a search key and data stored in a plurality of CAM blocks by selectively disabling a number of CAM blocks, requested for the search operation by an external network processor, based upon the contents of the search key. |
| US08861238B2 |
Isolated soft-switch single-stage AC-DC converter
An alternating current-to-direct current (AC-DC) converter is provided. The converter may include a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side. A first bi-directional switch and a first inductor may be connected in series between a positive terminal of an AC source and a first terminal of the primary side of the transformer. A second bi-directional switch and a second inductor may be connected between the positive terminal of the AC source and a second terminal of the primary side of the transformer and connected in parallel with the first bi-directional switch. |
| US08861235B2 |
Power converting apparatus
A power converting apparatus includes a main inverter having a high-voltage DC power supply that operates at a low frequency employing SiC MOSFETs having a high withstand voltage exceeding 600 V and a sub-inverter having a low-voltage capacitor that operates through high-frequency PWM employing Si MOSFETs having a low withstand voltage. With AC sides of the main inverter and the sub-inverter connected in series, the power converting apparatus outputs AC power having a prescribed voltage waveform by adding voltages individually generated by the main inverter and the sub-inverter. Specifically, the SiC MOSFETs are used only in the main inverter of which devices are required to have a high withstand voltage and the Si MOSFETs are used in the sub-inverter of which devices may have a relatively low withstand voltage, whereby conduction loss is reduced with an inexpensive circuit configuration. |
| US08861234B2 |
Voltage source converter having chain link converter for use in high voltage DC transmission
A DC voltage source converter for use in high voltage DC power transmission comprising at least one chain-link converter connected between first and second DC terminals. The or each chain-link converter includes a chain of modules connected in series and each module including at least one pair of semiconductor switches connected in parallel with an energy storage device. The or each chain-link converter is operable when DC networks are connected to the first and second DC terminals to control switching of the modules to selectively charge or discharge the energy storage device of one or more of the modules, as required, to offset any difference in the DC voltage levels of the DC networks. |
| US08861233B2 |
Programmable switching for switched capacitor DC-DC converter
A method and apparatus for regulating a dc-dc converter wherein a plurality of switches are arranged with respect to an energy storage device and an output capacitor. An impedance of one or more of the plurality of switches may be adjusted by altering a non-zero voltage provided to the one or more of the plurality of switches, the altering may be based on a slope control signal output by a multiplexer that receives a signal representing a conductance value of the one or more of the plurality of switches. |
| US08861231B2 |
Converter
A voltage source converter comprising three phase elements defining a star connection in which a first end of each phase element is connected to a common junction; at least two converter limbs, each converter limb including first and second DC terminals for connection in use to a DC network and an AC terminal connected in series with a second end of a phase element, each converter limb defining first and second limb portions, including a chain-link converter, each chain-link converter including chain-link modules; and a third DC terminal connected to the common junction of the star connection to define an auxiliary connection, wherein in use a current is injected into the auxiliary connection to modify a voltage of each chain-link module in each limb portion. |
| US08861228B2 |
High voltage controller with improved monitoring and diagnostics
A high voltage controller configured to drive a high voltage generator. The high voltage controller includes a voltage select input and a current select input, an actual voltage input and an actual current input. First circuitry is configured to generate an alternating current (AC) drive signal. Second circuitry configured to generate a direct current (DC) drive signal. Closed loop control circuitry is configured to adjust the DC drive signal based on at least one of the voltage select and current select inputs and at least one of the actual voltage and actual current inputs. The first circuitry may include a push-pull circuit. The second circuitry may include a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller. A high voltage generator may be coupled to the AC and DC drive signals. The high voltage generator may include a high voltage transformer having a pair of primary windings and center tap. The AC drive signal may be coupled to the primary windings and the DC drive signal may be coupled to the center tap. |
| US08861225B2 |
Capacitor mounting construction
A capacitor mounting construction includes housing, a bracket and an urging member. The housing has a capacitor accommodating space configured to accommodate a capacitor and a wire accommodating space configured to accommodate a wire extended from the capacitor. The bracket is engaged with the housing, is configured to fix and electrically connect the wire to a conductive member in the wire accommodating space, and covers the capacitor accommodating space to define a capacitor accommodating chamber. The urging member is provided on an inner wall of the capacitor accommodating chamber, and is configured to urge the capacitor to contact another inner wall of the capacitor accommodating chamber. |
| US08861209B2 |
Electromagnetic shield
In an aspect, in general, an apparatus includes an electrically conductive housing including a first portion and second portion, the first portion including electronic circuitry. An electromagnetic shield separates the first portion and the second portion and is configured to electromagnetically isolate the electronic circuitry of the first portion from the second portion. The electromagnetic shield includes a plurality of electrically conductive walls partially separating the first portion and the second portion, a plurality of electrically conductive spring loaded fingers extending from an end of at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive walls and configured to contact an inner surface of the housing. Together, the plurality of electrically conductive walls and the plurality of electrically conductive spring loaded fingers separate the first portion and the second portion. |
| US08861208B2 |
PCB fixing device and flat panel display including the same
A PCB fixing device includes a case having a plurality of sliding holes spaced apart from each other, and a plurality of fixing members engaged with and movable along the sliding holes, and configured to couple with edges of a PCB to fix the PCB to the case. Accordingly, the position of the PCB fixing device can be adjusted according to the size of the PCB by moving the fixing member along the sliding hole. The PCB fixing device is applicable to PCBs of various sizes and structures, and can reduce loss resulting from a change in the specification of a PCB. |
| US08861205B2 |
Folded stacked package and method of manufacturing the same
A folded stacked package and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The folded stacked package includes a flexible board or substrate comprising first, second and third device packaging units, and first and second folding unit units. The flexible board has wiring patterns formed thereon; one or more active devices disposed in at least one of the first, second, and third device packaging units; and one or more passive devices disposed on a surface of each of the first and second device packaging units. The passive devices include one or more first passive devices disposed on the surface of the first device packaging unit and one or more second passive devices disposed on the surface of the second device packaging unit. The first and second passive devices do not overlap each other when the flexible board is folded at the folding unit. |
| US08861204B2 |
Electrical connector assembly having electrical connector and filter module
A electrical connector assembly includes a mother board (3) having a number of circuit traces (31), an electrical connector (2) and a number of filter modules mounted on the mother board and situated away from the electrical connector. The electrical connector includes an insulative housing (20) and a number of contact terminals (30) assembled to the insulative housing and being mounted to the mother board along a first direction. The contact terminals are connected to the filter modules via the number of circuit traces of the mother board. |
| US08861202B2 |
Integrated thermal and structural management solution for Rechargeable Energy Storage System assembly
A thermal management component for a Rechargeable Energy Storage Systems (RESS) assembly and a method of managing the temperature of a RESS battery module using the component are disclosed. The thermal management component comprises (i) a frame having a chamber defined therein; and (ii) a heat exchange plate in mechanical communication with at least a portion of the frame. The method comprises (a) providing a thermal management component as described herein; and (b) circulating at least one heat transfer fluid through said component. |
| US08861201B2 |
Electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing, a first heating element in the housing, a heat sink in the housing, a first pressing member, a first heat pipe, and a second heat pipe. The first heat pipe has a plate shape, includes a first portion facing the first heating element and a second portion being outside the first heating element. The first heat pipe is configured to be bent by the first pressing member. The second heat pipe is connected to the second portion of the first heat pipe and the heat sink. |
| US08861197B2 |
Portable electronic module with back cover changing function
A portable electronic module includes a bezel, a glass panel device, a first limiting member, a backlight device, a second limiting member, and a back cover. The glass panel device is fixed onto the bezel. The first limiting member is disposed at a first side of the glass panel device. The backlight device is disposed on the glass panel device. The second limiting member is disposed at a second side of the glass panel device for limiting the backlight device cooperatively with the first limiting member. The back cover covers the backlight device and is detachably connected to the bezel for containing the glass panel device and the backlight device cooperatively with the bezel. |
| US08861194B2 |
Portable electronic device protection system
A system for protecting portable electronic devices within a disposable protective enclosure is disclosed. The system includes a housing, one or more processors, and a power source. A display is communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. One or more user interfaces are communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. A device encapsulator is communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. The device encapsulator includes a receiving area that is configured to receive at least one portable electronic device and a reactive disposable enclosure material. The device encapsulator further includes at least a first forming element disposed above the receiving area and at least a second forming element disposed below the first forming element. The first and second forming elements are configured to apply a stimulus to the reactive disposable enclosure material. At least one of the first and second forming elements transitions from a first position to a second position as the receiving portion transitions into and out of the housing. |
| US08861192B2 |
Electronic device designed for holding high-definition multimedia interface connector
An electronic device designed for holding a High-Definition Multimedia Interface connector is disclosed. The electronic device has a receiving socket for receiving the connector that serves to convert audio/video signals of the electronic device into a format of HDMI, and output the converted signals to a terminal. Thereby, the connector not in use can be carried with the electronic device, and can be conveniently detached from the electronic device and connected to the terminal. |
| US08861190B2 |
Display device
Disclosed is a display device which can prevent a rear cover from being damaged when a front cover is coupled to or decoupled from the rear cover. The display device includes a rear cover, a coupling member, and a front cover. The rear cover includes a receiving space for receiving a display panel. The coupling member is detachably coupled to the rear cover. The front cover is formed to surround a front border portion of the display panel, and detachably coupled to the coupling member. |
| US08861186B2 |
Power supply apparatus and modular power connecting method thereof
A power supply apparatus includes a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and plural power modules. The first electronic device includes a first compartment. The first compartment has a first width. The second electronic device includes a second compartment. The second compartment has a second width. Each of the power modules has a third width. The third width is determined according to the first width and the second width, so that a specified number of power modules are selectively accommodated within the first compartment or the second compartment. |
| US08861184B2 |
Method for fabricating a multi-layer capacitor and a multi-layer capacitor
The method comprises fabricating a layer stack on a substrate, the layer stack comprising at least two electrically conducting layers and at least one electrically insulating layer arranged between the two electrically conducting layers, and displacing a first portion of the layer stack away from its original position, the first portion comprising an edge portion of the layer stack, and bending the first portion back towards a second portion of the layer stack. The bending may comprise a rolling-up of the first portion of the layer stack. |
| US08861181B2 |
Multilayer ceramic electronic component
There is provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component, including: a ceramic main body having internal electrodes laminated therein; and external electrodes formed on both ends of the ceramic main body in a length direction thereof, wherein each of the external electrodes includes a first layer formed on the ceramic main body and including a conductive metal, and a second layer formed on the first layer and including a conductive resin, and when Tc is a thickness of a cover layer of the ceramic main body, L1 is a length from either end of the ceramic main body in the length direction thereof to an end of the first layer formed on an upper surface or a lower surface of the ceramic main body, T1 is a thickness of the first layer, and T2 is a thickness of the second layer, Tc≦70 μm, T2≧(1.5)T1, and L1<(1.5)Tc are satisfied, thus providing excellent reliability. |
| US08861180B2 |
Multilayer ceramic electronic component
A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic main body having internal electrodes laminated therein; and external electrodes formed on ends of the ceramic main body in a length direction, wherein each external electrode includes a first layer formed on the ceramic main body and including a conductive metal, and a second layer formed on the first layer and including a conductive resin, and when Tc is thickness of a cover layer, Te is thickness of the internal electrode, Td is distance between neighboring internal electrodes, L1 is length from either end of the ceramic main body in the length direction in a region in which the cover layer adjoins a margin part of the ceramic main body to an end of the first layer formed on an upper or lower surface of the ceramic main body, and Lm is length of the margin part, Tc≦70 μm and L1 |
| US08861178B2 |
Film capacitor element, film capacitor, and method of producing the film capacitor element
A film capacitor element including a base dielectric film layer 12, a vapor-deposition metal film layer 14 formed on the base dielectric film layer 12 and consisting of a first film portion 20 and a second film portion 22 that are spaced apart from each other by a margin portion 18, and a dielectric covering film layer 16 which is formed integrally on the second film portion 22 by vapor-deposition polymerization or coating and which has a covering portion 30 which fills the margin portion 18 and covers an entire area of an end face of the second film portion 22 on the side of the margin portion 18. The first film portion 20 including a non-covered portion 34 which is not covered by the dielectric covering film layer 16. |
| US08861171B2 |
Electroadhesive handling and manipulation
An electroadhesive gripping system includes a shear gripper. The shear gripper can include an electroadhesive surface associated with one or more electrodes and a load-bearing structure coupled to the electroadhesive surface. A power supply can be configured to apply voltage to the one or more electrodes associated with the electroadhesive surface. A controller can be configured to cause a voltage to be applied, via the power supply, to the one or more electrodes associated with the electroadhesive surface to thereby cause the first shear gripper to adhere to an item situated proximate the electroadhesive surface. The controller can be configured to cause a shear force to be applied to the adhered item, via the load-bearing structure, that is sufficient to move the adhered item. |
| US08861169B2 |
Animal defense system and method of use
The present invention provides an animal defense system with one or more deterrent elements and an apparatus and method for safely deterring an animal which threatens a user. In one embodiment, the device features an electrified deterrent structure comprising arms and linkages. Further, the apparatus may be configured to operate in a variety of user-selected modes that increase effectiveness and reliability in deterring an animal which threatens a user. |
| US08861168B2 |
Ion generator device
A system and method of treating air. Bipolar ionization is delivered to an airflow within a conduit from a tubeless ion generator. The ionized airflow may be delivered to a conditioned airspace by an HVAC system. In alternate applications, the airflow delivers ionized combustion air to an engine. The invention also includes a mounting assembly for positioning one or more ion generators into an airflow. |
| US08861163B2 |
Protection relay
According to one embodiment, there is provided a protection relay. The protection relay includes an input circuit that detects a state of an external device according to whether or not an external input voltage is larger than a preset threshold voltage. The input circuit includes switching unit that is made conductive by a divided voltage obtained by voltage-dividing resistors that divide the external input voltage when the external input voltage is higher than or equal to the threshold voltage, and a photocoupler that is operated by a constant current of a constant current output circuit supplying a constant current and outputs an operation signal to the operation unit when the switching unit is made conductive. |
| US08861162B2 |
High power solid state power controller (SSPC) solution for primary power distribution applications
High-power power distribution in an aircraft may use solid state power controller (SSPC) technology. A conventional electromechanical contactor may be used, in series, with a solid state switching device (SSSD) to achieve high-power power distribution. Since the electromechanical contactor does not need to be rated for arc handlings during normal SSPC operation, the electromechanical contactor may be simplified, resulting in cost, weight, volume, and failure rate reductions. The power distribution apparatus and methods of the present invention may be applicable for both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) applications and can be modified to form a three phase SSPC. |
| US08861158B2 |
ESD trigger for system level ESD events
A circuit includes first logic that generates a first signal suitable to activate at least one ESD clamp in response to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event having a first severity or a second severity higher than the first severity, and second logic that generates a second signal suitable to activate the ESD clamp in response to the ESD event having the second severity, the second signal time multiplexed with the first signal. |
| US08861157B2 |
Surge arrestor comprising at least one arrester element
A surge arrestor includes at least one arrestor element, and a disconnecting device for disconnecting the arrestor element from the grid. The disconnecting device includes a thermal disconnect point that is incorporated into the electrical connection path within the arrestor. A moving conductor section or a moving conductive bridge is connected to the arrestor element by way of the disconnect point. A conducting element is disposed in or at the end of the path of motion of the conductor section or of the bridge, the conducting element coming into contact with the conductor section or the bridge when the disconnecting device is triggered. A moving insulation part penetrates into the path of motion of the conductor section or of the bridge directly prior to or upon reaching a short circuit state. |
| US08861147B2 |
Fault protection for aircraft power systems
A system and method for protecting a power system. A generator is tripped in response to identifying a current on the generator that is greater than a first current threshold for a first time delay. The generator is also tripped in response to identifying the current on the generator that is greater than a second current threshold for a second time delay. The first current threshold is larger than the second current threshold and the first time delay is shorter than the second time delay. |
| US08861139B2 |
Magnetic head with planar outrigger
A magnetic head according to one embodiment includes a substrate having a tape bearing surface; a plurality of elements coupled to the substrate and positioned towards the first tape bearing surface, the elements being selected from a group consisting of readers, writers, and combinations thereof; and an outrigger held in a fixed position relative to the substrate, the outrigger having a tape bearing surface; wherein the outrigger tape bearing surface and the substrate tape bearing surface lie along planes, the planes being offset from one another. |
| US08861133B1 |
Method and system for providing a perpendicular magnetic recording transducer using a low energy mill
A method and system for fabricating magnetic transducer are described. The method and system include providing a main pole having a bottom and a top wider than the bottom. The method and system further include performing a high energy ion mill at an angle from a normal to the top of the main pole and at a first energy. The high energy ion mill removes a portion of the top of the main pole and exposes a top bevel surface for the main pole. The method and system also include performing a low energy ion mill at second energy and a glancing angle from the top bevel surface. The glancing angle is not more than fifteen degrees. The second energy is less than the first energy. The method and system also include depositing a nonmagnetic gap. |
| US08861132B2 |
Low friction tape head and system implementing same
A magnetic data storage system according to one embodiment includes a magnetic head; and guides on opposite sides of the magnetic head for directing a magnetic medium over the magnetic head. The magnetic head includes: outer portions each having a tape bearing surface and an array of transducers selected from a group consisting of readers and writers; and a central portion positioned between the outer portions, the central portion having a tape bearing surface and an array of transducers selected from a group consisting of readers and writers. An inner edge of each of the tape bearing surfaces of the outer portions is adapted for skiving air from the magnetic medium when the magnetic medium travels in a direction from the central portion towards the respective outer portion. The guides are oriented to direct the magnetic medium to fly over a leading one of the outer portions, engage a leading edge of the tape bearing surface of the central portion, and engage an inner edge of the tape bearing surface of a trailing one of the outer portions. |
| US08861131B2 |
Base assembly and recording disk driving device including the same
There is provided a base assembly including a base member formed of a metal plate to be molded by plastic working and including a coupling part formed at an edge thereof, and a strength reinforcing member formed of metal and coupled to the coupling part, wherein the strength reinforcing member has a thickness greater than that of the base member to prevent deformation of the base member. |
| US08861128B2 |
Base assembly and recording disk driving device having the same
There is provided a base assembly including: a base member having a disk accommodating part onto which a disk is insertedly disposed; and a filter member installed on the base member so as to be disposed adjacently to the disk, wherein the base member is formed by performing plastic processing on a steel sheet and includes a mounting part for fixedly installing the filter member. |
| US08861122B1 |
Systems and methods for sync mark based read offset detection
A data processing system includes a cross-correlation calculator operable to calculate cross-correlations between an input signal and each of three different sync patterns associated with a target track and neighboring tracks, a detector operable to select a largest of the cross-correlations, a threshold comparator operable to compare the cross-correlations with a threshold to determine a direction of any position error of a read head, and a position error estimator operable to estimate a position error of the read head based at least in part on the cross-correlations. |
| US08861121B2 |
Closed loop control of tape media positioning within tape drive using position error signal feedback
A control system for a tape drive that uses position error signals (PESs) generated by a tape head assembly of the tape drive during longitudinal movement of a tape through the drive to dynamically adjust a lateral and/or angular position of tape to enhance tape drive performance (e.g., the ability of a tape head assembly to precisely follow one or more data and/or servo tracks on the tape). In one arrangement, the PESs and/or PES metrics are used as feedback into the system to steer the tape by moving one or more tape path guides until subsequently generated PESs or PES metrics have been optimized or have at least moved back into an acceptable range or to acceptable levels. The disclosed control system facilitates achieving increased stringencies on PES minimization that come with increased tape drive magnetic track densities. |
| US08861120B2 |
Magnetic medium and writing and reading method
According to one embodiment, a magnetic medium includes at least one recording layer including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer is form of a first magnetic material having a first magnetic anisotropy. The second magnetic layer is made of a second magnetic material having a second magnetic anisotropy different from the first magnetic anisotropy. The non-magnetic layer is made of a non-magnetic material and between the first and second magnetic layers, the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer being coupled such that directions of magnetization of the first and second magnetic layers are opposed to each other. |
| US08861119B2 |
Write precompensation for head misalignment
Misalignment of a transducer head over a bit-patterned media (BPM) may cause a bit to experience conflicting magnetization forces from the writer, resulting in improperly written data and stored data corruption. The likelihood of data corruption is reduced when a write transition is performed when the write sync margin is increased or maximized. Therefore, a write precompensation system may calculate time shift information for adjusting the timing of an individual write current transition at the transducer that compensates for write sync margin degradation due to any or all of skew angle of the transducer, track misregistration, and write field curvature. |
| US08861115B2 |
Pin-efficient reader bias enable control
Systems and methods are included for determining a presence of an upcoming reading field during a write mode of a storage device, and initiating a read-while write (RWW) mode of the storage device in response to the sensed reading field. Initiating the RWW mode comprises warming up the reader circuitry, generating a signal in response to an end to the write operation, and activating reader bias current in response to the generated signal. |
| US08861111B1 |
Two dimensional magnetic recording servo system phase alignment
A servo system includes a first equalizer circuit operable to filter digital servo data samples derived from a first read head to yield first equalized data, a second equalizer circuit operable to filter digital servo data samples derived from a second read head to yield second equalized data, a first interpolator operable to interpolate the first equalized data to yield a number of first interpolated outputs at different phases, a second interpolator operable to interpolate the second equalized data to yield a number of second interpolated outputs at different phases, and a phase tracking and signal combining circuit operable to select and combine most closely aligned signals from the first interpolated outputs and the second interpolated outputs to yield a combined servo data signal. |
| US08861110B2 |
Failure prediction method and failure prediction system
A failure prediction system for performing failure prediction to a monitoring target device by detecting a state, comprising: a state detection unit for detecting state signals of no smaller than two different kinds, and outputting a detection signal corresponding to each of the state signals; a phase processing part for synchronizing a plurality of the detection signals; a signal analysis part for calculating a feature value indicating a feature of the state for each of the detection signals from the phase processing part; and a failure prediction part for performing failure prediction of the monitoring target device for each of the feature values by comparing the feature value in question and a reference value set in advance. |
| US08861101B2 |
Lens-mounting structure, and optical-scanning apparatus and image-forming apparatus equipped with the same
A lens-mounting structure according to the present invention is a lens mounting structure that glues a lens and a mounting surface of a support portion that supports the lens using an adhesive agent applied there between, to mount the lens to the support portion, characterized by setting a gluing surface area of the mounting surface of the support portion and the adhesive agent to be smaller than a gluing surface area of the lens and the adhesive agent. |
| US08861100B2 |
Imaging lens
A junction type compound lens using glass and resin is used. By properly controlling the difference between refractive indices and the difference between Abbe numbers of the resin and glass, interface reflection that occurs when a ray with a large incidence angle is incident is restricted, and generation of a flare or a ghost image is restricted. Further, by properly controlling the difference in refractive index and the difference in Abbe number, various aberrations, such as spherical aberration, field curvature, and chromatic aberration, which may deteriorate optical performance, can be corrected. Thus, a small and high-performance imaging lens can be provided. |
