| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08942698B2 |
Methods and devices for facilitating access terminal registration with a registration server
Access terminals are adapted to communicate with registration servers to enable a registration server to perform timer-based registrations on behalf of an access terminal. The access terminal can cease performing such timer-based registrations as long as the registration server performs the registrations, and may power down until event data is available for transmission or reception. When a registration server performs timer-based registrations on behalf of an access terminal, the registration server can periodically communicate with a network entity to conduct the timer-based registrations for the access terminal. The network entity can receive a timer-based registration message from a registrations server for registering an access terminal. In response to such a message, the network entity can register the access terminal. Sensors and controllers may be used with some embodiments to collect and analyze data and for potentially taking action. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described. |
| US08942696B2 |
Methods and arrangements for performing cell measurements in a cellular communication system having multiple antenna ports
The present invention relates to a method and arrangement in a cellular communication system, in particular to methods and arrangements in a user equipment and a network node for reporting cell measurement results. The present invention provides improved methods and arrangements for reporting cell measurements without significantly increasing the complexity in the cell measurement procedure. The user equipment reports the number of transmit antenna ports used for performing cell measurements on each of the neighbouring cell in its measurement report to the network node. The network node receives the number of transmit antenna ports which enables the network to be aware of the actual number of antenna ports that are used for cell measurements. |
| US08942694B2 |
Digital device control system using smart phone
There is provided a digital device control system using a smart phone, including a smart phone having an application of a remote control function, a digital device of which on/off of a power supply, channel or volume is controlled according to a signal received from the smart phone, and an IR repeater functioning as a central control unit connected to the smart phone through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi communication and connected to the digital device through a plurality of infrared ray communications in order to remotely control the digital device, and therefore, the digital device can be controlled using the smart phone instead of a remote controller. In addition, since a plurality of LEDs capable of performing infrared ray communication is included in the IR repeater so as to transmit and receive an infrared signal of a wide range, a digital device desired to be controlled can be remotely controlled even when the digital device is placed at a far distance or at a blind spot in a room, and a plurality of digital devices can be controlled simultaneously. |
| US08942685B2 |
Callback options via wireless device
A communication device includes a transceiver configured to communicate with other communication devices over a cellular network, and circuitry coupled to the transceiver, the circuitry configured to detect a lost communication session with another communication device and generate a menu of options regarding the lost communication session. |
| US08942683B2 |
System and method of routing conference call participants
A system and method of routing a conference call participant to a conference call is disclosed. Participant location data is requested from an electronic device of the conference call participant. The participant location data is received on a system server from the electronic device of the conference call participant. A least cost connection conference call access phone number is determined from an access number group of one or more available conference call access phone numbers based on the location data from the electronic device of the conference call participant. The conference call participant is provided with the least cost connection conference call access phone number. |
| US08942675B2 |
System, apparatus and associated methodology for enriching contact of a remote client
A contact enrichment system is provided to determine whether contacts stored in a mobile device match profiles stored on a social network server. Profiles matching the contacts are used to enrich the contacts by appending information such as images and video to the contacts. The appended information in the contacts are also linked to the source profile so that the contact information may be periodically updated. Information may be drawn from multiple profiles on multiple social network servers to fully enrich the contacts stored on the mobile device. |
| US08942674B2 |
Responding to incoming calls
A method and device for responding to an incoming call. A first device detects an incoming call from a caller. In response to detecting the incoming call, an indication of the incoming call is sent to a second device different from the first device. The indication identifies the caller. A message indicating a response to the caller is received from the second device. |
| US08942673B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing cellphone service from any device
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for providing a cellular communication service for any device via a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method receives a log-in request of a user from a device, if the log-in request is authenticated, synchronizes the device with a configuration associated with the user and provides the cellular communication service via a subscription plan subscribed to by the user. |
| US08942669B2 |
Tiered-based billing for content delivery
One or more servers may: receive information regarding a content file stored by a device; provide information associated with a first cost value corresponding to a cost to deliver the content file from the device to a user device; receive a delivery instruction directing the one or more servers to provide a portion of the content file to the user device via one or more ports or via one or more access points, each of the one or more ports or the one or more access points being associated with respective one or more second cost values; generate a key associated with the information regarding the content file and with the delivery instruction; receive an indication of selection of the key by the user device; deliver, to the user device, the portion of the content file via the one or more ports or the one or more access points. |
| US08942668B2 |
Camel service charging in IMS networks
IMS networks and associated methods are disclosed that provide charging for CAMEL services provided in the IMS network. If a CAMEL service is provided by an application server for a session in an IMS network, then the application server generates CAMEL charging data for the service provided and also generates a charging message, such as a Diameter ACR message. The application server includes the CAMEL charging data in the charging message and transmits the charging message to a charging collector system. The charging collector system generates a CDR for the session, and maps the CAMEL charging data from the charging message to the CDR. The charging collector system then transmits the CDR to a billing system. The billing system may then charge for the CAMEL service provided in the IMS network. |
| US08942665B2 |
Enhancements to IP multimedia subsystems (IMS) emergency services architecture
Embodiments contemplate methods and systems that may route an emergency call from an enterprise user and/or a user in a private number plan, or an emergency call that may be initiated by a service on behalf of the user. Architectural extensions to the IMS emergency services architecture may allow an emergency call to be handled in a home network or a local network in which the user may be visiting (e.g., roaming) such that appropriate public safety systems may be apprised of the emergency communication. |
| US08942660B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing handover of an emergency call between wireless networks
Techniques for supporting handover of an emergency call between wireless networks are described. A UE may communicate with a first wireless network (e.g., a 3GPP E-UTRAN) for an emergency call and may receive an indication to perform handover to a second wireless network (e.g., a CDMA2000 1xRTT network). In an aspect, the UE may send a message including an emergency indication (an emergency global number, or a reserved emergency number, or some other indication) to initiate handover to the second wireless network. A designated network entity may recognize the emergency call based on the emergency indication and may map the emergency indication to a local emergency number or an Emergency Session Transfer Number for SRVCC (E-STN-SR), which may be used to establish a new incoming call leg to a network server anchoring the emergency call. The UE may then communicate with the second wireless network via the network server for the emergency call after handover. |
| US08942656B2 |
Reduction of second order distortion in real time
In a radio receiver, a method of reducing second order distortion components, involves at a first mixer, mixing an input signal with an oscillator signal to generate an I component of a received radio signal; at a second mixer, mixing the input signal with a phase shifted oscillator signal to generate a Q component of the received radio signal; where the I and Q components of the received signal have a receive bandwidth; computing an estimate of second order distortion components as a power output of the I and Q components between approximately the receive bandwidth and twice the receive bandwidth of the received radio signals; and adjusting an operational parameter of the radio receiver to reduce the estimated value of second order distortion components. This abstract is not to be considered limiting. |
| US08942652B2 |
Split VCC and common VCC power management architecture for envelope tracking
An envelope tracking power supply and transmitter control circuitry are disclosed. The transmitter control circuitry receives a first envelope power supply control signal and a second envelope power supply control signal. The envelope tracking power supply operates in one of a group of operating modes, which includes a first operating mode and a second operating mode. During both the first operating mode and the second operating mode, a first envelope power supply signal is provided to a driver stage based on the first envelope power supply control signal. During the first operating mode, a second envelope power supply signal is provided to a final stage based on the first envelope power supply control signal. However, during the second operating mode, the second envelope power supply signal is provided to the final stage based on the second envelope power supply control signal. |
| US08942647B2 |
Method and system for antenna switching for 60 GHz distributed communication
Methods and systems for antenna switching for 60 GHz distributed communication are disclosed and may include enabling antenna configurations in a plurality of remote RF modules within a computing device to receive RF signals. A signal characteristic may be measured for the configurations receiving an RF signal from a remote device. IF signals may be generated from baseband signals and may be communicated to RF modules based on the signal characteristic via coaxial lines, and may be up-converted to output RF signals utilizing the RF modules. The output RF signals may be transmitted via antennas in the RF modules. The IF signals in the one or more coaxial lines may be tapped via taps coupled to the RF modules. The baseband signals may comprise video data, Internet streamed data, and/or data from a local data source. Control signals for the RF devices may be communicated utilizing the coaxial lines. |
| US08942642B2 |
Cellular phone and apparatus for tuning to a selected frequency modulation station and downconverting a corresponding radio frequency signal for audio play out
A cellular phone including a transceiver and a processing module. The transceiver receives, from a device separate from the cellular phone, a radio or intermediate frequency signal. The radio frequency signal has been tuned by the device to a selected frequency. The intermediate frequency signal is a downconverted version of the radio frequency signal. Each of the radio and intermediate frequency signals includes the content. The content has been frequency modulated and broadcast at the selected frequency prior to the transceiver receiving the radio or intermediate frequency signal. A processing module downconverts the radio or intermediate frequency signal to a baseband signal and converts the baseband signal to a digital signal. The processing module either forwards the digital signal for audio play out of the content at the cellular phone or forwards the digital signal to the transceiver for transmission of the digital signal back to the device. |
| US08942641B2 |
Antenna apparatus and communication apparatus
According to one embodiment, an antenna apparatus comprises an antenna element connected to a feeding point, a grounded first lumped constant element connected to the antenna element, and a grounded second and third lumped constant elements connected to the antenna element through a selector. The selector is configured to connect the grounded second lumped constant element to the antenna element in order to lower a resonant frequency of the antenna element, and to connect the grounded third lumped constant element to the antenna element in order to raise the resonant frequency of the antenna element. |
| US08942639B2 |
Interference control in a wireless communication system
For interference control, a sector m estimates interference observed from terminals in neighbor sectors and obtains an interference estimate. Sector m may generate an over-the-air (OTA) other-sector interference (OSI) report and/or an inter-sector (IS) OSI report based on the interference estimate. Sector m may broadcast the OTA OSI report to the terminals in the neighbor sectors. These terminals may adjust their transmit powers based on the OTA OSI report. Sector m may send the IS OSI report to the neighbor sectors, receive IS OSI reports from the neighbor sectors, and regulate data transmissions for terminals in sector m based on the received IS OSI reports. Sector m may control admission of terminals to sector m, de-assign admitted terminals, schedule terminals in sector m in a manner to reduce interference to the neighbor sectors, and/or assign the terminals in sector m with traffic channels that cause less interference to the neighbor sectors. |
| US08942636B2 |
Adaptive transmission of resource utilization messages based on throughput
An adaptive scheme controls the transmission of interference management messages by wireless nodes. For example, the adaptive scheme may be used to determine whether and/or how to transmit resource utilization messages. Such a determination may be based on, for example, comparison of a quality of service threshold with a current quality of service level associated with received data. A quality of service threshold may be adapted based on the effect of previously transmitted resource utilization messages. A quality of service threshold for a given wireless node may be adapted based on the frequency at which the wireless node transmits resource utilization messages. A quality of service threshold for a given wireless node may be adapted based on information received from another wireless node. An adaptation scheme also may depend on the type of traffic received by a given wireless node. A quality of service threshold also may be adapted based on throughput information. |
| US08942634B2 |
Method and system for interference suppression using information from non-listened base stations
Aspects of a method and system for interference suppression using information from non-listened base stations are provided. A wireless communication device may be operable to receive a raw signal comprising one or more desired signals from one or more serving base transceiver stations (BTSs) and comprising one or more undesired signals from one or more non-listened BTSs. The wireless communication device may be operable to generate first estimate signals that estimate the one or more undesired signals as transmitted by the one or more non-listened BTSs, generate an interference suppressed version of the raw signal based on the first estimate signals, and recover the one or more desired signals from the interference suppressed version of the raw signal. The non-listened BTSs may comprise one or more BTSs that are not serving the wireless communication device and are not involved in a hand off of the wireless communication device. |
| US08942633B2 |
Systems and methods for activity coordination in multi-radio terminals
A wireless communication device is provided with a first radio module and a second radio module inside. The first radio module performs wireless transceiving according to a plurality of first traffic patterns which each indicates allocations of a plurality of first slots for a plurality of forthcoming transmitting or receiving operations, respectively. The second radio module determines an indicator indicating at least one of a plurality of second traffic patterns which each indicates allocations of a plurality of second slots for a plurality of forthcoming transmitting or receiving operations, respectively. Particularly, one or more allocations of the second slots are selectively determined according to the first traffic patterns. Also, the second radio module transmits the indicator to a peer communication device, so that the peer communication device performs transmitting or receiving operations according to the indicator. |
| US08942630B2 |
Terminal and method of improving interference in a terminal
A terminal and method of improving interference in a terminal are provided, by which interference generated from implementing a plurality of wireless communication technologies can be improved. The terminal includes a first communication module implemented by a first wireless communication technology and a controller determining that interference is generated by at least one of the first wireless communication technology or a second wireless communication technology and performing an operation to improve the generated interference, the second wireless communication technology implementing a second communication module provided in the terminal or in a different terminal. |
| US08942629B2 |
Communication system, communication method, and data processing apparatus
A communication system and communication method enable various types of near field communication. NFC communication apparatuses have two features in that each can perform communication in two communication modes and that each can perform data transmission at a plurality of transfer rates. The two communication modes consist of a passive mode and an active mode. In the passive mode, between the NFC communication apparatuses, for example, a first NFC communication apparatus transmits data to a second NFC communication apparatus by modulating electromagnetic waves generated by itself, while the second NFC communication apparatus transmits data to the first NFC communication apparatus by performing load modulation on the electromagnetic waves generated by the first NFC communication apparatus. Alternatively, in the active mode, either of the NFC communication apparatuses transmits data by modulating electromagnetic waves generated by itself. The present innovation can be applied to, for example, an IC card system, etc. |
| US08942625B2 |
Communication device, control method, and program
A communication device, includes targets that each execute predetermined processing; and a front end that selects, from the targets, a confirmed target with which an external device is to communicate and that performs near-field communication with the external device. During transmission of a command for selecting at least one candidate of the confirmed target, the front end selects a predetermined one of the targets once every two times as a transmission destination of the command. |
| US08942621B2 |
Phase adjustment circuit and phase adjustment method
There is provided a circuit for adjusting phases of IQ local signals. As to a local signal A and a local signal B generated by a local signal generating unit for the purpose of generating IQ quadrature local signals, the local signal B in which the gain is adjusted is added to the output of the local signal A to obtain the local signal A2, and the local signal A in which the gain is adjusted is subtracted from the output of the local signal B to obtain the local signal B2. Even if the phase relationship between the local signal A and the local signal B deviates from 90 degrees, the phase difference between the local signal A2 and the local signal B2 can be adjusted with ease by changing the adjustment amounts of variable amplifiers AMP1 and AMP2. |
| US08942620B2 |
Method and system for using routine driving information in mobile interactive satellite services
A method and an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a controller to process a criterion for selecting a point-of-interest (POI). The criterion can be based on historical trip data. Data related to a POI, including a community-of-interest rating, for example, can be accessed through a satellite and terrestrial mobile communication network. Multiple POIs can be graphically represented for user selection based on the criterion and/or other data. Once a POI is selected, data related to the selected POI, including navigation data, can be displayed. In another embodiment, the controller can access navigation data to a specified destination. The navigation data can be based on historical trip data such as route segments and destination areas. The navigation data can be accessed from an in-vehicle system or from a navigation service provider and can be displayed to assist a user in reaching the specified destination. |
| US08942618B2 |
Method and system for moving and playing content from home-based system to mobile system
A system and method for playing back digital satellite audio and video signals includes storing a file on a storage device associated with the satellite receiver 54. The file is communicated to a file playback device such as a mobile receiver 28 from the storage device. The file is played back using the mobile receiving device 28. |
| US08942617B2 |
Drive transmission unit and image forming apparatus including same
A drive transmission unit includes a rotation input shaft to bear rotatably and coaxially a first input rotary body that rotates in a first direction and a second input rotary body, and a rotation output shaft to bear rotatably and coaxially a first output rotary body disposed in a radial direction of the first input rotary body and a second output rotary body disposed in the radial direction of the second input rotary body. A first switching device is disposed on the rotation input shaft and switches between a power transmitting state and a non-transmitting state between the first input rotary body and the second input rotary body. A second switching device is disposed on the rotation output shaft and switches between the power transmitting state and the non-transmitting state between the first output rotary body and the second output rotary body. |
| US08942615B2 |
Vortex flow resisters
Vortex flow resisters (20, 220) deliver liquid from an upper chamber (16, 216) to a lower chamber (18, 218) prior to the liquid being distributed onto a cylinder (12, 14, 212, 122). |
| US08942613B2 |
Sliding member for fixing device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus
A sliding member for a fixing device includes at least a fluororesin layer that has a sliding surface, the sliding surface having a plurality of recesses that are dotted over the sliding surface, the sliding member satisfying conditions (1) and (2) below: (1) the dotted recesses exhibit an array pattern including a grid array, the grid array having a plurality of basic arrays that are contiguous, the basic arrays each including a basic grid and a central point of the basic grid, the basic grid being defined by four grid points and having one side parallel to a sliding direction, at least one of the central points of the basic arrays in the grid array being displaced from the grid array; and (2) at least one of the recesses is placed over an entire width of the sliding surface, when the sliding surface is viewed along the sliding direction. |
| US08942612B2 |
Image heating apparatus
An image heating apparatus includes: first and second rotatable members configured to heat an image on a recording material at a nip therebetween; an endless belt configured to heat the first rotatable member in contact with an outer surface of the first rotatable member; and first and second rollers configured to rotatably support the endless belt from an inside of the endless belt. A heating portion by the endless belt is formed from a position where the endless belt is contacted to the first rotatable member by the first roller to a position where the endless belt is contacted to the first rotatable member by the second roller along a rotational direction of the first rotatable member. A pressure between the second roller and the first rotatable member is larger than a pressure between the first roller and the first rotatable member. |
| US08942608B2 |
Fixing unit and image forming apparatus
The print performance of an image forming apparatus is improved by adequately estimating the behavior of a sheet receiving separation air and controlling the output of separation air. A fixing control unit 50 controls a shutter drive unit 52 defining the flow passage area on the basis of the displacement detected of the separation claw 42 to control the output of separation air. Since the sheet receiving separation air exerts a force on the separation claw 42, it is possible to estimate whether or not the behavior of the sheet is appropriate by monitoring the displacement of the separation claw 42. While different types of paper may move in different ways, the influence of separation air is dominant in the behavior of a sheet which is conveyed, and therefore the sheet can be prevented from moving in an inappropriate condition by controlling the output of separation air. |
| US08942597B2 |
Printing system
According to one example there is provided a printing system comprising print engine for printing on a substrate in a print zone, and a drum positioned in proximity to a print zone. The drum supported by a plurality of support rollers in contact with an inner surface of the drum. |
| US08942596B2 |
Transfer device
In a transfer device, a flexible guide plate is disposed in a position upstream relative to a transfer position along a medium conveyance path, such that a first side of the guide plate faces to a recording medium being conveyed along the medium conveyance path. The guide plate has a downstream end portion that is angled by bending the guide plate. A support frame supports an upstream end portion of the guide plate and extends in a downstream direction beyond the downstream end portion to form an extension portion which is disposed opposite to a second side of the guide plate and toward which the downstream end portion extends obliquely downstream. The extension portion has a recess/hole formed in a position separated in an upstream direction from a first edge of the extension portion, to allow the downstream end portion to be moved without being blocked by the extension portion. |
| US08942593B2 |
Method of removing the imaging drum of a laser and printer imaging cartridge
A method of removing the imaging drum (2) of a desktop laser printer and the like wherein pressure is applied to either one or both of the stub bearings (5) of the imaging drum mounted in support bearings (7) attached to the body of the printer cartridge to dislodge the stub bearings and thereafter the application of pressure is continued to force the stub bearings out of their support bearings to allow the drum to be released. This avoids the disadvantages of present known methods one of which involves sawing through the imaging drum and then sliding the two cut halves out of their respective bearings in the printer cartridge. |
| US08942591B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a finger receiving portion that is inwardly recessed and defined in each of right and left side-surfaces of a housing of the image forming apparatus. The housing includes an upper surface that is inclined downward toward the front of the image forming apparatus. The finger receiving portion is disposed in an upper part of each of the right and left side-surfaces of the housing and at a position that allows a user to hold both of the finger receiving portion and the upper surface of the housing at the same time. |
| US08942590B2 |
Developing apparatus, image forming apparatus and process cartridge
A developing apparatus, including: a developer container; a toner bearing member including a roller portion; a seal; a regulating member; and a development entrance sealing member, wherein the seal includes a contact portion which contacts the roller portion, wherein the contact portion includes a low-friction region including a material on at least a part of a contact surface with the roller portion, wherein the low-frictional region including the material has frictional resistance between the contact surface and the roller portion lower than frictional resistance between the contact portion without the material and the roller portion, and the material reduces the frictional resistance at the contact surface, and wherein a circumferential surface of the roller portion contacting the low-friction region is arranged to face outward in a longitudinal direction of the photoconductor from a contact region of the cleaning unit with the photoconductor. |
| US08942589B2 |
Fixing apparatus
A fixing apparatus includes a film, a heater that contacts the inner face of the film and is capable of changing heat distribution, and a pressure member that forms the nip portion with the heater via the film, the pressure member including a region on which a diameter is increased from a center portion toward an end portion, wherein the fixing apparatus performs heater control so that a ratio of an amount of heat generation at the end portion of the heater to an amount of heat generation at the center portion of the heater is changed based on a temperature of the end portion of the pressure member, during a period at least from when the warm-up of the fixing apparatus is started until the recording material reaches the nip portion. |
| US08942586B2 |
Image forming apparatus using a plurality of toner patches during a non-printing period
An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to control a toner-image forming device to form a toner patch; and a detector configured to detect the toner patch on the image carrier. During a non-printing period, the controller causes a toner-image forming device to form toner patches, causes the detector to detect densities of the toner patches, and adjusts an image-forming condition of the toner-image forming device based on detected densities. During a printing period, the controller causes the toner-image forming device to form an output image in an image area and form fewer toner patches in a non-image area, causes the detector to detect densities of the fewer toner patches, and adjusts the image-forming condition of the toner-image forming device based on detected densities. The fewer toner patches are selected from and fewer than the plurality of toner patches formed during the non-printing period. |
| US08942584B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
In an image forming apparatus, a processor performs: a solid density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of solid toner images of solid tone patterns, a condition to form solid images with respective target image densities; a misregistration reduction of adjusting, in accordance with detection timing of position detection toner images of misregistration detection patterns, a condition to reduce misregistration of toner images; and a halftone density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of area coverage modulation toner images, a condition to form halftone images with respective target image densities. The processor continuously performs the solid density stabilization and the misregistration reduction, and starts the halftone density stabilization when the solid density stabilization is completed and the misregistration reduction is not completed, to concurrently perform a step of the misregistration reduction and at least a step of the halftone density stabilization. |
| US08942581B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is configured to perform a collecting operation for moving the attached matter held on a holding roller onto the photosensitive drum and collecting the attached matter by a collecting unit. A bias control unit for controlling a bias applied to the holding roller is configured to: during an image forming operation, apply a first bias for moving the matter onto the holding roller; and during the collecting operation, apply a second bias for moving the attached matter onto the photosensitive drum. A speed control unit is configured to: control the holding roller to rotate at a first rotating speed during the image forming operation; and in a progress of the collecting operation, control the holding roller to rotate at a second rotating speed for a first period after the bias control unit applies the second bias to the holding roller. |
| US08942579B2 |
Image forming apparatus including developing unit
The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including: a developing unit; a developer supply unit; a toner density detecting unit; a mode setting unit; a first supply control unit; a second supply control unit; and a second standard value setting unit. The toner density detecting unit detects toner density. The mode setting unit, when toner density detected by the toner density detecting unit is less than a first standard value and a second standard value that is lower than the first standard value or more, sets a first developer supply mode as a mode for supplying developer to the developing unit and when the toner density detected by the toner density detecting unit is less than the second standard value, sets a second developer supply mode as a mode for supplying developer to the developing unit. |
| US08942578B2 |
Printing apparatus, information processing apparatus, and control method for printing apparatus and information processing apparatus
A printing apparatus according to the present invention is a printing apparatus that performs printing using a recording material, and includes a plurality of storage units configured to store a recording material, a reception unit configured to receive designation information for specifying a storage unit to which the recording material is supplied, and a moving unit configured to move the storage unit that the designation information specifies, into a position at which the recording material can be supplied, according to an instruction. |
| US08942577B2 |
Printing apparatus and control method for printing apparatus
A printing apparatus for performing printing using a recording material includes a plurality of storing units, a movement unit, and an execution unit. The plurality of storing units store the recording material. The movement unit moves one storing unit of the plurality of storing units to a replaceable position. The execution unit execute check processing for checking an operation of a storing unit if all of one storing unit or a plurality of the storing units determined to be lacking the recording material are moved to the replaceable position by the movement unit. |
| US08942575B2 |
Image forming apparatus that includes a cover open/closed detection sensor
The image forming apparatus includes a cover member, a cover open/closed detection sensor, a driven unit, a drive detection sensor, and an attitude determination unit. The cover open/closed detection sensor outputs a closed signal corresponding to a closed attitude and an open signal corresponding to an open attitude. The drive detection sensor outputs a state signal corresponding to the drive state of the driven unit. The attitude determination unit determines whether the cover member is in an open attitude or is in a closed attitude based on a closed signal and a state signal input after the open signal. |
| US08942574B2 |
Light receiving device and light receiving method
A light receiving device includes: a converter digitalizing an analog signal with a given sampling clock frequency, the analog signal being obtained through a photoelectric conversion of a received optical signal; a plurality of fixed distortion compensators compensating an output signal of the converter for waveform distortion with a fixed compensation amount that is different from each other; a plurality of phase shift detector circuits detecting a sampling phase shift from an output signal of the plurality of the fixed distortion compensators; a phase-adjusting-amount determiner determining a sampling phase adjusting amount with use of an output signal of the plurality of the phase shift detector circuits; and a phase adjusting circuit reducing a phase difference between the sampling clock frequency and the received optical signal based on a determination result of the phase-adjusting-amount determiner. |
| US08942571B2 |
Apparatus and method for data embedding in light communication and the light communication system and method thereof
In a light communication system, a data embedding unit arranged between a transmitter-side communication data processing unit and a light emitting device driver embeds a communication processed data at a spatial domain of an original image according to a modulation scheme, and gets multiple RGB values for a communication data embedded image. A receiving apparatus detects a transmitter-side communication data embedded image, generates a receiver-side communication data embedded image, compensate a deformation of the receiver-side communication data embedded image, outputs a warped communication data embedded image, and extracts a communication processed data from the warped communication data embedded image. |
| US08942566B2 |
Bandwidth allocator using a shared grant to schedule allocation grants and a method therefor
A bandwidth allocator for communicating with communication terminals by transmitting and receiving data packets over a line having its communication bandwidth divided into periods of time of a predetermined length. The allocator includes a controller controlling allocation of the bandwidth by using allocation grants as the periods of time. The controller includes a scheduler scheduling the allocation grants so as to cause one allocation grant to partially overlap as a shared grant with another allocation grant adjacent to the one allocation grant. Thus, the bandwidth allocator can minimize allocation loss, otherwise caused by no allocation to an allocation grant, and improve the use efficiency of the bandwidth. |
| US08942565B2 |
Wavelength assignment in an optical WDM network
The path selection and wavelength assignment to a selected path are performed by mapping the wavelength reach to the demand distribution (agile reach) resulting in a 50-60% increase in the network reach. The network reach is further increased (about 2.2 times) when on-line measured performance data are used for path selection and wavelength assignment. The connections may be engineered/upgraded individually, by optimizing the parameters of the entire path or of a regenerator section of the respective path. The upgrades include changing the wavelength, adjusting the parameters of the regenerator section, controlling the launch powers, mapping a certain transmitter and/or receiver to the respective wavelength, selecting the wavelengths on a certain link so as to reduce cross-talk, increasing wavelength spacing, etc. |
| US08942562B2 |
Integrated commercial communications network using radio frequency and free space optical data communication
A stabilized ultra-high bandwidth capacity transceiver system that combines an E-band (71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz) millimeter wave RF transceiver with an eye-safe adaptive optics Free Space Optical (FSO) transceiver as a combined apparatus for simultaneous point-to-point commercial communications. The apparatus has a high degree of assured carrier availability under stressing environmental conditions. The apparatus establishes and maintains pointing and stabilization of mmW RF and FSO optical beams between adjacent line of sight apparatuses. The apparatus can rapidly acquire and reacquire the FSO optical carrier link in the event the optical carrier link is impaired due to adverse weather. |
| US08942553B2 |
Lens device and position detection method of movable optical element
A lens device includes a movable optical element, a rotary member; first and second magnetic recording scales fixedly disposed on an outer periphery of the rotary member to extend along a peripheral direction of the rotary member; a signal detecting unit which detects first to fourth signals; and a position detecting unit which detects a position of the movable optical element based on the detected signals, in which the position detecting unit includes: a phase difference calculating unit which calculates a phase difference between the first signal and the third signal, based on the detected first to fourth signals for one cycle; a phase average calculating unit which calculates an average of the phase differences respectively calculated for n cycles; and an absolute position detecting unit which detects an absolute position of the movable optical element based on the calculated average. |
| US08942552B2 |
Plastic tubular connecting sleeve for a pipe with internal liner
A pipe having at least two steel pipe elements with internal lining that are assembled together end to end, with the ends of the two pipe elements being welded together. A tubular junction sleeve is interposed inside the pipe at the abutting ends of the two pipe elements so that the end terminal portions of the sleeve are at least in part in leaktight contact with respective ones of the terminal portions at the ends of the internal linings of the two pipe elements. The leaktight contact zone is a zone of fusion welding together the materials in mutual contact constituting at least a portion of each terminal portion of the sleeve and of each respective terminal portion of the lining. At each of the terminal portions of the sleeve in the leaktight contact zone, the tubular junction sleeve presents a Joule effect heater wire arranged in a double spiral on the outer surface of each terminal portion at the ends of the sleeve. |
| US08942545B2 |
Content reception device and content accumulation method
Even if times of accumulation of a plurality of contents overlap, each of the contents can be accumulated, and accumulation of the contents can be completed in time for the time and date when the contents are made public. A non-volatile storage portion (23) stores information regarding times of publication of a plurality of contents. When candidate times for the times of accumulation of the plurality of contents overlap, an accumulation time setting portion (24b) determines the order of the times of publication among the plurality of contents on the basis of the information regarding the times of publication stored in the non-volatile storage portion (23), and sets the time of accumulation for each content on the basis of the assessment result. A content accumulation portion (24c) accumulates the contents on the basis of the times of accumulation set by the accumulation time setting portion (24b). |
| US08942544B2 |
Selective transmission of motion picture files
Provided is an information processing apparatus including a storage part for storing criteria information of a plurality of destinations, and a display control part for performing control to display transmission capability information indicating whether it is possible to transmit, to each of the destinations, a selected motion picture file in a predetermined range selected from a motion picture file by a user, the transmission capability information being derived based on information about the selected motion picture file and the criteria information. |
| US08942540B2 |
Interesting section extracting device, interesting section extracting method
An interesting section extracting device extracts an interesting section of interest to a user from a video file with reference to an audio signal included in the video file such that a specified time is included in the interesting section. The interesting section extracting device includes an interface device that obtains the specified time; and a likelihood vector generating unit that calculates, in one-to-one correspondence with first unit sections of the audio signal, likelihoods for anchor models that respectively represent features of a plurality of types of sound pieces and generates likelihood vectors having the calculated likelihoods as components thereof. An interesting section extracting unit calculates a first feature section as candidate section, which is candidate for the interesting section to be extracted, by using likelihood vectors and extract, as the interesting section, part of the first feature section including the specified time. |
| US08942534B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and information processing system
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a search information notification section which notifies a search device of search information via a communication section, a search result acquisition section which acquires a plurality of search result pages retrieved from a plurality of search pages, respectively, in accordance with the search information, from the search device via the communication section, and a display control section which causes a display section to display one of the plurality of search result pages acquired by the search result acquisition section from the search device, and which causes the display section to display another one of the plurality of search result pages based on the operation information an input of which is accepted by an input section. |
| US08942528B2 |
Fiber optic cable sub-assemblies and methods of assembling
A fiber optic cable sub-assembly comprises a fiber optic cable including at least one optical fiber, a cable jacket that houses the optical fiber and at least one metal strength member. A collar is attached to an end portion of the metal strength member, wherein the optical fiber extends beyond an outer axial end of the collar. In another example a fiber optic cable assembly is fabricated from the fiber optic cable sub-assembly wherein a connector housing is attached to the collar, and an interface operably connects an end portion of the optical fiber to an active optical component within the connector housing. In further examples, methods of assembly for a fiber optic cable sub-assembly are provided along with using the sub-assembly for making a fiber optic cable assembly. |
| US08942527B2 |
Extended temperature fiber optic cable design
A fiber optic cable for use in a downhole environment is disclosed. The fiber optic cable includes a tube having an interior region; an optical fiber disposed in the interior region of the tube; a gas in the interior region; and a gel in the interior region, wherein the gel is configured to reduce stress on the optical fiber in the presence of the gas at a temperature substantially near the flashpoint of the gel. One or more seals can be used to seal the gel and the inert gas in the interior region. In various aspects, the fiber optic cable can be used in a downhole environment. |
| US08942515B1 |
Method and apparatus for image retrieval
An efficient image retrieval method utilizing topological order distance (TOD) algorithm is disclosed. In one aspect, an image recognition method may include steps of receiving one or more input images; extracting one or more key features on the input images; determining an origin and one or more feature points on the key features on the input images; establishing a topological relationship in each dimension between the feature points on the key features; and utilizing the topological relationship in each dimension between the feature points to identify the input images in an image database. Comparing with the conventional image retrieval techniques, the TOD algorithm is advantageous because it is more efficient, scale and rotation invariant, and tolerant to affine and perspective transformation. |
| US08942512B2 |
Methods and systems for processing a first image with reference to a second image
