| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08923825B2 |
Enhanced messaging with language translation feature
A method for creating and managing a distribution list can include creating a distribution list at a voicemail system. The distribution list can include at least one recipient and at least one language preference for one or more of the at least one recipients. The method can further include selecting the created distribution list and recording an audio message to be sent to the at least one recipient. Translating the audio message into the at least one language preference for one or more of the at least one recipients thereby creating at least one translated audio message and sending the at least one translated audio message to the at least one recipient. |
| US08923821B2 |
Transceiver with message notification
A transceiver, comprising an interface for receiving at least one message, a display unit provided to assume at least one switched-on operating state and at least one switched-off operating state, a message indicator indicating a receipt of a message by a unit of a signal, independent of the operating state of the display unit, wherein the message is associated with at least one message parameter, and a unit for evaluating the message parameter with the signal provided as a function of evaluation of the message parameter. |
| US08923820B2 |
Modified messaging server call flow for secured mobile-to-mobile messaging
Systems and techniques are provided for transmitting a secured message from an originating device to a recipient mobile device through a mobile communication network. A secure communication channel to the recipient mobile device is established via the mobile communication network based on a request for transmission of a secured message from the originating device. A notification of the secured message including instructions for retrieving the secured message is sent to the recipient mobile device through the established secured communication channel. The recipient mobile device is authenticated based on authentication credentials associated with the recipient mobile device. The recipient mobile device is allowed to retrieve the secured message via the secure data channel of the mobile communication network using the instructions included in the notification. |
| US08923817B2 |
Mobility device security
The present disclosure provides a system to establish a stable ownership relationship between an online identity and a mobile device. This relationship is persistent across device wipes and operating system reinstalls. Remote commands enable a user to: locate the mobile device; wipe user data off the mobile device; disable the mobile device; display a permanent message on the mobile device; and return a disabled mobile device to normal. Ownership is established when the mobile device is purchased. Thereafter, the ownership is maintained in a host sever through an association between a unique identifier of the mobile device and the owner's online identity. The owner of the mobile device may remotely send an encrypted command to the mobile device, for example, if the mobile device is lost or stolen. The encrypted command is decrypted by the mobile device and the result of the command may be returned remotely to the owner. |
| US08923816B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing seamless service between a cellular network and wireless local area network for a mobile user
A wireless communication system including a cellular network and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) providing cellular network services via the WLAN is provided. The system includes a Radio Access Network (RAN) providing the cellular network, a WLAN Access Point (AP) providing the WLAN, a Mobile Switching Center/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (MSC/GSN) providing a connection to a core network, a gateway connecting the WLAN AP to the MSC/GSN, and a User Equipment (UE) accessing both the cellular network provided by the RAN and the WLAN provided by the WLAN AP, the UE including a cellular communications unit including a cellular network protocol interface, a Frame Relay Switch (FRS), and a cellular modem, and a WLAN communications unit including a WLAN modem and a Radio Control Agent (RCA), wherein the RCA provides a communications tunnel between the cellular communications unit and a gateway of the WLAN. |
| US08923814B2 |
Method and apparatus for security activation in wireless communications network
Systems and methodologies are provided that facilitate security activation for wireless communications. In an aspect, a method for wireless communication is provided which includes determining a first security key for communicating with a source access point and receiving, from the source access point, a handover command that includes an indication of whether to apply a second security key upon handover. The method also includes handing over communication from the source access point to a target access point, where the second security key is applied for communicating with the target access point upon the handover when the handover command indicates to apply the second security key. |
| US08923807B2 |
Donut alert messaging
Different emergency alert messages may be provided to different mobile devices within a common geographic region subdivided into a plurality of inner regions. Each inner region may have different emergency alert messages and may be geographically located inside another region. |
| US08923805B2 |
Emergency rescue system and help-seeking device and emergency rescue method
An emergency rescue system and a handheld electronic device and an emergency rescue method are provided. The emergency rescue system comprises a help-seeking device, a rescue device and a server. The help-seeking device is used to position, and used to provide a help-seeker to input situation information to send a help-seeking message to the server. The rescue device is used to position and send a positioning message to the server. The sever is used to compare the help-seeking message and the positioning message to execute a supply-demand pairing, and used to send the help-seeking message and the positioning message to the help-seeking device and the rescue device respectively for making the help-seeking device can communicate with the rescue device. |
| US08923800B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving and providing disaster information
A method and apparatus for receiving and providing disaster information. The method of providing the disaster information includes: classifying a disaster service district into a plurality of emergency zones according to a danger level; transmitting information regarding the plurality of emergency zones to at least one mobile terminal located within the plurality of emergency zones, and receiving a location of the at least one mobile terminal from the at least one mobile terminal; and sequentially transmitting disaster information according to the danger level, to the at least one mobile terminal in the plurality of emergency zones, based on the location of a disaster which has been received from a disaster information server, when a disaster occurs. |
| US08923798B2 |
Apparatus and method of processing rescue request signal
Provided is a rescue request signal processing device connected with a repeater and including a signal detector configured to detect identification information of a wireless communication terminal from an uplink signal outputted from the wireless communication terminal; a signal strength information generator configured to generate strength information of the uplink signal of the wireless communication terminal when the detected identification information of the wireless communication terminal is identical with identification information of a wireless communication terminal included in a request signal for location information transmitted from a location information requesting device; and a transmitter configured to transmit the strength information of the uplink signal and at least one of location information and identification information of the repeater to a location information server. |
| US08923797B2 |
Method of establishing a communications connection from a deactivated telematics unit on a motor vehicle
A system and method for communicating with a call center from a vehicle telematics unit that has had its cellular service deactivated. The method includes the step of receiving a request from the telematics unit to communicate with the call center via cellular telephony using a cleared telephone number. The call is then established and the type of request is determined at the call center and used to route the cellular call to an appropriate advisor or department in the call center based on the type of request being made. |
| US08923796B2 |
Expedited call setup
An origination terminal initiates a call by providing a third party call control message in association with a traffic channel request. While the traffic channel is being established, the service node may initiate third party call control to initiate a call leg to the destination terminal on behalf of the origination terminal. As such, the destination call leg is initiated earlier. Since the destination call leg is initiated earlier, a corresponding ringback message indicating that a call is being presented to the called party is provided to the origination terminal sooner. When the ringback message is received quickly, a corresponding ringback indication may be presented to the caller in less time than was previously possible. The process is made even more efficient by waiting until the ringback message is received from the destination terminal before providing the SDP information, or communication information, for the origination terminal to the destination terminal. |
| US08923789B2 |
Method of diminishing the minimum range of operation of a communication link
A portable electronic device comprises a wireless receiver unit for receiving a wireless signal from a transmitting device, the wireless receiver unit comprising an antenna receiving an electromagnetic signal and providing a received electric input signal, and a receiver providing a recovered electric signal from the received electric input signal, and an impedance matching circuit matching the electric impedance of the antenna to the receiver, the receiver comprising a gain stage comprising an Automatic Gain Control unit automatically determining an AGC-gain value for application to an AGC-input signal to provide an appropriate signal level when the level of said AGC input signal is in a range between a minimum and a maximum signal level corresponding to maximum and minimum AGC-gain values, respectively. The portable device further comprises a control unit receiving the AGC-gain value and providing a control signal depending on said AGC-gain value to the impedance matching circuit. |
| US08923788B1 |
Circuit and method for adjusting a digitally controlled oscillator
In one embodiment the present invention includes a method of generating an oscillating signal at different frequencies. The method comprises configuring a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO). The DCO is configured to generate the oscillating signal at a first frequency, and the DCO is configured to generate the oscillating signal at a second frequency. Additionally, the DCO is configured to transition from the first frequency to the second frequency during a transition time period. During the transition time period, the DCO activates the second frequency and deactivates the first frequency during a plurality of time intervals. The time intervals for activating the second frequency and deactivating the first frequency successively increase from the beginning of the transition time period to the end of the transition time period. |
| US08923787B2 |
Low sampling rate adaptation scheme for dual-band linearization
A method and system for determining adaptation parameters for pre-distorters in a multi-band power amplifier system of a communication system are disclosed. A method includes receiving, at an adaptor, a reference signal comprising a first plurality of signals having substantially overlapping frequency spectra. Each of the first plurality of signals is input to a corresponding one of a plurality of pre-distorters. The adaptor also receives an observation signal comprising a second plurality of signals tuned to substantially a same frequency to have overlapping frequency spectra. Each of the second plurality of signals is derived from an output of the multi-band power amplifier system. The adaptor computes the adaptation parameters based on the reference signal and the observation signal. |
| US08923786B2 |
Method of controlling RF transmissions to mitigate interference with critical care medical equipment
Various methods of mitigating RF interference with one or more critical care medical devices is provided, wherein a predetermined threshold energy acceleration value is associated with the one or more critical care medical devices that, if exceeded, will cause RF interference with the one or more critical care medical devices. The methods includes generating and transmitting RF energy, wherein at least a portion of said RF energy follows an RF power profile of power versus time having a particular format designed to mitigate interference. |
| US08923781B2 |
Semiconductor switch and wireless device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor switch includes a voltage generator, a voltage controller, a driver, and a switch unit. The voltage generator generates a negative first potential. The voltage controller controls the first potential according to a terminal switch signal input from an outside. The driver is input the terminal switch signal, and outputs at least one selected from the first potential and the second potential based on the terminal switch signal. The second potential is a power supply voltage or is higher than the power supply voltage. The switch unit is provided on an SOT substrate, switches a connection between an antenna terminal and any one of high frequency terminals based on the output of the driver. |
| US08923778B2 |
Method for automatic frequency correction in a multi-carrier communications device
A method and system provides an automatic frequency correction (AFC) within a wireless communication device. A synchronization controller estimates first and second frequency errors respectively associated with a first received signal corresponding to a first receiver path and a second received signal corresponding to a second receiver path. The synchronization controller determines a value and a type of target clock of a first AFC associated with the first frequency error. If the first AFC is not generated to target a shared clock such as a reference clock, the synchronization controller generates a second AFC to compensate for the second frequency error. However, if it is determined that the first AFC targets a shared clock, the synchronization controller generates the second AFC to compensate for the first AFC and the second frequency error. The synchronization controller synchronously applies the first and second AFCs to the relevant clocks. |
| US08923777B2 |
Low-IF transceiver architecture
A transceiver, receiver, and transmitter are provided. The transceiver may also include a programmable matching block configured to implement impedance-matching between an antenna and the receiver and/or between the antenna and the transmitter. The programmable matching block may implement the impedance-matching through a shared matching circuit block. The programmable matching block may include at least one of a programmable inductor and a programmable capacitor. |
| US08923775B2 |
Method for communicating in a network and radio stations therefor
The present invention relates to a method for communicating between a primary station and at least one secondary station, comprising the steps of (a) at the primary station, requesting the secondary station to transmit channel quality information representative of the channel quality and, (b) at the secondary station, responsive to the request of step (a), transmitting to the primary station the channel quality information, wherein step (b) comprises sub-step (b1) wherein the secondary station further transmits with the channel quality information an indication of a secondary station buffer status. |
| US08923772B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling transmission power in wireless network
A method and apparatus for controlling transmission power in a wireless network area is provided. A target base station may control transmission power in cooperation with a neighboring base station and, thus, a satisfaction with a Quality of Service (QoS) of target terminals may be improved. Additionally, the target base station may determine whether to control the transmission power in cooperation with the neighboring base station, based on a possible improvement in satisfaction with the QoS of the target terminals. |
| US08923756B1 |
Calibration of amplitude and phase
In one implementation, gain measurements for one or more satellite elements may be obtained from one or more calibration stations. A matrix may be generated, with each cell providing a storage for relative gain estimate between an element pair with an associated weight indicating a confidence in the estimate. A pair of elements corresponding to an empty matrix cell and a calibration station with non-zero gain measurements for each of the element pair with non-zero weights indicating confidences in the non-zero gain measurements, may be identified. A relative gain estimate for the element pair may be computed using the non-zero gain measurements for each of the element pair. A weight indicating a confidence in the relative gain estimate may be computed using the non-zero weights. The relative gain estimate may be stored in the cell associated with the element pair and the computed weight may be associated with the cell. |
| US08923753B2 |
Problem signature terminal diagnosis method and system
Systems and methods for problem signature terminal diagnosis are disclosed. In an example embodiment, measured operational statistics of a satellite terminal of a peer group of satellite terminals are received and converted into normalized operation statistics. Normalized deviations of the operational statistics are determined and compared to the threshold deviations. A diagnosis zone corresponding to a problem signature is determined based on the normalized deviations by determining that coordinates of the normalized deviations are within the diagnosis zone, comparing a ratio based on the normalized deviations to a threshold ratio, or comparing a differential of the normalized deviations to a threshold differential. A satellite terminal is diagnosed with a problem defined by the problem signature based on the determined diagnosis zone. |
| US08923751B2 |
Radio communication system
A radio communication system includes a relay station, a first radio base station, second radio base stations, and a mobile station. The relay station is connected by radio to the first radio base station and communicates with the second radio base stations via the first radio base station. When the relay station communicates with the second radio base stations, the relay station requests the first radio base station to communicate with the second radio base stations for the relay station. The requested first radio base station communicates with the second radio base stations for the relay station and transmits a communication result to the relay station. |
| US08923750B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting scheduling request in wireless communication system
A method of transmitting a scheduling request in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes: transmitting a scheduling request signal by a relay station to a base station in a first subframe; and transmitting data by the relay station to the base station in a second subframe, wherein the scheduling request signal includes allocation information on the second subframe in which the data is transmitted. Accordingly, data can be effective transmitted between the relay station and the base station in the wireless communication system. |
| US08923749B2 |
Device registration using a wireless home entertainment hub
A method of registering a device with a wireless home entertainment hub in a home entertainment system includes broadcasting by a wireless home entertainment hub a request for a reply from at least one unregistered device. The reply is received from at least one of the unregistered devices and a list of the at least one unregistered device is presented to a user for the purpose of the user selecting a device to register. An indication of the registration of the device selected by the user for registration is stored, and the selected device is removed from the list of unregistered devices after the indication of the registration is stored. |
| US08923748B2 |
High frequency module and receiver
There are provided a high frequency module and a receiver capable of exhausting an electric field and a magnetic field to the outside of a shield, more closely arranging electronic components inside the shield, and being downsized. The high frequency module has integrated circuits (IC) 112, 113 each incorporating an oscillator including an inductor, and a shield case 114 as a shield for covering the ICs 112, 113, and the shield case 114 as a shield is formed with openings 116A, 116B having a size equal to or more than half the shape size of the ICs 112, 113 in areas opposed to the arrangement positions of the ICs 112, 113. |
| US08923745B2 |
Cleaning blade, cleaning device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A cleaning blade includes a contact portion that contacts a member to be cleaned, and the contact portion at least contains polyurethane rubber and has at least two different endothermic peak temperatures by differential scanning calorimetry in a range of 100° C. or higher. |
| US08923743B2 |
Image forming apparatus that applies necessary amount of lubricant to image bearing member
An image forming apparatus configured to apply a necessary amount of a lubricant to an image bearing member while preventing the lubricant from being excessively consumed. An intermediate transfer belt drive motor controlled by a PID controller drives an intermediate transfer belt. A brush rotation controller for controlling an application brush drive motor detects fluctuation in a frictional force between a cleaning blade and the intermediate transfer belt, and controls the application brush drive motor such that an amount of lubricant to be applied is an amount corresponding to the detected fluctuation in the frictional force. |
| US08923735B2 |
Toner bearing member including surface layer containing crosslink reaction product of fluororesin and/or (meth)acrylate compound, developing device, and image forming apparatus
A toner hearing member includes: an electric conductive support; an insulating layer provided on the electric conductive support; a plurality of electrodes located on the insulating layer so that each electrode is separated from one another with a certain space; and a surface layer covering the insulating layer and the electrodes, wherein the surface layer contains a crosslink reaction product of a fluororesin, or a crosslink reaction product of a (meth)acrylate compound, or both thereof. |
| US08923732B2 |
Charging member, manufacturing method therefor, and electrophotographic apparatus
Provided is a charging member capable of suppressing occurrence of compression set while having flexibility enough to ensure a nip with a photosensitive member. The charging member comprises a support and an elastic layer, wherein the elastic layer has an MD-1 hardness of from 55 to 85° at the surface thereof, and has a universal hardness of 2.0 to 20.0 N/mm2 at an indentation depth of 5 μm from the surface thereof. |
| US08923730B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a developer container to contain a developer therein and a developer supply port; an image forming unit to form an image with the developer from the developer container and including a developer intake port; an openable/closable upper cover configured to cover an upper part of the developer container in a closed state and take out the developer container in an open state; an openable/closable retention cover to hold the developer container and configured to allow the image forming unit to be removed when the retention cover is opened; a coupling device to secure a coupled state of the developer supply port of the developer container with the developer intake port of the image forming unit when the upper cover is in a closed state; and a disconnection preventer to prevent the developer container from disconnecting from the retention cover when the upper cover is opened. |
| US08923727B2 |
Packaging arrangement for image formation apparatus accommodating process cartridge
An image formation apparatus is configured such that a process cartridge can be detachably attached through an opening, at which an openable cover is provided. A sheet accommodated in a sheet feed tray arranged below the process cartridge is to be upwardly fed along a first sheet feed path, while a second feed path is defined by the bottom face of the process cartridge and a path composing member oppositely arranged below the process cartridge. An opened portion is formed at a position, on the opening side, where the second feed path is connected to the first feed path. A first drying agent is arranged in the second feed path. An end of the first drying agent or a member connected to the first drying agent is exposed to outside of the second feed path through the opened portion so as to be visually recognizable when the cover is opened. |
| US08923726B2 |
Image forming apparatus incorporating developing device with first and second seals
A development device includes a development casing, a developer bearer disposed facing a latent image bearer through an opening formed in the development casing, a magnetic field generator, a developer regulator disposed facing the developer bearer, a first seal member to cover a clearance between the latent image bearer and a rim of the development casing upstream from the opening, and a second seal member. The first seal member includes a first end portion fixed to the rim of the development casing and a second end portion in contact with the latent image bearer, and the second seal member includes a first end portion fixed to an inner face of the development casing farther from the latent image bearer than the first seal member, and a second end portion hanging to contact the developer carried on the developer bearer downstream from the developer regulator. |
| US08923723B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus comprising same
The developing device of the present disclosure comprises a developing container, toner carrier, developer carrier, regulating member, and air outflow channel. The developing container accommodates a two-component developer. The toner carrier supplies toner to an image carrier. The developer carrier rotates so that a surface facing the toner carrier moves in the opposite direction of the toner carrier, and a toner layer is formed on the toner carrier. The regulating member regulates the amount of developer carried on the developer carrier. The air outflow channel communicates an airflow outlet formed in the top end of the developing container facing the toner carrier with the interior of a duct placed above the developing container, and the air outflow channel is inclined downstream in the rotational direction of the toner carrier relative to a straight line passing through the rotational axis center of the toner carrier and the airflow outlet. |
| US08923721B2 |
Image forming system and image forming apparatus
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus including: a control unit; an image forming unit; a storing unit; and a job reception unit, wherein in case that the control unit identifies that the print job received while the job reception unit receives the print job group is another print job received from another external device in accordance with the identification information, the control unit controls the storing unit so as to hold the another print job until the image forming unit completes the image forming in accordance with the print job group, and after the image forming unit completes the image forming in accordance with the print job group, the control unit controls the image forming unit so as to start the image forming in accordance with the another print job. |
| US08923707B2 |
Apparatus for compensating optical signal impairments
Consistent with the present disclosure, a portion of light output from a laser, such as a local oscillator laser, is supplied to an optical circuit. The optical circuit may include a delay line interferometer that supplies a further optical signal that is sensed by a photodetector circuit. Alternatively, a 90 degree optical hybrid may be provided which receives two inputs whereby one input is delayed relative to the other input. The outputs of the optical hybrid are also supplied to a photodetector circuit. An electrical signal output from the photodetector circuit is indicative of changes in phase of the light output from the laser. A processor circuit may be configured to process the electrical signal to determine an accumulated phase of the laser light based on the electrical signal. Alternatively, based on the electrical signal, phase offset values may be obtained to offset or compensate local oscillator phase noise. In another example, the laser may be provided in an optical transmitter, and the electrical signal may be used to correct for undesired phase changes in a modulated optical signal. Further, the electrical signal may be provided to measure the phase noise for diagnostic or monitoring purposes. |
| US08923702B2 |
Signal receiving method based on microwave photonics technologies
A microwave photonics based signal receiving device includes a signal generation module, a first Mach-Zehnder modulator, a dispersion module, a second Mach-Zehnder modulator, and a signal conversion module. The signal receiving device simplifies a structure of the signal receiving device by adopting quadrature demodulation. The signal receiving device demodulates a high-order modulation signal and flexibly adjusts a microwave carrier frequency. |
| US08923700B2 |
Method and system for tunable optical filtering
An optical device includes an optical splitter having an input port, a first output port and a second output port and is adapted to receive at said input port a WDM optical signal including a plurality of channels equally spaced by a frequency spacing and occupying an optical bandwidth, and wherein the optical splitter is adapted to output at the first and second output ports, respectively, a first and a second portion of the optical signal; an optical combiner having a respective first and second input ports and a respective output port; a first optical path optically connecting the first output port of the optical splitter to the first input port of the optical combiner; a second optical path optically connecting the second output port of the optical splitter to the second input port of the optical combiner, a first optical filter optically coupled along the first optical path, and a second optical filter optically coupled to the second optical path and the free spectral range of both the first and the second optical filter is equal to an odd multiple of the frequency spacing and greater than half of the optical bandwidth. |
| US08923695B2 |
Path computation element protocol (PCEP) operations to support wavelength switched optical network routing, wavelength assignment, and impairment validation
An apparatus comprising a path computation element (PCE) configured for at least partial impairment aware routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) and to communicate with a path computation client (PCC) based on a PCE protocol (PCEP) that supports path routing, wavelength assignment (WA), and impairment validation (IV). The PCEP comprises at least one operation selected from the group consisting of a new RWA path request operation and a path re-optimization request operation. Also disclosed is a network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising establishing a PCEP session with a PCC, receiving path computation information comprising RWA information and constraints from the PCC, and establishing impairment aware RWA (IA-RWA) based on the path computation information and a private impairment information for a vendor's equipment. |
| US08923692B2 |
Pictures using voice commands and automatic upload
A system and method is disclosed for enabling user friendly interaction with a camera system. Specifically, the inventive system and method has several aspects to improve the interaction with a camera system, including voice recognition, gaze tracking, touch sensitive inputs and others. The voice recognition unit is operable for, among other things, receiving multiple different voice commands, recognizing the vocal commands, associating the different voice commands to one camera command and controlling at least some aspect of the digital camera operation in response to these voice commands. The gaze tracking unit is operable for, among other things, determining the location on the viewfinder image that the user is gazing upon. One aspect of the touch sensitive inputs provides that the touch sensitive pad is mouse-like and is operable for, among other things, receiving user touch inputs to control at least some aspect of the camera operation. Another aspect of the disclosed invention provides for gesture recognition to be used to interface with and control the camera system. |
| US08923691B2 |
Shake correcting device and imaging apparatus having shake correcting device
A shake correcting device can correct a shake occurring on a target device. The shake correcting device includes an angular velocity detector, a DC component detector, a controller, a panning detector, and a storage unit. When the panning detector changes from a state in which the panning is detected to a state in which the panning is not detected, the controller controls the DC component detector to output the value of a DC component of angular velocity of the target device stored in the storage unit when the panning detector does not detect panning, and then controls the DC component detector to output a DC component based on angular velocity of the target device detected by the angular velocity detector. |
| US08923689B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method
Provided are an image processing apparatus and an image processing method. The image processing apparatus includes: a video receiver which receives a stream including first- and second-eye images, the first-eye image being a P frame or a B frame; a decoding unit which performs a first decoding of the first- and second-eye images; an encoding unit which encodes the first-decoded first- and second-eye images; and a controller which controls the encoding unit to encode the first-eye image into an I frame, and controls the decoding unit to second decode the encoded the first- and second-eye images at a reverse playing. |
| US08923688B2 |
Performing personal video recording (PVR) functions on digital video streams
Presented herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for improving performance of video decoders during rewind and fast forward operation. Video decoder performance is improved by avoiding repetitive decoding of prediction pictures. When a decoded prediction picture is stored in a frame buffer, techniques are presented for decoding multiple pictures in the rewind order which are dependent thereon, displaying the picture directly from the frame buffer, and setting one type of prediction picture as another type of prediction picture. |
| US08923684B2 |
Computer-implemented video captioning method and player
A computer-implemented video-player for adding and/or editing a time-sequenced caption to a video stream already stored on a web-site or uploaded by the user. A method and computer program product effectuating such manipulation of a caption in relation to the video stream. Editing of the caption can be effectuated only by a user who has created the caption. The video-player plays the video-stream with the caption overlayed on the video in a window movable, at user's discretion, across the screen of the video-player. The video stream and the associated caption are stored, generally, in different storages, with the caption being stored in association of a site or device hosting the video-player. |
| US08923681B2 |
Optical fiber core
An optical fiber core having a primary layer and a secondary layer, which are laminated on a bare optical fiber. The primary layer is formed by curing an ultraviolet-curable resin composition containing a first silane coupling agent, which can be incorporated into a resin skeleton, and a second silane coupling agent, which cannot be incorporated into a resin skeleton. The first silane coupling agent contains a compound having a methoxy group, and the second silane coupling agent contains a compound having an ethoxy group. |
| US08923678B2 |
Techniques for manipulating crosstalk in multicore fibers
A multicore optical fiber includes a plurality of core regions disposed within a common cladding region. Each of the plurality of core regions is configured, in combination with the common cladding region, to propagate light along a longitudinal axis of the fiber. At least two core regions are configured to inhibit resonant coupling of propagated light therebetween within a selected region of operation. At least one segment of the fiber includes a twist that is configured such that when the twisted segment is subjected to a bend having a selected radius, the twist creates a controlled change in the amount of crosstalk between the at least two core regions, compared with the amount of crosstalk between the at least two core regions when a bend having the selected radius is introduced into a non-twisted segment of the fiber. |
| US08923677B2 |
Fiber optic jumper cable
A fiber optic jumper cable having a central axis includes a bend-resistant optical fiber generally arranged along the central axis. A tensile-strength layer surrounds the bend-resistant optical fiber. A protective cover surrounds the tensile-strength layer and has an outside diameter DO in the range 1.6 mm≦DO≦4 mm. |
| US08923672B2 |
Wavelength router for a passive optical network
A passive arrayed-waveguide-grating (AWG) router that can be used to implement the dual functionality of a wavelength router and a 3-dB power splitter for one of its wavelength channels while functioning as a conventional wavelength router for the other wavelength channels. The passive AWG router can advantageously be used, e.g., in a WDM-PON system to reduce the insertion-loss disparity between the various wavelength channels that are being used to broadcast optical signals from an optical line terminal located at the service provider's central office, through the passive AWG router, to a plurality of optical network units located near the end users. |
| US08923662B2 |
Optical environmental sensor and method for the manufacturing of the sensor
A sensor which reacts on influences from an environment. The sensor includes a zero-order diffractive color filter. The zero-order diffractive color filter includes a high-index waveguide layer, a zero-order diffractive grating structure and a layer of an reactive material, wherein the reactive material is in contact with the environment and wherein the reactive material changes its optical properties upon interaction with the environment. The reactive material is embedded in the waveguide layer and/or the reactive material is located at a maximum distance d from the waveguide layer. The distancing is effected by an intra layer having a low index of refraction. |
| US08923661B2 |
2-pattern compound photonic crystals with a large, complete photonic band gap
2-pattern photonic crystal and the associated photonic devices are described here. A 2-pattern photonic crystal has a large, complete photonic band gap. It includes a TM sub-structure providing a large TM photonic band gap superimposed on a TE sub-structure providing a large TE photonic band gap. The resulting 2-pattern photonic crystals have complete photonic band gaps larger than 15%. By altering the respective sub-structures, optical devices for different polarizations (TE, TM or both) can be readily designed, and those optical devices can be integrated on the same plane. |
| US08923660B2 |
System and method for an optical phase shifter
In one embodiment, an optical phase shifter includes a first phase-shifter configured to phase shift a transverse electric (TE) component of an optical signal by a first phase-shift to produce a TE component of a first signal, and a transverse magnetic (TM) component of the optical signal by a second phase-shift to produce a TM component of the first signal. The optical phase-shifter includes a polarization-rotator configured to rotate the TE component of the first signal to produce a TM component of a rotated signal, and the TM component of the first signal to produce a TE component of the rotated signal. The optical phase-shifter includes a second phase-shifter configured to phase-shift a TE component of the rotated signal by a third phase-shift, and the TM component of the rotated signal by a fourth phase-shift, where the first phase-shifter, the polarization-rotator, and the second phase-shifter are integrated on a substrate. |
| US08923654B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method, and storage medium storing program for displaying images that are divided into groups
An information processing apparatus displays, for each group, images that are divided into groups so that each group contains at least one of the images. The apparatus includes an image-data storing unit that stores image data of the images, a group-attribute-information storing unit that stores attribute information of the groups, a display controlling unit that controls processing for displaying the images for each group, a search-key extracting unit that extracts a search key when the display controlling unit issues an instruction for starting the processing for displaying the images for each group, and a searching unit that searches for the groups associated with the extracted search key. The display controlling unit controls display of a library of the groups so that the groups associated with the search key and found by the searching unit are displayed at a top side in the library. |
| US08923652B2 |
Methods and apparatus for registering and warping image stacks
A set of images is processed to modify and register the images to a reference image in preparation for blending the images to create a high-dynamic range image. To modify and register a source image to a reference image, a processing unit generates a correspondence map for the source image based on a non-rigid dense correspondence algorithm, generates a warped source image based on the correspondence map, estimates one or more color transfer functions for the source image, and fills the holes in the warped source image. The holes in the warped source image are filled based on either a rigid transformation of a corresponding region of the source image or a transformation of the reference image based on the color transfer functions. |
| US08923650B2 |
System and method of measuring distances related to an object
A system and method for the measurement of distances related to an object depicted in an image. One aspect including delivery of supplemental materials for fenestration and for constructing insulating materials for fenestration. A digital image containing a primary object dimension and a reference object dimension in substantially the same plane undergoes digital image processing to provide improved measurement capability. Information regarding a primary object is provided to an automated measurement process, design and manufacturing system to provide customized parts to end users. A digital image is obtained having an observable constraint dimension to which a customized part is to conform wherein the digital image contains a reference object having a reference dimension and a constraint dimension is calculated from the digital image based on a reference dimension. The custom part is designed and manufactured based on the calculated constraint dimension. |
| US08923643B2 |
Image processing circuit and image processing method
An image processing circuit and an image processing method are disclosed. The image processing circuit comprises a block matching unit, a multiplexer, an arbiter, and a motion compensation circuit. The block matching unit calculates an alternating current (AC) sum of absolute difference (SAD) and a direct current (DC) sum of absolute difference (SAD) according to a current block in a current image and a reference block in a reference image. The arbiter controls the multiplexer selectively to output the AC SAD or the DC SAD according to an arbitration rule related to a scene characteristic of the current image. The motion compensation circuit executes motion compensation according to the AC SAD or the DC SAD outputted by the multiplexer. |
| US08923642B2 |
Image processing device and method
An adaptive loop filter classifies a decoded image from a deblocking filter into a smooth region class and an edge/texture region class, in accordance with results of edge detection from an edge detecting unit. The adaptive loop filter performs filter coefficient calculation for each of classified classes such that the residual difference between an original image from a screen rearranging buffer and an image from the deblocking filter is smallest. The adaptive loop filter performs filter processing using filter coefficients calculated for each classified class, and outputs an image after filter processing to frame memory. The filter may be applied to an image encoding device for performing encoding with the H.264/AVC format as a basis, for example. |
| US08923641B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding image by using large transform unit
An apparatus for decoding an image includes an entropy decoder that performs entropy decoding to generate quantized transformation coefficients of a transformation unit in a coding unit and an inverse transformer that inverse quantizes the quantized transformation coefficients to generate transformation coefficients of the transformation unit and inverse transforms the transformation coefficients to generate residual components of the transformation unit. |
| US08923635B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing program
An image processing apparatus includes a first path information calculating unit, a second path information calculating unit, and a path selecting unit. The first path information calculating unit calculates first path information which is information representing a first path for separating areas from an image. The second path information calculating unit calculates second path information representing a second path for separating the areas from the image, the second path being the reverse of the first path. The path selecting unit selects one of the first path information calculated by the first path information calculating unit and the second path information calculated by the second path information calculating unit. |
| US08923627B2 |
Method for locating an electronic apparatus
A method for locating an electronic apparatus, the method includes identifying a mobile communication device that is proximate the electronic apparatus; receiving location information embedded in an image file by the mobile communication device and transferred from the mobile communication device; and storing the location information in the electronic apparatus. |
| US08923626B1 |
Image retrieval
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for obtaining image search results. One of the methods includes aligning each image in a collection of near duplicate images to a common coordinate frame. One or more visual words are determined in the common coordinate frame for each of the images in the collection of near duplicate images. A union of visual words is determined, wherein the union of visual words comprises determined visual words in the common coordinate frame. A posting list item that identifies the collection of near duplicate images is added to one or more corresponding posting lists, wherein each posting list identifies one or more collections of near duplicate images whose union of determined visual words have the particular visual word. |
| US08923625B2 |
Original image searching device, original image searching method, and computer readable medium
An original image searching device includes: an acquiring unit that acquires an image-after-changed to which a change is added, the image-after-changed having contents different from contents of an original image; and an original image specifying unit that specifies, as a checking region, a discriminating region including an image common to the original image and the image-after-changed, and that specifies the original image of the image-after-changed by comparing a checking region of each of the images stored in an image storage and a checking region of the image-after-changed. |
| US08923620B2 |
Broadcast receiving apparatus and method for providing multilateral video communication including user image
A broadcast receiving apparatus and a method for providing a multilateral video communication which makes it possible to communicate with a plurality of remotely opposite parties using a digital TV having a camera therein and which is capable of supporting the Internet. The broadcast receiving apparatus includes a position determining unit for determining a position of a user by analyzing a voice signal received through a microphone array, a detection unit for detecting a face of the user in the determined position from an image received through a camera, and a transmission unit for transmitting the detected face of the user and the received voice signal. |
| US08923618B2 |
Information output device and information output method