| US08861098B2 |
Lens barrel and imaging apparatus
When the lens barrel is in the storage state, a part of a lens group and a group cylinder are inserted into an aperture of a diaphragm unit and a shutter blade of a shutter unit is closed for light shielding. With this arrangement, the cylinder length in the storage state is shortened, and the performance degradation of an image sensor and optical components provided on a front side of an image sensor can be prevented as well. |
| US08861096B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens including a first lens group and a second lens group is provided. The first lens group is disposed between an object side and an image side. A surface closest to the object side in the first lens group is a first aspheric surface. A surface closest to the image side in the first lens group is a second aspheric surface. The second lens group is disposed between the first lens group and the image side. A surface closest to the first lens group in the second lens group is a third aspheric surface. A surface closest to the image side in the second lens group is a fourth aspheric surface. The imaging lens satisfies: −8 |
| US08861095B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens includes a first lens having positive refractive power; a second lens having negative refractive power; a third lens; a fourth lens having negative refractive power; a fifth lens having positive refractive power; and a sixth lens, arranged in this order from an object side to an image plane side. The first lens is formed so that a surface thereof on the object side has a positive curvature radius. The second lens is formed so that a surface thereof on the image plane side has a positive curvature radius. The fifth lens is formed so that a surface thereof on the object side and a surface thereof on the image plane side have negative curvature radii. Each of the third lens, the fourth lens, the fifth lens, and the sixth lens has refractive power weaker than that of each of the first lens and the second lens. |
| US08861092B2 |
Device and method for controlling curvature
A curvature control device includes: a first fluid having a light transmitting property and a polarity; a second fluid that has a light transmitting property and is not mixed with the first fluid; a chamber forming an inner space for containing the first fluid F1 and the second fluid F2 and including a lens area in which an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid forms an optical interface, and a plurality of channel areas in which another interface between the first fluid and the second fluid functions as a driving interface for inducing a variation in curvature of the optical interface; and an electrode portion generating an electric field for varying a position of the driving interface. |
| US08861090B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes: a glass-type frame mounted to a head of an observer; and two image displaying devices for the left and right eyes that are attached to the frame. Each of the image displaying devices includes an image forming device, an optical system making light from the image forming device to be parallel light, and an optical device to which the light from the optical system is incident, and in which the light is guided so as to be output, at least one of the image displaying devices further includes a movement device relatively moving optical axes of the image forming device and the optical system in a horizontal direction, and a convergence angle is adjusted by relatively moving the optical axes of the image forming device and the optical system in the horizontal direction using the movement device depending on an observation position of an observer. |
| US08861083B2 |
Birefringence pattern builder
A birefringence pattern builder used in a method of producing a patterned birefringent product including a step of patterned light exposure of an optically anisotropic layer and a step of heating the layer after the light exposure to 50° C. or higher but not higher than 400° C., which include the optically anisotropic layer, a support, and a laminate film in this order, is provided. The birefringence pattern builder prevents nonuniformity of functional layers that may generate in the production process, is useful for a production method that hardly causes nonuniformity in the patterned birefringent product even after a rolling-up step in the industrial production process, and enables a production of a thinner product. |
| US08861080B2 |
Wire grid polarizers, methods of fabricating a wire grid polarizer, and display panels including a wire grid polarizer
Wire grid polarizers, methods of fabricating a wire grid polarizer and display panels including a wire grid polarizer are provided, the methods include preparing a mold having a lower surface in which a plurality of parallel fine grooves are formed, and arranging the mold on a transparent substrate. The plurality of parallel fine grooves are filled with a conductive liquid ink. A plurality of parallel conductive nano wires are formed on the transparent substrate by curing the conductive liquid ink. The mold is removed. |
| US08861074B2 |
Optical parametric generator based on a slant-stripe periodically poled nonlinear material with optimized lateral output coupling of a terahertz signal
An optical parametric device comprising a slant-stripe periodically poled nonlinear material that is operable to generate signal in response to interaction with a pump wave, the non-linear interaction being such that the pump and idler waves are collinear and the signal wave is non-collinear relative to the pump and idler waves, wherein the slant-stripe non-linear material is able to generate two idler waves and two signal waves, and the device is adapted to allow for the selection and output coupling of a required one of the two signal waves. |
| US08861073B2 |
Optical fiber delivery system for delivering optical short pulses and optical fiber delivery method
The optical fiber delivery system for delivering optical short pulses includes: a chirped pulse source (10) for emitting an up-chirped optical short pulse having high peak power; optical waveguide unit (20) for delivering the optical short pulse emitted from the chirped pulse source (10); negative group-velocity dispersion generation unit (30) for providing negative group-velocity dispersion to the optical short pulse exited from the optical waveguide unit (20); and an optical fiber (40) for delivering the optical short pulse exited from the negative group-velocity dispersion generation unit (30), along a desired distance, in which the optical short pulse emitted from the chirped pulse source (10) is adapted to be exited, from the optical fiber (40), as a down-chirped optical short pulse that is substantially free of waveform distortion resulting from higher-order dispersion. |
| US08861072B2 |
Tunable Bragg stack
A tunable photonic crystal device comprising: alternating layers of a first material and a second material, the alternating layers comprising a responsive material, the responsive material being responsive to an external stimulus, the alternating layers having a periodic difference in refractive indices giving rise to a first reflected wavelength; wherein, in response to the external stimulus, a change in the responsive material results in a reflected wavelength of the device shifting from the first reflected wavelength to a second reflected wavelength. |
| US08861070B2 |
Electronic paper display substrate and the manufacturing method thereof
By forming a corresponding colored layer under the pixel electrode having a predetermined pattern of the electronic paper display substrate, the pattern displayed in the region where the pixel electrode and the colored layer is disposed has the color of the colored layer when displaying. Compared with the transparency color, the color of the colored layer can make the contrast of the pixel region to the non-pixel region high and display colorful pattern. |
| US08861069B2 |
Electrophoretic display device and method of fabrication thereof
Disclosed is an electrophoretic display (EPD) device and fabrication method thereof that has a simplified fabrication process and reduced fabrication costs. In the EPD device, a partition wall is formed directly on a first substrate having a pixel electrode and extended up a lateral surface of the partition wall to prevent dead areas in the pixel region, provide increased aperture ratio, and enhanced image quality. |
| US08861067B2 |
Asymmetrical deformable diffractive grating modulator
A method for modulating light using a micro-electro-mechanical structure includes providing a plurality of deformable mirror elements (30) having an L-shaped cross section. Each of the deformable mirror elements is comprised of a pedestal (32) and an elongated ribbon (33). Each of the ribbons has a reflective surface (35). A beam of light is directed on the deformable mirror elements. The deformable mirror elements is flexed about an axis parallel to a long dimension of the ribbons to vary a curvature of at least one of the reflective ribbons. |
| US08861057B2 |
Speckle-reduced laser illumination device
Proposed is a speckle-reduced laser illumination device that may be used in optical microscopy, machine vision systems with laser illumination, fine optical metrology, etc. The device comprises a net of planar ridge waveguides formed into an arbitrary configuration and having a plurality of holograms with holographic elements formed into a predetermined organization defined by the shape of a given light spot or light field which is to be formed by light beams emitted from holograms on the surface of an object or in a space and at a distance from the planar ridge waveguide. Speckling is reduced due to the fact that at least a part or all of the holograms are spaced from each other at distances equal to or greater than the coherence length. The geometry and organization of the holographic elements allow position control of the light spot and beam converging and diverging. |
| US08861054B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, computer readable medium and image processing system
Provided are an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, a computer-readable medium storing a computer program and an image processing system improving edge detection precision at the time of flare occurrence. The image processing apparatus includes an input unit for taking image data including a document region, a first candidate detector for detecting a first candidate of an edge point constituting a boundary line of the document region by scanning binarized image of the image data with a predetermined pattern along a line, a second candidate detector for detecting a second candidate of an edge point based on differential value of pixels adjoining each other, and an edge point determination unit for determining the second candidate as an edge point when the second candidate is positioned more inside of the document region than the first candidate, and otherwise determines the first candidate as an edge point. |
| US08861049B2 |
Image reading apparatus for reading a conveyed document at a reading position
A image reading apparatus includes a first conveyance unit which is configured to convey a document to a reading position of a platen while pinching the document, a second conveyance unit arranged on a downstream of the platen and configured to convey the document, an upstream rotary member arranged between the first conveyance unit and the second conveyance unit and configured to come into contact with the document at a position on an upstream of the reading position, and a downstream rotary member arranged between the first conveyance unit and the second conveyance unit and configured to come into contact with the document at a position on a downstream of the reading position, wherein a gap between the platen and the upstream rotary member is set smaller than a gap between the platen and the downstream rotary member. |
| US08861048B2 |
Image scanner and image forming apparatus incorporating same
An image scanner includes a stationary original plate on which a stationary original is placed and a moving original plate, over which a moving original is conveyed, aligned with the stationary original plate in a sub-scanning direction and tilted relative to the stationary original plate by a given angle. A reader is movable in the sub-scanning direction between a stationary original reading span disposed opposite the stationary original via the stationary original plate to read an image on the stationary original and a moving original reading position disposed opposite the moving original via the moving original plate to read an image on the moving original. The reader pressingly contacts the stationary original plate and the moving original plate as the reader moves in the sub-scanning direction. |
| US08861045B2 |
Scanner module and image scanning apparatus employing the same
An illuminator, a scanner module and an image scanning apparatus are provided. The scanner module includes an illuminator that includes a light source, a light guide extending in a main scanning direction to change a direction of the light from the light source, a guide holder recessed with a light guide mounting portion in which the light guide is mounted, and at least one supporting protrusion protruding from an entrance of the light guide mounting portion into the light guide mounting portion to support the light guide received in the light guide mounting portion. As the light guide is supported by the supporting protrusion formed at the entrance of the light guide mounting portion, it is possible to reduce deformation of the light guide and/or to prevent the light guide from being falling out of the light guide mounting portion when subjected to, e.g., a shock. |
| US08861042B2 |
Image reading method, image reading system, and image reading apparatus
The purpose of this invention is to facilitate visually grasping the progress of reading during reading of a plurality of images. To accomplish this, when placing a plurality of images on an original table and scanning and reading them, display is made to allow a user to grasp which image on a preview screen corresponds to the image under scan. In addition, after the start of main scan, the user can designate an image on the preview screen and cancel scan of the image and change the scan sequence. |
| US08861035B1 |
Threshold matrix diffusion halftoning
A contone source image is processed to create halftone outputs by identifying intensity thresholds based on the coordinates of the pixels of the source image. The halftone output corresponding to a particular pixel of the contone image in a particular color plane is determined by comparing the intensity of the pixel and any previously accumulated output error to the intensity threshold corresponding to the pixel. |
| US08861033B2 |
Printing system
A host computer generates pseudo-pixels by grouping pixels together. RGB representative values are assigned to the pseudo-pixels, which are then transferred to a printer. Meanwhile, for pixels that configured pseudo-pixels having an edge strength selected so that the transfer data amount is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the host computer carries out a halftone process and then transfers the dot data generated as a result to the printer. The printer then prints based on the transferred dot data and the representative values. |
| US08861032B2 |
Stereoscopic print
The present invention provides stereoscopic prints with enhanced resolution and reduced image coarseness. A stereoscopic print comprises a lenticular lens sheet and a dot image print that is glued to the back surface of the lenticular lens sheet. The order of printing dots for the pixels of tone-representing smallest units with the use of a color plate is set at random. The dot printing order is the same among a given number of image strips forming an image strip group that are continuously arranged in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of half-cylindrical lenses so that dot printing is performed continuously on an area in which pixels to be printed are continuous. |
| US08861030B2 |
Method and system for retrieving print media attributes from a print media database server
A method of managing at least one print media database server for print media attributes of print media is disclosed, the method includes hosting print media attributes for a plurality of image forming apparatuses on the at least one print media database server, and wherein the at least one print media database server contains print media attributes for a plurality of print media from one or more manufacturers; receiving, by the at least one print media database server, additional print media attributes from either of the one or more manufacturers and one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses; confirming accuracy of the additional print media attributes; and enabling, by the at least one print media database server, access to the additional print media attributes in the print media database from the plurality of image forming apparatuses, after the accuracy of the additional print media attributes is confirmed. |
| US08861027B2 |
Appratus and system for converting and creating color image data involving a black-and-white pattern correlated with a single color including a feature varied according to color density
An image processing apparatus includes: an image data acquisition section configured to acquire image data corresponding to a black-and-white image which allows a feature thereof correlated with a color to be represented by a density level of one single color; a color determination section configured to determine a corresponding color which corresponds to the feature included in the black-and-white image; and a color image data creation section configured to create the color image data corresponding to a color image which allows an image area thereof indicating the feature to be represented in the corresponding color. |
| US08861026B2 |
Image forming apparatus
When a job setting storing portion 103 stores a job setting of a job executed in an image forming apparatus 1 in a USB memory, identification information entered by a user and accepted by an identification information acceptance portion 102 is stored in association with the job setting. In addition, when the user causes the image forming apparatus 1 to read and execute the job indicated by the job setting stored in the USB memory, a job setting acceptance portion 105 acquires the job setting associated with the identification information entered by the user from the USB memory. |
| US08861025B2 |
Color adjustment method, color adjustment apparatus and computer readable medium storing color adjustment program
Disclosed is a color adjustment method including color converting to obtain output CMYK values corresponding to an object indicated by input image data from the input image data by using a color conversion table for converting the input image data to the output CMYK values which is created on the basis of an output device profile. The color adjustment method further includes color adjusting to obtain adjusted CMYK values from the output CMYK values by using a color adjustment table for converting the output CMYK values to the adjusted CMYK values, the color adjustment table is created on the basis of a third conversion table for converting the color value indicating the coordinate in the device-independent color space to the adjusted CMYK values and the first conversion table. |
| US08861024B2 |
Print color managing apparatus, print color managing method, and recording medium
Color management conditions concerning management of color accuracy in a printing apparatus are set, and colorimetric values of color patches printed as color specimens by the printing apparatus are acquired in association with a printing time of the color patches. An execution period for a calibration process on the printing apparatus is determined based on a plurality of colorimetric values, which are acquired at a plurality of printing times, and the color management conditions, which have been set. |
| US08861023B2 |
Generating an unambiguous definition of designer intended colors in a document creation application
What is disclosed is a novel system and method for determining and capturing the designer intended colors in an image so that the printer has an accurate color rendition target. The present method operates by capturing the monitor RGB values together with the monitor profile to get a representation of the intended image in a device-independent color space like L*a*b*. The teachings hereof work for vector graphics as well as raster images. Advantageously, this invention solves a real problem currently existing, for example, in the packaging print market, wherein colors produced from multiple spot colors with their overlays and blends are not well color managed. |
| US08861022B2 |
Image processing apparatus with preview display function, image processing method, and image processing program
On an operation panel, a preview image based on first preview image data generated by a first preview image generator is displayed (first stage), and then, a preview image based on second preview image data generated by a second preview image generator is displayed (second stage). An image reducing unit reduces input image data into an image size appropriate for the preview image to generate third preview image data. When image synthesis processing is set as user setting, an image processing unit changes, in accordance with the user setting, a display aspect of at least a portion of an area on the third preview image data corresponding to an area on the input image data in which another image data (a fixed pattern or the like) is to be synthesized. |
| US08861019B2 |
Image evaluating apparatus, image evaluating method, and non-transitory storage medium for reading and quantifying an evaluation chart
Standard positional information is acquired about a plurality of regions of interest to be quantified, which are designated in a standard image region. An image magnification which represents a size ratio of measurement image region represented by the image data to the standard image region is calculated. Positional information of a plurality of regions of interest depending on the measurement image region is calculated based on the acquired standard positional information and the calculated image magnification. |
| US08861018B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method for thinning lines of color character data and generating combined character data with black character
An image processing apparatus includes a character identifying unit configured to identify character data of black from color image data; a character data generating unit configured to add character data of a color other than black to the character data of black as additional character data to generate combined character data; and a character data correcting unit configured to perform thinning process of making a line of a character of the additional character data thinner than a line of the character data of black. |
| US08861006B2 |
Device management in a distributed scan system
Approaches are provided for processing scan data based on a scan process definition (SPD) that defines a set of instructions for acquiring image data based on one or more printed documents. An SPD may include extension data that is used to store additional data in association with the scan data. An SPD may include rights management data that is used to provide security to the scan data that is generated based on the SPD. An SPD may be used as a print process definition for dictating how print operations are to be performed. An SPD may be associated with data that identifies one or more scan devices that are prohibited from using the SPD. An SPD may be associated with access delegation data that indicates one or more users who have been delegated access to the SPD. |
| US08861004B2 |
Reading system, terminal apparatus, reading apparatus, and information processing method
A reading system includes a reading apparatus and a terminal apparatus. The reading apparatus includes following components. An identification unit identifies a first user. A reading unit reads an original document. A reception unit receives, from the terminal apparatus, authentication information of a second user and an instruction. An authentication unit performs authentication using the authentication information. A permission unit permits, if authentication is successful, the reading unit to read an original document in accordance with the instruction. The terminal apparatus includes following components. A first acquisition unit acquires, from the reading apparatus, identification information of the first user. The acceptance unit accepts an operation of the second user. The second acquisition unit acquires identification information of the second user. The transmission unit transmits, if the pieces of identification information satisfy a certain condition, an instruction corresponding to the accepted operation and the authentication information to the reading apparatus. |
| US08861003B2 |
Image forming apparatus that performs rectangle drawing processing
An image forming apparatus includes: a dot image forming unit executes one of: (i) a default mode of forming a dot image of an entire rectangle by placing an internal dot group corresponding to a fill of an inside a rectangle and a contour dot group corresponding to a contour of the rectangle based on a first dot placement rule and a second dot placement rule, respectively; or (ii) a change mode of forming the dot image of the rectangle by unifying dot placement rules into either of the two dot placement rules and placing the internal dot group and the contour dot group; and an image formation control unit causes, in the change mode, the dot image forming unit to unify the dot placement rules into either of the two dot placement rules and to place the internal dot group and the contour dot group. |
| US08861000B2 |
Image forming device and image forming system for erasing image data
An image forming device includes a non-volatile print job storage unit configured to store a print job received from an outside of the image forming device, a non-volatile mapping table storage unit configured to store a mapping table associating a watermark with an overwrite erase pattern predetermined depending on confidentiality indicated by the watermark, a judgment unit configured to judge whether or not the watermark is included in the print job, an extractor configured to extract the overwrite erase pattern corresponding to the watermark included in the print job from the mapping table upon judgment by the judgment unit that the watermark is included, and an erase unit configured to perform an overwrite erase process on the print job stored in the print job storage unit on the basis of the overwrite erase pattern extracted by the extractor. |
| US08860999B2 |
Control device
A control device includes a binarization processing unit which executes binarization processing on original image data using first and second types of binarization processing methods, and a compression processing unit which executes compression processing on the binary image data using one of a first type of compression processing method appropriate for compression of the binary image data generated using the first type of binarization processing method, and a second type of compression processing method appropriate for compression of the binary image data generated using the second type of binarization processing method. When the binary image data is generated using the first and second types of binarization processing methods, the compression processing unit selects the compression processing method according to a number of using times of the first type of binarization processing method and a number of using times of the second type of binarization processing method. |
| US08860997B2 |
Image output apparatus, preview image generating method, and storage medium
A preview image of image data to be output is generated, in response to a request from an operation device, and can be displayed via the operation device. A first preview image of the image data is generated based on an output setting for outputting the image data. The first preview image is stored in a storage device. The output setting can be changed based on a changing request from the operation device. It is determined, in response to a second preview request from the operation device, after sending the first preview image, whether the first preview image is to be regenerated, based on the changed output setting. The first preview image stored in the storage device can be sent when the first preview image is not to be regenerated, for example, when a second preview image is not to be generated. |
| US08860996B2 |
Printing system, printer, print server, and method thereof
There is provided a printing system including an information processing apparatus in which a model-specific printer driver is not installed. The information processing apparatus includes a display unit and a transmission unit. The display unit controls display of an extended print setting screen for specifying a model-specific printer function using information acquired from a print server based on configuration information from a printer. The transmission unit transmits print data to the print server. The print server includes an issuing unit configured to issue a print job to the printer using print data and a print ticket containing a setting specified through the extended print setting screen. |
| US08860995B2 |
Image formation apparatus executing preparation operation based on check request
An image formation apparatus, which is connected to an external device and which forms an image based on a print data sent from the external device, includes a request receiving section for receiving a check request for a print setting associated with the print data; a response section for responding to the external device with an answer to the check request having received by the request receiving section; a data receiving section for receiving the print data from the external device after the response section responds to the external device; a printing section for carrying out printing for the print data received by the data receiving section; and a preparation operation section for executing a preparation operation for printing based on the print data after the request receiving section receives the check request and before the data receiving section receives the print data. |
| US08860994B2 |
Electronic replacement of pre-printed forms
A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving an input print job file including a form definition (formdef), determining whether the formdef is an N-up formdef and generating an output print job file by inserting a forms overlay into the input print job file as a pre-printed form if the formdef is an N-up formdef. |
| US08860993B2 |
System and method for generating automated autographs
A system and method for generating automated autographs on a computer with a memory and a processor, including a scanner for inputting handwritten writing samples and a content management system stored on a computer readable medium adapted to perform the steps of reading the handwritten samples, converting each into a type font, wherein each fonts identically resembles the corresponding handwritten sample, inputting an autograph including a message created in a font, and creating an electronic file corresponding to a photograph with an autograph, wherein the autograph appears to have been written by the person who submitted the handwritten sample. The content management system is customized by one or more coding language databases, and is adapted to read and process multiple different writing samples simultaneously, whether sent synchronously or asynchronously, to allow a user to select from a plurality of fonts to include in an autograph. |
| US08860991B2 |