An image registration method is disclosed for processing a distorted image into a registered image that is aligned with reference to an original image. Distortions from the original image may include scaling, rotation, and noise. The method is based on correlating Radon transforms of both images to determine the rotation angle, and the scaling factor is determined by dividing averages of the overall luminance of each image on the assumption that any added noise will cancel. The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is used to estimate global spatial shifts. In one embodiment, the distorted image is first scaled to the size of the original image before being rotated. In another embodiment, the original image is first scaled to the size of the distorted image before rotating the distorted image, and finally scaling it to match the original image. A corresponding system for image registration is also provided. |
| US08942508B2 |
Movement control apparatus, movement control method and program
There is provided a movement control apparatus including a feature value calculation part calculating, on a basis of a movement direction of a region of interest defined based on input for moving the region and a target in which the region is provided, a feature value of the target in which the region is provided in the movement direction of the region on a per-unit distance basis regarding movement of the region, a movement value calculation part calculating a movement value by which the region is moved, based on the input, and a movement controller moving the region in the movement direction based on the calculated feature value and the calculated movement value. |
| US08942507B2 |
Signal processing method for producing interpolated signal values in an image signal
The signal processing method of the present invention produces interpolated signal values in an image signal by an inverse discrete cosine transformation with a set of frequency coefficients by decreasing an interval for reproduction of pixel signal values, wherein a set of frequency coefficients is provided by a discrete cosine transformation and is compensated for the frequency response caused by dividing pixels. According to the invention, an image signal similar to that obtained with a solid-state imaging device constructed by divided pixels is provided. Hence, even when the number of horizontal pixels and/or the number of vertical pixels of the solid-state imaging device are a half of that of a display apparatus used, an image signal suitable to the display apparatus can be produced. |
| US08942506B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
An image processing device that sets weighting factors for captured image data and interpolation image data region by region based on in-focus state information indicating in-focus states of the respective regions, and synthesizes the captured image data and the interpolation image data based on the weighting factors. A weighting factor for interpolation image data in an in-focus region is smaller than a weighting factor for interpolation image data in at least a part of a region other than the in-focus region. |
| US08942502B2 |
Parallelization of variable length decoding
Parallelization of decoding of a data stream encoded with a variable length code includes determining one or more markers, each of which indicates a position within the encoded data stream. The determined markers are included into the encoded data stream together with the encoded data. At the decoder side, the markers are parsed from the encoded data stream and based on the extracted markers. The encoded data is separated into partitions, which are decoded separately and in parallel. |
| US08942500B2 |
Recording medium having recorded thereon coded information using plus and/or minus rounding of images
Medium having image decoding program effecting: extracting motion vector information, quantized DCT coefficients, and rounding method information from input information; dequantizing quantized DCT coefficients to DCT coefficients; performing inverse DCT conversion on the DCT coefficients to an error image; synthesizing a prediction image of a currently decoded image by performing motion compensation using motion vector information, rounding method information, and a previously decoded reference image; and adding the prediction and error images to obtain a decoded image; wherein motion compensation is performed with half-pixel accuracy using bilinear interpolation to calculate intensity values of chrominance or luminance at points where no pixels exist in the reference image, the interpolation performable using a positive or negative rounding method, specified by rounding method information specifying one of plural values and included in coded information of the currently decoded image, in a header section of the coded information of the current image. |
| US08942498B2 |
Recording medium having recorded thereon coded information using plus and/or minus rounding of images
Medium with image decoding program effecting: extracting motion vector information, quantized DCT coefficients, and rounding method information from input information; dequantizing quantized DCT coefficients to obtain DCT coefficients; performing inverse DCT conversion on DCT coefficients to obtain an error image; synthesizing a prediction image of a currently decoded image by performing motion compensation using motion vector information, rounding method information, and previously decoded reference image; and adding prediction and error images to obtain a decoded image; performing motion compensation with half-pixel accuracy and uses bilinear interpolation to calculate intensity values of chrominance or luminance at points where no pixels exist in the reference image, the interpolation being performable using a positive or negative rounding method; wherein the interpolation uses a rounding method specified by rounding method information included in coded information of the currently decoded image; and wherein the rounding method information specifies one of a plurality of values. |
| US08942497B2 |
Recording medium having recorded thereon coded information using plus and/or minus rounding of images
Medium having decoding program effecting: extracting motion vector information, quantized DCT coefficients, and rounding method information from input information to be decoded; dequantizing quantized DCT coefficients to obtain DCT coefficients; performing inverse DCT conversion on the DCT coefficients to obtain an error image; synthesizing a prediction image of a currently decoded image by performing motion compensation using motion vector information, rounding method information, and a previously decoded reference image; and adding the prediction image to the error image; wherein the motion compensation is performed with half-pixel accuracy and uses bilinear interpolation to calculate intensity values of chrominance or luminance at points where no pixels actually exist in the reference image, the bilinear interpolation being performable using a positive or negative rounding method; wherein bilinear interpolation is performed using a rounding method specified by rounding method information; and wherein the rounding method information is included, in the currently decoded image. |
| US08942496B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
Provided is an image processing apparatus capable of simultaneous reduction in memory capacity and compressibility error. An output image data generating means 11 generates processed image data based on specific reference data and preprocessed image data. Reference data generating means 5 repeatedly executes an identical processing in one term made up of not less than two consecutive frames. When an object frame is a top frame in the term, restored reference data generated by data expanding means 15 is outputted as data expanding means. When the object frame is a second or subsequent frame in the term, simulated specific reference data is generated based on the restored reference data generated by the data expanding means 15 and preprocessed image data of the object frame, and outputted as specific reference data. When the object frame is a final frame in the term, in addition to the above operation, the reference data is generated based on the specific reference data and preprocessed image data of the object frame, and outputted to the data compressing means 13, to be compressed. |
| US08942495B2 |
Methods and devices for encoding and decoding transform domain filters
Methods and devices for encoding and decoding data using transform domain filtering are described. The encoder determines a set of transform domain filter coefficients to be applied to a transform domain prediction. The filtering may, in some cases, also apply to transform domain reconstructions. Rate-distortion optimization may be used to determine the optimal filter coefficients on a frame-basis, coding-unit-basis, or other basis. Multiple filters may be developed and communicated from the encoder to the decoder for different combinations of transform block size, coding mode, prediction mode, and texture type. In other cases, the filtering is applied in the pixel-domain to a pixel-domain prediction or a pixel-domain reconstruction of a block of samples. |
| US08942491B2 |
Topology-preserving downsampling of binary images
A binary image downsampling method, including the steps of generating a gray-scale image from a binary image having a background and one or more foreground portions, locating skeleton pixels in the one or more foreground portions, manipulating values of certain foreground pixels in the gray-scale image such that the differences between the values of the skeleton pixels and the background pixels become more significant, downsampling the gray-scale image with the manipulated values of the certain foreground pixels, and generating a downsampled binary image from the downsampled gray-scale image. |
| US08942489B2 |
Vector graphics classification engine
A vector graphics classification engine and associated method for classifying vector graphics in a fixed format document is described herein and illustrated in the accompanying figures. The vector graphics classification engine defines a pipeline for categorizing vector graphics parsed from the fixed format document as font, text, paragraph, table, and page effects, such as shading, borders, underlines, and strikethroughs. Vector graphics that are not otherwise classified are designated as basic graphics. By sequencing the detection operations in a selected order, misclassification is minimized or eliminated. |
| US08942488B2 |
System and method for placing spine groups within a display
A system and method for placing spine groups within a display is provided. A shape is defined within a display. Groups of cluster spines are placed circumferentially around the defined shape. Overlap between at least two of the spine groups is identified. One of the overlapping spine groups is rotated in one of a clockwise and anticlockwise direction away from the other overlapping spine group. Overlap between the rotated spine group and at least one of the other overlapping spine group and another placed spine group is identified. The rotated overlapping spine group is moved in an outward direction away from the shape. |
| US08942487B1 |
Similar image selection
An image similar to a target image is selected from among a set of candidate images. A set of image classifiers is first generated and used to create a fingerprint for each candidate image. A hash table is generated for each fingerprint segment, and an identifier for each candidate image is stored in each hash table based on the candidate image fingerprint value for the fingerprint segment associated with the hash table. A fingerprint is created for the target image using the set of classifiers. Segments of the target image fingerprints are compared to segments of the candidate image fingerprints using the hash table, and a candidate image similar to the target image is selected based on this comparison. |
| US08942486B1 |
Apparatus and method for identifying objects and activities based upon at least one of shape, position or movement
Elements of an electronic image are organized into groups to obtain descriptive data associated with the electronic image. A wide field view of the electronic image is obtained from a first component and a higher resolution image of a selected portion of the wide field view of the electronic image is obtained from a second component to resolve ambiguity associated the selected portion of the wide field view of the electronic image. At least one primitive is formed using pixels of the electronic image, where the primitive is a curve primitive or a region primitive. The at least one primitive is analyzed using at least one level in a ladder of abstraction to organize elements of the electronic image into groups from which descriptive data can be obtained about at least one of objects or activities associated with the electronic image. |
| US08942484B2 |
Text detection using image regions
A method includes receiving an indication of a set of image regions identified in image data. The method further includes, selecting image regions from the set of image regions for text extraction at least partially based on image region stability. |
| US08942475B2 |
Image signal processing device to emphasize contrast
An image signal processing apparatus, which includes a first area input-output characteristics control unit, which controls change of input-output characteristics for every arbitrary area associated with a value of an input luminance signal. The image signal processing apparatus also includes a second area input-output characteristics control unit, which controls change of input-output characteristics for every arbitrary area associated with an output of the first area input-output characteristics control unit, and a chrominance input-output characteristics control unit which controls the change of the input-output characteristics of an input chrominance signal by utilizing the output of the first area input-output characteristics control unit and the output of the second area input-output characteristics control unit. |
| US08942474B2 |
Method and system for interpolating index values of associated tiles in an image
A method for performing indexing in an image decoder. The method includes identifying a tile in an image, wherein the image comprises a plurality of tiles, and wherein each tile includes color data associated with a plurality of pixels. The method includes asymmetrically providing a plurality of indices throughout the tile. The method includes identifying a pixel in the tile. The method also includes determining a corresponding rectangular grid that includes the pixel, wherein the corresponding rectangular grid comprises at least one indices in a group of indices. The method includes determining an index for the pixel by bilinearly filtering the group of indices that is associated with the corresponding rectangular grid, wherein the filtering is performed in relation to the pixel. |
| US08942470B2 |
Sentiment classification using out of domain data
Providing sentiment classification of out of domain data are disclosed herein. In some aspects, a source domain having a trained classifier is matched to a target domain having a target classifier. The trained classifier may include identifiers that may be used to predict the sentiment of opinion data for the source domain. The target classifier may use the identifiers of the trained classifier to determine the sentiment of opinion data for the target domain. |
| US08942456B2 |
Image reconstruction from incomplete fourier measurements and prior edge information
Systems and methods of image reconstruction that can reduce the number of Fourier transform measurements required to obtain an exact or stable reconstruction of target images, using prior edge information obtained from a reference image. Full-sampled, 2 or 3-dimensional Fourier transform measurements are obtained for the reference image prior to performing a time series study. Based on the reference image sharing similar edge information with a time series of sparse-gradient images, the number of Fourier transform measurements required to reconstruct the target images can be reduced by using compressed sensing techniques to obtain the sparse-gradient images, and combining the edge information for the sparse-gradient images with the reduced number of Fourier transform measurements to obtain the exact or stable reconstruction of the target images, thereby permitting improved temporal resolution and/or extent of tissue coverage over the use of full sampling and conventional image reconstruction methods. |
| US08942454B2 |
Signal to-noise enhancement in imaging applications using a time-series of images
An apparatus and method are disclosed for improving imaging based on a time-series of images. In one embodiment, a time-series of images are acquired using a same imaging protocol of the same subject area, but the images are spaced in time by one or more time intervals (e.g, 1, 2, 3 . . . seconds apart). A sub-region is projected across all of the images to perform a localized analysis (corresponding X-Y pixels or X-Y-Z voxels are analyzed across all images) that identifies temporal components within each sub-region. In some of the sub-regions, the temporal components are removed when the amplitude of the component is below a predetermined amplitude threshold. The images are then combined using the sub-regions with reduced components in order to obtain a single image with reduced noise. |
| US08942445B2 |
Method and system for correction of lung density variation in positron emission tomography using magnetic resonance imaging
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to correcting lung density variations in positron emission tomography (PET) images of a subject using a magnetic resonance (MR) image. A pulmonary vasculature and an outer extent of a lung cavity can be identified in a MR image corresponding to a thoracic region of the subject in response to an intensity associated with pixels in the MR image. The pixels within the outer extent of the lung cavity are classified as corresponding to the pulmonary vasculature or the lung tissue. Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can apply attenuation coefficients to a reconstruction of the PET image based on the classification of the pixels within the outer extent of the lung cavity. |
| US08942443B2 |
Computer system and computer-readable storage medium for art therapy
An art therapy computer system and a computer-readable storage medium having recorded a program for art therapy are disclosed. An aspect of the present invention provides a computer system that includes a drawing module, which presents a plurality of patterns and in which the drawing module selects a certain pattern, composes and colors a picture according to the working of a person tested for art therapy, an analysis module, which analyzes one or more factors from the colored picture, and a parsing module, which parses the psychological state, symptoms or disorders of the person tested for art therapy from the analyzed factors. |
| US08942440B2 |
Method for generating image files having a number of logical layers
A method for image acquisition is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes acquiring, by a first imaging method, first image data of an object to be examined; acquiring, by a second imaging method, second image data of the object to be examined; generating an image file, the file format of which allows different logical layers of image data to be stored, in such a manner that the image file generated contains the acquired first image data in a first logical layer in the intended layer format and the acquired second image data in a second logical layer. |
| US08942439B2 |
Fingerprint authentication system, fingerprint authentication method, and fingerprint authentication program
To improve the precision with which a false finger formed by attaching a transparent thin film to a surface of a finger is identified, a fingerprint authentication system includes: an image division unit 31 that divides a captured image of an authentication subject to be subjected to fingerprint authentication into a plurality of small regions; a frequency analysis unit 32 that performs a frequency analysis on each of the small regions; a ridge candidate extraction unit 33 that extracts frequency components corresponding to ridge candidates in the small regions from frequency components obtained in the frequency analysis; a continuous ridge candidate group generation unit 34 that compares the ridge candidates between adjacent small regions, and when the ridge candidates satisfy a condition enabling the ridge candidates to be determined continuous, generates a continuous ridge candidate group including the ridge candidates; and a determination unit 35 that determines that an abnormality exists in the image when overlap exists between the image regions corresponding to the continuous ridge candidate group. |
| US08942430B2 |
Method and apparatus for authenticating area biometric scanners
Methods and apparatuses for authenticating a biometric scanner, such as area type finger print scanners, involves estimating unique intrinsic characteristics of the scanner (scanner pattern), that are permanent over time, and can identify a scanner even among scanners of the same manufacturer and model. Image processing and analysis are used to extract a scanner pattern from images acquired with the scanner. The scanner pattern is used to verify whether the scanner that acquired a particular image is the same as the scanner that acquired one or several images during enrollment of the biometric information. Authenticating the scanner can prevent subsequent security attacks using counterfeit biometric information on the scanner, or on the user authentication system. |
| US08942426B2 |
On-train rail track monitoring system
An automatic inspection system is provided for monitoring rail track for detecting and generating alerts for certain hazards to the operation of trains that may cause various safety concerns and even derailment. The monitoring is during normal railway service runs without interrupting the normal railway services. In one implementation, an imaging module is used on a passenger or freight train to capture video images of the rail track under the train in motion. In one implementation, the captured video images are automatically processed in a computer using a software module which is based on digital image processing techniques and algorithms to determine whether an irregularity is present on the rail track. In one implementation, video images containing detected irregularities on the rail track are transmitted to a control center for further analysis and possible alert. |
| US08942424B2 |
Method of optimal out-of-band correction for multispectral remote sensing
A method of image processing. An expected band-averaged spectral radiances image vector is simulated from training hyperspectral data and at least one filter transmittance function corresponding to the at least one optical filter. A simulated measured band-averaged spectral radiances image vector is simulated from the training hyperspectral data and the at least one transmittance function. A realistic measured band-averaged spectral radiances image vector is provided from at least one optical filter. A cross-correlation matrix of the expected band-averaged spectral radiances image vector and the realistic measured band-averaged spectral radiances image vector is calculated. An auto-correlation matrix of the simulated measured band-averaged spectral radiances image vector is calculated. An optimal out-of-band transform matrix is generated by matrix-multiplying the cross-correlation matrix and an inverse of the auto-correlation matrix. A realistic recovered band-averaged spectral radiances image vector is generated by matrix-multiplying the optimal out-of-band transform matrix and the realistic measured band-averaged spectral radiances image vector, the realistic recovered band-averaged spectral radiances image vector being free of out-of-band effects. |
| US08942422B2 |
Nonlinear self-calibration for structure from motion (SFM) techniques
A nonlinear self-calibration technique that may, for example, be used to convert a projective reconstruction to metric (Euclidian) reconstruction. The self-calibration technique may use a nonlinear least squares optimization technique to infer the parameters. N input images and a projective reconstruction for each image may be obtained. At least two sets of initial values may be determined for an equation to be optimized according to the nonlinear optimization technique to generate a metric reconstruction for the set of N images. The equation may then be optimized using each set of initial values according to the nonlinear optimization technique. The result with a smaller cost may be selected. The metric reconstruction is output. The output may include, but is not limited to, focal length, rotation, and translation values for the N images. |
| US08942419B1 |
Position estimation using predetermined patterns of light sources
Methods and systems are described for determining eye position and/or for determining eye movement based on glints. An exemplary computer-implemented method involves: (a) causing a camera that is attached to a head-mounted display (HMD) to record a video of the eye; (b) while the video of the eye is being recorded, causing a plurality of light sources that are attached to the HMD and generally directed towards the eye to switch on and off according to a predetermined pattern, wherein the predetermined pattern is such that at least two of the light sources are switched on at any given time while the video of the eye is being recorded; (c) analyzing the video of the eye to detect controlled glints that correspond to the plurality of light sources; and (d) determining a measure of eye position based on the controlled glints. |
| US08942414B2 |
Method and apparatus for making personalized contents
A method for making personalized content by providing attributes to an object included in the electronic book content to reconfigure the electronic book content suited to tastes of a user and an apparatus thereof by executing electronic book content, extracting text information of the executed electronic book content, extracting keywords registered in an effect database from the extracted text information, providing a list of the extracted keywords when selection of a specific objected included in the electronic book content, and providing an attribute mapped to a keyword selected from the keyword list to the selected object. |
| US08942413B2 |
Digital watermark embedding apparatus, digital watermark embedding method, and digital watermark detection apparatus
A digital watermark embedding apparatus includes an interface circuit which acquires video data and digital watermark information, and a processor which embeds the digital watermark information into the video data. The processor is adapted to, for each symbol contained in the digital watermark information, set a time segment, cause the area of a watermark pattern formed by a plurality of pixels having a prescribed value, and superimposed on each image contained in the video data, to vary in periodic fashion over time in the time segment according to the value of the symbol contained in the digital watermark information, and correct, using the prescribed value, the value of each pixel contained in a region where each image in the video data and the watermark pattern corresponding to that image overlap each other. |
| US08942408B1 |
Magnetically one-side driven planar transducer with improved electro-magnetic circuit
A single-ended planar transducer device for generating a sound signal based on an electrical signal comprising at least two primary rows of primary magnets, at least one return row of at least one return structure, a diaphragm, a conductive trace formed on the diaphragm, and a frame. The frame supports two primary rows to define at least one core set comprising no more than two primary rows. A primary magnetic field is established between the primary rows in the at least one core set. The frame supports at least one return row adjacent to the at least one core set. A return magnetic field is established between each return row and any primary row adjacent thereto. A first portion of the trace is arranged at least partly within each primary magnetic field and a second portion of the trace is arranged at least partly within each return magnetic field. |
| US08942406B2 |
Canal-type receiver
An object of this invention is to provide a canal-type receiver capable of reproducing sound fields spanning front-to-rear and/or top-to-bottom. Thus, an ear piece of the canal-type receiver has a substantially cylindrical shape and includes a cylindrical portion including a sound guiding tube emitting a sound wave, radiated from a sound-emission unit in a receiver, to the inside of the external auditory canal, the sound guiding tube is configured so that a directional sound wave radiation axis of the sound wave faces a predetermined position of a wall of the external auditory canal in such a state that a cylindrical portion of the ear piece is mounted at a predetermined position in the external auditory canal, whereby the sound wave radiated from the sound guiding tube is reflected by a portion of the external auditory canal wall to arrive at the eardrum. |
| US08942402B2 |
Acoustic speaker device
An acoustic speaker device (10) according to the present invention comprises at least two types of gas adsorption materials in a cabinet (12) thereof. A porous carbon material package member (14A), which is one of the gas adsorption materials, can adsorb or eliminate air in the cabinet (12) by a porous carbon material (41) during the operation of a speaker unit (13) so as to buffer compression or expansion of air in the cabinet (12). A sheet-like moisture adsorbing material (14B), which is the other of the gas adsorbing materials, is formed by dispersing copper ion-exchanged ZSM-5 zeolite (43) in a thermoplastic resin composition (44), and is stuck on at least a section of an inner wall of the cabinet (12). This configuration allows moisture in the cabinet (12) to be rapidly adsorbed. |
| US08942395B2 |
Pointing element enhanced speaker system
A pointing element enhanced speaker system addresses the need for consistent sound. Despite wide variations in the design and architecture of different venues, the system helps performers ensure that they deliver the desired sound for their audiences. Performers and their technicians, though faced with grueling schedules that impose severe time constraints on equipment setup and tuning as the performers move between venues, may turn to the system to provide the sound desired at each new venue. |
| US08942391B2 |
Distortion compensation
A distortion compensation system minimizes distortion in an audio system by monitoring a supply voltage and adjusting a clipping threshold and/or compression knee. An adjustable gain circuit controls the gain of the audio signal according whether the audio signal exceeds a variable threshold. The variable threshold is adjusted within a threshold range based on the supply voltage. Distortion due to clipping of the audio signal is minimized while available power at any given time is maximized. |
| US08942378B2 |
Method and device for encrypting multicast service in passive optical network system
A method for encrypting multicast services in a passive optical network system is provided in the present invention, and the method includes: an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) generating a public key, and using the public key to encrypt the multicast service data in a bearer channel and then transmitting the encrypted data, the multicast service data in the same one bearer channel being encrypted using the same public key; and said OLT sending the public key ,which is used to encrypt the multicast service data, via a management control channel to an Optical Network Unit (ONU) which is activated successfully and requests to receive said multicast service data. A device for encrypting multicast services in a passive optical network system is also provided in the present invention. |
| US08942377B2 |
Trust discovery in a communications network
A method and apparatus to establish trust between two nodes in a communications network. A first node receives from a network node authentication data unique to the first node, which can be used to derive a compact representation of verification data for the first node. The first node also receives a certified compact representation of verification data of all nodes in the network. The first node derives trust information from the authentication data for the node, and sends to a second node a message that includes the trust information and part of the authentication data. The second node has its own copy of the certified compact representation of verification data of all nodes in the network, and verifies the authenticity of the message from the first node using the compact representation of verification data of all nodes in the network and the received trust information and authentication data. |
| US08942368B2 |
Call notification with rich caller identification
Communication systems and methods are described that include call notification with rich caller identification. Components of the communication systems are configured to receive a call for a user via an enterprise voice channel. A call request is automatically generated in response to event data of the received call. The call request includes caller data from enterprise databases or directories. The caller data provides identifying information of the caller to the user via the call request. The call request can include response options by which the user can participate in the call. The call request is routed to a target device of the user via a data channel of the host enterprise. The target device provides the user with multiple action or response options via the call request. The response options include for example accepting the call, delaying the call, forwarding the call, ignoring the call, and ignoring the caller. |
| US08942364B2 |
Per-conference-leg recording control for multimedia conferencing
A centralized network system allows users at different remote sources to initiate a process to disable recording of different communication signals from the different remote sources. The communication signals are received from the different remote sources during conferences. A user request is also received from one of the remote sources to disable recording of one of the different communication signals. Users at multiple of the different remote sources are simultaneously authorized and enabled to begin a process to disable recording of one of the different communication signals. |
| US08942361B2 |
System and method for controlling free phone calls through an institutional phone system
A method of controlling free phone calls places from within a secured premises through an institutional phone system generally includes assigning a unique access identifier to an individual caller upon entry into the secured premises; receiving a destination number from the individual caller within the secured premises, the destination number being associated with a telephone located outside the secured premises; determining if the destination number is a per se free number, and, if the destination number is not determined to be a per se free number: receiving the unique access identifier from the individual caller; validating the unique access identifier; and, if the unique access identifier is valid, processing a telephone call to the destination number. |
| US08942359B2 |
Offline voicemail
A method for accessing offline voicemail messages within a mobile messaging application may be provided. First, a voice mail message may be received and the voicemail message may be transcribed to text. Next, the voicemail message and the text transcription may be stored. The recipient may then be presented with a list of voicemail messages and the voicemail message may be retrieved in response to the recipient. The recipient may read or listen to the voicemail message or both. The recipient may also annotate the voicemail message. |
| US08942358B2 |
Unified and best messaging systems for communication devices
A unified messaging system which can provide messaging services for a plurality of different “message types” is disclosed. The unified messaging system can serve as a single interface to a number of messaging services provided by various messaging components which use different message types (e.g., mail server). A unified message type is implemented and presented to a user as an abstract message. In addition, the unified messaging system can automatically determine, based on a first selected feature, if one or more message types should be used. A particular message type can also be automatically selected as a “best message type” based on one or more selected options. |
| US08942355B1 |
Optimizing identification of public safety answering platform next generation 911 media support
A method, system, and medium are provided for generating a profile for public safety answering platforms. The profile identifies media formats or media format combinations that are supported by the PSAPs at various cell sector locations maintained by a network provider. A network server selects a cell sector and generates test emergency services calls. The test emergency services calls are transmitted to a PSAP but are optimized to reduce a number of test emergency services calls based on media support included in the profile of the PSAP. The PSAP generates a response that indicates whether the PSAP supports a media format identified in the test emergency services call. The PSAP may rely on capabilities of a secondary PSAP to generate the response. The PSAP transmits the response to the network server for storage in the profile. |
| US08942353B2 |
Field assisted sintering of X-ray tube components
A system and method for x-ray tube components is disclosed. The method of fabricating an x-ray tube component includes providing a powder into an electrically conductive die constructed to have a cavity shaped as the x-ray tube component being fabricated and simultaneously applying a mechanical pressure and an electric field to the die so as to cause sintering of the powder and thereby fabricate the x-ray tube component, wherein the electric field applied to the die directly passes through the die to the powder, so as to generate heat internally within the powder responsive to the applied electric field. |
| US08942350B2 |
Radiographic system and radiographic apparatus
A radiographic system includes: a radiographic apparatus; a radiation generator that irradiates radiation to the radiographic apparatus; and a console which forms a radiation image based on an image data transmitted from the radiographic apparatus, wherein when a radiation image capturing is completed, a controller transmits thinned-out data in which read-out image data are thinned at a prescribed ratio, to the console, which displays a preview image on a display section based on the thinned-out data, when a rejection operation that rejects the preview image through an input section is conducted, the console transmits a stop signal that instructs the radiographic apparatus to stop a series of processing, and wherein when the controller receives the stop signal, the controller stops the series of processing currently in progress, and returns an operation state of each functional section to an operation state before the radiation image capturing is carried out. |
| US08942343B2 |
Methods and systems for dynamically modifying acquisition parameter during image acquisition
Systems and methods for automatically and dynamically modifying an image acquisition parameter for use in tomosynthesis breast imaging. A selected image acquisition parameter is modified in response to a measured characteristic of an imaged object such as a breast, and thus tailored to provide the highest quality image for the particular object. For example, image quality in a breast tomosynthesis system can be improved by dynamically varying motion and other acquisition parameters of the tomosynthesis system in response to physical characteristics of the breast to be imaged (determined during image acquisition), such as the breast thickness, density or composition. Dynamically varying acquisition or processing methods helps to customize the system for each particular patient, thereby improving image quality and identification and assessment of potential pathologies and abnormalities, and lower radiation dose, and thus a reduced the risk of long-term adverse health effects due to lifetime accumulated radiation dose. |
| US08942341B2 |
Method of dose reduction for CT imaging and apparatus for implementing same
A CT system includes an x-ray source configured to project an x-ray beam toward an object, a detector array, and a bowtie filter. The bowtie filter includes a first x-ray filtration region positioned to attenuate x-rays that pass through an isochannel of the detector array, a second x-ray filtration region positioned to attenuate x-rays that pass through channels of the detector array that are offcenter in a channel direction from the isochannel, and an x-ray attenuation material positionable to attenuate the x-rays that pass through the channels of the detector array that are offcenter in the channel direction from the isochannel. The CT system also includes a data acquisition system (DAS) connected to the detector array and configured to receive outputs from the detector array, and a computer programmed to acquire projections of imaging data of the object, and generate an image of the object using the imaging data. |
| US08942338B2 |
Traveling wave nuclear fission reactor, fuel assembly, and method of controlling burnup therein
A traveling wave nuclear fission reactor, fuel assembly, and a method of controlling burnup therein. In a traveling wave nuclear fission reactor, a nuclear fission reactor fuel assembly comprises a plurality of nuclear fission fuel rods that are exposed to a deflagration wave burnfront that, in turn, travels through the fuel rods. The excess reactivity is controlled by a plurality of movable neutron absorber structures that are selectively inserted into and withdrawn from the fuel assembly in order to control the excess reactivity and thus the location, speed and shape of the burnfront. Controlling location, speed and shape of the burnfront manages neutron fluence seen by fuel assembly structural materials in order to reduce risk of temperature and irradiation damage to the structural materials. |
| US08942336B2 |
Robust sensing of DVB-T/H transmissions
A method and system is provided for detecting the presence of a DVB (digital video broadcasting) transmission. The method includes receiving an RF (radio frequency) signal in a selected channel (1101); creating signal samples from the received RF signal (1102); creating averaged samples from the signal samples, each averaged sample being an average of a predetermined number of signal samples that are separated by a minimum pilot pattern repetition period from one to the next signal sample (1103); correlating the averaged samples with a reference sequence (1104); and comparing a correlation result with a threshold correlation value (1105). |
| US08942335B2 |
Training-based channel estimation for multiple-antennas
The burden of designing multiple training sequences for systems having multiple transmit antennas, is drastically reduced by employing a single sequence from which the necessary multiple sequences are developed. The single sequence is selected to create sequences that have an impulse-like autocorrelation function and zero cross correlations. A sequence of any desired length Nt can be realized for an arbitrary number of channel taps, L. The created sequences can be restricted to a standard constellation (that is used in transmitting information symbols) so that a common constellation mapper is used for both the information signals and the training sequence. In some applications a training sequence may be selected so that it is encoded with the same encoder that is used for encoding information symbols. Both block and trellis coding is possible in embodiments that employ this approach. |
| US08942334B1 |
Parallel replica CDR to correct offset and gain in a baud rate sampling phase detector
Apparatus and methods reduce channel-dependent phase detector offset and/or gain errors. A conventional Mueller-Muller phase detector places a main cursor at the midpoint of a pre-cursor and a post-cursor. However, for example, when the impulse response of an associated transmission line is not symmetric, the main cursor can be misaligned by conventional Mueller-Muller techniques. By providing a replica clock and data recovery path, trial and error experiments on the phase detector offset and/or gain can be performed, and relatively good values found for the phase detector offset and/or gain without disturbing the reception of data by the phase detector that is being used to receive data. These settings can then be used by the phase detector that is being used to receive data, which can improve the bit error rate of the phase detector. |
| US08942329B2 |
Fast and reliable channel classification algorithms in Bluetooth networks to detect and avoid 2.4 GHz interferers
A method for frequency selection in a wireless communication system, includes performing in a wireless device, receiving at least one signal at a current frequency; processing at least one data packet received via the received at least one signal to determine the presence of bit errors; characterizing the received at least one signal received at the current frequency based on the processing of the at least one data packet; classifying the current frequency based on at least the characterization of the received at least one signal; and selecting the current frequency based on the classification. At least one signal strength measurement may be performed on the received at least one signal, and the processing of the at least one data packet may be performed within a current channel classification update interval. |
| US08942326B2 |
Channel decoding method and tail biting convolutional decoder
The disclosure provides a channel decoding method and a tail biting convolutional decoder. The method comprises: the tail biting convolutional decoder performs add-compare-select processing on metric values of 2N states according to input data to be decoded and N zeros input after the data to obtain final cumulative metric values of the 2N states, and stores selection result of add-compare-select processing, wherein N is the constraint length of tail biting convolutional coding; the tail biting convolutional decoder starts to backtrack from one state of the 2N states according to the selection result to obtain intermediate decoding result after the add-compare-select processing is finished; the tail biting convolutional decoder outputs the bits except the last N bits of the intermediate decoding result as decoded result of the data to be decoded. The tail biting convolutional decoder comprises an add-compare-select module, a backtracking module and an outputting module. |
| US08942321B2 |
Efficient compressed sensing channel estimation for single-carrier communication systems
Methods and devices for receiving wireless signals employ compressed sensing-based estimation techniques to receive single-carrier transmissions, exploiting the common sparseness of the wireless channel, enabling signal reception in the presence of significant Delay and Doppler spreads. When implemented for an ATSC or ATSC-M/H mobile TV standard signal, the compressed sensing channel estimation algorithm enables data reception in Delay and Doppler spread conditions beyond the capabilities of conventional channel estimation methods. |
| US08942318B1 |
Method and apparatus of cross-correlation
Briefly, a method and apparatus to calculate cross-correlation values of complex binary sequences are provided. The apparatus may include a transformation unit and a cross-correlator. The cross-correlator may include a cross-correlation controller to provide, based on a type bit and a sign bit, a real component and/or an imaginary component of signals of complex binary sequences to a real accumulator and/or to an imaginary accumulator. |
| US08942316B2 |
Wireless communication system with signal processing mechanism and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a wireless communication system includes: receiving a received signal; generating concurrently a first modulation data and a second modulation data from the received signal; calculating an error energy for the first modulation data and the second modulation data; and removing a residual Direct Current (DC) offset from the received signal based on determining a minimum of the error energy for the first modulation data or the second modulation data. |
| US08942315B1 |
Systems, methods, and devices for frequency calibration of transmitters
Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for implementing frequency calibration circuits. The devices may include a data source configured to generate a first data signal based on a first data value and a second data signal based on a second data value. The devices may include a gain control circuit configured to receive the first and second data signals from the data source, and generate a first modified data signal and a second modified data signal. The devices may include an oscillator circuit configured to generate a first output signal and a second output signal based, at least in part, on the first and second modified data signals. The devices may include a calibration circuit configured to determine an adjustment value based on the first and second output signals, and further configured to change a gain of the gain control circuit based on the determined adjustment value. |
| US08942305B2 |
Method for communicating in a network
The present invention relates to a method for operating a communication system in a network, the system comprising a primary station and at least one secondary station, the primary station comprising a plurality of transmit antennas and the secondary station comprising a plurality of receive antennas, the method comprising the steps of the primary station selecting a first communication scheme among a plurality of communication schemes, the primary station computing a transmission vector on the basis of the first communication scheme, the secondary station computing a reception vector on the basis of a second communication scheme, the second communication scheme being selected among the plurality of communication schemes by the secondary station on the assumption that a predetermined communication scheme is being used by the primary station. |
| US08942304B2 |
Signal generating method and signal generating device
A transmission method for transmitting a first modulated signal and a second modulated signal in the same frequency at the same time. Each signal has been modulated according to a different modulation scheme. The transmission method applies precoding on both signals using a fixed precoding matrix, applies different power change to each signal, and regularly changes the phase of at least one of the signals, thereby improving received data signal quality for a reception device. |
| US08942303B1 |
Pilot assisted channel estimation
Systems and methods are described for the implementation of a receiver that includes a channel estimation block that uses known pilots to estimate the value of channel gain and phase at data subcarrier indexes. Time interpolation as well as an auto regression filter can be to estimate the channel gain and phase at the “missing” pilot indexes as well as frequency interpolation to estimate the value of the channel at data subcarrier indexes. |
| US08942302B2 |
Method and apparatus for antenna array channel feedback
A method and apparatus provide antenna array channel feedback. The method can include receiving, at a wireless terminal, a set of channel state information reference signals. The method can include determining, by the wireless terminal, based on the received set of channel state information reference signals, a precoding matrix that is a product of a first precoding matrix and a second precoding matrix. The first precoding matrix can have at least a representation in terms of a representation matrix. The representation matrix can be based on a matrix selected from a first codebook. The second precoding matrix can be based on a second codebook. The method can include transmitting, by the wireless terminal, a representation of at least one of the first precoding matrix and the second precoding matrix. |
| US08942301B2 |
Dynamic subcarrier utilization and intelligent transmission scheduling
In one embodiment, a transmitting device monitors transmission activity of each of a plurality of subcarriers in a communication network, and determines a set of unutilized subcarriers of the plurality of subcarriers. As such, the transmitting device may then transmit a data frame on one or more of the unutilized subcarriers to a receiving device while transmission activity is present on one or more utilized subcarriers within the network. In another embodiment, the transmitting device may also determine timing information associated with the transmission activity, and may correspondingly schedule the transmitting to optimize network performance based on the timing information. |
| US08942299B2 |
Baseband beamforming
Exemplary embodiments are directed to beamforming. A device may include a plurality of inputs for receiving differential in-phase and quadrature data. The device may further include a plurality of switching elements coupled to the plurality of inputs and configured to enable for rotation of the differential in-phase and quadrature data at baseband. |
| US08942297B2 |
Forwarding signal supply voltage in data transmission system
In a data transmission system, one or more signal supply voltages for generating the signaling voltage of a signal to be transmitted are generated in a first circuit and forwarded from the first circuit to a second circuit. The second circuit may use the forwarded signal supply voltages to generate another signal to be transmitted back from the second circuit to the first circuit, thereby obviating the need to generate signal supply voltages separately in the second circuit. The first circuit may also adjust the signal supply voltages based on the signal transmitted back from the second circuit to the first circuit. The data transmission system may employ a single-ended signaling system in which the signaling voltage is referenced to a reference voltage that is a power supply voltage such as ground, shared by the first circuit and the second circuit. |
| US08942293B2 |
Picture-in-picture processing for video telephony
The disclosure is directed to techniques for picture-in-picture (PIP) processing for video telephony (VT). According to the disclosed techniques, a local video communication device transmits PIP information to a remote video communication device. Using the PIP information, the remote video communication device applies preferential encoding to non-PIP regions of video transmitted to the local video communication device. |
| US08942292B2 |
Efficient significant coefficients coding in scalable video codecs
Techniques for efficient significant coefficients coding in scalable video codecs are described. In one configuration, a device including a processing circuit having a set of instruction operative to generate initialization tables for a current frame or slice is provided. The initialization tables have statistics of a significant coefficient pass for a previous encoded frame or slice using scalable video coding. The device also includes a transmitter to transmit the initialization tables with the current frame or slice to a decoder. The decoder can decode a frame or slice with the transmitted initialization tables. The decoder may also use resident default initialization tables. |
| US08942291B2 |
Remote resource access interface apparatus
A remote resource access interface apparatus is provided. A key input unit has keys for generating input key values. A communication unit transmits a connection establishment request message including screen resolution information to, and receives a connection establishment response message including supportable key information from, a portable device. The communication unit transmits input key information to and receives video information from the portable device after establishing the connection. A pixel information processing unit converts the video information to pixel signals for a video output unit to display as a visual image. A key advisor unit extracts supportable key information from the response message and outputs the supportable key information to the video output unit. The video information is video data adjusted in resolution based on the screen resolution information, and the input key value is mapped to one of key values indicated by the key information of the portable device. |
| US08942290B2 |
Dynamic coefficient reordering
A system, apparatus, and method of compressing video data having at least one frame having at least one block having an array of pixels. The method includes transforming the pixels of the at least one block into coefficients, creating a default transmission order of the coefficients, creating an optimal transmission order of the coefficients, comparing a coefficient position of at least one of the coefficients in the optimal transmission order with a coefficient position of the at least one of the coefficients in the default transmission order; determining an update value based on the comparison, and selectively encoding position information of the at least one of the coefficients in the optimal transmission order based on the update value. |
| US08942289B2 |
Computational complexity and precision control in transform-based digital media codec
A digital media encoder/decoder includes signaling of various modes relating to computation complexity and precision at decoding. The encoder may send a syntax element indicating arithmetic precision (e.g., using 16 or 32-bit operations) of the transform operations performed at decoding. The encoder also may signal whether to apply scaling at the decoder output, which permits a wider dynamic range of intermediate data at decoding, but adds to computational complexity due to the scaling operation. |
| US08942288B2 |
Moving picture coding method, moving picture coding apparatus, moving picture decoding method, and moving picture decoding apparatus
Obtaining one or more motion vector predictor candidates includes: (a1) generating a motion vector predictor candidate, based on motion vectors of first adjacent blocks adjacent to a block to be processed in a first direction; and (a2) generating a motion vector predictor candidate, based on motion vectors of second adjacent blocks adjacent to the block to be processed in a second direction, and step (a2) (S500) includes: (S520) determining whether the first adjacent blocks include an inter-predicted block; and (S530) searching for a motion vector on which scaling processing can be performed from among the motion vectors of the second adjacent blocks when it is determined that the first adjacent blocks do not include an inter-predicted block, and executing, when the motion vector on which scaling processing can be performed is obtained in the search, scaling processing on the motion vector obtained in the search. |
| US08942282B2 |
Variable length coding of coded block pattern (CBP) in video compression
This disclosure describes techniques for coding video data. As one example, this disclosure describes a coded block pattern (CBP) for a coding unit (CU) of video data that indicates whether or not each of a luminance component (Y), a first chrominance component (U), and a second chrominance component (V) include at least one non-zero coefficient. According to another example, this disclosure describes a CBP that indicates whether respective blocks of a CU include at least on non-zero coefficient. The CBP described herein may be mapped to a single variable length code (VLC) code word. The VLC code word may be used by a coder to code the CU of video data. |
| US08942281B2 |
Method for processing signals
A method for processing signals transmitted via a connection and received by a digital interface, where individual data frames are transmitted by the signals as a sequence of modulated symbols, and where the received signals are corrected by an equalizer; the equalizer sampling the received signals, and an adaptation of the equalizer only taking place in particular time intervals in a manner controlled by a protocol. |
| US08942280B1 |
Method and apparatus for timing jitter measurement
A timing jitter measurement circuit for measuring timing jitter in the digital domain may use an interpolator bank to over-sample a signal from a media reader, a zero crossing estimator to estimate a zero crossing moment in the output of the interpolator bank and a time interval analyzer (TIA) to calculate the timing jitter as the deviation of the estimated zero crossing moment from an expected zero crossing moment in a clock signal. The timing jitter measurement circuit may be integrated into digital circuitry since it avoids using analog devices. Consequently, it may simplify the chip design, lower power consumption and save space. |
| US08942278B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting data collisions for a near field communication system
In a wireless near field communication (NFC) system, a target, such as a smart card, can communicate with an initiator, such as a card reader, by load modulating a radio frequency (RF) signal generated by the initiator. When two or more targets load modulate the RF signal generated, “collisions” can occur with the load modulation. Apparatus and methods detect the presence or absence of collisions in a lower layer or physical layer and report the presence of detected collisions to an upper layer for further handling. |
| US08942277B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method
To improve throughput by reducing the resource used for transmitting a parameter relating to retransmission control and decreasing overhead of retransmission control signaling. Where a retransmission control method is employed with adaptive MCS control in which the encoding rate can be changed, the scheduling section sets the MCS in accordance with CQI notified from the communication counterpart apparatus. When transmission data is encoded, the RV parameter bit-number setting section sets the number of bits used for signaling the RV parameter to decrease as the encoding rate of the first transmission is decreased and sets the RV parameter based on the number of bits. For example, in a case where the encoding rate R is R>⅔, two bits are set. In a case where the encoding rate ⅓ |
| US08942276B2 |
Transmission apparatus
There is provided a transmission apparatus which includes a transmitting circuit that receives a bit string in which an input bit string expressed as combination of 0 and 1 is preceded by a 1-bit value 0, computes a difference value between two bits adjacent to each other in the bit string, the difference value being one of among +1, 0, or −1, and sends the computed difference value, and a receiving circuit that stores a 1-bit value with an initial value of 0, receives the difference value +1, 0, or −1 sent by the transmitting circuit, calculates a sum of the received difference value and the stored 1-bit value, outputs, as a value of a receiving signal, 1 if the sum is 1 or more or 0 if the sum is 0 or less, and updates the stored 1-bit value to the value of the output receiving signals. |
| US08942275B2 |
Controlling uplink multi-antenna transmissions in a telecommunication system
The disclosure relates to controlling uplink transmissions according to closed loop techniques such as closed loop uplink transmit diversity and uplink multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO). An exemplary method for use in a user equipment (61) configured for multi-antenna transmissions comprises a step of receiving (62), in a downlink channel, pre-coding vector information indicating a pre-coding vector for uplink transmission. The method further comprises a step of determining (63) whether the pre-coding vector indicated by the received pre-coding vector information is reliable or unreliable and steps of applying (64) the pre-coding vector indicated by the received pre-coding vector information for uplink transmission only if the pre-coding vector is determined to be reliable and applying (66) a pre-determined pre-coding vector when the pre-coding vector indicated by the received pre-coding vector information is determined to be unreliable. |
| US08942268B2 |
Silicon-based cooling apparatus for laser gain medium
Embodiments of silicon-based thermal energy transfer apparatus for a gain medium of a laser system are provided. In one aspect, a silicon-based thermal energy transfer apparatus includes silicon-based first and second manifolds each having internal coolant flow channels therein. When the first and second manifolds are coupled together, a first groove on the first manifold and a second groove on the second manifold form a through hole configured to receive the gain medium therein. The through hole has a polygonal cross section when viewed along a longitudinal axis of the gain medium. |
| US08942267B2 |
Thermo-optically tunable laser system
A tunable laser has a solid state laser medium having an optical gain region and generates coherent radiation through a facet. A lens collects the coherent radiation and generates a collimated light beam. Components of an external cavity include a reflective surface and an optical filter, the reflective surface reflecting the collimated beam back to the lens and the laser medium, the optical filter positioned between the reflective surface and the lens and having two surfaces with a thermally tunable optical transmission band within the optical gain region of the laser medium. The optical filter (1) transmits a predominant portion of the collimated beam at a desired wavelength of operation, and (2) specularly reflects a remaining portion of the collimated beam from each surface, the collimated beam being incident on the optical filter such that the reflected collimated beams propagate at a non-zero angle with respect to the incident collimated beam. |
| US08942264B2 |
Receiver and method for receiving a composite signal
A multiplexer is capable of multiplexing at least two signals selected from the first signal, the second signal and the null code signal. In a first mode, the multiplexer multiplexes the first signal and the null code signal consistent with a predetermined time sequence for expression of the null code in first precursor signal In a second mode, the multiplexer multiplexes the first signal and the second signal to provide a second precursor signal. A correlator can correlate the digital received composite signal to the locally generated reference signal to decode at least a first portion of the received composite signal or the entire received composite signal, depending upon the mode (e.g., operation in the first or second mode). |
| US08942262B2 |
Communication device, communication system and computer readable medium
A communication device includes: a division unit that divides first data to be transmitted to another communication device via a transmission path including a plurality of lanes into a plurality of second data; a transmission unit that transmits the plurality of second data to the another communication device by distributing them to either one of the plurality of lanes; and an error notification reception unit that receives an error notification when an error is detected from one of the plurality of second data received by the another communication device. When the error notification reception unit receives the error notification, the division unit divides second data, in which an error is detected, into a plurality of third data, and the transmission unit retransmits the second data to the another communication device by distributing the plurality of third data to either one of the plurality of lanes. |
| US08942256B1 |
Advertising with a layer three routing protocol constituent link attributes of a layer two bundle
In general, techniques are described for extending routing protocol advertisements to include respective attributes of constituent links of an aggregation group. In one example, a network device includes a management interface that receives configuration information that specifies first and second constituent links for a layer two (L2) aggregated interface. The first and second constituent links are physical links connected to respective physical interfaces of forwarding units of the network device. A routing protocol daemon of the control unit generates a link state message that specifies layer three (L3) routing information associated with the aggregated interface and further specifies an attribute of the first constituent link and an attribute of the second constituent link. The routing protocol daemon sends the link state message from the network device to another network device of the network in accordance with a routing protocol. |
| US08942250B2 |
Systems and methods for providing service (“SRV”) node selection
Systems and methods for providing SRV node selection are provided. The method may include using an entry node to submit a query message in selected fields of a Device Attribute Information Element in L2ME protocol. The entry node may require an advanced service. The entry node may not be aware which node of the plurality of nodes is the node selected for supporting the advanced service on the network. The selected fields may include vendor specific fields. In response to the query message, the method may further include determining which of the plurality of nodes can be selected for supporting the advanced service on the network. The method may further include determining whether there is a one the plurality of nodes which has been selected for supporting the advanced service on the network. |
| US08942249B2 |
Synchronization method, communication handover method, radio network and node
A synchronization method, a communication handover method, a radio network, and a RAN node are disclosed. The interface information synchronization method includes determining whether a condition for initiating interface information update is fulfilled. Information about the S1 interface between the RAN node and the core network node, is sent. In addition, or alternatively, information about the X2 interface between the RAN node and the neighboring RAN node is sent to the neighboring RAN node if the condition for initiating interface information update fulfilled. |
| US08942246B2 |
Method and an apparatus for providing configuration information to a mobile terminal
A method and a Mobile Access Gateway (MAG) node for use in an IP network. The MAG node comprises a server for providing configuration information. The server includes a memory for storing configuration information, and a processing unit configured to generate a request for configuration information associated with a mobile terminal that has attached to the network. The server caches the configuration information in the server memory, and includes one or more items of configuration information from the cached information in a message to be sent to the mobile terminal. |
| US08942245B2 |
Methods and apparatus for centralized virtual switch fabric control
In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a processing module, disposed within a first switch fabric element, configured to detect a second switch fabric element having a routing module when the second switch fabric element is operatively coupled to the first switch fabric element. The processing module is configured to define a virtual processing module configured to be operatively coupled to the second switch fabric element. The virtual processing module is configured to receive a request from the second switch fabric element for forwarding information and the virtual processing module is configured to send the forwarding information to the routing module. |
| US08942239B2 |
Router and method of supplying power to memory unit in the same
A router, includes: a routing table memory unit configured to store a routing table and be capable of reading and writing the routing table at any time, the routing table being destination information of a packet; a search engine unit which has a transfer information base memory unit and which is configured to search for a destination of the packet based on a transfer information base; a power supply unit configured to supply power to the routing table memory unit and the transfer information base memory unit; and a control unit configured to control the power supply unit such that the power is supplied to the non-volatile memory when the non-volatile memory is operated, and the power supply is interrupted when the non-volatile memory is not operated. |
| US08942232B1 |
Multi-stage switching topology
A multi-stage switching fabric provides a first tier and a second tier. The first tier may include a first plurality of switches, and the second tier may include a second plurality of switches, wherein each of the switches in the first tier are coupled to the switches in the second tier. Each of the switches in the first and second tiers may include a plurality of switching chips, wherein a given switching chip in a given switch is coupled to each other switching chip in the given switch. The fabric may further include a third tier comprising one or more core switches, wherein each switch in the second tier is coupled to at least one of the core switches. |
| US08942231B2 |
Communication between call controllers by amending call processing messages
Call Control entities in a network communicate between themselves by amending call processing messages to include encrypted network information. As such, a call may be established whose path through the network is dependent on the paths of other calls. Information of a scope larger than a Call Controller normally possesses can, as a result of this communication, be made available to Call Controllers for constraining call establishment. This information could relate to other calls and connections associated with those other calls. The information may also relate to gateways in and to adjacent networks and the Call Controllers in the adjacent networks that are related to the current Call Controller. |
| US08942228B1 |
Shared feature controller election in distributed VOIP environment
In one embodiment, a distributed, dynamic and call based feature controller election is executed in a distributed call processing system which is simple, robust, and consistent. The election is based on which VOIP telephone returns an appropriate SIP message first to a feature controller elector, which may be implemented on a proxy communicating with a wide area network. |
| US08942227B1 |
Enhanced filtering for an IP multimedia subsystem
The present invention provides a call/session control function in an Internet Protocol multimedia subsystem capable of providing enhanced filtering to select multimedia services to invoke upon processing a signaling message. In addition to analyzing internal information contained within the signaling message, external information can be used to identify multimedia services to invoke and when those multimedia services should be invoked. Upon receiving a signaling message, filtering criteria to apply for the signaling message is accessed. The filtering criteria define rules for invoking multimedia services. These rules will take into consideration external information, which is not found within the signaling message. The external information may relate to the date, time, presence information, location information, user information, group information, or network information. The external information may change dynamically, wherein different multimedia services may be invoked with the same signaling message if the external information changes. |
| US08942226B2 |
Software defined networking systems and methods via a path computation and control element
Software Defined Networking systems and methods are described via a Path Computation and Control Element (PCCE) that is based in part on a Path Computation Element (PCE). A common, simple interface is designed based on an existing PCE interface that allows a centralized entity (i.e., a Path Computation and Control Element or PCCE) to control the initiation of new connections or tunnels and by default to manage the state of these connections or tunnels once established. In particular, the systems and methods create an extension to the PCE architecture to allow a centralized application or applications to control the creation, rerouting and deletion of connections within a network. |
| US08942221B2 |
Caching network discovery responses in wireless networks
Network information may be discoverable without requiring a connection to that network. For example, Access Network Query Protocol (“ANQP”) may allow a device to discover information about a network prior to the device associating with that network. The network discovery information may be stored in a cache memory for future associations with the same network. |
| US08942210B2 |
Method and apparatus for channel access in a wireless communications system
A method of wireless communications is provided. The method includes transmitting a channel time allocation request from a first device to a second device, wherein the channel time allocation request comprises a list of devices to be trained by the first device; receiving a channel time allocation granted by the second device; and transmitting, from the first device, at least one training packet to at least one device in the list of devices to be trained during the channel time allocation granted by the second device. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed. |
| US08942208B2 |
Wireless communication having reduced feedback delay
Providing for improved error control signaling in wireless communications is disclosed herein. By way of example, multiple transmissions can be conducted for a HARQ process prior to a scheduled feedback signal on the HARQ process, causing a receiving device to combine the multiple transmissions, rather than treat them as separate transmissions. In this manner, multiple transmissions can be employed to increase overall receive energy, without violating maximum transmit power constraints in a wireless communication. Further, these multiple transmissions can be configured based on prevailing signal strength at the receiving device, or based on processing capabilities of the receiving device, providing flexible protocols that can accommodate advanced as well as legacy UEs in wide range of wireless conditions. |
| US08942207B2 |
Method and apparatus for short handover latency in wireless communication system using beam forming
Beam selection is provided. A method for handover in a mobile station includes sending a scan request message for scanning a downlink (DL) beam with respect to a serving base station (BS) and a neighboring BS, to the serving BS, and receiving a scan response message; determining the DL beam for the MS by performing scanning with the serving BS and the neighboring BS based on the scan response message; sending a scan report message comprising a result of the scanning to the serving BS; when receiving an air-HO request message from the serving BS, generating an air-HO response message comprising information of a neighboring BS to which the MS hands over based on the air-HO request message; performing beam selection with the neighboring BS of the handover based on the air-HO request message; and performing the handover. |
| US08942206B2 |
Method for performing packet switched handover in a mobile communication system
The invention relates to a method and system for performing packet switched handover in a mobile communication network. The system comprises a mobile node, a first and a second packet switching node. The method enables the parallel sending of logical link layer frames from the first and the second packet switching node. This is achieved so that the mobile node does not reject incoming frames received from two logical link layer entities having different states. The benefits of the invention are related to improved quality of service and the avoiding of gaps in received data during handover. |
| US08942202B2 |
Apparatus and method for defining physical channel transmit/receive timings and resource allocation in TDD communication system supporting carrier aggregation
A method of defining physical channel transmit/receiving timings and resource allocation is provided for use in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) communication system supporting carrier aggregation. A method for receiving, at a base station, a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) acknowledgement from a terminal in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) system supporting carrier aggregation of a primary cell and at least one secondary cell includes transmitting a downlink physical channel through one of the primary and secondary cells, receiving the HARQ acknowledgement corresponding to the downlink physical channel of the primary cell at a first timing predetermined for the primary cell, and receiving the HARQ acknowledgement corresponding to the downlink physical channel of the secondary cell at second timing, wherein the second timing is determined according to the first timing. |
| US08942201B1 |
Beacon frame scheduling in an independent basic service set network
A method and apparatus are disclosed for increasing the speed with which a number of stations associated with an IBSS network may be synchronized and/or for reducing the number of beacon frame collisions in the IBSS network. For at least some embodiments, the synchronization speed may be increased by allowing STAs having faster clock speeds to broadcast beacon frames more frequently than STAs having slower clock speeds. |
| US08942199B2 |
Terminal apparatus and response signal mappiing method
This invention relates to a terminal apparatus that can possibly reduce situations in which upstream channel data are punctured by a plurality of response signals. When having received at least one piece of downstream allocation control information corresponding to a second downstream unit band, which is other than a first downstream unit band, of a plurality of unit bands, a control unit (208) maps a plurality of response signals, which are corresponding to the respective ones of the plurality of downstream unit bands established, to a first resource corresponding to the plurality of downstream unit bands established. When having received only the downstream allocation control information corresponding to the first downstream unit band of the plurality of unit bands established, the control unit (208) maps the response signal, which is corresponding to the first downstream unit band, to a second resource corresponding to the first downstream unit band. |
| US08942198B2 |
Channel allocation notifying method, communication method, and communication apparatus
The number of communication channels necessary for communication with a terminal is calculated by using type and volume of data to be transmitted. When calculated number of communication channels is one, a single communication channel is allocated based on quality information of a communication line to the terminal and, when calculated number of communication channels is more than one, then more than one communication channels are allocated based on the quality information. Allocation information used for notifying of allocated communication channels is generated based on virtual channels, which are defined in advance as channel units having a combination of a plurality of consecutive communication channels, and the allocation information is transmitted to the terminal. |
| US08942194B2 |
QOS-based power control in aggregated carrier communication systems
A user equipment (UE) is configured for carrier aggregation in a wireless communication system. The UE selects control information to be transmitted in an uplink control channel format in a component carrier of two or more component carriers, where the control information includes information types associated with different information reliability requirements. The UE generates an open-loop power control parameter and/or a closed-loop power control parameter based on the information types. The UE transmits the control information in the uplink control channel format at a power level determined by the open-loop power control parameter and/or the closed-loop power control parameter. |
| US08942193B2 |
Routing different subsets of an internet protocol flow over different points of attachment
An IP flow is received by an Internet Protocol (IP) mobility anchor point, where the IP mobility anchor point is to anchor traffic of a mobile node. The IP mobility anchor point routes different subsets of the packets of the IP flow to corresponding different points of attachment of the mobile node. |
| US08942191B2 |
Providing dynamic group subscriptions for M2M device communication
A method, system, and computer program product for providing dynamic group subscriptions for M2M device communication provides a more flexible and efficient technology for allocating registrations and resources. A method for allocating a plurality of subscriptions to wireless services in a network among a plurality of wireless devices in the network comprises creating a group including a plurality of wireless devices, making an initial allocation of the subscriptions to the group, the initial allocation including allocating one subscription to each of some of the plurality of wireless devices, modifying the allocation of the subscriptions to the group, including at least one of deallocating a subscription from one of the plurality of wireless devices and allocating a subscription to one of the plurality of wireless devices. |
| US08942187B2 |
Method and apparatus for control channel operation in GERAN
A method and apparatus to improve the quality of control signaling based on signaling messages controlling speech or data transmission over an air interface between at least two Multi-User-Reusing-One-Slot/Voice Services Over Adaptive Multiuser Channels On One Slot (MUROS/VAMOS) capable wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs). The WTRUs communicate with each other at the physical layer via signaling messages transmitted in control channels such as Slow Associated Control Channel (SACCH) and Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH). Speech services are provided simultaneously over the same physical channel, and the Timing Advance (TA) and Power Command (PC) parameters of a WTRU are multiplexed in several occurrences of the SACCH or FACCH to increase the number of channel bits available for channel coding. |
| US08942186B2 |
Transmission and reception channel selection for communicating between a transmitter unit and a receiver unit
A data communication network. The network includes a transmitter unit for transmitting data and a receiver unit for receiving data from the transmitter unit. The network has two or more data channels via which data may be transmitted by the transmitter unit to the receiver unit. The receiver unit includes a receiver channel selection unit for selecting a reception channel from the at least two data channels. The receiver channel selection unit operates independent from a selection of a transmission channel by a transmission channel selection unit in the transmitter unit. The transmission channel selection unit is arranged to select a transmission channel from the at least two data channels to transmit data to the receiver unit. |
| US08942185B2 |
Quality of service management in a mobile communication system
In one aspect, a method for Quality of Service management in a mobile communication system is provided, comprising, in an embodiment: temporarily providing, to a Bearer that has just been established for Non Real Time services, a higher priority than requested at Bearer establishment. |
| US08942184B2 |
Method and apparatus for link adaptation in a wireless communication network
A method and apparatus for link adaptation in a wireless communication network is provided. The method includes computing a first channel quality parameter based on one or more channel quality parameters. The one or more channel quality parameters are associated with a communication link between a Mobile Station (MS) and a Base Station (BS). The method further includes determining a qualifying transmission unit to compute a correction parameter. The correction parameter is computed based on the first channel quality parameter and one or more transmission parameters. The one or more transmission parameter is associated with the communication link. Thereafter, the method schedules a transmission mode of the communication link based on a second channel quality parameter. The second channel quality parameter is estimated based the first channel quality parameter and the correction parameter. |
| US08942183B2 |
Method for assigning the carrier frequency in a trunked system
The present invention discloses a method for assigning the carrier frequency in a trunking system, which includes: after the base station subsystem receiving a group call request, it assigns a carrier frequency reference for this group call, by which to establish the forward channels of the group users managed by the base station subsystem. With the method offered by the present invention, all the group members under a base station subsystem could be established on the same carrier frequency reference as far as possible, thereby sharing of the wireless channels. |
| US08942182B2 |
Adjustable download rate for a portable electronic device
A method for downloading data from a server to a portable electronic device operating on a wireless network includes determining a network speed of the wireless network, setting a chunk size based on the network speed, sending a request to the server including the chunk size and receiving data from the server in chunks having the chunk size. |
| US08942179B2 |
Virtual broadband receiver, and system and method utilizing same
A virtual broadband transmitting unit includes a stream generator to generate a multiplicity of data streams from an incoming media datastream, and a transmission manager to control the upload of the multiplicity of data streams along a multiplicity of transmission channels to at least one wireless communication network. A virtual broadband receiver includes means to receive a multiplicity of media data streams from a multiplicity of data connections, and an assembly engine to assemble the data streams into a single media stream. |
| US08942177B1 |
Presenting an indication of an originating carrier of a wireless call
A method, system, and medium are provided for presenting carrier-specific information associated with an incoming communication on a mobile network. The method, system, and medium include a device that receives call information associated with an incoming call. The call information includes carrier-identification information that is useable to identify an originating carrier responsible for originating the incoming call. The carrier-identification information is communicated to a database and the database retrieves carrier-specific data. The carrier-specific data is communicated to a mobile device and presented via a presentation component coupled to the mobile device. The carrier-specific data may include a carrier identifier (“carrier-ID”), geographic designation, and a denotation as to whether the incoming communication is an in-carrier communication versus an inter-carrier communication. The presentation component may include a display, a speaker, and a vibration apparatus. |
| US08942176B2 |
Wireless communication device and wireless communication method
The transmission of a reference signal, such as a CSI-RS, is enabled while maintaining a power saving effect when performing inter-cell cooperative transmission/reception or the like in a plurality of cells. In order to realize inter-cell cooperative transmission/reception, a CSI-RS which is used for estimating the state of a spatial propagation path of a communication line is generated by a CSI-RS generation unit, and the CSI-RS is disposed in a predetermined subframe by a disposition unit and transmitted. At this time, when a frame has ten subframes #0 to 49, the CSI-RS is disposed in the subframes #4 and #9, which are subframes excluding the subframes #0 and #5 incapable of transmitting a CSI-RS and are subframes other than subframes capable of acting as MBSFN subframes when discontinuous communication (Extended Cell DTX) is performed so as to achieve power saving, and transmitted. |
| US08942175B2 |
Method for controlling MTC service network overload in mobile communication system and device thereof
The present invention relates to a method for controlling an overload of a network, which may be generated due to a service request of a terminal in a mobile communication system of machine type communication (MTC). The invention controls a network overload and efficiently use network resources, by requesting activation of a particular MTC function to the network on the basis of information on changes in unnecessary MTC functions, without allowing a terminal to request (for example, attach request) the unnecessary MTC functions. |
| US08942173B2 |
Interference notification in device-to-device communication
Systems and techniques for wireless device-to-device (D2D) communication are provided herein. A D2D group identifier may be included in wireless transmissions within D2D groups. D2D interference mitigation processes may be initiated when a D2D group identifier is detected by a wireless device outside the D2D group. |
| US08942172B2 |
Method for positioning mobile device in wireless wide area network
A method for positioning a mobile device in a wireless wide area network (WWAN) is provided. The method includes determining three measurement circles according to coordinates of three base stations and respectively calculating radiuses of the three measurement circles and distances between the three base stations. The method uses genetic algorithm to derive the best solution of a plurality of variables of an object function and estimates the position of the mobile device according to the best solution. Accordingly, non-line-of-sight (NLOS) errors are reduced, and more accurate positioning can be provided. |
| US08942170B1 |
Group identification of wireless communication devices
A wireless communications method includes registering, in a first wireless network, a group of wireless devices from a second wireless network and facilitating group casting communication between said group of wireless devices and a server operating in said first wireless network. In one aspect, the group casting communication may be performed for machine to machine (M2M) communication between a group of wireless devices and a server. |
| US08942163B2 |
Wireless communications network base station extension
Apparatus and methods to permit the deployment of wireless base stations, where a deployed remote base station is backhauled to the core network over a wireless connection to an operatively attached donor base station using protocols that encapsulate backhaul communications within standard subscriber communication protocols. |
| US08942161B2 |
Weighted fair sharing of a wireless channel using resource utilization masks
Systems and methods are described that facilitate data communication in a wireless communication environment. According to various aspects, a node, such as an access point or an access terminal, may determine a number of channels over which it will transmit a communication signal. The node may then select channels based on whether the channels are available or unavailable, wherein available channels are preferentially selected over unavailable channels. The node may then transmit a signal over the at least one of the selected channels. |
| US08942160B2 |
Communication system, communication apparatus, and data transmission method
More than one communication device that is to simultaneously transmit identical data through multiple data transmissions using different radio wave multiplex types is determined based on the link qualities of a plurality of communication devices. Then the multiple data transmissions are made by transmitting the identical data with synchronized timings at the determined communication apparatuses. The link qualities are determined by measuring received signal intensities, bit error rates, or frame error rates at the respective communication devices at the time of the multiple data transmissions using two radio wave multiplex types orthogonal to each other. |
| US08942159B2 |
Terminal in digital mobile radio relay system, transmission power regulation method and system thereof
A terminal in a digital mobile radio relay system, a transmission power regulation method and a system thereof are provided. The method includes that an idle frame sent from a relay station is received, the idle frame carries transmission power information of the relay station (201); the transmission power of the relay station is obtained according to the information in the idle frame (202); after a transmission state is entered, data is transmitted in assigned transmission time slots (203); a signal of the relay station is received via a reversal channel and a strength value of the received signal is calculated (204); when data transmission is required to be continued, the transmission power of a next frame is determined based on the transmission power of the relay station and the strength value of the received signal (206); according to the determined transmission power of the next frame, the data of next frame is transmitted in assigned transmission time slots. |
| US08942153B2 |
Method for transmitting and receiving data using a plurality of carriers
Methods for transmitting and receiving data using a plurality of carriers are disclosed. One of the methods comprises multiplexing the multicast/broadcast data and the unicast data in a frame and attaching a pilot signal to the frame. Another of the methods comprises receiving the radio frame including a plurality of data symbols multiplexed multicast/broadcast data with unicast data and retrieving the multicast/broadcast data and the unicast data from the radio frame. |
| US08942152B2 |
Network device
