| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08879812B2 |
Spectral imaging of biological samples
The invention features a method including: (i) providing spectrally resolved information about light coming from different spatial locations in a sample comprising deep tissue in response to an illumination of the sample, wherein the light includes contributions from different components in the sample; (ii) decomposing the spectrally resolved information for each of at least some of the different spatial locations into contributions from spectral estimates associated with at least some of the components in the sample; and (iii) constructing a deep tissue image of the sample based on the decomposition to preferentially show a selected one of the components. |
| US08879810B2 |
Method and system for automatic lung segmentation in magnetic resonance imaging videos
A method and system for automatic lung segmentation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images and videos is disclosed. A plurality of predetermined key landmarks of a lung are detected in an MRI image. The key landmarks may be detected using discriminative joint contexts representing combinations of multiple key landmarks. A lung boundary is segmented in the MRI image based on the detected key landmarks. The landmark detection and the lung boundary segmentation can be repeated in each frame of an MRI video. |
| US08879808B2 |
Synchronization of medical imaging systems
A method for interventional imaging of synchronizing a first dataset with a second dataset is provided. The datasets represent a region of interest in a patient, wherein the first dataset and the second dataset each corresponding to two different types of information on the region of interest and wherein the datasets are acquired by separate medical systems. The method comprises aligning the first dataset and the second dataset with at least two signals representing a physiological activity of the patient, the at least two signals having been recorded by the medical systems on a common time scale with the time scale used for acquiring the datasets. |
| US08879807B2 |
Systems and methods for interleaving series of medical images
After selecting two or more image series for comparison, images of the image series are interleaved so that they are alternatively displayed in a comparison pane on a display device. In one embodiment, after one or more image series are selected for comparison, an interleaved image series is created containing each of the images of the one or more selected image series, or, alternatively, the interleaved image series comprises links to the images arranged in the interleaved pattern. If differences exist in the images of the multiple image series, these differences may be more easily detectable as the display device cycles between the images. Comparison of images in an interleaved image series may be more advantageous if the images of each selected image series are of a common anatomical area, common image size, and the images are in the same order. |
| US08879805B2 |
Automated image identification method
The present invention discloses a method to construct template images for recognition, including the steps of: obtaining a plurality of digitized images belonging to n categories; for all categories, extracting common features for images belonging to a category; comparing common features of said category with common features of other categories other than category, to obtain discriminating features for the category; and including such features into representative features to obtain template images. A method to recognize an input image using the template images so obtained is also disclosed. |
| US08879803B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for image clustering
Various methods for clustering images of faces are provided. One example method may include receiving a plurality of input clusters including a first cluster and at least a second cluster, where each input cluster including at least one feature that was extracted from an image. The example method may further include determining a first medoid for the first cluster and a second medoid for the second cluster, determining an inter-cluster distance between the first medoid and the second medoid, and merging the first cluster with the second cluster to generate a merged cluster in an instance in which the inter-cluster distance is less than a distance threshold. Similar and related example methods, example apparatuses, and example computer program products are also provided. |
| US08879802B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus comprises a face detection unit configured to periodically perform face detection processing of detecting a face area of a person from an image; an authentication unit configured to periodically perform personal authentication processing for the detected face area; and a calculation unit configured to calculate a determination criterion to select a face area as a target of the personal authentication processing from the detected face areas, wherein the authentication unit performs the personal authentication processing at a cycle longer than that of the face detection processing, and when the face detection unit detects the face areas from a plurality of images, selects a face area complying with the determination criterion calculated by the calculation unit from the face areas of the plurality of images as the target of the personal authentication processing. |
| US08879798B2 |
Frequency-dependent ray tracing through an interface
Computing systems and methods for improving processing of collected data are disclosed. In one embodiment, while ray-tracing through a sub-surface region, a frequency- dependent outgoing ray direction is computed from a point on an interface disposed in the sub-surface region when the ray tracing is at the interface. |
| US08879794B2 |
Tracking-frame initial-position setting device and method of controlling operation of same
An image obtained by imaging a subject is displayed and a tracking frame is displayed at the central portion of a display screen. A target area is set surrounding the tracking frame and a high-frequency-component image is generated. A distance image indicating the distance to the subject image within an imaging zone is generated. An area, which represents a subject at a distance identical with that of the subject portion specified by the tracking frame displayed at the reference position, is decided upon as a search area. While a moving frame is moved within the search area of the high-frequency-component image, amounts of high-frequency component are calculated. The position of the moving frame at which the calculated amount of high-frequency component is maximized is adopted as the initial position of the tracking frame. |
| US08879789B1 |
Object analysis using motion history
A method for object analysis using motion history is provided. The method includes receiving video data comprising a plurality of frames of a scene comprising one or more elements, and processing the video data to produce a motion history image comprising motion history values of at least one of the elements. The method also includes identifying the one of the elements for further processing if a characteristic of the motion history image satisfies a criteria. |
| US08879788B2 |
Video processing apparatus, method and system
According to one embodiment, a video processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a first extraction unit, a generation unit, a second extraction unit, a computation unit and a selection unit. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire video streams. A first extraction unit is configured to analyze at least one of the moving pictures and the sounds for each video stream and to extract feature values. A generation unit is configured to generate segments by dividing each video stream, and to generate associated segment groups. A second extraction unit is configured to extract the associated segment groups that number of associated segments is greater than or equal to threshold as common video segment groups. A computation unit is configured to compute summarization score. A selection unit is configured to select segments used for a summarized video as summarization segments from the common video segment groups based on the summarization score. |
| US08879785B1 |
Virtual postage based on image recognition
A number of approaches for using a camera or other device to capture an image of an arbitrary signature, drawing and/or other scribble rendered on a package and utilizing the captured image as electronic postage for shipping the package to the recipient destination. A sender wishing to send a package handwrites a signature or other scribble directly onto the package that is to be shipped. A mobile device (e.g., smartphone) can be used to capture an image of the scribble and perform image recognition to determine whether the captured image contains sufficient features to be distinct from other images stored in a database. If the image is sufficiently distinct, the image can be accepted as electronic postage for the package. When the package is picked up, the delivery person scans the scribble and matches it to the image on file to determine the recipient address and other shipping information. |
| US08879784B2 |
Terminal and method for providing augmented reality
A method for providing augmented reality includes acquiring a real-world image including an object; transmitting terminal information, in which the terminal information includes a location information of a terminal and an original retrieval distance; receiving object information corresponding to the object, in which the object information is based on the transmitted terminal information; and overlapping the received object information over the corresponding object in the real-world image. A terminal to perform the methods described herein includes a location information providing unit, an information transmitting/receiving unit, an image processing unit, and a user view analyzing unit. |
| US08879782B2 |
Projector light bulb
A display system that includes a projector light bulb. The system includes a light fixture with a conventional light bulb socket. A projector light bulb is provided with a socket adapter for mating electrically with the light bulb socket. A projector such as a pico projector is fit into the socket adapter or to mate with this adapter to be powered by the light bulb socket via the adapter. In lamp-type implementations, the projector is used to project onto a lamp shade-shaped rear projection screen or through a translucent shade and also upon surfaces of the ceiling or objects above the projector light bulb. A light conditioning or directing assembly may be provided that directs a portion of the projected light onto the projection screen (or shade) and another portion up onto the ceiling so as to concurrently focus on two or more surfaces at two or more focal distances. |
| US08879778B2 |
Ultra-slim speaker unit capable of improving low-pitched sound characteristic and sound pressure and board equipped with the same
A speaker used as a household appliance is provided. The speaker has an ultra-slim structure suitable for an ultra-slim TV and is applied to a woofer speaker representing a superior low-pitched sound characteristic. The speaker has the ultra-slim structure and improves the low-pitched sound characteristic and sound pressure by increasing the amplitude. Outer appearances of a damper and a frame are changed to enlarge a diameter of a voice coil in comparison with an outer diameter of the speaker, the damper has a two-step structure such that a longitudinal amplitude of an upper side of the damper is increased to improve the low-pitched sound characteristic in a state in which a lower side of the damper is put on the frame, and a size of a vibration plate is enlarged to improve the low-pitched sound characteristic and sound pressure. A flat plate is used as the vibration plate. |
| US08879774B2 |
Loudspeaker magnet assembly with two inner magnets comprising a central bore
A loudspeaker magnet assembly for a loudspeaker transducer having a voice coil is provided that has a low profile construction. The loudspeaker magnet assembly may include: a first magnet assembly; top plate position below the first magnet assembly; second magnet assembly positioned below the top plate; and bottom plate positioned below the second magnet assembly. The first magnet assembly may include an annular outer magnet and a circular inner magnet. The top plate may include an annular outer top plate and a circular inner top plate and the second magnet assembly may include an annular outer magnet and a circular inner magnet. |
| US08879773B2 |
Retractable storage system for handheld electronic device
A retractable storage system for handheld electronic device comprises a removable panel with one or more storage chambers for storing an accessory item, such as a wireless earbud, cabled earbud, headphone cable or e-cigarette, and a retractable mechanism to retrieve and dispense the stored accessory item through an accessory station. The removable panel can be replaced with another removable panel configured with different structure to store different accessory item, such as a battery to charge a wireless earbud or e-cigarette. |
| US08879769B2 |
Ergonomic earpiece
An earpiece that substantially lacks a lower lobe is disclosed. The earpiece has a generally arcuate rib having upper and lower ends. A generally vertical rib extends substantially between the upper and lower ends of the generally arcuate rib. A lobe is formed at the upper end of the arcuate rib. No lobe is similarly formed at the lower end of the arcuate rib. Eliminating the lower lobe mitigates discomfort during use and also reduces the likelihood of tissue damage and infection. |
| US08879767B2 |
Acoustic apparatus and method of manufacturing
A microphone assembly comprising includes a base, at least one side wall, and a cover. The side wall is disposed on the base. The cover is coupled to the at least one side wall. The base, the side wall, and the cover form a cavity and the cavity has a MEMS device disposed therein. A top port extends through the cover and a first channel extends through the side wall. The first channel is arranged so as to communicate with the top port. A bottom port extends through the base. The MEMS device is disposed over the bottom port. A second channel is formed and extends along a bottom surface of the base. The second channel extends between and communicates with the first channel and the bottom port. Sound received by the top port is received at the MEMS device. |
| US08879766B1 |
Flat panel displaying and sounding system integrating flat panel display with flat panel sounding unit array
In accordance with the invention, the disclosure presents a flat panel displaying and sounding system integrating a flat panel display with a flat panel sounding unit array. Generally, the flat panel displaying and sounding system comprises a panel surface for both displaying picture and emanating audible sound, a flat panel display means for said displaying picture and a flat panel sounding unit array means for said emanating audible sound. The flat panel system may be made by attaching a flat panel displaying layer with a flat panel sounding unit array. Furthermore, the flat panel system may be made by disposing a flat panel displaying layer inside layers of a flat panel sounding unit array. Furthermore, layer level integration may be used to implement function needed for displaying and function necessary for sounding on one integrated layer. |
| US08879764B2 |
Configurable FM receiver for hearing device
Hearing system comprising a hearing device and an FM receiver, the FM receiver being adapted to be operationally connected to the hearing device and to communicate wirelessly with an FM transmitter on an FM channel, the hearing device comprising memory storing configuration data indicating the FM channel and transferring means for transferring the stored configuration data to the FM receiver, the hearing system further comprising a configurator adapted to configure the FM receiver to use the indicated FM channel for communicating wirelessly with the FM transmitter. The hearing system further comprises a detector adapted to detect whether the FM receiver is operationally connected to the hearing device, and the transferring means further is adapted to transfer the stored configuration data to the FM receiver in response to the FM receiver going from not being operationally connected to being operationally connected to the hearing device. |
| US08879761B2 |
Orientation-based audio
A method and apparatus for outputting audio based on an orientation of an electronic device, or video shown by the electronic device. The audio may be mapped to a set of speakers using either or both of the device and video orientation to determine which speakers receive certain audio channels. |
| US08879756B2 |
Voice film of multi-layered structure for flat type speaker
The present invention relates to a voice film having a multi-layered structure for a flat panel speaker, including a PCB configured to have permanent magnets disposed on the left and right sides thereof, to have a voice coil patterned therein and disposed between the permanent magnets on the left and right sides so that the voice coil is vibrated up and down, and to have a PCB structure of a stack structure and coil patterns formed on surfaces of the highest PCB, one or more intermediate layer PCBs, and the lowest PCB in the form of a consecutive spiral track, wherein the start points of coil patterns of adjacent PCBs formed in layers, from among the coil patterns, are shorted through a via hole and are bonded to the respective end points of the coil patterns of the adjacent PCBs at the end points of the coil patterns. |
| US08879755B2 |
At least partially implantable sound pick-up device with ultrasound emitter
There is provided an at least partially implantable device for picking up sound impinging onto a skin area of a person, comprising means for generating an audio signal corresponding to the change in time of the distance between a position of the device and the outer surface of the skin area, wherein the device position is adjacent to the skin area. |
| US08879754B2 |
Sound reproducing system with superimposed digital signal
A home use sound reproduction system for Hi-fi, with digital signal transfer from a playback unit via a control unit to one or more active loudspeakers, each including or arranged beside an amplifier unit. The control unit is arranged to control sound parameters and send both a digital sound information signal and a power signal for powering the amplifier units, and to superimpose the single ended or differential digital signal together with the power signal on at least one common lead in a cable. |
| US08879750B2 |
Adaptive dynamic range enhancement of audio recordings
There are provided methods and an apparatus for conditioning an audio signal. According to one aspect of the present invention there is included a method for conditioning an audio signal having the steps of: receiving at least one audio signal, each audio signal having at least one channel, each channel being segmented into a plurality of frames over a series of time; calculating at least one measure of dynamic excursion of the audio signal for a plurality of successive segments of time; filtering the audio signal into a plurality of subbands, each frame being represented by at least one subband; deriving a dynamic gain factor from the successive segments of time; analyzing at least one subband of the frame to determine if a transient exists in the frame; and applying the dynamic gain factor to each frame having a transient. |
| US08879748B2 |
Multi-protocol wireless audio client device
A wireless audio client device such as a headset worn by a user allows the user to talk with multiple other devices using different communication protocols. In one approach, the wireless audio client device is a slave device which pairs with multiple master devices such as a game console and cell phone. The wireless audio client device uses a common set of peripherals such as a speaker, microphone, RF antenna, battery, status lights and control buttons. Processing circuitry is provided in one or more chips, to handle the different communication protocols. The wireless audio client device can automatically interrupt a game chat to allow the user to accept an incoming phone call, or can prompt the user to accept the call. Or, the wireless audio client device can play audio from the cell phone while the game chat continues. |
| US08879747B2 |
Adaptive filtering system
An audio system with at least one audio channel may include a digital audio processor in which at least one digital filter is implemented for each channel. The digital filter of each channel may include: an analysis filter bank configured to receive a broad-band input audio signal and divide the input audio signal into a plurality of sub-bands, a sub-band filter for each sub-band, and a synthesis filter bank configured to receive the filtered sub-band signals and combine them for providing a broad-band output audio signal. A delay is associated with each sub-band signal, the delay of one of the sub-band signals being applied to the broad-band input audio signal upstream of the analysis filter bank and the residual delays being applied to the remaining sub-band signals downstream of the analysis filter bank. |
| US08879744B2 |
Audio testing system and audio testing method for device under test
An audio testing system and an audio testing method for an electronic device under test are provided. The audio testing method includes the following steps. A testing audio is sent through a testing audio sending end of a testing device. An electronic device under test is controlled to perform recording through an audio receiving end, so as to generate an under-testing audio. After the recording is completed, the device under test controlled to playback the under-testing audio from one of both-side audio sending ends to perform recording through the testing audio receiving end, and calls an audio analyzing process to generate a first testing result. The device under test controlled to playback the under-testing audio from the other one of the both-side audio sending ends to perform recording through the testing audio receiving end, and calls the audio analyzing process to generate a second testing result. |
| US08879743B1 |
Ear models with microphones for psychoacoustic imagery
A compact portable stereo microphone apparatus can acquire three dimensional immersive sounds which can then be recorded and played back in a standard audio recording device. The apparatus includes two elastomer fabricated simplified human ear elements (ear models) fitted at the ends of a cylindrical cavity of a microphone enclosure. The ear models may be protected against physical damage by end grills. A circuit board, microphone cable interface, power indicator, power switch and batteries may be located in the lower shell of the enclosure. A handle may serve as the hand grip for the microphone as well as a battery cover. |
| US08879737B2 |
Method for producing two-dimensional code and reader for reading the two-dimensional code
A method of producing a two-dimensional code having a code area in which data codes coded as codewords are mapped. First type of data codes is mapped in the code area. The first type of data codes are coded as the codewords and indicating data to be disclosed. An end identification code is added to an end of a code string composed of the first type of data codes, the end identification code showing the end. Second type of data codes are mapped after the end identification code in the code area, the second type of data codes being coded as the codewords and indicating data to be kept in secret. Filler codes showing no data after the second type of data codes are mapped to fill up the code area, when a total amount of the codewords in the code area is less than a capacity of the code area. |
| US08879736B2 |
Telecommunication systems and encryption of control messages in such systems
A method for encrypting radio resource control (RRC) messages exchanged between a wireless communication device and a node in a wireless communication system includes separating sequence number rollover events from mobility events while encrypting radio resource control (RRC) messages for exchange within a wireless communication system. According to the method, the sequence number rollover events and mobility events are separated by utilizing a state transition counter, a handover counter, and an overflow counter such that, when the state counter is incremented due to occurrences of a first group of events, the handover counter and the overflow counter are re-set to zero and, when the handover counter is incremented due to occurrences of a second group of events the overflow counter is re-set to zero. The method further includes providing one or more outputs from the state transition counter, the handover counter, and the third overflow counter as one or more inputs to a crypto algorithm for encrypting RRC messages. |
| US08879734B2 |
Enhanced high availability for group VPN in broadcast environment
A light-weight resilient mechanism is used to synchronize server secure keying data with member devices in a highly-scalable distributed group virtual private network (VPN). A server device generates an initial secure keying data set, for the VPN, that includes a first version identifier, and sends, to member devices and via point-to-point messages, the secure keying data set. The server device sends, to the member devices, heartbeat push messages including the first version identifier. The server device generates an updated secure keying data set with a second version identifier and sends, to the member devices, a key push message that includes the updated data set. The server device sends, to the member devices, heartbeat push messages including the second version identifier. Member devices may use the first and second version identifiers to confirm that secure keying data sets are current and quickly identify if updates are missed. |
| US08879732B2 |
Dynamic content-based ciphering on a control channel
In an exemplary embodiment content of a data message to be sent on a control channel is determined, and a selection is made between ciphering and not ciphering the data message based on the determined content. By example if from the content it is determined that that the data message is a SMS message, ciphering is selected and the control channel is a SACCH; else ciphering is not selected. Such a determination may be made by checking a service access point identifier for a data block comprising the data message. A data message within a data block received on the control channel is determined to be ciphered or not ciphered using only information within the data block, and the received data message is processed according to the determination. In another embodiment the FACCH is selected for sending the message if it is a SMS, and ciphering is selected for all data blocks sent on the FACCH. |
| US08879730B2 |
System and method for bit stream compatible local link encryption
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method for bit stream compatible local link encryption are provided. In particular embodiments of the present invention, the method includes generating a random number stream using an active line count of a frame of video as an input to a first random number generator in a playback server; encrypting data at the playback server based upon a first deterministic mapping between the first random number stream and the data, wherein the first deterministic mapping prevents the generation of prohibited codes; transporting the encrypted data from the playback server to a digital video projector; generating a second random number stream using the active line count of the frame of video as an input to a second random number generator in the digital video projector; and decrypting the encrypted data at the digital video projector based upon a second deterministic mapping between the second random number stream and the encrypted data. |
| US08879727B2 |
Method and apparatus for hardware-accelerated encryption/decryption
An integrated circuit for data encryption/decryption and secure key management is disclosed. The integrated circuit may be used in conjunction with other integrated circuits, processors, and software to construct a wide variety of secure data processing, storage, and communication systems. A preferred embodiment of the integrated circuit includes a symmetric block cipher that may be scaled to strike a favorable balance among processing throughput and power consumption. The modular architecture also supports multiple encryption modes and key management functions such as one-way cryptographic hash and random number generator functions that leverage the scalable symmetric block cipher. The integrated circuit may also include a key management processor that can be programmed to support a wide variety of asymmetric key cryptography functions for secure key exchange with remote key storage devices and enterprise key management servers. Internal data and key buffers enable the device to re-key encrypted data without exposing data. The key management functions allow the device to function as a cryptographic domain bridge in a federated security architecture. |
| US08879726B2 |
Apparatus for calculating a result of a scalar multiplication
An apparatus for calculating a result of a scalar multiplication of a reference number with a reference point on an elliptic curve comprises a point selector and a processor. The point selector is configured to select randomly or pseudo-randomly an auxiliary point on the elliptic curve. The processor is configured to calculate the result of the scalar multiplication with a double-and-always-add process using the auxiliary point. |
| US08879724B2 |
Differential power analysis—resistant cryptographic processing
Information leaked from smart cards and other tamper resistant cryptographic devices can be statistically analyzed to determine keys or other secret data. A data collection and analysis system is configured with an analog-to-digital converter connected to measure the device's consumption of electrical power, or some other property of the target device, that varies during the device's processing. As the target device performs cryptographic operations, data from the A/D converter are recorded for each cryptographic operation. The stored data are then processed using statistical analysis, yielding the entire key, or partial information about the key that can be used to accelerate a brute force search or other attack. |
| US08879722B1 |
Wireless communication earpiece
An apparatus is a wireless communication earpiece. The wireless communication earpiece includes an earmount portion that is capable of positioning the apparatus at an ear of a user, a movable portion that is movable to one of a plurality of positions with reference to the earmount portion, a position sensor that detects a selected position of the plurality of positions of the earmount portion, a plurality of microphones, and a digital signal processing function. The digital signal processing function selects one of a plurality of digital signal processes in response to the selected position and uses the selected one of the digital signal processes to process audio signals from the plurality of microphones. |
| US08879721B2 |
Audio communication system
An audio communication system includes a first analog/digital convertor, a second analog/digital convertor, and an echo canceller. The first analog/digital convertor converts an audio signal, which is input from a microphone, to a data signal. The second analog/digital convertor that converts an audio signal, which is input from an auxiliary input terminal, to a data signal. When an audio signal transmitted from the outside is received and output from a speaker, the echo canceller prevents an output of the speaker from being input through the microphone and echoed back to a recipient or remote device. An operating frequency of the echo canceller is relatively lower than a sampling frequency of the second analog/digital convertor. |
| US08879710B2 |
Private branch exchange, voice quality adjustment method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium storing voice quality adjusting program
Provided is a private branch exchange capable of independently adjusting call voice level and call quality according to a connection type of a communication line or a telephone. The private branch exchange includes an audio quality characteristic configuration DB (116) for storing audio quality adjustment values of gain circuits (112 and 122) and an echo canceller circuit (121) for which optimal call quality can be obtained according to a combination for each group of telephone type and line type to connect for a telephone call, and a connection path DB (117) for storing information related to a connection path determined by a combination of a telephone and a communication line to connect for the telephone call, in which if there is a connection request from the telephone or the communication line, the connection path DB (117) is referred to obtain, by referring to the audio quality characteristic configuration DB (116), audio quality adjustment values to be set for the gain circuits (112 and 122) and the echo canceller circuit (121) which exist on the connection path that is determined, to perform settings for the gain circuits (112 and 122) and the echo canceller circuit (121). |
| US08879705B2 |
Method, device, and terminal for implementing incoming call protection
The present invention discloses a method, a device, and a terminal for implementing incoming call protection. The method includes: determining, according to a frequency for operating a terminal by a user, whether a status of an incoming call protection mode is on or off; if the incoming call protection mode is on, when an incoming call signal arrives, delaying the incoming call signal; and if the incoming call protection mode is off, when an incoming call signal has been delayed and the incoming call signal still continues, releasing the incoming call signal, and when an incoming call signal has been delayed, but the incoming call signal becomes weak or has disappeared, prompting the user that there is a missed call. According to the present invention, a problem of unwittingly connecting or hanging up an incoming call by a user is effectively solved. |
| US08879704B2 |
Notification to users of events
A method and system for notifying users of events. User activity of a user is monitored, based on user notification information in a storage location. The user notification information pertains to a scheduled event. In response to a detection, from the monitoring, of a change in the user activity, it is ascertained that the change necessitates notifying the user of the scheduled event due to the change impacting whether the user can participate in the scheduled event. Then the user is notified of the scheduled event. The user notification information in the storage location is modified, based on the detected change in the user activity, in response to receipt of an instruction from the user to change the user notification information in the storage location. |
| US08879702B1 |
Method and system for providing additional information to called parties
A system for providing additional information to called parties, the system comprises a base unit device for sending additional information to called parties, the base unit comprises a microprocessor, at least one Ethernet port, at least one telephone port, a first transceiver, and a first wireless antenna; and a display unit for receiving the additional information from the base unit device and displaying the additional information to the called parties, the display unit comprises a second transceiver, a liquid crystal display, a second wireless antenna, and a set of keys. |
| US08879700B2 |
Communication apparatus, integrated circuit, and communication method
A communication apparatus repeatedly outputs a first multi-carrier signal SS during predetermined periods T1, T2, T3, . . . , and outputs a second multi-carrier signal RS whose phase vector is different from that of the first multi-carrier signal SS, at a predetermined timing based on the first multi-carrier signal SS. The communication apparatus further detects the second multi-carrier signal RS output from another communication apparatus, which uses a different communication method from the communication apparatus. Accordingly, both communication apparatuses can differentiate the first multi-carrier signal SS from the second multi-carrier signal RS without performing relatively cumbersome modulation and other processes. |
| US08879699B1 |
Communication system and method
The application relates to a modem for use at a terminal. In one embodiment, the modem includes: (1) a first interface arranged for connection to a network; (2) a second interface arranged for connection to a host processor on the terminal; and (3) a processing unit arranged to, on receipt of a message from the network addressed to the host processor: determine whether or not the host processor is in a power saving mode; and if it is determined that the host processor is in a power saving mode, cause the first interface to transmit an acknowledgement to the message to the network regardless of whether a communication from the host processor is received via the second interface. |
| US08879697B2 |
System and method for determining call importance using social network context
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for determining call importance using social network context. A system can receive a call from a caller and establish the identity of the caller. The system can then retrieve a social network context associated with the caller identity from a social network and determine an importance score for the call using the social network context. Social network contexts can be derived from a social network profile, caller utterances, and a social graph. Based on the importance score, the contact center provides an appropriate level of customer service. The level of customer service a contact center provides can be based on resource availability, call type, call time, agent queue selection, offered communication modalities and customer follow-up. |
| US08879694B2 |
Communication apparatus and communication system
A communication apparatus including: a communication portion which performs a data communication with a sub-communication apparatus; a transmission-data communicating portion which performs a transmission-data communication with a data processing apparatus; a transmission-data receiving section which receives transmission data from the data processing apparatus; a notifying section which transmits a notification to the sub-communication apparatus, the notification being based on that the transmission-data receiving section has received the transmission data; a relaying section which relays a phone conversation between an external communication apparatus and the sub-communication apparatus; and a transmitting section which transmits the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section, to an external communication apparatus as a call opposite party of the phone conversation which is being relayed by the relaying section where a transmission-data transmitting command has been received from the sub-communication apparatus performing the phone conversation being relayed by the relaying section. |
| US08879681B2 |
System and method for determining a time for safely sampling a signal of a clock domain
A system and method are provided for determining a time for safely sampling a signal of a dock domain. In one embodiment, a frequency estimate of a first clock domain is calculated utilizing a frequency estimator. Additionally, a time during which a signal from the first clock domain is unchanging is determined such that the signal is capable of being safely sampled by a second clock domain, using the frequency estimate. In another embodiment, a frequency estimate of a first dock domain is calculated utilizing a frequency estimator. Further, a phase estimate of the first clock domain is calculated based on the frequency estimate, utilizing a phase estimator. Moreover, a time during which a signal from the first clock domain is unchanging is determined such that the signal is capable of being safely sampled by a second clock domain, using the phase estimate. |
| US08879680B2 |
Adaptive clock mismatch compensation symbol insertion in signal transmissions
A transmitting interconnect interface inserts clock mismatch compensation symbols into a transmitted data stream so as to allow the receiving interconnect interface to compensate for clock frequency mismatch between transmit-side and receive-side clocks. The transmitting interconnect interface adjusts the rate of insertion of these symbols based on a determination of the clock frequency mismatch. The transmitting interconnect interface can incrementally adjust the insertion rate to change substantially proportionally with changes in the clock frequency mismatch. Alternatively, the transmitting interconnect interface can set the insertion rate to one of two levels. By adapting the insertion rate to the current measured clock frequency mismatch, the bandwidth penalty incurred by transmitting clock mismatch compensation symbols in excess of that necessary to permit receiver clock tolerance compensation can be reduced, thereby permitting more transmit bandwidth to be used for transmitting data. |
| US08879678B1 |
Method and apparatus for controlling finger lock state in a rake receiver
Aspects of the disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for improving current 1x triage algorithm for assigning and de-assigning fingers of a Rake receiver included in a wireless communications apparatus operable in the 1x network. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described. |
| US08879677B2 |
Method for compensating mismatch of in-phase signal and quadrature signal of transmitter/receiver
A method for compensating mismatches of an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal of a transmitter/receiver is provided. The method includes: receiving a plurality of test signals to generate two groups of factors, respectively, where each group of factors is applied to two multipliers utilized for compensating a gain mismatch and a phase mismatch of the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal of the transmitter/receiver; then calculating a delay mismatch of the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal according to the two groups of factors. |
| US08879675B1 |
Synchronization system for a wireless receiver
A synchronization system for initial setup of phases of local oscillators in a wireless receiver of a communication system characterized by transmission of data packets having a predetermined preamble consisting of M identical sections of L symbols followed by a single section of the same kind, multiplied by −1, and wherein the wireless receiver is operative to perform decimation in an RF demodulator. The synchronization system includes a twofold correlator, an accumulator, a multiplier, a threshold comparator, a carrier phase former and a clock phase former, and operates at a decimated symbols frequency, and performs not only preamble detection, but also symbols clock phase detection together with carrier phase detection, while enabling the theoretically possible noise immunity. |
| US08879666B2 |
Electronic system, RF power amplifier and temperature compensation method thereof
A radio frequency (RF) power amplifier is disclosed. The RF power amplifier includes an adder circuit, an output-stage circuit and a differential circuit. The adder circuit has a first ratio and a second ratio, and receives a reference voltage and a feedback voltage so as to output an adder voltage after an operation, wherein the feedback voltage is a voltage with a negative temperature coefficient, and the reference voltage is sum of a first voltage with a negative temperature coefficient and a second voltage with positive temperature coefficient. The output-stage circuit is used for providing the feedback voltage. The differential circuit has a first multiplier factor, and the differential circuit makes the first multiplier factor be multiplied with the adder voltage so as to provide a voltage to the output-stage circuit. The RF power amplifier stabilizes an output current through adjusting the temperature coefficient of the reference voltage. |
| US08879652B2 |
Pilot design for wireless system
The description herein relates to pilot designs for an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based communication system. In at least one embodiment, the communication system is one operating according to the IEEE 802.16m, or WiMax, standard. In general, an OFDM transmitter operates to insert pilot symbols into a resource of a transmit frame according to a predetermined staggered pilot symbol pattern defining pilot symbol locations within the resource of the transmit frame. The predetermined pilot symbol pattern is defined such that pilot symbols are located at or near time boundaries of the resource, at or near frequency boundaries of the resource, or both. By doing so, when generating a channel estimate for the communication channel between the OFDM transmitter and an OFDM receiver based on the pilot symbols, extrapolations needed to estimate the channel near the boundaries of the resource are optimized, thereby improving overall channel estimation accuracy. |
| US08879651B2 |
Digital transmission and reception devices for transmitting and receiving streams, and processing methods thereof
A transmission system to transmit a transport stream (TS) having normal data and additional data, the transmission system including: a stream constructor to generate a TS, and a multiplexer (MUX) to insert information representing the characteristics of additional data in the TS. Therefore, it is possible for a reception system to use the additional data efficiently. |
| US08879648B2 |
Transmission and receiving apparatus and method in a multi carrier transmission system
A transmission apparatus and method for transmitting signals in a multi carrier transmission system comprises a modulator, a band information generator that generates band information defining the frequency bands corresponding to all of the data streams carried within that frequency channel, said band information including a tuning frequency indicator indicating a tuning frequency and a tuning frequency type indicator indicating the type of tuning frequency indicated by said tuning frequency indicator, wherein said type is selected from a group comprising at least a first type indicating a tuning frequency of a frequency band and a second type indicating a center frequency of a frequency channel, and a transmitter. |
| US08879647B2 |
Methods of allocating resources in a system and systems implementing the same
At least one example embodiment discloses a method of controlling a system. The method includes determining a constant number of bits for each of a plurality of tones, each constant number of bits being constant, obtaining a single parameter from a user of the system, the single parameter being a code rate and transmitting, to the user, data as information bits in the plurality of tones across a channel based on the single parameter, each of the plurality of tones including the constant number of bits. |
| US08879643B2 |
Data substitution scheme for oversampled data
Low latency and computationally efficient techniques may be employed to account for errors in data such as low bit-width, oversampled data. In some aspects these techniques may be employed to mitigate audio artifacts associated with sigma-delta modulated audio data. In some aspects an error may be detected in a set of encoded data based on an outcome of a channel decoding process. Upon determining that a set of data may contain at least one error, the set of data may be replaced with another set of data that is based on one or more neighboring data sets. For example, in some aspects a set of data including at least one bit in error may be replaced with data that is generated by applying a cross-fading operation to neighboring data sets. In some aspects a given data bit may be flipped as a result of a linear prediction operation that is applied to PCM equivalent data that is associated with the given data bit and its neighboring data bits. In some aspects a set of data including at least one bit in error may be replaced with data that is generated by performing linear interpolation operations on PCM equivalent data that is associated with neighboring data sets. |
| US08879642B2 |
Methods and apparatus for concealing corrupted blocks of video data
Corrupted subdivisions of streaming data are concealed using a matching subdivision in a previously reconstructed reference picture. The matching subdivision is located by applying a recovered motion vector to a co-located subdivision in the reference picture. The recovered motion vector is obtained using a reference motion vector from an available neighboring subdivision of the corrupted subdivision. |
| US08879638B2 |
Image coding apparatus and image conversion apparatus
A statistical value calculation part specifies macroblocks positioned around an object macroblock and calculates a minimum average value of activities of the macroblocks. When images of the macroblocks are flat and the minimum average value is smaller than an activity of the object macroblock, the minimum average value is set as an adjustment value. A correction factor determination part determines a correction factor on the basis of the adjustment value and a factor determination table. By multiplying a reference quantization step value by the correction factor, a quantization step value of the object macroblock is determined. Since the quantization step value reflects a distribution of the activities of the macroblocks, it is possible to suppress a local change of the quantization step value. |