Common driver application device and method
A common driver application device and method. A first communication unit provides a communication interface with a first printing apparatus, a common printer driver unit loads from the first printing apparatus print information including default values for print options and an emulation type that the first printing apparatus supports, and provides a print option setting menu enabling a user to adjust the default values for the print options, if the first communication unit is communicatively connected to the first printing apparatus, and a central processing unit controls the common printer driver unit to load the print information from the first printing apparatus, if the first communication unit is connected to the first printing apparatus. Thus, one common printer driver to drive plural printers connected to a computer can be provided. |
| US08860990B2 |
Information processing apparatus, PDL data conversion method, and storage medium
An information processing apparatus includes a control unit configured to receive first PDL data including a first bookmark and a second bookmark from a user, create a first node mapped to a page which is the reference of the first bookmark and a second node mapped to a page which is the reference of the second bookmark, and create second PDL data having a hierarchical structure for the pages by including the first node and the second node. The first bookmark is different from the second bookmark, the first node is different from the second node, and the first PDL data is different from the second PDL data wherein the second PDL data includes the page which is the reference of the first bookmark and the page which is the reference of the second bookmark. |
| US08860982B2 |
Image forming apparatus, installation method and uninstallation method
An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit and an installation processing unit. The storage unit is capable of storing an application program and application data that is referred to when the application program is executed. The installation processing unit registers, when installing the application data in the storage device, link data indicating the correspondence between the application identifier of the application program and the data identifier of the application data. |
| US08860978B2 |
Information processing apparatus and control method thereof
An information processing apparatus that improves operability, productivity and flexibility in print setting when collectively executing print jobs. If a print instruction is input, a job list display unit determines whether the instruction is directed to a plurality of job data items. If the instruction is directed to a plurality of job data items, it is determined whether or not to allow the user to confirm output settings for each individual print job. If the user confirms the output settings, a user interface for making a change to the output settings associated with each individual print job is displayed. The displayed output settings are the output settings saved together with the job data item. If the user does not confirm the output settings, the user interface is not displayed, and output settings and the corresponding job data item are associated with each other, and they are transferred to a printer. |
| US08860976B2 |
Image forming apparatus having power-saving unit
An image forming apparatus has at least one measurement unit, disposed on a respective power-supply line extending from a first power source to a respective at least one operation module disposed in the image forming apparatus, configured to measure power consumption at the at least one operation module; and a power-saving unit configured to shut down the power supply from the first power source to the at least one operation module to set the image forming apparatus to a power-save mode, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to shut down power supply to the at least one measurement unit, when the power-saving unit sets the image forming apparatus to the power-save mode. |
| US08860968B2 |
Original reading apparatus
An original reading apparatus provided with an original placement portion on which an original is place, and an original size/type detecting portion for detecting a size and/or a type of the original placed on the original placement portion, includes: a display portion that performs color display; and a display control portion that changes a color of a display screen displayed on the display portion based on the size and/or the type of the original detected by the original size/type detecting portion. |
| US08860966B2 |
Operation apparatus, image forming apparatus provided with the same, and shortcut acceptance method
An operation apparatus includes a touch panel, a help unit, a shortcut inquiry unit, and a shortcut acceptance unit. The shortcut inquiry unit, upon detection, by the touch panel, of an input operation of the setting condition in a state in which the setting condition input window, which has been switched by the help unit, is being displayed, inquires about whether registration of a shortcut key used for directly switching to the setting condition input window corresponding to the setting item is desired or not, and accepts the registration of the shortcut key used for directly switching to the setting condition input window corresponding to the setting item, if the input operation for registration of the shortcut key is accepted by way of the touch panel. |
| US08860964B2 |
Computer readable medium, print control apparatus, print control method, and print system monitoring the storing of job and job ticket into second folder
A computer is disclosed that performs a print control process. The computer sets a process performed for a job stored in a first folder into a setting storage area. The computer monitors storing the job into the first folder, and stores the job stored in the first folder and a job ticket indicating the process performed for the job stored in the first folder set in the setting storage area into a second folder. Also, the computer monitors storing the job and the job ticket into the second folder, and activates a job edit program to have an operator edit the job after the process indicated by the job ticket is performed for the job stored in the second folder. |
| US08860963B2 |
Communication systems, communication apparatus, and image processing apparatus that provide additional information
Communication systems, communication apparatus, and image processing apparatus, which connect with communication apparatus are disclosed herein. The communication apparatus includes a first memory, which stores first additional information; an additional-information notifying portion, which notifies the image processing apparatus of the first additional information; and a second transmitter, which transmits image data transmitted from a first transmitter to the destination apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes a second memory, which stores second additional information; an information generator, which generates third additional information; and the first transmitter, which adds the third additional information generated by the information generator to the image data and transmits the image data comprising the third additional information to the communication apparatus. The third additional information includes the first additional information notified by the additional-information notifying portion and the second additional information stored in the second memory. |
| US08860961B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing system and computer readable medium
An information processing apparatus includes: a plurality of labels; a plurality of pieces of setting information which is associated with the respective labels, and each piece of setting information including a setting item related to processing of a device and setting content corresponding to the setting item; an identification section that, when the processing of the device is executed, acquires information for identifying one of the plurality of labels, and identifies the one of the plurality of labels from the information; and an application section that applies setting information associated with the one of the plurality of labels identified by the identification section. |
| US08860953B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring overlay
A method of measuring an overlay includes generating an original signal using first and second overlay measurement keys that are spaced apart from each other, generating a first spectrum signal by performing Fourier transform of the original signal, generating a second spectrum signal by filtering the first spectrum signal, and generating a corrected signal by performing inverse Fourier transform of the second spectrum signal. |
| US08860950B2 |
Light measurement device with identifiable detection elements
A light measurement device comprising an optical sensor that includes a tunable interference filter and a detecting section detecting light passed through the tunable filter, a storing section that stores a first correlation data and a second correlation data, and a CPU that obtains amount of the light by controlling the optical sensor based on the first correlation data and a second correlation data. |
| US08860948B2 |
High resolution extended depth of field optical coherence tomography
An optical coherence tomography (OCT) imager comprising: a low coherence light source that provides light; a photosensor for imaging light; optics that directs a first portion of the light along a first optical path so that it is imaged on the photosensor and a second portion of the light along a second optical path so that it is reflected by material in the target to the photosensor where it is imaged to interfere with light from the first portion to form an interference pattern; and a mask through which light from at least one of the first and second portions of light passes that generates a relative phase perturbation between portions of light that passes through it. |
| US08860942B1 |
Apparatus for multi-spectral imaging of point event detection
A multi-spectral system characterizes point events and other rapidly-occurring events by filtering spectral bands from a point event to form spectral diagrams of the event. |
| US08860939B2 |
Method and system for optical spectroscopy
Two dimensional (2D) optical spectroscopy, wherein the spectrum has an excitation and an emission axis, reveals information formerly hidden in one-dimensional (1D) optical spectroscopy. However, current two dimensional optical spectroscopy systems are complex laboratory arrangements and accordingly limited in deployment. According to embodiments of the invention a monolithic platform providing significantly reduced complexity and increased robustness is provided allowing for “black-box” modules allowing commercial deployment of 2D optical spectroscopy instruments. Additionally, the invention supports high pulse repetition rates as well as one quantum and two quantum measurements under electronic control. |
| US08860936B2 |
Multiple radiation inspection of ophthalmic lenses
Methods for inspecting ophthalmic lenses with different wavelengths of radiation are disclosed herein. |
| US08860932B2 |
Detection of layer clearing using spectral monitoring
A method of polishing includes polishing a substrate having a second layer overlying a first layer, measuring a sequence of groups of spectra of light from the substrate while the substrate is being polished, each group of the groups of spectra including spectra from different locations on the substrate, for each group, calculating a value for a dispersion parameter of the spectra in the group to generate a sequence of dispersion values, and detecting exposure of the first layer based on the sequence of dispersion values. |
| US08860927B2 |
Dual-stage exchange system for lithographic apparatus
A dual-stage exchange system for a lithographic apparatus comprises a silicon chip stage (13) operating in an exposure workstation (3) and a silicon chip (14) stage operating in a pre-processing workstation (4). The two silicon chip stages (13, 14) are provided on the same base stage (1), and suspended on an upper surface (2) of the base stage by air bearings. The two silicon chip stages (13, 14) can move along guide rails (15, 16) in the Y direction. One end of each guide rail (15, 16) is connected to a main driving unit (11, 12), and the other end of each guide rail (15, 16) is butt-jointed with an X-direction single-freedom auxiliary driving unit (7, 8). The silicon chip stages (13, 14) are driven by the single-freedom auxiliary driving units (7, 8) cooperated with the main driving units (11, 12) to move along the X direction. The single-freedom auxiliary driving units (7, 8) can be separated from or precisely butt-jointed with the Y-direction guide rails (15, 16), thereby achieving the position exchange of the two silicon chip stages (13, 14). |
| US08860921B2 |
Liquid crystal optical device
A liquid crystal optical device includes: a first substrate having transparent plural strip electrodes formed to make groups in respective given areas; a second substrate having a transparent common electrode; and a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, in which a retardation distribution is controlled in respective given areas according to voltages to be applied between the common electrode and the strip electrodes, wherein wall spacers are provided at portions corresponding to boundaries of given areas between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a shield electrode to which a fixed value voltage is applied is provided on at least one of two wall surfaces of each spacer. |
| US08860914B2 |
Display device and method of manufacturing the same
A display device having an improved viewing angle by using a linear polarization structure, and a method of manufacturing the same. The display device includes a first substrate arrangement including a domain forming layer and a pixel electrode arranged on the domain forming layer, the pixel electrode having a cross type opening pattern, a second substrate arrangement including a common electrode arranged on an entire surface that faces the first substrate arrangement and a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate arrangement and the second substrate arrangement, the liquid crystal layer including a plurality of liquid crystal molecules and a reactive mesogen to fix liquid crystal molecules and to produce a liquid crystal domain based on the cross type opening pattern. |
| US08860910B2 |
Backlight module and display apparatus
The present invention provides a backlight module and a display apparatus. The display apparatus comprises the backlight module and a display panel. The backlight module comprises a light collector, at least one optical fiber bundle, a fiber light-outputting substrate, a light guide plate and a fiber holding plate. The optical fiber bundle is connected between the light collector and the fiber light-outputting substrate. The light guide plate is disposed at one side of the fiber light-outputting substrate, and the fiber holding plate is configured to hold optical fibers of the optical fiber bundle. The present invention can use ambient light rays to form a backlight source. |
| US08860906B2 |
Directional light guide plate, directional surface light source, and three-dimensional image display apparatus employing the directional surface light source
Directional light guide plates, directional surface light sources, and three-dimensional (3D) image display apparatuses employing the directional surface light sources are provided. Each of the directional light guide plates includes a plurality of viewing zone separation units having a refractive index different from that of a light guide unit, for separating light into left and right viewing zones. |
| US08860893B2 |
DTV with detachable HDMI inputs
A television device has a television receiver residing substantially within a television receiver enclosure. A high definition multimedia interface is (HDMI) coupled to the television receiver. A detachable HDMI switch is operatively coupled to the HDMI interface, the HDMI switch and has at least two user-side HDMI buses connected thereto. The detachable HDMI switch resides in an HDMI switch housing that exposes the at least two user-side HDMI connector ports. The detachable HDMI switch housing is detachably connected to the television receiver enclosure to permit the HDMI switch housing to be either attached to the television receiver enclosure for use at the television receiver enclosure, or to permit the HDMI switch housing to be separated from the television receiver enclosure to permit the HDMI switch housing to be situated remotely from the television receiver enclosure so that the HDMI connector ports are remotely accessible while being selectable by the television device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US08860890B2 |
Electronic device and control method thereof
An electronic device and a control method thereof are disclosed, the electronic device including: an operation implementation unit conducting a predetermined operation; a first main controller controlling the operation of the operation implementation unit; an input reception unit receiving an input signal; a second main controller processing the input signal and being in the power saving state in the standby mode; and a subcontroller controlling the second main controller to process the input signal when the input signal is received in the standby mode, wherein the second main controller processes the received input signal according to control of the subcontroller, controls the first main controller to operate in the normal mode when the input signal corresponds to entering the normal mode, and returns to the power saving state in the standby mode when the input signal does not correspond to entering the normal mode. |
| US08860888B2 |
Method and apparatus for power saving during video blanking periods
Methods and systems are described for enabling display system power saving during the operation of display devices. An integrated circuit package includes input interface circuitry configured to receive an audio-video data stream having a video signal and timing information and timing extraction circuitry that can identify blanking patterns for the video signal. The package includes timing control circuitry configured to implement a power saving process during the blanking periods of the video signal. The invention further includes methods that support the operation of power saving processes. |
| US08860884B2 |
Transmission apparatus, reception apparatus, communication system, transmission method, reception method, and programs thereof
[Object] To provide a transmission apparatus, a reception apparatus, a communication system, a transmission method, a reception method, and programs therefor that are capable of efficiently transmitting at least a plurality of pieces of video data included in data of a plurality of contents at the same time. [Solving Means] A switch unit (32a) of a transmission apparatus selects one of a plurality of pieces of video data supplied from a storage apparatus (42) in accordance with video data designated by a transmission data control unit (32i) and supplies it to an IF unit (32b). The IF unit (32b) transmits video data decoded by a decode unit (113) from a terminal (335). The compressed video data supplied from the switch unit (32a) is transmitted via a terminal (336). The terminal (335) is included in a first channel unit. In a case where the IF unit (32b) is an HDMI, for example, the terminal (335) is a terminal for a TMDS channel. The terminal (336) is a terminal that is included in a second channel unit and connected to a reserved line, an HPD line, and the like. |
| US08860882B2 |
Systems and methods for constructing multimedia content modules
A system for constructing seamlessly viewable multimedia content from selectably presentable multimedia content blocks includes a block definition module for facilitating creation and modification of the content blocks. The block definition module includes a media assignment submodule for associating a synchronized audio and video segment with a content block. Also included is a block linking submodule for creating seamless connections between content blocks, whereby a transition between the connected blocks occurs substantially without interruption upon viewing the multimedia content. The block definition module further includes a layer submodule for associating an interactive layer having interactive controls with the content block. |
| US08860870B2 |
Imaging device, imaging method and recording medium
An imaging method includes setting a manual focus mode for moving a focus lens according to an operation of an operation unit, generating a contrast image, which is an image in which an edge of a taken image is enhanced or extracted, and superimposing and displaying, in the case of the manual focus mode, the contrast image on an optical image of the object in an optical finder. |
| US08860869B2 |
Lens with sapphire substrate and lens module
A lens includes a substrate and an infrared-cut (IR-cut) filtering film. The substrate is made of sapphire, is configured for converging or diffusing light rays and includes an object-side surface and an image-side surface opposite to the object-side surface. The IR-cut filtering film increases the reflectivity of the substrate in relation to infrared light, and is coated on the image-side surface of the substrate. |
| US08860864B2 |
Image-displaying device and method for controlling image-displaying device
An object of the present invention is to reduce display delay time in a live view display. An image capturing device has an image data generation unit that generates image data per line of a display section based on an output of an image capturing sensor in which a start and an end of charge storing are controlled per line, a display control unit that causes the display section to display generated image data sequentially per line, and a control unit that ends charge storing after a first amount of time passes since charge storing of an image capturing target line is started, and starts displaying image data of a display target line corresponding to the image capturing target line after a second amount of time passes since charge storing of an image capturing target line is ended. The second amount of time is time required for starting displaying image data in a display target line after charge storing of an image capturing target line is ended. The control unit starts charge storing of an image capturing target line such that the first amount of time is equal to or less than a vertical synchronization period of the image capturing sensor minus the second amount of time. |
| US08860863B2 |
Image pickup method and image pickup apparatus
An image pickup method using an image pickup apparatus having a charge coupled device (CCD) image pickup device, the method includes: acquiring an effective pixel signal from effective pixels of a light-receiving face of the CCD image pickup device; acquiring a signal outputted from shaded pixels of the light-receiving face to calculate a representative value of the signal; controlling a variable gain amplification above a vertical period of the effective pixel signal in plus correlation with an average above the vertical period of the representative value; and controlling a variable gain amplification of a horizontal period of the effective pixel signal in minus correlation with a ratio between a value of a horizontal period of the representative value or a recursive average in screens of the representative value and an average above a vertical period of the representative value. |
| US08860862B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus, and image pickup system using solid-state image pickup apparatus
A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge storage unit, and a floating diffusion unit, all disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a first gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the photoelectric conversion unit and charge storage unit, and a second gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the charge storage unit and the floating diffusion unit. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a light shielding member including a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed over the charge storage unit and at least over the first gate electrode or the second gate electrode, and the second part is disposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode such that the second part extends from the first part toward a surface of the semiconductor substrate. |
| US08860861B2 |
Pixel, pixel forming method, imaging device and imaging forming method
A pixel is provided with a photodiode region which includes a photoelectric conversion portion for receiving light and generating electrons, and a charge storage portion for storing electric charge. The pixel is configured in such a manner that an electron exclusion region is provided in the photodiode region with the diameter of a circle having the maximum diameter among circles that can exist in the surface of a region through which electrons can pass in the photodiode region as the width of an electron passage region in the photodiode region, and the width of the electron passage region is smaller than when the electron exclusion region is not provided. |
| US08860855B2 |
Solid-state image sensor with dispersing element that disperses light according to color component, image capture device and signal processing method
This solid-state image sensor includes an array of photosensitive cells and an array of dispersing elements. The photosensitive cell array is comprised of multiple unit blocks, each of which includes four photosensitive cells arranged two dimensionally. The dispersing element array is arranged so as to face the photosensitive cell array and includes a plurality of dispersing elements. The dispersing element array directs light respectively onto the four photosensitive cells by selectively subtracting certain complementary color components from the incoming white light, and adding a light ray with a selected complementary color component to the remainder. The dispersing element array is configured such that the combination of color component that is subtracted from the incoming light and the color component in the added light ray is selected for the incident light on each of the four photosensitive cells. |
| US08860852B2 |
Image capturing apparatus
Capturing units acquire, from an object, image data having characteristics different from each other. An image generator calculates a deviation amount indicating the position deviation between images represented by the image data acquired by the capturing units, and generates image data of a multi-channel image in which the position deviation between the images represented by the image data acquired by the capturing units has been corrected using the deviation amount. Each of the capturing units comprises capturing elements having capturing characteristics specific to the capturing unit, and capturing elements having capturing characteristics common to a plurality of capturing units. The image generator calculates the deviation amount from image data acquired by the capturing elements having the common capturing characteristics. |
| US08860845B2 |
Imaging apparatus and imaging method
An imaging apparatus includes an optical wavefront coding element that performs a dispersion of a light flux emitted from a subject into three or more directions, an imaging element that receives the light flux dispersed by the optical wavefront coding element to acquire a subject preimage, and a generation unit that generates an image of the subject by applying a process corresponding to the dispersion to the subject preimage. |
| US08860842B2 |
Television camera
There is provided a television camera that can automatically adjust a detected video signal balance without using a grayscale chart in order to satisfactorily capture a subject. The television camera adjusts the detected video signal balance by using a white (achromatic) subject and without using the grayscale chart. The television camera firstly captures a white (achromatic) subject. The television camera detects a level of a G signal on a detection gate, and sequentially and automatically adjusts a lens iris in order that the level of the G signal becomes a predetermined signal level (level 71, level 72, level 73, level 74). For each signal level (level 71, level 72, level 73, level 74), the television camera aligns signal levels of R signal and B signal with respect to the G signal, thereby automatically adjusting the detected video signal balance. |
| US08860829B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and image processing program
There is provided an image processing device including a calculation section configured to calculate a feedback adjustment amount based on a change in temporal direction of a reference image which is spatially correlated with an input image, a motion compensation section configured to perform motion compensation on an output image, which is obtained from the input image of a preceding frame immediately preceding a current frame expected to be processed, based on spatial information of the reference image, and a blending section configured to generate the output image of the current frame by blending an interpolated output image obtained by the motion compensation and the input image of the current frame based on the feedback adjustment amount. |
| US08860818B1 |
Method for dynamically calibrating rotation offset in a camera system
A method for dynamically calibrating rotational offset in a device includes obtaining an image captured by a camera of the device. Orientation information of the device at the time of image capture may be associated with the image. Pixel data of the image may be analyzed to determine an image orientation angle for the image. A device orientation angle may be determined from the orientation information. A rotational offset, based on the image orientation angle and the device orientation angle, may be determined. The rotational offset is relative to the camera or orientation sensor. A rotational bias may be determined from statistical analysis of numerous rotational offsets from numerous respective images. In some embodiments, various thresholds and predetermined ranges may be used to exclude some rotational offsets from the statistical analysis or to discontinue processing for that image. |
| US08860817B2 |
Imaging systems with verification circuitry for monitoring standby leakage current levels
Imaging systems may be provided with image sensors having verification circuitry. Verification circuitry may be configured to continuously or occasionally verify that the image sensor is functioning properly. For example, verification circuitry may be configured to monitor levels of leakage current during standby mode. Verification circuitry may be coupled between a power supply and circuitry that is powered by that power supply. When the imaging system is in standby mode, circuitry associated with the imaging system such as pixel circuitry may draw a standby leakage current. Verification circuitry may be configured to measure the amount of standby leakage current drawn by associated imaging system circuitry. If the measured level of standby leakage current exceeds a maximum acceptable level of standby leakage current, a warning signal may be generated. Standby leakage current levels on multiple power supply lines may be monitored with associated verification circuitry. |
| US08860816B2 |
Scene enhancements in off-center peripheral regions for nonlinear lens geometries
A technique of enhancing a scene containing one or more off-center peripheral regions within an initial distorted image captured with a large field of view includes determining and extracting an off-center region of interest (hereinafter “ROI”) within the image. Geometric correction is applied to reconstruct the off-center ROI into a rectangular or otherwise undistorted or less distorted frame of reference as a reconstructed ROI. A quality of reconstructed pixels is determined within the constructed ROI. Image analysis is selectively applied to the reconstructed ROI based on the quality of the reconstructed pixels. |