A network device may be provided with a PHY layer process unit, a determination unit configured to determine that a link state is a link up state or a link down state, and a first control unit configured to control an electrical power supply for the PHY layer process unit. The first control unit may be configured to stop a continuous electrical power supply for the PHY layer process unit if the determination unit determines that the link state is the link down state during a first period in which the continuous electrical power supply is being performed, perform a temporary electrical power supply for the PHY layer process unit during a second period, and commence the continuous electrical power supply if the temporary electrical power supply is performed during the second period and the determination unit determines that the link state is the link up state. |
| US08942151B2 |
Receiving messages in connection with LTE wakeup
In some implementations, a method for managing a receiver for user equipment in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system includes receiving, when in a DRX state or sub-state, a message within a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resource region of a first sub-frame. The message is associated with a PDSCH transmission in a second sub-frame different from the first sub-frame. When not in the DRX state or sub-state, a message is received within a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resource region of a first sub-frame. The message associated with a PDSCH transmission in the first sub-frame. |
| US08942150B2 |
Uplink timing control
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate evaluating and utilizing timing updates in a wireless communications network. A base station can transmit timing adjustment commands to mobile devices as needed as opposed to a periodic timing update where timing adjustment commands are always sent within a certain period. However, the mobile devices need to stay awake to monitor the timing adjustment message resulting in high power consumption. On the other hand with periodic update, the mobile devices can wake up to check whether there is a timing adjustment for itself and, if not, return to a sleep mode. With the proposed method, a mobile device can sleep for a period of time to check for timing adjustment commands upon waking. Thus, both the mobile power consumption and downlink signaling overhead are reduced. |
| US08942149B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting a broadcasting service in a system that supports machine to machine communications
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting a broadcasting service in a system that supports machine to machine communications, the method comprising: transmitting an event registration message to a base station for the registration of an event at the time of occurrence; receiving from the base station an event registration response that contains information on a reserved downlink resource area in the base station to transmit the vent occurrence to other terminals; and broadcasting the event occurrence to the other terminals via the reserved downlink resource area. |
| US08942141B2 |
Multi-channel multi-access Voice over IP intercommunication systems and methods
The present invention provides systems and methods employing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to provide multi-channel, multi-access voice communication capabilities. |
| US08942139B2 |
Support for converged traffic over ethernet link aggregation (LAG)
In one embodiment, a system includes a switching processor configured to execute logic, a plurality of ports, at least some of the ports being grouped together in one or more link aggregations (LAGs), logic adapted to create at least a first virtual local area network (VLAN) interface for Ethernet traffic using transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) that is received on at least one of the plurality of ports, and logic adapted to create at least a second VLAN for storage area network (SAN) traffic using Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and/or remote direct access memory (RDMA) over Converged Enhanced Ethernet (RoCEE) that is received on at least one of the plurality of ports, wherein no SAN traffic using FCoE and/or RoCEE is assigned to the first VLAN, and wherein no Ethernet traffic using TCP/IP is assigned to the second VLAN. |
| US08942137B2 |
Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system
The present invention relates to a method and arrangement in a telecommunication system, in particular to methods and arrangements for supporting maintenance activities of units in a telecommunication network. |
| US08942136B2 |
Allocating communication frequencies to clusters of access points
A system is used in a wireless communication system made up of cells, at least one of which includes at least one sector. The system includes first access points in a first area of a sector of a cell. The first access points are prohibited from communicating over a first frequency. The system also includes second access points in a second area of the sector of the cell. The second access points are prohibited from communicating over a second frequency that is different from the first frequency. |
| US08942134B1 |
System and method for selective registration in a multi-beam system
A system and method for selective registration of a user equipment (UE) to one of a plurality of access points (APs). An indication may be received that each of a plurality of APs have received a signal from a UE. The UE may be registered to the first one of the plurality of APs to satisfy registration requirements associated with the UE. Information may be reported to a controller related to the signal strength of communication received at each AP from the UE. If the signal strength received at the registered AP is less than the signal strength received at one or more of the non-registered APs by more than a threshold amount, the registration of the UE to the registered AP may be rejected. |
| US08942132B2 |
Communication system, mobile station, base station, response decision method, resource configuration decision method, and program
It is possible to solve the problem that a downstream control information amount is significantly increased if allocation information is periodically reported because no allocation method of a default E-DCH resource configuration is defined for a preamble signature. A base station and a mobile station decide a default resource configuration by using a total number of resource configurations or a value obtained from the total number. |
| US08942127B2 |
Wireless network device and automatic parameter setting method thereof
A wireless network device and an automatic parameter setting method thereof are provided. The device includes a wireless communication module and an operation module. The wireless communication module is used for transmitting a test signal to a wireless device according to a wireless communication protocol, and receiving an ACK frame transmitted by the wireless device. The operation module is electrically connected to the wireless communication module, and is used for calculating one half of a sum of a minimum transmission time and a maximum transmission time, setting the half of the sum as an ACK timeout interval of the wireless communication module, analyzing whether the ACK frame is obtained within the ACK timeout interval so as to determine whether to use the ACK timeout interval as the maximum transmission time or the minimum transmission time, and recalculating the ACK timeout interval. |
| US08942124B2 |
Method for optimizing the triggering of the transmission of buffer status reporting (BSR) information
A method, performed by a user equipment (UE), for transmitting Buffer Status Reporting (BSR) information from the UE to a base station (BS) in a wireless telecommunication network, includes storing data to be transmitted, via a logical channel, in a transmission buffer, the logical channel being provided with a priority level and a specific Prioritized Bit Rate (PBR) parameter indicating a resource level to allocate to the UE for transmitting the stored data, wherein the BSR information represents an amount of data present in the transmission buffer of the UE, receiving new uplink data belonging to a logical channel for which no data already existed in the UE transmission buffer, and transmitting Buffer Status Reporting information upon receipt of the new uplink data. |
| US08942123B2 |
Deferral mechanism for improved medium reuse in wireless networks with transmit power imbalances
The deferral mechanism described herein may improve medium reuse in a wireless network with transmit power imbalances. For example, in one embodiment, an apparatus employing the deferral mechanism described herein may comprise a receiver to sense a data unit transmitted on a medium associated with the wireless network, wherein the data unit may comprise information indicating a transmit power associated therewith. Furthermore, the apparatus may comprise one or more processors to initiate a transmission on the medium associated with the wireless network if the apparatus is not an intended receiver of the sensed data unit, the transmit power associated with the data unit exceeds a transmit power associated with the apparatus, and a received power associated with the data unit does not equal or exceed a clear channel assessment threshold plus a difference between the transmit power associated with the data unit and the transmit power associated with the apparatus. |
| US08942116B2 |
Asymmetrical link configuration for increased total network capacity
A method for managing transmission settings in a wireless point-to-point link, including making a first estimate of a current required traffic capacity for transmitting in a first direction, from a first point in the wireless point-to-point link to a second point, and selecting a first technique for transmitting in the first direction, based, at least in part, on the first estimate of the current required traffic capacity, in which the first technique selected provides a traffic capacity which is less than a maximum capacity possible in the first direction. Related apparatus and methods are also described. |
| US08942115B2 |
System and method for dynamic routing for push notifications
A system and method are described for dynamically routing push notifications to users over the most efficient network path. For example, in one embodiment, presence information associated with a device of a user is monitored. The presence information indicates whether the first device is currently connected to a wireless network and a current network location of the device. The channel quality for packets transmitted between the first device and a first gateway and between the first device and a second gateway is also monitored and is used to select between the first and second gateways when transmitting push notifications. |
| US08942114B2 |
System and method for calculating utilization entropy
A system and method are provided for monitoring traffic in a network comprising a plurality of links, wherein each of the plurality of links comprises a plurality of neighboring pairs of slots. The system and method may include identifying a first usage status and a second usage status, calculating a utilization entropy value based at least on the difference between the first and second usage status, iteratively calculating a set of utilization entropy values for a portion of the network, and calculating an overall utilization entropy value for the portion of the network under analysis based at least on a statistical analysis of the set of utilization entropy values. |
| US08942112B2 |
System and method for providing selective mobility invocation in a network environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes invoking a mobile access gateway function based on an end user requesting an Internet Protocol (IP) address in a wireless or a wireline network. The invocation is selective such that the mobile access gateway function is invoked if the end user requires IP mobility services. The method also includes communicating with a gateway in order to obtain the IP address. The mobile access gateway function is coupled to a network element that receives packets for a communications flow from the end user that can conduct the flow through the wireless network and through the wireline network. |
| US08942111B2 |
Network configuration
Disclosed is a method for setting configuration parameters for a communication network. Performance data is periodically obtained, the performance data including information concerning performance at least in some part of said communication network. On the basis of said performance data, an appropriate set of configuration parameters is automatically chosen for at least one network element of the communication network amongst at least two predefined sets of configuration parameters. The chosen appropriate set of configuration parameters is automatically provided for use in said at least one network element, if said appropriate set is not already in use in said at least one network element. |
| US08942110B2 |
Method for determining connection status of wired network
A method applied to a wired network including a first network device and a second network device is disclosed. The first and second network devices each include a first set of connection ends and a second set of connection ends. Firstly, the first network device transmits a specific signal pattern through its first set and second set of connection ends. Then, the first network device detects whether a signal is received at its first set and second set of connection ends. If it is determined that a signal is not received at the first set connection ends while a signal is received at the second set connection ends, the first network device determines that its second set of connection ends is not correctly coupled to the second set of connection ends of the second network device. |
| US08942103B2 |
Apparatus and method for wideband short-range wireless communication
Provided is an apparatus and method for performing wideband short range wireless communication in a millimeter wave band, and the method for wideband short range wireless communication may include checking information of a reception device by performing signaling with the reception device, receiving information about a state of a receive buffer from the reception device based on the information of the reception device, and transmitting data based on the information about a state of the receive buffer. |
| US08942101B2 |
Method for relaying data performed by a relay station in wireless communication system based on TDD
A method of relaying data performed by a relay station in a wireless communication system based on time division duplex (TDD) is provided. The relay station receives downlink data from a base station and relays the downlink data to at least one mobile station in an uplink subframe which belongs to an unlinked subframe. Accordingly, uplink acknowledgement (ACK) collision can be avoided, and efficiency of resource allocation can be increased. |
| US08942100B2 |
Real time and high resolution buffer occupancy monitoring and recording
Presented herein are techniques for detection and characterization of buffer occupancy of a buffer in a network device. Packets are received at a network device. The packets are stored in a buffer of the network device as they are processed by the network device. An occupancy level of the buffer is sampled at a sampling rate. Occupancy levels of the buffer over time are determined from the sampling, and traffic flow through the network device is characterized based on the occupancy levels. |
| US08942095B2 |
Identification of QoS classification based on packet attributes
A method, a system, and a computer program product is disclosed for identifying a quality of service (QoS) classification of a packet in a network by a network processor. The method comprising: providing a table wherein a priority value with a maximum of N values is used as an index into the table to retrieve a QoS classification having a maximum of M values with M less than N; receiving a data packet in a stream of data packets; extracting at least two priority indicator values from the packet; converting the at least two priority indicator values into a priority value; utilizing the priority value as an index into the table; extracting the entry in the table corresponding to the priority value as the QoS classification of the packet; and utilizing the QoS classification for subsequent processing of the data packet. |
| US08942089B2 |
Method and apparatus for adaptive fast start in link aggregation
In one embodiment, a period between periodic transmissions of protocol data units (PDUs) used to form or maintain a link aggregation group is initially set to a fixed value. When a stress condition is detected, the period between periodic transmissions of PDUs is increased from the initial value. When the stress condition is determined to have eased, the period between periodic transmissions of PDUs is reduced back toward the fixed value. |
| US08942087B2 |
Methods and apparatus for controlling wireless network resources for data sessions based on IP address usage
One illustrative method of for use in controlling network resources in a wireless network involves assigning, from a pool of IP addresses, a temporary IP address for a mobile station in the wireless network; calculating a ratio or percentage of the number of IP addresses and the total number of IP addresses in the pool; setting a timer value for the mobile station to an initial value that depends on the ratio or percentage of IP addresses such that, as the ratio or percentage increases, the initial value decreases; causing the temporary IP address and the timer value to be sent to the mobile station, which is adapted to register the temporary IP address with a home agent for IP mobility service; and communicating a termination request which terminates the IP mobility service if no request for re-registration is received from the mobile station upon expiration of the timer value. |
| US08942085B1 |
System and method for routing around failed links
A multi-stage network may include a first stage having a first plurality of switches, a second stage having a second plurality of switches, and a number of links between the first and second stages. A controller in communication with the first plurality of switches and the second plurality of switches may determine a priority path to be utilized by each switch in sending information and a fallback path. If the priority path includes a failed link, the controller implements in one or more of the switches the fallback path for sending the information. The fallback path may, for example, cause the information to be transmitted through a peer router. |
| US08942084B2 |
Method of reducing retransmission of data frame and receiving node therefor
A method includes continuously receiving N data frames encoded from K source data packets by an erasure coding method; checking for errors in the received N data frames; and transmitting an acknowledge (ACK) message informing that the source data packets are capable of being restored, when the number (R) of data frames not containing errors is equal to or greater than the number (K) of source data packets, and transmitting an ACK message including the number (X) of data frames for which retransmission is to be requested when the number (R) of data frames not containing errors is less than the number (K) of source data packets, as a result of the checking. |
| US08942073B1 |
Maintaining tape emulation consistency
Maintaining tape emulation consistency includes writing additional tape data to a first local storage device at a local site, writing tape emulation data to a second local storage device at the local site, where the second local storage device is different from the first local storage device, and maintaining consistency of the first and second local storage devices in connection with transferring data to a remote site. Maintaining consistency of the first and second local storage devices may include initiating a cycle switch that causes a concurrent cycle change from a first cycle to a second cycle for the first and second local storage devices. Additional tape data and tape emulation data written before a first time is associated with a first cycle. Additional tape data and tape emulation data written after the first time and before a second time is associated with a second cycle. |
| US08942070B1 |
Mathematical watches
A mathematical watch displays time using mathematical problems. The answers to the mathematical problems indicate the current time. The mathematical problems are periodically updated on a screen of the mathematical watch. The mathematical watch also displays an angle shape that indicates the current temperature. |
| US08942068B2 |
Timepiece with internal antenna
A timepiece includes a case; a dial made from a nonconductive material; a solar panel that has an opening and is disposed at a side opposite of a display side of the dial, the solar panel receiving light incident from the display side of the dial; a patch antenna disposed (i) at a side opposite a light receiving side of the solar panel, and (ii) at a position overlapping the opening in plan view; and a date wheel made from a nonconductive material that is disposed between the solar panel and the patch antenna in lateral view, and is disposed at a position overlapping, at least in part, the patch antenna in plan view. The dial has a date window for exposing at least part of the date wheel, and the date window is formed at a position overlapping the opening in plan view. |
| US08942065B2 |
Method and device for determining the position of an object in relation to a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, for use in a driver assistance system of the vehicle
In a method and a device for determining the position of an object in relation to a vehicle, for use in a driver assistance system of the vehicle, a first ultrasound pulse is transmitted by an ultrasound sensor situated on the vehicle, the ultrasound pulse including multiple predefined transmission frequencies which result in a variation of the directional characteristic of the ultrasound sensor. The transmitted first ultrasound pulse is reflected on the object and is received again as a first echo pulse. A frequency spectrum of the first echo pulse is subsequently determined, and a first absolute value of a relative offset angle of the object is determined as a function of the frequency spectrum of the first echo pulse and the directional characteristics. |
| US08942064B2 |
Sending a seismic trace to surface after a vertical seismic profiling while drilling measurement
A system, method and computer-readable medium for acquiring seismic data, which includes activating a seismic source at a surface location; defining a seismic trace of a seismic wave received at a downhole location on a bottomhole assembly in a borehole in response to the activation of the seismic source; compressing the seismic trace; and recording the compressed seismic trace to a storage medium. |
| US08942061B2 |
Seismic streamer system and method
A seismic streamer system for acquiring seismic data includes a plurality of first cable sections each employing a first sensor configuration therein, and at least one second cable section operatively connected to one or more of the first cable sections and employing a second sensor configuration therein. In various embodiments of the streamer system, one or more of the second cable sections are sparsely integrated into a streamer, a streamer array and/or a seismic spread. The first sensor configuration may, e.g., include a conventional hydrophone distribution, and the second sensor configuration may, e.g., include multicomponent sensors such as at least one of a particle velocity sensor, a pressure gradient sensor, an accelerometer and a combination thereof. The present invention is useful for attenuating noise in the measured seismic data as well as deghosting the data. A particular deghosting process includes decomposing the up- and down-going parts of the vertical component of particle velocity associated with the acoustic wave reflections from the strata. |
| US08942056B2 |
Protocol for memory power-mode control
In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command. |
| US08942055B2 |
Voltage battery
A circuit includes a voltage generating circuit and a voltage keeper circuit. The voltage generating circuit includes a first node. The voltage keeper circuit includes a second node and a third node. The first node is coupled with the second node. The voltage generating circuit is configured to generate a voltage value at the first node and the second node to maintain the third node at a particular third node voltage. |
| US08942053B2 |
Generating and amplifying differential signals
A circuit includes a first node, a second node, a first current mirror circuit, and a second current mirror circuit. The first current mirror circuit has a reference end and a mirrored end. The reference end of the first current mirror circuit is coupled to the first node, and the mirrored end of the first current mirror circuit is coupled to the second node. The second current mirror circuit has a reference end and a mirrored end. The reference end of the second current mirror circuit is coupled to the second node, and the mirrored end of the second current mirror circuit is coupled to the first node. |
| US08942046B2 |
Method of programming a 3-dimensional nonvolatile memory device based on a program order of a selected page and a location of a string selection line
A nonvolatile memory device comprises cell strings formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to a substrate and is configured to select memory cells in units corresponding to a string selection line. The device selects a page to be programmed among pages sharing a common word line, determines a level of a program voltage to be provided to the selected page according to a location of a string selection line corresponding to the selected page, and writes data in the selected page using the determined level of the program voltage. |
| US08942041B1 |
Memory device and column decoder for reducing capacitive coupling effect on adjacent memory cells
A memory device includes a memory cell array and a column decoder. The memory cell array includes a plurality of even local bit lines and a plurality of odd local bit lines. The column decoder includes a plurality of even pass transistors, a plurality of even clamp transistors, a plurality of odd pass transistors, and a plurality of odd clamp transistors. Each of the even clamp transistors has a control terminal coupled to an even clamp line, a first terminal coupled to a respective one of the even local bit lines, and a second terminal coupled to a ground voltage. Each of the odd clamp transistors has a control terminal coupled to an odd clamp line, a first terminal coupled to a respective one of the odd local bit lines, and a second terminal coupled to the ground voltage. |
| US08942039B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
This nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises: a memory cell array configured having a plurality of blocks arranged therein, each of the blocks configured as an arrangement of NAND cell units, each of the NAND cell units configured having a plurality of electrically rewritable memory cells and a select transistor connected in series; and a row decoder configured to select anyone of the blocks of the memory cell array and supply to any one of said blocks a voltage required in various kinds of operations. The row decoder comprises: a plurality of first transfer transistors each disposed in a first region and connected to any one of the memory cells; and a plurality of second transfer transistors each disposed in a second region and connected to the select transistor, the second region being a residual region of the first region. |
| US08942038B2 |
High endurance nonvolatile memory
A nonvolatile memory recycles previously written blocks by reassigning binary logic states and further programming memory cells with modified parameters. Cells are written twice between erase operations, thus reducing wear, and providing higher endurance. Flags indicate whether blocks are recycled, and what parameters to use in programming and reading the blocks. |
| US08942037B2 |
Threshold acquisition and adaption in NAND flash memory
A method, apparatus, and controller for acquiring and tracking at least one threshold voltage of at least one cell of at least one flash chip. The method can include acquiring the at least one threshold voltage of a particular cell of the at least one flash cell. The method can further include performing at least one threshold voltage adjustment iteration. |
| US08942034B2 |
System and method of programming a memory cell
A method includes selectively creating a first breakdown condition and a second breakdown condition at a semiconductor transistor structure. The first breakdown condition is between a source overlap region of the semiconductor transistor structure and a gate of the semiconductor transistor structure. The second breakdown condition is between ad rain overlap region of the semiconductor transistor structure and the gate. |
| US08942033B2 |
Driving stage for phase change non-volatile memory devices provided with auto-calibration feature
A driving stage for a phase change non-volatile memory device may include an output driving unit, which supplies an output driving current during programming of a memory cell, a driving-control unit, which receives an input current and generates a first control signal for controlling supply of the output driving current in such a way that a value thereof has a desired relation with the input current, and a level-shifter element, which carries out a level shift of a voltage of the first control signal for supplying to the output driving unit a second control signal, having a voltage value that is increased with respect to, and is a function of, the first control signal. A calibration unit may carry out an operation of updating of the value of a shift voltage across the level-shifter element, as the value of the input current varies. |
| US08942024B2 |
Circuit arrangement and a method of writing states to a memory cell
A method of writing a first state or a second state to a memory cell may be provided. Writing the first state to the memory cell may include electrically connecting a first switch in electrical connection to a first end of the memory cell to a first voltage and electrically connecting a second switch in electrical connection to a second end of the memory cell to a fourth voltage to apply a first potential difference to cause formation of the first state in the memory cell. Writing the second state to the memory cell may include electrically connecting the first switch to the second voltage and electrically connecting the second switch to the third voltage to apply a second potential difference to cause formation of the second state in the memory cell. |
| US08942014B2 |
Converter cell for cascaded converters and a control system and method for operating a converter cell
A cascaded electric power converter and a method of operating a cascaded electric power converter are disclosed. The cascaded converter includes: a converter cell including a cell capacitor and at least one phase leg having at least two electric valves, the at least one phase leg being connected in parallel to the cell capacitor; and a control system for controlling the switching of the electric valves of the at least one phase leg. The control system is configured to, upon detection of a need to by-pass the converter cell, control the switching of the electric valves in a manner so that the cell capacitor is short circuited via a phase leg, so as to obtain a current surge through the phase leg, thereby creating a permanent current path through the converter cell. |
| US08942013B2 |
Over voltage protection for electric machines
A system and method for protecting an electrical power generation system from an over-voltage. The output voltage of a multi-phase rectifier, operatively connected between the output terminals of an electric machine and a load, is monitored. The input of the multi-phase rectifier is short-circuited upon detection that the output voltage has reached a threshold voltage. Removal of the short-circuiting of the input of the multi-phase rectifier is synchronized with a substantially zero-crossing of phase current flowing through switching devices in the rectifier once the output voltage is no longer above the threshold voltage. |
| US08942012B2 |
Method of forming a switched mode power supply controller device with an off mode and structure therefor
At least one embodiment is directed to a semiconductor voltage controller comprising: a start-mode circuit associated with a start-mode; and an off-mode circuit associated with an off-mode, where the voltage controller can be configured to receive a feedback signal and an off-mode signal from a single input and provide an output voltage, where the voltage controller can be configured to be in the off-mode when the feedback signal is less than a skip level and the feedback signal is less than a HV control level, and where the voltage controller can be configured to be in start mode when the feedback signal is greater than HV control level and Vcc is below a Vcc-start. |
| US08942010B2 |
Inverter of new and renewable energy storage system
Provided is an inverter of a renewable energy storage system, which has an input port and an output port electrically insulated, and is compact and low-priced, while having a simplified circuit. The inverter includes a DC-DC converting unit connected to the DC link, and an inverting unit connected between the DC-DC converting unit and the power system, wherein the DC-DC converting unit is an unregulated DC-DC bus converter. |
| US08942009B2 |
Lead assembly for a flip-chip power switch
A power switch assembly includes a flip-chip type integrated circuit chip and a lead-frame with a plurality of spaced apart parallel lead sections. The flip-chip type integrated circuit chip includes a distributed transistor, and first and second pluralities of flip-chip interconnects connected to source and drain regions, respectively. The first and second lead sections at least partially overlap along the first axis. Each of the plurality of lead sections includes a contact portion and an extended portion extending laterally from the contact portion. The extended portions of the first and second lead section extend from the contact portion in opposite directions. The first side of the first and second lead section contacts at least two of the first and plurality of flip-chip interconnects, respectively. The second side of the first and second lead are configured to contact a first and second contact area on a printed circuit board, respectively. |
| US08942006B2 |
PCB stackup having high- and low-frequency conductive layers and having insulating layers of different material types
A printed circuit board (PCB) stackup includes conductive layers and insulating layers interleaved among the conductive layers. The conductive layers include one or more power layers, one or more ground layers, one or more high-frequency layers, and one or more low-frequency layers. One or more first signals having one or more first frequencies greater than a first threshold are communicated over the high-frequency layers. One or more second signals having one or more second frequencies less than a second threshold are communicated over the low-frequency layers. Each second frequency is less than each first frequency. The insulating layers include one or more core layers and one or more prepreg layers arranged in alternating fashion. Each insulating layer adjacent to any high-frequency layer has a first material type. Each insulating layer not adjacent to any high-frequency layer has a second material type different than the first material type. |
| US08941996B2 |
Circuit board and heat dissipation device thereof
A heat dissipation device is used in a circuit board, where the circuit board includes a chip and at least one positioning hole disposed around the chip, and each of the positioning holes has a bare metal area on its periphery. The heat dissipation device includes a heat dissipation element, a conductive element and at least one fixing part. The heat dissipation element is disposed on the chip; the conductive element is connected electrically to the bare metal area of the circuit board and the heat dissipation element respectively; the fixing part passes through the fixing holes and is connected to the positioning hole, so as to fix the heat dissipation element to the circuit board. A circuit board is also provided, which includes a substrate, a chip, a positioning hole and the heat dissipation device. |
| US08941992B2 |
Temperature control for an information handling system rack
A system for controlling the temperature of a rack includes a connecting plenum configured to receive incoming cooling air from outside a rack for cooling the rack; a front plenum connected to the connecting plenum and configured to receive cooling air from the connecting plenum and deliver the cooling air to the rack, the cooling air being warmed by powered electrical components as it passes through the rack; at least one ventilator for recycling warmed cooling air from the rack back to the connecting plenum to be mixed with incoming cooling air; a sensor for sensing temperature of air in the rack; and a controller for controlling the at least one ventilator based at least on the sensed temperature. |
| US08941991B2 |
Keyboard and electronic device employing the keyboard
A keyboard includes a cover, a housing, and a main body. The main body is sandwiched between the cover and the housing. The keyboard further includes an adjustment mechanism for supporting the keyboard at an inclination. The adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment portion, a supporting portion corresponding to a first through hole defined in the housing, a driving portion configured to drive the supporting portion to move along a central axis of the first through hole, and a securing portion configured to control the supporting portion to stop moving. When the adjustment portion is operated, the driving portion drives the supporting portion to move along the central axis of the first through hole to support the keyboard at different inclinations. When the adjustment portion is free, the securing portion engages with the supporting portion, and the keyboard holds the selected inclination. |
| US08941989B2 |
Tablet computer holder and stand
A handle assembly for a hand held tablet computer or other handheld electronic device, the assembly including a tablet mounted assembly adhered to the back side of the tablet computer opposite the tablet's screen and a handle removably mounted to the tablet mounted assembly. The handle is rotatable permitting a user to hold the tablet computer within one hand and rotate the tablet computer to access the screen from any desired angle. The handle may include at least one tab and the tablet mounted portion includes at least one opening sized to receive the tab. The mounting plate may include a release tab to releasably engage a recess in the base plate of the handle to secure the tab of the handle within the opening of the mounting plate. |
| US08941988B2 |
Electronic apparatus and cover
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a main body, a cover, and a storage portion. The main body includes a display unit. The cover includes a first surface at which the main body is supported, and a second surface on which the main body is placed. The storage portion is provided between the first and second surfaces. The cover includes a first use mode in which the display unit is covered, and a second use mode in which the display unit is exposed, and the first and second surfaces are rotatable with respect to each other in the second use mode. |
| US08941986B2 |
Computer system
A computer system includes a computer case, an enclosure, and a heat dissipating device. The computer case includes a rear plate with a plurality of ventilation holes. The enclosure includes a separating portion to divide the computer case into a first receiving area and a second area. The heat dissipating device includes a first heat sink, a second heat sink, a heat pipe and a fan. The first heat sink is attached to a chip, and the fan communicates with the second heat sink. The first heat sink and the fan are received in the first receiving area, and the second heat sink is received in the second receiving area. The heat pipe extends through the separating portion, and the plurality of ventilation holes, the first heat sink, the fan, the heat pipe, and the second heat sink together defines an air path for air flowing through. |
| US08941985B2 |
Expandable keyboard device
An expandable keyboard device for use in connection with an electronic device includes a keyboard module having a keyboard housing, a pivot unit connected to the keyboard housing, and a clamping mechanism including a mounting seat connected to the pivot unit and rotatable relative to the keyboard module, and at least one clamping arm cooperating with the mounting seat to define a receiving slot for receiving the electronic device. The clamping arm is movable relative to the mounting seat for clamping the electronic device. |
| US08941983B2 |
Device installation systems and methods
A device mounting system is provided. The system includes a housing having a first surface having a first member disposed thereupon. The system also includes a mounting bracket adapted to receive the housing; the mounting bracket including a first rigid surface having a first feature adapted to engage the first member. A latch can be disposed at least partially within the first feature. The latch can be adapted to permit the insertion and attachment of the first member to the first feature when disposed in a first position and to permit the detachment and removal of the first member from the first feature when disposed in a second position. |
| US08941981B2 |
Computer with high intensity screen
A computer includes various features that improve its functionality and/or ease of use. A modular electronics cartridge that includes a piston seal and opposed-direction latches removably engages a cartridge bay of the computer. A high intensity touch-screen display and a high power processor are disposed in a sealed compartment of the computer, and a remote heat exchanger is used to cool the sealed compartment. An interface converter/adapter converts a standard mini-PCI Express slot into a specialized mini-PCI Express slot with voice capabilities. SIM and microSD card slots mount to a pivoting door on the computer such that opening the door provides easier access to the card slots. |
| US08941976B1 |
Configurable powerline Ethernet adapter and power supply
The embodiments provide a powerline network adapter that allows network communications over power lines while also being configurable to provide other features. In the embodiments, the network adapter can provide a first power outlet, a powerline network adapter, and a wireless access point. The first power outlet serves as a replacement for the outlet consumed by the powerline network adapter and is filtered to reduce or prevent interference with network communications being carried over the powerline. The network adapter is also configurable to provide, among other things, a powerline wired Ethernet interface and a wireless access point that is coupled to the powerline. Furthermore, the network adapter may be configured to provide a second power outlet for a device, such as an external drive. For example, the second power outlet may be an AC/DC 12-Volt power adapter. In some embodiments, this second power outlet is also filtered from the first power outlet. |
| US08941975B2 |
Laminated ceramic electronic component
Provided is a laminated ceramic electronic component which has excellent mechanical characteristics, internal electrode corrosion resistance, high degree of freedom in ceramic material design, low cost, low defective rate, and various properties. The laminated ceramic electronic component includes: a laminate which has a plurality of laminated ceramic layers and Al/Si alloy-containing internal electrodes at a plurality of specific interface between ceramic layers; and an external electrode formed on the outer surface of the laminate, wherein the Al/Si ratio of the Al/Si alloy is 85/15 or more. |
| US08941974B2 |
Interdigitated capacitor having digits of varying width
An interdigitated capacitor having digits of varying width is disclosed. One embodiment of a capacitor includes a first plurality of conductive digits and a second plurality of conductive digits positioned in an interlocking manner with the first plurality of conductive digits, such that an interdigitated structure is formed. The first plurality of conductive digits and the second plurality of conductive digits collectively form a set of digits, where the width of a first digit in the set of digits is non-uniform with respect to a second digit in the set of digits. |
| US08941971B2 |
Multilayer ceramic electronic component and fabrication method thereof
There are provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component comprising: a ceramic main body including a dielectric layer and having first and second main faces, third and fourth side faces opposed in a length direction, and fifth and sixth faces opposed in a width direction; first and second internal electrodes; and one or more first external electrodes formed on the fifth face and one or more second external electrodes formed on the sixth face, wherein the first and second external electrodes have an average thickness ranging from 3 μm to 30 μm, and when at least one of the first and second external electrodes is divided into three equal parts in a thickness direction, an area of glass in central area portions thereof is 35% to 80% of the total areas of the central area portions. |
| US08941969B2 |
Single-body electrostatic chuck
An electrostatic chuck includes a thermally conductive base having a plurality of heating elements disposed therein. A metal layer covers at least a portion of the thermally conductive base, wherein the metal layer shields the plurality of heating elements from radio frequency (RF) coupling and functions as an electrode for the electrostatic chuck. A plasma resistant dielectric layer covers the metal layer. |
| US08941968B2 |
Heated electrostatic chuck including mechanical clamp capability at high temperature
An electrostatic clamp is provided, having a clamping plate, wherein a clamping surface of the clamping plate is configured to contact the workpiece. A voltage applied to one or more electrodes selectively electrostatically attracts the workpiece to the clamping surface. One or more auxiliary clamping members are further provided wherein the one or more auxiliary clamping members are configured to selectively secure at least a portion of the workpiece to the clamping surface. A temperature monitoring device configured to determine a temperature of the workpiece is provided, and a controller is configured to selectively clamp the workpiece to the clamping surface via a control of the voltage to the one or more electrodes and the one or more auxiliary clamping members, based, at least in part, on the temperature of the workpiece. |
| US08941962B2 |
Snubber circuit and method of using bipolar junction transistor in snubber circuit
A snubber circuit includes: at least one impedance component, a capacitor, and a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT). The snubber circuit is utilized for protecting electric/electronic components, reducing high frequency interference and spike voltage, and enhancing efficiency. In particular, the at least one impedance component in the snubber circuit can be at least one zener diode, where regarding protecting electric/electronic components, reducing high frequency interference and spike voltage, and enhancing efficiency, the performance of the snubber circuit in a situation where the zener diode is utilized is better than that of the snubber circuit in a situation where other types of impedance components are utilized. An associated method of using a BJT in a snubber circuit is also provided. |
| US08941960B2 |
Electrical switching apparatus
A switching apparatus for use in conjunction with a fuse, the switching apparatus including a circuit interrupter having a pair of separable contacts, a sensor for sensing a line fault, and an actuator for moving the contacts to an open state when a line fault is sensed, and wherein the switching apparatus is arranged such that the contacts always return to a closed state. |
| US08941957B2 |
Battery charger for an electrically-driven vehicle and method of confirming earth leakage applicable thereto
A battery charger for charging an electrically-driven vehicle by connecting the electrically-driven vehicle with an external power source, the battery charger includes an earth leakage detector operable to detect earth leakage of the battery charger; an earth leakage circuit breaker operable to switch energization from the external power source; an earth leakage confirmation relay capable of forcibly causing earth leakage in a downstream circuit of the earth leakage detector; a resistor unit connected in series with the earth leakage confirmation relay and capable of being set to any one of a plurality of leakage current values; and a controller operable to switch the earth leakage circuit breaker based on a detection result of the earth leakage detector while forcibly causing earth leakage in the downstream circuit. |