| US08879637B2 |
Method and an apparatus for processing a video signal by which coding efficiency of a video signal can be raised by using a mixed prediction mode in predicting different macroblock sizes
The present invention relates to a video signal decoding method for adding an intra prediction mode as a sub-macroblock type to prediction of a macroblock in coding a video signal. The present invention includes obtaining a macroblock type, when a macroblock includes the intra prediction coded sub-macroblock and the inter prediction coded sub-macroblock based on the macroblock type, obtaining prediction mode flag information indicating whether the sub-macroblock is the intra prediction coded or the inter prediction coded, and obtaining a prediction value of the sub-macroblock based on the prediction mode flag information. Accordingly, the present invention is able to raise coding efficiency of video signal by adding an intra prediction mode as a sub-macroblock type in predicting a macroblock. |
| US08879634B2 |
Coding blocks of data using one-to-one codes
In general, techniques are described for coding data defining a sequence using one-to-one codes. An apparatus comprising a processing unit and a storage unit may implement the techniques. The processing unit decodes the index using a combinatorial enumeration process to generate a sequence. The index identifies the sequence in an array of all possible sequences ordered according to probabilities of the possible sequences assuming the possible sequences are produced by a memoryless source. The combinatorial enumeration process reorders sequences from the memoryless source according to the corresponding probabilities. The storage unit stores the sequence. |
| US08879633B2 |
Fast multi-frame motion estimation with adaptive search strategies
A method includes examining a statistical distribution of motion vectors employed for motion compensation in a first frame of image data. The examining is to produce a distribution model of the motion vectors in the first frame. The method further includes selecting, based at least in part on the distribution model, a block-matching search pattern for use with respect to a second frame of image data. The second frame follows the first frame in a sequence of frames of image data. |
| US08879631B2 |
Temporally smoothing a motion estimate
For a frame set of a moving image sequence, a motion estimate is accessed. The motion estimate describes a change to a region of a reference frame with respect to at least one other frame. The reference frame and the other frames are displaced from each other within the frame set from over a temporal window. The regions of the two frames contain at least a portion of an image feature. The motion estimate is smoothed over the temporal window. The smoothing may facilitate aligning, at least in part, the image feature within the set of frames. |
| US08879629B2 |
Method and system for intra-mode selection without using reconstructed data
A method and system are provided in to perform video encoding operations. An encoder module encodes a current block of pixels by selecting an intra-mode compression or an inter-mode compression based on a type of frame being compressed. The intra-mode compression includes a direction estimation operation based on values of previously reconstructed pixels. |
| US08879623B2 |
Picture-level rate control for video encoding a scene-change I picture
Computer-implemented rate control in encoding one or more video pictures is disclosed. A quantization parameter (QP) to be used for encoding a current picture one of the one or more video pictures is determined using rate control data that takes picture type, picture complexity, and a target bitcount into account in determining the QP. The current picture is encoded into a compressed format using the QP to generate an encoded current picture. The rate control data is updated based on statistical data determined from the encoded current picture. |
| US08879619B2 |
Method of parallel video coding based on scan order
A system encoding and decoding video that uses a parallel encoding and decoding technique. |
| US08879615B1 |
Equalization adaptation using timing detector
An equalization adaptation circuit comprises an equalizer, a transition determination circuit, a phase error circuit, a sequence recovery circuit, a phase error accumulator circuit, a transition accumulator circuit, and a controller circuit. The equalizer has adjustable parameters. The transition determination circuit determines observed transitions in an equalized signal output from the equalizer. A phase error circuit determines phase errors of the observed transitions. A sequence recovery circuit generates recovered digital data sequences. A phase error accumulator circuit accumulates the phase errors in respective association with pre-defined patterns matching the recovered digital data sequences containing observed transitions corresponding to the phase errors. A transition accumulator circuit accumulates a number of the observed transitions. A controller circuit controls the adjustable parameters of the equalizer based upon the accumulated phase errors and number of observed transitions. |
| US08879613B1 |
Dynamic frame selection when requesting tone map parameters in mesh networks
In a multiple interface, low power and lossy network comprising a plurality of nodes, a sender node dynamically selects a data packet for setting a transmission parameter request in response to determining that an age value for a set of transmission parameters associated with a recipient device has expired or is expiring. The sender node selects an desired data packet for sending a transmission parameter request and transmits the selected data packet to the recipient device. The sender node receives a transmission parameter response from the recipient node comprising updated transmission parameters for that recipient node and then updates the current transmission parameters associated with the recipient node accordingly. |
| US08879612B2 |
Transmission characteristic adjustment device, transmission device and method for adjusting transmission characteristic
A transmission characteristic adjustment device includes: a setting process portion that sets a setting value concerning each transmission characteristic of a plurality of electric signals to at least one of a sending device that sends the plurality of electric signals and a receiving device that receives the plurality of electric signals; a generation process portion that acquires each error rate calculated based on identification information included in each of the plurality of electric signals whenever the setting value is changed, and generates a table on which a plurality of sets of the setting value and the error rate are recorded; and an adjustment process portion that adjusts the setting value based on the table. |
| US08879608B2 |
Systems and methods for digital interface translation
Systems and methods of digital interface translation are described. One embodiment of the invention includes multiple receiver lanes, where at least one of the receiver lanes is configured to receive a data channel at a first data rate and encoded in accordance with an input digital interface standard, an auxiliary channel input configured to receive an auxiliary data channel, and a single transmitter lane configured to output a single data channel at a second data rate and encoded in accordance with an output digital interface standard. In addition, the multilane to single lane digital interface translator is configured to decode the received data into data streams, and interleave the data streams to form packets, the multilane to single lane digital interface translator is configured to insert auxiliary data received via the auxiliary channel input and idle data between the packets to produce an output data stream that is rate matched to the second data rate, and the multilane to single lane digital interface translator is configured to encode the output data stream in accordance with the output digital interface standard. |
| US08879603B2 |
Integrated circuit for controlling radio communication process
Provided is a radio communication device which can make Acknowledgement (ACK) reception quality and Negative Acknowledgement (NACK) reception quality to be equal to each other. The device includes: a scrambling unit (214) which multiplies a response signal after modulated, by a scrambling code “1” or “e−j(π/2)” so as to rotate a constellation for each of response signals on a cyclic shift axis; a spread unit (215) which performs a primary spread of the response signal by using a Zero Auto Correlation (ZAC) sequence set by a control unit (209); and a spread unit (218) which performs a secondary spread of the response signal after subjected to the primary spread, by using a block-wise spread code sequence set by the control unit (209). |
| US08879602B2 |
Asymmetrical receivers for wireless communication
System(s) and method(s) are provided to configure receivers in a mobile device to mitigate receiver overload and fully or nearly-fully utilize available spectrum for communication. Configuration is dictated at least in part by at least one of radio link quality or available receiver specifications, and it can be effected by the mobile device or a base station that serves the mobile device. Receiver configuration includes various spectrally asymmetric receivers that tune respective disparate portions of the available spectrum to maximize utilization thereof in the spectral regions prone to overload conditions. In severe overload conditions, a single receiver can be configured to operate in a frequency band spectrally adjacent to a sub-band that leads to overload conditions when employed for telecommunication. To improve performance, the single receiver configuration can be supplemented with at least one of transmit diversity operation, asymmetric multicarrier spreading, or downlink power boost of asymmetrical multicarrier spreading. |
| US08879599B2 |
Semiconductor laser with absorber applied to a laser mirror
The invention relates to a semiconductor laser having at least one semiconductor substrate (10), at least one active layer (20) arranged on the semiconductor substrate (10) which generates radiation in a wavelength region, at least one laser mirror (40) which is applied at one end of the active layer (20) perpendicular thereto, through which a part of the radiation generated in the active layer (20) emerges, and which is provided with a layer of absorbing material (50, 60) said layer being suitable for reducing a gradient of the luminous-power/current characteristic for radiation emerging through the laser mirror (40). |
| US08879598B2 |
Emitting device with compositional and doping inhomogeneities in semiconductor layers
A device including one or more layers with lateral regions configured to facilitate the transmission of radiation through the layer and lateral regions configured to facilitate current flow through the layer is provided. The layer can comprise a short period superlattice, which includes barriers alternating with wells. In this case, the barriers can include both transparent regions, which are configured to reduce an amount of radiation that is absorbed in the layer, and higher conductive regions, which are configured to keep the voltage drop across the layer within a desired range. |
| US08879593B2 |
Epitaxial-side-down mounted high-power semiconductor lasers
A laser apparatus configured for epitaxial-side-down mounting on a heat sink. The laser apparatus includes a semiconductor laser structure and at least one post on a substrate where the laser structure and post are separated from each other by a channel. The laser structure and the posts optionally are coated with a heat-spreading material layer and are configured so that the maximum height of the posts is about the same as the maximum height of the laser structure. When the laser apparatus is mounted to a heat sink in an epi-down configuration using solder applied to the top of the laser structure and the at least one post, the channels between the at least one post and the laser structure provide a relief flow path for the solder and ensure that the laser structure does not come directly into contact with the solder. |
| US08879589B2 |
Stabilizing beam pointing of a frequency-converted laser system
A beam-stabilized laser system using optical frequency conversion in a nonlinear optical crystal is disclosed. An optimal phase-matching angle in the crystal depends on both wavelength and temperature. If the crystal temperature changes, the optimal phase-matching direction will change as well. A different wavelength can be selected so that the optimal phase-matching occurs along the original beam path and returns the output beam to the original direction. Thus, a central wavelength of the laser beam illuminating the nonlinear optical crystal can be slightly adjusted to compensate for the pointing drift. Since the illuminating wavelength can normally be tuned much faster than the crystal temperature, a more agile and responsive pointing stabilization can be achieved. |
| US08879587B2 |
Method and apparatus for coaxial cable based broadcast and communication convergence in home network
Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for a coaxial cable based broadcast and communication convergence in a home network for supporting a frequency band less than a frequency band used in Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA). The apparatus for broadcast and communication convergence includes a broadcast processor that transmits and receives broadcast signals from an external broadcasting network; a communication processor that transmits and receives communication signals from an external communication network; and a broadcast and communication converging unit that is operated as a terminal for the broadcast signals input to the broadcast processor and the communication signals input to the communication processor, and divides an occupied frequency band of the broadcast signals from a remaining frequency band, and uses the remaining frequency band as a channel for the communication signals. |
| US08879586B2 |
Inband timestamping
Embodiments are directed to timing synchronization between network nodes, such as, for example, based upon IEEE 1588. Example embodiments provide for a node in a IEEE 1588 message exchange to obtain the T3 timestamp without using its host interface to access the physical layer. Methods and systems include aspects of determining an egress timestamp corresponding to a time at which a first packet is transmitted from a physical interface of a first network entity on to a network media, storing the egress timestamp in a memory associated with the physical interface, receiving a second packet at the physical interface, retrieving the egress timestamp from the memory based upon the second packet, and updating the second packet with the retrieved egress timestamp. Embodiments may further include providing the updated second packet for protocol processing in the first network entity, or transmitting the updated second packet from the physical interface on to a network media. |
| US08879585B2 |
Frame timing controller and frame timing control method for triggering at least receiver in mobile station to start receiving transmitted information of base station by referring to at least frame pointer
A frame timing controller includes a timer, a frame timing control unit, and a frame pointer processing circuit. The timer is arranged to generate a timer value according to a first clock signal with a first clock frequency. The frame timing control unit is for triggering at least a receiver to start receiving transmitted information of a base station according to at least a frame pointer and the timer value, wherein the receiver processes an input signal to generate first samples at a first sampling rate corresponding to a sampling clock frequency and processes the first samples to generate an output signal including second samples at a second sampling rate corresponding to a second clock frequency of a second clock signal different from the sampling clock frequency. The frame pointer processing circuit is for generating and updating the frame pointer according to the output signal of the receiver. |
| US08879584B2 |
Technology agnostic QoS support in a multi-mode environment
A generic quality of service (QoS) model that is not dependent on network technology is used to support QoS for communication networks utilizing different network technologies. The generic QoS model may include a superset of all QoS parameters for all network technologies being supported, e.g., 3GPP and 3GPP2. An application at a device may specify QoS for a traffic flow based on the generic QoS parameters in the superset. The generic QoS parameters may be converted to QoS parameters that are specific to a serving network. The converted QoS parameters are exchanged with the serving network and are used while exchanging traffic with the serving network. |
| US08879583B1 |
Radio frequency conditioning unit
A system and method are provided for conditioning a received signal prior to transmission. The signal is separated into different signal components in respective contiguous frequency channels. Each signal component is routed through either time domain or frequency domain processing circuitry and simultaneously a sample of the signal component is routed through control signal generation circuitry. The time domain processing circuitry contains a delay such that if any portion of the signal component exceeds a reference voltage signal, a switch is opened using a control signal generated by the control signal generation circuitry to blank that portion of the signal for that particular frequency channel. The outputs of each frequency channel are then combined into an output signal for transmission. A processor may be used to automatically configure various components within the time domain and frequency domain processing circuitry to prevent excessive power signals from being transmitted. |
| US08879582B2 |
Transmitter and transmission method
In a transmitter which transmits a signal by a DSTBC scheme, communication is efficiently performed by the DSTBC scheme. In the transmitter which transmits the signal by the DSTBC scheme, a frame in which a sync word is disposed in a predetermined position subsequent to the head is used. Initial value controller (31 to 35) sets initial values of differential encoding (differential encoding unit 15) when a DSTBC encoder which processes a transmission target processes the frame on the basis of values from the head of the frame to a position before the sync word so that a signal point corresponding to the position immediately before the sync word in the DSTBC encoder which processes the transmission target becomes a specific point. |
| US08879581B2 |
Data transmitting device and data receiving device
A data transmitting device transmits section information, a data broadcasting content, and a broadcasting content in a multiplexed manner. The data transmitting device includes a specified-information embedding unit that embeds information related to a specified image into the section information; a multiplexing unit that multiplexes the section information embedded with the specified information by the specified-information embedding unit, the data broadcasting content, and the broadcasting content; and a transmitting unit that transmits data multiplexed by the multiplexing unit to a data receiving device. |
| US08879580B2 |
Enhancing packet aggregation performance in coexisting wireless networks
A method of communications for a coexisting wireless network including a wireless combination (combo) device communicating via a first wireless network and second wireless network, and a first wireless device on the first network. During an activity interval for the second network (i) a transmit (Tx) time interval is longer in duration than a Tx packet duration and/or (ii) a receive (Rx) time interval is longer in duration than a Rx packet duration to provide remaining time. A frame aggregated packet is used on the first network that includes a plurality of data packets and a dummy packet or spoofing so that the frame aggregated packet is extended in time or indicates an extension sufficient to overlap the Tx time interval or Rx time interval. The combo device transmits or receives an acknowledgement (ACK) on the first network during the activity interval for the second wireless network. |
| US08879578B2 |
Reducing store and forward delay in distributed systems
Processing techniques in a network switch help reduce latency in the delivery of data packets to a recipient. The processing techniques include speculative flow status messaging, for example. The speculative flow status messaging may alert an egress tile or output port of an incoming packet before the incoming packet is fully received. The processing techniques may also include implementing a separate accelerated credit pool which provides controlled push capability for the ingress tile or input port to send packets to the egress tile or output port without waiting for a bandwidth credit from the egress tile or output port. |
| US08879568B2 |
Method and system for recognizing energy efficient certified devices through a gateway
A broadband gateway, which enables communication with a plurality of devices, may be operable to identify an energy efficient certified device from the plurality of devices. The broadband gateway may handle at least one physical layer connection to at least one corresponding network access service provider. Information related to the identified energy efficient certified device, including usage information of the device, may be communicated to one or more entities. The broadband gateway may acquire the usage information of the energy efficient certified device by monitoring whether the device is operating in an energy efficient mode. The broadband gateway may obtain a credit and/or a reward from the one or more entities based on the usage information of the energy efficient certified device. The broadband gateway may deposit the credit and/or the reward to an account associated with the energy efficient certified device. |
| US08879567B1 |
High-speed WAN to wireless LAN gateway
A gateway interconnecting a high speed Wide Area Network (WAN) and a lower speed Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is provided. The high speed WAN is preferably connected to the gateway via a Fiber-to-the Home (FTTH) connection and associated FTTH modem. In general, the gateway includes an adaptable cross-layer offload engine operating to manage bandwidth between the high speed WAN and the lower speed WLAN. As data enters the gateway from the WAN at the high speed data rate of the WAN, the offload engine stores the data in a non-secure data cache. A rule check engine performs a stateless or stateful inspection of the data in the non-secure data cache. Thereafter, the data is moved from the non-secure data cache to a secure data cache and thereafter transmitted to an appropriate user device in the WLAN at the lower data rate of the WLAN. |
| US08879566B2 |
Method for grouping terminations
Method for grouping terminations of a media gateway by a grouping parameter. When a command containing a grouping parameter is received, the command is executed for a termination if the grouping parameter contained in the received command corresponds to the grouping parameter stored in connection with said termination. |
| US08879565B2 |
Method of updating core domain information for routing a service, communication device, and communication environment
A method of updating core domain information for use by a communication device (4) for routing a service for the communication device in a communication environment (2) including a core network (8) having a plurality of core domains (9, 11), and a plurality of radio access networks (6), each of the plurality of radio access networks being associated with at least one of the plurality of core domains, comprises generating (304) by the core network network information. The network information includes information identifying a preferred core domain for the communication device and a preferred radio access network and being based on network based parameters provided by the core network and connectivity information received from the communication device identifying the radio access networks of the plurality of radio access networks which are available to the communication device for communication. The method further comprises receiving (306) at the communication device from the core network the network information and updating (307) the core domain information in the communication device based on the network information. The updated core domain information is used by the communication device for routing a service. |
| US08879564B2 |
Method to accurately and securely determine propagation delay and distance between sending and receiving node in packet network using cut-through approach and packet network node for executing the method
A method and system for measuring a distance between nodes in a packet network are provided. The system and method include measuring and storing a departure time of a ping packet sent from a source node to a destination node, sending a response packet with respect to the ping packet from the destination node to the source node, cutting through the ping packet or response packet to a successive node or the destination node without an intermediate node delay, computing a round-trip time by measuring an arrival time of the response packet at the source node and measuring the distance between the nodes, based on the round-trip time and speed of the ping packet. |
| US08879562B2 |
Cached routing table management
Techniques are provided for cached routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received. If no routing entry for the source address is found in a routing table of a switch module in the distributed network switch, then routing information is determined for the source address and a routing entry is generated. The routing table is modified to include the routing entry, based on a set of hash functions. Upon accessing the generated routing entry in the modified routing table responsive to a subsequent lookup request for the source address, the set of caches is modified to include the generated routing entry. |
| US08879560B2 |
Reorder engine with error recovery
A reorder engine classifies information relating to incoming data items as belonging to either a first, second, or third region. The information relating to the data items may arrive at the reorder engine out of order. The data items each include a sequence number through which the reorder engine may reconstruct the correct order of the data items. Based on the classification, the reorder engine may either process the data items normally or drop certain ones of the data items. The majority of incoming data items will fall in the first region and are processed normally. Data items arriving in the second region indicate that a previous data item is late or delayed. If this previous data item is delayed but does eventually arrive, it will arrive in the third region and is simply ignored. |
| US08879559B1 |
System and method of processing management frames
A system and method of processing frames in a network switch comprises receiving frames by the network switch via an ingress port and processing the frames through the network switch. Control frames are identified from the received frames, wherein a control frame includes instruction messages, and identifying non-control frames that include data traffic. For identified control frames, the control frames are modified by inserting an EtherType and control data within the control frame. The EtherType and control data are not inserted within the non-control frames. The method also includes transmitting the frames to a central processing unit (CPU) or other frame processing device within the network switch wherein the CPU is configured to identify the control frames from the non-control frames by the presence of the EtherType in the frames. |
| US08879557B2 |
Node apparatus, storage medium and frame transmitting method
When stored identifying information of a transmission target frame and identifying information of a received frame are equal, a node apparatus updates transmission feasibility information stored in association with the final destination of the received frame. The transmission feasibility information indicates feasibility of transmission to each of a plurality of adjacent node apparatuses being a transmission destination, and is updated so that feasibility of transmission to the transmission destination associated with the identifying information of the received frame indicates that “the transmission is infeasible”. The node apparatus transmits the received frame, when there is no adjacent apparatus to which transmission is feasible, and when the stored identifying information of the transmission target frame is equal to the identifying information of the received frame, to the adjacent node apparatus recognized as the origin in association with the identifying information of the received frame. |
| US08879552B2 |
Precision time protocol offloading in a PTP boundary clock
In a data network node implementing the Precision Time Protocol, low-touch PTP packet processing functions are moved from a PTP processing unit into an efficient network processor. An example network node thus includes a time-transfer protocol processing unit that generates negotiation messages and management messages for a time-transfer protocol and forwards said negotiation and management messages to one or more clients. The network node also includes a separate network processor unit, which is adapted to: receive a configuration message from the time-transfer protocol processing unit, the configuration message comprising stream configuration data for a first type of repetitive time-transfer message; generate a plurality of time-transfer messages according to the first type of repetitive time-transfer message, using the stream configuration data; and forward said plurality of time-transfer messages to the one or more remote network nodes, via the one or more line ports. |
| US08879550B2 |
Method and apparatus for packet classification
In one aspect, the present invention reduces the amount of low-latency memory needed for rules-based packet classification by representing a packet classification rules database in compressed form. A packet processing rules database, e.g., an ACL database comprising multiple ACEs, is preprocessed to obtain corresponding rule fingerprints. These rule fingerprints are much smaller than the rules and are easily accommodated in on-chip or other low-latency memory that is generally available to the classification engine in limited amounts. The rules database in turn can be stored in off-chip or other higher-latency memory, as initial matching operations involve only the packet key of the subject packet and the fingerprint database. The rules database is accessed for full packet classification only if a tentative match is found between the packet key and an entry in the fingerprint database. Thus, the present invention also advantageously minimizes accesses to the rules database. |
| US08879546B2 |
System and method to enable large MTUs in data center ethernet networks
A method of configuring a port on a network device includes receiving a frame of information, determining that the frame includes maximum transmission unit (MTU) information, and configuring a prioritized receive queue on the port with an MTU size based on the MTU information. The MTU size is different than another MTU size of another prioritized receive queue on the port. A network interface includes a port, a de-multiplexer coupled to an output or the port, and prioritized receive queues that each have an MTTU size. A first prioritized receive queue has an MTU size different than a second prioritized receive queue. |
| US08879540B1 |
Systems, methods, devices and arrangements for emergency call services
A variety of methods, systems, devices and arrangements are implemented for emergency call centers. According to one such method, a location database is populated from a plurality of endpoint devices. The location database determines locations for nodes in a data transmission route from information received from the endpoint devices. Emergency calls using these nodes are located using the populated database. |
| US08879538B2 |
Method and gateway for connecting IP communication entities via a residential gateway
The invention concerns a method for connection to IP communication entities (Ex,pu,, Ey,pu) via a residential gateway (PZ). It consists in registering (A) the public identity (pu) of each connected terminal associated with the network address (z) of the residential gateway, so that any message should be addressed to said residential gateway (Pz) and in transferring (B) said message to all the IP communication entities connected to the residential gateway (Pz), thus permitting each of the latter to filter (C) the message and to determine whether the message is addressed to a public identity which is assigned thereto. The invention is applicable to IP terminals managed in accordance with SIP or H323 protocol. |
| US08879537B2 |
Communication system providing integrated wireless and packet communication services
A communication system comprises a communication platform and a wireless service node. The communication platform receives first signaling for a call to a telephone number, and in response, transfers second signaling to alert a packet network appliance of the call, and the communication platform transfers third signaling. The wireless service node receives the third signaling, and in response, transfers fourth signaling to alert a wireless telephone of the call. The wireless telephone and the packet network appliance are simultaneously alerted of the call. |
| US08879533B2 |
Method, base station, UE, and system for sending and receiving PDCCH signaling
A method, a base station, a User Equipment (UE) and a system for sending and receiving Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) signaling are disclosed. A method includes determining locations of a first search space and a second search space of a User Equipment (UE). A method also includes sending PDCCH signaling with no Carrier Indication Field (CIF) to the UE in a physically overlapped region between the first search space and the second search space if the physically overlapped region exists and a length of the PDCCH signaling with no CIF in the first search space is equal to a length of PDCCH signaling with the CIF in the second search space. |
| US08879532B2 |
Techniques for pilot stream remapping in OFDM wireless communication system
A method and base station apparatus for transmitting pilot data in a wireless communication system, and a method and mobile station apparatus for receiving pilot data in a wireless communication system are provided. The method for transmitting pilot data in a wireless communication system includes determining a pilot pattern in at least one resource block for each of one or more pilot streams, and transmitting the one or more pilot streams based on the determined respective pilot pattern in the at least one resource block, wherein the at least one resource block comprises a plurality of subcarriers and a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols. |
| US08879531B2 |
Mobile router capable of automatically detecting network connection mode and performing network connection setting, and method thereof
The present invention is to provide a mobile router, which can connect with a network transmission device capable of wired or wireless networking (e.g., a modem provided by a network service provider, a wireless LAN access point, or a mobile communication access point) in a corresponding one of at least three network connection modes based on a wired Ethernet, a wireless Local Area Network and a wireless Wide Area Network, so as to transmit a network packet from a terminal device (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a mobile phone) to the Internet or vice versa through the network transmission device. The mobile router can automatically detect an applicable network connection mode and automatically apply network connection settings stored in a corresponding profile. If no such corresponding profile exists, the mobile router can automatically store the network connection settings manually input by the user as a profile. |
| US08879524B2 |
Service delivery to a consumer electronic device using a mobile communication unit for access and service control
The present invention relates to a method for providing connectivity information, regarding a consumer electronic device that is connected to a local network, to an Internet server. The method includes a step of a mobile communication unit retrieving the connectivity information of the consumer electronic device from the local network and then transmitting the connectivity information of the consumer electronic device to the Internet Server via an access network independent from the local network. |
| US08879523B2 |
Management frame directed cluster assignment within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications
Management frame directed cluster assignment within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. From a first wireless communication device, a management frame may be transmitted to a number of other wireless communication devices to assign respective clusters (i.e., cluster being one or more channels within one or more bands) for use in communications by those other wireless communication devices. The first wireless communication device may be an access point (AP), and the others may be wireless stations (STAs); alternatively, all of the wireless communication devices in the communication system (e.g., including the first wireless communication device) may be STAs. The cluster assignment may be modified for any of a number of various reasons (e.g., periodically, after a certain number of packets being transmitted and/or received, communication system operating condition change, change in number, type, capabilities, etc. of the various wireless communication devices in the communication system, etc.). |
| US08879516B2 |
Efficient formats of beacon, announcement, and beamforming training frames
A method includes generating a first data unit to be transmitted during a first time period to one or several stations assumed to be beamformed, including determining a time interval that separates the first time period from a second time period, such that a second data unit is transmitted during the second time period to one or several stations assumed to be beamformed, and generating a parameter indicative of the time interval, such that the first data unit includes the parameter. |
| US08879514B2 |
Apparatus and method for detection of a dedicated control channel (DCCH)
Apparatus and methods for wireless communication that includes measuring energy on a first path metric and second path metric, comparing the energy on the first path metric and second path metric to a predetermined threshold and determining if Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) energy is present. |
| US08879508B2 |
Method and apparatus for throttling persistent always on applications
An apparatus and method for facilitating inter-technology handoff from a home wireless network comprising comparing a parameter of a home signal to a threshold, wherein the home signal is from the home wireless network where the data session of a persistent always ON application is established; throttling the persistent always ON application; and attempting to acquire a first alternative signal acceptable to the persistent always ON application from a first alternative wireless network using a single RF chain. |
| US08879504B2 |
Redirection method, redirection system, mobile node, home agent, and proxy node
Disclosed is a technique to eliminate wasted tunneling encapsulation processing during redirection of a packet. According to the technique, when a packet of a first connection passing through a local mobility anchor (“LMA”) 111 and a mobile access gateway (“MAG”) 121 using a first prefix of an interface 131 of a mobile node (“MN”) 130 is redirected to a second connection passing through a LMA 112 and a MAG 122 using a second prefix of an interface 132 of the MN 130, a redirection tunnel T1 is established between the LMA 111 and the LMA 112. When the MAG 122 knows the first prefix, the LMA 112 encapsulates a packet addressed to the first prefix that is redirected via the tunnel T to be addressed to the MAG 122 for transferring. |
| US08879502B2 |
System and method for performing handoff between different types of networks by using a voice service
A system and method for handing off from a first network to a second network. A determination may be made as to whether an accessible base station of the second network is located in the vicinity of a user equipment based on information on a current location of the user equipment in the first network. An activation call may be generated with a first telephone number as a caller number when an accessible base station of the second network is located in the vicinity of the user equipment based on the determination result. The activation call indicates an initiation of a search for an accessible base station of the second network, and an accessible base station of the second network may be searched for when the activation call with the first telephone number is received. A handoff from the first network to the second network may then be executed when the accessible base station of the second network is located. |
| US08879498B2 |
Integrated circuit for control channel decoding
A wireless communication base station apparatus that allows the number of times of blind decodings at a mobile station to be reduced without increasing the overhead caused by notifying information. In this apparatus, a CCE allocation part (104) allocates allocation information allocated to a PDCCH received from modulation parts (103-1 to 103-K) to a particular one of a plurality of search spaces that is corresponding to a CCE aggregation size of the PDCCH. A placement part (108) then places the allocation information in one of downstream line resources, reserved for the PDCCH, that is corresponding to the CCE of the particular search space to which the allocation information has been allocated. A radio transmission part (111) then transmits an OFDM symbol, in which the allocation information has been placed, to the mobile station from an antenna (112). |
| US08879483B2 |
Multi-device monitoring and control using intelligent device channel sharing
A shared logical device physical network address is assigned to each of a set of wireless physical devices. The set of wireless physical devices forms a logical device group addressable over a single wireless communication channel using the shared logical device physical network address within a wireless network. In response to receipt of a data packet addressed to a physical network address of one of the set of wireless physical devices from an application server, the physical network address is translated to the shared logical device physical network address with which the wireless physical device is logically grouped. The physical network address of the wireless physical device is embedded within the data packet addressed to the shared logical device physical network address. The data packet is sent to the shared logical device physical network address. |
| US08879482B2 |
Method allowing ranging dependent on status of mobile station in broadband wireless access system
The present system relates to a broadband wireless access system, and more specifically to a method whereby resources for ranging are efficiently allocated to a mobile station with reference to the status of the mobile station, and also relates to a device for implementing the same. In one example of the present invention, the method for allowing a mobile station to range on a broadband wireless access system may comprise the steps of: selecting any one code from one or more codes contained in a ranging code subset corresponding to the status of a mobile station in one or more ranging codes subsets set in accordance with the purpose of the ranging by the mobile station mode; and transmitting the selected code to a base station. |
| US08879481B2 |
Method and apparatus for communications of data rate control information in a communication system
In a communication system, a method and an apparatus provide for efficient communications of data rate control information. A mobile station communicates a request on a data channel for reception of a data file on a traffic channel. The mobile station communicates data rate control information on a data rate control channel. The communication of data rate control information on the data rate control channel is ceased if the delivery of the data file on the traffic channel from a base station to the mobile station or a reverse traffic channel from the mobile station to the base station is concluded. |
| US08879479B2 |
Reactive scheduling methods and apparatus to enable peer-to-peer communication links in a wireless OFDMA system
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for scheduling resources in Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) communication networks for “direct link” or peer-to-peer communications among stations operating therein so that OFDMA resources can be allocated to a transmitter station for a peer-to-peer communication session with a receiver station such that near-far issues caused by peer-to-peer communication are reduced/avoided. The disclosed technologies can prevent peer-to-peer communication links using different sub-channels within the same time slot from creating near-far issues for other receiver stations that are within communication range. |
| US08879478B2 |
Random access channel preamble selection
The present invention provides a method of selecting a random access preamble in a radio communication system operable at least on a physical layer and a medium access control layer. Random access preambles are divided into at least two groups, the groups depending on at least one of the following: radio conditions and a size of a message to be transmitted by user equipment. The method comprising: (a) the medium access control layer selecting one of the preamble groups; (b) the medium access control layer randomly selecting one random access preamble within the selected group; (c) the medium access control layer signaling the selected random access preamble to the physical layer; and (d) the physical layer generating and transmitting the generated random access preamble. |
| US08879477B2 |
Radio coverage enhancement
The invention provides an increase in the radio coverage area (10) of a base transceiver station (100) having access to multiple transceivers (102, 104, 106, 108) by dedicating at least one of the transceivers (102) for BCCH data. This BCCH transceiver (102) is connected to an antenna arrangement (120) 5 comprising at least two antenna elements (121, 123; 125, 127). Increased BCCH radio coverage (30) is achieved by providing antenna hopping among the at least two antenna elements (121, 123; 125, 127) for the BCCH. Correspondingly, increased TCH coverage (20) is achieved by providing frequency hopping among at least two carrier frequencies for the TCH. The 10 coverage (10) of the base transceiver station (100) is defined as the intersection of the BCCH radio coverage (30) and the TCH coverage (20). |
| US08879472B2 |
Long training field (LTF) for use within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications
Long training field (LTF) for use within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. Classification of a signal may be performed using one or more LTF's therein. While such one or more LTF's may also be employed for performing functions such as channel estimation, channel characterization, etc., one or more particular characteristics of an LTF extracted from a received signal may also be employed to classify the signal as corresponding to one of a number of possible signal types. For example, such LTF-based classification may be used to classify the respective channel bandwidths associated with the signal (e.g., as being either 1 MHz or 2 MHz channel bandwidth). Generally, one or more LTF fields within one or more signals are employed for any of a number of additional uses beyond or in addition to such functions as channel estimation, channel characterization, etc. |
| US08879471B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for filtering list in wireless request
Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments of the invention are disclosed to improve the discovery of wireless networks. In example embodiments of the invention, a method comprises: transmitting a wireless message including a list of one or more wireless devices, from which a response is not desired; and receiving zero or more responses from one or more other wireless devices that are not on the list. |
| US08879469B2 |
Method for transmitting/receiving data between a relay and a base station
The present invention provides a method for transmitting/receiving data to/from a relay. The data transmitting/receiving method comprises the steps of: enabling the relay to receive data on an nth subframe of a downlink from a base station; determining the position of the subframe of an uplink to which data is to be transmitted, if any data to be transmitted exists, wherein the position of said subframe is determined as the (n+k)th subframe, wherein said k is determined by the value of said n and by information on a preset HARQ; and transmitting the data on an (n+k)th subframe of the uplink. |
| US08879468B2 |