| US08860815B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer program for image-based tracking of surveillance objects
In automatic assessment or surveillance with camera-based surveillance systems, it is of particular interest to detect moving surveillance objects, such as persons or motor vehicles, and track them over time so that if there are unusual trajectories or unusual behavior, an alarm can be tripped. An apparatus for image-based tracking of surveillance objects in front of a scene background in a surveillance scene is proposed, having an object segmentation module that is embodied for ascertaining moving object areas in front of the scene background on the basis of a comparison of one or more camera images with a reference image of the scene; having an administration module which is embodied for assigning surveillance objects to the moving object areas detecting fusion of two or more surveillance objects and marking them jointly as an object group; and having a feature detection module which is embodied in terms of programming and/or circuitry for determining local features for tracking the surveillance objects of the object group in the image areas defined by the moving object areas. |
| US08860814B2 |
Solid-state imaging element and imaging device
A solid-state image sensor according to the present invention includes a number of photosensitive cells 2b, 2c that are arranged in between the first surface 30a of a semiconductor layer 30 and its second surface 30b, which is opposite to the first surface 30a and which receives incoming light. As viewed from the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c, a reflecting portion 3a is arranged on the same side as the first surface 30a in order to reflect an infrared ray that has been transmitted through the photosensitive cell 2c and make it incident on one of the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c. As a result, the intensities of infrared rays to be converted photoelectrically by the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c will be different from each other. And by calculating the difference between the photoelectrically converted signals supplied from the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c, the infrared ray component received by each photosensitive cell can be obtained. In addition, by arranging a color filter 1b on the same side as the second surface 30b, an infrared ray component and a color component can be obtained at the same time. |
| US08860812B2 |
Ambient presentation of surveillance data
A system and method for presentation of surveillance data includes a first environment including one or more sensors configured to monitor the first environment wherein data is collected by the one or more sensors. A second environment includes one or more information presentation devices configured to convey an event or state occurring in the first environment by altering an ambient sensory condition in the second environment, such that the ambient sensory condition is modified in accordance with a type and/or level of the event or state. |
| US08860799B2 |
Alignment system and method for operating the same
An alignment system includes a stage configured to retain an object, an image-capturing device configured to capture the image of the field of view of the microscope, and a processing module configured to generate a virtual mask and superimpose the virtual mask with the image of the object. In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for operating a virtual mask system includes the steps of generating a virtual mask, placing a first object on a stage, capturing at least one image of the first object, and superimposing the virtual mask with the image of the first object by adjusting a position or an inclined angle of the stage or adjusting a capturing position of an image-capturing device by considering at least the virtual mask and the image of the first object. |
| US08860795B2 |
Masquerading detection system, masquerading detection method, and computer-readable storage medium
A masquerading detection system includes: an imaging unit (2) that obtains a first image by imaging an inspection object (12) from a first angle, and a second image by imaging the inspection object from a second angle which is different from the first angle; a unit (101) that detects first feature points from the first image, obtains first feature point coordinates of the detected feature points, detects second feature points from the second image, and obtains second feature point coordinates of the detected feature points; a unit (104) that obtains transformed coordinates by performing a plane projective transformation for the second feature point coordinates from the second image to the first image; and a unit (105) that determines that masquerading has been attempted when the difference between the transformed coordinates and the corresponding first feature point coordinates is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value. |
| US08860792B1 |
Two dimensional to three dimensional video display system
A video image conversion display system that displays a 2-D video projection from a television or computer screen as a 3-D video image, the video display system having an auto-stereoscopic interference filter polarization film that creates 3-D viewing by creating the illusion of depth perception from a 2-D video image and having a housing compartment that stores and secures a 3-D polarization screen, a spring-loaded 3-D video screen support rod inside the housing that is rotatable for extending the 3-D screen into a lockable position in front of a television or video monitor and that automatically retracts the 3-D video screen back into the housing when unlocked and released and a magnification screen system that enlarges the projected 3-D video image. Alternatively, the 3-D video screen support rod may be rotated by an electric motor. |
| US08860787B1 |
Method and apparatus for telepresence sharing
A method and apparatus for telepresence sharing is described. The method may include providing an indication of a plurality of remote vehicles that are available for telepresence sharing to a user. The method may also include receiving a selection from the user to engage a remote vehicle from the plurality of remote vehicles in a telepresence sharing session. Furthermore, the method may also include providing a live video feed captured by the remote vehicle to a mobile device associated with the user. |
| US08860784B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
A image processing apparatus including: an image input section inputting a two-dimensional image signal; an image conversion section inputting an image signal output from the image input section, and generating and outputting images for right and left eyes for allowing binocular stereovision; and an image output section outputting the images for right and left eyes output from the image conversion section, wherein the image conversion section extracts a spatial feature quantity of the input image signal, and performs image conversion processing conducting enhancement processing applying the feature quantity to the input image signal so that either an image for a right eye or an image for a left eye is generated. |
| US08860780B1 |
Automatic pivoting in a wide-angle video camera
A system and method for automatically rotating a view of a wide-angle video camera. Preferred embodiments include automatic rotating of a stereographically projected view using a transformation engine which is capable of extracting a plurality of views under a remote pan tilt zoom (PTZ) control. In one example embodiment, when the center point of a video image of a selected view or region of interest is tilted through a direction which is perpendicular to the plane of the camera mounting (i.e., vertical when the camera is mounted on a ceiling) then the output image is automatically rotated 180 degrees about the pan axis. In preferred embodiments, the control circuitry then temporarily reverses interpretation of the tilt axis controls (for example, from PTZ controls), thereby allowing the view to tilt uninterrupted in the same direction past the auto-pivoting point. |
| US08860777B2 |
Multi-enterprise video conference service
A system is configured to receive a request to set up a first video conference and another request to set up a second video conference, where the request is received from a client device and where the other request is received from another client device; obtain first information associated with an enterprise with which the client device is associated and second information associated with another, different enterprise with which the other client device is associated; determine whether the first information permits the client device to set up the first video conference and whether the second information permits the other client device to set up the second video conference; establish the first video conference when the first information permits the client device to set up the first video conference; and establish the second video conference when the second information permits the other client device to set up the second video conference. |
| US08860769B2 |
Custom PSFs using clustered light sources
Light sources of a backlight are configured to customize the shape of light emitted from the clusters. The clusters are activated as a unit and modulated as to brightness, but of the customized shape. All clusters can have a similar customized PSF, or the customization of each cluster may be varied in real time. Real time changes of a clusters PSF may be based, for example, an image or a region of the image to be displayed using the clusters. |
| US08860766B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for determining one or more contact points between a pair of objects
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for determining one or more contact points between a pair of objects. In operation, a first contact normal is identified between a pair of objects at a first position. Additionally, a relative velocity of the pair of objects is determined at the first position. Furthermore, one or more contact points between the pair of objects are determined at a second position through a translational analysis, utilizing the first contact normal and the relative velocity. |
| US08860765B2 |
Mobile device with an inclinometer
A method is disclosed that includes detecting a change in an inclination at a panel of an electronic device. The panel has a display surface. The method also includes detecting a rotation of the panel from a first orientation to a second orientation. The method also includes automatically redrawing an image displayed at the display surface responsive to the rotation when the change in the inclination of the panel does not exceed a threshold during the rotation. |
| US08860754B2 |
Methods and systems of automatically generating marks in a graphical view
A computer-implemented method of generating marks in a graphical view includes receiving a first user request to associate a first set of data samples with a first visual mark property. In response to the first user request, area marks are displayed in a graphical view. Respective area marks correspond to respective data samples in the first set. A second user request is received to associate the first set of data samples with a second visual mark property. In response to the second user request, point marks are displayed in the graphical view. Respective point marks correspond to respective data samples in the first set. |
| US08860746B2 |
Video display device
When conducting video display with a wide color gamut display based on a video signal conforming to a standard (sRGB standard and the like) having a color reproduction range narrower than that of the wide color gamut display, the video processing circuit 2 corrects a color in a prescribed correction target color range partly including a red hue reference range as a center part in the color range of an equal hue from achromatic colors having the lowest saturation to red having the highest saturation in an expanded color reproduction range but not including red having the highest saturation in the expanded color reproduction range, so that the hue may change to a hue akin to yellow in the expanded color reproduction range. In so doing, the hue in the red hue reference range changes to red hue in the color reproduction range conforming to the sRBG standard. Furthermore, the hue change ratio into the hue akin to yellow becomes smaller in a color having a long distance from the red hue reference range in the expanded color reproduction range than a color having a distance close thereto. As a result, the wide color gamut display displayable of bright red having a high saturation can be fully utilized, while at the same time solving the problem of hue displacement in displaying red having an intermediate saturation. |
| US08860744B2 |
System for image enhancement
A computer-implemented method for enhancing an input image that includes modifying the relatively lower frequency aspects of the input image based upon a brightening process, where the brightening process is based upon a brightening selection which is based upon a combination of an under brightening term and a clipping term and a joint saturation boost and brightening. The method modifies the relatively higher frequency aspects of the input image based upon reducing lower amplitude noise and enhancing the noise reduced higher frequency aspects of the input image, and combines the modified relatively lower frequency aspects of the input image and the modified relatively higher frequency aspects of the input image. |
| US08860743B2 |
Sparse texture systems and methods
Systems and methods for texture processing are presented. In one embodiment a texture method includes creating a sparse texture residency translation map; performing a probe process utilizing the sparse texture residency translation map information to return a finest LOD that contains the texels for a texture lookup operation; and performing the texture lookup operation utilizing the finest LOD. In one exemplary implementation, the finest LOD is utilized as a minimum LOD clamp during the texture lookup operation. A finest LOD number indicates a minimum resident LOD and a sparse texture residency translation map includes one finest LOD number per tile of a sparse texture. The sparse texture residency translation can indicate a minimum resident LOD. |
| US08860740B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing a display driver in virture desktop infrastructure
A computing machine includes a virtual machine monitor and a display adapter. The virtual machine monitor receives a graphics device interface (GDI) instruction including display content information and virtual machine identification information from a virtual machine, obtains video memory identification information by querying a correspondence between the virtual machine identification information and the video memory identification information, and sends a display driver message including the display content information and the video memory identification information to the display adapter. The display adapter receives the display driver message, stores the display content information in a video memory in the display adapter according to the video memory identification information, and sends the display driver message to a client terminal via a network interface card in the display adapter. |
| US08860735B2 |
Aligning script animations with display refresh
Various embodiments align callbacks to a scripting component that enable the scripting component to update animation, with a system's refresh notifications. Specifically, an application program interface (API) is provided and implemented in a manner that generates and issues a callback to the scripting component when the system receives a refresh notification. This provides the scripting component with a desirable amount of time to run before the next refresh notification. |
| US08860731B1 |
Refining animation
A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The computing device also includes a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method that includes receiving a model that represents the geometry of an animated character and represents a primary deformation applied the geometry of the character. The applied primary deformation is relative to a rest geometry of the character. The method also includes applying a secondary deformation to the geometry of the received character model. The applied secondary deformation is relative to the primary deformation applied to the geometry of the character. |
| US08860727B2 |
Computer systems and methods for automatic generation of models for a dataset
A method of automatically generating models from a dataset includes multiple steps. First, a description of a view of a dataset is provided. The description includes multiple fields associated with the dataset. Next, a set of properties is determined for each of the multiple fields. Finally, the description is automatically translated into one or more models based on the respective properties of the multiple fields and a set of predefined heuristics. |
| US08860718B2 |
Method for converting input image data into output image data, image conversion unit for converting input image data into output image data, image processing apparatus, display device
In a method, unit and display device, the input image signal is split into a regional contrast signal and a detail signal, followed by stretching separately the dynamic ranges for at least one of the signals. The dynamic range for the regional contrast signal is stretched with a higher stretch ratio than the dynamic range for the detail signal. The stretch ratio for the detail signal may be near 1 or 1. Further, highlights are identified, and for the highlights the dynamic range is stretched to an even higher degree than for the regional contrast signal. |
| US08860717B1 |
Web browser for viewing a three-dimensional object responsive to a search query
Computer-implemented methods for viewing a three-dimensional (3D) object using a web browser having integrated 3D modeling capabilities are provided. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining data of a 3D object via a web browser having integrated 3D modeling capabilities, and displaying, in the web browser, at least a portion of the 3D object based on an initial default view, or a user selected view based on a query received from a user. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided. |
| US08860716B2 |
3D image processing method and portable 3D display apparatus implementing the same
A method and a 3D display apparatus for processing a stereoscopic image signal in high rate by software while using a least number of hardware components in a portable 3D display apparatus based on a mobile Android platform are provided. This method is suitable for a portable terminal apparatus equipped with a kernel layer directly controlling hardware means including a display panel, and an application/middleware layer controlling the kernel layer to display a motion picture through the hardware means. One or more plane image surfaces are first generated from the application/middleware layer and stored in a first frame buffer. An encoded image signal is decoded under the application/middleware layer to restore a YUV image signal representing a stereoscopic image pair. Subsequently, the YUV image signal is converted into an RGB image signal, and left and right images of the RGB image signal are mixed at the kernel layer. |
| US08860715B2 |
Method and system for evaluation using probabilistic boosting trees
A method and system for evaluating probabilistic boosting trees is disclosed. In an embodiment, input data is received at a graphics processing unit. A weighted empirical distribution associated with each node of the probabilistic boosting tree is determined using a stack implementation. The weighted empirical distribution associated with each node is added to a total posterior distribution value. |
| US08860713B2 |
Controlling virtual reality
A method of interfacing a person with a computer, the method comprising: providing the person with a device having: a shaft having an axis; a tsuba connected to the shaft and having a first side that extends away from the axis and faces the shaft; and a handgrip on a second side of the tsuba opposite the first side; acquiring an image of the device; determining an orientation of the device responsive to the image; and generating an action by the computer responsive to the orientation. |
| US08860709B2 |
Level converting circuit, display device, and electronic apparatus
A level converting circuit includes a level converting part and a bias part. The level converting part includes at least first to fourth n-type field effect transistors and first and second p-type field effect transistors. The bias part includes a fifth n-type field effect transistor, a voltage drop part including at least one resistive element, and a current source having a power-supply-side terminal connected to a voltage source of a voltage higher than a first voltage. The bias part generates a bias voltage higher than the first voltage by the threshold voltage of the first and second n-type field effect transistors or a bias voltage that is higher than the first voltage and lower than the threshold voltage at the side of one end of the resistive element, and supplies the bias voltage to the gates of the first and second n-type field effect transistors in the level converting part. |
| US08860708B2 |
Active matrix display drive control systems
This invention relates to methods, apparatus, and computer program code for driving an active matrix display, in particular an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, with reduced power consumption. |
| US08860707B2 |
Switching display update properties upon detecting a power management event
Systems and methods provide automatic switching of display update properties such as screen resolution, pixel depth, and refresh rate in response to a power management event. The display update property may be decreased when power is switched from AC power to DC power, for example, when the system is unplugged from a wall outlet and is running on battery power. |
| US08860706B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a monolithic gate driver with drive signal trunk wiring lines that transmit drive signals (such as clock signals) made of a source metal in a region on the opposite side of a display region with respect to a shift register region. A VSS trunk wiring line arranged to transmit a low-level direct-current power supply potential is made of a source metal in a region between the shift register region and the display region. Each of bistable circuits defining a shift register and a drive signal trunk wiring line are connected by a drive signal branch wiring line made of a gate metal. Each bistable circuit and the VSS trunk wiring line are connected by a VSS branch wiring line made of a source metal. |
| US08860705B2 |
Image display device and modification method performed by the same
An image display device includes a luminescent panel in which luminescent pixels are two-dimensionally arranged. Each luminescent pixel has a stacked luminescent layer and driving layer. The driving layer includes a capacitive element that includes two electrode layers stacked in parallel. A memory stores coordinate information of a repaired luminescent pixel in which the capacitive element is repaired through disconnection of a part of one of the two electrode layers. A controller converts video signals received by the image display device into luminescent pixel signals that determine luminescence of the luminescent pixels. The controller outputs the luminescent pixel signals to a driver in a scanning order. The controller includes an incremental operator that increases one of the luminescent pixel signals that corresponds to the repaired luminescent pixel after reading only the coordinate information from the memory and comparing information of the video signals with the coordinate information in the scanning order. |
| US08860704B2 |
Power driver, source driver, and display apparatus including the drivers
A power driver, a source driver, and a display apparatus including the drivers, may reduce standby mode power consumption. The power driver includes a plurality of boosters and a plurality of amplifiers. The power driver is configured to apply a voltage for driving a display apparatus. The power driver is configured to turn off all the plurality of amplifiers when the display apparatus is in a standby mode. |
| US08860703B2 |
2D/3D image display device, electronic image display device, and driving method thereof
A 2-dimensional (2D)/3-dimensional (3D) image display device generates 2D or 3D image data according to an input image signal and displays them on a display unit. The display unit includes a display panel for displaying an image in response to the 2D or 3D image data and an optical element layer operative during first and second driving modes in accordance with the 3D and 2D image data. A controller converts the optical element layer to be in the first driving mode in a first period before a 3D image signal is displayed when the input image signal changes from a 2D image signal to the 3D image signal, and converts the optical element layer to be in the second driving mode in a second period after the 2D image signal is displayed when the input image signal changes from the 3D image signal to the 2D image signal. |
| US08860702B2 |
Display device and driving method thereof
In order to reduce power consumption of a display device when a still picture is to be displayed, a display area of the device is subdivided into a plurality of Still Picture Refresh Groups (SPRGoP's), with each SPRGoP consisting of n pixels. All n of the pixels are charged in every one of sequential frames when a motion picture mode is in effect. Less than all of the n pixels of each SPRGoP are refreshed in each frame of an N-frame refresh cycle when a still picture mode is in effect. Different schemes for cycling through the n pixels of each SPRGoP are disclosed. |
| US08860700B2 |
Driving circuit of a liquid crystal device and related driving method
A driving circuit of an LCD device and related driving method is provided. The driving circuit includes a thermal sensor and a power IC. The thermal sensor is configured to detect the operational temperature of the LCD device, thereby generating a corresponding thermal signal. The power IC is configured to provide a plurality of clock signals for driving a gate driver of the LCD device, and adjust the effective pulse widths of the plurality of clock signals according to the thermal signal. |
| US08860699B2 |
Two-dimensional code display system, two-dimensional code display method, and program
A two-dimensional code display system has a display unit which can display a two-dimensional code representing predetermined information by plural cells arrange in a matrix, and a control unit which changes the display form of the two-dimensional code. For example, after 0.5 second has elapsed since the display unit starts displaying the image of a logo mark, the control unit controls the display unit to change the display from the image of the logo mark to a two-dimensional code. After 2.0 seconds has elapsed since the display unit starts displaying the two-dimensional code, the control unit controls the display unit to change the display from the two-dimensional code to the image of the logo mark. By repeating such control, the control unit can control the display unit to display alternately the image of the logo mark and the two-dimensional code. |
| US08860696B2 |
Integrated touch-sensing display apparatus and method of operating the same
An integrated touch-sensing display is operated to detect the location of one or more objects on a touch surface. The integrated touch-sensing display defines a display area. A light guide (14) is arranged over the display area to define the touch surface (16). The light guide (14) is illuminated internally such that an object (20) contacting the touch surface (16) causes part of the illuminating light to be scattered towards the display area. An array of light sensors (6) is integrated within the display area to detect the scattered light. Based on output signals from the light sensors (6), a processing element obtains image data that represents the light that impinges on the display area excluding ambient light, and determines the location of the object (20) on the touch surface (16). Ambient light may be suppressed by a spectral passband filter in front of each light sensor (6), and/or by electronic filtering of the output signals from the sensors (6). The light guide (14) may be illuminated by invisible light, and may be arranged to cause an illuminating beam to be internally reflected at a peripheral edge surface of the light guide (14), so as to increase the intensity of illuminating light inside the light guide (14). |
| US08860693B2 |
Image processing for camera based motion tracking
Image processing techniques that can improve the user interface experience associated with key-based input devices. In one embodiment, a motion sensitive mechanical keyboard can utilize orthogonally-oriented cameras to sense hand/finger motion over the surface of the keys. This arrangement can enable a standard look and feel mechanical keyboard to receive command and cursor input (e.g., pointing and gestures) from the user without requiring the user to move the user's hand off the keyboard. The image processing techniques can be utilized to minimize or remove undesirable cursor movement that can occur based on certain detected hand/finger motion from such cameras, including looming and/or vertical motions for example. |
| US08860691B2 |
Touch sensing apparatus and method thereof
There are provided a touch sensing apparatus and method. The touch sensing apparatus includes: a plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of second electrodes; and a controlling unit, wherein the controlling unit applies a first driving signal to at least one of the plurality of first electrodes, sequentially obtains sensed signals from the plurality of second electrodes intersecting with the at least one first electrode to which the first driving signal is applied, and applies a second driving signal having the same potential as that of the first driving signal to other second electrodes adjacent to the second electrode from which the controlling unit obtains the sensed signal while the controlling unit obtains the sensed signal from any one of the plurality of second electrodes. |
| US08860687B2 |
Display, touch panel and electronic device
A display with a touch panel allowed to achieve high response performance while reducing power consumption is obtained. The display includes a plurality of display elements performing display based on picture signals supplied to a plurality of picture signal lines, respectively, a plurality of sensor elements outputting touch signals indicating detection of an external proximity object to a plurality of sensor signal lines (SGL), respectively, a detection section (a comparator 331) detecting each of the touch signals, a transfer output section (a D-type flip-flop 332 and an output buffer circuit 36) transferring and outputting a detection result of the detection section to outside, and a control section (a transistor switch SCW, a transfer clock control circuit 37 and a timing generator 35) controlling operations of the detection section and the transfer output section, allowing the transfer output section to operate in a case where the touch signal is detected in the detection section, and suspending an operation of the transfer output section in a case where the touch signal is not detected. |
| US08860683B2 |
Integrated button activation sensing and proximity sensing