An expression, for which complementary information can be outputted, is extracted from a document obtained by character recognition for an image. Complementary information related to the extracted expression is outputted when a character or a symbol adjacent to the beginning or the end of the extracted expression is not a predetermined character or symbol. Output of complementary information related to the extracted expression is skipped when the character or symbol adjacent to the beginning or the end of the extracted expression is the predetermined character or symbol. A problem that complementary information unrelated to an original text is outputted is prevented even when a false character recognition occurs. |
| US08923616B2 |
Image-content dependent print cutting system
Embodiments described herein include an image-content dependent system for cutting a print in response to content of an image disposed on the print. The system includes a print cutter, a computer storage device, and a processing device. The print cutter cuts a print according to an image-content dependent cut pattern. The computer storage device stores image component metadata created from image content of an image disposed on the print to be cut. The processing device uses the image component metadata to generate the image-content dependent cut pattern to be used by the print cutter to cut the print. |
| US08923608B2 |
Pre-screening training data for classifiers
A system and method provide recommendations for refining training data that includes a training set of digital objects. A submitter labels the digital objects in the training set with labels, which may indicate whether the object is considered positive, neutral, or negative with respect to each of a predefined set of classes. Score vectors are computed by a trained categorizer for each digital object in the labeled training set. From the score vectors, various metrics are computed, such as a representative score vector and distances of score vectors from the representative score vector for a label group, cluster, or category of the categorizer. Based on the computed metrics, heuristics are applied and the training data is evaluated and recommendations may be made to the submitter, such as proposing that mislabeled objects are relabeled. The training data may include unlabeled digital objects, in which case, the recommendations may include suggestions for labeling the unlabeled objects. |
| US08923605B2 |
Method and system for detecting object on a road
Disclosed are a method and a system for detecting an object on a road. The method comprises a step of simultaneously capturing two depth maps, and then calculating a disparity map; a step of obtaining, based on the disparity map, a V-disparity image by adopting a V-disparity algorithm; a step of detecting an oblique line in the V-disparity image, and then removing points in the disparity map, corresponding to the oblique line so as to acquire a sub-disparity map excluding the road; a step of detecting plural vertical lines in the V-disparity image, and then extracting, for each of the plural vertical lines, points corresponding to this vertical line from the sub-disparity map as an object sub-disparity map corresponding to this vertical line; and a step of merging any two rectangular areas of the object sub-disparity maps approaching each other, into a rectangular object area. |
| US08923597B2 |
Creating and viewing three dimensional virtual slides
Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional digital slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. These two dimensional digital slide images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter. |
| US08923596B2 |
Method for detecting density of area in image
Light is allowed to be incident from above wells provided on a microplate M and the light transmitted to the lower surface is received to obtain an original image of the wells (Step S101). Detection target areas in the original image are specified by an appropriate image processing (Step S102), and peripheral areas as backgrounds surrounding the respective detection target areas are specified (Step S103). By calculating a density value of the detection target area Ri using luminance information of the detection target area Ri and that of the peripheral area Si surrounding this detection target area Ri for each detection target area Ri (Steps S105, S106), the influence of a well wall surface reflected on the background is eliminated. |
| US08923592B2 |
Methods and systems for performing attenuation correction
A method for correcting a positron emission tomography (PET) image includes obtaining a magnetic resonance (MR) image dataset, classifying at least one object in the MR image as a bone, generating MR-derived PET attenuation correction factors based on the object classified as the bone, and attenuation correcting a plurality of positron emission tomography (PET) emission data using the MR-derived PET attenuation correction factors. A medical imaging system and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein. |
| US08923585B1 |
Method and system for image-based ulcer detection
Ulcer detection may include calculating ulcer head scores for image pixels, and calculating ulcer red region scores for pixels, each score correlated to the probability that the pixel color is typical to ulcer heads, ulcer red regions, or a other regions. Ulcer head scores may be compared to an ulcer head threshold level and, based on the results, ulcer head candidates may be obtained. Ulcer red region scores may be compared to a threshold and ulcer red region candidates may be obtained. Ulcer candidates may be formed by creating pairs including an ulcer head candidate and a potential ulcer red region candidate. A grade for ulcer candidates indicating the probability that the ulcer candidate is an ulcer may be used to generate a score for the image, the score indicating the probability that the image includes an ulcer. |
| US08923580B2 |
Smart PACS workflow systems and methods driven by explicit learning from users
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for determining a hanging protocol for display of clinical images in a study. Certain embodiments provide a machine learning hanging protocol analysis system. The example system includes an image processing module to process image data to provide one or more features. The example system includes a learning engine to receive processed image data and additional data to learn and adapt a hanging protocol for repeated use by applying one or more machine learning algorithms to the processed image data and additional data. The learning engine is to continue to refine an available selection of candidate layouts based on the processed image data and additional data to provide one or more layout choices for selection to form a hanging protocol for display of image and other data. |
| US08923579B2 |
Surgery-assistance apparatus, method and computer-readable recording medium storing a program for setting a margin during organ excision
A dominance region in an organ dominated by a part of a structure is determined as a target region, and a region in the organ other than the target region is determined as a non-target region. The part of the structure extends from predetermined position v in a structure region toward a part of the organ, the part including a diseased part. Further, a margin region is set based on a distance from predetermined position v to each position on a boundary surface between the target region and the non-target region. The width of the margin region gradually increases from zero to a predetermined value in a range in which the distance is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, and the width of the margin region is substantially constant in a range in which the distance is greater than the predetermined threshold value. |
| US08923576B2 |
Method for detecting a fake finger for fingerprint acquisition software
A method for detecting a fake finger for fingerprint acquisition software with improved performance, the method implementing a static analysis step including a calculation of a Gray Level Run Length matrix of an image of a finger. Optionally, but preferably, the static analysis and a dynamic analysis are combined so as to optimize the ability to detect fake fingers. |
| US08923567B2 |
Apparatus and method for predicting solar irradiance variation
An apparatus and method, as may be used for predicting solar irradiance variation, are provided. The apparatus may include a solar irradiance predictor processor (10) configured to process a sequence of images (e.g., sky images). The irradiance predictor processor may include a cloud classifier module (18) configured to classify respective pixels of an image of a cloud to indicate a solar irradiance-passing characteristic of at least a portion of the cloud. A cloud motion predictor (22) may be configured to predict motion of the cloud over a time horizon. An event predictor (24) may be configured to predict over the time horizon occurrence of a solar obscuration event. The prediction of the solar obscuration event may be based on the predicted motion of the cloud. The event predictor may include an irradiance variation prediction for the obscuration event based on the solar irradiance-passing characteristic of the cloud. |
| US08923566B2 |
Method and device for detecting distance, identifying positions of targets, and identifying current position in smart portable device
An electronic device for recognizing a position of a target object in a smart portable device includes a distance detection device for determining a distance between the smart portable device and the target object according to an image of the target object, a direction determination unit for acquiring a direction from the smart portable device to the target object, a positioning unit for acquiring coordinate information of a current position of the smart portable device, and a determination unit for determining the position of the target object according to the distance between the smart portable device and the target object, the direction from the smart portable device to the target object and the coordinate information of the current position of the smart portable device. |
| US08923564B2 |
Face searching and detection in a digital image acquisition device
A method of detecting a face in an image includes performing face detection within a first window of the image at a first location. A confidence level is obtained from the face detection indicating a probability of the image including a face at or in the vicinity of the first location. Face detection is then performed within a second window at a second location, wherein the second location is determined based on the confidence level. |
| US08923562B2 |
Three-dimensional interactive device and operation method thereof
A three-dimensional (3D) interactive device and an operation method thereof are provided. The 3D interactive device includes a projection unit, an image capturing unit, and an image processing unit. The projection unit projects an interactive pattern to a surface of a body, so that a user performs an interactive trigger operation on the interactive pattern by a gesture. The image capturing unit captures a depth image within an image capturing range. The image processing unit receives the depth image and determines whether the depth image includes a hand region of the user. If yes, the image processing unit performs hand geometric recognition on the hand region to obtain gesture interactive semantics. According to the gesture interactive semantics, the image processing unit controls the projection unit and the image capturing unit. Accordingly, the disclosure provides a portable, contact-free 3D interactive device. |
| US08923561B2 |
Method of detecting space debris
A method of detecting space debris includes: generating a virtual space debris in accordance with the law of conservation of mass by applying a debris breakup model to an object of breakup origin; calculating an orbit of each virtual space debris based on a debris orbit propagation model; and generating appearance frequency distribution of a motion vector of each virtual space debris on the celestial sphere based on the orbit calculation. The above operations are executed multiple times. The method further includes setting a search range vector based on a motion vector having a high level of the appearance frequency distribution of the motion vector, and applying a stacking method to regions in images captured at time intervals during the fixed point observation, the regions being shifted along the search range vector sequentially in the order of capture, thereby detecting space debris appearing on the images. |
| US08923559B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
Provided is an image processing apparatus including a hand shape recognition unit that performs hand shape recognition on an input image to detect a position and a size of a hand with a specific shape in the input image, a determination region setting unit that sets a region in a vicinity of the hand on the input image as a determination region used to recognize a gesture performed using the hand, based on the position and the size of the hand, and a gesture recognition unit that recognizes the gesture by monitoring movement of the hand to the determination region. |
| US08923557B2 |
Paper-sheet handling apparatus and paper-sheet handling method
A paper-sheet handling apparatus (10) includes: a recognition unit (14) configured to obtain recognition information of a paper sheet by recognizing the paper sheet, and to obtain an image of the paper sheet so as to obtain paper-sheet information from the acquired image of the paper sheet; a reject unit (18) to which a paper sheet, which is other than a paper sheet that has been recognized as a normal paper sheet by the recognition unit (14), is sent; and a control unit (30) configured to output display information about the paper-sheet information of each paper sheet sent to the reject unit (18). The display information output by the control unit (30) is displayed on a display unit (22) disposed on the paper-sheet handling apparatus (10), or transmitted to an external apparatus (40), which is other than the paper-sheet handling apparatus (10), through an interface unit (39) so as to be displayed on a display unit disposed on the external apparatus (40). |
| US08923555B2 |
Image measuring device, image measuring method, and computer program
Provided are an image measuring device, an image measuring method, and a computer program, capable of performing accurate calibration and accurately measure a desired physical quantity even in a case of an object to be measured having a shape in which selection and tracking of target points are difficult or an object to be measured moving as time elapses. Frame images are played back frame by frame, and selection of a plurality of frame images is accepted from frame images played back frame by frame. A synthesized image in which the selected and accepted frame images are superimposed is generated. The generated synthesized image is displayed, and a predetermined physical quantity is measured on the displayed synthesized image. |
| US08923554B2 |
Information processing device, recognition method thereof and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
An information processing device detects a background region from an image, extracts multiple partial regions from the image, sets multiple local regions for each of the multiple partial regions, selects a local region including a region other than the background region from among the multiple local regions and calculates a local feature amount from the selected local region, and determines a partial region that includes a recognition target object from among the multiple partial regions based on the calculated local feature amount. |
| US08923547B2 |
Geotagging of audio recordings
A method of geotagging an audio-recording. The method comprises: determining (220) a location at which the audio-recording was recorded; obtaining (230) an image containing an indication of the location, or a reference to a file containing such an image; and creating (215, 240) a single file (1) containing: the audio-recording (4); and the image (8) or a reference to a separate file that contains the image. The indication of the location comprises at least one of: a map (8a) that includes the location; an aerial or satellite photograph that includes the location; and text (8b) overlaid on the image to specify the location. |
| US08923546B2 |
Assessment of camera phone distortion for digital watermarking
The present disclosure relates generally to cell phones and cameras, and to digital watermarking involving such cell phones and cameras. One claim recites a method comprising: measuring distortion introduced by a cell phone camera; using a programmed electronic processor, quantifying the distortion; and providing quantified distortion as feedback to adjust a digital watermark embedding process in view of the distortion introduced by the cell phone camera. The act of quantifying distortion may include, e.g., quantifying a spatial frequency response (SFR) of the cell phone camera. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too. |
| US08923537B2 |
Hearing aid with cover and programming socket
A hearing aid with a housing holding a microphone, a battery, a programmable signal processing device capable of delivering an output signal is provided whereby the output signal drives an output transducer of the hearing aid to serve a stimulus on the hearing aid user perceivable as sound. The hearing aid housing further holds a socket adapted for receiving a programming connection in order to connect the programmable signal processing device to an external programming device, and a switch adapted to be operated by the hearing aid user, and a cover arranged above the socket and switch and pivotally linked to the hearing aid. Preferably an intermediate link is provided and adapted to interlink the hearing aid with the cover. |
| US08923536B2 |
Method and apparatus for localizing sound image of input signal in spatial position
A method and apparatus for localizing a sound image of an input signal to a spatial position are provided. The method of localizing a sound image to a spatial position includes: extracting from a head related impulse response (HRIR) measured with respect to changes in the position of a sound source, first information indicating a reflection sound wave reflected by the body of a listener; extracting from the HRIR second information indicating the difference between sound pressures generated in two ears, respectively, when a direct sound wave generated from the position of the sound source arrives at the two ears, respectively, of the listener; extracting third information indicating the difference between times taken by the direct sound wave to arrive at the two ears, respectively, from the HRIR; and localizing a sound image of an input signal to a spatial position by using the extracted information. According to the method and apparatus of the present invention, by using only important information having influence on sound image localization of a virtual sound source extracted from the HRIR, the sound image of the input signal can be localized to a spatial position with a small number of filter coefficients. |
| US08923533B2 |
Control data generation device and method
Control data is generated in response to generation, from a position detector, of position data in accordance with a predetermined scale characteristic. Change scale characteristic is applied in manual operation performed immediately after an operation member has been automatically positioned to a target position. In the change scale characteristic, a start point is established such that control data, corresponding to the target position, of the predetermined scale characteristic is outputted in correspondence with the position data outputted at the time of completion of the positioning, but also a first change portion, including a portion extending from a position of the start point at least up to the target position, is established, so that the control data outputted in correspondence with the position data output gradually varies from data corresponding to the start point to data of the predetermined scale characteristic corresponding to an end point of the first change portion. |
| US08923531B2 |
Speaker with frequency directed dual drivers
A speaker that includes a pair of spaced-apart, in-plane mounted drivers connected in series to a network for applying the appropriate frequency component of the electrical input drive signal to each of the drivers is disclosed. A frequency dependent shunting network, such as a low pass filter, is applied to one of the drivers so as to gradually mute the one driver as a desired frequency is approached. The result is an aesthetically pleasing speaker that has dual in-plane drivers and that produces superior sound quality throughout the entire frequency range of the speaker, including those ranges in which dual, in plane, drivers tend to acoustically interfere with each other. |
| US08923530B2 |
Speakerphone feedback attenuation
A method is disclosed for acoustic feedback attenuation at a telecommunications terminal. A speakerphone equipped with a loudspeaker and two microphones is featured. Signals from the two microphones are subjected to a calibration stage and then to a runtime stage. The purpose of the calibration stage is to match the microphones to each other by advantageously using both magnitude and phase equalization across the frequency spectrum of the microphones. During the runtime stage, the microphones monitor the ambient sounds received from sound sources, such as the speakerphone's users and the loudspeaker itself, during a conference call. The speakerphone applies the generated set of filter coefficients to the optimized microphone's signals. By combining the signal from the reference microphone with the filtered signal from the optimized microphone, the speakerphone is able to attenuate the sounds from the loudspeaker that would otherwise be transmitted back to other conference call participants. |
| US08923528B2 |
Hearing aid-compatible apparatus for wireless communication devices
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for wireless communications using a hearing aid, or other suitable receiver. According to one embodiment, a mobile phone device comprises an LCD display having a substantially planar top viewing surface, a transmitter for outputting an electromagnetic signal to an inductively-coupled hearing aid telecoil receiver, and a layer of austenitic stainless steel forming a support frame for the LCD display. A portion of the transmitter and the layer of austenitic stainless steel are positioned underneath the LCD display, thus providing a compact mobile phone design with negligible impact, or even improvement, of the output electromagnetic signal. |
| US08923527B2 |
Compact wireless microphone
A wireless microphone for vehicles includes a housing, an audio plug extending from one end of the housing, a wireless transmitter within the housing, a transducer within the housing, the transducer being electrically connected to the transmitter, and a wireless receiver within the housing, the receiver being electrically connected to the plug, wherein the plug is configured to plug into an auxiliary input on a vehicle audio unit and thereby mechanically support the microphone. |
| US08923526B2 |
Audio device
An audio device (e.g. an AV amplifier), with a plurality of audio output terminals according to the HDMI standard, converts audio data of a source device into audio signals suited to audio reproduction abilities (e.g. channel counts) of sink devices. The audio device stores a plurality of audio reproduction ability information describing the predetermined channel count thereof and the channel counts of sink devices, wherein arbitrary audio reproduction ability information precluding audio reproduction ability information of a sink device with the smallest channel count is provided to a source device. The audio device performs down-mixing on audio signals with respect to a sink device whose channel count is smaller than the predetermined channel count, while the audio device performs signal processing on audio signals with respect to a sink device whose channel count is larger than the predetermined channel count. |
| US08923525B2 |
Power transferring headphones
The invention relates to headphones which can facilitate the transfer of electrical power from the headphones' internal power source to other devices. A pair of headphones can connect to a device through a modified cable. The modified cable triggers the transfer of electrical power to the device. A pair headphones may have a modified port which, when connected to the device through a non-modified or regular cable, causes the transfer of power from the headphones. A power management component connected to the internal power source of the headphones helps control or regulate the transfer of power transfer to and from the headphones. |
| US08923523B2 |
Selective filtering earplugs
The selective filtering earplugs allow a user to filter most external and environmental sounds, only allowing a set of pre-approved sounds to be heard by the user. The earplugs include a sound acquisition module and at least one filtering earplug. The sound acquisition module includes a microphone for receiving environmental sounds and a controller for converting the received environmental sounds to a digital signal. First memory is provided for storing the digital signal and second memory is provided for storing a database of pre-approved sound signals. The controller compares the digital signal with the database of pre-authorized sound signals. If the digital signal matches a pre-authorized sound signal of the database, then a transmitter transmits the digital signal. The filtering earplug includes a receiver for receiving the digital signal and a converter for converting the digital signal into an audio signal. |
| US08923522B2 |
Noise level estimator
Methods and apparatuses for comparing a level of a signal carrying ambient acoustic noise with a threshold level; and based on results of the comparison, ignoring time intervals identified as noise burst in estimating ambient noise levels. |
| US08923521B2 |
Device for localizing acoustic sources and/or measuring their intensities
Device for localizing acoustic sources and/or measuring their intensities, intended in particular to be used in confined spaces, the device including at least one acoustic antenna having a first series of microphones delimiting a first volume, and a second series of microphones delimiting a volume containing at least substantially the first series of microphones. |
| US08923517B2 |
Multi-terminal quantum key distribution system
A quantum entangled photon pair generating device, an optical frequency dividing filter, a 2N-input/2N-output optical switch, a 2N number of quantum key receiving devices, an optical transmission path and a control unit are provided. The quantum entangled photon pair generating device generates quantum entangled photon pairs. The optical frequency dividing filter receives the quantum entangled photon pairs, divides an optical frequency region by 2N, and performs output. The 2N-input/2N-output optical switch allocates photons of the 2N number of optical frequency regions to any one of a 2N number of output ports, and outputs the photons. Each of the 2N quantum key receiving devices performs photon detection, uses a signal processing circuit of the quantum key receiving device to transmit measurement basis information to generate a quantum encryption key and to receive measurement basis information sent from the other quantum key receiving devices, and further, performs error correction and privacy amplification. |
| US08923512B2 |
Circumvention of dynamic, robust, embedded-signal detection
Described herein is a technology facilitating circumvention of dynamic and robust detection of one or more embedded-signals (e.g., watermark, copyright notice, encoded data, etc.) in one or more input carrier signals (e.g., multimedia stream, video stream, audio stream, data, radio, etc.). |
| US08923510B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficiently implementing the advanced encryption standard
Implementations of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption and decryption processes are disclosed. In one embodiment of S-box processing, a block of 16 byte values is converted, each byte value being converted from a polynomial representation in GF(256) to a polynomial representation in GF((22)4). Multiplicative inverse polynomial representations in GF((22)4) are computed for each of the corresponding polynomial representations in GF((22)4). Finally corresponding multiplicative inverse polynomial representations in GF((22)4) are converted and an affine transformation is applied to generate corresponding polynomial representations in GF(256). In an alternative embodiment of S-box processing, powers of the polynomial representations are computed and multiplied together in GF(256) to generate multiplicative inverse polynomial representations in GF(256). In an embodiment of inverse-columns-mixing, the 16 byte values are converted from a polynomial representation in GF(256) to a polynomial representation in GF((24)2). A four-by-four matrix is applied to the transformed polynomial representation in GF((24)2) to implement the inverse-columns-mixing. |
| US08923509B2 |
Controlling echo in a wideband voice conference
In one embodiment, an echo canceller configured to cancel echo in a wideband voice conference is provided. A double-talk condition may be when a plurality of users are speaking substantially simultaneously. When a double-talk condition is detected in the wideband conference, a high-frequency process is enabled and used to process signals in the high band to reduce echo. Accordingly, echo in the high band may not be produced by end devices being used by the users' speaking. Also, the users speaking have the echo cancelled in the low band and substantial echo does not result. This results in the users speaking experiencing the conference in the narrowband. The other users that are not speaking, however, continue to receive wideband signals. The users not speaking also continue to have echo cancellation performed for the high band and low band because these users are not speaking and thus attenuation of their voices is not a consideration. |
| US08923506B1 |
Systems and methods for automated call-handling and processing
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media consistent with the present invention manage multiple telephone calls by managing a session record associated with the call, amending the session record according to a plurality of rules to reflect a plurality of instructed actions, evaluating an amended session record to derive at least one of the plurality of instructed actions, and implementing a derived instructed action on the call under the control of an automated apparatus. |
| US08923503B2 |
Servicing calls in call centers based on estimated call value
Methods for enabling call center agents to adapt their servicing of incoming calls based on the estimated value of the calls are disclosed. In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, when there is a “high-value” call waiting in the queue while one or more agents are currently servicing lower-value calls, an agent who is servicing a lower-value call is informed that there is a higher-value call waiting in the queue, and is prompted to provide an estimate of how much longer he or she will be servicing his or her current call. The call center system selects which agent the high-value call will be routed to based on: (i) the agents' responses to the prompts, and (ii) for each of the responding agents, a measure of how closely prior responses from the agent compared to the actual amount of time taken by the agent to complete servicing the call. |
| US08923495B2 |
Method and apparatus for administration of circuit inventories in telecommunications networks
Telecommunications customers must frequently utilize the facilities of many different telecommunications service providers in order to transmit data from one location to another. When a telecommunications customer encounters a network problem, that customer usually must navigate a complicated web of service providers and equipment owners in order to receive meaningful technical assistance from a human technician. The present invention is designed and intended to facilitate human interactions for technical support and administrative tasks by associating customer, contract, circuit, equipment, key personnel, billing, and telco information in a database for efficient data presentation and information retrieval. Resolution of the logistical problem of tracking circuit information is achieved by organizing the information and displaying important data concurrently. Toward that end, the system modules comprising the invention share all of the circuit inventory data available, and graphical user interfaces for each module display relevant information together. Examples of features in the present invention include: simultaneous display of circuit and contact information for key personnel, a reminder function for tracking changes in important service characteristics, and customer-specific formatting for billing. |
| US08923493B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing data link based on audio connection
In a communications system, after parties form a voice telephone connection, the parties respective communications devices automatically create or leverage machine readable features or content of the telephone connection to identify the parties to each other or to a rendezvous server, and thereafter the communications devices and/or the rendezvous server automatically establishes a data link between the parties. |
| US08923492B2 |
Integrated CMOS multi-mode drivers
A multi-mode line driver circuit designed to be fabricated in a CMOS process and capable of supporting a plurality of operating modes corresponding, for example, to different profiles of communication standards such as xDSL standards. The line driver circuit incorporates integrated mode switches with a two-stage amplifier architecture to relax amplifier requirements by distributing the signal gain into two amplifier stages. Reconfigurable feedback loops are provided to permit design optimization for particular modes of operation (e.g., ADSL and VDSL compliant modes). In one embodiment implemented as a Class-H amplifier, lift amplifier(s) are provided between a first amplifier stage and a second amplifier stage for controlling voltage supply levels of the second amplifier stage. The lift amplifiers may be enabled by voltage threshold detection circuitry that monitors either the input or the output signals of the first amplifier stage depending on the operable transmission mode. |
| US08923491B2 |
System and method for connecting to addresses received in spoken communications
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable media to connecting to addresses received in spoken communications. The method for connecting to addresses received in spoken communications comprises receiving at least one spoken communication containing a spoken address, extracting each address automatically from the at least one spoken communication, displaying to a user at least one extracted address, and receiving from the user a selection of at least one extracted address to initiate communication. |
| US08923488B2 |
Emergency call system with distribution management and mechanism method of operation thereof
A method of operation of an emergency call system includes: receiving an incoming call by a call controller; distributing a pending call request from the call controller to a selected group of workstations; and accepting the pending call request by one of the workstations including removing the pending call request from all others of the workstations in the selected group. |
| US08923485B2 |
Anode disk element comprising a heat dissipating element
An anode disk element for the generation of X-rays that provides improved dissipation of heat from a focal track includes an anisotropic thermal conductivity. The anode disk element includes a focal track and at least one heat dissipating element. The anode disk element is rotatable about a rotational axis with the focal track being rotationally symmetrical to the rotational axis. The at least one heat dissipating element is configured for heat dissipation from the focal track in the direction of reduced thermal conductivity of the anode disk element. |
| US08923484B2 |
Motion correction system and method for an x-ray tube
A motion correction system and method for motion correction for an x-ray tube is presented. One embodiment of the motion correction system includes a sensing unit coupled to an x-ray tube to determine a distance with which an impingement location of an electron beam generated by the x-ray tube deviates from a determined location due to motion of the x-ray tube. The motion correction system further includes a control unit coupled to the sensing unit to generate a control signal corresponding to the distance with which the impingement location of the electron beam deviates. Also, the motion correction system includes a deflection unit coupled to the control unit to steer the electron beam to the determined location based on the generated control signal. |
| US08923483B2 |
Rotation of an x-ray image on a display
A method for controlling the angular orientation of an x-ray image on a display for a viewer displays at least one rotation mode selector on the display. A viewer instruction selects the rotation mode. An overlay displays with the x-ray image, wherein the overlay provides a center of rotation. A viewer instruction identifies a point lying outside the center of rotation. The image is rotated on the display about the center of rotation according to the identified point. |
| US08923479B2 |
Method and device for ocular alignment and coupling of ocular structures
Embodiments provide method and systems for determining or measuring objective eye alignment in an external-coordinate system so as to define a reference axis. Additional embodiments provide a method and system of aligning an objectively determined reference axis of the eye in a selected relationship to a therapeutic axis of an ophthalmic therapeutic apparatus and/or a diagnostic axis of an ophthalmic diagnostic apparatus. Embodiments provide a method and system for planning an ophthalmic treatment procedure based on objective eye alignment in an external-coordinate system so as to define a reference axis of an eye to be treated. The reference axis may be used to position a therapeutic energy component, for example, an orthovoltage X-ray treatment device, e.g., positioned to provide treatment to tissue on the retina, such as the macula. |
| US08923476B2 |
Acquisition of projection images for tomosynthesis
Some aspects include acquisition of a first plurality of projection images of a volume using a megavoltage x-ray source, each of the first plurality of projection images associated with a respective one of a first plurality of locations of the megavoltage x-ray source, acquisition of a second plurality of projection images of the volume using a kilovoltage x-ray source, each of the second plurality of projection images associated with a respective one of a second plurality of locations of the kilovoltage x-ray source, and performance of digital tomosynthesis reconstruction to generate a three-dimensional image of the volume based on the first plurality of projection images and the second plurality of projection images. The first axis may be perpendicular to the second axis. |
| US08923475B2 |
System and method for recording cone-beam tomograms in radiation therapy
A system for motion control of a cone-beam tomography recording device includes a drive system configured to position a paired radiation source and radiation detector relative to an object. The system further includes a controller configured to: initiate a trigger plan operable as a function of a constant frequency control signal, activate the paired radiation source and radiation detector in accordance with the trigger plan, drive, in response to the trigger plan, the first drive system to a steady operating state derived as a function of the constant frequency, capture a plurality of broadcast radiation signals representative of a plurality of two dimensional images of the object such that the two dimensional images are defined equidistant positions defined by the trigger plan and as a function of the constant frequency signal, and generate a three dimensional representation of the object based on the plurality of two dimensional images. |
| US08923474B2 |
Visualization of the coronary artery tree
The present invention is related to a method for reconstruction of the coronary arteries and an examination apparatus for reconstruction of the coronary arteries. To provide improved coronary artery information, an apparatus and a method are provided where a gating signal is provided (32) and a first gated X-ray image sequence of one of the left or right branches of the coronary arteries is acquired (34) with injected contrast agent into the one of the left or right branches of the coronary arteries. Further, a second gated X-ray image sequence of the other branch of the coronary arteries is acquired (36) with injected contrast agent into said other branch. Then, a gated reconstructing (38) of the left and the right coronary artery is suggested and a volume data (40, 42) of the coronary arteries is generated. The volume data of the left and right coronary arteries is registered (44) in relation to time and space. Further; the registered volume data (48, 50) of the left and the right coronary arteries is combined and a combined coronary artery tree volume data set (52) is generated (54). Finally, the combined coronary tree volume data set is visualized (56). |
| US08923473B2 |
Signal processing circuit, driver circuit, and display device
A signal processing circuit of the present invention includes: a first input terminal; a second input terminal; a third input terminal; a first node; a second node; an output terminal; a resistor; a first signal generating section which (i) is connected to the first node, a third input terminal, and the output terminal and (ii) includes a bootstrap capacitor; and a second signal generating section which is connected to the second node, a first power supply, and the output terminal. The first node becomes active in a case where the first input terminal becomes active. The second node becomes active in a case where the second input terminal becomes active. The output terminal is connected to the first power supply via the resistor. With the configuration, it is possible to have an improvement in operational stability of the signal processing circuit. |
| US08923466B2 |
Multi-phase clock switching device and method thereof
A multi-phase clock switching device includes a plurality of phase selection circuits. The phase selection circuit is used to receive a plurality of phase clock signals and determine how to output the phase clock signals to generate an output signal according to a switching signal. The phase selection circuit includes a selection unit and a protection unit. The selection unit receives at least a phase clock signal and determines how to output a phase clock signal according to the at least a phase clock signal and a selection signal. The protection unit determines how to generate the selection signal according to the phase clock signal and the switching signal. |
| US08923461B2 |
Method and faculty to measure and compensate DCO frequency distortions using a DPLL
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a communication system having a digital to analog converter, a first input, a summation component, a compensation filter, and a compensation unit. The converter is configured to receive a first signal. The first input is configured to receive a phase modulation signal. The compensation filter generates a filtered frequency deviation signal to mitigate frequency distortions, such as those from a digital controlled oscillator. The compensation unit includes one or more inputs and is configured to generate a correction signal according to the filtered frequency deviation signal and the first signal. The correction signal at least partially accounts for estimated distortions of the phase modulation signal from the amplitude modulation path and mitigates frequency induced distortions. The summation component is configured to receive the phase modulation signal and the correction signal and to generate a corrected phase modulation signal as a result. |
| US08923457B2 |
Method and system for pilot-based time domain phase noise mitigation for coherent receiver
A method for phase noise mitigation for a coherent receiver in either an OFDM or single carrier based transmission system including applying a frequency offset and coarse phase noise compensation based on a radio frequency RF tone or using a phase lock loop PLL m-th power procedure, responsive to a signal from a digital signal processed transmission with an added pilots signal over an optical system, applying fine phase noise compensation based on comparison of the pilots signal in a time domain, removing the pilots, and demodulating the remaining pilotless signal. |
| US08923454B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for eliminating aliasing noise in multi-carrier modulation system
A method, an apparatus and a system for eliminating aliasing noise in a multi-carrier modulation system are disclosed. The method includes: acquiring a first power spectrum density template; acquiring information of in-band subcarriers whose aliasing noise is greater than background noise, and acquiring a difference between the aliasing noise and the background noise of the in-band subcarriers; adjusting the first power spectrum density template according to the information of the in-band subcarriers and the corresponding difference to obtain a second power spectrum density template; and sending signals according to the second power spectrum density template. The method, the apparatus, and the system disclosed herein eliminate the aliasing crosstalk noise, improve the performance and stability of in-band services without involving upgrade or modification of the Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), and are easy to implement. |
| US08923449B2 |
Radio communication device and radio communication method
A radio communication device including: a processor configured to store each of quantization values of codeword to a memory in accordance with a transmission format, so as to fit each of the quantization values within a specified number of areas which are allocated in the memory, each of the areas having a specified size, and so as to satisfy at least one of a first condition and a second condition, the first condition indicating that the specified number is fewer than the maximum first bit number corresponding to a first transmission format with which a first bit number of the codeword is maximum among the predetermined transmission formats, and the second condition indicating that the specified size is fewer than the maximum second bit number corresponding to a second transmission format with which a second bit number of each of the quantization values is maximum among the predetermined transmission formats. |
| US08923447B2 |
Channel estimation method and system based on time-domain training sequence
A channel estimation method and a channel estimation system based on time-domain training sequence are provided. The channel estimation system first acquires an initial channel vector used for channel estimation of a current frame, and calculates an algorithm initial vector based on a training sequence vector contained in a received receiving signal vector and the receiving signal vector, then performs estimation based on the initial channel vector and the algorithm initial vector and using a conjugate gradient method based on a preprocessing matrix to acquire each channel estimation value, and eventually perform noise reduction processing on each channel estimation value based on a first predetermined threshold value to acquire a final channel estimation value. Compared with the existing channel estimation methods, the present invention has a shorter delay and lower calculation complexity, and thus can be easily implemented. |
| US08923441B2 |
Context-sensitive overhead processor
An overhead processor for data transmission in digital communications is disclosed. Incoming data is transmitted along a datapath. If there are two or more groups of incoming data, arriving separately, the initial group(s) of received data can be held in an elastic store until the arrival of additional group(s) of data, and upon the arrival of additional group(s) of data, all received data are combined and transmitted into flip-flop(s). The data is transmitted from said flip-flop(s) to a logic element to determine the new data context of imminent incoming data prior to any additional incoming bytes arriving along the datapath. Therefore, the number of overhead processors required for multi-byte data transmission is reduced, potentially reducing the number of required overhead processors in digital communications to 1. |
| US08923440B1 |
Circuitry for padded communication protocols
Transmitter and receiver circuitry for 64b/66b encoding or other similar padded data signalling. The required transmitter clock circuitry is simplified by using one clock signal source as a basis for at least partly processing the data both before and after padding. Appropriate frequency multiplication and division factors are employed to make this possible. Similar techniques are used in receiver circuitry. |
| US08923439B1 |
Complementary signal mixing
A method of performing complementary mixing may include performing an exclusive OR (XOR) function with respect to an I-channel symbol based on an oscillator signal to produce an I-channel output signal with bits that alternate between the I-channel symbol and a complement of the I-channel symbol in response to the oscillator signal rising and falling. The method may also include performing the XOR function with respect to a Q-channel symbol based on the oscillator signal to produce a Q-channel output signal with bits that alternate between the Q-channel symbol and a complement of the Q-channel symbol in response to the oscillator signal. Further, the method may include combining the I-channel output signal and the Q-channel output signal based on adding operations performed with respect to an I-channel extra bit signal, a Q-channel extra bit signal, the I-channel output signal, and the Q-channel output signal to generate a complementary mixed signal. |
| US08923437B2 |