Radio communication apparatus and radio communication method
A radio communication apparatus and radio communication method are provided which coordinates a plurality of radio base station apparatuses in consideration of interference cancelling capability of mobile terminal apparatuses, and can thereby improve the throughput of the entire system even when the amount of information shared among a plurality of radio base station apparatuses is small. In a system that performs multicell coordinated transmission in downlink, a radio communication method according to the present invention selects a set of mobile terminal apparatuses whose interference can be cancelled from a plurality of mobile terminal apparatus, when a plurality of radio base station apparatuses perform joint scheduling, using interference cancelling capability information fed back from each mobile terminal apparatus; then performs joint scheduling for the set of selected mobile terminal apparatuses. |
| US08879465B2 |
System and method for multi-power signaling device
There is provided a system and method for operating multi-power signaling device. There is provided a system comprising a memory, a transmitter, and a processor. The processor chooses a power level from a plurality of transmit power levels to be used as the strength for broadcasting the next signal to be broadcasted. The selected power level value is converted into a digital value and inserted into the data content of the signal to be broadcasted. The transmitter broadcasts the signal at the strength of the prior selected power level. |
| US08879460B2 |
Telecommunications system and method
A telecommunications system for communicating data to and from a mobile device. The system comprises a plurality of repeater nodes disposed to form a network. Each repeater node has a transceiver unit operable to transmit the data with a first transmission power to one or more other of the repeater nodes within one of a plurality of slots of a time frame. Each repeater node is allocated a time slot, and the mobile device is arranged to transmit and receive data to and from the repeater nodes in the network. Each of the repeater nodes is operable to transmit a pilot signal during the same one of the time slots of the time frame with a second transmission power, the second power being less than the first transmission power. The pilot signal includes an identifier of the repeater node which is transmitted with the pilot signal and the mobile device is operable to receive one of the pilot signals and from the identifier included in the strongest pilot signal the mobile device can identify on of the repeater nodes to which to transmit and or receive data. |
| US08879459B2 |
Method and system for sending counting response by user equipment in multimedia broadcast multicast service
The present disclosure discloses a method and system for sending a counting response by a User Equipment (UE) in a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS), wherein the method includes: within a specific period or upon occurrence of a triggering event, the UE actively initiates a feedback process; otherwise, a network side sends a feedback request indication to the UE, the UE sends a counting response to the network side according to the indication, and the network side counts UEs according to counting responses from UEs. According to the solution provided by the present disclosure, the UE may send the counting response according to the feedback triggering condition under the condition of multiple MCCHs, and the network side may count the UEs correctly for enabling or disabling the MBSFN transmission. |
| US08879456B2 |
Method for transmitting data in a network
A method for transmitting data from a primary station to a secondary station, includes the primary station signaling to the secondary station that a data message is to be received, and at the primary station transmitting the data message. The time of transmission of the data message relative to the time of the signaling depends on a state of the secondary station. |
| US08879453B2 |
Infrastructure offload wake on wireless LAN (WOWL)
Aspects of an infrastructure offload wake on wireless LAN (WOWL) are described. An aspect of the system may include a networked device, or station, which may communicate one or more filters to an infrastructure networking device. The infrastructure networking device may utilize the filters to perform pattern matching operations on frames or packets received from the network for delivery to at least the station while the station is in an inactive, or low-power, state. When pattern matching operations performed at the infrastructure networking device indicate receipt of a frame or packet on behalf of the inactive station, which matches at least one of the filters, the infrastructure networking device may store an indication value. The indication value may denote receipt of at least one frame or packet that matched at least one of the filters, which were communicated to the infrastructure networking device by the station. |
| US08879452B2 |
Wireless beacon reception
This disclosure describes techniques operating a client device to communicate with a wireless access point. The client device may awake from a low power mode of operation receive a first portion of a beacon from the access point that includes a delivery traffic identification (DTIM) message. According to the techniques described herein, the client device may determine, based on the DTIM message, whether or not one or more packets of data are forthcoming from the access point. If one or more packets of data are forthcoming from the access point, the client device may remain in an active mode of operation to receive the forthcoming packets (and/or a second portion of the beacon). However, if no packets of data are forthcoming from the access point, the client device may return to the low power mode of operation, before receiving and/or processing the second portion of the beacon. |
| US08879450B2 |
Enhancing PS-poll for low-power WiFi
Various embodiments are generally directed to an apparatus, method and other techniques for a network controller to obtain a group-addressed packet destined for multiple subscriber stations (SSs) belonging to a group. The network controller to determine that a particular SS in the group is currently unable to receive group-addressed packets due to being in a sleep mode, transmit the group-addressed packet and retain the group-addressed packet in a buffer. After receiving a poll from the particular SS, the network controller is to retransmit the group-addressed packet. |
| US08879441B2 |
Dynamic resource allocation for reducing inter-cell interference
The present invention relates to a method for controlling communication resources in a cellular communication network (1), the cellular communication network comprising a plurality of cells (A to Q) which are under the control of at least one base station (10) and which use the communication resources to communicate via communication links, wherein a distance between two neighboring cells of the plurality of cells using a same communication resource is defined to be a re-use distance of said same communication resource. |
| US08879440B2 |
Method and apparatus for ad hoc venue-cast service
A method, apparatus, and system for providing ad hoc venue-cast content to a plurality of receiving access terminals within a venue boundary. Ad hoc content may be generated at an access terminal, transmitted to a venue-cast server, and broadcast to a plurality of venue-cast receiving access terminals within a venue. In addition to broadcasting the ad hoc content, a notification is given to the plurality of receiving access terminals, notifying them regarding the availability of the ad hoc content. |
| US08879439B2 |
Multiplexer
A multiplexer for a device capable of receiving signals in first and second frequency bands, the multiplexer comprising a first branch for connecting an antenna to a first sub-system configured to process received signals in the first frequency band, a second branch for connecting the antenna to a second sub-system configured to process received signals in the second frequency band, wherein the first branch comprises a filter for attenuating received signals in the second frequency band and the second branch couples the antenna directly to the second sub-system. |
| US08879438B2 |
Resource efficient acoustic echo cancellation in IP networks
System and methods provide acoustic echo monitoring and cancellation for real time media processing in an internet protocol (IP) media server in an IP network. An echo monitor is configured to selectively compare audio streams into and out of the IP media server through a selected port. The comparison determines an occurrence of an echo. An echo canceller in communication with the echo monitor is configured to respond to the determination by the echo monitor so as to remove the echo from at least one of the audio streams. A talk burst detector may be used to detect speech in at least one of the audio streams through the selected port. The echo monitor selectively compares the audio streams in response to a signal from the talk burst detector that indicates detection of speech. |
| US08879434B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and method
According to one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus includes a calculator and a controller. The calculator multiplies a first weighting factor by a first data signal to be transmitted on a first channel, the first weighting factor is based on a second weighting factor multiplied by a second data signal received on the first channel. The controller controls a transmission to transmit to a destination device a control signal if the first data signal transmitted to the partner device exists, and no second data signal to be transmitted on the first channel exists in the device. |
| US08879433B2 |
Method for a canceling self interference signal using active noise cancellation in the air for full duplex simultaneous (in time) and overlapping (in space) wireless transmission and reception on the same frequency band
A method for full duplex communication includes creating a canceling self interference signal using active noise cancelation in the air by using a plurality of transmit antennas and feeding the plurality of antennas with an RF signal in so that part of said RF signal is destructively combined at a receive antenna, and attaining full-duplex simultaneous in time and overlapping in space wireless transmission and reception on same frequency band responsive to the step of creating a canceling self interference signal. |
| US08879430B2 |
Electronic hook switch capability for a mobile device connected docking station
A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) docking station includes a docking port configured to physically dock with a mobile device, and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port coupled to a hands free device. The VoIP docking station further includes a processing unit configured to receive signaling via the USB port, and determine an on-hook or off-hook status of the hands free device based on the signaling. |
| US08879429B2 |
Acknowledgement-based rerouting of multicast traffic
Various techniques for exchanging control messages in order to gracefully reroute multicast traffic are disclosed. For example, one method involves sending a join message for a multicast group towards a root of a new multicast tree and forwarding multicast traffic, addressed to the multicast group, on a current multicast tree until an acknowledgment corresponding to the join message is received. The new multicast tree can be identified in response to detection of a topology change within the network. Until the acknowledgment is received, multicast traffic that is received via the new multicast tree can be dropped. |
| US08879428B2 |
Systems and method for graph-based distributed parameter coordination in a communication network
Systems and method are disclosed for graph-based distributed parameter coordination in a communication network. In general, discrete local parameters to be coordinated among communication nodes in the network and their respective performance metrics, or costs, are modeled using a factor graph. Based on the factor graph, a variant of the sum-product algorithm, namely the min-sum algorithm, is applied in order for the communication nodes, through iterative message passing with their neighboring communication nodes, to decide upon optimal values for the local parameters for the communication nodes that collectively optimize a global performance metric across the communication network. In one embodiment, the communication network is a wireless communication network. In one specific embodiment, the wireless communication network is a cellular communication network. |
| US08879427B2 |
Methods for updating the configuration of a programmable packet filtering device including a determination as to whether a packet is to be junked
Methods and systems for a PLD-based network update transport (PNUT) protocol that utilizes UDP and other protocols for transmitting update or other commands or information over a packet-based or IP network. PNUT is a hardware-based network communication protocol that does not require the full TCP/IP stack and may be utilized for exchanging commands and information with such PLD-based and other devices. Protocols may include a set of core commands and a set of custom commands. Logic components within the PLD-based devices may consist of a command dispatcher, a transmitter/controller, a MAC receiver, a MAC transmitter, a packet parser, a packet generator, and core receiving and transmitting commands. The present invention may be implemented without requiring CPU cores, special controllers, stringent timings, or operating systems as compared with conventional network protocols. Various methods for exchanging and updating PNUT commands are disclosed. The methods and systems of the present invention may be utilized to provide other functions, such as filtering, logging, polling, testing, debugging, and monitoring, and may be implemented between a server and a PLD-based device or solely between PLD-based devices. |
| US08879426B1 |
Opportunistic connectivity edge detection
A distributed coordination and control protocol may enable a set of mobile, self-organizing, robotic relay nodes to adaptively seek positions in such an environment that establishes a network, meeting desired coverage in terms of connected warfighters. Distributed coordination of robotic relay nodes may allow the network to dynamically adapt as positions of warfighters change and/or the network demands change. An algorithm is provided that may be scalable to a large number of robots and may be robust to random deployment of robots, robot platform failures, channel dynamics, and changing warfighter positions. |
| US08879425B2 |
Interference control in a wireless communication system
A method for interference control includes receiving at a base station an interference report from a neighbor base station. The interference report indicates interference observed at the neighbor base station. The method also includes regulating, by the base station, data transmissions for terminals based on the interference report received from the neighbor base station. Regulating the data transmissions includes identifying disadvantaged terminals and assigning the disadvantaged terminals with lower data rates. |
| US08879419B2 |
System and method for registering an IP telephone
A system and method for establishing connection of an IP telephone to a network may include, in response to receiving a registration request from an IP telephone, generating a command to cause network access devices to ping the IP telephone. The command may be communicated to the network access devices. Ping information may be received in response to the network access devices pinging the IP telephone. A network access device may be selected that has the highest quality network access path to the IP telephone. In response to selecting the network access device that has the highest quality network access path, a network address of the selected network access device may be communicated to a network device to enable the IP telephone to communicate with the selected network access device. Credentials may be communicated to the IP telephone to register with the selected network access device. |
| US08879413B2 |
Method and system for controlling access of machine type communications devices
A method for controlling access of machine type communications device is provided by the present invention. The method includes: configuring an access priority to a machine type communications device; a network side configuring a corresponding access control parameter for an access priority needing an access control according to the current network load information, and sending the access priority needing the access control and the access control parameter to the machine type communications device; and according to an access priority of the machine type communications device and the received the access priority needing the access control and the access control parameter, the machine type communications device judging whether an access request can be initiated. A system for controlling access of the machine type communications device is also provided by the present invention. |
| US08879412B2 |
Adaptation of cyclic shift for random access preambles
The present invention enables automatic configuration of random access parameters. The base station is configured to control PRACH transmission of UEs, wherein the UE PRACH transmission comprises transmission of PRACH preambles constructed of root sequences. This is achieved by storing statistics associated with previous transmissions. A parameter associated with the construction of the PRACH is tuned based on the stored statistics. The base station controls the UE PRACH transmission by transmitting information to the UEs relating to the tuned parameter. This information is used by the UE when constructing the PRACH preambles. In this way, the cell parameters relating to random access can be improved to fit better to individual cells resulting in improved resource usage. |
| US08879411B2 |
Method of handling interference mitigation in heterogeneous network by channel measurement and related communication device
A method of handling resource arrangement for a first base station of a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining channel information of a channel corresponding to a resource block from a measurement, a relay node of the wireless communication system or a second base station of the wireless communication system, wherein the resource block is identified by a time period and a frequency bandwidth; and arranging the resource block to a mobile device in the wireless communication system according to the channel information of the channel. |
| US08879409B2 |
Method and system for improving QoS in a wireless network
A method and system for improving quality of service (QoS) in a wireless network are disclosed. In one embodiment, bearer connection context parameters of each of a plurality of data packets in the wireless network are obtained. Further, general packet radio service tunneling protocol user plane protocol data unit (G-PDU) packets are determined in the plurality of data packets based on first bearer connection context parameters which is a subset of the bearer connection context parameters. Furthermore, the determined G-PDU packets are queued in a non-signaling queue. QoS attributes are then computed for each of the queued G-PDU packets. In addition, priority data is computed for each of the queued G-PDU packets is computed using the computed QoS attributes. Moreover, one or more priority queues are formed based on the computed priority data of each of the queued G-PDU packets for improving QoS in the wireless network. |
| US08879408B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication system, method of processing thereby, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
A communication apparatus, acting as an access point, constructs a first network and communicates as a station on a second network constructed by another apparatus. The communication apparatus holds parameter information that defines a transmission interval of data. If communication channels of the second network and of the first network are in an interfering relationship and the communication status in the second network is a predetermined status, then the communication apparatus changes parameter information corresponding to any type of data in the held parameter information. |
| US08879404B2 |
Apparatus for managing communication device identifiers
An apparatus for managing communication device identification is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a multimode communication device having a controller to wirelessly transmit a device identifier of the multimode communication device to another multimode communication device, where the device identifier is transmitted using a short distance mode of communication, where the device identifier is transmitted without retrieving data from an address book of the multimode communication device, and where the device identifier is transmitted in response to actuation of at least one of a dedicated button or a code on a keypad of the multimode communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08879398B2 |
Cloud system and method for connecting virtual machines in the cloud system
A method for connecting virtual machines in a cloud system is disclosed, wherein an agent network management service (Network management service, ANMS) process is used for communicating with all switches in the cloud system. When a virtual machine (VM) is created on one of the physical host in the cloud system, the ANMS detects the creation of the new VM, and confirms the virtual local area network (VLAN) the new VM pertained to. Next, determine a nearest boundary point from the new VM in the same VLAN for confirming a shortest connecting route. Lastly, the ANMS informing all switches in the shortest connecting route to set up internal VLAN tags such that new VM establish connection with other VMs in the same VLAN via the shortest connecting route. |
| US08879395B2 |
Filtering and route lookup in a switching device
Methods and devices for processing packets are provided. The processing device may Include an input interface for receiving data units containing header information of respective packets; a first module configurable to perform packet filtering based on the received data units; a second module configurable to perform traffic analysis based on the received data units; a third module configurable to perform load balancing based on the received data units; and a fourth module configurable to perform route lookups based on the received data units. |
| US08879389B2 |
Traffic handling for mobile communication-based advertisements
A communications advertising system is described for delivering ad content to subscribers of a telecommunications network. The system performs traffic handling by using at least two limits for regulating message transmission. During processing, a network node of the system can continuously monitor the quantity of message traffic being processed. If the node detects that the quantity of traffic has decreased below a first limit, it can initiate the processing of reserved bulk messages. The node then continues to transmit the bulk traffic while still measuring the quantity of message traffic being processed. If, thereafter, the node detects that the quantity of overall message traffic being processed has exceeded a second limit, the processing of bulk messages is halted until the quantity of regular traffic decreases below the first limit once again, at which point the node can resume processing the bulk message traffic. |
| US08879387B2 |
Transmission control protocol (TCP) throughput optimization in point-to-multipoint and heterogeneous wireless access networks
A device receives a packet provided in a wireless access network, and determines whether the packet is a payload packet or an acknowledgment (Ack) packet. The device also allocates, when the packet is an acknowledgement packet, the acknowledgment packet to an expedited priority queue, and allocates, when the packet is a payload packet, the payload packet to a regular priority queue. The device further delivers one or more acknowledgment packets provided in the expedited priority queue prior to delivering one or more payload packets provided in the regular priority queue. |
| US08879382B2 |
Partial failure messaging
A system is configured to: receive a message from a gateway device; identify one or more sessions corresponding to an identifier included in the message; and clear the one or more corresponding sessions. The identifier may correspond to a part of the gateway device where a session is stored or maintained for a mobile device to connect to a server device. |
| US08879380B2 |
Method and apparatus for channel estimation
The present invention provides a method for channel estimation used in a receiver of a multi-carrier communication system, including: receiving a multi-carrier symbols from a transmitter of the multi-carrier communication system; and obtaining channel information of sub-carriers carrying data of the multi-carrier symbols, using selectively time direction interpolation and frequency direction interpolation for channel information of a plurality of scatter pilots of the multi-carrier symbols. |
| US08879376B2 |
Optical information recording medium and optical information recording device
Provided are an optical information recording medium and an optical information recording device that enable to accurately form recording marks each having a certain code length and to accurately reproduce information, even in the case where shingled write recording is applied to optical information recording. An optical information recording medium (1) is provided with a user area (102) configured such that optical characteristics of a photosensitive recording material are changed by irradiation of laser light for recording information. The user area (102) includes recording tracks (104) on which information is recorded by overwriting a part of recording marks (106), and a heat insulating area (105) which is concentrically or spirally formed, and insulates heat generated by irradiation of the laser light. The heat insulating area (105) is formed between the recording tracks (104). |
| US08879372B1 |
Optical storage system having differential phase detector
A differential phase detector for an optical storage system is set forth. The differential phase detector includes a photodetector circuit arranged to detect light deviations associated with radial errors in the optical storage system. A non-linear equalizer is in communication with the photodetector circuit. The output of the non-linear equalizer is in communication with signal processing circuitry. The signal processing circuitry uses the equalized signals to generate one or more radial error signals. |
| US08879371B2 |
Recording medium
A recording medium is provided with: a guide layer on which a guide track or tracks are formed; and a plurality of recording layers, wherein a same mark group is formed in a same rotational phase position of each of a plurality of guide tracks which are included in a beam spot of guide laser light, the mark group including a pair of record marks which are shifted by a predetermined distance toward a right side and a left side, respectively, from a track center. |
| US08879370B2 |
Optical disk apparatus
An optical disk apparatus which conducts overwriting of data on a rewritable optical disk or conducts write-once recording of data on a write-once optical disk includes a control unit for receiving a recording command which specifies a recording area and orders recording and receiving transfer data, and a collation unit for collating existing data on the optical disk with the transfer data. Upon reception of the recording command and the transfer data by the control unit, the existing data is collated with the transfer data by the collation unit, and overwrite recording of data in places where the transfer data is different from the existing data is conducted on the rewritable optical disk, or data in places where the transfer data is different from the existing data is recorded in an unrecorded area of the write-once optical disk. |
| US08879368B2 |
Apparatus for horologe with removable and interchangeable face
The present invention discloses a horologe, such as a watch or clock, in which a removable and interchangeable face can be inserted and removed from the horologe and replaced with another face without disconnecting components of the horologe or interfering with the horologe measuring time. In one embodiment, the horologe comprises a horological movement; a housing having a rim and a mount plate, a removable face for insertion into a faceplate compartment, and an inner transparent cover. A portion of the rim may be extendable away from the housing to reveal an opening to receive a removable face. In one embodiment, the horologe may comprise an extendable drawer, which is adapted for insertion into and selectably extendable from the faceplate compartment. In one embodiment, the horologe may comprise an outer bezel, which has open and closed positions for revealing and covering the opening of the faceplate compartment. |
| US08879364B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device that can display the current time reduces the number of times that the time must be manually set. The electronic device 100 has a CPU 20 that keeps time internally, a display unit 50 that displays the time based on the internal time, a GPS device 10 that receives satellite signals and outputs satellite time information according to the positioning information and UTC, and EEPROM 32 that stores time zone information denoting the time difference to UTC for individual regions. The CPU 20 adjusts the displayed time based on the satellite time information and correction information. The CPU 20 also adjusts the displayed time based on an operation signal, and stores time difference information denoting the time difference between the displayed time after being adjusted and UTC linked to the region associated with the positioning information in flash ROM 33. |
| US08879363B2 |
Electronic timepiece
An electronic timepiece includes a display unit, a communication unit, a tilt detector, an acceleration detector, and a power-off unit. The display unit displays information including information of time. The communication unit performs near field communication with an external device via an antenna. The tilt detector detects a tilting movement of a main body of the electronic timepiece. The acceleration detector detects an accelerated movement of the main body. The power-off unit turns off a power of the communication unit when the tilt detector does not detect the tilting movement and when the acceleration detector does not detect the accelerated movement. |
| US08879361B2 |
Boat transducer mounting apparatus
An apparatus for mounting a transducer on a boat includes a pair of slotted portions adjustably connected to one another. One of the slotted portions includes a transducer mounting portion, which can be used to mount a transducer to the apparatus. The apparatus can be mounted to a boat by positioning the apparatus close to the boat and then adjusting the slotted portions so that slots included in these portions engage with the boat and hold the apparatus in place. |
| US08879360B2 |
Acoustic lens
A subsea sonar unit includes an acoustic transducer. The acoustic transducer transmitting an acoustic beam defining an acoustic propagation path for acoustic signals to or from the transducer, and the unit also includes a housing at least a part of which being oil filled and positioned in the propagation path of the beam. The housing is acoustically transparent in the direction of the acoustical beam and has an outer surface with a known shape in the propagation path. The unit also includes a corrective lens, the corrective lens being mounted in the propagation path between the transducer and the housing part the interface between which defining a first surface having a shape relative to the cross section of the acoustic beam in the propagation path essentially corresponding to the shape of the housing surface relative to the beams cross section at the housing surface in the propagation path. |
| US08879357B2 |
Systems and methods for high coverage rate synthetic aperture sonar
The systems and methods described herein relate to systems and methods for synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) or radar including the use of orthogonal signals with SAS. |
| US08879353B2 |
Fast 3-D surface multiple prediction
A method and apparatus for predicting a plurality of surface multiples for a plurality of traces in a record of seismic data. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a plurality of target traces at a nominal offset and a nominal azimuth; selecting a plurality of pairs of input traces, wherein the midpoints of the input traces in each pair are separated by half the nominal offset and the azimuth of a line connecting the midpoints of the input traces in each pair is equal to the nominal azimuth; convolving the selected pairs of input traces to generate a plurality of convolutions; and applying a three dimensional operator to the convolutions. |
| US08879351B2 |
Non-volatile memory bank and page buffer therefor
A memory system having a serial data interface and a serial data path core for receiving data from and for providing data to at least one memory bank as a serial bitstream. Each half of the memory bank is divided into upper and lower sectors. Each sector provides data in parallel to a shared two-dimensional page buffer with an integrated self column decoding circuit. A serial to parallel data converter within the memory bank couples the parallel data from either half to the serial data path core. The shared two-dimensional page buffer with the integrated self column decoding circuit minimizes circuit and chip area overhead for each bank, and the serial data path core reduces chip area. Therefore a multiple memory bank system is implemented without a significant corresponding chip area increase when compared to a single memory bank system having the same density. |
| US08879347B2 |
Flash memory device and method for handling power failure thereof
A flash memory device. In one embodiment, the flash memory device comprises a flash memory, a diode, a controller, and a capacitor. The flash memory has a voltage source pin. The diode is coupled between a voltage source and the voltage source pin of the flash memory. The controller is coupled to the flash memory via a data bus. The capacitor is coupled between the voltage source pin of the flash memory and a ground, and supplies power to the flash memory to enable the flash memory to complete writing of at least one data page when the level of the voltage source is lowered. |
| US08879346B2 |
Mechanisms for enabling power management of embedded dynamic random access memory on a semiconductor integrated circuit package
Power management of an embedded dynamic random access memory (eDRAM) by receiving an eDRAM power state transition event and determining both the current power state of the eDRAM and the next power state of the eDRAM from the power states of: a power-on state, a power-off state, and a self-refresh state. Using the current power state and the next power state to determine whether a power state transition is required, and, in the case that a power state transition is required, transition the eDRAM to the next power state. Power management is achieved because transitioning to a power-off state or self-refresh state reduces the amount of power consumed by the eDRAM as compared to the power-on state. |
| US08879341B2 |
Method for operating memory system in ring topology
A method for operating a memory system includes providing a memory system including a memory controller, and first and second memory devices constituting a ring topology. The memory controller is connected to the first memory device through first and second links. The second memory device is disposed on the first link. The first memory device starts a first operation. The first link is used as a communication path between the first memory device and the memory controller. The second memory device starts a second operation before the first memory device completes the first operation. The communication path between the first memory device and the memory controller is changed into the second link. The first link is used as a communication path between the second memory device and the memory controller. |
| US08879335B2 |
Input circuit
The first input circuit detects an input signal to output a first output signal having the same phase as the input signal. The second input circuit is configured to detect a first strobe signal to output a second output signal. The third input circuit is configured to detect a second strobe signal as a reversed signal of the first strobe signal to output a third output signal. A data latch circuit includes a first latch circuit and a second latch circuit. It is configured to latch the first output signal in either one of the first latch circuit or the second latch circuit according to the first output signal, the second output signal and the third output signal. It also allows the other one of the first latch circuit or the second latch circuit to input the first output signal thereto. |
| US08879330B1 |
Non-volatile memory (NVM) with variable verify operations
A method of erasing a non-volatile memory (NVM) array includes determining a first number based on a temperature of the NVM array. Erase pulses of the first number are applied to the NVM array. A first verify of the NVM is performed for a first time after commencing the applying after the first number has been reached. |
| US08879328B2 |
Sense amplifier column redundancy
A memory includes a redundant sense amplifier and a plurality of sense amplifier pairs. Each sense amplifier pair includes a first sense amplifier and a second sense amplifier. Each sense amplifier pair drives a common load line. The memory is configured to implement column redundancy using a single redundant sense amplifier without requiring local read lines for each sense amplifier. |
| US08879327B2 |
Reference current sources
Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed, including an electronic device that includes a first data location, a quantizing circuit, and a reference current source, all coupled to an electrical conductor. The reference current source may include a current mirror with a side coupled to the electrical conductor and a second data location coupled to another side of the current mirror. |
| US08879323B2 |
Interconnection matrix using semiconductor non-volatile memory
An interconnection matrix consists of a plurality of semiconductor Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) forming an M×N array. Semiconductor NVM devices in the array are either programmed to a high threshold voltage state or erased to a low threshold voltage state according to a specific interconnection configuration. Applied with a gate voltage bias higher than the low threshold voltage and lower than the high threshold voltage to the control gates of the entire semiconductor NVM devices in the array, the configured interconnection network is formed. The disclosed interconnection matrix can be applied to configuring circuit routing in Integrated Circuit (IC). |
| US08879322B2 |
Direct multi-level cell programming
A data storage device includes a controller coupled to a non-volatile memory having a three-dimensional (3D) configuration. The non-volatile memory includes a group of storage elements. Each storage element is configured to store multiple data bits. Data is sent from the controller to the non-volatile memory and first bits corresponding to a first portion of the data are stored into the group of storage elements during a first write stage. Each storage element of the group of storage elements stores at least one bit of the first bits upon completion of the first write stage. Second bits corresponding to a second portion of the data are sent to a second memory without sending the first bits to the second memory. The second bits are retrieved from the second memory and at least the second bits are stored into the group of storage elements during a second write stage. |
| US08879313B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit system and method for driving the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit system includes a phase-change line including a first phase-change area constituting a first memory cell and a second phase-change area constituting a second memory cell, a write current providing unit configured to phase-change a selected one of the first and second phase-change areas, and a phase-change compensation unit configured to restore the other of the first and second phase-change areas by compensating for a dummy phase-change caused in the other phase-change area due to a phase-change of the selected phase-change area. |
| US08879311B2 |
Phase change memory word line driver
A method for improving sub-word line response comprises generating a variable substrate bias determined by at least one user parameter. The variable substrate bias is applied to a sub-word line driver in a selected sub-block of a memory. A voltage disturbance on a sub-word line in communication with the sub-word line driver is minimized by modifying a variable substrate bias of the sub-word line driver to change a transconductance of the sub-word line driver thereby. |
| US08879310B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
A semiconductor storage device according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of word lines, and a plurality of memory cells each including a storage element and a switching element which are connected in series between adjacently paired ones of the bit lines. Gates of the switching elements of the memory cells connected between one of the adjacently paired ones of the bit lines are respectively connected to different ones of the word lines. A plurality of the storage elements and a plurality of the switching elements of the adjacent memory cells are alternately connected in series. |
| US08879305B2 |
Memory cell
A memory cell and array and a method of forming a memory cell and array are described. A memory cell includes first and second pull-up transistors, first and second pull-down transistors, first and second pass-gate transistors, and first and second isolation transistors. Drains of the first pull-up and first pull-down transistors are electrically coupled together at a first node. Drains of the second pull-up and second pull-down transistors are electrically coupled together at a second node. Gates of the second pull-up and second pull-down transistors are electrically coupled to the first node, and gates of the first pull-up and first pull-down transistors are electrically coupled to the second node. The first and second pass-gate transistors are electrically coupled to the first and second nodes, respectively. The first and second isolation transistors are electrically coupled to the first and second nodes, respectively. |
| US08879304B2 |
Memory circuit and word line control circuit
A word line control circuit includes a first PMOS transistor having a gate coupled to a first selection signal; a first NMOS transistor, coupled between a second node and a second voltage terminal, having a gate coupled to an inverted first selection signal, wherein the inverted first selection signal is obtained by inverting the first selection signal; and a plurality of word line drivers, at least one of the word line drivers comprising a first inverter and a second inverter, wherein a positive power terminal of the first inverter is coupled to the first voltage terminal, a negative power terminal of the first inverter is coupled to the second node, a positive power terminal of the second inverter is coupled to the first node, and a negative power terminal of the second inverter is coupled to the second voltage terminal. |
| US08879301B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling state information retention in an apparatus
A method and apparatus for controlling state information retention determines at least a state information save or restore condition for at least one processing circuit such as one or more CPU or GPU cores or pipelines, in an integrated circuit. In response to determining the state information save or restore condition, the method and apparatus controls either or both of saving or restoring of state information for different virtual machines operating on the processing circuit, into corresponding on-die persistent passive variable resistance memory. The state information save or restore condition is a virtual machine level state information save or restore condition. State information for each of differing virtual machines is saved or restored from differing on-die passive variable resistance memory cells that are assigned on a per-virtual machine basis. |
| US08879297B2 |
Semiconductor device having multi-level wiring structure
Disclosed herein is a device that includes a multi-level wiring structure including a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer formed over the first wiring layer; a memory cell array area including a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of sense amplifiers and a plurality of sub amplifiers; a main amplifier area including a plurality of main amplifiers, the memory cell array area and the main amplifier area being arranged in line in a first direction; and a plurality of first I/O lines each connecting an associated one of the sub amplifiers to an associated one of the main amplifiers, each of the first I/O lines including first and second wiring portions that are elongated in the first direction, the first wiring portion being formed as the first wiring layer and the second wiring portion being formed as the second wiring layer. |
| US08879291B2 |
Multilevel voltage source converter
A multilevel voltage source converter for high voltage DC power transmission and reactive power compensation. The voltage source converter includes at least one phase element including a plurality of semiconductor switches to interconnect a DC voltage and an AC voltage. The voltage source converter also includes at least one auxiliary converter to act as a waveform synthesizer to modify the DC voltage presented to the DC side of the phase element. |
| US08879279B2 |
Systems and methods for constant current control in an LLC resonant power regulator
One embodiment relates to an LLC resonant power converter system. The system includes a transformer comprising a primary inductor and a secondary inductor and a switch control stage configured to generate a plurality of switching signals having a duty-cycle. The system also includes an input stage comprising the primary inductor and a plurality of switches that are controlled in response to the respective plurality of switching signals to generate a primary resonant current and an output stage comprising the secondary inductor and being configured to conduct an output current through a load based on a secondary resonant current to generate an output voltage. The system further includes a controller configured to limit a magnitude of the output current to a predetermined magnitude in response to variations of the load. |
| US08879272B2 |
Multi-part substrate assemblies for low profile portable electronic devices
Multi-part substrate arrangements that yield low profile configurations are disclosed. One aspect pertains to portable electronic devices are able to have low profiles through use of multi-part substrate arrangements. Another aspect pertains to methods for assembling two or more separate substrates into a multi-part substrate. By use of multi-part substrate arrangements according to the invention, portable electronic devices are able to be thinner and more compact. |
| US08879267B2 |
Transceiver assembly
A transceiver assembly includes a transceiver module having ribs and a thermal interface member on an outer surface and a receptacle assembly receiving the transceiver module. The receptacle assembly includes a heat sink and a clip coupling the heat sink to a guide frame. The heat sink has a heat sink surface facing the thermal interface member and a step extending from the heat sink surface with a module engagement surface. The ribs ride along the step during insertion into and removal from the receptacle of the transceiver module. When the ribs are longitudinally aligned with and engage the step, the module engagement surface is in an elevated position. When the ribs are longitudinally offset from the step, the module engagement surface is in a recessed position and in direct thermal engagement with the thermal interface member. |
| US08879262B2 |
Cooling device for pluggable module, assembly of the cooling device and the pluggable module
Provides a cooling device (100) for cooling at least one pluggable module (200) each having a pluggable component (20) and a frame (32) for accommodating the pluggable component, the frame having an opening (33) on a top wall thereof. The cooling device comprises at least one thermal conductive block (40), a heat radiator (70) and a resilient thermal conductive pad (60). The resilient thermal conductive pad being adapted to be in a substantially released position when the pluggable component is decoupled from the frame and substantially biased when the pluggable component is inserted into the frame thus exerting a biasing force on the thermal conductive block and the heat radiator whereby the thermal conductive block is pressed through the opening of the frame into direct thermal contact with the pluggable element of the pluggable module for conducting the heat generated by the pluggable component to the heat radiator through the thermal conductive block and the resilient thermal conductive pad. The main advantage of the cooling device is that the pluggable module has a reinforced and compact cooling structure that improves the heat dissipation efficiency. |