Apparatuses and methods for coupling a group of sensor elements together in one mode to collectively measure a capacitance on the group of sensor elements, in addition to individually measuring a capacitance on each of the sensor elements in another mode. The touch-sensor buttons may be used individually for button-activation sensing, and the touch-sensor buttons may be used collectively for proximity detection. The touch-sensor buttons and a ground conductor that surrounds the touch-sensor buttons may also be collectively used for proximity detection. The apparatus may include a processing device, and a plurality of sensor elements that are individually coupled in a first mode for button-activation sensing and collectively coupled in a second mode for proximity sensing. |
| US08860681B2 |
Self-healing and diagnostic screen
A device and computer program product for determining a level of cleanliness of a multi-touch screen display, characterizing objects that make contact with the screen, and initiating a specific maintenance action on the screen, based on screen cleanliness and the object(s) characterization(s). A screen diagnostic and maintenance (SDM) utility initiates a number of procedures to determine the type of object(s) and a set of characteristics of object(s) that make contact with the touch screen. Based on the results of the procedures, the SDM utility characterizes/identifies the object(s). In addition, the SDM utility initiates maintenance screen check(s) based on information stored in maintenance configuration file(s). Based on the results of the maintenance check(s), configuration file(s) data and type and characterization of the object(s) that have made contact with the screen, the SDM utility determines the type of maintenance that is performed and the timing/schedule of the maintenance action(s). |
| US08860676B2 |
Display control device, method, program, and integrated circuit
The display control device is a display control device which receives a signal from the operating device having a touchpad and generates screen data to be displayed on a screen, the display control device including: a touch information detecting unit (201) which detects touch information including position information about a position on the touchpad that is touched with a finger of a user during operation of the touchpad; a direction determining unit (203) which determines a direction intended by the user, using a characteristic which is indicated by the touch information detected by the touch information detecting unit (201) and which results from the operation on the touchpad with the finger; and a screen data generating unit (205) which generates the screen data depending on the direction determined by the direction determining unit (203). |
| US08860674B2 |
Display device for a mobile terminal and method of controlling the same
A mobile terminal having a circle type display and a method for controlling the same is disclosed herein. A scroll bar is provided at an edge of the circle type display in response to a user input. The user may control the mobile terminal and the circle type display through touch inputs on the scroll bar. |
| US08860672B2 |
User interface with z-axis interaction
A user interface presents a plurality of items configured as a stack in a display of a device. The stack is scrollable in a direction oblique to a plane of the display for successively viewing the items in the stack. Some implementations provide for control of the user interface based on input from a finger position sensor or a slider. |
| US08860666B2 |
Portable computer with a twistable display
A portable computing device is disclosed. The device is based upon a laptop computer according to the preferred embodiment. The device comprises a twistable display screen. The device is operated as a general purpose computer when the display screen is pivoted to a position facing a keyboard. The device is used as a special purpose computer in a tablet form when the display is pivoted to a position on the top face of the device. The special purpose computer may be a media player, an e-book reader, a game console, a digital camera, a mobile phone, an e-mail reader and a web browser. The special purpose computer consumes substantially less power than the general purpose computer by employing a less complicated operating system. |
| US08860665B2 |
Character input device and character input method
According to one embodiment, a character input device includes a touch panel and a control unit. The touch panel detects contact with respect to a surface thereof. The control unit performs, when detection of contact is started on the touch panel, character recognition processing based on a trajectory connecting each position at which the contact is detected. The control unit displays, when a character is recognized by the character recognition processing, a virtual keyboard on a display surface of the touch panel to receive input of a character from the virtual keyboard. |
| US08860658B2 |
Electrophoretic display unit and method for driving an electrophoretic display panel
An electrophoretic display unit is presented that comprises an electrophoretic display panel (1). A medium (5) having embedded therein a plurality of electrophoretic display elements (7) is controlled by a first and a second pixel electrode (22b, 6). In addition a sensor constructed to generate a signal (ST) indicative for a temperature of the display panel and a driver (15) for driving the display panel (1) is provided. The sensor (250) includes a resistance sensor constructed to detect a resistance of the medium (5) between a first (22c) and a second sensor electrode (6), and the driver is controllable according to the resistance detected by the resistance sensor. |
| US08860655B2 |
Edge-lit backlight module and scanning method thereof
The present invention provides an edge-lit backlight module containing 2n+1 sequentially and equally separated backlight partitions where the 2n+1 backlight partitions are lit or turned off individually under a time-sequence control; a LCD panel scanned by the edge-lit backlight module is correspondingly separated into 2n+1 display partitions; the signal to the LCD panel is loaded into the LCD panel frame by frame and display partition by display partition under a time-sequence control; the time sequences to the signal to the LCD panel and the signal to the backlight partitions are controlled so that, whenever the signal loaded into the 2n+1 display partitions of the LCD panel constitutes a complete frame, the n+1 backlight partition in the middle of the edge-lit backlight module is always lit. The present invention also provides a scanning method of an edge-lit backlight module. |
| US08860653B2 |
Ambient light sensing technique
A method for controlling characteristics of an electronic device based on ambient light levels is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving light at an ambient light sensor of a device and measuring components, such as color components, of the visible light. The component levels may be weighted differently by factors that vary based on the intensity of the light received by the ambient light sensor. Also, the brightness level of a light source in the device or color output of the device may be controlled based on the weighted component levels. Additional methods, systems, and devices relating to control of an electronic device based on sensed ambient light are also disclosed. |
| US08860652B2 |
Shift registers, display panels, display devices, and electronic devices
A shift register is provided. In each of successively cascaded shift register units, for a first switch, control and output terminals are coupled to a first node and an output node respectively, and an input terminal receives a first clock signal. For a second switch, input and output terminals are coupled to the control terminal of the second switch and the first node respectively. For a third switch, a control terminal is coupled to the first node, and an input terminal receives the first clock signal. A first capacitor is coupled between an output terminal of the third switch and the first node. For a fourth switch, an input terminal is coupled to the first node, and an output terminal is coupled to a low voltage terminal. For a current shift register, a control terminal of the second switch receives an output signal generated by previous shift register unit. |
| US08860651B2 |
Display panel and gate driver therein
A gate driver includes cascade-connected driving stages. Each of the driving stages includes a first shift register circuit and a second shift register circuit. The first shift register circuit is configured for outputting a present stage driving signal and a next stage driving signal. The second shift register circuit is electrically coupled to the first shift register circuit and configured for outputting a present stage gate signal, a first next stage gate signal, and a second next stage gate signal. Furthermore, a display panel is also provided herein. |
| US08860648B2 |
Driving circuit with improved stability at high-temperature conditions
A driving circuit including a shift register is presented, as well as a display device incorporating the driving circuit. The shift register has multiple stages, at least of which includes a first output circuit that generates an output signal O(i) according to a potential at Node Q; a second output circuit that generates a carry signal Cr(i) according to the potential at the Node Q; a controller circuit that controls the potential at the Node Q and the output signal O(i); a first holding circuit that maintains the output signal and the carry signal at low voltage states in response to a Node A reaching a predetermined potential; and a second holding circuit that controls a potential at the Node A, the second holding circuit including a first transistor that lowers the potential at the Node A in response to the carry signal Cr(i). |
| US08860647B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus and source driving circuit thereof
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel and a panel driving device. The panel driving device includes a timing control circuit, a gate driving circuit, and a source driving circuit. The source driving circuit includes a low voltage differential signal (LVDS) receiver, a driving voltage generator, and a controller. The LVDS receiver includes a plurality of receive circuits and a power saving control circuit. Each of the receive circuit performs level conversion upon a data LVDS to generate a logic signal, and operates in a selected one of a normal energy consuming mode and a power saving mode. The power saving control circuit controls the receive circuits to operate in the power saving mode when the power saving control circuit does not receive a power adjustment signal from the controller. |
| US08860643B2 |
Display device and driving method therefor
A display device includes an image signal modifier for modifying input image signals based on the difference between the input image signal for a pixel in a first row and the input image signal for the pixel in the adjacent row. The gate-on voltages includes a pre-charging voltage and a main charging voltage, the main charging voltage for the first row overlaps the pre-charging voltage for the second row and the pre-charging voltage for the first grow overlaps the main charging voltage for the second row for a predetermined time. The first data voltage is applied to the pixels of the first and second rows after application of the main charging gate-on voltage for the first row and the pre-charging gate-on voltage for the row, and the second data voltage is applied to the pixel of the second row after application of the main charging gate-on voltage for the second row. |
| US08860642B2 |
Display and weighted dot rendering method
The invention relates to a display and a weighted dot rendering method. The display comprises a plurality of pixel groups, each pixel group comprising a plurality of dots arranged in a predetermined identical matrix form, each pixel group having at least one first color dot, at least one second color dot and at least one third color dot, the pixel groups arranged in a matrix manner so as to form the display, wherein each color dot has a plurality of sides adjacent to the other dots with different color, and each color dot represents a luminance and a chrominance of a corresponding full color pixel data by grouping with neighboring dots to form a plurality of overlapping full color dynamics pixel groups. In contrast with conventional RGB stripe arrangement which has high spatial frequency in X axe but 0 spatial frequency in Y axe, the arrangements of the invention have good spatial frequency in both axes, thus giving a higher visual perception of high resolution after performing weighted dot rendering methods of the invention where each dot in the displays represent the luminance and chrominance of each corresponding RGB pixel by forming with neighboring dots overlapping dynamic pixels. |
| US08860634B2 |
Head mountable display
A head-mountable display (HMD) comprises a frame for mounting on a user's head, a camera mounted on the frame for capturing a view of the user's eyes, a motion detector for detecting motion of the HMD and for generating a motion signal representing a movement of the HMD with respect to time, and a controller. The controller estimates a distance between the user's eyes by capturing a relative separation of the user's eyes from an image of the user's eyes captured by the camera at a start position. The controller processes a motion period of the motion signal, and estimates a displacement of the user's eyes with respect to the frame. The HMD can adjust a relative position at which a first image is displayed to one eye and position at which a second image is displayed to the other eye for an improved viewing experience. |
| US08860631B2 |
Metamaterial
A metamaterial includes a plurality of first coiled resonators and a plurality of second coiled resonators, and an outer covering for fixing the positions of the first coiled resonators and the second coiled resonators. Each of the first coiled resonators and each of the second coiled resonators are disposed such that the central axes thereof differ from each other by 90 degrees. At the same time, adjacent first coiled resonators and second coiled resonators are disposed so as to be alternately linked in the shape of a chain. The first coiled resonators are disposed in a spatially continuous manner. |
| US08860624B2 |
Wireless explosion-proof apparatus
A wireless explosion-proof apparatus includes an antenna, an explosion-proof chamber, a communication module disposed in the explosion-proof chamber, the communication module configured to transmit and receive a wireless signal through the antenna, a connector portion having a central conductor, to which the antenna is electrically connected, the central conductor having one end connected to the communication module through a connection line and the other end exposed to the outside of the explosion-proof chamber, and a short stub module disposed in the explosion-proof chamber and disposed on the connection line, the short stub module configured to secure electric conduction between the one end of the central conductor and a ground so as to keep potential of the central conductor at certain potential. |
| US08860618B2 |
Internal FM antenna
An antenna for receiving and/or transmitting radio frequency signals in a predetermined frequency band, the antenna comprising: a first antenna portion comprising at least one conducting loop about a first material having an initial permeability of at least 4; and a second antenna portion embedded within a second material having a dielectric constant of at least 4; wherein the first and second antenna portions are electrically coupled together so as to form a compound antenna having a size such that the diameter of the smallest sphere which encloses all of the first and second antenna portions of the compound antenna is less than 1/30 of the wavelength of the radio frequency signals at the center of the predetermined frequency band. |
| US08860616B2 |
RFID-antenna system
An improved RFID antenna system using a first RFID antenna device (in the form of a magnetic antenna (15)) and using a second RFID antenna device (21, 21′) using a flat antenna is distinguished by the following features: the second RFID antenna device comprises one flat antenna (21, 21′) or a group antenna with at least two flat antennas (21, 21′), and the metal plane of the flat antenna (21, 21′) and/or the earth or reflector plane (31; 31.1; 31.2) is divided into metal, earth or reflector plane sections (31.1; 31.2) by slots, interruptions and or recesses (133), wherein the metal, earth or reflector sections (31.1; 31.2) are electrically conductively separated from one another or are electrically conductively connected to one another. |
| US08860614B2 |
Portable electronic device having an antenna system with a non-resonating structure
An antenna system for reception and transmission of radio frequency (RF) signals and a method for tuning the antenna system are provided. The antenna system includes a ground plane, a first element and a second element. The first element includes a driven unbalanced antenna element that resonates within at least one predetermined first frequency band to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals modulated at one or more frequencies within the at least one predetermined first frequency band. The second element is non-resonating within the at least one predetermined first frequency band and is located within an antenna volume of the first element to create a partial loop response within the antenna volume of the first element by capacitively coupling to the first element when connected to the ground plane. |
| US08860612B2 |
Antenna device for generating reconfigurable high-order mode conical beam
An antenna device for generating a reconfigurable high-order mode conical beam, includes a micro-strip radiator having multiple feeding points, wherein one of the feeding points is a fixed feeding point, and a feeding unit for providing two signals having a same amplitude and a preset phase difference, wherein one of the two signals is fed through the fixed feeding point and the other is fed through any one of remaining feeding points. A mode reconfigurable switching unit, connected to the feeding unit, performs a switching operation to select any one of the remaining feeding points so that the other signal is feed through the selected feeding point in accordance with mode control data. |
| US08860610B2 |
Adding multi-system functionalities to legacy navigation satellite system receivers
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for enabling a satellite-based navigation signal receiver to support multiple types of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). A legacy GNSS receiver can support a plurality of GNSS types by software upgrade and with a new/modified radio frequency (RF) chip. There is no need to completely redesign a navigation host chip to support the multiple GNSS types. This invention offers a cost-efficient multi-GNSS solution without sacrificing the navigation performance. A GNSS baseband controller controls synchronization of measurement time for digitized data along a first signal processing path for a legacy GNSS signal and a second signal processing path for a non-legacy GNSS signal. |
| US08860609B2 |
Loosely-coupled integration of global navigation satellite system and inertial navigation system
Techniques for loosely coupling a Global Navigation Satellite System (“GNSS”) and an Inertial Navigation System (“INS”) integration are disclosed herein. A system includes a GNSS receiver, an INS, and an integration filter coupled to the GNSS receiver and the INS. The GNSS receiver is configured to provide GNSS navigation information comprising GNSS receiver position and/or velocity estimates. The INS is configured to provide INS navigation information based on an inertial sensor output. The integration filter is configured to provide blended position information comprising a blended position estimate and/or a blended velocity estimate by combining the GNSS navigation information and the INS navigation information, and to estimate and compensate at least one of a speed bias and a heading bias of the INS navigation information. |
| US08860606B2 |
Radar sensor having interference signal compensation
Radar sensor having a mixer for mixing a received signal with a reference signal and having a device for compensating interference signals which would overload the mixer, wherein the device for compensating the interference signals has an adjustable reflection point at the reference input of the mixer. |
| US08860605B2 |
Method for estimating the position and the speed of a target with a radar emitting an OFDM waveform
A method for estimating the position and the speed of a target with a radar is provided. The radar emits a waveform including a train of pulses, each pulse having an OFDM chip constructed from subcarriers, the subcarriers covering the whole bandwidth of the radar. Upon receipt of the echoed pulses, some of the subcarriers are used in a step of Doppler processing, each of the subcarriers being fixed over the pulses. Upon receipt of the echoed pulses, other subcarriers, which are not used for Doppler processing, are used in a step of High Range Resolution processing, the subcarriers being randomly distributed over the pulses. |
| US08860602B2 |
Device and method for cognitive radar information network
In cognitive radar information networks (CRINs) human-like cognitive abilities of attention and intelligence are built into radar systems and radar information networks (RINS) to assist operators with information overload. A CRIN comprises a plurality of radar sensing nodes monitoring an environment, a repository or memory, and a cognitive radar controller. Each radar sensing node includes a radio frequency transmitter, a transmitting antenna, and a receiver and receiving antenna. The receiver includes a digital radar processor for generating receiver information from the received echoes about the environment. The repository is configured for receiving and storing the receiver information generated by the digital radar processor. The cognitive controller is configured to automatically focus the system's attention on a region of interest within the surveillance volume in response to an attention request, by selecting the transmitter's waveform, selecting the receiver's processing mode, and controlling the transmitter's antenna. The cognitive controller learns from the environment by exploiting the repository's historical receiver information and further learns from the consequences of its past decision. |
| US08860600B1 |
Successive-approximation-register analog-to-digital converter for programmably amplifying amplitude of input signal and method thereof
Disclosed are a successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for programmably amplifying an amplitude of an input signal and a method thereof. During a sampling phase, a bottom plate of at least one capacitor in a capacitor array is connected electrically to an input signal, so that the capacitor array samples and amplifies the input signal, so as to lower a required sampling capacitor or reduce noise generation. |
| US08860591B2 |
Analog digital converter
An ADC which samples an analog input signal at a sampling frequency and converts the analog input signal to a digital output signal, has N analog digital converter (ADC) channels which convert the analog input signal into the digital output signal by time interleaving, a channel synthesizer which synthesizes channel digital signals output respectively by the ADC channels to generate the digital output signal, an adaptive filter provided at at least one output of the ADC channels, and a correction circuit which generates a coefficient of the adaptive filter in accordance with the digital output signal. The correction circuit calculates a DC component of an image signal component, from among an analog input signal component and the image signal component corresponding to error, both being included in the digital output signal, and calculates the coefficient such that the DC component is suppressed on the basis of the DC component. |
| US08860589B1 |
Built-in self-healing without added physical redundancy in time-interleaved ADCs
Examples are provided for a time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with built-in self-healing. The ADC may include multiple ADC slices. Each ADC slice may be configured to operate in one of a normal or a healing mode of operation. In the normal mode of operation, each ADC slice may convert an input analog signal to a single digital output signal in response to a clock signal associated with the ADC slice. In the healing mode of operation, each ADC slice may be operable to convert the input analog signal to two or more digital output signals in response to two or more clock signals. One or more of the digital output signals may replace one or more output signals of failed ADC slices. A first clock signal may be associated with the ADC slice. A second clock signal may be associated with another ADC slice of the plurality of ADC slices. |
| US08860586B2 |
Test arrangement for a laser threats identifying system of an aircraft
A test arrangement for a laser threats identifying system of an aircraft comprises optical detecting means (10), adapted to pick up threat light beams (B) impinging on the aircraft (12) from a plurality of surrounding space sectors, and a threat warning unit (30), adapted to receive a plurality of actual optical signals indicative of at least one of the threat beams (B) through a plurality of optical channels (20), and arranged for comparing the actual signals with a predetermined library of reference optical signals representing known threats. The test arrangement includes a light emitting source (L) arranged for selectively generating a plurality of predetermined optical signals for simulating virtual threats (S1-Sn), and a plurality of optical guides (F1-Fn) for the simulation signals (S1-Sn), directly coupled with the source (L) and adapted to be connected to the aforementioned optical channels (20—120_n) for selectively stimulating the threat warning unit (30). |
| US08860584B1 |
Athletic-wear having integral measuring sensors
A performance measuring system integrated with an article of clothing, the system has a computing unit for coordinating, processing and transmission of sensor data connected to a bus and an antenna. A sensor for measuring performance characteristics is connected to the bus; the bus facilitates transmission and reception of control and data values between the computing unit and the sensor. Also, an antenna is connected to the computing unit for communicating with other computing devices and transmission of sensor data. The other computing devices display the sensor data to a user or forward the sensor data onto another communication media such as the internet or interactive television. A social networking system sharing athletic statistics using a webservice, a personal processing unit connectable to the webservice, and a computing unit having an activity program for at least one sensor. This system has an activity update service integrally associated with the webservice. |
| US08860581B2 |
Element mapping to control illumination of a device shell
An interactive electronic device shell and light source may enable personalization and increased functionality of an electronic device. The shell may at least partially cover a light source and attach to an electronic device. The shell includes at least some transparent or translucent portions (e.g., light stencils) that enable light from a matrix of the light source to emit through the shell, thus causing a display of light from the shell. In some aspects, the electronic device may be linked with the shell and/or the light source to control light emission through the shell. In various aspects, an illumined portion of the shell may have significance, such as revealing an artistic design or indicating a message based on activity of the electronic device. |
| US08860580B1 |
System for protecting against theft of metal wire and other objects
Apparatus and method for protecting against theft of wiring or other object formed of electrically conductive material in which the object is connected to a source of electrical power. The voltage of the object is sensed by a voltage sensor and a transmitter actuated when the voltage sensor detects a voltage change in the object. |
| US08860579B1 |
Illegal drug detector and method of its use
An illegal drug sensing device provides a sensor coupled to a processor which evaluates the likely presence of illegal drug consumption and/or manufacture at a particular location. Upon the processor determining that such a condition is likely, an alarm is transmitted to at least one of locally or remotely such as through wired or wireless systems which are employed to alert at least one interested party such as the authorities (i.e., the police department) or a land owner of the likely presence of illegal drug activity at the premises. |
| US08860577B1 |
Motion-activated hunting light
The motion-activated hunting light includes a telescoping tripod that includes a plurality of motion sensors that are directed around the tripod in order to form 360 degrees of surveillance. The motion-activated hunting light includes a red light that is illuminated once at least one of the motion sensors is activated. The red light may illuminate for a pre-determined amount of time, and provides a warning to persons in the immediate vicinity of the hunting light. After a pre-determined amount of time of illumination of the red light, at least one spotlight shall illuminate in order to alert a hunter to the presence of a wild game. An optional speaker may work in conjunction with the spotlight to provide an audible alarm or to broadcast sounds that lure in a predatory animal and work as an audible luring means. |
| US08860575B2 |
Flexible identification systems and related methods
Embodiments of flexible identification systems are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein. |
| US08860571B2 |
Emergency responder accountability alarm
A system includes a slave device associated with a unique identifier and a master device in communication with the slave device. In response to receiving from the slave device a status signal indicating an emergency event associated with the slave device, the master device is configured to determine a status of the slave device, receive, from a personnel database, personnel information associated with the personnel identifier, generate an alarm signal containing the personnel information, and transmit the alarm signal with the personnel information to a medical facility computing system. The alarm signal is based at least in part on the status of the slave device. The slave device includes a processor configured to access the personnel identifier from a memory device, generate a status signal that includes the personnel identifier, and transmit the status signal to the master device. |
| US08860570B2 |
Portable wireless personal head impact reporting system
A system for sensing, analyzing and reporting a collision event experienced by a person or object sensor module designed to a person or object, module angular velocities over time and a processor for analyzing the sensed velocities, calculating properties of angular velocities, such as jerk and jolt, comparing these properties with threshold values selected to correlate to predicted severities of injury to the person or object, transmitting information regarding these properties to communication device user-designated persons. Also provided are group tracking and communication devices for use by monitors to manage multiple persons equipped with sensor modules. The sensor modules and group tracking and communication devices are designed to be portable, attachable and detachable so that they can be attached to different types of gear used by persons engaging in different activities. |
| US08860569B2 |
Automatic detection and offloading of data logger sensed data