Non-contiguous spectral-band modulator and method for non-contiguous spectral-band modulation
Embodiments of a non-contiguous spectral-band modulator and method for non-contiguous spectral-band modulation are generally described herein. In some embodiments, an input symbol tuple may be mapped to a sequence of phase values. Each value of the sequence of phase values may represent an instantaneous frequency of a waveform for a signal with a power spectral density that is substantially constrained to the two or more subbands of a non-contiguous spectrum. The values of the sequence of phase values may be accumulated and a phase-sample sequence representing phase samples of a transmit waveform may be generated. An exponentiation may be performed on the phase-sample sequence to generate a constant modulus signal sequence. An output signal sequence is generated that is constrained to a region in the complex plane, such as an annulus, when the signal is in a subband. The output signal sequence may be shaped to constrain spectral energy during transitions between subbands. |
| US08923430B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating offset value, receiving apparatus, and method of processing signal in receiving apparatus
A receiving apparatus for receiving a signal from a transmitting includes a receiving unit configured to receive the signal from the transmitting apparatus; a selecting unit configured to select whether to consider channel information in estimating an offset value between the transmitting apparatus and the receiving apparatus; an offset value estimating apparatus configured to estimate the offset value between the transmitting apparatus and the receiving apparatus either considering the channel information or without considering the channel information based on a selection made by the selecting unit; a synchronization performing unit configured to perform synchronization based on the estimated offset value; and a demodulation unit configured to perform demodulation of the received signal based on a result of performing the synchronization. |
| US08923429B2 |
Overlay modulation of COFDM using phase and amplitude offset carriers
Systems and methods are presented for transmitting additional data over preexisting differential COFDM signals by modulating existing data carriers with a phase and an amplitude offset. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, additional data capacity can be achieved for an COFDM signal which is completely backwards compatible with existing satellite broadcast communications systems. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention additional information can be overlayed on an existing signal as a combination of amplitude and phase offset from the original QPSK symbols, applied for each information bit of the overlay data. With two additional levels of modulation, a receiver can demodulate the information from each of the previous stages and combine the information into a suitable format for soft decoding. The first stage of demodulation will be recovery of overlay data from the amplitude modulated D8PSK. Because other amplitude variations due to multi-path are also expected, the data gathered from the FFT in the receiver must be equalized to the channel conditions. After channel equalization has been performed, soft overlay data can then be derived from the distance off the unit circle. In order to recover the phase modulated overlay data, the equalized symbols must first be differentially demodulated and corrected for any common phase error offset. After common phase removal, overlay phase information can be obtained. |
| US08923428B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication system and wireless communication method
In a MIMO system using a cross-polarized antenna structure, even if no ideal XPD can be obtained, the interference between different polarized waves can be reduced to allow an effective precoding to be executed. When a MIMO communication is performed between a transmitter and a receiver each using a cross-polarized antenna structure, a channel estimating and precoding selection section of the receiver performs a channel estimation of MIMO channels from the transmitter to the receiver, decides a precoding matrix of a projection matrix for mutually orthogonalizing or substantially orthogonalizing the channel response matrixes for respective different polarized waves, and feeds the determined precoding matrix back to the transmitter. In the transmitter, a precoding processing section applies the precoding matrix to the spatial stream corresponding to one of the polarized waves to perform a precoding, thereby allowing the transmitter to transmit the polarized waves with the orthogonality therebetween maintained. |
| US08923426B2 |
Methods and apparatus for managing wireless medium utilization
Methods, apparatus, and computer readable medium manage the utilization of a wireless medium capable of transmitting multiple channels of data simultaneously. A plurality of messages are stored in a queue for transmission on the wireless medium. A wireless medium utilization for transmitting a first message over the multi-channel medium is determined. Each of the messages stored in the queue is delayed based at least in part on the determined wireless medium utilization. In some embodiments, a message may be delayed based at least in part on a state of a connection used by the message. For example, if the connection is in a ramp-up or slow start phase, the message may not be delayed. Messages may also be delayed based on a type of the message. For example, messages generated by interactive applications, such as web browsers or instant messaging applications may not be delayed. |
| US08923424B2 |
Multi-term demapping for multi-channel wireless communication
Providing for reduced complexity or improved accuracy in de-mapping received wireless data streams for multi-channel wireless communication is described herein. By way of example, a low-complexity likelihood algorithm can be employed to de-map data bits from the wireless data streams. In one particular example, the likelihood algorithm can approximate a received bit with a subset of received wireless symbols correlated the bit, reducing algorithm complexity. In other examples, a limited set of received wireless symbols can be employed for the subset, further reducing algorithm complexity. According to at least one other example, logarithmic terms of the algorithm can be approximated with non-logarithmic functions, such as a look-up table, series expansion, polynomial approximation, or the like. These approximations can enhance symbol de-mapping accuracy while maintaining or improving processing overhead for a wireless receiver. |
| US08923422B2 |
Reducing the impact of subcarrier quality evaluation
In one embodiment, a device may select, based on an optimal tone map, a particular subcarrier for use when transmitting a data frame, the data frame to serve as a tone map request (TMREQ). The device may then populate one or more unused quality subcarriers of the TMREQ data frame other than the particular subcarrier with a well-known bit sequence, and transmits the TMREQ data frame to a receiving device to cause the receiving device to evaluate transmission quality of the one or more unused quality subcarriers based on the well-known bit sequence. |
| US08923418B2 |
Phase shifting stage for switchless de-multiplexing
A phase shifting stage is disclosed. The phase shifting stage includes first and second transistors. Second terminals of the first transistor and the second transistor are coupled to a first current tail node. A third transistor and a fourth transistor have second terminals that are coupled to a second current tail node. Also included is a first transformer having a primary winding with first and second inputs and a secondary winding. The first input is coupled to the first terminals of the first and third transistors, and the second input is coupled to the first terminals of the second and the fourth transistors. A common input stage having high power gain and phase commutating cascode stages in asymmetrical transformer output demultiplexing (ATODEM) branches is also provided. The common input stage limits the noise generated at an input stage by substantially canceling out the noise at an output transformer of the ATODEM. |
| US08923411B2 |
Method and system for determining a quality value of a video stream
Identifying lost data packets and at least two intra coded frames of a video stream can be useful in determining the quality value of the video stream. The intra coded frames having maintained image quality can be determined based on estimating whether an intra coded frame is associated with a lost data packet. This allows a distance to be estimated between each one of the lost data packets and a next respective, subsequent intra coded frame having a maintained image quanta. Based on the distances, a quality value for the video stream can be generated. |
| US08923410B2 |
Information transmission apparatus and information transmission method
An information transmission apparatus that transmits data whose generation amount per unit time changes is provided. If a data amount that exceeds a predetermined threshold is generated, an excess data portion, which is a portion of a piece of data, the portion being of a data amount by which the piece of data exceeds the threshold, is distributed to at least a piece of preceding data whose data amount does not reach the threshold. The excess data portion is distributed at a ratio determined in accordance with a difference between the data amount of a piece of data to which the excess data portion is to be distributed and the threshold. |
| US08923403B2 |
Dual-layer frame-compatible full-resolution stereoscopic 3D video delivery
3D Images may be encoded into reduced resolution image data in a base layer and enhancement layer (EL) image data in one or more enhancement layers. Different types of data compositions may be used in the EL image data. The different types of data compositions may include unfiltered full resolution image data for one or both of left eye and right eye perspectives, or unfiltered full resolution image data for a color channel, e.g., luminance channel, or unfiltered full resolution image data for selected portions of image frames, or fallback data compositions. Based on deciding factors including bitrate requirements and bandwidth constraints, different types of data compositions may be alternatively used by an upstream device to deliver the best possible 3D image data to a wide variety of downstream devices. The upstream device may inform a downstream device of specific types of data compositions with EL image data descriptors. |
| US08923402B2 |
Multi-view video coding method
In a multi-view video coding method using a hierarchical B-picture (HBP) prediction structure, multiple image sequences in the HBP prediction structure are grouped into main-view image sequences, and auxiliary-view image sequences, each of which is configured to be disposed between corresponding two adjacent main-view image sequences. Each picture to be encoded in each main-view image sequence serves as a first target picture, and is divided into multiple macroblocks. Video data in each macroblock of the first target picture is encoded based on a first reference macroblock unit in accordance with first decision criteria. Each picture to be encoded in each auxiliary-view image sequence serves as a second target picture, and is divided into multiple macroblocks. Video data in each macroblock of the second target picture is encoded based on a second reference macroblock unit in accordance with second decision criteria. |
| US08923398B2 |
Apparatus for coding or decoding intra image based on line information of reference image block
An apparatus for coding an image is provided to effectively code the image. The apparatus for coding the image includes an input image segmentation unit to segment an input image into a plurality of image blocks including a first image block and a second image block. The apparatus also includes a waveform information generation unit to select a plurality of reference pixels from among pixels included in the first image block, generate first waveform information about the first image block based on a pixel value difference between the selected plurality of reference pixels, and generate second waveform information about the second image block based on a pixel value difference between the pixels included in the second image block. The apparatus also includes a coding unit to code an image included in the second image block based on the first waveform information and the second waveform information. |
| US08923397B2 |
Apparatus for coding or decoding intra image based on line information of reference image block
An apparatus for coding an image is provided to effectively code the image. The apparatus for coding the image includes an input image segmentation unit to segment an input image into a plurality of image blocks including a first image block and a second image block. The apparatus also includes a waveform information generation unit to select a plurality of reference pixels from among pixels included in the first image block, generate first waveform information about the first image block based on a pixel value difference between the selected plurality of reference pixels, and generate second waveform information about the second image block based on a pixel value difference between the pixels included in the second image block. The apparatus also includes a coding unit to code an image included in the second image block based on the first waveform information and the second waveform information. |
| US08923396B2 |
Apparatus for coding or decoding intra image based on line information of reference image block
An apparatus for coding an image is provided to effectively code the image. The apparatus for coding the image includes an input image segmentation unit to segment an input image into a plurality of image blocks including a first image block and a second image block. The apparatus also includes a waveform information generation unit to select a plurality of reference pixels from among pixels included in the first image block, generate first waveform information about the first image block based on a pixel value difference between the selected plurality of reference pixels, and generate second waveform information about the second image block based on a pixel value difference between the pixels included in the second image block. The apparatus also includes a coding unit to code an image included in the second image block based on the first waveform information and the second waveform information. |
| US08923393B2 |
Apparatus and method of reduced reference frame search in video encoding
Aspects include systems and methods of improving processing in an encoder in a multimedia transmission system. Multimedia data may include one or more of motion video, audio, still images, or any other suitable type of audio-visual data. Aspects include an apparatus and method of encoding video data. For example, an apparatus and method of reduced reference frame search in video encoding is disclosed. |
| US08923382B2 |
Tap adaptation with a fully unrolled decision feedback equalizer
Described embodiments adapt one or more taps of a decision feedback equalizer of a receiver by setting a reference voltage for each of one or more data recovery comparators to a corresponding predetermined initial value. The data recovery comparators generate a bit value for each sample of a received signal. A tap adaptation module of the receiver selects a window of n received bit samples. The tap adaptation module iteratively, for each of the one or more data recovery comparators, tracks (i) a detected number of bits having a logic 0 value, and (ii) a detected number of bits having a logic 1 value. The tap adaptation module adjusts, based on a ratio of the detected number of bits having a logic 0 value to the detected number of bits having a logic 1 value, the reference voltage for the corresponding data recovery comparator by a predetermined step amount. |
| US08923380B1 |
Data pattern bias detection
An apparatus relating generally to data pattern bias detection is disclosed. This apparatus includes a bias detector. A slicer is coupled to the bias detector to provide an error signal from the slicer to the bias detector. The bias detector is configured to determine a difference between an error input and an error mean for the error signal to detect a presence of correlated data in input signaling. |
| US08923379B2 |
Transmission apparatus and communication system
A transmission apparatus includes a transmission equalizer that equalizes a transmission signal transmitted in a signal transmission performed via a non-contact coupling including a magnetic coupling of a pair of coupling elements. The transmission equalizer creates plural equivalent transmission signals by branching the transmission signal; and includes plural signal paths that respectively give time delays different from each other to the equivalent transmission signals, and respectively multiplies the delayed transmission signals by tap coefficients. In addition, at least one pair of signal paths is set includes a variable delay circuit that can change the corresponding time delay to be given to the corresponding transmission signal. |
| US08923374B2 |
Method and arrangement of delay calibration for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system
A method and arrangement in a network entity of delay calibration for an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) system in a mobile communication system. The delay calibration technique as disclosed includes estimating a time delay difference according to a phase difference between two adjacent sub-carriers, dividing the estimated time delay difference into a coarse time delay and a fine time delay, and compensating the coarse time delay in time domain and the fine time delay in frequency domain respectively. |
| US08923373B2 |
Powerline control interface in photovoltaic environment for frequency and amplitude modulation transmitter
An apparatus is disclosed where a Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuit is used to transmit data into the photovoltaic network, where the PLC communication is pulling the required transmit energy from the photovoltaic network, where the transmit chain is using the MPPT transistor of the photovoltaic DC Optimizer, where the transmit chain is transmitting data using Standard modulation such as ASK, FSK, S-FSK, BPSK, OFDM, etc. . . . where the transmitted data are passed on to the powerline network by the use of an “Input signal” adaptation stage, where signals summation is performed to create a command signal used to control the transmission of data by providing enough voltage to polarize the Transistor (i.e: MOS FET) used in the powerline path. |
| US08923369B2 |
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. |
| US08923368B2 |
Radio frequency transceiver
A radio frequency transceiver which can support various frequency conversion schemes is provided. The radio frequency transmitter includes a first low pass filter, a second low pass filter, a first filter input port connected to an input terminal of the first low pass filter, a second filter input port connected to an input terminal of the second low pass filter, a first filter output port connected to an output terminal of the first low pass filter, a second filter output port connected to an output terminal of the second low pass filter, an I/Q modulator, an I input port connected to an I input terminal of the I/Q modulator, a Q input port connected to a Q input terminal of the I/Q modulator; and a Radio Frequency (RF) output port connected to an output terminal of the I/Q modulator. |
| US08923367B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication system, and communication method
A communication apparatus including: a transmitter that transmits a first message to another communication apparatus, a receiver that receives a second message from the other communication apparatus, and a processor that performs time synchronization using the first message and the second message, wherein the processor generates information regarding a delay in the communication processing of the first message in the transmitter and the second message in the receiver in a communication layer in communication with the other communication apparatus, and the processor performs the time synchronization with the other communication apparatus based on the information regarding the delay in a time synchronization layer above the communication layer. |
| US08923365B2 |
Converter communication method and apparatus
A communication method includes detecting at a gate drive unit a change of state of a command signal that is received via a command link of the gate drive unit and initiating, responsive to the change of state of the command signal, a blanking period in which the gate drive unit will process as incoming data any further changes of state of the command signal. The method also includes receiving incoming data at the gate drive unit, by processing modulations of the command signal, within the blanking period. |
| US08923364B1 |
Transmitting data over discontiguous portions of radio frequency spectrum
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for transmitting data over discontiguous portions of radio frequency spectrum. Data that is to be wirelessly transmitted to a remote computing device is received. A first signal that encodes the data across a band of radio frequencies is generated. The first signal is split into multiple signals, each of the multiple signals being associated with a different portion of the band of radio frequencies. Each of the multiple signals is filtered to isolate each respective one of the multiple signals to its associated portion of the band of radio frequencies. At least one of the multiple signals is frequency translated. Each of the multiple signals are combined after the filtering of each of the multiple signals. The second signal is provided for wireless transmission by an antenna. |
| US08923362B2 |
Wireless communications system with secondary synchronization code based on values in primary synchronization code
A wireless communication system. The system comprises transmitter circuitry (BST1), the transmitter circuitry comprising encoder circuitry (50) for transmitting a plurality of frames (FR). Each of the plurality of frames comprises a primary synchronization code (PCS) and a second synchronization code (SSC). The encoder circuitry comprises of circuitry (501) for providing the primary synchronization code in response to a first sequence (32). The encoder circuitry further comprises circuitry (502) for providing the secondary synchronization code in response to a second sequence (54) and a third sequence (56). The second sequence is selected from a plurality of sequences. Each of the plurality of sequences is orthogonal with respect to all other sequences. The third sequence is a subset of bits from the first sequence. |
| US08923360B2 |
Graphite electrodes
A graphite electrode exhibits oxidation resistance by modifying the outer radial surface characteristics. The outer radial surface may be modified by providing a textured portion which improves water flow while minimizing water absorbtion. Alternately, a layer of flexible graphite or plurality of particles of exfoliated graphite may be disposed on the outer radial surface of the electrode body. |
| US08923356B1 |
Gas laser pre-ionization optical monitoring and compensation
A slab laser includes first and second slabs defining an ionizing chamber intermediate the first slab and the second slab. A Radio Frequency Power Amplifier (RFPA) generates pulses to the ionizing chamber. The laser has a viewing window with access to the ionizing chamber and an optical sensor mounted to access the ionizing chamber through the viewing window. A controller is in communication with the optical sensor, and varies RFPA pulse power in response to the detection of glowing plasma by the optical sensor. |
| US08923352B2 |
Laser with transmission and reflection mode feedback control
One embodiment is directed towards a stabilized laser including a laser to produce light at a frequency and a resonator coupled to the laser such that the light from the laser circulates therethrough. The laser also includes Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) feedback electronics configured to adjust the frequency of the light from the laser to reduce phase noise in response to light sensed at the reflection port of the resonator and transmission port feedback electronics configured to adjust the frequency of the light from the laser toward resonance of the resonator at the transmission port in response to the light sensed at the transmission port of the resonator, wherein the transmission port feedback electronics adjust the frequency at a rate at least ten times slower than the PDH feedback electronics. |
| US08923348B2 |
Small packaged tunable laser assembly
A tunable laser configured in a small package coupled to a printed circuit board. The tunable laser includes a housing with a volume formed by exterior walls. An electrical input interface is positioned at the first end of the housing. An optical output interface is positioned at the second end of the housing and configured to transmit a continuous wave optical beam. A beam splitter and photodiode is disposed in the path of the laser beam for determining the emitted intensity of the laser beam, and an optical isolator is positioned downstream of the beam splitter to prevent the incoming light from the beam splitter from reflecting back though the beam splitter and into the cavity of the laser. |
| US08923345B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting multimedia broadcast data in wireless communication system
A method for a base station to transmit multimedia broadcast data in a wireless communication system according to the present invention includes receiving Radio Link Control Service Data Units (RLC SDUs), receiving a control message including information on size of RLC SDU to be transmitted in a synchronization period for current transmission, and processing the RLC SDUs using the size information of RLC SDU. The method and apparatus for transmitting multimedia broadcast data of the present invention is capable of transmitting data stably while maintaining integrity of the multimedia broadcast data on radio channels in a wireless communication system. |
| US08923342B2 |
Method of providing timing information for synchronizing MMT packet stream in MMT hybrid delivery service and method of synchronizing MMT packet stream in MMT hybrid delivery service
A method of providing timing information for synchronizing packet streams delivered from a first server and a second server, respectively, that are different from each other under hybrid delivery service environment is provided. The first server delivers a first media object and the second server delivers a second media object. The timing information for synchronizing a second packet including the second media object and a first packet including the first media object is generated in the second server. The timing information and the second packet including the second media object are provided from the second server to the client. |
| US08923341B2 |
Method for switching master/slave timing in a 1000BASE-T link without traffic disruption
A method switches master/slave timing in a communication network without traffic disruption. The method includes a master device informing a slave of timing loss. The master device additionally begins transmitting with timing from a local reference clock and begins receive timing recovery. The slave freezes its receive timing recovery and locks its transmit clock. The master device transitions its transmit timing to use the recovered receive clock. The slave gradually switches to transmitting using its local clock signal. The method may be used in synchronous Ethernet networks. |
| US08923340B2 |
Signaling to application lack of requested bandwidth
A system for signaling an application when a requested data rate and Quality of Service cannot be achieved using OFDM wireless data transmission, and the application proceeds by either renegotiating QoS and data rate, or waiting until they requested rate and QoS are met. |
| US08923339B2 |
Systems and methods of data transmission and management
Data communications systems and methods comprise a conductive media infrastructure in communication with a baseband data universe propagating at least one first signal and a broadband data universe propagating at least one second signal. At least one segmentation device is in communication with the conductive media infrastructure and partitions the broadband data universe from the baseband data universe. A coupling device is in communication with the at least one segmentation device and modulates transmission parameters of the second signal such that information travels within the broadband data universe via the conductive media infrastructure and avoids the baseband data universe. Power distribution and management systems and methods are also provided which preserve power distribution via a baseband data universe while one or more devices communicate energy data via a broadband data universe. |
| US08923338B2 |
Method and device for receiving non-synchronous signal in OFDMA system
A method and device for receiving a non-synchronous signal in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) system are provided. The method includes the following steps. Fourier transform is performed on a received first time domain signal to acquire a corresponding frequency domain signal. A sub-carrier occupied by a band of a non-synchronous signal to be received in the frequency domain signal is set to zero, inverse Fourier transform is performed on the frequency domain signal to acquire a second time domain signal, and the second time domain signal is subtracted from the first time domain signal. Or, the sub-carrier other than the sub-carrier occupied by the band of the non-synchronous signal to be received in the frequency domain signal is set to zero, and inverse Fourier transform is performed on the frequency domain signal to acquire a time domain received signal corresponding to the band of the non-synchronous signal. |
| US08923335B2 |
Method and apparatus for binding redundancy versions with a system frame number and subframe numbers
A method and apparatus for binding Redundancy Versions (RVs) with a System Frame Number (SFN) and subframe numbers are disclosed. The method includes: choosing any 5 continuous subframes within a transmission window of a System Information (SI-x) message according to the subframe numbers of an SFN, and binding the SFN and subframe numbers of the 5 continuous subframes with RVs of the SI-x message. Because RVs are bound with an SFN and subframe numbers, when a transmission window of an SI-x message is longer than or equal to 5 ms, system frames and subframes are bound with RVs of the SI-x message so that the RV retransmission of the SI-x message is guaranteed. |
| US08923331B2 |
System and method for measurement bandwidth configuration
Signaling a Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) or Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) measurement of a wireless channel is achieved by sending an measurement bandwidth (measbandwidth) indicator to a receiver that mandates a specific measurement bandwidth for performing the RSRP or RSRQ measurement. By virtue of receiving the measbandwidth indicator, the receiver is required to perform the RSRP or RSRQ measurement over a portion of the wireless channel that is equal to the measurement bandwidth specified by the measbandwidth indicator. |
| US08923329B2 |
Apparatus and method for supporting various system bandwidths in a broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and method support various system bandwidths in a broadband wireless communication system. A Mobile Station (MS) operation includes determining a system bandwidth through a primary preamble for frame synchronization, which a Base Station (BS) transmits. A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) size, the number of guard subcarriers, and the number of used subcarriers corresponding to the system bandwidth are determined using a first table. An operation parameter of a modem is set according to the FFT size, the number of guard subcarriers, and the number of used subcarriers. |
| US08923317B2 |
Wireless device discovery in a wireless peer-to-peer network
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate detecting and/or identifying peers in a local area peer-to-peer network. Times (e.g., peer discovery intervals) for performance of mutual detection and identification between peers may be synchronized (e.g., based upon a signal broadcast to the peers). Further, within each partitioned peer discovery interval, a wireless terminal may select a portion of time to transmit (e.g., broadcast) short messages that may be employed by peers to detect and/identify the wireless terminal. Moreover, the remainder of the time within the partitioned peer discovery interval may be employed to listen to short messages received from peers. |
| US08923306B2 |
Phased bucket pre-fetch in a network processor
A packet processor provides for rule matching of packets in a network architecture. The packet processor includes a lookup cluster complex having a number of lookup engines and respective on-chip memory units. The on-chip memory stores rules for matching against packet data. Each of the lookup engines receives a key request associated with a packet and determines a subset of the rules to match against the packet data. Based on a prefetch status, a selection of the subset of rules are retrieved for rule matching. As a result of the rule matching, the lookup engine returns a response message indicating whether a match is found. |
| US08923302B2 |
Locator resolution in communications networks
A set of globally-reachable attachment registers is provided for objects in an internetwork of interconnected communications networks. “Objects” can be networks, hosts or terminals, or passive objects which themselves do not have a network interface. Each attachment register corresponds to an object in the internetwork. The attachment registers are not located with their respective object. Information is stored in the attachment registers that establishes one or more logical links between the attachment registers. The information is used to perform one or more network communication functions, and in particular to determine a locator by identifying a logical path, along the logical links between attachment registers, from a destination attachment register corresponding to the destination object. Other non-limiting example functions include location registration and update, name to global locator resolution, routing, multi-homing, dynamic ISP selection, and handover. |
| US08923299B2 |
Segmentation and reassembly of network packets
Reassembly of fragments into a packet comprises receiving an incoming fragment of a packet from a network wherein each fragment comprises a segment of the packet and a header, generating a reassembly key using selected information from the incoming fragment header wherein the selected information is the same for all fragments of the packet, checking a reassembly table in a content addressable memory to find an entry that includes a logic key matching the reassembly key, and using a content index in the found entry and a sequence number of the incoming fragment within the packet, to determine a location offset in a reassembly buffer area for storing the incoming fragment at said location offset in the reassembly buffer area for the packet for reassembly. |
| US08923296B2 |
System and methods for managing network packet forwarding with a controller
A network controlled by a controller may include end hosts that are coupled to the switches. The network may be coupled to gateways that interface between the network and an external network. The network may include subnetworks formed from respective portions of the end hosts of the network. The controller may create virtual gateways that interface between each of the subnetworks and the network by providing the end hosts of each subnetwork with virtual gateway Ethernet addresses. The controller may receive a network packet having a virtual gateway Ethernet address from an end host of a given subnetwork. The network packet may be destined for an end host of an external network or subnetwork. The controller may forward the network packet to the destination end host by redirecting the network packet through a selected gateway or by controlling the switches to perform gateway functions. |
| US08923294B2 |
Dynamically provisioning middleboxes
Hybrid security architecture (HSA) provides a platform for middlebox traversal in the network. The HSA decouples the middlebox control from network forwarding. More specifically, such embodiments may receive a data packet having a packet header including an Ethernet header identifying source and destination addresses in the network. A traffic type of the data packet is determined. Then, layer-2 forwarding information, which encodes a set of non-forwarding network service provider middleboxes in the network to be traversed by the data packet, is determined based on the traffic type. The layer-2 forwarding information is inserted into the Ethernet header and the data packet is forwarded into the network. The data packet will then traverse, according to the layer-2 forwarding information, a sequence of the middleboxes in the network, wherein at least one non-forwarding network service will be provided by each of the middleboxes to the data packet in a sequence. |
| US08923290B1 |
Self-forming lags
Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for self-forming link aggregation (LAG). The method includes discovering, by a network switch, at least a first port and a second port managed by the network switch that are linked to another network switch. After the discovery, the method includes defining between the first network switch and the other network switch a single logical interface of which the first port and the second port are members, and communicating network traffic between the network switch and the other network switch over the single logical interface. |
| US08923287B2 |
Versatile radio packeting for automatic meter reading systems
An automatic meter reading (AMR) system utilizes versatile radio packets that are recognizable by AMR system receivers capable of receiving conventional interval data message (IDM) radio packets. A versatile radio packet includes a packet preamble portion, a packet body portion, and a packet validation portion. The packet preamble portion has a frame synchronization bit sequence that is recognizable by existing or conventional encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT)-compatible AMR system receivers, such as a bit sequence equal to 0x16A3. The packet preamble portion also has a packet type identifier field and a packet length field. The packet body portion includes at least an endpoint serial number field and a message, where at least the message has a variable length. Optionally, the message includes a message type identifier field and a message value field that can have a plurality of sub-fields. The AMR system may use message type identifiers optionally present in the versatile radio packets to filter, or discriminate between, certain message types at the reader level. Versatile radio packets can enable endpoints and other devices in the AMR system to transmit a variety of new information to existing AMR infrastructure without having to conduct a significant infrastructure overhaul of the AMR system. |
| US08923286B2 |
Method and apparatus for safety-related communication in a communication network of an automation system
The invention relates to communication between safety-related modules in a communication network of an automation system. The object of the invention is to simplify installation and development of safety-related modules in an automation network. To this end, the safety functions of a system are divided into small, manageable, locally delimitable and simply verifiable groups of modules. |
| US08923285B2 |
Apparatus and methods for transmitting data over a wireless mesh network
Methods and apparatus for transmitting data over a wireless mesh network include generating a first mesh header having a plurality of fields, and extending the first mesh header by prepending a protocol header to generate a second mesh header. The second mesh header may be inserted into a protocol data unit for transmitting the protocol data unit via the mesh network. |
| US08923283B2 |
Scalable egress partitioned shared memory architecture
Disclosed are various embodiments that provide an architecture of memory buffers for a network component configured to process packets. A network component may receive a packet, the packet being associated with a control structure and packet data, an input port set and an output port set. The network component determines one of a plurality of control structure memory partitions for writing the control structure, the one of the plurality of control structure memory partitions being determined based at least upon the input port set and the output port set; and determines one of a plurality of packet data memory partitions for writing the packet data, the one of the plurality of packet data memory partitions being determined independently of the input port set. |
| US08923281B2 |
Methods and apparatus to perform call screening in a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network
Methods and apparatus to perform call screening in a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) network are disclosed. Disclosed example methods include receiving a call screening termination message at a feature server of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem, initiating a communication session between a first user device operable with the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem and a second user device operable with the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem in response to the call screening termination message, the first and second user devices being involved in a call screening session, and releasing a signaling resource of a messaging server, the signaling resource having been used in the call screening session. |
| US08923278B2 |
Peer-to-peer, internet protocol telephone system with system-wide configuration data
Various embodiments of the invention provide a Peer-to-Peer (P2P, Internet Protocol (IP) telephone system. The telephone system includes a plurality of terminals coupled together via an IP network. The terminals cooperate with one another to provide telephony features without a dedicated central controller such as a PBX and/or a KSU controller. The terminals further cooperate with one another to maintain system-wide configuration data for the telephone system. |
| US08923277B1 |
Methods and apparatus related to flexible physical interface naming in a distributed switch fabric system
In some embodiments, a switch fabric system includes a compute device to communicate with a network control entity at an access switch from a set of access switches that are coupled to each other via a switch fabric. The compute device stores a map between a physical identifier of a port of the access switch and both a logical identifier of the network control entity and a logical identifier of the port. The compute device can forward to the network control entity, based on the map, configuration information that references the port by the logical identifier of the port. |
| US08923276B2 |
Internet protocol telephony voice/video message deposit and retrieval
A method for signaling an Integrated Messaging System (IMS) on an Internet Protocol (IP) based network to deposit a message, including the steps of sending a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) SIP INVITE request to the IMS indicating a message deposit action; receiving a corresponding SIP menage from the IMS agreeing to participate in the message deposit action; and sending an SIP acknowledge message to the IMS confirming receipt of the corresponding SIP message; and depositing the message in a destination mailbox. A method of signaling an IMS on an IP based network to retrieve a deposited message, the method including the steps of sending a SIP INVITE request to the IMS indicating a message retrieval action; receiving a corresponding SIP message from the IMS agreeing to participate in the message retrieval action; sending an SIP acknowledge message to the IMS confirming receipt of the corresponding SIP message; and retrieving the deposited message from a mailbox corresponding to known account information. |
| US08923275B2 |
Providing service information for charging a subscriber for a service
Providing service information includes receiving session initiation protocol (SIP) packets from a SIP proxy. Service information is extracted from the SIP packets. The service information describes a service provided to an access terminal associated with a subscriber. The service information is sent to a charging/enforcement point operable to charge the subscriber for the service. |
| US08923270B2 |
Method for link buffer size and queue length estimation for bandwidth-varying mobile data networks
A sum-of-delays algorithm in a digital mobile communication bandwidth-varying network is employed to estimate link buffer size and queue length in an undying network connection. In particular, mechanisms associated with the process compensate for link bandwidth variations. In a particular embodiment, passive estimation are employed to implement the process by simply measuring the in-band data packet timings to perform estimation, thus eliminating the need for transmission of extra measurement packets. This method enables the integration of the link buffer size estimation algorithm into existing transport protocols such as TCP to optimize flow and congestion controls. As part of the invention, a new congestion control method called TCP Queue-length-Adaptive (TCP-QA) is developed to employ the sum-of-delays algorithm in the TCP sender computer to control the data flow in a TCP connection. Compared to existing TCP variants, TCP-QA can achieve significantly better network bandwidth utilization in bandwidth-varying networks. |
| US08923269B2 |
Precise interval timer for software defined radio
A precise digital fractional interval timer for software defined radios which vary their waveform on a packet-by-packet basis. The timer allows for variable length in the preamble of the RF packet and allows to adjust boundaries of the TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) Slots of the receiver of an SDR based on the reception of the RF packet of interest. |
| US08923268B2 |
Method and system for bulk activation/deactivation of component carriers in a wireless network environment
Method and apparatus are provided for communicating availability and removal of one or more CCs in a cell. The one or more CCs that are available in the cell of a wireless communication network are determined, or a need to release one or more CCs that are active in the cell of a wireless communication network is detected. Availability of or the need to release the one or more CCs in the cell is communicated to a plurality of mobile stations. Each of the plurality of mobile stations is allowed to use or de-activate the one or more CCs in the cell. |
| US08923259B2 |
Communication system
A communication system including macro and femto cells in which, during relocation of a mobile device from a source macro/femto cell to a target femto cell, mobile device capability, registration cause, and/or mobile device identity information available at the base station of the source macro/femto cell prior to relocation is made available to the home base station and gateway device of the target femto cell. |
| US08923258B2 |
Techniques for autonomous wireless network infrastructure assisted location resolution
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method to resolve a location of nodes operating in a wireless network, comprising using a wireless network infrastructure of the wireless network to determine the location of the nodes by each location aware node distributing location information within the wireless network such that each node may learn its location directly from the infrastructure of the network. |
| US08923252B2 |
Device, system and method of communicating during a contention based access period
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of communicating during a Contention-Based-Access-Period (CBAP). For example, a device may include a wireless communication station to transmit a wireless communication transmission over a wireless communication medium upon determining that the wireless communication medium is idle for a predefined time period within a contention-based-access period (CBAP), if a scheduling element allocating the CBAP includes an indication of an identity of the wireless communication station in a predefined field. |
| US08923249B2 |
Method and apparatus for scrambling sequence generation in a communication system
A wireless communications method is provided. The method includes employing a processor executing computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium to implement various acts. The method also includes generating cyclic shifts for a sequence generator by masking shift register output values with one or more vectors. The method includes forwarding the sequence generator to a future state based in part on the output values and the vectors. |
| US08923245B2 |
Method and apparatus for handover in a mobile communication system
The present invention relates to a handover method for a mobile communication system. The handover method according to the present invention informs a current state to a serving base station(BS) when a re-entry process has been delayed or a handover has failed due to an error occurred in the handover procedure during handover, and receives from the serving BS a status information response message containing available interval and unavailable interval reset information and link disconnection time reset information for extending the link disconnection time. So, the present invention minimizes or prevents a handover delay or extend a link disconnection time with the serving BS, thereby allowing a terminal to receive a continuous service even during the handover procedure. |
| US08923240B2 |