| US08879257B2 |
Combined power and cooling rack supporting an electronics rack(s)
A method is provided for facilitating powering and cooling of one or more electronics racks. The method includes: providing a frame; associating at least one bulk power assembly with the frame, the at least one bulk power assembly being configured to provide power to the electronics rack(s), wherein the frame with the associated one or more bulk power assemblies is distinct from the electronics rack(s); and associating one or more heat exchange assemblies with the frame, the heat exchange assembly(ies) being configured to cool system coolant provided to the electronics rack(s). In operation, heat is transferred by the heat exchange assembly(ies) from the system coolant to a facility coolant, and the frame with the associated bulk power assembly(ies) and associated heat exchange assembly(ies) provides both power and cooling to the electronics rack(s). |
| US08879253B2 |
Transparent heat-spreader for optoelectronic applications
An optoelectronic cooling system is equally applicable to an LED collimator or a photovoltaic solar concentrator. A transparent fluid conveys heat from the optoelectronic chip to a hollow cover over the system aperture. The cooling system can keep a solar concentrator chip at the same temperature as found for a one-sun flat-plate solar cell. Natural convection or forced circulation can operate to convey heat from the chip to the cover. |
| US08879250B2 |
Tablet support system
A tablet support system includes a chassis housing a plurality of components that provide a critical mechanical stack of the system. The plurality of components include a display that faces a first direction. The chassis includes a second surface facing a second direction that is opposite the first direction. A support member channel extends into the second surface. A subset of the plurality of components are positioned in the chassis such that they are not located between the support member channel and the display screen. A support member is moveably coupled to the chassis and operable to move into a stored position in which the support member is positioned in the support member channel. The subset of the plurality of components are positioned to allow the support member to be flush with the second surface when in the stored position without adding to a maximum thickness of the system. |
| US08879248B2 |
Storage apparatus, storage controller for storage apparatus, chassis for storage controller
A storage apparatus S comprises a disk controller for controlling data I/O processing between a host H and a disk unit. The disk controller includes a plurality of circuit board modules each having a circuit board and a module case storing the same, and a chassis shaped like a hollow cylinder having a front side opening and a rear side opening and configured to store the circuit board modules from the front and rear side openings. A CM module is configured to introduce cooling air from a cooling fan through an opening provided on at least one side surface toward a circuit component mounted on the circuit board. A MP module is configured to introduce cooling air by a cooling fan through an opening provide on a front surface of the module case. |
| US08879246B2 |
Peripheral data storage device
A peripheral data storage device for IPHONE mobile phone and IPOD media player devices having an encasement containing a system of electronic circuits which communicates with the IPHONE mobile phone or IPOD media player by means of a host software system and a device software system. The device also has a charge pass through connector and optional card slots. Various views of the device are shown in FIGS. 1-5. |
| US08879240B2 |
Controlling a gas release from an electronic component
Techniques are generally disclosed for controlling a release event from an electrical component. In some examples described herein, a device may include an inner packing material that is coupled to the electrical component and adapted to surround the electrical component. The inner packing material may be configured to trap gases produced by the electrical component during a release event. Additional examples described herein may include outer packing material configured to contain the inner packing material and substantially maintain a rigid shape during the release event. Further examples may include connection rods between the inner packing material and the outer packing material, wherein the connection rods are configured to resist expansion of the inner packing material. In some examples described herein, the inner packing material may be sealed to prevent a release of gas created by the release event. |
| US08879237B2 |
Multilayer ceramic electronic component and method of manufacturing the same
There is provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component, including: a ceramic body having dielectric layers and first and second internal electrodes alternately stacked therein; and first and second external electrodes electrically connected to the first and second internal electrodes and formed at both ends of the ceramic body, wherein the ceramic body includes an effective layer contributing to capacitance formation and a protective layer provided on at least one of upper and lower surfaces of the effective layer, the protective layer including one or more step absorbing layers provided at both ends thereof, so that the multilayer ceramic electronic component can have excellent reliability by reducing defects such as electrode spreading, cracks, delamination and the like. |
| US08879234B2 |
Laminated ceramic electronic component
In a laminated ceramic electronic component, a first functional portion and a second functional portion are disposed within a ceramic element body so as to be adjacent to each other along a height direction, first and second internal electrodes face each other through a ceramic layer in the first functional portion, and third and fourth internal electrodes whose number of laminated layers is different from the number of laminated layers of the first and second internal electrodes face each other through the ceramic layer in the second functional portion. A marking internal conductor is disposed on the same plane as the first internal electrode and/or the second internal electrode, a marking external conductor is disposed on the side surface of the ceramic element body so as to link a plurality of exposed marking internal conductors such that it is possible to recognize vertical directionality. |
| US08879233B2 |
Electrostatic chuck with polymer protrusions
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided an electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck comprises a surface layer activated by a voltage in an electrode to form an electric charge to electrostatically clamp a substrate to the electrostatic chuck. The surface layer includes a plurality of polymer protrusions and a charge control layer to which the plurality of polymer protrusions adhere, the plurality of polymer protrusions extending to a height above portions of the charge control layer surrounding the plurality of polymer protrusions to support the substrate upon the plurality of polymer protrusions during electrostatic clamping of the substrate. |
| US08879232B2 |
Method for producing electromuscular incapacitation
A method and device to temporarily incapacitate a subject for a prolonged period by first applying to said subject a continuous pulsed electric waveform to incapacitate the subject, followed by applying a second intermittent pulsed electric waveform to the subject, which safely maintains the incapacitation of the subject with forced breathing. |
| US08879229B2 |
Display panel driver circuit and overheat protection device thereof
A display panel driver circuit includes multiple drivers adapted for cooperatively driving a display panel and each operable under a protection mode, and an overheat protection device including multiple protection circuits, each of which controls a respective one of the drivers to operate under the protection mode in response to receipt of an enable signal, an interface circuit which transmits the enable signal to each of the protection circuits in response to receipt of a warning signal, and multiple temperature detection circuits, each of which is able to detect a temperature associated with a respective one of the drivers, and outputs the warning signal to the interface circuit based on the temperature thus detected. |
| US08879228B2 |
Electronic safety device
A method and electronic safety device including a switching element for disconnecting and/or limiting the current consumption of an electrical load, wherein control commands for the switching element are received through a remote control interface, and wherein the switching element is only switched on or off when the thermal load on the switching element is within a permissible range such that there is no longer any need to provide a dedicated relay in electrical systems for remote-controlled switching operations. |
| US08879227B2 |
Current limiting circuit
An exemplary aspect of the present invention is a current limiting circuit including: an output transistor that controls a current flowing to a load from a power supply; a current sense transistor through which a current dependent on a current flowing through the output transistor flows; a sense resistor connected in series with the current sense transistor; a potential difference detection unit that detects a potential difference generated between both ends of the sense resistor; a constant current generation unit that supplies a constant current to the potential difference detection unit; and a control unit that controls a conduction state of the output transistor based on a control voltage generated based on the potential difference and the constant current, in which the sense resistor is disposed so as to surround the potential difference detection unit. |
| US08879224B2 |
Portable and modular electrical pegboard system
A modular pegboard electrical board comprising an expandable grid of electrical leads to allow connection of various electronic implements, including light fixtures, fluorescent lamp ballasts and heating lamps. A rectangular pegboard having internal circuitry provides columns of electrical leads, whereby every four consecutive columns form a hot-ground-neutral-ground combination of vertical leads in parallel. The combination allows for connection of a two or three-wire interface to attach anywhere on the board surface, including electrical socket adapters and specific light fixture wiring. The pegboard-style board allows a latch mechanism from a light fixture or electrical device to affect an electrical connection at a specific lead. Consecutive boards are attachable using cam locks, while electrical connections between each board connects the boards in series and thus allow power transfer through a plurality of attached boards in an expanded system using a single A/C power receptacle to power the entire system. |
| US08879218B2 |
Arc fault circuit interrupter, systems, apparatus and methods of detecting and interrupting electrical faults
In all electrical circuits, various arcing conditions can arise, however, the primary ones are series arcing (low current arcing), and, parallel arcing (high current arcing). An arc fault circuit interrupter (“AFCI”) that protects for both series and parallel arcing is called a combination type. An AFCI is a device that controls the effects of electrical arcing by opening a circuit through a tripping mechanism that isolates the load from the supply line upon detection of an arcing condition. In this invention, this arc fault is detected by a circuit employing a Hall-Effect sensor (“HES”) integrated circuit, and a microprocessor among other components. |
| US08879217B2 |
Switching regulator with negative current limit protection
A switching regulator includes a power stage for coupling to a load through an inductor. The power stage switches so that the power stage sources positive current to the load through a first transistor of the power stage during some periods and sinks negative current from the load through a second transistor of the power stage during other periods. The switching regulator further includes a protection circuit operable to force the second transistor into an off-state state responsive to the negative current flowing through the inductor exceeding a predetermined negative threshold. |
| US08879216B2 |
Circuit arrangement for a control device
The invention relates to a circuit arrangement (10) for a control device, and a method for operating said circuit arrangement (10). The circuit arrangement (10) comprises a first field-effect transistor (12) actuating the control device, and a comparator, which compares the voltage provided for actuating the control device with a threshold voltage, and which actuates a timed operation of the first field-effect transistor (12) via a control unit (20) if the threshold voltage is exceeded. |
| US08879209B2 |
Device select system for multi-device electronic system
In one general embodiment, a system includes a first device on a first substrate; a second device on a second substrate; and a device select system coupled to the first and second devices. The device select system includes: a first portion having an array of first electrical contacts; a second portion having an array of second electrical contacts, there being more second electrical contacts than first electrical contacts, the second portion being coupled to the first and second devices, each of the first electrical contacts being associated with at least two of the second electrical contacts; and a select mechanism for selectively placing each of the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with one of the second electrical contacts associated therewith. |
| US08879206B2 |
Magnetic recording head with spin torque oscillator
According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole, an auxiliary magnetic pole, and a spin torque oscillator formed between them. The spin torque oscillator includes a main oscillation layer and spin sink layer as an oscillation layer. The spin sink layer contains one of iron and cobalt, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, ruthenium, tantalum, chromium, terbium, gadolinium, europium, dysprosium, and samarium. |
| US08879205B2 |
High spin-torque efficiency spin-torque oscillator (STO) with dual spin polarization layer
In one embodiment, a MAMR head includes a main magnetic pole, a STO positioned near the main magnetic pole, the STO including a first perpendicular magnetic layer positioned above the main magnetic pole, wherein the first perpendicular magnetic layer is a first spin polarization layer having an axis of magnetic anisotropy in a direction perpendicular to a film surface, a first non-magnetic transmission layer positioned above the first perpendicular magnetic layer, a magnetic layer effectively having a plane of easy magnetization in the film surface positioned above the first non-magnetic transmission layer, the magnetic layer being a FGL, a second non-magnetic transmission layer positioned above the magnetic layer, and a second perpendicular magnetic layer positioned above the second non-magnetic transmission layer, wherein the second perpendicular magnetic layer is a second spin polarization layer having magnetic anisotropy in the direction perpendicular to the film plane. |
| US08879199B2 |
Locking mechanism and library apparatus
Disclosed is a locking mechanism which can perform the reduction of non-actual working hours of the library apparatus. The locking mechanism includes a first locking unit which fits with a cutout provided on a side surface of an object to be locked, the object being formed with a plurality of surfaces and the side surface being one of the surfaces in a insertion/extraction direction of the object; and a second locking unit, provided on an opposite side of the first locking unit in a manner sandwiching the object, which includes a contact member which is in contact with a back surface of the object, the back surface being one of the surfaces and far from a slot to/from which the object is inserted/extracted, wherein at least a part of the contact member is located in a path of the object. |
| US08879198B2 |
Library apparatus with a transportable recording and reproducing unit
A library apparatus includes a medium storage unit that has a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells being storable a recording medium for each, a recoding and reproducing unit that reads data from and writes data onto the recording medium, and a transport unit that transports the recoding and reproducing unit to one of the plurality of cells in which the recoding medium subject to data access is stored and inserts the recording medium into a medium insertion and removal opening of the recoding and reproducing unit. |
| US08879197B2 |
Self-describing a predefined pool of tape cartridges
Apparatus and associated method for loading a first tape cartridge into a tape drive, the first tape cartridge formatted to include a user data partition and also to include an index partition, different than and sized smaller than the user data partition, to store an index that self-describes user data designated to the user data partition and to also store non-index data, then reading the non-index data in the index partition of the first tape cartridge to self-describe a second tape cartridge different than the first tape cartridge. |
| US08879195B2 |
Logical block protection for tape interchange
A two part process is used for modifying records to be written and retrieved from tape devices. A record is appended with a cyclic redundancy check and a string of zeros. Submitting the entire record to tape drives which are logical block protection enabled will result in no change. For drives that are not LBP enabled, the string of zeros at the end of the record is removed. In addition to determining whether a drive is LBP compliant, a determination may be made as to whether a drive is a linear tape open drive from a particular manufacturer. Linear tape open drives may behave similarly as drives which may not be enabled with logical block protection. |
| US08879193B1 |
Method and system for compensating for adjacent tracks during reading of data
A method for sampling a current track and an adjacent track of a storage medium includes using a first read head to read a first data stream from the current track, using a second read head to read a second data stream from the adjacent track, delaying one of the first and second data streams to account for a position difference between the first and second read heads, and controlling sampling of the first and second data streams to align the first and second data streams. Controlling the sampling may include applying a synchronous sampling signal to control the first and second read heads so that they sample at synchronous locations, or may include sampling the current and adjacent data tracks at asynchronous locations and interpolating the first and second data streams to provide aligned samples. A storage device may operate in accordance with the method. |
| US08879189B2 |
Magnetic head slider having shared heater and contact sensor terminal pads
In one embodiment, a magnetic head slider includes at least one magnetic head element chosen from a group consisting of: a write element adapted for writing data to a magnetic recording medium and a read element adapted for reading data from the magnetic recording medium, a heater element adapted for controlling a flying height of the at least one magnetic head element above the magnetic recording medium, a contact sensor element adapted for detecting contact between the magnetic head slider near the at least one magnetic head element and the magnetic recording medium, and shared terminals adapted for supplying voltage to the heater element and for conveying signals from the contact sensor element. Other magnetic head sliders and methods of use are described according to additional embodiments. |
| US08879187B2 |
Self-writing of servo patterns
Various embodiments of the present invention allow for the generation of at least one estimated value of a first parameter that is derived from a regularly measured value of a second parameter. In addition, a single control feedback signal can be adjusted via updating of the estimated and regularly measured values in a control feedback loop. At least one spiral track can be written to storage media based on the single control feedback signal, where the single control feedback signal can be received from an compensating circuit that receives the at least one estimated value of the first parameter, which can refer to position, and the at least one regularly measured value, which can refer to velocity. |
| US08879183B1 |
Segmenting of read-modify-write operations
Systems, devices, apparatuses, and methods for segmented read-modify-write operations are disclosed. The examples provided can allow a system to perform a read-modify-write (RMW) operation for data stored in a main storage that has a larger data size than is capable of being stored in an available buffer. Examples of such a system include discs having bands of shingled tracks. In such example, each band can be split into segments containing one or more tracks and a read-modify-write-write (RMWW) operation can be performed for each segment. Further, a logical guard band can be implemented to protect the segments from overwriting a next track in a shingled band. Also, multiple scratchpads may be implemented. |
| US08879182B2 |
Storage media inter-track interference cancellation
Described embodiments provide a method of cancelling inter-track interference (ITI) from one or more sectors read from a desired track of a storage medium. A road channel reads sectors in a desired track of the storage medium. A decoder of the read channel decodes the read sectors, and if the read sectors are incorrectly recovered from the storage medium, selected sectors of a first adjacent track and a second adjacent track are read. An ITI canceller of the read channel estimates ITI in the read sectors of the desired track corresponding to the selected sectors of each adjacent track and subtracts the estimated ITI of each adjacent track from the data for the sectors of the desired track, providing updated sector data. The ITI cancelled data is replayed to the decoder, which decodes the ITI cancelled data and provides the decoded ITI cancelled data as output of the read channel. |
| US08879179B2 |
Oscillation motor unit, oscillation motor, and lens driving device using oscillation motor
The object of the present invention is to provide a driving mechanism which is a higher powered motor that can be used even when an installation space is limited by reducing a space required for installation of the motor as a motive power of a driving mechanism, and which prevents the influences of vibration and heat generation in the operation. To achieve the object, an oscillation motor unit, an oscillation motor and a lens driving device are employed in which the vibrator, a push mechanism pushing the vibrator in a specific direction to transmit the motive power of the vibrator in which a vibrator is made vibrate and convert the vibration energy to a motive power transmitted are included, wherein a first base member for setting the vibrator and the push mechanism is set at the position where the first base member is sandwiched between the vibrator and the push mechanism. |
| US08879174B2 |
Lens assembly and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed are a lens assembly and a method for manufacturing the same. The method includes delineating and processing a surface of a lens substrate to form a plurality of lens units; bonding a plurality of such lens substrates having different properties to each other as one integrated body; and dicing the integrated body into a lens unit, thereby producing a plurality of lens assemblies. |
| US08879172B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens includes a first lens L1 that has a biconvex shape near an optical axis and has positive refractive power, a second lens L2 that has a biconcave shape near the optical axis and has negative refractive power, a third lens L3 that has a shape of a meniscus lens directing a concave surface thereof to an object side near an optical axis and has positive refractive power, and a fourth lens L4 that has a biconcave shape near the optical axis and has negative refractive power, arranged in this order from the object side. When the whole lens system has a focal length f and the fourth lens L4 has a focal length f4, the imaging lens of the invention satisfies the following expression: −0.7 |
| US08879164B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus having the same
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side: a positive first lens unit; a negative second lens unit; a positive third lens unit; and a positive fourth lens unit, wherein the first lens unit includes a positive first lens subunit, which does not move for focusing, a positive second lens subunit, which moves during the focus adjustment, and a positive third lens subunit, which does not move for focusing; and focal lengths of the first lens unit, the second lens unit, the third lens unit, a magnification of the third lens unit U3 at a wide angle end, focal lengths of the first lens subunit, the second lens subunit appropriately satisfy certain relations. |
| US08879160B2 |
Optical device with deformable piezoelectric actuation membrane
An optical device with a deformable membrane including an anchor zone on a support contributing to trapping fluid, a central zone reversibly deforming from a rest position, and an actuating mechanism to displace fluid acting on the membrane in an intermediate zone between the anchor and central zones. The actuating mechanism includes a principal actuation mechanism and supplementary actuation mechanism each arranged in at least one ring mounted around the central zone, each ring including one or plural piezoelectric actuators, and being anchored on the intermediate zone, only the supplementary actuation mechanism may be anchored to the support, these actuation mechanisms and the membrane to which they are anchored forming at least one piezoelectric bimorph, such that they contract or expand in the radial direction during actuation such that when the fluid moves, it deforms the central zone. |
| US08879159B2 |
Lithography projection objective, and a method for correcting image defects of the same
The disclosure provides a microlithography projection objective which includes a plurality of optical elements along the optical axis of the projection objective. The plurality of optical elements includes a last optical element and a penultimate optical element. A distance between the last optical element and the penultimate optical element is variable. The disclosure also provides a microlithography projection exposure machine including such a projection objective, and a method of making semiconductor components using such a projection exposure machine. |
| US08879157B2 |
Observation optical system and image display apparatus
An observation optical system is configured to introduce light fluxes from a plurality of display elements to an exit pupil via an optical element having a plurality of optical units, and to present a combined and enlarged image. Each display element is configured to display an original image. One optical unit of the observation optical system has a plurality of reflective surfaces. A reflective surface that has the highest refractive power among the plurality of reflective surfaces has a symmetrical plane. When a decentering section is defined as a section that contains the symmetrical plane, the plurality of optical units are arranged so that the decentering sections of the plurality of optical units are parallel to each other. The reflective surfaces having the highest refractive power in different optical units intersect each other. |
| US08879156B2 |
Display system, head-up display, and kit for head-up displaying
A head-up display device includes a light source, a reflector, a reflector control unit, and a surface. The light source provides a light signal that corresponds to display data. The reflector is disposed rotatably in a first optical path of the light signal. The reflector control unit receives a control signal corresponding to the display data and controls rotation of the reflector about a rotational center. The surface is disposed in a second optical path. When the reflector is rotated for a predetermined rotational angle by the reflector control unit according to the control signal, the light signal reflected by the reflector is projected on the surface to display an image corresponding to the display data on a predetermined region of the surface. |
| US08879153B2 |
Lens array, lens unit, LED head, exposure unit, image formation apparatus, and reading apparatus
A lens array includes arranged lenses. Each of at least two adjacent lenses in the lens array includes a first region located at and around an optical axis of the lens and having a first curvature, and a second region located farther away from the optical axis than the first region and having a second curvature. The second curvature is larger than the first curvature. |
| US08879152B2 |
Optical bandpass filter system, in particular for multichannel spectral-selective measurements
The present invention relates to an optical bandpass filter system that has at least one combination of a bandpass filter that provides a first nanostructured metallic layer (4) and a bandstop filter comprising a second nanostructured metallic layer (7), which are arranged one behind the other, and the layer thicknesses of which are different. The bandstop filter is tuned to the bandpass filter in such a way that it blocks a contiguous wavelength range that partially overlaps a pass-band width of the bandpass filter. With the suggested optical filter system it is possible to create various filter characteristics side by side in a small space with a small pass-band width. |
| US08879150B1 |
Optical thin-film polarizing bandpass filter
Optical components and their methods of manufacture are provided, including a first stack of layers configured to exhibit a first stop band for s-polarized radiation and a second stop band for p-polarized radiation incident on the first stack of layers at an oblique angle, a second stack of layers configured to exhibit a third stop band for s-polarized radiation and a fourth stop band for p-polarized radiation incident on the second stack of layers at the oblique angle, where the cut-on wavelength for the first stop band is approximately equal to or larger than the cut-off wavelength for the third stop band. Optical components are further provided to include extended blocking functionality, and to permit stress balancing in thin-film coatings on opposite sides of a substrate. |
| US08879149B2 |
Arrangement for mounting carriers for projection screens of head-up-displays
An arrangement for mounting a projection screen for a head-up-display, which can be attached in a removable fashion to a windscreen of a vehicle in the driver's field of vision, contains a mount for the projection screen, which mount forms a detachable connection with a base frame. The mount has a carrier on which the projection screen is mounted and which can be connected to the base frame by at least two magnetic coupling points. |
| US08879147B2 |
Methods and apparatus for scanning microscopy using one or more Fresnel zone plates
Microscopy methods and apparatus in which one or more microfabricated optical elements (e.g., one or more Fresnel zone plates) operate as one or an array of objective lenses. A single object or a plurality of objects may be scanned in parallel. A single, low-numerical-aperture relay optic can be used with the one or more optical elements eliminating the need for one or more confocal pinhole apertures. When an array of optical elements is used, hundreds to thousands of objects can be imaged or inspected simultaneously onto a two-dimensional imaging device, such as a CCD array. The microfabricated optical elements can be readily configured for imaging with a solid immersion medium. Imaging resolutions on the order of one wavelength of the illumination source, and less, can be achieved. |
| US08879146B2 |
Reflective dot sighting device with perceived dot location
A reflective sighting device includes a reflective sight component having a reflective surface for facing a user and a light source arranged for projecting a reflected image onto the reflective sight component for view by the user along a line of sight. A first focal plane of the reflected image is closer to the reflective sight component than a second focal plane of a distant target, so that movement of the reflected image is minimized as perceived by a viewer when the reflective sighting device is subjected to small unwanted movement. |
| US08879144B2 |
Driving substrate and display using the same
A driving substrate is disclosed. The driving substrate includes a first substrate. The first substrate has a display zone and a border zone surrounding the display zone. The border zone includes at least one active area and at least one non-active area. The active area includes a first conductive layer disposed on the first substrate. The non-active area connects the active area to form the border zone. A display using the driving substrate is also disclosed. |
| US08879142B2 |
Display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
In a manufacturing method of a display apparatus, a substrate including a first area, which includes a first pixel, and a second area different from the first area is prepared. Then, a first capsule layer having first display capsules is formed on the substrate, and a first photolithography process is performed on the first capsule layer to remove the first capsule layer from the second area and to form a first capsule pattern on the first area. |
| US08879140B2 |
System and method for providing DC power to an outside electrochromic mirror (OEC) using a pulse width modulated (PWM) input
A power supply for supplying direct current (DC) power from a pulse width modulated (PWM) source includes a connector configured to be in electrical communication with a PWM power source. A hold-up circuit is in electrical communication with the connector and is configured to convert electrical power supplied from the PWM power source to DC power. This DC power is supplied to a drive circuit where a microcontroller is configured to control the drive circuit by supplying the DC power from the drive circuit to a load. |
| US08879139B2 |
Display mirror assembly
A display mirror assembly for a vehicle having a front shield including a first side and a second side. A partially reflective, partially transmissive element is mounted on the first side. A rear shield is disposed behind the front shield. A display module is mounted between the front shield and the rear shield and includes in order from the front shield: a display; an optic block; a heat sink having an edge lit PCB mounted along a top edge thereof; and a PCB. The front shield is secured to at least one component of the display module with a first retaining feature and the rear shield is secured to at least one component of the display module with a second retaining feature. A housing at least partially surrounds the front shield, display module, and rear shield. |
| US08879136B2 |
Light deflector
An optical deflector includes a movable portion having a mirror plane, a fixed portion, a pair of combined torsion bars connecting the movable portion and the fixed portion to each other so that the movable portion can be rotationally displaced about a rotation axis with respect to the fixed portion, and a driver to drive the movable portion. Each combined torsion bar includes a plurality of torsion bars extending to be parallel to the rotation axis and a plurality of connecting bars, each of the connecting bars connecting one ends of each adjacent two of the torsion bars to each other. A torsion bar farther from the rotation axis has higher torsional rigidity than a torsion bar closer to the rotation axis. |
| US08879134B2 |
Laser scanning optical device
A laser scanning optical device includes: alight source having a plurality of emission points; a plate-like light source holder which holds the light source in a center of the light source holder; a base arranged to face the light source holder; and an attitude adjusting part which adjusts an attitude of the light source by adjusting a tilt of the light source holder, and the attitude adjusting part includes an inclined part and an inclination conveying part, and adjusts the tilt of the light source holder with respect to the base by displacing an abutting position of the inclined part corresponding to the inclination conveying part along an inclined surface of the inclined part. |
| US08879133B2 |
Multi-beam light source device, optical scanning device, and image forming apparatus
A multi-beam light source device includes a vertical cavity surface emitting laser device having monolithically fabricated multiple light sources; an optical sensor to monitor an output of beams of light emitted from the vertical cavity surface emitting laser; a printed circuit board on which a driving circuit is formed to drive the vertical cavity surface emitting laser device based on monitoring signals from the optical sensor; a coupling lens to change the beams of light emitted from the vertical cavity surface emitting laser device to a predetermined state; a transparent board on which a wiring pattern is formed to wire an electrode of the vertical cavity surface emitting laser device and a terminal of the driving circuit; and a holding unit to integrally hold the vertical cavity surface emitting laser device, the optical sensor, the printed circuit board, the coupling device, and the transparent board. |
| US08879131B2 |
Scan projection device and scan controlling method thereof
A scan projection device and a controlling method are projected. The scan projection device comprises a light source module, a scanning module and a scan driving device. The light source module is for providing an image beam. The scanning module has a first direction scanning frequency and a second direction scanning frequency. The first direction scanning frequency is 2N+1 times of the second direction scanning frequency, wherein N is an integer. The scanning module is for projecting the image beam towards a particular direction and scanning a projection surface. The scan driving device controls the scanning module to scan the projection surface back and forth along a scan trace at the first direction scanning frequency and the second direction scanning frequency. |
| US08879127B2 |
Illumination apparatus, image sensor unit, and paper sheet discriminating apparatus for discriminating an illuminated body
A first light source and a second light source are arranged so that a protrusion direction of a first terminal from a first supporting body and a protrusion direction of a second terminal from a second supporting body are different when viewed in the longitudinal direction of a light guide. The first light source and the second light source are arranged so as to reduce a protrusion direction of the first supporting body and the second supporting body in a predetermined direction from an area where the first light source and the second light source overlap when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the light guide. |
| US08879126B2 |
Image reading device
An image reading device includes a first reading unit, second reading unit, and determining unit. The first and second reading units are configured to read one surface and another surface of an original, respectively. The second reading unit is disposed downstream of the first reading unit with respect to a conveying path. The determining unit determines, based on read data obtained by reading the one surface with the first reading unit before the original is arrived at the second reading unit, whether or not an image is formed on the one surface. The first reading unit continues reading the one surface and the second reading unit fails to read another surface when an image is formed on the one surface. The second reading unit reads another surface and the first reading unit fails to read the one surface when an image is not formed on the one surface. |
| US08879125B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus
An image processing apparatus of the present disclosure includes: a step detecting unit which detects a first step pixel and a second step pixel in the binary image and step directions of the first step pixel and the second step pixel; and an enlargement processing unit which inverts pixel values of pixels from the first pixel value to the second pixel value in a pixel area corresponding to the first step pixel in the enlarged image, and inverts pixel values of pixels from the second pixel value to the first pixel value in a pixel area corresponding to the second step pixel. The pixels of which pixel values are inverted are located at positions corresponding to its step direction. The number of the pixels of which pixel values are inverted corresponds to its step length in the binary image. |
| US08879119B2 |
Image tone conversion apparatus, recording medium, and system
An image tone conversion apparatus includes: a region specifying section configured to specify a region of an original image, to which region an image tone conversion is to be performed; an image tone specifying section configured to specify a different type of image tone in accordance with an elapsed time since the region specifying section has specified the region; an image converting section configured to convert an tone of the original image in the region specified by the region specifying section to the image tone specified by the image tone specifying section; and a superimposing section configured to superimpose the image in the region to which the image tone conversion has been performed by the image converting section on the region of the original image specified by the region specifying section. |
| US08879118B2 |
Method to align and apply geometric distortion and uniformity compensation data
As set forth herein, computer-implemented methods and systems facilitate detecting non-uniformities (e.g., streaks or other defects) in a scanned image, and correcting the non-uniformities while accounting for geometric distortion therein. For instance a scanned image may include a light streak (e.g., higher L* values than expected) down the page at a given distance from a page edge. Paper shrinkage may also cause the image to be magnified relative to the page. Correction values (e.g., L* knockdown values or the like) are generated to bring the non-uniform L* values down to a darker level. To account for the magnification of the image, the correction values are electronically registered to uniformity data for the page, and applied at the correct location to account for the magnification. The corrected image is then printed by a marking device. |
| US08879116B2 |
Hollow dot printing apparatus and methods
Systems, processes, and methods are presented for creating dots that implode, rather than explode when transformed into a dye-laden gas. Each of the dots can have a smaller cross-section on a target than on the source, and each can have a concave silhouette. The dots can also have a ring-shaped surface prior to transfer to a source, such as a transfer paper. It is further contemplated that a device including, for example, a high resolution printer or an electrostatic printer, can be used to create the dots or transfer the dots to a fabric. Preferably, the dots can be transferred to a fabric or other material including, for example, clothing fabric, wall paper fabric, carpet, paper, plastic, and powder-coated metal. |
| US08879114B2 |
Image forming apparatus performing combine printing
When an instruction for combine setting is accepted, a reduction ratio of an original image is set as a first reduction ratio based on an orientation of the original image and an orientation of output paper. When an instruction to change the reduction ratio for the previewed original image is accepted, if a reduction ratio after the change (a second reduction ratio) falls within a prescribed range from the first reduction ratio, the first reduction ratio is set as a reduction ratio of the original image for arranging onto a sheet of output paper in combination. |
| US08879113B2 |
Image forming apparatus forming images in accordance with image forming conditions
A processor determines a combination of the result of a comparison between a statistical value indicating the graininess of small dots and a predetermined reference value SDa and the result of a comparison between a statistical value indicating the graininess of large dots and a predicted value SDp. This combination shows which factors degrade image quality and which image forming conditions should be corrected and to what extent. Thus, the processor selects the image forming conditions to be corrected based on a combination of these comparison results, determines their correction values, and corrects the selected image forming conditions using the correction values. This makes it possible to properly correct the image forming conditions that correspond to the factors affecting image quality. |
| US08879111B2 |
Apparatus for generating imposition information and recording medium
In an imposition information generating apparatus (2), folding template information (31) indicating an instruction to fold a print sheet is prepared in a memory (24) in advance. When generating imposition information (32), input of selection information including a page size of a book product, a selection whether bag-like portions in a section are to be located on the top or bottom of the section, and a selection which side of the section is to be stitched, is received. Then, the imposition information (32) for printing the print sheet which is to be folded into the section is generated on the basis of the folding template information (31) and the selection information in an imposition information generator (22). As above, by preparing the folding template information (31) in advance, it is possible to generate the imposition information (32) easily. |
| US08879105B2 |
Information processing method, information processing apparatus and program for obtaining image generation data based on specified identification information
An information processing system includes an information management apparatus that accepts image generation requests and an image generation section that generates image data, which is provided independently of the information management apparatus. The information management apparatus issues a job ID in response to a print request from a client, and transmits the job ID and a URL of the image generation apparatus to the client. Based on the URL, the client directly requests the image generation apparatus for image data corresponding to the job ID. |
| US08879103B2 |
System and method for highlighting barriers to reducing paper usage
A computer-implemented method for identifying constraints to reducing consumable usage includes acquiring print job information for a set of print jobs submitted for printing by a set of users. A print job representation is computed for each of the print jobs based on features extracted from the print job information. Provision is made for user-annotation of the submitted print jobs with a task category and a constraint category. Each of a plurality of task categories represents a respective task with which the printing of a print job is associated. Each of a plurality of selectable constraint categories expresses a different reason for printing the print job. User-annotations are received for at least some of the submitted print jobs. The print jobs are clustered into clusters based on the print job representations and task category annotations. A representation of the set of print jobs is generated which represents reasons for printing of print jobs in at least one of the clusters, based on the users' constraint category annotations. |
| US08879101B2 |
Image forming apparatus and a communication method with trays thereof
An image forming apparatus having a main body and optional trays and a communication method between the main body. optional trays. The apparatus includes the main body having a main controller, at least one optional tray detachably set up in the main body and having a tray controller for communicating with the main controller to transmit and receive data, and communication lines forming a communication channel connecting the main controller and the tray controllers, for data exchange, and for informing the main controller that the data is provided from tray controllers to the main controller. Since the main body and the optional trays communicate through a single UART communication channel, the number of communication channels is decreased. |
| US08879095B2 |
Image forming system, information forming apparatus, and computer readable medium having management apparatus with distributed storage
An image forming system includes a first storage unit that stores identification information and storage information with the identification information mapped to the storage information, the identification information identifying a user, the storage information indicating a storage location where image data corresponding to the identification information is stored, an identifying unit that, in response to the identification information input by the user, identifies the storage location indicated by the storage information stored on the first storage unit with the identification information mapped thereto, a retrieval unit that retrieves, from the storage location identified by the identifying unit, the image data corresponding to the identification information, and an image forming unit that forms an image responsive to the image data retrieved by the retrieval unit. |