| US08941955B2 |
Overvoltage prevention in an aircraft electrical power generation system
An example method of detecting a generator overvoltage condition includes predicting a primary control current to provide a predicted control current, monitoring the primary control current, and detecting a generator overvoltage condition based on a comparison of the predicted control current to the primary control current. The method interrupts the primary control current based on the comparing. |
| US08941954B2 |
Magnetic sensor with extended pinned layer and partial wrap around shield
A magnetic read head that has improved pinned layer stability while also maintaining excellent free layer stability. The free layer has sides that define a trackwidth of the sensor and a back edge that defines a functional stripe height of the sensor. However, the pinned layer can extend significantly beyond both the width of the free layer and the back edge (e.g. stripe height) of the free layer. The sensor also has a soft magnetic bias structure that compensates for the reduced volume presented by the side extension of the pinned layer. The soft magnetic bias structure can be magnetically coupled with the trailing magnetic shield, either parallel coupled or anti-parallel coupled. In addition, all or a portion of the soft magnetic bias structure can be exchange coupled to a layer of anti-ferromagnetic material in order to improve the robustness of the soft magnetic bias structure. |
| US08941952B1 |
Disk drive head stack assembly having a flexible printed circuit with bond pads having reduced capacitance
A head stack assembly (HSA) for a disk drive includes an actuator body, at least one actuator arm extending from the actuator body, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The FPC may include a FPC conductive layer having a plurality of FPC traces that terminate at respective ones of a plurality of electrically conductive FPC bond pads. The FPC may include a metallic FPC stiffener layer having a surface that underlies and faces the FPC bond pads. The FPC stiffener layer surface may include a plurality of recessions having a depth of at least 25 microns. A FPC dielectric layer may be disposed between the FPC conductive layer and the metallic FPC stiffener layer. One or more of the plurality of FPC bond pads may be internally patterned to define a FPC bond pad mesh with a plurality of openings therethrough. |
| US08941951B2 |
Head suspension flexure with integrated strain sensor and sputtered traces
Various embodiments concern a method for manufacturing a disk drive head suspension component. Such methods can comprise providing a head suspension component comprising a layer of insulating material on a spring metal layer. Such methods can further comprise forming a strain gauge element and a trace seed layer by depositing a first metal on the insulating material layer, such as by sputtering. The strain gauge element and the trace seed layer can be formed simultaneously by the depositing of the first metal as part of the same process step. The first metal can be of a strain gauge class of metal having relatively high resistivity, such as constantan. Such methods can further comprise plating a second metal on the trace seed layer to form one or more traces. |
| US08941949B1 |
Write head
A write head is provided for writing a servo pattern to a magnetic tape storage medium. The write head comprises at least a first write gap (A) and a second write gap (B), the first write gap (A) and the second write gap (B) being separately energizable. The second write gap (B) comprises at least a first section (a) and a second section (b). The first section (a) is designed such that an energization of the second write gap (B) causes a magnetic flux across the first section (a) insufficient for changing a magnetization of a track of the magnetic tape storage medium (TP) passing the first section (a) of the second write gap (B). The second section (b) is designed such that an energization of the second write gap (B) causes a magnetic flux across the second section (b) sufficient for magnetizing a track of the magnetic tape storage medium (TP) passing the second section (b) of the second write gap (B). |
| US08941948B2 |
Perpendicular recording head with leading bump in the main pole having narrow leading gap (LG)
In one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole; a leading shield below a leading side of the main magnetic pole; a leading gap between the leading shield and the main magnetic pole; a trailing shield above a trailing side of the main magnetic pole; a trailing gap between the trailing shield and the main magnetic pole; and a nonmagnetic leading bump between the main magnetic pole and the leading shield. Additional embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08941941B1 |
Disk drive calibrating touchdown sensor
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, the head comprising a touchdown sensor. A bias signal is applied at a first bias value to the touchdown sensor and a corresponding first resistance of the touchdown sensor is measured. The bias signal is applied at a second bias value to the touchdown sensor and a corresponding second resistance of the touchdown sensor is measured. A reference resistance of the touchdown sensor is estimated based on the first and second bias values and the first and second resistances. An operating bias value is generated for the bias signal based on a predetermined operating temperature of the touchdown sensor, the reference resistance, and a thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the touchdown sensor, wherein the TCR specifies a change in temperature of the touchdown sensor relative to a change in the resistance of the touchdown sensor. |
| US08941929B2 |
Mobile device and optical imaging lens thereof
Present embodiments provide for a mobile device and an optical imaging lens thereof. The optical imaging lens comprises five lens elements positioned sequentially from an object side to an image side. Through controlling the convex or concave shape of the surfaces and/or the refracting power of the lens elements, the optical imaging lens shows better optical characteristics and the total length of the optical imaging lens is shortened. |
| US08941928B2 |
Imaging lens and imaging apparatus equipped with the imaging lens
An imaging lens substantially includes six lenses, constituted by: a first lens having a positive refractive power and a convex surface that faces an object side; a second lens having a negative refractive power; a third lens having a positive refractive power; a fourth lens having a positive refractive power; a fifth lens having a negative refractive power and a concave surface that faces the object side; and an aspherical sixth lens having a negative refractive power, the surface of which is concave toward an image side in the vicinity of an optical axis and convex toward the image side at the peripheral portion thereof. The imaging lens satisfies a predetermined conditional formula. |
| US08941913B2 |
Infrared optical lens system
Provided is an infrared optical lens system including: a first lens having negative refractive power; and a second lens having positive refractive power, wherein the first lens and the second lens are disposed in this order from an object side to an image side. |
| US08941911B2 |
Methods and devices for efficient optical fiber amplifiers
Doped fiber amplifiers (DFA) using rare-earth doping materials with linear and non-linear interactions between the optical signal to be amplified and the pump laser have become a standard element of optical telecommunications systems for multiple applications including for example extending the reach of optical links before opto-electronic conversion is required or support increased fanout. However, in many applications wherein multiple DFAs are employed the electrical power budget wherein the pump laser diode (LD) represents approximately 25% of the module power consumption directly, and closer to approximately 40-50% once the control and drive electronics for the thermoelectric cooler and LD are included. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to reduce the overall power consumption of a DFA by exploiting unused optical pump power such that multiple gain stages, within the same or different DFAs, may be driven from a single pump LD. |
| US08941909B2 |
Display device
Provided is a display device, including: a pair of substrates arranged at an interval; oil filled between the pair of substrates; a shutter arranged in the oil; a drive portion, which is arranged in the oil, for driving the shutter in a predetermined direction; and a wall portion provided in the oil and on one of the pair of substrates. The wall portion is positioned adjacent to the shutter in one of the predetermined direction of the shutter and a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction. The wall portion has a height exceeding a height of the shutter in a thickness direction of the shutter. The wall portion has at least a part positioned lateral to the shutter. |
| US08941906B2 |
Optical scanning device
An optical scanning device includes a mirror part including a mirror reflecting surface to reflect incident light, a pair of torsion bars configured to support the mirror part from both sides and configured to forma first axis around which to swing the mirror part by a torsional motion thereof so as to deflect the reflected light, and at least one stress alleviation area configured to alleviate a stress generated by the torsional motion of the torsion bars. The alleviation area is provided between an intersection of a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and passing through the center of the mirror reflecting surface and an edge of the mirror reflecting surface, and at least one of the torsion bars. |
| US08941903B2 |
Laser emitting apparatus using a basic hologram and a focusing hologram
A laser processing apparatus including a laser light source, a phase modulation type spatial light modulator, a driving unit, a control unit, and an imaging optical system. A storage unit that is included in the driving unit stores a plurality of basic holograms corresponding to a plurality of basic processing patterns and a focusing hologram corresponding to a Fresnel lens pattern. The control unit arranges in parallel two or more basic holograms selected from the plurality of basic holograms stored in the storage unit, overlaps the focusing hologram with each of the basic holograms arranged in parallel to form the whole hologram, and presents the formed whole hologram to the spatial light modulator. |
| US08941900B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method of processing image thereof
An image forming apparatus and a method of processing an image of the image forming apparatus are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a scanner to scan a document, a detector to detect text and image areas included in the scanned document, a conversion unit to convert the scanned document so as to output one of the detected text and image areas as color data and the other as monochrome data, and an output unit to output the converted document, wherein the conversion unit converts the scanned document to set a color value of the detected text area to a preset color value so as to output the detected text area as monochrome data or set a color value of the detected image area to a preset color value so as to output the detected image area as monochrome data. |
| US08941893B2 |
Image reading apparatus
There is provided an image reading apparatus including: a reading device configured to read a manuscript supplied by a first or a second supply mode, a switching device configured to switch the first and second supply modes, a display, and a controller. The controller is configured to cause the display to display a first screen in a case that the switching device switches the supply mode to the first supply mode, as well as to cause the display to display a second screen in a case that the switching device switches the supply mode to the second supply mode. |
| US08941892B2 |
Image reader
An image reader is provided that includes a housing, a sheet support surface disposed at the housing and configured to support a sheet placed thereon, a conveyor that includes a roller and conveys the sheet in a first direction, a drive unit generating a driving force for driving the conveyor, an image sensor unit reading an image on the sheet being conveyed by the conveyor, a cover configured to rotate between an open position to expose the roller and a closed position to cover the roller around a rotational axis extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a detector configured to output a first signal when the cover is in the closed position and output a second signal when the cover is in the open position, the detector disposed on a same side as the drive unit in the second direction with respect to the sheet support surface. |
| US08941889B2 |
Overhead image reading apparatus
An overhead image reading apparatus 1 includes: an image-capturing unit 22 that captures an image of a medium S to be read from above when the medium S to be read is placed on a placement surface 2; a light source 21 that irradiates the medium S to be read with light when the image-capturing unit 22 captures the image of the medium S to be read; and a light blocking portion 25 that blocks light above an upper-end position of light emitted from the light source 21. As a result, the user 100 can be prevented from seeing light from the light source 21 with his/her eyes and from being dazzled with an unpleasant feeling by light from the light source 21 during reading on the medium S to be read. |
| US08941888B2 |
Facsimile to E-mail communication system with local interface
A fax to E-mail system and related method are shown, whereby a hardcopy document is sent via a fax device to its recipient via electronic mail through a data network, and is delivered in such a manner that it can be retrieved by the recipient at an E-mail device and displayed on the screen of the E-mail device. The document begins as a hardcopy, as an electronic file retrieved through E-mail recipient's terminal and displayed on the computer screen of the E-mail recipient's terminal. The system and method also provides for an interface device which connects to a conventional fax device for communicating E-mail addresses and routing hardcopy documents to the E-mail network, and provides a means for embedding the functions of the interface device into conventional fax devices. The system can also be used in cooperation with Internet Web service for reporting, accounting, information services, and user interaction. |
| US08941886B2 |
Spectral edge marking for steganography or watermarking
A method for providing digital watermarking for text or images that uses spectral edge marking materials (320) printed on a print media (200) to embed hidden data (220). The spectral edge markers (320) have an absorption spectrum at the edge of the human visible spectrum, either at the UV edge or IR edge, which provides an optical density that is generally imperceptible to humans, but which can be detected by an image capture device (250). The crosstalk of visible optical absorption provided by these materials is largely masked by the presence of visible colorant(s) (340), with only small color differences between areas with and without the spectral edge markers (320). The image capture device (250) has a visible spectral response that extends into a spectral region just outside the visible spectrum where the spectral edge marker absorption occurs, and can be operated to detect the hidden data. |
| US08941883B2 |
Method for creating a copy image and reproduction system
A method creates a copy image from a hardcopy original on a reproduction system including a display. The method includes displaying a predetermined digital image according to image parameters set with initial image parameter values, reading out image parameter values entered by a user for replacing the initial image parameter values and characterizing the hardcopy original, displaying the predetermined digital image in accordance with the read-out image parameter values, determining a first conversion of image parameters mapping the initial image parameter values to the read-out image parameter values, determining a second conversion of image parameters by inverting the first conversion, scanning the hardcopy original resulting in scan-bound image parameter values, applying the second conversion to the scan-bound image parameter values resulting in converted image parameter values, and creating the copy image by taking into account the converted image parameter values. A reproduction system is configured for applying the method. |
| US08941882B2 |
Method of pre-processing data on a host machine for a host-based print system
The software on the host machine examines a pixel, either alone or in relation to adjacent pixels. Based on the image data contained in the pixel or group of pixels, a multi-bit value is generated that can be used by the printing device to easily reproduce the necessary detail of the original pixel. The multi-bit value also contains print engine control parameters to handle items such as toner miser mode, toner explosion, edge roll off, etc. The multi-bit value can be generated algorithmically by using a lookup table or by some combination of these methods. |
| US08941878B2 |
Page description data processing apparatus, page description data processing method, and recording medium
With respect to an object that strokes a path existing in page description data, the position of a start point of a line element formed along the path is estimated based on a path construction operator and a dotted line pattern determining operator. If the distance between the start point and an end point of the path is equal to or less than a prescribed threshold value, the position of the end point of the path is changed to another position along the path in order to increase the distance. |
| US08941875B2 |
Image processing system, image processing method, and computer readable recording medium storing program thereof
There is provided an image forming device capable of performing overlay printing in which a desired image overlaps with a desired page. An image processing system includes a display control unit that displays a setting screen which enables at least one overlay image overlapping with a page to be selected from predetermined overlay images and which enables at least one target page to be selected from pages, an operation input unit that receives an operation, an information obtaining unit that obtains selected image information indicating a selected overlay image in the setting screen, target page information indicating a target page selected as a target with which the selected overlay image overlaps, and selection method information indicating a selection method used to select the target page, and an image setting unit that sets an overlay image. |
| US08941874B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically entering data in a print order based upon a prose attribute entry
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for entering data in a print order based upon a prose attribute are disclosed. For example, the method receives a print job request comprising a prose attribute field that comprises the prose attribute, analyzes the prose attribute to identify one or more print job parameters as data for the print order, identifies one or more fields in the print order that correspond to the one or more print job parameters, and populates the one or more fields with the data obtained from the prose attribute. |
| US08941872B1 |
Print technology without client-side download
System, method and program product, comprising computers configured with components to receive access data from a device for an item that may be printed and validated; access a device identity computer that determines a device identity based at least in part on X parameters; obtain risk data associated with that ID; access a database that lists a number of item copies associated with the ID; determine based on the print number data or risk data, whether to transmit the image data; transmit the image data containing a print request element but missing an essential element for validation; receive activation for the print request element; record print number data based on a number of times the activation data has been received; obtain the missing essential element for validation, bypass dialog communication with the device and transmit to a print spooler the basic print image data and the missing essential element for validation. |
| US08941869B2 |
Image forming apparatus, communication device, and image forming system for printing data received from communication terminal device
An image forming apparatus includes a printing data reception unit, an identification information creation unit, an identification information transmission unit, an HDD, an image forming unit, an identification information acceptance unit, and a controller. The printing data reception unit receives from a communication terminal device printing data including printing target data and its printing accompanying information with a predetermined protocol. The identification information creation unit creates identification information upon receiving the printing data. The identification information transmission unit transmits identification information to the communication terminal device. The HDD stores the printing data. The identification information acceptance unit accepts input of the identification information. The controller makes the image forming unit print the printing target data corresponding to the input identification information. |
| US08941867B2 |
Printing system, server apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium
A printing system, responsive to a request from an image forming apparatus, applies general-purpose print setting to print setting information of a printer driver in the image forming apparatus specified in the request, applies dedicated print setting using a ticket in a print job stored in a storage device to the print setting information to which the general-purpose print setting has been applied, reflects the print setting information of the printer driver to which the dedicated print setting has been applied, on the print setting information in the print job, generates a print job including the reflected print setting information in the print job and print data in the print job, and outputs the generated print job to the image forming apparatus. |
| US08941860B2 |
Scanning method and scanning system using TWAIN driver
A scanning method used to scan documents in a scanning system, the system including a scanner and a user host computer having a technology without an interesting name (TWAIN) driver, the scanner and the user host computer connected by a local interface and a network, includes selecting one of the local interface or the network to connect the scanner and the user host computer; if the network is selected, connecting the TWAIN driver to the scanner via the selected network to control scanning processes of the scanner; and performing scanning according to the selected local interface or the network. |
| US08941858B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method of image forming apparatus having a normal mode and a power saving mode
An image forming apparatus has a normal mode and a power saving mode. The image forming apparatus includes a printing portion for performing printing, a communication portion for performing a communication process, a system controller for performing operation control of the apparatus and a process concerning communication, and a power supply controller configured to supply power to the printing portion, the system controller, and the communication portion in the normal mode while in the power saving mode, to supply power to the communication portion but to stop power supply to the printing portion. The system controller performs the process concerning communication during the power saving mode, and the power supply controller adjusts a length of a stop time so that average power consumption of the image forming apparatus does not exceed a permissible maximum power, so as to temporarily restore the system controller during the power saving mode. |
| US08941857B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An information processing system includes plural information processing apparatuses and a management apparatus. A first information processing apparatus includes a first notifying unit that notifies the management apparatus of a storage location associated with updated authentication information. The management apparatus notifies the first information processing apparatus of apparatus identifying information concerning the received storage location. A second notifying unit notifies an information processing apparatus identified by the apparatus identifying information of the storage location and the updated authentication information. A third notifying unit notifies the management apparatus of apparatus identifying information concerning an information processing apparatus to which the second notifying unit has failed to supply the information. The management apparatus notifies this information processing apparatus of the storage location and apparatus identifying information concerning an information processing apparatus in which the authentication information is updated. An updating unit of this information processing apparatus updates authentication information. |
| US08941852B2 |
Print data processing system, print data processing method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
A print data processing system includes plural intermediate data generation units, an allocation unit, one or more memories, a print image conversion unit, and a reprint controller. Each intermediate data generation unit interprets PDL data and generates intermediate data in units of pages. The allocation unit allocates processes of interpreting the PDL data to the intermediate data generation units in units of pages and causes the intermediate data generation units to execute processes of interpreting pages in parallel. The one or more memories store pieces of intermediate data of the individual pages. The print image conversion unit acquires the pieces of intermediate data, converts the acquired data to print image data, and supplies the print image data to a printer. The reprint controller performs control to cause the print image conversion unit to reacquire the pieces of intermediate data and to reconvert the reacquired data to the print image data. |
| US08941851B2 |
Image forming apparatus configured so that an attachable and detachable storage medium is attachable thereto
An image forming apparatus is configured so that an attachable and detachable storage medium is attachable thereto, and the image forming apparatus includes an operation unit, a document reading unit, and a control unit. The operation unit receives an operation due to a user. The document reading unit reads a document and generates the image data of the document. The control unit controls the document reading unit to start an operation for reading a document after having received an instruction for reading a document, from the user through the operation unit, and after identification information of the document and a destination to save the image data of that document have been saved in the attached storage medium, when the storage medium is not detached during the operation for reading the document, the control unit stops the operation for reading the document. |
| US08941849B2 |
Sheet positioning device, sheet holding receptacle incorporating same, and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A sheet positioning device includes a sheet setting plate, first and second regulating members disposed facing each other to move in an orthogonal direction to a sheet conveyance direction to regulate positions of two facing ends of the sheet on the plate by contacting these ends, a driving mechanism to move the first regulating member in the orthogonal direction, first and second contact detectors mounted on the first and second regulating members to detect contact of the two facing ends, and a controller to stop the driving mechanism based on detection results obtained by the first and second contact detectors. The first and second regulating members are used to adjust a position of the sheet to a predetermined position. Respective contact surfaces of the first and second contact detectors with the sheet extend over an entire maximum loadable range in a sheet setting direction on the plate. |
| US08941846B2 |
Copy machine and non-transitory computer readable recording medium stored with control program for copy machine
The copy machine selects either of a first direction in which a long-side direction of the paper matches the writing sub-scan direction and a second direction in which a short-side direction of the paper matches the writing sub-scan direction, with considering, when the paper is fed in the first direction, the number of documents, the number of copies, the time required for a reading process, the time required for an image forming process, and the time the reading process and the image forming process overlap, and with considering, when the paper is fed in the second direction, the number of documents, the number of copies, the time required for the reading process, the time required for a rotation process, and the time required for an image forming process. |
| US08941844B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method for suppressing image degradation caused by a printing position fluctuation
The invention provides a technique which allows high-quality printing. An image processing apparatus for forming an image by executing N printing scans for a single region on a printing medium, comprises: a readout unit configured to read out image data of a region corresponding to a k-th printing scan from input image data; a print data generation unit configured to generate print data from the image data by halftone processing; and an obtaining unit configured to obtain position fluctuation information of dots in a preceding printing scan, wherein the readout unit controls a readout position of the region corresponding to the k-th printing scan in accordance with the position fluctuation information at the time of the preceding printing scan obtained by the obtaining unit. |
| US08941843B2 |
Light interference system and substrate processing apparatus
A light interference system and a substrate processing apparatus can suppress loss of reflection spectrum. The light interference system 1 includes a light source 10, a coupler 41, multiple collimators 12A and 12B, a collimator 42, a mirror 43, a spectrometer 14, and an operation unit 15. The collimator 42 and the mirror 43 are provided at a side of multiple input terminals except a first input terminal and configured to send reflected lights from multiple output terminals to the multiple output terminals again. |
| US08941838B2 |
Broadband fiber light source with high wavelength stability under radiation for IFOG applications
A rare-earth-doped-fiber light source with wavelength stability includes a rare-earth doped fiber and an undoped fiber placed in proximity to each other and having the same host material and the same cross-sectional structure, a coupler configured to direct a first portion of pump power from a pump laser to the undoped fiber so the first portion of pump power was twice passed through the coupler; and a wavelength division multiplexer configured to input a second portion of pump power from the pump laser to the rare-earth doped fiber. The rare-earth doped fiber is an active medium for the broadband light source and includes a fiber core doped with rare-earth ions. The undoped fiber includes a rare-earth-dopant-free fiber core. The length of the undoped fiber is one of the same as that of the doped fiber or optimized to match a radiation sensitivity of the doped fiber. |
| US08941833B2 |
Alignment registration feature for analyte sensor optical reader
An optical reader for interrogating an optical analyte sensor includes a housing, comprising in its interior: at least one light source, a detector, and a programmable logic device. The housing has a registration feature configured to align the optical reader with an optical analyte sensor. Methods for confirming alignment of such optical readers are also disclosed. |
| US08941829B2 |
Spectral characteristic measurement method and spectral characteristic measurement apparatus that corrects for stray light
A spectral characteristic measurement method for measuring spectral characteristics of measured light with higher accuracy is provided. The spectral characteristic measurement method includes causing an optical measurement instrument having detection sensitivity in a first wavelength range to receive light in a second wavelength range which is a part of the first wavelength range, obtaining characteristic information indicating a stray light component from a portion of a first spectrum detected by the optical measurement instrument, that corresponds to a range other than the second wavelength range, and obtaining a pattern indicating a stray light component generated in the optical measurement instrument by subjecting the characteristic information to extrapolation processing as far as the second wavelength range in the first wavelength range. |
| US08941828B2 |
Multiple wavelength cavity ring-down spectroscopy
Described are methods for multi-wavelength cavity ring-down spectroscopy; comprising simultaneously and continuously irradiating an optical cavity with light at two or more different wavelengths, each light being intensity-modulated at a different modulation frequency, detecting the light of two or more wavelengths after the light has traveled through the optical cavity; measuring an optical loss of each detected light; and determining a characteristic of the optical cavity from the optical loss of each detected light. Also described are apparatus and systems for multi-wavelength cavity ring-down spectroscopy. |
| US08941826B2 |
Three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic focusing using a microfluidic device
A microfluidic device comprises inlets for a sample flow and an out-of-plane focusing sheath flow, and a curved channel section configured to receive the sample flow and out-of-plane focusing sheath and to provide hydrodynamic focusing of the sample flow in an out-of-plane direction, the out-of-plane direction being normal to a plane including the curved channel. Examples of the invention also include improved flow cytometers. |
| US08941823B2 |
Surface inspection device for cylindrical body
A surface inspection device for a cylindrical body includes an illumination light source disposed above the cylindrical body, a beam splitter disposed above the cylindrical body so as to correspond to the illumination light source, and a surface condition recognition device disposed above the beam splitter. Illumination light emitted from the illumination light source is reflected by the beam splitter and applied coaxially to the surface of the cylindrical body, and the reflected light reflected by the surface of the cylindrical body transmits through the beam splitter to be recognized by the surface condition recognition device. The device is configured such that the illumination light from the illumination light source is applied from one end side of the cylindrical body in the axial direction toward, the other end side so as to be in parallel to the axial direction. |
| US08941821B2 |
System and method for uniform and localized wall thickness measurement using fiber optic sensors
A system and method are provided for determining wall thickness of a structure such as a metallic pressurized pipe. The system includes an optical fiber having a plurality of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs), and a mounting for securing the FBGs over discrete portions of the exterior surface of the pipe such that strain in the pressurized pipe wall is transmitted to the FBGs. The system further includes a light source and a light sensor coupled to an end of the optical fiber. The light sensor converts light reflected back from the FBGs into electrical signals that a digital processor converts into strain measurements. The FBGs are mounted around portions of the pipe expected to have significant metal loss as well as portions of the pipe expected to have negligible metal loss. The method includes at least one of comparing relative strains at locations with negligible metal loss to those with significant metal loss to accurately determine the thickness of the wall with metal loss; compensating for temperature effects by considering relative strains at areas of the pipe with and without metal loss; and measuring axial strain on the pipe with one or more of the FBGs to correct for at least one of bending and torsion effects on hoop strain. |
| US08941820B2 |
Particle image velocimetry system for three-dimensional space
An imaging device can take an image of a flow field including tracer particles includes a compound-eye lens formed from a large number of monocular lenses, which take images of images taken by an imaging lens. Each of the multiple monocular lenses functions as one imaging device. This can enable measurement precision to be enhanced by suppressing the influence of ghost particles, while reducing the equipment cost by minimizing the number of imaging devices. A space for installing the imaging device can easily ensured. If a large number of imaging devices are used, not only do they require time and manpower for setting up, but there is also a possibility that the measurement precision will be degraded due to displacement of an axis of the imaging devices caused by vibration, etc. When the imaging device having the compound-eye lens is used, setup is simplified, and measurement precision can be ensured. |
| US08941816B2 |
Rotary laser positioning for geophysical sensing
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to positioning for geophysical sensing and provide a method, system and apparatus for rotary laser positioning in geophysical sensing. In an embodiment of the invention, a geophysical sensing data processing system can be provided to include multiple laser energy sources disposed about a target scene, and a mobile sensor unit. The mobile sensor unit can include at least one laser energy source sensor coupled to a laser positioning system, and one or multiple geophysical sensor communicatively linked to the laser positioning system. In one aspect of the invention, the laser positioning system can be a Rotary Laser Positioning System (RLPS). Complementary positioning sensors further can be provided. |
| US08941813B2 |
Evaluation method, adjustment method, exposure apparatus, and memory medium
A method evaluating an imaging performance of a projection optical system according to a polarization state of light in a pupil of an illumination optical system for an exposure apparatus, comprises a representation step of numerically representing the polarization state in the pupil of the illumination optical system, an assumption step of virtually dividing the pupil of the illumination optical system into a plurality of partial regions, each of which includes a light incident region and a light non-incident region, and assuming individual polarization states for the plurality of partial regions so that one polarization state is assumed for the whole of each partial region based on the polarization state numerically represented in the representation step; and a calculation step of calculating the imaging performance of the projection optical system under a condition in which the plurality of partial regions have the polarization states individually assumed in the assumption step. |
| US08941812B2 |
Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus comprises a movable member that moves under a projection optical system while holding a substrate; and an immersion nozzle that has a supply port and forms a immersion region under the projection optical system by supplying a liquid to an image plane side of the projection optical system via the supply port. The supply port is provided to a lower surface of the immersion nozzle and the liquid is supplied downwardly from the supply port. A contact area of the immersion region with a surface of the substrate has a rhomboid shape. |
| US08941811B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A method and apparatus for cleaning the inside of an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed. In particular, a liquid supply system of the lithographic apparatus may be used to introduce a cleaning fluid into a space between the projection system and the substrate table of the lithographic apparatus. Additionally or alternatively, a cleaning device may be provided on the substrate table and an ultrasonic emitter may be provided to create an ultrasonic cleaning liquid. |
| US08941809B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
A substrate processing apparatus includes an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, a resist cover film processing block, a resist cover film removal block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The interface block includes first and second inspection units. The first inspection unit inspects the state of the substrate before exposure processing, and the second inspection unit inspects the state of the substrate after exposure processing. |
| US08941800B2 |
Reflective image forming element and optical system
A reflective imaging element includes: a plurality of holes penetrating through the plate-like substrate along a thickness direction thereof; two orthogonally-disposed specular elements on inner walls of the plurality of holes; a first principal face on which light from an object is received; a second principal face parallel to the first principal face; and two taper elements opposing the two specular elements. The two taper elements each have a first side parallel to the first principal face, a second side orthogonal to the first principal face and to the first side, and a hypotenuse meeting the first and second sides and constituting an angle β with the second side. An angle constituted by a normal direction of the first principal face and an incident direction of light striking the first principal face defines an incident angle θ, such that, in a range of 0°<θ<90°, the angle β satisfies (90°−θ)/4≦β. |
| US08941798B2 |
Panel acting as active retarder, method of fabricating the same, and 3-dimensional stereoscopic image displayable system including the panel
A panel, a method of fabricating the panel, and a 3-dimensional (3D) image displayable system are provided. The panel includes first and second films disposed opposite each other, a polymer layer interposed between the first and second films, the polymer layer formed of a polymer having light alignment and light-curing characteristics, the polymer layer in which the polymer is arranged in one direction, and a plurality of liquid crystal (LC) droplets dispersed in the polymer layer. Each of the plurality of LC droplets includes a plurality of LC molecules, which are arranged in the same direction as the direction in which the polymer layer is arranged. |
| US08941797B2 |
Method of manufacturing polarizing plate, method of manufacturing display apparatus having the same and the display apparatus
A method of manufacturing a polarizing plate includes disposing a non-conductive material on a base substrate, pressing the non-conductive material using a mold and forming a resist pattern, the resist pattern including a plurality of protruding portions, and forming a metal layer on the protruding portions of the resist pattern. Accordingly, a luminance of a display apparatus can be improved and a manufacturing process can be simplified. |
| US08941787B2 |
Three-dimensional image display device and driving method thereof
A 3D image display device includes: a backlight unit including a first color light source and a second color light source, which are alternately turned on; a display panel on a front side of the backlight unit and including a pixel, where the pixel includes a first subpixel including a first color filter and a second subpixel including a second color filter; a patterned circular polarizer on a front side of the display panel, extending substantially in a first direction, and including a first circular polarization part and a second circular polarization part having widths substantially the same as widths of the first subpixel and the second subpixel, respectively; and glasses including a left lens and a right lens, where each of the left lens and the right lens includes a plurality of circular polarization patterns and a shutter glass panel which turns on and off each circular polarization pattern. |
| US08941785B2 |
Projector, image correction method, and program
A projector includes a moving unit adapted to move positions of at least six correction points, which are included in a correcting image, a reception unit adapted to receive a designation on a value of a parameter representing linearity, a derivation unit adapted to derive a correspondence relationship of the coordinates between and input image and the correcting image using coordinates of the at least six correction points moved by the moving unit, and the parameter having the value designation of which is received by the reception unit, and a processing unit adapted to perform a correction process on the input image based on the correspondence relationship derived by the derivation unit. |
| US08941783B2 |
Image output system, image signal generation apparatus and recording medium
An image output system includes plural channels from each of which an image signal is output, a switching unit for switching the channel that outputs the image signal to an image output unit based on connection states of the plural channels, an information display generation unit for generating the image signal of an information display screen related to the currently outputting channel, and a display state storing unit for storing a display state related to the information display screen, the display state including a “display-ON” state and a “display-OFF” state. In a case where there is a change in the connection state of the currently outputting channel, when there is the information display screen whose display state is the “display-ON” state, the switching unit switches the channel after waiting for a predefined change in the display state related to the information display screen. |
| US08941781B2 |
Projector, apparatus and method for driving optical scanner thereof
A projector and an apparatus and method for driving an optical scanner are disclosed. A sensing signal processor receives a sensing signal that represents sensing of operation of the optical scanner and generates a horizontal scan signal corresponding to a horizontal frequency of the optical scanner on the basis of the received sensing signal. A driving signal generator generates at least one of a horizontal reference signal including line information that indicates the number of horizontal lines of a horizontal driving signal of the optical scanner, a reference clock signal and a scanner driving signal for driving the optical scanner on the basis of the generated horizontal scan signal. |
| US08941777B1 |
System and method for capturing images of a geographic area
A system for capturing images while a user is traversing a geographic area is disclosed. The system may include a frame configured to extend across a first shoulder and a second shoulder of the user and along at least a portion of a back side and a front side of the user. The system may also include a camera coupled to the frame on the back side or the front side of the user. The camera may be configured to capture at least one image of the geographic area. Additionally, the system may include a stabilizing device coupled to the frame on the other of the back side or the front side of the user. The stabilizing device may be configured to counterbalance an amount of weight supported by the frame on the opposed side of the user such that the frame is balanced across the shoulders of the user. |
| US08941772B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens includes four lenses arranged in order from the object side to the image side: an aperture stop, positive (refractive power) first lens having a convex object-side surface near the optical axis, second lens having a positive meniscus shape near the axis, positive third lens having a convex image-side surface near the axis, and negative fourth lens having a concave image-side surface near the axis. All lens surfaces are aspheric. The image-side aspheric surface of the fourth lens has a pole-change point off the optical axis and conditional expressions (1) and (2) are satisfied: 0.75 |