Method for transmitting control information in wireless communication system and apparatus therefor
A method for transmitting information data by using a Reed-Muller coding scheme in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes the steps of dividing the information data to first information data and second information data if a bit size O of the information data is equal to or larger than a predetermined number; applying RM coding on each of the first information data and the second information data; concatenating the coded first information data and the coded second information data, and transmitting the concatenated data. |
| US08923232B2 |
Resource organization in an apparatus and method for carrier aggregation
Methods and apparatus for organizing reception on a channel by a user equipment are disclosed. A method includes determining a channel group based on a first physical resource block index of a physical uplink shared channel and a cyclic shift of uplink demodulation reference signals, without an offset value; determining a channel sequence based on the first physical resource block index, the cyclic shift, and the offset value; and determining a reception resource according to the channel group and the channel sequence. |
| US08923231B2 |
Wireless communication method
A wireless communication method is provided which includes the steps of selecting, by a wireless communication device belonging to a communication system operating on a certain communication protocol, a communication protocol among a plurality of communication protocols, exchanging, among a plurality of wireless communication devices including the wireless communication device, information including peripheral communication status of each wireless communication device by using the selected communication protocol, and changing the communication protocol to be used for exchanging the information. |
| US08923229B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program to map a cyclic shift to a channel index
From the network perspective, an uplink resource allocation (PDCCH) is sent that grants an uplink resource to a plurality of user equipments UEs, and the allocation has an indication of a cyclic shift CS for each of the plurality of UEs. The granted uplink resource is mapped to a downlink resource (PHICH) in dependence on the indicated CS for each of the plurality of UEs. The mapping is such that for a predetermined number of UEs being allocated a same uplink resource in a single MU-MIMO uplink resource allocation grant, each pair of said predetermined number of UEs which map to an adjacent downlink resource exhibit an optimized CS relative to one another. The network sends to each of the respective plurality of UEs on the respective mapped downlink resource an indication (ACK/NACK) about data received (on a PUSCH). Apparatus, method, and computer programs for network and UE side implementations are detailed. |
| US08923228B2 |
Idle mode camping priority
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention, as described herein, there is at least a method, apparatus, and a computer program code to receive signaling from an access node of a wireless network that uses component carrier aggregation, the signaling including an identification of a plurality of component carriers and a priority associated with individual ones of the component carriers, and select one of the component carriers to camp on when in an idle mode. Further, in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention, there is transmitting signaling from an access node of a wireless network that uses component carrier aggregation, the signaling including an identification of a plurality of component carriers and a priority associated with individual ones of the component carriers, and receiving a random access channel corresponding to a component carrier selected by a user equipment in accordance with the transmitted signaling. |
| US08923227B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus using an estimate of the amount-of-phase rotation using pilot signals
A decrease in weight calculation accuracy in MMSE combining caused by a shift in the discrete Fourier transform timing of received signals is prevented. A wireless communication apparatus BS1 includes an MMSE combining processing unit 31 that performs MMSE combining based on frequency domain received signals obtained by performing a discrete Fourier transform on received signals. The wireless communication apparatus BS1 includes an amount-of-phase-rotation estimating unit 32 that estimates an amount of phase rotation occurring in the frequency domain received signals due to a shift in discrete Fourier transform timing of the received signals; and reverse rotation units 33a and 33b that apply a reverse rotation of an amount of rotation corresponding to the amount of phase rotation estimated by the amount-of-phase-rotation estimating unit 32, to the frequency domain received signals. The MMSE combining processing unit 31 computes an MMSE weight based on the frequency domain received signals to which the reverse rotation has been applied by the reverse rotation units 33a and 33b, and performs MMSE combining. |
| US08923224B2 |
Quantizing relative phase and relative amplitude for coordinated multipoint (CoMP) transmissions
A method for quantizing a relative phase and a relative amplitude is described. A received symbol is obtained. A relative phase is determined from the received symbol. A relative amplitude is also determined from the received symbol. A quantized relative phase is obtained for the relative phase. A quantized relative amplitude is obtained for the relative amplitude. |
| US08923223B2 |
Physical uplink control channel resource allocation for multiple component carriers
Techniques for sending control information in a wireless network are disclosed. A multi-carrier user equipment (UE) may receive a downlink grant on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on a first component carrier (CC). The UE may also receive a data transmission associated with the PDCCH on a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) on a second CC. In some examples, the UE determines physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources for acknowledging the data transmission based on the first CC on which the PDCCH is received, the second CC on which the data transmission is received, and a transmission mode of the second CC. The UE may send acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) information for the data transmission based on the PUCCH resources. |
| US08923220B2 |
Base station, terminal, band allocation method, and downlink data communication method
Provided are a base station, a terminal, a band allocation method, and a downlink data communication method in which a mapping method for synchronization signals and report signals is implemented with high resource usage efficiency when a first system in which an independent single communication is allocated to a unit band co-exists with a second system in which a plurality of unit bands can be allocated to a single communication. In a base station (200), an OFDM signal generation unit (225) maps primary synchronization channel (P-SCH), secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH), primary broadcast channel (P-BCH), and dynamic broadcast channel (D-BCH), which can be decoded by both an LTE terminal and an LTE+ terminal, to some of a plurality of unit bands available to the station itself. The OFDM signal generation unit (225) also maps D-BCH+, which can be decoded only by an LTE+ terminal, to all of the plurality of unit bands to produce a multiplexed transmission signal. When the terminal which has transmitted terminal capability information is an LTE+ terminal, a control unit (265) transmits a band movement indication which indicates changes in the reception band to that terminal. |
| US08923217B2 |
SDMA multi-device wireless communications
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to wireless communications. A described system, for example, includes a device configured to transmit signals, in a frequency band, to the wireless communication devices. The signals can include spatially steered first signals that concurrently provide data to the wireless communication devices. The signals can include one or more second signals to the wireless communication devices to control transmission of responses from the wireless communication devices in the frequency band. The device can monitor for the responses in the frequency band. The device can control, based on a lack of reception of an expected response, a transmission of a third signal in the frequency band to prevent a transmission from another wireless communication device different than the wireless communication devices. The third signal can include information to reschedule a transmission of a response from a wireless communication device. |
| US08923215B2 |
Method and apparatus for scheduling transmissions in spatial division multiple access network systems
An apparatus for communications including a processing system configured to generate a plurality of spatial streams for communicating with a plurality of nodes, the processing system being further capable of determining an allocation of the spatial streams to each of the nodes based on at least one metric for each of the nodes. |
| US08923214B2 |
Base station, mobile station, and mapping method of subcarriers
In order to cope with changes of communication environments of subcarriers and effectively use the subcarrier with channel quality information in a wireless communication system, a base station identifies a condition of a communication environment between the base station and a mobile station based upon channel quality information transmitted from the mobile station and maps transmission information on control of communication selectively to a specified subcarrier used for transmission based upon the identified condition of the communication environment. |
| US08923213B2 |
Wireless communication system and wireless terminal device
Terminal capability information relating to the capability of a wireless terminal device in which at least one of a first frequency bandwidth for use in an up link and a second frequency bandwidth for use in a down link is variable is associated with a terminal category in advance. When the terminal capability information is received from the wireless terminal device, the terminal category is designated from the terminal capability information, a link is set to the wireless terminal device, and a control signal corresponding to the link setting is transmitted. Control can be simplified by setting the link along the terminal category. |
| US08923210B2 |
Small data communications in a wireless communication network
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques and configurations for transmitting small data payloads such as, for example, Machine Type Communication (MTC) data in a wireless communication network. A system may include features to implement an interworking function (IWF) to receive, from a machine type communication (MTC) server, a trigger to send a data payload, which is smaller than a preconfigured threshold, to a user equipment (UE) over a wireless communication network, and send, over a first reference point to a first module including a Mobility Management Entity (MME) or a Serving GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) Support Node (SGSN) or a second reference point to a second module including a Home Location Register (HLR) or a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), the data payload and a request to forward the data payload to the UE. |
| US08923209B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating, transmitting, and receiving a data frame in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a technique relating to a method and apparatus for generating, transmitting, and receiving a data frame having a newly proposed format in a wireless communication system. According to the technique, the method for generating a data frame in a wireless communication system comprises the following steps: generating at least one first subframe; generating at least one second subframe; and generating a data frame including the first and second subframes, wherein the first and second subframes include length information of a MAC protocol data unit (MPDU) contained in the first and second subframes, and the length information of the MPDU contained in the second subframe is zero. |
| US08923201B2 |
Extension of physical downlink control signaling in a communication system
Methods and apparatus are provided for a User Equipment (UE) to receive over a first set of resources a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) of a first type including Control Channel Elements (CCEs) of a first type, to receive over a second set of resources a PDCCH of a second type including CCEs of a second type, and to determine a resource for transmitting an acknowledgement signal in response to detecting the PDCCH of the first type or in response to detecting the PDCCH of the second type. |
| US08923198B2 |
User terminal for MIMO
A user terminal (115, 200) for a wireless communications system, equipped with at least two antennas (205, 206, 207) for the reception and/or transmission of traffic from a higher node (105). The user terminal (115, 200) is arranged to receive (210) said traffic in one or more data streams (S1, S2) i.e. with a rank of one or higher. The user terminal is arranged (215, 216, 220) to choose with which rank the higher node (105) should transmit the traffic to the user terminal (115, 200) on, and to also signal this choice to the higher node (105). The user terminal (115, 200) is arranged to base its choice of rank on the estimated received data rate at the user terminal for different transmission ranks, the estimated power consumption in the user terminal for different transmission ranks and the Signal to Noise ratio, SIR, of the channel at the UE. |
| US08923193B2 |
Low power radio device and radio resource sharing method for low power radio device
A low power radio device and a radio resource sharing method for the low power radio device are provided. In the low power radio device, a channel state (CS) is detected by carrier sensing before transmission of each frame to reduce interference and a need of retransmission of each frame, accordingly, reducing energy consumption. |
| US08923189B2 |
System and methods for scalable processing of received radio frequency beamform signal
A system and method for scalable processing of a received radio frequency beamform signal is provided. Such a system and methods is useful in conjunction with long range communication between an airborne platform and a surface base station. The scalable system includes a plurality of antenna elements for receiving a directional beam, including a multiplexed data stream, from a base station. A down converter and analog to digital (A-D) converter may then down convert and digitize the multiplexed data stream. A digital splitter may de-multiplex the multiplexed data stream into multiple data streams which are orthogonal to one another. The de-multiplexing may be performed using a fast Fourier transformation on the multiplexed data stream. In these embodiments, the digital splitter divides the multiplexed data stream into frequency groups to de-multiplexing the multiplexed data stream into multiple data streams. The system may also include more than one digital signal processors configured to process the multiple data streams. As the bandwidth of the original multiplexed signal increases, so too can the number of digital signal processors be increased. |
| US08923187B2 |
Wireless communication systems
A wireless communication method in a system in which subscriber stations are each operable for communication with a base station is provided. The base station is capable of performing simultaneous communications with a plurality of the subscriber stations simultaneously by exchange of packets each conforming with a layered protocol of said system. The packets include a first portion for defining physical layer (PHY) parameters and a second portion for defining media access layer (MAC) parameters. Furthermore, communications between the subscriber stations and the base station are performed wholly or partly through at least one relay station. In this system, the method includes, in the relay station, receiving a plurality of packets from the subscriber stations, detecting the second portion of each of the packets, combining the detected second portions to form a second portion of at least one new packet, and transmitting the new packet to the base station. |
| US08923185B2 |
Method for enhancing the reliability of the continuity of the communications operated from a 4G mobile terminal linked to an IP interconnection network
A method for guaranteeing with a high level of reliability the continuity of the communications operated from a fourth-generation mobile terminal linked to a level-3 interconnection network, in the terminology defined by the OSI, uses gateways to maintain location information about the mobile terminals. The method applies notably to the mobility of mobile terminals in a context which is highly intolerant to faults, for example for networks used by military forces, public bodies, or civil agents such as the police, fire brigade or civil security. In particular, it may be implemented in networks liable to experience breaks in communication links in the interconnection network. |
| US08923184B2 |
Apparatus and method for reliably and dynamically transmitting group information via a wireless multicast or broadcast channel
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus, in which a controller (OGI-controller) receives the registration of a terminal from a content provider so as to transmit information via a wireless multicast or broadcast channel, and transmits information to the registered terminal. The method comprises: a service registration step in which the controller registers a service to transmit information provided by the content provider to the terminal, and allocates an identification to a terminal group which will receive the information; a terminal registration step in which the content provider registers the terminal group to the controller; a terminal state checking step in which the controller receives a report on the operating states of the terminals of the registered terminal group; a terminal classifying step in which the controller classifies the terminals on the basis of the operating states of the terminals; and a terminal state reporting step in which the content provider receives a report on the state of the terminal. |
| US08923178B2 |
Managing group messages for LTE wakeup
In some implementations, a method for managing a receiver for user equipment in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system includes receiving, within a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resource region of a first sub-frame, a message addressed to an Identifier (ID) associated with a group of UEs. The message contains wake-up indicators for more than one of the UEs within the group of UEs. Based on the message, at least a portion of a second sub-frame is received. The second sub-frame occurs at a different time than the first sub-frame. |
| US08923177B2 |
Methods and apparatus for avoiding collisions
A method and apparatus for avoiding collisions is provided. The method may include determining a start of an awake window, determining whether at the start of the awake window a backoff timer has had a zero value for at least one backoff slot. Additionally, the method may include invoking a backoff procedure upon a determination that the backoff timer has had a zero value for at least one backoff slot. |
| US08923176B2 |
Saving power in a wireless communication device
A terminal comprises a plurality of hardware I/O units, including a wireless transceiver having a powered-up state in which at least one of a transmit path and a receive path is enabled at the expense of higher power consumption and a powered-down state in which the at least one path is disabled in favor of lower power consumption; a processing apparatus; and a storage medium coupled to the processing apparatus and storing at least a first and a second application, an operating system, a communication protocol layer and a driver layer arranged to be executed on the processing apparatus. The operating system is arranged to arbitrate access by the plurality of applications to the hardware I/O units via the driver layer, including access to the wireless transceiver via the communication protocol layer and driver layer. The second application comprises a wireless traffic scheduler configured to coordinate traffic associated with the second application to be communicated via the wireless transceiver during a same continuous phase of the powered-up state as traffic associated with the first application. |
| US08923175B2 |
Timing adjustment in multi-hop communication system
A timing adjustment method for use in a multi-hop communication system is provided. The system includes a source apparatus, a destination apparatus and one or more intermediate apparatuses, said source apparatus being operable to transmit information along a series of links forming a communication path extending from the source apparatus to the destination apparatus via the or each intermediate apparatus, and the or each intermediate apparatus being operable to receive information from a previous apparatus along the path and to transmit the received information to a subsequent apparatus along the path, the system being configured to transmit information in a plurality of consecutive labelled intervals. The method includes transmitting information in a first labelled interval from a first said apparatus along a plurality of consecutive links of said path via one or more said intermediate apparatuses to a second said apparatus, said information including a reference to a particular one of said labelled intervals and the transmission of that information incurring a delay such that the transmitted information, or information derived therefrom, is received by said second apparatus in a second labelled interval a number of such intervals after the first labelled interval. The method also includes adjusting said reference to form an adjusted reference referring to a further labelled interval the or another number of such intervals before or after the particular labelled interval. |
| US08923171B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing UE's power consumption by controlling early decoding boundary
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for reducing UE's power consumption by controlling early decoding boundary. In one aspect, a UE is configured to receive a data or voice frame from a base station. The UE selects one or more quality metrics for determining decoding boundary of the received frame and computes the selected one or more quality metrics. The UE then determines a decoding boundary for the frame based on one or more computed quality metrics. The UE then decodes the received frames at the determined decoding boundary and determines whether the decoding of the frame was successful. If the early decoding of the frame was successful, the UE may terminate reception of the frame. If the early decoding of the frame was unsuccessful, the UE may adjust the decoding boundary and decodes the frame at the adjusted boundary. |
| US08923169B2 |
Systems and methods of operational modes for a transceiver
A transceiver circuit is configured to operate in a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation such that a receive signal propagates from an antenna through a first filter to a low noise amplifier while simultaneously a transmit signal propagates from a power amplifier through a second filter to the antenna when operating in the first mode. The receive signal propagates from the antenna to the low noise amplifier without being filtered while alternating with the transmit signal propagating from the power amplifier to the antenna without being filtered when operating in the second mode. |
| US08923165B2 |
Distributed wireless online access system
A method for providing wireless online access to one or more users comprises providing online access to the users of corresponding mobile secondary wireless transceivers by data packet transmission via corresponding wireless communications links established, within a mobile online access signal spaces within the moving vehicle by a primary subscriber, between the mobile secondary wireless transceivers and one or more mobile primary wireless transceivers, wherein one or more of the mobile primary wireless transceivers are linked to the Internet through one or more portal transceivers, wherein each portal transceivers includes a communications link to the Internet for receiving one or more data packets transmitted therefrom and transmitting one or more data packets thereto and a wireless communications links to one or more of the primary wireless transceivers for receiving one or more data packets transmitted therefrom and transmitting one or more data packets thereto. |
| US08923163B2 |
Fast opportunistic distributed resource reallocation for established connections in a multihop network
A multihop network and nodes are described herein that implement a reactive routing protocol that enables resources of the multihop network to be continuously adapted in a distributed/opportunistic manner in response to a topology change within the multihop network so as to optimize the performance of a connection between a source node and a destination node. The types of resources that can be adapted include for example: (1) a route; (2) a channel; and/or (3) physical layer parameters. The different types of topology changes that can occur include: (1) movement of a node; (2) quality variations in a channel between the source node and the destination node; (3) changes in traffic patterns in the multihop network; (4) changes in transmit patterns (e.g., power, beamforming direction) in the multihop network; and (5) changes in resource allocations in the multihop network. |
| US08923158B2 |
Smart traffic optimization
Embodiments of the invention include an apparatus, method, and computer program for collecting and analyzing network traffic flow records. The method includes, in one example, receiving a plurality of flow records which include data about traffic in a network. The method may further include caching the plurality of flow records in temporary storage, analyzing the plurality of flow records to determine a number of bytes of traffic that each of the plurality of flow records represents, and selecting a subset of the plurality of flow records to forward to permanent storage based on the determined number of bytes of each of the flow records. |
| US08923157B2 |
Scheduling QOS flows in broadband wireless communication systems
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate enhanced resource scheduling for a wireless communication system. As described herein, packets associated with a common flow that arrive within a predetermined time period following a leading packet associated with the flow can be grouped into respective packet bursts. Subsequently, system bandwidth, transmit power, and/or other communication resources can be scheduled based on an analysis of the respective packet bursts. As provided herein, by analyzing respective packet bursts in lieu of individual packets, computational and resource overhead required for resource scheduling can be significantly reduced. In one example described herein, a resource schedule is determined by selecting one or more flows to be assigned bandwidth from among a plurality of flows based on an analysis of packet bursts respectively associated with the flows. Sufficient bandwidth can subsequently be scheduled for the selected flows for transmission of the respectively associated packet bursts. |
| US08923154B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting sounding reference signal in radio communication system
According to an embodiment, the invention provides a method for receiving a sounding reference signal (SRS) at a base station in a wireless communication system, the method including: transmitting a downlink control information (DCI) for triggering a second SRS to a user equipment; and receiving at least one of a first SRS triggered by a higher layer and the second SRS triggered by the DCI from the user equipment, wherein, if both transmission of the first SRS and transmission of the second SRS occur in a same subframe at the user equipment, the second SRS is only received from the user equipment. |
| US08923145B2 |
Method and system for validating service information (SI) and program specific information (PSI) in broadcast technologies
A method and system for validating SIPSI of a broadcast table in an electronic device is provided. The method includes receiving a first cache signature and retrieving a second cache signature from a memory. The method also includes identifying differences between the first cache signature and the second cache signature. Further, the method includes performing one of updating the broadcast table and updating a portion of the broadcast table. The system includes an electronic device for validating SIPSI of a broadcast table. The electronic device includes a broadcast receiver for receiving a first cache signature and a memory for storing a second cache signature. The electronic device also includes a processor for identifying differences between the first cache signature and the second cache signature. Further, the electronic device includes the processor for performing one of updating the broadcast table and updating a portion of the broadcast table. |
| US08923143B2 |
Open loop channel reporting in a wireless communication system
Techniques for reporting channel quality indicator (CQI) in a wireless communication system are described. In one design, a UE determines CQI based on an assumption of a set of precoding matrices being used by a base station for data transmission to the UE. The base station may or may not actually use the set of precoding matrices assumed by the UE. The UE sends the CQI to the base station and thereafter receives data transmission sent by the base station based on the CQI. In one design, the UE determines the set of precoding matrices for a set of time-frequency resources available for data transmission to the UE. The UE determines the received signal quality of each time-frequency resource based on a precoding matrix for that time-frequency resource. The UE then determines the CQI based on the received signal qualities of the set of time-frequency resources. |
| US08923139B2 |
System and method for making far end measurements for DSL diagnostics
A system is provided for identifying service affecting conditions in an access portion of a network through which a number of subscribers are connected to an exchange. The access network includes subscriber lines connected to DSL subscriber modems. The system includes a receiver for receiving pilot signals from a modem connected to one of the subscriber lines. A measuring unit is operatively associated with the receiver for measuring electrical characteristics of the received pilot signals. A controller is operatively associated with the measuring unit and uses the measured electrical characteristics to identify a service affecting condition. The subscriber modem pilot signals include differential mode signals and the measuring unit measures common mode of each wire of the subscriber line. By using combinations of measurements and deductive logic, the system can detect one or more service affecting conditions. |
| US08923129B1 |
Adaptive data unit transmission and acknowledgment
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for adaptive data unit transmission. A sliding window is filled with data units and designates a sliding window start position and a sliding window end position. A value for each of the data units in the sliding window is stored, the value representing a maximum number of times that each data unit is to be transmitted. The stored value is different among at least two of the data units. Data units are selected from the sliding window to be assembled into a packet. An assembled packet is transmitted to a receiving computerized device. A determination that the data unit positioned at the sliding window start position has been transmitted a maximum number of time is performed, and in response a different data unit is positioned at the sliding window start position. |
| US08923128B2 |
Method and arrangement for detecting congestion in a communications network
The invention relates to a method and arrangement for detecting congestion in a communications network (120). A receiving node (130) receives (710) data packets from a sending node (110) over a communications link (140). First and second parts (320, 330) of a frequency spectrum (310) of a time delay of the data packets are determined (720). The first part comprises non-congestion related low frequency components. The second part comprises congestion related and non-congestion related low frequency components when a load level of the communications network is above a threshold value (220) but substantially no congestion related low frequency components when the load level is below the threshold value. Then reference jitter level (yr) and congestion jitter level (yg) corresponding to the first and second parts respectively are estimated (740). Finally, congestion state information is determined (750) by comparing said congestion jitter level to said reference jitter level. |
| US08923124B1 |
Data unit counter
A network device may include first logic configured to count data units passing through the network device and to produce a counter value. The network device may include second logic configured to receive the counter value when an indicator is present, and to store the counter value. The network device may include third logic configured to sample the second logic, to receive the counter value, and to operate on the counter value to produce a result. |
| US08923122B2 |
Packet train generation for estimating available network bandwidth
Aspects of a high-precision packet train generation process are distributed among several distinct processing elements. In some embodiments a control processor configures a packet-processing unit with a packet train context that includes details such as the number of packets to be generated and the headers to be included in the packets. The packet-processing unit takes a packet to be used in the packet train and recirculates it a number of times, as specified by the packet train context. The recirculated packets, with the appropriate headers inserted, are forwarded to a traffic-shaping queue in queuing hardware. The traffic-shaping queue is configured to output the forwarded packets with a constant inter-packet gap. Thus, the generation of the multiple packets in the packet train is handled by the packet-processing unit, while the precise inter-packet timing is provided by the traffic-shaping queue in the queuing hardware. |
| US08923121B2 |
Control method, system and function entity for reporting bearer event of signaling IP flow
A control method, system and function entity for reporting a bearer event of a signaling IP flow are provided. Flow identifier information may be generated for a signaling IP flow and a media IP flow, to unify a mechanism for reporting a signaling path status and a mechanism for reporting a bearer event of a media IP flow. In the method, the mechanism for reporting a signaling path status is not limited by the parameter of Flow Usage. |
| US08923118B1 |
Methods and apparatus for clear channel assessment
In a communication system that utilizes at least a primary channel, a secondary channel, and a tertiary channel, a primary channel signal level in the primary channel is measured, and a secondary channel signal level in the secondary channel is measured. A first tertiary channel signal level in a first bandwidth portion of the tertiary channel is measured, and a second tertiary channel signal level in a second bandwidth portion of the tertiary channel is measured. It is determined whether the primary channel is idle based on the primary channel signal level, and it is determined whether the secondary channel is idle based on the secondary channel signal level. It is determined whether the tertiary channel is idle based on the first tertiary channel signal level and the second tertiary channel signal level. It is determined whether a valid signal is received via a first composite channel including the primary channel, the secondary channel, and the tertiary channel. A first composite channel signal level in the first composite channel is measured at least when it is determined that a valid signal was received via the first composite channel. It is determined whether the first composite channel is idle based on i) whether a valid signal was received via the first composite channel and ii) the first composite channel signal level at least when it is determined that a valid signal was received via the first composite channel. |
| US08923117B2 |
Congestion handling in a base station of a mobile network
For implementing handling of congestions in a mobile network, a base station (100), e.g., an evolved Node B, is provided with at least one congestion controller (400, 400′). The congestion controller (400, 400′) operates in relation to data packets which are received from a transport network. The base station (100) then transmits the data packets on at least one radio link, which may be accomplished by using one or more scheduling queues (402) and a radio interface scheduler (410). A bitrate detector (404) measures a bitrate of the received data packets, and a bitrate limit calculator (408) calculates, on the basis of the measured bitrate, a maximum bitrate for transmission of the data packets on the radio link. A congestion detector (406) is used to detect a congestion in the transport network. In response to the detected congestion, the radio interface scheduler (410) schedules transmissions on the at least one radio link to meet the calculated maximum bitrate. |
| US08923116B1 |
Selective activation of network management policies of mobile devices in a mobile network
Systems and methods described herein employ techniques for generation and selective activation (or triggering) of network management policies in a congested network to, for example, prevent further aggravation of network congestion are disclosed. In order to address mobile network congestion it is necessary to be able to enforce network management policies on the devices which are in the a specific congested cell. This presents a challenge as the mobile devices cannot themselves determine if the cell they are currently located in is congested. Additionally, most network operators do not have mechanisms to determine which cells are congested in real-time. Thus, network operators (e.g., cellular providers) can create policies with congestion triggers that are not bound to specific cells to address congestion. The polices can be distributed to clients in the mobile network and selectively activated in congested cell locations (or areas) by the mobile clients. |
| US08923114B2 |
Start-up delay for event-driven virtual link aggregation
Embodiments of the invention relate to virtual link aggregation. One embodiment includes preventing network traffic loss upon rebooting of a first networking device based on: maintaining a first group of networking ports in a first disabled state, determining a link-status of a first link between the first networking device and a second networking device, activating a delay timer for delaying the rebooting of the first network device upon the determination of a first status indication for the first link, and switching at least one of the first group of networking ports to a first enabled state upon expiration of the delay timer. |
| US08923108B2 |
Radio transmission apparatus, and radio transmission method
Provided is a communication device, which is enabled to improve the throughput of a communication system by reducing the difference of a transmission power between an SCCH and an SDCH thereby to satisfy the required quality of a PAPR. In this device, an MCS selection unit (111) of a transmission unit (110) decides, with reference to a CQI lookup table, an MCS pattern (MCS1) of the SDCH, an MCS pattern (MCS2) of the SCCH and information (multiplex information) on multiplex positions on the time axes of those two channels, on the basis of the CQI information. On the basis of the MCS2 and the MCS1, encoding modulation units (112 and 113) perform encoding and modulating operations. According to the multiplex information, a channel multiplexing unit (114) time-division multiplexes the SCCH and the SDCH thereby to generate a transmission signal. |
| US08923107B2 |
Optical disc device and controlling method thereof
An optical disc device includes a pickup, a driving mechanism that drives the pickup, and a driving controlling portion that applies an initial driving voltage to the driving mechanism over a specific time interval up until the pickup arrives at an outermost position on an outer peripheral side, the initial driving voltage causing the pickup to arrive at the outermost position. After the specific time interval has elapsed, the driving controlling portion applies, to the driving mechanism, an adjustment driving voltage of a voltage amplitude less than a voltage amplitude of the initial driving voltage or a driving frequency less than a driving frequency of the initial driving voltage. |
| US08923102B1 |
Optical grating coupling for interferometric waveguides in heat assisted magnetic recording heads
A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) transducer is coupled with a laser for providing energy and has an air-bearing surface (ABS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The HAMR transducer includes a write pole, at least one coil, a waveguide optically coupled with the laser and a grating. The write pole is configured to write to a region of the media. The coil(s) energize the write pole. The waveguide includes arms that have an optical path difference. The grating is optically coupled with the laser. The waveguide is optically coupled with the grating and receives light from the grating. |
| US08923098B2 |
Tilted structures to reduce reflection in laser-assisted TAMR
A TAMR (Thermal Assisted Magnetic Recording) write head uses the energy of optical-laser excited surface plasmons in a plasmon generator to locally heat a magnetic recording medium and reduce its coercivity and magnetic anisotropy. The optical radiation is transmitted to the plasmon generator by means of a waveguide, whose optical axis (centerline) is tilted relative to either or both the backside surface normal and ABS surface normal in order to eliminate back reflections of the optical radiation that can adversely affect the properties and performance of the laser. Variations of the disclosure include tilting the plasmon generator, the waveguide and the laser diode. |
| US08923095B2 |
Short circuit protection for serially connected nodes in a hydrocarbon exploration or production electrical system
A technique for providing short circuit protection in electrical systems used in hydrocarbon exploration and production and, more particularly, for such electrical systems comprising serially connected nodes, includes an apparatus and method. The apparatus, includes a power supply and a plurality of electrically serially connected application sensors downstream from the power supply. Each application sensor includes a sensing element; and a plurality of electronics associated with the sensing element. The electronics shut off upstream power to the downstream application sensors in the presence of a short circuit. The method includes serially supplying power to a downhole apparatus comprising a plurality of electrically serially connected downhole sensors; sensing, in series and upon receiving power from upstream, at each downhole sensor whether a downstream short circuit exists; and shutting off upstream power to the downstream downhole sensors in the presence of a short circuit. |
| US08923094B2 |
Hydrocarbon detection with passive seismic data
Method for using seismic data from earthquakes to address the low frequency lacuna problem in traditional hydrocarbon exploration methods. Seismometers with frequency response down to about 1 Hz are placed over a target subsurface region in an array with spacing suitable for hydrocarbon exploration (21). Data are collected over a long (weeks or months) time period (22). Segments of the data (44) are identified with known events from earthquake catalogs (43). Those data segments are analyzed using techniques such as traveltime delay measurements (307) or receiver function calculations (46) and then are combined with one or more other types of geophysical data acquired from the target region, using joint inversion (308-310) in some embodiments of the method, to infer physical features of the subsurface indicative of hydrocarbon potential or lack thereof (26). |
| US08923093B2 |
Determining the quality of a seismic inversion
A method for evaluating a quality of a seismic inversion. The method includes performing a first match between seismic data and borehole seismic data at one or more borehole locations to generate an estimate of a wavelet in the seismic data. The method then performs a seismic inversion on the seismic data using the estimate of the wavelet to generate inverted seismic data. After performing the seismic inversion, the method converts the inverted seismic data into one or more reflectivity traces. The method then includes performing a second match between the one or more reflectivity traces and one or more traces in the seismic data and performing a third match between the one or more reflectivity traces and one or more traces in the borehole seismic data. After performing the second and third matches, the method determines the quality of the seismic inversion based on the first match, the second match, the third match or combinations thereof. |
| US08923092B2 |
System and method for investigating sub-surface features of a rock formation with acoustic sources generating coded signals
A system and a method for investigating rock formations includes generating, by a first acoustic source, a first acoustic signal comprising a first plurality of pulses, each pulse including a first modulated signal at a central frequency; and generating, by a second acoustic source, a second acoustic signal comprising a second plurality of pulses. A receiver arranged within the borehole receives a detected signal including a signal being generated by a non-linear mixing process from the first-and-second acoustic signal in a non-linear mixing zone within the intersection volume. The method also includes-processing the received signal to extract the signal generated by the non-linear mixing process over noise or over signals generated by a linear interaction process, or both. |
| US08923090B1 |
Address decoding circuits for reducing address and memory enable setup time
A decoder circuit to decode an address for accessing a memory cell in a memory array includes address latch circuitry, inverter circuitry, and first address pre-decode circuitry. The address latch circuitry receives an address signal and generates address holding signals during a setup period. The address latch circuitry latches the address holding signals during an address hold period following the setup period. The inverter circuitry receives the address signal and generates a complementary address signal. The first address pre-decode circuitry decodes the address signal and the address holding signals during the setup period to generate a first pre-decode address signal at an output of the first address pre-decode circuitry. In addition, the first address pre-decode circuitry decodes the address holding signals during the address hold period to maintain the first pre-decode address signal at the output of the first address pre-decode circuitry. |
| US08923083B2 |
Method of identifying damaged bitline address in non-volatile
A method of identifying a damaged bitline address in a non-volatile memory device is introduced. The non-volatile memory device includes a memory cell array and a plurality of bit lines crossing the memory cell array. Each bit line has a first end and a second end. The bit lines are divided into a first group and a second group. The method includes applying a source voltage (charging) or ground voltage (discharging) to a specific group of bit lines, testing the bit lines in two testing stages (open-circuit testing and short-circuit testing) by the principle that no damaged bit line can be charged or discharged, and acquiring an address data of a damaged bit line according to a status data stored in a page buffering circuit and related to whether a bit line is damaged, thereby dispensing with a calculation process for estimating the address of the damaged bit line. |
| US08923079B1 |
Semiconductor apparatus having a data bit inversion function
A semiconductor apparatus having a data bit inversion function and, the semiconductor apparatus including a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip electrically coupled to the first semiconductor chip, wherein the first semiconductor chip may be configured to receive data and a data bit inversion flag, and transfer the data to the second semiconductor chip, and the second semiconductor chip may be configured to invert and store the data, which is transferred from the first semiconductor chip, according to to the data bit inversion flag. |
| US08923077B2 |
Semiconductor device operates on external and internal power supply voltages and data processing system including the same
The semiconductor device including an output terminal; and an output unit coupled to the output terminal. The output unit includes an output buffer coupled to the output terminal and operating on a first power supply voltage, a first control circuit operating on a second power supply voltage, receiving an impedance adjustment signal and a data signal and making the output buffer drive the output terminal to a first logic level designated by the data signal with impedance designated by the impedance adjustment signal, and a level shifter coupled between the output buffer and the first control circuit. The second power supply voltage is smaller in level than the first power supply voltage. The level shifter includes a first circuit portion operating on the second power supply voltage and a second circuit portion operating on the first power supply voltage. |