Automatically detecting a wireless data logger with a multi-network wireless mobile gateway via low energy radio network-based proximity detection enables automatically transferring data logger sensed data that includes a portion of previously logged data from the wireless data logger via the low energy network to the multi-network mobile wireless gateway for further transfer from the multi-network wireless mobile gateway to a host via a second network. |
| US08860565B2 |
Information display system and method
An efficiency gauge from a vehicle information display may incorporate vehicle range information in addition to an efficiency indicator. The range information may be displayed as an area on the efficiency gauge indicating a safe operating region for average driving in order for the vehicle to reach a target destination entered by a driver before an on-board energy source is depleted. By maintaining a vehicle's average trip efficiency within the safe operating region through driving behavior, the display may convey that the vehicle will be able to make it to the target destination. Over the course of a trip, the safe operating region may be constantly updated to reflect the current state of the battery and the remaining distance to the target destination. If no target information is received, a default target distance value based on an initial distance to empty estimation may be used. |
| US08860564B2 |
Risk management in a vehicle anti-collision system
Device, system and method, in a vehicle communication system, of transmitting a risk value in a message, wherein the risk value identifies quantitatively a risk of vehicle collision. Embodiments determine risk value by combining sub-risk values wherein sub-risks comprise: (i) vehicle behavior; (ii) weather and road conditions; (iii) current traffic; and (iv) location history. Embodiments include driver warnings responsive to the risk value in a received message. Embodiments include a collision type in a message. Embodiments include unique features of: risk is applicable to receiving vehicles; risk is applicable to a geographical region; computation and storage of location histories; messages free of IP and MAC addresses; haptic devices used for driver warning. |
| US08860563B2 |
Haptic effect conversion system using granular synthesis
A system is provided that converts an input, such as audio data, into one or more haptic effects. The system applies a granular synthesis algorithm to the input in order to generate a haptic signal. The system subsequently outputs the one or more haptic effects based on the generated haptic signal. The system can also shift a frequency of the input, and also filter the input, before the system applies the granular synthesis algorithm to the input. |
| US08860562B2 |
Self adapting haptic device
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that allow an electronic device to autonomously adapt one or more user alerts of the electronic device. For example, some embodiments may include a method for operating a haptic device including driving a haptic device using a control signal, measuring a frequency related to the operation of the haptic device and comparing the measured frequency with a target frequency. A control signal is adjusted based on the comparison to drive the haptic device to the target frequency. |
| US08860560B2 |
Medication history management system and method
The present invention discloses a medication history management system and method. The medication management system includes: a mobile terminal; a medicine storage apparatus which is operably connected to the mobile terminal and stores medicines; and a medication management server which is connected to the mobile terminal via a network, provides a medicine loading request message for requesting a user to load a medicine in the medicine storage apparatus to the user through the mobile terminal when the user who must take the medicine will go out, and provides a medication request message for requesting the user to take the medicine stored in the medicine storage apparatus to the user through the mobile terminal when it is time to take the medicine. |
| US08860559B2 |
Power supply device
There is provided a power supply apparatus capable of supplying information as a power line communication signal superimposed on a voltage of a commercial frequency, although currents of the commercial frequency are not supplied to power receiving side external equipment, and capable of supplying power to a specific external apparatus together with the power line communication signal, by controlling supply of the currents of the commercial frequency to the external apparatus. This apparatus includes at least a power receiving section that receives the supply of the power from a power line; a power line communicating section that superimposes the power line communication signal on the voltage, which is supplied to the power receiving section, and transmits the power line communication signal to the equipment; and a power supply limiting section which is installed between the power receiving section and the equipment, allows the power line communication signal to pass and limits the supply of the power to the equipment. |
| US08860556B2 |
Method and system for the secure detection of an RFID electronic tag
The invention relates to a method and a system for the secure detection of an RFID electronic tag (ET1). This detection system comprises a read/write station (1), said station (1) comprising first processing means (12) and second processing means (13), the first processing means (12) and the second processing means (13) making it possible to read in parallel control data (CD) previously written in the RFID electronic tag (ET1) when the RFID electronic tag (ET1) is located within range of the station. The station controls the state of the machine according to the processing performed. |
| US08860552B2 |
Flexible straps having embedded RFID reader antenna modules
The present invention relates to a strap device for a curtain or a flexible door, said straps having embedded RFID reader antenna modules and different MEMS and MOEMS sensors that make it possible to detect the direction of the objects passing through the gate and also detect the size of the objects so as to modulate the switching of the radiating elements of antennas on the basis of the position of the objects being read. The device also has embedded biosensors that measure in parallel the presence of toxic substances or materials. The device according to the invention has an LED or OLED and PHOLED display means embedded in the strap, more specifically, in a flexible material of the strap. The invention is particularly intended for the qualitative and quantitative traceability of materials passing through a logistical check gate. The device is intended for all places already having curtains with flexible straps, into which it is easily embedded. The device is suitable for all existing RFID readers. |
| US08860548B2 |
Methods and apparatus for art supply useage compliance
Techniques are addressed for providing young children with an art experience in which opportunities to misuse art supplies, such as crayons, markers and the like are substantially reduced. To such ends, an art supply system is provided in which selectively enabled art supplies are automatically enabled so that they are useable only within a compliant usage zone, such as within a predetermined distance of an acceptable work surface. |
| US08860547B2 |
Control terminal
A wearable control terminal for allowing a user to control a target object includes a contact detector, an impact detector, a motion detector, and a transmitter. The contact detector is mounted on a surface of a first portion of a user's body to detect whether the first portion is in contact with or separated from a second portion of the body based on whether a closed loop conducting path is formed with the first portion and the second portion. The impact detector detects an impact on the control terminal. The motion detector detects a motion of the user based on the results of detection by the contact detector and the impact detector. The transmitter transmits a control signal to the target object according to the detected motion. |
| US08860546B2 |
Magnetic device
A magnetic device including a first magnetic core is disclosed. The first magnetic core includes a base having a first edge; a first contacting structure disposed on the base; and a second contacting structure disposed on the base, wherein a distance between an inner surface of the first contacting structure and the first edge is larger than a distance between an inner surface of the second contacting structure and the first edge. |
| US08860541B2 |
Electromagnetic coil assemblies having braided lead wires and methods for the manufacture thereof
Embodiments of an electromagnetic coil assembly are provided, as are methods for the manufacture of an electromagnetic coil assembly. In one embodiment, the electromagnetic coil assembly includes a body of dielectric material, a coiled magnet wire at least partially embedded within the body of dielectric material, a braided lead wire extending into the body of dielectric material to the coiled magnet wire, and a joint buried within the body of dielectric material and mechanically and electrically coupling the braided lead wire and the coiled magnet wire. |
| US08860540B2 |
Stationary induction electric apparatus and manufacturing method thereof
A stationary induction electric apparatus includes a porcelain tube, a connection conductor, a conductor, a casing, a lead, a terminal, a spacer, an electric connection member and a first and a second insulating medium. The connection conductor is disposed at one end of the porcelain tube. The conductor is disposed in the porcelain tube, and connected to the connection conductor. The casing covers a stationary induction electric apparatus main body, and has an opening part. The lead extends from the main body to the opening part. The terminal is disposed at an end part of the lead. The spacer seals the other end of the porcelain tube and the opening part. The member includes an electrode connected to the terminal and a joint part connected to the conductor, and penetrates the spacer. The first and second insulating media are respectively filled in the porcelain tube and the casing. |
| US08860527B2 |
Equalizer circuit and printed circuit board
An equalizer circuit includes a passive equalizer having an inductor connected in parallel to a signal interconnection line, the inductor being made up of a conductor portion formed on a side face of a through-hole of a circuit board. |
| US08860524B2 |
Polar modulator
A polar modulator of the present invention includes: a first function block which generates an amplitude signal and a phase signal; a second function block which adjusts the signal delay between the amplitude signal and the phase signal; a third function block which allows the low frequency component of the amplitude signal to pass therethrough; a fourth function block which modulates the phase of the phase signal; a fifth function block which outputs a modulation voltage, based on the amplitude signal; a sixth function block which modulates the amplitude of the phase signal, based on the modulation voltage; a seventh function block which measures the temperature of at least one function block; and an eighth function block which calculates a compensation amount for the signal delay, based on the measured temperature. The second function block adjusts the signal delay, based on the compensation amount. |
| US08860522B2 |
Phase and amplitude modulator
A modulator for an electrical signal comprises a data input port and a clock frequency input port. The modulator also comprises a first phase shifter for subjecting input clock frequency signals to a phase shift and adapted to keep the phase of an input clock frequency signal aligned with the phase of a data stream which is input at the data input port. The modulator also comprises a first XOR gate with an output port, to which first XOR gate said input ports of the modulator are connected, by means of which a BPSK signal is created at the output port when a first data stream is connected to the data input port and a first clock frequency signal is connected to the clock frequency input port. |
| US08860516B2 |
Piezoelectric oscillator and transmitter
A piezoelectric oscillator includes: a piezoelectric resonator element having a piezoelectric substrate and an excitation electrode formed on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate; a semiconductor circuit element provided with an oscillation circuit for oscillating the piezoelectric resonator element and having a first insulating film formed on a principal surface; a package for airtightly housing the semiconductor circuit element and the piezoelectric resonator element; and a protruding section having at least of a thin film circuit component formed on the first insulating film and connected to the oscillation circuit; and a second insulating film formed on the first insulating film and covering the thin film circuit component. In the oscillator, the piezoelectric resonator element is fixed to an upper surface of the protruding section. |
| US08860514B2 |
Time-interleaved digital-to-time converter
A fractional-N divider supplies a divided clock signal. An adjusted divided clock signal is generated in a digital-to-time converter circuit having a delay linearly proportional to digital quantization errors of the fractional-N divider. The adjusted divided clock signal is generated based on first and second capacitors charging to a predetermined level. The charging of the first and second capacitors is interleaved in alternate periods of the divided clock. The charging of each capacitor with a current corresponding to respective digital quantization errors is interleaved with charging with a fixed current. A first edge of a first pulse of the adjusted divided clock signal is generated in response to the first capacitor charging to a predetermined voltage and a first edge of a next pulse of the adjusted divided clock signal is generated in response to the second capacitor charging to the predetermined voltage. |
| US08860512B2 |
Ring Oscillator, mobile communications device, and method
A ring oscillator includes a ring of a plurality of delay elements and a start edge injector for injecting a start edge into the ring. The start edge injector varies an injection point for the start edge in the ring. |
| US08860511B2 |
Frequency divider and PLL circuit
A frequency divider of an injection locked type capable of division by 2, division by 4, and further division by 8 with a simpler configuration is disclosed and the frequency divider includes a ring oscillator including M (M is an even number) delay elements, the tails of two delay elements M/2 delay elements apart from each other are connected to a differential pair and transistors, to the gates of which the input oscillation signal is applied, are connected to the differential pair, and the differential pair is caused to generate a differential signal of the input oscillation signal, which is a divide-by-2 signal of the input oscillation signal, and when dividing the frequency of the input oscillation signal by 8, the portion of the differential pair to be connected to the tail of the delay element is caused to have a two-stage configuration, which is a vertically stacked configuration. |
| US08860510B2 |
Bias control for push-pull amplifier arrangement
An amplification stage comprising: a combiner to generate a sum input signal by combining a voltage signal with a DC bias voltage; a subtractor to generate a difference input signal by subtracting the voltage signal from the DC bias voltage; a first transistor for generating a first part of an amplifier output signal from the sum input signal; a second transistor for generating a second part of an amplifier output signal from the difference input signal; a combiner for combining the first and second parts of the amplifier output signal; a sensing circuit arranged to sense a current flowing in each of the first and second transistors; a control circuit arranged to determine the quiescent current of the first and second transistors in dependence on the sensed currents; and an adjustment circuit arranged to adjust the DC bias voltage in order to minimize variation in the quiescent current. |
| US08860509B2 |
Clipping circuit, differential amplifying circuit, and amplifying circuit
A clipping circuit includes: a first input terminal which receives a first signal, a second input terminal which receives a second signal, and a first variable resistive element which has a control terminal electrically connected to the second input terminal and which has a threshold, wherein first and second ends of the first variable resistive element are connected to first input terminal and a reference voltage, respectively. The clipping circuit also includes a second variable resistive element which has a control terminal electrically connected to the first input terminal and which has a threshold, wherein first and second ends of the second variable resistive element are connected to a second input terminal and the reference voltage, respectively. In addition, a first bias applying unit applies a bias voltage lower than the threshold to the control terminal regarding the first variable resistive element, and a second bias applying unit applies a bias voltage lower than the threshold to the control terminal regarding the second variable resistive element. |
| US08860508B1 |
Digitally controlled wideband variable gain amplifier
A variable gain amplifier having a stacked configuration of cascode connected groups of NPN transistors is arranged in a compact schematic design. A differential radio frequency input signal is received at input nodes which is directed to a fine gain control circuit which conducts at least a portion of the received RF signal to a coarse gain control circuit that is downstream of the fine gain control circuit. The coarse gain control circuit steers current to an output node. Gain control circuits include transistor pairs. The base electrodes of each transistor pair receive inverse control signals which cause only one of the transistors in the transistor pair to conduct current. Collector electrodes of each first transistor of the pair is coupled to a downstream node in the VGA circuit, while collector electrodes of each second transistor of the pair is shunted to the voltage rail. |
| US08860504B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring biological signal
An apparatus for measuring a biological signal of a body, the apparatus including; at least three interfaces which obtain signals from the body, a signal application unit which applies a signal having a frequency which is higher than one of a frequency of interest of the biological signal to one of a first interface from among the at least three interfaces, and one of a plurality of internal elements of the apparatus, a feedback signal generation unit which generates a feedback signal from component signals generated due to the applied signal, wherein the feedback signal generation unit generates the feedback signal using a signal obtained from at least one of a second interface and a third interface from among the at least three interfaces and an input control unit which receives the generated feedback signal and controls a signal input from at least one of the second interface and third interface to an amplifier. |
| US08860503B2 |
Floating bias generator
In various embodiments a circuit is provided which may include a node at which a circuit potential may be provided; an alternating voltage providing circuit configured to provide a DC current free alternating voltage; a rectifier coupled to the alternating voltage providing circuit, the rectifier including a first rectifier terminal and a second rectifier terminal, wherein the first rectifier terminal or the second rectifier terminal may be coupled to the node; and a first output terminal and a second output terminal, wherein the first output terminal may be coupled to the first rectifier terminal to provide a first potential and wherein the second output terminal may be coupled to the second rectifier terminal to provide a second potential different from the first potential, the difference between the first potential and the second potential defining an output voltage, wherein the output voltage may be constant independent of the circuit potential. |
| US08860501B2 |
Charge pump with a power-controlled clock buffer to reduce power consumption and output voltage ripple
A charge pump system includes a charge pump that receives its clock signals, generated by an oscillator circuit, though a clock buffer. The clock buffer is power-controlled to reduce power consumption and output voltage ripple. The buffer is formed of a series of inverter that are connected to the power supply level through a clamping element, such as a transistor whose gate is controlled by a regulation signal based on feedback from the pump's output. |
| US08860500B2 |
Charge transfer apparatus and method
An apparatus for transferring charge has a first charge pump path with a plurality of stages having first capacitors, and a second charge pump path, also with a plurality of stage having second capacitors, in parallel with the first charge pump path. The first and second charge pump paths are coupled to share a common output node. The apparatus also has a timing circuit coupled with the first and second charge pump paths. Among other things, the timing circuit is configured to cause at least one of the first capacitors to periodically charge at least one of the second capacitors. |
| US08860494B2 |
Half-bridge circuits employing normally on switches and methods of preventing unintended current flow therein
A method for rendering a half-bridge circuit containing normally on switches such as junction field effect transistors (JFETs) inherently safe from uncontrolled current flow is described. The switches can be made from silicon carbide or from silicon. The methods described herein allow for the use of better performing normally on switches in place of normally off switches in integrated power modules thereby improving the efficiency, size, weight, and cost of the integrated power modules. As described herein, a power supply can be added to the gate driver circuitry. The power supply can be self starting and self oscillating while being capable of deriving all of its source energy from the terminals supplying electrical potential to the normally on switch through the gate driver. The terminal characteristics of the normally on switch can then be coordinated to the input-to-output characteristics of the power supply. |
| US08860490B2 |
System and method of controlling devices operating within different voltage ranges
Semiconductor devices, systems, and methods are disclosed to facilitate power management. A method includes operating a first voltage range island of a semiconductor device within a first voltage range. The first voltage range includes a first midpoint. The first voltage range is provided in part by a voltage source that includes a tracking voltage regulator. The method also includes operating a second voltage range island of the semiconductor device within a second voltage range. The second voltage range includes a second midpoint. The first voltage range is different than the second voltage range. |
| US08860489B2 |
Voltage level shift circuit for multiple voltage integrated circuits
An over-driver, voltage level shift circuit for use with multiple voltage integrated circuits. The voltage level shift circuit includes a first pair of PMOS transistors, a second pair PMOS transistors and a third pair of PMOS transistors using a high supply voltage source VDDH and a low supply voltage source to voltage level shift input signals having a first voltage operating range to an output signal having a second voltage operating range higher then the first voltage operating range. Some embodiments include a fourth set of transistors and a fifth set of transistors to receive a medium supply voltage source VDDM between the high supply voltage source VDDH and a low supply voltage source and another set of input signals operating a voltage operating range different than the first operating range. The voltage level shift circuit selectably switches between a plurality of different voltage operating ranges for the second voltage operating range. |
| US08860485B2 |
Nonvolatile latch circuit and logic circuit, and semiconductor device using the same
To provide a novel nonvolatile latch circuit and a semiconductor device using the nonvolatile latch circuit, a nonvolatile latch circuit includes a latch portion having a loop structure where an output of a first element is electrically connected to an input of a second element, and an output of the second element is electrically connected to an input of the first element; and a data holding portion for holding data of the latch portion. In the data holding portion, a transistor using an oxide semiconductor as a semiconductor material for forming a channel formation region is used as a switching element. In addition, an inverter electrically connected to a source electrode or a drain electrode of the transistor is included. With the transistor, data held in the latch portion can be written into a gate capacitor of the inverter or a capacitor which is separately provided. |
| US08860481B1 |
Reducing charge imbalance in a charge pump of a phase locked loop (PLL) through maintaining an output node thereof at a same voltage as a bypass node thereof
A method includes providing an active circuit element in a feedback path between an output node and a bypass node of a charge pump of a Phase Locked Loop (PLL). The bypass node is a node to which a charge current or a discharge current is steered to by the charge pump when neither charging the output node nor discharging the output node is required. The method also includes servoing the bypass node to the output node through the active circuit element in the feedback path to maintain a same voltage at the output node and the bypass node when neither the charging of the output node nor the discharging of the output node is required. |
| US08860480B2 |
Circuit for clamping current in a charge pump
A circuit for clamping current in a charge pump is disclosed. The charge pump includes switching circuitry having a number of switching circuitry transistors. Each of first and second pairs of transistors in the circuit can provide an additional path for current from its associated one of the switching circuitry transistors during off-switching of that transistor so that a spike in current from the switching circuitry transistor is only partially transmitted through a path extending between the switching circuitry transistor and a capacitor of the charge pump. |
| US08860476B2 |
Semiconductor device using multi-phase clock signal and information processing system including the same
Disclosed herein is a device that includes a delay line that includes n delay circuits cascade-connected and delays an input clock signal by k cycles, and a routing circuit that generates multi-phase clock signals having different phases based on at least a part of n output clock signals output from the n delay circuits, respectively. The n and the k are both integers more than 1 and a greatest common divisor thereof is 1. |
| US08860473B2 |
Ringing suppression circuit
A ringing suppression circuit for a communication circuit that performs communication through a transmission line includes a high side switch connected between a high potential reference point and a high side line of the transmission line, a low side switch connected between a low potential reference point and a low side line of the transmission line, and a ringing suppression section. The ringing suppression section turns on the high side switch based on a difference between a potential of the high side line and a potential applied to a control terminal of the high side switch. The ringing suppression section turns on the low side switch based on a difference between a potential of the low side line and a potential applied to a control terminal of the low side switch. |
| US08860472B2 |
Power switch driving circuits and switching mode power supply circuits thereof
In one embodiment, a power switch driving circuit can include: (i) a first circuit configured receiving a control signal, and controlling a first transistor gate, where a first transistor source is coupled to a power supply, and a first transistor drain is coupled to a driving signal configured to control a power switch; (ii) a second circuit configured to receive the control signal, and to control a second transistor gate, where a second transistor source is coupled to ground, and a second transistor drain is coupled to the driving signal; and (iii) a driving enhancement circuit having a third transistor and a first inverter that is configured to invert an output of the first circuit to control a third transistor gate, where a third transistor source is coupled to the driving signal, and a third transistor drain is coupled to the power supply. |
| US08860470B1 |
Input/output line driver circuit
Input/output (I/O) line driving circuits are provided. The circuit includes a first I/O line driver and a second I/O line driver. The first I/O line driver receives a first input signal in response to an enable signal to generate a first control signal and drives a first I/O line in response to a second control signal. The second I/O line driver receives a second input signal in response to the enable signal to generate the second control signal and drives a second I/O line in response to the first control signal. |
| US08860469B1 |
Apparatus and methods for transmitter output swing calibration
Disclosed are apparatus and methods to advantageously calibrate a transmitter output swing. One embodiment relates to a method for calibrating the output swing voltage of a transmitter. A fixed value is provided as the data input, and output swing calibration circuitry is connected to the transmitter buffer circuit. A transmitter current is set to an initial level, and the transmitter current is adjusted until the output swing of the transmitter buffer circuit is calibrated. Another embodiment relates to an integrated circuit which includes a transmitter buffer circuit, output swing calibration circuitry, and switches arranged to electrically connect the transmitter buffer circuit to the output swing calibration circuitry during an output swing calibration mode. Another embodiment relates to an output swing calibration circuit which includes comparison circuitry and logic and control circuitry. |
| US08860468B1 |
Clock multiplexer
A clock multiplexer includes first and second input stages for outputting first and second clock signals, respectively. The first and second input stages each include a flip-flop, a latch and a first logic gate. Reset terminals of the flip-flops receive a select signal based on which the first and second input stages output the first and second clock signals. A second logic gate is connected to the first and second input stages for selectively providing the first and second clock signals as an output clock signal. |
| US08860467B2 |
Biased bang-bang phase detector for clock and data recovery
An apparatus includes a plurality of phase detector circuits and a summing circuit. Each of the plurality of phase detector circuits may be configured to generate a phase up signal and a phase down signal in response to a respective pair of data samples and intervening transition sample. The summing circuit may be configured to generate an adjustment signal in response to the phase up and phase down signals of the plurality of phase detector circuits. A sum of the phase up signals and a sum of the phase down signals are weighted to provide a bias to a phase adjustment. |
| US08860466B2 |
Electronic device and methode for implementing logic functions and for guiding charged particles