| US08879094B2 |
Image reading apparatus which is able to transfer an image to an external device and non-transitory computer readable medium
Disclosed is an image reading apparatus including: an image reading section to read an image; a storage section to store the image; and a control section to detect whether or not the image reading section is in a state of pausing reading of the image, to determine transfer speed of the image to an external device based on a detected result, and to transfer the image to an external device at a determined transfer speed. |
| US08879091B2 |
Apparatus and method for metering, monitoring and providing real time enterprise printing information
The invention relate to an apparatus and a method for monitoring all printers in an enterprise. The method includes for each transaction, authenticating a customer associated with the enterprise and obtaining a session ticket. The method also includes executing a printer list fetcher for downloading a list of in-service printer and print scan load frequency for each location with in the enterprise and executing a scheduler for implementing different categories of scans. The method further includes executing a network scan on a computer network to obtain information for all printers attached to the computer network, executing a local scan on each computer that is attached to a non-network printer to obtain information for all non-network printers in the enterprise and executing a port scan to obtain information for all non-cataloged printers. The method also includes compiling all scanned information, obtained from executing the network scan, the local scan and the port scan, in a file and dispatching the file to an external server and using the file in the external server to provide printer status information and usages for each printer in the enterprise. |
| US08879086B2 |
Printing apparatus, control method therefor, and storage medium
A printing apparatus according to this invention stores history information of a printed job, displays a list of jobs to be reprinted based on the stored job history information, and reprints a job selected from the displayed list of jobs to be reprinted. The printing apparatus restricts reprinting based on history information of a job using data obtained from a file server on a network. |
| US08879081B2 |
Printing apparatus, printing control apparatus and printing control method
A multifunction machine includes, a print setting section that performs setting to contribute to a reduction in the environmental load, based on designated content with respect to an operating panel of the multifunction machine or an external computer, an eco-printing judging section that judges whether printing according to the applied setting corresponds to eco-printing which is environment-friendly printing, a logo image attaching section to attach a logo image to an image when the result of the judgment is a correspondence to eco-printing, and a printing controlling section which is caused by a printing engine to print an image to which a logo image is attached. |
| US08879078B2 |
Display control apparatus communicating with a multifunction peripheral to present operational information to users
A manual display application common to a standard application and an external application controls display of both of an operation manual of the standard application and an operation manual of the external application. With the arrangement, the operation manuals of the respective applications can be displayed in a unified manner. |
| US08879077B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method of controlling the same and storage medium
An image processing apparatus communicable with a server via a network and a control method for the image processing apparatus. A comment including a request to transmit image data to a particular user is monitored, and upon detection of registration of a comment, authentication data of the image processing apparatus, necessary to transmit the image data to the server, is obtained. The image data is transmitted to the server using the obtained authentication data, and setting is made for sharing with the particular user with respect to the image data. |
| US08879073B2 |
Optical metrology using targets with field enhancement elements
Methods and systems for enhancing metrology sensitivity to particular parameters of interest are presented. Field enhancement elements (FEEs) are constructed as part of a specimen to enhance the measurement sensitivity of structures of interest present on the specimen. The design of the FEEs takes into account measurement goals and manufacturing design rules to make target fabrication compatible with the overall device fabrication process. Measurement of opaque materials, high-aspect ratio structures, structures with low-sensitivity, or mutually correlated parameters is enhanced by the addition of FEEs. Exemplary measurements include critical dimension, film thickness, film composition, and optical scatterometry overlay. In some examples, a target element includes different FEEs to improve the measurement of different structures of interest. In other examples, different target elements include different FEEs. In some other examples, field enhancement elements are shaped to concentrate an electric field in a thin film deposited over the FEE. |
| US08879071B2 |
Multiple optical wavelength interferometric testing methods for the development and evaluation of subwavelength sized features within semiconductor devices and materials, wafers, and monitoring all phases of development and manufacture
Methods and systems for resolving and determining sub-wavelength sized features and stresses by using infrared optical and thermal wavelength probing for holographic or interferometric evaluation and testing for all phases of semiconductor device development and manufacture. Specifically, systems and methods are disclosed for extending the range of optical holographic interferometric inspection for testing and evaluating microelectronic devices and determining the interplay of electromagnetic signals and dynamic stresses to the semiconductor material in which an enhanced imaging method provides continuous and varying magnification of the optical holographic interferometric images over a plurality of interleaved optical pathways of varying optical paths and imaging devices. Electronic analysis of holographic interference patterns of varying optical probing wavelengths determines and permits the display of internal and external stresses and the various effects of such stresses acting upon the operating characteristics of semiconductor devices, features, interior structures at any stage of development or manufacture. |
| US08879069B2 |
Optical image measurement device
An optical image measurement device comprises: a light amount adjustment part that adjusts the light amount of a laser beam generated by a low coherence light source 201; and a photodiode 105 placed outside the light path of the laser beam irradiated on an eye E and capable of measuring the light amount, wherein the laser beam is input to the photodiode 105 by changing the direction of a galvanomirror 170B; the photodiode 105 measures the light amount of the input laser beam; and the light amount adjustment part previously stores a specified range of light amount and adjust the light amount of the laser beam generated by the low coherence light source 201 such that the light amount measured by the photodiode 105 falls within the specified range. |
| US08879068B2 |
Abscissa calibration jig and abscissa calibration method of laser interference measuring apparatus
An abscissa calibration jig of a laser interference measuring apparatus, includes: an image projection unit configured to project an image with a marker; a first support mechanism configured to rotatably support the image projection unit around a first rotation axis passing a predetermined rotation center; and a second support mechanism configured to rotatably support the first support mechanism around a second rotation axis crossing the first rotation axis at the rotation center. |
| US08879064B2 |
Apparatus and method for transporting an aerosol
An apparatus can include ablation chamber body having a transmission window and defining an accommodation region configured to accommodate a target that is movable relative to the transmission window. An aerosol transmission conduit is configured to transport an aerosol produced within the accommodation region to a sample receiving region of an analysis system along a substantially straight transport path. |
| US08879060B2 |
Raman signal detection and analysing system and a method thereof
A Raman signal detection and analyzing system and a method thereof are disclosed. The Raman signal is generated by emitting an excitation light to a sample. The Raman signal is then modulated by passing through a plurality of optical filter and modulator. The resulting modulated Raman signal comprises two orthogonal components, which intensities are to be computed based on the first harmonic of said modulated Raman signal. The content of a specific analyte within the sample can then be determined based on the ratio of the intensities of the two components. |
| US08879059B2 |
Methods and apparatus for controlled generation of hyperfine polarizations and coherences
Methods and apparatus that provide for precise and continuously-controlled generation of hyperfine polarizations and coherences in samples of laser cooled atoms. In one example, coherent population trapping induced by Raman pulses with preselected parameters (such as phase and duration) is employed as a mechanism for producing well-controlled atomic coherences and polarizations. In one example, these coherences and polarizations are used to provide precision polarization references for normalization of polarization readout measurements, and/or to provide precision phase references for phase storage or phase comparison. |
| US08879058B2 |
Miniaturized multimodal cars endoscope
A miniaturized imaging system is provided that operates in multiple modes, including a coherent anti-stokes Raman scattering (CARS) mode. The imaging system includes: a laser delivery subsystem that generates an excitation signal; a scanning mechanism configured to receive the excitation signal from the laser delivery subsystem and direct the excitation signal through an optics subsystem onto a sample, such that the optics subsystem compensates for chromatic aberration in the excitation signal; and a dichroic mirror that receives emission from the sample in a backward direction and directs the emission along a collection path to a detector. The light source for the laser delivery subsystem may be a single femtosecond pulse laser. |
| US08879056B2 |
Multi-spot illumination for wafer inspection
Illumination subsystems for multi-spot wafer inspection are provided. One illumination subsystem includes a diffractive optical element configured to separate an illumination light beam into multiple light beams and a refractive lens array positioned in the path of the multiple light beams. The refractive lens array is configured to relay the laser beam waist at the diffractive optical element onto a wafer surface and to separately and simultaneously focus each of the multiple light beams to a wafer for inspection. |
| US08879055B1 |
Inspection method and inspection apparatus
The field of view of an objective lens is divided into two areas, and a transmission image of a photomask and a composite image obtained by optically synthesizing a transmission image and a reflection image of the photomask are picked up in parallel. A drop image generated at an edge portion of a pattern portion in the composite image is deleted by limiter processing or masking processing, or is deleted by using primary-differentiated signals of a composite image signal and a transmission image signal. |
| US08879051B2 |
High power laser doppler velocimeter with multiple amplification stages
Systems and methods for laser based measurement of air parameters are disclosed. An example system includes a source of radiation, an amplification system with one or more power amplification stages, a transceiver, and an optical mixer. The source produces a plurality of beams, and the amplification system is configured to amplify the beams. The transceiver is configured to transmit the modulated beam to, and receive a scattered beam from a target region. The optical mixer is configured to determine a difference between the scattered beam and a reference beam, which is used to determine a Doppler shift therefrom. In certain embodiments, the amplification system includes a fiber preamplifier and one or more fiber power amplifiers stages. |
| US08879046B2 |
Method for moving an optical element of a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography
A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography includes an optical element actuatable by a first and a second actuator. The actuators are controlled via control intervals in such a way that a minimum deflectability predefined in accordance with a preselectable parameter is guaranteed at every point in time of the control. |
| US08879044B2 |
Lithographic apparatus, and motor cooling device
A lithographic device includes a cooling device for removing heat from a motor. The cooling device has a cooling element provided in thermal contact with at least part of the motor. The cooling device further has a cooling duct assembly with a supply duct to supply a cooling fluid to the cooling element, and a discharge duct to discharge the cooling fluid from the cooling element. A pump causes the cooling fluid to flow through at least part of the cooling duct assembly. A flow control device controls a flow rate of the cooling fluid through at least part of the cooling duct assembly, to maintain a predetermined average temperature of the cooling fluid in the cooling element. |
| US08879038B2 |
Array substrate, liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method of array substrate
The present invention discloses an array substrate, a liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method of array substrate; an array substrate comprises a plurality of thin film transistors and a first pixel electrode connected with the drain electrode of the thin film transistor, wherein the array substrate also comprises a second pixel electrode which is arranged on the bottom of the first pixel electrode and forms mutual insulation with the first pixel electrode; The present invention can increase the penetration rate of the pixel, improve the visual color cast characteristic of a panel, and reduce uneven brightness caused by variation of electrode wire width. |
| US08879035B2 |
Liquid crystal display device, color-filter substrate, thin-film-transistor substrate and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device, a color-filter substrate, a thin-film-transistor substrate and a manufacturing method thereof. The thin-film-transistor substrate has a pixel array and transparent conductive material. The pixel array has a plurality of thin-film-transistor units, pixel electrodes and metal signal lines. The transparent conductive material is mounted on the pixel array with an insulating layer placed therebetween, and correspondingly covers an area containing the thin-film-transistor units and the metal signal lines. And voltage difference between the transparent conductive layer and a common electrode of the color-filter substrate is smaller than a threshold voltage of liquid crystal cell. Therefore, without enough voltage difference for driving, the liquid crystal material between the transparent conductive material and the common electrode can maintain at a vertical status to block lights, so as to replace the function of traditional black matrix. |
| US08879031B2 |
Liquid crystal display and manufacturing method thereof
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a method of manufacturing the same. The LCD may have a display area and a peripheral area. An organic layer of the peripheral area may be patterned using a half-tone mask, and a protrusion member may be formed in the peripheral area. Accordingly, the thin film transistor array panel and the corresponding substrate may be prevented from being temporary adhered in the peripheral area such that the density of the liquid crystal molecules filled in the peripheral area may be uniformly maintained and the display quality of the liquid crystal display may be improved. |
| US08879029B2 |
Method of fabricating color filter substrate for liquid crystal display device
A method of fabricating a color filter substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes steps of forming a black matrix having a first thickness on a substrate, which includes first, second and third pixel regions, the black matrix surrounding each of the first, second and third pixel regions, forming red, green and blue color filter patterns using an inkjet apparatus, the red, green and blue color filter patterns disposed in the first, second and third pixel regions, respectively and having a second thickness, and forming an overcoat layer on a substantially entire surface of the substrate including the black matrix and the red, green and blue color filter patterns, the overcoat layer having a third thickness, wherein a difference between the first and second thicknesses is less than 15% of the third thickness such that the overcoat layer has an even top surface. |
| US08879026B2 |
Electronic device comprising a light guide having an image light area and an invalid light area wherein a decay ratio of a light beam in the invalid light area is 0˜15% or 85˜100%
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a light source, a light guide, a display unit and a frame. The light source provides a light beam. The light guide includes a light emitting surface and a light entering surface, wherein the light beam enters the light guide through the light entering surface, and is emitted from the light emitting surface. The display unit is corresponding to the light emitting surface, wherein the light beam is partially emitted from the light guide, passes through the display unit to display an image. The frame covers the display unit and the light guide, wherein the frame has a display portion and a transparent portion, the image is displayed in the display portion, and the light beam is partially emitted from the light guide toward the transparent portion and passes through the transparent portion. |
| US08879023B2 |
Circuit substrate and light emitting diode package
A circuit substrate including a base layer and a plurality of lead units arranged as an array is provided, wherein the base layer has a plurality of through grooves, and the lead units are disposed on the base layer. Each of the lead units includes a common terminal and at least three leads. The common terminal is capable of being divided into a plurality of electrodes connected with each other. The leads are extended outwards from the edge of the common terminal, and each of the leads is extended outwards from the edge of one of the electrodes. The through grooves expose the common terminals of the lead units. |
| US08879021B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
An LCD device adapted to become thinner and simultaneously prevent a defect (or fault) due to static electricity is discussed. The LCD device according to an embodiment includes a liquid crystal display panel, an upper case formed from an insulation material and configured to encompass edges of the liquid crystal display panel, a driver PCB (printed circuit board) configured to apply drive signals to one edge of the liquid crystal display panel, a light source configured to apply light to the liquid crystal display panel, a bottom cover formed from a metal material and configured to receive the light source, and a shielding film disposed under one edge of the upper case opposite to the driver PCB and electrically connected to the bottom cover. |
| US08879019B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus and electronic equipment
A liquid crystal display apparatus including: a liquid crystal panel which includes a device substrate, a counter substrate arranged to face the device substrate, and a protruded section in which the device substrate protrudes from an end portion of the counter substrate; a lighting system which includes an optical sheet arranged on a side which is opposite a light emission side of the liquid crystal panel; and a first frame portion which supports an edge of the protruded section of the device substrate and includes a protruded plate section that protrudes between the device substrate and the optical sheet, wherein the first frame portion includes a first stage section which faces a side end surface of the device substrate and a second stage section which is arranged between an edge of the protruded plate section and the first stage and which faces an outline side of the optical sheet. |
| US08879016B2 |
Color filterless display device, optical element, and manufacture
A method of forming liquid crystal cell for a color display device includes forming a liquid crystal layer and a prism structure between top and bottom substrates. Forming the prism structure includes forming a lens shaped die, coating a low refractive index resin on the lens shaped die, pasting the lens shaped die to the top substrate, and irradiating the coated low refractive index resin so as to set the low refractive index resin and form a low refractive index layer. The lens shaped die is removed from the low refractive index layer, a high refractive index resin is coated on the low refractive index layer by use of a planarizing die. The coated high refractive index resin is irradiated so as to set the high refractive index resin and form a high refractive index layer, and the planarizing die is removed from the high refractive index layer. |
| US08879013B2 |
Thin-film transistor liquid crystal display device, substrate, and manufacturing method
A thin-film transistor liquid crystal display device includes: a substrate and a signal line, a scan line, a pixel electrode, and a thin-film transistor that are formed on the substrate. The signal line and the scan line are arranged to intersect each other. The pixel electrode is located in a pixel display zone enclosed by the intersected signal line and scan line. The thin-film transistor includes a gate terminal, a source terminal, and a drain terminal. The gate terminal is electrically connected to the scan line. The drain terminal is electrically connected to the signal line. The source terminal is arranged at a position corresponding to the intersection of the signal line and the scan line and is electrically connected to the pixel electrode. |
| US08879011B2 |
Display device and method for manufacturing the same
An object is to provide a display device with excellent display characteristics, where a pixel circuit and a driver circuit provided over one substrate are formed using transistors which have different structures corresponding to characteristics of the respective circuits. The driver circuit portion includes a driver circuit transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using a metal film, and a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel portion includes a pixel transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using an oxide conductor, and a semiconductor layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel transistor is formed using a light-transmitting material, and thus, a display device with higher aperture ratio can be manufactured. |
| US08879009B2 |
Optical filter for a stereoscopic display device comprising one or more alignment layers each having partition wall parts with height greater than that of center part and stereoscopic display device comprising the same
An optical filter for a stereoscopic display device separating left-view and right-view images includes a substrate, one or more alignment layers formed on the substrate in a predetermined pattern and each having partition wall parts on edges of each alignment layer, and one or more liquid crystal layers formed on the alignment layers, wherein a height of each of the partition wall parts is two to ten times greater than a thickness of a center part of each alignment layer. |
| US08879008B2 |
Stereo-scopic image panel, stereo-scopic image display apparatus having the same and driving method thereof
A stereoscopic image panel according to the present invention includes: a liquid crystal layer; a first parallax barrier layer including a first electrode unit adjacent to one side of the liquid crystal layer and a second electrode unit opposite the other side of the liquid crystal layer; and a second parallax barrier layer including a third electrode unit opposite one side of the liquid crystal layer, between the liquid crystal layer and the first electrode unit, and a fourth electrode unit positioned adjacent to the second electrode unit, wherein the second electrode unit is positioned between the liquid crystal layer and the fourth electrode unit. |
| US08879005B2 |
Remote control terminal and information processing apparatus
Provided is a remote control terminal, including: a first terminal-side wireless-communication unit configured to interactively communicate with a control-target information processing apparatus by using a first wireless communication system, to control the information processing apparatus; a second terminal-side wireless-communication unit configured to interactively communicate with the information processing apparatus by using a second wireless communication system, the second wireless communication system being higher in speed than the first wireless communication system; a camera unit configured to obtain video data; and a first controller configured to control the second terminal-side wireless-communication unit to transmit the video data obtained by the camera unit to the information processing apparatus by using the second wireless communication system. |
| US08879002B2 |
Split edge enhancement architecture
A system and method for enhancing the detail edges and transitions in an input video signal. This enhancement may be accomplished by enhancing small detail edges before up-scaling and enhancing large amplitude transitions after up-scaling. For example, detail edge enhancement (detail EE) may be used to enhance the fine details of an input video signal. An edge map may be used to prevent enhancing the large edges and accompanying mosquito noise with the detail enhancement. Noise may additionally be removed from the signal. After the fine details are enhanced, the signal may be up-scaled. Luminance transition improvement (LTI) or chrominance transition improvement (CTI) may be used to enhance the large transitions of the input video signal post scaler. |
| US08879000B2 |
Method and system for detecting analog noise in the presence of mosquito noise
A method and system are provided in which a processor, such as a video processor, may determine a flatness value for a current video picture and may adjust a mosquito noise filtering of a subsequent video picture based on the determined flatness value. The flatness value may be determined within a predetermined region of the current video picture, which may be dynamically modified by the processor. The flatness value may be associated with the presence of analog noise in the current video picture, and may be determined based on horizontal and vertical variance values determined for one or more portions of the current video picture. The processor may adjust a mosquito noise strength value of the current video picture based on the determined flatness value and may adjust the mosquito noise filtering of the subsequent video picture based on the adjusted mosquito noise strength value of the current video picture. |
| US08878991B2 |
Dynamic ambient lighting
Systems, methods, software, and data structures that provide dynamic ambient lighting synchronized to a video program being watched in a premises are described herein. A video program may be associated with a predefined lighting scheme that specifies or identifies a time-sequenced set of lighting effects (e.g., flashing police lights, sunrise, explosion, etc.) that are to be performed by the dynamic ambient lighting system time-synchronously with the video program. Components of the dynamic ambient lighting system may extract the lighting scheme from video data, parse the lighting scheme into individual lighting effects, and then control a single-color or multicolor light source associated with each of a plurality of light channels (e.g., front right, rear right, front left, rear left, center, and burst channel, among others) based on time-sequenced lighting primitives defined by each lighting effect. Light sources may be wirelessly controlled, e.g., using an IEEE 802.15.4 or ZigBee-compliant wireless system. |
| US08878990B2 |
Image signal processing apparatus and liquid crystal display
An image signal processing apparatus, which is capable of receiving, as inputs, images transmitted in first and second formats, includes a determination circuit that determines the first and second formats on the basis of correlation among a plurality of pieces of pixel data input in parallel with one another from the first to n-th channels, and a mapping circuit that sorts the plurality of pieces of pixel data in accordance with the determination result obtained by the determination circuit. According to the aforementioned configuration, an image signal processing apparatus that can handle two formats that divide the original image into n images and transmit the n images on n channels can be realized. |
| US08878987B2 |
Camera module having tightening ring for fixing lens to lens holder
A camera module includes a lens and a lens holder. The lens has a connecting barrel. The lens holder includes a base plate, a number of claws extending up from the base plate and sleeving on the connecting barrel, a fixing block extending up from the base plate and defining a fixing hole, a tightening ring sleeving on the claws and having two end sections sandwiching the fixing block. The tightening ring also includes a tightening screw for threadedly passing the threaded holes to tightening the tightening ring such that the claws deforms and grasps the connecting barrel. |
| US08878986B2 |
Water-proof casing
The water-proof casing provides a waterproof casing for protecting an electronic device. It comprises a housing that has an internal space, at least an opening that is positioned on a surface of the housing, and a cover portion that covers the opening. As the material for making the housing is stretchable, the house may has only a single opening that is stretched to allow an electronic device to pass through. The housing may enclose an electronic device, which enters the housing through the single opening. A flexible material is used to make the opening that is stretched when the electronic device enters the housing. The opening includes a skirt that is pressed against a surface of the cover portion so that the water-proof function of the present disclosure may be achieved. The casing may include a tube unit to accommodate lens of the device. |
| US08878984B2 |
Image-acquisition device and method of fabricating the same
Provided is an image-acquisition device including an image acquisition element; a prism that is secured to the image-acquisition element and that has an entrance surface through which light enters from a direction that intersects an optical axis of the image-acquisition element, an exit surface that is substantially parallel to an image-acquisition surface of the image-acquisition element, and a reflection surface that deflects the light that has entered through the entrance surface toward a direction that is parallel to the optical axis of the image-acquisition element; and a cover member that is secured at a position that covers the reflection surface of the prism and that has an outer surface that is substantially parallel to the image-acquisition surface, wherein an end surface of the cover member closer to the entrance surface is disposed at a position protruding beyond the entrance surface. |
| US08878981B2 |
MEMS actuator mounted camera module having sag compensation and sag compensation method using the same
The present invention relates to a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) actuator mounted camera module having sag compensation and a sag compensation method using the same, the camera module including a MEMS actuator mounted with a lens; a MEMS actuator moving unit outputting electrostatic capacity information corresponding to position of the lens changed by displacement move and outputting a displacement move signal to the MEMS actuator for controlling the displacement moving force; a memory unit stored with reference signal information corresponding to a maximum displacement move in the displacement move; and a signal compensation unit calculating a step range corresponding to the displacement move of the MEMS actuator based on the electrostatic capacity information outputted from the MEMS actuator moving unit and the reference signal information stored in the memory unit and compensating the displacement moving force of the MEMS actuator based on the calculated step range. |
| US08878980B2 |
Image signal processing device for auto-focus for a scene including a point light source
The autofocus function included in general digital cameras and video cameras cannot set the camera to an in-focus state for a scene including a point light source depending on cases. This difficulty is removed by an image signal processing device including an area setting unit to set an area as a target area to calculate a focus evaluation value, a detection unit to judge presence or absence of a point light source in the area set as a target area, and a calculation unit to identify, by use of information obtained from the detection unit, an area in which a point light source exists and to calculate a focus evaluation value by removing the identified area from the target area. Once the detection unit detects a point light source, it conducts the operation only after a predetermined period of time. |
| US08878979B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and focus control method which amplify an image in accordance with the luminance when the luminance variation exists and use the amplified image in focus control
An image pickup apparatus includes a first image generator 3 that generates a first unit image based on a signal read from the image pickup device with each read cycle of the signal, a detector 5 that detects a luminance of the first unit image and detects a luminance variation in a plurality of the first unit images, a second image generator 6 that amplifies the first unit image in accordance with the luminance to generate a second unit image if the luminance variation exists, and a controller 8 or 9 that generates a focus evaluation signal based on the second unit image to perform a focus control using the focus evaluation signal. The controller does not use the focus evaluation signal based on the second unit image generated from the first unit image in which the luminance is lower than that of a predetermined level for the focus control, and the controller uses the focus evaluation signal based on the second unit image generated from the first unit image in which the luminance is higher than that of the predetermined level for the focus control. |
| US08878973B2 |
Solid-state imaging device
According to one embodiment, a pixel that outputs a photoelectrically-converted pixel signal, a column ADC circuit that converts the pixel signal output from the pixel into a digital value, a test-signal generating unit that generates a test signal with which the column ADC circuit is tested, and a switching circuit that switches between the pixel signal output from the pixel and the test signal generated in the test-signal generating unit to input to the column ADC circuit are included. |
| US08878969B2 |
Imaging systems with color filter barriers
An image sensor may be provided in which a pixel array includes imaging pixels and application-specific pixels. The application-specific pixels may include depth-sensing pixels, infrared imaging pixels, or other types of application-specific pixels. A color filter array may be formed over the pixel array. The color filter array may include Bayer color filter array formed over the imaging pixels. The color filter array may also include a plurality of green color filter elements formed over the application-specific pixels. Barrier structures may be interposed between imaging pixels and application-specific pixels. The barrier structures may be configured to reduce or eliminate optical crosstalk between imaging pixels and adjacent application-specific pixels. The barrier structures may include an opaque photodefinable material such as black or blue photodefinable material that may be configured to filter out wavelength bands of interest. The barrier structures may be formed during the color filter array fabrication process. |
| US08878968B2 |
Image processing based on moving lens with chromatic aberration and monochromatic image sensor
Embodiments of imaging devices of the present disclosure obtain color images from a monochromatic image sensor based on a series of several images taken at different focal positions of an optical imaging lens possessing a chromatic aberration. |
| US08878965B1 |
Black level adjustment device and method for CMOS image sensor
A black level adjustment method for a CMOS image sensor is provided. The CMOS image sensor has a pixel array with dark rows and active rows. The method has the following steps of: computing an average value of pixels from the dark rows, wherein the average value is in the form of an integer and a fraction; calculating a black level control (BLC) offset value according to the integer; generating a dithering mask based on the fraction; applying the dithering mask to pixels from the active rows; and adding the calculated BLC offset value to the dithered pixels from the active rows to generate resulting pixels. |
| US08878962B2 |
Zoom lens system and photographing apparatus including the same
A zoom lens system including: a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group and a fourth lens group having positive refractive power, wherein an interval between the first and second lens groups, an interval between the second and third lens groups, and an interval between the third and fourth lens groups change during zooming from a wide-mode to a tele-mode, wherein the first lens group comprises one negative lens and three positive lenses sequentially from the object to the image, wherein the zoom lens system satisfies an condition below: 0.8 |
| US08878960B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image management method
Provided is an image processing apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires location information indicating a photographed point and date/time information indicating a photographed date/time for each of a plurality of images representing image data obtained by photographing; a determination unit that determines whether the photographed point of each image is a main photographed point or a sub-photographed point on the basis of the location information and the date/time information; and a recording unit that, if the photographed point of the image is the main photographed point, records information indicating the location of the main photographed point in association with the image data of the image, and that, if the photographed point of the image is the sub-photographed point, records information indicating the locations of the sub-photographed point and of the main photographed point in association with the image data of the image. |
| US08878955B2 |
Tagging camera
A tagging camera device may include an image capturing logic configured to receive an image signal containing data representing at least one of a photographic image and a digital video. The tagging camera device may further include database communication logic configured to receive from at least one database data representing information from an online social network. The tagging camera device may further include identification logic configured to receive an identifying signal containing data identifying one or more objects appearing in the at least one of the photographic image and the digital video. The tagging camera device may further include tagging logic configured to tag a portion of the at least one of the photographic image and the digital video by associating the portion of the at least one of the photographic image and the digital video with the data representing information from the online social network based on the data identifying the one or more objects appearing in the at least one of the photographic image and the digital video, where the tagging logic is configured to automatically tag the portion of the at least one of the photographic image and the digital video. |
| US08878954B2 |
Photoelectric conversion apparatus and image pickup system
When a level of a signal output from a pixel is higher than a comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a first period by using a first reference signal. If the level of the signal output from the pixel is lower than the comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a second period that is longer than the first period by using a second reference signal. |
| US08878953B2 |
Digital camera with quad core processor
A digital camera that has a CMOS image sensor and a central processor. The central processor has four processing units and an image sensor interface integrated onto a single chip. The image sensor interface receives data from the CMOS image sensor and the four processing units simultaneously process the data. |
| US08878950B2 |
Systems and methods for synthesizing high resolution images using super-resolution processes
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed that use super-resolution (SR) processes to use information from a plurality of low resolution (LR) images captured by an array camera to produce a synthesized higher resolution image. One embodiment includes obtaining input images using the plurality of imagers, using a microprocessor to determine an initial estimate of at least a portion of a high resolution image using a plurality of pixels from the input images, and using a microprocessor to determine a high resolution image that when mapped through the forward imaging transformation matches the input images to within at least one predetermined criterion using the initial estimate of at least a portion of the high resolution image. In addition, each forward imaging transformation corresponds to the manner in which each imager in the imaging array generate the input images, and the high resolution image synthesized by the microprocessor has a resolution that is greater than any of the input images. |
| US08878949B2 |
Camera based interaction and instruction
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for instructing persons using computer based programs and/or remote instructors. One or more video cameras obtain images of the student or other participant. In addition images are analyzed by a computer to determine the locations or motions of one or more points on the student. This location data is fed to computer program which compares the motions to known desired movements, or alternatively provides such movement data to an instructor, typically located remotely, who can aid in analyzing student performance. The invention preferably is used with a substantially life-size display, such as a projection display can provide, in order to make the information displayed a realistic partner or instructor for the student. In addition, other applications are disclosed to sports training, dance, and remote dating. |
| US08878947B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and method of controlling image capturing apparatus
An image capturing apparatus comprises: at least one vibration detection unit configured to detect a vibration applied to the image capturing apparatus and outputting a vibration signal; a calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the vibration signal output from the vibration detection unit, respective vibration correction signals for a plurality of correction units for performing a plurality of different correction processes, respectively; the correction units configured to correct the vibration based on the respective vibration correction signals calculated by the calculation unit; and a control unit configured to, when stopping the plurality of correction processes based on the vibration correction signals, shift the correction units to initial states serving as states of the correction units obtained when the vibration is not detected, wherein the control unit controls to simultaneously start moving the correction units to the initial states, and simultaneously stop moving the correction units. |
| US08878937B2 |
System and method for capturing, storing, analyzing and displaying data related to the movements of objects
A system and method for the capture and storage of data relating to the movements of objects, in a specified area and enables this data to be displayed in a graphically meaningful and useful manner. Video data is collected and video metadata is generated relating to objects (persons) appearing in the video data and their movements over time. The movements of the objects are then analyzed to detect the movements within a region of interest. This detection of movement allows a user, such as a manager of a store, to make informed decisions as to the infrastructure and operation of the store. One detection method relates to the number of people that are present in a region of interest for a specified time period. A second detection method relates to the number of people that remain or dwell in a particular area for a particular time period. A third detection method determines the flow of people and the direction they take within a region of interest. A fourth detection method relates to the number of people that enter a certain area by crossing a virtual line, a tripwire. |
| US08878928B2 |
Method and apparatus for defining and reconstructing ROIs in scalable video coding
A multiple ROI (region of interest) setting method and apparatus in scalable video coding and an ROI reconstructing method and apparatus are provided. The multiple ROI setting apparatus includes: an ROI setting unit which sets at least one or more ROIs and allocates ROI identification numbers to the each of ROIs; a mapping unit which allocates at least one or more slice group identification numbers to the at least one or more ROI identification numbers; and a message generating unit which generates a message including ROI-associated information, slice-group-associated information, mapping information on mapping of the ROI identification number to the at least one or more slice group identification numbers, and scalability information. |
| US08878927B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating infrastructure-based basic safety message data
A roadside infrastructure system configured to generate and broadcast basic safety message data to augment vehicle safety applications. In one example, a roadside module of the system includes a camera, video analytics to process images from the camera to detect vehicles, a BSM generator that generates a BSM for each detected vehicle, and an antenna for broadcasting the BSM. In another example, the roadside module is configured to detect BSM data generated by equipped vehicles, to determine whether any detected vehicles are equipped vehicles generating their own BSM data, and to generate a BSM only for unequipped detected vehicles. |
| US08878925B2 |
Observation method and observation device
With respect to a charged particle beam device, the step size of focal point measure for executing autofocusing is optimized to a value that is optimal with respect to the spread of an approximation curve for a focal point measure distribution. The step size of focal point measure for executing autofocusing is corrected using an image feature obtained based on a layout image derived from an image obtained at a first magnification or from design data. Autofocusing is executed based on the obtained step size to carry out observation, measurement, or to image the sample under inspection. |
| US08878917B2 |
Position-permissive autostereoscopic display systems and methods
Autostereoscopic systems permitting various degrees of free movement of a viewer are provided. Some embodiments incorporate both a light-controlling module which provides for autostereoscopic viewing, and a lenticular array distinct from that module, which enhances movement permissiveness of the system. Some embodiments provide an eye-position detector and means to aim light of left and right stereoscopic images appropriately towards a viewer's left and right eyes respectively. |
| US08878916B2 |
Apparatus for manufacturing three-dimensional image display device and method of manufacturing three-dimensional image display device
An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional image display device attaches a display panel displaying an image to a lens plate having a lenticular lens, and includes: a display controller configured to display a positioning image on the display panel; an imager configured to take an image of the display panel through the lens plate, the display panel displaying the positioning image thereon; an obtaining unit configured to obtain a relative position of the display panel to the lenticular lens in a plane direction on the basis of an image thus taken; and a moving mechanism configured to perform positioning of the display panel relative to the lenticular lens by moving the display panel relative to the lens plate based on the relative position thus obtained. |