| US08923068B2 |
Low margin read operation with CRC comparision
A method for a low margin read operation that compares CRC codes receives known data and a CRC code generated from the known data. A CRC code is generated from data read from a memory cell at a first low margin reference voltage. The CRC code from the known data and the CRC code from the read data are compared and, if the codes do not match, a failed read operation is indicated. If the CRC codes do match, data is read from the memory cell at a second low margin reference voltage that is greater than the first low margin reference voltage. A CRC is generated from this read operation. If the two CRC codes match, the read operation is indicated as passed. |
| US08923065B2 |
Nonvolatile memory and method with improved I/O interface
Each I/O channel between a controller and one or more memory dice of a memory device has a driver on one end and a receiver at the other end. The receiver is optionally terminated with a pseudo open-drain (“POD”) termination instead of the conventional center-tapped (“CTT”) termination to save energy. During a read operation, data is driven from the memory die to a POD terminated receiver circuit in the controller. With POD termination, the degradation in performance due to the more non-linear driver in the memory die, fabricated for example in the NAND technology processing, is alleviated by an adaptive reference voltage level adjustment in the receiver circuit of the controller. Optionally, the receiver circuit of a memory die is also provided with an adaptive reference level adjustment. |
| US08923057B2 |
Three-dimensional semiconductor memory device with active patterns and electrodes arranged above a substrate
A three-dimensional semiconductor device comprises active patterns arranged two-dimensionally on a substrate, electrodes arranged three-dimensionally between the active patterns, and memory regions arranged three-dimensionally at intersecting points defined by the active patterns and the electrodes. Each of the active patterns is used as a common current path for an electrical connection to two different memory regions that are formed at the same height from the substrate. |
| US08923056B2 |
Non-volatile memory device for reducing operating time and method of operating the same
A non-volatile memory device includes a memory cell block including a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of page buffer groups including a plurality of page buffers coupled to bit lines of the memory cell block, a pass/fail check circuit coupled to the plurality of page buffers and configured to perform a pass/fail check operation of comparing a total amount of current varying according to verify data sensed from the memory cells and stored in the page buffers with an amount of reference current corresponding to the number of allowed bits, and a control circuit configured to control the pass/fail check circuit by stopping, when a fail signal is generated during the pass/fail check operation currently being performed on a page buffer group among the plurality of page buffer groups, the pass/fail check operation on the remaining page buffer groups. |
| US08923055B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of operating the same
A semiconductor device includes cell strings that each include a plurality of memory cells, a page buffer having latches coupled to bit lines and precharge the bit lines in response to page buffer control signals, a page buffer control circuit configured to generate the page buffer control signals using a high voltage source, and a controller configured to generate control signals for controlling the page buffer control circuit. |
| US08923053B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device, operating method thereof, and memory system including the same
Provided is a method of operating a nonvolatile memory device that includes a substrate and memory blocks having a plurality of memory cells stacked along a direction perpendicular to the substrate. The method includes: reading data from a selected sub block among sub blocks of a selected memory block and selectively refreshing each sub block of the selected memory block in response to the reading of the selected sub block, wherein each sub block of the selected memory block is separately erased. |
| US08923051B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus and method for driving the same
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes: a memory block including first and second planes; and a reset signal generator configured to generate a first reset signal by logically combining a first plane selection signal and a control pulse signal which pulses after a first programming setup pulse signal pulses during a first programming command cycle, and generate a second reset signal by logically combining a second plane selection signal and the control pulse signal which again pulses after a second programming setup pulse signal pulses during a second programming command cycle after the first programming command cycle. A plurality of first page buffers allocated to the first plane are reset in response to the first reset signal, and a plurality of second page buffers allocated to the second plane are reset in response to the second reset signal. |
| US08923048B2 |
3D non-volatile storage with transistor decoding structure
Disclosed herein are 3D stacked memory devices having WL select gates. The 3D stacked memory device could have NAND strings. The WL select gates may be located adjacent to a word line hookup area of a word line plate. The word line plate may be driven by a word line plate driver and may have many word lines. The WL select gates may select individual word lines or groups of word lines. Therefore, smaller units that the entire block may be selected. This may reduce capacitive loading. The WL select gates may include thin film transistors. 3D decoding may be provided in a 3D stacked memory device using the WL select gates. |
| US08923045B2 |
Multi-level cell (MLC) update with protected mode capability
Method and apparatus for managing data in a memory, such as a flash memory array. In accordance with some embodiments, a first block of data is written to a group of memory cells at a first memory location in single-level cell (SLC) mode. The first block of data is copied from the first memory location to a group of memory cells at a second memory location to provide a backup copy of the first block of data during a protected mode of operation. A second block of data is subsequently overwritten to the group of memory cells at the first memory location so that the first memory location stores both the first and second blocks of data in multi-level cell (MLC) mode. |
| US08923042B2 |
Magnetic random access memory
A magnetic random access memory according to the present invention is provided with: a magnetic recording layer including a magnetization free region having a reversible magnetization, wherein a write current is flown through the magnetic recording layer in an in-plane direction; a magnetization fixed layer having a fixed magnetization; a non-magnetic layer provided between the magnetization free region and the magnetization fixed layer; and a heat sink structure provided to be opposed to the magnetic recording layer and having a function of receiving and radiating heat generated in the magnetic recording layer. The magnetic random access memory thus-structured radiates heat generated in the magnetic recording layer by using the heat sink structure, suppressing the temperature increase caused by the write current flown in the in-plane direction. |
| US08923040B2 |
Accommodating balance of bit line and source line resistances in magnetoresistive random access memory
A memory has magnetic tunnel junction elements with different resistances in different logic states, for bit positions in memory words accessed by a word line signal coupling each bit cell in the addressed word between a bit line and source line for that bit position. The bit lines and source lines are longer and shorter at different word line locations, causing a resistance body effect. A clamping transistor couples the bit line to a sensing circuit when reading, applying a current through the bit cell and producing a read voltage compared by the sensing circuit to a reference such as a comparable voltage from a reference bit cell circuit having a similar structure. A drive control varies an input to the switching transistor as a function of the word line location, e.g., by word line address, to offset the different bit and source line resistances. |
| US08923038B2 |
Memory cells, semiconductor device structures, memory systems, and methods of fabrication
Methods of forming magnetic memory cells are disclosed. Magnetic and non-magnetic materials are formed into a primal precursor structure in an initial stress state of essentially no strain, compressive strain, or tensile strain. A stress-compensating material, e.g., a non-sacrificial, conductive material, is formed to be disposed on the primal precursor structure to form a stress-compensated precursor structure in a net beneficial stress state. Thereafter, the stress-compensated precursor structure may be patterned to form a cell core of a memory cell. The net beneficial stress state of the stress-compensated precursor structure lends to formation of one or more magnetic regions, in the cell core, exhibiting a vertical magnetic orientation without deteriorating a magnetic strength of the one or more magnetic regions. Also disclosed are memory cells, memory cell structures, semiconductor device structures, and spin torque transfer magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) systems. |
| US08923036B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes a bit line; two or more word lines; and a memory cell including two or more sub memory cells that each include a transistor and a capacitor. One of a source and a drain of the transistor is connected to the bit line, the other of the source and the drain of the transistor is connected to the capacitor, a gate of the transistor is connected to one of the word lines, and each of the sub memory cells has a different capacitance of the capacitor. |
| US08923018B2 |
DC/DC converter, power converter and control method thereof
A DC/DC converter, a power converter and a control method thereof are disclosed, where the DC/DC converter includes an output circuit having a load, a rectangular wave generator having a bridge arm, a resonant tank, a detection unit and a control unit. The bridge arm includes a first and a second switches connected each other. The detection unit detects a signal related to a state of the load. When the state of the load is a light-load or a no-load, the control unit controls ON/OFF state of the first and second switches by pulse width modulation mode to convert an input voltage into at least one rectangular wave for the resonant tank. A duty ratio of the first switch is within a first or second predetermined range, and a duty ratio of the second switch is complementary to the duty ratio of the first switch, whereby a voltage gain of the DC/DC converter is greater than 1. |
| US08923017B2 |
Power converter implementing frequency smearing
The present invention relates to a power converter (90) and a method of operating same. There are numerous advantages to operating power converters using a series resonant converter (1, 21). This approach is particularly suitable for minimizing switching losses in the power converter when it is operated at high frequency. However, there are problems with the known converters in that they are prone to generate noise in the acoustic spectrum due to the fact that the converter stages are often operating at different frequencies. The present invention relates to a power converter and a method of operating same that enables the operating frequency of the converter to be controlled by a control circuit over a predetermined range of the resonant frequency. This allows reduction in acoustic noise generation and facilitates frequency smearing that will in turn reduce spectral peaks. This is achieved while maintaining output ripple within acceptable ranges. |
| US08923013B2 |
Communications bladed panel systems
A fiber panel system includes a chassis and at least blades configured to mount to the chassis. Each blade is moveable relative to the chassis between a retracted (closed) position and at least one extended position. Cable slack is managed at the front and/or rear of each chassis to facilitate movement of the blades without pulling or bending the cables beyond a maximum bend limit. Each blade may be locked into one or more positions relative to the chassis. |
| US08923012B2 |
Electrostatic discharge protection for modular equipment
What is disclosed is a modular visualization display panel. The modular visualization display panel includes a first module having at least one surface and a connection to electrical ground. The modular visualization display panel also includes a second module having at least one surface with a plurality of raised contact nodes arranged on the one surface of the second module such that when in contact with the one surface of the first module electrostatic discharge energy is directed over at least one of the raised contact nodes to the one surface of the first module. |
| US08923007B2 |
Multi-diameter unplugged component hole(s) on a printed circuit board (PCB)
In at least one embodiment, a circuit board assembly that includes a printed circuit board is provided. The printed circuit board includes a top surface and a bottom surface for supporting at least one through-hole electrical component. The printed circuit board defines at least one component hole extending from the top surface to the bottom surface for receiving the at least one through-hole electrical component. The at least one component hole includes a first section having a first diameter and a second section having a second diameter. The first diameter is different from the second diameter. Each of the first and the second sections are configured to receive solder paste for forming a solder joint with the at least one through-hole electrical component. |
| US08923006B2 |
Assembly with LED housing
An assembly includes an LED with two conductive leads, two conductive wires in which an insulator surrounds a conductor, and a housing. The two conductive wires are inserted into and held by a wire cavity of the housing. Each of the two conductive leads is inserted into a different LED lead hole of the housing. Electrical contact is made by each of the two conductive leads with the conductor of one of the two conductive wires and the LED is held by the housing. The conductive leads can have a sharp point that penetrates the insulator and the conductor when the LED is inserted into the housing. The LED can be seated in a LED cavity of the housing while insertion of the LED into the LED cavity creates an interference fit in which conductive portions of the wires opposite the exposed conductors are compressed against the housing. |
| US08923005B2 |
Electrical component having an electrical connection arrangement and method for the manufacture thereof
An electrical component and a method for the manufacture thereof, comprising a connection arrangement between an active surface of an electrical component and a carrier, wherein electrical connecting elements are disposed in a connection zone on the active surface and/or on the carrier, and at least one spacer element is provided, which is disposed on the active surface and/or on the carrier. The at least one spacer element has a smaller height than the connecting elements before the connecting elements are reflowed to produce the electrically conductive connection, and is preferably disposed in an edge region of the connection zone. |
| US08923000B2 |
Server chassis
A server structure includes a first housing to support a first server module configuration, and a second housing to support a second server module configuration such that the first housing and the second housing are interchangeably supported by a common chassis, and each have at least one set of common engagement features associated with a corresponding set of common engagement features of the common chassis. |
| US08922999B2 |
Heat dissipating assembly and elastic fastening member thereof
A heat dissipating assembly which releases heat produced by an electronic device comprising a heat dissipating device and a plurality of elastic fastening members. The heat dissipating assembly includes a base plate having a plurality of engaging holes formed thereon. Each elastic fastening member includes a connecting member and a spring. The connecting member has a head portion and a bolt body that extends therefrom. The bolt body has an outer thread formed on the surface thereof and is being insertable into the respective engaging hole. The spring includes a winding portion woundable around the outer periphery of the bolt body, a clutching portion outwardly extended and downwardly bent from the bottom end of the winding portion to the base surface of the base plate, and a fastening segment extending from the clutching portion back under the winding portion. The instant disclosure further provides an elastic fastening member. |
| US08922993B2 |
Power adapter security system
A power adapter security system includes a power adapter base. An object securing element is located on the power adapter base. The object securing element is operable to secure the power adapter base to an object. A power cable extends from the power adapter base. A power connector is located on the power cable and operable to transmit power from the power adapter base. A security connector is located on the power cable and is operable to lock the power cable to an IHS chassis. The object securing element may be used to secure the power adapter to an object and each of the power connector and security connector may be coupled to an IHS chassis to provide power to the IHS chassis and secure the IHS chassis to the object. |
| US08922992B2 |
System and design of cost effective chassis design for networking products
An electrical equipment chassis includes a frame open to a first side and an opposite second side and a power board located near a mid-plane of the chassis coupling power supply modules to first networking modules and a second networking module. A first region open to the first side can receive first power supply modules. A second region open to the first side is adjacent to the first region and can receive the first networking modules and the second networking module oriented with a first orientation. A third region open to the second side can receive fan trays with fans and third networking modules. The third networking modules are oriented orthogonal to the first orientation. The power board at least partially separates the first and third regions and only partially separates the second and third regions. The chassis permits air flow from the first side to the second side. |
| US08922987B2 |
Server structure with swappable tray
A server structure with a swappable tray includes a chassis housing, two power supply devices and a plurality of motherboard trays, and the chassis housing has two parallel motherboard areas, and each motherboard area has a power slot formed at a rear section and a plurality of tray slots at a front section, and each power slot is formed at the same position of each motherboard area, and each power supply device is plugged into each respective power slot, and each motherboard tray is in the same shape and has a motherboard, and each motherboard tray has an opening and a storage unit set installed through the opening, and each motherboard tray can be swapped and plugged into any one of the tray slots. Therefore, the motherboard tray can be installed freely at any position according to the using requirement, so as to improve the overall functionality and convenience. |
| US08922981B2 |
Rack mounted UI device
A user interface (UI) device is disclosed. The UI device has two displays (106 and 108) that can be moved between a first position and a second position. In the first position the two displays (106 and 108) are side-by-side and the display surface for each of the two displays forms a common plane. In the second position the display surfaces face away from each other. |
| US08922980B2 |
Mobile electronic device with enhanced chassis
A mobile electronic device 10 with an enhanced chassis is disclosed. The device 10 can include: a frame 12 including an upper portion 14 and a lower portion 16 defining a narrow profile height 18 having an open top 20 and an open bottom 22; the frame 12 includes an interior portion 24 configured to surround components in a predetermined arrangement and an exterior portion 26; the exterior portion 26 of the frame 12 being connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) 28; and the open top 20 being configured to receive components on the printed circuit board 28 and the open bottom 22 being configured to receive a battery 32. Advantageously, the frame 12 height 13 provides a narrow profile structural system to securely support and connect components in connection with mobile electronic devices. Beneficially, the height is structurally passive and free from contributing to the Z dimension. |
| US08922966B2 |
Method of forming a detection circuit and structure therefor
In one embodiment, a power supply controller is configured to use a current to detect two different operating conditions on a single input terminal. |
| US08922964B2 |
Motor controller with reverse-bias preventing mechanism
A motor controller with a reverse-bias preventing mechanism includes a pre-charging unit, a protection unit, a conversion unit and a control unit. The pre-charging unit receives a power signal through a first electric-conduction path, and converts the power signal into a pre-charging signal according to a control signal. The protection unit receives the power signal through a second electric-conduction path, and determines whether to output the power signal, according to the polarity of the power signal. The conversion unit, coupled to the protection unit, receives the power signal outputted by the protection unit, and converts the power signal into a work voltage. The control unit, coupled to the conversion unit and the pre-charging unit, receives the work voltage to generate the control signal. The current of the power signal flowing through second electric-conduction path is smaller than the current flowing through first electric-conduction path. |
| US08922951B2 |
Data storage device with variable anisotropy side shield
Various embodiments may be generally directed to a data storage device with at least a magnetic element having a magnetic stack positioned adjacent to and separated from at least one side shield on an air bearing surface (ABS). The side shield can be configured with a predetermined anisotropy variation along a down-track direction. |
| US08922949B1 |
Magnetic recording head and magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus using the same
According to one embodiment, the magnetic recording head comprises a cooling/heating material between a laminated oscillator and a main magnetic pole, the cooling/heating material including the following layers laminated from the laminated oscillator side in the following order, a first thermoelectric material layer having the same junction area as that of the laminated oscillator, a first metal material layer having the same junction area as that of the laminated oscillator, a second metal material layer having the same junction area as that of the main magnetic pole, and a second thermoelectric material layer having the same junction area as that of the main magnetic pole. |
| US08922947B2 |
Two dimensional magnetic sensor immune to skew angle misalignment
Apparatus for two dimensional data reading. In accordance with some embodiments, a magnetic read element has a plurality of read sensors positioned symmetrically about a pivot point with at least two of the read sensors configured to concurrently read two dimensional user data while being immune to skew angle misalignment. |
| US08922945B2 |
Disk drive spindle motor with wiring substrate having extension portion passing through opening in base
A spindle motor includes a stationary unit, a rotary unit and a bearing mechanism. The stationary unit includes a base member, a stator including a plurality of coils and a wiring substrate electrically connected to the stator. The base member includes a tubular portion, a first accommodation portion, an opening portion, a plurality of coil accommodation portions, a second accommodation portion, and at least one through-hole. The wiring substrate includes an arc portion and an extension portion. A lead wire is led out from at least one of the coils and is connected to the arc portion by soldering within the through-hole. |
| US08922940B1 |
Data storage device reducing spindle motor voltage boost during power failure
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, a spindle motor configured to rotate the disk, and control circuitry configured to perform a power fail operation by boosting a power voltage generated based on the spindle motor to generate a boosted voltage, controlling an operation of the data storage device using the boosted voltage, and when the power voltage falls below a threshold, reducing the boosting so as to reduce the boosted voltage. |
| US08922939B1 |
Disk drive generating feed-forward fly height control based on temperature sensitive fly height sensor
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, wherein the head comprises a fly height actuator (FHA) operable to actuate the head vertically over the disk. The head further comprises a temperature sensitive fly height sensor (TSS) operable to generate a fly height signal (FHS) representing a fly height of the head over the disk. An FHA actuation curve is measured for the FHA, and a conversion function is configured based on the FHA actuation curve, wherein the conversion function is operable to convert the FHS in first units (e.g., volts) into a corresponding fly height (FH) of the head in second units (e.g., nm). |
| US08922936B2 |
Apparatus of single write magnetic disc
An object of the present invention is to further improve a recording density in a magnetic disk apparatus using a shingle write system.In a magnetic disk apparatus including a magnetic disk, a recording head that writes information on the magnetic disk, and a controller that controls a writing operation of the recording head to the magnetic disk, the controller controls the writing operation such that the recording head writes information on a region including a target track and a portion of track adjacent thereto in an overlapping manner while position-shifting in a radial direction of the magnetic disk and a first writing frequency to a track on which information is last written is higher than a second writing frequency to another track. |
| US08922934B2 |
Systems and methods for transition based equalization
Systems, methods, devices, circuits for transition based equalization. |
| US08922926B2 |
Data recording medium and method for generating a reference clock signal
Various embodiments provide a recording medium. The recording medium may include a dedicated servo layer for providing servo information. The dedicated servo layer may include a plurality of tracks. A first track may include a first servo signal. A second track may include a second servo signal. The first servo signal and the second servo signal may include a plurality of common transitions. The transitions may be provided at a pre-determined frequency. |
| US08922924B1 |
ACQ in the presence of baseline pop
Systems and methods for the correction of DC noise in signals read by a head of a disk drive are presented. Circuitry on a first data path may be configured to filter an input signal to remove a DC component. Acquisition parameters on the first data path may be configured based on the filtered signal. Circuitry on a second data path may be configured to adjust the input signal based on the configured acquisition parameters. A mean of a window of data samples of the adjusted input signal may be computed. Based on the computed mean, a correction may be applied to the adjusted input signal until a stopping rule is satisfied. |
| US08922923B2 |
Interleaved automatic gain control for asymmetric data signals
A data signal comprising an even component and an odd component with differing amplitudes is received at a main automatic gain controller (AGC). The even component is adjusted by a first interleaved AGC and the odd component is adjusted by a second interleaved AGC such that even and odd component amplitudes are substantially equal. Amplitude adjusted even and odd components are recombined to define a data signal with components having substantially equal amplitudes. The even and odd components can be generated by a read transducer moving relative to a magnetic storage medium comprising tracks defined by discrete and spaced-apart recording bits arranged in an interspersed pattern. A read channel separates the data signal into even and odd samples such that a gain can be independently adjusted for each of the even and odd samples to compensate for asymmetry between the even and odd samples. |
| US08922917B2 |
Optical unit and image pickup apparatus
An optical unit that is configured of a three-group wide-angle lens, that is capable of suppressing optical distortion to a small amount, that has favorable optical characteristics, and that is tolerant of reflow, and an image pickup apparatus are provided. An optical unit 100 includes: a first lens group 110 including a first lens element 111; a second lens group 120 including a second lens element 121, a first transparent member 122, and a third lens element 123 that are arranged in order from object plane toward image plane; and a third lens group 130 including a fourth lens element 131, a second transparent member 132, and a fifth lens element 33 that are arranged in order from the object plane toward the image plane, the first lens group 110, the second lens group 120, and the third lens group 130 being arranged in order from the object plane toward the image plane. |
| US08922916B2 |
Endoscope objective lens and endoscope
An endoscope objective lens substantially consists of four lens groups consisting of, in order from the object side, a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, a negative third lens group and a positive fourth lens group. During focusing from the farthest object to the nearest object, the first lens group is fixed, and the second lens group and the third lens group are moved along the optical axis. The third lens group includes a cemented lens that is formed by a positive lens and a negative lens cemented together in this order from the object side, and the cemented surface of the cemented lens is oriented such that the concave surface faces the object side. |
| US08922915B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens includes plastic-made first, second, third, and fourth lens elements arranged in the given order from an object side to an imaging side. The first lens element has a positive focusing power and is biconvex. The second lens element has a negative focusing power, is biconcave, and has an abbe number not greater than 30. The third lens element has a positive focusing power and has a convex imaging-side surface facing toward the imaging side. The fourth lens element has an imaging-side surface formed with a concave area in a vicinity of an optical axis of the fourth lens element. The imaging lens further includes an aperture stop disposed between the first and second lens elements. |
| US08922914B2 |
Image capturing lens system
An image capturing lens system includes four lens elements with refractive power, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element and a fourth lens element. The positive first lens element has a convex object-side surface at a paraxial region. The negative second lens element has a concave object-side surface at a paraxial region and an image-side surface changing from concave at a paraxial region to convex at a peripheral region, wherein the surfaces of the second lens element are aspheric. The positive third lens element has a concave object-side surface at a paraxial region and a convex image-side surface at a paraxial region. The negative fourth lens element has an image-side surface changing from concave at a paraxial region to convex at a peripheral region, and the surfaces of the fourth lens element are aspheric. |
| US08922913B2 |
Five-aspheric-surface wafer-level lens systems having wide viewing angle
A wafer-level lens system includes a first substrate, a first lens having a planar surface in contact with the first substrate and a concave aspheric surface, a second substrate, a second lens having a convex aspheric surface facing the first lens and a planar surface in contact with the second substrate, a third lens having a planar surface in contact with the second substrate and a concave aspheric surface, a third substrate, a fourth lens having a convex aspheric surface facing the third lens and a planar surface in contact with the third substrate, and a fifth lens having a planar surface in contact with the third substrate and a concave aspheric surface. |
| US08922911B2 |
Image pickup lens, image pickup apparatus and portable terminal
Disclosed are an image pickup lens which provides a sufficient back focus and can be subjected to a reflow process while offering a capability to be used with either a 1/10-inch-sized or a 1/12-inch-sized solid-state image pickup device, as well as an image pickup apparatus and a portable terminal employing such an image pickup lens. An image pickup lens for focusing an image of a subject on a photoelectric converting portion of a solid-state image pickup device, the image pickup lens comprising an aperture stop and a single lens arranged in this order from an object side, wherein the image pickup lens satisfies the following conditional formulae: 0.70 mm |
| US08922908B2 |
Lens apparatus
A lens apparatus includes a lens housing, driven member that is driven in a first direction. A lens barrel body that includes a lens, is separated from the driven member upon receiving an impact including a component of a second direction and can move. A drive section drives the driven member in the first direction. When the lens housing receives an impact including a component of the first direction, the drive member and the driven member are separated apart, and the driven member and the lens barrel body move together in the first direction, and when the lens housing receives an impact including the component of the second direction, the drive member prevents the driven member from moving in the second direction, the driven member and the lens barrel body are separated apart, and the lens barrel body moves. |
| US08922907B2 |
Variable focal length lens system and imaging apparatus
A variable focal length lens system including: a first lens group having positive power; a second lens group having negative power; a third lens group having positive power; and a fourth lens group having positive power sequentially arranged from a side where an object is present. An aperture stop is disposed between the second and third lens groups. The first to fourth lens groups are so moved that the distance between the first and second lens groups increases, the distance between the second and third lens groups decreases, and the distance between the third and fourth lens groups decreases when a lens position setting is changed from a wide angle end state to a telescopic end state. The third lens group includes a negative lens and a positive lens disposed on the image side thereof. The variable focal length lens system satisfies the conditional expression, 0.35 |
| US08922906B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus
A zoom lens includes a positive first lens group fixed during zooming, a negative second lens moved to the image side upon zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, a negative third lens group for image plane correction during zooming, and a positive fourth lens group fixed during zooming. The first lens group is composed of a negative first lens group front group, a positive first lens group middle group, and a positive first lens group rear group, disposed in order from the object side. The first lens group front group is composed of two negative lenses and one positive lens, disposed in order from the object side. Focusing is performed by moving only the first lens group middle group in an optical axis direction. The zoom lens satisfies a predetermined conditional expression. |
| US08922905B2 |
Variable-magnification projection optical system and projection display device
A positive first lens group that is fixed during magnification change, a negative second lens group that is movable during magnification change, a positive third lens group that is movable during magnification change, a positive fourth lens group that is movable during magnification change, and a positive fifth lens group that is fixed during magnification change are arranged in this order from the enlargement side. The system is telecentric at the reduction side. Conditional expression (1) is satisfied: L/Imφ<15.0 (1), where L is a distance along the optical axis from the most enlargement-side lens surface to the most reduction-side lens surface when the projection distance is infinity, and Imφ is a maximum effective image circle diameter at the reduction side. |
| US08922903B2 |
Projection zoom lens and projection type display device
A projection zoom lens has a negative first lens group which is fixed when changing magnification, second through fifth lens groups that move when changing magnification, and a positive sixth lens group which is fixed when changing magnification, in this order from a magnification side. The reduction side is telecentric. When changing magnification from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, the second lens group moves toward the magnification side. The first and second lenses from the reduction side of the fifth lens group are a positive lens and a negative lens, respectively. The sixth lens group is constituted by a single positive lens. The projection zoom lens satisfies a predetermined Conditional Formula. |
| US08922902B2 |
Dynamic lens
A device and/or apparatus that comprises a dynamic optical lens is provided. A first apparatus includes a first lens component having a first surface and a second surface. The first apparatus further includes a second lens component that comprises a flexible element. The first apparatus also includes a fluid that may be applied between at least a portion of the first lens component and at least a portion of the second lens component. The flexible element of the second lens component is such that it conforms to the first surface of the first lens component when an amount of fluid between the first surface of the first lens component and the second lens component is sufficiently low. The flexible element of the second lens component is also such that it does not conform to the first surface of the first lens component when an amount of fluid between the first surface of the first lens component and the second lens component is sufficiently great. |
| US08922901B2 |
Fabrication of liquid lens arrays
A method of fabricating a liquid lens array creates an array of through holes of axisymmetric cross-section through a central plate, forms conductive traces on the side walls of each of the through holes and on a portion of the top and bottom surfaces of the central plate contiguous with each through hole, and bonds the bottom surface of the central plate around each through hole to the top surface of a transparent base plate, forming an array of cavities. The method applies an insulating layer to the side walls of each cavity, portions of the top surface of the base plate lying within each cavity, and portions of the top surface of the transparent central plate surrounding each cavity, introduces a polar liquid and a non-polar liquid into each cavity; and bonds the top surface of the central plate to the bottom surface of a transparent top plate. |
| US08922895B1 |
Optical body with fresnel-rendering of complex topographical surface
An optical film or other optical body has a structured surface comprising Fresnel prisms. The Fresnel prisms define a complex topography. For example, a first and second Fresnel prism may have elongated first and second plan view shapes that form a “wye” (Y-shaped) feature. Alternatively or in addition, the Fresnel prisms may be arranged such that slopes of the Fresnel prisms define one or more saddle points. Furthermore, one or more of the Fresnel prisms may have prism shapes in plan view that include undulating portions, and the Fresnel prisms may be arranged in a slope sequence that defines one or more inflection points. The Fresnel prisms may be refractive or reflective, and they may provide the structured surface with a 3-dimensional appearance. |
| US08922891B2 |
Binoculars having image stabilizing function
Binoculars includes left and right image stabilizing lenses, a lens holder configured to move in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis direction, a reference member as a positioning reference in an optical axis direction of the lens holder, a plurality of balls provided at least three each around each of the left and right image stabilizing lenses between the lens holder and the reference member, and configured to roll in accordance with a move of the lens holder, and left and right biasing members inside of the three balls in the left and right ball units and configured to press the lens holder and the reference member against the balls. A coupling portion in the lens holder is so flexible that at least three balls can contact the lens holder by the left and right biasing members. |
| US08922890B2 |
Polarizer edge rib modification
A polarizer having a first surface bordered by an edge, including a standard region and a rib modification region. The standard region can include ribs having a standard characteristic. The standard region can be configured to polarize incident light. The rib modification region can be disposed along at least a segment of the edge of the substrate between the edge and at least a portion of the standard region. The rib modification region can comprise modified ribs modified from the standard characteristic to have a different characteristic. |
| US08922889B2 |
Cellulose acylate film, protective film for polarizing plate, polarizing plate, and liquid crystal display device
There is provided a cellulose acylate film, containing a hindered amin-based compound, wherein the hindered amine-based compound is contained in an amount of 0.001% by mass to 5% by mass based on cellulose acylate, a minimum value of Knoop hardness is 170 N/mm2 to 220 N/mm2, and the Knoop hardness is measured several times by a Knoop indenter, the Knoop indenter is rotated by a given angle in each measurement, and a rotation axis of the Knoop indenter is orthogonal to an upper surface of the cellulose acylate film. |
| US08922888B2 |
Front projection screen with high contrast
A light diffusing optical construction is disclosed. The optical construction includes a symmetric optical diffuser that scatters light in a first direction with a first viewing angle AH and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction with a second viewing angle AV, where AV is substantially equal to AH. The symmetric optical diffuser includes an optically transparent first layer and a plurality of randomly arranged optically transparent beads partially embedded in the first layer leaving portions of the beads exposed. The optical construction also includes a specular reflector that reflects light that is not scattered by the symmetric optical diffuser. The specular reflector has a first average reflectance Ro in the visible at zero incident angle and a second average reflectance R60 in the visible at 60 degree incident angle. Ro/R60 is at least about 1.5. The optical construction also includes a light absorbing layer that absorbs light that is not reflected by the specular reflector. |
| US08922886B2 |
Microscope apparatus having surface light emitter with specific positioning
A microscope apparatus including an illumination apparatus capable of, regardless of the observation magnification of an imaging optical system, filling the entrance pupil of the imaging optical system with illumination light, and suitably restricting the conjugate image of the entrance pupil of the imaging optical system by a light shielding element. A microscope apparatus is configured by including: an illumination apparatus which includes a surface light emitter (light guide plate) having a light emitting surface as a planar light-emitting region and irradiates a sample with light emitted from the light guide plate; an objective lens which condenses light from the sample; and an imaging optical system which includes a variable power lens group configured to form an image of the sample by changing the magnification of the image of the sample. The illumination apparatus includes a light shielding plate and a light diffusing element. |
| US08922885B2 |
Fluorescence microscope having an illumination device
An arrangement for fluorescence microscopic examination of specimens includes: a fluorescence microscope; an illumination device that includes: a housing including an interface configured to optically couple the housing and the fluorescence microscope; a plurality of light-emitting diodes disposed in the housing; a respective collector disposed downstream of each of the light emitting diodes and configured to generate a directed light flux; and at least one dichroic splitter disposed in the housing, the at least one splitter and the light-emitting diodes being spatially disposed with respect to one another so that the directed light fluxes are combinable via the at least one splitter into a common illumination beam path directed onto the interface; and a logical control device common to the fluorescence microscope and the illumination device. |
| US08922878B2 |
Optical amplifier and method
An optical amplifier includes: a rare-earth doped fiber configured to amplify signal light to thereby produce a amplified signal light; a gain control circuit configured to control an optical gain of the rare-earth doped fiber; a photodetector configured to detect intensities of different wavelength of light obtained from the amplified signal light; and an abnormality detection circuit configured to detect an abnormality of the signal light in accordance with a ratio or a difference between the intensities of the different wavelength. |
| US08922877B1 |
Polarization control with mode stability
A system and method for controlling polarization in a fiber amplifier is disclosed. A polarization dither waveform is applied to a polarization controller so that dithering does not trigger PI-HOMI (Polarization-Induced High Order Mode Instability). The dither waveform may have a period that is much less than the thermal diffusion time across the fiber amplifier core. The dither waveform may also have a slew rate (defined in degrees/second on the Poincaré sphere) that is much slower than the thermal diffusion time across the fiber amplifier core. |
| US08922876B2 |
Optical amplifying device and optical transmission system
An optical amplifying device includes an optical amplification medium configured to be excited by excitation light and amplify signal light, a light loss detector configured to detect a light loss of an optical component optically connected to the optical amplification medium in the amplifying device, and a noise figure deterioration detector configured to detect, based on the light loss detected by the light loss detector, deterioration of a noise figure of the optical amplification medium. |
| US08922871B2 |
Electrowetting display device and manufacturing method thereof
An electrowetting display device includes: a lower substrate, a pixel electrode disposed on the lower substrate, a lower water-repellent layer disposed on the pixel electrode, a plurality of partitions disposed on the lower water-repellent layer and an oil layer disposed on the lower water-repellent layer between the partitions, and wherein the partitions include a side wall having a reverse taper structure. |
| US08922867B2 |
Frameless interior rearview mirror assembly
An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror casing and an electro-optic reflective element. The reflective element has an electro-optic active region where an electro-optic medium is disposed and bounded by a perimeter seal. A transparent electrically conductive coating is established at the rear surface of the front substrate at the electro-optic active region. A perimeter portion of the front substrate extends beyond a corresponding perimeter portion of the rear substrate to establish a user input region that is outboard of the electro-optic active region. A user input, such as a touch sensor, is disposed at the user input region, and the user input is not in electrical contact with the transparent electrically conductive coating at the rear surface of the front substrate. The user input is operable to detect the presence or touch of a person's finger at the user input region. |
| US08922865B2 |
Method for producing photochromatic optical elements, and photochromatic optical elements
The present invention refers to a process for the preparation of photochromatic optical elements, and corresponding photochromatic optical elements. Starting from a given optical body, the process according to the invention comprises the following steps: depositing a first layer comprising a transparent resin at least onto a part of said optical body; depositing onto the first layer previously deposited a second layer comprising photochromatic pigments. |
| US08922864B2 |
MEMS device having reduced deformations
A MEMS apparatus is provided for scanning an optical beam. The MEMS apparatus is formed out of a pre-fabricated multi-layer device and comprises at least one tilting micro-mirror formed in a first active layer of that pre-fabricated multi-layer device and a support structure formed in a second layer of the pre-fabricated multi-layer device, and wherein the support structure is preferably formed by etching parts of the second layer to obtain a pre-determined shape of the supporting structure. |
| US08922862B2 |
Magnetic force drive device, optical scanning device, and image display device