| US08941753B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes: a pixel generating a photoelectric conversion signal; a comparator comparing a base signal based on the pixel at a reset state with a time-changing first reference signal, and comparing an effective signal based on the pixel at a non-reset state with a time-changing second reference signal, the second reference signal having a larger time-changing ratio than that of the second reference signal; a counter counting a first count value until an inversion of a magnitude relation between the base signal and the first reference signal, and counting a second count value until an inversion of a magnitude relation between the effective signal and the second reference signal; and a correcting unit configured to correct the difference of resolutions of the first and second count values, and configured to correct the difference between the corrected first and second count values. |
| US08941745B2 |
Mobile communication apparatus for controlling imaging based on facial recognition
A mobile communication apparatus comprises: a first camera unit for capturing an image of a subject; a second camera unit for capturing an image of the camera operator or an image of an object possessed by the camera operator; an activation control unit; an operation recognizing unit; and an image capture control unit. The activation control unit controls, in response to an activation instruction, the second camera unit to start an image capture operation and sequentially generate still-image data. The operation recognizing unit compares, in response to an instruction to start the image capture operation, still-image data, specifically, current still-image data and the previous still-image data. If the current still-image data have varied relative to the previous still-image data, the image capture control unit controls the first camera unit to capture an image of the subject to generate image capture data. In this way, the mobile communication apparatus can prevent any blur from occurring when the camera function is used to capture an image of a subject. |
| US08941744B2 |
Image sensors for establishing an image sharpness value
A method of compensating for camera shake includes reading a sequential series of images from an image sensing array, establishing a sharpness value for each of the sequential series of images, and performing an image selection based upon each sharpness value. The sharpness value is calculated for each image of the sequential series thereof during the reading. |
| US08941740B2 |
Personnel field device for process control and other systems and related method
An apparatus includes an image recorder configured to record video images. The apparatus also includes a display screen configured to present the video images to a user and to create notations overlying one or more of the video images based on user input. The apparatus further includes a transceiver configured to stream the video images over a wireless mesh network and to transmit data associated with the notations over the wireless mesh network. The apparatus could also include components for providing cryptographic keys to wireless nodes joining the wireless mesh network, a sensor for detecting or measuring one or more characteristics, and/or an asset tracker for transmitting or receive signals for identifying a location of the apparatus. The apparatus could further include at least one voice unit supporting bidirectional voice communications and/or a site survey unit for identifying signal strengths associated with detected wireless nodes. |
| US08941737B2 |
Image generating apparatus and image display system
A technology for intuitively recognizing a positional relation between a vehicle and an object is provided. In an image display system, in a display image provided to a driver, the side region of the vehicle in a direction indicated by a direction instructing device is displayed in large size. Accordingly, the object that may contact with the vehicle is easily found out, so that a minor crash accident can be effectively prevented. Since a synthetic image viewed from a virtual viewpoint directed from a rear position of the vehicle toward the front side of the vehicle is displayed, the side area of the vehicle is displayed in the same visual field direction as the direction of the visual field of the driver. Accordingly, the driver can intuitively recognize the positional relation between the vehicle and the object, without undertaking complicated determination such as conducting coordinate transformation in his/her mind. |
| US08941727B2 |
Apparatus and method for mapped hair metric
Apparatus for determining the status of hair bulk in an area of a scalp is operative to provide a metric over a sufficiently large area to permit revisiting with only negligible misalignment error. Accurate re-measurement of hair status in accurately identified areas produces a reliable metric for determining degree of hair loss and or the effectiveness of treatment. |
| US08941725B2 |
Method of processing three-dimensional stereoscopic image data and display apparatus for performing the same
A method of processing three-dimensional (3D) stereoscopic image data is provided that includes comparing the polarity of image data of a present frame with the polarity of image data of a previous frame. The image data of the present frame are compensated according to the result of the comparison. The image data of the present frame is compensated to generate first compensation data, when the polarity of the image data of the present frame is opposite to the polarity of the image data of the previous frame, with respect a reference voltage. |
| US08941724B2 |
Receiver
A receiver enabling to receive 2D and 3D content from a content distributor, including a content list obtaining unit obtaining a list screen of content receivable from the content distributor, a content obtaining unit obtaining 2D or 3D content from the content distributor, a display unit displaying the list screen and reproduced screen of the content on an external or built-in monitor, and a function determining unit determining a function for viewing/listening to 3D and 2D content, wherein the content list obtaining unit determines if 3D content is visible/listenable and obtains a content list of only 2D content or both 2D and 3D content, in accordance with a result of determination, from the content distributor, and the display unit displays the content list obtained through the content list obtaining unit, thereby enabling the receiver of content to receive, memorize and/or output outside the content, being distributed from various networks. |
| US08941722B2 |
Automatic intelligent focus control of video
The invention is directed to systems, methods and computer program products for providing focus control for an image-capturing device. An exemplary method includes capturing an image frame using an image-capturing device and recording video tracking data and gaze tracking data for one or more image frames following the captured image frame and/or for one or more images frames prior to the captured image frame. The exemplary method additionally includes calculating a focus distance and a depth of field based at least partially on the recorded video tracking data and recorded gaze tracking data. The exemplary method additionally includes displaying the captured image frame based on the calculated focus distance and the calculated depth of field. |
| US08941714B2 |
Transmitting device, receiving device, data transmission method
A transmitting device includes a partial-image-generator that identifies a certain region from image data, the partial-image-generator generating a certain partial image including the certain region identified from the image data, associating region information indicating the certain region with the certain partial image, and causing the region information and the certain partial image to be stored in a data-storage-unit, an image-processing-unit that executes, on the certain partial image associated with the region information and stored in the data-storage-unit, predetermined image processing associated with the region information, a difference-determining-unit that determines whether or not there is a difference between the certain partial image after the image processing and another partial image generated before a generation of the certain partial image and subjected to the image processing, and a transmitter that transmits the certain partial image subjected to the image processing by the image-processing-unit if the difference-determining-unit determines that there is the difference. |
| US08941712B2 |
Call movement in a conferencing system
Providing high availability multi-way conferencing. Separate signaling and media components may be provided within an MCU or among a cluster of MCUs. A signaling server may control signaling aspects of a conference while a media server may provide media support for the conference. In the event of media server failure, the signaling server may assign a new media server to provide media support for the conference. A backup signaling server may also monitor the signaling server and may provide signaling support for the conference in the event of signaling server failure. |
| US08941711B2 |
Extended presence for video conferencing systems
Systems and methods of providing extended presence information for multi-user devices are described. Communication devices used in conference rooms represent a different nature than single user devices such as a personal computer. Conference rooms also have attributes that may be added to existing presence information and provide an enhanced experience for scheduling and dissemination of conference room capabilities. Information such as actual people in attendance may be added to the presence information maintained by a presence server to provide an overall enhancement to the meeting room whether it is physically a single conference room or a multitude of endpoints remotely connected to a conference. |
| US08941709B2 |
Video-assisted self-service transaction device
While performing or initiating a transaction with a self-service video transaction device, a user may interact with a video agent and a terminal associated therewith. An error may occur during the transaction. In response to detecting the error, video agent(s) having video or audio functionalities to service the error may be identified. Servicing the error may also be based on a length of a wait time to connect to an appropriate video agent. If the wait time exceeds a predetermined threshold, an error receipt identifying the error and other information may be printed by the self-service video transaction device. If the wait time does not exceed the predetermined threshold, a display device of the self-service video transaction device may display an option for the user to connect to the video agent terminal. |
| US08941707B2 |
Video messaging
A method for video messaging includes recording a video message, at a device, for a recipient; and selecting a contact as a recipient of the video message, at the device, without requiring typing at the device. |
| US08941705B2 |
Apparatus for inscription of marking tags
The invention relates to a device (10) for the inscription of marking tags, comprising a supporting surface (30) for the marking tags, comprising a laser inscription device and comprising a housing (12) for enclosing a laser beam that emerges from the laser inscription device and is directed onto the supporting surface (30), wherein the housing (12) has a lower housing part (14) and a covering hood (16), arranged on or over the lower housing part (14). According to the invention, it is provided that the supporting surface (30) is arranged on a turntable (24), which can rotate about an axis of rotation (26) that is fixed in relation to the housing, is arranged between the lower housing part (14) and the covering hood (16) protrudes laterally beyond the covering hood (16) and can be moved between an inscription position, in which the supporting surface (30) is completely covered by the covering hood (16), and a loading position, in which the supporting surface (30) is completely outside the covering hood (16), and that the turntable (24) has two sealing ribs (36, 38), which extend radially from the axis of rotation (26), protrude from the supporting surface (30) and in the inscription position lie against a front wall (42) of the covering hood (16). |
| US08941704B2 |
Image recording apparatus
An image recording apparatus includes a toner transporting member that transports a toner layer while carrying the toner layer on a first surface of the toner transporting member, the toner transporting member including the first surface and a second surface; a heating unit including heating elements that contact the second surface that is opposite to the first surface of the toner transporting member, and that generate heat in accordance with image information, the first surface contacting a recording medium and carrying the toner layer; and a transferring unit that selectively transfers toner at an image portion to the recording medium as a result of causing each heating element of the heating unit to generate the heat with a temperature of the heating elements at the image portion and a temperature of the heating elements at a non-image portion being different from each other. |
| US08941693B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing reduced power usage of a display interface
A method detects by a display driver logic, inactivity between the display driver logic and a display logic, and deactivates an auxiliary channel by the display driver logic, wherein the auxiliary channel is between the display driver logic and the display logic. The method also detects, by the display driver logic via the auxiliary channel, a required operating mode capability of a display; and determines a minimum number of connection lines needed between the display driver logic and the display logic, to operate the display in the required operating mode capability. A display driver logic includes a connection port suitable for operative connection to a display logic, wherein the display drive logic is operative to detect inactivity between the display driver logic and the display logic, and deactivate an auxiliary channel between the display driver logic and the display logic. |
| US08941691B2 |
Multi-layered displays
A method, system, computer software and display for generating and displaying a target image (14) on a multi-layered display (1). The target image (14) includes a graphical object (9) displayed on a first display layer (2) of the multi-layered display (1) and contextual elements (10) displayed on a second display layer (3). The graphical object (9) is provided with a peripheral boundary region (12) composed of contextual elements (10) displayed on the second display layer (3). A projection of the peripheral boundary region (12) on the first display layer (2) demarcates a silhouette (11) on the second display layer (3). |
| US08941689B2 |
Formatting of one or more persistent augmentations in an augmented view in response to multiple input factors
Computationally implemented methods and systems include presenting a first augmented view of a first scene from a real environment, the first augmented view to be presented including one or more persistent augmentations in a first one or more formats, the inclusion of the one or more persistent augmentations in the first augmented view being independent of presence of one or more visual cues in the actual view of the first scene from the real environment, obtaining an actual view of a second scene from the real environment that is different from the actual view of the first scene, and presenting a second augmented view of the second scene from the real environment, the second augmented view to be presented including the one or more persistent augmentations in a second one or more formats that is based, at least in part, on multiple input factors. |
| US08941687B2 |
System and method of user interaction for augmented reality
A method of user interaction in augmented reality comprises the steps of capturing a video image of a scene, and for each pixel in at least a sub-region of the captured video, classifying the pixel as either a skin or non-skin pixel responsive to whether the color of the pixel exceeds a predetermined threshold purity of red; and generating a mask based upon the classification of the pixels of the captured video, generating an augmentation image layer to superpose on the captured video image, and limiting a mode of combination of the captured video and the augmentation image layer, responsive to the mask. |
| US08941686B2 |
Information display apparatus, display control integrated circuit, and display control method for superimposing, for display, information onto images captured in a time sequence
An information display apparatus performs a visual light communication and superimposes light source information transmitted from a light source onto images captured in time sequence for display on a screen. The information display apparatus includes an imaging section for capturing an image in an imaging range, a cache memory sequentially caching the light source information transmitted from the light source in the image, a priority level setting section for setting a higher priority to the light source information, cached in the cache memory, in order starting from a light source closest to a current imaging range, and a communications information processing section for deleting the light source information cached in the cache memory in order starting from light source information having the lowest priority level. |
| US08941685B1 |
Showing geo-located information in a 3D geographical space
Methods and systems for providing a graphic, such as an advertisement, in a 3D geographical information system (GIS) view are described. A method for providing a graphic in a 3D GIS view may include obtaining a graphic and determining a 3D geographical space in the GIS view based on a geographical reference in the GIS view. The method may also include rendering and displaying a curvilinear representation of the graphic in the geographical space. The method may further include adjusting the curvilinear representation of the graphic according to an updated viewpoint of the GIS view. The curvilinear representation may be oriented directly towards the updated viewpoint. A system for providing a graphic in a 3D GIS view may include a geographical space manager, a graphic representation generator and a display module. |
| US08941684B2 |
Methods, apparatus and systems for generating searchable electronic records of underground facility locate and/or marking operations and assessing aspects of same
A method is disclosed for assessing an aspect relating to a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician based on an electronic representation of the operation. The operation includes locating and/or identifying, using a physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of an underground facility within a dig area. A portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities. The method includes digitally representing, on a display device, the facility and/or the physical locate mark to generate an electronic visual representation of the operation. The method further includes determining a length associated with a portion of the digitally represented facility and/or physical locate mark in the electronic visual representation of the operation. The method further includes, based on the determined length, automatically assessing the aspect relating to the operation. |
| US08941679B2 |
Method of creating a gamut boundary descriptor preserving the discontinuities of an actual gamut surface
In order to preserve the discontinuities of an actual gamut surface and/or the discontinuities of its curvature, notably through a smoothing operation, in this method, when at least a vertex of any elementary polygon, the network of which represents an actual gamut boundary, belongs either to a line or a point of discontinuity of this actual gamut boundary, either to a line or a point of discontinuity of curvature of said actual gamut boundary, or both, metadata related to this belongings are added to the definition of the elementary polygons. |
| US08941675B2 |
Backing store memory management for rendering scrollable webpage subregions
A device, system and method are provided for managing memory for rendering webpages and other structured documents that contain multiple regions. A backing store is created in memory for storing rendered document content. A main region of the structured document is rendered for display, divided into a set of tiles, and stored in the backing store. A subregion of the document is rendered and stored as tiles in the same backing store as well. At least a portion of the tiles for the main region and subregion intersecting with corresponding viewports are outputted to a display. When an active one of the viewports is changed and additional content of the document is to be rendered for display, tiles in the backing store used to store rendered but undisplayed data for the inactive viewport are released to store new rendered content for the active viewport. |
| US08941669B1 |
Split push buffer rendering for scalability
Frames are rendered by multiple graphics processors (GPUs), which may be heterogeneous. Graphics processors split the execution of the command in a push buffer of a frame. One GPU begins rendering a frame, and a second GPU takes over rendering that frame after the second GPU is done rendering a previous frame. The second GPU may then begin rendering a subsequent frame. |
| US08941667B2 |
Method and apparatus for frame interpolation
The invention generally provides a method and apparatus for up-converting the frame rate of a digital video signal, the method comprising: receiving a digital video signal containing a first frame and a second frame; finding in one of the received frames, matches for objects in the other of the received frames; utilizing 3 dimensional position data in respect of the objects within the frames to determine 3 dimensional movement matrices for the matched objects; using the 3 dimensional movement matrices, determining the position of the objects in a temporally intermediate frame and thereby generating an interpolated frame, temporally between the first and second frame. |
| US08941665B1 |
Model production for animation libraries
A computer-implemented method includes selecting a subset of images from a set of captured images. A surface feature of one object is represented in the content of each selected subset image. The method also includes decomposing the surface feature content of each selected image to produce a model of representations of the object. |
| US08941658B2 |
Method and apparatus for layered overview in visualization of large enterprise it environment
A method for layered overview visualization of an IT environment having nodes and links related to the nodes, comprising initializing the layered overview visualization by establishing a number of hierarchical levels, combining the nodes and the links related to the nodes into a plurality of elements based on one of function and type, for each hierarchical level, assigning one or more of the plurality of elements to the level in accordance with one of the function and the type and determining overlap of the assigned elements. The method further comprises navigating the layered overview visualization by selecting a view, selecting a level of the hierarchical levels within the selected view, choosing the overlap of one or more of the assigned elements in the selected level and highlighting the chosen elements, and displaying on a screen the selected level and the highlighted chosen elements in the selected level. |
| US08941656B2 |
Spatiotemporal visualization of sensor data
A method for visualizing data includes generating on a display device a map including a first location and generating on the display device at least one icon graphically representing measurements of the sensor at the first location over a period of time and graphically representing the period of time. |
| US08941652B1 |
Incremental surface hole filling
Systems, methods, and computer storage mediums are provided for filling missing data in a spatially distributed, graphically represented data set. An example method includes dividing the data set into a first plurality of tiles along a first plurality of boundary lines. For each of the first plurality of tiles, a first set of fill data is generated to fill missing data in the data set. Then, for each of a determined number of dimensions of the tiles, the data set is divided into a new plurality of tiles along a new plurality of boundary lines offset from the last immediately determined plurality of boundary lines and a new set of fill data is generated to fill the missing data. A portion of the new set of fill data includes a portion of the last immediately generated set of fill data that fall along the boundary of the respective new tile. |
| US08941646B2 |
Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic image display method
Provided is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which constructs a three-dimensional elastic image by separating elastic volume data and then performing volume rendering, and also provided is an ultrasonic image display method. The three-dimensional elastic image constructing unit separates the elastic volume data into a plurality of data sets on the basis of the elastic values and performs volume rendering on the separated elastic volume data sets, thereby constructing a three-dimensional elastic image. |
| US08941645B2 |
Comparing virtual and real images in a shopping experience
In one embodiment, a computer-based method includes receiving image data of a real world layout. The image data reflects the real world layout across three dimensions (e.g., vertical, horizontal, and orthogonal). Each of the three dimensions has an image range with a beginning and an end. The real world layout has inventory of products distributed across the three dimensions. The computer-based method further includes comparing a 3D model of a planned layout of the environment to the received image data. The 3D model represents the planned layout across the three dimensions. The computer-based method further includes determining whether results of the comparison reach a first particular threshold, and if so, then output a pertinent indication, alert, or the like. |
| US08941644B2 |
Computing three-dimensional image models in parallel
This document describes techniques for creating three-dimensional models of image collections using a network-accessible (e.g., cloud-based) computation service, rather than a client computing device. In some instances described below, the computation service performs at least a portion of the operations for creating these models in parallel. |
| US08941641B2 |
Annotating or editing three dimensional space
In one example, images may be used to create a model of a three-dimensional space, and the three-dimensional space may be annotated and/or edited. When a three-dimensional model of a space has been created, a user may associate various items with points in the three-dimensional space. For example, the user may create a note or a hyperlink, and may associate the note or hyperlink with a specific point in the space. Additionally, a user may experiment with the space by adding images to, or deleting images from, the space. Annotating and editing the space, rather than the underlying images, allows annotations and edits to be associated with the underlying objects depicted in the images, rather than with the images themselves. |
| US08941635B2 |
Driving circuit for electrophoretic display device
There is offered a driving circuit for an electrophoretic display device directed to avoiding a problem that clearing display on a display unit is not performed when the power supply is lost and a wrong display such as wrong time display is left unchanged. In the driving circuit for the electrophoretic display device, either a display clearing signal or a display retaining signal is set in a display setting register in advance. When the loss of the power supply is detected by a low voltage detection circuit while the display clearing signal is retained in the display setting register, the display on the display unit is cleared or retained in accordance with the setting in the display setting register. |
| US08941634B2 |
Driver device, driving method, and display device
A driver device (10) of the present invention includes a scan line driving circuit (12) which carries out a first scan in which (i) the scan line driving circuit (12) starts to supply a first scan signal, which has an intermediate electric potential between a voltage of a low level in a time period during which an nth scan line (151) is not scanned and a voltage of a high level, to an (n+m)th scan line (151) during a scan period during which the nth scan line (151) is being scanned and (ii) the scan line driving circuit (12) stops supplying the first scan signal to the (n+m)th scan line (151) when scanning of the nth scan line (151) is completed. |
| US08941630B2 |
Device substrate
An element-side substrate includes an element array area, an RGB switch circuit, and a source driver IC. The center of a terminal group coupled to video signal lines of the source driver IC is shifted (displaced) by a distance “g” leftward from the center of the RGB switch circuit, thereby making it possible to lengthen portions of bent left video signal lines that extend in the top-bottom direction while shortening portions of bent right video signal lines that extend in the top-bottom direction. As a result, it is possible to shorten a distance “h” between the source driver IC and the RGB switch circuit while fully avoiding interference with a large area occupied by left control lines and also avoiding interference with a small area occupied by right control lines. |
| US08941629B2 |
Scan driver and organic light emitting display device using the same
A scan driver for an organic light emitting display includes logic circuitry to receive a plurality of start pulses and either a first clock or a second clock that is an inversion of the first clock and to generate one or more pulse signals as scan signals for driving the sub-pixels of the organic light emitting display panel, where one or more of the pulse signals are delayed by ½ horizontal time from at least another one of the pulse signals. |
| US08941623B2 |
Methods and devices for determining user input location based on device support configuration
Methods and devices are provided for determining location of an input on a surface of a device using a plurality of acoustic sensing elements. An exemplary method comprises determining a current support configuration of the device, selecting a device acoustic signature corresponding to the current support configuration, measuring acoustic response corresponding to the input at each acoustic sensing element of the plurality of acoustic sensing elements, and determining the location of the input based on the measured acoustic responses and the selected device acoustic signature for the current support configuration. |
| US08941617B2 |
Image input-output device with color layer between photodetector and display elements to improve the accuracy of reading images in color
An image input-output device includes a pixel which displays an image and reads an image. The pixel includes a photodetector element, a color layer, and a display element. The color layer is provided over the photodetector element and the display element is provided over the color layer, so that the distance between the photodetector element and the color layer is reduced. Accordingly, light is likely to enter the predetermined photodetector element through the predetermined color layer, and thus, even a color object can be read correctly. |
| US08941616B2 |
Display device with touch panel
A touch panel includes a substrate, a plurality of first electrodes extending in a first direction on the substrate and being disposed in parallel in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a plurality of second electrodes intersecting the plurality of first electrodes, extending in the second direction, and being disposed in parallel in the first direction. Each of the plurality of first electrodes includes a first portion and a second portion with the second portion of first electrode and the second electrode being made of a first conductive film, and the first portion of the first electrode being made of a second conductive film. |
| US08941610B1 |
Capacitively coupled computing device antenna
A computing device includes a capacitively coupled antenna provided in a display portion of the device. An antenna pattern is provided on a backside of a touch screen display. An antenna element is provided in a display housing. The touch screen is attached to the display housing a dielectric adhesive. The dielectric adhesive prevents the antenna pattern from contacting the antenna element such that the antenna pattern is capacitively coupled to the antenna element. |
| US08941608B2 |
Liquid crystal display with detachable touch sensor
A liquid crystal display according to the present disclosure is provided. The liquid crystal display includes a frame, a backlight module, a plurality of hooking members, an LCD panel, and a touch sensor. According to the liquid crystal display of the present disclosure, wherein the hooking members on the frame may secure the touch sensor or the LCD panel on the backlight module without need of using double-sided tapes or optical adhesive. |
| US08941607B2 |
MEMS display with touch control function
A display system using microelectromechanical system (MEMS) is disclosed. The display system includes a first substrate, a touch control unit and a plurality of MEMS display units. The first substrate has a control array. The MEMS display units are disposed in the first substrate. The control array controls the MEMS display units. |
| US08941603B2 |
Touch sensitive display
The present solution relates to a device (800) comprising a touch sensitive display (111). The device (800) further comprises a receiving unit (701) configured to receive image data. The device (800) further comprises a processing unit (703) configured to display the image data as a haptic image on the touch sensitive display (111), whereby objects comprised in the haptic image are discernable to a user by sense of touch. |
| US08941599B2 |
Touch panel-attached display device and antistatic structure
A touch panel-attached display device including: a display panel; a case having electric conductivity which is provided with an opening exposing a screen area of the display panel, the case which houses the display panel inside; and a touch panel fixed to the case on a front side of the case so as to face the opening of the case, wherein the case includes a projection formed in such a manner that a part of the case projects toward the front side from a front surface thereof, and the touch panel is fixed to the case in such a manner that a lateral surface of the touch panel and the projection face each other. |
| US08941587B2 |
Method and device for gesture recognition diagnostics for device orientation
Systems, circuits, and devices for recognizing gestures are discussed. A mobile device includes a housing, an orientation sensor, a camera implemented on the housing, a memory for storing a lookup table comprising multiple gestures and corresponding commands, and a controller coupled to the orientation sensor, the camera, and the memory. The controller is configured to generate trace data corresponding to a gesture captured by the camera, wherein x, y, and z coordinates of the trace data are applied according to an orientation of the housing during the gesture. The controller is also configured to determine an orientation angle of the housing detected by the orientation sensor. The controller is further configured to recognize the gesture through accessing the lookup table based on the trace data and the orientation angle of the housing. |
| US08941585B2 |
Input device with touch input function
An input device with touch input function has an input member which is operable to input at least one of shifting operation and pushing operation. The input member has a touch input device which is responsive to touch of a user. The input device has an operation sensor which detects the operation on the input member. The input member and the operation sensor provides an input unit which is supported by a support member in a manner that the input unit is movable among a lock position and an unlock position with respect to a base member on which the input unit is supported. The input device has a lock mechanism which locks the input member in inoperable condition at the lock position and which releases the input member in operable condition at the unlock position. |
| US08941579B2 |
Driving unit and gate driver circuit
The present invention discloses a gate driver circuit. The gate driver circuit includes a plurality of driving units electrically connected in series, wherein the gate driver circuit receives a plurality of frequency signals and the driving units transmit a plurality of output signals sequentially. Furthermore, each driving unit includes a primary circuit, a first voltage regulator circuit and a second voltage regulator circuit. |
| US08941578B2 |
Liquid crystal display controller and liquid crystal display device
In conventional liquid crystal display controllers, the display is reduced in the stand-by state but the liquid crystal display duty is not changed, i.e., even the common electrodes of the rows that are not producing display are scanned, and the consumption of electric power is not decreased to a sufficient degree in the stand-by state. A liquid crystal display controller includes a drive duty selection register capable of being rewritten by a microprocessor, and a drive bias selection register. When the display is changed from the whole display on a liquid crystal display panel to a partial display on part of the rows only, the preset values of the drive duty selection register and of the drive bias selection register are changed, so that the display is selectively produced on a portion of the liquid crystal display panel at a low voltage with a low-duty drive. |
| US08941575B2 |
Timing controller for display
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a timing controller for a display, includes a first unit, a second unit and a third unit. The first unit is configured to generate an image signal from a first input signal. The second unit is configured to generate a multitude of timing signals and a control signal from a multitude of second input signals, the control signal being generated after the multitude of timing signals are generated. The third unit is configured to generate a multitude of first signals from the multitude of timing signals after receipt of the control signal from the second unit. The image signal and the multitude of first signals are configured to drive the display when the timing controller is connected to the display. |
| US08941571B2 |
Liquid crystal driving circuit
A liquid-crystal-driving circuit includes: resistors connected in series between first and second potentials lower than the first potential; one or more voltage follower circuits to impedance-convert one or more intermediate potentials between the first and second potentials, to be outputted, respectively, the intermediate potentials generated at one or more connection points between the resistors, respectively; a common-signal-output circuit to supply common signals to common electrodes of a liquid crystal panel, respectively, the common signals being at the first, second, or one or more intermediate potentials in a predetermined order; and a segment-signal output circuit supplies segment signals to segment electrodes of the liquid crystal panel, respectively, the segment signals being at the first and second potentials, or the intermediate potentials according to the common signals, wherein the segment-signal output circuit increases impedances of the segment signals only for a first period when the of segment signals potentials are switched. |
| US08941564B2 |
Display device
A display device including a pixel array having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, each of the pixels including a sampling transistor configured to sample a data potential from a video signal line which is insulated from and intersects a control line in response to the change in potential of the control line, and a light-emitting element configured to emit light at the brightness commensurate with the magnitude of the post-sampling data potential. |
| US08941562B2 |
Display device
A display device which adjusts luminance of a display panel is disclosed. The display device senses light which leaks from a display area to a non-display area and adjusts the luminance of the display panel according to the sensed light. |
| US08941555B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method for manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting display device (OLED) includes: a multiple display in which a plurality of panels operate as a single display, wherein each of the panels comprise a substrate and a pixel; and a polarizing plate attached to the multiple display to bond the plurality of panels as a single panel, wherein the panels are divided into (i) display areas in which pixels are formed, and (ii) non-display areas surrounding the display areas, and at least two adjacent panels at an interpanel boundary are folded in the adjacent non-display areas to reduce the non-display areas. |
| US08941553B1 |
Methods and apparatus for antenna system with selectively activatable segments
In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises of a ground plane control module included in an antenna system having a set of antenna segments that includes a first antenna segment, a second antenna segment, and a third antenna segment, with each antenna segment associated with a separate ground plane. The ground plane control module is configured to selectively activate the ground plane of the first antenna segment and the second antenna segment such that receive signals and transmit signals are communicated with a first and second user, respectively, when the ground planes of the first and second antenna segments, respectively, are in an activate mode. The ground plane control module is configured to selectively activate the ground plane of the third antenna segment such that the third antenna segment cannot communicate receive signals and transmit signals when the ground plane of the third antenna segment is in a deactivate mode. |
| US08941552B2 |
Composite printed wiring board and wireless communication system
A composite printed wiring board includes a parent board and a child board that is mounted on the parent board. A wireless IC element that processes a high-frequency signal, a loop-shaped electrode that is coupled to the wireless IC element, and a first radiator that is coupled to the loop-shaped electrode are provided on the child board. A second radiator that is coupled to the loop-shaped electrode via an electromagnetic field is provided on the parent board. |
| US08941549B2 |
Compact four-way transducer for dual polarization communications systems
A compact four-way transducer (FWT) is provided for a microwave communications system. The compact FWT is a compact assembly that is configured to process microwave signals in dual-polarization antenna feeds and to provide single polarized signals for four communications channels. The compact FWT includes four terminals facing different directions at one end for receiving/sending single polarized signals, and a terminal at an opposite end for receiving/sending dual polarized signals. |
| US08941538B1 |
Iterative technique for fast computation of TxBF steering weights
Systems and methods are provided for directing radiated energy from a transmitting device towards a receiving device using multiple antennas. Channel weights, representing signal attenuation and a phase rotation induced by a transmission medium, are determined at a transmitting device. A set of steering weights are determined based on applying an iterative linear transform to an initial value of the steering weights, where the linear transform depends on the determined channel weights. A final value of the steering weights is applied to an input signal to produce a transmit signal, and the transmit signal is transmitted using multiple antennas. |
| US08941533B2 |
Method and device for detecting azimuth
A device for detecting an azimuth has a transmission array antenna having plural transmission antenna elements arrayed along an array axis and a receiving array antenna having plural receiving antenna elements arrayed along the array axis. A reception signal is acquired for each of channels by transmitting and receiving a search wave through each of the channels. The channels are arbitrary combinations of each of the transmission antenna elements and each of the receiving antenna elements. A first spatial frequency analysis is performed along the array axis of either ones of the transmission antenna elements and the receiving antenna elements using the reception signal. A second spatial frequency analysis is then performed along the array axis of the other ones of the antenna elements using results of the first spatial frequency analysis. An azimuth of a target is determined based on analysis results from the second spatial frequency analysis. |
| US08941532B2 |
Probe spacing element
The present invention relates to a guided wave radar level gauge system for determining a filling level of a product contained in a tank. The level gauge system comprises a transceiver for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals, a probe extending into the tank and configured to guide the signals towards the surface and to guide reflected signals back to the transceiver, processing circuitry for determining the filing level based on the reflected signals, and a plurality of spacing elements arranged on the probe. Each spacing element comprises a shell structure having an ellipsoidal shape defining an ellipsoidal space, first and second shell openings at first and second locations of the shell, such that a passage through the shell openings defines a passage through the spherical space, wherein the probe extends through the passage, and a plurality of flow openings allowing fluid flow between the exterior and interior of the shell. |
| US08941531B2 |
Automatic determination and retrieval of a favorite channel
A remote control device tracks the Likely Current Channel (LCC) to which an associated controlled electronic consumer device is tuned. The remote determines an amount of time that the LCC remains unchanged. Based at least in part on this amount of time, the remote determines whether the LCC should be stored as a favorite Channel (FC). When the user subsequently presses a favorite key on the remote the remote uses a codeset and the stored FC information to output a transmitter operational signal. The operation signal carries the FC number such that the electronic consumer device is commanded to tune to the FC. Automatic detection, storage, and ranking of FCs eliminates the need for complex user programming of the remote. Because the ranking of FCs is automatically updated over time, changing user preferences are automatically accommodated without manual intervention, resulting in an effortless user interface. |
| US08941530B2 |
Electronic apparatus, control method thereof, remote control apparatus, and control method thereof
An electronic apparatus, control method thereof, remote control apparatus that controls the electronic apparatus, and control method thereof. The remote control apparatus includes a communication unit which communicates with the electronic apparatus; a user input unit which receives a user button selection indicating an input button; a sensing unit which senses movement of the remote control apparatus; and a control unit which controls the communication unit to transmit information about the user button selection to perform a function corresponding to the input button if the remote control apparatus is in a button input mode, and to transmit information about the movement of the remote control apparatus to the electronic apparatus to control the electronic apparatus by the movement if the remote control apparatus is in a motion recognition mode. Accordingly, controlling a game or a multimedia content is easier, and the user is provided with a new and interesting experience. |
| US08941529B2 |
Capacitive digital to analog and analog to digital converters
A circuit including an amplifier. The circuit includes N capacitances that include first ends and second ends. The first ends communicate with an input of the amplifier. A first switch is configured to selectively connect the input of the amplifier to a reference potential during a first phase. N switches are configured to connect each of the second ends of the N capacitances to a voltage input, the reference potential and a voltage reference and selectively connect each of the second ends of the N capacitances to one of a voltage input, the reference potential and a voltage reference during a second phase. The first and second phases are non-overlapping. |
| US08941528B2 |
Analog to digital conversion circuit, image sensing device having the same and method of driving image sensing device