| US08878914B2 |
Stereoscopic image display system and projection-type image display apparatus
An image display unit, such as a projection-type image display apparatus, displays a first image and a second image, having a predetermined parallax relative to the first image, onto a predetermined display region by dividing the first image and the second image temporally or spatially. First eyeglasses are to be worn by a first viewer to see the first image and the second image displayed on the display region. Second eyeglasses are to be worn by a second viewer to see the first image and the second image displayed on the display region, and the second viewer faces the first viewer in a direction parallel to the plane of display. The first eyeglasses perform a function of having the right eye of the first viewer see the first image and having the left eye of the first viewer see the second image. The second eyeglasses perform a function of having the right eye of the second viewer see the second image and having the left eye of the second viewer see the first image. |
| US08878909B1 |
Synthesis of narrow fields of view to create artifact-free 3D images
The present invention is an analog of a set of human eyes, capturing 3D images on a conjugate pair of foveae, with the additions that (i) there can be multiple, independent, conjugate pairs of foveae, and (ii) under computer control, certain conjugate pairs of foveae can be made to move across the detecting surfaces simultaneously to follow moving objects while the lenses remain fixed. Since foveal fields of view are very narrow—of the order of one degree—and little information is transmitted to the computer (or brain) outside this range—there is almost no cross-talk between foveae. By using multiple foveae within each detector, images may be stitched together by algorithms to produce virtually ghost-free full-field 3D images for display. |
| US08878906B2 |
Invariant features for computer vision
Technology is described for determining and using invariant features for computer vision. A local orientation may be determined for each depth pixel in a subset of the depth pixels in a depth map. The local orientation may an in-plane orientation, an out-out-plane orientation or both. A local coordinate system is determined for each of the depth pixels in the subset based on the local orientation of the corresponding depth pixel. A feature region is defined relative to the local coordinate system for each of the depth pixels in the subset. The feature region for each of the depth pixels in the subset is transformed from the local coordinate system to an image coordinate system of the depth map. The transformed feature regions are used to process the depth map. |
| US08878902B2 |
Stereoscopic image display control apparatus, and method and program for controlling operation of same
It is so arranged that margins will not be produced in an image compositing area. Specifically, a user sets an amount of parallax. A stereoscopic image is displayed in an image compositing area and the stereoscopic image is adjusted to as to take on the set amount of parallax. It is determined whether margins will be produced within the image compositing area owing to the adjustment of amount of parallax. If margins will be produced, the stereoscopic image is enlarged in size to such an extent that margins will not be produced. |
| US08878901B2 |
Time of flight camera unit and optical surveillance system
A time of flight, TOF, camera unit for an optical surveillance system and an optical surveillance system comprising such a TOF camera is disclosed. The TOF camera unit comprises a radiation emitting unit for illuminating a surveillance area defined by a first plane, a radiation detecting unit for receiving radiation reflected from said surveillance area and for generating a three-dimensional image from said detected radiation, and at least one mirror for at least partly deflecting said emitted radiation into at least one second plane extending across to said first plane and for deflecting the radiation reflected from said second plane to the radiation detecting unit. The TOF camera and the at least one mirror may be arranged on a common carrier element. |
| US08878899B2 |
Method for displaying 3D caption and 3D display apparatus for implementing the same
A 3D caption display method for harmoniously merging and displaying closed caption with 3D image in a 3D display apparatus, and a 3D display apparatus suitable for implementing the method. When the 3D display apparatus receives image signals of first and second images for implementing 3D image in a stereoscopic scheme, the 3D display apparatus receives closed caption data only for a base view determined from the first and second images. Then, the display apparatus determines the position of a closed caption for an extended view based on the closed caption data for the base view and a certain 3D caption information, and formats caption graphic data for the base view and the extended view to output 3D closed caption in a stereoscopic format. |
| US08878897B2 |
Systems and methods for sharing conversion data
A method implemented in a server for sharing video conversion data includes receiving conversion data for a two-dimensional (2D) video and archiving the conversion data. A selection of a 2D video corresponding to the archived conversion data is received from a client, and conversion data corresponding to the selection received from the client is transmitted to the client. |
| US08878896B2 |
Apparatus method and system for imaging
There is provided in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention an optical assembly including a set of optical paths, wherein two or more optical paths receive an image from a common surface. The optical paths may direct received images onto a common image sensor generating a complex multidimensional data set, an image processing block may extrapolate each of the subset of optical paths printed on the image sensor and may generate a multidimensional data set based on the collected images. |
| US08878895B2 |
Video communicating apparatus having eye-to-eye communication function and method thereof
Provided are a video communication apparatus having an eye-to-eye communication function that enables video communication users to communicate with each other in an eye-to-eye state, and a method thereof. The apparatus includes a display unit configured to display a video of a video communication partner, the display unit including a plurality of cameras activated according to a selection control signal; a video processor configured to encode a captured video from the activated camera, and to decode a video from the video communication partner and identify a position of the video communication partner's eyes from the video; a camera selector configured to activate a camera installed in a position corresponding to the position among the plurality of cameras; and a transceiver configured to transmit the encoded video from the video processor to the video communication partner and provide the video from the video communication partner to the video processor. |
| US08878894B2 |
Estimating video cross-talk
A video cross-talk estimator comprising a visual input signal receiver configured to receive a visual input signal, a capture signal receiver configured to receive a capture signal, and a signal based video-cross talk determiner configured to estimate video cross-talk based on at least two frames of the visual input signal. The estimation of the video cross-talk is signal based. |
| US08878893B2 |
Apparatus and method for creating situation awareness when scheduling conference calls
A method for creating situation awareness when scheduling video conferences includes providing a user with access to a set of names stored in a directory service database, and allowing the user to select one or more of the names. In response to selection of one or more names, geographical location values associated with the names in the directory service database are retrieved, and a map is provided. The map and one or more geographical objects showing the geographical location of the users associated with the selected names is then displayed on a display. |
| US08878891B2 |
Providing audio playback during a conference based on conference system source
In various embodiments, a system may include a first conferencing system with a first speaker and a second speaker. The first conferencing system may be coupled to a second conferencing system and a third conferencing system. In some embodiments, audio from the second conferencing system may be reproduced through the first speaker, and audio from the third conferencing system may be reproduced through the second speaker. In some embodiments, audio from various participants at various conferencing systems may be reproduced on audio system components relative to the location of participants at the conferencing system. For example, audio from a first participant on the left side of a camera at a second conferencing system may be reproduced through left side speakers at the first conferencing system. |
| US08878888B2 |
Hospital TV/monitor display control with hierarchical access control
An interactive communication system (400) includes a plurality of in-room video communications system (1250) each including an audio microphone (460), a video camera (440), an audio speaker (470), a patient operated control (420) and a television/video monitor (430). The message sender, e.g. a medical professional, enters a request to contact a selected patient at a terminal (190). A hierarchical access control (130, 135) arbitrates among persons trying to reach a patient based on an accesses hierarchy (200). The requester with the highest role in the hierarchy establishes a video communication link with the patient and appears on the television monitor (430) in place of previously viewed video entertainment. |
| US08878887B2 |
Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus equipped with the same
If inclination correction of scanning line is performed while the incident position of the laser beam is not suitable, the shape of a spot of the laser beam which forms an image on a photosensitive drum may not be uniform depending on the scanning position of the laser beam. The housing is provided with a U-shaped groove to which the convex portion of a lens hold member that holds the lens is engaged. With the position of the convex portion adjusted, the convex portion is attached and secured in the U-shaped groove. Thus, the installation position of the lens to an optical path of the laser beam is adjusted, and the lens can be rotated and adjusted in order to correct an inclination or a bending of scanning line. |
| US08878886B2 |
Light beam scanning device and image forming apparatus that perform light amount control
A light beam scanning device capable of suppressing lowering of accuracy of light amount control when scanning a photosensitive member using light beams. A semiconductor laser has light emitting elements for emitting respective light beams. A polygon mirror deflects the light beams such that each light beam scans a photosensitive member in a predetermined direction. A photodiode sensor is disposed where the light beams enter. A CPU controls the light amount of each light beam based on an output from the sensor. The first and second light emitting elements are arranged such that respective light beams therefrom are adjacent to each other in the direction and there is time during which both the light beams enter the sensor. The CPU executes the control for the first and second light emitting element, at receptive different cycles of scanning of the light beams. |
| US08878885B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus includes a sheet-linear-velocity setting unit, an image-formation-rate changing unit, a detecting unit, and first and second correcting units. When printing is performed with a first sheet linear velocity, the first correcting unit performs misregistration correction according to a result of detection of a misregistration correction pattern image by the detecting unit. When the sheet-linear-velocity setting unit sets a second sheet linear velocity other than the first sheet linear velocity, the second correcting unit corrects an adjustment amount used in the misregistration correction performed by the first correcting unit, according to a ratio between first and second coefficients. The first coefficient indicates a ratio of an actual image formation rate at the first sheet linear velocity to an ideal image formation rate, and the second coefficient indicates a ratio of an actual image formation rate at the second sheet linear velocity to an ideal image formation rate. |
| US08878884B2 |
Erasing apparatus for sheet and erasing method for sheet
According to one embodiment, an erasing apparatus for a sheet includes a conveying path configured to convey a sheet on which an image is formed with a coloring agent that is erased by heating, a first erasing section including, on an upstream side of the conveying path, a first heating member provided on one surface side of the sheet and a first rotating roller provided to be opposed to the first heating member, and a second erasing section including, on a downstream side of the first erasing section, a second heating member provided on the other surface side of the sheet and a second rotating roller provided to be opposed to the second heating member. |
| US08878882B2 |
Segmented edge-lit backlight assembly for a display
An edge-lit backlight assembly is provided for backlighting a display. The backlight assembly may include: a light guide having a first segment and a second segment disposed within a common plane; a first light emitting diode disposed along an edge of the first segment of the light guide such that light emitted from the first light emitting diode propagates through the first segment; and a second light emitting diode disposed along an edge of the second segment of the light guide such that light emitted from the second light emitting diode propagates through the second segment. The first segment of the light guide is at least partially optically isolated from the second segment such that light emitted from the first light emitting diode is at least partially blocked from propagating through the second segment. |
| US08878881B2 |
Liquid crystal display with crosstalk interference suppression based on gray-level variation of a frame to be displayed and related method
A liquid crystal display having common voltage compensation mechanism includes a liquid-crystal capacitor common electrode for receiving a liquid-crystal capacitor common voltage, a storage capacitor common electrode for receiving a storage capacitor common voltage, a common voltage generator for providing the liquid-crystal capacitor common voltage according to a preliminary common voltage, a common voltage compensation circuit electrically connected to the liquid-crystal capacitor common electrode and the storage capacitor common electrode, and a timing controller electrically connected to the common voltage compensation circuit. The common voltage compensation circuit is utilized for generating the storage capacitor common voltage through performing a ripple inverting operation according to the liquid-crystal capacitor common voltage, the preliminary common voltage and a compensation control signal. The timing controller is employed to analyze an image input signal for generating the compensation control signal. |
| US08878878B2 |
Display apparatus and control method thereof
Provided are a display apparatus and a control method thereof which supports image data at differing frame rates, such as 60 Hz and 120 Hz, input from an image supply source. The display apparatus includes a first scaler which processes input image data; a second scaler which processes input image data; a display unit which displays thereon the image data processed by the first and second scalers; and a controller which selectively controls based on a frame rate of the image data to process the image data by the first scaler only, or to divide and process the image data by both the first and second scalers. |
| US08878869B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
Compressed image data of different resolutions stored in a hard disk drive is divided into blocks of substantially regular sizes. A determination is made as to whether a required block is stored in the main memory at predefined time intervals. If the block is not stored, the block is loaded into the main memory. Subsequently, the loaded compressed image data is referred to so that data for an image of an area required for display or for an image of an area predicted to be required is decoded and stored in a buffer memory. Of the images stored in a buffer area, i.e. a display buffer, the image of a display area is rendered in a frame memory. The display buffer and the decoding buffer are switched depending on the timing of completion of decoding or the amount of change in the display area. |
| US08878868B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program
The present invention provides an information processing apparatus having: a display controlling unit for starting any one of a plurality of application programs and displaying contents on a display screen; a determining unit for determining the application program started by the display controlling unit; and a changing unit for changing a plurality of image quality parameters for setting image quality of the display screen in accordance with the application program determined by the determining unit. |
| US08878867B2 |
Transparency information in image or video format not natively supporting transparency
Colour information and transparency information of pixels of a source image, which may be a partially transparent overlay image of a format that natively support transparency, are stored as a transformed image. The transformed image is of a format that does not natively support transparency. The transformed image has two disjoint regions, one storing the source color information and the other storing the source transparency information. The transformed image can be used as a representation of the overlay image when compositing with a base image. |
| US08878865B2 |
Three-dimensional map system
A method of operating a three-dimensional (3D) map system including: receiving an image and a geo-location tag of the image; determining a building model for a physical building corresponding to an object captured in the image based on the geo-location tag; mapping, on a region-by-region basis, the image to a stored facade of the building model; and mapping, on a pixel-by-pixel basis, the image to the stored facade of the building model for displaying the image as a new facade of the building. |
| US08878864B2 |
Using GPU for network packetization
Information to be sent over a network, such as the Ethernet, is packetized by using a graphics processing unit (GPU). The GPU performs packetization of data with much higher throughput than a typical central processing unit (CPU). The packetized data may be output through an Ethernet port, video port, or other port of an electronic system. |
| US08878862B2 |
Composition manager camera
A system and method may be provided to access images through a camera service, where the images are generated by a non-sensor image source, such as a composition manager. The system may include the camera service and the non-sensor image source. The non-sensor image source may generate a processed image from a source other than a sensor. The camera service may provide the processed image generated by the non-sensor image source to an image consuming application. |
| US08878860B2 |
Accessing memory using multi-tiling
An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to control memory access. An address pre-swizzle circuit conditions address bits provided by a processor according to access control signals. A data steering circuit connects to N sub-channels of memory to dynamically steer data for a memory access type including tiled and untiled memory accesses according to the access control signals, the conditioned address bits, and sub-channel identifiers associated with the N sub-channels. The tiled memory access includes horizontally and vertically tiled memory accesses. An address post-swizzle circuit generates sub-channel address bits to the N sub-channels using the conditioned address bits and according to the access control signals and the sub-channel identifiers. |
| US08878857B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for expressing animation in a data stream
Methods of expressing animation in a data stream are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of expressing animation in a data stream includes defining animation states in the data stream with each state having at least one property such that properties are animated as a group. The animation states that are defined in the data stream may be expressed as an extension of a styling sheet language. The data stream may include web content and the defined animation states. |
| US08878856B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for depicting a body of water utilizing a height field and particles
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for depicting a body of water utilizing a height field and particles. In use, content depicting a body of water is identified. Additionally, a height field is generated for the content. Furthermore, at least a portion of the height field is converted to a plurality of particles based on predetermined criteria. |
| US08878853B2 |
Visualization of a collection of orders
Systems and methods may provide tools for uniformly visualizing a series of one or more orders, wherein orders of vastly different prices, order types, and order assets may be commingled on the same display screen. Such a collection of tools may be sorted for display. The displays may be buy/sell independent, handle any size bid/ask spread, and allow easy determination of the relative marketability of each order. Such systems and methods may help a user to focus on orders requiring the most attention. |
| US08878844B2 |
Representation system
The present invention relates to a depiction arrangement for security papers, value documents, electronic display devices or other data carriers, having a raster image arrangement for depicting a specified three-dimensional solid (30) that is given by a solid function f(x,y,z), having a motif image that is subdivided into a plurality of cells (24), in each of which are arranged imaged regions of the specified solid (30), a viewing grid (22) composed of a plurality of viewing elements for depicting the specified solid (30) when the motif image is viewed with the aid of the viewing grid (22), the motif image exhibiting, with its subdivision into a plurality of cells (24), an image function m(x,y). |
| US08878842B2 |
Stereoscopic image display device and method for driving the same
A stereoscopic image display device and method for driving the same are disclosed. The stereoscopic image display device comprises: a display panel including data lines and gate lines; an image converter that calculates disparity values based on depth values of the depth map extracting from 2D image data, calculates gain disparities by multiplying each of the disparity values by a predetermined gain value, generates left-eye image data and right-eye image data by shifting the 2D image data according to each of the gain disparities, and converts the left-eye image data and the right-eye image data into the 3D image data according to a 3D format; a data driver that converts the 3D image data to data voltage and supplies data voltage to the data lines; and a gate driver that sequentially supplies gate pulses to the gate lines. |
| US08878839B2 |
Data restoration method and apparatus, and program therefor
Three-dimensional data is compressed at a high compression ratio without deteriorating resolution and accuracy, by computing a coupling coefficient from input three-dimensional data and a three-dimensional base data group obtained from a plurality of objects and outputting the coupling coefficient as compressed data. Specifically, the three-dimensional data is input to corresponding point determination means. The corresponding point determination means generates three-dimensional data to be synthesized in which vertexes of the three-dimensional data are made to correspond to vertexes of three-dimensional reference data serving as a reference to determine association relationship between vertexes. Coefficient computation means computes a coupling coefficient for coupling a three-dimensional base data group used for synthesis of three-dimensional data to synthesize three-dimensional data to be synthesized, and outputs the computed coupling coefficient as the compressed data of the three-dimensional data. |
| US08878838B2 |
Visualizing a time-variant parameter in a biological structure
The invention relates to a system and a method for visualizing a time-variant parameter at a plurality of positions in a biological structure, wherein a visualization display is configured to display a first representation showing a first visualization parameter at a plurality of time intervals, determined in a first volume between a first and a second boundary of the structure, and to display a second representation showing first and second visualization parameters determined in the first and in a second volume extending between the first and the second boundary of the structure. By providing the user with this combination of the two representations, a higher resolution of data may be processed and meaningfully visualized for intermediate volumes between the first and the second boundary. This is based on the insight that it is desirable to view data between boundaries of a structure as well as at different positions through the structure. However, without simple means of visualization, processing a higher resolution of data is not feasible. This is especially useful when performance differences may be present between the structure at the first and the second boundary. For example, perfusion measurements within the myocardium are different for the endocardial and epicardial layers. Therefore, the relative position of the measurements relative to these layers yields valuable data in the evaluation of perfusion. This increases the information which the healthcare professional can extract from imaging data without complicating the representations required to visualize it. |
| US08878837B2 |
Image processing apparatus having on-screen display function and method thereof
An image processing apparatus having an on-screen display (OSD) function includes a processing circuit and an OSD circuit. The OSD circuit generates OSD data, and the on-screen data comprises left-eye display data and right-eye display data. The processing circuit processes image data, which comprises left-eye image data and right-eye image data, and respectively blends the left-eye and right-eye display data of the OSD data with the left-eye and right-eye image data of the image data to generate combined image data. |
| US08878827B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a switching thin film transistor including a switching gate electrode, a switching active layer, a switching source electrode, and a switching drain electrode; a driving thin film transistor including a driving gate electrode, a driving active layer, a driving source electrode, and a driving drain electrode; a capacitor including a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode; a scan line that is connected to the switching gate electrode of the switching thin film transistor; a data line that intersects the scan line and that is connected to the switching source electrode of the switching thin film transistor; a first power source line that is parallel to the data line and that is connected to the driving source electrode of the driving thin film transistor; a second power source line that is separated parallel to the data line and that is connected to the second capacitor electrode of the capacitor; and an organic light emitting diode that is connected to the driving drain electrode of the driving thin film transistor. |
| US08878824B2 |
Force-sensing stylus pointing device
The present disclosure provides a force-sensitive stylus having a first electromagnetic coil located at a fixed position within a housing and a second electromagnetic coil that is attached to a moveable tip element and positioned to interact with the first electromagnetic coil, such that the position of the second electromagnetic coil relative to the first electromagnetic coil is dependent upon the force applied to the tip element. A control circuit energizes a transmitting coil of the first and second electromagnetic coils with a radio frequency signal and senses the current induced in the other coil to determine the force on the tip element. The force may be encoded in the radio frequency signal and then transmitted to a host electronic device by re-energizing the transmitting coil. |
| US08878821B2 |
System and method for providing object location information and physical contact information
The present invention provides a method (500) executed on a processor for providing object information about an object in proximity to a display screen. The method includes the step of determining whether an at least first object is located within a proximal distance of the first surface of the display screen based on information provided by a depth camera (step 510). The method also includes the step of determining whether the at least first object has physically contacted a first surface of the display screen based on information provided by a physical contact sensing component (step 520). The information about (1) the proximal distance of the at least first object from the screen and (2) whether the at least first object has physically contacted the display surface of the screen to provide proximal event information and based on the information provided, it is determining whether the user interface should be modified (step 560). |
| US08878820B2 |
Optical touch module
An optical touch module includes a transparent substrate and two light processing units. The transparent substrate includes a touch surface, a sub-surface parallel to the touch surface, and a surrounding side surface connected to the touch surface and the sub-surface. The two light processing units are positioned on two neighboring corners of the transparent substrate, and each of the two light processing units includes a light source and a detector. The light source and the detector respectively have a light emitting surface and a light entry surface, the light emitting surface of the light source and the light entry surface of the detector both face the surrounding side surface, and the two light processing units are positioned beneath the touch surface. |
| US08878812B2 |
Signal processing circuit for electrostatic capacity type touch sensor
There is offered a signal processing circuit for an electrostatic capacity type touch sensor capable of detecting a larger number of locations with a smaller number of touch pads as well as improving noise immunity. A selection circuit selects either a signal from a combination of the first and second kinds of touch pads outputted through the first and second output terminals CO1 and CO2 in a touch panel or a signal from a combination of the third and fourth kinds of touch pads outputted through the third and fourth output terminals CO3 and CO4. An electric charge amplifier outputs first and second output voltages V1 and V2 corresponding to a difference between capacitances of the touch pads on the touch panel based on the signals from the selected combination. A delta sigma type A/D converter converts the first and second output voltages V1 and V2 into digital signals. |
| US08878810B2 |
Touch screen supporting continuous grammar touch gestures
Touch screen user interfaces for controlling software applications, computers, devices, machinery, and process environments with “continuous grammar” touch gestures which begin with finger postures contacting the touch screen with one part of the hand and which conclude with finger postures contacting the touch screen with a different part of the hand without breaking contact with the touch screen. The touch screen can be realized sensor array configured with a visual display arranged to detect touch from one or more fingers. In addition to recognizing simple touch gestures, algorithms comprised by the user interface are additionally arranged to be responsive to pluralities of finger postures executed sequentially without breaking contact with the touch screen. Such user interfaces can be easily used and provide a wide range of uses with computer applications, assistance to the disabled, and control of electronic devices, machines, and processes. Enhancements can include velocity and pressure sensing capabilities. |
| US08878809B1 |
Touch-screen user interface
A user interface for a touch-screen display of a dedicated handheld electronic book reader device is described. The user interface detects human gestures manifest as pressure being applied by a finger or stylus to regions on the touch-screen display. In one implementation, the touch-screen user interface enables a user to turn one or more pages in response to applying a force or pressure to the touch-screen display. In another implementation, the touch-screen user interface is configured to bookmark a page temporarily by applying a pressure to the display, then allowing a user to turn pages to a new page, but reverting back to a previously-displayed page when the pressure is removed. In another implementation, the touch-screen user interface identifies and filters electronic books based on book size and/or a time available to read a book. In another implementation, the touch-screen user interface converts text to speech in response to a user touching the touch-screen display. |
| US08878808B2 |
Sensing module which can perform proximity detection and display structure having sensing electrodes
A display includes a display module and a sensing module including a proximity sensing electrode, a set of sensing electrodes, a touch circuit, a proximity circuit and a processor. The sensing electrodes are configured to sense a touch input during a first period and sense a proximity input during a second period. The touch circuit is coupled to the sensing electrodes for controlling the sensing electrodes to sense the touch input in the first period, and converting a two-dimensional analog touch signal transmitted from the set of the sensing electrodes to a two-dimensional digital touch signal. The proximity circuit is coupled to the sensing electrodes and the proximity sensing electrode for controlling the sensing electrodes and the proximity sensing electrode to sense the proximity input, and converting a three-dimensional analog proximity signal transmitted from the set of sensing electrodes and proximity unit to a three-dimensional digital proximity signal. |
| US08878805B2 |
Touch panel vibrator with reduced reflectance
An electronic device includes a touch panel; a light shielding film formed on a first principal surface of a touch panel corresponding to a non-operation area; and a vibrator provided on a second principal surface of the touch panel corresponding to the non-operation area. When a critical angle at which light is totally reflected by the second principal surface of the touch panel is θ and sum of a thickness T1 of the touch panel and a thickness T2 of the vibrator is T, the vibrator is positioned, in sectional view, within a range of T×tan θ from an end on the operation area side of the light shielding film on the second principal surface of the touch panel corresponding to the non-operation area, and a reflection-reducing film having a reflectance lower than a reflectance of a surface of the vibrator is provided on the surface of the vibrator positioned within the range of T×tan θ from the end on the operation area side of the light shielding film. |
| US08878798B2 |
Touch screen panel display
A touch screen panel display device is provided. The touch screen panel display device includes a Y-touch sensor bonding pattern having a bonding portion bonded to a touch screen Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB), an X-touch sensor bonding pattern positioned toward the touch screen FPCB further than the bonding portion of the Y-touch sensor bonding pattern and having a bonding portion bonded to the touch screen FPCB, and a touch screen FPCB having an X-contact point portion contacting the bonding portion of the X-touch sensor bonding pattern and a Y-contact point portion contacting the bonding portion of the Y-touch sensor bonding pattern. Thereby, an Anisotropic Conducting Film (ACF) swelling failure occurring as a heat is again applied to a location at which bonding is already complete can be prevented. |
| US08878792B2 |
Clock and data recovery circuit of a source driver and a display device
A clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit of a source driver includes a clock recovery unit and a delay locked loop unit. The clock recovery unit receives data bits and a clock code periodically inserted into the data bits through a clock embedded data channel in a display data mode, and is configured to generate a clock signal by detecting an edge of the clock code. The delay locked loop unit is configured to generate a multi-phase clock signal based on the clock signal in the display data mode. |
| US08878781B2 |
Input device and electronic apparatus
An input device includes an input operation surface that includes one or more specific regions, can be operated by an indicator, and is provided separately from a display screen; a detection unit that detects an operation position of the indicator; a region creating unit that creates a discrimination region while using the operation position as a base point when it is detected that the operation position of the indicator is positioned in the specific region; and a discrimination unit that uses a fact that a moving direction of the indicator from the base point, when the indicator moves within the discrimination region, is positioned on at least a line, which traverses the specific region substantially in parallel or obliquely, as conditions that allow a predetermined function to be performed on the display screen. When the discrimination unit discriminates that the conditions are satisfied, a performance signal is output. |
| US08878780B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus including an image generator, a projection lens set, a depth detecting module detecting the position of user, and a control unit is provided, wherein the control unit is electrically connected to the image generator, the projection lens set and the depth detecting module. An image displayed by the image generator is projected through the projection lens set and generates a floating real image between the projection lens set and the user. Each beam forming the floating real image has a light-cone angle θ. The image generator and the projection lens adjust the position of the floating real image according to the position of user. The size of the floating real image is L, the distance between two eyes of the user is W, the distance between the user and the floating real image is D, and the light-cone angle θ satisfies the formula of θ ≥ tan - 1 ( L + W D ) . |
| US08878779B2 |
Methods circuits device systems and associated computer executable code for facilitating interfacing with a computing platform display screen
Disclosed are methods, circuits, apparatus, systems and computer executable code for providing a multimode touchless human machine interface (TLHMI). The TLHMI may include one or more touchless sensors to sense a position or a movement of a subject portion within a sensing zone of the one or more sensors. Tracking logic may receive an output of the one or more sensors and may track a position or movement of a portion of a computing platform user within the sensing zone. A user input generator may convert an output of the tracking logic into signals indicative of a user input and may provide the user input signals to a functionally associated computing platform. |
| US08878771B2 |
Method and system for reducing power consumption in a display
A method and system for reducing power consumption in a display includes driving a display comprising a plurality of display elements having selectable resolution, wherein the display device is configured to operate at a plurality of selectable operational modes. In a first operational mode, data at a first resolution is provided to the display at a first data rate, and in a second operational mode, data at a second resolution is provided to the display at a second data rate. |
| US08878770B2 |
Control method of electro-optical device, controller of electro-optical device, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus
A control method of an electro-optical device includes: performing a first supply process for supplying an electric potential corresponding to the changed gray level to a pixel electrode of a first pixel; performing a second supply process for supplying the same electric potential as an electric potential of a counter electrode to a pixel electrode of a second pixel; extracting a contour image from a difference between an image before the image rewriting and an image after the image rewriting; determining whether or not the first supply process is being performed, in units of a pixel, for contour display pixels that display the contour image; and performing a contour elimination process for supplying an electric potential for eliminating the contour image to the pixel electrode of a pixel, for which it is determined that the first supply process is not being performed, among the contour display pixels. |
| US08878769B2 |
Electrophoretic display apparatus and method of driving the same
An electrophoretic display apparatus includes a display unit, a signal voltage application circuit, and a common voltage application circuit. The display unit includes a first substrate having a first electrode formed thereon, a second substrate facing the first substrate and having a second electrode formed thereon, and a partition wall. A pixel space surrounded by the partition wall, the first substrate, and the second substrate contains dispersant suspending positively-charged particles and negatively-charged particles. The signal voltage application circuit applies a signal voltage to the first electrode. The signal voltage includes a write signal voltage to display an image on the display unit, and a post-write signal voltage which gradually changes from the write signal voltage to a hold signal voltage, the hold signal voltage maintaining a display state of the display unit. The common voltage application circuit applies a common voltage to the second electrode. |
| US08878768B2 |
Display device
Provided is a display device that includes a display panel; and a touch panel integrated in the display panel, wherein the touch panel has a plurality of scanning electrodes, a plurality of detection electrodes that intersects with the plurality of scanning electrodes, drive signal supply unit for inputting a drive signal to each of the scanning electrodes, detection unit for acquiring a detection signal from each of the detection electrodes, touch position detection unit for detecting a touch position of an detection object based on the detection signal when the drive signal is sequentially input to each of the scanning electrodes from the drive signal supply unit, and approach detection unit for detecting that the detection object approaches the touch panel based on the detection signal when a scanning voltage is collectively input to all of the scanning electrodes from the drive signal supply unit. |
| US08878767B2 |
System and method for adjusting a backlight level by calculating a running average of pixel intensity for a display on an electronic device
The disclosure provides a system and method for adjusting a backlight level for an image being displayed on an electronic device. The system comprises: a display for displaying an image to be backlit; memory storing a numeric representation of the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis; and a backlight adjustment module to calculate a pixel-by-pixel, running average of an intensity of the image using the numeric representation and to determine a backlight level for the image using the running average, the running average being calculated according to an equation that calculates a new average using a previous average and a current pixel intensity value to avoid an overflow condition when calculating the running average. |
| US08878766B2 |
Apparatus and methods for selecting light emitters for a transmissive display
Provided are devices and methods for providing front-of screen uniformity. Methods include estimating a filter function corresponding to the display and selecting multiple light emitters as a function of characteristics corresponding to light transmitted from the display as determined via the filter function. Devices are provided that include multiple light emitters including a first chromaticity difference corresponding to the multiple light emitters and a second chromaticity difference corresponding to the multiple light emitters and a filter function, wherein the second chromaticity difference is less than the first chromaticity difference. |
| US08878765B2 |
Gate shift register and display device using the same
A gate shift register and a display device using the same are disclosed. The gate shift register includes a plurality of stages that receive a plurality of gate shift clocks and sequentially output a scan pulse. A k-th stage of the plurality of stages includes a scan direction controller for converting a shift direction of the scan pulse in response to carry signals of previous stages input through first and second input terminals and carry signals of next stages input through third and fourth input terminals, a node controller for controlling charging and discharge operations of each of Q1, Q2, QB1, and QB2 nodes, a floating prevention unit for applying a low potential voltage to a gate electrode of a discharge TFT based on a voltage of the QB1 node or the QB2 node, and an output unit for outputting first and second scan pulses. |
| US08878764B2 |
Driving method and related device for reducing power consumption of LCD by comparing received data
A driving method is provided for reducing power consumption of a liquid crystal display. The driving method includes steps of sequentially receiving first data and second data, determining whether the second data is the same as the first data, and controlling a data-line driving circuit not to read in driving data corresponding to the second data when the second data is the same as the first data. |
| US08878761B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method for driving liquid crystal display device
An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device capable of improving a viewing angle, while not decreasing an aperture ratio and preventing an increase in electricity consumption. A liquid crystal display device (1) of the present invention includes an active matrix substrate including a plurality of drain electrodes (14) disposed in a matrix form, a counter substrate including a plurality of common electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer being sandwiched between the active matrix substrate and the counter substrate, each of the plurality of drain electrodes (14) having formed (i) a subpixel (16a) part facing a first common electrode (11) among the plurality of common electrodes, across the liquid crystal layer, and (ii) a subpixel (16b) part facing a second common electrode (12) among the plurality of common electrodes, across the liquid crystal layer. To the first common electrode (11), a first common electrode voltage (VC1) having a first center voltage (VCOMDC1) is applied, and to the second common electrode (12), a second common electrode voltage (VC2) having a second center voltage (VCOMDC2) different from the first center voltage is applied. The present invention is suitably used for televisions and portable phones. |
| US08878749B1 |
Systems and methods for position estimation
Systems and methods are described for improving gaze estimation based on glints. An example method may be executable to receive glint-location data indicating a location for each of one or more glints that are reflected from an eye. The glint-location data may be captured by an imaging device that is attached to a head-mountable display (HMD). The method may be further executable to determine a plurality of normalized pupil locations comprising at least a first and a second normalized pupil location. Each normalized pupil location may be determined based on the glint-location data for a different combinatoric subset of the one or more glints. The method may be further executable to determine a regression model to fit the plurality of normalized pupil locations to an expected gaze location, and perform a gaze-tracking process based on the regression model. |
| US08878747B2 |
Display controlling apparatus and image processing apparatus
A display controlling apparatus that is capable of communicating with an image processing apparatus that sends image data to the display controlling apparatus in response to a notification from the display controlling apparatus, includes the following elements: a sending unit configured to send the notification to the image processing apparatus; a first receiving unit configured to receive the image data sent from the image processing apparatus in response to the notification; and a first computing unit configured to compute a first time required to display the image data received by the first receiving unit. The sending unit sends a new notification to the image processing apparatus at a timing based on the first time computed by the first computing unit. |