A device and method are presented for implementing one or more logic functions. The device comprises one or more basic blocks, each comprising a predetermined number of charged particle inputs, at least one interaction zone defining a function space, and at least one charged particle output at a certain distance from the interaction zone. The logic function is a result of an affected interaction between the charged particles. |
| US08860465B2 |
Protecting data from decryption from power signature analysis in secure applications
Disclosed is a novel circuit able to generate any logic combination possible as a function of the input logic signals. The circuit is described as a 2 input logistic map circuit but may be expanded to 3 or more inputs as required. Further disclosed is a universal logic array with variable circuit topology. A metallization layer and/or a via interconnection between cells in the array elements produce a circuit topology that implements a Boolean function and/or chaotic function and/or a logic function. The novel circuit provides a circuit topology for secure applications with no obvious physical correspondence between control signal values and input to output mapping. Further disclosed is a network which has a power signature independent of input signal state and output transition. This provides a very useful circuit to protect data from decryption from power signature analysis in secure applications. |
| US08860460B1 |
Programmable integrated circuits with redundant circuitry
Integrated circuits with repairable logic regions are provided. Each logic region may be organized into a predetermined number of rows of logic circuitry, one of which serves as a spare row. A repairable region may be operable in normal mode or redundant mode. In normal mode, the spare row is deactivated. When one of the logic region rows contains defective circuitry, that logic region is operated in redundant mode so that each row below the bad row is shifted down by one row and the spare row is engaged to serve as the last row to repair that region. Each row may include a multiplexer and an associated driver that drives a corresponding vertical routing segment from one row to the next. Each vertical routing segment has the option of being driven by its logically equivalent vertical wire in the immediate preceding row by configuring the corresponding multiplexer. |
| US08860455B2 |
Methods and systems to measure a signal on an integrated circuit die
Methods and systems to measure a signal on an integrated circuit die. An on-die measurement circuit may measure an on-die signal relative to an off-die generated reference signal, which may include a series of increasing voltage steps. The on-die measurement circuit may continuously compare voltages of the on-die signal and the off-die generated reference signal, and may generate an indication when the off-die reference signal exceeds the on-die signal. The measurement circuit may generate the indication from a voltage source other than the on-die signal to be measured, and/or may generate the indication with a relatively large voltage swing. The indication may be output off-die for evaluation, such as for testing, debugging, characterization, and/or operational monitoring. A unity gain analog buffer may be provided to tap the on-die signal proximate to a node of interest, which may be implemented within the on-die measurement circuit. |
| US08860453B2 |
Test adapter configuration for testing a communication device
The invention provides a base plate for a test adapter for use in testing devices in a production line. The base plate comprises a first interface configured to connect to a product-specific part configured to receive and test a specific type of device under test, and a second interface configured to connect to a common part comprising testing elements common to various devices under test. The base plate is a printed wiring board arranged to couple signals from the common part to the device under test. |
| US08860451B2 |
Jig for semiconductor test
A jig for use in a semiconductor test includes: a base on which a probe pin and an insulating material are placed, the insulating material surrounding the probe pin in plan view; and a stage arranged to face a surface of the base on which the probe pin and the insulating material are placed. The stage is capable of holding a test object on a surface of the stage facing the base. When the base and the stage move in a direction in which they go closer to each other while the test object is placed on the stage, the probe pin comes into contact with an electrode formed on the test object and the insulating material comes into contact with the test object. |
| US08860446B2 |
Multiple contact test probe
A probe apparatus may include a plurality of probe pins attached to a probe head portion. Each of the probe pins may be independently movable relative to the probe head portion. |
| US08860442B2 |
Method of determining a sensitivity of a biosensor arrangement, and biosensor sensitivity determining system
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method of determining or adjusting the sensitivity of a biosensor arrangement comprising at least one field effect biosensor is provided, each of the at least one field effect biosensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate comprising a source region, a drain region and a channel region disposed between the source region and the drain region; a gate isolation layer covering the channel region; and a reference electrode disposed over the gate isolation layer such that a electrolytic solution to be sensed can be provided between the reference electrode and the gate isolation layer. The method comprises the following processes carried out for each field effect biosensor: providing an electrolytic solution between the reference electrode and the gate isolation layer; applying a source/drain voltage between the source region and the drain region; varying a reference voltage supplied to the reference electrode over a voltage range; measuring a resulting drain current while varying the reference voltage in order to obtain a corresponding drain current function; and determining the sensitivity of the field effect biosensor based on the reference voltage supplied to the reference electrode and the corresponding drain current function. |
| US08860440B2 |
Scheme to achieve robustness to electromagnetic interference in inertial sensors
A capacitive sensor system and method resistant to electromagnetic interference is disclosed. The system includes a capacitive core, differential amplifier with inverting and non-inverting inputs, capacitive paths, and chopping system. Core can include inputs and outputs coupled to variable capacitors, and common nodes coupling variable capacitors. Capacitive paths couple core outputs to amplifier inputs. When chopping system is high, one polarity voltage is applied to core inputs, a first core output is coupled to the inverting input and a second core output is coupled to the non-inverting input. When the chopping system is low, opposite polarity voltage is applied to core inputs, and core output to amplifier input couplings are flipped. Capacitive paths can include bond wires. Chopping system can be varied between high and low at frequencies that smear noise away from a frequency band of interest, or that smear noise substantially evenly across a wide frequency range. |
| US08860437B2 |
Readout system for MEMS-based capacitive accelerometers and strain sensors, and method for reading
A method and an electronic readout circuit for measuring a capacitance of a MEMS sensor are disclosed. In one aspect, the readout circuit includes: an input stage for receiving a first signal from the sensor and for presenting a second signal; a charge amplifier stage for amplifying and integrating the second signal; and a control logic for controlling the readout circuit according to a predefined timing relation synchronized to actuation voltages applied to the sensor for generating the first signal. The readout circuit may further includes a first switching unit for applying a first reference voltage to the sensor and a second switching unit for applying the second signal to the charge amplifier stage, wherein the first and the second switching units are controlled according to the predefined timing relation such that a plurality of the second signals are accumulated. |
| US08860434B2 |
Method of measuring scattering parameters of device under test
A method of measuring scattering parameters (S-parameters) of a device under test (DUT) is provided in the present disclosure. The S-parameters of the DUT with two connectors of different standards may be obtained without performing a full two-port calibration using an adapter kit. Two one-port calibrations are performed in the present disclosure to build two error models, the first one of which includes the characteristics of one-port of a network analyzer and a cable, the second one of which further includes the characteristics of the DUT. Therefore, the characteristics of the DUT may be obtained by removing the characteristics of the first error model from the second error model. |
| US08860429B2 |
System and method for detecting sensor leakage
A test system for testing a sensor system includes a high-impedance resistor for forming a voltage divider with any corrosion or foreign substance that might be present between a signal conductor and a ground conductor. While a voltage is applied across the voltage divider, the voltage can be measured across the high-impedance resistor for determining whether an undesirable amount of conductance exists between the signal wire and ground. The test system also includes switching means for switching between any number of signal wires of a system undergoing testing. |
| US08860428B2 |
Apparatus and method for recognizing an error in a power bridge circuit
An apparatus and a method for recognizing an error in a power bridge circuit containing a load, a high-side branch and a low-side branch. Accordingly, a first switched current source is connected to the load and to a diagnosis connection for a high-potential of a diagnosis voltage, a second switched current source is connected to the load and to a diagnosis connection for a low-potential of the diagnosis voltage, and a control device for controlling the first switched current source and the second switched current source. The control device switches on one of the switched current sources when the high-side power switch and the low-side power switch are open, while the other switched current source is switched off. A testing device tests a voltage at the load when one of the switched current sources is switched on and the other of the switched current sources is switched off. |
| US08860425B2 |
Defect detection on characteristically capacitive circuit nodes
A test circuit for detecting a leakage defect in a circuit under test includes a test stimulus circuit operative to drive an otherwise defect-free, characteristically capacitive node in the circuit under test to a prescribed voltage level, and an observation circuit having at least one threshold and adapted for connection with at least one node in the circuit under test. The observation circuit is operative to detect a voltage level of the node in the circuit under test and to generate an output signal indicative of whether the voltage level of the node is less than the threshold. The voltage level of the node being less than the threshold is indicative of a first type of leakage defect, and the voltage level of the node being greater than the threshold is indicative of a second type of leakage defect. |
| US08860422B2 |
Method for detecting the voltage in battery cells
The invention relates to an evaluation circuit for detecting the voltage in battery cells of a battery system which are preferably connected in series. The evaluation circuit includes serially connected resistors, the number of which is equal to the number of battery cells for which the voltage is to be detected. One of the resistors is associated with each of the battery cells. The evaluation circuit further includes a power source for generating a current that is continuous in some sections and is applied to the serially connected resistors, a number of comparators equal to the number of resistors to compare a voltage released at a resistor associated with a battery cell to the voltage in the battery cell with which the resistor is associated, and output a respective output signal when the voltage released at a resistor associated with a battery cell is equal to, exceeds, or drops below the voltage in the battery cell, and an evaluation circuit for deriving the voltage in each battery cell on the basis of a point in time when the respective output signal is output and on the basis of the variation of the current that is continuous in some sections. |
| US08860418B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring dielectric permitivity of cylindrical samples
An open ended coaxial probe is disclosed that can be used to measure the dielectric properties of solids. According to some embodiments, the probe is specially designed to make good contact with solids having flat or non-flat surfaces. This design relies on forcing a good contact between the solid surface with both the center conductor and outer conductor of the coaxial probe. A method is also described in which the coaxial probe is used to monitor the dielectric permittivity of cylindrical samples such as rock cores drilled from a well. Also described are methods of using the coaxial probe to provide a continuous log of the dielectric permittivity of a rock core. |
| US08860394B2 |
Fast dynamic voltage response for voltage regulators with droop control
A dynamic voltage response network for a switching regulator with droop control providing a droop control signal includes a voltage identification setting network, a pass and hold system, and a reset network. The voltage identification setting network initiates a hold condition and adjusts an output voltage reference in response to a change in a voltage identification input. The pass and hold system passes the droop control signal during a pass condition and holds the droop control signal during the hold condition. The reset network resets the pass and hold system to the pass condition in response to a reset signal. The reset signal may be provided in response to a variety of conditions, such as load transients, proximity between the developed droop control signal and the held droop control signal, timeout after the output voltage reference is adjusted, among other reset conditions. |
| US08860392B2 |
Semiconductor device including voltage generating circuit
A semiconductor device includes a voltage generating circuit, a first switch, and a charging circuit. The voltage generating circuit generates a voltage for output and has a function to adjust a magnitude of the voltage to be generated. A first switch has a first conduction terminal and a second conduction terminal that are brought into conduction with each other in an ON state, and the first conduction terminal is connected to an output node of the voltage generating circuit via a first line. The charging circuit charges a second line connected to the second conduction terminal of the first switch. |
| US08860386B2 |
Converter circuit
A converter circuit may include: a first node receiving an input voltage; a second node providing an output voltage; a first inductor between the first node and a third node; a capacitor between the third node and a first terminal of a diode, the other terminal of the diode providing said output voltage; a second inductor between the first terminal of the diode and common; an electronic switch acting between the third node and common; a first current generator acting between the first node and the switch to drive the switch to the conductive condition; and a second current generator sensitive to the current through the switch in the “on” condition and/or the output voltage on the second node, the second current generator to draw current from the first current generator to drive the switch to the non-conductive condition. |
| US08860385B2 |
Voltage controlled current source for voltage regulation
A system and method for providing a voltage controlled current source for bus regulation is disclosed. A bus current delivered to an electrical bus from a current source is controlled using a synchronous switch according to a PWM duty cycle. Further, the PWM duty cycle is controlled to be proportional to an error signal based on a comparison of a voltage of the electrical bus to a reference voltage. |
| US08860381B2 |
Balancing vibrations at harmonic frequencies by injecting harmonic balancing signals into the armature of a linear motor/alternator coupled to a Stirling machine
Vibrations at harmonic frequencies are reduced by injecting harmonic balancing signals into the armature of a linear motor/alternator coupled to a Stirling machine. The vibrations are sensed to provide a signal representing the mechanical vibrations. A harmonic balancing signal is generated for selected harmonics of the operating frequency by processing the sensed vibration signal with adaptive filter algorithms of adaptive filters for each harmonic. Reference inputs for each harmonic are applied to the adaptive filter algorithms at the frequency of the selected harmonic. The harmonic balancing signals for all of the harmonics are summed with a principal control signal. The harmonic balancing signals modify the principal electrical drive voltage and drive the motor/alternator with a drive voltage component in opposition to the vibration at each harmonic. |
| US08860379B2 |
Discharging a DC bus capacitor of an electrical converter system
A system and method of discharging a bus capacitor of a bidirectional matrix converter of a vehicle are presented here. The method begins by electrically shorting the AC interface of the converter after an AC energy source is disconnected from the AC interface. The method continues by arranging a plurality of switching elements of a second energy conversion module into a discharge configuration to establish an electrical current path from a first terminal of an isolation module, through an inductive element, and to a second terminal of the isolation module. The method also modulates a plurality of switching elements of a first energy conversion module, while maintaining the discharge configuration of the second energy conversion module, to at least partially discharge a DC bus capacitor. |
| US08860377B2 |
Scalable intelligent power supply system and method
A scalable intelligent power-supply system and method capable of powering a defined load for a specified period of time is disclosed and claimed. Multiple external AC and DC inputs supply power to the system if available and required. An internal DC input from a back-up energy source is on board. The back-up energy source is scalable by adding additional energy cartridges such as batteries in racks mounted within frames of the system. The AC and DC inputs (including the internal DC input) are controlled, measured, sensed, and converted by circuitry controlled by the microprocessor into multiple AC and/or DC outputs. A microprocessor manages power input to, within, and output from the system. The performance of a Lithium-ion batteries used to power an automobile can be determined on the basis individual battery packs or individual battery cells within the packs. This enables the clusters or groups of Lithium ion batteries to be used in a vehicle such that these clusters operate and function as a “gas” tank or more appropriately as an “energy” tank. |
| US08860375B2 |
Backup battery charger
A backup battery charger charges a backup battery of a handheld electronic device. The handheld electronic device comprises a power supply unit and an electronic component. The power supply unit supplies a power to the electronic component. The backup battery charger is connected to the electronic component, such that the backup battery charger shares with the electronic component the power, uses the power as a charging power, and controllably determines via a control module whether to supply the charging power to the backup battery. |
| US08860374B2 |
Control circuit of secondary battery
A control circuit for a secondary battery is disclosed. The control circuit comprising a measuring unit electrically connected with a single connection to a current carrying line for charging and discharging the battery, wherein the measuring unit is configured to generate a voltage value corresponding to current in the current carrying line. |
| US08860371B2 |
Series battery charger with the function of separate detection
A series battery charger with the function of separate detection, and more particularly a series circuit for detecting the battery charging process and for conducting a series combined discharging process on the same battery charger. The present invention provides a circuit structure capable of selectively switching to an “separate detection charging and series combined discharging mode” and a “synchronous switching control charging and discharging mode” by a synchronous changeover switch module in conjunction with charging circuits. In this way, the stored electric energy can be released for use by the series-connected separate detection charging circuits. Moreover, the charger can deliver 5V power via the standard USB interface to the 3C electronic products for the charging purpose. Meanwhile, the problems of conventional AA or AAA battery chargers and lithium batteries designed as a portable power are overcome, thereby enhancing the effect and safety of the charger. |
| US08860370B2 |
Systems and methods of dynamic current limit
Systems and methods of dynamic current limit are disclosed herein. A current is sensed a wireless charging circuit, for example. When the current sense reaches a reference current level while a communication is active, the current limit is enabled for the next packet. The current limit signal may be cleared for the next packet. |
| US08860366B2 |
Plug-in electric vehicle supply equipment
A system for connecting an electric vehicle to a Level I or Level II power source. The system including an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) having an electrical plug compatible with a Level I or Level II power outlet, the plug connected to a power cord. The power cord is connected to a housing containing a number of electrical components configured to control the power flow to an electric vehicle to recharge the vehicle's batteries, via either Level I or Level II. The power cord extends from the housing and is connected to a standard electric vehicle connector compatible with battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). The EVSE further includes safety measures, such as a relay that controls the flow of power to the vehicle connector and a ground fault interrupter, to protect users from high voltage electric shocks. |
| US08860364B2 |
Wireless power distribution among a plurality of receivers
Exemplary embodiments are directed to power distribution among a plurality of receivers. A method may include requesting at least one receiver of a plurality of receivers within a charging region of a transmitter to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers. The method may further include requesting each receiver of the plurality of receivers to modify an associated load resistance to achieve a desired total impedance as seen by the transmitter while maintaining the desired power distribution among the plurality of receivers. |
| US08860362B2 |
System for vehicle battery charging
A system for charging a battery within an at least partially electric vehicle. The system includes a charging device wherein the charging device configured to electrically connect to the at least partially electric vehicle and charge at least one battery by a predetermined amount. The system also includes a network configured to determine the location of the charging device. |
| US08860361B2 |
Vehicle power supply system
A vehicle power supply system includes a power monitor device that detects supply power from a battery and a generator to a home electrical appliance and a control unit that performs a supply power excess determination and a supply power variance determination using a detection value of the power monitor device when a driving of a vehicle is stopped to control a rotational speed of an engine according to determination results. |
| US08860359B2 |
Hybrid energy storage system
A hybrid energy storage system for supplying power to an application with a fluctuating load profile, such as, for example, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, wind energy harvesting equipment and solar energy harvesting equipment. The hybrid energy storage system includes an ultra-capacitor electrically connected to a DC bus and a power source electrically connected to the DC bus via a controlled switch. The hybrid energy storage system further including a DC/DC converter connected between the power source and the ultra-capacitor, the DC/DC converter boosting a voltage of the power source to charge the ultra-capacitor. The DC/DC converter is preferably controlled to maintain a voltage of the ultra-capacitor at a higher value than the voltage of the power source. |
| US08860357B1 |
Universal power generating system
A universal power generating system, having a rechargeable battery bank with a plurality of rechargeable batteries; a computer; and an outside power source. The outside power source has a shaft, propellers are fixedly mounted onto the shaft. The shaft extends through electromagnetic generator systems. The universal power generating system also has at least one ultracapacitor and electrical circuitry. Fixedly mounted onto the shaft are hubs, each of the hubs have fan blades mounted thereon and permanent magnetic elements. The fan blades are shaped to cause the hubs, and therefore the shaft to rotate by wind force. The electromagnetic generator systems convert mechanical energy generated from rotation of the shaft to electrical energy that flows to a rotary alternative inverter, to a transformer and a power supply through electrical wiring and to the rechargeable battery bank. The at least one ultracapacitor provides power for electrical components of a vehicle. |
| US08860356B2 |
Variable magnetic flux motor drive system
A variable magnetic flux motor drive system includes: a variable magnetic flux motor having a variable magnet which is a low-coercive permanent magnet; an inverter that drives the variable magnetic flux motor 1; an inverter as a magnetization unit which supplies a magnetization current for controlling a magnetic flux of the variable magnet; and a boosting unit boosting an input DC voltage to a predetermined target value to output it to the inverter. The variable magnetic flux motor drive system makes it possible to achieve size reduction and high efficiency, while securing a voltage required for supplying a magnetization current when controlling the magnetic flux of the variable magnet. |
| US08860355B2 |
Motor control device
A motor-control-device main unit includes a pressure-command-signal generating section, a pressure control section, a speed control section, a current control section, and a parameter-adjusting section. With respect to a parameter for a control computation by the pressure control section, the parameter-adjusting section includes an information-acquiring section and a parameter-calculating section. The information-acquiring section acquires, from an exterior, each of pieces of information including an elastic constant of a pressurized target, a reaction-force constant indicating information of a reaction force, a transfer characteristic from a motor torque to a motor speed, and parameters of the speed control section. The information-acquiring section previously acquires information of a control law of the speed control unit. The parameter-calculating section calculates a parameter for the pressure control section based on the information acquired by the information-acquiring section. |
| US08860353B1 |
Protection for a network protector close motor
Methods of intervening to protect a close motor for a network protector unit for a power distribution transformer are discussed. The close motor is protected from damage by intervening to prevent further attempts to energize the close motor after an abnormal condition is detected. The intervention may be cleared after a cooling off period or some other metric. In some implementations, the intervention remains in effect until an operator investigates and then clears the intervention so that the close motor may be energized to close the network protector breaker. |
| US08860351B2 |
Fan speed control circuit
A fan speed control circuit is provided. The circuit includes a sensor, a control chip, a first integrated circuit, an integrated operational amplifier, a second integrated circuit, and a feedback comparator. The sensor senses a temperature of an electronic component. The control chip outputs a PWM signal corresponding to the temperature to a fan. The first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit respectively generate a first equivalent voltage and a second equivalent voltage. The integrated operational amplifier amplifies the first equivalent voltage to generate an upper limit voltage and reduces the first equivalent voltage to generate a lower limit voltage. The feedback comparator compares the second equivalent voltage with the upper limit voltage and the lower limit voltage to generate a comparison value. The control chip adjusts the duty cycle of the PWM signal according to the comparison value, and outputs the adjusted PWM signal to the fan. |
| US08860345B2 |
Sensorless safety system for determining rotation of an electric household appliance laundry drum powered by a three-phase asynchronous motor
An electric household appliance (1) having a casing (2); a laundry drum (3) mounted inside the casing (2) to rotate about an axis of rotation; a three-phase asynchronous motor (6) for rotating the laundry drum (3); and a sensorless safety system (7) for determining rotation of the rotor (32), to determine rotation or no rotation of the laundry drum (3). The sensorless safety system (7) is designed to supply three direct currents (las, lbs, Ics) to the three stator power phases (31) during a predetermined time interval (ΔT), so as to magnetize the rotor (32); to cut off supply of the direct currents (las, lbs, Ics); to determine the time pattern of at least one of the three induced currents (Iar, Ibr, Icr) induced in the stator (30) in response to magnetizing the rotor (32); and to determine rotation or no rotation of the rotor (32) on the basis of the time pattern of at least one of the three induced currents (Iar, Ibr, Icr). |
| US08860344B2 |
Method for implementing bootstrap-supply charging in a motor controller at energized motor and motor controller using such a method
The present invention relates to a motor controller employing bootstrap-capacitor supplies and in particular to the situation where the bootstrap supplies have to be charged, while the motor controller is connected to a spinning and energized motor. The present invention introduces a method of recharging based on choosing a recharging sequence from a set of recharging sequences, where the choice depends on the state of the connected motor and in particular on the back-EMF voltages of the motor. |
| US08860342B2 |
System and method for controlling a permanent magnet motor
A system. The system includes a processor, a first module, a second module and a third module. The first module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for calculating a q-axis voltage component and a d-axis voltage component. The second module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for determining a voltage angle relative to the q-axis. The third module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for (1) comparing the determined voltage angle to a predetermined value, (2) outputting the determined voltage angle if the determined voltage angle is less than the predetermined value, and (3) outputting the predetermined value if the predetermined value is less than the determined voltage angle. |
| US08860336B2 |
System and method for dynamic self-sensing of dielectric elastomer actuators