An analog-to-digital conversion circuit includes a reference current generating unit suitable for generating a reference current varied by a given level in a sampling stage, a ramp voltage generating unit suitable for generating a ramp voltage corresponding to the reference current, and a comparison unit suitable for comparing the ramp voltage with a voltage level of a pixel signal to output a comparison signal. |
| US08941527B2 |
Calibration in multiple slope column parallel analog-to-digital conversion for image sensors
A method of an aspect includes acquiring analog image data with a pixel array, and reading out the analog image data from the pixel array. The analog image data is converted to digital image data by performing an analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion using a multiple slope voltage ramp. At least some of the digital image data is adjusted with calibration data. Other methods, apparatus, and systems, are also disclosed. |
| US08941524B2 |
TD converter and AD converter with no operational amplifier and no switched capacitor
A TD converter is provided for digitally converting a delay time value into a digital value. In the TD converter, an oscillator circuit part inputs time domain data. A first-state counter circuit part measures a number of waves of an output oscillation waveform from the oscillator circuit part when time domain data is in a first state, and a second-state counter circuit part measures a number of waves of the output oscillation waveform from the oscillator circuit part when the time domain data is in a second state. An output signal generator part generates an output signal based on output count values of the first-state counter circuit part and the second-state counter circuit part, and a frequency control circuit controls the oscillator circuit part to always oscillate and to control an oscillation frequency of the oscillator circuit part. |
| US08941506B2 |
Methods and systems for identifying wiring of a telematics system
Methods and systems are provided for detecting a power line of a telematics unit is incorrectly wired. In one example, a system includes a first module that evaluates at least one of a validity of a global positioning system and a powered on status of the telematics unit. A second module determines that the power line of the telematics unit is incorrectly wired based on the at least one of the validity of a global positioning system and the powered on status. |
| US08941505B2 |
Smoke detector
This smoke detector is provided with: a plurality of light emitting devices which emit light beams of mutually different wavelengths; and a plurality of scattered light receiving sections which receive, at a different scattering angle for each light beam of the respective wavelengths, scattered light generated due to the plurality of light beams emitted simultaneously from these light emitting devices impinging on smoke. |
| US08941504B2 |
Oil level measurement system and method
The present invention provides a method of determining if a fluid level in a transmission is satisfactory. The transmission includes a controller and is coupled to a powered vehicle. The method includes measuring a grade of the surface upon which the vehicle is positioned with an inclinometer and measuring the fluid level in the transmission with a fluid sensor. The method also includes communicating the measured grade and measured fluid level to the controller and determining a fluid level threshold based on the measured grade. The measured fluid level and fluid level threshold are compared and a determination is made if the measured fluid level is satisfactory based on the comparison. |
| US08941502B2 |
Catenary safety monitoring system and method
A safety monitoring system for a catenary system that includes an overhead wire, a support pole and a counterweight attached to the end of the overhead wire and suspended by the support pole. The catenary safety monitoring system includes a temperature sensor for detecting an ambient temperature, a position sensor for detecting a position of the counterweight and an electronic controller. The electronic controller compares a detected position of the counterweight with a predicted position determined by the electronic controller using an ambient temperature from the temperature sensor. A message transmitter provides a warning to a user if the detected position of counterweight is not within a predetermined percentage of the predicted position. |
| US08941500B1 |
Somatosensory type notification alerts
A computing device is described that can receive contextual information related to a user associated with the computing device. The contextual information may relate to at least one of a physiological condition of the user at a current time or a type of activity associated with the user at the current time. The computing device can select, based at least in part on the contextual information, a type of alert to output as an indication of notification data. The type of alert may include at least one of an electric stimulus type alert, a shape-memory alloy type alert, and a vibration type alert. Responsive to selecting the type of alert, the computing device can output an alert based on the notification data, the alert being of the selected type of alert. |
| US08941498B2 |
Point of sale deactivation tablet and method
A method and system for deactivating locks, locking the functionality of products and/or the product packing in which such products are sold, in particular remote-activation adhesive locks. |
| US08941497B2 |
Multi-mode RFID tag architecture
A multi-mode RFID tag includes a power generating and signal detection module, a baseband processing module, a transmit section, a configurable coupling circuit, and an antenna section. In near field mode, the configurable coupling circuit is operable to couple the transmit section to a coil or inductor in the configurable coupling circuit to transmit an outbound transmit signal using electromagnetic or inductive coupling to an RFID reader. In far field mode, the configurable coupling circuit is operable to couple the transmit section to the antenna section, and the multi-mode RFID tag then utilizes a back-scattering RF technology to transmit the outbound transmit signal to RFID readers. |
| US08941496B2 |
Long range RFID device for battery monitoring and systems implementing same
An RFID system according to one embodiment includes an electronic device being powered by a battery; an RFID device in electrical communication with the electronic device; and a mechanism for estimating a remaining potential energy of the battery, wherein a flag is set on the RFID device when an estimated remaining potential energy of the battery is below a predefined threshold. In an RFID system according to another embodiment, the RFID device stores an indication of a condition of the battery powering the electronic device. An RFID device according to yet another embodiment of the invention includes an interface for providing a direct physical connection to an electronic device that is powered by a battery; a memory for storing an indication of a condition of the battery powering the electronic device; and circuitry for sending the indication stored in the memory to a remote device via an air interface. |
| US08941493B2 |
Determining operational state with tags
Systems and methods are provided relating to utilizing a plurality of RFID tags in conjunction with a circuit comprising at least one reed switch to facilitate determination of operational states and actions based thereon. A magnet can activate the reed switch causing a first RFID tag to be activated and transmit an associated RFID identifier from which a position/operation associated with the first RFID can be determined. The magnet can be removed to activate a second RFID tag whereupon a second RFID identifier is transmitted from which a second position/operation can be determined. The circuit comprising the reed switch and RFID tags can have an induction coil enabling the circuit to be activated when the induction coil is brought into proximity of a second induction coil and inductively coupled. |
| US08941485B1 |
System and method of obtaining and using a vehicle identifier for providing information to an end user
A precise navigation system utilizing a fleet of deployed RF beacons and an associated application. The RF beacons are installed in known locations about a predefined facility area. The RF beacons emit either a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi beacon signal. An RF beacon identifier is encoded into the beacon signal. The location of the beacon is determined by using the beacon identifier in conjunction with a beacon location index. The location can be used to determine a location of the receiving mobile device, initiating conveyance of information associated with merchants in the proximate area, assistance for parking, etc. The system can be employed to assist in emergency conditions, obtaining road sign information, and other applications where RF beacons can transmit specific location based services and information. |
| US08941478B2 |
System for providing a reminder to remove a mobile electronic device from a vehicle
A vehicle system for determining that at least one mobile electronic device is generally stationary and is potentially forgotten is provided. The system includes a vehicle data bus and a control module. The vehicle data bus transmits a signal indicating at least one trigger event. The trigger event indicates a vehicle exit condition. The control module is in communication with the mobile electronic device and the vehicle bus. The control module is in communication with the mobile device through a data connection to receive information. The control module includes control logic for receiving the trigger signal from the vehicle data bus. The control module includes control logic for determining if the mobile electronic device has moved based on information received from the data connection. The control module includes control logic for determining if the mobile electronic device is generally stationary if the trigger signal is received. |
| US08941474B2 |
Real time automatic headcount system
A real time automatic headcount system is configured with a portable transmitter operated by a crisis coordinator and operable to output an alert signal which is received by a plurality of receivers which are coupled to respective persons associated with a crisis-event site. The receivers each generate an acknowledgement signal transmitted via a central processing unit to the transmitter. Upon receiving the acknowledgement signal, the central processing unit is operable to update a check list of all person associated with the crisis-event site, identify those who have not been accounted for and implement back up procedures for locating and accounting for the previously unaccounted for persons in real time. |
| US08941470B2 |
Methods and systems of a radio frequency network node RFID tag with hardened memory system
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a Radio Frequency identification (RFID) tag that includes an OTP-based hardened memory system for the RFID tag. |
| US08941468B2 |
Planogram compliance using automated item-tracking
A planogram specifying items of a item type associated with a first location may be determined, and item read events for the items of the item type may be received from a first receiver associated with the first location and from a second receiver associated with a second location. A first counting of the item read events associated with the first receiver may be determined, and a second counting of the item read events associated with the second receiver may be determined. A clustering algorithm may be applied to the first counting and the second counting to determine a first cluster corresponding to a first subset of the items and a second cluster corresponding to a second subset of the items. Then, for each cluster, it may be determined whether the item read events contained therein indicate a presence of the corresponding subset of the items at the second location and in non-compliance with the planogram. |
| US08941464B2 |
Authorization system and a method of authorization
An access control system for a secure facility includes an authorization system having an interface, in the form of an interrogator, for receiving the request signal indicative of a user seeking authorization for a predetermined action, such as gaining access through a door. In one example, an authorization system may include an interface for receiving a request signal indicative of a party seeking authorization for a predetermined action. A first processor, that is responsive to the request signal, determines if the authorization is to be granted. If so, the first processor may generate an authorization signal that includes information that is securely coded, and which is indicative of the determination. An operating device, physically spaced from the first processor, may receive the authorization signal, and may decode the securely coded information and subsequently initiating the action, if appropriate. |
| US08941462B2 |
Over-current protection device and method of making the same
An over-current protection device has a PTC device, first and second electrodes and an insulation layer. The PTC device comprises first and second electrically conductive members and a PTC layer laminated between the first and second electrically conductive members. The first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrically conductive members, respectively. The insulation layer is disposed on a surface of the first electrically conductive member. The device is a stack structure extending along a first direction, and comprises at least one hole extending along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The value of the covered area of the hole divided by the area of the form factor of the over-current protection device is not less than 2%, and the value of the thickness of the device divided by the number of the PTC devices is less than 0.7 mm. |
| US08941461B2 |
Three-function reflowable circuit protection device
A circuit protection device includes a substrate with first and second electrodes connected to the circuit to be protected. The circuit protection device also includes a heater element between the first and second electrodes. A sliding contact is connected by a sensing element to the first electrode, second electrode, and heater element, thereby bridging and providing a conductive path between each. A spring element is held in tension by, and exerts a force parallel to a length of the substrate against, the sliding contact. Upon detection of an activation condition, the sensing element releases the sliding contact and the force exerted by the spring element moves the sliding contact to another location on the substrate at which the sliding contact no longer provides a conductive path between the first electrode, second electrode, and heater element. |
| US08941460B2 |
Rolled-up transformer structure for a radiofrequency integrated circuit (RFIC)
A rolled-up transformer structure comprises a multilayer sheet having a rolled configuration comprising multiple turns about a longitudinal axis. The multilayer sheet comprises more than one conductive pattern layer on a strain-relieved layer, including a first conductive film and a second conductive film separated from the first conductive film in a thickness direction. The first conductive film comprises an even number of primary conductive strips, where each primary conductive strip has a length extending in the rolling direction, and the second conductive film comprises an even number of secondary conductive strips, where each secondary conductive strip has a length extending in the rolling direction. In the rolled configuration, turns of the primary conductive strips and turns of the secondary conductive strips wrap around the longitudinal axis. The primary conductive strips serve as a primary winding and the secondary conductive strips serve as a secondary winding of the rolled-up transformer structure. |
| US08941451B2 |
Broadband SAW filter
A new type of very broad bandwidth filters with small insertion loss and high return loss are given. The new filter uses a substrate that can propagate a PSAW and fan shaped transducers of low metallisation height, high metallisation ratio, low reflectivity and high coupling coefficient. |
| US08941447B2 |
Microwave pulse power switching system
A microwave pulse power switching system includes a waveguide switching section having stacked reduced height waveguides, wherein microwave pulse power introduced into a first port of the waveguide switching section is divided between and propagates through the stacked reduced height waveguides. At least one and preferably both of the stacked reduced height waveguides of said waveguide switching section are loaded with a non-reciprocal ferrite material. A magnetic field switching circuit, which can include electromagnets and a bifurcating web plate of the waveguide switching section, produces a switchable static magnetic field in the ferrite loaded reduced height waveguides. Actuation of the magnetic field switching circuit will cause pulse power that emerges from the second port of the waveguide switching section to be changed or “switched” relative to the pulse power introduced into the first port of the waveguide switching section. |
| US08941446B2 |
Ferrite circulator with integrated E-plane transition
A waveguide circulator system for an E-plane-layer transition includes a first waveguide including: at least N waveguide arms, and a first-interface aperture spanning a first X-Y plane on a bottom surface of a first waveguide arm, a ferrite element having N segments protruding into the N respective waveguide arms of the first waveguide; an E-plane-transition waveguide having a first open-end and a second opposing open-end; and a second waveguide including a second-interface aperture spanning a second X-Y. The first-interface aperture is arranged to proximally overlap the first open-end. The second second-interface aperture of the second waveguide and the second-interface aperture is arranged to proximally overlap the second open-end. At least a portion of the first segment of the ferrite element protrudes into a volume extending between the first-interface aperture on the bottom surface of the first waveguide arm and an opposing top surface of the first waveguide arm. |
| US08941445B2 |
Piezoelectric module
A piezoelectric module includes a piezoelectric package and a circuit component package. The piezoelectric module includes a thermoset resin with solder particles interposed between a whole circumference of the opening end surface of the second depressed portion including the plurality of connecting terminals of the circuit component package and the outer bottom surface of the first depressed portion of the piezoelectric package. The plurality of external terminals of the piezoelectric package and the plurality of connecting terminals of the circuit component package are electrically connected by metal bonding. The whole circumference of the opening end surface of the second depressed portion of the circuit component package and the outer bottom surface of the first depressed portion of the piezoelectric package are bonded by melting and hardening of the thermoset resin that constitutes the thermoset resin with solder particles. |
| US08941435B2 |
Control panel
Techniques reduce erroneous judgment due to effects of noise accompanying PWM control. LEDs light operating portions and function as indicators. Circuitry adjusts brightness of the LEDs through PWM control. A detecting circuit outputs detected values in accordance with electrostatic capacitances of the electrode. A CPU senses a touch operation when a difference between a detected value of the detecting circuit and a reference value is more than a prescribed value. The CPU stores a detected value as a reference value which is the first value detected by the detecting circuit after the PWM control execution state of the LEDs has been changed or the first value that is detected by the detecting circuit, which is comprised by a touch switch that is in a specified positional relationship with respect to the touch switch which executing state of PWM control of the LEDs has changed, after transition of the executing state. |
| US08941428B2 |
Low power latching circuits
A latching circuit has an input for receiving the data value, an output for outputting a value indicative of the data value, a clock signal input for receiving a clock signal; and a pass gate. A feedback loop has two switching circuits arranged in parallel between two inverting devices, a first of the two switching circuits is configured to be off and not conduct in response to a control signal having a predetermined control value and a second of the two switching circuits is configured to be on and conduct in response to the control signal having the predetermined control value. A control signal controlling the two switching circuits is linked such that the switching devices switch their conduction status and the access control device act together to update the data value within the feedback loop. |
| US08941421B2 |
Semiconductor device
To provide a semiconductor device provided with a power-on reset circuit that can reliably detect decrease in power-supply voltage. The power-on reset circuit provided on the semiconductor device includes: a first comparison circuit that compares a primary voltage with a reference value; and a second comparison circuit that compares a secondary voltage with the reference value. The power-on reset circuit issues a reset signal based on comparison results of the first and second comparison circuits. |
| US08941420B2 |
Low-latency, frequency-agile clock multiplier
In a first clock frequency multiplier, multiple injection-locked oscillators (ILOs) having spectrally-staggered lock ranges are operated in parallel to effect a collective input frequency range substantially wider than that of a solitary ILO. After each input frequency change, the ILO output clocks may be evaluated according to one or more qualifying criteria to select one of the ILOs as the final clock source. In a second clock frequency multiplier, a flexible-injection-rate injection-locked oscillator locks to super-harmonic, sub-harmonic or at-frequency injection pulses, seamlessly transitioning between the different injection pulse rates to enable a broad input frequency range. The frequency multiplication factor effected by the first and/or second clock frequency multipliers in response to an input clock is determined on the fly and then compared with a programmed (desired) multiplication factor to select between different frequency-divided instances of the frequency-multiplied clock. |
| US08941419B2 |
M-ary sequence clock spreading
The invention concerns a device for providing a spread frequency clock signal, comprising: —an input (51) to receive a first clock signal having a first frequency; —a programmable clock divider (52) to generate the spread frequency clock signal from the first clock signal; —a first Feedback Shift Register (21), FSR, comprising at least one stage, the FSR being adapted to generate any of an odd number M of different values, the FSR being adapted to pseudo-randomly generate a first sequence of first output values, each corresponding to one of said M different values, and to provide a first output value, according to the sequence, during each clock cycle of the spread frequency clock signal; —a control unit (22) adapted to select a division factor of the programmable clock divider based on the first output value of the FSR during each clock cycle of the spread frequency clock signal; —an output (53) for providing the spread frequency clock signal. |
| US08941417B2 |
Output driver for energy recovery from inductor based sensor
A system for recovering energy from a sensor couples a battery to an inductive device in the sensor for a period of time, such that a current flows through the inductive device from the battery during the time period. The connections of the inductive device are then reversed for a second period of time. During the second time period, a current flow resulting from energy stored in the inductor is allowed to flow back to the battery, such that a portion of the energy from the inductor recharges the battery during the second period of time. |
| US08941414B2 |
Track-and-hold circuit with low distortion
A track-and-hold circuit is provided. This track-and-hold circuit is adapted to track an analog input signal and hold a sampled voltage of the analog input signal at a sampling instant for processing by other circuitry, in response to a track signal that alternates with a hold signal. Preferably, the track-and-hold circuit includes a bi-directional current source that sources and sinks current through a first output node and a second output node, a unity gain amplifier that is coupled to first and second output nodes of the bi-directional current source and that receives the analog input signal, a resistor coupled to an output of the unity gain amplifier, and a capacitor coupled between the resistor and ground. Of interest, however, is the bi-directional current source, which includes a differential input circuit that is adapted to receive the track signal and the hold signal and that is coupled to the first and second output nodes and an RC network that is coupled to the differential input circuit. The RC network receives the analog input signal and is scaled to change the location of a zero to reduce the signal-dependence of the sampling instant. |
| US08941407B2 |
Integrated circuit with configurable on-die termination
Described are integrated-circuit die with differential receivers, the inputs of which are coupled to external signal pads. Termination legs coupled to the signal pads support multiple termination topologies. These termination legs can support adjustable impedances, capacitances, or both, which may be controlled using an integrated memory. |
| US08941404B2 |
System and method for testing a power supply controller
In accordance with an embodiment, a method of testing a power supply controller includes detecting whether an external switch is coupled between a first supply pin and the second supply pin. If the external switch is detected, the method determines whether there is a short circuit between the second supply pin and the switching output pin. If the short circuit between the second supply pin and the switching output pin is not detected, however, the method determines whether there is a short circuit between a switch control pin and the second supply pin. If the short circuit between the switch control pin and the second supply pin is not detected, the method determines whether there is a conductive path between the first supply pin and the second supply pin when the switch control pin activates the external switch. |
| US08941401B2 |
Test circuit of an integrated circuit on a wafer
A test circuit is described of a circuit integrated on wafer of the type comprising at least one antenna of the embedded type comprising at least one test antenna associated with said at least one embedded antenna that realizes its connection of the wireless loopback type creating a wireless channel for said at least one embedded antenna and allows its electric test, transforming an electromagnetic signal of communication between said at least one embedded antenna and said at least one test antenna into an electric signal that can be read by a test apparatus. |
| US08941400B2 |
Parallel scan paths with three bond pads, distributors and collectors
An integrated circuit (70) having parallel scan paths (824-842, 924-942) includes a pair or pairs of scan distributor (800,900) and scan collector (844,944) circuits. The scan paths apply stimulus test data to functional circuits (702) on the integrated circuit and receive response test data from the functional circuits. A scan distributor circuit (800) receives serial test data from a peripheral bond pad (802) and distributes it to each parallel scan path. A scan collector circuit (844) collects test data from the parallel scan paths and applies it to a peripheral bond pad (866). This enables more parallel scan paths of shorter length to connect to the functional circuits. The scan distributor and collector circuits can be respectively connected in series to provide parallel connections to more parallel scan paths. Additionally multiplexer circuits (886,890) can selectively connect pairs of scan distributor and collector circuits together. The scan distributor and collector circuits can be formed in core circuits (704). The core circuits then can be connected to other core circuits and functional circuits with simple connections to the parallel scan circuits through the scan distributor and collector circuits. |
| US08941396B2 |
Electronic sensing system with environmental sensor patch
An electronic sensing system has a transceiver with input and output pads, an excitation circuit connected to the output pad, and a detection circuit connected to the input pad. An electrically-conductive sensor patch has an electrical state that changes with exposure to a corresponding environmental factor. The detection circuit detects an electrical state of the input electrical-connection pad in response to the excitation signal and the electrical state of the sensor patch. A stack of one or more layers in order is disposed over the sensor patch in the detection region. Each layer is susceptible to a respective environmental factor, so that the sensor patch changes electrical state in response to exposure of the layer stack to the respective environmental factors of the one or more layer(s) in the selected order and subsequent exposure of the sensor patch to the corresponding environmental factor. |
| US08941390B2 |
System and method for testing electrical circuits using a photoelectrochemical effect
A test system for medical devices that does not require physical contact with an electrical site along a conductive path is described. Not having to physical contact an electrical site while performing an electrical continuity test avoids potential damage to the site. The test system includes a fluidic channel that dispenses an electrolytic solution onto a first electrical site on the conductive path. A light source irradiates the first site to thereby induce a photoelectrochemical (PEC) effect at an interface thereof. The PEC effect produces a change in both the potential (i.e., voltage) and current carrying ability in the conductive path. That voltage or current is measured at a second site to determine whether there is electrical continuity or discontinuity between the sites on the conductive path. |
| US08941387B2 |
Apparatus and method for fault detection and location determination
An electrical waveform is received over an electrical power line. A plurality of nominal electrical parameters are determined for the electrical power network and the plurality of nominal electrical parameters are associated with a state of the electrical power network in the absence of at least one transitory electrical fault in the network. Subsequently, a plurality of electrical parameters of the electrical waveform are sampled when the at least one transitory electrical fault exists in the network. A plurality of inductances are determined based at least in part upon a comparison of the nominal electrical parameters and the plurality of sampled electrical parameters. The plurality of inductances are representative of inductances present in the network when the at least one transitory electrical fault exists in the network. The plurality of inductances are analyzed to determine a distance and/or direction to the at least one electrical fault. |
| US08941385B2 |
Enhanced method of sensing ionization current in spark ignition internal combustion engines and related spark plug structures
A spark plug, including an insulator embedding a first metallic electrode axially extending therethrough from a high voltage outer end terminal to the center of the inner end of the insulator from which it protrudes; a metallic ground electrode isolated from the first electrode and having an extended inner termination facing toward the first electrode extending from the insulator tip for defining therebetween a spark gap, a resistive element connected to the ground electrode such that upon mounting the spark plug in an internal combustion engine, the ground electrode electrically connects to the engine body through the resistive element; and a second outer termination of the ground electrode, adapted to constitute an accessible sensing terminal. |
| US08941383B2 |
System and method for measuring borehole geometry while drilling
A method and system for determining a geometry of a borehole includes forming an nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) caliper with a plurality of coils and coupling the NMR caliper to a borehole assembly. The NMR caliper may be calibrated for porosity and the T2 of the drilling mud, prior to drilling, at the surface. After drilling commences, scans of the borehole may be conducted with each coil of the NMR caliper. Each scan may include propagating RF energy across a range of frequencies with each coil in order to excite a NMR signal at varying depths. Borehole wall distances from the NMR caliper may be determined by reviewing a plurality of T2 distributions from CPMG measurements derived from the scans. In some embodiments, borehole wall distances from the NMR caliper may be determined by reviewing porosity values derived from the scans. |
| US08941379B2 |
Electromagnetic wave detection systems and methods
Systems and methods for detecting electromagnetic waves are disclosed. A system for use in detecting an electromagnetic wave includes an inductive device and a spintronic device. The inductive device generates an induced electromagnetic field when the inductive device receives the electromagnetic wave. The spintronic device has an impedance that changes when exposed to the induced electromagnetic field from the inductive device. The change in impedance is indicative of the electromagnetic wave received by the inductive device. Another system for use in detecting or transmitting an electromagnetic wave includes a conductive device and an inductive device. The inductive device is configured to generate an induced electromagnetic wave when the inductive device receives an electromagnetic wave passed by the conductive device. Another system for detecting electromagnetic wave permittivity or permeability of an object includes a pair of antennas and an inductive device. |
| US08941378B2 |
Magnetic sensor
A magnetic sensor includes a plurality of magnetoresistive elements that are formed by stacking a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer on a substrate and that exhibit a magnetoresistive effect and a soft magnetic member that converts a vertical magnetic field component into a horizontal magnetic field component. The soft magnetic member is formed of a plurality of first and second soft magnetic portions respectively extending in an X1-X2 direction and a Y1-Y2 direction, combined together in the shape of a lattice. The magnetoresistive elements have a sensitivity direction in the Y2 direction and include a magnetoresistive element located on a Y1 side portion side of the first soft magnetic portion and a magnetoresistive element located on a Y2 side portion side of the first soft magnetic portion, respectively receiving horizontal magnetic field components from the Y1 direction and Y2 direction. |
| US08941372B2 |
Systems and methods for predicting power system instability
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for predicting power system instability. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for predicting voltage collapse or instability in a power system. The method can include sampling measurement values associated with one or more busses, wherein the measurement values include current on respective lines associated with a bus; and voltage associated with the bus. The method can further include determining a change in reactive power loss (ΔQloss) on input lines feeding the bus; determining a change in real power flow (ΔPflow) on input or output lines associated with the bus; and determining a voltage stability index (VSI) at the bus based at least in part on the determined ΔQloss and the ΔPflow. |
| US08941370B2 |
Bandgap circuit with temperature correction
A temperature corrected voltage bandgap circuit is provided. The circuit includes first and second diode connected transistors. A first switched compare circuit is coupled to the one transistor to inject or remove a first current into or from the transistor. The first current is selected to correct for curvature in the output voltage of the bandgap circuit at one of hotter or colder temperatures. |
| US08941369B2 |
Curvature compensated band-gap design trimmable at a single temperature
A band-gap reference circuit is compensated for temperature dependent curvature in its output. A voltage across a diode with a fixed current is subtracted from a voltage across a diode with a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current. The resultant voltage is then magnified and added to a PTAT voltage and a diode's voltage that has a complementary-to-absolute temperature (CTAT) characteristic, resulting in a curvature corrected hand-gap voltage. This allows for the band-gap reference circuit to be trimmed at a single temperature. This allows the circuit to be made with only a single trimmable parameter, which, in the exemplary circuits, is a resistance value. |
| US08941367B2 |
Switching regulator and the method of generating a peak current signal for the switching regulator
A switching regulator including: a power stage having a first power switch and a second power switch coupled in series; a filter circuit having an inductor and an output capacitor; a feedback circuit configured to provide a feedback signal indicating an output voltage of the regulator; and a control circuit configured to provide a switching signal to control the ON and OFF of the first power switch so as to regulate the energy supplied to a load; wherein the control circuit has a peak current generator configured to generate a peak current signal, wherein the gain of a variation of the peak current signal between the contiguous switching cycles is less than one. |
| US08941362B2 |
Charging apparatus, and charge control method
There is provided a charging apparatus including a connection unit to which a device is to be connected, a charging unit for charging the device connected to the connection unit, a history acquisition unit for acquiring a history of content use stored in the device, a timing prediction unit for predicting a timing of use of the device based on the history of content use acquired by the history acquisition unit, and a charge control unit for controlling the charging unit such that the device connected to the connection unit becomes fully charged at a timing suitable for the timing predicted by the timing prediction unit. |
| US08941361B2 |
Computer system and control method thereof
A computer system to charge a rechargeable battery of an external device regardless of power on/off of the computer system when the external device having the rechargeable battery is connected, and a control method thereof. The computer system includes a connector having a terminal to which an external device is connected, a power supply to supply power to the connector, and a recognition signal generator to generate a predetermined recognition signal to initiate charging a rechargeable battery of the external device with power supplied from the power supply through the connector when the external device having the rechargeable battery is connected to the connector through the terminal. Thus, it is possible to charge the battery of the external device even when the computer system is powered off. |
| US08941358B2 |
Heating circuits and methods based on battery discharging and charging using resonance components in series and freewheeling circuit components
A circuit for heating a battery includes the battery including parasitic damping and current storage components, a switch unit, a switching control component coupled to the switch unit, a charge storage component, and a freewheeling circuit. The charge storage component and current storage component are at least parts of an energy storage circuit. The damping component, the current storage component, the switch unit, and the charge storage component are connected. The switching control component is configured to turn on and off the switch unit so as to control a first current flowing from the battery to the charge storage component and a second current flowing from the charge storage component to the battery. The freewheeling circuit is configured to allow a freewheeling current to flow to the battery after the switch unit is turned off. The circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging and charging the battery. |
| US08941357B2 |
Heating circuits and methods based on battery discharging and charging using resonance components in series and freewheeling circuit components
A circuit for heating a battery includes a switch unit, switching control module, damping component, energy storage circuit, and freewheeling circuit. The energy storage circuit is connected with the battery, and includes a current storage component and charge storage component. The damping component, switch unit, current storage component, and charge storage component are connected in series. The switching control module is connected with the switch unit, and is configured to control switching on and off of the switch unit so that current can flow back-and-forth between the battery and energy storage circuit when the switch unit switches on, and amplitude of the current flowing from the energy storage circuit to the battery can be controlled. The freewheeling circuit is configured to sustain the current flowing to the battery when there is current flowing from the energy storage circuit to the battery and after the switch unit switches off. |
| US08941355B2 |
Cell balance control device that prevents temperature increase of bypass circuit substrate
What is provided is a cell balance control device including: a bypass circuit including a direct circuit with a bypass resistance and a switching element, the bypass circuit being connected in parallel to each of a plurality of cells included in a battery; a cell voltage detection unit detecting a cell voltage of each of the plurality of cells; a temperature detection unit detecting a temperature of a substrate on which the bypass circuit is mounted; and a control unit controlling and computing a duty ratio of the switching element based on a value detected by the temperature detection unit and a cell voltage of a discharge-needed cell obtained by the cell voltage detection unit. |
| US08941354B2 |
Battery system
A battery system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes i) a plurality of battery modules each of which is configured to store power, wherein each battery module is electrically connected to at least one other battery module and ii) a plurality of management units configured to monitor states of the battery modules. Each management unit is electrically connected to at least one other management unit and one or more of the battery modules. Each management unit may include: at least one measuring unit configured to perform the monitoring and a receiving unit configured to i) receive measurement data including the monitoring results from the measuring unit via a first communication protocol and ii) receive measurement data from another receiving unit included in another management unit via a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol. |
| US08941351B2 |
Emergency adjustment device for blade pitch adjustment systems for wind energy installations
An adjusting device for rotor blades of a wind power plant is disclosed. An AC motor is provided for adjusting the angle setting of the rotor blades. An input serves for receiving an input alternating current. A frequency converter is provided for generating a second alternating current having a second frequency, wherein the second alternating current drives the AC motor. Additionally, a DC voltage source and an inverter are provided for converting the voltage provided by the DC voltage source into an alternating current for the AC motor. The inverter is thereby separated from the frequency inverter. |
| US08941350B2 |
Power conversion apparatus, power conversion method, motor system, and two-phase induction motor
A power conversion method including: receiving an input voltage which is a single-phase AC voltage; designating a first target voltage and a second target voltage respectively representing consecutive target values of a first-phase output voltage and a second-phase output voltage which form a two-phase AC voltage; cyclically connecting and disconnecting a pair of input terminals and a pair of first output terminals at a duty cycle corresponding to a ratio |ref1/in| during a time period in which an instantaneous absolute value of the input voltage is greater than an instantaneous absolute value of the first target voltage; and cyclically connecting and disconnecting the pair of the input terminals and a pair of second output terminals at a duty cycle corresponding to a ratio |ref2/in| during time periods in which the instantaneous absolute value of the input voltage is greater than an instantaneous absolute value of the second target voltage. |
| US08941349B2 |
Motor drive circuit
A motor drive circuit includes: an advance angle setting correcting device having a correction reference cycle according to a reference advance angle count value, in which a correction amount is calculated as a ratio of the correction reference cycle to a cycle of a detection signal indicating a detected frequency proportional to a motor rotation speed, and in which an advance angle setting signal is obtained by multiplying the correction amount by a proportionality factor; and an advance angle setting device in which the advance angle correction value is added to the reference advance angle count value thereby outputting an advance angle setting signal, wherein a drive command signal containing a rotation speed information based on a target rotation speed is externally fed, the motor rotation speed is variably controlled in response to the drive command signal, and the detection signal is fed from a rotation speed detecting device. |
| US08941347B2 |
Converter control device and air conditioner including converter control device
A converter control device comprises: a voltage-zero-cross detection unit detecting zero cross of the alternate-current voltage and outputting a voltage zero-cross signal; a power-source-current detection unit detecting a power source current of the alternate-current power source; a bus-line-voltage detection unit detecting a bus-line voltage between terminals of the smoothing capacitor; a PWM-signal generation unit generating a PWM-signal for on/off-controlling the switching unit, based on the power-source current, the bus-line voltage and a bus-line-voltage command value as a target voltage of the bus-line voltage; a power-source voltage-state detection unit detecting a signal state of the alternate-current voltage based on the voltage zero-cross signal; and a fundamental-switching-frequency selection unit selecting a fundamental switching frequency of the PWM-signal based on the signal state of the alternate-current voltage. The PWM-signal generation unit generates the PWM-signal based on a fundamental switching signal having a fundamental switching frequency selected by the fundamental-switching-frequency selection unit. |
| US08941343B2 |
Driving circuit for an EC-motor
A control circuit (1) for an electronically commutated, direct current motor (M) without a collector with a semiconductor end stage (2) which is controlled by an electronic commutation control (4) via a driver stage (6) for the time-offset control of the stator coils (U,V,W) of the motor (M) for the purpose of producing a magnetic rotating field for a rotor depending on the rotor rotation position. Two redundant stall protection units (10, 12) monitor the motor (M) during operation for rotation of the rotor, whereby in the case of a determined stall situation, the first stall protection unit (10) deactivates the driver stage (6) and the second stall protection unit (12) shuts off the supply voltage (UVCC) for the driver stage (6). |
| US08941342B2 |
Integrated servo system
An integrated servo system and a method of controlling a motor is provided. The integrated servo system includes a position detector which determines original position data of a motor and a position signal processor which determines a position of the motor based on the determined position data. The integrated servo system further includes a servo controller circuit which controls the motor based on the determined position data and a parallel bus through which the determined position data is transmitted from the position signal processor to the servo controller circuit. |
| US08941341B2 |
Rotating diode assembly including overvoltage protection circuit
A brushless wound field synchronous generator configured to generate an output power to drive an electrical load includes a rotating rectifier assembly. The rotating rectifier assembly includes a rotating diode assembly and a field effect transistor (FET) to control voltage across the rotating diode assembly. |
| US08941337B2 |