| US08878740B2 |
Horn antenna for a radar device
A horn antenna for a radar device comprising a metal body having a tubular hollow waveguide section opening into a hollow horn section, a dielectric filling body filling up the inner space of the horn section, and a dielectric cover, wherein the horn antenna is configured to protrude in a measurement environment, protected from highly aggressive process environments and is usable over a wide temperature range. |
| US08878727B2 |
Antenna-module hybrid circuit
A hybrid circuit with an integral antenna module, including an electronic circuit that includes circuit elements; and an antenna module including a dielectric material shaped to form a void enclosed by the dielectric material, a conducting patch on one side of the dielectric material. Wherein the circuit elements are enclosed by the dielectric material, so that the elements of the circuit are positioned inside the void formed by the dielectric material. |
| US08878719B2 |
Radar apparatus provided with series-feed array-antennas each including a plurality of antenna elements
A radar apparatus forming a series-feed array-antenna includes an array antenna having transmission/reception antennas, and each antenna includes a plurality of antenna elements arrayed with feed-lines to be series-connected each other. A calibration line is disposed between the transmission antenna and the reception antenna via a switch which connects or disconnects the calibration line. The signal having a phase shift is transmitted via the calibration line when the switch connects the calibration line and an amount of phase shift from the signal transmitted via the calibration line is calculated based on a reference phase at the transmission antenna thereby calibrating the phase shift. |
| US08878718B2 |
Intruding object discrimination apparatus for discriminating intruding object based on multiple-dimensional feature
A normalization processing circuit normalizes a position of a complex demodulation signal on a complex plane from an A/D converter, and outputs a normalized complex demodulation signal after the normalization to a multiple-dimensional feature extractor. The multiple-dimensional feature extractor calculates a feature quantity that changes when a person intrudes, a feature quantity that changes in wind and rain, and a feature quantity that changes when a spatially isolated intense electric field exists. A discriminator discriminates that a person has intruded based on the feature quantities of three dimensions. |
| US08878717B2 |
Projection detecting apparatus and projection detecting method
A projection detecting apparatus according to the present invention is that for detecting a projection on a surface of a running metal object, and includes a transmission antenna for radiating electromagnetic waves; a reception antenna for receiving reflected electromagnetic waves; and a transmission and reception signal processing section for processing a transmission signal and a reception signal. The transmission antenna and the reception antenna have unidirectionality and the transmission antenna and the reception antenna are installed in such a way that the reception antenna does not catch electromagnetic waves which have been radiated by the transmission antenna and reflected on the surface of the metal object and the reception antenna catches electromagnetic waves alone which have been radiated by the transmission antenna and reflected on the projection. |
| US08878714B2 |
Method and apparatus for clockless conversion of voltage value to digital word
Method and apparatus for mapping the converted voltage value by electric charge value proportional to the converted voltage value and in accumulation of charge in the sampling capacitor until the voltage on this capacitor is equal to the converted voltage. Furthermore, realization of the process of that electric charge redistribution in the array of redistribution by changes of states of signals from relevant control outputs and in assignment of relevant values to bits in the digital word by means of the control module. As soon as accumulation of electric charge in the sampling capacitor is terminated, electric charge is accumulated in the additional sampling capacitor then the process of that electric charge redistribution is realized and relevant values are assigned to bits of the digital word. When a trigger signal is detected, next cycle begins and electric charge is accumulated in the sampling capacitor. |
| US08878711B1 |
Analog to digital converter with low jitter sensitivity
An analog-to-digital converter includes an integrator to determine an integrated signal from a communication signal. A comparator quantizes the integrated signal to produce a quantized signal. An adjustable delay element provides a delayed quantized signal to the comparator. |
| US08878710B2 |
Low latency filter
In an embodiment, a set of input samples are filtered to provide a set of filtered samples using an N-tap filter. A steady-state-response-output sample of the N-tap filter is determined from a N/2th sample of the set of filtered samples. |
| US08878709B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit and liquid crystal drive circuit
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor integrated circuit including: line buffers; an alpha channel first selector; an alpha channel digital-to-analog converter; a beta channel digital-to-analog converter; a redundant digital-to-analog converter; an alpha channel second selector; a beta channel second selector; an alpha channel amplifier; and a beta channel amplifier. |
| US08878704B2 |
Character and function key input device using dictionary order and use frequency
A character and function key input device comprises: a character button unit having character buttons, each of which is assigned to one or more characters of one or more languages or function key elements; a forward button which converts the character or function key element selected from among the characters or the function key elements into characters or function key elements assigned to the selected button or adjacent button in accordance with the dictionary order; and a backward button which converts the character or function key element selected from among the characters or the function key elements into characters or function key elements assigned to the selected button or adjacent button in accordance with the dictionary order, wherein said one or more characters or function key elements assigned to the character buttons are disposed adjacently to one other in the dictionary order, and the character or the function key element having the highest use frequency is used as a basic value. The dictionary order has a circulation configuration such that the first character or the first function key element appears again after the last character or the last function key element. |
| US08878702B2 |
Transportation alert application for a mobile communication device
A system and method for providing notification about approaching transportation. A transportation notification application on a mobile communication device associated with a transportation vehicle is activated. An operator of the transportation vehicle selects a predefined route, having multiple transportation stops to be traversed by the transportation vehicle, from the transportation notification application on the mobile communication device. A current transportation stop of the selected route is then selected, again using the transportation notification application on the mobile communication device. The transportation notification application on the mobile communication device then automatically sends a transportation notification message, in response to the selecting of the current transportation stop, to a plurality of user communication devices of known users of the transportation vehicle who are associated with at least one subsequent transportation stop of the transportation vehicle. |
| US08878701B2 |
Standby display aircraft management system
One embodiment of the present invention includes an aircraft instrumentation system for a cockpit instrument panel having a first device associated with a first pilot of an aircraft and positioned on the instrument panel substantially in front of the first pilot. The first device may include a first display and a first controller, which may have a set of controls for controlling the first display and aircraft systems. The instrumentation system may also include a second device associated with a second pilot of the aircraft and positioned on the instrument panel substantially in front of the second pilot. The second device may include a second display and a second controller, which may have a set of controls for controlling the second display and the aircraft systems. The instrumentation may be configured such that at least one of the first display and the second display presents attitude, altitude and airspeed at all times. |
| US08878698B2 |
Lightning strike detection
An aircraft includes a composite structure and a plurality of small lightweight pollable communication devices for providing lightning strike detection coverage of a region of the structure. Each device is rendered inoperative if at least proximate to lightning current. |
| US08878696B2 |
Parking control apparatus and method for providing an alarm thereof
The present invention relates to a vehicle alarm control technique. More particularly, the present invention relates to a parking control apparatus and a method for providing an alarm accurately as detecting a collision risk of a vehicle with an obstacle in advance during all the time while the vehicle moves under parking control. |
| US08878695B2 |
Signal light priority system utilizing estimated time of arrival
Systems and methods for requesting modification of traffic flow control systems that combine satellite position navigation systems and dead reckoning technology with secure radio communications to accurately report a vehicle's real-time location and estimated arrival times at a series of signal lights within a traffic grid or at a distant signal light, while enabling signal controllers to accommodate priority requests from these vehicles, allowing for these vehicles to maintain a fixed schedule with minimal interruption to other grid traffic. |
| US08878687B2 |
Automatic door sensor and functionality expansion module for use in the same
An automatic door sensor includes: at least one sensor module unit (sensor module 11) configured to detect optically an object or a human body and to output, according to the detection results, a signal to a door controller for controlling an automatic door to open/close; an accommodation unit (profile 12) capable of accommodating the at least one sensor module unit; a cover member (front cover 13) that is transmissive to light for use for the detection performed by the sensor module unit and configured to cover the accommodation unit in which the sensor module unit is accommodated; and a functionality expansion module (LED module 14) either side of which can be joined to the cover member and that is configured to expand functionalities of the automatic door sensor by performing communication with the sensor module unit. |
| US08878685B2 |
Field device
To provide reliable notification of a fault state when a power supply to a calculation processing portion is in the OFF state when a power supply to a communication processing portion is in the ON state. An isolating circuit, an inverting circuit inverting a signal branch-outputted through an output line of the isolating circuit, and a selecting circuit that uses the signal outputted from the output line of the isolating circuit as a first input and the inverted signal from the inverting circuit as a second input, to select either the first input or the second input, depending on a selection setting status thereof, to output the selected signal to the communication processing portion are provided. A +5 V voltage is applied through a resistor to the output line of the isolating circuit. This +5 V voltage is produced through the power supply supplied from the second double-wire transmission path. |
| US08878681B2 |
Location based proximity alert
A method of location based proximity alert retrieves, from a location based proximity alert physical server, a current location of wireless client devices and determines if it is within a given area. The method accesses, from the location based proximity alert physical server, a physical law enforcement database comprising a restraining order target identifier and a restraining order limit identifier. A geo-proximity alert message is transmitted if the current location of the restraining order target identifier matches the restraining order limit identifier. |
| US08878674B2 |
Item checkout device with antenna
An item checkout device with antenna which provides better overlap between barcode label and radio frequency identification (RFID) label reader reading zones. The antenna may be flush mounted within an aperture of a weigh plate and be electrically isolated from a remainder of weigh plate by an insulator. The antenna may include a section of the weigh plate that has been removed, reduced in size to accommodate the insulator, and inserted into the weigh plate. The antenna may be wirelessly coupled to the RFID label reader to avoid placing any mechanical load on the weigh plate. |
| US08878673B2 |
Systems and methods for protecting retail display merchandise from theft
Security systems and methods configured for use with an item of merchandise for retail display include a housing, at least one sensor carried by the housing and at least one output device carried by the housing. The security system further includes a controller carried by the housing and operably coupled to the sensor and to the output device. The controller is operable to determine a distance traveled by the item of merchandise from a retail display “home” position based upon a sensor input from the sensor, and to activate the output device based upon the distance traveled by the item of merchandise exceeding a threshold distance. The controller may utilize the at least one sensor in conjunction with an inertial navigation system (INS) and motion processing algorithms or techniques to determine the distance traveled by the item of merchandise from the retail display “home” position. |
| US08878662B2 |
Vehicle driving assistance device
A vehicle operation support apparatus includes an indicator section for indicating an actual value of a parameter and a target value of the parameter for an operator to manipulate the parameter with reference to the target value, wherein the parameter is manipulated by the operator for changing an engine output of a vehicle. In the vehicle operation support apparatus, a change amount of an indication in the indicator section with respect to a unit change amount of the actual value of the parameter is relatively small in a region close to the target value. |
| US08878658B2 |
Gear shift notification apparatus having a preselected notification pattern
A bicycle shift notification apparatus is provided with a transmission state determining component, a bicycle shift notification device and a controller. The transmission state determining component determines a current operating state of a bicycle transmission having a plurality of speed stages. The bicycle shift notification device produces a notification based on a determination of the current operating state by the transmission state determining component. The controller is operatively coupled to the bicycle shift notification device. The controller activates the bicycle shift notification device to produce the notification in accordance with a preselected notification pattern based on determining that a predetermined condition exists. The controller does not activate the bicycle shift notification device to produce the notification while determining that the predetermined condition does not exist. |
| US08878657B2 |
Force feedback interface with improved sensation
An haptic interface including a knob manipulated by a user, a rotation shaft with a longitudinal axis to which the knob is fixed in rotation, an interaction element with a magneto-rheological fluid in rotation with the shaft, the fluid, a system for generating a magnetic field in the fluid, and a control unit capable of generating orders to the system for generating the magnetic field to modify the magnetic field. The system includes a coil type mechanism generating a variable magnetic field, and a permanent magnet type mechanism generating a permanent magnetic field. |
| US08878654B2 |
Medication dispenser
Disclosed is a medication dispensing system comprising a container including at least two compartments each compartment including a cavity configured to contain at least one first medication, a covering over the cavity configured to break under pressure, and an elongate conductive element on at least a portion of the covering and configured sever upon breaking the covering. The medication dispensing system further includes one interrogator-readable RFID circuit operatively associated with the container and connected to the elongate conductive element of each of the at least two compartments, and one RFID circuit interrogator configured to interrogate the one RFID circuit and determine whether the elongate conductive element is severed on either on at least one of the at least two compartments. |
| US08878649B2 |
Method and apparatus pertaining to use of a plurality of different RFID tag interrogation modes
A control circuit that operably couples to an RFID tag reader can cause the latter to automatically utilize more than a single RFID tag interrogation mode. By one approach this can comprise automatically toggling back and forth between at least two different RFID tag interrogation modes. If desired, and by one approach, such a control circuit can facilitate using a first interrogation mode to read RFID tags and then, in response to a first pre-determined condition, automatically switch to using a second interrogation mode that is different from the first interrogation mode. By one approach, this first pre-determined condition can comprise an RFID tag read rate value. By another approach, alone or in combination with the foregoing, this first pre-determined condition can comprise, at least in part, a pre-determined period of time. |
| US08878648B2 |
Generation of buffer zones for buried assets
A method on a computing device for defining a buffer zone around a buried asset at an above-surface location is provided that solves the above-described problems. The method includes receiving and storing buried asset data points, wherein each buried asset data point comprises a geographical coordinate and a precision data value corresponding to the geographical coordinate, for a buried asset, wherein the buried asset data points correspond to signals that were detected and read from the buried asset at the above-surface location. The method further includes generating a two dimensional area comprising a buffer zone by defining circles around geographical coordinates of the buried asset data points, wherein a size of each circle is based on the precision data value of the corresponding buried asset data point, and defining trapezoids that connect adjacent circles. |
| US08878645B2 |
Method and system for airport security
A method and system for airport or other building security where passengers or persons entering a building approach a check-in point or check-in counter and must undergo a positive identification (ID) by fingerprint scan, retinal or iris scan, face feature scan, or an other means of positive identification. A digital photograph can then be taken of the person. This data plus the positive ID data and optional data about the person including a scan of a government supplied ID like a drivers license or passport is entered in a database and checked against various law enforcement databases such as FBI or others for law enforcement interest in the person. |
| US08878644B2 |
Lighting control protocol
A digital lighting control network protocol with forward and backward frames, each of the frames including an error check code. A no-acknowledgment (NAK) signal is sent from a receiving node to a transmitting node responsive to the error check code. An interface circuit of the receiving node may include an energy storage section to store at least some energy from the network while receiving digital signals, and an output section to transmit digital signals to the network using the stored energy. The interface circuit may also include a high voltage buffer circuit. The transmitting node may send forward frames to receiving nodes based on device type. |
| US08878641B2 |
Electronic component
An electronic component is provided with a substrate, a thin-film element layer provided on the substrate, first and second bump electrodes, provided on a surface of the thin-film element layer, and an insulator layer provided between the first bump electrode and the second bump electrode. The thin-film element layer contains a first spiral conductor which is a plane coil pattern. The first bump electrode is connected to an internal peripheral end of the first spiral conductor. The second bump electrode is connected to an external peripheral end of the first spiral conductor. Both of the first and second bump electrodes, have a first exposure surface exposed to a principal surface of the insulator layer and a second exposure surface exposed to an end face of the insulator layer. |
| US08878640B2 |
Common-mode choke coil
A common mode choke coil includes a quadrilateral core 4; first and second core covers 2, 3 disposed opposite to each other on the upper and lower surfaces of the core 4 so as to cover the outer periphery of the core 4; and rectangular copper wires 8 wound on the opposite side portions of the core 4 of the first and second core covers 2, 3. The second core cover 3 is disposed on a component-mounting face. The first and second core covers 2, 3 include a pair of linear portions surrounding the corresponding opposite sides of the core 4 which linear portions constitute winding portions 5. The lower surface of the second core cover 3 has a pedestal portion 6 which protrudes more toward the component-mounting face than the winding portions 5, and extends out along the component-mounting face in a direction perpendicular to axis lines of the winding portions 5. The lower face at the tip of the protruding part of the pedestal portion 6 has seat faces 6a on which parts of the rectangular copper wires 8 drawn from the winding portions 5 toward the component-mounting face are provided as mounting terminals 12. Tip portions of the rectangular copper wires 8 are bent upward from the seat faces 6a at the edge of the tip of the protruding part of the pedestal portion. |
| US08878633B1 |
Vertical differential resonator
A micromechanical device includes a substrate, a micromechanical structure supported by the substrate and configured for overtone resonant vibration relative to the substrate, and a plurality of electrodes supported by the substrate and spaced from the micromechanical structure by respective gaps. The plurality of electrodes include multiple drive electrodes configured relative to the micromechanical structure to excite the overtone resonant vibration with a differential excitation signal, or multiple sense electrodes configured relative to the micromechanical structure to generate a differential output from the overtone resonant vibration. |
| US08878632B2 |
Laminated filter
A laminated filter includes a first insulation layer including first and second coil patterns and a first capacitor pattern and a second insulation layer including third and fourth coil patterns and second and third capacitor patterns. The first and second coil patterns are located near one longer side of the first insulation layer and connected to the third and fourth coil patterns through penetration electrodes in the first insulation layer. The third and fourth coil patterns extend to ends of the second insulation layer through extension patterns and are connected to external electrodes to define input and output inductors. The first capacitor pattern is located near the other longer side of the first insulation layer and connected to an external ground electrode through an extension pattern. The first capacitor pattern faces the second and third capacitor patterns with the first insulation layer interposed therebetween to define input and output capacitors. |
| US08878629B2 |
Diplexer for a reflector antenna
A diplexer for a reflector antenna includes a common circular signal waveguide to transmit and receive signals. The signal waveguide includes first and second ends with a common port provided at the first end. A waveguide arrangement is disposed coaxially relative to the signal waveguide in the region of the second end of the signal waveguide. A cylindrical coupler section is disposed between the first and second ends of the signal waveguide, and connects the waveguide arrangement to the common signal waveguide. In order to create a first and second coaxial waveguide port, the waveguide arrangement includes a first circular waveguide, an inner conductor is disposed inside, in which a first signal can propagate when the diplexer is operating, and a second circular waveguide, surrounding the first waveguide, in which a second signal can propagate at a lower frequency than the first signal when the diplexer is operating. |
| US08878627B2 |
Monolithic power splitter for differential signal
A monolithic power splitter is used to split a pair of input differential signals into two pairs of output differential signals in the present invention. The monolithic power splitter has two input terminals to receive a pair of input differential signals, and it has two one-by-two power splitters integrated in one single chip to split a pair of input differential signals into two pairs of output differential signals with equal power. And, the monolithic power splitter has four output terminals to output two pairs of output differential signals. In one embodiment, the first one-by-two power splitter and the second one-by-two power splitter are made on the same surface of the substrate. In another embodiment, the first one-by-two power splitter and the second one-by-two power splitter are made on opposite surfaces of the substrate. The monolithic power splitter can be used as a power combiner based on the reciprocal property of the power splitter circuit. |
| US08878626B2 |
Dispersion-engineered traveling wave kinetic inductance parametric amplifier
A traveling wave kinetic inductance parametric amplifier comprises a superconducting transmission line and a dispersion control element. The transmission line can include periodic variations of its dimension along its length. The superconducting material can include a high normal state resistivity material. In some instances the high normal state resistivity material includes nitrogen and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, niobium and vanadium. The traveling wave kinetic inductance parametric amplifier is expected to exhibit a noise temperature below 100 mK/GHz. |
| US08878612B2 |
Accurate bias tracking for process variation and supply modulation
A current mirror includes a bias branch, which includes first and second transistors in series between a voltage source and ground, a voltage divider coupled between the voltage source and ground, an op-amp configured to receive a divided voltage of the voltage divider and a voltage of a node between the first and second transistors, and drive a gate of the second transistor to pull the node to the divided voltage. The current mirror further includes a power amplifier core coupled to the bias branch. The power amplifier core includes first and second drive transistors configured in series between the voltage source and ground. Gates of the first transistor and the first drive transistor are coupled, and gates of the second transistor and the second drive transistor are coupled. |
| US08878610B2 |
Current canceling gain control for high frequency wideband cross-coupled amplifiers
An embodiment of the present invention provides a configuration of a cross-coupled common-source differential amplifier stage which enables performing a gain step down (attenuation) while maintaining good step flatness over a large relative bandwidth. |
| US08878609B2 |
Differential amplifier circuit
A differential amplifier circuit includes a differential amplification unit configured to amplify a difference of an input signal and a reference voltage and generate an output signal and an output bar signal, a current source configured to control an amount of current flowing through the differential amplification unit, and a current control unit configured to control an amount of current of the current source based on a level of the input signal. |
| US08878607B2 |
Integrated circuit, wireless communication unit and method for a differential interface for an envelope tracking signal
A signal processing circuit has a first circuit, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and a second circuit. The first circuit receives a digital input signal with a non-zero direct current (DC) component, and subtracts at least a portion of the DC) component of the received digital input signal from the received digital input signal. The DAC is operably coupled to the first circuit, and arranged to perform a digital-to-analog conversion upon an output of the first circuit. The second circuit is operably coupled to the DAC, and arranged to add a DC component to an analog output signal derived from an output of the DAC. The signal processing circuit may be part of an integrated circuit or a wireless communication unit. |
| US08878600B1 |
Internal voltage generation circuits
An internal voltage generation circuit includes a flag signal generator suitable for generating a first flag signal which is enabled after a first predetermined time from a moment that a deep power-down mode terminates and suitable for generating a second flag signal which is enabled after a second predetermined time from a moment that the first flag signal is enabled, a drive signal generator suitable for receiving the first and second flag signals to generate a first drive signal and a second drive signal and suitable for receiving a pre-oscillation signal in response to the first and second flag signals to generate a third drive signal and a fourth drive signal, and an internal voltage generator suitable for driving a first internal voltage signal in response to the first and second drive signals and suitable for pumping a second internal voltage signal in response to the third and fourth drive signals. |
| US08878599B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device and supply voltage supervisor
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a power-supply terminal to which a power-supply voltage is input; and multiple MOS transistors including an Nch deplete mode MOS transistor functioning as a current source and at least one Pch enhancement mode MOS transistor formed on a silicon-on-insulator substrate including a silicon substrate, a buried-oxide film, and a silicon activate layer, each of the multiple MOS transistors dimensioned so that a bottom of a source diffusion layer and a bottom of a drain diffusion layer reach the buried-oxide film, the at least one Pch enhancement mode MOS transistor being connected to the supply terminal through the Nch depletion mode MOS transistor. The Nch depletion mode MOS transistor has electrical characteristics such that a source voltage thereof is higher than a silicon substrate voltage thereof and a saturation current of the Nch depletion mode MOS transistor is decreased. |
| US08878598B2 |
Sensing module
A sensing module of the disclosure comprises a sensing device, a voltage generating device, a compensating device, and a voltage controlling device. The sensing device comprises a first reference terminal and a second reference terminal. The compensating device is coupled between the second reference terminal and a voltage reference terminal. The voltage controlling device is respectively coupled to the first reference terminal, the second reference terminal, and the voltage generating device. The voltage controlling device is used for outputting a first voltage signal to the first reference terminal based on the reference voltage signal and a cross voltage of the compensating device. A temperature variation of an impedance of the compensating device positively correlates to a temperature variation of an impedance of the sensing device. A temperature variation of a sensitivity of the sensing device negatively correlates to a temperature variation of the reference voltage signal. |
| US08878596B2 |
Hierarchical single molecule switch based on stimulated internal cluster motion within a hollow molecular cage
Systems and methods related to single molecule switching devices are disclosed. One example method can include the step of applying a tunneling current across a tunneling junction. The tunneling junction can include an endohedral fullerene that includes a fullerene cage and a trapped cluster or a trapped atom. Such a method can also include exciting one or more internal motions of the trapped cluster or the trapped atom based at least in part on the tunneling current, and changing the conductance of the endohedral fullerene based at least in part on the one or more excited internal motions. One or more electronic processes can be controlled based at least in part on the changed conductance of the endohedral fullerene. |
| US08878593B2 |
Switch control circuit and power supply device including the same
The present invention relates to a switch control circuit that controls a switching operation of a power switch circuit that includes cascode-coupled first and second transistors. A switch control circuit includes a first zener diode coupled between a gate of the first transistor and a first end of a capacitor supplying a power voltage and a second zener diode coupled to a gate and a source of the first transistor, and a first resistor coupled between the first zener diode and the second zener diode. |
| US08878586B2 |
Seamless coarse and fine delay structure for high performance DLL
A clock synchronization system and method avoids output clock jitter at high frequencies and also achieves a smooth phase transition at the boundary of the coarse and fine delays. The system may use a single coarse delay line configured to generate two intermediate clocks from the input reference clock and having a fixed phase difference therebetween. The coarse delay line may have a hierarchical or a non-hierarchical structure. A phase mixer receives these two intermediate clocks and generates the final output clock having a phase between the phases of the intermediate clocks. The coarse shifting in the delay line at high clock frequencies does not affect the phase relationship between the intermediate clocks fed into the phase mixer. The output clock from the phase mixer is time synchronized with the input reference clock and does not exhibit any jitter or noise even at high clock frequency inputs. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used to construe the claims. |
| US08878584B2 |
Duty cycle corrector
A duty cycle corrector includes an SR latch, a first switch and a second switch. The SR latch is configured to generate first and second control signals according to first and second clocks. The first switch is coupled between a work voltage and an output node, and selectively closes and opens according to the first control signal. The second switch is coupled between the output node and a ground voltage, and selectively closes and opens according to the second control signal. The output node is used to output an output clock. |
| US08878581B2 |
Variable frequency ratiometric multiphase pulse width modulation generation
Groups of phase shifted Pulse Width Modulation signals are generated that maintain their duty-cycle and phase relationships as a function of the period of the PWM signal frequency. The multiphase PWM signals are generated in a ratio-metric fashion so as to greatly simplify and reduce the computational workload for a processor used in a PWM system. The groups of phase shifted PWM signals may also be synchronized with and automatically scaled to match external synchronization signals. |
| US08878580B1 |
Apparatus and method for generating a clock signal with reduced jitter
A clock system receiving a reference clock signal via an alignment location and developing a functional clock signal provided to a functional circuit via a clock path. The clock system includes a low bandwidth PLL, a high bandwidth PLL, and a delay path. The low bandwidth PLL receives the reference clock signal and a feedback clock signal and provides a filtered clock signal. The high bandwidth PLL receives the filtered clock signal and provides the functional clock signal, and has a feedback input coupled to its output via a local feedback path. The delay path is coupled between the output of the low bandwidth PLL and the alignment location to provide the feedback clock signal to the low bandwidth PLL. The delay and clock paths are substantially matched. The bandwidths of the low and high bandwidth PLLs may be individually configured to reduce both input jitter and internal jitter, respectively. |
| US08878576B2 |
Low current, high accuracy power-on-reset
The present disclosure relates generally to power-on-reset (POR) devices for activation of a circuit block powered by a battery. The POR devices activate a circuit block when a battery voltage level of a battery voltage generated by the battery is above a dead battery condition voltage level. So that the circuit block is activated after the battery voltage level of the battery voltage has reached the dead battery condition voltage level, the POR device includes a trigger circuit. The trigger circuit is operable to receive the battery voltage and is configured to generate a trigger signal in response to the battery voltage level being charged above a trigger voltage level, which is equal to or greater than the dead battery condition voltage level. The POR circuit is also operable to generate a POR signal in an activation state and activate the circuit block. |
| US08878574B2 |
Method for driving semiconductor device
To provide a driving method of a semiconductor device for reducing power consumption. In a method for driving a semiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention, in a first period, a switch configured to control an electrical connection between a first wiring and a second wiring together with an n-channel transistor and a p-channel transistor is in an off state during a period in which the states of the n-channel transistor and the p-channel transistor gates of which are electrically connected to each other are switched between an on state and an off state. In a second period, the switch is set to be in an off state. The switch has a channel formation region in a semiconductor, band gap of which is higher than silicon and intrinsic carrier density of which is lower than silicon. |
| US08878570B2 |
Configurable analog front end
An integrated circuit includes a configurable interface. The configurable interface includes an operational amplifier, a programmable gain amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter and a first select circuit. The first select circuit is configured to selectively couple the operational amplifier to the analog-to-digital converter in response to a first control signal. The first select circuit is further configured to selectively couple the programmable gain amplifier to the analog-to-digital converter in response to the first control signal. |
| US08878567B1 |
Omnibus logic element
Disclosed is a logic element (LE) that can provide a number of advantageous features. For example, the LE can provide efficient and flexible use of LUTs and input sharing. The LE may also provide for flexible use of one or more dedicated adders and include register functionality. |
| US08878566B2 |
Reconfigurable circuit
A reconfigurable circuit of the present invention is characterized in being provided with: a first programmable wiring group, which is disposed in the first direction; a second programmable wiring group, which is disposed in the second direction that intersects the first direction; a first switch element array, which connects the programmable wiring groups to each other at the intersecting points of the first programmable wiring group and the branch line group of a functional block input wiring group or at the intersecting points of the branch line group of the first programmable wiring group and the functional block input wiring group; a second switch element array, which connects the programmable wiring groups to each other at the intersecting points of the first programmable wiring group and functional block output wiring; and a third switch element array, which connects the programmable wiring groups to each other at the intersecting points of the second programmable wiring group and the first programmable wiring group. The reconfigurable circuit is also characterized in being provided with a fourth switch element array, which connects the programmable wiring groups to each other at the intersecting points of the second programmable wiring group and the functional block input wiring group, and/or a fifth switch element array, which connects the programmable wiring groups to each other at the intersecting points of the second programmable wiring group and the branch lines of the functional block output wiring. |
| US08878565B2 |
Semiconductor device having impedance calibration function to data output buffer and semiconductor module having the same
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device that includes a first transistor unit coupled to the data terminal, and a plurality of second transistor units coupled to the calibration terminal. The first transistor unit includes a plurality of first transistors having a first conductivity type connected in parallel to each other so that an impedance of the first transistor unit is adjustable. Each of the second transistor units includes a plurality of second transistors having the first conductivity type connected in parallel to each other so that an impedance of each of the second transistor units is adjustable. The semiconductor device further includes an impedance control circuit that reflects the impedance of each of the second transistor units to the first transistor unit. |
| US08878564B2 |
Impedance adjustment circuit with correction circuit for semiconductor device
A device includes an output circuit including a plurality of unit buffers, each of the unit buffers having an adjustable impedance; a controller circuit operable to selectively activate at least one of the unit buffers; and an impedance adjustment part operable to adjust the impedance of each of the unit buffers in response to a change of the number of the unit buffers that are selectively activated by the controller circuit. |
| US08878563B2 |
System and apparatus for arc detection and location in solar arrays
A system and apparatus for detecting and locating an arc fault in a photovoltaic solar power array. A plurality of capacitors divide strings of photovoltaic cells into a series of magnetic loops. When an arc fault occurs within one of the loops, a time-varying magnetic field is produced, with flux lines emanating from the area enclosed by the loop. At least three magnetic field sensors arranged at locations in or around the solar power array detect the spectral signature of the arc fault, and send related data to a computer via a communication network. The computer analyzes the data from the sensors to determine the location of the arc fault. |
| US08878562B2 |
Solar battery panel inspection apparatus for inspecting the insulation state in the outer circumferential insulating region of a solar battery panel, method of inspecting, and method of manufacturing
A solar battery panel inspection apparatus is an apparatus for inspecting a solar battery panel including a transparent insulating substrate having a main surface, and a transparent electrode layer, a semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer and a back electrode layer which are sequentially stacked and having an outer circumferential insulating region in which the main surface is exposed, to check the insulation performance of the outer circumferential insulating region. The solar battery panel inspection apparatus includes the first terminal to be brought into contact with the back electrode layer; the second terminal to be brought into contact with a region of or in proximity to an outer circumferential edge of the outer circumferential insulating region; one or more third terminals to be brought into contact with the outer circumferential insulating region between the first terminal and the second terminal; a voltage application unit for applying a voltage each between two terminals selected from these terminals; and a current detection unit detecting a current flowing between the two terminals to which a voltage is applied. |
| US08878559B2 |
IC current measuring apparatus and IC current measuring adapter
An IC current measuring apparatus is provided between an IC and a substrate. The IC current measuring apparatus electrically connects each of a plurality of IC-facing terminals and a different one of a plurality of substrate-facing terminals. Especially, resistances are each inserted into a path between an IC terminal targeted for measurement and a substrate terminal corresponding thereto. Furthermore, the IC current measuring apparatus is provided with terminals each used to measure a voltage between both ends of an inserted resistance corresponding thereto. Accordingly, a measurer who measures current flowing through an IC-facing terminal can measure the current flowing through the IC-facing terminal by providing the IC current measuring apparatus between the IC targeted for measurement and the substrate and measuring a voltage between both ends of an inserted resistance corresponding to the IC terminal through which current he/she wishes to measure flows. |
| US08878558B2 |
Load testing machine
A load testing machines includes: six resistance units; six cooling fans; insulators between the resistance units and the cooling fans; and connection cables, in which: each of the resistance units includes a plurality of steps of resistor groups arranged in a z-direction and each formed of a plurality of rod-shaped resistors parallel to a x-direction connected together in series arranged at predetermined intervals in a y-direction; the six cooling fans face the resistance units, respectively, in the z-direction; the connection cables are cables used for serially and detachably connecting resistor groups next to each other in the y-direction of two resistance units next to each other in the y-direction with an interval of not smaller than a second distance in between; and the insulators each have a size corresponding to the rated voltage of a target power supply of a power supply load test to be conducted using a resistance unit group. |
| US08878554B2 |
Method of testing fitted state of piezoelectric element and head suspension
A method of testing a fitted state of a pair of piezoelectric elements fitted to form an actuator between a base member and a movable member, the piezoelectric elements in the actuator being arranged side by side in opposite polarity and being electrically connected in parallel with each other, and when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric elements, minutely moving the movable member relative to the base member in a direction in which the piezoelectric members are arranged side by side. The method detects changes in capacitance of the piezoelectric elements with respect to changes in bias voltage applied to the piezoelectric elements, the bias voltage being changed within a predetermined range, and determines a fitted state of the piezoelectric elements according to a characteristic of the detected capacitance changes. The method correctly and easily determines whether or not the piezoelectric elements are correctly fitted to the actuator. |
| US08878553B2 |
Device for measuring distance between headrest and head, method for measuring distance between headrest and head, headrest position adjusting device, and headrest position adjusting method
A headrest position adjusting device 100 includes a distance measuring device 10 and a drive motor unit 30. The distance measuring device 10 includes a plurality of sensing electrodes 11 to 15 and a detecting circuit 20. The detecting circuit 20 includes a plurality of capacitance sensing circuits 21 to 25 connected one-to-one to the sensing electrodes 11 to 15, and an arithmetic processing circuit 28. The drive motor unit 30 includes a motor driving circuit and a drive motor. Based on the detected capacitance values, the detecting circuit 20 calculates a difference value between a capacitance value of the sensing electrode which shows the largest capacitance value and the capacitance value of the sensing electrode which shows the lowest capacitance value, and thereby measures an electrode-head distance L. A position adjusting operation for a headrest 43 is performed based on the measurement result. |
| US08878552B2 |
End-of-line capacitor for measuring wiring impedance of emergency notification circuits
A system includes a capacitor, a plurality of notification devices connected in parallel with the capacitor, and a controller. The controller is capable of determining capacitance of the capacitor during charge-up of the capacitor, and the controller is capable of determining the wiring impedance of the emergency notification circuit during discharge of the capacitor. |
| US08878551B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device