A magnetic force drive device (7) has the first movable part (100) and the first driving unit (200). The first movable part (100) has the first movable plate (111), and a permanent magnet (120) that is magnetized in a direction substantially parallel to the first movable plate (111), and is supported by the first frame body (112) and the first pair of beam parts (113), so as to be able to oscillate around the Y axis, which is substantially parallel to the first movable plate (111) and substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the permanent magnet (120) is magnetized. The first driving unit (200) has a yoke (210), and a coil (220) that magnetizes the yoke (210). The yoke (210) has the first end part (211a), and a second end part (212a) that is placed on substantially the opposite side of the first end part (211a) against one magnetic pole of the permanent magnet (120). The first end part (211a) and second end part (212a) are magnetized in mutually different polarities, and drive the first movable part (100) in the same oscillation direction. |
| US08922860B2 |
Motion control systems and methods for biosensor scanning
Motion control system and method for biosensor scanning that include inputting to a multi-axis motion controller move commands associated with the scan path as defined by multiple axes. The multiple axes including an x-baseline coordinate x0, a y-baseline coordinate y0, an x-direction oscillation amplitude x1, a y-direction oscillation amplitude y1, an oscillation frequency f and a phase φ. The multi-axis motion controller outputs digital commanded positions for each of the multiple axes. A post-processor receives the commanded positions and generates parameterized commanded positions x and y that each include a baseline motion component and an oscillating motion component. The parameterized commanded positions cause the scanning optical system to deflect the light beam to scan the beam spot over the scan path to scan the biosensor. |
| US08922853B2 |
Printer calibration system and associated methods
A dynamically applicable system to calibrate a number of printers having a controller including a processor and memory to control printing a document relative to characteristics of the document using the printer. Calibration settings for the printer may be manipulable. Calibration may be performed by comparing a calibration pattern to a marking on a calibration document. Additionally, calibration may be performed by comparing a calibration pattern with a crease. The controller may calculate calibration settings from calibration information received using an interface. Calibration settings are storable on memory or a database. The system may communicate with other devices over a network. |
| US08922851B2 |
Image scanning device
An image scanning device has a sheet conveying roller conveying a sheet when a conveyed sheet scanning function is activated, a guide member defining a sheet feed path, a first gear transmitting a driving force to the sheet conveying roller, a first supporting shaft extending in a direction parallel with a width direction of the sheet feed path and supporting the first gear, a second gear engaging with the first gear, a second supporting shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the first supporting shaft and supporting the second gear, a holder unit holding the second supporting shaft, the holder unit arranged at one end of the sheet feed path in the width direction, a reinforce member made of metal and extending in the width direction, first and second fixing units fixing longitudinal ends of the reinforce member to the holder unit and the guide member, respectively. |
| US08922850B2 |
Image reading apparatus, image forming apparatus, reading method, and recording medium
Contamination of a reading window is detected between documents by a contamination detection section when a plurality of sheets of documents are transferred and a transferred document is read through a reading window, transfer of the document is stopped by a stopping section based on the detection result, and a corresponding purport is displayed on a display section. |
| US08922848B2 |
Reading unit and image reading apparatus
A reading unit includes a carriage extending in a first direction, and an image sensor configured to be supported by the carriage, and having a case extending in the first direction and a plurality of light receiving elements contained in the case and arranged in the first direction. The carriage has a reference surface, a pair of supporting portions provided at two end sides in the first direction, and one end edge positioned on one side, with respect to the reference surface, in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and parallel to the reference surface, and the case has a pair of supported portions provided to correspond to the pair of supporting portions and configured to be supported swingably by the corresponding supporting portions. The case is configured to swing about a first axis between a first position and a second position. |
| US08922843B2 |
Imaging product layout system
An imaging kiosk comprises an image printer, a frame-specification reader for reading frame-specification information specifying two or more image openings in a picture frame, an image-acquisition device, and a computer system for controlling the image printer, the frame-specification reader, and the image-acquisition device. Images are acquired for rendering a single printable image having the two or more acquired images located in positions corresponding to the two or more image openings, and for printing the rendered image to make a frame-matched multi-image print. |
| US08922841B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for controlling the same
An image processing apparatus capable of optically reading a document to generate an electronic file, and a method for controlling the same, in which an existing file that is to be attached to the electronic file or to which the electronic file is to be attached is specified, the name of an attachment-including file including the specified electronic file and existing file is specified, and the attachment-including file is sent under the specified name to a specified destination by a sending method for the attachment-including file. |
| US08922840B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus, comprising a main body and a movable unit configured to be swingable about a first axis located on a rear side and to move between a first placement position and a first separated position, wherein the main body comprises: side frames; an image processing unit; and a body cover comprising side covers and an upper opening, and wherein: each of the side frames has a flat surface part having a height in a first state on a front side; and each of the side covers has a first part having a height in the first state on the front side, a second part in a second state higher than the first state on a rear side near the first axis, and a third part formed to connect the first part with the second part while changing the height thereof. |
| US08922838B2 |
Techniques related to printing
Application of treatments for treating a colorant for printing an image is described herein. In an example, an amount of a treatment to be applied on a substrate portion is determined considering color calibration of a printing system for specific conditions of printing the image. The treatment is for treating the amount of colorant on the substrate portion. |
| US08922835B1 |
Color conversion method and color conversion system
A color conversion method is utilized for converting a plurality of source information in a source color space to a plurality of destination information in a destination color space. The color conversion method includes obtaining a first color value and a plurality of second color values of a pixel; performing a computation on at least one converting parameter, the plurality of second color values, a plurality of maximum values and minimum values corresponding to the plurality of destination information to obtain a source maximum value and a source minimum value; generating an adjustment value according to the first color value, the source maximum value, and the source minimum value; and performing a computation for obtaining a plurality of destination color values of the pixel according to the at least one converting parameter, the adjustment value, and the plurality of second color values. |
| US08922831B2 |
Image capturing device, color measuring device, color measuring system, and image forming apparatus
An image capturing device includes an image capturing unit, a moving unit, a detector, and a determiner. The image capturing unit includes an optical transmission member; and a sensor capturing an image of the subject via the optical transmission member. The moving unit moves the image capturing unit in an optical axis direction of the sensor. The detector detects a contamination from first and second images. The first and second images are captured by the sensor when the image capturing unit is located at first and second positions in the optical axis direction, respectively. The second position is spaced away from the subject than the first position in the optical axis direction. The determiner determines that a contamination is deposited on the optical transmission member when a difference in the number of pixels in which a contamination is detected between the first and second images is less than a threshold. |
| US08922830B2 |
Media roll management
A system and method for media roll management. |
| US08922825B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method and remote-scan image processing system using the same
In the image processing device, method and system of the present invention, a destination identifier of an image file is stored, the destination identifier indicating one of a plurality of external stations as a destination station which receives the image file from the image processing device through a network. At least one of a sender identifier of the image file, a subject identifier of the image file and a scan condition of the image file is stored. The image file is transmitted, together with at least one of the sender identifier, the subject identifier and the scan condition, through the network to one of the external stations indicated by the stored destination identifier. |
| US08922824B2 |
Image forming apparatus, method for controlling the same, and storage medium
An image forming apparatus includes an address book management application which receives from a client PC an instruction as to address data stored in an HDD of an image forming apparatus. When the instruction is a backup instruction, the address book management application acquires the address data from an address data storage area, creates a backup file from the acquired address data, and stores the created backup file in a backup area of the HDD. When the instruction is a restore instruction, the address book management application restores the backup file stored in the backup area, as the address data in the address data storage area. |
| US08922818B2 |
Mobile print email reply with thumbnails
Techniques are provided that allow the user to view on his or her mobile device the body of an email or other items from a message service as well as each of the attachments as thumbnails or individual images. As well, techniques allow the user to view particular attributes of each item, e.g. the number of pages and the page size of a particular attachment. Techniques are provided such that the user may view such thumbnails and/or attributes on a unique URL generated as a result of the generated email. Thus, by such techniques, the user is provided with a platform for mobile devices that allows intuitive selection of what should be or is desired to be printed. |
| US08922812B2 |
Network printer
A network printer includes a communication unit for carrying out transmission/reception of data via a network and a recording unit for printing out received print data. The communication unit includes a priority level determination unit, when second print data is accepted during reception of first print data, for determining priority between the first and second print data, and a first persistent connection control unit for executing a persistent connection control that prohibits a transmission source of print data determined as lower priority data from transmitting the print data while a session is being connected with the transmission source, and for permitting a transmission source of print data determined as higher priority data to transmit the print data. |
| US08922807B2 |
Print control apparatus, print control method, and program therefor
Conventionally, during a copy operation, certain advanced mode settings make the extraction of additional security information impossible. In order to solve this problem, the print control apparatus includes: determining unit for determining an interval between a pattern element and a pattern element adjacent to the pattern element from the received image data; and control unit for performing a control so as to scale the image at a magnification specified by a user and have the scaled image printed by a printing apparatus when the product of the magnification specified by the user and the interval determined by the determining unit falls within a predetermined range, and configured to terminate or interrupt the printing of the image by the printing apparatus when the product of the magnification specified by the user and the interval determined by the determining unit does not fall within the predetermined range. |
| US08922802B2 |
Method and system for halftoning using energy minimization
A method is disclosed. The method includes generating a set of points via energy minimization to implement halftone seed pattern. |
| US08922801B2 |
Reading apparatus
A reading apparatus includes an auto document feeder configured to be openable and closable around a hinge with respect to a unit including an image sensor. The auto document feeder includes a roller configured to move a document relative to the image sensor, a motor, a gear train configured to transmit a rotation of a rotational shaft of the motor to the roller, and an encoder unit configured to detect rotation information of the motor, and including a sensor and a code wheel. An orientation of the rotational shaft is substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the hinge, and the gear train is arrayed in a direction of an extension of the rotational shaft. A gear that is a part of the gear train is attached to one end of the rotational shaft, and the code wheel is attached to the other end thereof. |
| US08922800B2 |
Methods and systems for selecting a location to store a production consumable
A method of determining a location of one or more print production items in a storage facility may include identifying one or more print production items used by one or more autonomous production cells in a print shop, and determining, by a computing device, a demand value associated with each of the identified print production items. The demand value may represent a frequency with which the print production item is used by the autonomous production cells over a period of time. The method may include grouping the identified print production items into one or more groups based on the autonomous production cell that uses the identified print production items, assigning each group to an autonomous storage cell, and determining a location of one or more autonomous storage cells based on the demand values associated with the print production items in the group associated with the autonomous storage cell. |
| US08922791B2 |
Camera system with color display and processor for Reed-Solomon decoding
A camera system including: a substrate having a coding pattern printed thereon and a handheld digital camera device. The camera device includes: a digital camera unit having a first image sensor for capturing images and a color display for displaying captured images to a user; an integral processor configured for: controlling operation of the first image sensor and color display; decoding an imaged coding pattern printed on a substrate, the printed coding pattern employing Reed-Solomon encoding; and performing an action in the handheld digital camera device based on the decoded coding pattern. The decoding includes the steps of: detecting target structures defining the extent of the data area; determining the data area using the detected target structures; and Reed-Solomon decoding the coding pattern contained in the determined data area. |
| US08922783B2 |
Multiband spatial heterodyne spectrometer and associated methods
A multiband spatial heterodyne spectrometer for determining spectra in first and second wavelength bands has a beamsplitter configured to split incident light and to direct the incident light upon a first and a second diffraction grating. The gratings are configured for Littrow reflection of incident light of the first wavelength band at a first order and Littrow reflection of incident light of the second wavelength band at a second order. Light reflected by the first and the second diffraction grating forms diffraction patterns imaged by an electronic camera. A dispersive device separates the imaged interference patterns onto separate groups of pixel sensors corresponding to the wavelength bands. A processing device receives information from the detector and computes spectra therefrom. The second diffraction grating is split spatially or temporally to provide two different responses, so the system can disambiguate spectra. In embodiments, the spectrometer computes hyperspectral images of a target. |
| US08922780B2 |
Shape measurement using microchip based fringe projection
A system for measuring a shape of a target object includes a photonic integrated circuit and a light detector. The photonic integrated circuit includes a phase shifter configured to change a phase difference between a first portion of light and a second portion of light within the phase shifter, and an output element configured to output the light from the phase shifter directly toward the target object. The output element includes a first output waveguide configured to act as a first point source; and a second output waveguide configured to act as a second point source. The light detector is positioned to receive reflected light from the target object. |
| US08922778B2 |
Apparatus and method for increasing collection efficiency in capillary based flowcytometry
In a particle analyzing apparatus including a capillary for passing through a fluid containing particles to be analyzed, an optical system is employed to collect fluorescent light emitted from particles or substances labeled to the particles with improved collection efficiency preserving resolution of the instrument. The optical system may include a first collection lens attached to the capillary and a first reflection element arranged adjacent to the first collection lens configured to reflect fluorescent light of one or more wavelengths. The optical system may include a second collection lens attached to the capillary and a second reflection element arranged adjacent to the second collection lens configured to reflect fluorescent light of one or more wavelengths. |
| US08922777B2 |
Optical density sensor calibration and self fixing
A method of calibrating an optical density sensor comprising calculating a first pigment solid density value of an ink solution using a current first electrical output signal value from a photodetector, a current second electrical output signal value from a photodetector, and a current lens gap value, calculating a second pigment solid density value of the ink solution using a previously measured first electrical output signal value, a previously measured second electrical output signal value, and a previously measured lens gap value, comparing the current first electrical output signal value, the current second electrical output signal value, and the current lens gap value with the previously measured first electrical output signal value, the previously measure second electrical output signal value, and the previously measured lens gap value, and comparing the first pigment solid density value with the second pigment solid density value. |
| US08922773B2 |
System and method for error correction in a polarimeter
A system and method for polarimetry are disclosed in which a polarimeter may include a light source for transmitting a light beam through a sample within a container; a wavelength selector configured to specify a target wavelength at which the polarization rotation of the light beam emerging from the sample will be evaluated; a polarization rotator configured to be selectively moved into and out of a path of the light beam from the light source; and a detector for obtaining a first measurement of the light beam polarization rotation with the polarization rotator outside the path of the light beam, and a second measurement of the light beam polarization rotation with the polarization rotator within the path of the light beam, with both measurements occurring at the wavelength resulting from the configuration of the wavelength selector. |
| US08922772B2 |
Multichannel polarization stabilization employing synchronous phase-locking methods
A multichannel optical system including a mixing device responsive to a sample beam and a reference beam that provides an in-phase signal including the mixed sample beam and reference beam having a relative phase of 0° and a quadrature phase signal including the mixed sample beam and reference beam having a relative phase of 90°. The system also includes a photodetector responsive to the quadrature phase signal that converts the quadrature phase signal to a quadrature phase electrical signal. A polarization demultiplexer circuit receives the quadrature phase electrical signal and measures the amplitude of a unique time-dependent phase dither profile having a zero time-averaged mean and a zero time-averaged correlation to the other phase dither profiles and provides a polarization amplitude signal. A polarization controller receives the polarization amplitude signal and controls the reference beam to maximize the polarization amplitude signal. |
| US08922770B2 |
Spectral device and confocal scanning microscope provided with spectral device
Spectral device includes: diffraction element which disperses light for each wavelength; optical condensing system which condenses diffracted light of specific order generated by diffraction in the diffraction element; photo-detector arranged at position where the diffracted light of the specific order is condensed by the optical condensing system; first deflection device which inverts the direction of travel of second light as zeroth-order diffracted light generated by diffraction of first light which has entered the diffraction element as parallel luminous flux, and leads the second light into the diffraction element; and second deflection device which deflects the diffracted light of the specific order generated by diffraction of the second light which has entered the diffraction element in the same direction as the diffracted light of the specific order generated by the diffraction of the first light, and leads the deflected light into the optical condensing system. |
| US08922767B2 |
Raman spectroscopy
A micro-fluidic system comprising means for optically trapping a particle and a Raman excitation source for causing Raman scatter from the particle while it is in the optical trap. |
| US08922766B2 |
Spectrometer
A spectrometer includes a light source section that includes a plurality of LEDs having different emission wavelengths, a variable wavelength interference filter that selectively extracts light of a predetermined wavelength, a detector that detects the amount of light, and a control circuit section. The control circuit section includes a mode switching section that switches a calibration mode and a measurement mode, an outside light analysis section that analyzes characteristics of outside light in the calibration mode, a reference light setting section that set the amount of light emitted from each of the LEDs on the basis of the characteristics of the outside light, and a light source driving section that drives each of the LEDs on the basis of the amount of light emitted which is set in the measurement mode. |
| US08922765B2 |
Cells for biochemical analysis, kit for biochemical analysis, and biochemical analyzer
The invention makes it possible to measure binding of a biochemical substance with a high throughput and with high sensitivity using a small cell capable of being filled with a small amount of chemical solution. A space between a first substrate and a second substrate such that probes are immobilized on their mutually facing planes is used as a cell that houses a specimen solution. Light is irradiated from a first substrate side, and reflected light is subjected to spectroscopy. Binding of the target with the probe is detected by a wavelength shift in the refection spectrum. |
| US08922762B2 |
Spectroscopic measuring apparatus with monitoring capability
A spectroscopic measuring apparatus with monitoring capability includes a first optical path that extends from a measuring object through an optical system and a slit of a slit-mirror block to a spectroscope main body and a second optical path that extends from the measuring object through the optical system and a mirror face of the slit-mirror block to a two-dimensional photographing unit. The slit and spectroscope main body are integrated into a spectroscopic unit. |
| US08922759B2 |
White cane with integrated electronic travel aid using 3D TOF sensor
The invention describes an electronic travel aid (ETA) for blind and visually impaired persons implemented in a detachable handle of a white cane. The device enhances the functionality of the white cane giving the user more detailed information about the environment within a defined corridor of interest in front of the user with an extended range of a few meters up to 10 m. It provides a reliable warning if there is a risk of collision with obstacles including those at trunk or head height, which are not recognized by a conventional white cane. Additional sensors are integrated to delimit the defined corridor during the cane sweeping thereby reducing the amount of information that is transmitted to the user via the tactile interface. Alternatively, the device can be used independently from the cane as an object recognition and orientation aid. |
| US08922758B2 |
Stud mapping and layout method
A method of establishing the location of a pair construction points for a stud in a building interior at a construction site and for determining the length of the stud needed to extend between the pair of construction points uses a robotic total station. The points are defined by x and y coordinates and anticipated z coordinates on upper and lower surfaces. The robotic total station establishes the points by directing a beam of laser light toward anticipated points and, through an iterative process, determining the actual location of the points on upper and lower surfaces that have the same x and y coordinates. |
| US08922755B2 |
Support structure, inspection apparatus, lithographic apparatus and methods for loading and unloading substrates
A substrate support, configured to support a substrate during a process within a lithography system, includes a lifting structure configured to move the substrate between a first position, in which a lifting face of the lifting structure supports the substrate at a position set apart from a support surface of the substrate support, and a second position, in which the lifting structure does not prevent the substrate from being supported by a support surface of the substrate support; wherein, in moving between the first and second positions, the substrate moves in a combination of movement substantially perpendicular to a plane parallel to the support surface and movement substantially parallel to the support surface. |
| US08922754B2 |
Immersion exposure apparatus and device fabricating method with two substrate stages and metrology station
The present invention provides an exposure apparatus can suppress the occurrence of residual liquid. An exposure apparatus comprises: a first stage that holds the substrate and is movable; a second stage that is movable independently of the first stage; and a liquid immersion mechanism that forms a liquid immersion region of a liquid on an upper surface of at least one stage of the first stage and the second stage; wherein, a recovery port that is capable of recovering the liquid is provided to the upper surface of the second stage. |
| US08922752B2 |
Method and apparatus for alignment processing
A method for alignment processing including making a substrate 4, coated with an aligned film, closely face the photo mask 7 having a first mask pattern group having a plurality of elongated first openings formed at a fixed array pitch and a second mask pattern group provided in parallel with the first mask pattern group and having a plurality of elongated second openings formed at the same pitch as the array pitch of the first openings and moving the substrate in a direction crossing the first and second mask pattern groups, applying P polarizations with different incidence angles θ to the first and second mask pattern groups of the photo mask, and alternately forming, on the aligned film, first and second slit alignment regions in different aligned states. |
| US08922746B2 |
Liquid crystal injection device and liquid crystal container thereof
A liquid crystal (LC) injection device is disclosed in the present invention and includes an LC container, a transporting pipe, a filter and an LC extractor. An inner wall of a bottom in the LC container is a concave shape. The transporting pipe is disposed within the LC container and contacted the inner wall of the bottom in the LC container. The present invention also discloses an LC container. The present invention is to increase the utilization efficiency of the LC container, decrease the LCs waste and enhance the accuracy of the measurement of the remaining LC quantity in the LC bottle. |
| US08922745B2 |
Display panel
A display panel including a display region and a sealant region is provided. The display panel includes a first and a second substrate opposite to each other, a dielectric layer, a planarization layer, a display medium and a sealant. The dielectric layer is disposed on the first substrate. The planarization layer is disposed on the dielectric layer, and has at least one opening exposing the dielectric layer. The opening is disposed at a corner of the sealant region, where a width of the opening is gradually reduced as away from the corner. The display medium and the sealant are respectively disposed in the display and the sealant region between the first and the second substrate. The sealant is filled in a part of the opening without covering at least a sidewall of the opening of the planarization layer, and contacts the dielectric layer through the opening. |
| US08922743B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same
Discussed are a liquid crystal display device and a method of fabricating the same in which a single common line is formed at the center of a substrate, which results in an enhanced aperture ratio and transmittance. The liquid crystal display device includes a single common line located at a center of a substrate; a first group of unit pixels located in a right portion of the substrate on the basis of the common line and a second group of unit pixels located in a left portion of the substrate on the basis of the common line, each unit pixel defined by a plurality of gate lines and data lines orthogonally intersecting each other; and a plurality of thin film transistors formed at a right side of the respective unit pixels of the first group and at a left side of the respective unit pixels of the second group. |
| US08922740B2 |
Light efficiency enhancing optical devices
A light efficiency enhancing optical device is disclosed, including a cholesteric liquid crystal film, a quarter wave plate disposed on a light out-going surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal film and an optical compensating film disposed on a light out-going surface of the quarter wave plate, wherein the optical compensating film includes a positive birefringence C-plate, and a composite optical compensating film with combination of the optical compensating film and the quarter wave plate has in-plane phase retardation R0 of 100 nm˜170 nm and out-of-plane phase retardation Rth of 0 nm˜400 nm. |
| US08922739B2 |
Liquid crystal display with particular structure for the pixel electrode and the common electrode
A liquid crystal display includes an upper substrate, a lower substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the upper and lower substrates and including liquid crystal molecules with optical isotropicity, a first polarizer disposed on a surface of the upper substrate, having a first polarization direction, a second polarizer disposed on a surface of the lower substrate, having a second polarization direction, and at least one pixel region defined on the lower substrate. The pixel region includes at least one pixel electrode disposed on the lower substrate, the pixel electrode extending along a first direction in the pixel region and a majority portion of an edge of the pixel electrode substantially being parallel to at least one of the first polarization direction and the second polarization direction. |
| US08922738B2 |
Display device and thin film polarizer used for display device
In a display device which includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; and a thin film polarizer which is directly formed on a surface of the second substrate on a side opposite to the first substrate, the thin film polarizer includes a polarization element film and a protection layer which is laminated to the polarization element film, the polarization element film is made of an aligned lyotropic liquid crystal material, and the protection layer has a refractive index smaller than a refractive index of the polarization element film in a transmission axis direction. The protection layer may have a thickness smaller than a thickness of polarization element film. |
| US08922736B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
An illumination device including a plurality of light source modules. Each of the plurality of light source modules includes a substrate, a plurality of wiring lines provided on the substrate, and a plurality of LED devices implemented in the wiring lines. The plurality of LED devices include a plurality of red LED devices, a plurality of green LED devices, and a plurality of blue LED devices, wherein the plurality of wiring lines include a wiring line having the plurality of red LED devices implemented in series, a wiring line having the plurality of green LED devices implemented in series, and a wiring line having the plurality of blue LED devices implemented in series. The plurality of wiring lines are connected in parallel and are driven by a single power voltage. |
| US08922731B2 |
Backlight module and LCD device comprising backlight module
The invention relates to the field of LCDs, and more particularly to a backlight module and an LCD device comprising the backlight module. The backlight module includes a middle frame, a light guide panel, and a light source; the backlight module further includes a shielding structure which is used for preventing the light of the light source from being directly emitted from the gap between the middle frame and the light guide panel; the shielding structure includes a groove arranged in the middle frame, and a convex lug arranged on the light guide panel; the convex lug is arranged in the groove. Because of the existence of the shielding structure, the light cannot be directly emitted onto the optical film from the gap between the middle frame and the light guide panel; thus, the problem of light leakage is solved; therefore, the bright line and facula cannot be generated on the LCD panel, thereby improving the quality of the LCD device. |
| US08922730B2 |
Display substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor substrate includes a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, a first and a second thin film transistor being electrically connected with a first pixel and a second pixel, respectively. The first and the second pixels are located on a first and a second side with respect to one of the plurality of gate lines, respectively. The first and the second thin film transistors are located on a first and a second side with respect to one of the plurality of data lines, respectively. The one of the plurality of data lines extends substantially perpendicular to the gate line. The one of the plurality of data lines includes line portions between gate lines adjacent to each other and bent portions circumventing the first and second gate electrodes so as not to overlap with the first and second gate electrodes. |
| US08922728B2 |
Liquid crystal display capable of implementing eight-domain division
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display, which includes a plurality of data lines, a plurality of scan lines, and a plurality of pixels respectively disposed at positions where the scan lines and the data lines cross each other. Each of the pixels includes a main pixel and a sub-pixel. The main pixel includes a main thin film transistor. The sub-pixel includes a sub-thin film transistor. A channel width-to-length ratio of the main thin film transistor is different from a channel width-to-length ratio of the sub-thin film transistor. The liquid crystal display of the present invention implements the eight-domain division by adopting difference channel width-to-length ratios of the main pixel and the sub-pixel. |
| US08922727B2 |
Liquid crystal lens device and image display device
According to one embodiment, an image display device includes a liquid crystal lens device and an image display unit. The liquid crystal lens device includes a liquid crystal optical element unit. The liquid crystal optical element unit includes a first substrate unit, a second substrate unit and a liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is provided between the first and second substrate units. The liquid crystal layer has an alignment twisted by an angle not less than 5 degrees and not more than 45 degrees along a normal axis of a major surface of the first substrate unit. The image display unit includes a display unit. The second substrate unit is disposed between the first substrate unit and the display unit. |
| US08922725B2 |
3D image system and 3D glasses
Disclosed are a 3D image system and 3D glasses. The 3D image system includes a liquid crystal display monitor and the 3D glasses. The liquid crystal display monitor includes a backlight module and a ½λ wave plate. The ½λ wave plate converts lights from by the backlight module into linear polarized lights. The 3D glasses includes a first ¼λ wave plate for receiving and converting the linear polarized lights from the ½λ wave plate into circular polarized lights, a second ¼λ wave plate for converting the circular polarized lights from the first ¼λ wave plate into linear polarized lights, and a second ¼λ wave plate for filtering the linear polarized lights from the second ¼λ wave plate and transmitting the filtered lights to left and right eyes correspondingly. The present invention saves the cost and decreases the maintaining expense. |
| US08922724B2 |
Active shutter glasses and three-dimensional image recognition unit
Disclosed are active shutter glasses and a three-dimensional image recognition unit capable of visually recognizing a three-dimensional image with excellent display quality. The active shutter glasses are active shutter glasses for three-dimensional image recognition. The active shutter glasses comprise a right temple, a left temple, a right-eye lens, and a left-eye lens. The right-eye lens and the left-eye lens comprise liquid crystal cells. The right-eye lens and the left-eye lens have an inclination with respect to a state where the right-eye lens and the left-eye lens are arranged on the same plane, and are arranged on a surface orthogonal to a horizontal surface including the top surfaces of the right temple and the left temple. The direction of inclination of the right-eye lens is the direction in which the outer edge of the right-eye lens approaches an observer side at an azimuth angle φ2 in a range of ±45° with respect to an azimuth angle φ1, at which a contrast ratio has a maximum value, at a polar angle θ1 having an angle difference in a range of 2 to 17° from a line normal to the surface of the right-eye lens when not inclined. The direction of inclination of the left-eye lens is the direction in which the outer edge of the left-eye lens approaches the observer side at an azimuth angle φ4 in a range of ±45° with respect to an azimuth angle φ3, at which a contrast ratio has a maximum value, at a polar angle θ2 having an angle difference in a range of 2 to 17° from a line normal to the surface of the left-eye lens when not inclined. |
| US08922723B2 |
Optical device
Disclosed is an optical device which includes: an optical component configured to be electrically actuated such that a light transmission state is variable; a driver circuit for the optical component; a power source unit for driving the optical component; a rim for supporting the optical component; a temple having front and rear ends and connected at the front end to the rim; and an earpiece formed at the rear end of the temple. The power source unit includes a secondary battery, a power switch, a power switch control portion, and a use-status sensing portion for sensing the status of use by a user of the optical device. The power switch control portion performs control to turn off the power switch when the use-status sensing portion does not sense any use by the user of the optical device. |
| US08922720B1 |
Backwards-compatible delivery of digital cinema content with extended dynamic range
A digital cinema signal is encoded to produce a resulting coded digital cinema bitstream. Decoding the resulting coded digital cinema bitstream allows backwards-compatible delivery of digital cinema content. A digital image or video signal is preprocessed to produce two normalized digital image or video signals of differing quality levels and forward and inverse mapping parameters, which relate the normalized digital image or video signals. The preprocessing can be used prior to the encoding of a digital cinema signal to enable backwards-compatible delivery of digital cinema content. |
| US08922718B2 |
Key generation through spatial detection of dynamic objects
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are described that utilizes spatial modeling to represent foreground objects of an event to allow virtual graphics to be integrated into a background of the event in the presence of dynamic objects. The present invention detects a presence of dynamic objects within a region of interest from a video depicting the event. The present invention produces a suppression key corresponding to the dynamic object when present in the video or a suppression key with a default value when and where no dynamic object is present in the video. |
| US08922713B1 |
Audio and video synchronization
Content comprising audio and video may be processed by different processing pipelines, but latencies between these pipelines may differ due to differences in data compression, processing loads, and so forth. The time between entry and exit from the pipeline of a frame is measured to determine pipeline latency. The pipeline latency may be used to shift timing of audio frames, video frames, or both, such that they are synchronized during presentation. |
| US08922709B2 |
Image capturing device
An image capturing device is provided that can effectively suppress moisture penetration into a chamber, caused by cooling a CCD, the image capturing device including the CCD serving as an image capturing element, a chamber that accommodates the CCD at the inside thereof, a Peltier element that is provided inside the chamber and that cools the CCD, a flexible substrate that is provided to be across over an inside and an outside of the chamber and that connects the CCD to an electronic circuit which is outside the chamber, at least both sides of a portion of the flexible substrate, which portion is outside the chamber, being covered with an aluminum foil. |
| US08922707B2 |
Systems and methods for luminance-based scene-change detection for continuous autofocus
Imaging systems with image sensors and image processing circuitry are provided. The image processing circuitry may identify motion and perform autofocus (e.g., continuous autofocus) using images captured by an image sensor. Auto exposure metrics such as average luminance values and autofocus statistics such as sharpness scores may be calculated for each image. The auto exposure metrics may be used to calculate motion scores and identify directional motion between a series of captured images. The motion scores may be used with the sharpness scores to determine when to perform autofocus functions such as when to refocus a lens for a continuous autofocus application. For example, the motion scores may be monitored to identify motion that exceeds a given magnitude and duration. After identification of motion, motion scores and sharpness scores may be used to determine when a given scene has stabilized and when the lens should be refocused. |
| US08922706B2 |
Image system and denoising method therefor
There is provided an image system including at least one image sensor, a light source and a processing unit. The at least one image sensor sequentially acquires at least two images within each of the brightness variation intervals of an ambient light source. The light source lights once within each of the brightness variation intervals and the lighting of the light source is synchronized to one of the images acquired by the at least one image sensor. The processing unit calculates an image difference between the image synchronizing to the lighting of the light source and the image not synchronizing to the lighting of the light source thereby eliminating interference from the ambient light source. There is further provided a denoising method for an image system. |
| US08922705B2 |
Method and apparatus for focusing on subject in digital image processing device
An method and apparatus focus on a subject in a digital image processing device, the apparatus including a digital signal processor (DSP) for focusing on a subject based on an eye detected from a face of a subject having a greater ratio than a predetermined ratio in a picture. |
| US08922699B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus
A zoom lens includes a fixed first lens group having a positive refracting power, a second lens group having a negative refracting power and movable along an optical axis, a fixed third lens group having a positive refracting power, a fourth lens group having a negative refracting power and movable along the optical axis, and a fixed fifth lens group, disposed in order from the object side to the image side. The following expressions are satisfied: 0.5 |
| US08922696B2 |
Portable terminal with rotatable axial flip unit and dual lens arrangement
This portable terminal comprises a main unit having a microphone, a key operation unit, and a radio sending/receiving function of image and sound, a rotation axial unit having a video camera and an operation dial, an image display unit with a touch panel capable of displaying an image taken by the video camera, a received image and a screen for input operation, and a flip unit having the image display unit, a CCD camera, a speaker and an operation button. The rotation axial unit further includes an opening/shutting axis for connecting the main unit and the flip unit in a mutually rotatable way and a rotation axis for connecting the flip unit in a way of rotating the flip unit across the above rotation in the horizontal direction, and when the flip unit is opened and rotated across, it is used as a video camera with a monitor. |
| US08922694B2 |
Image capturing apparatus, method of controlling same and program therefor
An image capturing apparatus for capturing the image of a subject includes: a lock/unlock unit adapted to lock and unlock operation of the image capturing apparatus; a registration unit adapted to register a main item and a sub-item that have been selected by a user, wherein the main item is a main setting item among operation items of the image capturing apparatus and the sub-item is a setting item in a layer lower than that of the main item; and a control unit adapted to limit operation solely to a release operation of the image capturing apparatus and to the main item and sub-item, which have been registered by the registration unit, in a case where operation of the image capturing apparatus has been locked by the lock/unlock unit. |
| US08922692B2 |
Photoelectric conversion apparatus and image pickup system
A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes signal processing units having a plurality of analog-to-digital converters, a first output unit having a plurality of first output terminals and include first output blocks provided in correspondence with the first output terminals, and a second output unit having one or more second output terminals and include second output blocks provided in correspondence with the second output terminals. |
| US08922690B2 |
Image sensor, imaging apparatus and live body imaging apparatus
An image sensor including a pixel unit, the pixel unit including a photodiode, a first color filter and a second color filter each disposed in a different position on a plane above the photodiode, and a first on-chip lens disposed over the first color filter and a second on-chip lens disposed over the second color filter. |
| US08922688B2 |
Hot spot correction in a compressive imaging system
A compressive imaging system for optimizing dynamic range during the acquisition of compressed images. A light modulator modulates incident light with spatial patterns to produced modulated light. A light sensing device generates an electrical signal representing intensity of the modulated light over time. The system amplifies a difference between the electrical signal and an adjustable baseline voltage and captures samples of the amplified signal. The adjustable baseline voltage is set to be approximately equal to the average value of the electrical signal. A compressive imaging system for identifying and correcting hot spot(s) in the incident light field. Search patterns are sent to the light modulator and the corresponding samples of the electrical signal are analyzed. Once the hot spot is located, the light modulating elements corresponding to the hot spot may be turned off or their duty cycle may be reduced. |