A system and method is provided for determining the capacitance between electrodes of an artificial muscle or dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA). The method comprises measuring the voltage difference between the electrodes of the DEA, the first derivative of that voltage with respect to time, and the total instantaneous current through the DEA, then calculating the capacitance of the DEA as the difference between the total instantaneous current through the DEA and the product of the voltage between the electrodes and an error term, divided by the first derivative of the voltage between the electrodes with respect to time. The capacitance may then be used to derive estimates of the leakage current, charge upon the DEA, and/or the physical state of the DEA, thereby implementing self-sensing to allow closed-loop feedback control of DEA actuation. |
| US08860334B2 |
Device for remotely controlling multi-band antenna and multi-band antenna system
The present invention relates to the antenna control field, and discloses a device for remotely controlling a multi-band antenna and a multi-band antenna system. The device for remotely controlling a multi-band antenna includes an antenna panel 100, where the antenna panel 100 is disposed with a control board 101 and at least two motor modules 102; each of the motor modules 102 includes a connector 1022, each of the motor modules 102 electrically connects, via its connector 1022, to the control board 101 to receive a control command sent by the control board 101. In the embodiments of the present invention, an adjustment to a downtilt of a multi-band antenna may be implemented, and an occupied space of the antenna panel and a cost for adjusting a downtilt may be reduced. |
| US08860331B2 |
Light emitting device for AC power operation
Disclosed is an improved light-emitting device for an AC power operation. An AC light-emitting device according to the present invention employs a variety of means by which light emission time is prolonged during a ½ cycle in response to a phase change of an AC power source and a flicker effect can be reduced. For example, the means may be switching blocks respectively connected to nodes between the light emitting cells, switching blocks connected to a plurality of arrays, or a delay phosphor. Further, there is provided an AC light-emitting device, wherein a plurality of arrays having the different numbers of light emitting cells are employed to increase light emission time and to reduce a flicker effect. |
| US08860329B2 |
Control circuit with fast recovery
The invention concerns a control circuit arranged to generate a control signal (Vc) for controlling at least one transistor of a switched mode power supply (SMPS, 102) during first, second and third successive time periods based on a feedback voltage (VF), wherein during the first and third time periods the control circuit is adapted to regulate the output voltage of the SMPS to a first voltage level, and during the second time period the control circuit is adapted to control the SMPS to output a low voltage, the control circuit having a memory (304) adapted to store an indication of the control signal generated by the control circuit at the end of the first time period, wherein the control circuit is adapted to output a control signal based on the stored indication at the start of the third time period. |
| US08860327B2 |
Wireless adaptation of lighting power supply
Methods, systems, and apparatus, for wirelessly controlling a power supply device that controls a load. A wireless adapter includes a wireless communication device that receives transmissions from a wireless controller, a serial interface for a serial data connection to a power supply processing device integrated in the power supply device, an adapter processing device that receives the control signals the wireless communication device outputs, generates the control commands from the control signals, and outputs the control commands to the serial interface to cause the power supply processing device to control power provided to the load in a manner specified by the control commands, and an adapter power circuit that receives regulated direct current (DC) power from the power supply device and is powered from the regulated DC power received, and provides power to the wireless communication device and the adapter processing device. |
| US08860324B2 |
Selective light sensor and auto-commissioning
A system and method for commissioning a lighting system is provided in which signals from light sensors are filtered in order to determine whether light is received from light fixtures in the lighting system or from external light sources. Alternatively or in addition, signals from light sensors may be filtered to determine the amount of light from external light sources. By filtering the signals from the light sensors, an identification of which light fixtures are colocated with which light sensors may be made even in the presence of light received from external light sources or light from multiple light fixtures in the lighting system. Physical locations of light fixtures and/or sensors may be determined based on detecting the amount of light received from external light sources. |
| US08860322B2 |
Piezoelectric resonator light-emitting-diode (LED) driving circuit
A piezoelectric resonant LED driving circuit, wherein a rectifier is used to rectify an AC voltage provided by the supply main into a DC voltage. Then, a quasi-resonant switching module performs resonance by means of the DC voltage to produce an induced current, to raise resonance frequency to operation frequency of a piezoelectric oscillator. Finally, the piezoelectric oscillator performs resonance and filtering using the induced current, to generate a sine wave current. Then, the sine wave current is rectified to output a DC current to drive an LED module. |
| US08860320B2 |
LED driver apparatus
A Light Emitting Diode (LED) driver apparatus is provided. The LED driver apparatus includes: a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal generator configured to generate a PWM signal, a DC-DC converter configured to provide a driving voltage of a plurality of LED arrays by using the generated PWM signal, and a sensor configured to determine whether at least one LED array among the plurality of LED arrays is in an open state in response to the driving voltage being higher than or equal to a preset first reference voltage, and the preset first reference voltage is higher than the driving voltage applied when the plurality of LED arrays are each in a working state. |
| US08860317B2 |
Multi power supply apparatus for driving light emitting diodes
There is provided a multi power supply apparatus for driving light emitting diodes that is synchronized with a frequency of one output power of multi output power to control a switching of the multi output power and simplifies power conversion in supplying power for driving light emitting diodes. The multi power supply apparatus for driving light emitting diodes includes a power converter that converts an input power into a first power according to a preset first conversion scheme and converts the input power into a second power according to a second conversion scheme set to be different from the first conversion scheme; first and second drivers that receive the first power and the second power from the power converter to drive light emitting diodes; a feedback unit that feedbacks detection signal from the first and second LED drivers; and a power conversion controller that controls a power conversion switching frequency of the first power of the power converter according to the detection signal from the feedback unit and is synchronized with the power conversion switching frequency to control a duty of the second power of the converter. |
| US08860316B2 |
Selective light sensor and daylight management
A system and method for daylight harvesting and/or light management is provided in which a signal from a light sensor is filtered in order to determine the amount of light received from a light fixture in a lighting system and/or from an external light source, such as sunlight even if light is received from multiple light sources. By filtering the signals from the light sensor, an amount of light received from each light source may be determined, and correspondingly controlled to reach a target light level and/or a target balance of light from the multiple light sources. |
| US08860314B2 |
LED lamp
The invention relates to an LED lamp (1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, 1″″) comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED, 2) arranged in a housing (3), and an isolation monitoring device (4) configured to determine a defect of the housing (3) and disconnect said at least one LED (2) from power in case said defect is detected, to enhance the safety of the LED lamp (1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, 1″″) and reduce the risk of electric shock for a user. |
| US08860312B2 |
Light emitting diodes driven by high intensity discharge ballast
A method for using an electronic ballast circuit configured to operate a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp. Multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) are attached to the current output of the electronic ballast circuit, and current is driven from the current output to light said LEDs. Optionally, prior to driving current through the LEDs, the impedance of the current output is sensed; and the current is driven through the LEDs to light the LEDs upon detection of an impedance significantly lower than an impedance characteristic of the HID lamp. Ignition appropriate to ignite the high intensity discharge is not performed when LEDS are attached to the current output. Alternatively, a signal is provided to disconnect the LEDs during a high voltage output for ignition of the high intensity discharge (HID) lamp. |
| US08860304B2 |
Light emitting sheet and manufacturing method thereof
A light-emitting sheet which does not cause failures such as a short circuit without causing dielectric breakdown at the end of element at applying a voltage and which is able to realize stable driving, and an efficient method for producing the light-emitting sheet, are provided. Specifically, a light-emitting sheet having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a light-emitting layer disposed between the first and the second electrodes, wherein a short circuit preventing member composed of an insulator is arranged on the periphery of the light-emitting layer in such a way that a part of the member is projected from the light-emitting layer, and an efficient method for producing the light-emitting sheet, are provided. |
| US08860302B2 |
Light-emitting apparatus, illumination apparatus, and display apparatus
A light-emitting apparatus includes: light-emitting devices emitting light of different single colors in a visible wavelength region, wherein each of the light-emitting devices includes an organic layer which is interposed between first and second electrodes and in which a first or second light-emitting layer emitting light of different single colors is included at a first or second position separated from each other in a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode; a first reflective interface which is provided on the side of the first electrode so as to reflect light emitted from the first or second light-emitting layer to be emitted from the side of the second electrode; and a second reflective interface and a third reflective interface which are provided on the side of the second electrode at mutually separated positions in that order in a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode. |
| US08860301B2 |
Dimming method of organic EL displaying apparatus and organic EL displaying apparatus
A dimming method of an organic EL displaying apparatus having a displaying unit constructed by combining pixels each having a substrate, an organic EL element formed over the substrate, a power supply line for supplying a power source to the organic EL element, and at least one TFT provided on a wiring path from the power supply line to the organic EL element. The TFT has a semiconductor layer which is arranged between a source electrode and a drain electrode and is electrically connected to the source electrode and the drain electrode. A laser beam is irradiated from a downward direction of the substrate to a region which does not overlap a gate electrode, the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the wiring layer when seen as a plan view in a plane region where the semiconductor layer is provided. |
| US08860295B2 |
Display devices and methods of manufacturing display devices
A display device includes a substrate having a pixel region and a peripheral circuit region, peripheral circuits disposed in the peripheral circuit region, an insulation layer covering the peripheral circuits, a first electrode disposed on the insulation layer in the pixel region, at least one protection structure disposed on the insulation layer in the peripheral circuit region, and a light emitting structure or a liquid crystal layer disposed on the first electrode. The protection structure can prevent damage to the peripheral circuits caused by static electricity generated in manufacturing processes, so that the display device can have improved reliability while reducing defects of pixels in the display device. |
| US08860290B2 |
Igniter for igniting a fuel/air mixture in an internal combustion engine using a corona discharge
An igniter for igniting a fuel/air mixture using a corona discharge, generated by a high-frequency electric high voltage, in an internal combustion engine having one or more combustion chambers delimited by walls at ground potential, comprising an ignition electrode, which traverses in an electrically insulated manner one of the walls delimiting the particular combustion chamber and constitutes in cooperation with the walls of the combustion chamber, that are at ground potential, an electrical capacitance. Comprising a metallic or metallized outer member and an elongate passage extending through the outer member, through which extends the ignition electrode, and comprising an insulator which encloses the ignition electrode and insulates it electrically from the outer member, wherein the ignition electrode, the insulator, and the passage have a common longitudinal direction. The insulator is composed of a plurality of layers extending in the longitudinal direction, or is subdivided into a plurality of such layers. |
| US08860286B2 |
Piezoelectric thin film element, and piezoelectric thin film device
Disclosed are a piezoelectric thin film element and a piezoelectric thin film device which have improved piezoelectric properties and high performance and can be produced in improved yields. The piezoelectric thin film element (1) comprises: a substrate (10), and a piezoelectric thin film (40) which is arranged on the substrate (10), has at least one crystal structure represented by general formula (NaxKyLiz)NbO3 (0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1, 0≦z≦0.2, x+y+z=1) and selected from the group consisting of pseudo-cubic crystal, a hexagonal crystal, and an orthorhombic crystal, and contains an inert gas element at a ratio of 80 ppm or less by mass. |
| US08860279B2 |
Generator core
A generator core that increases the amount of power generated by a generator is provided. A plurality of magnetic steel sheets including non-divided magnetic steel sheets and divided magnetic steel sheets are stacked on each other to form a plurality of divided cores. The divided magnetic steel sheets are disposed to form a gap portion that crosses a magnetic path in one magnetic steel sheet. Each gap portion is positioned and shaped such that magnetic resistances of magnetic pole portions of the plurality of divided cores are not different from each other. |
| US08860278B2 |
Stator assembly for belt alternator starter motor generator for hybrid vehicles
A stator assembly comprises a stator defining S slots. First and second windings are arranged in each of the S slots. The two windings have a width in a radial direction and a thickness in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction. A ratio of the width to the thickness is between 3.0:1 and 4.5:1. |
| US08860276B2 |
Electromagnetic steel sheet formed body, rotor core, rotor, rotating electrical machine, and vehicle
An electromagnetic steel sheet formed body to be used in a rotor core in which a forward rotational direction and a reverse rotational direction are assigned to a clockwise direction along a circumferential direction around an axial center when viewed from a visual line including the axial center, wherein a first hollow portion, a second hollow portion, and a rib partitioning the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion is formed at the electromagnetic steel sheet formed body such that permanent magnets constituting a plurality of poles are arranged substantially at regular intervals at predetermined pole pitch angles along the circumferential direction, and that the permanent magnet disposed at one pole is arranged in a segmented manner as the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet, when viewed from the visual line, and wherein the first hollow portion when viewed from the visual line is located closer to a side of the forward rotational direction than a centerline passing through a center angle of the pole pitch angle, and is arranged such that a longitudinal axis of the first hollow portion obliquely intersects in the clockwise direction with respect to a line perpendicular to the centerline. |
| US08860270B2 |
Transverse flux machine and vehicle
A transverse flux machine includes: a winding wound in a rotational direction; a stationary component in which first ferromagnets and second ferromagnets surrounding a part of the winding are arranged in the rotational direction; a rotor capable of rotating around a rotational axis; and a rotary component opposing the stationary component and attached to the rotor, wherein the rotary component having: third ferromagnets opposing the first ferromagnets; fourth ferromagnets opposing the second ferromagnets; and first magnetic field generating sections and second magnetic field generating sections intervened between the third ferromagnets and the fourth ferromagnets, wherein the first magnetic field generating sections and the second magnetic field generating sections generate magnetic fields from an opposing surface of the rotary component toward an opposing surface of the stationary component, and directions of the magnetic fields are opposite of one another. |
| US08860268B2 |
Rotational vibration exciter
Provided is an rotational vibration exciter, and more particularly to an rotational vibration exciter which can accurately generate angular vibration of a printed circuit board including a moving coil for rotational excitation and angular vibration of a rotational shaft integrated with the printed circuit board including the moving coil by replacing a conventional cable as an external current supply line with a vertical flexible PCB. |
| US08860267B2 |
Connector flange for an electric machine with stator windings
An electric machine includes a stator magnetic circuit and a rotor. The magnetic circuit includes electrical conductors, which form windings of the machine. Coils formed by the windings are connected to an external unit via connection conductors, which open into an end face of the magnetic circuit. A frame sleeve envelopes the magnetic circuit and, on an output side of the connection conductors, the sleeve is extended by a lateral wall of a lid, which is pierced with a lateral exit opening through which the connection conductors can exit towards an external connector. On assembly, the connection conductors exiting the stator can be directly inserted into the exit opening of the lid before the lid is fixed to the sleeve by passing into a space provided between an internal lateral wall of the lid and a flange element of the lid. |
| US08860266B2 |
Alternator having a heat sink and method
An alternator includes a housing having an inner surface and an outer surface, a stationary field coil component fixedly mounted to the inner surface of the housing through one or more mechanical fasteners, and a heat sink component mounted to the outer surface of the housing. The heat sink component includes one or more openings that align with corresponding ones of the one or more mechanical fasteners. |
| US08860265B2 |
Electrical motor apparatus having improved cooling system
An electric motor apparatus having an improved cooling system comprising a first compartment housing an electric motor mounted on a rotating shaft, a second compartment housing an electric circuit adapted to connect said electric motor to a power supply source, and a cooling system adapted to dissipate the heat generated by said electric motor apparatus. The cooling system comprises a fan mounted on said rotating shaft in a position adjacent to said second compartment and on the opposite side with respect to said first compartment and at least one finned heat exchanger adapted to dissipate the heat generated by said electric circuit inside said second compartment. |
| US08860262B2 |
Linear vibration motor having elastic member including bending part
Disclosed herein is a linear vibration motor including: a stator part including a magnet; a vibrator part including a coil disposed to face the magnet; and an elastic member connecting the stator part and the vibrator part to each other, wherein the elastic member includes bending parts formed in connection parts thereof connected to the stator part and the vibration part in a vibration direction of the vibrator part. |
| US08860257B2 |
Method and apparatus for the remote control of a power source connected to a manually actuated implement
The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for operating a power source (1) connected to a manually actuated implement (4) by a user, wherein parameters of the power source (1) are set by way of operating elements (3) of an operating and display unit (2) and a movement of the implement (4) in the space is captured by way of an evaluation unit (9) disposed in the power source (1). In order to enable fast and rapid operation of the power source (1), even without removing a potentially present protective clothing of the user, it is provided for an operating function to be activated at the power source (1), whereupon the movement of the implement (4) in the space (6) is captured and a position of the implement (4) resulting from the movement is associated with the operating and display unit (2). |
| US08860247B2 |
Electric power system and uninterruptible power supply for important load
To provide an electric power system capable of adequately controlling the power flow in an AC switch (120) constituting an interruptible power supply, an electric power system according to the present invention includes: an uninterruptible power supply (100) including an AC switch (120) provided between a commercial power supply (200) and an output part (102), a secondary battery (130), and an inverter (135) provided between the AC switch (120) and secondary battery (130); an important load (150) connected to the output part (102); a photovoltaic power supply (140) connected to the output part (102); an electric power detection section (181) that detects the power consumption of all loads including the important load (150); an electric power detection section (131) that detects charge/discharge power of the secondary battery (130); and a controller (110) that inputs thereto detection values from the electric power detection section (181) and electric power detection section (131) and outputs a control command value for controlling the secondary battery (130), in which the controller (110) determines the upper and lower limit values of the control command value for operating the secondary battery (130) based on the detection values from the electric power detection section (181) and electric power detection section (131). |
| US08860241B2 |
Systems and methods for using a power converter for transmission of data over the power feed
Apparatuses and methods include a photovoltaic energy production unit to generate electricity. A local management unit is coupled between the photovoltaic energy production unit and a connection of energy production units forming a string bus. The local management unit includes a controller and switching circuitry. The controller provide a control for the switching circuitry to deliver electrical energy to the string bus. A communication transmission modulator is associated with the local management unit. The communication transmission modulator modulates the control with data to be transmitted from the local management unit over the string bus. |
| US08860237B2 |
System and method of selecting wind turbine generators in a wind park for curtailment of output power to provide a wind reserve
In one aspect, a method of selecting wind turbine generators in a wind park for curtailment of output power to provide a wind reserve comprises providing a wind park comprised of a plurality n of wind turbines each having an individual possible power output and the wind park has a combined possible power output of X, where X comprises a summation of the individual possible power output of the n wind turbines; setting a power setpoint Y for the wind park, wherein Y≦X and X−Y comprises a wind reserve; selecting, on a non-spatial basis, n−1 or fewer wind turbines from the wind park for power output curtailment; and curtailing power output of one or more of the selected n−1 or fewer wind turbines such that a total power output of the wind park comprises Y. |
| US08860236B2 |
Wind energy power conversion system reducing gearbox stress and improving power stability
A wind energy power conversion system includes a gearbox, a generator, an AC to DC power converter, a DC link, and a DC to AC power converter, and at least one ultracapacitor module connected in parallel on the DC link. A method of reducing stress on a wind turbine gearbox can be performed by obtaining an unwanted frequency of the wind energy power conversion system gearbox; determining an input torque value on the input shaft of the gearbox as a function of time; determining a frequency of the input torque value; and adjusting a torque on the output shaft of the gearbox based on the unwanted frequency. |
| US08860235B2 |
Starter machine system and method
Embodiments of the invention provide a starter machine control system including an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit can be in communication with one or more sensors. The control system can include a starter machine that is in communication with the electronic control unit. The starter machine can comprise a solenoid assembly that includes a plurality of biasing members and a motor that is coupled to a pinion. In some embodiments, the motor can be electrically coupled to at least one of the first coil winding and the second coil winding. In some embodiments, the electronic control unit can be capable of being configured and arranged to circulate a priming current from a power source to the motor through at least one of the first coil winding and the second coil winding. |
| US08860232B2 |
Electronic device having electrodes bonded with each other
According to this disclosure, a method of manufacturing an electronic device is provided, which includes exposing a top surface of a first electrode of a first electronic component to organic acid, irradiating the top surface of the first electrode exposed to the organic acid with ultraviolet light, and bonding the first electrode and a second electrode of a second electronic component by heating and pressing the first electrode and the second electrode each other. |
| US08860231B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit having multilayer structure
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of semiconductor chips stacked in a multi-layer structure; a correction circuit in each semiconductor chip configured to reflect a delay time corresponding to the position of the chip in the stack into an input signal to output to each semiconductor chip; and a plurality of through-chip vias formed vertically through each of the semiconductor chips and configured to transmit the input signal to the semiconductor chip. |
| US08860225B2 |
Devices formed with dual damascene process
Structures and methods of forming metallization layers on a semiconductor component are disclosed. The method includes etching a metal line trench using a metal line mask, and etching a via trench using a via mask after etching the metal line trench. The via trench is etched only in regions common to both the metal line mask and the via mask. |
| US08860217B1 |
Electronic device package
A chip package is disclosed. The package includes a carrier substrate, at least two semiconductor chips, a fill material layer, a protective layer, and a plurality of conductive bumps. The carrier substrate includes a grounding region. The semiconductor chips are disposed overlying the grounding region of the carrier substrate. Each semiconductor chip includes at least one signal pad and includes at least one grounding pad electrically connected to the grounding region. The fill material layer is formed overlying the carrier substrate and covers the semiconductor chips. The protective layer covers the fill material layer. The plurality of conductive bumps is disposed overlying the protective layer and is electrically connected to the semiconductor chips. A fabrication method of the chip package is also disclosed. |
| US08860216B1 |
Method and system for providing a laser submount for an energy assisted magnetic recording head
A method and system for providing a laser diode submount for use in an energy assisted magnetic recording disk drive are described. A portion of a silicon substrate is removed, forming trenches therein. Each trench has sidewalls, surrounds a silicon island corresponding to a laser diode submount, and corresponds to a thickness of the laser diode submount. The silicon island has a top surface and a facets corresponding to the trench sidewalls. Insulator(s) for the top surface and facets of the silicon island are provided. Metallization is provided on the top surface and facets of the silicon island. A first portion of the metallization on the top surface corresponds to under bump metal (UBM) for solder pad(s). A second portion of the metallization corresponds to electrical traces. Solder pad(s) are provided on the UBM. The silicon island is released from the silicon substrate. |
| US08860211B2 |
Semiconductor device, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and electronic device
A semiconductor device includes an insulation layer, a first semiconductor element and a second semiconductor element which are disposed within the insulation layer, a frame which has higher thermal conductivity than the insulation layer and surrounds the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element via the insulation layer, and a wiring layer which is disposed over the insulation layer and includes an electrode which electrically connects the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element. |
| US08860206B2 |
Multichip electronic packages and methods of manufacture
A multi-chip electronic package and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes adjusting a piston position of one or more pistons with respect to one or more chips on a chip carrier. The adjusting includes placing a chip shim on the chips and placing a seal shim between a lid and the chip carrier. The seal shim is thicker than the chip shim. The adjusting further includes lowering the lid until the pistons contact the chip shim. The method further includes separating the lid and the chip carrier and removing the chip shim and the seal shim. The method further includes dispensing thermal interface material on the chips and lowering the lid until a gap filled with the thermal interface material is about a particle size of the thermal interface material. The method further includes sealing the lid to the chip carrier with sealant. |