Motor driving device and electric power steering apparatus including motor driving device
In a motor driving device, a first relay portion is connected between a power source and an inverter portion, a second relay portion is connected between the first relay portion and the inverter portion, and a motor relay portion is connected between the inverter portion and a winding group of a motor. Inverter pre-driver circuits respectively drive switching elements of the inverter portion. A first pre-driver circuit drives the first relay portion. A second pre-driver circuit drives the second relay portion and the motor relay portion. A controller controls driving of the inverter portion, the first relay portion, the second relay portion, and the motor relay portion, and detects a failure of the first relay portion, the second relay portion, and the motor relay portion. |
| US08941335B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting element and flash-light device
There is provided a light-emitting element which includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer having an electrical conductivity that is different from that of the first semiconductor layer and an active layer disposed between the first and second layers, and a first and second electrodes respectively disposed on surfaces of the first and second semiconductor layers. The first electrode comprises a plurality of electrode pieces separated from each other; and each of the electrode pieces comprises a power feed pad, and an extended portion connected to the pad and that extends in a direction away from the pad, and a terminal end portion of the extended portion of an electrode piece is opposed to a terminal end portion of the extended portion of the other electrode piece across a gap. |
| US08941333B2 |
Lighting control method and device
A device for controlling an LED lighting in an LED lighting control system including a plurality of LED lightings which are connected via a network is provided. A lighting data receiver receives a first lighting control signal and extracts first lighting control data for the LED lighting from the first lighting control signal including a confirmation code. A verifier verifies the first lighting control data based on the confirmation code, and an error processor records error information when the verifier fails to verify the first lighting control data. A driving signal processor converts the first lighting control data to a driving signal when the verifier succeeds to verify the first lighting control data. An LED driver controls lighting of an LED light source based on the driving signal. |
| US08941328B2 |
Variable power dimming control circuit
Disclosed is a variable power dimming control circuit for driving and linearly adjusting the illumination brightness of a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), and the circuit includes a dimming stabilization unit and a control unit. The control unit is provided for detecting an input current of a circuit, and the dimming stabilization unit is driven for outputting a holding current when the input power is smaller than a standard, and stopping the output the holding current when the input power is greater than the standard. When the LEDs are dimmed to low luminance, a chip controls the operation of the dimming stabilization unit to assure the stability of the dimming operation of a TRIAC. When the LEDs are adjusted to high or full brightness, the chip stops the output of the holding current to reduce unnecessary power consumption and enhance the overall circuit performance effectively. |
| US08941324B2 |
Systems and methods for dimming control with capacitive loads
System and method for dimming control. The system includes a system controller including a first controller terminal and a second controller terminal, a transistor including a first transistor terminal, a second transistor terminal and a third transistor terminal, and a resistor including a first resistor terminal and a second resistor terminal. The system controller is configured to generate a first signal at the first controller terminal based on an input signal and to generate a second signal at the second controller terminal based on the first signal. The first transistor terminal is coupled to the second controller terminal. The first resistor terminal is coupled to the second transistor terminal. The second resistor terminal is coupled to the third transistor terminal. The transistor is configured to receive the second signal at the first transistor terminal and to change between two conditions in response to the second signal. |
| US08941321B2 |
Discharge lamp lighting device, and illumination apparatus and vehicle including same
A discharge lamp lighting device light which drives a discharge lamp with an alternating power includes a DC-DC converter, an inverter, a voltage detector which detects an output voltage of the DC-DC converter, and a current detector which detects an output current of the DC-DC converter. The discharge lamp lighting device light further includes a controller controlling a switching frequency of the DC-DC converter according to a detection value of at least one of the voltage detector and the current detector; and a PWM ON signal controller increasing a DC power by lengthening an ON duty of a PWM signal during a predetermined period after a start of polarity inversion of the alternating power. When the voltage detector and/or the current detector detects a detection value, the controller changes an increase amount of the DC power according to the detection value. |
| US08941319B2 |
LED constant-current drive circuit
An LED constant-current drive circuit includes a BUCK circuit consisting of a transformer T1, a diode D9, a capacitor C5 and a field effect transistor Q1; a voltage limiting circuit consisting of a resistor R1, a diode D8, a capacitor C1, a resistor R3, a triode Q2, a zener diode DZ1 and a diode D10; and a current limiting circuit consisting of a resistor R4, a triode Q3, a triode Q4 and a resistor R2. When the transistor Q1 is turned on, a current flows through a primary side of the transformer T1 and an LED load, and then flows through the transistor Q1 and the resistor R2, and then flows back to a negative electrode of a power supply. When the transistor Q1 is turned off, the current flows through the primary side of the transformer T1, the LED load and the diode D9, thus forming a loop. |
| US08941318B2 |
Power supply for illumination and luminaire
According to one embodiment, a luminaire includes a light-emitting module, a first lighting circuit and a back-flow preventing circuit. The light-emitting module includes a light-emitting element and a capacitive element. The first lighting circuit is supplied with power from the first power supply and is configured to activate the light-emitting element. The back-flow preventing circuit interrupts current flowing in a direction from the capacitive element to the first lighting circuit. |
| US08941317B1 |
Power drive system of light-emitting diode strings
A power drive system of light-emitting diode (LED) strings includes an isolation transformer, a current-sharing capacitor, two rectifying units, and a current control integrated circuit (IC). The isolation transformer has a primary-side winding and a secondary-side winding with a dotted terminal and a non-dotted terminal. The current-sharing capacitor is connected to the dotted terminal at one terminal thereof. One rectifying units is connected to the other terminal of the current-sharing capacitor, and the other rectifying unit is connected to the non-dotted terminal of the secondary-side winding. Each rectifying unit is connected to one LED string. The current control IC is connected between common points of the rectifying units and corresponding anode terminals of the LED strings and corresponding cathode terminals of the LED strings. |
| US08941316B2 |
Duty factor probing of a triac-based dimmer
A power supply circuit for operating high-efficiency lighting devices from a thyristor-controlled dimmer determines the dimming value, i.e., the dimmer duty factor by periodically probing the dimmer output. A minimum conductance is applied across the output of the dimmer during probing intervals that begin at the turn-on time of the dimmer and last until enough information has been gathered to correctly predict a next zero crossing of the AC line voltage that supplies the input of the dimmer. The dimming value is determined from the time interval between the predicted zero-crossing and a next turn-on time of the dimmer. The probing can be performed at intervals of an odd number of half-cycles of the AC line frequency so that a DC offset is not introduced within internal timing circuits of the dimmer. The AC line frequency can also be determined from a time interval between the predicted zero crossings. |
| US08941314B2 |
Light-emitting device and driving method thereof
In a light emitting device, luminance irregularities caused by fluctuation in threshold of TFTs for supplying a current to EL elements among pixels hinder the light emitting device from improving the image quality. A voltage equal to the threshold of a TFT 110 is held in capacitor means 111 in advance. When a video signal is inputted from a source signal line, the voltage held in the capacitor means is added to the signal, which is then applied to a gate electrode of the TFT 110. Even when threshold is fluctuated among pixels, each threshold is held in the capacitor means 111 of each pixel, and therefore, influence of the threshold fluctuation can be removed. Since the threshold is stored in the capacitor means 111 alone and the voltage between two electrodes is not changed while a video signal is written, fluctuation in capacitance value has no influence. |
| US08941312B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling LED light strings
An enhanced control mechanism for an LED light string system is provided for switching between one of two DC output phases or polarities so as to actuate one or the other of two LEDs within the bulbs on the light string. The control mechanism is further configured to allow switching so as to pass through the input power provided by a high-to-low voltage converter that is plugged into its electrical power feeding end. The control mechanism may then provide rectified AC voltage, or DC voltage, of various switched values to the LED string according to the particular needs of the LED bulbs. |
| US08941308B2 |
Lighting apparatus and methods for controlling lighting apparatus using ambient light levels
Lighting apparatus and methods for controlling lighting apparatus using ambient light levels are disclosed. A controller is used to activate and deactivate one or more light radiating devices within a duty cycle. The controller uses a light detection apparatus to sample ambient light levels at a plurality of sampling times during which the light radiating devices are deactivated. The controller determines an average for the light levels sampled over a survey time period, thus generating an averaged ambient light level over the survey time period. The controller adjusts an intensity of the light radiating devices based at least partially upon the averaged ambient light level. The controller may generate a target light level using the averaged ambient light level over the survey time period and a desired light level and, over an adjustment time period, incrementally adjust the intensity of the light radiating devices towards the target light level. |
| US08941304B2 |
Fast start dimmable induction RF fluorescent light bulb
A fast starting dimmable induction RF fluorescent lamp comprising a dimming facility enabling the induction RF fluorescent lamp to dim in response to a signal from an external dimming device, and with structures within the bulb envelope that facilitate rapid luminous development during a turn-on phase. |
| US08941303B2 |
Method for determining an illumination range of at least one headlight and method for calibrating a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle
A method for determining an illumination range of at least one headlight of a vehicle includes a step of detecting at least one road-marking feature, which is illuminated by the at least one headlight, a step of ascertaining a distance between the vehicle and the at least one illuminated road-marking feature, and a step of determining the illumination range of the at least one headlight, using the ascertained distance. |
| US08941297B2 |
Organic electroluminescent device
The present invention relates to white-emitting organic electroluminescent devices which have a fluorescent emitter layer and a phosphorescent emitter layer. |
| US08941295B2 |
Fluorescent material and illumination device
A fluorescent material is represented by the following formula (I): M1yM2nOzNx:M3w (I); wherein M1 is selected from Sc3+, Y3+, La3+, Sm3+, Gd3+, Pm3+, Er3+, Lu3+, and combinations thereof; M2 is selected from Al3+, In3+, Ga3+, and combinations thereof; M3 is selected from Tm3+, Bi3+, Tb3+, Ce3+, Eu3+, Mn3+, Er3+, Yb3+, Ho3+, Gd3+, Pr3+, Dy3+, Nd3+, and combinations thereof; 0.6≦x/n≦1.6, 0.54≦y/n≦0.6, 0 |
| US08941292B2 |
Lamp with enhanced chroma and color preference
Disclosed herein are low pressure discharge lamps having enhanced chroma and color preference. improved color quality scale, especially at elevated color temperatures, is provided. The light generated by the light-emitting elements of the lamp, when the lamp is energized, has Color Preference Scale values, as well as delta chroma values for fifteen color samples of the Color Quality Scale, within select parameters. |
| US08941289B2 |
Power generation unit, electronic apparatus, transportation device, and method of controlling power generation unit
A power generation unit includes: a deforming member adapted to deform while switching a deformation direction; a piezoelectric device provided to the deforming member, and having a pair of electrodes; a displacement sensor adapted to detect a deformation amount of the deforming member, and then output deformation amount information as information related to the deformation amount; an inductor electrically connected to the piezoelectric device; a switch disposed between the piezoelectric device and the inductor; and a switch control section adapted to control the switch so as to set the pair of electrodes to a shorted state for a predetermined period of time when the deformation amount exceeds a predetermined level. |
| US08941287B2 |
Method and device for long-term monitoring of components using guided waves
The present disclosure relates to a system for monitoring a structural component. The system may include an electromechanical device to generate guided waves having a measurement surface and a bonding agent disposed on the measurement surface and configured to engage with the surface of the structural component. The system may also include a heating element for heating the measurement surface, the bonding agent, and capable of heating a portion of the structural component surface. In addition, the system may include a clamp for retaining the measurement surface relative to the structural component. |
| US08941285B2 |
Nanoscale thermoelectric wave generators
In one aspect, the present invention provides nanosized systems for generating electrical energy based on the use of a chemically reactive composition to generate a thermoelectric wave. For example, the system can include at least one nanostructure (e.g., a carbon nanotube) extending along an axial direction between a proximal end and a distal end. A chemically reactive composition is dispersed along at least a portion of the nanostructure, e.g., along its axial direction, so as to provide thermal coupling with the nanostructure. The chemical composition can undergo an exothermic chemical reaction to generate heat. The system can further include an ignition mechanism adapted to activate the chemical composition so as to generate a thermal wave that propagates along the axial direction of the nanostructure, where the thermal wave is accompanied by an electrical energy wave propagating along the axial direction. |
| US08941283B2 |
Electric motor and reduction motor
A windshield wiper motor includes a reduction mechanism unit and an electric motor. The electric motor includes a yoke formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape; four magnets arranged in a cylindrical shape on an inner surface of the yoke, an armature including a rotary shaft rotatably supported by the yoke, an armature core fixed to the rotary shaft and including any teeth of fourteen teeth, eighteen teeth, and twenty two teeth, a commutator being fixed to the rotary shaft and including a plurality of segments insulated from each other with the same number as the number of the teeth of the armature core, an armature coil being wound, and a plurality of connecting wires respectively connected to the segments arranged to face each other around the rotary shaft, and a first brush, a second brush, and a third brush coming into sliding contact with the segments of the commutator. |
| US08941282B2 |
Turbine generator stator core attachment technique
A stator core (105) including tabbed laminations (100) stacked face-to-face to form a plurality of tabbed lamination modules (107), with each tabbed lamination including a first tab (102) and a second tab (104) extending from a circumferential edge of the lamination. Non-tabbed laminations are also stacked face-to-face to form a plurality of non-tabbed lamination modules (109), each non-tabbed lamination lacking a tab. The tabbed lamination modules are stacked face-to-face in an alternating configuration with non-tabbed lamination modules. The tabs are used to attach the stator core to an inside surface of an electrical generator frame (2), such as by attaching the tabs to frame support rings (4) of the generator frame. |
| US08941281B2 |
Rotating electrical machine and stator thereof
According to an embodiment, radially extending inner spacers are provided in a stator core at a distance from each other in the circumferential direction at intervals between a prescribed number of stacked magnetic steel plates, and ventilation ducts for cooling gas flow are formed in the radial direction. The perimeter of each ventilation duct is defined by the inner spacers and a magnetic steel plate separated by the inner spacers. The cooling gas, which flows in the rotation direction, is split laterally to both sides of a rotor coil and directed toward the outer circumference. Portions of the shoulder parts of a wedge are cut off such that the width of the shoulder parts of the wedge at positions corresponding to the ventilation ducts matches the slot width. |
| US08941279B2 |
Axial gap type generator
There is provided an axial gap type generator. The axial gap type generator includes: a stator core fixed to a crank case of an engine; a rotor yoke fixed to a crankshaft of the engine and opposing the stator core across spacing in an axial direction of the crankshaft; a first planar section provided in the crankshaft and formed to have a planar shape that is perpendicular to a rotation center axis; a second planar section provided at a base, at which the rotor yoke is mounted on the crankshaft, and disposed opposing the first planar section; and a shim clamped between the first planar section and the second planar section. |
| US08941278B2 |
Method and apparatus for hybrid suspension system
A system for suspending a rotating body consisting of a combination of magnetic and engineered materials. The suspension system allows for some axial motion to account for varying system loads. |
| US08941274B2 |
Stator for an electric motor of a washing machine and method of manufacturing the same
A stator for an electric motor that includes a plurality of stacked laminations and a polymeric shell coupled to the plurality of laminations. Each lamination includes an annular plate having a plurality of notches defined therein. Each notch has an end positioned between the side walls of the annular plate. A plurality of teeth extend from one side wall of the annular plate. Each lamination includes a first slot defined at the first end of each notch and a second slot spaced apart from the first slot, the first slots of the laminations are aligned to define a first plurality of passageways, the second slots of the laminations are aligned to define a second plurality of passageways, and the polymeric shell includes a plurality of support beams that extend through the first plurality of passageways and the second plurality of passageways. |
| US08941273B2 |
Vibration generation device
There is provided a vibration generation device, including: a housing including an internal space; a shaft passing through the internal space in an axial direction and mounted in the housing; a bearing member vibrated in the axial direction while contacting the shaft; a yoke mounted on the bearing member; a coil mounted on an outer surface of the yoke; a magnet interacting with electromagnetic force exerted on the yoke by the coil and included in the internal space; and at least one elastic member connected between an end of the yoke in the axial direction and a surface of the housing in the axial direction. |
| US08941272B2 |
Linear vibrator and method of manufacturing the same
There is provided a linear vibrator including a case including a cylindrical sidewall part forming a sidewall thereof and a cover coupled to one end of the sidewall part, and an elastic member including at least one connection protrusion and connected to the case while the connection protrusion is interposed between the sidewall part and the cover. |
| US08941271B2 |
Linear motor for lifting and lowering suction nozzle, and electronic component mounting apparatus
The linear motor includes: a frame; a slider having an mounting portion to allow the suction nozzle to be coupled thereto, wherein the slider is support by the frame in a movable manner in an up and down direction; a plurality of permanent magnets fixed to the slider while being aligned in the up and down direction; a spring member installed between the frame and a region of the slider spaced from the fixation position of the permanent magnets in the up and down direction, to bias the slider upwardly; a coil supported by the frame in such a manner as to be opposed to the permanent magnets; and an encoder supported by the frame in side-by-side relation with the coil in the up and down direction and adapted to detect a movement of the slider. The encoder and the spring member are arranged side-by-side in a horizontal direction. |
| US08941257B2 |
Wind power generator
In a wind power generator, a nacelle is located on an upper portion of a support rod, a rotor head having wind turbine blades fitted thereto is rotatably supported to a front end side of the nacelle, and a main shaft rotating integrally with the rotor head, a gear box coupled with the main shaft which rotates while the wind turbine blades receive a wind power, a power generator having a rotor driven by a shaft output of the gear box, a brush, and a slip ring, and a humidity management device controlling humidity inside of the power generator having the brush and the slip ring, are installed in an interior of the nacelle. |
| US08941255B2 |
Free floating multiple stator arrangement generator for direct drive wind turbine and methods
A generator for a wind turbine is provided. The generator includes a housing with a multi-piece stator arrangement mounted to the housing, the stator arrangement surrounding radially inward and radially outwardly directed faces of a rotor assembly, also surrounded by the housing. The rotor assembly is configured for direct attachment to a wind turbine main shaft so that rotation of the main shaft results in like rotation of the rotor assembly. The housing is mechanically coupled to the rotor by anti-friction elements such that the rotor is free to rotate about its central axis relative to the housing, and such that radial displacement of the rotor due to main shaft deflections results in a like radial displacement of the housing. |
| US08941254B2 |
Exhaust gas turbocharger
A generator housing that accommodates, in the interior thereof, a hollow-cylindrical liner and a stator that is disposed on a radially inner side of the liner has a split-in-two structure that can be divided into two parts at a plane including the rotation axis of the rotation shaft; and individual joints formed inside the generator housing between a pathway and a hole for supplying a cooling medium to the pathway, which is formed inside the liner, and also a hole for exhausting the cooling medium from the pathway are provided with ring-like members that are provided with front surfaces that face the liner and back surfaces that face the generator housing and that have a through-hole that communicates between the hole and the pathway or a through-hole that communicates between the hole and the pathway center portions thereof. |
| US08941252B1 |
Solar wind chime
A solar wind chime includes a chime and a striker suspended from a body. A solar energy system is carried by the body and includes a solar energy collection system configured to recharge a rechargeable electrical power source. An electrical subsystem conductively couples to the rechargeable electrical power source. |
| US08941249B2 |
Low loop wire bonding
A multi-die package includes a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die each having an upper surface with a plurality of bond pads positioned thereon. The multi-die package also includes a plurality of bonding wires each coupling one of the bond pads on the upper surface of the first semiconductor die to a corresponding one of the bond pads on the upper surface of the second semiconductor die. A bonding wire of the plurality of bonding wires includes a first portion extending upward from one of the second plurality of bond pads substantially along a z-axis and curving outward substantially along x and y axes in a direction towards the first semiconductor die. The bonding wire also includes a second portion coupled to the first portion and extending from the first portion downward to one of the first plurality of bond pads on the upper surface of the first semiconductor die. |
| US08941246B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a chip stacked body disposed on an interposer substrate and an interface chip mounted on the chip stacked body. The chip stacked body has plural semiconductor chips, and is electrically connected via through electrodes provided in the semiconductor chips excluding a lowermost semiconductor chip in a stacking order of the plural semiconductor chips and bump electrodes. The interface chip is electrically connected to the interposer substrate via a rewiring layer formed on a surface of an uppermost semiconductor chip in the stacking order or through electrodes provided in the interface chip. |
| US08941245B2 |
Semiconductor package including semiconductor chip with through opening
A semiconductor package comprises a substrate having a first opening formed therethrough, a first semiconductor chip stacked on the substrate in a flip chip manner and having a second opening formed therethrough, a second semiconductor chip stacked on the first semiconductor chip in a flip chip manner and having a third opening formed therethrough, and a molding material covering the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip and filling up a space between the substrate and the first semiconductor chip, a space between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip, and filling each of the first opening, the second opening, and the third opening. |
| US08941243B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing thereof
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of signal lines, and at least one power line. The substrate includes an integrated circuit unit. The signal lines are disposed on the substrate and are configured to provide the integrated circuit unit with signals. The power line is disposed on the substrate and is configured to provide the integrated circuit unit with power supply on the substrate. The power line includes a stacked structure including a first power line and a second power line stacked on the first power line. |
| US08941242B2 |
Method of protecting against via failure and structure therefor
A method is for forming a decoy via and a functional via. The method includes forming the functional via between a metal portion of a first interconnect layer and a portion of a second interconnect layer. The method further includes forming the decoy via in a protection region between the metal portion of the first interconnect layer and a metal portion of the third interconnect level. |
| US08941239B2 |
Copper interconnect structure and method for forming the same
A copper interconnect structure in a semiconductor device including an opening formed in a dielectric layer of the semiconductor device, the opening having sidewalls and a bottom. A first barrier layer is conformally deposited on the sidewalls and the bottom of the opening. A first seed layer is conformally deposited on the first barrier layer. A second barrier layer is conformally deposited on the first seed layer. A second seed layer is conformally deposited on the second barrier layer and a conductive plug is deposited in the opening of the dielectric layer. |
| US08941237B2 |
Semiconductor device
A device includes a substrate, a semiconductor chip, first and second pads, and a first wiring layer. The substrate includes first and second surfaces. The semiconductor chip includes third and fourth surfaces. The third surface faces toward the first surface. The first and second pads are provided on the third surface. The first and second pads are connected to each other. The first wiring layer is provided on the second surface of the substrate. The first wiring layer is connected to the first pad. |
| US08941233B1 |
Integrated circuit package with inter-die thermal spreader layers
Integrated circuit (IC) packages with an inter-die thermal spreader are disclosed. A disclosed IC package includes a plurality of stacked dies disposed on a package substrate. A heat spreader is disposed on a top die of the plurality of stacked dies. The IC package further includes a thermal spreader layer disposed adjacent to at least one die of the plurality of stacked dies. The thermal spreader layer may extend out of a periphery of the plurality of stacked dies and may be attached to the heat spreader through a support member. |
| US08941232B2 |
Metal bumps for cooling device connection
The mechanisms for forming metal bumps to connect to a cooling device (or a heat sink) described herein enable substrates with devices to dissipate heat generated more efficiently. In addition, the metal bumps allow customization of bump designs to meet the needs of different chips. Further, the usage of metal bumps between the semiconductor chip and cooling device enables advanced cooling by passing a cooling fluid between the bumps. |
| US08941229B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a base substrate made of silicon, a cap substrate and a leading electrode having a metal part. The base substrate has base semiconductor regions being insulated and separated from each other at a predetermined portion of a surface layer thereof. The cap substrate is bonded to the predetermined portion of the surface layer of the base substrate. The leading electrode has a first end connected to one of the plurality of base semiconductor regions of the base substrate and extends through the cap substrate such that a second end of the leading electrode is located adjacent to a surface of the cap substrate for allowing an electrical connection with an external part, the surface being opposite to a bonding surface at which the base substrate and the cap substrate are bonded. The leading electrode defines a groove between an outer surface thereof and the cap substrate. |
| US08941228B2 |
Semiconductor module and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor module is manufactured by bonding a resin case having a first opening through which surfaces of main circuit terminals and control terminals are exposed, onto a metal heat-dissipating substrate onto which is bonded, a conductive-patterned insulating substrate onto which are bonded, semiconductor chips, the main circuit terminals, and the control terminals; inserting into and attaching to a second opening formed on a side wall constituting a resin case, a resin body having a nut embedded therein to fix the main circuit terminals and the control terminals; and filling the resin case with a resin material. A side wall of the first opening is tapered toward the surface thereof; a tapered contact portion contacting the tapered side wall is disposed on the control terminal; and the resin body having the embedded nut fixes the control terminal having a one-footing structure that is an independent terminal. |
| US08941227B2 |
Package structure and method for manufacturing same
An exemplary package substrate includes a package substrate, a first connection substrate, a first chip, a dielectric adhesive sheet, a second chip, and a second connection substrate. The package substrate includes many first and second electrical contact pads. The first connection substrate includes many third and fourth electrical contact pads. Each fourth electrical contact pad is electrically connected to one first electrical contact pad. The first chip includes many first electrode pads. Each first electrode pad is electrically connected to the corresponding third electrical contact pad. The second chip is connected to the first chip by the dielectric adhesive sheet, and includes many second electrode pads. The second connection substrate includes many fifth and sixth electrical contact pads. Each fifth electrical contact pad is electrically connected to one second electrode pad, and each sixth electrical contact pad is electrically connected to one second electrical contact pad. |
| US08941226B2 |
Sealed semiconductor device having adhesive patch with inwardly sloped side surfaces
A semiconductor device has an external terminal formed through the use of an electrolysis plating method. A front surface of a semiconductor wafer is placed over a front surface of a first support heated to a first temperature. An adhesive sheet is then bonded to a back surface of the semiconductor wafer, after which the semiconductor wafer is subjected to heat treatment at a second temperature higher than the first temperature. After the semiconductor wafer and the adhesive sheet are cut along cutting regions, a plurality of semiconductor chips each having an adhesive patch bonded thereto are obtained. A mother substrate is placed over a front surface of a second support heated to a third temperature and the semiconductor chips are fixed to an upper surface of the mother substrate via the adhesive patch. |
| US08941220B2 |
Power module package and system module having the same
Disclosed herein is a power module package, including: a first substrate having first semiconductor chips mounted thereon; and a second substrate having second semiconductor chips mounted thereon, the second substrate being coupled with the first substrate such that a side surface in a thickness direction thereof is disposed on an upper surface of the first substrate. |
| US08941216B2 |
Semiconductor devices having through-vias and methods for fabricating the same
The inventive concept provides semiconductor devices having through-vias and methods for fabricating the same. The method may include forming a via-hole opened toward a top surface of a substrate and partially penetrating the substrate, forming a via-insulating layer having a first thickness on a bottom surface of the via-hole and a second thickness smaller than the first thickness on an inner sidewall of the via-hole, forming a through-via in the via-hole which the via-insulating layer is formed in, and recessing a bottom surface of the substrate to expose the through-via. Forming the via-insulating layer may include forming a flowable layer on the substrate, and converting the flowable layer into a first flowable chemical vapor deposition layer having the first thickness on the bottom surface of the via-hole. |
| US08941214B2 |
Semiconductor device having a necked semiconductor body and method of forming semiconductor bodies of varying width
Semiconductor devices having necked semiconductor bodies and methods of forming semiconductor bodies of varying width are described. For example, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body disposed above a substrate. A gate electrode stack is disposed over a portion of the semiconductor body to define a channel region in the semiconductor body under the gate electrode stack. Source and drain regions are defined in the semiconductor body on either side of the gate electrode stack. Sidewall spacers are disposed adjacent to the gate electrode stack and over only a portion of the source and drain regions. The portion of the source and drain regions under the sidewall spacers has a height and a width greater than a height and a width of the channel region of the semiconductor body. |
| US08941213B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a spiral-shaped inductor formed to include a metal wire; and a horseshoe-shaped inductor formed to include the metal wire. The horseshoe-shaped inductor is arranged such that an opening of the horseshoe-shaped inductor is disposed opposite to the spiral-shaped inductor. Accordingly, unnecessary wave (spurious) output from a transmitting unit can be reduced as small as possible. |
| US08941212B2 |
Helical spiral inductor between stacking die
The present disclosure relates to a multi-level integrated inductor that provides for a good inductance and Q-factor. In some embodiments, the integrated inductor has a first inductive structure with a first metal layer disposed in a first spiral pattern onto a first IC die and a second inductive structure with a second metal layer disposed in a second spiral pattern onto a second IC die. The first IC die is vertically stacked onto the second IC die. A conductive interconnect structure is located vertically between the first and second IC die and electrically connects the first metal layer to the second metal layer. The conductive interconnect structure provides for a relatively large distance between the first and second inductive structures that provides for an inductance having a high Q-factor over a large range of frequencies. |
| US08941211B2 |
Integrated circuit using deep trench through silicon (DTS)
An embodiment radio frequency area of an integrated circuit is disclosed. The radio frequency area includes a substrate having an implant region. The substrate has a first resistance. A buried oxide layer is disposed over the substrate and an interface layer is disposed between the substrate and the buried oxide layer. The interface layer has a second resistance lower than the first resistance. A silicon layer is disposed over the buried oxide layer and an interlevel dielectric is disposed in a deep trench. The deep trench extends through the silicon layer, the buried oxide layer, and the interface layer over the implant region. The deep trench may also extend through a polysilicon layer disposed over the silicon layer. |
| US08941204B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing cross talk in image sensors
A method for reducing cross talk in image sensors comprises providing a backside illuminated image sensor wafer, forming an isolation region in the backside illuminated image sensor wafer, wherein the isolation region encloses a photo active region, forming an opening in the isolation region from a backside of the backside illuminated image sensor wafer and covering an upper terminal of the opening with a dielectric material to form an air gap embedded in the isolation region of the backside illuminated image sensor wafer. |
| US08941198B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions each provided in a semiconductor substrate and receives incident light through a light sensing surface, and a pixel separation portion provided to electrically separate a plurality of pixels. At least a pinning layer and a light shielding layer are provided in an inner portion of a trench provided on a side portion of each of the photoelectric conversion portions in an incident surface side, the trench includes a first trench and a second trench formed to be wider than the first trench in a portion shallower than the first trench, the pinning layer is formed in an inner portion of the first trench to cover an inside surface of the second trench, and the light shielding layer is formed to bury an inner portion of the second trench at least via the pinning layer. |
| US08941194B1 |
Pressure sensor device having bump chip carrier (BCC)
A pressure sensor device is assembled by forming cavities on a surface of a metal sheet and then forming an electrically conductive pattern having traces and bumps over the cavities. An insulating layer is formed on top of the pattern and then processed to form exposed areas and die attach areas on the surface of the metal sheet. The exposed areas are plated with a conductive metal and then electrically connected to respective ones of the bumps. A gel is dispensed on the die attach areas and sensor dies are attached to respective die attach areas. One or more additional semiconductor dies are attached to the insulating layer and bond pads of these dies are electrically connected to the exposed plated areas. A molding compound is dispensed such that it covers the sensor die and the additional dies. The metal sheet is removed to expose outer surfaces of the bumps. |
| US08941192B2 |
MEMS actuator device deployment
A method for making an actuator device includes forming a substantially planar structure having a stage resiliently supported for movement within a plane of the structure, an actuator coupled to an outer periphery of the stage and operable to apply a force acting in the plane and tangentially to the stage when actuated, the actuator comprising a fixed frame and a moving frame resiliently supported for reciprocal movement relative to the fixed frame by a motion control flexure, and an outer frame surrounding and supporting the stage and the actuator. The moving frame is moved to a deployed position that is coplanar with, parallel to and spaced apart from the fixed frame at a selected distance, and the moving frame is then fixed at the deployed position for substantially rectilinear, perpendicular movement relative to the fixed frame. |
| US08941191B2 |
Method of actuating an internally transduced pn-diode-based ultra high frequency micromechanical resonator
A radio frequency microelectromechanical (RF MEMS) device can comprise an actuation p-n junction and a sensing p-n junction formed within a semiconductor substrate. The RF MEMS device can be configured to operate in a mode in which an excitation voltage is applied across the actuation p-n junction varying a non-mobile charge within the actuation p-n junction to modulate an electric field acting upon dopant ions and creating electrostatic forces. The electrostatic forces can create a mechanical motion within the actuation p-n junction. The mechanical motion can modulate a depletion capacitance of the sensing p-n junction, thereby creating a motional current. At least one of the p-n junctions can be located at an optimal location to maximize the efficiency of the RF MEMS device at high resonant frequencies. |
| US08941188B2 |
Semiconductor arrangement with a superjunction transistor and a further device integrated in a common semiconductor body
A semiconductor arrangement includes a semiconductor body and a power transistor arranged in a first device region of the semiconductor body. The power transistor includes at least one source region, a drain region, and at least one body region, at least one drift region of a first doping type and at least one compensation region of a second doping complementary to the first doping type, and a gate electrode arranged adjacent to the at least one body region and dielectrically insulated from the body region by a gate dielectric. The semiconductor arrangement also includes a further semiconductor device arranged in a second device region of the semiconductor body. The second device region includes a well-like structure of the second doping type surrounding a first semiconductor region of the first doping type. The further semiconductor device includes device regions arranged in the first semiconductor region. |
| US08941183B2 |
Semiconductor device
There is provided a semiconductor device comprising, at least one SRAM cell, wherein the SRAM cell includes a pull-up transistor, a pull-down transistor, and a pass-gate transistor, and an inversion-layer thickness (Tinv) of a gate stack of the pass-gate transistor is different from Tinv of a gate stack of the pull-up transistor and Tinv of a gate stack of the pull-down transistor. |
| US08941180B2 |
Integrated circuit structure incorporating one or more asymmetric field effect transistors as power gates for an electronic circuit with stacked symmetric field effect transistors
Disclosed is an integrated circuit having an asymmetric FET as a power gate for an electronic circuit, which has at least two stacked symmetric field effect transistors. The asymmetric FET has an asymmetric halo configuration (i.e., a single source-side halo or a source-side halo with a higher dopant concentration than a drain-side halo) and an asymmetric source/drain extension configuration (i.e., the source extension can be overlapped to a greater extent by the gate structure than the drain extension and/or the source extension can have a higher dopant concentration than the drain extension). As a result, the asymmetric FET has a low off current. In operation, the asymmetric FET is turned off when the electronic circuit is placed in a standby state and, due to the low off current (Ioff), effectively reduces standby leakage current from the electronic circuit. Additionally, avoiding the use of stacked asymmetric field effect transistors within the electronic circuit itself prevents performance degradation due to reduced linear drain current (Idlin). |
| US08941177B2 |
Semiconductor devices having different gate oxide thicknesses
A method of manufacturing multiple finFET devices having different thickness gate oxides. The method may include depositing a first dielectric layer on top of the semiconductor substrate, on top of a first fin, and on top of a second fin; forming a first dummy gate stack; forming a second dummy gate stack; removing the first and second dummy gates selective to the first and second gate oxides; masking a portion of the semiconductor structure comprising the second fin, and removing the first gate oxide from atop the first fin; and depositing a second dielectric layer within the first opening, and within the second opening, the second dielectric layer being located on top of the first fin and adjacent to the exposed sidewalls of the first pair of dielectric spacers, and on top of the second gate oxide and adjacent to the exposed sidewalls of the second pair of dielectric spacers. |
| US08941176B2 |
Integrated device with raised locos insulation regions and process for manufacturing such device
An embodiment of an integrated device includes a semiconductor body, in which an STI insulating structure is formed, laterally delimiting first active areas and at least one second active area in a low-voltage region and in a power region of the semiconductor body, respectively. Low-voltage CMOS components are housed in the first active areas. Formed in the second active area is a power component, which includes a source region, a body region, a drain-contact region, and at least one LOCOS insulation region, arranged between the body region and the drain-contact region and having a prominent portion that emerges from a surface of the semiconductor body, and an embedded portion inside it. The prominent portion of the LOCOS insulation region has a volume greater than that of the embedded portion. |
| US08941175B2 |
Power array with staggered arrangement for improving on-resistance and safe operating area
A power array with a staggered arrangement for improving on-resistance and safe operating area of a device is provided. Each power array includes two or more rows with a plurality of parallel device units arranged along the row. Each device unit includes a source region, a drain region, and a gate disposed between the source region and the drain region, wherein each drain region is offset from the adjacent drain region of adjacent rows in a row direction. |
| US08941174B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for producing the same
It is an object to improve the breakdown voltage characteristics of a vertical semiconductor device having an opening and including a channel formed of two-dimensional electron gas in the opening. A GaN-based stacked layer 15 includes n−-type GaN drift layer 4/p-type GaN barrier layer 6/n+-type GaN contact layer 7. An opening 28 extends from a top layer and reaches the n−-type GaN drift layer 4. The semiconductor device includes a regrown layer 27 located so as to cover a wall surface and a bottom portion of the opening, the regrown layer 27 including an electron drift layer 22 and an electron source layer 26, a source electrode S located around the opening, a gate electrode G located on the regrown layer in the opening, and a bottom insulating layer 37 located in the bottom portion of the opening. |