| US08922683B2 |
Color imaging element and imaging apparatus
According to an aspect of the present invention, the first filters, which correspond to the two or more first colors that contribute to obtaining a brightness signal more than the second colors, are disposed within each pixel line in first direction to the fourth direction of the color filter arrangement, and it is configured so that the ratio of the number of pixels of the first colors corresponding to the first filters is larger than the ratio of the number of pixels of each color of the second colors corresponding to the second filters of two or more colors other than the first colors. Accordingly, the degree of reproducibility of the synchronization processing in a high-frequency wave area can be increased and the aliasing can be suppressed. |
| US08922682B2 |
Electronic device with an array of daisy chained image sensors and associated methods
An electronic device includes an array of daisy chained image sensors, with each image sensor including a pixel array. A host is coupled to an image sensor at an end of the array and is configured to insert identification codes. The identification codes include embedded data values to thereby indicate specific parts of the image data, and a set of identification codes comprising a first identification code to identify a start of a data stream and a second identification code to identify an end of the data stream. |
| US08922680B2 |
Image processing apparatus and control method for image processing apparatus
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus for detecting, from image data generated by an image sensor constituted by a plurality of pixels, a signal from a defective pixel of the image sensor, including first determination means for obtaining a first determination value indicating a magnitude of a difference in signal level between a pixel of interest and a plurality of pixels located in the neighborhood of the pixel of interest, second determination means for obtaining a second determination value indicating a width of distribution of the difference in signal level between the pixel of interest and the plurality of pixels located in the neighborhood of the pixel of interest, and detection means for detecting whether or not the signal from the pixel of interest is a defective pixel signal, using the first determination value and the second determination value. |
| US08922678B2 |
Electronic apparatus, image capturing apparatus, and method thereof
The present invention discloses an electronic apparatus, an image capturing apparatus and a method thereof. The image capturing method comprises the following steps of: capturing a plurality of temporal images by an image capturing module, and setting one of the temporal images as a base image by a processing module; dividing each temporal image into a plurality of temporal image blocks, and dividing the base image into a plurality of base image blocks by the processing module; determining whether the difference between each temporal image block and the corresponding base image block is lower than a threshold value by the processing module; integrating the temporal image block and the corresponding base image block to generate a final image by the processing module when the difference between the temporal image block and the corresponding base image block is lower than the threshold value. |
| US08922676B2 |
Video frame buffer
A video frame buffer may enable a high resolution image sensor video stream to be transmitted on a standard communication link at a high frame rate. The buffer may include an image stream input for receiving image frames from the image sensor, and a memory for buffering image frames. A frame processor manipulates portions of each image frame before passing the modified image frame to the memory which selectively buffers the frames before outputting the frames to a communication output. The video frame buffer may be implemented in a FPGA along with a DDR SDRAM memory. The communication link may be a USB2 communication link. |
| US08922674B2 |
Method and system for facilitating color balance synchronization between a plurality of video cameras and for obtaining object tracking between two or more video cameras
A method for facilitating color balance synchronization between a plurality of video cameras within a system of video cameras includes detecting an object in a video sequence captured by a video camera in the system, determining an object color histogram for the detected object, updating a camera specific reference color histogram using the determined object color histogram, and determining one or more camera specific color histogram compensation coefficients by comparing the camera specific reference color histogram with a system reference color histogram. A system for facilitating color balance synchronization between a plurality of video cameras includes a video camera being connectable to a network of video cameras. |
| US08922672B2 |
Illumination systems and methods for imagers
The present invention can provide solutions to many common imaging problems, such as, for example, unevenly distributed illumination, shadows, white balance adjustment, colored ambient light and high dynamic range imaging. Imaging systems and methods can be provided through a computer (e.g., laptop or desktop) such that the system or method can take advantage of the computer's processing power to provide functionality that goes beyond typical camera. Such an imaging system may include an imaging device, a camera, a light source and a user interface. |
| US08922670B2 |
Portable hand-held device having stereoscopic image camera
A portable hand-held device is provided having a digital camera and a processor. The digital camera has two image sensors respectively arranged to capture corresponding images of the same scene. The processor image processes the images captured by the image sensors so as to output three dimensional stereoscopic images. The processor has two interfaces for respectively receiving the images captured by the image sensors. |
| US08922665B2 |
Rapidly initializing and dynamically adjusting media streams
A device may generate a media stream to be shared with other users by building a media graph, comprising a series of interconnected processing units that perform various processing tasks. However, the time involved in generating the media graph may delay the initialization of the media stream, and adjusting properties of the media stream (such as resolution or codec) may result in an interruption of the media stream while a new media graph is built. Instead, a media graph cache may be provided to cache a set of media graphs, which may be interchangeably selected for rapid initialization and adjusting of media stream properties. The media component (e.g., a video camera) may also be configured to promote rapid adjustments to some media stream properties, while maintaining other properties (e.g., field of view and white balance) for a smooth transition between media stream property sets. |
| US08922664B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes a geometric converter configured to perform a geometric conversion process to a first frame image among frame images that are sequentially generated through imaging, based on motion information obtained by using a motion detector sensor, a motion vector detector configured to detect a motion vector between a geometric conversion image obtained through the geometric conversion process and a second frame image that has not undergone the geometric conversion process, an image stabilization parameter calculator configured to calculate an image stabilization parameter for different motions by using the motion information and the motion vector, and a stabilized image generator configured to generate a stabilized image through a deformation process to the second frame image or a frame image generated subsequent to the second frame image by utilizing the image stabilization parameter. |
| US08922663B2 |
Method and apparatus to correct digital image blur due to motion of subject or imaging device
Signal processing techniques are applied to digital image data to remove the distortion caused by motion of the camera, or the movement of the subject being photographed, or defective optics, or optical distortion from other sources. When the image is captured, the effect of relative motion between the camera and the subject is that it transforms the true image into a blurred image according to a 2-dimensional transfer function. The 2-dimensional transfer function representing the motion is derived using blind estimation techniques or by using information from sensors that detect the motion. The transfer function is inverted and used to define a corrective filter. The filter is applied to the image and the blur due to the motion is removed, restoring the correct image. Another embodiment uses the transfer function to avoid blur by combining multiple consecutive images taken at a fast shutter speed. |
| US08922660B2 |
Image pickup apparatus with synchronization processes
An image pickup apparatus includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, a first light path changing unit, and a second light path changing unit, wherein the first light path changing unit is movable from a first state, in which a light flux from the light emitting unit is guided toward a front direction of the image pickup apparatus, into a second state in which a light flux from the light emitting unit is guided toward a front direction and a side direction of the image pickup apparatus, and wherein the second light path changing unit is movable from a first state, in which a light flux from a front direction of the image pickup apparatus is guided to the light receiving unit, into a second state in which light fluxes from a front direction and a side direction. |
| US08922659B2 |
Dynamically reconfigurable intelligent video surveillance system
A dynamically reconfigurable video surveillance system includes at least one video camera, a remote server, at least one viewing terminal, means making it possible to record the video sequences captured by the camera or cameras, said system being characterized in that: the video camera or cameras and the remote server include means for communicating with one another across a telecommunications network; the video camera or cameras include means for compressing the video sequences captured, the compression rate being adapted dynamically by taking account of the control messages originating from the remote server; the video camera or cameras include means for analyzing said video sequences in the compressed domain, to characterize the activity detected in their field of vision and to forward the result of this characterization to the remote server; the remote server include means for computing for each of the compressed video streams originating from the video camera or cameras a command making it possible to parametrize each of them by taking account of the signaling data received. |
| US08922654B2 |
Algorithm for adaptive downsampling to an irregular grid
A method of adaptive downsampling includes the steps of: (a) receiving input data having a first spatial resolution and a first grid spacing; (b) resampling the input data using an automatically adjustable kernel; and (c) providing output data having a second spatial resolution and a second grid spacing. The second spatial resolution, advantageously, is substantially constant across the second grid spacing. The input data may include image data, and the output data may include resampled, or downsampled image data. The image data may be images of the Earth at a first spatial resolution and a first grid spacing; the output data may be resampled data of the images of the Earth at a second spatial resolution and a second grid spacing. |
| US08922647B2 |
Projection aided feature measurement using uncalibrated camera
A method of measuring a feature of an article may include projecting a scale template onto the article at a predetermined size. The method may additionally include projecting a measurement pattern onto the article. An image containing the feature, the scale template, and the measurement pattern may be recorded by the camera. The method may further include determining a scale factor of the image based on the scale template, and determining a size and/or a location of the feature based upon the measurement pattern and the image scale factor. |
| US08922640B2 |
System and method for automated optical inspection of industrial gas turbines and other power generation machinery with articulated multi-axis inspection scope
Internal components of power generation machinery, such as gas and steam turbines are inspected with an optical camera inspection system that is capable of automatically positioning the camera field of view (FOV) to an area of interest within the machinery along a pre-designated navigation path and capturing images without human intervention. Automatic camera positioning and image capture can be initiated automatically or after receipt of operator permission. The pre-designated navigation path can be defined by operator manual positioning of an inspection scope within the power machine or a similar one of the same type and recording of positioning steps for future replication. The navigation path can also be defined by virtual simulation. The inspection system includes an articulated multi-axis inspection scope. |
| US08922637B2 |
Sample-image acquisition apparatus, sample-image acquisition method and sample-image acquisition program
A sample-image acquisition apparatus includes: an image taking device; a movement control section; and a sample-image acquisition section. |
| US08922632B2 |
Guide system having function of real-time voice response for the visually impaired and method thereof
The present invention is directed to a guide system having a function of a real-time voice response for the visually impaired and a method thereof. The guide system responds road conditions in real time using two processing modules performing image processing and voice responses, respectively. The guide system includes an visual sensing module sensing an image, a memory storing multiple training samples and multiple pieces of audio response information, an image processing module performing an image detection process to the image so as to create at least a segmented image, performing an object detection process to the segmented image, and performing an object recognition process so as to create a recognition signal, a system processing module creating an audio signal based on the recognition signal such that a speech voice is hearable by a user. |
| US08922628B2 |
System and process for transforming two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images
A system and process is provided for the conversion of a stream of two-dimensional images into a pair of streams of images for providing the perception of a stream of three-dimensional images. Each complimentary image in the image stream undergoes the application of a selection and remapping process to independently alter portions of the image, so that the remappings shift the image elements in a manner which produces a stereo depth effect when the images are viewed through the appropriate viewing device. |
| US08922627B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method and imaging device
An image processing device includes an input unit that receives a first image and a second image that are taken from different positions. A first cutting unit cuts a first block from the first image. A second cutting unit moves a second block by P pixels in a row direction, in a moving limit set in a processing area of the second image, and cuts the second block from the second image. A correlation value calculating unit calculates a correlation value between the first and second blocks. A deviation amount calculating unit calculates an amount of deviation between the first and second images based on a largest value of the correlation value. The setting unit narrows the moving limit based on the correlation value calculated in the N-th row when the amount of deviation is calculated in the (N+1)-th row of the first image. |
| US08922626B2 |
Stereo camera apparatus and method of obtaining image
A stereo camera apparatus for obtaining distance information of an object includes a camera unit that includes a left image sensor and a right image sensor respectively obtaining a left-side image and a right-side image, each being composed of a frame including plural pixels of plural rows and plural columns, the left image sensor and the right image sensor sequentially exposing the pixels of the rows from upper to lower in the frames, respectively; a shift amount detection unit that detects a relative positional shift amount in the vertical direction between a left-side image and a right-side image; and a timing control unit that changes the starting time of exposing the frame by the left image sensor or by the right image sensor based on the positional shift amount in the vertical direction detected by the shift amount detection unit. |
| US08922621B2 |
Method of recording three-dimensional image data
A method of storing 3D image data in a recording medium includes: loading, in a predetermined file type field, image type information indicating either one of a single stereoscopic image or a compound image including a monoscopic image and a stereoscopic image; loading, in a predetermined image configuration information container field, scene descriptor information indicating temporal and spatial relations between a plurality of media objects included in the three-dimensional image, object configuration information indicating attributes of each media object of said plurality of media objects and a configuration relation between encoded streams of the plurality of media objects, configuration information of the encoded streams; loading in an image data container field media data of an image to be stored; and loading, in a meta container field, metadata including information for playing the 3D image data. |
| US08922614B2 |
Light scanning unit and image forming apparatus including the same
A light scanning unit and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus are provided. The light scanning unit includes a light source emitting the light beams according to an image signal, an incident optical system including a flux-limiting element limiting the flux of light beams emitted by the light source, an optical deflector deflecting the light beams emitted by the light source in a main scanning direction, and an image forming optical system including a scanning optical element imaging the light beams deflected by the optical deflector on a scanning target surface, the light scanning unit forming an electrostatic latent image by scanning the light beams to the scanning target surface of the image bearing member. The scanning optical element of the scanning optical elements of the image forming optical system is eccentrically arranged from a central optical axis of the image forming optical system in a sub-scanning direction. |
| US08922613B2 |
Light beam scanning device that performs high-accuracy light amount control, method of controlling the device, storage medium, and image forming apparatus
A light beam scanning device which is capable of performing high-accuracy light amount control without complicated control even when the device includes a laser diode having non-linear I-L characteristics. Gain circuits set the amount of light to be emitted from the laser diode. A PD circuit board detects the amount of the emitted light. A laser controller controls the amount of the emitted light by adjusting drive current applied to the laser diode based on a detection output from the PD circuit board. A CPU corrects data for correcting the drive current. The CPU decides a light amount correction range for correcting the light amount based on the correction data, calculates the slope of the I-L characteristics in the light amount correction range based on light amounts at two points within the light amount correction range and drive currents associated with the respective light amounts, and corrects the correction data using the calculated slope. |
| US08922610B2 |
Thermal head and thermal printer provided with same
A thermal head and a thermal printer are disclosed. The head includes a substrate, heat generating members, an edge portion, and first and second reinforcing members. The substrate includes: first and second surfaces opposing to each other; and an end face connecting the first and second surfaces. The heat generating members are parallel to the end face and located on the substrate. The edge portion is located on the substrate, crosses an array direction of the heating generating members, and includes first, second and third edge portions on the first main surface, the second main surface and the first end face, respectively. The first reinforcing member is located on the first, second and third edge portions. The second reinforcing member is located on the first edge portion, and separated from the first reinforcing member. |
| US08922609B2 |
Method for color erasing process and color erasing device
According to an embodiment, a method for color erasing process includes the steps of: supplying a power to a heat source configured to heat a sheet having an image formed thereon using a color erasable material so as to cause heat generation as warming-up control; stopping the power supply to the heat source for a predetermined period of time in the warming-up control if the temperature of the heat source is increased starting from a temperature lower than a predetermined reference value that is lower than a color erasing temperature of the color erasable material and exceeds the predetermined reference value; performing maintenance control that is power supply control to maintain the temperature of the heat source at the target temperature; and performing, after the passage of the predetermined period of time, a color erasing process by the heat source. |
| US08922603B2 |
Multi-primary color display device
A multi-primary color display device is capable of handling an increased number of primary colors for color image display with a reduced number of external parts, with reduced increase in the amount of drive circuit and reduced increase in operating speed. An active matrix liquid crystal panel includes a display section constituted by pixel formation portions, each made of four sub pixel-formation portions which handle four primary colors. These four sub pixel-formation portions are arranged in a 2×2 matrix pattern. With such a pixel configuration, a source driver drives as many as M source lines, which is two times the number M of pixels arranged in a horizontal direction. A gate driver is formed on the liquid crystal panel integrally with pixel circuit in the display section, and drives as many as N gate lines, which is two times the number N of the pixels arranged in a vertical direction. |
| US08922601B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus and method of driving the same
Embodiments may be directed to a liquid crystal display apparatus, including a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel, wherein the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel of a same pixel receive a same data signal and gate signal, wherein the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel include a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode, respectively, and wherein the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode have a first voltage difference at least during a light-emitting period, when a backlight unit emits light. |
| US08922599B2 |
Organic light emitting diode based display aging monitoring
A multiple pixel display driving system and method. A display generator displays a plurality of images on a multiple pixel display. An aging monitor determines values of total electrical current consumed by the multiple pixel display while displaying the images, and determines electrical current value differences between baseline electrical currents total electrical currents associated with a test pattern image. A plurality of pixel aging characterization values indicating decreases in electrical current consumed by a pixels of the display is determined, and a display aging compensation matrix representing values by which pixel intensity values are to be compensated is determined based on the pixel aging characterization values. |
| US08922598B2 |
Display device
A display device includes: a transmission-type display member having a display area that is sequentially scanned; and an illumination member that is arranged on a rear face of the display member and includes a plurality of illumination units that are arranged so as to be aligned in a direction from one end portion side toward the other end portion side along a direction in which the display area is sequentially scanned. The illumination unit is in a light emitting state over a predetermined light emitting period after sequential scanning of display units formed from a portion of the display area, which corresponds to the illumination unit, is completed, and the illumination units are sequentially scanned from one end portion side to the other end portion side in accordance with the sequential scanning of the display area. |
| US08922595B2 |
Degradation compensation unit, light-emitting apparatus including the same, and method of compensating for degradation of light-emitting apparatus
A degradation compensation unit including a first operation unit receiving downscaled gray data of each pixel for one frame at set or predetermined intervals and calculating a degradation time of each pixel corresponding to the downscaled gray data; an accumulation operation unit receiving the degradation time of each pixel from the first operation unit and calculating an accumulated degradation time of each pixel by accumulating the degradation time of each pixel; a weight calculation unit receiving the accumulated degradation time of each pixel from the accumulation operation unit and calculating a degradation compensation weight for each pixel based on the accumulated degradation time of each pixel; and a second operation unit producing compensated gray data for each pixel corresponding to the degradation compensation weight for each pixel, which is received from the weight calculation unit, and providing the compensated gray data for each pixel to a data driver. |
| US08922592B2 |
Map display device, map display method, map display program, and computer-readable recording medium
A map display apparatus includes a display that displays a map viewed at a given angle for bird's eye view with respect to the ground; a touch panel that is disposed on the display; a determining unit that determines strength of touch of an object on the touch panel; a display controller that controls a display format of the map displayed on the display, based on a result of determination by the determining unit, where the display controller scrolls the map when the strength of touch is at most a given strength, and changes the angle for bird's eye view when the strength of touch exceeds the given strength. |
| US08922591B2 |
Holographic display
A system and method for generating a simulated three-dimensional object is disclosed. An initial image of a three-dimensional object is generated at an initial reference position on X, Y and Z axes. A number of displacement images of the object is generated at each of a number of angular offsets about one or more of the X, Y, or Z axes. Each of the displacement images are displayed on an electronic display in a sequence according to a direction around one or more of the X, Y, or Z axes. The electronic display is then rotated around the one or more of the X, Y, or Z axes at a speed synchronized to the spaced angles of displacement of the plurality of images. |
| US08922590B1 |
Augmented reality interface and method of use
A system for providing an augmented reality interface comprising a head mounted display having a wireless data interface, a camera and a display, the head mounted display configured to receive user interface data and to generate a user interface using the display and to receive image data from the camera and to transmit the image data over the wireless data interface to a wireless network. A wireless device configured to generate the wireless network, to transmit the user interface data to the head mounted display, to receive the image data from the head mounted display and to generate modified user interface data as a function of the image data. |
| US08922589B2 |
Augmented reality apparatus
An embodiment of the invention relates to an apparatus and related methods for providing a person with an augmented reality, the apparatus comprising: a projector that projects light that generates an augmenting visual image (AVI); optics that directs to a camera a portion of the projected light and a portion of light arriving from a scene so that a combined image comprising an image of the scene and the AVI are generated in a photosensor in the camera; and a controller that processes the combined image to compare positions of homologous features in the image of the scene with positions of corresponding location markers in the AVI, and renders an adjusted AVI based on the comparison, so that the location markers and the corresponding homologous features are substantially coincident in the combined image. |
| US08922581B2 |
Data processing device, display system including the same and method of processing data
A data processing device includes a receiving module, a rendering module and a color compensation module. The rendering module receives image data from the receiving module and renders the image data into first, second, third and fourth sub-pixel data based on a layout of a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, a third sub-pixel and a fourth sub-pixel and the color compensation module compensates for a color of the first, second and third sub-pixel data. The color compensation module converts the first, second and third sub-pixel data into first, second and third intermediate data, respectively, adds first, second and third delta values, which are determined based on the fourth sub-pixel data, to the first, second and third intermediate data, and thereby generates first, second and third compensation data. |
| US08922580B2 |
Method and system to modify a color lookup table
Modifying a color lookup table includes receiving a first image, a first color lookup table (CLUT) indexed in a first image color space, and a second CLUT indexed in a colorimetric space. Tracer pixels from the second CLUT are generated and retained, each tracer pixel including color coordinates of a corresponding unique node in the first CLUT. Tracer pixels are inserted into the first image, and tracer pixels are tracked. Color adjustments are made using image editing software to generate an adjusted combined image having adjusted tracer pixels. The adjusted tracer pixels are extracted. The second CLUT is converted to a third CLUT having a size N1×N2×N3×N4 by replacing each of the output-device color coordinates of the second CLUT nodes by modified device color coordinates computed from the adjusted color coordinates of the adjusted tracer pixels. |
| US08922579B2 |
Deterministic visual indication of user data context
A VCI (visual context indicator) color is assigned deterministically and proactively at runtime to user data contexts, and is not stored in the database, spreadsheet, or other context. VCI colors can be high contrast friendly colors. The same color is assigned to a given context each time the application runs unless the context's identifying property has changed. Color assignments are not made by users or by the application's designer, but are done instead by hashing from a context's identifying property into a VCI color palette containing, e.g., eight to sixteen colors. Unlike text-selection coloring, VCI coloring is based on the user data context's identifying property. The color assignment visually indicates context by displaying the context's name in the VCI color, or by displaying a graphical element in the VCI color near the context name. VCI color assignment also shows the occurrence and result of changes in user data context. |
| US08922578B2 |
Embedding ARGB data in a RGB stream
Methods and systems are provided for merging a plurality of video inputs resulting in a single coherent output. More specifically, in one exemplary embodiment, a device embeds alpha red green blue (ARGB) data in an RGB stream which allows for preservation of the alpha channel over the video interface link. |
| US08922574B2 |
Method and apparatus for driving liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprises an image signal processing unit that selectively compensates a current frame upon determining that it is part of a sequence of changing images as opposed to a sequence of still images. The image signal processing device comprises an encoding/decoding unit that generates comparison frame decoding data by encoding and decoding comparison frame data, generates reference frame decoding data by encoding and decoding reference frame data, and a determining unit that sets a comparison range based on effective bits in the comparison frame decoding data and effective bits in the reference frame decoding data, and compares the comparison frame decoding data and the reference frame decoding data within the comparison range. |
| US08922572B2 |
Occlusion queries in graphics processing
The fragment processing pipeline 10 of a graphics processing core 2 has an associated occlusion query cache 19 that is used to maintain a set of local occlusion counters 21. The occlusion query cache 19 is maintained in a local memory 3 of the graphics processing system and can communicate via an interconnect 7 with a set of master occlusion counters 22 in a main memory 5 for the graphics processing system. When an occlusion query starts, a corresponding occlusion counter 22 is initialised in the main memory 5. A corresponding local occlusion counter 21 is also provided in the occlusion query cache 19 in the local memory 3 of the graphics processor, and is used to count the results of the occlusion query. The local occlusion counter value is written back to the occlusion counter 22 for the query in the main memory 5 at the appropriate time for further processing. |
| US08922569B1 |
Cloud based system for and method of translating between disparate 3D graphics languages in client-server computing environments
A client-server computing system includes a server with a virtual display driver that marshals and transmits graphics application programming interface (API) functions to a client via a network. The virtual display driver includes a translation module that classifies graphics commands according to graphics library type and, if necessary, translates commands from one type to another such that the original command can be executed on the client. The translation module enables the server and the client to utilize different types of graphics libraries, such as the Direct3D API and the OpenGL API. |
| US08922568B2 |
Switching between dedicated function hardware and use of a software routine to generate result data
An apparatus for processing data 2 is provided including processing circuitry 24 controlled by an instruction decoder 20 in response to a stream of program instructions. There is also provided dedicated function hardware 12 configured to receive output data from the processing circuitry and to perform a dedicated processing operation. The instruction decoder 20 is responsive to an end instruction 54 and a software processing flag (blend_shade_enabled) to control the processing circuitry to end a current software routine, to generate output data and in dependence upon the software processing flag either trigger processing of the output data by the dedicated function hardware or trigger the processing circuitry to perform a further software routine upon the output data to generate software generated result data instead of hardware generated result data as generated by the dedicated hardware circuitry. |
| US08922563B2 |
Digital numeric display with adaptive character width
A technique is disclosed for dynamically adjusting dimensions of characters, such as digits, displayed on a configurable display, such as in a human-machine interface. The height of the characters is fixed and the width is altered depending upon the number of characters to be displayed, resulting in changing aspect ratios for the characters. The width may be set to a predetermined maximum character width if all characters to be displayed will fit within the available space, or the width may be reduced to accommodate more characters. The technique may take into account cushion spaces for borders or frames, as well as spaces between characters. The resulting display allows for a change in the number of significant digits in a displayed numeral, while maintaining excellent readability. |
| US08922562B2 |
Meteorology and oceanography geospatial analysis toolset
System and method for providing access to ArcMap netCDF utilities and adding support for observational data to ArcMap including, but not limited to, comparing observational data to model data in a graphical manner, and maintaining the security classifications for each layer in ArcMap so that the highest security classification of the data being viewed is known at all times. |
| US08922561B2 |
Data processing device, data processing system, and data processing method for identifying data from both licensed and unlicensed devices
The data processing device includes an acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of pieces of the same category of bio-information about the same person. The bio-information is measured with both a licensed first device and an unlicensed second device. A judgment unit judges whether each acquired piece of bio-information acquired in the previous acquisition was measured by the first device or the second device. A display processing unit displays with different display modes on the same screen, a first data group of a plurality of pieces of bio-information judged to have been measured with the first device and a second data group of a plurality of pieces of bio-information judged to have been measured with the second device. The data processing device identifies data when data from both licensed and unlicensed devices coexist. |
| US08922559B2 |
Graph clustering
Various embodiments provide techniques for graph clustering. In one or more embodiments, a participation graph is obtained that represents relationships between entities. An auxiliary graph is constructed based on the participation graph. The auxiliary graph may be constructed such that the auxiliary graph is less dense than the participation graph and is therefore computationally less complex to analyze. Clusters in the auxiliary graph are determined by solving an objective function defined for the auxiliary graph. Clusters determined for the auxiliary graph may then be utilized to ascertain clusters in the participation graph that solve a related objective function defined for the participation graph. |
| US08922557B2 |
Creating a three dimensional user interface
Creating a three dimensional user interface. The interface comprising a three dimensional user interface control set in a scene in the interface, wherein the three dimensional user interface control comprises shading based on a virtual light source, a virtual camera, and based on a virtual depth of the three dimensional user interface control relative to the scene, wherein the three dimensional user interface control is a control for triggering an event. The interface further comprising a detector to detect a change in position of the device relative to the virtual light source and the virtual camera. The interface further comprising a rendering module to render the three dimensional user interface control and the scene in a new perspective with a change in the three dimensional effects based on the change in position of the device relative to the virtual light source and the virtual camera. |
| US08922556B2 |
Line space gathering for single scattering in large scenes
A light gathering process may reduce the computational resources and storage required to render a scene with a participating homogeneous media. According to some implementations, Efficiency may be obtained by evaluating the final radiance along a viewing ray directly from the lighting rays passing near to it, and by rapidly identifying such lighting rays in the scene. To facilitate a search for nearby lighting rays, the lighting rays and viewing rays may be represented as a 6D point and a plane according to the corresponding Plucker coordinates and coefficients, respectively. |
| US08922553B1 |
Interactive region-based linear 3D face models
An improved modeling system and associated techniques are described herein. In various embodiments, a modeling system generates a spatially local PCA model where the parts are connected with continuity constraints (e.g., soft constraints) in the boundaries. Experimental results on 3D face modeling show that the spatially local PCA model generalizes better than a holistic model. Moreover, the modeling system smoothly varies local control points for face posing in animation. |
| US08922552B2 |
Image processing method for automatic adaptation of 3-D deformable model onto a substantially tubular surface of a 3-D object
An image processing method, comprising acquiring an image of a 3-D tubular object of interest to segment; computing a 3-D path that corresponds to the centerline of the tubular object and defining segments on said 3-D path; creating an initial straight deformable cylindrical mesh model, of any kind of mesh, with a length defined along its longitudinal axis equal to the length of the 3-D path; dividing this initial mesh model into segments of length related to the different segments of the 3-D path; computing, for each segment of the mesh, a rigid-body transformation that transforms the initial direction of the mesh into the direction of the related segment of the 3-D path, and applying this transformation to the vertices of the mesh corresponding to that segment. The method comprises avoiding self-intersections in the bent regions of the tubular deformable mesh model and sharp radius changes from one segment of the mesh model to the other, by adapting or modulating the radius of the cylindrical deformable mesh model according to the local curvature of the 3-D path, sample distance of the path points and a predefined input radius. |
| US08922551B2 |
Method and system for facilitating control of an industrial system
A method for displaying a two-dimensional image in a three-dimensional view. The two-dimensional image is formed by a plurality of objects representing elements of an industrial system. The three-dimensional view is displayed on a display of a control system of the industrial system, wherein at least one object is associated with a parameter value pertaining to a state of a corresponding element in the industrial system. The method includes determining the parameter value for the object; mapping the parameter value to a depth layer, which depth layer defines part of the three-dimensional view; and displaying the object in the depth layer. A corresponding control system is also presented herein. |
| US08922550B2 |
System and method for constructing a bounding volume hierarchical structure
A system and method for constructing a bounding volume hierarchical structure are disclosed. The method includes defining a parent node for the bounding volume hierarchical structure, the parent node including a parent node bounding volume enclosing a plurality of objects. A first cost is computed for performing an object partition of the parent node bounding volume to produce a first plurality of child node bounding volumes, and a second cost is also computed for performing a spatial partitioning of the parent node bounding volume to produce a second plurality of child node bounding volumes. The bounding volume hierarchical structure is constructed employing the second plurality of child node bounding volumes produced from the spatial partitioning of the parent node bounding volume if the second cost is lower than the first cost. |
| US08922548B2 |
System and method of pointillist painting design
A method of generating a textured pointillist painting design comprises receiving a digital image file including a specification of a plurality of pixels representative of a digital image, the pixels each including a color definition, creating an ordered list of color definitions of the plurality of pixels in the digital image file, for each color definition in the ordered list determining a set of design parameters including: a dot size, a dot shape, a dot exclusion zone size, and a dot distribution scheme, for each color definition, determining a placement of a plurality of dots according to the pixels and color definitions in the digital image file and the set of design parameters, generating a dot list specifying the placement and design parameters of the plurality of dots representative of the digital image, and rendering on a display a facsimile image in response to the dot list. |
| US08922543B2 |
PWM voltage regulator circuit, regulating method using the same, and liquid crystal display device
The invention discloses a PWM voltage regulator circuit, a regulating method using the same, and a liquid crystal display comprising the same. The PWM voltage regulator circuit comprises a PWM voltage regulating module, a feedback module connected with the PWM voltage regulating module, and a control module connected with the feedback module. The control module comprises a programmable image processing chip; and the programmable image processing chip comprises at least one memory bank (bank) and an access circuit. A feedback comparing reference voltage data of the PWM voltage regulating module is stored in a memory bank (bank), and the memory bank (bank) is connected with the feedback module by the access circuit. The invention can quickly regulate a PWM chip output voltage, increase IC generality, and reduce the product cost. |
| US08922541B2 |
Method of driving display device
A method of driving a display device including pixels in a matrix and a power source, each pixel including a light-emitting element, drive transistor, capacitance element, and switching transistor, and connected to the power source by a power line, the method including: setting a voltage across the light-emitting element smaller than or equal to its threshold voltage by adjusting a voltage outputted by the power source to the power line; (a) applying, to a gate of the drive transistor, a reset voltage with which the gate-source voltage of the drive transistor becomes larger than its threshold voltage; (c) causing a data voltage to be held in the capacitive element; and (d) causing the light-emitting element to emit light according to the data voltage by setting the voltage across the light-emitting element larger than its threshold voltage by adjusting the voltage outputted by the power source to the power line. |
| US08922540B2 |
Output circuit, data driver, and display device
An output circuit is capable of supporting a high-speed operation, suppressing power consumption, and controlling its area. The output circuit has a differential input stage, an output amplification stage, and an amplification boost circuit, in which the amplification boost circuit has a differential pair of a second conductivity type and load element pair, and includes a first current source circuit for controlling current supply to an input node of a second current mirror circuit of the differential input stage and boost the charging operation of the output amplification stage according to a voltage difference between input and output voltages, and a second current source circuit for controlling current supply to an output node of a first current mirror circuit of the differential input stage and boost the discharging operation of the output amplification stage. |
| US08922539B2 |
Display device and clock embedding method
An image display device employs an interface protocol wherein integrated image plus control data is transmitted from a signal controller circuit to each of a plurality of master data driving circuits. The integrated image plus control data includes display control data as well as image-defining data. The signal controller circuit determines which of a plurality of data driving circuits is to function as a master data driving chip and which as a slave data driving chip. The signal controller circuit directly transmits respective integrated image plus control data signals to corresponding ones of the master data driving chips. Each master data driving chip then forwards part of the received integrated image plus control signal to its corresponding slave data driving chip. |
| US08922537B2 |
Method for driving liquid crystal display device
The liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate provided with a terminal portion, a switching transistor, a driver circuit portion, and a pixel circuit portion including a pixel transistor and a plurality of pixels, a second substrate provided with a common electrode electrically connected to the terminal portion through the switching transistor, and liquid crystal between a pixel electrode and the common electrode. In a period during which a still image is switched to a moving image, the following steps are sequentially performed: a first step of supplying the common potential to the common electrode; a second step of supplying a power supply voltage to the driver circuit portion; a third step of supplying a clock signal to the driver circuit portion; and a fourth step of supplying a start pulse signal to the driver circuit portion. |
| US08922535B2 |
Timing controller, source driver, display driving circuit, and display driving method
A timing controller is provided. The timing controller includes a timing control circuit, a first scrambler and a second scrambler. The timing control circuit provides first source driving data and second source driving data. The first scrambler scrambles the first source driving data according to a first random number to generate first scrambled data. The second scrambler scrambles the second driving source data according to a second random number to generate second scrambled data. The second random number is different from the first random number. |