A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprises: a circuit block formed on a semiconductor substrate; an electrically conductive pattern formed over a portion to be protected of the block; a resetting unit configured to reset a potential of a portion of the pattern to a reference potential; a connecting unit configured to connect the portion to a current supply line; and a detection circuit configured to determine whether a preset range includes a voltage of the portion when a predetermined time has elapsed since the portion is connected to the current supply line after the potential of the portion is reset to the reference potential is provided. A change in voltage of the portion depends on a circuit constant of the pattern. |
| US08878549B2 |
AC impedance measuring device
An AC impedance measuring device includes: a signal generator configured to provide a first signal on which a period signal is superimposed to a DUT; a Fourier transform unit configured to perform Fourier transform on current data and voltage data output from the DUT using a transformation window while sequentially shifting a start time of the transformation window, thereby obtaining a plurality of Fourier transform data strings of the voltage data and the current data; a difference sequence calculator configured to sequentially calculate a first difference sequence of the Fourier transform data strings of the voltage data and a second difference sequence of the Fourier transform data strings of the current data; and an impedance calculator configured to calculate an impedance of the DUT based on a ratio of the first difference sequence and the second difference sequence. |
| US08878544B2 |
Electric leakage sensing apparatus
An electric leakage sensing apparatus includes a coupling capacitor having one end connected to a DC power supply, a pulse generator that supplies a pulse to the other end of the coupling capacitor, a voltage detector that detects a voltage at the coupling capacitor charged by the pulse, an electric leakage determination part that compares the voltage detected by the voltage detector to a threshold value, and makes a determination of existence or non-existence of an electric leakage of the DC power supply based on a comparison result, and a booster circuit that applies a boosted pulse voltage to the coupling capacitor. The pulse generator converts an output voltage of the booster circuit into the pulse voltage. The voltage detector includes an offset voltage generating circuit that generates an offset voltage. |
| US08878543B2 |
Vehicular insulation resistance detection apparatus
The vehicular insulation resistance detection apparatus includes a cyclic signal generating unit that generates a cyclic signal, a first resistor that has one end to which the cyclic signal is applied, a first capacitor that has one end connected to the other end of the first resistor and the other end connected to a high-voltage circuit, a second capacitor that has one end connected to the other end of the first resistor, a second resistor that has one end connected to the other end of the second capacitor and the other end connected to a low-voltage ground that is a circuit ground of a low-voltage circuit, a series circuit that includes a diode and a third resistor connected in series, and is connected in parallel with the second capacitor, this diode having a forward direction coincident with a direction from the other end of the second capacitor to the one end of the second capacitor, a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage between the low-voltage ground and the other end of the second capacitor as a detection signal, and an insulation resistance detection unit that detects a resistance value of an insulation resistance based on an amplitude of the detection signal. |
| US08878542B2 |
Method and apparatus for dealing with faults in an electrical drive system
A method for dealing with faults in an electrical drive system having an electrical machine and a pulse-controlled inverter which has a first and a second supply connection, the method including the steps of: detecting a first fault in the electrical drive system; selecting a first of a large number of circuit states (22, 23, 24) of the pulse-controlled inverter according to the detected first fault; and driving the pulse-controlled inverter to set the first circuit state (23), with the circuit states (22, 23, 24) including a short circuit (23) between the power connections of the electrical machine and the first supply connection, a short circuit (24) between the power connections of the electrical machine and the second power connection, and a free-running mode (22). |
| US08878541B2 |
Battery voltage monitoring circuit
A battery voltage monitoring circuit includes a first power supply terminal to be connected to the positive terminal of a battery pack having rechargeable cells connected in series; a first supply voltage sensing terminal to be connected to the positive terminal of the battery pack; a first resistor connected between the first power supply terminal and the first supply voltage sensing terminal; a second supply voltage sensing terminal to be connected to the negative terminal of a first rechargeable cell of the rechargeable cells, the first rechargeable cell being on the positive terminal side of the battery pack and connected to the positive terminal of the battery pack; a second resistor connected between the second supply voltage sensing terminal and the first power supply terminal; and a first comparator configured to compare a voltage at the first power supply terminal and a voltage at the first supply voltage sensing terminal. |
| US08878540B2 |
Abnormal condition detection apparatus
A plurality of result signals are driven low when abnormal condition is detected and driven high when no abnormal condition is detected. Presence and absence of the abnormal conditions of different types are indicated in a predetermined sequence by high and low signal levels of the result signals. The voltage detecting circuits simultaneously output the result signals on corresponding branching lines connected to a main line of a communication line. An OR gate outputs a result signal on which the result signals output by the voltage detecting circuits are superimposed. When at least one of the result signals of the voltage detecting circuits is at a level indicative of the presence of the abnormal condition, the OR gate outputs on the main line the result signal having the level indicative of the abnormal condition. |
| US08878539B2 |
State of charge tracking system for battery systems based on relaxation voltage
A battery control module for a battery system comprises a voltage measuring module that measures battery voltage and a current measuring module that measures battery current. A state of charge (SOC) module that communicates with said current and voltage measuring modules and that estimates SOC based on a power limit ratio. |
| US08878538B2 |
Receiver coil assembly for airborne geophysical surveying with noise mitigation
An airborne geophysical surveying system comprising a receiver coil assembly for towing by an aircraft, the receiver assembly including a receiver coil for sensing changes in a magnetic field component of a magnetic field, and a receiver coil orientation sensing system for sensing orientation changes of the receiver coil. A controller receives signals representing the sensed changes in the magnetic field component from the receiver coil and the sensed orientation changes from the receiver coil orientation sensing system and corrects the sensed changes in the magnetic field component to provide a signal that is corrected for noise caused by changing orientation of the receiver coil in a static geomagnetic field. |
| US08878532B2 |
Shielding apparatus and shielding structures for magnetic resonance imaging and method for operating a magnetic resonance imaging scanner
One or more embodiments of the invention relate to a shielding apparatus for shielding at least one at least partially metallic implant in the body of a patient during an examination by magnetic resonance imaging, which can be attached temporarily on or in the vicinity of the body of the patient and comprises a shielding material, which is suited to attenuate radio frequency alternating electromagnetic fields. |
| US08878530B2 |
Measurement method and magnetic sensor for the contactless detection of movements
A measuring method of contactless magnetic detection of relative movement along a trajectory between a main creation system and a measuring system sensitive to the direction of the magnetic field, the creation system creating a main magnetic field of direction that varies in a plane detected by the measuring system to determine the relative position along that trajectory. The method includes subjecting the measuring system to a compensation magnetic field of direction that is fixed and opposite to the direction of the maximum main magnetic field measured by the measuring system and delivered uniquely by the main creation system and in determining the direction of a magnetic field resulting from the combination of the main magnetic field and the compensation magnetic field by measuring the two mutually-orthogonal components of the resultant magnetic field respectively varying substantially as cosine and sine functions of the angle of the resultant magnetic field. |
| US08878528B2 |
MEMS-based magnetic sensor with a Lorentz force actuator used as force feedback
A magnetic sensor utilizes a MEMS device that has at least one vibrating member and at least one conductive path integral with the vibrating member so that a current flows along the vibrating member and in the presence of a magnetic field interaction of the magnetic field and the point charges in the current on the conductive path due to the Lorentz force causes a change in vibration of the vibrating member. That change can be used to provide a measure of the magnetic field. |
| US08878523B2 |
Inductive detection encoder and digital micrometer
An inductive detection encoder according to the present invention includes: first and second members which are oppositely disposed so as to relatively move in a measurement direction; a transmitting coil formed in the first member; a magnetic flux coupled body which is formed in the second member and coupled with a magnetic field generated by the transmitting coil; and a receiving coil formed in the first member and having receiving loops. At least one of the transmitting coil and the receiving coil has a specific pattern that impairs the uniformity and periodicity of a pattern; and a dummy pattern formed in a position corresponding to a specific phase relationship of a cycle generated by the track with respect to the specific pattern. |
| US08878519B2 |
Differential target antenna coupling (DTAC)
Sub-surface detection systems include a transmitter antenna and a receiver antenna that is coupled to a receiver circuit. The receiver antenna is rotated to three different orientations, and a reference null field direction is determined. Based on variations in the null field direction at other frequencies or variations in a magnitude of a field component in the reference null field direction, the presence, location, depth, size, and electrical properties of a target can be determined. |
| US08878517B2 |
Intelligent electronic device with broad-range high accuracy
A method and apparatus provides high-accuracy measurements of an electrical parameter across a broad range of parameter input values. In one embodiment, an intelligent electronic device (IED), e.g., a digital electrical power and energy meter, with a plurality of independently-adjustable gain factors measures a parameter, and calculates and stores calibration factors associated with known values of the measured parameter. The IED or meter applies the stored calibration factors when measuring unknown values of the measured parameter, to improve the accuracy of the measurement. |
| US08878513B2 |
Regulator providing multiple output voltages with different voltage levels
A regulator for providing a plurality of output voltages is provided. The regulator includes a basic unit and a plurality of replica units. The basic unit amplifies an input voltage to obtain a core voltage according to a first control signal. Each of the replica units outputs one of the output voltages according to the input voltage and one of a plurality of second control signals, wherein at least two of the output voltages have different voltage levels. The first control signal is set according to the second control signals, to make the voltage level of the core voltage substantially equal to or less than a maximum voltage level of the output voltages and substantially equal to or greater than a minimum voltage level of the output voltages. |
| US08878509B2 |
Current-mode controller for step-down (buck) converter
A current-mode regulator relies on indirect current measurement to facilitate slope compensation used to stabilize the operation of a buck converter. The current-mode regulator comprises an inductor, a switching network, and a controller. The inductor delivers an output current to a load. The switching network selectively connects the inductor input to an input voltage or a second voltage. The regulator controls the switching network. An inner loop control circuit of the regulator comprises the switching network, a current measuring circuit, a slope circuit, a comparator, and a switching controller. The current measuring circuit comprises a passive network connected to the inductor input and operative to indicate an inductor current as a measurement voltage. The slope circuit applies a time-varying voltage having a positive slope to the measurement voltage. The comparator compares a slope compensated measurement voltage to the control voltage. The switching regulator controls the switching network in response to the output of the comparator. |
| US08878506B2 |
Switching power supply device
An object of the present invention is to achieve the reduction of EMI, the improvement of conversion efficiency, and simplification of the input filter. Provided is a switching power supply device that comprises: a chopper circuit that turns on/off the passage of a current to an inductor by means of a switching element; and a switching control circuit that switches the switching element so that an input voltage and an input current have the same phase and a similar shape. The switching control circuit is configured to switch the switching element at a switching frequency that is proportional to an input voltage dependent term of a formula that expresses a third harmonic component of ripples of the current flowing to the inductor. |
| US08878505B2 |
Methods and systems to convert a pulse power demand to a constant power draw
Methods and systems to translate a pulse power demand of a pulse load to a constant power draw, and to maintain a desired peak output voltage over time. A power converter (PC) provides power from a power source to a charge store, which provides pulse power to the load. A PC controller continuously monitors an output current of the PC and an output voltage of the charge store, and controls the PC to draw constant power from the source, at a level indicated by a power command. A peak voltage controller periodically adjusts the power command, such as to compensate for time-varying effects, based on a peak voltage reference and the output voltage of the charge store measured at times of synchronization pulses. The peak voltage controller generates the synchronization pulses based on rising edges of a pulse current, or receives the synchronization pulses from the radar system controller. |
| US08878502B2 |
Control device for switching power supply circuit, and heat pump unit
A mode controller shifts, along with increase in an electric power in first and second of chopper circuits and, operation modes of the first and the second of the chopper circuits from a first mode to a third mode via a second mode. An operation controller causes, in the first mode, the first of chopper circuit to perform an chopping operation, and the second of chopper circuit to suspend the chopping operation, in the second mode, causes the first and the second of chopper circuits to alternatively perform the chopping operations, and in the third mode causes both of the first and the second of chopper circuits to perform the chopping operations. |
| US08878500B2 |
Power factor correction circuit with active snubber and power supply including the same
There are provided a power factor correction circuit, and a power supply including the same, the power factor correction circuit including a main switch adjusting a phase difference between a current and a voltage of input power, a main inductor storing or discharging the power according to switching of the main switch, a snubber circuit unit including a snubber switch forming a transfer path for surplus power present before the main switch is turned on and a snubber inductor adjusting an amount of a current applied to the snubber switch, and a reduction circuit unit including an auxiliary inductor inductively coupled to the snubber inductor and an auxiliary resistor consuming power induced from the snubber inductor through the auxiliary inductor. |
| US08878497B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus, including: a rechargeable battery that includes a temperature detecting terminal from which temperature status of the rechargeable battery is obtained; a connector that supplies electric power to charge the rechargeable battery; a battery charge unit that controls the electric power and charges the rechargeable battery via the connector; a control unit that controls the battery charge unit and operation of the image processing apparatus; and a switch unit that switches a connection of the temperature detecting terminal among the battery charge unit and the control unit. |
| US08878495B2 |
Systems and methods for providing power to a load based upon a control strategy
Systems and methods are provided for an electrical system. The electrical system, for example, includes a first load, an interface configured to receive a voltage from a voltage source, and a controller configured to receive the voltage through the interface and to provide a voltage and current to the first load. The controller may be further configured to, receive information on a second load electrically connected to the voltage source, determine an amount of reactive current to return to the voltage source such that a current drawn by the electrical system and the second load from the voltage source is substantially real, and provide the determined reactive current to the voltage source. |
| US08878486B2 |
Battery pack for charging a mobile terminal by receiving electric power from an external charger, and a mobile terminal with the same
Various embodiments of a battery pack, a mobile terminal having such a battery pack, and related methods are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a battery pack for a mobile terminal may include a battery cell, a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the battery cell, a charge detector configured to detect whether the battery cell is charged above a predetermined level, and a first connector terminal configured to electrically connect to the mobile terminal. |
| US08878484B2 |
Methods, systems and apparatus for determining whether an accessory includes particular circuitry
Methods, systems, and apparatus for determining whether an accessory includes particular circuitry. A host device may measure a first voltage and a second voltage received from an accessory, where the voltages are provide through the accessory from a power source. Before measuring the second voltage, the host device may send an instruction to the accessory instructing the accessory to alter an impedance of the power path between the power source and the host device, and the host device may draw at least a threshold amount of current from the power source via the accessory. The host device may then determine whether the accessory includes particular circuitry based on the relationship between the first voltage and the second voltage. |
| US08878483B2 |
Electronics unit with current sensing
A electronics unit operable to facilitate vehicle battery charging or other energy manipulation activities. The electronics unit may include a current sensor operable to determine an output current. The output current determination may be used as feedback or inputs to other electronics unit electronics, such as to facilitate battery charging related operations or other operations attendant to use of the electronics unit. |
| US08878482B2 |
Power converting apparatus
A power converting apparatus includes a timing signal generator and a phase determination signal generator provided in an ON/OFF signal generating unit as well as a detected current correction unit. On the basis of timing signals ts1, . . . and phase determination signals ph1, . . . , the power converting apparatus determines detected current values and phases of the detected current values fed from a DC bus current sensor at timings set in accordance with the timing signals and corrects the detected current values idc1, . . . for the individual phases obtained at the individual timings during PWM cycles to represent values which would be obtained at reference timing t0 to thereby reduce errors caused by differences in the current detecting timings for the individual phases. |
| US08878481B2 |
Method and apparatus for limiting in-rush current to a starter motor of a vehicle
A system and method for limiting engine starting current of a starter motor of an engine is described. In one example, starter motor current is controlled according to vehicle speed. The method may allow vehicle system voltage to remain at a higher level during automatically initiated engine starts. |
| US08878478B2 |
Projector and method of controlling the same
A projector includes: a drive motor adapted to drive a lens unit; a control section adapted to control the drive motor; a storage section adapted to store a target position of the lens unit; and a position detector adapted to detect a present position of the lens unit, wherein if a deviation between the target position stored in the storage section and the present position detected by the position detector is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the control section performs drive of the drive motor with feedforward control until the present position and the target position are coincident with each other, and performs drive control of the drive motor with a predetermined unit based on a deviation between a stop position by the feedforward control and the target position. |
| US08878475B2 |
Current limiting for a motor winding
Techniques and apparatus for limiting the current through a motor, such as a motor for rotating a rotatable element of a hard drive. The current can be limited based on a threshold. A first threshold value can be set for a first time period. A second threshold value can be set for a second time period in which the current through the motor rises. The second threshold value is lower than the first threshold value. A spike in the supply current upon accelerating the rotatable element of the motor can thereby be reduced or eliminated. |
| US08878469B2 |
Process for electrical assistance to the braking of a vehicle and associated motor system
A process for electrical assistance to the braking of a vehicle with a motor system (M), whereby the motor system (M) includes at least one electric motor (10) whose output shaft (14) is coupled to a primary shaft (20) that drives at least one wheel (22) of the vehicle, at least one wheel (22) of the vehicle being equipped with a mechanical braking device that is activated by a hydraulic circuit, whereby the process is characterized in that it includes: collecting information in the hydraulic circuit of the primary braking circuit, and using the information as a set-point for a braking torque generated by the electric motor (10) and exerted on the primary drive shaft (20) of the wheels. |
| US08878468B2 |
Electric machine assembly with fail-safe arrangement
An electric machine assembly with fail-safe arrangement is described. The assembly comprises a stator including a plurality of windings and a cooperating rotor including at least one permanent magnet; a detector configured to detect DC current in at least one of the windings of the stator; and a bypass circuit configured to be activated upon detection of the DC current by the detector and to prevent at least some of the DC current from flowing into the at least one of the windings of the stator. |
| US08878467B2 |
Power factor correction drive circuit topologies and control for switched reluctance machines
Drive circuits that provide power factor correction and input current waveform shaping for controlling the speed and torque in a switched reluctance machine (SRM). The machine's phase windings are split into two segments, one of which is used for active power factor correction, input ac current waveform shaping and partial torque generation and the other of which is used for torque generation. |
| US08878465B2 |
System and method for motor drive control pad and drive terminals
Embodiments of the invention provide a variable frequency drive system and a method of controlling a pump driven by a motor with the pump in fluid communication with a fluid system. The drive system and method can provide one or more of the following: a sleep mode, pipe break detection, a line fill mode, an automatic start mode, dry run protection, an electromagnetic interference filter compatible with a ground fault circuit interrupter, two-wire and three-wire and three-phase motor compatibility, a simple start-up process, automatic password protection, a pump out mode, digital input/output terminals, and removable input and output power terminal blocks. |
| US08878462B2 |
Circuit arrangement and method for operating at least one discharge lamp
Various embodiments relate to a circuit arrangement for operating at least one discharge lamp. In order to prevent intrinsic flicker at low dimming settings and low temperatures, according to various embodiments, a direct current which is fed into the discharge lamp so as to avoid striated discharges at relatively high dimming settings is reduced or entirely eliminated. |
| US08878458B2 |
Light source driving circuit and display device including the same
A display device includes a display panel having a plurality of pixels for displaying an image, a light source on the display panel, and a light source driving circuit configured to drive the light source. The light source driving circuit for driving a light source includes a driving voltage generator configured to supply power to a light source, and a light source controller configured to generate a light source control signal for periodically turning on/off the light source, the light source being turned on again before being turned off completely. |
| US08878454B2 |
Solid state lighting system
A solid state lighting system includes an electronic driver having a power input configured to receive power from a power source and the electronic driver having a power output. The electronic driver controls the power supply to the power output according to a control protocol, and the electronic driver has at least one expansion port having a separable interface. The system also includes a light emitting diode (LED) subassembly having an LED board having at least one LED that receives power from the power output of the electronic driver to power the LED. The system further includes a first expansion module configured to be coupled to the at least one expansion port of the electronic driver having a first functionality affecting the control protocol, and a second expansion module configured to be coupled to the at least one expansion port of the electronic driver having a second functionality affecting the control protocol. The first and second expansion modules are selectively coupled to the at least one expansion port to change the control protocol. |
| US08878441B2 |
Display device and guide lamp including same
A display device 1 includes light emitting sections 36, 37 of different luminous colors disposed between anode and cathode electrodes, current control units 34, 35 for controlling currents supplied to the light emitting sections 36, 37 to desired current levels, respectively, and an emergency power supply for supplying a current to the current control units 34, 35 in an emergency in which a commercial power source does not perform a desired function. When operated by the emergency power supply, the current control units turn on and off the light emitting sections 36, 37 of different luminous colors such that they are turned on during different periods of time. When the emergency power supply is used, the display device 1 controls turning on of the planar light emitting element using an organic EL light emitting element depending on luminous colors thereof, thereby suppressing the power consumption of the emergency power supply. |
| US08878440B2 |
Luminaire with atmospheric electrical activity detection and visual alert capabilities
An illumination system can provide at least a first state and a second state of a luminaire equipped with at least one lighting subsystem. In the first state, the luminous intensity of the lighting subsystem is controlled based on the occurrence of a detected solar event or the occurrence of an expected solar event. In the second state, the luminous intensity of the lighting subsystem forms a visually distinct pattern based on the detection of atmospheric electrical activity exceeding a defined threshold by an electrical activity sensor disposed within the luminaire. The visually distinctive luminous output can alert persons within line of sight of the luminaire of the proximity of threatening atmospheric electrical activity. |
| US08878439B2 |
Lighting control system and lighting control method
According to one embodiment, a lighting control system includes a plurality of luminaire, a sensor device, a luminance sensor, and a lighting control unit. The luminaires are set in a lighting space. The sensor device detects presence of a person in the lighting space. The luminance sensor detects indirect luminance in a predetermined position in the lighting space by the luminaire. The lighting control unit subjects the luminaire to lighting control such that the indirect luminance detected by the luminance sensor does not fall below a predetermined value in a position where the sensor device detects presence of the person. |
| US08878437B1 |
Apparatus, method, and system for monitoring and maintaining light levels at target area for lighting system
A method of sensing magnitude of lumen depreciation not only of a lamp of a lighting fixture, but other factors, by sensing a relative light level external of the lighting fixture to derive not only lamp lumen depreciation but total lumen depreciation from the fixture. An apparatus of monitoring light level of one or more lighting fixtures comprises a sensor positioned external of the lighting fixture(s), a comparator adapted to compare a measured actual lumen output signal from the sensor to a pre-set reference or threshold lumen output value. An error signal is generated by the comparator if the comparison indicates actual lumen output to have dropped below the reference or threshold lumen output. An alarm or communication can be actuated by the error signal to instruct corrective action to ensure relatively constant light levels to be maintained for the lighting system over time, thus providing ongoing assurance to the end user of proper system operation. |
| US08878431B2 |
Light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
A light emitting device is provided which has a structure for lowering energy barriers at interfaces between layers of a laminate organic compound layer. A mixed layer (105) composed of a material that constitutes an organic compound layer (1) (102) and a material that constitutes an organic compound layer (2) (103) is formed at the interface between the organic compound layer (1) (102) and the organic compound layer (2) (103). The energy barrier formed between the organic compound layer (1) (102) and the organic compound layer (2) (103) thus can be lowered. |
| US08878429B2 |
Lighting device and lighting method
A lighting device comprising sources of visible light comprising solid state light emitters and/or luminescent materials emitting three or four different hues. A first group of the sources, when illuminated, emit light of two hues which, if combined, would produce illumination having coordinates within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram defined by points having coordinates: 0.59, 0.24; 0.40, 0.50; 0.24, 0.53; 0.17, 0.25; and 0.30, 0.12. A second group of the sources is of an additional hue. Mixing light from the first and second groups produces illumination within ten MacAdam ellipses of the blackbody locus. Also, a lighting device comprising a white light source having a CRI of 75 or less and at least one solid state light emitters and/or luminescent material. Also, methods of lighting. |
| US08878428B2 |
Display device that prevents warpage of polarizer
A display device of the invention includes: a self-light-emitting display panel including a first substrate and a second substrate; a first heat-shrinkable film for anti-reflection bonded to a surface of the first substrate on the side opposite to the second substrate and having different shrinkage rates depending on directions; and a second heat-shrinkable film bonded to a surface of the second substrate on the side opposite to the first substrate and having different shrinkage rates depending on directions, wherein a first shrinkage direction that is a direction having a highest shrinkage rate among directions in which the first heat-shrinkable film shrinks is the same as a second shrinkage direction that is a direction having a highest shrinkage rate among directions in which the second heat-shrinkable film shrinks. |
| US08878423B2 |
Light emitting device
Disclosed is a light-emitting device, including an LED light source and a light diffusion element. The light diffusion element, covering at least a part of the LED light source, is composed of a first polymer, a second polymer, or a blend of them. The first polymer has a larger crystal diameter than that of the second polymer. The first polymer is made of polypropylene or ethylene-propylene copolymer. The second polymer is made of polyethylene, polypropylene, or ethylene-propylene copolymer. A blend of certain ratios of the first and second polymer gives rise of an excellent material that has improved light diffusion. This material can be widely adopted to current light fixtures for its evenly distributed lighting and great brightness. |
| US08878418B2 |
Thermoelectric generator
A thermoelectric generator including a membrane maintained by lateral ends and capable of taking a first shape when its temperature reaches a first threshold and a second shape when its temperature reaches a second threshold greater than the first threshold; and mechanism capable of converting the motions and the deformations of the membrane into electricity. |
| US08878415B2 |
Method for fabricating a stator for a permanent magnet machine and stator thereof
Permanent magnet synchronous machines (100) are described having good efficiency, as well as corresponding methods for making a stator (110) or stator teeth (114) for such machines. A method for fabricating a stator (110) for an axial flux permanent magnet synchronous machine is for example described comprising obtaining several sets of substantially identical laminates (302), and stacking the sets of substantially identical laminates (302) so that a subsequent laminate has a part overlapping (304) the previous laminate and a part not overlapping (306) the previous laminate. Alternatively, a method of manufacturing a stator (110) is described wherein the method comprises obtaining a set of laminates (302) connected to each other with a thin strip (402) of material and creating a stack by folding the laminates (302) along the thin strip (402) of material. The stator teeth (114) can furthermore be fabricated such that the air gap (602) that is formed between the stator tooth and the permanent magnets changes along the radial direction. |
| US08878412B2 |
Alternating current electric induction motor with auxiliary closed loop toroidal winding
Alternating current electric induction motor, in particular a motor (12-22) which is fed by a frequency variator, comprising a casing (4) which supports a rotor (9) by means of roller bearings (8) and which supports a stator (13) with a coaxial ring-shaped core (16) made of a magnetic material, characterized in that the stator (13) is provided with an auxiliary closed loop toroidal winding (20). |
| US08878410B2 |
Rotor with reinforcing portions for an electric rotating machine
A rotor includes a hollow cylindrical rotor core and permanent magnets embedded in the rotor core to form a plurality of magnetic poles on the radially outer periphery of the rotor core. The rotor core has a plurality of openings each of which extends in the axial direction of the rotor core so as to penetrate it. When viewed along the axial direction, each of the openings is symmetrically positioned with respect to the centerline of a corresponding one of the magnetic poles. For each of the openings, there are provided n reinforcing portions, where n is an integer not less than 2. The n reinforcing portions extend to connect a pair of radially-inner and radially-outer peripheral portions of the rotor core, thereby partitioning the opening into (n+1) parts. The n reinforcing portions are symmetrically arranged with respect to the centerline of the corresponding magnetic pole. |
| US08878408B2 |
Bearing having a power generation unit
A bearing, which has a first bearing ring, a second bearing ring and a claw pole generator-type power generation unit. The bearing has a substantially space-neutral power generation unit, which has a high filling factor for the induction coil. Every claw ring is connected to a section of the body of the first bearing ring in a magnetically conducting fashion and the magnetic circuit is substantially closed via the section of the body of the first bearing ring. |
| US08878406B2 |
Stator including conductors provided with a composite sleeve
A stator includes a stator core having a plurality of slot segments, a plurality of stator winding conductors arranged in select ones of the plurality of slot segments, a jumper conductor interconnecting select ones of the plurality of stator winding conductors to form one or more stator windings, a common conductor connected to at least one of the stator winding conductors, a phase conductor connected to corresponding ones of the one or more stator windings, and a composite sleeve provided on at least one of the jumper conductor, the common conductor, and the phase conductor. The composite sleeve includes a first sleeve, and a second sleeve positioned about the first sleeve. One of the first and second sleeves is formed from a compressed amide synthetic fiber. The first and second sleeves cooperate to provide protection for the conductor from external elements. |
| US08878403B2 |
Air-cooled motor-generator and method for operating a motor-generator
An air-cooled motor-generator (10) includes a rotor (34) with a rotor shaft (11), which is arranged rotatably about a machine axis (15) and on which a rotor winding (16) is arranged, and a stator (35) with a stator laminate stack (18) and a stator winding (17) arranged therein, which concentrically surrounds the rotor winding (16) A closed cooling circuit operating with cooling air (24) is provided, with the cooling air in the cooling circuit flowing through the rotor winding (16) and the stator winding (17) radially from the inside outwards, the cooling air being cooled in coolers (19) arranged outside the stator (35) and being fed back to the rotor (34). Cooling which can be changed before or during operation is achieved in a simple manner by virtue of the fact that adjustable throttle devices are provided for adjusting the volume flow of the cooling air in the cooling circuit at the coolers (19). |
| US08878402B2 |
Starter motor
A starter motor for an engine includes a motor casing made of electrically conductive material and an end bracket fixed to one end of the motor casing. The end bracket comprises a base with brush cages integrally formed therewith, brushes mounted in the brush cages and a conductor electrically connected to the brushes and motor casing. The base is a single piece made of electrically insulating material and coaxial mounting holes are formed in the base and motor casing for fasteners to fix the starter motor to a housing of the engine. |
| US08878398B2 |
System comprising a plurality of controllers and associated method
An electronic system includes at least two subassemblies connected through an assembly of at most three conductors (3), each subassembly (1, 2) including at least one microprocessor. In its preferred alternative embodiments, it allows the connection of electronic subassemblies through a cable containing two or three conductors. Further, in certain alternatives it allows galvanic insulation to be achieved between the subassemblies. The galvanic insulation obtained has technical characteristics capable of complying statutory requirements as regards electrical safety without resorting to cables complying the statutory requirements. |
| US08878393B2 |
Wireless power transfer for vehicles
Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A power transmitting device is attached to an existing vehicle item or is embedded in a vehicle element. The power transmitting device includes a transmit antenna to wirelessly transfer power to a receive antenna by generating a near-field radiation within a coupling-mode region. An amplifier applies a driving signal to the transmit antenna. A presence detector may detect a presence of a receiver device within the coupling-mode region. The presence detector may also detect a human presence. An enclosed compartment detector may detect when the vehicle element is in a closed state. A power output may be adjusted in response to the closed state, the presence of a receiver device, and the presence of a human. |
| US08878392B2 |
Electromagnetic interference suppression
An inductive power transmitter for transmitting electrical power to a device by electromagnetic induction, the transmitter being configured to receive power conductively by way of a current via an electrical conduit from an external power source, the transmitter including a field generator configured to generate a fluctuating electromagnetic field having a fundamental frequency; and at least one impedance element connected along an electrical path of the transmitter configured to carry said current, the impedance element or a combination of the impedance elements having a high enough impedance at the fundamental frequency such that, in use, electromagnetic noise experienced at the power source is substantially suppressed, such noise arising from coupling between the electromagnetic field and a circuit having said path and linking the power source to the transmitter. |
| US08878390B2 |
Adaptor for adding a second power supply unit to a computer system
A Plug and Play adaptor for adding a PSU to a first PSU in a computer system. An ATX connector and a relay are contained in the adaptor. A second PSU can be added via the ATX connector in a plug-and-play manner, and the relay is energized and closes its circuit when it is powered by the first PSU and therefore turns on the second PSU through the ATX connector. |
| US08878388B2 |
Motor control device that decreases power consumed by control power source when power fails
A motor control device has a current value sampling unit configured to sample a current value of a motor, a PWM signal generation unit configured to generate a PWM signal to drive the motor, based on the sampled current value of the motor, and a power supply stop unit configured to stop supply of power from a control power supply to a peripheral depending on power stored in a DC link part and power to which the control power source can supply when an alternating-current power source fails. |
| US08878387B1 |
Multi-level stack voltage system for integrated circuits
An integrated circuit supplied by a rail-to-rail power supply voltage includes a multi-level stack voltage generator configured to partition the rail-to-rail power supply voltage into one or more reduced supply voltages each having a voltage value between positive and negative power supply voltages of the rail-to-rail power supply. The reduced supply voltages and the positive and negative power supply voltages being configured in series to form a stack of circuit layers. The integrated circuit further includes a core circuit including core circuit units coupled in a circuit layer or coupled between two or more circuit layers. Each core circuit unit is coupled to at least one of the reduced supply voltages. The core circuit units are coupled in the stack of circuit layers to form a serial connection of core circuit units between the positive power supply voltage and the negative power supply voltage. |
| US08878386B2 |
Power supply device
A power supply device generating source powers to be outputted to an inverter and external supply destinations includes: a first power supply transformer including a first primary winding and a plurality of first secondary windings wound on an outer side of the first primary winding; and a second power supply transformer including a second primary winding electrically connected to one of the first secondary windings and a plurality of second secondary windings wound on an outer side of the second primary winding. The second secondary windings are connected to the external supply destinations. The first secondary windings include an upper gate winding connected to an upper-gate power supply circuit for switching on and off a switching element of an upper arm of the inverter, and the upper gate winding is wound on an outermost side to be separated away from the one of the first secondary windings. |
| US08878383B2 |
Faucet device
The faucet device (1) of the present invention includes a device body (2); a solenoid valve (12); a spout port forming portion (44); a generator (14) for generating electrical power by rotating an impeller; a solenoid valve-side water-passage forming member (52) for guiding water to the generator; a spout port-side water-passage forming member (42) for guiding water to a spout port; a first elastic member (52a) for sealing between the solenoid valve-side water-passage forming member and the generator and allowing relative displacement therebetween; a second elastic member (42b) for sealing between the spout port-side water-passage forming member and the generator and allowing relative displacement therebetween; a third elastic member (60) for coupling the solenoid valve-side water-passage forming member and the device body and allowing relative displacement therebetween; and a fourth elastic member (58) for coupling the spout port-side water-passage forming member and the device body and allowing relative displacement therebetween. |
| US08878382B2 |
Power generation system or turbine with potential energy gain
A power generation system or turbine with energy gain (turgain) comprising an enclosure and a rotor with potential energy gain that efficiently converts a predetermined mass to kinetic energy; and use the energy having a zero emission to power the generators for what further is a scalable, clean, renewable, reliable, affordable, and practical power (scrrapp) system with the potential to boosts a sustainable economic growth and cost-effectively address climate change. |
| US08878375B2 |
Device for starting an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle using an improved control unit
A device for starting an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is described, which has a starter motor, an engaging relay, a starting current relay, a main current relay, a control unit and a switching module situated between the relays named and the control unit. The control unit is an engine control unit of the motor vehicle. The switching module has inputs which are connected to one output, respectively, of the engine control unit, and has outputs at which control signals for the relays named are provided. The outputs of the engine control unit are small signal outputs. |
| US08878374B2 |
Brushless alternator for helicopter transmission install
A system and method to converting mechanical rotational energy of an aircraft input shaft of a transmission to electrical energy. The system includes an alternator having an inductor carried by the aircraft transmission and a magnet carried by the aircraft input shaft. The input shaft rotates the magnet in relation to the inductor, which in turn converts the mechanical rotational energy to electrical energy. |
| US08878373B2 |
Variable electrical generator
A variable electrical generator (20) is operable to convert mechanical motion to electrical power. The generator (20) includes at least a stator element (60) and a rotor element (50) including coils (320) and magnets (90). The generator (20) includes a configuration of modules (80) including the coils (320) for generating wavelets (30) in response to the coils (320) interacting magnetically with the magnets (90), and a control arrangement (70) for combining the wavelets (30) for generating a composite synthesized power output (10) from the generator (20). A method of maintaining a variable generator (20) includes steps of: (a) determining operating status of modules (80) of the generator (20); (b) unplugging and replacing one or more defective modules (80) as identified in step (a). The generator (20) is susceptible to being used in renewable energy system, for example in a tidal water turbine, in a wind turbine, in association with an oscillating wind vane, in association with an ocean float, in a hydroelectric turbine, in a steam turbine. |