| US08922534B2 |
System for display images and fabrication method thereof
A system for displaying images including a display panel and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The method includes forming a first gate line and a second gate line at each row of pixels of the display panel, wherein the first gate lines and the second gate lines are separated and electrically isolated from each other. A first insulating layer is formed to cover the first gate lines and the second gate lines, and a plurality of via holes are formed in the first insulating layer to expose the first gate lines and the second gate lines. Then, a first conductive pattern is formed on the first insulating layer, such that the first gate line at each row of the pixels is electrically connected to the second gate line at an adjacent row of the pixels, by the first conductive pattern, through the via holes. |
| US08922529B2 |
Touch sensor system using touch point vibration
A touch sensor system using vibration at touch point is provided, which includes a first sensor bar having a piezoelectric grid formed on a side surface thereof, a second sensor unit having a piezoelectric grid formed on a side surface thereof, and connected at one end to an end of the first sensor bar in a perpendicular relation, a signal processing unit connected to the first and second sensor units to receive an electric signal, and a touch point calculating unit which calculates a location of touch with respect to a screen through which the touch is inputted, based on the electric signal received at the signal processing unit. |
| US08922525B2 |
Touch-controlled electronic device and method for reducing wireless signal interference to touch sensing function
A touch-controlled electronic device with a wireless communication function and a method for reducing wireless signal interference to a touch sensing function are disclosed. The electronic device includes a wireless communication module, a touch sensing module and a synchronous signal interface. By the synchronous signal interface, a synchronous signal is transmitted between the wireless communication module and the touch sensing module and, accordingly, the transmission of the wireless signal is staggered from the timing that receiver electrodes of the touch sensing module receive sensed signals. Thus, wireless signal interference to the touch sensing function of the touch sensing module is suppressed. |
| US08922523B2 |
Embedded force measurement
Disclosed embodiments relate to a force detection system that detects force exerted on a flexible display based upon changes in resistance and/or capacitance. In one embodiment, a method includes measuring a baseline comprising a baseline resistance or a baseline capacitance or both of a force measurement layer disposed within or overlaid on the display panel. The method further includes detecting a change in the baseline resistance or the baseline capacitance or both and calculating a change location where the change in the baseline resistance or the baseline capacitance or both occurred. The method also includes calculating a magnitude of the change in the baseline resistance or the baseline capacitance or both. |
| US08922521B2 |
Switching circuitry for touch sensitive display
A circuit for switching an LCD between display and touch modes is disclosed. The circuit can include one or more switches configured to switch one or more drive, sense, and data lines in LCD pixels according to the mode. During touch mode, the circuit switches can be configured to switch one or more drive lines to receive stimulation signals, one or more sense lines to transmit touch signals, and one or more data lines to transmit residual data signals. During display mode, the circuit switches can be configured to switch one or more drive lines and sense lines to receive common voltage signals and one or more data lines to receive data signals. The circuit can be formed around the border of the LCD chip or partially or fully on a separate chip. |
| US08922518B2 |
Mobile terminal having touch screen and function controlling method of the same
A method for providing a graphical user interface on a display of a device includes: displaying a photograph image on the display of the device; receiving a touch input made on the display; superimposedly displaying a plurality of control guides at a location corresponding to the touch input over the displayed photograph image in response to the touch input; receiving a drag input corresponding to one of the plurality of control guides displayed on the display; removing the plurality of control guides in response to receiving the drag input; determining a drag characteristic value of the drag; adjusting a display characteristic of the photograph image corresponding to the one of the plurality of control guides based on the drag characteristic value; and displaying the photograph image having the adjusted display characteristic on the display. |
| US08922517B2 |
Method for detecting touch spot of touch panel
A method for detecting touch spots of a touch panel. In the detecting process, a pulse signal is input into each of a plurality of first driving-sensing electrodes, thereby simulating an R1nC curve for computing a coordinate of the touch spots, at the high impedance direction. A pulse signal is input into each of a plurality of second driving-sensing electrodes, thereby simulating an R2nC curve. The coordinate of the touch spots, at a low impedance direction can be computed by the R1nC curve and the R2nC curve. |
| US08922515B2 |
System and method for real-time adaptation of a GUI application for left-hand users
A method for the adaptation of a graphic user interface (GUI) designed for right-hand users, for the use of left-hand users, comprises the steps of: a) for the application running on a tablet, identifying the controls that make a difference from the perspective of right/left handed users; b) suggesting new coordinates for these controls; and c) changing the coordinates of said controls to adopt the content to the left/right handed users. |
| US08922513B2 |
Multi-monitor system and multi-monitor controlling method
An exemplary multi-monitor method includes controlling a first position determining unit and a second position determining unit of a corresponding monitor to emit signals. Then, the method determines which of the first position determining unit and the second position determining unit of the corresponding monitor has received the signal. The method next determines the position of the corresponding monitor among all of the monitors, and determines a new coordinate range of the corresponding monitor in the Cartesian coordinate system. Then the method determines which point has been touched in response to a user touch on the touch unit, and determines the new set of coordinates in the Cartesian coordinate system corresponding to the touched point. Next, the method determines one or more touched monitors, and controls the determined one or more touched monitors to execute the corresponding operation. |
| US08922509B2 |
Operation of an electronic device with multiple display screens
An electronic device according to the present invention includes: display screens capable of displaying information thereon; touch panels which are provided on these display screens and are adapted to be manipulated by a user; touch-panel determination portions which are electrically connected to the touch panels and are adapted to receive coordinate information from the touch panels due to user's manipulations thereof; and a controller which is electrically connected to the display screens and to the touch-panel determination portions, and is adapted to cause the display screens to display information thereon and to receive signals inputted thereto from the touch-panel determination portions, wherein the controller includes a displayer, which is adapted to cause the display screens to display information thereon, and when the touch-panel determination portions receive coordinate information, to display information about a peripheral area including the coordinates thereon, at a position different from that of these coordinates. |
| US08922508B2 |
Media player using a multidimensional grid interface
An apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, a method may obtain metadata associated with corresponding values of a first characteristic and a second characteristic of a plurality of content elements. A display including a plurality of display elements may be generated, and the content elements may be assigned to corresponding ones of the display elements, based on a comparison between first and second characteristic values and first and second characteristic value ranges. A first signal may be generated to display a representation of the display to a user, and a selection of a display element may be received from the user. The method may obtain a content element assigned to the selected display element. |
| US08922506B2 |
Mobile terminal
A mobile terminal and a control method of a mobile terminal are provided. The mobile terminal and control method provide a user interface allowing for a user to easily and effectively control the mobile terminal through an interaction between a case and the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is accommodated in the case in a lock mode. |
| US08922503B2 |
User interface system
Disclosed is a user interface system that includes a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface, a volume of fluid within the fluid vessel, a displacement device that influences the volume of the fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and contract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, and a sensor system that is configured to receive a user input on the surface with a first sensitivity and configured to receive a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at with second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity. |
| US08922501B2 |
Capacitive sensing device comprising cross-shaped sensing elements
A capacitive sensing device comprises first electrodes in which a plurality of first sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns, and second electrodes in which a plurality of second sensing elements are arranged in rows and columns. Each of the first sensing elements has an iron cross shape, and each of the second sensing elements has a double-cross shape in which a first cross and a second cross overlap each at a shared center point and the second cross is rotated with respect to the first cross. Capacitances are formed between the first sensing elements and the second sensing elements. |
| US08922494B2 |
Mobile terminal and method of controlling the same
A mobile terminal includes a first interface, a second interface that is separate from the first interface, and a controller. The first interface is configured to display first data and to receive a first input responsive to a first user touch relative to the first interface. The second interface is configured to receive a second input responsive to a second user touch relative to the second interface. The controller is configured to cause the first data to be displayed on the first interface responsive to the second user touch, while the first user touch relative to the first interface is maintained, and to cease the displaying of the first data responsive to a ceasing of the first user touch relative to the first interface. |
| US08922493B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatic enablement of a rear-face entry in a mobile device
The present invention discloses one or more embodiments of a mobile device capable of automatic enablement of a rear-face data entry. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mobile device can automatically detect and determine that a rear-face data entry interface is either facing up or facing the user's line of sight, which prompts activation of the rear-face data interface for immediate enablement of data entry (e.g. typing). If the rear-face data entry interface is either facing down or away from the user's line of sight, the mobile device disables the rear-face data interface for data entry to minimize accidental and undesirable data entry via the rear-face data interface. The preferred embodiment of the invention also incorporates a primary frontal touch-screen display, a secondary rear touch-screen display, a QWERTY keyboard, and display elevation guards on both displays. |
| US08922492B2 |
Device and method of inputting characters
A method of inputting characters includes: generating a character display area, displaying characters in a first direction sub-region or a second direction sub-region of the character browsing region according to a direction indicating action in a first direction or a second direction, upon detecting a change in directions indicated by two successive direction indicating actions, displaying, in an input character display region, the character currently displayed in the character browsing region, switching between the first direction sub-region and the second direction sub-region of the character browsing region according to the direction indicated by the latter direction indicating action, and performing an action of selecting a next character corresponding to the latter direction indicating action in the switched direction sub-region. The invention also provides a device of inputting characters. With the invention, the number of times key pressing may be reduced and the efficiency of character inputting may be increased. |
| US08922491B2 |
Method and apparatus enabling keystroke acceleration
A method enabling keystroke acceleration includes: receiving a signal indicating a key is kept pressing; obtaining a current acceleration start time; perform an operation corresponding to the key pressed when the current acceleration start time arrives, judging whether the key is still being pressed; performing the step of obtaining the current acceleration start time when the key is still being pressed. The apparatus includes: a receiving module, an obtaining module, a first processing module and a second processing module. According to the present invention, after a signal indicating a key is kept pressed, a current acceleration start time is obtained, and the keystroke is responded when the current acceleration start time arrives. Therefore, the user does not have to press a key repeatedly, and the key operation can be automatically performed, which reduces the number of keystrokes needed and makes the operation simpler and less time-consuming. |
| US08922490B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for entering alternate characters with a physical keyboard
A device displays a text entry area with an insertion point and detects activation of a first physical key in a physical keyboard. In response to a determination that the activation of the first physical key lasts more than a first predefined time period, the device displays a character selection area; while displaying the character selection area, the device detects activation of a second physical key in the physical keyboard; in response to a determination that the activated second physical key is an arrow key, the device moves a current character focus in accordance with a direction of the arrow key; and, in response to a determination that the activated second physical key is the first physical key, the device enters in the text entry area a single instance of a character that has the current character focus, and ceases to display the character selection area. |
| US08922489B2 |
Text input using key and gesture information
Text input may be identified from a combination of key stroke information and handwriting gesture information. In one example, a touch screen displays an on-screen keyboard. A user then draws a character on the keyboard over the key that represents the character. In this way, two types of information are provided that identify the character that the user intended to enter: the particular drawing gesture that the user provided, and the location on the keyboard at which the user drew that gesture. These two pieces of information may be used, in combination, to determine which character the user intended to enter, and may help to interpret the input accurately in the case where either the gesture or key information, individually, would have been ambiguous. |
| US08922479B2 |
Text input window with auto-growth
A user input panel dynamically expands to accommodate user input, such as handwritten or keyboard input. Expansion may occur in one or two out of four possible directions, depending upon the language to be written or typed. For example, when writing English words, the input panel may expand to the right as the user writes and then downward when the input panel has fully expanded rightward. |
| US08922477B2 |
Drive apparatus for display medium, computer readable medium storing drive program, display apparatus, and drive method for display medium
A drive apparatus that drives a display medium that includes display and rear substrates, a disperse medium, and a particle group, includes a voltage application unit that applies first and second voltages to the display medium, in which, when a color of the particle group is displayed, the voltage application unit applies the first voltage higher than or equal to a threshold voltage necessary for the particle group to be detached from the display substrate or the rear substrate to a pixel where the particle group is moved between the substrates and applies the second voltage having a same polarity as the first voltage and is lower than the threshold voltage to the pixel where the particle group is moved between the substrates and to a pixel adjacent to the pixel where the particle group is moved between the substrates and the particle group of which is not moved. |
| US08922476B2 |
Information handling devices with touch-based reflective display
Devices, methods and products are described that provide information handling devices with touch-based reflective display. One aspect provides a method including providing a configuration for one or more areas of a touchable control area of an information handling device, said configuration comprising a designation of one or more areas of said touchable control area, said one or more areas providing both reflective display and accepting touch-based input; ascertaining an event for updating said configuration for said one or more areas of said touchable control area; and updating said configuration for said one or more areas of said touchable control area responsive to said event. Other embodiments are described. |
| US08922472B2 |
Level shifter circuit, scanning circuit, display device and electronic equipment
A level shifter circuit, wherein a first and a second transistor circuit are connected serially, a third and a fourth transistor circuit are connected serially; a first input voltage is applied to the second transistor circuit and a second input voltage is applied to the fourth transistor circuit; an input terminal of the first transistor circuit is connected to an output terminal of the third and the fourth transistor circuits, and an input terminal of the third transistor circuit is connected to an output terminal of the first and the second transistor circuits; two transistor circuits of at least one side of two transistor circuits of a first fixed power source side and two transistor circuits of a second fixed power source side are configured of double gate transistors; and the level shifter circuit has a switch element for applying a voltage to a common connection node. |
| US08922458B2 |
Data and power distribution system and method for a large scale display
A system and method distributes data and power in a robust manner for a large scale LED display. Master modules of the display are capable of receiving a data stream on any one of four data ports. The master modules extract the data for its module and an associated group of slave modules from a data stream received on one port and send the received data stream to three other master modules via the other three data ports. Unregulated D.C. power is distributed from one or more power hubs to the master modules which in turn distribute regulated D.C. power to their associated slave modules. |
| US08922457B2 |
Controller and graphics assemblies in multi-screen display systems
A multi-monitor display system is described having an arm adapted for supporting a plurality of monitors containing display screens. The system also includes a column for supporting the arm, a monitor controller assembly for electronically controlling images displayed on the screens, and a graphics assembly for sending signals to the monitor controller assembly to produce the images. The system is used in conjunction with a central processor located in a computer housing. The monitor controller assembly is disposed outside of the monitors and/or the graphics assembly is disposed outside the computer housing. |
| US08922456B2 |
Deployable antenna
A deployable antenna which has a larger aperture diameter by four-side links provided in at least three stages and which includes: six deployment link mechanisms (20) arranged radially from a central shaft so as to support an outer edge portion of a flexible reflector mirror surface; and one deployment driving mechanism (30) arranged at a lower portion of a center of arrangement of the six deployment link mechanisms, for unfolding the six deployment link mechanisms. Each of the six deployment link mechanisms includes a first four-side link (5), a second four-side link (6), and a third four-side link (7) arranged in an order from a position of the central shaft, around which the six deployment link mechanisms are arranged, toward an outer side of the each of the six deployment link mechanisms so that the each of the six deployment link mechanisms is structured to be foldable in three stages. |
| US08922453B2 |
Variable adaption of active antenna system radio frequency filtering
Antenna systems, such as an active antenna system (AAS), can include active and passive electronic components located closely together inside an antenna system. Such systems may benefit from variable adaptation of active antenna system radio frequency signal filtering. An apparatus can include an active part on a first end of a signal path within a sealed enclosure. The apparatus can also include a radiator part on a second end of the signal path within the sealed enclosure. The apparatus can further include an intermediate part, which includes at least one of an additional filter part or a customized passive part, positioned between the active part and the radiator part along the signal path between the first signal side and the second signal side. |
| US08922452B1 |
Periodic spiral antennas
In one embodiment, a periodic spiral antenna includes first and second arms that form interleaved spirals parallel to an x-y plane, wherein the arms have a height dimension that extends along a z direction that is perpendicular to the x-y plane, and wherein the interleaved spirals form multiple turns of the antenna, the turns being equally spaced from each other throughout the antenna. |
| US08922451B2 |
Lockdown mechanism for an electric drive screw telescoping mast system
This disclosure pertains to a lockdown mechanism for an electric drive screw telescoping mast. The lockdown mechanism comprising a plurality of elongated tube sections which are telescopingly attached to each other, each tube section comprising a substantially hollow body. An elongated drive screw is disposed within the hollow body and includes a plurality of threads for extending and retracting the elongated tube sections. A lock subassembly includes a housing and a center hub, the housing comprises a load bearing top and a hollow cavity, the lock subassembly being rigidly attached to said center tube and axially aligned along a central axis with said plurality of elongated tube sections. The center hub is movably engaged within the hollow cavity of the housing and includes at least one locking pin adapted to the center hub that is movably engaged to the structural envelope when the mast is in the lockdown position. |
| US08922449B2 |
Communication electronic device and antenna structure thereof
An antenna structure having a ground element and an antenna element is provided. The antenna element is disposed on a dielectric substrate, and includes a first radiation portion, a second radiation portion, and a spiral metal line. An end of the first radiation portion is a feeding point of the antenna element, and another end is open. An end of the second radiation portion is electrically coupled to the ground element, and the length of the second radiation portion is greater than that of the first radiation portion. The first radiation portion is surrounded by the second radiation portion. An end of the spiral metal line is coupled to the first radiation portion. The spiral metal line contributes a parallel resonance outside the antenna's operating band, and results in a resonant mode generated within the antenna element's operating band such that the operating bandwidth of the antenna element is increased. |
| US08922448B2 |
Communication device and antennas with high isolation characteristics
A communication device includes a system circuit board, a ground plane, a first antenna, a second antenna, a first metal element, and a second metal element. The ground plane is disposed on the system circuit board. The first metal element is substantially located between the first antenna and the second antenna. The first metal element is coupled to the ground plane such that a system ground plane is formed. The second metal element is adjacent to the first metal element and substantially located between the first antenna and the second antenna. The second metal element is coupled to the system ground plane. The first antenna, the second antenna, and the first metal element are substantially located at an edge of the system circuit board. |
| US08922447B2 |
Smart antenna
A smart antenna assembly includes a driving monopole element and an array of parasitic monopole elements arranged in an annular array around the driving monopole element, wherein the parasitic monopole elements are of bent or curved configuration, bending or curving towards the driving monopole element. Preferably, each parasitic monopole element has a portion thereof which is parallel or substantially parallel to the driving monopole element. The assembly provides a compact steerable antenna assembly. |
| US08922444B2 |
Antenna device and mobile terminal
This disclosure provides an antenna device including an antenna coil having a plate-shaped magnetic core with first and second main surfaces and a coil conductor wound around the magnetic core, and a flat conductor adjacent to the antenna coil. For instance, the flat conductor can be a ground electrode formed on or within a circuit substrate. The coil conductor includes a first conductor portion adjacent to the first main surface of the magnetic core and a second conductor portion adjacent to a second main surface thereof. The first conductor portion of the antenna coil is closer to an end portion of the flat conductor than the second conductor portion, with the second main surface of the magnetic core facing the flat conductor. |
| US08922441B2 |
Receiver
In order to solve a problem that, if a reinforcing plate of a housing is used as an antenna in a receiver, a desired antenna gain is less likely to be obtained and therefore an antenna gain is degraded, a receiver for receiving information transmitted by a radio wave includes an output portion configured to output information which is receivable by a viewer or another receiver; a stand portion contacting the output portion and configured to hold the output portion on an installation surface at an angle suitable for receiving the information or viewing an image; a reinforcing portion contacting the output portion and the stand portion at points other than a contact point between the output portion and the stand portion and configured to reinforce the output portion and the stand portion so that the angle is maintained; and an antenna portion arranged in a space ensured by at least the reinforcing portion and configured to receive the radio wave. |
| US08922440B2 |
Space efficient magnetic antenna method
A space efficient magnetic antenna is disclosed for use in tracking, positioning and other applications. In a preferred embodiment, a space efficient magnetic antenna system comprises a first magnetic antenna with a first null axis aligned within a predetermined plane and a second magnetic antenna having a second null axis aligned substantially orthogonal to a first null axis. A second magnetic antenna system lies in a minimal coupling orientation with respect to a first magnetic antenna system. Additionally, a first magnetic antenna may further comprise a plurality of interconnected magnetic antenna elements. A space efficient magnetic antenna system may include an RF module. In further embodiments, the antenna system may enclose a substantial majority of the device including the RF module; the RF module may be enclosed substantially or wholly within one or more antennas of the antenna system. |
| US08922438B2 |
Antenna apparatus and communication terminal
In an antenna apparatus, on an undersurface of a metal cover, a feeding coil module is disposed. In a casing, a printed circuit board is included. A ground conductor, a feeding pin, and a ground connection conductor are disposed on the printed circuit board. When the metal cover is mounted on the casing, the feeding pin is in contact with a connection portion of the feeding coil module and is electrically connected thereto. The ground connection conductor is in contact with the metal cover and connects the metal cover to the ground conductor. The ground connection conductor is disposed at either side of a slit outside an area in which the current density of an induced current flowing through the metal cover is in a range from a maximum value to approximately 80% of the maximum value or one side of the slit in the area. |
| US08922435B2 |
Transparent conformal polymer antennas for RFID and other wireless communications applications
An optically transparent conformal polymer antenna and a method for producing the antenna from optically transparent conductive polymers. The method includes selecting an antenna design; providing an optically transparent conductive polymer material capable of being printed using an ink jet printer device; and printing layers of the polymer in the desired antenna design pattern onto a substrate. The surface tension of the polymer solution is adjusted to allow the material to pass through a printer head for printing on a flexible substrate. The material is modified to have a higher conductivity than regular conductive polymer materials so that a suitable antenna may be formed. |
| US08922432B2 |
Method and apparatus for limiting redundant positioning polling from a mobile device in a real-time location system (RTLS)
A method and apparatus for limiting redundant positioning polling from a mobile device in a Real-Time Location System (RTLS) is disclosed. The method comprises reading a current position of the mobile device, establishing a virtual perimeter around the mobile device, measuring a plurality of signal strengths from a plurality of access points within the virtual perimeter, determining whether the mobile device has moved outside of the virtual perimeter, and transmitting a plurality of signal strengths from a plurality of access points to a location server when the mobile device has moved outside of the virtual perimeter. |
| US08922431B2 |
Apparatus, a system and a method for collission avoidance
The invention relate to a collision avoidance apparatus (100, 200, 300, 22), system (10) and method (500). The apparatus (100, 200, 300, 22) includes a UHF (Ultra High Frequency) transceiver (102) operable to send and receive UHF signals in electric field (E-field) mode, a VLF (Very Low frequency) transceiver (104) operable to send and receive VLF signals in magnetic field (H-field) mode, and a SHF (Super High Frequency) transceiver (106) operable to send and receive SHF signals in electric field (E-field) mode. The apparatus (100, 200, 300, 22) further includes a control module (110) operable to direct the operation of the respective transceivers (102, 104, 106), thereby to detect receipt of a signal via at least one of the transceivers (102, 104, 106), and determine whether or not an alert is to be issued, based on the nature of the received signal. The apparatus (102, 104, 106) also includes an output arrangement (112) operable to issue an alert in response to instruction from the control module (110) to do so. |
| US08922430B2 |
Optimization of variable coherence integration for the location of weak signals
In a network-based Wireless Location System (WLS), geographically distributed Location Measurement Units (LMUs) must be able to detect and use reverse channel (mobile to network) signals across multiple BTS coverage areas. By using Matched Replica correlation processing with the local and reference signals subdivided into discrete segments prior to correlation, the effects of mobile clock drift and Doppler shifts can be mitigated allowing for increased processing gain. By using historical network and real-time data about the radio signal and/or radio channel, the segmentation and computation scheme may be optimized to reduce latency and enhance capacity while maximizing location accuracy. |
| US08922429B2 |
Satellite navigation device
A pseudo range is corrected with high accuracy using a pseudo range correction method that incorporates carrier smoothing. A code pseudo range correction unit (19) performs carrier smoothing of an L1 code pseudo range (PRL1(i)) by the temporal change (ΔADRL1(i)) in an L1 carrier phase, and performs carrier correction of a code ionosphere delay (IPRL1(i)) by the temporal change (ΔIADRL1(i)) in a carrier ionosphere delay. The code pseudo range correction unit (19) performs ionosphere delay correction by subtracting the corrected ionosphere delay (I′L1sm(i)) from the L1 code pseudo range (PRL1sm(i)) after smoothing processing. At this time, a direction of the delay in the temporal change (ΔIADRL1(i)) in the carrier ionosphere delay included in the temporal change (ΔADRL1(i)) in the L1 carrier phase is matched with a direction of the delay in the temporal change (ΔIADRL1(i)) in the carrier ionosphere delay used to calculate the corrected ionosphere delay (I′L1sm(i)). |
| US08922424B2 |
Pulse radar device
A radiation type oscillator including a radiation type oscillator substrate including a microwave transistor for generating negative resistance by short-duration operation and a resonant cavity structure; a high-frequency pulse signal of an oscillation frequency/frequency bandwidth determined by negative resistance produced by the short-duration operation of the microwave transistor and the resonant cavity structure is generated as a transmitted RF signal and simultaneously radiated into space. The radiation type oscillator performs oscillating operation when a received RF signal that is a reflected wave of the transmitted RF signal from an object of detection enters the radiation type oscillator, an IF signal is acquired from an IF signal output terminal owing to homodyne mixing by the radiation type oscillator itself, and this is analyzed and processed to detect the object of detection. |
| US08922423B2 |
Radar apparatus and method of detecting target object
This disclosure provides a radar apparatus, which includes an antenna for discharging a transmission beam with frequencies corresponding to elevation/depression angles with respect to a particular surface and receiving a reflection echo from a reflective body and a reception module for detecting an elevation/depression angle of the reflective body based on a frequency component of a reception signal received by the antenna and detecting a distance of the reflective body based on a time component of the reception signal. |
| US08922421B2 |
Method and system for use of GPS disciplined oscillators for coherent timing reference in distributed radar systems
An active electronically scanned array radar system and method uses a coherent, stable timing reference to transmit phase synchronized radar signals from a plurality of receiver/exciter elements. A global positioning system (GPS) carrier phase disciplined oscillator receives the GPS carrier signal at a GPS receiver. The GPS carrier contains phase and timing information to phase synchronize the local clock with the GPS carrier to produce a reference clock signal. The reference clock signal is used to synchronize a frequency synthesizer oscillator clock and generate a stable timing reference signal at a frequency significantly greater than the reference clock frequency. The stable timing reference is used to transmit radar signals in a receiver/exciter pair, the radar signals phase synchronized with the GPS carrier signal. Each receiver/exciter element generates its own stable timing reference based on a common GPS carrier. The radar signals from the plurality of receiver/exciter elements use a common clock without need of a physical distribution mechanism. |
| US08922420B2 |
Electromagnetic body scanning system, a method and a computer program product
An electromagnetic body scanning system may include a measuring system for measuring data of radio waves scattered by a body in two distinct subbands; and a computer system. The computer system is arranged for constructing a first image of the body using the measured data, generating synthetic scattered data of the body in a frequency range outside the subbands, and constructing a second image of the body using both the measured data and the synthetic data. The step of constructing a first image includes matching an image to a human model. |
| US08922418B2 |
Clocked reference buffer in a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter
A voltage reference circuit includes a capacitor including a first terminal and including a second terminal coupled to a power supply node. The voltage reference circuit further includes an amplifier, a first transistor, and a switch. The amplifier includes a first input configured to receive a reference voltage input signal, a second input configured to receive a feedback signal, and an output. The first transistor includes a source coupled to the second input of the amplifier and to an output node, a gate coupled to the capacitor, and a drain. The first transistor is configured to provide a reference voltage at the source based on a charge provided to the gate by the capacitor. The switch includes a first terminal coupled to the output of the amplifier, and includes a second terminal coupled to the first terminal of the capacitor. |
| US08922411B2 |
Configurable hardware-sharing multi-channel ADC
Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide configurable multi-channel analog-to-digital conversion. In a multi-channel analog-to-digital converter (ADC), one or more ADC stages may be operatively coupled to a different ADC in each of various operating modes. |
| US08922410B2 |
Optical intensity-to-phase converter, mach-zehnder interferometer, optical A/D converter, and method of constructing optical intensity-to-phase converter
An optical intensity-to-phase converter according to the present invention includes first and second waveguides to which a first input light is input, a third waveguide to which a second input light is input, and an interaction region that is provided in common on the second and third waveguides in which the first and second input lights are multiplexed and interact. The optical intensity-to-phase converter provides delay to output lights output from the first and second waveguides based on intensity of the first or second input light. Then, it is possible to provide an optical intensity-to-phase converter that enables simple configuration of an optical A/D converter. |
| US08922405B2 |
Successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter and conversion time calibration method thereof
A successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter and a conversion time calibration method thereof are provided. The successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter includes a conversion circuit and a conversion time calibration apparatus. The conversion circuit has a conversion time under a process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variation. The conversion time calibration apparatus is configured to detect a conversion time condition and adjust the conversion time of the conversion circuit according to the conversion time condition. |
| US08922403B2 |
Analog-to-digital conversion circuit, analog-to-digital conversion method, and image sensor
An analog-to-digital conversion circuit includes an analog-to-digital conversion unit configured to analog-to-digital convert an input voltage and generate a digital signal, a resolution control unit configured to: set a resolution of the analog-to-digital conversion unit to N (N is the natural number) bits, in a case where the input voltage is smaller than a first voltage, and set the resolution of the analog-to-digital conversion unit to N−M (1≦M |
| US08922396B2 |
Automatic reminder function
Technologies are described herein for providing an automatic reminder function. The technologies are adapted to receive a definition of a reminder as an occurrence or are non-occurrence of an event and to receive operationally relevant data from a system data device. The technologies then determine whether the operationally relevant data indicates that the reminder is triggered by the occurrence or non-occurrence of the event. Responsive to determining whether the operationally relevant data indicates that the reminder is triggered by the occurrence or non-occurrence of the event, the technologies issue the reminder through instrumentation on an aircraft. |
| US08922394B2 |
Apparatus and method for parking position display of vehicle
Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for parking position display of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a processor configured to detect objects around a vehicle by analyzing sensor values obtained by a distance sensor that is installed in the vehicle and surrounding images captured by imaging devices that are disposed in the vehicle. The processor is also configured to locate the detected objects based on the sensor values and the surrounding images. Additionally, the processor is configured to control display elements corresponding to the detected objects to be output on the surrounding images based on the positions of the detected objects. |
| US08922392B1 |
External adaptive control systems and methods
An external adaptive control system and method control a traffic signal controller assembly. The external adaptive control system determines a non-linear schedule with one or more states corresponding to one or more individual phases with each state having a start time and a duration. The external adaptive control system generates presence data for reception by the controller assembly for each state and its associated duration. |
| US08922387B2 |
Tapered thread EM gap sub self-aligning means and method
A generally three-part EM gap sub comprising a first conductive cylinder incorporating a male tapered threaded section, a second conductive cylinder incorporating female tapered threaded section, both axially aligned and threaded into each other is described. One or both tapers incorporate slots whereby non-conductive inserts may be placed before assembly of the cylinders. The inserts are designed to cause the thread roots, crests and sides of the tapered sections of both cylinders to be spatially separated. The cylinders can be significantly torqued, one into the other, while maintaining an annular separation and therefore electrical separation as part of the assembly procedure. The co-joined coaxial cylinders can be placed into an injection moulding machine wherein a high performance thermoplastic is injected into the annular space, thereby forming both an insulative gap (the third part) and a strong joint between the cylinders in the newly created EM gap sub. |
| US08922375B2 |
Multistatic antenna configuration for radio frequency identification (RFID) systems
Methods and apparatuses for configuring antennae of radio frequency identification reader systems. In one aspect of an embodiment, a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader system, includes: a receiver; a radio frequency (RF) source for signal transmission; and a switch matrix coupled with the receiver and the radio frequency sources to selectively couple the receiver and the radio frequency source to a plurality of non-collocated antennae. When in a first mode, the switch matrix connects the radio frequency source to a first one of the antennae for signal transmission and the receiver to a second one of the antennae for signal reception; and when in a second mode, the switch matrix connects the first one of the antennae for signal reception and, in one example, the second one or another one of the antennae to the RF source for signal transmission. |
| US08922368B2 |
Device and method for conditionally transmitting data
The device (31) of the invention comprises a receiver (33) for receiving from a further device (41) an identifier identifying a person in the vicinity of the device, warning means (35) for providing a warning signal to a user of the device and a transmitter (37) for transmitting data to said further device. The device further comprises a controller (39) for performing the method of the invention. The device is operative to instruct said warning means (35) to provide a warning signal in dependence on the identified person, to use a gesture detector (43) for detecting a specific gesture by said user from among a plurality of gestures in response to the warning signal and to instruct said transmitter to transmit said data to said further device upon detection of said specific gesture, wherein said data depends on said specific gesture. The computer program product of the invention enables a programmable device to perform the method of the invention. |
| US08922367B2 |
System and method for medicament storage, dispensing, and administration
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a medicament storage case including: a case body securable to a wall; a door connected to the body; a sleeve to contain an epinephrine injector; a medicament lock including a hook, wherein the hook is positioned to engage the sleeve when in a first position and is positioned to disengage the sleeve when in a second position; an actuator including a solenoid, wherein the solenoid, upon activation, moves the hook from the first position to the second position; a microphone configured to receive first audio as input; a speaker configured to output second audio; a communication unit configured to provide Internet connectivity; a button; and a processor configured to: in response to pressing the button: establish communication between the local user and a remote site, receive an unlock message, and in response to receiving the unlock message, activate the solenoid to release of the sleeve. |
| US08922361B2 |
System and method for home automation and security
A home automation and security system is provided in which a home automation and security controller in a customer premises is coupled with a remotely located central control facility using a continuous connectivity access line providing a data channel separate from a voice channel. The controller at the customer premises is responsible for monitoring and applying control signals to devices in the home and for supporting a human interface. The remotely located central control facility is responsible for providing the computational and database resources to the controller. By redistributing functionality, the network-based structure of this home automation and security system can overcome the disadvantages of conventional home automation and security systems. |
| US08922358B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a display plane and a control unit. The display plane configured to display a first display portion that shows a locomotion region in the first locomotion mode in a display region based on the output request and a future locomotion distance of the vehicle and a second display portion that shows a locomotion region in the second locomotion mode next to the first display portion in the display region. The control unit configured to control an image displayed in the display plane. The control unit changes a border between the first display portion and the second display portion based on the future locomotion distance in accordance with an estimation result of displacement of a switching point between the first locomotion mode and the second locomotion mode. |
| US08922351B2 |
Display apparatus, information processing system, recording medium and television receiver
A wireless output unit of a remote controller 2 having a touch pad 23 or a touch panel wirelessly outputs a coordinate value associated with a continuous contact input for the touch pad 23 to a television 1. A reception unit of the television 1 wirelessly receives the coordinate value associated with the continuous contact input output from the wireless output unit. A display processing unit displays on a display unit 14 a pointer 3 moving on the basis of the coordinate value received by the reception unit. An output unit outputs, when the continuous contact input is finished, acceptance information indicating that an input for an object T displayed on the display unit 14 is accepted at a final coordinate value for the pointer 3 displayed on the display unit 14. |
| US08922349B2 |
Control circuit, system for operating a device and device for programming such a control circuit
A control circuit and system for controlling operation of a device is provided. The control circuit includes a storage means for storing a group identifier associated with a group of devices to be controlled. The control circuit further includes a control communication interface circuit for communicating with at least one other control circuit thereby enabling one or more the control circuits to be programmed as belonging to the group. The system comprises a master control circuit for transmitting a control command, and a slave control circuit for receiving the control command. The slave control circuit is coupled to the device for controlling the device in accordance with the control command. |